SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 02/06/19 1129099 Canadiens beat struggling Ducks 4-1 1129132 Blackhawks roar back with five 3rd-period goals to beat 1129100 Ducks lose to Canadiens, their 5th straight defeat and Oilers 6-2 for 5th straight win 17th in 19 games 1129133 Oilers' Brandon Manning finding a new home for himself 1129101 Ducks are reeling as losses mount, Rickard Rakell says after midseason trade from Blackhawks 1129102 It’s an absolute mess in Anaheim, so when will more 1129134 Blackhawks and Oilers have stars Patrick Kane and changes happen? Connor McDavid to thank for much of their offense 1129103 From ‘a bit broken’ to ‘difference maker,’ Ducks prospect 1129135 Blackhawks Q&A: What is Duncan Keith and Brent Troy Terry turned around his season Seabrook's trade value? Do the Hawks have a realistic shot at t 1129136 Wild 6-2 victory over Oilers gets Blackhawks within 3 1129104 Coyotes fall to Predators, wrap road trip with fourth points of playoff spot straight loss 1129137 Blackhawks did right by Patrick Kane early but need to 1129105 Short-handed Coyotes fall to Predators for 4th straight reload for second act loss 1129138 Cubs patriarch Joe Ricketts — his apology of no use — 1129106 Coyotes recall Adin Hill, Dakota Mermis; reassign Michael has been starkly revealed Bunting 1129139 Blackhawks explode for 5 goals in third, win fifth straight 1129140 Why trading Seabrook would be no easy feat for Blackhawks 1129107 Brad Marchand blossomed after learning to Be Like Bergy 1129141 Four takeaways: Blackhawks erupt in Edmonton as playoff 1129108 Bruins get past Islanders talks heat up 1129109 on listening to 50 Cent, his first , and 1129142 Exclusive: Can you handle Savy’s spin-o-rama? other reflections from his rookie year Blackhawks hosting first-ever adult fantasy camp 1129110 Brad Marchand appreciates Patrice Bergeron’s achievement 1129111 Bruins notebook: Trent Frederic brings nastiness 1129143 What’s wrong with the Avalanche? Joe Sakic says it’s not 1129112 Patrice Bergeron scores twice in 1,000th game as Bruins coaching. “We can turn this thing around” top Islanders 1129144 Avs are the team Joe built. So would it be wrong to blame 1129113 Bruins pregame notes: Bruins seek momentum at home Sakic for a hockey team that stinks? 1129114 Cassidy: "We'll have to look at" resting Chara in second 1129145 Philipp Grubauer in net as Avalanche hosts the similarly half struggling 1129115 Talking Points from the B's 3-1 win over the Isles 1129146 Sakic says Avs have no plans of trading first-round picks, 1129116 Patrice Bergeron reflects on 1,000th game: 'It was a top prospects as trade deadline nears special night' 1129147 Five Takeaways from another home loss to the Blue 1129117 Highlights from Bruins' 3-1 win over Islanders Jackets 1129118 Bruins' Patrice Bergeron reaches 1,000-games-played 1129148 Avalanche fall to Blue Jackets milestone 1129149 Avs-Blue Jackets player grades: More of the same 1129119 Bruins' struggling Danton Heinen to sit for second straight 1129150 Joe Sakic will not deviate from the plan game 1129151 Blue Jackets snap 5-game skid with 6-3 win over Avalanche 1129120 Sabres' power play scores twice after changes Columbus Blue Jackets 1129121 Sabres survive scare, beat Wild behind Reinhart's 1129152 Blue Jackets 6, Avalanche 3 | Third-period goals bring end shootout goal to slide 1129122 Mike Harrington: Time for Sabres to turn the crease over 1129153 Mark Letestu plays after rush to arena to Linus Ullmark 1129155 Decisions on Bread, Bob may steady Blue Jackets 1129123 The Wraparound: Sabres 5, Wild 4, SO 1129156 Oliver Bjorkstrand could be key for Blue Jackets against 1129124 Sabres vs. Wild: Five Things to Know Colorado Avalanche 1129125 Jack Eichel on Sabres shuffle: 'I think this can be a good 1129157 G52: Finally a win, finally an Alexander Wennberg goal for thing for us' Blue Jackets 1129126 Travis Yost's Sabre Metrics: How Rasmus Dahlin has 1129158 Who is on the hot seat as the NHL trade deadline impacted team and vice versa approaches? 1129127 Stimson: An evaluation of Jason Botterill’s moves since joining the Sabres in June 2017 1129159 Tyler Pitlick's wrist surgery opens up window of opportunity for Roope Hintz, Denis Gurianov 1129128 'Big Streak Dave' gunning to match franchise best 1129160 Where do Stars stand heading into trade deadline, and goaltending string who could they target? 1129129 Flames Hamonic back skating 1129161 Inside the coaches’ room: Tagging along with the Stars’ 1129130 Flames prowess at scoring shorthanded has them moving ECHL affiliate, the Idaho Steelheads in on elite company historically 1129131 Blocking shots in the NHL: ‘You close your eyes and pray’ 1129162 Detroit Red Wings' Dylan Larkin could be back on ice on 1129199 Filip Forsberg scores one for Predators' power play in win Thursday over Coyotes 1129163 Dylan Larkin's recovery ahead of schedule; could return 1129200 Boy struck by puck at Nashville Predators game for Wings' next game 1129201 Predators' power-play power outage: behind the numbers 1129164 Pat Caputo - Dylan Larkin, just good or generational 1129202 What makes Viktor Arvidsson such an accurate shooter talent? for Predators? 1129203 Bang for their buck: Measuring the Predators’ roster in terms of salary value 1129165 JONES: Oilers turning turtle race into turtle soup 1129166 Oilers totally collapse in third period against Blackhawks 1129167 Caggiula played with McDavid on the Edmonton Oilers, 1129204 New Jersey Devils vs. : LIVE score now Kane and Toews in Chicago updates and chat (2/5/19) 1129168 Edmonton Oilers players 'loved' ex-teammate Drake 1129205 Ilya Kovalchuk helps Kings down Devils in return to New Caggiula Jersey 1129169 Edmonton Oilers defenceman Andrej Sekera on the way 1129206 'They don't boo nobodies': NJ Devils welcome back Ilya to Bakersfield Kovalchuk 1129170 Oscar Klefbom back in Edmonton Oilers lineup against 1129207 How they line up: Travis Zajac returns to action for NJ Blackhawks Devils against Kings 1129171 Edmonton Oilers have nine games to prove they shouldn't 1129208 Ilya Kovalchuk gets the last laugh in his return to New be selling at the deadline Jersey 1129172 Edmonton Oilers Game Day: Chicago Blackhawks coming 1129209 Rachel Doerrie’s rise in hockey will continue elsewhere, in hot but the impact she left on the Devils goes beyond the 1129173 Lowetide: Setting the Oilers’ expected keeper list for the next GM 1129210 Islanders' point streak ends with loss to Bruins in front of champion Patriots 1129174 Panthers cough up third-period lead, fall to Blues 1129211 Long Island pols push Coliseum for Islanders playoff games Los Angeles Kings 1129212 Islanders suffer their first regulation loss in a long time 1129175 Kovalchuk's goal is the icing on the Kings' 5-1 victory over 1129213 Maybe Patriots' victory parade will inspire Islanders Devils 1129214 Islanders lose to Bruins after potential go-ahead goal is 1129176 Tyler Toffoli scores twice in 3rd period, lifts Kings to 3rd waved off win in 4 games 1129177 FEBRUARY 5 RAPID REACTION (FEAT. PATRICK O’NEAL): KINGS 5, DEVILS 1 1129215 Rangers finally about to give their backup some more 1129178 GAME 53: LOS ANGELES AT NEW JERSEY work 1129179 CARTER OUT TUESDAY BUT COULD RETURN ON 1129216 Why Rangers coach finally told Neal Pionk to take a seat TRIP; DESJARDINS ON HANDLING YOUNG PLAYERS 1129217 Neal Pionk fighting a crisis of confidence and is to get 1129180 KOVALCHUK WON’T MIND THE BOOS, PRAISES night off LAMORIELLO 1129181 WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: FEBRUARY 5 NHL 1129218 Standings slow down trade action ahead of deadline 1129219 Maple Leafs sign Auston Matthews to 5-year, $58 million 1129182 Mikko Koivu injured in Wild's shootout loss to Sabres deal 1129183 Wild-Buffalo game recap 1129184 Reinhart scores to give Sabres 5-4 shootout win over Wild 1129185 Wild rallies to force , but falls 5-4 in Buffalo as 1129220 Garrioch: Rivalry between Senators and Leafs needs a Mikko Koivu leaves injured spark 1129186 Anthony Bitetto poised to make Wild debut vs. Sabres 1129221 Sens goalie Craig Anderson isn't going anywhere at NHL 1129187 A pair of losses in a single night? Wild lose Mikko trade deadline Koivu before falling to Sabres 1129222 Talks are going well, but Sens' Matt Duchene isn't ready to 1129188 Now a pro, Casey Mittelstadt still ‘the biggest Minnesota make decision kid anyone will ever meet’ 1129223 Snapshots: Senators have a battle ahead to get out of the 1129189 Wild to honor Twins legend Joe Mauer during game next basement week 1129224 Waiving of Nick Paul another example of Senators valuing 1129190 Red alert, captain: Mikko Koivu leaves on crutches as role players over potential sloppy Wild fall to Sabres Canadiens 1129225 Carter Hart has made the Flyers better pretty much by 1129191 In the Habs' Room: Coach Julien lauds team sparkplug himself | Mike Sielski Brendan Gallagher 1129226 Streaking Flyers have patient approach as they climb 1129192 About last night ... Canadiens defeather Ducks 4-1 standings 1129193 Canadiens take care of business with easy win over 1129227 Flyers-Canucks observations: Carter Hart has keyed struggling Ducks streak, but don’t overlook the kill’s role 1129194 Stu Cowan: Hidden draft gem Victor Mete rounds into form 1129228 Anthony Stolarz making the most of second chance for Canadiens 1129229 8 reasons behind the Flyers' 8-game winning streak 1129195 Canadiens Game Day: Habs beat Ducks to pass last 1129230 How Flyers fans tied 2 technologists on to front season's win total office roles 1129196 Anaheim Ducks at Canadiens: Five things you should 1129231 Flyers 2, Canucks 1: 9 things we learned from the renewal know of the Carter Hart show 1129197 Claude Julien is making it painfully obvious he wants fourth-line help before the trade deadline 1129198 Cracking the win: Jonathan Drouin lives up to his star billing cont'd 1129232 Ill-timed goals put Penguins in hole, Patric Hornqvist says 1129270 Dubas willing to be patient with Marner’s decision to 1129233 Penguins fall to Hurricanes, lose ground in playoff race negotiate after season 1129234 Penguins' Bryan Rust adapting to life without fellow Notre 1129271 Auston Matthews signs five-year contract extension with Dame grad Riley Sheahan Maple Leafs 1129235 Penguins hope to avoid Eastern Conference playoff 1129272 It’s not perfect, but Auston Matthews and Maple Leafs pile-up agree to new deal that neither side will regret 1129236 Tim Benz: Penguins wingers must pay off faith Jim 1129273 Mirtle: Why Auston Matthews’ second contract is record- Rutherford wants to show setting and precedent-making 1129237 Derick Brassard opens up about failed trade, Penguins tenure 1129238 Dave Molinari’s Penguins report card: Carolina 4, 1129297 Canucks Post Game: A weird winner, a slow start, a good Penguins 0 resolve, a Pettersson promise 1129239 Mike Sullivan says Penguins 'a better team' after latest 1129298 Capitals 3 Canucks 2: Slow start, good rebound not moves enough against Cup champs 1129240 20 Penguins Thoughts: Nearing milestone, appreciation 1129299 Ben Kuzma: Edler escapes scary scene without facial for Phil Kessel’s game, humor grows fractures, but has concussion 1129241 For a few Penguins, last Friday was like a dream — or 1129300 Canucks Game Day: It’s a Capital challenge in D.C. nightmare 1129301 The Athletties: The Roussel thing, the DiPietro situation 1129242 Is the Penguins’ roster better than what they opened the and why Stecher-Hutton could be the next big thing season with? 1129302 Draft forecasting: Five defencemen the Canucks could target in the first round 1129243 Takeaways: Sharks coach spoils his longtime friend’s special night 1129274 Golden Knights look to blue line for added offense 1129244 Things to know: Erik Karlsson skips Sharks trip to 1129275 Golden Knights mailbag: Nikita Gusev, Erik Haula, City Winnipeg National Arena 1129245 Sharks’ Joe Pavelski scores in OT to beat Winnipeg in 1129276 GAME DAY: Struggling Golden Knights face NHL-leading overtime Lightning 1129246 Sharks credit video coach Dan Darrow's 'gutsy call' in win 1129277 Golden Knights edge Lightning in shootout, ending over Jets four-game skid 1129247 Sharks takeaways: What we learned in crazy 3-2 overtime 1129278 Slumping Golden Knights set to face league-leading win over Jets Lightning 1129248 Sharks vs. Jets watch guide: Projected lines and 1129279 Las Vegas’ Exploding Sports and Stadium Scene Means defensive pairs Teams Face Logistical Business Challenges 1129249 Sharks' Erik Karlsson will miss Jets game, could rejoin team on road trip 1129250 Which Bay Area stars are headed to the Hall of Fame? 1129280 Capitals pay tribute to old friend Jay Beagle, then hang on Stephen Curry (of course), Buster Posey (maybe), Billy Be to beat his new team 1129281 After benching Kuznetsov, Jaskin, did Reirden’s message St Louis Blues on penalties get through? 1129251 Travel grind made coaching a limited engagement for 1129282 Caps fan gets a tattoo of champion Brett Blues' Robinson Connolly getting a tattoo, eating pizza 1129252 Blues score three goals in third period, beat Panthers 3-2 1129283 Capitals spoil Jay Beagle's return by beating Canucks 1129253 Blues rally from two goals down for 3-2 win over Florida 1129284 Jay Beagle embraced by Caps fans, former teammates in emotional return to D.C. 1129285 Capitals spoil Jay Beagle’s return with much-needed win 1129254 Brayden Point returns vs. Vegas; Ryan Callahan out against Vancouver 1129255 Lightning Journal: Point listed as day to day 1129286 The best Russian ever? Ovechkin passes Fedorov for the 1129256 Lightning falls to Vegas in shootout most points by a Russian-born player 1129257 Fans get a look at a different side of Tyler Johnson 1129287 Caps to honor former teammate Jay Beagle tonight on his 1129258 Ryan Callahan told he’s odd man out; what does that return to D.C. mean for future with Lightning? 1129288 Capitals Bling: After Cup victory, franchise showers employees with championship rings Toronto Maple Leafs 1129259 Maple Leafs sign Auston Matthews to lucrative five-year extension 1129260 Maple Leafs have lowballed Mitch Marner in contract talks, agent says | The Star 1129261 Auston Matthews gets his reward with five-year deal, now Leafs need some results | The Star 1129262 Wednesday game preview: Ottawa Senators at Toronto Maple Leafs | The Star 1129263 Auston Matthews in a better situation than Connor McDavid, says TV analyst | The Star 1129264 Leafs lock up Auston Matthews with a team-friendly five-year, $58.17 extension | The Star 1129265 Game Day: Senators at Maple Leafs 1129266 Not all Maple Leaf stars get to shine 1129267 Tavares a fan of the idea that Matthews is future Maple Leafs captain 1129268 TRAIKOS: Auston Matthews deal may have painted Maple Leafs into a corner 1129269 SIMMONS: The contract is signed, now let’s wait to see what Auston Matthews will become Websites 1129303 The Athletic / Who is on the hot seat as the NHL trade deadline approaches? 1129304 Sportsnet.ca / 31 Thoughts: Auston Matthews extension a game changer for NHL 1129305 Sportsnet.ca / Historic Oilers collapse a tipping point for fan base 1129306 Sportsnet.ca / Leafs' Dubas will ultimately be judged on whether he delivers Cup to Toronto 1129307 Sportsnet.ca / Brendan Gallagher leads, Canadiens follow in win over Ducks 1129308 Sportsnet.ca / Mitch Marner's agent: Leafs have been trying to lowball him 1129309 Sportsnet.ca / Bad bounces wreaking havoc on Canucks' playoff momentum 1129310 Sportsnet.ca / Flames' Matthew Tkachuk weighs in on impact of Auston Matthews' new deal 1129311 Sportsnet.ca / Cap comparables: How does new Auston Matthews contract stack up in NHL? 1129312 Sportsnet.ca / on slumping Jets star Laine: 'Somebody should give him a smack' 1129313 TSN.CA / Five Takeaways: Canucks vs Capitals 1129314 TSN.CA / Deadline War Room: Canucks' priorities start with re-signing Edler 1129315 TSN.CA / Dorion tight-lipped as pressure mounts ahead of trade deadline 1129316 TSN.CA / Deadline War Room: Sens need quality, not quantity 1129317 TSN.CA / Maurice reflects on rollercoaster career ahead of coaching milestone 1129318 TSN.CA / First-round pick in play as Jets consider big-game hunting 1129319 USA TODAY / Alex Ovechkin sets NHL's Russian record: 'To pass those legends, it's pretty big' 1129320 USA TODAY / Opinion: How Auston Matthews' shorter- term deal helps him and Maple Leafs 1129321 USA TODAY / Ilya Kovalchuk helps Kings down Devils in return to New Jersey 1129322 USA TODAY / For dominant Lightning, it's Stanley Cup or bust: 'It's our turn' 1129289 Jets fall to Sharks 3-2 in OT 1129290 Another close call for Petan 1129291 Sharks coach celebrates good buddy Maurice's coaching milestone 1129292 Jack Roslovic on track to be a star, stats show 1129293 Byfuglien won't play tonight against Sharks 1129294 Pavelski and Sharks sink Jets in overtime 1129295 FRIESEN: Jets’ Lemieux cleaning up his act 1129296 Maurice set for 1,500th NHL game, Jets looking for fourth straight victory

SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1129099 Anaheim Ducks

Canadiens beat struggling Ducks 4-1

Staff Report

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

FEB 05, 2019 | 7:30 PM

MONTREAL, CANADA

Brendan Gallagher had two goals and an assist, and the beat the slumping Anaheim Ducks 4-1 on Tuesday night.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Phillip Danault also scored for the Canadiens, who improved to 7-1-1 in their last nine games. Jonathan Drouin had three assists.

Carey Price made 24 saves for his sixth straight victory — his longest winning streak since the 2016-17 season.

Price is six wins away from tying Jacques Plante for most wins in franchise history.

Captain Ryan Getzlaf scored for the Ducks, who have lost five in a row. Chad Johnson stopped 28 shots.

Anaheim has allowed 19 goals in the past three games, including a 9-3 loss in Winnipeg on Saturday and a 6-1 defeat in Toronto on Monday.

The Canadiens were all over the Ducks from the opening faceoff, scoring twice before the visitors even got their second shot on goal.

Gallagher got the first at 7:11 of the first period after a sustained forecheck by Danault led to a turnover by Josh Manson. The puck ended up on Gallagher's stick for his team-leading 20th of the season.

With Paul Byron injured (left forearm) and Tomas Tatar out sick (flu), Kotkaniemi saw his playing time shoot up. The rookie thanked his coach for the extra minutes with his third goal in three games off a rebound at 9:36.

The Canadiens made it 3-0 at 16:39 of the first when Gallagher, with his second of the game, fired a one-timer from the slot past Johnson after a poorly timed line change by the Ducks.

Anaheim got one back through their captain Getzlaf, who beat Price on the wraparound at 11:27 of the second period. Getzlaf leads the Ducks with 47 points.

After taking their foot off the gas pedal in the second period, the Canadiens started the third with renewed vigor.

Danault restored the three-goal lead at 2:31 after a no-look pass by Drouin behind the net fooled Johnson into looking the wrong way. Danault has eight points in his last nine games.

LA Times: LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129100 Anaheim Ducks critiqued on. You just have to move forward. Eventually, this team is going to turn it around. You just want it to be sooner rather than later.

“It’s just a frustrating time right now for us.” Ducks lose to Canadiens, their 5th straight defeat and 17th in 19 games

Orange County Register: LOADED: 02.06.2019 By Elliott Teaford | [email protected] | Orange County Register

PUBLISHED: February 5, 2019 at 7:12 pm | UPDATED: February 5, 2019 at 9:11 PM

MONTREAL — Brendan Gallagher parked his 5-foot-9, 184-pound frame in the slot in the early minutes of the first period Tuesday at , accepted a centering pass from Montreal Canadiens teammate Jonathan Drouin and beat Ducks goaltender Chad Johnson with a quick shot.

Then he did it again.

Ryan Getzlaf of the Ducks, who stands 6-4 and weighs 225 pounds, was late in marking him both times. If those were the only lapses in the Ducks’ 4-1 loss to the Canadiens, then it might have been a far, far better night than it was. But they weren’t and it wasn’t.

The Ducks lost for the fifth consecutive game and for the 17th time in their last 19 games because they accomplished little, save for a credible second period that featured Getzlaf’s wraparound goal and Corey Perry’s assist for his first point in his third game of the season.

Once again, the Ducks chased the game.

Once again, they failed to lead at any point.

Once again, they were tentative and uncertain in their play and it cost them another game.

The Canadiens played with confidence and precision; the Ducks did not.

“We’re saying all the right things in here and no one wants it to look like that out there,” Ducks right wing Jakob Silfverberg said. “No one wants to lose games. At this point, it’s just up to each individual to make sure they come and bring it all and then some. You can’t just be here to participate, you have to make sure you play harder.”

No question, the Ducks’ play has been hindered by their lost confidence. You can see it in their misplays with the puck, and also without it. Silfverberg discounted the notion that the Ducks are afraid to make mistakes and that’s caused a lack of crispness in their game.

“I wouldn’t say it was a fear of making mistakes,” he said. “I would just say the confidence isn’t really there. We’ve been trying to simplify things to make sure we get the confidence back. Confidence isn’t just something you can go buy in the store and all of a sudden you feel on top again.

“It’s something you have to build and get it back.”

The Ducks have been outscored 24-5 since taking a 1-0 lead in the first period of an eventual 5-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Jan. 23. They have been outscored 19-5 in the first three games of their trip, with dates Thursday with the Ottawa Senators and Saturday with the Philadelphia Flyers to come.

Gallagher scored twice in the first and Jesperi Kotkaniemi also scored for Montreal during another disastrous period of hockey for the Ducks, who gave up six goals in the first period of Saturday’s 9-3 loss to Winnipeg and three in the second period of Monday’s 6-1 defeat at Toronto.

Getzlaf gave the Ducks a flash of life after he scored his first goal since Jan. 11 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, when he converted on a wraparound to cut the deficit to 3-1 at 11:27 of the second. The Ducks misfired on a power play moments later and Montreal was never in jeopardy again.

Phillip Danault restored the Canadiens’ three-goal lead with a third-period strike.

Johnson started in place of John Gibson, who was under siege during the blowout losses to the Blues, Jets and Maple Leafs. Gibson had given up 16 goals on 80 shots in his past three starts, and Johnson has relieved him in each of those contests.

“At the end of the day, all that really matters is the result,” Johnson said. “No matter what you do, it’s all about the result. That’s what you’re 1129101 Anaheim Ducks dealt. He can become an unrestricted free agent July 1, and Murray could risk letting him get away with nothing in return.

Ducks are reeling as losses mount, Rickard Rakell says Orange County Register: LOADED: 02.06.2019

By Elliott Teaford | [email protected] | Orange County Register

PUBLISHED: February 5, 2019 at 12:33 pm | UPDATED: February 5, 2019 at 12:34 PM

MONTREAL — The Ducks have talked endlessly about working harder, about staying connected, about playing the right way, about staying upbeat and positive and not succumbing to the emotional downturn that’s coincided with 16 defeats in 18 games before they faced the Canadiens on Tuesday at Bell Centre.

They’ve spoken repeatedly about playing for each other, about picking up each other, about letting go of what’s happened and looking to better days ahead. They’ve insisted that advancing to the remains a goal and, well, they’re not wrong because they’re still within striking distance.

They have issues, however.

“There’s nobody in our locker room that’s not trying,” left wing Rickard Rakell said. “We’re working really hard and it feels like that’s the only thing we’re doing. We’re working really hard and we really want to do the right things, but our head is really not in the game.

“You’re doing everything you can to work hard and try to be a good team player, but it’s not working. It’s really tough for us. We’re going through this every day. It’s not only in games, it’s in practice, too. We’re working hard and trying to figure out a way how to get out of this mess.

“It’s just really tough. You’re trying to regroup and have a really good game. Like, (Monday in Toronto against the Maple Leafs), we have a good feeling we’re going to play really well and I sit here after the game and it’s 6-1, and last game 9-3. It (stinks). It’s awful.”

Clearly, the Ducks’ swagger is gone.

“We’re trying to work as a group to get ourselves out of this, but as of now, we really could use some confidence,” Rakell said. “You get the feeling every time you step on the ice you’re trying not to get scored on. You want to be a difference maker and create scoring chances, but that’s not the case.

“Maybe one or two guys are doing it every shift, but three other guys are scared to play.”

Defenseman Josh Manson agreed with some but not all of Rakell’s assessment.

“You try not to let that sink into your head, like, here we go again,” Manson said. “You want to bounce back. Your character is tested when you’re up against adversity. That’s exactly what’s happening here. It’s not entering my mind that here we go again.

“I have confidence in this team. I’ve seen what this team has done before. So, I don’t think it’s a matter of here we go again. If that’s happening, then we’ve got to figure it out because that not an attitude any man in here should have.”

Manson said he didn’t believe the Ducks have given up on their season.

“I don’t think that should ever happen,” he said. “If guys are checking out, that’s not the right attitude to have, for sure. I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how you handle guys checking out. It just shouldn’t happen.

“Guys should be buying in for the whole year. The way guys respond when the chips are down is going to show a lot of every single guy’s character. I thought for two periods and eight minutes we were going in the right direction.”

General Manager Bob Murray said last month he would make a priority of signing right wing Jakob Silfverberg to a contract extension sooner than later. Talks are believed to be ongoing and the sides are drawing closer to an agreement, but an announcement isn’t imminent.

If the Ducks and Silfverberg can’t agree on a new multi-season deal by the NHL’s trade deadline Feb. 25, then it’s likely Silfverberg could be 1129102 Anaheim Ducks This is beyond a team being in a bad way. What you have to be ready for is the simple fact that the Ducks are the worst team in the NHL right now. The record might not state that and they’re conceivably still within striking It’s an absolute mess in Anaheim, so when will more changes happen? range of a playoff spot, sitting just three points behind Vancouver for the second wild-card berth in the Western Conference. But all that is pure illusion.

By Eric Stephens They’ve gone from 19-11-5 to 21-23-9 in six weeks. Since getting back- to-back win to snap their franchise-worst 12-game losing streak, Feb 5, 2019 Anaheim has dropped four straight and been outscored a shockingly bad 23-5 over that. They haven’t come close to scratching out a point and wouldn’t deserve one given how poorly they play. The minus-44 goal TORONTO – “Am I ready? Am I ready? Am I ready?” differential is the league’s worst by seven. They don’t score (31st at 2.28 goals per game), create fewer opportunities to do so (31st at 27.1 shots Randy Carlyle repeated that question thrown to him Monday morning as on goal), allow too many chances (29th at 34.2 shots) and now give up he walked through the visitors dressing room at Scotiabank Arena toward too many goals (21st at 3.13 per game). And they are failing by every a hallway with a media horde full of familiar faces waiting for him. And the way possible – the eye test, the hard data, the underlying numbers. Et situation he is currently in, the setting surely felt all too familiar. cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Carlyle managed quite a few smiles in what was a mostly pleasant In a word, they’re just bad. And it is good that we’re finding this out now. question-and-answer session with interrogators he used to spar and commiserate with daily. He had to put on a brave face as his shattered Some wins to mask what this team really is and keep the illusion that it Ducks continued to sink toward depths perhaps not seen in the entire might be playoff-worthy won’t help. Bob Murray, the decade-long general history of the franchise. And there is some history now. Twenty-five years manager that’s feeling more heat from an increasingly grumbling fan make it so. base, is not on the road trip. But he is watching this. He has no delusion of grandeur. If he thought this season was saving, he might have gone The winningest coach in the team’s history that is now presiding over the with some of the talented kids that are their future to help out with the worst stretch of hockey that’s been produced in Anaheim couldn’t be now. He’s doing the right thing in keeping them away from this gloomy dour in Toronto. At least not after the morning skate. Not when things atmosphere. around the Ducks seem eerily similar to four years ago and the end of his reign behind the Maple Leafs bench. If not worse. And he wants to see how this current madness play out. There won’t be any buying at the Feb. 25 trade deadline. Little can be done now about His team was coming off a 9-3 demolition in Winnipeg. His team became the massive contracts to Getzlaf, Corey Perry and and you the third outfit in Ducks history to allow that many goals in a game. His can either criticize Murray for those that now hamper their flexibility to team had lost for the 15th time in its last 17 trips to the ice. And he is still make necessary moves or see they needed to lock those cornerstones the coach, perhaps amazingly so. But one must have a stiff upper lip in up and take their shots at the Cup in the first few years of the deals. his position and in times like these. Getzlaf would be the only one of the three that would draw interest right And so Carlyle did. The embarrassing no-show on Saturday – on Hockey now but he, like the other two, has a full no-movement clause and has Night in Canada, no less – raised the very base issue of compete level long expressed a desire to retire with Anaheim. from his team that’s been bad in every single aspect of the game. There is responsible two-way winger Jakob Silfverberg, the pending “You don’t even have a starting point,” he said. “If you’re not going to be unrestricted free agent that Murray feels is more part of the solution and competitive and you’re not going to win for the inside and not going to wants to re-sign even if he is also the asset that would fetch the best win your races to the puck, not going to win your one-on-one battles, the return out of the players whose contracts will be up. But there’s a new opposition’s going to have the puck. That’s where we have to start.” feeling that’s emerging, which might have been unthinkable at one point.

To follow that, I asked Carlyle if he has had to discuss compete level with Does he start to consider whether to break up the core that was his team more often than he’s ever wanted. He paused. “Yes,” he said, supposed to take this franchise forward? an admission that was blunt and damning. It appears that is on the table for discussion. When he talked about Before his coach got in front of television cameras and tape recorders, trading longtime winger Andrew Cogliano, Murray took aim at “some of Ryan Getzlaf revealed that the Ducks had another air-it-out group our mid-20s guys” on the roster that he has taken great pains to secure session Sunday. Players who keep their gripes more to themselves were for multiple years. It wasn’t hard to see he was talking about players like encouraged to participate in the open forum. This was a meeting where Rakell. Cam Fowler. Hampus Lindholm. Josh Manson. Brandon Montour. he did more listening and was pleased to see others take the floor. Ondrej Kase, although he’s now out for the season. Perhaps Nick Ritchie as well. If this team was to contend in future years, it would be ultimately “When you’re in a locker room, if you always have one or two guys be on their backs. talking, the message gets old,” Getzlaf said. “It’s the same as a coach. If the coach is delivering the same message all the time, eventually guys The schedule going forward may now be a sort of referendum on them tune it out. You have to get a feel for what everybody needs, and and how they, who — other than Fowler in 2011-12 — have never come everybody wants. And not be afraid to ask the questions that the guy close to experiencing this type of losing, will react to it. Will they step up next to you is probably thinking too. He just won’t say it.” and show they’re part of the solution in 2019-20 and beyond? Will they force the executive to consider changing out some notable pieces to The captain pointed out that words don’t matter much if they aren’t bring in some potential bedrocks to spark a real change in the mix? A followed by the right actions, citing how he’s been “doing the same “hockey deal” that he’s always preferred doing than just purely selling for interview for a month now after every game.” But the Ducks supposedly picks and prospects. (By the way, Montreal GM was emerged from their latest meeting feeling as if they cleansed themselves hanging out in the press box with some of the Ducks’ brass. Bergevin before taking the ice for an energetic workout. and Murray are longtime friends dating to their time as teammates on the blueline in Chicago.) “I thought our practice was upbeat and going the way we wanted it to,” he said. “Losing is no fun but sometimes you have to take a step back and just watch and evaluate,” Murray told The Athletic on Monday night. Rickard Rakell felt better. Felt good about their chances in Monday night’s game against the Leafs. Hours later after a 6-1 defeat where the This year? It’s done. Murray might as well have stopped off at a post game and the score seemed like an eventuality, Rakell sat in a mostly office and stuck this one in the mail. The thing with that is there are still empty and pin-drop quiet visitors dressing room. His mood was as you 29 games left to play and with every loss – which don’t seem to be any would predict, with his team now dropping 16 of 18. less humiliating as we go – comes the increasing temptation to mentally check out. “This sucks,” said the winger, who managed the only goal after the Ducks started the third period down 3-0. “I’d rather not talk at all. It’s the same Before the game, Getzlaf addressed that. thing over and over again. It’s just sad.” “It’s huge,” the center said. “That’s part of it. When you go through such a big stretch like this, it’s making sure that everybody’s still on board and understands what it takes to do that to turn it around. Understand that “And then the rest of the game … but our mentality going into the period we’re still only three points out of a spot right now. We got to go on a little – we didn’t give up. We were in a good spot. The score wasn’t where we run here obviously in the last half. We’re quite capable of doing that.” wanted it to (be). But our guys, I like the way we handled in the room.”

After the game, Manson addressed that. The hard, cold fact is the Ducks are in need of major changes. Part of that could have been firing Carlyle earlier but that move obviously wasn’t “Oh, I don’t think that should ever happen,” said the defenseman, who made. But it really doesn’t matter whether he is let go now or given the was finally put back with Lindholm as a regular partner in Game 53 after parting gift of an organizational role at the end of the year. Murray is the the two once flourished together. “If guys are checking out, then that’s overseer in this, and his extension is proof he’s got ownership backing in not the right attitude to have for sure. I don’t know what to say. I don’t what could be a necessary (and, if you will, overdue) reconstruction. Any know how you handle guys checking out. Because it just shouldn’t glimmer of hope now appears to rest with more losing and bettering the happen. chance to move into the top five of this June’s draft. It would be a rare “They should be bought-in for the whole year. The way that the guys in position for a franchise that’s used to being competitive. this room when the chips are down is going to show a lot about every The players? They just look lost. single one of our players’ character.” “It’s really tough for us,” Rakell said. “We’re going through this every day. The Ducks heeded Carlyle’s call by competing better Monday, but they It’s not all in games. It’s practice too. We’re working hard and trying to had set a low bar in Winnipeg. They emerged from the first period figure out a way to get out of this mess. It’s just tough. You’re trying to scoreless after giving up a ridiculous six to the Jets in the opening regroup, and you have a good feeling before every game. stanza. But some things didn’t change. “Tonight, I had a good feeling we’re going to play well. Now I sit here They were still dreadful offensively, with many possessions ending in one after the game and it’s 6-1. Last game, 9-3. So, it sucks. It’s awful.” shot and out when they did manage to keep the puck away from the Leafs. Frederik Andersen, their former co-No. 1 in net before John It is an absolute mess in Anaheim. And all we are left to do is watch it Gibson was handed the role, stoned Fowler and others on their few great play out. chances. And there were the usual defensive blunders. Fowler and Montour put up token resistance when William Nylander hit the Anaheim blueline with speed and set up Connor Brown for an easy punch-in The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 without a price paid.

The well of defeat that the Ducks are stuck in is baffling to Andersen.

“I’ve seen it from way out here,” said Andersen, who won the William M. Jennings Trophy with Gibson for the fewest goals against in 2015-16. “It seems like they have a lot of good pieces. They still have a lot of the D- corps that I was there with, which I think are some great players. Great leaders. Getzy. Kes is there still. Pears obviously coming back in. Gibby in net.

“It seems like they have quite a bit. I think it just tells you how hard it can be to sustain being up there. Being in the mix and being in that battle for the division and the playoffs year after year. I think that’s what it is.”

It was another game where Gibson eventually withered after making highlight-reel stops seconds into the game and throughout the opening period. Carlyle pulled the besieged Gibson for the third straight game and Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reported that the netminder didn’t return after the third-period hook to watch the game finished by backup Chad Johnson.

Gibson, who is clearly frustrated, can’t stop everything and hasn’t. Carlyle acknowledged that the toll is getting to him. He cited an example of fatigue in Jake Muzzin’s power play one-time blast right at the end of the second period where he saw the goalie wasn’t playing out in front of the crease as he normally does. A season in which he was carrying his team with Vezina-worthy work at the start has been wasted, with his coach and teammates being among the guilty parties.

“It’s hard on everybody,” Carlyle said. “This is not an easy time. This is not fun. We’re in a situation here where we’re clawing and we’re desperate and we’re not getting anything. There’s no reward for any work we put in right now. And that’s just the tough part of pro sports.”

Rakell let out some of his frustration. The suggestions coming from his coach about their lack of necessary compete level wasn’t particularly accepted. “There’s nobody in our locker room that’s not trying,” he said. “We’re working really hard. But it feels like that’s the only thing we’re doing.”

The 25-year-old that broke in during Anaheim’s run of five straight Pacific Division titles sees a group that’s more worried about making mistakes and in dire need of confidence. “But I don’t think there’s anybody in here that’s not competing,” Rakell said. … We’re only playing on the boards and playing on the outside and nothing’s happening. It’s frustrating.”

Asked pointedly if this team was still fighting for each other, Manson said, “When we came in after that second period, we were rallying in here. It was an upbeat room. We had positive things to say. We were ready to go out there and do the right thing and build on the good things that we do. We knew we just had to get one. We went out and we did that. 1129103 Anaheim Ducks broken, there was some optimism and he was ready to jump into our pool with two feet.”

It’s not that Terry has just learned to play more of a 200-foot game – From ‘a bit broken’ to ‘difference maker,’ Ducks prospect Troy Terry which is always what coaches say about young players in general. He turned around his season has evolved in many different facets.

“From his better management of his shift length to him not taking on two By Josh Cooper or three guys, understanding the score and going, ‘You know what? Instead of going down here low and trying to beat these guys in the last Feb 5, 2019 couple minutes where we’re winning, I’m just going to hang onto the puck and kill the clock,’ ” Eakins said. “Like all these tiny little slices that are so

imperative to winning games and that the really good players in the NHL ANAHEIM, Calif. — Troy Terry and Dallas Eakins had “the talk” — or at that we call this term ‘great pros,’ he’s picking up on that stuff.” least “a talk” — after the Anaheim Ducks sent their top prospect down to Has he picked it up enough to where he can play in the NHL as a the AHL’s San Diego Gulls in October. regular? That’s the question that may take a little longer to fully At that point, the 21-year-old Terry was a minus-1 and had no points in comprehend. The Ducks are in the middle of a mediocre season, and seven NHL games. He seemed tight and nervous at the start of his first keeping Terry up may actually be antithetical to his development. full pro season. The types of offensive plays that made him one of the Keeping him in the minors where he can succeed – and the Gulls have Ducks’ top prospects were absent from his game. one of the best records in the AHL – seems to be the preferred course of Basically, he looked like a college kid playing in the NHL, which he kind action by the Ducks, at least right now. of was — following a decorated career at and various USA “I think it’s the best – absolutely the best (to keep him in the minors). And Hockey ventures. I think that’s part of their strategy,” an NHL team scout said. “I don’t think So when Terry went down to the minors, Eakins pulled him aside after that they wanted him up early to be honest, but they had no alternative the morning skate before Terry’s first game with the Gulls. It was one of with all those kids that came up and have been up at various times. I those vintage Eakins moments where the coach said to the player how think they’re doing good by trying to keep those kids down because you he would help him. could argue that with some of them being up now, the Ducks might be a better team, but in the long run, the longer they can keep those kids “He told me that my first game, if I turn the puck over three times in my down the better they’re going to be.” first shift, that he’s going to talk to me about it and work through it, but he’s still going to play me,” Terry said. “Just basically telling me just don’t So when will he return to the NHL? Will it be this year? Will it be some worry about it and go be yourself and play the game, and that was huge time in the future to keep him protected from what’s been a tough year for me.” for Anaheim? What is his ceiling? Recently, Corey Pronman of The Athletic listed Terry as the 13th-best prospect in the NHL. Eakins didn’t want to get into the details of the conversation, but he confirmed his attempt to rebuild Terry’s confidence by helping him “He should be a point producer in the NHL,” the scout said. “He’s an understand he wouldn’t be glued to the bench or lose ice time for making offensive-minded player and if he gets playing with other offensive mistakes. players he should be able to produce points. He’s not quite a youngster compared to a draft pick youngster maybe but he’s still quite young so “I told him, ‘I want you to make plays. And you know what? I know you’re there’s a lot of upside there. He certainly has potential to produce points going to turn a puck over every once in a while and I’m going to be OK at like what I would call a second line level.” with it if it’s an educated try,’ ” Eakins recalled. “I wanted to set the tone with him, mindset-wise. I wanted him to know that I believed in him and I In Terry’s first stint in the league, it looked like the physicality of the NHL wanted him to know, ‘Hey, we want you to make plays. I don’t just want would overwhelm him. But in his second stint, it’s clear he has merited you to come up and dump the puck in. That’s not going to work here.’ the praise and hype from his years playing in college, the World Juniors for Team USA and the Olympics in 2018. “And the last part was I told him I was going to do my best to set him up for success and whatever. If that got his … I think it helped him kind of Count on Terry becoming a good pro. clear the air and go, ‘OK, this burden I’ve been carrying? It’s up to me to “I think he’s got the skills and he’s got the brains to play in the NHL,” get rid of it.’ ” Manson said. In that first game, Terry had two goals and one assist. He currently has Added Eakins: “He truly believes that he’s a difference maker and it’s not 39 points in 36 AHL games, and he scored a goal in a January recall to in an arrogant sense either. We use three words here a lot. We use the Ducks. ‘humble,’ ‘hungry’ and ‘hard’ and he’s as humble as they come and that’s His teammates noticed a greater sense of poise and overall NHL what I love about him. He knows he can do it. He truly believes in his readiness upon his return to the lineup on Jan. 17 against the Minnesota heart that he can be the difference maker and if you want to call it that, Wild. Even though he got sent back down after the recall at the All-Star the ‘it’ guy. But there’s not one shred of that arrogance.” break for more seasoning, Terry has come across as a player who should be an NHL scorer for the Ducks eventually. The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 “I thought it was night and day to be honest. I thought just when he had the puck on his stick, you could see especially on the power play working the half-wall, he had that patience,” said Ducks defenseman Josh Manson, who also spent some time in the AHL before becoming an NHL regular. “He just looked a lot more comfortable out there, whether it be confidence or whatever it may be. It didn’t seem like he was getting bumped off pucks. He was strong on the walls in the D zone, getting pucks out. I was really impressed with his game from where he was at the beginning of the year.”

There’s now more nuance to Terry’s game and more strength to how he plays. Part of that is because he didn’t sulk when he was sent to San Diego. He listened to the Ducks’ development group about what he could improve on.

“He knew, ‘You know what? I’m glad I’m in the now.’ Because you can be glad that you’re there and still upset that you’re not in the NHL. They’re separate beasts,” Eakins said. “So he had the right mentality right away. As much as he came in frustrated and a bit 1129104 Arizona Coyotes

Arizona Republic LOADED: 02.06.2019

Coyotes fall to Predators, wrap road trip with fourth straight loss

Arizona Republic Published 8:55 p.m. MT Feb. 5, 2019 | Updated 11:09 p.m. MT Feb. 5, 2019

Staff Report

By the Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Nashville Predators took care of several issues Tuesday night at the expense of the Arizona Coyotes.

None meant more than ending their power-play woes, if only for one night.

Filip Forsberg ended an 0-for-34 power-play drought as part of Nashville’s three-goal second period, and the Predators beat the Coyotes 5-2 Tuesday night to snap a three-game skid at home.

“We’ve been having a lot of good looks lately, but at the end of the day, it’s about scoring goals and we were fortunate to do that tonight,” Forsberg said. “I think we played well enough to have a couple more on the power play as well, but we will take one for tonight.”

Roman Josi scored an empty-net goal with 2:50 left and had two assists, Ryan Ellis had a goal and an assist and Craig Smith and Calle Jarnkrok each had goals.

Pekka Rinne made 24 saves as Nashville avoided being swept by Arizona this season, though the Coyotes did take the series 2-1.

The Predators hadn’t scored on the man advantage since Jan. 9 in a win at Chicago and not at home since a loss to the Rangers on Dec. 29. They went 1 for 5 against Arizona.

“We had a lot of looks and a lot of opportunities,” Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said. “I thought that there could have been more than one . a couple of miscues on the shot, a couple of big saves, a couple couldn’t find their way in. Fil made a terrific shot coming in on his.”

Vinnie Hinostroza and Derek Stepan scored for Arizona, which finished a six-game swing with a fourth straight loss.

The Coyotes played their second game in as many nights without eight regulars due to injuries, and Calvin Pickard started in his 100th career NHL game with goalie Darcy Kuemper day-to-day with an upper body injury and made 42 saves.

“(He) was by far our best player tonight and kept us in and gave us a chance,” Stepan said. “That’s all you ask from your goaltender. Unfortunately, we just didn’t have the extra magic that we needed.”

These teams hadn’t met since the end of November, and Nashville managed only a goal in the two losses to Arizona.

The Coyotes’ luck appeared to continue as Pickard made a stop on Forsberg late in the first period with the puck bouncing off his head and over the net, then the Coyotes went the other way with Hinostroza beating Rinne with a wrister from the slot at 16:59.

Arizona had a 5-on-3 for 41 seconds in the first minute of the second period after Nashville captain Roman Josi cleared the puck over the glass, hitting a child behind the penalty box. The child walked out on his own with his family a few minutes later, and Nashville killed the penalties. Then Smith scored his 15th goal this season and first in a month on a wrister off a rebound at 2:58, tying it up for Nashville.

“The 5-on-3 has actually killed us the last couple of games,” Arizona coach Rick Tocchet said.

The Predators, who came in with a lengthy scoring drought with the man advantage, failed to convert on their first two power plays to extend the skid to 0 of 34. Hinostroza went to the box for holding Predators forward Kevin Fiala, and Nashville finally converted. Josi found Forsberg, whose wrister from the top of the right circle beat Pickard’s glove at 7:45 for a 2- 1 lead against what had been the NHL’s stingiest on the penalty kill.

Then Ellis made it 3-1 at 13:37 of the period off a rebound as Nashville outshot the Coyotes 19-6 in the second. 1129105 Arizona Coyotes

Short-handed Coyotes fall to Predators for 4th straight loss

Staff Report

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

FEBRUARY 5, 2019 AT 8:58 PM

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Craig Smith, Filip Forsberg and Ryan Ellis scored in the second period, and the Nashville Predators beat the Arizona Coyotes 5-2 Tuesday night to snap a three-game skid at home.

Pekka Rinne made 24 saves as Nashville avoided being swept by Arizona this season, though the Coyotes did take the series 2-1.

Roman Josi scored an empty-net goal with 2:50 left and had two assists, Calle Jarnkrok had a goal and Ellis also had an assist.

Forsberg snapped Nashville’s 0-for-34 power-play drought with his goal, the Predators’ first goal with the man advantage since Jan. 9 in a win at Chicago and first at home since a loss to the Rangers on Dec. 29.

Vinnie Hinostroza and Derek Stepan scored for Arizona, which finished a six-game swing with a fourth straight loss.

The Coyotes played their second game in as many nights without eight regulars due to injuries, and Calvin Pickard started in his 100th career NHL game with goalie Darcy Kuemper day-to-day with an upper body injury.

These teams hadn’t met since the end of November, and Nashville managed only a goal in the two losses to Arizona.

The Coyotes’ luck appeared to continue as Pickard made a stop on Forsberg late in the first period with the puck bouncing off his head and over the net, then the Coyotes went the other way with Hinostroza beating Rinne with a wrister from the slot at 16:59.

Arizona had a 5-on-3 for 41 seconds in the first minute of the second period after Nashville captain Roman Josi cleared the puck over the glass, hitting a child behind the penalty box. The child walked out on his own with his family a few minutes later, and Nashville killed the penalties. Then Smith scored his 15th goal this season and first in a month on a wrister off a rebound at 2:58, tying it up for Nashville.

The Predators, who came in with a lengthy scoring drought with the man advantage, failed to convert on their first two power plays to extend the skid to 0 of 34. Hinostroza went to the box for holding Predators forward Kevin Fiala, and Nashville finally converted. Josi found Forsberg, whose wrister from the top of the right circle beat Pickard’s glove at 7:45 for a 2- 1 lead against what had been the NHL’s stingiest on the penalty kill.

Then Ellis made it 3-1 at 13:37 of the period off a rebound as Nashville outshot the Coyotes 19-6 in the second.

Stepan pulled Arizona within 3-2 at 4:19 of the third, scoring on a wraparound.

NOTES: Nashville improved to 9-16-3 when allowing the first goal this season and 6-12-2 when trailing after one. The Predators are 26-2-0 when leading after two periods … Arizona had only allowed 22 power- play goals this season, fewest in the NHL.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129106 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes recall Adin Hill, Dakota Mermis; reassign Michael Bunting

BY MATT LAYMAN

FEBRUARY 5, 2019 AT 12:48 PM

UPDATED: FEBRUARY 5, 2019 AT 12:49 PM

The Arizona Coyotes recalled goaltender Adin Hill and defenseman Dakota Mermis on Tuesday and reassigned forward Michael Bunting in a corresponding roster move.

The moves come just a day after Darcy Kuemper started in net for the Coyotes in Dallas, while Calvin Pickard was expected to be the starter for the second half of a back-to-back in Nashville on Tuesday. The team didn’t immediately give info about the status of Kuemper.

Hill, 22, has been in the NHL this year already and appeared in 13 games, going 7-5-0 in 11 starts. He owns a .901 save percentage this season with a 2.76 goals against average and a shutout. He was named one of the NHL’s Three Stars of the Week in early December.

The Comox, B.C. native has been in Tucson since the Coyotes moved Pickard into the backup role and Kuemper had been healthy. The team’s starter at the beginning of the season, Antti Raanta, has been injured for some time.

Kuemper has been the starter in Raanta’s absence and is playing in his second season with the Coyotes. He owns a .911 save percentage this year with a 2.73 goals against average and one shoutout. He is 6-3-1 in the month of January.

The Coyotes and general manager John Chayka have shuffled bodies constantly all season as injuries have piled up in an uncanny fashion. On Monday night, defenseman Alex Goligoski left the game with an upper- body injury after his face was slammed into the boards. That might explain the decision to recall Mermis, but CapFriendly reported that defenseman Jakob Chychrun is on injured reserve now. He reportedly did not accompany the team on the road trip.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129107 Boston Bruins “He’s such a great guy. He gets along with everybody. He makes an effort with everybody to connect and build relationships. With the amount we’ve been together, it’s filtered over off the ice. Mutual respect and Brad Marchand blossomed after learning to Be Like Bergy friendship.

“We’re not that different behind closed doors. He’s a fun guy, he likes to joke around and have a good time. Just a great person.” By Matt Porter Pastrnak’s pair of assists gave him a 7-10—17 line in his last 14 games. FEBRUARY 6, 2019 His touch of the puck on the opening goal was the eighth goal in a row he helped create. The longest streak in team history: nine, achieved by Phil

Esposito (1973-74) and (1993-94) . . . Cassidy altered his Fifteen years and 1,000 games into a career that could someday end in defense against the Islanders, pairing his two largest blue liners, Zdeno the , Patrice Bergeron is a model for young players Chara and Brandon Carlo (combined weight: 462 pounds) against the in the Bruins organization. Brad Marchand, his partner in crime for close heavy New York top-liners Anders Lee and Brock Nelson (433 to a decade, may have been the first one the team brass ever advised to combined). He also created a puck-moving pair of ex-BU Terriers (Matt Be Like Bergy. Grzelcykand Charlie McAvoy) and an offense-defense combo (Torey Krug and Kevan Miller) Cassidy was planning minor lineup tweaks for the The fiery left wing, who debuted as his hard-working centerman was next few games, regardless of Tuesday’s result. “I’ve never been a true recovering from a two-year struggle with concussions and emerging as a believer that if you win, you don’t change the lineup,” he said. That superstar, said it was one of the first tips former coach Claude Julien means winger Danton Heinen and defenseman John Moore, both of gave him. whom sat for the second game in a row, could return to close the back- to-back on the road Wednesday against the Rangers. . . Jaroslav Halak What followed: Marchand went from undersized agitator to elite, is likely to start in Manhattan. . . Cassidy said he would consider resting complete top-line player, with the points (288 the last three-plus Chara at times down the stretch, though Chara wouldn’t like it . . . The seasons), the All-Star nods (2017, ’18), and the megabucks to prove it Bruins are planning a “Bergy 1,000” ceremony for Saturday’s matinee (career earnings north of $74 million, per CapFriendly). against the Los Angeles Kings. Tuesday was Patriots’ Day: Julian The pair was instrumental in the 2011 Stanley Cup win, likewise a major Edelman led 25 players and owner Robert Kraft to center ice to bask in reason the Bruins have more victories since 2010 (421, entering the cheers, whereupon the Super Bowl MVP Gronk-spiked the Tuesday) than all but three other teams (Pittsburgh, Washington, San ceremonial puck drop, denying Bergeron a guaranteed faceoff win Jose). against Islanders captain Anders Lee . . . After the morning skate in Brighton, a few miles west of Tuesday’s Super Bowl parade, live news “He’s the best example of a guy where Bergy said, ‘This is how to you footage of the Patriots on their duck boats was playing on a projection have to do things,’ ” general manager Don Sweeney said. screen in the Bruins dressing room. Most of the players who filtered in and out of the room glanced at the screen, some longer than others. Since Marchand’s Oct. 21, 2009, debut (on a line with Bergeron and Netminder Tuukka Rask, when asked if he had ever attended a Super Michael Ryder), Bergeron and Marchand have played 604 games Bowl parade: “Yeah. Ours.” together, according to Natural Stat Trick. Including power-play time, they have spent more than 8,299 minutes together on the ice. The Bruins were outscoring opponents, 528-332, and driving close to 60 percent of the shot share. All that, for close to a decade. Boston Globe LOADED: 02.06.2019

“It doesn’t happen often in this game,” Marchand said of the longstanding connection, which was again clicking as the Bergeron odometer reached Game No. 1,000. Marchand assisted on both of Bergeron’s goals in the 3-1 win, and collected the puck on the first.

Entering Tuesday, David Pastrnak (213 games), Reilly Smith (132), Loui Eriksson (129), Tyler Seguin (121), and David Backes (98) had played the most on their right wing. Hall of Famer Mark Recchi, who spent the final two-plus years of his career in Boston, had a significant impact on both players.

Coach Bruce Cassidy noted they are “two different birds,” the outgoing Marchand and the reserved Bergeron.

“I think Marchy . . . a lot of people probably . . . you’d have a different perception of him when he is away from the game,” Bergeron said. “He is obviously a guy that lights up the mood and is always talking. I don’t have to do too much of that, so it’s actually great for that.

“He is entertaining to be around. He is a great guy, a great friend . . . and our families are close. And it has been a long ride. It’s been a lot of years, a lot of things we have been through together. I don’t know, sometimes they say the opposites attract, so I guess that’s what it is.”

Cassidy said it is curious they would connect, “but I just think Marchy has the utmost respect for Bergy and wanted to emulate everything he did, and is still trying to do that.”

Apprised of that comment, Bergeron offered a sheepish smile.

“Who said that?” he said. Told it was his coach, he answered, “I think we are learning from each other. I am also learning as much from him as he’s probably learning from me.”

Marchand believes the friendship will continue well beyond Bergy’s 1,000th, and not only because Bergeron’s contract runs another three years, and his goes another six.

“It’s a pretty incredible achievement,” Marchand said. “He’s still very young to have 1,000 games, and he’s missed a lot, too. . . . He still has lots of games left. 1129108 Boston Bruins In the opening minutes of the third, Rask kicked away a Cal Clutterbuck snapper from the circle, off a botched line change that gave New York a 2 on 0. That was part of an Isles’ push that nearly earned them a lead.

Bruins get past Islanders Clutterbuck beat Rask from the top of the right circle at 4:52 of the frame. However, Boston won a lengthy coach’s challenge after video coach J.P. Buckley noticed Islanders defenseman Devon Toews was a skate By Matt Porter blade’s width offside.

FEBRUARY 6, 2019 Some 90 seconds later, the lead was Boston’s.

Peter Cehlarik had two whacks at a loose puck after Jake DeBrusk tipped a Kevan Miller shot on goal. A diving Lehner nearly stopped The Patriots were in the house. Cehlarik’s shovel job, but it clanked off his glove and over the line at 6:34 “Thank God,” Patrice Bergeron said. “That was perfect.” of the third.

He was grateful for 25 members of the newly crowned Super Bowl “They’re getting their looks,” said Cassidy, happy with his No. 2 line and champions, because when they high-stepped from their swaggering duck further pleased with the point shot that generated the chance. “We need boat parade into TD Garden on Tuesday night, they took some of the them.” focus away from the sublime Bruins center. He was playing the 1,000th Protecting the hard-earned lead at 11:41, the Bruins faced a four-minute regular-season game of his career, and Bergeron does not prefer the penalty kill after Matt Grzelcyk was called for both tripping and slashing in spotlight be his alone. the corner on Eberle. All he wanted was 2 points against the Islanders. The Bruins delivered The kill was both successful and game-changing. Bergeron and them, by a 3-1 score, after those Patriots crashed the party, Bergeron’s Marchand — “maybe the best two in the league,” Islanders coach Barry teammates lifted him, and No. 37 made the night all the more memorable Trotz said — were active. Noel Acciari and Chris Wagner threw hits. by scoring a pair of goals. Sean Kuraly and Joakim Nordstrom, who appeared to be in serious pain “Nice script,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “Glad it went our way.” after blocking two shots with his legs a few shifts before, buzzed around. The defensemen were “terrific,” Cassidy said. Rask kicked aside two Bergeron, who humbly smiled and waved during a standing ovation early chances with his pads. in the first period, put Boston ahead in the second. He scored for the 306th time in his 15-year career. His 307th goal was assisted by David The Bruins are becoming comfortable with these kind of games, where a Pastrnak with 55 seconds left. penalty kill or a save lifts them. They would love more secondary scoring, but they have the Bergeron line, and they appear confident. Pastrnak made it memorable. Looking back as he coasted toward an empty net, he slipped the puck behind him, to the Man of the Hour. “We make the play when it’s there, and we don’t force them,” Rask said. “That helps. The way we battle and block shots and sacrifice, I think it’s “I saw him look a couple times and thought, ‘Oh, no, he’s going to drop great.” it,’ ” said Bergeron, who has 46 points (18-28) in 37 games this year. “Very much appreciated.” Bergeron has always done that, and more. They were just following his lead. After the final horn sounded, he found himself near the summit of a 6- foot-9-inch bear hug from captain Zdeno Chara.

“I wanted to get back down, but I couldn’t,” Bergeron said. “He had a Boston Globe LOADED: 02.06.2019 pretty strong grip.”

The Bruins (29-17-7), after a shutout of the Stanley Cup champion Capitals on Super Bowl Sunday, gradually took hold of another tight one against a playoff-caliber team.

Like a crowd that came in hot — “well-lubed up from the parade,” quipped goaltender Tuukka Rask — the post-John Tavares Islanders (30-16-6) were on fire of late. They were 16-3-2 since Dec. 15, had taken points in their previous eight games (6-0-2), and had taken command of the with a heavy-hitting game and rejuvenated goaltender Robin Lehner.

After recording four shots on three first-period power plays, the Bruins scored first. Bergeron deposited a loose puck at 2:32 of the second after a Brad Marchand-Pastrnak rush.

“Did you expect anything else?” said Marchand, who assisted on both Bergeron goals. “That guy just steps up in every situation.”

It was a fiercely contested game, and the referees allowed plenty of extra hacks and whacks, including captains Chara (6-9, 250) and Anders Lee (6-3, 231) going at each other like angry bulls. If these teams meet in the playoffs, it would probably be brutal.

Rask stood tall amid the clashing in front of him, helping Boston kill four of five penalties. He made 26 saves on 27 shots.

The netminder, who pitched a shutout Sunday against Washington — and was cheered by the Garden crowd Tuesday for picking up career win No. 253 — saw his shutout streak end after 96:40.

Until Islanders wing Jordan Eberle scored on a sharp-angle, power-play shot at 16:40 of the second, Rask hadn’t allowed a goal since last Thursday’s overtime loss to Philadelphia. Rask said afterward he had no idea where Eberle’s shot beat him. 1129109 Boston Bruins A. I started on the fourth line, so if Huml was playing, I was probably playing with him. Was Teddy Donato playing? I was on the fourth line, so maybe Sandy McCarthy? I don’t remember, to be honest with you. I Patrice Bergeron on listening to 50 Cent, his first goal, and other remember we went out West and I switched to Brian Rolston and P.J. reflections from his rookie year Axelsson. I played with them for a while. I was on that line. First game, I’m not sure.

Q. Your first goal, you had a goal and two assists that night. By Matt Porter A. LA. We were down by two or three goals, and it was kind of a tough FEBRUARY 5, 2019 start for us. A lot of penalties. We scored on a five-on-three I think. I might have tied the game on that goal.

Q. That is true. From Rolston and Sergei Samsonov. The Internet never forgets, but Patrice Bergeron’s memory is pretty good, too. A. Yeah. What I remember was one of those battle-back kind of games. It was a fun game to be part of. Once we got that first goal, we started The Bruins’ No. 1 center has used those powers of process and recall — playing better hockey, then got the second one, then tying it up on the and some world-class skill — to excel for 15 NHL seasons. On the power play, then [Mike] Knuble scored to win it, I think, he scored the occasion of his 1,000th game, which comes Tuesday night against the game-winner. New York Islanders (7 p.m., NESN, 98.5 The Sports Hub), we flashed back to Bergeron’s rookie year of 2003, with the help of the Internet I remember a lot of things from that game. It’s one of those things that I Wayback Machine. don’t think I’ll ever forget it. I remember the goal, but I remember a lot of the plays. My first assist was on Sandy McCarthy’s first goal. A lot of the During a training camp in which an 18-year-old Bergeron kept things I remember. impressing, showing the brass that his game was far more advanced than what they expected from a slightly built second-round pick (45th Q. Your first goal celebration, did you know what to do? overall), the Bruins’ communications staff polled players on their musical tastes. Bergeron, who grew up near Quebec City and arrived in Boston A. No. I was just . . . It was pretty tame. I think I just smiled and fist- speaking mostly French, responded with this: pumped and I think Marty Lapointe came in so fast I couldn’t have done anything. I don’t think I would have celebrated more than that. It was a “I’ve got a mix tape in right now. Some 50 Cent. I listen to Snoop Dogg great feeling. and his new hit. I like 50 Cent’s new CD, G-Unit.” Q. Where’s the puck now? It’s unclear whether “G-Unit” — which was one of the rapper’s catchphrases, not the title of his 2003 debut album — was said in jest. A. It’s on the wall, actually, in my basement. But it made for an opener in a recent conversation with Bergeron (note: Q. With a lot of pucks and things? edited for length and clarity): A. No, there’s the Game 7 jersey, when we won [the Stanley Cup in Q. Fifteen years later, do you still have the CD? 2011], the puck, and I have a Ray Bourque jersey and a John Bucyk A. “Get Rich or Die Tryin’ ”? I don’t have the CD, but I do have it on my jersey. On the wall, it’s just that, with a picture of me that year. That’s it. iTunes music. That came out the year before, when I was 17. Playing Q. First warmup: rookie lap or no? What do you remember feeling before junior in New Brunswick, that was the album we would be listening to the first game? before games. That’s why I probably said that at training camp. A. Yeah, I think it’s more during the game against Jersey. Warmup there Q. When was the last time you heard it? was no rookie lap or anything. I was just more excited, obviously A. Once in a while I’ll listen to a few songs. Not the whole thing. But nervous, very nervous, but in a good way. Just tried to use it to my there’s still a few songs that we all know. I guess they’re hip-hop classics, advantage. Good pressure. It was fun. I remember the drive in with Marty I wouldn’t say for everyone. But yeah, once in a while I’ll put it on. and all that.

Q. What are your favorite pregame bangers? Q. What are you listening to?

A. I really liked Eminem. I’ve always been a fan of what he’s done. A. I think Marty was a radio guy. We were just listening to the radio and Before games, I like hip-hop or EDM, techno. But I’m open to whatever. cruising in. That’s it. Nothing special. He’s very laidback, so it was fun. Even, like, good old Metallica and punk rock will do it for me and get me Q. You said before the season that 1,000 was extra special because it going. It’s never the same. was with one franchise. Has it taken on any additional meaning?

Q. How have the musical tastes changed? A. I think it’s the same. It shows loyalty on both sides, the Bruins’ side A. I guess my genres, I’ve been more open, meaning that I listen to and myself. To be part of that organization, to grow and get better and country now. I didn’t know much about country back then. Yeah, I like whatnot . . . and for the city, being here for a while means a lot, having some slower music now. Back then I don’t think I would have obviously. Getting to know this area, and having it feeling like home, and done that. winning here.

Q. Back in 2003, you faced Martin Brodeur in your NHL debut. What Other than that, it’s special in the way not many players have done it. It’s sticks out now? not something that if you would have asked me early in my career, I would have necessarily wanted to accomplish. You want to stick around A. Back in those years, they [the Devils] were very successful. They won as long as you can. It’s special, but it’s more the fact it’s been with the two Cups. Obviously playing that team, you knew it was going to be a Bruins the whole time. tough game. But for me it was an eye-opener. I was trying to soak everything in because you’re playing Brodeur, [Scott] Stevens, [Scott] Niedermayer and all these guys up front as well. It was special. Boston Globe LOADED: 02.06.2019 My parents flew down for the game. It was a lot of fun. Lot of great memories. A special moment for me, and something I’ll never forget. Not as special as scoring your first goal, but still, playing that first game is close to a dream come true.

Obviously you want to stay longer, you don’t want to play one game and be done, but it’s the start of a dream coming true, which is pretty special.

Q. I think you were on a line with Ivan Huml to start? I know you were playing 10-12 minutes a night. 1129110 Boston Bruins

Brad Marchand appreciates Patrice Bergeron’s achievement

By MARISA INGEMI | [email protected] | Boston Herald

February 6, 2019 at 12:15 am

For two players who find their career arcs so intertwined, Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron have ended up on the same side of history in different fashion.

Bergeron, a second-round draft pick of the Bruins in 2003 who made his NHL debut at 18 years old, was quickly dubbed the future of the franchise. Despite missing nearly the entire 2007-08 season with concussion issues, those predictions were proven right.

Marchand was a bit more unheralded. A third-round selection in 2006, he starred for AHL Providence before getting a crack in the NHL, an opportunity in 2009 when he got his first taste with his future linemate.

“My first game was him and (Michael) Ryder,” Marchand said of Bergeron, who played his 1,000th career game and scored twice in the Bruins’ 3-1 win against the Islanders at the Garden on Tuesday. “It’s pretty cool. Especially now, where it’s come. When it first happened and I jumped up with (Bergeron) and (Mark) Recchi, my big thing was it’s a pretty good opportunity, don’t ruin it. It’s great that it stuck and worked.”

That first game was Oct. 21, 2009 against Nashville. Marchand assisted on Ryder’s goal before he would go 19 consecutive games without a point and be sent back to Providence.

“I have so much respect for him and who he is as a player and person and teammate,” Marchand said. “I was really trying to take it all in. It was one of the things Claude (Julien) really preached to me was being more like Bergy as a player and a person and teammate, and trying to follow in his footsteps.

“Obviously I’m not going to be like Bergy, but more of a two-way player and complete player like he was.”

It’s turned around since then, by a wide margin. Marchand ended up a key piece on the B’s fourth line in their 2011 Stanley Cup run, and eventually turned into an elite scorer in the league.

Despite being highly regarded by the organization, the career path to that point wasn’t as cut-and-dry as the one projected for Bergeron.

“One thousand games, and he’s missed a lot too,” Marchand said. “It’s great to see him hit that milestone. . . . He has lots of games left. It’s been great to watch him.”

Marchand and Bergeron have accounted for a large portion of the Bruins offense the past couple of seasons, with David Pastrnak thrown into the mix.

While Pastrnak was the B’s All-Star this season, and the future exceedingly looks like he’ll be a major point producer, Marchand and Bergeron have been the duo that has kept the Bruins in the mix offensively.

Last night was for celebrating Bergeron’s accomplishment (he is the fifth player to reach the 1,000 milestone with the Bruins). It’s something Marchand has gotten the chance to witness firsthand for the entirety of his career, and he can have a special appreciation for.

With 653 games played, the 30-year-old Marchand still has a ways to go to match his linemate.

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Bruins notebook: Trent Frederic brings nastiness

By MARISA INGEMI | [email protected] | Boston Herald

February 6, 2019 at 12:11 am

Being in a perennially bad mood isn’t often seen as a positive quality.

Bruce Cassidy is hoping to see more of it, at least out of his youngest rostered player.

“That’s going to be part of his growth,” the Bruins coach said of Trent Frederic before Tuesday night’s 3-1 win against the Islanders. “Consistently showing up every day in a bad mood.”

Frederic’s initiation into the NHL, squaring off with Winnipeg’s Brandon Tanev before the first five minutes of his career had passed, created a certain impression of how he plays the game. While true — he’s had his share of fights in Providence — there’s other things he can bring.

“Be hard to play against, I think that’s his calling card originally, to stay in the league,” Cassidy said of Frederic, who turns 21 on Monday. “Get his foot in the door, and eventually grow his game. . . . He’s capable of scoring, but he’s 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, he’s able to play like that. That’s why he’s here.”

The Bruins, though there’s a perception of the opposite, have been one of the teams with the worst moods in the league all season, if fights are the barometer. They have the second most in the NHL, just behind Ottawa.

Kevan Miller is a prime example of that, and while he plays a different position, has some of the attitude Cassidy hopes will transfer to Frederic.

“Kevan’s never had an issue showing up to the rink in a snarly mood,” Cassidy said. “Freddy’s not exactly wired the same way, though he has it in him.”

The Bruins biggest issue is scoring depth. Certainly, that’s where Frederic can help, as the team seeks a stopgap at the third center slot.

But some attitude, on the ice at least, is never a bad thing.

With just two goals in 2019, Danton Heinen has found himself out of the lineup and lost in the shuffle.

He sat again Tuesday night, but it wasn’t entirely due to his performance.

“We had a good game the other night, so we decided to leave it alone,” Cassidy said. “I like his play away from the puck, and he does have a lot of chances for our team. He just doesn’t finish as many. I’d like to see him hang onto pucks longer and get to the dirty areas. Shot selection, maybe. I think he’s been off net with some of his chances, so maybe if you simplify and hit the net first before you zero in and pick an exact target. That’s tough for guys when they’re shooting the puck.”

Heinen’s play, as Cassidy alluded, has been fine away from the puck, and while the coach doesn’t want to put pressure on him to score so much as be in good offensive position, having the confidence to play like a scorer is tough to develop.

“I think it’s about getting some volume at the net as well,” Cassidy said. “Some quantity. When you get hot and pucks start going in, that’s when you can zero in a little bit more. But right now that’s a key for him, and get to the top of the crease. Earlier in the year he was having a tough time and he got a few around there.”

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Patrice Bergeron scores twice in 1,000th game as Bruins top Islanders

By MARISA INGEMI | [email protected] | Boston Herald

PUBLISHED: February 5, 2019 at 9:45 pm | UPDATED: February 6, 2019 at 12:08 am

There was a lot to celebrate last night at the Garden.

In addition to the Super Bowl parade held downtown hours before, and with everal members of the Patriots on-hand for a pregame ceremony and puck drop, the Bruins had a few accomplishments of their own to honor in their 3-1 win over the New York Islanders.

In the first period alone, Tuukka Rask (28 saves) received a shoutout for becoming the winningest goalie in franchise history over the weekend, while Patrice Bergeron got a moment to recognize his 1,000th career game, all with the Bruins.

In fitting fashion, he notched the first and last goals.

“Nice script,” said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. “Glad it went our way. A couple things had to go our way along the way in the third period. I’m happy for Bergy.”

Following a scrum in front of Isles goalie Robin Lehner, Bergeron tapped in the ice breaker tally after bids from linemates David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand with 2:32 gone in the second period.

The goal came after the Bruins had three power plays in which they failed to convert in the opening frame, but the Islanders wouldn’t have the same struggles later on in the second.

Jordan Eberle slipped a power-play goal past Rask along the goal line with 3:20 left in the period. Chris Wagner went off for slashing after an Islanders shift on which they got under the Bruins skin, earning their third power play of the contest.

The Isles appeared to go ahead 2-1 with 4:52 gone in the third on a shot from Cal Clutterbuck. The Bruins challenged for offsides and succeeded, with New York defender Devon Toews ahead of the puck. The game remained tied at 1-1.

Peter Cehlarik notched his third goal of the season — and his first since his season debut — 6:34 into the third, a perfect response to the Islanders no-goal. It appeared Lehner had made another stellar save, but while he was down in the crease, Cehlarik poked it past his outstretched glove for the 2-1 lead.

Kevan Miller picked up an assist on the play, his first since Dec. 29 in Buffalo.

Matt Grzelcyk was whistled for both tripping and slashing with 8:19 left in the game, giving the Islanders a four-minute power play. The Bruins killed all four minutes, keeping the lead by a narrow margin.

On a breakaway with an empty net with 54 seconds left in the game, Pastrnak left the puck behind for Bergeron to score his second goal in his milestone game.

“That’s the respect they have for Patrice in that situation,” Cassidy said. “And for one another. They’ve done it before and try to include everybody and have messed up empty net goals. That one would have been hard to.”

The victory was the Bruins second in a row, the first time they’ve put together consecutive wins since Jan. 5 and 8.

“It feels good, it feels good to get the win, basically,” Bergeron said. “That’s what I told the guys before the game, as much as it is just another regular season game, it is a special game and something I wanted to win.”

The B’s have a quick turnaround tonight in New York against the Rangers. There’s not much time to celebrate, but they were able to reflect on Bergeron’s big night.

“Would you really expect anything else?” Marchand said. “That guy, he just steps up.” 1129113 Boston Bruins

Bruins pregame notes: Bruins seek momentum at home

By MARISA INGEMI | [email protected] | Boston Herald

February 5, 2019 at 11:59 am

With a cold snap potentially in their rear view mirror, the Bruins have an upcoming stretch where they can do some damage before they head back out west for the final time this season.

There’s a struggling Rangers team on the slate, cellar-dwelling Kings and Blackhawks squads, and an Avalanche team with just three wins since the new year.

But first, it’s the Islanders, a team that’s caught many in the NHL off- guard this season. For a Bruins team that’s finally healthy, it’s a good test to respond after a potential momentum-changing win in Washington on Sunday.

“We’re starting to see more consistency with the lines,” said Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy. “Obviously we brought up (Trent) Frederic, we brought him up for a reason… We put (Joakim Nordstrom) back in for his speed, Danton (Heinen)’s out, Danton’s played good hockey for us, I’m sure he’ll get back in there. There’s just minor tweaks now.”

Tuukka Rask ended his curse against the Capitals — and the entire team’s — to give the Bruins a much-needed boost heading into a stretch they could gain some big points.

The B’s haven’t had a ton of luck against beatable squads this season, leaving points on the table. But if they play the way they did over the weekend, it gives them a solid chance to win.

“I think we’ve played a pretty good defense over the last month or two,” said Rask. “I think our game’s trending in the right direction in that regard. That obviously helps goalies. I always try to keep an even keel. Results will come.”

Game notes

After earning a win against Washington to end the Bruins stretch of five losses in six games, Rask is back in net to face the Islanders. He made 29 saves and allowed one goal in the shootout loss to the Isles back in November.

The rest of the lineup from Sunday stays intact, with Matt Grzelcyk on the blueline and Noel Acciari in at forward for Danton Heinen.

The pairings might change a little; Cassidy referenced a chance at seeing Zdeno Chara and Brandon Carlo paired up for matchup reasons, which would also pair Charlie McAvoy with Grzelcyk.

About the Islanders

The Islanders (30-15-6) have been one of the biggest surprises in the NHL this season. They’ve won six of their last eight games, including most recently a 4-2 win over the Kings.

The last time the Isles played the Bruins, they took a 2-1 shootout victory on November 29.

Their 125 goals against, 10 less than the Bruins 135, are the fewest allowed in the league, which included just 89 even strength goals allowed. Their .924 save percentage is the best in the NHL.

Robin Lehner and Thomas Greiss have provided an ample tandem, with .932 and .924 save percentages, respectively.

The Islanders power play percentage of 16 is the sixth-lowest in the NHL. Their 1,452 shots are the second-lowest in the league, and they are shooting at a 10.3 percent.

Mat Barzal leads the team with 46 points, while Anders Lee has provided a team-high 18 goals.

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Cassidy: "We'll have to look at" resting Chara in second half

By Joe Haggerty

February 05, 2019 11:57 PM

BOSTON -- It won’t happen on Wednesday against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, but there may come a time in the near future when the Bruins decide to rest captain Zdeno Chara.

The most logical time, of course, would be the second night of a back-to- back or in a stretch where the Bruins are playing three games in four days, but it would presumably benefit both the 41-year-old Chara and a B’s team that needs him at his freshest when it matters most.

Some of this perhaps in response to some of Chara’s recent games where he’s looked like a bit of a player slogging through the dog days of the schedule despite the time off with the bye week and NHL All-Star weekend. Chara was not good in last week’s loss to the Philadelphia Flyers where he was singled out afterward by his head coach, and there were moments in Sunday’s win over Washington where Chara looked like he was behind the play while Alex Ovechkin was dancing around him.

The 6-foot-9 Bruins captain did bounce back with a strong effort in Boston’s 3-1 win over the Islanders on Tuesday night at TD Garden. Chara played 23:52 of ice time and finished with a plus-2 rating, and had a series of epic battles with Islanders captain Anders Lee around the front of the Boston net. It was a big, heavy and physical style of game that probably played right into Chara’s strengths, but it also served as a reminder that there are many nights during the season where he’s still incredibly effective as a shutdown defenseman.

Bergy: 'It was special'

Still, Cassidy was asked the question following the win over the Islanders and didn’t hesitate to say the Bruins would rest Chara at points in the next three months if it was the right move.

“It may come to that. That’ll be a discussion I have with Zee. He prides himself in his fitness, so he will not be amenable to that, I’ll tell you that right now,” said Cassidy of Chara, who was a minus-2 in 12 games during the month of January. “He’s a proud athlete, wants to play every night. If it’s best for this hockey club and the Boston Bruins then we’ll do it. I don’t think we’ll do it tomorrow, but at some point, we’ll have to look at it, discuss it with the person.”

It certainly will be difficult for a proud guy like Chara to come to grips with the fact that Father Time may finally be taking a bit out of his Hall of Fame-level game. And it’s no secret that Chara hates to sit out games for any reason, much like anybody with the same level of greatness and winning attached to their name.

But there have also been times where Chara has looked in need of a break when he’s been on the ice, and the Bruins will be in a position to afford him a few of those over the next few months. Because there won’t be any breaks in the playoffs when they’ll every last ounce of shutdown defense that the then-42-year-old will be able to provide as a still- important cog to Boston’s back end, and a still-vital key to their success.

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Talking Points from the B's 3-1 win over the Isles

By Joe Haggerty

February 05, 2019 11:31 PM

Here are my talking points from an unforgettable night for Patrice Bergeron . . .

GOLD STAR: You can’t make it up with Patrice Bergeron scoring the Bruins goal in his 1,000th game as a Boston Bruin and NHL player. As always Bergeron was in the right place at the right time following the play, and was able to tap in a loose puck in front after Robin Lehner had kicked out the initial scoring attempt from Pastrnak. Good on Brad Marchand grabbing the puck right afterward as well, so No. 37 will have that in his hockey collection. A strong game overall from Bergeron with the two goals, a plus-2 rating, four shots on net and plus-1 rating to go along with a .500 record on face-offs that might have been solid while also a little bit off his norm. The Perfection Line wasn’t as dominant as they usually are on Tuesday night, but they were plenty good enough to supply two Bergeron goals among the three overall scores for the Black and Gold. Perhaps the best part of it all: David Pastrnak’s classy move to drop a pass back to Bergeron for the empty netter in the final minute so he could have two goals on the night of his 1,000th game.

BLACK EYE: It was a tough night for Nick Leddy, who was on the ice for all three goals scored by the Bruins. Leddy went without any points in 22:53 of ice time and has just a single shot on net over that time span, but it was more about being a part of each of the defensive miscues that led to New York’s ultimate undoing. Mathew Barzal certainly could have fit into this category as well with a minus-2, zero shots on net and a couple of giveaways, and that speaks to a good job by the Bruins of holding down some of the Isles better players. But the bottom line is that Leddy was the biggest weak link for the Islanders in this one and the Black and Gold made sure to take advantage of that.

TURNING POINT: The biggest play of the game benefits the Bruins as a Cal Clutterbuck goal in the third period was wiped off the board after a coach’s challenge from the Bruins. On first blush it wasn’t a great goal allowed by Tuukka Rask and it could have been a real momentum-buster for the Bruins. But it was also pretty clear that the Islanders were offsides after a review of the play, and the Bruins didn’t hesitate to make the challenge at a key point in the third period. The upheld challenge evened the score back up at 1-1, and shortly afterward Peter Cehlarik and Patrice Bergeron added third period goals to give the Bruins a 3-1. Usually the B’s find themselves on the wrong end of the challenge plays over the years, but this time it really helped the Black and Gold secure the two points.

HONORABLE MENTION: Peter Cehlarik had just the one shot on net, but he made it a good one as it was his third period goal that ultimately became the game-winner. It was a nice power move by the big rookie winger to get close to the net and be ready for the rebound that came his way after a point shot from Kevan Miller. Cehlarik fanned on the first shot attempt with the puck bouncing in front of him, but the 6-foot-2 winger made sure to connect on the second one as he pin-balled the shot off Robin Lehner and into the back of the net. It was Cehlarik’s third goal for the Bruins and his first since a two-goal game at the very beginning of his stint with Boston, and it continues to show that maybe the B’s have something with their young power forward candidate for a top-6 role.

BY THE NUMBERS: 5 – the number of Bruins players that have reached 1,000 games in a Bruins uniform with Patrice Bergeron joining an exclusive club that includes Ray Bourque, Johnny Bucyk, Don Sweeney and Wayne Cashman.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I wanted to get back down, but I couldn’t. He had a pretty strong grip, so obviously that was pretty funny. I don’t know if I want to see that video." -- Patrice Bergeron on the big Zdeno Chara bear hug after his 1,000th game ended in a win.

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Patrice Bergeron reflects on 1,000th game: 'It was a special night'

By Justin Leger

February 05, 2019 10:35 PM

Patrice Bergeron's 1,000th career game couldn't have been scripted any better.

Tuesday night vs the Islanders, Bergeron received a rousing ovation from the TD Garden crowd and then opened the B's scoring in the second period. The best moment, however, came when David Pastrnak let Bergeron finish his special night with an empty-netter.

After the game, Bergeron explained what all the support meant to him.

"It was special," Bergeron said. "Very much appreciated. It's been 16 years with the organization. [Boston] has a special place in my heart. My kids are born here. It's definitely second home now. It meant a lot."

Bergeron also had no problem sharing his night with the Super Bowl champion Patriots, who were honored during the pregame ceremony.

“Thank God," he said. "That was perfect. I was very happy with that.”

Pastrnak's classy gesture to wrap up Tuesday night's game perfectly summed up what teammates think of the 15-year Bruins veteran. Brad Marchand, who immediately retrieved the puck for Bergeron after his first goal, spoke highly of his longtime teammate.

"Did you really expect anything else?," Marchand said of Bergeron's performance. "That guy just steps up in every situation. You know he was going to have a big game on a milestone night like tonight, so it was great to see. He's one of the top players in the game for a reason, and he steps up in big moments, and he did that again tonight."

Also complimentary of the four-time Selke Trophy winner was B's coach Bruce Cassidy.

"I'm happy for Bergie," Cassidy said after Tuesday's game. "He's a consummate pro, a terrific person, terrific hockey player, terrific dad, I assume a terrific husband, all of the above."

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Highlights from Bruins' 3-1 win over Islanders

Staff Report

By NBC Sports Boston Staff February 05, 2019 8:38 PM

You can’t make it up with Patrice Bergeron scoring the Bruins' first and last goals in his 1,000th game as a Boston Bruin and NHL player. As always, Bergeron was in the right place at the right time following the play, and was able to tap in a loose puck in front after Robin Lehner had kicked out the initial scoring attempt from Pastrnak. Good on Brad Marchand grabbing the puck right afterward as well, so No. 37 will have that in his hockey collection. A strong game overall from Bergeron with the goal and plus-1 rating to go along with three shots on net and a .500 record on face-offs that might have been solid while also a little bit off his norm. The Perfection Line wasn’t as dominant as they usually are on Tuesday night, but they were plenty good enough for the win.

Tuukka Rask has been outstanding lately and it was a power play goal, but that wasn’t a great one that he gave up to Jordan Eberle at the end of the second period. Rask didn’t seal off the short-side post and allowed Eberle to slip a puck through a space between the goalie and the post, and left the game tied headed into the final 20 minutes between the two teams. He gets a mulligan based on the way that he’s played lately, but it’s exactly those kinds of goals that were giving him issues at the start of the season.

A whole lot of celebrating going on in the first period for this Bruins/Islanders game. First it was the New England Patriots coming for a visit and Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman spiking the puck during the ceremonial face-off after they spent the morning and afternoon at a rolling rally celebration through Boston. Then it was Patrice Bergeron getting a nice extended ovation for his 1,000th game played with the Bruins. And then finally it was Tuukka Rask getting honored belatedly for becoming the all-time winningest goalie in B’s franchise history with his shutout win over the Capitals last weekend.

The biggest play of the game benefits the Bruins, as a Cal Clutterbuck goal in the third period was wiped off the board after a coach’s challenge from the Bruins. It was pretty clear that the Islanders were offside after a review of the play, and the Bruins didn’t hesitate to make the challenge at a key point in the third period. The challenge evened the score back up at 1-1, and shortly afterward Peter Cehlarik and Patrice Bergeron added third period goals to give the Bruins a 3-1 win. Usually the B’s find themselves on the wrong end of the challenge plays over the years, but this time it really helped them secure the two points.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129118 Boston Bruins “It’s like ‘Man, he’s in the right spot again!’ He’s never out of position and to me that’s what I really enjoyed when I played with him every shift. Now my oldest son watches him and it’s his favorite player because of the way Bruins' Patrice Bergeron reaches 1,000-games-played milestone that he plays. And he’s also probably the nicest person I’ve ever met. He’s somebody you want to be around, and you want to surround yourself with people like that.”

By Joe Haggerty Perhaps for those reasons, it’s appropriate Bergeron plays his 1,000th game on the same day the New England Patriots held a rolling rally February 05, 2019 2:09 PM through the streets of Boston to celebrate their latest Super Bowl title. The Pats will overshadow Bergeron’s special day, but it might also make it a little more comfortable for a team-oriented player who's always been BRIGHTON, Mass. -- There are plenty of things that spring to mind with a little uncomfortable talking about his own achievements. Patrice Bergeron set to play the 1,000th game of his NHL career on Tuesday night against the New York Islanders. “That’s what makes him so incredibly special," said Recchi. "He’s so humble. He’s an incredible teammate, an incredible person, and he The 1,000-game club is a select one, and it’s incredibly exclusive when it always deflects the attention off himself. But this is well-earned. Getting comes to the Bruins. Only Ray Bourque, John Bucyk, Don Sweeney and to 1,000 games is awesome, particularly all in the same uniform. I’m sure Wayne Cashman have played in that many games for Boston. he’ll enjoy it tonight, but he’ll be thinking about winning the game more than anything, and playing the game the way he plays every night. The first memories of Bergeron are of a shy 18-year-old kid from Quebec with a face full of peach fuzz and a real lack of confidence when it came “He’s such a special guy. It was such a great honor for me to play with to command of the English language. him. Those guys kept me young. It was awesome. The enthusiasm for the game and the work ethic toward the game made it so fun to be In those moments Bergeron never dreamed he’d play 1,000 games in the around him. Obviously he’s got a lot left in him, but it’s a great recognition NHL, let alone play them all in the very same city of Boston. for playing in a lot of hockey games.” “I think all the friendships and the memories that I’ve gathered over the Beyond the obvious skill, the natural leadership, the undeniable years are the biggest thing to me,” said Bergeron. “It’s been a fun ride so intelligence and the hyper-competitiveness, there was also the toughness far, and it’s been special along the way. You kind of go through your that came through at every turn for the perfect player. He returned from career [when talking about 1,000 games] and I’ve never really taken the that concussion in the 2007-08 season and battled through a couple time to do that except for lately. So you think about the players and guys more along the way, and he memorably played Game 6 of the 2013 that have made an impact on your career, and the friendships I’ve had Stanley Cup Final with a punctured lung. and made. But the one lasting memory this humble hockey writer will have? “There are some things that I’m proud of along the way, obviously, but my best memories are what we’ve accomplished as a team, and the It’s Bergeron totally and completely exhausted and unable to stand up, friends that I’ve made. It’s honestly what I’m most proud of: The winning but still doing a radio interview in the hallway outside the Bruins visiting feeling and the friends have been special. And playing 1,000 games for locker room after winning Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in Vancouver. the same organization is something I’m very proud of and something I He'd given everything he had that night to help ensure the Black and think is special.” Gold captured the Cup for the first time in nearly 40 years . . . and, even though the stakes are usually much lower, he’s done the same thing 999 He was the youngest player in the NHL that rookie season of 2003-04, a other times in his career. second-round pick who surprisingly made a roster filled with grizzled veterans like Joe Thornton, Glenn Murray, Marty Lapointe, Hal Gill and Someday, years from now when Bergeron is retired and his No. 37 in the Brian Rolston. But there was also a prideful grin that came across then- rafters and his name enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame, the 1,000- coach Mike Sullivan’s face each time he was asked about the youngster, games-played milestone will be seen as just another accomplishment in who finished with 16 goals and 39 points that year. Even then Sullivan a brilliant career. Tonight, though, it's a chance to celebrate a player who knew there was something special about No. 37. -- like David Ortiz and Tom Brady and Paul Pierce -- is, despite how embarrassed he may be by the comparision, an iconic figure in Boston's There were fears his career would come to a premature conclusion when golden age of sports. he suffered a horrific concussion in 2007. The Flyers' Randy Jones slammed Bergeron from behind into the boards on Oct. 27, the 10th game of the year, and the injury kept the then-22-year-old out of the lineup for the rest of that season. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.06.2019

But obviously he came back healthy and strong enough to become the best two-way center of his generation. The career offensive numbers are starting to stack up, with 305 goals and 778 points heading into tonight's game against the Islanders, and defensively the four Selke Trophies he's earned as the league's best defensive forward speak for themselves. What's more, Bergeron -- remarkably -- hasn’t slowed down much at age 33.

It wouldn’t be called overstatement to call him the ultimate winner, having captured a Stanley Cup, Olympic gold medal and a World Cup championship during his brilliant career, but it’s always been done the right way. That’s something that’s always spoken of Bergeron both as a player and as a person, and it’s something former teammate and Hall of Famer Mark Recchi always impresses upon people when he talks about his former center on the 2011 Cup team.

“To me it was always about how he never changed,” Recchi told NBCSportsBoston.com. “He came to work every day and he was happy to do it. He was always positive. You come to the rink every day and play the same way. You come to the rink and practice the same way every day. He tried to get better and play the games the exact way. He is the epitome of a consistent player. It was incredible that he always played the game the right way. I’ve never seen him cheat [on a play]. He’s a coach’s dream, he’s a linemate’s dream and he’s a teammate’s dream. I just love watching him play. 1129119 Boston Bruins

Bruins' struggling Danton Heinen to sit for second straight game

By Joe Haggerty

February 05, 2019 1:01 PM

BRIGHTON -- Danton Heinen will get a second straight game up in the press box to watch the action on the ice as a healthy scratch when the Bruins host the New York Islanders on Tuesday night at TD Garden.

The struggling winger has just two goals in his last 20 games and has seen his offensive production come way down this season with just six goals and 13 points in 49 games, but has stayed in the lineup because his two-way game has been pretty strong. That changed a bit when the puck rolled off his stick during the third period of last week’s loss to the Flyers with a potential game-winning goal in the making, but Bruce Cassidy indicated Heinen would probably get back into the lineup in short order against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night.

That’s obviously a far cry from the guy who had 16 goals and 47 points as a rookie last season, but his head coach indicated there’s some work to be done by Heinen in the offensive end.

“We had a good game the other night, so we decided to leave it alone,” said Cassidy. “I like his play away from the puck, and he does have a lot of chances for our team. He just doesn’t finish as many. I’d like to see him hang onto pucks longer and get to the dirty areas. Shot selection, maybe. I think he’s been off net with some of his chances, so maybe if you simplify and hit the net first before you zero in and pick an exact target. That’s tough for guys when they’re shooting the puck.

“But right now I think it’s about getting some volume [of shots] at the net as well. Some quantity. When you get hot and pucks start going in, that’s when you can zero in a little bit more [as a shooter]. But right now that’s a key for him, and get to the top of the crease. Earlier in the year he has having a tough time and he got a few around there.”

There will be zero changes for Tuesday night’s lineup vs. the Islanders after Boston’s impressive 1-0 win over the Capitals on Sunday afternoon, but Cassidy mentioned he may tweak the defensive pairings by using a little Zdeno Chara and Brandon Carlo as a shutdown pair. Otherwise, the lineup will be pretty similar in front of Tuukka Rask to the one that took the ice this weekend:

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129120 Buffalo Sabres Dahlin scored on a hard wrister in the second period, after a pass from Eichel, to give the Sabres a 3-1 lead with 8:27 remaining in the frame. Mittelstadt also picked up an assist on the goal.

Sabres' power play scores twice after changes “The simplification of just shooting the puck probably will be good,” Eichel said, essentially foreshadowing Dahlin’s goal. “At times this year, we've been one-and-done in terms of having just one chance in the zone and By Jason Wolf then the puck gets cleared. It's important to make it tough on the other team. If you look at our goals this year, a lot of them have been after the Published Wed, Feb 6, 2019 first initial attack, retrieving the puck and making a play off it. It's important to do that.”

Phil Housley made it clear the Buffalo Sabres’ reshuffled lines, defensive pairings and power play units were subject to change. Buffalo News LOADED: 02.06.2019 But after the Sabres scored twice with an extra skater in a 5-4 shootout victory against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night at KeyBank Center, his changes to jumpstart the power play may stick.

Evan Rodridgues and Rasmus Dahlin each scored with the man advantage as the Sabres went 2 for 2 on the power play against Minnesota after converting just 3 of 33 opportunities over the previous 13 games. Minnesota entered the game with the fifth-best penalty kill in the NHL (83.8 percent).

It was the first time the Sabres scored two power play goals in a game since Dec. 15, when they lost 4-3 in a shootout at Washington.

“The power play is work,” Eichel said after Tuesday morning’s skate, before earning an assist on both power play goals against the Wild. “Some of these kills in the NHL, they're full-out pressure for two minutes. Everybody has got to be on the same page. But as soon as you get a goal on the power play, your confidence starts building and the guys start getting in a groove a bit.

“At times this year, the power play has been good for us and you look at the game in Washington. There's been times where it's obviously not helped us. It's about building momentum for our group and if we get the opportunity, trying to capitalize.”

Housley reshaped the team’s power play units as part of sweeping changes on Monday, when the Sabres’ 17 percent success rate ranked 22nd in the NHL.

The first power play unit now features Eichel and Dahlin at the points, with Jeff Skinner, Casey Mittelstadt and Sam Reinhart up front.

The second power play unit features Rasmus Ristolainen and Rodrigues at the points, along with Conor Sheary, Kyle Okposo and Tage Thompson.

“We had good chemistry, both units,” Dahlin said. “I think we played faster this time, had a lot of shots on the net. I think that was the biggest change.”

The Sabres’ two power play goals on five shots against the Wild equaled their total over the previous 11 games combined.

They were 2 for 28 on the power play in that span, and 1 for 19 over the last seven games – with Okposo snapping a 0 for 18 skid in the third period of Friday’s 7-3 loss to Chicago.

The Sabres have scored on the power play in consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 22 and 27 against Anaheim and St. Louis, respectively.

“It’s good for them,” Housley said. “It’s good for their confidence. They haven’t been rewarded. They’ve had good looks, and they haven’t gotten the results, but it’s good for them for their confidence.”

Rodrigues scored on the team’s first opportunity Tuesday, with Okposo screening Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk to give the Sabres a 1-0 lead just 4:31 into the game. Ristolainen earned an assist, in addition to Eichel.

It was Rodrigues’ fifth goal in the last seven games. His seven goals this season tie a career high.

“I’m just starting to get the bounces now,” Rodrigues said. “I kept saying throughout the year that the chances were coming, and I wasn’t capitalizing. That’s all I needed to do was just start burying my chances, not get frustrated with my game because I thought I was playing well. Now they’re finally starting to go in.” 1129121 Buffalo Sabres "I thought we really had a lot of quality zone time, a lot of good looks," Housley said of his third-period changes. "We had to shorten the bench there a little bit towards the end. … I liked the way the guys stayed Sabres survive scare, beat Wild behind Reinhart's shootout goal aggressive with the game."

Though Housley will have some difficult decisions to make, Tuesday night revealed a number of potential options for forward lines. By Lance Lysowski However, defense is why they have not won back-to-back games in Published Tue, Feb 5, 2019|Updated Wed, Feb 6, 2019 nearly two months. The Wild (26-22-5) had 45 shots on goal during regulation and overtime. There were still too many turnovers and long

possessions in the Sabres' defensive zone. Sam Reinhart helped change the narrative for the Buffalo Sabres with This was the eighth time in nine games the Sabres had allowed three or one shot Tuesday night. Reinhart, skating in alone during the third more goals. They allowed three goals only three times during their 10- shootout round in KeyBank Center, released a shot hard enough that the game winning streak in November. puck rolled slowly through Devan Dubnyk to cross the goal line. "As important as [goaltending] is in this league, to win hockey games we Linus Ullmark proceeded to stop Zach Parise at the other end of the ice feel that we have to do a better job limiting them," Reinhart said. to clinch the Sabres' 5-4 win over the Minnesota Wild. Buffalo, now 26- 20-6, blew a two-goal lead in the second period and allowed the tying goal with 1:37 remaining in regulation. Buffalo News LOADED: 02.06.2019 A loss would have raised additional questions about their roster and playoff hopes. Instead, the Sabres kept pace with Carolina -- which defeated Pittsburgh, 4-0, Tuesday night -- and showed tangible signs of progress, despite some familiar lapses near their own net.

"The games are kind of winding down in a hurry, and we know how important every game is," Reinhart, who also scored the go-ahead goal in the third period, said.

Housley threw his forward lines and defensive pairings into a blender following a 7-3 loss to Chicago on Friday night. Additionally, the Sabres' coach changed his power-play personnel and opted to use Linus Ullmark as his starting goalie for the second of seven straight home games.

Some changes worked, others didn't. Buffalo scored two power-play goals, beginning with Evan Rodrigues' to give the Sabres a 1-0 lead 4:31 into the game. Rasmus Dahlin added another at 11:33 into the second period for a two-goal advantage.

Ullmark, who posted a .891 save percentage over his previous seven games, made 41 saves -- not counting the three he made during the shootout.

On the other hand, the Sabres again struggled in their own zone.

Lawrence Pilut's turnover -- the result of a pass missed by Vladimir Sobotka -- resulted in Jared Spurgeon scoring the tying goal at 6:29 into the second period. After the Sabres took a 3-1 lead, Charlie Coyle tied the score, 3-3, when he beat Pilut and Rodrigues to a loose puck in the crease, and poked it over the goal line with 2:55 left in the second period.

"We had some breakdowns, especially in the second," Rodrigues said. "Just a little bit lackadaisical. I thought we sat back a little bit. We let them come up with a ton of speed in the neutral zone. ... When a team comes at you with that much speed in the neutral zone it’s hard to stop them."

The Sabres were outshot, 10-1, for the first six minutes of the second period. Conversely, in the first period they had 10 shot attempts on Dubnyk before Minnesota had one.

With the net empty and six Wild players on the ice, Minnesota tied the score when Parise jammed a puck between the inside of the post and Ullmark's right leg pad to send the game into overtime.

"It’s a game we found a way to win," Housley said. "In the second period – you don’t want to sound negative – but we had a 3-1 lead. That’s a time to really lock it down and keep a simple game. I thought we were trying to get four and not in the right way. In the defensive zone, guys were beating us back to the net. We’ve got to learn how to tighten it up."

Housley finally found some 5-on-5 success by tinkering his forward lines in the third period. Jack Eichel, reunited with Jeff Skinner and Jason Pominville for the final 15 minutes of regulation, finished with nine shots on goal in 25 minutes, 57 seconds of ice time. But it was the line of Reinhart, Conor Sheary and Casey Mittelstadt that scored what could have been the decisive goal.

Reinhart one-timed a pass from Jake McCabe into the open net to make it 4-3 with 13:35 remaining in regulation. Reinhart also had success skating alongside Rodrigues and C.J. Smith, who scored his second goal of the season at 7:32 into the second period. 1129122 Buffalo Sabres The issue seems pretty clear. Hutton signed the three-year free agent contract over the summer and Ullmark is the prospect. When you're the coach, you're going to play the veteran free agent your GM signed. Mike Harrington: Time for Sabres to turn the crease over to Linus Ullmark That's how the game works, and not just in Buffalo.

But now the calendar has hit February and the playoff push is real. After Tuesday's performance, assuming he's OK physically, Ullmark is By Mike Harrington certainly going to start Thursday against Carolina – which has beaten the Sabres seven straight times. Hutton will undoubtedly get another chance Published Tue, Feb 5, 2019|Updated Tue, Feb 5, 2019 here this weekend, when the Sabres host Detroit and Winnipeg in back- to-back matinees.

You start from the top before you dig deeper. Doesn't matter who you But for the next little while, this should be Ullmark's crease. The numbers want to blame. The Buffalo Sabres are just flat-out giving up too many have been roughly the same with both goalies except for the record. goals. Ullmark is 11-5-3 while Hutton is 15-15-3. Part of that is what Housley likes to call "run support," using the baseball analogy of a team getting Tuesday's 5-4 shootout win against Minnesota marked the eighth time in more runs for certain pitchers. The Sabres haven't scored much for the last nine games opponents have scored at least three times. There's Hutton. been a pair of seven-goal blowups in there, against Edmonton and Chicago. And the one time the Sabres kept the yield under three, they Sometimes, that's because a team is more conservative in front of certain still lost in a 1-0 affair in Dallas. goalies who might be struggling. Ullmark wasn't going to get drawn into such a discussion. Goals are often everyone's fault, as the goalies are the last line of defense. My view has long been considered harsh on goalies, often "I'll take it day by day. Tomorrow is a new day. Practice," Ullmark said. passing exclusive blame when the responsibility could have been shared. "The sun will rise – even if it's been bad weather lately. So I'm not taking anything for granted. I'm just looking forward to tomorrow." But there's no doubt after Tuesday's game, even after he gave up four goals, that it's time for the Sabres to give Linus Ullmark a run in the This wasn't an easy game by any means. The Sabres gave up three crease. He made 41 saves through regulation and overtime and two more goals and 19 more shots in the second period Tuesday. They're more in the shootout. It's hard to ask for much more. minus-13 on the season in the middle frame. They have to figure out the "long change" period. And he even took a knee to the head from Zach Parise on the final shootout attempt. Hunched over as he left the ice while his teammates Ullmark gave up a tough wraparound goal to Jared Sturgeon in the celebrated, you wondered how Ullmark would respond. second period that Housley said he came close to challenging for goalie interference. Parise's tying goal late in the third just snuck past Ullmark's How does he feel? leg inside the post. It was a real downer. Ullmark didn't let it linger in OT.

"I feel fantastic. A win 5-4. I feel absolutely awesome," Ullmark said. "I "There's another game in two days and then there's a back-to-back have no clue what happened. I made the save." coming up," Ullmark said. "Every game is a battle. We want to make the playoffs, we have to make a push. We know that. Every game is the most It was a game that featured 84 shots on goal (45 by Minnesota) and the important game of the day. Sabres gave up the tying goal with 1:37 left and Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk on the bench for an extra attacker. They gave up 19 shots on "Just refocus. Focus on the next puck. All the simple stuff. It doesn't goal and three goals in the second period. And still won. matter if it's 4-4, 6-5, 10-5 or whatever. We play 60 minutes, 65 or a shootout today." "We really tried this game to keep it down but there's going to be games where it's a 5-4 game, 6-5 game, whatever," Ullmark said. "Every game you have to focus on next puck. I can't stop after I make, say, 10 saves. It doesn't work like that." Buffalo News LOADED: 02.06.2019

It's hard to argue much about Ullmark's night.

"It's sort of indicative of the way we've been playing," said coach Phil Housley. "We've been focusing on tightening it up. There's times in the game you really have to be smart and not beat ourselves. Tonight we almost beat ourselves but Linus played outstanding, really attacked the game.

"He was really charging out to pucks, fighting through traffic and didn't give them a lot of second opportunities. It's just tough to see that fourth goal go in because he's played such a good game up to that point."

Ullmark was strong on the short side early. He robbed old friend Marcus Foligno in the first period after a Lawrence Pilut turnover. He stopped Parise on a breakaway in overtime and made a couple of other stops in the extra session on the Wild standout.

"Some of the saves he made tonight were incredible," said forward C.J. Smith, who saw lots of Ullmark heroics last year in Rochester. "Probably one of the main reasons we ended up winning that game. He made some really timely saves."

The Sabres have given Carter Hutton ample opportunity in the last two months. He kind of mirrors the team: Great during the 10-game winning streak and pretty mediocre since.

Housley has kept going back to Hutton, seemingly to a fault. Last week's decision seemed the most egregious after Hutton gave up four goals in a win in Columbus and Ullmark was strong in the loss to Dallas. Back came Hutton to start Friday's game against Chicago and he was gone by the end of the second period.

Ullmark got the call Tuesday, as the Chicago loss should be considered a tipping point for Hutton. 1129123 Buffalo Sabres period Tuesday by skating around Ryan Suter for an open look on Dubnyk.

Lineup: Larsson missed a second consecutive game with an upper-body The Wraparound: Sabres 5, Wild 4, SO injury. Defensemen Matt Hunwick and Nathan Beaulieu were healthy scratches, as Lawrence Pilut was back in the Sabres' lineup.

By Lance Lysowski Next: The Sabres return to practice Wednesday in preparation for a Thursday night game against the Carolina Hurricanes. Published Tue, Feb 5, 2019|Updated Wed, Feb 6, 2019

Buffalo News LOADED: 02.06.2019 Phil Housley blew up his forward lines for the second time in three days, and his latest experiment yielded an important goal in the third period Tuesday night.

But mixing and matching personnel did little to address his team's poor defensive play. The Buffalo Sabres allowed the tying goal with 1:37 remaining in regulation but beat the Minnesota Wild, 5-4, in a shootout at KeyBank Center.

Sam Reinhart scored the go-ahead goal in the third period, only for Zach Parise to send the game to overtime. Reinhart then won it with a goal in the third shootout round.

The Sabres (26-20-6) kept pace in the playoff race – Carolina, which has 58 points, defeated Pittsburgh, 4-0, Tuesday – and matched their win total from last season.

Evan Rodrigues, C.J. Smith and Rasmus Dahlin also scored for Buffalo, which squandered a two-goal lead in the second period. Linus Ullmark made 41 saves in net. Following a stagnant start to the third period, Housley moved Jeff Skinner and Jason Pominville to the top line with Jack Eichel.

When that group was unable to score, Reinhart skated onto the ice with his new linemates – Casey Mittelstadt and Conor Sheary – and one- timed a pass from Jake McCabe into the open net.

Jared Spurgeon scored twice and Charlie Coyle had the tying goal in the second period for the Wild.

Opening salvo: The Sabres' power play, which was also retooled after going 3-for-33 over its previous 13 games, broke through at 4:31 into the first period when Kyle Okposo screened goalie Devan Dubnyk, which helped Rodrigues' wrist shot from the right-wing circle end up in the back of the net. It was Rodrigues' seventh goal of the season and his fifth in the past seven games.

It was only the second time since Nov. 24 that the Sabres had at least one power play goal in consecutive games.

Slow start: The Sabres had already attempted 10 shots on goal when the Wild recorded its first shot on goal 7:06 into the first period.

Koivu collision: Minnesota center Mikko Koivu left for the visitors' dressing room and did not return after an awkward collision with Sabres winger Tage Thompson, who tried to avoid making contact when the two skated into each other near the Wild's blue line.

Mid-air goal: Spurgeon tied the score, 1-1, at 6:29 into the second period when he batted a puck out of the air and over Ullmark's shoulder. The goal came after the Sabres killed two minor penalties.

He's back: Smith, recalled from Rochester prior to Monday's practice, scored at 7:32 when he one-timed a pass from Reinhart, who intercepted a pass near the opposing blue line.

Power play: The Sabres scored a second power play goal for the first time since Dec. 15 when Dahlin fired a wrist shot through a crowd to make it 3-1 at 11:33 into the second. That tied Dahlin with Aaron Ekblad for the fifth-most points by an 18-year-old defenseman in NHL history.

Quick answer: The Wild scored two unanswered goals to tie the score, 3- 3, beginning with Spurgeon's wraparound at 13:43. Coyle followed less than four minutes later when he poked a loose puck over the goal line. The Sabres were outshot, 19-11, in the second period.

Home away from home: The Wild had won five straight games in Buffalo and was 9-2 all-time in KeyBank Center.

Unlikely killer: With Johan Larsson missing a second consecutive game because of injury, Eichel was asked to contribute on the penalty kill. Entering the game, Eichel had played only 17 minutes, 35 seconds shorthanded all season. He nearly scored a shorthanded goal in the first 1129124 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres vs. Wild: Five Things to Know

By Mike Harrington

Published Tue, Feb 5, 2019|Updated Tue, Feb 5, 2019

Since the Minnesota Wild entered the NHL in 2000, they have staged a completely backwards head-to-head matchup with the Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres are just 2-8-1 against Minnesota in KeyBank Center and have lost five straight – but are 8-4 when taming the Wild in XCel Energy Center.

The Sabres posted a 3-2 win in Minnesota on Nov. 17 in the fifth game of their 10-game winning streak and a win tonight (7 p.m., MSG and WGR Radio) would give them a sweep of Minnesota for the first time since the Wild entered the NHL. The Sabres have not beaten Minnesota at home since a 3-1 win on March 24, 2012.

Here are Five Things to Know about Game 2 of Buffalo's seven-game homestand:

1. The lineup: The Sabres' morning skate today showed off the same completely new lineup that Phil Housley unveiled in practice on Monday, highlighted by Jack Eichel and Jeff Skinner being broken up for the first time since early in the season.

2. Punchless power play: The Sabres are also expected to unveil new power-play units to revive a unit that's 1 for 19 over its last seven games and just 3 for 33 over the last 13. Buffalo has slipped to 22nd in the NHL on the power play and this will be a tough test against a Minnesota team that's fifth in the NHL on the penalty kill.

"We've had really good possession time but we've got to get back to more of that shot mentality, just the volume of shots," Housley said. "We know we're not going to score on every power play but it does create momentum for us when we're in the zone and we're getting chances. Those are the things we're looking for to lift our bench. Obviously we need some production but just trying to find continuity within the groups."

3. In the nets: The Sabres will have Linus Ullmark in goal tonight, sporting a stat line of 10-5-3/2.89/.914. Ullmark has lost his last two starts after winning five of his previous seven. He made 37 saves in the November victory in Minnesota. With Carter Hutton struggling, is this Ullmark's chance to grab the starting job? Housley was noncommital.

"When you evaluate it on a game to game situation, Linus has played some good hockey," Housley said. "Hopefully he has a great game tonight and we'll make that evaluation the next day."

Minnesota is expected to counter with starter Devan Dubnyk (20-17-3, 2.55/.914). His first game with the Wild was here in 2015, a 7-0 shutout that remains Minnesota's greatest margin of victory.

4. The playoff races: The Sabres are ninth in the Eastern Conference and three points behind Columbus for the final wild-card slot. They are losing touch with the rest of the Atlantic Division, as they are seven points behind fourth-place Boston and eight behind third-place Montreal. Minnesota is fourth in the Central Division, four points behind Dallas, and has a two-point lead on Vancouver for the first West wild-card. The Wild are shooting for their seventh straight playoff appearance but they have only two series in the previous six trips.

5. By the numbers: The Sabres are just 2-5 against the Central Division this season, with Friday's 7-3 drubbing by Chicago extending their losing streak to four. The Wild, meanwhile, are 7-4 against the Atlantic. ... Minnesota winger Marcus Foligno has four goals, seven assists and a minus-3 rating while playing on the fourth line. The former Sabre is one of six Wild players to appear in all 52 games this season. He had eight goals and 15 assists last year, his first with the Wild after the trade from Buffalo in July, 2017. ... Zach Parise leads the Wild in goals (20) and points (45). Minnesota turned its season around with an 8-4 January, after going just 4-8-1 in December and seemingly putting coach Bruce Boudreau's job in jeopardy.

Buffalo News LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129125 Buffalo Sabres

Jack Eichel on Sabres shuffle: 'I think this can be a good thing for us'

By Mike Harrington

Published Tue, Feb 5, 2019|Updated Tue, Feb 5, 2019

It's Big Line Shift II for the Buffalo Sabres Tuesday night in KeyBank Center against the Minnesota Wild, and captain Jack Eichel is hopeful the team gets the same kind of benefit from coach Phil Housley's major moves that it did in October.

"The main key is just to work. That's the big thing," Eichel said after Tuesday's morning skate. "When you're put with new guys, your first instinct is just to work hard and I think that's what makes it easy. That's probably what he's looking for now. We're going to keep things simple. If we get back to a simple game, get our forecheck going and create offense from that, I think it should be good for us."

Eichel is going to be centering Conor Sheary and Kyle Okposo in tonight's game, the first time he has not had All-Star Jeff Skinner on his wing since Housley put the pair together on Oct. 19 in Los Angeles. They have played the last 43 games together and both made the All-Star Game.

"We've played together for a few months now but I think any time during the season you have to be ready to take anything on," Eichel said. "Obviously, our team hasn't been going the way we want right now. I don't know if a change was needed or whatever but whenever things aren't going well you look for changes to spark the group. I think this can be a good thing for us. Hopefully it sparks us and get on a roll."

Eichel has just two goals in his last 10 games and Skinner, who has 31 goals on the season, is in his first extended slump with just one goal in his last seven. But Skinner has had huge shot totals with no results in two recent games, with 10 shots on goal Friday against Chicago and seven in the 7-2 loss Jan. 14 in Edmonton.

"The biggest thing is just to stick together," Eichel said. "When adversity hits, it's easy to look around and start blaming other things. It's important for our group in the room to stick together and I think we've done a good job of that even with the fact we've had a tough time getting out of this slump we've been in. We've been playing a good game, losing a game, been a little inconsistent. But even through that, the group has really stuck together and stayed tight. I think that's important and will benefit us."

Sheary, who has one goal in his last 14 games, briefly played with Eichel at the start of the season and has plenty of experience playing on a line with Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh during the Penguins' 2016 and 2017 Stanley Cup championship runs. So he's looking forward to getting another chance with Buffalo's captain.

"With his ability to create plays and create openings just on his own ability, you can just kind of try to find that open space and you know he can find you," Sheary said. "That’s just one adjustment that I’ll try to make tonight, just to find that open area and maybe get to the net for him. ... It’s not going to change my forecheck, my speed. I’m not going to change any of that game. I think you try to complement a player like that because you know when they have the puck, a lot of good things happen."

Although the Sabres are just 3-7 in their last 10 games, they remain only three points behind Columbus for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot, with the Blue Jackets playing later tonight in Colorado.

"It's not like we've put ourselves in a terrible position. We're still there," Eichel said. "We win a few games and that's what's important. For us, the big focus right now is just worrying about that next game. It's important not to get too high or too low. At times this year during the 10-game winning streak I think we can get really high. During a slump like this, we can get low. It's important as a group to pretty much stay even keel and worry about that next game."

Buffalo News LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129126 Buffalo Sabres So far, that looks to be the case. Let’s look at it from two measures – Corsi percent (how well Dahlin and teammates drive play territorially), and Goal percent (how well Dahlin and teammates turn that offensive Travis Yost's Sabre Metrics: How Rasmus Dahlin has impacted team and zone pressure into a goal advantage). vice versa First, the Corsi percent measure:

Directionally, the trend is obvious. Both forwards and applicable By Josh Barnett defensive pairmates see reasonably strong performance from a Corsi percent perspective when playing with Dahlin. This makes sense – Published Tue, Feb 5, 2019 Buffalo has received 51.5 percent of the shots in its favor with Dahlin on the ice, and that’s been true across most of Buffalo’s lineup.

The only outliers tend to be guys who play in emphatic checking line Travis Yost has been involved in the world of hockey analytics for a roles (such as Vladimir Sobokta and, to some extent, Tage Thompson), decade and is currently part of TSN's Hockey Analytics team. Prior to or guys who just generally have poor performance numbers in the first joining TSN, Travis was a contributor at the Ottawa Citizen, the Sporting place (such as Rasmus Ristolainen). News and NHL Numbers, and has been a consultant for an NHL franchise. He will be contributing breakdowns on the Buffalo Sabres for The key piece is that middle section – how Dahlin performs away from a The Buffalo News this season. Follow Travis on Twitter: @travisyost. given player. You can see that Dahlin isn’t reliant on any particular player or group of players to drive his performance. He’s nearly getting 50 Playoffs or not, I think everyone in and around Buffalo recognized how percent of the shots when not playing with the likes of Jeff Skinner and critical the 2018-19 season would be from a player development Jack Eichel, which seems almost impossible when you consider how top standpoint. heavy this team has been. And at least in terms of order of importance, nothing was more critical The other side of the coin is also illuminating. Players see huge draw- than ensuring that the Sabres' 18-year-old rookie defenseman had a downs in performance when they move away from Dahlin. In fact, the smooth start to his NHL career. only regular teammate who has seen better results away from Dahlin has It is quite rare to see an 18-year-old get the type of minutes Rasmus been forward Conor Sheary. Otherwise, it’s virtually all negative or flat. Dahlin has received this year. That’s a huge endorsement of Dahlin’s play; less so of the rest of the roster. Even though hockey has increasingly evolved into a young man’s game, teams are still generally protective of young puck-movers. But the question you might ask – shots are great, but how does it drive goals? And does the trend change when we go to a goal-based analysis? Since the 2007-08 season, only 29 other teenage defenders of similar age and disposition receive similarly high volume usage. Some of those The trend is directionally the same but more dire in nature. Buffalo players were a year older, and some of those players were utilized much doesn’t have a goal problem when Dahlin is on the ice, and that’s less. At any rate, it’s not uncharted territory for Dahlin, but he’s certainly regardless of who he is playing with. All the challenges within Buffalo’s something of an exception to the standard NHL developmental curve: lineup tend to come with Dahlin off the ice.

It’s one thing for Dahlin to have the confidence of the coaching staff to To that end, you are left with two questions: How does Buffalo go about deploy him this aggressively. The mere fact that the most common building up the rest of the roster, and how much has the rest of the roster deployment comparables for Dahlin are players such as Victor Hedman actually suppressed Dahlin’s impact in his rookie season? We have and Erik Karlsson should tell you everything you need to know about how talked at length about the first question. The second one, not so much. the brain trust in Buffalo views Dahlin’s current talent and future potential. But it’s an important consideration for both Jason Botterill and Phil Housley going forward. But ice time is just one measure. Dahlin might have the confidence of the coaching staff, but that confidence can wane when the play doesn’t meet the pedigree. Case in point: Players such as Michael Del Zotto (20th Buffalo News LOADED: 02.06.2019 overall, 2008) and Dmitry Kulikov (14th overall, 2009) were similarly utilized during their rookie years, but watched their ice time erode as their play slipped.

I don’t think that will be an issue with Dahlin. One of the points we have been beating all season is that the Sabres are a top-heavy team of the highest order. Performance from their core players is the reason why they are firmly in a playoff race, but performance across the rest of their roster (and ultimately, the majority of their players) is why they are going to be fighting until the finish despite a 10-game winning streak that should have all but solidified their playoff berth. The roster is understandably flawed and thin during this transition year. Right now, the team is just trying to patchwork things in the stretch run.

One way that Buffalo has been able to combat top-heaviness has a lot to do with how Dahlin is deployed. One of the hallmarks of a great NHL defenseman is that he can play in any situation with any range of teammates and drive performance. Historically speaking, most high-end defenders – not dissimilar to high-end wingers or high-end centers – can spike the production of their teammates when they are on the ice. With Dahlin, that means not only being able to manage the most important minutes (facing tough competition with Jeff Skinner, Jack Eichel, and company), but also the peripheral minutes (playing with weaker talent against relatively weaker competition).

If we look at Dahlin’s "With Or Without You" numbers, we can measure performance by three separate strokes. First, we can see how Dahlin and a given player drive performance together. Then, we can look at how Dahlin plays away from a given player. And lastly, we can see how a player performs away from Dahlin. If we believe that Dahlin is the caliber defender we all think he is, we should be able to see consistent performance spikes whenever Dahlin sees a new teammate. 1129127 Buffalo Sabres transaction and the Beaulieu acquisition improved the Sabres roster by 0.6 GAR/60, with most of that coming from Pominville and Beaulieu. The team lost value in Marcus Foligno going away, while Tyler Ennis and Stimson: An evaluation of Jason Botterill’s moves since joining the Scandella were a swap of replacement-level players at the time. Sabres in June 2017 Botterill made many other signings to fill in the roster, but many did not provide a good return on investment. Summer signings included Benoit Pouliot, Jacob Josefson, and Seth Griffith. Pouliot was thought to be an By Ryan Stimson astute signing as he had many solid seasons before coming to Buffalo apart from his last season in Edmonton. It’s similar to Scandella as he Feb 5, 2019 had multiple good seasons before one down year. Josefson and Griffith were both replacement level players. Unfortunately, each were below- replacement level players during the 2017 – 2018 season, among others As the Sabres appear headed for yet another disappointing season, that were already on the roster. This contributed to the team’s overall many fans have expressed their frustration at players, coaches, and the performance as worse than the prior year. The forwards’ GAR/60 front office on Twitter. Even with a 10-game winning streak earlier this dropped to 0.04 from 0.15 and the backs were exactly at replacement season, the Sabres find themselves three points out of the final wild card level. Not a great first year for Botterill, but there’s only so much that a spot. They have 56 points in 51 games, a 90-point pace for a full season. GM can do in a season, so let’s move to last summer. They have earned only 20 points in the 26 games since November 29th, the day the streak ended. That is a 63-point pace, or one point better 2018 than their last-place NHL finish last season. Their play has been average Botterill got started before the 2018 season ended, signing William at best through the season and while there are some bright spots Borgen and Casey Mittelstadt to entry-level contracts. He later signed (Rasmus Dahlin and Lawrence Pilut the two brightest), this organization Victor Olofsson to his ELC, re-signed Casey Nelson and then made his deserves a hard look as to whether or not they can turn it around. Today, biggest signing of the offseason: Lawrence Pilut. Where would this team we’ll take a look at the moves Jason Botterill has made since arriving in be without him? Drafting Dahlin was a no-brainer, acquiring Jeff Skinner May 2017 to try and answer whether fans should feel good about the for Cliff Pu and some picks was a no-brainer, acquiring Conor Sheary for team moving forward. All GAR or WAR references and charts are from a conditional 4th round pick was a no-brainer, but someone in the front EvolvingHockey. Let’s get to it. office did a damn good job recommending Pilut and then Botterill After the 7-3 humbling at the hands of the Blackhawks on Friday, this is a executed by signing him. These were excellent moves. look at the Sabres’ five-game rolling shot differential. The team has some I won’t re-litigate the Ryan O’Reilly trade that much here. I’ve written good results early on, but has been roughly average since then, with about it and while it’s difficult to know if there was any pressure internally some stretches well below average and some recent performances to from ownership to move him before his signing bonus was due, the bring it back above. The team can improve through efforts of the Pegulas famously said if they needed money they’d “drill a well.” If the coaching staff as well as the front office. I’ve already written a bit about owner tells the GM to do something, they have to do it and we can’t really areas Housley can improve the team, so today we’ll spend more time on fault them, but you’d hope a GM can convince the owner why something Botterill. would be a good or bad move and allow them time to make a better deal. Since a general manager’s job is about adding talent to the team to win We may never know exactly why the move was made – I don’t buy the games by accumulating picks, high-end prospects or ready-made NHL locker room cancer talk due to someone honestly expressing some players, all while keeping an eye on the future and the salary cap, we’re frustration with the team on locker cleanout day. going to see exactly how much value Botterill has provided Housley I will mention a few quick points on what tha trade did to the team, since hiring the head coach in June 2017. however. It is important to note that had the Sabres kept ROR, it wouldn’t The Sabres roster that finished the 2017 season was slightly above have precluded them from acquiring Skinner due to the nearly equal cap replacement level. The forwards were worth 0.15 GAR/60, or 0.15 Goals hits exchanged in that trade. This is a point that is lost on some Twitter Above Replacement per 60 minutes of play, but the team was dragged users. down a bit by their backs, who were just above replacement level at 0.02 A side effect of the ROR trade was that the extra bodies that came back GAR/60. This is what Botterill inherited and he immediately went to work in the trade have clogged roster spots. I get playing Tage Thompson to improving the team. see how he performs, but Patrik Berglund and Vladimir Sobotka were 2017 veteran players slowly depreciating in value. The NHL as a whole is largely conservative when it comes to giving young players extended Thanks to the amazing CapFriendly, we have a transaction list for each looks, but I would much rather play an under 24-year-old player who may signing and trade for each GM in the league. Botterill’s first move after or may not be good but is entering the prime of their ability than a 30- coming aboard was to sign Victor Antipin from the KHL. Antipin finished year-old player who will never be as good as they used to be again, the year playing in 47 games and having basically a replacement-level especially if they are not a good player to begin with. year according to EvolvingHockey. Antipin and Casey Nelson had very similar years. Antipin has since gone back to Russia. I will just add this: O’Reilly was the Sabres’ fourth most valuable forward by GAR/60 in 2017 – 2018. The Sabres replaced him with their two worst On the trade front, Botterill’s first move was acquiring Nathan Beaulieu forwards by GAR/60 in Vladimir Sobotka and Tage Thompson. O’Reilly is for a third round pick in June 2017. The move was hailed at the time, as worth 0.571 GAR/60 this season with the Blues, or a little better than last Beaulieu was a player favored by most of the analytics community. season. Sobotka and Thompson combined for a -1.069 GAR/60. Patrik Unfortunately, the season he was coming off of was an outlier compared Beglund was about replacement-level. That’s a swing of 1.64 GAR/60 to the rest of his career at that point. from that trade. Considering only the on-ice impact of the trade, it has been an utter disaster and was foreseeable at the time. Not long after, Botterill swung a deal with the Minnesota Wild for Jason Pominville and Marco Scandella, Scandella was a player on the decline Having said that, the Sabres are an improved team, both upon last year after his first below-replacement season in Minnesota. He’s been worse and the year prior to Botterill taking over. He has improved the team here in Buffalo, but this should have given the Sabres pause before significantly in some areas. The forwards are currently producing 0.21 pulling the trigger, similar to Beaulieu. Players can reach another level at GAR/60, which is a 33 percent increase from when Botterill took over various stages of their careers, but teams have to ask what is more likely (0.15). The backs are producing at 0.12 GAR/60, or six times the value to happen? In the case of Beaulieu, I could see the argument for when he took the job. It’s safe the say the team has improved from a acquiring him and hoping that he would be a bit better than his early talent standpoint. career, but perhaps not quite as good as his recent season. In Scandella’s case, you’d probably hope for something similar, but there Of course, there is the question of between the pipes. Out went Robin were warning signs for each. Lehner – who was dealing with far more than the pressures of a game and looks to have made tremendous strides in his quality of life – and in Pominville, on the other hand, has played at a high level for a long time. came Carter Hutton. Their seasons could not have been more different. Lehner is second in the league in goals saved above expected according It was worth it to gamble on Scandella in order to bring Pommers back, to EvolvingHockey, saving 14.4 goals more than one would expect given considering the outgoing players were of lesser value. All told, this the quality and volume he’s faced. Hutton finds himself 45th, yielding 4.6 more goals than one would expect. Linus Ullmark has been slightly skid. Hockey is a random, chaotic game. Humans are always so better, but still negative, yielding 3.3 more than expected. Would the desperate to explain things that we lose sight of that. If the winning streak Sabres be in a solid playoff position had they retained Lehner? had occurred in January, the narrative around the team would be different, wouldn’t it? The timing of wins should not change the high-level Many in the community weren’t sold on signing Hutton off one career view of the team for evaluation purposes. Botterill has improved the year in his 30s, myself included. It’s fair to say no one could have talent level of the team overall, but I am only cautiously optimistic for the predicted Lehner’s rebound, especially given what we now know he was deadline and 2019 offseason at this moment. There needs to be some working through, but the Hutton move hasn’t provided much value yet. addition by subtraction before I can feel confident in the organization’s 2019 plan going forward.

Botterill’s work isn’t done. Tampa Bay is the team at the top of the division and league, setting the standard for team-building at the The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 moment. No one else comes close. Their forwards collectively are performing at a rate equal to 0.57 GAR/60, or more than twice as much as the Sabres forwards. Their backs are at 0.39, or three times as good as the Sabres. While this season continues to be frustrating, it’s important to keep in mind the team, across the entire season, has played at a 90-point pace. Had they mixed in a few more wins last month and a few more losses back in November, fans wouldn’t feel like the sky is falling. There is progress being made in the talent acquisition department. Whether that talent is being used to the maximum benefit of the team is another question.

How can the team take the next step?

With the trade deadline approaching – and I encourage you to check out John Vogl’s piece heading into deadline month – it’s important to keep in mind where the Sabres are at on their trajectory. Their 5v5 play has been much better offensively, but defensively the team is as bad as it was last season. They should look to continue to improve the talent on the blue line by subtracting the below-replacement level players, specifically Scandella and Zach Bogosian.

With each having one more year on their deals (Bogo at $5.1M AAV, Scandella at $4M AAV), it may be difficult to move them, but every attempt should be made.

The Sabres should be clearing as much cap space as they can to prepare an offer sheet for multiple players. All the talk is on Mitch Marner or Brayden Point, but Timo Meier is one target the Sabres should consider. Jacob Trouba is another RFA this summer that would round out a top four of Dahlin, Pilut and Rasmus Ristolainen for sure. Acquiring as many picks and prospects at this deadline will alleviate any lost in an offer sheet transaction.

Conclusion

Botterill has added more talent to the team than he had when he arrived when it comes to the skaters and he’s done it in just under two seasons. The team should add a few more prospects and picks at the deadline to continue acquiring currency. The decision to move on from Lehner and sign Hutton has not been in Botterill’s favor. Every GM is going to have hits and misses and while the O’Reilly trade set the team back this season, they have improved enough in other areas to make it a definitive step forward. Smart teams are always buying and selling and that should be Buffalo’s approach at this deadline as well. While we never know what conversations are being held and trades that are almost-made, I think it’s fair to reason that Botterill felt more veteran depth was needed entering this season. Would the team really be worse off with Victor Oloffson, CJ Smith, or Danny O’Regan getting Sobotka or Thompson’s minutes right now? Or Berglund’s vacated minutes? Would the blue line be even better with Brendan Guhle in place of Scandella or Bogosian?

Botterill has done an okay job, but I think it’s fair to criticize him for being unable to move depreciating veteran players that have undeservedly taken up roster spots that could be given to younger players to provide extended looks for evaluation purposes. There’s no reason to delay, as the team is unlikely to get back into a playoff spot before the trade deadline. If an organization truly wants to be progressive and take advantage of front offices who are content with the status quo, this is one of the signs we should look to to determine that. The New England Patriots are often lauded for moving a player before the rest of the league catches up to their declining performance – is there someone out there who believes Scandella, Bogosian, and Sobotka could help them in the playoffs? The Sabres get better with them off the roster.

I’m not calling for Botterill to make moves as a result of the team’s recent play. Hot and cold streaks shouldn’t force GMs to make moves. No one was clamoring for Botterill to add pieces to contend while the team was winning 10 in a row, right? Equally, no one should be calling for for Botterill to do something with the sole purpose of getting them out of this 1129128 Calgary Flames away there a little bit late, and then we responded in our next game (in Raleigh, N.C.).

“So we’re looking forward to our third game after the all-star break 'Big Streak Dave' gunning to match franchise best goaltending string against San Jose.”

Peters, of course, expects to see the same passion from his charges Todd Saelhof that’s pushed them so far in this sensational season.

“You’ll see it from our team,” Peters said. “We’ve played a lot of passionate games here recently. The Washington game ended up being ‘Big Save Dave’ is set to become ‘Big Streak Dave.’ passionate. Our last game against San Jose was a passionate game. We were talking about the two Minnesota games being passionate games. The Calgary Flames netminder needs to avoid just one more regulation Really good vibe in our game Sunday — good emotion.” loss — which could come as early as Thursday night at the Saddledome — to match personal streaks put up the likes of former franchise goalies The bench boss says it’s the only way to make other teams pay in the Mike Vernon and Brian Elliott. NHL’s home-stretch.

Yup, David Rittich is all that — and becoming much more, as he’s “I think it’s circumstances — desperation for teams for points to get into commanding massive attention in his third season of National Hockey the playoffs, and also, you want to be playing at a high level coming into League life. the playoffs,” Peters added. “You don’t want to be building your game in the playoffs. You want to be coming in at a high level, confident in the And he and the Flames are loving every minute of it. team game and in your individual game.” “I will take it as a compliment, for sure,” said the man in the spotlight.

“Nobody probably was thinking that I can play all these games that I have played. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 02.06.2019 “But I don’t really care about the attention,” Rittich continued. “I just want to play my game, and in the end, I just want to do my job and take a ‘W’ home and keep working hard and be (staying where we are) in the standings.”

Of course, where the Flames are — before Tuesday’s scheduled games — is on top of the NHL’s Western Conference, standing proud with a 34- 14-5 record for 73 points, three more than one of the early-season Stanley Cup favourites, the Winnipeg Jets.

In fact, Rittich & Co. sit second in the league overall, with just the Tampa Bay Lightning, another season-long fave to hoist the championship trophy, ahead of them on 80 points.

And Rittich is a big reason — if not the biggest reason — why the Flames find themselves in such a sparkling situation heading into Thursday’s home test against yet another Stanley Cup favourite in the San Jose Sharks (7 p.m., Sportsnet One/Sportsnet 960 The Fan).

Fifty-three games into the campaign, Rittich has yet to drop a game in regulation on home ice.

Wow.

With Sunday’s 4-3 victory over the host Carolina Hurricanes, Rittich improved to 9-0-3 in his last 12 appearances dating back to Dec. 20 — buoyed by a 2.87 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage. Vernon put up a 12-0-1 record in 13 games from Jan. 11–Feb. 27, 1989, while Elliott did the same from Feb. 15–March 19, 2017.

Just how is this all coming together for you, Dave?

“I think it’s about hard work in practice and being mentally prepared for everything that can happen in a game, because you never know what can happen in a game,” Rittich said. “The bounces off the walls and everything that happens in the game … you have to be prepared for it.”

He is, in spades, even if his stellar season so far — a 20-4-0-4 record, 2.49 GAA, .918 save percentage and one shutout — doesn’t surprise everyone in hockey.

“Not too much surprises me anymore,” said Flames head coach Bill Peters. “He’s been good.”

And certainly — as Peters added Tuesday — Dave’s big saves aren’t the only reason for the success that’s put the Flames in the NHL spotlight.

There’s a team in front of him which is streaky good as well.

Call the Flames red-hot, in fact, as they’ve suffered just three losses in 13 games — since the new calendar year began — including last Friday’s 4-3 loss to the host Washington Capitals, which Peters described as a solid effort.

“Our team’s been good,” Peters said. “We like how we’re playing. We like how we came out of the break. We had a real good skate in Washington — tough travel day but a real good skate. We felt like we let one get 1129129 Calgary Flames

Flames defenceman Hamonic back skating

Todd Saelhof

February 5, 2019 4:51 PM MST

Travis Hamonic was back on the ice Tuesday morning ahead of Calgary Flames practice at the Saddledome two days after sitting out Sunday’s 4- 3 in over the host Carolina Hurricanes.

“He skated on his own,” Flames head coach Bill Peters said of his injured defenceman. “If everything goes good in treatment, he might join us (Wednesday) in practice. So we’ll know a lot more (Wednesday). We’ll see how he responds.”

Hamonic was injured in Friday night’s 4-3 loss to the host Washington Capitals. After sustaining a lower-body injury in the first period, he played the part of warrior to take seven more shifts before calling it quits after 40 minutes.

The Manitoba native skated with fellow blueliner Michael Stone before the rest of the Flames took the ice for their first practice session after the two-game road trip that followed the all-star break.

“If he gets through (Wednesday) — if he can practise full boat — then he’ll be an option,” added Peters, when asked if he thought Hamonic might be ready to face the San Jose Sharks at the Dome on Thursday (7 p.m., Sportsnet One/Sportsnet 960 The Fan).

“If not, then no.”

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129130 Calgary Flames 2018-19 club is on pace to finish ahead of them. Leading the way that season was Hakan Loob with eight shorties. Also sniping multiple times were Joe Nieuwendyk (3), Brad McCrimmon (3), Perry Berezan (2), Jim Flames prowess at scoring shorthanded has them moving in on elite Peplinski (2) and Al MacInnis (2). company historically As a refresher for the casual observer, there are 10 Flames players deployed regularly on the penalty kill:

By Darren Haynes Forwards

Feb 5, 2019 PK1 – Jankowski, Lindholm

PK2 – Ryan, Hathaway

Among the many distinctions, Edmonton Oilers teams of the mid-to-late PK3 – Backlund, Frolik ’80s were prolific at two things: 1. Scoring shorthanded goals. 2. Winning Defence Stanley Cups. PK1 – Giordano, Hamonic Perhaps that bodes well for this year’s Flames, who have the first part down pat. PK2 – Brodie, Hanifin

Calgary scored its league-leading 16th shorthanded goal on Sunday in Inflicting the most damage has been sophomore centre Mark Jankowski, Carolina. Just past the halfway point in the second period, where a power who leads the NHL with seven shorthanded points (4 goals, 3 assists). play goal for the Hurricanes would have evened the score 2-2, the That accounts for over a third of his total points. He’s one point up on Flames took a 3-1 lead instead with Garnet Hathaway tapping in a slick Arizona’s Michael Grabner (4-2-6). Nobody else has more than four setup from Derek Ryan. points.

With 29 games to go, Calgary’s lethal penalty kill is on pace to finish with Beyond Jankowski, Calgary has featured a well-balanced attack. 25 goals. Only eight teams in NHL history have notched that many shorthanded goals with five of them being Oilers teams from the ’80s. Flames shorthanded scoring leaders:

Starting in 1983, Edmonton hit that mark four consecutive seasons: Mark Jankowski, 4-3-7

1983-84 Oilers, 36 SH goals – Won Stanley Cup Mark Giordano, 3-1-4

1984-85 Oilers, 25 SH goals – Won Stanley Cup Derek Ryan, 0-4-4

1985-86 Oilers, 27 SH goals Travis Hamonic, 1-2-3

1986-87 Oilers, 28 SH goals – Won Stanley Cup Elias Lindholm 1-2-3

The one blip in that stretch was the 1986 postseason when Calgary, Garnet Hathaway, 2-0-2 thanks to Steve Smith’s infamous own-goal, upset Edmonton in Game 7 Michael Frolik, 2-0-2 of the Smythe Division final. That year, the Flames would end up reaching the Stanley Cup final. Mikael Backlund, 1-1-2

But beyond that, those years were a deadly double dose of Oilers Noah Hanifin, 1-1-2 shorthanded goals carved into game summaries and Edmonton names TJ Brodie, 1-0-1 engraved onto the Stanley Cup. Jankowski also leads the way in plus/minus on the penalty kill. In 95:49 It’s hard to imagine anyone will ever touch the 36 shorthanded goals of shorthanded ice time, he’s remarkably still in the black at plus-two. racked up by the Oilers in 1983-84 when they went a franchise-best 57- He’s been on the ice for 10 SH goals and just eight PP goals against. 18-5. It’s the NHL’s all-time record, eight more than the next highest total. Next best is Hathaway at minus-two — six SH goals for and eight PP In one of his four 200-point seasons, Wayne Gretzky had a mind- goals against in 77:08 of ice time. boggling 12 goals and 23 points while shorthanded. Jari Kurri (5), Mark Messier (4) and Glenn Anderson (4), Pat Hughes (3) and Kevin The other quirky thing I learned is over 80 percent of the time (13 out of McClelland (2) also scored multiple times on the PK. 16), the shorthanded goals are being scored while one of their own is the guy sitting in the penalty box. It’s as if they rally together and are extra Scoring regularly when a man short, and winning often, is a correlation motivated to bail out their fellow PKer. that extends beyond the Oilers. The three exceptions were SH goals during penalties to Czarnik, The first team to score 25 SH goals was the 1970-71 Bruins (57-14-7), Monahan and Tkachuk. Beyond that, those funny penalty box cellies who were the best team during the regular season by a mile. While they have belonged to Hathaway (3), Giordano (2), Lindholm (2), Backlund got upset in seven games by Montreal in the playoffs that season, that (2), Ryan (2), Hamonic and Hanifin. was a dangerous team that still holds the franchise record for points in a season. Ed Westfall and had seven goals apiece to pace Shorthanded goals really can be the great equalizer and it’s a variable Boston’s shorthanded attack. (6), (3) and one can’t discount when assessing how effective a team is on the penalty Dallas Smith (2) also had multiple goals. kill.

Since the ’80s, only once has a team notched 25 goals while on the At first glance, Calgary’s PK looks below-average with 35 PP goals penalty kill. In 2005-06, the Ottawa Senators did it. They were led by against on 170 chances. Antoine Vermette (6), who just retired. Also contributing multiple goals were Daniel Alfredsson (5), Mike Fisher (4), Peter Schaefer (4) and Dany PK leaders – Standard (PK%) Heatley (2). 1. Arizona, 87.1 The next-best season of the last three decades was the 1993-94 Detroit 2. Vegas, 84.2 Red Wings, who sniped 22 shorties. They were led by Sergei Fedorov (4), Steve Yzerman (3), Keith Primeau (3) and Vladimir Konstantinov (3). 3. New Jersey, 84.1

Rounding out the all-time 25-or-more club were two teams that both did it 4. Tampa Bay, 84.0 in 1988-89 — Edmonton (27), again, and the Chicago Blackhawks (25). 5. Minnesota, 83.5 The best of the rest, and also the franchise record, is held by the 1987-88 Flames, who scored 23 shorthanded goals. In this same theme, that was 19. Calgary, 79.4 also an excellent team. Calgary’s 48-23-9 record that year is the second- best winning percentage in team history, behind 1988-89. Although this But the ability to strike for shorthanded goals has to be factored in. Add in poked off him by Hanifin, who charges up ice. Following the play is those 16 shorties and now you’re talking about a net PP goals against of Jankowski and with Vancouver forwards puck watching and not bearing 19. Use that number and while all the other best penalty killing teams down on the next-most dangerous guy right in front of them, he arrives at remain at the top, and in the same order, when they’re rewarded for their the crease unchecked to knock in the rebound. shorthanded scoring, the exception is the Flames, who climb all the way from No. 19 to No. 2. It shows us exactly how dynamic and opportunistic Keys Calgary’s PK has been in attack. Speed from the defence, this time Hanifin pulling away to create the PK leaders – Net (PP goals against minus SH goals for) initial chance.

1. Arizona, 95.2 Jankowski takes advantage of lackadaisical play from the Canucks backcheckers. 2. Calgary, 88.8 Dec. 29 vs. Vancouver 3. Vegas, 88.2 Later in that same game, a bouncing puck in the slot is flicked away by 4. New Jersey, 87.8 Hamonic, who sees a chance for an odd-man rush and heads up ice with the puck. With Lindholm alongside him, serving as a decoy, he snaps a 5. Tampa Bay, 87.0 shot inside the post on Jacob Markstrom.

Earlier in the season, I asked assistant coach Ryan Huska, who is in Keys charge of the penalty kill, why the club is so dangerous with the extra man. Again, it’s a forward caught back for the opposition and Hamonic takes advantage by going after Nikolay Goldobin. “I think it’s because more penalty kills are a little bit more aggressive than they used to be,” said Huska. “If pucks are on the wall, they’re all coming Hamonic doesn’t try to force a pass, that could be intercepted, and and they’re coming very hard and sometimes you create a loose puck simply takes the shot. race and maybe you don’t have someone on that power play who is working back the way he should.” Dec. 27 at Winnipeg

I took some time to re-watch all of Calgary’s shorthanded goals since the After a point shot deflects off the skate of Mark Giordano and into the start of December. Most of them are captured here. As I went through corner, Travis Hamonic chips the puck off the boards to spring Lindholm them, some consistent themes emerged. and Jankowski on a 2-on-1. Lindholm moves the puck up quickly to Jankowski who keeps it simple, waits for Dustin Byfuglien to drop to the Feb. 3 at Carolina ice, puts a shot inside the goal post on Connor Hellebuyck.

Trying to retrieve a puck coming around the boards, Sebastian Aho has Keys to turn his back to the play. Calgary takes that opportunity to pounce with Rasmus Andersson continuing to push up from the corner and Ryan Lindholm reads the play developing and starts breaking out, receiving cutting off the high side. As a result, Aho can’t get the puck back cleanly Hamonic’s pass in full stride. to the point with Ryan chipping it off the wall and around Teuvo Peters has often emphasized playing a direct game. Jankowski doesn’t Teravainen. Ryan neatly sets up Hathaway on the 2-on-1. complicate things, he has the shot so he takes it.

Keys Dec. 16 at St. Louis

Seeing that he was vulnerable, they outnumber Aho along the boards. The Blues win the faceoff, but as Jaden Schwartz attempts to slide the Taking advantage of a forward playing on the point, Teravainen gets puck back to Colton Parayko at the point, Lindholm arrives at the same caught flat-footed. time and is able to knock it past the defenceman. He races away on a breakaway and beats Jake Allen on the blocker side. Jan. 18 vs. Detroit Keys The Red Wings turn the puck over in the slot and with three players caught deep, Calgary takes off on a 3-on-2. Thirty seconds into the PK, it Lindholm anticipates where the puck is going and aggressively gets out is an opportunity to get it in deep and go for a line change. Instead, to the point where he catches Parayko flat-footed. trailing by a goal in the third, the Flames attack. As he crosses centre ice, As Huska mentioned, guys on the power play sometimes don’t Ryan cuts to his left, pulling Dylan Larkin toward him and opening up backcheck very vigorously and this is an example. Had Allen stopped the space down for Giordano. Ryan’s pass finds the captain and his shot first shot, Jankowski was right there to knock in a rebound against an deflects in off Larkin’s stick. uninterested Blues backcheck.

Keys Dec. 15 at Minnesota

Giordano’s determined hustle up the ice makes it an odd-man rush. After a blocked shot, Jankowski corrals the loose puck and takes off with Ryan takes advantage of a forward (Larkin) caught back by getting him to it, joined by Giordano. As he crosses the blueline, he cuts to his left to overcommit. draw Ryan Suter to him, before threading a pass into the middle for Giordano, who has outraced 24-year-old Matt Dumba up ice and he puts Jan. 3 at Boston a perfect shot past Devan Dubnyk.

Just as a 5-on-3 is expiring, Jankowski gets the puck, looks up and sees Keys Bruins forward David Krejci scrambling back so he heads up ice. From there, it’s a simple play. The Flames centre puts a shot on net then drives Not showing any signs that he’s 35 years old, Giordano sees an the net. Meanwhile, Frolik steps out of the penalty box, sees the backs of opportunity for a dangerous rush and he makes it exactly that by busting three Bruins jerseys and jumps into the rush undetected. He goes it up ice. straight to the net and knocks in the rebound. Great patience by Jankowski to hold onto the puck and provide time and Keys space for Giordano.

As a forward forced into defending, Krejci looks uncomfortable and Dec. 12 vs. Philadelphia Jankowski takes full advantage by going up his side. It’s just a loose puck in the Flames end, but Calgary turns it into a scoring Frolik notices the Bruins backcheckers snoozing, so he jumps into the chance, by heading up the ice in numbers while four Flyers are caught play and goes hard to the net. deep. With Giordano the puck carrier, Ryan uses his speed to bust up the right side and provide a pass option, but he ends up nothing more Dec. 29 vs. Vancouver than a distraction as Giordano takes the shot and scores.

Opposing teams have struggled with gaining the zone when Calgary’s Keys: PK lines up along the blueline. In this instance, Josh Leivo has the puck Calgary sees that the Flyers only have one guy back so they go on the attack in numbers.

Again, it’s keeping the execution simple. It’s a 2-on-1, but Giordano takes the shot and doesn’t miss.

For me, there’s three overriding themes to how Calgary has been scoring its shorthanded goals:

Defencemen aggressively pushing up the ice. From Giordano to Hamonic to Hanifin to Brodie, all four are never hesitant to head up ice and join the rush, it doesn’t matter if they’re at the end of a shift. If they sense a chance to score a goal, they’re digging deep and leaving it all out there.

Taking advantage of mismatches. The flipside of the four forward-one defenceman power play setup so much of the league deploys is it leaves you vulnerable when the PK goes on the counterattack. Guys like Lindholm, Jankowski and Ryan have the skill set to exploit actual defencemen, never mind forwards posing as such.

Relentless in driving the net. The backchecking on some of those goals looked beer league pace. Calgary has been taking advantage by relentlessly attacking the net with a strong stick, ready for the rebound and burying it if comes. The Flames exuberance in getting to the net is turning what should be 50/50 puck battles into lopsided results.

You can’t overstate the value of a shorthanded goal.

Scoring when you’re outnumbered galvanizes the team, fires up the bench, energizes the building (if it’s a home game, or cranks up the pressure on the home side if you’re the visitor) and gives you momentum.

It’s no coincidence that Calgary’s record in games in which they have scored a shorthanded goal is excellent at 10-2-1.

Within those games, most of the goals have been significant, too:

First goal – 2 (Frolik, Giordano)

Tying goal – 3 (Jankowski 2, Giordano)

Go-ahead goal – 2 (Giordano, Hamonic)

Insurance goal – 6 (Hathaway 2, Lindholm, Jankowski, Backlund, Hanifin)

Other – 3 (Brodie, Jankowski, Frolik)

So while Calgary may give up more PP goals than most teams, there’s a trade-off happening. Give up a few more PP goals, but score a bunch more SH goals.

Looking at some of the other teams in the Western Conference, sure San Jose (27), Dallas (26), Minnesota (26) and Vegas (24) have given up fewer power play goals than Calgary’s 35. But having scored just five, four, five and six shorthanded goals, respectively, which team would you rather be?

With the Flames second overall in the league standings, it’s hard to argue with the results.

Should they be able to keep it up, history is on their side, too.

The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129131 Carolina Hurricanes “It always leaves a mark on your body,” he said. “It takes a special someone to get in front of an 80 or 90 mile per hour shot. But you do it for your team. It can really get the boys going.” Blocking shots in the NHL: ‘You close your eyes and pray’ News Observer LOADED: 02.06.2019 BY CHIP ALEXANDER FEBRUARY 05, 2019 12:40 PM

Brock McGinn was down on the ice, in pain. A lot of pain. The Carolina Hurricanes forward had just blocked a shot by defenseman Shea Theodore of the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday, the puck catching McGinn near his left ankle. He struggled to get up, finally hobbling to the bench, grimacing as others around him patted him on the back. Nearly everyone in the arena seemed to have their eyes on McGinn, as if somehow feeling part of his pain. What does it feel like to block a shot in the National Hockey League? “It’s a good hurt,” McGinn said Monday. Come again? A good hurt? “Blocking shots, I’ve always kind of liked to do it,” McGinn said. Nearby, defenseman Calvin de Haan smiled. “Ginner’s a little crazy,” he said. It’s a necessary part of being a hockey player, especially a role player like McGinn, who sees a lot of shorthanded time on the penalty kill. Defensemen block countless shots, with all parts of their bodies. “You just close your eyes and brace yourself and hope you get hit in a good spot,” de Haan said. “It takes a big set of cojones to get in front of some of those pucks. Ginner’s pretty fearless and guys really rally around that kind of stuff.” McGinn was helping to protect a 4-2 lead against Vegas at PNC Arena. Theodore had both goals for the Golden Knights and was winding up for another big slap shot, looking to make it a one-goal game. McGinn lowered his left leg to the ice, putting himself in harm’s way, taking the full brunt of the shot. Moments later, defenseman Justin Faulk flipped the loose puck nearly the length of the rink and into an empty net for a 5-2 lead. But McGinn was the one everyone first congratulated at the bench, including Faulk. “It’s an important piece of a team,” McGinn said of shot-blocking. “When you see guys out there sacrificing and trying to block shots, I think that it shows the guys that you care and want to be there. It just sort of brings everybody in.” But, man, does it hurt. A hockey puck is a piece of vulcanized rubber that’s an inch thick, three inches in diameter and weighs about six ounces. The pucks are frozen before games, all the better for moving smoother and faster on the ice. That’s all well and good until someone like, say, Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals winds up for a 100 mph one-timer on that frozen black disk. Canes defenseman Brett Pesce has been in that position before. And ... “You thinking, ‘Don’t hit me,’” he said, laughing. “You close your eyes and pray it doesn’t hit you in the wrong spot and doesn’t break anything.” Pesce and de Haan lead the Canes with 84 blocks apiece this season and defenseman Jaccob Slavin has 83. Carolina, as a team, has one of the lowest totals in the NHL. The Canes also allow the fewest shots against in the league. It’s something of an art form, blocking shots, and something that has to be practiced, Pesce said, as unappealing as that might sound. “There’s a lot of anticipation,” Pesce said. “You have to anticipate where the puck’s going and when and where it’s going off the stick. It’s like any other read in hockey, reading where the puck’s going to go.” Pesce said in his first year in the NHL, he caught a shot off his ankle and suffered a fracture. He tried to play through the pain but finally had to shut it down for a while. But nearly all blocked shots hurt, he said. 1129132 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks roar back with five 3rd-period goals to beat Oilers 6-2 for 5th straight win

Jimmy Greenfield

If the Blackhawks are able to come all the way back from oblivion to make the playoffs, they'll point to what they did to the Oilers Tuesday night as their launching pad. The Hawks scored five third-period goals, including four in a span of 2 minutes, 48 seconds, to stun the Oilers, 6-2, at Rogers Place and send them to their season-high fifth straight victory. The win pulled the Hawks to within three points of the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. However, they still trail five teams and two of them — the Blues and Avalanche — have played three fewer games. After a scoreless second period, the Hawks trailed 2-1 entering the third. John Hayden's third goal of the season at the 16:10 mark tied the game, and Dylan Strome followed 1:33 later with a blistering wrist shot to beat Oilers goalie Cam Talbot. Patrick Kane made it 4-2 as he found a rebound and slipped it past a sprawled out Talbot 28 seconds later. After Kane's goal, which extended his point streak to 12 straight games, Oilers coach Ken Hitchcock replaced Talbot with Mikko Koskinen. But just 47 seconds later, former Oiler Drake Caggiula continued the onslaught with his ninth goal of the season and second in a Hawks uniform to put the Hawks ahead 5-2. Dominik Kahun added his ninth goal of the season to close out the scoring for the Hawks. Erik Gustafsson's third goal in his last two games put the Hawks up 1-0 just 1 minute, 55 seconds into the game. Four seconds after Ryan Nugent-Hopkins went into the penalty box for slashing, Jonathan Toews won a faceoff back to Gustafsson, who put up a soft wrist shot towards the next that got past a screened Cam Talbot. The Hawks held the lead through most of the first period until they got sloppy and took four minor penalties in the final four minutes. Leon Draisaitl scored twice on the power play before the period was over, including once on a 5-on-3, to take a 2-1 lead. Hawks goalie Cam Ward finished with 25 saves.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129133 Chicago Blackhawks

Oilers' Brandon Manning finding a new home for himself after midseason trade from Blackhawks

Jimmy Greenfield

When the Blackhawks signed Brandon Manning to a two-year deal last July, the veteran defenseman thought he had found a home. Less than six months later, the Hawks traded him to the Oilers. Manning played in 27 games for the Hawks but he wasn't a good fit for coach Jeremy Colliton's system. He was a healthy scratch for eight straight games before the Dec. 30 deal that brought Drake Caggiula over from the Oilers. Manning is in a better situation with the Oilers but was a healthy scratch against the Hawks when defenseman Oscar Klefbom returned from a hand injury. Since the trade, Manning has played in 10 of the Oilers' 15 games. "After the first couple months of the season I saw the writing on the wall," Manning said. "It could have been a lot worse. (Jan Rutta) ended up on waivers and he's in the American (Hockey) League now. It's something that's always in the back of your mind. But I was never drafted. I was never supposed to be here so for me to be getting paid to play hockey and travel and play in the NHL most days are pretty good for me." Working it out: While the Hawks' power play has been vastly improved, the penalty kill statistically remains the worst in the league. The Hawks allowed power-play goals in each of their games since the break but Colliton believes they're close to turning things around. "We're making progress," Colliton said. "We want to be more aggressive. We want to deny clean entry and don't allow them to set up. I think we're getting better at that."

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Blackhawks and Oilers have stars Patrick Kane and Connor McDavid to thank for much of their offense

Jimmy Greenfield

There are obvious differences between Patrick Kane and Connor McDavid. Kane, who is generously listed at 5-foot-10-inches, has already hit 30 years old while the lanky 6-foot-1-inch McDavid is still practically a kid at 22. Kane is a right wing and has three Stanley Cups while McDavid plays center and has ... well, let’s not get snarky. Many of the similarities between the NHL superstars are specific to this season and made for an interesting comparison before the Blackhawks took on the Oilers at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Tuesday night. Not only do they both have 76 points, but Kane and McDavid each entered the game with 31 goals and 45 assists. There are a smattering of minor parallels between the two — Kane has 18 penalty minutes to McDavid’s 16, for example — as well as between their teams. The most important commonality between Kane and McDavid is the enormous impact they have on their respective teams. The Hawks and Oilers were separated by just two points in the standings before Tuesday's game and are trying to launch themselves from the bottom of the pack into the Western Conference's final wild-card spot. If either team gets there, it will be in large part because of Kane or McDavid. “Nothing could really be happening on (McDavid’s) shift and then boom, he’s got a chance or a two-on-one or a mini little break,” Kane said. “It’s pretty impressive to watch him do that. I think he’s in on more than 50 percent of their goals this year as far as points-wise, so it shows how much he means to that team.” Kane was correct about McDavid's overwhelming contribution to the Oilers' offense. McDavid has had a hand in 50.3 percent of Edmonton’s goals this season. The Hawks have scored 167 goals, so Kane’s at 45.5 percent, but he's also scored 25 more points than second-leading scorer Jonathan Toews. McDavid has just 13 points more than Oilers teammate Leon Draisaitl. “(Kane) obviously has those games where he gets four points,” Hawks coach Jeremy Colliton said. “He’ll do that, but he’s finding a way to bring it every night, finding somehow to have an impact on the game.” Oilers coach Ken Hitchcock spent seven seasons at the helm of the Blues and Stars, two of the Hawks’ division rivals, and has a deep appreciation for Kane’s talent. “He has a uniqueness under pressure,” Hitchcock said. “He can find the weak side of the ice. So he can find people outside coverage that no one else in the league can find. As he’s getting checked in the zone he can pass the puck through four players and there aren’t many players (who can do that).” McDavid’s 22 minutes, 52 seconds of ice time is second among centers and Kane's 22:13 is tops among wingers. They play in all situations and are dangerous anytime they touch the ice. “Two similar guys as far as how the coaches are using them,” Colliton said. The Hawks traded Brandon Manning to the Oilers in December, which has given him the chance to see how Kane and McDavid are inundated by fans and reporters every day. “I feel for those guys,” Manning said. “It's not your everyday thing. For (McDavid) to go and grab a bite to eat with his girlfriend or his family, I’m sure it can be difficult. For those guys to play as well as they do consistently and have to do the day in and day out, it’s another level for sure.”

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129135 Chicago Blackhawks You're reading the situation perfectly. Coach Jeremy Colliton and the players never have stopped talking about the playoffs and they're not going down without a fight. I don't think the Hawks have time to become Blackhawks Q&A: What is Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook's trade buyers, but they could win enough to prevent themselves from becoming value? Do the Hawks have a realistic shot at the playoffs? sellers. If the Feb. 25 trade deadline nears and the Hawks have moved ahead of two to three teams and are within a point or two of the final playoff spot, Jimmy Greenfield it's going to be extremely difficult not to maintain the status quo and see how it plays out. Perhaps if they've pulled even, they might make a deal to add some forward depth — but not at the cost of an asset they see helping them in the future. Can you believe only 29 games remain in the season? Or that no one asked about Patrick Kane in this week’s mailbag? Plenty asked about The other factor is that enticing trade offers might come well before the trading Brent Seabrook and whether the Blackhawks can make the deadline, perhaps forcing Bowman's hand earlier than he would prefer. playoffs, though. So let’s get to it. With the way Hawks have been playing lately, do you think they have a Do you think the Hawks would get much for Duncan Keith or Brent legitimate chance to make the playoffs, or is that just the optimist Cubs Seabrook? Both are past their prime. I’m sure teams would love to get fan in me taking over? — Elan K. their experience but probably won't give up a lot to get them. What would the Hawks get, maybe a third- to seventh-round draft choice? — Tony C. When asked over the last six weeks if the Hawks have a chance to make the playoffs, I've unequivocally said no. It’s out there to be found and Trading either of these players will be complicated, starting with the fact used against me in case they do. But I'm not too worried, and here's why. both have no-movement clauses. If they don't want to be traded, they won't be. And while they haven't said anything publicly to shut the door The Hawks are just a few points out of the final wild-card spot but they on a trade, they've given no indication they are willing to move on. are trailing a half-dozen teams and have played as many or more games than all of them. The odds are not good that the Hawks will be able to As for what they're worth, that's difficult to say. Seabrook is carrying a trio pick up enough points to jump every team ahead of them in the of problems when it comes to working out a deal. His contract has too standings. many years left for too much money, and he's not the player he used to be. But because the Western Conference is having a down season, the opportunity is there. The Hawks have 10 games before the trade Seabrook is already in a decline at 33. Imagine where he'll be when the deadline, so they have time. More likely, though, this will end up being a final year of his deal rolls around during the 2023-24 season. good run but without a playoff payoff. The Hawks almost certainly will have to retain some of Seabrook's cap If a player gets called up from the minors for a brief stint, does he hit, and the amount of money they retain would affect what they receive immediately begin getting paid the entry-level NHL player salary, even if in return. But keep in mind contending teams can get desperate. he never ends up playing in a game? And when sent back down, does he immediately revert to his AHL salary? If so, how do all these little Last year, the Candiens put Brandon Davidson on waivers in December, transactions play into the whole salary-cap equation when a team is right and the Oilers picked him up for nothing. A couple of months later at the up against the top of the cap? — Jonny L. trade deadline, the Oilers traded him to the Islanders for a third-round pick. The answer to your first question is yes. When a player is added to an NHL roster, he immediately is paid an NHL salary — whether or not he Keith is a different story. He has one fewer season and a lower cap hit plays in games. than Seabrook. Plus, he's a much better player right now and would be a top-four defenseman for almost any team. Again, how much the Hawks The Hawks had goalie Anton Forsberg for the first two weeks of the would be willing to retain affects the assets they would receive, but I'd season, and he never appeared in a game. But he received an NHL guess Keith is worth at least a first-round pick and a decent prospect. salary until he was sent down to the IceHogs. How does the press know that the Hawks asked Seabrook if he would When a player has an NHL contract, it's either a one-way or two-way waive his no-trade clause and he declined? Isn't that a personal thing deal. A one-way contract means the player receives the same salary between his agent and the general manager? I like Seabrook, and I think whether he’s in the NHL or AHL. Most veterans have one-way deals. it's a shame that not only are they asking if they can trade him but it becomes public knowledge. — Doug E. All entry-level contracts are two-way deals, which means the player will receive one salary if he’s in the NHL and a lower salary if he’s in the I asked Seabrook a few weeks ago if he would be willing to waive his no- AHL. movement clause, and he told me he didn't want to talk about it. That was the answer I expected. Carl Dahlstrom, who began the season with the IceHogs before the Hawks called him up, is one example. Dahlstrom's salary with the Reporters find things out by asking questions — it's as simple as that. IceHogs was $70,000. When the Hawks promoted him, he began There's nothing preventing a player, his agent or a general manager from receiving his $725,000 NHL salary. revealing information related to trade talks. But in this case, it's not clear the Hawks did ask Seabrook if would be willing to waive his no-trade Whatever happened to Michal Rozsival? — Michael J. clause. Rozsival's contract with the Hawks expired at the end of the 2017-18 It all began when TSN's Elliotte Friedman, who is a well-respected season, and the 40-year-old defenseman remains a free agent. hockey reporter, said at the tail end of a segment Saturday night that the Hawks had approached Seabrook about his willingness to be traded. What is Colliton’s plan to improve the defensive posture of the team, According to Friedman, Seabrook said he wanted to remain with the including players and plays? Specifically, how does he plan to improve Hawks. the penalty kill? — Dick D. After practice Monday, Hawks beat writers asked Seabrook to confirm or I'd argue Colliton's biggest imprint on the team has been what he has deny the report. Seabrook said he had not been approached and that he done with the defense. He immediately switched from zone to man-to- hasn't thought about what he would do if the Hawks did ask him. man, which took guts considering it had been years since many of the Hawks had played only zone for years under Quenneville. General manager Stan Bowman has declined to comment on the Friedman report as well as Seabrook's response. It was kind of a disaster for the first few weeks as players tried to learn the new system, and Colliton didn't have much practice time to install it. Friedman was asked Monday to respond to Seabrook’s denial and stuck The Hawks went 3-10-2 in Colliton's first 15 games, largely because the by his initial report. So there is an inconsistency in here. It's possible defense was in disarray. somebody isn't being entirely forthright or Friedman received bad information. The players are much more comfortable now with their defensive responsibilities, and there has been a big change in personnel. When There has been a lot of talk about the Hawks still being in the playoff Colliton arrived, Henri Jokiharju, Brandon Manning and Jan Rutta were hunt, and even though that is still technically true, it would take a on the roster. They're all gone. consistent hot streak for them to make a realistic push. With the situation as it is, does Stan Bowman change his plans with the trade deadline Connor Murphy returned from an injury, Carl Dahlstrom was called up approaching? I still see the Hawks as sellers. Am I reading the situation from the IceHogs and Slater Koekkoek was acquired in a trade with the correctly? — Cromberg S. Lightning. Murphy and Dahlstrom have become important contributors while Koekkoek is essentially their 7th defenseman. The penalty kill has been a problem all season. At times the Hawks are just too aggressive, which results in more open shots for opponents. But this likely is just a matter of not having the right personnelnow. Whatever the solution, Colliton hasn’t come up with it yet. I keep watching and listening but I never seem to get a clear definition of what a one-timer is. In plain language, what is it? — Margaret L. Simply put, a one-timer is when a player shoots the puck without first controlling it. It can come off a rebound, but most one-timers come off a teammate’s pass. The overtime goal Erik Gustafsson scored Saturday night against the Wild was a classic one-timer. DeBrincat sends a soft pass to Gustafsson, who winds up and shoots while the puck is still in motion. Take a look: Thanks everybody.

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Wild 6-2 victory over Oilers gets Blackhawks within 3 points of playoff spot

By Jason Lieser

EDMONTON, Alberta — The Blackhawks wrestled long enough to give themselves a chance, then blitzed the Oilers early in the third period. The Hawks scored four times in less than three minutes as they ran away 6-2 for their season-best fifth victory in a row. Stunningly, they’re only three points behind the Canucks for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. ‘‘It’s nice for our team to win games in different ways,’’ captain Jonathan Toews said. ‘‘I think it just keeps adding to our confidence. We’re just climbing. I think the work ethic is there much more consistently. . . . We’re feeling pretty good about our game.’’ The locker room was noisy afterward, with music blaring and players breaking into applause. ‘‘There’s nothing better than winning,’’ coach Jeremy Colliton said of the ruckus. The Oilers led 2-1 after two scrappy periods before the Hawks unloaded. A rare goal by John Hayden started the barrage about four minutes into the third. That was followed by quick strikes from Dylan Strome, Patrick Kane and Drake Caggiula to make it 5-2 with 13:22 left. Cam Ward stopped 25 of 27 shots and weathered Oilers power plays early. The Hawks committed four penalties in the first period, and Leon Draisaitl cashed in two of them. ‘‘[Ward] made some big saves at some key times, and that allowed us to have the opportunity to come back,’’ Colliton said. Ward has a .934 save percentage in his last three starts. The Hawks began their turnaround in mid-December and have gone 12- 6-4 since, but this is the closest they’ve crept to the playoff field. There was no bad blood between Caggiula and the Oilers when they dealt him to the Hawks in December, but he got serious satisfaction scoring a goal in his return to Rogers Place. ‘‘When a team trades you away, you want to make sure that when you come back, you make a statement,’’ he said. ‘‘Make them miss you a little bit.’’ His playing time had shriveled toward the end of his three seasons with the Oilers before he got a much-needed fresh start with the Hawks, and he has flourished since getting on a line with Toews and Kane. In his first five games on the ‘‘nuclear line,’’ Caggiula has two goals and two assists and is a plus-5. The Hawks have had the best power play in the NHL by far in the last month — an astounding 43.2 percent success rate — and kept it going with a goal in the first period. They went on the power play less than two minutes into the game and needed only four seconds for defenseman Erik Gustafsson to blast one into the net from long range. The Hawks also got a late power-play goal from Dominik Kahun, making them 2-for-4 on the night.

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Blackhawks did right by Patrick Kane early but need to reload for second act

By Jason Lieser

EDMONTON, Alberta — When a team lucks into drafting a star such as Patrick Kane, as the Blackhawks did in 2007, the prize comes with an unspoken ultimatum to turn that fortuitous moment into a trophy. The Hawks have squandered some of Kane’s precious prime last season and this one, but no one can accuse them of wasting the gift overall. Kane knows that, too. The Hawks were slotted fifth in the lottery in 2007 and cashed in on the 1-in-12 shot of winning it. It is the only time they have picked first. Kane easily could have ended up with an incompetent franchise, and it would have been an emptier career. ‘‘I feel very, very fortunate that I landed in Chicago,’’ he said after the Hawks’ morning skate Tuesday at Rogers Place. ‘‘As a young kid at the time, you don’t really think about it when you’re getting drafted, but there’s some great pieces in place. . . . ‘‘When you’re going through the draft, you’re just kind of wanting to get drafted as high as possible. But it was very lucky and fortunate I landed in Chicago.’’ That gratitude surely is heightened when he sees what’s happening with the Oilers, who are a hair above .500 during the dazzling career of Connor McDavid. McDavid is second only to Kane in points since being drafted No. 1 overall in 2015 and has been to the playoffs once. He has scored 118 goals, most of them irrelevant. Unless he somehow forces his way out, his $100 million contract will keep him with the Oilers through 2025-26. Kane was a bounce away from being in the same mess. There were rumors the Coyotes wanted to trade into the No. 1 spot the year Kane was drafted. The Oilers had the same lottery odds as the Hawks and wound up picking sixth. hollow. ‘‘I think it’s all about winning, right?’’ he said. ‘‘I’m happy I’ve been a part of three Cups, for sure.’’ In Year 4 for McDavid, when Kane already had a Stanley Cup, the Oilers have fired their coach and general manager and aren’t going anywhere. They entered their game against the Hawks in sixth place in the Pacific Division. That futility isn’t McDavid’s fault. He’s the highest-paid player in the league, and he’s worth it. He was second in the NHL in goals (31) and points (76) entering play Tuesday and has had a hand in 51 percent of the Oilers’ goals. Kane never has been asked to carry a load like that. He always has had Jonathan Toews, and there has been additional firepower from players such as , Marian Hossa and Artemi Panarin. In 12 seasons with the Hawks, Kane has played with a 30-goal scorer nine times. He has factored into 45.5 percent of the team’s goals this season, but it has been 32 percent for his career. And now it’s a toss-up as far which star has greater cause for optimism about capturing a Stanley Cup in the near future, even though McDavid is eight years younger at 22. The Hawks maxed out their draft jackpot by loading up around Kane, but they’ve caught another break: He’s not done. He has bought them time to double-up because he has shown no signs of decline as he tracks toward career highs in goals and points. Three titles won’t seem like enough if he’s good for two decades. The Hawks have been handed another winning lottery ticket, and there needs to be urgency to get it right while Kane is still at this level. The Oilers are a punch line for wasting the early years of McDavid’s career, and the Hawks will start catching some of that if they don’t make good use of Kane’s later years.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129138 Chicago Blackhawks • Are the Bulls really considering a trade for the Lakers’ Kentavious Caldwell-Pope so soon after acquiring Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot from the Thunder? Imagine the poor, ill-treated soul who’s tasked with Cubs patriarch Joe Ricketts — his apology of no use — has been starkly stitching those names onto the backs of jerseys. revealed • The words “college basketball” and “wasteland” come to mind. Did you catch Northwestern’s 59-52 loss at home Monday against Penn By Steve Greenberg@SLGreenberg State? The Nittany Lions came in with an 0-10 Big Ten record and left with whatever remained of the Wildcats’ hopes for a respectable season. The night ended with Northwestern and Illinois tied at 3-8 in league play, one notch above last place. Heave, ho. Joe must go. Yep, as far as our hopes of having a team in the NCAA Tournament go, Joe Ricketts, the billionaire patriarch of the family that owns the Cubs, it’s up-and-down Loyola winning another Missouri Valley tournament title was stripped bare once and for all Monday, with leaked emails published or bust. by the site Splinter revealing the man in a truly hideous display. Game balls Indeed, such an unseemly topic with which to begin this new weekly column. Brandon Saad: His former coach — a guy by the name of Quenneville — painted him as a player with motor issues. Saad has done nothing but To put a fine point on it, emails Ricketts wrote and/or shared contained a grind this season, and his goal-scoring has been one of the drivers of the multitude of racist jokes, Islamophobic rants and departures from reality Blackhawks’ turnaround from abject awfulness to (how to put this?) not- that would make even the most dyed-in-the-wool conspiracy loon blush. so-awfulness. With 17 goals entering Tuesday, the winger is on pace to top his high with the Hawks: 23 goals in 2014-15. Muslims, African-Americans, Hispanics, Civil Rights leaders, proponents of diversity and multiculturalism, former President and his Blake Peters: Since our story on the Evanston sophomore guard one supporters — all were on the business end of insidious thoughts and year after his 80-foot game-winning shot, Peters has made 22 of 34 highly offensive language. It was enough to make anyone with a brain three-pointers for the No. 5 team in the Sun-Times’ Super 25. and a conscience dizzy with outrage. Paul Reed: DePaul hasn’t fully emerged yet, but the 6-9 sophomore is The 77-year-old Ricketts’ written apology was pathetic. exploding. Reed has scored at least 18 points in six of his last seven games, has rebounded like a monster and has begun taking — and “I deeply regret and apologize for some of the exchanges I had in my making — threes like a natural-born marksman. An NBA talent? I’m emails,” he said. “Sometimes I received emails that I should have betting on it. condemned. Other times I’ve said things that don’t reflect my value system. I strongly believe that bigoted ideas are wrong.” Too late for that, pal. You’ve been outed. Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 02.06.2019 Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts was quick to distance the organization from the “language and views” in his father’s emails, saying they “do not reflect the [Cubs’] culture.” He also claimed his father “is not involved with the operation of the in any way.” In a sense, that’s true: Joe Ricketts’ children run the team business. But Old Joe is more than just the bumbling, embarrassing uncle or grandpa at Thanksgiving. He is the money behind the whole operation. He is the driver of the family clown car. Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, heavy-handed political clout and your money — that’s what this family is about, and not in that order. For many, it will be harder than ever to separate the gosh-golly lovability of the Cubs from the political heft of the Ricketts family and all the divisiveness that implies in 2019 America. Republican is ’s governor, at a time when Gov. Ralph Northam of Virginia is being called upon by members of his own Democratic Party to resign amid a racist photo controversy. is overseeing fundraising for ’s re-election campaign. Joe Ricketts funded a Super PAC that went after Obama in such incendiary fashion in 2012 that it ended up costing the Cubs a $150 million public-funding package for renovations at . “Joe Ricketts once said that I do not share his values,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel tweeted Tuesday. “Truer words were never spoken. The ignorance and intolerance he has espoused are not welcome in Chicago.” Old Joe may not have a day-to-day role in running the Cubs, but he’s cashing ownership checks. Unless and until that ceases, his gilded offspring should be questioned at every turn about what steps they are taking to make Cubdom a brighter, better place for all. I’m just sayin’ How much longer must ex-coordinator Vic Fangio and the Bears’ defensive stars hide their faces in shame for allowing the Rams to pile up a whopping six points — a full twice their Super Bowl output — back in December? • Perhaps it’s no coincidence that the Rams foisted the most boring Super Bowl performance of all time upon the masses. It seems you can take a football team out of St. Louis, but you can’t take the St. Louis out of a football team. • Maybe a nickname would endear Gregg Popovich-loving Bulls coach Jim Boylen to the masses during this lost season. Isn’t he rather like the man affectionately known as “Pop,” minus the alluring flavors of discernible strategy and, you know, winning? Consider the cold crispness of “Pop Zero.” 1129139 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks explode for 5 goals in third, win fifth straight

John Dietz Updated 2/5/2019 10:58 PM

In a stunning turn of events, the Blackhawks turned a 2-1 third-period deficit into a 5-2 lead in less than three minutes and went on to defeat the host Edmonton Oilers 6-2 at Rogers Place on Tuesday. John Hayden, Dylan Strome, Patrick Kane and Drake Caggiula scored for the Hawks in a two-minute, 48-second span. Erik Gustafsson and Dominik Kahun also scored, and Cam Ward made 25 saves for a Hawks (21-24-9) squad that has now won five straight. Edmonton, which has lost six straight and fell to 23-25-5, got a pair of power-play goals from Leon Draisaitl. The Hawks are now 3 points behind Vancouver for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Canucks will be at the United Center on Thursday. Hayden scored at 3:50 of the third period after taking a pass from Marcus Kruger and whipping a shot past Cam Talbot. It was just his third goal of the season and first since Nov. 29 at Winnipeg. Strome gave the Hawks a 3-2 lead when he accepted a pass from Kahun, took a couple of strides to get a better angle on Talbot and then ripped a shot into the net at 5:23. Kane made it 4-2 just 28 seconds later -- extending his point streak to 12 games -- and Caggiula made it 5-2 at 6:38. The victory had to be particularly sweet for Caggiula, who played his first 156 games for Edmonton before being traded to the Hawks for Brandon Manning on Dec. 30. He talked Monday about wanting to make a good impression on a franchise that "kind of gave up on a player." "Obviously an exciting feeling," said Caggiula, who now has 9 goals in 40 games overall. "It's a little bit weird. I've never been in a situation like this. I know I'm looking forward to playing against some old teammates and some old friends. ... "You want to show that you're capable of doing some good things and just make sure you do your best." Caggiula has been a key part of the Hawks' success while skating with Kane and Jonathan Toews during this five-game winning streak. Coach Jeremy Colliton loves what the hard-nosed, rugged forward brings to that top line. "Part of why I like him there is he provides a different element," Colliton told reporters before the game. "He's not afraid to get his nose dirty. He's scrappy. He'll go to the net. That line needs a presence like that, so it's important that he continues to do that. "It's not so much how many plays he makes -- he'll make enough. He's got some skill. But does he get pucks back? Does he win battles … so that we get to stay in the offensive zone? Does he go to the net so that maybe a perimeter chances becomes a better one? "That's the key for him." Ward is now 10-8-4 overall and has won four of his last five starts. He somehow kept the Hawks within one late in the second period with a spectacular save of a Ty Rattie one-timer. As Connor McDavid backhanded a pass across ice, Ward managed to lunge to his right and got his leg on Rattie's attempt from point-blank range.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129140 Chicago Blackhawks Alas, there are no easy answers as other GMs have their own cap issues. That certainly includes the Canucks, who must figure out what to do with RFAs Brock Boeser (50G, 45A in 110 games) and defenseman Why trading Seabrook would be no easy feat for Blackhawks Ben Hutton, as well as UFA D-man Alexander Edler. The Avs, meanwhile, figure to open their checkbook to RFA Mikko Rantanen, who has 196 points in 207 games over the past 2.5 seasons. They also have $15.75 million tied up in three defensemen next season. John Dietz Both teams would likely tell Bowman that he needs to eat close to half of Updated 2/5/2019 7:11 PM Seabrook's deal. Another option is to buy out Seabrook's contract. If the Hawks chose to do so after next season, the cap hits would be as follows, according to hello capfriendly.com: Somebody's lying. • $6.58 million in 2020-21 and 2022-23 To be sure, that's an understandable reaction to the Saturday report that • $3.58 million in 2021-22 Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook was asked if he'd be willing to waive his no-movement clause. • $5.08 million in 2023-24 Either Seabrook wasn't being completely honest when he told the media, • $708,333 from 2024-28 "I haven't been approached by anybody." Or somebody fed bad information to Elliotte Friedman, who broke the story on Hockey Night in There's also a potential work stoppage coming in 2020-21. In an ideal Canada. world for Bowman, the NHL and NHLPA would make it much less painful to buy out a contract like Seabrook's. But the truth could very easily lie somewhere in-between. Waiting that long is obviously a risk, but Bowman may not have many The sports world we live in is very different from 30 years ago when beat other options. reporters often broke news. Now, it's almost always national guys like Friedman. Sometimes, however, they might not get 100 percent of the story as the "leaker" hopes to get a team or player to react. Daily Herald Times LOADED: 02.06.2019 How much -- if any -- of this went on in this case is impossible to say, but Friedman stood by his reporting Monday despite Seabrook's denials. It is also possible that only Seabrook's agent was approached -- although Friedman insisted that player, agent and team were involved in the conversation. A call to Gerry Johannson, Seabrook's agent, was not returned. The bigger picture The bottom line is nobody would be surprised if the Hawks are attempting to move Seabrook's bloated contract, which runs for five more seasons and carries a $6.875 million cap hit. Just thinking out loud with another writer Monday was enough to give us both headaches -- especially when we put ourselves in the position of another team's general manager. What would it take for someone to agree to take on a soon-to-be 34-year old Seabrook? In the recent past, GM Stan Bowman had to give Carolina Teuvo Teravainen to get rid of Bryan Bickell's contract; and he gave Arizona Vinnie Hinostroza and Jordan Oesterle to get rid of Marian Hossa's. Once again, nobody is going to do Bowman any favors, so you have to assume any deal comes with the Hawks eating up to half of Seabrook's cap hit. Also remember that Seabrook can nix any deal, and his family seems awfully happy in Chicago. But for the sake of argument, let's look at a few teams Seabrook may be willing to go. • One might be the Vancouver Canucks. Seabrook is from Western Canada and could welcome the chance to help them retool in the post- Sedin era. Perhaps the Hawks throw in a promising young defenseman like Henri Jokiharju or Adam Boqvist, and/or an up-an-coming forward like Drake Caggiula or Dominik Kahun. Vancouver tosses in a medium-level prospect or two, a draft pick or two and only asks the Hawks to pick up $2 million of Seabrook's contract … and perhaps you have a deal. • Another option is to ask Seabrook if he'd be willing to play for Barry Trotz and the surprising first-place Islanders. New York desperately needs top-six scoring help, so Bowman throws in Brandon Saad and asks for forward Matt Martin and a first-round pick in return. Seabrook would be a fantastic, steadying voice in New York's room in the playoffs and he could help a power play that ranks 26th in the league. Saad, meanwhile, would provide much-needed offense and is signed for two more seasons. • The Eastern Conference is loaded with high-end speed, though, so perhaps a better fit is with Colorado. The Avs have loads of talent on their top line, but almost no depth scoring. That makes Saad a good fit here as well. 1129141 Chicago Blackhawks McDavid recorded a pair of primary assists. It was a productive night for the former Erie trio.

Four takeaways: Blackhawks erupt in Edmonton as playoff talks heat up Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.06.2019

By Charlie Roumeliotis February 05, 2019 11:00 PM

Here are four takeaways from the Blackhawks' 6-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place on Tuesday: 1. Special teams-filled first period The Blackhawks and Oilers had a busy first 20 minutes. They combined for six penalties, which led to a whole lot of action, particularly during the latter stages of the period. Erik Gustafsson scored on the power play — his third goal in two games after going scoreless in his previous 15 — to give the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead just 1:55 into the game. The road team was in total control. But in the final four minutes, the Blackhawks committed four minor penalties and handed the Oilers several man advantages, including a 5- on-3 opportunity. Leon Draisaitl converted on two of the power plays, both of which were assisted by Connor McDavid, as the Oilers went into the intermission with a 2-1 lead. They had outshot the Blackhawks 12-1 over that multiple power-play span. 2. Third period explosion After a dull second period, the Blackhawks absolutely erupted in the third period. And the Oilers completely unraveled. The Blackhawks scored five consecutive goals, including three in a 2:10 span, to put themselves up 6-2 before Edmonton even knew what hit them. John Hayden, Dylan Strome, Patrick Kane, Drake Caggiula and Dominik Kahun all got in on the action for the Blackhawks, who outshot the Oilers 14-4 in the final 20 minutes. Going into Tuesday, the Blackhawks had only two wins in 24 tries when leading after two periods for a win percentage of .083, which ranked sixth-worst. They also handed the Oilers just their second regulation loss when leading after two periods this season after going 12-1-3 in their previous 16 occurrences. In total, the Blackhawks had 22 shot attempts (14 on goal), 11 scoring chances and six high-danger chances, according the naturalstattrick. The Oilers had 12 attempts (four on goal), five scoring chances and one high- danger chance. It's only the third time this season the Blackhawks did not allow a goal at even strength. Both of the Oilers' tallies came on the power play. 3. Four-line rotation Perhaps the best part of this Blackhawks offensive outburst is that it came from everyone. All 12 forwards got on the scoresheet, except for David Kampf who left in the second period with a right foot injury. The fourth line was particularly strong. The trio of Hayden, Chris Kunitz and Marcus Kruger drew a penalty in the first period that led to a Blackhawks power-play goal, and Hayden's goal is the one that started the offensive explosion. The Blackhawks have been top heavy all season long, so it's certainly encouraging to see all four lines chip in on offense. It's the third time in five games the team has scored at least six goals during their winning streak. That'll work. 4. Erie Otters reunion On Monday night, there was an Erie Otters reunion in Edmonton before the actual game on Tuesday as former linemates Alex DeBrincat, Connor McDavid and Dylan Strome all grabbed dinner together to catch up. The trio put up ridiculous numbers together in the OHL. Strome is the Otters' all-time leading points scorer at 354, DeBrincat is second at 332 and McDavid is fourth at 285. "They're probably two of the closest guys I've ever seen," McDavid told reporters before the game on the relationship of DeBrincat and Strome. "They love each other off the ice. They love to play with each other on the ice. It's a connection that they both really like." DeBrincat registered an assist against the Oilers to extend his point streak to six games. Strome scored his fourth goal in six games. And 1129142 Chicago Blackhawks stories. It’s nice to hear those stories and hear what it’s like when they were playing.”

Camp participants, who have to be at least 21, will receive personalized Exclusive: Can you handle Savy’s spin-o-rama? Blackhawks hosting first- hockey gear, including home and away jerseys, have a private watch ever adult fantasy camp party for the Blackhawks’ road game on March 23, receive a suite ticket to the Blackhawks’ home game on March 24 and more. Meals and accommodations are also included. By Scott Powers

Feb 5, 2019 The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019

Denis Savard still has something left in the hockey tank even though he recently turned 58. The Blackhawks legend won’t be suiting up to play in the NHL again, but he’s pretty sure he can still hang if you put him on the ice in a recreational setting. Asked on his birthday on Monday how his game was these days, Savard was his usual self — a mixture of honesty and modesty. “It’s OK,” Savard said a laugh. “Remember, 58 today.” In other words, Savard can still play. If you ever dreamed of testing yourself against Savard, and have $5,000 to spend, the Blackhawks are now presenting that opportunity as they’ll be hosting their first-ever fantasy camp. The Legends Cup will be held from March 22-24 at MB Ice Arena and the United Center. The three-day tournament will give adult hockey players the opportunity to play with and against Blackhawks alumni, including Savard, Chris Chelios, Brian Campbell, Jamal Mayers, Ben Eager and more. Participants will play in at least four games and also be involved in a practice and video session. Each team will also have a celebrity coach. “It’s a lot of fun for us,” Savard said. “That’s one thing for sure. For them, an opportunity to play with some of the guys like us, I think it’s fun for the people, they enjoy it. I know for a fact the main goal for us is always to get them to score a goal, so they can tell everybody else that they scored on one of my passes. But it’s a fun time. You stay with your team the whole weekend. You tell stories you experienced through your career. That’s what we do. It’s kind of fun for them to hear some of the stories.” Savard has participated in other fantasy camps over the years and was happy to hear the Blackhawks were creating one as well. From his past experiences, Savard has found the games can get somewhat competitive. “It’s a blast,” Savard said. “I don’t take it too serious. Some of those guys at the camps over the years, they take it pretty serious. You want to win, don’t get wrong. I’m going to try. There’s no questions about that.” Which brings us back to how much he has in his tank. Compared to someone like Campbell, who isn’t that far off from his playing days, Savard wasn’t so sure if he’d keep up over time. “They’ll probably play a little bit longer than me in those type of games,” Savard said. “I think it’s four games throughout the weekend. I’ll probably be good for the first one. The second one, I should be OK. By the time I get to the third or fourth game, it might be a little tough. These guys just got out of playing. Soupy, he just retired.” Mayers isn’t too far beyond his NHL playing days either, but he doesn’t play in games anymore. He’ll get on the ice for clinics, but he’s too much of a competitor to do anything more. “I have one way to do it,” Mayers said, laughing. “Either I’m taking out all of the fun for everybody or they’re like … it’s a no-win situation. These type of events are fun. At the end of the day, everyone is there for the right reasons. “I think it’s a really great idea. It’s exciting for the fans to get an opportunity to interact and use the MB Ice Arena and experience what it’s like to play in the NHL and interact with and hear some stories from some of the alumni and have a great time. It makes for a fun weekend hanging out with hockey fans who become your teammates for a weekend and you have fun.” Mayers was looking forward to sharing the experience with other older alumni too. “Getting a chance to interact with Savy and alumni and legends of the game, it’s a real treat for myself being a fan of the game and just being around those guys and hearing their stories and how the game has changed but it’s still a lot the same,” Mayers said. “It’s fun being around them. Every time you’re around Savy and those guys, you hear different 1129143 Colorado Avalanche picks or top prospects such as defensemen Cale Makar and Connor Timmins or forwards Shane Bowers or Martin Kaut.

“We like our back end. We like our goaltending — we just got to get them What’s wrong with the Avalanche? Joe Sakic says it’s not coaching. “We playing with more confidence,” Sakic said. “If we can add some scoring, can turn this thing around” some depth scoring, that would be our priority.” The Avs lack an offensively explosive second-line center, in part because By MIKE CHAMBERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post second-year forward Alex Kerfoot, J.T. Compher and Tyson Jost aren’t ready for that responsibility. Jost was reassigned to Colorado’s American February 5, 2019 at 10:19 PM Hockey League affiliate last month. New York Rangers forwards Chris Kreider and Kevin Hayes are key trade targets who would fit in well with the Avs. Less than 15 minutes after meeting with reporters Tuesday night at the “We’ve been talking with teams the better part of three, four weeks now. Pepsi Center, Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic witnessed a prime But what we’re not doing is moving our high picks and prospects,” Sakic example of why his team entered its game against the Columbus Blue said. “Right now, for any player you’re talking about — they’re looking at Jackets having won an NHL-low five games since Dec. 7. players we’re not willing to give up. But we got three weeks to go and we’ll see where we are at that time. There are things we’ll continue to Playing away from the puck — the term for playing defense in hockey — look at — hockey trades — and see how we can get better.” is Sakic’s biggest gripe about his team, and top-pair defensemen Erik Johnson and Ian Cole further intensified the GM’s anxiety on their first Sakic said the “goal” is making a second-straight playoff appearance, but shift against the Blue Jackets. he won’t mortgage the future. Avs forwards made a shift change with the puck in the neutral zone and “We’re looking at the big picture here. We love what’s coming,” he said. Johnson and Cole failed to prevent a wrap-around goal 53 seconds into “It’s a process, and we’re not going to deviate from that plan. If there’s a the game, marking the second consecutive time the partners allowed a player that can help us that isn’t going to include one of those (first- goal on their first shift. In Saturday’s 5-1 loss to the visiting Vancouver round) picks and top prospects, then we’ll look at that.” Canucks, Cole’s neutral-zone pinch forced Johnson to defend a 2-on-1 rush on a play Vancouver scored for a 1-0 lead. Sakic also has no plans of making a coaching change. Third-year coach Jared Bednar was a Jack Adams Award finalist as NHL coach of the year The Avs, who were knocked out of playoff position with the loss to the last spring after leading Colorado to a remarkable 47-point improvement Canucks, entered Tuesday winning just seven-of-30 games when playing from his first year. from behind. They are now 7-18-6, after blowing a 3-2 lead in the second period against Columbus and losing 6-3, finishing 1-4 in a homestand “The problem is not coaching at all. We have good systems,” Sakic said. separated by the NHL All-Star weekend and their bye week. The Blue “The biggest thing for me is our play away from the puck.” Jackets, who tied it 3-3 on a breakaway goal late in the second period, snapped a five-game losing streak. Colorado begins a difficult Eastern Conference road trip Thursday at Washington, the defending Stanley Cup champion. The Avs visit the New “I think we’re doing a pretty good job with the puck, but defensively we’re York Islanders and Boston Bruins Saturday and Sunday, respectively. taking too many chances, giving up too many quality chances and we’re not getting a big save,” Sakic said pregame. “If we can shore up our “It’s never time to panic, for me, because it doesn’t get you anywhere,” defensive play, our play away from the puck and be a little more Bednar said postgame. “We just keeping working to find solutions and committed to checking, we can turn this thing around.” grind through it, and build our confidence by doing the right things.” This thing, however, is more complex than simply improving team defense. The Avs have gone 5-15-3 in their last 23 games — after Denver Post: LOADED: 02.06.2019 standing 17-7-5 and tied for a Western Conference-most 39 points on Dec. 6 — also because of below-average goaltending and lack of secondary scoring. The Avs tied a franchise-record with 28 home victories last season but haven’t nearly been as good at Mile High this year, standing 10-10-5 after Tuesday’s loss. “We were in a good situation and from entirely mistakes of our own ended up putting ourselves behind,” Cole said postgame. “Obviously, losing the lead going into the third isn’t great and obviously going behind in the third is not good. We worked hard to put ourselves in a good spot … but obviously, whatever.” Cole ran out of words. There’s really no facet of the game safe from criticism for a young club that surprisingly made the playoffs last spring and was only expected to improve as its roster developed and was fine-tuned with modest additions. The free-agent acquisitions of Cole, forward Matt Calvert and goalie Philipp Grubauer apparently weren’t enough, and having the NHL’s highest-scoring line in Central Division all-stars Nathan MacKinnon, Gabe Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen doesn’t make up for shoddy defense and a lack of depth. The MacKinnon line has cooled lately, after Rantanen and MacKinnon stood first and second in NHL scoring in November. “As a group, we still made some bonehead mistakes at times that are just uncalled for, forwards and defensemen,” said Landeskog, the team captain, said after Tuesday’s loss. “I think we’re all under the same microscope there, the same category. Through the first two periods I really thought we were going to have this one.” Said Sakic: “(We) still have (30) games to go, almost half the season (41 games). We believe in this group, and I know the group believes in themselves. We just have to grab a couple wins, any way they can, and hopefully get the confidence in that and get back playing the way we’re capable of.” The Feb. 25 NHL trade deadline is a little less than three weeks away, and Sakic said he and his staff might work a trade or two to improve the team. But the Avs won’t part with either of their two 2019 first-round draft 1129144 Colorado Avalanche “We love what’s coming and what’s going on here,” Sakic said. “It’s a process, and we’re not going to deviate from that plan.”

The process is only as good as the man in charge of it. Avs are the team Joe built. So would it be wrong to blame Sakic for a hockey team that stinks? Do you trust Joe? Or no?

By MARK KISZLA | [email protected] | The Denver Post Denver Post: LOADED: 02.06.2019 PUBLISHED: February 5, 2019 at 10:10 pm | UPDATED: February 5, 2019 at 10:27 PM

This is the team that Joe built. And this team stinks. For a full two months, our local NHL squad has been a rip-roaring disaster, rolling straight downhill, like a big, stinking Avalanche. “Oh, here it comes,” Joe Sakic said Tuesday, as I prepared to ask why a team that stood tall next to Nashville atop the Western Conference standings on Dec. 7 had fallen so hard on the ice and has been unable to get up. With a pitiful 6-3 loss to Columbus, the Avalanche’s record in its most recent 23 games is a woeful 5-15-3. But Sakic, our city’s beloved hockey hero, advises us to stay off the back of coach Jared Bednar, because it’s not his fault. Furthermore, Sakic insists goalies Semyon Varlamov and Philipp Grubauer are really good goaltenders who just aren’t playing well. So goodness gracious, don’t point fingers at them for being sieves. It punches holes in their paper-thin confidence. While it would be a terrible waste to see all-stars Nathan MacKinnon, Gabe Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen get snubbed on the invitation list for the playoffs, Sakic warns the trade market is slow for the secondary scoring the Avs so desperately need. “In the big picture, we’d love to make the playoffs,” Sakic said, when I pressed him on if he would make a deal to help Colorado make the playoffs. “But you don’t want to slow down the building process. … I will not give up top picks and top prospects, because we’re going to need them. We’re in a salary cap era, and you’re going to need those players coming into your system. If there’s something that’s going to help us get in the playoffs, we’ll do that, but it won’t be at the cost of our top prospects or high picks.” So if the Avs slide into the pit misery from the promise flashed a year ago, who is to blame? It might be Joe. You know, the hockey icon in charge of this whole thingy. In more ways than one, Sakic is to the Avs what John Elway is to the Broncos. Super Joe and the Duke twice lifted championship trophies as players during the golden age of Denver pro sports. Their respective franchises called Elway and Sakic home to re-create the championship magic as front-office execs. We expect a lot of our heroes around here, don’t we? Well, unless your name is Super Joe. Despite molding a team that won Super Bowl 50, Elway has been lambasted recently in Broncos Country. But Sakic? He doesn’t hear a peep. In Boston or Chicago, his ears would be burnt to a crisp from red-hot criticism spewed by disgruntled fans. But, around here, Sakic skates. Does anybody hold him accountable? Since taking control of hockey affairs in 2013, his team has failed to win a playoff series. Sakic, however, is the king of his own little fiefdom at the Pepsi Center. My email inbox is regularly filled with the racket of a ranting Broncomaniacs calling me gutless for my refusal to call for Elway’s dismissal. But if I dare bash Sakic, hockey diehards reflexively tell me to cut Super Joe slack, because anything wrong with the Avs is probably the fault of that son of a billionaire, Josh Kroenke. Would it be wrong to suggest Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich and his counterpart with the Nuggets, , are subject to far louder second-guessing than Sakic? Does this hockey town only pay attention when the Avs are a feel-good story? Sakic preaches patience, suggesting good times ahead. It’s true that defensive prospect Cale Makar is ripping it up at the NCAA level. And Colorado might hit the draft lottery, landing No. 1 pick Jack Hughes, as the result of a savvy trade Sakic made with Ottawa. 1129145 Colorado Avalanche

Philipp Grubauer in net as Avalanche hosts the similarly struggling Columbus Blue Jackets

By MIKE CHAMBERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post February 5, 2019 at 11:55 am

The Avalanche will look to goalie Philipp Grubauer on Tuesday night to help stop a three-game losing streak at home. Colorado is 3-11-2 in its last 16 games but faces a Columbus team that is also struggling. Columbus (28-20-3, 59 points) is on a five-game skid. The Avs (22-21-8, 52 points) are completing a five-game stretch at home, broken up by the NHL All-Star break and the club’s designated bye week. Goalie Semyon Varlamov has started seven of the last eight games for the Avs, having gone 2-5. Grubauer took the loss Jan. 23 against visiting Minnesota in Colorado’s final game before the nine-day break. Avs coach Jared Bednar declined to name Tuesday’s starter after Monday’s practice.

Denver Post: LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129146 Colorado Avalanche “It’s our goal. It’s very important,” Sakic said of making the Stanley Cup playoffs. “I think we got a group that two months were in a real good position and right now, things have slipped. I believe in the guys in that Sakic says Avs have no plans of trading first-round picks, top prospects dressing room and that we can right the ship. Right now, confidence is a as trade deadline nears little low and we gotta find a way to win some games and we went through a stretch where I thought we were playing some real good hockey and controlling games and getting chances and not being able to score. By Ryan S. “I think both goaltenders – we’ve got two good goalies – and both lost Feb 5, 2019 some confidence there. But you gotta win and we can right the ship.” Sakic said he likes the team’s defense and goaltending. It’s just a matter of getting them to play with more confidence but there is indeed a plan to Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic made two things clear Tuesday get “more depth scoring” ahead of the trade deadline. regarding the landscape with his club leading up the NHL Trade Deadline on Feb. 25. Again. The Avalanche will not pay an extremely high premium to get a forward. Sakic will seek a trade for a forward who can reinforce the long-standing secondary scoring issue that’s plagued the Avalanche all season. Here’s why. But he will not mortgage the franchise’s future in the process. That Colorado’s rebuild can be viewed in three phases. The first stage means any team attempting to try acquiring the Avalanche’s two first- includes defenseman Tyson Barrie, defenseman Erik Johnson, left round picks in addition to prospects such as Shane Bowers, Martin Kaut, winger and captain Gabriel Landeskog plus superstar center Nathan Cale Makar and Conor Timmins might want to look elsewhere going MacKinnon. Each of the four are proven players who are also key figure forward. within the team’s leadership setup. “Absolutely not. No.” Sakic said of his team’s two first-rounders being in Phase two is comprised of forwards J.T. Compher, Tyson Jost, Vladislav play for a trade. “We’re looking at the big picture here. We love what’s Kamenev, Alexander Kerfoot and Mikko Rantanen. That also includes coming. What’s going on here. It’s a process and we’re not going to defensemen Samuel Girard and Nikita Zadorov. Both Girard and deviate from that climb. If there’s a player that can help us that isn’t going Kamenev, who were drafted by the Predators, arrived in the Duchene to include on of those (draft picks) or our top prospects, then, we’ll look at trade. it.” Much of that stage within Colorado’s rebuild is still in question beyond “If there’s a hockey trade, a bigger trade, we’ll look at those as well. But Rantanen. The 22-year-old Finnish winger is coming off his first NHL All- for us, it’s gotta make sense going forward.” Star Game appearance and was fifth in scoring ahead of Tuesday. He is in the final year of his entry-level contract and stands to command what This was the first time Sakic has met with the media since preseason could be one of the richer contracts this summer. camp and it is also the first time he has publicly discussed if either one of his opening round picks would be used to sweeten any potential deals to Rantanen has previously stated his desire to sign a long-term deal with bring in offensive reinforcements. the Avalanche. Holding onto those picks make sense. Colorado owns Ottawa’s first- Compher, Kamenev, Kerfoot and Zadorov are also in the final season of round selection that came over in the Matt Duchene trade that also their ELCs. Compher has gone up and down the lineup while Kamenev, included Nashville. Sakic was able to swing a number of assets a promising center, is likely out for the year following a shoulder injury. comprised of four players/prospects and three draft picks in the process. Kerfoot has primarily played on the second line while Zadorov has spent most of the year as a third-line defenseman although he’s received stints Initially, the Ottawa pick was a conditional first-round selection for either on the second pairing alongside Barrie. 2018 or 2019. The Senators opted to select Boston University forward Brady Tkachuk in 2018, meaning their 2019 first-round draft choice would Girard has become a first-pairing option for Avalanche coach Jared be awarded to the Avalanche as part of the deal. Bednar but his recent performances have led to him falling down the order as he’s currently on the third line. Meanwhile, Jost continues to A series of events created the belief Ottawa would be near the bottom of undergo a trying season that’s culminated in him being sent to the AHL to the standings. That, in turn, would increase Colorado’s odds to be in play play with the Avalanche’s farm team, the Colorado Eagles. for the No. 1 pick and the right to select United States National Team Development forward Jack Hughes, who is thought to be the best draft- Phase three, while unproven, continues to show promise. Makar, the eligible prospect since Toronto superstar center Auston Matthews in team’s first-round pick in 2017, is a sophomore defenseman who is 2016. contention for the Hobey Baker Award as he’s helped turn the University of Massachusetts into a potential national title contender. Ottawa entered the day sitting in last place in the NHL and held a three- point “lead” over the Los Angeles Kings for the lowest point total in the Bowers, a sophomore center at BU, came over in the Duchene trade. He league. was Ottawa’s first-round pick in 2017 and has 17 points through 24 games with the Terriers this season. The speedy, two-way forward also The Athletic‘s Corey Pronman rates Hughes as the No. 1 prospect in this represented Canada at the U-20 World Junior Championships. year’s draft. He’s followed by Finnish and TPS left winger Kaapo Kakko. Both were tabbed in the “special prospect” category by Pronman as Kaut, the team’s first-round pick from 2018, is with the Eagles as he players who could make an immediate impact once they come into the continues to transition to the North American game after spending his league. entire career playing in his native Czech Republic. The right winger has 19 points in 38 games with the Eagles and like Bowers, also represented Either Hughes or Kakko would immediately be considered the primary his nation at the World Juniors. candidate capable of driving an Avalanche second line that has struggled to find consistency in terms of scoring or a cohesive line combination. Timmins, who the Avalanche took in the second round of the 2017 NHL Draft, continues to work his way back from concussion-like symptoms he From there, the Avalanche would also have a chance to be in play for sustained last season. Sakic reiterated how the team does not plan to Lethbridge forward Dylan Cozens, Saskatoon center Kirby Dach or SKA rush the puck-moving defenseman back in his recovery efforts. winger Vasili Podkolzin, who currently plays for SKA in the MHL, the premier junior league in Russia. Pronman rates Cozens, Dach and Bowers, Kaut, Makar and Timmins are all skaters who could potentially Podkolzin in the “elite NHL prospect” category. play for the Avalanche next season. Colorado’s actual first-round pick is harder to determine. The Avalanche And there’s a chance they could be joined either by Hughes, Kakko or are a playoff-bubble team that could either reach the postseason for a someone else too. consecutive season or miss it altogether. “In the big picture? We’d love to make the playoffs,” Sakic said. “But you Still, the Avalanche will be under a microscope because they have five don’t want to slow down the building process. We will not give up top picks in the first three rounds of this summer’s draft in Vancouver. And picks and top prospects because we’re going to need them. We’re in the they’re doing it in an offseason when Sakic also has a number of salary cap era and you’re going to need those players coming into your financial decisions to make regarding what next year’s roster could look system. like. “But if there’s something that’s going to help us get into the playoffs, we’ll do that but it won’t be at the cost of some of our top prospects or our high picks.”

The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129147 Colorado Avalanche

Five Takeaways from another home loss to the Blue Jackets

By Evan Rawal February 5, 2019

Unable to break out of this horrendous slump, the Avalanche surrendered three consecutive goals in the third period on their way to another disappointing loss, this time to the Columbus Blue Jackets by a score of 6-3. What did we learn from this game? Philipp Grubauer actually looked good in this game. At times. But when the Avs needed him the most, he couldn’t make a save, which has been the case for both Avs goalies since the start of December. The fourth goal squeezed through Grubauer’s five-hole after a tough rebound, and he just missed the fifth one. Neither one of the Avs goaltenders has provided any sort of stability in net and I’m not sure how much longer Joe Sakic can be patient. The Avalanche power play was awful, and has become entirely too predictable. Down 5-3 with less than 10 minutes remaining, neither power play unit was able to put a shot on net. That says all you need to know. If Alexander Kerfoot wanted to prove his rookie season was not a fluke, he is failing. He has just 8 points in his last 25 games. It once looked like he was going to get a pretty nice payday this summer, but now that is far from guaranteed. The Avs managed to get all three of their goals from defensemen. Does that say more about the way the coaching staff seems have the team attacking these days? As nice as it is to get goals from your blue line, funneling the puck back to the defense for shots isn’t the best long term success plan. Ian Cole can’t help if he’s in the box. Cole was known for taking a lot of penalties before he signed in Colorado, and that sure has been he case of late. In his last 8 games, he’s taken 8 minor penalties. It’s hard to help the penalty kill when you’re the one in the box. The Avs now head out on the road to take on the defending Cup champion Washington Capitals on Thursday. The game starts at 5 PM MST. milehighsports.com LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129148 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche fall to Blue Jackets

By DJ Stanec February 5, 2019

The Colorado Avalanche entered Tuesday night’s game having lost seven of their last ten games. The Columbus Blue Jackets were looking to end their own five-game losing streak. With both teams battling for the playoff positioning, the intensity showed from the beginning. But it was Columbus’ third period scoring that made the difference as the Blue Jackets beat the Avalanche, 6-3. Columbus struck before most of the fans found their seats in the Pepsi Center, netting the first goal just 53 seconds into the game. Oliver Bjorkstrand beat Avalanche netminder Philipp Grubauer on a wraparound to give the Blue Jackets the early lead. Both teams settled into the next half of the period, playing lockdown defense until Erik Johnson blasted a shot past Sergi Bobrovsky from the point tying the game, 1-1. Pierre-Luc Dubois broke the tie just over a minute later to give Columbus the lead again. But before the first intermission Nikita Zadorov tied the game again with a slap shot from the point. Fourteen minutes into the second period, Colorado again took the lead after Gabriel Bourque found Sam Girard on the break. But once again Columbus answered Cam Atkinson scored on the breakaway and knotted the score, 3-3, at the second intermission. Columbus dominated the start of the third period, outshooting the Avalanche 17-3 in the first 12 minutes of the period. With the momentum, the Blue Jackets added the next goal after Josh Anderson banged a rebound past Grubauer. Colorado would unsuccessfully challenge the goal for offsides, resulting in a delay of game penalty. The Blue Jackets added another on the ensuing power play, giving them a two-goal advantage. Pierre-Luc Dubis would add an empty net goal in the final minutes of the game. Colorado was outshot 19-4 in the final frame and 37-30 on the game. The Avalanche head on the road to face the defending Stanley Cup champions, Washington Capitals on Thursday. Puck drop is for 5 PM MST from Capital One Arena. milehighsports.com LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129149 Colorado Avalanche from two years ago and not the dominant world beater we’ve seen so frequently the last 18 months.

Patrik Nemeth (D) – It was a low event night for Nemeth, as it always Avs-Blue Jackets player grades: More of the same should be, but his play on the game-winning goal was just frustrating. If Nemeth botches something in the breakout or on offense, you kind of shrug it off because that’s not who he is or what you’re asking him to do BY AJ HAEFELE much of the time. But when he’s botching basic defense on a forechecker on a dumped in puck, that’s supposed to be his bread and butter and he FEBRUARY 5, 2019 flails about helplessly and lets the other team do whatever the hell they want, you seriously have to ask what this guy is giving you out there. This

might be overly harsh but that one poor play helped cost them the game. Sven Andrighetto (B) – This was his best game by a country mile in a Matt Nieto (C-) – Seth Jones made a great play to deny Nieto and easy long time. He’s been a total no-show for a while but he was buzzing all tap-in goal on the backdoor. Great play by Jones, bad play by Nieto over the ice tonight. He had multiple very good scoring chances but didn’t letting it happen to him. Not a fair matchup by any means as Jones is capitalize. If he played this way more consistently, he wouldn’t be stuck going to win that battle at least seven times out of ten but Nieto simply on Colorado’s fourth line. has to find a way with an empty net and a chance to give his team a two- Tyson Barrie (C) – I thought he was pretty good at 5v5. The power play goal lead going into the third period. “Failure to find a way” is the he’s QBing continues to be nothing short of an active detriment to this definition of this team right now. team. Losing that footrace to Dubois for the sixth goal doesn’t matter Mikko Rantanen (F) – I don’t really think Mikko has done much of much in the long run but it’s pretty inexplicable. anything notable in quite a while. He hasn’t played well and he’s Gabriel Bourque (B) – He picked up an assist on a nice play. It was a hardcore turned into a wallflower. I expected his absurd numbers from good night for Colorado’s fourth line. the early season to slow down but I didn’t expect him to turn into an ineffective overall player whose offense can’t make up for the clueless Matt Calvert (C) – Calvert was fine. He showed some speed and more or defense he plays at times. less did what he does every night. There wasn’t anything great in either direction for him. Carl Soderberg (C-) – Another guy who the Avalanche didn’t get a good enough game from tonight. Just not good enough. Nothing else really Ian Cole (C+) – I don’t have any issues with the way he played the first matters there. Columbus goal. That’s how those guys are taught to defend that play and it’s standard for Cole to do what he did on that play. His goalie simply has Colin Wilson (C) – He is very much Just A Guy right now. This is to be better. There wasn’t much else of note from Cole tonight. deadline depth if a playoff team comes looking for some. He can effective for stretches and rarely does he hurt a team and there’s value in that but J.T. Compher (C) – He’s really disappeared hard with more minutes and not for a team sinking their way out of relevance in a real hurry. responsibility. The problem is the Avs don’t have anybody that you can say is definitively better than him to replace him so Colorado is stuck Nikita Zadorov (C-) – Some good moments like the goal and a few nice rolling out the same group that has proven ineffective. hits. Some questionable moments like him not accounting for Atkinson at all until it was way too late on the breakaway goal to end the second Sheldon Dries (B-) – I’m really not bothered by Dries on the fourth line period. He never looks back to see where that guy coming off the bench much. There aren’t any clearly better options for the center spot is. He just watches the puck the entire time. His lack of general (specifically the center so don’t give me any A.J. Greer stuff) so this is awareness can be maddening because it has a tendency to betray his fine with me. He was good tonight alongside his linemates and Dries legitimate talent. Another frustrating night for a player who always seems found his way to an assist tonight. That was a nice reward for a solid to be teetering on the edge of great things. night for him.

Samuel Girard (B-) – I thought he played like a maniac in this one until the third period. His goal was the good stuff we’ve been waiting to see BSN DENVER LOADED: 02.06.2019 from him and he was far more effective in his aggressive decisions on offense. He needs to do that every night moving forward. Defensively, I thought the way he played the game-winning goal was pretty poor. He lost a battle to the puck that he easily should have won and was far too casual in letting the forecheck get on top of him and dictate that play. A more confident play and not only does Columbus not score there but they don’t even get possession of the damn puck. Philipp Grubauer (F) – The second goal is pure bad luck. The third goal he gets beaten on a breakaway by Cam Atkinson, one of the better goal scorers in the NHL. The first goal is more of the wraparound nonsense that only seems to plague the Avalanche goalies on a consistent basis and the fourth and fifth goals are Grubauer getting beat. He made some nice saves to keep the Avalanche in it but folding in the third and giving up five more goals is a great way to get an F. These goalies just suck right now. Erik Johnson (A-) – There was some positive in there tonight with that blast of a goal in the first period. I didn’t really have an issue with his game the rest of the way and he was on the positive side of everything you want to be on the positive side of. Alexander Kerfoot (D) – What has happened to this guy? He’s not only failing to produce but he’s simply not even competitive right now. It looks like he’s skating hard and putting the effort out there but there’s nothing happening with it. “Try hard” isn’t enough in this league and a guy with his skill level shouldn’t be looking as helpless as he does. Gabriel Landeskog (D) – This line was pretty terrible again but I thought Landeskog was the least detrimental player. He got a case of the bad luck on the second CBJ goal when Grubauer blockered a shot right into him and the puck trickled its way into the net. The hockey gods clearly aren’t fans of the Avalanche right now. Nathan MacKinnon (F) – He picked up an assist but I thought he was pretty bad tonight. On the ice for multiple goals against as his line again lost the matchup against the other team’s top line, MacKinnon also was consistently ineffective with the puck. He looks like the 50-point player 1129150 Colorado Avalanche

Joe Sakic will not deviate from the plan

BY ADRIAN DATER FEBRUARY 5, 2019

Joe Sakic did an impromptu press conference tonight, with the few select people who bother to cover the Avalanche on a regular basis. As I wrote three days ago, the main takeaway from the presser was the fact that the Avs’ GM absolutely will not entertain any offers for any of the team’s top existing young prospects – or for any of their upcoming high draft picks. Things may be going real bad for the Avs right now on the ice, but the solution will not be to trade the future for any quick fix. “What we’re not doing is moving our high picks or prospects,” Sakic said, just prior to the Avs’ game with Columbus. “Those are just players we are not willing to give up.” That said, it would be a surprise if some kind of deal doesn’t happen by the Feb. 25 NHL trade deadline. The team is in a major tailspin, and Sakic did say that he has had conversations with other teams about potential deals. Just what kind of deal happens, and how big, will probably come down to this: What will the Avs’ record be on Feb. 24? If the slide continues, he’ll try to sell off as much as he can in players with expiring contracts and/or who he thinks just don’t quite fit into the near future. “We’ve been talking with teams for the better part of three, four weeks now, to see how we can make our team better,” Sakic said. “We’ve got three weeks to go, and we’ll see where we are at that time. There’s things that we’re going to continue to look at – hockey trades, to get better.” If I had to lay money on anything “big” happening, I would bet that Tyson Barrie is the guy most likely to be moved. He’s got some term left on his contract, and the Avs have 2017 fourth overall pick Cale Makar on the way. If the Avs are sellers by deadline day, Barrie is a top candidate to move. Otherwise, it would likely be at the draft. Sakic wouldn’t mention any names he might be dangling, of course. But Barrie makes the most sense.’ “We’re looking at the big picture here, and we love what’s coming,” Sakic said. “It’s a process, and we’re not going to deviate from that plan. But if there’s a player that can help us, that isn’t going to include one of the top prospects, then we’ll look at that. But for us, it’s got to make sense going forward.” Sakic said he believes the team’s biggest problem in the slide has been their play away from the puck, with guys trying to do too much individually on offense, partially because of playing from behind all the time. That, and not good enough goaltending. Yet, Sakic said the team still has “two good goalies” and has faith in Semyon Varlamov and Philipp Grubauer. Sakic also has faith in coach Jared Bednar. You never know for sure what will happen with coaches in the NHL, but when asked if he is satisfied that coaching is not the problem right now, Sakic said: “The problem is not coaching at all,” Sakic said. “We have good systems. For me, the biggest thing has been the play away from the puck. We’ve been generating chances, and for the most part I’ve liked the way we’ve played – maybe not the last couple games – but we were in a stretch where we were playing real good hockey, but just couldn’t win games. We’ve just got to be more committed without the puck.” “But we believe in this group and I know the group believes in themselves. We’ve just got to grab a couple wins any way (we) can, get some confidence back and get back to playing the way we’re capable of.”

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Blue Jackets snap 5-game skid with 6-3 win over Avalanche

By PAT GRAHAM AP Sports Writer

DENVER (AP) — Josh Anderson scored the tiebreaking goal with 9:31 remaining, Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 27 shots and the Columbus Blue Jackets snapped a five-game skid by beating the Colorado Avalanche 6- 3 on Tuesday night. Pierre-Luc Dubois scored twice for Columbus, including an empty-netter. Oliver Bjorkstrand, Cam Atkinson and Alexander Wennberg also had goals. The Blue Jackets arrived in town early to acclimate to the altitude. The strategy worked as they looked just as fresh in the third period as they did in the first. Anderson batted in a loose puck under the pads of Philipp Grubauer for the winner. The Avalanche challenged for offside, but the goal was ruled good following a replay review and Colorado was assessed a delay-of- game penalty. That led to a clinching power-play goal from Wennberg. Nikita Zadorov, Samuel Girard and defensemen Erik Johnson scored for Colorado, which dropped its fourth straight and fell to 3-12-2 since Dec. 21. Grubauer made 31 saves in a start over Semyon Varlamov as the Avalanche search for consistency in net. Dubois wrapped up the win on an empty-netter with 1:28 remaining. Girard scored his first goal since Nov. 28 at 14:06 of the second period, and moments later it appeared Tyson Barrie just might increase the lead. But Bobrovsky made a save, with the deflection winding up on the stick of Artemi Panarin, who quickly launched it up the ice to a wide-open Atkinson. The Blue Jackets forward faked out Grubauer to tie it at 3 with 18.9 seconds left in the second. That's the way things went early — one counter after another. Columbus scored 53 seconds into the game on a wraparound goal from Bjorkstrand. Johnson answered with a shot from the blue line before the Blue Jackets answered right back courtesy of Dubois' 20th goal of the season. With 1:23 remaining in the first, Zadorov knotted it again with a shot from the blue line. Before the game, general manager Joe Sakic said he hasn't lost any confidence in his squad despite the recent slide. "We believe in this group," Sakic said. "I know the group believes in themselves." NOTES: Blue Jackets forward Brandon Dubinsky and D Ryan Murray were out with lower-body injuries. ... Sakic adamantly maintained he won't part with either of his two first-round picks in any sort of trade- deadline deal. "If there's a player that can help us, that isn't going to include one of those (picks) or our top prospects, then we'll look at that," Sakic said. ... Sakic will address a potential long-term deal with forward Mikko Rantanen over the summer. ... Colorado went 1-4 on the homestand.

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Blue Jackets 6, Avalanche 3 | Third-period goals bring end to slide

Brian Hedger Feb 5, 2019 at 8:22 PM Feb 5, 2019 at 11:31 PM

DENVER — The Blue Jackets could use a few smiles. Heading into a game Tuesday at Pepsi Center against the Colorado Avalanche, the Jackets had lost five straight games and needed two “clear the air” type of meetings in less than a week. It’s not easy to find levity in situations like that, but they’re trying. “Smiles always help, right?” said Cam Atkinson, who was spotted wearing goalie Sergei Bobrovsky’s mask near the end of practice Monday. “Smiles, hugs, kisses …” Kisses might be a bit much, but then again, the five-game skid was the Jackets’ longest stretch of regulation losses since April 2017 — when they lost five straight after qualifying early for the Stanley Cup playoffs. The bottom line is, this team could use a pick-me-up, and the only place it can come from is within. “It’s not going to get easier,” Atkinson said. “We’re not going to drink a magic drink or flip a coin. It’s going to be hard work. It’s going to be greasy goals and dirty wins, and that’s what’s going to get us out of this little slump that we’re in.” According to captain Nick Foligno, that was one of the major themes of the latest team meeting, held Sunday in Denver. After flying out a day early to help adjust to the high altitude, the Blue Jackets held another frank discussion about individual accountability — after losing Saturday with a lackluster effort at home against the St. Louis Blues. “That’s what we need out of everybody right now, selfless acts, because it’s easy to go the other way when things aren’t going well,” Foligno said. “It’s so easy, but good teams don’t do it. They address it quickly and move on, and I thought that was a great part of the meeting.” Transforming those words into action, though, is the key. Otherwise, they’re just words. “We’ve had some vanilla going on here,” coach John Tortorella said, referring to three of his four lines lacking definitive roles. “We have talked it to death the past couple (of weeks). We’ve had two very important meetings, and now, as I said (Monday), rhetoric is great if you feel great about what they said and there’s conflict, and all kind of things that go on in these meetings … but you’ve got to try to help yourself here.”

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Mark Letestu plays after rush to arena

By Brian Hedger The Columbus Dispatch @BrianHedger Posted Feb 5, 2019 at 11:15 PM Updated Feb 5, 2019 at 11:15 PM

DENVER — Mark Letestu has a word to describe the odd circumstances that led to him playing last week in Winnipeg. “It was unique,” said Letestu, who hustled out as a last-minute replacement for Cam Atkinson in the Jackets’ 4-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday. “At the time, you’re just thinking, ‘Get out there,’ trying to help the guys as best you can, but sometimes it’s fun to play like that. Keeping it that simple is kind of nice.” The eight minutes Letestu had to prepare weren’t as simple. As he walked to MTS Place, winding through a crowded skywalk with temperatures outside in the minus-20s, his phone rang. It was Bill Zito, the Blue Jackets’ assistant general manager, informing Letestu that he might have to play after “something happened in warmup.” Atkinson had been struck in the mouth with a puck, which ricocheted off a goal post, and Letestu broke into his first of two runs in a short span. After cutting through “a sea of fans,” he found the security entrance, raced to the locker room and feverishly put on his gear. After tying his skates, he headed out and broke into a trot after turning a corner into a hallway leading to the ice. The scene was captured on video, used on Fox Sports Ohio’s telecast and became a Twitter sensation. “It wasn’t pretty-looking, but it got the job done,” Letestu said, smiling. Once on the bench, just in time for the U.S. and Canadian anthems, Letestu reset his focus. He had no idea whom he’d play with and his first interaction with coach John Tortorella was a question. “He just asked me where I’d been,” said Letestu, 34, who didn’t play Tuesday at the Colorado Avalanche. “For me, it was just whenever he called my name, I was going to be ready. The legs and hands weren’t quite what they normally are, but it was a unique experience.” During his morning news conference Tuesday, Tortorella wasn’t sure if his full assortment of forwards would be available. Brandon Dubinsky (undisclosed) and Boone Jenner (ankle laceration) were questionable, which meant Tortorella might use different line combinations from practice Monday, when he broke up the usual top line of Artemi Panarin, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Atkinson. Panarin skated with Alexander Wennberg and Oliver Bjorkstrand, while captain Nick Foligno moved up with Dubois and Atkinson. Jenner centered the third line, in his first practice after missing three games, while Dubinsky centered the fourth line before leaving early. “If we have all our forwards healthy, I’d like to try to balance it out,” Tortorella said. “I’m in the mindset right now, going into (the) game, we need to win a game. That kind of changes things along the way. If I don’t feel comfortable, it could be a pretty quick change (back).” Defenseman Ryan Murray’s status was also unknown after the skate, which was optional. Murray, who injured his left ankle against Winnipeg, didn’t get on the ice. He played Saturday against St. Louis, but missed practice Monday.

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Blue Jackets 6, Avalanche 3 | Third-period goals bring end to slide

By Brian Hedger The Columbus Dispatch @BrianHedger Posted Feb 5, 2019 at 8:22 PM Updated at 12:07 AM

DENVER — It took a little elbow grease, some persistence and a heap of controversy for the Blue Jackets to finally put an end to their skid. Getting third-period goals from Josh Anderson, Alexander Wennberg and Pierre-Luc Dubois, the Jackets started a three-game road trip by halting a season-high, five-game losing streak with a 6-3 victory on Tuesday night at the Colorado Avalanche. Anderson’s 17th goal of the season broke a 3-3 tie at 10:29 of the third period, scoring with a close-range shot that snuck past Colorado goalie Philipp Grubauer — scoring what turned out to be the winning goal. It was not without controversy, though. Avalanche coach Jared Bednar challenged the play for offsides, but a video review determined Anderson tagged up at the blue line before the puck entered the Colorado zone. Several angles of the play were shown on the giant video screen above the ice, which appeared to show Anderson’s left skate — which was in the zone before the puck — didn’t touch the blue line before the puck crossed in mid-air. The Avalanche were penalized for delay of game and Wennberg scored his second goal of the season during the ensuing power play — his second goal of the season and first in 34 games. Dubois, who scored two goals, added an empty-netter to seal it — giving the Blue Jackets their first win since Jan. 15 against the New Jersey Devils. Oliver Bjorkstrand and Cam Atkinson also scored for Columbus, while defenseman Dean Kukan had two assists. Sergei Bobrovsky made 27 saves. Bjorkstrand and Dubois both scored for the Jackets in a fast-paced first period, taking leads of 1-0 and 2-1 with a pair of goals scored at the net. Bjorkstrand struck 53 seconds into the game for his 10th goal of the season, scoring with a wraparound off a burst of speed, while Dubois poked one home at 13:02 off a rebound of Scott Harrington’s shot from the point — bowling over Grubauer. The Avalanche forced Bobrovsky to make some difficult saves, not to mention defenseman Markus Nutivaara clearing a loose puck from the crease, tying it twice on goals by defensemen Erik Johnson and Nikita Zadorov. Samual Girard put the Avalanche up 3-2 with 5:54 left in the third period and Atkinson tied it 3-3 on a breakaway goal with 18.9 seconds left, his 29th of the season.

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Decisions on Bread, Bob may steady Blue Jackets

Michael Arace Posted Feb 5, 2019 at 8:22 PM Updated Feb 5, 2019 at 8:56 PM

The Blue Jackets have gone from a contender for the Metropolitan Division title to a slippery spot on the playoff bubble. They carried a five- game losing streak into a game against the Colorado Avalanche in Denver on Tuesday night. They limbered up for it with another team meeting. Neither game-changing forward Artemi Panarin nor franchise goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is willing to negotiate a contract extension, which is to say they want out of Columbus. Their teammates say the specter of losing two star players is not weighing on them. By this logic, their brutal showings in recent home games against Buffalo and St. Louis were mere anomalies. As were the team meetings. The trade deadline is Feb. 25. History suggests the Jackets will be better once they know exactly who is with them and who is not. Remember the lockout-shortened season in 2013? The Jackets were in last place in the league after 21 games before they clawed their way into playoff contention. General manager Jarmo Kekalainen made a bold move and acquired Marian Gaborik at the deadline. The Jackets went 9- 3-0 down the stretch and finished a point out of the playoffs. (Thus did they play themselves out of Nathan MacKinnon-Aleksander Barkov range in the draft.) In 2014, the Jackets dumped Gaborik at the deadline and made the playoffs. In 2015, the Jackets were bad. They went 5-6-1 and lost three in a row just prior to the deadline. Kekalainen traded James Wisniewski to Anaheim for William Karlsson, Rene Bourque and a second-round pick. The Jackets went 17-3-1 down the stretch but still missed the playoffs. (In the process, they played themselves out of Connor McDavid-Jack Eichel range in the draft.) In 2016, the Jackets were horrible. Kekalainen gave the trade-deadline season an early kick-start on Jan. 6 when he shipped Ryan Johansen to Nashville for Seth Jones. From there, the Jackets went 19-17-5. They went from being the worst team in the league to the fourth-worst (and significantly compromised their chance to draft Auston Matthews). The 2017 Jackets had the best season in franchise history. They won 16 games in a row during the second quarter of the season. From the end of the streak (Jan. 5) until the deadline (March 1) they went 12-11-2. Immediately after the deadline, they won 10 of 14. Last year, the Jackets had a five-game (0-4-1) losing streak amid a 4-7-2 skid just prior to the deadline. And they went 14-4-2 down the stretch. It seems that these pre-deadline days — starting around Game No. 50, which is right about where they are right now — weigh on the Jackets. They have tended to be much better off post-deadline. (Even if it kills them in the draft.) Last year, it was clear the Jack Johnson contract situation weighed on them as the deadline neared. They lost five in a row as January turned to February. Kekalainen added fortifications on Feb. 26 and the Jackets got hot. They shoulda, coulda won a playoff round, even. If Johnson, a defenseman with a diminishing role, can suck air out of the room, then the Bread/Bob situation has to be like the atmosphere on another planet. Mars, maybe. Or the White House. Imagine if you’re a player and you’ve been punching the clock since training camp opened in September. And two of your teammates — two of the best players to ever wear your crest — don’t want to be on your team anymore. You can talk dutifully about union brotherhood to the media, but there has to be at least a slight sense of betrayal that stays mum. It’s human nature. You want to know who’s on your team. The Jackets are not going to get better at the trade deadline, not on paper, because it’s nigh impossible to replace Bread/Bob talent. That said, it’s probably better to move them sooner rather than later, to move on with new Jackets and forgo the team meetings already.

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Oliver Bjorkstrand could be key for Blue Jackets against Colorado Avalanche

By Jacob Myers The Columbus Dispatch @Jacob_Myers_25 Posted Feb 5, 2019 at 11:20 AM Updated Feb 5, 2019 at 11:34 AM

The Blue Jackets are starved for points to stay in touch with the teams atop the Metropolitan Division going into a game against the Colorado Avalanche at 9 p.m. Tuesday in the Pepsi Center. The fourth-place Jackets, who occupy the eighth Eastern Conference playoff spot, are desperate for answers at the start of a three-game road trip against another team on the fringe of a playoff spot. The Avalanche has lost four of its past five, and 13 of its past 16 games, and sits two points out of the last Western Conference wild-card spot. Join our group: Join our Blue Jackets Xtra Facebook group for the latest team news This is a pivotal week for the Jackets, with three opponents playing for playoff positioning. They haven’t had to play with their backs against it quite like this this season. Before faceoff, here are three things to watch against the Avalanche. 1) Oliver Bjorkstrand It has been tirelessly written how the Jackets can’t get consistent scoring outside the top line of Artemi Panarin, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Cam Atkinson. Maybe they’re starting to get a bit of that production John Tortorella has been searching for in Oliver Bjorkstrand. Bjorkstrand has scored in consecutive games and earned time on the top line Saturday against St. Louis. If Tortorella still wants to find balance in his lines in Colorado, Bjorkstrand could see some time on that line again. “We’ve been trying to get him going,” Tortorella said Saturday. “He’s played two really good games.” 2) First-period goals It’s not just the Jackets who have struggled to have the lead in the first period. The Avalanche has had the lead to begin the second period just twice in the past 10 games and failed to score in the first period in three of its past four losses. Looking across the league, it’s rare to find a team that doesn’t have a significant losing record when trailing at the first intermission. It has been a major part of the Blue Jackets current losing streak. Nick Foligno said this week that scoring first might be what it takes to break out of the drought. Considering the Avalanche has scored just two goals combined in the second and third periods during its three-game losing streak, a strong opening period could deliver the Jackets a win. 3) Aggressive offense Foligno said after Saturday’s loss that he believed the Jackets were trying not to allow a goal rather than trying to score. As shaky as the goaltending has been in Colorado, it’s difficult to think the Jackets won’t try to be aggressive in the offensive zone. Semyon Varlamov posted a 4-8-2 record in his past 14 starts before the All-Star break with a .881 save percentage and 2.87 goals-against average. He allowed four goals on 21 shots in Saturday’s 5-1 loss to Vancouver. Since Dec. 1, Philipp Grubauer is 3-6-1 with a 3.68 GAA and .857 save percentage. Whether that’s more of a defensive problem or not, the opportunity for an offensive breakthrough seems to be there.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129157 Columbus Blue Jackets That Wennberg scored — he also had the primary assist on Bjorkstrand’s goal — can only be a good sign that the Blue Jackets’ former No. 1 center is possibly starting to emerge from an almost two-year long slump. G52: Finally a win, finally an Alexander Wennberg goal for Blue Jackets This was his first multi-point game since Nov. 15 Tortorella switched his lines before the game, moving Foligno up with Dubois and Atkinson and dropping Panarin to a second line with By Aaron Portzline Wennberg and Bjorkstrand. He scrapped that plan midway through the second when the offensive chances never consistently materialized. Feb 5, 2019 Panarin went back up with Dubois and Atkinson, Foligno dropped back with Jenner and Anderson, and Wennberg joined Anthony Duclair and Bjorkstrand — the last line being an island for players that have been in DENVER — The Blue Jackets are trying to compartmentalize these and out of Tortorella’s doghouse all season. days, trying to keep their season intact even as the rumors and whispers continue to swirl regarding how general manager Jarmo Kekalainen Jenner’s return was key. He had two assists, won 13 of 18 face-offs and might handle the upcoming NHL trade deadline. had seven shot attempts. Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella has spoken openly about his concern “They’re balanced now the way I ended the game because Jens is that the situations regarding goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and forward playing,” he said. Artemi Panarin – both pending unrestricted free agents – has seeped into their room and preoccupied his players. Bjorkstrand has been playing well for a few weeks now. Wennberg had his best night in a while. Duclair led the Blue Jackets with eight shot Thus, the last 48 hours in the Mile High City were dedicated to dealing attempts and six shots on goal. with all of that drama — it’s only going to intensify between now and Feb. 25 — in a way that allows the Blue Jackets to keep playing competitive The Blue Jackets were elated to finally get a win, snapping their longest hockey and maintain their hold on a playoff spot. skid since the end of the 2016-17 season. They were especially delighted with how it happened … with 13 players on the scoresheet. Tortorella has dragged this team along with essentially one scoring line all season, but he knows it simply can’t continue if the Blue Jackets are “We can show tape, have meetings, we can talk … they need something to keep pace with the upstart New York Islanders, not to mention good to happen for them on the ice, and hopefully they gain confidence.” Washington and Pittsburgh, in the Metropolitan Division. As big as the offside ruling and the Anderson-Wennberg double whammy “We’ve had some vanilla going on here,” Tortorella said of his second, was, the Blue Jackets scored an equally huge goal late in the second. third and fourth lines, saying that was especially true since Boone Jenner The Jackets were not good at all in the second, but in the dying seconds went down with an infected ankle. “And we’ve talked it to death.” – after a strong save by Bobrovsky – Panarin turned and wheeled a perfect outlet pass to Atkinson. He scored on a breakaway — his 29th The Blue Jackets had to be pleased with that aspect in Tuesday’s 6-3 goal — to make it 3-3. win over Colorado in Pepsi Center. Here’s Tortorella on Atkinson’s goal: “Bob gave us a chance. We were Yes, top-line center Pierre-Luc Dubois scored two goals, including a just really struggling with our reads defensively. It’s real important there hard-working empty netter in the closing seconds. Yes, Cam Atkinson just to stay in the game, not to go down two but to come in (to the scored an important goal late in the second period to tie the score 3-3. dressing room) tied. It’s a huge part of the game.” But it was Oliver Bjorkstrand’s goal in the opening minute of the game, Here’s the NHL’s official explanation for upholding Anderson’s goal at Josh Anderson’s net-crashing goal midway through the third and 10:29: “At 10:29 of the third period in the Blue Jackets/Avalanche game, Alexander Wennberg’s power-play goal only 1:42 later — yes, that Colorado requested a Coach’s Challenge to review whether Columbus Alexander Wennberg — that made the ultimate difference. was off-side prior to Josh Anderson’s goal. After NHL Hockey Operations staff reviewed all available replays and consulted with the “Wenny shoots and scores, baby!” Nick Foligno said. “I’m so happy for Linesman, the Situation Room confirmed that Josh Anderson tagged up him. It’s awesome. Look what happens when he shoots.” before Nick Foligno entered the offensive zone. Therefore, the call on the Wennberg hadn’t scored in 34 games dating back to Nov. 10, 2018, vs. ice was upheld – good goal Columbus Blue Jackets. Since the Coach’s the New York Rangers. He hadn’t scored a power-play goal since March Challenge did not result in the original call being overturned, the 12, 2018, and stunning statistic given how much time he draws with the Colorado Avalanche are assessed a minor penalty for delaying the man-advantage. game.” “Wenny’s been put under a microscope a number of times by me,” Here’s Foligno, who was carrying the puck into the zone, on the ruling: Tortorella said. “It’s important when I’m doing that to a player that the “It’s such a hard call to make. I’d be pissed (if they’d overturned it). It’s players try to help him along the way, too. I’m sure they’re thrilled for him. gotta be conclusive. I think it’s one of those things. You get a break, you capitalize and you capitalize again. That puts them out of reach.” “The biggest thing … the biggest part of our growth right now as a hockey team is, I think we have to put pressure on one another and relish Tortorella had a tinge of sympathy in his voice for Bednar, who coached in the pressure, not be afraid of the pressure. Those first two periods we in the Blue Jackets’ organization (AHL Cleveland) just a few years ago. “I looked pretty nervous. Hopefully we’re relaxed now after we played a know Bedsy has to make the call. I know … it’s a tough call when it’s a good third period.” goal on the ice, the puck is in the air and there are two skate in spots where … I’m not sure what the call is. … It took Bedsy a while. I’m sure Wennberg played a central role in one of the biggest turning points of the he’s thinking, ‘Shit. If I don’t get it right that’s a power play. But I think he game. makes the right call, I really do. We’re fortunate to score a goal.” The Blue Jackets took a 4-3 lead on Anderson’s rebound goal at 10:29 of Other than Jenner, the Blue Jackets 15 of 41 on face-offs. the second, but the Avs challenged the goal, believing that Anderson had been offside moments earlier. Unsung stars of the game: the Blue Jackets’ penalty killers, who were 4- for-4 and totaled just two shots on goal. Replays appeared to show Anderson’s skates in the attack zone ahead of the puck initially, but he quickly darted his left skate back over the blue Forward Brandon Dubinsky and defenseman Ryan Murray are both day- line in a manner that made it a difficult ruling. to-day with lower-body injuries. C Boone Jenner, who missed three games with an infected cut on his ankle, returned to the lineup on NHL officials ruled it a good goal, and because the Avs lost the Tuesday. challenge, it put the Blue Jackets on the penalty kill. The Blue Jackets’ previous win was Jan. 15 vs. New Jersey. Seems like That’s when Wennberg scored the dagger goal — a wrister from the right forever ago. They lost to Montreal and Minnesota, then had a 10-day face-off dot — to make it 5-3. stretch without games, then lost to Buffalo, Winnipeg and St. Louis coming out of the break. “We haven’t won in what seems like a month, “It feels good, but the important thing is to get a win,” Wennberg said. “It and that wears on the players,” Tortorella said. “Hopefully that third doesn’t matter who scores the goal. For me, it’s just nice to get a two- period we can build off.” goal lead right there.” Always good to see Matt Calvert, who has settled into Denver after That’s true, but … signing a free agent deal with the Avs over the summer. “All you know is how it’s done in Columbus,” Calvert said. “I had three coaches with the Blue Jackets, so I could see three different ways of doing it. And I was, at the end there, the longest-tenured player, so I saw a lot of guys come through that room. But a big change does put you out of your comfort zone, and it forces you to meet a lot of new people. You make new friends, but keep the old ones.” Calvert’s return to Columbus was out of the way early: Game 3 of the season back in early October, when he was given an standing ovation from the crowd in Nationwide Arena. “The first one was weird in Columbus,” Calvert said. “I was just three games into my career here, so I barely knew my new teammates. I’m definitely more settled now.” As for the reception: “It was more than nice. It was much more than I expected. Very cool to see that.” Funny story from Calvert about walking into the Avs’ facility a couple weeks before training camp opened. “I’m introducing myself, and a lot of these guys are young guys, so I didn’t recognize their faces. I introduced myself twice to the same guy in literally a minute. He was like, ‘You just met me.'” Calvert hosted a gathering of former teammates on Monday at his home in Cherry Creek, a suburb of Denver: Foligno, Atkinson, Anderson, Jenner, Dubinsky, Letestu, Murray, Harrington, Wennberg, Savard and Savard’s wife. The Blue Jackets will take an off day in Phoenix on Wednesday. The Athletic’s hockey data dynamo Alison Lukan provided these insights into the Blue Jackets’ win: The Jackets’ win came on the back of shot suppression, a strong third and solid goaltending. After a rough middle frame (seven high danger chances against!), the Jackets came out strong allowing just 10 shot attempts against (only one of which was high-danger), and five scoring chances against. Each of those totals are the lowest period-based totals the Avs achieved in the game. Overall, Columbus ended the game with a 51.06 percent shot share advantage while earning just 38.89 percent of scoring chances and 46.67 percent of high danger attempts. In net, Sergei Bobrovsky was praised by teammates and coaches alike for backing up his team through a rough 40 minutes, and then staying locked in for the final 20. The goaltender ended the night with a save percentage that was 2.8-percent below expectations, meaning he allowed .85 goals above average. Seth Jones drew oohs and ahhs with his play in the waning minutes of the second period when he denied multiple Colorado chances almost single-handedly; but that was just one sample of what the defenseman did all game. In 21:10 of five-on-five play, Jones led the team in shot share (plus-11) and he was the only defender (and one of only four Columbus skaters in total) to be on the plus side of scoring chances (plus-1). Jones’ play was so strong, that within a team that had four players put up multiple points, the All-Star (0-1-1) had the fourth best performance of the night as measured by game score (1.5). Tortorella started the game with new line combinations for “balance,” but ended up reverting to his tried and true trios. That paid off. In 7:39 of time, the Panarin-Dubois-Atkinson line led the team in shot share (plus- 7). The line of Foligno-Jenner-Anderson ran even, and the reunited Duclair-Wennberg-Bjorkstrand line ended the night at plus-2. Those combinations were all more successful than the lines that started the game in terms of driving offensive play.

The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129158 Columbus Blue Jackets The Sabres have lots of good prospects coming and the defense is young but able, led by rookie of the year candidate Rasmus Dahlin, so the future will look bright regardless. “I don’t think (Botterill) is under Who is on the hot seat as the NHL trade deadline approaches? much pressure internally,” one former NHLer and longtime analyst said. “The fans will be wanting help at the deadline but the organization has a plan and I don’t think they will steer away from that.” Doesn’t mean they shouldn’t. Right? By Scott Burnside Semyon Varlamov/Philipp Grubauer, goaltenders, Colorado Avalanche Feb 5, 2019 Buoyed by arguably the NHL’s best line of Mikko Rantanen, Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog, the Avs charged out of the gate and looked like they were going to build off last season with a second-straight Ah, the hot seat. This time of the year there are lots of them around the playoff berth. Not so fast. In spite of adding Grubauer to help push NHL. veteran starter Semyon Varlamov, the Avs goaltending hasn’t stabilized For many folks, whether they’re general managers, coaches or players, at all. In fact, it’s destabilized has put GM Joe Sakic in a rather the trade deadline is as stressful a time as there is during the season. unpleasant bind. No doubt he’d like to add some offensive depth to help Fortunes wax and wane but this is where the buck stops for many, where balance out the top line. But with the Avs sitting 24th in the league in seasons are won and lost, careers take abrupt turns. goals allowed per game, an alarming 3.25 per game, and with neither Grubauer nor Varlamov able to show any consistency over the past 30 Who’s under the glare of the spotlight? Which GMs, coaches and players games or so, the Avs are suddenly life and death to make the playoffs. are feeling some uncomfortable warmth on their nether regions as the Varlamov hasn’t won two straight since the end of November, and hours tick by toward 3 p.m. EST on Feb. 25? Grubauer, acquired at the draft and signed to a three-year deal, has been particularly disappointing with a 3.38 GAA and .891 save percentage. Jim Nill, GM, Dallas Stars The preparation of being the guy game after game is completely A year ago at the trade deadline, GM Jim Nill threw down the gauntlet to different, noted one longtime NHL netminder and analyst. “Some guys his team saying he felt the answer to a playoff berth was in the dressing can do it and some guys can’t,” he said. room already. The Stars then went winless in eight straight in March and missed the playoffs for the eighth time in the past 10 years. This season, The Avs have committed to Grubauer and Varlamov is coming to the end of course, team president made headlines by publicly blasting of his contract, so the future in goal looks anything but defined, and by captain Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin for their lack of productivity. The extension, Varlamov’s future as an NHLer starter appears very much in public lambasting drew lots of criticism from around the league; whether doubt. you can connect A to B is undetermined, but the Stars have been pretty darned good since. They sit in third place in the Central Division and “I definitely wouldn’t sign him,” the netminder said of Varlamov. Now, the opened up an eight-point gap on ninth-place Colorado. Avalanche still have lots to be excited about given they own Ottawa’s first-round pick at June’s draft, which might well turn into the first-overall Behind stellar netminding from Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin, the pick and Jack Hughes. But in the here and now, not sure Sakic can Stars rank second in the league in goals allowed per game. But if they’re justify sending assets out in the hopes that the goaltending rights itself going to move from simply getting in the door to being a team that has a and that it will be enough to get the Avs into the postseason. shot at making some noise in the postseason, it’s hard to imagine another straight no-move trade deadline for Nill is going to cut it. The Ken Hitchcock, coach, Edmonton Oilers team is top heavy in scoring and through 50 games did not have a 20- So, let’s get this straight. The Oilers, a team with four No. 1 draft picks goal scorer (Seguin now has 22 goals in 53 contests). After Benn, Seguin between 2010 and 2015, have made the playoffs just once since 2006 and Alexander Radulov, there isn’t a player who has surpassed single and this season fired both their coach (Todd McLellan) and GM (Peter digits in goals. The team currently ranks 29th in the league in goals per Chiarelli), but they are all in for the playoffs. But they don’t want to game. So, it doesn’t take much of a stretch to suggest that goal scoring is necessarily trade their first-round draft pick or any of the few top a priority and ideally down the middle, although a source close to the prospects in their system. Well, as long as they’re not being team suggested that getting a true No. 2 center is likely an offseason unreasonable. task and a rental winger would be a priority at the deadline. From the outside it might appear that the pressure lands squarely on The Stars don’t have a ton in the system to offer to acquire a top-end assistant GM Keith Gretzky, who will handle the trade deadline for the player, but defenseman Julius Honka should be attractive to lots of teams beleaguered Oilers as they try and stay in the hunt in the sluggish even though he hasn’t quite found his footing in Dallas. Western Conference playoff race. But the real pressure is on veteran A year ago Nill won a battle of wills with former head coach Ken coach Hitchcock. One NHL coach said it’s like Hockey 101 for the Oilers Hitchcock at the end of another disappointing season in Dallas, but as they struggle to check consistently and deliver strong positional play. having employed three coaches in the past three seasons (Lindy Ruff, And there’s the no small matter of basically having two players, Connor Hitchcock and now rookie head coach Jim Montgomery), the pressure is McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, deliver all of the team’s offense. The two as high as it’s ever been for Nill, especially with the team hosting the combined for 56 goals and 134 points coming out of the bye week. The 2020 Winter Classic at the Cotton Bowl. rest of the Oiler roster chipped in 88 goals. Hitchcock recently split up his Jason Botterill, GM Buffalo Sabres top three players – McDavid, Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – but still saw his team blow leads. The Sabres have missed the playoffs seven straight times and haven’t won a playoff round since 2007. Long-suffering Sabre fans felt that Hitchcock is “up to his ass in alligators,” the coach said. Hitchcock also maybe the playoff thaw would come this season when they reeled off 10 has to find the right rhythm in his goaltender use now that the team straight wins early in the season. But the team flattened out before placed their chips on newcomer Mikko Koskinen, bestowing a lavish rebounding slightly around the All-Star break. They still remain very much three-year, $13.5 million contract on the 6-foot-7, 30-year-old who’s in the hunt in the Eastern Conference, but they definitely need some played just 33 NHL games, making incumbent Cam Talbot’s days additional scoring up front to support the dynamic duo of Jack Eichel and numbered in Edmonton – a departure that could be tied to the trade Jeff Skinner, who have a combined 48 goals and 101 points through 51 deadline. games. After that it’s a pretty significant drop and coach Phil Housley has The problem another NHL source familiar with the team said is that, it been doing some major revamping of the forward group in the hopes of doesn’t matter who is coaching, the dynamic is still the same. “They’re generating more offense. slow. They’re not skilled enough,” the source said. “I don’t think anybody The biggest pressure GM Jason Botterill will likely feel is externally from can change around what’s there.” antsy fans – and maybe from himself, especially if the team continues its Hitchcock came out of retirement to take what is essentially his dream zig-zag approach to the standings. Organizationally the team preached job, coaching in the NHL in his hometown. If the team continues to patience and waiting for its homegrown talent to coalesce into a Stanley stumble and misses the playoffs for the 12th time in 13 years, it may well Cup contender. That makes sense unless you think making a significant be the last we see of one of the game’s greatest coaches. If Hitchcock add sends the message to your dressing room that it’s time to be a can push enough buttons to coax the Oilers into the postseason, well, he winner. Of course, there are no guarantees if you add an offensive piece should earn a spot on the Jack Adams Trophy ballot as coach of the like an Artemi Panarin (why not dream the big dream?) or Jakub year. Like a lot of things with this team, not a lot of middle ground. Silfverberg or even a Mats Zuccarello, but if you don’t add and you don’t make the playoffs, well, it’s a lot easier to second-guess being Jarmo Kekalainen, GM, Columbus Blue Jackets conservative. You knew we’d get here eventually, didn’t you? No NHL GM has more on The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 his plate come deadline time than Kekalainen. His two top stars, Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky, are set to become unrestricted free agents in the summer and have indicated they either won’t be coming back under any circumstances or won’t entertain that kind of discussion until the offseason. Panarin has been as advertised, collecting 59 points in his first 49 games. But Bobrovsky is another story, sitting with a pedestrian 3.01 GAA and .901 save percentage, hardly the kind of numbers that instill confidence that this is a team that could do some damage come playoff time, especially when you consider that Bobrovsky has been at best ordinary the past two springs for the Blue Jackets. The theory, if you’re Kekalainen, is that if you keep both Bobrovsky and Panarin because you believe this is a team capable of at least winning the team’s first playoff series it’s like adding two rentals. But with the Blue Jackets reeling into February having lost five straight, this team looks like it is finally crumbling under all of the outside pressures. As one longtime NHL netminder said recently, it’s hard for players to come to the rink every day and throw everything behind a goaltender that clearly doesn’t want to be there. The fact Bobrovsky was suspended by the team for a game before the All-Star break for basically abandoning his teammates after being pulled from a game has done little to suggest he’s a guy you want in your dressing room. Another longtime netminder and analyst said it’s pretty basic stuff in terms of dressing room chemistry. “You’ve got to like your goaltender,” he said. Not sure that’s the case with Bobrovsky, so Kekalainen needs to bite the bullet, accept whatever return he might get and hope for some addition by subtraction. Of course trading Bobrovsky, who has a limited no-trade deal, is easier said than done. As for Panarin, another longtime NHL analyst said the sooner the Blue Jackets can make a deal to find a new home for Panarin, the sooner they can try and regroup. He suggested Boston where Jake Debrusk and a first-round pick might be a fair return for the talented winger. Beyond that, the Blue Jackets have to ask themselves if they really are built for any kind of playoff run regardless of what happens with Panarin and Bobrovsky. They are very thin down the middle, the analyst said, and it’s hard to imagine them having success against perennial Metropolitan Division powers Washington and Pittsburgh. , GM, Carolina Hurricanes It was roughly a year ago that new owner Tom Dundon persuaded longtime Atlanta Thrashers GM Waddell, who was the head of the business operations with the Hurricanes, to take on the GM duties. Waddell made a blockbuster move in the summer, bringing in Dougie Hamilton and Micheal Ferland, along with top defensive prospect Adam Fox from Calgary for Noah Hanifin and Elias Lindholm. Both Lindholm and Hanifin are thriving for a Calgary team that is first in the Pacific Division. Waddell also traded Jeff Skinner to Buffalo for a package of prospects and draft picks, and Skinner is one of the NHL’s top goal- producers. Skinner had control over his fate with a no-trade clause, so Waddell’s options were limited, but the cumulative effect of the deals has still been lamentable as the Hurricanes continue to struggle offensively. They are currently 24th in the league in goals scored and 24th on the power play. Here’s where it gets interesting and exponentially more difficult for Waddell. The Hurricanes are almost certainly going to move Ferland, who has been a positive add in spite of some injury issues but as a pending unrestricted free agent doesn’t fit the team’s long-term plans. And they at some point need to move one of their right-handed defensemen – Hamilton, Justin Faulk or Brett Pesce – in order to make room for Fox, who has been a standout at Harvard and could step right into an NHL lineup next season if he signs with the Hurricanes. “I think Ferland’s bags are already packed,” one source familiar with the Hurricanes said. But the dilemma is whether you wait until the draft to move a right-handed defenseman or maintain the status quo and hope that the return for Ferland is enough to bump up the offense. Waddell has already helped to prepare for the seemingly imminent departure of Ferland by adding big-bodied Nino Niederreiter from Minnesota. Niederreiter is already finding chemistry with All-Star Sebastien Aho and chipped in five goals in his first six games as a Hurricane. That makes the Ferland departure easier to take, the source said. But if the Hurricanes stay within a point or two of the playoffs heading into Feb. 25, does Waddell get the green light to add a rental player? What would adding Zuccarello or Matt Duchene do to help a sputtering power play down the middle? What would such a move mean to a fan base that is starting to connect with the youthful Hurricanes under rookie coach Rod Brind’Amour? What is the value of such goodwill even if the Canes miss again? Is it worth a pick or prospect or two? Easy questions to ask, not so easy to answer.

1129159 Dallas Stars -- Montgomery said the Stars would start goaltender Anton Khudobin in Nashville on Thursday night. Khudobin has been masterful against the Predators this season, picking up two wins by stopping 87 of 88 shots. Tyler Pitlick's wrist surgery opens up window of opportunity for Roope Montgomery said he was not concerned about getting Ben Bishop a start Hintz, Denis Gurianov in Nashville, which could be a possible location of a first-round series for Dallas. Matthew DeFranks "You don't mess with it right now," Montgomery said. "You worry about that in the playoffs. Right now, we're just going to play Khudobin." Contact Matthew DeFranks on Twitter: @MDeFranks Most recently, Khudobin made 38 saves in a 3-1 Stars win in Nashville on Saturday night, when Khudobin also got into an exchange with Predators forward Ryan Hartman. FRISCO -- Stars forward Tyler Pitlick will miss at least the next eight weeks following surgery on his left wrist to repair tendon damage, potentially ruling him out for the rest of the regular season. Dallas Morning News LOADED: 02.06.2019 "It lessens our depth," Stars coach Jim Montgomery said. "He's a tenacious player that we use on penalty kill; we've used him on power play. Obviously, his ability to play well with [Radek Faksa] on a checking line is going to be missed. Opportunity for others to step up, and they have recently." Pitlick has missed the last five games with the injury, and the earliest he would return under the current time line is April 2 against Philadelphia, the third-to-last regular-season game for Dallas. Pitlick has six goals and four assists in 43 games this season, and he last played Jan. 17 against Los Angeles. Pitlick exited the game against the Kings late in the second period after being hit hard by Los Angeles forward Dustin Brown. "I think it was something over time, and I don't know if it was the Brown hit or something in that Kings game that maybe turned it," Montgomery said. "But it's a tendon, and you never know when they go from being a nuisance to being painful." Pitlick primarily played in a third-line role alongside Faksa and Blake Comeau, helping form a line that started nearly 70 percent of its shifts in the defensive zone and still had more shots on goal and shot attempts than the opposition. With Pitlick on injured reserve for the foreseeable future, the Stars will be able to take extended looks at Roope Hintz and Denis Gurianov in the lineup. "I think this is their opportunity to seize being an everyday NHL player," Montgomery said. "They don't have to score to be an NHL player, but when you're not scoring, you have to have an impact and help us win. That's the evolution of their game, and I think we're seeing it with Roope. I don't think Denis is there right now. Denis needs to add that acumen to his game that when he's not scoring, that he's helping us win either with physicality or his attention to detail without the puck." Hintz and Gurianov have bobbed up and down between Dallas and AHL affiliate Texas this season, but Hintz has been with the team for the last 15 games while Gurianov has played in the last five. They comprise two- thirds of the fourth line, with Brett Ritchie on right wing. Hintz has three goals and three assists in 29 games this season, including a power-play goal on Monday night against Arizona. Gurianov has a goal and three assists in 16 games but has often flashed his speed to create scoring chances. Montgomery and assistant coach Rick Bowness have added penalty- killing responsibilities to Hintz's duties, a way to add minutes to his ledger ("He's a guy that skates effortlessly, so he can log a lot more minutes," Montgomery said) and take advantage of his added defensive skills. "How hard he is on pucks in confrontational areas, whether it's getting pucks out just inside the blue line or driving pucks wide at the offensive blue line, his attention to detail in the D-zone has really been good since the second call-up," Montgomery said. "He's someone I rely on and trust in those situations." Gurianov, a first-round pick in 2015, was having the best season of his career in the AHL, with 13 goals and 21 assists in 33 games. But that success hasn't translated to the NHL, and his lone goal was a point shot that glanced off his knee and in. "A lot of people see value in just scoring points," Montgomery said. "That's natural when you've done that your whole life like Denny has. He's got to understand that helping build momentum and having us have four lines that are relentless is important. ... If he focuses on those, it's going to give him success, and he's going to see that by the acknowledgment that he gets from his teammates." 1129160 Dallas Stars With all of that in mind, let’s take a look at some possible additions, from the big blockbuster dreams to a couple of reclamation projects.

Mark Stone, Ottawa Senators Stone is a rental with a big cap hit at $7.35 Where do Stars stand heading into trade deadline, and who could they million. Between the potential long-term IR players and assets going target? back, Dallas really has the space to make the financials work this season for any of the players on the list. By Sean Shapiro The bigger issue with Stone is the acquisition cost and the fact that he’s a rental who could — and really should — look at all his options this Feb 6, 2019 summer, as he should be in for a big payday. The Senators are also in a place, in theory, where they should be able to leverage the market for top-tier prospects and first-round picks. If that’s the cost, Nill won’t be willing to bite. Reading — whether it involves the tea leaves or comes between the lines — would indicate that the Dallas Stars still have moves to make before Matt Duchene, Senators Duchene and Stone are very similar; they are the Feb. 25 NHL Trade Deadline. both rentals with big cap hits from Ottawa. Just like Stone, this feels extremely unlikely because of the cost and the uncertainty about re- The Stars have already been rather active this season. In the past month signing Duchene this summer. they’ve traded for both Andrew Cogliano and Jamie Oleksiak. The team also swung deals earlier in the season for both Connor Carrick and Artemi Panarin, Columbus Blue Jackets Panarin would be the ideal pick- Taylor Fedun. up on the ice, but his very public situation in Columbus and his reported desire for an East or West Coast market makes it unlikely the Stars give Last week Stars general manager Jim Nill admitted in an interview with up the assets required. The Athletic that he’d like to add scorers. Nill has always played his cards close to his vest and last season around this time, the party line was that I also don’t like conversations about Columbus losing Panarin for nothing Dallas had the internal solutions and ultimately stood pat at the deadline. in free agency. Unlike Ottawa, which is going to miss the playoffs, the Blue Jackets can be a threat in the Eastern Conference and they are A public admission that a move could help his team makes the Stars’ much more dangerous with Panarin. In order to pry Panarin away from intentions pretty clear. A few sources back up that idea. Columbus it’s going to take a major trade that the Stars won’t be willing That could mean a number of things, but before we go there, we have to to make. understand what sort of cap space the Stars have available. Brayden Schenn, St. Louis Blues The Blues proved last season that they At this moment the Stars have only used the long-term injured reserve wouldn’t have any issues making a trade within the division if it was the designation on Marc Methot, whose season has come to a close after best possible deal. The issue is the best possible deal would likely knee surgery. With Methot’s cap space now available, Dallas could add a require the Stars to send at least first-round pick back for a player with an player today with an annual cap hit of $2,493,334 or less without making expiring contract. any other moves. Tyler Toffoli, Los Angeles Kings Toffoli likely isn’t on the market. For a Of course, making such a trade would lead to another roster move. rebuilding Kings team, the 26-year-old still has one year remaining at Whether it’s part of the deal or involves sending a current player to the $4.6 million against the cap and is one of the players Los Angeles should minors, Dallas would actually have more wiggle room. keep around and ideally build with. However, he’s worth a call and would be an ideal fit as a scoring winger in the top six. Since he’s under The Stars could also end up with additional cap space if they opt to put contract for next season, it’s possible the Stars would part with a first- any of the other three injured players on long-term IR. round pick to acquire the forward. Martin Hanzal makes $4.75 million against the cap and hasn’t skated as The Pricy Rentals he tries to once again come back from a back injury. It seems very possible his season is over. Stephen Johns ($2.35 million) will make the Mats Zuccarello, New York Rangers The speedy winger would be an occasional cameo at practice, but the defenseman is still battling post- ideal fit in Dallas and would play well in Jim Montgomery’s desired traumatic headaches. system. The Stars are far from the only team interested in acquiring Zuccarello before Feb. 25; he fits everywhere. The acquisition cost will Tyler Pitlick recently joined the walking wounded and will miss at least determine whether the Stars are in on this one, but he’s worth looking eight weeks after surgery to fix a tendon in his wrist. A hypothetical eight- into. week timetable would have Pitlick returning for the final three games of the regular season. Ryan Dzingel, Ottawa Dzingel is a 20-goal scorer and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, so he’s due for a big raise. He’s also If Hanzal, Pitlick, and Johns are all done for the regular season, which is the type of player that would fit well in Dallas both this season and in the possible, Dallas could put all three on long-term injured reserve and long-term future. Dzingel is 26 so he’s a more realistic long-term option. If create close to $8 million in additional cap space before the deadline. the Stars believe they could re-sign him, he would certainly be worth the acquisition cost. It’s important to remember two things in this scenario: Wayne Simmonds, Philadelphia Flyers He’s more of a power-play 1. Using LTIR only makes sense if a player is done for the season. If they specialist now and would come at a high cost because of the demand for were to play, the Stars would have to make up that cap space elsewhere. his services, but Simmonds would make the Stars better with the man 2. There is no salary cap for the playoffs since players aren’t paid their advantage and could help depth scoring as a net-front presence. There salaries in the postseason. This means a player like Pitlick could be put are more well-rounded options available, but Simmonds would make on LTIR for the remainder of the season, the Stars would save $1 million Dallas a better offensive team. in cap space, and he could be activated if healthy during the playoffs. The realistic rentals The other key to remember as we approach the deadline is which assets Gustav Nyquist, Detroit Red Wings Nyquist has been putting up points on are and aren’t available. a bad Detroit team and with his speed he could add to the pace that Ty Dellandrea, one of the Stars’ top prospects, likely isn’t available in a Dallas wants to play with. He’s also a Red Wing who Nill helped draft deal. Dallas’ upcoming first-round pick would be available for a long-term back in 2008. The deal likely wouldn’t cost Dallas a first-round pick. asset, but Dallas has no interest in trading a first-round selection for a Jakub Silfverberg, Anaheim Ducks The Ducks are in free fall, and the rental piece that won’t have an impact beyond this season. Stars have already made one deal with Anaheim when acquiring Jason Spezza, Ben Bishop, Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Alexander Cogliano for Devin Shore. Silfverberg’s value has likely taken a hit Radulov can’t be moved without their permission and have full no-trade because of his point production this season, and he could benefit from a clauses. We also know that Miro Heiskanen is a complete non-starter in fresh start. Maybe he could be pried away for a second-round pick and a any trade conversations, and the same goes for John Klingberg. Esa prospect. Lindell isn’t completely untouchable, but he’s held in high regard and isn’t The change of scenery trade moving unless Dallas is blown away by an offer. Josh Ho-Sang, New York Islanders The 23-year-old was once heralded That puts the Stars in spot where they are hoping to use players like as a key part of his franchise but has failed to pan out. Ho-Sang is a Valeri Nichushkin and Brett Ritchie to complete a deal, but it’s more restricted free agent this summer and if the Stars are looking for a realistic that a player like Mattias Janmark or Radek Faksa could be moved for a true impactful blockbuster. project, they could, in theory, flip one of their reclamation projects — Julius Honka or Valeri Nichushkin — back to the Islanders in the deal. André Burakovsky, Washington Capitals The Capitals forward has emerged in several trade rumors and we know the Stars have inquired about the cost of the Swedish winger. Washington is up against the cap and will likely be looking for a player back, meaning Mattias Janmark could be in play in such a deal.

The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129161 Dallas Stars Graham writes the keys to the game on a whiteboard that he sets up in the locker room. Before the first game he also wrote a quote from Winston Churchill on the board: “You will never reach your destination if Inside the coaches’ room: Tagging along with the Stars’ ECHL affiliate, you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.” This time there is no the Idaho Steelheads need for a quote; Graham says the team knows what they need to do. The keys for this one are rather simple, written in black marker above a “5:25,” written in red to remind players of the time for the team meeting. By Sean Shapiro The third key is the big one tonight, and it doesn’t have anything to do Feb 5, 2019 with dropping the gloves. Graham wants his team to think like boxers; if you are on top and you win, you never have to worry about anyone catching you. ALLEN, Texas — I’ve decided not to wear my tie into the building. That’s the key message he delivers in the 5:25 meeting before the players head to the ice. The Idaho Steelheads coaching staff noticed. They approve of the decision. “The big thing for me? We have a title match, we talked about it once in Rapid City,” Graham tells his team. “We’re the belt holders. The best part “No tie,” head coach Neil Graham says. “Now you really are a member of about being in first place if you win, you never look at the standings. the Steelies.” Delete the app right off your phone. We win, we take the two points, we Three days earlier I had arrived in the visiting coaches’ office at Allen keep looking north, tunnel vision, focus on what we want here, get ‘er Events Center already wearing my tie at 4 p.m. It quickly became a point done.” of conversation with Graham and Steelheads assistant coach Everett Allen and Idaho have a recent rough-and-tumble history. They’ve met in Sheen, who told me to “relax a bit, we’ve got lots of time before the the playoffs in two of the past three seasons, including a series last game.” season in which Idaho pulled off a miraculous feat and came back from The office is a simple room nestled across the hall from the locker room. down 0-3 in the series to win in seven games. There’s a television mounted to the wall with the in-arena feed. A folding Throughout the week Graham has hammered home the need for table is set up against the one wall, while another folding table with a few discipline against Allen. It’s the reason he wrote the Churchill quote chairs is set up in the middle of the room where Graham and Sheen before the first game and it’s well known in the ECHL that Americans prepare for the game. coach Steve Martinsen and his teams have a reputation of pushing other teams around physically. It’s a big part of their success. There’s a restroom attached with a mirror, which will be used when the ties go back on, and the sticks belonging to Graham and Sheen sit in the Games against Allen, no matter the opponent, often turn into special corner next to their skates. teams exhibitions. The Americans are an aggressive team on the penalty kill, and with any bobble or missed pass, they send two players in puck This is the war room for the Steelheads’ head of command. It’s the space pursuit. where pre-scouting and video work have been done, where meetings are held with players, and where the coaching staff will run the gamut of Idaho is one of the better teams on the power play, converting at 19.7 emotion from frustration to elation. percent this season, but will have to make adjustments for the third game. Considering that Idaho had eight power plays in the second game, For two games Graham and Sheen have agreed to give me an inside they will need to switch things up to keep Allen guessing. look at the operations for the Dallas Stars’ ECHL affiliate as they play against the Allen Americans. I’m partly a volunteer assistant coach, partly Graham goes into this game planning to use three power-play units a fly on the wall who occasionally buzzes in with questions. instead of two. He’s putting an emphasis on 40-second shifts on the power play, and tonight there is going to be more of a focus on the Graham and Sheen don’t look like your typical coaches. Even in his player, or the bumper, in the middle of the ice since Allen has left that fourth season, the 33-year-old Graham is still among the youngest in his spot open the past two games. profession. Sheen turned 32 last month, and like Graham, people easily mistake him for a player rather than a member of the staff. Graham held his power play meeting at 5:05 pm, cramming a dozen players into the coaches’ office as he broke this approach down on the A pair of Alberta natives, Sheen and Graham have known each other Steelheads’ portable projector. Many of the Steelheads’ goals for at even since they were junior teammates in the AJHL, playing for the Crowsnest strength have looked like power-play goals; that’s a key Graham harped Pass Timberwolves during the 2003-04 season, then teammates again on the meeting. with the Okotoks Oilers during the 2005-06 season. “We score at 5-on-5 and it looks like power play goals,” Graham tells the They played against each other in college, Graham at Mercyhurst and group while watching the video. “If we can move the puck around like this Sheen at Holy Cross, and when Sheen retired as a player after the 2015- at 5-on-5, we should be able to do it at 5-on-4. There is always 16 season and Graham had a vacancy on his staff, they re-connected in something open, right through the middle here. We just have to offer Boise. options quick just like we would at 5-on-5.” Coaching in the ECHL comes with a loaded job description. It’s a gig After warmups, Graham and Sheen address the team one more time. filled with all the responsibilities of a general manager, traveling Sheen gives a quick refresher on the penalty kill, while Graham makes a secretary, videographer, and coach rolled into one. quick note on the power play before looking at the bigger picture. When the Stars were in Boise for their September training camp, I spent “I talked to the guys that are home injured, they are back there rooting for time in the Steelheads offices while Graham and Sheen prepared for the you guys, checking in every day,” Graham says. “We’ve got three guys in season. They were booking flights for players and filing immigration suits in the stands tonight, they are the first guys down here jumping on paperwork while at the same time mapping out plans for what they would you excited. There is a difference between being invested and then being do on the ice. Steelheads invested. Play for each other; there are two points on the line. Make sure we grab them.” When so much falls on the plate of two people, balance is required. Graham is both intense and extremely positive at the same time while The players cheer, the starting lineup is announced, and fist bumps are Sheen is more relaxed and laid back. exchanged between the coaches, equipment manager Khris Bestel and trainer Thomas Gillespie as they head to the bench. “He’s ‘go, go, go,'” Sheen said. “We balance each other well. I’m more easy-going and he gets me going sometimes. I try to calm him down. It’s The first period is a somewhat frustrating one for Idaho. the ying-yang that you need as a staff.” The Steelheads look better off the opening faceoff and outshoot the It’s the ideal give-and-take for the coaches, and their players have Americans 14-9 in the stanza. But they head to the locker room trailing 2- responded well; heading into Saturday’s game Idaho had a 28-14-1-2 1 after Allen scored on a penalty shot, which was the first shot of a game, record and was first in the ECHL’s Mountain Division. and a second goal that sneaks through the five-hole of Stars goalie prospect Colton Point. That’s on Graham’s mind as he prepares for this final tilt with Allen. This is the third time in four days the teams will play, a common occurrence in It’s a period that Point would like back and he’ll acknowledge this after the ECHL, and they have split the first two games of what feels like a the game. This has been a transitional season for Point, who is still miniature playoff series. searching for success in the pro game after he was one of college hockey’s top players, grabbing votes for the Hobey Baker Award last focuses on entering the zone with possession, Allen is more of a dump- season with Colgate. and-chase team that relies on hard work and trying to physically wear down its opponent. The Steelheads have three goalies on the roster, including one in Tomas Sholl who recently went to the ECHL All-Star Game, so Graham has The difference in flow of play stands out in the second period, as Idaho decent options if he wanted to pull the goalie after the opening period. controls the pace and has the majority of quality chances. The But he sticks with 20-year-old netminder and gives him the vote of Steelheads outscored Allen 2-1 in the period, tying the game at 3-3 with confidence in the locker room between periods. six seconds remaining on a power-play goal by Nolan Gluchowski. If not for the play of Allen goalie CJ Motte, Idaho would likely have a lead “If we manage our feet, manage our mind, have great pace, then they heading into the final stanza. don’t have a whole lot. PP; great pace, one unit we got them going, next unit; goal. PK great pressure, let’s make sure we are on it,” Graham said, Graham and Sheen each carry a tri-fold piece of paper, roughly the size then turned to Point. of a reporter’s notebook, with them during the games. It’s primarily where they keep notes on lines and write down observations. Graham also jots “Hey, you’re fine,” Graham said to the goalie. “Let the puck hit you, down what he’ll say to the team during intermissions and what you’ve been great behind the net stopping pucks, you’re fine, let’s keep adjustments they’ll need to make. going.” While the game is tied, Graham doesn’t have many notes or adjustments After the game Point looked at that moment as a turning point. It’s before the third period. He’s happy with the game so far and if his team another example of how Graham finds that line between radiating keeps playing like it has in the first 40 minutes, he’s confident things will positivity and demanding accountability at the same time. end positively. “I needed to be better. You saw in there how he called it out, and I like “We have 20 minutes for the best period of the week, I heard you guys that. It’s accountability and he’s giving me a chance to be accountable,” say it as well,” Graham says during the intermission. “It’s the only thing I Point said. “It’s important to have a coach like that, someone who has have on my card. I’m not changing a thing. We’re not changing a thing. your back, but also expects more.” We’re dialed (in), we are sharp, see it through.” Graham isn’t a goalie coach and doesn’t claim to be one, but his attitude Because of penalties the third period is a bit disjointed, but Idaho spends with all of his players has already led to NHL success for one goalie. most of the final frame controlling the puck. There are a few key When former Stars goalie prospect Jack Campbell ended up in the moments where the Idaho players on the bench stand up, anticipating a ECHL, a disappointing development for the former first-round pick, he goal, and Graham is forced to stand on the bench to see over his was given a blank slate with Graham in Idaho. In 20 games with Idaho players. during the 2016-17 season, Campbell was dominant and had a .944 save Neither team can find a game-winner in regulation, sending the contest to percentage. While Campbell officially resurrected his career with the Los overtime where the Steelheads have been one of the ECHL’s best teams Angeles Kings organization after a trade, there are those who credit at 3-on-3 showdowns, going 7-1 in games decided in sudden death. Graham for helping Campbell avoid falling into an even deeper hole when he was sent to the ECHL. This is where Idaho’s speed approach grabs a victory. After Allen wins the faceoff and has an early shot, Idaho attacks with speed through the Helping players reach the next level is a point of pride for the Steelheads neutral zone. On the rush, Brady Norrish finishes off a pass from organization. Alexander Dahl to help the Steelheads claim a 4-3 victory. In the team locker room back in Boise, every ex-Steelhead that has Before overtime Graham kept his message simple. He told his team to played in the NHL has their picture hanging above one of the stalls. That win the line changes and let speed take over. It turns out his team never history of pushing players from the ECHL into the AHL and potentially the needed to even make a change; the sudden-death session ended after NHL is huge key when recruiting players, and it’s helped create a winning 40 seconds. culture that has consisted of 21 straight playoff appearances, the longest active streak in North American pro hockey at any level. “We talked a lot before. We prepared. It didn’t matter about the systems. It was all you guys,” Graham tells his team in the locker room. “It was the Part of a winning culture is a willingness to adapt and put individuals in effort, it was the commitment, it was the second and third efforts. We the best spot to succeed. That’s why Idaho places such a big focus on challenged the special teams they both stepped (up). Pointer, challenged puck possession and playing with speed. you in the first, played great in the third, that a kid. I said it before, I don’t “We want to play connected,” Graham said. “We are a team that wants to know what it is, but it feels awesome winning in this building against this play a fast game. Ultimately the way the NHL and AHL has trended, we opponent. I said delete the apps off your phone, we’re in first place.” want to make sure our guys — when they get an opportunity at the next The Steelheads present the best player from each win with a hard hat, level — they can step in and not look out of place. They can go into any with the previous win’s best player choosing his successor. The team AHL locker room and fill a spot in the lineup. So we want to make sure gives a loud and resounding cheer while Steven McParland stands up to our identity is very similar to that of an American League (AHL) present the hat to Point, who stopped the final 10 shots he faced after organization. So pace is a big thing for us. When we are on we are Allen had taken a 3-2 lead in the second period. playing very connected, we have support options and we are playing the game north.” Before the game Graham had a call with Texas Stars general manager Scott White, who informed the Steelheads coach that the AHL club would Graham and Sheen have also tried to use as many tools as possible. be calling up Brad McClure for the upcoming road trip. The Steelheads have a contract with an analytics company. After each game Graham receives a lengthy report, sometimes 25 pages in length, Sheen booked McClure a flight to Austin for Sunday afternoon, around of data the company has tracked, including shot attempts, time of the same time the rest of the Steelheads would be flying back to Boise, possession, and other various metrics that are rather unprecedented for but the player wasn’t told before the game. After the win and after an ECHL team to have access to. addressing the team, Graham called McClure into his office and delivered the news that he was going up. “We did a trial of about 10 games last year and we really liked it,” Graham said. “It can help with some of our pre-scout and some of the “That’s one of the best parts about this job,” Graham said. “We want our tendencies, it’s just been a nice tool. At the end of the day with that guys to go up and play at the next level. If they play well here maybe they analytics stuff, we’re young so we should be pretty more hip to it. But a earn a one-way (AHL) contract or something bigger. The more we are lot of it, the players don’t need to know, to be quite honest. But I think it’s promoting guys to the next level the better it is for us, and in the process, very useful for a coaching staff and GMs when trying to do what’s best we are going to keep winning.” and those are tools we can use.” With another win on their ledger, the players are headed to a local Graham said the analytics can be used hand-in-hand with the hours of bowling alley to celebrate. Graham and his staff, myself included, head to video work the Steelheads put in, which is an effort the two coaches a nearby restaurant for a bite to eat. The next morning they’ll fly back to handle themselves. Unlike NHL and AHL teams, which have a dedicated Boise, the first day home after a nine-day road trip, before departing for video coach, Graham and Sheen have to do their own film work and do it another six-day trip on Tuesday. on the fly during the game. During the first game in Allen, back on Wednesday, the Idaho players asked to see the power plays from the first period and Graham was clipping and pointing things out on his The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 laptop during the first intermission. Watching Allen and Idaho play provides an interesting contrast of new and old-school philosophies. While Idaho tries to play with the puck and 1129162 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings' Dylan Larkin could be back on ice on Thursday

Helene St. James, Feb. 5, 2019

Dylan Larkin's inner drive and speed are part of what makes him so good. It's why he has become the best player on the Detroit Red Wings.

He could be back showcasing both as soon as Thursday, after missing one game.

Larkin aced a workout Tuesday and plans to skate Wednesday. He strained an oblique muscle Friday during overtime while giving chase to Toronto’s Mitch Marner, and he left the ice doubled over in pain.

“I gave it everything I had and I felt the muscle pull in my side,” Larkin said. “It was just a hard, explosive movement and I felt it right away. I felt it right away. I knew it wasn’t great and I was hoping it would just kind of go away like a cramp. It didn’t. It took a couple days to settle down and after that, it’s been nothing but progress. I’m hopeful I’ll be good to go Thursday.”

Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin suffered an injury during Friday's game against Toronto, but he could be back as soon as Thursday.

The Wings take a three-game winning streak up against Vegas, their longest streak since winning four straight in November.

“We’re finding ways to win and our confidence is back up where we are going into games,” Larkin said. “We are playing good hockey like we had been before in Calgary and Vancouver and then finally got the monkey off our back in Edmonton. We were playing really good hockey and we just weren’t closing it out and now we are and our confidence is high.

“Everyone is chipping in and playing hard. It’s fun for us right now and it’s something we need to keep going.”

Larkin scored his 22nd goal of the season against the Leafs, and he leads the Wings with 49 points.

If Larkin can’t play against the Golden Knights, Andreas Athanasiou is expected to center the top line again, like he did in Saturday’s 2-0 victory at Ottawa. Tyler Bertuzzi (upper body injury) remains sidelined, but Michael Rasmussen will be recalled from a conditioning stint after playing for Grand Rapids on Wednesday.

More: Inside the rebuild: A check on Detroit Red Wings' top-5 prospects

It’s only the third time this season the Wings have won three games in a row, and this streak is especially gratifying after consistently playing well since New Year’s Eve and coming up short.

“One of the hardest things in life is to keep believing when you’re not getting results, but our guys have done a good job of that,” Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. “They’ve continued to understand that if you do it right over and over and over again, results always follow if you can stay with it. I think a lot of people and teams don’t stay with it enough. We’ve stayed with it and we’ve got results to show for it. Now, I didn’t think we played great on Saturday, we mucked out a road win and had a real good goalie performance, but sometimes you have to muck road wins. We didn’t give them much, either.

“But I think over the last 17, 18 games now, our process has been very good. W have to stay with it.”

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129163 Detroit Red Wings While the news regarding Larkin was extremely positive, forward Tyler Bertuzzi (upper body) didn’t skate Tuesday and Blashill isn’t counting on Bertuzzi returning before early next week. Bertuzzi missed the two Dylan Larkin's recovery ahead of schedule; could return for Wings' next games last weekend. game Defenseman Trevor Daley (foot) practiced Tuesday, and Blashill is optimistic Daley could be available this weekend.

Ted Kulfan, Feb. 5, 2019 … The Wings have won three consecutive games, and a chance Thursday to match the four-game streak they haven’t had since November.

Detroit — Dylan Larkin’s recovery is apparently going faster than “We were playing real good hockey and just weren’t closing it out, and expected. now we are and our confidence is high,” Larkin said. “Everyone is chipping in and playing hard. It’s fun right now and something we need to So fast, Larkin could be in the lineup Thursday when the Red Wings play keep going.” Vegas at Little Caesars Arena. … Blashill said forward Michael Rasmussen will return from Grand Larkin strained an oblique muscle in overtime of Friday’s victory over Rapids, where Rasmussen is currently on a conditioning stint, after the Toronto. Originally expected to miss a week or two to recover, Larkin had Griffins’ game Wednesday’s. a good off-ice workout Tuesday as the Red Wings returned to practice after two days off, and if all goes well Wednesday on the ice — Larkin is Detroit News LOADED: 02.06.2019 planning to practice — coach Jeff Blashill said Larkin would play against the Golden Knights.

“I felt it right away and I knew it wasn’t great,” Larkin said of the original injury. “I was hoping it would go away, like a cramp, that’s how it kind of felt like, but it didn’t. It took a couple of days to settle down and after that, it’s been nothing but progress.”

Larkin was chasing down Toronto’s Mitch Marner when Larkin felt a muscle pull in his side,

Dylan Larkin met the media Tuesday. Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News

“It was just skating and a hard explosive movement, and I felt it right away,” Larkin said. “It was a tough couple of days after Friday night, but I’ve been feeling better day by day and got a workout in today. Everything went good.

“I’m expecting to hit the ice (Wednesday) and we’ll see how it goes from there.”

Blashill said the training staff kept Larkin off the ice Tuesday to prevent any sort of re-aggravation.

But the way Larkin was feeling, and his positive workout off the ice, made everyone around the Wings believe Larkin’s return will be much sooner than later.

“Feel better about it today certainly than we did Saturday when he wasn’t able to play,” Blashill said.

Slumping Abdelkader

Forward Justin Abdelkader has five goals on the season and hasn’t scored a goal in 23 games, not the type of production Abdekader was able to put up earlier in his career.

But those days, Abdelkader, 31, was playing in a different sort of a lineup.

“When he scored 20, he was playing with Hank (Zetterberg) or Pavel (Datsyuk),” Blashill said. “Sometimes the production hasn’t been as high when he’s played with Dylan but he’s been a big piece of why we were able to produce offense — because he’s been standing net-front and in the goalie’s eyes all time.

“Sometimes those guys don’t get rewarded with points. He’s done an excellent job of saying ‘I’ll do whatever it takes to help this team win’.

"He’s really shown great leadership that way.”

Odd schedule

The Wings are in the midst of a four-day break between games — after having played back-to-back, after having had nine days off.

The uneven nature of the scheduling has taken a bit getting used to.

“It’s been a little strange,” defenseman Mike Green said. “But after the little bit of rest we responded well (last weekend). These next few days are going to be critical between our game Thursday to make sure we stay in the mental state we need to continue this momentum we’ve built up.”

Ice chips 1129164 Detroit Red Wings the NHL this season, and might win the Stanley Cup. Nikita Kucherov has Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman.

In truth, it would benefit the Red Wings greatly not only if sixth overall ’18 Pat Caputo - Dylan Larkin, just good or generational talent? pick Filip Zadina, who has not performed as anticipated during his first pro season, develops in the near future, but if the Red Wings have a top 3 pick in the upcoming draft. American center Jack Hughes and Finnish By Pat Caputo winger Kaapo Kakko are probable high-end stars, and Russian winger Vasili Podkolzin, who has already seen time in the KHL, could be.

Red Wings’ general manager Ken Holland just can’t seem to help himself Generational players and Stanley Cup championships go hand-in-hand. by overvaluing homegrown players and aging unrestricted free agents, You either have them, or you don’t hoist The Cup. and awarding them with ridiculous long-term contracts. But there has been little criticism over Larkin’s $6 million-plus annual deal which takes Do the Red Wings have one in Dylan Larkin? him to age 27.

Not long ago, it would have been a ridiculous notion to put the pride of Right age. Right time. Right player. The future captain. Waterford Township in the same discussion with soaring NHL young stars such as Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine. And a player, who could excel beyond expectations at just the right time for the Red Wings. But Larkin has emerged in 2018-19, while the above-mentioned three have slid at varying degrees. Macomb Daily LOADED: 02.06.2019

The Red Wings have a poor record this season, but there are signs they could turn around their flagging fortunes reasonably quickly because of rapidly developing young talent.

By far, the biggest light at the end of that tunnel is Larkin. He’s played well all season, making the anticipated incremental development after a solid 2017-18 season.

Yet, in the weeks leading up to an upper body injury, which will reportedly sideline him a week or two, Larkin was noticeably asserting himself even more.

The Red Wings lost at Calgary, but Larkin was the best player on the ice, not the Flames’ terrific Johnny Gaudreau. On the same Western Canada trip, Larkin was better than McDavid, who has been struggling by his high standards on a disappointing team. Matthews, a truly great talent, had a productive game vs. the Red Wings Friday, but it was Larkin who really flashed, tying the game with a third-period goal - and the Red Wings won in overtime.

In the 3-on-3 of overtime, Larkin’s speed and skill are often overwhelming. It’s not a fluke he’s won four games with goals in overtime this season, tying for the NHL lead.

The days with Larkin as a turnover machine in his own zone, and struggling to fend for himself on the ice, are over. At 22, Larkin is just starting to apply himself.

The point of this isn’t to anoint Larkin a generational player yet, but it’s possible.

A statistical analyst of his season suggests Larkin isn’t close. His minus-5 is misleading because he logs so much ice time on an often overmatched team, but it’s still minus-5. Assuming Larkin’s injury doesn’t hold him out for too long, he might get to 30 goals, which isn’t exactly rare. He is still at less than a point per game. There are 45 NHL players averaging a point per game this season. Larkin’s numbers are improving, but not the stuff of an elite forward. Most promising, though, are Larkin’s puck possession stats.

His Corsi Close (up a goal, down a goal or tied) has risen to nearly 53 percent after falling below 50 not long ago.

There is also the draft value of Larkin. He was the 15th overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft. There are others in the ‘14 class who have done well. First overall pick, defenseman Aaron Eckblad (Florida), hasn’t necessarily disappointed. Second overall selection Sam Reinhart (Buffalo) has roughly the same career stats as Larkin. Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl (third overall), Toronto’s William Nylander (eighth overall) and Winnipeg’s Nikolaj Ehlers (ninth overall) are impact players. Boston's David Pastrnak, taken 25th overall, has been the big star of the '14 draft so far.

But unquestionably, Larkin would go much higher in a re-draft, perhaps in the top 3. And he’s just three months older than Buffalo’s Jack Eichel and six months older than McDavid, the generational talents selected second and first overall in 2015.

Larkin needs a side kick or two. Patrick Kane had Jonathan Toews. Sidney Crosby had Evgeni Malkin. Tampa Bay has been the best team in 1129165 Edmonton Oilers At the morning skate Hitchcock informed the media he’d be starting Cam Talbot in goal after $13.5-million man Mikko Koskinen failed to make the saves in Montreal Sunday. He said the Oilers need great games in goal JONES: Oilers turning turtle race into turtle soup now, not good ones. And Talbot was great in making two saves in the second half of the sandwich session.

But they were going in at a one-per-minute rate early in the third, Terry Jones including one from traded Oiler Drake Caggiula.

The first was one from the top of the face-off circle that Talbot waved at. A giveaway by zero goal-scorer Tobias Rieder and a Talbot rebound The Edmonton Oilers are now, you have to figure, turtle soup. chased the starter and brought in Koskinen, who gave up two of his own. When you lose a seventh straight game and fourth straight at home, Back at the All-Star Break it was a seven-team scramble for the two wild gassing a third straight third-period lead — this time spectacularly — in card spots. But when the Blackhawks left the rink they were tied with the losing 6-2 to the Chicago Blackhawks, then you have to be considered Oilers with 51 points, remarkably, in both cases, only three points out of a out of the Great Turtle Race of 2019. wildcard spot. Even if the standings still suggest otherwise. And who do they start in goal for the next one? Oscar Klefbom? I mean, this was as ghastly as it gets. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 02.06.2019 Leading 2-1 after two on a pair of goals by Leon Draisaitl set up by Connor McDavid, this ended up as complete and colossal collapse from an alleged playoff contender as you are ever going to witness.

It brought out booing two or three times in the third period from the frustrated fans who serenaded the Orangemen off the ice with a complete chorus of boos.

The customers now have to have totally given up the ghost on not missing the playoffs for the 12th time in the last 13 years.

In a twisted sort of way, it was a worthy way for a Turtle Race team to, well, turtle.

Who could have concocted a recipe like this?

I’m sure it was not exactly what head coach Ken Hitchcock had in mind when he came up with a new plan to put into place for the final 32 games of the regular season.

Basically, you can win a Turtle Derby if you can get four points out of every six available. And that was there for the Oilers to do in the first three-game segment coming out of the break and even going into the third period Tuesday night against a Chicago team that had just one win against Pacific Division opposition this season.

It obviously wasn’t in Hitchcock’s plan to get behind 1-0 early in every game.

I mean REAL early.

The Oilers allowed a power-play goal at 3:10, 2:23 and now 1:55 of all three games since coming back from the break.

Next game they should break the one-minute barrier.

It was the sixth short-handed goal — with a seventh to come in the third period — to be given up by the, excuse the term, penalty killers, since returning from the All-Star break.

McDavid and Draisaitl’s cast of mostly underachievers and non- performers, despite a 10-day break, played less than inspired hockey for significant stretches of all three games.

These Oilers haven’t grasped the concept of grabbing games by the throat or imposing their will on anybody in the building where Hunter the mascot bangs his stupid little drum to no response at the start of every game.

Once they settled into this game, and it took most of the period, the Oilers were awarded a power play on which Draisaitl scored from McDavid and then a 5-on-3 power play when Draisaitl scored again from McDavid and Ryan Nugent Hopkins.

Hitchcock developed a new concept to put into play with this team to get more players involved and hadn’t put his helicopter lines in a blender. But the goals and points are coming from the same guys.

Since the Oilers have come back from the break McDavid and Draisaitl have combined for 13 points and now sit tied in the NHL goal-scoring race with 31. No other team has more than one 30-goal scorer and these two are easily on pace for 40 with 30 games to go.

A team with 62 goals from two players shouldn’t really be in a position like this. 1129166 Edmonton Oilers tablet, ref Brad Meier said no way as Talbot got the hook. “He (Meier) said the goalie had time to recover his position,” said Hitchcock.

SWING AND A MISS Oilers totally collapse in third period against Blackhawks The Oilers drafted Erik Gustafsson, who got the first Hawks’ goal, in the fourth round in 2012 but chose not to sign Oscar Klefbom’s friend and Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal Chicago got to him instead. Big mistake, obviously. Gustafsson, 26, has 11 goals in 51 games, running the show from the point on the power play. He could be a 15-goal, 50-point D at season’s end. “Our power play has been way better since he went up top on that unit. Not many guys There are Oil Spills, then there are Oil Gushes. can do what he does there,” said Hawks’ coach Jeremy Colliton. As Taylor Hall once said as he skated through another discombobulating Gustafsson’s 11 goals tie him with Mark Giordano for fourth most for NHL Edmonton season, “eventually the stink gets on all of us” so there is no D-men. It was a very poor Oiler 2012 draft with Nail Yakupov, then Mitch sense hanging this absolute crushing two-minute collapse in the third Moroz in the first two rounds. Jujhar Khaira is the only guy from that draft period Tuesday on starting goalie Cam Talbot or Mikko Koskinen who on the roster. came on in relief when it was 4-2 SO ABOUT THAT FINGER … You can hang this one on everybody wearing an Oiler jersey in a game Klefbom, who played 21 minutes, admits that everybody knows he had that was 2-1 Edmonton through 43:50 and somehow ended 6-2 for the surgery to repair his busted digit, so he can’t hide it. “I know if I knew Chicago Blackhawks. As Oiler defenceman Darnell Nurse said in a very somebody on the other team had a bad finger I would go after that guy. I quiet Oiler bathhouse later, they hung their goalies out to dry when John have to be ready for anything out there,” admitted Klefbom, who played Hayden, then Dylan Strome, then Patrick Kane scored three times on six with a sore shoulder last year that eventually needed repair but it wasn’t shots on Talbot at 3:50, 5:23 and 5:51, then did the opposite of rallying like he had a target there. around Koskinen, allowing their former teammate Drake Caggiula to stand alone and rip one past the other goalie on the first shot he saw, 47 BARELY GETTING SEAT WARM seconds later. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins didn’t even get a chance to say hello to the After that, the body language on the Oiler bench was all slumped penalty timekeeper after his slash 1:51 in. Jonathan Toews beat Kyle shoulders. Brodziak cleanly and Gustafsson ripped one home four seconds later on a screened shot that looked like it hit Brodziak on the shin and got past And, so the Oilers have lost six in a row, and the Hawks, who were Talbot. The clear definition of token resistance on a PK. supposedly dead and buried in the playoff scramble six weeks ago, are now tied (51 points) with Oilers, and St. Louis, another team out of it at This ’n that: Draisaitl’s second in the opening period off a sweet McDavid the start of 2019, has 53. feed was the Oilers first of the season 5-on-3 and the first against the Hawks when down two men. Oilers had nine power play shots, but not And yet, they remain only three points out of the second wild card, now much even-strength … Fans were screaming for a penalty when Vancouver at 54 points in the West. Incomprehensible but true. McDavid was clipped in the chiclets by a high-stick but it was actually his But we were back to fans showing their displeasure in a costly way. teammate Brad Malone who accidentally got him … Seems like yesterday that Sherwood Park’s Cam Ward was winning the Conn At least two fans tossed their Oiler jerseys on the ice. Smythe and hoisting the Stanley Cup for Carolina over the Oilers in 2006 and now Ward is three weeks from his 35th birthday. Ward made a You pays your money, you can do what you want… fantastic pad stop on Ty Rattie late in the second … The Oilers had the Afterwards, somebody asked the Oiler captain what it felt like to be last 10 shots of the first frame after being down 9-6 … Oilers defenceman Connor McDavid as his team has lost to Chicago, Montreal, Philadelphia, Alex Petrovic sat for the third straight game. As an unrestricted free- Detroit, Carolina and Calgary, and been out-scored 30-17. agent, he certainly could be moved at the deadline. He has only played one game since Jan. 8 but missed six games with a concussion … “I’m not going to even answer that,” said McDavid. Colliton on ex Oiler Caggiula: “He’s scrappy and that line (Kane and Toews) needs a presence there. He gets into battles so we stay in the FRUSTRATED. He assisted on both Leon Draisaitl goals. offensive zone.” But… Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 02.06.2019 “We can’t rely on one or two guys for 20 minutes (McDavid and Draisaitl) to win the games. It’s a collective agreement, it’s everyone buying in. We did it well in Montreal and didn’t carry it into tonight,” said Alex Chiasson.

The team collapsed faster than a $10 pup tent from in front of Talbot and Koskinen. But as good as Talbot was through two periods, making two huge saves on Alex DeBrincat and tracking the puck through traffic as well as he has all year, he was beaten over the glove by Strome (through Nurse screen), then couldn’t get the handle on a shot as Kane poked home some loose change. Talbot wasn’t happy to get the hook, at all, but Hitchcock said “I was just trying to get a time-out without having a time-out.”

So, while Hitchcock has started Koskinen eight times and Talbot six in the New Year, and while he says he is looking “for one guy to grab it” this was a total team foldo.

The coach looked as defeated at game’s end as his players were, and that’s not a good thing.

Draisaitl had two on the power play in his six shots over the first 40 minutes — one on a 5-on-3, one on a 5-on-4 — to give him a career best 31 goals, both assisted by McDavid.

HAIL MARY COACH’S CHALLENGE:

Hitchcock tried to get the Kane goal erased at 5:51 of the third, feeling Brandon Saad could have interfered with Talbot in the crease as he stood with his skate between the sprawled goalie’s pads after Talbot juggled Artem Anisimov’s original shot. After a 30-second look at their 1129167 Edmonton Oilers

Caggiula played with McDavid on the Edmonton Oilers, now Kane and Toews in Chicago

Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal

You have to like the friends Drake Caggiula hangs out with.

In Edmonton, he sometimes found himself on the wing with Connor McDavid on the No. 1 attacking unit here. And in Chicago, he was on the left side with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane on the Blackhawks top line against the Oilers Tuesday night, showing that when the stars come out at night, Caggiula’s not just a star-gazer.

Kane knew about Caggiula from his former Hawks teammate, Nick Schmaltz, because they were linemates at the University of North Dakota, and also saw Caggiula with McDavid at times. But since Caggiula was traded to the Hawks, Kane’s got an up-close appreciation for his gritty style.

“He creates lots of space, wins battles to give us odd-man rushes,” he said.

Caggiula, who played 156 games with the Oilers, and suited up for his 11th as a Chicago forward, knows how lucky he is. He’s had the best of both worlds in his early NHL career.

“I learned an awful lot from Connor and Nuge (Ryan Nugent-Hopkins) and Leon Draisaitl when I was here and I thought I could bring what they taught me to Chicago and hopefully apply it,” Caggiula said. “But they’re all different players, seeing the game differently.

“I have to stay true to who I am, stay humble.”

Caggiula, who went out for dinner Monday night with old teammates Matt Benning, Nugent-Hopkins and Jujhar Khaira, admits it was a pinch-me moment Tuesday before the game. He knew his way to the Oilers room, without a map.

“Different entrance into the rink, different place to dress,” he said of the visitors room.

Caggiula was traded for defenceman Brandon Manning, a healthy scratch Tuesday in the third pairing when Oscar Klefbom returned to the back-end after breaking his finger.

“Funny how fast your life can change. All of a sudden, you’re in a new city, new organization,” Caggiula said with a laugh. “Not knowing anybody. I had to keep my mouth shut until I got to know everybody.”

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129168 Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton Oilers players 'loved' ex-teammate Drake Caggiula

Gerry Moddejonge

With the Edmonton Oilers struggling to generate offence beyond their top two lines, it came as a surprise that in one of his final moves as general manager, Peter Chiarelli traded forward Drake Caggiula to the Chicago Blackhawks in a package for defenceman Brandon Manning.

On Tuesday, Caggiula was back in Edmonton, playing on the Blackhawks top line with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, while Manning was a healthy scratch for the fifth time in 15 games since joining the Oilers.

“He’s a guy that everyone loved in this room,” Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse said of Caggiula. “He was such a great teammate a very hard worker, very skilled player. It’ll be fun to put the friendship on the side and go to battle.”

Caggiula, 24, had seven goals and 11 points in 29 games with the Oilers this season prior to the trade. He has a goal and four points in 10 games with the Blackhawks. Three of those points came in a 7-3 win, on the road, against the Buffalo Sabres this past Friday, scoring a goal and picking up a pair of assists.

“He works in the corner, he works in the front of the net,” Nurse said. “He’s another guy, if you give him too much time, he’s got a great shot too.”

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129169 Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton Oilers defenceman Andrej Sekera on the way to Bakersfield

Derek Van Diest

The final road back to the lineup begins in Bakersfield, Calif., for Edmonton Oilers defenceman Andrej Sekera.

Out all season with an Achilles injury sustained during a summer workout, Sekera was assigned to the of the AHL on Monday for a conditioning stint.

Sekera can play three games in Bakersfield on long-term injury reserve, but the Oilers are expected to apply for a two-game extension, which they count on being granted.

When Sekera is ready to return, the Oilers will have to be creative with the salary cap to activate him. They dipped into the long-term injury fund to trade for Manning from the Blackhawks.

“We played all year without our No. 2 (defenceman) Sekera, we haven’t had him all year,” Hitchcock said. “The players are bugging us because they see how good he is in practice and they’re hoping this weekend he jumps ahead.”

The great turtle derby is being contested by half the Western Conference. One thing is for sure: At some point, a couple of these teams are going to break away from the pack. The question in Edmonton is: Do the Oilers have the right team to do it?

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129170 Edmonton Oilers

Oscar Klefbom back in Edmonton Oilers lineup against Blackhawks

Derek Van Diest

The Edmonton Oilers are getting help in the form of defenceman Oscar Klefbom, who returns to the lineup Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks at Rogers Place.

Klefbom has missed the past 21 games with a broken pinky finger on his left hand after being hit with a shot from Colorado Avalanche forward Sven Andrighetto on Dec. 11. Klefbom required surgery on the digit and returned to practice with the Oilers on Thursday following their five-day break after the All-Star weekend.

“I want to go out there and play my game, help the guys out and, hopefully, contribute something on the ice that I brought in the days I was playing,” Klefbom said Tuesday morning. “There are a lot of points to play for, so I want to come back here and give a good playoff push.”

Klefbom had three goals and 15 points in 31 games prior to the injury. The Oilers were 17-12-2 with him in the lineup. They have gone 6-12-3 without him.

“He’s a guy that every time he comes into the lineup, he bumps up your chances of winning a hockey game, he’s just that good,” said Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse. “Especially for this time of year, I think we’re all excited to have him back. It’s a great boost for us.”

Klefbom was averaging over 25 minutes a game for the Oilers prior to getting hurt. Heading into the contest against the Blackhawks, Oilers coach Ken Hitchcock was asked whether he will have to monitor Klefbom’s ice time in his return? Klefbom will slide into his usual spot on the top paring alongside Adam Larsson against the Blackhawks.

“This is when coaches are idiots. We all start off, we have a long-term plan, we’re going to ease him in and that usually last four shifts and then we’ll play him the same when he played before,” Hitchcock said. “When he played for us, everybody knows he played 25-to-27 minutes, all hard minutes, all against top players. The difference (Tuesday) is that he won’t run first unit on the power play. We need him badly killing penalties, obviously, we need his heavy minutes and him and Larsson were one and two on the first pair and we’re going to put him back into that situation.”

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129171 Edmonton Oilers second most expensive roster in the league, so anything they do would have to be dollar in, dollar out.

And forget about moving the first overall pick or any of their top Edmonton Oilers have nine games to prove they shouldn't be selling at prospects. In his recent media conference, Nicholson said they won’t the deadline trade any of their young assets for a quick fix.

“We’ll make some trades at the deadline if they’re the right trades to get Robert Tychkowski us in the playoffs,” he said. “But we’re not giving away the future.”

That makes sense given that sneaking into the playoffs in a wildcard spot and getting two home games isn’t something any team should mortgage The clock is ticking, and not just on the playoff chase. its future for. And also because there is no such thing as a quick fix when it comes to repairing what’s wrong with the Oilers. Before the Edmonton Oilers cross the regular season finish line in April, their interim management team must decide what the roster will look like So, there isn’t much they’ll be able to do as buyers. This is mostly about when they do. not selling. What the Oilers are playing for over these next nine games is a fighting chance to finish what they started. Stripped down because the bosses didn’t like what they saw and decided to become sellers at the trade deadline? Whether they get it or not is up to them.

Or will the team be left alone, perhaps even bolstered a little, because it Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 02.06.2019 fought its way into the playoff picture and deserves a chance to see this thing through?

It’s obvious what the players wants — long-suffering stars like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl aren’t at all interested in writing off another season — but if the Oilers aren’t still in the hunt on Feb. 25th that’s probably what happens.

The ultimate goal is organizational progress. If the playoffs aren’t looking good with 21 games to go, the smart play is to free up cap space by moving pieces that might fetch a decent return from teams drunk with optimism at the deadline.

And if the Oilers are still on the fence at the deadline, like they are right now (not really out of it, but only looking at about a 25 per cent chance of getting in), there will be some tough decisions to make.

At the centre of the whole strategy is Alex Chiasson. He’s Edmonton’s third leading scorer with 17 goals and has Stanley Cup experience with the Washington Capitals. He’d be an attractive addition to any contending team, and losing him for nothing in the summer would fall into the category of poor asset management.

But trading him for a pick or a prospect essentially kills the season.

The organization has already spoken with Chiasson to gauge his interest in re-signing here because if he’s seen enough of this team and told management he wants out, everything else is a moot point. He’d be gone at the deadline, taking the playoff chances with him.

Fortunately that isn’t the case. He’s told Bob Nicholson and Keith Gretzky that he likes it here and wants to stick around.

“I won’t go into details, but I’ve made it clear that this year has been tremendous for me as a player,” he said after the 4-3 overtime loss in Montreal. “My girlfriend and I love the group here, the players and their girlfriends. So I’ve made it clear that we want to stay. The rest is out of my control.”

The Oilers would like to have him. He brings experience, leadership and offence, although they will have to enter into contract negotiations with the understanding that his astronomical shooting percentage isn’t going to last.

But he wants to stay and he’s a big piece of the stretch drive puzzle, so that’s a good start.

“I want to be here,” he said. “The opportunity I’ve had has worked out well for both of us. So hopefully things work out.”

The rest of the equation is up to the team. It has nine games to convince management to, at the very least, stand pat and treat their UFA’s (Chiasson, Cam Talbot, Alex Petrovic and Kevin Gravel) like their own rentals.

Go on another one run like they’ve already done twice this season, show that they deserve a little boost at the deadline, and they can even be buyers.

Although, from the buyer’s perspective, they really don’t have much to spend.

As we all know, Edmonton is pushed up against the salary cap like Maunte Bol in the back seat of a Prius. Believe it or not, this is the 1129172 Edmonton Oilers MATCH-UP

CONNOR MCDAVID VS. PATRICK KANE

Edmonton Oilers Game Day: Chicago Blackhawks coming in hot McDavid is doing his best to carry the Oilers into the post season and it appears Kane hasn’t given up on the year, either. Kane is on an 11-game point streak with nine goals and 17 assists in that span. He is now tied Derek Van Diest with McDavid for second in league scoring, both with 31 goals and 76 points on the season. McDavid is also wielding a pretty hot stick with eight goals and seven assists in his past 11 games.

The Edmonton Oilers have activated Oscar Klefbom off injured reserve. SPECIAL TEAMS

The 25-year-old defenceman has been sidelined since Dec. 11 with a Edmonton: hand injury. Power play: 9th (21.4%) At the time of his injury, Klefbom led Oilers defencemen in points and the team in average ice-time (25:25). He has three goals and 12 assists in 31 Penalty kill: 29th (75.5%) games this season. Chicago:

Klefbom is slated to play on the Oilers’ top defensive pairing with Adam Power play: 15th (20.6%) Larsson tonight against the visiting Chicago Blackhawks. Penalty kill: 31st (74.0%) The #Oilers have officially activated Oscar Klefbom from IR. pic.twitter.com/IoU5quYf3T PROJECTED LINEUPS

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) February 5, 2019 OILERS

Chicago Blackhawks at Edmonton Oilers: Rogers Place, 7 P.M. TV: Forward Sportsnet, RADIO: 630 CHED Milan Lucic • Connor McDavid • Ty Rattie FIVE KEYS Tobias Rieder • Leon Draisaitl • Alex Chiasson MAKE A SAVE Jujhar Khaira • Ryan Nugent-Hopkins • Zack Kassian If the Edmonton Oilers are going to make a playoff push, they’re going to need outstanding goaltending to get them there, not just average Brad Malone • Kyle Brodziak • Jesse Puljujarvi goaltending. In both road games against the Philadelphia Flyers on Defence Saturday and Montreal Canadiens on Sunday, the Oilers did not get outstanding goaltending, although Cam Talbot did make an incredible Darnell Nurse • Adam Larsson save in Philadelphia to get the game into overtime after they had already Darnell Nurse • Kris Russell blown a two-goal lead. The Oilers need one of their goalies to get hot and start stealing games. Kevin Gravel • Matt Benning

KILL A PENALTY Goal

The Oilers gave up four power-play goals in the 5-4 overtime loss to the Cam Talbot • Mikko Koskinen Flyers, which is simply unacceptable for a team trying to make a playoff run. They gave up another power-play goal in the loss in Montreal, and BLACKHAWKS then killed the next three penalties, but the damage had already been Forward done. It’s tough to play an aggressive forecheck game if the team can’t kill off a penalty. The Oilers have the third-worst penalty kill in the league, Drake Caggiula • Jonathan Toews • Patrick Kane which is not going to get the job done. Alex DeBrincat • Dylan Strome • Dominik Kahun A LITTLE HELP Brandon Saad • David Kampf • Marcus Kruger Ty Rattie, Adam Larsson and Zack Kassian all scored for the Oilers in Philadelphia and they still lost. The following day, Connor McDavid and Brendan Perlini • Artem Anisimov • John Hayden Leon Draisaitl accounted for all the Oilers scoring and they lost again. Defence Draisaitl and McDavid have combined to score 60 of the team’s 151 goals this season. Alex Chiasson has 17 on the year, but one in his last Duncan Keith • Brent Seabrook 12 games since returning form injury. Either someone else needs to step up and start scoring, or the Oilers have to go out and find secondary Gustav Forsling • Connor Murphy scoring before the NHL trade deadline. Carl Dahlstrom • Erik Gustafsson

KLEFBOM ON THE WAY Goal

Oilers defenceman Oscar Klefbom is back practising with the team, but Cam Ward • Collin Delia has yet to return to the lineup from a fractured finger on his left hand, sustained blocking a shot on Dec. 11. Klefbom was the Oilers’ best INJURIES defenceman before the injury and they are hoping he can be their best defenceman upon his return. Even if Klefbom gets into the lineup against EDMONTON the Blackhawks, he’s going to need time to get back up to speed. And Andrej Sekera (Achilles), Oscar Klefbom (hand). with a surgically repaired finger, his ability to pass and shoot the puck will be impacted. CHICAGO

KEEP UP THE PACE Corey Crawford (concussion).

The Oilers unveiled a new system on the weekend designed to play the Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 02.06.2019 game at a higher pace. For the most part, the system worked, but they blew two third-period leads, which raises the question if they can keep up that tempo for an entire 60 minutes. It might have been the 10-day break that had their legs feeling heavy in the third period, or perhaps the team doesn’t have the horses to keep it up. Either way, the Oilers will have to continue pushing the pace to be effective. 1129173 Edmonton Oilers proven, inexpensive option? Many Oilers fans believe Nurse has enough value to get a handsome return (possibly a scoring winger), with keen Oilers observers suggesting he’s inner circle and untradeable.

Lowetide: Setting the Oilers’ expected keeper list for the next GM Draisaitl is on track for 100 points but many fans feel he isn’t worth his contract. Klefbom is the team’s best defenceman when healthy, but he seems to lose 20-plus games to injury each season. Larsson is a strong By Allan Mitchell Feb 5, 2019 shutdown defender but his wonky back can make him look slow in important moments of the game.

All but the captain are vulnerable once the new man is named general The Edmonton Oilers organization went through a major change in the manager. late spring of 2000. On June 9 of that year, the team announced as the team’s new general manager. held that post for What does it all mean? 20 years, and fans wondered what the transformation of the team under a new, inexperienced manager would look like. The 1999-00 version of In the spring of 1998, legendary Edmonton radio host John Short spoke the Oilers boasted a strong group of young veterans that included Doug passionately about keeping both Curtis Joseph and Doug Weight and Weight, Ryan Smyth, Bill Guerin, Roman Hamrlik and Todd Marchant. finding a way to retain the services of the Oilers’ best players. Glen Fans had been treated to a solid regular season and another epic first- Sather’s actions suggested keeping Weight alone was the better plan. In round playoff loss to the Dallas Stars, so the summer additions being the end, Edmonton lost both men and was forced to replace them via discussed surrounded ways to get past Mike Modano, Derian Hatcher draft and trade. and Ed Belfour. The assumption from fans involved keeping the talent The bottom line is this: Edmonton’s new general manager will arrive in cluster and adding around it. the next four months and begin the process of tweaking the roster. However, Lowe traded Hamrlik two weeks after he took the manager’s Although it won’t be a rebuild, chances are we’ll see a Hamrlik-style trade job, provoking some alarm from fans and a raised eyebrow from Sather that involves saving some cap and bringing in a less expensive version of (who expressed surprise that Lowe shuffled the talent base so quickly). the player sent away. Those cap savings will likely be used on a free Bill Guerin was gone in November 2000 and Doug Weight, the team’s agent or in a separate trade that brings back a high skill player for a draft captain and emotional leader, was sent away June 30, 2001. Just over pick and prospects. 52 weeks after Lowe took over, the face of the Oilers had been changed The 2019 first-round pick is in play. Nugent-Hopkins and Larsson will be forever. Each one of those deals (Hamrlik, Guerin, Weight) had a major two years from free agency come summer. The new general manager impact on the team and the fans, and could not have been anticipated will want to put his stamp on this roster by mid-July. We don’t know who before Sather’s exit. is going, but we already have our suspicions.

Peter Chiarelli took over the Oilers in April of 2015, his first big move the The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 selection of Connor McDavid at the draft. Hours later, a trade of two picks for Griffin Reinhart, and a year later, Hall for Larsson.

TRADE IS ONE FOR ONE: ADAM LARSSON FOR TAYLOR HALL.

— BOB MCKENZIE (@TSNBOBMCKENZIE) JUNE 29, 2016

A general manager can have an enormous impact on a roster, good and bad. Edmonton’s next GM might tell fans at his introductory press conference that the team will redouble the amateur procurement process, that there is no quick fix, that the long road ahead involves draft and development. But it’s more likely we’ll hear what Bob Nicholson said at his recent media avail — “We’re not into a rebuild. I truly believe we’re not into a rebuild.” — and the summer will be spent shopping the first- round pick and other unproven assets for more established pieces.

The McDavid cluster

If we polled 100 Oilers fans and asked for the names of the inner circle members of the McDavid cluster, the universal answers would likely be 97, Leon Draisaitl and Darnell Nurse. A second cluster that includes Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Oscar Klefbom and Adam Larsson might also be seen. The contracts of Milan Lucic and Mikko Koskinen imply both men will be around for the next several seasons, but things can change in a hurry with a new general manager.

Another Hamrlik deal?

The Lowe deals described above all happened before the salary cap, so the new Oilers GM will be dealing in a different landscape. That said, if there’s going to be immediate improvement for the current roster, chances are we’ll see a surprising name sent out by the new man. The one asset outside the McDavid cluster that holds enough trade value to bring a substantial return is the 2019 first-round pick. There’s an excellent chance that selection will be dealt this summer but it won’t likely be enough to get the Oilers headed in a positive direction.

Who is vulnerable to trade?

If the “McDavid cluster” can be described as the captain, Draisaitl, Nugent-Hopkins, Nurse, Klefbom and Larsson, then the list of vulnerable players from the inner circle is five. The only way Edmonton trades McDavid is by request and hockey players simply aren’t wired that way. After that, it comes down to the new general manager and how that man wishes to proceed.

Does he believe the team can use the first-round pick, free some cap by trading Kris Russell and come back a faster, more skilled group? Or does the GM cash the final two seasons of Nugent-Hopkins in favour of a less 1129174 Florida Panthers

Panthers cough up third-period lead, fall to Blues

Wells Dusenbury

With a two-goal lead in the final period, the Florida Panthers looked like they were poised to pick up their fifth win in the past six games and make up critical ground in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

But Florida couldn’t close the deal Tuesday night as the team surrendered three unanswered goals in the third period and fell to the St. Louis Blues, 3-2.

“We were playing in our end too much,” Panthers coach Bob Boughner said. “We got the puck, would go down and turn it over. We started getting too fancy and then you spend the next 30-40 seconds in your end. It was shift after shift, they started building momentum.”

“I think we didn’t step on their throat. We were a little bit passive in the neutral zone, turning pucks over.”

Blues defenseman Vince Dunn scored the game-winning goal with 3:53 left in the contest, picking up a turnover and firing a left-handed slap shot past Panthers goalie James Reimer.

The loss was another missed opportunity for the Panthers (21-22-8) in their attempt to claw their way back into postseason contention. Florida entered the night nine points out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

“We had our chances,” Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov said. “We should’ve just kept playing the way were were playing in the first period.”

The Panthers struck first in the opening period after Henrik Borgstrom capitalized on a power-play opportunity. The 21-year-old center corralled a rebound in front of the St. Louis net and finished backhand for his fifth goal of the season to give Florida a 1-0 lead with just over a minute left in the first.

After a scoreless second period, the Panthers took advantage of the power play once again to start the third. Thirty seconds into the period, Barkov scored off assists from Mike Hoffman and Keith Yandle to give Florida a 2-0 lead. For Barkov, it was his 19th goal and 50th point of the season.

St. Louis finally broke through three minutes later after being blanked the first two periods. Colton Parayko scored a wraparound goal off an assist from Oskar Sundquist to cut the Panthers lead, 2-1.

The Blues evened the game up eleven minutes later after Ryan O’Reilly fired a shot past Reimer off assists from Brayden Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko.

Florida will hit the ice again on Thursday against the Pittsburgh Penguins as it prepares to welcome back former Panthers Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann, who the team traded to Pittsburgh last week. Florida received Derick Brassard and Riley Sheahan in exchange.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129175 Los Angeles Kings The Kings will need Toffoli and Kempe and others without Jeff Carter available, at least in the short-term, because of a lower-body injury. Coach Willie Desjardins said before the game he was hopeful for Carter Kovalchuk's goal is the icing on the Kings' 5-1 victory over Devils to play later on the trip, and general manager Rob Blake said in an email that he doesn’t think that Carter is a week-to-week situation.

LA Times: LOADED: 02.06.2019 By CURTIS ZUPKE

NEWARK, N.J.- Kovalchuk's goal is the icing on the Kings' 5-1 victory over Devils

In any other game, it would have been a meaningless statistic-padding goal, another marker at the end of a blowout.

But goal No.428 for Ilya Kovalchuk carried a brickhouse full of meaning, and one could tell from the way his teammates celebrated with him and from the smile on his face afterward.

Kovalchuk clearly relished scoring a goal in his return to Prudential Center, after he was booed loudly every time he touched the puck Tuesday night against his former team, the New Jersey Devils. His third- period strike was the cherry on a 5-1 win by the Kings and a parting shot from the 35-year-old.

“I was actually happy that I score,” Kovalchuk said. “That’s the best answer.”

It was Kovalchuk’s only shot on goal, with fewer than three minutes remaining, facilitated by a steal from Anze Kopitar that Kovalchuk easily swiped into the net. Many of the announced crowd of 14,508 fans had already left following two goals by Tyler Toffoli in a 35-second span at the start of the third period and another by Dion Phaneuf 45 seconds later that put the game away. But the Kings gave Kovalchuk’s some extra taps and hugs when his moment arrived.

“Like I said, we care about each other here,” Kovalchuk said. “That’s the most important thing. I know the guys talked to me before game, I just tried to focus because I know it’s going to be different emotions but I tried to do my thing.”

There was no welcome-back tribute for Kovalchuk. Some fans wore Devils jerseys that read, “Traitor.” Said Dustin Brown dryly, “Fans are passionate. It’s good.”

The hatred stems from Kovalchuk’s decision to retire from the NHL and play in Russia, reportedly for money and family reasons in the wake of the 2012-13 lockout. He had signed a 15-year, $100-million contract that was later terminated by New Jersey.

All that baggage was aired out inside Prudential Center.

“I think he knew he was going to get a really good reception, or the one he got,” Toffoli said. “I don’t think he really cared too much. He went out there and played his game and had his shots, had his chances. For him to put that in at the end of the game was a lot of fun for all of us.”

Toffoli and Adrian Kempe continued to operate on a newly discovered gear. The two combined for two goals in 18 games from Dec.11 to the start of this trip, but they have six goals in the past two games.

Toffoli scored on the power play 32 seconds into the third period, then on a pass from Michael Amadio on a rush at 67 seconds. Kempe hammered Carl Hagelin’s pass from the high slot in the first period after Hagelin maneuvered into position on the left side.

Phaneuf scored his first goal since Feb.20, 2018, a span of 68 games, on a blast from up top, off a Devils player. The five goals scored on Devils goalie Keith Kinkaid were more than Kinkaid had given up in five previous games against the Kings combined. Toffoli said they didn’t really figure him out though.

“Just keep shooting,” Toffoli said. “That’s my motto.”

Jack Campbell made 29 saves in his first start since Jan.17. He checked off another new building for his NHL career by playing in Prudential Center, and it’s not one he’ll forget soon.

“It’s pretty cool to experience that,” Campbell said. “I can’t believe guys boo Kovy, just because he’s the nicest guy in the world. To see the game he had, takes a lot of mental toughness, just shows his character. We all love him, so happy that he was able to score and most importantly, we won the game, so I know he’s most happy about that.” 1129176 Los Angeles Kings after missing two games with the flu. … The game began a season-high four-game homestand for the Devils, who play nine games at the Prudential Center in February.

Tyler Toffoli scores twice in 3rd period, lifts Kings to 3rd win in 4 games UP NEXT

The Kings play at the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday.

By The Associated Press |PUBLISHED: February 5, 2019 Orange County Register: LOADED: 02.06.2019

NEWARK, N.J. — New Jersey Devils fans came to the Prudential Center to jeer Ilya Kovalchuk. The visiting Kings made sure they had few reasons to cheer.

Tyler Toffoli scored twice in 35 seconds early in the third period to spark the Kings to a 5-1 victory over the Devils on Tuesday night.

Toffoli, who had the overtime winner Monday against the New York Rangers, helped send the Kings to their third win in four games.

Adrian Kempe, Dion Phaneuf and Kovalchuk also scored for the Kings. Jack Campbell made 29 saves and Anze Kopitar had three assists.

It was the first game in New Jersey for Kovalchuk since he left the Devils in 2013 to continue his career in Russia. He signed with the Kings as a free agent last summer.

Kovalchuk was booed loudly when his picture appeared on the scoreboard as one of the Kings starters. The hostile reception continued throughout the game whenever he hit the ice, and especially when he handled the puck.

He returned the favor, scoring with 2:24 remaining to extend the lead to 5-1.

“That’s not something you’re expecting, but that’s OK,” Kovalchuk said of the game-long razzing. “You know that’s their emotions, and that’s how they react, so that’s what I think. I was happy when I scored. That’s always the best answer.”

Pavel Zacha scored for New Jersey, and Keith Kinkaid stopped 20 shots.

The score was tied 1-1 before the Kings scored three goals in the first 1:52 of the third period.

Toffoli started the outburst on a power play 32 seconds in. He took a flip pass from Kopitar and rifled the puck under the crossbar before striking again just 35 seconds later.

“To start the third period with the power play was huge, and we went in with the plan of getting the puck to the net,” Toffoli said. “Kopitar found me in the slot and we put it in. It kind of kept rolling from there. We took over the game in the first two minutes, and did a good job and did the right things necessary to win.”

Phaneuf added his first of the season on a point shot that glanced off a New Jersey defender, and suddenly the Kings were in control.

Kempe opened the scoring at 6:21 of the first period with a shot from the slot that handcuffed Kinkaid.

It was the only goal of the opening period – and Kempe’s third in the last two games.

The momentum shifted New Jersey’s way to start the second as the Devils fired nine of the first 10 shots of the period. The pressure paid off when Zacha evened the score at 3:31 on a sensational setup by Jesper Bratt. Skating behind the Kings net, Bratt fed a no-look backhand pass to the slot where Zacha slammed it home.

It was another disheartening loss for the Devils, who have been unable to generate positive momentum in a season that has slipped away from them.

“It seems like we put together a good game here and there,” captain Andy Greene said. “It’s not like we’re not working hard. They’re mental mistakes. It just seems when that happens, we’re getting busted for it. The goals are happening. We’re letting them in. We compound one mistake into two or three.”

NOTES

Jeff Carter, who sustained a lower-body injury in the Kings’ victory Monday night over the Rangers, is sidelined day-to-day, according to interim coach Willie Desjardins. … Nate Thompson returned for the Kings 1129177 Los Angeles Kings It’s two games. You just got to keep going.

Toffoli, on starting strong in the first period:

FEBRUARY 5 RAPID REACTION (FEAT. PATRICK O’NEAL): KINGS 5, I thought we came out and had a really good first period. I thought the DEVILS 1 second period we kind of let off a little bit and they had some really good chances and like I said, Jack made some huge saves and kept us in the game, and then I thought the third period took over what was it — the JON ROSEN FEBRUARY 5, 2019 first two and a half minutes? — and essentially I want to say put it away. I think we did a really good job and did the right things necessary to win tonight.

Willie Desjardins, on the purpose to the early third period power play, and Toffoli, on Kinkaid previously having played well against the Kings: what was discussed in the second intermission: Just keep shootin’. That’s my motto. Well, I think it was good – Marco, he talked to ‘em. But, it’s good to see. Right off the start Kopi was bearing down and we got in right away and Jack Campbell, on whether he had to overcome nerves after not having got set up, and Toffoli made a good shot. played recently:

Desjardins, on Ilya Kovalchuk’s reception: I felt pretty good. I thought we had a real good start and I just thought we played a real great game, so it felt good to just step in and the boys got a Whenever there’s that kind of emotion, it’s good and bad. If you have that big win last night so I just wanted to try to do my part to help us get kind of energy for one person, it means he’s done something. Obviously another one. he had a great career here, and the fans, maybe they’re upset with him, but they still had a lot of emotion for him, which is a good thing. Campbell, on playing at Prudential Center for the first time:

Desjardins, on whether momentum from Monday’s third period carried Right. It’s pretty cool to experience that. You know, I can’t believe guys into the first period Tuesday: boo Kovy just because he’s the nicest guy in the world, but to see the game he had takes a lot of mental toughness and just shows his A little bit. I thought we skated well in the first. I thought they were good character and we all love him so, happy that he was able to score, and early, I thought we played pretty good. They had a good second. We most importantly, won the game. So I know he’s most happy about that. played a little better towards the end of the second, but they had a good start to the second. It was good to get that power play one, and then it’s Campbell, on the team scoring three goals to start the third period: funny how some nights you just can’t get ‘em to go in. Tonight they were I mean we’ll take it. That’s for sure. They still pushed hard. They have a just finding ways to get in for us. It was good for us tonight. real fast team, some dynamic players, and some guys who can really Desjardins, on whether Adrian Kempe and Tyler Toffoli scoring was shoot the puck, so I thought we did a really great job played hard on something he “knew would happen”: them all night and it was just a big win for us.

I don’t know if I ‘knew’ it’d happen, but they’re good players and I’ve Campbell, on tonight being the second night of a back-to-back: always had lots of confidence in them, so it’s great to see them get I honestly thought we looked better tonight than even last night. We rewarded. They play hard, they’ve both got good skill, so it’s nice to see played a good game last night, but we were real slow in the first. Tonight them get something out of it finally. we played 60 minutes and everybody played great, so we’ll take it.

Desjardins, on whether Dustin Brown went through concussion protocol Ilya Kovalchuk, on getting two points against his old team: after Blake Coleman’s hit: It’s good. Like I said last night, we’re desperate for the points. Doesn’t No, it wasn’t protocol. I think he just got winded a little bit, so he … just matter who we play. Tonight’s game was our third game in four nights, so had to go off and kind of re-gather himself. there wasn’t too much energy there, but I think we played a good system Desjardins, on the energy on the second night of a back-to-back: and Soup made some great saves when we needed and the power play scored a big goal. I thought it was good. I was worried early. The second period I was worried that we were getting tired and we weren’t moving very good. It’s Kovalchuk, on what type of reception he expected tonight: amazing – you get a couple bounces going your way, and all of a sudden You never expect anything, but that’s okay, you know? That’s their then you’re looking great. We were fortunate to catch those, but I thought emotions and that’s how they react, so I was doing my thing. our energy was good by the end of the third. Kovalchuk, on whether it is challenging to tune out booing from opposing Desjardins, on his reaction to the three quick goals at the start of the third fans: period: I was actually happy that I scored. That was the best answer. That it’s not over and there’s still lots of time left. They have a good team and you knew they were going to come back with some kind of a charge, Kovalchuk, on the highlight of his KHL career and his adjustment back and if they got one, you knew they were going to come. Every shift to me into the NHL: was still important. We won two cups there so that was the highlights and my adjusting was Tyler Toffoli, on Devils fans booing Kovalchuk: good. The start was pretty good, but then I slowed down a little bit so I tried to regroup and have a good end of the year. I think he loves it. He doesn’t care what anybody says about him. He’s such a good teammate and I think all of the guys in the room were very Kovalchuk, on how long it took to feel comfortable back in the NHL: happy with him scoring there at the end of the game. With that group of guys, it’s really quick. You know we have some Toffoli, on the energy on the bench towards the end of the third period: experienced guys here and whenever you play you just enjoy it and do your best. I mean, when we’re up 4-1 there we obviously just locked it down. I don’t think they really got a whole lot and Soup made huge saves throughout Kovalchuk, on the energy level throughout the course of the game: the game that kept us in that position. Yeah that’s what we were talking about between the second and third. Toffoli, on whether anything was said to Kovalchuk before the game: Dewey’s telling us that that we’ve got to get our goals going and that power play was important on the good ice, so we did our good job to I think that he knew he was either going to get a really good reception or, score two more quick goals so the game was over. you know, the one that he got. And like I said, I don’t think he really cared too much. He went out there and played his game and had his shots and Kovalchuk, on not seeing many former teammates on the Devils’ bench: had his chances and like I said, for him to put that in at the end of the game was a lot of fun for all of us. Yeah, I think only two guys left who I played with, so the times fly. But the younger guys came in and they got that Hischier and all those guys. A Toffoli, on scoring three goals in two games: really skilled group of guys there. So this year is not their year, but I’m pretty sure they have a bright future here.

Kovalchuk, on getting congratulated by his current team after scoring against his former club:

Like I said, we care about each other here. That’s the most important thing.

Post-game Notes

–With the win, Los Angeles improved to 56-34-15 all-time against the New Jersey franchise, a record that includes a road mark of 25-21-7. The Kings finished the season series with a 1-1-0 record against the Devils, with each team winning on the road.

–With the win, Los Angeles improved to 8-12-2 against the Eastern Conference, 6-5-1 against the Metropolitan Division, 9-15 in games decided by three or more goals, 15-4-1 when scoring first, 8-0-0 when leading after one period, 6-5-2 when tied after two periods, 14-17-3 when outshot by their opponent and 3-3-1 on the second night of back-to-back sets.

–With third period goals from Tyler Toffoli (0:32, 1:07) and Dion Phaneuf (1:52), the Kings set a franchise record for the fastest three goals to begin a period in franchise history (112 seconds). The previous record was three goals in 150 seconds on November 4, 1972 at the New York Islanders.

–Los Angeles is 30-23-4 in the 57 games Jeff Carter has missed, dating back to the start of 2017-18.

–Jack Campbell has allowed 10 goals in his last eight starts, dating back to November 3. He leads all qualified NHL goalies with a .933 save percentage.

–With three assists, Anze Kopitar extended his point streak to five games (3-6=9). He recorded his team-best eighth multi-point effort in the win.

–The Kings attempted 47 shots (25 on goal, 12 blocked, 10 missed). The Devils attempted 58 shots (30 on goal, 16 blocked, 12 missed). Oscar Fantenberg, Adrian Kempe and Tyler Toffoli finished with a game-high four shots on goal.

–Los Angeles won 28-of-58 faceoffs (48%). Adrian Kempe won 5-of-10, Michael Amadio won 4-of-8, Anze Kopitar won 12-of-26, Kyle Clifford won 1-of-1, Ilya Kovalchuk won 0-of-1, Dustin Brown won 0-of-1 and Nate Thompson won 6-of-11.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129178 Los Angeles Kings

GAME 53: LOS ANGELES AT NEW JERSEY

JESSI MCDONALD FEBRUARY 5, 2019

GAME THREADS

Los Angeles Kings 5, New Jersey Devils 1

Final Score

Preview

Box Score

Ice Tracker

Fox Sports Live Stream

SOG: LAK – 25; NJD – 30

PP: LAK – 1/3; NJD – 0/5

First Period

LAK – Adrian Kempe (8) (Carl Hagelin); 6:21

Second Period

NJD – Pavel Zacha (9) (Jesper Bratt, Drew Stafford); 3:31

Third Period

LAK PPG – Tyler Toffoli (10) (Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty); 0:32

LAK – Tyler Toffoli (11) (Michael Amadio, Brendan Leipsic); 1:07

LAK – Dion Phaneuf (1) (Anze Kopitar); 1:52

LAK – Ilya Kovalchuk (11) (Anze Kopitar); 17:36

Los Angeles Kings (21-27-4) at New Jersey Devils (20-24-7)

Tuesday, February 5, 2019, 4:00 p.m. PT

Prudential Center, Newark, NJ

Referees: #10 Kyle Rehman, #40 Steve Kozari

Linesmen: #59 Steve Barton, #79 Kiel Murchison

Fox Sports West, FOX Sports GO, LA Kings Audio Network

LAK starters: G Jack Campbell, D Derek Forbort, D Drew Doughty, LW Ilya Kovalchuk, C Anze Kopitar, RW Dustin Brown

LAK scratches: D Sean Walker, FWD Matt Luff, FWD Jeff Carter

NJD starters: G Keith Kinkaid, D Andy Greene, D Damon Severson, LW Miles Wood, C Travis Zajac, RW Blake Coleman

NJD scratches: D Eric Gryba, FWD Brett Seney

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129179 Los Angeles Kings

CARTER OUT TUESDAY BUT COULD RETURN ON TRIP; DESJARDINS ON HANDLING YOUNG PLAYERS

JON ROSENFEBRUARY 5, 2019

INJURIESMEDIA AVAILABILITY

While speaking with media prior to the game against the New Jersey Devils, LA Kings head coach Willie Desjardins shared that Jeff Carter, who did not return to action after suffering a lower-body injury late in the second period during Monday’s 4-3 overtime win over the New York Rangers, would not play Tuesday night.

“He’s not a go. We’ll have to just kind of monitor as we go,” Desjardins said. “One day back, it’s hard to say exactly how quick it’ll settle down.”

Desjardins acknowledged that there could be an opportunity for Carter to return on the road trip, which continues Thursday in Philadelphia before games in Boston and Washington on Saturday and Monday.

“Oh yeah, I think there is [optimism he could return],” he said. “I think there’s a chance. Saying that, it wasn’t that he was close tonight.”

Desjardins confirmed that Nate Thompson, who was ill and missed the first two games of the trip, would return to the lineup in Carter’s absence. Thompson was close to playing Monday, but Desjardins was hesitant to quickly reinsert the center into the lineup after skating through one practice after joining the team out east.

Tuesday’s game is the third game in four nights after an 11-day mid- season hiatus.

Keith Kincaid will start for New Jersey, who will be without defensemen Sami Vatanen (concussion) and Ben Lovejoy (upper-body) and forwards Taylor Hall (lower-body), Stefan Noesen (lower-body) and Joey Anderson (broken ankle), all of whom are on injured reserve. Kinkaid is 4-0-0 in five career starts against Los Angeles with a 0.85 goals-against average, a .970 save percentage and two shutouts.

Willie Desjardins, on whether it was a “bonus” to get strong shifts by the fourth line last night:

It was good. I think the Islanders’ fourth line did a good job on us the night before, and it was good for us to get it back. But that line’s played well. I think Clifford’s been really consistent all year, Wagner has good speed and Amadio came in and he was good last night. [Reporter: What are you looking for out of a ‘fourth line?’ What are some of the core tenets?] I think you look for a line that’s hungry, plays hard and gives you a working shift every time they’re on the ice. You’d like if it’s physical. Sometimes you’re not built that way, but mainly it’s a line that will go out and give you energy. I don’t know the exact way to say it, but you don’t want them to get scored on. If your fourth line can go out and play even, that’s big for them.

Desjardins, on what makes him think Austin Wagner will be a player who sticks in the league:

He’s a good skater. You look and he creates a lot of chances through his speed. He’s got size, he’s got grit. He lacks experience, and that’s the one thing he has to get as he moves on, but his work ethic is good and his desire to get better is there. [Reporter: What’s your philosophy behind teaching young players, Willie? How would you go about it with him with the way he’s playing?] I think young players, the underlying thing, you have to have accountability. I don’t believe you just give them ice time. I don’t believe that if they play bad you just put them out there again. They have to be able to go out and play, but you give them every opportunity you can, and you always try to set them up to succeed, too. If they’ve got a really bad match-up, I don’t think you get anything by putting them out against the top line where they get scored on and then they lose confidence. I think you have to be good to them where you protect them a little bit, but I think you have to give them opportunity.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129180 Los Angeles Kings Kovalchuk, on whether there was any animosity between him and when they met:

No, he did exactly what I asked him and he did everything like very KOVALCHUK WON’T MIND THE BOOS, PRAISES LAMORIELLO professional, I think it was the win-win situation for both sides. You know that financial situation with Jersey when I was there, and they traded great players and they went to the playoffs last year, so I think it’s good JON ROSEN FEBRUARY 5, 2019 for both sides.

Kovalchuk, on whether Tuesday will be his first time returning:

Ilya Kovalchuk and the New Jersey Devils. There’s a bit of history there! Like Jersey? Physically? No, I was there yesterday because I have a house there, so I just went there to check what’s going on. To wrap it up in a neat little bow, the Devils invested significant capital in Kovalchuk, acquired from the Atlanta Thrashers as an impending Kovalchuk, on whether he has great memories from New Jersey: unrestricted free agent in exchange for Johnny Oduya, Niclas Bergfors, Patrice Cormier, a first round draft pick and a second round draft pick in Yeah, we had a great team when I got traded – all those three years I February, 2010. was there, we went to the finals. It was a lot of fun. I played with some great players there, some Hall of Famers. Some guys got their jersey Though Kovalchuk entertained some degree of thought towards signing retired, so it’s always great. It was a great experience, for sure. with Los Angeles that off-season – you may remember that story – he did not, and instead signed a 17-year, $102-million contract with New Jersey. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 02.06.2019 The frontloaded contract drew the league’s ire as well as an intervention in which the Devils forfeited $3-million, a first round pick and a third round pick. The first round pick was later returned as the 30th overall selection in 2014, and the fine was halved after the Devils lobbied the league to consider an evolved set of circumstances in which Kovalchuk signed voluntary retirement papers and returned to Russia with $77-million on his contract following the 2012-13 season.

Kovalchuk’s 17-year contract came off the books, affording the team ample salary cap maneuverability, but his departure occurred amidst the subtractions of Zach Parise and David Clarkson, the latter of whom scored 45 goals in his final 128 games with New Jersey before he left in the 2013 off-season as well. To summarize: the trajectory of the franchise was tectonically altered by Kovalchuk’s decision.

“You know, it’s always good to go back and play against your former team, so I’m pretty sure it will be a lot of booing, but I love that, so it’s all good,” Kovalchuk said Monday after Los Angeles’ 4-3 overtime victory over the New York Rangers.

"To watch a guy get cheered or booed – they don't boo nobody, as the saying goes. I get a kick out of it." – #NJDevils Travis Zajac when asked about the reception Ilya Kovalchuk will receive at Prudential Center tonight.

— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) February 5, 2019

The circumstances of the season won’t necessarily do Kovalchuk any favors. The Devils occupy the 29th spot in the league, the Kings the 30th, so he may serve as an outlet of frustration amidst a spate of injuries and inconsistent goaltending in Newark.

Really, even in the best of times, he’d probably be subjected to a coarse welcome.

“That’s the fans’ opinions,” Kovalchuk said. “It’s a free country. Everybody can do whatever they want. I’m just a hockey player, so I’ll go there and try my best and try and do everything to help my team to win.”

Speaking with reporters after Monday’s game at Madison Square Garden, Kovalchuk articulated his expectations towards returning to the rink where he spent 222 of his to-date 858 NHL games, as well as his relationship with former New Jersey Devils President and General Manager Lou Lamoriello.

Ilya Kovalchuk, on whether he’s excited to return to the Prudential Center:

I’m excited, especially right now we’re desperate for the points, so I think everybody understands it’s a big game and you know, it’ll be something special for me too, so hopefully the guys will help me to get a few opportunities. [Reporter: It’s so different from the last time you were there. I think Travis and Andy are the only ones, right?] Yeah, I think only two guys left, so but now Marty, he’s almost running the club. [Reporter: Wasn’t he then too? Or Lou was?] Actually I saw Louie with the Islanders, so it’s been when he was five years ago, so he’s doing a great, great job there too, so it’s all good. [Reporter: What was that like when you saw Lou?] It’s nice. I saw him in Moscow too, a few times back when I played there, so we’re always good. I respect the guy and he’s a true professional. He will do anything for you when you’re on his side, so it’s all great. 1129181 Los Angeles Kings

WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: FEBRUARY 5

JON ROSEN FEBRUARY 5, 2019

GAME STORY

Benefiting from standout goaltending and winning the game’s important moments, the LA Kings eked out an unlikely victory in which they saved their best hockey for the final 20 minutes and 25 seconds. Even the way the game ended was representative of both the Kings’ ability to steal one and of the broader story of the Rangers’ season. New York played a sturdy game marred by several lapses over the final 20 minutes; they hit a crossbar in overtime and paid the price moments later. Los Angeles, meanwhile, wasn’t felled during an important penalty kill following the unsuccessful off-side challenge and answered every goal against with a goal of their own, even in a game in which they faced a stiff challenge leaving their zone with regular pace or speed. They capitalized on one of the infrequent rush chances they generated, sparked by a Drew Doughty stretch pass to Carl Hagelin, who left the puck for Ilya Kovalchuk and his gorgeous no-look feed to a net-crashing Adrian Kempe in one of the Kings’ better displays of pristine playmaking this season.

Speaking of the Kempe line, that combination was going well for much of the night, with Kovalchuk showing very well for the second consecutive game out of the break. For a player who exudes the adrenaline-based enjoyment that he does, this juju should be sustained during a game tonight in which he’ll be the focal point of perhaps a few pitchfork-yielding locals. Kempe made bee-lines straight to the net with speed and beat his player down the ice to score twice, with the second marker a pretty good reenactment of the type of net-crashing goals he scored during his 18- year-old goal spike with Manchester during the spring of 2015. While Matt Luff and Sean Walker weren’t in the lineup, several other younger players got a longer leash in Monday’s win, with Michael Amadio factoring into the game-tying goal in the last minute of regulation. He received a Doughty pass and protected it long enough to draw Mika Zibanejad towards him, opening up a passing lane to Kempe. Kempe redirected the pass deep, where Toffoli got behind Marc Staal and Chris Kreider to fish it loose off the boards and find his streaking center. Amadio rotated through the lines in the third period with Carter out, but while he was skating with Kyle Clifford and Austin Wagner, his line was as effective as any at playing in the offensive zone.

The ideal scenario, of course, is for the Kings to finish with the first or second pick at the NHL Draft. Anything written between now and the draft lottery is said with this in mind. That is not an easy thing for hyper- competitive athletes or coaches paid to get every ounce of production and effort out of their players to accept. There was a real palpable emotive release when the game-tying and game-winning goals were scored that carried into the Madison Square Garden corridors and to the dressing room after the game. I’ve been downstairs preparing for dozens of TV hits during emotional wins, and this was the most excited and fired up bunch I’d seen after a win this season. I stood in the same hallway after the team took a 3-0 lead in the 2014 Stanley Cup Final, and their faces depicted marathon exhaustion. Even if they hadn’t come back on Monday, few of us would’ve batted an eye. We’d have dissected a difficult loss on a seeing-eye Adam McQuaid wristshot from the point that went against the concerted third period push and moved on to today’s effort against the Devils. Instead, even in such a difficult season in which there are daily references to Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko around Kings hyperspace, it still means so much for this team and these players to be rewarded for the work that they put in, and that it happened at Madison Square Garden is a nice perk.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129182 Minnesota Wild

Mikko Koivu injured in Wild's shootout loss to Sabres

By Sarah McLellan FEBRUARY 5, 2019

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Wild started Tuesday’s game against the Sabres missing one regular center, and that deficit doubled before the first period ended. Captain Mikko Koivu exited a 5-4 shootout loss before the initial intermission after colliding with winger Tage Thompson near center ice. The two smacked right legs, sending Koivu falling to the ice after he was carrying the puck. After the game, coach Bruce Boudreau didn’t have an update on Koivu’s lower-body injury. “It’s not the greatest situation to be in,” forward Charlie Coyle said. “He’s such a huge part on the ice, in the locker room. He’s our leader – faceoff, defense, everything. He does it all, and you can’t really replace him. “Everyone pulls the rope more and takes on a little more responsibility. I think we’re able to do that. Obviously, guys step up but not ideal. But it’s going to be some good adversity to overcome, and we’re looking forward to the challenge.” Already, the Wild was playing without center Eric Fehr, who was sick and did not dress against Buffalo. “Those are key players for us, especially down the middle,” defenseman Jared Spurgeon said. “To have centers that win draws as they do, it helps you get possession right away – especially on the penalty kill and stuff like that.” With Koivu unavailable, Coyle moved over from right wing to fill the void at center – working with wingers Zach Parise and Luke Kunin. And the trio helped the Wild bank a point, being on the ice for three team goals – including the fourth one, Parise’s team-leading 21st, that evened it at 4 and set up extra time. Coyle finished with a goal and assist, while Kunin had two helpers. “We felt like it was a couple weeks ago we were playing and had success,” Coyle said, referring to the trio’s dynamic stretch coming out of the holiday break. “We just kind of clicked right away and started to gain some confidence, and you get that goal – that helps. We were just doing the right things, just simple. I was trying to keep speed through [the middle], and those guys were making plays, getting on the forecheck, just simple stuff. That makes us get those chances that we had.” The second period was when the Wild did most of its rallying, scoring three times to flip a one-goal deficit into a 3-3 game. “We’re getting to the net, getting pucks to the net, bodies to the net, and good things were happening when we were doing that,” Kunin said. Another architect for the Wild’s comeback effort was Spurgeon. He scored twice, reaching the 10-goal plateau for the third time in his career, and it continued to push him past 30 points – also the third season he’s surpassed that mark. In his last 15 games, Spurgeon has six goals and 13 points. “At the start of the year, I was sort of in a different position partner-wise and obviously you lose a big piece with Mat Dumba going out [with a torn pectoral muscle]. We’ve tried to just pick it up for him. What he can do no one’s ever going to replace a guy like that. You just take the opportunity when you can, and hopefully they go in.” In the shootout, the Wild went with forwards Victor Rask and Jason Zucker before Parise. Rask lost control of the puck before getting a shot off, while Zucker's backhand was stopped and Parise went high. Although he didn't specify what it was, Boudreau said there was a reason he picked Rask to participate in the shootout. Rask was 1-for-8 in his career coming into the game, with all of those attempts coming in 2014- 15 and 2015-16 seasons. Star Tribune LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129183 Minnesota Wild

Wild-Buffalo game recap

Sarah McLELLAN FEBRUARY 5, 2019 — 10:26PM

GAME RECAP STAR TRIBUNE’S THREE STARS 1. Sam Reinhart, Buffalo: The winger scored the deciding goal in the shootout to go along with a goal and assist in regulation. 2. Jared Spurgeon, Wild: The defenseman scored two goals. 3. Linus Ullmark, Buffalo: Posted 41 saves and stopped all three Wild players in the shootout. BY THE NUMBERS 2 Power-play goals for the Sabres in two chances. 2 Assists by winger Luke Kunin in his return to the Wild’s lineup. 3 Tying goals by the Wild. Star Tribune LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129184 Minnesota Wild Coyle tied it at 3 with 2:55 left in the second period. Ullmark stopped Greg Pateryn's shot from the right point and Luke Kunin slipped the rebound under the goalie but off the right post. Coyle beat two Sabres Reinhart scores to give Sabres 5-4 shootout win over Wild defenders to put the loose puck into the open net. NOTES: Wild coach Bruce Boudreau did not have an update on captain Mikko Koivu, who sustained an undisclosed injury and did not return after By JOHN WAWROW Associated Press FEBRUARY 5, 2019 colliding with Buffalo's Tage Thompson in the first period. ... Smith played a day after being recalled from AHL Rochester, where he had five goals and seven assists in eight games after being demoted from Buffalo. ... Kunin and Kyle Rau played for Minnesota a day after being called up BUFFALO, N.Y. — Sabres coach Phil Housley could overlook the blown from AHL Iowa. ... Wild D Anthony Bitetto, claimed off waivers from leads and the defensive miscues. Nashville on Jan. 25, played his first game with Minnesota. What mattered more was how Buffalo persevered behind goalie Linus UP NEXT Ullmark's 41 saves and forward Sam Reinhart capping a two-point game by scoring the lone shootout goal in a 5-4 win over the Minnesota Wild on Wild: Host the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday. Tuesday night. Sabres: Continue their seven-game homestand against the Carolina "We've got to learn to tighten it up, but I'll give the guys credit, we found a Hurricanes on Thursday. way to win," Housley said. Star Tribune LOADED: 02.06.2019 Buffalo led by two in the second period but allowed the Wild to force overtime with 1:37 remaining in the third, when Zach Parise jammed in a loose puck at the left post. The Sabres, however, didn't let down and won for just the third time in nine games. In the process, they also eased the criticisms directed at a team that had fallen out of the playoff picture by going 8-14-4 since a 10- game winning streak in November. "I like the way they stuck together," Housley said. The game wasn't decided until the third round of the shootout on a goal Reinhart didn't initially realize went in. Driving in from the left wing, Reinhart snapped a shot that goalie Devan Dubnyk got a piece of with his right arm. The puck, however, had enough on it to dribble into the net. "I had no idea. I was just kind of turning up and just heard the crowd," Reinhart said. "It was nice to hear." And there was no mistaking the cheers that followed a moment later, when Parise's backhand sailed high and wide of the top right corner of the net. Reinhart had an assist and scored to break a 3-all tie 6:25 into the third period by deflecting in Jake McCabe's pass. Jack Eichel set up two goals and C.J. Smith also scored in a game the Sabres never trailed. Buffalo's once anemic power-play unit converted both opportunities, on goals from Evan Rodrigues and Rasmus Dahlin. The two goals matched the Sabres' combined output in their previous 11 games during which Buffalo went 2 of 28 with the man advantage. Minnesota defenseman Jared Spurgeon scored twice and Charlie Coyle also scored during a three-goal second period. Dubnyk stopped 35 shots. The Wild dropped to 0-1-2 in their past three games, matching their second-longest skid of the season. On the bright side, Minnesota earned a point in its second straight outing after rallying from a third-period deficit in a 4-3 overtime loss to Chicago on Saturday. "You have to have that ability to come back, but I'd love to see us play with the lead a little bit," Parise said. "It gets tough. You stress yourself out always fighting trying to come from behind. We've got to get ourselves a lead." Buffalo bounced back after opening a seven-game homestand with a 7-3 loss to Chicago on Friday night. Housley used the three-day break between games to attempt to give his slumping team a spark by shuffling his top three lines and defensive pairings. He most notably split up Buffalo's All-Star pairing of Eichel and forward Jeff Skinner. Eichel centered Kyle Okposo and Conor Sheary, while Skinner moved to a line centered by rookie Casey Mittelstadt. The moves appeared to pay off when Buffalo's revamped second power- play unit converted on Rodrigues' goal 4:31 into the game. The Sabres built a 3-1 edge 11:33 into the second when Dahlin's shot from inside the blue line went in off Spurgeon's stick in front. Defensive lapses led to the Wild tying the game at 3 before the period was over. Spurgeon scored 3:10 later, when he was allowed to break in up the right side, drive around the net and wrap in a shot. 1129185 Minnesota Wild

Wild rallies to force overtime, but falls 5-4 in Buffalo as Mikko Koivu leaves injured

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune FEBRUARY 6, 2019

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Evening up the score hasn’t been a problem for the Wild lately. Securing the go-ahead goal has, an issue that popped up again in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Sabres on Tuesday in front of an announced 16,847 at KeyBank Center — a trend that’s simultaneously encouraging and frustrating for a Wild bunch that’s winless (0-1-2) since it resumed its second-half playoff push after an eight-day break. “It’s both,” Zach Parise said. “You have to have that ability to come back, but you’d love to see us play with a lead a little bit.” That didn’t happen at all Tuesday, as the Wild tied it up on three occasions to force extra time and acquire at least a point for its effort — all done without their captain. Mikko Koivu left in the first period because of a lower-body injury after he collided with Buffalo’s Tage Thompson, with the two smacking right legs near center ice as Koivu carried the puck. Coach Bruce Boudreau had no update on Koivu’s status after the game. “Hopefully it’s not too serious, and we won’t miss him for that long,” Parise said. Without Koivu, Charlie Coyle shifted to the middle — anchoring Parise and winger Luke Kunin — and the three helped the team keep rallying. They were on the ice for three Wild goals. The last one came when Parise whacked in a loose puck with 1 minute, 37 seconds left in the third to even it at 4-4 while goalie Devan Dubnyk was on the bench for an extra attacker. Before that, winger Sam Reinhart put the Sabres ahead 6:25 into the period when he directed in a Jake McCabe pass. “They never quit,” Boudreau said. After a scoreless overtime that featured close calls for both sides, Reinhart scored the lone goal in the shootout — settling the game for the team that had control early. A rising shot from center Evan Rodrigues on the power play just 4:31 into the first put the Sabres up 1-0, but the Wild tied it 6:29 into the second when defenseman Jared Spurgeon batted the puck out of midair past Buffalo goalie Linus Ullmark. The goal capped off a 10-1 edge in shots for the Wild to start the period, but the team’s offense sputtered after that — and the Sabres pounced. First, Buffalo retook the lead only 63 seconds after Spurgeon’s goal when winger C.J. Smith buried a Reinhart pass that sliced through a breakdown in the Wild’s zone. And at 11:33, the Sabres converted their second power-play goal on a shot through traffic by rookie defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Buffalo finished 2-for-2 with the man advantage; the Wild went 0-for-3. Eventually, the Wild recalibrated. Spurgeon scored off a wraparound at 13:43 — set up by Kunin — on the Wild’s first shot since Spurgeon’s goal earlier in the period. And with 2:55 to go in the second, Coyle crashed the net to finish off a shot by Kunin that hit the post, tying the score. Overall, the Wild amassed 19 shots on net in the middle period. But that momentum didn’t sustain the Wild in the third period, and the team repeated a familiar cycle — falling behind before clawing back, but not enough to pull ahead. Dubnyk posted 35 saves, while Ullmark had 41 before stopping Victor Rask, Jason Zucker and Parise in the shootout. “You stress yourself out always fighting, coming from behind,” Parise said. “We’ve got to get ourselves a lead.” Star Tribune LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129186 Minnesota Wild

Anthony Bitetto poised to make Wild debut vs. Sabres

By Sarah McLellan FEBRUARY 5, 2019

BUFFALO, N.Y. – After a slew of recent roster moves, the Wild will roll out a different lineup to face the Sabres Tuesday in Buffalo that could include defenseman Anthony Bitetto making his team debut. Coach Bruce Boudreau told Bitetto to be ready to play since he’ll draw in Tuesday or Thursday at home vs. the Oilers. “I’m really excited,” Bitetto said. “I haven’t played in a little while here, so I’m looking forward to getting back out here. New team, fresh start and these are big games coming up and these are the fun times to play in. So I’m really excited.” Bitetto, who hasn’t played since Jan.4, was claimed off waivers from the Predators Jan.25. His first appearance comes on the heels of the Wild assigning defenseman Nate Prosser to the minors, along with winger J.T. Brown. The Wild also recalled forwards Luke Kunin and Kyle Rau from Iowa of the American Hockey League. “A guy that’s going to create offense when it’s there,” Bitetto said when asked about his style on the blue line. “Be physical at all times and defend hard. I like to compete. I like to win, so whatever it takes to win.” When Bitetto slots in, he’ll play on the left side – taking Nick Seeler’s spot on the third pairing. “He hasn’t had a rest,” Boudreau said of Seeler. “He plays awful hard. He hasn’t played a lot of minutes lately, but sometimes we always tell the young guys that sometimes it doesn’t hurt to watch a game.” Boudreau on how #mnwild’s game vs. #Sabres can set the tone for the week: pic.twitter.com/ejLlm2flOC — Sarah McLellan (@sarah__mclellan) February 5, 2019 This is the start of a four-game week, with three of those games on the road. After returning home to host Edmonton, the Wild will play a back-to- back against the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders. “It sets the tone for the week, especially everybody that we play at this stage is hungry for points,” Boudreau said. “So you’re getting the best efforts. It’s not like Game 4 of the year. So you’re getting everybody’s best efforts.” Projected lineup: Jason Zucker-Eric Staal-Mikael Granlund Zach Parise-Mikko Koivu-Charlie Coyle Jordan Greenway-Victor Rask-Luke Kunin Kyle Rau-Eric Fehr-Marcus Foligno Ryan Suter-Jared Spurgeon Jonas Brodin-Greg Pateryn Anthony Bitetto-Brad Hunt Devan Dubnyk Key numbers: 6: Wins for the Wild during its last nine road games. 5: Consecutive victories for the team in Buffalo. 113: Saves over the last 120 shots goalie Devan Dubnyk has faced. .930: Save percentage for Dubnyk in his career vs. the Sabres. 4: Assists for winger Mikael Granlund in his last three games. About the Sabres: Buffalo is in the midst of a seven-game homestand that’s tied for the longest in franchise history. The team has dropped two in a row, getting outscored 8-3 in those games. Overall, the Sabres are 14-7-3 at home. Captain Jack Eichel leads the team in points with 54, while winger Jeff Skinner paces the pack in goals with 31. Goalie Linus Ullmark is 10-5-3 with a .914 save percentage and 2.89 goals-against average. Star Tribune LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129187 Minnesota Wild

A pair of losses in a single night? Wild lose captain Mikko Koivu before falling to Sabres

By Dane Mizutani

BUFFALO, N.Y. — In desperate need of a win to start a week that could define their season, for better or for worse, the Wild instead suffered a pair of losses Tuesday night, one to the Buffalo Sabres and one in the form of Mikko Koivu going down with an apparent lower-body injury. While the Wild lost 5-4 in a shootout to the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center, once the dust settled, the focus immediately shifted to Koivu and whether the captain will be forced to miss an extended period of time. He left the arena on crutches minutes after the game, though coach Bruce Boudreau said there was no update on the injury. It happened midway through the first period on an awkward play that featured Koivu colliding with Sabres winger Tage Thompson near center ice. He appeared to take contact directly to his right knee, struggled to the bench, made his way down the tunnel, and did not play again. Mikko Koivu has not returned since this awkward play near center ice. #MNWild https://t.co/dgxc6V7k0x — Dane Mizutani (@DaneMizutani) February 6, 2019 That forced the Wild to play a man down for pretty much the entire game, and to their credit they poured in an outstanding effort with Koivu out of the lineup and ultimately earned one point in the standings. Not that the Wild are satisfied with silver linings with fewer than 30 games to go. “It was tough losing him because he’s a huge part of our team,” said Luke Kunin, who dished out two assists. “We all want to win games. I don’t think we should be satisfied with just getting to overtime and then to a shootout. We have to want to win.” A relatively quiet first period featured a goal from Sabres center Evan Rodrigues and paved the way for fireworks the rest of the way. It started with a goal from Jared Spurgeon early in the second period to tie the game, though that score wouldn’t last long as Sabres winger C.J. Smith helped his team retake the lead 63 seconds later. A few minutes later, Sabres star rookie defenseman Rasmus Dahlin netted a blistering wrist shot through traffic and suddenly the Wild were down for the count. Luckily for the Wild, another goal from Spurgeon woke the rest of the team up and Charlie Coyle capped the flurry by potting a rebound late in the frame. “As the game went on we started to find a rhythm and guys found their legs,” Spurgeon said. “That first period was a little bit sloppy. After that, I thought we did a good job.” The frenetic pace set the stage for a back-and-forth third period that featured a goal by Sabres winger Sam Reinhart early and another from Zach Parise late to send the game to overtime and eventually a shootout. “They never quit,” Boudreau said. “They want to win. They want to give it everything they’ve got. Sometimes it comes up one goal short.” As for the future without Koivu? Judging by the chatter in the locker room, it seems like he could be out for a while. “It’s not a great situation to be in,” Coyle said. “He’s such a huge part on the ice and in the locker room. He does it all. You can’t really replace him. Everyone just has to pull the rope a little bit more and take on a little more responsibility. Not ideal. It’s going to be some good adversity to overcome, and we’re looking forward to that challenge.” Pioneer Press LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129188 Minnesota Wild

Now a pro, Casey Mittelstadt still ‘the biggest Minnesota kid anyone will ever meet’

By Dane Mizutani

BUFFALO — It was difficult to hear Casey Mittelstadt talk on Tuesday morning, the words almost indecipherable between the exaggerated Minnesota accent and the sarcastic ‘Go Eagles!’ chants bellowing throughout the Buffalo Sabres locker room. “I think anyone would probably say I’m like the biggest Minnesota kid anyone will ever meet,” Mittelstadt said with a smile. “I get a lot of crap for it. It’s all in good fun, though.” Less than two years removed from walking the hallways as the big man on campus at Eden Prairie High School, Mittelstadt is carving out a life for himself in upstate New York. Drafted by the Sabres with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2017, he turned pro after a brief pit stop at the University of Minnesota. For Mittelstadt, 20, Tuesday night’s game against the Minnesota Wild at KeyBank Center means a little more than usual. He still hasn’t gotten used to playing against the team he grew up rooting for. “It’s a little weird going out and playing against them,” Mittelstadt said. “It’s definitely really cool, though. It’s a dream come true to play against the hometown team.” Across the Twin Cities, the legend of Casey Mittelstadt grew over time, culminating with his decision to stay home for his senior year at Eden Prairie High School. He wanted so badly to win a Class 2A state championship, and ultimately fell short of that in a semifinal loss to eventual champion Grand Rapids. While that loss still eats at Mittelstadt from time to time, he now has other games to occupy his time. Since making his NHL debut last March, Mittelstadt has eased into a role as the Sabres’ No. 2 center. He has 16 points (7 goals, 9 assists) this season, spent mostly centering veteran wingers Jeff Skinner and Jason Pominville. “He is harder on himself than anyone else,” Pominville said. “He’s definitely one of those guys that we know can help out offensively. He’s been put in good situations, so it’s only a matter of time for him to explode offensively and help us win more games.” Lofty expectations are familiar to Mittelstadt. The Sabres are hoping he’ll become one of the faces of the franchise moving forward with promising young teammates Jack Eichel and Rasmus Dahlin, and he’s OK with that. “I’ve gotten a little more comfortable, and the game has started to slow down,” Mittelstadt said. “Obviously, we need some scoring help, so I try to be that guy and help the team out wherever I can.” As crazy as it’s been living the NHL lifestyle over the last year or so, it’s some of the more mundane moments that remind Mittelstadt that he’s made it. “You’re just walking onto a private plane,” he explained. “I mean, I was riding on a bus a couple of years ago on the way to Edina. That’s been one of the biggest differences for me. Those are some of the pinch-me moments.” Those pinch-me moments can be few and far between over the course of an NHL season, though for Mittelstadt, the 10-game winning streak the Sabres went on earlier this season comes to mind. “For the young guys to get a taste of that and see how it really is was good,” said Pominville, who a former Wild player who has been part of some of the Sabres’ teams. “I’ve been asked about it and we’ve talked about it. It was still different until they actually saw that stretch. Everyone was like, ‘Oh man. This is cool.’ They love their sports teams in this city, and when we’re winning it’s pretty nice.” In time, Mittelstadt will have to navigate how to best keep the rabid fan base happy. Until then, he’s simply enjoying the ride. “I’m very happy with where I’m at,” he said. “It’s been a fun year so far.” Pioneer Press LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129189 Minnesota Wild

Wild to honor Twins legend Joe Mauer during game next week

By Dane Mizutani

The Joe Mauer farewell tour isn’t quite over. The Wild plan to honor the former Twins catcher and American League MVP next week at the Xcel Energy Center during a game against the Philadelphia Flyers. As a part of the celebration, players will wear custom Joe Mauer jerseys during pregame warmups. The jerseys will then be autographed and auctioned off to benefit Crescent Cove and the Minnesota Wild Foundation. Mauer will take part in a ceremonial puck drop and his family members will announce “Let’s Play Hockey” before the game. “Joe Mauer had a fantastic career with the Minnesota Twins,” Wild President Matt Majka said in a release. “We look forward to honoring the Saint Paul native for his great accomplishments both on and off the baseball field at our game on Feb. 12.” After a 15-year career with the Twins, Mauer officially announced his retirement on Nov. 15. He finished his career with a .306 batting average and 2,123 hits in 1,858 games. He also won an unprecedented three American League batting titles as a catcher, was named the 2009 American League MVP, and earned six All-Star selections. Pioneer Press LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129190 Minnesota Wild But Boudreau felt if he were going to play Bitetto, he should give him the best chance possible to succeed, which meant using him on his natural left side. That bumped Nick Seeler from the lineup, making him a healthy Red alert, captain: Mikko Koivu leaves on crutches as sloppy Wild fall to scratch even though he had been a big part of the penalty kill and had Sabres just helped the Wild earn seven of a possible 10 points in their previous five games. And it was an especially strange move given the Wild were already without penalty killer Eric Fehr (illness), one that looked worse after Koivu’s injury. By Chad Graff Feb 5, 2019 Then, less than five minutes into Tuesday’s game, the Wild already trailed thanks to a Sabres power-play goal. Buffalo added another goal with the man advantage in the second period, scoring on the only two BUFFALO — Before Sam Reinhart’s shootout bid trickled underneath penalties the Wild took all night. But it was the first power-play goal that Devan Dubnyk’s right arm, the lone successful attempt in the skills was especially troubling for a team that struggles to earn an early lead. competition that decided a 5-4 Sabres win, Wild captain Mikko Koivu was Tuesday was the 34th time this season the Wild have given up the first already dressed in a suit with a pair of crutches beside him. goal. They’ve only scored first 19 times. After Zach Parise’s ensuing attempt was thwarted and the game finally “You have to have that ability to come back, but I’d love to see us playing concluded, Koivu grabbed the pair of crutches that must have seemed all with the lead a little bit and not make a habit of having to come back,” too familiar after his knee injury in December. With an escort, Koivu said Zach Parise, easily the Wild’s best forward on a night he had 10 made his way slowly to the team’s bus for a trip back home where a busy shots and forced overtime with a late goal. “It gets tough always trying to month of hockey will continue on Thursday. Koivu could barely put weight come from behind. We’ve got to get ourselves a lead whether it’s a on the right leg that had smacked awkwardly, possibly knee to knee, with power-play goal like they got today, or something else. Somehow we’ve Tage Thompson, the Sabres’ towering 6-foot-6 forward. Officially, via got to find a way to get ourselves a lead.” Bruce Boudreau, there was no word on the injury aside from being labeled “lower body.” But the scene presented a potential worst-case The Wild’s effort in mounting three tying goals was admirable, but their scenario for the Wild. play in allowing two even-strength tallies was maddening. THE KOIVU COLLISION PIC.TWITTER.COM/YIER5UP2SZ Just 63 seconds after the Wild’s first goal, courtesy of Jared Spurgeon, Bitetto got an opposing stick stuck under his arm at the blue line. As that — CJ FOGLER (@CJZERO) FEBRUARY 6, 2019 occurred, Greg Pateryn didn’t pick up Reinhart as he skated in the zone, This was supposed to be the time that they showed their first-year allowing him to easily make a cross-ice feed to C.J. Smith who had general manager that they’re a playoff team capable of a deep run, skated effortlessly by Rask, whose backcheck consisted of pointing his perhaps aided by assets at the trade deadline. Instead, they watched stick at Smith. their captain limp off the ice in a game they never held a lead in. CJ SMITH TAKES ADVANTAGE OF SOME DEFENSIVE “It’s not the greatest situation to be in,” Charlie Coyle said. “He’s such a MISCOMMUNICATION ON THE WILD'S PART TO GET BUFFALO THE huge part of our team — on the ice, in the locker room, he’s a leader, LEAD BACK. PIC.TWITTER.COM/APP2CFDGJ4 wins faceoffs, defense, everything. He does it all. You can’t really replace — GILES FERRELL (@GILESFERRELL) FEBRUARY 6, 2019 him. Everyone just pulls the rope a little more. … Not ideal, but it’s going to be some good adversity to overcome and we’re looking forward to that In the third period, the Wild seemed destined for a 4-3 lead thanks to a challenge.” long offensive zone shift from Parise, Coyle, and Luke Kunin, who played well in an increased role after Koivu’s injury. The group had several On the one hand, there were accolades deserved for an effort that chances, as Coyle used his size and strength to fight off Rasmus Dahlin, included overcoming deficits of 3-1 and 4-3 to force overtime and earn a the 18-year-old phenom the Sabres drafted No. 1 last summer. But the point in the standings. And it would stand to reason that perhaps the Wild shift extended and when the Sabres were finally able to counter, are in better position to withstand the loss of their second line center after defensemen Jonas Brodin and Pateryn were exhausted in what Paul Fenton’s first major move was trading Nino Niederreiter for center culminated in a 1-minute, 41-second shift. Pateryn over-skated a Jack Victor Rask. Eichel drive to the net, so he wasn’t there to clear the puck after Eichel That, though, would be more comforting had Rask blossomed in his early lost it. When Parise tried, his clearing attempt was stopped at the blue time with the Wild. Instead, he’s been slow to gel with his new line by Jake McCabe, who sent a backdoor pass to Reinhart, one that teammates. On Tuesday, he was the lone Minnesota player who wasn’t went right past Pateryn. on the ice for more Wild shots than Sabres ones. And a rough night that “We had spurts tonight, but it wasn’t a full 60 minutes,” Spurgeon said. included a minus-1 rating got worse in the most important moment. “That’s what we need from here on out.” In a peculiar decision, Rask was the Wild’s first shootout participant even There was plenty for the Wild to take from a shootout loss on the road, though he entered Tuesday 1-for-7 over his career in the event and especially on a night their wild-card rivals fared poorly. Parise was hadn’t taken a shootout attempt in four years. On his bid, he weaved his excellent, Spurgeon was great, Kunin impressed, Coyle played well, and way left and then right slowly, beginning to deke as he neared the net. Ryan Suter bounced back nicely from a tough mistake in Saturday’s But as he moved the puck to his backhand, Rask lost control and failed overtime loss to Chicago. to even register a shot on goal on what amounts to an easy breakaway. It wasn’t quite Devin Setoguchi falling down during an attempt in Montreal, But for all the positives, there was little escaping the reality that was but it certainly wasn’t an inspiring move. embodied in the scene of their captain needing help to be able to walk. VICTOR RASK SHOOTOUT ATTEMPT DOT GIF One game earlier, Koivu had scored as the Wild looked to make a PIC.TWITTER.COM/EODNQOMU9M statement in February, arguably their most important month of the season with the trade deadline looming. But at the conclusion of this — GILES FERRELL (@GILESFERRELL) FEBRUARY 6, 2019 shootout loss, Koivu leaned on crutches as he left the locker room and Boudreau was vague in addressing why he used Rask in the situation, made his way for a dark bus sitting in the cold. only saying, “there was a reason.” The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 Perhaps, considering NHL coaches are well versed in the historical shootout numbers of their players, Boudreau was offering Rask a chance to build some confidence in what has been a tough stretch. Or, perhaps, he was ceding to Fenton’s biggest acquisition, essentially a you-wanted- him-now-let’s-see-if-it-works decision with the Wild’s front office watching from afar on scouting assignments. Either way, it yielded only an embarrassing moment for Rask, even if it were hardly the only peculiar decision of the night. In what could have been another attempt for Boudreau to appease Fenton, the head coach inserted Anthony Bitetto into the lineup for his debut with the team after Fenton claimed the left-shot defenseman off waivers a week-and-a-half ago, even though he had just traded for left- shot defenseman Brad Hunt four days earlier. 1129191 Montreal Canadiens

In the Habs' Room: Coach Julien lauds team sparkplug Brendan Gallagher "Every team needs a player like that and tonight he scored some big goals," Julien said of Gallagher, who had three points against the Ducks.

PAT HICKEY, MONTREAL GAZETTE Updated: February 5, 2019

Claude Julien said there’s a reason why Brendan Gallagher is wearing an A on his sweater. “Every team needs a player like that and tonight he scored some big goals for us,” Julien said after Gallagher collected two goals and an assist to lead the Canadiens to a 4-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks at the Bell Centre. “He had a quick release on that first one and from the start to the end he was a really good player,” Julien said. “The teams that have those kinds of players really appreciate having them because they give you a spark every now and then. If your team goes in flat and this guy gives you the kind of spark you’re looking for. It’s about work ethic and it inspires and wakes people up.” The goals gave Gallagher 21 for the season and he’s on pace for a second consecutive 30-goal season. But the feisty winger said he doesn’t set goals for himself. “That takes some of the fun away from the game, I just want to play hard every night,” he said. Gallagher’s three-point night was matched by Jonathan Drouin, who had three assists. Two of them came on Gallagher’s first-period goals and he set up Phillip Danault in the third period. “I played with him a bit last year when he was in the middle,” Gallagher said. “It’s a little different, but you know if you get him the puck as much as you can, he’s going to make you look good. He’s a very talented player. He made a nice play to set up Phil, but I don’t know if he knew he was there.” The Ducks have struggled mightily of late, with only two wins since Dec. 18, but they presented a challenge because they are a physical team with a decided size advantage over the Canadiens. “We’ve played them enough and we know the coach (Randy Carlyle) and their M.O.,” Gallagher said. “You expect to take a few bumps, but we did a good job skating and that was probably the difference. We talked before the game and said if we can get our skating game going, we can dictate the pace.” Julien thought the Canadiens strayed from their game plan in the second period, relying on long passes rather than moving forward as a five-man unit. But he was happy with the way they bounced back with a solid third period. The win was the 30th of the season for Montreal and that was significant because the team won only 29 games all last season. Carey Price posted his sixth consecutive win, while Jesperi Kotkaniemi set a team record when he scored in a third consecutive game. That’s the longest goal-scoring streak for an 18-year-old in club history. There’s another record in view for the Finnish rookie. He has 26 points and is on pace to match the 39 points registered by Mario Tremblay when he was an 18-year-old. Kotkaniemi was interviewed by Tremblay on RDS’s L’Antichambre on the weekend, and after Tuesday’s game the youngster was asked if Tremblay should be worried about losing his record. “I think so. I hope so,” Kotkaniemi replied. Kotkaniemi confirmed Gallagher’s opinion that the teenager was one of the players who benefited from the all-star break and the bye week. “It’s been a busy year with the draft, development camp, a camp in Finland, rookie camp and I was glad to get the rest,” Kotkaniemi said. “I’ve played a lot of hockey.” The win gave Montreal five of a possible six points on their current five- game homestand, but the competition heats up with Central Division leader Winnipeg here on Thursday, followed by the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129192 Montreal Canadiens

About last night ... Canadiens defeather Ducks 4-1

MIKE BOONE

The Canadiens looked like a playoff team. And maybe a team that can make some noise in April … Nah, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The team on the short end of a 4-1 score Tuesday night was Anaheim. In their previous three games, the woeful Ducks had lost 5-1 to St. Louis, 9- 3 to Winnipeg and 6-1 to Toronto. Despite the absence of Paul Byron, Tomas Tatar and Andrew Shaw, the Canadiens dominated the visitors. But now stuff gets real. The Jets visit the Bell Centre Thursday night. Then the Leafs are in Montreal on Saturday. Next week, the Canadiens visit Nashville, Tampa and Florida. All of the upcoming opponents are better than Anaheim. So challenges await. Based on their recent starts, however, the Canadiens look ready to give the aforementioned powerhouses a series of battles. “The Habs have followed their game plan,” TSN analyst Dave Poulin said during the third period. They skated the puck well. They passed the puck well. They thought the game and executed.” Comment on the Liveblog from burnedprof: they did what they had to do. it was methodical, it was precise, it was consistent, and it was thorough. Through the first two periods, the Canadiens outshot the visitors 26-16. They took control early, with three first-period goals, and they didn’t allow Ryan Getzlaf’s second-period goal to ignite an Anaheim awakening. A key stat that illustrates the degree to which the Canadiens dominated: They took only one minor penalty, an inadvertent Brett Kulak high stick in the second period. The visitors didn’t force the Canadiens into any hooks, holds or trips. Everyone in a white jersey – and what was that about??? – played well. A few standouts: • Jonathan Drouin, who scored the OT winner against Edmonton on Sunday afternoon, had three assists and busted his butt playing an infrequently-seen total 200-foot game. • Brendan Gallagher had two goals and could have had four. • Max Domi was, as usual, a buzzsaw. • Like Drouin and Gallagher, Phillip Danault was plus-3 … and provided 21,000 fans the chance to rule on a video review. • Victor Mete was plus-2. ’s increasingly plausible partner is plus-16 on the season – second only to Danault’s plus-18. • Carey Price wasn’t severely tested, but played with the cuke-cool confidence we’ve seen for more than two months. • The Finns dominated almost every shift they played. The W was the Canadiens’ 30th of this surprising season. In 82 games ofcraptastic 2017-’18, they won 29. Can the Canadiens keep this up? We’re about to find out. But so far, SO MUCH FUN! Montreal Gazette LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129193 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens take care of business with easy win over struggling Ducks Brendan Gallagher scores twice, while rookie Jesperi Kotkaniemi notches a goal for a third straight game as Montreal cruises to 4-1 victory.

PAT HICKEY, MONTREAL GAZETTE

Tomas Tatar, Paul Byron and Andrew Shaw were all on the sidelines with assorted ailments, but the Canadiens didn’t miss a beat as they cruised past the struggling Anaheim Ducks 4-1 at the Bell Centre Tuesday night. The Canadiens sprinted to a 3-0 lead in the first period behind the two- goal performance of Brendan Gallagher and never looked back. The win gave them five of a possible six points in their current homestand, which continues Thursday night with a game against the Winnipeg Jets. With the win, the Canadiens held on to third place in the Atlantic Division with 66 points. They are one point ahead of Boston, but the Bruins have played one fewer game. Montreal is one point behind idle Toronto, but the second-place Leafs have two games in hand. Gallagher opened the scoring at 7:11, beating Chad Johnson from the right faceoff circle after a feed from Jonathan Drouin. Rookie Jesperi Kotkaniemi continued on his hot streak when he scored for the third consecutive game. Kotkaniemi’s ninth of the season was scored on the rebound of a shot by Joel Armia. Gallagher picked up his 21st of the season at 16:39. Drouin picked up another assist, but the unsung hero on this goal was Phillip Danault, who had a takeaway on the forecheck to keep the puck in the Ducks’ zone. The Canadiens continued to push in the second period, but ran into a rough patch after failing to score on a power play midway through the period. They had trouble getting the puck out of their end and Ryan Getzlaf ended Carey Price’s shutout bid when he scored on a wraparound at 11:27. Danault earned a spot on the scoresheet in the third period when he scored his 10th goal of the season, but it took a video review to confirm the score. The original call on the ice was no goal, but the replay showed that the puck crossed the line. Drouin and Gallagher earned assists on the goal for their third points of the night. Price posted his sixth consecutive win and he has a 7-2-0 record in the new year. He has allowed 16 goals in the nine games. There was some good news earlier in the day when the Canadiens revealed that Byron didn’t suffer any major damage when he injured his left forearm against Edmonton on Sunday. He’s listed as day-to-day. Shaw is still waiting to get back in after missing more than a month with a neck injury. Tatar missed the morning skate with the flu. He participated in the pregame warm-up, but was unable to play. The absences provided an opportunity for Charles Hudon and Matthew Peca to get some quality ice time on a line with Max Domi. The Ducks are still within striking distance of a playoff spot, which is a shocker because they have won only two of their last 19 games dating to Dec. 18. They are 0-for-3 on their current Canadian tour after losing 9-3 in Winnipeg and 6-1 in Toronto. They’re in Ottawa Thursday to face the Senators. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129194 Montreal Canadiens I’m really here.’ My table was with all the older guys, so I was with Pricey (Carey Price), Weby and Torrey Mitchell was there at the time, and a bunch of older guys. That was like: ‘Wow, I’m really with these guys now.’ Stu Cowan: Hidden draft gem Victor Mete rounds into form for Canadiens ” After growing up watching Shea Weber on TV, the 20-year-old selected Mete won’t turn 21 until June 7 and it’s a birthday he’s looking forward to in the fourth round of the 2016 draft is his regular defence partner. after spending the Canadiens’ recent bye week in the schedule in Las Vegas to attend a surprise birthday party for his girlfriend’s father. The minimum age to gamble or drink in Las Vegas is 21. STU COWAN, MONTREAL GAZETTE “I guess I’ll be legal everywhere then,” Mete said about his birthday. “We couldn’t really do anything in Las Vegas. We went to the spa, that was it.”

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 02.06.2019 It was a scary sight Sunday afternoon when defenceman Victor Mete crashed headfirst into the boards behind the Canadiens’ net early in the first period after being checked by the Edmonton Oilers’ Milan Lucic. Mete lay on the ice for a few minutes and was attended to by medical staff before heading to the locker room. But Mete was back on the ice for the start of the second period and seemed fine. “I’m feeling pretty good,” Mete said after the Canadiens’ morning skate Tuesday in Brossard before facing the Anaheim Ducks at the Bell Centre. “I saw (the play) a couple of times (on video) and it looked worse than it was. I’m lucky I didn’t get seriously injured.” The Canadiens are also lucky because Mete is filling a big role as Shea Weber’s partner on the top defence duo and the 20-year-old has not looked out of place since being sent down to play seven games with the AHL’s in December. The Canadiens wanted Mete to work on being more aggressive in the defensive zone and he definitely has been more assertive since returning from Laval. Heading into Tuesday night’s game, Mete had 0-7-7 totals in 42 games while averaging 16:48 of ice time and his plus-14 rating was the second- best on the Canadiens behind Phillip Danault‘s plus-15. Mete was still looking for his first NHL goal heading into Tuesday’s game after playing 91 games over two seasons and picking up 14 assists, but the scoring chances have been coming regularly recently. “It will come,” Mete said. “I’ve had a lot of chances, so I can’t really complain about that, but I need to score on them.” Mete was only 7 when Weber played his first NHL game with the Nashville Predators and admits it still feels a little strange to be skating beside the 33-year-old he grew up watching on TV. Mete said the first time he met Weber was on the ice at the start of training camp last season. “We didn’t really speak or anything,” Mete recalled. “He didn’t know who I was, but I knew who he was. It was a little bit weird.” But that weirdness went away after Weber invited Mete to his house during training camp. “He invited me over to his place for dinner one night because I was still at the hotel, and that was the first time I really got to talk to him and kind of be with him,” Mete recalled. “He’s really funny,” Mete added, revealing a side of the Canadiens captain fans and media rarely get to see from the man of few words in front of a microphone or cameras. “He’s always joking. Everybody who walks in (the locker room), he has something to say about them in a funny way. He just cares about all the guys. He’s always asking if guys are OK, how they’re doing. He really cares for them, especially younger guys like me and KK (Jesperi Kotkaniemi), seeing how we’re doing, just being here kind of thing.” Does Weber give Mete advice on the ice? “The only advice he ever really gives to me is just skate and play your game,” Mete said. “Don’t change it for anything. If we need to adjust anything, we’ll do it between periods. … But so far, we haven’t had any disagreements about anything and it’s been pretty smooth, so I think it’s pretty good.” Mete is turning into a diamond in the rough for the Canadiens after they selected him in the fourth round (100th overall) at the 2016 NHL Entry Draft and the future looks bright for the 5-foot-9, 183-pound defenceman who can skate like the wind and fits in perfectly with today’s fast-paced NHL game. I still love the “Little Ball of Fun” nickname that The Athletic’s Arpon Basu gave Mete last season. He is indeed fun to watch. Mete said his welcome-to-the-NHL moment came during a team dinner in Buffalo before the first game on the schedule last season against the Sabres. “That was the first time I was with all the guys away from the rink,” he said. “So it was kind of one of those moments where it was like: ‘Wow, 1129195 Montreal Canadiens The Canadiens jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period and then it looked like the Ducks might have put them to sleep in the second period when Ryan Getzlaf scored the only goal to cut the lead to 3-1. But the Canadiens Game Day: Habs beat Ducks to pass last season's win total Canadiens came out strong to start the third period and when Danault scored at the 2:31 mark the Ducks were officially cooked. Something special seems to be happening as Habs improve to 30-18-6 with 4-1 win over Anaheim and they are now 7-1-1 in the last nine The looked like they were cooked right from the opening faceoff, looking games. like a team that is playing to get coach Randy Carlyle fired. Or maybe they’re just that bad.

“There wasn’t much said after the second (period),” Julien said. “We just STU COWAN, MONTREAL GAZETTE got away from our game. It was mostly over our reloads. So basically, guys were not coming back hard. They were staying up, we were trying these long passes and we were standing alone with no support so there was nothing going on. Our reloads are important. We got to come back The Canadiens improved their record to 30-18-6 with Tuesday night’s 4-1 and reload and attack as a four- or five-man unit and we weren’t doing win over the Anaheim Ducks at the Bell Centre. that in the second period. So that kind of hurt our game a little bit. Came That’s one more win than the Canadiens had all of last season when they back in the third and started doing it again.” finished 28th in the overall NHL standings with a 29-40-13 record. With Brendan Gallagher a atteint le plateau des 20 buts pour une troisième 28 games remaining in the regular season, the Canadiens are only five saison en carrière. points away from matching last year’s total in the standings. Brendan Gallagher reached the 20-goal plateau for the third time in his The win over the Ducks allowed the Canadiens to remain in third place in career.#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/kjeSkDBZis— Canadiens Montréal the Atlantic Division standings, one point ahead of the Boston Bruins, (@CanadiensMTL) February 6, 2019 who beat the New York Islanders 3-1 Tuesday night and hold a game in hand on Montreal. The Canadiens also moved within one point of the Good news for Byron second-place Toronto Maple Leafs, who hold two games in hand. The Canadiens got some good news after Paul Byron had X-rays The Canadiens are 7-1-1 in their last nine games and goalie Carey Price Monday on his left forearm that was injured during the second period of extended his personal winning streak to six games, during which he has Sunday’s 4-3 overtime win over the Edmonton Oilers at the Bell Centre. allowed a total of eight goals. Julien said after Tuesday’s morning skate in Brossard that Byron did not Brendan Gallagher scored two goals and added an assist against the suffer a fracture to his arm and that the forward is now listed as day-to- Ducks, giving him 21-12-33 totals and putting him on pace for 32 goals, day. Byron didn’t play Tuesday night and neither did Andrew Shaw, who one more than his career high set last season. Rookie Jesperi remains listed as day-to-day while recovering from a neck injury that has Kotkaniemi scored for the third straight game, giving him nine for the sidelined him for the last 14 games. Tomas Tatar also missed the game season and five in his last nine games. Phillip Danault also scored, giving because of the flu. him 10 goals on the season and 8-10-18 totals in the last 19 games. As for Byron, Julien said: “It’s good news.” Is it too early to say there’s something special happening with this Canadiens team? It looked like it would be bad news for Byron when he left Sunday’s game in the second period after getting slammed into the boards by Oilers “I’m not going to start making those kind of, I guess, comments or agree defenceman Matt Benning. Byron immediately left the ice favouring his to those kind of assessments,” coach Claude Julien said after the game. left arm and slammed the glass behind the Canadiens bench with his “I think right now we’re just grinding through the season, which is what right arm several times before going to the locker room. we wanted to do. I think we want to stay in the battle, we want to stay in the present. Again, you never want to get too high, you never want to get “Paul gets frustrated,” Julien said about Byron’s reaction to the injury. too low. That’s what we’re doing right now. Nobody’s overly excited, but “He’s a very emotional and I would say focused individual where he takes we like the direction we’re going. I use the term we’re allowed to be his job seriously. He wants to be on the ice, he wants to help his team, so happy with what we’ve accomplished so far as long as we’re not everybody reacts differently. His reaction was he was ticked off because satisfied. And that’s why we got to keep grinding.” he knew he had hurt himself. But I think at the end of the day, there’s no fracture, he’s day-to-day. We’ll see how he recovers and then go Gallagher leads the way accordingly. So it could be a few days, it could be a week, we don’t know. It’s day-to-day with the injury that he has, but there’s no fracture.” Speaking of grinding, nobody on the Canadiens does that better than Gallagher and his teammates can feed off of him. They certainly did Shaw, who has a history of concussions and suffered headaches as a Tuesday night. result of the neck injury he suffered during a game on Dec. 31 in Dallas, said after Monday’s practice that he was hoping to play against the “I think he inspires obviously a lot of guys on our team just by his work Ducks, but he still hasn’t received clearance from the team’s medical ethic and his commitment to competing hard every game and I think staff. every team needs a player like that,” Julien said. “He does a great job of that. Tonight he scored some big goals for us. A quick release there on “Still day-to-day,” Julien said about Shaw. “He continues to go in the right that first one and from the start right till the end he was a really good direction, so I would predict sooner than later. But right now, I got to wait player. Those kind of players, the teams that have them really appreciate for the doctors to give him the green light.” having them because they do give you a spark. Every once in a while your team goes a little flat and then this guy comes in and gives you the #FEBRUARY3 #EDMvsMTL 2nd period kind of a shift that you’re looking for from a player. It’s about work ethic and it inspires. Those are important players on our team and that’s why Here's what happened to Byron and his reaction leaving the ice … he’s wearing a letter (as an assistant captain).” pic.twitter.com/L1d1Gc0Rbv— Kotkaniminti (@HabsCorner) February 3, 2019 Gallagher’s final stats line for the night was very impressive: 16:05 of ice time, two goals, one assist, plus-3, two shots, two hits and he also won The lines the only faceoff he took. Here’s how the Canadiens’ forward lines and defence pairings looked against the Ducks: Brendan Gallagher a beaucoup apprécié la 30⃣ e⃣ victoire de la saison. Mais il en veut plus. Drouin – Danault – Gallagher @BGALLY17's feeling pretty good about win No.30⃣ ,⃣ but he's hungry for Hudon – Domi – Peca more.#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/4txYFpHZpU— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) February 6, 2019 Lehkonen – Kotkaniemi – Armia The Un-Mighty Ducks Agostino – Chaput – Deslauriers The kids who played in the Mighty Ducks movie must be embarrassed by Mete – Weber this Ducks team, which has now lost five straight games while being Reilly – Petry outscored 27-6. The Ducks, who fell to 21-24-9, have only two wins in their last 19 games (2-13-4). Kulak – Benn Kotkaniemi eyes Tremblay’s record Kotkaniemi appeared on RDS’s L’Antichambre show from the 1909 Taverne Moderne at the Bell Centre following Saturday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils, joining host Chantal Machabée, former Canadiens Mario Tremblay and Benoît Brunet and analyst Gaston Therrien. “I don’t now if you’re aware of this, but you’re trying to beat this guy (Tremblay) in the statistics,” Machabée told Kotkaniemi. Tremblay still holds the Canadiens record for most points by an 18-year- old rookie after posting 21-18-39 totals in 63 games during the 1974-75 season. The 18-year-old Kotkaniemi now has 9-17-26 totals in 54 games. “Sixty-three games, don’t forget,” Tremblay told Kotkaniemi about his record. The rookie responded with a big smile: “I will do that.” “I hope so,” Tremblay said. “You know what, I hope you’re going to do it.” “I just want to score,” Kotkaniemi said. “I want to beat his record, so I need to shoot way more.” Asked by Machabée if he had set any personal goals before this season, Kotkaniemi said: “I didn’t have anything special when I started the year, but it’s now coming that I want to beat his (Tremblay’s) record.” Power-play problems The Canadiens continue to struggle on the power play, going 0-for-3 against the Ducks. The Canadiens are now 4-for-39 on the power play in the last 15 games and rank 30th in the NHL with a 12.9 per cent success rate for the season. Only the Nashville Predators are worse at 12.7 per cent. The Canadiens have the NHL’s worst power play on home ice, clicking at only 11.2 per cent at the Bell Centre. Kulak a pleasant surprise Defenceman Brett Kulak has been one of the many pleasant surprises for the Canadiens this season after GM Marc Bergevin acquired him from the Calgary Flames on Oct. 1 in exchange for defencemen Matt Taormina and Rinat Valiev. Kulak, 25, has earned a regular spot on the Canadiens’ blue line and is now playing with Jordie Benn on the third pairing. Kulak logged 19:36 of ice time against the Ducks and has 3-3-6 totals in 30 games along with a plus-7 while averaging more than 17 minutes of ice time per game. “I think he competes hard,” Julien said about the 6-foot-2, 187-pound Kulak. “He plays on his toes and not on his heels. He’s not afraid to attack and close the play. Like anybody else, he has better games than others and he’s had a couple of tough ones. But overall, I think he’s been a real good addition. He’s given us what we’re looking for. We want guys that can move the puck, we wants guys that can skate and guys that, again, are playing on their toes and closing plays quickly. He’s doing all that stuff, so we like that part of his game.” What’s next? The Canadiens will enjoy a day off on Wednesday and have a morning skate scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday in Brossard before facing the Winnipeg Jets Thursday night at the Bell Centre on Thursday (7:30 p.m., TSN2, TSN3, RDS, TSN 690 Radio). The Canadiens will then practise at 11 a.m. Friday in Brossard as they prepare to face the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday at the Bell Centre (7 p.m., CBC, SN1, CITY, TVA Sports). After that, the Canadiens will go on a three-game road trip with games against the Predators in Nashville on Thursday, Feb. 14, against the Lightning in Tampa on Saturday, Feb. 16, and against the Panthers in Florida on Sunday, Feb. 17. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129196 Montreal Canadiens

Anaheim Ducks at Canadiens: Five things you should know Habs goaltender Carey Price is on a five-game winning streak and is closing in on Jacques Plante as the team's all-time leader in wins.

PAT HICKEY, MONTREAL GAZETTE

Here are five things you should know about the Ducks-Canadiens game Tuesday at the Bell Centre (7:30 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio) The matchup: This is the third of five consecutive home games for the Canadiens, who earned three of a possible four points on Super Bowl weekend when they dropped an overtime decision to New Jersey and then rallied to beat the Edmonton Oilers in OT Sunday. The win enabled the Canadiens to hold on to third place in the Atlantic Division with a one- point edge on Boston. The struggling Ducks are facing a back-to-back situation. They took a three-game losing streak into Toronto for Monday’s game against the Maple Leafs. Byron injury prompts changes: Speedy forward Paul Byron suffered a left forearm injury when he was checked by Edmonton’s Matt Benning Sunday. While he was scheduled for a number of medical tests Monday, the question is not whether he will miss the Anaheim game, but how long he will be out of the lineup. Byron was sporting a splint after Sunday’s game and his angry reaction as he headed to the dressing room after the hit indicates that the injury is serious. The Canadiens have a replacement ready in Andrew Shaw, who is expected to receive clearance after missing more than a month with a neck injury. Kotkaniemi stepping up:Rookie Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored the tying goal to spark the Canadiens’ comeback Sunday. The 18-year-old has four goals in his last eight games after scoring four goals in his first 44 NHL games. Head coach Claude Julien said Kotkaniemi has been able to avoid the wall that some first-year players hit because the team has rationed his ice time and brought him along slowly. Kotkaniemi has been added to the first power-play unit and Julien said he plans to give the youngster more ice time as the Canadiens make a push for a playoff spot. Price closing in on Plante:Goaltender Carey Price is on a five-game winning streak and the OT win Sunday gave him 307 regular-season wins in the NHL. Price is on pace to pass the late Jacques Plante as the team’s all-time leader in wins (314). Price has a 7-2 record in 2019 and has allowed only 15 goals in those nine games. The Ducks have relied heavily on John Gibson, whose workload increased when Ryan Miller suffered a knee injury in December. He has appeared in 44 games and has a 17-17-8 record. Where’s the offence? The Ducks have had trouble scoring goals this season. They rank 30th in offence with 2.31 goals a game and their power play is almost as bad as the Canadiens’, ranking 29th with a success rate of 14.4 per cent — the Canadiens are 30th (13.1 per cent). Anaheim doesn’t have a player in the top 100 in the NHL scoring race. Veteran Ryan Getzlaf leads the team with 33 points, including 10 goals. Jakob Silfverberg is the team leader in goals with 12, while the injured Ondrej Kase have each scored 11. The Ducks have missed Corey Perry who suffered a knee injury and made his first appearance on the season on Saturday. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129197 Montreal Canadiens role in the goal, with Agostino giving up the puck in the neutral zone and Chaput failing to safely clear the puck when he had an opportunity.

Afterward, both Hudon and Peca were encouraged with the game they Claude Julien is making it painfully obvious he wants fourth-line help had just played. before the trade deadline Hudon had an impressive sequence where he weaved through the Ducks defence and drew a slashing penalty on Hampus Lindholm, just the By Arpon Basu Feb 5, 2019 second penalty he has drawn all season. Peca also had a solid sequence where he contributed to a high-pressure shift following the Canadiens power play off the Lindholm penalty, one It was a quiet day at Canadiens practice Monday, an optional coming off that was capped with him attempting a high-skill move by putting his stick a weekend back-to-back, meaning the only players on the ice were the between his legs to get a sharp-angled shot on goal. ones who either don’t play at all, like Karl Alzner; the ones who are injured, like Andrew Shaw; or the ones who play sparingly, like the five Considering how both players have struggled to maintain a spot in the guys who rotate in and out of the fourth line: Kenny Agostino, Michael lineup this season, it was perfectly normal for Hudon and Peca to feel Chaput, Nicolas Deslauriers, Charles Hudon and Matthew Peca. good about themselves after a rare game in which they got to play on an offensive line. As a result, Claude Julien was asked a rather innocuous question about his fourth line and how his decision to go with either Agostino and Chaput “Where we are in the lineup, fourth line, third line, second line, I don’t or Hudon and Peca changes the look of his lineup, how he can tailor that think it changes the way we play,” Peca said. “It shouldn’t, sometimes it’s lineup to certain opponents based on the challenges those opponents in the back of your head a little bit, but I think today we had a little bit present. more freedom. Definitely played with a looser stick. It was fun.” No element of the question had anything to do with the Feb. 25 NHL Hudon, for his part, revealed that both Julien and Kirk Muller spoke to trade deadline. him about his play in the defensive zone and what he needs to do to be more reliable in that area. Julien began by talking about how Chaput is good on faceoffs and kills penalties and Peca brings more speed but is not so good on faceoffs and “Just little things,” he said when asked what they told him to adjust. “I Hudon brings a more offensive element, then noted how the Hudon- think in the defensive zone I arrived half a second late, and they just told Peca-Deslauriers line gave him a few good shifts in the third period of me if I’m a bit quicker getting there I don’t need to work as hard to make Sunday’s 4-3 comeback win against the Edmonton Oilers. the play, it’s already there for me. It’s just little ways they want me to change and I think they wanted to see how I would respond. I think I did It was an innocuous response to an innocuous question. Then, out of well today.” nowhere, Julien’s answer got much more interesting, one that put general manager Marc Bergevin in the spotlight. So what did Julien think about that makeshift Hudon-Domi-Peca line that was born out of desperation and was facing a team that is in total crisis “At the end of the day we’re looking at, I guess, different views of a fourth mode? line because when the trade deadline comes around, we’ve got to be more or less satisfied with what we have and what we want to go with,” “You could see that (Peca) and Domi and even Hudon haven’t played Julien said. “So we’re really looking at all the different options there.” together,” he said. “It was a bit tougher to find each other on the ice, but the effort was there and individually they were able to do some good Let’s rewind a bit to put that answer in perspective, back to Nov. 21 when things.” the Canadiens were visiting the New Jersey Devils. Prior to the game, after the morning skate, Julien expressed how frustrated he was with that Not exactly a glowing endorsement. fourth line, looking for a combination that works, which is what led to the But Julien was even more revealing a bit later in his press conference, Canadiens calling up Chaput for his first game in a Canadiens uniform when asked about Jonathan Drouin fitting in with Phillip Danault and later that evening. Brendan Gallagher after he got three primary assists in the game. “We just need a better performance from our fourth line,” Julien said that Julien noted that he liked the way the line was playing, he liked how morning. “It’s not just the centre position, it’s all three guys have to be Tatar and Byron are playing with Domi and he liked how Jesperi better, the way they’re getting scored on for a fourth line, it has to be Kotkaniemi’s line is going with Joel Armia and Artturi Lehkonen. better.” “So we’re starting to find some lines,” Julien said. Chaput, Agostino and Deslauriers became Julien’s preferred fourth line not long after that day, with Peca and Hudon relegated to backup duty. The one line he didn’t mention was the fourth line. But it eventually became a platoon situation, with Julien using Peca and Hudon against quicker teams and Chaput and Agostino against heavier Back on Nov. 21, after venting about his fourth line all morning, Julien teams. was asked if his fourth line was the biggest issue facing the team, isn’t that an indication that the team is doing pretty well? The crux of it being Julien would much prefer having a fourth line he could count on in all situations, if he could somehow combine the “I’ll let you comment on that,” Julien said then. “I like four lines going.” qualities of Agostino and Hudon and Chaput and Peca to produce two He obviously likes the same thing now. It is becoming clear his current players he could trust it would be ideal. But he can’t do that. options are not to his liking. This, in light of Julien’s comment Monday, is what made Tuesday’s game You’re up, Marc Bergevin. against the Anaheim Ducks so interesting because it was the first time this season all four of those players were in the Canadiens lineup at the The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 same time. It was probably Peca’s and Hudon’s best opportunity of the season to show what they could do, playing with Max Domi with Tomas Tatar missing the game with a virus and Paul Byron day to day with a forearm injury. The unique nature of the four players competing for two spots on a fourth line that has left Julien unsatisfied for most of the season was not lost on that group. “We laughed a bit about that too,” Hudon said after the Canadiens beat the Ducks 4-1. “Me and Peca wondered if it would happen again this season.” So what was the result of this unique situation? The six worst forwards on the Canadiens against one of the worst possession teams in the league were, in order, Hudon (35.7 percent 5- on-5 shot share when he was on the ice), Domi (38.7 percent), Deslauriers (47.6 percent), Chaput (52.9 percent), Agostino (55.6 percent) and Peca (55.9 percent). The only line to give up a goal was Agostino-Chaput-Deslauriers, and Agostino and Chaput played a starring 1129198 Montreal Canadiens However, given that they have some of the best underlying numbers in the NHL, a goalie that’s playing some of the best hockey of his career and a deep forward lineup that, for the most part, takes turns providing Cracking the win: Jonathan Drouin lives up to his star billing offence, it’s become clear this team has the potential to be more than just the biggest surprise of the 2018-19 season.

This is an exciting, darkhorse team that can make some noise in the By Marc Dumont Feb 5, 2019 playoffs, especially if they continue to receive key contributions from players like Drouin and Kotkaniemi.

The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 If you’ve ever wondered what a live-action version of the 1984 classic Nintendo game Duck Hunt would look like, Tuesday night’s game was the answer. The Canadiens flat out dominated the Anaheim Ducks, winning 4-1. But the score did not do justice to how well the Canadiens played or, depending on how you look at it, how poorly the Ducks performed. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Canadiens had 15 high-danger shot attempts at 5-on-5. The Ducks had six. The Canadiens did a fantastic job putting pressure via the forecheck, and the few times the Ducks’ defencemen did manage to clear the zone with control of the puck, the middle of the ice instantly became a no-fly zone. It begins Phillip Danault is quietly enjoying the best offensive season of his career thanks to his ability to force opposing defencemen into making hasty decisions. He did not receive an assist on the first goal of the game, but it’s clear that his pressure was the main reason why Josh Manson panicked. Jonathan Drouin’s quick thinking can’t be ignored either. Drouin has a tendency to hold on to the puck for too long, but in this case, it took him roughly one second to corral the puck and send it to a Brendan Gallagher for his 20th goal of the year. Sisu Joel Armia probably isn’t the first forward you think of when analyzing the roster, but his contributions to the team have been somewhat surprising. Beyond setting a good example for his fellow Finn and linemate Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Armia is a constant threat in the offensive zone. His ability to hold on to the puck and create quality chances is undeniable, as well as his tenacity when it comes to winning board battles. Not only did he assist on Kotkaniemi’s third goal in the last three games, but he also contributed four individual high-danger chances and was a thorn in the side of the Ducks all night long. Here comes Johnny! Ignoring that Gallagher had yet another fantastic outing, Drouin stole the show against the Ducks. He had three primary assists, but more importantly, he was dialled-in and gave his all throughout the game. His first two assists were thanks to quick passes, whereas his third was created by a pass that only the most talented and confident players in the NHL can pull off. When Drouin is on his game, he’s an absolute treat to watch. He’s now on pace for a 22-goal, 41-assist season, which would be the best year in his young career by a decent margin. If he keeps up this level of play, including the smart backchecks we saw against the Ducks, the criticism of the oft-maligned forward will quickly fade. Underperformer The Anaheim Ducks. N’uff said. Final Word The Canadiens were the better team going into the game and they came away with a clear cut victory, which is exactly what good teams should do. With just 28 games left to play in the season, it’s perhaps time to start changing our focus when it comes to the playoffs. The Canadiens are fourth in the conference and keep inching closer to a situation that was unthinkable prior to the start of the season: home-ice advantage. Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself here. Things can change quickly. The Canadiens have won seven of their last 10 games, but the rest of the division (and conference) still has games in hand on them. 1129199 Nashville Predators

Filip Forsberg scores one for Predators' power play in win over Coyotes

Paul Skrbina, Feb. 5, 2019

Filip Forsberg wore a black boxing robe with gold trim Tuesday night. His outfit presumably was a celebration of the streak he broke. After failing to convert on 34 straight power plays -- five short of the franchise record -- the Forsberg scored with a man advantage Tuesday during the Predators' 5-2 victory against the Coyotes at Bridgestone Arena. Forsberg, who scored the team's last power-play goal Jan. 9 against the Blackhawks, roofed one over Calvin Pickard's shoulder with 12 minutes, 15 seconds left in the second to give the Predators a 2-1 lead. The Coyotes entered the game as the best penalty-killing team in the league at 85.4 percent. The Predators entered last on power-play conversion at 12.7 percent. Vinnie Hinostroza put the Coyotes ahead 1-0 with 3:01 left in the first. After the Predators killed two penalties, including a brief three-on-five, Craig Smith tied it 1-1 at 2:58 of the second. Also early in the second, a 10-year-old fan was hit in by an errant puck off the stick of Roman Josi and was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure, a team spokesman said. Ryan Ellis made it 3-1 Predators when he scored off a rebound with 6:23 left in the second. Derek Stepan closed the gap to 3-2 at 4:19 of the third. But Calle Jarnkrok answered with 6:19 left to make it 4-2, which increased to 5-2 on an empty net goal by Josi. The Predators improved to 32-19-4, while the Coyotes fell to 23-25-5. Big number: 8. Regulars missing from the Coyotes' lineup Tuesday -- Antti Raanta, Jason Demers, Jakob Chychrun, Alex Goligoski, Nick Schmaltz, Michael Grabner, Brad Richardson and Christian Dvorak. Big name: Predators center Kyle Turris missed his 17th straight game with a foot injury. He participated in the team's morning skate Tuesday and practiced with no restrictions Monday. Quotable: "It’s frustrating but you just have to stay positive and keep chipping away at things you can correct and hope it starts winning you games." -- Ryan Johansen on the team's power-play struggles. Next: Vs. Stars, 7 p.m. Thursday at Bridgestone Arena. Tennessean LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129200 Nashville Predators

Boy struck by puck at Nashville Predators game

Paul Skrbina, Feb. 5, 2019

A 10-year-old boy was struck by a puck Tuesday during the Predators' game against the Arizona Coyotes at Bridgestone Arena. The boy was taken to a local hospital, where he had X-rays as a precaution, a team spokesperson said. His condition was not known. The boy was hit with the puck during the second period when it landed in the stands off Roman Josi's stick. He was sitting behind the penalty boxes - an area not behind the protective netting. "It’s pretty tough to be honest," Josi said of focusing after the boy was hit. "I saw the kid getting hit and I just hope he’s OK. I’m sure I’ll get an update soon and hopefully he’s OK. I’ll make sure I make it up to him." The boy, who was attending his first Predators game, had a minor cut and walked out with his parents under his own power, and to the applause of many. Right after he was hit, towels were tossed from the penalty box to the boy. The Predators said they have invited him and his family to another game and will offer him a meeting with Josi. Tennessean LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129201 Nashville Predators The Predators spent about an hour and 15 minutes on the power play Monday during practice.

Coach Peter Laviolette has pointed to the bevy of injuries – Viktor Predators' power-play power outage: behind the numbers Arvidsson, Filip Forsberg, P.K. Subban, Kyle Turris, etc. – as part of the reason for the struggles but has refused to overtly use them as an excuse. Paul Skrbina, Feb. 5, 2019 Just before the All-Star break, the Predators went with a four-forward, one-defenseman approach on the power play, using Forsberg, Ryan Johansen, Arvidsson, Craig Smith and Roman Josi against Vegas. When the Predators go on a power play at Bridgestone Arena, the experience is dubbed the "Powerball Power Play," a nod to the Turris is expected to return soon from a foot injury that had kept him out Tennessee Lottery's sponsorship. for 16 games before Tuesday. The Predators expect his presence to be a boost in a lot of areas, including the power play. Lately, the seemed the Predators had better odds of winning the lottery than scoring with a man (or two) advantage of late, no matter where "These aren’t excuses, but when Arvidsson goes out and Forsberg goes they'd played. out and P.K. and Colton Sissons goes out, who is a net-front presence and did a really good job, those are a lot of pieces and a lot of movement They came up short on their first two attempts during Tuesday's 5-2 that has to happen," Laviolette said. "And we just haven’t found any victory against the Coyotes. But Filip Forsberg ended the streak at 0-for- consistency." 34 when he scored at 7:45 of the second period. What they're saying Here are some of the non-winning numbers going into Tuesday night's game against the Coyotes: General manager : "This is not what we are," Poile told 102.5- FM on Tuesday. "It's going to change, and it's going to get better. ... It's 0 not a pleasant subject for us to talk about." Predators' goals in their previous 32 power-play attempts. With the recent indefinite suspension of forward Austin Watson and the team's poor showing with an advantage, Poile said the team is definitely 9 in the market for another forward with the Feb. 25 trade deadline Games since the Predators had scored a power-play goal, tying a approaching. franchise record set in 2010. Ryan Johansen: "Especially when you feel like you're doing things (well) 26 and they don’t go for you and you struggle a little bit. It’s frustrating, but you just have to stay positive and keep chipping away at things you can Days since they had scored a power-play goal. They had two against the correct and hope it starts winning you games." Blackhawks on Jan. 9. Laviolette: "We work on it all the time. It’s not from a lack of work or 12.7 meeting about it, talking about it or putting in the time. We feel like things will turn at some point." Predators' conversion percentage while on the power play this season. Tennessean LOADED: 02.06.2019 31 As in 31st, dead last, in the league in power-play percentage. 181 Power-play opportunities this season for the Predators, which was third- most in the league. 7 Shorthanded goals scored against the Predators, tied for sixth-most in the league. 253 Shot attempts while on the power play, sixth-most before Monday's games. 311:46 Time, in minutes and seconds, the Predators had spent on the power play, second-most in the league. That's more than five hours of game time. 83 High-danger scoring chances on the power-play for the Predators, 13th- most in the league. What they're seeing Assistant coach Kevin McCarthy, whose responsibilities include the power play, said in mid-January the Predators were passing too much and needed to "get back to the basics." As McCarthy pointed out then, the issues with the power play preceded the injuries. The team began the season on an 0-for-16 streak. "It kind of mushroomed from there to a situation from a confidence standpoint, which is a huge part of your game," McCarthy said in January. "We struggled a bit. From there it was an uphill battle. From there we had injuries to our top players, which happens to every team. "We have to be better. The biggest thing is we have to do a better job of zone time, creating shots. ... We’re looking for that perfect play." His suggestion was to shoot more, put pressure on the other team and create more second-chance chances. 1129202 Nashville Predators

What makes Viktor Arvidsson such an accurate shooter for Predators?

Tommy Deas, Feb. 5, 2019

Don’t ask Viktor Arvidsson what makes him a superior shooter with a hockey stick. He’s not sharing his secret. The Predators’ 25-year-old right winger from Sweden ranks sevenin the NHL in shooting percentage, making 20 percent of his shots. He has scored seven goals in his past seven games, and his 13 since Dec. 30 lead the league. “Sometimes they go in a little bit more ... and it’s fun when they do,” he said. It isn’t happenstance. “I think a lot of it is the release,” Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. “I think it’s getting to the right areas, doing the right things – there’s a lot of things that can factor into it.” Arvidsson’s 21 goals lead the Predators in a season that has seen him miss two dozen games because of injury. His .7 goals per game is second in the NHL among players who have appeared in at least 20 games. Teammate Ryan Ellis said some of Arvidsson’s shooting success has to do with motivation. “If you’ve ever seen him celebrate, he loves scoring,” Ellis said. There’s also his skill-set. “He’s a terrific talent, skates well,” Ellis said. “I think his speed is probably his biggest asset to open up that space for him, and when he gets his chances he’s more than likely going to score.” Predators right wing Viktor Arvidsson leads the team with 21 goals despite missing two dozen games because of injury. That speed allows Ellis to get in position to take clean shots. His ability to guide the puck makes those shots more likely to get into the net. But there’s also the fast break factor. “He gets a lot of breakaways,” Ellis said, “a lot of two-on-ones, and his line is tremendous – he’s got some great line mates.” Arvidsson plays on the front line with Ryan Johansen and Filip Forsberg. It’s considered one of the top lines in the league, and that helps create scoring opportunities for Arvidsson. But that still doesn’t explain his ability to shoot with such efficiency. Most top scorers are also high-volume shooters: Arvidsson leads the Predators in goals but is sixth in shots taken. Ellis says his teammate is always looking for offensive opportunities. “He’s good at reading the play and more or less is cheating for offense,” Ellis said, “and he’s great at doing that. When he’s out there he’s always a threat: not only his speed, but how he reads the game. “Eventually, when he gets that space, he can put the puck in the net.” As for Arvidsson, he cites work ethic. “I work on it a lot in the summers,” he said, “just try to improve my shot.” Laviolette calls it a knack. “Usually guys like that have scored their whole careers,” he said. “There’s just a history to it.” Tennessean LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129203 Nashville Predators Bonino is actually the only player in the league with a salary of $4.1 million this year, so we’ll compare him with some players in the nearby salary ranges. Bonino can’t compete with some of the players in Bang for their buck: Measuring the Predators’ roster in terms of salary Arvidsson’s range in terms of points production. But he’s also playing a value different role than most of those players — a third-line center with a lot of defensive responsibility, evidenced by his low rate of offensive-zone starts. Still, the Preds paid him with the idea that he would be a good two-way player. His hot stretch recently — six goals, three assists in his By John Glennon Feb 5, 2019 past nine games — has shown his versatility in that regard. Bang for the buck: Yes There are all kinds of ways to evaluate how well an NHL player is Calle Jarnkrok, $2.1 million performing. Every club would love a player like Ottawa’s Ryan Dzingel, a former One is simply to judge him against his financial peers. seventh-round selection who has already hit 20 goals for the second consecutive season. But the reality is that most of the players in the $2 In other words, how does a certain player making — for instance — $5 million salary range are of the third-line variety, usually given more million for the Predators stack up against his counterparts on the same defensive responsibilities but expected to contribute offensively from time salary level around the league? to time. Jarnkrok fits the mold here and doesn’t look out of place if he has We measured the Predators’ season totals in that light and found that the to move up to a top-six role on occasion. team most often — but not in all cases — appears to be getting good Bang for the buck: Yes bang for the buck. Here’s a closer look at the comparisons, with salary numbers courtesy of CapFriendly.com. Austin Watson, $1.1 million Forwards Currently suspended indefinitely, Watson did a lot of good things for the Predators. He brought a physical style of game, dropped the gloves Ryan Johansen, $8 million when needed, killed penalties and chipped in with some goals. His seven An argument could be made both ways here for Johansen. He’s is in the goals in 34 games are especially impressive considering only 26.6 midst of his most productive season with the Preds, averaging 0.85 percent of his starts began in the offensive zone. He’s among the better points per game. That’s just a shade under the career-best he produced players in the league in salaries around $1 million. in Columbus during the 2014-15 season. Bang for the buck: Yes On the other hand, he’s not producing points at the same clip as some of Ryan Hartman, $875,000 his fellow $8 million players, like David Pastrnak, Alexander Radulov and Brad Marchand. In addition, Johansen piles up the vast majority of his Hartman got off to a strong start this season but has disappeared points on assists, which some don’t rate as highly as goals. offensively, with just four points — zero goals, four assists — in his past 22 games. That’s disappointing news for a player in a contract year, one What pushes Johansen to a yes is that he’s been so productive this who hoped to up his worth this season. Still, Hartman can find other ways season despite the absences of his two linemates — Filip Forsberg and to contribute, like playing a physical game and drawing penalties. Viktor Arvidsson — for long periods. Overall, Hartman is playing to his salary level, especially with the nine Bang for the buck: Yes goals. Filip Forsberg, Kyle Turris, $6 million Bang for the buck: Yes There are some heavy hitters in this salary range, like reigning NHL MVP Kevin Fiala, $832,500 Taylor Hall of New Jersey, Columbus’ Artemi Panarin (55 points in 47 This is an interesting area of the salary range, as it’s home to a number games), San Jose’s Joe Pavelski (27 goals) and Colorado’s Gabriel of talented young players still on their entry-level contracts. In other Landeskog (29 goals). Forsberg missed 17 games because of injury, but words, a lot of the players are outperforming their contracts and will soon his point-per-game production of .83 is close to some of the top players be due much bigger deals. So a number of Fiala’s salary peers — like like Jeff Skinner, Logan Couture and Pavelski. Toronto’s Mitch Marner (20 goals, 42 assists), Colorado’s Mikko Turris, meanwhile, is not producing at the same clip, averaging .60 points Rantanen (23 goals, 51 assists), the Islanders’ Mathew Barzal (14 goals, per contest. Granted, his average ice time of 15:52 is noticeably less 31 assists) and others — are outperforming. The fact that Fiala has such than a number of players in this salary range. But he also has the a high offensive-zone start rate (64.3 percent) leads to higher second-highest rate of offensive zone starts (70.7), which should lead to expectations as well. Overall, though, Fiala’s numbers fit comfortably in more chances and more points. this range. Forsberg bang for the buck: Yes Bang for the buck: Yes Turris bang for the buck: No Miikka Salomaki, $750,000 Craig Smith, $4.5 million Not too much is expected of the players in this salary spot, as most of them are third- and fourth-line members. Salomaki doesn’t make too The good news is that Smith is on pace to post his fifth season of 20 or much happen on the ice, but he’s a steady defensive-minded grinder who more goals in the past six years. That’s no small feat. The disappointing is second on the team in hits despite playing only 37 games. He’s news is he’s well off the pace of last year’s point total of 51, and that he’s roughly on par with most of those around him in the salary range. trailing a number of his salary-range peers in points-per-game production. Part of the reason for the dip can be blamed on the absence Bang for the buck: Yes of second-line center Kyle Turris. But Smith’s numbers could still be Colin Blackwell, Freddie Gaudreau, Rocco Grimaldi, Zac Rinaldo, Colton better given the high number of offensive-zone starts he gets. Sissons, $650,000 Bang for the buck: No There are actually more than 100 forwards making $650,000 on the NHL Viktor Arvidsson, $4.25 million level, as it’s the league-minimum salary. In the interest of your eyes and my fingers, I decided against typing in all the other players. You’ll just There were some who questioned the wisdom of signing Arvidsson to a have to trust me on the comparison front. seven-year deal so early in his NHL career, but everything looks great so far. The most telling stat of the season for Arvidsson may be this: Though Blackwell has played only a handful of games on the NHL front to date, he’s missed 24 games to injury, he’s on pace for a career-high in goals. so we’ll hold off evaluating him. Arvidsson benefits from a lot of ice time and plenty of offensive-zone Gaudreau has played in more games than most of the players at the starts, but he’s averaging nearly a point per game (.93), the highest $650,000 level. There aren’t a lot of big point producers in this range figure of his career. outside of Tampa Bay’s Brayden Point (30 goals, 35 assists), but there Bang for the buck: Yes are players who’ve chipped in with more offense than Gaudreau. Examples include two former Preds prospects, the Kings’ Brendan Nick Bonino, $4.1 million Leipsic (four goals, nine assists) and the Wild’s Pontus Aberg (11 goals, 11 assists). It’s fair to expect a bit more from Gaudreau compared to peers. Grimaldi has been a nice find for the Predators, as he’s played in well the Predators aren’t much concerned with his offensive production. more than half the team’s games to date after starting the season in Another plus for Hamhuis is his ability to play a second-pairing role if Milwaukee. The 5-foot-6 Grimaldi has played well enough in a bottom-six necessary. role that he has from time to time been moved up to the top six. He’s earned his keep. Bang for the buck: Yes Rinaldo is tougher to quantify because the Predators are looking for him Matt Irwin, Yannick Weber: $650,000 each to be a physical, irritating player as opposed to any kind of point As was the case with forwards making the NHL minimum salary, there producer. He’s dropped the gloves a couple of times this season, and are an awful lot of NHL defensemen making $650,000 this season. So he’s also averaging two hits per game, which was tied for third on the instead of typing in all 86 names, I’ll offer some comparisons. team coming out of the All-Star break. He’s made himself useful when in the lineup. There are a few players whose offensive numbers standout in this salary group, like St. Louis’ Vince Dunn (21 points in 46 games) and Arizona’s Sissons is, of course, a great value for the Preds at this salary, as he was Jordan Oesterle (13 points in 42 games). But most blueliners here are fifth on the team in goals coming out of the All-Star break despite only 30 strictly in third-pairing roles, as is the case with both Irwin and Weber. On percent of his shifts starting in the offensive zone. He’s a strong two-way a Preds team in which the top four defensemen play such large roles, player, can move into a top-six role if need be and — as a pending Irwin and Weber aren’t relied on heavily, but they’ve performed as well as restricted free agent — should get a nice raise in his new contract. most players in their salary range. Blackwell bang for the buck: Sample size too small Irwin bang for the buck: Yes Gaudreau bang for the buck: No Weber bang for the buck: Yes Grimaldi bang for the buck: Yes Goaltenders Rinaldo bang for the buck: Yes Pekka Rinne, $7 million Sissons bang for the buck: Yes This is an interesting one. Defensemen Judging only by goalies making a salary of $7 million, Rinne’s numbers fit P.K. Subban, $10 million comfortably between his peers at that same level — Tuukka Rask and Connor Hellebuyck. But it also must be pointed out that only two goalies This salary-range for defensemen is rare air indeed, as only one blueliner in the league — Montreal’s Carey Price and the New York Rangers’ in the league — Washington’s John Carlson ($12 million) — has a bigger Henrik Lundqvist — are making a higher salary this season, so salary this year. As a result, there are high expectations, which Subban expectations are high for Rinne. He’s tied for 12th in the league in wins, hasn’t lived up to so far this season. Burns is the only other defenseman and among goalies who’ve played at least 15 games, Rinne ranks 16th in with a $10 million salary, but there are also others in the $9 million, $8 save percentage and tied for 10th in goals-against average. million and ranges below that have been more productive than Subban. It’s unclear if Subban — who missed 19 of the team’s first 52 games — is Rinne has been up and down over the past six weeks, with a 4-8-2 completely healthy, but his points-per-game average of 0.51 has dipped record in his past 14 appearances. But what can’t be ignored is that he from last season (0.69). was outstanding up until that point, playing as well as he had during his Vezina Trophy-winning season the previous year. He stole a number of Bang for the buck: No games for the Preds. In fact, one could certainly make a case he’s still the team’s MVP at this point. Roman Josi, $5.25 million Bang for the buck: Yes Oddly enough, Josi is the only defenseman in the NHL this season with a salary of $5.25 million, so he doesn’t have an exact comparison. But he Juuse Saros, $1.5 million stacks up favorably compared with players with salaries around his. Josi’s 38 points, for instance, are more than any of the nine NHL Saros struggled through the early portions of the season, but he has defensemen earning between $5.3 million and $5.5 million this year. That turned things around since, allowing just 11 goals in his past nine group includes Columbus’ Seth Jones, Boston’s Torey Krug and Tampa appearances and posting a record of 6-1-1 during that stretch. His Bay’s Ryan McDonagh. The Swiss blueliner plays in all situations, numbers don’t quite match up with those of Lehner, who’s having a evidenced by the fact that less than 53 percent of his starts are in the career year while also making $1.5 million. But both Lehner and Saros offensive zone, and he puts a ton of shots on net. have far outperformed a number of goalies who are making much more money than they are. Bang for the buck: Yes Bang for the buck: Yes Mattias Ekholm: $4 million The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 There aren’t a lot of defensemen making exactly $4 million, either, but Ekholm is easily having the best season of any. He’d already set a career high in points coming out of the All-Star break, despite the fact he has a lot of defensive responsibilities — evidenced by the fact that just 48 percent of his starts are in the offensive zone. If Ekholm continues to play at anywhere near this level, he’ll be a tremendous bargain to the Preds, as his average salary for the next three years is also $4 million Bang for the buck: Yes Ryan Ellis, $3.5 million I think some people — probably Ellis included — expected even more from him this season after he made such a great impact upon returning from injury last year, scoring nine goals and averaging .73 points per game in 44 contests. Nevertheless, he compares favorably with those in his salary range this year, taking down big ice time, averaging .44 points per game and seeing action in all types of situations. He’s had a better season to date than any of the NHL’s $4 million defensemen as well, with the exception of Ekholm. Bang for the buck: Yes Dan Hamhuis, $1.5 million Hamhuis has done what’s been asked of him for the most part as a third- pairing defenseman, performing at a similar level to most in his salary range. Would it be nice if he picked up a few more points, as have some blueliners making less than Hamhuis? Sure, but with four offensive- minded defensemen piling up points and getting the bulk of the ice time, 1129204 New Jersey Devils

New Jersey Devils vs. Los Angeles Kings: LIVE score updates and chat (2/5/19)

By Chris Ryan

Nico Hischier, Kyle Palmieri, Travis Zajac, Andy Greene, Blake Coleman and the New Jersey Devils will begin a four-game home stand when they host Ilya Kovalchuk and the Los Angeles Kings at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Prudential Center in Newark. Kovalchuk will play his first game in New Jersey since retiring from the NHL to play in Russia following the 2012-13 season. Zajac will return to the lineup following a one-game absence. Devils' lines vs. Kings Join NJ.com's live chat in the comment section, and follow along with live updates in the box above. Here is everything you need to know about the home game: What: New Jersey Devils (20-24-7) vs. Los Angeles Kings (21-27-4) When: 7 p.m. EST, Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019 Where: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey TV: MSG+ Live stream: MSG Go Star Ledger LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129205 New Jersey Devils Bergen Record LOADED: 02.06.2019

Ilya Kovalchuk helps Kings down Devils in return to New Jersey

Abbey Mastracco Feb. 5, 2019

NEWARK -- The Los Angeles Kings scored three times in the first two minutes of the third period but it was the fourth goal scored in the period that sent the crowd at The Rock heading for the turnstiles. Ilya Kovalchuk scored with just 2:24 left to play, but as you know by now he doesn’t score goals for the Devils anymore. He wasn’t a big factor for the Kings up until that point, unless you count the crowd factor, but three goals by the road team in a span of 1:52 will take the home crowd out of the equation quickly. Facing his old team for the first time since he decided he didn’t want to be a part of that team anymore, Kovalchuk helped his new team down the Devils 5-1 on Tuesday at Prudential Center. "I was actually happy that I score," Kovalchuk said. "That’s the best answer." Before Kovalchuk’s theatrics, it was two penalties in the second period that led to the undoing of the Devils. Tied at 1 with the Kings after Pavel Zacha scored his career-high ninth early in the period, New Jersey had a good chance to take a lead with a power play at 17:06. But less than 30 seconds later Damon Severson slashed Tyler Toffoli and he ended up in the back of the New Jersey net. About a minute later, Kyle Palmieri caught Brendan Leipsic with his stick in the neutral zone and he was whistled for a trip. The penalty kill did a solid job of killing off those penalties to get to the end of the period but the Kings still had power play time to start the third and they quickly cashed in. Anze Kopitar set up Toffoli on the rush and Keith Kinkaid came way out of his net to give Toffoli a wide target. He potted it with seven seconds left on the power play to give the Kings a 2-1 lead. Toffoli only needed another 35 seconds to score again and defenseman Dion Phaneuf soon followed with a point shot through traffic for his first goal of the season at 1:52. Zacha finished off a spectacular feed from Jesper Bratt 3:31 into the second period. Set up below the goal line, Bratt sent a no-look, backhanded pass through his legs to Zacha, who beat Jack Campbell (30 saves) for the score. Feb 5, 2019; Newark, NJ, USA; New Jersey Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid (1) skates past Los Angeles Kings left wing Ilya Kovalchuk (17) during the first period at Prudential Center. Kempe scored his third in the last two nights at 6:21 in the first, prompting another round of boos from the Devils’ faithful with Kovalchuk on the ice. The puck went off the stick of Drew Stafford and coach John Hynes felt they had a chance to make a play to prevent the goal and failed to do so. “When you look at this game, three out of five goals the puck is on our stick and we can’t execute,” Hynes said. “And that’s something that’s hurt us all year. We’ve got to continue to work at that and help these guys understand they’ve got to move the puck and the execution has to be better.” The Devils outshot Los Angeles 22-15 through the second two periods and had two power plays to work with but Kovalchuk’s goal was the dagger that forced his detractors out of the building completely. "You never expect anything, but it’s OK, you know?" Kovalchuk said. "It’s their emotions, and it’s how they react, so I was doing my thing." With both of these teams at the bottom of their respective divisions, it was a meaningless game in the grand scheme of things, unless you count draft positioning. But in the rematch of the 2012 Stanley Cup Final, it was the Kings who came out on top once again, only this time they did it with the player who helped get the Devils to that Cup final. Notes Kinkaid made 20 saves in his first loss against Los Angeles and is now 4- 1-0 in six games for his career.… Cory Schneider backed up Kinkaid for the first time since Dec. 15, marking his return from an abdominal strain. … The Devils scratched Brett Seney and Eric Gryba. 1129206 New Jersey Devils Maybe things would have turned out differently had Kovalchuk’s back held up in 2012. Maybe there would be one more banner or even two had the NHL not gone into another lockout and had Kovalchuk never had 'They don't boo nobodies': NJ Devils welcome back Ilya Kovalchuk that taste of home in the KHL. It will be hard not to look back and think “What if?” when the 2012 Stanley Cup Final opponents meet once again, but these two teams are Abbey Mastracco, Feb. 5, 2019 so far from contending again that it's pointless to look back. All anyone can do now is look forward, even if that means looking forward to booing a once-beloved star. NEWARK – Devils captain Andy Greene was on the roof of his house in “I’m pretty sure it will be a lot of booing but I love it,” he said. “So it’s all Michigan when he received a text message from a teammate on July 11, good.” 2013. Rumors had been swirling for weeks and at that moment, the rumors became truth: Ilya Kovalchuk was leaving the NHL to return to his Bergen Record LOADED: 02.06.2019 native Russia and play for the KHL. Greene can’t remember who the text message was from, though he thinks it may have been former Devils forward Danius Zubrus, but he recalls the nature of the message: Shock and disbelief. He climbed down off of the roof to be able to fully digest the news that one of the players so influential to New Jersey’s success would be bailing on the team to play for a league generally seen as inferior to the NHL. “A totally different league, a totally different everything,” Greene said Tuesday at Prudential Center, following the Devils’ morning skate. “It wasn’t like it was a lateral move.” Greene and alternate captain Travis Zajac are the only players who remain in New Jersey from the Kovalchuk era but the current Devils will get a look at him Tuesday night, when they host the Los Angeles Kings at Prudential Center. Kovalchuk was injured when the Devils made their West Coast swing in December, which maybe makes this meeting all the more intriguing. It will be the first time the Russian star has faced his former team since he walked away from them in 2013. Ilya Kovalchuk, here in 2012. And while Greene and Zajac harbor no ill will toward their former teammate, they know the fans have never forgiven him. The reception is expected to be quite icy. “They don’t boo nobodies, as the saying goes,” Zajac said. “I get a kick out of it.” Kovalchuk, a dynamic, high-scoring winger who amassed 201 points in four seasons in New Jersey, walked away from $77 million and a chance to finish what the team started in 2012 when they fell to, well, his current team, the Kings, in the 2012 Stanley Cup Final. While many point to his departure as the downfall of the Devils, New Jersey did fail to make the playoffs in the lockout-shortened season, which was his last in the NHL. But his departure spawned years of animosity and countless “Kovalsuck” jerseys in northern New Jersey. Fans never forget and they rarely forgive and Kovalchuk is ready for whatever comes when he touches the puck at Prudential Center. “It’s a free country. Everybody can do whatever they want,” he told reporters Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. “I’m just a hockey player. I’ll go there and try my best and try to do everything to help my team to win.” Kovalchuk still has connections to New Jersey beyond his former teammates. He owns a house in Alpine and he returned there Monday after the Kings’ morning skate. He had lunch with Devils defenseman Egor Yakovlev, a teammate of his at the Sochi Olympics and in the KHL with SKA St. Petersburg. It was Kovalchuk who encouraged Yakovlev to come to the Devils when New Jersey was pursuing him. He lauded the area, telling Yakovlev it would be a great place for his budding family. And it was Kovalchuk who encouraged the 27-year-old to take advantage of an opportunity to play in the NHL. “He said if you have an opportunity to play in the NHL, go,” Yakovlev said an interview earlier this season, through a translator. Yakovlev said Kovalchuk is a great guy and a great player even at 35. Though his role on the Kings has been debated and the coaches have been hesitant to put him into tight late-game situations, Greene and Zajac said they still see the same player they once saw on their own team. “He’s pretty similar,” Zajac said. “When he’s got the puck he’s extremely dangerous. He’s always had a great shot. He can make plays happen because he’s a big body and he’s got great hands in tight. We have to be aware of him tonight.” 1129207 New Jersey Devils Brenden Leipsic - Jeff Carter - Tyler Toffoli Carl Hagelin - Adrian Kempe - Ilya Kovalchuk How they line up: Travis Zajac returns to action for NJ Devils against Kyle Clifford - Mike Amadio - Austin Wagner Kings Derek Forbort - Doughty

Alec Martinez - Oscar Fantenberg Abbey Mastracco, Feb. 5, 2019 Dion Phaneuf - Paul LaDue

Jack Campbell NEWARK -- Good morning from Newark, where the Devils are getting set to face Ilya Kovalchuk for the first time since he left the team to return to Jonathan Quick home to Russia and play in the KHL. Injured: Nate Thompson, Trevor Lewis, Johnny Brodzinski Get ready for the boos. Bergen Record LOADED: 02.06.2019 But in other news, Travis Zajac and Ben Lovejoy both took the ice Tuesday morning for the morning skate. Zajac resumed his place on the second line with Miles Wood and Blake Coleman so look for him to return to action against the Los Angeles Kings. However, Ben Lovejoy does not appear to be ready just yet as he skated as an extra with Eric Gryba. New Jersey Devils center Travis Zajac (19) shoots and scores a goal on Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) during the first period at Amalie Arena. Noted King killer Keith Kinkaid took the starter’s net so Cory Schneider will back him up. Kinkaid is 4-0-0 with two shutouts, including the first one of his career, in five appearances against the Kings and John Hynes likes to play the matchup game when it comes to goaltenders. Schneider will have to wait a few more days to make his triumphant return. The Kings are coming off a win over the Rangers on Monday night so no morning skate for L.A. In a rematch of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final, Arian Kempe had a three-point night and captain Anze Kopitar scored to help the Kings defeat New York 4-3. Our old pal Kovalchuck had two assists and two shots on goal. The two teams from the 2012 Stanley Cup Final are battling out for a lottery pick, both in last place in their respective divisions. The road to Jack Hughes goes through Prudential Center… Well, maybe. We can’t forget about Ottawa, after all. On a personal note, it's always nice to see the West Coast teams. I covered the Kings and Ducks for four seasons for FOX Sports, NHL.com, the AP and a few other outlets, flying up and down the Southern California freeways between Orange County and L.A. The 2014 Stanley Cup Final was a fun ride and an unforgettable career memory. And having covered the Kings for so long, I can say they look... Well, pretty much the same. They're still a hard-checking Western Conference team who likes to cycle the puck and they still rely on the same cast of characters: Kopitar, Jeff Carter, Drew Doughty, Alec Martinez and Jonathan Quick. Memories! Here are the projected lineups for the Devils and Kings. Keep in mind, the lineup for Los Angeles may look different once they take the ice. Nate Thompson may return but Carter could be out after getting injured Monday. Both are considered game-time decisions. Devils (20-24-7, 47 points) Marcus Johansson - Nico Hischier - Kyle Palmieri Miles Wood - Travis Zajac - Blake Coleman Jesper Bratt - Pavel Zacha - Drew Stafford Brian Boyle - Kevin Rooney - Kurtis Gabriel Andy Greene - Damon Severson Mirco Mueller - Will Butcher Egor Yakovlev - Steven Santini Keith Kinkaid Cory Schneider Scratched: Eric Gryba, Brett Seney Injured: Travis Zajac (lower-body), Sami Vatanen (concussion), Ben Lovejoy (lower-body), Stefan Noesen (lower-body), Taylor Hall (lower- body), Joey Anderson (ankle surgery) Kings (21-27-4, 46 points) Alex Iafallo - Anze Kopitar - Dustin Brown 1129208 New Jersey Devils

Ilya Kovalchuk gets the last laugh in his return to New Jersey

By Associated Press February 5, 2019

The Kings' Ilya Kovalchuk accepts congratulations from teammates after scoring a goal during the Devils' 5-1 loss Tuesday night. New Jersey Devils fans came to the Prudential Center to jeer Ilya Kovalchuk. The home team certainly didn’t give them a reason to cheer. Tyler Toffoli scored twice in 35 seconds early in the third period to spark the Los Angeles Kings to a 5-1 victory over the Devils on Tuesday night at Prudential Center in Newark. Toffoli, who had the overtime winner Monday against the New York Rangers, helped send the Kings to their third win in four games. Adrian Kempe, Dion Phaneuf and Kovalchuk also scored for Los Angeles. Jack Campbell made 29 saves and Anze Kopitar had three assists. It was the first game in New Jersey for Kovalchuk since he left the Devils in 2013 to continue his career in Russia. He signed with the Kings as a free agent last summer. Kovalchuk was booed loudly when his picture appeared on the scoreboard as one of the Los Angeles starters. The hostile reception continued throughout the game whenever he hit the ice, and especially when he handled the puck. He returned the favor, scoring with 2:24 remaining to boost the lead to 5- 1. “That’s not something you’re expecting, but that’s OK,” Kovalchuk said of the game-long razzing. “You know that’s their emotions, and that’s how they react, so that’s what I think. I was happy when I scored. That’s always the best answer.” Pavel Zacha scored for New Jersey, and Keith Kinkaid stopped 20 shots. The Kings' Tyler Toffoli scores one of his two third-period goals. The game was tied 1-all before the Kings scored three goals in the first 1:52 of the third period. Toffoli started the outburst on a power play 32 seconds in. He took a flip pass from Kopitar and rifled the puck under the crossbar before striking again just 35 seconds later. “To start the third period with the power play was huge, and we went in with the plan of getting the puck to the net,” Toffoli said. “Kopitar found me in the slot and we put it in. It kind of kept rolling from there. We took over the game in the first two minutes, and did a good job and did the right things necessary to win.” Phaneuf added his first of the season on a point shot that glanced off a New Jersey defender, and suddenly the Kings were in control. Kempe opened the scoring at 6:21 of the first period with a shot from the slot that handcuffed Kinkaid. It was the only goal of the opening period — and Kempe’s third in the last two games. The momentum shifted New Jersey’s way to start the second as the Devils fired nine of the first 10 shots of the period. The pressure paid off when Zacha evened the score at 3:31 on a sensational setup by Jesper Bratt. Skating behind the Kings net, Bratt fed a no-look backhand pass to the slot where Zacha slammed it home. It was another disheartening loss for the Devils, who have been unable to generate positive momentum in a season that has slipped away from them. “It seems like we put together a good game here and there,” captain Andy Greene said. “It’s not like we’re not working hard. They’re mental mistakes. It just seems when that happens, we’re getting busted for it. The goals are happening. We’re letting them in. We compound one mistake into two or three.” New York Post LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129209 New Jersey Devils all of this information? When is this ever going to be useful?’ And ever since she was 11 or 12 years old, it was always, ‘Mom, I’m going to be in hockey.’ When she was 15 or 16, that was when she first said she Rachel Doerrie’s rise in hockey will continue elsewhere, but the impact wanted to be the first female general manager in hockey and break the she left on the Devils goes beyond the ice old boys’ school. I thought ‘Wow, that’s pretty lofty. OK, let’s go!'” While she was at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, Doerrie spent two seasons working for Dave Matsos, then the coach of the By Corey Masisak Feb 5, 2019 Sudbury Wolves in the OHL. She also had an internship with Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment and was invited to a Hockey Canada women’s development camp. Two months ago, Rachel Doerrie was spending her time fulfilling a dream She wrote a story for the The Bloggers’ Tribune in 2016 entitled “Why I’ll of working in the NHL and planning out a way to use her position to help be the first Female NHL GM.” It certainly caught some peoples’ attention. others. “I always like people who put things out in the universe about themselves One month ago, Doerrie’s rocket-fueled rise to future front office and gamble on themselves,” said Jeff Marek, a host of Sportsnet’s NHL superstar changed course, and will continue somewhere other than New coverage and the “31 Thoughts” podcast alongside Elliotte Friedman. Jersey. “That’s a bold thing to say. It’s one thing to say that privately, but it’s quite another to put it out there and try to create a self-fulling prophecy for Tuesday, Doerrie will be on a plane to Europe when an idea of hers yourself. I was startled by it because who says that? But here’s this comes to fruition at Prudential Center. Sure, Devils coach John Hynes young, confident, smart woman who is comfortable enough to say this is might deploy some of the tactics Doerrie suggested or helped cultivate my goal and this is what I want to achieve. I reached out to her to say, during her time in the Player Information/Video department when New ‘Hey, that’s a bold thing to do. Good for you.'” Jersey plays the Los Angeles Kings. A friendship grew out of that first message to Doerrie. Soon Marek, who But it is also going to be the Devils’ first Mental Health Awareness night regularly canvasses different groups in the hockey community about at The Rock. For Doerrie, it’s a cause with deep personal connections. potential news or discussion topics of the day, began reaching out to her Both she and her younger sister battle mental illnesses. about junior hockey items. Then she became a part of his women’s Regardless of what happens with the team on the ice in the future, if this hockey group. And then his NHL discussions, too. franchise initiative becomes an annual event, as expected, it will in some “At one point I was like, ‘Hang on, Rachel is on a million of my lists. How ways be part of Doerrie’s lasting legacy in New Jersey despite her did that happen?'” Marek said. “She doesn’t just look at something and relatively brief tenure with the club. say ‘OK that’s what it is, so let’s move on.’ She’ll challenge me on tons of Doerrie and a friend in the Devils’ sales department, Chris Frezza, came things and she’ll challenge herself. up with the idea together, before she addressed the topic in a larger “She’s in a male-dominated field. Here’s someone that almost has that group. Amelia Earhart vibe about her. I think Amelia Earhart is one of the great “(Devils CEO) Scott O’Neil had a meeting where he got together with feminists of all time. It’s me and the plane. Screw everybody else. For coordinator-level people in the office. It was just sort of an informal ‘let’s Rachel, it’s her, her brain and the game. That’s it. She’s going to sink or talk’ thing,” Doerrie said. “He asked if we had any questions for him. I swim based on her work ethic and her brain.” said, ‘I want to know why this organization doesn’t do anything in the Doerrie was invited to the Maple Leafs’ development camp in the mental health space because it’s something that is really important, summer of 2017, and spent time working on and off the ice with various especially given the fact that athletes have come out and said they’ve members of the organization. A photo of her ran in one of the Toronto suffered from mental health issues and felt like they didn’t get enough newspapers. It wasn’t exactly a “you have arrived” kind of moment, support.'” though. “Soon after that, (Frezza) presented the idea for the game and said, ‘I got “There’s Kyle Dubas and a couple other guys and they’re all identified by this idea from Rachel. I think this is a very good idea.’ The organization name,” Marek said. “Then there’s Rachel. The caption says ‘Kyle Dubas, decided it was a good idea and decided to get involved.” Sheldon Keefe, so and so, so and so and a female staffer.’ She’s the Doerrie and Frezza began to work with various departments — ticket only female on the ice and no one is curious to find out who she is. When sales, marketing, community initiatives — and researched the best she calls me, it shows up on my phone as female staffer. No matter what practices of other NHL clubs who have hosted similar events. Frezza she does in this industry and the heights that she reaches, I will always eventually left the franchise to work for the 76ers, the Devils’ NBA sibling refer to her as female staffer.” in the Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment empire. Doerrie started contributing to The Athletic in September 2017, including Then, on the morning of Jan. 4 she received word from human relations this story about the success of the Devils’ top line. More people started to that her position as an assistant in the player information/video take notice, including New Jersey general manager Ray Shero. When department, was being eliminated because of a new direction, which the Devils hired Doerrie in December 2017, she became the youngest includes the addition of a vice president of analytics. member of an NHL analytics department. “It’s sort of the one thing that I’m really disappointed that I didn’t get to Not the youngest woman. The youngest, period. see through,” Doerrie said. “Because, do I love hockey? Yes, but I also Doerrie with her stepfather, Matt Richard, mother Karen and brother believe if you have a platform, you’d better do something good with it. Michael at Prudential Center. (Courtesy of Rachel Doerrie) This (mental health awareness) is the thing I’d really like to use my platform. I’m disappointed I won’t be there, but I’m really happy the She quickly became a valued member of the Devils’ hockey operations organization is open-minded enough to say you know what, this is a very department. Earlier this season, Devils coach John Hynes lauded the good thing and we need to be involved.” club’s analytics department to an assembled group of media, emphasizing how well his staff and the department worked together and Doerrie, while growing up in Newmarket, Ont., started skating when she the impact the sharing of information and ideas had on the organization. was four years old and was playing organized hockey with the boys by the time she was six. Her father, Michael, is a massive hockey fan and MSG’s Steve Cangelosi asked Hynes when he felt like “the really good his oldest daughter followed suit. system” they had in place came together. Hynes responded, “around the middle of last season.” That certainly lines up with Doerrie’s hire. There were some inclinations that her passion for the game and particular set of skills might evolve into something special even when she When Hynes talked about how the Devils were focused on being more was young. successful at even strength this season, he detailed the process of how the club tackled offseason projects and how intel flows between “Her father was in a pretty big hockey pool,” Karen Doerrie, Rachel’s departments. It did not take long for Doerrie and Hynes to develop a mother, said. “They go to a hotel for the draft and it’s a big deal. She bond. would do all the homework for him, all the research to help him pick the players and they would split the winnings. So when you’re 10, 11 years Earlier this season, Hynes was an in-studio guest for Sportsnet’s old and your dad comes home with a couple thousand dollars for you coverage the night before the Devils played the Maple Leafs in Toronto. because of your hockey homework, life’s pretty good. She’s just always Marek got to spend the night watching hockey with him. been enthralled. “Doug MacLean wanted to talk about short-side goals and the “She would tell me when she spent hours sitting on the couch watching conversation turned into scoring chance percentages and you have a six the draft and studying things, I’d say, ‘Why are you filling your brain with percent of scoring when you’re below the dot here on the right side as She was making new friends and forging new work relationships in New left-handed shot versus a right-handed shot and John started to get really Jersey. But when Doerrie went home in late July of last year, those who into the conversation,” Marek said. “He was like, ‘Oh yeah, we track all of knew her best sensed something was wrong. this info on this is a low-percentage shot or this is a high-percentage shot and if you add a pass to it, it jumps from six percent to 33 percent on “I was hanging out with my best friend,” Rachel said. “This was a turning this.’ And he’s just coming at us like this waterfall of information. I’m point for me, because he looked at me and said ‘What happened to you?’ sitting there thinking, ‘Where have I had this conversation before?’ I didn’t know what he meant, but he said, ‘You are not the person that I know.’ That was sort of the trigger for me that you know what, something “Oh yeah, I know. It’s Rachel, and the work that she’s done. When you is going on and I need to get this sorted out. hear a high-level coach like John Hynes who is in the NHL and has been behind the bench at a World Cup and the fact that he’s recognized the “I went to a psychiatrist and said, ‘Listen, something’s wrong but I don’t value in the work she’s doing, that’s a real tip of the cap to someone like know what it is.’ That’s when I was diagnosed with PTSD. It is PTSD with Rachel.” anxious and depressive symptoms. It’s obviously not as severe as like wartime PTSD, but it’s a different type. It’s triggered by different things. Doerrie talked about some of what she did while working for the Devils The way your brain works is there’s pathways that cause you to react to when she was a guest on the Hockey PDOCast with Dimitri Filipovic. The certain things. When something happens, your brain goes through these news of her no longer working for the organization was a surprise pathways and you make decisions or react to that. Because of what I’d throughout the hockey community. gone through as a child and continued to go through in my adolescent years, and then with my grandfather passing away, my pathways didn’t “I really enjoyed working with the coaching staff,” Doerrie said. “I learned develop in the same way. I didn’t have the ability to react in a ‘normal’ a lot from John and the rest of the coaching staff and how you can use way because those pathways just weren’t there. It’s like learning to walk. old-school things and new-school things. It’s really the importance of how If your brain doesn’t know how to walk, you ain’t walking. That pathway you use all of the information available to you for what you believe the is isn’t there.” the best way for your team to succeed. I also learned the importance of having a clear-cut vision. If you don’t have something you’re striving Doerrie’s own battle with mental illness is not the biggest reason she towards and you don’t have a direction, it is very hard to respect your line wanted to use her position with the Devils to try to help others. Before her of thinking. If you have a clear vision and you stick to it, it’s cut and dry — grandfather passed away and before her hockey career began to you’re either part of the vision or not. John does a very job of sticking to blossom, her younger sister, Katarina, was battling issues of her own. the things that he believes makes a successful hockey team.” “I’m not sure it really all hit me until I realized that I was also going Doerrie with her grandfather, Wolfgang Schulze, and his train set, which through something. I just asked her, ‘What do you need? Because I don’t took up most of a two-car garage. (Courtesy of Rachel Doerrie) know how to help you.’ She was like, ‘Sometimes I just need you to listen,'” Rachel said. “For me it’s about three words: accept, understand, Doerrie has had plenty of people she looks up to as mentors, whether it’s listen. Accept that they have something and they have it. End of story. her mother or Matsos, who is now the coach of the Hamilton Bulldogs in Understand that you aren’t going to understand what’s going on. And the OHL, or Marek. Her grandfather, Wolfgang Schulze, was more than listen. They might say, ‘I need this today.’ Sometimes that might be ‘I that. think we need some time apart, because I have stuff to figure out and “He was her rock,” Karen Doerrie said. “When there was trouble at home you have stuff to figure out.’ As hard as that is to hear as a sister, if that’s with mom and dad, fighting before the divorce, Opa was there to come what she needs today, then so be it. and get her and go for an ice cream to get her out of the house. If there “My sister felt alone for a really along time, and I don’t want anyone to go was a school play, Opa was there. He went to every hockey game. through that. She was a young teenager, like 13, and I don’t want anyone “Rachel was the only grandchild that he ever held, and he has eight or to have to go through things like that.” nine grandchildren. The only one he ever changed a diaper for, given a Some of the features of the Devils’ Mental Health Awareness night bottle too, gone on vacation with. Their relationship, I mean it is beautiful, include a portion of the ticket sales going to various mental health but there was probably other than myself nobody more important to organization in New Jersey. The Devils will host a “Hockey Talks” panel Rachel than Opa. One hundred precent. He made no bones about it. before the game that will include Aimee Kimball, who is the club’s Rachel was his favorite.” director of player and team development, and Lacey Mark, a Devils fan “The sun would rise and set on both of their shoulders,” added Matt who has appeared on “The Bachelor” and “Bachelor In Paradise.” Richard, Rachel’s stepfather. They’ll also host a number of organizations, each set up with a table in They were on a family vacation together in Mexico in June 2016 when the concourse to offer information about mental illnesses and support for Rachel walked into a room and found her grandfather in the midst of a anyone seeking it for themselves or someone they know. The Devils are heart attack. He passed away a few days later in a hospital. one of more than 10 teams in the NHL holding a night dedicated to mental health awareness. “That absolutely rocked her world,” Karen said. Like Hockey Fights Cancer and Hockey Is For Everyone, the Hockey “The one thing I remember from that day besides the CPR was him Talks partnership between the NHL and the NHLPA is another critically getting wheeled out (out of the hotel room) and looking at me and telling important initiative for the league and the future of the sport. me he loved me,” Rachel said. “I think I knew at that point that it wasn’t good. There was a bottle of rum in the room and I just drank straight from “My thing is we can’t just care about people when it is convenient for the bottle. I knew I was going to be in for a tough experience. you,” Doerrie said. “People have to understand that you have no problem sending someone home if they’re coughing up a lung, but if someone can “One of the things that people look for is closure, and I never got that. I barely focus because something is a trigger point, it’s not taken the never got to say goodbye. He never had a funeral and to this day that is same. The response is, ‘Aw, it’s hockey. You’ve got to tough it out.’ a very sore subject. “We don’t ask someone with a broken leg to go run steps. It’s not going “I went into a spiral and didn’t realize it. It was only after I got hired by the to go very well. So ask someone with a broken brain to react the way you Devils and moved to New Jersey that I realized how deep in I was. When want them to react or think the way you want, sometimes they don’t have I moved here, I was alone. I had no family here, I was the youngest that capability. Patience is really important. You’re willing to wait if person in the business and I was a female so I felt alone.” someone has a torn ACL or a concussion. Why would you not be willing to wait for this?” There’s a framed collection of photos of Rachel with her grandfather in the dining room of her house. She also has 22 photos of him in her room, Doerrie on the ice with the Maple Leafs during a development camp in because that was his favorite number. (Courtesy of Rachel Doerrie) 2017. (Courtesy of Rachel Doerrie) For the first six months of Doerrie’s time with the Devils, she was living The first NHL team reached out to Doerrie about two hours after the out her dream of working in the NHL. It should have been the greatest news of her departure from the Devils landed on social media. Several time of her life. It wasn’t. others have followed suit, in addition to a few soccer clubs, but she is not in a hurry to take the next step in her career. “I was smiling to hide the pain,” she said. “I was spiraling. I wasn’t abusing drugs or drinking heavily, but I wasn’t eating. I had lost a lot of “I owe it to myself to take a break,” she said. “I went from high school to weight. The worst thing you can do is hide it behind a smile, because university a year early. I finished university in three years, and I went then you’re fucked.” right into working. Considering everything that has happened, I’m due for a reset. I’m really fortunate because I feel like this whole experience has Doerrie buried herself in the work because it was what she always loved broken me down to a point where I now get to choose the person I want to do. At times, she struggled to eat anything but McDonald’s — she to build to be. I like that. Am I happy that I’ve been broken down to this used to make weekly trips there with her grandfather. point? No. But I get to rebuild the person I want to be. I’m going to focus on that for the next couple months.” That means a trip to Germany to see family and her beloved Bayern Munich in action. It’s going to mean some time at home with Peanut, the attention-seeking pup of the family. It’s also going to mean more heated hockey debates with her stepfather. “I played in juniors and had a fledgling NCAA career, but I’m 43 years old and I haven’t studied this stuff,” Richard said. “We’re still in the world of plus-minus and save percentage and wins and losses. I’d come home from like a men’s league game and she’d be like, ‘Do you know that so and so’s Corsi rating is …’ and I know that Corsi is almost out the window now, but I didn’t know what that was at the time. She started talking about Corsi and shot suppression and these other things and I’d be like, ‘I scored two goals today. Is that still good?’ “We got into it about Morgan Rielly versus Jake Gardiner and why Rielly gets a different type of hall pass because I played kind of like Gardiner does. I was more of a risk-taker. I said, ‘Well, he was a plus-24 last year’ and she looked at me like I should be on a rotary phone in a black-and- white sitcom. Plus-minus eh, grandpa?” Her father and stepfather bring a hockey-based perspective to their mentorship. Her mother, who is a National Channel Manager for Nutanix, has plenty of experience with some of the situations Rachel could encounter. “For me, I’m in an industry that’s an old boys’ club,” Karen Doerrie said. “I’m in IT. There are a handful of women at the top. It’s changing, but 20 years ago when I started we were secretaries and mailroom people. We weren’t executives. I have a lot of experience from climbing the corporate ladder and breaking into the old boys’ club. “All of my children know there is a saying mom always says: ‘There are a lot of things you can recover from, but when you sacrifice your integrity, it is very difficult. I can fix stupid. I can fix ugly. I can’t fix it if you’re no longer trusted.’ I told her you don’t have to wear a short skirt, but if you’re the smartest person in the room, that might get you noticed.” Doerrie is also going to continue to be an advocate for people with mental illness, including for herself and her younger sister. Her personal battle with mental illness continues. She’s seen significant progress, and her desire to continue breaking down barriers in the sport of hockey remains. “We’ve talked about this a number of times. The reality is she’s only got 32 opportunities, with Seattle getting a team,” Richard said. “Is it mathematically probable that she’ll be a GM? No, but it’s possible. If not, there are thousands of little girls who look up to the Hayley Wickenheisers of the world and say, ‘I want to be the next Hayley Wickenheiser.’ Maybe the first girl who becomes a GM is not Rachel, but maybe the first one says, ‘Well, I met Rachel Doerrie when I was at Laurentian doing my internship and she really inspired me.'” The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129210 New York Islanders Chris Schlenker announced the play was offside and the goal didn't count.

Cehlarik put the Bruins up for good less than two minutes later. Islanders' point streak ends with loss to Bruins in front of champion Patriots “The second goal was a turning point because now you're chasing against a very good team that defends very well,” Trotz said.

New York Daily News LOADED: 02.06.2019 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS |FEB 05, 2019

BOSTON — Patrice Bergeron told his Boston teammates that all he wanted in his 1,000th career game was for the Bruins to come out of it with two points. The Bruins did, as did Bergeron, who scored twice in Boston's 3-1 victory over the Islanders on Tuesday night. “It's been a fun ride. It was a special game that way,” said Bergeron, only the fifth player in Bruins' history to play 1,000 games for the club. Bergeron scored early in the second period and added an empty-netter in the final minute to cap off the night. “Did you really expect anything else? That guy just steps up in every situation,” said Brad Marchand, who assisted on both of Bergeron's goals. “You know he's going to have a big game on a milestone night like tonight. It was great to see. He's one of the top players in the game for a reason.” Champion New England Patriots show up to watch Bruins beat Islanders Tuesday night. Marchand made sure Bergeron got a keepsake from the night when he skated out to the blue line and retrieved the puck after Bergeron's first goal put Boston up 1-0 at 2:32 in the first period. David Pastrnak also assisted on both goals for Bergeron, passing up an empty-net opportunity and leaving the puck for Bergeron to tap in with 55 seconds left. “I saw him look back and I was like ‘oh no, he's going to drop it,’ but we were definitely alone and I very much appreciated it,” Bergeron said. Peter Cehlarik also scored and Tuukka Rask stopped 28 shots for the Bruins, who handed the Metropolitan Division-leading Islanders their first regulation loss in more than three weeks. Jordan Eberle scored for the Islanders and Robin Lehner finished with 24 saves as theirrun of eight straight games with a point came to an end. The Islanders entered the game with a 6-0-2 stretch since a 2-1 loss to the Rangers on Jan. 12. “We had a couple good looks and Tuukka made some good saves,” Eberle said. “They're a good team over there. They don't give you much. We definitely had our opportunities, though.” The Islanders were just 1 for 5 on the power-play, failing to score on a great chance in the third when Boston's Matt Grzelcyk was called for two minors — tripping and slashing — on the same play with 11:41 left. “At the end of the day we could've used another one, but give them credit. They killed it off,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. Cehlarik broke a 1-all tie 6:34 into the third on a rebound after Lehner stopped Kevan Miller's initial shot. It was the third goal of the season for Cehlarik. Bergeron put the Bruins up 1-0 at 2:32 of the second period when he poked in the rebound after Lehner stopped a one-timer by Pastrnak but couldn't control the puck. Bergeron was congratulating his teammates after the final horn when Bruins' captain Zdeno Chara, who's 6-foot-9, picked up the 33-year-old center in a giant bear-hug. “I wanted to get back down, but I couldn't. He had a pretty strong grip,” Bergeron said with a laugh. “That was pretty funny, but I don't know if I want to see that video.” The Islanders tied it on Eberle's power-play goal with 3:20 left in the second on a wrist shot that got through Rask on the stick side. The Isles appeared to take a 2-1 lead 4:52 into the third on a wrist shot by Cal Clutterbuck, but the Bruins challenged, believing Clutterbuck was already across the blue line when Casey Cizikas brought the puck into the zone. Fans booed when they saw the replay and got louder as the review stretched past a few minutes. The boos turned to cheers when referee 1129211 New York Islanders

Long Island pols push Coliseum for Islanders playoff games

By Brett Cyrgalis February 5, 2019

Fans at welcome back the Islanders in December -- and make their opinion clear on which arena the team should call home. Fans at Nassau Coliseum welcome back the Islanders in December -- and make their opinion clear on which arena the team should call home. Paul J. Bereswill Politicians from Nassau County have starting petitioning the NHL to allow the Islanders to play home playoff games at the Coliseum rather than Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, where the team and the league would make far more money. Letters were sent to commissioner Gary Bettman on Tuesday, including ones from County Executive Laura Curran and State Assemblyman Ed Ra. “It is no coincidence that the Islanders are putting up one of their best regular seasons in team history after coming back and playing some home games at the Nassau Coliseum,” Curran wrote (and shared on Twitter). “On behalf of the thousands of Nassau County residents and Long Islanders who bleed orange and blue, I urge you to give our team the chance to make a bid for the Stanley Cup at the Nassau Coliseum.” The Islanders lost 3-1 in Boston on Tuesday night but still lead the Metropolitan Division — though calling this “one of their best regular seasons in team history” might be pushing it for a franchise that won four straight Stanley Cups to open the 1980s. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman The club is splitting home games between the two venues. The Coliseum has a maximum attendance of 13,971 and Barclays Center can hold 15,795. The biggest discrepancy is that the Coliseum has fewer than 10 suites, while Barclays has close to 100. As The Post reported weeks ago, the decision where to play the postseason games rests solely with the commissioner. Bettman said at All-Star weekend in San Jose that all of the relevant parties would be consulted before a decision is made, but that ultimately it was the league’s to make. With the league taking a larger portion of revenue in the postseason versus the regular season, it’s hard to see it choosing less money just to have a more vibrant environment for the Islanders. “There is no doubt that the atmosphere provided by the fans in the Coliseum affects the players,” Ra wrote, “and contributes to the energy that they bring to the game.” New York Post LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129212 New York Islanders

Islanders suffer their first regulation loss in a long time

By Associated Press February 5, 2019

BOSTON — The Islanders can’t win them all. Patrice Bergeron celebrated his 1,000th career game with a pair of goals as the Boston Bruins beat the New York Islanders 3-1 on Tuesday night. “It’s been a fun ride. It was a special game that way,” said Bergeron, only the fifth player in Bruins’ history to play 1,000 games for the club. Peter Cehlarik also scored and Tuukka Rask stopped 28 shots for the Bruins, who handed the Metropolitan Division-leading Islanders their first regulation loss in more than three weeks. Bergeron, just the fifth player in Bruins’ history to play 1,000 games with the club, scored early in the second period and added an empty-netter in the final minute. Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak assisted on both of Bergeron’s goals. Jordan Eberle scored for the Islanders and Robin Lehner finished with 24 saves as the Islanders’ run of eight straight games with a point came to an end. The Islanders entered the game with a 6-0-2 stretch since a 2-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Jan. 12. “We had a couple good looks and Tuukka made some good saves,” Eberle said. “They’re a good team over there. They don’t give you much. We definitely had our opportunities, though.” The Islanders were just 1 for 5 on the power-play, failing to score on a great chance in the third when Boston’s Matt Grzelcyk was called for two minors — tripping and slashing — on the same play with 11:41 left. “At the end of the day we could’ve used another one, but give them credit, they killed it off,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. Cehlarik broke a 1-all tie 6:34 into the third on a rebound after Lehner stopped Kevan Miller’s initial shot. It was the third goal of the season for Cehlarik. Bergeron put the Bruins up 1-0 at 2:32 of the second period when he poked in the rebound after Lehner stopped a one-timer by Pastrnak but couldn’t control the puck. Pastrnak picked up his second assist with 55 seconds left to play, foregoing a shot into an empty net by leaving the puck for Bergeron to slap in after the Islanders had pulled Lehner. Marchand helped set up Bergeron’s first goal with a crossing pass to Pastrnak, who got the shot on net and Bergeron was there for the rebound. Marchand skated out to retrieve the puck at the blue line and brought it back to Bergeron on his milestone night. The Islanders tied it on Eberle’s power-play goal with 3:20 left in the second on a wrist shot that got through Rask on the stick side. The Islanders appeared to take a 2-1 lead 4:52 into the third on a wrist shot by Cal Clutterbuck, but the Bruins challenged, believing Clutterbuck was already across the blue line when Casey Cizikas brought the puck into the zone. Fans booed when they saw the replay and got louder as the review stretched past a few minutes. The boos turned to cheers when referee Chris Schlenker announced the play was offside and the goal didn’t count. New York Post LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129213 New York Islanders

Maybe Patriots' victory parade will inspire Islanders It went past the Islanders' downtown Boston hotel Tuesday, rekindling fond memories of the Caps' victory parade for Barry Trotz.

By Andrew Gross

BOSTON – The Patriots’ Super Bowl victory parade crawled past the Islanders’ downtown hotel on Tuesday and, for coach Barry Trotz, it rekindled some warm memories of the Capitals' Stanley Cup parade in Washington just before his joining the Islanders. And, just perhaps, it further whet the appetite for the Islanders’ players to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. “If you’ve been a part of it, it brings some good memories, to see how a city can rally around a sports team,” Trotz said. “The players want to feel that, too. If you see all that stuff, if it helps you in your mindset of achieving some of those goals, that’s a good thing. “We saw the masses heading to the park and having fun and the signs and the banners, all the ticker tape,” Trotz added. About 20 Patriots players, led by Super Bowl MVP Justin Edelman and all wearing Bruins jerseys, and owner Robert Kraft were honored on the ice at TD Garden before the Islanders' 3-1 loss on Tuesday night. Edelman spiked the puck used for the ceremonial faceoff. Tuesday’s parade did impact the Islanders slightly, as they wound up calling off their planned morning skate at the arena. Instead, they conducted their pre-game meetings at the hotel. “The bus company said it was going to have a tough time getting us in,” said Trotz, who rooted for the Patriots because, as a coach, he’s impressed with how they’ve maintained their level of excellence. The Islanders received a four-minute, five-on-four power-play at 11:41 of the third period when Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk was simultaneously called for tripping Jordan Eberle and slashing Anthony Beauvillier’s stick. Except the Islanders thought they should have received a two-minute, five-on-three man advantage because they argued it was defenseman Charlie McAvoy of Long Beach who slashed Beauvillier’s stick. Video replays strongly supported the Islanders’ assertion. “We thought there was two different players but the referee said it was one player and I’m not so sure of it,” Trotz said. “They said they were absolutely certain it was the same guy.” DADS' TRIP This two-game swing to Boston and Thursday to New Jersey marks the Islanders’ annual dads' and mentors’ trip. Such outings are common across the NHL, with some teams also having trips for mothers and siblings, and Trotz has been around them since his first season in the league coaching the expansion Predators in 1998-99. “It’s a great format,” Trotz said. “When I was in Nashville, we were probably the first to do it on the level of a full-blown dads’ trip, in ’98. Credit to [GM] David Poile and the Nashville organization. It’s become a tradition throughout the NHL. It brings you back to your growing up.” ISLES FILES Defenseman Luca Sbisa and forwards Ross Johnston and Tom Kuhnhackl remained the healthy scratches…Tuesday started a stretch of seven of 10 games on the road for the Islanders. Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129214 New York Islanders

Islanders lose to Bruins after potential go-ahead goal is waved off

By Andrew Gross

BOSTON – Barry Trotz, channeling Al Pacino’s football coach from “Any Given Sunday,” has been fond lately of talking about fighting for the inches needed to win games. Missed inches cost the Islanders in Tuesday night’s 3-1 loss to the Bruins at TD Garden as their season-high eight-game point streak (6-0-2) was snapped. Defenseman Devon Toews was just offside to negate a potential go- ahead goal in the third period. And the Islanders, despite four good chances, could not convert for the equalizer on a four-minute power play in the third period. “That’s a game of inches,” Trotz said. “If you’re on the blue line there [instead of offside], that’s probably defining. We didn’t take advantage of that extra inch and we got a goal called back. We turn the puck over and they get their second goal.” The Islanders thought they had gone ahead 2-1 on Cal Clutterbuck’s apparent goal off a three-on-two rush at 4:52 of the third, but Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy successfully challenged Toews was offside. “That’s life, we’ve got to battle through it and get back on track there,” said Toews, adding he didn’t think the Islanders did so. “Unfortunately, no. I think the score shows that. We battled, but we had a few mistakes cost us tonight. And we had chances, but they didn’t go in.” Robin Lehner made 24 saves for the Metropolitan Division-leading Islanders (30-16-6). Tuukka Rask stopped 28 shots for the Bruins (29-17- 7), who got two goals from center Patrice Bergeron, playing in his 1,000th NHL regular-season game, including an empty-netter with 54.9 seconds remaining to clinch it. “The last couple of games, you see little stuff creeping into our game,” defenseman Scott Mayfield said. “I wish we would’ve rebounded better off of that disallowed goal.” The Islanders are actually in a 1-1-2 mini-skid and needed three goals in the third period to rally past the Kings, 4-2, Saturday night. They went 1-for-5 on the power play against the Bruins – they were 0-for- 8 in their previous three games –but could not net the equalizer on a four-minute man advantage after Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk was called for both tripping and slashing Jordan Eberle at 11:41 of the third. New York Islanders right wing Jordan Eberle, center, New York Islanders right wing Jordan Eberle, center, “Tuukka made some good saves,” said Eberle, whose power-play goal at the left post at 16:40 of the second period tied the score at 2. “We were 1-for-5, but I thought we moved the puck well on the power play. That wasn’t really the issue today.” The Bruins went ahead 2-1 at 6:34 of the third as defenseman Kevan Miller was able to keep the puck in at the right point and Peter Cehlarik was able to lift the puck over a prone Lehner at the crease. The play was set up when Mathew Barzal sent the puck over the boards to set up a defensive-zone faceoff. Barzal and his linemates, Josh Bailey and Anthony Beauvillier, were held to a total of one shot as they struggled for a second straight game. Bergeron gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead at 2:32 of the second after a slow defensive reaction by Bailey forced Lehner to stretch with his left pad and stop David Pastrnak at the crease. However, the puck stayed loose as Lehner was shaken up, and Bergeron knocked in the rebound. New York Islanders goaltender Robin Lehner (40) eyes New York Islanders goaltender Robin Lehner (40) eyes The Islanders survived a first period in which they were not at their fastest or their smartest in taking three unnecessary penalties to put the Bruins’ third-ranked power play on the ice for six minutes. “We took three penalties, myself included, which can’t happen,” Mayfield said. “That wasn’t the start we wanted.” Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129215 New York Rangers

Rangers finally about to give their backup some more work

By Brett Cyrgalis February 6, 2019

Alex Georgiev is not planning for an increased workload down the stretch, even though that seems likely to happen. Instead, the Rangers’ backup goalie is taking one day at a time — which includes a scheduled start for the Garden match against the Bruins on Wednesday night. “Hockey is so unpredictable, you can’t plan even one week ahead,” Georgiev said after Tuesday’s practice in Tarrytown. “You have to go day by day.” Georgiev, 23, spent the 10-day break with AHL Hartford, playing three games. He returned and played the Rangers’ first game out of the break, a 1-0 loss to the Flyers on Jan. 29. That has helped him stay sharp while only getting 14 starts in the Blueshirts’ first 52 games. It’s on the coaching staff — including goaltending guru Benoit Allaire — to monitor how starter Henrik Lundqvist feels. Lundqvist, who will turn 37 on March 2 and has carried quite the load for the first half of the season, is going to start Friday night against the Hurricanes after the pregame ceremony honoring the Rangers’ 1994 Stanley Cup-winning team. “It’s something that Benny and I talked about today and I’ll talk to Hank some more about it,” coach David Quinn said. “Just something we have to stay on top of.” “He’s got a situation where we think it’s probably best to give him off days leading into games,” Quinn said. “Obviously he’s a guy that gives his all. We don’t worry about his conditioning or sharpness. Right now, that’s just the best course of action to allow him to have his best health and allow him to play, night in and night out.” Since missing five games around Christmas with that upper-body injury, Fast has played 16 straight. The team only has 12 healthy forwards, and no call-up was planned. “We don’t see it being something — unless he gets injured in a game or whatnot. But we’ll continue to take this path barring something crazy happening,” Quinn said. Defenseman Neal Pionk is set to be a healthy scratch Wednesday, so it looks like rugged winger Cody McLeod will rejoin the lineup, on the fourth line next to Boo Nieves and Jimmy Vesey. Nieves has had some good moments since being called up Dec. 18, but Quinn doesn’t want him to get overly focused on his lack of production: he has just two goals and seven points in 20 games. “When he’s playing a simple game, he’s an effective player,” Quinn said. “Sometimes what can happen to Boo is he lets the points and the offensive piece of his game get in the way of all of the other things he’s going to need to do to be a consistent player at this level.” Defenseman Freddy Claeeson practiced again in a non-contact jersey after rejoining the Rangers for Monday’s morning skate. He has been out since suffering a right shoulder injury Jan. 12. New York Post LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129216 New York Rangers

Why Rangers coach finally told Neal Pionk to take a seat

By Brett Cyrgalis February 5, 2019

There it was, the dreaded on-ice conversation at the end of practice: Rangers coach David Quinn talking in an animated way, young defenseman Neal Pionk nodding his head in acknowledgment. This is how a player gets notified he is going to be a healthy scratch. Pionk, 23, has played a lot of difficult minutes for the Blueshirts this season, his second as a professional. But an injury and then a severe dropoff in his play have left Quinn with the obvious choice to keep Pionk in street clothes for Wednesday night’s Garden match against the Bruins. “Listen, we’ve asked him to do an awful lot,” Quinn said after Tuesday’s practice in Tarrytown. “He’s played against everybody’s top players, and he’s done a really good job. The injury kind of slowed him down a little bit. I think he’s lost a little bit of his confidence. Might be good to give him a night off, get him back to feeling good about himself. Work on some things we have to address to get him back to playing the way he was.” Pionk spent the better part of the first half of the season on the right side of the top pair, next to Marc Staal. He was getting big minutes in every situation, including both special teams. He was showing flashes of offensive instincts to go along with his terrific skating ability (Who can forget that 200-foot rush and game-winner against the Canadiens on Nov. 6?) as well as a solidified performance in his own zone. But then he blocked a shot in a game just after Christmas and suffered a lower-body injury. It was not bad enough to force Pionk to the sideline and he didn’t allow the pain to force him out of the lineup. That is when Pionk started playing without his usual vigor and confidence. He played eight games from Dec. 27-Jan. 10 before finally needing to sit out Jan. 12 against the Islanders. “I think during the stretch when he was sucking it up and playing through a tough injury — give him a lot of credit, that’s how tough he is — I thought he lost a little bit of his confidence and swagger through that process,” Quinn said. “We have to help him get it back. And, I like the way the other guys are playing.” Pionk missed three of four games going into the 10-day break, which encompassed the bye week and the All-Star Game. Since the Rangers’ return to action, Quinn has decided to dress seven defensemen in two of the four games, including the last-minute 4-3 overtime loss to the Kings on Monday night. That game was a struggle for Pionk, who essentially was the roaming defenseman as Tony DeAngelo took most of the even-strength turns next to Staal. The worst moment came when Pionk iced the puck without any pressure near him, and on the ensuing defensive-zone draw couldn’t stay with Anze Kopitar (understandable), who tied the game, 2-2, with a lifted backhand in front. “He just looks indecisive,” Quinn said. “Usually he’s a guy that, when he’s moving his feet, he makes great decisions, he’s decisive in the defensive zone. He just looks unsure of himself. When he’s on his game, he’s very decisive. He does things fast, he competes, and he moves pucks quickly. He’s just a half-fraction off in these decisions.” Rest assured, the Rangers have not lost faith in the free-agent signee out of Minnesota-Duluth. They are just as confident as he is concerning his ability. But sometimes a step back can do a bit of good, and that is what the Blueshirts are hoping with this little bump in the road for Pionk. “We’ve touched on this with these young players — there are going to be peaks and valleys,” Quinn said. “They are going to have some down times, and he is going through a little bit of one right now.” New York Post LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129217 New York Rangers

Neal Pionk fighting a crisis of confidence and is to get night off

By Colin Stephenson

GREENBURGH, N.Y.— For the majority of the season, Neal Pionk was the Rangers’ No. 1 defenseman. He was the point man on the No. 1 power-play unit, and was the righthanded half of the top defensive pair, both at even strength and on the penalty kill. And he led the team in ice time every night. But lately, things haven’t been going well for Pionk, the 23-year-old, second-year pro out of the University of Minnesota-Duluth. A lower-body injury, sustained blocking a shot in late December, caused him to miss three of four games in mid-January and appears to have factored in his slippage in play. In his last 10 games, dating to before the bye-week/All Star break, Pionk is a combined minus-10. And he has just one assist in his last 14 games. When the Rangers host the Boston Bruins Wednesday in the third game of their five-game homestand at Madison Square Garden, Pionk won’t be in the lineup. “Yeah, he’s the guy we’ll probably hold out,’’ coach David Quinn said after practice Tuesday. “Listen, we’ve asked him to do an awful lot. He’s played against everybody’s top players and he’s done a really good job. The injury kind of slowed him down a little bit. I think he’s lost a little bit of his confidence. It might be good to give him a night off and let him get back to feeling good about himself and kind of work on some things that we’ve got to get him back to playing the way he was.’’ Quinn said Pionk looks “indecisive’’ lately, and the coach said that’s just part of the natural ups and downs that come with being a young player. “When he’s on his game, he’s very decisive, and he does things fast,’’ Quinn said. “And he competes, and he moves pucks quickly. And he’s just a half-a-fraction-of-a-second off in these decisions.’’ Pionk insists his struggles don’t stem from being tired, but he does admit he has lost some confidence. And, he said, confidence is a big key to playing well. “You need that confidence to make those plays,’’ he said. “You know you can make them, you have your whole life, right? And then you come to the highest level in the world and when you lose that confidence, you’re going to get eaten up. So that confidence is highly important to maintain and keep in this league.’’ To regain his confidence, Pionk said he’ll lean on his work ethic and begin working harder in practice. It’s the only way he knows how to fix what’s broken. Notes & quotes: Jesper Fast missed practice again Tuesday and Quinn said the forward has “a situation’’ that the team believes can be managed by not having him practice on days before games. He will be playing in games, however . . . Quinn said Alexandar Georgiev will start in goal Wednesday. Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129218 NHL Goals: Alex Ovechkin (Washington), 37; Assists: Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay), 58; Points: Kucherov, 80; Ice time: Drew Doughty (Los Angeles), 26:42; Wins: Marc-Andre Fleury (Vegas), 27; Goals-against average: Standings slow down trade action ahead of deadline Robin Lehner (N.Y. Islanders), 2.02; Save percentage: Lehner, .932. Seattle Times LOADED: 02.06.2019 By STEPHEN WHYNO

When the Maple Leafs sent a first-round pick and two prospects to the Kings for Jake Muzzin, it didn’t exactly open the flood gates a month before the trade deadline. That is because the standings are slowing everything down. With less than three weeks until the Feb. 25 deadline, there are nine teams within five points of a playoff berth behind the 16 currently holding a slot. The NHL appears to be in wait-and-see mode, even though some big-name players are out there in the trade market. There are far more buyers than sellers right now as general managers wait to see what unfolds and how close they can get to contending. “We’ll know better by Feb. 25 where we’re at,” said Florida GM , whose team is nine points out. “We’ll go game by game and week by week and then we’ll decide before the deadline what we’re going to do. Performance will dictate what we do.” Who is the biggest sleeper in Washington's impressive 2019 signing class? The Panthers already made one move, acquiring picks and pending free agents Derick Brassard and Riley Sheahan from the Penguins for Jared McCann and Nick Bjugstad. Of course, they could still try to acquire pending free agent winger Artemi Panarin and/or goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky from Columbus. Panarin and Bobrovsky are two of the hottest commodities who could be available, along with Ottawa forwards Matt Duchene and Mark Stone, Philadelphia winger Wayne Simmonds and Carolina winger Micheal Ferland. Need a goalie and don’t want to pay for a two-time Vezina Trophy winner like Bobrovsky? Edmonton’s Cam Talbot or Detroit’s Jimmy Howard are possibilities. A lack of true sellers could drive up the prices and delay the falling dominoes. “Sometimes it drags out a little bit,” Washington GM Brian MacLellan said. “I think people get frustrated with it, but people are trying to get full value for things they perceive need to be getting full value (for), and it takes it to the end to figure out what is the actual value.” MacLellan said the defending Stanley Cup champion Capitals are active in trade talks. Their championship window is wide open now. For teams like the Flyers, the window isn’t yet open without some changes. “We could both buy and sell,” Flyers GM said. “Every decision we make, if we’re going to try to improve our team going forward and we can get that player now, great. …. To be better next year, we may have to try to get better this year.” Plenty of calls should be going to Los Angeles GM Rob Blake, who acknowledged the Kings are “at the bottom of the league.” They have a potential rental in forward Carl Hagelin and some older players with years left on their deals like Jeff Carter and Alec Martinez. It is a team in transition after winning the Cup in 2012 and 2014. “We’re looking at a lot of different options,” Blake said. “I don’t want to get into specifics of players, but we are actively looking at making moves for the future of the organization.” MATTHEWS CASHES IN Toronto agreed to terms with franchise center Auston Matthews on a $58.17 million, five-year extension. Matthews will make much of his money in signing bonuses during the length of the contract that counts $11.634 million against the salary cap through 2023-24. Matthews and the Maple Leafs agreed on something shorter than the eight years Connor McDavid got in Edmonton to keep his salary under $12 million. It remains to be seen what that means for teammate Mitch Marner and Winnipeg winger Patrik Laine in upcoming contract negotiations, both on cap-strapped teams wanting to win now where perhaps a shorter contract is better. GAME OF THE WEEK The San Jose Sharks visit the Calgary Flames on Thursday in a matchup of the top two teams in the Pacific Division. LEADERS (through Monday) 1129219 NHL

Maple Leafs sign Auston Matthews to 5-year, $58 million deal

By The Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) — Auston Matthews, one of the NHL’s great young talents, signed a five-year contract extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday at an annual average of $11.6 million. The 21-year-old center was making the maximum $925,000 a year under his three-year rookie deal. He was eligible to become a restricted free agent July 1. Matthews, a former No. 1 overall draft pick and a rookie of the year, is in his third season with Toronto. He has 97 goals and 81 assists in 182 regular-season games. This season he has 23 goals and 23 assists, but he has played in only 38 of Toronto’s 52 games because of injury. The NHL rookie of the year from Scottsdale, Arizona, has represented Toronto at the NHL All-Star Game in each of his three seasons. The precise average annual payout is $11.634 million — the 34 at the end appearing to be a nod to his jersey number. The bulk of the money reportedly is in signing bonuses. He will make just $750,000 in salary each of the five years while getting bonuses of $15.2 million, $15.2 million, 9.7 million, 7.2 million and $7.2 million. His extension comes after 22-year-old Maple Leafs forward William Nylander signed a six-year deal in December worth $10.2 million this season and $6.9 million the following seasons. Seattle Times LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129220 Ottawa Senators defenceman from their American Hockey League affiliate. The Belleville Senators were to face the Marlies on Tuesday night, so the two players recalled will just stay in town … The Senators visited the Hockey Hall of Garrioch: Rivalry between Senators and Leafs needs a spark Fame for a reception with Toronto-based corporate clients on Tuesday night … Senators head coach Guy Boucher hadn’t been at practice on Monday because he was having a colonoscopy, he disclosed Tuesday. “I listened to (the late) Bryan Murray’s advice to be checked,” Boucher said Bruce Garrioch … Craig Anderson will start in net against the Leafs. That means you can expect to see backup Anders Nilsson against the Anaheim Ducks at

home on Thursday. TORONTO — The names and the faces have changed in the Battle of Ottawa Sun LOADED: 02.06.2019 Ontario. The question is this: Does the rivalry remain the same? Those who remember the glory days of the Ottawa Senators versus the Toronto Maple Leafs long for the early 2000’s with likes of the late Pat Quinn, Mats Sundin, Darcy Tucker, Tie Domi, Gary Roberts, Chris Neil, Daniel Alfredsson and Jacques Martin. Yes, the Leafs have plenty of talent with newly re-signed Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Mitch Marner and Frederik Andersen in net, but these teams haven’t met in the National Hockey League playoffs since Toronto beat Ottawa in the opening round in 2004. As they prepare to face off for only the second time this season at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday night, the Leafs appear destined for an Eastern Conference playoff spot, but the Senators are trying to find their way out of last place overall. Is this rivalry what it used to be? “I don’t think, given the circumstances right now, you can say it is,” said alternate captain Mark Borowiecki, who grew up in Stittsville and was a Senators fan as a kid. “With the disparity in the standings between us, that’s actually going to take a little bit of the heat out of it. “But, at the same time, this is an opportunity for us to be a bit of a spoiler here and go in and try to piss them off a little bit. That’s the challenge and the approach that we need in here. That’s going to help get us up for this game, not that we need help getting up for a game against Toronto.” Between 2000 and 2004, the Senators faced the Leafs four times in the playoffs, and they lost all four series. The Senators did reach the East final in 2003, but they didn’t have to go through the Leafs to get there, and Martin was fired after a loss to Toronto in Game 7 in 2004. Nobody could deny it wasn’t entertaining and great hockey, and the off- ice war of words was sometimes as good as the on-ice battles. That element has been missing recently. “I remember when I was a kid, watching those playoff series, and that was probably the peak of the rivalry with literally do or die situations,” the 29-year-old Borowiecki said. “Really, is anything going to measure up to that right now in this situation? Probably not, but the rivalry is definitely still there.” Of course, Borowiecki can remember the days the Leafs were villains. “There were some larger than life personalities on both sides,” he said. “They were people who had a presence on and off the ice and brought unique things to the game. “I just think give that both teams were pretty successful, too. I just think, when you combine those two things, it’s a bit of a powder keg. You’ve got the Tuckers and the Leafs’ fan base didn’t like (Alfredsson) and guys who we loved and worshipped here. “You took so much pride in your players and your team. It just naturally gave that little bit of extra heat.” So, how do you reignite that? People always want to revive the past, but down the road the best bet is for the Senators to build themselves back up into being contenders so that these games become more meaningful. “We’ve got to get things right here as a team and as an organization first and foremost,” Borowiecki said. “The rivalries come especially when points are on the line, when it’s two teams who have that close proximity and history but also when there’s something at stake. “I think our focus right now has to be inwards.” THE LAST WORDS Senators general manager Pierre Dorion told reporters that defenceman Christian Jaros wouldn’t play Wednesday because of a lower-body injury. The best bet for a return to action for Jaros is next Tuesday at home against the Carolina Hurricanes. Winger Mikkel Boedker is “week-to- week “with an unspecified injury., and it doesn’t sound like he will be back soon. The Senators are expected to recall a forward and a 1129221 Ottawa Senators

Sens goalie Craig Anderson isn't going anywhere at NHL trade deadline

Bruce Garrioch

TORONTO — The Ottawa Senators won’t be making a change in net. While there has been speculation that other National Hockey League teams have called about the availability of Craig Anderson, general manager Pierre Dorion told TSN 1200 on Tuesday that the 37-year-old goalie wouldn’t be dealt before the Feb. 25 deadline. “Craig Anderson definitely fits in here,” Dorion said. “He’s had a great year this year. Unfortunately, he got hurt and we missed him a lot. He was out during our toughest stretch, but Craig fits in our plans here. He’s our cornerstone in net and he’s one of our key players here.” The Senators hope goaltender Mike Condon will be able to return to action with their American Hockey League affiliate in Belleville next month. Speaking to reporters before the NHL team’s skate, Dorion indicated Condon had made progress in his return from a hip injury. “He’s been taking shots this, he’s been going down and sliding on his pads and had a really good day yesterday and today he’s a bit sore,” Dorion said. “We’re hopeful he’ll be playing hockey in March.” Ottawa Sun LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129222 Ottawa Senators “When you’re talking for a long time, you know,” Dorion said. “I don’t think it would be ideal to take it to 3 p.m. (on Feb. 25), but we have a good idea what time frame we need to have contracts done by.” Talks are going well, but Sens' Matt Duchene isn't ready to make That day is fast approaching. The Senators know it and so do Duchene, decision Stone and Dzingel. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 02.06.2019 Bruce Garrioch

TORONTO — Matt Duchene was the last one off the ice at Canadian Tire Centre on Tuesday before the Ottawa Senators made the trek here. He had just wrapped up a long chat with Senators head coach Guy Boucher on the eve of Wednesday night’s matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the reality is that Duchene has been doing a lot of talking leading into the Feb. 25 National Hockey League trade deadline. Duchene confirmed that he and agent Pat Brisson met with Senators general manager Pierre Dorion and assistant Peter MacTavish for lunch in Ottawa on Ottawa. While those discussions went well, the Senators’ top centre still wasn’t ready to sign an extension. “We had a good chat (Monday) and Pierre told me to tell you guys he picked up the bill, so that was good,” Duchene said with a smile. “We’re going to keep it inside, but it was good. We had a good talk.” With Duchene able to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, the sides have talked about an eight-year deal worth $64 million, but Duchene must also decide if he wants to be part of a rebuild in Ottawa or head to a competitor to win this spring. Even Duchene admits talks are getting to a point where a decision must be made one way or another. The pressure is building on the Senators because they must also try to sign winger Mark Stone and make a decision on winger Ryan Dzingel. They, too, can become free agents in July. “It’s getting a little more difficult, maybe, but, at the same time, when I go out on the ice, it’s about playing hockey. It’s not like I’m thinking about anything in the back of my head,” Duchene said. “It’s not going to take away from my game or how I am in the locker room or anything like that. “I’ve been through distractions before and this is no different.” The Senators want to keep Duchene because they view him as a building block. He would be a candidate for the captaincy, depending on what happens with Stone, and Duchene would have a big role with Ottawa if he stayed. “Right now, if I had a gut feel, I’d probably go with it,” Duchene said. “At this point, we’re not quite at that point.” He admitted it was difficult to separate his heart and his head. “Yes, very,” Duchene said. ‘I have no idea (how long it will take to win). I would need a crystal ball for that. One thing I do know is that they’ve done an outstanding job here building up the young talent in the organization. “That’s something that anybody in this situation would be looking at.” Duchene said he wouldn’t get caught up in numbers and money wouldn’t be the deciding factor for him. “I haven’t even thought about the money part, to be honest with you,” Duchen said. “You’re not going to be like, ‘I’ll play for free,’ but maybe I’m showing my hand too much right now, but I don’t care. It’s never been about that for me.” For his part, Dorion is choosing his words carefully. Speaking to TSN 1200 on Tuesday, he repeated that he wanted to keep Duchene, Stone and Dzingel, but wouldn’t be doing play-by-play on negotiations. “Obviously we’re not going to deny that we’ve met with agents,” Dorion said. “Pat Brisson was in town (Monday), but, when it comes to our UFAs, the three bigger guys, we’ve had conversations with all three agents. “And, from there, we’ve done a good job to keep it (done) private. Negotiations are still going on. We hope to have them signed at some point in time, but, for now, we’re just going to keep things all private between the players, agents and ourselves.” Duchene said the Senators hadn’t given him a deadline for a decision, but there’s a strong belief in NHL circles that trade talks will heat up if Ottawa doesn’t have an answer by early next week. Expect the market for all three players to be big. 1129223 Ottawa Senators That meant there weren’t any medical updates on the club’s injured players, but Ottawa officials were still waiting on the word from doctors as well. Snapshots: Senators have a battle ahead to get out of the basement Defenceman Christian Jaros, who was injured Saturday night against the Wings after being tripped by Darren Helm, wasn’t on the ice for the second straight day. Jaros played only 9:53 before he left the game Bruce Garrioch which means his status for the Toronto game is to be determined. As for Boedker, he was injured in the club’s loss to the Penguins Friday, didn’t suit up Saturday and was going for more testing. He wasn’t on the The battle is difficult for the Ottawa Senators. ice Monday, but was at the rink. He likely won’t suit up against the Leafs and if he doesn’t the club will have to recall a forward. Somehow, some way, they have to find their way out of the basement. That’s because Nick Paul, who was placed on waivers Sunday, cleared Mired in a four-game losing streak with only 30 games left in the season at noon Monday and was sent to Belleville. Defenceman Ben Harpur, as they prepare to face the Toronto Maple Leafs Wednesday night at scratched Saturday, can step in for Jaros, but the Senators will need Scotiabank Arena, the Senators are trying to keep a positive attitude someone to suit up in this set of back-to-back games. while sitting No. 31 overall in the league standings with 43 points in 52 games. Defenceman Christian Wolanin, who is in Belleville, is listed as day-to- day after he was hit by Hershey’s Nathan Walker in action Sunday. Sitting a point behind the 30th-ranked Los Angeles Kings heading into Wolanin had to be helped off the ice and there was major concern about Monday night’s action, the Senators have a lot of work to do to get back a possible knee injury, but the belief is he won’t be out long. on track and they don’t like where they’re sitting one bit. Boucher will provide updates after the club’s skate Tuesday. “It sucks. I was saying (Sunday), we’re over at Sensplex skating with a crowd watching (them) and you can’t help but be a little self-conscious, it Ottawa Sun LOADED: 02.06.2019 sucks for sure,” said alternate captain Mark Borowiecki Monday after a skate at the Canadian Tire Centre. “It’s not fun. “This is my city, my team, I grew up here and it sucks being around town when you’re in last place. You don’t like talking about it or making excuses for it, but there’s one to blame but ourselves in here. As an organization, we all need to be better. “The challenge now, going forward, is what do we do to make us better as a team and as an organization?” The Senators knew there were going to be struggles in this rebuild coming into this season and they’re going through them right now. It’s one thing to talk about making changes and taking a step backwards to give young players a chance, it’s another to live with them. “It’s been a frustrating year,” said centre Zack Smith. “They talked about rebuilding right from the start, but we wanted to be in the mix at this time of the year and we’re quite a ways out. “It’s tough. Everyone wants to do better. When the team is doing well, guys are personally doing well, so when you’re losing as many games as we have, it’s tough on everyone.” The Senators know they have to salvage something from what’s left and the attitude has to remain positive. “There’s a lot of hockey, we’ve just got to work on getting better and coming together as a team,” said Smith. “It’s different than last year. I think that management likes the group we have here and we know we can do some good things moving forward. “We may be a ways out of the playoffs, but we’re still playing for a lot. We’ve go to get better, we’ve got to work on growing, maturing and getting used to playing with each other. A lot of these guys are going to play together for a long time. There’s still a lot of positives in this room and before the break we were playing some good hockey.” A HAPPY WINNER Colin White couldn’t hide his excitement Monday. The Senators’ centre grew up in Boston as a lifelong fan of the New England Patriots and he was thrilled to see the club capture its sixth title with a 13-3 victory over the Sunday night in Atlanta. White took in the game with the rest of his Ottawa teammates at a team get-together. “It’s a great day,” said White after the skate. “It was fun to watch last night.” White actually trains in the summer at a facility used by the Patriots in Foxboro and has met some of the players as a result. He said a lot of his teammates were glad to see New England win. “I enjoyed the game. It was more of a defensive game and it would have been more fun if it was a shootout but it was still a great game,” White said. “It was a credit to the defences.” THE LAST WORDS Coach Guy Boucher wasn’t on the ice Monday because of an appointment. 1129224 Ottawa Senators On the surface, it looks like he’s a victim of the numbers which is why it’s hard to see head Guy Boucher make statements like the following:

BOUCHER SAYS NICK PAUL HAS TO FIND HIS NICHE. THAT THING Waiving of Nick Paul another example of Senators valuing role players THAT HE SPECIALIZES IN. over potential — TSN 1200 (@TSN1200) FEBRUARY 3, 2019

It must be hard for a player like Paul to find a niche when the head coach By Graeme Nichols Feb 5, 2019 is routinely electing to dress seven defencemen at the expense of a forward. It helps foster a fear that any mistake could land you in the press box the next night. The Ottawa Senators placed forward Nick Paul on waivers on Monday. In a season that was billed as a rebuilding year by the club, the Since Paul was recalled before the team’s Dec. 8th game versus the organization has had no issue playing Tom Pyatt, Magnus Paajarvi or an Penguins he has dressed in 14 contests and was scratched from the ineffective extra defenceman ahead of Paul. lineup in eight others. In the past two games he has played sparingly, averaging 7:16 of ice time but accumulated a minus-4 rating over that TOI G Pts CF% SF% GF% xGF% stretch. Tom Pyatt 362.12 0 2 35.07 34.86 16.00 It’s a results-based industry, meaning people will be held accountable. A 37.35 depth player like Paul will always face some consequences if the short- Magnus Paajarvi 515.88 2 3 41.39 41.14 term results aren’t favorable, but for whatever reason, accountability 19.44 43.51 doesn’t extend to a few particular individuals who have presided over the team that had the league’s second-worst record last season and Pyatt didn’t contribute a 5-on-5 goal and his shot and goal rates were currently sports the worst record in the league. abysmal. Most importantly, he wasn’t hampered by bad luck. Paajarvi has played in 30 more games and has almost 160 more 5-on-5 minutes, We will have to wait to see if Paul will actually get claimed. It’s possible but only has one more 5-on-5 point than Paul. that another team won’t be able to pass on the opportunity to bring the forward, who’s listed at 6’4” and 230 lbs, into the fold. Making matters worse, Paajarvi’s an impending unrestricted free agent who should have no future with this organization. He has the kind of size that teams love to have at the bottom of their lineup and after winning the fastest skater and setting a new franchise Ultimately, losing a depth player like Paul isn’t going to make or break the record in the hardest shot competition (108.3 mph) at this year’s skills Senators’ future outlook, but what the handling of his career this season competition, he has the build and physical tools that teams may look at does emphasize is how the Senators have continued to stockpile depth and decide to roll the dice on – especially since the claiming team only players at the bottom of their lineup who are perceived to be better than has to absorb his salary. alternatives who are already in the system. Interestingly, Paul’s underlying metrics via Corsica.Hockey have been What the Mike Hoffman and Erik Karlsson trades did was help add warm relatively strong. bodies to a lineup that didn’t necessarily need players like Chris Tierney or Mikkel Boedker. Rather than place an emphasis on stockpiling draft Stat % picks in the hopes that the team unearths a star, they have added decent CF% 52.20 players to a bad team that only congested the bottom of the roster on the league’s worst team. SF% 51.60 The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 GF% 22.22 xGF% 51.81 Despite the Senators being a team that is routinely outshot and out- chanced, the Senators have actually generated a higher percentage of the total shots (CF%) and shots on goal (SF%) than the opposition when Paul has been on the ice. (As an aside, I like to believe one of the reasons that Paul can be effective is that his size and reach allow him to protect the puck and shield it from defensive players, keeping pucks and cycles alive in the offensive zone.) Another area where Paul excels is in the penalty department. He has drawn 4.11 penalties per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time and taken 2.99 per 60. Granted, I’m looking at 19 games and 160 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time, so it’s a relatively small sample. Unfortunately for Paul, the Senators have been outscored at a ridiculous rate while he’s been on the ice, which given the context of Monday’s news, has probably undermined the positives that he’s bringing to the ice. From an expected goal perspective (xGF%) — a metric that essentially assesses every chance on goal based on the circumstances and assigns a value to that attempt — Paul’s goal differential should not be as poor as it actually is. In fact, the metric believes the Senators should theoretically have outscored the opposition when Paul is on the ice. What has undermined Paul? Simply put, he has not benefited from the percentages. When Paul has been on the ice at 5-on-5, the Senators have scored on just 5.21 percent of their shots and stopped a paltry 84.62 percent of the opposition’s shots. Of the 638 skaters who played more than 150 5-on-5 minutes this season per Corsica.Hockey, no one has suffered from their goaltenders not making saves more than Paul. Paul’s PDO (his team’s combined shooting percentage and save percentage when he’s on the ice) of 88.74 percent is also the worst mark in the league. 1129225 Philadelphia Flyers But blocked shots can be a misleading statistic, in this regard: If your team is blocking a lot of shots, it probably doesn’t have control or possession of the puck much. Your team is probably chasing the play, Carter Hart has made the Flyers better pretty much by himself | Mike not dictating it, and in the end, you’re still relying on your goaltender to Sielski bail you out. · Of course, the quality of shots that an opposing team gets, or is allowed to get, matters as much as, if not more than, the quantity. In changing the by Mike Sielski Flyers’ defensive strategy, interim coach Scott Gordon has preached to his players the importance of pushing the action away from the Flyers’ net, so that opponents shoot more frequently from the perimeter and the Flyers have an easier time limiting scoring chances. There’s just little Start with the save. Start there because it was more than just a brilliant evidence yet that this approach is working. moment of goaltending from Carter Hart, more than just the play that preserved the Flyers’ 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on According to the statistical database Natural Stat Trick, the Flyers are Monday night. allowing more scoring chances per game since Hart got here (26.27) than they did before he arrived (25.1), and they are surrendering about Start with Hart’s throwing himself to his right across the crease to the the same number of “high-danger scoring chances”: 10.64 per game open side of the net, with Nikolay Goldobin’s shot thudding against the before Hart, 10.36 after Hart. inside of Hart’s right arm, with everyone at the Wells Fargo Center gobsmacked that Hart arrived just in time, Spider-Man style, to prevent a Here’s the big difference: Through the Flyers’ first 31 games, their game-tying third-period goal. stoppage rate on those high-danger chances was 82 percent. Since Hart came up, that rate has jumped to 88.6 percent. “He’s been remarkable,” Flyers center told reporters. “That save there at the end, he’s making some miracles out there. It’s If you want, you can look elsewhere for reasons that the Flyers might nice to have him back there. You know he can steal one.” have salvaged their season. Or, you can see the one in front of your nose. Start with the save because the save is a metaphor, the perfect symbol for what Hart has meant to the Flyers, how he has brightened their days Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 02.06.2019 and altered their fortunes, since they called him up from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in mid-December. The Flyers have won eight straight games, seven of them with Hart in net, and pulled themselves back into the Eastern Conference playoff picture, and it’s tempting to argue that Hart’s mere presence has caused his teammates to play a better brand of hockey. It’s tempting, but it’s not really the truth. Based on the available statistical evidence and trends, the Flyers have been a better team not just with Hart, but primarily — not exclusively, but primarily — because of Hart. Consider: · Hart’s save percentage through his 16 games is .925, which, if he had appeared in enough games to qualify among the NHL’s statistical leaders, would rank third in the league. The collective save percentage of the other six goaltenders who have suited up for the Flyers this season — Brian Elliott, Michal Neuvirth, Anthony Stolarz, Cal Pickard, Alex Lyon, and Mike McKenna — is .885, which would rank last among the NHL’s 31 teams. The gap between those two figures, .925 and .885, cannot be overstated. Think about it this way: For every 100 shots on goal that the Flyers allow — 33 or so per game over a three-game period — Hart has given up seven goals, but his colleagues have given up 11. So in any game in which their goaltender has been someone other than Hart, the Flyers have had to score an additional 1.34 goals, on average, to make up for Hart’s absence — to give themselves the same chance to win that he gives them. · That said, the notion that Hart’s excellence has freed the Flyers to be more aggressive or creative offensively doesn’t necessarily hold water, either. They have scored more goals per game this season without Hart (2.86) than they have in their 16 games with him (2.81). Will that change over time? It might. They’ve scored 29 goals in Hart’s last seven games (4.14). But … · Over those most recent seven Hart starts — again, all of which were victories — the Flyers have been outshot, on a per-game average, 36.9 to 29.9. The only game that Hart hasn’t started during this winning streak was against the New York Rangers on Jan. 29. Anthony Stolarz made 38 saves that night in a 1-0 shutout, a game in which the Flyers managed just 19 shots themselves. It’s difficult to argue that the Flyers have established and maintained a territorial advantage over their opponents with such a wide negative disparity in shots. · Hart made his debut with the Flyers on Dec. 18, in a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Before then, the Flyers had blocked 436 shots through their first 31 games this season, the eighth-lowest total in the NHL to that point and an average of 14.1. Over their 22 games since Hart’s arrival, they have blocked a league-high 383 shots, an average of 17.4. In one sense, such an uptick would be expected and, for the Flyers and Hart, beneficial. The team’s forwards and defensemen, it would seem, are more inclined to sacrifice their bodies in the name of helping and protecting a rookie goaltender. “It starts in front of him,” forward Wayne Simmonds told reporters earlier this season. 1129226 Philadelphia Flyers the Flyers' power play is 7-for-10. Their penalty kill is 8-for-9 over the last four games.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 02.06.2019 Streaking Flyers have patient approach as they climb standings by Sam Carchidi,

Streaking Flyers have patient approach as they climb standings If the Flyers are going to do the unthinkable and reach the playoffs, they will need to finish with 97 points, based on last year’s standings. That means they would need 43 points over their last 29 games, something on the order of a (gulp) 20-6-3 record the rest of the way. No wonder interim coach Scott Gordon and the players aren’t looking too far ahead. No wonder Gordon is stressing short-term goals — leapfrogging the team directly in front of them. Thanks to eight straight wins, the Flyers have climbed ahead of Florida and the Rangers. The Flyers, who were last in the 31-team NHL midway through the season, entered Tuesday within five points of the last wild- card team, Columbus, which had two games in hand. They were two points behind Carolina and Buffalo. “I haven’t heard any guys talk about playoffs,” defenseman Radko Gudas said after contributing five blocked shots, five hits, and four shots on goal in Monday’s hard-earned 2-1 win over Vancouver. “We’re taking each game at a time. For us, a shift at a time. … Everybody is building confidence every shift, and every game is better and better. I think if we keep doing that instead of looking at the big picture, it’s better for us.” “We’ve got L.A. Thursday,” right winger Jake Voracek said. “Let’s focus on that.” The Flyers (24-23-6), who were 16 points out of a playoff spot on Jan. 15, have won each of their last four games by one goal. “I think earlier in the year we were probably finding ways to lose these games,” left winger Scott Laughton said, “and [now] we’ve found ways to win even when we’re not playing our best.” Rookie phenom Carter Hart, 20, has covered up mistakes with his superb goaltending. Hart has won his last seven starts, during which he has a 2.26 goals-against average and .934 save percentage. “He just gives us life and makes a big save when we need it,” Laughton said. “He’s been huge for us so far, but we’ve got to keep it rolling here.” Voracek, who has 13 points over his last 11 games and scored the winner Monday, called Hart a “humble" guy who “comes to work every day and gives us a chance to win every single night, and that’s what you want from a goalie. Obviously, he’s playing like he’s 28 years old and has lots of years in the league.” Early in Monday’s second period, Hart charged out of the net to knock the puck away from Brandon Sutter in the right circle and prevent a breakaway. But Brock Boeser gathered Hart’s clearing attempt off the boards and scored into an empty net, cutting the Flyers’ lead to 2-1. “I’m sure he probably would have played that one he gave up differently,” Gordon said. “But in saying that, it’s how he responds after that. It goes beyond just being technically sound as a goaltender; it goes to what your makeup is as a person and how you’re able to handle adversity when things go wrong for you.” Hart did not allow a goal the rest of the way, stopping the last 30 shots, including 18 in the final period, as the Flyers closed out the 2,000th win in franchise history. Hart, who has started nine of the last 10 games, will get a well-deserved rest Thursday, and Anthony Stolarz will face visiting Los Angeles (21-27- 4), which is last in the Western Conference. Stolarz had a 38-save gem in his last outing, a 1-0 win over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 29. Breakaways Students from the Overbrook School for the Blind will skate with the Flyers after their 10:30 a.m. practice Wednesday in Voorhees. Some students will practice their hockey skills with special noise-making pucks. The West Philadelphia school serves approximately 200 students from the ages of 3 to 21. … The Flyers are 9-3-2 in one-goal decisions under Gordon; they were 3-3-4 under Dave Hakstol. … In the last three games, 1129227 Philadelphia Flyers Block party The Flyers had a 30-10 advantage in blocked shots Monday. That’s the good news. The bad news: They allowed Vancouver too many shot Flyers-Canucks observations: Carter Hart has keyed streak, but don’t attempts and too much zone time. The Canucks had an 83-50 overlook the penalty kill’s role domination in shot attempts. Travis Sanheim and Provorov each had six blocks, and Gudas had five by Sam Carchidi blocks and five hits. Gudas, who also had four shots, will get lots of consideration for the Barry Ashbee Award, given to the team’s best defenseman. Flyers-Canucks observations: Carter Hart has keyed streak, but don’t overlook the penalty kill’s role Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 02.06.2019 The Flyers continued to find ways to win as they outlasted visiting Vancouver, 2-1, and captured their eighth consecutive victory Monday. With 29 games left, they are five points behind Columbus for a playoff spot, though the Blue Jackets have two games in hand. Here are some observations: Wells Fargo Center is alive In addition to his lights-out play, rookie goalie Carter Hart has energized the crowd at the Wells Fargo Center, transforming it from a morgue to a madhouse. His remarkable diving save on Nikolay Goldobin with 5:32 left preserved the 2-1 lead and may have drawn the loudest roars of a truly bizarre season. Suddenly, watching hockey is fun again, thanks to a 20-year-old goalie who has made his teammates believe anything is possible. Number crunching Before the arrival of Hart and interim coach Scott Gordon, the Flyers simply could not win low-scoring games. They won just once in their first 31 games when scoring three goals or fewer. Hart and Gordon arrived at Game No. 32. Since then, the Flyers have eight wins (in 22 games) when scoring three goals or fewer. More numbers: The Flyers are 9-3-2 in one-goal decisions under Gordon. They were 3-3-4 under Dave Hakstol. Yes, having a dependable goalie has made a huge difference, but give Gordon props for getting the most out of his players, especially the young ones. Falsehood For those saying the Flyers would be in a playoff position now if Hart was recalled earlier, well, that simply isn’t true. Hart was not ready. He struggled mightily in his early days with the AHL’s Phantoms. A month before he was recalled, Gordon told then-GM that Hart was not ready. Hart then ran off five straight impressive games and was recalled. By then, the timing of that promotion was perfect. Special teams excelling Much has been made about the Flyers’ revived power play. And rightfully so. The power play is 7 for 10 (70 percent) in the last three games and has keyed one-goal wins over Boston, Edmonton, and Vancouver. The PP was 2 for 25 (8 percent) in its previous nine games. “I’m just glad it’s rolling again and we’re creating a lot of momentum with the power play,” center Sean Couturier said after scoring a PP goal Monday. The power-play’s revival has overshadowed the fact that the penalty kill has performed admirably. In the first 50 games, the Flyers had outscored their opponents in special teams just four times. But they have won the special teams’ battle in the last three games – and have now done that seven times in 53 games. The PK was 3 for 3 in Monday’s riveting win over Vancouver – Claude Giroux, Scott Laughton, Ivan Provorov, Radko Gudas and Couturier led the way -- and is 6 for 6 in the last two games. In the last 32 games, the PK is clicking at 83.5 percent – after being successful just 68.5 percent of the time in the first 21 games. 1129228 Philadelphia Flyers “So when I made the decision to play hockey, it was kind of easy. Be a goalie and take all his gear from him as I got older.″

Stopping pucks seems to fit Stolarz’s personality. He’s 6-foot-6 and takes Anthony Stolarz making the most of second chance up a lot of space. He’s the last line of defense and enjoys the challenge. “The mental aspect of it, just being able to read plays,″ says Stolarz. By Wayne Fish “Just trying to outsmart shooters and (winning) the one-on-one battles. . .anticipate their next play″.

“So, that aspect of it I love. Growing up, I loved the (large) pads, so there After missing nearly the entire 2017-18 season due to a pair of knee was some attraction there, too.″ surgeries, injuries have given him another opportunity to be in the Flyers’ goalie mix. The journey to the top took Stolarz, a second-round draft pick (45th) of the Flyers in 2012, a few years to cover. The stops included Corpus For a while there it looked like he might be the first New Jersey-born Christi IceRays of the NAHL, the University of Nebraska-Omaha and the goaltender to make it to the NHL and the first to leave it — possibly for OHL London Knights (both seasons with a save percentage of .920 or good. better). After making a strong initial impression in his debut 2016-17 season with He doesn’t take being the first NHL goalie from New Jersey lightly, either. the Flyers, Anthony Stolarz missed almost the entire 2017-18 campaign due to a pair of knee surgeries. “Extremely proud,″ he says. “You look at Cayden Primeau (Keith Primeau’s son) just played for Team USA. There are guys coming and By the start of the current slate, Stolarz had tumbled all the way down to hopefully New Jersey starts getting a reputation to have some guys who third-string netminder on the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms. come out and make the big leagues.″ Then a strange thing happened. Goaltenders started falling faster than Burlington County Times LOADED: 02.06.2019 bowling pins at Asbury Lanes, not far from his Jackson, N.J., hometown. Brian Elliott, Michal Neuvirth and Alex Lyon all succumbed to injuries. Calvin Pickard came and went. Mike McKenna was claimed on waivers and ended up in Allentown. When the dust settled, 20-year-old Carter Hart and the 25-year-old Stolarz were suddenly manning the Philadelphia pipes and doing it with unexpected efficiency. All Hart did was win NHL rookie of the month (January) and NHL second star of the week honors in the space of five days. All Stolarz did was walk into Madison Square Garden on Jan. 29 and shut out the Rangers, 1-0. Who would have thought it? “This was the dream the entire time,″ says Stolarz, who is scheduled to start Thursday night’s home game against the Los Angeles Kings, “making that comeback for this moment. Just being able to be back in the NHL a year removed from that surgery, I’m extremely proud of that. Everyday I’m here I’m not taking it for granted and I am looking to get better.″ The quickness of changing events stunned all the Flyers, Stolarz included. “I’m definitely surprised,″ he says. “I think in the matter of a week and a half, I went from the third-string American League goalie to starting on that western trip (Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver). “So it’s amazing how things change. I’m just making the most of an opportunity and you get very few of those. So when you get out there, you definitely want to make an impression and so far I think I have. But I think I have a lot left in the tank.″ Stolarz played in seven games for the Flyers back in 2016-17. He even recorded a shutout at Detroit and finished with a 2-1-1 mark, a 2.07 goals against average and a .921 save percentage. Then the first knee injury struck in the 2017-18 training camp. “It’s tough getting hurt a week and a half before training camp,″ he says. “Thinking that I was going to be ready to go. It happens and probably the hardest part was that first month, watching those guys go to Lehigh and guys made the Flyers and I probably wouldn’t have an opportunity to play that year. “Although it was tough, I have a great support group here. Being close to home definitely helped. My family was able to come take care of me. I was on crutches for two months. I had to have someone prepare some meals for me. My brothers came down and helped me out, that was key.″ In addition to being the first goalie out of Jersey to make it to the NHL, Stolarz is one of only 21 Garden State native players from any position to achieve that plateau. It all started back in his youth when the decision to play goalie was rather an easy one. “My older brother, Todd, played goalie and I kind of wanted to follow in his footsteps,″ Stolarz says. “I would always follow him around to the rink, to his practices, games. 1129229 Philadelphia Flyers And Wayne Simmonds has provided three big goals after scoring only three in his previous 18 games.

5. Getting defensive 8 reasons behind the Flyers' 8-game winning streak Flyers defensemen have been quietly terrific.

Since Jan. 14, the start of the streak, Robert Hagg leads the NHL in By Jordan Hall February 05, 2019 6:07 PM blocked shots with 31, followed by Travis Sanheim at No. 2 with 26. Andrew MacDonald and Ivan Provorov are tied for fifth with 22 apiece. Lose eight straight, win eight straight. Overall, the Flyers are first in the league with 176 blocked shots over the streak. The Flyers pulled that off in a span of 18 games. Meanwhile, Provorov has played 26:02, Radko Gudas has been physical Since Jan. 10, they've passed 12 teams in the NHL standings, suddenly but smart (23 hits, no penalties) and Shayne Gostisbehere is finding his turning what looked like a lost season into one with playoff hopes. The offense (four assists in five games). Flyers entered Tuesday five points back of the Eastern Conference's second wild-card spot. 6. Power surge How did they flip the switch? Let's break down eight reasons behind the Thanks to a three-game eruption, the Flyers' power play has climbed eight-game winning streak: from 31st in the NHL to 23rd. The man advantage has gone 7 for 10 over the last three games after going 6 for 44 over the previous 16 games. 1. Hart-stopper "The power play hasn't won us a lot of games this year," Giroux said last At 20 years old, Carter Hart has been the Flyers' backbone. Saturday. He's won seven of the eight games, while posting a 2.40 goals-against It has won them the last three and the Flyers can build off of those average, .934 save percentage and an NHL-most 241 saves. results. Hart is the fourth goalie to ever post a streak of seven or more wins 7. Quite the complement before his 21st birthday, with Carey Price the last to do it in 2008. When Nolan Patrick and Oskar Lindblom are supplementing the Since stomaching his first NHL benching on New Year's Eve in Carolina, veterans, the Flyers go to another level. Hart has gone 8-2-1 with a 2.36 goals-against average and .933 save percentage, a response that speaks volumes about his mental makeup. During the run, Patrick has been a point-per-game player (five goals, three assists) and all over the puck, while Lindblom has played superbly The kid has resuscitated this season. next to Couturier and Voracek, scoring three goals and handing out three assists. 2. Seeing is believing Sixteen of Patrick's 19 points this season have come in victories and six The Flyers simply look like a different team. They're winning games that of Lindblom's seven goals have been scored in wins. they would have lost in October, November, December and early last month. There's a confidence now that was nowhere to be found until 8. Safety valve about mid-January. Travis Konecny has jolted the second-unit power play, a much-needed But interim head coach Scott Gordon mentioned on Jan. 3 how the element considering the prior struggles from the first unit. Flyers needed a reason to be confident — results. The 21-year-old has three power-play points (one goal, two assists) and A goalie can infuse confidence throughout a roster. seven points overall in the streak, including three timely goals. After Hart backstopped a 2-1 win over the Stars on Jan. 10, James van Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.06.2019 Riemsdyk said it best: When you have a goalie that's making big stops and has that coolness to him, for whatever reason, you can definitely feel that on the ice. I would be curious to see what his heart rate gets to because he seems so cool under pressure. 3. Bench boost Gordon has made systematic changes that are paying dividends (see story). His team also looks markedly more comfortable — not tense — in close games. Yes, a lot of that has to do with Hart's presence in net, but Gordon's influence and message have made a difference, as well (see story). "We're a confident team right now," Sean Couturier said Monday night. "We're making plays. We're not afraid to make plays, when we screw up or turn it over, we've got to battle hard to get it back — that's huge." Prior to Gordon's arrival, the Flyers had three wins in one-goal games through 31 contests. In 22 games under Gordon, they have nine wins in one-goal games. 4. Core is clicking The core's clock has been in serious question this season and that's natural when a team with a long-tenured group is in the NHL basement more than halfway through the year. The Flyers needed more proof and production from their veteran pieces, which has created a trickle-down effect to the youngsters. Couturier has done yeoman's work with a team-leading 10 points (five goals, five assists) and plus-8 rating during the streak. Jakub Voracek has put up nine points, while Giroux has scored eight. Van Riemsdyk is pouring in goals with five (and seven in his last 10 games). 1129230 Philadelphia Flyers “It was a little bittersweet (when the Flyers fired Hextall),” Spickenagel said. “But they haven't fully let me off the hook, either. I'm still the ex they call on weekends when Chuck makes them angry.” How Flyers fans tied 2 technologists on Twitter to front office roles With the trade deadline less than a month away, Fletcher’s Twitter account is only going to get more popular. Dave Isaac, NHL writer Published 7:08 a.m. ET Feb. 5, 2019 He’s starting to look into what everyone is asking him about. “Some people will talk about some things and I’ll go research that and I’m like, ‘Maybe (Lehigh Valley Phantoms defenseman Phil) Myers is The Flyers hired Chuck Fletcher as general manager on Dec. 3. That's somebody we should call up’ and those kinds of things and certainly all the same time another man named Chuck Fletcher started getting the various coaches and trades that are kind of out there,” Fletcher said. confusing messages on Twitter. “I have found myself kind of paying attention, watching a couple Flyers games recently and also my daughter bought me a Flyers jersey as kind Chuck Fletcher’s first run-in with the Flyers was back around the time of of a joke.” their inaugural season. He’s still getting used to it, though. Last time he tweeted he was at the Not that Chuck Fletcher. The team’s general manager was an infant. CES technology conference and was looking for referrals for a freelancer to help with advanced 3D math skills. This Chuck Fletcher, the chief technology officer for a marketing agency in New York called Barbarian, was born in St. Davids, Pennsylvania, not Every response was from snarky Flyers fans. far from where the Flyers’ first general manager, Keith Allen, lived. Fletcher remembers going to Allen’s house on Halloween for trick-or- “I kind of had this need for work and I reached out to my contacts and treating, but other than playing some football in high school he doesn’t then all of these hilarious responses of people to stop, shut up and trade consider himself much of a sports fan. somebody,” Fletcher said. “To a certain degree, I have to figure that out. I might have to give up to a certain degree, which is unfortunate. I may So when the owner of the Twitter account @chuckfletcher started getting have to just move my business contacts over to LinkedIn. messages in December as if he was running the Flyers, all he could do was laugh. “It’s funny because as I’ve read some of the news articles there’s that combination of seeing your own name in print talking about something “Being the technical person that I am, I’m sure a few times in his life else and you kind of go, ‘Oh, that’s just weird.’ You see your name and (Flyers general manager) Chuck Fletcher has gone to go get some kind go, ‘oh, they’re talking about me,’ and of course they’re not talking about of account and say, ‘Oh crap, somebody already has that’ and it was me.” me,” said Fletcher, who has had that Twitter handle since 2007. Courier-Post LOADED: 02.06.2019 “The majority of people knew I wasn’t him, but kind of didn’t care. It was like, ‘We want someone to pretend to do this and fulfill our fantasies regardless.’ I also had this issue of, considering the current climate and the weird stuff happening in the news, I didn’t want to be necessarily pretending to be someone that I’m not to the point that anyone was truly confused by it. So, I changed my handle to say, ‘Hey I’m not this person,’ but as I read all these posts, I have to say that the mischief within me kind of took a little bit of root and I started to see some conversations.” Little did he know, at first, he wasn’t alone. Ron Spickenagel, also a technologist, had been part of the running joke even longer. Spickenagel, 33, created the Twitter account @Ron back in 2009. By the generalness of his handle he has been mistaken for, he says, “DJs, politicians, dogs, drag queens, you name it. And, of course, the (former) manager of the Flyers.” Last February, Spickenagel started getting tweets as if he were Ron Hextall. It was around the trade deadline and Kelly Hinkle, the deputy managing editor of fan blog Broad Street Hockey, tweeted @Ron to not trade for Evander Kane and instead eat a blueberry muffin and stay off his phone. “I think, for me, @Ron was just funnier than any alternative,” Hinkle said. “I think it’s that Hextall is such a serious guy, that he commands such respect, that the idea of a bunch of us dummies on Twitter having a conversation with him and calling him ‘Ron’, his handle just being @Ron, so casual...it’s just hilarious.” Spickenagel, who wasn’t previously into hockey, leaned into the joke. He put in his time as a good sport. “I want to try to say this nicely,” he said. “It's usually Twitter’s less-savvy users who mis-tweet me. Strangely, the highest percentage of these are either sports fans or people with a disturbing devotion to certain politicians or public figures. “I was surprised to find that most Flyers fans were a different crowd — wit, sarcasm and good humor abound!” “A few were rude, but I enjoyed most all of it. Strange as it is to say, even though I'm not necessarily a Flyers fan, I've become a big fan of the fans. I'm really hoping they get what they're looking for in the real Chuck Fletcher. Seems like it's off to a good start from what I've seen on Twitter.” When the Flyers hired Fletcher — again, just to be clear, not @ChuckFletcher — Spickenagel passed the theoretical baton to his fellow technologist in a tweet. He had done some research on the team, like what Gritty was, and so has Fletcher. Spickenagel told him to make all the trades and advised him that the mascot is good. 1129231 Philadelphia Flyers “To make a save like that, there’s a couple things,” Gordon noted. “You have to be technically sound before that shot’s even going to be taken. Whatever it was, (if it was) a rebound, (or if) it hit somebody (Provorov) in Flyers 2, Canucks 1: 9 things we learned from the renewal of the Carter front, when that rebound goes there, his technique of going down and Hart show how he makes the save, and how he recovers, is one part of it. “The second part of it is his ability to track the puck and follow that puck off of wherever it hit, and see where it goes,” the head coach continued. By Charlie O'Connor Feb 5, 2019 “So, right away, his head is going in the (right) direction … so that puck comes at him like this, puck goes over here, some goalies might have just went down, scrambled around and looked. The minute that left that area, it went over and his eyes went right to it. So now, right away, his Forget the 2018-19 season for a second. How many times over the past head is going in the direction of the puck. And now, that’s the time where 20 years have fans of the Philadelphia Flyers desperately wondered if a you say, ‘You know what? This is time for a desperation save.'” once-promising season would have ended with that long-awaited Stanley Cup title had the team possessed the one piece that so many of the It certainly was time for a desperation save. Hart now has his first organization’s rivals seemed to perpetually own? Five? Ten? A true, signature stop of his NHL career, hopefully one of many to come over the rock-solid No. 1 netminder worthy of being trusted for the better part of a next decade-plus. decade always seemed like a luxury that the Flyers just weren’t destined to ever possess. 2: Hart really has changed things in Philadelphia In a few short weeks, Carter Hart is making that belief seem like a classic Talk to Hart’s teammates and his coach, and you hear something case of Philadelphia pessimism, and not one rooted in reality. between surprise and sheer awe when it comes to the play of the rookie netminder. Hart’s incredible save on Nikolay Goldobin with 5:37 left in the game Monday preserved the win, as did the numerous other stops made by the Scott Laughton: “Yeah, I (had) a front row seat to that (save). I don’t 20-year-old with the seconds winding down, allowing the Flyers to top the know what it hit off, but he dove over there and made a great save. It just Vancouver Canucks by a 2-1 score and extend their winning streak to a gives us life.” whopping eight games. Sean Couturier and Jakub Voracek scored for Philadelphia, while the Canucks managed only a second-period tally by Sean Couturier: “He’s been remarkable. That save there at the end, he’s Brock Boeser due to a rare Hart gaffe. But the rookie netminder was making some miracles out there.” perfect the rest of the way, stopping 41 of 42 shots, while his counterpart Nolan Patrick: “I played against him a few times in juniors and obviously I Jacob Markstrom allowed two goals on just 30 Flyers shots. knew he was good and he was highly talked about, but I didn’t know he Note: This article will reference advanced hockey stats. If you’re looking was that good. He’s going to be a superstar for a long time so it’s to better understand any of the referenced metrics, please read this obviously nice to have him on your end.” primer, which explains the concepts behind them. Gordon: “I’m not going to say we’re expecting him to fail, but it’s hard to 1: Breaking down ‘The Save’ believe that somebody his age can do what he’s been able to do. I think that (save) was one of those plays where you’re watching it happen and Through 54 minutes of play, the story of last night’s game was an all- you’re feeling it going in the net and the next thing you know everybody around solid performance by a Flyers team poised to extend its season- on the bench was like, wow.” long winning streak to eight games, and cut its playoff deficit to a mere five standings points. In a few brief seconds, however, the entire night Hart now holds a 0.925 save percentage in 16 NHL appearances, which boiled down to a single play: Carter Hart’s first true “how could he would put him right with Andrei Vasilevskiy and Ben Bishop if Hart possibly have done that?” save with the Flyers. qualified for the league charts (he doesn’t … yet). He’s at an even-better 0.934 during the eight-game win streak. He holds a +1.94 Goals Saved Nikolay Goldobin didn’t even make an obvious mistake as the shooter. Above Average at 5-on-5, and +3.56 GSAA in all situations in his NHL He took a brief second to settle the puck, yes, but his aim and elevation career, with the latter putting him just above the aforementioned were right where they needed to be. This wasn’t a case of a goalie Vasilevskiy after adjusting for minutes played. Even accounting for the benefiting from a poorly placed shot; this was a goalie absolutely robbing Flyers’ newfound ability to protect the slot and netfront area, Hart is a player who was understandably certain that he was about to tie the delivering above-average NHL results — again, at age 20. game. Through it all, Hart still appears to be the same humble kid he was back How did Hart pull it off? After all, he’s never been viewed as a hyper- in December after receiving the call-up. “I don’t know, I just sort of saw athletic goaltender in the Jonathan Quick mold, even if the desperation the play bounce out to my guy on the side and just dove across and was on this save hints that he likely was underestimated in that regard during hoping it hit me, and it did,” Hart said when asked to explain his monster his prospect days. Still, this stop happens first and foremost due to the save, which felt like the equivalent of Luke Skywalker saying, “Well, I just inherent technical strengths of Hart’s game. He simply never lost track of closed my eyes and hit the fire button,” when asked to describe his the puck, despite being put in a position where puck tracking was going destruction of the Death Star. to be extremely difficult. Now, the onus is on the Philadelphia faithful to properly recognize their When Ben Hutton passes the puck from the point to Elias Pettersson, the new netminder; following the save, the home crowd couldn’t seem to latter immediately recognizes that Ivan Provorov is in screening position, decide whether to repeatedly chant “Car-ter,” or “Carter-Hart” or even just which is why he chooses to let a one-timer loose. Yet Hart doesn’t merely “Hart,” turning their attempts at in-unison cheers into a formless, accept that he won’t be able to see the shot. Pay attention to how Hart’s thunderous roar. Any choice would work — fans are just going to have to head works around the screen prior to Pettersson ripping his initial shot. pick one preferred chant and deploy it as a cohesive whole for maximum Because Hart can see the first shot — no easy task on his part — he effect. If the past few weeks are any indication, whatever they pick will puts himself in position for the heroics that would follow. become a regular occurrence at Flyers games going forward. Of course, Pettersson’s shot doesn’t get through to the goalie; it strikes 3: Defense mostly strong, until the end Provorov in the leg and bounces right to an uncovered Goldobin. But Hart never once loses track of the puck even as it takes a new trajectory. Hart’s play will rightfully will be remembered from this one, but for the first Despite Provorov blocking his traditional line of sight and the puck 54 minutes, the Flyers’ skaters gave him quite a lot of help. After a bit of making an unexpected bounce at a sharp angle, Hart already has a slow start, Philadelphia largely controlled the first period, and while regained sight of the puck before it enters the faceoff circle, and even as Vancouver held a 32-21 shot attempts advantage in the middle stanza, it passes through additional screens, he has an accurate read on where it the high-danger chance battle was dead even, implying that the vast will end up. majority of Canucks shots were coming from the outside. Hart is in position to rapidly push off left-to-right at this stage, thanks to In fact, even after the late barrage, the Flyers cruised to a 1.64-1.27 his lack of panic on the screen and the odd bounce off Provorov. Then, of Expected Goals edge at 5-on-5 on the evening, a 58.57% xG For course, comes the heroic lunge. But that lunge — the first part of the Percentage after adjustment. Things might have gotten a bit hairy during save where athleticism really appears — wouldn’t have been possible the final Vancouver power play and after Markstrom was pulled for the without Hart’s ability to fight through a screen and never once lose sight extra attacker, but on the whole, the Philadelphia defense proved sound. of the puck. Head coach Scott Gordon explained as much after the This isn’t a new development. Over the course of his 16 appearances, game, and his experience as a former professional goalie prior to Hart has faced shots at 5-on-5 that give him an “Expected” save becoming a coach serves to lend added weight to his observation. percentage of 92.82%, trailing only Devan Dubnyk, Anton Khudobin and Vasilevskiy in terms of ease of shots faced across the league. Hart, to his credit, currently holds a 93.30% save percentage at 5v5, so he’s 6: Vorobyev granted more responsibility outperforming even that very-high xSV%, but he has faced quite a number of shots from distance since taking over the Philadelphia net. On Saturday afternoon against the Oilers, Mikhail Vorobyev quickly became an afterthought in terms of the regular rotation. Apparently “Yeah, I think that’s one of the things we’ve done a good job of, is dissatisfied with the rookie’s work in the first half of the game — and checking from the middle out, and limiting their shots (from there),” wanting to lean more heavily on players like Couturier and Giroux to help Laughton acknowledged. “I think our D, I don’t know how many blocks slow down Connor McDavid — Gordon did not grant Vorobyev a single (they had) together, but they’ve been doing a great job blocking shots shift after the 15:14 mark of the second period. and things like that.” The Flyers blocked 30 shots on Monday night, and that’s not even accounting for the times that they forced the Canucks to Last night? There was Vorobyev, out there for his final shift with fewer settle for shots from further out rather than moving into a more than ten minutes remaining in the third period and the team nursing a dangerous area. Hart’s playing great, to be sure, but the team defense in one-goal advantage. front of him is certainly helping make his workload more manageable Why the shift in usage? Gordon reiterated after the game that Vorobyev’s even as the raw volume appears daunting at first glance. marginalization on Saturday was more do to game flow than punishment 4: Power play’s resurgence being helped by second unit or an absence of confidence in the young center, but then acknowledged a simple truth: Vorobyev was playing a lot better on Monday compared to When Couturier was recently dropped off the top unit, in favor of a PP1 two days earlier. that included both and Wayne Simmonds, he very easily could have taken the “demotion” as a slight. After all, Couturier’s 5- “The shifts that he had (on Saturday), there wasn’t a whole lot going on,” on-5 work over the past couple months has been nothing short of stellar, Gordon said. “Some reads that probably needed to be better. The effort and he’s been on the top unit — a role often bestowed as a reward for was there, I didn’t have to question that, and so tonight, those guys, they strong work in the other situations — since the early portion of 2017-18. all played well.” It’s interesting that Gordon specifically pointed out that Yet Couturier, befitting his burgeoning role as team leader, hasn’t merely Vorobyev’s effort was not lacking; it’s a criticism that has been whispered accepted the change; he’s made the new role his own. for the better part of a year, even though members of the organization strongly dispute the implication on the record. In his last two games on PP2, Couturier has two goals, and in the process has seemingly balanced out the units, as the Flyers have Gordon’s desire to nip that narrative in the bud is notable, both for what it converted on seven of their ten power play opportunities over the past means for his view of the best way to develop Vorobyev, and as an three games. “Yeah, I mean, it’s all about winning,” Couturier said after explanation as to why he trusted the 22-year-old last night in a tight the game when asked about the change. Obviously, the power play game. A player who “isn’t working hard” wouldn’t get a shift with time wasn’t rolling, you got to try something, you’ve got to switch personnel. running down in a must-win game (and make no mistake, basically every I’m just happy it’s rolling again and we’re creating a lot of momentum with game from here on out for the Flyers is must-win if they want to make the the power play and winning some games lately with it. We just got to playoffs). keep it rolling.” 7: Hagg-Gudas pair not really clicking Couturier isn’t the only reason that PP2 is rolling right now, of course. Radko Gudas has a unique knack for inflating the shot and chance Both of his goals have come with top unit players still on the ice, not differential metrics of all of his partners at 5-on-5. It may not be pretty having totally completed a full line change. In addition, the resurgence of most of the time (OK, all of the time), but it’s not a fluke that Gudas the youngsters on the club has helped; it was Travis Konecny’s beautiful currently holds the best adjusted Corsi For Percentage (53.17%) and pass and Patrick’s entry that set up Couturier’s tally on Monday. But the adjusted xG For rate (57.55%) on the Flyers’ defense. He’s been doing work of the veteran on the unit can’t be ignored, especially because he’s this for years — his pairings tend to outshoot, outchance and outscore been the one lighting the lamp, something that the second unit has the opposition. struggled to do for the better part of three years now. With Robert Hagg, however, he’s finally found a partner that he can’t 5: Patrick flying all game boost. There were many positive plays to choose from when it came to In fairness to Hagg, it’s probably not a talent issue; putting two physical, evaluating Nolan Patrick’s night: the power play zone entry that turned stay-at-home blueliners together on a pair doesn’t exactly make a ton of into a secondary assist, the numerous puck battles he won along the hockey sense, in that it’s hard to pinpoint which defenseman will be doing boards, the assertive straight-line routes he was taking with the puck all the puck moving in the team’s own end. That’s exactly what’s played out game long. But when Gordon was asked if he felt Monday had seen the via the eye test — neither Gudas nor Hagg is capable of regularly 20-year-old take a step forward, he referenced a play that certainly won’t generating controlled defensive zone exits, and as a result, they don’t make any highlights — a seemingly run-of-the-mill breakout. seem to be generating a lot of offense. Nothing special, right? But in Gordon’s mind, it was the perfect example The numbers back that up. Heading into last night’s game, the duo had of Patrick’s coachability, and his commitment to two-way play. “Simple posted a 44.22% adjusted Corsi For Percentage and a 47.95% thing in the third period: we talked about our centermen making sure that performance by xG, making it easily the poorest-performing pair that when we’re breaking out of our zone, coming underneath the puck and Gudas has appeared on this season. Monday was more of the same for not anticipating the chip-out but anticipating that the puck is going to the 8-3 pair. Hagg and Gudas both finished around 20 percent by xG and come back to you from the winger into our zone,” the head coach below 40 percent by Corsi against the Canucks, another example of the explained. “And if it doesn’t, if it turns over, you’re in a good position pairing’s inherent weakness. defensively, and (Patrick) did that in the third period. It was a great play by him and Simmer. For me, that’s just a baby step into being a better But what would be the best way to break them up? Understandably, defensive player, recognizing that situation.” Gordon and assistant coach Rick Wilson have chosen to keep the Ivan Provorov-Travis Sanheim pair together, as they continue to develop Interestingly enough, the stats didn’t love Patrick’s performance last chemistry as a unit (they crushed it by xG last night, by the way). That night; he posted a forward-low 31.25% Corsi For Percentage and 34.48% leaves the Shayne Gostisbehere-Andrew MacDonald duo as the likely xG rate. But anyone watching the game knows those metrics weren’t an pair to adjust, unless general manager Chuck Fletcher chose to employ accurate reflection of the quality of his play. Patrick was making all the the nuclear option and call up Philippe Myers. But with the team on an right decisions against the Canucks, in addition to showcasing a physical eight-game win streak, the chances of a big call-up seem far closer to dominance that hinted at what he’ll be able to do to opponents in his mid- “none” than our old friend slim. 20s if he continues to work on developing his strength. Gordon called his game on Monday “excellent,” and it’s hard to argue with the assessment. 8: Voracek’s resurgence continues Another fan of Patrick’s progression? One Sean Couturier, who has Jakub Voracek’s detractors remain vocal. With the possibility of a core firsthand experience developing as a two-way NHL center at an age shakeup on the horizon — even accounting for the team’s recent surge when most players are still toiling away in juniors or in the college ranks. — the loud skeptics of Voracek’s contributions to the Flyers’ success “He’s stepped up lately, and he’s playing some great hockey,” Couturier remain out in full force, hoping that Fletcher might decide that the object said of Patrick. “You can see why he’s a No. 2 overall (pick), all the talent of their ire is no longer a part of the team’s future plans. But a funny thing he has. I think it’s just, the completeness of his game is impressive. He’s happened on the way to Voracek’s possible ticket out of Philadelphia — playing some solid two-way hockey, he’s taking care of the play without he’s back to playing like the borderline-superstar winger that he’s been the puck as well, so that’s something that, as a young (player), you don’t over the past half-decade with the Flyers. see too often, you kind of learn as you get older. But he’s already got that side, and now you’re starting to see some flashes offensively, and it’s It wasn’t merely the game-winning goal that he scored on Monday, even great for us. We just need him to keep running, keep building his if his breakaway dangle around Markstrom was a classic example of his confidence, and keep improving.” raw hockey talent. Voracek was a force all game long, creating offense on his own (he led the team with three high-danger chances) and helping to facilitate it for his linemates as well, in addition to keeping Vancouver’s offense to a minimum. Despite being tasked with primary Elias Pettersson duties (along with linemates Couturier and Oskar Lindblom), Voracek posted the second-best Corsi For Percentage on the Flyers (56.02% score-adjusted) and best xG For rate (86.92%). This was high- end Jake Voracek. Voracek’s underlying metrics have been trending up since December, to the point where a player who was once dead-last on the team in both Corsi and xG is nearly above 50 percent in the former (49.18% adjusted) and flying past that threshold by xG (51.40%). Combine that with the fact that he’s now on pace for 71 points, and it’s long time to cut Voracek a little slack. 9: Hart shakes off clear-out fail The game ended on such a positive note for Hart that he was able to escape his post-game scrum without having to answer pointed questions about the only goal he did allow. On the play, Hart raced out of his crease to cut off a breakaway opportunity for Brandon Sutter, and ended up clearing the loose puck right to Boeser, who promptly deposited it into the vacated net. Personally, I had little issue with Hart’s decision to play the puck and keep it away from Sutter. He reached the loose puck in more than enough time to clear it, implying that his read on the play was prompt. Hart simply failed on the clearing attempt, which struck me as more of a physical mistake than a tactical one. As Gordon pointed out after the game, however, whether the play was the “right” decision is less important than Hart’s clear ability to shake off the misfortune that he faced. “I’m sure he would probably play the one he gave up in the second period differently, but in saying that, look how he responds after,” Gordon said. “That’s beyond being technically sound, it goes to what your makeup is as a person and how you’ll be able to handle adversity when things go wrong for you.” Hart certainly didn’t let the unfortunate play linger on his mind; it proved to be his sole mistake of the night. The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129232 Pittsburgh Penguins

Ill-timed goals put Penguins in hole, Patric Hornqvist says

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019

Pittsburgh Penguins’ Patric Hornqvist (72) falls in front of Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Curtis McElhinney (35) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019. When the Pittsburgh Penguins were stuck in the depths of a November swoon, winger Patric Hornqvist was always the player in the locker room putting things in perspective. It would only take one shift or one goal to turn it around, he said on numerous occasions. These days, the Penguins are mired in another slump. It’s not nearly as deep as the previous one, but a 5-7-0 record since an eight-game winning streak ended Jan. 6 certainly isn’t a good look. This time, Hornqvist has a little different outlook. It’s going to take a few shifts in succession to turn things around. “It feels like we’re one and done and it’s hard to win that way,” Hornqvist said after a 4-0 loss to Carolina on Tuesday night. “We just have to get a few shifts in a row, feel good about ourselves and then we’ll start coming.” Hornqvist said he thought the turning point in Tuesday’s game came in the final minute of a scoreless first period. At one end, Jaccob Slavin picked off a Phil Kessel centering pass. At the other end, a Jordan Martinook shot hit the leg of defender Tanner Pearson and eluded goalie Matt Murray. “Today’s a typical game when you don’t play your best. You always seem to give up those timely goals and those always suck the momentum out of you,” Hornqvist said. Hornqvist has no time for the suggestion that the Penguins need to bide their time until key players Evgeni Malkin and Justin Schultz return from injury. “Since I’ve been here, five years now, we’ve always been able to battle through injuries,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who’s injured. We still have enough guys in here who can step up. We just have to find it. When things don’t go your way, control what you can control. You can control your work ethic and control your attitude. Bring that every single night and we’ll be fine.” Hornqvist is agreeable to the suggestion that the Penguins need some time to come together after a trade for Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann last week significantly reshaped their personnel up front. “We try to find our identity a little bit,” Hornqvist said. “We’ve got some new guys. I think they’ve done a really good job for us. Really good adds so far. Sometimes it takes time. Right now, we just have to go back in the playbook and play simple and hard.” Tribune Review LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129233 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins fall to Hurricanes, lose ground in playoff race

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019, 9:36 p.m.

The Penguins’ Garrett Wilson is upended next to Hurricanes goaltender Curtis McElhinney during the first period Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019. When the Pittsburgh Penguins are at their best, they finish scoring chances with ruthless precision. When that part of their game fails, they usually are in pretty big trouble. That was the case Tuesday night as goalie Curtis McElhinney made 23 saves, and Jordan Martinook gave him all the offensive support he needed with a first-period goal, leading the Carolina Hurricanes to a 4-0 victory over the Penguins at PPG Paints Arena. “It was a tight game, and you’ve got to capitalize when you get your chances in a game like that,” captain Sidney Crosby said. “We didn’t.” Under different circumstances, the Penguins could have chalked it up as a game where the puck just wouldn’t cooperate. In the first period, Juuso Riikola drove up the right wing and shoved a shot between McElhinney’s pads, but it trickled wide of the post. In the second period, Jake Guentzel hit a post with a power-play redirection. In the third, Crosby had a point-blank chance dribble wide. Their spot in the standings, however, makes it difficult for the Penguins to simply shrug their shoulders and vow to get ’em next time. They’re 5-7-0 since an eight-game winning streak came to an end Jan. 6. They are only four points ahead of the hard-charging Hurricanes, who have their sights set on the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. There’s a sense the impending return of Justin Schultz and Evgeni Malkin from injury will give the Penguins a boost, but given the inconsistency of their results of late, it had better be a pretty big boost. “We’ve got to continue to push to try to raise the bar,” coach Mike Sullivan said. One of the biggest problems holding the Penguins back as they’ve struggled to find their game in the past month has been the lack of a consistently clean breakout, which can lead to long shifts in the defensive zone. That was an issue Tuesday, but only in spurts. Sullivan did not lay the blame at the feet of his defensemen for those instances, either, noting the five-man effort required in the transition game. “If we didn’t execute. For example, on the outlet pass, we needed to come back,” Sullivan said. “Or if the play stalled or there was a puck bobble, that’s when we need to be available more than once. We’ve got to put the brakes on. We’ve got to come back to the puck. We’ve got to offer that second and third support.” The Hurricanes lead the league in shots per game, but it was the bodies they got to the net that gave the Penguins trouble on this night. Martinook’s goal came on a shot from the left wing through the legs of defender Tanner Pearson. Brett Pesce scored in the second period on a shot from the blue line through traffic that goalie Matt Murray didn’t see until too late. “I say it all the time. That’s how most goals are scored in the league nowadays,” Murray said. “As a goalie, it’s tough to make that first save when you can’t see the puck. Even if you make that first save, it’s hard to control the rebound.” Not only is it a league-wide trend, it’s also something the Penguins might want to emulate, especially on nights when their finishing touch deserts them. “I think maybe we’re looking to pass right now sometimes too much,” Guentzel said. “I think we’ve just got to start throwing pucks on the pads and getting in front of the net and create some rebounds. Definitely something we could learn from them. They’re shooting from everywhere.” Tribune Review LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129234 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins' Bryan Rust adapting to life without fellow Notre Dame grad Riley Sheahan

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019, 12:45 p.m.

The Penguins’ Bryan Rust skates during the first day of camp Friday, Sept. 14, 2018 at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust hasn’t noticed teammates giving him the cold shoulder in the locker room or avoiding sitting next to him on the team bus, but it would be easy to see why they might. Rust’s closest friends have been finding their way off the roster as of late. Last week, it was Riley Sheahan, a fellow Notre Dame product, who found himself traded to the Florida Panthers. Last summer, Tom Kuhnhackl didn’t receive a contract offer and signed with the New York Islanders. Before that, Conor Sheary and Scott Wilson were dealt away. “I’d like to hope people aren’t avoiding me, but sometimes that’s just how things go,” Rust said with a shrug Tuesday. Jokes aside, Sheahan’s departure had two lasting effects on Rust. First, he had to find a new partner for his Seats for Strength charity initiative. Rust and Sheahan bought four season tickets for families raising children with emotional and mental health issues. They met with those families outside the locker room after every home game. Jake Guentzel has stepped in to take Sheahan’s place. Second, Sheahan’s departure means more personnel changes on the penalty kill, which adapted to the loss of Carl Hagelin earlier in the season. Rust and Matt Cullen are now the first pair over the boards when the Penguins take a penalty. Newly acquired Jared McCann and call-ups Teddy Blueger and Garrett Wilson have seen time on the PK lately, especially while Zach Aston-Reese remains out with a hand injury. “It’s definitely a little bit different,” Rust said. “We’ve definitely seen some guys come in and out. The coaching staff does a pretty good job of making sure we’re ready. That might put a little bit more responsibility on Cully and I, as of right now, to find those guys that are going to be regular PK guys along with us.” The ace in the hole for the Penguins has been the penalty-killing pair of Sidney Crosby and Guentzel. Coach Mike Sullivan tries not to use them too much short-handed to manage their overall minutes, but they have been effective in the role. “That’s obviously helped a lot,” Rust said. “They do a really good job out there. They pay attention to the details, but they’re also a threat offensively. I think that brings a little bit more of a dynamic to our penalty kill.” Tribune Review LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129235 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins hope to avoid Eastern Conference playoff pile-up

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019, 12:30 p.m.

The Hurricanes’ Jordan Staal (11) crashes into the Penguins’ Juuso Riikola (50) and goaltender Matt Murray (30) during the first period Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018, in Raleigh, N.C. Drivers who have designs on winning the Daytona 500 in a couple of weeks will have to do one thing before they think about taking the checkered flag: They’ll have to stay out of the multi-car pile-up that invariably occurs at some point on NASCAR’s biggest tracks. That’s the spot the Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves in heading into Tuesday night’s matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes at PPG Paints Arena. The Hurricanes have been mounting a charge in recent weeks, going 3- 1-1 in their past five games to move within three points of slumping Columbus in the race for the eighth place in the Eastern Conference. The Penguins are three points ahead of Columbus, tied with Washington for second place in the Metropolitan Division. Win and they’re flirting with the first-place Islanders. Lose and they’re looking at a pack of playoff hopefuls coming up fast in the rearview mirror. “Obviously, you just need to make the playoffs,” defenseman Jack Johnson said. “But in the meantime, your goal should be to finish as high as you can and have home-ice advantage throughout. That’s really all you think about.” Matt Murray will start in goal for the Penguins. He’s 6-2-0 with a .946 save percentage in his career against the Hurricanes, including a 39- save shutout in the first meeting between the teams this season, a 3-0 Penguins victory on Dec. 22. Justin Schultz (leg), Evgeni Malkin (upper body) and Zach Aston-Reese (hand) remain out for the Penguins. Malkin and Aston-Reese skated on their own Tuesday morning. Schultz was a full participant in morning skate. Tribune Review LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129236 Pittsburgh Penguins "I'm comfortable with our group," Sullivan said Tuesday morning before the defeat. "From my standpoint, I believe we have a good hockey team.

"We have as much versatility in that regard as any team in the league. Tim Benz: Penguins wingers must pay off faith Jim Rutherford wants to We have a lot of natural centers in our lineup. It's easier to move from the show center to the wing position. Guys that can play the right side. Guys that can play the left side. We've got a lot of flexibility in our lineup right now." TIM BENZ | Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019 Sullivan may be less convinced after losing to the Hurricanes, but he could be onto something.

The Penguins have long been blessed with good players up front. But Jake Guentzel tries to secure the puck against Justin Braun of the San they've sometimes had trouble with wingers who were essentially locked Jose Sharks at SAP Center on Jan. 15, 2019 in San Jose, Calif. on one side of the ice. Now, Rust's game has matured to the point where he can play both sides. Dominik Simon and Jake Guentzel also can go to If Jim Rutherford said it, it must be true. either side. Few people are more trustworthy than a general manager approaching McCann is said to have the ability to play all three spots, as is the case the trade deadline, right? with the likes of Matt Cullen, Guentzel and Simon. And Bjugstad may be the wild card of the bunch. Just like a politician near Election Day, a lawyer during closing arguments, or a car salesman on the lot of a "Holiday Sale-A-Thon For their part, the current forwards seemed to appreciate the vote of Special!" confidence from Rutherford and Sullivan. But the Penguins GM tends to be more forthcoming and a bit less cloak- "Any time you hear that, you feel as a group of wingers that you are and-dagger than his peers around pro sports. doing a fairly good job," Rust said prior to Tuesday's face off. "Now we need to go out there and prove that's the case." So maybe he meant it when he told 105.9 The X this week that he wasn't actively seeking the acquisition of another winger for his club between Simon echoed that sentiment. now and Feb. 25. "It's always great when you see trust," he said. "Then you want to give it "Once we're 100 percent healthy, we should have 12 forwards that can back." move up and down the lineup," Rutherford told Mark Madden. "If you pointed out a winger and the deal was right, you don't walk away from it. If Simon and his fellow wingers can "give back that trust" for the next 19 It's not something that I'm making calls for every day to see what's out days better than they did Tuesday, Rutherford may finally be willing to there. hold onto that first-round pick. "The wingers that everybody would like to see here are going to For a change. command a big price — a first-round pick and something more. I'm trying to stay away from moving our first-round pick." Tribune Review LOADED: 02.06.2019 I can believe that. At least, the second part of that. And maybe, well, part of the other part. I believe Rutherford wants an opportunity to draft in the first round this year. The Penguins farm system isn't exactly bubbling with talent these days. One reason: The team has made a first-round selection only once since 2012 (Kasperi Kapanen). The rest were traded at various times to acquire current NHL talent. So that's the part I buy. In a perfect world, Rutherford would like to hold onto a first-round pick if at all possible, especially since the club already shipped a second-rounder and two fourth-rounders as grease to push Derick Brassard down to Florida. What I'm a bit more dubious about is Rutherford's stated level of confidence in his current forward group. I wonder about that even more after Tuesday night's lackluster 4-0 home loss against Carolina. Given Patric Hornqvist's struggles to find the net of late (he has one goal since New Year's Eve) and his mounting concussion issues, I imagine Rutherford is less than secure regarding his team's collective net-front presence. Hornqvist is the lone Penguin who is naturally suited for that role. In theory, newly acquired Nick Bjugstad and his 6-foot-6, 218-pound frame should be able to absorb that task. But that wasn't the nature of his game with the Panthers. Also, if he is slotted in the third-line center capacity — once Evgeni Malkin comes back from injury — that doesn't solve the question of who could provide such minutes on a wing with Sidney Crosby or Malkin. This could be an issue anyway if Hornqvist continues to play on a third line as he has at times throughout this season. Also, there is a theory that Bjugstad has been acquired to eventually become Crosby's right wing. If that works, great. But then what happens at third-line center? Jared McCann better be more than what he was at Florida, or the coaching staff finally needs to trust Teddy Blueger. If Zach Aston-Reese can return from injury and perform at the level that he was before he got hurt, that'll mitigate some of these concerns. Regardless of the specifics, head coach Mike Sullivan insists he's comfortable with Rutherford's assertion that the forward unit can get the job done. 1129237 Pittsburgh Penguins The difference in Brassard’s game was evident. He was absolutely more engaged and looked much more like the player the Penguins thought they were getting, the guy who averaged 19 goals and 48 points over the Derick Brassard opens up about failed trade, Penguins tenure five seasons preceding the trade and the guy with 55 points in 78 career postseason games before last season.

Not the guy who finished the 2018 Eastern Conference semifinals on the JASON MACKEY fourth line or the one who looked discombobulated for much of his Penguins tenure.

“Playing behind [Sidney Crosby] and [Evgeni Malkin], that was hard and SUNRISE, Fla. — For the past five days, Derick Brassard has rolled out challenging for me, trying to stay sharp, be on the ice and have a role,” of bed, thrown open the blinds and noticed the sun shining outside his Brassard said. “I was playing center behind not only the two best players hotel room window. But the beautiful weather isn’t solely responsible for on the team but probably the two best players of my generation at my how much better Brassard feels since the Feb. 1 trade that sent him to position. I feel like sometimes it was hard to get involved.” the Florida Panthers. ‘It wasn’t Sully’s fault’ After Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford finally and mercifully pulled the plug on the February 2018 blockbuster that netted Brassard — After Wednesday’s interview concluded and before Brassard began his the culmination of a meeting the two men actually had weeks ago — the postgame workout, he first wanted to know the score of the Penguins 31-year-old center said he feels like a new man. game. Upon learning they had lost, 4-0, to Carolina at home, Brassard shook his head in frustration. “I’m never going to say I didn’t enjoy my time in Pittsburgh, but the last couple days I’ve been waking up, having fun and smiling,” Brassard told As infuriating as the trade might’ve been for the Penguins and their fans, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette after Florida’s 3-2 loss Tuesday to the St. Brassard insisted there are no hard feelings. He’s equally as mad things Louis Blues at BB&T Center. “Like [Tuesday], I made some plays that I never clicked. probably haven’t made in over a year. I just feel free. … I don’t know. It’s a weird feeling.” “I have a ton of respect for everyone there,” Brassard said. “I wish it would’ve worked out. But I think it was a really good experience for me to While Brassard appreciated his time in Pittsburgh and had nothing but see Sid, Geno, Tanger … all their best players, the way they operate positive things to say about the entire Penguins organization, he wasn’t every day. shy about one thing: It was definitely time for both sides to move on. “Also the way the staff prepares; it’s a first-class organization. They pay Phil Kessel has been a model of consistency during his Penguins tenure, attention to details so much. I’m not surprised they’ve won so many producing at least a point 62 percent of the time. times.” “I think we both kind of agreed it wasn’t a good fit,” Brassard said. Brassard said he and coach Mike Sullivan had plenty of conversations about the center’s ice time. Usually, Sullivan insisted he would do what When the trade occurred, the thought was that Brassard would thrive in he could to get Brassard more. Pittsburgh, seizing on advantageous matchups to produce 50 or 60 points per season and perhaps form a dynamic partnership with Phil “I had a good relationship with Sully,” Brassard said, “Every time Sully Kessel. and I had a conversation, he would always say, ‘I’ll find you more minutes.’ That never happened. Instead, Brassard had just 12 goals and 23 points in 54 regular-season games — a 35-point pace over a full season. He “But it wasn’t Sully’s fault. There was nothing else he could have done. had one goal and four points in 12 playoff contests last spring and never There’s so much to manage on that team. It is what it is. It just wasn’t a clicked with Kessel. good fit.” Brassard realizes that the trade is largely viewed as a flop in Pittsburgh, ‘Not an easy thing to do’ probably one of the worst in recent memory, but he has a rather simple explanation for why things never worked out. Brassard also found it difficult to penetrate the Penguins’ leadership structure, spearheaded by Crosby, Malkin and others. “I feel like a lot of people on the outside, when they’re looking at the trade, they look at it like, ‘What was that?’ ” Brassard said. “For me, what He said it was too hard to come in as an outsider and feel part of the I say to that is it wasn’t a good fit. That’s all.” group given what the Penguins’ core had accomplished together. It was similar to what Trevor Daley experienced in Chicago a couple years ago Why wasn’t it a good fit? before coming to Pittsburgh and thriving. Brassard had zero problem going there, speaking openly and honestly “Yes, they have good guys, they make you feel unbelievable, their about why he never lived up to his Big Game Brass reputation. organization, staff, everyone is unreal,” Brassard said. “But the fact that they have star power, they won, it’s the same core and everything … Pittsburgh Penguins center Nick Bjugstad looks for pass against the you’re coming in as a new guy, and it’s not an easy thing to do.” Senators Friday, Feb. 1, 2019 at PPG Paints Arena. Ultimately, though, it came down to the mental side of things. Matt Vensel Brassard wasn’t comfortable, and the Penguins weren’t getting what they New Penguin Nick Bjugstad finds quick chemistry with fellow Gopher Phil wanted out of him. Which is why Brassard said he fully expected to get Kessel moved when he did. “The last five years I had the reputation of playing well in the playoffs,” And he’s thrilled to get a fresh start. Brassard said. “But my responsibilities in Ottawa and New York were playing in the top-six and playing 18-20 minutes a night. I’m someone “A lot of times they’re going to say it’s between your ears as a hockey who likes to play with emotion. I think the last five years I proved that. In player or any athlete,” Brassard said. “The pressure that I had was Pittsburgh, I had a hard time getting involved in games and being coming in from a trade, and that expectation was real high. myself.” “I still consider myself an offensive player. This year has been rough, but That’s why Rutherford approached Brassard three weeks ago with a I feel like our team is really close to becoming a very good team. We question. have really good assets. I think it’ll give me a better chance to be myself again.” “[Rutherford] was asking me, ‘What’s wrong?’ I had a good talk with him,” Brassard said. “It wasn’t anything personal on both sides. I wasn’t myself. Post Gazette LOADED: 02.06.2019 “Their expectation was for me to be a 50- or 60-point guy. What third-line center has 50-60 points? You’re limited somewhere — ice time or whatever.” In Florida, Brassard has actually been playing the wing on the second line and skated Tuesday with former Senators teammate Mike Hoffman and Upper St. Clair native Vince Trocheck, whom Brassard called “a young, hungry center who skates all over the place.” 1129238 Pittsburgh Penguins move, especially reuniting Crosby and Hornqvist, but didn’t change anything. Of course, with the way McElhinney was playing, the only way Sullivan might have been able to help his team get a goal would have Dave Molinari’s Penguins report card: Carolina 4, Penguins 0 been to sabotage McElhinney’s equipment or tamper with the contents of his water bottle.

Dave Molinari’s Penguins report card: Carolina 4, Penguins 0 DAVE MOLINARI No sequence better summed up the Penguins 4-0 loss Tuesday night against the Carolina Hurricanes at PPG Paints Arena than when Penguins newcomer Jared McCann dangled the puck around Curtis (After every Penguins home game, the Post-Gazette will assess how McElhinney’s poke check, only to watch him starfish across the crease each unit performed and what it means during the playoff push.) and stretch his right pad to boot out his point-blank try. FORWARDS Well, except for maybe when Juuso Riikola charged in from the point and whipped a backhand shot through McElhinney’s legs, only to see the Grade: C- puck glance off the goalie and skitterd across the crease and out of Carolina goalie Curtis McElhinney is a career backup, but looked like a harm’s way. perennial Vezina Trophy contender while making 23 saves. He set the Or what about when McElhinney was literally sitting on the goal line and tone early, with a sprawling stop on Penguins center Jared McCann a Sidney Crosby’s shot from 25 feet out nestled somewhere in his gear? few minutes into the game. While the Penguins deserve some blame for not taking advantage of the chances they generated, McElhinney had “Maybe if we put one in there,” defenseman Jack Johnson said of his one of those nights when he could have stopped a gnat in a wind tunnel. team’s many first-period chances, “it changes the complexion of the Missing Evgeni Malkin for the third game in a row because of an game.” undisclosed injury certainly wasn’t a plus for the Penguins, but considering that he has one goal in his past 10 games, there’s little Dave Molinari’s Penguins report card: Carolina 4, Penguins 0 reason to think Malkin would have been able to solve McElhinney. Especially when there were times that the Hurricanes simply seemed The Penguins couldn’t put one in, though. Not in a first period they mostly more willing to sweat and sacrifice for the two points. dominated. Not during either of their two power plays. And certainly not when they went the first 11 minutes of the final period without a shot. Penguins suffer stunning 4-0 loss to Hurricanes “You’re not going to win many games if you don’t score a goal,” Johnson, DEFENSEMEN who played with McElhinney in Columbus, astutely noted. Grade: C McElhinney, a 35-year-old journeyman whose hairline has started to retreat into its crease, has strapped on the pads for seven NHL teams. Andrei Svechnikov scorched Juuso Riikola on the fourth Carolina goal, He spent the preseason in Toronto, lost the backup battle and was but the outcome had been settled long before that. Carolina’s aggressive waived. forecheck gave the defense trouble at times — making a good first pass was a problem at various points — but all things considered, the defense After getting claimed by Carolina, McElhinney, one of four goalies who did a reasonably good job against an opponent that played as if its has started for the Hurricanes this season, has been a pleasant surprise. season was at stake. Kris Letang logged a team-leading 27 minutes, 26 seconds of ice time, but was the only defenseman who wasn’t on the ice His best performance of the season likely came Tuesday, when he made for at least one Hurricanes goal and continues to perform at both ends 23 saves, several of them spectacular, for his ninth career shutout. with a confidence that magnifies his talents. McElhinney had to be at his best in that opening period, when the GOALIE Hurricanes kept coughing up the puck in their defensive zone. He stopped McCann. He stuffed Garrett Wilson. He got a little lucky with Grade: C- Riikola and Crosby. Matt Murray matched McElhinney save-for-save throughout the opening “We didn’t capitalize,” Crosby said. “We had a couple go through the legs period — until Carolina’s Jordan Martinook threw a shot toward the net in and out the other way, posts and things like that. the final minute. The puck might have glanced off Penguins winger Tanner Pearson, but definitely hit Murray’s glove before ending up in the Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan watches drills at afternoon net 44.7 seconds to go before the intermission. Murray gave up another practice Monday Feb. 4, 2019 at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in long-distance goal midway through the second, when defenseman Brett Cranberry Pa. Pesce beat him with a wrist shot from above the left circle. Murray “It was a tight game, and you’ve got to capitalize when you get chances finished with 28 saves on 31 shots (Carolina’s third goal was scored into … and we didn’t.” an empty net) on a night when anything less than perfection wouldn’t have been good enough to pick up at least one point. Then, suddenly, the Hurricanes stole a 1-0 lead when Jordan Martinook fooled Matt Murray with a fairly innocent shot from 39 feet out. SPECIAL TEAMS The Carolina center fired that shot from atop the left circle through the Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan watches drills at afternoon legs of Tanner Pearson. But Murray appeared to get a good look at it. practice Monday Feb. 4, 2019 at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Pa. “We had good momentum,” Letang said. “It kind of deflated us.” Matt Vensel The Hurricanes swarmed at the start of the second, using swift puck pursuit to generate several good chances, but the Penguins pushed Mike Sullivan says Penguins 'a better team' after latest moves back. Grade: C McElhinney stuffed Wilson for a second time and then during a scoreless The power play was shut out for the sixth time in the past eight games, Penguins power play — they have gone 1 for 15 over their past six going 0 for 2. Riikola nearly scored on the Penguins’ only shot the first games — he snatched Patric Hornqvist’s chance from just outside the time they had a man-advantage, and they forced McElhinney to make blue paint. two stops on their second opportunity. How a group with so much talent Then the Hurricanes hushed the crowd again when Brett Pesce flung a can be mired in such a slump remains a mystery. The Hurricanes didn’t shot from the point that Murray said he didn’t see until it was about 10 fare any better in their two power plays, as the Penguins penalty-killers feet out. It buzzed by his ear and under the bar to make it 2-0. limited them to one shot. Two newcomers to the short-handed unit, Teddy Blueger and McCann, seem to be fitting in nicely. Murray, who has started four of the past five games, made 28 saves in the loss. COACHING Coach Mike Sullivan, looking for a spark, switched up his lines during the Grade: C second, swapping the wingers for Crosby and McCann. Crosby reunited When it became clear that the Penguins were having trouble getting with Hornqvist and Dominik Simon while McCann skated with Jake pucks past McElhinney, Mike Sullivan reconfigured his top line, putting Guentzel and Bryan Rust. In the third, Crosby was back with Guentzel Dominik Simon and Patric Hornqvist with Sidney Crosby and dropping and Rust. Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust down to McCann’s line. It was a logical The Penguins didn’t record a shot during the first half of the final period. The Hurricanes were too fast for them, pestering the Penguins in the Pittsburgh end and chasing down loose pucks in their own to prevent chances. “When we’re fighting for pucks, we’ve got to support one another by staying closer,” Sullivan said. “It’s hard to do it with just one stick or two sticks. You need three sticks in the area, and I thought our third stick was late.” The Penguins came oh-so close to making it 2-1 when Rust slid a pass to Crosby, whose shanked shot slid through McElhinney’s legs but just outside the post. Later, McElhinney flashed the leather to stop Crosby again. With Murray on the bench, Micheal Ferland retrieved a loose puck in the neutral zone and lofted it into the empty net. With Murray back in the crease, Andrei Svechnikov piled on with another goal with 42 seconds left. After winning eight consecutive games, the Penguins since Jan. 6 have lost seven of their past 12, allowing three or more goals in nine of those games. McElhinney’s heroics Tuesday pulled the Hurricanes, fifth in the Metropolitan Division and ninth in the east, within four points of the Penguins. “We’ve got to continue to push to try to raise the bar,” Sullivan said. Post Gazette LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129239 Pittsburgh Penguins “They’re making progress,” Sullivan said. Blueger eyes improvement Mike Sullivan says Penguins 'a better team' after latest moves Teddy Blueger had another goal in Saturday’s loss in Toronto, giving him two in his first three NHL games. He scored on his first two NHL shots.

Blueger had 10 goals in his last 11 AHL games before getting called up. MATT VENSEL “With the scoring, it’s just believing in myself more mentally and not just thinking of myself as a shutdown guy,” he said. The Penguins in the last week added three candidates to center their Blueger said getting a couple on the board early here in Pittsburgh has third line during the playoffs. General manager Jim Rutherford feels the helped him maintain his confidence as he breaks into the NHL. But the team has enough talent on the wings. Just last Monday, they traded a 24-year-old, a longtime center whom the Penguins are playing at left defenseman because they felt they already had too many. wing on the fourth line, knows his game must keep growing to stick And considering Rutherford has said he would prefer to not part with his around. first-round pick before the Feb. 25 trade deadline, this could be the crew “That’s kind of the goal, to improve every game and do more every game coach Mike Sullivan has to work with during the postseason push. as you try to get more comfortable,” said Blueger, who projects as a If there are indeed no more tweaks, Sullivan would be OK with that. third-line center early in his career. “As soon as you reach one goal, you’ve got the next one in front of you. There’s always something more to “I’m comfortable with our group. I believe we’ve got a very good team,” strive for.” he said Tuesday before the Penguins hosted the Carolina Hurricanes. “When we play the game the right way, we’re a competitive hockey Post Gazette LOADED: 02.06.2019 team.” Penguins suffer stunning 4-0 loss to Hurricanes The Penguins, by their lofty standards, have not always played the game “the right way,” which is why Rutherford has already turned over about a third of the roster since the season started in October. In four separate trades, he dealt for defenseman Marcus Pettersson and forwards Tanner Pearson, Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann while also adding Joseph Blandisi, another forward who was soon sent to the minors. “The new personalities fit in really well. They’re all good people. I think they’re excited to be Penguins,” Sullivan said. “They’re excited to be here. And that enthusiasm is hopefully something that will be contagious.” In-season call-ups Zach Aston-Reese, Garrett Wilson and now Teddy Blueger, who was promoted last week, have made an impact here, too. Plus, the return of Justin Schultz will feel like a big deadline acquisition. “We’re a better team today with some of the changes that Jim has made to our team. I think he’s improved the team,” Sullivan said. “It’s similar in a lot of senses because the core players are still here and the environment feels the same, and a lot of it has to do with our approach every day.” While some outside the organization have suggested the Penguins should add another top-line winger, Sullivan feels the Penguins have a skilled, versatile group already – especially when you consider that Bjugstad could be moved to the wing once Evgeni Malkin returns to the lineup. Phil Kessel has been a model of consistency during his Penguins tenure, producing at least a point 62 percent of the time. “We have as much versatility in that regard, I think, as any team in the league,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of natural centers in our lineup.” Sullivan believes the Penguins have what it takes to make a serious Stanley Cup run with this roster. But they still have to play the games. “Our challenge is to make sure we go out and we earn it every day,” he said. “Nothing is inevitable in this game. You can put a roster together and it can look good on paper. But we’ve got to go out and make it happen.” Schultz, Malkin ‘making progress’ Justin Schultz, who on Monday participated in his first full-contact practice since fracturing his ankle in October, was back on the ice Tuesday for the morning skate at PPG Paints Arena. He did not suit up against Carolina, but it seems likely he returns during the upcoming road trip. “He responded very well. He had another full day [Tuesday],” Sullivan said. “His status right now is the same. … He’s getting closer.” Malkin, meanwhile, skated at PPG Paints Arena alongside Zach Aston- Reese, who remains on injured reserve with a left hand injury. But both headed to the locker room before the Penguins took the ice for the morning skate. Malkin then missed his third straight game with an upper- body injury. 1129240 Pittsburgh Penguins Ask any Penguins player for his favorite Kessel story, and it’s sure to elicit a smile, a laugh or both.

But it also doesn’t produce much of an actual, printable response, as 20 Penguins Thoughts: Nearing milestone, appreciation for Phil Kessel’s many of the best Kessel stories are guarded like state secrets. game, humor grows Dumoulin, though, does have one he didn’t mind sharing.

It was March 26, 2016, in Detroit, at Joe Louis Arena. The story starts JASON MACKEY during warmup. “I backed into him, hit him, knocked him over, and his helmet came off,” It was a moment Matt Cullen will never forget, one the 42-year-old center Dumoulin said. “He ended up scoring five points that night in Detroit. He feels was a key moment during the Penguins’ 2016 Stanley Cup run. still remembers it and chirps me for hitting him in warmup. Before Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against “I always just tell him, ‘You’re welcome.’ ” Washington, Penguins players were hanging out in the dressing room at Justin Schultz had been traded to Pittsburgh about a month earlier, and PPG Paints Arena — sipping on coffee, taping sticks, talking about the that was one of his first glimpses at Kessel being a goof: falling over, Capitals, the usual deal. It was dead silent, Cullen said. faking like he was really mad, then continuing to bust Dumoulin’s chops That’s when Phil Kessel, of all people, rose to his feet. about it. “I’ll never forget it,” Cullen recalled Monday after practice at UPMC “That was hilarious,” Schultz said. “Oh, man. It was the funniest thing. Lemieux Sports Complex. “Everybody’s all stoic. Phil’s having his First, his helmet flew off. He said it’s the hardest hit he’s ever taken.” pregame coffee and just stands up and says, ‘Well, boys. I’m not feeling Go to section it tonight. Just don’t know if I got it.’ ” 6. I think we take for granted a lot of stuff with Kessel. Derick Brassard had just 23 points in 54 regular-season games with the Penguins. Maybe it’s because of his reluctance to deal with the media, or maybe it’s because he’s on a team with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The room lost it. They knew Kessel was screwing around, trying to get a laugh. Whatever the reason, I don’t think he gets his just due, and I know I’m not the only one who feels that way. “Everybody was intense and pretty nervous,” Cullen added. “It broke through all of that.” “He maybe gets overlooked, but with this group, that’s understandable,” Cullen said. Kessel, of course, did have it that night. He scored the first two goals of the game and started the sequence that led to Nick Bonino’s overtime “I’m sure he goes a little under the radar on this team, just because of winner. But the story is instructive for a few more reasons, which I how many good players there are,” Jack Johnson said. “But he’s not thought I’d take some time to focus on this week. underrated amongst his peers.” 2. I wish I would have gotten video of Cullen imitating Kessel’s nasally We’re talking here about a truly elite offensive player, definitely someone whine. It was tremendous, easily a nine out of 10. who’s one of a kind and a model of consistency when it comes to producing points. “Ah, I’m just not feeling it,” Cullen said again, trying to perfect the impression. “Like only he can.” Get this: Since Kessel became a Penguin, in 2015-16, Crosby and Malkin have produced at least a point in 69 percent of their games. That Cullen even added the exaggerated shoulder shakes and hand motions number is obviously crazy good. for authenticity. Beautiful stuff. Not far behind is Kessel at 62 percent (184 in 298). 3. On a serious note, though, Kessel is two points away from 800 for his career, at which point he’ll become just the 17th American-born player to “We all know how good he is,” Matt Murray said. “I think he likes to fly reach that mark, the second active one along with Chicago’s Patrick under the radar, but I don’t think it’s any secret how good he is or how Kane. important he is to this team.” Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray makes save on Carolina 7. More than points, too, has been Kessel’s passing. That’s something Hurricanes left wing Warren Foegele Tuesday Feb. 5, 2019 at PPG that has stuck out the most to Cullen, and I agree with him. Paints Arena. Do yourself a favor sometime and isolate your eyes on Kessel. Watch Matt Vensel him during warmup (if he breaks a sweat, take a picture) or him the puck on his stick. It’s incredible theater. Penguins suffer stunning 4-0 loss to Hurricanes “He’s one of the better passers and playmakers as far as making That’s some impressive stuff, if you think about it. something out of nothing,” Cullen said. “Last game in Toronto, he came This after Kessel recently became the only the fourth active player with down the wall. It looked like a nothing play. It was a one-on-two. He 20 or more goals in at least 11 consecutive seasons. pulled up and made a nice little soft play to send Nick [Bjugstad] in on a breakaway. It’s just little things like that, where it’s a nothing play, all of a Inside the dressing room, Kessel is a consistent source of humor. On the sudden he makes a nice little play. He sees the game so well. He’s so ice, he’s been a consistent source of production for the Penguins. good offensively in every aspect. If you give him an inch, he can fire that shot as well as anybody.” “Every year he has over a point per game in the NHL, which is insane to do,” Brian Dumoulin said. “He scores 30 goals every year. He’s a terrific 8. Kessel’s teammates know how valuable is to them, even if it was player. I have nothing but the utmost respect for him.” forgotten with the 2016 World Cup of Hockey or with a lot of the 2020 projections that came out. Ditto for the NHL All-Star Game. 4. Dumoulin isn’t totally right, but his point is well-taken. Kessel is cool avoiding the spotlight, win or lose, good game or bad, and Kessel has been a point-a-game player the past two seasons and last pretty much prefers to avoid any attention whatsoever. year produced a career-high 92. This season, he’s on pace for 33 goals and 90 points. “I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves,” Jake Guentzel said. “You see him on a day-to-day basis, what he can bring to the team. You know Since he became a Penguin prior to the 2015-16 season, Kessel has 278 how good his shot is, but I think his playmaking ability goes unnoticed a points in 298 games. Only 12 players in the NHL have more, and two little bit. Kessel can call coworkers. “Then the way he carries himself, there’s just a funny way about him. He Only one player — Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov, with 122 — has brings a lot to the team.” produced more than Kessel’s 112 points on the power play. 9. A couple of quick-hit thoughts before tackling a few other angles … “Man, he’s just a such good player, and he has been for so long,” Cullen said. “Those number speak for themselves.” Where does Dominik Simon fit on this team? I’m asking because I legitimately do not know. 5. Kessel is also a riot, which many of you know. He’s shown flashes but nothing steady enough to the point where you Essentially he hasn’t missed a beat, which isn’t easy when you’re talking say, “He has to play here.” about that sort of money. The Penguins need to figure it out. Guentzel has 11 goals and 16 points in 16 games since the trade, firing 50 shots on goal in those games. 10. I think Derick Brassard is the first person to assume the duties as third-line center in Pittsburgh and actually get worse from an offensive “Obviously it’s an exciting time, but I think the thing is, you just have to standpoint. live up to it,” Guentzel said. “You feel a little more confident that you can be here. You can relax a little bit and not feel so stressed or uptight. How does that happen? Definitely feel a lot better out there, I think.” That said, I love the Bjugstad/Jared McCann additions. We’re already 17. A new contract had the opposite effect on Bryan Rust, who scored seeing Bjugstad look comfortable. McCann could be the perfect bottom- just once over his first 29 games before striking for 13 over his past 22. six add for this team — can also play the wing, can skate, can do a lot of different things. Rust insisted that getting paid this past offseason wasn’t in his head early on as the puck simply wouldn’t go in the back of the net, although he 11. I give Jim Rutherford a lot of credit for undoing some of the moves admitted that subconsciously it might have happened. he’s made as GM — Mike Johnston, David Perron, Antti Niemi, Matt Hunwick and Brassard — that didn’t work out, but sooner or later they “I tried to have it not affect me and just keep doing what I’m doing,” Rust need to work out the first time. said. “Subconsciously or something, maybe it did or maybe it didn’t. I tried to not let it affect me.” Again, I don’t think it’s abhorrent or anything like that — they have won two of the past three Cups — but having to fix so many things, it can only 18. Speaking of Rust, I think his value has gone up even more with the happen so many times, for so long, before it starts to catch up to you. acquisition of Bjugstad, whom Rutherford said might eventually shift to right wing. 12. A pessimist might look at the Penguins’ third defense pair and worry. That would put Bjugstad, Kessel and Patric Hornqvist all on the right side After Marcus Pettersson and Johnson were terrific together for an 18- in your top-nine. Somebody has to play the left, and Rust helps them a game stretch, that led to a West Coast road trip where things seemed to lot by being so versatile. jiggle loose. 19. Number of the week: .688 Penguins coach Mike Sullivan does not share that sentiment. Instead, Sullivan remains thrilled with the Pettersson-Johnson pair and thinks their That’s the points percentage among Eastern Conference playoff teams struggles during a recent six-game sample are more a function than his whenever they’ve gotten outshot this season (132-55-18). team’s overall play than anything else. So, why again do we care so much about shots on goal and shot “My guess is you can probably go down our roster and and evaluate attempts? statistics whether it be a line or defense pair, and there’s a common theme there,” Sullivan said last week before the Lightning game. “That The Penguins, by the way, are 17-8-1 when they’re outshot, a points pair has been very good for us.” percentage of .673 that ranks fifth among Eastern Conference playoff teams. Go to section 20. Non-hockey thought of the week … 13. It’s tough to argue with Sullivan’s logic, but it’s also hard to ignore how drastically different the results had been. Been reading former Pirates catcher Jason Kendall’s book lately, and I can’t possibly recommend enough. It’s incredible. During their first 18 games, Pettersson and Johnson were on the ice for just four five-on-five goals-against. Pettersson was on for eight five-on- I think it’s probably a little dense for most when it comes to the five goals-against from Jan. 11 through last Monday, Johnson nine. nerdtacular baseball strategy he delves into, but if you’re like me and grew up playing the game, man, is this a fun read. Pettersson said he thought one of the issues that plagued that pair was what they allowed in front of their net. Title is “Throwback: A Big-League Catcher Tells How the Game Is Really Played.” Check it out. “We’ve given up too many opportunities, especially in front of our net,” Pettersson said. “The way it’s been before, I think me and Jack were a Post Gazette LOADED: 02.06.2019 little bit more steady in front of the net. We have to be a little bit more sturdy in front of our own net. That’s where the goals are scored.” 14. Johnson wasn’t overly concerned about much on the road trip, only really the Vegas game, where the pair was on the ice for three Golden Knights goals. Playing with Pettersson has been very beneficial for Johnson, who was on the ice for 27 goals-against (five-on-five) over his first 25 games in Pittsburgh compared to just 18 over his past 27. Johnson called Pettersson “an easy guy to play with” and credited several aspects of the young Swede’s game for making the pair work. “He’s aggressive in the neutral zone, so we don’t spend a lot of time in our own end,” Johnson said. “Makes good plays with the puck, handles the puck well. Moves well for a big guy. I’ve always said the same thing. I think he’s an easy guy to play with.” 15. Nikita Kucherov knows better than most how quickly Malkin can get hot. After Kucherov looked like a Hart Trophy candidate at the halfway mark last season, Malkin dominated the NHL from Jan. 1 on and put up a league-best 62 points. That’s why Kucherov said he’s not at all worried about the extended slump that has bothered his fellow Russian superstar — who’s currently out with an upper-body injury — for much of this season. “I’m sure he’s going to find a way,” said Kucherov, who leads the NHL in assists (58) and points (80). “He’s a good player. Whatever people say, I still think he’s one of the best players in the league. He’s so much fun to watch.” 16. I’ve really been impressed by how Guentzel has handled himself since signing a five-year contract worth $6 million per season. 1129241 Pittsburgh Penguins “Teemu Selanne could do it in two minutes. It was unreal,” said Matt Cullen, the veteran center who played with the Hall-of-Famer in Anaheim. “He’d sit in the training room until it was like three minutes before we For a few Penguins, last Friday was like a dream — or nightmare went out for warm-ups and he’d throw his stuff on and be ready to go.” Cullen has witnessed a lot of amazing things during his long NHL career, but he has never seen anything like what Bjugstad and McCann had to MATT VENSEL do to make it in time for that 5-3 win over the Ottawa Senators. Then Bjugstad played 16 minutes and tallied an assist. McCann logged just over 10 minutes. As Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann power-walked into PPG Paints “It felt like a dream,” Bjugstad said. “But this one was a good dream.” Arena about 10 minutes before the puck dropped Friday then frantically laced up their skates and strapped on pads, both thought it felt like a The big forward paused for a second then added, “Hopefully, I don’t have dream. any more dreams after that. Hopefully that knocked it out of my brain.” That’s because it was a lot like recurring ones they’ve had before. Post Gazette LOADED: 02.06.2019 “You show up late to the game, and it’s usually a big game, whether it is college, high school or the pros,” said Bjugstad, who has a version of this dream every few months. “And I usually forget a piece of equipment or I can’t find a way to get out onto the ice and I’m late to the game. “It’s obviously a nightmare. At least I consider it a nightmare.” A few of his new Penguins teammates nodded their heads Monday when told about how Bjugstad wakes up in a panic, afraid he’s missed a game. A straw poll of 10 players found that half have had similar dreams. “That’s a pretty common one. Everyone’s calling you, that kind of thing. I’ve had countless nightmares like that,” Casey DeSmith said. “You look at your phone and you have a million missed calls. And you check your texts and they’re like, ‘Where are you? You’re missing the game.’ ” The goalie has had that dream at least once this season. Usually, when he arrives inside the arena, the game is already over. And then he wakes up. Teddy Blueger, the rookie who has two goals in his first three NHL games, often dreams he opens his equipment bag in the locker room and realizes he forgot, say, his skates. So he has to race home to retrieve them. “The game is starting, so you’re like panicking,” Blueger said. “And then you wake up and say, ‘Thank God it’s only a dream.’ It’s kind of crazy how many guys I’ve talked to who have had that dream before.” And then there is Bryan Rust, whose hilariously absurd hockey dreams sound like something from an episode of “The Twilight Zone.” “I’ll reach for a glove or something on the top shelf of the [locker] stall,” the winger said, “And either it’s stuck or I keep reaching and reaching and reaching — a little further, a little further — and can’t grab it. “Or you finish tying your skate and turn around then turn back and it’s untied again. And you’ve got to tie it again. And everybody is out in the hallway waiting for you to come out. I’ll just randomly have it and wake up in a panic and then be like, ‘Whelp, thank God that’s not real.’ ” They are more common for Rust during the long season. But sometimes they pop up in the early summer, when he hasn’t skated in a while. “Punctuality is a huge part of our routines,” Rust theorized. “So maybe that just subconsciously sticks with us a little bit and might haunt us, I guess.” Still, even some of the Penguins’ wildest dreams couldn’t top what happened to Bjugstad and McCann after the team traded for them Friday. They learned around 12:30 p.m. they had been acquired from the Florida Panthers in exchange for Derick Brassard, Riley Sheahan and three 2019 draft picks — and that they were needed in Pittsburgh that night. They landed in Pittsburgh at 6:18 p.m. and received a police escort from the airport. They arrived at the arena, Panthers bags in hand, at 6:55. “It was pretty funny,” Bjugstad said. “The players were all clapping.” Bjugstad sat down at his locker stall and reached for the zipper on his equipment bag. Here he was, heart racing, adrenaline pumping, staring down the anxious moment he has faced so many times in his nightmares. “Thankfully,” he said, “everything was in there when I opened it.” Surprisingly, 10 minutes is plenty of time for an NHL player to get dressed. DeSmith and Matt Murray, who must strap on those big pads, can do it in seven or eight. Most skaters need only a few to get into their gear. 1129242 Pittsburgh Penguins He also has a history of playing wing with superior players, having skated to the right of Panthers franchise center Aleksander Barkov extensively the past two seasons. Off the ice, Bjugstad, 26, is signed through next Is the Penguins’ roster better than what they opened the season with? season (unlike Brassard), and he’s also five years younger than the man he replaced.

Bjugstad might not be a better player than Brassard, but he certainly By Seth Rorabaugh appears to be a better fit for the Penguins. Carl Hagelin — Tanner Pearson Sidney Crosby, Brian Dumoulin, Phil Kessel and Kris Letang were Penguins left winger Tanner Pearson moves the puck ahead of nowhere to be seen. Hurricanes left winger Teuvo Teravainen during the first period of Tuesday’s game at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire/USA Today) As some of the Penguins’ most vested veterans, they declined to participate in the optional morning skate at PPG Paints Arena. If any one trade made by Rutherford was triggered simply for an emotional effect, it was this one. A combination of the trust they’ve earned by securing the franchise’s two most recent Stanley Cup banners and Mike Sullivan’s hostile Hagelin was as big a part of the team off the ice as Crosby or Malkin. A contemptuousness for the notion of morning skates has made their fiercely popular and respected teammate, the morning of the deal, Patric absenteeism from the pre-noon skate around a regular occurrence. Hornqvist spoke about the hardship the trade would have on his family before addressing its impact on the team. Such was the case hours before Game 53 on their schedule, an aggressively soporific 4-0 loss to the prosaic Carolina Hurricanes. But Hagelin was limited offensively. For everything he did to craft this squad’s identity around speed, his touch with the puck provided him with It was also the case for Game 1, a beguiling 7-6 overtime victory at home a much lower ceiling than his more illustrious linemates, Malkin and against the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals on Kessel. Oct. 4 Hagelin was so hampered offensively, the Penguins felt it was worthwhile During the course of the 51 games in between, GM Jim Rutherford has to deal for a “scoring” winger with all of one assist (and no goals) through modified his roster repeatedly in pursuit of a mix of players capable of the first 17 games of his season with the Los Angeles Kings. another substantial postseason run. A former 24-goal scorer, Tanner Pearson establish himself as an Of the 24 players currently on the roster — including two designated to offensive threat on a line with Jeff Carter and Tyler Toffoli during the injured reserve — seven were not in the lineup on opening night, nearly Kings’ Stanley Cup run in 2014. one-third of the team. But he got off to a wretched start for a Los Angeles squad going nowhere Their lineup on Oct. 4: in 2018-19 and the Kings dealt their struggling playoff performer for the Penguins’ struggling playoff performer. And the Penguins’ lineup on Tuesday: Pearson showed promise early with three goals in his first five games So, what’s different aside from the workload of equipment manager Dana with the Penguins, but that offense has dried up as of late. In the midst of Heinze and staff? a nine-game goalless drought, Pearson failed to even record a shot “We’re a better team today with some of the changes that Jim has made attempt against the Hurricanes on Tuesday. to our team,” Sullivan said. “He’s improved our team. We’re a better Beyond Pearson’s offensive woes, the departure of Hagelin seems to team. It’s similar in a lot of senses because the core players are still here have served as a flashpoint for Malkin’s struggles. Before the trade, and the environment feels the same. A lot of it has to do with our Malkin had 15 even-strength points in 16 games (0.93 points per game). approach every day. The new personalities fit in really well. They’re all Since then, Malkin has 22 even-strength points in 34 games (0.64 points good people. They’re good guys. I think they’re all excited to be per game). Penguins. They’re all excited to be here.” A drop in speed is unfair to pin on Pearson, since receiving anyone other It’s probably not fair to gauge the Penguins after all of three games than Johann Olav Koss or in return for Hagelin following the multi-player and multi-draft pick transaction they swung with would equate to a decline in that facet of the game. Pearson is plenty the Florida Panthers on Friday in order to add Nick Bjugstad and Jared fast. He’s just not as fast as Hagelin, and neither are approximately 95 McCann. percent of the other players currently signed to NHL contracts. But one can examine the team on a player-by-player basis through the Pearson is signed for two more seasons beyond 2018-19, and at 26, he prism of the acquirees and those who they have essentially replaced. is four years younger than Hagelin. Derick Brassard — Nick Bjugstad Rutherford mentioned Pearson was hindered by an undisclosed injury The Penguins acquired center Nick Bjugstad in a trade with the Panthers back in December. It’s unclear if he’s still dealing with that ailment, but on Friday. (Charles LeClaire/USA Sports) clearly what he has offered the Penguins has been underwhelming, particularly as of late. There were such high hopes for Brassard when he was acquired in a three-way trade with the Senators and Golden Knights last February. It Riley Sheahan — Jared McCann was assumed he would re-establish the three-center dominance the The Penguins acquired center Jared McCann in a trade with the Penguins have largely enjoyed for the past decade-plus. Panthers on Friday. (Charles LeClaire/USA Sports) But it just never happened, for reasons ranging from Brassard’s various In October 2017, things were bad for the Penguins at the center position, maladies that forced him out of the lineup to a seemingly desultory at least as it pertains to the bottom half of their lineup. The prospect of approach to being a third-line center. Sullivan and staff sought various using Greg McKegg and Carter Rowney as the No. 3 and 4 centers was avenues to engage Brassard. They let him skate on Crosby’s wing, put so unpalatable, Rutherford felt a deal for a center who failed to score a Kessel on his wing and even gave him some penalty killing duties just to goal in the first 79 games of his 2016-17 season represented an increase his minutes. upgrade. Despite all those machinations, tangible results rarely manifested for With the Penguins, Riley Sheahan reclaimed some of the dignity he lost Brassard. as a former first-round pick with the Red Wings. He mustered a Bjugstad probably doesn’t have the skillset Brassard boasts (nor the respectable 11 goals and 32 points in 73 games with the Penguins in history of postseason production), but he does appear to be far more 2018-19 while largely serving as a third-line center until Brassard arrived. willing to embrace those bourgeois duties, especially jumping from the He also served as the team’s top center iceman on the penalty kill and in ho-hum Panthers to the high-profile Penguins. Through his first three general, quickly earned the trust of the coaching staff. games, he has logged ample 5-on-5 ice time with Kessel (41:10 With yet another return by Matt Cullen this past offseason, Sheahan, re- according to Natural Stat Trick), albeit in a second-line role due to an signed as a restricted free agent to a one-year contract worth $2.1 undisclosed injury for Evgeni Malkin. Sullivan has hinted Bjugstad and million, was relegated to a fourth-line role as a winger, a position he had Kessel could see extended ice time together regardless of Malkin’s scant history with before his time with the Penguins. While his seven health. goals in 49 games with the Penguins this season were nothing insignificant, he was largely an inert entity on the ice most games. A pending unrestricted free agent at the age of 27, Sheahan was moved Bouncing in and out of the lineup, Grant was reliable but hardly a along with Brassard to the Panthers for Bjugstad and McCann (as well as difference-maker in 25 games with the Penguins. He played center and a bundle of draft picks). wing, offered a few goals and even garnered some penalty kill time, but without any distinction. He was just there. While Bjugstad might carry slightly more recognition, McCann seems to be the true prize of this deal to Rutherford. The Penguins sent him back to Anaheim on Jan. 17 for journeyman center Joseph Blandisi. That opened the door for a recall of Teddy “This is a shutdown player,” Rutherford said to Josh Yohe of The Athletic. Blueger on Jan. 29. “You put him on a third line, in that kind of role, he can shut down other players. That’s what he does best. But he can score, too. He can really A second-round pick in 2012, Blueger waited nearly seven years to reach skate. He’s such a good puck-pressure guy. And the thing about him is, the NHL. With ample time to develop his game in the NCAA and AHL he’s so young. There’s a ton of upside there, in our opinion. We’ve liked levels, Blueger has impressed management through all of four games as him for a long time.” an NHLer. He’s injected the type of energy and enthusiasm only a young player making his initial strides at this level can provide while also Through his three games with the Penguins, he has primarily manned the showing off some offensive acumen with two goals in four games. third-line center role. It’s curious to see if that will change upon Malkin’s return. Will Bjugstad be bumped to the third-line center position or moved A proven penalty killer in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, he’s even carved out a to a wing while McCann is given every opportunity to show what he can role in that area with the NHL Penguins in a short period of time while do as a traditional third-line center, as Rutherford suggested? being used as a center, his natural position, and winger in 5-on-5 play. At 22, McCann is a half-decade younger than Sheahan and is signed Daniel Sprong — Zach Aston-Reese and Garrett Wilson through next season, when he is scheduled to become a restricted free agent. The words “Sprong” and “shot” seemingly became synonymous with anyone possessing even a rudimentary interest in the Penguins over the While Sheahan appeared to be merely adequate to Penguins past four seasons. management, McCann seems to truly excite Rutherford. From the moment he stepped onto the ice at the team’s practice facility in Jamie Oleksiak — Marcus Pettersson Cranberry during the 2015 training camp, his shot just seemed different than most players. It’s a script the Penguins have tried to implement on more than one occasion. Bring in a struggling defenseman with a high pedigree, have But the results were rarely there in games of consequence. him work with assistant coaches Sergei Gonchar and Jacques Martin and he’ll be fixed. Due to a lack of trust by Sullivan and his predecessor, Mike Johnston, Sprong rarely got the opportunity to show he could be a legit top-six It happened with Ian Cole, Trevor Daley and Justin Schultz. It almost did winger. More often than not, he was related to fourth-line duties in hopes with Jamie Oleksiak. he could prove he understood the need to play a complete 200-foot game. A first-round pick of the Stars in 2011, Oleksiak briefly played with Gonchar in Dallas. That interlude led Gonchar to push management to Sprong rarely did that with the sporadic chances he was afforded. pursue him in a trade in December. As modest as his 17 points were last season, it represented a career-best for Oleksiak, who settled into a For whatever reason, that lack of trust only seemed to grow for Sullivan third-pairing role after the departure of Cole. with Sprong. It was just never going to work as long as Sullivan was making decisions on who was in and out of the lineup. And with Sprong’s Along with Chad Ruhwedel, he formed a steady but unspectacular third contract limiting the team’s ability to send him to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton pairing during the postseason. He impressed management so much he without clearing waivers, he was stuck on the NHL roster until Rutherford was extended a three-year contract worth a total of $6,412,500 as a dealt him for Pettersson. restricted free agent last offseason. That has allowed Zach Aston-Reese — currently sidelined with a But the 2018-19 Penguins were deeper on defense, even with a long- suspected hand injury — and Garrett Wilson to carve out ice time in term injury that has sidelined Justin Schultz for the better part of four bottom-six roles. months. The offseason additions of Jack Johnson and Juuso Riikola and the addition of Marcus Pettersson in a December trade put playing time Rightly or wrongly, the coaching staff trusts those players far more than at a premium. After avoiding any healthy scratches with the Penguins in they ever did Sprong. While they will never possess the offensive abilities 2017-18, the dreaded “DND” (AKA: Did Not Dress) was affixed to his of Sprong — Wilson’s zero career goals in 58 games would verify that name 10 times this season. A head injury suffered in a fight with Capitals notion — their defensive sensibilities appeal to Sullivan and staff. right winger Tom Wilson in December sidelined him for three games as Aston-Reese’s eventual return will likely lead to Wilson being assigned to well. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, where he serves as captain. But management Meanwhile, Pettersson stabilized the Penguins’ backend. The frequency values Wilson as a good citizen for the organization. of odd-man rushes they’ve allowed since his arrival has seemingly As far as Aston-Reese goes, he’s an intriguing blend of toughness and dropped, and he even managed to help level off the inconsistent game of skill and even drew comparisons to Hornqvist as a net-front presence by Johnson on a third pairing. Rutherford at one time. When healthy, he’s willing to battle with just Pettersson has even filled in on the second power-play unit at times. And about anyone in a different jersey. And he kills penalties. at 6-foot-3, he seems to use his wingspan and reach much more If the Penguins are indeed better than they were four months ago, it effectively than the 6-foot-7 Oleksiak. wasn’t evident in Tuesday’s game. They had several quality opportunities Ultimately, the Penguins needed to move Oleksiak back to Dallas on Jan. but couldn’t figure out Hurricanes goaltender Curtis McElhinney, who 28, in order to clear some salary cap space and facilitate their trade for made 23 saves in the shutout, his first of the season. Bjugstad and McCann. “We got chances,” said Letang. “But I don’t think we were sustaining shift He was an intriguing and worthwhile project who never quite after shift. We had one good shift, they had one good shift. It went back materialized. Meanwhile, Pettersson has aided in making the Penguins a and forth like that. We had good momentum, and they scored a goal. It far more stout defensive entity. kind of deflated us after the end of the first (period). I think it was the question of sustained shifts, shift after shift, and that’s how we’re going to Derek Grant — Teddy Blueger wear teams down.” The Penguins recalled center Teddy Blueger from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton “Obviously, we’ve tried to find our identity a little bit,” said Hornqvist. “We Jan. 29. (Charles LeClaire/USA Today) have some new guys, and I think they’ve done a really good job so far. They’ve been really good (additions) for us. Sometimes, it takes time.” Grant was something of a surprise for the Penguins when they landed him fairly late into July last summer. Coming off a breakout 12-goal Over the past four months, Rutherford hasn’t wasted time in altering this campaign with Anaheim in 2017-18, he mysteriously went unsigned as group. As an anonymous general manager told Lisa Dillman of The an unrestricted free agent until the Penguins signed him to a one-year Athletic in November: deal worth $650,000. “He’s talking to everybody. He wants to shake things up fast.” It was low-risk, high-reward. However long it takes for the new additions to fully integrate and truly It ended up being minimal reward. make an impact, the Penguins’ success ultimately hinges on the efforts of their top players, the ones who earned the right to skip those nugatory morning skates. “You get some new guys you’re still getting to know,” said Johnson. “But other than that, the majority of the guys are still here. When you walk into the room, it still feels the same to me. The expectations, the atmosphere, everything is still the same.” “We have the same core group,” said Letang. “We’ve moved a couple pieces here or there. I don’t think our team changed all that much.” Randomly speaking Matt Murray made 28 saves in the defeat. One of Carolina’s goals was an empty-netter by left winger Michael Ferland at 18:29 of the third period. Each team was 0 for 2 on the power play. Statistically speaking The Hurricanes led in shots, 32-23. Jake Guentzel, Letang and Hurricanes defenseman Justin Faulk each led the game with four shots. Letang led the game with 27:26 of ice time on 28 shifts. Faulk led the Hurricanes with 23:10 of ice time on 25 shifts. The Hurricanes had a 25-23 edge in faceoffs (52 percent). Crosby was 12 for 20 (60 percent). Hurricanes left winger Jordan Martinook was 5 for 6 (83 percent). Faulk led the game with six shutouts. Crosby and Olli Maatta each led the game with three blocked shots. Historically speaking The Hurricanes’ last shutout of the Penguins was a 4-0 road win, Jan. 4, 2018. Goaltender Cam Ward made 21 saves in the victory. This was the 200th shutout of the Penguins in franchise history. The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129243 San Jose Sharks 2. The penalty kill is back on track. The Sharks penalty kill regained its elite status on Tuesday, going 5-for- 5, including a pair of critical kills in overtime. Takeaways: Sharks coach spoils his longtime friend’s special night The Jets entered the game with the league’s second ranked power play, The Sharks ended the Winnipeg Jets seven-game home-winning streak No. 1 on home ice. They went 4-for-8 in the first two games of their three- on Tuesday. game homestand last week. Sharks goalie Martin Jones bailed out the penalty kill early, making seven By Paul Gackle | February 5, 2019 at 10:00 PM saves in the Jets first two tries with the extra man. After that, the Sharks penalty kill got more aggressive, holding the Jets to just two shots on their last three looks. WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Pete DeBoer isn’t apologizing for spoiling his The big kills came late in the game when Marc-Edouard Vlasic took a longtime friend’s special night. delay-of-game penalty at 18:25 of the third, forcing the Sharks to kill off 25 seconds of 4-on-3 hockey to start overtime. Then, Evander Kane got DeBoer received a front row seat to Paul Maurice’s 1,500th game behind called for too many men at 1:20 of the extra frame, putting the Sharks in an NHL bench, a milestone that ended on a sour note when the Sharks another dubious situation. snapped the Winnipeg Jets seven-game home-winning streak in overtime. But Burns swooped in and came to the rescue by forcing a turnover and setting up Pavelski’s game winner. Maurice gave DeBoer his first coaching job with the ’s Detroit Junior Red Wings in 1994. The Sharks coach showed “First off, 4-on-3 power plays are hard (to kill),” DeBoer said. “Most his appreciation by snagging bragging rights on Tuesday. coaches would probably take a 5-on-4 over a 4-on-3. We had some good players out there that made some big-time plays.” “This is how it should be,” DeBoer joked. With a perfect night, the penalty kill is now 10-for-10 since the break after Before that, he gushed about how Maurice undoubtedly belongs on the going 8-for-15 in the last four games before All-Star Weekend. The list with the five other coaches who’ve reached the 1,500-game mark. penalty kill is a foundational piece of the Sharks identity under DeBoer. They’ll need it to be airtight down the stretch. Here’s what we learned in the Sharks 3-2 overtime win in Winnipeg: “The PK came up big when it needed to. We were struggling before the 1. The Sharks continue to prove that they can stack up with anyone. break,” Justin Braun said. “We’ve watched a lot of video and have dialed Sequels rarely hold up to their originals. The Sharks and Jets carved out it in.” an exception to that rule on Tuesday. 3. The Sharks unsung hero deserves an assist on the scoresheet. The first meeting between these Western Conference heavyweights in The penalty kill should probably chip in and buy video coach Dan Darrow San Jose on Dec. 20 looked like a preview of the conference final with a nice steak dinner when the team gets to Calgary on Wednesday. He the Jets squeaking out a narrow victory late in the game. Both teams helped the group maintain its perfect marks on Tuesday by winning a shed some weight for Tuesday’s rematch as Erik Karlsson, Dustin pivotal challenge in the second. Byfuglien and Nik Ehlers all missed the game with injuries. Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey also missed the game’s last two periods The Jets appeared to take a 3-1 lead at 9:25 when Mark Scheifele after suffering a lower-body injury on a blocked shot in the first. blasted in a one timer from Blake Wheeler. But Darrow pitched in with an assist when he called down to the Sharks bench and suggested that the Regardless, round two ended up being another instant classic. The play was offside. The Sharks won the challenge, setting the stage for the difference being that this time the Sharks produced the late-game team’s comeback in the third. heroics. You may not know Dan Darrow, but he heads up video ops for the After the Jets took a one-goal lead into the third period, the Sharks found #SJSharks – and he just saved the team a goal. a way to earn two points, tying the game at 2:35 of the final stanza on a pic.twitter.com/NUbJinQKzK goal from Marcus Sorensen. Joe Pavelski then scored the clincher with his team-leading 29th at 2:49 of overtime, burying a pass from Brent — Brodie Brazil (@BrodieNBCS) February 6, 2019 Burns after the Wookiee stripped the puck from Patrik Laine on the penalty kill. “That was big. Going down 3-1 in this barn is tough,” Braun said. “You get that (goal from Sorensen) to tie it up. If that one counts, maybe we Do OT goals ever get old? don’t come out with any points.” Nah, so here's another look at @jpav8's @EASPORTSNHL overtime DeBoer also “tipped his cap” to his video coach. winner. pic.twitter.com/W0NCuVvPel “It changes the momentum of the entire game,” the Sharks coach said. — San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) February 6, 2019 “That’s a huge swing for us. Big call and gutsy call.” The win is particularly impressive considering that the Jets entered the San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 02.06.2019 contest with the league’s longest-active home-winning streak (seven games), along with the most points earned on home ice (42) and a share of the most home wins (20). Over the last two years, the Jets are 52-13-5 at Bell MTS Place, making it the toughest rink in the league. “This is a good team. You can see where they are and what they can do,” Pavelski said. “It’s a good building to play in. There’s a lot of atmosphere and energy.” In beating the Jets, the Sharks picked up another win against a first-place team, proving once again that they can stack up with the NHL’s best. The team’s status as a Stanley Cup contender was called into question before the new year when they dropped games to the Vegas Golden Knights, the Buffalo Sabres, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Jets and the Calgary Flames within a span of five weeks. In the aftermath of their 8-5 loss in Calgary on Dec. 31, the Sharks have earned wins over the Jets, the Golden Knights, the Washington Capitals, the Pittsburgh Penguins and they snapped the Tampa Bay Lightning’s 16-game point streak on Jan. 5. Heading toward the stretch run, the Sharks undoubtedly find themselves back in the Stanley Cup conversation. “It was a gutsy win,” DeBoer said. “This is a tough building. We knew we were going to have to play a good game.” 1129244 San Jose Sharks “The big thing we’ve been talking about is using my speed,” Gambrell said. “It’s helped playing a lot of minutes down (with the Barracuda). Developing good habits so that when you come back up like this you’re Things to know: Erik Karlsson skips Sharks trip to Winnipeg ready to go and don’t have to think about it too much. You can just go out and play.” Erik Karlsson will miss his fifth straight game with a lower-body injury on Tuesday. 3. DeBoer will be getting a front row seat to witness a special night for one of his best friends on Tuesday.

Jets coach Paul Maurice will be behind the bench for his 1,500th NHL By Paul Gackle game on Tuesday, becoming the sixth coach in league history to reach that mark. Maurice gave DeBoer his first coaching job with the Ontario Hockey League’s Detroit Junior Red Wings in 1994. They were previously junior hockey teammates on the Windsor Spitfires. WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Erik Karlsson’s “day-to-day” injury is stretching into its third week as the two-time Norris Trophy winner skipped the “I sent him a note this morning. I think it’s appropriate, I coached with Sharks trip to Winnipeg on Tuesday to rehabilitate at the team’s facilities him his first year as a head coach in junior hockey in Detroit. I was 25 back in San Jose. and he was 26. Fifteen hundred games is an absurd number of games and I look at that list (of games coached) that he’s on and I don’t think Though Karlsson will miss his fifth straight game when the Sharks take anybody has done more with the teams that they’ve had,” DeBoer said. on the Winnipeg Jets, head coach Pete DeBoer expects the 28-year-old defenseman to rejoin the team at some point during its four-game trek “That’s not a slight on anybody there. But this guy, you can count on one through Western Canada that wraps up in Vancouver on Feb. 11. hand the number of teams he’s gone into the season with where people have said ‘hey, that’s a team that should win.’ He’s persevered, he’s “I expect him to meet us on the road somewhere,” DeBoer said. survived it and he’s taken a step back and gone to Russia in order to Karlsson’s absence from the Winnipeg trip is the latest twist in a keep going. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him and I couldn’t mysterious ailment that was initially labeled as “nothing serious.” While be happier for him. It’s an outstanding achievement.” Karlsson missed the Sharks last three games before the break, his San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 02.06.2019 presence at All-Star Weekend seemed to confirm that he was kept out of the lineup with a minor injury for “precautionary” reasons. Why risk further injury with a 10-day break on the horizon? But the decision to keep Karlsson back in San Jose this week is evidence that the nagging injury is more serious than initially thought. Keep in mind, Marc-Edouard Vlasic recently missed 10 games with an injury that was labeled as “day to day” for nearly a month. DeBoer said that Karlsson was able to participate in all-star festivities during the final weekend of January because he was able to compete without putting any strain on his injury. “I only saw the highlights, but the one goal he scored, I think everyone on the ice would have caught him if they had tried,” the Sharks coach said. “I don’t think he pushed himself too hard, but he wanted to be out there. He wanted to represent the Sharks and good on him.” Fortunately for the Sharks, the Jets will also be missing a major piece on their blue line on Tuesday, taking even more steam out of a game that could end up being a preview of the Western Conference Final. Dustin Byfuglien will miss his 15th straight game with an ankle injury. In addition, the Jets will be without forward Nik Ehlers, who recorded a hat trick against the Sharks on Dec. 20, and potentially Bryan Little, who’s being labeled as a game-time decision for Tuesday’s game. 2. With the NHL’s Feb. 25 trade deadline looming, Dylan Gambrell will be getting an audition at fourth line center against one of the NHL’s deepest forward groups on Tuesday night. Gambrell will be suiting up for his first NHL game since Nov. 17, likely the last turn in the Sharks revolving door at fourth line center to determine whether general manager Doug Wilson needs to go shopping to fill the position at the trade market. Brian Boyle of the New Jersey Devils is among the fourth line candidates that Wilson could be kicking tires on. The Sharks could also be showcasing Gambrell to include him in a potential deal before the deadline. Usually, a lineup move like this so close to the deadline suggests that something is in the works. DeBoer acknowledged earlier in the season that the Sharks might need to acquire a fourth line center down the road if Rourke Chartier, Barclay Goodrow and Gambrell failed to grab hold of the job. Keep in mind, the Sharks added veteran Nick Spaling to anchor the fourth line in 2016 and last year they traded for Eric Fehr less than a week before the deadline. “I’ll be honest, I didn’t like our fourth line the other night against (Arizona),” DeBoer said. “We didn’t get the type of performance that we expect out of those guys, so it’s a good chance for him.” Gambrell, 22, joins the Sharks lineup after recording 28 points in 31 games for the AHL Barracuda, a 0.90 points per game scoring rate that’s tied for first on the team. The Jets fourth line should provide the Sharks braintrust with a good measuring stick for testing whether Gambrell can hold his own in a fourth line role against the best teams in the Western Conference this spring. The combination of Andrew Copp, Mason Appleton and Brendan Lemieux has combined to score seven goals and record 14 points in the Jets last six games. 1129245 San Jose Sharks

Sharks’ Joe Pavelski scores in OT to beat Winnipeg in overtime

Associated Press Published 10:33 pm PST, Tuesday, February 5, 2019

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Joe Pavelski knows the Sharks caught a break at the right time. The Sharks were shorthanded for a second time in overtime against Winnipeg on Tuesday night, and then Jets forward Patrik Laine had the puck knocked away by San Jose defenseman Brent Burns. Burns passed the puck to Pavelski, who fired the winning shot over Connor Hellebuyck’s glove at 2:49 of the extra period to give the Sharks a 3-2 victory. “We get a turnover on the (penalty kill) there in overtime and we were able to finally catch them,” said Pavelski, who scored his 29th goal of the season and added an assist. Logan Couture and Marcus Sorensen also scored for San Jose. Couture extended his point streak to four games, with three goals and three assists. Kevin Labanc contributed a pair of assists and Martin Jones stopped 25 shots for the Sharks, who won their third straight to start a four-game trip. Blake Wheeler and Mathieu Perreault scored for the Jets, and Hellebuyck made 35 saves. Winnipeg had its three-game winning streak halted and its run of victories at home stopped at seven. Joe Pavelski #8 and Brent Burns #88 of the San Jose Sharks celebrate after scoring the overtime winning goal against the Winnipeg Jets at the Bell MTS Place on February 5, 2019 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer had high praise for the winning play. “The pass Burnsy gave to Pavelski was world class, and it was a rocket,” DeBoer said. “And the way Pav handled it and stuck it in the net was world class, so that’s what great players do.” Winnipeg had a power-play goal by Mark Scheifele erased midway through the second after DeBoer successfully challenged for offside. It would have given Winnipeg a 3-1 lead. “Obviously, getting the goal called back hurt,” Wheeler said. “That’s the difference in the game right there.” Perreault’s 11th goal of the season, and 300th NHL point, gave Winnipeg the 2-1 lead 52 seconds into the second. Tyler Myers picked up an assist, extending his point streak to four games, with one goal and three assists. Sorensen’s 11th of the season tied it at 2:35 of the third when he flipped a puck bouncing in the crease into the net. San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129246 San Jose Sharks

Sharks credit video coach Dan Darrow's 'gutsy call' in win over Jets

By Chelena Goldman February 05, 2019

There were a couple of twists and turns that led to the Sharks' 3-2 overtime win over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday. Winger Marcus Sorensen scoring the tying goal in the third period? Yes. San Jose's penalty kill coming up big in overtime? Absolutely. But nothing gave them a second life in Tuesday’s contest quite like Winnipeg's second-period goal that was challenged and overturned. After it appeared Jets forward Mark Scheifele scored a power-play goal to give the Jets a 3-1 lead, the Sharks quickly challenged that the play was offside. After a quick wait, the officials ruled in San Jose’s favor. “We got a big break on that goal that was called back,” Logan Couture told reporters in Winnipeg after the game. “So we wanted to take advantage of that and give ourselves the chance to win the game, and that’s what we did.” The opportunity was thanks to Sharks video coach Dan Darrow, who signaled to the bench almost immediately that Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba carried the puck into the zone offside. Before Winnipeg could even try lining up for the next faceoff, the goal was under review. “Danny in the video room made a great call,” Couture said. “Saw it right away, and with the confidence from the coaches I knew it was going to be called back.” This was a slightly different response than the one coach Peter DeBoer had. Not that he isn’t confident in Darrow, but the Sharks’ bench boss just knows how much a game can hinge on a call like that. “There’s so much at stake, it’s a huge swing if you get it wrong,” DeBoer admitted. “Changes momentum in the entire game. That’s a huge swing for us at that point.” DeBoer, like the rest of the team, praised Darrow for getting it right. “Hat tip to him because that was a key moment,” the coach said. “Big call and a gutsy call.” Being gutsy clearly paid off. The power-play goal would’ve put the Jets up two goals in a period they were dominating. Instead, the score stayed 2-1, and the Sharks were able to build momentum on their way to a victory. That’s a big deal against a Winnipeg team that had won seven in a row at home. “Going down 3-1 in this barn is tough,” defenseman Justin Braun said of the overturned goal. “That was big.” Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129247 San Jose Sharks

Sharks takeaways: What we learned in crazy 3-2 overtime win over Jets

By Chelena Goldman February 05, 2019 6:09 PM

The Sharks-Winnipeg Jets matchup has been touted as a potential playoff series. It lived up to the hype on Tuesday night. San Jose captain Joe Pavelski ended a back-and-forth contest in epic fashion, as he scored the overtime marker to give the Sharks a 3-2 victory.

THE CAPTAIN WINS IT IN OT  pic.twitter.com/jlHWVvJGq1 — Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) February 6, 2019 Here are three takeaways from the Sharks' third straight overtime win: San Jose did work on Winnipeg’s home ice You have to give the Sharks credit for coming out of the gate strong at Bell MTS Place. The Jets entered Tuesday with a staggering 20-6-2 record on home ice, including a 9-3 pummeling of the Anaheim Ducks in their last game. Granted, San Jose didn’t look as sharp in the second period, only managing six shots on goal through 20 minutes. Nevertheless, the Sharks were able to hold the Jets to one goal that period. On that note … They have to stop giving up the early goal Here’s an area the Sharks have to fix: Having jump in their game right at the start of the period – no matter which period it is. They’re second in the league in allowing goals without in the first five minutes of a period, doing so 48 times so far this season. On Tuesday, Winnipeg scored its first goal 3:08 minutes into the first period, and their second goal 52 seconds into the middle frame. No matter which period it is, giving up goals so early can have a major effect on both teams' momentum. This was incredibly clear in the second period, when the Jets control of the game after scoring within the first minute. San Jose got a lifeline from Sharks’ video coach Dan Darrow later in the period. He caught that Winnipeg’s would-be power play goal was offside, and the goal was overturned after San Jose challenged the call. That allowed the Sharks to close the gap later in the game. Shout out to the fourth line This was one of the strongest games the fourth line has played in 2019. They were speedy and physical, creating good chances throughout the game and challenging Winnipeg netminder Connor Hellebuyck. Recent call-up Dylan Gambrell was particularly noticeable alongside Barclay Goodrow and Melker Karlsson, playing a more physical game up at the NHL level than he did earlier this season. The Sharks needed a strong effort from all four lines in Winnipeg to counter the Jets' depth. As the stretch run of the regular season goes on, it becomes more crucial for all lines to be about to contribute. The mix of strength and speed shown on Tuesday night can help give the whole team a boost on a nightly basis. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129248 San Jose Sharks

Sharks vs. Jets watch guide: Projected lines and defensive pairs

By Chelena Goldman February 05, 2019

Act Two of the "West Side Story" matchup gets underway tuesday night as the Sharks travel north to visit the Winnipeg Jets. San Jose opened up the stretch run with a win, after beating the Arizona Coyotes 3-2 in overtime last Saturday. In that contest, the Sharks held off a desperate Desert Dogs team, who sent the game into overtime. There, All-Star defenseman Brent Burns scored a brilliant back-handed goal to give San Jose the win. The Jets, for their part, continue their reign over the Central Division. They’re currently riding a three-game winning streak after annihilating the Anaheim Ducks 9-3 on Saturday. Both teams will be without key players. San Jose defenseman Erik Karlsson, who briefly practiced with the team on Monday, did not join them on the flight to Winnipeg. The Jets will also miss a key blue liner, as Dustin Byfuglien remains out with a suspected ankle injury. Tuesday marks the second time this season the Sharks and Jets have played each other. In the 30 total games played between the Sharks and the franchise formerly known as the Atlanta Thrashers, San Jose has an 18-7-2-3 record. Sharks projected lines and pairs Timo Meier – Logan Couture – Joe Pavelski Evander Kane – Tomas Hertl – Joonas Donskoi Marcus Sorensen – Joe Thornton – Kevin Labanc Barclay Goodrow – Dylan Gambrell – Melker Karlsson Radim Simek – Brent Burns Brenden Dillon – Justin Braun Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Tim Heed Martin Jones – confirmed starter Aaron Dell Jets projected lines and pairs Kyle Connor – Mark Scheifele – Blake Wheeler Patrik Laine – Bryan Little – Jack Roslovic Mathieu Perrault – Adam Lowry – Brandon Tanev Brendan Lemieux – Andrew Copp – Mason Appleton Josh Morrissey – Jacob Trouba Ben Chiarot – Tyler Myers Dmitry Kulikov – Joe Morrow Conor Hellebuyck – projected starter Laurent Brossoit Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129249 San Jose Sharks

Sharks' Erik Karlsson will miss Jets game, could rejoin team on road trip

By Chelena Goldman February 05, 2019

Tuesday night’s contest between the San Jose Sharks and Winnipeg Jets is considered to be a potential Western Conference Final preview. However, two of the game's biggest stars won’t be part of the lineup. Sharks’ defenseman Erik Karlsson and Jets’ defenseman Dustin Byfuglien will both be out of the lineup when their team’s face off at Bell MTS Place for the second game of the Sharks-Jets season series. Karlsson participated in part of San Jose’s morning skate on Monday and was considered day-to-day as he continues to deal with an unspecified lower-body injury. He then didn’t join the team on the flight up to Canada and will miss at least the game in Winnipeg, per Paul Gackle of the Mercury News. Erik Karlsson won’t be in for #SJSharks. He didn’t make the trip to Winnipeg. Could rejoin team later on this 4-game swing through Western Canada — Paul Gackle (@GackleReport) February 5, 2019 Byfuglien participated in Jets’ practice on Tuesday but is not slated to be in the lineup against San Jose. The gritty blueliner has been out of the lineup since sustaining a suspected ankle injury on December 29. In other lineup news, the Sharks recently recalled center Dylan Gambrell from the Barracuda. Gambrell participated in line rushes during morning skate in Winnipeg and could potentially pencil into Tuesday night’s lineup. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129250 San Jose Sharks have a 1,000-1,000 season, the first to make the Pro Bowl as both a fullback and halfback and the first player to score three touchdowns in a Super Bowl. Let’s put it this way: The NFL’s All-Decade Team for the Which Bay Area stars are headed to the Hall of Fame? Stephen Curry (of 1980s featured four running backs: Eric Dickerson, Walter Payton, John course), Buster Posey (maybe), Billy Beane (hmmmm) Riggins and Craig. Only three of those are in the Hall of Fame, and it’s time to end that injustice.

Justin Smith: “The Cowboy” had a career resurgence after signing with Daniel Brown Feb 5, 2019 the 49ers for his age 29 season. He made all five of his Pro Bowls after leaving Cincinnati, including first-team All-Pro honors in 2011. That same year, he was tabbed as the Defensive Player of the Year by Pro Football Focus and Sports Illustrated. Smith never recorded double-digit sacks in In presenting Joe Montana to the Pro Football Hall of Fame voting a season and his career total of 87 ranks 51st all-time. But as a committee in 2000, longtime sportswriter Ira Miller needed just five words defensive tackle, he occupied multiple blockers and was a key to a 49ers to make his case. defense that reached three consecutive NFC Championship Games. “Ladies and gentlemen, Joe Montana,’’ he said. Raiders And then Miller sat back down. Who would argue with such iron-clad Carve the plaque reasoning? Charles Woodson: He’s a slam dunk thanks to nine Pro Bowls and lots of There are future Hall of Famers now roaming the Bay Area landscape flashy stats. He ranks tied for fifth on the all-time interceptions list, and whose campaign speeches could someday be just as brief. They might the four players ahead of him are all in the Hall of Fame: Paul Krause, be as short as an abbreviation (“It’s Steph”) or even mere initials (“It’s Emlen Tunnell, Rod Woodson and Night Train Lane. Woodson returned K.D.”). 11 of his INTs for touchdowns — only Rod Woodson had more (12). The Elsewhere around the Bay, however, it’s not always so clear-cut. As Tom former Heisman Trophy winner split his career between the Raiders and Flores’ latest disappointment proves, things can get complicated. Local Green Bay and had some stellar years for the Packers, where he won an favorites don’t always translate on the national stage, not even when they NFL Defensive Player of the Year award and a Super Bowl. But he spent are two-time Super Bowl winning head coaches. more seasons (11 to 7) and played more games (154 to 100) with Oakland. After Flores fell short again Saturday, when the Class of 2019 for Canton was announced, it got The Athletic to wondering: Which Bay Area On the bronze bubble notables are headed for immortality in their respective sports? And who Tom Flores: He won two Super Bowls as a pioneering head coach with a seems destined for frustration? knack for “firsts.” The first Latino head coach to hoist the Lombardi Here’s our team-by-team look the enshrinements of the future. We Trophy; the first to take a wild-card team to the title (the 1980 Raiders); looked at modern-era athletes and coaches known mostly for their the first to win a Super Bowl as a player, assistant coach and head association with Bay Area teams, a field that ranges from retirees to coach. The best argument for Canton is his head-to-head record against those just now establishing their resumes for immortality. coaching luminaries such as Don Shula (6-1), Don Coryell (11-5), Chuck Noll (2-1), Tom Landry (2-1) and Bill Walsh (2-1). But his ho-hum overall So come join our prognostication as we gaze into our Crystal Hall. mark of 97-87 (.527) might forever remain his roadblock. 49ers Tough sledding Carve the plaque Jon Gruden: This isn’t as crazy as it sounds, even after a 4-12 season. The theory here: never underestimate the power of television. Gruden is Frank Gore: Even before he left the 49ers after the 2014 season, Gore only 55 and has one Super Bowl win under his belt. He’s in position, at had an eye on the Hall of Fame. I remember asking him about his least theoretically, to stockpile talent as the Raiders head for Las Vegas. Canton hopes late that season, and Gore worried a bit that voters might If this rebuilding thing is real, it won’t take much to push him into the not appreciate his under-the-radar skills, such as his expert pass Canton conversation. Like another former Raiders coach, John Madden, protection and his willingness to pound out tough yards for bad offenses. stellar broadcasting work bought him lots of popularity and goodwill. But then Gore went on to Indianapolis and Miami and removed doubt about his candidacy. Gore, now 35, continues to surge up the all-time Warriors charts, and he’s not done yet. The only players ahead of him on the career rushing list: Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton and Barry Sanders. Carve the plaque When Gore retires — probably in, oh, 2046 — the classy leader deserves Steph Curry: He’s the greatest shooter in NBA history and, appropriately the first-ballot salute. enough, it’s by a long shot. Put it this way: Curry has hit 10 or more 3- On the bronze bubble pointers in a game 13 times. Everyone else in NBA history has combined to do it nine times. Beyond the stats, and the back-to-back MVP awards, Joe Staley: Who do you think was paving the way for Gore all those Curry is the face of the game’s 3-point revolution. years? Staley is an intriguing case because he’s been really good for a really long time, but rarely mentioned among the elite. Yes, the left tackle Kevin Durant: Based on basketball-reference.com’s statistical has six Pro Bowl selections but he’s never been a first-team All-Pro. Yes, calculations, Durant’s Hall of Fame probability is 99.9 percent. So far this Staley has made the NFL Top 100 rankings three times, but he’s never season, he’s passed Larry Bird, Gary Payton and Clyde Drexler on the been higher than No. 67 (2012). In the 49ers locker room, however, all-time scoring list. (You’re next, Dwyane Wade, at No. 30). He’s also Staley is royalty and teammates occasionally refer to him as a Hall of made 10 consecutive All-Star appearances and seven All-NBA teams. A Famer. Working against Staley is that of the 10 “similar players” listed on favorite stat: Durant and Michael Jordan are the only two players to win his Pro-Football-Reference page, only one (Dan Dierdorf) is enshrined in Finals MVP honors while averaging at least 35 points, eight rebounds Canton. and five assists in the series. He changed teams and might do it again, but he’s an all-time great in any uniform. Patrick Willis: Did retiring after his age 29 season cost him a chance at the Hall of Fame? Injuries certainly curtailed the career of a player who On the bronze bubble might rank as the second-best 49ers defensive player ever (Ronnie Lott Klay Thompson: If this is the “greatest shooting backcourt in the history is No. 1, of course). Over seven full seasons, Willis was a Pro Bowl of the game,’’ as Mark Jackson famously said, shouldn’t both guards go selection every time and an All-Pro five times. His case for the Hall of in? Thompson already ranks 18th all-time in career 3-pointers and he Fame would have to be similar to the successful argument made for and Curry are the only two players in NBA history to hit at least 200 3s in Terrell Davis, the former Denver Broncos running back whose four full four consecutive seasons. Then again, Thompson runs the risk of being seasons were spectacular. overshadowed: In his career, he’s shown up in MVP voting just once — a Tough sledding 10th-place vote in 2014-15. He’s also shown up among league leaders in scoring average just once — 10th at 21.7 in ’14-15. I think he breezes Roger Craig: No less an authority than Bill Walsh once called Craig “a into the Hall, but if voters resist, someone should just put on “China Klay” clear-cut Hall of Famer.” But the running back was only an occasional highlights. modern-era finalist before aging off that ballot. Let’s hope the Seniors Committee fixes that mistake because Craig deserves credit for being, as Draymond Green: The case for Green is that he’s the defensive heart of called him, “a cutting-edge player on a cutting-edge team.” an NBA dynasty. He’s the shut-down defender who provides relentless His pass-catching skills in the West Coast offense became the new energy for a team that occasionally needs a kick in the pants. But those prototype for how running backs can be used. Craig was the first back to things are hard to measure. Green’s tangible resume includes a Defensive Player of the Year Award, four All-Defense teams, three All- been debated endlessly and, like Pete Rose, might spend eternity as a Star Games and … a mere 9.1 points per game average. Advanced barstool debate. metrics could help — Green has ranked among the league’s top five in defensive rating three times. Jeff Kent: A five-time All-Star with 377 career home runs, he’s somehow never gained traction with the BBWAA. He’s held steady in the 14-18 Steve Kerr: His 302 wins are more than 1,000 behind the all-time leaders percent range since hitting the ballot in 2014. Don Nelson (1,355) and Lenny Wilkens (1,332). But even if Kerr doesn’t stick around long enough to amass those kinds of numbers, it’s hard to A’s imagine him not being immortalized for his role in three (or more) NBA Carve the plaque championships. Yes, he’s got embarrassing riches in terms of talent, but Kerr deserves credit for the whole “Strength in Numbers” vibe when No one: An odd wrinkle of the Billy Beane era is that for all the A’s these superstars are at their selfless best. He has a .795 winning success (nine postseason appearances on a shoestring budget) and percentage (302-78), which would smash Phil Jackson’s mark of .704 there’s not one core player even close to the Hall of Fame. That includes among coaches with at least 400 games. Kerr is also an eight-time NBA all the players the A’s have parted ways with: Jason Giambi, Miguel champion: five as a player, three as a coach. Tejada, Barry Zito, Mark Mulder, Tim Hudson, Eric Chávez, Josh Donaldson and Yoenis Céspedes. The closest player is Frank Thomas, Tough sledding who reached Cooperstown but played only 192 of his 2,322 career Andre Iguodala: It’s highly unlikely, but basketball-reference.com at least games for the A’s. gives Iguodala a chance. The site rates his current Hall of Fame On the bronze bubble probability at 6.1 percent. The swingman has an intriguing body of work. He’s the first player to win NBA Finals MVP without having started a Billy Beane: He’s at risk of following in the footsteps of Gene Mauch, who regular-season game that season. He’s also been an All-Star, first-team was the winningest manager never to win a pennant. Mauch won 1,902 All-Defense, first-team All-Rookie and an Olympic gold medal winner with games — eighth all-time when he retired — but no World Series meant Team USA in 2012. no Hall of Fame. With Beane, that’s also about the only knock left. One of the most progressive and influential executives in baseball history, Beane Giants has a 1,793-1,607 record (.527) since taking over the A’s after the 1997 Carve the plaque season. Under his watch, the A’s have six American League West titles and three wild-card berths despite a payroll that could be found between Bruce Bochy: He is one of 10 managers to win at least three World your couch cushions. He’s probably Cooperstown bound, but the lack of Series titles and all of the other nine are in the Hall of Fame. And by postseason success will give voters pause. Also, there was some leading the Giants to the championship in 2010, ’12 and ’14, Bochy resentment/jealously after the hype of the “Moneyball” book and movie, became just the fifth dugout wizard to lead a team to three titles in a five- and that backlash could linger. year span. The others? Connie Mack, Joe McCarthy, Casey Stengel and Joe Torre — all candidates for the Mt. Rushmore of managing. Above all, Tough sledding Bochy once let Pablo Sandoval pitch. Bob Melvin: Another contender who needs to win The Big One, but keep On the bronze bubble an eye on BoMel. He’s won Manager of the Year three times, a feat accomplished only by Tony La Russa (four times), Bobby Cox (four), Buster Posey: Though their personalities are dramatically different, Buck Showalter, Jim Leyland, Joe Maddon, Dusty Baker and Lou Posey’s case has echoes of Will Clark. Both burst onto the scene as full- Piniella. fledged stars and helped define a new era of Giants baseball. Then, just when it looked as if they would be all-time greats, injuries started taking a Sharks toll on their production. On one hand, Posey has three World Series Carve the plaque victories, a Rookie of the Year award, an MVP trophy, a batting title, four Silver Sluggers, a Gold Glove and an awesome freaking name. On the Joe Thornton: Jumbo is closing in on Gordie Howe (1,049) for ninth on other, his “similar batters” analysis at baseball-reference.com puts him in the all-time assist list. You pass Mr. Hockey, you can write your induction the company of catchers such as Mike Lieberthal and Paul Lo Duca. speech. Thornton is also one of just seven players in NHL history to rack Posey’s declining home run totals since 2014 look like this: 22, 19, 14, up 1,500 games, 400 goals and 1,000 assists. And if that isn’t enough, 12, 5. Still, he was amazing for a stretch. Posey’s seven-year peak WAR just look at that beard. — one of Jay Jaffe’s key metrics for Hall of Fame analysis — is 37.1, which ranks seventh all-time among backstops. The only catchers with a On the bronze bubble better WAR-7 are Gary Carter, Johnny Bench, Mike Piazza, Ivan Patrick Marleau: This is a curious case because, like Thornton, this Rodríguez and Carlton Fisk. Voters will be eager to honor at least one former Shark has never hoisted a Stanley Cup. Marleau has also never player from the Giants “dynasty” and Posey looks like the best bet. led the league in any standard category and never finished higher than Madison Bumgarner: If there were a Postseason Hall of Fame, then ninth in voting. But Marleau has had a long and MadBum would be a first-ballot inductee. He has a 2.11 ERA over 102 productive career that’s a little on the stealth side. All 10 players on his 1/3 playoff innings and, in his five World Series games, he’s 4-0 with an hockey-reference.com similarity scores list are in the Hall of Fame, with 0.25 ERA. Regular-season Bumgarner, however, is in the very-good-but- the closest comparables listed as Joe Nieuwendyk, Ron Francis and not-great category. The left-hander has never been higher than third in Dave Andreychuk. the Cy Young voting and never higher than seventh for WAR among Doug Wilson: He’s been the Sharks general manager for so long that National League pitchers. The question now is how much he has left. some whippersnappers might not know he was a Hall-of-Fame worthy Bumgarner didn’t miss many bats last season, with his whiff rate on his defenseman, mostly for the Chicago Blackhawks. Wilson, an eight-time four-seam fastball at 5.26 percent, per brooksbaseball.net. (Bumgarner All-Star, won the Norris Trophy in 1982 and three other times finished in had a 13.49 percent whiff rate on his four-seamer in 2014.) But the top five. ESPN’s list in 2018 of “Biggest Hockey Hall of Fame Snubs” Bumgarner, at 29, is a resourceful, complete pitcher who could make a noted that Wilson had the misfortune of being overshadowed during his successful transition to “crafty left-hander.” If he remains productive into playing days by defensemen Ray Bourque, Paul Coffey and Rod his 30s, he could continue to make his mark at a time when durable Langway. But Wilsons’s 0.81 points per game average still ranks eighth workhorses are a rarity. among defensemen with at least 657 games and his 39 goals in ’82 are Brian Sabean: There are 35 executives enshrined in Cooperstown and the fourth-most ever scored by a defenseman in a single-season. Like the Images accompanying that list at the HOF website are dominated by Roger Craig, above, Wilson is in a distinguished 1,000-1,000 club. He’s dapper fellows in sepia-toned photos (looking good, Al Spalding!) Of the one of four individuals to play 1,000 games in the NHL while also serving modern guys, John Schuerholz and Pat Gillick are probably most similar as a GM for 1,000 games. The other three are all in the Hall of Fame: to Sabean — GMs who sustained long-term success, even as the , Bob Gainey and Bob Pulford. landscape shifted. As the architect behind three World Series winners Tough sledding and four NL champs, Sabean should get credit for winning pennants in two ways: by stockpiling veterans during the Barry Bonds era and by Evgeni Nabokov: He’s a longshot, having finished his career ranked 18th switching gears and drafting a young nucleus that included Posey, on the NHL’s all-time win list (353). But he still holds nearly every major Bumgarner, Matt Cain, Brandon Crawford and others. Sharks franchise goaltending record, including games played (563), wins (293) and shutouts (50). Nabokov also represented Russia on the Tough sledding international stage several times in his career, including at the 2008 Barry Bonds: He got only 59.5 percent of the BBWAA vote this year, a World Championships, when he led Russia to a gold medal by posting a jump of less than 3 percentage points from 2018. His candidacy has 1.78 goals-against average. The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129251 St Louis Blues has left the team to pursue business opportunities in Southern California. ... Goalie Evan Fitzpatrick has been called up to the Blues’ San Antonio affiliate (AHL) from their Tulsa affiliate (ECHL). Travel grind made coaching a limited engagement for Blues' Robinson St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 02.06.2019

Jim Thomas

SUNRISE, FLA. • Larry Robinson’s heart was into coaching with the Blues. As for his body ... not so much. “The reason I’m not there has got nothing to do with the coaching part of it,” said Robinson, the Hockey Hall of Famer. “It’s just the travel. I can’t take the traveling any more. My body just doesn’t stand up.” When Mike Yeo was fired Nov. 19 and associate coach Craig Berube was bumped up to interim head coach, the Blues were a man short on their coaching staff. Robinson, who won nine Stanley Cups as a player, coach and scout, agreed to fill the void as an assistant, but only until Christmas. “These kids, they’ve got 30 years on me, some of them,” Robinson said. And more. At age 19, rookie Robert Thomas is 48 years younger than the 67-year-old Robinson. “So when you get back (from a road trip) at 2 o’clock in the morning, and you gotta get back up at 6:30 in the morning,” Robinson said. “Just going from city to city and changes in time zones and everything else.” It’s tough, especially for someone who lived that hockey life for nearly half a century. So when the Blues returned from a western Canada trip Dec. 23, Robinson returned to his role as the team’s senior consultant for hockey operations. Robinson lives in Bradenton, Fla., near Tampa, so he rejoined the team Monday for the Florida leg of this three-game trip — Tuesday’s game against the Florida Panthers and Thursday’s contest against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Robinson is around the team this week but wearing his consultant’s hat, not coaching. “I like the way we’re playing more like a team now,” he said before the Florida game. “Guys are competing hard. We’re also starting to get a little healthy, too, and that’s really helped.” Robinson especially likes the way the team is playing defensively. “We’re a better team defending in our zone,” Robinson said. “I’ve never been a great proponent of guys leaving their feet, sliding on the ice and everything else. The game’s too quick and guys are too good with the puck now. They just wait for guys to fall down and they make plays. “So I (like) the fact that we’re getting better with the use of our sticks. Getting sticks in lanes, deflecting pucks, poke-checking. Staying on our feet and being able to react to the situations. Playing their 2-on-1’s and 3- on-2’s a little bit better, I think that’s been a big part. “If there’s an area that we can improve on, and I think we’re getting better, it’s getting pucks through to the net.” So the staff was back to being down one coach after Christmas, but Berube doesn’t think it has hurt operations. “I think the guys have done a great job, our coaching staff,” Berube said. “(Larry) was just a real good sounding board for us and a real good guy to talk to and be around and give us information.” NO PERRON There was some hope last week that injured forward David Perron would rejoin the team at some point during this trip, but Berube said Tuesday morning that’s not happening. Perron hasn’t played since Jan. 17 against Boston because of what’s been described by the team only as an upper-body injury. When asked about Perron’s condition, Berube didn’t give the most glowing prognosis. “He’s OK,” Berube said. “Not enough progress.” Following Thursday’s contest at Tampa Bay, Perron will have missed six games. Perron skated at least once on his own back in St. Louis before the team left for this trip. BLUENOTES Forward Robby Fabbri and defenseman Robert Bortuzzo were healthy scratches against the Panthers. ... Director of Blues Alumni Terry Yake 1129252 St Louis Blues And into the net. The Blues really turned up the heat after that score, buzzing around the net and sending shot after shot on Reimer. They ended up outshooting Florida 19-8 in the final period. Blues score three goals in third period, beat Panthers 3-2 Next came that wild scrum, ending in an O’Reilly goal with 8:51 left to play. Tarasenko and Brayden Schenn also were trying to jam the puck past Reimer, and it was a Schenn shot that O’Reilly got a piece of to tie Jim Thomas the score at 2-2. It gave him 20 goals for the season and extended his scoring streak to eight games. SUNRISE, FLA. • In case you haven’t noticed, but you probably have, the Blues haven’t exactly been the Comeback Kids this season. Through Next came Dunn. He scored his first NHL goal at Florida as a rookie on their first 50 games, they had trailed 22 times entering the third period. Oct. 12, 2017. Their record in those games? A regrettable 1-18-3. The lone win was “Honestly, it was like my first goal last year here,” Dunn said. “It was back on Dec. 11 in St. Louis, when after trailing the Florida Panthers 1-0 kinda just a puck that came loose in the middle and I jumped on it.” entering the third, the Blues rallied for a 4-3 win. Dunn’s sixth goal of the year came with 3:53 remaining. The last 2:02 On Tuesday before an intimate gathering at BB&T Center, it happened was played with Reimer on the bench and an extra Florida attacker on again. Trailing 1-0 after two periods to Florida, and then 2-0 just 30 the ice. But the Blues survived the tense closing minutes to pull out what seconds into the third, the Blues got goals from Colton Parayko on a could be a confidence-building victory. wraparound, Ryan O’Reilly in a mad scrum, and then the game-winner from Vince Dunn to pull out a dramatic 3-2 victory. And another victory for goalie Jordan Binnington. Making his fifth consecutive start, and the ninth in the last 12 games, he improved his And they celebrated with ... disco music. Yes, the sounds of “Gloria” by record to 7-1-1. He has allowed more than two goals in only one of those Laura Branigan were blaring in the visitors’ locker room. contests, a 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Jan. 21. “‘Gloria’s’ I guess our song now,” Dunn said. “That (comeback) was really impressive,” Binnington said. “It was fun to watch and you could feel it after Pary got that first goal that we were just Come again? gonna be relentless for the rest of the game.” “It’s a heck of a song,” O’Reilly said. “We like it. We got some old souls And then the music — the disco music — started to play. here.” St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 02.06.2019 And he wasn’t talking about the nearly 20 fathers and grandfathers who are accompanying the team on this Dad’s Trip. This is the fourth time the Blues have done this and the team is now 6-1 in this setting. No one wants to disappoint his father, right? So the Blues continue their push for a playoff spot. For only the second time this season, they have now won three consecutive games. For the first time this season they are two — count ’em, two — games above .500 at 24-22-5. And following Tuesday’s victory they continue to find new life in the new year, improving to 9-4-1 in 2019. “I think our team’s really turned it around,” Dunn said. “We’re finding ways, even when we don’t get the starts we want to, we’re finding ways to get back into games. ... So it feels really good, especially with the dads here.” They sure didn’t get a good start in the first period. It was almost as if the Blues were coming off the long All-Star break Tuesday, and not Saturday (against Columbus). They looked oh, so sluggish. Why was that? “I’m not too sure,” Dunn said. “This building’s not the most exciting building when you’re getting out there. Maybe we just came in a little bit sleepy.” The listed attendance was 10,243, but the crowd looked much smaller than that. In any event, the Panthers had the game’s first eight shots on goal, with the Blues not getting their first until Zach Sanford came crashing down on Panthers goalie James Reimer with 10 minutes, 52 seconds left in the period. Florida scored late in the period on a power-play goal by Henrik Borgstrom for a 1-0 lead, and it easily could have been 2-0 or 3-0 Florida. “That’s a good team over there,” interim coach Craig Berube said. “We didn’t do a good enough job on our forecheck and in the offensive zone. We let them come with too much speed at us, and it backed us off a little bit.” After a scoreless second period, things looked bleak for St. Louis when Aleksander Barkov scored another Florida power-play goal, taking advantage of a bizarre break on a puck that bounced off the face of Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo. The Blues had not come back from a 2-0 deficit for a victory all season. But they did Tuesday, with Parayko providing the spark. He circled behind the net and slipped the puck under the stick of Reimer for a wraparound goal just 2 1/2 minutes after the Barkov goal. It was Parayko’s ninth goal of the season, matching his career high, set during his rookie season of 2015-16. “It was kind of a 50-50 puck between me and the other guy,” Parayko said. “Got a chance to use the long stick and poked it behind the net.” 1129253 St Louis Blues There was some hope that forward David Perron would join the team at some point on this three-game trip. But interim coach Craig Berube said Tuesday morning that will not be the case. Blues rally from two goals down for 3-2 win over Florida Perron hasn't played since Jan. 17 in Boston because of what has been described only as an upper-body injury by the team. When asked about Perron's condition, Berube didn't give the most glowing prognosis. Jim Thomas "He's OK," Berube said. "Not enough progress."

It's approaching three weeks since Perron last played, and following SUNRISE, FLA. • The Blues pulled off a big comeback win over Florida, tonight's Florida game and Thursday's contest at Tampa Bay, he will scoring three goals in the third period to overcome a 2-0 deficit and beat have missed six games. Perron skated at least once on his own back in the Panthers 3-2 on Tuesday. St. Louis before the team left for this trip. The win, the Blues third in a row, moved the Blues one point out of the But without any practice time with the team, it's doubtful he'd be ready to second wild card spot in the Western Conference. It was the first time play in this weekend's back-to-back contests against Nashville even if this season they won after being down by two goals and it's the first time healthy. The Blues play the Predators on Saturday at Enterprise Center this season the Blues are two games above .500. and on Sunday in Nashville. "It shows you can win games," coach Craig Berube said. "You're going to Perron was on a tear before the injury, with a career-long points streak of be down in games, you're playing good teams all the time, not getting 13 consecutive games (six goals, 10 assists). So far, the Blues are 3-1 breaks your way. It's important to stay with it. It's a 60-minute game; without him. that's what we did tonight." BINNINGTON AGAIN "We found a way to win the game," center Ryan O'Reilly said. "It wasn't a pretty game, the first period, we got outplayed. We responded well in the For the fifth game in a row, the Blues are going with Jordan Binnington in second and in the third, we gave up a goal right way, Petro got hit in the goal tonight against the Florida Panthers. Binnington is 6-1-1 as a starter head there, but we responded. We stuck with it, kept working for it, this season, with a 1.63 goals-against average and a .933 save played hard, together, got back into it. It wasn't the prettiest win, but percentage in those games. It's increasingly likely that Jake Allen may that's a massive two points for us." not see action until one of the games in the back-to-back against Nashville Vince Dunn scored the game-winning goal with 3:53 to go on a shot from outside. The Blues got a goal from Colton Parayko to get on the board "Jake, we're keeping him sharp and he's ready," Berube said. "But 3:05 into the third and then tied the game on a goal by O'Reilly with 8:51 Binner's going well right now and we're gonna roll with him right now." to go. Season 3, Episode 21 -- Blues reporter Tom Timmermann joined The Blues had fallen behind 2-0 30 seconds into the third when columnist Jeff Gordon to discuss the Blues' immediate rivals in the wild Aleksander Barkov scored for Florida. The Blues had created plenty of card scramble. chances before and after the goal after a sluggish first period and finally The same could be said for the rest of the lineup against Florida. There were rewarded when Parayko tracked down a rebound of his own shot, are no changes on the forward lines or defensive pairings from went behind the goal and scored on a wraparound. Saturday's 4-2 victory in Columbus. That means forward Robby Fabbri "That was our spark," O'Reilly said. "You could see how the momentum will be a healthy scratch for the fifth consecutive game and defenseman shifted. It put them back on their heels and that's tough. When we're Robert Bortuzzo will sit for the third straight game. playing loose and taking risks, moving everywhere, we're tough to play "We got guys that are ready to play," Berube said. "Fabbri's ready, against. We started to get bounces." Bortuzzo. We'll get them in, too." With the lead down to one, the Blues amped up the pressure and tied the Just not tonight against the Panthers. game. Brayden Schenn took a shot and the puck fell in front of the goal, with Vladimir Tarasenko and Keith Yandle on the ice fighting for it. BUDDY SYSTEM O'Reilly pulled the puck out of the mess and shot between goalie James Reimer's legs for the goal. Florida challenged for goalie interference but Zach Sanford's father, Michael, passed away in September. So on this the goal stood, giving O'Reilly points in eight straight games. Blues Father's Trip, Sanford asked and received permission from the team to have a college friend, Chris Calnan, join the dads, stepdads, and Then Dunn got the game-winner. Florida was casual getting the puck out occasional grandfather for the games against Florida and Tampa Bay. of its zone and Dunn jumped on a loose puck and, with Pat Maroon saving the play by getting out of the zone just before Dunn went in, he "I went to BC with him," Sanford said. "He was a grade above me. He's a skated into the slot and scored. Boston guy, he's one of my good friends now. I was glad he could come." "A heads up play on his part," Berube said. "He's got a good wrist shot Like Sanford, Calnan also played hockey for Boston College and was and made a good shot." team captain as a senior. He and Sanford were roommates for a year in school. After that, the Blues had to hang on, with Florida pulling its goalie with 2:02 to go. Florida had a shot go off the post – the third time in the game "He thinks it's pretty cool to see kinda how we live and stuff, as all the Florida hit a post – and the Blues held on. dads do," Sanford said. "He walks into the hotel, and he's like 'wow.' Just comments like that." "You look at the blocked shots (in the six-on-five)," O'Reilly said, "the guys on the wing, they stepped up with some massive blocks. You never The Blues are staying at a beachfront hotel here overlooking the Atlantic know, those get through it could be a goal. Guys doing what ever it takes Ocean. Suffice it to say, it's not a Motel 6. to win and doing what it takes to be effective. That was a huge one for "We get treated pretty well in this league," Sanford said. us." BLUES LINEUP Jordan Binnington got the win, stopping 22 of 24 shots. Forwards: "He kept us in there," Berube said. "In the first period we were on our heels a little bit, we weren't that sharp. He kept us in there. We come out Schenn-O'Reilly-Tarasenko only 1-0, it could have been worse. He made some big saves, we battled back and got two points." Schwartz-Bozak-Steen It was a sluggish start for the Blues, but in the final 40 minutes, the Blues Sanford-Sundqvist-Maroon outshot them 29-13. MacEachern-Barbashev-Thomas Florida got the goal with 1:05 in the period on a power play. Henrik Defensemen: Borgstrom reached around Binnington and poked in a loose puck with 29 seconds to go in the power play. The Panthers power play came after an Gunnarsson-Pietrangelo ineffective Blues power play was ended by a penalty to Jaden Schwartz. Bouwmeester-Parayko Perron to miss at least 2 more games Dunn-Edmundson Goalie: Blues take on Winnipeg in the home opener Binnington J.B. Forbes PANTHERS LINEUP QUESTION: Do you think Schwartz is on the trading block? Of course, his stock is probably real low at the moment. Forwards: JT: Armstrong really likes Schwartz. What a fun player he is to watch Huberdeau-Barkov-Dadonov when he's really on his game. I think Armstrong indicated earlier in the Hoffman-Trocheck-Brassard season, around the time of the Yeo firing, that Schwartz basically was untouchable. I think I'm remembering that right. In any event, I wonder if Vatrano-Borgstrom-Sheahan the prolonged goal slump changes that. Hawryluk-Sceviour-Malgin But you're right. Even though Schwartz has two years remaining on his contract after this season (at $5.35 million per), his injury history and his Defensemen: goal drought might not lead to the return Armstrong is looking for. Yandle-Ekblad IN PURSUIT OF PANARIN? Matheson-Pysyk Blues Blue Jackets Hockey Brown-Weegar QUESTION: How about a trade for Tarasenko's buddy Artemi Panarin, with Schenn or Schwartz being the centerpiece going to Columbus? Goalie: JT: Interesting. Panarin does not have a no-trade clause in his contract, Reimer but I believe he's made it pretty clear he wants to play for a larger market. ABOUT REIMER (Larger than St. Louis, I would presume.) So you'd be risking sending someone like Schwartz and Schenn for a six-week rental. James Reimer is 5-1-2 over his last nine games for the Panthers with a 2.29 goals-against average and a save percentage of .924. He is 2-1 GUT FEELING ON THE PLAYOFFS during his NHL career against the Blues with a 4.07 GAA and a .882 APTOPIX Blues Ducks Hockey save percentage. He did not play in the Panthers' 4-3 loss to the Blues Dec. 11 in St. Louis. QUESTION: Gut feeling: Will the Blues make the playoffs? WILL THEY BUY OR WILL THEY SELL? JT: I've been wrong before, but I just don't see it happening. This is a team that has been unable to win more than three games in a row all +8 season. Even though the team has played better since the week before Berube named Blues' interim head coach Christmas, I just can't see any kind of prolonged run to get them in the playoffs. The X-factor, however, could be Binnington, who definitely has QUESTION: You and Gordo write informative articles about the pros and provided a spark in goal. cons of the Blues buying or selling at the trade deadline. What I would like to know is: What do you think they are actually going to do, and why? Follow-up: Crystal ball time: Where do you see the Blues finishing? JT: Although you never say never, Armstrong has told me he doesn't JT: 40-35-7, three points out of the playoffs. want to trade young assets. As I mentioned in another post, he'd rather WOULD JAYBO WAIVE HIS NO-TRADE CLAUSE? make a "hockey" trade. Keep an eye on Maroon, he goes from a full no- trade clause to a modified no-trade (8 teams) on Feb. 1. (That's Friday.) +10 I can't imagine both Bouwmeester and Gunnarsson being back next Rookie Binnington picks up 3rd win, Blues beat Stars 3-1 season — both are scheduled to be unrestricted free agents after this season. Does a defense-needy team interested in a rental reach out for QUESTION: Seems there would be no interest in re-signing Jay them at the deadline? I also wonder about Schenn and Pietrangelo, both Bouwmeester after this year, so it makes sense to deal him. He does with just one year left on their existing contracts after this season, and have a NTC, though. Any idea if he would consider waiving that to go to both probably in line for pay raises. Those are all possibilities. a desirable team? Are the Blues interested in trading him? Would a return to Calgary be a fit? Follow-up: We’ll probably need to see what the Blues do in the 10 games after the All Star break to see if they are buyers or sellers. If by Feb. 20 JT: Bouwemeester has played pretty well over the past 20 games — they play .500 or less in those 10 games, you realistically have to be plus-6 with 2 goals and 5 assists. Led or shared the team lead in blocked sellers. Based on the teams they play in those 10 games, it would be a shots 7 times. So that much-improved play could increase the trade surprise if they were even at .500 (more like 3-7). What’s your take? interest. JT: The February schedule is daunting. Fourteen games in 27 days. Nine But you bring up the key point, with the no-trade clause. Would of the 14 on the road. Three sets of back-to-backs. Only three of those Bouwmeester waive it? Would a chance to potentially finish out his 14 games are against teams currently not in a playoff spot. So it will be career in his home province (Alberta) be a reason to waive the no-trade? tough. I think if the Blues lose 7 of 10 as you suggest, yeah, they have to Lastly, does red-hot Calgary with only 13 losses and the second-best be sellers. record in the league, still feel like they need defensive help? TIME TO TRADE SCHENN? STUCK WITH THE STEEN DEAL? Blues take on the Florida Panthers +8 J.B. Forbes Calgary Flames burn up the Enterprise Center QUESTION: What's going on with Schenn? He's one reason why the QUESTION: The Blues probably anticipated Steen's production would Blues aren't firing on all cylinders. Could we get a couple 1st rounders decline throughout his contract, and it certainly has. Two more years at back for him? $5.75 each looks pretty bad. Are the Blues content with this deal or is some sort of movement (trade, buyout) a possibility? JT: He just seems a little bit behind a lot of plays. I wonder if he's having some knee issues as well. (I've seen him wearing a brace — I don't know JT: I don't know if the Blues anticipated a production decline — and I will if he wears it all the time.) Also, he's not getting a ton of power play time. say, Steen was playing pretty well before the injuries struck this year — Remember, he led the league in power play goals I think it was two years but I would think, yeah, it's certainly not out of the realm of possibility that ago in Philadelphia. He's been on the Blues' second power play unit the team might want to move Steen. basically all season. But again, the age (35 on March 1) and cap number ($5.75 million Don't know about getting two first-rounders. Might depend on where the through the 2020-21 season) aren't going to make it easy to trade him. trade partner might be picking this year. And I don't think Armstrong is Plus. Steen has a no-trade that lasts until Feb. 1, 2021 — the final year very interested in adding more prospects. He's told me he's more inclined of his contract. to make a "hockey" trade — established veteran for established veteran — this year. 'ARMY' ON A HOT SEAT? WHAT ABOUT SCHWARTZ? QUESTION: What would it take for Doug Armstrong to get fired? Does St. Louis Blues v Vegas Golden Knights anyone else in management see the glaring issues on this roster? Time to clear out the veteran players! COMMENT: Not buying the idea that it takes a long time for a team to jell with a few new players. How long did it take for the Vegas Golden JT: I really don't see it happening this season. Maybe a total collapse Knights to jell last year? That blows up the whole discussion. changes my view on that. Armstrong "cleared out" some veteran players last year — Berglund, Sobotka, Brodziak (and Jaskin this year). I could JT: I believe it's an apples and oranges argument. The Golden Knights certainly see some of that happening before the start of next year as well. had a couple of strong galvanizing moments. First, the tragedy of the Las Vegas concert shootings just before the start of the season. It brought CAN BERUBE GO FROM 'INTERIM' TO 'PERMANENT'? the entire city together. Also, the fact that the Golden Knights players were all "castoffs" by other teams was a strong unifying force. Right +8 down to the end of the playoffs, the Knights were referring to themselves Berube named Blues' interim head coach as "misfits," playing off that and using it for motivation. What happened with Vegas was a once-in-a-generation type thing. Robert Cohen St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 02.06.2019 QUESTION: What would Berube need to do to keep the coaching job permanently? Blues are playing considerably better with him, but they dug such a big hole under Yeo, if might be hard to climb out. Does Berube have to make the playoffs to be under consideration for permanent coach? JT: Yes, I think the minimum requirement to retain Berube is that the Blues make the playoffs. And if they kind of stumble in, then it's still debatable. Even though the team has played better lately, Berube's overall record as head coach is only 15-13-2, hardly the kind of performance that calls for a parade — or a new contract. WHO'S IN GOAL DOWN THE STRETCH? St. Louis Blues versus Montreal Canadians Colter Peterson QUESTION: Who you got in goal down the stretch: Binner or Jaker? Pro and con for each? JT: It looks like Berube's going to ride Binnington more than indicated. I really thought Allen would get one of the two starts in California before the break. (LA or Anaheim). While I don't think you can just kick Allen to the curb, you just can't ignore Binnington either. He is hungry. Very hungry, after more than 200 games in the minors. Which obviously is a lot for a goalie. MAKE A QUICK MOVE IN GOAL? LaDue scores go-ahead goal, Kings rally to beat Blues 4-3 QUESTION: Sounds like Jonathan Quick is available. If the Blues decide to go after him, what would it take to get a deal done? JT: In Quick, you're getting someone who's 5½ years older than Jake Allen — 33 years old. You're inheriting a contract that goes for four more seasons after this year, at $5.8 million a year. I think you'd certainly have to view him as a short-term fix. This year, Quick's numbers are very similar to Allen's: 2.97 GAA, .904 save percentage to Allen's 3.04 GAA and .897 save percentage. Armstrong made it pretty clear to me that he didn't want to trade prospects. Would he make an exception here? Do you trade Allen to the Kings as part of the deal? CONTENDERS OR PRETENDERS? +4 Blues vs. Islanders Colter Peterson COMMENT: Regardless of how the Blues play coming out of the break, this core group is still not performing at the level it is supposed to be. Is Armstrong going to shake things up or keep giving us lip service? Three points out of a playoff spot is nothing more than Fool’s Gold. JT: True, this is still an underachieving team. And one of the only reasons the Blues are still in contention is the fact that the Western Conference is weaker this season. It took 95 points to make the postseason in the West last season; 90 points might get you in this season. Then again, I believe Nashville made the Cup finals a couple of years ago as a 7 or 8 seed. I think the LA Kings won a couple of Cups as a 7 or 8 seed. In football a 9-7 Giants team beat New England in the Super Bowl. In 2006, the Cardinals stumbled in with an 83-78 record and beat the Tigers in the World Series. So there's a lot to be said for just getting in the tournament. COME TOGETHER, RIGHT NOW +8 1129254 Tampa Bay Lightning

Brayden Point returns vs. Vegas; Ryan Callahan out

By Mari Faiello

TAMPA — Brayden Point skated out onto the rink with a small smile. The 22-year-old center made his way toward the right penalty circle before making his first warm-up shot at the goal. It went in with ease. Point returns to the lineup for Tuesday’s game against Vegas, after missing Saturday’s game against the Rangers and practice on Monday. After Point participated in the morning skate, coach Jon Cooper was encouraged but didn’t commit to him playing. At the time he said it was a possibility but ultimately would be a game-time decision. Point’s morning skate indicated he would return. Typically, the last players off the ice are scratches for that night’s game. But Point coming into the locker room toward the middle of the pack gave a hope he’d be back in the lineup. The 22-year-old center didn’t see any time on the ice during Monday afternoon’s practice, but assistant coach Derek Lalonde said they were taking things day by day. Lalonde also wasn’t all too concerned with how the team would have to adjust in Point’s absence. “It speaks to our depth,” he said Monday afternoon. The assistant coach was impressed with how the team performed in Saturday night’s matchup against the New York Rangers without the team’s “No. 1 center.” Point’s return means the Lightning is back to scratching two forwards. Veteran Ryan Callahan has been a healthy scratch in four of the last nine games. That is more than Adam Erne and Mathieu Joseph, the other two forwards Callahan has been rotating with. Danick Martel and Dan Girardi are the other two scratches in tonight’s matchup against Vegas. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129255 Tampa Bay Lightning While at home, Tampa Bay will play against the Vegas Golden Knights, St. Louis Blues, Pittsburgh Penguins, Calgary Flames, Dallas Stars and finish off with the Montreal Canadiens. Lightning Journal: Point listed as day to day Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 02.06.2019

By Mari Faiello

Twenty-two Lightning players dressed for practice Monday afternoon at Amalie Arena. One-by-one they came out of the tunnel and skated onto the ice. Yanni Gourde, Dan Girardi, Braydon Coburn, Nikita Kucherov and Adam Erne were among the first to join goalies Andrei Vasilevskiy and Louis Domingue out on the rink. The rest of the team filed out within the next five minutes or so. But one of the Lightning players never made it out to practice – Brayden Point. Point, who missed his first game in more two years Saturday against the New York Rangers with a lower-body injury, is out day-to-day, first-year assistant coach Derek Lalonde said after Monday’s practice. Just after Saturday’s game, Point was spotted walking around the locker room favoring his right leg and forcing a limp. “That was news to us right before the game,” Lalonde said. “I think maybe a playoff game, a different situation, he probably would have been available to us on Saturday.” Despite the hole in the lineup from Point’s absence, the Lightning ended up leaving Madison Square Garden with a 3-2 victory. “We didn’t lose a whole lot, but with that being said we want our 21 back,” Lalonde said. “He’s a world-class player.” Domingue to get more play time ahead It’s not every day that you can have a player come off the bench and perform the way Louis Domingue did in Saturday’s game. With the win, the 26-year-old goalie tied a franchise record of nine- consecutive starting wins with Vasilevskiy, who made franchise history in October 2017 with a ninth straight-win in a matchup against the Florida Panthers. “I play on a great team,” Domingue said. “There is for sure games in there where I needed them, and there’s times where they needed me and that’s what a good team does, just finds ways to win and it’s been working for nine-straight games, I guess. But I don’t make much of it. It’s cool but there’s still a lot of work to be done for us.” Domingue said with four back-to-back games this month — including back-to-back this Saturday and Sunday — he’s sure he’ll play in four games. And even though coaches don’t specify the games, it doesn’t change anything. “You don’t prepare differently,” he said. “Every day’s the same business.” With only two starts since just before Christmas, Domingue has certainly impressed his coaches. “There’s some mental fortitude there,” Lalonde said. “He has an ability to close.” Coming into a home game stretch strong The Lightning had one goal entering its trip to Pittsburgh and New York – to win the road trip. After dropping the Wednesday matchup against the Penguins, the Lightning won back-to-back contests in New York against the Islanders and Rangers, one in a shootout and the other with a 3-2 final score. “It’s certainly positive,” Lalonde said. The first-year assistant coach said Friday’s contest definitely felt like a playoff game. A full 65 minutes of play was under wraps before defensemen Victor Hedman put a puck in the back of the net. “Good week, and good road trip,” he said, “definitely leaves a good taste in our mouth.” Now the Lightning move on to a longer stint at home before hitting the road again. In the next two weeks the team will only have to travel once in a short trip down south to Sunrise to play against the Florida Panthers. 1129256 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning falls to Vegas in shootout

By Diana C. Nearhos

TAMPA—For the second time in three games, the Lightning needed more than 65 minutes. Tampa Bay and Vegas went into shootout on Tuesday night, as the Lightning and Islanders did on Friday. On Tuesday, however, the Lightning couldn’t pull out another win. Tampa Bay survived a too-many-men penalty with 2:22 left in overtime. But not the shootout. Alex Tuch got one past Andrei Vasilevskiy to give Vegas a 3-2 win. Coach Jon Cooper summed it up as not the best game the Lightning has played, but not the worst either. Vasilevskiy did some very Vasilevskiy things to get the Lighting the one loser’s point. In the third period, he made back-to-back saves on Cody Eakin and Tomas Nosek, then another on Max Pacioretty without a stick. Each of the three was impressive, the combination was pure Vasilevskiy. He had 35 saves on 37 shots, including six in overtime. The goaltender showed some frustration after the game, as he slammed his pads down while undressing in the dressing room. Steven Stamkos credited Vasilevskiy with getting the one point, but said the Lightning needed better situational play as a team. “We obviously shoot ourselves in the foot with an offensive zone penalty with under two minutes left,” Stamkos said referring to Alex Killorn’s trip with 1:42 to play. “So we have to kill that and then kill some in overtime and then another with the too many men.” Tampa Bay had built a 2-0 lead with less than five minutes left in the second period, but then let Vegas get on the board a couple of minutes later. Brayden Point put the Lightning on the board 6:36 into the game. He pounced on Nikita Kucherov’s rebound and sent it past goalie Marc- Andre Fleury. Mathieu Joseph added another in the second, though he needed an assist from the situation room in Toronto. Colin Miller ran into Joseph, sending him into Fleury. Joseph still managed to get his stick on the puck, which had deflected off Miller’s skate on a shot by Stamkos. The referee originally waved the goal off, but the Lightning challenged the call. The officials back in Toronto ruled “the actions of Vegas’ Colin Miller caused Mathieu Joseph to contact Marc-Andre Fleury before the puck crossed the goal line.” The Golden Knights responded quickly, scoring 2:09 later. Jon Merrill sent a long outlet pass from behind the net to Cody Eakin at the far blue line. Eakin beat Andrei Vasilevskiy on the breakaway. “We got a 2-0 lead at home with (5:41) left in the period and we give up a breakaway behind their net,” Stamkos said. “We have to be more aware of that.” Early in the third period, Vegas tied it up. Valentin Zykov battled off Braydon Coburn and sent the puck over to William Karlsson, who backhanded it back to Zykov. The winger finished for his first goal of the season. The penalty kill came up big with the two late penalties, two of only three in the game. The power play, however, came up empty late. The Lightning was 1-for-5 on the night, and did not score on either of its two in the third period. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129257 Tampa Bay Lightning

Fans get a look at a different side of Tyler Johnson

By Mari Faiello

TAMPA – It’s not every day you get to see the lighthearted side of Tyler Johnson. However, Lightning fans experienced the 28-year-old’s funny personality during the team’s home matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes on Jan. 10 when Johnson was wired up with a hidden microphone. During warm-ups, the forward was perplexed with a particular fan’s sign that read, “I got sunshine in my (Cedric) Paquette.” Assistant equipment manager Rob Kennedy told Johnson it was a play on the song, “Can’t Stop the Feeling" and “I got sunshine in my pocket.” Johnson also had a heart-to-heart with Ondrej Palat, telling Palat that he was his “favorite player." He reiterated this later on after Palat scored a power-play goal, tying up the score 1-all in the third period. Later on during the matchup, announcers told Lightning fans there was an opportunity to win a signed Brayden Point jersey. Johnson then looked over to Point, who was sitting next to him on the bench, and told him he could put in “20 bucks” for that. One of Johnson’s funniest moments of the night came when a referee was scolding Mathieu Joseph on the bench for not moving when he was told to do so. Joseph explained to the official that he couldn’t hear him and as the referee skated away, Johnson piped up that English is Joseph’s second language (he speaks better English than some natives do). Joseph shrugged and chuckled with a wide grin on his face. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129258 Tampa Bay Lightning “But if you’re asking me about the next couple months, if I’m a betting man I say he’s here and plays a role.”

The trade deadline is less than three weeks away, on Feb. 25. There’s Ryan Callahan told he’s odd man out; what does that mean for future not a sense, at least at this point, that the Lightning are shopping with Lightning? Callahan for a deadline move. He’s one of the strongest voices in the dressing room, and he has shown he can deliver in the postseason (he might have been the Lightning’s best player during the Eastern By Joe Smith Feb 5, 2019 Conference Finals – on one healthy shoulder).

Tampa Bay is one injury away from needing Callahan’s presence on the fourth line. As healthy as the Lightning have been this season, they’ll TAMPA, Fla. — Lightning wing Ryan Callahan has absorbed many blows probably suffer an injury or two down the stretch. Plus, as Bartlett points over his career as a physical force on the forecheck and penalty kill. out, Callahan’s contract would be a pretty “steep” one for another team to But this was a pretty big gut punch. take on. If he were a pending UFA, that would be more enticing for suitors. Callahan, 33, revealed Tuesday he was told by coaches after the All-Star break that he is now the team’s 13th forward and not part of the regular “If he was a rental, he’d be gone in a heartbeat,” Bartlett said. lineup rotation. Callahan will be a healthy scratch Tuesday for the third For now, Callahan plans to stay ready for when he gets a chance. He time in the last four games, with his only action coming in Saturday’s 3-2 was out on the ice for 45 minutes after Tuesday’s optional skate with win over the Rangers when center Brayden Point (lower body) was a late fellow scratches Dan Girardi and Martel. Callahan played well against the scratch. Rangers Saturday, picking up an assist and three hits in 10:26. This is not an easy pill to swallow for any player, especially an “I’m trying to prove I can still play and be in the lineup,” Callahan said. established veteran and alternate captain. But, for the season, Joseph and Erne have been overall better. “No matter what point in your career, it’s not easy to be a healthy scratch,” Callahan told The Athletic. “The rotation, at least it’s a little bit Read more on shot metrics here, expected goals here, and game score easier knowing you’re going to be in there. But now, being informed here. you’re the 13th and won’t be playing in the rotation, it makes it harder. No question, it’s tough mentally. But, at the same time, when I get in there When it comes to putting together the fourth line, what are things the I’ve got to do what I can to try to stay, whether it’s putting the puck in the coaching staff is looking for? net, blocking shots, taking the body. The way I approach it is, whenever I “Some (players) get 18, 19, 20 minutes, some guys get 14,16, some get get an opportunity, I’ve got to prove myself.” 10,12,” Cooper said. “When you play 10-12, you get guys on the PK, they With 14 healthy forwards, the Lightning had been using a rotation, have that role in that area. And when you’re getting your minutes, you’ve allowing rookie Mathieu Joseph, Adam Erne and, at times, Danick Martel got to do all the little things that help teams win. You’ve got to play the to get some game action. Before the bye week/All-Star weekend, 200-foot game, can’t come off the ice and be a minus, you have to have Callahan had only been scratched a couple times for injury-related that physical edge that may put the other team on their toes. reasons or rest, with his back giving him issues in December on the “All those things help round out a team and help you win games. Western Canada trip. Because there are other guys on your team that their focal point is But with Erne having a breakout season, and Joseph, 21, a more putting the puck in the net. You need (the fourth line) to be able to round dynamic and quicker option on the fourth line (and penalty kill), Callahan out the team and that’s their roles. They’re starting to prove they can do is the odd man out. Callahan has just 13 points in 41 games, averaging a it, but we’ve got to see.” career-low 11 minutes, 20 seconds, with his Corsi for/60 minutes the Cooper said Callahan will get back in the lineup but credit the veteran for lowest on the team (he’s been on the ice for the lowest shot rate of the handling this situation with a positive attitude. team). “He understands he’s part of a very deep and successful team,” Bartlett As much as Callahan is respected by coaches and teammates, the said. “And he understands at some point there was a time when he was younger guys have earned a stronger look. probably knocking a veteran guy out of the lineup. What goes around, “We want our players to have an impact on the game in a positive way, comes around. He’s confident in his abilities. I’m confident in his abilities. and when you’re doing that, you find yourself in the lineup,” coach Jon And I can’t tell you how many times someone told me, ‘I’m not sure he’ll Cooper said. “You can’t do that unless you’re in the lineup. We have to be in every night,’ and two weeks later, two guys get hurt and he’s take a look at some guys and see what they can do. And Callahan is a playing a key role. proven player in this league, proven player on our team. We’ve got some “Everything is day-to-day in this game.” young guys that haven’t been able to prove (themselves). That is what we’re looking to see. But, to do that, we’ve go to give them a chance, and On Point that’s what we’re doing.” If you read the tea leaves, it certainly looks like Brayden Point will be There is the bigger picture to look at here, too, on what does this mean back in the lineup Tuesday against the Golden Knights. for Callahan’s future with the Lightning? Callahan carries the second- largest cap hit among Tampa Bay forwards ($5.8 million AAV), second Point was a late scratch Saturday against the Rangers, with assistant only to captain Steven Stamkos ($8.5 million). That’s a lot of money to be Derek Lalonde saying the staff didn’t know until before warmups. Cooper paying a 13th forward. called Point’s scratch a “precaution” because of a lower body injury. Had it been a playoff game, Point likely would have played, Lalonde said. Callahan has one more year on his contract (at $5.8 million) and a modified no-move clause (a list of 15 teams he can be traded to without Point participated in Tuesday’s optional skate, and looked good, so it his permission). While Callahan wants to stay and hasn’t yet been seems as though he’s back. approached by the Lightning about a trade, it is looking a lot more likely Milestone tally that this is his final year in Tampa Bay. Rookie defenseman Erik Cernak was still smiling Tuesday about his With the Lightning facing a cap crunch this summer, $73 million allowed much-anticipated first NHL goal scored Saturday at Madison Square to 16 players and RFA Brayden Point in need of a hefty extension, Garden. Callahan will be a buyout/trade candidate. The fact that the milestone goal came against future Hall of Famer Henrik “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that next year is very much Lundqvist at one of the world’s most famous arenas made it more in question,” agent Stephen Bartlett said. “But we’ve seen this coming for special. a long time. They have a lot of guys coming up for contracts. At some point the role (Callahan) is playing is very expensive. I’m sure they’ll look “I’ll remember it forever,” Cernak said. for a solution for that. I don’t have any misconceptions of that. I understand where that is in their current system. The celebration was also epic, with Cernak delivering a few forceful fist pumps, then getting several hugs on the bench from teammates.

Cernak said he was flooded with text messages after the game, from friends back home in Slovakia to former teammates in Erie (Ontario Hockey League). “My phone was on fire,” Cernak said. One message he was pleasantly surprised to get was one from former Lightning assistant Craig Ramsay, who coaches the Slovakian’s men’s national team.

“It meant a lot to me,” Cernak said. “He’s a big name. I’ve got to know him a little bit. But it was great to hear from him.”

The best message? Well, save it for Cernak’s dad, whom he chatted with after the game. His parents watched it live in the middle of the night in Slovakia.

“He said, ‘Finally, you scored.'”

Cernak, who played in a Slovakian men’s league at age 15, had an impressive journey to becoming a Lightning regular. And Cernak has made a case to stick as part of Tampa Bay’s ‘best six’ on the blueline.

And it seems like Cernak’s first NHL goal — in his 30th game — could open the floodgates for a young defenseman whose confidence is soaring.

“It doesn’t seem like (Cernak) is fazed by any kind of speed out there, the pace of the game,” said veteran defenseman Ryan McDonagh, Cernak’s pair partner. “It’s a great sign early on. Now he can get more comfortable making plays with the puck and without the puck. He’s comfortable in our structure, and you can see him making more high-impact plays.”

The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129259 Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs sign Auston Matthews to lucrative five-year extension

DAVID SHOALTS

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas managed to clear up one of his salary cap headaches Tuesday afternoon by getting Auston Matthews to sign a new five-year contract. That eases much of the pressure on Dubas and the Leafs, as Matthews and the team’s other budding superstar, Mitch Marner, were both due to become restricted NHL free agents on July 1; since both players could have demanded a maximum eight-year contract in the range of US$13- million per year, the Leafs were facing a squeeze on next season’s projected salary cap of US$83-million. Matthews opted for a shorter term and lower average annual value (AAV), the number that is used against the cap, which leaves more room to sign Marner, who is thought to be more inclined to seek the eight-year contract allowed under the collective agreement. Matthews’ five-year deal, which kicks in next season, has an AAV of US$11.634-million, for a total value of US$58.17-million. That makes him the team’s highest-paid player in 2019-20, surpassing the US$11-million paid to John Tavares – at least until Marner signs some time this summer. Matthews, 21, is in his third season with the Leafs and was the NHL’s rookie of the year in 2016-17. He has 23 goals and 23 assists in 38 games this season. Under the collective agreement, a maximum of 20 per cent of the salary cap can be spent on one player. At US$11.634-million, Matthews’s share comes in at 14 per cent, which is a good move by the Leafs. On the downside, the Leafs will have US$29.6-million tied up in Matthews, Tavares and William Nylander next season. If Marner signs for an AAV of about US$12-million, as expected, about half the payroll will be taken up by four players. That makes it even more unlikely Dubas will be able to sign pending unrestricted free agent Jake Gardiner, but the recent acquisition of defenceman Jake Muzzin, whose AAV is a much more cap-friendly US$4-million, makes this less of a problem. Dubas also has to sign pending restricted free agents Andreas Johnsson and Kasperi Kapanen, who is having a good season and is due for a big raise. Globe And Mail LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129260 Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs have lowballed Mitch Marner in contract talks, agent says | The Star

By Dave Feschuk

Attention salespeople of the GTA: If Kyle Dubas walks into your car dealership or purveyor of luxury goods in the days to come, consider it your lucky day. The general manager of the Maple Leafs is quickly gaining a reputation as a walking payday for commission-based sales agents. Not that he isn’t doing a competent job running the world’s richest hockey club. He is, and the Jake Muzzin acquisition is Exhibit A. Not that his team isn’t a Stanley Cup contender. It’s just that when it comes to negotiating terms on certain key purchases, the rookie executive has not proven himself particularly deft at procuring discounts. Call him No Dicker Dubas. Hockey demands its denizens “pay the price.” The Leafs GM seems to shrug and fork over full-market retail. Toronto Star LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129261 Toronto Maple Leafs job and Evgeni Malkin made 15.34, per CapFriendly, a salary-tracking website. They didn’t win a second Cup until their third.

And the Leafs, or someone else, will pay later, because now Matthews Auston Matthews gets his reward with five-year deal, now Leafs need will be an unrestricted free agent at age 26. Depending on what Marner some results | The Star gets, this team will start its championship window with four players — Matthews, Marner, John Tavares, Nylander — eating up close to half their cap. The Leafs have talked internally about how Matthews — and By Bruce Arthur Marner, and Nylander — will wedge open their championship window for a long time. Everything happens with that in mind.

But the salary cap is relentless, and now the pressure is already on this Of course they paid Auston Matthews. He was the lottery prize for the team’s scouting and drafting to produce cheap talent. It’s been clear for a Toronto Maple Leafs chucking the right season, and he’s a superstar in while, but Toronto may never have more talent for a Cup run than they the making. The Leafs wandered through the wilderness for decades, have right now. Crosby won his first in his fourth season, with Malkin in and they finally tanked for a superstar, and they have one. Auston his third. Chicago’s Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane won in their third Matthews is the point. season, too. So when the Leafs signed their 21-year-old franchise centre to a five- Before this season, I asked Dubas: what happens when you have all year contract worth US$11.634-million per year, it was a good day for the these guys signed? And he said, “Well I think that the pressure goes to franchise. But it was also a reminder: the Leafs can be smart, and the me, as it should.” Leafs can get lucky, and these Leafs can contend for a Stanley Cup. But it’s going to be hard. Well, the pressure is already on. The window to win it all is now, and it only gets more complicated from here. Auston Matthews took less term (five years) and less money ($11.6 million) than originally expected to help keep the core of the Leafs Toronto Star LOADED: 02.06.2019 together. “In the end you’re measured on championships,” said Matthews, “and that’s what I want to do.” This contract isn’t ideal: too few years, maybe too much money. But it’s hockey’s new reality. Matthews will eat up an average of 14.6 per cent of the current cap; it’s less than Edmonton’s Connor McDavid, but he signed for eight years, delaying unrestricted free agency, and that brought the average up. This five-year deal was necessary because the eight years the two sides discussed last summer would have come with a much higher number. And the Leafs have enough salary already committed to most of their core that that number would have been prohibitive, even if Matthews had followed McDavid and given back some of the money to the cause. (Doing this with the Edmonton Oilers, for the record, is like donating money to an oil barrel fire.) It’s a good problem to have. But it’s a problem. “We talked a lot about that,” Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas said. “It’s our job. We’re trying to build a team that can have sustained success, not just contend once. If you look, there’s a litany of teams all across every professional sport, they’re very good teams for a long time but they can’t ever push it across the finish line. “And I think a lot of that is luck-related and luck-based, and I think we want to give ourselves the maximum number of chances we can to make a real good go at it. So in saying that, keeping the young core of our team together, and building up a program where they want to stay here on their subsequent contracts, I think that falls on us, it doesn’t fall on the players.” “It creates some headaches at times, but we do have a very talented young team, and we’d rather be trying to keep that together than where we were at the beginning, which is trying to build it up.” Matthews is one of the top two or three best goal-scorers on Earth. He is producing as many points per 60 minutes on the ice this season as McDavid, and slightly more than Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon. Matthews hasn’t pushed possession in the same way he did in the past, but you presume his rotating linemates have something to do with that. But while winger William Nylander pushed the deadline to within five minutes before he got his money, and while Mitch Marner hasn’t signed yet — as the Star’s Dave Feschuk wrote, that negotiation could make this one look like stretching before exercise — Matthews didn’t worry about negotiating in-season, and didn’t worry whether it got done. He knew he was a prerequisite. “We understand the cap restraints we have, the league, and every single team has, so we went through everything from three to eight (years), and kind of settled on five,” Matthews said. “So I think both sides are obviously happy, and happy to get this over with. For myself, I’m proud and, for my family, I’m extremely excited.” This contract works for the Leafs because it makes the short-term future easier. Veteran contracts will be shed — defenceman Jake Gardiner leaving after this season was a foregone conclusion before Jake Muzzin was acquired; winger Patrick Marleau after next season is a big one, too. But everything will be survival around the core. Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby made 17.3 per cent of the cap in his second contract, a five-year 1129262 Toronto Maple Leafs

Wednesday game preview: Ottawa Senators at Toronto Maple Leafs | The Star

By Mark Zwolinski

TV: Sportsnet RADIO: Sportsnet 590 The Fan KEY PLAYERS Duchene/Matthews Two star players whose agents have been busy with contract talks in recent weeks. Auston Matthews agreed to a five-year extension with Toronto on Tuesday; Matt Duchene doesn’t have the same guarantee, though his representatives are in Ottawa this week. The Senators have gone in the opposite direction of the Leafs, settling in the NHL basement. NEED TO KNOW Duchene and Mark Stone are at the centre of attention in Ottawa, with fans waiting to see whether the two forwards will sign and stay in Ottawa, or whether they will leave with the Senators undergoing a near-complete rebuild. Ryan Dzingel and defenceman Cody Ceci are also due for new contracts, so there is a strong sense the franchise is at a crossroads ... The Senators have lost four games in a row now after winning four of five ... It’s bad news on every front in Ottawa, with lawsuits over the development of a site that was supposed to be the location for a downtown Senators arena. UP NEXT Saturday at Montreal, 7 p.m. Toronto Star LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129263 Toronto Maple Leafs $11.634 million The average annual value of Matthews' five-year extension. Auston Matthews in a better situation than Connor McDavid, says TV $58.17 million analyst | The Star Total value of the contract.

178 By Kevin McGran The number of points Matthews has in 182 games as a Leaf.

97 Take less. Win more. Cash in later. The number of goals Matthews has. That appears to be the message Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas delivered to star centre Auston Matthews as the two sides signed No. 1 a five-year, $58.17 million extension (U.S.) that will allow for enough When Matthews was chosen in the 2016 draft. salary-cap flexibility to keep the team’s core together. $55 million Auston Matthews signed a five-year extension with the Maple Leafs on Tuesday. The approximate amount of the extension that'll be paid out in bonuses. “Excellent move by the player, good for the Leafs,” said Brian Lawton, a A dollar figures U.S. former player, agent and GM who is now a television analyst. “The Leafs bent just enough to make (things) just a little bit nervous: $11 million Source: Toronto star/nhl.com would have put the Leafs in a much better position but I have been there Star graphic on both sides and (this is) still a good deal for both parties.” At $11.634 million a year, Matthews becomes the highest-paid player on The prevailing logic surrounding Matthews’ contract talks was that he the Leafs, and he can strike it rich as an unrestricted free agent earlier would get close to the same percentage of the cap — 16.67 per cent — than McDavid while allowing his team to keep as many of its good young that Edmonton’s Connor McDavid received, or about $13 million to $14 players as possible. million on an eight-year deal. “After money, the most important thing for a player — the most fun you But the Leafs didn’t have that kind of cap space, or wouldn’t have without can have — is going around kicking around everybody’s butt, a la the shedding some good young players and hurting their chances at a Detroit Red Wings on their run with Chris Chelios, , Steve championship. Yzerman and .” Lawton said. Leafs head coach Mike Babcock said Matthews was a “significant” part of “That was the most fun I ever saw a team have. Those guys were rock the franchise when speaking with reporters after Leafs practice, less than stars.” a half-hour before the team announced the extension. Toronto Star LOADED: 02.06.2019 “Those guys (Matthews and Mitch Marner) are all gonna be signed,” Babcock said. “They’re smart guys and they want to be here for a long time and they want to win for a long time. “In order to do that, it’s pretty simple, you have to do the math ... we have to work with them and that’s what (Dubas) and his group are doing with their people, so that its best for (the players) and best for us.” Matthews yearns to be the best in the league. That’s McDavid’s title for now. But two seem destined to be compared to each other the rest of their careers. Leafs centre John Tavares underlined just how important Matthews’ skill and presence are to the Leafs. “He’s got a presence in our locker room and around the team and even probably around many guys in the league who were around him at the all-star game,” Tavares said. “He has tremendous potential ... guys love being around him.” The Oilers paid a premium on McDavid (eight years, $12.5 million as the annual average value) to buy three years of his unrestricted free agency years. But it might have hurt his team. “Connor McDavid made a tragic error, in my opinion, by taking the money he took,” Lawton said. “Not because he’s not worth it — he’s worth more — but ultimately he may have done some harm to having that fun winning. “For him, it’s even bigger than that, because he’s a legacy-type player. Ten years from now, if Connor McDavid hasn’t won a couple of championships, it really dims the brightness of this incredible player. Sorry, that’s the reality. He will be judged on championships at the end of the day.” The Oilers don’t look much like a playoff team right now, much less a championship-calibre team. “If McDavid had taken $11 million, Leon Draisaitl ($8.5 million) would be at $7 million,” Lawton said. “It trickled through the rest of the roster. There have been some other moves that have hurt them, but (McDavid’s long-term deal) really truly hurt them as an organization.” For now then, it’s advantage Matthews. Auston Matthews After a five-year contract extension, here's a look at a few of his numbers. 1129264 Toronto Maple Leafs It would have squeezed the cap so tightly that some good players might have had to be moved to create cap space. Dubas said Matthews showed his commitment to the team by offering a shorter term. Leafs lock up Auston Matthews with a team-friendly five-year, $58.17 “We’re very thankful that they were willing to move from their desired extension | The Star term, and obviously everyone wants to be here for as long as possible, so we were able to find an AAV (average annual value) that works for everybody,” Dubas said. “And we were able to lock him in, and also to By Mark Zwolinski maintain some flexibility as we move ahead.” Dubas has plenty of work remaining. The Leafs can handle a contract valued at up to $2 million for the remainder of the season if another Auston Matthews was wearing a blue suit, a blue-and-white checked player is to be acquired at the Feb. 25 trade deadline. And Dubas can collared shirt, and he looked like a million bucks. also turn his attention to the remaining restricted free agents. Marner is the biggest name among them, with his camp seemingly preferring to Or $58.17 million. wait until the end of the season to get talks going. And the Toronto Maple Leafs star centre, fresh off signing a five-year Matthews, meanwhile, can concentrate on hockey. extension, will be worth every penny if he helps deliver on his promise. “It’s nice to get it over with,” he said. “I don’t think it was a weight on my “In the end, you’re measured on championships,” said Matthews, shoulders. It was just something that was there, something (the media standing in the Leafs’ dressing room at the Scotiabank Arena. “What I liked) to talk about every few weeks or so. It was not really something want to do here is help this team and be productive in any way I can to that bothered me too much. win a championship. That’s the ultimate goal.” “I knew whether it was now or after the season or the previous summer, I Indeed, the Stanley Cup is what it’s all about now. Matthews, an elite knew it was going to get done regardless.” talent, signed for a team-friendly deal that averages $11.634 million — note his number at the end of the dollar figure. Barring negotiations that follow with other players, Matthews will be the second-highest paid player in the league next year, behind Connor Matthews contract talks starting to heat up McDavid ($12.5 million AAV). The 21-year-old will be the highest paid Maple Leaf next season, “Making one dollar or 11 million dollars, I’m not going to change who I surpassing John Tavares’ annual average salary of $11 million. am,” Matthews said. “I’m going to be myself everyday. To me, nothing The five-year deal means he can be an unrestricted free agent on July 1, really changes. I get to play hockey, do what I love. I get to do it for a lot 2024. He’ll just be 26, hitting his prime. But it also should leave plenty of of money, like I have been for the past couple of years. I feel very cap space — about $18 million — to sign Mitch Marner and some other fortunate, and very lucky, especially to do it in a city like Toronto. It’s key youngsters like Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson. something I never really imagined as a kid. It’s very special. I feel extremely honoured. “You know, a lot of guys have done five years before,” Matthews said. “We understand the cap restraints we have, the league, and every single “I don’t think anybody on the team takes for granted playing in a special team has, so we went through everything from three to eight, and kind of market like this, so we all want to accomplish our ultimate goal, to win the settled on five, so I think both sides are obviously happy and happy to get Stanley Cup and make the city proud, and we’re working hard towards this over with. For myself, I’m proud and, for my family, I’m extremely that every day.” excited.” Toronto Star LOADED: 02.06.2019 Auston Matthews After a five-year contract extension, here's a look at a few of his numbers. $11.634 million The average annual value of Matthews' five-year extension. $58.17 million Total value of the contract. 178 The number of points Matthews has in 182 games as a Leaf. 97 The number of goals Matthews has. No. 1 When Matthews was chosen in the 2016 draft. $55 million The approximate amount of the extension that'll be paid out in bonuses. A dollar figures U.S. Source: Toronto star/nhl.com Star graphic Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas was just as happy. “We made the investment in Auston because he’s shown tremendous potential,” Dubas said. “He’s a centre and he scores at an elite rate few have matched in his first three years of hockey. We know what he’s capable of and he’s still a very young man. He has a lot of potential that we have to help him reach.” Matthews initially wanted an eight-year term, which would have cost the Maple Leafs a pretty sum, possibly as much as $13 million to $14 million a year, since he would have been sacrificing a few years of free agency. 1129265 Toronto Maple Leafs Zach Hyman-John Tavares-Mitch Marner Patrick Marleau-Auston Matthews-Kasperi Kapanen Game Day: Senators at Maple Leafs Connor Brown-Nazem Kadri-William Nylander Par Lindholm-Frederik Gauthier-Andreas Johnsson Terry Koshan Defence pairs Jake Muzzin-Morgan Rielly OTTAWA SENATORS (19-28-5) at TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (32-17-3) Jake Gardiner-Nikita Zaitsev Wednesday, 7:30 p.m., Scotiabank Arena Travis Dermott-Ron Hainsey TV: Sportsnet, Radio: 590 AM (Toronto), TSN 1200, Unique 94.5 FM Goaltenders (Ottawa) Frederik Andersen THE BIG MATCHUP Garret Sparks Matt Duchene vs. John Tavares SENATORS LINES Two of the top three picks in the 2009 NHL draft — Tavares was taken first by the New York Islanders and Duchene third by the Colorado LW-C-RW Avalanche, with Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman between them — have Ryan Dzingel-Matt Duchene-Bobby Ryan become influential stars nearly 10 years later, as each has the ability to control a game and force the outcome. Off the ice, Tavares has his Brady Tkachuk-Colin White-Mark Stone contract in the bank, while Duchene’s reps are heavily involved in talks with Ottawa general manager Pierre Dorion. Tavares has just 14 points Zack Smith-Jean-Gabriel Pageau-Magnus Paajarvi in 28 career games against Ottawa, while Duchene has 10 in 15 versus Rudolfs Balcers-Chris Tierney-TBD Toronto. Defence pairs FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME Thomas Chabot-Dylan DeMelo 1. More of the same? Maxime Lajoie-Cody Ceci The Leafs on Monday night put a bad Anaheim Ducks team in its place, and here come the Ottawa Senators, owners of last place overall in the Mark Borowiecki-Ben Harpur NHL. Mike Babcock erred on the side of wary, however, and cautioned against a lackadaisical Leafs approach. “To me, if you’re in the NHL, your Goaltenders (team) is good enough to win each and every night,” Babcock said. “They are doing lots of things right. They can score goals, they play fast. They Craig Anderson have a little more depth than you anticipate, their back end moves the Anders Nilsson puck real good. Ottawa has always been a handful for us.” INJURIES 2. Matthews likes Ottawa Senators — F Mikkel Boedker (mid-body), D Christian Jaros (lower Leafs fans — and Senators fans, for that matter — will never forget body). Auston Matthews’ NHL debut, when he scored four goals in Ottawa in October 2016. We got a glimpse of Matthews’ nature that night when he Maple Leafs — F Tyler Ennis (ankle). was more upset about not taking his check in overtime, leading to the Sens’ winning goal. In his first game since signing his new contract, SPECIAL TEAMS Matthews will look to continue his fortunes against the Sens: In nine Power play career games, Matthews has 14 points. He’s bound to be a test again for Ottawa defenders. Senators: 21.1% (14th) 3. All about Chabot Maple Leafs: 21.2% (13th) Babcock referred to the Sens’ mobile defence corps, and Thomas Penalty kill Chabot is the poster boy. The Leafs haven’t much success keeping Chabot, who will be a main cog in the Battle of Ontario for years to come, Senators: 76.4% (27th) in containment. The 22-year-old has five points in four career games Maple Leafs: 80.5% (14th) against Toronto. It’s going to be imperative for the Leafs to forecheck with enthusiasm when Chabot especially is on the ice. If the Leafs give Toronto Sun LOADED: 02.06.2019 him time to move the puck, they’re bound to be on their heels more than they would like. 4. Differing differentials A point of pride for Babcock is the Leafs’ goal-differential, which sits at plus-39. “It’s important, it helps you make the playoffs, without any question,” Babcock said. “You look at that stat each year. I would like to see where we are from here on in. It’s like starting all over. Let’s keep taking steps and let’s find a game that we can bottle that we know we can play at a high end and do it on a regular basis.” The Senators are at the other end of the at minus-35, as one would expect considering their spot in the standings. 5. Lead the way The Leafs have done something no other NHL club has done this season. They’ve managed to stay perfect when leading after two periods, going 25-0-0. The Sens have trouble mounting comebacks, going 3-22-1 when they have been trailing after two. Toronto’s start against the Ducks was solid, and you can imagine the home side will be looking for the same in its final game before heading off on a six-game trip. MAPLE LEAFS LINES LW-C-RW 1129266 Toronto Maple Leafs Hard to believe the leading scorer in franchise history drifted away. He did win over most of a fan base initially hostile to him replacing Wendel Clark, but the conservative captain ironically fell from public favour out of Not all Maple Leaf stars get to shine loyalty to a losing team. 5. Phil Kessel Lance Hornby His six seasons of 25-plus goals should have been more appreciated. But he’d arrived in a costly trade, loathed the spotlight his profile created, lacked the necessary support group on and off the ice and the Leafs kept missing the playoffs. Whether Auston Matthews sails into glory the next five years — or misses the boat — he’s set to join Toronto’s long-serving, high-profile Toronto Sun LOADED: 02.06.2019 franchise players. Those before him, dating back to 1917, had impressive career numbers, most basked in adulation of the country’s largest fan base, but not all became Stanley Cup champions or fulfilled their potential. Some of the biggest names didn’t even end their time as Leafs, usually with money as a root cause. Here are five Leafs stars who kept shining: 1. Turk Broda It all starts with goaltending and Broda won more games (304) and had more shutouts (61) and won five Stanley Cups — four in seasons he didn’t take a break, playing without a mask and travelling by train. A larger-than-life figure, he coached two Memorial Cup teams with the junior affiliate Marlies. 2. Charlie Conacher The Matthews of the 1930s was “a young lion” as described by teammate King Clancy. The hard-shooting winger came from modest means in downtown Toronto to become the club’s first national media star through the magic of radio, helping fill new and delivering its first Cup in 1932. 3. George Armstrong While not a big name in his own right, he makes this list on success (four Cups), leadership (a captain spanning three decades) and longevity (a club record 1,188 games). He served the club in many capacities until reaching his mid-’80s and is one of the few living reminders of the last golden Leafs era . 4. Frank Mahovlich The Big M was part of that same championship run as Armstrong and adored by fans. A graceful skater who could make the game look effortless, the six-time all-star had scored nearly 300 times. He prompted the Blackhawks to bid at the height of his 50-goal potential for a then- unheard of $1 million. 5. No titles, as his Leafs were undermined by owner Harold Ballard and overpowered by the Canadiens dynasty at their peak. But Sittler’s consistency, augmented with single-game feats such as the 10-point night, five-goal playoff and the 1976 Canada Cup game winner, made the curly-haired captain an icon when televised games at the Gardens ruled. He’s still with the club. Five stars who lost some lustre 1. Dave Keon His reward for the four Cups in the 1960s and the best years of his career, was a lowball contract and shabby treatment by Ballard. His own grudge about a perceived lack of team ideals led to more decades of acrimony, thankfully resolved of late to see the two-way centre named best player in team history. 2. Rick Vaive Unprepared to have the captaincy thrust on him at a young age, he still put three 50-goal seasons on the board before joining predecessor Sittler on the trade market. Even now, his scoring feats are little more than a footnote. 3. Curtis Joseph/Ed Belfour Did either have what it took to backstop the Leafs to a Cup in the Air Canada Centre era? We’ll never really know, after a nasty contract squabble with Pat Quinn after the 2002 conference final saw the popular Cujo walk away. Belfour did have a couple of good years, but the lockout, injuries and cap era devalued him. Joseph later said he shouldn’t have departed. 4. Mats Sundin 1129267 Toronto Maple Leafs Said Babcock: “He brings it every single day, he is a driver. He is one of those guys who just comes every day and no matter whether he feels the coach is using him right, it doesn’t matter. Doesn’t effect his life. He just Tavares a fan of the idea that Matthews is future Maple Leafs captain keeps going. He has energy and he brings it every day and that makes him important to our team.”

Toronto Sun LOADED: 02.06.2019 Terry Koshan

Put John Tavares, who would be a wise choice himself, in the group that thinks Auston Matthews would make a fine captain for the Maple Leafs. “Absolutely,” Tavares said after the Leafs practised on Tuesday. “I have always said, the type of player and person he is, he has a presence in our locker room and around the team. “Even around the league, people recognize the type of player and person he is and what he brings to the table on and off the ice. He has tremendous potential and is a big piece of this locker room. Guys love being around him.” With Matthews now under contract through the 2023-24 season, being named captain would be a natural step. What has Tavares come to learn about Matthews as a teammate that he might not have known as an opponent? “It’s not that you necessarily don’t know,” Tavares said. “To be that good, you have to have a strong work ethic and be able to mentally handle the ebbs and flows of the season and the amount of attention he gets on a nightly basis. You have always seen that from a distance. “His consistency, how he continues to get better, and how hard he is to defend and play against, you see why he is part of that elite class of players. He does not let a whole lot bother him.” As for Matthews’ future? “The sky is the limit for him,” Tavares said. ENNIS ON ICE Tyler Ennis has been skating for a while as he recovers from a broken ankle, and took another step as he participated in practice for the first time since suffering the injury on Dec. 22 against the New York Rangers. “Good for him,” Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. “One of the things is when you’re injured is not being involved. “You’re here, but you’re not around the guys and the energy you get from the people on the team is a big part of your life. When you’re not involved in that, I think it’s hard on you mentally.” Ennis’ return to the lineup remains up in the air. He’s itching to return, as one would expect. “We’re getting close,” Ennis said. “Nothing set in stone, but getting stronger every day and working and getting there. “Feeling great. Staff has been doing a great job with me. Having a positive attitude is so key. Injuries can be long and you can get frustrated, but that only hurts the process. Come to work every day with a good attitude. It’s easy to do with this staff and this organization.” Ennis, who signed a one-year deal with the Leafs last July, had seven goals and four assists in 33 games before he was hurt. The 29-year-old has missed the past 16 games. BROWN ON THE RISE Connor Brown’s goal against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night came after he drove to the net and put a pass from William Nylander behind goalie John Gibson. In other words, the kind of goal that can spark confidence. “I just thought it was a real good play all around, real good track by Naz (Kadri), real good transition, and then Brownie won a battle, that was the part I liked to get himself available,” Babcock said, referring to Brown beating defenceman Brandon Montour on the play. “Willie made a great play. I just think all these things lead to confidence and feeling good about yourself. He has had a good little run here, which is positive for him and you have to keep building off that.” Brown has the work ethic to do so. “Something that I have had trouble with is sometimes you are playing really responsible and doing all the right things, but creativity can get lost,” Brown said. “Nice to play with Will and Naz and try to be creative.” 1129268 Toronto Maple Leafs Rantanen, who is on pace for 119 points after scoring 84 points last year, could now ask for more? The same goes for Winnipeg’s Patrik Laine, who is averaging 0.50 goals per game compared to Matthews’ 0.53. And TRAIKOS: Auston Matthews deal may have painted Maple Leafs into a Tampa Bay’s Brayden Point, who is ranked amongst the top-10 in goals corner and points this season. After all, this isn’t the same as Connor McDavid signing an eight-year contract worth $100-million. At the time, McDavid had won a scoring title Michael Traikos and league MVP. At 20 years old, he was already regarded as the best player in the game.

Matthews isn’t there yet. Though he might be one of the best players in A few minutes after Auston Matthews signed a five-year extension to the league, he’s not yet The Best. He’s certainly not head-and-shoulders become the highest-paid player with the Toronto Maple Leafs, a member better than Marner. of Mitch Marner’s camp was on the phone with Postmedia News. And you can bet Marner’s next contract is going to reflect that. You could practically hear him grinning from ear to ear. READY TO CASH IN “Great contract,” he gushed. “I think it’s the best contract in the league. Just fantastic. Please tell me one contract that’s better.” Now that Auston Matthews has signed a five-year extension worth $58.17-million, the focus turns to the rest of the league’s top restricted Well, hold that thought for a second. Or, rather, hold it for the next five free agents. Based on the season some of them are having, it looks like months. many of them will also cash in. With two-thirds of Toronto’s Big Three signed — William Nylander inked Patrik Laine, 20, Winnipeg a six-year deal worth $41.77-million in December — the focus now turns to Marner. And if anyone thinks Matthews’ $11.634-million cap hit is “the 52GP 25G 10A 35PTS best contract in the league,” just wait until Marner negotiates his next deal. Though he has just one goal in his past 14 games, only Alex Ovechkin has scored more goals (119) than Laine (105) in the past three seasons. Based on his current stats, Marner’s contract could be even better. It also has the potential to be far more contentious. Mitch Marner, 21, Toronto Maybe that was why Leafs GM Kyle Dubas wanted to get Matthews done 52GP 20G 43A 63PTS and out of the way. But in doing so, the team might have painted Led the Leafs in scoring last year with 69 points, a number that he will themselves into a financial corner that Marner has every reason to shatter if he continues on his 100-point pace. exploit. Sebastian Aho, 21, Carolina That was always the danger in signing Matthews before Marner. By doing so, you set the bar for what the next guy should be paid. But like 52GP 24G 36A 60PTS the $11-million cap hit that John Tavares received last summer, it’s not necessarily a high bar. Aho led the Hurricanes with 65 points last season. With Jeff Skinner gone, he has taken an even bigger step as a potential top-20 scorer this The Leafs will try to get Marner signed to a number far below what year. Matthews and Tavares are making. But now that Marner is on pace for 100 points and shown an ability to kill penalties and match up against the Mikko Rantanen, 22, Colorado other teams’ top lines, there’s a growing argument to be made that he 51GP 23G 51A 74PTS should expect to be paid the same — or even more than those other two. Though he was just average as a rookie, only three players have since Marner’s camp has repeatedly said it will not negotiate until after the produced more than Rantanen (158 points in 132 games) in the past two season, presumably because they want to avoid any distraction. And for years. good reason. This negotiation, which tilts in Marner’s favour with each passing game, has the potential of becoming Nylander 2.0. Brayden Point, 22, Tampa Bay Here’s what we know: there’s a seismic gap between what the Leafs 51GP 30G 35A 65PTS think of Marner and what the player thinks of himself. While Nikita Kucherov gets most of the attention, it’s Point who leads the To the Leafs, Marner is an $8-million to $9-million player. He’s No. 2 or team in goals and has scored more over a two-year period. No. 3 on the pecking order, somewhere above Nylander’s $6.97-million cap, but far below the annual average of Matthews and Tavares. Toronto Sun LOADED: 02.06.2019 To Marner’s camp, there is no difference between him, Matthews and Tavares. And unlike Nylander, who signed a speculative deal based on future potential, Marner actually has the stats to back it up. After 52 games, it’s Marner who is once again leading the team in scoring with 63 points. He’s ranked ninth in the league in assists and points, and is seventh in even-strength points. Going back to the start of last year, he has scored 132 points in 134 games. During that same span, Matthews has 100 points in 109 games. On many nights, it’s Marner — not Tavares — who is driving the top line. And to those who prescribe to the notion that Matthews and Tavares should automatically earn more than Marner or Nylander because of the position they play, keep in mind that Alex Ovechkin, Johnny Gaudreau, Nikita Kucherov, Blake Wheeler, Taylor Hall, Artemi Panarin are the highest-paid players on their team. And they don’t play centre. Marner could add his name to that list. The same goes for Colorado’s Mikko Rantanen, Carolina’s Sebastian Aho and Winnipeg’s Patrik Laine, who are just a sampling of some of the players coming off their entry- level contracts this season. Expect Marner to ask for the same deal that Matthews received. That includes a five-year term, which several agents have said is becoming the new norm for restricted free agents who want to enter unrestricted free agency at an earlier age to capitalize on their prime-earning years. In other words, it won’t be long before Matthews’ cap hit is eclipsed. 1129269 Toronto Maple Leafs General manager Kyle Dubas, who waited too long and paid too much for William Nylander, did neither with Matthews. This contract wasn’t too much or too long. Dubas signed Tavares in the summer, Nylander in SIMMONS: The contract is signed, now let’s wait to see what Auston December and now Matthews in February. On the large scale, Mitch Matthews will become Marner is next – the general manager version of hitting for the cycle – and that will be almost as expensive and probably longer in term.

Dubas, like you, can’t wait to watch Matthews grow into something even Steve Simmons better. Inside his business mind beats the heart of a hockey fan. He knows about all the possibilities with Auston Matthews. We’ve seen the trailer. Now it’s time for the feature presentation. There is still so much to learn about Auston Matthews, so many Toronto Sun LOADED: 02.06.2019 possibilities. He is a canvas only partially painted. He is a hockey work in progress. He looks just like a masterpiece of sorts, we just don’t know exactly what this masterpiece will be at its highest and freshest point. We do know this much: Matthews is going to become a very wealthy young man over the next five years. That much, really, we knew before the numbers were officially revealed on Tuesday afternoon. That’s the way it works in the new NHL and this is the going rate for players on the rise that have yet to completely leave their signature behind. More money and shorter term for the new restricted free agent. At least, more money and shorter term for this restricted free agent who will eventually be named captain of the Maple Leafs. This isn’t like the John Tavares signing on the first of July. Tavares was a finished product when he came home to Toronto. And the Leafs paid finished product star money to sign the longtime Islander. Now they’re paying Matthews more, all with the belief this is just a starting point for all his greatness. We’ve seen some of it. Not enough of it. Not all of it. There is another level for this player to find – and no one knows that more than Matthews himself, who puts stratospheric pressure on himself to perform. He knows there is another level for him – none of us exactly know what that level will be. He’s just 21 years old. He’ll be 22 when he begins his first season on the new $58-million-plus contract and the pressure that comes with that deal. And he will be just entering the prime years of a hockey player’s life and that’s what makes this day so exciting, so enticing and on the other hand, just a little bit nerve-racking. Wayne Gretzky was never better than he was at the age of 25. Mario Lemieux hit full stride at 23 but was exceptional still at 30. Guy Lafleur, like Gretzky, really hit his groove at 25. Sidney Crosby was a scoring champion and a Hart Trophy winner at 19. Yet at 28 and 29, Crosby played a harder, smarter, more effective and efficient game – understanding how the playoffs meant more than winning scoring titles or personal trinkets. That’s the best version of Crosby we’ve ever seen. Next season, Matthews will be earning almost three million a season more than Crosby, owner of three Stanley Cups, three Ted Lindsays (voted by players), two Conn Smythe Trophies, two Art Ross Trophies, which is a rather daunting place to be. If the Leafs can attain just a portion of what Crosby has accomplished in Matthews – yes, they would settle for that one Stanley Cup, thank you very much- then later in life there will be a statue outside Scotiabank Arena bearing Matthews’ likeness. It is all one step at a time for Matthews. The Leafs have been a playoff team in each of his first two seasons in Toronto. They accelerated quicker than expected the first two years. This is Year 3. The team has yet to win a playoff round. Last April, he was ineffective against the Boston Bruins. Last season, he missed 20 games to injury. This season, he’s missed 14 to a bad shoulder. There is so much Matthews can accomplish. His shot is ridiculous, his natural scoring ability is sensational, his ability to strip pucks and use his hands and stick are almost unheard of, he is a powerful skater and stick- handler and passer with almost unheard-of instincts for someone who learned to play in Arizona. There is little he can’t do. But we can’t know what he’ll grow into. No one can. We haven’t seen a dominant playoff round yet, or series of rounds from Matthews yet, and that’s what separates the Crosbys from the rest of the crowd. We haven’t seen a full 82-game season after his rookie year, with regular linemates and first-team power play time, to see just how many goals he can score – I don’t think 60 is out of the question down the road – but it until it happens it’s just belief. Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele and Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon, two exceptional talents who have had some playoff success, will combine to earn a little more than a million more than the Leafs will pay Matthews next season, but that’s the price of doing business today in a changing marketplace. 1129270 Toronto Maple Leafs

Dubas willing to be patient with Marner’s decision to negotiate after season

Terry Koshan

Your move, Mitch Marner. Now that Auston Matthews’ contract is done, the focus shifts to the Maple Leafs’ other young superstar, who will be a restricted free agent this summer after his entry-level deal expires. Expect a wait, the length to be determined. Darren Ferris, the agent for Marner, has been adamant there will be no serious negotiations with the Leafs on a new contract until the season is over, and that did not shift on Tuesday. “There is no change from our position,” Ferris told the Toronto Sun. “The whole purpose is for Mitch to focus on the year, on the opportunities (the Leafs) have to make the playoffs. I want his mind clear. “There is lots of time for a contract. There is no reason to sign so quickly and so early.” As much as Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas probably would like to get Marner out of the way as well, he’s not about to start bugging Ferris on a daily basis to get the agent to the negotiating table. “We are respecting the wishes of Darren, and if they were to change their stance on it, we’re open to that,” Dubas said. “For right now, we will respect their wishes and carry on with the season here.” With Matthews done, will it make Dubas’ job easier to talk shop with Marner at season’s end? “I’m not sure about that,” Dubas said. “Mitch is a wonderful young player, we love having him. He is someone who loves hockey every day, he comes in and he is the same great energy, great enthusiasm and that is his personal preference. “There is going to be no pressure from us on that. When they are ready to sit down, we will talk. He is going to be a Toronto Maple Leaf for a long time regardless of how we have to come to that, so it’s no issue at all.” Also on Dubas’ to-do list: Signing another pair of important restricted free agents, forwards Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson. Defenceman Igor Ozhiganov also will be an RFA this summer, as will goaltender Garret Sparks. “They’re both getting their feet wet in the league,” Dubas said of Kapanen and Johnsson. “They’ve developed well under (coach) Mike (Babcock) and his staff this year after graduating from the (Toronto) Marlies. “We’re just keen to see them grow and mature. We know they need contracts as well. We’ll continue to let the season play out and let the sample size grow. We’ll begin having discussions with their people probably after the (Feb. 25) trade deadline.” Toronto Sun LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129271 Toronto Maple Leafs (years) to eight (in negotiations). Settled on five and I think both sides are happy to get this over with and move on.

“It was never really, I don’t think, a weight on my shoulders. Just Auston Matthews signs five-year contract extension with Maple Leafs something that was there.” It goes without saying that having Matthews under contract through the Terry Koshan 2023-24 season, after which he becomes an unrestricted free agent, is crucial.

Dubas has been met with challenges in his first year on the job, whether Auston Matthews isn’t going anywhere. it was convincing John Tavares to sign last July, stickhandling through the at-times difficult William Nylander negotiations or trying to improve Certainly not for the next five seasons. the Leafs via trade, which he did last week in acquiring defenceman Jake Muzzin. The Maple Leafs on Tuesday locked up the player many believe will be the club’s next captain, signing Matthews to a five-year, US$58.17-million There’s more to come, whether it’s adding players before the Feb. 25 contract with an annual average value of $11.634 million. trade deadline or getting Mitch Marner signed. The money is great. But the 21-year-old Matthews wants something Dubas has clear intentions. more that his contract, which kicks in next season, can’t buy. “We’re trying to build a team that can have sustained success, not just “Individually, I hold myself to a higher standard than I think anybody else contend once,” Dubas said. “There’s a litany of teams all across every does,” Matthews said during a news conference on Tuesday afternoon at professional sport, they’re very good for a long time, but they can’t ever Scotiabank Arena. “All that stuff, I keep personal. push it across the finish line. “In the end, you are measured on championships. That’s what I want to “I think a lot of that is luck-related and luck-based, and we want to give do here, is help this team and be productive in any way I can to win a ourselves the maximum number of chances we can to make a real good championship. That is the ultimate goal.” go at it. The first pick overall in the 2016 NHL draft, Matthews has come exactly “Keeping the young core of our team together, and building out a as advertised, quickly becoming one of the most dangerous goal-scorers program where they want to stay here on their subsequent contracts, that in the game while developing into an impactful defensive player. falls on us. It doesn’t fall on the players. Matthews has 46 points (23 goals and 23 assists) in 38 games this “It creates some headaches at times (with contracts), but we have a season. In 182 regular-season games, Matthews has 178 points (97 talented young team and we’d rather be trying to keep that team goals and 81 assists). together.” Dubas made sure to thank Matthews’ agents, Judd Moldaver and Jeff Approximately 15 minutes before the Matthews contract was announced Jackson, and the player’s parents, Brian and Ema, during his initial by the Leafs, coach Mike Babcock played coy when initially asked about comments. the possibility of Matthews signing a long-term deal, but did address the significance. “We made the investment in Auston because he has shown tremendous potential and he is a centre who scores at an elite rate that few have “Those guys are all going to be signed,” Babcock said. “They’re smart matched in their first three years in hockey,” Dubas said. “He has a lot of guys and they want to be here for a long time. They want to win here for potential that we have to help him to reach. He comes from a great a long time. In order to do that, it’s pretty simple. You have to do the family, so he has that instilled in him. He is easy to work with and wants math. to get better and is willing to do extra. “We have to figure it out so it’s best for them and best for us.” “It’s (on the team) to push that along as he continues to grow and mature into his mid-20s and become one of the best players in the league.” On the Matthews contract, Dubas did just that. The contract is laden with bonuses, making it lockout- and buyout-proof. Toronto Sun LOADED: 02.06.2019 And there will be tax savings for Matthews. In each of the first two years, Matthews will receive a bonus of $15.2- million and a salary of $700,000; in the third year, it will be a bonus of $9.7-million and a salary of $750,000; and in each of the final two years, the bonus will be $7.2 million and a salary of $750,000. Negotiations began last summer and were amicable most of the way. “Regardless of (whether) I’m making one dollar or making 11 million dollars, I am not going to change who I am,” Matthews said. “I am going to be myself every day, have fun and do what I love. “Now I’m fortunate to do it for a lot of money, like I have been for the last couple of years. It’s very special, I feel extremely honoured.” Matthews isn’t a player who gets by on talent alone — not that there are many who could survive in the NHL on that basis. He’s diligent during the summers to improve in any area of his game and it’s not uncommon that he is among the last Leafs off the ice following practice. That sets an example in the room, and though Matthews stressed on Tuesday that he doesn’t take his job for granted, he didn’t have to. “I don’t think there is anything like playing in this city,” Matthews said. “Just from our fans, the support we get, walking around the street, being recognized, that is not something I ever really imagined as a kid growing up in Arizona to playing in a market like this. “We want to accomplish our ultimate goal, which is a Stanley Cup and make this city proud. We’re working toward that every day.” As for the term, as Matthews hinted when asked following the Leafs’ win against Pittsburgh on Saturday night, the interests of the team were in play. “We understand the cap restraints we have and the league and every single team has,” Matthews said. “We went through everything from three 1129272 Toronto Maple Leafs together than probably where we were at the beginning, which was trying to build it up,” he said.

Matthews said everything from three years to eight years was discussed It’s not perfect, but Auston Matthews and Maple Leafs agree to new deal when it came to the term of the contract. He mostly stayed out of the day- that neither side will regret to-day grind of talks, but would occasionally check in with agent Judd Moldaver, or his dad, and was pleased to know that bringing the term of the deal down — and thus lowering the cap hit — would help the Leafs By Jonas Siegel Feb 5, 2019 increase their odds of competitiveness over the ensuing five years.

The Leafs will also be able to sign Matthews to his third contract when he still has a reasonably long runway of prime ahead: An eight-year deal Auston Matthews planned to celebrate his new five-year, $58 million would have taken him to age 30. It was also a sacrifice of some long- dollar extension with the Maple Leafs over dinner with family in Toronto term security. on Tuesday night. That being said, this was hardly a hometown discount and the only Matthews imagined reliving memories of his younger years in Arizona, as avenue for the Leafs to take if the money was going to be as big as the one of those rare kids to play hockey, back when he was “probably a big Matthews camp was pushing for (and deserved) was a shorter deal. disturbance” to his parents, Brian and Ema. Digging in, as they did with William Nylander, and may soon do with “Now, obviously signing this contract, it’s a very special day for all of us,” Marner, wasn’t a realistic option. Matthews said shortly after putting pen to paper in Kyle Dubas’ office. Dubas indicated that the Matthews camp was initially focused on the The deal will make Matthews the highest-paid Maple Leaf next season — maximum eight-year term. with a cap hit of $11.634 million — and likely, the second-highest-paid The Leaf GM said having a general idea of what Matthews’ new deal player in the league behind only Connor McDavid. would look like last week gave him more freedom to make the trade for It may not be the most ideal of contracts for the Leafs, but it’s unlikely Jake Muzzin — and the one year that remains on his contract — and Toronto’s management ever regrets it over the course of the five years — might help him ahead of the Feb. 25 trade deadline. Matthews is that good already and appears headed for even more The downside of the deal is that Matthews will presumably start drawing impressive heights in the years to come. even bigger bucks a lot sooner, making a Cup window beyond 5-6 years “We make the investment in Auston because he’s shown tremendous more challenging for the Leafs — though far from impossible. potential,” Dubas said. “He’s a centre, and he scores at an elite, elite rate This deal expires in the summer of 2024, at the same time William that few have matched in their first three years in hockey. With him, we Nylander’s second contract expires (and Nikita Zaitsev’s too). know what he’s capable of, and he’s still only a very young man, and I think, that means he has a lot of potential that we have to help him to Matthews had all the leverage here though. reach.” His camp knew it could force Dubas’ hand by potentially waiting until July To that point, Matthews has scored more goals per game than anyone 1 for an offer sheet that would have blown this deal out of the water. but Alex Ovechkin (min. 100 games) since he entered the league in the Dubas couldn’t take that chance, not with a tough negotiation still ahead fall of 2016. for Marner and a lengthy contract dispute only barely in the rear-view mirror with Nylander. Only two players, more impressively, since the start of the 1987-88 season have buried more even-strength goals than Matthews over the The mistake, arguably, was not getting something done with Matthews first 182 games of their careers: Eric Lindros and Teemu Selanne. (and Marner) last summer ahead of another season when their stock — and thus, leverage — was likely to rise. Both Hall of Famers managed their feats in the early 1990s when goals were more plentiful than they are today. “These things are complicated,” Dubas said. “They’re not as simple as people want them to be at times.” Only five players have scored more total goals than Matthews since his career started — Ovechkin, Patrik Laine, McDavid, Nikita Kucherov, and Dubas said he began talks with the Matthews camp just after the window David Pastrnak — and Matthews has played upwards of 24 fewer games for signing the extension opened last July. It took seven months, than all of them. ultimately, to iron out a deal.

Nobody has topped him in 5-on-5 production. Leaf brass may have been fearful that signing Matthews before Nylander would have exposed the franchise to the same type of situation the Oilers For as good as he is now, and as great as he can become, the contract faced a year earlier when McDavid’s deal (mistakenly) pulled up the is shorter than Dubas and his staff probably would have liked and surely value of Leon Draisaitl’s second deal. pays Matthews more on the cap annually than would have been preferred under a deal of only five years. The contract bought up only Organizationally, the Leafs also seem to have misread today’s player — one year of unrestricted free agency; Matthews will get there just before namely that those like Nylander, Matthews, and Marner would be he turns 27. prepared to take a lot less with the long-term stakes of the team in mind. Brendan Shanahan cited his Cup-winning teams in Detroit back in But the deal also conceivably brings the cap hit down slightly over the October and the willingness of players of his generation to sacrifice. five years than would have been the case had Matthews signed for seven or eight years. “And that’s obviously what we are asking some of our young leaders to do,” Shanahan said then. “What I hope they can look back on 20 years, A similar contract for Mitch Marner, in terms of years, will save the Leafs 30 years down the road, what’s going to be most important to them, is some additional space on the cap for what should be a serious Stanley whether or not they maxed out as an individual and as a team and have Cup window of at least the next six years (including this one). championships to look back on and remember forever.” “We’re trying to build a team that can have sustained success — so not He wasn’t wrong. just contend once,” Dubas said. “I think you look, there’s a litany of teams all across every professional sport, they’re very good teams for a long Matthews has said repeatedly, and again Tuesday, that he’ll measure time, but they can’t ever push it across the finish line. I think a lot of that himself on championships. is luck-related and luck-based and I think we want to give ourselves the maximum number of chances we can to make a real good go at it.” “They want a championship team,” he said of Leaf fans, “and we want to give it to them.” “It creates some headaches at times,” But players of his generation also appear willing to seek out what they’re Dubas admitted having so many high-end players on the roster can worth today — not wait until later. create some headaches when it comes to construction. “But we do have a very talented young team, and we’d rather be trying to keep that Matthews’ new deal could very well set a trend for young up-and-comers who feel they should be paid for what they are — the best players on their respective teams. Perhaps more will seek those terms out aggressively with shorter, pricier deals which allow for another hefty pay- day down the line.

John Tavares, too, signed a six-year deal with the Islanders after his entry-level pact was up, but that contract — which carried a $5.5 million cap hit — represented less than nine percent of the cap at the time and turned out to be a steal.

McDavid sought his deserved money with the Oilers in July 2017 but did so on an eight-year deal with a $12.5 million cap hit. That deal represented almost 17 percent of the cap at the time. Matthews’ new deal, by comparison, will take up about 14 percent of next year’s projected $83 million cap, which seems about right given where Matthews is trending as a player. The value might only get better as times goes on. But again, the annual number probably sits higher than what the Leafs may have been able to get last summer.

Matthews’ new contract will be paid almost entirely in bonuses (90 percent), with $15.2 million due in each of the first two seasons, $9.7 million in the third season, and $7.2 million in the final two seasons. Matthews will earn the league minimum in salary in all five seasons.

Matthews is on pace for a career-high 41 goals and 82 points in his third NHL season despite missing 14 games with a left shoulder injury earlier this season. He ranks third in the league in goals per 60 minutes in all situations and fifth in points per 60.

He should soon become the first player in the Leafs 100-plus year history to score 30 goals in each of his first three seasons in the league. He has a real chance to one day break Rick Vaive’s franchise record of 54 goals in one season and could eventually become the first Leaf to win the Rocket Richard and Art Ross trophies and the first, conceivably, to capture the Hart as league MVP since in 1955.

He became the first Leaf in 51 years to capture the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year and set an NHL record with four goals in his NHL debut.

“The sky’s the limit for him,” Tavares said. “You see him in the plays he makes and just his consistency and how he continues to get better and how hard he is to defend and play against. You just see why he’s part of that elite class of players that can do what he does and be able to do it consistently and he doesn’t really let a whole lot bother him.”

Matthews will likely become the next captain of the Leafs this summer.

It’s important to remember that what Matthews is today isn’t necessarily what he’ll be a year from now or three years down the line. There’s plenty of room for him to still improve, particularly as an all-around force under Mike Babcock.

Matthews has made strides as a passer this season, notably, and is on pace for a career-high in assists.

What other elements might he develop as he gets older and more experienced?

The Leafs coach mentioned his “engine.”

“You get used to playing against the best people on a regular basis, playing against them offensively and defensively, learning to give up nothing and generate at the same time,” Babcock said.

“I think the contract signifies his talent level and his ability, and also for us, what we owe him in terms of helping him to continue to develop on and off the ice as a young person,” Dubas said. “He comes from a great family, so he’s got that instilled in him. He’s easy to work with and wants to get better, and willing to do extra. It’s just for us now continuing to push that along as he continues to grow and mature into his mid-20s and become one of the best players in the league.”

The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129273 Toronto Maple Leafs With the number set to come in higher … well, that’s where the debate comes in.

Part of what makes the Matthews situation unique is the term. Many of Mirtle: Why Auston Matthews’ second contract is record-setting and the best young players in the NHL of late have signed max-term deals. precedent-making McDavid, Eichel and Draisaitl all did.

Matthews probably would have signed an eight-year deal last summer. By James Mirtle Feb 5, 2019 And the cap number on that would have been smaller than it would be today. The reality is his production this season has been better than Years 1 and 2: He’s top 10 in points per game, for example, after finishing 29th as a rookie and 22nd last season. Some of these columns come easy, but this one has been a bit of a battle the past few days. I think that’s because we’re into murky waters He has a better case for a bigger contract than he did seven months ago. here. The situation isn’t nearly as black-and-white as some are trying to A contract that’s probably too big, given the Leafs’ cap crunch next year. make it out to be. The awkward part in trying to find comparables on a five- or six-year Let’s just go with the facts, as best we know them, off the top. deal, however, is they’re all ancient contracts signed under a different CBA. Young players are clearly starting to get higher numbers than they Auston Matthews’ second contract is going to be controversial when it ever have in the past when we look at eight-year deals. The needle has finally gets done. It’s going to have a higher cap hit than many fans want moved since 2011, when Stamkos got the contract he did. and it’s not going to be for as long as they want either. The question is: What has it moved to? What’s the new normal? My understanding is that means something between $10- and $12-million over five or six years. We’re about to find out.

I’ve seen some interpreting the reports out there as entirely agent-driven, What’s the right number? but I don’t think that’s accurate. No one directly involved in negotiations is giving out concrete numbers at this point, but there’s a general sense in No matter what happens here, my understanding is that Matthews is the organization that things are headed in this direction. going to set a precedent. The biggest contracts with a five- or six-year term belong to Crosby and Malkin, who each signed for $8.7-million back Matthews has a lot of leverage here. He’s the face of the franchise. He’s in 2007 and 2008, more than a decade ago. likely going to become the captain this summer. He has put up ridiculous numbers on his entry-level contract and would be a plausible offer-sheet Matthews will get more than that, simply because the salary cap is 50 target for many struggling teams around the league. percent higher than it was back then. But he will also get more because (a) he has leverage and (b) young players in the NHL are increasingly And the Leafs are in a position where they probably can’t get Mitch using that to their advantage. Marner signed before settling on a number for Matthews. The hard part for the Leafs is: What do you do if Matthews’ ask is $11- or Kyle Dubas really doesn’t want a Nylander-like situation with two more of $12-million over five or six years? You love the player. You’re not going his young stars next fall. There’s some urgency to get these deals done to trade him. You’re not keen to have this stretch past July 1, when other as soon as they can, to give them a better idea of what’s going to be teams can start making offers. possible in terms of roster construction for 2019-20. You’re probably going to do exactly what management is doing, which is The hard reality is that if Matthews and Marner both get a big number, meeting with the agents involved and trying to find a workable other players are going to have to be dealt. compromise.

Part of what is working against the Leafs here is how contracts for high- Dubas hasn’t made many mistakes since taking over as GM in May, but end young talent are trending. Leon Draisaitl got an eight-year deal for to me, not getting Matthews signed sooner qualifies. What the Leafs are $8.5-million a season, which was 11.3 percent of the cap when it was looking at now is less desirable than it was last July. It’s a bit odd that signed, despite not scoring 30 goals or getting 80 points in a season there weren’t more serious talks about getting something done then. (while playing a lot with Connor McDavid). Jack Eichel signed for eight years and $10-million, which was 13.3 percent of the cap, after producing Because, barring something unexpected, it appears the Leafs have lost just 113 points in the league. this negotiation. They’re no longer going to get a bargain. At best, they’ll have to try and get the cap hit down a little under $11-million. Matthews’ numbers, on his entry-level deal, are far superior to both – especially in the goal-scoring department. Now, Matthews is a phenomenal player and he’ll prove he’s worth a figure like that over the term of the deal. He may even become a trend- One thing that was pointed out to me by several hockey people this week setter, with more young players going this midrange route on their is that what makes Matthews a virtual unicorn is his ability to score, second contracts. especially at even strength, as a centre. If you try and isolate his comparables by looking at goal production by centres – no Ovechkins – it But Matthews is also going to be able to become an unrestricted free brings his peer group into a very narrow focus. agent in 2024 or 2025, at 26 or 27 years old. With the cap headed as high as $100-million by then, his third deal could fall in the $16- to $18- When looking at the top five goal-producing centres over their first three million a season range. years in the league during the salary cap era, Matthews ranks first. And the Leafs are not exactly getting a ton of cap savings today to There is obviously more to a player’s value than simply scoring goals. compensate for that. But when it comes to determining how they’re paid, goals are a huge factor. Perhaps the biggest one. What about Marner?

No one is arguing Matthews should be paid exactly like McDavid, Crosby Negotiations with the Marner camp are much further behind. Heck, or Malkin, who earned between 15.3 and 17.3 percent on the cap when they’re almost non-existent. they signed their second contracts. What you can definitely argue, But if we’re reading the tea leaves here, trying to make a prediction, mine however, is that he is right in the next tier. is that the Leafs are much more likely to try and squeeze Marner on his Stamkos feels like a significant comparable. And for comparison second deal than Matthews. purposes, he conveniently signed a five-year deal – albeit way back in Once Matthews is signed, regardless of what the cap hit is, that will act 2011. At $7.5-million a season, it was then worth 11.66 percent of the as a ceiling on Marner’s number. Generally speaking, centres get paid cap, which is the equivalent to roughly $9.7-million in 2019-20 dollars. more than wingers and goal scorers get paid more than setup men. That If Matthews signed a five-year deal, for that number, tomorrow, I don’t works in Matthews’ favour and against Marner. think anyone would be complaining. There’s a precedent for that and it What that looks like is difficult to predict. But I wouldn’t be surprised at all would only be the 10th highest cap hit in the NHL in Year 1. if Marner ultimately ends up on some sort of a bridge deal, in the three- year range, the way Nikita Kucherov did in Tampa. That might allow the Leafs to make an addition in free agency or trade, assuming Marner’s bridge number is under $8-million. (Keeping in mind that Kucherov’s bridge was for the equivalent of about $5.5-million on next year’s cap.)

The combined effect of signing Matthews and Marner for shorter than eight-year deals is basically to borrow against future cap space. In theory, it’s not the worst idea. The Leafs are very tight for 2019-20, but as the cap rises by $3-million or so a season, they’ll have more to spend in each successive year.

If Marner is up for renewal in 2022, he’ll get a big chunk of the cap’s roughly $9-million increase between now and then. If Matthews is up two or three years after that, he’ll get much of the bump between those seasons.

Then the Leafs will have to make do with limited new dollars to spend elsewhere on the roster.

It’s not ideal. But it’s a workable solution, in the face of two tough negotiations and a changing landscape for young players’ contracts across the league.

Update: On Tuesday afternoon, Matthews signed a five-year deal for $11.634-million a season.

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Golden Knights look to blue line for added offense

By David Schoen / Las Vegas Review-Journal

TAMPA, Fla. — Nate Schmidt made a suggestion on how to wake up the Golden Knights’ hibernating offense. And he put the onus on himself and his fellow defensemen to carry it out. “I think we need a little bit more out of the back end, just to help push things over the top here, get our group moving,” Schmidt said. The Knights won’t be confused for division rivals San Jose or Calgary when it comes to production from the blue line. Entering Tuesday’s game against the Lightning, the Knights unofficially ranked 12th in the NHL in points from defensemen with 106. Their 22 goals from defensemen is tied with the New York Rangers for 18th overall. The Sharks top the league with 154 points from defensemen — Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson have combined for 100 of those points — while Calgary is second with 137 points. “I don’t think it’s any secret we’ve had some trouble scoring lately,” defenseman Colin Miller said. “It would definitely be great if we could chip in with a couple on the back end. But I think we’ve done a pretty good job all year of trying to help without exposing too much defensively.” Shea Theodore is the Knights’ leading scorer among defensemen with 24 points on eight goals and 16 assists. He’s already set a career high in goals and is five points shy of matching his total from last season when he set a career high. Miller has 10 of his 21 points on the power play, while Schmidt has posted four goals and 18 points in 34 games. Theodore scored both goals in the 5-2 loss at Carolina on Friday, and his second came when he jumped into the play and was spotted by Ryan Reaves. “I think I could be in the rush a little bit more,” Theodore said. “In some cases, I have to get my shots through a little bit better. I’ve gotten a number blocked this year that I would like to have back. Whether that’s making an extra move at the point to try and find a better lane, I definitely think I can be a lot better offensively.” Coach Gerard Gallant said there is a fine line for defensemen between activating into the rush and taking care of their own zone. “Hockey is a game of reads,” Gallant said. “Good teams jump in the play at the right time and read the plays and read the rushes, but you don’t want to give away your defense for jumping in the offense.” Special teams showdown The Knights’ red-hot penalty kill faced a stern test against Tampa Bay, which owned the league’s top power play (29.4 percent) before Tuesday. The Knights were second in the NHL on the penalty kill at 84.2 percent and killed off 12 straight power plays before meeting the Lightning, who scored on their first man-advantage Tuesday. Since Jan. 1, the Knights have killed 24 of 27 opponent’s power plays, which is No. 3 in the league. “They get in the shot lanes,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “They’re playing with their partners a lot together. Not a whole lot different. Just getting strong goaltending and I think they do a good job.”

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Golden Knights mailbag: Nikita Gusev, Erik Haula, City National Arena

By Ben Gotz / Las Vegas Review-Journal

Send NHL writer Ben Gotz your Golden Knights questions and hot takes. Tweet him @BenSGotz or email at [email protected]. The Golden Knights are back from their bye week but there’s still a lot of hockey left before the playoffs begin. Let’s get to it: “Could Nikita Gusev’s rights be in play at the deadline?” — @NHLJackManning (Twitter) General manager George McPhee said on Jan. 22, “I couldn’t tell you right now what we’d be planning on doing,” at the NHL’s Feb. 25 trade deadline, so it’s unknown whether Gusev could be available. Still, he’s a name Knights fans should know. Vegas owns the NHL rights to the 26-year-old forward, who plays for SKA Saint Petersburg in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League. Gusev is one of the KHL’s best players and was named the league’s MVP in May after scoring 62 points in 54 games in 2017-18. He also could look to move to the NHL as soon as this summer. Gusev signed a two-year extension with SKA Saint Petersburg in June 2017 so there’s a chance he could play at T-Mobile Arena next season. Even if he decides to stay in Russia, the Knights own his rights indefinitely. But for now he’s a valuable prospect (and trade chip) in the Knights’ system. “(Could Erik Haula) be making a return to the ice soon?” — Rochelle (Facebook) McPhee said recently he didn’t know whether Haula would play again this season after suffering a right knee injury Nov. 6 at Toronto. “As I’ve said before, it’s a unique injury,” McPhee said Jan. 22. “It’s not one we’ve seen in hockey very often. He did have surgery and things are going really well, but until he’s on the ice and skating, we don’t know (if he’ll return this season).” “Can the public go and watch (practices)? Is it crowded? Do you have to pay to park?” — Linda (email) Short version: Yes, yes and no. Knights practices and morning skates at City National Arena are always open to the public and parking is free. They often draw huge crowds, so showing up 15-20 minutes early is advisable to ensure a good parking spot and a seat in the bleachers.

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GAME DAY: Struggling Golden Knights face NHL-leading Lightning

By David Schoen / Las Vegas Review-Journal

TAMPA, Fla. — The Golden Knights will try to contain the NHL’s top offense when they meet the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday at Amalie Arena. Opening faceoff is 4:30 p.m. Pacific time, and the game will be televised on AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain. “Tampa is the most skilled team in the league. You look at the standings and they’re so far ahead of everybody else,” Knights coach Gerard Gallant said. “We’ve played them real well, but we’re going to have to play our best game to have a chance to win this game (Tuesday) night against them, because they’re a good team.” The Knights (29-21-4, 62 points) are mired in a franchise-record four- game losing skid after falling 3-1 at Florida on Saturday. The only other time the Knights lost four straight was against Washington in the Stanley Cup Final. Center Paul Stastny has a seven-game assist streak and is one shy of matching his career long. He has one goal and eight assists during that stretch. Left wing Max Pacioretty notched his 16th goal against Florida, one shy of Jonathan Marchessault for the team lead, and has seven points (four goals, three assists) in his past seven games. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who is expected start, has lost five of his past seven outings despite the fact he hasn’t allowed more than three goals in a game since Dec. 23. The Knights won both meetings last season against the Lightning before dropping a 3-2 decision Oct. 26 at T-Mobile Arena. Tampa Bay (39-11-2, 80 points) is riding a two-game win streak and could challenge the NHL record for most points in a season held by the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens (132 points). The Lightning lead the league with 205 goals and can become the first team to reach the 40-victory mark. No other team has more than 34 wins. Winger Nikita Kucherov has a league-best 80 points (22 goals, 58 assists), and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, a Vezina Trophy candidate, ranks third overall with a .925 save percentage. Center Brayden Point, who leads the Lightning with 30 goals, skated Tuesday and coach Jon Cooper said he will be a game-time decision. Point did not practice Monday and was held out of Saturday’s 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers for precautionary reasons with a lower-body injury. “You have to be aware of certain players that they have,” Knights winger Reilly Smith said. “Obviously they have a good power play and they have talented players. They’re a skilled team, so you’ve just got to take away their time and space, and I think that’s one thing we’ll really try to key on.”

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Golden Knights edge Lightning in shootout, ending four-game skid

By Justin Emerson (contact) Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019 | 8:01 p.m.

Down 2-0 on the road to the league’s best team, the Golden Knights could have folded. Instead, Cody Eakin scored a breakaway goal, Valentin Zykov scored his first of the season and Alex Tuch netted the only goal in the shootout as Vegas claimed a 3-2 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday at Amalie Arena. The win snapped a franchise-worst four-game losing streak. It was the Golden Knights’ second shootout victory, beating Minnesota on Oct. 6. They lost to Vancouver on Oct. 24. Here are three takeaways from the win: The Lightning jumped out to an early lead with a power-play goal and looked like the better team for most of the game, but when there were five men on each side of the ice, the Golden Knights were in charge. Vegas held a 45-35 edge in shot attempts in 44:52 of 5-on-5 time, a 56.3 percent Corsi advantage. Through regulation, shots were 31-26 in shots on goal for Vegas, but 27-17 at 5-on-5. Overtime was even more lopsided for Vegas, with all six shots on goal coming off Golden Knights’ sticks. “We worked really hard, played good defensively and didn’t give them many opportunities,” Tuch said to AT&T SportsNet. “Coming away with a win, two points is big.” The Golden Knights took three penalties in the first period, and they came from some of the least likely sources. Nate Schmidt had not taken a penalty all season, and his cross-check led to the Brayden Point goal. William Karlsson took a tripping call, just his sixth penalty of the season, and Reilly Smith’s hook was his fourth penalty of the season. Only Ryan Carpenter, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Alex Tuch have played regularly with fewer penalties than Smith. Schmidt, Karlsson and Smith combined for just 52 penalty minutes in 225 games last season, and only. For comparison, Ryan Reaves has 58 penalty minutes in 53 games this year. Jon Merrill (39 PIM) and Cody Eakin (14) also went to the box. The Golden Knights held the Lightning to 1-for-5 on the power play, below their season average of 29.4 entering the game, best in the league. “We were in a little trouble there with the power play. They move the puck so good,” coach Gerard Gallant told AT&T SportsNet. “They got one early then killed the rest off, so we did a great job.” Carpenter took a nasty hit from Cedric Pacquette at 17:42 of the second period and he needed to be helped off the ice. He appeared woozy, trying to skate off the ice on his own but nearly falling backwards. He did not return to the game. He appeared to have concussion symptoms, and whether or how much time he misses remains to be seen. Carpenter has not missed time because of injury this season and has 13 points in 49 games this year. Gallant did not give an update on his status after the game.

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Slumping Golden Knights set to face league-leading Lightning

By Justin Emerson Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019 | 2 a.m.

There is never an ideal time to face the NHL’s best team, but today’s Golden Knights game against the Tampa Bay Lightning could not come at a worse time. Vegas has lost four in a row for the first time this season, all in regulation. Their last two losses have come on the road to the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers, two teams on the outside of the playoff race looking in. Meanwhile the Lightning’s 80 points put them on a 126-point pace, which would be the most since Detroit had 131 in 1996. Here are three things to watch today (4:30 p.m. Pacific time): Being the immovable object against the unstoppable force The Lightning lead the NHL with 3.87 goals per game, making this the Golden Knights’ biggest defensive challenge to date. Vegas has allowed three goals or more in seven of its last eight games, and Tampa Bay has won 34 of the 37 games it has scored at least three times. The Lightning may be without forward Brayden Point, who was listed as day-to-day at Monday’s practice. Point has 65 points this season, second in the Eastern Conference to teammate and MVP candidate Nikita Kucherov, who leads the NHL with 80 points. A big challenge will come when Tampa Bay is on the man advantage. The Lightning have the league’s best power play at 29.4 percent, and Vegas has the league’s second-best penalty kill at 84.2 percent. Zykov’s shot The William Karlsson line was struggling Friday against Carolina, as Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith teamed with Karlsson for a team-worst Corsi for percentage of 37.0, allowing 17 shot attempts at 5- on-5 and producing just 10. Midway through the third, Valentin Zykov hopped up next to Karlsson and Marchessault and produced five shot attempts in 2:24 of ice time and did not allow one. Zykov stayed with Karlsson and Marchessault the next night against the Panthers, and turned in a respectable 53.6 percent clip. Zykov skated with Karlsson and Marchessault at practice Monday, so we could see Zykov look to get his first point of the season when getting top- six minutes. The importance of No. 2 A few numbers point to the second period being perhaps the game’s most important. The Golden Knights are 19-0-2 when taking a lead into the second intermission but 4-15-0 when trailing after two periods. If the game is tied after two, the Lightning are 8-1-1. The Golden Knights are just 6-5-2. The Golden Knights have a minus-6 goal differential in the middle frame, the only period in which they have not outscored their opponent. The Lightning have a positive differential in every period, but are plus-28 in the second, their best. Of course every team does better if it takes a lead into the third, but if the Golden Knights can’t take advantage of the second period, which will be a tall task against a behemoth Tampa Bay squad, it could lead to a five- game losing streak for the first time in franchise history.

LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129279 Vegas Golden Knights “We knew until we had Cashman Field, we would have to bounce around,” Lashbrook said. “In 2018 and 2019, if you have a cell phone and computers, it will be OK.” Las Vegas’ Exploding Sports and Stadium Scene Means Teams Face In fact, the Lights’ biggest sponsor, Zappos, even painted the Cashman Logistical Business Challenges locker room in the soccer team’s colors because the Aviators ballclub is scheduled to play its next game at the new ballyard in Summerlin. A Zappos worker, an in-house company painter, did the locker room paint February 5, 2019 jobs, and the former baseball lounge has been converted into a soccer lounge. By ALAN SNEL The Lights’ partial move-in at the old baseball stadium means the soccer club has taken over the former 51s team store because the Aviators have their own team shop at Downtown Summerlin, which is owned by LVSportsBiz.com Aviators owner Howard Hughes Corporation. Here’s a look at the Lights When you’re the secondary tenant in your sports stadium, it means the store at Cashman, which hosted a Lights preseason game Saturday business staff behind the team has to be nimble, roll with the punches when the USL Lights beat the ’s Toronto FC, 5-1. and be ready to move boxes and laptops during a weekend and hit the Even the former 51s manager office has been converted into Lights ground running on the following Monday. space, housing the soccer team’s director of operations, Justin Roper. Consider the downtown Las Vegas-based Lights FC soccer team, which The launch of a professional sports franchise is akin to running a startup, was based in an old church on 3rd Street from Sept. 2017-May 2018, but which requires the Lights “to roll with the punches. That first year, we had to move out after The D hotel-casino owner Derek Stevens bought knew we’d have to be nimble,” Lashbrook said. the former church across the street from his Downtown Las Vegas Events Center. He then shook his cell phone and quipped, “Everything you need is right here.” The team’s 22 staffers then moved to Zappos’ shared workspace at the online retailer’s downtown headquarters at 400 Stewart Ave from June- Dec. 2018, working in the interim space at the Lights’ number one sponsor. LVSportsBiz.com LOADED: 02.06.2019 Then, the Lights’ sales, business and ticketing staffers moved again in December — this time, into a third home in the former Las Vegas 51s’ sales offices at Cashman Field. Lights staffers working at Cashman Field Tuesday. Here at downtown Cashman, the Lights will move up a notch to being the stadium’s primary tenant when the former 51s/newly-rebranded Aviators officially start playing at their new $150 million baseball park in Downtown Summerlin in the western suburbs in April. (The Aviators’ owner, Howard Hughes Corporation, has still not given notice to Cashman Field’s landlord, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, that it is leaving. The LVCVA has said the tourism agency loses millions of dollars by managing the Cashman complex, but Howard Hughes Corp. has not given written notice of leaving.) Aviators president Don Logan and the Triple A ballclub’s general manager, Chuck Johnson, are still based in offices at Cashman. The Aviators do have sales staff at the minor league team’s retail store in Downtown Summerlin. (The Aviators sales staff’s old space at Cashman is being used by the Lights’ staff.) Welcome to the expanding sports industry in Las Vegas, where the proliferation of teams and their new sports venues under construction poses a logistical challenge to run the businesses behind the teams. Consider the Oakland Raiders, which have staff spread across two states — in California where the NFL team is possibly looking at playing its 2019 season at the San Francisco Giants’ downtown Oracle Park and in Southern Nevada, where the team is building a $1.8 billion stadium project near the Strip to open in 2020, launching a $75 million headquarters project in Henderson and running a sales center in the Town Center retail shopping area. While the Raiders were training at the Napa Valley training complex in California last summer, the NFL team commanded a robust ticket sales crew that sold personal seat license and season ticket deals in Las Vegas. The Raiders have not announced where they will play in 2019, but social media reports indicate the team is trying to play at the San Francisco Giants’ downtown ballpark for the next NFL season. The Raiders did not want to move to Las Vegas until it was time to inaugurate their new publicly-subsidized 65,000-seat, domed stadium that could host a Super Bowl in 2025 at the earliest. The Raiders’ stadium in Las Vegas is scheduled to open in July 2019. Even the Vegas Golden Knights began their business operations at owner Bill Foley’s Fidelity National Financial offices in a business center near the TPC Summerlin golf course in Summerlin before VGK business staffers moved to the team headquarters at City National Arena in September 2017. Lights owner Brett Lashbrook said his 22 staffers are crammed into six rooms at Cashman like “sardines,” but he’s appreciative his staff is at the venue where the United Soccer League team plays its games. Besides, the Lights business staff can host visitors in Cashman’s roomy club level and have staff meetings in the locker room where there is also more space. 1129280 Washington Capitals “Those guys, I hope they know how lucky they are to have him on their team,” Holtby said.

Washington dominated the first period with 18 shots to Vancouver’s five, Capitals pay tribute to old friend Jay Beagle, then hang on to beat his and Oshie especially set the tone with his physical play. He scored on a new team rebound three minutes into the game for a 1-0 lead, and Ovechkin recorded a secondary assist on that play to pass Hall of Fame center Sergei Fedorov for the most points by a Russian-born player. It was his By Isabelle Khurshudyan 1,180th point. February 5 at 10:06 PM “It’s history, and I passed all those legends,” Ovechkin said. “You know, it’s pretty big, and I appreciate everybody who do all work with me, my teammates, and it’s huge. When you start playing hockey and you came to the NHL, you just have a dream to score one goal or two, and now I’m As Vancouver Canucks center Jay Beagle stood in front of his team’s No. 1 on the all-time Russian list. It’s pretty amazing.” bench, clearly emotional as the Washington crowd applauded him, whatever competition there was supposed to be between the two teams As Washington struggled to generate much offensive-zone time in the briefly halted. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin skated over to Beagle and second period with Vancouver dictating play, Holtby single-handedly hugged the player who had sat in the next stall over in the locker room maintained the Capitals’ one-goal lead through the second intermission. last season. And then play resumed and any sentimentality was quickly He made five saves on shots that were within 25 feet of the net, and put aside. 12:53 into the period he made a blocker save on Bo Horvat’s penalty shot, buying Washington time to build a cushion. On a night Beagle made his emotional return to Capital One Arena, his first game in Washington since he helped the Capitals win a franchise- “Hockey goes in cycles sometimes, and I think we’re doing a good job in first Stanley Cup, the team honored him and then went on to beat him front of our net right now about making clear lanes to see, taking away and the Canucks, 3-2. The win keeps Washington in second place in the different options, limiting the options,” Holtby said. “I think it’s just one of Metropolitan Division with 64 points, just two points behind the New York those things. Sometimes it goes in cycles like that. You just try and Islanders despite the Capitals losing eight of their past 10 games. analyze every game to see what you can do better and move forward.” Washington took a 2-0 lead 5:47 into the third period with Brett Connolly’s goal from right in front of the net, where he jammed in a superb feed from center Evgeny Kuznetsov. That marked Connolly’s first Washington Post LOADED: 02.06.2019 goal in 14 games, one of several droughts among Capitals players who had gone cold over the past month as the team has collectively struggled. But 2:15 later, Vancouver’s Markus Granland drove toward the net and tipped a first puck past goaltender Braden Holtby to make it a one-goal game again. Then, with 7:47 left in the game, forward Jakub Vrana tossed a puck up from behind the net, and it took a fortuitous bounce down Vancouver goaltender Jacob Markstrom’s back and across the goal line, putting Washington up 3-1 on the strangest of tallies. Kuznetsov had tried to smack in the puck from in front of the net, but his two misses were fortuitous because had he touched it, the goal would’ve been reversed for a high stick. “I was so excited when I saw the puck go flying like that, and you can’t really do anything over there,” Kuznetsov said. “I tried to hit puck, but I missed twice. I feel like I’m not good at baseball game.” After the game, several Capitals players gathered in a tunnel and waited for Beagle to come out of the visiting locker room so they could bid him farewell once again. Beagle had been among the first Canucks to arrive at the arena before Tuesday’s game, eager to catch up with Capitals staff members and his former teammates. He had fired off a few texts earlier — “There was some chirping going on,” he said — and he and Capitals forward T.J. Oshie promised to get in a few good hits on each other. He thought he might have to hide his face in his jersey so everyone wouldn’t see him cry when Washington showed a tribute video for him on the big screen. “Yeah, that was tough,” Beagle said. “It actually was. I felt like I was jumping pretty good. I had pretty good legs and then that kind of set me back for the rest of the first, which they planned that. That’s on them. That was dirty of them. That was dirty.” Fans lined the glass with signs welcoming Beagle back and applauded him as he was leaving the ice after pregame warm-ups. He acknowledged them with a few waves, tossing some pucks into the crowd. The tribute video came at the first television timeout, garnering a standing ovation. It’s rare for bottom-six forwards to become franchise fixtures, but Beagle endeared himself to the Capitals and their fan base with his tireless work ethic that set an example for others in the locker room. He was undrafted, which forced him to work his way up from the college ranks to the ECHL to an American Hockey League contract before he finally got a big league deal from the Capitals. He stayed on the team for nearly a decade before leaving in free agency this past summer. He played his 500th NHL game Monday night in Philadelphia. Washington wouldn’t have been able to match the four-year, $12 million contract he got from Vancouver, but the Capitals have arguably missed Beagle. He was the best centerman in the faceoff dot last season, winning 58.5 percent of his draws, which ranked fourth in the NHL. Without him this year, Washington’s 46 percent success rate on faceoffs is last in the league. Beagle won 9 of 11 faceoffs Tuesday. 1129281 Washington Capitals

After benching Kuznetsov, Jaskin, did Reirden’s message on penalties get through?

By Isabelle Khurshudyan February 5 at 12:34 PM

The Washington Capitals had done enough talking about bad penalties, so Coach Todd Reirden decided Sunday to deliver his message in a different way. Winger Dmitrij Jaskin was called for hooking in the offensive zone in the first period of Washington’s game against Boston, and two seconds after the Capitals killed that off, center Evgeny Kuznetsov was caught slashing in the neutral zone. With his team leading the league in minor penalties, Reirden was understandably fed up, and he benched both Jaskin and Kuznetsov at five-on-five for the rest of the first period. “We’ve been talking about that for a while,” Kuznetsov said Tuesday morning. “[Expletive] happens, and that’s why I have teammates and we all play for each other. If that’s the message for everybody, we’re pretty smart, so we get that right away, for sure.” The Capitals have allowed 40 power-play goals this season, tied for second most in the league, and the strain the team puts on its penalty kill is part of the problem. Washington has taken 52 minors since the start of January, tied for the second-most in that 14-game span. “The penalty issue has continued to go on, and it keeps setting us back,” General Manager Brian MacLellan said Monday. “So, we’re not happy about it, and some guys keep continually taking penalties in the offensive zone. It’s going to hurt momentum. ... We’ve been addressing it verbally for quite a while now, and there hasn’t been a response, so hopefully this will work.” Said Reirden: “At the time, that’s something that our team needed. It’s something that we’ve been going through this year. It has been addressed, and as a team we have to learn from that. Hopefully that helps or we’ll have to continue whatever adjustments to make sure it doesn’t happen again or as often. Penalties are going to occur, but it’s the number that we’re taking is the problem and that’s something that needs to be dealt with head on and that’s the best way.” Kuznetsov and defenseman Michal Kempny have been called for the most minors on the team this season with 20 and 21, respectively, and that ranks in the top 10 for the NHL. But that was just Jaskin’s second penalty of the season, and while he got benched right away, Kuznetsov played on a power play before Reirden sat him for the rest of the first period. Then when forward T.J. Oshie was called for hooking while on a power play in the third period -- that call negating a man-advantage -- it didn’t appear to warrant any discipline from Reirden. “Every situation’s a little bit different, and I think for me, five-on-five situations are different a little bit than special teams situations,” Reirden said. “Also, I think the ramification of what happened five-on-five, we can’t have it ruin our power play after. That’s just my belief in how you do it. You game plan a certain way for special teams situations. That was kind of why the situation was dealt with like it was with Kuznetsov.” Kuznetsov said further conversation between him and Reirden wasn’t necessary because they’re “on the same page.” “Sometimes it’s just the bad calls, you know?” Kuznetsov said. “When you’re a player, you always think like that, right? It happens quick on the ice, but we just have to be more smarter, probably. It’s easy to say we’ve got to take less penalties, but we have to go there and actually do that.” Eller a game-time decision After missing Sunday’s game with an undisclosed “lower-body” injury, third-line center Lars Eller practiced fully on Monday, and he was on the ice for Tuesday’s morning skate. Reirden said Eller will be on the ice for warmups ahead of Tuesday night’s game against the Vancouver Canucks, and his status for the game will depend on how he feels at that point. Eller has six goals and 16 assists this season, and he averages among the most shorthanded minutes per game on the team.

Washington Post LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129282 Washington Capitals On Monday, Duchaine explained that his latest tattoo, which will take about two weeks to fully heal, is more than an amusing conversation starter when he wears a tank top. Caps fan gets a tattoo of Stanley Cup champion Brett Connolly getting a “It’s going to remind me, of course, of the Cup run, and that it all sort of tattoo, eating pizza ended in a moment that we all got to share,” he said. “I look at that photo and I think that could’ve been any of us fans. Looking at Conno in that seat, eating that pizza, with that ‘I don’t really care’ look on his face, that By Scott Allen could’ve been me, that could’ve been any of us. That was the feeling of that celebration. They felt it just like we did.” February 5 at 10:09 AM

Washington Post LOADED: 02.06.2019 Capitals fan Tyler Duchaine knew he wanted to get a tattoo to commemorate the franchise’s first Stanley Cup title, but the 29-year-old couldn’t decide on a design. Inspiration came from an unlikely source: a photo of Capitals forward Brett Connolly looking casual as can be, eating a slice of pizza while getting the Super Mario Bros. character Bowser tattooed on his arm during the team’s championship bender last June. What if, Duchaine thought while watching the Capitals on TV last month, he got a tattoo of Connolly getting his tattoo on that alcohol-fueled day? Duchaine’s friends loved the idea, as did his wife, Lindsey. He tweeted the glorious photo of Connolly, which originated from an Instagram story and belongs in a museum, and vowed to follow through on his idea if he got 10,000 retweets. It was an ambitious, perhaps unattainable goal. “Screw it,” Duchaine tweeted 20 minutes later. “I’ll do it for 1,000.” Less than 24 hours later, he surpassed that mark. The reality was that Duchaine had already committed, in his mind, to getting the tattoo, regardless of how many retweets he got. “That’s crazy,” Connolly told The Athletic’s Chris Kuc when informed of Duchaine’s plan. “I’d love to be there, I’ll pay for it if I have to, too,” fellow Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly said. “I mean, I wanna see that done for sure.” In January, Duchaine contacted Tattoo Paradise in Adams Morgan. That’s the shop where Connolly and several of his teammates got inked two days after winning the Stanley Cup, as part of their nonstop celebration that also included pounding beers at Nationals Park and frolicking in the fountains at the Georgetown Waterfront. Duchaine arranged a consultation with Billy Bennett, the artist who tattooed Connolly, and explained his out-there idea. “He was down,” Duchaine said Monday of Bennett’s response. “This was a cool opportunity for him because he had never tattooed himself on someone else before, so that was sweet. We decided on a style and basic details. He sent me a few mock-ups of the line work and then just went to town.” On Sunday night, over the course of roughly 90 minutes, Bennett tattooed an image of himself tattooing Connolly on Duchaine’s left biceps. When Duchaine scheduled the appointment a few weeks ago, he didn’t realize Sunday was the day of the Super Bowl, but of all the possible years to miss the NFL’s biggest game to get a tattoo of a bearded man eating pizza on your arm, he picked a good one. Duchaine chose Sunday because the Capitals were off that night (he attended their Super Bowl matinee loss to the Bruins) and also on Monday, increasing the likelihood that Connolly and Smith-Pelly would accept the invitation he extended to them during the all-star break. The players ultimately had to pass — “They probably had a Super Bowl party at Ovi’s,” Duchaine said — but Duchaine’s wife and several friends tagged along for moral support and to live-stream the experience on Twitter. During the procedure, one viewer commented that all 11 people in his apartment to ostensibly watch the Super Bowl were watching Duchaine get inked instead. “Do you have any regrets?” Duchaine’s wife asked. “No, of course not,” he replied. “As long as I’ve had to think about this, I am very happy.” Unlike Connolly, who sat in a chair while getting his tattoo eight months ago, Duchaine lay on a table. That would’ve made it difficult to consume a slice of pizza to really complete the “Inkception.” “They also say you shouldn’t eat and get tattoos,” Duchaine said. “I’m sure that afternoon in June there was an exception to many rules.” Duchaine, who hopes to show Connolly and Smith-Pelly the finished product at some point, said he doesn’t plan to share any close-up photos of his new tattoo until the redness has started to fade and “it can really stand out.” 1129283 Washington Capitals “I was so excited when I saw the puck go flying like that,” Kuznetsov said. “You can’t really do anything but (it went in). I tried to hit puck, but I missed twice. I feel like I’m not good at baseball game.” Capitals spoil Jay Beagle's return by beating Canucks “It’s just a (crappy) bounce in a (crappy) time of the game in a (crappy) time of the year,” Markstrom said. By Adam Zielonka - The Washington Times The crazy play ended a nine-game goal drought for Vrana. Tuesday, February 5, 2019 The Canucks added a sixth skater late and their star rookie, Elias Pettersson, scored at 6-on-5 with 7.6 seconds left. But Washington held on from there. It was strange, if you really analyze it: The biggest fan favorite inside The Capitals‘ longest homestand of the season is now half-over. They Capital One Arena might have been wearing a visitor’s jersey. play three more games over the next six days, resuming Thursday against the Colorado Avalanche — when another former Capital, Philipp Fans have shown, with their No. 83 jerseys, that Jay Beagle is one of the Grubauer, will pay a visit. most beloved modern-day Washington Capitals, current or former. The friendly-faced fourth-liner was back in town for the first time Tuesday since signing elsewhere in free agency. Washington Times LOADED: 02.06.2019 Washington honored Beagle with an in-game video tribute, then contained his new squad in a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. The Capitals (29-18-6, 64 points) have won two of three games since the All-Star Break — ever since they ended a seven-game losing skid — and they’ve climbed to second place in the division. T.J. Oshie, Brett Connolly and Jakub Vrana scored goals for Washington. Evgeny Kuznetsov had two assists and Braden Holtby saved 30 shots. Vrana’s was the deciding goal, and it took an unconventional path: He chipped a would-be pass up from behind the net, but it bounced on the top of the net, again off the goaltender’s back and in for a goal. The Capitals played a video tribute for Beagle early in the first period that highlighted his many moments over his 11 years in the organization, including some time with the AHL Hershey Bears. Beagle said that the sentimental video “kind of set me back for the rest of the first (period). “They planned that,” he joked. “That’s on them. That was dirty of them. That was dirty. No, I regrouped.” The Capitals looked strong out the gate and notched the first goal just three minutes in. Oshie scrapped for a steal in the Canucks‘ zone and tapped the puck to a sprinting Alex Ovechkin. The captain carried it behind the net and set up Nicklas Backstrom for a shot. It was stopped, but Oshie followed in the rebound for his 16th goal of the year. “That’s something I’ve been trying to get in my game here this last little bit, is starting to wear teams down,” Oshie said. “Myself, (Ovechkin), Tom (Wilson), Devo (Smith-Pelly), those are areas where we can kinda take charge and build some momentum from some physicality. Eventually that’s gonna open up some more room for us to make plays.” Washington outshot Vancouver 18-5 in the first period, but the Canucks‘ offense got rolling in the first half of the middle frame and produced some more. Before long, top-line center Bo Horvat earned a penalty shot by dangling around rookie Jonas Siegenthaler on his way toward the net and getting Siegenthaler to hook him. But Holtby stonewalled Horvat’s penalty shot in one of many audience- galvanizing moments of the night. Coach Todd Reirden chalked up the win to stellar defense and Holtby’s goaltending in particular. “When we did break down or make mistakes, (Holtby) was able to make great saves for us and the penalty shot is a huge, huge turning point in that game,” Reirden said. It remained a 1-0 game through the second intermission and into the third. Evgeny Kuznetsov sent a pass Connolly’s way in front of the crease, but it ricocheted between a Vancouver defenseman’s skates. Connolly spotted the puck and popped it in, which finally gave the Capitals a bit of breathing room on the scoreboard. The two-goal margin lasted less than three minutes. Markus Granlund scored for the Canucks by tipping an Antoine Roussel pass over Holtby’s shoulder. But the Capitals got what turned out to be their go-ahead goal off the Vrana’s unlikely play. The Czech stood directly behind the net and flipped the puck up, looking for Kuznetsov. Instead, it bounced on the roof of the net. Kuznetsov swatted at it hoping to change its direction, but it wasn’t needed: The puck bounced off the back of Vancouver goalie Jacob Markstrom and landed behind him in the net. 1129284 Washington Capitals Oshie and John Carlson were there and Tom Wilson came in late with a big bear hug. Chandler Stephenson was waiting for Beagle, too. Nicklas Backstrom stopped by and so did Evgeny Kuznetsov with a big smile. Jay Beagle embraced by Caps fans, former teammates in emotional They all chatted for a few minutes, congratulated him on Millie, updated return to D.C. each other on their lives, shared a few laughs. Then it was time to go. The bus was waiting. Beagle’s reunion was a cherished memory now just like all the scenes that flashed on the scoreboard, just like the wild celebration in Las Vegas last June when the Caps won the Cup. By Brian McNally “I don’t even know what else to say,” Beagle said. “Thanks to all the fans. February 06, 2019 12:21 AM I really appreciate all their support – and their love.”

WASHINGTON — The Images flickered across the scoreboard and Jay Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.06.2019 Beagle tried not to cry. There he was scoring his first NHL goal. Here he is working a hockey clinic for kids. He holds his own toddler up as he learns to skate, wife, Ashley, smiling. His dad, Al, who owns an auto shop back in Calgary, claps and high-fives the other dads when his son scores on the annual fathers' trip in a game in Tampa Bay. The moments pile on top of each other almost too fast to register. There is a signature shot block, Beagle limping to the bench in pain, but his job done. Beagle laughing as he skates to the penalty box after a good scrap in Hershey. He kisses the Calder Cup in one scene and the Stanley Cup in another. In the visitors’ locker room in Vancouver, an opponent now, not a teammate, Beagle’s voice quivers and his eyes well as he is presented with his championship ring. “I truly do miss you guys. You are family,” Beagle told the Capitals then. “We went through something that we’ll never forget.” And he was not forgotten, either. For 10 years Jay Beagle was part of the Capitals, part of the community. He was goofy, averse to social media and proud owner of a flip phone, a throwback to a earlier era that maybe never even existed. He was part of so many great teams and so many heartbreaking endings. It tested his optimistic nature. Maybe Beagle didn’t realize it at the time. But if not, then the video tribute the Capitals played on the big scoreboard at Capital One Arena made the point. Beagle returned to the District on Tuesday with the Canucks after signing a four-year, $12 million contract as a free agent last summer. Not a single teammate begrudged him that. He’d earned it. And here he was, a fourth-line center who began his career in the ECHL, undrafted, unwanted, raising his stick and tapping his chest during warm- ups to salute the Capitals fans who brought signs thanking him, cheering him as he left the ice. Beagle actually thought he had a couple of good shifts to start the game. The Canucks started his line out of respect. Then came the first break in the action and the video. Beagle was doing just fine – until they showed scenes with Ashley and his sons, Brandt, 4, and Colter, 2. The Beagles welcomed a daughter, Millie, in October. Time flies. “That kind of set me back for the rest of the first,” Beagle deadpanned. “Which they planned that. That’s on them. That was dirty of them. That was dirty. No, I regrouped.” He actually did. Beagle had a solid scoring chance in a second period that Vancouver dominated – only to be robbed by goalie Braden Holtby. His good friend – they won a Calder Cup together in Hershey and the Stanley Cup just eight months ago - jabbed Beagle with a mock apology: “Oh, man, if I knew it was you I would have let it go in.” “Talk is cheap, Holts,” Beagle said. The humor was his way of dealing with the emotion of the night. Beagle was clearly overcome as he looked up at the scoreboard from in front of the Vancouver bench – even if he denied it afterward. “No tears. There’s no tears. No tears here,” Beagle said. “I’m a man.” Sure. When the video ended, Alex Ovechkin came over and gave Beagle a hug. Tom Wilson, his one-time linemate, skated over and shouted something that was lost in the roar of the crowd, which chanted his name: “Beagle! Beagle! Beagle!” If a lump doesn’t form in your throat after that, there’s something wrong with you. Eventually the game resumed. Beagle was on the ice for T.J. Oshie’s goal in the first period, which was frustrating, but never did make good on their mutual pre-game promise to “run” each other. Holtby stoned him. And the Canucks fell short in a 3-2 loss. Afterward, with time short as the Canucks tried to beat State of the Union traffic and get to the airport for their next game in Chicago, Beagle’s former teammates found him in the hallway between the home and visitor locker rooms. 1129285 Washington Capitals From one camera angle on the ice, it appeared Kuznetsov missed the puck completely. From an overhead view, however, it certainly did appear as if he got a piece of the puck. Hitting the puck above the cross- Capitals spoil Jay Beagle’s return with much-needed win against bar would have made it a high stick and would have negated the goal. Vancouver After a quick review it was determined the call on the ice of a good goal would stand.

The Caps will certainly take it. By J.J. Regan

February 05, 2019 9:36 PM Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.06.2019

WASHINGTON – Jay Beagle was all smiles in his return to Washington, but it was the Capitals who walked away with the 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. Alex Ovechkin became the all-time leading scorer among Russian-born players with a first period assist and the Caps distanced themselves in the third period with two goals to earn the win. Here are four reasons Washington won. Caps fans went home on Sunday without seeing a single goal from Washington. On Tuesday, fans had to wait only three minutes for T.J. Oshie to get them on the board. The play started with great work on the forecheck by Oshie who managed to steal the puck away from Chris Tanev as he tried to transition it out of the defensive zone. Ovechkin pounced on the puck and carried it behind the net before feeding Nicklas Backstrom for the shot. Jacob Markstrom made the save, but the rebound went right to a charging Oshie in the slot who banged it in as he fell into the net. Ovechkin collected a secondary assist on the play to pass Sergei Fedorov and become the highest scoring Russian-born player of all-time. With Washington clinging to a 1-0 lead in the second period, Bo Horvat showed some fancy stickwork as he dangled around defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler going outside, then cutting in with a great move that got him around the Swiss blueliner and in on net. A desperate Siegenthaler hooked Horvat and a penalty shot was awarded. Horvat skated in and shot blocker-side on Holtby, but Holtby stopped it with the blocker to keep it out of the net and maintain the Caps’ lead. It was Holtby’s second penalty shot save of the season as he also stopped Tyler Seguin of the Dallas Stars on Nov. 3, 2018. Holtby has not allowed a penalty shot at home since March 5, 2013. Braden Holtby Speaking of Holtby, he was clearly the player of the game for Washington as Vancouver began taking control of the game in the second period. At the end of the first period, the Caps were outshooting the Canucks 18- 5. The momentum shifted in the middle frame, however, as Vancouver fired 13 shots on net while holding Washington to only four. Holtby came through in a big way, however, as he turned aside all 13 shots he faced in the second to make sure the Canucks could not build on their momentum. Holtby made 30 saves on 32 shots for the game. As good as Holtby looked, the Caps could not survive another period like the second. They needed a second goal for some insurance and they got it early in the third. Jakub Vrana skated the puck into the offensive zone, cut to the middle and spun around to pass to a trailing Evgeny Kuznetsov. Kuznetsov looked like he was preparing to wrist one on Jacob Markstrom, but instead cut to the outside to get around defenseman Alex Biega. He then fed it to the slot right to Brett Connolly who cut in between four Canucks players to get on net and get the goal. The goal extended Washington’s lead to 2-0 and they would need it as Markus Granlund scored less than three minutes later. A possible high stick The Caps took a 3-1 lead midway through the third period thanks to a bizarre goal credited to Jakub Vrana. Vrana had the puck behind the net, but it was chipped in the air by Ben Hutton and bounced on the top of the net. Kuznetsov took a few swings at it with his stick, the puck bounced off of Markstrom’s back and into the net. 1129286 Washington Capitals

The best Russian ever? Ovechkin passes Fedorov for the most points by a Russian-born player

By J.J. Regan February 05, 2019 7:19 PM

WASHINGTON – Alex Ovechkin recorded a secondary assist on T.J. Oshie’s goal against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday to pass Sergei Fedorov for the most points all-time by a Russian-born player. Ovechkin now has 1,180 in his incredible career. Ovechkin carried the puck around the net in the offensive zone and fed a pass to Nicklas Backstrom which he shot on goalie Jacob Markstrom. Markstrom made the initial save, but a falling Oshie hit in the rebound as he crashed into the net. Fedorov scored 483 goals and 696 assists in his NHL career with Detroit, Anaheim, Columbus and then finally Washington where he and Ovechkin were teammates for parts of two seasons. With the assist, Ovechkin now has 644 goals and 536 assists. He was able to pass Fedorov’s mark for points in 193 fewer games. And he’s showing no signs of slowing down. Even at 33 years old, Ovechkin currently leads the NHL in goals by a wide margin with 37. There are currently four players tied for second at 31. This is a special milestone for Ovechkin who has always been very open about how proud he is of his Russian heritage. He also was a fan of Fedorov growing up as Fedorov was a Russian legend for his dominant play in the NHL. The two were teammates in Washington when Fedorov was acquired by the Capitals at the 2008 trade deadline. Fedorov helped the team reach the postseason that year for the first time in the Ovechkin era and the first time since 2003. Fedorov also scored the Game 7 winner for the Caps against the New York Rangers in their first round series in 2009. The closest active Russian player to Ovechkin’s point total is Evgeni Malkin with 985 points. Even before this milestone, Ovechkin already had a strong case as one of the best players of all-time. It seems safe to say that he has now cemented himself as the best Russian-born player to ever play.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129287 Washington Capitals man make it clear Beagle is missed. The unassuming kid from Calgary made an impact and became one of the longest-tenured athletes in D.C.

“All I know is when I message him now I do get the blue iMessage. He’s Caps to honor former teammate Jay Beagle tonight on his return to D.C. staying with the times,” Wilson said. “But I’m sure one of these years he’ll go back to the Bat Phone. He’ll be in the mountains or out on the farm [in Alberta]. You’ll have to drive to see him. You won’t be able to pick up the By Brian McNally phone and call.” February 05, 2019 1:52 PM Game-time decision Lars Eller missed the Boston game on Sunday with a lower-body injury and said after the morning skate he was unsure if he’d play against the ARLINGTON — Jay Beagle spent a decade with the Capitals, years of Canucks. He will take warm-ups, according to coach Todd Reirden. Eller highs and lows that finally culminated in a Stanley Cup last June. was originally hurt in Friday’s game against Calgary. Travis Boyd took over as the third-line center. Expect a loud ovation when Beagle returns with the Vancouver Canucks, who play Washington tonight at Capital One Arena (7 p.m., NBC Sports Holtby plays again Washington). There will be a video tribute during the first commercial break and while being the center of attention isn’t exactly Beagle’s style, Braden Holtby has stopped 65 of 69 shots in two games since the All- he will have to deal with it for one night. Star break and will get the nod again tonight in a game the Capitals feel they need to win. Expect Washington to start riding their No. 1 goalie Beagle left over the summer to sign a four-year, $12-million contract with harder after backup Pheonix Copley gave them a strong November and the Canucks. The Capitals just never were going to pay that much for a December. The goal is to keep Holtby around the 60-start mark so he’s 33-year-old center. They wished him well and gave Beagle his fresh for the Stanley Cup playoffs. With 30 games to go, he has played in championship ring in a ceremony before their game in Vancouver on Oct. 37 games. 22. Tired legs? “We were all sad to see him go, but happy for him, too,” Capitals goalie Braden Holtby said. “He got rewarded for all his hard work over the years Vancouver (24-23-6, 54 points) is playing the second game of a back-to- and is playing closer to home on a team where he can be a leader. back after losing 2-1 in Philadelphia last night, but remains in the eighth Hopefully the crowd pays him the respect he deserves because he’s and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Look out for rookie second-to-none in terms of the type of person, type of player he is.” sensation Elias Pettersson, a 2017 first-round pick who has 23 goals and 46 points in 42 games. Cut by his hometown team in Calgary, Beagle instead played junior hockey in a lower-level league in Alberta, not in one of the three big junior leagues in Canada. He played college hockey at the University of Alaska-Anchorage, not a school known for producing NHL players. But Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.06.2019 he stayed with it. An undrafted free agent, he signed with the Idaho Stampede of the ECHL after his final college season ended and won a Kelly Cup. That led Washington to sign him and Beagle became a mainstay with AHL Hershey for parts of four seasons. He and Holtby won a Calder Cup title together in 2010. But the next eight seasons were entirely spent in the NHL, an unexpected outcome for a player with that career path. “And with that he had an actual career, too,” defenseman John Calrson said. “It wasn’t just parts of seasons here and there in the NHL. He was an actual professional and has been for eight, nine years.” Beagle played primarily on the fourth line in Washington – save one notable extended stint on the top line with Alex Ovechkin under former Caps coach Dale Hunter during the 2011-12 season. He killed penalties. He won faceoffs. He even reached double digits in goals twice. And he set the bar high with his work ethic. Caps forward Tom Wilson remembers desperately trying to keep up with Beagle and veteran Jason Chimera during his first year in 2013-14. He also remembered the generosity Beagle showed him earlier that season when coach Adam Oates made Beagle a healthy scratch night after night in October and November while Wilson, an 18-year-old, played instead. “I don’t think there was a day [Beagle] was on the ice that he wasn’t the hardest-working guy out there,” Wilson said. “And I don’t say that lightly. It’s true.” Notoriously averse to any form of social media and the proud owner of a flip phone he called “Flipper” well into his tenure with the Caps, Beagle was a true character simply overshadowed by more famous teammates. But he was also a relentlessly positive presence in the locker room and beloved by them. Most of the time. Wilson remembered a wild scene in the locker room during that 2013-14 season. A few teammates started messing with each other, clothes were tossed around, shoes went missing. But someone went too far. They secretly tossed “Flipper” into a garbage can. Beagle couldn’t find his phone and “it was like World War III,” Wilson said. Teammates still laugh about that incident to this day. Beagle eventually found the phone, but never the culprit. He eventually upgraded to an iPhone, but it took years for that to happen. Wilson’s greater point: Beagle always pushed the Caps in the right direction with his reliability on and off the ice. That made getting through the rough times - and there were plenty during his career – a lot easier. Now on a young Canucks team that is in the playoff race in the Western Conference, Beagle has two goals and six assists in 29 games and has won 52.9 percent of his draws. He broke a bone in his right forearm and missed 25 games, including that first meeting with the Caps, who to a 1129288 Washington Capitals “When they announced us,” Green recounted, “we both held up our rings for the camera, right by the mic. It sounded like we scored a goal when everybody saw that camera shot.” Capitals Bling: After Cup victory, franchise showers employees with Green, who’s been singing the anthem for 19 years, is still surprised by championship rings the attention the ring commands. “The emotions that it gets when people see it, it’s like they saw Michael By Tarik El-Bashir Jackson or something,” Green chuckled. “You get the, ‘Holy bleeeeeeeeep. That’s really cool.'” Feb 5, 2019 McDonald remembers everything about the moment he found out that he’d be receiving a ring with his name on it. He’s been singing the anthem for 26 years and has been a die-hard Caps fans for much longer Like many of his co-workers, Eric Ferebee heard the rumors circulating than that. around Capital One Arena last June, just days after the Washington Capitals hoisted the franchise’s first Stanley Cup. “I got a text from someone with the Caps at some point in the summer asking me what my ring size was, that’s how I found out,” he said. “Who “It was, ‘Hey, I heard we’re getting a ring,'” Ferebee recalled. “But I didn’t knows what their ring size is, right? So I’m like holy crap, I have to get a pay much attention to it because I didn’t hear it from the horse’s mouth. I ring size. Within five minutes I was at the closest jeweler to my house was like, ‘There’s no way he’s going to get all of us a ring.'” getting sized.” Then one late summer morning Ferebee checked his email inbox, and Public address announcer Wes Johnson also wears his ring to every there it was. “We’re excited to share the news that you are eligible to game — though it usually spends as much time on his finger as it does receive a Washington Capitals Stanley Cup Championship ring,” the getting passed around. message began. “No one wants to talk to me anymore,” Johnson joked. “They don’t care The rumors were true. Ferebee, a part-time employee on the arena’s that I’m the announcer for the Caps. Or that I’ve been around for 19 event staff for the past 17 seasons, was getting a version of the Caps’ years. They see the ring and that’s all that’s there. I disappear. It’s just a championship ring. ring walking down the hall.” So was everyone else. And by “everyone” we mean everyone. Johnson paused and proudly held up his ring. The players, of course, were getting a ring. Ditto for the coaches, Capitals team announcer Wes Johnson shows off his championship ownership group, team executives and staff that supports the players on hardware. a daily basis. That’s been standard procedure across big-time sports for decades. “If you ever get a ring like this, I’ve got one word for you: Purell,” Johnson cracked. “It goes on a lot of different hands.” Here’s where the Capitals’ story is a bit different: team owner Ted Leonsis had a difficult time deciding who would be getting a personalized Although Green has had the ring for four months now, he still can’t ring and who wouldn’t. He wanted to reward his longest tenured and believe Leonsis’ generosity. most loyal employees. But he didn’t want anyone to feel left out, either. To him, everyone — from members of Monumental Sports and “Ted wrote a check that you weren’t even willing to write for yourself,” Entertainment’s marketing team and part-timers who shovel ice shavings Green said. “I wouldn’t buy myself a $12,000 ring. Twelve thousand during TV timeouts to members of the television and radio broadcast dollars for a ring? And he gave it to us. He gave that. That speaks teams and sub contractors who feed the players — played a vital role in volumes.” pushing the Caps over the top and, thus, was deserving of some bling. The rings came in different tiers. The players’ rings, of course, are at the “I asked how many are we talking about?” Leonsis told The Athletic last top in terms of value, as they contain hundreds of diamonds, rubies and week. “They came back with 1,500 people.” sapphires. The rings distributed to staffers have less bling. In all, Leonsis is believed to have spent north of $5 million. According to a source with It took Leonsis only a few moments to calculate the cost; it was going to knowledge of the arrangement, employees who received rings will not be in the millions. But it didn’t take much longer for him to decide that the have a tax burden. size of the bill wasn’t all that important. Cost and carat weight was of no concern to longtime employee Rick “I said, ‘You know what? This will be something they will remember Lovell, though. A season ticket holder at the old Capital Centre and a forever,'” he said. “And it’s the right thing to do. We just said everyone in part-timer on the event staff for 25 years, he was happy enough just the building. And even with that, I bet you there are still some people that seeing the Caps finally win a title after suffering through so much feel a bit left out. But we did the best we could.” postseason heartbreak over the years. Getting a ring out of the deal was just gravy to him. The order Leonsis placed with Jostens was the largest the jewelry company had ever received from an NHL champion. For comparison’s “It was a long time coming,” Lovell said. “A loooong time. Right after they sake, the biggest order Jostens has ever handled was 2,000 for the Cubs won, I was thinking in the back of my mind that it would be nice to get a in 2016. ring. But you never know. So it was very unexpected.” “They truly believed that it took everybody in that organization to win the Right wing Tom Wilson said he wasn’t surprised to hear about Leonsis’ championship,” said Jostens executive Chris Poitras, who spent six generosity. He was, however, blown away when he heard how many weeks working with Ted and Lynn Leonsis on the design of the players’ rings were ordered and how much Leonsis spent. ring. “They wanted everyone to be able to cherish it.” “I’ve heard different numbers,” Wilson said of the cost. “But the exact More than halfway through the 2018-19 season, there are flashy number doesn’t matter. The gesture is insane. Whatever it was, that’s a reminders of what the Caps accomplished last season — and could still lot of money.” accomplish again this season — adorning the ring fingers of employees throughout the arena. Wilson said every once in a while, an arena worker will approach him, smile, show off their ring and say, ‘Thank you.’ Ferebee, in fact, wears his ring whenever he’s working a game. He operates the elevator that carries management, staff, reporters and “It’s a pretty special feeling,” Wilson said. others from the event floor to the press box. Leonsis also gets stopped in the hallways of Capital One. “I was happy just taking a picture with the Cup,” Ferebee said. “Then we “I have people walking up to me all of the time giving me a hug, giving got that email about the ring and I was like, ‘WHAAAAAT?’ Just me a kiss and they go like this,” Leonsis said, holding up his hand. “It’s flabbergasted.” really been very special.” Ferebee is not alone. National anthem singers Caleb Green and Bob “I think it’s paid itself back in positive vibes throughout the company.” McDonald wear their rings, too.

Anthem singers Caleb Green and Bob McDonald display the spoils of victory. The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 Green said he’ll never forget the ovation that he and McDonald got on opening night, just moments after being presented with their rings. 1129289 Winnipeg Jets "It kind of sucks, to be honest. It didn’t look like much. At first I didn’t think it was offside. Happened that it was, nothing that you can do about it, just have to regroup and go back. I thought we did a decent job of it," said Jets fall to Sharks 3-2 in OT Perreault. San Jose was much stronger in the third. Marcus Sorensen tied it up 2:35 into the final period, knocking home a loose puck. By: Mike McIntyre The Jets got an opportunity to regain the lead midway through the period Posted: 02/5/2019 9:57 PM | Last Modified: 02/5/2019 11:20 PM with Tomas Hertl sent to the box for running into Hellebuyck. Not only did | Updates they fail to convert on the power play, Hertl was sprung on a breakaway as soon as he stepped out of the box.

Hellebuyck made a great glove save, which kept it tied and helped get First they lost a top defenceman to injury. Then they lost a power-play the game to overtime. Shots were 16-6 for the Sharks in the final period. goal to an offside challenge. Then they lost a third-period lead. Then they lost a puck on an overtime power play. The Jets had a golden opportunity as they began overtime with a power play following a late delay of game penalty to the Sharks. San Jose killed Then, perhaps fittingly, they lost the game. Yes, it was a night of lost it off, but gave Winnipeg another gift when they took a penalty for too opportunities and, ultimately, a lost point as the Winnipeg Jets fell 3-2 to many men on the ice. the San Jose Sharks at Bell MTS Place Tuesday night. Yet it was the Sharks that would get the last laugh with the short-handed Joe Pavelski scored on a short-handed two-on-one rush after Jets winger winner, capitalizing on a sluggish Jets power play. The Jets have been Patrik Laine had the puck stolen off his stick in the offensive zone. The money this year when a game goes beyond regulation, with eight wins thief was all-star defenceman Brent Burns, who fed Pavelski for the and just two losses prior to Tuesday. winner. "I liked our game better here than the game that we won in San Jose (in "I think any loss in overtime is a bit more frustrating than regulation, December). Lots of speed and got a lot of pucks to the net. So, parts of it because you’re right there and you’re tasting it. We’ve done so well in were real good," said Maurice, who was coaching in his 1,500th NHL overtime, so we can’t get too mad. But man, those are the ones you game and got a warm ovation from fans and players on both teams when want," said goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who made 35 saves, it was acknowledged during the game. including several of the highlight-reel variety. The Jets now hit the road for three games in four days, beginning The Jets fall to 34-16-3 and remain on top of the Central Division. The Thursday night in Montreal. Weekend matinees in Ottawa and Buffalo will defeat snapped a seven-game home winning streak. The Sharks won for follow. a third straight game to improve to 31-16-7.

"I thought we did a pretty good job. We spent a lot of time forechecking, getting on their D for a while. Like they were struggling just to get out of Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 02.06.2019 their zone. We started kind of trading chances in the third, which is not what we want to do. But you know what, we got a point out of this game. I thought we played a decent game," said forward Mathieu Perreault. Coming off a 9-3 rout of the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday, Winnipeg was looking to continue its strong play. The team got off to a good start when Blake Wheeler used San Jose defenceman Justin Braun as a screen and ripped a wrister past netminder Martin Jones just 3:08 into the game. It was the 11th of the season for the Jets’ captain. But then the Jets got into a bit of penalty trouble, with defencemen Jacob Trouba and Tyler Myers whistled for infractions. Logan Couture made them pay, scoring just 13 seconds into Trouba’s penalty to tie the game. Even worse, defenceman Josh Morrissey was drilled with a Kevin Labanc slapshot only seconds earlier. He limped off the ice and went straight down the tunnel to the dressing room. The Sharks gained plenty of momentum from the goal and began coming in waves. Shots were 14-5 for the visitors through 20 minutes. Morrissey was back to start the second period and had a good view as Perreault jumped on a loose puck just 54 seconds into the frame, giving the Jets a 2-1 lead. It was the 300th NHL point for the veteran winger. "That was nice. Any time you can reach a milestone it’s always a good feeling. Would have been a better feeling if we had got the win," said Perreault. Following that shift, Morrissey left the bench again, this time for good. The club officially ruled him out for the rest of the game with a lower-body injury. That forced the Jets to play with just five defencemen for the rest of the game. "Day-to-day, I guess. He may play in Montreal. We’ll see how he comes back (Wednesday). There’s no major concern on it. We’ll see how he’s feeling," said head coach Paul Maurice. The Jets appeared to take a 3-1 lead midway through the second period as Mark Scheifele converted from the slot with former teammate Evander Kane in the penalty box for tripping. But San Jose successfully challenged that Trouba had put himself offside 10 seconds earlier. Scheifele’s team-leading 27th of the year was wiped out. It was a big gamble by the Sharks, as they faced being down two goals plus taking a delay of game penalty had they been wrong. "Obviously, getting the goal called back hurt. That’s the difference in the game right there," said Wheeler. The Jets dominated the middle frame, outshooting San Jose 15-6. 1129290 Winnipeg Jets

Another close call for Petan

By: Mike McIntyre Posted: 02/5/2019 7:31 PM | Comments: 0

It was another case of so close, yet so far, for Nic Petan. The Winnipeg Jets winger took the pre-game warm-up for a second straight game Tuesday, only to be sent to the press box as a healthy scratch for a 17th straight contest. On Saturday, Petan was on stand-by after Jack Roslovic cramped up during the morning skate and was questionable to play. Roslovic ended up recovering in time to score his first NHL hat trick in a 9-3 rout of the Anaheim Ducks. On Tuesday, it was veteran centre Bryan Little who was the question mark. Little missed the morning skate with an undisclosed issue, but was good to go after testing things out just prior to puck drop. "If he plays we'll expect a hat trick," Jets head coach Paul Maurice said of Little's status. Petan's agent told the Free Press last week Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is actively trying to find a new home for the fourth-year pro to give him a fresh start. If Dustin Byfuglien had his way, he would have suited up Tuesday night. Instead, the veteran defenceman missed his 15th straight game as he recovers from an ankle injury. He joined the Jets for his first full practice Monday and is on the verge of returning, likely Thursday night against the Canadiens in Montreal as the Jets begin a three-game eastern road swing. "He's ready to play, he'd like to play. I just want to hold him out one more," said Maurice. "He's had a block of almost five weeks off. He did skate during the all- star break, but (Monday) was his first practice. We're not concerned about the injury or where it's at. It's all the other things — groins, hip flexors — that when you don't get to push at a high level for a long period of time, because he's not coming back in at 12 minutes. He's coming back in at 20-plus minutes and he's got to be ready to go." The only other injured Jets skater is Nikolaj Ehlers, who has missed 13 games with an upper-body injury. He's been skating and is getting closer to joining a full practice. "I think we’re seven days away from that, possibly. But he’s coming on the trip. He’s back in the part now where the conditioning and some of the ice work gets handed over to the coaches. He’s got more of a defined window. He’s not playing until a certain date. And then we’re kind of moving towards that now," said Maurice. Evander Kane appears to have found his groove with the San Jose Sharks. After a bit of a sluggish start, the power forward has been on fire lately. And his coach believes part of the turnaround can be attributed to a December game against his old team. Kane fired 10 shots, chipping in a goal and assist, in a 5-4 loss to the Jets on Dec. 20. Since then, he had 10 goals and 10 assists in 17 games entering play Tuesday night at Bell MTS Place. "For me, he’s been our best forward for the last month and a half. He’s been excellent. I don’t know if it was just that performance, it was a piece of it. We found him some linemates and some chemistry and he started feeling good about his game again. He’s been outstanding," Sharks head coach Pete DeBoer said following the morning skate.

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 02.06.2019 1129291 Winnipeg Jets out the problem but I’m still going to worry about the other three," said Maurice.

Maurice recalled an example from their time together, when they Sharks coach celebrates good buddy Maurice's coaching milestone participated in the annual OHL schedule meeting and got absolutely schooled by pretty much everyone else in the room. By: Mike McIntyre "We’re driving home and I’m looking at a stretch of the schedule and I’m saying to him ‘I’m pretty sure that this is the worst block of games in the Posted: 02/5/2019 5:41 PM | Last Modified: 02/5/2019 10:59 PM history of hockey.’ We went from like Sault Ste. Marie to Newmarket, we | Updates played like five games in seven nights. It was horrible and it was my inexperience. He said ‘Don’t worry about it, we’re probably going to win 'em all.’ So that’s Pete’s strength, he wasn’t worried about that," said Maurice. They share a storied history going back to junior hockey in the mid- 1980s, not to mention an ensuing professional rivalry and personal "We got seven out of eight points, and it was still a horse s—t schedule. friendship that has stood the test of time. He was wrong, it was a terrible schedule. So that was what our car rides were like." So it was only fitting that as Paul Maurice celebrated a major milestone Tuesday night, Pete DeBoer was there to witness it. Maurice's 1,500th Both men admitted they've wondered what a playoff series against each regular-season game behind an NHL bench involved his Winnipeg Jets other would be like. It nearly happened last season, as the Jets reached taking on DeBoer's San Jose Sharks at Bell MTS Place. the Western Conference final while the Sharks fell short to the Vegas Golden Knights. With their teams both looking like legitimate Stanley Cup Maurice is just the sixth coach in league history to hit the 1,500 mark. contenders againt this season, perhaps it's in the cards. "Completely more special because of that," Maurice said prior to the "Yeah, we wouldn’t talk to each other. At all. Not from the start to the game. "I got a lot of really nice texts over the last week, but his was the finish," said Maurice. one I’ll cherish and appreciate (the most)." "I’d love to see him win the Stanley Cup, as long as we had won more. The feeling is definitely mutual. For anybody that’s played together on a team, so a junior team we spent "I think it’s appropriate, I coached with him his first year as a head coach two or three years together, you’re like the best of friends. But there’s a in junior hockey in Detroit. I was 25 and he was 26. Fifteen hundred constant competition about everything, whether it’s ping pong, I don’t games is an absurd number of games and I look at that list (of games care what it is. So Pete and I have always had that competition with each coached) that he’s on and I don’t think anybody has done more with the other." teams that they’ve had," said DeBoer.

"And that’s not a slight on anybody there. But this guy, you can count on Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 02.06.2019 one hand the number of teams he’s gone into the season with where people have said ‘hey, that’s a team that should win.’ He’s persevered, he’s survived it and he’s taken a step back and gone to Russia in order to keep going. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him and I couldn’t be happier for him. It’s an outstanding achievement." Their relationship actually pre-dates coaching, as Maurice and DeBoer were teammates on the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League for three seasons between 1985-1988. DeBoer was asked Tuesday what kind of player Maurice was, and couldn't resist the chance to get in a dig. "He was a coach," DeBoer deadpanned. "Great leadership. Hands were, you know." The numbers don't lie. While Maurice put up just eight goals and 29 assists in those three years, DeBoer had a bit more pop to his game as he scored 39 times and added 41 helpers. The pair ended up behind the bench together with the Detroit Junior Red Wings in 1994, with Maurice as a second-year head coach and DeBoer as his rookie assistant. Together, they won the OHL championship. San Jose Sharks' Pete DeBoer began his coaching career with Winnipeg Jets' Paul Maurice when they coached junior hockey together in Detroit. "We beat Jeff O’Neill and (Todd) Bertuzzi in the OHL final. We got to the Memorial Cup and played the Kamloops (Blazers) and their starting lineup was Shane Doan, Jarome Iginla and Darcy Tucker. It was 7-1 (for Kamloops) before we looked up. That was probably the worst beating the two of us took behind a bench," said DeBoer. "He loved coming to the rink even then and he was a miserable SOB when we lost. The running joke was that his wife and my wife and me would walk 10 feet behind him out of the rink if we lost a game in junior hockey because he was so miserable. I think he’s lightened up a bit on the losses and he’s enjoying the ride a little bit more. He’s one of the best coaches I’ve been around." "I’m happy for him and the journey he’s had. I think he’s going to go down as one of the best coaches of all time. He hasn’t had the luxury of some great teams, although he’s in a great spot right now and at the right time for him." Maurice admitted Tuesday to some early personality clashes between the pair, which helped them both grow as leaders. There have been big personal moments as well, including attending each other's wedding. "We’ve probably both, in talking to him, both given up more control for the right reasons and used the people around us a whole lot better. What Pete was good at is if there were four problems on the board, he could pick the one that was the real problem and then spend no time worrying about the other three. My personality’s more, I’m pretty good at picking 1129292 Winnipeg Jets centre, and it’s much more difficult to make a pass to the slot when you’re already in the slot in shooting position than on the perimeter attempting to find a teammate. Jack Roslovic on track to be a star, stats show Fewer passes to the slot hasn’t meant that Roslovic hasn’t been able to flex his playmaking muscles either, as over the last two months only 11 players in the NHL have been connecting on passes off the rush more By: Andrew Berkshire often than Roslovic, and that group is truly special, boasting names like Aleksander Barkov, Nicklas Backstrom, Mark Stone, and Elias Posted: 02/5/2019 6:00 PM Pettersson. Obviously you want to see him be able to drive possession eventually and improve those on-ice shot metrics, but Roslovic proving capable of Jack Roslovic, seen defending against the Minnesota Wild’s Eric Staal, putting himself in that group, even in limited, sheltered minutes, is the has the potential to be the offensive boost the Jets will need heading into kind of thing that makes me think he’s a budding offensive star for the the playoffs. Jets. If his last third of the season sees him fully break out as an Coming into this season, Jack Roslovic was the player I saw as the X- offensive force, it would be just the kind of boost Winnipeg could use in factor for the Winnipeg Jets. A young centre who broke into the NHL last the playoffs, especially with Patrik Laine struggling. season after half of a dominant season in the American Hockey League, Andrew Berkshire is a hockey writer specializing in data-driven analysis he put up about a half a point per game in limited minutes, giving the Jets of the game. yet another scoring option heading into the playoffs.

He wasn’t a huge impact player in the Jets’ run to the Western Conference Final with just three assists in 10 games, but there was a ton Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 02.06.2019 of promise. Fast forward to this season and there have been times where Roslovic has struggled to get ice time from head coach Paul Maurice — and while he started the season slotted as the team’s third-line centre with Nikolaj Ehlers, that line never worked and was quickly dismantled. As the season has gone on, it’s been clear Roslovic has been suffering that dreaded sophomore slump. However, a move to the wing seems to have sparked something of late and the young forward has six points in his last four games, including a hat trick against the Anaheim Ducks last Saturday night. It appears Roslovic is beginning to dig himself out of that slump and get back to the player we saw last season — but do the stats back that up? Looking at his on-ice impact on differentials, we can see that last season the only area where he wasn’t at least even was in shots on goal, with passes to the slot being a particular strength the Jets as a team shared, and continue to share. This season in the first two months, his on-ice differentials took a big hit, especially in high-danger chances, where both he and the whole team allowed a lot more quality shots to get on net than the previous season. All his shot based metrics had him below 50 per cent. In passing stats, Roslovic remained strong, with few passes to the slot getting through him and the defenders he shared the ice with in the first two months, along with a great amount of puck movement generated by him in the offensive zone. Puck movement, and defending against puck movement in your own zone can go a long way towards compensating for bad shot locations or being outshot in general, but clearly it wasn’t working for Roslovic early this season, so a change in his play came about. Over the last two months and a bit, there’s been less focus on dominating puck movement, though when Roslovic is on the ice the Jets still get the better of opponents, and are more focused on getting in tight to the net. When players are struggling to score, it’s often a coach’s mantra to get into the dirty areas, and it seems as though when Roslovic is out there, his line is taking that to heart. The question then becomes, has Roslovic actually improved or changed his game much, or is he just playing with better linemates? To answer that, we have to look at his individual tendencies, which we can again compare to last season. For the most part, the differences aren’t huge, but you can see over time that Roslovic has inched his way closer and closer to the net on his shots and shot attempts, while also transitioning towards more of a quick-strike offensive style, with far more attacking off the rush in each segment of time. Throughout his short career, Roslovic has been one of the most successful passers into the slot in the entire NHL on a per-minute basis, and if that skill holds up over time, it would be crazy of the Jets to not take advantage of it. However, it makes sense that for now, in order to get going, his focus has drifted away from that and more towards improving his shots and attacking with speed. Another factor in a drop in passes to the slot is that in playing on the wing, he’s going to be engineering the play less often than if he plays 1129293 Winnipeg Jets

Byfuglien won't play tonight against Sharks

By: Mike McIntyre Posted: 02/5/2019 1:10 PM

Two of the most dynamic defencemen in the game will be spectators tonight as the Winnipeg Jets take on the San Jose Sharks at Bell MTS Place. Dustin Byfuglien will miss at least one more game as he recovers from an ankle injury suffered in late December. The Jets blue-liner was a full participant in the morning skate but stayed out for extra work. Coach Paul Maurice said they are just being extra careful. "He's ready to play, he'd like to play, I just want to hold him out one more. He's had a block of almost five weeks off. We're not concerned about the injury or where it's at, it's all the other things — groins, hip flexors — that you don't get to push at a high level for a long period of time, because he's not coming back in at 12 minutes, he's coming back in at 20-plus minutes and he's got to be ready to go," Maurice said. As for the Sharks, Erik Karlsson will miss a fifth straight game as he deals with a lower-body ailment. He remains back home in California and there is no timetable for his return. Despite being without some star power, there's still plenty of intrigue as two of the top teams in the Western Conference meet. The Jets are on top of the Central Division with a 34-16-2 record and sit third-overall in the NHL standings. The Sharks are 30-16-7 and sit second in the Pacific Division behind the Calgary Flames. "We know it's going to be a tough one. They have a good team. A lot of guys that do a lot of things really well. We know it's going to be a tough test, we know it's going to be a grind, and we have to be prepared for that," said centre Mark Scheifele, who leads the Jets with 26 goals in 52 games. "They got a lot of guys that can make some plays, make you pay." One of those is familiar to Winnipeg fans, as old friend Evander Kane has been on a tear lately with 21 goals and 21 assists in 53 games this season. Winnipeg beat San Jose 5-3 on Dec. 20 in their only previous meeting this season. Connor Hellebuyck will make a fourth straight start in goal for the Jets. There's one other lineup question for Winnipeg, as second-line centre Bryan Little was absent from the morning skate. Maurice said he will be a game-time decision, with Nic Petan on standby to play if he can't. "If he plays we'll expect a hat trick," Maurice said, referring to Jack Roslovic being a question mark on Saturday against Anaheim, then going on to score three in a 9-3 rout. This will be a special night for Maurice, as he coaches in his 1,500th regular-season game. His good friend, Pete Deboer, is behind the bench with the Sharks. The two began their coaching career together in 1993 with the Detroit Junior Red Wings of the Ontario Hockey league "I got a lot of really nice texts over the last week but his was the one that I'll cherish. As long as we win I'm really happy he's here," said Maurice.

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 02.06.2019 1129294 Winnipeg Jets “I remember us both looking at each other and kind of pinching ourselves. The funny thing was that I was 25 and he was 26 and he had been an assistant coach for already six years at that point,” DeBoer said. Pavelski and Sharks sink Jets in overtime “This guy has been a coach for 40 years almost. I don’t want to date him or age him, but he’s the epitome of a lifetime coach. He loves it. He loved coming to the rink even then and he was miserable when we lost. Ken Wiebe “The running joke was that his wife and my wife and me would walk 10 feet behind him out of the rink if we lost a game in junior hockey because he was so miserable. I think he’s lightened up a bit on the losses and he’s enjoying the ride a little bit more. He’s one of the best coaches I’ve The San Jose Sharks spoiled the party. been around. I’m happy for him and the journey he’s had. I think he’s A shorthanded goal from Joe Pavelski capped a 3-2 overtime victory for going to go down as one of the best coaches of all time. He hasn’t had the Sharks over the Winnipeg Jets on a night head coach Paul Maurice the luxury of some great teams, although he’s in a great spot right now was behind the bench for his 1,500th game as an NHL bench boss. and at the right time for him.” Connor Hellebuyck made 35 saves, but was stuck with the overtime The focus for Maurice is on the game itself, but he took some time to defeat when Paveleski buried a pass from Brent Burns at 2:49 of the appreciate the journey. extra session. “It’s completely more special. Pete DeBoer and I started our (coaching) “I wasn’t nearly as nervous as the first one, I’ll tell you that,” said Maurice, career together in 1993,” Maurice said. “He was in law school at the time. who received a lengthy ovation during the first period. “They are two We had a major junior team, a junior team, seven minor (hockey) teams, different entities. The 1,500 part is a personal thing, kind of away from a rink and a restaurant were all part of the job that I had. Pete and I split the game and then, there’s the game itself. the hockey together. We were roommates and ex-teammates (with the Windsor Spitfires in the OHL), so at that time, he was as close a friend as “I certainly would have liked to win it, but no more necessarily than any I had. other night.” “I got a lot of really nice texts during the past week, but his is the one that Spoken like a true coach. I’ll cherish. I appreciate it very much. As long as we win, I’m really happy that he’s here.” The Jets, who moved to 34-16-3 on the season, open a three-game road trip on Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens. Oddly enough, the first NHL as a head coach for Maurice came against the Sharks, a 7-3 victory for the Whalers. Although the Jets saw their four-game winning streak snapped, they’ve earned at least a point in five consecutive games (collecting nine of 10 With the NHL going younger during the past few seasons, Maurice is available points) and are now 8-3 this season in games decided in thankful his coaching odyssey included one season in the American overtime or a shootout. Hockey League with the in 2004-05. Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey suffered a lower-body injury in the “Well, that year was really important, because I started to understand contest, blocking a slapshot from Kevin Labanc during a Sharks power what those guys go through when they don’t get called up. When their play in the first period. number’s not picked,” Maurice said. “And as the coach you’re down there going ‘He’s our best player.’ I certainly have more empathy for (Manitoba With Morrissey down on the ice, Sharks centre Logan Couture snapped a Moose head coach) Pascal Vincent and what he goes through and the shot through traffic past Connor Hellebuyck. job he’s done there. Understanding that struggle from the American Morrissey came out for one shift to start the second period, but went league to the NHL. When these kids come up, I certainly don’t think it’s back down the tunnel and the Jets ruled him out for the contest shortly made me easier on them, but I certainly am aware of what they’re going thereafter. through. I also know they have to get past that fear threshold of making a mistake to going on to become a bonafide NHL player. But having been a The severity of the injury to Morrissey won’t likely be known until coach in major junior, then the American League even though it was only Wednesday, at the earliest. for a year, to the NHL, has made me at least understand what those kids go through.” “Day-to-day, I guess,” said Maurice. “He may play in Montreal. We’ll see how he comes back tomorrow (Wednesday). There’s no major concern The first domino has finally fallen. on it. With the Toronto Maple Leafs inking centre Auston Matthews to a five- Blake Wheeler and Mathieu Perreault scored for the Jets, who had a year extension that carries a cap hit of $11.634 million, the guy who was power-play goal called back on a coach’s challenge for offside. going to set the ceiling for this year’s restricted free agent class has been taken care of. “Obviously, getting the goal called back hurt,” said Wheeler. “That’s the difference in the game right there.” What that means for the star-studded class remains to be seen, but this was the domino that many agents — and players — were waiting for. There was some symmetry in the fact Pete DeBoer is standing on the opposite bench as Maurice becomes the sixth head coach in NHL history Yes, Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas did an excellent job of to coach 1,500 games. keeping the AAV down, but the risk is that Matthews will be an unrestricted free agent and could choose to walk at the end of the deal. The two longtime coaches began their careers together on the Detroit Junior Red Wings staff in the Ontario Hockey League. Plus, the Maple Leafs still need to sign Mitch Marner and he’s expected to command a deal in the range of $10 million per season. “It is special. I sent him a note this morning. I think it’s appropriate, I coached with him his first year as a head coach in junior hockey in What might the impact be on the Jets, who have two high-profile RFAs of Detroit. I was 25 and he was 26. Fifteen hundred games is an absurd their own in Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor. number of games and I look at that list (of games coached) that he’s on and I don’t think anybody has done more with the teams that they’ve Despite a recent dry spell after a red-hot November, Laine is closing in had,” DeBoer said. “And that’s not a slight on anybody there. But this on a third consecutive 30-plus goal season and with goal-scoring at a guy, you can count on one hand the number of teams he has gone into premium, it’s going to cost the Jets big dollars to sign the Finnish sniper the season with where people have said ‘hey, that’s a team that should to a long-term deal. win.’ He’s persevered, he’s survived it and he’s taken a step back and On a deal that’s between seven and eight years, Laine is likely to earn gone to Russia (for one season in the Kontinental Hockey League) in somewhere in the neighbourhood of $10 million. order to keep going. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him and I couldn’t be happier for him. It’s an outstanding achievement.” As for Connor, the belief going into the campaign was that he might be a guy who the Jets could try to sign to a bridge deal. After two seasons as the bench boss of the Junior Red Wings — including an OHL championship and a trip to the Memorial Cup — But after establishing himself as a good fit on the top line with Mark Maurice was hired as an assistant coach with the . Scheifele and Blake Wheeler, it’s expected the Jets will look at locking down Connor long-term as well. And just 12 games into the 1995-96 season, Maurice took over from as the head coach — the springboard for a career behind the The Jets would prefer to get Connor signed to a deal closer to the one bench. William Nylander signed with the Maple Leafs, (six years, with a cap hit closer to $6 million. Other pending RFAs who were keeping an eye on where the Matthews deal ended up include Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen, Tampa Bay Lightning centre Brayden Point, Calgary Flames winger Matthew Tkachuk and Carolina Hurricanes centre Sebastian Aho, among others. Jets defenceman Dustin Byfuglien missed a 15th consecutive game with an ankle injury, though he remains on track to return to action early in the upcoming road trip. If Tuesday were a playoff game, it’s safe to say Byfuglien would have been in the lineup. “He’s ready to play, he’d like to play,” Maurice said. “I just want to hold him out one more. He’s had a block of almost five weeks off. He did skate during the all-star break, but (Monday) was his first practice. We’re not concerned about the injury or where it’s at. It’s all the other things — groins, hip flexors — that when you don’t get to push at a high level for a long period of time, because he’s not coming back in at 12 minutes. He’s coming back in at 20-plus minutes and he’s got to be ready to go. So we wanted to get him another skate today, get him a skate (on Wednesday) and then he’ll go in Montreal.” As for Nikolaj Ehlers, who suffered an upper-body injury on Jan. 4 against the Pittsburgh Penguins when he was involved in a collision with Sidney Crosby, the Jets forward is roughly a week away from returning to practice with his teammates. “I think we’re seven days away from that, possibly. But he’s coming on the trip,” said Maurice. “He’s back in the part now where the conditioning and some of the ice work gets handed over to the coaches. He’s got more of a defined window. He’s not playing until a certain date. And then we’re kind of moving towards that now.” FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED Power outage The Jets power play generated plenty of Grade A opportunities and even scored once — though a coach’s challenge for offside was successful and took the goal off the board. The Jets finished the contest 0-for-5 and allowed the overtime winner to Joe Paveleski on a two-on-one rush with Brent Burns. Home cooking Despite the overtime loss, the Jets are 7-0-1 during the past eight games at Bell MTS Place, collecting 15 of a possible 16 points. That impressive run at home has allowed the Jets to remain on top of the Central Division standings. “We’re doing a pretty good job holding down our fort,” said Jets captain Blake Wheeler. Picking up the slack With Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey limited to five shifts and 3:45 of ice time after blocking a shot with his foot in the first period, the Jets spent much of the contest playing with five blue-liners. Jacob Trouba played a game-high 27:52, while Ben Chiarot (25:30) and Tyler Myers (25:08) also helped pick of the slack. Morrissey is officially listed as day-to-day. The physical force Jets centre Adam Lowry was a beast in this game, using his body to set a physical tone. He finished with a game-high five hits and won eight of 10 draws he took. Milestone No. 2 Jets head coach Paul Maurice wasn’t the only guy who hit a milestone on Tuesday. With his goal against the Sharks, Mathieu Perreault collected his 300th NHL point (119 goals, 181 assists in 549 NHL games). “Yeah, that was nice, any time you can reach a milestone it’s always a good feeling,” said Perreault. “Would have been a better feeling if he had got the win.”

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 02.06.2019 1129295 Winnipeg Jets “I’ve said it all along: opportunity is going to make or break you.” Lemieux’s dad had a reputation as a big-game producer, and the kid craves a chance to do the same. FRIESEN: Jets’ Lemieux cleaning up his act The move from the Sabres organization to the Jets has him poised for his first shot at the post-season. Paul Friesen “My dad doesn’t talk about the seasons where he scored 25, 30, whatever it was, and missed the playoffs,” Lemieux said. “He always talks about the years that he won. That’s what I’ve grown up around. He came to Winnipeg with the reputation of a cheap-shot artist, not afraid to break the rules to get where he wanted to be. “I want to win. That’s all you really care about.” That bad-boy approach threatened to do just the opposite for Brendan Lemieux. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 02.06.2019 But after absorbing his first NHL suspension earlier this season, Lemieux has been the poster boy for reformed behaviour. As of Nov. 2 – the night he head-hunted Florida’s Vincent Trocheck and earned a two-game suspension – the Jets winger had zero goals and 27 penalty minutes in nine games this season. Since serving the two games and spending five more in coach Paul Maurice’s dog-house, Lemieux’s stats look like this: Seven goals and just 20 minutes in penalties in his last 27 games. With the flip of a switch, it seems, Lemieux has gone from liability to asset. What could have been a season-defining moment for the 22-year-old instead became a season-changing one. “I guess you could let it define you,” Lemieux’s linemate Andrew Copp was saying, Tuesday. “But he’s not the kind of guy that’s going to let it define him.” What kind of guy is Lemieux? He wants to be a NHL player, like his dad was, probably as badly as anybody I’ve met. But repeated suspensions in junior had many wondering what the Jets were getting into after they acquired Claude’s son in the Evander Kane deal, four years ago next week. His first two seasons as a pro with the Manitoba Moose didn’t exactly dispel that worry, Lemieux rolling up 130, then 170 minutes in penalties. But this season, despite the November screw-up, has been a revelation. He’s averaged just 1.3 minutes per game, and since the suspension that average is down to less than one minute. “He hasn’t been really dirty at all since then,” Copp said. “He learned what’s going to happen if he does cross the line … he’s out of the lineup for at least the suspension, and then it could be prolonged after that.” Lemieux makes no apology for a style that can straddle the line between gritty and dirty. He comes by it honestly, after all. “I’m always going to play hard, I’m always going to be emotional,” he said. “That’s part of my DNA. But the last little bit’s been focused on playing hockey.” It wouldn’t be quite accurate to say Lemieux was a throw-in in the trade that sent Kane to Buffalo. But he was a question mark. Today he’s a valuable piece of the Jets’ fourth line, and showing signs he could turn out to be the second most valuable piece, long-term, the Jets received in the deal, behind only Jack Roslovic (acquired with a draft pick from Buffalo). Tyler Myers also came to Winnipeg in that trade, but he’ll be tough to re- sign this summer. Drew Stafford and Joel Armia are already gone. “It feels great,” Lemieux said of his outburst in production. “That’s obviously what you dream of doing as a kid. But most importantly we’ve been able to string together some wins, and feel like we’re helping the team. “We want to be the line that can help this team in the playoffs. So being able to produce now is important to develop that confidence.” Lemieux has outwardly never lacked confidence. He eats up the trust and responsibility Maurice is now giving him and his line, sending them out late in tight games. “That’s what we want to be able to do, be trusted late in games, third- period situations,” Lemieux said. “Times when it counts. 1129296 Winnipeg Jets

Maurice set for 1,500th NHL game, Jets looking for fourth straight victory

Ken Wiebe

There is some symmetry in the fact Pete DeBoer is standing on the opposite bench as Paul Maurice becomes the sixth head coach in NHL history to coach 1,500 games. The Jets host the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday and it’s fitting that the two longtime coaches began their careers together on the Detroit Junior Red Wings staff in the Ontario Hockey League. “It is special. I sent him a note this morning. I think it’s appropriate, I coached with him his first year as a head coach in junior hockey in Detroit. I was 25 and he was 26. Fifteen hundred games is an absurd number of games and I look at that list (of games coached) that he’s on and I don’t think anybody has done more with the teams that they’ve had,” said DeBoer. “And that’s not a slight on anybody there. But this guy, you can count on one hand the number of teams he’s gone into the season with where people have said ‘hey, that’s a team that should win.’ He’s persevered, he’s survived it and he’s taken a step back and gone to Russia (for one season in the Kontinental Hockey League) in order to keep going. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him and I couldn’t be happier for him. It’s an outstanding achievement.” The Jets (34-16-2) are looking for a fourth consecutive victory as they close out a three-game homestand. After two seasons as the bench boss of the Junior Red Wings — including an OHL championship and a trip to the Memorial Cup — Maurice was hired as an assistant coach with the Hartford Whalers. And just 12 games into the 1995-96 season, Maurice took over from Paul Holmgren as the head coach — the springboard for a career behind the bench. “I remember us both looking at each other and kind of pinching ourselves. The funny thing was that I was 25 and he was 26 and he had been an assistant coach for already six years at that point,” said DeBoer. “This guy has been a coach for 40 years almost. I don’t want to age him, but he’s the epitome of a lifetime coach. He loves it. He loved coming to the rink even then and he was miserable when we lost. “The running joke was that his wife and my wife and me would walk 10 feet behind him out of the rink if we lost a game in junior hockey because he was so miserable. I think he’s lightened up a bit on the losses and he’s enjoying the ride a little bit more. He’s one of the best coaches I’ve been around.” The focus for Maurice is on the game itself, but he took some time to appreciate the journey. “It’s completely more special. Pete DeBoer and I started our (coaching) career together in 1993,” said Maurice. “He was in law school at the time. We had a major junior team, a junior team, seven minor (hockey) teams, a rink and a restaurant were all part of the job that I had. Pete and I split the hockey together. We were roommates and ex-teammates (with the Windsor Spitfires in the OHL), so at that time, he was as close a friend as I had. “I got a lot of really nice texts during the past week, but his is the one that I’ll cherish. I appreciate it very much. As long as we win, I’m really happy that he’s here.” The Jets will be without defenceman Dustin Byfuglien for a 15th consecutive game, while centre Bryan Little will be a game-time decision after skipping the morning skate. If Little is unable to play, Nic Petan will draw into the lineup for the first time since Dec. 22. The Sharks will be without defenceman Erik Karlsson, who is day-to-day with a lower-body issue. Connor Hellebuyck makes a third consecutive start for the Jets, while the Sharks counter with Martin Jones.

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 02.06.2019 1129297 Vancouver Canucks nearly picked the high short side on a cross-ice power-play feed by Nikolay Goldobin, Jay Beagle had a chance down low and Tyler Motte

had a re-direct. Canucks Post Game: A weird winner, a slow start, a good resolve, a Who would win the third? Pettersson promise The Capitals built a two-goal cushion when Evgeny Kuznetsov waltzed

around Alex Biega and Brent Connolly pounced on a loose puck in the Ben Kuzma crease. Antoine Roussel then responded with a backhand pass into the slot that Markus Granlund buried.

Horvat gets wings, Pettersson gets attention WASHINGTON, D.C. — Points to ponder as a weird bouncing-puck sequence on the winning goal — and not enough luck after a slow start The centre has dutifully carried a heavy load and rotating wingers in the — proved the difference as the Canucks fell 3-2 to the Stanley Cup hope that the Canucks can spread scoring and maybe he finds some champion Washington Capitals on Tuesday to drop to 1-2-0 on a four- magic. He had Tim Schaller and Josh Leivo on his flanks on Monday in game road trip: Philadelphia and has had a revolving door of wingers that include Sven Baertschi, Granlund, Loui Eriksson, Jake Virtanen and Roussel. That bouncing puck: ‘OK, stay there, Nothing can happen if it stays there’ On Tuesday, Horvat had to warm up to the prospect of skating with It was a cross between lacrosse and badminton. Goldobin and Brock Boeser. This wasn’t about heavy wingers banging the boards and winning battles. It was about doing something off the A bouncing puck off the shoulder of Jacob Markstrom was credited to rush. But at even strength it was more Horvat than his linemates and his Jakub Vrana and proved the deciding blow to give the Capitals a 3-1 lead bull rush to the net in the second period, in which he was pitch-forked by before Elias Pettersson scored with 6.3 seconds remaining in regulation Jonas Siegenthaler, showed raw will. time. The winner was tough to stomach because of the manner in which the Canucks came on to push the game on the second half of back-to- He went forehand on the penalty shot and tried to beat Braden Holtby to back games. The weird Vrana goal stung. the stick side but the Capitals starter got just enough of the effort. Boeser didn’t have a shot attempt Tuesday, which was a credit to how hard the “It was a fluke play,” said defenceman Ben Hutton. “Stechy had the guy Caps take away time and space. behind the net and he tried to come to my side and I just poked it (puck) off his stick. It bounced up, hit the top of the net and gloves and sticks Pettersson was aligned with Roussel and Leivo to give the Calder Trophy were flying around and it hit Marky in the back and rolled in. Tough play. frontrunner a fresh look.

“I saw it come up and land on top of the net and I was like: ‘OK, stay “I felt after the All-Star Game, Petey didn’t have this best two games and there.’ Nothing can happen if it stays there and it bounced off and then it I talked to Petey and Bo about it and that’s the good thing about them — was like slow motion and running down his (Markstrom’s) back. I thought they don’t care who they play with,” added Green. it was a close call.” Pettersson seemed to have the high side picked on Holtby on his power- So did Markstrom. play chance, but surmised that opposition goalies are doing their homework and opposition players are getting in shooting lanes. “I saw their guy Vrana and he went from my left to my right and when I switched sides, there was no puck there but guys were swinging their “I had too much time with that pass and I don’t know if he scouted me, sticks on the top of my head,” he said. “I felt something on my back and I but I felt as soon as I shot it, he was already waiting for me to shoot short tried to turn my body to get the glove there and banked it out.” side,” said Pettersson. “I’ll score next time. At the beginning of the season I had more space, but if they pay more attention to me, other Travis Green said it was hard to tell if a stick made contact above the guys will be open.” crossbar on the winning goal, but not hard to figure how the game played out. Hutton logs a load, Beagle saluted in style

“We weren’t very good in the first — we didn’t have our legs under us Hutton was going to get the point call on the first power play unit. He was and weren’t competing the way we need to and we started going to also going to get called upon to work well with Troy Stecher and eat up work,” said the Canucks coach. “We were a tenacious group in the minutes with Edler sidelined. He relished the role and confidently played second period and the third was pretty even. The last 40 minutes we 28:35 while Tanev got better as the game went on in a pairing with were really pushing. Gudbranson and Derrick Pouliot was with Biega.

Two sequences could have drawn one sobering conclusion. “Minus our first period, I thought we were pretty good. It stings in being in a playoff hunt,” said Hutton. “I knew the minutes would come wth Eddie When an untouched Lars Eller unleashed a first-period slot shot, got his (Edler) being hurt, but I’ve got prepare, especially on back-to-backs to own rebound and wheeled back into the slot to whip a backhander on net play those minutes. I thought as a pairing me and Stechy were pretty while being chased by Pettersson, it was an early indication of how much good tonight.” the Canucks were chasing the game and how much the Capitals were owning it. Green would agree.

It was further emphasized later in the same frame when T.J. Oshie “They seem to be strong together since we put that pairing together and flipped the puck between the new pairing of Chris Tanev and Erik they’ve done a lot of good things and are defending well,” said Green. Gudbranson, split the defenders and got to the crease. Three games in “They both need to get up the ice, which you need to. But it’s one thing to four nights probably had something to do with the lethargic start and so get up the ice, it’s another to be able to pick your right spots to handle the did the loss of the injured Alex Edler. puck when you get it.”

You get outshot 18-5 and allow the defending Stanley Cup champions to Meanwhile, long-serving Capitals centre Beagle got a standing ovation, a control the boards and have a free-fly zone in front of Markstrom and it video tribute and chants of “Beagle Beagle” and even a long hug from had the makings of a very long night. Alex Ovechkin in his first game in Washington after signing with the Canucks as a free agent on July 1. Yet, the Canucks found their legs and some symmetry with new pairings and new lines and had a half dozen scoring chances in the second “It was special,” said Beagle, who played his entire NHL career with the period, including a failed penalty-shot attempt by Bo Horvat, who was Caps before joining the Canucks. “They had mentioned they were going trying to will his club to victory. to do something small (video) and it was something. Gave me a run down of 10 years with them. I don’t even know what to say. Playing here It was as simple as this: The Capitals won the first period and took a 1-0 was special for me and I did have a great relationship with the fans, but I lead on an early Oshie goal when he stripped Tanev and got to the net to didn’t know it was to that extent.” bury a rebound.

The Canucks won the second period with a 13-4 shot advantage and nearly tied it when Hutton hit the crossbar. That came after Pettersson Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129298 Vancouver Canucks work,” said the Canucks’ bench boss. “We were a tenacious group in the second period and the third was pretty even.”

The centre has dutifully carried a heavy load and rotating wingers in the Capitals 3 Canucks 2: Slow start, good rebound not enough against Cup hope that the Canucks can spread scoring and maybe he finds some champs magic. He had Tim Schaller and Josh Leivo on his flanks on Monday in Philadelphia and has had a revolving door of wingers that include Sven Baertschi, Granlund, Loui Eriksson, Jake Virtanen and Roussel. Ben Kuzma On Tuesday, Horvat had to warm up to the prospect of skating with Goldobin and Brock Boeser. This wasn’t about heavy wingers banging the boards and winning battles. It was about doing something off the WASHINGTON — Two disturbing sequences could have drawn one rush. sobering conclusion Tuesday. But at even strength it was more Horvat than his linemates and his bull When an untouched Lars Eller unleashed a first-period slot shot, got his rush to the net in the second period, in which he was pitchforked by own rebound and wheeled back into the slot to whip a backhander on net Jonas Siegenthaler, showed raw will. He went forehand on the penalty while being chased by Elias Pettersson, it was an early indication of how shot and tried to beat Braden Holtby to the stick side but the Capitals’ much the Vancouver Canucks were chasing the game and how much the netminder got just enough of the effort. Boeser didn’t have a shot Washington Capitals were owning it. attempt. It was further emphasized later in the same frame when T.J. Oshie Hutton was going to get the point call on the first power-play unit. He was flipped the puck between the new pairing of Chris Tanev and Erik also going to get called upon to work well with Troy Stecher and eat up Gudbranson, split the defenders and got to the crease. Three NHL minutes with Edler sidelined. He relished the role and confidently played games in four nights probably had something to do with the lethargic start 28:35 while Tanev got better as the game went on in a pairing with and so did the loss of the injured Alex Edler. Gudbranson and Derrick Pouliot was with Biega. You get outshot 18-5 and allow the defending Stanley Cup champions to Long-serving Capitals’ centre Beagle received a standing ovation, a control the boards and have a free-fly zone in front of Jacob Markstrom video tribute and chants of “Beagle Beagle” and even a long hug from and it had the makings of a very long night. Alex Ovechkin in his first game in Washington after signing with the Yet, the Canucks found their legs and some symmetry with new pairings Canucks as a free agent on July 1. and new lines and had a half dozen scoring chances in the second period, including a failed penalty-shot attempt by Bo Horvat, who was trying to will his road warriors to victory. Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 02.06.2019 It was as simple as this: The Capitals won the first period and took a 1-0 lead on an early Oshie goal when he stripped Tanev and got to the net to bury a rebound.

The Canucks won the second period with a 13-4 shot advantage and nearly tied it when Ben Hutton hit the crossbar. That came after Pettersson nearly picked the high short side on a cross-ice power-play feed by Nikolay Goldobin. Jay Beagle had a chance down low and Tyler Motte had a re-direct.

Who would win the third?

The Capitals built a two-goal cushion when Evgeny Kuznetsov waltzed around Alex Biega and Brent Connolly pounced on a loose puck in the crease. Antoine Roussel then responded with a backhand pass into the slot that Markus Granlund buried.

Here’s what we learned as a bouncing puck off the shoulder of Markstrom was credited to Jakub Vrana as the deciding blow before Pettersson scored with 6.3 second left as the Canucks fell 3-2:

The deciding goal was tough to stomach because of the manner in which the Canucks came on to push the game in the second half of back-to- back games. The weird Vrana goal stung.

“It was a fluke play,” said Hutton. “Stechy had the guy behind the net and he tried to come to my side and I just poked it (puck) off his stick. It bounced up, hit the top of the net and gloves and sticks were flying around and it hit Marky in the back and rolled in. Tough play.

“I saw it come up and land on top of the net and I was like: ‘OK, stay there.’ Nothing can happen if it stays there and it bounced off and then it was like slow motion and running down his back. I thought it was a close call.”

So did Markstrom.

“I saw their guy Vrana and he went from my left to my right and when I switched sides, there was no puck there but guys were swinging their sticks on the top of my head,” he said. “I felt something on my back and I tried to turn my body to get the glove there and bank it out.”

Coach Travis Green said it was difficult to tell if a stick made contact above the crossbar on the winning goal, but not hard to figure how the game played out.

“We weren’t very good in the first — we didn’t have our legs under us and weren’t competing the way we need to and we started going to 1129299 Vancouver Canucks They lost Edler (knee), Tanev (hip) and Baertschi (concussion) on Oct. 24 and five days later, Brandon Sutter was lost to a separated shoulder.

And in a stretch from Nov. 10 to Dec. 4 when the club went 1-10-2, Jay Ben Kuzma: Edler escapes scary scene without facial fractures, but has Beagle was out with a fractured forearm and Sutter was still sidelined. concussion Meanwhile, netminder Thatcher Demko returned to Vancouver to have an MRI (magnetic resonance imagine) of his knee after suffering an injury in Monday’s warmup. Mike DiPietro, the club’s third-round selection Ben Kuzma in the 2017 draft, has been recalled on an emergency basis and backed up Jacob Markstrom on Tuesday.

It has left the Canucks thin in franchise depth with Richard Bachman lost Canucks defenceman's stick was caught in the skate of Jakub Voracek for the season with an achilles injury and Mike McKenna, whom the and his face hit the ice hard Canucks landed in the Anders Nilsson swap, claimed by Philadelphia on WASHINGTON, D.C. — Chris Tanev’s teeth still look like a picket fence waivers. with pieces missing and others misaligned at odd angles. With Brian Elliott close to returning from injury, the Flyers will likely The Vancouver Canucks’ defenceman has suffered a myriad of injuries expose McKenna to waivers again and it’s a scenario the Canucks are and knows the damage a stick or puck to the face can render. A year ago banking on. in Toronto he lost 6½ teeth when a Mitch Marner puck deflection struck In the interim, DiPietro’s learning curve is on fast forward and he’s been him in the face and put mangled roots and nerves in places they urged to soak up the guidance of goalie coach Ian Clark and watch how shouldn’t be. players prep both on and off the ice. Two teeth were pushed under his tongue and he needed several “I don’t know how long he’s going to be here, but get something out of it operations to make his mug functional. and enjoy it,” said Green. “You don’t want to just sit and watch everyone. However, Tanev can’t imagine the fear of bouncing your face off the ice He’s dialled right in and he’ll be a good pro.” and being knocked unconscious. And it’s why the best-case scenario for And the best case scenario is avoid another injury. the fallen Alex Edler — no facial fractures but stitches and a concussion — is rather remarkable. “You hope your (starting) goalie doesn’t get hurt,” said Green. “We could have had to dress somebody (Monday) and I’m glad that didn’t happen. I His stick got caught in the skate of Jakub Voracek midway through was to go and meet him (emergency goalie) Monday, but I was a little hot Monday’s third period in Philadelphia and as he twisted at the top of the after the game.” crease, his face hit the ice hard. Edler was dazed and bloodied and taken off the ice on a stretcher.

“His face is pretty messed up, but this is huge because when he was on Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 02.06.2019 the ice, I expected something worse,” Tanev said Tuesday of his defensive partner.

“You sort of go into shock when somebody is bleeding that much and not moving. That was one of the scariest things I’ve seen, other than Manny (Malhotra) taking a puck in the eye.”

There’s still concern because no two players recover in the same manner from a concussion. Edler has been placed on injured reserve along with teammate Sven Baertschi. The winger wasn’t feeling right after Saturday’s game in Denver and didn’t accompany the team to Philadelphia.

Baertschi missed 30 games after suffering the fifth concussion of his career on Oct. 24 in Las Vegas and saw a doctor Tuesday in Vancouver to assess whether he’s experiencing anything related to concussion symptoms.

Baertschi absorbed a defensive-zone hit from Nathan MacKinnon and a crosscheck from Ian Cole during the 5-1 win over the Avalanche.

Filling the Edler void won’t be easy. He leads the club in average ice time (23:24), blocked shots (109) and is fifth in hits (80). He also anchors the first power-play unit and leads club blue-liners in scoring with 20 points (5-15). Travis Green favours left-right shot combinations and Tanev switched sides Tuesday in a pairing with Erik Gudbranson.

Alex Biega returned to the lineup in a pairing with Derrick Pouliot and the recalled Guillaume Brisebois may play at some point.

“We’re going to need more of a group effort more than anything,” said defenceman Troy Stecher. “Once you try to do too much, you kind of run into more problems. And at the same time with a concussion you don’t know how long it affects the body and mind.”

Added Green: “You don’t want to lose your top guy, but I don’t want to overthink it. I’m never one to make excuses, you’ve got to move on. It’s the NHL.”

The Canucks need better decision-making and defensive posture from Pouliot. He has had trouble making a good first pass and must find some consistency to get his game back in order.

“I don’t think he’s on top of his game right now and he would probably admit it,” said Green. “I met with him today (Tuesday) and he needs to be better.”

This isn’t new injury territory for the Canucks. 1129300 Vancouver Canucks

Canucks Game Day: It’s a Capital challenge in D.C.

Patrick Johnston

THE BIG MATCHUP

Jay Beagle vs. Alex Ovechkin

The checking centre has been facing more and more of the opposition’s top scorers; on the road it’s tough for the visiting team to get the matchups they want, but it stands to reason that coach Travis Green will look to get either the line centred by Beagle or the one featuring Brandon Sutter out against Ovechkin. On form, Beagle, who is also making his return to face his former long-time team, has been doing a better job of shot suppression than Sutter.

FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME

1. Where are we?

Three games in four nights is not easy for any team, but when the first game of the run was two time zones away, that’s doing no favours to anyone. If the Canucks look tired Tuesday in Washington, D.C., that will be understandable, given they were in Denver two days before and played in Philadelphia just 24 hours before.

2. Demko disaster

Thatcher Demko is now out with some sort of leg “tweak.” He was injured pre-game in Philadelphia. One assumes he was set to start in Washington, but Jacob Markstrom now will start on back-to-back nights. Michael DiPietro has been recalled on an emergency basis to serve as backup, since Markstrom and Demko are the only goalies the Canucks currently have on NHL contracts.

3. Great Eight

You may have heard about Alex Ovechkin. The great Russian has 37 goals in 51 games this season. He’s six from 650 for his career.

4. Filling in for Baertschi

Sven Baertschi returned to Vancouver after waking up in Colorado “not feeling well.” Monday night, Tim Schaller got the first crack at filling in for the smooth Swiss winger; Markus Granlund has had more offensive impact this season, so he could be an option on Bo Horvat’s wing, too.

5. Dialling up Dowd

Nic Dowd played 40 games last season for the Canucks, scoring three goals. He’s now played 40 times for the Caps mostly in a fourth-line role, but has managed five goals and nine assists. With Lars Eller out injured, he’s centring the Caps’ third line.

LISTEN: Ed Willes joins Paul Chapman for the White Towel podcast where they delve into the Canucks playoff hunt and how much benefit it will bring the team in the long run. They also examine the cases for and against Nikolay Goldobin, Erik Gudbranson and Derrick Pouliot.

Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129301 Vancouver Canucks Pettersson would say after the game he felt the Caps had scouted him and were playing to take away that short side goal he likes.

But, really, what would any opposing team say when making a blueprint The Athletties: The Roussel thing, the DiPietro situation and why to stop the Canucks PP? Stecher-Hutton could be the next big thing “Don’t let 40 score which means don’t let him get clean looks.”

I understand Boeser hasn’t had a big year on the power play. But he By Jason Botchford scored 10 on it last year and Goldobin has three in 107 NHL games. Feb 5, 2019 I’d rather wait for Boeser’s shot to come around because the only chance the Canucks PP setup has at sustained success is a world where they have threat on the opposite side of Pettersson. BEST FOUNDATION This just isn’t it with Goldy. The Canucks don’t have a top line. BEST OLIVE BRANCH Their top defensive pairing is among the most unlikely they’ve had in recent memory. This is for Team Goldy and this between the legs tip pass to Horvat was sick. Brock Boeser is playing net front on the power play and Chris Tanev is on his off-side playing left side defence with Erik Gudbranson. BEST BACKSEAT COACHING There’s not enough top end wingers to play with Pettersson and Horvat. Antoine Roussel’s points per 60 at even strength is 1.86. Only two Lately, one of them has been cycling through players who are more players on the Canucks are scoring at a higher rate, Boeser and grinders than scorers. Pettersson. Their highest-paid winger, Loui Eriksson, didn’t play in the final 13 His assist tonight was his 12th primary assist of the season. Pettersson minutes and saw only 1:33 of ice time in the third. has 13. No other forward on the Canucks has more than six. Their best defenceman is out for at least a week and that meant Derrick Roussel is fast, a threat on the rush and among the Canucks best Pouliot played nearly 18 minutes. players at the counterattack, which has been their most effective way to create even-strength offence. The Canucks have one healthy goalie in the entire organization who they want playing games. On his goal, he somehow turned a random, backhand chip off the glass into a scoring chance. Somehow, they still had enough to hang in with the Stanley Cup champs, albeit a team that’s been playing like a shadow of what it was in the Watch how he reads this play and outwits the Caps defence before spring. laying the backhand sauce to Granlund. Sure, the Canucks lost 3-2, but they were set up to be smoked, It wasn’t the only time he made a play like that. especially with the way the first period unfolded, one in which Jacob Again, what starts as “off-the-glass-and-out” turns into anothe great rush Markstrom made 17 saves. chance for Roussel. The game was supposed to be a dream start for Thatcher Demko but a They need him in the top six. There just aren’t enough quality wingers to knee injury suffered in warmups Monday derailed his third career NHL push him out. start. Playing with Horvat does seem like a good fit but head coach Travis It has put everything on Markstrom who is going to be tested in a way we Green threw one of his biggest curveballs of the season. haven’t seen a Canuck goalie tested in some time. After spending large stretches of the season working out chemistry He is going to play and play a lot because with Demko back home resting between Pettersson, Boeser and Goldy, Green, who has shown a lot of his knee, there’s not an obvious break for Markstrom in the next two patience with that line, flipped the script. weeks. “I thought after the All-Star break, Petey didn’t have his best two games,” When he starts in Chicago on Thursday it will be four in six nights for Green said. “We went away from it in the third period (in Philly) and I him, all of those in different cities. This exact scenario is on schedule for thought that we were good in the third. the Canucks again next week. “So I stayed with it. Vancouver needs Markstrom to hold it together because while Pettersson gets the headlines and Horvat gets the love, it’s been Markstrom who “I talked to both, Bo and Petey today about it. That’s the best thing about has been the foundation of a two-month run which has kept the Canucks those guys. They’re not worried about who they are playing with. in a playoff race no one in the West seems able to play themselves out of. “They always understand.” Canucks goaltending coach Ian Clark gets a lot of credit for I can’t see this lasting. improvements Markstrom has made in his game and approach. Is there anyone who thinks Pettersson is better without Boeser and But he was challenged to be in better shape and be a better professional. Goldy than with them? He did the work. He put the time in. BEST FRIENDS It’s helped him play as consistently has he’s ever been since early In the aftermath of the Edler injury, which obviously looked horrific, December. Pettersson had one regret. But now comes the hard part. He didn’t think about asking people to stop taking pictures of his bloodied, fallen teammate before he did. He has to keep it going without any rest or resets in sight. In a video which has been making the rounds, you can see in the BEST IMAGERY accident’s aftermath that Markstrom jets over to the glass at one point to ask people stop taking pics. At the risk of upsetting Team Goldy, I’m not sure he has the shot to command this area of the Canucks power play which pushes Boeser to You can see here that EP quickly realizes what the goalie is doing, and roam the net front. follows the idea, picking another area of the boards. Opponents don’t seem overly concerned with Goldy and the way they PETTERSSON: “I wish I thought of it earlier. were swarming over to Pettersson’s side was a pretty good indication. “Markstrom saw it and did it and right away I saw some other cameras Newell Brown has usually leaned on a right shot on his off-side in the so- taking photos of Edler. called “spot” in the past. So to see him rely on Goldy here is curious. ‘It’s just not the time. It’s not the right thing to do. “I really wish I did it quicker. You shouldn’t take pictures when someone But if DiPietro does start and he gets lit up the Canucks will get slammed gets injured. which may be part of the reason they are leaning toward trying to avoid that scenario. “No, it’s offside. It’s just a no.” The Canucks are hoping Demko doesn’t miss more than a couple of BEST PLAN weeks and they get through it with Markstrom. The Auston Matthews contract should have the Canucks right now They still need a No. 3. planning to spend about $20 million for both Pettersson and Boeser when both are on their second contracts. Never forget the Rush Line. In other words, the days of throwing money and term at players like Jay BEST EL-OH-EL Beagle and Tim Schaller are coming to an end. Is this real life? All season, Boeser has been scoring at a clip that would see him get more than 35 goals over 82 games. That type of scoring rate can WHILE IT’S FAIR TO ARGUE CHIARELLI DID A POOR JOB BUILDING command a salary in the $6.9-$7.9 million range. THE OILERS, CAN WE AGREE FIRING HIM WHEN THEY DID ACCOMPLISHED ABSOLUTELY NOTHING? Then there’s Pettersson. In much of the analysis of Matthews’ extension people have been making the point that he’s a centre who scores even- — DAMIEN COX (@DAMOSPIN) FEBRUARY 6, 2019 strength goals at an elite rate which is rare and special. Chiarelli was hired four years ago. You really think any part of his mess Matthews is arguably the best even-strength goal scorer in the NHL. can be fixed in five games? But when he signed his deal, he was eighth in the league with a 5-on-5, BEST DEKES goals per 60 rate of 1.39. Pettersson is now sixth with a rate of 1.47. BEST INVESTIGATION If Pettersson’s rate, or close to it, continues it’s not hard to envision a It is with a heavy heart I must reveal The Athletic Vancouver has come world where he could be paid more than Matthews and even McDavid in under fire. two years. A host from Sportsnet 650, a man long known here as A&W, has Now, there is still a lot of hockey to be played until then. suggested this space is a “cesspool” and claims I cater to the lowest Pettersson must continue to maintain this high level. common denominator. Does he have the ability to do it? The charges against us are grave and need to be addressed here. Of course he does. In one of the comments sections, a VIP known only as Alan L wrote these three words: I’ve seen people plotting out a possible eight-year extension for Pettersson. We’ll see. “Andrew Walker sucks.” The McDavid contract continues to curl toes around the NHL. The three words triggered a reaction, one that A&W sent out to his followers. Imagine giving your entire prime up to an organization that has been as poorly run as Edmonton’s? At fist, I was alarmed. How could this happen to such a decent man who never trolls the Canucks fan base? Obviously, the Canucks need to resolve their goaltending depth issues sooner than later. OK, he does dabble in trolling. They have been asking around the league for No. 3s in other That I saw when I read through his Twitter timeline. organizations but there is a sense that those other organizations can I also found out something else. smell Vancouver’s desperation and raised prices accordingly. There are plenty of people he actually claims “suck.” But are the Canucks even in position to be giving up assets for a No. 3 goalie? In fact, if reading someone say “sucks” is offensive to you, cover your eyes and don’t look at A&W’s Twitter feed because this is something There are plenty who think DiPietro can handle a game or two. Dylan else. Ferguson, in his same draft class, played some time in relief last year for Vegas. A&W said Ben Hutton “sucks.” There is a sense that if you let DiPietro work with Ian Clark for a week, He also told us Eriksson, Gagner and Granlund all “suck.” get him up to speed with the Canucks shooters, he could be fine for a game. Or two. He said Goldy sucks, but sucks the least which he celebrated with a “hooray.” “I don’t know,” DiPietro said. “I never put myself on a timeline. I do want to get better every day. He punctuated this commentary with an invitation for me to “rumble” him. “I do seem to really embrace big moments. That is something I’ve thrived Jay Cutler sucks. Mark Burhle sucks. James Shields sucks. Carmelo on. But making the jump and playing an NHL game is a whole different Anthony sucks. story. Oh, and all of Prince’s songs suck. He makes that point in capitals. Look “For myself, I’m just trying to enjoy each day and soak in the whole NHL on, if you dare. experience.” Even his co-host sucks because, well, he doesn’t like the same type of Carter Hart is the breakout rookie goaltending story of the season, and chips as A&W. just had a sensational game against the Canucks on Monday. So I ask you this: Interestingly, DiPietro has done some of the same work learning tracking If The Athletic is a “cesspool” because one commenter, Alan L, who techniques with goalie guru Lyle Mast. doesn’t work for The Athletic, thinks one media person sucks, then how “I did work with Lyle in the past and he’s someone I talk to on a regular the hell do you describe what’s going on with Sportsnet 650 where the basis to refresh my mind,” DiPietro said. highest paid host is telling people they suck like the rest of us tell people to have a nice day? “Carter is a phenomenal goaltender. I’m just trying to find my game and build my game and implement it at the highest level. BEST SEQUENCE “For sure, it gives me confidence to see (what Hart has done at 20). I’m a Oh this thread couldn’t have come at a better time for me. firm believer that age is only a number. Let me drink this in. “If you’re ready, you’re ready.” BEST CHART This doesn’t seem good. Is this good? He was all-out effort from puck drop to the final moments when he collapsed on OV to prevent an empty net goal. Look away. He spent a lot of time tying up OV in this one. BEST TARGET He took down John Carlson. This next bit is for the high IQ VIPs and very much not for the lowest common denominator. He hounded Connolly until he stripped him of the puck. Maybe sit this out, A&W. By the end, the Hutton-Stecher combo was the Canucks best defensive pairing and it wasn’t close. You really want to know a defenceman the Canucks should target? The Canucks controlled 56 percent of the shot attempts when they were Boy Genius has suggested Lawrence Pilut as a possible to me for some on the ice and 63 percent of the scoring chances. time and the Sabres are a team that could use a third-line centre. Turns out, the pair of been wanting to play together for some time. I’m not saying there’s a fit, but it’s intriguing and I couldn’t help but notice this today: “It may sound weird to you but I think our relationship off the ice translates on it,” Stecher said. Pilut is 23 years old and his healthy scratches have become a thing in Buffalo. “We are really good friends. We’ve had similar backgrounds. We were college guys who left a year early. “He is an excellent transitional defenceman in that he combines strong puck moving abilities with an aggressive ability to breakup plays in the “We understand where we want each other to be. neutral zone. “I don’t think by any means are we a top pairing. “He has split time between the AHL and NHL this season — showing he can light up the minors with 22 points in 16 AHL games. “I don’t think we’re knocking this thing out of the park but both of us are confident in our game right now. “Those skills have transferred over well to the NHL level where the Sabres spend a ton of time in the offensive zone when he’s on the ice — “We play similar. We both want to move the puck up the ice quick.” outshooting, outchancing and ultimately outscoring (17-12) the opposition Hutton brings the size but seems to understand they aren’t going to by significant margins when he’s on the ice. manhandle forwards. “He also spent some time in the top-four earlier in the month without “He knows we aren’t going to bruise guys down low so we tend to have skipping a beat when the Sabres faced some injury troubles in early good gaps because of it,” Stecher said. December. “We also like to carry the puck instead of just punching pucks to our “In fact, when isolating for Pilut’s individual impact, it’s ridiculous just how forwards. impactful he’s been at driving play in the right direction for his team. “It seems like we try to be multi-dimensional. We use sticks, and “Pilut can be susceptible to the odd glaring gaffe here and there not backboards and in the offensive zone we’re focused on getting shots unlike a Jake Gardiner and that’s made him a controversial defenceman through.” among head coach Phil Housley. The pair had a great final two periods in Philly and picked up where they “He has found it difficult to accommodate Pilut among a grizzled, veteran left off in Washington. left side that already includes Rasmus Ristolainen, Zach Bogosian and Marco Scandella. “We feed off each other,” Stecher said. “There’s no reason to believe Buffalo is particularly keen to move on from “We initiate play and I think that’s helped our forwards, not spending time Pilut, but they do have a serious need as far as their third line centre in our D-zone. position goes.” “It’s given them chances to attack off the rush. A group of Canucks fans waited in the Philly train station. “He’s really intense come game time and by 30 minutes after the game From Vancouver, they were travelling through a couple of big U.S. cities he’s back to himself. to see the Canucks in back-to-back games this week. “He’s one of my better friends. I’ve really enjoyed this opportunity. On their way to Washington, they had just been in attendance when Edler’s face bounced off the ice, a freakishly scary injury in which he “It’s something we talked about in the past and we’re finally getting the miraculously did not suffer a broken bone. chance. They knew their Canucks were going to be in trouble in Washington “We want to run with it.” without Edler and, essentially, they had a collective thought which, paraphrasing, was this: The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 “Thank god for Troy Stecher.” It’s possible, wherever he was at that moment, Travis Green was saying something similar. And he was saying it about Ben Hutton too. Green came up with a definitive plan to cope with Edler’s absence. He made Hutton and Stecher his No. 1 pairing, a move no one would have thought possible just a few months ago. “They seem to be strong together since we put that pairing together,” Green said. “They’ve done a lot of good things. “They’re defending well. They both want to get up the ice which we need these days. “It’s one thing to want to get up the ice, it’s another to pick the right spots and handle the puck when you get it.” Neither player disappointed. Hutton played a monstrous 28:35 and Stecher wasn’t far behind him at 25:45. Hutton was physical. He was quick and mobile too. Stecher was everything you’ve come to love about him. 1129302 Vancouver Canucks excels at. However, if he continues to operate like he did at Hlinka, he will struggle to put up points as he will likely get guided into situations where he will lose the puck against stronger competition. If he can Draft forecasting: Five defencemen the Canucks could target in the first improve his offensive awareness on the attack, penetrate the centre of round the ice and try to get inside the home plate zone a bit more, he could be a force. But at this point, there hasn’t been any indication that he has the puck handling abilities to make that happen. By Ryan Biech Defensively, teams would like to see a little better decision making from Broberg. Feb 5, 2019 Thomas Harley (LHD)

A defenceman that was well outside of the first round in pre-season Last week we explored the possibility of the Canucks trading for a young consolidated rankings, Harley has seen his stock rise considerably over defenceman that could be inserted into their lineup as early as next the last few months. Pronman has him ranked as the 17th-best prospect season. Now, the Canucks may have to use their first-round selection in in the draft class and had this to say about him: 2019 to make that type of deal happen, but should they hold onto the pick there are some promising defencemen in this draft class that would Harley’s development curve spiked this season. One of the youngest be a boon to the rebuild. players in the draft, Harley progressed from a decent prospect to a 25-30 minutes a night defenseman for the Steelheads with impressive tools. Where exactly Vancouver’s pick lands remains to be seen, as it’s entirely He’s big, mobile, skilled and smart. That combination is attractive. Harley possible that the Canucks hang around the playoff bubble until the end of skates with the quickest forwards in the OHL with the ability to jump up the season or slide down the stretch end up with a top-10 pick. With that into the attack. He’s good with the puck, showing some creativity and in mind, it’s worth taking a look at the defencemen that are ranked in the good vision – at times very good. His feet and wingspan allow him to 8-to-20 range in this draft class. I’ve excluded Vancouver Giants make stops, but he needs to bulk up a lot and be better at times in his defenceman Bowen Byram from this group as I did an extensive look at own end. him earlier in the season; if Byram keeps playing like he has recently, his stock will rise into a guaranteed top-six pick anyway. Using the pGPS to evaluate Harley, he presents the highest rate of success among the players profiled here: At this point of the season, it’s all about collecting information on draft- eligible players, as many variables are still up in the air. What follows Harley leads all first-time draft-eligible defencemen in the OHL by a here is a detailed breakdown of five defencemen the Canucks could considerable margin in all types of offensive categories and is sixth in target in the first round. overall scoring among defencemen with 44 points in 50 games. Philip Broberg (LHD) Victor Soderstrom (RHD) The darling of the Hlinka Gretzky Cup this past summer, Broberg has Soderstrom has been hovering around the middle of the first round in seen his stock dip slightly over the last few months. Entering the season, most draft rankings but is also seeing his stock rise as he continues to he was being ranked in the top five of many pundits’ draft list after he log serious minutes in the SHL. dazzled with his skating abilities during the annual summer event. However, there was justified concern that he wouldn’t be able to make Cam Robinson with Dobber Prospects provided this scouting report those plays against tougher competition and that has been validated to about the right-handed defender: some degree as he only has one goal and seven assists in 33 A puck-moving and fast-paced blueliner who loves to create offence. Allsvenskan games. Enjoys controlling the pace of play. Quick outlets, sharp edges and Broberg was added to the Swedish world juniors roster after Timothy doesn’t shy away from physical play. Needs to continue to work on his Liljegren was unable to go and performed reasonably well in a depth role defensive decision-making and positional play. Dangerous on the PP. with limited ice time. Soderstrom currently has three goals and three assists and is averaging The Athletic’s Corey Pronman has the 6-foot-3, 203-pound defender as 16:25 per game in 31 contests with Brynas this season. Over the past his 11th-ranked skater in his midseason rankings with the following few games, he has had a few games where his ice time was over the 20- scouting report on him: minute mark. Broberg is a 6-foot-3 defenseman who is an elite skater which makes him These are all very encouraging signs for a player in his draft season. scary to defend when he’s barreling up the ice with speed. There are I definitely agree with a lot of what Cam said about 5-foot-11, 176-pound some rushes he’s made this season where the opposition didn’t even defender in his scouting reports above. I’ve found Soderstrom to be more have a chance to get a stick on the puck. Broberg is divisive due to his aggressive joining the rush as he’s become more comfortable in the SHL offensive upside. He’s not a flashy puck handler and his vision is just and he appears to be doing so without sacrificing his defensive fine, but there is some offense to his game. He moves the puck decent responsibilities. One aspect of his game that has stood out is his ability to on the power play and flashes a tier above as a distributor. If you’re contain and tie up his opponents. If Soderstrom has established good expecting more, you’ll be disappointed; but if you want a two-way body position, he will either keep the opposition from entering danger defenseman with size who can close a gap and transition the offense at a zones or will actively disrupt their stick. high level, he’s your man. An example of this is from Nov. 22 game vs HV71: The attributes that Pronman touched on are on point about Broberg’s game. He is an excellent skater that can generate speed with long and Soderstrom guides the attacker into the boards and forces the turnover. powerful strides but lacks the skills and agility to create high danger He passes the puck up the boards, assuming that his winger is there to scoring chances consistently. intercept, but when HV71 regains possession, Soderstrom keeps himself between the attacker and the net effectively eliminating a chance for a The left-handed defender will almost certainly represent Sweden at the rebound. Throughout games, he will keep his body facing his check to U18 world juniors in April and you can’t understate the importance of him ensure that he can keep that position. remaining in the Allsvenskan for the duration of this season. That is always an encouraging sign for a first-time draft-eligible prospect and Another aspect of his game that stands out is his poise and control of the even more so for Broberg given that he doesn’t turn 18 until after the puck. He’s willing to make a calm move to elude a forechecker. A video 2019 draft. illustration of that comes from the Dec. 21 contest against Vaxjo: There is a chance that he will be able to reassert himself as a top Soderstrom calmly comes back for the puck, losing the first forechecker prospect in this draft class but it’s more likely that he should be ranked in with the pivot. He appears to think about going up the boards but the middle of the first round. changes his mind and then dances around the second Vaxjo forward to engage. With the space created, he charges up the middle of the ice and When we use the Prospect Graduation Probabilities System (pGPS) that gains the offensive blueline. was developed by Jeremy Davis, we see some really encouraging results for Broberg: Lastly, he isn’t afraid to be physical when the situation calls for it: There are only seven matches within his cohort, with Oliver Ekman- He’s played both sides on defence and has seen regular time on the Larsson and Hampus Lindholm being the notable successes. power play recently. The NHL is trending toward relying on defencemen who can skate, carry Looping back to the handy pGPS evaluation tool, Soderstrom checks out and transition the puck out of the zone by themselves, which Broberg as follows: The numbers don’t jump off the page, but it’s always important to to get open and contribute. On the blue line, he is able to distribute pucks remember the context, as pGPS doesn’t take into account deployment or and keep his team in possession, though he doesn’t make as many style of play. dangerous plays as he did in junior. This could and should change as he gains more experience and confidence. He does, however, look Furthermore, a player managing even 0.09 points per game in the SHL extremely smart in the offensive zone as well, making smart pinches and during their draft season yields a 51 percent success rate. With that in finding teammates with his passes. Overall, Seider looks like a two-way mind, this statistical tool doesn’t give Soderstrom the credit that he is forward who excels defensively but has shown promising offensive ability likely due. Soderstrom has also shown throughout his development years in the past and at the U20 Div. I World Championship. I used to view him that he can be an effective offensive player. as an excellent offensive player who needed to improve his defensive He will be a name that we hear regularly as the next best defenceman in reads and decision-making. Today, he looks like a defence-first type who the draft behind Byram, and rightfully so. has the IQ to become a solid offensive contributor at the highest level. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him have an offensive breakout year in his Cam York (LHD) D+1, though I’d expect him to be a 25-40-point scorer in the NHL. Pivoting to the U.S. NDTP, Cam York is another defenceman who has What has stood out to me about Seider’s play is his poise with and been regularly mentioned as a potential mid-first-round pick. without the puck. If he has opponents coming at him at full speed, he keeps his stick active, pressures at the right time and disrupts them. York is a very good skater with offensive abilities that allow him to When on the attack, he keeps the puck close to him and ensures that he quarterback a power play. Cam Robinson had this scouting report, after doesn’t get himself into situations where he runs out of space. If he does, ranking him as the 12th-best prospect in this draft class: he moves it efficiently to his teammates. That he is doing this on a nightly basis in Germany’s top league (DEL) is all the more impressive. A mobile and calm defender with tremendous skating ability. He was a standout performer at last spring’s U18 tournament and had played a The pGPS isn’t able to provide a reliable projection for prospects from major role at The Program this season and putting up strong numbers. the DEL, so it’s not fair to use it as a measuring stick for Seider, but his Effective on the power play and owns the mobility needed to clean up progression over the last few seasons and in particular this season has any mistakes he makes. Defensively, his positioning and use of stick many believing that he could be a very good two-way defenceman in the continue to improve. Lots to like about his upside. An all-around player. NHL. Add that he’s 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds and there is good reason why he is climbing up draft boards. He leads all defencemen in the program in scoring and is a major part of their transition game. If there are two concerns to his game, though, it’s There is so much hockey left to play this season before these players his shot and his defensive play. Both are not bad but are definite hear their names called on the draft floor. The Canucks position in the shortcomings within his skill set. draft order could vary quite a bit and the aforementioned players still have some jockeying to do in the public rankings. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound defender had a record-setting seven-point outing against Youngstown on Jan. 15 and his first goal of that game was There is a lot to like about the five prospects that we’ve profiled. They’re a good representation of his skating abilities: all very good skaters that think the game extremely well. Some offer different upsides than others but all five are in this conversation for a He retreats back to the defensive zone and then comes flying up when reason. Other defencemen who might be available in the middle of the receiving the pass. The goaltender should do a better job of protecting first round include Matthew Robertson (WHL), Villa Heinola (Liiga) and the post but it was still a nice look for the 2019 draft-eligible defenceman. Mikko Kokkonen (Liiga). His defensive play is led by his ability to close gaps with his stick and We’ll have to wait and see how the Canucks’ season plays out from here edge work. and what management ultimately decides to do with their first-round pick. The below graphs from pGPS are based solely on the numbers that York Ideally, they will opt to keep adding to the prospect pool rather than trying has posted in USHL contests (which includes that seven-point to accelerate the rebuild process. It may take a little more patience. But performance) and makes up just 15 of his 37 games: that patience could pay off in the long run. The 22.6 percent success rate is the lowest from the players profiled here but that’s within the context of the history of the USHL. While the The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 league has seen a rise in players eventually graduating to the NHL, it is a rather new development, explaining the lower percentage. York is a fantastic skater who makes smart offensive plays, consistently gets the puck going in the right direction and plays the game the way the NHL is trending. Moritz Seider (RHD) The Germany-born Seider has seen his stock rise incredibly over the last two months to the point where is firmly entrenched in the middle part of the first round. That is due in large part to his standout performance in the world juniors division one championships, where he scored one goal and six assists in five games to help propel Germany to the top division for the 2020 world juniors. I reached out to Future Considerations writer Janik Beichler, who is based in Germany and has contributed to The Athletic Vancouver, for his scouting report on the defenceman: When Seider broke into the U19 DNL at 15, he looked like an incredible offensive talent who’d go end to end multiple times a game, walk the blue line like no other prospect I’d seen in the league, and provide offence both as a passer and a shooter. Today, he’s much taller and heavier, which has taken a toll on his skating ability, but he’s a much more mature two-way defender. Seider stands out the most in the defensive zone, where he’s a strong physical presence while playing a sound positional game and displaying excellent awareness and stick work. Even at the pro level, opposing attackers struggle mightily against him in the corners. And although he’s not as quick and dynamic as he used to be, he still has an excellent skating technique that allows him to be quick and mobile when defending the rush. Once he gains possession in the D-zone, he is incredibly poised even under pressure and makes smart decisions, always avoiding to dump the puck out when possible. Offensively, Seider hasn’t been able to fully show his potential since joining the DEL, which is in part due to him taking fewer risks and focusing more on the defensive side of things. However, he has certainly shown glimpses of what we can expect going forward. Thanks to his strong anticipation, he frequently jumps in on attacks and he knows how 1129303 Websites The Sabres have lots of good prospects coming and the defense is young but able, led by rookie of the year candidate Rasmus Dahlin, so the future will look bright regardless. “I don’t think (Botterill) is under The Athletic / Who is on the hot seat as the NHL trade deadline much pressure internally,” one former NHLer and longtime analyst said. approaches? “The fans will be wanting help at the deadline but the organization has a plan and I don’t think they will steer away from that.” Doesn’t mean they shouldn’t. Right? By Scott Burnside Semyon Varlamov/Philipp Grubauer, goaltenders, Colorado Avalanche Feb 5, 2019 Buoyed by arguably the NHL’s best line of Mikko Rantanen, Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog, the Avs charged out of the gate and looked like they were going to build off last season with a second-straight playoff berth. Not so fast. In spite of adding Grubauer to help push Ah, the hot seat. This time of the year there are lots of them around the veteran starter Semyon Varlamov, the Avs goaltending hasn’t stabilized NHL. at all. In fact, it’s destabilized has put GM Joe Sakic in a rather For many folks, whether they’re general managers, coaches or players, unpleasant bind. No doubt he’d like to add some offensive depth to help the trade deadline is as stressful a time as there is during the season. balance out the top line. But with the Avs sitting 24th in the league in Fortunes wax and wane but this is where the buck stops for many, where goals allowed per game, an alarming 3.25 per game, and with neither seasons are won and lost, careers take abrupt turns. Grubauer nor Varlamov able to show any consistency over the past 30 games or so, the Avs are suddenly life and death to make the playoffs. Who’s under the glare of the spotlight? Which GMs, coaches and players Varlamov hasn’t won two straight since the end of November, and are feeling some uncomfortable warmth on their nether regions as the Grubauer, acquired at the draft and signed to a three-year deal, has been hours tick by toward 3 p.m. EST on Feb. 25? particularly disappointing with a 3.38 GAA and .891 save percentage. Jim Nill, GM, Dallas Stars The preparation of being the guy game after game is completely different, noted one longtime NHL netminder and analyst. “Some guys A year ago at the trade deadline, GM Jim Nill threw down the gauntlet to can do it and some guys can’t,” he said. his team saying he felt the answer to a playoff berth was in the dressing room already. The Stars then went winless in eight straight in March and The Avs have committed to Grubauer and Varlamov is coming to the end missed the playoffs for the eighth time in the past 10 years. This season, of his contract, so the future in goal looks anything but defined, and by of course, team president Jim Lites made headlines by publicly blasting extension, Varlamov’s future as an NHLer starter appears very much in captain Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin for their lack of productivity. The doubt. public lambasting drew lots of criticism from around the league; whether you can connect A to B is undetermined, but the Stars have been pretty “I definitely wouldn’t sign him,” the netminder said of Varlamov. Now, the darned good since. They sit in third place in the Central Division and Avalanche still have lots to be excited about given they own Ottawa’s opened up an eight-point gap on ninth-place Colorado. first-round pick at June’s draft, which might well turn into the first-overall pick and Jack Hughes. But in the here and now, not sure Sakic can Behind stellar netminding from Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin, the justify sending assets out in the hopes that the goaltending rights itself Stars rank second in the league in goals allowed per game. But if they’re and that it will be enough to get the Avs into the postseason. going to move from simply getting in the door to being a team that has a shot at making some noise in the postseason, it’s hard to imagine Ken Hitchcock, coach, Edmonton Oilers another straight no-move trade deadline for Nill is going to cut it. The So, let’s get this straight. The Oilers, a team with four No. 1 draft picks team is top heavy in scoring and through 50 games did not have a 20- between 2010 and 2015, have made the playoffs just once since 2006 goal scorer (Seguin now has 22 goals in 53 contests). After Benn, Seguin and this season fired both their coach (Todd McLellan) and GM (Peter and Alexander Radulov, there isn’t a player who has surpassed single Chiarelli), but they are all in for the playoffs. But they don’t want to digits in goals. The team currently ranks 29th in the league in goals per necessarily trade their first-round draft pick or any of the few top game. So, it doesn’t take much of a stretch to suggest that goal scoring is prospects in their system. Well, as long as they’re not being a priority and ideally down the middle, although a source close to the unreasonable. team suggested that getting a true No. 2 center is likely an offseason task and a rental winger would be a priority at the deadline. From the outside it might appear that the pressure lands squarely on assistant GM Keith Gretzky, who will handle the trade deadline for the The Stars don’t have a ton in the system to offer to acquire a top-end beleaguered Oilers as they try and stay in the hunt in the sluggish player, but defenseman Julius Honka should be attractive to lots of teams Western Conference playoff race. But the real pressure is on veteran even though he hasn’t quite found his footing in Dallas. coach Hitchcock. One NHL coach said it’s like Hockey 101 for the Oilers A year ago Nill won a battle of wills with former head coach Ken as they struggle to check consistently and deliver strong positional play. Hitchcock at the end of another disappointing season in Dallas, but And there’s the no small matter of basically having two players, Connor having employed three coaches in the past three seasons (Lindy Ruff, McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, deliver all of the team’s offense. The two Hitchcock and now rookie head coach Jim Montgomery), the pressure is combined for 56 goals and 134 points coming out of the bye week. The as high as it’s ever been for Nill, especially with the team hosting the rest of the Oiler roster chipped in 88 goals. Hitchcock recently split up his 2020 Winter Classic at the Cotton Bowl. top three players – McDavid, Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – but Jason Botterill, GM Buffalo Sabres still saw his team blow leads. The Sabres have missed the playoffs seven straight times and haven’t Hitchcock is “up to his ass in alligators,” the coach said. Hitchcock also won a playoff round since 2007. Long-suffering Sabre fans felt that has to find the right rhythm in his goaltender use now that the team maybe the playoff thaw would come this season when they reeled off 10 placed their chips on newcomer Mikko Koskinen, bestowing a lavish straight wins early in the season. But the team flattened out before three-year, $13.5 million contract on the 6-foot-7, 30-year-old who’s rebounding slightly around the All-Star break. They still remain very much played just 33 NHL games, making incumbent Cam Talbot’s days in the hunt in the Eastern Conference, but they definitely need some numbered in Edmonton – a departure that could be tied to the trade additional scoring up front to support the dynamic duo of Jack Eichel and deadline. Jeff Skinner, who have a combined 48 goals and 101 points through 51 The problem another NHL source familiar with the team said is that, it games. After that it’s a pretty significant drop and coach Phil Housley has doesn’t matter who is coaching, the dynamic is still the same. “They’re been doing some major revamping of the forward group in the hopes of slow. They’re not skilled enough,” the source said. “I don’t think anybody generating more offense. can change around what’s there.” The biggest pressure GM Jason Botterill will likely feel is externally from Hitchcock came out of retirement to take what is essentially his dream antsy fans – and maybe from himself, especially if the team continues its job, coaching in the NHL in his hometown. If the team continues to zig-zag approach to the standings. Organizationally the team preached stumble and misses the playoffs for the 12th time in 13 years, it may well patience and waiting for its homegrown talent to coalesce into a Stanley be the last we see of one of the game’s greatest coaches. If Hitchcock Cup contender. That makes sense unless you think making a significant can push enough buttons to coax the Oilers into the postseason, well, he add sends the message to your dressing room that it’s time to be a should earn a spot on the Jack Adams Trophy ballot as coach of the winner. Of course, there are no guarantees if you add an offensive piece year. Like a lot of things with this team, not a lot of middle ground. like an Artemi Panarin (why not dream the big dream?) or Jakub Silfverberg or even a Mats Zuccarello, but if you don’t add and you don’t Jarmo Kekalainen, GM, Columbus Blue Jackets make the playoffs, well, it’s a lot easier to second-guess being conservative. You knew we’d get here eventually, didn’t you? No NHL GM has more on The Athletic LOADED: 02.06.2019 his plate come deadline time than Kekalainen. His two top stars, Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky, are set to become unrestricted free agents in the summer and have indicated they either won’t be coming back under any circumstances or won’t entertain that kind of discussion until the offseason. Panarin has been as advertised, collecting 59 points in his first 49 games. But Bobrovsky is another story, sitting with a pedestrian 3.01 GAA and .901 save percentage, hardly the kind of numbers that instill confidence that this is a team that could do some damage come playoff time, especially when you consider that Bobrovsky has been at best ordinary the past two springs for the Blue Jackets. The theory, if you’re Kekalainen, is that if you keep both Bobrovsky and Panarin because you believe this is a team capable of at least winning the team’s first playoff series it’s like adding two rentals. But with the Blue Jackets reeling into February having lost five straight, this team looks like it is finally crumbling under all of the outside pressures. As one longtime NHL netminder said recently, it’s hard for players to come to the rink every day and throw everything behind a goaltender that clearly doesn’t want to be there. The fact Bobrovsky was suspended by the team for a game before the All-Star break for basically abandoning his teammates after being pulled from a game has done little to suggest he’s a guy you want in your dressing room. Another longtime netminder and analyst said it’s pretty basic stuff in terms of dressing room chemistry. “You’ve got to like your goaltender,” he said. Not sure that’s the case with Bobrovsky, so Kekalainen needs to bite the bullet, accept whatever return he might get and hope for some addition by subtraction. Of course trading Bobrovsky, who has a limited no-trade deal, is easier said than done. As for Panarin, another longtime NHL analyst said the sooner the Blue Jackets can make a deal to find a new home for Panarin, the sooner they can try and regroup. He suggested Boston where Jake Debrusk and a first-round pick might be a fair return for the talented winger. Beyond that, the Blue Jackets have to ask themselves if they really are built for any kind of playoff run regardless of what happens with Panarin and Bobrovsky. They are very thin down the middle, the analyst said, and it’s hard to imagine them having success against perennial Metropolitan Division powers Washington and Pittsburgh. Don Waddell, GM, Carolina Hurricanes It was roughly a year ago that new owner Tom Dundon persuaded longtime Atlanta Thrashers GM Waddell, who was the head of the business operations with the Hurricanes, to take on the GM duties. Waddell made a blockbuster move in the summer, bringing in Dougie Hamilton and Micheal Ferland, along with top defensive prospect Adam Fox from Calgary for Noah Hanifin and Elias Lindholm. Both Lindholm and Hanifin are thriving for a Calgary team that is first in the Pacific Division. Waddell also traded Jeff Skinner to Buffalo for a package of prospects and draft picks, and Skinner is one of the NHL’s top goal- producers. Skinner had control over his fate with a no-trade clause, so Waddell’s options were limited, but the cumulative effect of the deals has still been lamentable as the Hurricanes continue to struggle offensively. They are currently 24th in the league in goals scored and 24th on the power play. Here’s where it gets interesting and exponentially more difficult for Waddell. The Hurricanes are almost certainly going to move Ferland, who has been a positive add in spite of some injury issues but as a pending unrestricted free agent doesn’t fit the team’s long-term plans. And they at some point need to move one of their right-handed defensemen – Hamilton, Justin Faulk or Brett Pesce – in order to make room for Fox, who has been a standout at Harvard and could step right into an NHL lineup next season if he signs with the Hurricanes. “I think Ferland’s bags are already packed,” one source familiar with the Hurricanes said. But the dilemma is whether you wait until the draft to move a right-handed defenseman or maintain the status quo and hope that the return for Ferland is enough to bump up the offense. Waddell has already helped to prepare for the seemingly imminent departure of Ferland by adding big-bodied Nino Niederreiter from Minnesota. Niederreiter is already finding chemistry with All-Star Sebastien Aho and chipped in five goals in his first six games as a Hurricane. That makes the Ferland departure easier to take, the source said. But if the Hurricanes stay within a point or two of the playoffs heading into Feb. 25, does Waddell get the green light to add a rental player? What would adding Zuccarello or Matt Duchene do to help a sputtering power play down the middle? What would such a move mean to a fan base that is starting to connect with the youthful Hurricanes under rookie coach Rod Brind’Amour? What is the value of such goodwill even if the Canes miss again? Is it worth a pick or prospect or two? Easy questions to ask, not so easy to answer.

1129304 Websites his agent about the future. (Team and agent declined to comment.) According to an individual who reached out on Monday, the discrepancy might be timing. The discussion was during the darkest days of Sportsnet.ca / 31 Thoughts: Auston Matthews extension a game changer Chicago’s season, probably around six weeks ago. Now that the team is for NHL making a charge at the playoffs, things could be different — and it should be noted multiple sources indicate the club’s feelings on Seabrook’s positive impact have not changed. What is true is the Blackhawks have checked the market to see what opportunities might be out there, they Elliotte Friedman currently do not have permission to trade him, and Seabrook loves Chicago. If, somewhere in all of that, something I said was in error, that is February 5, 2019, 3:48 PM totally my fault.

3. Artemi Panarin freezing all contract talks until after the season is Everyone in the NHL knew this was coming. Oh, teams hoped Toronto another earthquake reminding teams that players are more willing than would somehow hold the line, stand up and say to its franchise player, ever to maximize their leverage. Eight months after Tavares took one “No, we’re not going to change the way business is done.” further step than 2016 Steven Stamkos, Panarin’s preparing everyone for a similar meet-and-greet. Tampering rules prevent open statements of But when Auston Matthews exploded out of the gate with 10 goals in the lust, but jockeying is underway for an audience. first six games, any hope of pushback was over. The Toronto Maple Leafs had one responsibility — to do the best deal for themselves. His This will force teams to make even earlier assessments about their star $11.634-million AAV is not as high as Connor McDavid’s record $12.5 players. Trade them at the draft a year before they hit the market? One million, but that contract buys four unrestricted seasons. Matthews’s will exec said his team, if unsure about ability to contend, could weigh doing be one. It’s a massive tremor. it even earlier — two trade deadlines before unrestricted free agency. There were rumours New Jersey would consider that path with Taylor Today’s young player is not afraid to demand a larger share of the pie — Hall, currently available in July 2020. But Devils GM Ray Shero said not afraid to say, “Just because you’ve done it that way before doesn’t Saturday there was “zero chance” he would trade Hall this month. (Nor, mean you’re going to do it that way now.” from what I understand, is Hall looking to go anywhere.) For a few years, I’ve been saying offer sheets are coming, and, finally, Not long ago, the idea of trading such a player 19 months before his people in the NHL believe it. (It is like predicting the housing bubble will contract was up wouldn’t just fly in the face of normalcy. It would be like burst. Eventually, you’re going to be right.) It did not go unnoticed that picking up conventional wisdom, slamming it to the ground and kicking Detroit GM Ken Holland did not brush off the idea of an offer sheet in at dirt on its face. But, at the very least, that thinking is going to become least two recent interviews. For someone of his stature to give the part of every club’s process. impression he’d consider it, that’s big. 4. Over the weekend, the feeling was Florida would not make trades for He can’t be the only one. Panarin or Sergei Bobrovsky — feeling there was no need to spend assets when the Panthers liked their chances in free agency. Monday, The Maple Leafs knew that. And other teams trying to sign their own the New York Post’s Larry Brooks reported the Panthers are thinking restricted free agents knew that. It was frustrating for those clubs, about trading for Bobrovsky, so as to give him eight years. We will see because the players (and agents) would say, “Let’s see what happens where this goes, but don’t be surprised to see Florida continue to try to with Nylander.” When that was done, they’d say, “Nah, we’ll wait.” It was clear room. Mike Hoffman, now in his fifth-straight 20-goal season, could almost as if each player/agent was waiting for someone to go first. be another to go. Teams are always looking for scorers. Again, this was an easy decision for years. Offer sheets were (mostly) a 5. Panarin’s decision sent shockwaves through the Blue Jackets. dream. And who knows, maybe none will come. The difference this time Columbus lost three straight in regulation after agent Dan Milstein’s is teams believe they might. announcement. A couple days off before a Colorado/Arizona/Vegas trip Maybe Toronto should have snared Matthews before the season at $12 gives them a chance to breathe and re-set. Trading either player for million/year. Matthews was willing to go the maximum term, and the something that can’t help them now isn’t an option. Doug MacLean was Maple Leafs certainly didn’t object, but when he busted out to that huge saying last week that he’d trade both players, and, if the assets were start, the number got too high — probably close to $14 million. Toronto futures, flip them for immediate, impactful help. I think GM Jarmo wants to make multiple runs at greatness, and that number would crush Kekalainen is considering just that. If the Blue Jackets do deal Bobrovsky the roster. (and remember, the goalie has control of the situation), do not be surprised if they take a run at Jonathan Quick. “I don’t really operate in a way where we’re looking back and wondering what might have been,” GM Kyle Dubas told Sportsnet’s Caroline 6. There’s a ton of interest in Panarin, but those teams indicate they Cameron after the Matthews press conference. “We’re at where we’re at, aren’t being allowed to talk contract with him. Then again, it probably and we’re very comfortable with it.” doesn’t matter anyway, since he’s not interested in signing now. Dubas, Matthews and agent Judd Moldaver had only one goal this week: 7. I’ve tried to be very careful reporting on Ottawa’s negotiations with put an end to this. Matt Duchene and Mark Stone. Experience teaches you that, without a definitive statement like Panarin’s, it is a roller-coaster ride. Some days it The extension smashes the previous cap-era record for this term. That sounds like they’re going to sign. Other days, it is the opposite. With two was Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, at $8.7 million. As a percentage, important players, the whispers double. That’s life during high-stakes however, Matthews’s is actually lower. Assuming an $83-million ceiling negotiations, especially when Matthews signs with huge bonuses — as projected for 2019-20, his chunk will be 14 per cent. Crosby and something the Senators try very hard to avoid. There are peaks and Malkin were at 15.3. valleys, people go through a lot of different emotions. We “should” have a pretty good idea if they are going to sign very soon. The Senators need The biggest percentage of the salary cap spent on four players by any to know, because it affects other decisions — like Ryan Dzingel’s future. Stanley Cup champion is 45.2, by the 2017 Pittsburgh Penguins (Malkin, Crosby, Kris Letang and Phil Kessel). Again, assuming the $83-million A weekly deep dive into the biggest hockey news in the world with hosts number for next season, Toronto is at 36 per cent for Matthews, John Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek. New episodes every Thursday. Tavares and William Nylander — with Mitch Marner to come. 8. Ottawa arena info is tight, but we’re less than four weeks from the But Matthews is locked in, and this chapter is closed. For Toronto, that’s current deadline. I have been reminded, however, not to underestimate a victory. For the all other high-level RFAs and their teams, those stories how much it means to Eugene Melnyk to own the Senators. While he’s are just beginning. willing to add partners to the development plan, it won’t be as easy to get him to add a partner in team ownership. 31 THOUGHTS 9. Montreal GM Marc Bergevin watched Anaheim in Winnipeg and 1. Now watch the Maple Leafs take a run at signing Marner. His agent, Toronto. He doesn’t tip his hand, but I think he’s looking at forward depth. Darren Ferris, has maintained there wouldn’t be any negotiations during Bergevin has said he won’t give up futures, which takes him away from the season. But now they know the Matthews number, Marner wants to the Ducks’ prime assets. The Canadiens may also have checked out be a Leaf, and, most importantly, Toronto wants to end the contract Dallas’s Brett Ritchie. circus. 10. Buffalo is like Montreal. The Sabres do not want to use their best 2. I’m really uncomfortable being on the opposite side of Brent Seabrook, assets on rentals. I could see them looking at someone like Carl Hagelin. but here is all the information I can provide into his situation: At some He’d be a good fit. point, there was a conversation between the player, the organization and 11. Add Calgary to the list of teams that have checked in on Mats Leighton was sent to the Penguins, with Josh Archibald headed west. Zuccarello. But it is going to take a lot to pry Chris Kreider out of Now it belongs the Panthers — the fourth team to own it. Manhattan. He’s got another year remaining. 23. I think the KHL is going to fight hard to keep Pavel Datsyuk. 12. Nashville is being asked about its willingness to trade Eeli Tolvanen. As Nick Kypreos reported, with Austin Watson’s return uncertain, the 24. Alluded to this last week, but the NHL is indeed investigating a game Predators could be looking for two forwards. in Russia as a possibility for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Just not sure of all the hurdles. 13. If the Ducks are optimistic about anything right now, it is their ability to re-sign Jakob Silfverberg. They are hopeful it can happen by the 25. Most insane controversy: that Elias Pettersson is tough to deal with. deadline, but there is a scenario where it might have to wait until later. No one at All-Star complained. He’s done After Hours, and an in-studio Anaheim has a “tagging” issue. (The cap is $79.5 million this season, and sit-down with Nick Kypreos the day after he was injured in Montreal. no one’s 2019-20 commitments can be above that until July 1. The English is not his first language, but he tries to do everything. This can’t Ducks are tight to that number.) They could open room with further be serious. moves, sign him and risk a tighter squeeze, or make a verbal Ryan Dixon and Rory Boylen go deep on pucks with a mix of facts and commitment and wait until the summer. Whatever the case, they are fun, leaning on a varied group of hockey voices to give their take on the attempting to close this. country’s most beloved game. 14. Anaheim held a team meeting on Sunday after the 9–3 loss in 26. New England’s Super Bowl win over the Rams made Mark Scheifele Winnipeg. It was blunt, but the players reminded each other that they and Blake Wheeler victorious in the Jets’ NFL playoff pool, edging were still only two points out of a playoff spot. Then came the 6–1 defeat goalies Laurent Brossoit and Connor Hellebuyck. It is a fitting triumph for to Toronto. the linemates, who have drank the Kool-Aid, all in on The Cult of Brady. Head coach Randy Carlyle admitted he was concerned about John “I’m a huge Tom Brady fan,” Scheifele said. “I’ve got a signed jersey in Gibson’s workload, but they may also be worried about mental fatigue. my condo…. [I] went and met his chef two summers ago.” He’s been dynamite, carrying the Ducks for two years. You get to a point where that’s a huge burden for anyone. Gibson was pulled against the He loves the Patriots, unlike Wheeler. Jets and Maple Leafs, leaving the bench in the latter game and not returning. Everyone who knows him believes he can handle the “For me, I’m born and bred a Vikings fan,” the captain said. “So I’m not a responsibility, but everyone has a limit. big Patriots fan by any means. But when those Tom vs Time documentaries started coming out last year… once the calendar flips and 15. Anaheim’s got a few players that would be coveted by both you’re on the wrong side of 30, you start thinking about those things. To contenders and clubs thinking long-term. GM Bob Murray is not on this see how he takes care of himself, how he invests in himself to compete trip. He’s patient. But word is he is considering major surgery. Question is at a high level… at 40 years old or whatever he is now, I mean, that is if he does it now or later. just… I want to try to keep getting better. What better guy to look up to?” 16. Five Red Wings — Nicklas Lidstrom, Alex Delvecchio, Steve 27. If you’re familiar with Brady’s TB12 method, you know that he has a Yzerman, Henrik Zetterberg and Tomas Holmstrom — played 1,000 very strict diet. In 2016, his chef, Allen Campbell, told the Boston Globe games for that franchise and no one else. Niklas Kronwall is 76 games about it: from becoming number six. Don’t think they are unaware of that. The organization has great respect for Kronwall, which is why Holland will not “No white sugar. No white flour. No MSG. I’ll use raw olive oil, but I trade him unless the defenceman asks for the opportunity to chase a never cook with olive oil. I only cook with coconut oil. Fats like canola oil Stanley Cup or they get an offer they absolutely must consider. turn into trans fats. I use Himalayan pink salt as the sodium. I never use iodized salt. [Tom] doesn’t eat nightshades, because they’re not anti- 17. Detroit’s got a few interesting choices. They already have 10 picks in inflammatory. So no tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, or eggplants. June’s draft and a group of talented youngsters pushing for NHL jobs. Tomatoes trickle in every now and then, but just maybe once a month. They want a few veterans around. They are trying to extend Nick Jensen, I’m very cautious about tomatoes. They cause inflammation. What else? who quietly has had a strong season. The trade-a-guy-and-re-sign-him No coffee. No caffeine. No fungus. No dairy.” plan rarely works, but I can see the possibility with Jimmy Howard — although they could just as easily keep him. There’s a path to a new Wheeler doesn’t follow that exact path, focusing more on the philosophy. contract there. “I would say that the thing I’ve taken is how specific his diet is for him. I 18. Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill could get an extension, too. don’t have the same characteristics as him. I’m not built the same way, They believe he’s pushed the right buttons with that group. our insides aren’t the same. If you can find the information that works for you, that’s the most important thing.” 19. Besides Hall, New Jersey’s got a few interesting pieces. Brian Boyle stands out, with the Athletic’s Arthur Staple indicating the Islanders Scheifele: “As athletes you’ve got to be optimal as much as you can. have interest. (Of course, now that this is out there, Lou Lamoriello will When you eat the right things, get the proper rest, get the right treatment, refuse to do it. True story: When the Cory Schneider–Bo Horvat trade do the right stretches and do the proper workouts at certain times… it all went down, he told Vancouver that if he heard someone break it in the goes towards the same things in becoming the best player you can be. seconds before Commissioner Gary Bettman announced it at the draft He’s mastered that. It shows in his play and that’s what me and Blake podium, he’d cancel the deal.) You can see Marcus Johansson and Ben and anyone else who wants to listen can learn about… every game being Lovejoy — both unrestricted — having an appeal. There’s a decision to top-notch.” be made on Keith Kinkaid, too. 28. Finally on this topic, Wheeler’s been seen skating while wearing a Stream over 500 NHL games blackout-free, including the Flames, Oilers, headset from time to time. Leafs and Canucks. Plus , Rogers Hometown “It was built into our training program last summer. That’s a voice giving Hockey, Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey and more. you the rest-to-work ratio, when you should be pushing, when you should 20. Dallas, fresh off a wild 5-4 win over Arizona, will have extra room to be resting. When we’re not with our trainers in the gym in the summer, add a player if Martin Hanzal is declared out for the season. That’s not an we’re doing the same thing over FaceTime. It just goes into that same impossibility. idea of, ‘Why would I train the same way as [Scheifele]?’ Why would I train the same way as really, anyone? Because I’m unique — I’m 21. That Arizona/Dallas game was one of the wildest of the season. The different than all those guys. I’m made up differently, so I want to do this Coyotes were down to three defencemen early in the third period. Alex to attack my deficiencies and my weaknesses, especially as I’m getting Goligoski was out after being hit into the boards by Ritchie late in the older to keep getting better.” second period. Oliver Ekman-Larsson got a hooking penalty trying to stop a breakaway. (I thought he made a great play, but the referee The Jets have a unique and impressive culture. A sizeable group of them disagreed.) Then, Niklas Hjalmarsson put one over the glass. Dallas get together to work with Adam Oates in the summer, too. scored three times to go from down 2-1 to up 4-2. The Coyotes — who 29. During the 2012-13 lockout, Johnny Oduya ended up playing in really have taken the personality of their coach — fought back to tie it, Thailand. He spoke glowingly of the experience, telling the Bangkok Post before the Stars scored again. Then, Esa Lindell made a great save off he would consider doing it again after his NHL days. The 37-year-old, Derek Stepan to preserve it, before Ben Bishop made another terrific who played 850 games with New Jersey, Atlanta, Winnipeg, Chicago, stop to close it. Dallas, Ottawa and Philadelphia, is expected back in that country for 22. One of the fourth-round picks that Florida acquired from Pittsburgh in games as early as Thursday. Known as the Siam Hockey League, it is for the Bjugstad/McCann/Brassard trade is the Mike Sillinger of draft expats who live in Thailand and want to lace up the skates. selections. Originally, it was Minnesota’s, traded to Arizona in February 2017 for Martin Hanzal. Ten months later, it was Pittsburgh’s, as Michael 30. One of the SHL’s founders, Christian Olofsson, reached out to say that the ex-NHLer donated a trophy that will go to the league’s most valuable player. It is known simply as… “The Oduya.” 31. Last week, Benoit Huot retired from competitive swimming. A 35- year-old from Longueuil, Que., Huot won 20 Paralympic medals (nine gold) and 32 World Championship medals during his phenomenal career. Most importantly, Huot, born with a club foot, continued to “move the line” for athletes with disabilities and the public’s understanding of what can be done. Very, very impressive person.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129305 Websites “We can talk all we want,” said McDavid. “We’ve just got to find a way to grab (the game) when it’s going like that. Have a strong shift, get some pucks in. Find a way to grind in the O-zone, and get some life back. It Sportsnet.ca / Historic Oilers collapse a tipping point for fan base seems to build when stuff goes wrong, and we never grab it.” Or, perhaps a better word is “grasp.” Mark Spector | @sportsnetspec Here in Edmonton, they never quite grasp it, do they? February 6, 2019, 1:09 AM Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 02.06.2019 EDMONTON — It’s unraveling now, the way it seems to every season in Edmonton, at some point or another. A six-game losing streak left the Oilers tied for the second-last spot in the Western Conference Tuesday night, left fans’ jerseys on the ice and left the goalie throwing death stares at his coach. In its brutal totality, it left their prized possession — Connor McDavid — in a place that has become all too familiar: staring at a trip to the world championships, while standing in front of a bank of cameras and microphones, answering for further failure in Edmonton. “What does it feel like to be Connor McDavid right now?” he was asked. “You know how I feel,” he said. “It’s frustrating.” Sportsnet NOW gives you access to over 500 NHL games this season, blackout-free, including Hockey Night in Canada, Rogers Hometown Hockey, Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey, the entire 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs and more. Leading 2-1 after 40 minutes, the Oilers surrendered five third-period goals to lose 6-2. It was a third-period collapse of some historic magnitude, not seen in a quarter century — since April 11, 1993, to be exact. This was the third consecutive game in which Edmonton had led in the third period, only to lose. In weekend games at Philadelphia and Montreal, the Oilers dropped games in overtime, but on a freezing cold Tuesday at home, they rewarded a crowd that had ventured through minus-30 temperatures with a complete fold-down, giving up four goals in 2:48 of the third period. Cam Talbot was pulled in favour of Mikko Koskinen, but not before he appeared to have some choice words for head coach Ken Hitchcock as he skated past en route to the dressing room. “We hung Talbs out to dry. It wasn’t good enough,” said defenceman Darnell Nurse. “Then Kosk came in and we hung him out to dry, too. Not good enough. “We go out there for the third and feel ready to go. Say all the right stuff. It’s simple. We’ve got to be better.” In a scene not witnessed here in a couple of seasons, more than one disgruntled fan tossed their jersey onto the Rogers Place ice. Hats too. As much frustration and discord as is growing inside the walls of an organization that has fired both its head coach and GM this season, it boils at a much cooler temperature than the blood of its terminally under- served fan base. “I saw some jerseys on the ice,” said Chicago left-winger Drake Caggiula, who played on the Blackhawks top line with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, while Brandon Manning, the defenceman former Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli had acquired in a trade for Caggiula, was a healthy scratch for Edmonton. It’s a microcosm of Chiarelli’s trading record, to be sure, while what remains on Edmonton’s roster is a residue of his devilish work. He leaves behind an Oilers club that does not have enough goaltending, does not have a proper NHL defence corps, and does not have more than one top-six winger. And it is criminally capped out, needing to make a move soonest to make cap room for Andrej Sekera, a $5.5-million, 32-year-old defenceman coming off of ACL and Achilles tears. Sekera is the cavalry, literally limping over the hill. “We just collapsed,” said Leon Draisaitl, who scored both Edmonton goals. “We turned the puck over and collapsed. That’s it. “We have to figure it out.” Credit the Blackhawks for their push-back. They walked in here, trailing after two, and brought the Oilers to their collective knees. But how long does it take for this group to grow some character? How long to figure out to how to finish, when for 40 minutes you’re good enough to gain a lead? 1129306 Websites “We’re trying to balance obviously keeping this together while also contending and not having to delete parts from it,” explained Dubas.

Talk about a challenging job. Sportsnet.ca / Leafs' Dubas will ultimately be judged on whether he delivers Cup to Toronto Dubas has only been running the Leafs since May 11 — some 270 days — and already he’s landed Tavares in free agency, engaged in a three- month contract stalemate with Nylander, traded for Muzzin and signed Chris Johnston | @reporterchris Matthews to one of the richest deals in franchise history. February 5, 2019, 10:44 PM Next up is his first trade deadline in a little more than two weeks and then the potential volatile Marner negotiation, plus some tough secondary challenges with promising wingers Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson set to become RFAs this summer. TORONTO — Kyle Dubas is either the most fortunate or most doomed general manager in hockey, depending how you view these things. With the cap ceiling projected to be at $83 million next season, it’s hard to imagine all of Patrick Marleau (who owns a full no-movement clause), He climbed a mountain to take control of the Toronto Maple Leafs before Nikita Zaitsev and Connor Brown returning. There doesn’t seem to be his 33rd birthday, then quickly realized that getting the job was the easy nearly enough room for negotiations with pending UFA Jake Gardiner, part. There can only be two possible outcomes from the position he either. occupies now: Either he shapes and molds this franchise into one capable of ending the longest Stanley Cup drought going, or he’s So while Dubas was clearly fortunate to take over an eventually fired for falling short. franchise that had the makings of a top-flight contender, he also assumed a position with the potential to age him like a president. And There is no in between. even with Matthews signed, the tough work continues. The starkness of his task only becomes clearer on a good-news day like “I think the issue at hand here is one that we’re very fortunate to have,” this one, when Dubas sat beside Auston Matthews and signed off on a said Dubas. “It creates some headaches at times, but we do have a very $58.17-million, five-year extension, because it reinforces how difficult it’s talented young team and we’d rather be trying to keep that together than going to be to keep one of the NHL’s most promising rosters intact long probably where we were at the beginning, which was trying to build it up.” enough to see it through.

“We’re trying to build a team that can have sustained success. Not just contend once,” said Dubas. “I think you look, there’s [many] teams all Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 02.06.2019 across every professional sport, they’re very good teams for a long time but they can’t ever push it across the finish line. I think a lot of that is luck-related and luck-based, and I think we want to give ourselves the maximum number of chances we can to make a real good go at it.” He will ultimately be judged on how well he navigates both the bounces and bonuses. A hard salary cap is the enemy of every GM with oversized aspirations, especially when you’re soon to be allocating nearly half of the available money to a core four: Matthews, John Tavares, William Nylander and eventually Mitch Marner, the only one of the elite Leafs still in need of a big contract. Dubas became increasingly motivated to nail down the Matthews extension with the Feb. 25 trade deadline coming into view and felt secure enough about where the negotiations were headed to pull the trigger on acquiring defenceman Jake Muzzin last week. Moves like that become easier to make with a clearly defined salary picture. The phrase you’ll hear bandied about in NHL circles is “cost certainty,” which translates roughly to, ‘Do I have enough cap space to justify acquiring or keeping Player X at Salary Y?’ It’s an equation they’ll be running often in the Leafs front office moving forward. Every decision, big or small, will need to be filtered through it. The only major missing piece to be filled in is the next Marner contract, which could prove trickiest of all. As much as Dubas might like to get that hammered out immediately, he seems content with honouring the request of agent Darren Ferris and waiting until after the season. “There’s going to be no pressure from us on that,” said Dubas. “For us, if they want to talk, we’re here. But we’re respecting their wishes and I would expect everyone else would as well in terms of how they handle Mitch. When they’re ready to sit down, we’ll talk. He’s going to be a Toronto Maple Leaf for a long time, regardless of how we had to come to that. “So it’s no issue at all.” It will take some creativity from the front office to get Marner signed at a manageable number. He’s likely to lead the Leafs in points for the second straight season, and will seek a contract on par with Matthews — just as we once saw Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane take matching deals in Chicago coming out of entry-level, following Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in Pittsburgh. However, another $11.634-million AAV looks like too much for Toronto to bear. The team’s entire salary structure would have been crippled had the Leafs even stretched to reach Matthews’ desired $14 million on a max eight-year deal, which is why management zeroed in on something shorter. Sure, it narrows the guaranteed window of Cup contention and will likely see the centre command an even larger piece of the pie at age 26, but it works in the immediate term. 1129307 Websites “It doesn’t matter much to me,” Gallagher said. That he leads the Canadiens in goals with 21 and is on pace to at least match his career-high of 31 (set last season) is also of little consequence Sportsnet.ca / Brendan Gallagher leads, Canadiens follow in win over to him. Ducks “I tell you guys the same thing every year,” he said. “I don’t really set goals like that for myself (because) it kind of takes away from the Eric Engels enjoyment of playing the game. You play the game for one reason — that’s to win hockey games.” February 6, 2019, 12:09 AM

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 02.06.2019 MONTREAL — It’s the third period of a game the Montreal Canadiens all but won in the first, and Brendan Gallagher’s charging the net from the goal line with reckless abandon. He puts his head down, takes three quick strides, brings the puck from his backhand to his forehand and tries to stuff it into the net with every ounce of force his 185-pound frame can muster. By the time Ryan Getzlaf catches up to Gallagher, it’s too late. A quality chance has been recorded. But instead of a goal, Gallagher receives a choke-slam to the ice from Getzlaf that leaves him flat on his back. Then he bounces back up, heads to the bench, and readies himself for the next battle, because that’s who he is. It’s who he’s always been. It’s the 26-year-old’s seventh NHL season, and every minute of his career blends together. Whether it’s driving the net, forechecking, backchecking, passing, shooting, blocking or hitting; whether it’s pre- season, regular season, or post-season, the effort is always the same. And rare is a shift that has Gallagher returning to the bench with air in his lungs, which is something that is not only plain to see for all the spectators, it’s also abundantly clear to his teammates. “That’s Gally,” says Montreal’s youngest player, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who scored for a third-straight game in his team’s 4-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. “Practice, games — you learn a lot from him just watching him do what he does. He never gives up.” It’s why Gallagher’s importance to the Canadiens’ success (now at 30- 18-6 and in third place in the Atlantic Division) cannot be understated. In a lot of ways, he is the symbol of their style — a speedy, undersized, relentless, in-your-face player who out-wills you at every turn. “He inspires a lot of guys on our team just by his work ethic and his commitment to competing hard every game, and I think every team needs a player like that,” said Canadiens coach Claude Julien. “He does a great job of it… From the start right to the end, he was a really good player. Those kinds of players, the teams that have them really appreciate having them because they give you a spark every once in a while. Your team goes a little flat and then this guy comes in and gives you the kind of shift that you’re looking for from a player. It’s about work ethic, and it inspires and wakes people up. Those are important players on our team, and that’s why he’s wearing a letter.” Another reason? Gallagher scores key goals at key moments, like he did in the eighth minute of a first period the Canadiens were dominating, and again to make it 3-0 prior to intermission. That was crucial. This game had trap written all over it for the Canadiens. Squaring off against an angry Ducks team begging to be underestimated. One that had come off 9-3 and 6-1 shellackings care of the Winnipeg Jets and Toronto Maple Leafs, respectively, to compound a run that saw them win just two of their last 18 games. A good start for Montreal would help them avoid falling into it. And in the third period, after a lackadaisical second that saw the Canadiens sit on their heels and divert from the game plan, a spark was needed. “We all understood the situation we were in,” said Gallagher. “You get off to a 3-0 lead, it would’ve been nice to keep your foot on the gas but we didn’t do that. It was nice to come in (the dressing room) and hit a quick reset, just have that chance to refocus. We knew what we had to do and we just went out there, and I thought we did a pretty good job in the third.” The 5:03 Gallagher played in the frame were a big part of that — from his net-driving shift to the assist he notched on Phillip Danault’s goal to put the game out of reach. “The fans really wanted me to get a hat trick,” Gallagher said. It would’ve been the first one of his NHL career, which is somewhat astounding when you consider the former fifth-round pick in the 2012 draft has scored 139 times in 460 games. 1129308 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Mitch Marner's agent: Leafs have been trying to lowball him

Sportsnet Staff | @Sportsnet February 6, 2019, 12:26 AM

Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas navigated his way through one salary-cap maze Tuesday, but he’s about to enter what might wind up being a far more difficult one. With star centreman Auston Matthews inked to a newly-signed five-year, $58.17-million extension, announced by the team Tuesday, Dubas’ attention now turns to Mitch Marner, the last remaining unsigned piece of the club’s core. The rookie GM said Tuesday that there won’t be any pressure from the team to re-engage negotiations before the end of the season, as per the Marner camp’s request, but according to the star winger’s agent, talks may be tense when the two sides do reconvene. “So far they’ve been trying to lowball (Marner),” agent Darren Ferris told the Toronto Star‘s Dave Feschuk Tuesday. “That’s the reason we’ve come to this point.” In the midst of a dominant campaign that’s seen him amass 20 goals and 63 points in 52 games, leading the Leafs in scoring just as he did last season, all eyes are on the team’s front office to keep the band together despite Matthews, John Tavares and William Nylander already accounting for $26.6 million in cap space next season. With Matthews and Tavares both at or above the $11-million plateau, Ferris seems uninterested in seeing Marner sign for a team-friendly sum. “Nobody else is taking a discount. And now you’re asking (Marner) to take one again? It’s nonsense,” Ferris told the Star. “Mitch already did them a favour on the entry-level deal.” The favour in question appears to involve the bonuses doled out to the team’s young stars, according to Ferris. When former GM Lou Lamoriello signed Marner to his entry-level deal, included were the negotiated Schedule A bonuses — worth up to $850,000 annually — but Ferris was told the club would not hand out Schedule B bonuses and their potential additional $2 million, he told Feschuk. Soon after, Matthews was inked to his own entry-level deal, including both Schedule A and Schedule B bonuses. As it currently stands, the Leafs have $71.9 million in payroll accounted for next season, and a tough task ahead in terms of fitting Marner into the picture. Both sides have said they will resume talks after the season concludes.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129309 Websites After coming to life in the second period – shots were 18-5 Washington in the first, 27-13 Vancouver the rest of the way – the Canucks outshot the Capitals 9-1 but couldn’t get a puck past goalie Braden Holtby. Sportsnet.ca / Bad bounces wreaking havoc on Canucks' playoff Holtby made his best two saves of the game a few seconds apart on momentum point-blank scoring chances for Tyler Motte and Jay Beagle, then stuffed Horvat on a penalty shot at 12:53 of the middle frame. Three minutes after that, Canucks defenceman Troy Stecher hit the post, and Iain MacIntyre | @imacSportsnet Vancouver still trailed 1-0. February 5, 2019, 9:55 PM And the two goals they generated in the third period from Pettersson and Markus Granlund, who converted Antoine Roussel’s beautiful pass after getting healthy-scratched in Philadelphia, merely matched what they gave up. WASHINGTON – You didn’t need to pay attention to the full 27 hours to understand how the Vancouver Canucks’ back-to-back games in After starting their four-game trip with an impressive 5-1 win Saturday Philadelphia and Washington transpired. The 2.7 seconds halfway against the Colorado Avalanche, the Canucks are suddenly 1-2 despite through the third period on Tuesday told everything. continuing to play well, and now face a referendum on their playoff drive with Thursday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks. Leaden at the start but superior over the final 40 minutes, the Canucks were chasing a tying goal against the Stanley Cup champions when They could use a little more luck. Washington Capitals forward Jakub Vrana was stick-checked by Ben Hutton behind the Vancouver net. “I guess the hockey gods were not on our side on that play,” Hutton said of Vrana’s winner. “It popped up, it was coming down right on top of the The puck bounced up off Hutton’s stick and landed on top of the Canuck net and then it slid right off it. I was like, no way. It was a tough bounce. It netting, where it inexplicably picked up steam and began tumbling and hurts, especially because we know where we stand in the standings. It spinning forward towards the crease. As Capitals star Evgeny Kuznetsov stings especially because we’re in a playoff hunt.” attacked the puck as if he were going after a mosquito with a swatter, the disc continued untouched until it leapt over the crossbar precipice and They’re trying to stay in one. cascaded like good fortune down the back of Vancouver goalie Jacob Markstrom and into the net at 12:13 of the final period. When Canucks rookie Elias Pettersson scored with 7.6 seconds Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 02.06.2019 remaining and Markstrom on the bench for an extra attacker, Vrana’s physics trick turned into the game-winner in a 3-2 Vancouver loss. At least no one was seriously injured, as Canucks defenceman Alex Edler was the previous night in Vancouver’s 2-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, who got 41 saves from goalie Carter Hart and a questionable whistle that nullified a potential tying goal for the visitors. Vrana’s goal was the damnedest thing since San Jose Shark Joe Thornton taught a puck to moonwalk and coaxed it to bounce off the baseboard, retreat up the back of the net and roll in behind former Canuck goalie Roberto Luongo during a game five years ago. “I remember that goal in San Jose,” Canucks defenceman Chris Tanev said Tuesday. “Obviously the bounces didn’t go our way the last day, but that’s part of the game.” Markstrom was more graphic: “It’s just a s***** bounce at a s***** time of the game and a s***** time of the year. It’s tough. Most of the game today I thought we played good. And same in Philly, too, especially on the road. (But) come February, come March and April, we need points and we need them bad.” The Canucks got none of those, losing momentum in the NHL playoff race the way they are losing players. Sportsnet NOW gives you access to over 500 NHL games this season, blackout-free, including Hockey Night in Canada, Rogers Hometown Hockey, Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey, the entire 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs and more. Edler is out indefinitely with a concussion after smashing his face on the ice in Philadelphia, and the Canucks are thankful his injuries are not more severe. Backup goalie Thatcher Demko injured his knee in the warmup on Monday and was sent home to Vancouver for an MRI as junior goalie Mike DiPietro was summoned on an emergency callup. Demko is expected to be out a week or two. And winger Sven Baertschi, who missed two months with a concussion before returning to the lineup on Dec. 27, has been forced out again and is undergoing more testing. No one on the Canucks is using the C-word – not even Markstrom – but the fear is Baertschi’s latest issue may be concussion related. “I thought we played some pretty good hockey over these last 24 hours and for them to get a game-winning goal like that, it’s kind of a backhand across the face,” Canucks centre Bo Horvat said. “We work that hard in back-to-back games, especially against good teams. . . I thought we deserved better.” But this is sports; sometimes you don’t get what you deserve. But luck swings both ways, and the Canucks had the chance against the Capitals to take some of the luck out of it. 1129310 Websites drawing more penalties than anyone in the NHL since he joined the league.

None of this is to mention the increased possibility of offer sheets being Sportsnet.ca / Flames' Matthew Tkachuk weighs in on impact of Auston thrown around this summer, which was yet another concern motivating Matthews' new deal Dubas to ink his stud centre. “(Offer sheets) haven’t been in play a lot recently, but there’s been a lot Eric Francis | @EricFrancis of talk, and a lot of people thinking this is the year it’s going to happen,” said Tkachuk, a tremendous student of the game, on and off the ice. February 5, 2019, 8:11 PM “You can’t predict that stuff, but you never know. Maybe.” Perhaps he’ll be the target, as there isn’t a GM in the league that wouldn’t want a gifted agitator with his pedigree on their side. CALGARY — After spending Monday night texting with Auston Matthews, Matthew Tkachuk was thrilled to hear after practice his good Potential poachers may also be taking long looks at players like Mikko pal had consummated a new deal Tuesday. Rantanen, Brayden Point, Patrik Laine, Brock Boeser, Kyle Connor, William Karlsson, Sebastian Aho, Charlie McAvoy, Jacob Trouba and “I’m happy for him — it’s a lot of money,” said the Calgary Flames Marner as well. forward of the five-year, $58.17-million contract his former teammate from the U.S. National Team Development Program signed with the They all need deals, and all likely did a jig over Matthews’ pact. Maple Leafs. “It seems like every summer, whether it’s restricted or unrestricted guys, “I’ll text him here in a little bit and hopefully he’ll pick up a nice little dinner there’s always a big fish that sets the bar for that summer,” said Tkachuk, next time I see him.” 21. “It doesn’t seem like there’s like one contract that sets it up forever. Tkachuk knows better than anyone else the Matthews deal will net him “You have a guy like (Connor) McDavid’s contract set it up for his guys far more than just gratis grub. The contract raises the bar for the long list that summer a couple years ago, (Jack) Eichel then came, and now it’s of other star-studded restricted free agents, like Tkachuk, who are Matthews. champing at the bit over the lucrative possibilities that lie ahead this summer. “A lot of big guys — some of the best players in the league — are all coming off entry-level, so it kind of changed the perspective there a little.” “I’m sure everybody is pretty happy with Matthews right now,” beamed Tkachuk, who regularly texts with his junior linemate Mitch Marner as Actually, it has changed it a lot. well. “I’m sure Marns is pretty happy too as well — that’s a lot of money for a great player.” Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 02.06.2019 The debate will rage on in Toronto now over how the Leafs can possibly shoehorn Marner into their salary cap structure after GM Kyle Dubas opted to bend significantly in a deal that buys just one year of unrestricted free agency with no discount for the previous four years. One respected Canadian team executive I reached out to referred to the “incompetence” of the deal interfering with the framework the rest of the league’s executives will have to work with moving forward. Another management-type sympathized with Dubas for having to bend considerably in the negotiations so he could lock up a cornerstone player and avoid the type of distractions and ugliness that came with the William Nylander contract fiasco. Flames GM Brad Treliving respectfully declined to comment on the deal, as has long been his policy. But you can bet he was paying close attention. “For Toronto’s sake, they probably wanted it done before the trade deadline this year in case they wanted to move other guys or bring other guys in,” said Tkachuk. “It seems like it’s great for both Auston and the team.” What will be fascinating is whether Marner or Tkachuk will be one of the next guys doling out free meals to pals. It was previously suggested that it will be the last RFAs to sign this summer who may be the biggest winners, piggy-backing on other deals and setting the table for more ugly, Nylander-like stalemates that drag into next winter. “I don’t know — that’s probably what every player will talk with their agents about going in,” said the six-foot-two, 212-pound left winger. “Maybe it’s a little bit of a waiting game, but you just try to take care of what you can take care of within your deal. I’ve never been in this position, so I guess I’ll find out this summer.” Tkachuk isn’t in line for more than $11 million annually like Matthews. But you can bet the deal he’ll likely ink with the Flames is now going to be healthier than whatever he might have signed before Matthews paved the way with even more gold. Should he and the Flames be able to prolong their relationship, he will undoubtedly be the highest-paid player in Flames lore, eclipsing the $7 million Jarome Iginla pocketed for many seasons. For a player who brings more intangibles than any other RFA this summer, not to mention the 20th-most points in the league this year, $8 million isn’t out of the question either. Fact is, it’s a fool’s errand to try pegging his AAV now given how much hockey is left in the season and, potentially, this spring. With every goal, three-point night and playoff success will come more dollars for a star who has 24 goals and 57 points this season while also 1129311 Websites games. Now 30 years old, Toews will be 34 when the contract comes to a close.

It’s also worth noting that this was Toews’ second post-entry-level Sportsnet.ca / Cap comparables: How does new Auston Matthews contract — the first one was a five-year pact worth 11.09 per cent against contract stack up in NHL? the cap. EVGENI MALKIN, PITTSBURGH PENGUINS: 14.8 per cent Rory Boylen | @RoryBoylen Another relatively old one, Malkin signed this deal in the summer of 2013, February 5, 2019, 3:35 PM also one year before it officially kicked in. At the time, Malkin was 27 years old and one season removed from winning the Art Ross and Hart Trophies. Malkin has been better than a point per game producer for the Penguins in each year of this contract, which expires in 2021-22 when In December, we explored the potential cap hit of Auston Matthews‘ he’ll be 35 years old. contract and made the point that he could end up making at least as much as Connor McDavid‘s $12.5 million. Like most of the other deals on this list, this contract for Malkin was the second one after the expiration of his ELC. Like Matthews, Malkin’s first That assumed the Toronto Maple Leafs and Matthews would come post-ELC deal was a five-year pact that counted for 15.34 per cent together on an eight-year contract since that was the precedent set against the cap. around the league by many other star players, from Nikita Kucherov, Mark Scheifele and Jack Eichel to McDavid himself. ANZE KOPITAR, LOS ANGELES KINGS: 14 per cent The most surprising takeaway of Matthews’ new five-year deal with its This is yet another case of a player who signed long-term in his second $11.634-million cap hit was the wrinkle of a shorter term, which was post-ELC deal — his first was a seven-year pact that counted for 11.99 reported on Hockey Night in Canada’s Headlines segment this past per cent against the cap. Kopitar’s current contract was signed in weekend as a likely outcome. Now that it’s happened, we know January 2016 and kicked in at the start of the 2016-17 season when he Matthews will be UFA eligible in the summer of 2024 at the age of 26. was 29 years old. Kopitar’s performance that season wasn’t up to This likely saved the Maple Leafs some money on Matthews’ average expectations, but he bounced back last season to win his second Selke annual value (AAV). Trophy and was in the running for the Hart Trophy. The Auston Matthews ask on an eight-year extension was in the SIDNEY CROSBY, PITTSBURGH PENGUINS: 13.5 per cent range of Connor McDavid's 16.67% of cap hit. So a ~$13.8M AAV based on projected $83M cap. Crosby is married to an $8.7-million AAV as that’s what he landed on in both his first deal coming off his ELC and this contract signed in 2013. Whenever we look at direct comparables for big deals like this, it’s When his current deal was agreed to term limits were less strict so No. important to take into consideration the percentage of the AAV against 87 signed a 12-year pact that expires in 2025. The percentage against the cap. That’s because, as the ceiling rises, inflation brings up salaries the cap on his first deal was 17.30, but on this one that fell to 13.53 per so the AAV on a deal signed even three years ago has little direct cent on the day it was signed and continues to fall each year. Today, bearing on an AAV in 2019. Position is of importance too – centres against a $79.5-million ceiling, Crosby’s deal counts for 10.9 per cent of generally have a higher value than wingers and you can see it in league- the cap. wide contract trends. It’s all about the percentages, relative cap impact and position. The Penguins captain got security in his deal, but it can be argued no player has a better value contract that has left his team the space to The thing about Matthews’ new deal, though, is how the term changes make other improvements in the roster. the equation a bit, and follows a trend we’re starting to see around the league. JACK EICHEL, BUFFALO SABRES: 13.3 per cent “It’s a new day,” Elliotte Friedman said on Sportsnet 590 The FAN’s Aside from McDavid, this is the best recent comparable for Matthews. Good Show. “Things are changing in the National Hockey League. Eichel, of course, was chosen second overall in 2015 behind only Players aren’t afraid to use their leverage anymore. We’re seeing that McDavid and though Eichel hasn’t put up the same eye-popping more and more. Tavares last year, Panarin this year, Matthews kind of numbers through three years, some of that has to do with missing time turning the salary structure over a little bit. Star players are demanding a due to injury. Since Eichel entered the league, he ranks 32nd in points bigger share of the pie, they’re demanding it earlier. I think there are per game (.90) and is on his way to a career season with 54 points in 48 teams who are going to look at it and say, ‘Boy, this is going to really games. change the way that business gets done in hockey and we’re not exactly Those numbers are very good for Eichel — and he also signed a happy with that.'” maximum eight-year contract — but considering Matthews is making just Matthews’ $11.634-million cap hit is 14.63 per cent against today’s $1.634 million more and is the sixth-highest goal scorer since coming into $79.5-million salary cap, but if that ceiling rises to $83 million this the league, the Leafs got good value on Matthews’ AAV. summer, the AAV will drop to 14 per cent by the time it starts next season. With that in mind, here’s how Matthews’ deal compares to some other star centres in the league. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 02.06.2019 CONNOR MCDAVID, EDMONTON OILERS: 16.67 PER CENT Signed July 5, 2017, a year before it came into place, McDavid’s AAV of $12.5 million counted for 16.67 per cent against a $75-million cap hit the day it was signed, but it’s worth noting that when the contract actually kicked in this season the cap had risen to $79.5 million. So, technically, McDavid’s cap hit was 15.7 per cent on the first day the contract was active. It was hard to imagine Matthews approaching McDavid’s cap percentage, but given the salary cap itself has gone up since McDavid signed, the direct AAV comparables could have been closer. However, since Matthews signed for five years instead of what was an industry standard eight for a player of his ilk, the AAV comes down at least a little. JONATHAN TOEWS, CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS: 15.2 PER CENT Chicago’s captain signed this deal way back in July 2014 one year out from his old contract expiring. This, too, was an eight-year deal and Toews was 26 years old at the time he put pen to paper coming off a 68- point season. As far as contracts that are currently on the books, Toews’ AAV percentage against the cap is topped by only Alex Ovechkin and McDavid. Still one of the better two-way players in the game, Toews is recovering from a down season in 2017-18 and has 51 points in 53 1129312 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Don Cherry on slumping Jets star Laine: 'Somebody should give him a smack'

Mike Johnston | @MikeyJ_MMA February 5, 2019, 7:45 PM

Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine have been compared to one another ever since they were selected first and second overall, respectively, in the 2016 NHL Draft. The Toronto Maple Leafs star inked a contract extension Tuesday that will pay him an average of $11.634 million annually over the next five seasons and the Winnipeg Jets star is also eligible to sign his first non- entry-level NHL contract. However, based on his recent inexplicable scoring slump it’s tough to imagine he’d be rewarded with a salary cap hit as lucrative as the one Matthews received. What’s wild is back in November a cap hit around $11 million for the Finnish winger would’ve seemed like a bargain. Laine ended up scoring a whopping 18 goals in November, adding one assist along the way, to become the fifth player since 1989-90 to score 18 or more goals in a single month. The 20-year-old also hit the century mark, becoming the fourth-youngest player to record 100 regular-season NHL goals behind only Wayne Gretzky, Jimmy Carson and Brian Bellows. Since that magnificent month, Laine’s pace has slowed at a concerning rate and in the past 19 games he has just two goals and three assists. “It doesn’t look like he’s interested,” Don Cherry, who celebrated his 85th birthday Tuesday, said during an appearance on Prime Time Sports. “Somebody should give him a smack or something. He’s the guy that I thought would really turn it on for a contract.” Laine, who has more goals than everyone not named Alex Ovechkin since debuting in the NHL in 2016-17, is joined by Kyle Connor, Andrew Copp, Nicolas Petan, Brendan Lemieux, Jacob Trouba, Joe Morrow and Laurent Brossoit as Winnipeg’s pending restricted free agents. “I don’t know what’s going on. When he was [within 20 feet from the net] nobody could shoot the puck like him,” Cherry added. “I have no idea what’s going on with the guy. … I just thought he’d be one of the top scorers of all-time and [a top-paid player] but I don’t know what they’re going to do now.” Despite Laine’s struggles, the Jets have maintained their spot atop the Central Division standings.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129313 Websites whopping 11:02 of the first period. He had an assist on Markus Granlund's goal and finished the night with a pair of shots on five attempts, two hits, three takeaways and three blocked shots. Hutton TSN.CA / Five Takeaways: Canucks vs Capitals showed an ability to raise his game during Edler's 16-game absence with a knee injury earlier in the season. He and Troy Stecher (a season-high 25:45) were an effective duo for the Canucks and will have to find a way to keep their play at that level if Edler is out for any length of time. On Jeff Paterson Tuesday, that tandem had a very solid night handily winning the battle of shot attempts and scoring chances at even strength. The only blemish on

the Hutton-Stecher pairing was the Capitals strange game winner that 1) The Vancouver Canucks played five pretty good periods of hockey hopped over the Canucks net from behind, climbed across the top of the over a two-night span in Philadelphia and Washington and have net and rolled off the back of Jacob Markstrom and in. Hutton said it felt absolutely nothing to show for it. Minus their best defenseman in Alex like things were in slow motion as he processed the play and watched Edler and playing the second half of a back to back set on the heels of a helplessly as the puck rolled into the danger zone. If he had it to do over 2-1 loss to the Flyers, the Canucks got off to a terrible start in again, Hutton might have tried to swat the puck off the top of the net Washington. They fell behind 1-0 just three minutes into the game and toward the back boards. Instead, he and Stecher looked mezmorized as were outshot 18-5 in a one-sided first period. But somehow -- and the strange play unfolded and eventually wound up in the net. perhaps against the odds -- the Canucks found their game, gained traction and had all kinds of scoring chances in the second period. Elias Pettersson had a good look from down low in the Washington zone, Tyler TSN.CA LOADED: 02.06.2019 Motte was all alone with the puck in front of Braden Holtby, Ben Hutton rang a shot off the cross bar from left wing, Bo Horvat was stopped on a penalty shot and Troy Stecher rattled a shot off the post. The Canucks came close, but couldn't find a goal through 40 minutes. Each team scored twice in the final period and the Canucks suffered their second straight one-goal setback although the final Canuck goal of the night with seven seconds remaining made the final score appear closer than the game really was. The Capitals were pushed at times, but their lead was never really threatened. Overall, I thought the Canucks played better in Philadelphia than they did in Washington but that doesn't mean they played poorly against the Capitals. 2) The Canucks have to find a way to generate points on the road. They are 1-4 in their last five games away from home going back to a 2-0 loss in Montreal on January 3rd and 2-5 in their past seven as the visitors. Once they play in Chicago on Thursday, they'll finish with 16 of 27 on home ice, so the schedule starts to work in their favour. But they're in a stretch right now of 10 of 15 away from home (including three in four nights in California next week), and they won't stay in the playoff chase if they can't figure out a way to push some of these close games to overtime at the very least. They have been outscored 13-8 in their past five road games -- with five of those goals coming in Denver on Saturday night. On the season now, the Canucks are 13-13-3 through their first 29 game road games. They did a decent job of manufacturing points on a recent six-game homestand (3-1-2), but haven't been able to do the same thing as visitors. 3) Maybe breakaways just aren't Bo Horvat's thing. Horvat was stopped on a second period penalty shot that would have tied the game 1-1. He drew the call after a nice move to get around Capitals defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler who put the hook on the Canuck forward and prevented him from getting a quality scoring chance. Horvat tried to beat Braden Holtby on the forehand, but was unable to convert. Couple the missed penalty shot with three unsuccessful shootout attempts this season and Horvat has gone 0 for 4 in one on one showdowns with NHL netminders. There's some frustration creeping into Horvat's game. He was so effective in the first half of the season, but is mired in a slump that has seen him score just once in his last 16 hockey games. He played and played a lot Tuesday in Washington logging 22:51 and led the Canucks with five shots on goal. He spent the night on a line with offensive wingers in Brock Boeser and Nikolay Goldobin, but not even that was enough for Horvat to find his scoring touch. The Canucks will need that -- and need it again soon -- to maintain their perch above the playoff bar in the West. 4) Travis Green made a curious decision with his lines on Tuesday night. He gave Horvat the chance to play with gifted wingers, but stripped leading scorer Elias Pettersson of the chance to play with players who think the game the way he does. Pettersson spent most of the game in Washington on a line with Antoine Roussel on left wing and Josh Leivo on the right side. Obviously Roussel plays hard, battles for pucks and has an understated ability to make plays with the puck, but not at Pettersson's level. And Leivo has proven to be inconsistent and Tuesday wasn't one of his more prominent nights. Down 1-0 going to the third period and still very much in the game, Green had the chance to load up one line and play Pettersson with Horvat and Boeser. A coach who is usually quick to switch line combinations in search of a spark, instead elected to stay patient for most of the night. In fact, when the Canucks pulled Jacob Markstrom for an extra attacker with three minutes to play, Pettersson was not part of the first rotation of six skaters. After a late time out, Pettersson was paired with Horvat and Boeser and it led to his goal in the dying seconds. With Sven Baertschi out indefinitely, it leaves the Canucks with a hole in their top six and there just isn't enough firepower on the wings to give both Horvat and Pettersson scorers to play with. 5) Ben Hutton responded to the challenge of trying to fill the void left by Alex Edler's injury. Hutton logged a game-high 28:35 including a 1129314 Websites

TSN.CA / Deadline War Room: Canucks' priorities start with re-signing Edler

Frank Seravalli

There were some scary moments for Alex Edler on Monday night, but that doesn’t change the fact that he is the Vancouver Canucks’ No. 1 priority as we approach the trade deadline. The Canucks need to re-sign Edler – they had talks last week and they’ve been engaged in negotiation. Not only is he their No. 1 defenceman and tough to replace, but they love the job that he’s done mentoring fellow Swede and Calder Trophy candidate Elias Pettersson. As TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button points out, Edler plays 20 minutes a game, has a big shot from the point and doesn’t have to be a long-term contract. He’s going to be 33 this summer, but mentoring Pettersson – as well as young incoming blueliner Quinn Hughes – could also be important as Hughes could be in a Vancouver uniform as early as the end of his college season this spring. That said, Edler is still an important piece for the Canucks. Lebrun: If Canucks make move, it would likely be to add player who sticks around NHL insider Pierre Lebrun says re-signing Alex Edler makes sense on a number of levels, and says that if the Canucks make a move it's likely to add a player who sticks around, not for a rental Up front, the Canucks are well-positioned down the middle with Pettersson and Bo Horvat, but they really need help on the wings – their No. 2 priority. After Brock Boeser, they really fall off from there in terms of scoring. Can they go out and find a guy at the deadline, as they now sit in a playoff spot, that could potentially help bolster this team on the wing without giving up a lot? I think of a guy like Patrick Maroon – a castoff they could throw in to help this team now. The key in making such a move is alleviating some of the burden on Pettersson, Horvat and Boeser, where most of their goals come from. Looking at the Trade Bait Board, Button likes Gustav Nyquist. We’ve mentioned him in other places, but he’s that good and he’s that skilled. Jakob Silfverberg of the Anaheim Ducks is another player to consider. When you think about Vancouver, which really is a Swedish hockey city in Canada, why wouldn’t Nyquist and Silfverberg fit in with the likes of Pettersson and Edler? In the short-term, the Canucks’ playoff chances may well rest on how much time Edler misses. The margin is just that thin in the Western Conference. The Canucks are two points in today, but they’re also just four points away from 26th place and a lottery spot in the draft they’re hosting in June. There were some scary moment for Alex Edler on Monday night, but that doesn't change the fact that the Canucks' top priority is to re-sign their number one d-man before the deadline. TSN Hockey's Craig Button and Frank Seravalli discuss Edler's importance and the need to add scoring wingers.

TSN.CA LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129315 Websites take a closer look at numerous forwards and defencemen that could be a good fit in Ottawa.

“We’re hopeful that by March he’ll be playing games,” Dorion explained. TSN.CA / Dorion tight-lipped as pressure mounts ahead of trade deadline “Obviously, he’ll start off in Belleville. It’s been a long and arduous process, but he’s definitely progressing in the right direction.” Ian Mendes The Senators are currently sitting in 31st place overall in the NHL standings – a tough pill to swallow since they don’t own their own first- round pick by virtue of the Duchene trade with Colorado in November of 2017. Dorion had the option of giving the Avalanche their first-round pick With less than three weeks to go until the NHL trade deadline, Pierre in 2018, but opted to defer that until the 2019 draft, selecting Brady Dorion knows that time is running short. Tkachuk fourth overall last summer. In that condensed window, the Ottawa Senators general manager has to The rationale from the club at the time is that they finished in 30th place figure out how to sign his top three scorers – Mark Stone, Matt Duchene in 2017-18 and this season the club would improve in the standings. and Ryan Dzingel – to lucrative contract extensions. Failing that, Dorion However, they have moved down a spot, placed in the precarious may be forced to trade all three of the pending unrestricted free agents. position of now having the best odds of selecting first overall in 2019 without actually holding that pick. On Tuesday, Dorion admitted he probably can’t take things right up to the 3 p.m. ET deadline on Feb. 25 when it comes to negotiations with his “There’s no doubt that we feel very comfortable in the decision we made pending UFAs. to draft Brady Tkachuk,” Dorion said. “Brady Tkachuk has come in here and done everything we’ve wanted.” “I don’t think it would be ideal to take it to 3 p.m. (on deadline day), but we have a good idea of what time frame we need to have contracts done Unless they get a first-round pick via a trade, the earliest the Senators by,” Dorion told TSN 1200 on Tuesday. could be picking in the 2019 Draft is the 32nd pick overall. If that is the scenario for Dorion, he says he’s comfortable with the type of player that Tuesday’s interview was Dorion’s first on-the-record conversation about might be available in that spot. the status of his UFAs and the upcoming trade deadline in several weeks. There has been a concerted effort from the Senators – both from “It’s a good draft. It’s not the deepest draft in certain spots. But we feel the management and players involved – to lock down any chatter that drafting early in the second round, we’ll get a very similar player as surrounding the status of the UFAs. you’d get somewhere in the first round,” he said. Stone, for example, has refused to give any detailed answers in the past With the club sitting in last place, plenty of scrutiny has come in the month when asked about his situation by reporters. direction of the coaching staff. Guy Boucher and his associates Marc Crawford and Martin Raymond are all in the final year of their contracts. Dorion is reading from the same tightly scripted playbook, doing his best Dorion didn’t feel comfortable Tuesday giving a detailed assessment of to try put a cone of silence over negotiations that have clearly reached a his coaching staff with 30 games left in the regular season. critical juncture. “I don’t think it’s the right thing to do – a public evaluation of a coach mid- Duchene on negotiations: 'I've said everything I have to say' season,” Dorion said. “All we can tell you is that this coaching staff has Matt Duchene says he 'had a good talk' with Pierre Dorion on Monday come in and worked hard. They’ve developed our younger players and regarding a new contract but he has nothing more to say about it. He given our older players some direction. For me, I don’t think it’s fair to admits that it's getting a little more difficult but he won't let the distraction give Guy a public evaluation during the season.” take away from his game. Trade Bait: Stone surges into Top 10 “Obviously, we’re not going to deny that we’ve met with agents. Pat The future of Senators winger Mark Stone could be linked to teammate Brisson (Duchene's agent) was in town yesterday. When it comes to our Matt Duchene’s pending ‘hockey decision’ on a new contract. TSN UFAs and the three bigger guys, we’ve had conversations with all three Senior Hockey Reporter Frank Seravalli has more. agents. From there, we’ve done a good job keeping things private,” Dorion said. “Negotiations are still going on and we hope to have them Dorion felt the club could compete for a playoff spot when the calendar signed at some point in time. For now, we’re going to keep things private flipped to December, but a barrage of injuries sidetracked the club. He between the players, the agents and ourselves.” said losing Thomas Chabot, Duchene and Anderson for one simultaneous stretch in December was catastrophic for the team, saying Dorion was asked about the external perception that Stone and Duchene “the magnitude was higher than we expected.” were prioritized ahead of Dzingel. The feeling from many observers is that the Senators will deal with Stone and Duchene first – then circle The general manager believes that despite the poor showing in the back to Dzingel after those first two situations are resolved. standings, some of his younger players have progressed and will potentially benefit down the road from dealing with the adversity that Dorion, however, declined to give specifics on his approach to comes along with being in last place. simultaneously negotiating with three key players. “You look at how many young kids we’ve put in the lineup and how many “Internally, we have our opinions on the values of all three players. And young kids have progressed. Look at Thomas Chabot, Colin White, we hope to keep all three players,” he said. Brady Tkachuk,” he said. “Of course people are going to point to the wins One player who doesn’t appear to be headed anywhere at the trade and losses and say, deadline is netminder Craig Anderson. There has been some low-level ‘You haven’t progressed,’ but we feel that it might not show in the points. chatter about the potential of moving Anderson to a club that needs But our younger players are gaining valuable experience for when we’re goaltending help at the deadline, but Dorion seemed to pour cold water on the cusp of making the playoffs or in the playoffs because they’ve on that notion when asked directly about Anderson’s future with his club. gone through tough times.” “Craig Anderson definitely fits in here,” Dorion said. “He’s had a great year. Unfortunately, he got hurt and we missed him a lot. Craig fits in our plans here. He’s a cornerstone in nets for us and one of the key players TSN.CA LOADED: 02.06.2019 here.” Dorion did indicate that he would reassess the goaltending situation in the off-season and that Marcus Hogberg and Filip Gustavsson could be ready to challenge for NHL jobs soon. Their future may hinge on the health of Mike Condon, who appears to still be part of the goaltending plan moving forward. Condon – who is recovering from a hip injury and hasn’t played an NHL game since October – has started taking shots and moving in his crease this week. The plan is to get him back into game action before the end of this regular season. In what could be a franchise-defining moment for Pierre Dorion, TSN Hockey's Craig Button and Frank Seravalli explain the importance of the Senators maximizing their return for Matt Duchene and Mark Stone, and 1129316 Websites

TSN.CA / Deadline War Room: Sens need quality, not quantity

Frank Seravalli

After months of speculation, this is where the rubber meets the road for the Ottawa Senators. It’s a critical juncture for this franchise. General manager Pierre Dorion’s only priority between now and the Feb. 25 trading deadline is to maximize the return for both Matt Duchene and Mark Stone. You have to think that, over the next week or so, Dorion will put these guys out and have trade talks with teams because there's been very little meaningful progress made so far in terms of negotiations on an extension. When you look back at the Erik Karlsson trade made last September, the Senators got a lot of quantity coming back with the quality still to be determined. In any return for Duchene and Stone, this team needs first- round draft picks if they're rebuilding. If you look at the top contenders – Boston, Nashville, Vegas, Calgary and Winnipeg for example – who could the Sens consider? McKenzie: More likely than not that Duchene and Stone get traded TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie joins AJ Jakubec on The TSN 1200 Pregame Show to talk Sens-Red Wings, & NHL news From Winnipeg? TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button suggests forward Jack Roslovic or Kristian Vesalainen. Or Eeli Tolvanen from Nashville. Perhaps Calgary's Dillon Dube. That's the type of quality Ottawa needs in a return for Duchene and Stone. On defence, there's no question that Thomas Chabot is on top of the Senators' present and future depth chart. They also have prospects like Jacob Bernard-Docker coming, but they will need a few players to bridge the gap and provide a cushion for guys like Max Lajoie. That's especially important if the Sens plan to move Cody Ceci before the deadline. That said, Button maintains the need to keep quality in mind - perhaps someone like Vegas prospect Erik Brannstrom or regular Shea Theodore. Juuso Valimaki of the Flames, Dante Fabbro of the Predators and Boston's Urho Vaakanainen are other names to consider. We'll see where Dorion ends up when it comes to first-round picks. This year they are one of the few rebuilding teams that don’t have one - courtesy of their trade with the Avalanche to acquire...Matt Duchene. Colorado currently has an 18.1 per cent shot of winning the Jack Hughes sweepstakes in the Draft Lottery. Button: Seems to me like the Duchene train is getting ready to roll out of the station After losing their third straight game, the Senators sit last in the league and without a first round pick to provide a reason for optimism. With uncertainty surrounding the futures of top players Mark Stone and Matt Duchene, where do the Sens go from here? TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button examines Ottawa's tough situation.

TSN.CA LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129317 Websites Why? “Because I keep thinking of how crazy Jim Rutherford must have been,” he said of the then-Hartford Whalers GM who hired him in 1995. “I got a TSN.CA / Maurice reflects on rollercoaster career ahead of coaching once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. To get a team at 28-years-old, not get fired milestone after your first tough year, to have a guy believe in you like that, it’s an incredibly unusual story.” Frank Seravalli In 22 seasons, Maurice has seen some things. When he took over for Paul Holmgren in Hartford, 27-year-old Brendan Shanahan was the Whalers’ leading scorer. Gary Bettman was two years on the job. There were 26 teams. If a moment exists that captures the essence of Paul Maurice, it might be the morning of Game 7 in Nashville last May. The average NHL salary was $750,000 – which is what the minimum salary will be in 2021-22. There was no salary cap. It was practically the His Winnipeg Jets had just wrapped up their morning skate. Bag on his Wild West compared to now. shoulder, Maurice was on his way out to the team bus when he struck up an impromptu conversation with a reporter. “I remember going into Philadelphia or Detroit when I was in Hartford,” Maurice said. “We had low-payroll teams. I remember being truly afraid “Walk with me,” he said. we were going to get beat by 10 goals. It was a legitimate fear. It wasn’t even [bleeping] close.” The conversation lasted only a couple minutes and there was no discernible message – mostly because Maurice couldn’t contain his Maurice has been forced to reinvent himself many times over. He was excitement for that night’s game. practically a kid then, now his three kids are almost grown. He had a wad of dip under his lip and launched a string of about 47 “I would say that I’ve changed as much as the game has,” Maurice said. expletives in the 200-foot walk to the bus. It made zero sense. Maurice was amped up. He had the unbridled joy of a kid on Christmas morning, Maurice said the hardest part about coaching today’s NHL player is that not a typical coach the morning of a do-or-die road game against the with handlers, agents, skills coaches, sports psychologists and President’s Trophy winner. nutritionists – the whole gamut available – the players can sometimes be their own teams. They can live on islands. Reminded of that conversation on Monday, Maurice said: “Maybe that’s the biggest tell of my appreciation for the game. There wasn’t any “They’ve got so many more people invested in them, it’s easier for them negative pressure. I was just jacked up.” to get constantly positive feedback,” Maurice said. “That’s not a bad thing. But there are more places to bitch, more people willing to listen. I On Tuesday night, Maurice will become the sixth man in NHL history to don’t think players need each other as much as they used to. Some of coach 1,500 regular-season games when Winnipeg hosts the San Jose that ‘team’ part of the game is gone. Sharks at Bell MTS Place. Only Barry Trotz (1,575) and Ken Hitchcock (1,568) have more games to their credit among active coaches. “I don’t think players have the chance to be together as much as they used to. It’s harder to really form a team and keep them connected.” If Maurice had coached an NHL game every night consecutively, he would have stood behind an NHL bench for more than four calendar Maurice has reached the Stanley Cup Final once and the Conference years of his life. Finals a total of three times, including last year’s run that felt short in Vegas. He savours this time in Winnipeg not just because of the unique Yet, Maurice just turned 52 last week, putting him squarely in the connection the Jets have with that city, or because he’s watched this younger half (13th) of coaches in the NHL. He is six months younger crop of Jets grow before his eyes. It’s also because these are the best than New York Rangers neophyte David Quinn. teams he’s ever coached. Maybe what gave Maurice such appreciation of the moment on that Maurice has rarely had a top-flight roster at his disposal. He took the Seventh Heaven morning was that four years earlier he had accepted the Hurricanes to the Cup Final in 2002 with the seventh best record in the fact he might never coach in the NHL again. East. On New Year’s Day in 2014, the Detroit Red Wings hosted the Toronto He says all of that has made him better equipped to handle the awesome Maple Leafs in the Big House for the Winter Classic in Michigan. Maurice responsibility he has in front of him. was among the more than 105,000 in attendance, but he was there working as a television analyst. “A lot of experience comes from hardship, from having to find a way to grind to win games when you don’t have a tremendous amount of talent,” Maurice hadn’t coached in the NHL since being fired by Carolina in 2011. Maurice said. “You have to work your group a lot harder. You get to use He went to Russia to re-invigorate his coaching career in the KHL but that experience now with a lot of talented guys in different circumstances. that didn’t lead to an NHL job. He was pulling studio shifts at TSN. “When I walk into a locker room now, I can understand the whole “I got home from that Winter Classic and I said to my wife, ‘I’m okay now. spectrum a player goes through. I can understand what it’s like to be a I’m okay if I don’t coach again,’ ” Maurice said. “I started to enjoy the TV rookie in the NHL. I can understand what it’s like to be a dad and raising thing. I thought, ‘Okay, I’ve moved my family enough.’ It was time to give kids while you’re in the NHL. I can understand what it’s like to be 35. I’ve them a place to live. We moved to Columbus, Ohio, to be closer to family been through it all with players.” and schools. We were good. We were settled.” That relatability is what Mark Scheifele said allows Maurice to spark the Winnipeg general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff called to offer him the Jets. Jets job exactly 10 days later. “He makes you want it more than you thought you wanted it,” Scheifele To say Maurice has loved his time in Winnipeg would be an said. understatement. Two years in, Jets fans were calling for his head on a spike. Now he is the toast of the town and his players can’t understand Maurice said he wants it more, wants the Stanley Cup, because winning why he isn’t in the conversation for the Jack Adams Award. the last game in the season is the only thing he hasn’t lived in this rollercoaster NHL life. “Right when he walked in the door, I became a different player,” Jets captain Blake Wheeler said. “I think he definitely gets overlooked with the “The pressure isn’t off, I’ve just got a better perspective on it,” Maurice job he’s done for us.” said. “I can channel my energy and get more wired for games. Maybe you can’t when you first get there [when] it’s life and death; it’s all about “I’m not going to lie, winning helps,” Maurice said. “But it’s more fun for surviving and winning. I love the game more now. I appreciate all of it me now than it’s ever been.” now.” Maurice has won more games (86) over the last two seasons than every coach in the league except Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper (93). His 682 career wins – earned over stops in Hartford, Carolina (twice), Toronto TSN.CA LOADED: 02.06.2019 and Winnipeg – are the ninth-most in NHL history. “I’ve passed a bunch of milestones and I honestly never thought twice of it,” Maurice said. “Six hundred wins? I wasn’t even aware of it. This is the first one [1,500 games] that’s kind of given me pause.” 1129318 Websites

TSN.CA / First-round pick in play as Jets consider big-game hunting

Frank Seravalli

One year ago, the Winnipeg Jets traded their first-round pick – the same currency Kevin Cheveldayoff used to build Jets 2.0 from the ground up – for the most impactful acquisition of the deadline period in Paul Stastny. It was one of seven first-round picks dealt last season, the most at any deadline in a decade. Stastny helped get the Jets within three wins of the Stanley Cup Final. The Jets’ first-round pick is indeed in play one year later, the latest asset to join the TSN Trade Bait board on Monday. How valuable have those picks been to Winnipeg? Look at their roster: Mark Scheifele (2011), Jacob Trouba (2012), Josh Morrissey (2013), Nikolaj Ehlers (2014), Kyle Connor and Jack Roslovic (2015), Patrik Laine (2016) and Kristian Vesalainen (2017). But the time is now for Winnipeg to make a run at a Stanley Cup. The Jets’ window to win is wide open. Plus, if you’re Cheveldayoff, you never know how many kicks at Lord Stanley’s mug you’ll get, considering the pending cap crunch in trying to re-sign Laine, Connor, Trouba and maybe even Tyler Myers this summer. The Maple Leafs were the first team to move their first rounder this season, which they used to acquire defenceman Jake Muzzin from Los Angeles on Jan. 28. Cheveldayoff and the Jets are believed to be big- game hunting, doing their due diligence on a number of marquee names, including Mark Stone, Matt Duchene, Wayne Simmonds and Micheal Ferland, among others. The Jets' No. 1 priority is a second-line centre, the same role Stastny played last year on their run. Last year, nearly a quarter of the first-round picks traded hands just at the deadline, in deals for Ryan McDonagh (Tampa Bay), Evander Kane (San Jose), Tomas Tatar (Detroit), Ryan Hartman (Nashville), Rick Nash (Boston), Derick Brassard (Pittsburgh) and Stastny. The Jets are one of a handful of teams with potential top picks in play, including Central Division rival Nashville, Tampa Bay, Calgary, Boston and Pittsburgh.

TSN.CA LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129319 Websites

USA TODAY / Alex Ovechkin sets NHL's Russian record: 'To pass those legends, it's pretty big'

Mike Brehm, USA TODAY Published 7:21 p.m. ET Feb. 5, 2019 | Updated 10:47 p.m. ET Feb. 5, 2019

Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin logged another milestone in his spectacular last 12 months when he became the NHL’s top-scoring Russian-born player on Tuesday night. His first-period assist against the Vancouver Canucks was the 1,180th point of Oveckhin’s career, breaking his tie with Sergei Fedorov. Fedorov, who finished his Hall of Fame career as Ovechkin’s teammate in Washington, played 1,248 NHL games. Ovechkin broke the Russian mark in Game 1055. "It's hard work and lots of hockey, and I'm proud for my family and for my dad, who spent all that time with me," he told reporters after the 3-2 victory. Ovechkin is also very proud of his heritage. When the NHL had yet to commit to the 2014 Sochi Olympics, he said he planned to go regardless. The league eventually did send its players. The NHL has had plenty of high-scoring Russian stars, including the versatile Fedorov, the speedy Pavel Bure, the puck wizard Pavel Datsyuk, the cerebral Igor Larionov, Alexander Mogilny (76-goal season), Evgeni Malkin, Alexei Kovalev and Ilya Kovalchuk. But Ovechkin has rocketed to the top with a combination of a wicked shot and bullish strength. "To pass all those legends, it's pretty big," Ovechkin said. "When you come to the NHL, you just had a dream of scoring one goal or two. Now to be No. 1 on the all-time list, it's pretty amazing." Fedorov, who won three Stanley Cups as part of the Detroit Red Wings’ Russian Five, had to defect from a tournament in 1990 to join the NHL. Ovechkin was the No. 1 overall pick in 2004, well after Russians were a key part of the league. Ovechkin quickly established himself as a force to be reckoned with, scoring 52 goals and 106 points to win rookie of the year. Two years later, he broke the NHL record for goals by a left wing, with 65, the first of his seven goal-scoring titles. He also picked up the first of his three Hart trophies as league MVP. Last March, he scored his 600th goal, becoming the fourth NHL player to do so in fewer than 1,000 games. He followed up with the first Stanley Cup of his career in June. Often knocked for his playoff production, he scored a league-best 15 goals to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. He brought the Stanley Cup to Russia. Then in August, he and his wife, Anastasia Shubskaya, welcomed their first child, Sergei, named after his late brother. Ovechkin continues to produce at a high level at 33, leading the league with 37 goals. And he holds a significant lead on his countrymen. Malkin, who’s a year younger, is nearly 200 points back. Tampa Bay Lightning star Nikita Kucherov, 25, is averaging about a point a game through his sixth season, but Ovechkin had 614 points through six seasons and Kucherov is at 415. And with many younger players choosing to stay in the Kontinental Hockey League or older players leaving for there, Ovechkin could be the Russian standard-bearer for a long time.

USA TODAY LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129320 Websites

USA TODAY / Opinion: How Auston Matthews' shorter-term deal helps him and Maple Leafs

Kevin Allen, USA TODAY Published 3:19 p.m. ET Feb. 5, 2019 | Updated 6:15 p.m. ET Feb. 5, 2019

By accepting a five-year contract extension worth $58.17 million Tuesday, Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews is betting on himself while still helping his team afford to surround him with talent. The $11.634 million salary-cap hit is presumed to be close to $2 million less than he would have commanded had he insisted on an eight-year maximum deal. But when the deal expires, the former No. 1 overall draft pick will be 26 and eligible for unrestricted free agency, setting himself up for another big payday. He could earn more than he is under today’s contract, especially if the salary cap continues to increase. By taking the shorter deal with less money, Matthews gives the Maple Leafs more maneuvering room to sign forward Mitch Marner, who will become a restricted free agent this offseason. The Leafs already have center John Tavares making $11 million per season and forward William Nylander with a $6.9 million cap hit. This likely means that for the next five seasons the Maple Leafs will have four players eating up about $40 million of their salary cap. Even though Matthews doesn't surpass Connor McDavid’s leading $12.5 million cap hit, he is helping himself and the team. The bottom line is the Maple Leafs have an elite Matthews-Tavares combination locked up during the team's window for being Stanley Cup contenders. The only potential headache for the Maple Leafs would be if a rival team sends an offer sheet to Marner if he reaches restricted free agency. While the Maple Leafs likely would match whatever came Marner’s way, any extra dollars paid to Marner would undermine their effort to strengthen their roster. Even with Matthews taking a little less and Marner coming in at an affordable price, the Maple Leafs might have to trade a desirable player like Kasperi Kapanen or even Nylander. Defenseman Jake Gardiner and Ron Hainsey also will be unrestricted free agents this summer.

USA TODAY LOADED: 02.06.2019 1129321 Websites Kinkaid made 20 saves in his first loss against Los Angeles and is now 4- 1-0 in six games for his career.… Cory Schneider backed up Kinkaid for the first time since Dec. 15, marking his return from an abdominal strain. USA TODAY / Ilya Kovalchuk helps Kings down Devils in return to New … The Devils scratched Brett Seney and Eric Gryba. Jersey USA TODAY LOADED: 02.06.2019 Abbey Mastracco, NHL writer Published 9:46 p.m. ET Feb. 5, 2019 | Updated 10:27 p.m. ET Feb. 5, 2019

NEWARK -- The Los Angeles Kings scored three times in the first two minutes of the third period but it was the fourth goal scored in the period that sent the crowd at The Rock heading for the turnstiles. Ilya Kovalchuk scored with just 2:24 left to play, but as you know by now he doesn’t score goals for the Devils anymore. He wasn’t a big factor for the Kings up until that point, unless you count the crowd factor, but three goals by the road team in a span of 1:52 will take the home crowd out of the equation quickly. More: 'They don't boo nobodies': NJ Devils welcome back Ilya Kovalchuk Facing his old team for the first time since he decided he didn’t want to be a part of that team anymore, Kovalchuk helped his new team down the Devils 5-1 on Tuesday at Prudential Center. Feb 5, 2019; Newark, NJ, USA; Los Angeles Kings left wing Ilya Kovalchuk (17) looks on during the first period against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center. "I was actually happy that I score," Kovalchuk said. "That’s the best answer." Before Kovalchuk’s theatrics, it was two penalties in the second period that led to the undoing of the Devils. Tied at 1 with the Kings after Pavel Zacha scored his career-high ninth early in the period, New Jersey had a good chance to take a lead with a power play at 17:06. But less than 30 seconds later Damon Severson slashed Tyler Toffoli and he ended up in the back of the New Jersey net. About a minute later, Kyle Palmieri caught Brendan Leipsic with his stick in the neutral zone and he was whistled for a trip. The penalty kill did a solid job of killing off those penalties to get to the end of the period but the Kings still had power play time to start the third and they quickly cashed in. Anze Kopitar set up Toffoli on the rush and Keith Kinkaid came way out of his net to give Toffoli a wide target. He potted it with seven seconds left on the power play to give the Kings a 2-1 lead. Toffoli only needed another 35 seconds to score again and defenseman Dion Phaneuf soon followed with a point shot through traffic for his first goal of the season at 1:52. Zacha finished off a spectacular feed from Jesper Bratt 3:31 into the second period. Set up below the goal line, Bratt sent a no-look, backhanded pass through his legs to Zacha, who beat Jack Campbell (30 saves) for the score. Kempe scored his third in the last two nights at 6:21 in the first, prompting another round of boos from the Devils’ faithful with Kovalchuk on the ice. The puck went off the stick of Drew Stafford and coach John Hynes felt they had a chance to make a play to prevent the goal and failed to do so. “When you look at this game, three out of five goals the puck is on our stick and we can’t execute,” Hynes said. “And that’s something that’s hurt us all year. We’ve got to continue to work at that and help these guys understand they’ve got to move the puck and the execution has to be better.” The Devils outshot Los Angeles 22-15 through the second two periods and had two power plays to work with but Kovalchuk’s goal was the dagger that forced his detractors out of the building completely. "You never expect anything, but it’s OK, you know?" Kovalchuk said. "It’s their emotions, and it’s how they react, so I was doing my thing." With both of these teams at the bottom of their respective divisions, it was a meaningless game in the grand scheme of things, unless you count draft positioning. But in the rematch of the 2012 Stanley Cup Final, it was the Kings who came out on top once again, only this time they did it with the player who helped get the Devils to that Cup final. Notes 1129322 Websites Another thought is the Lightning are going too strong to risk disrupting their chemistry.

“There is something to chemistry,” Cooper said, adding, “I think if nothing USA TODAY / For dominant Lightning, it's Stanley Cup or bust: 'It's our at all happens (at the Feb. 25 trade deadline), I don’t think anyone would turn' lose an ounce of sleep.”

Kevin Allen, USA TODAY USA TODAY LOADED: 02.06.2019 Published 6:28 a.m. ET Feb. 5, 2019 | Updated 6:52 a.m. ET Feb. 5, 2019

The Tampa Bay Lightning hope they completed their study of the psychology of winning the Stanley Cup when they suffered through more misery in the 2018 Eastern Conference final. “We ran into a Washington team last year and it felt like once they got over that hump of beating Pittsburgh last year that they could feel that it was their time,” Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said. “We saw that in Game 6 and Game 7 in the way they responded.” The Lightning were one win from reaching the Stanley Cup Final last May, but the Capitals won Game 6 at home and then won Game 7 in Tampa to take a giant step toward winning their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. “With the expectations so high for our group, we came into this season thinking this is our year,” Stamkos said. “It’s our turn.” Could their solution be as simple as developing a more pronounced swagger? It can be when a team has the Lightning's talent. At 39-11-2, the Lightning have a 13-point lead in the Atlantic Division and a seven-point lead for No. 1 in the NHL. They lead the league in offense, averaging 3.87 goals per game. Nikita Kucherov leads the NHL with 80 points, and Brayden Point (currently day to day) is tied for sixth in goals with 30. Stamkos has 59 points in 52 games. It’s easy to see why this team leads the NHL with a 29.4 percent power-play efficiency. “For a team to have as much success in the playoffs, but not winning it all, we have a bit of chip on our shoulder,” Stamkos said. In one of Jon Cooper’s first talks to his Lightning players in 2013 when he was hired as coach, he talked about his hope that the team would play with a swagger. Their NHL-leading +59 goal-differential speaks to their dominance. The Toronto Maple Leafs (+39) are the only other Eastern Conference team within 30 of them. "There is still unfinished business for us to start talking about what the difference is this season,” Stamkos said. The caution is understandable, but there is no denying that the Lightning are more polished and formidable than they were in the past. They're certainly more confident than they were when they reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2015 and lost to the Chicago Blackhawks. Stamkos said everyone has grown on the job, even Cooper, who is one of the league’s most personable coaches. It's a profession where gruffness is expected, but players find it easy to talk to Cooper. “He’s not a yeller or screamer, he gains respect in different ways,” Stamkos said. He gains respect because his teams are well-prepared and competitive. He is an excellent motivator. “He has a lawyer background,” Stamkos said, “so he knows how to work a crowd.” The big question surrounding the Lightning is whether general manager Julien BriseBois will make a move to strengthen their chances. The Maple Leafs have already added a top-four defenseman, and the Penguins made a trade for Nick Bjugstad. “Everyone thinks you have to add someone to put yourself over the top,” Cooper said. “I don’t think necessarily that’s true. In all of these years we have been together, we really haven’t made big deals at the deadline, except last year.” The Lightning added Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller from the New York Rangers last February, and that deal is helping the team this season.