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Home , Bobby Baun, Colorado Mammoth, Glen Gulutzan, Ivan Telegin, World Cup of Hockey

SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 01/04/18 Columbus Blue Jackets 1091284 seems close to return as Ducks prepare for 1091318 Blue Jackets: ‘Stale’ Bjorkstrand comes up big at key time game at Edmonton 1091319 Blue Jackets | David Savard’s block example of heads-up 1091285 At halfway point, Ducks feel things are in place to make play on defense their move 1091320 Blue Jackets | Oliver Bjorkstrand gets going on offense after video session Arizona Coyotes 1091321 Michael Arace | Adaptability could serve Blue Jackets in 1091286 Arizona Coyotes focused on minimizing late-game second half mistakes 1091287 ‘Yotes Notes: Dvorak trying to find consistency in Season 2 1091322 Which Stars win during the recent home stretch has been the most impressive? Boston Bruins 1091323 Why the third line, headed up by Radek Faksa, has 1091288 Bruins assign Anders Bjork to Providence become center of Stars’ success 1091289 With the Bruins continuing to win, Bruce Cassidy will keep 1091324 How will Marc Methot's return affect the Stars' defensive it simple pairings? 1091290 NHL roundup: Ovechkin's 2nd lifts Capitals over Hurricanes 5-4 in OT 1091291 NHL WATCH: Penguins looking for a big second-half 1091325 Red Wings' has his confidence back; can he breakout become elite? 1091292 Bruins winger Danton Heinen blossoms after adding grit to 1091326 Red Wings' Andreas Athanasiou scores 6 seconds into his game OT for 2-1 win 1091293 Anders Bjork assigned to Providence 1091327 Red Wings laugh off 'smart' strategy by Senators on 1091294 Morning Skate: Blackhawks following in Bruins' footsteps delayed penalty 1091295 Five takeaways from Bruins-Islanders: Give a shout to B's 1091328 Andreas Athanasiou shines as Detroit Red Wings win third fourth line straight 1091329 Andreas Athanasiou strikes in OT, Red Wings win third straight 1091296 Sabres return to regularly scheduled programming 1091330 Wings’ Tyler Bertuzzi proving to be ‘good piece’ 1091297 Sabres Notebook: Wild are red-hot at home 1091331 Andreas Athanasiou's goal lifts Red Wings 1091332 Detroit Red Wings vs. Ottawa Senators live chat 1091333 Red Wings seek better power-play entries, net presence 1091298 Flames try to find right fit for second line 1091334 Expansion team? Vegas Golden Knights simply one of 1091299 Game Day: Flames vs. Kings NHL's best 1091300 Dellow: Shortening the bench when chasing the game and Glen Gulutzan 1091301 Wheeler: The complete Calgary Flames prospects ranking 1091335 Edmonton Oilers notebook: Patrick Maroon suspended for two games Chicago Blackhawks 1091336 Lowetide: Making the call on the Oilers' free agents to be 1091302 Jeff Glass starts again in goal as Blackhawks face Rangers Florida Panthers 1091303 Richard Panik scratched again as Blackhawks search for 1091337 Cullen, Staal each score 2 in Wild's 5-1 win over Panthers answers 1091338 Preview: Panthers at Bruins, 7 p.m., Thursday 1091304 Wednesday’s matchup: Blackhawks at Rangers 1091339 Panthers' James Reimer OK after injury scare Tuesday in 1091305 Blackhawks bounce back with 5-2 win over Rangers Minnesota 1091306 Unlike last season, Gustav Forsling’s confidence remains high despite slump Los Angeles Kings 1091307 Patrick Sharp lifts Blackhawks over Rangers, out of last 1091340 What we learned from the Kings' 5-0 win over the Oilers place 1091341 Adrian Kempe is skating on solid ice with Kings 1091308 Sharp breaks tie in third, Blackhawks beat Rangers 5-2 1091342 forgives Patrick Maroon’s hit to his head 1091309 Blackhawks finish road trip on high note 1091343 JANUARY 3 PRACTICE QUOTES: JOHN STEVENS 1091310 What could have been: Here's what Olympic hockey 1091344 WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: JANUARY 3 rosters would look like with NHL players 1091345 GOOD MORNING, CALGARY 1091346 January 3 notes: Maroon suspension; Folin; goaltending; Avalanche Regehr; much more 1091311 Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon in NHL MVP discussion Minnesota Wild 1091312 Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov “day-to-day” with 1091347 ready to return, putting Wild at full muscular injury strength for first time this season 1091313 The Morning After: Three stars, five takeaways from the 1091348 Wild-Sabres gameday preview Avalanche’s win over Winnipeg 1091349 Charlie Coyle's empty-net goal could get struggling Wild 1091314 Everything you need to know about Columbus Blue forward going Jackets at 1091350 Who’s the odd man out with Wild finally at full strength? 1091315 Pepsi Center will provide captioning after woman’s lawsuit claimed Americans with Disabilities Act viol 1091316 BRIEF: Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov "day-to-day" with muscular injury 1091317 Avalanche beats in overtime on 's winning shot Canadiens Pittsburgh Penguins 1091351 Canadiens' top players 'have to take charge' to turn poor 1091389 Penguins notebook: Goaltending is risky business against play around: Julien Flyers 1091352 Stu Cowan: Change of scenery might be best for 1091390 Rivalry games bringing out best in Penguins Canadiens' 1091391 Riley Sheahan dives for loose puck against the Blue 1091353 Canadiens Notebook: Growing pains continue for Jackets on Dec. 27. 1 Grading the first half of the 2017-1 Jonathan Drouin at centre 1091354 Analyze This: With playoffs a pipe dream, Canadiens San Jose Sharks should look to the future 1091392 Another piece of the Sharks’ post-Marleau puzzle appears 1091355 Players-only meeting latest sign of desperation that has to be falling into place gripped Canadiens 1091393 Is Mikkel Boedker about to turn his season around? 1091356 Melnick: The good, the bad and the ugly game 40, Montreal 1, San Jose 4 St Louis Blues 1091394 Yeo's preaching sticks with Sobotka Nashville Predators 1091395 Vegas is on a roll as Knights face Blues 1091357 Predators' Filip Forsberg will miss 4-6 weeks with upper- 1091396 Blues vs. Golden Knights preview body injury 1091397 Hochman: Hutton has the hot hand, but who will start Thursday night? New Jersey Devils 1091398 Thompson reaching for success with Blues 1091358 Ken Dryden Says Change Can’t Wait: End N.H.L. Head Hits Now Tampa Bay Lightning 1091359 Only 1 change for Devils at practice with added fun 1091399 Lightning’s Steve Stamkos named Atlantic Division captain competition for All-Star Game 1091360 What Devils' Marcus Johansson saw on offside challenge that turned game vs. Blues Maple Leafs 1091361 What did Devils say about overturned goal in loss to 1091400 Hockey royalty gathers in Toronto to pay tribute to Johnny Blues? | 8 observations Bower 1091362 Devils Daily Faceoff: Three storylines for Jan. 3 1091401 Ryan Miller wins in return to Vancouver as Ducks blank 1091363 to start for Devils at Dallas Canucks 1091402 Kings capitalize on long power play to blank Oilers New York Islanders 1091403 Erik Johnson scores late in OT to lift Avalanche over Jets 1091364 challenges Islanders to play tougher amid 1091404 Johnny Bower tribute at ACC brings out hockey royalty three-game skid 1091405 Johnny Bower was the soul of the Maple Leafs 1091406 Marleau-Thornton friendship survives free agency split New York Rangers 1091407 Thursday game preview: San Jose Sharks at Toronto 1091365 Rangers overpowered by Patrick Sharp, Blackhawks in Maple Leafs 5-2 loss 1091408 Babcock says 'there's lots of room for growth' with Maple 1091366 Rangers already benefiting from Vigneault favorite’s quick Leafs return 1091409 Maple Leafs' Woll focused on gold, but can't help but look 1091367 What Rick Nash’s demotion means for Rangers’ trade into future plans 1091410 Canada's men's Olympic hockey team might get a 1091368 Rangers suffer Winter Classic letdown, fall to Blackhawks 'sprinkle' of junior speed and skill 1091369 Rangers’ top two picks will be on display in World Junior 1091411 Vegas Golden Knights have been way better than tourney expected — but who else is outplaying the numbers? 1091370 Can Alain Vigneault lead Rangers back to the playoffs? 1091412 Maple Leafs fans remember and pay their respects to 1091371 Rangers outskated by Blackhawks in loss at MSG Johnny Bower 1091413 Nazem Kadri just needs a little ‘puck luck’ for Maple Leafs Ottawa Senators 1091414 How Johnny Bower touched the lives of a group of 1091372 Gone in six seconds: Sens downed in OT by Athanasiou, complete strangers he met at a golf tournament Red Wings 1091373 Warrenspiece: When do Senators' forward prospects start arriving? 1091435 Ben Kuzma: Linden sees streams of midseason sunshine 1091374 What's new on the Senators power play is old for Erik amid franchise fog Karlsson 1091436 Willes: A humorous look forward to 2018 in the world of 1091375 Craig Anderson returns to net against Red Wings sports 1091376 The precipitous fall of the Hoffman-Pageau-Pyatt line 1091437 Four key takeaways from 's midseason State of the Union Philadelphia Flyers 1091438 Playoffs? No. But plenty of other Canucks storylines to 1091377 Flyers try to rebound against Islanders, who are high- follow scoring but defense-challenged 1091378 Assault victim Jackie Lithgow's amazing recovery and the Flyers' role in it 1091379 Flyers are what their record says they are | Sam Donnellon 1091380 Five observations from Flyers' loss to Penguins 1091385 Penguins 5, Flyers 1: After Brian Elliott's shaky night, who will start in goal Thursday? 1091386 Flyers fail to keep momentum going, fall to Penguins, 5-1 1091387 Why Flyers' depth is really a mirage 1091388 College student visits Flyers after injury, humbling them after loss Vegas Golden Knights 1091415 Golden Knights are on pace to become best expansion team ever 1091416 Golden Knights’ Gerard Gallant to coach Pacific Division All-Stars 1091417 Consistency, healthy roster carry Wolves to success at midseason 1091418 Golden Knights sign Jonathan Marchessault to 6-year, $30M extension 1091419 Golden Knights lock up Marchessault for 6 years for $30 million Washington Capitals 1091420 John Carlson’s timely career year could cost the Capitals big time 1091421 Capitals could reunite slumping T.J. Oshie with Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom 1091422 The Caps are riding high, but the bottom could fall out any minute 1091423 Devante Smith-Pelly has evolved from question mark to unexpected bargain for the Capitals 1091424 Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin tops fan voting, named captain for NHL’s All-Star Game 1091425 At halfway point, Capitals thriving from competition for playing time 1091426 Caps' top prospects: Axel Jonsson-Fjallby is turning heads 1091427 Alex Ovechkin's big game Tuesday statistically puts him among NHL's all-time elite players 1091428 Barry Trotz has a plan to reignite T.J. Oshie's scoring spark 1091429 Alex Ovechkin's early season dominance rewarded with NHL All-Star Game captaincy Websites 1091439 The Athletic / LeBrun: 's offensive potential on full display with NHL's most dangerous l 1091440 The Athletic / Dellow: Shortening the bench when chasing the game and Glen Gulutzan 1091441 The Athletic / How much has video evolved in hockey? Four Blues coaches spanning three decades discuss the adv 1091442 The Athletic / Duhatschek: How Sean Burke is building the Canadian Olympic team 1091443 Sportsnet.ca / 31 Thoughts: NHL’s trade market cracking open 1091444 Sportsnet.ca / NHL Power Rankings: Mid-Term Grades Edition 1091445 Sportsnet.ca / Another dreadful performance sees Oilers’ season swirling the bowl 1091446 Sportsnet.ca / Speeches about late Johnny Bower paint portrait of life well lived 1091447 Sportsnet.ca / Canucks’ performance will dictate future of GM Jim Benning 1091448 Sportsnet.ca / Notebook: Flames not playing in lead enough to be playoff contender 1091449 Sportsnet.ca / Six potential trade destinations for the Canadiens’ Max Pacioretty 1091450 Sportsnet.ca / Newfoundland’s Luke Adam relishing long-awaited trip to Germany 1091451 TSN.CA / Czech coach: ‘Miracles can happen' 1091452 TSN.CA / Leafs managing increased second-half expectations 1091453 TSN.CA / Carter Hart: Canada's creature of habit 1091454 USA TODAY / NHL's second-half story lines to WATCH: Disappointing Penguins won't sit still Winnipeg Jets 1091430 Slater to suit up for Team USA at Olympics tournament 1091431 The waiting game: Dano, Matthias get rewarded for their patience 1091432 Poolman out with Buff back 1091433 Dream comes true for 35-year-old Slater 1091434 Jets fall in overtime again: Important point earned, but fourth-period struggles continue

SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1091284 Anaheim Ducks

Corey Perry seems close to return as Ducks prepare for game at Edmonton

Mike Coppinger

UP NEXT DUCKS AT EDMONTON When: Thursday, 6 p.m. PST. On the air: TV: Prime Ticket; Radio: 830. Update: Corey Perry returned to practice Tuesday, and now that he's traveling with the club his return would appear to be near. He's missed the past 10 games with a lower-body injury. … The Ducks head into the contest winners of five of their last six outings. They've been led by the top-line duo of Rickard Rakell and , who are both on scoring tears. Rakell is riding a career-best six-game goal streak. He has seven goals, three assists and a plus-eight rating over that period. Getzlaf has been hot since returning from a 24-game absence because of a fractured cheekbone. The captain has two goals and 14 assists in his 10 games since returning, and has three consecutive multi-point contests. … The team won't face former Ducks forward Patrick Maroon, who was suspended two games Wednesday for a hit on Kings defenseman Drew Doughty. ... The OIlers ended a 10-season playoff drought last campaign, but they're back to their losing ways. Reigning MVP Connor McDavid has been stellar with 45 points, but the Oilers’ 131 goals allowed ranks among the worst in the league. ... The Oilers come into the contest on a two-game losing streak after a 5-0 defeat to the Kings. ... This is the first meeting between the Pacific Division clubs this season. The Ducks were 2-3 against the Oilers during the 2016-17 regular season, with two of those defeats coming in overtime. The Ducks went on to play the Oilers in the second round of the playoffs, and won the series in seven games. LA Times: LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091285 Anaheim Ducks “We have two games,” Perry said. “Trying to push it more every single day when I’m on the ice. Today was a good day. We’ll see how it reacts, how it feels tomorrow and go from there. Obviously, I want to be in the At halfway point, Ducks feel things are in place to make their move lineup, but I don’t want to be out in three weeks with the same injury. We’ll try to take it one day at a time and see how it goes.”

Are better things in store for the Ducks? They’re where they are despite By ERIC STEPHENS | PUBLISHED: January 3, 2018 not having a player in the top 50 in scoring. They’re within the top 10 in goals against and penalty killing but are middle of the pack in faceoff success and below average in offense, power play, shots on goal and shots allowed. VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The Ducks are now in there. Now it is up to them to stay there. Still, Fowler is among those who believe his team is finally hitting its stride. He’s encouraged by recent results rewarding their efforts. They’re in a playoff position at the midpoint of their season. That spot is the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot, which is essentially the “We’re starting to play the right way,” he said. eighth and final seed. It isn’t a lofty goal considering their status as five- time defending Pacific Division champions, but it is a start. And considering what he dealt with in the first half, Carlyle can be satisfied when he takes the broad view. And that is how the Ducks are looking at it. A start to what they could become, who they expect to be. Aside from a modest 19-14-8 record, the “In the big picture, if you look at it, yes,” Carlyle said. “But in the small team is pleased to be where it’s at after a first half that was about picture, you’d still live day to day. Could we be better at this? Could our overcoming an unprecedented run of injuries to significant players. special teams be better? Of course they could be better. Could our goals for be better? Of course. Our goals against? Of course. Not many teams can survive losing their best player and top two defensemen for multiple weeks while also not having their top goal scorer “There’s areas that we can always improve in. As a coaching staff and as and two other impact forwards for a handful of games. Not to mention a team, we’re always striving. We strive for perfection. We know it’s their top defensive forward for nearly three months. unrealistic to expect it but that’s what we push for.” The Ducks did. Now they’re back and primed for another second-half ICE CHIPS charge. Kase could be back in the lineup Thursday if he continues to improve. “You always want to be in a playoff position right from the start of the Kase missed Tuesday’s game with flu-like symptoms and didn’t practice season,” defenseman Cam Fowler said. “With some of the key injuries Wednesday, but he was improved enough to work out off ice. “He seems that we had, we were just trying to keep our heads above water. But we to be on the road to recovery,” Carlyle said. always felt like we just had to buy a little time, get these guys healthy and once we kind of got our group back together, we were confident that we Chris Wagner missed practice in what Carlyle called a maintenance day. can compete with anybody. The hard-hitting forward was walking gingerly, though the coach said him sitting out wasn’t something that lingered from his fight against “So we’re happy with that. It’s a critical point of the year so we have to Vancouver’s Michael Chaput. continue to keep that going. Still a lot of hockey left to be played.” Orange County Register: LOADED: 01.04.2018 The Ducks’ total of 229 man-games lost is the most in the NHL. And it is high-level players making up most of that. Injury cost Fowler 12 games. Ryan Getzlaf missed 24. lost 37. Hampus Lindholm missed 13. Ondrej Kase hasn’t been able to play in 14. They’re grateful that Rickard Rakell and missed a modest five. All of that doesn’t factor in Patrick Eaves, a 32-goal scorer last season, who is likely to sit out the rest of the season to address his autoimmune disorder. And the Ducks don’t have Corey Perry, who has 355 goals on his resume. Most are back, though, and Perry could return from a knee injury soon. A shutout of Vancouver on Tuesday lifted them to five wins in six games and this surge comes at a time when the Ducks usually start making their push. Last season, the Ducks had a .693 winning percentage from New Year’s Day on after posting a .579 mark before the calendar flipped. In 2014-15, they were in full flight at a .744 clip after Christmas following a horrific 12- 15-6 start. In other words, they can handle the 82-game grind and are right where they want to be. “For whatever reason, we’ve gotten off to slow starts in the beginning,” Fowler said. “And then around the Christmas mark, we seem to be able to kind of kick it in gear. I don’t really know if there’s anything that you can really point your finger at as to why that happens. “We take pride in being a strong second-half team. That’s kind of where the games get ramped up. The games start to mean more. We can look back on some of those experiences. Try and make a strong push here toward the end.” The Ducks have games at Edmonton and Calgary before going without action for six days to take their scheduled bye week. That could come into play in determining whether they’ll have Perry, who has missed the past 10 games with a knee injury but went through a full practice Wednesday. “It’s obviously in our minds,” Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. “That’s going to factor and it’s a point you can’t ignore. If the player is that close, there’s two schools of thought. One, does he play a game and then has an opportunity again to rest and heal deeper over the five days? Or do you hold him out and he has 10 solid days of rest and healing.” Carlyle would not say that Perry’s appearance Wednesday meant that he’ll draw back in Thursday against the Oilers. And the winger is also cognizant that caution might need to be weighed against the desire to play. He played all 82 games in each of his last two seasons. 1091286 Arizona Coyotes Both recovering from upper-body injuries, defenseman and center Brad Richardson are both practicing with the team this week as they near a return to game action. Arizona Coyotes focused on minimizing late-game mistakes Both are day-to-day at this point, according to Tocchet. Already on injured reserve for the second time this season, Hjalmarsson hasn’t played since suffering his latest ailment on Nov. 28 against the Oilers. Richard Morin, Jan. 3, 2018 “I wouldn’t say he’s definitely out (for Thursday) but he’s getting closer,” Tocchet said. “Obviously him practicing these last couple days has helped. We just want to make sure he’s definitely ready. We want to It’s been the same story nearly all year long for the Coyotes. make sure he’s healthy enough to stay in the lineup for a while.” They play well for stints and even periods at a time, and occasionally Richardson has missed the last three contests since leaving the team’s even better than their opponents. But the effort rarely lasts for a full 60 Dec. 23 contest against the Avalanche. minutes, often resulting in late-game breakdowns that have cost the Coyotes numerous games this season. “Same thing, he’s day-to-day,” Tocchet said. “I don’t think he’ll be (playing) on Thursday but he’s getting closer.” The common theme has frustrated the players to the point where it’s become difficult to find answers. After Arizona's 7-4 loss to the Maple Thursday's game Leafs on Dec. 28, Coyotes forward Jordan Martinook was at a loss for words. Coyotes vs. Predators “I’m running out of words to say what the problem is,” Martinook said. When: 7:00 p.m. “We’re such a fragile group when something bad happens to us.” Where: Gila River Arena. Finishing up 2017 in Anaheim with a New Year’s Eve bout with the TV/Radio: Fox Sports Arizona/KTAR-AM (620). Ducks, the Coyotes let their command of the game slip in the third period and they wound up losing again. The script is being used on a nightly Outlook: The Coyotes (9-27-5) will drop the puck on 2018 with a three- basis. game homestand beginning with a matchup with the Nashville Predators (23-11-5) on Thursday at Gila River Arena … Although they boast the For first-year coach Rick Tocchet, he hopes his players can find a way to second most wins in the Central Division entering play on Wednesday, build off the positives in an attempt to minimize the late-game negatives. the Predators have lost five of their last seven and are currently in the “I thought the Anaheim game, we really wanted to win the game and I felt midst of a three-game road trip … Nashville’s offense is paced by the effort was there,” Tocchet said. “A couple of mistakes here and there. forward Filip Forsberg (15 goals, 34 points) and defenseman P.K. Whether it’s as an individual player or as a team, I think the short-term Subban (nine goals, 20 assists); their 123 goals scored as a team is tied goals for this team outweigh the long-term goals. for third-most in their division entering play on Wednesday … The Predators are expected to start goaltender (19-8-0, 2.45 “If you look at the long picture and you had a bad year, sometimes it’s GAA) between the pipes on Thursday; he ranks third among NHL goalies hard to come out of that,” he said. “But if you think short term — and in in save percentage (.924 percent) among netminders who have played at these next few games I’m going to do this or that — you build off that. I least 30 games … The Predators are 34-26-2-5 all-time against the really believe that’s going to help certain players, which correlates to Coyotes and are 10-10-0-3 at Gila River Arena. helping our team.” Arizona Republic LOADED: 01.04.2018 The two people with the best view of what happens on the ice in front of them are Tocchet and starting goaltender Antti Raanta, who suggests the team just needs to stick with the plan and stop overthinking the final minutes of the game. “Hopefully we can play like we have been playing but we need to play 60 minutes like that,” Raanta said. “There’s going to be mistakes, but when something bad happens you need to stick with the plan. You can’t start cheating straight away and start thinking that I need to score three goals on the next shift. You kind of just need to slow it down a little bit when things are not going your way.” The Coyotes have been trying as best they can to simulate late-game, pressure situations in recent practices, but a lack of time at home during the first half of the season made it difficult to address the issue in the first few months of the season, according to Tocchet. “We didn’t have much practice in the first couple months and I’m convinced some of those losses were because of it,” Tocchet said of the Coyotes, who set an NHL record by playing 21 road games in the first 66 days of a season. “There’s pressure situations your team is put in during the last five minutes of a game … You have to simulate that in practice. You can’t just sit and Watch video of the play. Young guys need reps … Maybe with a veteran team you can get away with it, but we can’t and that’s why practice is so big with our team.” The Coyotes are undoubtedly doing their best to put 2017 in the rearview mirror and start fresh with the new calendar year. Arizona is trying to rebound from the worst 41-game start in franchise history since the team moved to the Valley. The way Raanta sees it, the Coyotes need to ask themselves one question: “What do you learn from the games? “If some mistakes happen, you need to stick with the plan and not go off doing too much,” Raanta said. “We just need to stick with the plan … You can’t make the same mistakes over and over again. You start making yourself stupid if you do that. It’s the same thing in life where if you make the same mistakes over and over, nothing’s going to change and people will start calling you stupid or morons.” Injury news 1091287 Arizona Coyotes The lease at Gila River Arena is an evergreen lease, meaning it automatically renews unless the team opts out.

INJURY UPDATE ‘Yotes Notes: Dvorak trying to find consistency in Season 2 –Hjalmarsson and Richardson practiced with the team on Tuesday and Wednesday. Tocchet said both players are close to returning but neither BY CRAIG MORGAN would play Thursday against the Nashville Predators. –Forward Zac Rinaldo will serve the fourth game of his six-game suspension on Thursday. Christian Dvorak is a personified reminder that progress is not linear. The Coyotes center had 11 goals and 20 points over the final 33 games of the –The Coyotes announced Tuesday that forward Emerson Etem informed 2016-17 season. He looked remarkably comfortable in a top-six role them he no longer wants to play in the and is under former coach Dave Tippett, even spending time as the team’s No. pursuing other options. The Coyotes have terminated his contract. The 1 center on a talent-challenged depth chart. Coyotes signed Etem to a one-year, two-way contract on July 5 but he did not make the team out of camp and was assigned to the Tucson Dvorak is on pace for a 34-point season this year, which would be one Roadrunners. He had four goals and five points in 16 games with more point than he registered last season. His faceoff percentage has Tucson. risen from 46.8 to 49.9, his Corsi For percentage is up from 43.35 to 44.18 and he is averaging 16:53 of ice time vs. 15:37 last season. All Arizona Sports LOADED: 01.04.2018 those numbers suggest steady progress but with increased ice time comes increased responsibility for production, possession and defensive play. “I think there’s still work to do,” Dvorak said. “I feel a little bit better than last year but I want to contribute a little more offensively to help the team win and make sure I’m still playing good defensively and making sure I’m in the right position. “Obviously, last year I played with [Shane] Doaner a lot so he kind of led me and told me things and I learned a lot from him. It’s obviously different without him so I have to try to be more of a leader and communicate more with my linemates.” General mnager John Chayka said consistency has been Dvorak’s greatest issue. “He’s a microcosm of our team in some ways,” Chayka said. “You get a guy like that who can make such an impact and be that 200-foot center that you just can’t go find in the open market, but it’s been a journey for him. It’s had ups and downs. “There’s been some games this season where he’s really grabbed it and carried the puck, made plays and been that guy, but there have been segments of game where he’s fighting confidence, fighting the responsibility of being a good player, night in and night out.” The shift to Rick Tocchet’s system may be more dramatic for Dvorak than any player on the roster. The defense and center positions carry greater system-specific responsibilities than the other positions, but the Coyotes have a veteran defensive corps outside of Jakob Chychrun, who will likely go back to a third-pairing role when Niklas Hjalmarsson returns from injury. At center, the Coyotes have veterans and Brad Richardson. Dvorak will turn 22 on Feb. 2. “This is his first really full season,” coach Rick Tocchet said. “He’s going against the best centermen, last three minutes of the game. We’re putting these guys in these kinds of positions that other teams probably wouldn’t but we’re accelerating that process.” Tocchet said he isn’t worried about sagging confidence with Dvorak, who had just two goals and two points in December. “I thought, early on, his confidence was a little bit down but I think he’s starting to understand that if he continues to do the right things he’s going to get success,” Tocchet said. Like the rest of the team, Dvorak is viewing the New Year as a fresh start. The team was vocal and having fun at practice on Tuesday. When forward Lawson Crouse scored a shootout winner to determine which half of the team would skate sideboards at the end of practice, his teammates piled on Crouse. “I think we’re all looking to turn the page and learn from our mistakes and make sure we have a better second half,” Dvorak said. “This year obviously hasn’t gone as good as I hoped. I just want to make sure I do better as the second half goes on here, contributing wise and other areas.” ONE MORE YEAR Coyotes COO and General Counsel Ahron Cohen confirmed Tuesday that team did not opt out of its lease before the Dec. 31 deadline and plans to play next season at Gila River Arena. The Coyotes have consistently said they’d do so since last summer. 1091288 Boston Bruins “Brandon went through a little bit of that. We’d like him to recover quicker, and last night I thought he did a good job with it. The team around him helped with that, so good for him. Bruins assign Anders Bjork to Providence “We’ve got a strong D corps, so he probably knows in the back of his head, ‘Hey, I can’t let this one get to me, I’ve got to keep going.’ By Kevin Paul Dupont “That’s the competition we’ve created, and I think he did a real good job.” Making it happen Struggling to regain a foothold in the lineup, Bruins rookie right winger The fourth line, with Sean Kuraly centering Tim Schaller and Noel Anders Bjork was assigned Wednesday to AHL Providence, where he Acciari, has rolled up a 4-4—8 line over the last three games, with Acciari can work at regaining the speed and confidence that earned him a roster picking up one goal in each of those games. No mystery as to what spot with the varsity in September. makes the line click: high energy, forcing the opposition deep in its own zone, creating offensive chances with size and pressure. “They’re all OK Bjork, 21, did not play in Boston’s two most recent games, vs. Ottawa with it,” said Cassidy, noting how some players struggle when cast in and the Islanders, held out (coach’s decision) after contributing only two simple, aggressive roles. “They’re just OK with it. They get it. And they’ve assists in the previous six games. been rewarded.” . . . The win in Brooklyn improved the Bruins to 16-3-2 (.810) in their last 21 games and left them in second place in the Atlantic The former Notre Dame standout, who turned pro after his junior season Division, 2 points ahead of the Maple Leafs. Rask improved to 11-0-1 with the Irish last spring, was set back on Nov. 11 when he was leveled (.958) in his last 12 starts. Anton Khudobin probably will start Saturday by a stiff check from Toronto winger Matt Martin. Believed to have vs. the Hurricanes, his former club, leaving Rask with the start Sunday suffered a concussion, and possibly a neck injury, he did not show his night in Pittsburgh . . . The Bruins again didn’t trail Tuesday night, the familiar jump and confidence in the weeks following the hit. eighth game in a row they haven’t had to chase a lead. Their time working with the advantage over the last eight games: 266:32. Bjork returned to the lineup three weeks later, a Dec. 2 win at Philadelphia, but picked up only one goal over six games prior to being Boston Globe LOADED: 01.04.2018 assigned to the press box Dec. 16 vs. the Rangers for the first time in his career. In 28 games, Bjork, perhaps the fastest skater on the roster, contributed a line of 4-8—12. Currently enjoying their best streak in years — 16-3-2 — the Bruins recently moved veteran center Ryan Spooner into Bjork’s right wing spot on a line with Jake DeBrusk and David Krejci. With coach Bruce Cassidy showing increased confidence in his lines of late, including the contributions of rookies Danton Heinen and DeBrusk, it looked as though it would become more difficult for Bjork to find the kind of playing time required to grow his game. Meanwhile, the Bruins have another spare forward in Frank Vatrano, but the former UMass winger cannot be assigned to the AHL without being placed on waivers. He has played in only one of the club’s last 11 games, but management is clearly convinced they would lose the 23-year-old to another club if they attempted to assign him to Providence. Bjork will be expected to suit up for Providence’s three games this weekend: home vs. Hartford Friday, at Springfield Saturday, and back in Providence vs. Syracuse Sunday. Demoted to Providence three weeks ago, veteran winger Matt Beleskey has scored two goals in six games. McQuaid is still on hold Much like his highly successful fourth line, Cassidy is keeping it simple: Tuukka Rask will be back in net Thursday night when the Panthers visit the Garden, and the coach plans to use the same 18 skaters who helped the Black and Gold roll up their 5-1 win over the Islanders Tuesday. “I don’t think there will be any surprises, hopefully, but that’s the plan,” said Cassidy. Veteran defenseman Adam McQuaid remains eager to get back in the lineup now that his mid-October leg fracture has healed. But with the lineup so hot, Cassidy has been unwilling to make any roster changes. A right shot, McQuaid logically would sub in for either Brandon Carlo or Kevan Miller. When Carlo misplayed a puck and then fell, leading to New York’s only goal Tuesday night, it looked as though McQuaid might get a chance to suit up now, but Cassidy was impressed with how Carlo recovered. “The only thing I said to Brandon was, ‘You are better when you’re skating,’ ” said Cassidy. “Some nights, if you are standing still making plays, there are guys in this league that will do that. “I think he’s a better player when he’s moving. He’s a big body. He can cover ice, so when he’s moving, plays can open up for him better.” Recovering quickly from errors is a key to success for younger players, noted Cassidy, who used rookie defenseman Charlie McAvoy as an example. “One of Charlie’s biggest strengths is that he can park things in a hurry,” said Cassidy. “He’ll just get out there and play and off he goes. 1091289 Boston Bruins

With the Bruins continuing to win, Bruce Cassidy will keep it simple

By Kevin Paul Dupont

Much like his highly successful fourth line, Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy is keeping it simple: Tuukka Rask will be back in net Thursday night when the Panthers visit the Garden, and he plans to use the same 18 skaters who Tuesday night helped the Black and Gold roll up their 5-1 win over the Islanders. “We’re looking at the same group,” Cassidy said following a brief workout late Wednesday morning in Brighton. “I don’t think there will be any surprises, hopefully, but that’s the plan.” Meanwhile, veteran defenseman Adam McQuaid remains eager to get back in the lineup now that his mid-October leg fracture has healed. But with the lineup so hot, Cassidy has been unwilling to make any roster changes. A right-shooting backliner, McQuaid logically would sub in for either Brandon Carlo or Kevan Miller. When Carlo misplayed a puck and then fell, leading to the Islanders’ only goal Tuesday night, it looked as though McQuaid might get a chance to suit up now, but Cassidy was impressed with how Carlo recovered. “The only thing I said to Brandon was, ‘You are better when you’re skating,’ ” said Cassidy. “Some nights, if you are standing still making plays, there are guys in this league that will do that. “I think he’s a better player when he’s moving. He’s a big body. He can cover ice, so when he’s moving, plays can open up for him better.” Recovering quickly from errors — shaking off the boo-boos — is a key to success for younger players, noted Cassidy. “One of Charlie’s biggest strengths is that he can park things in a hurry,” said Cassidy, referring to standout rookie defenseman Charlie McAvoy. “He’ll just get out there and play and off he goes. “Brandon went through a little bit of that. We’d like him to recover quicker, and last night I thought he did a good job with it. Team around him helped with that, so good for him. “We’ve got a strong D corps, so he probably knows in the back of his head, ‘Hey, I can’t let this one get to me, I’ve got to keep going.” That’s the competition we’ve created and I think he did a real good job.” ■ The fourth line, with Sean Kuraly centering Tim Schaller and Noel Acciari, has rolled up a 4-4—8 line over the last three games, with Acciari picking up one goal in each of those games. No mystery to what makes the line click: high energy, forcing the opposition deep in its own zone, creating offensive chances with size and pressure. “They’re all OK with it,” said Cassidy, noting how some players struggle when cast in simple, aggressive roles. “They’re just OK with it. They get it. And they’ve been rewarded.” ■ The win in Brooklyn improved the Bruins’ record to 16-3-2 (.810) in their last 21 games and left them in second place in the Atlantic Division, 2 points ahead of the Maple Leafs. ■ Rask improved to 11-0-1 (.958) in his last 12 starts. Anton Khudobin probably will start Saturday vs. the Hurricanes, leaving Rask with the start Sunday night in Pittsburgh. ■ The Bruins again didn’t trail Tuesday night, the eighth game in a row they haven’t had to chase a lead. Their time working with the advantage over the last eight games: 266:32. Boston Globe LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091290 Boston Bruins LIGHTNING 2, MAPLE LEAFS 0 TORONTO (AP) — Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 30 shots for his NHL-best sixth shutout of the season to lead Tampa Bay over Toronto. NHL roundup: Ovechkin's 2nd goal lifts Capitals over Hurricanes 5-4 in OT Vasilevskiy got his league-leading 26th win, and Cedrick Paquette and Alex Killorn scored for the Lightning, who won for the 12th time in 14 games. Associated Press Wednesday, January 03, 2018 Frederik Andersen had 34 saves for the Maple Leafs, who lost their third straight and are 3-6-1 in the last 10 games. RALEIGH, N.C. — Alex Ovechkin scored his NHL-leading 26th goal 1:57 BLUES 3, DEVILS 2, SO into overtime and the Washington Capitals beat the ST. LOUIS (AP) — Carter Hutton stopped 24 shots through overtime and 5-4 on Tuesday night for their third straight win. both New Jersey attempts in the shootout to lift St. Louis. Ovechkin also tied it with 7:15 left in regulation, with Nicklas Backstrom Brayden Schenn and scored in the tiebreaker for the assisting on both goals. Alex Chiasson, Devante Smith-Pelly and Dmitry Blues. Tarasenko and Vladimir Sobotka scored in regulation as St. Louis Orlov each scored for the Capitals, who went to overtime for the sixth earned its ninth straight win against New Jersey, dating back to a 7-1 time in eight games. loss to the Devils on Jan. 21, 2014. The Blues have a 30-11 scoring edge Teuvo Teravainen and Elias Lindholm scored in the third period, and during the streak. Victor Rask had two goals for the Hurricanes, who trailed by two midway Hutton improved to 7-3-0 on the season. He made an eye-popping pad through the second. They rallied to take a short-lived lead midway save on Marcus Johansson with 2:09 left in overtime, then stopped through the third before Ovechkin struck twice to end their six-game Taylor Hall and Kyle Palmieri in the shootout. home winning streak. Nico Hischier and Hall scored for New Jersey. Keith Kinkaid made 27 After Sebastian Aho hit the post in OT for Carolina, Ovechkin headed the stops through overtime, but failed on both shots in the shootout. The other way and fired a shot from the right circle that beat Cam Ward to Devils have lost three straight. end it. BLUE JACKETS 2, STARS 1 Braden Holtby stopped 34 shots for the Capitals. DALLAS (AP) — Oliver Bjorkstrand scored twice 78 seconds apart early GOLDEN KNIGHTS 3, PREDATORS 0 in the third period and Columbus stopped a three-game losing streak with LAS VEGAS (AP) — Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 29 shots in his second a win over Dallas. shutout of the season, leading Vegas past Nashville for its eighth straight Bjorkstrand's seventh and eighth goals of the season came after Devin victory. Shore tipped in a shot from John Klingberg to break a scoreless tie for Reilly Smith, Shea Theodore and Jonathan Marchessault scored for the Dallas in the first minute of the third. Western Conference leaders. Fleury improved to 8-1-1 with his 46th The Stars' four-game home winning streak ended in a matchup of teams career shutout. with identical records going into the halfway point of the season, the 41st Vegas has won eight in a row and earned at least one point in 13 game. consecutive games, both NHL records for a first-year team. The stopped 21 shots for his 200th career victory. expansion Golden Knights are 17-2-1 at home and 27-9-2 overall. On the tying goal, Bjorkstrand won a puck battle and skated in on Ben Pekka Rinne made 28 saves for the Predators, last year's Western Bishop, beating the Dallas goalie and ending his five-period scoreless Conference champions. streak. Bishop had 24 saves. PENGUINS 5, FLYERS 1 SHARKS 4, CANADIENS 1 PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Phil Kessel and Conor Sheary scored in a four- MONTREAL (AP) — Timo Meier scored twice and San Jose rebounded goal second period to lead Pittsburgh past scuffling Philadelphia. from its worst loss of the season with a victory over slumping Montreal. Ryan Reaves and Tom Kuhnhackl also scored in the second to help the and Marc-Edouard Vlasic also scored for the Sharks (21- Penguins beat their in-state rivals again. Both teams started the night 12-4), who were coming off a 6-0 setback Sunday in Dallas. San Jose outside the Eastern Conference playoff standings. has won four of five. Flyers goalie Brian Elliott, making his 14th straight start, allowed the four Andrew Shaw scored for Montreal (16-20-4), which has lost five straight goals on just eight shots in the second period and was yanked for Michal games and scored just four goals during that span. Neuvirth in the third. Aaron Dell made 30 saves and has won six consecutive starts. Pittsburgh lost goalie Tristan Jarry to an injury in the second. Jarry appeared to take a stiff shot off his blocker hand and was checked by the WILD 5, PANTHERS 1 team trainer. kept the Flyers scoreless the rest of the way. ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Matt Cullen and Eric Staal each scored twice as The Penguins' scoring burst came in just four minutes and they needed Minnesota stopped Florida's five-game winning streak. only 40 seconds during that span to score twice and take a 3-1 lead. Devan Dubnyk made 25 saves for Minnesota, which has won three of Jamie Oleksiak added a power-play goal in the third to seal Pittsburgh's four. Charlie Coyle added an empty-net goal and Jared Spurgeon had fourth win in 11 games. three assists. made his season debut for the Wild after missing the first 39 games while recovering from back surgery. Jordan Weal scored for the Flyers. Jonathan Huberdeau scored his 14th goal for Florida. James Reimer BRUINS 5, ISLANDERS 1 stopped 23 of the 26 shots he faced before leaving in the second period NEW YORK (AP) — had the go-ahead goal in the with an injury. second period and the surging Boston Bruins scored three times in the AVALANCHE 3, JETS 2, OT third to pull away from New York. DENVER (AP) — Erik Johnson scored on a breakaway with 9.9 seconds Danton Heinen, , Tim Schaller and Noel Acciari also remaining on the clock in overtime to lift Colorado over Winnipeg. scored for the Bruins, who are 7-0-2 in their last nine games. Tuukka Rask stopped 25 shots. Jonathan Bernier stopped 22 shots after taking over for an injured Semyon Varlamov in the second period. Mikko Rantanen and Nathan Jordan Eberle had New York's goal and Jaroslav Halak finished with 33 MacKinnon also scored to help the Avalanche win their third straight. saves as the Islanders lost their third straight. Josh Bailey was held without a point, ending his career-high streak at 11 games. Johnson scored the winner when Rantanen poked the puck ahead to him and he put it past Connor Hellebuyck. The Bruins improved to 12-1-2 in their last 15 games against Eastern Conference opponents. scored twice for the Jets, including the tying goal with 32.2 seconds remaining in regulation and Hellebuyck on the bench for an extra skater. KINGS 5, OILERS 0 EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — made 32 saves for his third shutout of the season, Dustin Brown scored twice and Los Angeles blanked Edmonton. Andy Andreoff, Marian Gaborik and Adrian Kempe also scored for the Kings, who are 4-1-2 in their last seven games. Cam Talbot stopped 28 shots as the Oilers lost their fourth straight. They've been outscored 18-6 during that stretch. Los Angeles scored three goals on a five-minute power play after Patrick Maroon was given a major penalty for a hit to the head on Kings defenseman Drew Doughty. DUCKS 5, CANUCKS 0 VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Ryan Miller made 31 saves in his return to Vancouver, earning his second shutout this season with Anaheim and the 41st of his career. Ryan Getzlaf had a goal and two assists, Rickard Rakell added a goal and an assist, and Antoine Vermette, Adam Henrique and Derek Grant also scored for Anaheim. Josh Manson had three assists and Hampus Lindholm added two to help the Ducks win for the fifth time in six games. Anders Nilsson allowed four goals on 19 shots for the slumping Canucks, who have lost 10 of 12. He was pulled early in the third period. Boston Herald LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091291 Boston Bruins Los Angeles' Drew Doughty averaged 32 shifts per game last season, and 27 minutes on the ice.

This season: 32 shifts per game, 27 minutes on the ice. NHL WATCH: Penguins looking for a big second-half breakout While those numbers have stayed the same, his scoring numbers are way better. He's averaging about three-quarters of a point per game, as Associated Press Wednesday, January 03, 2018 opposed to a half-point per game last season. He's had four gamewinning goals already, compared to just one last season. And he is a plus-20 this season (entering Tuesday), after posting a plus-8 for the entirety of last season. There's no need to push the panic button in Pittsburgh yet. GAME OF THE WEEK Soon, maybe. Vegas at Chicago, Friday: The second night of a back-to-back on the There are plenty of examples of a reigning champion not road for the Golden Knights, and the second game in a stretch where making the following season's playoffs, most recently the Los Angeles Vegas plays 12 of 16 on the road. If Gerard Gallant's club — the NHL's Kings in 2015. But one would need to go all the way back to 1970 to find best story this season — survives the next month relatively unscathed, when a back-to-back champion didn't even qualify for the postseason — there should be playoff games around J-Lo shows in Vegas this April. when Montreal achieved that dubious feat. LEADERS That's what Pittsburgh is trying to avoid. Goals: Alex Ovechkin (Washington), 26. Assists: Jakub Voracek The Penguins aren't in trouble yet, though aren't exactly on the thickest (Philadelphia), 38; Josh Bailey (N.Y. Islanders), 38. Points: Nikita of ice either. They haven't as much as won back-to-back games in a Kucherov (Tampa Bay), 56. Wins: Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay), 26. month, and are basically in the middle of the pack in goal-scoring — after Goals-against average: Vasilevskiy, 1.95. Save percentage: Vasilevskiy, leading the league last season. .937. If the season was over now, they wouldn't be in the playoffs. But there's a Boston Herald LOADED: 01.04.2018 ton of hockey left, and the Penguins know there's lots of time to make a run. "We need to find that second gear," Penguins left wing Conor Sheary said recently. "It's coming into the second half of the season here. We have to make sure we're stringing some wins together and maybe get on a win streak here." Sheary did his part Tuesday night, scoring in Pittsburgh's 5-1 win over Philadelphia. Pittsburgh has the longest active streak of playoff appearances, having been to the postseason 11 consecutive times. KID GOALS Winnipeg's Patrick Laine is still only 19, and has a chance to join a seriously elite club. He has 54 career goals, which means he's on the cusp of joining the 10 highest-scoring teens in NHL history. had 55 goals before he turned 20. The other teens with that many goals: Jimmy Carson, Dale Hawerchuk, , Brian Bellows, , , , Bob Carpenter and Rick Nash. For comparison's sake, Jaromir Jagr had 50 NHL goals on his resume when he turned 20. Speaking of the Jets, they piled up 102 standings points in the 2017 calendar year — by far their best "year" since relocating to Winnipeg in 2011. Only seven NHL teams had more points from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31. HAT WATCH Washington's Alex Ovechkin has a league-best three hat tricks already this season — and there's still a full half of the schedule yet to be played. It doesn't sound like much, but Ovechkin is on quite a pace. No NHL player has had four in a season since 2010-11 — done then by Alexander Semin and Drew Stafford. The record for hat tricks in a season is 10, by Wayne Gretzky (who did it twice). STRUGGLING PANTHERS Florida saved its playoff hopes with a five-game winning streak to end December. January is rarely kind to the Panthers, however. Since 2011, the Panthers have won only 35 of their last 81 January games — including a 5-1 loss at Minnesota on Tuesday to start a five- game trip. Florida didn't exactly look desperate in that game either, with forward saying afterward the Panthers got outworked by the Wild. MODEL OF CONSISTENCY 1091292 Boston Bruins

Bruins winger Danton Heinen blossoms after adding grit to his game

Steve Conroy Thursday, January 04, 2018

The Bruins did not sign Danton Heinen after just two years at the because they thought he was going to be a good grinder. He notched 93 points in 81 games with the Pioneers, and it was reasonable to believe he was going to continue that production at the pro level. But there’s a certain amount of grit an NHL player needs to have. It took Heinen a year and change to realize that. But now that he has, his offense is starting to come to the forefront. With another two-point night in the B’s 5-1 win in Brooklyn against the Islanders on Tuesday — his third in four games — Heinen has 10 goals and 18 assists in 34 games. That puts him fourth on the rookie scoring list behind Brock Boeser, Mathew Barzal and Clayton Keller — all of whom have garnered Calder Trophy talk. B’s coach Bruce Cassidy is seeing a player who is starting to feel comfortable. “He’s done a good job,” Cassidy said. “The biggest thing to me is that he wins a lot more pucks than he did last year. It’s a year later so there’s more strength, but I just think it’s comfort level at the NHL.” The left winger has really found his groove since being put on a line with center Riley Nash and right winger when the latter returned from colon surgery. And as the veteran Backes is finding his own scoring touch lately, he also sees Heinen coming into his own. “He’s got all the tools. He’s shown he can make the plays,” Backes said. “It’s just that internal belief system that he belongs here and that he’s a capable player and he’s going to make those plays when they’re available.” Heinen was a highly touted first-year pro last year when he made the B’s roster out of camp, but he soon showed he needed some seasoning in Providence when, among other things, his board work wasn’t up to snuff. But while he had a very good season and playoff run with the AHL club, there was nothing guaranteed him this year. In fact, there was a whole new crop of kids and two rookies — Jake DeBrusk and Anders Bjork — were given the chance to play on the top two lines. Heinen seemed to get lost in the shuffle and was sent back down to start the season. “I was disappointed, for sure, but those guys deserved it at the start,” Heinen said. “For me, I obviously would have wanted to be here. But I went down there and I was a little upset. I just tried to work harder and show them that I belong here. My goal was to be back up here.” Injuries forced his recall and, though a numbers game sent him back to Providence briefly, he’s been with the big club since his second recall. In his first game back on Oct. 26 against the Sharks, he scored both goals in a 2-1 win and hasn’t looked back. Bruins notes Though Noel Acciari left practice early for some maintenance, Cassidy said he expects to go with the same lineup tonight against Florida, including Tuukka Rask in net. The B’s have a chance to create a 13-point bulge between themselves and the Panthers, currently the closest non- playoff Atlantic Division team. . . .

The Bruins sent Bjork to Providence, the first AHL assignment for the first-year pro out of Notre Dame. Bjork has 4-8-12 totals in 28 games, but his progress has stalled since he suffered a suspected concussion on a big hit from Toronto’s Matt Martin Nov. 11. He missed the next seven games and has since had difficulty securing a spot in the lineup. He’s been a healthy scratch the last two games and been limited to under 10 minutes in five other games since coming off injured reserve. The roster move will allow the Bruins, who had been at the 23-man roster limit, to activate Adam McQuaid off IR. Boston Herald LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091293 Boston Bruins

Anders Bjork assigned to Providence

Steve Conroy Wednesday, January 03, 2018

The Bruins sent rookie forward Anders Bjork to Providence on Wednesday, the first assignment to the American Hockey League for the first year pro out of Notre Dame. Bjork made the Boston roster out of training camp and has shown a lot of promise. He has 4-8-12 totals in 28 games. But his progress has stalled since he suffered a suspected concussion on a big hit from Toronto's Matt Martin on November 11. He missed the next seven games and has since had difficulty securing a spot in the lineup. He's been a healthy scratch the last two games – three times in all – and been limited to under 10 minutes in five other games since coming off injured reserve. The roster move would also allow the Bruins, who were at the 23-man limit, to activate Adam McQuaid fro injured reserve. Boston Herald LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091294 Boston Bruins

Morning Skate: Blackhawks following in Bruins' footsteps

By Joe Haggerty January 03, 2018 2:37 PM

Here are all the links from around the hockey world, and what I’m reading while people are freaking out about a snowstorm that hasn’t even hit us. What ever happened to hearty New Englanders prepared for whatever Ma Nature throws at us? -- Mike Hoffman recognizes that trade speculation is just part of the business when a team is struggling like the Ottawa Senators. If Kyle Turris can be traded, and can be mentioned in rumors as well, then pretty much nobody is safe in Ottawa. -- If Joel Quenneville is worried about his job with the Chicago Blackhawks struggling in the Central Division, then he’s doing a good job of not showing it. It’s stunning to watch the fall from grace of the Blackhawks, if not also a little familiar given we also saw this with the Bruins on a smaller scale over the previous few seasons. What was up must eventually come down in the NHL salary-cap world, particularly if a team isn’t drafting particularly well. -- ESPN.com has the story of why the Los Angeles Kings are legitimate Stanley Cup contenders this season as they’d been in the past. Part of it is certainly about the West being wide open right now. -- The NHL top hits and bloopers for the month of December have a little bit of something for everybody. -- The Arizona Coyotes are taking a positive approach to 2018. Yeah, good luck with that. -- For something completely different: Mike Gorman is tired of the whole Isaiah Thomas drama as the Cavs come to town tonight, and, frankly, so am I. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091295 Boston Bruins -- was really not good. He finished a minus-3, lost the face- off to Riley Nash cleanly that led to Danton Heinen’s goal off a draw play in the first period and managed just a single shot on net for the entire Five takeaways from Bruins-Islanders: Give a shout to B's fourth line game. It’s tough for the Isles to win when that happens. -- New York is missing a number of players on the back end, and that was obvious while watching Scott Mayfield struggle to a minus-3 in 21:15 By Joe Haggerty January 03, 2018 2:26 PM of ice time while getting over-exposed a bit. It will be a struggle for the Islanders until they get healthier on the back end.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.04.2018 Here’s what we learned in the Bruins' 5-1 win over the New York Islanders at the Barclays Center on Tuesday night: 1) The Bruins have a fourth line that’s playing as well as any combo they’ve had since the Merlot Line. They dominated for portions of the second and third periods with long, cycling puck-possession shifts that ended with shots on net and chances, and were finally rewarded with goals for both Tim Schaller and Noel Acciari in the third period. You thought the hockey gods might reward them for really wearing down the Islanders over the course of the game, and that’s exactly what happened. Even better, the dominant play by the fourth line allowed Bruce Cassidy to roll his lines and keep the minutes down for Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak and company. Clearly it will depend on Acciari being able to say healthy and the Bruins remaining generally healthy up front so they can leave the fourth line intact, but it will be interesting to see how good this trio can become if they’re left together. Clearly some nights and some matchups will be better than others, but it would seem the B’s have truly found their energy line with just enough offensive upside to make it interesting. 2) It might not be the worst thing in the world for Brandon Carlo to sit for a game or two at this point with Adam McQuaid waiting in the wings for a return. The Bruins had a lot of bright spots in their 5-1 win, but the play of Carlo wasn’t one of them. He had three giveaways, including a bad, bad turnover in front of his own net after a Patrice Bergeron face-off win. Carlo fumbled with the puck and then fell down, leaving the puck all alone in front for Jordan Eberle to push it past Tuukka Rask for a gift goal. Carlo didn’t do anything quite as bad in the rest of his 19:20 of ice time, but he's had some pretty costly mistakes for the Bruins at points this season. He's the most logical player to sit and at least get McQuaid in the mix with a game or two to get him back into the swing of things. Let’s also not forget that Torey Krug and McQuaid have been longtime partners at the NHL level, and that might be exactly the kind of stabilizing force that Krug could use on his right side. It’s at least worth thinking about, though it doesn’t make too much sense to do it after a winning team-wide effort like the one against the Isles. 3) The streak is over for Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak. The Carlo turnovercame with that line on the ice, and so they’ve now given up their first even-strength goal of the season. That’s the bad news, but it’s still miraculous that it took somewhere around 24 or 25 games for that line combination to finally get scored on during 5-on- 5 play The good news is that after a few quiet games that line got back on the score sheet on Tuesday night with Bergeron notching the game- winning goal in the second period, and Marchand adding his own score in the third period after a nifty defense-to-offense play for Pastrnak. The even better news: Because Cassidy was able to roll lines vs. the Isles, Bergeron, Marchand and Pastrnak all played under 16 minutes of ice time. That’s exactly the kind of in-game usage that will preserve those players for when it really matters later in the season. PLUS -- Tim Schaller led his fourth-line cohorts with four shots on net, and was finally rewarded for his blue-collar efforts with a third-period goal along . Schaller finished with a goal and two points along with a plus-2 in 11:54 of ice time, and had several high quality chances before finally scoring. -- It wasn’t a dominant night for Bergeron, but he made the plays the Bruins needed at the crunch-time moments of the game. It was Bergeron with the heads-up play to bat a puck out of mid-air at the net, and direct it toward his stick where he was able to throw a shot at the skate of Jaroslav Halak. That was the go-ahead goal in the second period and the ultimate game-winner before Boston’s three goals in the third period. -- Tuukka Rask stopped 25 of 26 shots and made some very good positional saves, increasing his unbeaten streak to 11-0-1 since his mid- November benching. Once again the Bruins were also mostly brilliant in front of him, and have been a big part of Rask’s up-turn in play. MINUS -- Brandon Carlo had three giveaways including a ghastly turnover right in front of the net after a clean Bergeron face-off win in the defensive zone. That led to the Isles only goal and was the only blemish in an otherwise strong night for the Bruins. 1091296 Buffalo Sabres This three-game trip, which concludes Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia, will end the Sabres' seven-game run away from Buffalo caused by the World Junior Championship taking over KeyBank Center. Sabres return to regularly scheduled programming "The overall experience of it was pretty special, pretty cool," Kane said of the afternoon in the home of the New York Mets. "It was kind of like an NFL week. Everybody is getting geared up the whole time for this game. By Mike Harrington | Published Wed, Jan 3, 2018 The crowd was sold out. It was pretty fun to be a part of and something I'd love to do again hopefully down the road."

"You definitely learn from certain experiences throughout your hockey ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The reality show cameras are gone. So are the gobs career and that will be an experience that I'll remember for the rest of my of media piling into the locker room for two straight days in New York. life," Bogosian said. "Use it as a learning experience and as something to There won't be 40,000 people in the stands, fire plumes signaling their look back on." entrance to the ice or celebrity musical acts mugging for pictures in the dressing room pregame and playing for the crowd between periods. No Buffalo News LOADED: 01.04.2018 more Doc Emrick, Pierre McGuire or NHL Network in the house either. Welcome to the rest of the Buffalo Sabres' season. The Winter Classic is history, likely to serve as a major beacon for a 2017-18 campaign that will almost certainly end with Buffalo outside the for the seventh straight year. The Sabres got home Monday night after their 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Rangers in Citi Field, spent Tuesday on a day off with their families and flew here Wednesday morning for practice to carry on with their schedule. The Sabres are 10-20-9 heading into Thursday night's game against the Minnesota Wild in XCel Energy Center, and they hit the halfway point of the season against surprising Central Division leader Winnipeg on Friday night in Bell MTS Place. Now that the buildup to New Year's Day is over, will the Eastern Conference's last-place team struggle to keep its focus on the day-to-day tasks at hand? "Now that it's over, I'm not too worried about that on how I feel mentally and physically," winger Evander Kane said after Wednesday's workout. "Headed into it, the buildup and magnitude of that game is going to be tough to match the rest of the way but you quickly realize you've got to get geared right back up. We're playing some good teams here on the road." When the Sabres lost the 2008 Winter Classic in a shootout to Pittsburgh at then-Ralph Wilson Stadium, the Jan. 1 game came early in a string of 10 straight losses. From Dec. 26, 2007-Jan. 16, 2008, the Sabres went 0-5-5 as all the extra-time losses were in shootouts. The streak ruined their season as Buffalo finished with 90 points, four out of the playoffs. Back then, of course, the game was in its first year and didn't have the hype it does now. And that Sabres team, filled with players that were veterans of the Eastern Conference final the previous two seasons, weren't able to come down off the big-game glare. Coach insists he's not worried about any post-Classic hangover with this group in spite of its lack of experience in the spotlight. "It's just business as usual," Housley said. "We had a day off yesterday to calm down from the Winter Classic game and I thought we had terrific energy in practice today, really good execution. They understand what they're up against. This is a very good hockey team we'll be playing and we have to be ready from the start." Housley has been encouraged by the fact his team has points in nine of its last 12 games (going 4-3-5) and liked their response to the 2-0 deficit they fell into over the first nine minutes on Monday. "We didn't get our feet moving early but once we settled in and played our style, I thought we were very effective out there," Housley said. "We've got to continue to do that. We have to do things quicker in the offensive zone. Anytime we're coming up the ice, our 'D' have got to get up the ice, be in support of the forecheck and make sure we're slamming the wall." The Sabres had their forecheck going as they got first-minute goals from Sam Reinhart in the second period and Rasmus Ristolainen in the third to forge the 2-2 tie before losing on J.T. Miller's power-play goal in overtime. "It was a lot of fun," said defenseman Zach Bogosian. "Flying back to Buffalo that night, you get home, sit down and really think about how special a moment that was. Not only for the guys playing in the game but for the families that were there and the fans that came to support us. It was an all-around great weekend. "The first 10 minutes we were kind of standing around watching. They came out pretty good there. They were flying, getting on pucks. Toward the end of the first, we started playing more of our game. ... We stayed with a dog-on-bone mentality and that's the way we have to play." 1091297 Buffalo Sabres The Wild followed Florida to the ice and the Sabres then got their chance at 2 p.m. local time after taking a delayed morning flight from Buffalo. The Sabres were off on Tuesday in the aftermath of Monday's overtime loss Sabres Notebook: Wild are red-hot at home to the Rangers at the Winter Classic in New York. Buffalo News LOADED: 01.04.2018 By Mike Harrington | Published Wed, Jan 3, 2018

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Buffalo Sabres are in the midst of a rugged stretch of road games and no team they will be facing has been hotter at home lately than the Minnesota Wild. The Wild are 10-1-1 in their last 12 games at XCel Energy Center, where they host the Sabres Thursday night. They're coming off a 5-1 bludgeoning of the Florida Panthers on Tuesday, a game that saw them outshoot Florida, 19-2, in the second period and 41-26 overall. On the season, the Wild are 13-4-2 at home and that's third in the Western Conference in points percentage entering Wednesday. Only Vegas (17-2-1) and Winnipeg (14-3-1) are ahead of them, and the Sabres head to to meet the Jets Friday. The Wild, however, are just 8-12-1 on the road and that has them fifth in the Central Division and a point behind Anaheim in the wild-card race. Minnesota's 12-game run of dominance at home began with a 3-0 win over Philadelphia on Nov. 14, the last of a streak of three straight shutouts by the Wild. The only regulation loss in that stretch was a 3-2 defeat to Edmonton on Dec. 16, the lone loss in overtime was a 4-3 decision Nov. 20 against New Jersey. The Wild won five straight here after that game and are 8-1 in the last nine at home. "Minnesota is going to be tough to play against," Sabres coach Phil Housley said after practice here Wednesday. "Reading a lot of things their players said and the coaches from Florida said about how they forecheck, hang on to pucks down low and force other teams to defend, we're going to have to have a game plan to avoid that and spend less time in our zone." The Wild have outscored opponents at home this year, 54-39, and have killed off 91.9 percent of the penalties against them. Opponents have just five power-play goals in XCel Energy Center, the fewest allowed by a home team in the NHL this season. While the Wild have thrived of late in their building, the Sabres have a very unusual history against Minnesota since it re-entered the NHL as an expansion team in 2000. Buffalo is 7-3 against the Wild here in that span but just 2-9 in KeyBank Center, including a 5-4 loss on Nov. 22. The Wild returned from Christmas with a stretch that will see 15 of 22 games at home through mid-February. That includes seven of their 11 January games, giving them a big chance to make up ground in the tight Central Division. Especially since they're getting healthier. Zach Parise -- who averaged 25 goals and 50 points the last five years for Minnesota -- made his season debut Tuesday after back surgery and winger Nino Niederreiter will return Thursday after missing five games with a lower-body injury. Assuming Niederreiter plays, the Wild will have a full lineup for the first time this season. "If it works I’ll be real excited,” coach Bruce Boudreau said after practice Wednesday. “We’ll see how we play. That’s what gets me excited when we’re playing well. I thought the second period was our best period of the year last night. That stuff gets me excited.” Thursday's game will be the first here for Buffalo defenseman Marco Scandella and winger Jason Pominville since the July trade between the Wild and Sabres. Scandella, the Wild's second-round pick in 2008, played 373 games for them from 2010-17. Pominville played 327 games for Minnesota from the time he was acquired from the Sabres in 2013 through the end of last season. On the other side of that trade, former Sabres Tyler Ennis has six goals and six assists in 39 games for the Wild while Marcus Foligno has three goals and seven assists in 37 games. All hands were on deck for the Sabres at practice Wednesday except defenseman Victor Antipin. Housley said Sunday in New York that Antipin is being dogged by the flu and there was no update on his status Wednesday. It was an unusually busy day for an NHL arena here Wednesday with three teams practicing. Florida opted to stay in Minnesota and work out here before trying to make their flight to Boston, which is expected to be crushed with snow on Thursday. The Panthers are supposed to play there Thursday night and then move on to Detroit for a game Friday. 1091298 Calgary Flames “Whether it fits, time will tell.” Calgary Herald: LOADED: 01.04.2018 Flames try to find right fit for second line

Kristen Odland, Published on: January 3, 2018

With Michael Frolik mending from jaw surgery and taking a maintenance day on Wednesday, Matthew Tkachuk was — by default — the lone forward without linemates. It was a rare sight to see, especially given the amount of time the trio has spent together. Tkachuk started the 2016-17 NHL season playing with Sam Bennett and Troy Brouwer, but shortly after was plugged into the second line. Affectionately dubbed the ‘3M’ line, it was the most consistent trio for the Flames last season with Tkachuk being the catalyst and fitting in seamlessly on the left side of Backlund and Frolik, who played well together during the 2015-16 campaign. Since Frolik’s injury (which occurred on Dec. 28 when he absorbed a shot in the mouth), Jaromir Jagr has played on the second line. But he was also on a maintenance day Wednesday, leaving Tkachuk with no linemates. “It’s tough to see, definitely,” said Tkachuk, following Wednesday’s skate. “But I think it’s a good enough league where guys can step in and out of spots. I think whoever we’ve been out there with has done a great job. As bad as I feel for Fro — and I hope he comes back as soon as he can — guys should be able to step in.” And, perhaps, give them a spark. “It’s funny,” Tkachuk said. “If you haven’t played with guys in a while or are put with guys you used to play with, it can give you a bit of a jump and you want to keep it going. “But it’s not up to me to decide the lines.” Without Frolik for a four-to-six weeks, it begs the question whether Jagr is a good fit in the interim for Backlund and Tkachuk. The 45-year-old living legend is still a playmaker, but he’s been in and out of the lineup with a groin injury and clearly isn’t playing at 100 per cent. “It’s been hard on him,” said Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan. “Look at his career — holy. There hasn’t been many times when he hasn’t played. It’s tough … we all know he’s playing through some stuff right now. We’re trying to manage (Jagr’s injury). That’s what we’ve been trying to do for the last month.” The Flames weren’t able to do proper line rushes on Wednesday, but put yourself in the boss’s shoes for a moment. The top line of , Sean Monahan and Micheal Ferland isn’t going anywhere. It has been productive as of late with three goals and six assists in the last five games. The coaching staff won’t touch Mark Jankowski’s high-flying line with Sam Bennett and Garnet Hathaway. So that leaves recent recall Andrew Mangiapane with and Troy Brouwer on the fourth line. When asked if Gulutzan would place Mangiapane on his off-wing in Frolik’s spot instead of Jagr, he pointed to last game against the Chicago Blackhawks — Mangiapane’s NHL debut. “I haven’t even thought there yet. Mange played his first game in the , so I haven’t really got too far,” Gulutzan said. “He played eight or nine minutes.” With Kris Versteeg still recovering from hip surgery and out for at least the next three weeks, that leaves only Curtis Lazar as the team’s spare forward. Centre Freddie Hamilton was placed on waivers which could indicate that he’s off to the minors — but, potentially, there may be another move on the horizon to try and bolster their forward group. Or not. At the moment, they’re doing their best to cope with the loss of Frolik on the second line. “I think, right now, we’re managing an injury on a line that has played well for us for over a year,” Gulutzan said. “So you’re not sure how everything is going to fit. You’re putting guys in positions. We like Jankowski, Bennett, Hathaway — they’ve played well. Monny, Ferly and Johnny they’ve played well. You have an injury so it’s a natural fit to put (Jagr) in there. 1091299 Calgary Flames Kyle Clifford-Nick Shore-Trevor Lewis Andy Andreoff-Torrey Mitchell- Game Day: Flames vs. Kings DEFENCE PAIRINGS -Drew Doughty KRISTEN ODLAND, POSTMEDIA Kurtis MacDermid-Alec Martinez Derek Forbort-Oscar Fantenberg Calgary Flames vs. Los Angeles Kings GOALIES 7 p.m. MT, , TV: Sportsnet West, Radio: Jonathan Quick Sportsnet 960 The Fan Darcy Kemper **** *** THE BIG MATCHUP FLAMES GAMEDAY LINES Flames LW Matthew Tkachuk vs. Kings D Drew Doughty Johnny Gaudreau-Sean Monahan-Micheal Ferland Really original, we know. But it’s still a battle worth watching. Winger Matthew Tkachuk has been a force for the Flames this season and stood Matthew Tkachuk-Mikael Backlund-Jaromir Jagr up for his club in a big way when he dropped his mitts with Anaheim Sam Bennett-Mark Jankowski-Garnet Hathaway Ducks pest Ryan Kesler. His unspoken feud with Kings defenceman Drew Doughty has been well-documented. These clubs are starting to Troy Brouwer-Matt Stajan-Andrew Mangiapane develop a hate for each other, and these two players are part of what makes this rivalry so heated. DEFENCE PAIRINGS **** Mark Giordano-Dougie Hamilton FIVE STORYLINES FOR THE GAME TJ Brodie-Travis Hamonic 1. PARSONS SUMMONED TO AHL Brett Kulak-Michael Stone After the Flames traded G Eddie Lack to the New Jersey Devils, the GOALIES move made space for Tyler Parsons to play at the American Hockey Mike Smith League level. But recovering from a minor lower body injury suffered in a Dec. 16 game with the ECHL’s Kansas City Mavericks, Parsons hadn’t David Rittich been immediately summoned. That changed on Wednesday when he was recalled to the AHL’s Stockton Heat. ***** 2. MAINTENANCE DAYS SPECIAL TEAMS (prior to Wednesday’s action) A few members of the Calgary Flames were off for a maintenance day on POWER PLAY Wednesday, including assistant coach Dave Cameron who was sick with KINGS: 17.6% (21st) the flu. Also absent from the team’s skate? C Mikael Backlund, RW Jaromir Jagr and RW Micheal Ferland. “You can figure out what is going FLAMES: 18.6% (20th) on in our locker room if Dave Cameron isn’t here today,” said Gulutzan post-practice, dryly referring to the bug going around the team. “We think PENALTY KILL we’ll be better (Thursday).” KINGS: 87.4% (1st) 3. HALF-WAY POINT? FLAMES: 78.0% (25th) Saturday marks the midway point in the Flames season and, given their record so far (19-16-4) and the sky-high expectations in the summertime *** for this group, their progress has been underwhelming. Their sub-par SICK BAY speciality teams have played a large role in their record, but Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan said improvements are key in that area during the KINGS next 41 games. “Our power play and penalty kill have started to come back here,” Gulutzan said. “Those are big steps we need to take in the Christian Folin (upper body injury), C Jeff Carter (ankle surgery) second half. We don’t like exactly where we are as a group. But the next FLAMES half of the season, we’re hoping to improve on what we’ve done.” LW Kris Versteeg (hip), RW Michael Frolik (broken jaw) 4. FREDDIE ON WAIVERS … AGAIN — Kristen Odland The Flames placed C Freddie Hamilton on waivers, a hint that the older brother of Flames defenceman Dougie may be sent to the AHL’s Heat. Calgary Herald: LOADED: 01.04.2018 This is the second time this year the 26-year-old has been on waivers after hitting the waiver wire in November. He played four games in November (registering zero points) and another two in December, but he’s been idle for the past three games. 5. ABOUT THE KINGS The Kings (24-11-5) are coming off a 5-0 defeat of the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday … They have the best penalty kill in the league, operating at a tidy 87.4% … Oilers F Patrick Maroon was suspended two games his hit to the head on Kings D Drew Doughty in Tuesday’s 5-0 L.A. victory at Rogers Place … The Kings lead the NHL with a .928 team save percentage, split between the work of goalies Jonathan Quick and Darcy Kuemper. **** KINGS GAMEDAY LINES Tanner Pearson-Anze Kopitar-Dustin Brown Marian Gaborik-Adrian Kempe-Tyler Toffoli 1091300 Calgary Flames So yeah, Gulutzan's reputation is absolutely deserved. Outside of Sutter, nobody shortened his bench less in the third period than Gulutzan.

That's held up this year, although not to quite the same extent. There's Dellow: Shortening the bench when chasing the game and Glen some other stuff that jumps out at me in here. Tortorella and Mike Gulutzan Sullivan have both gotten extremely aggressive at shortening their bench compared to last year. When two coaches with a long-standing relationship (as detailed in Craig Custance's Behind the Bench, available By Tyler Dellow from fine booksellers everywhere) both do something, you wonder if it's the product of some discussion between them.

There's a theory that Jeff Blashill is coaching for his job this year. He's I've been a coaching apologist for about as long as I've been thinking certainly gotten more serious about shortening his bench when he's about hockey. This isn't to say that I think they're infallible. As a group, I chasing the game than he was in his first two years. Washington lost a lot think they've historically been too conservative and I think that they of depth from last season and Barry Trotz' contract expires after this occasionally get blinded to the good things a player does because of year. He's not wasting shifts in the third period either. some obvious warts that actually don't matter too much. I don't think they tend to do stuff like play first line talent on the fourth line though and the Pete DeBoer, Joel Quenneville and Dave Hakstol have gone the other managerial equivalent of that happens more often than you'd hope. way. San Jose's interesting to me because they've got an older team and brutal travel. You can see that a coach would want to manage his way I was reminded of this watching Calgary play out the third period in their through that, particularly as the Sharks are in a playoff spot by a traditional loss in Anaheim on the final Friday of 2017. Glen Gulutzan has reasonably comfortable margin at the moment. You only have so many a bit of a reputation for being generous with ice time for his fourth line, matches to burn and probably fewer when you're an old team that regardless of the situation. Like many people who keep an eye on the spends a lot of time in the air. Flames, I'm aware of this and it caught my eye when they were out for a shift about twenty seconds before a TV timeout in the third period, with So we can say that Gulutzan does, in fact, use his fourth line more often the Flames down a goal. than most coaches do when they're chasing the game. Looking at the issue from a few different angles, the difference between Gulutzan and Of course, nobody's going to never play their fourth line when they're the typical NHL coach has been his willingness to use his fourth line in chasing the game. So before condemning Gulutzan for running his bench the first ten minutes of the third period when he's down a goal. Inside of like one of those house league coaches who doesn't believe in keeping ten minutes, his top nine forwards have played a league average share score, we should probably ask two questions. First, does he play his of the minutes this year. To frame the issue more precisely: he shortens fourth line markedly more than most coaches when he's chasing the his bench later than most other coaches. game? Second, if he does, how much does his socialism cost the Flames? What does it cost Calgary? This is a much more difficult question to answer. Up until now, I've been looking at this problem from a In order to look at the first question, I looked at how teams distributed the perspective of a percentage of a team's third period 5-on-5 ice time when ice time for forwards at 5-on-5 when they were down a goal in the third trailing by one. This makes it easier to do multi-year comparisons where period since 2010-11. I went through every game since that year and trends in terms of top nine usage have changed. It's less helpful for identified how much ice time a coach gave his nine most commonly used understanding how the large the impact is. forwards in the third period at 5-on-5 while down a goal. I then calculated the difference between the share of ice time that each team For the sake of discussion, assume that a coach typically pulls his goalie gave its nine most commonly used forwards in the third period down a with 90 seconds left when down one. Assume as well that there's an goal and league average. average of 210 seconds worth of special teams time in the third period of tied games. These are ballpark figures but good enough for some back of Using percentages is helpful here because the league average has the envelope calculations. It leaves us with 900 seconds worth of 5-on-5 shifted as power plays have gradually disappeared from the game. time with the goalies in for every third period spent chasing the game. Coaches tend to use their bottom three forwards more now down a goal at 5-on-5 in the third period than they did in 2010-11 but there are fewer In Gulutzan's case, the difference between his usage and league special teams minutes now than there were in 2010-11. If we look at how average this year would work out to about 25 extra seconds per third teams do relative to league average, we can allow for that change. period. Last year, when he was even more democratic, it comes out to about 38 extra seconds between Gulutzan's usage and league average. We'll start with a quick look at the extremes, which people always seem If you compare Gulutzan to the most aggressive bench shortening to love. Here are the teams that shortened their benches most coaches in 2016-17 and 2017-18, you get differences of 63.9 seconds aggressively between 2010-11 and 2017-18. From here on in, I'm using and 64.8 seconds, respectively. “chasing the game” to mean “down a goal in the third period.” There's a temptation to look at this and say: “See? Gulutzan could be When I do something like this, I always look for coaches who show up squeezing an extra 65 seconds from his best guys in moments where a repeatedly. There are a bunch of them here: goal adds massive value to the Flames if he had some jam!” I've got no doubt that he could – the data speaks for itself – but I'm less certain that Peter Laviollette (2) it would have the value that Flames fans would hope for. Randy Carlyle (2) Let's put a price on Gulutzan's equanimity. A simple way to look at this is (2) to just do a weighted calculation of goals for per 60 based on the ice time that Gulutzan actually hands out versus the ice time that John Tortorella John Tortorella (2) is handing out. Calgary's top nine forwards have produced 2.47 GF/60 this year. The fourth line is at an embarrassing (and almost certainly Paul Maurice (2) unfortunate) 0.87 GF/60. If you contrast the way Gulutzan hands out ice Todd McLellan (2) time with the way Tortorella hands out ice time, you'd find Gultuzan costing his team .03 GF in our hypothetical 900 seconds of ice time Well, hello Darryl Sutter. His Kings show up here five times, which is chasing the game. funny because I don't particularly recall him having the reputation that Willie Desjardins (twice) has. Vancouver's a different NHL media animal That's not very much. Now, sure, it adds up over the course of the than Los Angeles. Others appearing more than once include Claude season. Calgary spent 523.3 minutes at 5-on-5 down a goal in the third Julien (twice), Jack Capuano (twice) and, yes, Gulutzan (twice). last year. On this year's numbers, Gulutzan's usage would cost the Flames about a 5-on-5 goal over that amount of time. That's not really Darryl Sutter's domination of this list is kind of interesting in that it the end of the analysis though – it's just one angle. illustrates some of the difficulty with evaluating a tactic. Two of Sutter's teams on this list won the Stanley Cup (2011-12 and 2013-14). Two had To me, the answer to the question “How aggressively should you shorten ugly playoff misses despite high hopes (2014-15 and 2016-17). Every your bench trailing by one in the third?” requires reconciling two separate tactic is employed within the context of a unique team and a bunch of streams of information. The first stream is a sports science one. It's other tactical decisions by the coach. Untangling a single tactic from that basically a series of physiological questions: how often can a guy can is awfully difficult. you put a forward on the ice in a period before his performance begins to suffer in that period? Are there cumulative effects that you can't deal with Let's look at Gulutzan's time in Calgary. All data is through games played by way of rest between games? Does it matter if you played the night December 29, when Calgary lost in Anaheim. before? Does your team's travel schedule impact this analysis? You might that think that these guys are coaches at the very apex of their profession so they must have done this but as you can see from the data above, guys like Stanley Cup champions John Tortorella, Bob Hartley, Randy Carlyle and Peter Laviolette have different answers than guys like Stanley Cup champions Darryl Sutter and Claude Julien. With Stanley Cup winning coaches on both sides of the equation, you can't even engage in the usual sportswriter dodge of “Well, this guy's an NHL coach and you aren't.” Once you're armed with the physiological information, you'll know the limits of what you can do. You can then turn to maximizing the hockey side of things in light of that knowledge. This is where things get strange. If you're unfortunate enough to be managing an NHL bench down a goal in the third, you should want as many touches as possible for your guys who can make plays, in positions where they can make plays. I don't know that that necessarily involves playing your best players as much as humanly possible. The way in which their shift starts – whether with a faceoff in the defensive, neutral or offensive zones – has a massive impact on that. For forwards this year, shifts starting in the defensive zone have resulted in 41.6 shot attempts for per 60 minutes. Shifts starting in the neutral zone have resulted in 44.7 shot attempts for per 60 minutes. Shifts starting on the fly have resulted in 59.6 shot attempts for per 60 minutes. Shifts starting in the offensive zone have resulted in 77.7 shot attempts per 60. So if the coach is trying to maximize touches for his best players, well, starting them in the defensive or neutral zones might not accomplish that. If, for example, Gulutzan puts Johnny Gaudreau's line on the ice for a neutral zone faceoff, it means he loses them for at least the following shift. I can see a very reasonable argument that Gaudreau is more likely to get a touch in a position to create a scoring chance on an OTF shift than he is on one starting in the neutral zone. It may well be a thorough analysis would lead to the conclusion that it's worth paying the price of a lesser line taking a shift starting in the neutral zone in order to have the Gaudreau line ready to follow them. Then you layer the matchup issue on top of that. Again, there aren't necessarily clear answers here but I would think that a team chasing a game would love to have their best line playing against the opposition's third pair all night long. The more aggressively a coach shortens his bench, the less flexibility he has to accomplish that. So to me, this is a pretty complicated question, albeit one for which a smart team could come up with a reasonably good answer. The ice time is just the tip of the iceberg: easily visible when you're watching a game on TV but the bulk of the issue is hidden from sight. All said, you can't reasonably condemn Gulutzan's management of his bench based on the fact that he gives his fourth line a little more time than most when he's trailing in the third period. His willingness to use them makes it more likely that he has the players he wants ready to go if the Flames get a power play or have to kill a penalty, may keep the top nine a little fresher and could plausibly enable him to put them into more favourable positions that would overcome using the fourth line a little bit more. The Athletic LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091301 Calgary Flames Talk about an embarrassment of riches. There aren't many NHL organizations that have two or three legitimate long-term options on defence, let alone four. The Flames do. Andersson, unlike Kylington, Wheeler: The complete Calgary Flames prospects ranking stepped into the AHL as a solid defender, having just led the OHL in points by defencemen on route to being named to its First All-Star Team with Mikhail Sergachev (Lightning). Andersson is slightly further along than Kylington but he's also a year older. Both could play in the NHL By Scott Wheeler today but are benefitting from extended time and responsibilities with the Heat.

5. Andrew Mangiapane, LW, 21 (Stockton Heat) For the first time in my rankings of ever Canadian NHL team's prospects, there's no definitive No. 1 in my ranking. For the Leafs, it was Timothy While Andersson was playing to his First All-Star Team season, Liljegren. For the Canucks, it was Elias Pettersson. For the Canadiens, it Mangiapane, his dual teammate ( and Calgary Flames), was was Ryan Poehling. For the Winnipeg Jets, it was Jack Roslovic. And playing out his final year in the OHL before he was named the league's last week, when I released my ranking for the Senators, Thomas Chabot second-best left wing — which was coincidentally behind then-Flames sat well atop the ranking. prospect Matthew Tkachuk. There were concerns about how Mangiapane's size (he was 5-foot-9 at the time but has since grown an The Flames' picture is a little muddier. Not only is No. 1 basically a coin inch) would translate to the pro game. Through a season and a half with flip, but there are only 23 prospects in the Flames' system, versus the 27- the Heat, those concerns have been muted. After a 20-goal rookie 31 in the others. season, he has emerged as the Heat's best forward this year, playing But don't let the lack of numbers fool you. The Flames have a glut of mid- above a point per game pace. Mangiapane is a crafty, explosive, to-high level prospects, including impressive depth on defence (the top instinctual creator who can finish and play setup man. The Flames stole four prospects in this ranking are all defencemen). him in the sixth round. Note: As always, I have arbitrarily set the age cut off at 22 and under. 6. Tyler Parsons, G, 20 (Kansas City Mavericks) Data suggests that by the time a player turns 23, he is more or less done Don't let Tyler Parsons' modest .907 save percentage in the ECHL fool developing along his aging curve. Others, who are under 23 but aren't you, he remains one of the better goalie prospects in hockey. The ECHL signed to NHL deals or were drafted by the team but whose rights is where young goalies and their pretty junior hockey save percentages expired, are also omitted. That excludes former draft picks such as go to die, and Parsons has been fine under a heavy workload which has Stepan Falkovsky (signed with Kings) and Riley Bruce (North Bay's included three back-to-backs. Since giving up eight goals in his second captain, his rights expired in 2017). That also means AHL players such game, Parsons' save percentage has been .915 (fifth among 11 rookie as Kayle Doetzel, Hunter Shinkaruk, Josh Healey, Austin Carroll, Jon goalies in the ECHL). He's got NHL ability and the Flames are smart to Gillies, and Spencer Foo won't be included. Full-time under-23 players in take their time. the NHL are also excluded. As a result, the likes of Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett and Curtis Lazar will not be ranked. 7. Dillon Dube, C/RW, 19 (Kelowna Rockets) The Lists: | Vancouver Canucks | Montreal If you set aside the Canadian captaincy at the world juniors (which, in all Canadiens| Winnipeg Jets | Ottawa Senators | Calgary Flames | honesty, you probably should), Dube is still a kid who has posted 115 Edmonton Oilers points in his last 84 WHL games (1.37 per game) split between two regular seasons and a playoff run. That matches favourably against 1. Adam Fox, D, 19 (Harvard University) teammate Kole Lind's 143 points in 113 games (1.27 per game). Given Let's get this out of the way: Adam Fox's size will not hold him back from that Lind landed at No. 6 on my Canucks prospect ranking, and Dube sits becoming an NHL defenceman. There, now that that's out of the way, at No. 7, you get a sense for the kind of depth the Flames have built let's get to it. Fox is incredible. Last year, as a freshman, he led all NCAA themselves in a pool that already misses young players like Matthew defencemen in scoring with 40 points in 35 games — more than Hobey Tkachuk. Despite getting drafted a year apart, Dube is only three months Baker winner (and New Jersey Devils defenceman) Will Butcher. Along older than Lind. Both probably deserved to play for Canada, but Dube the way, he won a gold medal at the world juniors, was named an All- offers a versatility that translates at any level and should make him an American and won both the ECAC and Ivy League's Rookie of the Year NHL player. awards. In the post-season, he added another eight points (including one 8. Matthew Phillips, C/RW, 19 (Victoria Royals) in every game). This, a year after he led all under-18 worlds defencemen in points with nine (in seven games) and led the development program's Talk about depth. On a Victoria team that scores at the second-best clip defencemen in scoring with 81 points (39 more than the next closest in the WHL, Phillips has managed to build a 14-point cushion over his defenceman, the Blackhawks' Chad Krys) in 89 games across all next closest teammate while rising to seventh in league scoring. Always competitions. This year, that strong play has continued as Harvard's a touch underrated due to his size, Phillips is a dynamic, shifty forward second-leading scorer behind Bruins prospect and centre Ryan Donato. and one of only a handful of sub 5-foot-9 prospects in the world I'd give a The vast majority of NCAA defencemen need four years before turning real chance at translating to the NHL level. The game is getting smaller pro. Fox plays with so much pace and tempo that he won't be one of and faster, but when you're as small and fast as Phillips it's still an them. extremely hard jump to make. Phillips and his 150-or-so pounds might just do it. 2. Juuso Valimaki, D, 19 (Tri-City Americans) 9. Morgan Klimchuk, LW, 22 (Stockton Heat) My appreciation of Valimaki's game is well documented. I believed he was in the conversation as one of the best defencemen in the 2017 After getting used in a depth role in his first full season in the AHL, class, alongside Miro Heiskanen, Cale Makar and Timothy Liljegren, and Klimchuk has quickly established himself a prominent scoring threat for ahead of Erik Brannstrom and Cal Foote. The Flames were lucky to get the Heat in the last year and a half. During that span, he has posted 63 him 16th overall and there's an argument to be made for him at No. 1 on points (29 goals) in 93 games and a plus-19 rating. This year, he has this list. He does everything really, really well and I believe he has a played to a goals for percentage of 63 per cent with the Heat and 16 of chance to be one of the rare defencemen to step right out of junior his 20 points have been primary. He has added some much-needed hockey and into the NHL. strength to what was a thin frame when he was drafted and it shows in the way he has become a reliable two-way option at the pro level. 3. Oliver Kylington, D, 20 (Stockton Heat) 10. Rushan Rafikov, D, 22 (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl) When the Flames plucked Kylington (another steal at the time) 60th overall, they were getting a gifted creator and skater who needed to fine- Rafikov has quickly become a second-pairing defenceman in the KHL, tune his defensive game. Some of those issues carried over as a averaging upwards of 17 minutes per game this season and last. Rafikov teenager in his rookie season in the AHL (which should have been isn't a dynamic handler or creator but he plays a solid, effective game in expected). Now 20 and in his third season with the Heat, Kylington all three zones and makes smart decisions with the puck. His 11 points in actually plays a pretty polished defensive game. After leading Heat 36 KHL games this season is also partially a product of poor luck (dating defencemen in points with 27 last season (in 60 games), Kylington is on back to the beginning of last year, Rafikov has generated 144 shots to pace for 36 points if he plays the same number of games this year — just two goals, or 1.3 SH%). On a team that struggles to score, Rafikov while also playing an increased role at even strength. He has the has managed to stay involved and improve in each of his seasons. He athleticism and the tools to be an effective defencemen in today's NHL. may not ever play for the Flames and remains unsigned, but he's a good defender with offensive tools that are progressing nicely. 4. Rasmus Andersson, D, 21 (Stockton Heat) 11. Linus Lindstrom, C, 19 (Skellefteå AIK) Lindstrom hasn't yet taken the impressive playmaking game that made prospect. There's little reason to believe he'll become much more than he him one of the biggest threats in Sweden's under-20 junior league as a already is. 17-year-old two years ago to the Swedish Hockey League (where he has 10 points in 80 career games) but he also hasn't been given much of a 19. Adam Ollas Mattson, D, 21 (Stockton Heat) chance and is playing just over 11 minutes this season on a deep Ollas Mattson has size and decent ability as a man-on-man defender Skelleftea team that's third in the SHL. Mix in a thin frame that hasn't yet because of his length but I doubt he has the offensive tools to become had the proper time to bulk up and there's reason to believe he still has a more than the depth, third-pairing defender he already is. I liked his game new level to reach. I like Lindstrom's game and he has looked good, as a teenager in the SHL but even then, his strength was predominantly despite not finding the scoresheet, on a line with Elias Pettersson in his ability to play a shutdown role. The problem is, you need more than (Canucks) and Alex Nylander (Sabres) at the world juniors. that to take the next step these days, and I don't think Ollas Mattson has 12. Adam Ruzicka, C/LW, 18 (Sarnia Sting) it. Speaking of big kids. Ruzicka is another 6-foot-4, 200-plus pound 20. Brett Pollock, LW/RW, 21 (Stockton Heat) forward who operates best by getting off the boards and into the slot to Pollock is a fine player but he has basically been that same player since finish. His issue — and it's a recurring one — is that he often struggles to his second season in the WHL with the Oil Kings. His physical tools were make the move from the perimeter and attack the middle of the ice on a always one level above everyone else's and now his skills need to catch consistent basis. When he does, he's a lot to handle and one of the up. They haven't. He'll be a low-level pro, and that's fine. better finishers in the OHL. When he doesn't, he leaves you wanting a lot more. The good news is that he's 18 and there's plenty of time for him to 21. Mitchell Mattson, C, 19 (Sioux Falls Stampede) find another gear. Mattson was selected off the merits of his size and the way he used it to 13. Eetu Tuulola, RW, 19 (HPK) dominate a decent high school circuit. But he has since struggled to transition that strength to the USHL. I'm intrigued by his tools but he'll After a disappointing one and only season in the WHL, Tuulola has need four very strong years of development at Michigan if he's going to bounced back in his first full season of pro hockey in Finland. His 12 be the player the Flames thought he'd be when they selected him in points in 28 games ranks eighth among 63 under-20 players in Liiga this 2016. The early results haven't been positive. season, ahead of the likes of Markus Nurmi (Senators), Joni Ikonen (Canadiens), Rasmus Kupari (2018) and Joona Koppanen (Bruins). He 22. Hunter Smith, RW, 22 (Kansas City Mavericks) has done this while playing more than 15 minutes a night (not rare but certainly uncommon for a player of his age) and picking up 2.7 shots per Smith is one of the biggest players in hockey. It's the reason he was game. Tuuolola is huge and already one of the heaviest players in the drafted as high as he was, it's the reason he earned his entry-level Flames organization, having weighed in between 216 and 230 pounds contract and it's the reason he remains in the Flames organization. Every over the course of the last year. His game will take time, but he's a team wants a role player with size and power. The Flames likely thought project worth tinkering with. they had one in Smith. But by now, they should know he's likely not going to become much more than a depth ECHL/AHL player. 14. D'Artagnan Joly, RW, 18 (Baie-Comeau Drakkar) 23. Nick Schneider, G, 20 (Calgary Hitmen) It's no secret that I was a huge fan of Joly's game in last year's draft class. On a Drakkar team that lacked scoring threats, Joly became one. Circumstances have dictated that Schneider has always played a heavy This season, he has taken another step forward. He's more of a passer workload. But aside from decent fundamentals, there's nothing about his than a scorer and he doesn't have high-end tools but his size and his game that has allowed him to thrive and take advantage of those ability as a handler might make him something down the line. His opportunities. Schneider has an ELC and that will allow him to enter the production looks modest, and it is, but there's more to his game than pro ranks after this season, but he shouldn't become more than an ECHL meets the eye. The Flames took a worthwhile chance on Joly in the sixth goalie. round. 01.04.2018= 15. Filip Svenningsson, LW, 18 (HV71) I have also broken down the ranking into tiers, in the same way my draft Svenningsson has proven he can be a force and his team's best player at rankings are divided into tiers, in order to provide more context on their the J20 level (SuperElit). The early transition to pro and the SHL has potential fluidity. been slow, and he remains scoreless in 11 games after playing a fourth- The tiers denote players who are tightly grouped. Ranking one player a line role early on. These days, he's spending more time at the junior level couple of spots lower than another doesn't always mean there's a huge than pro, but he's also clearly a talented creator and skater, who moves gap in their potential future development, or in their ceiling. By popular with ease and wins races. That, in time, should make him an offensive demand, I have also added where the player was drafted and/or how threat at the next level. Whether it ever translates to they were acquired. remains to be seen, but there's talent in his game. The Athletic LOADED: 01.04.2018 16. Pavel Karnaukhov, LW/C, 20 (CSKA Moskva/Zvezda Chekhov) Karnaukhov's post-draft season in Calgary was disappointing. There's no denying it. But he has been really good in the VHL and has by all accounts played well early on in the KHL. His struggles in the WHL could have been a matter of him as a late bloomer. It can take times for players of his size to come along. Given that he only played 8:39 a night before getting sent back to the VHL before Christmas, he did just fine (and won 59 per cent of his faceoffs along the way). I doubt he ever returns to North America at this point, though. 17. Zach Fischer, RW, 20 (Spokane Chiefs) Speaking of late bloomers. Fischer missed his first crack at the draft because he was a mediocre player on a mediocre team. Last year, he finally took a step forward and adopted the offensive role many never believed he could — he wasn't taken in the WHL draft and had to work his way into the league via a big year in Midget Triple-A alongside future Medicine Hat Tigers teammate Mason Shaw. Now, after a trade to Spokane, he has picked up where he left off last season. The problem is, that beyond his big, mean, physical, wall-heavy game, there aren't NHL tools. I'd be surprised if he becomes much more than an in-your-face depth option in low-level pro in North America. 18. Mason McDonald, G, 21 (Kansas City Mavericks) McDonald's value was inflated in his draft year off the back of a huge performance at U18 worlds, where he was named the tournament's best goaltender. Ever since, he has been a mediocre goalie at pretty well every level he's played at. At this point, he has been surpassed by other depth in the Flames organization and hasn't proven to be a legitimate 1091302 Chicago Blackhawks

Jeff Glass starts again in goal as Blackhawks face Rangers

Paul Skrbina

The Blackhawks end their season-long six game road trip against the Rangers on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden looking to improve on their last-place standing in the Central Division. But the task looks to be tough for the Hawks, mostly because the Rangers are 13-2-1 at home in their last 15 games. Jeff Glass is starting in goal for the Hawks for the third straight game. The team began the day a point behind the Avalanche in the Central and four points behind the Ducks, who occupy the final spot in the wild-card standings with 46 points. “When it’s the way it is now, definitely it adds some urgency,” captain said. “You have to think about that and let that sink in. Whether were at the bottom or the top of our division, we have to focus on winning every game. We’re not going to skip 10 points ahead tonight. There’s a chance for getting two points and we’ll focus on that.” Richard Panik is a healthy scratch for the game and is being replaced on the top line by Vinnie Hinostroza. Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville also opted break up the defensive pairing of Jan Rutta (healthy scratch) and Gustav Forsling. Instead, Cody Franson is playing with Forsling, an effort, Quenneville said, to spruce up the team’s struggling power play. The Blackhawks are 18-14-6 and will return home to play the Golden Knights on Friday, the first of eight home games during the month. They began the day nine points behind the second-place Blues in the division with four games in hand, and four points behind the Ducks, who occupied the final wild-card spot. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091303 Chicago Blackhawks

Richard Panik scratched again as Blackhawks search for answers

Paul Skrbina

Breaking up isn’t hard to do — at least for Joel Quenneville. The Blackhawks coach, known for mixing up his lines and pairings, moved Vinnie Hinostroza to the top line with and Jonathan Toews, meaning Richard Panik was a healthy scratch again Wednesday against the Rangers. Panik, who has no goals and six assists in his last 25 games, was scratched three games in a row in December. He had signed a two-year, $5.6 million extension with the Hawks in May. “There are always decision-making things that come with different variables,” Quenneville said. “We’re aware of that. We have some other guys sitting out as well. Everybody has their own file.” Quenneville suggested Panik “treat practices like games” to help build his confidence and said he “can’t be happy.” Toews labeled Panik “a great talent” and said he feels for him as he struggles. “He’s hard on himself; he’s trying to play better,” Toews said. “Hopefully he can find a way to do that because we know what he can mean to this team.” Hinostroza said his approach won’t change even though his spot did. “I was put there for a reason,” he said. “I’m just going to play how I’ve been playing, not change a thing. I don’t feel any pressure.” No sign of stopping: Quenneville didn’t limit his changes to the lines. He also split up defensemen Jan Rutta and Gustav Forsling. Rutta took a seat as a healthy scratch, while Forsling teamed with Cody Franson, in an effort, Quenneville said, to spice up the sagging power play. “You look at what they bring … you have to make a decision on who’s coming in, who’s coming out,” Quenneville said. “I thought ‘Frans’ did a good job on the power play, and that’s probably more so the reason.” Going into Wednesday’s game, the Hawks had converted just 15 percent of their power plays, third-worst in the league. They were 0-for-2 Sunday against the Flames, but scored two power- play goals in three chances Friday against the Oilers. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091304 Chicago Blackhawks

Wednesday’s matchup: Blackhawks at Rangers

Paul Skrbina

TV/radio: 7 p.m. Wednesday; NBCSN, WGN-AM 720. Storylines: Jeff Glass, a 32-year-old rookie, will play in and start his third consecutive NHL game for the Blackhawks, who will conclude their season-long six-game road trip in Madison Square Garden. Glass made 35 saves Sunday. Trending: Jordan Oesterle has a goal in two straight games and has a career-high six points (two goals, four assists). … Vinnie Hinostroza, who likely will move to the top line Wednesday, has an assist in two straight games. … The Blackhawks have one victory in their last five games. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091305 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks bounce back with 5-2 win over Rangers

Paul Skrbina

Last place is the last place the Blackhawks want to be. But that’s where they found themselves when they woke up Wednesday morning in New York before they faced the Rangers — seventh in the Central Division, a point behind the Avalanche. The Hawks’ position wasn’t lost on captain Jonathan Toews before his team’s 5-2 victory Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. “When it’s the way it is now, definitely it adds some urgency,” Toews said after the team’s morning skate. “You have to think about that and let that sink in. Whether we’re at the bottom or the top of our division, we have to focus on winning every game. We’re not going to skip 10 points ahead tonight. There’s a chance for getting two points and we’ll focus on that.” The Blackhawks proved Toews’ words prophetic by ending their season- long six-game, four-time zone trip with a much-needed victory that came courtesy of Patrick Sharp, whose fourth goal of the season early in the third was the Blackhawks’ third. Toews and added empty- netters late and Jeff Glass made 23 saves in his third straight start. “Contributing offensively should be expected of every line,” Sharp said. The Hawks ended their trip with two victories in six games but still tangled in the thick of the playoff hunt. They began the day nine points behind the second-place Blues in the division with four games in hand, and four points behind the Ducks, who occupied the final wild-card spot. Wednesday’s game aside, the Blackhawks still must heed Toews’ advice about playing more consistently, so long as it’s not consistently bad. “Eventually the goals are going to be there,” he said. “The second you start worrying about the result, worrying about the goals, you’re skipping a step or two. That’s when you start forcing plays that aren’t really there, making simple mistakes you wouldn’t normally make.” The goals didn’t look like they were going to go in early for the Hawks on Wednesday, like ’s stick stifled Kane a few minutes into the first period. Vinnie Hinostroza, new to the top line, finally solved Lundqvist when he parked a between-the-legs pass from Jonathan Toews into the net with 3:51 left in the first. “If he's going, our team is going well,” Hinostroza said of Toews. The two almost connected again a little more than a minute later, but Lundqvist was there to keep the score 1-0. Nick Holden didn’t keep it 1-0, though, when he scored with 1:51 left after hustling past Duncan Keith and beating Glass. Lundqvist was at it again 41/2 minutes into the second when he stopped Saad and Toews in succession. Fed up with trying to beat Lundqvist themselves, the Hawks turned to a Ranger, Marc Staal. Nick Schmaltz closed in on Lundqvist, and the puck teased the line before Staal slid into it, knocking it in 8:56 into the period. After a quick review, the goal stood and the score stood 2-1 Hawks. That is until Glass slapped the puck over the glass, resulting in a delay- of-game call and giving the Rangers a two-man advantage with Brent Seabrook already serving a two-minute penalty for crosschecking. The Rangers took advantage of that when Mika Zibanejad one-timed one past Glass to tie the score 2-2 11:32 into the second. But in the end, the Blackhawks’ patience paid off when Sharp scored for the first time since Nov. 27 and just the second time in his last 30 games. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091306 Chicago Blackhawks

Unlike last season, Gustav Forsling’s confidence remains high despite slump

Mark Lazerus

NEW YORK — It was about a year ago that Gustav Forsling’s rookie season got away from him. His game started slipping, and his confidence soon followed. By February, he was in the American Hockey League, a promising start to his NHL career completely derailed. It could happen again. Forsling was a healthy scratch the last two games, and his stellar play in November, when he looked like the heir apparent to Niklas Hjalmarsson as the Blackhawks’ top shutdown defender, feels like a distant memory. He’s been too passive in the defensive zone, and not aggressive enough in the offensive zone. But while Forsling’s game has dropped off, his confidence hasn’t. And that, he said, is a big difference. “You get confidence when you look back to when you were playing good,” Forsling said. “I know I can play good. I just have to go out and do it.” Joel Quenneville hasn’t lost confidence in him, either. “He had a stretch of games [last season] where we gave him an opportunity to get back on track, and it was just not quite good enough,” Quenneville sad. “This year, his overall game has been way more consistent, and at a higher level than last year. You have to find a way to push yourself to get better, so when you get back into the lineup, [you can] take advantage of it.” Forsling indeed will be back in the lineup Wednesday in New York, but his usual partner, Jan Rutta, will be a scratch for the third straight game. Joel Quenneville liked what he saw out of Cody Franson on the power play in Edmonton and Calgary, and wants to keep him in the lineup. That’s the ongoing challenge of having eight defensemen on the roster. Not only does Quenneville have a difficult decision to make every night, but the players have a much shorter leash than usual, with two players waiting for an opportunity to get in and take that job. “For sure, but I think it’s a good thing,” Forsling said. “It’s always keeping you sharp, knowing that we’ve got eight ‘D’ and all of them can play and can play really good.” Vinnie up top With Richard Panik mired in an increasingly epic slump, Vinnie Hinostroza is the latest Hawks forward to get a crack at being Jonathan Toews’ and Brandon Saad’s right wing. “He’s speedy, but he just seems to know where to be at all the right times,” Toews said. “He’s so shifty with the puck, I think he and DeBrincat are pretty similar in that way, where they can just turn on a dime and make plays. He’s also got a great shot, so hopefully we can get him the puck and give him a chance to finish one or two.” Panik will be a healthy scratch for the fifth time in the last nine games. Toews can feel for Panik, who hasn’t scored an even-strength goal since the third game of the season. After all, Toews and Saad have had their own scoring slumps this season. “He’s hard on himself and he’s trying to play better,” Toews said. “I think the three of us are all taking it upon ourselves to be better. Hopefully, he can find a way to do that, because we know what he can mean to this team.” Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091307 Chicago Blackhawks Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 01.04.2018

Patrick Sharp lifts Blackhawks over Rangers, out of last place

Mark Lazerus

NEW YORK — When the Blackhawks went to sleep Tuesday night, they did so in a strange and unnerving place. Not midtown Manhattan. Last place. Now, that comes with a few caveats. They had played fewer games than the other six teams in the Central Division. They were above .500. They had a positive goal differential. And they were a mere 10 points out of second place with four games in hand on the Blues. It’s not quite good, but it’s not quite dire. But the fact is, the Hawks entered the game Wednesday against the Rangers at the bottom of the division for the first time this late in the season since January 2008 — the rookie year of both Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. And they didn’t like it. This Is What $1 Billion in Healthcare Infrastructure... By Highmark BCBS with Allegheny Health Network — Highmark Health, Allegheny Health Network to Invest $1 Billion to Improve Healthcare in Western PA “When it’s the way it is now, definitely it adds some urgency,” Toews said before the game. “You’ve got to think about that and let that sink in. At the same time, whether we’re at the bottom or the top of our division, you’ve just got to go out there and focus on winning every game.” Two points at least jumped them ahead of the Avalanche after they beat the Rangers 5-2 in an impressive team effort. If not for some brilliant goaltending by Henrik Lundqvist (the last two goals were empty-netters), it could have been a lot more lopsided. Patrick Sharp scored the winning goal early in the third period, his first goal since Nov. 27, with a beautiful top-shelf shot. “You get a chance like that in the game, you gotta make it count, especially in a tie game,” Sharp said. “So it was good to put one in.” The ever-streaky Hawks are now 2-0-1 since journeyman Jeff Glass (23 saves) made his NHL debut in Edmonton. The new-look top line of Toews centering Brandon Saad and Vinnie Hinostroza — the latest right wing to try to fill the skates of the struggling Richard Panik — was terrific right off the opening puck drop. And they were rewarded at the 16:09 mark of the first period when Toews perfectly played the carom of Jordan Oesterle’s shot off the end boards, deftly passing it between his legs to Hinostroza, who stuffed it under Henrik Lundqvist for a 1-0 lead. The Rangers responded quickly, however, with Nick Holden’s blast from the top of the right circle skirting a Duncan Keith screen and getting through Glass. The Hawks reclaimed the lead at 8:56 of the second off a strong move to the net by Nick Schmaltz, who got past Brady Skjei and nudged the puck through Lundqvist and into the crease, where Marc Staal knocked it in — thanks in large part to a savvy shove from Ryan Hartman. But penalties plagued the Hawks all night, and Glass had only himself to blame for Mika Zibanejad’s equalizer at 11:32 of the second, as it was Glass’ delay-of-game penalty that put the Rangers on a 5-on-3 power play for the goal. After two straight shoddy defensive efforts, including giving up 19 shots on goal in the first period in both Edmonton and Calgary, the Hawks were much better against the Rangers. They dominated the puck and allowed just 14 shots on goal through two periods, while tallying 26 themselves. But the penalties, combined with the brilliant, occasionally fortunate play of Lundqvist, kept the Rangers in the game. But Sharp gave the Hawks a 3-2 lead at 2:24 of the third period. It was his first goal since Thanksgiving weekend and just his second since Oct. 14, but it was vintage Sharp. Toews and Patrick Kane added empty- netters in the final minute. “That was real good for us,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “Long trip, coming back from the West Coast, but I liked the response and a lot of good things. We had a lot of speed in the game, had a lot of pucks first, and I thought we did a lot of good things. More undisciplined than we’ve been maybe in any game and found a way to kill penalties.” 1091308 Chicago Blackhawks UP NEXT: Rangers: At Arizona on Saturday night. Sharp breaks tie in third, Blackhawks beat Rangers 5-2 Blackhawks: Host Vegas on Friday night. Daily Herald Times LOADED: 01.04.2018 By SCOTT CHARLES

NEW YORK -- Jeff Glass is starting to get comfortable in goal for the Chicago Blackhawks. Glass, the 32-year old rookie who bounced around the hockey world before finally reaching the NHL last month, made 23 saves to lead Chicago to a 5-2 victory over the New York Rangers on Wednesday night. "This is my chance right now," Glass said after securing his second career NHL victory. "We played a strong game as a unit, I just did my part. It was a lot of fun out there." Patrick Sharp broke a tie early in the third period as the Blackhawks concluded a six-game trip. Nick Schmaltz, Vinnie Hinostroza, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane also scored "Contributing offensively is to be expected from every line," Sharp said. "We're more than capable of doing it but more than anything, I thought we played real stingy tonight and didn't give up a whole lot so that was one of the keys tonight." Nick Holden and Mika Zibanejad scored for New York in the Rangers' second regulation loss at home since Nov. 28. New York struggled to get through the neutral zone most of the evening and only converted one power play chance on six opportunities in their first game back since the Winter Classic at Citi Field. "I saw one team playing hockey and the other chasing the whole night," Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh said. "It's really disappointing. We know we are coming off a big emotional win and a big stage but we're almost at the halfway point of the season where we need to start playing with some consistency and we didn't give ourselves a chance there. They were able to do whatever they wanted. We didn't finish checks, slow them down, their speed. They had time and space and we left our goalie out to dry." Glass, a well-traveled hockey veteran has played on six Kontinental Hockey League teams and three American Hockey League teams before being called up on Dec. 27 when was placed on injured reserve. "I think Glasser came in and gave us a little jolt of personality and energy," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville. "After coming out of three tough games going into the break, coming out of it not the way you want to be playing on the road. We'll go back home, we showed a lot better of an effort. I liked the response, the way we finished up the trip." Sharp, a three-time Cup winner with Chicago who returned this season after spending the previous two years in Dallas, scored at 2:24 of the third when his wrist shot sailed past goalie Henrik Lundqvist's glove. "I saw a lot of good things, a lot of the speed in the game," Joel Quenneville said. "We got to a lot of pucks first. We did a lot of good things, we were more disciplined than we've been in maybe any other game. We found a way to kill some big penalties." Hinostroza opened the scoring with 3:51 left in the first period. After an offensive zone faceoff win, Toews retrieved a loose puck in the corner and slipped a backhand pass to Hinostroza. The Rangers tied it two minutes later when Nick Holden fired a slap shot from the right point past Glass. Chicago took a 2-1 lead midway through the second when Nick Schmaltz converted a breakaway. Rangers defenseman, Marc Staal, inadvertently put the puck in his own net before knocking the net off the moorings. Zibanejad tied it on a one-timer with 7:28 to go in the period. "They were better," Lundqvist said after his 30 save performance. "They started the game better, they had more jump. It felt like a lot of their chances came from odd-man rushes, hard to defend. They have a lot of patient players." NOTES: New York scratched defenseman Steven Kampfer and forward Vinni Lettieri. ... Chicago scratched defensemen Michal Kempny and Jan Rutta, and forward Richard Panik. 1091309 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks finish road trip on high note

By Dan Santaromita January 03, 2018 10:03 PM

Heading into the six-game road trip the Blackhawks completed on Wednesday, the team was on a five-game winning streak and appeared to be surging back into a playoff spot. Then the first three games of the roadie were all losses and the Blackhawks' inconsistency this season showed once again. The Blackhawks finished the road trip with a 5-2 win at the New York Rangers to claim five points from the final three games of the trip. Rookie goaltender Jeff Glass started all three games to close out the road trip, a 4-3 overtime win in Edmonton, a 4-3 overtime loss in Calgary and this 5-2 win against the Rangers. Glass, who made his NHL debut in Edmonton, once again proved to be a competent fill-in while Corey Crawford is out injured. He had 23 saves on Wednesday. The Blackhawks are still on the outside looking in as far as the playoffs are concerned, but earning five points out of a possible six and getting at least one point from the final three games out of the road trip gives the team some momentum as it returns home. Vinnie Hinostroza and Nick Schmaltz both had go-ahead goals for the Blackhawks, but it was Patrick Sharp's third-period goal that ended up being the game-winner. Beautiful play development for the @NHLBlackhawks' go-ahead goal! #CHIvsNYR pic.twitter.com/HO7WCfZ8Ov — NBCSN (@NBCSN) January 4, 2018 Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane added empty-net goals. Even though the Blackhawks are returning home, it doesn't get easier in the short-term with the Western Conference-leading Vegas Golden Knights heading to the United Center on Friday. While the Golden Knights aren't a bad road team (10-7-1), they have done most of their damage in Nevada with a 17-2-1 home record. Watch the video above to see Pat Boyle, Steve Konroyd and Adam Burish preview that game and the following home game against Edmonton on Sunday. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091310 Chicago Blackhawks It's arguably the most talented Team USA roster ever. The Americans have remarkable depth, especially on defense -- which led to some tough cuts. Byfuglien, Carlson and Faulk are close misses, while rookie What could have been: Here's what Olympic hockey rosters would look McAvoy would make a strong roster case, especially after shouldering like with NHL players hefty minutes for the Bruins this season. ESPN On Ice Staff Greg Wyshynski and Emily Kaplan welcome ESPN's Linda Cohn to talk Winter Classic and the World Junior Championship. Plus, Greg and Emily discuss the potential of a Max Pacioretty trade and are joined by newly minted USA hockey captain Brian Gionta. Listen » The NHL has prohibited its players from participating in the 2018 Winter Olympic men's hockey tournament -- meaning that the league will not A theme in building this roster is blending veteran experience with the send anyone to the Winter Games for the first time since 1998. What next wave of stars. For example, while Suter is a mainstay at manning could have been if the top pros had been allowed to compete? Senior the blue line, four of the eight defenseman are younger than 24. This sets writer Greg Wyshynski and national NHL reporter Emily Kaplan came up the U.S. up for Olympic cycles to come. with their ideal rosters and predicted finish for each of the teams that would have contended for medals at the 2018 Winter Olympics ... if the Team USA beefed up its center position with Eichel and Matthews. Miller world's best players were present. makes the cut for his versatility. And while the Americans could infuse even more youth -- inviting rookie of the year candidates Boeser and United States Clayton Keller -- the forward group is mostly filled with recognizable faces like Kane, Kessel and Pavelski. Anything less than than a silver would be Forwards considered a disappointment for this stacked roster. --E.K. Line 1 Canada Johnny Gaudreau Forwards Line 1 Patrick Kane Brad Marchand Line 2 Sidney Crosby Patrice Bergeron Line 2 Phil Kessel Taylor Hall Line 3 Connor McDavid Max Pacioretty Line 3 Blake Wheeler Steven Stamkos Line 4 John Tavares Brandon Saad Nathan MacKinnon Ryan Kesler Line 4 T.J. Oshie Jamie Benn Defensemen Jonathan Toews Pairing 1 Tyler Seguin Defensemen Pairing 1 Pairing 2 Duncan Keith Zach Werenski Pairing 2 Pairing 3 Marc-Edouard Vlasic Cam Fowler Drew Doughty Ryan McDonagh Pairing 3 Goalies Starter Cory Schneider Goalies Backup Starter Connor Hellebuyck Backup Backup Jonathan Quick Braden Holtby Extras: Dylan Larkin, J.T. Miller, , Kevin Shattenkirk Backup Just missed: John Carlson, Justin Faulk, John Gibson, Vincent Trocheck, Matt Murray Anders Lee, Chris Kreider, Jason Zucker, Charlie McAvoy, Dustin Byfuglien, Brock Boeser Extras: , , P.K. Subban, Brent Burns Just missed: Mark Giordano, Dougie Hamilton, Jake Muzzin, Sean Dmitry Orlov Monahan, Corey Crawford, Jaden Schwartz, Jonathan Huberdeau, Ryan Getzlaf, . Pairing 3 EDITOR'S PICKS The hockey coach who will shoot for the impossible in PyeongChang Dmitry Kulikov As USA Hockey announces the 25-man team headed to the 2018 Goalies Olympics -- a team without any NHL firepower and little experience Starter playing together -- many are looking to coach Tony Granato to make something, preferably gold, happen in South Korea. Sergei Bobrovsky U.S. NHL players still processing Olympics snub Backup Star American hockey players, from Kevin Shattenkirk to Jack Eichel, are Andrei Vasilevskiy still emotional about not being able to represent the USA in the Winter Olympics. The NHL is not allowing any contracted player to represent his Backup country this year. Semyon Varlamov What's in, what's out for 2018 in the NHL Extras: Pavel Buchnevich, , Andrei Markov, Alexey Connor McDavid in the playoffs? Whatever, that's so 2017. In 2018, all Marchenko the cool kids are excited about Taylor Hall and the high-flying Devils Just missed: Nikita Gusev, Valeri Nichushkin, Ivan Telegin. making the playoffs. Get up to speed with the latest trends in the NHL now that the calendar has flipped. It's a familiar situation for Team Russia: The group is stacked at forward and has elite goaltending, but defensive depth is once again a problem. There isn't an area of concern on this team. Those Crosby and Toews Bobrovsky is the likely No. 1 goaltender, despite his recent struggles in lines could lead Canada in scoring or play a shutdown role, and it would Columbus. The 23-year-old Vasilevskiy will make a strong push for ice be fine either way. Price could falter, and Holtby could win gold. It's time, however. He's having a terrific season for the Lightning. frankly unfair to the rest of the world that the Canadians are this good. If you think Kucherov has talented linemates in Tampa Bay -- well, there As usual, Team Canada has enough talent in its pool to fill about three won't be much of a drop-off for him in this tournament. Perhaps he'll stay Olympic squads, but some players had to be left off the "A" team. At the with Namestnikov for chemistry's sake, and be paired with a center like forward spot, I added two players who are having outstanding seasons in Malkin. As usual, the Russians boast some of the NHL's best snipers in the NHL, under the assumption that they would get in on that merit: the Ovechkin and Tarasenko, and Panarin will get to shine on an Flyers' Couturier, a terrific potential shutdown guy if Canada needs one; international stage. As usual, a podium finish is the expectation for and Hall, simply for the salt-in-the-Edmontonian-wound of watching him Russia, though it might not have what it takes to compete with Canada or score a goal-per-game with McDavid. the U.S. -- E.K. I assume Mike Babcock would coach Team Canada if the NHL had Sweden decided to go; and so, on defense, I figured Babcock would go with familiarity and bring on Rielly -- his Leafs workhorse -- which meant Forwards leaving a worthy Giordano off. Finally, as much as Crawford has earned a shot, Team Canada has to start grooming Murray (who's only 23) for a Line 1 potential 2020 gig. --G.W. Filip Forsberg Russia Nicklas Backstrom Forwards Viktor Arvidsson Line 1 Line 2 Alex Ovechkin Vladimir Tarasenko Rickard Rakell Line 2 Line 3 Vladislav Namestnikov Jakob Silfverberg Alexander Steen Mika Zibanejad Line 3 Line 4 Alexander Radulov William Karlsson Line 4 Defensemen Ilya Kovalchuk Pairing 1 Mattias Ekholm Erik Karlsson Defensemen Pairing 2 Pairing 1 Ivan Provorov Anton Stralman Pairing 3 Pairing 2 Oliver Ekman-Larsson Slava Voynov John Klingberg Goalies Backup Starter Tuukka Rask Henrik Lundqvist Backup Backup Antti Raanta Robin Lehner Extras: Markus Granlund, Artturi Lehkonen, Ville Pokka, Miro Heiskanen Backup Just missed: Jesse Puljujarvi, Henrik Haapala, Jacob Markstrom The word "transition" comes to mind when looking at the Team Finland roster, four years after its win over the United States for Olympic bronze. Extras: Mikael Backlund, Jesper Bratt, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Hampus Are brilliant young offensive players like Laine, Barkov and Aho ready to Lindholm lead the first post-Teemu Selanne group to a medal? Or would the Finns Just missed: Patric Hornqvist, , Alexander Wennberg have to rely their usual recipe of great goaltending and peerless tenacity rather than offensive flourish? The most difficult decision here was trying to figure out if Sweden would take the Sedins at their advanced age for another Olympic run. Since As for the snubs, Puljujarvi might be the most notable. But at 19 years both appear to still be breathing in and out, I think the answer would be old and now just getting his sea legs in the NHL, he has time. --G.W. "yes." Leaving Honrqvist and Eriksson off might come as a shock to ESPNChicago.com LOADED: 01.04.2018 some; but -- assuming the Sedins are there -- Sweden has to make room for the newbies, like the Devils' dynamic Bratt and William Karlsson, the ace sniper for the Vegas Golden Knights, whom one presumes would have played his way onto the team. (Backlund, meanwhile, gets the call over Wennberg as a versatile, bottom-six talent.) With an offensively dynamic blue line -- assuming Erik Karlsson finds his smile again after escaping Ottawa for a while -- and one of the best big- game goalies in hockey history, in Lundqvist, all Sweden would need is for Backstrom's line to click and one more year of Twin Magic to win another medal after taking silver in Sochi. --G.W. Finland Forwards Line 1 Teuvo Teravainen Line 2 Joonas Donskoi Line 3 Sebastian Aho Mikko Rantanen Line 4 Joel Armia Defensemen Pairing 1 Olli Maatta Rasmus Ristolainen Pairing 2 Markus Nutivaara Pairing 3 Esa Lindell Julius Honka Goalies Starter Pekka Rinne 1091311 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon in NHL MVP discussion

By MIKE CHAMBERS | PUBLISHED: January 3, 2018

As the NHL’s leading scorer since Nov. 1, Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon has joined the Hart Trophy conversation as an MVP candidate. Question is, did the Nov. 5 trade of disgruntled Avs center pry open a door for MacKinnon to reach his potential? “He’s destined to be an elite player in this league,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said Wednesday. “Whether Matt was here or not, I think that was going to happen. Certainly, now, there’s no doubt with our team about him — he knows exactly where he stands and is embracing the challenge.” MacKinnon, who produced his 15th multiple-point game Tuesday night to climb to fifth among NHL scorers, began to take off offensively just before Duchene was traded to Ottawa in a three-team deal that brought seven pieces to Colorado. In the three games before Duchene was dealt, MacKinnon combined for seven points (two goals). And on the night the trade was finalized, MacKinnon registered a goal, an assist and a season-high seven shots against the New York Islanders. MacKinnon finished November with 20 points (five goals) in 12 games to become the first Avalanche player selected as the NHL’s No. 1 star of the month. He was nearly as good in December, with 18 points (eight goals) in 12 games. MacKinnon, however, said his career-best season started to come to life Oct. 28 against Chicago, when he had two goals and three points in the Avs’ 6-3 win at home. “Just before he got traded is when I started playing my best,” MacKinnon said of Duchene. “That Chicago game at home around Halloween really got me going, and then Carolina at home (two assists), and even the Islanders game — we thought we played really well and he got traded that night. If you talk to the coaches they’ll say the same thing — I was on my way before he got traded. It’s just kind of a coincidence, I think.” Duchene, 26, was a proud Canadian gold medalist at the Olympics, World Championship and of Hockey. But he wasn’t the Avalanche’s No. 1 center for much of the past three years, often playing right wing on MacKinnon’s line. “Dutchy’s a good player, there’s no doubt about that,” MacKinnon said. “There’s a little more on my shoulders now but with a captain like Gabe (Landeskog), the way Mikko (Rantanen) is playing and the depth that we have, it doesn’t feel like much.” Bednar said it’s clear who the offense runs through. “There’s certainly a little changing of the guard there, where Nate now is definitely our offensive go-to guy, the No. 1 center. His power-play unit is going out if they’re rested and ready to go,” Bednar said. “I think he is embracing that. I think he takes a lot of pride in that. I think his success was going to come either way, because of his work ethic in the offseason and how he trains. He’s the first one on the ice every day, working on his game, along with his God-given abilities. He wants to be the best in the world. He’s got a deep desire to be an elite player in this league and be a difference-maker for this team.” The Avs have had just two Hart Trophy winners — in 2001 and in 2003. Denver Post: LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091312 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov “day-to-day” with muscular injury

By MIKE CHAMBERS | PUBLISHED: January 3, 2018

Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov sustained a lower-body muscular injury Tuesday and will likely miss the next two games before the team’s week-long break begins Sunday. Colorado hosts Columbus on Thursday and Minnesota on Saturday, and regular backup Jonathan Bernier will probably start both games, with minor-league call-up Andrew Hammond serving as backup. Varlamov is listed as “day-to-day” along with forwards J.T. Compher and Sven Andrighetto. “It’s muscular and he’s feeling good this morning,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said of Varlamov. “He’s in the same boat as Compher and Andrighetto. They’re all day-to-day and I would say doubtful to return before the break (Jan. 7-12). It’s starting to look like the bye week is probably coming at a good time for us. We’ve been relatively healthy and now we have a couple injuries that are starting to pile up here. We’ve got two more games before the break.” Denver Post: LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091313 Colorado Avalanche

The Morning After: Three stars, five takeaways from the Avalanche’s win over Winnipeg

By MIKE CHAMBERS | January 3, 2018

THREE STARS Nathan MacKinnon. The NHL’s best forward right now had a goal and an assist for his 15th multiple-point game of the season. Mikko Rantanen. The second-year Finn scored and assisted on MacKinnon’s goal and Johnson’s winner. Erik Johnson/Blake Wheeler. Johnson had the OT winner and Wheeler scored two third-period goals for the Jets. WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED Avs forward Gabriel Bourque logged 15:20 and had a career-high five blocked shots. NEXT UP Columbus, Thursday at the PC #Avs defeat #NHLJets 3-2 OT here’s Jared Bednar https://t.co/xqhSPueZUL — Mike Chambers (@MikeChambers) January 3, 2018 FIVE TAKEAWAYS Playoffs? The Avs (20-16-3) are three points out of a Western Conference wild-card playoff spot with games in hand over Minnesota (21-16-3) and Anaheim (19-14-8). They are 3-1 on their six-game homestand and 8-3-1 in their last 12. “It’s nice. We’re right in the hunt (for the playoffs). We are climbing,” MacKinnon said. “Obviously we had a really good December. We kicked off things good here too. We’ve had a nice homestand. We didn’t take advantage of our last one, we were 1-4, and we wanted to stay focused this whole homestand.” Name this line. The Avs top line of MacKinnon, Rantanen and Gabe Landeskog has 18 points (seven goals) in four games of this homestand. They are, without a doubt, one of the most feared lines in the NHL. Naming ideas: McLaren Line. The MRLin (Merlin) line (magic). The Mac- ranta-skog Line. The Praying Manteskog Line. The domiNATE Line. Full House Line (3-9s and 2-2s). The Nine Line (but that was Duchene’s old line). The Ranty McLandy (boo). MacRanLand Line. The GNR Line. Mack Daddy Line. Mackranteskog Line. My vote: McLaren (Mc-La-Ren) or GNR (Gabe, Nate, Rantanen). The extra point. The Avs are 5-2-1 in OT this season, including 3-1-0 at home (3-0 at Pepsi Center). Johnson produced his third game-winning goal this season, matching his career high. He is third among NHL D- men in GWGs. Still solid. Colorado allowed a power-play goal for the first time in 12 games. It was a great streak. The Avs were 3-for-4 on the penalty kill, ending its PK streak at 36 consecutive kills, the second-longest streak in Avalanche history (43, Oct. 5-26, 1996). Go-to guy. Avs defenseman Patrik Nemeth had a game-high seven blocked shots in 19:24 and had two good scoring chances. The waiver- wire pickup from Dallas is enjoying himself in Colorado. Erik Johnson and Nate MacKinnon after another 3-2 OT win over WPG pic.twitter.com/CjNtLQ5EBn — Mike Chambers (@MikeChambers) January 3, 2018 Denver Post: LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091314 Colorado Avalanche

Everything you need to know about Columbus Blue Jackets at Colorado Avalanche

By MIKE CHAMBERS | PUBLISHED: January 3, 2018

Spotlight on: Seth Jones. The Blue Jackets’ defenseman leads the team in average ice time (23:26) and is tied for third in scoring (24 points). Jones, who was born in Texas but mostly raised in Colorado, has eight points (three goals) in his last eight games and his seven goals are just five shy of his career high. Jones played a season-high 30:08 on Dec. 27 against Pittsburgh. Tickets and Parking NOTEBOOK Blue Jackets — Their 23 wins and 49 points are the second most through the first half of a season in club history, only trailing last season’s start of 29 wins and 62 points. They are tied for the most wins in the NHL. … Columbus is on a four-game points streak against Colorado (3-0-1) and is 8-3-2 against the Avalanche since March 1, 2012. The Jackets have won three straight at Colorado and are 6-2-1 in the last nine road games in Denver. … Forward Oliver Bjorkstrand has 12 points (three goals) in the past 14 games. He had both goals in Tuesday’s 2-1 victory at Dallas. … Columbus will not have a morning skate at the Pepsi Center. Avalanche — Goalie Semyon Varlamov sustained a lower-body muscular injury Tuesday and likely will miss two games before the team’s week- long break begins Sunday. After Thursday’s game, Colorado concludes its six-game homestand Saturday against Minnesota. Jonathan Bernier will probably start both games, with minor-league call-up Andrew Hammond serving as backup. Varlamov is listed as “day-to-day” along with forwards J.T. Compher and Sven Andrighetto. “It’s muscular and he’s feeling good this morning,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said of Varlamov on Wednesday. “He’s in the same boat as Compher and Andrighetto. They’re all day-to-day and I would say doubtful to return before the break (Jan. 7-12). It’s starting to look like the bye week is probably coming at a good time for us. We’ve been relatively healthy and now we have a couple injuries that are starting to pile up here. We’ve got two more games before the break.” … The Avs will have an optional morning skate. Denver Post: LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091315 Colorado Avalanche

Pepsi Center will provide captioning after Denver woman’s lawsuit claimed Americans with Disabilities Act violations

By DANIKA WORTHINGTON

Mark Schlereth delivered an epic comeback on Twitter. And the response was hilarious. Caryl: The real significance of the unrest in Iran The owner of the Pepsi Center settled a federal lawsuit brought by a Denver woman who accused the arena of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by not providing captioning during games. Kroenke Arena Company, which owns the Pepsi Center, will provide open captioning during non-concert events including Colorado Avalanche, and Colorado Mammoth games, starting with the Avs’ 2018 preseason games in the fall. This means people with hearing impairments — and everyone else — will be able to read things such as player introductions and which players are sent to the penalty box as the words are broadcast over the public address system. Kristin Kurlander, who is deaf, filed the class-action suit in November 2016. The consent decree, or a settlement in which no party admits liability, was filed Dec. 29. A judge still needs to approve the settlement. After that, all parties of the class need to be notified so they can comment or object. “We’re very pleased with the fact that we were able to work with the Pepsi Center to make this happen and the way they responded,” said Kurlander’s lawyer, Amy Robertson. “(We) really hope that other arenas around the country and here in Denver will learn from this and not wait to be sued before they provide access to their deaf patrons.” Kroenke agreed to cover attorney costs. The settlement did not give Kurlander damages. Before the lawsuit, the Pepsi Center did not offer open or closed captioning, according to the settlement. In December, after the suit was filed, the arena added closed captioning on handheld devices. But Robertson said holding a handheld device gets in the way of communicating with the person next to you, eating a hot dog and cheering. The settlement brings captioning to four ribbon boards on the corners of the arena that are visible from all the seats. The captioning will cover all public announcements, including penalties and fouls, which players scored and who assisted, the national anthem, songs with lyrics, player interviews, contests and promotions. An independent monitor will check the captioning to ensure that it is accurate. The National Association of the Deaf has filed similar lawsuits against the University of Maryland, Ohio State University, University of Kentucky and Washington Redskins. All four schools now provide open captioning. Sports Authority Field at Mile High, the ’ home field, offers closed captioning but not open. Increasing numbers of venues have begun to offer open captioning, Robertson said, including the home arenas and stadiums for Arizona State University, the New York Yankees, the Washington Capitals and the Cleveland Cavaliers. , where the play, offers a combination of open and closed captioning. “This is in no way universal,” Robertson said, “but it is increasingly prominent and it’s happening in more and more stadiums.” Denver Post: LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091316 Colorado Avalanche

BRIEF: Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov "day-to-day" with muscular injury

By: Mike Chambers, Associated Press

Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov sustained a lower-body muscular injury Tuesday and will likely miss the next two games before the team’s week-long break begins Sunday. Colorado hosts Columbus on Thursday and Minnesota on Saturday, and regular backup Jonathan Bernier will probably start both games, with minor-league call-up Andrew Hammond serving as backup. Varlamov is listed as “day-to-day” along with forwards J.T. Compher and Sven Andrighetto. “It’s muscular and he’s feeling good this morning,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said of Varlamov. “He’s in the same boat as Compher and Andrighetto. They’re all day-to-day and I would say doubtful to return before the break (Jan. 7-12). It’s starting to look like the bye week is probably coming at a good time for us. We’ve been relatively healthy and now we have a couple injuries that are starting to pile up here. We’ve got two more games before the break.” Colorado Springs Gazette: LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091317 Colorado Avalanche advantage of our last one, we were 1-4, and we wanted to stay focused this whole homestand.”

Colorado Springs Gazette: LOADED: 01.04.2018 Avalanche beats Winnipeg Jets in overtime on Erik Johnson's winning shot

By: Mike Chambers

Erik Johnson couldn’t remember his previous breakaway bid, but the Avalanche defenseman won’t soon forget the one that beat the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night. “I’m a defenseman and I get a breakway? It just doesn’t happen,” Johnson said. But it does, and it did for the man they call “The Condor.” Behind Nathan MacKinnon’s 15th multipoint game of the season and Johnson’s overtime breakaway goal, the Avalanche defeated the Central Division-leading Jets 3-2 on Tuesday night at the Pepsi Center to collect its 20th victory and improve to 8-3-1 in its last 12 games. “It’s fun for us,” Johnson said of winning in 3-on-3 OT after blowing a 2-0 third-period lead. “Kind of a fluky way for them to tie it in the third so it was good to get the two points ultimately. We had, I think, a 2-on-1, (it went) back and forth. They had a breakaway. Three-on-3, crazy stuff is going to happen.” BOX SCORE: Colorado 3, Winnipeg 2 (OT) The Avs, who have two more games before reaching the midpoint of the NHL season, had just 22 victories all of last season. They are just five points from matching last season’s 48-point total. Winnipeg captain Blake Wheeler scored twice in the third period, the latter off a fluke bounce off the boards with 32.2 seconds remaining to force overtime. Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov was working on a shutout late in the second period but left the game with a lower-body injury. He was replaced by Jonathan Bernier, who took over with 5:45 remaining in the second period and Colorado leading 2-0. Avs coach Jared Bednar did not have an update on Varlamov’s condition but otherwise was all smiles in his postgame press conference. “It’s a big win for us. It’s a big win for us in the standings. It’s a big win for us because this is the top team in our division at this point and have been playing real well,” Bednar said. “It was a tight-checking game for the first little bit and we give up the lead but, to be honest, they made a great tip on their first goal and then they got a lucky bounce off the boards there to tie it late. We answered back and won in overtime. Our guys stuck with it. It wasn’t our fanciest game, or best game of the year, but we had a lot of guys playing hard and a goaltending change and both goalies played well.” After a scoreless first period, MacKinnon scored at 7:44 and linemate Mikko Rantanen at 11:31 of the second period. Both goals came off Rantanen’s work against the wall, the latter on the forecheck. MacKinnon scored during a delayed penalty. Rantanen gained possession in the corner and skated behind the net before dishing it in front. The right-shooting MacKinnon took the puck off his left skate and tapped it home. In doubling Colorado’s lead, Rantanen won a puck battle against the side boards and MacKinnon took possession, worked through a defenseman and gave it back to the left-shooting Rantanen at his sweet spot — the right circle — and pumped it in past goalie Connor Hellebuyck. “It’s nice. We’re right in the hunt (for the playoffs). We are climbing,” MacKinnon said. “Obviously we had a really good December. We kicked off things good here too. We’ve had a nice homestand. We didn’t take advantage of our last one, we were 1-4, and we wanted to stay focused this whole homestand.” Winnipeg got within 2-1 just 47 seconds into the third period. On the power play, Wheeler redirected a Patrik Laine shot from the right wing. The goal ended Colorado’s club-record 11-game penalty-killing streak. The Avs (20-16-3) are 3-1 on their six-game homestand that continues Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. “It’s nice. We’re right in the hunt (for the playoffs). We are climbing,” MacKinnon said. “Obviously we had a really good December. We kicked off things good here too. We’ve had a nice homestand. We didn’t take 1091318 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets: ‘Stale’ Bjorkstrand comes up big at key time

By Steve Gorten

DALLAS — Oliver Bjorkstrand’s video session with assistant coach Brad Larsen on Tuesday morning didn’t focus on shooting the puck, but rather on “just being harder to play against and playing with a little more emotion,” coach John Tortorella said. Bjorkstrand responded by scoring both of the Blue Jackets’ goals — 78 seconds apart in the third period — in a much-needed 2-1 win against the Stars. “I’m glad for him. He’s an important guy for us with the guys out,” Tortorella said, referencing injured forwards Cam Atkinson, Alexander Wennberg and Brandon Dubinsky. “If we can get him going also offensively, along with his checking, it will be a big plus for us.” “He’s a pure goal scorer,” center Lukas Sedlak said. “I know he has more assists this year, but he has a dangerous shot and he showed that. Whenever he’s on my line, I’m just telling him ‘Take it to the net and take a shot. Don’t even try to pass to me.’” Bjorkstrand, who boasts a team-best plus-12 rating as well as the second most assists (18) and points (26) among Blue Jackets players, “can change angles with his shot,” Tortorella said, adding, “not too many guys can shoot the puck like he can.” Despite that, Bjorkstrand had gone nine games without a goal prior to Tuesday. “He’s made some good offensive plays, but haven’t seen him that much of late,” Tortorella said. “He had a great shot in the first period, and just to see him get into some areas of the ice to use that shot was encouraging. “He’s been a little stale as far as getting into open ice. He’s been a little deliberate on the power play also, and that hasn’t given him many chances with the puck.” Bjorkstrand, who last scored a game-winner Nov. 2 at Florida, said of his two goals Tuesday, “We have a lot of top guys out, so we have to find a way to win games.” Bobrovsky wins 200th Sergei Bobrovsky notched his 200th career win Tuesday, becoming the 88th NHL goalie to reach the mark. Evgeni Nabokov (353), (333) and (221) are the only other Russians to do so. Bobrovsky’s 60 wins since the start of the 2016-17 season are second- most in the NHL behind Braden Holtby’s 65 for the Washington Capitals. Bobrovsky improved to 10-1-1 all-time against the Stars, including 7-0 at American Airlines Center, where he has allowed eight goals on 207 shots (.961 save percentage). Dalpe, Kukan assigned Center Zac Dalpe and defenseman Dean Kukan were assigned to minor- league Cleveland Wednesday morning. They were healthy scratches against the Stars. Slap shots The Jackets practiced in Farmers Branch, a suburb of Dallas, Wednesday before flying to Denver for a game Thursday. ... Sedlak’s two assists matched his career high for most in a game and marked his third career multi-point performance. ... For the second time this season, the Jackets were not called for a penalty Tuesday. They also didn’t send a player to the box in a 2-1 shootout win at Detroit Nov. 11. ... Center Boone Jenner won 14 of 20 faceoffs against the Stars and was credited with a game-high six hits. Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091319 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets | David Savard’s block example of heads-up play on defense

By Steve Gorten

DALLAS — David Savard’s ballcap concealed the gash on the back of his head that had been sewn up with six stitches, but traces of blood smeared in his hair above his left ear portrayed the defenseman’s sacrifice. “Savy gives up his body all the time, one of our best shot-blockers,” coach John Tortorella said. “He wasn’t too interested, I’m sure, to get hit in the head, but it’s a big play.” Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky made 21 saves in the Blue Jackets’ 2-1 win Tuesday against the Stars, but Savard made “the save of the night off the back of his head” on Jason Spezza’s second-period shot, Bobrovsky proclaimed postgame, adding that defenseman Jack Johnson also “made some perfect blocks at the right time.” “I felt like I just had to focus on my job and trust my partners, that they will take care of the rest,” Bobrovsky said. “That’s a good feeling that you can focus on your things and trust that the guy next to you is going to do the same.” After allowing 14 goals in three consecutive losses, the Jackets surrendered one to the offensively skilled Stars by concentrating on play away from the puck and being above the puck, Tortorella said. They lost that focus for a few minutes in the second period, he noted, but “steadied ourselves and got back to playing the way we should play.” Johnson said he and Bobrovsky had plenty of help in limiting the Stars. “A huge credit goes to our forwards,” Johnson said of the defensive effort. “They were very responsible and made it much easier for us to defend as defensemen. When the forwards are really responsible like that, it’s a lot easier on us and the goalie.” Bobrovsky described this as “a sacrifice game” from his teammates, and that was epitomized by Savard’s willingness to fling himself between Bobrovsky and Spezza’s shot after teammate Tyler Motte turned over the puck in the Jackets’ zone. “I thought (Spezza) was going to pass it, and I was just trying to take as much space as possible,” Savard said. ”(Bobrovsky) said he didn’t see the puck, too, when (Spezza) shot it, so it turned out good that it hit me. Obviously, it wasn’t the best spot to get it, but we got the two points so it was good for our team.” The Jackets nearly blocked as many shots (17) as they gave up on goal Tuesday, which is “all part of defending. It’s what we have to do,” Tortorella noted. Savard, who has enjoyed that aspect since he started playing hockey as a kid, said blocked shots not only limit scoring chances, but can “bring the team together, too.” Bobrovsky’s appreciation of his teammates’ defensive effort was evident as he recapped his 200th career win. On this night, safe wasn’t death. For a team in danger of spiraling, it was soothing. “As I said the other night when ‘Bob’ wasn’t dead-on in Ottawa, I wish our team would have picked him up a little bit. I thought they played really well in front of him tonight,” Tortorella said. “If we can get that, scratching and clawing, and try to limit the scoring chances against us and just be patient offensively, it gives us an opportunity to win. We’ve got to go about it this way.” Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091320 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets | Oliver Bjorkstrand gets going on offense after video session

By Steve Gorten

DALLAS — Oliver Bjorkstrand’s video session with assistant coach Brad Larsen on Tuesday morning didn’t focus on shooting the puck, but rather “just being harder to play against and playing with a little more emotion,” coach John Tortorella said. Bjorkstrand responded by scoring both of the Blue Jackets’ goals — 78 seconds apart in the third period — in a much-needed 2-1 victory against the Dallas Stars. “I’m glad for him. He’s an important guy for us with the guys out,” Tortorella said, referencing injured forwards Cam Atkinson, Alexander Wennberg and Brandon Dubinsky. “If we can get him going also offensively, along with his checking, it will be a big plus for us.” “He’s a pure goal-scorer,” center Lukas Sedlak noted. “I know he has more assists this year, but he has a dangerous shot and he showed that. Whenever he’s on my line, I’m just telling him ‘Take it to the net and take a shot. Don’t even try to pass to me.’ ” Bjorkstrand, who boasts a team-best plus-12 rating as well as the second-most assists (18) and points (26) among Blue Jackets players, “can change angles with his shot,” Tortorella said, adding, “not too many guys can shoot the puck like he can.” Despite that, Bjorkstrand had gone nine games without a goal before Tuesday. “He’s made some good offensive plays, but we haven’t seen him that much of late,” Tortorella said. “He had a great shot in the first period, and just to see him get into some areas of the ice to use that shot was encouraging. “He’s been a little stale as far as getting into open ice. He’s been a little deliberate on the power play also, and that hasn’t given him many chances with the puck.” Bobrovsky reaches milestone Sergei Bobrovsky won his 200th career game Tuesday, becoming the 88th NHL goalie to reach the mark. Evgeni Nabokov (353), Nikolai Khabibulin (333) and Ilya Bryzgalov (221) are the only other Russians to do so. Bobrovsky’s 60 wins since the start of the 2016-17 season are second-most in the NHL behind Braden Holtby’s 65. He improved to 10-1-1 all time against the Stars, including 7-0 at the American Airlines Center, where he has allowed eight goals on 207 shots. Peeke performance Blue Jackets prospect Andrew Peeke, a defenseman drafted in the second round in 2016, has one goal, one assist and a plus-1 rating for the United States heading into Thursday’s semifinal against Sweden at the world junior championships in Buffalo, New York. Slap shots Defenseman Dean Kukan and center Zac Dalpe were assigned to minor- league Cleveland on Wednesday, though Kukan was recalled by the Jackets several hours later. ... For the fourth consecutive year, the Jackets will set up “Winter Park” at McFerson Commons, directly across the street from Nationwide Arena. They will practice at the NHL-size outdoor ice rink there Jan. 31 — it’s free and open to the public — and the ice will be used for daily public skating, hockey and other events Feb. 2-25. ... Left wing Artemi Panarin shattered a pane of plexiglass with a shot during the Jackets’ practice in Farmer’s Branch, a suburb of Dallas, on Wednesday before their flight to Denver for a game Thursday against the Colorado Avalanche. Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091321 Columbus Blue Jackets

Michael Arace | Adaptability could serve Blue Jackets in second half

Updated Jan 3, 2018 at 8:27 PM

Some of us old-timers still go directly to the printed standings after we thaw out the newspaper. Look: The Blue Jackets played Game No. 41 — a 2-1 victory in Dallas — Tuesday night. They have reached the midpoint of their season. Time does fly, except when it doesn’t. Jackets fans have been waiting 18 years to see their team win a playoff series, and they like to think that this is the year. The standings tell the story of the half. The Jackets’ goal differential is even, 115 goals for, 115 against. That’s 2.80 per game scored and 2.80 per allowed. It is a sign of mediocrity. There are 32 teams in the league and the Jackets ranked 17th in goal differential as of Wednesday morning. Tampa Bay led the league at plus-53. (Vegas was tied for second at plus-29, and what a wonderful job Gerard Gallant has done with the expansion Golden Knights.) It is axiomatic that plus teams are playoff teams. Such is the simple beauty of the standings. It follows, then, that the Jackets’ news is not all that bad. They’re still holding down third place in the Metropolitan Division — they’re in a playoff spot — and nobody is running away with the division. If you are a Jackets fan, you ought to appreciate that much. Your team is young and prone to mood swings, it has been depleted by injuries (especially down the middle) and it has hung in there for half the season. It is on a 98-point pace and, quite possibly, its best hockey is ahead of it. The Jackets looked slow-footed and soft-of-mind as December came to a close. Before they took to the ice for a 5-0 loss to Tampa Bay at Nationwide Arena on New Year’s Eve, coach John Tortorella was asked whether it was a priority to find more offense. He at first bristled and pointed out that the team had scored eight goals in its previous two games (losses in Pittsburgh and Ottawa). When it was clarified that the question was based on goal differential, he offered the following: “I look at it another way. I think the goals will come; it’s a little bit of a different lineup right now (due to injuries), although some of the guys that are out weren’t scoring for us. I think the goals will come (and) I don’t think that should be our focus. I think the inconsistency of our game away from the puck is paramount right now. We have to be above the puck. We have to have more detail there, and allow our transition to work off of that. I’m looking at the other side of the puck, quite honestly, and I think the goals will take care of themselves.” Although time will tell, it could be that the Jackets’ victory at Dallas in Game No. 41 was a turning point. Tortorella recently removed the “Safe is Death” sign from the locker room. His team played a more conservative and intelligent game in Dallas (witness: The Stars were not flying through the neutral zone unimpeded). Although the Jackets defensemen were less engaged in the offensive zone, the team’s counterattacks came off as much more dangerous than those of their opponents’. And the bottom line was two points. The roster remains depleted. Although defenseman is close to returning, centers Alexander Wennberg and Brandon Dubinsky and right wing Cam Atkinson are weeks away from rejoining the team. Reality demands adjustments, and Tortorella’s young charges are adjusting. Good on them. It is the mark of a classy team to be competent in any number of styles and, in the Jackets’ case, to be exuberant and relentless wherever the X’s and O’s are placed on the chalkboard. Now, can they keep it up for another 41? Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091322 Dallas Stars

Which Stars win during the recent home stretch has been the most impressive?

By Mike Heika , Staff Writer

Mike Heika, Stars beat writer for SportsDayDFW.com and The Dallas Morning News, answered your questions about the team during a live chat recently. Here are some highlights. Which one of the Stars' home wins are you most impressed with between Chicago, Nashville, St. Louis and San Jose? Heika: I kind of like the Blues win, because it was such a hectic third period and because players like Benn, Seguin and Radulov really stepped up. But honestly, the Stars steamrolled a good Sharks team on Sunday. If they can do that more -- start fast and pour it on -- they really can become the team that people predicted they could be. That was a sign that there is real potential with this group. What would you say has been working so well for Dallas during this homestand? Heika: I liked how they responded well in pressure situations in the third period against the Predators and Blues. That was a big step up from earlier games. On Sunday, they played an aggressive style and were almost perfect. If they can come close to that type of confidence going forward, they might be able to really make a push to being a top 10 team this season. Is it me or are there a lot of REALLY bad calls in the last few games? I don't know why Roussel got a 10 minute for Hamhuis getting a high stick? What did I miss? Heika: The officials did not see the high stick and do not have replay for that call, so there was officially no high stick on the play. As such, Roussel defending his teammate is seen as an aggressive act. Thus, he gets a misconduct and everyone moves forward. It's not logical, but the refs can't call what they don't see. Bishop's been a stud lately. Keep riding the hot hand or give him some rest at some point? Heika: Because they need points and he has been great at home, and because they follow this run with a five-day break, I would keep riding him until he shows some wear and tear. I think you need both goalies during the regular season, but this is a good way to get Bishop ready for the playoffs, where there is a chance he plays every game. How much stock do you put in plus/minus to evaluate players? Faksa and Shore are on completely different ends of the spectrum (+16 and - 16) but I feel like both contribute to the team? Heika: I'm actually a fan of plus-minus within a team. That said, I'm not sure why Shore is such a minus player. He's that way on SAT (shot attempt differential at even strength), as well. Coaches say it's an outlier, but it is odd that throughout his two-year NHL career that Shore has been near the bottom in these categories. Dallas Morning News LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091323 Dallas Stars Dallas Morning News LOADED: 01.04.2018

Why the third line, headed up by Radek Faksa, has become center of Stars’ success

By Mike Heika , Staff Writer

The Rubik's Cube that constantly spins in Ken Hitchcock's head keeps coming up on one line. While the coach of the Stars ponders what to do with veteran pivots Jason Spezza and and still wonders if Jamie Benn can be an effective center, the lineup he rolls out every game has Radek Faksa centering the third line flanked by Antoine Roussel and Tyler Pitlick. It is quickly becoming the foundation on which the forward group is built. "Every night, they play against the other team's best players," defenseman John Klingberg said. "They're huge for us. We know Faksa is a really good player, and he gets Rous and Pits going, so they're a really good shutdown line. They're scoring goals for us, too, so they're going to be huge for us in 2018." Faksa is the key to the attack -- a big strong center who works his game out of a defensive base. However, he's adding layers of offense this season, and that's making the line even more dangerous. Faksa has 10 goals and 10 assists for 20 points in 40 games, and leads the team in plus-minus at plus-16. That's a pretty effective season. How will Marc Methot's return affect the Stars' defensive pairings? Ironically, Hitchcock is pushing for more even offense from his defensive line. Forwards have to walk a fine line when being coached by the man who has the third most wins in NHL history, and it typically means dialing back the risk to make sure the puck stays out of your own net. But Hitchcock has always been a proponent of defense creating offense, and he sees in the Faksa line the ability to help his team at both ends of the ice. "I don't think you can be a good third line in the league unless you can score," Hitchcock said. "They were really going well, and when they got away from it, it was because they stopped trying to score. To me, they already play with a conscience, which is really good. But they stopped trying to score, and then the line wasn't as effective." Each member of the trio has shown offensive flashes in his career. Faksa had 26 points in 28 AHL games to start the 2015-16 season and that earned a permanent promotion to the NHL. Pitlick had eight goals in 31 games last season with Edmonton before a knee injury knocked him out in December. And Roussel has four seasons of double digit goals with Dallas. They use speed and tenacity to win puck battles, and then they turn those victories into scoring chances. "They've got skill, they've got the ability to make plays, especially off of the rush," Hitchcock said. "When you're playing the role they play, you are going to get odd-man rushes." That makes it easy to play on that line. Faksa and Roussel have had similar chemistry with Ales Hemsky and Brett Ritchie in the past, so Pitlick has jumped right in after signing a free agent contract with the Stars in the summer. "I like playing with them," Pitlick said. "We don't do anything special, we just play hard and get pucks in deep and create energy that way. It's fun. It's fun to play with guys that want to work and want to grind it out down low." And it's fun for the coach to have such a go-to line. Hanzal is expected to return Thursday after missing three games with a lower body injury and that should shuffle the lines once again. Marc Methot could return from missing 26 games with a knee injury, and that means coaches have to consider rearranging the defense pairs. But, they don't have to worry about the Faksa line, and that helps the entire team, Hitchcock said. "Your confidence comes from your work," Hitchcock said. "If you want your team to grow, it grows by how hard you are to play against. We are really taking pride in being hard to play against, and that's helping us grow our group." 1091324 Dallas Stars

How will Marc Methot's return affect the Stars' defensive pairings?

By Mike Heika , Staff Writer

Mike Heika, Stars beat writer for SportsDayDFW.com and The Dallas Morning News, answered your questions about the team during a live chat recently. Here are some highlights. How do you think Methot's return is going to mess with the D pairings? Heika: It's a great debate. I think you start out with Methot and Johns and leave Hamhuis-Pateryn and Lindell-Klingberg alone. At some point, though, I think they will try Methot and Klingberg again and put Lindell and Johns together. That would give the coaches the kind of balance they are seeking. I think Greg Pateryn keeps his spot and Julius Honka is a scratch or in the minors unless there is an injury or Pateryn has a hiccup or two. What did you think of the Oleksiak trade? Did they get enough? Was it out of nowhere? Heika: They just couldn't get Oleksiak to fit into their system and they really had no sway in the trade market. He had been available for a while, so they got what they got. I think for the Stars, it was addition by subtraction. By moving past Oleksiak and Nemeth, they get to play Honka more. I think for the players, they each needed a fresh start. Even if Oleksiak goes to Pittsburgh and plays well, I just don't think he was going to do that had he stayed in Dallas. The Stars are in the middle of a pretty good stretch right now. Do you think they're finally getting used to Hitch's system? Heika: I think so. They talk about making things automatic, and they are doing that. It is a pretty complicated change in that 's system asked the team to outnumber opponents at the offensive net. To do that, the defensemen had to join in the play and then hustle back if they didn't score. That was hard on the defensemen and easier on the forwards. Ken Hitchcock's system asks the defensemen to play from the back and step up. He then asks the forwards to work harder and help out coming back. That's easier on the D and harder on the forwards, which seems to fit the Stars' personnel. So, both the D and the forwards have different jobs, and they both are adjusting to changes. It seems that Dickinson and Mackenzie are the go to call ups, what are the chances of us seeing Gurianov or Hintz in the NHL this year? Heika: Unless there are some serious injuries, I think both Gurianov and Hintz need more time in the minors. I would really love to see the come together and make a great AHL run in the playoffs. That is how good teams work. The kids get great intense experiences in the minors, and then they step up knowing how to play when games are really on the line. The Stars need more great intense playoff experiences in the minors going forward. With Finland getting beat out by the Czechs, what are your thoughts on the overall play of Miro Heiskanen at the world juniors? Heika: This is one of the big holes in my beat writer game. I don't really keep up with the prospects very much (other than reading about them on the internet) and I didn't watch much of the World Juniors. I will defer to those who do. Heiskanen is a talented kid who is going to have ups and downs along the way. All we have to do is look back and see players who have had great World Junior success and failed to build upon it to know that it is one step in a very long process. Dallas Morning News LOADED: 01.04.2018

1091325 Detroit Red Wings Detroit Free Press LOADED: 01.04.2018

Red Wings' Dylan Larkin has his confidence back; can he become elite?

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press Published 1:30 p.m. ET Jan. 3, 2018

Dylan Larkin is enjoying himself, and it’s evident on a nightly basis with the Detroit Red Wings. The season isn’t even at the midpoint, and already Larkin has matched the points he had last season in 80 games. Entering Wednesday’s game against the Ottawa Senators, Larkin was on a roll, with eight points in the previous six games. “I’ve gotten my confidence back,” Larkin said after the morning skate at Little Caesars Arena. “I’m making plays, I’m playing a lot. I’m having fun again. I just want to keep going. I am not satisfied — I’d like to have more goals, and we’d like to have more wins. If I score more, I think it will help the team even more.” Larkin is key to the Wings’ efforts to regain competitiveness even after not draft inside the top 10 from 1992 to 2016. Larkin, 21, stood out as a rookie with a 23-goal season, then experienced growing pains his sophomore season. “I thought he went through a learning process the first three quarters of last season that I knew was coming,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “I thought the last quarter of the season, he had really taken steps to understanding how he is going to be great. He is going to be great by being a 200-foot player, by playing from the correct side of the puck, and from there you get lots of offense. I think he saw the last part of last year, I think he saw that in the World Championships, and I know he’s seen that this year. The other thing it gets you is lots of ice time, and with lots of ice time, there’s more opportunity for points. “It doesn’t surprise me at all that Dylan’s had a great start.” Larkin’s average ice time of 19 minutes, 51 seconds is almost four minutes more than what he averaged last season (16:09) and leads all Wings forwards. He has become a key part of both special teams units, adding penalty-kill duties this season. It’s a satisfying situation for Larkin after last season. “Last year in the games, I was frustrated,” he said. “I thought I should be playing more and the only thing I could have done about it was what I did, and worked hard and had a good summer. Went to the World Championship with Blash and created a good relationship and earned his trust. I think that’s the biggest thing, is playing a lot, and playing in big situations. “It’s a good start. I just want to keep going and continue to have fun.” What’s encouraging for the Wings is that Larkin had points in 24 of the first 38 games. He hasn’t gone longer than three games without producing. “He’s been consistent in producing and consistent in his play,” Blashill said. “There are a lot of nights where he is our best forward, there’s a lot of nights where I put him out there in lots of different situations. His consistency throughout the season — there’s been very few dips. There’s been a couple times I’ve had to remind him you can’t cheat for offense — if you cheat for offense, you end up pulling it out of your net. But the good thing about him is, whenever he is reminded of that, he goes out the next night and does a great job of it.” Larkin leads the Wings with 26 assists, but says he is not happy with only scoring six goals after moving to center from wing, where he played most of his first two seasons. That Larkin is pushing himself to score more goals is part of why the Wings were so delighted when he was available at 15th overall in the 2014 draft. Earlier that year, Larkin represented the U.S. at the World U18 championships, where he was an assistant captain and won a gold medal. One of the assistant coaches on that team was John Gruden, who Blashill ran into at Tuesday’s Ferris State- U.S. National U18 team game. “Gruds was saying that he was talking to Larks and Larks was down on himself for the number of goals he’d scored so far,” Blashill said. “He has to be careful with that, because sometimes you get too hard on yourself, but I think what makes Dylan great is his inner drive. He wants to be the best and so although he’s had lots of points, he wants to make sure he’s scoring at a rate with elite players. “He wants to be an elite player. It drives him every day.” 1091326 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings' Andreas Athanasiou scores 6 seconds into OT for 2-1 win

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press Published 10:28 p.m. ET Jan. 3, 2018 | Updated 10:31 p.m. ET Jan. 3, 2018

Andreas Athanasiou capped a fabulous performance with an overtime goal. Athanasiou scored his second goal of the night Wednesday at Little Caesars Arena six seconds into OT, giving the Detroit Red Wings a 2-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators. It’s the first time in seven overtimes this season the Wings have won. Athanasiou scored in the first period and created several more chances. He was hauled down on a drive to the net midway through the third period, but couldn’t make good on his penalty shot. He and fellow youngster Anthony Mantha both had good games, looking assertive. Jimmy Howard played well, making 33 saves, including denying Erik Karlsson on a great scoring chance in the third period. Darren Helm had two scoring chances in the last minute of regulation. Early jump The Wings ran up a 4-0 edge in shots within minutes of the puck drop. Athanasiou and Mantha paired up for a scoring chance off an odd-man rush, but Mantha’s shot ended up in Craig Anderson’s glove. The two had better fortune at 11:15, when Mantha made a nice play at the net and Athanasiou turned the rebound into his seventh goal of the season. Close call Senators forward Bobby Ryan had a shot at a loose puck late in the first period. The puck slid towards the goal line, but then curled back into the paint, and Howard was able to twist and throw himself on the puck to preserve the 1-0 lead. Shots in the first period were 14-11 to Ottawa. Closer calls Athanasiou used his speed to create two scoring chances in the first 10 minutes of the second period. He also set up one for Martin Frk, who shot from point-blank range only to hit Anderson’s left leg. Tyler Bertuzzi hit a goal post. Tomas Tatar had a shot bounce off Anderson’s chest. Savvy strategy The Wings headed to a power play at 11:30 of the second period, but inside of about 15 seconds or so, Mike Green was called for holding. The Senators had possession of the puck when the official put his hand in the air — and Ottawa made him keep it there as they strategically moved the puck around, eating up all but the last seven seconds on their too-many- men penalty. Senators strike Helm lost the puck in the slot in the opening minute of the third period, and Ryan Dzingel pounced and scored. The Wings requested a coach’s challenge to review if Derick Brassard interfered with Howard, but a quick video review upheld the goal. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091327 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings laugh off 'smart' strategy by Senators on delayed penalty

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press Published 12:36 a.m. ET Jan. 4, 2018 | Updated 12:53 a.m. ET Jan. 4, 2018

Victory made it easy to laugh about it. Midway through the Detroit Red Wings' 2-1 overtime win at Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday, the Wings net on a power play after the Ottawa Senators were called for too many men on the ice. About 15 seconds into the power play, Mike Green was called for holding while the Senators had possession of the puck. They kept possession, by playing the puck back into their own zone, passing it back and forth until only seven seconds remained on their own penalty. Essentially, the Senators earned themselves a nearly full power play. “Oh my gosh, it was unreal, what a great job by them,” Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. He added hadn’t seen that before. “I’ve seen lots, I’ve seen delayed penalty go in your own net, I’ve seen that. I was actually hoping they would do that. “That was a great, great — that was unreal. That’s got to go down as one of the worst two minutes of power play in the history of mankind.” Not only did the Senators neutralize the Wings’ power play, they earned a nearly full power play for themselves. “That was a first,” Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg said. “But, smart.” Asked when he realized what the Senators were doing, goaltender Jimmy Howard laughed. “After 10 seconds I figured out what they were doing,” he said. “Actually it was kind of smart.” Detroit Free Press LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091328 Detroit Red Wings

Andreas Athanasiou shines as Detroit Red Wings win third straight

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press Published 12:52 a.m. ET Jan. 4, 2018 | Updated 12:54 a.m. ET Jan. 4, 2018

This is the Andreas Athanasiou the Detroit Red Wings need to see. His speed and skill set showed in spades Wednesday at Little Caesars Arena, where Athanasiou scored first and last in a 2-1 overtime victory over the Ottawa Senators. Athanasiou had a handful of breakaways, odd-man rushes, a penalty shot and finished with seven shots. “I don’t know how many breakaways he had today,” Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg said. “Probably the amount I had in all my career. He’s good, he’s fast, and it was good to see he scored the last one because he had a few chances.” Athanasiou scored six seconds into overtime. Dylan Larkin took the face- off, and the puck slid towards Ottawa defenseman Erik Karlsson. Athanasiou won the puck battle, took off, and roofed a backhand. “The puck was bouncing a little bit and I saw Karlsson’s stick on the left side of me, so I figured I’d go to the backhand again and try to get it up over (the goalie's) pads,” Athanasiou said. “Fortunately it worked out.” It’s a good sign for the Wings, as Athanasiou is one of their building blocks. He has three goals the past three games, after going 15 games without scoring. “Like any young player, they have to learn how consistent they have to be to be successful in the NHL,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “That is one of the biggest lessons young guys have to learn, I don’t care who you are. Larkin has had to learn it, AA has had to learn it. “I hope that he comes Friday (against Florida) and plays the same way. It’s a continued step. The more games you build up where you are playing great hockey, you’re playing engaged, the more you’re taking steps towards being a great hockey player in this league. You just can’t if you don’t have that level of consistency.” Athanasiou laughed off the chances he didn’t finish. “I kind of started asking guys on the bench, like, what should do I do next if I get another one. “I just kind of stuck to it. If you keep shooting, eventually one is going to go in.” Blashill went with 11 forwards, which enables him to distribute more minutes to players such as Athanasiou and Larkin. Both played around 19 and a half minutes. Using Athanasiou as a winger, and especially with a fellow speedster in Larkin, plays to the strengths of both players. Athanasiou also took some shifts at center, with Anthony Mantha and Martin Frk. Mantha made a nice play to set up Athanasiou’s first goal. Athanasiou said he’s “OK playing both positions. As a center you can come in with the puck a little more. As a winger, you can kind of push the D back and blow the zone. Get those high flips and get in puck races. So there’s pros and cons to both.” Detroit Free Press LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091329 Detroit Red Wings “After 10 seconds I figured it out,” said Howard, of what the Senators were doing. “It was actually kind of smart.”

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 01.04.2018 Andreas Athanasiou strikes in OT, Red Wings win third straight

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News Published 10:33 p.m. ET Jan. 3, 2018 | Updated 4:47 a.m. ET Jan. 4, 2018

Detroit — Andreas Athanasiou didn’t waste any time in overtime. Athanasiou scored six seconds into overtime Wednesday — finally converting on a breakaway opportunity — and giving the Red Wings a 2- 1 victory. Athanasiou also scored the Red Wings’ other goal, giving him eight goals for the season. But considering the number of quality chances he had, Athanasiou could have had more goals. “Something like four breakaways,” said Athanasiou, whose speed was no match for Ottawa. “I was starting to ask guys on the bench what do I do next if I get another one. I just stuck to it and go with what I know and if you keep shooting, one will go in.” In overtime, Dylan Larkin won the faceoff and the puck squirted to Athanasiou on the wing. Athanasiou sped past Erik Karlsson and broke in on goaltender Craig Anderson. “It was quick,” said Larkin of overtime. “Double-A did a good job of pressuring Karlsson and surprised him. He did a good job of finally finishing on the breakaway.” Playing on the wing on Larkin’s line for a third consecutive game, Athanasiou was again a major factor with a game-high seven shots and Larkin utilizing Athanasiou’s speed with flare passes into open ice. “They both know how to utilize their speed, that’s the biggest thing,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “Double-A trusts that Larks is going to get him the puck, so he skates without the puck into those open areas. For whatever reason, he seems to really trust Larkin is going to lay pucks into those areas and it was time after time tonight.” It was the third consecutive victory for the Red Wings (16-16-7, 39 points), who continue to inch upward in the Eastern Conference standings. The Red Wings close out this five-game home stand Friday against Florida and Sunday against Tampa before hitting a five-day break in the schedule. “This is the way we have to play,” Larkin said. “We have to play this way to win in this league. There’s going to be tight games like tonight. We have to bring this energy and sense of urgency from here until the end.” More:Wings’ Tyler Bertuzzi proving to be ‘good piece’ Athanasiou had a chance to break the tie at 10:41 after being awarded a penalty shot. Athanasiou was dragged down by Dion Phaneuf while breaking in on Anderson, who was game’s best player with 33 saves and was the sole reason Ottawa earned a point in the standings. But Anderson stopped Athanasiou on the penalty shot, with Jimmy Howard matching the save with a nice stop on Erik Karlsson trailing on a rush moments later. “We did a lot of great things, a lot of opportunities, and it’s a 1-1 game, but you don’t win that game if that save isn’t made on Karlsson,” Blashill said. “You need elite goaltending to win and Jimmy’s given us that this year.” Red Wings coach discusses what is clicking for the team during this current upsurge. Ted Kulfan Ottawa’s Ryan Dzingel tied the game 1-1 just 39 seconds into the third period. Dzingel stripped Darren Helm of the puck between the hash marks, went down the slot, and beat Howard for his 10th goal. The Senators (12-17-9, 33 points) didn’t have many highlights Wednesday but one was squashing the majority of a second-period Red Wings' power play after a delayed holding penalty was called on Mike Green. Ottawa did a masterful job of keeping the puck and killing the Red Wings’ power play. 1091330 Detroit Red Wings Anthony Mantha (groin) returned to the lineup Wednesday after missing two games.

… The Red Wings hadn’t scored on the power play in the last four games Wings’ Tyler Bertuzzi proving to be ‘good piece’ entering Wednesday, and had gone 0-for-13 in that span. “Our entries haven’t been as good the last four games,” Blashill said. Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News Published 1:26 p.m. ET Jan. 3, 2018 | “Entries and unforced errors. Those aren’t systematic issues. Sometimes Updated 1:30 p.m. ET Jan. 3, 2018 we entered the zone, we had complete control of the puck, and we threw it away.

“You can’t do that. We did that too much early last season.” Detroit — Don’t get him wrong, it’s great news to hear, a relief in some ways, but Tyler Bertuzzi isn’t going to change much of anything. Detroit News LOADED: 01.04.2018 Getting told he’s staying with the Red Wings is a dream come true, but Bertuzzi is going to continue to take a workmanlike approach. “Take it day by day and keep working hard,” Bertuzzi said after Wednesday’s morning skate. Bertuzzi was recalled from Grand Rapids on Dec. 21 after Luke Glendening suffered a hand injury. When Bertuzzi was promoted, coach Jeff Blashill’s message to him was to give the Red Wings a reason to keep Bertuzzi around, to find a place for him on the NHL roster. Bertuzzi has done so. Heading into Wednesday’s game, Bertuzzi had three assists in the four games since being recalled, with an even plus-minus rating while playing over 14 minutes per game. Bertuzzi, arguably, had his best game Sunday against Pittsburgh, getting two assists in over 16 minutes against the Stanley Cup champions. “Bert goes to the net hard, gets pucks out on the wall, and he’s smart enough to play with real good players,” Blashill said. “He’s a good piece.” Playing on a line with Henrik Zetterberg and Gustav Nyquist the past several games has given Bertuzzi an opportunity to highlight his strengths. Just getting a consistent opportunity to play, getting more minutes, has been a good feeling. “I’m happy where I’m at, comfortable with the puck and not just throwing it away,” Bertuzzi said. “Playing with Henrik Zetterberg, I feel real good right now and, obviously, I’m happy where I am. “It’s always going to be there (slight awe playing with Zetterberg). Just the way he handles himself on and off the ice.” Bertuzzi appeared headed to making the Red Wings roster out of training camp, but a wrist injury dashed any chances of that. Bertuzzi returned to Grand Rapids, where he stayed until a one-game call-up in December when minor injuries hit, then went back to the Griffins wondering if there was going to be another opportunity this season. The Glendening injury opened the door. “You certainly get to a point where you think this is your time,” Blashill said. “I would believe that as a player. There’s probably sometimes you look and you know you’re coming up for a little bit and going back down (to the minors). “That’s why I made a point to grab him right away and say ‘make us keep you’ because I wanted to make sure he knew that I didn’t want this to be a short-term thing. “I wanted it to be a long-term thing. That’s one of the reasons why we were reticent to call him up earlier. We didn’t want it to be a roller coaster. I’m sure he senses that this is his opportunity and let’s grab it.” KEY STRETCH The Red Wings have a five-day bye — as every team in the NHL does during the regular season — beginning Monday. Before then, they close out this five-game homestand against three divisional opponents (Ottawa, Florida, Tampa Bay), so if there’s a chance to move up the standings, this is a good time to do it. “When we came back from (Christmas) break we talked about the fact we had six games then going on another break, so let’s make sure sometimes the schedule can get long and you look out too far,” Blashill said. “I wanted to make sure we narrowed our focus to these games that are right in front of us. “Certainly divisional games are big. Every game is big. We need to win, we need points and we need them now.” ICE CHIPS 1091331 Detroit Red Wings

Andreas Athanasiou's overtime goal lifts Red Wings

By Ansar Khan

DETROIT - The Detroit Red Wings had several quality scoring chances Wednesday, particularly in the second period. Andreas Athanasiou alone had three breakaways in regulation, in addition to a penalty shot. But they couldn't finish in regulation. Athanasiou then took care of business just six seconds into overtime, roofing a backhand shot past Craig Anderson on a breakaway as Detroit defeated the Ottawa Senators 2-1 at Little Caesars Arena. The Red Wings (16-16-7) have won three in a row for the first time since Jan. 14-18, 2017. They have won four in a row at home for the first time since Oct. 17-25, 2016. Athanasiou scored both of his team's goals, giving him eight this season. Jimmy Howard continued his strong play of late with 33 saves. The struggling Senators (12-17-9), despite 33 saves from Anderson, fell to 4-14-4 in their past 22. The Red Wings are 1-6 in overtime this season. Darren Helm had two excellent scoring chances in the final minute and Danny DeKeyser rattled a shot off the goal post late. Anderson stopped Athanasiou on a penalty shot with 10:41 to play in the third, after the Red Wings forward was upended on a breakaway. Howard made a spectacular glove save on Erik Karlsson shortly after the penalty shot. Ryan Dzingel tied it at 1-1 39 seconds into the third period. Helm, in the slot, couldn't control a pass from . Dzingel pounced on the puck and fired it past Howard. Jeff Blashill's coach's challenge -- claiming goaltender interference on Derick Brassard for making stick-to-stick contact with Howard on the play -- was unsuccessful. Athanasiou scored the only goal through 40 minutes. He backhanded the rebound of a shot by Anthony Mantha past Anderson at 11:15 of the first period. It was his seventh goal. The play began when the Senators turned over the puck in their own zone. Martin Frk passed to Mantha, whose backhand shot was turned aside. Mantha was denied a few minutes earlier while on a two-on-one break with Athanasiou. The Senators nearly tied it with 3:02 left, when Bobby Ryan hit the goal post from close range and Howard smothered the rebound in the crease. The Red Wings have several quality chances in a scoreless second period. Athanasiou used a burst of speed to cut through the defense but Anderson made a pad save on his backhand try. Athanasiou was stopped on a breakaway four minutes later; Frk was denied at point- blank range on the same sequence. Tomas Tatar backhanded the puck off the post on a breakaway near the end of the period. Detroit News LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091332 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings vs. Ottawa Senators live chat

By Ansar Khan [email protected]

GAME INFORMATION * Who: Detroit Red Wings (15-16-7) vs. Ottawa Senators (12-17-8) * Where: Little Caesars Arena * When: 7:30 tonight * TV: Fox Sports Detroit Plus * Radio: 97.1 WXYT-FM and Red Wings radio network * Social media: Follow MLive sports on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram The Red Wings are seeking their fourth consecutive victory at home, something they haven't accomplished since Oct. 17-25, 2016. Anthony Mantha returns to the lineup after missing two games with a groin injury. He's expected to start on a line with Martin Frk and a center rotating from one of the other lines, as Detroit likely will dress 11 forwards and seven defensemen. Jimmy Howard will make his sixth consecutive start in goal. The struggling Senators are 4-14-3 in their past 21. Star defenseman Erik Karlsson has a minus-20 rating in 32 games. Goaltender Craig Anderson has a 3.12 goals-against average and .896 save percentage. Detroit is 7-2-1 in its past 10 vs. Ottawa. Michigan Live LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091333 Detroit Red Wings Jonathan Ericsson-Trevor Daley Niklas Kronwall-Nick Jensen Red Wings seek better power-play entries, net presence Xavier Ouellet (likely to dress as seventh defenseman-Luke Witkowski (extra)

In goal: By Ansar Khan [email protected] Jimmy Howard (starting)

Petr Mrazek DETROIT - The Detroit Red Wings hope to end a four-game power-play drought, which equals their longest of the season, tonight when they face Michigan Live LOADED: 01.04.2018 the Ottawa Senators at Little Caesars Arena (7:30, Fox Sports Detroit). Detroit is 0 for 13 on the man-advantage the past four games. It's not a lengthy stretch, but it is too long for a team that had difficulty generating offense. Coach Jeff Blashill cited a lack of execution, not a personnel issue. "Our entries haven't been as good in the last four games as they had," Blashill said. "Entries and unforced errors. Those aren't necessarily systematic issues. The unforced errors, we at times enter the zone, we have complete control of the puck and we throw it away. We did that too much early last year. "We were running about 80 percent success rate for a while, which would be above the league average by a good amount. We've dropped back down, so we got to get those entries back to the right spots where we're in the zone more." The one personnel change made on the power-play unit two games ago saw Tyler Bertuzzi replace Anthony Mantha as the net-front presence on the second unit. Mantha returns to the lineup tonight and rotated with Bertuzzi on the power play during the skate. Blashill said he hasn't considered moving players from one unit to the other, wanting to maintain consistency. "I think one of the biggest things that's allowed our power play to have success from the 25-, 30-game mark last year all the way through now, just in totality, not in short little instances, has been the consistency of what the units have been and that the guys have been in the same spots," he said. "You learn to think as one unit. I think that breeds tons of confidence. "That's feedback I've gotten from players over time. I think (changing) was mistake we made at the beginning of last year when we were struggling. You try to fix it by moving pieces, sometimes you just got to relax and stay as-is, trust that if you keep doing things over and over you'll get long-term success, and we've had long-term success on the power play. Doesn't mean we won't look at it, but we'll keep it for now." Mantha, who had just two points (one goal, one assist) in 10 games in December, has just one power-play point (an assist) in his past 17 games. "My positioning needs to be better," Mantha said. "I need to make the goalie look on one side or the other when that pass - for example, from (Mike) Green to Frkie (Martin Frk) -- comes down. (The goalie) needs to be a half-second or a second late on that pass, so once that shots is taken he's already going to be late, so it's hard to stop." Mantha said he's studied Toronto's James Van Riemsdyk, who he believes is the best net-front man in the league. "Blash showed me a couple of clips of things he does," Mantha said. "I'm trying to learn and trying to get better." Mantha missed the past two games with a groin injury. "He'll feel his way into the game a little bit," Blashill said. "I don't care who you are, when it's a couple games that you missed, you're not as battle- tested as if you'd just played the other night. So, we won't throw him to the wolves right away, we'll ease him in and then hopefully he's going at a high level." Here are the lines they skated with this morning: Gustav Nyquist-Henrik Zetterberg-Tyler Bertuzzi Tomas Tatar-Dylan Larkin-Andreas Athanasiou Darren Helm-Frans Nielsen-Justin Abdelkader Martin Frk-David Booth (likely scratch)-Anthony Mantha On defense: Danny DeKeyser-Mike Green 1091334 Detroit Red Wings

Expansion team? Vegas Golden Knights simply one of NHL's best

By Josh Slagter [email protected]

It isn't supposed to be this easy in a franchise's first season. But the Vegas Golden Knights keep rolling, especially at home, and sit atop the NHL's Pacific Division nearly halfway through their inaugural campaign. The Knights won their eighth straight game Tuesday night and have points in their last 13 (12-0-1). There's certainly a home-ice advantage in the desert. Vegas is 17-2-1 at home. The @GoldenKnights extended their win and point streaks to eight and 13 games (12-0-1), respectively - the longest such runs in NHL history by a team in its inaugural season. #NHLStats #NSHvsVGK pic.twitter.com/P3rZWnFAkS — NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) January 3, 2018 The incredible stats don't end there. This is the Knights' third streak of at least five straight wins, and they haven't lost a game in regulation since Dec. 1. The current win streak includes victories over Nashville, Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, Washington and Los Angeles -- all Stanley Cup contenders, which Vegas also appears to be. NHL Stanley Cup updated Lightning 5/1@GoldenKnights 7/1 Maple Leafs 10/1 Predators 12/1 Blues 14/1 Penguins 16/1 Kings 16/1 Stars 16/1 Jets 18/1 Blue Jackets 18/1 Capitals 18/1 Rangers 18/1 Ducks 20/1 Sharks 20/1 Bruins 20/1 Blackhawks 25/1 Wild 25/1 Islanders 30/1 Devils 30/1 — Jeff Sherman (@golfodds) January 1, 2018 (The Golden Knights opened the season 100/1 to win the Cup.) This is nice. @GoldenKnights (THX @RyanTerrana!)https://t.co/HqKacN1qLB pic.twitter.com/MM5Miqz7RC — Freezing Cold Takes (@OldTakesExposed) January 3, 2018 Michigan Live LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091335 Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton Oilers notebook: Patrick Maroon suspended for two games

Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal

Patrick Maroon has been a law-abiding NHL citizen, but he paid the price for a shoulder to Drew Doughty’s head Tuesday when he was slapped with a two-game suspension. Maroon had never been suspended or fined in his 341-game NHL career, but the Player Safety department decided that the hit on Doughty was illegal and interference because the Los Angeles Kings defender didn’t have the puck at the time. The Edmonton Oiler winger’s check also came in contact with the Los Angeles Kings defender’s head which got him a match penalty. Maroon will miss Thursday’s home game against the Anaheim Ducks and Saturday’s afternoon game in Dallas, which means somebody else will be lining up on the left wing with captain Connor McDavid, probably Milan Lucic. The league took into account Maroon’s clean rap sheet, but didn’t say if they factored in Doughty coming back and playing in the third period after the check with five seconds left in the middle frame. Maroon, on the forecheck, caught Doughty who was trying to stop McDavid as he circled behind the net. He didn’t see Maroon. “As Doughty approaches McDavid, McDavid pokes the puck past Doughty and up the wall,” said the Dept of Player Safety video. “Doughty, having never touched the puck, turns to pursue the puck and Maroon delivers a high, hard hit which makes substantial contact to Doughty’s head. “This is interference and because Doughty never touches the puck, he’s not eligible to be hit on this play. While we understand that Maroon reasonably felt Doughty would get the puck, the onus is on the hitter. What causes this hit to rise to the level of supplementary discipline is the force and the substantial head contact that occurs.” Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and based on his average annual salary, Maroon will forfeit $21,505.38 with the money going to the Players Emergency Assistance Fund. Maroon’s absence against the Ducks and Stars will also mean somebody else will take his spot as the net-front presence on the second power- play unit, anchored by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. POWER PLAY NOT PICKING UP SLACK If the Oilers power play was going good (24th), it might take some of pain away from their PK at home. “But, that would mean we’d have to be scoring at 50 per cent and power plays don’t run that good, no matter how hot,” said McLellan. Still, the Oilers have only scored six PP goals in 53 tries (home or away) the last 20 games. That’s 11.3 per cent efficiency. They get the puck into the other team’s zone with ease because of Connor McDavid’s speed and set up, but then it dies. TYLER BENSON IN TOWN Oiler draft Tyler Benson was in town with his junior Vancouver Giants to play the Oil Kings Wednesday. He came in with 37 points (14 goals) in 26 WHL games after sitting out the Young Stars prospects tournament in Kelowna and all of Oiler main camp to rehab from off-season double sports hernia surgery. “My main goal was to play a whole season once I got back (to WHL),” said Benson. “I’m still trying to find my game … the skating part isn’t where it can be.” This ’n that: The Oilers have gone 121:45 without a goal and they’ve lost by four goals or more six times this season … The Ducks are trying centre Antoine Vermette, the NHL’s second-best faceoff man at over 59 per cent efficiency, on left wing with Getzlaf. But, the big story is right- winger Rickard Rakell, who has scored in six straight games, the longest current streak. Nikita Kucherov at seven games has the season high. Rakell, Johnny Gaudreau and Nino Niederreiter have six game streaks. Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091336 Edmonton Oilers Matt Benning is a player the Oilers would be wise to keep, in my opinion. He was a splendid rookie in 2016-17, a Godsend righty on a team with lefties for days. Benning, who is slightly undersized, has suffered injuries Lowetide: Making the call on the Oilers' free agents to be during his NHL time and has also struggled (he was a healthy scratch against Los Angeles on Tuesday).

On a team with a large number of shutdown types, Benning stands out By Allan Mitchell 9 hours ago as a good passer and a mobile defenceman. He has struggled this season, so it's reasonable to ask just how much return could be expected in a deadline deal. Then again, righty defenders who can skate and move the puck are a rare item in the NHL. A bumpy ride post-Christmas has the Edmonton Oilers far from the playoff chase as we enter January. With the team's chances of making The Athletic LOADED: 01.04.2018 the second season setting in the west, we can assume the unrestricted players who have value will be shopped. There may also be a window of opportunity for the organization to send away a couple of restricted free agents who are not in future plans. Let's have a look at what is a fairly large pool of talent. Big winger Patrick Maroon might be one of the best value deals available at this year's deadline, especially considering Jonathan Marchessault's extension with the Vegas Golden Knights. Many of the left wingers who are pending free agents (James Neal, Josh Bailey, David Perron, James van Riemsdyk) play for contenders or come with a handsome cap number (Evander Kane). Maroon, whose cap hit is $2 million with $500,000 retained by Anaheim, could help any contender—especially a team with little cap room. Maroon is a good offensive player, his 1.81 points per 60 at 5-on-5 this season ranking him No. 103 overall among forwards with 400 or more minutes in the discipline. That's borderline first-line production, and matches exactly his delivery one year ago. It would be natural to assume Maroon's numbers received a boost from playing with Connor McDavid, but the big man's even-strength scoring has been more impressive with both and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. I expect Maroon will be dealt, and wonder if the organization's ask is a younger player who is already in pro hockey. He might be a good fit in Boston, a club with several NHL-ready youngsters Peter Chiarelli would be familiar with from his time in the city. Mark Letestu is having a difficult year in many ways, his attachment to the Oilers penalty kill a major red flag. He's also part of the power play, another area of the game Edmonton has struggled in this year. That said, Letestu has some attractive items, including a 53.7 per cent faceoff record. Letestu is a veteran who has experience with two winning organizations (Pittsburgh, Columbus) and may end up back in one of those two cities. Edmonton may want to retain Letestu but I suspect the offers will be attractive enough for Chiarelli to part with his centreman. Ryan Strome is an RFA, and a player who has been disappointing in his time with the Oilers. That can be viewed as a negative, but the Penguins took a chance on Justin Schultz when his value was poor and the organization was repaid handsomely. An astute team with interest and a role available for him might be able to buy low. Strome's offence is within expectations (40 GP, 7-10-17) and he was a famous prospect—that often draws general managers like a moth to a flame—so the payoff could be considerable. Based on usage, my suspicion is the organization would probably like to get out from under, but will need a promising return for a player who cost so much to acquire. This might be a summer deal. Anton Slepyshev is on the fringe of the NHL based on his recent press box appearances. He hasn't seen much action (three games in December) over the last month and it looks like coach Todd McLellan sees the Russian below the other young forwards on the roster. Slepyshev's offence (1.00 points per 60 at 5-on-5) is shy but the fact he can't get into the lineup (just 179 minutes) may be a factor. He was productive last spring and other NHL teams will have a book on him. Big wingers who have size, speed and a good shot always have value and the Oilers have missed on enough talent over the years for there to be some question about the franchise's internal evaluations. Mike Cammalleri is 35 and in the back half of a fine career. Chiarelli often signs acquired players who are older (Mark Recchi was much older) so it's possible the veteran winger returns for a full year in Edmonton. He's the kind of player who might have appeal to a team looking for added offensive depth (1.68 per 60 at 5-on-5) and Cammalleri has a wealth of experience. He hasn't seen a playoff game in years and one would guess he'd love a shot at the Stanley Cup. The return in a trade is unlikely to be huge, but the Oilers have traded a lot of draft picks over the years so it may be wise to add a few at the deadline. Brandon Davidson has played well since being picked up on waivers from the Montreal Canadiens, and he could be a value contract entering summer and heading into 2018 fall. Defencemen always have increased value at the deadline and Chiarelli dealt Davidson a year ago (although under entirely different circumstances). He can play either side and is an intelligent player, this could go either way. 1091337 Florida Panthers Miami Herald LOADED: 01.04.2018

Cullen, Staal each score 2 in Wild's 5-1 win over Panthers

BY BRIAN HALL

The Minnesota Wild marked Zach Parise's season debut after recovering from back surgery with a relentless performance typical of the star forward. Matt Cullen and Eric Staal each scored twice and the Wild beat Florida 5- 1 Tuesday night, snapping the Panthers' five-game winning streak. Devan Dubnyk made 25 saves and Charlie Coyle added an empty-netter to help Minnesota win for the third time in four games. Jared Spurgeon had three assists for the Wild, who put up a season-high 41 shots — including a season-high for a period with 19 in a dominant second period. "I think our zone time really wore them down," said Parise, who played 13:35 with three shots in his first game after missing the 39. "We talked before how good they are. Transition, they want to get out of their zone and get up the ice with four guys and attack. But we did a really good job when they were trying to break out staying above their guys and making them turn the puck over." Staal had his fourth multi-goal game of the season in adding to his team lead with 17 goals. Cullen had his first multi-goal game since April 7, 2016, doubling his season output. "Getting him back is such a big lift for us," Cullen said of Parise's return. "Obviously the way he competes and the way he competes on the ice himself, also the trickle-down effect throughout our lineup. It was evident tonight. I thought all the lines were going. " Jonathan Huberdeau scored his 14th goal for Florida. James Reimer stopped 23 of the 26 shots he faced before leaving the game during the second period with an injury after Florida defenseman and Wild forward Mikael Granlund fell on him. He said he felt good after the game and expected to be ready for the team's next game. Harri Sateri made his NHL debut in replacing Reimer, allowing one goal on six shots. Reimer returned after 3:26 of game time and finished the second, but Sateri played the third and finished with 13 saves for the game. "There was no execution and, worse than that, there wasn't a heck of a lot of compete for 40 minutes," Panthers coach Bob Boughner said. "By the time we turned it on a little bit and changed things in the third, it was just too late." Reimer was a big part of Florida's winning streak. With out since Dec. 7 with a lower-body injury, Reimer had started 12 straight games for the Panthers and had shutouts in two of the past three games. "They got Parise, everyone's jumping and excited to go, I'm sure," Reimer said. "They came hard and we didn't have our best game. There's nothing really too crazy about it. One team was playing really well and one team didn't bring their 'A' game." Cullen scored his first goal in 10 games to open the scoring in the first and Minnesota controlled the first two periods with a 32-11 advantage in shots on goal. "It's good. You could see that some guys, like I thought (Tyler) Ennis played a real good game," Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said of the increased competition for lineup spots with Parise's return. "These guys are all vying now for spots. Cully picks it up. Ennis picks it up, a lot of guys played well. That's what you want to see. You want to see that inner competition all the time." NOTES: Florida F Radim Vrbata missed his third straight game with an illness. ... Wild F Nino Niederreiter missed his fifth straight game with a lower-body injury, but he could possibly return to the lineup on Thursday. Niederreiter has been skating and is expected to join the team's practice on Wednesday. ... The Panthers have never won a game in regulation in Minnesota's Xcel Energy Center. Florida is 0-9-2 in the building. ... The Wild are 10-1-1 in their last 12 home games. ... Ennis had two assists. UP NEXT Panthers: Travel to Boston for a game against the Bruins on Thursday. Wild: Host the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday. 1091338 Florida Panthers

Preview: Panthers at Bruins, 7 p.m., Thursday

Matthew DeFranks Matthew DeFranks

Panthers at Bruins When/where: 7 p.m./TD Garden, Boston. TV: Fox Sports Florida; Radio: 560-AM; 640-AM (Palm Beach) Scouting report: Thursday will be the first meeting of the season between Atlantic Division foes Florida and Boston. After playing the first 39 games of the season without facing each other, the Panthers and Bruins will play four times in the final 43 games of the season, including three times in the final 14. … The Panthers will try to bounce back from an ugly 5-1 loss in Minnesota on Tuesday night, which snapped a season-long five-game winning streak for Florida. The Panthers fell behind 4-0 after two periods, which ended with Minnesota holding a 32-11 shots advantage. James Reimer exited the game briefly after a collision at the net, but is expected to be ready to face the Bruins. … Boston had been one of the NHL’s hottest teams and have picked up points in nine consecutive games. The Bruins are 16-3-2 since Nov. 16, and only Vegas has more points than Boston during that span. The Bruins are led by their dynamic top line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak, who have combined for 95 points this season. Sun Sentinel LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091339 Florida Panthers

Panthers' James Reimer OK after injury scare Tuesday in Minnesota

Matthew DeFranks Matthew DeFranks

The Florida Panthers can breathe a sigh of relief: James Reimer appears to be fine. The goaltender exited the game briefly in the second period of Tuesday’s 5-1 loss in Minnesota after a pileup at the front of the net resulted in a neck injury. He returned to the game that period, but sat out the third to bank some rest as the Panthers begin a five-game trip. “It was just a little freak play,” Reimer told reporters in St. Paul. “I was just stretched out falling forward and the two guys crashing the crease ran into me a little bit. I just tweaked the neck a little bit, that’s all. After a few minutes, it felt fine, so went back out there.” Reimer said he expected to be ready for the Panthers’ game Thursday in Boston. He was a full participant during Florida’s practice on Wednesday morning. “We’ll obviously make sure we do some work on it and do our due diligence but I don’t foresee anything dragging on,” Reimer said. Tuesday’s game was Reimer’s 12th consecutive start for Florida, which is without starting goalie Roberto Luongo. He suffered a lower-body injury on Dec. 4 against the New York Islanders and isn’t expected back until at least late January. During the Panthers’ five-game winning streak that was snapped on Tuesday night, Reimer was excellent for Florida. He had a .966 save percentage and 1.20 goals against average in backstopping the team. Tuesday’s game against the Wild was the first time Reimer allowed at least three goals since Dec. 17 at Vegas. Backup Harri Sateri filled in for Reimer for 3:26 in the second period and all of the third, save for a brief empty-net situation. It was Sateri’s NHL debut. He made 13 saves on 14 shots on goal. “It was important for Harri to finally get some minutes,” Panthers coach Bob Boughner said. “I was thinking about this road trip when we can get him in eventually. Reims has been on a roll. Good to see Harri get some ice time and, not under the circumstances, of course, he held up well and did well for himself. It was good to see.” Sateri was recalled after Luongo’s injury but simply served as insurance should Reimer get hurt. Sateri was tested immediately on Tuesday night, facing three shots on goal in his first 55 seconds of ice time. “That’s what upset me more than anything is Harri has been a good soldier and a good teammate and he’s been working hard,” Boughner said. “We allowed [six] shots in three minutes once he got in there. Unacceptable.” The Panthers have a back-to-back when they visit Boston on Thursday and Detroit on Friday. Though Reimer has taken on two sets of back-to- backs in the last three weeks, it could offer an opening for Sateri to earn his first start of his career. ... Boughner successfully challenged a Wild goal on Tuesday, claiming the play was offside. He is now 2 for 2 in offside challenges this season, when a wrong challenge costs the team a two-minute minor penalty. After Mikael Granlund’s goal was ruled good on the ice and after a first review that ruled he did not kick it in the net, Boughner challenged the call. Minnesota forward Joel Eriksson Ek entered the zone before the puck, negating the goal. Sun Sentinel LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091340 Los Angeles Kings

What we learned from the Kings' 5-0 win over the Oilers

Curtis Zupke

The outlooks of two teams could not have gone in further opposite directions. The Kings marched off into the chilled Alberta night Tuesday with a 5-0 win at Rogers Place and star players Drew Doughty and Anze Kopitar upright. The Edmonton Oilers fell deeper into gloom in a season slipping fast. Here’s what we learned: It takes a freight train to get Doughty off the ice. Dustin Brown labeled Doughty “probably” their best player. That’s heady praise for a team with Kopitar and Jonathan Quick. But Doughty’s sheer competitiveness and joy for the game make that evaluation hold, as seen by his comeback from an illegal hit to the head from Edmonton’s Patrick Maroon. “I was pretty fortunate I was able to get back out there,” Doughty said. Doughty, among the NHL leaders in ice time, still logged more than 26 minutes even though he spent time in concussion protocol. His consecutive-games played streak is at 286 — second to Kopitar’s team- record 330. Kopitar came up gingerly from a hit by Milan Lucic but stayed in the game. The top line got their swagger back. The outcome was already moot but the play by Kopitar to zip the puck to Brown and Brown’s wrist shot for his second goal of the game was a good sign for the Kings. Kopitar and Brown were point-less the previous three games, which represented a slump given the duo’s numbers this season. Brown passed Wayne Gretzky for seventh on the Kings’ all-time goals list at 247. The Oilers could see consequences. This was their second straight 5-0 loss and they are 13th in the 15-team Western Conference. That’s untenable for a team that was a popular pick to reach at least the conference finals, and the pressure falls sharply on Edmonton coach Todd McLellan to right the ship. They might also lose Maroon to supplemental discipline given the dangerous hit-to-the-head play to an unsuspecting Doughty. LA Times: LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091341 Los Angeles Kings On the air: TV: FS West; Radio: 790 Update: Defenseman Christian Folin (upper body) said he's ready and hopeful to play before the Kings take their bye week next week. Calgary's Adrian Kempe is skating on solid ice with Kings Jaromir Jagr, 45, recently passed Ron Francis for third on the all-time games played list at 1,733, behind and . Calgary has been idle since New Year's Eve. By Curtis Zupke LA Times: LOADED: 01.04.2018

Adrian Kempe doesn't stay up at night thinking about it. There's no point wondering about something he'll never know. Would he have been considered for Sweden's Olympic team if NHL players were allowed to play in next month's Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea? "I think I've played well this year, but it's a hard team to get into," Kempe said. "It's something you dream about, and playing the World Cup and world championships. It's one of my goals for my career, for sure. But I mean, it's kind of hard cracking the lineup. They've got a lot of guys who have been playing for a long time. It's something I don't think I would [be considered for], but, I mean, you never know." The nonissue really speaks to Kempe's development. In his first full NHL season, he's being leaned on to fill the Kings' No. 2 center spot vacated by Jeff Carter. Kempe pushed his goal total to 12 on Tuesday, and he's plus-11 through 39 games even though he has averaged just over 13 minutes of ice time per game. Kempe also has drawn some top road defensive assignments, including Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid for much of Tuesday's game. Kings coach John Stevens said that's where Kempe has made strides. "Quite honest, we talked to [Anze Kopitar] on what we though the matchups were going to be before the game, and we thought it would be Adrian, and guys like Kopi were excited about it because they thought they could skate with a guy like Connor," Stevens said. "It's a big challenge, but I think some of our young players have really grown immensely in that sense on the defensive side of the puck."

The Kings will need Kempe to continue growing. Carter is walking un- aided in his recovery from a lacerated ankle tendon but general manager said there remains no timetable for his return. Blake did liken it to getting a player at the March 3 trade deadline, though. "We'll get him for nothing," Blake said. Patrick Maroon is suspended Edmonton's Patrick Maroon was suspended two games for an illegal hit on Drew Doughty during Tuesday's game. Maroon, a former Ducks forward with no previous history of supplemental discipline, briefly knocked Doughty out of the game and the Kings scored three goals in the ensuing power play. "I think he's an honest player," Stevens said. "But the play happened and they made the right call. We handled it the way we should handle it." Managing Jonathan Quick Jonathan Quick has made six consecutive starts and played in 32 of 40 games, which prompts the usual question about how the Kings use him without overusing him. Backup Darcy Kuemper has not played since Dec.16. Stevens said they're not going to force a goaltender into the lineup but will look for spots to keep Kuemper active. The workload has been dictated by the schedule, matchups and, of course, Quick's play. Kings take hit, counter swiftly in dominant win over Oilers Kings take hit, counter swiftly in dominant win over Oilers Jan 02, 2018 | 11:10 PM

"We're going to make sure we manage his fatigue," Stevens said. "When he's sharp and playing really well, we're not just going to take him out of the net to take him out of the net. I think Darcy understands that." UP NEXT AT CALGARY When: Thursday, 6 p.m. PST. 1091342 Los Angeles Kings

Drew Doughty forgives Patrick Maroon’s hit to his head

By ROBERT MORALES | Orange County Register

Kings defenseman Drew Doughty must have felt like he had gotten whacked by middleweight boxing champion Gennady Golovkin, one of the hardest punchers pound-for-pound in the sweet science. It was late in the second period Tuesday when Edmonton’s Patrick Maroon delivered a hit to the head of Doughty when Doughty did not have the puck. Doughty doubled over, slowly went to his knees, then quickly rose. The Kings (24-11-5, 53 points), who won 5-0, got their payback when they scored three times during a five-minute power play at the outset of the third period after Maroon was called for a match penalty and ejected. (Not before Kings defenseman Derek Forbort stuck up for Doughty by fighting Maroon). Doughty came back in the third after undergoing a serious of tests, as per the league’s concussion protocol. “Yeah, it takes a little while,” Doughty told Kings Insider Jon Rosen. “A lot of tests and stuff like that. Yeah, it took a little while. And, obviously, I would have liked to get out there first, but when you get hit in the head, that’s pretty important stuff.” Doughty, whose team plays at 6 p.m. Thursday at Calgary, said he did not see the hit coming. He also said he forgave Maroon because he didn’t think there was intent to injure. Dustin Brown, who scored his 14th and 15th goals in the game, agreed it takes a lot to get Doughty off the ice. Doughty leads the team in time on ice at 27:05 per game. The closest to Doughty is fellow defenseman Alex Martinez at 23:54. “Yeah, obviously that one, the league – the way they do it now – he doesn’t have a choice,” Brown said. “That’s probably why the rules are in place because players won’t do it themselves.” Ice chips Goalie Jonathan Quick on Tuesday had his third shutout of the season and 47th of his career. … Brown’s two goals gave him 247 for his career, surpassing Wayne Gretzky (246) for seventh-place on the Kings’ all-time list. … The Kings’ three power-play goals Tuesday raised their percentage to 17.6, which is 21st in the league. They were at 15.5 percent (28th in the league) before the Dec. 28 overtime loss to Vegas at Staples Center. … The Kings and Calgary (19-16-4, 42 points) tangled Oct. 11 at Staples Center, with the Flames taking a 4-3 overtime victory. KINGS VS. FLAMES Who: Kings (24-11-5) at Flames (19-16-4) When: 6 p.m. Thursday Where: Scotiabank Saddledome TV: Fox Sports West Radio: KABC (790 AM) Orange County Register: LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091343 Los Angeles Kings you can win games in your division, you can make up ground in a hurry, and if you can win games in your division, you can create space on teams behind you. It’s important to everybody. JANUARY 3 PRACTICE QUOTES: JOHN STEVENS On Derek Forbort’s growth as a professional into someone who defends his teammates: JON ROSENJANUARY 3, 20180 COMMENTS I think we’ve talked a lot about just in terms of being a good teammate. I think you’ve got to do the right things for the right reasons sometimes, and I think we’ve all been there before. You go home with a bloody nose and you sleep pretty good at night knowing you did the right thing, as PRACTICE QUOTES opposed to avoiding that situation and maybe you don’t sleep as well. I think to me it’s a reflection a little bit of the bond with the group. I think On whether Tuesday’s power play success helped the team’s confidence they reacted in a really good way – not because you thought I was on the man advantage: supposed to this, [but] he cared about his teammate, and I thought that’s I think there’s a few things. We’ve really liked our power play since the a really good thing. That speaks a lot about Drew, too, the respect that San Jose game. We thought we’ve done a lot of good things in terms of he has on our hockey team. I do think Derek’s got really good character. I better on our breakouts and entries, more time in the zone, more think a sign of character is when you can step outside of your comfort momentum because pucks are going to the net. We definitely have more zone a few times. And, you can talk about a scorer, too. When a scoring of a shot mentality and are recovering a lot more pucks because of it, guy blocks a shot, it might be a little out of his character. When a guy and I think it’s really helped us. We had a day in Vancouver to really just that’s a physical guy that’s not a scorer scores a big goal, that might be a dedicate the day to that theme of power play, and I think it really helped little out of his character and standing up for a teammate when that’s not us, I think this group’s done a good job. We’ve always talked about the necessarily your role, well, I think your role as a teammate is to make power play, it needs to be a weapon that can help you win games, but it sure that you guys stick together, and I thought was an example with shouldn’t be something that you sit around and rely on to win games, and what Derek did. I think last night was a good example. I thought our team game was -Two quotes withheld for today’s practice report really sound, and our power play took advantage of the situation and was the difference in the game. [Reporter: It got a lot of practice in the last -Two quotes withheld for a future LA Times article game.] Yeah, it’s been a while since we’ve had that many opportunities, but you know what? That happens, and I don’t think anybody’s going to -Lead photo via Andy Devlin/NHLI argue with the call. I mean, Maroon, he’s really physical. I think he’s an honest player. But, the play happened, and I think the call was the right LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 01.04.2018 call, and we handled it the way we should’ve handled it, so I thought that was really good to see. And, we got production. We had three different units that went out and gave us time on the power play. They all executed well. They operated under the same philosophy. They all have different skill sets, but the philosophy was there in terms of support on entries, getting somebody established at the net and looking to attack the net and shoot the puck, so that part was encouraging. On whether he received an explanation from the officials for Patrick Maroon’s match penalty: No explanation. They just came over and said they’re going to get five minutes for fighting, and then there’s a five-minute match penalty called there as well, so you’re going to have a five-minute power play. They didn’t really need to explain anything further, and I’ll be honest, I’m not looking to talk to the league, or I don’t need to know what their interpretation is. Those guys have done a really good job in my opinion, and if something happens, they look at it. They’ve got all the past history of the players and the past history of the events that have gone on this year. If they decide to look at it, they will. If they don’t, they don’t. We’re moving on to Calgary. On whether the Kings had better control of the game in the defensive end during the second period: I actually thought our game plan was consistent throughout. I thought we had a really good start to the hockey game. I thought late in the first period we kind of forced some pucks into traffic areas that led to chances in our zone. I thought we cleaned that up a little bit, but I really liked the way we got numbers back around the puck in the second period, and I really liked the way we got our feet going up the ice in transition. It seemed like our defense, the first thing they were thinking about was getting going with the puck, and the forwards were reading off that, and they were getting going, so we got an ability to get pucks up to speed going forward as opposed to dragging pucks back and allowing the checking to set up, and I thought that really helped us. On any changes in divisional play after the team “struggled” in its first handful of outings: To say we ‘struggled’ to start the year, we only had a handful of division games. We were all playing in the east. If you’re 1-1 or 1-2, all of a sudden you’re struggling. You can turn that around in a hurry. If you look at Edmonton, I think they were 6-1 in the division going into last night, and we played Vegas, I think they were 10 or 11-1 in the division. The division’s tough. The games aren’t easy in the division. I think everybody is talking about how important the games are with the format of the playoff structure now. I think the conference games are almost as important now. You play four games in your division, you play three in the conference, other than Anaheim, who we play five times. You want to be top-three in the division, but you’ve got to make sure that you’re playing teams in your conference and certainly in your division. I think we all know how important the games are. I think it’s become emotional games, and I think everybody’s digging in. Not that they don’t dig in every night, but I think there’s a little more incentive knowing that they’re big games. If 1091344 Los Angeles Kings

WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: JANUARY 3

JON ROSENJANUARY 3, 20180 COMMENTS

GAME STORY The final minute of the second period of Los Angeles’ 5-0 win at Edmonton was about as much of a swing minute as is possible in a five- goal win. Trailing, 1-0, Jesse Puljujarvi was gifted a wide-open net from an angle that was somewhat slanted but provided more than enough net to work with. He hit the crossbar, raised his arms in disbelief, and 25 seconds of game time later, Patrick Maroon made an illegal hit on Drew Doughty’s head that immediately drew a match penalty from the referees and will result in a hearing with the Department of Player Safety. Several things here. One, it’s good to see Doughty is apparently OK. He went through the requisite protocol and concussion testing, and returned to action midway through the major power play. From a personal standpoint, nothing else here is as important as Doughty’s health. Two, Patrick Maroon is not close to being a thug or a headhunter. He is a massive human being and made a bad play that he’ll probably get suspended for. This is not someone who runs around taking liberties with other players. He plays the game hard and honest, and this type of hit is uncharacteristic from him. Three, the Kings, as Colin Fraser would say, made them pay. It was a perfect storm: the Kings had just devoted an entire practice to power play detail on December 31st in which more than just the top two units got work in; Oscar Fantenberg was re-inserted into the lineup; the Oilers’ historically bad penalty kill doesn’t even kill off three out of every five power plays at home; and the Kings received a five-minute canvas with which to work. They scored three times, turning what was very nearly a 1-1 game with a center ice faceoff into a blowout win. Four, it’s good to see Derek Forbort step up and fight Maroon, a more experienced scrapper than him. That’s good character shown by Forbort, who also fought Kyle Chipchura in Arizona during the 2015-16 season after a leg-on-leg hit on Marian Gaborik. Andy Devlin/NHLI John Stevens has pressed the right buttons on this trip. First off, this team has been worked hard over the last two weeks, and the players deserve credit for the heavy practice/game balance. Usually there are a number of optional practices at this time of the year, but because the team was coming out of a break and will soon be going into their longest break of the season, they’ve had to retain a good amount of detail through practice work and, other than Jonathan Quick the morning after the Vancouver game, everyone has been on the ice for all practices since the December 27 rejoin. This doesn’t sound like much, but there is an internal gas tank that needs to be refilled physically and emotionally, so credit to the players for applying what they’ve learned on non-game days into game situations. Stevens’ personnel decisions have also paid off, with Fantenberg notching an assist and a plus-two rating in his return to the lineup and Andy Andreoff scoring the game-winner to punctuate a solid fourth line performance. Andy Devlin/NHLI Los Angeles used a team-wide effort to disrupt Connor McDavid with five-man units combining to keep the superstar off the scoresheet. Stick taps to his former junior teammate Kurtis MacDermid, who used his wingspan to get his stick on a puck of an intended first period feed towards on one of McDavid’s most threatening plays of the night. “Dewey did a really good job one-on-one with him, but we had a lot of help. He made a lot of good plays through seams, but we had guys with sticks,” Dustin Brown said. More of an anecdotal observation from watching the Oilers at the morning skate and during the game: there wasn’t very good body language. Some of that is natural, given the disappointing season in Oil Country. But even at the morning’s optional skate, populated by scratches and players who weren’t going to see a ton of ice time, there just seemed to be a contraction of life and emotion. Again, this is a passerby observation from an outside observer who doesn’t have a baseline for energy and enthusiasm of a team he doesn’t cover. But once the goals started pouring in early in the third period, the slumped shoulders returned. At the other end, it was a solid road effort from a team that banked on Jonathan Quick’s 47th career shutout to move to 2-0 on a three-game divisional trip. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091345 Los Angeles Kings

GOOD MORNING, CALGARY

JON ROSENJANUARY 3, 20180 COMMENTS

Good morning, Calgary, and good morning, Insiders. The Kings’ spread out post-Christmas break, pre-bye week Western Canada jaunt has reached its final stop, and lo, there are tall buildings. They are so tall, in fact, and LAKI is at the base of the U-shaped hotel, that the photos represent the very origin of the Good Morning feature, when Rich Hammond was placed opposite brick walls and loading docks and other views that don’t quite represent New York Harbor and the Statue of Liberty at dusk. A wiser fellow than myself once said, “sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes the bear, well, he eats you.” Thank you for keeping up with all the mostly applicable Lebowski, Simpsons and Game of Thrones references, Insiders. The Kings will take the ice at 1:00 p.m. MT, at which point there will be news, reports, transcripts and maybe even an obscure Futurama quote. Waking up with the Kings is coming up next. Let’s talk soon, Insiders. Enjoy your Wednesday. (I think it’s a Wednesday.) LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091346 Los Angeles Kings -More good stuff from Stevens in Elliotte Friedmans 31 thoughts, which were published today.

-My recollection of the details was a bit hazy, but I remembered watching January 3 notes: Maroon suspension; Folin; goaltending; Regehr; much a Kings-Oilers game when I was around 10 years old and hearing Bob more Miller’s call of a game the Kings led 6-3 in the third period, but lost, 7-6, after Marty McSorley was dinged with a five-minute high-sticking major. Vladimir Ruzicka, Petr Klima and scored on the man Jon RosenJanuary 3, 20180 Comments advantage, and Glenn Anderson scored the game-winner with 4:54 to play, wasting a Dave Taylor hat trick and three-point efforts from and Todd Elik. The two teams combined for 13 goals on 63 shots. , who would win the Conn Smythe Trophy some five Insiders! Good afternoon to you. Lots to go over today. months later, earned the win with a 14-of-20 performance. Smythe -For the first time since reconvening after the Christmas break, the Kings Division hockey! held an optional skate. There were no line rushes. Darcy Kuemper was The game was played on January 25, 1990. I wasn’t quite nine. We can the only goalie on the ice. After 20 minutes or so, I headed downstairs finally put that game to bed. Anyone else hold any 28-year-old grudges? toward the team area to poke around for . More on that in Stick tap to Actual Insider Kenny44 for finding this. a moment. -A familiar face was spotted around the Kings’ areas at the Scotiabank -Christian Folin (IR/upper-body) is very close to returning. “Hopefully Saddledome on Wednesday. 2014 Stanley Cup champion Robyn Regehr before the break,” he said. Los Angeles has two games remaining before is often at Calgary games, and when Los Angeles passes through, it the bye week – one at Calgary tomorrow, and one at home versus hasn’t been uncommon to see him downstairs outside of the dressing Nashville on Saturday. He’s no longer in pain, which is a good thing. He room after the game. also shed his off-color no-contact jersey worn earlier in the road trip. Regehr is a hockey dad, and both of his boys are still out of school this -Patrick Maroon received a two-game suspension for his hit on Drew week. They were all welcomed guests at today’s skate and spent some Doughty last night, deemed by the Department of Player Safety to be time around the players and coaches. interference. Via the video: “He actually contacted me a while ago and just said, ‘is it OK if I bring the “It is important to note that Doughty never touches the puck and therefore boys by?,’ and of course we’d love to see him, and then he texted me is never eligible to be checked on this play. While we understand that this morning at breakfast and just asked if we were practicing,” Stevens Maroon reasonably anticipated that Doughty would get the puck, the said. “Guys are always excited to see a former teammate and a guy that onus is on the hitter to ensure the player he is hitting is eligible to be won a Cup here and was a big part of our team. He still looks really good, checked, and that the hit is delivered legally. On this play, at the moment too. He looked like he could still play, but he’s just a ferocious competitor, Maroon commits to the hit, the puck is in the possession of McDavid. a really good pro and played the game as hard as anybody. It was good Maroon’s belief that Doughty might gain possession of the puck, however seeing him.” reasonable, does not excuse him from responsibility when he hits a player who is not eligible to be checked. Finally, in addition to this being Dave Sandford/NHLI interference, what causes this hit to rise to the level of supplemental discipline is the significant force and the substantial head contact that Regehr, who turns 38 in April, played his final game at the end of the occurs.” 2014-15 season. The former Flame, Sabre and King now devotes his full attention as a partner to Blueline Oilfield Rentals, a company that he Maroon will also forfeit $21,505.38 for the hit, per the terms of the CBA. helped construct with founder Doyle Townsend that “provides top quality rental equipment for use in exploration and drilling with a primary focus -The Kings lead the National Hockey League with a .928 team save on Heavy Weight Drill Pipe Rentals.” percentage. It is three percentage points higher than the Lightning, who rank second, and seven points higher than the Ducks, who rank third. In “This is our busy season. Winter is the drilling season up here in other words, there’s a pretty sizeable gap between the top teams and the Canada,” Regehr said. “Everything freezes up and people can get goaltending mode, which is tied among the three teams each with .917, around access-wise, so it’s very busy. The programs have started up and .912 and .910 save percentages. we’re starting to see a bit of a recovery in the oil and gas sector here in Canada and in general. So, it’s very positive that way.” It’s not only Jonathan Quick. Darcy Kuemper is yet to lose in regulation. He boasts robust numbers that include a 2.11 goals-against average, a 2017 was a rebound year for the Alberta economy after oil prices .934 save percentage and one shutout over eight starts. But Los plummeted earlier this decade, leading to a challenging commercial Angeles’ last back-to-back was at the two New York teams on December environment just as Regehr was hanging up his skates. But it has still 15-16, and they don’t have another set until hosting Pittsburgh and been a smooth transition from his playing days. He’s still a very popular visiting Anaheim on January 18-19. figure in Flames history who was the inaugural recipient of the Flames’ J.R. “Bud” McCaig Award, bestowed annually to a player who exemplifies That’s not to say that Kuemper only gets nods during back-to-backs; he “virtues of respect, courtesy and compassion.” Whether he was a Flame, has two starts this season in games that were stand-alone outings: a Sabre or a King, he was a very popular figure in his team’s dressing November 4 versus Nashville, and December 7 versus Ottawa. But room. Quick is coming off a shutout, and in advance of the bye week, there’s an off-day and another Predators game. Quick has started six in a row and Regehr ranks second in Calgary history with 826 games played as a has been the team’s MVP this year. How does John Stevens plan on Flame. After 105 games in Buffalo, his 158-game Los Angeles tenure balancing the two goaltenders knowing he’s in a month-long stretch in served as “a really nice way to kind of end a career” and allowed him to which the team isn’t playing back-to-back games? lift the Stanley Cup at Staples Center on June 13, 2014. “We haven’t looked too far ahead,” he said. “We haven’t looked at the “At the end of my career, all I wanted to do was be a part of a winning schedule and said, ‘hey, he’s getting this game and he’s getting that team, and I was fortunate that I had that ability,” he said. “And, playing game.’ We try to manage it as we move along. We’re on the road. I think hockey in Los Angeles for that team and that area, it just was a perfect when you have back-to-back situations, it becomes easy. We have had way for me to end a career. You know, being at the rink was great, but situations this year, one of them was an afternoon game and we thought also being away from the rink, you’re outside all the time, you’re active, it just looked like a good spot for Darcy to play in for a variety of reasons. it’s a great spot. And we really enjoyed it and just very, very positive We had a home game against Nashville that looked like a good spot to friendships and experiences that we had down in Los Angeles.” put him in. We’re looking at Jonathan, Jonathan’s one of our best players, and we’re going to make sure that we manage his fatigue. When “I do miss certain things with hockey. And that was, for me, that was the he’s sharp and playing really well, we’re not just going to take him out of physical and competitive aspect of the sport. And you know I know that the net to take him out of the net. I think Darcy understands that, and we now being involved in a business, I’m in a competition, but it’s in a have a lot of confidence that Darcy can come in and play. The schedule different way than it was with hockey. I really enjoyed a coach for me in sometimes is going to dictate how that unfolds, and obviously hockey. It’s your job to play against that line tonight and shut them down. performance will, too. Well, I don’t think performance has been an issue That was a personal challenge for me, and I don’t really get that with either one of our guys, so it’s more about schedule, managing anymore, but I’m okay with that. It’s a matter of channeling that energy fatigue, a big stretch of divisional games – all that stuff comes in to play and competitiveness into other things and then being involved with other with it. Former records. We’re not going to try and push a guy in and out things with the kids and that. So, it’s just kind of an evolution of how of the lineup just to get him in and out of the lineup, but we are going to things go. But, it’s still fun to come down and visit with some of the make sure that Darcy stays sharp and is ready to go in when his name is players that still know and see how they’re doing.” called.” LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 01.04.2018

1091347 Minnesota Wild

Nino Niederreiter ready to return, putting Wild at full strength for first time this season

By Sarah McLellan JANUARY 3, 2018

The Wild will complete the first half of its season Thursday after hosting the Sabres, and the midway mark holds extra significance because it’ll be the first time this campaign the team will have every player on its roster available. After missing the last five games with a lower-body injury, winger Nino Niederreiter is ready to return – giving the Wild an empty injury list. “It’s nice to see everyone getting healthy,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. Niederreiter practiced with the team Wednesday at Xcel Energy Center, skating on a line with captain Mikko Koivu and winger Mikael Granlund. Wingers Jason Zucker and Tyler Ennis remained with center Eric Staal, Charlie Coyle centered wingers Zach Parise and Joel Eriksson Ek and the fourth line featured wingers Marcus Foligno, Daniel Winnik and Chris Stewart alongside center Matt Cullen. Niederreiter injured his left ankle Dec.22 in Florida against the Panthers when he was hit by a puck and backed into the boards. “It’s a little bit a combination of both,” he said. “I knew right away when I got hit something was up. Tried to go out there again, and I could just tell something was up.” But after wearing a boot, resting up and getting back on the ice, he’s excited to rejoin the team. “I feel pretty good,” Niederreiter said. “Good to go, feel pretty good, and look forward to get back.” The 25-year-old’s return comes on the heels of Parise’s season debut Tuesday in a 5-1 win over the Panthers in which the Wild thrived in the second period, outshooting Florida 19-2. Getting everyone back in the mix is encouraging, but it’s what the Wild accomplishes now that intrigues Boudreau. “If it works I’ll be real excited,” he said. “We’ll see how we play. That’s what gets me excited when we’re playing well. I thought the second period was our best period of the year last night. That stuff gets me excited.” Star Tribune LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091348 Minnesota Wild

Wild-Sabres gameday preview

Sarah McLellan

7 p.m. vs. Buffalo • Xcel • FSN, 100.3-FM Homestand continues Preview: The Wild concludes a brief two-game homestand against the Sabres, whom the Wild defeated 5-4 on Nov. 22. Since Nov. 14, the Wild is tied for second in the NHL in home points (21). This is the Sabres’ first game since they fell 3-2 in overtime to the Rangers at the Winter Classic. Overall, Buffalo has collected at least a point in three games in a row (1- 0-2). Players to WATCH: Center Jack Eichel leads the Sabres in points with 35. Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen has scored in each of the past two games. Former Wild winger Jason Pominville has eight goals and 16 points, and former Wild defenseman Marco Scandella has zero goals and 10 assists. Numbers: Center Matt Cullen is one point shy of 700 for his career. The Wild is 7-1-1 when center Eric Staal records two or more points. Seven of the 10 all-time games between the Wild and Sabres at Xcel Energy Center have been decided by one goal. Buffalo is 7-5-5 when scoring first. Injuries: Sabres D Taylor Fedun (lower-body injury) is out. Star Tribune LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091349 Minnesota Wild “That’s what our team was last year,” Staal said. “We were balanced. We had the ability, especially at home, to have four lines going and on the attack. You spend more time in the offensive zone, and it makes a Charlie Coyle's empty-net goal could get struggling Wild forward going difference.” Star Tribune LOADED: 01.04.2018 By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune

Wild forward Charlie Coyle knew center Eric Staal was on the ice, a goal shy of three as the Panthers’ net stood unprotected. But with a defender closing in on him, Coyle flung a shot down the ice — putting the finishing touches on a commanding 5-1 win over the Panthers on Tuesday. “It was the safe play,” he said, “and, yeah, I wanted to get him the puck obviously. But I think he’s OK with it.” Coyle’s decision might have cost Staal a chance at his 14th career hat trick, but the goal was still significant. His empty-netter nixed a 12-game goal-less skid, as Coyle scored for the first time since Dec. 5. “Charlie needed that one,” Staal said. “I’ve been on that road, as well, where you want one and it’s been a few games. Sometimes when you get that empty net, it’s a relief and it’s big for him. I think in the long run it’s going to help everyone.” The offensive outburst, from Coyle and the rest of the team, fittingly coincided with winger Zach Parise’s season debut, suggesting the forward group’s potential is much improved with a deeper lineup. And now with winger Nino Niederreiter ready to return from injury, putting the Wild at full strength for the first time this season on the brink of Game No. 41 Thursday against the Sabres at Xcel Energy Center, the Wild will have the opportunity to rediscover a scoring prowess that helped stoke its surge just a year ago. “This is going to be great for us,” Coyle said. “No excuses. Now we got everyone in the lineup. We got a good team in here. It’s up to us to prove what we have and play the way we can.” A hot-and-cold offense headlined the first half; even after scoring five goals Tuesday, the Wild ranks 17th in the NHL with 113 tallies and a 2.83 goals-per-game average — this after finishing second in the entire league last season (263 and 3.21). Roster turnover could help explain the drop-off; so could the injury bug that infected the team, with Parise sidelined as he dealt with leg pain and weakness from a herniated disc before opting for surgery while Coyle, Niederreiter and winger Mikael Granlund also had setbacks. “We weren’t playing the level of hockey we wanted to play,” winger Jason Zucker said. “Now that we have everyone back, we don’t have any excuses. We need to go out there and play our game.” Getting Parise and Niederreiter back in the mix is encouraging, especially considering their reputations as producers. Niederreiter had been out with a left ankle injury suffered Dec. 22 after getting hit with a puck and going into the boards. “Good to go,” he said. “Feel pretty good, and look forward to get back.” Tuesday’s game also offered reasons for the Wild to be optimistic. Staal continues to impress as a dependable veteran, leading the team in goals (17) and points (35). “To see him play, I guess I felt like he probably had it in him knowing him and knowing how hard he works at the game and how much he cares,” said center Matt Cullen, who previously played with Staal in Carolina. “I’m not surprised he’s playing the way he is. It’s great to see it.” Even though it was an empty-net goal and not a highlight-reel finish, Coyle’s contribution could still be just the push he needs to get on a roll. “As long as the puck crossed the line, you feel a little better,” he said. “You just want to keep doing the right things.” What’s more, the fourth line chipped in, with Cullen scoring twice. Not only did the unit’s performance appear to merit another game, as coach Bruce Boudreau expected to keep wingers Marcus Foligno and Daniel Winnik paired with Cullen against Buffalo, but it enabled Boudreau to utilize all four lines. And that depth might be what finally unlocks the offensive consistency the Wild has been seeking. 1091350 Minnesota Wild

Who’s the odd man out with Wild finally at full strength?

By DANE MIZUTANI | January 3, 2018

Two days after Zach Parise made his highly anticipated season debut, Nino Niederreiter is slated to return from a lower-body injury during Thursday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres. It will mark the first time all season the Wild are at full strength, meaning coach Bruce Boudreau has some difficult decisions to make on a nightly basis. “These guys are all vying for spots now,” Boudreau said. “That’s what we want to see. We want to see that inner competition all the time. These guys want to play. They don’t want to sit out. Obviously we want to go with the best team we’ve got, so it’s going to be good competition.” It raises the question: Who’s the odd man out? As the team skated with a full lineup during Wednesday’s practice, Eric Staal centered the top line with Jason Zucker and Tyler Ennis, Mikko Koivu centered the second line with Nino Niederreiter and Mikael Granlund, Charlie Coyle centered the third line with Zach Parise and Joel Eriksson Ek, and Matt Cullen centered the fourth line with Marcus Foligno and Daniel Winnik. If those line combinations were any indication, it looks like Chris Stewart might be the low guy on the totem pole. Still, no one on the Wild is taking playing time for granted. It was only a month ago that Boudreau implemented a rotation of healthy scratches that included Cullen, Stewart, Ennis, Foligno, and Zack Mitchell, who recently was sent down to the minors. “We know there are 13 good forwards in here, and that’s a good thing for us,” Ennis said. “It’s fun to be a part of a team that has that many good players.” Ennis probably isn’t in danger of sitting considering he has lifted his game dramatically since being benched a few weeks ago. He has steadily worked his way onto the top line, and based on the way he’s been playing, he seems to be locked into that spot for the foreseeable future. It’s someone like Foligno who might be feeling pressure, even coming off a solid game. He brings the same skill set as Stewart, and those two seem like obvious healthy scratches up front, at least for now. “We know if someone slacks off, there’s a guy waiting to replace him,” Foligno said. “I feel like that’s going to help us play at a high level every day because everybody wants to play and guys know if they don’t put their best foot forward they might sit out.” For Boudreau, this is a good problem to have. “It’s just nice to see everybody getting healthy,” he said. “If it works, then I’ll be really excited.” Pioneer Press LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091351 Montreal Canadiens For now, the focus is on breaking their slump, which will be all the more difficult with the team looking tired after a first half heavy in road games.

"I think our guys are still recovering from the last three weeks," said Canadiens' top players 'have to take charge' to turn poor play around: Julien. "Guys have expressed that they're tired, so were trying to give Julien them a chance to recover. "If we want to win games, I have to give them that opportunity, although BILL BEACON it's always the same thing: Why don't we crack the whip? Cracking the whip right now is not going to help our hockey team. So that's on me. If people don't agree with what I'm doing, that's fine. I'm doing the right thing for the team." It will be up to the Montreal Canadiens' top players to turn the team's fortunes around in the second half of the NHL season. Backup goaltender Al Montoya practised for a second day in a row and said he felt fine, but he has yet to get the green light to return from a That was the message from coach Claude Julien on Wednesday as his concussion. Galchenyuk missed the skate with a flu. team held a lively practice a day after suffering a defeat at the hands of the visiting San Jose Sharks that ran the Canadiens' losing streak to five Globe And Mail LOADED: 01.04.2018 games. Other than Brendan Gallagher, whose team-leading 15 goals has him on pace for a career season, most of the Canadiens' top players have struggled through the first 40 games. That has left them with a 16-20-4 record to sit 28th over all in the 31- team league and in grave danger of missing the playoffs. "To get out of the slump we're in, the best players have to take charge," Julien said. "You need to rely on them and they need to embrace it. "It's not the guys who have a secondary role who are going to get us out of this. If we saw a guy like [Nicolas] Deslauriers named player of the month it was because he had a good month, but it was also because we didn't see a lot of success from certain players that we need more from. We need to find that on our team. When our best players take charge, I think things will change." He didn't need to name names. The statistics are evidence enough. Captain Max Pacioretty, a 30-goal scorer in each of the past five full seasons, has eight goals. Prize off-season acquisition Jonathan Drouin, still adapting to his new role as a centre, has only five. Alex Galchenyuk has 22 points, the lowest team-leading total in the league. Tomas Plekanec has been in a slide for the past 2 1/2 seasons and has only 16 points. A players-only meeting was held after the 4-1 loss to the Sharks to find a way to stop the downward spiral ahead of a home game Thursday night against the league-leading Tampa Bay Lightning that will mark the midpoint in their 82-game schedule. Most of their troubles of late have been on offence, with only four goals scored in their past five games. They have scored more than two goals only twice in their past 11 outings (3-7-1). Their offence is 27th-best in the NHL, while their defence is seventh-worst. Their power play is okay, with a 19.0-per-cent success rate (16th), but the penalty kill (77.6 per cent) is 26th. "When you're going through these things, it makes you think more and makes you hesitate more and when you hesitate in a game that's this quick, that's when you're going to run into mistakes," Gallagher said of the scoring woes. "We have to almost forget about it and rely more on our instincts." Things seemed to go wrong at the end of last season, when they won the Atlantic Division with 103 points (eighth over all) but then laboured to score against the New York Rangers in a first-round playoff exit. General manager Marc Bergevin made a bold deal to improve the attack, sending defence prospect Mikhail Sergachev to Tampa Bay for Drouin, only to see the young Russian put up 26 points in his first 39 games with the Lightning this season. Any boost from Drouin was offset by the unexpected departure of right- wing dynamo Alexander Radulov, who jumped at a five-year free-agent offer from the Dallas Stars. Then veteran defenceman Andrei Markov left for the KHL, leaving Bergevin with more than $7-million (U.S.) in unused cap space and an undermanned offence. More pain came when star goalie Carey Price had a horrendous start, although he has been back to normal after missing 10 games with a lower-body injury in November. Now they are missing top defenceman Shea Weber with a foot injury until at least the Jan. 26-29 all-star break. All the while, the Canadiens dropped farther and farther out of playoff position. There was a report that Pacioretty is on the trading block, but there's no talk yet of writing off this season to build for the future, even if they acknowledge they will have to win two-thirds of their remaining games just to have a chance at the playoffs. 1091352 Montreal Canadiens three young boys. For the first time, the family spent the entire year in Montreal and they loved summer in the city.

“I hope we can push through this and I hope the team can get out of it,” Stu Cowan: Change of scenery might be best for Canadiens' Max Pacioretty said. “But just got to stay positive and be prepared for anything Pacioretty to happen.” A change of scenery might be the best thing to happen now for Stu Cowan, Montreal Gazette Published on: January 3, 2018 Pacioretty. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best thing for the Canadiens. Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin would be doing Max Montreal Gazette LOADED: 01.04.2018 Pacioretty a favour if he does end up trading the captain. Just like Bergevin did P.K. Subban a favour when he dealt him to Nashville, Mikhail Sergachev when he was sent to Tampa, Torrey Mitchell when he went to the Los Angeles Kings and David Desharnais when he was shipped to Edmonton. The same could be said for Alexander Radulov after the Canadiens’ GM gave both him and Andrei Markov “first-come, first-served” final contract offers and they both left town. It wasn’t a favour for Markov — who said the Canadiens were the only team in the NHL he would play for so he reluctantly packed up his family and headed home to Russia to play in the KHL. But Radulov is doing just fine with the Dallas Stars, posting 14-18-32 totals at the midway point of the season. One thing the players mentioned above all have in common is that they loved playing for the Canadiens — nobody more than Subban, who through Tuesday’s games ranked third in scoring among NHL defencemen with 9-20-29 totals and a plus-8. Sergachev wasn’t far behind with 8-18-26 totals and a plus-17. After going pointless in 11 games with the Canadiens this season, Mitchell had 2-3-5 totals in 13 games with the Kings. Desharnais, who joined the New York Rangers as a free agent last summer, is now in his proper role as a third-line centre and has 4-15-19 totals while winning 55.6 per cent of his faceoffs. Heading into Wednesday’s game against the Blackhawks, Desharnais had one more point than Jonathan Drouin (5-13-18), the Canadiens’ No. 1 centre, who is winning only 40.8 per cent of his faceoffs. Pacioretty doesn’t want to leave Montreal, but he is stuck in the worst slump of his 10-year NHL career with no goals in the last 13 games and one in the last 22. Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos reported last Saturday that Bergevin is actively shopping Pacioretty and would like to get a younger player who can score in return. After four straight years with at least 30 goals, Pacioretty has only eight this season with the Canadiens hitting the midway point of the schedule Thursday when the Lightning visit the (7:30 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN Radio 690). A change of scenery — and a legitimate No. 1 centre — would definitely help him. If Pacioretty gets both, I would expect him to return to his 30-goal form — if not 40. It’s remarkable Pacioretty has scored 141 goals over the previous four seasons — an average of 35 per year — without ever having a real No. 1 centre and has led the Canadiens in scoring in each of the last six seasons. The Canadiens have relied far too heavily on Pacioretty and goalie Carey Price in recent years. They have both struggled this season and we are seeing the results with the Canadiens basically out of the playoff hunt already with a 16-20-4 record. Pacioretty has heard the trade rumours and says they’re harder on his family than they are on him. “Everyone can sit up here and act like a big tough guy, like it doesn’t affect them, but I take a lot of pride in playing here and being the captain here,” Pacioretty said Tuesday night after getting a team-high seven shots but failing yet again to score in a 4-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks. “So I take responsibility for where the team’s at and where I’m at in terms of offence and statistics. So it’s understanding that that can be the case moving forward where the season’s going. “Me and my family love it here, but there’s a lot that goes into building a hockey team and I know I’ve under-produced this year. I know maybe we’d be somewhere different if I were able to put pucks in the net. Not to focus on it too much and just worry about trying to break through now, but yeah it’s been frustrating. At the end of the day, I’m playing the sport I love and I really, really love playing here. I’ve been here for 10 years. I take a lot of pride in this and that’s why sometimes I’m very hard on myself when things don’t go well. We’ll see what happens (as far as a possible trade), but I’ll keep working.” Pacioretty and his family have put down some strong roots in Montreal. Pacioretty sold his home near the team’s Brossard practice rink last summer and moved into a new one downtown with his wife and their 1091353 Montreal Canadiens “It’s always the same thing … why don’t we crack the whip?” Julien said about his handling of the players. “Cracking the whip right now is not going to help our hockey team. So that’s on me. If people don’t agree Canadiens Notebook: Growing pains continue for Jonathan Drouin at with what I’m doing, that’s fine. I’m doing the right thing for the team.” centre You can watch a video of Julien’s entire post-practice news conference Wednesday in Brossard on the HI/O Facebook page. Stu Cowan, Montreal Gazette @StuCowan1 On of the biggest crowds of the season for a #Habs practice in Brossard during Holiday season #HabsIO The growing pains continue with Jonathan Drouin as a No. 1 centre for the Canadiens and there’s no real sign of them going away. 12:14 PM - Jan 3, 2018 Drouin had only one shot on goal in 16:23 of ice time in Tuesday night’s 6 6 Replies 3 3 Retweets 5 5 likes 4-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks at the Bell Centre and won only four of Galchenyuk missed practice Wednesday because of a stomach flu and 12 faceoffs (33 per cent). Drouin has no goals and one assist in the last Julien said his status for Thursday’s game against the Lightning is 10 games and for the season has 5-13-18 totals and is minus-18 while uncertain. winning only 40.8 per cent of his faceoffs. “Don’t know about Galchenyuk,” the coach said. “He was sick today … When Claude Julien met with the media a couple of hours before he was sick after the game last night. There were some (other) guys that Tuesday’s game, the Canadiens coach said he was seeing signs of were sick after the game last night as well. So that flu bug is still haunting improvement from the 22-year-old Drouin. our team right now.” “I think he’s getting more comfortable (at centre), especially in our own Julien also had an update on defenceman Shea Weber, who has missed end on breakouts and stuff like that,” Julien said. “He likes it because it the last seven games with a foot injury. gives him the opportunity to use the whole ice. Again, I think he’s been set back a little bit because he’s had a couple of injuries, he’s missed a “From what I’m being told, probably doubtful until after the All-Star whole week at some point. So he’s never really been able to really get Game,” Julien said about his No. 1 defenceman. “And I say doubtful … himself going here. So when I see him skate with the speed that he has, but right now he’s still in a boot. So this is the update I’ve gotten on him.” those are encouraging signs for us and for me because it’s coming around.” The All-Star Game will be Jan. 28 in Tampa and the Canadiens have 10 more games before then. After the Canadiens’ morning skate last Thursday in Tampa — before a 3-1 loss to the Lightning — Drouin spoke about the adjustment to playing The Canadiens sent defenceman Brett Lernout back to the AHL’s Laval centre after being mostly a winger when he played for the Lightning Rocket on Wednesday. Lernout was a healthy scratch the last two before being traded to Montreal this summer in exchange for games. defenceman Mikhail Sergachev. Petry battled through nasty flu bug Sergachev, who will be at the Bell Centre Thursday night with the When Julien met the media before Tuesday’s game, he talked about how Lightning to play the Canadiens (7:30 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN Radio defenceman Jeff Petry had to battle through a nasty flu bug during the 690), has 8-17-25 totals in 39 games and is plus-17. first two games after Christmas on back-to-back nights in Carolina and “It’s a different game than being a winger,” Drouin said about playing Tampa — both 3-1 losses. centre. “Obviously, the faceoff dots when you play a lot of veterans like “What people probably don’t realize is that we played two-in-two after Jumbo Joe (Thoronton of the San Jose Sharks) and Anze Kopitar (of the Christmas and he was coming off a terrible flu and he was touch-and-go,” Los Angeles Kings), those guys are strong and heavy and they have that Julien said about Petry. “And it came back again last game (a 2-0 loss in experience that I don’t have at centre in this league. It’s been a learning Florida) and he was sick just right after warmup. And he goes through curve a bit at the end, but I think it’s been going pretty well lately. those times without saying a word and plays the way he’s played. So I “It’s just a different system we’ve been playing here,” Drouin added. “I have nothing but accolades for a guy like that who just keeps stepping up think we just play differently, more conservative. But I think at the end of and doing the best he can in Shea Weber’s absence. Sometimes, people the day, playing centre is a learning curve and you can’t just go on and don’t see everything and we from the inside look at a guy like that and be 100 per cent and be comfortable right away. I’m still learning some certainly the kind of player you want to win with and he’s certainly a guy new things and it’s not the job that I’m used to.” that really wants to help this team be successful.” One thing is certain: the Canadiens are being much more patient with Petry has 4-10-14 totals in 40 games this season and is a team-worst Drouin at centre than they were with Alex Galchenyuk. minus-22. He has been trying to fill Weber’s skates for the last seven games and will continue to do so until at least the All-Star Game by the Where they stand looks of it. The loss to the Sharks was the fifth straight for the Canadiens and “Injuries happen and I don’t necessarily think about it,” Petry said about dropped their record to 16-20-4, putting them in 14th place in the 16- replacing Weber after logging a team-high 22:59 of ice time Tuesday team Eastern Conference. The Canadiens were eight points behind the night against the Sharks. “I just play in the situations that I’m put in and Carolina Hurricanes (18-13-8) for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern try to give it everything that I have.” Conference and 12 points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs (23-16-2) for the third and final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division. As for his flu bug, Petry said: “I didn’t feel great. I don’t know … just something I couldn’t get any food down or keep anything in. So it was a The sportsclubstats.com website had the Canadiens’ chances of making tough couple of games there. I just tried to not think about it and go the playoffs listed at 1.8 per cent. Julien said he spoke with his players through it as much as possible and get as much fluids in as possible.” about breaking the rest of the season into three-game segments with the hope of winning two-out-of-three to get back in the playoff race. Petry said he’s feeling fine now. This obviously isn’t where Julien expected his team to be one game Montoya back at practice before the midway point of the season and was asked after practice Canadiens backup goalie Al Montoya, who hasn’t played since Nov 4 in Wednesday what is the No. 1 thing that has gone wrong? Winnipeg when he suffered a concussion after taking a wicked slapshot “It’s a lot of things,” the coach said. “I don’t think I want to stand here and from the Jets’ Dustin Byfuglien off the mask, was on the ice for the start telling you, because it looks more like excuses than anything else second straight practice Wednesday. and I don’t want to use excuses. I want our team to take its Montoya completed the game in Winnipeg, stopping 19 of 23 shots in a responsibilities and right now we’re not good enough no matter what 5-4 overtime win, and said Wednesday that Byfuglien’s shot wasn’t the challenges, no matter what’s happened, no matter anything. I think we only thing that caused his concussion. need to take our responsibilities like men and work our way out of it and that’s the approach I take as a coach and that’s the approach I would like “It wasn’t one thing that did it for me … it definitely wasn’t one thing,” said our players to take as well.” Montoya, who has a 2-1-0 record with a 3.77 goals-against average and a .863 save percentage. Julien noted that the flu bug and a gruelling schedule before and after Christmas has taken a physical toll on his players. “There was stuff leading up to it, there was the shot in Winnipeg,” the goalie added. “It just filled up the glass and put me over the top at some point. I needed to hit the brakes and the (medical) staff thought so, too, and it was the best thing for me. I’m grateful that I had that time to get to myself. It’s a very uncomfortable feeling not being yourself and having issues like that. I’m here, I feel great, I had a great day. “You go to a dark place for a long time,” Montoya added about recovering from his concussion. “For me to be out of there (on the ice), feeling good, being myself, it’s all I wanted. And now hockey’s here and now hockey feels great. I’m looking forward to it. “I’m back right where I want to be and I feel great.” Montoya and Byfuglien are good friends from the days when they were teammates with the Jets. “I challenged him,” Montoya said about the play in which he took the slapshot off the mask. “I knew it was Buff … I was going right at him. Make him go through me.” Julien said Montoya still hasn’t been given the green light to return to action so expect Antti Niemi to be the backup for Carey Price again Thursday night against the Lightning. You can watch a video of Montoya in action at practice Wednesday on the HI/O Facebook page. What’s next? After facing the Lightning Thursday night, the Canadiens will have the day off Friday and then practise Saturday in Brossard at 11 a.m. They will have a rare Saturday night off, with the Vancouver Canucks visiting the Bell Centre on Sunday (7 p.m., SN, RDS, TSN Radio 690) before the Canadiens have their bye week in the schedule. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091354 Montreal Canadiens That being said, a fresh approach and a legitimate long-term plan as to how construct the roster is probably the most necessary change for the Canadiens at the moment, and that starts at the very top of the Analyze This: With playoffs a pipe dream, Canadiens should look to the organization. future Montreal Gazette LOADED: 01.04.2018

Marc Dumont, Special to The Gazette

There’s no way of sugar coating the current situation the Canadiens find themselves in. It’s the first week of January, and their playoff chances currently stand at a paltry 1.1 per cent. In other words, for the Canadiens to qualify for the playoffs they’d have to win 29 or 30 of their remaining 42 games. Considering they’ve only managed to win 16 of the first 40, a .700 win percentage the rest of the season is essentially a pipe dream. Admittedly, Canadiens are in an unenviable position. They’re not good enough to compete, and they’re not quite bad enough to earn a top three pick in the draft. But it may not be time to burn it all to the ground, either. When we take a look at the forward group, many of the players are just about, or yet to hit their prime. Alex Galchenyuk, Jonathan Drouin, Artturi Lehkonen, Charles Hudon and Phillip Danault are all under 25, whereas Brendan Gallagher and Daniel Carr are just entering the prime of their careers. Things aren’t exactly bleak up front, but the defensive group is basically the polar opposite of encouraging. Five of the six regular defencemen this year will be on the wrong side of 30 by the time the season is done, which indicates that the Canadiens have no choice but to retool their defence. From here to the trade deadline, the focus should be put on determining which players should be traded for prospects and draft picks. There’s no rush to make a deal, the season isn’t salvageable. We’ve already heard Max Pacioretty’s name mentioned by several reputable sources as a trade piece, which makes sense given that he’s on the second-to-last year of a very friendly contract with a cap hit of $4.5 million per year. If we ignore recency bias, which paints a less than favourable picture of the American forward, we have to acknowledge that Pacioretty, 29, is one of the best goal scorers in the NHL over the last five years. Only Alex Ovechkin has more even-strength goals than Pacioretty since 2011. From 2011 to 2017, Pacioretty was involved in almost 30 per cent of the Canadiens’ goals. He personally scored more than 15 per cent of the team’s total goals over that time. Simply put, he’s been one of this franchise’s most important players for the past several years, and the inconvenient truth is that the Canadiens wasted the prime of one of their best goal scorers in modern team history, especially if we consider that he was never given a true No. 1 centre to play with. Despite his lack of scoring this year, which is partially explained by the lack of puck-moving defencemen on the roster, Pacioretty should fetch a very good price at the deadline. It’s rare that a player of his ilk is available, and even more so that said player is on an affordable contract. Stanley Cup contenders that have legitimate No. 1 centres and quality puck-moving defencemen should be lining up to acquire such a talented goal-scorer. Acquiring first-round picks as well as blue-chip prospects should be the standing order for the franchise. A lateral deal wouldn’t improve the organization. Rearranging the deck chairs simply won’t do it. However, if you consider trading your best goal scorer, you have no choice but to consider trading your best defenceman, who happens to be 32 years old. Shea Weber is a quality defenceman, but his stock is rapidly falling. The best bet would be to get a return on that declining asset as soon as possible, with the added bonus of removing his bloated contract from the books. As for Carey Price, who is the third pillar of the Canadiens franchise, you could probably fetch a very good return for him given that he’s perceived to be the best goalie in the world. But unlike forwards or defencemen, elite goalies tend to decline at a slower rate — so even at the age of 30, he should prove valuable for many years to come. In any case, the signs are pointing to necessary changes for the Canadiens, but as we’ve seen with the Edmonton Oilers and many franchises before them, a rebuild is not a guaranteed path to success. A surgical retool may be the better route. 1091355 Montreal Canadiens

Players-only meeting latest sign of desperation that has gripped Canadiens

Pat Hickey, Published on: January 3, 2018

Is it too much to hope that a short post-game meeting will provide the impetus for the Canadiens to turn their season around? The players-only meeting, which took place after Tuesday’s 4-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks, was in response to an embarrassing lack of effort as the Canadiens’ current losing streak reached five games. The meeting was the latest sign of the desperation that has gripped this team as their playoff hopes slip farther away. Players are usually reluctant to discuss details of these closed-door meetings — “It stays in the room,” was the typical response from one player — but the post- game remarks on the record talked about the lack of a compete level. The biggest concern about the meeting was the timing. It was the classic example of shutting the barn door after the livestock has escaped. This exercise in self-flagellation might have been more appropriate in the first intermission after the Canadiens failed to take advantage of three power plays and found themselves trailing 1-0. The other question is who called the meeting? Based on the performances in this game, the list of players who could hold their heads high and demand more from their teammates is very short. The Canadiens were back on the ice in Brossard Wednesday and there was the kind of high-energy practice you expect when players and coaches are trying to leave a bad stretch in the rear-view mirror. There was lot of talk about refocusing, but the prospect of ending the current skid are not good because the opposition Thursday night (7:30 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN-690 Radio) will be provided by the Tampa Bay Lightning, the team with the best record in the NHL. When you’ve lost five in a row and have scored only four goals in those games, confidence is in short supply. “Practices are big for us right now,” said Brendan Gallagher, one Canadien whose effort has never been questioned. “When you’re going through tough times, practices are where you up your compete level and that stuff carries over. If you can push each other, push your teammates to improve, it will make us stronger. This is a test for us. Some guys have been through this before, it’s new for some other guys, but it’s really going to test your character.” Gallagher offered one of several different approaches to the second half of the season. He said he believed the Canadiens could climb back into playoff contention by concentrating on one game at a time. Coach Claude Julien said the key was to break the remainder of the season into three-game segments and winning two of those games. If the Canadiens were to achieve that goal over the final 42 games, they would finish with 94 points, which wouldn’t have been good enough to make the playoffs last season. In fact, you have to go back to 2014 to find Detroit and Columbus earning wild-card berths with 93 points each. Defenceman Karl Alzner took Gallagher’s approach one step further when he said: “When we were playing our good hockey, we were breaking it down to five minutes, every period was five minutes and we responded well to that.” Julien’s post practice remarks Wednesday offered the first concrete news on the health of defenceman Shea Weber, who has missed the past seven games with a foot injury. “From what I’m being told, (he’s) probably doubtful until after the All-Star Game,” Julien said. “And I say doubtful … but right now he’s still in a boot. So this is the update I’ve gotten on him.” The All-Star Game is scheduled for Jan. 28 in Tampa, which means the Canadiens are facing at least 10 more games without their No. 1 defenceman. A more immediate concern is Alex Galchenyuk, who has stepped up his game recently. He missed practice Wednesday because of the flu. On a more positive note, Al Montoya is close to returning after missing two months with a concussion, but a healthy backup goaltender isn’t the key to the playoffs. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091356 Montreal Canadiens · Alex Galchenyuk: Set up perfectly by Drouin for a one-timer on an early power play but the problem was he didn’t one-time it. So they tried again, with the same result. Even their best forward for the last month (14 points Melnick: The good, the bad and the ugly game 40, Montreal 1, San Jose in 17 games) can’t think straight right now. 4 · Artturi Lehkonen: Two goals in 24 games. · Tomas Plekanec: One goal in 26 games and at times it looks like he’s By Mitch Melnick going through the motions in his own end. It’s just sad to watch. · Joe Morrow: His first penalty nullified a Montreal power play. He got caught up the ice on the winning goal by Marc-Édouard Vlasic. And then Three days later and I’m still not sure if I was dreaming or hallucinating. to top it off, with the Habs seemingly getting some momentum back after their 5-on-3 goal, he took yet another careless high-sticking penalty I saw P.K. Subban and Carey Price leaving the Bell Centre ice after a win which led directly to San Jose’s third goal by Timo Meier with just 9.6 while momentarily stopping to perform a triple low 5 celebration. Just seconds to play in the second period. And the Bell Centre got deathly before they got to their bench there were a couple of pucks on the ice, quiet. leaning against the boards. Subban kicked them towards the visiting net. As they slowly slid down the ice they started to grow and change shape · Jakub Jerabek: Jerabek and his partner on the ice at the time, Karl and color. By the time they entered the net they had morphed into Alzner, were victimized on the game’s opening goal by Joe Thornton, bowling balls. Upon closer inspection, the black and white ball featured a who was left alone behind the net to tap a loose puck past Carey Price. painting of Geoff Molson’s face. They multi-colored ball had Marc Jerabek twice missed opportunities to get the puck out of his zone. Early Bergevin’s face on it. in the third period, with the game still up for grabs (in appearance only – we know these Habs too well by now) Jerabek watched Meier take the Then, emerging from the corner of the rink, decked out in overalls, was puck towards him. Instead of aggressively standing up the San Jose Michel Therrien. As Therrien slowly and carefully made his way into the forward, Jerabek backed up so much he almost ended up in the red net to retrieve the balls he was shaking his head. He pulled a towel out of seats, giving Meier plenty of time and space to pick his spot to make it a his back pocket, leaned into the back of the net and picked up the 4-1 game. And the game was definitely over. With nearly 19 minutes still Bergevin ball while wiping it clean and hoarsely stating, “We like our balls left to play. to be humble.” · Claude Julien: You know what they say about chicken salad. But he’s At that moment, hysterical laughter filled the upper bowl of the Bell getting handsomely paid to make sure there is at least a game plan to be Centre. It was a loud and continuous but lonely laugh. followed. Whatever he is saying or doing is not getting through. I couldn’t see anybody but I heard a voice that echoed through the rink, · Pierre Gervais: The Habs equipment manager? Yeah. Anybody else “Well played Mister Therrien.” catch his big yawn on camera at the end of the bench at the start of a Montreal power play? It was The Ghost of Christmas Past. THE UGLY THE GOOD · Postgame Players Meeting: That must have been something. “Excuse · Habs scored a goal: It took a 5-on-3 power play and Andrew Shaw me Max, I’d like to make a point…right now you really suck.” didn’t actually shoot the puck into the net but it counted. It was their first goal in 132:27. · New Year’s Eve: That’ll be the last time I mix tequila with absinthe. · First 12 minutes: Montreal started well, carrying the play against a The Athletic LOADED: 01.04.2018 Sharks team that began a road trip three nights earlier by getting shut out 6-0 by the Stars in Dallas. But for the umpteenth time this season, Canadiens shooters made an opposing goalie – in this case Aaron Dell – look like a hall of famer. · Charles Hudon: Sprung his captain free on a breakaway with a beauty of a pass in the first minute. Drew a couple of penalties. Loudest cheer of the night was late in the game when Hudon plastered 6-foot-2 Justin Braun into the boards. At least somebody was pissed enough by then to take it out on the other guys. · Jeff Petry: Montreal had one quality top-4 NHL defenceman in the lineup. · Nicolas Deslauriers: Molson Cup winner for December. Good for him. But, really, how pathetic has this become? · Dan Robertson, Sergio Momesso, Martin McGuire, Danny Dube, Pierre Houde, Marc Denis, John Bartlett, Mike Johnson, Craig Button, Dave Poulin and the guys at Sportsnet and TVA: Still 42 games to go. THE BAD · Max Pacioretty: Welcome to the New Year. Same as the old year. Nice looking Corsi with all those shots on goal but how many of them were dangerous? Who else thought, after he was set up for that early breakaway by Hudon, that the guy wearing the Pacioretty jersey, trying to stay in the clear against an onrushing Brent Burns, looked more like a lumbering fourth liner? Burns came hustling back all the way from the other side of the ice to get the blade of his stick on the puck just as Pacioretty fired it at the net. There is simply no explosiveness to his game. That used to be a big part of his game. Can’t keep blaming lack of talent around him for all the missed opportunities. Andrew Shaw has managed to score two more goals this season than Pacioretty. · Phillip Danault: Pointless in six games. One goal in nine games. Since Danault and Pacioretty were reunited because of their “obvious chemistry” they have combined for 0 goals. · Jonathan Drouin: Statistically, he’s become a less effective version of David Desharnais. But in fairness he continuously set up his linemates for excellent scoring chances through the first 40 minutes. But they couldn’t finish. Pointless in six games, goalless in 10. 1091357 Nashville Predators

Predators' Filip Forsberg will miss 4-6 weeks with upper-body injury

Adam Vingan, USA TODAY NETWORK

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Predators forward Filip Forsberg will need four to six weeks to recover from an unspecified upper-body injury, the team announced Wednesday. Forsberg, who suffered the injury Friday against the Minnesota Wild, is on injured reserve and has missed the Predators’ past two games. Prior to the injury, Forsberg was among the NHL’s most durable players. He was one of nine to appear in all of his team’s regular-season games since the start of the 2014-15 season before being sidelined. "Anytime you take a player out of your lineup like that, it hurts," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. "(Forsberg's) been a player that we've counted on for a lot of years now to be the guy who leads us offensively, and he's done that. When you remove that from the lineup, it's tough. ... A lot of minutes to be replaced, a lot of work to do from others." From the venerable @esbbob, Filip Forsberg was one of nine NHL players to appear in all of his team's regular-season games since the start of the 2014-15 season. The others — Alzner, Doughty, Burns, Yandle, Cogliano, Kessel, Marleau and Daniel Sedin. — Adam Vingan (@AdamVingan) December 30, 2017 It will require a collective effort from Forsberg’s teammates to mitigate his extended absence. Forsberg, who leads the Predators with 15 goals and was on pace for a career season, has been their greatest offensive force for years. His 105 combined goals over the past three-plus seasons are tied for 12th-most in the league. Calle Jarnkrok has been given the largest uptick in responsibilities at even strength and on the power play. He has received his two highest ice-time totals this season in the past two games, hovering near 20 minutes in each. Jarnkrok, excused from Wednesday's practice for maintenance purposes, has skated with center Ryan Johansen and forward Viktor Arvidsson, Forsberg’s most frequent linemates. The Predators’ remaining schedule this month is beneficial for Forsberg’s recovery, though the timing is inopportune based on their recent slide. They have lost five of their past seven games (2-4-1) as they prepare for the league-worst Arizona Coyotes on Thursday (8 p.m., Fox TN). Nashville's five-day bye week spans Jan. 10-14, which is followed by four consecutive home games. The All-Star break, set for Jan. 26-28, also will provide Forsberg with extra rest. "It sucks for him to go down because our team is just starting to get almost 100 percent healthy," Johansen said. "It's good we have our bye week coming up, though, and he'll be able to get some more rest during that time. "Guys are going to have to step up and fill in that hole." NEXT GAME PREDATORS at COYOTES When: 8 p.m. Thursday TV/radio: Fox TN/102.5-FM Tennessean LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091358 New Jersey Devils more collisions and more forceful collisions. It’s not hard to see how this happens.

You can think about dealing with it as a revolutionary change, or you can Ken Dryden Says Change Can’t Wait: End N.H.L. Head Hits Now think about it as an incremental and really evolutionary change. Right from the beginning of hockey, we’ve recognized the danger of hits to the head. We created high-sticking penalties. We created the elbowing By STEPHEN SMITH JAN. 3, 2018 penalty. What we’ve come to understand better, with the force and the frequency of the collisions now, is that the dangerous instrument is not the stick or Awareness is important — people need to know, acknowledge and the elbow, it’s the body as a whole. So you don’t call a penalty for a stick understand — but at a certain point, it’s time to act. or an elbow and not call one for a shoulder or a fist. It’s not the cause, it’s the effect. It’s not whether it’s intentional or accidental. The brain doesn’t That’s what Ken Dryden decided two years ago when he started writing distinguish. The brain is affected similarly. So you think of it in those the book “Game Change: The Life and Death of Steve Montador, and the terms, and you approach it in those terms. You connect it to the very set Future of Hockey,” which was published in the fall. of understandings that is already in place, and to the penalties that are A Hall of Famer and a six-time Stanley Cup champion with the Montreal already in place. You just extend them to the changed circumstances of Canadiens, Dryden, 70, was one of 15 goaltenders to be named in 2017 the game. to a list of the “100 Greatest N.H.L. Players.” In the years since he retired As you point out, Bettman never played the game. But he is surrounded from the Canadiens, he has served as the president of the Toronto Maple in the N.H.L. head office by plenty of smart, committed people who did Leafs and as a cabinet minister in Canada’s government. He has never play. Why haven’t they recognized the problems you’re identifying. stopped thinking and writing about hockey. The book he wrote soon after What’s kept them from urging the changes you’re advocating? he retired from the N.H.L., “The Game,” from 1983, may be the most insightful reflection on the sport ever published. They haven’t played this game. We know what we’ve learned, we know what we’ve heard, and we tend to then apply both, as if everything else Dryden’s focus is locked on hockey’s response to concussions and their were constant. The myth and lore of a game like hockey are very difficult devastating effects on the lives of its players. For too long, he believes, to undo and rewrite. And whether it’s in hockey, sports or climate change the N.H.L. has failed to act decisively. — anything — we all have a certain set of understandings. We’re In “Game Change,” Dryden explores the career of Montador, a comfortable with them. We always believed in them, and believed deeply. journeyman defenseman who played for six N.H.L. teams. He saw his But it’s a question of going beyond what you know to what there is to career ended by concussions — at least seven of them. After struggles see. We’ve stopped seeing what is there. We notice the speed of the with addictions, Montador died in 2015 at 35. Post-mortem studies of his game, we notice the frequency and the severity of the head injuries, but brain revealed that Montador had been suffering from the effects of we haven’t quite made the connection that then generates the response chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease that’s needed. There’s this gap that is almost always present in terms of commonly known as C.T.E. decision-making. Marc Stein To get somewhere and change circumstances, you have to undo a set of He has covered Jordan. He’s covered Kobe. And LeBron vs. the understandings that are already in place. All we need to do is just see, Warriors. Go behind the N.B.A.’s curtain with the league’s foremost see the game that’s there on the ice. And it’s a game that’s played with expert in a new newsletter. far greater skill than was the case in the past. Players are faster. They’re using lighter sticks, which become precision instruments in their hands, The book also skates deep into hockey history: Underlying Montador’s so they’re developing a dexterity that in turn pushes their creative minds. story is Dryden’s comprehensive view of how the game has failed to adapt to its own evolution in pace, equipment and tactics. For Dryden, it And in the game now, the idea is not to go in straight lines: You go to all comes down to this: Now is the time for hockey to eliminate hits to the open ice, wherever open ice is, and so the pass is more important than head, and the N.H.L.’s commissioner, , is the only person the rush. All of a sudden, you’ve got this incredible freedom, this who can make that happen. Dryden has called it a test — for himself, for possibility. The excitement with which people talk about Connor McDavid Bettman, for hockey. And so, in September, Dryden traveled from his and Auston Matthews — that’s how they play. That is the game that has home in Toronto to New York to carry that message, along with his book, emerged, and it’s the game that’s being developed and understood by to Bettman. They met for lunch. 10-year-olds and 12-year-olds everywhere in the world. Dryden sat down in Toronto in December to talk about “Game Change” You’ve been traveling with the book, talking about it across Canada. Do and his vision for hockey. The interview has been edited and condensed. you get the sense that parents and coaches and the people who run minor hockey have an appetite for change? Is it coming from the bottom How did that meeting with Bettman go? up, too? It was a good lunch. We’ve known each other for a long time. We’ve Yes. But a bottom-up movement is not going to change things as much worked together. We each know how the other thinks, and does things. I or as quickly as needs to happen. But what it means to that decision- introduced it as a serious book about a serious subject, and the next few maker at the top is important: He can feel a kind of confidence that, in months will be a challenge for both of us. But a worthwhile challenge. I fact, a decision that he would make about hits to the head would be just told him about what was in the book. I told him that he was the first understood and accepted. The conditions are present. person to receive a final copy of the book. He said he would read it. You haven’t heard back from the commissioner yet. Not to doubt or I came away feeling that he would. And that he would think about it very prejudge him, but what if he doesn’t see what you’re seeing as quickly as hard. you would hope? Does the challenge — and your campaign for change — simply continue? Why was Steve Montador’s story the right one to build your book around? Something that’s been so powerful for me on my book tour has been talking to the hockey guys, the sports guys on the all-sports radio I wanted to write about somebody who was an Everyman player. I didn’t stations: A lot of them are thinking in these directions. This is not a matter want somebody who was a superstar, who was unique and not relatable. of starting at zero and trying to argue or persuade your way to 100; And I didn’t want somebody who was a fighter and a goon, for the same they’re already at 60 or 70. They see the problem. And so do people in reason. I wanted somebody who, when people read about Steve, they the game I’ve been hearing from. would see themselves, see their kids. Coaches would see their players. He was somebody a lot like them. And whose experience was a lot like So all of this just kind of builds. That’s not unimportant. It will be moving theirs. He was somebody who was not dismissible. forward, a little faster or a little slower. Five years from now, the game will be extremely different. How much in advance of that the change happens You’ve talked about what you’re trying to say in your title: not just that the is really up to Gary Bettman. game needs to change, but how it has been changing, always, and keeps changing. Is that why you think this is all so eminently doable? New York Times LOADED: 01.04.2018 It’s one change that’s needed: No hits to the head. No excuses. At the core of the problem of brain injuries is hits to the head. So you focus your attention there. The increased speed of the game generates 1091359 New Jersey Devils What Devils need to do prior to bye week Chris Ryan may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisRyan_NJ. Find NJ.com Devils on Facebook. Only 1 change for Devils at practice with added fun competition Star Ledger LOADED: 01.04.2018

By Chris Ryan

FARMERS BRANCH, Texas -- The Devils made no changes to their forward lines and defense pairings at Wednesday's practice. Coach John Hynes did say goalie Cory Schneider will go back in net on Thursday when they play the Dallas Stars at 8:30 p.m. at American Airlines Arena in Dallas. While the other combinations remained the same from Tuesday's 3-2 shootout loss to the St. Louis Blues at the Scottrade Center, Hynes didn't rule out the possibility of changes on Thursday. Devils on overturned goal Here's how the Devils looked at Wednesday's practice: FORWARDS Taylor Hall - Nico Hischier - Jesper Bratt Marcus Johansson - Travis Zajac - Kyle Palmieri Miles Wood - Pavel Zacha - Stefan Noesen Blake Coleman - Brian Boyle - Brian Gibbons Jimmy Hayes, Drew Stafford extra DEFENSMEN John Moore - Sami Vatanen Andy Greene - Steven Santini Will Butcher - Ben Lovejoy Damon Severson extra GOALIES Cory Schneider Keith Kinkaid The Devils went through about 30 minutes of formal practice, with some line rushes and dump-and-chase drills to get the forwards on the forecheck. The afternnon ended with a shootout competition, which was followed by a pair of foot races as a tie breaker. Forward Miles Wood beat defenseman John Moore from one goal line to the opposite blue line, then forwards Blake Coleman and Kyle Palmieri came down to a photo finish. Foot race between Kyle Palmieri (red) and Blake Coleman (white). Who won? pic.twitter.com/LPOjWobkR1 -- Chris Ryan (@ChrisRyan_NJ) January 3, 2018 Hynes gave Coleman the win. "They're all very competitive people, so sometimes when you can just add different things where they have the chance to compete and even with the shootout, where there's a little bit of a consequence at the end, it's kind of similar what happens in a game," Hynes said. "It's a little more nerve wracking when they get picked to shoot and they're on a team. Just trying to infuse some competitive stuff every day for us, and it also livens it up." After the Devils play the Stars on Thursday, they will head to Brooklyn for a game against the New York Islanders on Sunday prior to their five-day bye week. With the Devils currently riding a three-game losing streak -- two coming in overtime or shootout -- they want to enter the break on a high note. "Coming in, we talked about having three games," Hynes said. "After the Washington game, little bit of a day off and then a reset, really building our game and making sure that we're focused on Dallas (on Thursday) and then we'll move on to the Islanders and a big divisional game. "I think with our leadership group and where we're at in the schedule, the standings, there's a pretty strong focus level." 1091360 New Jersey Devils

What Devils' Marcus Johansson saw on offside challenge that turned game vs. Blues

By Chris Ryan

ST. LOUIS -- The referees didn't see the play the same way Marcus Johansson did. Johansson was ruled offside during a St. Louis Blues challenge, wiping out a go-ahead goal from Jesper Bratt that would have given the Devils a 3-2 lead with 13:46 to play in the third period on Tuesday at the Scottrade Center. A challenge called into question whether Johansson went offside while crossing the blue line with the puck 15 seconds earlier, and a review called back the goal. Johansson didn't argue the puck crossing the line after his skates. But he thought he had possession, which would allow him to cross the line prior to the puck. "It's a tough call. I think to me that's a possession play," Johansson said. "It's not a question if my foot's over the line first or not. When you have possession of the puck, you don't have to have the puck over the line first. So I guess the linesman thought I didn't have control. It's a tough call, but that's the way it goes. There's nothing you can do about it. It's not like we can challenge it back, right?" No, the Devils couldn't challenge it back, and they went on to lose the game, 3-2, in a shootout. Devils fall to Blues The review of the offside call lasted several minutes, to the point where nearly half of the players on both teams were skating around to stay loose. With the length of the review, the referees likely spent time reviewing the play before going back and reseting the clock to the time of the offside infraction. "You kind of start wondering what they're looking at when they look that long," Johansson said. "To me, it's pretty obvious if its' a possession play, it shouldn't take very long. Everybody knows that rule. If you have possession of the puck, you don't have to bring the puck in first, you can skate backward with it in. It's a tough call, but that's how they saw it." It marked the second time in three games the Devils had a go-ahead goal stripped away due to an offside challenge in the third period. Taylor Hall had one taken away on Friday against the Buffalo Sabres on a play where his skates crossed microseconds before the puck. What Devils need to do prior to bye week The Devils lost that game to Buffalo, 4-3, in overtime. "I can't remember since I've been in Jersey a call going the other way," Hall said. "But it's the rule, and eventually it will even itself out. If the linesman makes that call right away, we don't even talk about it. So it sucks, we'd love to have that goal and have a lead, but it's the way it goes." Star Ledger LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091361 New Jersey Devils Hall's shot came from the left corner with the puck underneath the red line. He had no angle on goal, but with players scrambling after a Will Butcher post shot, Hall took a chance and banked it in. What did Devils say about overturned goal in loss to Blues? | 8 "I've never really scored like that, but just kind of down there, behind the observations net like that," Hall said. "Sometimes goalies can get swimming around down there. And it’s just something i thought I’d try.” By Chris Ryan Yeo praises Devils Niether team scored in the five-minute overtime before the shootout, but the Devils had the best chances. They outshot the Blues, 5-3, in the ST. LOUIS -- The Devils saw a third-period goal overturned by on offside bonus frame, and they nearly scored twice when Nico Hischier hit the challenge, and they didn't score again in a 3-2 shootout loss to the St. post on a breakaway, and Johansson's ensuing rebound attempt hit the Louis Blues on Tuesday at the Scottrade Center. Jesper Bratt's apparent pad of Blues goalie Carter Hutton just before crossing the line. go-ahead score was overturned by a Blues challenge, which showed forward Marcus Johansson went offside when the puck initially entered Johansson reacted like he scored, but he said he didn't have a great view the zone 15 seconds before the goal. from his angle. Sometimes you just have to sell it. Officials reviewed the play and the no-goal call was confirmed. Here's how some Devils reacted to the reversal, plus more on Sami Vatanen's night, a strange goal for Taylor Hall and more. But the Devils were the more dangerous team in overtime, and Yeo took notice. John Hynes "That's the best team that I think I've seen in overtime, the way that they Hynes: No comment on review played, and their speed," Yeo said. "I was kind of waiting for somebody to call a 'too many men on the ice penalty.' It seemed like we couldn't Devils coach John Hynes didn't go into detail on his opinion of the offside grab the puck, but Hutts was there and had an answer for it every time." call that overturned Jesper Bratt's third-period, go-ahead goal. It was the second time in three games the Devils were on the wrong end of a call What Marcus Johansson saw on offside challenge that came down to millimeters, and Hynes didn't want to dwell on it. Kinkaid's game “I don’t really have a comment on what the referee’s call was," Hynes said. "It doesn’t any good to voice an opinion on that. It is what it is, but it Keith Kinkaid didn't look rusty making his first start in nearly one month. was a long review, but that’s what the rule is. You’ve got to live with it The goalie played for the first time since Dec. 9, and he pieced together and move on.” one of his better performances of the season, stopping 27 of the 29 shots he faced. When the Devils were on their heels early, Kinkaid kept them in Taylor Hall the game. Hall on length of review “He was ready to play. When you look at the first period, St. Louis took it to us in the first period, big time, and he made some big saves for us," The Blues waited for head coach Mike Yeo to get a good look at the Hynes said. "He competed on pucks and battled. He gave us a chance to replay before ultimately challenging the call. Blues players waited to take get our legs under ourselves and be able to regroup after the first period, the ice to buy time before the coach ultimately gave the signal, While the and he gave us a chance to win the game. It was nice to see that after a Devils didn't have an issue with the challenge itself, forward Taylor Hall long layoff and be ready to play the way that he played." said it took a while to happen. Shaking off slow start “They had a lot of time, the Blues coaches, to decide and look at it and stuff," Hall said. "I think it’s 30 seconds and it was definitely longer than The Devils didn't control play in the first period, and they nearly that." surrendered three goals in the first minute of the game while getting outshot 14-4 in the first 20 minutes. They trialed just 1-0 though, and they The consequential review lasted much longer, with the refs taking nearly found their legs in the second period. six minutes to overturn the call. Hall didn't have a problem with that length of time, saying the most important thing is to get the call correct at “They came out really hard, pushed us back in the beginning of the first that point. period," Johansson told NJ Advance Media. "Then second period we stepped up a little bit, got more pucks in deep and worked from there. Vatanen on review That’s one of the strengths we have. We played better from then on. If you look away from the first period, we deserved two points. We played Devils defenseman Sami Vatanen said the rules might be complicated, the right way in a road game against a really good team and it’s the way but getting the call right is ultimately the goal behind them. it goes sometimes." “Sometimes they change the rules and you can challenge anything," Star Ledger LOADED: 01.04.2018 Vatanen said. "So of course if it’s offside, it’s a good thing. You make the goals right. You’ve just got to find a way to win the games. I don’t think we played bad. After the halfway of the first, we started to play much better. We played a pretty good game and we just couldn’t the win today.” Back and forth night for Vatanen Speaking of Vatanen, the Devils defenseman was at the center of a lot of action — good and bad — on Tuesday. His first-period turnover led to the Blues' opening goal, and he took a pair of penalties. But he made up for that by getting the Devils on the board when his shot set up a tipped goal for Nico Hischier in the second period, tying the game at 1-1. Vatanen drifted at the center of the blue line looking to shoot, but he decided to send the puck wide right toward Hischier with traffic in front. Vatanen hoped for a tip, and he got it. "I was trying to at first get it to the net, but I saw there was no room," Vatanen said. "So I just tried to shoot it by him and it was a great tip by Nico." Devils burned by another offside challenge, lose to Blues in shootout | Rapid reaction NHL.com Hall's strange goal Hall tied the game again for the Devils, using his team-leading 13th of the season to draw the Devils even at 2-2 at 1:17 of the third period. But 1091362 New Jersey Devils

Devils Daily Faceoff: Three storylines for Jan. 3

Andrew Gross, Staff Writer

DALLAS – The Devils arrived deep in the heart of early this morning after Tuesday night’s 3-2 shootout loss to the Blues that left them 0-1-1 on this four-game road trip and in a 0-1-2 slide. The Devils practice today at 3 p.m. Eastern at the Stars’ practice facility in Farmers Branch, Texas and then face the Stars on Thursday night (Faceoff: 8:30 p.m.; Television: MSG: Radio: digital One Jersey Network). The Devils (22-10-7) are trying to avoid their second four-game losing streak of the season after they went 0-2-2 from Nov. 3-9. The Devils beat the visiting Stars, 5-2, on Dec. 15 to kick off a 5-0-1 homestand as Brian Boyle scored twice. Blues beat Devils, 3-2, in a shootout Blues 3, Devils 2 (SO): Post-game observations Here are three storylines for today: First period – Back to Cory? It would be logical to think that after backup Keith Kinkaid made 27 saves against the Blues in his first start since Dec. 9, coach John Hynes will turn back to No. 1 goalie Cory Schneider, who had his season-high streak of nine straight starts snapped as he went 6-1-2 during that span. Kinkaid certainly played well, in fact, he said after it was “probably, maybe the best I’ve felt all year,” as he tracked the puck particularly well. The only blotch on Kinkaid’s night was not stopping either of the shootout attempts he faced from Brayden Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko. Then again, the Blues, now 3-0 in shootouts this season, are one of the most talented teams when it comes to the skills’ competition. A shot by Dallas Stars right wing Alexander Radulov “He was ready to play,” Hynes said. “If you look at the first period, St. Louis took it to us big time in the first period. He gave us a chance to get our legs under ourselves and regroup after the first period. It’s nice to see him come in off a long layoff and play the way he played.” Still, the Devils aren’t likely to want to sit Schneider for a two-game stretch. And, presuming Schneider does play, Kinkaid’s probably looking at another longer stretch without a game. The Devils conclude their road trip on Sunday afternoon against the Islanders at Barclays Center, almost certainly a start slated for Schneider and then have their NHL bye week. Schneider will almost certainly get the first game out of the break against the Flyers on Jan. 13 and then it’s three days until the next game, right back at Brooklyn, N.Y. against the Islanders. There’s a good chance Schneider will draw the assignment against the Capitals, who have wrested control of first place in the Metropolitan Division from the Devils, on Jan. 18. So the Devils game at Philadelphia on Jan. 20 might be Kinkaid’s next chance to play. Second period – Lovejoy or Severson? Veteran defenseman Ben Lovejoy, also playing in his first game since Dec. 9 after a nine-game stretch as a healthy scratch, was a minus-1 in 15:39, on ice for Vladimir Soboytka’s tip to give the Blues a 2-1 lead at 18:08 of the second period. But he also logged a solid 2:04 on the Devils’ 4-for-4 penalty kill. Lovejoy entered the lineup for Damon Severson, with Hynes citing some defensive lapses when announcing Severson would be a healthy scratch for the second time this season. Today will likely bring some clarity if that will become a third time. Third period – Practice is good: Practice time is at a premium during the regular season and must be balanced with rest and recovery. The Devils had a very hard, intense, up-tempo practice on Monday before departing for St. Louis. Today is not likely to be such a high-octane practice, not in between two games. But a good, 35-45 minute session will be a good opportunity for the Devils to focus on the Stars, who can create havoc with their speed and system. Bergen Record LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091363 New Jersey Devils Cory Schneider Keith Kinkaid Cory Schneider to start for Devils at Dallas Also, Thursday will be No. 1 overall pick Nico Hischier’s 19th birthday. More on that and the Texas boys upcoming in The Record/NorthJersey.com/sports. Andrew Gross Jan. 3, 2018 Bergen Record LOADED: 01.04.2018

Devils right wing Stefan Noesen, from Plano, Texas, discusses what it's like to return home to play. Andrew Gross/NorthJersey.com The best thing for competitive people? Competition. So the Devils coach John Hynes ended today’s practice at Dr. Pepper Star Center in Farmers Branch, Texas with some shootout competition – with the squad split into two – and then with a couple of individual races. Miles Wood definitely beat John Moore in a race from the goal line to the far blue line. And then Kyle Palmieri celebrated beating Blake Coleman. But it was close. No video review (ha ha) but Hynes said he thought Coleman had won. The Devils continue a four-game road trip that has started 0-1-1 after Tuesday night’s 3-2 shootout loss at St. Louis against the Stars on Thursday night (Faceoff: 8:30 p.m.; Television: MSG; Radio: digital One Jersey Network). Hynes said Cory Schneider would be back in net after Keith Kinkaid snapped his season-high nine-game starting streak and made 27 saves against the Blues. Any other lineup decisions, Hynes said, will be announced on Thursday. In addition to the end-of-practice competitions, the 35-minute session was a fun one in particular to Blake Coleman, back at the home arena from his youth hockey days growing up in nearby Plano, Texas, and also for Stefan Noesen, also from Plano. Blues beat Devils, 3-2, in a shootout Blues 3, Devils 2 (SO): Post-game observations Devils Pavel Zacha not overthinking, playing more consistent “First and foremost, it’s special to those guys to be able to come back and play and especially from a non-traditional hockey area where Texas has done a good job of producing players but the fact that we have two of them that can come home and play at the NHL level is great for them and it is great for our team,” Hynes said. “It just gives you, over a long season, just different things that bring excitement to the locker room and some energy to the games.” The Stars’ practice facility is an open one so there were some Devils’ fans in the stands, including at least one originally from New Jersey. Coleman had a good time pointing out the banners earned by he and his youth hockey teammates that hang at the Dr. Pepper Star Center. The dressing rooms (two were needed to accommodate the Devils, forwards in one room and defenseman and goalies in the other) were certainly not the modern marvels NHL players are generally used to. Instead, it reminded all of their youth hockey, or high school days. Essentially a square room with benchlike seating and some books for skates. And that smell. There’s a very distinct odor with cramped hockey dressing rooms. If you’ve been in one, you know what I’m talking about. During line rushes, there did not appear to be any changes from Tuesday night’s lineup. Taylor Hall-Nico Hischier-Jesper Bratt Marcus Johansson-Travis Zajac-Kyle Palmieri Miles Wood-Pavel Zacha-Stefan Noesen Blake Coleman-Brian Boyle-Brian Gibbons Extra forwards: Jimmy Hayes, Drew Stafford Andy Greene-Steven Santini John Moore-Sami Vatanen Will Butcher-Ben Lovejoy Extra defenseman: Damon Severson 1091364 New York Islanders

Doug Weight challenges Islanders to play tougher amid three-game skid

By Brian Heyman

Doug Weight knows the Islanders are better than this, better than 5-9-2 since the opening faceoff of December, better than their current season- high three-game skid. After all, they closed November at 15-7-2. So the Isles coach bemoaned his players’ lack of fierceness after Tuesday night’s 5-1 loss to Boston at Barclays Center and called for an attitude adjustment in no uncertain terms after Wednesday’s practice. The Isles play at Philadelphia Thursday night, which begins an important stretch of three Metropolitan Division games in four days before their mandatory five-day break. “We have a good team, and I just told the guys that we have a good team,” Weight said at Northwell Health Ice Center. “ . . . We have some young players, but it’s time for our group to lose the frailty B.S. It really is. It’s OK. You’re going to have stretches. But we’ve got to come out of this. And we’ve got to come out with fight. “We’ve got guys that have played in this league for a long time and have been here for a long time and are sick and tired. You can say that, but we’ve got to go put in a great effort (Thursday), gritty, be a team that’s just got some fight, hard to play against, and go from there.” Anders Lee agreed about the compete level, saying, “I think for sure our attitude could be a little bit more strong.” The team’s leading goal scorer also said, “Guys are unhappy with what’s gone on . . . so we’re going to change it.” The Islanders don’t hold a playoff ticket right now because Carolina has a game in hand for the second wild card in the East. Both teams have 44 points. The Isles, who are 20-16-4 overall and 0-5-1 in their last six on the road, are five points from third in the division. After the Philadelphia game, they will be home Friday night against Pittsburgh and Sunday against the Devils. “It’s a great setup for us,” Weight said. “It’s what we need. These are big games. It’s not now or never. It’s Jan. 3. But these games, we’re going to approach it like that . . . it can change your year for sure, and I’d like to think it’s going to change in a positive way.” The Islanders are second in goals scored and in goals allowed. “We’ve just got to play a little better team defense,” Nick Leddy said. Leddy was back with Johnny Boychuk on defense at practice. Boychuk was making his return to the ice. The three-game skid has coincided with him being on IR due to a lower-body issue. Weight said he’s “hopeful” to have him against the Flyers. “Everything is going to turn around,” Boychuk said. “I mean, we’re a good team. When we play like we’re a good team, then we’re unbelievable. But the last couple of games, we haven’t been playing our best and everybody knows it. You just have look yourself in the mirror and do your job.” Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091365 New York Rangers

Rangers overpowered by Patrick Sharp, Blackhawks in 5-2 loss

Justin Tasch

After riding the high of their Winter Classic win, the Rangers on Wednesday night came crashing back down to Earth. The sluggish Blueshirts were vastly outplayed and suffered through a letdown two days after their rousing win at Citi Field, falling to the Blackhawks, 5-2. “I saw one team playing hockey and the other chasing the whole night,” Ryan McDonagh said. “It’s really disappointing. We know we are coming off a big emotional win and a big stage, but we’re almost at the halfway point of the season where we need to start playing with some consistency, and we didn’t give ourselves a chance there. “They were able to do whatever they wanted. We didn’t finish checks, slow them down. … They had time and space and we left our goalie out to dry.” Summed up well by the captain, who was the only Ranger with a positive shot-attempts differential in this game in which the Rangers (21-14-5) were somehow in the game all the way until Chicago (19-14-6) potted two empty-netters in the final minute. The Rangers were vastly outplayed at even strength. A lack of consistency, any slip-ups for even a short duration, can loom large in the nip-and-tuck Metropolitan Division. “Shouldn’t be. There should not be, at all,” Henrik Lundqvist, who made 30 saves, said of a possible Winter Classic hangover. “We need to understand the situation of where we are three games before the (bye week), so that definitely should not be an excuse. We need to be ready to play.” They weren’t. The Rangers allowed the Blackhawks to play the speed and skill game they usually try to impose by being slow and careless. They barely tested Chicago’s 32-year-old rookie goaltender Jeff Glass, who made just his third career NHL appearance. And yet twice they tied the game. Mika Zibanejad’s 5-on-3 power-play goal at 11:32 of the second tied it up at 2, less than three minutes after a controversial Chicago goal. Ryan Hartman cross-checked Marc Staal after Lundqvist saved Nick Schmaltz’s shot, sending Staal tumbling into the net and taking the loose puck with him across the goal line right before the net came off its moorings. A penalty inexplicably wasn’t called, and video review confirmed the officials’ decision of a good goal. Patrick Sharp’s goal off the rush 2:24 into the third stood up as the winner. “We’ve just got to play with a little more urgency,” Brady Skjei said. Much more, as they now have to beat the impending storm out to the desert for a two-game weekend trip in Arizona and Vegas, their final two games before their bye week, with the task of improving upon their 6-7-2 road record — which includes Monday’s win in Flushing. “You come in here, you try and say some things and get it turned around, but it can’t be one or two guys trying to make a difference,” McDonagh said. “We need everybody on the same page out there playing at the same level of intensity.” New York Daily News LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091366 New York Rangers

Rangers already benefiting from Vigneault favorite’s quick return

By Brett Cyrgalis January 3, 2018 | 4:17PM

It seems that in absence, Alain Vigneault’s heart grew fonder. The Rangers coach’s love for winger Jesper Fast somehow found a way to increase during his three-game absence because of a quadriceps injury, which ended when he unexpectedly returned Monday for the Winter Classic at Citi Field. Fast was supposed to miss two-to-three weeks with the injury sustained Dec. 21, but came back in 10 days — something that even Vigneault thought would not have happened as early as Monday morning. Yet despite the frigid temperatures, Fast went right back to being his dependable and effective self, steadying a fourth line with Paul Carey and Boo Nieves and making a terrific pass to collect the primary assist on Carey’s game-opening goal at 4:09 of the first period. “For a coach, he’s such a low-maintenance player,” Vigneault said Wednesday before a Garden matchup against the Blackhawks, the first game back from the outdoor extravaganza. “I’ve said this many times, any guy on our team up front that wants to know how to play the system and do the little things right, all you have to do is look at him. Watch 20 minutes of Jesper Fast playing hockey — on the forecheck, on the backcheck, along the wall, along the boards, stick position. He just understands the game and he gets it.” Vigneault has always been an adamant supporter of Fast, easier now that the 26-year-old Swede is in the first year of a new three-year, $5.5 million deal, carrying a modest annual salary-cap hit of $1.85 million. The price might be a little low for his value to the team, having won the Players’ Player award two years running as voted on by his teammates. But Fast has never scored more than 10 goals in a season, which he did in 2015-16, and that’s that place where Vigneault sees the biggest upside. “Lately he’s been able to make some pretty good plays that have led to goals,” Vigneault said. “If we can get a little bit more of that offensive contribution, that offensive side that I think he has, he’s a very important player for our team.” The assist Fast had on Carey’s goal was a pretty slick play, as Nieves dug the puck out of the corner and Fast was able to thread a pass to an open Carey near the right dot. It was the group’s first shift of the game, and it was some way for Fast to return to the lineup. “Of course it’s a good feeling to have that start,” Fast said. “As a line, I thought we played good. We had an opportunity to use our speed. It was a good game overall.” Although it wasn’t clear from the outside, Fast always had the Winter Classic targeted as his return date. He said, “It’s not always you get an opportunity to play a game like this,” also adding, “It brings back memories when we were young.” The temperature outside peaked at 20.5 degrees at puck drop, and only plummeted as the shadows grew longer and the wind picked up. It was obviously an undesirable environment to return from a muscle strain, but Fast said the doctors told him he couldn’t worsen the injury and that if he felt good, then he was good to go. “We said we’d see how it felt in the warmups,” Fast said. “Felt fine.” After the game, Fast said the leg “felt good,” and it didn’t seem like there were any lingering effects from the game or the temperature. His return was set to keep rookie Vinni Lettieri out of the lineup for the second straight game, which meant that maybe the lineup as a whole didn’t have as much offensive firepower from top to bottom. But Vigneault, as always, was certainly happy to have Fast back in the lineup. New York Post LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091367 New York Rangers Because when the coach looked for a spark on the first line, he did not look in Nash’s direction. And though it is not quite a connect-the-dots scenario, it raises new questions about what direction the Rangers will What Rick Nash’s demotion means for Rangers’ trade plans take at the deadline with No. 61. New York Post LOADED: 01.04.2018 By Larry Brooks

Well this sure was a big, fat nothing burger from the Rangers, who never gave themselves much of a chance in what became a 5-2 defeat (bloated by a pair of empty-netters) to the Blackhawks at the Garden on Wednesday. The Blueshirts rarely possessed the puck while getting out-attempted 30- 11 at even strength in the first period and 52-20 through 40 minutes. Ryan McDonagh was the lone Ranger to record a positive Corsi rating (51.4) while nine of his teammates were at sub-40. The game was close only because of Henrik Lundqvist’s brilliance. Nights like this give pause to the theory that the Rangers have as good a shot as anybody other than Tampa Bay to compete for the Cup. Nights like this remind you, and, more to the point, general manager Jeff Gorton that the Feb. 26 trade deadline is inching into view. Coach Alain Vigneault moved J.T. Miller onto the top line for the express purpose of jump-starting Mika Zibanejad, who’d struggled through six games since returning on Dec. 19 from a three-week concussion-related absence. Miller is not only a straight-line, pace player who can get in on the forecheck, but he is a give-and-go player who is the best pure passer on the squad. “Tonight was just a horrible example to refer to, we just couldn’t get it in sync as a team, but I think I can make it easier on him,” Miller told The Post. “We all go through stretches like this, and you know it’s not going to last long with a player as skilled as Mika, but I think that by me using my speed and getting in on the forecheck to win battles, I can get the puck back to him and let him make plays.” Zibanejad was more engaged against the Blackhawks, indeed scoring on a five-on-three, left-circle power-play one-timer in converting a smooth cross-ice feed from Pavel Buchnevich. No. 93, flanked by Miller and , got his nose dirty around the Chicago net on the few occasions the Blueshirts were able to make life difficult for 32-year-old rookie Jeff Glass. But if Vigneault’s reasons were sound for pairing Miller with Zibanejad, the coach removed Rick Nash from the top unit in order to accommodate the move. And what exactly does that say about Nash and his value to the team both on the ice and as a pending free-agent rental approaching the deadline? Nash has slipped back into one of these stretches in which he just does not score. It’s eight games now since No. 61’s ninth and most recent goal late in the third period that won the L.A. game on Dec. 15. He has scored two goals in the last 21 games. And he has checked in with three straight inferior performances following last Wednesday’s monster game against the Caps. Question: While acknowledging his 200×85 game and importance in the room as a member of the leadership group, is this a player management can hold onto at the deadline if offers including a first-round pick or the equivalent are put across the table? Or, will the winger’s declining production — 47 goals in 167 games for .28 goals per game the last three seasons following 378 goals in 862 games for .44 GPG his first 12 years — generate lesser deadline offers that Gorton will find easy to refuse? Seriously, would the Rangers trade Nash for say, the 56th and 95th picks in the draft if that’s the best that’s offered, or would Gorton keep the winger for the playoff push and deal with the winger’s pending free agency following the tournament? Nash has been a good player for the Rangers but not the game-breaker management anticipated in sending Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov, a first-rounder and Tim Erixon to the Jackets over the summer of 2012. He was supposed to be the missing piece. Instead, he missed his chance by scoring only three goals in the 2014 run to the final that came up short. This isn’t meant to spark a debate about the wisdom of the trade — listen, even without that deal, Dubinsky was going to be traded — or about Nash’s value measured against his $7.8 million cap hit. This is solely about what lays ahead over the next eight weeks. 1091368 New York Rangers

Rangers suffer Winter Classic letdown, fall to Blackhawks

By Brett Cyrgalis

It might have been a reason, but the Rangers weren’t using it as an excuse. In the aftermath of their dramatic performance in the outdoor Winter Classic on New Year’s Day at Citi Field, the Blueshirts returned to playing hockey indoors with a dud of a performance, an empty-net abetted 5-2 loss to the Blackhawks on Wednesday night at the Garden. It was a very quick reminder of how good feelings can be so fleeting in this league, especially when fueled by mistakes. “I saw one team playing hockey and the other chasing the whole night,” captain Ryan McDonagh said. “It’s really disappointing. We know we are coming off a big emotional win and a big stage, but we’re almost at the halfway point of the season where we need to start playing with some consistency. We didn’t give ourselves a chance.” That was some message, as the Rangers (21-14-5) were supposed to be riding the high of their triumphant 3-2 overtime win over the Sabres on Monday. Instead, they allowed the Blackhawks (19-14-6) all the room in the world to operate, especially fueling their transition game with turnovers through the neutral zone. “They were able to do whatever they wanted,” said McDonagh, whose team was outshot 35-25 — 26-14 through two periods — as well as being out-attempted, 70-58. “We didn’t finish checks, slow them down, their speed. They had time and space and we left our goalie out to dry.” That would be Henrik Lundqvist, who stopped 30-of-33 shots before Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane filled the empty net in the final minute of regulation. After, the frustration was written all over Lundqvist’s face, knowing that the way this loss came about had abruptly ended any momentum and suddenly made this upcoming two-game trip to Arizona and Las Vegas that precedes the five-day bye week quite important. “They were better. They had more jump,” Lundqvist said. “For some reason, it was hard for us to get going. We need points right now, so we have to dig deep here and try to get two big wins before the break. But tonight, I felt like they were definitely the better team.” There was little question of that, as the Blackhawks held three separate one-goal leads and seemed to hold the play for most of the evening. There was one inequity that got coach Alain Vigneault hot under the collar, when Nick Schmaltz was awarded a go-ahead goal at 8:56 of the second period when a loose puck was put in by way of Ryan Hartman shoving Marc Staal from behind and Staal pushing the puck over the line before he slammed into the goal post. “It doesn’t matter what I think,” Vigneault said about the reviewed play that made it 2-1. “It was a goal.” The Rangers were able to tie it on a five-on-three power-play goal from Mika Zibanejad at 11:32 of the second, only to see Chicago pull ahead again when veteran Patrick Sharp beat Lundqvist with a laser shot from the left circle to make it 3-2 at 2:24 of the third. That came on just one more odd-man rush that started with the Rangers turning it over as they tried to enter the Chicago zone. “We fed their transition,” Vigneault said. “They’ve got too much speed and too much skill to give them the looks that we gave them.” The Rangers were never able to put sustained pressure on Chicago’s unproven backup goalie, Jeff Glass, who surrendered a game-tying goal to defenseman Nick Holden at 18:09 of the first period after the Blackhawks had taken a 1-0 lead exactly two minutes earlier on a goal from Vinnie Hinostroza. But it was never enough, and the good feeling is gone as the Rangers head out of town. As Vigneault so succinctly put it, “We got what we deserved.” New York Post LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091369 New York Rangers

Rangers’ top two picks will be on display in World Junior tourney

By Brett Cyrgalis

While the Rangers’ present was in the Garden losing a 5-2 game to the Blackhawks on Wednesday night, two big parts of the organization’s future were on display in Buffalo. That was where both first-round picks from this year’s draft, No. 7-overall Lias Andersson of Sweden and No. 21-overall Filip Chytil of the Czech Republic, were still alive in the final four of the World Junior Championship tournament. Andersson is Sweden’s captain and is tied for second with five goals through the first five games as the Swedes prepared to play the United States on Thursday during the first semifinal starting at 4 p.m. Andersson just missed the final cut at Rangers training camp, and the 19-year-old center has spent the past few months playing for his Swedish club team, Frolunda. Chytil is the 18-year-old forward who made the Rangers out of training camp but played just two NHL games before being sent to AHL Hartford, where he will return once the tournament is over. He has two goals and four points in five games, while his team prepared to play Canada in the other semifinal at 8 p.m. Thursday. Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said he has watched the tournament “in and out, like any hockey fan. But we’ve had a lot of games here, so I have to focus on my team more.” But that’s not to say that Vigneault isn’t happy the Blueshirts have some players to look forward to. “We’re fortunate,” Vigneault said. “We have two good young players right now that are playing real well in that tournament.” The Rangers’ 15 road games through their first 40 were the fewest in the league, and they are just 6-7-2 away from the Garden. But that is (obviously) going to change soon, starting with the upcoming two-game, back-to-back trip to Arizona on Saturday then the first-ever trip to Las Vegas on Sunday. “To tell you the truth — and I’ve said this a couple times — we’re a good road team,” Vigneault said. “For whatever reason, this year the schedule had us playing more home games in the first half. But I’m very confident in this group’s ability to play the right way, and play the right way on the road.” There was no update on forward Chris Kreider, who missed his third straight game with a blood clot in his right arm and has no timetable for a return. Rookie forward Vinni Lettieri was a healthy scratch for the second straight game after making his NHL debut on Friday in Detroit. He is expected to stay with the team through this road trip. New York Post LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091370 New York Rangers For Vigneault, finding a balance between past and present, and a bagful or road victories in the next few months, is critical if the Blueshirts intend to be skating when it really counts in May and beyond. Can Alain Vigneault lead Rangers back to the playoffs? Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 01.04.2018

By Steve Zipay

Criticism? The Rangers’ coach took his fair share from fans and the press early in the season when the Blueshirts looked anything like contenders during their 3-7-2 start. But the Rangers steadied and reversed course in November, and have climbed into a playoff spot by going 18-6-3 since then. Whether they can hang in under the helm of Alain Vigneault is a question for the winter, which has suddenly arrived in New York. Vigneault, 56, in his fifth season since replacing John Tortorella in June 2013, has almost all the numbers in his back pocket: He is the first Blueshirts head coach to start five straight seasons with the team since Phil Watson, starting in the 1955-56 season, and leads all NHL coaches in wins since 2006-07, when he was behind the bench of the Vancouver Canucks. His teams have won the Presidents’ Trophy three times, and with the Rangers’ 3-2 overtime win at the Winter Classic in Citi Field, he won his 635th game, which moved him into 11th place on the all-time wins list. But a Stanley Cup remains elusive for Vigneault, who has been to the Final twice. The second half of the season, which begins during the Rangers upcoming trip to Arizona and Las Vegas, will not only be a referendum for the team, but for the Quebec native. The challenge? As of Thursday, 42 games remain and 26 are on the road, where the Rangers are a subpar 6-7-2. Starting with Game 42, his previous four teams have posted these road marks: 13-5-3 (2013-14); 16-4-1 (2014-15), 11-7-2 (2015-16) and 13-6-2 (2016-17). All winning records, but none covering more than 21 matches — not 26 — away from the Garden. “To tell you the truth,” Vigneault said at the podium on the fifth floor at Madison Square Garden before facing the Blackhawks on Wednesday, “we’re a good road team. For whatever reason, the schedule had us playing more home games in the first half, but I’m very confident in this group’s ability to play the right way on the road, they’ve been good since I’ve been here.” Those extra five games and 10 points up for grabs could mean the difference between making the playoffs or not in the East. In the past four years, observers have seen Vigneault’s patterns: He relies on his leadership group to persuade players to be ready when the puck drops — which hasn’t always been the case — rarely shouts publicly after a loss, although he simmers and slams doors. And he has go-to quotes and phrases such as “It was a hard-fought game,” “I would say to you,” and “If I was a betting man.” What doesn’t he like? Morning skates, calling timeouts and giving young players as long of a leash as those who have proved themselves. Vigneault, speaking earlier in the season about some inconsistent play from Kevin Shattenkirk, said: “He’s got money in the bank. I don’t mean money — the real money — but the way that he’s played in the past. It’s different than a young player trying to establish himself. The young player has to get money in the bank. Shattenkirk has played in tough moments.” Jesper Fast, who recently turned 26, is an exception. “He’s such a low- maintenance player . . . ,” said Vigneault. “Any guy on our team upfront who wants to know how to play the system and how to do the little things right, all you’ve got to do is look at him, watch 20 minutes of Jesper Fast playing hockey. On the forecheck, on the backcheck, along the wall, on the boards, stick position. He just understands the game and he gets it. Lately he’s been able to make some pretty good plays that have led to goals and if we can get a little bit more of that . . . ” That’s not to say Vigneault isn’t willing to give youngsters some ice time — when they’re ready. He’s been watching the World Junior Championships, as he does every year “like any hockey fan,” he said Wednesday. “At the rink and practice facility [the games] are on every TV,” Vigneault said, and mentioned the team’s two first-round draft picks last June, Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil, who are starring for Sweden and the Czech Republic. “We’re fortunate that we’ve got two good young players who are paying real well in that tournament.” 1091371 New York Rangers

Rangers outskated by Blackhawks in loss at MSG

By Steve Zipay

For the Rangers, four of the last five games, including the Winter Classic, had gone past 60 minutes, being decided in either overtime or shootouts. On Wednesday, the Rangers, who were 2-0-2 in those four games, never got there. In a game during which the quicker Blackhawks seemed to have the puck 90 percent of the time, Patrick Sharp ripped a shot from the left circle over Henrik Lundqvist’s glove at 2:24 of the third period to snap a 2-2 tie and Chicago beat the Rangers, 5-2, at the Garden. Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane scored empty-netters in the final minute. Plain and simple, the Rangers, who were 15-6-3 at home, did not have the puck enough to sufficiently test Jeff Glass, 32, who had won his NHL debut with a 4-3 overtime victory over the Oilers on Dec. 29 and lost in overtime to Calgary, 4-3, on New Year’s Eve. On Wednesday, Glass faced just 25 shots. With 6:38 left in the third period, the Rangers had their sixth power-play when the Hawks had too many men on the ice, and came up empty. They finished 1-for-6. Lundqvist was pulled for an extra skater with just over 90 seconds left. That afterglow from the victory at Citi Field? Gone. “The Winter Classic was a fun game and pretty easy to get up for. You need to find ways to get up for all 82 games,” Brady Skjei said. “If you don’t bring it every night, something happens like that when you’re kind of embarrassed.” During the first 40 minutes that the Blackhawks had dominated during five-on-five, with 52 shot attempts to 20, somehow the Rangers, backed by Lundqvist, had managed to respond to 1-0 and 2-1 deficits. With the score 1-1, the Hawks had the Rangers on their heels and in their zone for the first half of the second period, and on a rush, Patrick Kane’s low shot went through Lundqvist, off the left post and into the crease. Marc Staal, charging back, was crosschecked from behind by Ryan Hartman and slid into the blue paint, pushing the puck across the line and upending the net at 8:56. Blackhawks center Nick Schmaltz was credited with the goal after a review; Hartman was not penalized. Brent Seabrook’s cross-checking minor sent him to the box and with 24 seconds left in the penalty, Glass cleared the puck over the boards for a short five-on-three, and the Rangers delivered. Mika Zibanejad’s one- timer on a set-up from Pavel Buchnevich on the two-man advantage made it 2-2 at 11:32. It was Zibanejad’s first goal in seven games since his return from a concussion. “We gave them too much, made too many mistakes,” Zibanejad said. “That’s not good enough. We gave them a short rink to play on.” The pace of the first period was entertaining — for fans. The Hawks launched 14 shots on goal and just missed several open looks against Lundqvist. The Rangers lost the puck nine times. Lundqvist made two big stops — he got the shaft of the stick on Kane’s wrister from in front at 14:43 and when Schmaltz drove left past Ryan McDonagh across the low slot, Lundqvist followed, slid and made the stop. But Lundqvist was helpless when Vinnie Hinostroza slipped around J.T Miller and Toews found him with a slick backhand pass at 16:09 for a 1-0 lead. Exactly two minutes later, Paul Carey spun from the high slot and sent the puck to the right point, where Nick Holden’s low slapper snuck through traffic and past Glass inside the left post to tie it at 1. “Our execution, especially coming into their end . . . we fed their transition,” Alain Vigneault said. “We got what we deserved.” The game was the first of three in five days, with matches in Arizona and Las Vegas on Saturday and Sunday before a bye week. In all, the Rangers (6-7-2 on the road) will play 26 of their final 42 games away from home. Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091372 Ottawa Senators Other than that, though, most of the shots came from long range, shots that Howard was allowed to see.

The goal-scoring struggles shouldn’t have been a surprise. The Senators Gone in six seconds: Sens downed in OT by Athanasiou, Red Wings entered the game averaging only 2.62 goals per game, fourth-worst in the NHL. KEN WARREN They also limped into Detroit to kick off the New Year after having already been shut out seven times this season, including five times in December. DETROIT — The game was brought to you by the letter A — as in The Senators closed out 2017 with a 5-0 loss to the high-flying Boston Andreas Athanasiou and Craig Anderson. Bruins on Dec. 29. Athanasiou scored his second goal of the game, only six seconds into With a few notable exceptions, offence — or lack, thereof — has been a overtime, to give the Detroit Red Wings a 2-1 victory over the Ottawa major concern for the Senators as they slip further and further away from Senators. the pack in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference standings. Anderson deserved better. Before the puck dropped against Detroit, the Senators were 16 points behind Toronto for third in the Atlantic. Carolina held the final wild card In what has largely been a season to forget for Anderson, unable to find playoff spot, 12 points clear of the Senators. any kind of consistent groove in the Ottawa Senators net, Anderson did everything he could to try and lead the Senators Wednesday. In between the Senators and Hurricanes are six teams. That group includes Detroit, which began the game five points ahead of the But he couldn’t stop Anthanasiou one last time in overtime. After the puck Senators. dropped to start overtime, he speedy Red Wings winger slipped the puck past Senators defenceman Erik Karlsson and beat Anderson on a The Senators’ .361 winning percentage on the road ranked 30th in the breakaway. NHL, ahead of only the Arizona Coyotes. “He’s got a lot of speed and I thought I had his number most of the night,” While the Senators stumbled throughout December, the Red Wings Anderson said of his the showdown against Anthanasiou that went on believed they had found something to build around late in the month. and on all night long. “Unfortunately, he made a great shot at the end.” Following victories over the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins, If Anderson hadn’t been at his best in the Senators first appearance at the Red Wings were aiming to win their third consecutive game for the the Little Caesars Arena, they would have been done and buried early first time this season. against the Detroit Red Wings. Athanasiou broke the scoreless deadlock with 8:45 remaining in the first. Anderson was cooking at The Pizza Oven, getting the Senators to overtime. The goal came after Karlsson, Nate Thompson and Gabriel Dumont failed to clear the puck along the side boards, leaving Anthony Mantha Who else but Athanasiou to deliver the finishing blow? He was alone in front of Anderson. Anderson stopped Mantha’s between the legs dangerous all night, but it appeared as if Anderson was going to steal a backhand attempt, but Athanasiou put the rebound over the Senators victory for the Senators. goaltender. Only 39 seconds into the third period, the Senators finally caught a break “I thought our top two lines were great tonight and I thought our when Ryan Dzingel tied the game 1-1. goaltender was outstanding and so was their (goaltender) and that’s why you had a low-scoring game,” Senators coach Guy Boucher said. When the puck got caught in Darren Helm’s skates in the slot, Dzingel took full advantage, finding the loose puck and ripping a shot past Red “It was a hard-fought game, where we could have scored with that great Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard. chance (from Karlsson) when it was 1-1 and that’s a great save from their goaltender. We’ve got a lot of guys who gave a lot in that game, so we’ll Anderson had more to offer after that. take the positives and go back home.” With 9:19 remaining in the third, the Senators goaltender stopped The Senators flew home immediately after Wednesday’s game and they Athanasiou on a third period penalty shot after Dion-Phaneuf tripped the will practice Thursday before facing the San Jose Sharks on Friday and forward on one of his countless breakaway attempts. the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday at Canadian Tire Centre. Howard did his part in the low-scoring game, too. Only 14 seconds after Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 01.04.2018 Anderson’s penalty shot save, Howard made a sprawling stop to rob Karlsson on an odd-man rush. With 3:39 remaining in regulation, Karlsson also hit the post after a poor clearing attempt by Howard. Athanasiou scored the lone goal of the first 40 minutes, finishing off some work by Anthony Mantha at the 11:15 mark of the first period. Anderson was outstanding in the second period, making several brilliant stops, including a pair of breakaway saves off the speedy Athanasiou. On a different night, with a different goaltender, Athanasiou could have easily put the game away all by himself. Anderson also made a brilliant left pad save off Martin Frk in the second period and got a tad lucky on a Tomas Tatar breakaway, when the shot clipped his arm and bounced off the post. “(Anderson) stood on his head and made some saves that we definitely needed and we couldn’t find a way to beat Jimmy (Howard),” Karlsson said. “We gave up a little too much, especially in the second (period) and that’s something we’ve got to figure out here. We can’t allow that. We hung in there, but again, it’s not good enough for us to be able to win a game.” While the Senators had 25 shots on Howard through two periods, only a few of them could be considered dangerous. Seconds into a late second-period power play — featuring Thomas Chabot on the point and Karlsson on the left-hand side boards — Howard made a sharp stop off a Mike Hoffman deflection. A few minutes earlier, he successfully cut down the angle to rob Matt Duchene after he slipped behind the Red Wings defence. 1091373 Ottawa Senators went to the semifinals, so it’s great for our country. I think we have a chance. We have a really good team. Against Finland (in the quarterfinal), our goaltender was unbelievable. That has always been our Warrenspiece: When do Senators' forward prospects start arriving? strength when we have won anything, whether it’s the national team or the under-18 team.” … Chlapik has fond memories of watching current Red Wings goaltender Petr Mrazek make 52 saves to lead the Czechs to a 5-2 win over the United States in 2011. “There’s always a chance,” Ken Warren Mrazek said. “We all know how good Canada is and how many good players they have, but it’s just one game to win. We beat the U.S. and

nobody expected that.” … Mrazek, who also starred for the Ottawa 67’s DETROIT — The biggest buzz about the Detroit Red Wings’ lineup these as a junior, was pumped to be named last week as one of the days is the fact that 22-year-old rookie right-winger Tyler Bertuzzi has organization’s all-time top 50 players. “It was awesome, we had a great won himself a permanent spot on the roster, along with at least a team when I was there, it was a great organization to be in,” he said. temporary spot as a linemate for legendary Red Wings centre Henrik KARLSSON WANTS TO PLAY IN TAMPA Zetterberg. Senators captain Erik Karlsson would love to be chosen to play during “It’s still surreal, growing up watching him,” Bertuzzi said Wednesday all-star weekend Jan. 27-29 in Tampa. “Hopefully, I get the chance to go morning. “I just want to work hard on his line and he talks to me on the again this year,” Karlsson said. “Even though it has been a tough year for bench and he’s really supportive and that helps a lot.” us here, I hope I get the opportunity to represent our team.” … What do Then there’s 21-year-old centre Dylan Larkin, who led the Red Wings in you do for first-class entertainment in Detroit during the down time points — six goals and 26 assists before Wednesday’s game against the between morning skates and game time? Watch the latest snafu state of Senators — and 23-year-old right winger Anthony Mantha, who leads the Trump on CNN, that’s what … Batherson, the Senators prospect who Red Wings with 13 goals. scored twice for Canada in Tuesday’s 8-2 win over Switzerland, was traded to Blainville-Boisbriand on Wednesday from Cape Breton in the The Red Wings are clearly in rebuilding mode, getting a head start on the QMJHL … Marcus Hogberg, who represents the future in the Senators’ future. net, made his second start for Belleville of the AHL on Wednesday after Andrew Hammond was recalled to Colorado. How soon before the Senators, whose season has slipped away, follow suit? Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 01.04.2018 While 20-year-old rookie defenceman Thomas Chabot is getting a longer look on the blue line, the Senators have yet to turn the page and embrace a youth movement among the forward ranks. After Nick Paul was re-assigned to Belleville of the AHL on the weekend to make way for the return of Gabriel Dumont, 20-year-old Filip Chlapik is the lone forward under 25 years of age on the Senators’ roster. “I feel more comfortable, but still, nothing is for sure,” Chlapik said before facing the Red Wings. “I’m just trying to enjoy every moment I’m here.” Chlapik had one assist in five games before Wednesday and he could be re-assigned to Belleville once Zack Smith comes off the injury list next week. But once the inevitable trades start happening — general manager Pierre Dorion will go from the world junior tournament to organizational scouting meetings in Florida next week — it could finally be time for Colin White to get a taste of the NHL. White, 20, is still learning the nuances of the pro game, with five goals and eight assists in 25 games with Belleville. Or maybe 21-year-old Gabriel Gagne (12 goals, three assists) gets a look. Down the road, there’s hope from current Logan Brown, Drake Batherson, Alex Formenton and Markus Nurmi. ABOUT TRADE DISTRACTIONS Senators coach Guy Boucher says the organization does everything it can to keep players away from the outside noise of potential trades. “They are told all year not to read anything, so if they do, it’s their fault if they get boggled up and all that,” he said. “(The media), it’s your job and you’ve got to be aware of everything. For us, it’s the opposite. You can’t be aware of anything, because the minute things start going in your mind, you’re just adding stuff that doesn’t help you in any regard. There’s three million people out there, there’s three million opinions. And certainly (that’s) not something that helps you get focused.” Asked if that’s easier said than done, Boucher nodded, saying that even too much glowing praise is a detriment. “You shouldn’t hear it, either, because you think you’re better than you are,” he said. “And when it’s really bad, you think you’re worse than you are. I’ve had all kinds of old coaches tell me, ‘You’re never as good as you think and never as bad as you think.’ ” CZECHS HAVE A CHANCE It was intriguing to see Chlapik and Chabot standing together, staring in awe at the Red Wings’ list of major award winners following Wednesday morning’s skate at the Little Caesars Arena. A year ago, they were foes at the world junior tournament, with Chabot representing Canada and Chlapik playing for the Czech Republic. On Thursday, the Czechs will look to pull off the ultimate upset against Canada in the semifinals. “It’s really exciting,” Chlapik said. “It has been 13 years since the Czechs 1091374 Ottawa Senators

What's new on the Senators power play is old for Erik Karlsson Ken Warren

DETROIT – The Ottawa Senators new power play formation represents a back to the future moment for captain Erik Karlsson. Under the new set-up – with associate coach taking over direction of the unit – Karlsson sets up on the left side of ice, along the side boards, towards the face off circle. Mark Stone is on the right side, with rookie Thomas Chabot serving as the quarterback along the blue line. The last time Karlsson was in a similar situation, he was wearing yellow – as a member of Sweden’s national team. “Yeah, with the Sedins (Daniel and Henrik) running the other side,” Karlsson said before testing out the new set-up during Wednesday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings. “It was good. I just waited for my chance.” Karlsson is cautiously optimistic that the change will help spur more success from a power play that entered Wednesday’s game ranked 25th in the NHL, at 15.9 per cent. “We definitely have the clientele for the set up that we do have,” he said. “I’m excited to play the half wall, which I haven’t done in a long time, especially on that (left side). It’s something that usually one of the forwards takes control of.” Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091375 Ottawa Senators

Craig Anderson returns to net against Red Wings

Ken Warren

DETROIT — Craig Anderson returns to the net Wednesday as the Ottawa Senators aim to find something — anything — to grasp on to against the Detroit Red Wings. The Senators are coming off Saturday’s 5-0 loss to the Boston Bruins, their fifth shutout of December, while the Red Wings are aiming to win their third consecutive game. Fredrik Claesson returns to the Senators defence, after missing the previous two games due to a suspension. Ben Harpur is the odd man out. Gabriel Dumont also returns from his undisclosed injury. Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091376 Ottawa Senators So while less time with Karlsson and more with Ceci/Phaneuf is likely part of it, it’s not the whole story.

An added piece of context is always what zones they are being deployed The precipitous fall of the Hoffman-Pageau-Pyatt line in. Overall, they’re a line that has seen a marginally more favourable balance of face-offs this year than last. They’re seeing more faceoffs at both ends of the ice this season which should, in theory, lead to an By Brad Timmins increase in both for and against numbers, but it hasn’t. When you put the two pieces of information together it gets a bit more interesting. In 2016-17, they had an offensive zone faceoff percentage of Ask Senators fans what their least favourite forward line is this season, 45.3 per cent when playing with Ceci-Phaneuf, this season that has and it’s a pretty good chance the trio of Tom Pyatt, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, dropped to 37.5 per cent. More time and more defensive faceoffs — and Mike Hoffman will be at the top of that list. that’s not a good combination. Last season, they were deployed against top competition as a shutdown For individual defenders, the offensive zone faceoff percentages follow a line with some offensive bite. They still allowed more shot attempts at 5- similar pattern to the Corsi percentages. They’re down, almost across the on-5 than they generated, but at 46.6 per cent Corsi For it wasn’t a tire board. The one notable exception is with Karlsson — it went from 51.1 fire, and they allowed attempts against at a slightly lower rate than the per cent last season to 79.1 per cent so far this season. That doesn’t team average. For actual shots on net, the Senators goalies had 10 per quite line up with the drop in Corsi percentage, but then Karlsson hasn’t cent fewer saves to make than when the line wasn’t on the ice. quite been himself yet this season and Oduya is definitely not Methot. Quantity isn’t the only piece of the puzzle. In terms of scoring chances, Add in whatever funk it is that has the whole team down, and you’ve got they came out even, and the team did significantly better at both ends of a recipe for a sharp decline in performance. the ice in high danger chances with this combo. As for results, rather than process, they outscored the opposition a whopping 16-4. This examination may all be moot though, for more than one reason. Since the Christmas break, they’ve seen a grand total of seven seconds There is the issue of it being a misuse of Hoffman’s offensive abilities (a of full strength play together, and that looks to have been purely from on legitimate concern with the line and their usage), but it was a line that did the fly changes. With the line not working at all, hopefully that continues. the job it was tasked with and did it well. Then there’s Mike Hoffman being the leading name for Senators trade But that was last season. bait — but that’s an entirely different discussion. This season, they have looked like a completely different line. The team The Athletic LOADED: 01.04.2018 is barely getting a third of the shot attempts with them on the ice, and the “quality over quantity” edge has completely disappeared. Statistically, every percentage is worse this season. Every “against” rate is worse this season. Almost every “for” rate is worse, with the sole exception of shots on net. There have been as many goals against in 80 minutes of play as there were in over 280 minutes last season. That’s not a pretty picture at all, with a lot of very large changes for the worse. They’re allowing an extra 25 shot attempts per 60 minutes of play, which is almost a 50 per cent increase. Allowing 2.1 more goals per 60 minutes may not seem huge until you consider that their GA/60 for 16-17 was only 0.85. Some of that is on the poor performance from the goalies this season, but not all of it — they’re seeing high danger chances at almost double the rate with Hoffman-Pageau-Pyatt this season as compared to last. Via HockeyViz.com, we can see the unblocked shot distribution at both ends of the ice with these three players out, for each of the past two seasons. The changes in the offensive zone aren’t too good — a shift to the right circle, more from the tops of the circles and the outside. The defensive zone is where it gets really scary. We’re seeing more unblocked shots from, well, everywhere. So what happened? Part of it is the defensive pairings they play with. Last season they spent almost equal time — about 80 minutes and 28 percent of their total each — on the ice with Cody Ceci-Dion Phaneuf and Erik Karlsson-Marc Methot. This season Karlsson-Methot obviously isn’t an option, and they’ve spent roughly a third of their time with Ceci-Phaneuf. Sixteen percent of their time has been with Karlsson and Johnny Oduya, and 12 percent with Ceci and Fredrik Claesson. Individually, Karlsson and Phaneuf (mostly separately) were on for about 41 percent of the trio’s ice time last season, Ceci for 40 percent and Methot for 34 percent. This season, it’s been Ceci for 54 percent of their time, Phaneuf at 44 percent, then it drops to Karlsson, Claesson and Johnny Oduya in the low- to mid-20s. It’s easy to look at that change in defensive distribution and declare the issue solved. It’s probably a part of it, but it’s not everything. The results with Ceci-Phaneuf last season were much better than this season. They had a Corsi For of 44.3 per cent as a five-man unit last season, which is marginally below the average for Hoffman-Pageau-Pyatt as a three-man unit but also significantly better than the 35.1 per cent so far this season. It’s not just that pairing that they’ve seen a drop with either. We can’t compare Karlsson-Methot to this season, but when they were out with Karlsson and (other), they put up a percentage of 49.6 per cent. This season that has plummeted to 40.9 per cent. The only individual D they played with in both seasons where they’ve seen an increase is with Ben Harpur, and they’ve played less than five minutes with him this season. 1091377 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers try to rebound against Islanders, who are high-scoring but defense-challenged by Sam Carchidi, STAFF WRITER

The Flyers, trying to rebound from a 5-1 whipping by Pittsburgh, will host a New York Islanders team Thursday that features one of the NHL’s top offenses. “They’ve been a team that has scored on a high pace all the way through the year,” coach Dave Hakstol said after Wednesday’s practice in Voorhees. “They’re a tough group to handle offensively.” The Islanders (20-16-4) are four points ahead of the Flyers (16-15-8) in the crowded Eastern Conference playoff race. Both are outside of a wild- card spot. New York is averaging 3.38 goals per game, third-best in the NHL entering Wednesday. On the flip side, the Islanders are allowing a league-high 3.58 goals per game. The Flyers, who dropped 4-3 and 5-4 overtime decisions to the Islanders in November, have averaged just 1.9 goals in their last eight games at the Wells Fargo Center. “We’ve got to get a little bit hungrier on the inside, offensively,” Hakstol said. The game will match four of the league’s top scorers: the Isles’ Josh Bailey (50 points, second in the NHL entering Wednesday) and John Tavares (49, tied for third), and the Flyers’ Jake Voracek (46, tied for seventh) and Claude Giroux (46, tied for seventh). New York’s Anders Lee has 24 goals, third in the NHL. Breakaways Ivan Provorov, who blocked a shot with his left leg and limped off the ice Tuesday but later returned, was able to practice. … Brian Elliott has made 14 straight starts, but Hakstol wouldn’t say who will get the nod Thursday. Michal Neuvirth played the third period, his first appearance since Nov. 28, and allowed one goal. … The Flyers’ penalty kill has allowed three goals in five power plays over the last two games. Overall, their penalty kill is 29th in the 31-team NHL, clicking at just 75.6 percent. The Isles’ PK is even worse, ranked 30th with a 74.6 percent success rate. … Giroux’s seven-game assist streak ended Tuesday. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091378 Philadelphia Flyers Despite being injured at Bloomsburg, Jackie Lithgow was not reluctant about returning to the school, she said.

“He never felt that way,” she said. Assault victim Jackie Lithgow's amazing recovery and the Flyers' role in it Lisa Lithgow said it was difficult when her son first returned to school because she was worried about his balance. by Sam Carchidi, STAFF WRITER “Even doing stairs when he first went back, he was holding onto the rail, and I was just praying that he wouldn’t fall,” she said. “And he just continues to get better and better and better.” Jackie Lithgow, who turned 23 on Wednesday — and was greeted warmly in the Flyers’ practice-facility locker room by the players who he “He wants to ice skate,” said Jackie’s father, a special-education teacher, said inspired his recovery from brain trauma — was attending “but he’s not allowed to. The doc says, ‘Listen, you fall on the ice and you Bloomsburg University when he was assaulted and critically injured while slip backwards … .’ Any bang on the head would be catastrophic.” breaking up a fight on Feb. 23, 2014. Lisa Lithgow said she found a diagnosis that people with injuries similar Lithgow, then 19, was punched by a Kutztown football player at an off- to her son’s stayed in a vegetative state 90 percent of the time. “We went campus Bloomsburg fraternity party. His head struck the pavement, and up and down for nine months,” she said, referring to the emotional roller- he went into a coma for about a month. He suffered serious brain trauma coaster surrounding each of Jackie’s surgeries and other ailments and and underwent six operations. complications that developed, including battles with meningitis and infection. A diehard Flyers fan, he attended one of their practices that November and was pushed into their Voorhees locker room in a wheelchair, barely Jackie Lithgow beat the odds. able to speak. When Lithgow returned to Magee Hospital that day, his As his mother says: “Every day is a gift.” therapist noticed a huge difference and a more positive attitude. About a year later, after a long rehabilitation at Magee, he was able to walk into Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 01.04.2018 the locker room with some assistance. Fast-forward to Wednesday. As the players filtered in from the ice, Lithgow hugged Wayne Simmonds, his favorite player, and walked into the locker room on his own power. Lithgow talked excitedly about being back at Bloomsburg and attending classes, about living in an apartment on his own, and about being reunited with the players who have meant so much to him. “He looks unbelievable. I had to give him a big hug,” Simmonds said. “I didn’t recognize him for a second.” “What I like to call myself is a better me,” Lithgow said, as his proud parents, Lisa and Jim, who live near Carlisle, stood behind him. “I like to see myself as better than I was before my injury. I’ve learned so much from my injury. I’m more knowledgeable and a better person.” Simmonds, Jake Voracek, Claude Giroux, and Sean Couturier serenaded him with an off-key but sincere version of “Happy Birthday,” as Lithgow was presented with a cake. About a year ago, Lithgow went back to Bloomsburg and was able to take a class. Mentally, it was very difficult, he said. “I struggled and I wasn’t able to handle the capacity of more than one class. Then after that, I took a summer course, and then I went back and took two classes eventually for two semesters, and now, this is my first time taking three courses.” Lithgow, who is majoring in mass communications, went from locker to locker, talking to several Flyers. “They were a major factor in my recovery,” he said. “My parents could tell you. I wore Flyers [gear] throughout the whole recovery.” He said trainer Jim McCrossin gave him Flyers sneakers soon after he was injured. “I didn’t take them off for a year and a half … except to go to bed,” he said with a smile. “Getting the shoes and meeting the players for the first time was obviously an inspiration. The only times I would leave Magee would be either for a surgery … or the [Flyers’] Voorhees practice center. They stood me up, and I watched practice, and we called it therapy, which I guess it was, because I was standing up. But it just gave me inspiration to know that if these guys worked hard to get to where they’re going now, what’s stopping me to get from working hard to where I want to be?” Jackie Lithgow and his Flyers birthday cake. Hearing that Lithgow believed the Flyers had steered him toward recovery, Simmonds seemed genuinely humbled. “It humanizes you,” he said. “We play a game we love for a living, and it’s not always about hockey. It’s about other things outside of hockey, and helping people.” Coach Dave Hakstol added, “To see the spirit and toughness of a guy like Jackie … and what he’s gone through, it just speaks to who he is as a person – and his family. His mom and dad and family were with him every step of the way.” Lisa Lithgow said her son is “learning what his new strengths are.” 1091379 Philadelphia Flyers team that needs a different message, style of play, and technique than what they are being given.

Tuesday night, Michael Raffl, their second-line left winger, made an Flyers are what their record says they are | Sam Donnellon incredible move on a breakaway, then backhanded the puck across the slot behind goalie Tristan Jarry. In terms of degree of difficulty, the move, and the shot, were 10s. Any contact with either of Jarry’s flailing pads, by Sam Donnellon, STAFF WRITER and the puck was in the net. Instead, it slid across the crease. Raffl scored Nov. 22 against the Islanders and had a little spurt after that, pumping in three straight during a surprisingly successful road trip out Technically. West in early December. He has scored one goal since. He plays hard every night, is physical, has decent wheels, and is a plus-7 despite an When the first period ended, the difference was about the same, 11-point total. technically — the home team with the better play and the better chances, and, well, if the Flyers were a curling team and not a hockey team, they It’s not that this team isn’t trying. It’s just that, in the NHL, trying isn’t might have even emerged with a nice little lead, and we’d be talking nearly enough. about a whole different game than the latest clunker they laid in front of the paid crowd. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 01.04.2018 But they are a hockey team, which means an average of 2.8 goals per game ain’t going to get it done over their next 43 games any more than it did over the first 39. Which means that slim separation in points between them and the Stanley Cup champions is much larger when you consider how Tuesday’s 5-1 loss played out or the historic capabilities of the Penguins and those of this era’s Flyers. The Penguins scored three goals in 137 seconds to flip a 1-1 game into a 4-1 game. They did so with goals from their fourth line, their first line, and their fourth line again. On the ice for the Flyers? Their second line, their first line, and their first line again. Those fellas had their chances. The Flyers had four odd-man rushes in that first period. It was tragically comical to see how all but one ended, especially since Pittsburgh started its backup goaltender. The Flyers (16-15-8) outshot the Pens, 10-6, in that period, and it ended with all sorts of promise, as Penguins defenseman Kris Letang was sent off for a high stick with just eight seconds remaining. With clean ice to start the second period and the home crowd ready to rumble, the Flyers got one shot on goal. Between periods, Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan urged his team to not be as cute as it had tried to be in the first period, a period that Flyers starting goaltender Brian Elliott aptly described as “not very much intensity from either side really.’’ Sullivan told his players to just put the puck on net, and they started to after the penalty kill. Elliott, who had been outstanding over the 13 games he started in succession, aptly took blame for the loss. But he also saw the front end of the game much differently than either his coach or his captain did, the way I and many others saw it. “First period, we played solid. We played fast. We had some good plays. We had a lot of chances,’’ said Claude Giroux, who had one shot in 21 minutes, 5 seconds, and 24 shifts. “In the second and third, that wasn’t the case.’’ Said coach Dave Hakstol, “I don’t think there’s a whole lot we would change in the first 30 minutes. It’s the next 2, 2½ minutes that cost us the game.’’ That’s a convenient take, one he uses often in a postgame critique that often – too often – contains the “liked the effort, not the result’’ refrain. Truth is, those early flubs cost them the game as much as those 2½ minutes did. Score once even, twice ideally, and the desperate chances that so often mark these debilitating Flyers losses might be reduced, if not eliminated. But that would require more players with pop than this team’s statistics suggest it has. “Just got to keep working on it,’’ Hakstol said when reminded of that 2.8 goals average. Only five teams had scored less than the Flyers entering Tuesday’s game. “In terms of generating opportunities and continuing to push the envelope with combinations, things like that. Absolutely we can keep continuing to work to get better there,’’ Hakstol said. Really, he’s already pushed more envelopes this holiday season than a postal worker. Jake Voracek has been paired with every center they have to produce secondary scoring. Wayne Simmonds has moved up and down lines. Travis Konecny has, too. Shayne Gostisbehere and Ivan Provorov have been paired together to try and generate more offense from the blue line. At the end of the day, you are what your record says you are, to quote Bill Parcells. And the Flyers are either a team with too many muckers, too little scoring depth, and, thus, little counterpunching ability. Or they are a 1091380 Philadelphia Flyers

Five observations from Flyers' loss to Penguins by Sam Carchidi, STAFF WRITER

Five observations from the Flyers’ 5-1 loss to visiting Pittsburgh on Tuesday: A Flyers-Penguins matchup used to be the NHL’s equivalent of the Yankees-Red Sox. Remember? But Tuesday’s game was a dud. “The intensity wasn’t there, not what it usually is,” defenseman Andrew MacDonald said. Oh, there was booing whenever Sidney Crosby touched the puck, and a few late-game chants, but for the most part, there was little electricity in the arena. Yes, the Flyers’ poor play over the last 30 minutes contributed mightily. Penalty-killing woes The calendar has changed to 2018, but the Flyers’ penalty killing is as dreadful as it looked in 2017. Pittsburgh was 2 for 2 on the power play. The Flyers began the night 29th out of 31 teams on the penalty kill with a 76.9 percent success rate. (The power play also struggled, as it went 0 for 4, though Shayne Gostisbehere hit the post with one shot.) The PK has been even worse at home, killing just 70.2 percent of its penalties. Better start, but … The Flyers had a territorial edge and outshot Pittsburgh by 10-6 in the opening period. But they botched 2-on-1 and 3-on-2 breaks – failing even to get a shot off in both situations – and, as a result, failed to take the lead in the first. The teams were scoreless after 20 minutes. The Flyers have led after the first period just once in the last 19 games. That has to change if this team is going to make a playoff charge. Metro blues The Flyers are last in the Metropolitan Division. On merit. They have just one win in six Metro games (1-1-4), and they missed a chance to slip ahead of the Penguins in the division. “It was a good chance to kind of make a statement and get back in the standings,” center Sean Couturier said. “We lost that chance, but at the same time, there are 40-some games left. Lots of hockey left.” Provorov watch Ivan Provorov, the Flyers’ best defenseman, blocked a shot with his left leg and limped around the locker room after the game before heading for X-rays. The Flyers will give an update Wednesday. Provorov had a rough night and was on the ice for four Penguins goals – two at even strength, two on the power play. On a night when Crosby and Evgeni Malkin didn’t score goals, the Penguins’ lower lines picked up the slack. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091385 Philadelphia Flyers The 19-year-old had a rough couple of games down in Florida. But in the few games before the Christmas break, his play had promise. Last night returned the hope that his second half will be more productive than his Penguins 5, Flyers 1: After Brian Elliott's shaky night, who will start in first. goal Thursday? Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 01.04.2018 by Sam Donnellon, STAFF WRITER

Unlucky 13: Brian Elliott had played 13 straight games prior to Tuesday’s tilt with the Penguins, including three back-to-backs. He performed well in all three of those situations, and particularly in the second games against top-tiered teams. So what happened – four goals allowed in Pittsburgh’s first 13 shots – could not have been anticipated. Elliott hasn’t looked that vulnerable in a long time. He was replaced by Michal Neuvirth to start the third period. Neuvirth allowed a power play goal and made 10 saves. It will be interesting to see how Flyers coach Dave Hakstol plays Thursday night. Does he finally give Michael Neuvirth, healthy since before the Christmas break, a start? Or does he treat last night as a blip and go back to Elliott? It could be an indication of how Hakstol sees what he calls a “tandem’’ playing out for the second half of this season. Good Travis, Bad Travis, all on the same play. Travis Konecny’s nifty moves often make some of the league’s better players look foolish, and such was the case with the game scoreless midway through the second period. Konecny weaved the puck around Pittsburgh’s veteran all-star defenseman Kris Letang, who hooked, held and spun the smaller player to the ice. No penalty call was made. Konecny, frustrated, swatted wildly at a puck while on his knees, taking the legs out from under Pittsburgh’s Daniel Sprong. Guess who went to the box? Guess which team scored the game’s first goal as a result? Role reversal. Ivan Provorov is known as the steady defensive presence, Shayne Gostisbehere the risk-taking offensive threat. But twice in the game’s first four minutes it was Gostisbehere who rescued the Flyers from a dangerous situation with stellar defensive play and smart shot blocking. During the game’s very first shift, Provorov, who has been paired with Ghost of late, twice lost the puck at his blueline. The second time produced a scoring opportunity for Pittsburgh’s dangerous first line, but Ghost got in the way of a pass across the slot. About three minutes later, defending a 2-on-1, Ghost prevented a pass across the high slot. Later, during a third-period power play, Ghost made a tremendous keep on a puck lifted, playing a puck on the blueline while on all fours to keep it in the offensive zone. Pad luck: As debilitating as those quick goals were, the Flyers could have easily emerged from the second down by one goal if not for some pad luck – bad pad luck if you’re a Flyers fan. Pittsburgh goaltender Tristan Jarry was beaten by Michael Raffl on a breakaway. Jarry waved both pads desperately as Raffl backhanded the puck towards the goal. Had he succeeded in getting even a small piece, the puck would have bounced into the net and not have crossed through the goal mouth. Alas, he did not. Later, Gostisbehere’s bomb from the point hit one goal post, slid across and hit the other, and bounced out. Nolan hope: After two periods the Flyers scoring ledger was full of minuses. One name that had a plus next to it: Rookie Nolan Patrick, the second overall pick of last June’s draft. Patrick played one of his better games this season. He seems to be getting quicker and stronger. His dirty work down low on the first Flyers goal occupied two Pittsburgh defenseman and allowed Jordan Weal to be unchecked in the high slot, redirecting a shot from the point by Radko Gudas. Centering a third line with Weal and Wayne Simmonds, Patrick played 14 minutes, 54 seconds and 20 shifts – his most ice time this season. 1091386 Philadelphia Flyers This one wasn’t nearly as competitive, which is why E-A-G-L-E-S chants (and some directed at Sidney Crosby) echoed around the building late in the game. Flyers fail to keep momentum going, fall to Penguins, 5-1 “We know we can play better,” Flyers captain Claude Giroux said. “We’re a better team than that.” by Sam Carchidi, STAFF WRITER Their record — and their inconsistent play — say otherwise. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 01.04.2018 The Flyers failed to build off one of their most impressive wins of the season and missed a chance to climb in the standings Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Center. Blame their sloppy play and a multitude of defensive breakdowns as they lost to their most bitter rival, the Pittsburgh Penguins, 5-1. On a night when the crowd’s loudest roar might have come when Eagles coach Doug Pederson was shown on the scoreboard watching from a suite, Pittsburgh scored three second-period goals in a 2-minute, 17- second span to pull away from a 1-1 tie and salvage one win on its three- game road trip. “It’s frustrating, especially with the magnitude of the game and where we are in the standings,” defenseman Andrew MacDonald said of the team’s flat performance. “We had a really great opportunity to gain some ground with some games in hand. Obviously, it wasn’t the result we wanted, or even the effort for that matter.” The Flyers (16-15-8) were coming off a 5-3 victory at best-in-the-NHL Tampa on Friday, but the momentum didn’t carry over and they missed a chance to slip past the Penguins (20-18-3) in the Metropolitan Division. The Penguins have been one of the NHL’s worst five-on-five teams this season, getting outscored by a stunning 91-53 margin entering Tuesday. But they scored three even-strength goals in the second period – two by fourth-line wingers — to turn a 1-1 tie into a 4-1 lead. “They won the battles and were stronger on pucks when they needed it,” center Sean Couturier said. “You want to be at your best, and I wasn’t and I don’t think anybody can say they were, either,” said losing goalie Brian Elliott, who made his 14th straight start and allowed four goals on 14 shots before being replaced by Michal Neuvirth at the start of the third period. “We can’t have off nights like this. It didn’t seem like we had it tonight, for whatever reason.” The Flyers failed to clear fourth-line right winger Ryan Reaves from in front of the net and he made it 2-1 with 8:51 left in the second. Just 40 seconds later, Conor Sheary scored on a breakaway after rookie defenseman Robert Hagg was caught too far down in the offensive zone, giving Pittsburgh a 3-1 lead. With 6:34 remaining in the second, fourth-line left winger Tom Kuhnhackl won a battle with Ivan Provorov in the high slot and put a shot between the defenseman’s legs and past Elliott to put the Penguins ahead, 4-1. In the third period, Provorov injured his left leg blocking a shot just before defenseman Jamie Oleksiak made it 5-1 by scoring a power-play goal with about six minutes left. Provorov returned a couple of minutes later. He was limping after the game. The Penguins, who benefited greatly from having injured defensemen Kris Letang and Justin Schultz back in the lineup, took a 1-0 lead on Phil Kessel’s power-play goal — a bad-angle blast from deep in the right circle — with 10:25 left in the second. Just 54 seconds later, Jordan Weal answered as he deflected Radko Gudas’ drive past backup goalie Tristan Jarry for his first goal in 10 games, briefly knotting the score at 1-all. ( Later, Jarry apparently was injured making a save on Michael Raffl and he was replaced by Matt Murray with 5:26 left in the second.) Neither team had many quality chances in a scoreless first period, one in which Raffl made a pass behind Jake Voracek to flub a two-on-one chance. “I thought we had a good start, and then they got a few chances and they capitalized on them,” Couturier said. “The next thing you know, you’re chasing the game and forcing things.” The Penguins coasted to their first regulation victory in their last seven games. They are just 8-12-2 on the road. Pittsburgh has won both games against the Flyers this season. On Nov. 27, the host Penguins overcame 3-1 and 4-3 deficits and registered a 5-4 overtime victory. 1091387 Philadelphia Flyers Perhaps when Hextall starts to feel giddy about this team again will we truly know they have the depth to compete for a championship.

Roster move Why Flyers' depth is really a mirage The Flyers on Wednesday night called up forward Tyrell Goulbourne from AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley. He will be available for Thursday's game By John Boruk | NBC Sports Philadelphia January 03, 2018 3:20 PM against the Islanders at the Wells Fargo Center. The 6-foot, 200-pound winger was drafted by the Flyers in the third round of the 2013 draft and has spent parts of his last three seasons with the VOORHEES, N.J. — Maybe there was a false sense of reality right from Phantoms. Wayne Simmonds' opening hat trick to the eight-goal outburst against the Washington Capitals in the home opener. In 34 games with Lehigh Valley this season, the 23-year-old has six goals, five assists and a plus-8 rating. “Just remember, after eight games, the media was all giddy about our team,” Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said a month ago in Calgary. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.04.2018 “We were like, ‘It’s a little early about getting too giddy about this team.’ We were a pretty good team then. Pretty good.” Perhaps the giddiness (if that truly existed) was a result of having some giddyap to their game in that first month when the Flyers received contributions up and down their lineup while displaying an ability to transition out of their zone efficiently and effectively. Offensively, the Flyers were ranked in the top five in goals per game, but the “O" was more of an oasis, the illusion of a balanced offensive attack. Earlier this week when I asked certain Flyers about the team’s identity or lack thereof, head coach Dave Hakstol pointed directly to “depth” as that identifiable trait. Coming out of training camp, that may have been the case. Oskar Lindblom, who many believed was NHL ready, was assigned to Lehigh Valley, while Samuel Morin was essentially the eighth defenseman when the season started. The Flyers had a certain degree of depth, but as we’ve discovered over the past six weeks, it’s not the organizational depth needed to carry them over an 82-game schedule. Through those first 10 games, Jordan Weal had five points and was averaging nearly 14:26 a game. In the 23 games proceeding October, Weal has just five more points, averaging just 11:51. Fourth-liners Taylor Leier and Scott Laughton have seen their ice time take a significant hit as well. Combined, they were logging over 25 minutes through the first month of the season to just under 21½ minutes in December. Some of that decrease in ice time has been Hakstol’s decision to take Leier off the penalty kill. Laughton agreed a handful of the Flyers' supporting cast just haven’t been relied upon as much as they were during the opening weeks of the season. “Yeah, I’m not sure. I guess it’s just the situation and you've got to know your role,” Laughton said. “That’s the biggest thing. I knew my role coming into the year was going to be this and you've got to stick with it. Even though you’re not playing the big minutes, I think it’s an important role to try and create momentum.” However, it’s been the role players of the Flyers' opponents who have provided that momentum recently. On Tuesday night, the Penguins received a pair of goals from fourth-liners Ryan Reaves and Tom Kuhnhackl. Last week in Florida, the Panthers' Jared McCann and Derek MacKenzie chipped in with decisive goals. Hakstol has been forced to shorten his bench to protect third-period leads and has resorted to double shifting some of his skilled players when trying to make up a third-period deficit. From a forward standpoint, you have Sean Couturier, Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek, Simmonds and Valtteri Filppula earning the bulk of the playing time, and then there’s every other forward in one collective clump. Compare that to the NHL’s top team, the Lightning, who have a perfect balance with eight forwards averaging in the 16-20 minute range. Sure, few teams have the luxury, but it wasn’t that long ago the Flyers were in that same boat. It just happened to be the last time they won a playoff series in 2012. Only on defense has the Flyers' depth been tested through injury, as Hakstol has been forced to play 10 different blueliners, the same number they played with all of last season. Collectively that unit has a plus-10 rating, a respectable sum considering the injuries and suspension to Radko Gudas, plus the growing pains of a handful of rookies. Depth has been an issue within this organization since the lockout in 2013. And unless the Flyers stage an impressive turnaround in the second half of this season, they’ll miss the postseason for the fourth time in the last six years. 1091388 Philadelphia Flyers On his second outing, in 2015, he wanted to walk into the locker room. His father helped him out of his wheelchair and, his legs in braces, he took a few steps in the room although it clearly took a lot out of him. College student visits Flyers after injury, humbling them after loss That was Dave Hakstol’s opening season and when he first met Lithgow. “To have the chance to be just a small part of what Jackie’s doing and Dave Isaac, @davegisaac Published 5:03 p.m. ET Jan. 3, 2018 what he’s going through, that’s a pretty big thing in life just to be a small part of that,” Hakstol said. “All of this really speaks to him and what he’s all about. For him to get a little bit of motivation or boost to be a part of what we’re doing it’s special for us.” VOORHEES — Jackie Lithgow returned on his 23rd birthday looking much different than he did at age 20. Dave Isaac; @davegisaac; 856-486-2479; [email protected] Wayne Simmonds didn’t even recognize him at first. A day after the Up next: vs. New York Islanders Flyers were taken to the cleaners by their rival, Simmonds was ready to storm off the ice post practice before he realized who was standing there When: 7 p.m., Thursday waiting for him. TV/Radio: NBCSP/97.5 FM “He looks unbelievable,” Simmonds said. “I had to give him a big hug.” Courier-Post LOADED: 01.04.2018 Life can humble people pretty quickly. Last time Simmonds saw Lithgow he was in a wheelchair, able to process what people were saying to him but unable to respond. The left side of his body was unresponsive and he was barely able to smile at the sight of his favorite team. The native of Boiling Springs, Pa., a suburb of Harrisburg, Lithgow spent nine months at Magee Rehab Hospital in Philadelphia after he was assaulted when he tried to break up a fight at Bloomsburg University. A freshman at the time, Lithgow was beaten badly. His head hit concrete after he fell from taking several punches. He was in a coma for a month. His mother, Lisa, said that on the Glasgow Coma Scale, which ranges between three and 15, some doctors said her son wouldn’t get past a three. Not only did he wake from the coma, he walked into the Flyers’ locker room Wednesday and had full conversations. What turned him around, he said, was meeting Simmonds after the injury. “The meeting with Wayne Simmonds I had, knowing I had all the Flyers’ support and knowing I obviously had the family behind me and that support system there, but knowing that there was support coming from other places like the Flyers’ organization,” Lithgow explained, “just made me want to try harder to get better. It made me want to walk into the locker room.” The day after his visit three years ago, his physical therapist noticed a huge change. Flyers head of medical services Jim McCrossin gave Lithgow a pair of Flyers sneakers. He wouldn’t take them off for the ensuing months as he rehabbed himself back to normalcy. “He did not ever put any other sneakers on,” Lithgow’s father, Jim, said. “His therapist looked at him like, ‘Does he own any other—‘ ‘No, he’s not taking them off.’” He had on new shoes as he walked into the Flyers’ locker room Wednesday. Lithgow has gone back to school and has decided to major in mass communications. The Flyers had a birthday cake waiting for him and Simmonds wanted to be there to watch Lithgow blow out the candles. Several teammates joined him, astounded by the turnaround in his health. What a feeling it must be to hear that meeting with a struggling teenager helped motivate him to power through an arduous rehabilitation. “It humanizes you,” Simmonds said. “We play a game that we love for a living and it’s not always about hockey. It’s about other things outside of hockey that you can do to help people and Jackie’s living proof. It’s heartwarming. It’s pretty cool. It’s really cool.” Lithgow is starting his own foundation to help raise money for local traumatic brain injury survivors. He has raised enough money to donate $29,000 back to Magee so that others can receive the same kind of help he did. He’s come a long way even from when he first went back to school and didn’t know how to get from his dorm room to the classroom. “I just thought, ‘I’ve got to get through this,’” he said. “There’s no time limit because every injury is different.” Wednesday was Lithgow’s third visit with the Flyers. 1091389 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins notebook: Goaltending is risky business against Flyers

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018, 8:36 p.m.

When the Penguins play the Philadelphia Flyers, the goalie who starts the game doesn't always finish it. In fact, over the past seven meetings between the intrastate rivals, the Penguins starter has left with an injury three times. On Tuesday night, Tristan Jarry left in the second period with an apparent wrist injury after taking a slash from Michael Raffl in a net-front scramble. Earlier this season, Matt Murray suffered a lower-body injury when Jakub Voracek slid feet-first into the crease Nov. 27. In 2016, Murray suffered a concussion when Brayden Schenn kneed him in the head in the regular- season finale April 9. None of the three plays in question was a classic case of a player running the goalie. All three could be explained away as accidental contact while trying to score a goal. Still, it prompts a question: Does something more need to be done to protect goalies from physical punishment, especially when the Flyers are involved? It's a dilemma for defensemen. In the past, they could hook, hold, cross- check or otherwise impede a forward rushing toward the net. Now, such an action will be met immediately with a referee's whistle. “Your position has to be really spot on,” defenseman Ian Cole said. “Otherwise, if you're not in perfect position, you can't limit that lane to the net without hooking or holding or doing whatever, which have been limited. It's more about positioning and skating yourself into the correct position to prevent those guys from getting there, and this team in Philly has a lot of guys that are really good around the net front.” It's also worth asking whether referees can do more to protect goaltenders. “That's a tough question,” Cole said. “I think everyone's intending to protect goalies. I don't think it's an oversight by any means. But I do think we, as defensemen and our teams, always need to do a good job protecting our goalies and limiting guys' ice and their ability to get to the net. If we do that, it shouldn't put refs in the position to have to make that choice.” INJURY REPORT The Penguins canceled Wednesday's practice, thus pushing back a day public updates on the condition of three players injured in Tuesday night's game in Philadelphia. In addition to Jarry's injury, defenseman Brian Dumoulin left after taking a puck to the head and Carter Rowney did not play beyond the first period. IN CASE OF EMERGENCY In Wilkes-Barre, goalie Michael Leighton, a 36-year-old veteran of 111 career NHL games who was acquired last month in a trade with Arizona, is out on a week-to-week basis with a lower-body injury. With Leighton out and Jarry's status in doubt, the Baby Pens did not want to risk an injury to top call-up option Casey DeSmith by playing him Friday night against Bridgeport. So they started ECHL call-up Anthony Peters and looked to the past for an emergency back-up. They signed and dressed former Penguins goalie Sebastien Caron, who lives in the Wilkes-Barre area. Now 37, Caron retired from pro hockey in 2016. He last played for the Penguins in 2006. Tribune Review LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091390 Pittsburgh Penguins opportunities. We're behind the 8-ball right now. You've got to win those games.”

Tribune Review LOADED: 01.04.2018 Rivalry games bringing out best in Penguins

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018, 7:14 p.m.

Mike Sullivan has been working his way through a trying season for the Penguins, pushing every button he can to help the team get back on track. If he were a college football coach, though, fans might be throwing parades in his honor. In that sport, perhaps nothing is valued more than victories over hated rivals, and frankly, despite their persistent struggles, the Penguins have plenty of those this season. The Penguins broke out of an offensive funk with a decisive 5-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night. That gives them a 2-0 record against their cross-state foes this season. Add in a 2-0 record against the Columbus Blue Jackets and a 1-1 mark against the Washington Capitals, and they're 5-1-0 in rivalry games this season. In a 5-4 shootout win over Columbus on Dec. 27, the Penguins erased three two-goal deficits. A 3-2 victory at Washington in the fourth game of the season was perhaps the team's best October performance. The Penguins seem to be at their finest when facing opponents they don't like. “When you play divisional opponents, when you play against teams you have history against, those are the most exciting games to be a part of,” Sullivan said. “Those are the most emotional games, and I think our team is at its best when we're invested emotionally.” There's an obvious flip side to the rivalry success the Penguins are having, of course. It means they're 15-17-3 in games that don't promise to be particularly intense or emotional. That bugs winger Conor Sheary. “Obviously when you play a team you're rivals with, you bring a little more energy,” Sheary said. “It's kind of built into the game. You sometimes have to manufacture it when you play other teams. It's disappointing that it's that way because you want to be able to bring your best every night. Sometimes that's hard to do in this league.” If the definition of the term “rivalry” is broadened, the numbers still look good for the Penguins. Teams that meet in the playoffs often have more intense matchups the following season. The Penguins are 5-1-1 against teams they beat en route to the franchise's fifth Stanley Cup championship last season. Based on the way the schedule is weighted, any team in the Metropolitan Division easily could be considered a rival of the Penguins as well. By that measurement, the Penguins are rolling and have been for quite some time. They're 7-3-0 against Metropolitan Division teams this season. Last year, they were 20-8-2. The year before that, 19-9-2. Those numbers are perhaps the most meaningful for the Penguins moving forward. Of the team's remaining 41 games, 18 are against Metropolitan teams. When crunch time really hits in late March, the Penguins will play five of their last eight games against teams within the division. A couple of meaningful division games are on tap the next two days as well. The Penguins host the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night before visiting the New York Islanders on Friday. Right now, those three teams are locked in a battle for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Hurricanes and Islanders have 44 points. The Penguins have 43. That means, despite the fact the Penguins have lost eight of their last 12 games, they could improbably be back in a playoff spot by the time they go to bed Thursday night. “We've played pretty well against our division rivals,” winger Carl Hagelin said. “Our league and our division, especially, is really tight this year. You've got to make sure you're making the most out of these 1091391 Pittsburgh Penguins The real issue on the blue line has been the play of Kris Letang. Letang has put up fine offensive numbers (he’s actually on pace for a career- high in assists) but has struggled with his decision-making and puck Riley Sheahan dives for loose puck against the Blue Jackets on Dec. 27. movement a lot this season, sometimes disastrously so. His minus-15 is 1 Grading the first half of the 2017-18 Penguins season Peter among the worst plus-minus in the NHL, though it has leveled off a bit Diana/Post-Gazette after a terrible start. Letang’s play has been a weak spot, but it also seems reasonable to think it’s an easy improvement in the second half if Letang gets back to his old self. SAM WERNER Kris Letang Can Kris Letang turn things around in the second half? The first half of this season certainly didn’t unfold exactly the way the (Peter Diana/Post-Gazette) Penguins (and their fans) expected. With 41 games down, the Penguins sit outside the NHL’s playoff picture, a point behind the Hurricanes for the Goaltending: C+ last wild-card spot. Matt Murray has been OK-not-great in his first year as the unquestioned We’ll find out in the next three months (and then some) whether this full-time starter in the Penguins’ net. His .903 save percentage is fourth- season ends in a third Stanley Cup title or a spring with no playoffs (or worst among NHL goalies with at least 20 games played, and his .906 somewhere in between). Before that gets started, let’s take a look back even-strength save percentage is well below his career average of .932. and assess the first half of this season: He has just one shutout on the year and has held opponents to zero or one goal in just six of his 29 appearances (20.7 percent). For Top six forwards: B- comparison’s sake, last year Murray posted four shutouts and held opponents to zero or one goal in 19 of his 49 appearances (38.8 Both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are behind their scoring paces percent). from last season. At the midway point a year ago, they had 45 points apiece, and Crosby led the NHL with 26 goals despite missing the first Murray hasn’t been bad, per se, especially when you consider the six games of the season. seemingly routine poor all-around play in front of him, but he also hasn’t been able to bail the Penguins out and steal games for them over this This year, Malkin sits at 38 points while Crosby has 36. They each have first half, which is something they desperately needed at times. 14 goals, which puts them in a tie for 46th in the NHL. Crosby, especially, is going through probably the worst offensive season of his career. He’s Behind Murray, it's really been a mixed bag. Antti Niemi was absolutely averaging just 0.88 points per game, by far the lowest mark of his career. dreadful in his three starts and was unceremoniously put on waivers. Even if he plays all 82 games for the first time, he’s on pace for some Since then, Tristan Jarry has been really solid as Murray’s backup. His career-worst offensive numbers. Never doubt Crosby’s ability to catch fire numbers (2.36 GAA, .922 save percentage, .923 even-strength save and get these numbers up where they should be, but so far it has been a percentage) are better than Murray’s. He’s not going to unseat Murray disappointing offensive season for him. from the starting job any time soon, but Jarry’s play so far should have the Penguins feeling good about their backup goaltending the rest of the The wingers, too, have mostly underwhelmed. Jake Guentzel has just way, and maybe allow Murray to rest some more down the stretch. one goal in his last 14 games, and Conor Sheary only recently seems to have found his scoring touch. Management/Coaching: B There are two positives from this group, though. Patric Hornqvist is still We can start with general manager Jim Rutherford’s moves, starting in doing Patric Hornqvist things, scoring dirty goals and acting as a net-front the offseason. He probably didn’t have much choice in letting Bonino, menace on the power play. Cullen and Trevor Daley walk, for various reasons. It might be worth wondering, though, if the Penguins should’ve pursued a short-term deal Phil Kessel is also having an excellent year on Malkin’s right wing and for Chris Kunitz, who probably could’ve added some punch to the bottom salvaging this group from being a bigger disappointment. He’s on pace six. for 88 points, which would be a career-high. As far as additions, they’ve ranged from disastrous (Niemi) to mostly Bottom six forwards: C solid (Sheahan and Hunwick). None of the newcomers have been an absolute home run, and the most high-profile (Ryan Reaves) still seems This area has gotten slightly better since the acquisition of Riley Sheahan like a work in progress as far as how he fits into the team. That’s not but has still mostly underwhelmed this season. Plus, you have to take ideal halfway through a season. into account that the first nine games before the Sheahan trade were pretty bleak in this regard. On the bench, Mike Sullivan still seems to be finding the right buttons to push. He’s constantly tinkering with lineup combinations, to the point Even now, this is the clearest area for improvement in the second half, where it might be beneficial just to let things ride for a little bit to let some probably via trade. Sheahan is on pace for 30 points (Nick Bonino had 37 consistency develop. But Sullivan also certainly deserves some credit for last year) but also just seven goals, which is well behind Bonino’s 18. navigating the team through an absolutely brutal schedule over the first Bryan Rust is also the only “bottom-six” winger (and, really, Rust plays in two months. The Penguins have dealt with their share of injuries, too. For the top six just as much, if not more) with double-digit points. Carl as much as this season has felt like a disaster, they’re still very much Hagelin is having an even more disappointing season than last year, with within striking distance of the playoffs, and Sullivan probably has a pretty just two goals and six points (for reference, Tom Kuhnhackl is on pace big role in that. for better offensive numbers). Carter Rowney is virtually a non-factor MVP: Phil Kessel offensively, a big step back from what Matt Cullen provided as the fourth- line center the past two years. The team’s most consistent offensive threat through the first 41 games, Kessel leads the Penguins in goals (17), assists (27) and points (44). It’s Maybe the win in Philadelphia on Tuesday night could signal the start of probably not a coincidence that he’s on pace for his most shots as a a productive second half for the bottom six, but this has clearly been the Penguin. most glaring weakness so far. Phil Kessel Defense: B Phil Kessel has been a major bright spot through 41 games. Let’s start with the good. Olli Maatta is having a career year and could be the Penguins’ best defenseman right now. Justin Schultz, when healthy, (Peter Diana/Post-Gazette) has mostly justified the contract he signed in the offseason. Brian Dumoulin has been his usual steady self. Most improved player: Olli Maatta Even the new additions have mostly fit in. Matt Hunwick has been a fine Maatta’s first couple of years in the league signaled that he was capable third-pairing guy (though his troubles playing the right side have caused of some high-level play, but for various reasons — injury and otherwise the Penguins some issues), and Jamie Oleksiak has been pretty good — he’s struggled to stay consistent the last few seasons. This year, he’s since coming over from Dallas, highlighted by an outstanding game shown some good offensive instincts and has become a weapon on the Tuesday night against the Flyers. Penguins’ blue lline. Ian Cole has been a bit up and down, and obviously the subject of near- Best game: Dec. 27, 2017; 5-4 win (SO) vs. Columbus constant trade rumors since late November. But when he was playing consistently, Cole was mostly fine, if maybe a bit too penalty-prone. This might not have been the inflection point the Penguins hoped for in the immediate aftermath — they lost their next two games — but it was arguably the highest-level hockey they’ve played this year and ended with two points against a division rival (and possible repeat playoff opponent). Worst game: Oct. 5, 2017; 10-1 loss at Chicago There were a lot of candidates for this one, but let’s go with the game that was the first sign something might be seriously wrong this season. Niemi was a disaster in net, and the Penguins came out with a lethargic start that would eventually become a trademark for this first half. Best acquisition: Riley Sheahan Sheahan hasn’t been the panacea some might have expected as the third-line center, but he’s been quietly pretty solid in his 32 games with the Penguins. They’d probably like to see him score a bit more, but he seems to be fitting into the system better and better as the weeks go by. Worst acquisition: Antti Niemi The Antti Niemi reclamation project never got off the ground, and he was placed on waivers three weeks into the season. He posted a .797 save percentage and 7.49 goals against average in his three games with the Penguins, three losses by a combined score of 22-6. Post Gazette LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091392 San Jose Sharks But as DeBoer once said, the road is littered with players who’ve found success in the minors; making it in the NHL is an entirely different challenge. Another piece of the Sharks’ post-Marleau puzzle appears to be falling Labanc and Meier learned this lesson through first-hand experience. into place Meier recorded just six points in 34 games last season, moving up and down between the Barracuda and the Sharks. Labanc finished his NHL season with just one goal in his last 31 games. By PAUL GACKLE | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group Things didn’t come any easier for Meier and Labanc over the first two months of the 2017-18 season. January 3, 2018 at 5:04 PM Meier scored just one goal in his first 16 games, serving as a healthy scratch at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 23. Labanc recorded just two assists in a 15-game span from Oct. 23 to Dec. 7. He spent two games in TORONTO — Coach Pete DeBoer tends to be frugal in his praise of the the minors during that stretch and got scratched from three games. Sharks younger players. With that in mind, it isn’t entirely surprising that the Sharks ranked 28th in He knows that the line separating success and complacency can be fine goals per game (2.61) as recently as Nov. 28. in the NHL and he doesn’t want to dull his youngsters’ edges by allowing them to get comfortable. But after fighting through some growing pains, things started to click for both Meier and Labanc in December. Nevertheless, he isn’t hesitating to acknowledge that he believes a pair of the Sharks top prospects — Timo Meier and Kevin Labanc — are With five tallies in eight games, Meier is now tied for third on the team in turning the corner. goals (8), earning ice time on the Sharks top line. He scored two goals in the Sharks 4-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens Tuesday. “I think so. Yes I do,” the Sharks coach said. “At the same time, we can’t rest on that. We’ve got to be very cognizant of that. They’re playing with Timo Meier REALLY likes to score goals in Montreal. more confidence. They’re contributing, helping us and the older guys on the team no longer feel like they’re carrying them around. Labanc has recorded 12 points in his last 10 games, flashing the skill that allowed him win the ’s scoring title two years ago. “They’re starting to stand on their own.” Over that span, the Sharks are 6-2-2, averaging 3.10 goals per game. Like our Sharks Facebook page for more San Jose Sharks news, commentary and conversation. “It’s just experience,” Labanc said. “You get more and more comfortable the more games you play. I’m getting into a routine and realizing that you Back in training camp, both DeBoer and general manager Doug Wilson can never be too high and never be too low in this business. You’ve just laid out the blueprint for success in the Sharks’ post- era. got to keep working.” Heading into their second meeting with Marleau and the Toronto Maple Leafs (23-16-2) in Canada Thursday, the Sharks (21-12-4) are starting to check off a lot of those boxes. San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 01.04.2018 The Sharks are getting breakthrough seasons from supporting cast players, such as Joonas Donskoi, Tomas Hertl and Chris Tierney. The team is ranked among the league’s top five in every key-defensive stat category. The power play is back, ranked fifth (22.0 percent), and Joe Thornton is leading the team in scoring with 27 points after undergoing major-offseason knee surgery. The kids are starting to prove that they’re alright, as well. After ranking 19th in scoring last season (2.67 goals per game), and losing Marleau’s 27 goals in free agency, the Sharks knew that they would need a few of their budding prospects to step up and help replace the veteran forward’s offensive production. But the Sharks need for youthful contributions cuts deeper than that. Last year, the Sharks were among the oldest teams in the NHL at a time when the league is getting younger, faster and more skilled. If the Sharks are going to stay relevant, they need to take some weight off the shoulders of veterans, such as Thornton (age 38) and Joe Pavelski (33), and pass it on to a new generation. “Everyone’s getting older, myself included, I’ll be 29 soon,” Logan Couture said. “We need some of our young guys to step up if this organization wants to go in the right direction.” The economics of the modern NHL also drives the necessity for teams to find impactful youngsters. With tight-salary cap restrictions, teams can only afford to pay three or four high-salaried players, so they need significant contributions from players who are signed to entry-level contracts. The Pittsburgh Penguins won back-to-back Stanley Cups, in part, because the production of their big-money guys — Sidney Crosby ($8.7 million), Evgeni Malkin ($9.5 million), Phil Kessel ($6.8 million) and Kris Letang ($7.25 million) — was buttressed by the sudden emergences of youngsters, such as Jake Guentzel, Conor Sheary and Bryan Rust. “You need cheap talent and the only cheap talent is young talent,” DeBoer said. The success of the AHL Barracuda last season gave the Sharks reason to believe that they might have “cheap talent” in the organization to support core players, such as Thornton, Couture and Brent Burns. The Barracuda finished the 2016-17 season with the top record in the AHL’s Western Conference (43-16-9) thanks to an influx of young talent that included Meier, Labanc, Marcus Sorensen, Barclay Goodrow, Joakim Ryan, Tim Heed, Danny O’Regan and Ryan Carpenter. 1091393 San Jose Sharks

Is Mikkel Boedker about to turn his season around?

By Marcus White January 03, 2018 12:18 PM

Mikkel Boedker’s assist in Tuesday night’s win over the Montreal Canadiens was an example of why the San Jose Sharks signed him last summer. He used his speed in transition against a reeling Habs defense to create a quality look off of an odd-man rush, and Marc-Edouard Vlasic was able to bury the ensuing rebound. The problem is that those moments are becoming increasingly rare. Boedker’s only shot on goal and only shot attempt on Tuesday night came in the aforementioned Vlasic goal. That’s become all too common for the Danish forward this season. He’s attempting shot attempts during five-on-five play at the second- lowest rate of his career, according to Corsica Hockey, and is generating about one-and-a-half fewer shots every 60 minutes at even strength. Combine that with a career-low five-on-five shooting percentage (3.23 percent), and Boedker’s on pace for one of the worst offensive seasons of his career. As disappointing as Boedker was last season, he only scored two fewer goals at even strength than he did the season before hit free agency, and one fewer point playing five aside. His five-on-five shot attempt rate was the highest of his career, and his shot rate was the second-highest. Of course, he was also healthy. Boedker played in all but one game last season, but has missed seven already this season with a lower body injury. It appears that he’s just starting to get over what ailed him. After going shotless, pointless, and playing fewer than nine minutes a night in his first two games back from injury, Boedker generated seven total shots, two assists, and played more than 10 minutes in his last four. Only once before this season has Boedker shot at least once in four (or more) consecutive games, and that was about a month before he went on injured reserve. The Sharks are tremendously tight-lipped when it comes to disclosing injuries, so it’s fair to wonder how long he was playing hurt. So even as Boedker hasn’t bounced back in the way he or San Jose wanted, his recent play is fairly encouraging, as the Sharks desperately need him. He may not be used in a top-nine role, but with Barclay Goodrow injured, struggling, and Danny O’Regan not quite ready for a roster spot, the Sharks don’t have any viable alternatives for Boedker’s spot in the lineup. With two years and a $4 million cap hit remaining on his deal, Boedker won’t net much on the trade market, either. So, the Sharks have little choice but to rely on him to contribute. If plays like his assist against Montreal become more frequent, San Jose won't mind having to do so.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091394 St Louis Blues Sammy Blais' on-again, off-again existence with the Blues hit the pause button once again when he suffered a lower-body injury while taking a slashing penalty Dec. 16 against Winnipeg. Blais tripped and fell to the Yeo's preaching sticks with Sobotka ice on the play. He was subsequently placed on injured reserve and missed the Blues' next eight games. By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch 3 hrs ago (…) "I had a good start to the game, too, when I got injured," Blais said. "I was playing with Bergy () and Soby, but I just have to get back to 100 percent and hopefully get another chance." When asked how often coach Mike Yeo preaches about crashing the net, Vladimir Sobotka smiled and said: "Every game." Of course, there's always the chance that Blais could be sent down to San Antonio of the American Hockey League when healthy. He's had So Sobotka made the coach happy with his net front deflection of a Tage four separate stints with the Rampage already this season, intermingled Thompson shot late in the second period. It gave the Blues a 2-1 lead in with 10 games with the Blues in which he has scored a goal with two a game they eventually won 3-2 in a shootout Tuesday against New assists. Jersey. Nothing against San Antonio, but Blais would rather stay put in St. Louis. "We're trying to do it more on the ice," Sobotka said. "Get in front of the goalie and get some pucks through the players there trying to block the "Yeah, everyone wants to play in the best league, so I wish I'm gonna shot." stay," Blais said. The goal, originally credited to Thompson, was subsequently changed to The injury has taken longer to heal than Blais anticipated. Sobotka after replays showed his tip-in past Devils goalie Keith Kinkaid. "A couple more days and I think I'm gonna be ready to go," he said. "I "Through the course of time, anybody that's grown up in the game at any just gotta be 100 percent. I don't want to come back and be hurt still. So level, that's what coaches are going to tell you," Yeo said. "If you want to I've just gotta take time and get ready to play." score goals, go where goals are scored. That's the front of the net. We knew that the way this (New Jersey) team checks, they're strong BLUENOTES defensively, we were going to have to try to create some goals from After being a healthy scratch Tuesday against Carolina for only the third around the net." time in 42 games this season, rookie defenseman Vince Dunn missed It was the eighth goal of the season for Sobotka, just one off his career Wednesday practice because of illness. high total in the 2013-14 season. Following that season, he took a three- • The Blues' shootout victory over New Jersey marked their ninth straight year NHL hiatus to the Kontinental Hockey League in Russia. triumph over the Devils. Sobotka, who also has 12 assists this season, is not totally happy with • Vladimir Tarasenko's first-period goal Tuesday was the 162nd of his his game. career, moving him past Jorgen Pettersson and into 10th place on the "I think I can be better on the forecheck, better on the puck," he said. Blues' all-time list. And he continues to work on his net front presence, and as such, wasn't willing to take too much credit for Tuesday's goal. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 01.04.2018 "I just had my stick like this," Sobotka said, providing a visual of a hockey player holding a stick out waist-high trying to deflect the puck. "And it hit me." Considering how much New Jersey dominated puck possession in overtime, it was surprising the game even reached the shootout stage for the Blues. "Overtime was tough for us," Yeo said. "That's the best team that I think I've seen in overtime, the way that they played and their speed. I was kind of waiting for somebody to call a too many men on the ice penalty. It seemed like we couldn't grab the puck, but (Carter Hutton) was there and had an answer for it every time." The Devils' shots on goal advantage was a modest 5 to 3, but it seemed like they controlled the puck for four of the five minutes in overtime. "It's something that we probably need to talk about a little bit more," Yeo said. "Usually I think we're pretty good in those situations, but again, that was a credit to them, the way that they were changing (players), the way that they were controlling the puck, the way that they were using the whole ice. They controlled things very well." The Blues are 3-2 in straight overtime sessions this season _ that is, the five-minute (maximum) periods of 3-on-3 sudden-death hockey. They are 3-0 in shootout situations, for an overall record of 6-2 in games that go beyond regulation. Veteran defenseman did not participate in the morning skate Tuesday prior to logging 18 minutes 7 seconds of ice time against New Jersey. And he did not practice Wednesday at Scottrade. It appears that will now be the norm for Bouwmeester, 34. "This is gonna be the plan going forward," Yeo said. "I don't think that Bo needs to practice. I want to make sure he's healthy for the games and feeling 100 percent for the games. "He's got the experience and we'll just give him as many maintenance days as he needs to make sure that he can go out and play the way that he has been." After missing the first 21 games of the season with a fractured ankle suffered in training camp, Bouwmeester returned in late November and played 10 games before suffering a lower-body injury that sidelined him for nine additional games. He returned Saturday against Carolina. 1091395 St Louis Blues

Vegas is on a roll as Knights face Blues

By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch 4 hrs ago (…)

Golden Knights has progressed well beyond the point of being a cute little story. “It’s not like we’re a few weeks into the season here,” Blues coach Mike Yeo said. “This is obviously very real and quite a compliment to them and the job that they’re doing.” The Vegas team that comes to Scottrade Center for Thursday’s 7 p.m. contest against the Blues has had staying power. Their 27-9-2 record, good for 56 points, leads the Western Conference and is second in the entire NHL only to Tampa Bay’s 29-8-2. The Knights have an eight-game winning streak, which is a record for an NHL expansion team and matches the longest unbeaten streak in the league this year. And they have earned at least one point in 13 straight games (12-0-1), which is also an expansion team mark. “It’s unbelievable,” Blues center Brayden Schenn said. “What are they, 17-2 or something like that at home?” Yep. They are 17-2-1 at T-Mobile Arena, the best home record in the league. “I guess when you get an extra couple days in Vegas, teams are maybe taking advantage of it,” Schenn said, smiling. You know, what happens in Vegas ... The Golden Knights are a more mortal 10-7-1 on the road, but even so they’ve won their last four away from home. “For one, they did a very good job picking their team,” Yeo said. “They picked competitive players, smart players, guys that are capable of playing well on both sides of the puck. “I think that they’re well-coached, and I think that they play every game like they’re trying to send a message and prove a point.” After all, the bulk of the roster was deemed expendable by their former teams and made available in the expansion draft last June. “Obviously, all those guys are playing with something to prove,” Schenn said. “They all kind of got let go by their teams. They’re a tough team to play against. I remember, just playing in Vegas, they play hard, they play fast.” Only 2½ weeks into the season, the Blues lost 3-2 in Las Vegas in overtime despite registering a season-high 49 shots, winning 54 percent of their faceoffs and allowing only 25 shots. In that game, Vladimir Sobotka was denied what looked like a third- period goal when goalie Malcolm Subban’s body appeared to completely cross the goal line with the puck nestled somewhere in his frame. But since the puck could not be seen during an officials’ review, the original call of no-goal stood. “It was a little time ago,” Yeo said, referring to that Oct. 21 contest. “I think that their team has improved since then. ... I remember it being a hard game. I remember them playing with good structure. “We did a lot of things well and we still came short. So we know that we’re gonna have to play a really strong game (Thursday).” Veteran defenseman Jay Bouwmeester did not participate in the morning skate Tuesday before logging 18 minutes, 7 seconds of ice time against New Jersey. And he did not practice Wednesday at Scottrade. It appears that will become the norm for Bouwmeester, 34, who has missed all but 12 games this season because of injury. “I want to make sure he’s healthy for the games and feeling 100 percent for the games,” Yeo said. “He’s got the experience, and we’ll just give him as many maintenance days as he needs to make sure that he can go out and play the way that he has been.” Also missing on defense in Wednesday’s practice was rookie Vince Dunn, who was ill.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091396 St Louis Blues

Blues vs. Golden Knights preview

By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch 5 hrs ago (…)

About the Golden Knights • Vegas is second only to Tampa Bay among NHL teams in scoring, averaging 3.5 goals per game. William Karlsson, who became the first player in Vegas history with a hat trick Sunday against Toronto, ranks sixth in the league in goals (20). He leads a balanced scoring attack that also features James Neal (17 goals), Jonathan Marchessault (15) and Erik Haula (14). Marchessault was signed to a six-year contract extension Wednesday. David Perron, who was claimed from the Blues last June in the expansion draft, is third on the team in points with 31 on nine goals and 22 assists.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091397 St Louis Blues competitive, they make each other better. Coming to St. Louis, when you play these guys only once, twice a year, you don’t really know what they’re all about. You just realize how good they actually are – and all the Hochman: Hutton has the hot hand, but who will start Thursday night? extra work they put in. They want to get better. And when you see guys work that hard, it makes you want to follow.”

As a team, St. Louis entered Wednesday fourth in the NHL in goals 5 hrs ago (…) against average, 2.48, trailing only Boston, Tampa Bay and Los Angeles. Sure, that sterling number is a team effort, thanks to a combination of Benjamin Hochman defensive schemes, puck time in the offensive zone, blocked shots and takeaways and so much stuff. But really, simply, it’s a goalie stat. If you

have a low goals-against average, you probably have good guys in goal. Jake Allen is the Blues’ goalie. “It’s 82 games. This week I get two in a row, and who knows? It’s just the He has the contract, the uncommon ability and the playoff pedigree. way it goes,” Hutton said after the Devils game. “There are going to be ups, there are going be (other) times. There are going to be times when And I don’t think starting Carter Hutton Thursday would change any of he’s playing, I’m playing. That’s what it takes. You need two good goalies that. going to compete.” The backup goalie has been resplendent of late. And, hey, if there were ever an opponent to play the hot hand against, it’s Vegas. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 01.04.2018 Coach Mike Yeo doesn’t disclose his starting goalie until game days, so we’ll know Thursday after the morning skate. The Blues are in good hands with Allen or Hutton. But it makes sense to keep on riding Carter, who lately has looked like Spiderman with the webbing backdrop behind the netminder. His crazy legs did things Tuesday that legs aren’t supposed to do. In overtime, a shot zipped past Hutton’s flailing right leg — but ricocheted off the post. Hutton was kneeling on his right leg, smashed against the inside of the goal, his right skate in the back corner of the net. But the rebounded puck was shot again — a sure goal — until Hutton’s left leg shot out, across the goal line … while the right leg stayed where it was. Insanity on ice. And beyond that singular play, his play has been singular. Best goals- against average in the NHL this season – 1.70. And in his last four starts, he’s had a 48-save shutout, and allowed six total goals in the other three, while also shutting out New Jersey in the shootout. As for Tuesday’s start against the Devils, “The reason we played Carter last game didn’t have anything to do with Jake — it had to do with Carter,” Yeo said Wednesday. “That message was relayed to Jake. ... “There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of internal pressure or competition. It’s a long year. There are going to be times when one player is up, the other player is down, whatever the case is. There are times when both guys are right on top of it. I think that when we’ve been at our best this year, we’ve had internal competition from the forwards to the defensemen to the goalies, everything. The idea that you have to come to the rink and be on top of your game, that your slot or your spot isn’t just anointed to you, is not a bad thing.” Maybe it backfires. Maybe Allen doesn’t respond well to a Hutton start against Vegas, loses some confidence, goes on a slide. Here’s thinking that even if that happened, Jake will get back to being Jake again. It’s early January, there’s a lot of hockey left to be played. Shoot, remember last early January? Ken Hitchcock and the Blues seemed to be in a good place. They’d just won the Winter Classic, too. That’s how much time is left in the NHL season. Also, the last time we saw Allen — last Friday — he’d passed concussion protocol mid-game, returned and allowed two goals in the final nine minutes. Yeo admitted that night in Dallas it was a mistake to return Allen to the game. Hutton played and won the back-to-back … and then beat New Jersey in the next game after that. Before that, getting terrible goal support, he racked up some losses. The Blues were in a lull. Maybe they still are. They haven’t scored more than three goals in a game since Dec. 9. And that’s even more reason to need secure goaltending, which Hutton has shown lately. Admittedly, it is amusing how we all try to pick who should start, because we never have all the inside information. Heck, sometimes the coach has to play psychologist to determine which goalie is best to start – and then reporters play psychologist to get in the coach’s head, trying to see determine which goalie he would choose. It’s not very scientific. Alas, it’s all we’ve got to go with. The good news is, the Blues have one of the best goalie tandems in the game. Hutton, a free agent after this season, has proven to be an excellent get by Doug Armstrong, for in the crease, Hutton is sometimes as slithering as The Snake himself. “I don’t think you’re in the top-five, top-eight of the NHL if you don’t have good goaltending – each night, we’re getting it from each guy,” Blues forward Brayden Schenn said Wednesday after practice. “They work so well together. They’re close. They battle for one another, they’re 1091398 St Louis Blues “I wouldn’t say even stressed the first time around. Maybe I was just clutching my stick a little too hard, playing a little too safe. Just nervous I was gonna get sent down. Now I’m here just playing my game, just Thompson reaching for success with Blues having fun, not trying to worry about anything. Just playing.” The son of a coach, Thompson is a hockey version of an Army brat. He’s lived all over. From age 8 to 12, home was Peoria, Ill., where his father By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch 5 hrs ago (…) Brent was an assistant coach for the Peoria Rivermen, then a Blues minor-league affiliate.

Thompson was a rink rat. When he wasn’t hanging around his father and The most interesting thing about Tage Thompson as a hockey player is the Rivermen, he was playing little league hockey for the “Junior that his height and his wingspan are exactly the same — 77 inches. Rivermen.” They played a lot of their games in Chicago on weekends. Thompson, the Blues’ rookie forward, stands 6 feet 5, very tall by hockey “It was fun. It was a good experience for me,” Thompson said. “I think it standards. And that’s how far his outstretched arms extend from fingertip was the first time I really played travel hockey at a competitive level. I to fingertip — 6 feet 5, or 77 inches. guess that’s where you could say it all began.” That gives him incredible reach when holding a hockey stick, a reach that After those four years in Peoria, the family moved to Alaska, and after a can surprise opponents who may think they’re a safe distance away from couple of years there, they moved again. Thompson eventually ended up any checking attempts by Thompson. playing college hockey at the University of Connecticut, was drafted by the Blues in the first round in 2016, and spent about two months of this “I think maybe I catch guys by surprise a little bit,” Thompson agreed. season in San Antonio. “Maybe they think I’m a step or two behind but because of the reach I’m able to reach them.” “Feels like I’m living out of a suitcase my whole life,” Thompson said. That has been the most noticeable thing about Thompson since he was However, now that he’s gotten a taste of the big leagues, he’d like recalled Dec. 18 for his second stint with the Blues. That and the fact that nothing better than to establish roots in St. Louis with the Blues. once he gets the puck, it’s hard to get it away from him.

“He’s really good on the puck,” said current linemate Vladimir Sobotka. “He holds on to it and makes the play. It gives us as linemates more St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 01.04.2018 space when he passes the puck.” Thompson put those assets on display late in the second period against New Jersey. After Paul Stastny did the dirty work, pursuing and pressuring the opponent to create a turnover, Thompson pounced on the puck along the sideboards and didn’t let anyone else have it. Until, that is, his quick wrist shot caught the stick of Sobotka in front of the Devils’ net, deflecting in for the Blues’ second goal of the night. It was originally announced as Thompson’s goal, which would have been his third in the NHL — and third in seven games since his recall. But a further look at the replay revealed the Sobotka deflection, so Thompson had to settle for his first NHL assist. “I had a little chat with him on the bench, and for me what he needs to do is what he did in that shift,” coach Mike Yeo said. “Tage, he’s a big guy, he needs to win battles. When he does those things, he puts himself in position to walk it off the wall and snap a puck.” Which is what Thompson did on that key goal against the Devils, giving the Blues a 2-1 lead in a game they ended up winning 3-2 in a shootout. The Yeo-Thompson conversation took place before the Sobotka goal, so Thompson must have taken the coach’s words to heart. It can be a tricky thing, making the middle of an intense game a teaching moment for a 20- year-old rookie. But it can also pay instant dividends, as apparently was the case against New Jersey. “You want the kid to have a chance to play well through the course of the game,” Yeo said. “It’s hard to play well if you’re just thinking all the time, if you’re not using your instincts and just feeling confident and going out and playing the game. “But at the same time, there’s teaching development moments that we have to take advantage of. We have to make sure that we give him a chance to be the player that he is now, but make sure that we give him a chance to develop into the player that we believe that he will be.” Thompson has the potential to be a productive top six forward in the NHL for a long time. For a team desperate for scoring punch since Jaden Schwartz went down with a foot injury Dec. 9 in Detroit, Thompson has provided a little spark. He gave the Blues a third-period lead with his first NHL goal Dec. 21 in Edmonton. And did the same eight days later in Dallas. Unfortunately for the Blues, they couldn’t hold the lead in either contest, suffering two of their most excruciating losses this season. As for Thompson, seven games doesn’t make a career, but he seems much more comfortable, if that’s the word, this time around compared to his four-game stint with the Blues to open the season before going down to San Antonio of the AHL. “Comfortable may not be the word because you don’t want to be satisfied where you’re at,” Thompson said. “You always can do better. So not more comfortable, but yeah, a little more relaxed, I guess. Not as stressed. 1091399 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning’s Steve Stamkos named Atlantic Division captain for All-Star Game

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer Published: January 3, 2018Updated: January 3, 2018 at 11:41 PM

MONTREAL — The All-Star Game in Tampa on Jan. 28 now has its unofficial host: Lightning captain Steven Stamkos. Stamkos, 27, was named captain of the Atlantic Division’s team Wednesday as voted by fans. The face of the Lightning franchise will likely be a face of the star-studded event, which includes a skills competition Jan. 27 and the four division teams playing a 3-on-3 tournament Jan. 28 at Amalie Arena. And this is no ceremonial title. Stamkos has earned it, delivering an impressive bounce-back season after missing most of last year with a torn lateral meniscus in his right knee. Stamkos entered Wednesday tied for third in the NHL in points with 49, including 17 goals. "I didn’t really know what to expect at the beginning of the year, to be honest," he said. "That injury last year, and the accumulation of all the tough-luck injuries I’ve had to deal with, it puts a toll on your body, for sure, on your mind. But you can fall back on the preparation you put into it. "I’ve been able to be put in position where I play with some really good teammates. The power play has been really good; that helps as well. It’s just been all-around the best-case scenario so far (this season)." The other captains: the Oilers’ Connor McDavid (Pacific), the Predators’ P.K. Subban (Central) and the Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin (Metropolitan). Stamkos should be joined by other Lightning representatives at the game. Jon Cooper should be the Atlantic’s coach. Each team’s coach will be the coach of the team with the highest points percentage (points earned divided by total possible points) in each division at the season’s halfway point. Nikita Kucherov, the league’s leading scorer, is a lock, as should be goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, the league wins leader (26). Defenseman Victor Hedman also has a shot. Hitting the Vegas jackpot Former Lightning wing Jonathan Marchessault is finally cashing in, signing a six-year, $30 million deal with Vegas. He earned it. Marchessault, an undrafted and undersized forward, spent parts of the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons with the Lightning and was well-loved. Tampa Bay wanted to re-sign him in July 2016, offering him a similar two-year, one-way deal as to what the Panthers were offering him, but Marchessault saw a better chance to play a top-six role in Florida. "It wasn’t about money," he told the Tampa Bay Times then. Marchessault went on to score 30 goals last season before stunningly being left unprotected by the Panthers in June’s expansion draft. The Lightning, like Columbus and Florida, are among the many teams that lament letting Marchessault get away. But betting a lot of Tampa Bay players are happy for "Marchy," too. Slap shots • It’s fitting that D Mikhail Sergachev’s 40th game this season come Thursday against his former team, the Canadiens. Once Sergachev plays in No. 40, Montreal retains the conditional second-round draft pick it got along with Jonathan Drouin in the June trade (Tampa Bay keeps its sixth-rounder). Keeping Sergachev in the NHL is a no-brainer now, but who knew it’d be that easy of a call last summer. • Five Lightning prospects will be part of Thursday’s World Junior Championship semifinal between Canada and the Czech Republic (8 p.m., NHL Network).

Tampa Tribune LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091400 Toronto Maple Leafs

Hockey royalty gathers in Toronto to pay tribute to Johnny Bower

FRANK GUNN THE CANADIAN PRESS PUBLISHED JANUARY 3, 2018 UPDATED JANUARY 3, 2018

Some of hockey's biggest names gathered at Air Canada Centre on Wednesday to pay tribute to Hall of Fame goaltender Johnny Bower. Those in attendance included NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Team Canada hero , Canadiens great Yvon Cournoyer and Leafs icons Dave Keon, Red Kelly, Darryl Sittler, Doug Gilmour and Rick Vaive. The entire current Leafs team was also there to honour one of the franchise's most beloved players. Bower spent 11 seasons with the Maple Leafs and led them to four Stanley Cup titles, including their last in 1967. The Toronto icon hung up his skates in 1970 but remained a beloved face of the franchise and a symbol of past glory days. His patented poke check was imitated by goaltenders growing up in Toronto long after he left the game. He died Dec. 26 at age 93 after falling ill with pneumonia. Leafs president said Bower was a player respected by teammates and opponents alike. "I've seen videos recently of him helping a Montreal Canadien who had crashed into his net get untangled, I've seen even Gordie Howe put his arm around him after just losing the Stanley Cup to Johnny Bower and the Toronto Maple Leafs," Shanahan said. "That's what people thought of him." The Leafs, in their first game at home since Bower's passing, wore jerseys with Bower's name and No. 1, during warmups prior to Tuesday's 2-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Four generations of Bowers including Nancy, his wife of 69 years, accompanied by Leafs greats watched a pre-game tribute from ice-level that drew a prolonged standing ovation. Bower, who became known as the China Wall, was happily playing in the minors in Cleveland when he was picked up by Toronto almost 50 years ago. He said he only showed up to avoid being suspended for not reporting. He was already 33 when he played his first season for the Leafs, but seemed to get better with age. He played 12 seasons in Toronto before retiring at 45. "His road to the Maple Leafs and the four Cups was much bumpier harder and longer than many of us," Keon said. "And yet, he became the centrepiece of our team. "Winning the Cup takes heart, but John was our soul." Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1976, Bower's No. 1 was raised to the rafters in Maple Leafs Gardens in 1995 and permanently retired in 2016 when he was voted the seventh best Leaf of all time in the franchise's centennial season. In 2014, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner was an inaugural member of Legends Row, a line of statues honouring Maple Leaf icons. The 48th Highlanders, who have played at Toronto's home openers since 1931, opened the service. Fans sat in the stands of Air Canada Centre, with the arena floor reserved for family and special guests.

Globe And Mail LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091401 Toronto Maple Leafs That would be the end of Nilsson's night, but Markstrom didn't fare much better as Manson charged up the ice on an Anaheim change and found Grant alone in front of a porous Vancouver defence for his eighth at 7:41. Ryan Miller wins in return to Vancouver as Ducks blank Canucks "A couple goals I didn't like," Vancouver head coach Travis Green said. "I have full confidence in our goaltending, that it'll come around. They haven't been great the last month. JONATHAN HAYWARD "They'd be the first to admit it. There's been a couple untimely goals." THE CANADIAN PRESS Miller made an awkward save to keep his shutout alive on Michael PUBLISHED JANUARY 3, 2018 Chaput's shot that took a double deflection with nine minutes left, but wasn't challenged much from there. UPDATED JANUARY 3, 2018

Globe And Mail LOADED: 01.04.2018 Ryan Miller acknowledged an ovation from the crowd marking his return to with a wave moments before the opening faceoff. The veteran goalie then went out and stopped 31 shots for his second shutout of the season and the 41st of his career in leading the Anaheim Ducks to a 5-0 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night. Signed by Anaheim during the summer to back up John Gibson after three seasons as the Canucks' starter, the 37-year-old Miller was his usual solid self, making timely stops when Vancouver pushed as Anaheim picked up its fifth victory in the last six games. "I enjoyed my time here immensely," Miller said. "My wife and I have great memories up here. My son was born here, so it's always going to have a big place in our heart beyond just the hockey." Ryan Getzlaf had a goal and two assists, Rickard Rakell added a goal and an assist, and Antoine Vermette, Adam Henrique and Derek Grant also scored for Anaheim. Josh Manson had three assists, and Hampus Lindholm had two. Miller, who had a combined .914 save percentage with the Canucks, bumped his mark up seven points to .935 with the Ducks. "It's nice to come back," he said. "I just tried to have fun with it." Anders Nilsson allowed four goals on 19 shots for slumping Vancouver, which has just two wins in its last 12 games, before getting pulled early in the third period. Jacob Markstrom came on and finished with seven saves. Making his first start since a 7-5 home loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Dec. 19, Nilsson gave up a bad goal just 56 seconds into the game. Lindholm fired a clearing attempt from his own blue line that Nilsson steered into the path of a hard-charging Henrique, who swooped into the corner and fired a shot from below the goal-line that somehow caromed off the goalie's stick and in for his ninth of the season. "You'd like to make every save out there," said Nilsson, who saw his save percentage dip to .900. "First one was definitely on me, that's something I would like to have back. "I wasn't able to make that extra save." Nilsson recovered to make a blocker save with Kevin Roy in alone moments later before also punching away another chance by Henrique on a short-handed breakaway. Rakell then roofed a quick snapshot after whiffing on another opportunity seconds earlier for his team-leading 15th with 6:16 left in the first. Set to begin a stretch of seven games away from home, injury-riddled Vancouver, which entered play 2-8-1 since No. 1 centre Bo Horvat went down with a broken foot on Dec. 5, had a bit of a push to start the second. Alexander Edler hit the post as the Canucks briefly crowded Miller's crease, but Getzlaf, who missed 19 games earlier this season after taking a puck to the face, tipped home his third at the five-minute mark to make it 3-0. "Guys are working hard," Getzlaf said. "We did a good tonight getting pucks to the net, scoring goals, and getting ourselves that cushion." Anaheim, which weathered its own injury woes earlier this season, managed the rest of the period, with Vancouver's best opportunity coming on Brock Boeser's chance from in tight that Miller blocked with his glove before smothering the rebound. The Ducks made it 4-0 just 20 seconds in the third as Nilsson stopped the puck at the side of his net on a dump in for Rakell to collect and feed to Getzlaf, who in turn found Vermette for his eighth. 1091402 Toronto Maple Leafs

Kings capitalize on long power play to blank Oilers

PERRY NELSON USA TODAY SPORTS PUBLISHED JANUARY 3, 2018 UPDATED JANUARY 3, 2018

Patrick Maroon's major penalty late in the second period proved to be a costly one for the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers forward hit Kings defenceman Drew Doughty in the head and Los Angeles scored three times on the ensuing power play for a 5-0 victory over the Oilers on Tuesday night. "When stuff like that happens, your team just comes together, scoring three goals on the power play to really shove it up their butts was awesome," said Doughty, who left the game but was able to return early in the third period. "I'm feeling all right now. I didn't see it at all. He got me right in the head. I didn't have the puck, that's why I was so shocked by it. But I've known Maroon for a long time, he's just trying to finish a hit. I don't know that he meant to try and hurt me. I forgive him." Jonathan Quick made 32 saves for his third shutout of the season and Dustin Brown had a pair of goals to lead the Kings. Andy Andreoff, Marian Gaborik and Adrian Kempe also scored for Los Angeles (24-11-5), which has gone 4-1-2 in its last seven games. Brown said getting payback for the hit with the lengthy man advantage was a motivator. "That's part of it, especially when it's probably our best player," Brown said. "But probably more so it's a divisional game and we can finish it in the first five minutes of the third period. And that's what we did. "The power play hasn't been great for us this year, but you don't need a great power play, just a timely one." For his part, Maroon said there was no intent to injure on the play. "I'm glad he came back and finished the game," Maroon said. "Honestly, I'm a big forward, just going in to do my job on the forecheck. My elbow didn't come up, it's just unfortunate that my body hit him in the head. "I play the game hard. I'm just mad they gave me a match (penalty) and it hurt us." Cam Talbot stopped 28 shots as Edmonton (17-20-3) lost its fourth in a row, getting outscored 18-6 in that span. The Kings's scoring spree started 1:36 into the third, as Gaborik used a screen to rifle his eighth goal of the season past Talbot. They got another one four minutes into the third when an Anze Kopitar shot hit a defender on the way towards Talbot and was helped on its way into the net by Brown. Los Angeles made it 4-0 with its third power-play goal shortly afterwards, as a shot that caromed off the glass had Talbot looking the wrong way, allowing Kempe to score a gift goal. Brown added another late goal for the Kings. Los Angeles finally broke the scoreless deadlock with 5:39 remaining in the second period on a two-on-one break as Torrey Mitchell fed Andreoff and he beat Talbot for just his second goal of the season. Edmonton came close to tying the game up with 40 seconds left in the second, but a Jesse Puljujarvi shot rang off the post with a wide open net to aim at. Oilers captain Connor McDavid has now gone three games without a point for the first time in his NHL career. Both teams return to action on Thursday as the Kings head to Calgary to face the Flames and the Oilers play host to the Anaheim Ducks.

Globe And Mail LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091403 Toronto Maple Leafs speedy MacKinnon was in the top five in scoring on New Year's Day – significant because the last Avs player to do that was Joe Sakic in 2003- 04. Erik Johnson scores late in OT to lift Avalanche over Jets The Avs have been a completely different squad this season and find themselves in the thick of the playoff chase. The team already is 18 points ahead of where it was at this juncture a season ago. ISAIAH J. DOWNING "We're feeling good, feel like we're playing good hockey," MacKinnon USA TODAY SPORTS said. "We're not good enough to get comfortable – that's for sure." PUBLISHED JANUARY 3, 2018 UPDATED JANUARY 3, 2018 Globe And Mail LOADED: 01.04.2018

Erik Johnson's stumble in overtime nearly led to the winning goal for Winnipeg, but his goaltender bailed him out. Given another opportunity, Johnson didn't stumble again. The Avalanche defenceman scored on a breakaway with 9.9 seconds remaining on the clock in OT, Jonathan Bernier stopped 22 shots after taking over for an injured Semyon Varlamov in the second period and Colorado beat the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 on Tuesday night. Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon also scored to help the Avalanche win their third straight. Johnson scored the winner when Rantanen poked the puck ahead to him and he put it past Connor Hellebuyck, one of the stingiest goaltenders in the NHL of late. "As a defenceman you don't get too many breakaways, so I wanted to make it count," Johnson said. Hellebuyck and the Jets dropped to 0-6 in overtime this season – 1-7 factoring in shootouts. "Sick of these overtime losses," Hellebuyck said. "I thought we deserved more." Both teams had plenty of chances in overtime, with Rantanen robbed by Hellebuyck down low early. But the biggest play was turned in by Bernier after defenceman Dustin Byfuglien took advantage of Johnson's turnover for a breakaway. And while Byfuglien sent the puck through the goaltender's pads, Bernier's skate deflected it wide at the last instant. "I think (Bernier) got beat more on his than I got beat more on mine," Hellebuyck said. "But that's just how the game goes sometimes. You get bad luck." Blake Wheeler scored twice for the Jets, including the tying goal with 32.2 seconds remaining in regulation and Hellebuyck on the bench for an extra skater. "Big-time player, right?" Jets coach Paul Maurice said. "We cut down to three lines, so they ran hard there toward the end of the game. Such a fit man that he can push hard." Varlamov turned back 21 shots before retreating to the locker room with a lower-body injury. It's concerning for Colorado, given that Varlamov was limited to 24 games last season due to a nagging groin injury that he tried to remedy through hip surgery. Asked if he had a feel for any sort of prognosis, coach Jared Bednar simply said: "No. I don't. I haven't talked to the trainers. Don't know the specifics of it yet." Bernier was thrown into a difficult situation as he entered with 5:45 left in the second and the Jets on the power play. He quickly warmed up, though. "Give a huge credit to him," Johnson said. "He deserves a whole lot of credit for the way he played." The Avalanche killed off three more penalties to run their streak to 36 straight before Wheeler ended it with a power-play goal 47 seconds into the third period. Wheeler's tying goal in the waning seconds was set up after a bizarre carom off the boards as Bernier went behind the net to cut off the puck. Bernier had to dive back in front, but it wasn't in time. All in all, a solid night. "I felt pretty good," Bernier said. "When you come in it feels like everything's coming kind of fast. But tonight I felt pretty good." MacKinnon scored his 17th goal of the season in the second period and set up Rantanen's tally 3:47 later to give Colorado a 2-0 lead. The 1091404 Toronto Maple Leafs

Johnny Bower tribute at ACC brings out hockey royalty

By The Canadian Press Wed., Jan. 3, 2018

Some of hockey’s biggest names gathered at Air Canada Centre on Wednesday to pay tribute to Hall of Fame goaltender Johnny Bower. Those in attendance included NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, Team Canada hero Paul Henderson, Canadiens great Yvon Cournoyer and Leafs icons Dave Keon, Red Kelly, Darryl Sittler, Doug Gilmour and Rick Vaive. The entire current Leafs team was also there to honour one of the franchise’s most beloved players. Bower spent 11 seasons with the Maple Leafs and led them to four Stanley Cup titles, including their last in 1967. The Toronto icon hung up his skates in 1970 but remained a beloved face of the franchise and a symbol of past glory days. His patented poke check was imitated by goaltenders growing up in Toronto long after he left the game. He died Dec. 26 at age 93 after falling ill with pneumonia. Leafs president Brendan Shanahan said Bower was a player respected by teammates and opponents alike. “I’ve seen videos recently of him helping a Montreal Canadien who had crashed into his net get untangled, I’ve seen even Gordie Howe put his arm around him after just losing the Stanley Cup to Johnny Bower and the Toronto Maple Leafs,” Shanahan said. “That’s what people thought of him.” The Leafs, in their first game at home since Bower’s passing, wore jerseys with Bower’s name and No. 1, during warm-ups prior to Tuesday’s 2-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Four generations of Bowers including Nancy, his wife of 69 years, accompanied by Leafs greats watched a pre-game tribute from ice-level that drew a prolonged standing ovation. Bower, who became known as the China Wall, was happily playing in the minors in Cleveland when he was picked up by Toronto almost 50 years ago. He said he only showed up to avoid being suspended for not reporting. He was already 33 when he played his first season for the Leafs, but seemed to get better with age. He played 12 seasons in Toronto before retiring at 45. “His road to the Maple Leafs and the four Cups was much bumpier harder and longer than many of us,” Keon said. “And yet, he became the centrepiece of our team. “Winning the Cup takes heart, but John was our soul.” Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1976, Bower’s No. 1 was raised to the rafters in Maple Leafs Gardens in 1995 and permanently retired in 2016 when he was voted the seventh best Leaf of all time in the franchise’s centennial season. In 2014, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner was an inaugural member of Legends Row, a line of statues honouring Maple Leaf icons. The 48th Highlanders, who have played at Toronto’s home openers since 1931, opened the service. Fans sat in the stands of Air Canada Centre, with the arena floor reserved for family and special guests.

Toronto Star LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091405 Toronto Maple Leafs “He’d talk about the Leaf logo, what it meant to him,” said Gilmour. “He never thought he’d ever get here.”

That was it. Dave Keon told a story about when Bower was the Leafs Johnny Bower was the soul of the Maple Leafs goalie coach, and while fooling around on the ice Keon’s son scored on his first shot, and not again. “I let him have one because he was your son, Davey,” said Bower, “but one was all he was going to get.” By BRUCE ARTHUR Shanahan wondered what drove such a gentle man to be that competitive, and still so generous. Former winger Ron Ellis answered it. Sports Columnist “Johnny considered it a privilege, and not a right, to be a Toronto Maple Wed., Jan. 3, 2018 Leaf,” said Ellis. “Gratitude is what drove him to become the best he could be. I think that’s the answer, Brendan.”

“Winning the Cup takes heart,” said Keon. “But John was our soul.” got on a bus in the middle of the night, and he changed buses around 4:30 in the morning. A third bus took him to his daughter’s Every NHL team is a business, and there are few that have been treated house in St. Catharines, and she drove him to Toronto for Johnny more like a business than the Toronto Maple Leafs over the years. The Bower’s funeral. They called it a celebration of life, technically, at the Air history of this team is often threadbare: bad owners, cashbox hockey, a Canada Centre. But his casket was draped in a Maple Leafs flag, under team that so often let you down. his banner, and his grinning, rough-hewn, Ukrainian Prairie face was beamed onto giant screens behind the dais. It was the public end of a But every Canadian team is also a public trust, a repository of hope and great life. obsession and love, and Johnny Bower never wanted to let anyone down. So he spent a lifetime making the people he met feel like they Larry Hillman is 80, with a bad hip, but he wanted to be there. He loved mattered, because he thought they did. The team didn’t do that; Johnny Johnny Bower, like everyone ever. did. He smiled, he laughed. He cared, and he was kind. And Johnny Bower was loved, right to the end. “I played on so many teams. He was number one,” said Hillman, who played defence on the last four Maple Leafs Cup teams as part of a 22- year career with 10 teams in the NHL and WHA. “I played with Gordie Howe, too. Gordie was shy. He liked the limelight, but he didn’t dwell on Toronto Star LOADED: 01.04.2018 it.” “Not to say Johnny dwelled on it. He was just a natural. How could you not like him? . . . I just wanted to pay my respects to a gentleman that we all loved. You couldn’t get a better teammate.” Bower died of pneumonia on Boxing Day at age 93 as the most beloved man ever to play for Toronto. Everyone had a story about the way the hall-of-famer treated every Leafs fan who ever said hello, who asked for an autograph, who asked for time. He smiled. He laughed. He cared. He was kind. “Johnny, he was the guy,” said Doug Gilmour. “I was just saying, what do we have here in the GTA, seven million people? He probably knows about five (million). Everybody that he talked to, everybody has a story about how they met Johnny.” And so the leaders of the NHL showed up, Leafs alumni showed up, the entire team and its front office showed up, a couple thousand fans showed up on a Wednesday afternoon. It was nice. It was how it should be done. Brendan Shanahan, whose influence on how this team handles and cares for its own history has been apparent, talked about how in kids’ hockey games all over, a goalie’s poke check would be followed by the cry of “Johnny Bower!” Defenceman Morgan Rielly talked how you always knew if Johnny had signed before you at autograph signings, because his penmanship was so precise and legible. “You could read his name perfectly, Johnny Bower,” said Rielly, “as opposed to maybe the younger generation, that abbreviate it a little bit.” Gordie Howe and Jean Béliveau did that, too. Come to think of it, Hillman mentioned Béliveau as the closest thing to Bower as a person, of all the players he ever knew. Bower’s grandson John Bower III spoke for the family, and mostly told stories that involved his grandpa laughing: laughing when he fell off the three-legged wooden ladder he had built; laughing when he spilled a can of paint onto the carpet when trying to paint the living room while his wife was away; laughing when he would take out his dentures, put on his wife’s swimsuit and hat, and walk around the cottage trying to make other people laugh, too. “He taught us everybody should have the ability to laugh, in order to remain healthy and happy,” said Bower III. “And Grandpa could laugh at anything, especially himself.” People talked about all the charities Johnny supported, all the animals he fed — local dogs would wait at the end of his driveway if the garage door was open, because he always carried and gave out dog cookies — and about how much he loved his family: three children, eight grandchildren, six great-grandchildren. In retrospect, Bower’s life feels almost written: A Prince Albert, Sask., boy who lied about his age at 14 to get into the army during World War II, worked as a gunner in England, and was discharged in 1943 due to arthritis in his hands. And then that marvelous, strange career, which included becoming an AHL legend in Cleveland, and only becoming a Leaf at 33. Broadcaster Joe Bowen told the story of how the maskless Bower didn’t want to go to Toronto after 13 years in the minors; he didn’t think he could help them, but they threatened a suspension. So he went, and found one of the loves of his life. 1091406 Toronto Maple Leafs

Marleau-Thornton friendship survives free agency split

By MARK ZWOLINSKISports reporter Wed., Jan. 3, 2018

Leafs winger Patrick Marleau will likely have an easier time facing his old team the second time around. After an emotional first encounter in San Jose in late October, Marleau and the Leafs meet the Sharks on Thursday at the Air Canada Centre. And for Marleau, the game will settle into a normal routine far easier and much quicker. He fought back tears in San Jose during a video tribute for his 19 seasons in a Sharks uniform. But while some things, like facing your old team, get easier, others, like meeting up with longtime friend Joe Thornton, never change. Marleau and Thornton were the bookends that kept the Sharks a Stanley Cup contender for over a decade, from the time Thornton joined the Sharks in 2005-06. It was difficult for both when Marleau ended his run in San Jose by signing a three-year deal with the Leafs last summer. The two kept in contact with each other through the free-agent process and it was thought they may even be a package deal for the Leafs, but Thornton opted to stay in San Jose. Thornton will be linked to the Leafs again if they are ever interested in trading for him to bolster a playoff run. Marleau has the ultimate scouting report. “The work ethic, the professionalism, that’s unrivalled,” he said Wednesday. “Not only on the ice, but off the ice, what he does for other guys on the team, his unselfishness, everything about him is about winning.” Marleau would likely need to write a book, just to share all the “things we’ve been through together.” Both were captains in San Jose, and both were removed from either the captaincy or assistant roles over their careers in San Jose. Both mentored younger teammates, with Marleau helping shape Logan Couture into the player he is today. Marleau and Thornton also played together for Canada, and Marleau says it’s a bit strange to be on opposite sides now. “We played against each other early in our careers, and now this late in our careers,” said Marleau, the Sharks’ all-time leader in games (1,493), goals (508), and points (1,082). “It was special being in the same draft (Thornton was selected first in 1997, Marleau went second) and going through the draft together. We text back and forth, but obviously, being so far apart now, it’s different.” Life for Thornton has certainly taken some interesting twists in the later stages of his career, starting with his solid return from a devastating knee injury two years ago — a torn ACL and MCL, the worst injury of his 20- year career. When he signed that one-year deal to remain in San Jose, his wife brought the contract down to him while he was cutting the grass at his farm. Thornton inked it while sitting on a Kubota mower, and the photo went viral. Florida defenceman Mark Pysyk parodied the photo, sitting on a push mower, when he signed with the Panthers, a gesture Thornton thought “was pretty cool.” Marleau simply enjoys what he continues to see in Thornton. And while they are wearing different jerseys, he admits the two will always be like brothers. “We’ve been through a lot together,” he said, “so, probably, yeah.”

Toronto Star LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091407 Toronto Maple Leafs

Thursday game preview: San Jose Sharks at Toronto Maple Leafs

By MARK ZWOLINSKISports reporter Wed., Jan. 3, 2018

A pair of local boys. Joel Ward grew up in North York and is one of the class acts in the NHL. Now in his 11th NHL season, Ward has spent the last three seasons with the Sharks; he played four seasons with the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack, then four more with the University of Prince Edward Island, before making his pro debut with the Houston Aeros of the AHL in 2005-06. Undrafted by an NHL team, he broke into the league with the Minnesota Wild in 2006-07. He has 300 career points, including four goals and four assists in 30 games this season. The Markham-born, Thornhill-raised Mitch Marner has just five goals this season but has created a ton of great chances in recent games. NEED TO KNOW The Sharks beat Montreal 4-1 Tuesday and are 7-2-2 in their last 11 games. San Jose excels at clogging the neutral zone and retrieving pucks on the forecheck . . . Logan Couture and Joe Thornton lead the club in scoring, with Couture posting a team-leading 15 goals to date . . . The Sharks are not a high-scoring team – they’re 26th in the NHL with 2.67 goals per game — but they are fifth defensively, with 2.53 goals against per game. And their special teams are among the best in the game: second on the penalty kill, sixth on the power play . . . Leafs coach Mike Babcock was upset no penalty was called against Tampa Bay’s Vladislav Namestnikov after he cross-checked Toronto goalie Frederik Andersen on Tuesday. But Babcock was not upset when defenceman Roman Polak went after Namestnikov and received a double minor. “The league is set up to protect the goalie so, to me, when you cross-check a goalie you deserve a good beating,” Babcock said.

Toronto Star LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091408 Toronto Maple Leafs to get it right. (The game) is going fast and it’s hard. They don’t go into the game trying to screw anybody.”

Babcock says 'there's lots of room for growth' with Maple Leafs Toronto Sun LOADED: 01.04.2018

Lance Hornby January 3, 2018 10:29 PM EST

The details are not the details, they make the design. So said American architect Charles Eames, though Mike Babcock had his own take Wednesday. The Leafs coach was looking for what his team lacked in two measuring stick games against Las Vegas and Tampa Bay. They lost both, in part Babcock thought, because his team didn’t attend to little things that needed checking off against the fast-skating Golden Knights and uber- talented Tampa. “We have our work to do,” Babcock said as the Leafs readied to start the next half of their schedule against another brazen team, the San Jose Sharks. “The other question (after being out-scored 8-3) is ‘are we as detailed as the other team or do we work as hard or harder’. There’s lots of room for growth.” For example, the Leafs are better at special teams the past two years, but Vegas was first in takeaways, Tampa tops in power-play goals and San Jose is the only NHL club that was top five in power play and penalty killing before Wednesday. Babcock started the second half by sounding the playoff alarm bell. Toronto reached the 41-game mark with three straight losses. “We have 48 points — that’s crawling into the playoffs at 96 (total),” he warned. “If you don’t want to crawl, you have to do better. (But) we’re plus seven home games in the second half. We’ll get healthy one of these days, too (Nikita Zaitsev is out another two weeks at least).” Leading scorer Auston Matthews says the Leafs learned from the past two outings. “We were undisciplined (Tuesday), took penalties and that kind of killed momentum. A lot of the time (Tampa) seemed to have the puck all the time in our zone. That wears on your defence and forwards. “We’re in a good position, in a playoff spot and done a good job in our five-game segments. But we want to be at the top. We’re not there yet, but feel we have the tools to be there. It’s a matter of putting in the time and the will. “We’ve gone on our little merry-go-round. In the first year, everyone was happy and we were doing well. Now we expect to win every night.” The Leafs now have two medical marvels on the team who’ve come back from gruesome injuries and operations, defenceman Roman Polak (broken leg) and centre Frederick Gauthier (detached hamstring). “Everyone here was a big part of me coming back,” said Gauthier of the staff. “It was a mental process. The first week is toughest when it sinks in. Second week, you have a plan and after that you’re where you want to be. I was lucky, no setbacks. You get excited about little things, such as getting back on the ice.” A complicated surgery repaired Gauthier and he was able to get back in the Marlies lineup the past few weeks before this week’s call-up. “Nutrition was a big part for me, because you lose a lot of weight and muscle in the process,” he added. Polak, meanwhile, neeeded 13 screws to fix his leg, landing awkwardly from a Brooks Orpik hit in the playoffs against Washington. He came back in September on a PTO and earned a regular contract. “You get a setback, you have to dig in,” Babcock said of the pair. “Sport mirrors life. No sense feeling sorry for yourself, no one else will.” Babcock was hot under the collar Tuesday after Polak was the only one penalized in a dust-up around the Leaf net. Vladislav Namestnikov of the Bolts shoved goalie Frederik Andersen after they battled for a loose puck, bringing Polak to retaliate. “The way the league is set up, you protect the goalie,” Babcock said. “(Namestnikov) held his stick and then cross-checked him. You do that, you deserve a good beating. But the referees and the linesmen are trying 1091409 Toronto Maple Leafs League, we chip it out more often. I would have wanted some more points (two in five games), but I think I have done a pretty good job on defence here.” … Kailer Yamamoto’s nine games this season with the Maple Leafs' Woll focused on gold, but can't help but look into future Edmonton Oilers inspired the U.S. forward to do all he can to stick with the NHL club for good once he gets another chance. In 13 games since he was sent back to the Spokane Chiefs of the , Yamamoto has 12 points, and in five games at the world junior, has two Terry Koshan goals and one assist. Yamamoto said Leon Draisaitl and Jujhar Khaira were among the Oilers who were especially helpful. “Being able to get a January 3, 2018 6:55 PM EST sneak peek at (the NHL) makes you want to work that much harder,” Yamamoto said. “It was disappointing to get sent back, but it is a learning curve.” BUFFALO — Every so often Joseph Woll will peer into the future and think of the possibilities. It’s hard to blame the 19-year-old United States goaltender, who could Toronto Sun LOADED: 01.04.2018 one day tend the net for the Toronto Maple Leafs. “I think you dream a little bit,” Woll said on Wednesday after his team practised at the KeyBank Center. “It’s something you think about. It would be a huge honour playing for one of the most historical teams in the National Hockey League and playing with some of the best young players in the world.” Selected 62nd overall by the Leafs in 2016, Woll, for now, has his sights set on helping the U.S. win the gold medal at the 2018 world junior hockey championship. First will be a semifinal against the Leafs’ other prospect in the tournament, defenceman Timothy Liljegren, and the rest of Sweden. Woll was sharp in the Americans’ win against Russia in the quarterfinal on Tuesday, raising his save percentage to .905 in four games. That’s not a scintillating number, true, but U.S. coach Bob Motzko has been satisfied with the goaltending Woll has provided overall. “He is a heck of a goalie, talent-wise,” Motzko said. “I like how he has bounced back (from hiccups earlier in the tournament). He has hunkered right back down and given us a chance. He is a battler and he is fighting tooth and nail to give us a chance to win every night.” Now in his second season at Boston College, Woll said his game has taken steps forward in several areas since the Leafs called his name with the first pick of the third round in Buffalo. “I have got better at some technical aspects of the game, improving those pieces, I have worked to calm my game down a lot and work on details like reading the play,” Woll said. “The message this year (from the Leafs) was to go out and be the best goalie in college hockey, and every day I am trying to get better.” And as for that hockey future, Woll, who is in the business school at Boston College but has not declared a major, has sights on staying in the sport. “I’m trying to set myself up to stay in the game as much as I can,” Woll said. “A perfect situation would be having a career in hockey and then staying in the game after that somewhere in management.” FROM THE HASH MARKS Sweden coach Tomas Monten didn’t have to be told that his country has won 44 consecutive games in the preliminary round of the world junior since a loss against the U.S. on Dec. 31, 2006, but has gone on to win gold only in 2012. “The preliminary round is one thing and playoffs is another,” Monten said with a chuckle. “It can look whatever (on Thursday), just that we win. (The U.S.) is a really skilled team, fast team. We wanted to play fast against Slovakia (in a victory in the quarterfinal), but we couldn’t manage that because they cut us down. We need to use that speed to skate with the U.S.” … Motzko’s team has 15 minor penalties, tied for the second-fewest in the tournament. That’s not good enough. “I think we are taking too many penalties,” Motzko said. “We have to become the least-penalized team. When we are playing five-on- five hockey, I like how things are going for us.” … Monten said his captain, Lias Andersson, will play despite being limited by a shoulder injury. POINT SHOTS Nothing official yet, but Canada forward Drake Batherson is aware that he has been traded to Blainville-Boisbriand from Cape Breton in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. “I was informed and I’m looking forward to the new opportunity,” Batherson said. “It’s a little bit weird (to learn of the trade during the tournament), but my main focus is trying to win a gold medal. We will worry about that after the tournament.” … Liljegren said there has been a fairly significant adjustment to Sweden’s approach after playing in 17 games with the Toronto Marlies. “With Sweden, we try to make more plays,” Liljegren said. “In the American 1091410 Toronto Maple Leafs body injury. “Obviously we’ve watched Victor play, he’s on our radar and he’s a guy we’re going to watch closely in the next couple of games. Again, where does a guy like that fit in? Where can he play in your lineup Canada's men's Olympic hockey team might get a 'sprinkle' of junior to be effective?” speed and skill Mete and the rest of Team Canada have two more games to answer those questions. As if a gold medal wasn’t enough motivation. Michael Traikos THE JUNIOR VIEW January 3, 2018 David Branch said he hasn’t been told if Canada plans on taking any players from the to next month’s Olympics. But regardless of the number, the CHL’s president has no intention of standing in their way. BUFFALO — Canada is two games away from winning gold at the world junior hockey championship. But for Victor Mete and potentially one or “From my perspective, that has never been an issue. I don’t know how two other players, there could be another reward waiting. that started, frankly,” Branch said of reports that suggested was battling with the CHL over players. Sean Burke, the general manager for Canada’s Olympic team, arrived in Buffalo on Tuesday for one last scouting mission before naming the 25- “Our position is anyone who has an opportunity to represent their country man roster that will represent the country in South Korea next month. at the Olympics should certainly have that opportunity,” he said. “We don’t know how many players they’re talking about, so we’ll just have to Burke reportedly has 20 names already locked in, leaving just five spots wait and see.” open. He says serious consideration will be given to the teenagers playing for Canada at this week’s world juniors. Branch added that he planned to be in Buffalo for Friday’s gold- and bronze-medal games, where Hockey Canada will do its final scouting on “It would be great to sprinkle in a couple of young guys who can add the junior-aged players. some speed and some skill to your lineup, but they have to be a fit,” Burke said Wednesday. “And that’s going to be determined in these next “What we decided we would do is allow Hockey Canada to evaluate the few days.” Channel One Cup and the Spengler Cup, and then they would come in and look at the world juniors experience,” he said. “We never Though Canada’s team of European-based pros was undefeated at the contemplated it being a large number when you consider the number of Spengler Cup in Switzerland last week, the bulk of the Olympic roster will Canadians playing in Europe, playing in the KHL, playing in U Sports, likely come from the teams that competed at the Kajala Cup in etc. You’ve got a vast player talent pool beyond what the CHL provides November, and Channel One Cup in early December, where Canada potentially.” went 2-4-0 against other countries such as Sweden, Finland and Russia. LEADING CANDIDATES “Only three to four guys that would be on our team were on that club,” Burke said of the Spengler Cup roster. But he said the way Canada Here are five world junior players who might be in the mix to join played in Switzerland is something he hopes to replicate at the Olympics. Canada’s Olympic team: “I liked that we were hard to play against,” he said. “I think that’s probably Victor Mete a way to describe the way I’d like our team to be at the Olympics, just really hard to play against. You can put a lot of different lineups together Mete was paired with Shea Weber in Montreal before being loaned to but it’s: how competitive are you, how hard are you to play against? Canada’s world junior team. That puts him in a unique position, That’s what I liked about our Spengler team.” considering every other player on Canada’s Olympic team is there because they are not quite good enough for the NHL yet. Prior to With former NHLers such as Max Talbot, Derek Roy and Mason suffering a lower-body injury in a game against the U.S., Mete had two Raymond expected to be on team, this should be a veteran-heavy roster. assists in four games and had dazzled opponents with his speed at What Canada has in experience, however, it might lack in speed. That’s breaking out the puck and joining the rush. where the junior players come in. Jordan Kyrou “I would think if we can upgrade with speed and skill at a forward position and a defence position, we’d definitely look to do that,” he said. The second-round pick of the St. Louis Blues might be Canada’s fastest and most skilled player. Against Slovakia, the 19-year-old winger scored The challenge for Burke and the rest of Canada’s Olympic team staff is one of the tournament’s prettiest goals when he turned a defender inside that the world juniors are not exactly the perfect setting for scouts. For out with a deke and then rocketed a quick wrist shot into the top corner. one, these are teenagers playing against other teenagers. And in It’s something that he’s done a lot of in the OHL, where the Toronto Canada’s case, the competition has not really been that strenuous so far. native has 19 goals and 58 points in 30 games for the Sarnia Sting this season. On Tuesday, Burke watched as Canada defeated Switzerland 8-2 in a lopsided quarter-final in which every player wearing a Canadian jersey Sam Steel looked like a superstar. A tougher challenge will come in the next two days, but even then it’s only a two-game snapshot. Offence is obviously Steel’s specialty. The first-round pick of the Anaheim Ducks was named the Western Hockey League’s player of the “It’s not ideal,” Burke said. “You’re not seeing players play against men or year last season after he scored 50 goals and 131 points in 66 games for watching players on a big ice surface, so there’s a lot of factors that Regina. He followed it up with 30 points in 27 playoff games. Playing on aren’t ideal. But at the end of the day, that’s been the real value in having a top line with Kyrou and Dillon Dube, the native of Sherwood Park, Alta., as many events as we’ve had with as many players as we’ve had, has three goals and six points in five games at the world juniors, where because we do have I think have a very good handle on our players. he is an offensive threat on every shift. “And so if we were to add a couple of guys (from the world juniors), that’s Dillon Dube manageable, providing we do our work and pick the right kids. But again, there’s not guarantee that we will add anybody off of the junior guys. Canada’s captain is a versatile player who is as comfortable on the That’s something we’ll have to make a decision on in the next few days, power play as he is in killing penalties. As one of three returning forwards and it’s not a huge body of work that we’ll have to go on.” — Michael McLeod and Taylor Raddysh are the others — Dube also has experience playing on the international stage. Though the second-round It is for that reason why Mete appears to be highest on the list of pick of the Calgary Flames only has two goals and one assist in five hopefuls. games, he scored 18 goals and 39 points in 27 games with the Kelowna Rockets this season, and has been a player that head coach Dominique At an Olympics that will be devoid of NHLers, the 19-year-old has Ducharme has heavily leaned on for top minutes. something that neither of his world junior teammates — or future Olympic teammates — have: recent NHL experience. Mete played in 27 games Dante Fabbro for the Canadiens, where he picked up four assists and averaged close to 15 minutes in ice time. Unlike the other players on this list, Fabbro is playing in the NCAA, where he has experience against older players. Boston University head coach “A guy that can play half the season, or more than a quarter of the David Quinn called the native of New Westminster, B.C., an “elite season, in the NHL and hold his own is definitely somebody that I think is defender” who is “taking more of a charge from an offensive standpoint” ahead of the curve for most of these players. And that’s not lost on us,” in his second year in college. The 6-foot-1 and 195-pound Fabbro, who is Burke said of Mete, who missed Tuesday’s quarter-final with a lower- a first-round pick of the Nashville Predators, has been in and out of the lineup at the world juniors because of a pre-existing injury. But when healthy, he is a solid, two-way defenceman.

National Post LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091411 Toronto Maple Leafs against a league average number of shots given his save percentage. Lagace’s mark of -15.69 is ahead of only Thomas Greiss’s -16.3. (Oddly, Greiss has a 9-5-2 record in 17 starts for the Islanders.) Lagace is right Vegas Golden Knights have been way better than expected — but who behind Ottawa’s Craig Anderson, whose mark of -12.9 is reflected in his else is outplaying the numbers? 9-12-4 record. Meanwhile, Fleury has a GSAA mark of 9.57, ranked seventh in the league even though he’s played only 10 games (he’s 8-1-1 with a 1.77 National Post Staff goals-against average and a .943 save percentage). Subban is playing closer to average with a mark of 3.22 and a record of 12-10-2 (2.25, January 3, 2018 .922). Had the Knights not had to rely on Lagace’s 3.79 GAA and .872 save percentage, they likely would have a better team goal differential.

Vegas is also leading the league in win percentage in one-goal games at TOAST POINTS .750 (12-2-2). And of their nine regulation losses, five have been by three • The Maple Leafs are celebrating Johnny Bower’s life at a memorial or more goals. That would also tilt their goal differential somewhat. service in Toronto this afternoon. Arena seating at the Air Canada Centre It’s worth a look to see how the other teams in the NHL are playing to is open to the public beginning at 2 p.m. ET; the ceremony starts at 3 their Pythagorean win expectation. p.m. Telecast info can be found in the TV listings below. Tampa Bay is also performing slightly ahead of expectation, while • If Team Canada beats the Czech Republic tomorrow night to advance bottom-dwellers Arizona, Buffalo and Ottawa are performing below to the world junior hockey final, it will face either Sweden or the United expectations. But no other team has a differential between their actual States, which outlasted Slovakia and Russia, respectively, in yesterday’s win percentage and their Pythagorean win expectation greater than late quarter-finals in Buffalo. Sweden won its fifth straight game on the Vegas’ nearly 8.5 percentage points. Washington and Philadelphia back of two goals from draft-eligible centre Isac Lundestrom, quelling the (.071), Columbus (.065), Arizona (-.062), Chicago (-.060), Ottawa (-.053) Slovak threat 3-2, while American winger Kieffer Bellows scored late in are the other teams who are more than five percentage points away from the third period to top the Russians 4-2. The Sweden-U.S. semifinal is their actual record. You can see a table of the raw and computed data tomorrow afternoon. here. • Canada’s rocky start to the 2018 tennis season continued overnight at

the mixed team tournament in Perth, Australia, where Eugenie Bouchard and Vasek Pospisil were swept by Germany in a National Post LOADED: 01.04.2018 three-match series. Bouchard lost 6-1, 6-3 to Angelique Kerber and later said the 10 a.m. local start time was “too early,” while Alexander Zverev dusted Pospisil 6-4, 6-2. The Germans also won a doubles match 4-3 (2), 4-3 (2). Bouchard and Pospisil, who previously lost to Australia’s Daria Gavrilova and Thanasi Kokkinakis on Sunday, finish the tournament on Friday against Belgium’s Elise Mertens and David Goffin. The Belgians lost 2-1 to Germany and swept Australia 3-0. • Bills running back LeSean McCoy didn’t practise today and may be unavailable this weekend for the franchise’s first playoff game in 18 years. McCoy, whose 1,138 rushing yards were fourth in the NFL this season, is listed as day-to-day with the right ankle injury he suffered against Miami three days ago. Head coach Sean McDermott declined to clarify his status any further this morning. Buffalo (9-7) will travel to face Jacksonville (10-6) in the AFC wild-card round on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. Elsewhere in the NFL, the Chiefs signed Oshawa, Ont.-raised defensive lineman Stefan Charles to their 53-man roster, which would allow him to play Saturday afternoon against Tennessee. Coincidentally, Charles has now spent time with all four AFC wild-card teams. The Titans assigned him to their practice squad as an undrafted rookie in 2013, before the Bills signed him later in the year. After a stop in Detroit, the Jaguars signed him last March, though he was released in September before the start of the regular season. • Isaiah Thomas made his Cavaliers debut in the team’s 37th game of the season last night, scoring 17 points in 19 minutes as Cleveland broke a three-game losing streak with a 127-110 win over Portland. The diminutive point guard won’t play in back-to-back games for the near future, but his return from a torn hip labrum should be a boon to the third- place Cavaliers, who moved within one game of the Raptors in the Eastern Conference. Toronto, in turn, is 2½ games behind the first-place Celtics. NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS In yesterday’s analysis, we looked at how the Vegas Golden Knights’ record — now 27-9-2 after a 3-0 win last night over Nashville — stood up to their Pythagorean win expectation and how that compared to the other expansion teams since 1967. In the comments on that story, a reader identified as Dallas Snauwaert made the point that the Knights’ goaltending injuries may have contributed to their overperformance against the expectation derived from their goal differential. There might be something to that theory: Maxime Lagace, an undrafted 24-year-old who had worked his way up through the ECHL, suddenly found himself as the starting goalie in Vegas throughout November while Marc-Andre Fleury and Malcolm Subban sat with injuries. The Knights did have a 6-6-1 record in Lagace’s 13 starts, but he currently has the second-worst Goals Saved Against Average mark among the 64 goalies who have played enough to earn a rating. Hockey- Reference’s GSAA measures the goals prevented by a netminder 1091412 Toronto Maple Leafs “He was very funny, too,” Winton said. “Very, very nice man.”

Along with his big heart, fans — like Prabhjot Sidhu — also remember those big hands. Maple Leafs fans remember and pay their respects to Johnny Bower “I just saw his hands, and his hands were enormous, and I was always

taken aback by that,” the 30-year-old said. “I got a good 10 to 15 minutes By Kaitlyn McGrath 9 hours ago to actually sit and talk to him and…he spoke to me as if there was no one else in the room.”

Standing outside by Bower's bronze statue, after briefly paying his Doug Pegg was standing a few metres away from the row of bronze respects, Sidhu explained his parents had immigrated to Canada from statues that reside outside the Air Canada Centre. He had come to pay India and his passion for hockey — and the Leafs — was developed by his respects to the latest fallen member of the Maple Leafs Legend’s row. himself and a few of his cousins.

“He embodied what the organization is about, I think,” the 52-year-old “My parents may not have understood hockey or they may not have lifelong Leafs fan said of Johnny Bower. “He was a team player his whole cheered for the Leafs, but I do and my kids will and grandkids will – this life.” is going to be passed down from here on out. And when I spoke to him, I asked him the advice he would give for young players and young After a few quiet moments, Pegg approached the bronze likeness of parents, and then he shared some stories from his past, from his playing Bower, already surrounded by bouquets of flowers, and placed a Hockey days, and it was just, it was amazing.” Night in Canada toque on the statue’s head, his own small parting gift for a larger than life figure.

“Plus, it’s a little cold today,” he said. The Athletic LOADED: 01.04.2018 The Maple Leafs held a memorial for Bower on Wednesday at the ACC to celebrate the life of the goaltender who won four Stanley Cups with the franchise, including their last in 1967, over 12 seasons. Fans were invited to the public service that was also attended by Bower’s family and friends as well as former and current members of the organization. Bower's former teammates Ron Ellis and spoke during the hour- long ceremony.

Bower died on Dec. 26 after a brief battle with pneumonia, his family said in a statement. He was 93 years old.

Ahead of the service, people, young and old, lined up outside the arena's Gate 1, most wearing some variation of blue and white attire. Among those fans was 63-year-old Ron Gerskup, a retired teacher, who grew up admiring the Leafs of the ‘60s. Bower, though not his favourite player — “goalies were never your favourite player” — was special back then, he said.

“Everybody remembers him now as the guy after he retired, but at the time, he was just this guy that you could count on,” he said. “There was a feeling when he was in there, that we’re in good hands.”

A common thread for the couple thousand who attended the event was many had a personal story to share of Bower, the unofficial grandfather of the Toronto franchise. Even long after he retired in 1970, Bower was a familiar face for generations of fans, well known to never turned down an autograph request.

For instance, Neil Grosse met him when he was about 12 years old thanks to a chance encounter at a family friend’s cottage in Bobcaygeon. The family friend was a plumber who was working on the Bower’s cottage.

“We just happened to be up there, at their place, and Johnny and Nancy Bower pulled up the driveway,” the now 56-year-old said, adding he indeed received an autograph that day. “You can’t say any more than the nice guy, the great human being — he was all that stuff.”

Tim Enns, who attended Wednesday’s event with his 12-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter, met the two-time Vezina Trophy winner a handful of times, usually at golf events, he said.

“Overwhelmed by how genuinely nice he was and just a beautiful human being,” the London, Ont. resident said. “He seemed so sincere when he talked to you and always had — as they say all the time — he always had such a great smile on his face.”

Back in the '60s, May Winton had recently arrived in Toronto from Scotland. She was only 17 and had never seen a hockey game before. It was Bower's Leafs that introduced her to the sport.

“When I came here, of course, that was the thing, every Saturday night you watched hockey, and that’s how I got to know it. And I practically never missed a game,” she said. “And I still watch it, and they’re still my team.”

Last year, after her niece bought her a book about the Leafs' Centennial, Winton, 75, met Bower at a signing. 1091413 Toronto Maple Leafs expected goals (53 per cent) with Marleau and least effective with Nylander.

The flashy Swede just hasn’t clicked with Kadri. The Leafs expected Nazem Kadri just needs a little ‘puck luck’ for Maple Leafs goals-for percentage when the two share the ice with Komarov is 34 per cent. Possession is 42 per cent.

By Jonas Siegel 13 hours ago The Leafs were also missing Matthews for six of the 12 games Kadri has slumped without a point. No Matthews meant Kadri – paired often with Nylander – was drawing top lines and defence pairings not only at home, but on the road where the Leafs spent almost the entire month of Nazem Kadri had a pretty good night against the Lightning, centering a December — with 10 of 13 games away from the Air Canada Centre. line that held the NHL’s hottest duo this season completely in check. Even after Tuesday’s spirited performance against Tampa, possession Nikita Kucherov, the mid-season favourite for the Art Ross and Rocket for Kadri during the point-less spell sits at a lowly 46.5 per cent. Still, the Richard trophies, didn’t have a goal or point and was limited to a single Leafs come out ahead when it comes to scoring chances (52 per cent) shot on goal. Steven Stamkos, who’s already thrown up 49 points in his and high-danger shot attempts (53 per cent) with Kadri out there in that return from another worrisome leg injury, was also kept off the stretch – this despite those grueling matchups and a lowly 36 per cent scoreboard himself while mustering only two shots at Frederik Andersen. offensive zone start percentage. In the almost 11 minutes that Kadri was on the ice against Stamkos, It's hard to believe, but Kadri hasn’t even been on the ice for a single 5- Kucherov and rising Russian Vladislav Namestnikov, the Leafs on-5 Leaf goal in the last 12 games. Every other Leaf who’s played at generated 60 per cent of the shot attempts. least a handful of games has been out there for at least one, including It was a fine return from a two-game absence (upper-body injury) for Matt Martin who's been out there for three, including one he scored. Kadri who played more than 17 minutes, fired four shots, attempted Kadri is shooting it more than any other Leaf during the dry spell, too, seven and won five of his nine faceoffs. generating more than 11 shots per 60 at 5-on-5 with no results. Still, for the 12th consecutive game, Kadri did not record a point. He went Puck luck has also worked for him, too, though. the entire month of December without even one. His last point – a goal – came on Nov. 30 in Edmonton. It's the longest stretch without a point in The Leafs have surrendered only two 5-on-5 goals in the 156 minutes his career. he’s been on the ice since the start of December. The team’s save percentage in that stretch is an unfathomable .978. “I’m not very frustrated or concerned at this point; I’ve been through things like this before,” Kadri said after the 2-0 Tuesday loss to Tampa, Kadri had his best chances to score against the Lightning during a third the NHL's top team. “I can contribute in other ways: I can be a good period power play. He put one shot well over the net and was denied on teammate, I can help out defensively and still be an important player.” another by Vezina trophy front-runner Andrei Vasilevskiy.

“I’m just looking for some puck luck right now,” he added. Kadri’s first 30-goal season was fueled in large part by the power play. He scored a career-best 12 times, adding five assists on one of the What really seems to have happened with Kadri is a complete reversal in league’s more effective units. He’s actually shooting it more in that spot puck luck along with a couple other important factors. this season, but scoring less – perhaps predictably given his sky-high 32 During the 12 games that preceded the drought, Kadri was scorching hot per cent shooting clip last year. with seven goals on only 22 shots (31.8 per cent shooting!). He also Mitch Marner noted last month that teams had clued into what the Leafs added five assists, notching at least a point in 11 of the 12 games. were trying to do with Kadri in the slot and indeed, Kadri has scored only He had 13 goals and 23 points overall in the first 27 outings of the once with the man advantage in the last 37 games and has three all year. season and was creeping up on Auston Matthews for the team lead in He has been creating more rebounds though, which may be why, at least goals and points. in part, James van Riemsdyk popped for seven power-play goals in the “A lot of breaks were going in,” Kadri said of the first couple months of his first half. eighth season in the league. Kadri probably hit the high point of his offensive prowess last year (or “And now it’s just – I’m getting tons of opportunities and I think that’s close to it) when he had a career-best 32 goals and 61 points. It was where you start to get frustrated or concerned when maybe you’re not probably a little unwise to assume he’d keep up the 40-goal, 70-point getting those quality scoring chances and you have a little bit of doubt in pace of October and November. Even with the current cool streak, yourself. But throughout the last 10 games I feel like I’ve been however, he remains on track for 27 goals and 47 points, which seems everywhere and had lots of opportunities to put pucks in the net. Just about right given the role he plays for the Leafs and linemates usually at haven’t been going in.” his side.

He’s seen this movie before, obviously, on a much larger scale. It’s also still pretty good value for his $4.5 million cap hit — which is tied for 116th among NHL forwards this season. During the Leafs 30th-place 2015-16 campaign, Kadri fired the 12th most shots in the entire league (a career-high 260 or more than three per His luck should soon change anyway and because he's “not much of a game) and scored only 17 times. headcase”, Kadri saw no need to change things up. He's apparently not the superstitious type. He says he’s learned from experiences like that to remain patient and not get frustrated. “I think mentally, I have that mental toughness just to stick through it,” he said. “You just learn how to deal with that process and not put too much Though Kadri was managing to produce earlier this season, playing pressure on yourself. Because, I think, when you grip your stick a little exclusively with Leo Komarov, a winger of limited offensive capability, too tight that’s when you start not getting those chances and drifting surely hasn't helped his cause. The Finn has only two even-strength away from your game. So for me, my game never changes whether I’m goals and five even-strength assists all season. scoring or not.

Komarov isn’t the type anymore (if he ever was) capable of creating “I think I can still be an impact player and goals are going to come, it’s looks for Kadri or cashing them in himself and perhaps it's not surprising just a matter of time.” that Kadri’s 5-on-5 assist production per 60 minutes has been sliced in half so far this year.

Third wingers on the line have included Patrick Marleau, William The Athletic LOADED: 01.04.2018 Nylander and Connor Brown.

The unit hasn't worked especially well no matter which has been on it, but it's been most successful in terms of possession (47 per cent) and 1091414 Toronto Maple Leafs There, he came with more surprises, including a signed plaque for each of them.

When the foursome offered to take him out for dinner (for the second How Johnny Bower touched the lives of a group of complete strangers he time) at a Brewery Bay Food Co. (a local restaurant run by now-Orillia met at a golf tournament mayor Steve Clarke, who was meant to be in the foursome but had to pull out the night before), he obliged.

By Scott Wheeler Jan 3, 2018 “He thought that dinner would upset his agent and so we snuck him out of the mall, got him in a vehicle and took him out for dinner and we had just a great time,” Bolger said. “A lot of people didn’t recognize him right away unless they were from our generation and then they would kind of In August 1999, when John Winchester, Paul Bolger and two of their 40- triple-take and we’d say ‘yes, it’s Johnny’ and he was being very, very something friends from Orillia signed up for a celebrity golf tournament at gracious and saying hi to everybody. It was just an all-around wonderful Wildwinds Golf and Country Club, north of Guelph, they all knew who evening.” they wanted to play with. Clarke meets Bower at his restaurant. There were junior players from the Guelph Storm and the Kitchener Rangers. There were NHL referees Bill McCreary and Terry Gregson. Over the years, Bower kept in touch with each of them. There was Bobby Hull. Five years after their dinners and golfing, the foursome went to Bower’s There was also Johnny Bower. 80th birthday party at Toronto City Hall and he again remembered each of their names, introducing them to his wife Nancy, their three children Winchester grew up in the '60s. He remembers watching the Maple Leafs and his grandchildren. goaltender, then his favourite player, at the end of his 24-year career in professional hockey. As an eight-year-old, Winchester would stay up to They remember talking to him about the 1967 Stanley Cup run, which he write a scoring summary for his parents — who were usually out at the humbly insisted was all Terry Sawchuk, despite his 12-9-3 record, .918 local curling club — always making notes on Bower’s play. save percentage and four playoff starts while in his early 40s that year.

He met Bower once, at a local Junior A game in 1969, and remembers Bower's 80th birthday party. shaking his “very large hands.” When two of them turned 50 in 2009, Winchester sent Bower a poster, Three decades later, their paths crossed again. Winchester and his which he signed and sent back with a note wishing them well and some group got to golf with Bower, a day that led to lasting kinships and a signed cards from his days with the Leafs and the Cleveland Barons. series of touching stories over the nearly two decades that followed. “He just said, ‘I had a few extra cards sitting around, I thought you might Bower with Graham, Winchester, Bolger and Rob Whitehead. like them and I just said, ‘well sure,’” Winchester said, laughing. “What’s not to like? He’s just such a generous, wonderful, nice person.” They remember how easy it was to become friends with Bower, and the countless stories he shared. Wildwinds welcomed 18 groups that day, Every couple of years, between emails for nearly two decades, Bower and it took them more than six hours to finish. would pick up Winchester's calls and catch up. On many occasions, he tried to come to the charity golf tournament Clarke and Brewery Bay host “Trust me, that was fine,” Winchester said. “You had a lot of time to talk in Orillia but ran into other conflicting charity events or a rare trip to his and he had a story for us before every hole.” own cottage in Buckhorn, Ont. Sometimes, he couldn’t make it because Bower told them he how he would do events for , such as he was still on the ice for his goalie clinics into his mid-80s. store openings, just for donuts. That allowed the other players to keep Whenever Winchester asked for a favour, Bower said yes. When Orillia the $20. hosted the girls OFSAA provincial hockey championship in 2005, 2009 In the playoff, Bower, who was 75 at the time, complained of nerves, and 2013, Bower sent dozens of copies of signed photos and hockey worried he’d let the foursome down with his play. cards.

“He says, ‘you know Paul, I’ve been in Stanley Cup Finals and going into “It wasn’t until later on when I started reading his book, The China Wall, this playoff I’m really, really nervous,’” Bolger said from his home in that I realized that for years he’d had these terribly arthritic hands and it Orillia. “I said ‘don’t worry about it Johnny, there’s five of us here. Don’t didn’t make a difference, he never turned down a request,” Winchester you feel like you have to hit a perfect shot every time. We don’t care what said. “It’s the same story you hear over and over again. He was just such kind of shot you make, don’t feel pressure to be perfect’ and that put him a nice person and he got it. He understood what a privilege it was to play at ease a little bit. And I said, ‘let’s just go out there and show these guys professional sports for as long as he did and he never stopped giving how it’s done and have some fun.’” back. It’s almost like he had two careers; in the AHL and the NHL and then when he retired in 1970. The most memorable thing to me is what And they did. he has done since he retired. After all those years, he was always kind Bower hand-wrote his name onto the group's cart sign. enough to pick up the phone.”

At dinner, Bower told the foursome how happy he was to meet them and A collection of some of the memorabilia and notes Bower sent to asked them to follow him to his car so that he could give them Winchester over the years. autographed photos. It had to be done in secret, for fear of his agent's The same was true for Bolger, a high school teacher and the athletic disapproval — in those days, players were paid by the autograph, with director at Park Street Collegiate in Orillia. At that dinner at Brewery Bay, agents taking a cut. Bolger and his wife Susan – who admits she fell in love with him that By the end, Bower was handing out his home phone number. He told night – remember Bower curiously asking Paul about teaching high each that if they ever needed a partner in a golf tournament to give him a school aged kids and his philosophy as a coach. call. Years later, when Bolger’s girls high school team was playing a A month later, after Bower let them know of an autograph session he was tournament at York University, he phoned Bower and told him if he doing with Gump Worsley at the Orillia Square Mall, the group surprised wanted to come watch some really good hockey, with a wink and a him with a photo they took together at Wildwinds, signed by the nudge, that he could come see the girls’ team play. foursome. The photo still sits on the mantle at the Bower household in Fully expecting him to say no, Bower asked for the time and place and Mississauga. promised to make it.

The foursome give their partner their signed photo. “He thought that would be just a great idea and so what he did was he At the signing session, Bower remembered each of their names and actually showed up at the tournament and knocked on the door of the asked that they stick around and come out to his pickup truck after he dressing room and said is it appropriate for me to go into the change was done. room at which time the coach had no idea he was coming and just about lost his teeth on the floor. He was just absolutely flabbergasted that he was looking at Johnny Bower knocking on his change room door. Johnny had brought sweaters for the girls and he came into the change room, met all the girls, shook all of their hands and walked up to the goalie and said ‘boy, you look awfully relaxed for a girl going out to start a hockey game.’ And he stayed in the change room and talked to the girls about making sure that you have fun before you do everything else,” Bolger said.

“Our coaching staff were just in awe Johnny was in their dressing room cajoling with the girls and just having a good chat and having fun. I was really impressed that he actually showed up but sure enough there he was at 11 o’clock in the morning true to his word just to go see a girls hockey team that he had no real interest in. It sure epitomizes the gentleman that he was and some of the girls were diehard Leafs fans so they were very aware of who was talking to them.”

Later, ahead of a different trip to Barrie, Bower phoned Bolger to let him know that he was in the area and Bolger got all of the girls from that team to sign a jersey as thanks.

“You’d swear that I’d just given him a Rolex watch. Like, he just absolutely loved the fact that he had this high school girls’ hockey team jersey signed by all of the players. It was very cool and as soon as he saw me he said, ‘hi Paul’ and he remembered because he was that interested. When you had a conversation with Johnny he looked you right in the eye and he was so gentle and so interested in what you had to say,” Bolger said.

Graham and Bower.

Up until they heard the news of Bower’s death, Bolger and Winchester had only met him a handful of times each. But like everyone who met him, they’re glad they did – and thankful for the generosity he showed two strangers.

“When we drew Johnny’s name at that golf tournament we were just ecstatic. It worked out the way it should work out,” Bolger said.

When Bower passed, Winchester felt compelled to leave a note on the online condolences page the funeral home set up and share his story.

“His generosity never ceased. Johnny is one-of-a-kind. It’s one of those things that you knew it was coming and it’s sad but it's also a celebration. It was such an honour to spend as little time with him as I did. It’s wonderful that so many people are sharing the stories of Johnny that I knew they would. It’s just wonderful to help continue his legacy and that’s just, you know, that’s one of the most important things we can do for people like Johnny who always paid it forward. I’m sure he’d be pleased if he knew we were doing that,” Winchester finished.

The Athletic LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091415 Vegas Golden Knights It’s conceivable the sports department of the Seattle Times will hold a staff meeting at a Totems game, or whatever the new team will be called, in 2020-21. But at the unprecedented and unfathomable rate the Golden Golden Knights are on pace to become best expansion team ever Knights are going, the scribes up there had better learn how to spell Marchessault.

By Ron Kantowski Las Vegas Review-Journal LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 01.04.2018 January 3, 2018 - 1:56 PM

Getting six sports writers together for anything that doesn’t include free beer or pizza is more difficult than lining up the squares on a Rubik’s Cube. This explains why there are few optional meetings of newspaper sports departments, and why few Rubik’s Cubes are rearranged into factory condition on deadline. Just before the puck was dropped for the 38th time during the Golden Knights’ inaugural season, a quorum of scribes gathered in the press box observation deck at T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday. This was not planned. This was more rare than Halley’s Comet. It was the swallows returning to Capistrano, or the Bills making the playoffs. It was a phenomenon that Neil deGrasse Tyson would have trouble explaining. It speaks to Miracle on Ice II, which is what one might call what these Golden Knights have accomplished. In a retrospective of the year that just was, the Knights were deemed the second-best local sports story of 2017. The NFL’s Raiders eventually coming to town was ranked No. 1. Obviously, many absentee ballots were filled out before the Vegas pro hockey team embarked on this current winning streak, and before Las Vegas’ pro football team in waiting was firing its coach while Chargers backup quarterback Kellen Clemens still was taking a knee in victory formation. The Golden Knights are 27-9-2 and lead the NHL’s Western Conference with 56 points. People here not only can pronounce Marchessault, they’re learning to spell it. It’s only January. There’s still a lot of hockey to be played, as the analysts say. But enough hockey has been played to make a case for the Golden Knights being the greatest expansion team in sports history, as presumptuous as that might sound. In measuring what the Knights have accomplished in comparison to the best of the first-year franchises in the other major American sports, it doesn’t sound presumptuous at all. The best expansion team in NHL history was the 1993-94 Florida Panthers, who finished 33-34-17. In , the 1961 Los Angeles Angels went 70-91; in football, the 1995 Carolina Panthers were 7-9; in basketball, the 1966-67 Chicago Bulls went 33-48. The Panthers missed the playoffs by one point. The old Bulls qualified for the postseason, but were swept from the playoffs in the first round by the St. Louis Hawks of Zelmo Beatty, Bill Bridges, Lou Hudson and Lenny Wilkens. So if the Knights of goalie Marc-Andre Fleury and a bunch of forwards and defensemen disguised as interchangeable parts can keep it together as the “” cities and Buffalo freeze over, they might set the bar on expansion team success to Sergey Bubka level. Even once-doubting Thomases are sticking a finger in left wing Jonathan Marchessault’s side and changing their refrain, if not their entire tune. “Everybody’s waiting for the shoes to drop and for Vegas to become normal and start to lose some games, but that’s not happening,” NHL analyst Barry Melrose said on Brent Musburger’s “My Guys in the Desert” show originating from the VSiN broadcast bubble at the South Point sports book the other day. “No reason to believe this team is going to start to falter. They’ve just played too well against too many good teams and they’ve beaten just about everybody they’ve had to beat in the West, and beat them just about every time.” So there’s that, and then there are intangibles that measure an expansion team’s immediate success and impact. That an ownership group in Seattle was able to scrape together $650 million to explore reserving a ring in Gary Bettman’s circus speaks ever so highly of what the Golden Knights have achieved right out of the box, Melrose said. “I don’t think Seattle would have been as quick to come into the NHL if (not for) the success Vegas is having,” he said. 1091416 Vegas Golden Knights 3. Banged-up Blues. St. Louis has battled injuries going back to training camp, and the latest is Jaden Schwartz’s right ankle injury suffered Dec. 9 when he blocked a shot against Detroit. The left wing was having the Golden Knights’ Gerard Gallant to coach Pacific Division All-Stars best season of his career with 14 goals and 35 points when he went on injured reserve.

By Steve Carp Las Vegas Review-Journal LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 01.04.2018 January 3, 2018 - 11:24 am Updated January 3, 2018 - 2:59 PM

ST. LOUIS — The Golden Knights have their first NHL All-Star Game participant. Gerard Gallant will coach the Pacific Division All-Stars on Jan. 28 in Tampa, Florida, after the Knights secured the top points percentage in the division Tuesday after their 3-0 win over Nashville. The Knights are 27-9-2 with 56 points and a .737 points percentage. The Los Angeles Kings are second with 53 points and a .662 percentage. Mathematically, the Kings can’t catch the Knights, so Gallant will be going to Florida. So will Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper, who will coach the Atlantic Division All-Stars, as the host Lightning have the top points percentage in the NHL at .769. The official announcement from the NHL on the four All-Star division coaches is expected to come after Saturday’s games. The rosters for the All-Star Game are expected to be announced late next week. “If I am selected, it would be a great honor,” Gallant said Wednesday before the Knights departed for St. Louis, where they will put their eight- game winning streak on the line Thursday against the Blues. “I think the best part of it is you know your team is playing real well and your team is in first place at this time of the season.” Gallant will be making his second All-Star appearance as a coach. In 2016, he coached the Atlantic Division All-Stars while with the Florida Panthers. “It’s a lot more than me,” Gallant said. “It’s my coaching staff. It’s our players, who have had an outstanding first half of the season. The organization has had a great first half. We get a reward for that with the All-Star Game.” But Gallant’s focus is on St. Louis. Same for his players. They know they have a good thing going and don’t need any distractions. “It’s about competing and getting ready for the next game,” Gallant said. “It’s another big challenge for us. Keep working hard and playing well. The guys are competing, and they’re playing well. They believe in themselves.” Forward David Perron said the team has learned a lot about itself during this run. “Even when we don’t play our best game, we find a way to get two points,” he said. “Every day we turn the page and try and get better.” Perron said the return of goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has been instrumental. “Flower not being around as much at the start of the year, and now he’s here, he’s been a big part of the success,” Perron said. “He’s done an unbelievable job keeping us in games, and he’s won us a couple of games.” Forward Alex Tuch said Fleury’s return has made a noticeable impact off the ice, too. “He’s one of the leaders on this team,” Tuch said. “He helps us mesh together, and he’s such a great veteran presence to have in the (locker) room. He’s so positive and upbeat and a lot of fun to be around.” Three storylines 1. Riding the wave. The Golden Knights look to extend their record eight- game winning streak against a St. Louis team that has won two straight and is 14-8 at home. The Blues will be looking to avenge a 3-2 overtime loss to the Knights on Oct. 21. 2. Who’s in goal? Will Marc-Andre Fleury stay in the net after shutting out Nashville on Tuesday? Or does coach Gerard Gallant go back to Malcolm Subban? And does Blues coach Mike Yeo stick with Carter Hutton, the 35-year-old veteran who backstopped St. Louis to two straight wins over Minnesota and New Jersey. Or does Yeo play Jake Allen, who has lost three of his past four starts. 1091417 Vegas Golden Knights LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 01.04.2018 Consistency, healthy roster carry Wolves to success at midseason

By Emily Polglaze Special to the Review-Journal January 3, 2018 - 4:32 PM

The Golden Knights have been the biggest surprise in the NHL in their inaugural season. Their top minor-league team is now following a similar path in the AHL. The Chicago Wolves still hold the longest winless streak in the league, an eight-game skid in November. Now, nearing the midway point of the season, Chicago is on a league-best points streak at 11. The team has come from the bottom of its division back to a playoff contender. “When you go through the tough times that we did, it can go one of two ways,” head coach Rocky Thompson said. “You can maybe claw your way out, or you can completely fall off the map, and I give our guys a ton of credit.” The story of the AHL season for the Wolves has been consistency. Three losses during the winless period were one-goal games, and the last three came in either overtime or a shootout. Chicago slowly but surely made its way out of the hole by doing much of the same. “I believe that teams, believe it or not, respected us when we were losing, too,” Thompson said. “We felt that we were getting teams’ best games, and you don’t get that if you’re a lame duck.” Thompson said that early leads and learning to play with them have been a big difference-maker that finally pushed the Wolves over the losing hump. That in conjunction with mainstays like Chicago’s top-10 penalty kill and its third-best shots on goal average, have put the team in a tight race for a top spot in the AHL Central Division. “It’s dumbing it down,” forward Brandon Pirri said. “We have enough skill, that when there’s plays to be made, we made them, but at times we were forcing it and that was getting us in trouble … we’re getting a lot better with that and we’re getting the results from it.” Another key to the Wolves’ recent success is a healthy roster. The Wolves started with most of its pieces in place, but that didn’t last long. The Wolves sent both of its goaltenders to Vegas, top forwards were injured, and other players spent short stints in the NHL to fill holes for the Golden Knights. Goalie Max Lagace returned from the Golden Knights in early December, and forwards Brandon Pirri and Tomas Hyka have made recoveries. The Wolves haven’t had any roster moves to the NHL club since Dec. 18, and all players have returned since. “It’s good that we’re all healthy, and that we still have a couple of guys that are scratches that can play and want to play,” Hyka said. “We’re more confident … We come to the rink every single game and are working hard and having fun.” The returning players have made a big impact during the points streak. Hyka has provided 11 points, Pirri has nine and Max Lagace has six wins in his eight appearances. Now that everyone is back, Thompson said it’s important to build on the familiarity and carry it through the rest of the season. “We’re finally getting a bit of chemistry, we hope,” Thompson said. “We’re happy with our guys and the position that we’re in right now, but again, it’s not enough. We want to continue to strive to be a little bit better, every single day, every single game.” There are 11 Vegas-affiliated players on the Wolves roster, and they’ve been some of the most reliable. Forwards Teemu Pulkkinen, T.J. Tynan, and Paul Thompson, and defenseman Jake Bischoff are the only Chicago players that have played in every game for the Wolves. Pulkkinen has 26 points in 34 games, good for second on the team, and Tynan and Thompson come in at third and fourth with 23 and 20 points, respectively. Bischoff is third in scoring of active Chicago defensemen with eight points. Fellow Vegas defenseman Griffin Reinhart has seven points and the best plus/minus ranking for the Wolves at plus-10 through 20 games. 1091418 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights sign Jonathan Marchessault to 6-year, $30M extension

By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal January 3, 2018 - 2:08 PM Updated January 3, 2018 - 5:14 PM

Jonathan Marchessault got a hefty raise Wednesday. Marchessault signed a six-year, $30 million contract extension with the Golden Knights, the team announced Wednesday. “It was never easy. Everything was always hard for me,” Marchessault said on the team’s website. “I’m happy of the path that I took, and I’m just happy to be here, and I think it’s going to be a great experience for our whole team. We started something great, and we want to keep going, for sure.” Marchessault’s signing is the latest indication the Knights (27-9-2, 56 points) are keeping key pieces that have led to a historic start for the first- place expansion team. Defenseman Brayden McNabb signed a four- year, $10 million contract extension Nov. 29. Marchessault, 27, was set to become an unrestricted free agent July 1, and his play with the Knights would have made him an inexpensive option before the Feb. 26 trade deadline for a team in need of offense. Rather than dealing his leading scorer for draft picks or prospects, general manager George McPhee locked up Marchessault through the 2023-24 season at an affordable $5 million per year salary cap hit. Marchessault was at the end of a two-year deal that paid him $750,000 this season. “He fits our identity,” McPhee said. “He works very hard. He’s very, very competitive, lots of second and third and fourth effort. He works hard at both ends of the rink, and he’s generating offense.” Marchessault has teamed with William Karlsson and Reilly Smith on the first line and tops the Knights in scoring with 37 points. He shares the team lead in assists with forward David Perron at 22 and tallied his 15th goal in Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Nashville. “We certainly like the way he’s playing, and we like the way that that line is performing, and we wanted to keep it together,” McPhee said. The Knights selected Marchessault in the expansion draft from the Florida Panthers after he posted 30 goals and 21 assists last season. He previously appeared in the NHL with Columbus and Tampa Bay. “Players develop at different levels and different rates at times,” McPhee said. “Some blossom early, some blossom late. The good news is we have him now as he’s just entering his prime and should get a lot of very good, productive years from him.” The Knights now have 10 players on expiring contracts, including unrestricted free agents Deryk Engelland, James Neal, Perron and defenseman . Forward William Karlsson, who leads the team with 20 goals, is one of six restricted free agents, along with defensemen Colin Miller and Shea Theodore.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091419 Vegas Golden Knights It’s a great signing for McPhee and the Golden Knights but an even better sign going forward. Between the player-friendly coaching staff, the fun, energetic locker room, and the unbelievable atmosphere at City Golden Knights lock up Marchessault for 6 years for $30 million National and T-Mobile Arenas, the Golden Knights have a good thing going.

If they can foster the culture they’ve created, Vegas is going to be a very By Jesse Granger (contact) attractive place to play hockey. Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018 | 2:52 p.m. “It means so far, we’re doing the right things,” McPhee said. “It’s a challenge every day, but we approach every day trying to do things better and figure out how to be a better organization.” General manager George McPhee came to Las Vegas before the Golden This signing certainly does that. Knights had a team name or logo, and from the very beginning he has trumpeted the idea that “creating a good culture within an organization is easier than changing a bad one.” LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 01.04.2018 The Golden Knights’ mantra has always been to bring in good people, from the coaching staff to the players, and it appears McPhee’s plan is working. Not only is the team far exceeding expectations with its hot start, but McPhee announced today he has locked up one of his best, young players for the foreseeable future. Jonathan Marchessault, who leads Vegas in points with 15 goals and 22 assists, signed a six-year, $30 million extension to remain with the Golden Knights through the 2023-24 season. “He’s just entering his prime,” McPhee said. “He’s very competitive, and he’s become a better playmaker this year than he’s been at the pro level, so there’s always something a player can improve in their game.” The 27-year-old scored 30 goals last season with the Florida Panthers but was surprisingly left exposed in June’s expansion draft. The Golden Knights jumped at the opportunity to add him to their squad and it has paid off. He leads the team in points (37) and assists (22) and is tied for second in power play goals (3) and power play points (7). “(I’m) really happy, more happy to be here with my teammates, and the organization has done amazing things for us,” Marchessault said. “Since we all came here, we just feel like part of a big family, and we love this city.” Marchessault would have been an unrestricted free agent this season but chose to stay in Las Vegas, largely because of the culture McPhee has created and coach Gerard Gallant has fostered. “We think what we’re doing here is very important in how we approach things,” McPhee said. “There are teams that have more talent, but it’s what we’re doing internally that’s helping us get wins. We’re focused on getting results each and every day.” Not only is Marchessault’s extension a result of the Golden Knights culture, it will add to it in the future. From interacting with young fans to being a leader in the locker room, Marchessault is a perfect example of the type of person McPhee wants to build the future of the hockey club around. “There’s no doubt about that,” McPhee said. “We’ve emphasized from day one that we want talented, hard-working players with low ego that buy into the team and the community.” The fact that Nevada has no state tax probably doesn’t hurt, either, when negotiating. “That’s hard to say,” McPhee said. “What players really want first and foremost is the right fit and to feel comfortable in an organization and believe that they can succeed. That’s really what it comes down to.” Marchessault has certainly succeeded in his short time in Las Vegas. He, Reilly Smith and William Karlsson make up the Golden Knights’ first line, which ranks third in the NHL with 45 combined goals this season. Smith was already locked up through the 2021-22 season. Karlsson is scheduled to be a restricted free agent after this season. McPhee wouldn’t comment on future negotiations, but Karlsson could be the next to ink a long-term deal. “We like how the line is performing and we wanted to keep it together,” McPhee said. “(Marchessault) is an effective player and he competes hard at both ends of the rink and is producing on the offensive end.” Last season was Marchessault’s first full season in the NHL and he scored 30 goals. He’s on pace to top that mark this year. “There’s certainly room to grow as a player and he’s aware of that,” McPhee said. “There’s even more that can be developed, and that’s only a positive.” 1091420 Washington Capitals he could get the first all-star nod of his career thanks to his well-timed resurgence this season.

“Carly’s had to play a lot of minutes, a lot of important minutes,” Capitals John Carlson’s timely career year could cost the Capitals big time Coach Barry Trotz said. “I think he’s either two or three in the league in scoring all of the time here. He should get some recognition, absolutely. … I think it’s long overdue.” By Isabelle Khurshudyan January 3 at 4:52 PM Trotz said that Tuesday morning, roughly seven hours before Washington’s game at Carolina, when an errant pass by Carlson in front of the Capitals’ net resulted in the first Hurricanes goal. But by the time As Washington Capitals teammates and friends, Brooks Orpik and John the game was over, Carlson had skated a season-high 30:51 in the 5-4 Carlson talk every day –about family, about hockey, about what’s been overtime win, and Trotz said he thought Carlson played “outstanding.” As on their minds lately. But for all those conversations, one subject has not fellow right-shooting defenseman has been injured and been broached: Carlson’s expiring contract. missed 14 games this season, Carlson has showcased his value to the team, quarterbacking the top power play while often facing top “He hasn’t mentioned it once, to be honest with you,” Orpik said. “And if competition at even strength and also logging the most shorthanded time he’s not going to bring it up, I’m certainly not going to bring it up.” on ice per game. It’s an elephant in the room of Washington’s season: What will the team Washington lost mobile defenseman Nate Schmidt in the Vegas do about Carlson? Before the season started, Carlson and his agent, expansion draft this summer, and the organization then parted with Rick Curran of The Orr Hockey Group, discussed Carlson’s murky future. veteran free agents Karl Alzner and Shattenkirk, so the Capitals are “Just play hockey,” Curran told him. That much Carlson has done well, already breaking in two rookies on the blue line this season. The second among NHL defensemen in points with 31 (four goals and 27 organization has a strong prospect pool of defensemen, but none is assists) while averaging a career-high 26:20 on ice per game. ready to play on a top pairing in the NHL. Acquiring someone who is But while Carlson has had the best first half of a season in his career, more suited to that role through trade or free agency could be just as any contract talks between the Capitals and his camp have stayed quiet. costly as re-signing Carlson. Curran said the sides haven’t had any discussions yet, something he “There’s some guys who I think [an expiring contract] kind of pushes said he expects to change in the coming weeks now that it’s later in the them to have a really good season, and there’s other guys that they put season and the trade deadline is approaching at the end of February. too much pressure on themselves and it works against them,” Orpik said. Curran said he and, more importantly, Carlson understand that the “Johnny’s a pretty laid-back guy. If you just watch the way he handles team’s salary-cap constraints are why Washington has yet to express himself, there’s not too many things that worry him. I think because of interest in an extension. After the Capitals awarded lengthy and costly that kind of personality, it probably works to his advantage.” contracts to T.J. Oshie, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dmitry Orlov this

summer, roughly 60 percent of the team’s current $75 million salary cap is tied up in seven players through the 2019-20 season, according to Washington Post LOADED: 01.04.2018 CapFriendly.com. Carlson’s cap hit is just south of $4 million; if he were to hit the open market July 1, he’d be the best defenseman available and due for a significant pay raise. But for the Capitals to keep Carlson, which seems increasingly likely with how well he has played, Washington would likely have to give the soon- to-be 28-year-old the maximum eight-year term, committing even more of the salary cap to a small core of players. Even if the salary cap increases next year, to accommodate Carlson the Capitals might have to shed salary for a second year in a row and part with other pending free agents they’d otherwise prefer to keep. But with no defenseman in the organization ready to ascend to Carlson’s role and external free agent options not particularly attractive to replace the all-situations blue-liner, they might not have a choice. “I know what his hopes and his desires are,” Curran said. “It’s not something I’ve been thinking about,” Carlson said last month. “From my standpoint, that’s not going to change. I’m just focusing on playing hockey and let the other stuff take care of itself. There’ll be a time for all that, and that’s when I’ll deal with that. … That’s what your agent does: find what the value should be and all that. I haven’t looked into any of that stuff.” At the midpoint of the season, Carlson is on pace to finish with 62 points, which would have placed him fourth among defensemen in scoring last season, behind San Jose’s Brent Burns (76 points), Ottawa’s Erik Karlsson (72) and Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman (71). Burns signed an eight-year, $64 million contract extension with the Sharks well before he could reach free agency, a figure similar to the eight-year, $63 million deal Hedman signed with the Lightning a year before he could hit the open market. Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, Washington’s trade-deadline acquisition last year, tallied 13 goals and 43 assists last season and was the top blue-liner in this most recent free agent class. Shattenkirk landed a $6.65 million annual cap hit on the open market. But to play for his hometown New York Rangers, Shattenkirk sacrificed on term, signing a four-year deal when he likely could’ve gotten seven years elsewhere. “I think every player will tell you that’s what they’re looking for: to get their worth,” Shattenkirk said last month. “You look at comparables and all that kind of stuff and you have a notion in your mind of where you’re going to sign and what the number’s going to be. … But I also think that there’s a lot of pride in suiting up with a team and giving them a chance to win and being somewhere that you feel comfortable, and sometimes you can’t put a dollar sign on that.” When Carlson had 12 goals and 43 assists during the 2014-15 season, he finished 10th in Norris Trophy voting as one of the league’s best defensemen. Oft-injured the past two years, his production slipped, but 1091421 Washington Capitals This was the fourth documented concussion Oshie has suffered in his career, and he said he’s reacted differently in those first few games back each time. Capitals could reunite slumping T.J. Oshie with Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas “It was a little frustrating that it just kind of lurked around, some Backstrom headaches and things like that,” Oshie said on Monday. “But I’ve been good for a while now. I feel good.” By Isabelle Khurshudyan January 3 at 2:05 PM After defenseman Matt Niskanen didn’t play on Tuesday night against the Carolina Hurricanes, he was briefly on the ice before Washington’s Wednesday practice. Niskanen is considered “day-to-day” with an undisclosed “upper-body” injury, and this was his first time skating since T.J. Oshie and Coach Barry Trotz had an extended chat before the the Capitals’ game against the Devils on Saturday. team’s practice on Wednesday. The gist: Trotz told Oshie he’d be skating with first-line center Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin that day, and Trotz said he doesn’t know yet if Niskanen will be a full participant at Oshie told him he didn’t deserve the promotion. Thursday’s practice. Since Oshie has returned to the lineup after missing six games with a “He’s obviously progressing,” Trotz said. “And how he made out today concussion last month, he’s insisted that he’s felt like his old self again. and how he feels tomorrow will indicate if he’s in or out.” But he and the Washington Capitals are still waiting for him to look like his old self on the ice. Though Trotz said Oshie’s reunion with Ovechkin and Backstrom was just for practice, it could be a move designed to Washington Post LOADED: 01.04.2018 spark the team’s slumping star right wing. “Things aren’t really going my way right now,” Oshie said. “I’m not playing my best, but I’m working hard and doing a lot of little things good, so we’ll see. I’m sure playing with those two guys never hurts.” In the seven games since Oshie’s returned to the lineup, he has one goal and no assists. His linemates have fallen into similar dry spells; center Evgeny Kuznetsov has one goal and two assists in those seven games, and Jakub Vrana has just the one assist. With Oshie now skating with Ovechkin and Backstrom, Trotz moved Tom Wilson beside Kuznetsov and Vrana; and Devante Smith-Pelly, who had a goal and a primary assist in two games with Ovechkin and Backstrom, is now on a third line with center Lars Eller and Brett Connolly. “I think it’s just a little bit frustrating that me, [Vrana] and Kuzy, three pretty good players, we couldn’t figure a way to bring some offense to the team,” Oshie said. “Fortunately for us, a lot of other guys are playing really well right now. We’ll see if the lines stick and if they stay, but in my position, I almost feel a little bad for Devo [Smith-Pelly]. He played great on that line. Tom was playing really good on that line. For me, a little frustrated for them that they were in the top spot there and they got moved down after some really good play.” Said Trotz: “To me, that’s the humbleness of him, too. For me, it’s about what he can contribute to a line. It doesn’t matter if he’s going well or not going well, in his mind or my mind. I know he can contribute and sometimes just changing the deck a little bit or the mind-set a little bit, it falls into place.” Earlier in the week, Trotz referenced a play in the third period of Washington’s recent game against Boston, when right after the Capitals killed off an Oshie high-sticking infraction, Oshie had a turnover in front of Washington’s net that led to a go-ahead goal by the Bruins. Fortunately, the Capitals still went on to win that game in a shootout. “I think Osh can be a little bit better than he has,” Trotz said. “I mean, we’ve all seen Osh at a real high level. And he’s played at a high level for so long, so I don’t really expect him — he’s had a couple games that were not Oshie-like. The other day, right after the big kill there, that’s not T.J. Oshie-like, so it’s just like anything, he’ll respond. He’s too good of a pro and too good of a player. … “He competes. I love him as a player. He’s an all-in guy, and he drives a lot of the things that we do. That line will get some production, and he’s gone on a little bit of a dry spell in the five-on-five, but that’ll come.” Oshie played a season-low 12:10 against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night, and while that might have been because Washington took an early lead in that game and was able to roll four lines from there, it’s possible Trotz wasn’t as happy with the Vrana-Kuznetsov-Oshie trio as he was his others. On Tuesday night against Carolina, Oshie skated 15:36 and finished with a minus-1 rating. “There was a couple games there where we had a lot of chances, and they would hit shafts or hit posts and just not really work out,” Oshie said. “It seemed like there was longer and longer periods of time between us getting shifts in the [offensive] zone and playing well. I think you could see a little frustration in all three of our eyes last night.” After Oshie scored a career-high 33 goals last season, the Capitals re- signed the 30-year-old to a massive eight-year deal worth $5.75 million annually, and since he joined Washington two seasons ago, he’s skated primarily with Ovechkin and Backstrom. On the season, Oshie has 11 goals and 13 assists for 24 points in 35 games, and seven of those goals have come on the power play, where Oshie plays in the “diamond” position directly in front of the net. 1091422 Washington Capitals

The Caps are riding high, but the bottom could fall out any minute

By Neil Greenberg January 3 at 1:50 PM

The Washington Capitals won again Tuesday, a 5-4 victory at the Carolina Hurricanes that included two goals — one in overtime — from superstar winger Alex Ovechkin. It was Washington’s first win in the new year but also its 11th in 15 games. The Capitals have sole possession of first place in the Metropolitan Division with 53 points, a surprise considering all the turnover they had in the offseason. “We have a great core here and a lot of great players,” forward Jay Beagle said Tuesday during an interview with The Sports Junkies on 106.7 The Fan. “So, every year, we should be contenders to win the Presidents’ Trophy and then go in the playoffs and be contenders to win the Stanley Cup. That’s the way we look at it. That’s our mind-set.” The Capitals might look like contenders on paper, but the underlying metrics suggest another postseason flame-out is more likely than a breakthrough. For the first time since Barry Trotz took over as coach, the Capitals are giving up more even-strength shot attempts than they produce, even adjusting for score effects. The team will agree that it doesn’t take many shots but contends it’s quality, not quantity, that matters. “We’re trying to get our shooting percentage in areas where we can be a little better,” Trotz told The Post’s Isabelle Khurshudyan. “But, yeah, we’re not a shoot-first mentality on our team, and that shows up in some of the .” Here’s what else shows up in the analytics: Washington is also in the red for even-strength scoring chances, including those from the high-danger areas such as the slot and the crease, and that’s a problem. According to NHL statistical site Natural Stat Trick, the Capitals rank 18th in the league in even-strength scoring chances produced per 60 minutes and 21st in high-danger chances per 60 minutes, giving them a significant gap between the goal differential they have compared to the one we would expect, taking into account shot type, angle, distance and whether it was a rebound. (hockeyviz.com) For example, Washington has an actual even-strength goal differential of plus-12, good for ninth in the league. Its expected goal differential, however, is minus-14. Only the Buffalo Sabres (10-20-9, 29 points) and Arizona Coyotes (9-27-5, 23 points), the league’s worst teams in the standings, are worse. And this has been an issue for Washington even during its sparkling run from December through the win against Carolina on Tuesday: The Capitals have an actual goal differential of plus-10 when it should have been minus-7 after accounting for shot quality, a difference of three wins in a month. J.P. from Japers’ Rink correctly points out this disparity between the team’s actual goal differential and expected goal differential is not new, but it is magnified in light of the team also giving up the shot attempt advantage. In fact, since 2014-15, 20 teams have been outshot at even strength while also having an actual goal differential higher than their expected goal differential. Eleven of those teams (55 percent) failed to qualify for the postseason, while the other seven could not make it any farther than the second round of the playoffs. You don’t need me to tell you the franchise’s history when it comes to playoff disappointment, but if things keep going the way they are, there will likely be one more heartbreak to add to the pile.

Washington Post LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091423 Washington Capitals Washington Post LOADED: 01.04.2018 Devante Smith-Pelly has evolved from question mark to unexpected bargain for the Capitals

By Isabelle Khurshudyan January 3 at 7:30 AM

RALEIGH, N.C. — It’d be fair to say Capitals Coach Barry Trotz had low expectations when he learned that the organization had signed Devante Smith-Pelly in free agency this summer. “I wasn’t sure on him, to be honest with you,” Trotz said. “Just because of not seeing him enough and not knowing him, I knew there was something there, but to be honest with you, I wasn’t a big fan.” It didn’t take long for Trotz’s perception of Smith-Pelly to change, and from the very first game, when a turnover was quickly forgiven by the coach, Smith-Pelly has felt at ease with Washington because he’s sensed trust from Trotz. A low-risk, inexpensive depth signing has paid dividends for both parties. After a miserable 2016-17 season, Smith-Pelly has rejuvenated his career, and the Capitals got a versatile forward who’s now played everywhere from the top line to the fourth. “As you got to know him and you got to see what he can do, I’m a fan,” Trotz said. “I think the coach is just allowing me to play,” Smith-Pelly said. ” . . . When you get confidence like that from the head coach, you don’t grip your stick as tight and you just do what you can do. I think that’s been huge for me, the coaching staff allowing me just to play.” Smith-Pelly’s goal in Tuesday night’s 5-4 overtime win over the Carolina Hurricanes gives him six tallies on the season, two more than he scored in 53 games with the New Jersey Devils last year, and with 13 points at the midpoint of the season, he’s on pace for a career-high. Considering the Capitals bought low on Smith-Pelly, signing the 25-year-old just days after his contract was bought out, his two-way deal for the league minimum $650,000 is a bargain, an underrated move during Washington’s tough summer. He and Alex Chiasson, who earned a one-year deal off a professional tryout at training camp, have steadily chipped in to help the Capitals replace some of the goal production lost with the departures of top-six forwards Marcus Johansson and Justin Williams. Both scored against the Hurricanes on Tuesday, and for two unheralded offseason additions, both Smith-Pelly and Chiasson have taken on considerable roles for Washington. Chiasson has had opportunities on the power play and in the top-six forward corps, and he’s established a role on the team’s top penalty-kill with Jay Beagle. For a second stint this season, Smith-Pelly has played his way onto Alex Ovechkin’s line. When the roster got healthy and T.J. Oshie returned to the lineup earlier this month, Smith-Pelly was the forward pushed out, a healthy scratch for a first time all season through no real fault of his own. But after missing two games, he played well when he got back in, and as the Capitals endured a scoring drought last week, Trotz promoted Smith- Pelly as a spark. “You obviously want to play every game,” Smith-Pelly said. “I thought I was playing well before. It’s just at that point, it was just something they wanted to do. So I mean, of course it’s a little extra motivation just to continue playing well and kind of show some sort of an element that the coaching staff doesn’t want to take out when they have to decide who to take out. I tried to do that before I got taken out, and I’m just trying to continue to do it.” Smith-Pelly now has a goal and a primary assist in his past two games, and though he didn’t pick up a point, he was on the ice for Ovechkin’s game-tying goal in the third period. In just the past two games, he’s tallied nine shots on goal, a safe bet to stay put on the Capitals’ top line. “Obviously, he came back into the lineup, and I moved him up pretty quick,” Trotz said. “He’s making a statement, like, ‘I’m not going to be out again, I’m going to make sure my play stands alone and makes your decisions really tough.’ But the things that Devo can do when he’s playing the way he’s capable of playing, he really can skate. He’s deceptive in how fast he can get down the ice. He’s got sort of a heavy shot. He can make pretty good plays. . . . “There’s growth in his game, and it may not be as much on the physical side, but I think just on the mental side, knowing that he can play at a high level every night and compete at a high level and be productive. That’s the part that we’re — I’m trying, anyway, with him — to get him better. And I think he has been getting better there.” 1091424 Washington Capitals

Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin tops fan voting, named captain for NHL’s All-Star Game

By Isabelle Khurshudyan January 3 at 7:54 PM

Garnering the most fan votes of any player in the Metropolitan Division, Washington’s Alex Ovechkin has been named a captain for the NHL All- Star Game in Tampa on Jan. 28. The All-Star Game format is a four- team three-on-three tournament; Ovechkin will captain the Metropolitan Division team. Nashville’s P.K. Subban, host Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid also were named captains. This is the ninth time Ovechkin has been selected to the All-Star Game, and it’s certainly a deserved honor for the Capitals’ captain this season. He leads the NHL with 26 goals, is on pace for the eighth 50-goal season of his career and has averaged more than a point per game with 43 at the season’s midpoint of 41 games. That he has continued that production at 32 years old might be the most impressive feat. “You keep producing and you keep doing what you’re doing at a high level, you’re going to get that respect,” Capitals Coach Barry Trotz said Wednesday afternoon. “The longevity and the production, when those two things come together, that usually is called greatness.” With his two goals in Tuesday night’s 5-4 overtime win at the Carolina Hurricanes, Ovechkin became the fourth player in NHL history to score 25 or more goals in each of his first 13 seasons, joining Jaromir Jagr (17 seasons), Mike Gartner (15 seasons) and Wayne Gretzky (13 seasons). Since entering the NHL in the 2005-06 season, Ovechkin’s 584 goals are 188 more than Sidney Crosby’s 396, the second-highest total during that time frame. Ovechkin is also the first player in Washington franchise history to record 100 game-winning goals, making him one of just nine players in NHL history to reach the mark. Ovechkin sits two game- winning goals away from overtaking for sole possession of eighth place in NHL history. Ovechkin’s game against the Hurricanes was his 962nd with the Capitals, passing for the second-most games played in franchise history. He is in line to play his 1,000th game this season. The rest of the All-Star Game roster will be announced next Wednesday, and Ovechkin likely won’t be Washington’s only all-star. Last year, he and goaltender Braden Holtby represented the Capitals in Los Angeles.

Washington Post LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091425 Washington Capitals Ovechkin, too, has been dominant — leading the league with 26 goals. On certain nights, the 32-year-old still can singlehandedly swing games. He took over in the win against Carolina, scoring two goals in the third At halfway point, Capitals thriving from competition for playing time period and overtime. Though the team had a lot of new pieces to integrate, Trotz said he and the coaching staff decided to hold back when dealing with the players, By Matthew Paras - The Washington Times - Wednesday, January 3, opting for fewer meetings and more breathing room. 2018 Trotz said there was no point in trying to force a process that needed to happen naturally. With only one point in the last seven games, Capitals forward T.J. Oshie “Instinctively, I felt that we needed to back off a little bit and let this group took the ice Wednesday and was paired with two familiar linemates: Alex find itself a little bit again,” Trotz said. “And they have.” Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom.

Last season, Oshie scored a career-high 33 goals, often next to the Capitals’ two superstars. This season, he’s spent the most time on Washington Times LOADED: 01.04.2018 Washington’s second line, matched with Evgeny Kuznetsov and Jakub Vrana instead. Capitals coach Barry Trotz said the change “was just for practice,” noting he wanted to look at different things because his team doesn’t play again until Sunday. Trotz, though, acknowledged Oshie is in a slump. Hockey coaches will regularly use line changes to try and spark players, and Trotz is certainly no exception. Halfway through the NHL season, Trotz’s tinkering seems to be working. Individual players — like Oshie and others — have had their struggles. But overall, the Capitals have found ways to win and again lead the Metropolitan Division with 53 points (25-13-3). The road map, as Trotz likes to call it, looks different than the previous two years when the Capitals were back-to-back winners of the Presidents’ Trophy. “I think we’ve done a good job of getting through a couple of ups and downs,” Oshie said. “We’ve got a lot of guys that are getting on board right now … As a team, it wasn’t that great early, but now, you see a lot of guys stepping into those roles and doing a really good job.” Oshie hasn’t been the same since returning from a concussion on Dec. 19, scoring just one goal. The injury caused him to miss two weeks. Likewise, forward Andre Burakovsky has been a scratch for the last two games and skated as an extra during Wednesday’s practice. Burakovsky, 22, never found a rhythm following his Dec. 8 return after missing 20 games with a broken thumb. Before the season, the Capitals expected Burakovsky to be one of the players to help fill the lost production of departed players like Justin Williams and Marcus Johansson. Trotz, though, said the Capitals are now at a point where there is an increasing “internal pressure” to get in the lineup. Trotz said there’s more leeway if a proven veteran is struggling. But for a younger player like Burakovsky, Trotz won’t hesitate to use players like Chandler Stephenson and Devante Smith-Pelly — both of whom have been more productive. “When the group can drive itself internally through competition, that’s a fantastic thing,” Trotz said. “That’s what you want as a coach and your staff. Once it drives itself, then you’re going to win, for sure.” The Capitals have done a lot of winning of late. In December, Washington went 10-2-2 and now ranks sixth in goals per game. Entering last month, the Capitals were just two games over .500. The Capitals have also been pleasantly surprised by players like Smith- Pelly, originally signed for the league-minimum as a project. Instead, Smith-Pelly has play the last two games with Backstrom and Ovechkin. After the Capitals’ 5-4 overtime win Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes, Trotz admitted he wasn’t initially a fan of Smith-Pelly’s game, but the 25-year-old won him over with his play. Forward Tom Wilson also had a big December, providing a stabilizing presence to the top line and finishing with four goals and six assists. When Trotz elevated Smith-Pelly to the first line two games ago, the Capitals coach sent Wilson to the third group to try and provide a spark. Simply put: the Capitals have flexibility now that was a question mark at the beginning of the season. “Every game there’s a lot of highs and lows and when we’re controlling those momentum swings, it really puts the game in our advantage,” rookie defenseman Madison Bowey said. “We’re a tremendous team when we’re skating and moving our feet and doing all the little things. We’ll just let our skill do the talking.” 1091426 Washington Capitals

Caps' top prospects: Axel Jonsson-Fjallby is turning heads

By J.J. Regan January 03, 2018 12:05 PM

The World Juinor Championship always gives young players the chance to catch our attention. Capitals prospect Axel Jonsson-Fjallby is doing just that with team Sweden. Fjallby has one goal and two assists in five games, helping lead Sweden to a 5-0-0 record including a quarterfinal win over Slovakia. Three points may not jump out at you on paper, but his play sure will. That goal came on a shorthanded break. Now it is important to take in the context when evaluating Jonsson- Fjallby's play. As tremendous as he has looked, he is doing this in a juniors tournament against other young players, many of whom will never play in the NHL. Still, there is plenty to like. Speed is speed and Jonsson-Fjallby is showing NHL speed. He has shown good puck-handling skill and is a strong forechecker. While his offensive exploits have caught everyone's attention, he has been primarily a fourth-line player for Sweden used more in a defensive role. He is not an offensive star, but could develop into a forechecking energy type of player other teams hate to play against. Plus, that hair. Interestingly enough, he hates how the hair looks when he's playing and prefers it in a man-bun when he's off the ice, so clearly he's got a lot to work on before he makes it in North America.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091427 Washington Capitals

Alex Ovechkin's big game Tuesday statistically puts him among NHL's all-time elite players

By J.J. Regan January 03, 2018 6:00 AM

Alex Ovechkin has already put together an incredible career. After a crazy finish to Tuesday's game in which he scored twice late, Ovechkin continues to put himself among the NHL's all-time elite players. With his two goals on Tuesday, Ovechkin again leads the league in goals for the moment with 26. That puts him on pace for 52 goals for the season, a pace that few expected for the 32-year-old. Ovechkin now has 584 career goals, all of which came while playing for Washington. That kind of longevity is rare. Ovechkin now ranks 6th in goals scored with one franchise, one goal ahead of the Great One himself, Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky scored 583 goals with the Edmonton Oilers. But that's not all. Ovechkin's overtime goal was his 100th career game-winner. He is the ninth player in league history to reach that mark in a career, but if you further boil the numbers down, Ovechkin is just one of two players to score that many game-winners with one franchise. In one night, Ovechkin was able to leapfrog Gretzky in total goals for one franchise and join an exclusive club with Gordie Howe. Not a bad night's worth or work.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091428 Washington Capitals

Barry Trotz has a plan to reignite T.J. Oshie's scoring spark

By Tarik El-Bashir January 03, 2018 9:15 PM

In an effort to jumpstart T.J. Oshie, Coach Barry Trotz reunited the star winger with Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom on the Caps’ top line Wednesday. Trotz said he hasn’t decided if the move will stick—the team doesn’t play again until Sunday—but it’s clear he’s trying to get Oshie going again. Oshie hit the ice earlier than most of his teammates Wednesday morning at Kettler Capitals Iceplex to get in some extra stickhandling and shooting reps. After a few minutes, Trotz skated over to Oshie and the two had a long talk along the boards. “He told me I was going with the big two guys, and I told him that I thought Devo and Tom probably deserved to play there,” Oshie said, referring to Devante Smith-Pelly and Tom Wilson, both of whom have played well on the right side of the first line this season. With 11 goals, Oshie sits third on the Caps behind Ovechkin (26) and Evgeny Kuznetsov (12). But it’s been a bit of a struggle of lately. In fact, he’s got just one point—a goal—since returning from a concussion seven games ago. Against New Jersey last Saturday, he played a season-low 12:10—3:30 off his season average. “Things aren’t really going my way right now; I’m not really playing my best,” Oshie said. “But I’m working hard and doing a lot of the little things good. So, we’ll see. I’m sure playing with those two guys never hurts.” After practice, Oshie said he thought his first practice back with Ovechkin and Backstrom went smoothly. But he also expressed disappointment over the fact that he couldn’t find chemistry with Kuznetsov and Jakub Vrana on the second line. “It’s a little frustrating,” Oshie said. “We’re three pretty good players [and] we couldn’t figure a way to bring some offense to the team. But fortunately for us, a lot of other guys are playing really well right.” Moving Oshie up to the first line wasn’t the only change on the right side of the forward combos. Oshie bumped Smith-Pelly down to the third line, while Wilson moved up to the second. (Earlier this week, Trotz mentioned how Wilson has sparked every line he’s joined this season, so perhaps he’s hoping No. 43 can kick-start Kuznetsov and Vrana, as well.) Will the changes have the desired effect? Will Trotz even stick with them until the next game? Because the Caps don’t play again until St. Louis comes to town for a matinee on Sunday, that all remains unclear. But we could get a strong indication of Trotz’s thought process on Thursday. Indeed, if Oshie practices on the top line again, that’s likely where he’ll play against the Blues. Trotz has in recent days acknowledged that Oshie has “had a couple games that were not Oshie-like.” On Wednesday, however, he attempted to downplay the decision to reunite Oshie with Ovechkin and Backstrom, adding that he’s not overly concerned about the 31-year-old’s play. “That was just for practice,” Trotz said. “We’re just looking at different things.” He added: “He’s an absolute pro in what he’s doing. Just like anything, they all work their way through stuff. That’s why they’re good. That’s the process. …I’m not too worried about Osh.” Oshie also sounded confident that he’ll be able to find his own way out of this dry spell, just as he’s done previously over the course of his 10-year NHL career. “We’ll see what happens,” he said of the lines. “I’m not too worried about it, though. We’ve still got a long ways to go. It’s not the first time I went a couple of games without scoring. Still having fun, still working hard.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091429 Washington Capitals

Alex Ovechkin's early season dominance rewarded with NHL All-Star Game captaincy

By Troy Machir January 03, 2018 7:35 PM

Alex Ovechkin would like to be spending late January preparing for the 2018 Winter Olympic Hockey Tournament in Pyeongchang, South Korea. But with the NHL refusing to allow its players to participate in the major international competition, the 2018 NHL All-Star Game in Tampa Bay, Fla. will have to do. On Wednesday, Ovechkin was named as one of the four divisional captains for the 2018 NHL All-Star Game, which will once again use a 3- on-3 tournament-style format. Ovechkin will be joined in his 12th All-Star appearance by Atlantic Division captain Steven Stamkos (Lightning), Central Division captain PK Subban (Predators) and Pacific Division captain Connor McDavid (Oilers). The nomination is further validation of Ovechkin's remarkable first-half. The 32-year old was supposed to be on the backside of his career after the team's "two-year window" finally closed with a disappointing playoff loss to the Penguins in May. But Ovechkin rewrote the script. Through the first 41 games of the season, Ovechkin leads the league with 26 goals and ranks in the top ten in both game-winning goals (5) and power play goals (7). But it's not just what he's done, but how he's had to do it: with an overhauled roster featuring a bevy of younger, less experienced teammates than he's had in seasons past. Although the All-Star Game is nothing more than an exhibition, the nomination he received further establishes the respect he commands across the league. Head coach Barry Trotz was asked about the level of respect Ovechkin garners, not just from his teammates, but his opposition as well. "It's hard to be in this league play at a very high level and produce at a high level for a long time," he said. "If you're able to do that, you're usually going to the Hall of Fame. Plain and simple. I think players recognize greatness. ... The generation recognizes that him and [Sidney Crosby] have elevated the game in their window and have been the faces of the NHL and their franchises for a long, long time. That's undeniable and I think that as you keep producing and you keep doing what you're doing at a high level, you're going to get that respect. That's the longevity and the production. When those two things come together, that usually is called greatness."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091430 Winnipeg Jets However, he believes the level of hockey is going to open many eyes. "Every nation has a chance. It’s a mystery. There isn’t a clear-cut favourite. Every game is going to be a battle. We feel we have just as Slater to suit up for Team USA at Olympics tournament good a chance as every one else to win gold, or win a medal. I think it’s going to be great hockey, and great hockey watching for fans," said Slater. "These are real good hockey players over here. A lot of these By: Mike McIntyre guys could play in the NHL, or have played in the NHL." Posted: 01/3/2018 9:39 PM | Comments: 1 Slater said he’s been overwhelmed with warm wishes from former teammates and fans on social media, including many in Winnipeg. He knows he’ll have a cheering section of sorts from north of the border. Jim Slater stretches at Jets practice in 2015. "Winnipeg was absolutely a fantastic place, not only for hockey but for quality of life, for living. I loved it there. It was my type of city. I still have HE was ready to hang up his skates last summer, figuring his best some really close friendships and people that I care for tremendously hockey was behind him. He was homesick, the contract offers from North who live in the community," said Slater, who has continued to keep tabs America had vanished and he questioned just how many miles his now on his former team as they make noise in the NHL this season. 35-year-old body had left. "I’m excited that they’re doing so well and the fans are getting a taste of But then came the decision from the National Hockey League not to this. I think it’s going to be like that for a long time," said Slater. "I’m just allow players to participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics. Jim Slater excited for everybody in Winnipeg." decided retirement could wait as he chased an opportunity, however slim it might have seemed. The feeling from many Winnipeggers towards Slater is no doubt mutual. He stepped up his training. He paid meticulous attention to his diet. He added an offensive flair to his already stellar defensive game. This week, it paid off in an incredible way when Slater was named to the United Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 01.04.2018 States men’s hockey team that will compete next month in Pyeongchang, South Korea. "It was a great call. I was just overjoyed to hear those words. It was a pretty special moment I was able to share with my family," Slater told the Free Press on Wednesday during a telephone interview from Switzerland, where he’s playing with HC Fribourg-Gottéron in that country’s national league. "Just putting on the jersey for the first time and skating on the Olympic ice, that’s going to be the ultimate." Slater spent the four seasons in a Winnipeg Jets uniform upon the team’s return to the city in 2011. The gritty centre, drafted in the first round by the in 2002, was part of the memorable "GST" line that first year with Tanner Glass and Chris Thorburn. He also embedded himself in the community through his volunteer and charity work. Slater’s NHL career ended at 584 games following the 2014-15 season, when the unrestricted free agent wasn’t re-signed by the Jets or any other organization. He headed overseas, playing two seasons as an import with Genève-Servette HC while his wife and young daughter remained home in Michigan. He wasn’t prepared to extend his stay to a third season, but then everything changed. "I’m over in Switzerland by myself, my family’s back home. It’s just hard being over here and not having them," said Slater. "But then the announcement came that the NHL’s guys weren’t going to go. I talked to my wife, and she’s like ‘You gotta go, give it a chance.’ That’s when you start getting excited about it, that this really could be a possibility. And here we are." It certainly wasn’t easy to get here. Slater, with 11 goals and 14 assists through 32 games with his new team in the Swiss league this season, was having a strong season after scoring eight times and adding 15 assists in 44 games last campaign. He was among a large number of potential players identified by U.S.A. Hockey and saw his odds improve in November when he was invited to play on the American team in the Deutschland Cup. The U.S. finished fourth. He’s been a nervous wreck for much of the past month waiting to see if his leap of faith paid off. "Obviously getting drafted in the NHL is big. The other thing off the top of my head is scoring my first NHL goal," Slater said of where this ranks in his career. He said being in Michigan on a holiday break last week and watching his three-year-old daughter, Wyn, call his parents on FaceTime to break the news might just be the best moment of all. "Daddy’s going to be an Olympian," she said repeatedly, according to Slater. As a hockey lifer, Slater admits he was initially disappointed the world’s best players wouldn’t be competing in the Olympics — even if it would have denied him a dream opportunity. "It’d be great to see the best on the best. That’s what the Olympics are all about. But that’s not going to happen," said Slater. 1091431 Winnipeg Jets "That’s about as difficult of a situation that you can put a professional athlete in," Jets head coach Paul Maurice said.

Maurice has daily talks with the coaching staff to find out where each The waiting game: Dano, Matthias get rewarded for their patience player is as far as their attitude and work ethic, and said Matthias, Dano and rookie defenceman Tucker Poolman have been exemplary teammates. By: Jeff Hamilton Maurice said there’s a difference between being sidelined due to injury Posted: 01/3/2018 9:10 PM | Comments: and being a healthy scratch. He’s seen the effects of both over his 17- year NHL coaching career.

When you’re a healthy scratch "there’s a frustration there, whether you Winnipeg Jets' Marko Dano celebrates his first goal of the season during agree with the coach or not," Maurice said. "But off an injury it’s a the first period against the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday. different kind of — and I want to be careful with the word — but a depression." As he skated onto the ice for warm-up ahead of Sunday’s match against the Edmonton Oilers for what would be his first game in more than two Maurice added: "But once you can get them into the gym and they can months, Marko Dano worried less about how he’d perform and more start pushing the muscles, or you get them on the ice… their mood lifts about how his body would feel. and you start to see them progress even faster." The root of the worry for Dano, a 23-year-old winger in his third season For Matthias and Dano, what has made their current situations easier, with the Winnipeg Jets, was how his body might react to the speed and oddly enough, is the fact the Jets have proven to be just fine without intensity of the game after missing the last 30 as a healthy scratch. The them. Heading into Wednesday’s games they sit atop the Central last time he had played was on Oct. 27, so it was only natural Dano Division with a record of 23-11-7. If the Jets were struggling, it would be wondered whether his body would fail him. much tougher to swallow. So when the pre-game workout didn’t go as planned — his legs felt "Team was doing great so I understand that coach didn’t want to make heavy and his hands a bit off — Dano feared the worst. He had worked any changes," said Dano. "So now a couple of guys got hurt and that’s hard to get back into the lineup, often spending hours with the coaching why we were working hard, to be ready for a chance when we get it." staff after practices to ensure that when he did get his chance to play he’d make the most of it. Any concern he had soon faded when he opened the scoring on his first Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 01.04.2018 shift, scoring his first goal of the season two minutes and 34 seconds into the game, what proved to be the deciding marker in a 5-0 win over the Oilers. "I’ve been waiting for a chance to play for a long time," he told reporters. "It was a great feeling, and now hopefully I’ll get some more ice time and be able to help the team out." Just two nights before, in a 4-2 home win over the New York Islanders on Dec. 29, Shawn Matthias, having missed the last 10 games — and playing just one in the previous 21 — had identical luck as Dano. He, too, scored on his first shift, lifting the Jets to a 1-0 lead. Like his teammate, the goal provided a brief escape from what had been a tough few weeks on the outside looking in. "Obviously, the last little while has been a different experience for me," said Matthias, 29, whose career has spanned 545 games over five teams, including four in the last five years. "To finish last season with having shoulder surgery, you work hard all summer, and to not have a great start… that goal felt good." While both hoped their goals would lead to more playing time, each knew nothing was promised. While centre Mark Scheifele (upper body) and winger Brandon Tanev (lower body) have created holes in the lineup for the foreseeable future, others are knocking on the door, including a number of prospects currently with the Manitoba Moose. Matthias and Dano are part of a unique group on the Jets: fringe players that must wait for the worst (an injury) for their own personal best-case scenario (a chance to play). Matthias, who signed with the Jets as a free agent ahead of the 2016-17 season, spent much of his first year battling injuries. In total, he played just 45 games for Winnipeg, scoring eight goals and four assists. Winnipeg Jet Shawn Matthias celebrates his first goal of the season agaist the New Your Islanders, Friday night at Bell MTS Place. He said there is a difference when it comes to missing time due to injury versus sitting out because of numbers, even if both tend to weigh heavily on the psyche. "When you have an injury you’re rehabbing something and there’s extra work there, but both are pretty tough on you," he said. "When you’re healthy, you’re constantly just trying to get back in by being a good pro and working hard, being a good teammate." In this case, being a good teammate doesn’t just mean supporting your fellow skaters. It involves treating the daily grind as if you were contributing on a nightly basis. It includes extra workouts after practice and doing conditioning drills while the others head home. It doesn’t allow you to feel sorry for yourself because no one has sympathy for people making the money professional athletes do. When your absence extends for weeks, the rink can be a lonely place. 1091432 Winnipeg Jets

Poolman out with Buff back

By: JEFF HAMILTON Posted: 01/3/2018 7:51 AM | Comments:

THE return of veteran defenceman Dustin Byfuglien is good news for the Winnipeg Jets, even if they were able to get by without their highest-paid player. Byfuglien, who is in the second year of a five-year deal worth an average of US$7.6 million per season, returned to the lineup Tuesday against the Colorado Avalanche at Pepsi Center. The Jets were without the big blue- liner for 10 games due to a lower-body injury but managed a 6-3-1 record over that stretch. While Byfuglien being in the lineup gives head coach Paul Maurice the opportunity to better manage the minutes on the back end — Byfuglien was averaging a team-high 23:40 minutes of ice time per game before his injury — it meant someone had to come out. The odd man out is rookie defenceman Tucker Poolman, who despite being in his first year in the NHL has played admirably. So well, in fact, that some believe he doesn’t deserve the hand he’s been dealt. But with Josh Morrissey and Jacob Trouba arguably one of the best defensive duos in the NHL, and Dmitry Kulikov and Tyler Myers playing some of their best hockey in recent weeks, there were few options. Ben Chiarot, of course, was a possibility but with Poolman a right-handed shooter, switching him to his off side wasn’t something the team wanted to do, even if Poolman has played there before. Maurice noted ahead of Tuesday’s tilt with the Avs, it’s a necessary evil of the game. "The decision is not hard. We’re going to put a real good player in that lineup," said Maurice. "But in terms of fairness, it’s not easy to go to a guy where you don’t have any issues with his game. "But that’s a first-year player and we’re very positive where Tucker is at. He’s sat out blocks (of games), gone down to the American League. He’s come back and is better than he was the first time through and understands the game a little more. Learning the game as a defenceman takes some time but we’re really pleased with where he’s at." With Byfuglien out, Poolman got his first taste of the NHL after missing the previous 24 games, eight of which he spent with the Manitoba Moose in the American Hockey League. Over the last 10 games with the Jets, the 24-year-old had just one point — his first NHL goal in a 5-2 road loss to the New York Islanders — but was playing well on a third pairing with Chiarot, logging at least 10 minutes in all but one game. One of his more underrated contributions was his ability to get pucks to the net; Poolman had 13 shots while Byfuglien was out. "It’s true of teenagers, the world revolves around them and as you get a little older you understand what’s going on, so you can explain it to them," said Maurice. "Tucker understood that when Dustin was coming back in, if we were healthy and playing well he’d be the guy out on the right side. So having a little bit of awareness of what’s going on around you makes it a little easier conversation."

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 01.04.2018 1091433 Winnipeg Jets “How many people can actually say they’ve played in the Olympics? It’s just a dream.”

Simply being named to the team is a career highlight, right up there with Dream comes true for 35-year-old Slater being drafted and scoring his first NHL goal. And all those days wondering why he wasn’t still in the NHL, while Paul Friesen players like Tanner Glass and Chris Thorburn, his former linemates on the Jets’ G-S-T line, were – Slater now has his answer. January 3, 2018 “You feel like in the NHL,” he said. “To this day I still think I could. But for whatever reason, things happen. You don’t see it at the time, but you look back now… and I couldn’t be happier. Jim Slater is on the phone from Switzerland, but the miles do nothing to diminish the excitement in his voice. “It was the best thing that could happen.” The former Winnipeg Jet has been on Cloud 9 for a week, when he found What happens in Pyeongchang, well, that’s anybody’s guess. out a dream he’d long ago given up on is about to come true. “The great thing about the Olympics this year is it really is a mystery,” A wild combination of events, some way beyond his control, and his own Slater said. “Anybody has a chance to win. We have just as good a dedication to the game have landed Slater a coveted spot on the U.S. chance as anybody in this tournament. We’re going in with the mindset Olympic team. we can win this gold medal. “I am 35, and you get to that point where it’s a foregone conclusion – it’s “It’s a crap-shoot. That’s the kind of fun this Olympics is going to bring.” not going to happen,” Slater was saying, Wednesday. “And then it does. It’s amazing.” Slater’s unlikely road to Pyeongchang, South Korea, began when the Winnipeg Sun LOADED 01.04.2018 Jets didn’t re-sign him following the 2014-15 season. Of course, he didn’t know that at the time. That was a tough summer for Slater and other NHL vets. Contract offers were hard to come by. Some players settled for professional tryout offers. Not Slater. “For whatever reason my mindset was, ‘I’m not going on a PTO. I’m a 10- year vet,’ ” he recalled. As the summer dragged on, he was beginning to regret his decision. Finally he signed to play in the Swiss league. “You look back… and it was the best thing for me to come to Europe,” Slater said. “It’s just weird how things work out.” He didn’t know just how weird until this past summer. After two seasons in the Swiss league, he’d decided to retire, lamenting how much time he was forced to spend away from his wife and daughter, who stayed home in Michigan during the bulk of his seasons in Switzerland. Then it became apparent the NHL wasn’t going to allow its players to participate in the Olympics. Slater had mixed feelings. As a hockey fan, he was disappointed. But he also saw a potential opportunity. “I thought I had a good chance to make it, with my experience and what I bring to a team,” he said. “I had to give it a chance. Or else I would have regretted it.” Luck, or maybe it was fate, was on Slater’s side. His old team in Geneva, knowing he was probably done playing, had signed other imports. But he landed a deal with the Swiss team in Fribourg. From there he took over, playing some of his best hockey and getting an invite to play for the U.S. in the Deutschland Cup in November. The next six weeks, waiting to find out if he’d make the Olympic roster, was pure agony. “A lot of uncertainty, a lot of sleepless nights,” is how Slater put it. “It comes down to that final week, and you’re really not getting any sleep. When you finally get that news, it’s an unbelievable feeling, not only for me but for my whole family, for the people that have got me to this point.” Slater was home in Michigan for a short Christmas break when he found out. He had his Winnipeg-born daughter, Wyn, who’s three years old, immediately call his parents, resulting in the words he’ll probably never forget hearing her say. “My daddy’s going to be on the Olympic team,” he repeated. “She actually had to say it five times before my parents picked up on it.” Slater probably needed to hear it that many times to believe it himself. 1091434 Winnipeg Jets remain in the battle for top spot in the Central Division, they’ll need to start securing the second point in extra time once in a while.

Including the two games that have gone to a shootout this season, the Jets fall in overtime again: Important point earned, but fourth-period Jets are 1-7 when the game stretches beyond regulation, the lone victory struggles continue coming against the Philadelphia Flyers in a shootout on Nov. 17. “We had a couple of chances. We’ll get one (overtime) win one of these Ken Wiebe times,” said Jets centre Bryan Little. “This was one of those games when we didn’t play our best but managed to stay in it and come back and get January 3, 2018 12:01 AM CST a point out of it. We showed a lot of character coming back.” Avalanche centre Nathan MacKinnon is having a dynamic season and his kills were on full display during that second period. DENVER – Connor Hellebuyck is more than ready for a different result in overtime. On the games opening goal, a beautiful pass from Mikko Rantanen from behind the net caromed onto the stick of MacKinnon and he buried his For the sixth time this season, the Winnipeg Jets came up short in shot. overtime, falling 3-2 to the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday at Pepsi Center to snap a three-game winning streak. Then on the second, it was MacKinnon who got the puck over to Rantanen, whose heavy shot went in off the shoulder of Hellebuyck. Avalanche defenceman Erik Johnson raced in on a breakaway chance in overtime and got the puck through Hellebuyck, who got a piece of the The Jets power play struck in the opening minute of the third period to shot but not enough of it, allowing the deciding goal with 9.9 seconds left cut the deficit to a goal, snapping a string of 36 consecutive kills for the in the fourth period. Avalanche. “I thought we deserved more,” said Hellebuyck, who finished with 23 Then Wheeler provided some late-game magic, scoring after his initial saves, including several during the third period that allowed the Jets to shot bounced off the leg of Avalanche defenceman Nikita Zadorov. get the game to overtime. “I’m sick of these overtime losses. I know this isn’t how the playoffs are going to go, but I’d like to have these points.” After slipping to 23-11-7 on the season, the Jets have a relative lull in Winnipeg Sun LOADED 01.04.2018 their schedule as they won’t return to action until Friday when they host the Buffalo Sabres to open a two-game homestand. While the Jets were disappointed about suffering another extra-time defeat, they were able to overcome a two-goal deficit going into the third period and found a way to scratch out a point, thanks to a pair of goals from captain Blake Wheeler. Wheeler’s second of the contest – and 13th of the season – came with the Jets net empty in favour of an extra attacker and just 32.2 seconds left in regulation. “You want to win every game but down 2-0 going into the third, it was some pretty good fight out of our group,” said Wheeler. “The shots (45 on goal and 89 attempts) would indicate we spent a lot of time in their zone and it was good to finally get that equalizer. “Just keep it within striking distance. With our group, we feel we can score goals, just give us the opportunity.” With 5:45 left in the second period and the Avalanche called for having too many men on the ice, goalie Semyon Varlamov left the game with a lower-body injury and was replaced by Jonathan Bernier. Varlamov made 21 saves before Bernier came on and made 22 in relief – including a critical overtime stop on Jets defenceman Dustin Byfuglien, who was back in the lineup after missing the past 10 games with a lower- body injury. Byfuglien, who has 15 assists but is still looking for his first goal after 29 games this season, appeared to have Bernier beaten through the five- hole but the Avalanche goalie got a piece of the shot with his left skate and the puck sailed wide, just past the post. “I think (Bernier) got beat more on his (breakaway) than I did on mine,” said Hellebuyck. “That’s just how game goes sometimes. You get bad luck.” During the final minute of overtime, Byfuglien jumped into the slot and the pass from Mathieu Perreault was intercepted, allowing Johnson to go in alone and score his sixth goal of the season. There have been many times this season, the Jets have been a bit too aggressive during three-on-three play and the winning goal was another prime example of that. “We’re going to get chances. Three-on-three, everybody gets chances. We just…there’s so much risk in our game in places that we don’t need it, in three-on-three,” said Jets head coach Paul Maurice. “Probably there’s a little over confidence; you get a point on the road and you’re feeling good about yourself and we could be a little more patient I think.” Byfuglien finished with 25 shifts for 25:11 of ice time, finishing with three shots on goal (eight attempts, including five that went wide), three hits and two blocked shots. With 53 points in the bank at the midway point of the season, the Jets have positioned themselves relatively well, but in order to continue to 1091435 Vancouver Canucks Q: Have there been any talks about re-signing Gudbranson? A: “We haven’t really had any discussions. We’ve been in contact with his agent all year and we’re just going to see how the next six or eight Ben Kuzma: Linden sees streams of midseason sunshine amid franchise weeks unfold (before the trade deadline).” fog Q: How do you evaluate Loui Eriksson, who hasn’t scored in 14 games?

A: “He had a good November (10 points in 10 games) and December has Ben Kuzma been challenging, and our group has gone in the same direction. We January 3, 2018 3:47 PM PST struggle to score and he has been a part of that. His overall game benefits our group, but we need (offensive) contributions from people like that.” The Vancouver Canucks’ president of hockey operations held court as Q: Where are talks at in re-signing general manager Jim Benning? the NHL club approaches the midway point of a challenging season. A: “We’re focused on having a good second half and Jim is focused on it. And amid the clouds of concern over the lack of consistent goaltending, He came into a challenging situation and we’re trending in the right even-strength scoring, defensive awareness and a rash of injuries, direction. I like the job Jim has done.” Linden cited areas of improvement in the ongoing development of young players and commitment to playing an uptempo and entertaining system Q: How does no extension work with Benning making future moves? deployed by first-year NHL head coach Travis Green. A: “Jim has always had a team-building mindset and he’s going to Still, the Canucks have but two wins (2-9-1) in their last dozen games continue to have his eye on the future, and it will be no different as we and at the 40-game mark, they were nine points shy of the final Western head to the deadline.” Conference wild-card playoff spot and had six teams to pass. Q: Brock Boeser has a year left on his entry-level contract. What about The mantra of playing meaningful games in March has turned into extension? meaningful games in January. A: “Brock has had a positive 40 games and it’s going to get tougher — That said, it’s not all bad. he’s going to be a marked man. But he’s such a smart player, fun to watch and is pretty special. As far as contractually, we’ll look at it at the “Overall, I’m encouraged,” said Linden. “I look at the positives. Travis end of the year and see what our options are. It (cap) is something to came in and established a system that’s conducive to our group, and the think about, but we’re in good shape.” way our team plays is fun to watch and the results were relatively good. OVERTIME: Baertschi returned to practice Wednesday after missing 10 “There have been challenges, but if we can get healthy, we can get back games with a jaw fracture that didn’t require surgery. He hopes to play to where we were.” Saturday in Toronto or Sunday in Montreal. Sutter is expected to join the team on its road trip. He has missed 17 games with a lower-body injury Before injuries to Brandon Sutter, Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi, the that became a more complex issue in the groin and hip areas. Horvat Canucks won four of five road games on an October trip, they twice had a scan Wednesday to determine a timeline on his return from a foot topped the Stanley Cup-champion Pittsburgh Penguins and squeaked fracture. The centre has missed a dozen games and a positive scan out a tough test in Los Angeles. would put him back around the all-star break (Jan. 26). With the troika sidelined, they’ve surrendered five or more goals on six occasions. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 01.04.2018 “The results the last month have been frustrating, but there are positives and we just have to stick to it,” added Linden. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had the depth of prospects.” Here are highlights of the Q&A exchange with the president of hockey operations: Q: How do you view the goaltending the last month? A: “Losing drivers of offence — especially down the middle — has impacted our zone play. Our defence has struggled and our goaltenders have not been as good as they were. Both are capable of being better. We feel comfortable they can get back to where they need to be.” Q: Does the downturn change the NHL timeline for Thatcher Demko? A: “Absolutely not. Thatcher has taken a huge step this year (2.41 goals- against average, .924 save percentage) from being the secondary guy and running with it and being good every night on a team with a boatload of injuries. That’s where he should be. He’s on track, but not for here.” Q: Has the wild-card reality changed the timeline for moving assets? A: “A lot can happen between now and then (trade deadline) and we understand that we have to be focused on the future. If there’s an opportunity to make this team better, we’re going to do it.” Q: Does that change with a productive UFA like ? A: “Part of the mandate for Travis was to make the group better and develop young players, but at this point it doesn’t serve a purpose to talk about individual players.” Q: Can you let UFAs (Vanek, Erik Gudbranson) leave for nothing? A: “As we march through the next seven or eight weeks, we’ve got good future pieces and we’re going to keep our eye on that.” Q: Ben Hutton has sat three of five games. Do you need to move a D- man? A: “We finally got healthy and it’s created a logjam. Those are good problems to have. We’re not in a rush to do anything, but if something comes our way, we’ll look at it. We’re not looking to move anyone out, but that could change on this road trip.” 1091436 Vancouver Canucks the 15th slot. When a stunned Trevor Linden protests, a smiling Daly says: “I know that’s not possible. I’m just messing with you.”

Later, a stone-faced Daly announces the Canucks have won the lottery Willes: A humorous look forward to 2018 in the world of sports and will pick first overall, then breaks up laughing. “Had you going there, didn’t I?,” he says to Linden. “You’re the Canucks. Did you really think you’d win this thing.” Ed Willes The Canucks, in fact, drop their customary three spots and end up with January 3, 2018 4:50 PM PST the sixth pick. The world continues to turn on its proper axis. June 18: In his latest attempt at a comeback, Tiger Woods makes the U.S. Open cut at Shinnecock Hills, but finishes with rounds of 81 and 79. Any fool can tell you what happened in 2017. Only this fool can tell you Still, Woods claims low-net honours in the over-40 division. Golf scribes what will happen in 2018: immediately hail this as a sign Tiger is back. Jan. 21: In an untimely accident, Daniel Sedin, Alex Edler and Markus The B.C. Lions name Ed Hervey, left, as the club’s new general manager Granlund bonk heads during the Canucks’ pre-game soccer warm-up in at a news conference in Surrey on Nov. 30, 2017. Wally Buono, head Winnipeg. That leaves the Canucks with 14 healthy players and forces coach and VP of football operations, is at right. Jason Payne / PNG the organization to sign Cliff Ronning, , Darcy Rota, Tony Tanti, Gary Nylund and a guy named Bob who’s leading his beer-league Aug. 18: Following a crushing loss in Toronto, the B.C. Lions’ football team in Corsi. department holds an emergency meeting with owner David Braley, head coach and VP of football operations Wally Buono and GM Ed Hervey. Canucks also petition the NHL to play goalies Jacob Markstrom and The meeting gets off to a rocky start when Braley is confused by Anders Nilsson at the same time. Citing the unusual circumstances Hervey’s presence. “Who’s he?,” the Lions owner asks. When told he’s around the team, the league allows this. The Canucks still drop a 5-2 the Lions’ GM, Braley says: “Well I’ll be.” decision to the Jets. Ronning, however, is named the game’s third star. The meeting ends with Buono, the VP, promising to have a stern talk with Feb. 4: The New England Patriots down the Minnesota Vikings 34-31 in a Buono, the head coach, and Braley promising to go for coffee with controversial Super Bowl marred by questionable referees’ decisions. Hervey. The Vikings have a touchdown called back for, “illegally running into the end zone.” A crucial sack of Tom Brady is overturned for, “excessive Sept. 11: In a stunning move, the Aquilini family buys the Lions from tackling of a 40-year-old.” Braley, the Whitecaps from Greg Kerfoot and B.C. Place from the province. The family immediately announces they’re bringing a rugby The Patriots are also awarded a TD when Rob Gronkowski appears to team, a WNBA team and to fill in the available dates at The drop the ball on the ground before picking it up. Dome. It’s also rumoured they’re pursuing a tournament bass-fishing stop on Lost Lagoon. “He completed the process, eventually,” officials explain. The deal came together when their attempts to buy Vancouver Island fell “The key was our attention to detail,” Pats head coach Bill Belichick says. apart. Feb. 25: The Winter Olympics in PyeongChang comes to end when Oct. 31: The New York Yankees win their first World Series in nine years, speedskater Sergei Bupkes, the last clean athlete from Russia, tests blitzing the Los Angeles Dodgers 37-2 in Game 4 to complete a sweep. positive for EPO, human-growth hormone, steroids, beta blockers and Giancarlo Stanton hits six home runs for the Bronx Bombers in the cough syrup. Bupkes aroused suspicion during the 10,000 metres when deciding game and Aaron Judge adds five more. Mike Trout, who the a hypodermic needle fell out of his backside on his way to a first-place Yankees picked up at the trade deadline, goes seven-for-eight with six finish. runs scored and five RBI. Josh Donaldson, another mid-season From Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin says Bupkes’s acquisition, contributes four homers of his own behind the pitching of disqualification is further evidence of a global conspiracy against Russia. Corey Kluber. Donald Trump immediately tweets: “You know, the man might have a “It was our attention to details that made the difference,” says Yankees point.” skipper Aaron Boone. On a more uplifting note, Canada wins the gold medal in men’s hockey, Dec. 24: Led by rookie sensation Elias Pettersson and veteran Ronning, defeating the plucky South Koreans on Ronning’s overtime goal. Ronning the Canucks are off to an encouraging 21-12-4 start when the entire was a surprise late addition to Team Canada after his starring turn as an team is placed under quarantine. B.C. health officials claim a rare strain emergency signing with the Canucks in January. Beer-league Bob is of the bubonic plague has infected the club. The team scrambles, trying named the tournament MVP. to assemble a lineup, but beer-league Bob and the rest of their Feb. 26: The first-place Vegas Golden Knights, winners of 10 straight emergency signings from last year are all playing in China. games, stun the hockey world when they hang on to pending free-agents The NHL rules the Canucks will have to start defaulting games. Draftists, James Neal, David Perron, Jonathan Marchessault and Luca Sbisa at at least, are happy. the trade deadline.

“Honestly, this wasn’t part of the plan, but what are you going to do?,” says Knights general manager George McPhee. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 01.04.2018 With the emergence of David Clarkson as an elite forward, the Knights believe they are Stanley Cup contenders. Clarkson, who started the season coaching high school in Toronto, has made a miraculous comeback after sitting out the last year-and-a-half. The Knights took him from Columbus as a salary dump and never expected Clarkson to play this season. “Honesty, he wasn’t part of the plan, either,” says McPhee. May 31: The Knights become the first expansion team in NHL history to win the Cup, sweeping all four series. Clarkson narrowly wins the Conn Smythe Trophy over Sbisa, who leads the Knights in ice time during the playoffs. William Karlsson leads the post-season in scoring. Goalie Malcolm Subban wins all 16 games for the Knights. “I’m not going to lie to you,” says McPhee. “A lot of things went right for us this season.” The parade is held in the parking lot at Caesars Palace. Wayne Newton entertains at the after-party. June 4: The Canucks finish the year in 28th place overall. At the draft lottery, NHL vice-president Bill Daly initially pulls out a Vancouver card in 1091437 Vancouver Canucks “He came into a challenging situation and I think we're trending in the right direction,” Linden said. “I like the job Jim's done but beyond that I think we're focused on the next couple months and the deadline.” Four key takeaways from Trevor Linden's midseason State of the Union Benning, as has been well-documented, is without a contract for next season. That hardly makes him unique, as Toronto's Lou Lamoriello, Detroit's Ken Holland, Minnesota's Chuck Fletcher and Washington's By Mike Halford 10 hours ago Brian MacLellan are all either reported or believed to be in their last years as well.

But it does put Benning in something of a precarious situation heading Canucks president Trevor Linden met with the media Wednesday for an into Feb. 26. impromptu franchise update — fitting, given hours earlier the team played its 40th game of the year (a 5-0 drubbing, on home ice, to the Let's say, for argument's sake, the decision is made to deal Gudbranson. Ducks). Will Benning's contractual situation come into play? And I ask this not because he'd make some insane, job-saving stab at securing his future. That loss nudged Vancouver up against the halfway mark with a 16-19-5 GMs have reputations to consider well beyond their current gigs. I'm record, a far cry from where it was a month ago. asking because even the slightest alteration to Benning's approach could have a profound impact. On Dec. 5, following a 3-0 win over Carolina, the Canucks were 14-10-4 and third in the Pacific Division. Last month, The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun came on our show and said that, traditionally, the early trade deadline market is usually based on Since then, Linden's club has gone 2-9-1 and is now sits third from deals made the year prior. So with regards to rental defencemen, look at bottom in the Western Conference. deals like the one Pittsburgh made for Ron Hainsey (second-round pick, Injuries, suspect goaltending, shoddy defensive play and a lack of goal Danny Kristo), the Rangers made for Brendan Smith (second- and third- scoring have all been culprits in the club's recent skid. It's knocked the round picks) and Montreal made for Jordie Benn (fourth-round pick, Greg lustre off Vancouver's encouraging start to the campaign, and given what Pateryn). fans have gone through the last two years, set off a variety of Simon & With these acting as templates, Benning could get out in front of the Garfunkel-inspired memes. market and set the bar by dealing Gudbranson early. Alternatively, he So with all that in mind, let's dig into today's State of the Union. could sit back and wait, let the market set itself, and try to drive up the price at the last minute. Such a move would be high-risk, high-reward. If 1. There are no current plans to trade Erik Gudbranson… or to re-sign it turns out in his favour, Benning could recoup a few of the assets lost in him. the original Gudbranson trade and mitigate some damage from what many consider to be one of his worst deals. Much has been made of Gudbranson's future recently, and for good reason. On Monday, the pending UFA officially became eligible to sign But if it doesn't work out, Benning risks repeating one of his most an extension with the Canucks. This Sunday, he'll celebrate his 26th infamous errors — waiting too long to deal Dan Hamhuis at the '16 birthday. deadline, then having him walk away for nothing in free agency. Can't make the same mistake twice, especially if you're looking to keep your In 54 days, it's the NHL's annual trade deadline. job. And less than two weeks ago, Gudbranson returned from a lengthy Whatever the case, Linden insisted Benning will conduct himself in a absence to play in each the last six games, averaging around 16-17 manner that's best for the club. minutes per. That's made for a crowded blueline — Alex Biega and Ben Hutton were healthy scratches on Tuesday — which only further “Jim has always been of the mind that, at heart, he's a guy that has a exacerbated calls for the Canucks to deal Gudbranson away. team-building mindset,” he said. “He's going to continue to have his eye on the future, and that'll be no different as we head into deadline.” Calls they've yet to heed. 3. The recent string of suspect netminding won't alter the club's plan with “We've finally gotten healthy on the back end, and it's created a bit of a Thatcher Demko. logjam,” Linden explained. “Obviously, the play of Derrick Pouliot has been good, and even Biega has come in and pushed hard for a spot, so Linden confirmed what head coach Travis Green said in the aftermath of it's created some challenges there, but those are good problems to have. the Anaheim loss — despite the recent struggles of Jacob Markstrom and Anders Nilsson, Demko isn't headed to the parent club anytime “We're not in any rush to do anything. If something that comes our way soon. makes sense and makes us better, we'll certainly look at it.” “Absolutely not,” Linden said. “Thatcher's taken a huge step this year Linden was also asked about the possibility of re-signing Gudbranson from where he was last year, from kind of being the secondary guy to since, y'know, that's a thing now. Logic would suggest the towering sort of taking the ball this year and running with it. Thatcher's been relied rearguard holds leverage in any potential negotiation, given 1) the on [in Utica] on a nightly basis and has played really well. And that's Canucks paid a significant price to get him 2) GM Jim Benning was where he should be.” extremely high on Gudbranson when he traded for him 3) In November, former Canucks assistant GM Laurence Gilman speculated that That said, Linden acknowledged goaltending has been a problem lately. Gudbranson's ask in free agency could go as high as $5-$6 million annually. “There are nights where are our goaltenders haven't been as good as they were,” he said. “I think both are capable of being better. I think both Many have said the Canucks won't — or, more specifically, can't — played really well at times and won games for us. As a group we feel overpay to keep Gudbranson, especially since he's gone from a comfortable they're going to get back to where they need to.” “foundational piece” to a third-pairing defenceman over the span of two injury-riddled campaigns. One has to wonder how big an impact this is having on the team. Since beating Nashville on Nov. 30, Nilsson is winless in five appearances Linden didn't offer up much regarding negotiations, aside from revealing while sporting an ugly .860 save percentage. Markstrom played 10 there haven't been many. games in December and finished with a .901. And it's not just the numbers that look bad. Both goalies have allowed too many softies, and “We haven't really had discussions on re-signing him yet,” Linden said. displayed a troubling penchant — throughout the year, not just lately — “Obviously we've been in contact with his agent throughout the year. for surrendering early goals against. We're in a situation right now where we're going to see how the next 6-8 weeks unfold.” Green has tried to handle these struggles diplomatically, but has shown signs of frustration. In Vancouver's first post-Christmas practice, he It all makes for a fascinating dynamic, especially since Benning is in the yelled at Nilsson to “just stop the [expletive] puck,” and today, bristled at final year of his own deal. questions regarding his goalie deployment. Speaking of… 4. The club will look at a Brock Boeser extension this off-season. 2. Despite Benning's contract uncertainty, Linden trusts him to handle the Boeser's in year two of his three-year entry-level deal, and will be eligible trade deadline appropriately. to sign an extension on July 1. He's in the midst of a banner freshman campaign and has taken the league by storm, capturing rookie of the month for November and December, and could be the first Canuck to capture the Calder Trophy since turned the trick in '92. He's absolutely vital to the club's future, so it comes as little surprise to hear Vancouver's willing to entertain the idea of a new deal. “As far as moving forward with him contractually, we'll look at that at the end of the year and see what our options are,” Linden said. “It's something to think about, obviously, with some of the players we have coming, whether that be Brock or Elias [Pettersson], and what that looks like.” Linden said he doesn't envision the Canucks having any cap issues, and that the team is in “good shape” when it comes to locking up its prized youngsters. Which is good, because Boeser might be expensive. Only two players from Boeser's draft class have inked extensions thus far: Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, the first and second overall selections. McDavid signed a massive eight-year, $100 million deal with Edmonton in July and, three months later, Eichel inked an eight-year, $80 million extension with the Sabres. Now, Boeser isn't going to score that kind of contract (though given how much he means to the Canucks, his agent might want to try). But depending on what he does in the second half of this season, Vancouver could end up having to open the chequebook in a major way. On that note, it was interesting to hear Linden say that Boeser will “be a marked man” over the final 42 games of the season, adding that “it's going to get tougher for him.” The rookie wall looms — especially for a guy that never played more than 42 games in a single collegiate campaign — and that could have a significant impact on how both sides address a new contract.

The Athletic LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091438 Vancouver Canucks For a big body, Virtanen has displayed elite speed through the neutral zone, and he's averaging about two shots per game. From a possession standpoint, he's been one of the best Canucks. And on top of all that, Playoffs? No. But plenty of other Canucks storylines to follow he's started taking the odd puck to the net. It would be easy to conclude that the production is bound to come sooner or later. However, Virtanen still needs to make better use of his time in By Jason Brough Jan 3, 2018 the offensive zone. Too often he settles for low-percentage shots instead of putting his shoulder down and bulling his way to the net. Or, he stops up, tries to make a play and ends up giving the puck away. The Vancouver Canucks are going to miss the playoffs again. He's making progress, though, and that's the most important thing. At this time last year, he was in the AHL. He deserves to be in the NHL now. They're not mathematically eliminated quite yet, but let's face it, after 39 games and just 16 wins, they've dug too deep a hole to escape. Travis Green still doesn't trust the 22-year-old Russian winger, that much is clear. Saturday against the Kings, Goldobin scored a spectacular goal In fact, according to Sports Club Stats, the Canucks would need to go but only received 9:51 of ice time in a 4-3 loss. around 26-12-5 in their final 43 games just to sneak into the post-season. Nobody has ever questioned Goldobin's talent level. He has very If that happens, I'll buy you all a Coke. But in the meantime, let's run impressive puck skills, as Drew Doughty learned up-close. It's the “details down some of the pressing questions facing the team in the second half within” Goldobin's game that Green keeps harping on. of the season. I'm skeptical that Goldobin will ever become a consistent, top-six forward What happens with Erik Gudbranson? in the NHL. I don't think he plays with enough pace, and quite frankly, I On Jan. 1, Gudbranson became eligible to sign an extension. On don't think he's got the intensity or battle level or whatever you want to Sunday, he'll turn 26. It's widely assumed that he'll be traded before the call it. Feb. 26 deadline, but what's less certain is how much he's worth. “You watch NHL playoff hockey, it's as intense a sporting event as there The Canucks, as you all know, paid a hefty price to get Gudbranson out is,” Green said Tuesday when asked about Goldobin. “Young players, of Florida, and things have not gone well for him in Vancouver. Injuries until they do it and understand it, they keep learning.” have limited the big defenceman to just 56 games over a season-and-a- I hope I'm wrong about Goldobin. By all accounts, he's been a good half, and when he has been healthy, he hasn't been very effective. soldier for the organization. He went down to the AHL and worked on his For Jim Benning, this is a very tricky situation. The Canucks' GM was game. He's trying to learn, and he deserves an honest look. extremely high on Gudbranson when he traded for him. If he sends him Will either netminder bounce back? away now for pennies on the dollar, there's no easy way to sugarcoat a mistake like that. And remember that Benning is in the final year of his Early in the season, it looked like goaltending would be a strength for the own contract. Canucks. Alas, Jacob Markstrom and Anders Nilsson have both struggled the last couple months, to the point their save percentages The alternative to trading Gudbranson is re-signing him. Of course, the have fallen to an identical .906, well below the league average of .913. risk there is that the Canucks overpay, making a bad trade even worse. Now, it needs to be said that the Canucks' defending has been pretty Gudbranson is a pending unrestricted free agent who can hit the open dreadful at times. market on July 1. Just be careful about letting the goalies off the hook. Markstrom has now What about Thomas Vanek? started 123 games in the NHL and has a .906 career save percentage. He's the other pending UFA whose name has come up in trade Nilsson has 79 starts with a .908 career mark. Each of them turns 28 speculation. soon. The difference with Vanek is that he's been a success in Vancouver. I get the feeling this would be more of a story if not for Thatcher Demko's Signed for just one year and $2 million, the 33-year-old winger is stellar play in Utica. currently second on the Canucks in both goals (12) and points (28). Speaking of which… Vanek was traded last year from Detroit to Florida, with the Red Wings Is there anyone worth calling up for a look? receiving AHL defenceman Dylan McIlrath and a third-round draft pick in the deal. The Canucks shouldn't expect much more than that if they shop The Canucks have been fairly adamant that they're not going to rush Vanek this year. Which has led some to wonder if they'd be better off re- Demko. The current plan is for him to remain in the AHL through next signing him. season. If I had a vote, I'd say trade him. The Canucks still need to get younger Still, I wouldn't be surprised if he gets a game or two with the Canucks and faster. And with the salary cap expected to go up, Vanek will down the stretch — just to let him know what it's like in the NHL, and probably be looking for a raise. He may also want more than a year of what he needs to work on going forward. term, and the Canucks already have an aging winger with a problematic contract. His name is Loui Eriksson. Personally, I'd like to see Philip Holm get a shot, just to see what he's all about. The organization has been quite bullish on the 26-year-old Should the Canucks shop anyone else before the deadline? defenceman, so I wouldn't be surprised if I got my wish. A Gudbranson trade could open up a roster spot. The only other pending UFAs are the Sedins, who aren't getting moved, along with Nic Dowd and Alex Biega. Otherwise, no other Comets are knocking loudly on the NHL's door. Dowd and Biega don't have much trade value, but with a good sales How many goals will Brock Boeser score? pitch, Benning might be able to drum up some interest for Sam Gagner and/or Michael Del Zotto. After all, the former has started to produce after I saved the best storyline for last. Boeser is currently on pace to score a slow start, and the latter could provide defensive depth for a playoff over 40 goals, which would make him the NHL's top rookie sniper since team. Alex Ovechkin tallied 52 in 2005-06. The catch is that Gagner still has two years remaining on his contract Since 05-06, the only rookie to hit the 40-goal mark has been Auston with a $3.15 million cap hit, while Del Zotto has one year left at $3 million. Matthews, who finished with exactly 40 last season. The Canucks will probably end up keeping both of them, but it would be Granted, it's going to be tough for Boeser to maintain his current pace. worthwhile to at least test the market. Neither Gagner nor Del Zotto is a He's converted on 21 percent of his shots this season, and that's an core piece moving forward. In a rebuild, players of that ilk come and go extraordinarily high rate, even for a great shooter. all the time. But 30 goals is certainly doable, and that would match Trevor Linden's Can Jake Virtanen put it all together? rookie total from 1988-89. And if Boeser can hit 30, all he'd need is five more to break Pavel Bure's Canucks rookie record of 34. Though he only has five goals in 35 games, the 21-year-old winger is enjoying a much more promising season than last. The Athletic LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091439 Websites Namestnikov said the two never really spoke until they met at the draft combine.

Of course, their backgrounds were a bit different. Namestnikov grew up The Athletic / LeBrun: Vladislav Namestnikov's offensive potential on full in Detroit before going back to Russia when he was nine. His dad, display with NHL's most dangerous line Evgeny Namestnikov, is a former Canucks draft pick who played 43 games in the NHL with Vancouver, the Islanders and Nashville. By Pierre LeBrun 13 hours ago Namestnikov’s uncle, meanwhile, is none other than Slava Kozlov, the former Red Wings great.

“It’s huge,” Namestnikov said of having that kind of family hockey Vladislav Namestnikov is two points away from tying his NHL-career high network. “My dad watches every game pretty much. If he sees something of 35 and there’s still a half season to go. where I can better, he always lets me know. And growing up in Detroit, my uncle would take me in the Red Wings locker-room, I got to So yeah, the 25-year-old Tampa Bay Lightning forward has arrived. experience what it was like to be a hockey player. They’ve both had a huge impact on my career.’’ The way linemate Nikita Kucherov sees it, however, the offensive potential for Namestnikov was always there from the get-go, but was Namestnikov is an RFA this summer and obviously in line for a raise from delayed solely based on usage. the $1.93 million he’s earning this year. His agent, Dan Milstein, via text message said there haven’t been any talks and he didn’t expect anything “He’s a skilled guy and I wish the coaches would have let him do this a until the spring. couple of years before,’’ Kucherov told The Athletic on Tuesday. “He’s that kind of player that can bring a lot of offense into the team, but The business side can wait, Namestnikov said, he’s not thinking about instead he was playing on the fourth line. the contract. He’s focused on the task at hand. “Now you talk about his progression, but I think he could have done this a And why not, when you’re having this much fun. couple of years ago for sure, be on the top couple of lines. But it didn’t work out that way. This year he’s finally getting the chance and he’s doing a great job. It’s a lot of fun to play with him. You can see how much he’s enjoying the game right now.’’ The Athletic LOADED: 01.04.2018 To be clear, Kucherov, the NHL’s leading scorer, wasn't trying to throw his coaching staff under the bus but simply illustrate the fondness he has for his Russian compatriot. He’s pumping his tires. As he should. Namestnikov is the third wheel of the NHL’s most dangerous line but both Kucherov and Steven Stamkos go out of their way to remind people how important Namestnikov’s contributions are, as the Lightning captain did in a Q&A with The Athletic a couple of weeks ago. We got a glimpse of this magic show a year ago. The Bolts first put these three together early last season and they clicked right away. But Stamkos’ season-ending knee injury delayed the reunion until this season. “It’s been awesome,” Namestnikov said. “They’re two elite players in the league. It’s just been a fun season so far. The main thing is that we talk off the ice about what we can do better. That’s what helps us have chemistry on ice.’’ Many NHL coaches form forward pairings and then plug holes in the rest of the lineup. In this case, it’s about all three players not one particular pairing. “As much as Stammer and Kuch have that chemistry, you can also sit there and say that Kuch and Namestnikov have a lot of chemistry as well. They all play off each other,’’ said Lightning head coach Jon Cooper. “You also have the right-handed centerman and the left-handed centerman playing together. They work together.’’ Namestnikov, a natural center, plays wing on this line but is fourth on the team in faceoffs taken, naturally taking the strong-side faceoffs on the left side while Stamkos takes care of the right. Perfect. And Namestnikov is the line’s defensive soul, no question about it. “He kind of reminds me a bit of (Jonathan) Toews,” Kucherov said. “I see some similarities there.’’ To that end, while Kucherov may lament his pal’s usage early in his career, you can certainly argue that Namestnikov was able to polish off the defensive side of his game while playing in various roles all over the lineup in his first few NHL seasons. He was really the team’s Swiss-army knife that way. It’s easy to forget, of course, that Namestnikov went ahead of Kucherov in the 2011 draft, the former going 27th overall and the latter going 58th. Part of the reason for Kucherov’s stock dropping despite the obvious talent was some teams were worried he’d play in the KHL. The new NHL teammates had never played together before, but certainly against each other. “I remember we’d play each other when we were kids and he was always the best player on his team,” Kucherov said. “He’d just take the puck and carry it and dangle it through everybody.’’ 1091440 Websites So yeah, Gulutzan's reputation is absolutely deserved. Outside of Sutter, nobody shortened his bench less in the third period than Gulutzan.

That's held up this year, although not to quite the same extent. There's The Athletic / Dellow: Shortening the bench when chasing the game and some other stuff that jumps out at me in here. Tortorella and Mike Glen Gulutzan Sullivan have both gotten extremely aggressive at shortening their bench compared to last year. When two coaches with a long-standing relationship (as detailed in Craig Custance's Behind the Bench, available By Tyler Dellow 15 hours ago from fine booksellers everywhere) both do something, you wonder if it's the product of some discussion between them.

There's a theory that Jeff Blashill is coaching for his job this year. He's I've been a coaching apologist for about as long as I've been thinking certainly gotten more serious about shortening his bench when he's about hockey. This isn't to say that I think they're infallible. As a group, I chasing the game than he was in his first two years. Washington lost a lot think they've historically been too conservative and I think that they of depth from last season and Barry Trotz' contract expires after this occasionally get blinded to the good things a player does because of year. He's not wasting shifts in the third period either. some obvious warts that actually don't matter too much. I don't think they tend to do stuff like play first line talent on the fourth line though and the Pete DeBoer, Joel Quenneville and Dave Hakstol have gone the other managerial equivalent of that happens more often than you'd hope. way. San Jose's interesting to me because they've got an older team and brutal travel. You can see that a coach would want to manage his way I was reminded of this watching Calgary play out the third period in their through that, particularly as the Sharks are in a playoff spot by a traditional loss in Anaheim on the final Friday of 2017. Glen Gulutzan has reasonably comfortable margin at the moment. You only have so many a bit of a reputation for being generous with ice time for his fourth line, matches to burn and probably fewer when you're an old team that regardless of the situation. Like many people who keep an eye on the spends a lot of time in the air. Flames, I'm aware of this and it caught my eye when they were out for a shift about twenty seconds before a TV timeout in the third period, with So we can say that Gulutzan does, in fact, use his fourth line more often the Flames down a goal. than most coaches do when they're chasing the game. Looking at the issue from a few different angles, the difference between Gulutzan and Of course, nobody's going to never play their fourth line when they're the typical NHL coach has been his willingness to use his fourth line in chasing the game. So before condemning Gulutzan for running his bench the first ten minutes of the third period when he's down a goal. Inside of like one of those house league coaches who doesn't believe in keeping ten minutes, his top nine forwards have played a league average share score, we should probably ask two questions. First, does he play his of the minutes this year. To frame the issue more precisely: he shortens fourth line markedly more than most coaches when he's chasing the his bench later than most other coaches. game? Second, if he does, how much does his socialism cost the Flames? What does it cost Calgary? This is a much more difficult question to answer. Up until now, I've been looking at this problem from a In order to look at the first question, I looked at how teams distributed the perspective of a percentage of a team's third period 5-on-5 ice time when ice time for forwards at 5-on-5 when they were down a goal in the third trailing by one. This makes it easier to do multi-year comparisons where period since 2010-11. I went through every game since that year and trends in terms of top nine usage have changed. It's less helpful for identified how much ice time a coach gave his nine most commonly used understanding how the large the impact is. forwards in the third period at 5-on-5 while down a goal. I then calculated the difference between the share of ice time that each team For the sake of discussion, assume that a coach typically pulls his goalie gave its nine most commonly used forwards in the third period down a with 90 seconds left when down one. Assume as well that there's an goal and league average. average of 210 seconds worth of special teams time in the third period of tied games. These are ballpark figures but good enough for some back of Using percentages is helpful here because the league average has the envelope calculations. It leaves us with 900 seconds worth of 5-on-5 shifted as power plays have gradually disappeared from the game. time with the goalies in for every third period spent chasing the game. Coaches tend to use their bottom three forwards more now down a goal at 5-on-5 in the third period than they did in 2010-11 but there are fewer In Gulutzan's case, the difference between his usage and league special teams minutes now than there were in 2010-11. If we look at how average this year would work out to about 25 extra seconds per third teams do relative to league average, we can allow for that change. period. Last year, when he was even more democratic, it comes out to about 38 extra seconds between Gulutzan's usage and league average. We'll start with a quick look at the extremes, which people always seem If you compare Gulutzan to the most aggressive bench shortening to love. Here are the teams that shortened their benches most coaches in 2016-17 and 2017-18, you get differences of 63.9 seconds aggressively between 2010-11 and 2017-18. From here on in, I'm using and 64.8 seconds, respectively. “chasing the game” to mean “down a goal in the third period.” There's a temptation to look at this and say: “See? Gulutzan could be When I do something like this, I always look for coaches who show up squeezing an extra 65 seconds from his best guys in moments where a repeatedly. There are a bunch of them here: goal adds massive value to the Flames if he had some jam!” I've got no doubt that he could – the data speaks for itself – but I'm less certain that Peter Laviollette (2) it would have the value that Flames fans would hope for. Randy Carlyle (2) Let's put a price on Gulutzan's equanimity. A simple way to look at this is Bob Hartley (2) to just do a weighted calculation of goals for per 60 based on the ice time that Gulutzan actually hands out versus the ice time that John Tortorella John Tortorella (2) is handing out. Calgary's top nine forwards have produced 2.47 GF/60 this year. The fourth line is at an embarrassing (and almost certainly Paul Maurice (2) unfortunate) 0.87 GF/60. If you contrast the way Gulutzan hands out ice Todd McLellan (2) time with the way Tortorella hands out ice time, you'd find Gultuzan costing his team .03 GF in our hypothetical 900 seconds of ice time Well, hello Darryl Sutter. His Kings show up here five times, which is chasing the game. funny because I don't particularly recall him having the reputation that Willie Desjardins (twice) has. Vancouver's a different NHL media animal That's not very much. Now, sure, it adds up over the course of the than Los Angeles. Others appearing more than once include Claude season. Calgary spent 523.3 minutes at 5-on-5 down a goal in the third Julien (twice), Jack Capuano (twice) and, yes, Gulutzan (twice). last year. On this year's numbers, Gulutzan's usage would cost the Flames about a 5-on-5 goal over that amount of time. That's not really Darryl Sutter's domination of this list is kind of interesting in that it the end of the analysis though – it's just one angle. illustrates some of the difficulty with evaluating a tactic. Two of Sutter's teams on this list won the Stanley Cup (2011-12 and 2013-14). Two had To me, the answer to the question “How aggressively should you shorten ugly playoff misses despite high hopes (2014-15 and 2016-17). Every your bench trailing by one in the third?” requires reconciling two separate tactic is employed within the context of a unique team and a bunch of streams of information. The first stream is a sports science one. It's other tactical decisions by the coach. Untangling a single tactic from that basically a series of physiological questions: how often can a guy can is awfully difficult. you put a forward on the ice in a period before his performance begins to suffer in that period? Are there cumulative effects that you can't deal with Let's look at Gulutzan's time in Calgary. All data is through games played by way of rest between games? Does it matter if you played the night December 29, when Calgary lost in Anaheim. before? Does your team's travel schedule impact this analysis? You might that think that these guys are coaches at the very apex of their profession so they must have done this but as you can see from the data above, guys like Stanley Cup champions John Tortorella, Bob Hartley, Randy Carlyle and Peter Laviolette have different answers than guys like Stanley Cup champions Darryl Sutter and Claude Julien. With Stanley Cup winning coaches on both sides of the equation, you can't even engage in the usual sportswriter dodge of “Well, this guy's an NHL coach and you aren't.” Once you're armed with the physiological information, you'll know the limits of what you can do. You can then turn to maximizing the hockey side of things in light of that knowledge. This is where things get strange. If you're unfortunate enough to be managing an NHL bench down a goal in the third, you should want as many touches as possible for your guys who can make plays, in positions where they can make plays. I don't know that that necessarily involves playing your best players as much as humanly possible. The way in which their shift starts – whether with a faceoff in the defensive, neutral or offensive zones – has a massive impact on that. For forwards this year, shifts starting in the defensive zone have resulted in 41.6 shot attempts for per 60 minutes. Shifts starting in the neutral zone have resulted in 44.7 shot attempts for per 60 minutes. Shifts starting on the fly have resulted in 59.6 shot attempts for per 60 minutes. Shifts starting in the offensive zone have resulted in 77.7 shot attempts per 60. So if the coach is trying to maximize touches for his best players, well, starting them in the defensive or neutral zones might not accomplish that. If, for example, Gulutzan puts Johnny Gaudreau's line on the ice for a neutral zone faceoff, it means he loses them for at least the following shift. I can see a very reasonable argument that Gaudreau is more likely to get a touch in a position to create a scoring chance on an OTF shift than he is on one starting in the neutral zone. It may well be a thorough analysis would lead to the conclusion that it's worth paying the price of a lesser line taking a shift starting in the neutral zone in order to have the Gaudreau line ready to follow them. Then you layer the matchup issue on top of that. Again, there aren't necessarily clear answers here but I would think that a team chasing a game would love to have their best line playing against the opposition's third pair all night long. The more aggressively a coach shortens his bench, the less flexibility he has to accomplish that. So to me, this is a pretty complicated question, albeit one for which a smart team could come up with a reasonably good answer. The ice time is just the tip of the iceberg: easily visible when you're watching a game on TV but the bulk of the issue is hidden from sight. All said, you can't reasonably condemn Gulutzan's management of his bench based on the fact that he gives his fourth line a little more time than most when he's trailing in the third period. His willingness to use them makes it more likely that he has the players he wants ready to go if the Flames get a power play or have to kill a penalty, may keep the top nine a little fresher and could plausibly enable him to put them into more favourable positions that would overcome using the fourth line a little bit more.

The Athletic LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091441 Websites recording system they had in New York. A room was built off the coaches’ office that had four TVs and seven VCRs.

The number of NHL clubs employing video coaches “exploded to 15 or The Athletic / How much has video evolved in hockey? Four Blues 16” that summer, Pappin recalls, and the data they were collecting and coaches spanning three decades discuss the advancements video they were recording was starting to have an in-game impact. At the time, the league was not officially charting statistics, so Pappin By Jeremy Rutherford 14 hours ago tracked categories such as shots and scoring chances from the video room, while Mike Caruso, who was then the Blues’ director of team services and seated in the pressbox, monitored faceoff wins and losses, and ice time. From VCRs flashing 12:00 and tapes filling rooms to laptops logging every move and hard drives housing multiple seasons, the evolution of “It was a lot of the stuff that the NHL does now for the teams, but back video in the NHL is as eye-popping as any recent growth in the game. then, we didn’t have anything like that,” Pappin said. What once required endless hours and lugging recording machines from During the games, Pappin received requests from assistant coaches Bob city to city can now be performed in minutes with a simple click. Berry and Roger Neilson to have specific clips ready for Keenan to watch during the intermissions. It used to take days for a player to see his individual shifts, and now they are loaded onto his iPad by the time he pulls in the driveway after a “They called me in the office on the headphones and say, ‘Hey, Mike home game or steps onto the team’s plane following a road game. wants to see this when he walks in’ and so I’d have to rewind the tape,” Pappin said. “I’d have to look up and say ‘Oh, that’s 1:15:43 on the tape Sean Ferrell, who is in his fifth season as the Blues’ video coach, is timer.’ The period could be over and it could be 2:30:04, so I’d have to aware of the relative ease of some of his tasks compared what his rewind as fast as I could and get it to that spot before Mike walked in. predecessors went through, but certainly not to the point where it makes You talk about stressful moments, those were because you couldn’t just him feel guilty. dial up 1:15:43 – boom! You had to rewind it.” “No, because the one thing technology has done, it means we’re going One game, Keenan wanted to see a sequence from the previous period, through 10 times more data, whittling it down to what we think is really and Pappin didn’t have the clip cued up in time. important,” Ferrell said. “It has provided us with an opportunity to look at things so much quicker that you look at so much more.” “We were searching for it, and he slapped me in the back of the head and walked out,” Pappin recalled. “It was just Mike being Mike.” In order to get a better feel for how far NHL game footage and its usage has come, The Athletic tracked down three of the Blues’ previous video In those days, the home team supplied both the visitors and the referees coaches — Arne Pappin, Jamie Kompon and Scott Masters — to take us with a VHS tape of the game, so after the final horn, Pappin would take a inside the Blues’ video room from 1994-2017. copy down to each of their rooms before they left the rink. Well, one night, he nervously passed along tapes that he knew didn’t have all the Pappin, who was hired by New York Rangers coach Mike Keenan in action. 1993, estimates that there were only about five video coaches in the NHL back then. The Rangers were using VCRs at the time, but invested “Back then, you had 120-minute tapes and 180-minute tapes, and the $30,000-$40,000 in a new program that had advanced editing speed you were using on the recordings determined how much tape you capabilities. were going to use,” Pappin said. “One of the games, for some reason, went long. There might have been a few fights, so ‘Twister’ was probably “We got with a company and they sold us on this system that you could playing. Well, you can’t change the speed while it’s recording, so I ran do multiple tapings of the same thing,” Pappin said. “It was all in unison, out of tape and missed like the last two-and-a-half minutes of the game. I and you could edit and splice off that. It was pretty fancy.” gave Mike one, but luckily I never heard anything about it.” But back then, being a video coach was equal parts MTV and NHL, as As much as film was being integrated into the game in the mid-1990s, Keenan would often ask Pappin to choreograph musical clips. though, it was still viewed as a coaching tool, and the players’ interest was limited. “If (Mark) Messier was in a 10-game slump or didn’t have a goal in five games, Mike would say, ‘Hey, put something together,’” Pappin said. “I “Roger Neilson did a lot of video when he was with us, and the guys can’t remember what the song was, ‘Messiah,’ or something like that for didn’t really want to do any more because Roger would do two hours of Messier, and I can’t remember who sang it, ‘Goo Goo Daddies’ or it,” Pappin said. “You’re sitting there for two hours, and you might only be whoever they are. But in the old days, I would hook a CD player into the two minutes of the conversation because you’re a fourth-line guy, so I VCR and match the video highlights with the music in the background. think they were done after they left the meeting.” They were like motivational videos.” After Keenan was fired in 1996, the Blues hired Joel Quenneville and, Pappin’s credits also included a montage of Mariah Carey’s hit song based on a recommendation from the video coach in Colorado, the Blues “Hero,” inserting clips of a New York Yankees World Series parade. offered the vacant position to Jamie Kompon. “That was Mike’s song, that whole year, that song, so we did a video to “I said, ‘Listen, I don’t know anything about video,’” Kompon said. “I told that, giving them a visual of what a parade might look like if we won the Joel, ‘If I plug in a VCR and it flashed 12 o’clock, it was going to flash 12 Stanley Cup,” he said. “He wanted us to visualize what it would mean to o’clock until I unplugged it, because I had no idea how to set it.’ He said, win in New York.” ‘But if you know the game, the technology will be easy.’ Pappin was also in charge of pre-scouting, so he had to record the “I’ll never forget, they took me down to the video room and it looked like upcoming opponents’ previous three games — historically called the A, B the cockpit of an airplane. He said, ‘Welcome to the St. Louis Blues.’ I and C games, with “A” being the most recent, “B” two games ago and “C” was like, ‘Oh my God!’ He laughed and he goes, ‘No, don’t worry about it, three games ago. So if a three-game road trip was coming up, that meant you’ll iron out the kinks.’” manually taping – and often times watching in their entirety – nine games. Kompon went to work, but because Keenan never allowed electricians inside the building then known as Kiel Center, no one knew how to work Pappin did not travel with the Rangers regularly, so while the games the equipment. were being recorded both home and away, there was no real use of the film during trips. “I ended up finding a name of someone on a bill (receipt) in the bottom of a filing cabinet,” Kompon said. “The gentleman was so nice and gracious “We were pretty good, we won all the time, so there wasn’t much video with his time, walking me through everything. It was a process, but he going on,” he said. “On the road games, if there was a couple of games showed me how to work the decks and everything.” back-to-back, they really didn’t go over the video until they came home.” The stress of the job revolved around the reliance of the equipment, and The Rangers went 52-24-8 in the regular season in 1993-94, and the time it took to make sure everything recorded. If one of the Blues' evidently that Mariah Carey tribute worked, as they beat Vancouver in upcoming opponents was a West Coast club that was playing at home, Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals to end a 54-year championship Kompon had to be certain that nothing was preventing the pre-scout tape drought. from rolling properly. After the season, Keenan and Pappin came to St. Louis, and although “We had one of those big satellite dishes, and you were worried if it was they never brought the Blues a Cup, they bought the identical video going to tape because the coordinates may not be right,” he said. “Is satellite moving, is it not moving? So you’d stay there until 10 o’clock at and he always wanted to watch every ‘touch’ – every time he touched the night to make sure that the game starts the way you need it to start.” puck. I wouldn’t be able to do that with the old technology, but with Sydex, all I did was hit the letter ‘G’ when Roberto touched the puck and On the road, the Blues were carrying TVs with built-in VCRs, which it would automatically cut the video five seconds before and five seconds weren't easy to replace when they malfunctioned. after. So when he would come in, I would have those all ready to go, and “I remember one time our VCR blew up and I was in a panic trying to find he’d be on his way in five minutes.” one,” Kompon said. “So, I’m taking a cab from store to store, and back The other advantage at this time was the transition to DVDs. then it wasn’t like there was a Best Buy on every corner. You had to go find a specialty store. You’re running around and your heart is racing.” “When I took over for Jamie, he was a pack rat and saved every tape that he ever made,” Masters said. “It was crazy. There were thousands of Around the same time, Masters was beginning an internship with the tapes in that room and he just kept them for reference.” Florida Panthers. Instead, they made that area of the Blues’ practice facility a space for “I carried around a 16-inch TV with a built-in VCR in a hockey bag, and three cubicles, where players could come in and watch their shifts on we would wrap it in towels and tape it in hockey tape so that it wouldn’t computers. break,” Masters remembers. “We went through three or four of those TV/VCRs per season because they were thrown on planes and thrown “If it was a young player, they would never want to ask for shifts, but this off planes. I remember we had one in the locker room and the coach way they could easily just come in, sit down, press play and be done in (Duane Sutter) turned around and kicked it during the intermission, 10-15 minutes,” Masters said. “It was easy access. We didn’t make it a breaking the screen. We had to go the whole rest of the trip without video requirement, we just made it so that they felt comfortable being able to because the coach broke our machine. I would always call this company do it on their own.” and say, ‘Yeah, I need another one,’ and they were like, ‘What are you doing with them? You’re going through five, six of these per year.’” But as Masters' time in St. Louis went on, technology progressed at even more rapid rate. He had four TVs and four DVD recorders installed in his At that point, video coaches had started to splice together VHS tapes of basement and began recording pre-scout tapes at home, and eventually, different units – power play, penalty kill, etc. – but in the early 2000s, re- the team eliminated the cubicles in his office, too. Players could watching the game still meant singling out mistakes in players' minds. download their shifts onto computers from the club's hard drive and later, using the signal from a Wifi hotspot in Masters’ backpack, load them onto “I remember they would pause it and you would have that grainy thing their iPads. going across the TV screen,” said Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester, who was an 18-year-old rookie with the Panthers in 2002-03. “Some “It just made it more efficient,” he said. “I would never actually have to guys, if you knew you screwed up, you were hoping that that (grainy line) talk to a player or see them and he would have all of his shifts without me would come up and you could hide on the video a little bit.” knowing anything.” In fact, Kompon learned a valuable lesson: Don't wheel the VCR into the In 2012, Masters left for Colorado and was replaced by Danny Brooks, locker room too soon before a meeting. who lasted one season before Ferrell took over in 2013 under Ken Hitchcock. Ferrell had some editing experience, but not at the NHL level, “The players would take the tape out and put a movie in, or they’d fast- which was a bit overwhelming at first. forward it until the end so the coach goes in and hits ‘play’ and it’s over,” he said. “It was a daily prank. I would always roll the tape machine in 30 “Hitch wanted things quickly, and rightfully so,” Ferrell said. “I remember seconds before the meeting so that they couldn’t mess with me.” my first couple of games where he was saying, ‘C’mon, c’mon, c’mon’ and you just feel the heat. You’re like ‘Oh my goodness,’ but you figure it That’s not to say Kompon didn’t turn the tables on the players a few out. I think everybody goes through a little bit of that.” times to keep their eyes on the TV. The Blues use both XOS and Sydex Pucks, but the tools are even more “We were going to L.A. one time and the girls in L.A. dress to the nines,” sophisticated. At home games, Ferrell sits in an office that is 15-feet by Kompon said. “We were showing them the pre-scout tape and I spliced in 15-feet with two 65-inch TVs and four laptops. He can look like Elton a couple of ladies in the stands just to kind of get their attention. It was John on a piano, keeping his fingers on 25 “hot buttons” to mark specific actually footage of a Lakers’ game, but they didn’t know that. It would just sequences during the game. be a four-second blip halfway through the video, but they had to keep watching because they didn’t know if it would happen again.” “We call it the ‘logging’ laptop,” Ferrell said. “Each of those keys are representative of a particular play: D-zone exits, O-zone entries, D-zone Back in the day, players were just less apt to want to analyze coverage, neutral-zone transition, forecheck, power play breakout, on themselves, according to Kompon. and on. That’s been around for a long time, but now through multiple “A lot of the guys trusted their instincts,” he said. “There were fighters, drop-down menus on the laptop, I can recall all of our zone exits in and they wanted to see lefties and righties and what they were about. So between periods, and we can see what the opponent is trying to do to you had to make sure that some of the fights were ready for them to shut us down. … The fact that it’s so fast now, the decisions to change or watch when they came in in the morning. Some of the goaltenders, they stay the course have almost become immediate.” wanted to see certain shooters, or if there was a new guy up from the How immediate? minors, what he does. But that was about it.” Well, beginning with last year’s postseason, the NHL approved the use of If a player did ask for his specific shifts, “it would ruin my day,” Masters iPads on the bench, and the information Ferrell is marking is what the said. “It was just awful because one player, one game, would take two or coaches have at their fingertips. three hours. You would have two VCRs, one playing and one recording, and then you would have a print out of the NHL stat sheets showing “They can use it like a DVR and scrub back in time and just watch when a player entered the game. So you would fast forward through the whatever they want or with those same drop-down menus and show game, press ‘record’ when that player hit the ice, and then hit ‘pause’ players something that might have happened 10 seconds ago and talk to when he came off. It would be an all-day thing.” them with visuals and instruction,” Ferrell said. That all changed while Kompon was still with the Blues, who were one of Blues assistant coach Darryl Sydor can be seen during games using the the first NHL franchises to use the XOS system. It was a computer that iPads with his defensemen. stood about two feet tall and three feet wide, but it was revolutionary at the time. “He’ll pull up your shift and show you maybe a better gap or what you could have done,” Blues defenseman Joel Edmundson said. “It’s nice to “It was the best thing since sliced bread,” Kompon said. “All the video see mid-game because you can correct your mistake and be ready for was right there for you. Everything was accessible, you know what I the next shift. It’s an instant change and I think it’s a big part of the game mean. You had all of your power plays together, you could break it down, now.” you could back things up. It was so much easier. It was like heaven.” Another change that has an immediate impact is instant replay, which A company called Sydex Pucks came out with a similar system, which Ferrell is in charge of. He watches the “Hawkeye” system from the video “married” the video with NHL stats, and now coaches no longer had to room and suggests to Blues coach Mike Yeo whether to use the coach's start and stop the tape to cut up clips of specific units or individual shifts. challenge. His keen eye caught an offside play Tuesday night against New Jersey that overturned a Devils' goal and enabled the Blues to win Masters used Sydex Pucks in Florida and after replacing Kompon in 3-2 in a shootout. 2006, he recommended it to Blues coach Mike Kitchen. “You're making sure that you’re marking all these different plays and “Sydex sports had a system where they already broke it down and that you’re watching Hawkeye,” Ferrell said. “It’s really good for people with was key for all aspects,” Masters said. “I worked with Roberto Luongo ADD because there’s really no down time.” While all that’s going on, Ferrell is also fielding requests for specific shifts to be clipped for the coaches to watch at the intermission. And while Ferrell doesn't expect a whack on the back of the head if he doesn't have it ready, like Keenan did to Pappin, there is pressure. “The job today still has lots of similarities, it’s just the expectation of what’s available now compared to what the expectation was then is different,” Ferrell said. “Arne used to write down the VCR time and then rewind and rewind. I’m not doing that, but what’s funny is with the crunch time on these laptops to compress the video, I’m sitting here tapping my fingers going ‘C’mon.’ I know the guys are going to be in the locker room in one-and-a-half minutes because that’s how long it takes to walk from the bench to here, and if it’s not compressed in time, then they can’t access it.” Players still access their shifts on their iPads, but now they're automatically uploaded after each period. But what's different today is that coaches can draw sketches on video clips – ala NFL analyst John Madden — and leave voice messages. “The video sharing capability now between players and coaches is off the charts,” Ferrell said. “You can drop telestrations on a video clip and talk over the recording, so that while they’re watching they’re hearing what you’re saying, ‘Hey I think maybe if you would’ve looked at this … or great job!’ It’s almost like having a team app where you can have a chat room with your defensive core and they can respond. We’re not necessarily using it that way yet, but it’s happening. We have the capability of doing things that three years ago we couldn’t do, and it changes every year.” Everything, including pre-scout videos, are now recorded in an iCloud, saving video coaches the time of manually taping games. “It’s almost embarrassing to admit how easy it is now compared to what they had to go through,” Ferrell said. “I go into this website and pull up the NHL, the current season, and there’s a list of every game through last night for the whole entire season. All I do is click it and say ‘add it’ and download. And you can program it too, so you can set it up seven days in advance.” All games are kept on a microserver, which can hold up to three seasons of every NHL game, eliminating the need for storing physical recordings. “I learned that the hard way, I guess, three seasons ago,” Ferrell said. “We burned up to six DVDs a night, and when I got here, I had a stash of maybe 100 left. I called the guy that we had ordered them from before, and he was like, ‘Do you want me to just duplicate the last order?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.’ Well at the same time that I placed an order for 700 DVDs with the St. Louis Blues logo on them, we get this email that comes out and says, ‘Due to the fact that technology has come so far, we’re going to quit using the DVDs.’ So I’m sitting on 700 of these darn things.” Ferrell’s predecessors can hardly comprehend what’s taken place since they left the job. “The guys can see what they’re doing now, they’re more dialed in, which makes it more efficient for everybody,” said Pappin, now a scout with Anaheim. “If I went back to being a video coach, I’m sure I could learn it,” said Kompon, now an assistant coach with Winnipeg. “But boy, oh boy, there’s so much to learn.” Masters, now a scout with Montreal, can’t help but reflect on the lost time. “I think my wife would probably want some of those hours back,” Masters said. “Video coaching jobs are just so time-consuming. Technology has saved I don’t know how many hours and just made the job so much easier. You can get a lot more stuff done that you just couldn’t in the old days.”

The Athletic LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091442 Websites last seen in the NHL in the Calgary Flames’ organization, had a summer deal with a KHL team fall through, but eventually landed with Zagreb, a Croatian team playing in the Austrian league. He was Canada’s best The Athletic / Duhatschek: How Sean Burke is building the Canadian player at the Spengler Cup, which finished with a 3-0 shutout victory over Olympic team the Swiss national team. The Spengler Cup also gave the Olympic team a last chance to look at a handful of veteran former NHLers, such as Chris Kelly and Jay McClement, both of whom had strong tournaments. By Eric Duhatschek 15 hours ago Just nine days away from naming his team, Burke did not want to get into a discussion of specific names or candidates, but acknowledged: “There were a couple of guys in the last event that we brought to the tournament because we felt they had a chance and they played really well and are Sean Burke is in Buffalo, where the rest of the hockey world has now definitely a consideration. congregated for the world junior tournament, with a different sort of team- building exercise in mind. A few days after winning the Spengler Cup in “The Channel One was more of a situation where because of the Davos, Switzerland, Burke and the rest of the management and coaching Russian team and because of the competition, there were some guys staff has reconvened in western New York to put the finishing touches on where it was going to be too much for them. So between those two the roster for Canada’s 2018 Olympic hockey team. events, we learned a lot. That’s really the purpose of those tournaments – to give us the information to make those decisions.” These are the final days of an evaluation process that started in the summer, with a pair of tournaments in Russia – the Sochi Hockey Open In early December, when the International Olympic Committee and the Tournament of Nikolai Puchkov. In all, Burke has been able to sanctioned Russia for systemic doping violations carried out during the evaluate Canada’s player pool over five international events – and is now 2014 Sochi Olympics, it was determined that a Russian team entered in closing in on its final roster. The team will mostly be made up of former the 2018 Olympics would have to compete as the Olympic Athletes of NHL players plying their trade in Europe, though the Spengler Cup gave Russia. At the time, there was talk of a KHL Olympic boycott, something Burke and Co. a chance to evaluate a handful of Canadians playing U.S. that potentially might have prevented Canadian players competing in college hockey as well. Russia’s domestic league from participating as well. Burke, Canada’s general manager, is a veteran of international But Burke says there has been no indication that a boycott will happen competition and understands that building a team to win a short now — and Canada is moving forward with the plan to use KHL players tournament is different than putting together an NHL team designed to on its Olympic team. Among the more familiar Canadian players currently win the Stanley Cup. Ultimately, the goal is to put together a team of in the KHL are the likes of Linden Vey, Wojtek Wolski, Matt Frattin, PA players with defined roles and responsibilities that will play the system Parenteau and Simon Depres. the coaching staff, led by Willie Desjardins, wants to play. “We’ve never been told anything other than all our players are available “If you were just looking for the 23 or 24 best players by stats, then you to us,” Burke said. “Anybody in the KHL and anybody in Europe, we’ve probably wouldn’t spend the amount of time we have scouting these just continued to move ahead with them.” players, or playing in these events,” Burke said in an interview with The Athletic. “What I’ve tried to look at is, when you get to the Olympics, what With his roster reveal a little more than a week away, Burke said he was kind of team do you want to have? How do you want to play? pleased with how the selection process has unfolded. In all, Canada had five test events, including two back in August, all of which will factor into “Part of that is dictated by your coaches – what they think they need to the decision. get the best out of a team – and then you’ve got to find them the players. From Day 1, our coaching staff has wanted to play Canadian hockey, “At this stage, we’re at the point where we’re done with events, and done meaning we want to be fast; we want to have skill; but we also want to playing games until our team is picked,” Burke said. “I’ll be honest with play aggressively and still be disciplined. So really, I’ve set about looking you. We’ve got a few tough decisions to make. We’ve got a really good to put that kind of team together. It’s not perfect. If the NHL players were handle on most of our team, but we’re still tinkering. One guy in the going, you’ve got a wide range of guys to choose from, with a lot of skill. lineup changes maybe the look of another guy. So we’re spending the next couple of days, watching a lot of video and re-watching certain “With this group, we’ve definitely got skill and skating, so we’ve been able players. to put together a fast team, but you also need to fill that in with guys who are role players or pieces that bring it all together. I’ve seen that myself “But I feel really good about two things. First, the schedule this year was on the teams I’ve been on, and I know in the Olympics, you need guys to extremely valuable. We had a lot of games in which to evaluate players – play well for three weeks. It’s a little different than trying to pick a team and we evaluated a lot of players. And the second thing I feel good about you’re going to play together for 82 games and over the course of a is that we’re going into this process of picking our team with a lot of whole year.” information. I was really worried that we were going to have to make a lot of decisions without that good information. Now, when we pick our team, Burke spent the past month overseeing Canada’s entry in two we’ll do so knowing we know our players very well. It doesn’t mean we’ll tournaments – the Channel One Cup in Moscow before Christmas, and make all the right choices – because you just don’t know. But I think then the Spengler Cup afterward. Canada had a 1-2 record at the we’ve got enough information where we’re pretty comfortable, when we Channel One Cup, but Burke was relatively pleased with the pick this team, we definitely feel it’s a team that can compete and a team performance of his team, especially in a game against the heavily that gives us a chance. That’s for sure.” favored Russians, which they lost in close fashion, 2-0. That essentially was Russia’s Olympic team, led by Pavel Datsyuk, Ilya Kovalchuk, Slava Voynov, and younger talents such as Valeri Nichushkin, Mikhail Grigorenko and Kirill Kaprizov. Pretty much every Russian player that’s The Athletic LOADED: 01.04.2018 a candidate for the Olympic team plays for either SKA St. Petersburg or CSKA Moscow, which will theoretically allow them to develop chemistry far more quickly than other teams recruiting from across a broader range of teams and leagues. But Burke is unfazed. “The game we played against the Russians was a heck of a hockey game,” Burke said. “The game itself – the tempo, the intensity, how physical it was, especially from our side – I thought was a great hockey game. I know our team will be better than that team. “You’ve been around long enough to know the format of these international events does not always lend itself to the best team winning, but you’ve got to put yourself in a position to win. I don’t know if we’ll surprise anybody because I don’t know what people are expecting. I don’t know if anybody knows what to expect. But I’ve seen all the teams now. We’ve played against all the teams we’re going to see there, and I would be very surprised if we weren’t extremely competitive at the event.” In goal, barring injury, Canada will go with Ben Scrivens and Kevin Poulin as two of their three goaltenders. Scrivens played all the games in the Karjala Cup in Finland in November and two out of the three in Russia in December. Poulin, the former New York Islanders’ draft choice who was 1091443 Websites 4. Ron MacLean wondered if Pacioretty’s comments about a struggling offence were a shot at coach Claude Julien. I’d actually asked a couple of other GMs if they were worried about that. They weren’t. Sportsnet.ca / 31 Thoughts: NHL’s trade market cracking open “I simply see it as a captain with no answers for what’s happening trying to provide them,” one said. “You can’t hide.” Elliotte Friedman 5. The market’s cracking open, though. There was a shortage of scoring touch with Vegas’s success, but now there’s Pacioretty, there’s Evander January 3, 2018, 5:33 PM Kane, there’s Mike Hoffman. What’s most interesting is that all three have different term remaining on their contracts. Kane’s unrestricted, Pacioretty’s got one year and Hoffman two. Curious to see how that affects each player’s value. One of my first jobs after leaving university was with a start-up, so to speak. An ad agency in Toronto wanted to create a monthly sports 6. Mentioned St. Louis as one potential team for Hoffman. There is some newspaper in Toronto. Called The Sports Pages, it lasted two issues in interest and the Blues are loaded with prospects, especially at forward — 1993. (I was the editor. Let’s just say it was an outstanding learning Klim Kostin, Jordan Kyrou, Rob Thomas, Tage Thompson. I wouldn’t be experience.) surprised if there was some interest in Robby Fabbri, too, even though he’s out for the year. The one thing to watch with St. Louis is Jay For the first issue, the bosses wanted a cover story on Dave Keon. They Bouwmeester’s health. If he can’t stay in the lineup, I’m not as sure of the loved Dave Keon. They wanted to hear about Dave Keon. Blues’ plans. So I wrote a decent story about Keon. Of course, he didn’t talk to me, as 7. Ottawa’s situation is made even more complex by the conditions on he wasn’t talking to anyone then. His silence lasted four decades after the first-rounder sent to Colorado in the Duchene deal. The Senators can his parting, engineered by former owner . protect it if it’s in the top 10, but then must give up their first in 2019 no Eventually, there was a thaw. Keon began to show up for team matter what. No chance the organization ever thought this would be an ceremonies and/or celebrations, although he wouldn’t do interviews. He issue. made one exception for Scott Morrison on Hockey Night in Canada, but 8. Quote of the Week, from an anonymous GM: “God, I hope no one such opportunities were rare. helps Pittsburgh get better.” I think he’s tired of seeing them win. Now, that thaw is into full-blown global warming. Keon was all over the 9. While many executives are in Buffalo at the world juniors, Minnesota place in the NHL’s 100th season. Named to the all-time team, he’s done GM Chuck Fletcher has apparently gone to Russia. One of their top interviews, had his number officially retired (a major bone of contention in prospects, Kirill Kaprizov, made some comments that he didn’t know the years past), had a statue unveiled on Toronto’s Legends Row. organization too well, and Fletcher’s made a point to go see him. The And he delivered one of several beautiful eulogies at Johnny Bower’s thing I’d say in Fletcher’s defence is that when the KHL wants to keep a memorial service. player — and Kaprizov just signed a three-year contract — it can make life very difficult on NHL clubs who simply want to make contact. But he’s As Keon spoke, quietly but firmly, I wondered if, finally, we are seeing his a really talented guy, and, some day, the Wild would love to have him in true step into the spotlight. I was born in 1970, too late to see him at his uniform. Never hurts to say hello. best, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. 10. As of Jan. 1, teams can sign players on one-year deals to new But I was born in Toronto and have lived 43 of my 47 years here. His contracts. The guy who jumped out at me was Winnipeg’s Connor shunning of the spotlight only added to his reputation. Bower was Hellebuyck, but doesn’t sound like there’s been much conversation yet. beloved because he allowed himself to be. Gregarious and friendly, He’s been terrific. outgoing and available, Bower became Toronto’s Grandfather. 11. Loved watching Minnesota and Nashville play a home-and-home Those same fans loved Keon. They voted him the greatest player in back-to-back last Friday and Saturday. More please. franchise history, and no one complained. But their admiration was kept at arm’s length. Everyone understood, Keon wasn’t the only one to be 12. The Team Canada Olympic brass is in Buffalo, watching the medal banished by Ballard, but they hoped for a day it would be different. round at the world juniors. GM Sean Burke said Tuesday that they’ve settled on about 20 of the 25 players that will go to South Korea. The full You can’t force someone to be who they are not. Keon is not Bower. He’s roster will be named Jan. 11 in Calgary. quieter and more resvered. No one will be like Bower and no one should try. Victory at the Spengler Cup has Burke excited about the Olympics. “We will be competitive,” he said. “They played very hard.” But, Keon is revered by those same fans. They embrace those who worked hard for the blue and white, whether they won a Stanley Cup or The clincher was a 3-0 win over Switzerland, Canada’s opening not. But, we all know there’s a little bit extra for the pre-expansion stars. opponent in Pyeongchang. Kevin Poulin, who played 50 NHL games for the Islanders, got the shutout and appears to be the starting goaltender. You go around the league, and you see the love every market has for There was an influx of veteran help in Davos from Jay McClement (906 their retired cornerstones. Not all of the marriages end well in the NHL games), Chris Kelly (833), Maxim Lapierre (614) and Zach Boychuk moment. But, time doesn’t ruin the memories. (127). Boychuk played well with Andrew Ebbett (224 games), who locked down a spot before the Spengler. Those are some of the names you will You just have to allow yourself to be embraced. Keon has opened the know best. Burke said no other veterans are going to be parachuted in at door. His legion of fans want him to step inside and stay there. the last minute. 31 THOUGHTS 13. That brings us to the juniors. Team USA has four NCAA players on 1. With Seattle now very much in the picture, I’m curious to see how the roster: Will Borgen (St. Cloud State), Ryan Donato (Harvard), Jordan negotiations go between teams and players on no-move clauses. Some Greenway (Boston University) and Troy Terry (Denver). It’s not going to of Vegas’s strength came from other clubs who had too many and be a good look if Canada doesn’t get similar help. To be fair, one junior needed to escape. Will GMs resist them, or simply ask that protection not executive said they want to make sure any player who goes has a role, include a future expansion draft? Will players with leverage be willing to and it’s not time wasted. That’s not unreasonable, especially since they agree? Something to watch. will be competing against men on an international ice surface. 2. As we try to piece together next year’s European schedule, add the So, the question becomes: who can do it? I put the question to three NHL possibility of Carolina versus Winnipeg in Finland. Sebastian Aho, Patrik amateur scouts/executives who are at the event. One picked Cale Makar Laine, Teuvo Teravainen. Makes sense. But no guarantees at this time. as a power-play specialist, although he added that Makar is still very young and hasn’t faced a ton of elite competition. The second took 3. The Pacioretty family bought a house in Montreal last year, with the Jordan Kyrou, with the possibility of Dillon Dube in a smaller, energy role. goal of staying a Canadien for the remainder of his contract. That’s in The third chose Victor Mete, although you wonder if Mete’s injury clouds doubt now, and I think he understands that his tenure is coming to end. all this. The big question is if it happens at the trade deadline or the draft. GM Marc Bergevin is well aware he’d be selling low at this time, and getting 14. Another source suggested Sam Steel as a compromise candidate. Pacioretty with better centres and/or right-hand shots is going to benefit He pointed out that Steel’s WHL team, Regina, will host the Mastercard him big time. One thing that does happen when a name like his goes , so its spot is guaranteed. That might help, and he’s a public? You get calls, then find out who’s nibbling and who’s serious. scorer, which is what Canada is looking for. We’ll see if anyone causes Bergevin to jump, because I think he’s comfortable waiting. 15. I didn’t hate the Canada-USA outdoor game as much as everyone Ryan Spooner had a great quote last Friday about his teammates: “I’m else seemed to. Sometimes you’ve got to take chances and outdoor not surprised by that stat because that’s who I practise against, and I games are for the people in attendance, not so much the people can’t get a shot.” watching on television. What I can’t understand is why host Team USA allowed their schedule to be manipulated in that way. An 8 p.m. ET game 22. Boston beat Tampa 3-2 on Nov. 29. The two big lines went head-to- followed by an outdoor game 19 hours later? Yikes. You’re going for a head that night. We went back to that game and timed how long each trio double gold medal on home soil, give yourself a better draw than that. had the puck in the other team’s zone, and Bergeron/Marchand/Pastrnak led by almost two minutes. That’s a really big difference. You don’t see it 16. Ask some of the Lightning who is a better MVP pick, Nikita Kucherov too often. or Steven Stamkos, and you know what answer you get? Andrei Vasilevskiy. And that was before his league-leading sixth shoutout, 2-0 Spooner said he sat on the bench that night, blown away by what his over Toronto. teammates were doing. “Watch Marchand,” he said. “He never loses the puck in the offensive zone, unless he wants to. Then, he’ll go and get it There’s a lot of, “I didn’t realize how good he was,” even among again.” teammates. Tampa knew it had to make a change from for cap reasons, but now the organization believes Vasilevskiy may actually 23. Spoke to Spooner last Friday, the day before he scored twice in his be a better goalie. hometown of Ottawa. Since returning to the lineup on Nov. 22, he has 10 points in 13 games. He played centre when David Krejci was out, before 17. Drew Doughty scored the winning goal last Saturday in Vancouver moving back to the wing. He’s a talented guy, searching for a permanent after being undressed by Nikolay Goldobin earlier in the game. place in the lineup. “We had a meal in the hotel after the game,” Kings head coach John What does he remember about last year’s exit meeting with Bruce Stevens said Sunday. “I was talking to Drew. He wasn’t thinking about Cassidy? “He told me he was happy with my first month-and-a-half, that I the goal he scored, or anything else…he just couldn’t believe he got beat was using my speed. But in the last 10 games of the regular season and one-on-one. It reminded me of Game 1 of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final. playoffs, I lost that. It was true, I was not using my speed as much as I Benoit Pouliot picked his pocket to score, and later Drew scored a could. He told me to make sure he can trust me.” fantastic goal to tie the game. The biggest improvement he’s made to his leadership is he understands the effect he has on this group. A bad play He credited his parents (Brad and Sue) and skills coach (Pat Malloy) for does not mean you have to have a bad period or bad game. The refs helping put him back on the right path, “But you have to look in the don’t make a call you want, it’s okay. When you’re frustrated, you take mirror. It’s on me. I have to show them they can trust me. If you don’t away the energy. When determined, you raise the energy. I love his play well, it’s hard to believe in yourself.” passion. On game day morning skates, the two-on-one drill? He does Bruins fans are well aware of Spooner’s faceoff issues and so was he. “I everything not to allow a goal. Guys want to go against him on that. They was sick and tired of hearing I can’t win faceoffs.” He finished at 39 per want the challenge. If he’s not the best player in the world at his position, cent last season, but is up to 50 in 2017-18. I don’t know what I’m talking about.” And if I learned one thing about him in our conversation, it’s that he’s well 18. Stevens and the Kings are three points behind Vegas for first in the aware of that number every single day. “There was one game last year Pacific, re-energized after three difficult post-Stanley Cup seasons. where I was, like, two-for-18 against Nazem Kadri. You need six or seven “We were tired of not performing well.” Do you buy the theory the team games to make up for that. The rule change has helped. Relying more on was exhausted? “I do think that in 2014, those players pushed hand-eye to win them is good for me. I usually keep track of the results in themselves incredibly hard. Drew could barely lift the Cup. They reached my mind during a game.” What if the score sheet is different than what levels…that I don’t think humans realized they could get to.” you remembered? He laughed and paused. “It equals out over the year.” It is clear, when Stevens talks about it, he has great admiration for what 24. Other reason Spooner had a big game in Canada’s capital? He got to they accomplished. But he has another theory, which is epitomized by a see his Chocolate Lab (Carl) and his Newfoundland Lab (Kenzie). “My new slogan in the dressing room: Enjoy the Grind. building (in Boston) has a 50-pound limit. They are 130 and 85, so they’ve got to stay with my parents.” “We used to do that,” Stevens said. “Now we have to enjoy it again. We had it translated into Chinese when we went there before the season.” 25. One more for the Charlie McAvoy Calder hype train: He leads Boston Stevens added that during exhibition games, he saw goals followed by in five-on-five ice time, at exactly 20 minutes per game. Last rookie no celebration. So he showed it to the team. “What is this?” he told them. defenceman to be close? Duncan Keith, 17:09 in 2005-06. “The last time I checked, when someone scores you put your arms in the 26. Florida’s Bob Boughner didn’t like Tuesday’s blowout in Minnesota, air. There are people who believe if you have fun, you’re not working. Or, but, generally, the Panthers are improving, with a five-game win streak if you’re working, you can’t have fun. I believe you can do both. You are beforehand. There was a mini-breakthrough last Thursday as Aleksander humans, not machines.” Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau combined for 12 shots in a 3-2 win over That leads to questions about Darryl Sutter, but Stevens deflects them. Philadelphia. Boughner’s been on them to fire it. “Darryl (and Dean Lombardi) are two terrific people. Everything (Darryl) “Oh my God, every day. They are both high-end players, but their identity did in his power was to make the team better. I’m not different, I’m just is pass-first, shoot second. We want to change their mentality.” Which me. With three new assistants, there are fresh ideas and new one is worse? “Barkov,” Boughner laughed. “He does everything so well, personalities. That changes the mood.” but we need him to be more selfish. There was a recent game where he 19. Final question for Stevens: How good is his team? Are we talking had an empty net and was looking around. Drives me crazy.” Stanley Cup level, for the third time in a decade? 27. Boughner had an interesting answer when I asked him about the “Nobody in the west is running away from everybody like Tampa Bay. We biggest adjustments a first-time head coach deals with. can play with anybody, but you always think you can get better. We need “You don’t want to micromanage,” he said. “You need to have your finger Jeff Carter to continue to improve and get healthy.” on everything and meet with everyone. But you also want to give your 20. Speaking of Vegas, one executive compared them to Leicester City coaches their responsibilities and let them do their jobs. There’s more — which stunningly won the English Premier League out of nowhere in media requirements. You’ve got to have the pulse in room from your 2016. Thought that was pretty good. leadership group. Then there’s the stuff you forget about like beating rush-hour traffic on the road, finding ice in different cities, scheduling. 21. All good things have to come to an end, and it did for Patrice From my days as a player, it’s real important to take the excuse out of Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak against the Islanders. players. You’re thinking about all that, so you need people around you New York’s lone goal in a 5-1 loss to the Bruins was with them on the ice, who can do what else is needed.” the first time all season someone scored five-on-five against that trio. Obviously, having a former head coach like Jack Capuano aids with that. Boston outscores opponents 12-1 with them in that situation. Some I’ve heard from players that Boughner is mostly positive. “I do believe in comparables: Viktor Arvidsson/Filip Forsberg/Ryan Johansen are 14-6; positive reinforcement. But we’ve had two meetings early on that were Josh Bailey/Anders Lee/John Tavares are 22-19; Sean Couturier/Claude harder.” One came the day after their most recent loss prior to Giroux/Jakub Voracek are 23-11; Brayden Schenn/Jaden Minnesota. That was in Vegas. “We weren’t prepared for that game. But Schwartz/Vladimir Tarasenko are 17-4; Kyle Connor/Mark it’s not me kicking things over and screaming. It’s just honest. And they Scheifele/Blake Wheeler are 16-15; Nikita Kucherov/Vladislav responded.” Namestnikov/Steven Stamkos are 25-14. (I verified the numbers at naturalstattrick.com.) One area where Boughner thinks the Panthers are improving is defending the blue line. “We are standing up harder. We want to squeeze opponents, make it hard to enter our zone. We’re getting there.” 28. Finally for Boughner: Is Nick Bjugstad a centre or a winger? “I think he’s a winger. We’ve had discussions about it since I’ve been here, but being on the outside going north and south frees his mind.” 29. One of the Maple Leaf games I remember going to as a kid had defenceman Dave Farrish destroying a couple of opponents with big checks. Farrish was acquired in one of ’s best trades during a less-than-triumphant return to Toronto from 1979-81, and I always kept an eye out for him simply because of that memory. After playing 430 NHL games with the Rangers, Quebec Nordiques and Leafs, Farrish began a 27-year coaching career that took him through Moncton, New Jersey, Salt Lake City, Fort Wayne, Springfield, Louisiana, Pensacola (owned by ex-NHLer Tim Kerr), Anaheim, Toronto and Colorado. Chris Johnston saw him last week in Arizona, where Farrish was a guest of Cliff Fletcher. His coaching days are over, but he hopes his hockey days are not. “The highlight of my career was winning the Stanley Cup in Anaheim,” he said Tuesday. “I still want to be part of a team, but my wife (Roxanne) and I are tired of moving. We’d like to put down roots and get settled. I’d like to do some scouting. Being part of a team, winning together…that’s what I’d love to do.” Farrish had a hip replacement last summer and lives in Scottsdale. He’d actually finished golfing for the first time since the surgery when I called. “I loved coaching. So many great players and good kids. The best was getting them to the next level. But it is a strange life. There’s almost no control…so many intangibles that affect your future.” Farrish switched jobs twice because of franchise moves and a couple of times because new bosses wanted their own people. Favourite spot? Probably the ECHL’s Louisiana IceGators. “My wife would go back there in a second. But it was a great time, everywhere I’ve been. Winning as a coach or a player or hopefully a scout? It’s a great thing to be part of.” 30. From 1989-2017, how much has coaching changed? “When I started (at AHL Moncton) in 1989, a head coach might have one player-assistant. You did everything yourself, putting together VHS tapes, everything. Now it’s crazy. AHL teams have goalie coaches, two assistants, statistics and Corsi, it’s incredible how much its changed.” How about the players? “It’s no different than families going from generation to generation in life. They’ve got agents at a younger age, the parents push hard, everyone wants their kid in the NHL. It’s not easy to get there, and it’s even harder to stay. Expectations are high, they are pushed into situations they are not ready for, we’d be better off to let kids develop at a better pace before burnout, better prepared for what it takes makes. And it’s not always the kids’ fault. We rush them.” 31. Several Tampa Bay staffers were wearing this pin.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091444 Websites B+. The Jets are operating with the best goal differential in their division, a testament to some scary-good scorers but mostly to Connor Hellebuyck’s breakout contract year. Winnipeg is Exhibit A in the case for Sportsnet.ca / NHL Power Rankings: Mid-Term Grades Edition why goaltending is paramount. Now, let’s get Mark Scheifele back ASAP. 10. San Jose Sharks Luke Fox B-. If Alberta gets shut out of the post-season, it’ll be because we were too foolish to write off the Sharks. So what if they have the 25th-best @lukefoxjukebox offence in the NHL and Joe Pavelski and Brent Burns have seen their production fall off a cliff? San Jose is getting by on excellent defence, January 3, 2018, 11:30 AM solid goaltending and the stingiest penalty-killing unit outside of L.A. 11. Anaheim Ducks I believe it was the great Jon Bon Jovi — or maybe it was Mitchell Marner B. The team most affected by first-half injuries suddenly looks scary-good — who once looked up and excitedly realized, “Whoa, we’re halfway at full health. We love the addition of Ryan Miller as a No. 2 goalie, and there.” the bold trade for Adam Henrique is having an immediate payoff. As the NHL’s clubs play Game 41 of the 2017-18 schedule, it’s time for 12. Carolina Hurricanes mid-term assessment. B-. What to make of Carolina, which can topple a giant one night and Our NHL Power Rankings: Mid-Term Grades Edition delivers marks on a play a stinker the next? Scott Darling has been just OK as a starter, and curve relative to each team’s expectations entering the semester. we still believe this team needs to add a scorer. But, hey, it’s Jan. 3 and they’re in a playoff spot. They have a shot at ending the league’s longest As always, teams are ranked in order of their current 2017-18 active post-season drought. awesomeness. The write-ups explain why we gave your favourite club a passing or failing letter. 13. Columbus Blue Jackets 1. Tampa Bay Lightning C+. With Washington and New York hitting refresh and Pittsburgh floundering early, Columbus missed an opportunity to take a first-half A+. The Lightning’s goal differential (+53) is 24 goals better than their stranglehold of the Metropolitan. Seth Jones and Pierre-Luc Dubois are closest rival (Vegas). Dominance plus determination elevates Tampa to emerging as stars. We need to see more production from Cam Atkinson the top of the class. and Nick Foligno. 2. Vegas Golden Knights 14. Colorado Avalanche A+. Oh, so you can just waltz into the National Hockey League, win eight B. Consider where the Avalanche finished 2016-17. Consider that Joe of your first nine games, storm into 2018 whilst in the throes of an eight- Sakic traded away one of his top scorers in Matt Duchene. Consider the game win streak, and vault to the top of the Western Conference? Maybe injury to Tyson Barrie. So, it’s quite remarkable that the Avalanche have $500 million is a reasonable expansion fee, after all. scored more goals than they’ve given up and won more games than 3. Boston Bruins they’ve lost. They have more victories than 2017 playoff teams Chicago, Edmonton and Calgary — which is saying something. B+. A rocky, injury-riddled October put the Bruins behind the 8-ball, but this group has rallied around one of the game’s best trios (Marchand- 15. Toronto Maple Leafs Bergeron-Pastrnak) and is now a smart bet to seize home ice in a first- B. The depth and breadth of Toronto’s scoring is remarkable, and the round playoff series versus Toronto. Dressing the game’s best super- decline of Marner and William Nylander has been greatly exaggerated. young D-man (Charlie McAvoy) and best super-old D-man (Zdeno But for long, disturbing stretches, the club’s thin blue line and sporadic Chara) certainly helps. commitment to getting the puck out of its own zone has been disturbing. 4. Washington Capitals Two months of Frederik Andersen’s excellence has masked more problems than you think. A-. A trendy pick as a group in sharp decline, Barry Trotz’s Capitals are back where they were a year ago at this time — atop the Metropolitan 16. Dallas Stars Division — despite having their depth gutted by salary cap restraints. B-. Call it the Ken Hitchcock Effect (and credit a primary assist to Ben Alex Ovechkin, your Rocket Richard pacesetter, won’t stop bringing the Bishop). Those seemingly run-and-gun Stars actually rank higher in goods. goals allowed (10th) than goals scored (12th). One of the many clubs 5. Nashville Predators entrenched in the mushy middle that is looking to break away in the second half. A. The Predators have weathered the retirement of Mike Fisher (hey there, Kyle Turris!) and the injury to Ryan Ellis (he returned Tuesday!). 17. Chicago Blackhawks Enviable for its balance, Nashville ranks among the league’s top eight in C-. We expected a decline with the off-season departures of Artemi offence, defence and both special teams. The Preds will need Filip Panarin, Scott Darling and Niklas Hjalmarsson, but could we actually see Forsberg (upper body) healthy if they hope to repeat last year’s run. both Pittsburgh and Chicago miss the playoffs? The good news for 6. Los Angeles Kings Blackhawks fans: No western club will have more home games coming their way in the second half. A. A coaching change appears to be just what L.A.’s veteran core needed. High-scoring Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown are reinvigorated, 18. New York Rangers and Drew Doughty says the Kings are playing freer than they have in the C+. Maybe free agent prize Kevin Shattenkirk is more of a three-four than recent past. They’re less afraid to make mistakes and, consequently, a one-two. Maybe dependable second-line centre Derek Stepan is more aren’t making as many. difficult to replace than the Rangers hoped. And maybe getting outshot 7. New Jersey Devils by an average of two shots a night will catch up to New York? A. Fast, fun and brimming with young talent, the Devils are the Eastern 19. Minnesota Wild Conference’s feel-good story of the half season. C. The Wild have dealt with injuries aplenty and still suffer from a dearth 8. St. Louis Blues in offence. So when their team defence and goaltending aren’t spectacular, this group struggles. And yet, they’re good enough to remain B. St. Louis’s D core rates among hockey’s best, Brayden Schenn looks wild-card relevant. like the steal of the summer, and the goaltending tandem of Jake Allen and Carter Hutton has been fantastic. Still, the scoring depth and power- 20. Philadelphia Flyers play woes here are of concern. GM Doug Armstrong says he’s not C. There are points of optimism in Philly: Claude Giroux’s bounce back, looking for a rental fix at the deadline, but we have to believe he’ll go Robert Hagg’s emergence, Sean Couturier’s two-way play. But, like last hunting for more goals. season in Calgary, Brian Elliott has toggled between hot and cold, and 9. Winnipeg Jets we may look back at the Flyers’ 10-game losing skid as the run that cost them a wild-card spot. 21. Pittsburgh Penguins C-. Halfway through the season, and the two-time defending champs are outside the playoff picture. Kris Letang is in the rumour mill. Matt Murray’s shaky health has underscored Marc-Andre Fleury’s value. A team led by Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel is looking to add offence before the trade deadline?! Not where we thought they’d be. 22. New York Islanders C. Mathew Barzal has become one of the season’s best first-half stories. Ditto Josh Bailey. The solidification of the Belmont Park site for a new arena is wonderful news. Still, the goaltending has been atrocious, and we wonder what type of effect another post-season miss might have on the John Tavares negotiations. Losers of seven of their past 10, the Isles are on track to be on the outside looking in. 23. Calgary Flames C-. We applauded GM Brad Treliving’s off-season, how he added Travis Hamonic to an already-solid D core and found himself a true No. 1 goalie in Mike Smith. But the Flames’ top-heavy offence and shaky special teams aren’t doing the trick, and with Anaheim surging, Calgary needs to get in gear fast if it’s to avoid the lottery. 24. Florida Panthers D+. No team gives up more shots per night than the Panthers (35-plus), who only seem to win when either Roberto Luongo or James Reimer does a headstand. The cost-cutting measures that saw Reilly Smith, Jonathan Marchessault, Jaromir Jagr, Thomas Vanek and Jason Demers leave town have taken their toll. 25. Edmonton Oilers D. Just when you think Edmonton is getting some Christmas mojo and preparing to take a run up the standings, the team loses consecutive games at home by a combined score of 10-0. Reality bites. 26. Detroit Red Wings D-. The biggest problem for the Atlantic’s Red Wings may be that Ottawa, Montreal, Buffalo and Florida could all out-awful them and get better draft lottery odds. 27. Montreal Canadiens D-. Marc Bergevin’s heavily criticized summer moves have yet to bear fruit in a half season marred with scoring droughts, uninspired efforts, injuries, nasty gossip, Bronx cheers for franchise stars, and a hot new Trade Rumour of the Week. 28. Vancouver Canucks D+. Heck of an autumn for Vancouver, which came out of the gate ultra- competitive under new boss Travis Green. There’s so much to get excited about over Calder candidate Brock Boeser. Chris Tanev, Bo Horvat and Derek Dorsett were all off to nice starts until injuries struck. Alas, the depth just isn’t there, and a true No. 1 goalie remains a mystery in a city that used to have too many of that thing. 29. Ottawa Senators F. Everyone who screamed about how the Sens overachieved last season has a right to say, “I told you so.” But when you look at the names on the roster, there’s no way Ottawa should be this bad. The Sens won 11 playoff games last spring. It’s taken them three months to win 12 in the regular season. 30. Buffalo Sabres F. The Buffalo Bills qualified for the post-season for the first time in 18 years. So, there’s that. 31. Arizona Coyotes F. The Vegas odds-makers had the Coyotes slotted as 1,000/1 long shots to win the Stanley Cup on Dec. 1. Now, they won’t even take your money. Arizona is off the board and lottery-bound, again.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091445 Websites And the golf courses will, hopefully, open early in Northern Alberta come spring.

Sportsnet.ca / Another dreadful performance sees Oilers’ season swirling the bowl Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 01.04.2018

Mark Spector @sportsnetspec January 3, 2018, 1:45 AM

EDMONTON – Slaughtered 5-0 by the Winnipeg Jets, then bludgeoned to the same 5-0 tune by the Los Angeles Kings – in consecutive home games – the Edmonton Oilers season is swirling the bowl this morning. We’ve found the chart that says they have a prayer, and you’ll see it below. But the way the Oilers are playing? If you can see a team able to play .667 hockey for the second half of the season, you’ve got better eyes than I, my friend. Tuesday night a familiar flaw was first star at Rogers Place, as the Oilers’ historically horrid penalty killing unit allowed three goals in a five-minute major penalty, ensuring Edmonton’s fourth straight loss since the Christmas break. With the score 1-0 for L.A. and just five seconds to play in the second period, Edmonton’s Pat Maroon was given a match penalty and ejected for a head shot on Kings defenceman Drew Doughty. By the time Maroon left the box at 4:55 of the third period, the score was 4-0. Game over. How about that penalty-killing unit head coach Todd McLellan? “It just sucks the life out of us. It sucks the life out of us,” he repeated. “We were OK for two periods. We made a mistake and they scored. The major penalty, it sucked the life out of us.” This morning, the Oilers’ penalty killing unit has a 55.6 per cent efficiency rate on home ice. The 2008-09 Toronto Maple Leafs posted the worst ever home-ice PK number with a mark of 69.4 per cent at home. That’s almost 15 points south of the worst number ever turned in by an NHL club. That’s not just bad. It’s slapstick bad. Overall, the Oilers kill penalties at a 70.8 per cent clip, dead last in the NHL. It’s reason to question pretty much everything about this team: Commitment, personnel, smarts, coaching, the GM who neglected this area. You name it and it doesn’t work where the penalty kill is concerned. “We’re in it, all game long, get a five-minute penalty against, and they get three out of it,” said Milan Lucic, who doesn’t kill penalties. “Too many games this year we’ve talked about or PK not getting it done. I’m not here callin’ out the PK, but that’s the reality of what happened tonight.” The hit on Doughty was deserving of a match penalty, even if both players deemed it an accident post-game. “I’ve known Maroon for a long time,” Doughty said. “He’s just trying to finish a hit. I don’t know that he meant to try and hurt me. I forgive him. “When stuff like that happens, your team just comes together,” he added. “Scoring three goals on the power play to really shove it up their butts was awesome.” Connor McDavid was held pointless again Tuesday, the first time in his NHL career he’s gone three straight games without a point. He was by far the best Oiler Tuesday, but these days that’s like being the least scandalous Kardashian. It’s not worth much. Meanwhile, Leon Draisaitl had another stinker of a game. He’s not been good of late, at a time when his offence and leadership is required. “Like a lot of our players,” McLellan said, “we expect more from him.” “It’s been the story too often,” Mark Letestu said of the woeful penalty- killing unit. “That being said, we didn’t score any goals tonight. I’m sick of tipping my hat to good goalies. We’ve got to find a way to score goals.” Jonathan Quick was fantastic in the shutout, stopping 32 shots, plenty of a high quality. In other news, Pacific Division foes Anaheim, Las Vegas, San Jose and, of course, Los Angles all won games Tuesday night. 1091446 Websites skate one day. Bower let the first shot from the kid in. Nothing else got by him.

“He said I let him have one Davey because he’s your son, but one was Sportsnet.ca / Speeches about late Johnny Bower paint portrait of life all he was going to get,” Keon recalled. well lived The current Leafs were among those in attendance for Wednesday’s ceremony. The family even asked goaltenders Frederik Andersen and Chris Johnston Curtis McElhinney to serve as pallbearers, helping wheel the casket away afterwards. @reporterchris Virtually every player on the team had crossed paths with Bower at some January 3, 2018, 6:29 PM point. Tyler Bozak would ask him how he stood in for shots without a mask – “He’d act like it was nothing,” said Bozak. “That’s the crazy part about it” TORONTO – It all comes back to those hands. That’s how Johnny Bower – while Morgan Rielly recalled a fan event where Bower put everyone showed the way to his immense heart. else to shame. They seemed to play a part in every story on Wednesday afternoon as “There were kids bringing jerseys around with a bunch of autographs on roughly 60 Toronto Maple Leafs alumni joined family, friends, fans and them, and you always knew which one was his because he would dignitaries to celebrate the Hall of Fame goaltender’s life. handwrite his name perfectly,” said Rielly. Longtime Leafs broadcaster Joe Bowen, the master of ceremonies at Air Head coach Mike Babcock was touched by seeing the size of the Bower Canada Centre, spoke of meeting Bower inside the team’s dressing room clan before Tuesday’s game. as a teenager. He was a goaltender in Sudbury at the time and Bower was his hero. “When you’re in hockey, you’re in something with notoriety, people think about your career and the Hall of Fame and all of that,” said Babcock. “I shook hands with him and my hand was immediately buried in this “The measure of a man is the family he raises. Did you see all those enormous paw,” said Bowen. people coming out? It was unbelievable to me. That’s what stood out in my mind is if he touched the Leafs and Leaf fans the way he has, can “You’ve probably all shook his hand,” said former Leafs captain Darryl you imagine what he did for that family and that foundation he probably Sittler, speaking to a couple of reporters. “I mean his hands were huge built with his wife for those people?” and thick because of the shots that he would take.” That was evident in John Bower’s words about his namesake and The speeches painted a portrait of a life well lived. grandfather. However, he noted that they always felt part of two families Each of Bower’s three kids, eight grandchildren and six great- – those with the Bower bloodline and those associated with Leafs. grandchildren were in attendance, just as they had been for a ceremony Standing before a crowd of a couple thousand people that included in the goal crease before the Leafs hosted Tampa on Tuesday night. everyone from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to former Montreal John Bower III spoke of the great lengths his grandfather would go to for Canadiens star Yvan Cournoyer, he thanked Babcock and the current a laugh – taking out his dentures and donning a one-piece women’s players for their support. bathing suit at the cottage, or getting a stuck in an intertube during a family trip to Florida. “We wish you much success this season,” he said. “As grandpa would say: ‘We know this is the year.’ You have an angel watching down from He had a propensity for falling off ladders even into his 80’s. As it turns the rafters at the Air Canada Centre who will be enjoying every minute of out, a man who once stopped pucks in the NHL without wearing a your chase for the Stanley Cup.” facemask wasn’t much of a handyman.

“There was a time he asked me to help him hook up his new ceiling fan in his bedroom and he turned the power on as I was connecting the Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 01.04.2018 wires,” said John Bower, his grandson. “I fell off the ladder. He laughed. And after a moment of disbelief so did I.” Those personal anecdotes aligned perfectly with the way so many members of the Leafs sprawling fanbase felt they knew Bower. The organization has just finished celebrating its centennial season and may never have had a better ambassador. “What do we have here in the GTA, seven-million people?” said former captain Doug Gilmour. “Johnny probably knows about five-[million].” The one thing Brendan Shanahan couldn’t reconcile after taking over as team president is how the kind soul he came to know Bower as managed to endure 13 years in the minors before getting his first shot in the Leafs crease at age 34. Of course, Bower then went on to win four Stanley Cups, two Vezina Trophies and gain induction to the while playing another decade. He also has the most wins in AHL history. “It’s an incredible story,” said Shanahan. “There had to be an internal furnace or fire burning inside him.” Ron Ellis, part of Toronto’s 1967 Cup team with Bower, produced an answer for what pushed the beloved goalie. “Johnny considered it a privilege, not a right, to be a Maple Leaf,” said Ellis. “Gratitude is what drove him to become the best he could be.” Dave Keon, another former teammate, spoke of how valued Bower was among his peers. While most remember Toronto’s 1964 Stanley Cup victory for Bobby Baun’s overtime goal on a broken ankle, teammates remember a huge Bower save on Detroit’s Larry Jeffrey that allowed Game 6 to get that far. “Winning the Cup takes heart, but John was our soul,” said Keon. His competitive streak extended beyond his playing career. Bower stayed on as Leafs goalie coach in retirement and Keon recalls bringing his 10-year-old son, Dave Jr., down to for a 1091447 Websites good prospects Jonathan Dahlen (from Ottawa) and Nikolay Goldobin (from San Jose).

Gudbranson should get the Canucks a prospect and a pick if Benning is Sportsnet.ca / Canucks’ performance will dictate future of GM Jim allowed to move him. The trade value for Vanek is less certain, but the Benning 33-year-old, who signed a one-year contract last summer, has 12 goals and 28 points as Vancouver reaches the halfway mark of its season Saturday in Toronto against the Maple Leafs. Iain MacIntyre Vancouver’s five-game road trip is a chance to show off Boeser, the 20- @imacSportsnet year-old who leads all rookies with 21 goals and is the best Canuck freshman since Pavel Bure. January 3, 2018, 8:09 PM Decimated up front by key injuries and the retirement of Derek Dorsett, the Canucks could have Baertschi (broken jaw) back in the lineup this weekend for the first time since Dec. 9. VANCOUVER – A decade ago, when a handful of emerging young stars had the Vancouver Canucks on an upward trajectory that would But Linden revealed that Horvat (broken foot), Baertschi’s linemate, may eventually take the National Hockey League franchise to a pair of not return until after the All-Star Break at the end of January. He was Presidents’ Trophies and the 2011 Stanley Cup Final, the team was 22- projected to miss four-to-six weeks after he was hurt on Dec. 5. 13-4 on the final day of 2007 and general manager Dave Nonis had started negotiations with ownership on a contract extension. Among the many issues also addressed Wednesday by Linden, whose summit took attention away from Canucks players after they were Then the Canucks collapsed in the second half of the season when an hammered 5-0 Tuesday by the Anaheim Ducks: avalanche of injuries included top-three defencemen Mattias Ohlund, Kevin Bieksa and Willie Mitchell. Owner Francesco Aquillini fired Nonis Goaltender-of-the-future Thatcher Demko won’t be rushed up from the on April 14, 2008. American League to try rescuing the team. A month ago, the rebuilding Canucks were a surprising 14-10-4 and a There have been no negotiations on an extension for Gudbranson. contract extension for general manager Jim Benning had been broached with hockey-operations president Trevor Linden and the Aquillini family. Boeser is an exceptional player and the Canucks will look this summer at potentially re-signing him a year before his entry-level contract expires. But since first-line forwards Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi joined second- line centre Brandon Sutter on the injured list in the first week of He likes the impact new coach Travis Green has had on young players December, the Canucks have gone 2-9-1 and appear to be collapsing and the Canucks’ more attractive style of play. again. “There are some positives based on what’s happening here and around And when Linden was asked Wednesday during a mid-season state-of- our organization,” Linden said. “We just have to stick to it. It’s been a the-union press scrum about that extension for Benning, his answer was challenging time, but I think we’re capable of getting some guys healthy suspiciously non-committal. and getting our game back on track.” “I’m not really going to get too into that at this point,” Linden said. “I think Whether they do could determine who is general manager next season. it doesn’t serve anyone, any purpose. I think we’re focussed on having a good second half here. I know that Jim’s focussed on that. He came into a challenging situation and I think we’re trending in the right direction. I Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 01.04.2018 like the job Jim’s done. But beyond that, I think we’re focussed on the next couple of months and the deadline, and then finishing and having a good season.” It’s not surprising that ownership, who deal with Linden on a weekly basis, would wish to see how this unpredictable season plays out before deciding whether to retain Benning. The NHL is, after all, a bottom line business and Benning is in his fourth year as the Canucks’ general manager. The team finished in the bottom three the last two seasons but there is little doubt that Benning, with rookie-of-the-year candidate Brock Boeser as a centrepiece, has built the deepest prospect pool in franchise history. But while everyone waits for more of the future Canucks to join Boeser in the NHL, the wait on Benning could be problematic because the organization has weighty decisions to make before the Feb. 26 trade deadline, especially regarding potential unrestricted free agents Erik Gudbranson and Thomas Vanek. Benning gave up a lot – the equivalent of first- and second-round draft picks – to acquire Gudbranson from the Florida Panthers two years ago. And if the Canucks aren’t going to re-sign the 25-year-old (as of Sunday) defenceman, they absolutely must trade him rather than get nothing on July 1. And if they re-sign Gudbranson, they’ll probably need to trade another player from a blue line that is crowded enough that third-year pro Ben Hutton is being healthy-scratched. “When you talk deadline plans moving forward, a lot can happen,” Linden said. “We constantly talk as a group about where we’re at and where we need to be. “We’re going to do what’s right for the organization. I think that we’ve done that in the past; we’ll continue to do that as we march through the next seven or eight weeks. We’ve got some good future pieces in our organization and we’re going to continue to keep our eye on that. “Jim. . . has a team-building mindset, and he’s going to continue to have his eye on the future.” Benning did some of his best non-draft work as GM at last year’s deadline, leveraging looming UFAs Alex Burrows and Jannik Hansen for 1091448 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Notebook: Flames not playing in lead enough to be playoff contender

Pat Steinberg January 3, 2018, 7:28 PM

The Calgary Flames haven’t played much with the lead this season. Through 39 games, the Flames have only carried a lead into the first intermission on eight occasions. However, this trend becomes a little more concerning when only the Buffalo Sabres, Arizona Coyotes, and Edmonton Oilers have led fewer minutes ahead than Calgary as of Wednesday. For a team that fancied itself as a true contender coming into this year, being grouped in with three of the NHL’s bottom teams in this regard isn’t promising. Calgary just hasn’t been in control enough of the time in more than 2,300 minutes this season. For sake of clarity, the teams that have led the most this year include Tampa Bay, Winnipeg, and Nashville — all top end teams. There is a bright side for the Flames, though. While they’ve held a lead for less than a quarter of this season, they’ve been playing from behind for 730 minutes 13 seconds. Calgary leads the league with almost 1,100 minutes of even hockey which eases the sting of how little they’ve played in front thus far. I make two conclusions when taking all of this data into account. First, the Flames need to spend more time in control on the scoreboard. Being grouped with teams like Arizona and Buffalo in that category just isn’t going to cut it. More encouraging, though, is correcting this trend doesn’t seem like a herculean task. Because Calgary has been tied as much as they have this season, a timely goal here and there could really start to turn the tide. The Flames are shooting at just 7.53 per cent in all situations and 5.74 per cent at five-on five, which puts them 28th in the league in both categories. Numbers like that are typically unsustainably low, which suggests some improvement as we move into the second half of the season. If that were to happen, and if Calgary keeps playing in as many close games, the correlation should be more time spent with the lead.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091449 Websites Another literal, as opposed to figurative, hot spot for Pacioretty to thrive. The Kings — playing a more offensive style this season — are just outside the top 10 in terms of goals-per-game, but another weapon may Sportsnet.ca / Six potential trade destinations for the Canadiens’ Max be required for them to regain their spot as one of the league’s elite Pacioretty teams. If the Canadiens are really ready for a re-tool, perhaps there’s a blockbuster to be done here where the Kings send the always-hurt Marian Gaborik — who’s still valuable when healthy, but, you know… — Ryan Dixon the other way. Taking on that salary through 2020-21 is doable for Montreal if it means getting its mitts on another couple prospects or @dixononsports picks. January 3, 2018, 5:34 PM Canadian WJC defenceman Kale Clague is part of the Kings system. Los Angeles also drafted big scoring forward Gabe Vilardi 11th overall last

June, and though he’s been sidelined by a back injury all year, he was With losses mounting in Montreal, Max Pacioretty’s future has fast recently traded from the defending-Memorial Cup champion Windsor become something many, many people are monitoring. We’re nearing Spitfires to the Kingston Frontenacs. the point where the question isn’t whether the Habs will move him so CAROLINA HURRICANES much as whether they’ll move him for immediate or more long-term help. OK, we have to get at least one East team in the mix. Given all he’s been through with Montreal and done for the club since becoming an NHL regular in 2009-10, you wonder if Pacioretty isn’t ready The Canes are firmly in the playoff chase and, given the team hasn’t for a more plum assignment than facing probes after every defeat about made the post-season since 2009, Carolina really needs to make this the shortcomings of a team that just doesn’t have much talent. happen. Jeff Skinner paces the Hurricanes with 12 goals, the lowest total to lead any team in the NHL. As for an asking price, assume the Habs are seeking something that aligns with the fact only three players — Alex Ovechkin, Steven Stamkos Habs fans, don’t you dare start dreaming about Noah Hanifin or Jaccob and Joe Pavelski — have netted more goals from the start of 2011-12 Slavin. However, with the Canes’ bevy of young blue-liners, maybe through last season than the 29-year-old Pacioretty. Yeah, he hasn’t they’d be willing to talk about a package headlined by 21-year-old Haydn scored in a month, but that doesn’t mean there will be any discount Fleury? shopping here — especially with a team-friendly $4.5-million cap hit through next season before free agency beckons. MINNESOTA WILD Montreal would likely prefer to send Pacioretty out of its conference, Might as well make it a six pack. The Wild rank 17th in average goals- which is why we have a West-heavy list. With that in mind, here are six per-game and while the team right in front of them in that category — the clubs that would make sensible landing spots for the super-skilled left St. Louis Blues — could surely use a boost, too, Minny gets the nod. winger. With Zach Parise having just returned, the Wild would look like a new CALGARY FLAMES outfit in 2018 if they could get Pacioretty in their lineup. Matt Dumba, a 23-year-old, right-shot defenceman, might hold some appeal along with Spoiler alert: The squads on this list could use some help in the goal centre Luke Kunin, the 15th overall pick in 2016. department.

Calgary has a wonderful top line anchored by Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau, but secondary scoring is lacking. Pacioretty might pair Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 01.04.2018 well with two-way centre Mikael Backlund and would certainly love not seeing the other team’s top defenders every night. The power play — currently ranked 20th in the league — could also use a boost and the vision of ‘Johhny Hockey’ sliding sweet passes to triggerman Pacioretty should stimulate saliva glands all over Southern Alberta. As for what could go the other way, the captain of Canada’s World Junior Championship entry, Dillon Dube, was a Flames second-rounder in 2016. And, with Sam Bennett coming to life in the past six weeks, maybe the Habs have interest in the 2014 fourth overall selection. EDMONTON OILERS Talk of an Oilers-Habs transaction actually traces back to the start of the year, when both teams were scuffling. Oh, how times haven’t changed. The difference between these two clubs is Edmonton will try and save this season until the last possible second. A Pacioretty-for-Ryan Nugent- Hopkins deal seems less likely now than it did two months ago because RNH has been one of the few bright spots in Edmonton and Montreal might actually want younger pieces than the 24-year-old pivot. Still, there was smoke here once, so maybe the fire’s still burn. Team USA world juniors forward Kailer Yamamoto could hold appeal if the Habs are after youthful skill. ANAHEIM DUCKS From the Montreal frying pan to the beaches of California! The Ryan Getzlaf-Rickard Rakell duo is killing it right now; could you imagine throwing big No. 67 on the left side? Whatever line he played on, it’s so easy to envision Pacioretty thriving in a situation where all he has to worry about is going out and shooting the puck. That, along with the return of Corey Perry from a leg injury, would help the Ducks rise up from their rank of 23rd in terms of average goals-per-game. The Canadiens blue line has arguably been the weakest part of the club this year, so a return package could focus on a young NHL defenceman like Brandon Montour. LOS ANGELES KINGS 1091450 Websites “I’m just trying to focus on playing well because there are guys knocking on the door here just as much as back home,” he says.

Thus far, Adam has done a nice job of proving his worth. He netted 35 Sportsnet.ca / Newfoundland’s Luke Adam relishing long-awaited trip to points in 38 games last season and, while his production has slowed a bit Germany this year, he’s still second in team scoring. He’s also the first to tell you that the unexpected turn in his hockey journey has worked out wonderfully. Ryan Dixon “Yeah, I wish I was still playing in the NHL,” Adam acknowledges. “But I @dixononsports was able [accept that I’m not] and move on.” January 3, 2018, 1:09 PM Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 01.04.2018 Ask Luke Adam about the decision to move his hockey career to Germany and there’s a tendency to wonder if it had anything to do with is dad, Russ, having spent a few seasons in that country at the end of his playing days. The answer is a resounding “No,” but for different reasons than you might expect. “That’s a funny story,” says Adam, who’s no stranger to those having grown up in St. John’s, N.L., ahead of Scotiabank Hockey Day In Canada in Corner Brook, N.L., on Jan. 20. Adam is from St. John’s because that was the final stop on Russ’s hockey-playing adventure. But if you jumped on the website eliteprospects.com, you’d be led to believe Russ toiled for another handful of years in Germany during the early 1990s. Not so, says Luke. The best explanation he and his dad can come up with is that — long before the Internet made due diligence a piece of cake — an imposter claiming to be the Russ Adam who played eight games for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1982-83 took his hockey bag to Germany and hoped for the best. They have no proof and no burning desire to find the truth; it’s just the best theory they’ve got. “How else would that have happened?” Adam says with a laugh. While the tale of Russ Adam’s German excursion that didn’t actually happen is a bit of a head-scratcher, his son’s presence there makes a lot of sense given the current pro hockey landscape. Adam was drafted 44th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2008 after a strong season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with his hometown St. John’s Fog Devils. In 2010, he was one of the top goal- scorers on a Canadian world junior team that featured players like Taylor Hall and Alex Pietrangelo. Later that same year, he played his first NHL game at age 20. The next step, though — establishing himself as a full- time cast member in The Show — proved difficult. Adam played 283 AHL games from 2010 to 2016, but never quite stuck in the NHL. He never seriously considered the offers he got from Europe along the way because he was fixated on the best league in the world. But when a professional tryout offer with the Calgary Flames in 2016 didn’t result in an NHL ride, Adam decided it was time to try a different route. At 26, the prospect of riding more AHL busses with no promise of something bigger ahead held little appeal. Instead, Adam packed up and headed east, inking a one-year deal to join the Mannheim Eagles. “Once I got here I was pissed off at myself for not coming over earlier and grinding out the American League for those last few years,” he says. A number of things have made the transition a smooth one for Adam. First off, the trickle-down effect of the NHL and AHL valuing younger players has led to a huge spike in the quality of competition in Europe. The Eagles roster features well over 2,000 games worth of NHL experience, with names like Devin Setoguchi, Carlo Colaiacovo, Mark Stuart and dotting the lineup. Teams in the German league play just 52 contests, which is a little easier on the body than those three- in-threes that are a big part of the 82-game AHL schedule. Mannheim has two practice rinks at its main arena, so players are always heading to the same venue. When the work day is done, Adam returns to wife Hannah and the three-story townhouse that was provided for them as soon as he signed with the club. “We weren’t really sure what to expect and we walked into this beautiful situation, this beautiful house,” says Adam, who lives right beside about nine of his teammates and their families. “Lifestyle-wise, we really have no complaints. [If I want to be picky], I wish it didn’t rain so much.” A little bad weather, of course, isn’t enough to dampen Adam’s enthusiasm for his adopted home. A few months after he landed last season, he signed a contract extension that will keep him in Mannheim through 2018-19. And while he can most definitely see himself staying in his current situation for years beyond that, Adam doesn’t want to get ahead of himself. 1091451 Websites “That’s over with,” Ducharme said. “He’s going to have a strong game tomorrow. Those things are fun to talk about, but it’s behind him and he’s ready to play tomorrow.” TSN.CA / Czech coach: ‘Miracles can happen' Pesan suggested his team would be well briefed on Hart’s tendencies beyond just the superstition. By Mark Masters “I know a lot about him,” Pesan said cryptically. “I know his weak sides and I hope we’re going to find his weak sides. I’ll tell the players and we’ll see what happens.” Team Canada held its final practice of the World Juniors on Wednesday However, there is a healthy respect for Hart among the Czech players. at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo. “He’s very good,” said defenceman Libor Hájek, who plays for the First there was Swiss coach Christian Wohlwend saying he expected in the WHL. “I played against him like three weeks ago Canada to dominate his team in the World Juniors quarter-finals. in Everett. He’s amazing. It will be very hard. Hopefully he will have a bad day or something like that.” Now, it’s Czech coach Filip Pesan’s turn to play the underdog card. Hart shut out the Blades, turning aside 30 shots, on Dec. 2. Hájek had “It’s the semifinals and miracles can happen,” he said when asked about five shots on net that night. What stood out from that game? his team’s mindset. “We didn’t score,” Hájek said with a grin. “He’s amazing.” That led to an eye roll from Dominique Ducharme. Hart, who is coming off his worst statistical game of the season (.867 “Another one?” the Canadian coach said to laughs from the assembled save percentage against the Swiss), wasn’t made available to the media media. “That’s not really original.” on Wednesday. Ducharme insists he's not worried about overconfidence even though Canada's best player is goalie Carter Hart , he has an amazing .961 save Canada has won its last two games by a combined score of 16-2 and percentage with Everett in the WHL this season and has been solid so hasn’t trailed for a second at the tournament. far in his second World Juniors. There were no question marks around him when he arrived in Buffalo, he was finally the answer to this country's “We take care of our business,” he said. “We have a mature group. We crease concerns. But now, all of a sudden, the opposition may have a know exactly where we’re at. We know what we need to do. We know the way to get under Hart's skin. Mark Masters has more. mindset we need to have to have success and we’ll bring that tomorrow (Thursday).” Mete full practice participant, likely to play In fairness, Pesan did not throw up the white flag like Wohlwend. The Victor Mete was a full participant in practice. It was the first time he Czech coach put forth a strategy for pulling off an upset. skated with teammates since the second period of Saturday’s game against Denmark. “We can’t take stupid penalties,” he said. “We have to play an active way and not just be waiting to see what they’re going to do to us. We can’t “He looked good,” said Ducharme. “I talked to him after and he felt good, just play defence, because we’d be under pressure the whole game. It’s so (that’s) positive.” not the way to win the game. We have to have confidence with the puck and move it fast. And be strong on the puck. We'll be ready and we want The workout lasted just 30 minutes, but Mete didn't seem to be in any to beat them tomorrow." discomfort. The Czechs, who haven’t advanced this far since winning a bronze With Canada expected to play on consecutive nights, the decision to medal in 2005, were humbled by Canada 9-0 in a pre-tournament game have any kind of a skate at all raised a few eyebrows. Ducharme himself on Dec. 20. After that game, forward Kristian Reichel said it was suggested on Monday that the team was unlikely to skate again outside “unacceptable” and “embarrassing” that his team quit in the third period. of game action. But that night in London, Ont., the Czechs were playing their first game since arriving in North America and didn’t have many of their top players "We had two days off before yesterday’s game and last night’s game in the lineup. They’re a much better team now. wasn’t physically very demanding," the coach explained. "We just wanted to touch the ice, we didn’t stay long. Tomorrow we’re playing at 8 p.m. so Ducharme is quick to point out that his team has also vastly improved. it will be a long day, too, and we won’t be on the ice before, so we And how are they better? wanted to be on the ice today a little bit." “Everywhere,” he said. “Little details. Little things we do much better. Canada Ice Chips: Ducharme optimistic about Mete after full practice We’re managing the game better. Chemistry is better. We’re better everywhere.” Victor Mete returned to the ice for the first time since being injured in the outdoor game against Team USA. Head coach Dominique Ducharme Czech coach on mindset vs. Canada: 'Miracles can happen' was optimistic about his status for the semi-final after Mete took part in practice. Mark Masters has the latest. Another knockout-stage game and more mind games for the head coaches. Asked about his team's mindset ahead of the semifinal Drake Batherson isn’t about to mess with a good thing. showdown against Canada, coach Filip Pesan said the Czechs know "miracles can happen". Head coach Dominique Ducharme brushed that He scored against Denmark on Saturday and twice against Switzerland off noting it's not an original suggestion. He says Canada is a mature, on Tuesday while using the same stick. He also let Jordan Kyrou borrow confident group that won't be lulled into a false sense of security. that stick against the Swiss after the St. Louis Blues prospect had his own stick break mid-shift. Kyrou scored moments later despite the fact Will Hart’s superstition be an issue again? the blade featured a much bigger curve than his own. The Czechs are well aware of Carter Hart and his last-off superstition. “They say my stick’s going crazy on the internet,” Batherson said with a laugh. “There’s been a lot of talk about it on social media, so me and “We heard about it,” said Reichel. “We watched the game last night and Kyrou may switch back and forth tomorrow. We’ll see.” we were talking about that at breakfast. Maybe it’s a good thing, maybe it’s not (smile).” If Batherson stuck to his usual routine, the stick wouldn’t be used in Thursday’s semifinal against the Czechs. So, will the Czechs follow the lead of the Finns and Swiss by leaving their backup goalie on the ice during the intermission? “Usually every week and a half I grab a new one,” he said. “At tournaments it wears out a little bit more in the games so usually I grab a “We’ll see,” said Pesan coyly. “I’m not telling you my plans for tomorrow. new one every two games, but I think I’ll be sticking with this one for the We’ll see what happens tomorrow and maybe we’ll find a way to beat this rest of the tournament.” guy.” Batherson leads Canada with four goals at the World Juniors. Trying to keep up his superstition of leaving the ice last, Canadian goalie Carter Hart fools Swiss goaltender Matteo Ritz by ducking into the tunnel 'Maybe I'll get the third assist": Batherson, Kyrou combine on natural before coming back out to touch the ice once Ritz left the ice. stick-trick Ducharme was asked if the superstition questions are a distraction for After Jordan Kyrou broke his stick in the second period of Tuesday's win Hart, who, for the record, was the last player to leave the ice at today’s over Switzerland, the winger raced over to the bench to get a new one, practice. but ended up grabbing Drake Batherson's instead. The Senators prospect had scored two straight and apparently the blade's magic was transferable even though the curve was quite different. And while Batherson’s stick became an online sensation, the Ottawa Senators prospect only heard about that from his buddies. He’s staying away from social media during the World Juniors, which is probably a good thing since he was just traded to Blainville-Boisbriand from Cape Breton in the QMJHL. “I was informed about the news and looking forward to the opportunity,” he said. “It’s a little weird (hearing that here), but my main focus is on this tournament.” Is it difficult for the Nova Scotia native to tune that out? “Not too difficult, honestly. It’s just hockey, you know, a new team and new teammates. It’s like coming here and playing with a new team and with new players. I’m not worried. I'm just playing hockey, the game I love, so I’m not too worried about it.” Batherson will use lucky stick for rest of World Juniors Drake Batherson is the hottest Canadian scorer right now. He's potted three goals in the last two games using the same stick and Jordan Kyrou actually scored using that stick in Tuesday's quarterfinal win over Switzerland. The Senators prospect usually switches his sticks every two games, but will keep the current one for the rest of the tournament. Canada has book on Zadina Containing Halifax Mooseheads forward Filip Zadina, who leads the Czechs with five goals, is a priority for Canada. “I know a lot about him and I’ll definitely share a few secrets with the guys about shutting him down, because he’s a great player,” said Batherson, one of just two QMJHL players on Team Canada. Ducharme coaches Drummondville and got an up close look at the draft- eligible Zadina on Nov. 4. “Good thing we’re not playing Halifax too often,” the coach quipped. “We played them once and it was a tight game, 2-1 game, and he’s the one who scored for them. He can shoot, he’s on the puck, he’s good at protecting the puck, making plays.” Canada may have a secret weapon when it comes to slowing down the Czech sniper. That would be goalie consultant Eric Raymond, who serves in that role in Halifax as well. Will Ducharme lean on Raymond for some inside information? “It’s already done,” he said. “It’s in the book.” Which Czech players should Canada pay the most attention to? James Duthie, Jeff O'Neill and Bob McKenzie preview Canada's semi- final match up against the Czech Republic and discuss which Czech players Canada needs to pay the most attention to.

TSN.CA LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091452 Websites Instead, the Tampa Bay Lightning shut the door on Toronto, holding them off the scoresheet for just the second time this season.

They may no longer be searching solely for lessons to build off of, but the TSN.CA / Leafs managing increased second-half expectations Leafs still appreciated a window into the kind of club they’re trying to evolve into when they faced the Lightning. By Kristen Shilton “I think it was a good measuring stick for us to see how much work we still have to put in on where we want to be,” said Matthews. “We made some mistakes and some things cost us and there’s some things we need to work on, but I think these last two games have been good for us The Maple Leafs held a noon practice at MasterCard Centre on to see where we want to be and where we are now.” Wednesday. The Leafs were able to go toe-to-toe against the Lightning’s blistering It’s not enough for the Toronto Maple Leafs to just surprise the NHL’s top speed and challenge vaunted netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy, but a teams anymore. Now, they have their sights set on contending with the miscommunication behind their net and an ill-timed line change ultimately league’s best. put the Bolts’ up by a 2-0 lead they’d never relinquish. The Lightning’s depth makes them relentless all over the ice, putting opponents on their After playing 41 games in 2017-18, the Leafs are on track to make the heels. playoffs – but the learning process is far from over at the halfway mark of the regular season. From the outset of training camp, players talked In the end, the Leafs’ third straight loss was frustrating for the team, but it about the common theme of expectations. They knew there would be wasn’t exactly demoralizing, either. pressure from the outside to improve after their six-game postseason run against the Washington Capitals last spring, but as a whole the Leafs “[On Tuesday] I think we played a lot better than we showed in Vegas,” maintain that no one and nothing is setting goals on their behalf. said Matthews. “Still, we were undisciplined; we took a lot of penalties and that kind of killed momentum sometimes. A lot of the times it seems “[Our mindset] changed right away [to start the season],” said Auston like they had the puck all game and they were rolling around in our zone Matthews. “Not [because of] the expectation around us, but I think the and that definitely wears on your D, it wears on your forwards, and that expectation within the team. We went on our little merry-go-round in first ends up swinging momentum onto your side.” year – everyone is all happy, we’re doing well. But now we expect to win every night.” Like every team that eventually rises to the top of the NHL heap, the Lightning took their lumps along the way over the years. That experience It’s that singular idea that Toronto (23-16-2) is a team capable of earning is invaluable, and it’s what Toronto is continuing to gather. a victory every night that has helped shape this current roster. For some of the team’s younger players, expectation is an entirely foreign concept “I thought it was a pretty well-played game,” Babcock said. “In the end, at this NHL level, while veterans like James van Riemsdyk have learned you have to find a way to win those games; you have to find a way to to keep them in perspective. block one more shot, make one more good play, score on the power play, score on one of those rebounds. Just a find a way – that’s what the “It’s nice to be in a position at the start of the year where you know what good teams do. The other question you ask yourself is, were we as to expect,” he said. “Obviously last year there were a lot of unknowns, a detailed as the other team and do we work as hard or harder than the lot of new guys. This year, guys have had a chance to get a few games other team? I think there’s lots of room for growth on our group and that’s under their belts, so in that sense the expectations shift a little, but you what we have to do.” still have to go out there and perform on the ice and just worry about that and we’re going from there.” Goaltender Frederik Andersen, one of the Leafs’ most consistent players this season, knows playing better each and every game is essential for At this time last season, the Leafs were getting schooled left and right on success. what life at hockey’s highest level is like, with varying degrees of success. Win or lose, they were eager students. But these days, gaining “We obviously want to take a step forward; we still haven’t really ground on the red-hot Boston Bruins in the standings gets more accomplished anything we want to do,” he said. “We believe in the consideration than learning new lessons. process we’re going on and the direction we’re going on. With that comes a lot of things throughout the year you want to get better at and you take “We want to be winning every time we play so that’s what we’re going out it as you go. The same thing happened last year where we had some there to do. We’re not going out there just for feel-good stories and stuff,” growing pains but we worked our way through it.” said van Riemsdyk. “At the end of the day, there are some things you try to gauge by the points in the standings and other things where it’s just When one scorer struggles, another scorer steps up. the detail in your game, so [you want to be] balancing out those and by the end of the year you’re pretty sharp and you’re not giving away Just ask Nazem Kadri, one of the Leafs’ most consistent forwards all anything for free.” season. He fell into a scoring drought in early December that’s now gone on longer than a month. But at the same time, Mitch Marner has finally As coach Mike Babcock’s team continues to mature and develop the gotten his groove back. “winning habits” he covets, he anticipates they’ll begin letting go of any singular definitions of success and fully embrace that concept as a 23- The second-year winger found his game in December, staring with a man group. three-assist performance in Pittsburgh on Dec. 8. From there, Marner has added three goals and seven assists in his last 11 games, matching “We really believe we have enough talent in the room; we have to find a his point total for the entire month of November. way to be better on a consistent basis and that’s all part of that process,” Babcock said. “I think learning to win every day and doing things right Even as the Leafs have struggled through this recent stretch of four and sacrificing individual things for the team, I think, is so important. I’m losses in their last six games, Marner has been one of the team’s few not evaluating when my next shift is, I’m not evaluating whether I played consistent bright spots. on the power play or didn’t, I’m just working hard to help the guys win “He knows he’s a driver on this team,” said Babcock. “He’s got to come in and I think that’s the biggest priority for us.” with swagger each and every day, and lead by example and work ethic There’s no doubt the Leafs aren’t exactly where they want to be just yet. and be improving his game and getting stronger and living right and With 48 points in 41 games – earning just seven points in their last 10 doing all those things, and things will work out for him. He’s just got to outings – they’re barely keeping pace with Babcock’s stated goal of six keep grinding. We count on a number of young people here as you know, points per five-game segment. But the drive to exceed expectations has and we need them to be good.” hardly diminished over the season. Babcock has encouraged Marner to hold onto the puck more, not “I think we’re in a good position; we’re in a playoff spot right now,” said hesitate to shoot and be more tenacious all around when he’s on the ice. Matthews. “We want to be at the top and these last two teams [Vegas When he does that, Marner is as dangerous as any in the Leafs’ stable of and Tampa Bay] we’ve just played are at the top, and we’re not quite at talented forwards, and the belief he’s able to generate for himself has that level yet but we feel as a team that we have all the tools to be there. become contagious. It’s just a matter of putting in the time and the will to be there.” “I think he’s just really confident out there; he’s skating again and Perhaps in a perfect world, the Leafs would have come out against the creating a lot of chances, and you love to see that,” said Matthews. NHL’s best team on Tuesday night and earned a statement-making “Because when he’s flying around like that it definitely kind of gets victory that highlighted their ample offensive abilities. everyone else going and everyone else skating, so it’s always good to see one of your top players doing that.” Remembering Johnny Bower Before puck drop in Tuesday’s game, the Leafs honoured legendary goaltender Johnny Bower with a heartfelt pre-game ceremony involving his entire extended family. The scene moved fans in the Air Canada Centre audience to tears, and players were similarly touched by the video tribute. “I thought it was really nicely done,” van Riemsdyk said. “Having his whole family there in front of that net he tended for many years was a pretty nice touch.” “It was good,” Matthews added. “I’m sure it was very emotional for a lot of people. Johnny is one of the guys you saw around so I think everybody (was) looking forward to this ceremony.” The Ceremony of Life hosted by the Leafs on Wednesday afternoon was attended by the entire Leafs’ roster and coaching staff, as well as NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, special guests and droves of fans. Andersen and Curtis McElhinney were asked by the family to contribute to the ceremony as pallbearers, helping to carry Bower’s casket from the arena floor at the ceremony’s conclusion. Andersen said the Bower family had reached out to them earlier this month, and he accepted the invitation right away. Also attending the ceremony were several former Leafs and some of Bower’s teammates, including Frank Mahovlich, Ron Ellis and Dave Keon, who all spoke at the memorial. While much has been said and shared about Bower since his passing on Dec. 26, Babcock said repeatedly he hoped his players would glean something not just from who Bower was as a player, but from all that he represented as a person. “I really believe in the end the measure of a man is the family he raises, and the impact they have on society,” Babcock said. “So it’s your obligation to do good things for those people and set them up with a foundation so they can go out and earn their own confidence and make a difference in the world. When you see that [Bower family] group out there, obviously it was pretty special. There must have been some serious parties at their place. Obviously a fantastic life [lived], he touched a lot of people, but no more than his family.”

TSN.CA LOADED: 01.04.2018 1091453 Websites “I’ve had one standoff in my life before this tournament,” Hart said. “Now I’ve had two in this tournament.”

Hart’s teammates didn’t even notice his quirks until they saw it against TSN.CA / Carter Hart: Canada's creature of habit Finland. To them, whatever Hart does is only weird if it doesn’t work. Must See: Hart plays 'last one off the ice' with Lehtinen By Frank Seravalli Canadian goaltender Carter Hart plays the waiting game with Finland's backup Lassi Lehtinen, as both goalies attempt to be last to leave the ice after the period. BUFFALO, N.Y. - Three eggs, two pieces of toast and a glass of chocolate milk. “I think it’s funny,” captain Dillon Dube said. “When he came in the dressing room [against Switzerland], we were laughing. Obviously they That’s what Carter Hart says he has eaten for breakfast “every single day were trying to do that. He’s not too worried about it. I think it’s just a for the past four years,” whether he’s at home, on the road or here for routine, it’s not a superstition. It’s not going to get him off his game.” Team Canada at the World Junior Championship. Hart didn’t go into the exact specifics of his daily routine – it may take too “Yeah, I get sick of it,” Hart said, smiling. long – but just about every moment leading up to a game is regimented. His ritual is all based on time. It may drive Hart’s billet, Parker Fowlds, a little crazy, but at least he isn’t guessing what to buy at the supermarket in Everett, Wash. It reaches a crescendo when Hart raises his arms above his head just before stepping on the ice. “He always says, ‘Do you want anything else? Pancakes? French toast?’ Nope,” Hart said. “It’s just what I do now. It’s my routine.” “I just take a deep breath,” Hart explained. The breakfast drill is just one small peek into Hart’s routine, which has For Hart, the purpose of the routine is to keep his mind busy so that he taken centre stage in Team Canada’s quest for gold. His battle of wills to isn’t focusing on the pressure, the stage or the stakes. When he was be last player off the ice with Team Switzerland backup Matteo Ritz in barely facing any rubber against Switzerland, for example, Hart said he Tuesday’s quarterfinal was more dramatic than the game. tried to focus on something else. So he said he scanned the ice to find which hand Switzerland’s shooters were. “It’s just kind of what I do,” Hart said, shrugging. “It’s to help with my focus and block out other distractions, really,” Hart Hart, 19, knows he is different. Some things just seemed fated, so it said. makes sense that he is a Philadelphia Flyers draft pick. Philadelphia has been home to some of hockey’s most eccentric netminders over the He is far from the first athlete to be so routine oriented. Sidney Crosby years, from Ilya Bryzgalov to Roman Cechmanek to . puts his equipment on in the same order every time. Baseball Hall of Famer Wade Boggs would go for a run at exactly 7:17 before a 7:35 Even Flyers GM Ron Hextall, who drafted Hart 48th overall in 2016, game. He said his 80 to 100-step routine “makes the day go by.” clanged his stick off his posts in a specific order during his playing career. A scoreboard operator in Toronto once flipped the clock from 7:16 to 7:18 in an attempt to knock Boggs through a loop. It didn’t work. Goaltenders have been different since the beginning of time, it’s just that most don't offer a glimpse into their world. “If you try to upset my routine, then sorry,” Boggs told reporters. “If you can’t respect that, then I feel sorry for the person trying to upset the But Hart is an open book. He called his breakfast habit “weird.” The truth routine.” is he has been so routine-focused, working with a sports psychologist since he was 10, that it doesn’t seem strange to him anymore. Hart knows Switzerland won’t be the last team to try. Hart promised he won’t be off-kilter if the Czech Republic – or anyone else – gets in the Andersen on Hart's superstition: 'I don't know if that's a smart thing' way of his routine. Maple Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen discusses Team Canada After all, Hart ate chicken and rice every day for lunch for three years. He netminder Carter Hart's superstition of being the last one off the ice and eventually changed it up, swapping rice for potatoes, and survived. says he will need to change his routine in the NHL. Just don’t ask him about dinner. “I’ve had those things for a long time,” Hart said. “It’s just part of who I am.” It’s a routine that Team Canada coach Dominique Ducharme doesn’t TSN.CA LOADED: 01.04.2018 pretend to understand. He doesn’t wear a “lucky tie” on the bench. “They’re all red, so I’m okay,” Ducharme said, laughing. Ducharme has given his most important player license to do whatever is necessary so long as “he’s ready to play and stops the puck.” Ducharme knows how important Hart’s routine is to Team Canada’s overall success. Because it isn’t a stretch to say Canada’s gold-medal hopes rest on Hart’s shoulders. The construction of this Canada team is different than most – ones usually built on star power up front. Instead, with a balanced attack and deep defence, the star of Team Canada is in net. Hart is perhaps Team Canada’s best goaltender in two decades. Vezina winner Carey Price and Calder winner Steve Mason didn’t have near the .961 save percentage Hart posted in 1,000 minutes with WHL Everett this season. So far, Hart has delivered. Team Canada has the best save percentage (.933) in this year’s tournament. Backup Colton Point blanked Slovakia in his only start. Like his breakfast, Hart won’t be changing his routine as the stakes get higher. He said he is ready for whatever the Czech Republic throws at him – even if they try to keep their backup goaltender on the ice for as long as possible to try to throw him off. “Sure,” Hart said. “If they want to, then I’ll just do what I did [against Switzerland].” Hart said no one had ever gone to that length to frustrate him until Finland started the trend on Boxing Day. 1091454 Websites The Red Wings will trade Green because he will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Early this season it seemed as if the Red Wings might be able to land a second-round pick and a prospect for Green. Now, with USA TODAY / NHL's second-half story lines to WATCH: Disappointing so many teams looking for a defenseman, it is not unthinkable the Red Penguins won't sit still Wings might be able to land a late first-round pick or a desirable prospect.

Green seems like a good fit for the Edmonton Oilers if they believe they Kevin Allen, USA TODAY Sports Published 3:54 p.m. ET Jan. 3, 2018 | can climb back in the playoff race. Updated 5:01 p.m. ET Jan. 3, 2018

USA TODAY LOADED: 01.04.2018 The surprising Vegas Golden Knights and the dominant Tampa Bay Lightning were the top newsmakers in the first three months of the NHL season. Here are story lines we expect to be important in the second half of the NHL season: 1. All eyes on the Penguins: Whether the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins miss the playoffs or rediscover their swagger, they will be a major story in the second half. With a 20-18-3 record, they are one point out of the playoff picture. All we know for sure is that general manager Jim Rutherford, known for aggressiveness, will not sit idly and watch the Penguins fall short of the playoffs. Rutherford has already acquired defenseman Jamie Oleksiak and he’s expected to make another move for a forward with some scoring potential. Phil Kessel is the only Penguin playing at the same level they were at during the Penguins’ back-to-back title runs. The highly-skilled Penguins rank second-to-last in five-on-five scoring. Their defensive play has been inconsistent. Rutherford will likely try to bolster the bottom six forward group to provide a spark. 2. McAvoy will climb in the polls: Most of the rookie of the year talk has centered on forwards Clayton Keller, Mathew Barzal and Brock Boeser. Keller plays the game like Patrick Kane. Barzal is a dazzling skater with magic in his hands. Boeser is a big shooter, currently on a pace to net 40 goals. But count on Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy receiving more Calder Trophy attention in the second half. McAvoy is playing 22:58 minutes per game for the Bruins and he’s been a primary factor in their strong season. He’s a two-way defenseman with 21 points in 38 games. He’s plus-10. Points draw the most attention early in the Calder race, but McAvoy’s value will begin to draw notice when members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association start heavily researching who deserves the award. 3. Ducks will take flight: The Anaheim Ducks' defensemen are all healthy. Ryan Getzlaf is back and has eight points in his past five games. Ryan Kesler is healthy. Corey Perry will be back soon. After managing to stay afloat amid numerous injuries, the Ducks seem ready to be the team they were last season when they were eliminated in Game 6 of the Western Conference final by the Nashville Predators. Beware of the Ducks in the second half of the season. They are starting to look like a prime contender again. The Ducks have won five of their last six games. 4. Wooing Tavares: Considering that Tavares remains unsigned, the New York Islanders cannot afford to miss the playoffs this season. What kind of message would that send to their captain? The Islanders looked sharp early, but they are 5-9-2 since the start of December. With two (Johnny Boychuk and Calvin de Haan) of their top four defensemen injured and their goaltending posting a .893 save percentage, fans will be waiting for GM Garth Snow to act. With Tavares mulling his future, it seems likely Snow will make a splash. 5. Green’s popularity to grow: Several teams are looking an offensively- gifted defenseman and the Detroit Red Wings' Mike Green, 32, is the most intriguing puck mover in the marketplace. He's on pace for a 45-50 point season, and he’s playing 22:39 per game. He’s not a strong defender, but he can bolster a power play with his shot and puck movement. He can also transition the puck out of his zone.