SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 6/29/2021 1216608 Defending champion pile on against 1216634 Wild and Blues to play at Target Field in Winter Classic on Canadiens in Game 1 New Year's Day 1216635 Winter Classic rescheduled: Wild vs. Blues at Target Field on New Year’s Day 1216609 Bruins great Zdeno Chara is accorded state honors in his 1216636 Wild fan survey 3.0: Tell us what you think heading into a native Slovakia challenging offseason 1216610 Bruins star David Pastrnak announces death of 6-day-old 1216637 LeBrun: ’s whirlwind season, from blindside son: ‘You will be loved forever’ trade to Final, was still a family affair 1216611 David Pastrnak announces death of infant son 1216612 Cup finalists reinforce the work Bruins must do 1216613 Bean: Nightmare Cup Final should have B's fans leaning 1216638 Lightning jump on Montreal Canadiens, take Game 1 one way 1216639 Canadiens forward heading to Tampa as he 1216614 BHN Daily: NHL Trade Rumors; Stanley Cup Final; awaits word on status for Game 1 Thinking Of ‘Pasta’ 1216640 In the Habs' Room: 'We know we can get better,' Luke 1216615 OTR: NHL Trade Chatter On Seth Jones, , Richardson says Blackhawks 1216641 Offensive-zone turnovers burn Canadiens in Game 1 loss 1216616 Heartbreaking; David Pastrnak Announces Death Of His to Lightning Newborn Son 1216642 Canadiens' mix of young and old comes together under 1216643 Cowan: As envisioned, Shea Weber a 1216617 Hurricanes will have to wait longer for outdoor game at perfect fit for Habs Carter-Finley Stadium 1216644 Opinion: The enduring covenant between the Habs and 1216618 Hurricanes fan survey results: Cup confidence, Dougie their fans Hamilton anxiety and so much Rod Brind’Amour love 1216645 Canadiens Game Day: Searching for some positives after Game 1 loss? 1216646 Feels like '93? It's not exactly déjà vu for the Canadiens 1216619 Chicago Blackhawks hire a former federal prosecutor to 1216647 What the Puck: No one, not even Habs fans, expected this launch an independent investigation of 2010 sexual assa magical playoff ride 1216620 Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup glory appears to have come with 1216648 5 things Tampa fans need to know about the Montreal steep price Canadiens 1216621 Blackhawks hire law firm to investigate sexual-assault 1216649 Canadiens at Lightning, Game 1: Five things you should allegations know 1216622 Wirtz memo: Blackhawks hire firm to investigate sex 1216650 Brownstein: Never a dull moment in the P.K. Subban assault allegations universe 1216623 Blackhawks hire outside firm to investigate sex abuse 1216651 The Canadiens need to win the battles they can win and claims not let the Lightning use their own strengths against t 1216624 Blackhawks hire firm to investigate sexual assault 1216652 , , throttled by allegations Lightning in Game 1 loss: Playoff plus/minus 1216625 Greenberg: In 2010, the Blackhawks won a Stanley Cup 1216653 The Richardsons are headed to the Stanley Cup Final. and lost something more important And as always, Daron is along for the ride 1216654 ‘Something big to belong to’: Canadiens fans from Stars Nunavut to Sweden share stories of their connection to the 1216626 How the salary cap will impact Stars’ offseason, plus ways t Dallas can improve its roster 1216655 vs. : Who is the best goalie in the world? Red Wings 1216656 Down Goes Brown: Canadiens or Lightning? A Stanley 1216627 await 2021-22 schedule: Will it include Cup Final rooting guide for every other fan base 2022 Beijing Olympics? 1216657 WATCH: Tracking the MVP favourites 1216628 Red Wings hope odd year leads to better mid-to-late throughout the Stanley Cup Final round draft options Oilers 1216658 Nashville Predators to play Tampa Bay Lightning next 1216629 Five offseason scenarios that could upend the Oilers’ season at Nissan Stadium in NHL Stadium Series best-laid plans 1216659 Could the Predators protect 5 defensemen? Why it's not entirely crazy Panthers 1216630 , to share AHL team 1216631 : Vegas gets 2022 All-Star Game, not 1216660 Canadiens Are Still Out to Prove They Belong Florida Panthers 1216632 OTR: NHL Trade Chatter On Seth Jones, Phil Kessel, Blackhawks 1216633 What would a dream offseason look like for the Kings? Tampa Bay Lightning 1216661 thanks Islanders fans for their passionate 1216685 Lightning-Canadiens Game 1 report card: Tilting the ice support 1216686 Lightning’s ‘couldn’t go down the stretch’ 1216662 Mathew Barzal is Islanders' offensive leader and pushing 1216687 Lightning strike first against Canadiens in Stanley Cup for more final 1216663 Barry Trotz explains why Oliver Wahlstrom was a 1216688 Warning label: It’s only one game. But man, what a spectator during Lightning series beatdown 1216664 New York's championship drought reaches longest mark 1216689 Lightning’s Erik Cernak scores first career postseason in a century in Stanley Cup final 1216665 Trotz Doesn’t Regret Sitting Oliver Wahlstrom, but Where 1216690 Stanley Cup final: Lightning-Canadiens Game 1 live Does That Leave Him Next Year? updates 1216666 Playoff Effort from Semyon Varlamov Should Give Isles 1216691 Flashback to early pandemic protocols for Stanley Cup Optimism for Next Season final 1216667 OTR: NHL Trade Chatter On Seth Jones, Phil Kessel, 1216692 Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy builds a resume Blackhawks comparable to the greats 1216668 NYHN Daily: Islanders Identity Line May Be No More, 1216693 Lightning-Predators will play outdoor game next season Pageau Injury, & 1216694 Lightning’s set the standard for defensemen 1216695 Lightning know winning Stanley Cup opener isn’t 1216669 Rangers look into ’s condition in preliminary everything Sabres talks 1216696 Sit out the Lightning’s Cup last year? A primer for new 1216670 Adam Fox’s path to being a Norris finalist: How he fans became the Rangers’ most valuable, most untouchable 1216697 Andrei Vasilevskiy vs. Carey Price is the matchup Lord player Stanley’s Cup deserves 1216698 From ‘beast’ to a bloodied face: What we learned from the Lightning’s 5-1 win in Game 1 1216671 Dave Hakstol gets a with the Seattle Kraken to prove 1216699 Andrei Vasilevskiy vs. Carey Price: Who is the best goalie he wasn’t the problem with the Flyers in the world? 1216672 Poised beyond his 20 years, Flyers prospect Cam York is 1216700 Conn Smythe WATCH: Tracking the MVP favourites getting ready to push for a roster spot throughout the Stanley Cup Final Maple Leafs 1216673 Penguins A to Z: Where does P.O Joseph fit in? 1216701 Maple Leafs reportedly in talks to re-sign Wayne 1216674 Blackhawks hire outside firm to investigate sex-abuse Simmonds claims 1216702 What should the Maple Leafs do with Morgan Rielly: 1216675 Former Penguins goalie Frank Pietrangelo joins federal Re-sign him, trade him or stand pat? lawsuit alleging sexual abuse at Minnesota 1216676 Penguins offseason preview: What’s the right price for an Canucks Evgeni Malkin deal? 1216714 Canucks: Ryan Johnson ‘waiting’ on Abbotsford name, 1216677 NHL Players at Olympics in Doubt, League Announces welcomes fame of Sedins in developing AHL talent Important Dates 1216715 What a perfect conservative offseason could look like for 1216678 Goalies to Prospects; Questions & Answers for Penguins the 1216679 , Sharks offer condolences to David 1216703 Here’s what to expect at NHL All-Star weekend in Las Pastrnak after son’s tragic death Vegas 1216680 Sharks president Becher doubles down on disinterest in 1216704 Golden Knights, Las Vegas awarded 2022 NHL All-Star rebuild Game 1216681 Sharks forward Hertl at Euro 2020 supporting Czech 1216705 Golden Knights co-favorites to win 2022 Stanley Cup Republic 1216706 NHL All-Star Game coming to Las Vegas next season 1216682 Can the Sharks follow the Canadiens’ model for a 1216707 Three key questions facing Golden Knights headed into successful ‘reset’? the offseason 1216708 Exploring the Golden Knights’ offseason scenarios, from Seattle Kraken Jack Eichel to keeping the band together 1216683 Seattle Kraken announce temporary AHL affiliation 1216709 NHL All-Star Game Scheduled for Las Vegas in 2022 agreement 1216710 Deal Should Be a Top Priority for Vegas Golden Knights St Louis Blues 1216711 Jack Eichel Trade: Should Any Vegas Golden Knights Be 1216684 Blues fan survey results: Trade for Matthew Tkachuk? Untouchable? Re-sign Jaden Schwartz? Protect Vladimir Tarasenko? 1216712 Bettman claims NHL has the best officials of every sport Websites 1216716 The Athletic / Andrei Vasilevskiy vs. Carey Price: Who is the best goalie in the world? 1216717 The Athletic / Down Goes Brown: Canadiens or Lightning? A Stanley Cup Final rooting guide for every other fan 1216718 The Athletic / Conn Smythe WATCH: Tracking the MVP favourites throughout the Stanley Cup Final 1216719 .ca / Canadiens’ mistakes, atypical puck management give Lightning Game 1 win 1216720 Sportsnet.ca / Kucherov’s elite playoff production proving effective against Canadiens 1216721 Sportsnet.ca / NHL to await results of independent investigation into Blackhawks 1216722 Sportsnet.ca / 31 Thoughts: Why Blackhawks must publicly address sexual assault allegations 1216723 Sportsnet.ca / Conn Smythe Power Rankings: Price, Vasilevskiy clear favourites ahead of Cup Final 1216724 TSN.CA / Former Blackhawks player describes struggle as abuse allegations come to light 1216725 USA TODAY / Defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning pile on against Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 1216726 USA TODAY / Boston Bruins star David Pastrnak announces death of newborn son 1216727 USA TODAY / Stanley Cup 2021 picks: Here's how Lightning-Canadiens series will play out Jets 1216713 Approval ratings for Cheveldayoff and Maurice slip in latest You Be The Boss survey about Jets SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1216608 Arizona Coyotes "I was just trying to throw it at the net and see what happened, and fortunately it was a lucky bounce," Kucherov said.

Gallagher bloodied, Killorn hurt Defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning pile on against Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 Canadiens forward was bloodied when his helmet came off as he was wrestled to the ice by Lightning defenseman during the third period.

Mike Brehm Lightning forward Alex Killorn played only one shift after blocking a shot in the second period.

The Tampa Bay Lightning answered several questions Monday night in “Obviously he couldn’t go down the stretch there,” Lightning coach Jon their quest for a Stanley Cup repeat. Cooper said. “Hopefully we’ll see tomorrow.”

How effective would leading scorer be after missing all Country vs. country but one shift of Game 6 in the last round? The 2021 Stanley Cup Final is the first between teams from the USA and Could their spectacular power play connect against the Montreal since the Boston Bruins defeated the Vancouver Canucks in Canadiens' even more impressive killing unit and could they seven games in 2011. solve goalie Carey Price? Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau challenged U.S. President Joe Kucherov scored twice and connected on the power Biden to a friendly wager, and it was accepted. play in the third period as the defending champion Lightning piled on for No word on what's at stake. a 5-1 win in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. No Canadian team has won the Stanley Cup since the Canadiens They got the puck past Price with deflections and screens. defeated the Los Angeles Kings in 1993.

Tampa Bay Lightning center (37) celebrates with Lineup change teammates after scoring a goal against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period. Canadiens forward (concussion) returned to the lineup for the first time since he left the ice on a stretcher in Game 1 of the second "I think that's the key, going on the inside, driving the net and taking his round. eyes away," said Yanni Gourde, who got his stick on a shot to deflect the puck past Price in the second period. forward Mark Scheifele was suspended four games for bowling over Evans after he scored an empty net goal. Game 2 will be Wednesday night in Tampa. "A brain injury is a serious thing to not rush back, and I just wanted to The Lightning are looking to become the first team to repeat as take my time with it," Evans said. champions since the 2016-17 Pittsburgh Penguins. Evans replaced Joel Armia, who cleared COVID-19 protocol and flew on A look at Game 1: a private jet to Tampa. He took part in warmups but the Canadiens Lightning's top line thrives coaching scratched him because he had been at home for several days.

Kucherov's first goal was on a Montreal own goal, but he wristed a shot Interim coach liked what he saw from Evans. past Price for a 4-1 lead after a Tampa Bay faceoff win. "We thought he played very heads-up hockey," he said.

Kucherov, who was held off the scoreboard in Game 7 against the Contributing: The Associated Press. Islanders, finished with two goals and an assist. Brayden , who had a nine-game goal streak during the second and third rounds, had three Arizona Republic LOADED: 06.29.2021 assists.

Kucherov has 30 points after sitting out all of the regular season with a hip surgery.

"We just stick to our game plan," he said. "Coaches tell us what to do and we're doing a hell of a job listening to them."

Kucherov and Point assisted on Stamkos' power-play goal, which put Tampa Bay up 5-1. The Canadiens had gone 13 games without allowing a power-play goal.

"We know what we have with our power play group and we know the plays that we can make," Stamkos said. "And when we're confident and when we're making those plays, we go out there and execute and we did that at the end. So maybe a little confidence for our (power play) going forward."

Rare goals

Two defensemen picked up their first career playoff goal during the game.

Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak deflected an Ondrej Palat pass past Price in the first period for a 1-0 lead.

It was his first playoff goal in 46 postseason games.

Canadiens defenseman ended an even longer playoff drought with a goal in his 52nd postseason game.

His shot deflected off two Lightning players to pull Montreal to within 2-1.

Chiarot had bad luck later when he knocked the puck past his own goalie as Tampa Bay took a 3-1 lead. 1216609 Boston Bruins

Bruins great Zdeno Chara is accorded state honors in his native Slovakia

By Matt Porter Globe Staff,Updated June 28, 2021, 2:35 p.m.

After 14 years as a Bruin, Zdeno Chara played this past season with the Washington Capitals.

Former Bruins Zdeno Chara was presented with state honors from his native Slovakia.

President Zuzana Čaputová awarded him the Order of Ľudovít Štúr, Second Class.

The country, which broke from Czechoslovakia in 1993, confers several kinds of awards on notable citizens and figures. Štúr, a revolutionary writer and politician from the mid-1800s, is considered one of the most important figures in Slovak history, known for codifying the Slovak language.

Twenty-four personalities were recognized at a state ceremony Sunday, according to SME Slovakia. Chara was honored for extraordinary merits in sport and for spreading the good name of his country abroad.

“Hard to find words to describe my feelings of how proud, honored and grateful I am,” Chara wrote on his social media accounts. “I have chills and at the same time it warms my heart. The memories of this important event will stay with me for rest of my life. Thank you so much.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Zdeno Chara (@zeechara33)

Chara, 44, was the flag-bearer for Slovakia at the in , Russia. He represented his homeland at the 2006, 2010, and 2014 Games, at the in 2004 and 2016 (the latter as part of Team ), and eight times at the World Championships.

Peter Janosik, media relations director for Hockey Slovakia, wrote in an email last October that Chara has been a “great inspiration” for young hockey players in the country.

“He has done a lot for Slovak hockey and he is doing great advertising abroad for our country,” Janosik wrote. “We are very proud we have such a great player and we hope he will extend his NHL career in a few more seasons.”

According to his agent, Wellesley-based Matt Keator, Chara has not decided whether to play a 24th season in the NHL. After 14 years as Bruins captain, the sure-shot future Hall of Famer spent last season with the Capitals. He is a free agent.

Boston Globe LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216610 Boston Bruins

Bruins star David Pastrnak announces death of 6-day-old son: ‘You will be loved forever’

By Matt Porter Globe Staff, Updated June 28, 2021, 10:35 a.m.

David Pastrnak and his girlfriend announced in January they were having a boy.

Bruins winger David Pastrnak and his girlfriend, Rebecca Rohlsson, on Monday shared the news of the loss of their infant son.

Viggo Rohl Pastrnak, born June 17, was 6 days old.

“We have an Angel watching over us and we call him SON. You will be loved forever,” both Pastrnak and Rohlsson posted to their Instagram accounts.

“Please respect our privacy as we are going through these heartbreaking times.”

Pastrnak, 25, told NHL.com in early May about his excitement over being a first-time father.

“You come home and you don’t think about hockey at all, you obviously have other priorities,” Pastrnak said. “You’re getting ready for the baby and we couldn’t be more excited. So, hockey’s not been talked much lately at home and sometimes that’s good, you know?”

In late May, between the first and second rounds, Pastrnak told reporters his girlfriend was “doing fine, thank you ... It’s coming up. June 9 is our due date.”

Pastrnak, from Havirov, Czechia, played his junior hockey in Sweden, where Rohlsson is from. They announced Jan. 9 they were having a boy.

“We are heartbroken by the passing of David and Rebecca’s son, Viggo,” the Bruins said in a statement released Monday. “David and Rebecca are a part of our family and we share in their loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and respect their privacy during this very difficult time.”

The NHL’s communications department sent “prayers and deepest condolences” to the family on behalf of the league.

Boston Globe LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216611 Boston Bruins

David Pastrnak announces death of infant son

By STEVE CONROY | PUBLISHED: June 28, 2021 at 8:58 a.m. | UPDATED: June 28, 2021 at 6:45 p.m.

The Bruins’ David Pastrnak announced the unimaginably heartbreaking news that his and his girlfriend Rebecca Rohlsson’s infant son has died.

Pastrnak wrote on Instagram early Monday morning that Viggo Rohl Pastrnak died on June 23, just six days after he was born.

“We have an angel watching over us and we call him SON. You will be loved forever,” Pastrnak wrote. “Please respect our privacy as we are going through these heartbreaking times.”

A statement from the Boston Bruins Players and organization read: “We are heartbroken by the passing of David and Rebecca’s son Viggo. David and Rebecca are a part of our family and we share in their loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and respect their privacy during this very difficult time.”

The couple had announced in January that they were expecting a child. Pastrnak, whose talent and effervescent personality have made him a huge fan favorite in Boston, had spoken several times after that about how overjoyed and eager he was about becoming a father. In an NHL.com story, he spoke about balancing hockey and family.

“You come home and you don’t think about hockey at all, you obviously have other priorities. You’re getting ready for the baby and we couldn’t be more excited. So, hockey’s not been talked much lately at home and sometimes that’s good, you know?” said Pastrnak.

“When things are going well, it’s good, and when things are not going well, sometimes you just need to think about other stuff. For me it’s been definitely something new, but I’m so excited. Family is always going to be No. 1 and at the end of the day; I’m grateful that I can live and work with a job that I love, but at the end of the day it’s just a game. [My family] is always going to be No. 1.”

Pastrnak, the 25-year-old one-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner, has become one of the NHL’s most recognizable faces and the tragic news reverberated throughout the league.

“The entire family sends our prayers and deepest condolences to David Pastrnak and Rebecca Rohlsson on the heartbreaking passing of their newborn son Viggo,” read a statement from the league.

Boston Herald LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216612 Boston Bruins difference-makers in their win over the B’s. In turn, that line was outperformed by the Bolts’ third line of Blake Coleman, Yanni Gourde and . Any real Cup contender has to have an effective Cup finalists reinforce the work Bruins must do third line and the B’s did not. Both Coleman and Goodrow are UFAs and Coleman, a left shot but who can play his off wing, could be a good fit Defense, bottom six need repairs with Coyle.

All of this, of course, is contingent on Taylor Hall and David Krejci coming back, and the murky goaltending situation being figured out. The B’s are By STEVE CONROY | June 28, 2021 at 4:02 a.m. at a precarious crossroad. They are on the edge of a cliff looking into the abyss of mediocrity or worse.

We all knew that, once the New York Islanders bounced the Bruins in the But they must try to put off a total rebuild as long as they can. Another second round, the aging local team had some roster-fixing to do if it was year or two could give them a chance to draft the next David Pastrnak or going to compete for a Stanley Cup next season. Charlie McAvoy instead of the next … well, take your pick of misses. Another year or two could also get them to a point where the salary cap Now it appears they’ll be hard-pressed to get out of their division. grows.

That’s right, folks. The Tampa Bay Lightning and the Montreal Canadiens But rebuild or not, the B’s have a lot of work in front of them this summer. not only begin a seven-game series for the Cup on Monday, they are also playing for bragging rights of the old, soon-to-be-new-again Atlantic Boston Herald LOADED: 06.29.2021 Division in which the B’s will once again be a part. Throw in the much- improved Florida Panthers and regular season behemoths and the division looks stacked.

Returning his team to elite status, even for just one more kick at the can, will not be an easy task for GM .

Since they’ve been bounced — and even in the process of being knocked out — it has become clear that the B’s were missing some key elements that both the Islanders and Habs used to get as far as they did — more size and a little bit of nastiness on defense.

The B’s were victimized again by some bad luck on the injury front with first the loss of Kevan Miller and then Brandon Carlo. If they remained healthy, then the B’s very well may have earned the right to lose to the Bolts in the East Finals. Regardless of that fact, the B’s need to add some beef on the back end.

The Islanders’ big boys — Adam Pelech, Scott Mayfield, Ryan Pulock — helped get that team within a goal of beating the Bolts, which was an amazing feat considering Tampa is a super-team that ran a Mack truck through the NHL’s salary cap loophole to keep their power-laden squad together. And as much dizzying firepower that the Lightning have up front, it was their stifling defense led by Ryan McDonagh and Victor Hedman that proved to be the difference.

As much of an uphill climb that the Islanders had against Tampa, even fewer people picked the Canadiens to beat Vegas. While goalie Carey Price is the Habs’ leading Conn Smythe candidate, they would not be where they are today without the work of their back-end bruisers. Shea Weber is close to the player he was in Nashville before injuries derailed his availability and effectiveness in Montreal. , whose injury with Carolina was a major factor in the B’s beating the Hurricanes in five games in the bubble playoffs last year, has been a terrific pick up. Both Ben Chiarot and have been very good. All are 6-foot-3 or bigger.

Where do the Bruins turn for improvement? There’s the free agent market, always dangerous but even more so in the flat cap world. Still, it might be money well spent. At the head of the class, at least for the B’s needs, would have to be 6-foot-7, 255-pound Jamie Oleksiak, who had a good run to the Cup final with Dallas last year. The former Northeastern Husky, 28, is at the sweet spot of his career and will no doubt garner a lot of interest. A cheaper option might be 6-foot-3 , who played well for a bad Detroit team before being picked up by Montreal at the deadline.

Then there’s the trade market. The B’s best chip would be Jake DeBrusk, but they would be selling low on him after a brutal season. DeBrusk is better than what he showed this year, but if it’s determined there’s no place for him on the left side (we happen to think it fit well on the Charlie Coyle’s left, given an extended chance), he’s a chip that should be played.

And that brings us to another issue — the rebuild of the bottom six. We’d be content to see the fourth line built around Curtis Lazar (provided he’s not snatched up in the expansion draft) via in-house competition with Trent Frederic, Cameron Hughes, Chris Wagner, Oskar Steen, Jack Studnicka and Karson Kuhlman.

But the third line will require some outside help. The Isles’ third trio of Kyle Palmieri, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Travis Zajac were key 1216613 Boston Bruins

Bean: Nightmare Cup Final should have B's fans leaning one way

BY DJ BEAN

If you weren’t pulling for the Canadiens, you kind of have to be now.

Montreal-Tampa is a Bruins fan’s nightmare Stanley Cup Final. It’s the worst-case scenario. Longest rival and arguably most hated franchise by Bostonians vs. the Bruins’ ultimate modern-day foil. B’s fans were probably too busy envisioning the Bruins in the Final that they never considered what the worst-case scenario would be. It’s this.

But (understandably) unwilling as B’s fans were to enjoy Montreal’s fun, underdog, feel-good run this postseason, the Canadiens should have their support in this Cup Final matchup.

I get not wanting to root for Montreal, but this is more about rooting against the Lightning.

Would go first overall in a 2003 NHL re-draft?

Boston fans have probably considered the B’s to somewhat be the class of the Eastern Conference over the last decade or so. That’s unfortunately incorrect: The Penguins have three titles since 2009, but more recently the Lightning have been both dominant (like the Bruins at times) and (unlike the Bruins) successful. They’ve got one Cup since Boston won in 2011. A second would make the Bruins the third-most impressive team in their conference during this era.

Have the Canadiens embarrassed the Bruins recently? When was the last time? The Winter Classic in 2016? Who freaking cares?

The Lightning, meanwhile, have eliminated the Bruins in five games in each of their last two playoff meetings. I’d call them gentlemen’s sweeps, but they were anything but gentlemanly. We all remember that 7-1 drubbing in Game 3 during bubble play.

And oh yeah, they did it en route to winning the Cup last year. Bruins fans would really rather Tampa win back-to-back Cups than have Montreal win one? You can hate either team after they win, but a Habs win you could at least attribute to a funny year, a wild run and a whole lot of flukiness -- mainly the division and playoff structure -- plus playing teams without their star players.

If Tampa wins, for as badly as fans will cry about them circumventing the salary cap (Tampa put Nikita Kucherov and others on long-term IR for the regular season, spending those cap dollars elsewhere, then brought Kucherov back for the playoffs, to which the salary cap does not apply -- a legal action, everyone), they’ll know deep down that Tampa was the best team. You can cry “fluke,” but it will only go so far.

They’ve been the best team. They’ve been clearly better than the Bruins, who we should be coming to realize we’ve overestimated at points. The Lightning can solidify themselves as being in another class by winning a second Cup.

Another reason? The Lightning are going to be a threat whether they win or not. If cross-border restrictions are lifted, the Habs could rejoin the Atlantic next year and be looked at as the third or fourth team in the division. If they win the Cup, though, they can’t be ignored. Don Sweeney will spend this offseason not only having to account for the buzzsaw that is the Lightning, but also the defending Cup champion, who also happen to be the team’s biggest rival. A repeat of last offseason (let guys go, hope for the best!) would be out of the question.

Some Bruins fans have genuinely enjoyed this Canadiens run. Others just can’t go there. You can get why, but rooting for the Canadiens this postseason was never an anti-Bruins thing. Rooting for the Lightning right now would be.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216614 Boston Bruins What does the future hold for former Boston College star Oliver Wahlstrom with the New York Islanders? Will we see his name in NHL trade rumors soon? (NYI Hockey Now)

BHN Daily: NHL Trade Rumors; Stanley Cup Final; Thinking Of ‘Pasta’ Some cool NHL Draft history of the Detroit Red Wings. (Detroit Hockey Now)

By Jimmy Murphy What can the San Jose Sharks expect from captain Logan Couture going forward? (San Jose Hockey Now)

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 06.29.2021 We’ve got tons of NHL trade rumors, but before we begin the latest edition of the Boston Hockey Now Daily links, we once again want to extend our deepest condolences to Boston Bruins star forward David Pastrnak on the passing of his baby boy Viggo. We’re thinking of you Pasta!

Speaking of the Boston Bruins, earlier this month, team President Cam Neely made it very clear what the Bruins’ main target is this offseason. Could the Chicago Blackhawks be a dance partner for the B’s on the NHL trade market?

So who do you like in the Stanley Cup Final? The Montreal Canadiens or the Tampa Bay Lightning? My prediction is below!

Former Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara is a National hero in Slovakia.

Cam Neely and the Bruins want a big and mobile left-shot defenseman on the NHL trade market. In my latest ‘Off The Record’ for the National Hockey Now, I have a league source that tells me that 6-foot-6, 235- pound left-shot Blackhawks rearguard Nikita Zadorov is available. The only problem is the RFA is asking for a lot in his next contract. Are the Bruins a match? (Boston Hockey Now)

My partner-in-crime, Joe Haggerty, answers plenty of burning Boston Bruins questions for the offseason in his latest ‘Hagg Bag’! (Boston Hockey Now)

A little late posting this but a great montage of Trent Frederic and what a verbal and physical presence he can be on the ice.

Stanley Cup Final

Did you know Montreal Canadiens budding star Nick Suzuki idolized Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron growing up? An old piece on Suzuki from my friend Arpon Basu. (The Athletic)

This run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final is uniting generations of Habs fans in Montreal (Sportsnet)

2

More on that from the lads on Melnick In The Afternoon. (TSN 690)

For the best insight and breaking news on the Tampa Bay Lightning during the final, it’s worth a subscription to my friend Erik Erlendsson’s site. (Lightning Insider)

Is the 2021 Stanley Cup Final the best goaltending matchup we’ve ever had in the Final? (Tampa Bay Times)

Cool contest from the and the NHL that allows fans tweets to be engraved in a plaque that will hang in the Hall. (TSN)

My Stanley Cup Final prediction: Habs in 6

National Hockey Now

Slovakia president Zuzana Čaputová honored Zdeno Chara and 23 others at a ceremony celebrating the 28th anniversary of the country’s independence. According to SME, the award honored Chara “for extraordinary merits in the field of sports and for extraordinary dissemination of the good name of the Slovak Republic abroad.” (Washington Hockey Now)

Our man Tom Callahan really thinks the Vegas Golden Knights should and can get captain Jack Eichel on the NHL Trade market. (Vegas Hockey Now)

What will the Pittsburgh Penguins do on the NHL trade and free agency market? (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

Can the Philadelphia Flyers snag defenseman Seth Jones on the NHL trade market? (Philly Hockey Now) 1216615 Boston Bruins

OTR: NHL Trade Chatter On Seth Jones, Phil Kessel, Blackhawks

By Jimmy Murphy

NHL trade chatter has picked up significantly over the last two weeks. That chatter will only grow louder as we approach July 17, the deadline for NHL teams to submit their NHL Expansion Draft protection lists for the draft four days later.

“Once teams see the list of who Seattle can select from, I think that that’s when you start to see the trade market really open up, and I’m sure they will be involved,” a prominent NHL scout told “Off The Record” on Sunday. “There is plenty of chatter right now, though. Obviously, Jack [Eichel] is the big name, but I think Seth Jones is just as big. That’s a cornerstone defenseman on the market, and that hardly ever happens.”

There’s a long list of suitors for Jones on the NHL trade market, and this week we’ll look into the ones that may be pushing hardest to acquire the Columbus Blue Jackets rearguard.

Speaking of defensemen on the NHL Trade market, could two Chicago Blackhawks defensemen be on the move this summer?

Ever since the Arizona Coyotes and mutually parted ways, Coyotes forward Phil Kessel has been a constant name on the NHL trade rumor circuit. His $6.8 million cap for the 2021-22 season (Toronto is still on the hook for 15% via the Penguins trade) is hefty, but teams are interested., including one surprise.

Boston Hockey NowLOADED: 06.29.2021 1216616 Boston Bruins

Heartbreaking; David Pastrnak Announces Death Of His Newborn Son

By Jimmy Murphy

Boston Bruins star forward David Pastrnak announced early Monday morning on Instagram that his newborn son Viggo, who was born on June 17, had passed away six days later.

“We have an Angel watching over us and we call him SON. You will be loved FOREVER. Please respect our privacy as we are going through these heartbreaking times,” Pastrnak wrote around 2 AM ET Monday.

The always affable David Pastrnak and his girlfriend announced that they were expecting a baby boy back in January and as any expecting Dad would be, Pastrnak beamed with excitement and joy every time the media asked how he and his girlfriend were doing as they prepared for the arrival of Viggo. As Pastrnak struggled down the stretch run of the regular season and just prior to the 2021 , he drew on family and the expected arrival of Viggo to power through.

“You come home and you don’t think about hockey at all, you obviously have other priorities,” David Pastrnak told NHL.com back on May 9. “You’re getting ready for the baby and we couldn’t be more excited. So, hockey’s not been talked much lately at home and sometimes that’s good, you know?

When things are going well, it’s good, and when things are not going well, sometimes you just need to think about other stuff. For me it’s been definitely something new, but I’m so excited. Family is always going to be No. 1 and at the end of the day. I’m grateful that I can live and work with a job that I love, but at the end of the day it’s just a game. [My family] is always going to be No. 1.”

David Pastrnak has always been a source of positivity and laughs for his teammates, the media that covers him, fans, and anyone that knows him. We at Boston Hockey Now send our deepest condolences to him and his family in this tragic time. May the sunshine he always provides for others shine brightly on them and help them through this. May flights of angels carry thee, Viggo.

Boston Hockey NowLOADED: 06.29.2021 1216617 Carolina Hurricanes

Hurricanes will have to wait longer for outdoor game at Carter-Finley Stadium

BY CHIP ALEXANDER JUNE 28, 2021 07:11 PM,

Carter-Finley Stadium is seen in this iPhone panorama in February 2019. The cones on the field mark an approximate location for an outdoor hockey rink.

Carolina Hurricanes fans will have to wait longer than expected to see an outdoor hockey game in Raleigh.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, in a news conference Monday, said that an NHL Stadium Series game would be held in Nashville, Tennessee, and hosted by the Predators in the 2021-22 season. The Tampa Bay Lightning will be the Preds’ opponent in the Feb. 26 game at Nissan Stadium, the first outdoor hockey game in Nashville.

The Winter Classic will be in Minnesota on Jan. 1, 2022, matching the Wild and St. Louis Blues. A Heritage Classic game also will be played in March in Canada, at a site to be determined.

The league initially had plans to schedule an outdoor game in Raleigh in the 2021-22 season. The game was postponed, Bettman saying, “We’ll be back at some point. It’s just a question of timing, stadium logistics and the like. We are very much looking forward to having an outdoor game in Carolina and we will schedule another one at some point.”

Canes president and said in a statement Monday that the decision to postpone the game for a year was a mutual agreement “to assure a safe environment in front of a packed house at Carter-Finley Stadium.”

After years of negotiations with the NHL and N.C. State, the Hurricanes were selected for their first outdoor game experience in February 2020. At the time, Bettman said Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon was “relentless” in his pursuit of the event and added, “It’s a testament to the great fan base that we’ve always known has been in the Triangle.”

But the NHL announced in December 2020 that the outdoor game scheduled for Feb. 20, 2021, at Carter-Finley Stadium was being postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Canes’ game at Carter-Finley was scheduled to be the 12th NHL Stadium Series game and the 32nd NHL regular-season outdoor game overall. Carter-Finley would have been the sixth college football facility to host an outdoor hockey game, joining Stadium, Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium, and Air Force’s Falcon Stadium.

News Observer LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216618 Carolina Hurricanes • “Can’t they just leave us alone?”

• “Aren’t and enough?”

Hurricanes fan survey results: Cup confidence, anxiety • “Hopefully me” and so much Rod Brind’Amour love • “bro i’ve completely forgotten what the expansion rules even are”

• “Take a Jake, any Jake (No Jaccobs)” By Sara Civian Jun 28, 2021 An overwhelming amount of the serious responses were either Jake Bean or , and many of you responded “one of the Jakes.” Warren Foegele and Brady Skjei were next most popular, with a few At the start of the weekend, we asked subscribers to participate in The stray votes for Nino Niederreiter. Of course, there were hopes that the Athletic’s annual Hurricanes fan survey. Kraken will take some AHLer, but let’s be real.

Nearly 900 of you responded with your thoughts on everything from the How should the Hurricanes proceed with RFA Warren Foegele? general state of the franchise to the goaltending to hanging conference championship banners. This exercise is always interesting to me, so I Speaking of Foegele, reports that he is seeking more ice time have wanted to thank you for your participation — without your engagement, surfaced, and he could probably find that elsewhere around the league. this doesn’t work. More than 60 percent of you think the Canes should either trade the restricted free agent forward or expose him in the expansion draft. Here are the results: Which of these UFAs is it most important for the Hurricanes to re-sign? Which best describes your feelings about the current state of the Hurricanes franchise? After Hamilton, your unrestricted free agent priority is Brock McGinn. More than two-thirds of you think he’s the most important to re-sign out of Well, that’s a good sign: More than 97 percent of you are at least a bit McGinn, Jordan Martinook, Cedric Paquette and Petr Mrazek. optimistic about the Canes, with 17.5 percent thinking they’re going to win the Cup next season. It’d be interesting to revisit this after the Is Alex Nedeljkovic the guy? offseason and see if anything has changed based on the moves the Canes make — or the moves they don’t make. For now, though, the And if the Canes don’t sign Mrazek, what’s their plan? A whopping 93.5 Hurricanes have established themselves as a perennial playoff team, and percent of you believe that Alex Nedeljkovic is ready to be the fans expect them to win. Hurricanes’ No. 1 goalie.

How should the Hurricanes approach this offseason? Generally, how confident are you in the Hurricanes’ current front office?

In my perfect world, the Hurricanes would sign Dougie Hamilton this *Smiles in mock turtleneck* offseason for less than $8.5 million average annual value over eight What do the Hurricanes need to do to take the “next step”? seasons, and that’s what the overwhelming majority (70.9 percent) of you think, too. After that, it’s close, but the next most popular option is signing There’s been so much talk of the “next step” for the Hurricanes. What him at all costs, then going for a big name that isn’t him, then staying the does that mean to you? course. Most of you agree, though, that it’ll be a disappointment if For 54.2 percent of you, it means one more big-name forward, and that Hamilton isn’t signed and nothing else happens. makes sense because scoring depth has been an issue during the On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest, how confident are you that postseason. A significant, 30.4 percent of you believe that extra gear is the Hurricanes will win the Stanley Cup in the next five years? already here, and the young core just needs to keep getting its reps in. If you ask me, it’s a little Column A, a little Column B. Only six of you seriously doubt the Hurricanes will win the Cup in the next five years, and only 32 of you give it a 2 out of 5. The majority give it at After that, some of you still want to see a proven, veteran netminder, and least a 4 out of 5 chance, and 858 of 896 at least a 3. then write-in responses (the missing chunk of the pie chart) are all over the place, from “Get tougher” to “Acquire (Connor) McDavid for a What do you think about Tom Dundon’s approach to owning the team? conditional 3rd.”

Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon is at it again with the unconventional Now, time for the best question of the survey: business (in the hockey world) this offseason, granting Hamilton the permission to speak to other teams ahead of the free-agency period to How much do you love Rod Brind’Amour? establish his market value. It truly made my day reading through 896 of these responses. Opinion on this approach is only slightly divided among fans, with 67.7 • “The only things I love more are my mom and Tripp Tracy.” percent of you liking it, 24.1 percent indifferent and only 8.1 percent disliking it. Coach Rod Brind’Amour re-iterated his own faith in Dundon • “I don’t love Rod the Bod. I fear him.” when he signed a three-year extension with the Canes: • “More than is appropriate.” “The commitment that we have from (owner Tom Dundon), a lot gets said, but I know he wants to win,” he said. “And that’s the kind of guy you • “He IS the Canes.” want to work for.” • “Whatever he deadlifts x 100.” How important is it for the Hurricanes to sign UFA Dougie Hamilton? • “As much as my tomato plants love the sun.” The majority of you think it’s anywhere from somewhat important to very • “More than my own father.” important to get a contract with Hamilton done. Only 8.1 percent of you view this as “not important.” That would explain the anxiety looming • “Does he want one of my kids?” around this offseason. • “Yes.” Should they hang a Central Division Champions banner? • “Slightly behind wife and first born. SLIGHTLY.” In normal times, this might have been a “No,” and I’ve joked about it before. But hey, this was an incredibly tough year and everything is worth • “I have a poster of him on the ceiling. My wife thinks it’s weird.” celebrating. It has never been harder to win in the NHL. Discover Central • “Brick wall repair services across the Triangle have increased 500%” Division Champions for life. • “He gave my kid a signed stick with an uplifting message written on it in Which player are you hoping the Kraken take in the expansion draft? the middle of my kid’s chemo. One of the two times I saw him smile that This question was a write-in. year. Point me at the effing brick wall.”

First, the funny answers: • “Would take a bullet for him (leg or arm).” • “I would let him kill me.”

• “I named my car after him.”

• “If I could give him everything I own it would not feel like enough.”

• “I’m sorry I ever doubted.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216619 Chicago Blackhawks

Chicago Blackhawks hire a former federal prosecutor to launch an independent investigation of 2010 sexual assault allegations

By PHIL THOMPSON

The Chicago Blackhawks hired a former federal prosecutor to conduct an “independent review” of 2010 sexual assault allegations that are the basis of a former player’s lawsuit against the team, according to an internal memo CEO Danny Wirtz sent to employees.

The memo, obtained by the , comes amid escalating scrutiny of the Hawks’ handling of complaints about former video coach Bradley Aldrich by at least two players in May 2010.

Aldrich was convicted of sexually assaulting a high school hockey player in Michigan in 2013 and was required to register as a sex offender.

When a former Hawks player, identified as “John Doe,” first filed a negligence suit in Cook County Circuit Court on May 7, the team said his allegations “lacked merit.”

An anonymous source told TSN’s Rick Westhead that then-skills coach Paul Vincent allegedly asked Hawks executives in a meeting to report the complaints to Chicago police, but his request was denied.

On May 26, “John Doe 2,” the former high school player, also sued the Hawks for negligence.

In the last week, several former Hawks players and staff said others on the team knew about Aldrich’s alleged assaults in 2010 and that management likely had knowledge as well.

Wirtz addressed the lawsuits Monday morning in an internal memo to staff.

“To our Blackhawks family, much has recently been said and written regarding the two lawsuits filed against the organization stemming from alleged events that occurred in 2010. We want to reiterate to you that we take the allegations described in these lawsuits very seriously. They in no way reflect this organization’s culture or values.”

Wirtz said the Hawks hired a “team of professionals” led by Jenner and Block LLP attorney Reid Schar, a former federal prosecutor, to investigate the allegations.

“Mr. Schar and his firm have significant experience conducting independent investigative reviews, have no previous ties to the Blackhawks organization, and have been directed to follow the facts wherever they lead,” Wirtz said in the memo.

The Hawks said they would refrain from further public comment until the independent legal team completes its investigation.

“We appreciate your trust and patience as we continue the review,” Wirtz said, adding that employees could direct any questions to Marcus LeBeouf, vice president and general counsel.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216620 Chicago Blackhawks The late Joe Paterno, Penn State’s legendary football coach, casually dismissed for years the hideously rampant pedophilia of his top assistant, Jerry Sandusky, at what proved to be a devastating price to him, the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup glory appears to have come with steep price school and the victims.

The Hawks allegedly did nothing about complaints of sexual assault in The harm disgraced Dr. Larry Nassar did at Michigan State and as the 2010. Now it looks as though that failure is coming back to haunt them. head physician for USA Gymnastics to hundreds of athletes — including Olympic champions — is mountainous, simply because those in charge looked away.

By Rick Telander Jun 28, 2021, 8:24pm CDT As punishment, Michigan State alone has been ordered to pay $500 million in damages to victims. Nassar himself got 175 years in prison.

I don’t know if there’s something about Michigan, but famous University he Blackhawks stand at the blue line during the national anthem before of Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler, who died in 2006, is now Game 5 of the 2010 Stanley Cup Final at the United Center. Sun-Times under attack by many former players who claim he disregarded the You know what the problem with sexual assault is? decades of sexual assaults then-team doctor Robert E. Anderson perpetrated on his athlete victims. Their charges are backed up by a 240- It’s a gift that keeps on giving. page report commissioned by the university.

The damage to victims lasts a lifetime, like a tumor that keeps growing or One former Michigan player, Daniel Kwiatkowski, says he was told by a virus that eats you up from the inside. Schembechler to ‘‘toughen up’’ and ignore the abuse. Matt Schembechler, one of Bo’s sons, claims that when he told his dad that Then there’s the damage from the inevitable cover-up, the attempt by Anderson had abused him during a physical at age 10, Bo punched him higher-ups — be they coaches, managers, parents, heads of churches or and ‘‘went into a rage, hitting, screaming, spitting.’’ organizations — to keep the crime from becoming known. Yeah, you can kick the can down the road, but the can doesn’t go away. This part usually doesn’t end well, either. Sometimes the abused plaintiffs are stiffed for lack of evidence and/or the expensive legal The Hawks are staring at that little beauty right now. maneuvering of the defendants, or they win their court cases and are ‘‘rewarded’’ years later with money, which is something but does little to Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 06.29.2021 assuage the wounded soul.

Sometimes the perpetrator of the sexual assault is sent off to prison, which is good. Justice helps, but it cures nothing. Because, as stated earlier, this thing just keeps on giving.

Enter the Blackhawks.

They have a mess on their hands.

According to a lawsuit filed by a former player, known at this point only as ‘‘John Doe,’’ the Hawks had a video coach on staff named Bradley Aldrich, who allegedly sexually assaulted the plaintiff and another player in 2010, just weeks before the team won its first Stanley Cup title in 49 years.

Other players have come forward and said that Aldrich was well-known on the team as a sexual deviant and that the lawsuit, in essence, is justified. Former skills coach Paul Vincent told the Canadian network TSN that he informed the Hawks’ top brass about the alleged assault in a meeting and that nobody did a thing.

My own questioning got a former employee, who doesn’t want to be named, to say of the Hawks’ knowledge of Aldrich’s alleged assaults: ‘‘They all knew. Big-time.’’

So now the lawyers come in like a herd of elephants. The Hawks have the high-billing Chicago firm Jenner & Block doing an ‘‘independent review’’ of the charges, even though the Hawks are paying the bill. If that’s how ‘‘independent’’ works, it’s interesting.

The accusers have their own legal team, of course.

Compounding matters is that the Hawks also are being sued by a man who was sexually assaulted at age 16 by Aldrich in 2013 in Houghton, Michigan. The man claims the Hawks gave Aldrich a glowing performance review upon his leaving the organization, thus sending an alleged pedophile on to further employment governing young men, this time as a volunteer high school coach.

This last bit of hand-washing, giving Aldrich a greased path to somewhere else, is reminiscent of the Catholic Church’s habit of quietly sending on pedophile priests to distant parishes, like small-town sheriffs kicking drunks into the next county.

But, see, this stuff doesn’t go away. Not with a kick, not with a shrug, not with a cover-up.

The Hawks might have cleared the runway for their wondrous and magical five-year run to three Cup championships by 2015, but at what cost? Executives John McDonough (now retired), and Al MacIsaac and skills coach James Gary — all of whom allegedly were told of the alleged assaults — might be asking themselves that question this very moment. 1216621 Chicago Blackhawks The Hawks previously had denied all wrongdoing in a statement shortly after the lawsuit was filed. They have moved to dismiss the former player’s lawsuit, arguing in court documents that the statute of limitations Blackhawks hire law firm to investigate sexual-assault allegations has expired.

The Hawks announced in an internal memo Monday that Jenner & Block Jenner & Block, which is headquartered in Chicago and claims to employ will conduct an “independent review” of the allegations that former video more than 500 lawyers globally, is known for its successful antitrust coach Bradley Aldrich sexually assaulted two players in 2010. lawsuit against AT&T in 1985 and its investigation into Lehman Brothers’ bankruptcy in 2009.

The firm also is representing USA Gymnastics in its bankruptcy By Ben Pope Updated Jun 28, 2021, 7:01pm CDT proceedings and has been criticized heavily in recent years for collecting high fees — nearly $5.8 million and counting, according to a Bloomberg

report last month — while the many victims suing the organization for The Blackhawks have initiated an investigation into the sexual-assault sexual assault have yet to receive money. allegations against former video coach Bradley Aldrich and into the Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 06.29.2021 internal handling of those allegations.

After weeks of silence, the team — via an internal memo from CEO Danny Wirtz obtained by the Sun-Times — announced Monday it had hired the law firm Jenner & Block to lead an ‘‘independent review’’ of the allegations. Reid Schar, a former assistant U.S. attorney and now the co- chair of Jenner & Block’s litigation department, will lead the investigation. He prosecuted former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich during his 12 years in the U.S. attorney’s office.

‘‘We want to reiterate to you that we take the allegations described in these lawsuits very seriously,’’ Wirtz said in the memo. ‘‘They in no way reflect this organization’s culture or values.

‘‘Mr. Schar and his firm have significant experience conducting independent investigative reviews, have no previous ties to the Blackhawks organization, and have been directed to follow the facts wherever they lead.’’

The Hawks are facing a lawsuit from a former player — identified under the pseudonym ‘‘John Doe’’ — who claims he and another player were sexually assaulted by Aldrich in May 2010, a month before the team won the Stanley Cup.

Aldrich ‘‘sent . . . inappropriate text messages,’’ ‘‘turned on porn and began to masturbate in front of [Doe] . . . without his consent’’ and ‘‘threatened to injure [Doe] . . . physically, financially and emotionally if [Doe] . . . did not engage in sexual activity,’’ according to the lawsuit filed May 7.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman discussed the allegations for the first time Monday before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, saying the league will wait for the results of the investigation before determining next steps.

‘‘We’ll await the results of the investigation and then decide what, if anything, needs to be done from our standpoint,’’ Bettman said. ‘‘All options are available if there’s something that warrants punishment. . . . What we know is based on what’s public. That’s why we’re going to be interested to see what the investigation reveals and doesn’t reveal.’’

Bettman said he found the allegations ‘‘concerning’’ but repeatedly emphasized a patient approach, saying it might take ‘‘a little bit of time to piece things together.’’

‘‘Everybody is jumping too far, too fast,’’ he said. ‘‘This is going to be handled appropriately and professionally and done right.’’

Three players from the 2010 team — including defensemen Brent Sopel and Nick Boynton — came forth last week, saying Aldrich’s alleged assaults were widely known among the team.

Former skills coach Paul Vincent told TSN that he informed then- president John McDonough, general manager Stan Bowman, executive Al MacIsaac and skills coach James Gary about Aldrich’s alleged assault at a meeting in 2010, but that the group rejected his request to report the incident to the police. Former assistant coach John Torchetti recently confirmed Vincent’s account to TSN.

After his tenure with the Hawks, Aldrich sexually assaulted a 16-year-old Michigan boy while volunteering for a high school team in 2013. That victim has filed a separate lawsuit against the Hawks, claiming they provided ‘‘positive references to future employers for Bradley Aldrich despite having knowledge of his sexual assaults.’’

In the memo Monday, Wirtz said the Hawks won’t comment further on the allegations — ‘‘out of respect for the ongoing legal proceedings and the independent review’’ — until both processes have ended. 1216622 Chicago Blackhawks Daily Herald Times LOADED: 06.29.2021

Wirtz memo: Blackhawks hire firm to investigate sex assault allegations

John Dietz

The Blackhawks have hired an independent firm to investigate the sexual assault allegations against former video coach Brad Aldrich. The news came to light in an internal memo sent Monday by Hawks CEO Danny Wirtz.

The suit, brought by an unidentified Hawks player who said he and another player were assaulted in 2010, is seeking more than $150,000 in damages.

"Much has recently been said and written regarding the two lawsuits filed against the organization stemming from alleged events that occurred in 2010," Wirtz wrote. "We want to reiterate to you that we take the allegations described in these lawsuits very seriously. They in no way reflect this organization's culture or values."

Wirtz went on to say the review will be led by former federal prosecutor Reid Schar of the law firm of Jenner & Block LLP. He said the firm has no previous ties to the Hawks and that the organization will make no further comments until the review is over.

The player sent an email to TSN through his attorney Monday morning. The comments came before Wirtz's internal email was first reported by The Athletic.

"Every day is a work in progress," the player wrote. "It comes when I wake up and much worse when trying to fall asleep, especially in light of all the activity now. I have not come to terms with it. It is ongoing. I don't think I will every fully come to terms with it."

The player also had a message to other players who have been victims: "I would tell them that it's very hard to deal with the pain of coming out with what happened. But the minute you come out, the healing begins. It's very uplifting to know how much support I'm getting from the public and other players."

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman was repeatedly asked about the situation during Monday's news conference before the Stanley Cup Final began in Tampa. He said the league learned about the allegations "relatively recently."

"The reaction is, whenever you hear allegations like that, are concerning," Bettman said. "My first reaction is tell me the facts. And once we know what the facts are we're in a better position to evaluate what may or may not be need to be done."

Bettman also said "all options are available if there's something that warrants punishment."

The commissioner indicated he doesn't know anything more than what is currently public. He won't jump to any conclusions and asked for patience as the law firm conducts its investigation.

Bettman would not say if the firm's findings would be made public.

"I think everybody needs to not get ahead of themselves," Bettman said. "These are allegations that relate to a period of time that's quite some time ago and sometimes it takes a little bit of time to piece things together. When we get all the information we will do what is necessary and appropriate."

Aldrich was convicted in Michigan of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a high school student in 2013. He was sentenced to nine months in prison and five years of probation. A suit filed May 26 by the former student whom Aldrich was convicted of assaulting alleges that inaction by the Hawks enabled Aldrich to go on and assault him.

According to a report by TSN, skills coach Paul Vincent told then-team president and CEO John McDonough, GM Stan Bowman, vice president of hockey operations Al MacIsaac and mental skills coach James Gray about the incident. Vincent, the story said, wanted it reported to police, but that didn't occur.

The Hawks have asked a court to dismiss the cases because they weren't filed within the appropriate time period. 1216623 Chicago Blackhawks After leaving the Blackhawks, Aldrich was convicted in 2013 in Michigan of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a student and is now on that state's registry of sex offenders.

Blackhawks hire outside firm to investigate sex abuse claims The former student whom Aldrich was convicted of assaulting filed a separate lawsuit against the Black hawks on May 26, saying the Blackhawks provided positive references to future employers of Aldrich By JAY COHEN Associated Press despite allegations from at least one player and took no action to report the matter.

That suit says the student was a hockey player at Houghton High School CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks have hired a former federal near Hancock in 2013 when Aldrich sexually assaulted him at an end-of- prosecutor to conduct an independent review of allegations that a former season gathering. player was sexually assaulted by a then-assistant coach in 2010. Houghton police records say an investigator reached out to the CEO Danny Wirtz announced the move in an internal memo Monday that Blackhawks about Aldrich, but human resources executive Marie Sutera was confirmed by a person familiar with the decision who spoke to The would confirm only that he was once an employee. She requested a Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of search warrant or subpoena for any further information regarding Aldrich. the situation. Susan Loggans, an attorney who represents the former player and 'œAn experienced team of professionals, led by former federal student, said she welcomed the decision by the Blackhawks to launch an prosecutor Reid Schar of the law firm of Jenner & Block LLP, has been independent review. retained and is currently conducting an independent review of these allegations,' Wirtz said in the memo obtained by the AP after it was first 'œThey've denied this all along, including to me before I ever filed suit, so reported by The Athletic. 'œMr. Schar and his firm have significant I'm happy that they're at least going this far,' she said. experience conducting independent investigative reviews, have no previous ties to the Blackhawks organization, and have been directed to in Ohio also has opened an investigation. Aldrich was follow the facts wherever they lead.' director of hockey operations at the school after leaving the Blackhawks, but he resigned in 2012 'œunder suspicion of unwanted touching of a Speaking before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, NHL Commissioner male adult,' the university's attorney told police. Gary Bettman said the league learned 'œrelatively recently' of the allegations. It was informed of the accusations by the team's general Daily Herald Times LOADED: 06.29.2021 counsel.

'œWe'll await the results of the investigation and then decide what if anything needs to be done from our standpoint,' Bettman said.

Bettman declined to say whether the result of the firm's investigation should be made public, preferring to wait for its completion to address that issue. Asked about possible punishment handed down by the league, Bettman said all options are available.

"I think we need to wait and see what the result of the investigation and the litigation that seems to be pending as well,' he said.

The investigation into one of the NHL's most high-profile franchises comes after the filing of two lawsuits against the team. The first alleges sexual assault by former assistant coach Bradley Aldrich during the team's run to the 2010 Stanley Cup title, and the second was filed by a former student whom Aldrich was convicted of assaulting in Michigan.

'œWe take the allegations described in these lawsuits very seriously,' Wirtz said in his memo. 'œThey in no way reflect this organization's culture or values.'

A former player said Aldrich assaulted him, and that the team did nothing after he informed an employee. The lawsuit, filed on May 7 in Cook County Circuit Court, alleges Aldrich also assaulted another unidentified Blackhawks player. The former player who sued and is seeking more than $150,000 in damages is referred in the document as 'œJohn Doe.'

The eight-page lawsuit says Aldrich, then a video coach for the Blackhawks, 'œturned on porn and began to masturbate in front of' the player without his consent. It says Aldrich also threatened to 'œphysically, financially and emotionally' hurt the player if he 'œdid not engage in sexual activity' with him.

According to TSN, two Blackhawks players told then-skills coach Paul Vincent in May 2010 of inappropriate behavior by Aldrich. Vincent said he asked mental skills coach James Gary to follow up with the players and management.

Vincent was called into a meeting with then-team President John McDonough, general manager Stan Bowman, hockey executive Al MacIsaac and Gary the next day. He said he asked the team to report the allegations to Chicago police, and the request was denied.

In an email to the AP, Vincent said he stands by everything he said to TSN. An attorney for Aldrich told Chicago public radio station WBEZ that his client denies the allegations in the lawsuit. In a May statement to the radio station, the Blackhawks said the allegations directed at it were groundless. 1216624 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks hire firm to investigate sexual assault allegations

BY CHARLIE ROUMELIOTIS

The Blackhawks have launched an investigation into sexual assault allegations against former video coach Brad Alrich, team CEO Danny Wirtz told staffers in an internal memo on Monday.

The law firm Jenner & Block LLP, led by former federal prosecutor Reid Schar, will conduct an "independent review" of the allegations.

Chicago radio station WBEZ first reported in May on the lawsuit, where an unidentified former player from the 2010 team alleged Aldrich sexually assaulted him and another player during their Stanley Cup run. Former skills coach Paul Vincent told TSN last week that he called a meeting before the 2010 Western Conference Final to inform the management group of the allegations and to advise the executives to report the incident to police, but they never did.

"Much has recently been said and written regarding the two lawsuits filed against the organization stemming from alleged events that occurred in 2010," Wirtz wrote in the memo, which was first reported by The Athletic. "We want to reiterate to you that we take the allegations described in these lawsuits very seriously. They in no way reflect this organization’s culture or values.

"Mr. Schar and his firm have significant experience conducting independent investigative reviews, have no previous ties to the Blackhawks organization, and have been directed to follow the facts wherever they lead."

Wirtz also wrote in Monday's memo that the Blackhawks will not comment further on the situation "out of the respect of the legal proceedings and independent review" until each process has "reached its respective conclusion."

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman addressed the allegations on Monday evening during his Stanley Cup Final media availability.

"We learned relatively recently considering that the allegations, I think, at least from what we know publicly are 10 years old or thereabouts," Bettman said. "And we believed that it was appropriate in the first instance for there to be an independent investigation, which has been commissioned previously by the Blackhawks and is underway.

"This is obviously a matter of litigation. We'll await the findings from the independent investigation, which is being conducted by Jenner & Block, which has no connection to the Blackhawks or the league, and it's being spearheaded by a former federal prosecutor. So we'll await the results of the investigation and then decide what, if anything, needs to be done from our standpoint."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216625 Chicago Blackhawks McDonough is gone from the Blackhawks, fired during the early days of the pandemic as the owner’s son Danny Wirtz staked his claim to his family’s team.

Greenberg: In 2010, the Blackhawks won a Stanley Cup and lost Wirtz wanted to be in charge and now he’s the CEO and alternate something more important governor of the team. He hired Jaime Faulkner to be the president of business operations and promoted Stan Bowman to president of hockey operations. By Jon Greenberg Jun 28, 2021 While the lawyers argue their case against a civil trial, which would obviously require testimony, the younger Wirtz and Faulkner need to hire outside investigators and fire anyone who was involved and didn’t report As president of the Blackhawks, John McDonough was always this case to the police. If the allegations are true, that means Bowman, Al concerned about appearances. MacIsaac, James Gary and anyone else who didn’t do their jobs as How people dressed, what the media wrote, what the players were human beings. saying. McDonough needs to come out and talk about what happened. Rocky In his years running Chicago’s most successful team since the Jordan Wirtz can’t be fired as the team’s owner but he needs to explain himself. era, McDonough’s visage — sometimes scowling, sometimes smiling — What did he know? was as much the symbol of the organization as the actual logo. Joel Joel Quenneville, now coaching in Florida, needs to talk. The Hawks Quenneville ran the hockey and Rocky Wirtz owned the team, but should make the players who were around then, Jonathan Toews, Kane McDonough was in charge of everything else. and Duncan Keith, available to the media to answer questions, not So there’s a certain kind of twisted logic that a Blackhawks front office led because they’re at fault. But this can’t be swept under the rug anymore. by McDonough would not have made public the reasons that video They owe it to every kid who idolized them to let them know that silence coordinator Brad Aldrich left the team after the Stanley Cup Final in 2010. isn’t a virtue and that there’s no shame in the truth. Faulkner, a billet mom to junior hockey players, should be the right person to lead the But it does not excuse why they didn’t report him to the police when the Hawks down this path. team’s skills coach Paul Vincent allegedly told the front office, including McDonough, that two players had accused Aldrich of sexually assaulting Because this is about more than Stanley Cups and a tarnished legacy. them. It’s about young players getting taken advantage of by adults and the culture of secrecy that permeates this sport. According to a story in The Athletic, and reporting from outlets like TSN in Canada and WBEZ in Chicago, two Blackhawks players reported The Blackhawks are credited for a hockey boom in Illinois over the last Aldrich had sexually assaulted them during the 2009-10 season. During decade, which they gladly took credit for. Their Stanley Cup run revived the 2010 playoffs, they confided in Vincent, who told the coaches and an fanbase that had fallen into decades-long malaise and then the front office they should report this to the Chicago police. Vincent inspired even more kids to pick up sticks and lace up skates. confirmed to The Athletic that he did this. But the leaders of the Stanley Cup champions failed, miserably, when During the 2010 Western Conference finals in San Jose, word spread they were confronted with a moral and legal choice. They failed all of the through the team about what the two players were alleging. youth hockey players in Chicagoland who are vulnerable to this type of abuse. The Blackhawks were supposed to set an example and I suppose “Every guy on the team knew about it,” one player on the 2010 team told they did. To them, winning and saving face was more important than The Athletic. “Every single guy on the team knew.” morality and decency.

In a TSN story, former Blackhawks associate coach John Torchetti Hockey, as a sport, has been dealing with sexual assaults from coaches confirmed that Vincent told the Blackhawks front office and that they for years and in the past couple of decades, a culture that prides itself on didn’t report anything to the police. humility and selflessness has been unmasked. The downside of that sporting subjugation is what happens when coaches take advantage of One former Blackhawks player is now suing the team, one of two civil their power. Unfortunately, we have too many examples. lawsuits filed against the team. The Blackhawks are trying to throw those suits out because the statute of limitations has passed. When I think about this story, my mind travels to The Athletic’s Katie Strang’s series of stories about former youth coach “Chico” Adrahtas. Aldrich kept working and the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in And then I get really angry. Strang’s stories showed what could happen Philadelphia on a goal. They were the sporting kings of the when sex offenders in coaching run unchecked. Victims have to fight to city, the hottest team in the NHL, and one of the top brands in all of be heard. Lives are ruined. Adrahtas bounced from team to team, state sports. Aldrich took pictures with the Cup, celebrated the team’s good to state, and destroyed people. No one in power did anything until it was fortune, even after the team’s leaders and seemingly all of the players too late. His horrific crimes were an open secret in Chicago youth and knew what he was being accused of. junior hockey circles for far too long. What happened to Aldrich? In 2010, as the city celebrated their greatness, the Blackhawks washed In December 2013, after his second stint as a volunteer assistant coach their hands of Aldrich and they moved on. Unfortunately, so did he. in Houghton, Mich., he pleaded guilty to charges of criminal sexual In the end, appearances are superficial. Stanley Cups are just trophies. conduct with a teenager. Aldrich was sentenced to nine months in a The Blackhawks celebrated their victories with parades and praise, but at Houghton County jail and is now registered as a sex offender. A second that moment where they could have done the right thing, they cowered lawsuit was filed last month by Aldrich’s victim in Houghton, alleging the and they lost. Hawks failed to report the allegations of abuse from 2010. (Editor’s note: Shortly after this column was published, The Athletic’s Aldrich, now 38, also abruptly left a position at Miami (Ohio) University in Mark Lazerus learned the Blackhawks have hired a former federal 2012 after only about four months working with its hockey program. The prosecutor to lead an “independent review” of these allegations.) school is now investigating Aldrich’s time in Oxford. The Athletic LOADED: 06.29.2021 The Hawks, so worried about their brand and their reputation and their standing, let Aldrich walk out of the United Center with his reputation intact after taking pictures with the Stanley Cup.

“That doesn’t bother me, that they let him take pictures with the Cup,” a Blackhawks player at the time told The Athletic. “What bothers me is they fired him, but they didn’t take it to the cops. … They let him get a job with a U-18 team. They let him go work with minors. They let this happen.”

How many lives were affected by the Blackhawks’ failures to do the right thing? How do the people in that room live with themselves? 1216626 and Jason Dickinson are also both bottom-six RFAs, with two seasons left before they become unrestricted free agents.

Kiviranta’s projection is a tough one since he missed so much of the last How the salary cap will impact Stars’ offseason, plus ways Dallas can two seasons (whether in the AHL or injured) and has actually only played improve its roster 37 career NHL games. He’s been moved up and down the lineup, but Dallas will be tight to the $81.5 million salary cap, but it does have some doesn’t profile as a scorer that demands to be paid like one. Of course, wiggle room for upgrades next month there was Game 7 against Colorado, but teams can’t pay players based on one game a season ago.

Dickinson’s contract may or may not be the Stars’ issue to solve. He lost By Matthew DeFranks some negotiating leverage when Comeau signed last week, since the Stars no longer needed to re-sign a forward to satisfy expansion draft

requirements. With the expansion draft in mind, Dickinson could wait until When free agency opens in a month, the Stars will have cap space to after it to either negotiate with Seattle or Dallas. His cap hit was $1.5 work with. It may not be a ton, but there will be money to play with. million each of the last two years, and his qualifying offer must be at least $1.6 million. How much depends on a number of factors — which player is lost to Seattle in the expansion draft, what contract Miro Heiskanen signs and Here are some potential ballpark figures the Stars could end up at with how the Stars handle their goaltending — but let’s try to estimate what their RFAs. Dallas could do on July 28 underneath the $81.5 million cap. Player Years Cap hit Players under contract Miro Heiskanen 3 $6,250,000 As it stands now, the Stars have nine forwards, five defensemen and two Jason Dickinson 2 $2,000,000 under contract for next season who should be NHL contributors. 2 $1,000,000

For purposes of simplicity with this exercise, there were two assumptions With the assumption that Seattle selects Dickinson, that leaves Dallas made: with $9,460,833 in cap space.

— The Stars keep Anton Khudobin in the organization to back up Ben Performance bonus overage Bishop while Jake Oettinger starts in the AHL. If the Stars end up trading Khudobin (or Seattle selects him), they would lose his $3.333 million cap As a result of Bishop and Stephen Johns on LTIR last season, the cap- hip and add Oettinger’s $925,000 hit. strapped Stars must absorb any performance bonuses the following season. The Stars are expecting $927,072 in performance bonus — Thomas Harley is ready for the NHL and occupies the team’s third overages. pairing while Joel Hanley serves as the seventh defenseman. That includes $580,488 to Heiskanen for hitting four Schedule “A” Forwards Cap hit Defensemen Cap hit Goaltenders bonuses (top-four Stars defenseman in ice time, goals, assists and points Cap hit per game), $290,244 to Oettinger for hitting two “A” bonuses (minutes played and goals against average), and $56,340 to Jason Robertson as $9,850,000 Esa Lindell a games played bonus. $5,800,000 Ben Bishop $4,917,667 Performance bonuses were prorated for the 56-game season, both in Jamie Benn $9,500,000 John Klingberg terms of the statistics needed and the bonuses paid out. Ordinarily, $4,250,000 Anton Khudobin $3,333,333 Schedule “A” bonuses could cost as much as $850,000 instead of the $7,000,000 Andrej Sekera maximum $580,488. $1,500,000 With current contracts, pending RFAs and the bonus overage, this is Alexander Radulov $6,250,000 Thomas Harley what the Stars have left. $894,167 Category Amount Radek Faksa $3,250,000 Joel Hanley Players under contract $64,789,167 $750,000 Restricted free agents (Heiskanen and Kiviranta) $7,250,000 Roope Hintz $3,150,000 Performance bonus overage $927,072

Denis Gurianov $2,550,000 Cap space remaining $8,533,761

Filling out the roster Blake Comeau $1,000,000 At this point, the Stars have pretty well-defined needs in free agency: a top-nine winger and a top-four defenseman, along with another spot filled Jason Robertson $795,000 up front by a prospect like Ty Dellandrea, Riley Damiani, , Adam Mascherin or Nick Caamano. Forward total $43,345,000 Defenseman total $13,194,167 Goaltenders total $8,250,000 The Stars want to bring back Jamie Oleksiak as the second-pairing partner to Heiskanen given how much Dallas liked that pair the last two TOTAL $64,789,167 seasons. Oleksiak is a free agent that will be exposed in the expansion In theory, the Stars could shed some of those other contracts (outside draft but can be re-signed by Dallas before July 28, and here’s a Khudobin), but these players are either cornerstones that will be breakdown of what his deal could look like. protected in the expansion draft, high-ceiling youngsters exempt from If the Stars bring back Oleksiak on a contract worth $3.5 million annually, Seattle or veterans on cheap contracts that would do little to help their that leaves them with a little more than $5 million for a rookie forward and cap situation. one on the market. Even if they let Oleksiak walk, there are other UFA That leaves three or four spots for forwards and two for defensemen. defensemen available: Ryan Murray, Derek Forbort, Cody Ceci, Erik Gustafsson and Mike Reilly. Restricted free agents This leads us to the most pressing question on most Stars fans’ minds The Stars have three main restricted free agents, and their markets are entering the summer: Can Dallas afford Blake Coleman? very different from each other. Last week, we looked at what Miro Heiskanen could be paid on a three-year bridge contract. Joel Kiviranta Coleman is the Plano-born, hard-nosed, skilled winger that currently occupies the Lightning’s third line and is an option for the Stars to create a deeper group of forwards behind players returning from injuries like Tyler Seguin, Alexander Radulov and Roope Hintz. Over the past three seasons, Coleman has averaged 40.7 points per 82 games, while providing a snarl at even-strength and also killing penalties.

He would be a prime candidate to fill out a third scoring line if the Stars choose to bump Radek Faksa and Comeau’s usage down.

On the open market, Coleman is probably worth $4 million a season, if Los Angeles’ Alex Iafallo is the best comparable. Iafallo put up 42.0 points per 82 games in the last three seasons, though he received more power play time than Coleman.

The Stars could have that cap space available (given the assumptions made on RFA contracts and the expansion draft). They could fit a $4 million player onto their roster, but the question is would they be willing to offer term to a player like Coleman?

On top of Heiskanen’s new contract, Hintz, Robertson and Denis Gurianov will be due new deals soon. John Klingberg will be an unrestricted free agent after this season, and the Stars could be saving room for him. A two- or three-year contract to Coleman would allow the Stars some more flexibility, but Coleman may not want to hit UFA so soon again.

The complicating factor is the expansion draft. If Seattle selects a Stars prospect like Adam Mascherin, Ben Gleason or Joel L’Esperance, Dallas may be on the hook for Dickinson’s contract as well, handcuffing its ability to do much in free agency at all. Alternatively, it could opt to just not re-sign Dickinson since qualifying offers are due after the expansion draft.

Under the guidelines provided above, here’s a look at a potential budget for the Stars front office this summer.

Category Amount

Players under contract $64,789,167

Restricted free agents (Heiskanen and Kiviranta) $7,250,000

Performance bonus overage $927,072

Top-four defenseman $3,500,000

Top-nine forward $4,000,000

Entry-level contract forward $925,000

Cap space remaining $108,761

Things can obviously change (and probably will) in the next month, whether it’s Seattle’s selection, Heiskanen’s contract, Khudobin’s situation or Oleksiak and Coleman’s value on the open market, but the Stars enter the summer in a position to fit everything under the cap for one last healthy run with this core group of players.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216627 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings await 2021-22 schedule: Will it include 2022 Beijing Olympics?

Helene St. James

Whether the Detroit Red Wings’ 2021-22 schedule will include a break for the Winter Olympics remains uncertain. But it will include helmet advertisements.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Monday evening that “we have real concerns about whether it’s sensible for us to participate,” for the league to break for the Beijing Games — and with the event only seven months away, that’s causing problems.

“We don’t know as of right now, and that is causing us, in addition to consternation, a fair number of issues relative to getting next season up and running,” Bettman said. “It’s reaching the point that we are getting concerned about the impact on the season, because of the uncertainty.”

Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly addressed the topic during their annual availability with media prior to the start of the Stanley Cup Final. Daly touched on the role of COVID-19, saying that, “with the continued uncertainty with the virus and the games being halfway around the world — not necessarily an ideal Games to elect to go to.”

Daly said the NHL is negotiating “in good faith” with the Players Association and the International Olympic Committee regarding participation. Both men alluded to time running short. The NHL expects to release the 2021-22 schedule within a few weeks.

A LOOK AHEAD:Two options for to fill goaltending hole in NHL draft

“We’re already past the time the we hoped this would be resolved,” Bettman said. “We’ll deal with it, just as we’ve managed to be agile and flexible over the last 15 months. But we’re getting to be on a rather short time frame. This can’t go on indefinitely.”

In other topics, Bettman said the NHL does not plan to allow for any compliance buyouts this offseason, even though the flat salary cap has caused issues for some teams. The Wings have a prime buyout candidate in veteran Frans Nielsen, and without a compliance buyout, he will count against the salary cap.

Bettman also said the NHL plans to keep the helmet sponsors that teams took to using this past season as a source of revenue to offset the impact of not having fans in the stands when the season began. The Wings wore a decal advertising United Wholesale Mortgage on their helmets, a move endorsed by general manager Steve Yzerman.

“We have to be creative,” he said in January. “Our revenues have taken a significant hit and you’re always, regardless, looking at ways to grow revenue.

[ Here are the players the Red Wings can't afford to lose to expansion draft ]

“You see it in Europe, you see it at international events. I don’t really have too big of an issue with it. I think it’s a good opportunity to see if we can’t generate revenue from it. It’s the norm outside of North America.”

There are no plans to change the NHL’s longstanding policy not to disclose injuries. Wings coach limits information to lower- or upper-body, and rarely discloses a definitive time frame unless a player has suffered a season-ending injury.

“We have to have policies that facilitate the game on the ice, because the game on the ice is what’s most important,” Daly said.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216628 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings hope odd year leads to better mid-to-late round draft options

By Ansar Khan

It was an unusual season with some amateur leagues not operating due to COVID-19 and others playing a reduced schedule. Scouting opportunities for NHL clubs were reduced.

Teams still have a handle on the top players available in this year’s draft but did not get as many views on others.

This might lead to more quality players slipping through the cracks into the later rounds of the draft.

This would suit the Detroit Red Wings.

“You can look it at two ways -- it’s potentially tougher to find people, or you might find a gem later on that didn’t play much, that maybe one of your scouts saw a year ago and said, ‘I’d really like to pick this player,’ " Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman said earlier this month. “I do think there will be some really good players that for whatever reason are picked later in the draft. Maybe they didn’t play at all, maybe they played a little bit or maybe they played in a men’s league in Europe and hardly got on the ice and you’re going to wake up in three years and say, ‘Wow, I had no idea this guy was going to be this good.’ "

This is the third year in a row the Red Wings have three second-round selections. They will pick 38th (their own), 48th (from the Rangers) and 52nd (from Edmonton).

They also have two picks in each of the third, fourth and fifth rounds.

As important as it is for the Red Wings to land an impact player at No. 6 and at least a solid contributor at No. 23 (Washington’s pick via the Anthony Mantha-Jakub Vrana trade), they also need to find NHL players beyond the first round.

That is where they found Tyler Bertuzzi (58th in 2013) and Filip Hronek (53rd in 2016) among current Red Wings and players like Jiri Hudler (58th in 2002), Valtteri Filppula (95th in 2002), (64th in 2003), Johan Franzen (97th in 2004), Justin Abdelkader (42nd in 2005), Darren Helm (132nd in 2005), Gustav Nyquist (121st in 2008), Tomas Tatar (60th in 2009) and Andreas Athanasiou (110th in 2012) in the past.

“In a normal year our scouts would see these kids play a lot in every single league,” Yzerman said. “This year, the (League) kids haven’t played, a lot of the leagues shut down early. I think there’s going to be kids that go much later in the draft than normally would have (gone late) if they got a chance to play all year and the same way kids will go a lot higher just basically because teams got to see them a lot.”

The draft takes place virtually on July 23 (first round) and July 24 (second through seventh rounds).

The Red Wings currently have 12 picks. Since starting their rebuild four years ago, Detroit has made 11 selections in 2017, 10 in 2018, 11 in 2019 and 12 in 2020.

Michigan Live LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216629 Nugent-Hopkins can still a second line when needed — allowing coach Dave Tippett to put Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl together — and he’s an important part of both special teams. Simply put, he’d be Five offseason scenarios that could upend the Oilers’ best-laid plans a tough player to replace.

That said, they have to be willing to walk away if the price gets too high.

By Daniel Nugent-Bowman Jun 28, 2021 Nugent-Hopkins had just seven goals and seven assists — only two of which were the primary variety — at five-on-five in 52 games. That’s with McDavid and Jesse Puljujarvi as his most common linemates, and Kailer Yamamoto and Draisaitl next. It might have just been a blip on the radar. The dream scenario has been presented. But Nugent-Hopkins just turned 28, too, so he’s also quickly approaching Now for the nightmare. the back half of his career if he isn’t there already after 10 NHL seasons.

The Edmonton Oilers have the NHL’s top two scorers, a Our resident stats expert Dom Luszczyszyn projects Nugent-Hopkins to being mentioned in the Norris Trophy conversation, cap space, roster provide second-line value for the next four seasons before being third- flexibility and even a few prospects coming. There’s a lot to be hopeful line quality. about if you’re an Oilers fan. “Over five years, he likely drops down to a $4 million player based on a All it takes, though, is a bad decision or two to completely upset the typical age curve, with an average value at around $5.2 million,” he applecart. wrote.

Here are five moves Oilers management has to guard against this This lines up with an idea for RNH’s next contract. Here’s what I wrote summer. earlier this month:

Ethan Bear and Derek Forbort (Perry Nelson / USA Today) “The contract former Oilers forward Jordan Eberle signed with the Islanders in June 2019 — five years, $5.5 million average annual value 1. Selling low on Ethan Bear (AAV) — could be a good template for a new deal for RNH, representing a $500,000 per year drop in pay. Ideally, the Oilers knock off a year, too.” There’s a perception out there that Bear’s 2021 season wasn’t very good. There’s an ideal range in terms of cap hit and length of a new deal for He lost his spot to Tyson Barrie on the top pair next to Darnell Nurse. His Nugent-Hopkins. Go too far north and the Oilers could be asking for ice time was reduced by four minutes a game. And a lasting image is the trouble. turnover he made in the third period of Game 4 against the Jets. It was a mistake that got him benched in an eventual season-ending loss. Tyson Barrie (Sergei Belski / USA Today)

Look closer, though, and Bear’s season wasn’t nearly so bad. 3. Re-signing Tyson Barrie to a long-term deal

Nurse was still Bear’s most common partner at five-on-five — although If Oscar Klefbom can’t or doesn’t resume his NHL career in Edmonton, just 40 percent of Bear’s ice time compared to 88 percent the previous Barrie’s donning an Oilers jersey again has some merit. season — and their underlying numbers together were very good: 54 percent Corsi For, 52.8 percent shots for, 51.9 percent goals for, 59.2 He led all defencemen in scoring and often quarterbacked the league’s percent expected goals for. All of Nurse’s numbers took a turn for the top power play, occasionally relinquishing the position to Nurse. Some of worse away from Bear except the goal differential. his underlying numbers were reasonable. He managed a 50.1 Corsi For percentage and 52.4 goals for percentage while mostly playing alongside The Oilers were out-attempted 305-279, outshot 149-145 and outscored Nurse and with McDavid on the ice. 14-9 when Bear was on the ice without Nurse at five-on-five. Bear’s partners for these 393 minutes were almost exclusively Caleb Jones and Perhaps the Oilers could consider having Barrie back on a short deal Kris Russell, one player who was scratched 23 times and another whose without Klefbom around. Even that seems like a stretch. Barrie is on puck-moving abilities aren’t considered a strength. Still, Bear suffered record saying he wants a longer-term contract and I’m told his wishes from plenty of bad luck considering he had a 51.3 percent expected goals aren’t expected to change. rate in those minutes. Barrie is an elite offensive defenceman, but his counting stats were sure Despite being paired less often with Nurse, Bear still played a third of his benefitted by secondary assists — 27 out of 40 total in all strengths. minutes against elite competition and managed a 53.6 Corsi For Nurse has proven he can be the lone defender on the power play. Of percentage. That’s compared to 36 percent TOI and 44.4 percent rate course, Evan Bouchard — a younger, cheaper blueliner, who has a against elites in 2019-20. similar skill set to Barrie and is a fellow right-hander — is projected to do that job, too. The Oilers can no longer block his progress and aren’t Bear had his struggles to start the season and then nearly missed a planning to do so. month due to a concussion. The rest of the regular season was mostly solid. The understanding is is expected to re-sign. Bear is on a cheap deal and shouldn’t be moved unless the return warrants it. There’s a lot to like about the 24-year-old defenceman, and I don’t get Retaining Barrie would likely give the Oilers the same four right-handers, the sense management is eager to trade him — nor should they be. He which proved to be a problem this past season. could easily step back into his old role with Nurse on a full-time basis and play well if Barrie doesn’t return. Perhaps someone can move over to the left side for a couple of years. Anything too long — if at all — could create major headaches. However, Bear shouldn’t be untouchable since he’s one of the few tradeable assets of value on the roster. Being right-handed, having a $2 4. Leaving Oscar Klefbom unprotected in the expansion draft – and then million cap hit for next season, and still three years away from watching him excel in Seattle unrestricted free agency could make him coveted by other teams. This could all be moot. It’s probable it will be moot. Being blown away by an offer is the only scenario where the Oilers Oilers GM didn’t exactly provide an optimistic near-term should trade him. Selling low has the makings of a big mistake. projection for Klefbom’s future with the team at his season-ending press 2. Bringing back Ryan Nugent-Hopkins at all costs conference a month ago. There’s been nothing said publicly by anyone so far to change the discourse. It makes a ton of sense for the Oilers to re-sign Nugent-Hopkins, their longest-serving player. There are a few reasons. At the very least, it appears Klefbom’s chances of starting the 2021-22 season aren’t great. A return to action also remains murky. It’s looking The Oilers need at least one more top-six forward with him on the roster, doubtful the Oilers will project him in the expansion draft as a result, and perhaps even two. Lose him in free agency and they’ll have to go which makes sense given the circumstances. searching for another player. That’s not ideal since they don’t have a lot of assets to trade to acquire top talent and trying to lure multiple impact But what if something drastically changed with Klefbom’s status in free agents in one offseason isn’t easy. August or September — after the Kraken had selected him? Well, that would arguably be the worst scenario for the Oilers when it comes to the expansion draft.

Klefbom’s absence was sorely missed on the blue line this past season. His usual spot next to Larsson was a revolving door. The Oilers need to find an adequate replacement there if he can’t play again. The issue is there’s a good chance that the player is both costly and less effective than Klefbom. He has two more years on a contract at $4.167 million AAV, a team-friendly rate when healthy.

The Oilers simply can’t afford for Klefbom to star for the division-rival Kraken.

5. Losing another game of goaltending musical chairs

We all remember what happened last offseason with the goaltending situation, right?

Holland wanted to upgrade the position but swung and missed on Day 1 of free agency. He was left to circle back to Mike Smith the next day. It ended up working out just fine as Smith had one of the best seasons of his NHL career.

Now, Holland has said he wants to re-sign the 39-year-old. If that happens, the way to improve between the pipes involves ditching Mikko Koskinen for another netminder either via trade or free agency. Koskinen could be bought out or dealt away within a month.

The doom-and-gloom outlook is they re-sign the aging Smith, punt out Koskinen, but then miss out on their top goalie choices and end up with an expensive or unproven Plan F — or worse.

That has the potential to be catastrophic for a team trying to vault closer to contender status next season.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216630 Florida Panthers

Florida Panthers, Seattle Kraken to share AHL team

By MALLORY SCHNELL

From one corner of the country to the other, the Florida Panthers and the expansion Seattle Kraken will both place their prospects with the Charlotte Checkers of the , the teams announced Monday.

The Panthers, as the main affiliate, will provide the head coach, Geordie Kinnear, while the Kraken will provide an assistant coach.

“We are looking forward to welcoming Seattle to the NHL and utilizing this partnership to create an ideal environment for our prospects to train and compete in Charlotte,” Florida Panthers General Manager said in a news release. “We can’t wait for the puck to drop in Charlotte for the upcoming season.”

The joint agreement will last one season, while the Kraken finish building their new arena in Palm Springs, California, that will eventually host their AHL expansion franchise. The Checkers’ existing multi-year affiliation agreement with the Panthers will continue beyond the 2021-22 season.

“Our conversations with Bill and Florida were great right from the start,” Seattle Kraken General Manager Ron Francis said in a video conference Monday. “Them going through that process last year with Syracuse, they understood kind of how it could work. The conversations went real smoothly and real quickly. We are just thrilled to be partnered up with them and have this opportunity next season.”

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No other NHL teams currently share an AHL affiliate with another team. Florida did last year with the Tampa Bay Lightning, both sending their prospects to the .

“We had a real great experience this year with Tampa,” Zito said. “The interaction and learning different ways of doing things, just day-to-day learning from each other is probably the biggest benefit that we get.”

As Seattle prepares to take one player from each NHL team in the expansion draft on July 21, this partnership creates an advantage for Florida. The Panthers have to submit a list of players they would like to protect from the expansion draft by July 17.

“Like with all GMs, we have conversations all the time in regards to expansion,” Francis said. “I’m sure Bill and I will have a lot more conversations in the next few weeks ahead of the actual date when the list gets submitted.”

The Kraken begin play this upcoming season.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216631 Florida Panthers

Gary Bettman: Vegas gets 2022 All-Star Game, not Florida Panthers

By George Richards

Speaking before Game 1 of the , NHL commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed that Las Vegas would be getting the 2022 All- Star Game instead of the Florida Panthers.

The Panthers had been announced as the host of the 2021 game but that was canceled due to the compressed schedule.

Florida team president Matt Caldwell had told Florida Hockey Now on a few occasions that he was under the impression that the NHL would return to Sunrise — as it will go to Target Field in Minneapolis for a 2022 outdoor game that had been cancelled in 2021 — but that is not the case.

“I am pretty certain when we do an All-Star Game, we’re going to get it back,’’ Caldwell told FHN in October. “It may be postponed a year or whatever.”

Get complete coverage of the Florida Panthers from the offseason through the playoffs with a subscription to FHN today!

It is not known if Sunrise remains in the rotation for a potential All-Star Game down the road although Bettman did say a scheduled outdoor game in Raleigh — which is not on this year’s schedule — will be made up in the future.

Nashville will play host to Tampa Bay at the Titans’ football stadium instead of the NC State football stadium.

When the NHL initially cancelled 2021 special events, it said it “intends to return to both Minnesota and Florida for these signature events in the near future.”

So, one would think South Florida remains in the mix for a future All-Star Weekend.

As far as why Florida would be skipped in the All-Star rotation this coming season, Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the NHL and its players could participate in the 2022 Winter Games although that does not sound likely.

But if the players were to be traveling to Beijing, having a good number of them flying out from Nevada would make for a little bit of a shorter than if they were leaving from Florida.

I was in the queue for the Bettman press conference but did not get the opportunity to ask a question about it.

I have also left a message for Caldwell and will update this story if I hear back from him.

Florida Hockey Now LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216632 Florida Panthers So why would the Coyotes, who will have a projected $31.4 million in cap space this offseason, want to trade a veteran who can still score from a young team that could use more vets?

OTR: NHL Trade Chatter On Seth Jones, Phil Kessel, Blackhawks Well, it’s no secret that one of the main reasons Kessel ended up in the desert was now-former head coach Rick Tocchet, whom Kessel played for and won two Stanley Cups with in Pittsburgh, but Tocchet is gone, By Jimmy Murphy and Arizona is making changes.

Off the record:

NHL trade chatter has picked up significantly over the last two weeks. “I can tell you that the Kings and Panthers have poked around on That chatter will only grow louder as we approach July 17, the deadline Kessel,” an NHL Executive told OTR recently. “The Panthers would for NHL teams to submit their NHL Expansion Draft protection lists for the definitely need the Coyotes to eat some of that cap hit for sure, but–from draft four days later. what I know–both those teams are interested.”

“Once teams see the list of who Seattle can select from, I think that that’s Note: The Florida Panthers have $12.2 million in cap space, and the when you start to see the trade market really open up, and I’m sure they Kings have $18.8 million. will be involved,” a prominent NHL scout told “Off The Record” on Sunday. 3. Call The Blackhawks For Rugged D-Men

“There is plenty of chatter right now, though. Obviously, Jack [Eichel] is After watching the Tampa Bay Lightning reach the Stanley Cup Final the big name, but I think Seth Jones is just as big. That’s a cornerstone again, thanks in large part to a rugged defense that can also move the defenseman on the market, and that hardly ever happens.” puck and create offense, plenty of NHL teams are looking to emulate the Bolts with their blue line on the NHL trade and free-agent market. There’s a long list of suitors for Jones on the NHL trade market, and this week we’ll look into the ones that may be pushing hardest to acquire the Boston Bruins team President Cam Neely made no qualms about a Columbus Blue Jackets rearguard. physical left-shot defenseman with such attributes being the top trade target for the Bruins this offseason. Speaking of defensemen on the NHL trade market, could two Chicago Blackhawks defensemen be on the move this summer? The other team the New York Islanders ousted, the Pittsburgh Penguins, would also like to add more size and grit to their blue line. Could the Ever since the Arizona Coyotes and Rick Tocchet mutually parted ways, Chicago Blackhawks be listening on two left-shot defensemen that Coyotes forward Phil Kessel has been a constant name on the NHL trade definitely bring that snarl so many teams are lacking at playoff time? rumor circuit. Off the record: His $6.8 million cap hit for the 2021-22 season (Toronto is still on the hook for 15% via the Penguins trade) is hefty, but teams are interested., “I’m hearing Zadorov really wants to break the bank,” an NHL agent said including one surprise. of 26-year-old, Nikita Zadorov who is a restricted free agent. “I’m not sure how that affects trade talks, but if a team like say the Bruins could make Find out that and more in the latest ‘Off The Record.’ it work, I’m sure. Bringing in a guy that’s 6-foot-6, 235-pounds could definitely bring back some of that size they lost with Chara. The 1. Seth Jones Suitors Lined Up Blackhawks are looking to do some other big things, and they want to As mentioned above, Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones is easily one free up some cap space.” of, if not the biggest fish on the NHL trade market right now. Who’s the other Blackhawks defenseman that could be on the move? We’ve kept you up-to-date on the Jack Eichel situation, but for whatever “Calvin de Hann. He was available at the deadline, too,” the agent said of reason, there was less chatter regarding the future of the Buffalo Sabres the 30-year-old, 6-foot-1, 195-pound, gritty rearguard. captain last week. de Hann has one year left on his contract that carries a $4.5 million cap There was, however, increased chatter and speculation on where the hit. Blue Jackets may trade Jones. Florida Hockey Now LOADED: 06.29.2021 So, we asked one of our regular and more dependable sources to list the top 5 potential destinations – in no particular order – for Jones based on what he’s heard over the last couple of weeks. He did kind of emphasize two teams more than the other three, though.

Off the record:

“Off the top of my head, I can tell you for a while now, I’ve heard the Leafs and the Avs a lot,” a high-ranking player personnel exec told OTR. “They’ve been in it from the beginning. I don’t know how they plan on doing it cap-wise when he becomes a UFA next summer, but they’re pushing. I’d also really watch the Kings, Flyers, and the Red Wings. Stevie Y is up to something, I think.”

Interestingly enough, this past week, colleague and hall of fame puck scribe Kevin Allen wrote about the $27 million the Wings have and how they may spend it over at Detriot Hockey Now.

2. Kessel Could Be Destined For Sunshine Again

At age 33, Coyotes winger Phil Kessel had a resurgence this past season. He scored 20 goals with 23 assists. Kessel is in the final season of an 8-year, $64 million contract extension, which he signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs just before the 2013-14 season.

Kessel spent two seasons of that contract with the Leafs before they dealt him to the Penguins for , picks, and more on July 1, 2015.

After four seasons in Pittsburgh, the Penguins shipped Kessel to the desert and spent the last two seasons with the Arizona Coyotes. 1216633 Los Angeles Kings Add a top left defenseman

Dillman: Who should play alongside Doughty? The Kings first tried Olli Maatta as Doughty’s partner last season and then landed upon rookie What would a dream offseason look like for the Kings? Mikey Anderson and, at times, another rookie, Tobias Bjornfot. The focus has been on adding scoring up front — as it should be — but one of the important priorities should be bolstering the left side. By Lisa Dillman and Rich Hammond Jun 28, 2021 Not only would it help Doughty but it would aid the career development of Anderson and Bjornfot if they were slotted further down the lineup at this time. All hockey rebuilds are not created equal but there are some lessons to be learned from past efforts by the Kings. At the top of my shopping list: Pursuing a trade for of the Columbus Blue Jackets. A template for the “perfect” offseason — or close to one — was put down in the summer of 2008. The Kings didn’t win their first Stanley Cup until Hammond: This is where general manager is going to have to 2012, but a series of moves that offseason helped bolster their be very shrewd and, frankly, show the acumen he hasn’t shown to date foundation. That’s when they did the following: during his tenure. I’m not just talking about a left defenseman, either, but let’s start there. Doughty is 31 and if the Kings hope to have him play for • Signed prospect Alec Martinez to a three-year entry-level contract on the Cup again in L.A., he’s going to need a partner he can thrive next to. April 29. Martinez, who had just finished his junior year at Miami Werenski, who turns 24 next month, isn’t a grizzled veteran in that way University (Ohio), was a fourth-round pick (No. 95) in 2007. but he has already played 335 regular-season games. That seems like a • Drafted defensemen (No. 2) and (No. 32) great fit. in in June. I wouldn’t stop there, though, and I’d take a look at the right side and see • Brought in accountability by acquiring defenseman Matt Greene and if there’s a veteran available. Maybe it doesn’t happen this offseason. I center in a trade with Edmonton, sending defenseman wouldn’t reach or overpay right now, but these young guys on the left Lubomir Visnovsky to the Oilers on June 29. side might benefit from another steady veteran. No two rebuilds are the same, and it’s not fair to compare Blake to former GM , So, as the Kings attempt to get closer to contending during this rebuild, but part of Lombardi’s genius was bringing in veteran left-side what would a dream offseason look like in 2021? We have a few ideas defensemen Rob Scuderi (2009) and Willie Mitchell (2010) to pair with for the to-do list in July, August and September. the young Doughty and Voynov. As Lisa noted, a young defenseman will benefit greatly from a blue line security blanket. Add at least one top-line winger Perhaps eventually, either Anderson or Bjornfot could “graduate” and Dillman: The assignment of trying to find a skillful winger to complement partner with Doughty, while the defenseman in the Werenski role could Anze Kopitar feels more like a five-part miniseries. Who is available via partner with the other, but for now, another veteran wouldn’t hurt, free agency and who is out there via trade? perhaps similar to the way the Kings utilized Sean O’Donnell from 2008 Let’s look at free agency and mention some names we did not discuss in to 2010. And hey, as I recall, Alec Martinez can play on the right side … last week’s mailbag, starting with forward Zach Hyman of the Toronto Alec Martinez (John Locher / USA Today) Maple Leafs. Trade the first-round pick It would likely take a long-term deal to win the Zach Derby, and colleague James Mirtle recently noted that the price could get close to $6 million a Dillman: The Kings could do one of two things with the No. 8 pick. They season, according to sources around the league. could either trade the pick for a player or use it to move back in the draft. The specific suggestion about trading the pick shouldn’t be taken in The appealing versatility of the Oilers’ Ryan Nugent-Hopkins should not isolation. First-round picks, especially ones in the top 10, are valuable be overlooked. What makes Nugent-Hopkins attractive is that he has the currency. But this one could be used as a piece in a larger deal to obtain same sort of flexibility that made so valuable at his best. He a difference-maker. could be the No. 2 center and also be the player who could move up and play alongside Kopitar. Plus, Kings coach Todd McLellan knows his There are only a certain number of prospects you can pump into the strengths from having coached him in Edmonton. pipeline. Ideally, you want a steady stream coming through the system. You don’t want them all arriving at the same time and then none for a few Then there’s Brandon Saad of the . Saad’s season years. But you can afford to miss a year or two if you’ve drafted as many was sprinkled by stretches in which he looked really good and other young players as the Kings have. More still are coming, and as is the times in which he seemed inconsistent. But he’s a proven NHL scorer on case with all prospects, some pan out and some don’t. The more tickets an expiring contract and had a decent playoff run this year, with seven you have in SuperLotto, the better odds are of pulling a winning number. goals in 10 games. In this particular year and with the uncertainty of the draft, if that’s the Hammond: There’s a sweet spot the Kings need to hit here. They need to piece you need to get a player who can help you in the present, then you acquire a scorer who can help get them going in the right direction now, have to seriously consider it. but who also will remain productive when they (hopefully) are in a position to make deep playoff runs. Depending on how things go, that Hammond: I’m endorsing Lisa for the NHL’s next GM opening! That’s as might not be for another two or three years. good of a well-rounded analysis of the Kings’ current situation as you’re going to see. The Kings absolutely should trade this pick, and not for Nugent-Hopkins and Saad are 28 and Hyman just turned 29, so they fit more picks, but perhaps for one of those two areas we just discussed. here. While things like injuries can never be predicted, it’s fair to say that Had the Kings landed the No. 1 pick, sure, keep it. But this is the No. 8 if the Kings signed one of these players to, say, a four-year contract, they pick in what might be the most random draft ever, given the pandemic- shouldn’t expect much drop-off. That was important when the Kings related challenges of the past 15 months. traded for Justin Williams in 2009. Williams was a “high-mileage” 27- year-old at that point, with a lot of NHL games and injuries behind him, A GM’s job isn’t just to stockpile prospects. The Kings, understandably, but he was a massive top-six contributor during his time with the Kings. seem enamored with their stellar pool, but if they think they can just wait for their prospects to blossom into NHL stars and carry them to the Saad is an interesting candidate. Lisa noted his inconsistency, which is a Stanley Cup, well, please allow me to point you in the direction of the little scary because he played on an offensive superteam in Colorado, Edmonton Oilers. It almost never works like that. At some point, Blake is but he has consistently scored approximately 20 goals per season going to have to turn some of these young players and/or picks into throughout this career. Perhaps most importantly, Saad has two Stanley established NHLers who can lead the way, the same way Lombardi once Cup rings, both with Chicago. He has been in 91 NHL playoff games. turned a combination of Jack Johnson, , Wayne That’s important because, by the time the Kings are in a position to Simmonds, Patrick O’Sullivan and a first-round pick into a combination of contend again, guys like Dustin Brown and almost , Carter and Williams. certainly aren’t going to be there. Doughty and Kopitar likely will be, but the Kings’ young talent needs to be complemented by veteran winners. Quick returns to better health and balances Petersen Dillman: A healthier Jonathan Quick, who had shoulder surgery after the regular season, would aid the Kings’ cause on multiple levels. First off, it would take some of the weight off the shoulders of Cal Petersen as Petersen transitions from heir apparent to The Guy. The Kings were far better this past season the starting duties were split down the middle with Petersen and Quick.

Secondly, the competitive fire Quick brings to the workplace on a daily basis can’t be overlooked. A healthy competition between Quick and Petersen is better for both of them.

Hammond: This is an interesting one. Petersen will turn 27 just before the start of next season and he has yet to play more than 60 percent of the games in a season, which he did this year. I guess I’m just wondering when the hand off is going to take place. When Quick turned 27, he already had become a Stanley Cup champion and a winner. That’s not a fair standard for Petersen, of course, but I’m just wondering when he’s going to grab hold of this job.

That said, there’s no question that a healthy Quick benefits the Kings in any way they might choose to use him. One might even start to draw some parallels with another all-time great American goalie, Ryan Miller, who in his NHL sunset years backed up John Gibson in Anaheim. From the Kings’ perspective, I’d like to see Petersen prove that they don’t need Quick for more than 20 games per season.

Signs of growth, starting with Vilardi

Dillman: There must be internal growth and improvement in addition to adding external pieces. Gabriel Vilardi is at something of a crossroads. Thankfully, for Vilardi and the Kings, the long saga of his injured back seems to be over. Now he needs to fully establish himself in the NHL.

Factoring in the things Vilardi learned this past season, processing them and coming back focused and as fit as he can be will help him take the next step. There has been a bit of a kid-glove treatment so far with him, which was prudent. Now the perfect offseason involves Vilardi becoming readier than he has ever been, on every level: physical, mental, spiritual and tactical. That’s the next phase, because the Kings need to find out what they have in him over a standard NHL season. At the end of the season, Vilardi could be well-established as an NHL player and some of the current questions could be answered.

Hammond: I completely agree when it comes to Vilardi. It’s been four years since the Kings drafted him at No. 11, and while some things — most notably his back injuries — have been out of his control, it’s time for him to get out of the squishy middle and show that he can thrive as a regular in the Kings’ lineup.

Here’s another name that Lisa has been tracking for a while: Alex Turcotte. I think it’s a little too early to panic over Turcotte, who made his pro debut in the middle of a pandemic season and played 32 games for the AHL , but he needs to start showing more. The forwards drafted in his range in 2019 — Chicago’s Kirby Dach, Buffalo’s Dylan Cozens and Anaheim’s Trevor Zegras — already are off and running in the NHL.

In general, this speaks to a theme that has run throughout this article. The Kings certainly have a lot of potential, but what is it going to turn into?

The Athletic LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216634 Minnesota Wild

Wild and Blues to play at Target Field in Winter Classic on New Year's Day

The league's spotlight regular season event was postponed last season.

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune JUNE 28, 2021 — 5:07PM

The Winter Classic at Target Field is back on.

After getting scrapped last year, the NHL's signature event will return on New Year's Day 2022 with the Wild taking on the St. Louis Blues. The teams were supposed to face off last Jan. 1 before the season was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It was just a matter of time," Wild president Matt Majka said. "I never had any doubts."

Ticket and broadcast information for the event will be announced at a later date, but season-ticket holders will have the first opportunity to purchase seats. Capacity at Target Field is expected to be around 39,000, although Twins president Dave St. Peter hopes that number could grow.

Earlier this year, the NHL and Turner Sports signed a seven-year rights agreement beginning next season that includes the Winter Classic. The two sides will determine when puck drop is for the game, which is still under discussion. If weather delays the action, the game could be bumped to Jan.2, Majka said.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the rescheduled Winter Classic from Tampa Bay, where Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Lightning and Canadiens was played Monday. All-Star Weekend in the NHL next season will be in Las Vegas, with a date yet to be determined, and the league also said the Stadium Series game will feature Nashville vs. Tampa Bay at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.

In its only other outdoor NHL game, the Wild edged the Chicago Blackhawks 6-1 in the NHL Stadium Series at TCF Bank Stadium on Feb. 21, 2016. The Winter Classic started in 2008 with a game in Buffalo.

"We've had a great run of really showcase events here in the Twin Cities, and this is the next big one," St. Peter said. "I can't tell you how important that is for the Twin Cities based on everything we've been through on so many different fronts over the past year-plus.

"It'll be a great day for the city of Minneapolis, the Twin Cities in general [and] state of Minnesota to put on another great show."

Star Tribune LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216635 Minnesota Wild

Winter Classic rescheduled: Wild vs. Blues at Target Field on New Year’s Day

It will be the first time in franchise history that the Wild have hosted the annual spectacle.

By DANE MIZUTANI | PUBLISHED: June 28, 2021 at 5:11 p.m. | UPDATED: June 28, 2021 at 8:43 p.m.

After a year-long pandemic delay, the Wild will officially play host to the rival St. Louis Blues in the Winter Classic on New Year’s Day 2022. The game will take place at Target Field as originally planned.

It’s welcome news for the Wild after the annual spectacle scheduled for New Year’s Day 2021 was postponed because the NHL season was not yet underway. The condensed 56-game season did not start until mid- January, and thus, the Winter Classic had to be delayed.

Wild president Matt Majka said he always had faith the Winter Classic would be rescheduled. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman provided a formal announcement on Monday afternoon before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Tampa Lightning and Montreal Canadiens.

“I never had a doubt and that was based on the conversations that we were having with the NHL,” Majka said. “There was no indication ever that they had a different idea about going somewhere else or anything like that. That gave me great comfort that it was just a matter of time.”

This will be the first time in franchise history that the Wild have hosted the annual spectacle. They hosted a Stadium Series game at TCF Bank Stadium on Feb. 21, 2016, beating the Chicago Blackhawks 6-1.

More information regarding tickets will be released at a later date with season-ticket holders getting top priority. The capacity at Target Field is expected to be around 40,000 fans.

Asked about the potential for a packed house at Target Field — after playing in an empty Xcel Energy Center for most of this past season — Majka got a little bit choked up. He noted the Winter Classic itself could provide yet another step in a return to normalcy.

“It’ll be emotional to get there and see that building full,” Majka said. “I want to respect that there are people still getting back to a comfort level of being in larger crowds. But we are starting to see it throughout the country, and when I see that, I think about Target Field on New Year’s Day, and how great that will be for all of us. I’m really, really excited about the possibility that represents.”

That’s exactly how Twins president Dave St. Peter feels as well.

“We have had a great run of really showcase events here in the Twin Cities, and this is the next big one,” St. Peter said. “I can’t tell you how important that is for the Twin Cities based on everything we’ve been through on so many different fronts over the past year-plus. It will be a great day for the city of Minneapolis, the Twin Cities in general, and state of Minnesota, to put on another great show.”

Pioneer Press LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216636 Minnesota Wild

Wild fan survey 3.0: Tell us what you think heading into a challenging offseason

By Michael Russo Jun 28, 2021

So, this is one challenging offseason for the Minnesota Wild to navigate.

They’ve got roughly $22 million in cap space to re-sign restricted free agents Kirill Kaprizov (he’s expected to win the Calder Trophy during the NHL’s awards show Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. CT), Kevin Fiala and Joel Eriksson Ek; they’ve got only 14 players under contract, so they’ve got to save enough salary-cap room to fill out the rest of the roster; they’ve got to deal with the situation; they’d like to upgrade at the center position; and they’re once again one of the teams that have significant decisions to make when it comes to the upcoming Seattle expansion draft.

So, we want to know how you’d proceed if you were lucky enough to sit in general manager ’s chair.

Below, is the third version of The Athletic’s Wild fan survey. If you want to check out the first two, here’s the first from April 2020 and the one that ran just after Thanksgiving.

Have fun filling out the survey, and feel free to take advantage of the comment section because we may pull a few of your quotes to run with the results.

Enjoy!

(NOTE: Readers who are using our app on an Android device may need to use two fingers to scroll through the survey. Still unable to get to the survey, though? Try this direct link.)

The Athletic LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216637 Minnesota Wild Said Jordan, the Hurricanes captain: “We’re watching the games and got some banter going on throughout the game. Everyone has their opinions on what’s going on.”

LeBrun: Eric Staal’s whirlwind season, from blindside trade to Stanley Marc Staal said the comments in the chat are mostly about a penalty or a Cup Final, was still a family affair certain play.

“It’s fun,” Marc said Sunday. “Because we couldn’t be together to watch it so we try to at least feel like we’re together and experience it together.” By Pierre LeBrun Jun 28, 2021 Eric Staal

Back after 15 years No doubt a compelling debate will rage on throughout the Stanley Cup Final regarding the Conn Smythe Trophy but there’s zero confusion as to Eric Staal won the Stanley Cup with Carolina in his second NHL season the MVP in Eric Staal’s world. in 2005-06. He’s finally back in the final after a 15-year wait that didn’t feature all that many playoff games, either. His wife Tanya has been holding down the fort in Minnesota with their three hockey-playing sons while dad went away this season. The genuine excitement for Eric is palpable in the Staal clan.

“It’s been a crazy, crazy year,” Tanya Staal said over the phone, the tone “He’s getting a shot at it again and it’s awesome to see especially for a in her voice saying it all. guy like him who cares and wants it so badly,” Jared said. “I’m just really excited for him.” “But we’re getting through it and we’re just super excited,” she added. “We’re at that point now where we’re like, ‘it was all worth it!'” Marc was the last Staal to play in a Stanley Cup Final in 2014 with the Rangers. So it’s been a while for any of them to be there again. Their world was turned upside down in September when Eric was traded from the Minnesota Wild to the Buffalo Sabres, a deal that completely “It’s pretty cool,” said Marc. “Not that it’s hard to believe, because blindsided them. obviously you just get on a run, we’ve all been on those and we know how special they are and how rare they are. It’s very cool to see Eric get “You always think you’re going to have an idea but we just really had no another chance. It’s been a long time for him since he’s been to the clue,” said Tanya. “We know it’s part of the business. You know it’s dance. He’s super pumped and it’s been fun to watch.” possible at any time, but that one shocked me. We were just going about our day, normal day, I was inside making dinner and Eric was outside in Jordan hasn’t been in the final since he won it all with Pittsburgh in 2009. the driveway I think with the kids; he came inside and just had this look Like Eric winning the Cup as a rookie in 2006, Jordan acknowledged that on his face. He said, ‘Tanya, we just got traded.’ I was like, ‘You’re as a young player sometimes you take that for granted and then realize kidding, what?’ We had no idea. We were both just shocked.” just how hard it is to get there.

With the kids already in school in Minnesota and the realities of COVID- “Oh yeah, 100 percent,” Jordan said Saturday. “My second year we went 19 protocols and empty arenas in the NHL to start the 2020-21 season, to the finals and the next year did it again. You expect to do it every year. the decision was sound although not easy: Eric would go off to Buffalo on Me and my mom were adding up all the years that myself, Marc and Eric his own while Tanya and the boys stayed back in Minnesota. played and how many years one of us made it to the finals which is really not a ton, you know five times or something like that. It’s really hard to “With all the unknowns with COVID and everything, it just didn’t make do. To be on the top two teams left in the league is just not easy, no sense to pull the kids out of school and move to Buffalo,” said Tanya. matter how long you play there’s some guys that never get there at all. “We figured we wouldn’t be allowed to go to games in Buffalo anyway, at least at the beginning. So we’d just be sitting there in an apartment. At “So it’s obviously a great opportunity for Eric. It’s exciting. It’s awesome least here we could go about life and feel somehow normal even though seeing him get rewarded right now.” it was hard being apart.” Henry reached out to Eric the other night after the Habs eliminated the As you might imagine, the boys, aged 11, 9 and 6, ached for their dad. Golden Knights to congratulate his son on being back in the Cup after a 15-year wait. “They’re at the age where they just miss dad,” said Tanya. “We got spoiled having him around during COVID at first, and then all of a sudden “I texted Eric after the game the other night and said, ‘Does that feel like he’s gone. It was definitely … it had its moments.” a long time ago?’ And he goes, ‘It kind of does, and it kind of doesn’t.’ I know what he means,” said Henry. Nine months after that trade to Buffalo, dad is in the Stanley Cup Final with the Montreal Canadiens. Last time around, Eric wasn’t a father and wasn’t married yet. A lot has changed. Worth it indeed. “We were dating at the time,” said Tanya. “We got engaged that Staal group chat September. The kids weren’t born yet. It’s just so fun now. It’s just a whole other thing now with kids being part of it, watching the games; for Habs games have been must-see TV for Eric’s parents Henry and Linda Eric, it’s just so awesome to make these memories with them now.” Staal as well as his brothers Marc, Jordan and Jared. Grinding it out In fact, the brothers and dad have a group text going during Eric’s games. As Tanya put it, it has indeed been worth it now that her husband has another shot at the Cup. “It’s fun to get insight from Jordan and Marc and now Jared’s coaching. So I pick their brains. It’s neat,” Henry Staal said on the phone this But it was hard. weekend from the family’s native , Ontario. “We have a lot of fun with it.” Missing his family and enduring the disaster that was the Sabres’ season, the grind was real. Jared Staal is an assistant coach with Orlando in the ECHL. He’s definitely got the coach-speak going in the group chat. “The shock of going to Buffalo obviously, it wasn’t expected,” said Jared. “He was obviously very happy in Minnesota at the time. Not being able to “I say some funny coach lines just to get under their nerves a little bit,” be with his family all year, he’s a big family guy. He has an unbelievable laughed Jared. “Like, ‘Should have kept it out of the middle’ kind of stuff. wife and the kids … just to be away from them was the hardest part for But you know with COVID, our group chat has been a lot busier with him I think. And making those decisions knowing it’s going to extend your Marc and Eric not being around their wife and kids as much. There’s time away from your family even more. I think that was probably the been more action in the group chat and that’s been a lot of fun. I love hardest part for him.” bouncing ideas off of them. A tough year that has paid off, though. “Just talking hockey. It’s what we love to do.” “That’s exactly right,” said Jordan. “It just goes to show his perseverance, his character and what he brings day to day. He could have just as easily folded it up this year with all the stuff going on, not being with his family is we thought, ‘Carolina could really win this.’ That’s the crazy part. Not that probably the No. 1 thing. And when you’re not with your family on the last we ever doubted Montreal. It’s just crazy how it all worked out. It’s just so year of your deal, near the end of your career, losing games, you start exciting now.” questioning, I’m sure, what you’re doing. Agreeing to a trade also meant extending his season and his time away “He kept at it, kept working, he doesn’t quit,” added Jordan. “It’s from home. Marc remembers talking to Eric about a potential trade. awesome to see the turnaround for him this year and being able to be part of a great team and win some huge games and contribute the way “We talked about his options,” said Marc. “He was kind of hemming and he has. It’s been so cool to watch. So rewarding I’m sure for him.” hawing. But then I think he just decided he wanted to play. He wasn’t having a good year in Buffalo and everything that was going on with the Marc could certainly empathize earlier this season. He was living it, too. team. So he just wanted to give himself a shot. It couldn’t have worked out any better. He got on to a good group of guys and just a good team. “I was in the same boat in Detroit, my family stayed back in Connecticut,” It’s good to see. Because he was grinding there for a bit no doubt.” said Marc. “So actually Eric and I talked almost every other day because we were by ourselves and we (would) just FaceTime and chat. We ended Eric agreed to the trade two weeks before the deadline. No doubt he was up talking a lot about it, we were in the same boat. We’d vent about the wondering if maybe he should wait and see if Carolina made a pitch. But same things. But he’s still doing it, which is incredible. I did four months what if it never happens? He took his shot when Habs GM Marc Bergevin and I couldn’t wait to get back to my family. I’m sure he’s missing them. made him feel wanted via a conversation with veteran agent Rick Curran. It’s tough on his boys and his wife. But it’s a cool experience for him and obviously excited where he is now. Hopefully all that sacrifice by him and “It went pretty quick,” Henry recalled. “Ricky talked to me and I talked to his family comes with a big prize at the end.” Eric a bit about it. I think things were going so badly for him in Buffalo that it was an opportunity. He jumped at the chance they gave him. If Henry Staal said his son never wanted to leave Minnesota. you’re wanted, it’s a good thing. Bergevin wanted him, so that’s why he went in a lot of ways I think.” “That trade caught him off guard,” said his dad. “He never really got going until finally he got to Montreal and started to come around a little bit But that Habs uniform? and got the mind going in the right direction I think. That was a big part of it.” The Staals aren’t going to lie.

Tanya says her husband tried to keep a good frame of mind despite what Watching Eric don the Bleu, Blanc et Rouge took a moment of was happening in Buffalo, but she and the boys tried to keep his spirits adjustment. up over the phone. “We grew up Leafs all the time,” said Henry. “I’m a Dave Keon/Darryl “Eric was so positive about it, he was really hoping things would turn Sittler guy. I remember watching the Leafs win the Cup in ’67. So around and make the best of it,” she said. “We just tried to be there for growing up it was either love the Leafs and hate Montreal or you loved him and support him and keeping positive. We kept saying, ‘There’s a Montreal and hated the Leafs. So it was weird at first (watching his son reason why you’re there, it will all hopefully work out.'” put on that Habs sweater). But once it’s your kid out there, it’s not hard to start cheering for that team.” It didn’t. But Tanya made sure to point out that Sabres GM and his wife Stacey are good friends who did all they could to make Jared echoed his dad’s comment. He needed just a second to watch his things better for Eric. brother in that famous uniform.

“Kevyn and Stacey, obviously we knew them from Carolina,” said Tanya. “Not going to lie, we watched the Leafs growing up,” chuckled Jared. “I can’t say enough good things about them. We love them and they were “Never really crossed your mind rooting for Montreal. But after a game or so great in how they handled things.” two, you get used to it and you’re pulling for them as hard as you can.”

Traded again Four more wins …

Well, the best thing Kevyn Adams did was get his pal out of Buffalo. They’ll all pulling so hard for four more Habs wins.

Before Eric waived his no-trade clause to accept a deal to the Habs in Heck, Jordan was ready to hand Eric a Tampa Bay scouting report if late March, there had been trade chatter linking him to other teams. need be.

Including Carolina. And as I reported at the time, the Hurricanes did “I was just telling my wife that, ‘I wonder if Eric will give me a shout,'” indeed have a chat with the Sabres about him but it wasn’t a front-burner laughed the Canes captain, whose club lost to Tampa Bay in the second issue. I suspect Carolina would have circled back to Buffalo if Eric was round. “But clearly, I was going to tell him what not to do since we still sitting there on deadline day on April 12. couldn’t figure them out. Obviously, Tampa is a very good team and it’s going to be a pretty good final. Two good teams. The way Montreal has And well, you can imagine Jordan and Eric had a little chat about stepped up and put it all together and a Lightning team that’s very deep potentially being reunited. and has played well throughout this playoff, too. It’ll be fun to watch.”

“Yeah, there was some discussion,” says Jordan. “I don’t know what the Tanya shared the story of how the youngest of her three boys couldn’t rules are what’s allowed but we’re brothers and we talked. You know, it stay awake for the clinching game last week over Vegas so he asked would have been awesome for him to come to Carolina. I know it wasn’t mom to give him the update as soon as he woke up. exactly what our group was looking for at the time but like you said, if it came right to the end and he was still there, maybe Carolina would have “I told him in the morning that they won and he said, ‘Oh, they’re going to found a way to get him here. And we could have used him, obviously. win the whole thing. (I) just know it.’ It was so cute when he said that. I He’s a great addition to Montreal. But it didn’t work out. told him I had the same feeling.”

“It was unfortunate,” added Jordan. “I would have loved to battle it out Jared said watching his oldest brother winning another Cup would be with him again. Maybe he would have been a difference-maker for our unreal. team but it still worked out great for him and where he’s at right now. I’m “It would be just so special,” said Jared. “Already we’re just so proud of just happy he’s got a chance at the Cup.” him. We know he deserves it. He works so hard. When he won the Cup Said Jared: “It’s funny how it all works out. I didn’t even know Montreal in 2006, I was 16 years old. It would be a different experience for me was on the radar at the time and you’re hearing rumours of a couple of even now, because at 16 you don’t really know what’s going on, you’re different teams, Carolina and you heard Colorado. So you’re kind of just excited. I think in general our whole family is just more appreciative pulling in that direction. Suddenly it’s Montreal and you’re interested in of what’s going on. We’ll see. They’ve got a good test in Tampa. But seeing how that’s going to work out. And here we are. Four more away. they’ve got a good group and they’re playing well.” Let’s see if they can do it.” Why not, wondered Tanya?

The Carolina rumour certainly intrigued Tanya, too. “It’s just crazy that here we are 15 years later from the last time he was in “When there was that short time when there was talk of maybe Carolina the finals. It would just be amazing,” she said. “That’s what it’s all about, working out, it was so exciting to think about,” she said. “And at that time, right? That’s what you play for. So we’re so hoping. And we have a good feeling.” The Athletic LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216638 Montreal Canadiens Vasilevskiy, who posted shutouts in Games 5 and 7 at home against the Islanders, made a big save on Shea Weber on a hard wrist shot on a 2- on-1 with Brendan Gallagher that could have trimmed the lead.

Lightning jump on Montreal Canadiens, take Game 1 Price kept the Canadiens close with a beautiful glove save on Stamkos, the Tampa Bay captain.

Chiarot then scored on a play where the puck was deflected twice 2:20 MARTY KLINKENBERG before the teams went to their dressing rooms for the second intermission.

The Canadiens were within striking distance then, but the Lightning wore The Canadiens got off to a rocky start in the Stanley Cup final on them down and lit them up in the final period. Kucherov scored on a Monday, losing to the Lightning 5-1 at in downtown Tampa. backhand only two minutes in, and then scored another with 8:35 left. He The defending Stanley Cup champions got two goals from Nikita leads all scorers during the postseason with seven goals and 23 assists. Kucherov and one each from Eric Cernak, Yanni Gourde and Steven Stamkos closed out the scoring with 1:10 remaining. Stamkos to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series that determines The game was preceded by a 50-minute news conference from Amalie the champion of the National Hockey League. Game 2 will be played on Arena presided over by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy Wednesday night, again on Tampa Bay’s home ice. commissioner Bill Daly. Defenceman Ben Chiarot, who had not scored in 17 games this Bettman said the league plans to resume a normal schedule during the postseason, gave Montreal life late in the second period when he 2021-22 season beginning in the first two weeks of October. The whacked a slap shot at the net from 42 feet away and had it pinball commissioner said it remains unknown whether NHL players will around and bounce off an opposing player into the net. participate in the Winter Olympics. The opportunistic Lightning capitalized on the Canadiens mistakes and “We don’t know, and that is causing us a fair number of issues getting pulled away with three goals in the third. next season up and running,” Bettman said. If the players went to Beijing “We have to limit our mistakes and we’ll be fine,” Montreal’s acting head in February, it would necessitate a stoppage in play for several weeks. coach, Luke Richardson, said. He took over behind the bench during the “We have real concerns whether our players should be participating.” semi-finals when interim head coach Dominique Ducharme tested Daly said there are concerns about COVID-19, and travelling halfway positive for COVID-19. “We have to clean up our puck management. We around the world. were just sloppy. “It is still a work in progress,” Daly said. “Time is running very short.” “We know we can play better. That’s the point we are going to key on Bettman also defended the league’s referees and linesmen, who have and look forward to the next game.” come under intense criticism for poor calls and missed calls during the Tampa Bay has reached the final three times over the last seven years. If playoffs. it wins, it will follow Pittsburgh Penguins as the last team to win the “Our officials are not only the best in the world, they are the best in Stanley Cup back to back. The Penguins won in 2016 and 2017. sports,” he said. “They occasionally miss calls, but not as often as people The Canadiens finished 18th in the regular season in winning percentage suggest. Overwhelmingly our officials get it right. (.527) but mowed down the Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets and Vegas “Would we prefer perfection is achieved? Yes. Is it possible? Of course Golden Knights in previous playoff rounds. This is their first appearance not.” in the final since they won in 1993. They are the last Canadian team to hoist the iconic trophy. Montreal was without forward Joel Armia, who was placed on the NHL’s COVID list on Sunday. Armia tested negative on Monday morning and They looked out of sorts at the start on Monday night, settled down for a flew to Tampa on a private jet but did not dress for the game. bit in the second period, and then had the wheels fall off over the last 20 minutes. In his place, the Canadiens inserted forward Jake Evans. Evans hadn’t played since he sustained a concussion on a hit from Winnipeg’s Mark “It is the first game of a seven-game series,” Josh Anderson, a right wing Scheifele in Game 1 of the second round. for Montreal said. The Canadiens lost the opener against the Golden Knights but closed out the series in six games. “We have to use what we “I just focused on not rushing back,” Evans said. “I wanted to take my did in Vegas and bounce back in Game 2. time with it.”

“Our effort is there, but we can do a lot more.” Evans said Scheifele, who was suspended for the rest of the series, reached out to him. If Game 1 is any indication, it looks like a tall task. Carey Price, who came into the game with a 12-5 record and a .934 save percentage “I want to look forward and not talk about the hit,” Evans said. “Maybe during the postseason, was shelled for five goals on 26 shots. Andrei once the season ends.” Vasilevskiy, the fellow Vezina Trophy-winner in Tampa, had to make only 18 saves. Bad blood boiled over late in the contest. Gallagher left bleeding profusely from the forehead after being driven into the ice head-first by In a fast-paced first period, it was the Lightning that jumped out in front. Blake Coleman. There was plenty of scrapping back and forth as time Cernak, a defencerman who had not scored in 46 postseason games, wound down. deflected a shot by past Carey Price a little more than six minutes after the puck drop. The game ended with the Lightning in command and the Canadiens a bit frustrated, mostly at themselves. The Canadiens entered the night 11-2 in games where they scored first during the playoffs but only 1-3 when their opponent gets out in front. The line of rookie Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Tyler Toffoli had an Tampa Bay, meanwhile, improved to 13-2 when it plays with the lead. especially tough night. All three players were on the ice for three of Tampa Bay’s goals. Montreal got a power play 4 minutes 39 seconds before the first intermission but was unable to even register a shot. The period ended “I think we had chances when the game was close and if we had buried with Tampa Bay on a power play after Chiarot was called for them it might have changed things,” Montreal defenceman Jeff Petry crosschecking Kucherov. said. “When they got their third and fourth goals we started to push things and they took advantage of it. The Lightning started the second with a man-advantage for 1 minute 14 seconds but failed to capitalize. It was an NHL-record 31st consecutive “I don’t think it was a blowout by any means.” penalty kill during the playoffs for Montreal. Globe And Mail LOADED: 06.29.2021 Tampa Bay increased the lead to 2-0 when Gourde tipped in a shot by Blake Coleman with 14:13 left in the second. 1216639 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens forward Joel Armia heading to Tampa as he awaits word on status for Game 1

JAMES MCCARTEN

Montreal Canadiens forward Joel Armia is winging his way to Florida to await a game-time decision on whether he’ll take part in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final.

Assistant coach Luke Richardson says Armia, bumped from the lineup over the weekend due to COVID-19 protocols, is flying to Tampa via private jet.

If he doesn’t play, Jake Evans – levelled by Mark Scheifele in Game 1 of Montreal’s second-round series with the Winnipeg Jets – is expected back in the lineup.

The Habs’ unlikely campaign to reclaim the Stanley Cup resumes tonight against the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning.

Montreal came from 3-1 down in their opening-round series to stun the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games, then swept the Jets and downed the favoured Vegas Golden Knights in six games.

The Lightning will represent the Canadiens’ toughest test in their quest for their 25th Stanley Cup – which would be the first for any Canadian team since Montreal won in 1993.

“Joel is on his way down here right now on a private jet,” Richardson said today following the team’s pre-game skate.

“We’re excited to have him join us.”

The Lightning are the defending Cup champions with a deep team and an elite in Andrei Vasilevskiy to match up against Montreal superstar Carey Price.

The first two games are in Tampa before switching to Montreal for Game 3 on Friday, but Richardson is confident that a stellar road record in the playoffs for the Habs will hold them in good stead.

“I think it’s the way that we forecheck and backcheck,” he said when asked about the team’s 7-2 road record so far in the post-season.

“We really clog up the middle of the ice, and do a good job of it consistently, so that’s frustrating for home teams.”

That frustration, he added, “works right into our game plan.”

Montreal head coach Dominique Ducharme, who has been isolating since Game 2 of the semi-finals due to a positive COVID-19 test, is scheduled to return to the Habs bench for Game 3.

Richardson wouldn’t elaborate on why Armia could be back in the lineup so quickly, although the rapid timelines would suggest a false positive COVID-19 test result.

The timing couldn’t be better: Armia is a central component of Montreal’s penalty-kill unit, which hasn’t allowed a goal in 13 playoff games.

Tampa’s power play, meanwhile, is one of the best in the business, scoring on 45.5 per cent of its chances at home and 37.7 per cent overall so far in the post-season.

“He’s been a big piece of our team and in these playoffs, especially on our penalty kill,” said Habs winger Josh Anderson.

“We know how lethal their power play is – it’s pretty dangerous and it can cost you games.”

Globe And Mail LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216640 Montreal Canadiens

In the Habs' Room: 'We know we can get better,' Luke Richardson says

Montreal did a poor job of managing the puck in its 5-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final Monday night.

Pat Hickey Montreal Gazette

Canadiens goaltender Carey Price robs Lightning centre Tyler Johnson of a goal during second-period action at Amalie Arena Monday night.

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Josh Anderson says the Canadiens will have to learn from their mistakes if they hope to win Game 2 of their best-of-seven Stanley Cup final against the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning.

“I think you got to move on from this game but also I think you got to watch the video and see the mistakes that you know cost us tonight, especially in the third period there,” Anderson said after the Lightning beat the Canadiens 5-1 in Game 1 Monday night at Amalie Arena.

Montreal turnovers in the offensive zone led to three Tampa Bay goals and Anderson said the Canadiens have to be more careful with the puck.

“Especially against their top two lines, you know, they feed off that, that’s what they’re looking for,” Anderson said. “They’re so dangerous and they’ve been doing that this whole year and capitalizing, so I think we just got to be careful. Heading into Game 2, like I said, watch some video and learn from our mistakes and go back out there and win Game 2.”

The Canadiens made life easy for Tampa Bay goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, who faced only 19 shots on goal and didn’t have to deal with a lot of traffic in front of his net.

“Obviously, they got some big defencemen back there and it’s not easy to get into the front, but we’ve got to make it hard on them in some sort of way.” Anderson said. “I thought two turnovers on our part just increased their offence and they had a lot more confidence when we give them those opportunities.”

Acting coach Luke Richardson gave credit to the Tampa defence.

“They had good gaps tonight,” Richardson said. “They back-pressured hard. So they’re always known as an offensive team or we refer them to that. But they do that by coming back hard and capitalizing on turnovers and forcing you to turn pucks over in tough areas like they did on the first three goals. That’s where they create their offence from that. So it’s a credit to their defence to translate into offence for themselves.

“The positive is we didn’t play our best game,” Richardson said. “We know we can get better. I think they’re always a team that plays well and definitely creates off mistakes that you make. So by us playing better, and managing the puck better and maybe limiting those mistakes and creating a little bit more ourselves, I think we have a good way to go up and that’s going to be the positive out of it.

Nick Suzuki and his linemates struggled in this game. They were involved in two of the key turnovers and finished minus-3 on the night. Suzuki failed to get a shot on goal and won only four of his 14 faceoffs. Cole Caufield had two shots on goal and Tyler Toffoli had one.

They found themselves out against the Brayden Point line for most of the night as Tampa Bay coach took advantage of having the last change at home and kept his top line away from Phil Danault’s shutdown line.

The Canadiens’ penalty-killers saw their NHL playoff record streaks come to an end when Steven Stamkos scored a power-play goal late in the third period. Prior to Stamkos’s goal, the Canadiens had killed 32 consecutive power plays and had gone 13 playoff games without allowing a power-play goal.

Game 2 goes Wednesday (8 p.m., CBC, SN, TVA Sports, SN-690 Radio, 98.5 FM).

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216641 Montreal Canadiens

Offensive-zone turnovers burn Canadiens in Game 1 loss to Lightning

The defending Cup champions turn three Montreal mistakes into goals in a tight- game that was blown open late.

Pat Hickey Montreal Gazette

A failure to control the puck in the offensive zone proved costly for the Canadiens as they dropped a 5-1 decision to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 1 of the best-of-seven Stanley Cup final Monday night at Amalie Arena.

The defending Cup champions turned three Montreal turnovers into goals in a tight-checking game.

The Lightning took advantage of an errant pass by rookie Cole Caufield to open the scoring at 6:19 of the first period. Brayden Point intercepted Caufield’s pass for Jeff Petry in the Tampa Bay zone and sent defenceman Erik Cernak off on a rush. Cernak passed to Ondrej Palat on the left wing and then went to the net to redirect Palat’s pass for his first NHL playoff goal.

The transition game paid off for the Lightning again in the second period as Ryan McDonagh, a former first-round draft choice of the Canadiens, had a takeaway in the defensive zone. On the ensuing rush, Ben Chiarot blocked a shot by Barclay Goodrow, but Blake Coleman picked up the loose puck and fired into the traffic in front of the net. Carey Price had no chance when Yanni Gourde tipped the puck in.

Chiarot, who hit a post early in the second period, cut the Tampa Bay lead in half when he got two bounces to score his first NHL playoff goal at 17:40 of the second period. Andrei Vasilevskiy was unable to adjust after Chiarot’s shot from the point went off and then hit McDonagh’s skate at the side of the net.

Nikita Kucherov, the leading scorer in the playoffs, put the game out of reach with two goals in the third period. Chiarot had some bad luck on the first goal as Kucherov threw a backhander at the net from the corner. Chiarot tried to bat the puck away but he deflected it into the net. Steven Stamkos completed the scoring with a power-play goal, ending Montreal’s penalty-killing streak at 32.

If the first game is any indication, this will be a physical series. The Canadiens have thrown their weight around throughout the playoffs and they sent a message to the Lightning that they plan to continue that strategy as they outhit Tampa 26-19 in the first period. But the Lightning have some heavyweights and they hit back. At game’s end, Montreal had delivered a playoff-high 58 hits and Tampa Bay responded with 57.

Joel Armia was cleared from the NHL’s COVID protocol Monday, but he was a healthy scratch after arriving in Tampa on a private flight earlier in the day.

Armia’s place on the fourth line was taken by Jake Evans, who was making his first appearance since Game 1 of the Winnipeg series when he was hit by the Jets’ Mark Scheifele after scoring his first NHL playoff goal. Evans suffered a concussion and had missed the last nine games.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216642 Montreal Canadiens Perry never made it back to the Cup final again until last season when he was with the Dallas Stars and lost to the Lightning. He has been telling his young Canadiens teammates to “live the moment” and enjoy this ride.

Canadiens' mix of young and old comes together under Shea Weber That’s the same message they’re getting from Weber.

"He’s Dad to the young guys and he’s buddies with all the older guys," “I don’t think you look at anything being where you want to be,” the teammate Ben Chiarot says. "So he connects with everybody." captain said. “We’re in the position we want to be, but we’re not at the end result. So I think we got to live in that moment and stay focused and just keep in the grind.”

Stu Cowan Montreal Gazette Publishing date:Jun 28, 2021 Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.29.2021

Canadiens' Cole Caufield, centre, celebrates with teammates Nick Suzuki, Brendan Gallagher and Shea Weber, right, after beating the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 to advance to the Stanley Cup final.

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Canadiens captain Shea Weber is a man of few words when it comes to dealing with the media and he really doesn’t like to talk about himself.

So here’s what teammate Jeff Petry had to say about Weber ahead of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final against the Lightning Monday night in Tampa:

“I think from Day 1 he’s stepped in and been the leader for this team. Obviously, he’s been around the league for a long time. We want to win for everybody in our room, everybody in the organization. But the guys, especially like him, Staalsy (Eric Staal), Pears (), Pricer (Carey Price), those are all guys that have been around for a long time.”

Here’s what teammate Ben Chiarot had to say about Weber:

“Once we hit the ice it’s all business. There’s no messing around. He wants everything done exactly the way the coaches said it’s done. I think that’s a big reason why he’s been so successful as a player is his attention to details and his seriousness once we hit the ice. Off the ice, he’s got a relationship with everybody in the room. He’s Dad to the young guys and he’s buddies with all the older guys. So he connects with everybody and I think that’s why he’s considered one of the best captains in the league.”

One of the keys to this remarkable playoff run by the Canadiens has been their mix of experience and youth with Weber the leader of the pack.

Perry and Staal are both 36, Weber is 35 and Price is 33. Nick Suzuki is 21, while Cole Caufield and are both 20. They have all made huge contributions during the playoffs.

“It’s been a pretty crazy ride,” Suzuki said. “This season has been unbelievable. You just want to cap it off winning that championship. Being my second year some of the guys haven’t even been to the final yet and they’ve been playing for many years. So we want to take full advantage of that.”

While Perry and Staal both have Stanley Cup rings from their days in Anaheim and Carolina, respectively, this is the first trip to the final for Weber and Price.

“I think us young guys just want to bring a lot of energy to the group,” Suzuki said about his young teammates. “I think we’ve been playing some pretty good hockey. Just helping the team out as much as we can. There’s that youthful energy that we bring. I don’t know … maybe we don’t really know what to expect, but that might be a good thing, too. We’re just going to play our game and help the team out as much as we can.

“I always thought that the first round of the playoffs is the hardest to win and then making it to the final, obviously, you need to win a huge four games,” Suzuki added. “Kind of when you get in that rhythm, you’re almost playing every other day. You know what to expect each and every day. As a team I think we’ve gotten into that rhythm and we’ve been playing great hockey and we just have to keep that going against Tampa.”

Caufield, the youngest player on the Canadiens (born six months after Kotkaniemi), was 2 when the selected Perry in the first round (28th overall) of the 2003 NHL Draft. Caufield was 6 when Perry won the Stanley Cup with Anaheim. 1216643 Montreal Canadiens “I know there’s a lot of people that were guessing or second-guessing this transaction (for Weber) and, again, to get something that’s special you have to give a good player,” Bergevin added. “So I’m not taking anything away from P.K., but to get Shea Weber here in Montreal and Cowan: As Marc Bergevin envisioned, Shea Weber a perfect fit for Habs what he brings on and off the ice, for me it’s special and that we’re four wins away from winning a championship will be ultra-special. So that’s “I’ve really enjoyed my time here," Habs captain says. "I’ve been where this relationship is for these two gentlemen.” fortunate to be traded to a great city and organization." After the Canadiens eliminated the Vegas Golden Knights in the

semifinals, Bergevin had big hugs for Weber and Price at ice level. Stu Cowan Montreal Gazette “We’ve gone through a lot together during his tenure,” Price said about Bergevin. “We’ve gone through a lot of great times and a lot of hard times and I was just happy to share a joyful moment with him. He’s really This is Shea Weber's 16th season in the NHL and his first trip to the earned it.” Stanley Cup final. This is Weber’s 16th season in the NHL and it’s the 14th for Price. This is Article content their first trip to the Stanley Cup final.

Canadien GM Marc Bergevin sent a shockwave through Montreal when “Obviously, (Bergevin) did a lot of good things to plug some holes for us he traded P.K. Subban to the Nashville Predators in exchange for Shea this offseason and it’s paying off right now,” Weber said. “We got a lot of Weber on June 29, 2016. work left to do, but definitely excited to get going.

It was one of those “Where Were You?” when it happened moments. “I’ve really enjoyed my time here,” he added. “I’ve been fortunate to be traded to a great city and organization. Yeah, there’s been some hard I was in the media room at Wimbledon waiting to interview Eugenie times, there’s been some good times. It’s a part of the journey and a part Bouchard following her first-round tennis win over Slovakia’s Magdalena of the story. It’s been a good ride so far and hope to keep it going here.” Rybarikova. When reports of the Subban trade started to circulate on social media, Canadian reporters at Wimbledon at first thought it was a Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.29.2021 joke.

At the NHL Draft only a few days earlier, Bergevin had insisted he wasn’t shopping Subban and simply had to answer the phone when other GMs called. When Predators GM called and offered Weber, Bergevin made the trade.

Weber had just won the Leadership Award as captain of the Predators, but Nashville was trading his contract as much (if not more) than they were trading the player. The Predators were forced to match a ridiculous 14-year, US$110-million offer sheet the Philadelphia Flyers gave Weber following the 2011-12 season when he became a restricted free agent. That contract, with an annual salary-cap hit of $7.857 million, runs through the 2025-26 season when Weber will be 40. Subban had just completed the second season of his eight-year, US$72- million contract and a no-movement clause was going to kick in two days after Bergevin made the trade.

Bergevin thought Subban’s personality had become too big for the locker room and also believed Weber would be a perfect fit, so the trade was made.

You couldn’t have two personalities more different from Subban and Weber. Subban never met a TV camera he didn’t like and works hard to promote his own brand. Weber would rather block a slapshot than talk with the media and always refuses to speak about himself.

The trade certainly looked bad for Bergevin when Subban helped the Predators advance to the Stanley Cup final during his first season in Nashville, while the Canadiens were eliminated in the first round and then missed the playoffs the next two seasons.

Bergevin was convinced Weber and Carey Price were the two cornerstones he could build a Stanley Cup team around. It took five years after the Weber trade, but the Canadiens are now in the Stanley Cup final, while Subban was traded to New Jersey two years ago and is now working as a TV commentator for ESPN after the Devils missed the playoffs for the second straight season.

Despite being three years younger than Weber, Subban’s game has deteriorated quicker. In 44 games with the Devils this season, Subban had 5-14-19 totals and was minus-16, while Weber has been outstanding with the Canadiens during this playoff run.

It took a while, but if the Canadiens win the Stanley Cup Bergevin can definitely say he won the trade.

“Those two gentlemen, Pricer and Weby, it is special because they’re the oldest of our players as far as the backbone of this team and they’ve been through a lot these two,” Bergevin said Sunday. “Pricer as a goaltender in Montreal, as we know it’s demanding. The expectations are high and, yeah, we do have a special relationship. But when I say special I care for the 23 or 28 players we have (in the locker room), so I’m not going to put anybody ahead of anybody else. 1216644 Montreal Canadiens It is our team and maybe this is our year. Go Habs Go.

Gavin MacFadyen is a writer and lawyer in Jamestown, N.Y. Opinion: The enduring covenant between the Habs and their fans Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.29.2021 We change jobs, change cities or neighbourhoods, we experience the beginning and end of relationships, but through it all, the Habs remain.

Gavin MacFadyen Special to Montreal Gazette

Like all fans of the Montreal Canadiens, I am enjoying this improbable playoff run.

I¹m not sure what was more exciting:- seeing score the winner against the Vegas Golden Knights Thursday night or the massive crowd outside the celebrate in unison as though they were a single, multi-celled organism.

The Habs have always been about so much more than hockey. So woven are they into the fabric of life in this city, it is impossible to imagine one without the other.

Some may call it a love affair. At times that love leads to heartbreak and a puddle of tears. Then there are those other times — these times —- where the intoxication of hope transcends daily life and become all- consuming.

Never has that been more true than this year as we emerge from the long, dark tunnel that was COVID. Montreal was hit hard and this celebratory renewal experienced through the prism of hockey seems fitting and deserved.

I now live in upstate New York. My longing for a permanent return to Montreal is only made more acute when I realize how much I miss the palpable energy with which the city vibrates during a Habs Cup run.

Ironically, for the last Stanley Cup in 1993, I was living in Los Angeles. I had packed up my McGill degree and was working at my first “real” job.

The difference between the two cities could not have been more stark. There was no buzz in the city. At work, no one cared about the games, which pitted the Habs against the Los Angeles Kings. Talk about being homesick.

Who among us can think of the Habs without also associating them with special people and places in our lives:- with home, with family, or with friends? Mostly, with times gone by.

We change jobs, we change the cities or neighbourhoods in which we live, we experience the beginning and end of relationships, we mourn the loss of loved ones and welcome new life. That is the natural ebb and flow of existence, the rhythm of what it means to be alive.

We grow from a child into full-fledged adulthood with all the joys and disappointments that go along with that. Even the world changes around us:- new technologies influencing how we live, work and communicate.

But through it all, the Habs remain. They endure as the one constant, the one touchstone that many of us have. The team provides markers along the path of our lives that can span decades and stay with us from cradle to grave.

In memory, hockey is crystallized into singular moments of achievement and victory. Depending on age, the names of the players will change: Béliveau or Richard, Lemaire or Lafleur, Roy or Price. It doesn’t matter:- the names change, but the feelings are the same for the 80-year-old and the eight-year-old, and therein lies the magic.

Like many, when I watch the Habs, I am not just living in the moment, but revisiting my past. I’m a child again watching HNIC on Saturday night, being allowed to stay up late to see the end. I’m a teenager revelling in adolescent ecstasy when the Habs raise their fourth Cup in a row in 1979. I’m a university student in my dorm room at McGill, away from home for the first time, lying in the dark and listening to broadcast a game on the radio, and I suddenly feel safe and secure.

Of course, we all care whether the Habs win or lose, but, mostly, we should be grateful that they simply are. The covenant that exists between this team and its fans has endured for more than a century and will continue long into the next. 1216645 Montreal Canadiens treat next game like a must win. We got to go and steal one on the road and go back home 1-1.”

That’s what they did in Vegas. Canadiens Game Day: Searching for some positives after Game 1 loss? Cernak with the icebreaker in Game 1 of the #StanleyCup Final! The Habs also lost Game 1 of semifinal series against Vegas and lost pic..com/gz8NxuzhQH Game 1 in final the last three times they won the Stanley Cup. — NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) June 29, 2021

Tough night for young guys Stu Cowan Montreal Gazette Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield were minus-3 in Game 1 as was their veteran linemate Tyler Toffoli.

If you’re a Canadiens fan you might be searching for something positive Lightning head coach Jon Cooper had the last change and used it to put following a 5-1 loss to the Lightning in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final his top line of Brayden Point between Ondrej Palat and Kucherov on the Monday night in Tampa. ice as much as possible against Suzuki’s line.

Well, the Canadiens lost 4-1 to the Golden Knights in Game 1 of their “We have full confidence in our young players up front,” Chiarot said. semifinal series in Las Vegas before bouncing back to win the best-of- “We wouldn’t be at this point of the playoffs if we didn’t have full seven series in six games. confidence in them and what they can do in our own end. Of course there’s matchups we’d like to get, but that’s not a luxury you have when There’s also the fact that the last three times the Canadiens won the you’re on the road. Saying that, we still believe in the guys that are going Stanley Cup they lost Game 1. out there and that they can get the job done.”

In 1993, the Canadiens lost 4-1 to the Los Angeles Kings before winning Richardson said there might also have been a case of nerves with his the series in five games. In 1986, the Canadiens lost 5-2 to the young players. Flames in Game 1 before winning the series in five games. In 1979, the Canadiens lost 4-1 to the New York Rangers in Game 1 before winning “The rink was buzzing and that’s something that we’ll get over and we’ll the series in five games. be a little bit more used to next game,” the coach said. “I think maybe just to strike early for us will be key next game to try and weather that storm It’s unlikely the Canadiens will win four straight now against the and quiet the building a little bit and let us get a rhythm going. Definitely defending Stanley Cup champs to take the Stanley Cup in five games it’s always a big stage and lots going on. I thought we started out OK but again, but this series isn’t over just because they lost Game 1 against the we just were a little bit sloppy with the puck tonight. So that’s something Lightning. we can clean up and get better at.”

“The positive is we didn’t play our best game,” Canadiens assistant #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/uPRBQF8kOS coach Luke Richardson said. “We know we can get better. I think they’re always a talented team that plays well and definitely creates off mistakes — NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) June 29, 2021 that you make. So by us playing better and managing the puck better and Armia not in lineup maybe limiting those mistakes and creating a little bit more ourselves I think we have a good way to go up and that’s going to be the positive of The Canadiens didn’t have Joel Armia in the lineup for Game 1. it.” Armia did not fly with the Canadiens to Tampa on Sunday after being Another positive is that the Canadiens were only losing 2-1 heading into placed in NHL COVID-19 protocol. It must have been a false positive test the third period of Game 1 after Ben Chiarot scored at 17:40 of the because Armia did fly to Tampa on a private jet Monday and took part in second period following goals by Erik Cernak and Yanni Gourde for the pregame warmup, but was replaced in the lineup by Jake Evans. Tampa. But Nikita Kucherov scored twice in the third period and then Steven Stamkos added a power-play goal for the final dagger. The Evans hadn’t played since suffering a concussion in Game 1 of the Canadiens had killed off 32 straight opposition power plays, going back second-round series against the Winnipeg Jets. to Game 4 of the first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, “I think the decision (not to play Armia) was made with the organization before Stamkos scored. and the coaching staff that Joel’s been sitting at home for a few days The first three Tampa goals all came after the Canadiens turned over the without skating,” Richardson said. “I’m sure there’s lots of nerves going puck near the offensive blue line and the Lightning struck on the counter- on with what’s going on in the protocols with the testing and all that. So attack. we just felt that mind frame flying down today, this afternoon, that it would be better to get him on the ice for a warmup, get the blood flowing. Jake “The key for us is going to be the puck management, especially around has been cleared to play and that was our decision on that and Jake the offensive blue line for us where we turned a few pucks over tonight,” played well. We thought he played very head’s-up hockey. He Richardson said. “Especially when you got their big two lines out there. contributed on the PK and I thought he fit in well with that line with You can’t do that against that team. They’re going to counter quick like (Corey) Perry and (Eric) Staal and created some offensive cycling just they did tonight and make you pay. So we just got to just clean up puck like Joel would so I thought it worked out OK.” management, making sure we’re laying pucks in behind them and get back to the forecheck that we do well and create some more O-zone time Armia tested positive for COVID-19 in March and the NHL shut the for ourselves.” Canadiens down for more than a week as a result. He has been a key player for the Canadiens during this playoff run with 5-3-8 totals in 17 Defenceman Jeff Petry said he’s confident the Canadiens can bounce games and played a big role killing penalties. back like they did against Vegas. For the fifth straight game the Canadiens were without interim head “It’s one game of a seven-game series,” he said. “We have to use what coach Dominique Ducharme, who tested positive for COVID-19 before we did in Vegas, that experience, that mindset to rebound and bounce Game 3 of the semifinal series against the Golden Knights. Ducharme back for Game 2. We’re going to watch some clips on what we can do will be able to return for Game 3 of the Cup final after finishing 14 days of better. I think everybody knows that our effort’s there, but I think we can quarantine at home in Montreal. all bring a little bit more and I think that’s what we did in Vegas and that’s what we’re looking to do for Game 2.” The Canadiens now have a 3-2 record since Richardson took over the head-coaching duties from Ducharme. Josh Anderson noted that the Canadiens are still in a good position and they’re definitely in a position 29 other teams that aren’t playing now We have ourselves a one-goal game! #StanleyCup would love to be in. pic.twitter.com/SOdJfnW82P

“We’re in the finals,” Anderson said. “I think that there’s a lot of — NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) June 29, 2021 confidence in our dressing room. So we’re going to take the positives out Evans won’t talk about hit of tonight’s game and, obviously, clean up some areas and just go in and Evans didn’t want to talk about the vicious, predatory hit he took from the Edmundson is one of six players GM Marc Bergevin added to the Jets’ Mark Scheifele after scoring an empty-net goal near the end of Canadiens roster this season who have already won the Stanley Cup Game 1 against Winnipeg. Evans was knocked out cold and taken off the with another team. ice on a stretcher, while Scheifele was suspended for four games by the NHL Department of Player Safety. Edmundson and backup goalie both won the Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019. Toffoli won the Cup with the Los Angeles Kings in “I don’t really want to talk about the hit that much right now,” Evans said, 2014, Michael Frolik won it with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013, Perry noting that Scheifele did reach out to him afterwards. I’d rather just focus won with Anaheim in 2007 and Staal won with Carolina in 2006. on what’s ahead of us. But I do want to thank our trainers. That whole process they helped me out a lot and they’ve been great for everyone so “Both runs are special in their own ways,” Edmundson said after the I do want to say that. morning skate when asked if there are comparisons this year to the Blues in 2019. “Just try to make our own story here. It’s been a great run “I was just focused on not rushing it,” Evans added about returning to the so far, but we’re in the final for a reason. We have a confident group and lineup. “Any brain injury is a serious thing to not rush back and I just excited to drop the puck tonight. It’s been fun so far, but the job’s not wanted to take my time with it. I obviously wanted to play, but the guys done. did a great job so it was easy to take my time.” “In these deep playoff runs you need health and you need a deep roster,” Evans logged 11:55 of ice time (including 1:06 short-handed) with one Edmundson added. “I think Berg did a great job of assembling this team. shot, three hits and was even in plus/minus. When one guy goes down we have a handful of guys to choose from that are ready to jump in. It’s just like you saw with Lehky or Jake, we have The goal belongs to @86Kucherov! #StanleyCup guys ready and they can jump into any position, any role. It’s nice to have pic.twitter.com/Sl0jbvZpRZ the depth like that. Adding the older guys like Staalsy and Pears working — NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) June 29, 2021 that fourth line they’ve done a great job so far so it’s been good.”

Another goal for Gourde The @TBLightning grab a 1-0 series lead in the #StanleyCup Final! pic.twitter.com/vlAs5jt4na Gourde’s goal was his sixth in 19 playoff games this year, which isn’t bad for a player who was never selected at the NHL Draft. — NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) June 29, 2021

The 5-foot-9, 173-pound centre from Saint-Narcisse was a teammate of Junior teammates the Canadiens’ in junior with the QMJHL’s Edmundson and the Lightning’s Point were teammates for two seasons Tigres. During his final season of junior in 2011-12, Gourde led the in junior with the WHL’s . Tigres in scoring with 37-87-124 totals in 68 games, while Danault had 18-53-71 totals in 62 games. Point joined the Warriors late in the 2011-12 season as a 16-year-old after posting 19-22-41 totals in 32 games with the midget Triple-A The Chicago Blackhawks selected Danault in the first round (26th Calgary Buffaloes. In the playoffs, Point had 7-3-10 totals in 14 games as overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft, while Gourde signed with the Lightning as the Warriors advanced to the Eastern Conference final before losing to a free agent in 2014 after posting 15-19-34 totals in 30 games with the the Edmonton Oil Kings, who would go on to beat the Portland ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings. Winterhawks for the WHL championship.

The four leading scorers in the NHL playoffs are all Lightning players. “We had a good playoff run that year and I think he led our team in Kucherov leads the way with 7-23-30 totals, followed by Point (14-9-23), points,” Edmundson recalled. “From that moment on, all of us on the Stamkos (8-10-18) and Alex Killorn (8-9-17). The Lightning’s Victor team kind of knew he was going to be an all-star player so there’s no Hedman leads NHL defencemen in playoff scoring with 1-15-16 totals. surprise to see his success in the NHL. It’s good to see because he’s a Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy now has a 13-6 record in the playoffs great guy. Honoured to be playing with him back in Moose Jaw, but with a 1.94 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage. The looking forward to shutting him down in this series.” Canadiens’ Carey Price has a 12-6 record with a 2.18 GAA and a .928 By BOTH goalies! #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/HGQjuA1iKu save percentage. — NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) June 29, 2021 .@86Kucherov strikes a second time ⚡⚡ #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/Q7SdyrTFJJ Still only, 3,500 fans at Bell Centre

— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) June 29, 2021 The Canadiens issued a statement Monday saying they will not be increasing the number of fans who can attend games at the Bell Centre Some stats for the Stanley Cup final from 3,500.

The Lightning outshot the Canadiens 27-19 and the faceoffs were split “Regarding the increase in the number of spectators at the Bell Centre 50/50. The Canadiens outhit the Lightning 58-57. Tampa blocked 15 for the Stanley Cup final, the Montreal Canadiens organization is shots and the Canadiens blocked five. The Canadiens went 0-for-2 on continuing discussions with the authorities, and does not in any way the power play and the Lightning were 1-for-3. confirm the rumours currently circulating on social media of an agreement between the two parties,” the statement said. Shea Weber led the Canadiens defencemen in ice time with 25:20, followed by Petry (25:01), Chiarot (23:41) and Joel Edmundson (23:37). Radio station 91.9 Sports reported Monday morning that 10,500 fans Jon Merrill played 10:30 and Erik Gustafsson played 9:48, including 2:51 would be allowed at the Bell Centre for games during the Cup final. on the power play. Suzuki led the forwards in ice time with 17:45, Premier François Legault and health minister Christian Dubé both later followed by Danault (17:13) and Toffoli (16:37). denied that was the case.

Weber had a team-leading five shots and Brendan Gallagher had three. Game 2 is Wednesday night in Tampa before the series shifts to Forwards Suzuki, Danault, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and Perry all Montreal for Games 3 and 4 on Friday and next Monday. failed to get a single shot on goal. Canadiens players celebrate after beating the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 Anderson led the Canadiens with eight hits, while Artturi Lehkonen, in overtime in Game 6 of semifinal series Thursday night at the Bell Edmundson and Chiarot had seven each. Centre, earning a spot in the Stanley Cup final.

Danault went 14-8 on faceoffs (64 per cent), Staal went 2-2 (50 per cent), Todd: The Stanley Cup won't come easy, but these Habs are resilient Kotkaniemi went 3-5 (38 per cent) and Suzuki went 4-10 (29 per cent). Sign up for HI/O newsletter .@RealStamkos91 hammers home a 5-1 lead. #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/TwmPFsT66B For all the latest on the Canadiens’ quest for their 25th Stanley Cup, sign up for our special time-limited newsletter, HI/O: Montreal’s Road to the — NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) June 29, 2021 Cup, at https://montrealgazette.com/newsletters.

Edmundson chasing second Cup The schedule Here’s the rest of the schedule for the Stanley Cup final:

Wednesday, June 30 (Game 2): at Tampa, 8 p.m.

Friday, July 2: (Game 3): at Montreal, 8 p.m.

Monday, July 5 (Game 4): at Montreal, 8 p.m. x-Wednesday, July 7: at Tampa, 8 p.m. x-Friday, July 9: at Montreal, 8 p.m. x-Sunday, July 11: at Tampa, 7 p.m. x-if necessary

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216646 Montreal Canadiens current Canadiens, but they have won five of their six overtime games. Five players from three lines have provided the overtime goals.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.29.2021 Feels like '93? It's not exactly déjà vu for the Canadiens

Here's where the two playoff runs are similar and where they are different.

Pat Hickey Montreal Gazette

Patrick Roy and Carey Price are hot goaltenders who have carried the Canadiens deep into the playoffs.

The Canadiens’ improbable run to the Stanley Cup final has resulted in comparisons to the team’s last Cup victory in 1993 and, while there are similarities, it’s not quite déjà vu.

Here’s a look at some of the areas in which the two runs are similar and others where they are different.

Goaltenders stand out: The most obvious similarity is the goaltending. In 1993, the Canadiens rode , who was coming into the prime of his Hall of Fame career. Roy was an unknown when he led the Canadiens to the Cup in 1986, but he went into the 1993 playoffs with two Stanley Cup final appearances and three Vézina Trophies under his belt. Carey Price has taken longer to get to his first Cup final, but he has been among the league’s elite goaltenders for the past decade and has an Olympic gold medal on his resumé. If the Canadiens win the Cup, he’d the odds-on favourite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs’ most valuable player.

Path was easier in 1993: The Canadiens are facing the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning in the final and, for the fourth consecutive series, they will be the underdogs. Montreal was the last team to qualify for this year’s playoffs and weren’t expected to survive the first round against Toronto, the team that was given the best chance to end the 28-year U.S. stranglehold on the Cup. After falling behind 3-1 in the series, the Canadiens rallied to win the next three games and then swept the Winnipeg Jets. They then eliminated the Vegas Golden Knights, who had tied for the most points in the league this season and were making their third appearance in the Cup semifinals in four years.

There was a two-time defending champion in 1993, but the Canadiens didn’t have to worry about the Pittsburgh Penguins led by , Jaromir Jagr, Ron Francis and Kevin Stevens because they were eliminated in the second round by the New York Islanders in a hard- fought seven-game series. The Islanders were physically and emotionally drained after the Penguins series and lost in five games against the Canadiens in the Eastern Conference final. The Islanders weren’t the only team to give the Canadiens a hand. The Boston Bruins finished atop the Adams Division, but were upset by Buffalo in the first round and the Canadiens then swept Buffalo. Montreal’s toughest series was the first round against rival . The Nordiques finished two points ahead of Montreal in the regular season and won the first two games in Le Colisée. Montreal rebounded with a 2-1 overtime victory in Game 3 at the to begin a playoff record-tying 11-game win streak.

There was a series of upsets in the Western Conference, beginning with St. Louis’s sweep of the regular-season leader Chicago in the first round. The conference final matched a couple of No. 3 seeds and Los Angeles deprived fans of an all-Canadian final when it eliminated Toronto in seven games. The Kings won the first game of the final at the Bell Centre and were leading 2-1 in Game 2 when Montreal coach pulled a rabbit out of his hat and asked for a measurement on Marty McSorley’s stick, which was found to be illegal. Eric Desjardins scored on the subsequent power play and completed a hat trick with the overtime winner. The Canadiens won the next two games in L.A. in overtime and the dispirited Kings put up only token resistance in Game 5 at the Forum and lost 4-1. Wayne Gretzky, who was the leading scorer in the playoffs, had a goal and three assists in Game 1 but a strong defensive effort led by held him to one goal and two assists over the final four games.

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Winning in overtime: The 1993 Canadiens lost 3-2 in overtime in Game 1 against Quebec but set a record that may never be broken when they won 10 of their 16 games in overtime. That record is out of reach for the 1216647 Montreal Canadiens guys paired with three over-achieving youngsters: Suzuki, Kotkaniemi and Cole Caufield. It’s such a beautiful story.

I was sitting in a good pal’s backyard watching that win over the Golden What the Puck: No one, not even Habs fans, expected this magical Knights on Thursday and joyous screams and cheers rang out in the playoff ride normally quiet Notre-Dame-de-Grâce night. It’s an evening I’ll never forget (and neither will my daughter, who had to flee a Crescent St. bar Unless your name is Marc Bergevin. He was the one who saw this thing filled with tear gas). coming. It’s just what the doc ordered for the province after more than a year of confinement, illness and death, and yes, it does feel like 1993, the last year Montreal won the Cup. Let’s savour every moment of this. But Brendan Kelly Montreal Gazette please don’t claim you knew it was coming.

Habs in seven. If you say today you always expected your Montreal Canadiens to be in Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.29.2021 the Stanley Cup final, you’re lying.

Unless your name is Marc Bergevin. He was the only dude who saw this thing coming.

The rest of us didn’t believe it for a second. Admit it. After Game 4 of the Habs-Leafs series, with the Bad Guys up 3-1, no one thought we were about to embark on the most magical playoff ride in 28 years. No one. The day after Game 4’s embarrassing 4-zip loss to the Maple Leafs, the entire Habs Nation was in a funk, led by a certain mercurial radio host from LaSalle who was ready that morning to fire everyone before he checked himself into the nearest hospital to recover from a bad case of Habs hysteria.

That was a month ago. Then came Game 5, a stunning overtime goal from Nick Suzuki, and all of a sudden there was a glimmer of hope. The next game another young lad, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, was the hero in overtime and before you could say “man do the Leafs suck in the playoffs,” this team was on one of the great rolls of the modern National Hockey League era.

Since that 4-nuffin loss to the Leafs, Montreal has won 11 of the 13 playoff games it has played. It’s unreal. They swept the Winnipeg Jets, who looked like a peewee A team, and then shut down the big boys on the Vegas Golden Knights in six games. Did I mention Vegas was the second-best team in the league this year and that they had just handily dispatched the best team in the league, the Colorado Avalanche? Now they’re set to face the defending Cup champs — the Tampa Bay Lightning — in the final.

Who saw all this coming? Precisely no one. Maybe Berg saw this in his crystal ball. I know, as my colleague Stu Cowan pointed out the other day, Bergevin talked a good talk coming into this season, saying this team could play any kind of team and was built for the playoffs.

But during the season, there was little reason to share the general manager’s optimism. The Habs were beyond inconsistent and they just scraped into the post-season. Along the way, a bunch of coaches were fired, a new interim coach came in — Dominique Ducharme — and he appeared to be worse than the guy he replaced.

Then the magic started happening. And our heads are spinning, mine maybe more than anyone’s. I have once or twice criticized Bergevin (haha) and of course everyone is laughing about how I’m eating crow these days. It tastes simply amazing.

Does the run prove that Bergevin’s a genius? Probably not. But it does mean he is a much better GM than many of us gave him credit for. He mucked up big time in the first six years on the job but since the summer of 2018, it’s fair to say he’s done good. And if the Canadiens end up winning the Stanley Cup, which I think they will, I won’t say he’s a genius, but I’ll concede he’s a real smart fellow.

You need to build your team around a core of A-list players in their prime, say between 24 and 27, and that’s why I didn’t get Berg’s reset on the fly. How did oldsters Carey Price and Shea Weber fit into The Plan? It didn’t seem to make sense.

But then COVID happened, the COVID bubble tournament happened, and the most rock’n’roll of GMs saw something in this team. He added a bunch of great pieces in Jake Allen, Joel Edmundson, Tyler Toffoli, Josh Anderson and especially Corey Perry and suddenly they’re four games away from hoisting the most difficult trophy to win in professional sports.

Bergevin and his team got lucky, but give this passionate guy credit for seeing a world where his team could win it all with a bunch of ancient 1216648 Montreal Canadiens

5 things Tampa fans need to know about the Montreal Canadiens

Pizza, the Curse and a high-flying Wisconsin Badger are all key to understanding what fires this winning team.

Erik Leijon Special to Montreal Gazette

Marc Bergevin in a red suit? It’s probably too late for you.

The Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning have been duking it out for Atlantic Division supremacy since 2013, so hockey fans in both cities know a thing or two about their respective opponent in the Stanley Cup Finals. But this year, COVID realignment kept the Habs and Bolts separate, so Tampa Bay fans might be unfamiliar with this particular iteration of hockey’s most storied franchise.

Here are five things Lightning fans ought to know about the Habs before the puck drops at Amalie Arena Monday night.

1.Beware the red suit and pizza slice. If you’re a Lightning fan and you see Habs general manager Marc Bergevin in a red suit (think: Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker) or centre Phillip Danault eating pizza in the postgame, it’s probably too late for you. Bergevin has a perfect record in elimination games when he wears the suit, while Danault has celebrated clinching victories over the Maple Leafs, Jets and Golden Knights with a little carb jolt afterward. When you’re playing for a team that’s won 24 Stanley Cups over 112 years, you’ll adopt a few superstitions to appease your forebears.

2. These Habs are tough. In the past, the Canadiens have been known for being on the small, speedy side. Not the 2021 Habs. Jeff Petry played Game 2 against Vegas with eyes so bloodshot it became a meme. In the following game, Corey Perry got a bloody nose from a high-stick. The wound didn’t stop him from coming out to celebrate with his teammates, blood still all over his face and neck, after they sealed the win. Captain Shea Weber and team leader Brendan Gallagher are fighting through hand/thumb injuries. The Canadiens have added size and depth for their run, and did it without exceeding the cap by US $18 million.

3.The hottest new Hab is a Wisconsin Badger. Sniper Cole Caufield has had a remarkable season. The 15th overall pick in the 2019 draft scored 30 goals in 31 games for Wisconsin, winning the Hobey Baker Memorial Award for best NCAA player in the country. Following stints with the U.S. under-20 junior team and the minor league , Caufield has had an immediate impact in Montreal, scoring four times in 10 regular season games, and then another four in the Vegas series alone. Keep an eye out for the college standout. This would be more of a flex on Florida Panthers fans, but the Badgers football team defeated the Miami Hurricanes in bowl games in 2017 and 2018.

4.Forgive the coaching carousel. During last season’s playoffs, Coach Claude Julien had a stent placed in one of his coronary arteries and was replaced by associate coach . This season in the playoffs, Coach Dominique Ducharme was replaced by assistant Luke Richardson after receiving a positive COVID-19 test. Richardson coached the last four games of the Vegas series and will be behind the bench in Tampa Bay for Games 1 and 2.

5.The Canadiens may have lifted a curse, thanks to Uber Eats. Seriously. The last two times the Habs won the Cup, Hall of Famer Patrick Roy was in goal. On December 2, 1995, Roy started against the Detroit Red Wings. At this point, Roy’s relationship with head coach had soured. Roy allowed nine goals, and after getting pulled, told Canadiens president behind the bench it was his last game in Montreal. Roy was traded days later and the Habs haven’t reached a final since. Fast forward to 2021, and in the middle of the Toronto series, Roy and Tremblay buried the hatchet in an Uber Eats commercial. The Habs have only lost two games (to Vegas) since it first aired. Coincidence?

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216649 Montreal Canadiens Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.29.2021

Canadiens at Lightning, Game 1: Five things you should know

This is the fourth playoff meeting between these teams, with the Canadiens' only series victory having come in 2014.

Pat Hickey Montreal Gazette

Here are five things you should know about Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final between the Canadiens and the Lightning at Amalie Arena Monday (8 p.m., CBC, SN, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM).

The match: This is the fourth playoff meeting between these teams which are, in normal times, division rivals. The Lightning, looking for a third Stanley Cup, swept the Canadiens in 2004 en route to the their first. The Canadiens swept the Lightning in 2014 but Tampa Bay turned the tables in 2015 with a six-game series win. In their most recent regular-season action, Tampa Bay swept a four-game season series in 2019-20, outscoring the Canadiens 14-6.

Goaltending is the key: Goaltending becomes crucial as teams tighten their defences in the playoffs, and this series offers two of the best. Tampa’s Andrei Vasilevskiy has a 1.99 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage after shutting out the Islanders 1-0 in Game 7 of their semifinal series, while Carey Price has a 2.02 GAA a a .934 save percentage. The Lightning has given Price trouble over the years. He has an 8-8 playoff record against Tampa Bay and a 14-19-6 regular-season record with a 2.64 GAA and a .912 save percentage. Vasilevskiy has never faced the Canadiens in the playoffs but he has an excellent regular-season record of 11-1-2 with a 1.98 GAA and a .938 save percentage.

COVID-19 sidelines Armia again: The Canadiens flew to Florida Sunday without forward Joel Armia, who is in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol for the second time this season. Armia had a positive test in March and had received his second dose of vaccine two weeks ago. The Finn will be tested again Monday and, if he tests negative, he could rejoin the team. The setback will give Jake Evans another chance to rejoin the lineup. He was injured in the first game of the opening series against Toronto and missed four games. He has been sidelined since the Winnipeg Jets’ Mark Scheifele hit him in Game 1 of their series, giving Evans a concussion.

Strength against strength: Corey Perry said the Canadiens have to stay out of the penalty box against the Lightning, which feasts on the power play, scoring 20 power-play goals on 53 opportunities for a 37.7-per-cent success rate. Nikita Kucherov has scored 17 of his playoff-best 27 points on the power play while Brayden Point has seven of his playoff-leading 14 goals on the power play. The Canadiens counter with the best penalty-kill in the playoffs. Montreal has killed off a record 30 consecutive penalties over their last 13 games.

Here’s the offence: Kucherov, who missed the entire regular season after hip surgery, leads the playoff scoring race with 27 points and Tampa has the five top scorers in the playoffs. Point, who had a goal in nine consecutive games, has 20 points including a playoff-best 14 goals. He is followed by former Lac St-Louis star Alex Killorn and Steven Stamkos with 17 each and defenceman Victor Hedman with 16. Tyler Toffoli leads the Canadiens with 14 points, one more than Nick Suzuki. Toffoli, Suzuki, Armia and Jesperi Kotkaniemi each have five goals. Cole Caufield leads all rookies in points (nine) and goals (four).

Prediction: Canadiens in seven.

Game 1: Monday, 8 p.m., at Tampa, CBC, SN, TVA Sports

Game 2: Wednesday, 8 p.m., at Tampa, CBC, SN, TVA Sports

Game 3: Friday, 8 p.m., at Montreal, CBC, SN, NBC, TVA Sports

Game 4: July 5, 8 p.m., at Montreal, CBC, SN, NBC, TVA Sports, OMNI

*Game 5: July 7, 8 p.m., at Tampa, CBC, SN, NBC, TVA Sports, OMNI

*Game 6: July 9, 8 p.m., at Montreal, CBC, SN, NBC, TVA Sports, OMNI

*Game 7: July 11, 7 p.m., at Tampa, CBC, SN, NBC, TVA Sports, OMNI

*If necessary 1216650 Montreal Canadiens Since his days with the Canadiens, there are few he played with who still remain on the team. Carey Price is one, and the two have maintained contact over the ensuing years.

Brownstein: Never a dull moment in the P.K. Subban universe “I’m happy for Carey. I know how tough it is to play in Montreal. But if there’s anybody who deserves an opportunity to get to the Stanley Cup final, it’s him.

Bill Brownstein Montreal Gazette “I’ve been there before. I got that opportunity. Still think of it today about how close we were to winning it. It’s tough. But it’s one thing to get there.

It’s another to lift the Cup. Haven’t done that yet, but I look forward to Count P.K. Subban among those wowed by the performance of the having another opportunity.” Canadiens in pursuit of the team’s first Stanley Cup in 28 years. Subban remains heavily involved with the Montreal Children’s Hospital It’s been five years since Subban was traded to the Nashville Predators Foundation, both on a personal and financial level. He still returns here to for Shea Weber in what was then viewed as one of the most touch base with patients, and continues to pursue his pledge in helping to controversial exchanges in Habs history, but it’s evident the Toronto raise $10 million for the hospital. native’s heart still somewhat bleeds for his former team — as well as for “This is a lifetime thing for me. I’m going to be connected to the hospital this city. for the rest of my life. My goal is to raise $30 million. If we continue to The Habs were, after all, Subban and his educator dad Karl’s favourite partner with different programs and keep getting support, there’s no team growing up. And Subban — who as a Canadien in 2013 won the question we’re going to blow this thing out of the water and get to a place Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenceman — was undeniably among where we can help as many kids as possible.” the top fan favourites during his time here. Subban’s $10-million pledge in 2015 was reputed to be the largest “The Canadiens deserve to be (in the Stanley Cup final),” said the ever- philanthropic commitment to date by a professional athlete in Canada. grinning Subban in a Zoom interview. “They competed harder in the first “My connection to Montreal (remains strong). What I’ve seen since I left round (against Toronto) and deserved to win. Same with the second has been more than flattering. It’s beyond anything I could have ever round (against Winnipeg). And in the series with Vegas, I watched every imagined, almost more than it was when I was playing there. I’m so game and they’ve been the better team. They have been more grateful for that support. I’m trying to stay true to my word in continuing to disciplined in their system … Their compete level has been unmatched in support the hospital.” every game.” Last year, Subban donated $50,000 to the GoFundMe fundraising page But he notes that the club’s opponent in the Stanley Cup final and set up for then-six-year-old Gianna Floyd, daughter of the murdered defending champion, the Tampa Bay Lightning, has also exhibited an George Floyd. The NHL followed suit, upon being requested to do so by impressive compete level during the playoffs. The series begins Monday Subban. night in Tampa. In making his donation, Subban put this video message out on Twitter: Subban has been struck by the goaltending of Carey Price as well as the “What does ‘Change the Game’ mean? ‘Change the Game’ means play of the team’s vets. However, the younger players have also really change the narrative. The narrative has been the same: No justice. There blown him away. needs to be justice. Justice has to happen, change needs to come.” “(Nick) Suzuki is playing well beyond his years. And that Cole Caufield is Additionally, the Blueline Buddies program, which Subban launched in a natural goal scorer, and you know how tough it is to score in this Nashville to bring under-privileged kids and cops together, has since league. I think these players have come in and really infused some been initiated in New Jersey. energy into that team.” Speaking of partnerships, Subban is hooking up with energy-bar-maker Clearly, no sour grapes here. Clif Bar & Company and its “Let’s Move the World” campaign. This past year has not always gone so great for Subban. “(The campaign) is about inspiring people to do more, to get moving. He contracted COVID-19 and missed the last 12 games of the season When we think about this pandemic and what it’s done to people, with the New Jersey Devils, the team he was traded to two years ago by everybody’s been so stagnant,” Subban said. “Those are the partners the Predators. (He has since fully recovered.) This had been a sub- you want, who understand the importance of doing more than just playing standard season for the blue-liner, who had posted 19 points in 44 hockey and selling product.” games and a minus-16 rating. The company will also be supporting the P.K. Subban Foundation and Nor did it help that his relationship with his fiancée, Olympic ski champ upcoming Subban Defence League hockey camps. Lindsey Vonn, ended seemingly abruptly six months ago. Subban’s breakup with Vonn, his partner of three years, was tough. They But Subban, ever a glass half-full guy, does point out he was hired by had been slated to marry after she had popped the question. ESPN to provide insights during the NHL playoffs. No surprise that he “I’m single now. I had lots of great experiences with Lindsey, and I know has risen to the occasion there. He’s certainly charismatic and articulate she’s going to do extremely well. We’re still friends, which is great. We’re enough. And then there’s that confidence thing. moving forward, just focusing on the things we can control, like “In the off-season, some guys like to golf. And, by the way, I’m a decent everybody having dealt with the pandemic. I’m trying to keep my golfer,” he stressed, in case there were any doubts. “But not everybody personal life pretty private, although a lot of that was public. But I’m has the opportunity to sit on a desk at ESPN. I’ve had that opportunity, happy now to be in a place where I can focus on the things I’m doing.” and it’s been great and fun so far. I also like to try new things. This is Subban credits his dad Karl for showing him the way and always takes something that’s outside the scope for me. It’s flattering to hear that a lot heart in his words: “An open mind is a gold mine.” of people think this is something I can do after my career.” Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.29.2021 Yet he has no plans to put down his elbow pads any time soon.

“My focus is to try to win a Stanley Cup by playing as long as I can. I hope to play another eight years.”

He’ll be 40 by then.

“I feel that good. My body feels that great. I spend probably 12 hours a day working out and taking care of my body before I go on ESPN.”

Subban did make it to the Stanley Cup finals in his first year with the Predators, but the team ended up losing that series to the Pittsburgh Penguins. 1216651 Montreal Canadiens “If we can’t make a play with speed on the rush, we’ve got to put pucks in behind those Ds and go to work there,” Richardson said.

Except on both those plays, but more so the one with Caufield and Petry, The Canadiens need to win the battles they can win and not let the they were cases of the Canadiens trying to create offence off a controlled Lightning use their own strengths against them entry, which is what you want to do.

What made those plays stand out is the Canadiens were rarely able to do the same thing at their own blue line, create turnovers that ignited their By Arpon Basu Jun 29, 2021 own transition game and created opportunities off the rush. They didn’t often have the back pressure combined with the good gap from a

defenceman that creates those situations. When you reach the Stanley Cup Final, it means you should have That is something the Canadiens do well. The Lightning did it better than confidence in the things you do well as a team, that you have proven they did. through three gruelling rounds of playoffs against increasingly strong teams that what you do well produces results. “I thought two turnovers on our part just increased their offense, and they had a lot more confidence when we give them those opportunities,” Josh It’s what allows you to say simple, straightforward, confident things like Anderson said. this. Controlling the net front “We just stick to our plan and try to play the same way for a full 60 minutes and we don’t think about them. We have a system and a plan The one Canadiens goal in the game came off a Ben Chiarot shot from and we stick to it.” the blue line that banked off two Lightning players’ skates and past Andrei Vasilevskiy. But the reason those Lightning skates were there to That was Nikita Kucherov after his two goals and an assist in the third begin with was because Anderson and Paul Byron were in front of the period blew a 2-1 game wide open, giving the Tampa Bay Lightning a 5-1 net. win and a 1-0 lead in the Final. It wasn’t something that happened very often. The Canadiens think very much the same way as Kucherov, that sticking to their plan and the things they do well will produce results. It didn’t A big reason why the Canadiens are here was that they were able to win happen in Game 1 largely because they didn’t stick to what they do well. the battles in front of either net. Opposing forwards didn’t get near Carey They didn’t forecheck all that effectively, they didn’t create turnovers and Price and their own forwards were able to penetrate the layers of defence counter the way they normally do, they didn’t get to the net the way they to get in front of the net. normally do, they didn’t win the forward depth battle the way they normally do. The Canadiens weren’t necessarily poor in defending their own net front, that didn’t change, but their ability to get to the opposing net front was not And maybe that’s because what the Canadiens do well aligns perfectly nearly as easy as it might have been leading up until now. with what the Lightning did so well in Game 1 in not only preventing them from doing all those things, but doing those things better than they did. The image of Brendan Gallagher’s bloody face after a post-whistle scrum that originated because he was trying to get to that area of the ice could Puck management not have been a better indication of how much more difficult this objective will be against this team. The focus from the Canadiens was that they turned the puck over in dangerous areas of the ice on the Lightning’s first three goals, and that’s “They’ve got some big defencemen back there, and it’s not easy getting true. to the front of the net,” Anderson said. “But we’ve got to make it hard on them in some sort of way.” But let’s focus on the first one of those turnovers. It really sounded in that moment that Anderson didn’t quite know how The play began with Tyler Toffoli doing a nifty bit of work in the neutral that could happen, and you can’t really blame him. zone, attracting some attention to create some space before slipping the puck to Nick Suzuki, who had an easy zone entry as a result. Suzuki The Lightning defence is not changing. It is what it is, and this task is not dropped the puck to Cole Caufield, who saw that Jeff Petry was entering likely to get much easier. If anything, it will probably only get harder as the zone and was in the middle of the ice, so he immediately passed it to the physical toll of the series increases. him. Good idea, frankly. “Dude, to be honest, we’ve got good players. They make coaches look What Caufield didn’t see was that Brayden Point, one of the most gifted good,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said of his defence’s ability to keep offensive players on earth, was tracking back hard into his own zone, their net front clean. which put him in a position to break up that pass to Petry. “We’ve got some savvy vets back there in (Ryan McDonagh) and (Victor Honestly, the Canadiens had gotten through the neutral zone so Hedman) and () and then up-and-comers in (Mikhail) efficiently, it would be reasonable for Caufield to believe that there was Sergachev, who’s grown immensely. (Erik Cernak), he’s a man back little threat of Point being there in time, that the passing lane he had there and (Rutta) has been around this league for a bit, so we’ve got identified before he even got the puck from Suzuki would still be there. some guys that know the league. We’ve got some size. They’re gamers. Except it wasn’t. Because Point made an exceptional play. They’re willing. None of them shy away. Being on the inside is not foreign to them, and so when you have that big and heavy (defence), it helps us The idea of the play was not necessarily bad, it was just nullified by Point in the trenches.” making an even better play by tracking back into his own end. Which, it should be mentioned, is one of the Canadiens’ calling cards. In fact, their The Canadiens also have good players. But keeping their own net front entire system is predicated on their forwards tracking back and creating clean was a more difficult task. Their first power-play goal allowed in 14 turnovers in exactly the same way Point created this one. games came because Joel Edmundson was called for punching Yanni Gourde in the face, and the reason he did that was because Gourde was On the second turnover, Brendan Gallagher crossed the Lightning blue able to get to an area of the ice Edmundson didn’t want him in. The line, stopped and wanted to hit Jesperi Kotkaniemi with a pass in the Canadiens, in some sort of way, will need to force the Lightning middle, but Barclay Goodrow was on him so quickly he blocked the pass. defencemen to have similar reactions in this series. The reason Gallagher had to stop, and the reason Goodrow was able to close on him quickly, was because had a good gap on The forward depth battle Gallagher, and the reason Rutta was able to do that was because Goodrow was tracking back so hard. You never want to allow the opposing team to dictate your own player deployment. This is something Dominique Ducharme has preached often Canadiens assistant coach Luke Richardson said on the lateral plays his since taking over as Canadiens coach. team attempted to make at or near the offensive blue line they were too static, that they weren’t moving and in those situations they need to But it’s a known fact that Cooper likes to start games with his Identity simply get the puck deep and get on the forecheck instead of trying a Line — Blake Coleman, Gourde and Barclay Goodrow — and therefore, play that can lead to what those two plays led to. if the Canadiens wanted Phillip Danault’s line with Gallagher and Artturi Lehkonen to face the Lightning’s big line of Kuckerov, Point and Ondrej Palat, then having them start the game was not the way to do that.

Ducharme was likely a part of that decision to start the game with that Danault line even if he is not behind the bench, but as the first period rolled along, it’s difficult to imagine he would not have done something to try and get the matchup he wanted on the fly. Instead, the Point line’s first three shifts came against the line of Toffoli, Suzuki and Caufield, and on the third shift those two lines were facing each other, the Lightning opened the scoring.

Point’s line faced Suzuki’s line the most often, the line of Anthony Cirelli, Steven Stamkos and Alex Killorn faced Kotkaniemi’s line the most often, and Gourde’s most frequent opponent was Danault.

This is not at all what the Canadiens want, and it suited Cooper just fine.

“I liked the way things were going for us and so we stuck with it,” Cooper said. “It doesn’t mean we’re going to keep sticking with it. Who knows? I don’t know what they’re looking to do on the other side, but we’ve got a little bit more control of things tonight and in Game 2.”

Richardson needs to find a way to take some control back in Game 2. Ducharme did an excellent job on the road through the first three rounds of getting Danault out against the opposing top forwards. A big reason for that was neither nor Paul Maurice nor Pete DeBoer wanted Ducharme to dictate who they were using by throwing Danault out there.

The difference here is that Cooper loves that Gourde line. So maintaining that matchup is much easier when the coach doesn’t feel like the opposing coach is dictating his player deployment. Cooper doesn’t have any misgivings about tapping Gourde on the back and sending him out for an offensive zone faceoff or just about any situation.

“They’re a good line,” Richardson said. “They skate well. They’re tenacious. They finish their checks. So they’re going to be a hard line to play against. You’d probably maybe compare it to Phil’s line, you know Phil, Lehky and Gally. They’re hard. They’re hard to play against.

“Tonight maybe wasn’t our best game overall as a team. But I think it’s going to be a challenge because they’re a deep team. That is a good line. They have their first two lines and then their fourth line has got speed, they’ve got size. They’ve got a little bit of everything out there. So we’ve just got to be better. We know we can play better. And that’s a good point we’re going to key on and move forward to next game.”

That last bit from Richardson — that the Canadiens know they can play better — is what is important. Despite the score, they were not blown out in this game. They were in the game through 40 minutes and had some opportunities to be in the lead but, like so many things, the Lightning’s goaltending is a strength for them just like it’s a strength for the Canadiens.

But aside from that, the Canadiens are conceding a lot to the Lightning in this series, namely star talent. There is no one that quite compares to Hedman, or Kucherov, or Point, or Stamkos on the Canadiens.

The Lightning can do certain things the Canadiens can’t. To win this series, they can’t have the Lightning also do the things the Canadiens can do better than them.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216652 Montreal Canadiens netminder. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but Price played like the Canadiens’ best player on the ice. If the Canadiens adjust their game plan for Game 2, he could be in a much better position to steal a game if necessary. Tyler Toffoli, Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield throttled by Lightning in Game 1 loss: Playoff plus/minus Josh Anderson: It’s going to be fun seeing him go toe-to-toe with throughout the series if Game 1 was any indication. Physical, By Julian McKenzie Jun 29, 2021 9 quick and unafraid. One of the Canadiens’ few bright spots in the series opener. An honourable mention goes to his linemate, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Canadiens fans are used to Brendan Gallagher trying to cause mischief for being the only forward to pick up a point. But his late, third-period in front of the net and being unafraid of taking on anyone. So it wasn’t a penalty cancels out his plus. surprise to see him push Victor Hedman while in front of Andrei Vasilevskiy. The Canadiens are the smaller, scrappy underdog playing Brendan Gallagher: What a rough night for Gallagher. But despite the with nothing to lose. If it means having to push back against bigger bleeding forehead and the gang-up courtesy of the Lightning players, I opponents, so be it. felt his efforts warranted a plus. He led all Canadiens forwards in shots on goal and was willing to go into the dirty areas. He played his game Just be prepared to get pushed back. tonight, probably better than a number of other games throughout this BRENDAN GALLAGHER: 5' 9'', 183LB postseason.

The minuses VICTOR HEDMAN: 6' 6'', 241LB The Toffoli-Suzuki-Caufield line against the Palat-Point-Kucherov line: Jon Cooper 1, Luke Richardson 0. The Lightning used home ice to their RESULT advantage by ensuring their best players wouldn’t be matched up against ( : @SPORTSNET)PIC.TWITTER.COM/SK2Y61Y7AQ the Canadiens shutdown line led by Phillip Danault. As a result, the line was on the ice for three goals against and looked like the team’s Achilles’ — SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN (@FAN590) JUNE 29, 2021 heel. Nick Suzuki had a woeful night in the faceoff dot at 29 percent. Cole Caufield and Tyler Toffoli combined for three shots on net. Their hands That moment could pass as a microcosm for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup were full with a superior line and they each ended the night as a minus-3. Final: The Canadiens tried to push up against a bigger, stronger, more talented roster in the Lightning and didn’t win the opening battle of the Offensive/neutral zone turnovers: Brayden Point made a great defensive series. play on the Lightning first goal, picking off a Caufield pass before sending his team’s offence forward. Neither Toffoli nor Ben Chiarot (more on the The Lightning created goals off turnovers, they were unafraid of matching latter below) picked up Erik Cernak who ended up scoring to finish the the Canadiens’ physical play, they got traffic and chances in front of play. In the second, Gallagher tried to send a pass despite Barclay Carey Price and they even got their power play to work against a nearly Goodrow being in his face. It led to another turnover and, eventually, impenetrable penalty kill near the end of the game. Tampa also got Tampa’s second goal. Joel Edmundson tried to pass the puck to Caufield scoring from its big guns and secondary scorers. More importantly for the in the neutral zone, but the rookie misjudged where the puck would be, Bolts, they had control of the game from the first period until the end, confusion ensued and the Lightning regained possession. That’s three punching the Canadiens in the mouth. goals that came directly off turnovers. Simply put: You can’t afford to I mentioned that Monday night’s 5-1 loss to the Lightning was the make those mistakes against a team like the Lightning. Canadiens’ biggest punch in the mouth they had received from a playoff Ben Chiarot: A one-time nickname for Chiarot … Pinball Wizard. How opponent since their first-round series against the Maple Leafs. Some else can you describe his shot that ricocheted off not one, but two fans countered with the team losing Game 1 against the Golden Knights Lightning players, before beating Vasilevskiy? Or the failed juggling in the Stanley Cup semifinal. It’s a fair point to make as the Canadiens attempt in front of Price that led to Kucherov scoring? Or a Gourde shot failed to build off a first period that saw them get the vast majority of going off Chiarot, leading to a Tampa goal? If you add him being on the quality chances before the Golden Knights took over. ice for Tampa’s first goal scored, where neither he nor Toffoli picked up I felt, unlike the Golden Knights series-opening loss, that the Canadiens Cernak, Game 1 won’t go down as a banner night for the defenceman. didn’t have much control of the game against the Lightning. They were The officiating: Two non-calls stand out to me. Let’s begin with fortunate to get out of the first period only down 1-0, despite their nerves Gallagher’s forehead being cut. holding them back. Montreal’s mistakes were also quite costly against Tampa, and as opposed to the Golden Knights series where their BRENDAN GALLAGHER BLOODY AFTER GOING HEAD-FIRST INTO defencemen made them pay, key forwards like Nikita Kucherov, Steven THE ICE WHILE FIGHTING WITH MIKHAIL SERGACHEV Stamkos and Yanni Gourde did. PIC.TWITTER.COM/UVLERVBMGW

Fortunately for the Canadiens, this was all just one battle. There are — OMAR (@TICTACTOMAR) JUNE 29, 2021 more ahead in this series. I’m not sure why it isn’t considered to be a dangerous play seeing Mikhail The Canadiens were going to be in tough against this Lightning team Sergachev throw a player onto the ice without a helmet? Especially with from the jump. What many Canadiens fans can hold on to after the final blood leaking from Gallagher’s face after the fact? You clearly see an horn blared at Amalie Arena is that the team can still make adjustments watching the melee unfold. Gallagher probably doesn’t mind the for Game 2. A win on the road changes the complexion of the series. fisticuffs and rough stuff, but it is curious that this instance wasn’t called for a penalty. It happened against the Golden Knights. On the other hand, a slash on Kucherov from Shea Weber also went And with that, it’s time for the good and bad. unpunished. Notice who stands up next to Kucherov as he slides into the The pluses boards.

Carey Price: The goaltender can add more scintillating saves to his 2021 THINGS ARE JUST GOING highlight tape after Game 1. He made a glove save to rob Stamkos in the KUCHEROV SLASHED PIC.TWITTER.COM/0SCGLZOPRO first period and denied Tyler Johnson with a pad save in the second period. — OMAR (@TICTACTOMAR) JUNE 29, 2021

CAREY PRICE IS KEEPING THE MONTREAL CANADIENS ALIVE We’re a while away from the officiating we saw in the Canadiens-Golden Knights series, but their performance opens the door for us to nitpick UNREAL SAVE ON TYLER JOHNSON them. PIC.TWITTER.COM/4WFVJ5VERS The Athletic LOADED: 06.29.2021 — OMAR (@TICTACTOMAR) JUNE 29, 2021

If it weren’t for some of the mistakes made while in possession of the puck, the Canadiens probably make the game a lot closer for their 1216653 Montreal Canadiens “I had tears, more than anything,” says Braithwaite, who was a pallbearer at Daron’s funeral service. “She’s looking down at him and he’s looking back up. It’s a family thing. And they all did it together.”

The Richardsons are headed to the Stanley Cup Final. And as always, On that fateful day in November 2010, Dagenais was driving down the Daron is along for the ride 401 for a girls hockey tournament in the GTA when his phone rang.

Stephanie Richardson’s name came up on his caller ID, but when he answered the phone, it was the voice of a man he didn’t recognize on the By Ian Mendes Jun 28, 2021 other end. It was a police officer with a grim message: An accident had occurred in the Richardson home and Dagenais was forced to return to

Ottawa immediately. He tried to press for details, but the officer simply When Luke Richardson finally makes his Stanley Cup Final debut on replied, “You need to get here first.” Monday night in Tampa, his daughter Morgan will be inside Amalie Arena When he arrived on the scene, Dagenais found Stephanie distraught and to savour the moment. overcome with emotions. The sudden trauma was so extreme, she could “She is so excited to fly down and see the game,” says Luke’s wife, not even bring herself to phone Luke. So Dagenais stepped in to make Stephanie, from the couple’s home in Montreal. the call that no best friend should ever have to make.

Now 27-years-old and a teacher in the Boston area, Morgan has been Over the next couple of days, Dagenais became the point person for the unable to attend any of her dad’s previous games during this playoff run family, keeping former teammates and friends updated on Daron’s because of pandemic restrictions. But she’ll be in attendance on Monday situation. At one point, he remembers juggling three cell phones — his — wearing one of the custom T-shirts designed by Angela Price and own, Luke’s and Stephanie’s — simply using whichever device had Julie Petry and worn by the players’ wives. It’s a sign of how the enough battery power to send messages to their inner circle. Richardsons have been truly embraced by the Canadiens family. And it was Dagenais who was tasked with disseminating the family And while Morgan will be attending Game 1 in person, some members of statement revealing Daron’s cause of death. He recalls standing in the Luke Richardson’s inner circle are convinced the spirit of the couple’s ICU unit at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario when Luke handed late daughter Daron has also been inside the Bell Centre during this him a piece of paper. magical ride to the Stanley Cup Final. “I said to Luke, ‘Are you sure you want to be saying this?’ When Richardson won his debut game as the replacement for head “And he just looked at me and said, ‘Yes.'” coach Dominique Ducharme — who is in COVID protocol — it came courtesy of an inexplicable late-game gaffe from Vegas netminder Marc- “I couldn’t believe it,” says Dagenais. “The statement was very specific. Andre Fleury. And it didn’t hide the fact Daron tried to harm herself.”

“I texted Luke right after the game and said, ‘She had something to do The family came to this decision hours earlier, after Stephanie’s with that. I just know she did,'” says Mike Dagenais. conversation with Dr. Robert Milin, who was making the rounds at CHEO that night as a mental health professional. Stephanie was unsure how Dagenais has been Luke Richardson’s closest friend for nearly 40 years, they would explain Daron’s tragedy to her 16-year-old sister Morgan. Did their lifelong bond sealed as junior teammates with the Peterborough they need to hide the truth in order to save their other daughter from Petes in the 1980s. Dagenais has become a quasi family member of the anguish? Richardsons and was bestowed the honour of being Daron’s godfather. And he was certain Daron’s mischievous spirit played a hand in the “Are we going to hurt Morgan with the truth?” Stephanie recalls asking Canadiens’ Game 3 victory over the Golden Knights. Dr. Milin.

“The thing you need to know about Daron is she was a bit of a prankster. He responded by saying the truth would not hurt, adding that honesty And I know it sounds silly, but it’s nice to think she played a role in that and transparency would actually help with the grieving process. win when Fleury misplayed the puck,” says Dagenais. “She was there. She was in the building and she was looking out for him.” “What about all the other kids? Daron’s friends and teammates?” Stephanie asked. As he left the ice that evening, Richardson certainly felt the connection with Daron, as television cameras caught the moment where he tapped “You will help them,” Dr. Milin said. “Because now they will be able to ask his DIFD lapel pin over his heart and blew a kiss onto his hand and some questions.” gestured above him to the sky. The DIFD movement — Do It For Daron There was genuine terror racing through the circle of Daron’s closest — was launched after Daron tragically ended her own life at the age of friends and families, many of whom were wondering, “Who’s next?” 14 in November 2010. Years later, Daron’s friends are eternally grateful for the Richardsons’ Stephanie Richardson was sitting near the Canadiens home bench inside decision to open up about their personal tragedy. the Bell Centre that night, but she did not witness that gesture with her “I’m incredibly proud of the Richardsons for sharing their story. I’m own eyes. grateful they took that initiative on. It was helpful for my peer group,” “I did not see that. But it was sent to my phone instantly by so many Saikaley says now. “They gave us the courage to have these people,” Stephanie says. “Luke is a private person. I think that was just conversations surrounding mental health and to help DIFD grow.” instinct and he was just overwhelmed with pride. He showed a part of Dagenais was protective of the family and skeptical of their decision to be himself and his soul. You see this big strong man, but in that moment, so public at a time in which they were all overcome with so much grief. In you also see that he’s just a human being.” hindsight, he is overwhelmed by how many lives the Richardsons have That video moment was amplified tens of thousands of times on social saved. media and eventually found its way onto the phone of Selena Saikaley, “I never dreamed it would have this kind of impact,” he says of the who was one of Daron’s best friends in ninth grade at Ashbury College in movement that ultimately evolved into DIFD. “It has just snowballed and Ottawa. opened up a lot of conversations.” “I saw it over and over on Instagram that night. My initial reaction was, Saikeley recalls “Do it for Daron” was a phrase she and friends would ‘This is amazing,'” says Saikaley, now 25 years old and a graduate of the utter when they were facing a particularly tough stretch following their law program at the University of Ottawa. “I think I was blown away by friend’s death. They would simply power through by saying “Do it for how many mainstream media accounts were posting it. To see DIFD Daron,” but soon the mantra turned into a movement. It started small with become more widespread like that was really heartwarming.” bake sales and making homemade bracelets, but it has exploded into a Meanwhile, Fred Braithwaite — who was Richardson’s teammate in massive entity in conjunction with The Royal Ottawa Hospital. The Edmonton and Columbus — was overcome with emotion when he saw grassroots DIFD initiative has helped fund critical research into the field the poignant moment involving one of his best friends. of youth mental health. As Stephanie explains, “DIFD is a bottom-up” initiative, where the youth we’ve got to have everybody’s backs,'” Kostka recalls. “And I was like, in the community were the catalysts. But those kids were motivated to ‘Wow, this is certainly different.'” take action thanks to the Richardsons’ brave decision. Later that season, Richardson emphasized the togetherness aspect of “I still don’t understand how they did that — to be so public,” adds his coaching philosophy after a particularly tough stretch. He put together Braithwaite. “You didn’t hear about mental health issues for teens until an intense 40-minute practice session without any pucks, often known as they came out with the family story. And they’re private people. This was a “punishment” or “bag skate.” But there was one significant difference never about them. They don’t like the spotlight. And look how many lives with Richardson’s approach: He joined the players. they’ve saved. Not just in Ottawa, but around the country and the world.” “The amazing thing was Luke was right there with us. He did every single Those around the Richardsons felt a tremendous sense of guilt, that drill,” says Kostka. “And as a player, how can you complain? To me, perhaps they missed some obvious signs of depression in Daron. Her that’s true leadership.” grade 9 homeroom teacher Michelle Holman was distraught at the notion she may have been able to save Daron if only she was paying closer “He would do that several times a year,” adds Mark Fraser, who also attention. played for Richardson in Binghamton. “I remember thinking, ‘Man, I want to be in his shape when I’m that age.’ You didn’t want to be the guy doing But Stephanie quickly exonerated her, saying, “You saw what I saw. We a drill with the coach right on your heels. So it got the guys motivated, need to change things so that kids like Daron feel like they can talk to especially the younger players.” people about this stuff.” In Binghamton, the players saw Richardson blossoming into a successful Now each year on Daron’s birthday, Holman sends a lovely e-mail head coach. And Daron’s presence was never far away. The club message to Stephanie, yet another bittersweet, lifelong connection for organized DIFD nights in conjunction with the local mental health hospital the Richardson family that was born out of tragedy. in the area. Fans were encouraged to wear purple to the games and the “Power to the Purple” night was born, ensuring Daron’s legacy was felt As they tried to put their shattered life back together, Stephanie had the inside the arena in Binghamton. unimaginable task of cleaning out Daron’s school backpack one final time. At the bottom of the bag, Stephanie discovered a drawing she had “If I had to guess, I think the tragic event with Daron turned Luke into a never seen before on a piece of tissue paper. It was bright and upbeat, more loving father, a more loving husband and in turn, a more loving featuring trees and a shining sun. It was done in conjunction with a coach,” says Fraser. “There’s an empathy with him that you don’t see couple of students and the words were written, “Hello, my name is with other hockey coaches. He’s got the ability to see athletes as human Daron” — in the language of a classmate who was just learning to speak beings, not just as athletes. I would run through a wall for him.” English. Just prior to the pandemic shutting down the world in March 2020, The family clung to this final scrap of artwork but were worried about its Stephanie Richardson found herself back in Binghamton, visiting a city durability considering it was simply drawn on a piece of tissue paper. So that has endeared itself to her family. It had been almost four years since Erin Phillips — the wife of then-Senators defenceman Chris Phillips — she and Luke called the city home, as Luke stepped away from the helped coordinate a process that would save the picture forever. The Senators organization in the spring of 2016. image was transferred to a canvas backdrop and multiple copies were created. As she stood on a street corner, a city bus just happened to pull up in front of her. The side of the bus was decorated in purple and there was a They are proudly displayed in each of the Richardsons’ various homes — prominent DIFD heart logo on display. It was an advertisement for the a constant reminder that Daron’s beautiful, creative soul is always with local Mental Health Association in Binghamton, with a hotline number them. available for people looking for peer support.

Less than two years after Daron’s death, the Richardsons were ready for Stephanie pulled out her phone and snapped a picture, to capture the a fresh start. moment that felt powerful and fateful. Why else would a city bus pull up at that exact moment, if not to send a message? In May 2012, Luke accepted a job to become the head coach of the Senators AHL affiliate in Binghamton. The job would take him and And the message was clear: Daron’s legacy is alive and well in another Stephanie to upstate New York, where they would be a short drive from place the Richardsons used to call home. Cornell, where Morgan had started her studies and her own NCAA hockey career. While Luke Richardson’s coaching career was taking off in the AHL, Doug MacLean was watching it unfold with great interest. “Once I saw he “They were able to take a bit of a step away to reconnect as a family and was coaching in Binghamton, that’s really when it first crossed my mind get away from the Ottawa spotlight,” says Dr. Raj Bhatla, chief of staff at that he could have a future in this thing,” says MacLean. The Royal Ottawa Hospital in Ottawa. “It provided a lift to all of them.” MacLean readily acknowledges he didn’t exactly see a coaching future The Richardsons credit Bhatla — who is the psychiatrist-in-chief at the for Richardson when he signed the veteran defenceman to a free agent mental hospital — with helping them navigate the traumatic months after contract in Columbus in the summer of 2002. He just wanted the 33-year- Daron’s passing. The death of a child often puts an untenable amount of old to be a stabilizing force on the ice, and more importantly, in the pressure on a marriage, leading to separations and divorce. dressing room.

Bhatla admits his relationship with the Richardsons has now become “We brought him in there to be a leader,” says MacLean. “The way he equal parts professional and personal, as he has formed a connection handled himself was over the top. It was a slam dunk for me to name him that goes beyond the typical relationship he experiences in the mental the captain. He had unbelievable respect in the room.” health field. When Stephanie speaks at DIFD events to share her family’s emotional story, Bhatla is often present to offer a clinical explanation MacLean recalls Luke and Stephanie taking a young Gilbert Brule under related to depression. And he believes the Richardsons should be lauded their wings, inviting the prized prospect to live with them for a few weeks for their decision to seek help for themselves. as he tried to break into the NHL as a teenager.

“They were brave enough to reach out for support themselves,” says MacLean has fond memories of Morgan and Daron running around the Bhatla. “They knew they were at risk. But they wanted to do right by Blue Jackets dressing room on weekends. They were just elementary Morgan. And through it all, they stayed true to themselves as a couple. school kids at the time, soaking in their father’s unique work environment And to their values.” with wide eyes and enthusiasm. MacLean can also remember exactly where he was — out for a walk in Florida — when he got the phone call With a fresh start in Binghamton, Richardson emphasized the family about Daron’s death in November 2010. atmosphere to his players. Mike Kostka recalls a preseason meeting with all of the players and he was surprised to see Stephanie at the front of But as with most stories involving the Richardsons, there is a unique and the room. It was the first and only time the defenceman can recall a hopeful plot twist involving the city of Columbus. coach’s wife being present at a team meeting with all of the players. Last season, Mike Dagenais’ 14-year-old son Ryder was playing in the “I remember Luke saying, ‘Listen, some of you will go up to the NHL. Mid-American Hockey Championships regional final game in Columbus. Some will stay here. But above all, we’re one big family in here. And Ryder had been babysat by the Richardson girls when he was younger and his connection to the family is as close as his father’s. On his way into the rink in Columbus, Ryder noticed a purple DIFD heart sticker on the arena door — a clear sign of the impact the Richardson family had in that city. Ryder texted his father about the DIFD sticker and took it as an omen that maybe Daron was looking out for him.

The game went to overtime, where naturally, Ryder Dagenais scored the winning goal to lift his team to the nationals.

The people closest to the Richardsons were asked to envision what they might experience if they can see Luke hoist the Stanley Cup for the first time in his hockey career in a couple of weeks. And much like the story of the Richardsons, a wide range of emotions come pouring out when they discuss the possibility of Luke being crowned a Stanley Cup champion.

The phone went silent for a few seconds when the question was posed to Mike Kostka.

“I’m in tears right now,” said Kostka. “I just don’t think I really need to say anything else.”

“Just listening to that scenario, I already have the biggest smile on my face,” says Mark Fraser. “It would be such a joy.”

“To see the look on their faces would be amazing. It’ll be such a moment of joy for the family,” says Selena Saikaley. “I know how hard Luke has worked over the years. But in the back of my mind, I’d be thinking how great it would be for Daron to see her dad with the Stanley Cup.”

Many in their inner circle believe a Stanley Cup championship would serve as tangible proof of the existence of hockey gods, as clearly, the Richardsons deserve a moment to bask in hockey’s greatest spotlight after the journey they’ve endured.

“Yes, I would say I believe in karma if that happens,” says Brathwaite. “Nobody picked the Montreal Canadiens to be here. And now Luke is their head coach? It’s almost surreal. What their family has gone through, this would be amazing.”

“That would be karma, because it couldn’t happen to a nicer family,” adds Dr. Bhatla. “It would be a tribute to their resilience and character. And you just know Daron would be looking down on them.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216654 MontrealCanadiens Are those names on the official list? “We’ve kind of talked about it, mockingly,” he said, laughing. “I mean, we

kind of talked about Carey as a middle name. We’ll see.” ‘Something big to belong to’: Canadiens fans from Nunavut to Sweden He paused. share stories of their connection to the team “Jesperi is a pretty unique name,” he said. “It’s definitely a thought.”

Kanungo was born and raised in Edmonton, and reached his sports- By Sean Fitz-Gerald Jun 28, 2021 loving age just after the Oilers sold Wayne Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings. He had uncles who were hardcore Canadiens fans, and when he turned six, relatives gave him a copy of ’s beloved short Hunter Goodon was two-and-a-half years old when he was diagnosed story, “.” with leukemia. Doctors told his parents the prognosis was promising, with an 80 per cent chance of survival. “Even though I lived in Edmonton, and a lot of my friends growing up were Oilers fans, the red-white-and-blue is my team,” he said. “That was That still left 20 per cent for uncertainty. part of my identity growing up … it was a lot of banter, even for school- aged kids.” “As a dad, you’re terrified,” said Hunter’s father, Will. “Sleeping in the hospital. On the floor. In these uncomfortable chairs, watching your little Gemma Peralta, Winnipeg, Man. boy going through pain because the treatment is sometimes worse than the illness.” It was not always about the Canadiens. Gemma Peralta grew up in Victoria, B.C., as a devoted fan of and the Vancouver Will Goodon grew up as the son of a Montreal Canadiens fan on a farm Canucks. She was studying at McGill University in Montreal when the in southwestern Manitoba, and he made sure Hunter was clothed in the New York Islanders traded Linden to the Canadiens in 1999, and she team’s logo before he was a week old. By the time he was four, Hunter took it as a sign. had a role model in Montreal. “I’ve been hooked with the team ever since,” she said. , the Canadiens captain, was also undergoing treatment for cancer. Peralta moved to Winnipeg for a job three years ago. She was the only Canadiens fan in a group chat, and it got awfully quiet during the second “One of the things we told Hunter was, ‘Look, the captain of the Montreal round of the playoffs, as Montreal swept the local team out in four Canadiens is taking his needles, he has to take his treatment and he’s games. Peralta tried to soften the blow: She ordered eight dozen bagels working really hard — and we know he would like you to do the same from St-Viateur Bagel, one of Montreal’s famed bakeries. thing,’” said Will. “You’re a four-year-old kid, you’re getting needles all the time. It’s pretty rough.” “There’s a little bit of honey in that bagel to sweeten that loss for the Jets fans in my life,” she said with a chuckle. “Carbs cure everything. Nature Hunter Goodon just completed his first year of medical school at the is very healing, and they were happy to receive the Montreal bagels.” University of Manitoba. He grew up playing high-level hockey. He got to meet Koivu, and the Canadiens star sent letters that are still in the family She has another delivery scheduled to arrive July 5. home in Brandon, Man. There has been discussion he might go into Brian Coughlin, Osoyoos, B.C. pediatric oncology, just like the doctors who saved his life. Brian Coughlin was adopted as a child. Growing up in Cornwall, Ont., he Hunter is 23 years old, and he is known to wear his father’s old Steve had been told his given name was spelled Bryan — with a ‘y’ — but it Shutt jersey. was not until he embarked on adult pursuits like applying for loans that The Canadiens, said his father, are “a family tradition.” he realized his name was legally spelled with the ‘i.”

Montreal is a franchise with a reach that stretches far beyond the borders “I actually consider being a Habs fan the only constant in my entire life,” of Quebec. As the Canadiens enter the Stanley Cup final for the first time he said. “That’s the only thing that’s never changed.” since 1993, fans who live far from Bell Centre shared their connection to He left for Osoyoos for a seasonal job 16 years ago and decided he a team chasing its 25th title. never wanted to leave the area. His four-year-old daughter, Eller, was Jennifer Knox, Georgetown, Ont. named after former Canadiens forward Lars Eller. His two-year-old son, Corson, was named after former Montreal star . Michael and Mary Jo Knox grew up in Montreal, and there was never a question which team their kids were going to support, even with the They have a cat, too. His wife came up with its name. family settled in a small town 45 minutes west of Toronto, deep in the “She said the big fuzzy orange thing looks like Youppi,” he said, a nod to heart of Maple Leafs country. the Canadiens mascot. “And I said, ‘Well, I guess we just named him.’” “It’s not easy to make friends,” Jennifer Knox, the youngest of their three Kirsty Conrad, Iqaluit, Nunavut children, said with a chuckle. “Everyone knows the Knoxes as the Habs fans. To be a Knox is to be a Habs fan. It’s honestly in our family fabric.” In November 2019, a job drew Kirsty Conrad up to Iqaluit. She has only left the area once since then: Friends bought her a ticket, third row off the On the day Montreal eliminated the Vegas Golden Knights from the glass, to see a Canadiens game before the pandemic hit. Stanley Cup semifinal, they posed for a family photo. It was a recreation of one taken in 2002, except Jennifer (22), Matthew (26) and the eldest, “I felt bad, because I felt like I wasn’t appreciating this tremendous gift as Bradley (28), were now fully-grown fanatics, rather than children. much as I should,” she said. “It felt like I was having an out-of-body experience. It did not seem real.” “With the 19 years between the two photos, it’s cool to see how we’ve changed,” said Jennifer. “But the one thing that hasn’t changed is our She is 31 years old, which is too young to have any memory of love for this team. It’s always been part of our family.” Montreal’s last Stanley Cup win. She grew up in rural Nova Scotia, and she gets too anxious to enjoy watching the games live. (“I have to watch OUI THE NORTH ❤ … SAME TABLE, JUST REPLACED THE every game twice now.”) TROPHY WITH OUR LITTLE MAGGIE #MONTREALCANADIENS #HABS #GAME6 #GOHABSGO PIC.TWITTER.COM/FZXE8O0GY1 Her little brother lives in Saint John, N.B., and when they watch the games together, her stream is often 10-to-15 seconds behind what he is — JENN (@JENN_KNOX14) JUNE 25, 2021 watching. It is not bad, she said, because his reactions give her that Dr. Jaideep Kanungo, Esquimalt, B.C. much more time to prepare for the drama — whether they are goals for, or against, her team. At some point in the next month, Dr. Jaideep Kanungo and his partner, Glenys Jenkyns, will welcome the arrival of their first child. HOW ABOUT IQALUIT? PIC.TWITTER.COM/EGUQISY52L

“Might have to name the child Carey or Shea or Jesperi or something like — KIRSTY (@1IGHTCAP) JUNE 25, 2021 that,” said Kanungo, rattling off the first names of Canadiens players. Scott Reid, Toronto, Ont. His wife’s sister has married a fan from Montreal. The team, and its run, has pulled them all closer. And it will take them into Quebec when the As much as anything, it was pragmatism that connected Scott Reid with series shifts north from Tampa, Fla. the Canadiens. He grew up near Belleville, Ont., about two hours east of Toronto, and he was surrounded by children who loved Darryl Sittler, and “If it’s still tight after Game 4 and 5, if it’s still a series and it’s not over, I’ll who carried Eddie Shack lunch boxes to school. probably stay to the end,” said Vokey. “I don’t care. I’m not going to leave my team until the season ends.” By the mid-1970s, the Leafs had already gone a decade without an appearance in the Stanley Cup Final. David Hockley, Yarmouth, N.S.

“All of the sudden, I was like, ‘Um, do you guys have access to mass When they got engaged, in January 2012, David Hockley and his fiancée media?’” said Reid. “If you go down the other end of (Highway) 401, began scouting for potential wedding dates. They liked the idea of a there’s this team that wins the Cup every year.’” Saturday wedding in August.

There was a certain contrarianism to it, as well, but there was also Guy “The No. 11 jumped out right away,” said Hockley. Lafleur and Ken Dryden. The family has a copy of Dryden’s book “The Game” under the television where they watch the team play. It was the second Saturday that month, and it also happened to be the number Saku Koivu wore with the Canadiens. Hockley was also a fan of “In the midst of this pandemic — lockdowns, looking for second doses — fellow forwards Mark Recchi and , but a date with the regularity of watching it every night, and the unexpected playoff Koivu’s number seemed karmically symmetrical. surge, it’s been a blessing,” said Reid. “I thank God I’m a Habs fan. I feel fortunate, because it’s been a burst of delight in what’s been a pretty He had made his first trip to the Bell Centre a few years earlier. He bleak 15 months.” bought a Koivu jersey that he still wears.

Patrik Bexell, Gothenburg, Sweden “To have Aug. 11 on the table,” he said, “was pretty cool.”

Jean Béliveau scored three goals over 44 seconds during a single Ross Davidson, Surrey, B.C. power-play against the Boston Bruins in 1955. It was a distillation of Gary Nylund, the former NHL defenceman, had three daughters — Montreal’s dominance with the man advantage, and it has been credited triplets — and they were all in the Grade 6 class Ross Davidson was with two outcomes: The NHL changed the rules, releasing a player from teaching that year. It was getting close to Christmas, which meant that the penalty box after a single goal, and it made Patrik Bexell a Canadiens some students would come to school bearing gifts. fan. Davidson was a long-time teacher, and he tried not to make the gifts a He heard the story growing up in Sweden. Today, as a secondary school big deal. Not all students would bring a gift, after all, and he always teacher in Gothenburg, he has a replica Béliveau jersey hanging in the wanted to be sensitive to their feelings. The triplets were excited about front of his classroom. (He is also a contributor to “Habs Eyes on The the gift they brought. Prize,” a popular blog devoted to the Canadiens.) They knew he was a Canadiens fan. Davidson was born in 1949 and The time difference means the puck will drop for Game 1 shortly after 2 grew up at a time when the team was a powerhouse. As he explained: a.m. in Sweden. “They were the Flying Frenchmen — who’s going to cheer for Toronto “It’s going to be easy to stay up,” said Bexell. “But I’m going to be when you could cheer for this team that’s just so much excitement and nervous. I’m wondering how my nails will look after this final.” passion?”

Dr. Tahira S. Ahmed, Windsor, Ont. He opened the gift.

It did not take long for Dr. Tahira S. Ahmed to discover the Canadiens It was a signed Jean Béliveau jersey. after she moved to Canada from Pakistan in the early 1970s. She and “I wear it,” he said. “I don’t have it in a frame.” her husband had a black-and-white television when they settled in Ottawa. Noha Beshir, Outaouais region, Que.

“The Montreal Canadiens started playing, and I told my husband, ‘This is In Grade 6, in Ottawa, the teacher let students wander down to the library wonderful skating,’” she said. “I used to do roller skating. But way back in as a reward for completing their assignments. On Feb. 27, 1994, Noha Pakistan, there was no ice skating. I said, ‘Gee, I like this game.’” Beshir finished her work, went to the library, and watched Canada face Sweden for the gold medal in men’s hockey at the Lillehammer There were the Mahovlich brothers — Frank and Pete — and Yvan Olympics. Cournoyer. And there was another one, too: Guy Lafleur. Peter Forsberg scored the decisive shootout goal to beat Canada. A few years ago, her son, Sulemaan, invited her to a game in Montreal and got her into a lounge where the Montreal alumni roam. “Like, 10 minutes earlier, I didn’t know the difference,” Beshir said with a laugh. “And suddenly, I had a broken heart because we just lost the “I saw Guy Lafleur,” she said, “and I’m telling you: I just about died.” gold.”

Ahmed wears the jersey he signed for her that day. She said she has a She followed the Leafs for awhile but ultimately migrated to the signed photo of Lafleur hanging in her office — in an area filled with Red Canadiens. She read Gazette reporter Red Fisher. She became a fan of Wings fans — and that new patients often ask if she is really a Saku Koivu, José Théodore and the grand history of the franchise. Canadiens fan. “There’s a sense of identity there,” she said. “There’s a sense of She is, and she still laughs when recounting the conversation she had something big to belong to. Aside from loving hockey, specifically the with Lafleur. She told him she had been a fan of his for 45 years. Canadiens, that’s what draws me in.”

He smiled at her: “But I’m only 40.” Chief Clarence Louie, Oliver, B.C.

Josh Vokey, Toronto, Ont. Chief Clarence Louie, the long-time chief of the Osoyoos Indian Band, On the night the Canadiens eliminated the Golden Knights, Josh Vokey has a book scheduled for release in November. It is titled “Rez Rules: My and his wife booked an Airbnb in Montreal. Indictment of Canada’s and America’s Systemic Racism Against Indigenous People.” “We don’t need to be in the stadium,” he said. “We just want to be on Saint Catherine Street. We just want to be there.” After a phone conversation, he sent a photograph of the book’s cover, which shows him sitting on his motorcycle. He is wearing sunglasses, a He was a Grade 3 student in Gander, Nfld., when the Canadiens won headdress and a Montreal jersey: “Being a real Habs fan and not a their last Stanley Cup. He became a fan and never wavered even phony one, I had to wear my No. 13 Habs jersey.” though, historically, he jumped on the bandwagon just as the team began its longest championship drought. He bought it at Bell Centre years earlier. And he was working to find tickets for the Stanley Cup Final, wanting to see his team play for a title for the first time in almost three decades. “Most of my inner circle comes from sports,” he said. “To play sports, there’s nothing like the highs and lows.”

Those relationships, he said, can extend beyond sports.

“When you see other Habs fans at airports — or anywhere — you can go up to them, or give them a wink or give them the nod, or you tip your cap,” he said. “That’s what sports does.”

Chris Rennie, Yorkton, Sask.

Blaine Rennie had a plan for naming his sons. He was a lifelong Canadiens fan, identifying strongly with the team and its logo, with the familiar CH in the crest.

His sons were named Chris and Chad.

Both names began with the CH.

“That was my dad’s thing,” Chris said. “He had to name us after the CH.”

The Canadiens were not always on the English channels in Yorkton, so they would watch the games on the French channel, even though they were not fluent in the language.

“Whenever you hear ‘et le but’ you know we scored a goal,” said Chris.

He had his daughter write “Et le But,” and had a tattoo artist transfer the script to his leg.

Blaine Rennie died on May 27, after the Maple Leafs had taken a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven first-round series against the Canadiens.

“And ever since then, they’ve been kicking butt,” said Chris. “We always say he’s watching over those Habs. He’s getting them there. It’s been unbelievable to have this run right now.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216655 Montreal Canadiens overall. Vasilevskiy, too, was considered a generational prospect, drawing comparisons to Russian legend Vladislav Tretiak. Vasilevskiy might have been a top-five pick, too, but he had two things going against him: He was Russian, and he was a goalie, both of which can limit draft Andrei Vasilevskiy vs. Carey Price: Who is the best goalie in the world? position. But BriseBois said the hockey world knew Vasilevskiy was a special prospect, and “had the potential to be the best goalie in the

world.” By Joe Smith Jun 28, 2021 “You look at the size and skill level, he blew you away,” scouting director Al Murray said. “You follow him as a player up until the draft, he was a special player from the first time I saw him at age 15. He was the best Nikita Kucherov met Andrei Vasilevskiy when they were teenagers in Russian goalie to come through since Tretiak, and those kinds of Russia. comparisons were being made at a young age.

The two were touted prospects in the country’s development system, and “He played in three Under-18 world championships, world junior, KHL Vasilevskiy — the 6-foot-3 goalie — always found a way to stand out. playoffs as an 18-, 19-year-old. He’s been through a lot of pressure Kucherov saw the same relentless work ethic and compete level in situations. I’ve never ever seen him falter or flounder, or look Vasilevskiy at 16 as you see now in the Vezina Trophy winner. overwhelmed. He’s one of the most mature people I’ve ever been around at a young age.” “He wants to be better and he wants to be No. 1,” Kucherov said. “And, as we can see, he is.” Vasilevskiy and Price’s styles are different, however. “Price is smooth, elegant, very efficient in his movements,” Weekes said. “But when he That would spark debate in Montreal, where Carey Price, 33, is needs to, he has the power and agility to turn it on. He’s very controlled considered the best goaltender in the world. Price, a former Hart Trophy and a very elegant goalie. He’s hyper-competitive, but can play with a winner who led Canada to a gold medal in 2014, has often been cited as very low heart rate, which is rare.” the standard-bearer at the position the past decade. But Vasilevskiy, 26, has been closing in, with a likely second Vezina Trophy coming Tuesday Weekes has said Vasilevskiy is like Eric Lindros in net (the two both wore and potentially backstopping back-to-back Stanley Cups. The recent No. 88), with his power and explosiveness really standing out. NHLPA poll of around 500 players had Vasilevskiy winning in a landslide as the league’s top goaltender (54 percent), with Price — the No. 1 pick “There’s more cadence in how he plays,” Weekes said. “He’s very the previous three years — third at 8.25 percent. powerful, very athletic and when he needs it, super flexible too.”

Could this year’s Stanley Cup Final go a long way in settling the debate? Jose Theodore, who won the Hart Trophy with the Canadiens, said It’s Price and Vasilevskiy’s first head-to-head matchup in the playoffs and Vasilevskiy’s first seven years statistically are very similar to the first just the second time two Vezina Trophy winners have competed for the seven of Hall of Famers and Patrick Roy. Theodore championship. Dominik Hasek and Ed Belfour were the last two Vezina compared Vasilevskiy’s athleticism to Dominik Hasek, who said of the winners, back in 1999 with Buffalo and Dallas in the final. Lightning goaltender, “He’s a great goalie, he never gives up. He’s big, he’s quick. He’s acrobatic. He’s the reason why Tampa won the Cup, and “It’s a big personal challenge,” Vasilevskiy said. “In the game of hockey, now they’re one of the top teams.” you’ve got to beat the guy on the other side. And you’ve got to be better than him. So I’ll give it my best and I hope to do whatever I can to beat “What I like about Vasilevskiy is he’s not your typical goalie,” Theodore him. It’ll be interesting for the fans, for the experts, for everybody.” said. “He doesn’t play like Price or (Ben) Bishop, who always play the same system, can tell they have the same butterfly. Vasy is more (Via Moneypuck.com) athletic, where it doesn’t always look pretty, but he’ll do whatever it takes to stop the puck. He’s still very solid technically but lets his reaction play Price has backstopped an underdog Canadiens team to wins over the a big part. That’s why you see a lot of highlight saves. Some guys might Maple Leafs, Jets and Golden Knights in the first three rounds, with his quit on the play, but he’ll drive and throw his glove. playoff numbers (2.02 goals-against average. .934 save percentage) very similar to Vasilevskiy’s (1.99, .936). Vasilevskiy has clinched the “I have no problem saying he’s the best goalie in the league.” Lightning’s past four series, including the 2020 Cup Final, with a shutout, which is an NHL record. NHL Network analyst , a retired Biron believes Price has the ability to get into opponents’ heads, as goaltender, believes Vasilevskiy “has a chance to be in the top five of all evident in the series victory over the Golden Knights. He noted how time.” many times Vegas missed the net with shots while trying to be too fine, too perfect. But has Vasilevskiy already surpassed Price as the best goalie of this generation? Some aren’t ready to pass the torch. “That’s the Carey Price Effect right now,” Biron said. “He has that effect on shooters. You saw it in the Toronto series, saw it in the Winnipeg “Vasilevskiy is the best goalie in the world, and there’s no denying that,” series and saw it in the Vegas series. For me, that’s what he does. He’s said former NHL goaltender Martin Biron. “He’s so good technically, so just almost playing mind games with you. I remember (Jonathan) athletic, and incredibly fast. He’s got all the tools. He’s won a Cup, he’s Marchessault saying after Game 1, ‘No Carey Price isn’t in our heads.’ If been there. But Carey Price, I don’t think Vasilevskiy has gotten to that you’re addressing it, he is in your head.” level yet. Although Vasilevskiy has been incredible in the last few years and won the Cup, I still think Carey Price the name, his demeanor, his Those who have played with Price bring up the weight he has to carry as presence, who he is and what he’s accomplished, it carries so much the centerpiece of the franchise, which hasn’t always had the kind of weight. supporting cast Vasilevskiy has with the Lightning.

“I think Vasilevskiy is the best goalie, but Carey Price has that it factor “The team is built around him, he’s the main piece,” said former Montreal right now that you can’t look past.” and Lightning backup Peter Budaj. “It’s not taking away from Vasy. He’s the backbone of the Lightning. But they have a lot of superstars up front, Carey Price (Jean-Yves Ahern / USA Today) which is something Montreal doesn’t have. Carey is their biggest piece, and they’re really a team standing on him. They don’t have the Lightning GM Julien BriseBois is in the unique position of having been Kucherovs and Stamkos’ and Points and Hedmans.” part of drafting both Price and Vasilevskiy. CAREY PRICE REGULAR SEASON: 1.05 GOALS AGAINST PER XGA. BriseBois was part of the Canadiens front office in 2005 when Price was picked fifth. CAREY PRICE PLAYOFFS: 0.73 GOALS AGAINST PER XGA. PIC.TWITTER.COM/QHLVF0OLJS “At the time, our group considered him to be a generational prospect at the goaltender position,” BriseBois said. “Now, that draft was 2005, so — MICAH BLAKE MCCURDY (@INEFFECTIVEMATH) JUNE 25, 2021 we’re 16 years later, to see that he has realized that potential, he’s got a Hall of Fame career if he retires right now.” Budaj may be the only goalie to have backed up both Price and Vasilevskiy. BriseBois was an assistant GM with the Lightning when they selected Vasilevskiy seven years later with their second first-round pick, 19th He saw a lot of similarities in terms of their work ethic, how much pride 2019-20, saving 11.04 fewer goals than expected. But he bounced back they took in their practices, how athletic they were, and how they were so to have a strong postseason, a primary reason the Canadiens advanced down to earth. past Pittsburgh in the play-in round. In this season’s playoffs, it may look like Vasilevskiy and Price are close in save percentage, but Vasilevskiy “And the team loved to play for them,” Budaj said. has allowed a lower rate of goals, has had a tougher workload and has Budaj recalled that during the 2013 season, Price invited him over his responded better against that tougher workload. house in Montreal. Budaj joked Price was the typical Western Canadian (Charts by Shayna Goldman) kid who drove a pickup truck and loved the rodeo. Budaj said Price enjoyed practicing roping, having a machine in his garage with a “I guess the expression we could use is he’s a big-game player,” mechanical steer. Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin said of Price. “He rises to the occasion. He does extremely well under pressure. In big moments, like you Budaj said he had to learn the basics of how to do it, but Price was — of mentioned the Olympics, he was outstanding. I was part of the course — a natural. management group at the World Cup, he was outstanding. When the “He was really good,” Budaj said. “He’s really good at everything it seems game is on the line … I think they had a poll at some point in the past, if like.” you need a big game to win, who you want to be your goaltender, it’s Carey Price.” Another similarity between Price and Vasilevskiy is how religion plays a role in their lives and their careers. Praying is part of Vasilevskiy’s How both Vasilevskiy and Price fare in this series could go a long way in pregame routine, with the Lightning goaltender having an image of God who hoists hockey’s holy grail. painted on the back of his mask. He’s kept a plaque of Saint Andrew, the And it could further add to the debate of who is actually the best in the first follower of Jesus Christ, in his dressing room stall since he was a world? rookie. Vasilevskiy, along with his wife, Ksenia and their 3-year-old son Lukas, are known to visit St. Gregory’s Russian Orthodox Church in “Vasilevskiy is right there. He’s already won a Cup, been an All-Star, won Tampa on many Sundays. a Vezina,” said Lightning color analyst , a two-time Cup champ with the Canadiens. “Carey hasn’t won the Cup yet; it’s the only Vasilevskiy has met Russian Orthodox Bishop Patriarch Kirill a few times, thing he hasn’t. It’s a team sport, and you’ve got to be on the right team calling it one of the best experiences of his life. at the right tie. This is his chance right now. All I’m saying is, that passing “In church, I find myself,” Vasilevskiy said. “It’s where I can come and talk of the torch, Carey might say, ‘I’m not ready. If it’s still in my hand, it’s in to myself, just be with myself one-on-one. Sometimes, I need to set my my hand,’ I don’t expect him to retire anytime soon. mind, set my spirit. Especially when it’s tough times. It helps a lot. “I’ve already coined Vasilevskiy as the best in the world, a lot of people “A lot of guys are (praying), but nobody probably talks about it. It’s do. But I’d be reluctant in saying it’s the passing of the torch.” personal, but I respect that.” The Athletic LOADED: 06.29.2021 Price listens to a podcast, “Church on the Move,” which allows him to hear his favorite sermons during a hectic playing and traveling schedule. He said his faith helps him stay grounded and humble, and he’ll often pray for the safety of other players before games.

“It helps you see the perspective,” Budaj said. “It helps you be thankful for what’s going on. You play your best when you feel the outcome is out of your hands. It helps you focus on the task at hand and you don’t get distracted.”

The steadying presence of Vasilevskiy and Price allows their teams to play more freely, with confidence, and not worrying about mistakes. Steven Stamkos pointed out a breakaway by the Islanders’ Anthony Beauvillier early in Game 7 on Friday. Vasilevskiy made the stop and kept it 0-0. “It goes in, it’s a different story,” Stamkos said. “Vasy is our rock.”

So who is better? If you look at career playoff numbers, they’re pretty close.

Andrei Vasilevskiy

45-28

2.28

0.923

5

Carey Price

42-41

2.34

0.92

8

In 86 playoff games, Price has saved 0.45 more goals than expected, which equates to 0.01 per 60 minutes, according to Evolving-Hockey. In 76 playoff games, Vasilevskiy has saved 17.61 more goals than expected, which is a rate of 0.23 per 60. During the regular season? Vasilevskiy has saved 12.11 more goals than expected in 42 games, good for a rate of 0.29 per 60. Price had a rough regular season, saving 8.11 fewer goals than expected (-0.33 per 60).

Here are Price and Vasilevskiy’s playoff numbers from 2020 and 2021 side by side. Price had a tough regular season — by his standards — in 1216656 Montreal Canadiens the other already know what team they’re riding with, and I’ll focus on coming up with recommendations for anyone who doesn’t really care and just wants the best bandwagon to hop on.

Down Goes Brown: Canadiens or Lightning? A Stanley Cup Final rooting So with that said … the Flames. They have some Stanley Cup Final guide for every other fan base history with the Habs, splitting a pair of showdowns in the 1980s that included Calgary’s only championship in 1989. That’s worth something, as is lingering bad blood over the 2004 final against Tampa Bay. Now mix in the fact the Flames finished with more wins than the Canadiens By Sean McIndoe Jun 28, 2021 this season (and went 6-3-0 against them in the regular season), which kind of sort of means that if the Habs win, Calgary was actually better than the Cup champs. Look, don’t think too hard about it, just go with it. The Montreal Canadiens are in Tampa tonight to kick off the first round of the Atlantic Division playoffs. (Checks notes.) Nope, wait, apparently this Pick: Canadiens is the Stanley Cup Final. Huh. Got to be honest, I did not see this Carolina Hurricanes matchup coming. Not many of us did. But it’s been pretty much the weirdest season in NHL history, so let’s roll with it. There’s more history between the Hurricanes and Canadiens than you might think, and I’m still bitter that we only wound up with half of the One thing that hasn’t changed from past seasons: Two teams made the ultimate Team Chaos final. Still, this one doesn’t feel all that difficult. The final, which means everyone else didn’t. That means it’s time for one of Hurricanes saw their season end at the hands of the Lightning, and the my favorite annual columns, as we go through all of the other 30 teams Habs have Carolina legend Eric Staal. and try to figure out which of the finalists they should be rooting for. In theory, this year delivers a classic David vs. Goliath matchup, with the Pick: Canadiens defending champs facing a huge underdog that everyone should be rooting for. Does it actually work out that way? Let’s find out. Chicago Blackhawks

As always, these are suggestions only, and if you’ve already made up The Hawks are another team that was tied with the Canadiens in regular your mind then you’re free to stick with that pick. But if you’re on the season wins. But more importantly, Marc Bergevin’s overlapping fence or open for discussion, let’s see if we can talk you into one side or windows approach to building this team feels a lot like what Chicago is the other. trying to pull off. Seeing it work just about perfectly would be a nice proof- of-concept for Blackhawks fans wondering if they’re on the right track. Anaheim Ducks Pick: Canadiens Last year, I told Ducks fans they should root for Corey Perry’s team to beat the Lightning in the final. It’s always nice when the hockey gods give Colorado Avalanche me an excuse to recycle content. Avs fans should root for the Lightning, for two reasons. First, you’ve built Pick: Canadiens a high-skill roster and it would be nice to see that approach win out over a more defensive mindset. And second, even if you don’t know it, you’ve Arizona Coyotes got some buried down in your fan DNA, and that means you hate the Habs. The Canadiens won 24 games during the regular season, just like the Coyotes. By the transitive property of playoff success, that means that if Pick: Lightning they win the Cup then Arizona is knocking on the door too. Columbus Blue Jackets Pick: Canadiens I briefly got excited and thought Aaron Portzline was going to answer this Boston Bruins question for me, but he punted. As Aaron points out, both teams have a former Blue Jackets player in a key role — Josh Anderson in Montreal This is a tough matchup for Bruins fans, who aren’t exactly going to be and David Savard in Tampa Bay. (The Lightning also have Curtis shoving each other out of the way to get on the Lightning bandwagon McElhinney as their backup goalie.) Those probably come close to after their recent Atlantic Division rivalry. But come on — no self- canceling out, so we’ll look elsewhere. It’s tempting to pick Montreal, respecting Bruins fan can possibly cheer for the Habs, right? Of course because them winning would remind Columbus fans that a so-so team not. I’m guessing a lot of Boston fans will choose “none of the above,” but that everyone counts out and that pulls off a coaching change can win it if we have to pick one team, the choice is clear … all. But I’m going to go with Tampa Bay, because if they win again then Pick: Lightning the Blue Jackets can go another year claiming that they were the last team to beat the defending champs in the playoffs. Buffalo Sabres Pick: Lightning If you’re a Sabres fan searching desperately for some small ray of hope, good luck finding it in a Lightning team that seems miles ahead of Dallas Stars anything the Sabres could ever imagine being anytime soon. Then you You couldn’t beat the Lightning for the Cup last year, do you really want see a Habs team that finished with almost the same record as Buffalo to see an 18th place team waltz in and do it now? just last season, and you think … maybe? Pick: Lightning Pick: Canadiens Detroit Red Wings Huh. Is there still some lingering loyalty to the team Steve Yzerman Hold on, everyone. Timeout. helped build? Or do you fall back on Original Six nostalgia, maybe mixed Canada, huddle up, we need to talk. with the fact that a Habs win would mean the Red Wings could say that they haven’t lost to the Cup champs in over two years? I’ve been doing this gimmick for years now, but this is the column’s first season where we’ve had a Canadian team in the final. That means we I pushed Wings fans toward the Lightning last year and a lot of them have to consider the whole “Canada’s Team” debate again. Should a didn’t like it; there’s apparently more bad blood in that rivalry than the rest Canadian fan cheer for the country’s last remaining team, out of of us might expect. I’m guessing they won’t like this pick either, but patriotism or obligation or whatever, and root for them to end the nation’s consider it penance for being the team responsible for the dismantling of 28-year Cup drought? Or does it work the other way, where any decent the last championship roster Montreal had. Canadian fan will root against the country’s other teams out of spite? Pick: Canadiens There’s a right answer here, but let’s skip the debate entirely, if only Edmonton Oilers because having six Canadian entries that were all a cut-and-paste of the same Canada’s Team stuff wouldn’t be very interesting. Instead, I’m The Oilers are the only North Division playoff team that didn’t get going to assume that any Canadian fans who feel strongly one way or bumped off by the Habs, so there’s no ill will there. Instead, we can point out the presence of a pair of former Oilers blueliners who are writing cool winner knowing you’ll have to go through months of this second- postseason stories: Jeff Petry, who started his career in Edmonton guessing? before being given away traded to Montreal, and temporary coach Luke Richardson, who played more games with the Oilers than any other team Pick: Lightning in his 21-year career. Pittsburgh Penguins

Pick: Canadiens Are Pens fans still holding grudges against Carey Price for last year’s Florida Panthers play-in round? Maybe, but there’s more important turf to defend here. The Penguins remain the only team in the cap era to repeat as After almost three decades, we finally got our first Battle of Florida this champions, and the Lightning are threatening that. Pittsburgh fans have year, and it was … fine? I think it was fine. It feels like it was a long time already had to battle Chicago for the title of the era’s best team, do you ago, to be honest, but I seem to remember there was some bad blood, a really want Tampa knocking on that door too? few plots twists, and at least one game that was legitimately amazing. But the key point here is this: Florida fans, you did not wait all this time to Pick: Canadiens finally have a rivalry with the Lightning just to turn around and root for San Jose Sharks them in the final. Screw those guys. The Canadiens made Joe Thornton sad. Well, it’s probably more Pick: Canadiens accurate to say that the Maple Leafs made Joe Thornton sad, but you Los Angeles Kings already hate them. Let’s stay loyal to Barclay Goodrow and your early- 90s expansion cousins. Another tough one. The Tyler Toffoli factor has to play in here, after he won a Cup with you and left on good terms once the rebuild started. But Pick: Lightning there’s also the 1993 final, when the Canadiens used a cheap stick Seattle Kraken measurement to steal a first Cup you ended up waiting almost two more decades for. Would it be ridiculous and petty to still be holding a grudge You’re the new guys now, and that means you have to lead the way after nearly 30 years? Yes, it would, welcome to being a hockey fan. when it comes to rolling your eyes at stuffy tradition. Montreal’s the oldest team in the league, they just beat your expansion cousins, they also beat Pick: Lightning your new coach’s ex-team, and they’re facing an opponent that’s still Minnesota Wild relatively new in the grand scheme of things. You know what to do.

The Canadiens are a notoriously middle-of-the-pack team that doesn’t Pick: Lightning have an elite center but does have an exciting rookie and an aging St. Louis Blues former Predators player on the blueline, plus a GM who played for eight different NHL teams during his playing career. You’re practically twins. The Canadiens have two former Blues players in Jake Allen and Joel Edmundson, and their GM scored his most memorable playoff goal while Pick: Canadiens playing for St. Louis. Also, a Lightning win would give the Blues a league Nashville Predators record fifth ultimate loser title, including the last two back-to-back, and that doesn’t feel like a good thing. I’m sure some Predators fans will still have to hold their nose when it comes to rooting for Corey Perry, but come on, you have to be pulling for Pick: Canadiens OGWAC Shea Weber to get his first Cup here. Toronto Maple Leafs

Pick: Canadiens The Leafs are a tough one, even putting aside all the history between New Jersey Devils Toronto and Montreal. The big issue here is how a Canadiens win would reframe that first-round loss. Leafs fans have spent the last six weeks Having the Canadiens win the Cup by shutting down the Lightning on feeling like their collapse was an existential disaster for the current core. their way to winning four mind-numbingly dull 2-1 slogs might finally spell But if the Habs end up winning the Cup, especially with Toronto having the end of that whole “the 1995 Devils ruined hockey by inventing the given them their toughest challenge along the way, does that mean the concept of defense” narrative. Leafs may be closer than we think?

Pick: Canadiens Maybe, but I don’t think it’s enough. The Lightning are the team the Leafs want to be when they grow up — lots of skill, lots of big names, lots of big New York Islanders contracts. If you’re a Toronto fan, you want to be reminded that the When you lose to a team in the conference final, some fans would argue model works. Seeing it lose to a more balanced, team-first approach with that you should put any lingering bitterness aside and cheer them on as a a stud goalie would feel like one more piece of evidence that the Leafs’ sign of respect. Those fans are psychopaths. plan is all wrong.

Pick: Canadiens Pick: Lightning

New York Rangers Vancouver Canucks

The Rangers and Lightning used to have an ongoing exchange program, Carey Price is a B.C. boy, so that nudges the needle toward Montreal. but now Ryan McDonagh is pretty much the only connection that’s left, After that, it gets a bit tricky, for a couple of reasons. First, there’s the so that’s not really a factor anymore. What is: The Lightning keep making Tyler Toffoli factor. If you’re a Vancouver fan, are you happy to see a Islanders fans sad. recent Canucks forward playing well for a Cup contender? Or does that just twist the knife a little more on letting him walk so he Pick: Lightning could invest his cap space in the fourth line?

Ottawa Senators Then there’s this past season, which saw the Habs kick sand in the Canucks’ face more than a few times. The Canadiens went 6-0-3 against There’s got to be some support for Luke Richardson, who used to coach Vancouver and scored five or more goals in seven of those games. You the Sens’ AHL team. But there’s an immutable law of the hockey could certainly hold a grudge over that. Or you could shrug and say that if universe that says you never cheer on a hated rival in the Stanley Cup Montreal wins the Cup, maybe there’s no shame in losing a season Final. Do the Canadiens and Senators have a rivalry? Eh, maybe not, but series to eventual champs. Ottawa fans seem to think they do, and that’s close enough. It’s a tough one, but I’m going to offer a twist: If it wasn’t for the Canucks Pick: Lightning in the regular season, the Habs don’t make the playoffs, and it wasn’t for Philadelphia Flyers Toffoli in the playoffs, they don’t make the final. If they win it all, Canucks fans can at least feel like they had a hand in making it happen. There’s still a lot of runway left on the whole Cam York conversation, but do you really want to see Cole Caufield out there scoring the Stanley Cup Pick: Canadiens Vegas Golden Knights

See the Islanders entry.

Pick: Lightning

Washington Capitals

Despite decades of playoff disappointment, the Capitals have somehow never been the NHL’s ultimate loser, a 46-year stretch that’s by far the longest in the league. But that streak is in serious jeopardy, as the Caps lost to the Bruins who lost to the Islanders who lost to the Lightning, meaning a Habs win completes the chain. We can’t have that.

Pick: Lightning

Winnipeg Jets

As I’m coming to the end of this, I’m realizing that I’ve got every team that lost to Montreal or Tampa Bay in the playoffs rooting for the other side. I guess that makes sense — postseason scars take some time to heal — although I don’t think it has to be a hard-and-fast rule. A Habs win would take some of the sting off a disappointing second round, and also put an end to the narrative that the North was a minor league division and the accomplishments of teams like the Jets shouldn’t count. Is that enough to overcome the bitterness of seeing the team that beat you skate with the Cup? Probably not, but it’s at least close, right?

Pick: Lightning

The Athletic LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216657 Montreal Canadiens seven more than linemate Brayden Point. In Game 1, he showed he’s still a dangerous sniper on top of his playmaking prowess, ripping his second of the game high glove with a lethal shot past Price. That was hot, and it sealed the game. Conn Smythe WATCH: Tracking the MVP favourites throughout the Stanley Cup Final Previously in the playoffs

Game Score: 20.8

By Dom Luszczyszyn Jun 29, 2021 GSVA: 0.79 wins, 3.6 win pace

Key stats: 18 games, 5-22-27, 18:04 TOI, 53% xG, +2

The Stanley Cup Final is set: Tampa Bay versus Montreal, a battle for As always, it’s very hard to separate Point and Kucherov, with next to Atlantic Division … err leaguewide supremacy. nothing separating the two. It basically comes down to personal preference. To me, it feels like the narrative surrounding Kucherov Throughout the series, I’ll be looking at the Conn Smythe Trophy race, makes him a stronger choice: he missed the entire regular season but analyzing the MVP favourites from both teams and how their stock rises didn’t miss a beat come playoff time and fought through an injury to play or falls after each game. This post will be updated after each game to in Game 7. That could affect his ability in the final too, but a strong reflect the current value those players have brought to their respective showing there would only add to the lore. He didn’t look right in that team during the postseason. Game 7, but Kucherov still leads the playoffs with a whopping 27 points in 18 games, seven more than his linemate. A lot of that has come on a Before the final began, it was clear cut who the MVP was for Montreal, lethal power play, Tampa Bay’s biggest strength in the playoffs and that’s but as expected, Tampa Bay had a few players with a legitimate case. almost entirely been Kucherov’s doing. He makes it work to perfection. Last Update: June 28 Brayden Point Tampa Bay Cup Final Stanley Cup chances: 85 percent Game Score: 3.9 The Front-Runner Key stats: 0-3-3, 19:02 TOI, 64% xG, +3 Andrei Vasilevskiy Game 1: After scoring at a ridiculous pace throughout these playoffs, it Cup Final was high time for Point to round out his stat line with some assists. The only non-secondary assist was off a faceoff win, but it was still a very Goals Saved Above Expected: 0.8 strong effort from the center with a dominant performance at five-on-five. Montreal had no answer for Point’s line which was buzzing all night. Save percentage: .947 save percentage Previously in the playoffs Game 1: An extremely light workload tonight as the Lightning cruised to a win with just a single goal against off a double deflection. Vasilevskiy was Game Score: 20.6 otherwise perfect, but Montreal didn’t generate many dangerous chances to threaten him. If the rest of the final has more nights like these, we GSVA: 0.78 wins, 3.6 win pace might see the narrative shift away from Vasilevskiy as the favourite and Key stats: 18 games, 14-6-20, 18:56 TOI, 53% xG, +4 back toward one of Tampa Bay’s star forwards. Vasilevskiy was superb through the first three rounds, but if it looks like Tampa Bay can win the The main argument in Point’s favour over Kucherov’s is the goal totals. final series with a shooter tutor in net, his narrative might be a tougher Point has an absurd 14 goals in 18 games, capped by a nine-game goal sell. streak that was just one off the all-time record. Scoring is the most important stat and it’s why, despite a seven-point deficit to linemate Previously in the playoffs Kucherov, Point is right there in terms of total value (GSVA rates goals Goals Saved Above Expected: 15.4 higher than assists). He’s also generally the primary driver on that top line at five-on-five, always carrying the puck in and making things GSVA: 2.48 wins, 8.3 win pace (per 60 games) happen. Point also has a plus-three penalty differential to lead the team and has been stronger defensively, too. The all-around factor leans Save percentage: .936 save percentage toward Point. Tampa Bay was dominant in the regular season despite missing its best Other Contenders skater and that’s because of Vasilevskiy, who was without a doubt the team’s MVP this year. He likely has a second career Vezina Trophy Steven Stamkos locked up, but that may not be the only individual hardware he brings home this season as he should be the current leader for the Conn Cup Final Smythe. He’s leading the playoffs in goals saved above expected by six, Game Score: 0.9 a ludicrous amount given just how good the goalie in second place has been. The Lightning have played a bit more fast and loose during the Key stats: 1-0-1, 16:17 TOI, 69% xG, -1 playoffs knowing they have Vasilevskiy to bail them out, and he has so far with an excellent .936 save percentage. He’s not the only reason the Game 1: A relatively quiet night for the captain until the very end where Lightning are four wins away from repeating, but he’s the top reason for he popped in a meaningless power-play goal. It did end Montreal’s now. Three shutouts in series-clinching games in these playoffs shows illustrious short-handed clean sheet and that could mean the floodgates how clutch he’s been, too. The Conn Smythe should be his to lose. will open there for future games. It was a weak goal, but a good sign. Stamkos’ line controlled play heavily at five-on-five though and it’s hard The Dark Horse to fault the goal against on anyone that was on the ice too.

Nikita Kucherov Previously in the playoffs

Cup Final Game Score: 17.4

Game Score: 4.3 GSVA: 0.62 wins, 2.8 win pace

Key stats: 2-1-3, 18:54 TOI, 55% xG, +3 Key stats: 18 games, 7-10-17, 15:47 TOI, 57% xG, +1

Game 1: “There was no injury, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” It’s legitimately heartwarming to see the captain on the ice for this run. That was Kucherov before Game 1 and it sure didn’t look like it when he He played all of 2:47 in last year’s playoffs and deserves a shot to stepped onto the ice. Any concerns about him before the series are long actively contribute to a Cup win. He’s done his part so far with a near gone after an excellent Game 1 that closed the gap between him and point-per-game pace and a team-leading 57 percent expected goals rate. Vasilevskiy for the Conn Smythe. Kucherov has 30 points in 19 games, He’s not on Kucherov or Point’s level in the playoffs, but a strong final could see him leapfrog his teammates — especially if he rises to the occasion with a potential Kucherov injury. It’s also worth noting his ice time is much lower than his teammates, making his near point-per-game rate even more impressive.

Montreal

Stanley Cup chances: 15 percent

The Front-Runner

Carey Price

Cup Final

Goals Saved Above Expected: -2.2

Save percentage: .808 save percentage

Game 1: This team will go as far as Price takes them and while this wasn’t a bad game from Price, it’ll be hard for Montreal to win when Price isn’t at his best. The fifth and final goal — an inconsequential one with 1:10 left in the game — is the only one you can really pin on Price, but the Price that carried the team this far is usually sharp enough to not allow the others either. Perhaps that’s good fortune taking a night off on his incredible run. Price had incredible moments to keep the game close, but the Lightning attack was ultimately too much. While Price was still probably the best Canadien on the ice, that’s not a good sign when he allows five goals on 26 shots — his fault or not.

Previously in the playoffs

Goals Saved Above Expected: 9.0

GSVA: 1.50 wins, 5.3 win pace (per 60 games)

Save percentage: .934 save percentage

I mean, who else? If not for Vasilevskiy looking just as good (or better) on the other side, there would be a legitimate argument to give Price the postseason MVP, win or lose. He’s been that good and in terms of most valuable player, it’s hard to argue against his relative value to Montreal’s run. He’s the reason the Canadiens are here, putting up one consistently dominant performance after another. Over 17 games, he’s saved nine goals above expected thanks to a .934 save percentage. That’s second in these playoffs and a per game pace that matches his MVP-calibre season. If Montreal dethrones Tampa Bay, it’ll no doubt be because of Price and I’m excited to watch his calm and cool demeanour potentially frustrate another high octane team.

The Dark Horse

Nick Suzuki

Cup Final

Game Score: -1.6

Key stats: 0-0-0, 17:45 TOI, 38% xG, -3

Game 1: It was already going to be hard to give anyone but Price the MVP on Montreal. A game like that from Suzuki doesn’t help as his line got absolutely buried in the matchup against Point and Kucherov. A rough possession rate and on for three goals against with almost no offence the other way to show for it. He can be better, but that felt like a deer in the headlights game now that Suzuki and company are on the game’s biggest stage.

Previously in the playoffs

Game Score: 15.8

GSVA: 0.56 wins, 2.7 win pace

Key stats: 17 games, 5-8-13, 18:47 TOI, 57% xG, Even

It is very difficult giving the Conn Smythe to anyone on the Canadiens but Price because he’s the reason they’re here. But if we’re talking most valuable skater that honour should go to Suzuki, who has looked like a star in the playoffs. He’s speedy, shifty and smart and is one off the scoring lead to linemate Tyler Toffoli. It’s Suzuki that has made that line go, though, and his expected goals rate for the playoffs has been really impressive. When he’s on, Montreal controls play and looks threatening on offence.

Data via Evolving Hockey

The Athletic LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216658 Nashville Predators

Nashville Predators to play Tampa Bay Lightning next season at Nissan Stadium in NHL Stadium Series

Paul Skrbina

The Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning are going to take it outside next season.

The teams will meet Feb. 26 at Nissan Stadium, home of the Tennessee Titans, the NHL announced Monday, as part of the NHL Stadium Series.

It will be the second outdoor game in Predators history. They fell to the Stars on Jan. 1, 2020, in Winter Classic at the Cotton Bowl in Texas.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in 2019 that Nashville "would probably make a lot of sense" for an outdoor game.

The Predators have expressed interest in hosting such an event.

Vegas will host the 2022 All-Star Game, the league also announced Monday, and the Blues will face the Wild in the Winter Classic at Target Field.

Will Pekka Rinne return next season for Nashville Predators, or is this it?

Tennessean LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216659 Nashville Predators Carrier came up money in the playoffs, during which he was one of just four Predators players to post a positive plus/minus rating and averaged 22:37 of ice time playing top-pairing minutes next to Josi against Carolina’s top forwards such as Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov and Could the Predators protect 5 defensemen? Why it's not entirely crazy Nino Niederreiter. Fabbro was benched during the playoffs, but he’s still just 22 and showed some offensive upside during the regular season. It’s Nashville has until July 17 to submit protected list to NHL league office too early to give up on him.

I'd even venture to say that outside of Forsberg, Luke Kunin, Calle MICHAEL GALLAGHER JUN 28, 2021 Jarnkrok and Tolvanen, who is exempt, none of the forwards made cases for themselves to even have a roster spot next season.

It's clear the defense is currently the position of main strength for the It’s safe to assume nobody envies Nashville Predators General Manager Predators. Poile should do well to keep it that way. David Poile as he locks himself in his office, mulling over all of his options as the expansion draft nears. Nashville Post LOADED: 06.29.2021

This time around, Poile faces perhaps even tougher decisions than he did in 2017 when he had to decide which one of Calle Jarnkrok or James Neal added better value to the Predators long term.

Nashville can protect either seven forwards, three defensemen and a goalie, or it can go the eight skater, one goalie route. Either way, the club will lose a good player. With every option still on the table, Poile has roughly three weeks left to shape his roster and possibly negotiate with Seattle Kraken GM Ron Francis.

“We’ve got until July 17 to work on [our expansion list],” Poile said. “There’s no advantage for me to tip my hand to anybody as to what our strategy might be. We’re going to have a lot of opportunities here in this next month to talk to every team in the league about what they’re going to do for expansion and what trades they might make.”

Players who are exempt:

Philip Tomasino

Eeli Tolvanen

Mathieu Olivier

David Farrance

Jeremy Davies

Tommy Novak

Egor Afanasyev

Luca Sbisa (injury)

Unrestricted free agents (don’t need to be protected):

Mikael Granlund

Erik Haula

Pekka Rinne

Erik Gudbranson

Brad Richardson

The Predators lucked out by not having to protect young assets such as Tolvanen, Tomasino and Farrance. If Granlund figures into Poile’s long- term plans as well, the Predators have the luxury — thanks to his unrestricted free agent status — of waiting to re-sign him until after the expansion draft is over.

We know Roman Josi will be protected due to his no-movement clause. We know Juuse Saros will be the one goaltender protected as well. It’s presumed defensemen Ryan Ellis and Mattias Ekholm, plus forward Filip Forsberg, will all be protected too. But after that, it’s a crapshoot.

Dante Fabbro and Alex Carrier are eligible for the expansion draft, and Poile has named both as important pieces to the Predators’ future plans. Would Poile really protect five defensemen? It wouldn’t be unheard of. After all, the New York Islanders protected five defensemen in the 2017 expansion draft.

Beginning the 2021-22 season by pairing Josi/Carrier, Ekholm/Ellis, and Fabbro plus either Mark Borowiecki, Matt Benning or Jeremy Davies must look awfully appealing.

But is protecting five defensemen truly the smart move? The answer is "yes." 1216660 New Jersey Devils on the road as they were propped up by Price’s brilliance and a smothering defensive effort.

Led by center Phillip Danault, the Canadiens silenced their opponents’ Canadiens Are Still Out to Prove They Belong top scorers in every round: and Mitch Marner didn’t have a goal while the Maple Leafs lost their last three games; Nikolaj Montreal, the playoff team with the fewest regular-season points, made Ehlers, , Kyle Connor and Pierre-Luc Dubois managed just the Stanley Cup finals behind its defense. But after losing Game 1 to the one for Winnipeg; and Vegas’s Mark Stone, Jonathan Marchessault and reigning champions, it must adapt one more time. William Karlson combined for a grand total of none.

“Playing our game, to the best of our ability, will counter any team that we play right now,” said Montreal assistant Luke Richardson, who assumed By Ben Shpigel coaching duties after Ducharme contracted the coronavirus. (Ducharme missed the last four games against Vegas but expects to return for Game 3 in Montreal.) TAMPA, Fla. — The perfect team for these pandemic times dressed in the visiting locker room at Amalie Arena on Monday night. Just as the But on Monday the Canadiens did not play to the best of their ability, far N.H.L. postseason started to reclaim a scrap of normalcy, with the from it. The Lightning are deeper than Lake Baikal, with four lines that Canadian bubbles of last summer replaced by games at home venues — score, smother and grind, and a goalie, Andrei Vasilevskiy, who is every and before frothing crowds, no less — along came the Montreal bit as exceptional as Price. Canadiens. Vasilevskiy saved 18 of 19 shots, his only blemish a second-period shot They advanced to the Stanley Cup finals against the Tampa Bay that pinballed off two of his own players. Lightning, the reigning champions, with an interim interim coach, after New York Times LOADED: 06.29.2021 ousting two of the league’s behemoths, and despite facing elimination not once or twice but three times in their first-round series. Now, this might pique the nice folks in la belle province, but in any other season Montreal — which finished in the bottom half of the N.H.L., with the fewest points of any playoff team — probably wouldn’t have even qualified for the postseason.

“They are exactly where they thought they would be,” Lightning Coach Jon Cooper said Monday morning. “They didn’t go the same route, so it looks different because they look like the Cinderella team. But I don’t believe that for a second. And nobody does in our room.”

The Canadiens reached this stage by adapting and adjusting, and if they are to end Canada’s nearly three-decade drought and add another Cup to their heaving trophy case, they must acclimate again. They allowed the first two goals of Game 1, and the last three, as the Lightning rolled to a 5-1 victory.

At no point Monday night did the Lightning seem befuddled by Montreal’s neutral-zone choking, its opportunistic counterattacking or Carey Price’s brilliance in net, all elements that propelled the Canadiens’ unlikely stampede. Montreal’s puck mismanagement led to a bevy of turnovers, and Tampa capitalized. Nikita Kucherov scored twice for Tampa Bay, and Brayden Point padded a stellar all-around game with three assists.

Even though their performance over the past month — 11 victories in 13 games — demonstrated that they belonged among the league’s best, the Canadiens could be forgiven for wanting to prove themselves once more. The last team to finish the regular season as low as 18th place and reach the Cup finals was Philadelphia in 2010. The next season, Vancouver made the finals, and no team from Canada had gotten there since.

That is a source of great angst in Canada but especially in Montreal, which has won a record 24 titles but has not won a championship since 1993, when it toppled the Los Angeles Kings in five games.

The Canadiens last won the Cup in 1993.

In this truncated 56-game season, the Canadiens soared, then slumped. They fired their coach, then their goaltending coach. They lost Price and defenseman Shea Weber to injuries, then Joel Armia to a positive coronavirus test. They played their final 25 games in 44 days and lost 15 of them, including their last five. The playoffs beckoned only because, playing in a one-time division populated by all seven Canadian teams, Montreal finished fourth.

But its general manager, Marc Bergevin, is fond of saying that there are players who get you in, and there are players that get you through. He overhauled the roster in the off-season and again at the trade deadline, acquiring six players who have won Stanley Cups, including defenseman Joel Edmundson, the backup goalie Jake Allen and forwards Eric Staal, Tyler Toffoli and Corey Perry.

The Canadiens, given scant time to practice after Dominique Ducharme — who replaced Claude Julien as the head coach on Feb. 24 — installed his new systems, coalesced midway through their series against the Toronto Maple Leafs. They stunned the Leafs in seven games, swept the Winnipeg Jets and throttled the Vegas Golden Knights in six, going 7-2 1216661 New York Islanders

Lou Lamoriello thanks Islanders fans for their passionate support

By Andrew Gross

Islanders president and general manager Lou Lamoriello addressed an open letter to the team’s fans praising them for inspiration at Nassau Coliseum and hoping that same enthusiasm is present when the $1.2 billion UBS Arena at Belmont Park opens next season.

The Lightning eliminated the Islanders, 1-0, in Game 7 of their NHL semifinal series on Friday in Tampa. Lamoriello is scheduled to address the media via conference call on Tuesday for the first time since the Islanders’ season ended.

Lamoriello assured the team’s fans that "preparation for the 2021-22 season has begun."

"On behalf of everyone in the Islanders’ organization, thank you for being the most dedicated, passionate and loyal fanbase in the National Hockey League," Lamoriello wrote in a letter posted via Twitter and on the team’s website. "Your love for the team played a pivotal role throughout the 2020-21 season.

"This was another challenging year for everyone with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will always remain inspired and thankful for all the first responders and frontline workers who made it safe for us to return to the Coliseum. From the first note of the national anthem sung by our fans to the horn that ended the game, you made the atmosphere the best in the National Hockey League. I can assure you that the energy you brought to the arena during the playoffs had a positive effect on the performance of the team."

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216662 New York Islanders

Mathew Barzal is Islanders' offensive leader and pushing for more

By Andrew Gross

Once departed for Toronto via free agency in 2018, the expectation was that Mathew Barzal’s elite playmaking skill would make him the new face of the franchise.

Barzal is the most recognizable Islander, thanks to some highlight-reel goals and two All-Star appearances. His choked-up words and tear-filled eyes in the immediate wake of the Islanders’ playoff elimination to the Lightning in Game 7 of the NHL semifinals spoke volumes for the entire team.

But captain Anders Lee remains the team’s emotional leader. That does not diminish Barzal’s NHL evolution.

"Every year you want to take a step, you want to get better," Barzal said on Sunday as the Islanders conducted their exit interviews. "I’m a year older. I should be getting better."

Barzal had 17 goals and 28 assists in his fourth NHL season and added six goals and eight assists in 19 playoff games. He’s the Islanders' unquestioned offensive leader.

But coach Barry Trotz consistently pushes Barzal, knowing he can reach elite status in the league.

"He continues to evolve," Trotz said. "You lead in different ways. Mathew’s our offensive leader.

"When you ask me about a leader, it’s a really broad question," Trotz added. "I tend to go with your leader is your captain. Why is Anders Lee your captain? Because he’s experienced a lot more. He’s a little older, dealing with children and a wife. Mathew’s not quite there. He’s not married. He doesn’t have children. That’s part of the leadership. You have to understand how your whole dressing room lives."

Trotz quickly cautioned not to read a deeper meaning from his words, he was only answering a question about leadership.

"If you take a round circle," Trotz said of Barzal, "he started as half a circle and now he is continuing to work all the way and be more rounded."

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216663 New York Islanders

Barry Trotz explains why Oliver Wahlstrom was a spectator during Lightning series

By Andrew Gross

Oliver Wahlstrom, with the blistering shot and scoring potential he flashed as a rookie, could be the most intriguing Islander heading into next season.

If the 11th overall pick in 2018 continues to develop his overall game, he could earn a top-six role and evolve into a leading goal scorer.

Coach Barry Trotz was asked and answered a fair share of questions about Wahlstrom during the just-completed playoff run, namely, why wasn’t he in the lineup once he recovered from a lower-body injury suffered in Game 5 of the first round?

Instead, Trotz continued to use grinder on top-line center Mathew Barzal’s left wing while keeping Travis Zajac on third-line center Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s right wing along with fellow ex-Devil Kyle Palmieri. The Lightning ended the Islanders’ season with a 1-0 win in Game 7 of their NHL semifinal series on Friday night on a shorthanded goal.

"If you could sit in the coach’s room and know the injuries and all the possibilities, it’s easy to play fantasy hockey when you don’t have all the information," said Trotz, adding he never questions the decisions he’s made after the fact. "To beat the Tampa Bay Lightning, we weren’t going to really turn it into a track meet and go end-to-end and try to outscore them. We had to defend."

Regardless of his playoff contribution — Wahlstrom had a goal and two assists in the five games he played — it was an important season in his development. He had 12 goals and nine assists, playing 44 of the 56 regular-season games and started to earn Trotz’s trust defensively.

That will be key to how much ice time the 6-2, 205-pounder with a lethal righthanded wrist shot, not to mention his ability to set up atop the left circle for one-timers on the power play, carves out for himself next season.

"It’s really tough to get injured, you want to play with your brothers," Wahlstrom said. "At the same time, it was a good learning experience to go through that.

"A pretty big learning year, with what was going on in the world," added Wahlstrom, who went without a point in nine games for the Islanders during the 2019-20 season. "I thought my game evolved a little bit more as the year went on. It’s really exciting to play a little more consistently in this league. I’ve still got to go through camp next and go from there."

Wahlstrom described the way the Islanders play as a "grind, we grind teams out," but said he enjoys that style.

And one of Wahlstrom’s strengths is how much obvious enjoyment he gets from playing hockey. He spent one season at Boston College but was very candid that school wasn’t necessarily for him. He preferred concentrating on hockey full time.

Cameras caught him during the season singing along to the P.A. system on the bench, and Trotz likes that part of his personality.

Wahlstrom now can take the experience of going through a full NHL season — albeit a truncated one — and apply the lessons to next season.

"The comfort level is such a big thing and the confidence," said second- year defenseman Noah Dobson, selected 12th overall in 2018, of the growth between the rookie season and a sophomore campaign. "Just having a year where you’re around the guys and you know what it’s like on the road when you’re traveling. Once you get an idea of how you need to play at this level, that really allows you to take your game to the next level. Having the first year under your belt is huge."

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216664 New York Islanders But I have come around, Nets Nation. Your team’s litany of injuries and ignominious departure in the second playoff round improbably made it sympathetic. Seriously.

New York's championship drought reaches longest mark in a century It says here that the lost century will end next June, with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden celebrating at the corner of Atlantic and Flatbush, completing the narrative arc from High Pockets to deep pockets. By Neil Best It took a cataclysmic flop in 2021 to flip the script, but those guys now

have felt our pain. They belong. We can say it officially now: This is the worst it has been around here in Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.29.2021 more than a century.

With the Islanders’ elimination by the Lightning on Friday night in the Stanley Cup semifinals, the earliest one of our local NFL, MLB, NBA or NHL teams can win a championship is the 2021 , set to begin on Oct. 26.

It was on Oct. 13, 1921, that the New York Giants clinched the World Series over the Yankees in Game 8 of a best-of-nine series, 1-0, on a solo home run by French-Canadian star Yanni Gourde.

Oops, sorry, I misread my scorecard from that day.

Actually, it was on an unearned run in the first inning, when Yankees shortstop Roger Peckinpaugh misplayed a grounder by "High Pockets" Kelly, allowing Dave "Beauty" Bancroft to score. Art Nehf pitched a four- hit shutout for the Giants.

Thus did New York earn its first championship since the Giants won the 1905 World Series, a 16-year drought. (Of course, the drought also would have ended if the Yankees had won in '21.)

Now, here we are. There are more sports, more leagues and more teams these days, and yet it has been since the football Giants won Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5, 2012, that we have seen a championship trophy hoisted.

We still have a bit to go to match that 1905-21 stretch, but again, this one is the longest in more than 100 years.

Where have you gone, Art Nehf? Our metropolitan area turns its lonely eyes to you.

The WNBA and MLS titles will not be decided until autumn, so even if we cast our net wider, this century-long wait thing will hold.

The question is this: Which team will do the honors, eventually?

It appeared for most of 2020-21 that the Nets were destined to be that team, and then they were not. The Islanders had a crack at it but fell one game short of the Cup Final.

The Yankees appear to be adrift, but the Mets have a realistic shot this year.

To sort things out I turned on Sunday to my go-to research method: a deeply unscientific Twitter poll.

Given the choice of the Islanders, Mets, Nets and Yankees to be the next local champ, the first 1,000 or so voters as of Monday around 6:30 a.m., 14 hours after the poll went up, had generated a neck-and-neck battle between the Islanders and Nets at around 33% each.

What team is most likely to end NY area’s decade-long drought of NFL / MLB / NBA / NHL championships?

— Neil Best (@sportswatch) June 27, 2021

To each his or her own, but if one were to put real money on this, there is only one choice, and it is the Nets.

Playoffs in baseball and hockey are notoriously random. The Jets and Giants are not ready yet, nor are the Knicks.

If the Nets stay intact and healthy next season, they again will be among the favorites to win it all.

But here is the plot twist: They will be worth pulling for next time around.

No, really. I wrote a column in April admitting I was rooting against the Nets to break the New York area drought, on the grounds they were an assemblage of mercenary hoopsters lacking in homegrown roots.

This reflected what many non-Nets fans felt, but it unleashed a torrent of unkind social media reaction from whatever Nets fans do exist. 1216665 New York Islanders If the kid is ready it would seem like a natural fit. The offseason and training camp will dictate where Wahlstrom finds

himself in the lineup next year, but the soon-to-be second-year NHLer Trotz Doesn’t Regret Sitting Oliver Wahlstrom, but Where Does That will be in a more prominent role next season. Leave Him Next Year? NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 06.29.2021

By Christian Arnold

New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz expressed no regrets over keeping talented rookie Oliver Wahlstrom up in the press box instead of on the ice during the Islanders’ run to the Stanley Cup Semifinals. Wahlstrom had played in the first five games of the First Round before he was hurt in Game 5 and then never got back into the lineup even when he was healthy.

The Islanders made it through the Second Round as the team’s offense continued to find ways to score, but against Tampa Bay, it looked as though Wahlstrom’s services could have been utilized.

“No, I have not. I don’t question any of my decisions,” Trotz responded to a reporter’s question when asked he regretted not playing Wahlstrom. “If you could sit in the coach’s room and know the injuries and all the possibilities, it’s easy to play fantasy hockey when you don’t have all the information sometimes. That’s part of the business. I wouldn’t because we lost 1-0 on a shorthanded goal.

“To be able to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning we were going to be able to turn it into a track meet. Go end to end and try to outscore them. … We have to defend and we had some people as you’ll find out eventually, guys were banged up and hurt so you had to cover all your bases.”

“The future looks bright that way because we are becoming a constant threat & that's all you can ask for in this league. Our end goal is to win a Stanley Cup. That won’t change, but you have to be consistent at it & we’re making strides that way.”

More https://t.co/uIu9VogrUi pic.twitter.com/bQtcMrb3E0

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) June 27, 2021

That’s all well and good, but that raises the question of what does that mean for Oliver Wahlstrom next year?

The Islanders rookie certainly made an impact when he had been on the ice during the First Round of the playoffs for the Islanders. Wahlstrom had a goal and two assists through five playoff games and was a plus-2 in that same span, and that’s all without mentioning his knack for putting the puck on net.

That was a big thing for the rooking during the regular season as well. He registered 94 shots on goal in 44 games with the Islanders and scored nine goals and 21 points while averaging 12:23 of ice time.

“It was a pretty big learning year,” Wahlstrom said. “I thought my game evolved a little bit as the year went on and it’s really exciting to play a little more consistent in this league. I got to go through camp next year and go from there. We’ll see, I’m excited.”

Wahlstrom will see an increased role when the team hits the ice next season, where that will be though is somewhat up for debate. The Islanders face another chaotic offseason financially as Lou Lamoriello’s status as general manager of the year is put to the test.

The Islanders have five unrestricted free agents to deal with — headlined by Casey Cizkas — as well as four restricted free agents that will need to be dealt with. Add to that the possibility of losing someone in their forward group to the expansion draft.

That leaves plenty of room for Wahlstrom to slot in. The first option would be putting him back on the win of Jean-Gabriel Pageau on the third line where he found plenty of success last season. Pageau and Wahlstrom developed chemistry during their time together and the veteran could prove to be a good mentor for Wahlstrom in his second NHL season.

There is the chance that Wahlstrom could find himself in a top-six role as well, depending on the camp he has and what shakes out with the expansion draft. Both Josh Bailey and Jordan Eberle have been names mentioned as players that could find themselves unprotected in the expansion draft and if one is taken, that would leave a big hole in the Islanders top-six forwards group. 1216666 New York Islanders It should be mentioned that in the final season at Nassau Coliseum, Varlamov brought his game to another level. He posted a 12-3-3 record at home with a 1.87 GAA and a .937 SV%.

Playoff Effort from Semyon Varlamov Should Give Isles Optimism for In Game 56 of the regular season, Varlamov was taken out after two Next Season periods of play following an injury to his knee. Ilya Sorokin would start the postseason for the Islanders and it was his play against the Pittsburgh Penguins that pushed the Islanders into the next round. Varlamov took back the crease midway through the Boston Bruins series and was By Stefen Rosner integral in the Islanders making it to the conference finals yet again.

The positive news was that he felt good following his exit interview and In Game 7 down in Tampa this past Friday, the New York Islanders saw didn’t expect it to impact any of his offseason training. themselves down 1-0 as the clock continued to dwindle. The Islanders “Hands down, we have the best fans in the league. Our fans bring so seemed to be a step behind the defending Stanley Cup Champions all much excitement during the game, it’s unbelievable.” game long, but it was the play of veteran goaltender Semyon Varlamov who stood tall to give his team a fighting chance. While the final score Varlamov pic.twitter.com/T0sSoPy9yl favored the Lightning by that count, that fighting chance is something that Varlamov gave his team all season long. — New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) June 27, 2021

Varlamov stopped 30 of 31 shots in that decisive Game 7 and put In 14 postseason games, Semyon Varlamov owned a .922 SV% with a together a valiant effort despite the result. A sequence of saves in the 2.56 GAA in 14 starts. While those numbers may not jump off the paper, second period illustrated the kind of night Varlamov had. the statistics only say so much. We saw the Islanders get dominated in games, but came away with victories thanks to timely stops. And even in Semyon Varlamov keeping the Islanders in this game games the Islanders lost, Varlamov had valiant efforts in keeping games pic.twitter.com/Ly6Z4qYv86 close.

— Rob Taub (@RTaub_) June 26, 2021 With the Islanders still easing in their goaltender of the future Ilya Sorokin, Varlamov’s play during the 2020-21 season was an encouraging When anyone takes a look back at Varlamov’s performances during the sign for New York going forward. Varlamov’s improved numbers mean regular season, the postseason, and in Game 7, it will be easy to see a that the veteran goaltender can give the Islanders a majority of the starts mentality needed to have success in the NHL. That was noticeable right next year still, while Sorokin continues to develop his game at the NHL up until the final buzzer of the Islander season. level. Through a shortened regular season that could only be classified as There will be no pressure to rush the 25-year-old Sorokin into a starter’s mediocre for the Islanders, Varlamov was anything but. role because Varlamov, who is under contract for another two years, has Semyon Varlamov ended the 56-game campaign sporting a 19-11-4 proven he can still lead a team deep into the playoffs. record with a 2.05 GAA and a .929 SV% (best in NHL), both career-bests He was described by head coach Barry Trotz as the Islanders MVP, through his 13 years in the NHL. He recorded seven shutouts (best in which was a title he rightfully earned. The Islanders will still need that NHL), surpassing his career-high of five that he put up during the 2014- effort next season when the pressure on them will be felt even more now 15 campaign. Four of those seven shutouts came against the cross-town that the team is moving beyond the underdog role. rival New York Rangers. NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 06.29.2021 It was a rather vast improvement if you look back to his first season with the Islanders (2.62 GAA, .914 SV%, 2 SO).

That improvement mattered this season more than ever, given the decrease in the Islanders offense once captain Anders Lee went down in the second week of March. The team in front of him struggled to muster chances, which meant that he had to do more to help the team collect wins.

His improvement in his Goals-Saved Above Average (GSAA) statistic showcased just how clutch Varlamov was this season.

Varlamov ended the regular season with a 22.0 GSAA, which ranked the highest in the NHL. That was a 17.6 point difference from his 2019-20 GSAA.

Out of all the goaltenders who played 1,800 or more minutes (30 starts), Varlamov ranked fourth with a high-danger SV% (HDSV%) of .847. His high-danger GSAA (HDGSAA) ranked second, at 1.02.

He came up big more often than not.

The Barry Trotz system in which the Islanders play has benefited netminders tremendously. Robin Lehner was able to turn his career around after a pit stop in New York (2018-2019), while Varlamov, over the last two seasons, did somewhat of the same after struggling towards the end of his time in Colorado.

That structure, while beneficial, should not take away from what Varlamov did this season.

“I thought I had a good year, same as the team,” Varlamov said during break-up day. “I always say when the team is playing well I play better. All in all we played great defensive hockey. For the goalie, it is always easier to play fo for the team when it’s really focusing on defense. Add seven shutouts this year, I feel like it could be more actually the way that we played. We were able to shut down teams a lot this year and then we would give up one goal at the end of the game.” 1216667 New York Islanders

OTR: NHL Trade Chatter On Seth Jones, Phil Kessel, Blackhawks

By Jimmy Murphy

NHL trade chatter has picked up significantly over the last two weeks. That chatter will only grow louder as we approach July 17, the deadline for NHL teams to submit their NHL Expansion Draft protection lists for the draft four days later.

“Once teams see the list of who Seattle can select from, I think that that’s when you start to see the trade market really open up, and I’m sure they will be involved,” a prominent NHL scout told “Off The Record” on Sunday. “There is plenty of chatter right now, though. Obviously, Jack [Eichel] is the big name, but I think Seth Jones is just as big. That’s a cornerstone defenseman on the market, and that hardly ever happens.”

There’s a long list of suitors for Jones on the NHL trade market, and this week we’ll look into the ones that may be pushing hardest to acquire the Columbus Blue Jackets rearguard.

Speaking of defensemen on the NHL Trade market, could two Chicago Blackhawks defensemen be on the move this summer?

Ever since the Arizona Coyotes and Rick Tocchet mutually parted ways, Coyotes forward Phil Kessel has been a constant name on the NHL trade rumor circuit. His $6.8 million cap hit for the 2021-22 season (Toronto is still on the hook for 15% via the Penguins trade) is hefty, but teams are interested., including one surprise.

NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216668 New York Islanders Joe Haggerty dipped into the mailbag to address fans getting uneasy with GM Don Sweeney, which Paul brother should get beat up, and the coming Bruins activity on the NHL trade front. (Boston Hockey Now)

NYHN Daily: Islanders Identity Line May Be No More, Pageau Injury, & Every time we mentioned available defensemen (for two years), Trevor van Riemsdyk’s name would pop up in our search or your comments. The Washington Capitals finally plucked van Riemsdyk out of Carolina, and they were pretty happy with the results. (Washington Hockey Now) Stefen Rosner Sure, Marc-Andre Fleury wants to stay in Vegas. He made that clear, as

did his agent Allan Walsh, but Tom Callahan asserts now is the time to The New York Islanders completed their final interviews for the season put him on the NHL trade block. (Vegas Hockey Now) on Sunday. With fourth-line center Casey Cizikas a pending unrestricted The goal is a Stanley Cup, and Vegas Golden Knights head coach Pete free agent, is this the last we will see of the Islanders identity line? Jean- DeBoer flatly said the Golden Knights are “not there yet.” (Vegas Hockey Gabriel Pageau was not completely healthy this postseason and Now) offseason surgery is not out of the question to repair what was ailing him. These stories and more in today’s daily links! Adrian Dater did a hard look at the state of the Colorado Avalanche. From Brandon Saad to Gabriel Landeskog, big stories and possibly big It was a thought the New York Islanders didn’t pay too much mind to as changes are coming to the Avalanche. (Colorado Hockey Now) they looked to win the franchise’s first Stanley Cup since 1983. Now that it is all over, the Islanders have to contend with the possibility that Casey Shea Weber is keeping his steely eyes on the ultimate prize, and he’s Cizikas, one of the team’s most impactful players, might not be here making sure the rest of the Montreal Canadiens do the same. The when the puck drops for the 2021-22 season. (NYI Hockey Now) defenseman has finally reached the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in his 16 NHL seasons, and the Montreal captain is not going to allow You could call it the worst kept secret during the New York Islanders himself or his teammates to let up four wins away from the title. (NHL) playoff run. Jean-Gabriel Pageau confirmed on Sunday that he had been playing hurt during the end of the Islanders series with the Tampa Bay The Tampa Bay Lightning have to go through a storied franchise with a Lightning. What exactly ailed him? Well that he wouldn’t say. (NYI history of dynastic Stanley Cup championship runs in order to keep Hockey Now) building their own dynasty. The Montreal Canadiens have to go through the defending Stanley Cup champions in order to bring the trophy home After a fairy tale run to the semifinals for the second year in a row, the for an NHL record 24th time. The 2021 Stanley Cup Final, the Lightning Islanders face plenty of questions this offseason that will impact the against the Canadiens, is loaded with plots and subplots, history and future of the franchise going forward. NHL GM of the Year Lou Lamoriello tradition, goaltending greats, skill, speed, tenacity, grit and devoted will have a busy offseason ahead of him trying to navigate the Islanders fanbases. The best-of-7 series begins with Game 1 at Tampa Bay on through another expansion draft and key free agents to re-sign amid very Monday. Here are 10 storylines to follow. (NHL) tight salary cap space for the Islanders. So what’s next for the Islanders? Let’s take a look at some of the key issues facing them. (NYI Hockey This is your chance at hockey immortality, without ever scoring a goal or Now) making a save in the NHL. All you need is a Twitter account. The NHL in conjunction with the Hockey Hall of Fame is inviting fans of the Montreal The final Zoom calls of the season were Sunday for the Islanders players Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning to submit their #StanleyTweets, and their coach. We learned precious little about what some of the Isles where supporters of the winning team could have their tweet enshrined players went through physically during their deep playoff run and alongside the Cup at the Hall of Fame. (NHL) precious little about the team’s offseason plans, though as you might expect every pending restricted and unrestricted free agent wants to Corey Perry and Eric Staal sat in the Montreal Canadiens locker room return. That, of course, isn’t happening. So we’ll read between the lines a moments after their team advanced to the Stanley Cup final. The veteran bit to decipher what was said and what it means as the Islanders head forwards — champions early in their careers — were in a reflective into another busy offseason after falling just short of the Stanley Cup mood. (TSN) Final for a second season in a row. (The Athletic) NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 06.29.2021 Anders Lee said he expects to be ready for training camp with the New York Islanders next season, but there may be some changes when it gets underway in September. Lee, the Islanders captain, missed the final two months of the regular season and the Stanley Cup Playoffs due a knee injury sustained March 11 during a game against the New Jersey Devils. The forward scored 19 points (12 goals, seven assists) in 27 games. (NHL)

Impending unrestricted free-agent Kyle Palmieri knows his tenure with the Islanders might be brief. But Palmieri, originally from Smithtown and acquired from the Devils on April 7, hopes he can stay on Long Island longer. I enjoyed every second of going to battle with this group,” Palmieri said on Sunday as the Islanders conducted their end-of-season exit interviews. “To be a part of a team like this, it was an incredible opportunity for me and I would love to keep that going.” (Newsday)

Change is inevitable from season to season in modern pro sports. This is not news. The fact 16 Islanders played for all four Stanley Cup winners in the early 1980s is so unfathomable by 21st century standards it might as well be a tale from the early 1880s, when Andy Greene was a young player. But for the 2021 Islanders, who gathered one last time on Sunday, there was added poignancy in flipping their psychological calendars to a new season and the inevitability of parting ways with old friends. They were bidding farewell to an aging teammate who can’t even skate. (Newsday)

If the Pittsburgh Penguins add some physicality and size to their blue line, these are the top four options, including one old friend, via NHL free agency. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now dropped five awesome tidbits about the Red Wings drafts, including…need to know Hanson Brothers facts. (Detroit Hockey Now) 1216669 New York Rangers selection behind Connor McDavid with the most dysfunctional franchise in the league. Drury is certainly examining those issues.

If the Rangers were to formally enter the Eichel Derby, one would Rangers look into Jack Eichel’s condition in preliminary Sabres talks presume that Ryan Strome, with one year left on his deal at a $4.5 million cap hit prior to unrestricted free agency, would be part of the mix going the other way.

By Larry Brooks June 28, 2021 | 1:40pm | Updated Then figure a mix of prospects that would likely come from a pool featuring, but not necessarily limited to, Vitali Kravtsov, Zac Jones and

Nils Lundkvist, plus at least one upcoming first-rounder. The Sabres The Rangers have displayed increased interest in scoping out Jack might demand/ask for Kaapo Kakko and/or K’Andre Miller, but that would Eichel’s medical condition and have had preliminary talks with the Sabres seem to represent a non-starter. regarding his availability, The Post has been told by several sources — Again, it is unclear whether and to what degree Drury and the Rangers but it is unclear whether general manager is simply are invested in Eichel. But they are asking questions. performing due diligence or is seriously interested in dealing forr the Sabres’ disenchanted center. New York Post LOADED: 06.29.2021 The Blueshirts have been linked to Eichel since last summer, when then- GM had pre-draft discussions with his Buffalo counterpart Kevyn Adams. The talks are believed to have broken down when Gorton refused to part with the first-overall selection that became Alexis Lafreniere.

Eichel, who has been diagnosed with a herniated disk in his neck, is just coming off 12 weeks of rest and rehab as prescribed by the Sabres team physicians. The next step is unclear, but the 24-year-old center may be in line for surgery to replace the disk with an artificial one. That type of surgery is typically followed by a recovery period of up to three months.

We’re told the Sabres have not yet granted permission for inquiring clubs to gain access to Eichel’s medical records. That would be expected to accompany latter-stage trade discussions.

Per sources, the Sabres are asking for at least four pieces that would be equivalent of first-rounders in exchange for Eichel, who left the lineup for good following his 21st game of the season on March 7, and has five years remaining on his contract that comes with an annual $10 million cap charge.

The Rangers have had preliminary talks with the Sabres about Jack Eichel’s availability.

The Wild, Ducks, Kings and Blue Jackets are believed to have indicated interest in Eichel. They won’t be alone as the summer progresses. It does not, however, seem realistic for the Sabres to acquire that kind of bounty unless they are willing to take significant money back in the deal from the acquiring team that will bear all of the risk relating to Eichel’s health.

The Rangers probably have the cap space to accommodate Eichel for this season without being forced into major reconstruction. But acquiring Eichel would almost certainly mean an exit following the season by incumbent first-line center Mika Zibanejad, who has a full no-move clause and is one year away from unrestricted free agency.

Drury can officially begin negotiations on an extension with Zibanejad on July 28, this year’s equivalent of the traditional July 1 free-agent date. If talks go nowhere, perhaps Zibanejad would be amenable to accepting a trade to a club that would be willing to grant him a long-term extension at his price and term. But perhaps not.

Fact is, Zibanejad, who probably will be able to command a longer, more lucrative deal on the open market than by remaining in New York, is in complete control of this process.

If Drury knows he won’t be able to retain Zibanejad, then the GM will be in need of a first-line center beginning with 2022-23. The likelihood of Florida’s Aleksandar Barkov hitting the open market next summer seems slim. So acquiring Eichel might represent a proactive strike to fill the vacancy that would be created by an eventual Zibanejad defection.

Rangers center Mika Zibanejad

Prior to last year’s ruined season in which he had 18 points (2-16) in 21 games, Eichel recorded 137 goals, 200 assists and 337 points in 354 games through his first five years, averaging .39 goals per game, .56 assists per and .95 points per. Over the last three years, including his COVID-impacted 2020-21, Zibanejad has registered 95 goals, 104 assists and 199 points in 195 games, averaging .49 GPG, .53 APG and 1.02 PPG.

Character and leadership issues have been raised around Eichel, who has spent his career following his 2015 door-prize, second-overall 1216670 New York Rangers Asked about the Norris Trophy attention Fox was getting, Lindgren said late in the season, “I wouldn’t even know (anything’s) going on. He’s just the same old Foxy every day. I spend a lot of time with him, living with him and playing with him most of the year. It’s probably hard for him to Adam Fox’s path to being a Norris finalist: How he became the Rangers’ drown all of that out. But he’s certainly the same guy. Goes about his day most valuable, most untouchable player the same. You wouldn’t think that that’s going on.

“But everything that he’s being talked about for, he definitely deserves it. He’s having a heck of a year and it just seems he’s getting better and By Rick Carpiniello Jun 29, 2021 better. Even last game, that toe drag (inside the blue line), doing stuff like that, it’s crazy. It’s just fun to watch and fun to be a part of. He’s having a heck of a year and it’s incredible.” It’s a big deal. Most certainly it is. Fox, by the way, finished second by a point to Edmonton’s Tyson Barrie In a season that ended with so much high-level organizational in points by a defenseman (48-47) and led all NHL defensemen in assists dysfunction, chaos and, frankly, embarrassment, Adam Fox rose as the with 42. He averaged a Leetch-like 24 minute, 42 seconds in ice time and beacon for what remains the high hopes of the New York Rangers. He led the team in blocked shots (102), had a 12-game point streak and a became, on a team that includes Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad, five-assist night. His assist and point totals were the highest for a their best player and their MVP. He became, on a team that includes Rangers defenseman age 23 or younger since Sergei Zubov led the Alexis Lafrenière and Kaapo Kakko, their most untouchable. 1993-94 champions in regular-season scoring.

And so Fox, 23, has a chance Tuesday to become an all-timer in Zubov is another Hall of Famer with whom Fox is compared. I tend to Rangers’ franchise history. As one of three finalists, Fox and the rest of think that, while their skills match, Zubov was more of a high-risk player. I the hockey world will learn if he won the Norris Trophy as the league’s still think the way that Fox sees and reads the game, the way he makes best defenseman. plays and decisions in tight spaces, are more Leetch-like.

“Where do I start?” Zibanejad said at one point late in the season about Leetch, who until the late-season organizational upheaval was employed Fox’s skyrocketing game. “He’s unbelievable. The way he plays with the as a hockey operations advisor, saw the similarities too, in a story in The puck, I think everyone can see it. He’s so calm. I feel like he makes the Athletic during the season. right decision all the time. And defensively he’s been really good this year, teaming up with (Ryan Lindgren), and I feel like they’ve been rock “As a defenseman, watching Foxy, as I’m seeing it, he’s doing it. And solid this year. that’s from way up above,” Leetch said. “So if I saw the game the same way, that’s good enough for me. I can’t tell you I saw it any better than “The way he plays, he means so much to us, offensively, defensively and that, because what he’s doing out there is impressive. obviously in the power play as well.” WE WANT MORE!!! "I GOT THIS ONE." – COAST-TO-COAST ADAM FOX. PIC.TWITTER.COM/IDQK244QFJ BUCHY MAKES IT 5-1 WITH AN AWESOME PASS FROM FOX PIC.TWITTER.COM/JYP2E8YGJW — NEW YORK RANGERS (@NYRANGERS) MARCH 6, 2021 — RANGERS ON MSG (@RANGERSMSGN) FEBRUARY 27, 2021 Three Rangers defensemen have won the Norris Trophy — in 1961-62, Harry Howell in 1966-67 and Brian Leetch in 1991-92 and “I know that I took way more chances in my career, that I was way more ’96-97. Harvey, it should be noted, won the Norris seven times, tied for reckless than he is. At this early stage of his career, I was looking to go, second-most all-time behind Bobby Orr, but just once as a Ranger. go, go. I was encouraged to do that until I started to get the shackles put on me. The team got better and it was a different role and I was Victor Hedman of Stanley Cup finalist and defending champ Tampa Bay encouraged to go. So I made a lot more mistakes early in my career and Colorado’s Cale Makar are the other “finalists” … it’s a misnomer because of that. But I also learned a lot and was given a lot of freedom to because the voting was done at the end of the regular season and the play that role because the team needed it. I will say that there were a lot decision is already made. Rather, these three players finished 1-2-3 in an more reckless decisions early than he’s making early in his career. unannounced order in the voting. “So I would say, if I saw the game just like he does, I’d go, ‘That’s good Makar beat out Fox, among others, for the Calder as rookie of the year in enough for me.’” 2019-20 (Fox finished fourth, behind Makar, and Dominik Kubalik). Leetch laughed at that.

Hedman won the Norris in 2018 and is a finalist (top three) for the fifth “That’s pretty darn good, you know?” season in a row. As was the case for Leetch so many times in his career, Fox’s coaching “It definitely surprises you,” Fox said about when his name began to be staff will be completely new for his third season. But the prior mentioned for the award. “I don’t think where I was a few years ago I administration, including general manager Jeff Gorton, who pilfered him necessarily would have been like, ‘I’m going to hear my name in Norris from Carolina, and coach David Quinn, a former first-round-drafted talks’ or anything like that. But when my name did start to get thrown out defenseman, shepherded him through his first two seasons. there, I was getting some points and playing pretty well, so I think for me WHAT DOES THE FOX SAY??? it was definitely a little surprising. But I also think I had been playing well. 1 GOAL, 1 ASSIST, 100 GAMES! PIC.TWITTER.COM/INNAT94YSI “It’s still special to hear your name, and I don’t know if I’ll get used to it very soon of hearing my name with guys like Hedman or guys in that — RANGERS ON MSG (@RANGERSMSGN) MARCH 23, 2021 conversation. So it’s special for me. And a huge honor.” “For me, it just started with earning trust from the coaching staff,” Fox WE WANT MORE!!! said. “From the start of my rookie year to the end, I think I gained a little more trust and was able to prove myself as a defender and not just an BUCHY MAKES IT 5-1 WITH AN AWESOME PASS FROM FOX offensive guy. Obviously this year, the same thing. I think I was able to PIC.TWITTER.COM/JYP2E8YGJW take on a bigger role and be trusted a little more in defensive and — RANGERS ON MSG (@RANGERSMSGN) FEBRUARY 27, 2021 offensive situations and obviously try to play well. But when points follow, that’s when people start to recognize maybe a little more. Fox won the coveted Steven McDonald Extra Effort award this season, then was named the team’s MVP. He and Lindgren also captured the “I think, for me, my game’s more of a simple game. It’s not the flashiest nickname, given by veteran teammate Brendan Smith, of “Batman and game — I just think trying to make the right play every shift. It might not Robin” … though it’s not certain which is Batman and which is Robin. always end up in the flashiest shift, but I think for me, just trying to make The two are not only defense partners who have been together since a positive impact every time on the ice. arriving as rookies in 2019-20 but also longtime pre-Rangers-days “From Day 1 the coaching staff tried to harp on me being a complete buddies and now Manhattan roommates. player. I think they knew that I was able to defend. It was just more so a willingness to do it. I know there can be offensive guys who maybe don’t want to focus on that, and obviously for myself, it’s something that I took pride in. They just helped me elevate with that and learn along the way. You can come in and do well, but there’s still going to be bumps along the road, and I think they just helped me power through those and become a better player.”

For that, too, Fox will surely be a member of the United States Olympic team if the NHL does decide to be part of the next Winter .

The first honor, though, hit home with Fox. This was the 33rd time the Rangers and the McDonald family have presented the award — Jan Erixon was the first winner in 1988. McDonald, a NYPD detective, was shot in the line of duty in 1986 and died in 2017. His widow Patti Ann and son Conor presented the award to Fox, Conor calling him “the best defenseman in this league.”

“It’s special,” Fox said. “It’s definitely an honor to be voted, especially by the fans. Patti Ann and Conor and the whole McDonald family — it’s a real honor. Growing up in New York, I know what a hero and what an icon Steven McDonald was to the city and to this organization. So, it’s definitely an honor and I’m grateful for it.”

YOUR @NORTHWELLHEALTH STEVEN MCDONALD EXTRA EFFORT AWARD WINNER:

F-O-X PIC.TWITTER.COM/KUSL1TLTLQ

— NEW YORK RANGERS (@NYRANGERS) APRIL 29, 2021

The Norris Trophy could be on deck. Or if it is not to be for this season, he ought to be part of that conversation for many years to come. Because for this young Ranger, it is only the beginning.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216671 Philadelphia Flyers guy,” he said back in 2018. “That’s something that’s really hard to do, and for me, that’s something I feel like I can do a much better job in. …

“You make some horrible mistakes, but they are what they are. You own Dave Hakstol gets a shot with the Seattle Kraken to prove he wasn’t the them. But I think there’s only one way to really figure out pro hockey was problem with the Flyers different from college hockey. I’m learning from mistakes and from things that work.”

The good and the trouble Mike Sielski How much has he learned? That will be the fascinating thing to monitor during his stint in Seattle. The history of sports — and of Philadelphia sports — is loaded with coaches who at first appeared out of their depth Dave Hakstol’s boat, an XT23 MasterCraft, was parked at a dock and only to fare better in their second or third go-rounds, either because their bobbing in the water of Pelican Lake in Otter Tail County, Minn. He was circumstances had changed or they themselves had. Gabe Kapler. Terry gassing it up, siphoning fuel from a red tub through a clear snaking tube. Francona. Joe Torre. Andy Reid. Pete Carroll. Mike Shanahan. Peter This was a warm, beautiful afternoon in July 2018. Hakstol was the DeBoer. Berube. Flyers’ head coach back then, three years removed from an accomplished coaching career at the University of North Dakota, three One never knows the full context or explanation for why a coach fares as months removed from a bitter first-round playoff loss to the Pittsburgh he or she does, why he or she makes a particular decision, and what that Penguins, five months away from being fired. I asked him if he had ever result or decision says about him or her. In 1995, for instance, his team failed at anything in his life. trailing the San Diego Chargers by 21 points, the Cleveland Browns’ head coach called a timeout with one second left to have his kicker, Matt “Absolutely.” Stover, attempt a 40-yard field goal. It seemed a ridiculous thing to do, At what? but Bill Belichick wanted to reward Stover, who was having a terrific season. The Flyers reached the postseason in two of Dave Hakstol's three full seasons as their head coach. “I looked at him and said, ‘Wow, Coach, wow. Thank you. That says a lot,’ ” Stover told author Ian O’Connor for the book Belichick: The Making “You probably draw a long list of things. Find me somebody who tells you of the Greatest Football Coach of All Time. “That means he had my they haven’t failed at something, and you’re probably showing me a liar. back.” It’s one way that you get better. All depends on how you handle it. If you evaluate it, deal with it, learn from it, a lot of good can come out of it. If The 1995 Browns finished 5-11, their fourth losing season in Belichick’s you have a sense of denial or are not a very good self-evaluator, you can five years there. He was fired in February 1996. The gesture wasn’t be in trouble. A fact and reality of life, isn’t it?” nearly enough to save his job, but it also turned out to be an indication of the coach he already was and would yet become. Would he be Context and mistakes considered a failure in Cleveland? Probably. Did he evaluate it, learn from it, deal with it? Hell, yes. Dave Hakstol is, as of last Thursday, the first head coach in the history of the Seattle Kraken, the expansion franchise that will enter the NHL next Dave Hakstol has the same opportunity now. We’ll see how much good season. At the risk of standing up a scarecrow in the middle of a cornfield he got out of his time with the Flyers, and how much trouble he can avoid and turning a flamethrower to it, hockey fans around here greeted the now. news that the Kraken had hired Hakstol in much the same way that they greeted the news in 2015 that the Flyers had hired him. This guy? Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 06.29.2021 Seriously? What a joke.

There are two lenses through which one can view Hakstol’s second chance as an NHL head coach. The first is the Flyers-centric lens: What Seattle’s willingness to hire Hakstol says and what his performance there will say about the Flyers and their decade of mediocrity.

This is, truth be told, the less-interesting lens. Even while they were rebuilding — though they were loath to use the word rebuilding — the Flyers made the playoffs in two of Hakstol’s three full seasons as their coach. If you want to believe that Hakstol was incompetent here, there probably isn’t much that can be done or said to persuade you otherwise. But you probably ought to be prepared to explain why his track record here was comparable to, and in some instances better than, Peter Laviolette’s, ’s, and ’s. By now, the evidence is pretty conclusive that, when it comes to the reasons that the Flyers have been in NHL purgatory for so long, the identity of their head coach doesn’t rank high on the list.

“A lot of people think he’s a glum, emotionless guy,” Flyers defenseman — whom Hakstol, in his most controversial move here, benched in 2016 — once said. “But behind closed doors, there’s a lot more to it. I respect him in that he doesn’t care what people think — the fan base, whoever’s been on him. He doesn’t care. He only cares about what the guys in this room think, and that’s really what matters to me, and I respect him for that.”

Of course Hakstol had his flaws and made his share of mistakes here. Of course he did. He was aware at all times, perhaps too aware, that the tactics he employed at North Dakota might be inappropriate at hockey’s highest level and that, because he hadn’t coached in the NHL before, he would have to prove himself to his players. He was coaching professionals now, so he would treat them like professionals, assuming they were completely self-motivated. But that approach led him, at times, to be too deferential to them, when those particular players on those particular teams probably required a stronger hand.

“In my experience, one of the most important things as a coach in the NHL is your ability to communicate and build a relationship with each 1216672 Philadelphia Flyers about September’s training camp, which will determine if he will start the season with the Flyers.

He thinks he can earn a spot. The defense is expected to undergo major Poised beyond his 20 years, Flyers prospect Cam York is getting ready changes before the season starts. A top-pairing defenseman figures to to push for a roster spot be added through a trade or free agency, and one defenseman (Shayne Gostisbehere? Robert Hagg?) might be lost in the July 21 expansion draft for the Seattle Kraken.

Sam Carchidi Even if the Flyers don’t lose a defenseman to Seattle, York could still win a spot.

“It’s obviously not going to be easy,” York said about his chances of It has been a whirlwind year for Cam York, the young, California-raised starting the season with the Flyers. “There are guys trying to provide for defenseman who seems destined to be a big part of the Flyers’ future. their families that don’t want me to take their roster spot, but I’m going to Maybe as soon as the 2021-22 season. do everything I can to put myself in that position. I feel like I have the ability; it’s just going to be a matter of me being ready to work every In a four-month period, the smooth-skating York captained Team USA to single day from the start. I do feel I can make it, but it won’t be easy by a stunning win over Canada to capture the World Junior championship; any means.” starred as a University of Michigan sophomore and was named the Big Ten’s defenseman of the year; signed a three-year entry-level deal with In the 2019 draft, York was selected 14th overall — one spot ahead of the Flyers; scored his first professional goal while playing for the AHL’s highly regarded Cole Caufield, a diminutive but talented right winger who Phantoms; and made a smooth NHL debut with the Flyers. scored four goals against heavily favored Vegas in the recent Stanley Cup semifinals, helping Montreal reach the Final. Many fans wanted the Other than that, not much happened to a player who will be given a Flyers to draft the explosive Caufield, but York says he doesn’t feel any chance to stick with the Flyers during training camp in September. extra pressure to perform because of it.

“It was crazy, a year that I’ll never forget, for sure,” York, 20, said recently “It’s not like I watch him like a hawk,” York said when asked if seeing from his home in Anaheim Hill, Calif. “There were a lot of ups and downs, Caufield perform well in the playoffs motivated him. “We’re different but I felt like I was mentally tough and stayed with it and ended up having positions and it’s hard to compare.” a pretty good year.” The Flyers’ brass isn’t concerned about Caufield. They care only about The biggest “down” was when second-seeded Michigan traveled to York’s development, and, so far, he looks like the real deal. Fargo, N.D., to play in the NCAA Tournament but had some players test positive for COVID-19. Michigan thus was removed from the tournament Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 06.29.2021 the morning it was scheduled to face two-time defending national champion Minnesota-Duluth.

“It was unfortunate, but it is what it is,” York said.

Impressive with the Phantoms

York played eight games for the Phantoms, collected five points (two goals, three assists), and received great reviews from Scott Gordon, the Lehigh Valley coach at the time. Then came a three-game stint with the Flyers in which he showed poise and looked comfortable directing the power play.

“Each game I felt like I learned many things — things that I can take into the summer and say, ‘I need to work on this, or I need to work on that,’ ” York said. “That goes a long way. I felt like I played well and I know I belong and can play at that level. I’m looking forward to next year to see where I’m at. I’m excited. There’s a lot of good things to come here.”

Flyers coach Alain Vigneault liked what he saw.

“The young man is a very good skater, smooth on his feet. Had the ability to beat the first forechecker and make a good pass, so good for him,” Vigneault said after the left-handed York’s debut.

From his short stay with the Flyers, York, a first-round selection in 2019, learned he has to get stronger over the summer.

“I also want to work on things I feel I’m good at, but want to get better at,” said the 5-foot-11 1/2, 185-pound York. “I feel my ability to break the puck out is really good, but I want to continue to work at that and get better at it. ... and work on making the right reads on the power play. Lots of little things, but they add up.”

The redheaded defenseman said he doesn’t want to add weight this summer because it would take away from one of his best assets: his speed.

“You have to realize what your strengths are, and for me, it’s my skating ability and agility,” he said. “Guys who are 200 pounds sometimes don’t have that. With my skating ability, I feel like I’m at my best when I’m around the weight I am. I’m just going to continue to get stronger and we’ll see where that goes.”

Trying to add strength

York is working out in the gym and skating after taking a few weeks off to let some minor injuries heal. He is excited about a rookie camp that will be held at a still-unknown date late in the summer in Voorhees, and 1216673 Pittsburgh Penguins The future: While Joseph is one of the Penguins’ top prospects, he also happens to play a role — as a left-handed defenseman — where the Penguins have a surplus of depth.

Penguins A to Z: Where does P.O Joseph fit in? Between Dumoulin, Matheson, Pettersson and Riikola, the Penguins have a lot of southpaw blueliners under contract for the 2021-22 season and beyond.

SETH RORABAUGH | Monday, June 28, 2021 8:55 a.m. Next month’s expansion draft could break up that logjam that if the Seattle Kraken decide to select someone like Matheson or Pettersson —

and more importantly, their lengthy contracts with salary cap hits in In 16 games the past season, Penguins defenseman P.O Joseph had excess of $4 million — but that’s hardly a guarantee (or probability). five points (one goal, four assists). Joseph is ineligible for selection in the expansion draft by virtue of being a second-year professional. With the Penguins in the midst of their offseason, the Tribune-Review is looking at all 48 players currently under NHL contract to the organization Ideally, the Penguins will find a way to carve out a roster spot for Joseph. in alphabetical order, from mid-level prospect Niclas Almari to top-six If not, they still have the option of sending him to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton winger Jason Zucker. given that he is still exempt from .

P.O Joseph Joseph, who added roughly 20 pounds of muscle last offseason, has all the baseline attributes to be an NHL defenseman today. He can skate, Position: Defenseman move the puck and sees the ice very well.

Shoots: Left His time has come, even if the logistics dictate otherwise.

Age: 21 Tribune Review LOADED: 06.29.2021 Height: 6-foot-2

Weight: 185 pounds

2020-21 NHL statistics: 16 games, five points (one goal, four assists)

2020-21 AHL statistics: 23 games, 13 points (one goal, 12 assists)

Contract: Second year of a three-year entry-level contract with a salary cap hit of $863,333. Pending restricted free agent in 2022.

(Note: According to CapFriendly, Joseph is still exempt from waivers in the event he is sent to the American Hockey League.)

Acquired: Trade, June 29, 2019

2020-21 season: Being a high-end prospect in the Penguins’ system is kind of like being an albino unicorn whose birthday is on Feb. 29.

That’s to say it’s something of a unique designation.

For roughly a decade and a half, the Penguins have been in “win now” mode under former general managers Jim Rutherford and Ray Shero. And usually, that means dealing away future assets to add pieces to the NHL roster.

So P.O Joseph, a first-round pick (No. 23 overall) of the Arizona Coyotes in 2017, is one of the Penguins’ top prospects, albeit in the company of limited candidates.

The Penguins got a glimpse of what he can offer this past season.

Opening the season on the taxi squad, Joseph was summoned to the NHL roster Jan. 22 when several of the Penguins’ incumbent defensemen — Mike Matheson, Marcus Pettersson and Juuso Riikola — were sidelined due to injuries. That same night, in his NHL debut, Joseph recorded the primary assist on a game-tying goal by forward Teddy Blueger in a 4-3 shootout home win against the New York Rangers.

Joseph remained on the roster for roughly five weeks and took on greater responsibility as more Penguins defensemen — Brian Dumoulin and Kris Letang — missed time due to their own maladies. For a handful of games, Joseph was on the top pairing with Letang, a fairly demanding assignment given Letang’s penchant for being aggressive on the rush.

On Feb. 7, Joseph scored his first career goal during a 4-3 road loss to the New York Islanders.

By late February, Joseph’s play began to wane a bit, and his ice time reflected that as he averaged a mere 12:43 in the final three NHL games he appeared in this past season.

By March 6, Joseph was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL and finished the regular season in Northeast Pennsylvania.

With Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Joseph was that team’s top defenseman, if not top player. Serving on the top defensive pair, he also quarterbacked the AHL Penguins’ power play.

Once the Stanley Cup postseason opened, Joseph was recalled to the NHL roster to serve on the Black Aces group. 1216674 Pittsburgh Penguins After leaving the Blackhawks, Aldrich was convicted in 2013 in Michigan of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a student and is now on that state’s registry of sex offenders.

Blackhawks hire outside firm to investigate sex-abuse claims The former student whom Aldrich was convicted of assaulting filed a separate lawsuit against the Blackhawks on May 26, saying the Blackhawks provided positive references to future employers of Aldrich despite allegations from at least one player and took no action to report Jay Cohen Associated Press Jun 29, 2021 2:03 AM the matter.

That suit says the student was a hockey player at Houghton High School CHICAGO — The Chicago Blackhawks have hired a former federal near Hancock in 2013 when Aldrich sexually assaulted him at an end-of- prosecutor to conduct an independent review of allegations that a former season gathering. player was sexually assaulted by a then-assistant coach in 2010. Houghton police records say an investigator reached out to the CEO Danny Wirtz announced the move in an internal memo Monday that Blackhawks about Aldrich, but human resources executive Marie Sutera was confirmed by a person familiar with the decision who spoke to The would confirm only that he was once an employee. She requested a Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of search warrant or subpoena for any further information regarding Aldrich. the situation. Susan Loggans, an attorney who represents the former player and “An experienced team of professionals, led by former federal prosecutor student, said she welcomed the decision by the Blackhawks to launch an Reid Schar of the law firm of Jenner & Block LLP, has been retained and independent review. is currently conducting an independent review of these allegations,” Wirtz “They’ve denied this all along, including to me before I ever filed suit, so said in the memo obtained by the AP after it was first reported by The I’m happy that they’re at least going this far,” she said. Athletic. “Mr. Schar and his firm have significant experience conducting independent investigative reviews, have no previous ties to the Miami University in Ohio also has opened an investigation. Aldrich was Blackhawks organization, and have been directed to follow the facts director of hockey operations at the school after leaving the Blackhawks, wherever they lead.” but he resigned in 2012 “under suspicion of unwanted touching of a male adult,” the university’s attorney told police. Speaking before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the league learned “relatively recently” of the Post Gazette LOADED: 06.29.2021 allegations. It was informed of the accusations by the team’s general counsel.

“We’ll await the results of the investigation and then decide what if anything needs to be done from our standpoint,” Bettman said.

Bettman declined to say whether the result of the firm’s investigation should be made public, preferring to wait for its completion to address that issue. Asked about possible punishment handed down by the league, Bettman said all options are available.

“I think we need to wait and see what the result of the investigation and the litigation that seems to be pending as well,” he said.

The investigation into one of the NHL’s most high-profile franchises comes after the filing of two lawsuits against the team. The first alleges sexual assault by former assistant coach Bradley Aldrich during the team’s run to the 2010 Stanley Cup title, and the second was filed by a former student whom Aldrich was convicted of assaulting in Michigan.

“We take the allegations described in these lawsuits very seriously,” Wirtz said in his memo. “They in no way reflect this organization’s culture or values.”

A former player said Aldrich assaulted him, and that the team did nothing after he informed an employee. The lawsuit, filed on May 7 in Cook County Circuit Court, alleges Aldrich also assaulted another unidentified Blackhawks player. The former player who sued and is seeking more than $150,000 in damages is referred in the document as “John Doe.”

The eight-page lawsuit says Aldrich, then a video coach for the Blackhawks, “turned on porn and began to masturbate in front of” the player without his consent. It says Aldrich also threatened to “physically, financially and emotionally” hurt the player if he “did not engage in sexual activity” with him.

According to TSN, two Blackhawks players told then-skills coach Paul Vincent in May 2010 of inappropriate behavior by Aldrich. Vincent said he asked mental skills coach James Gary to follow up with the players and management.

Vincent was called into a meeting with then-team President John McDonough, general manager Stan Bowman, hockey executive Al MacIsaac and Gary the next day. He said he asked the team to report the allegations to Chicago police, and the request was denied.

In an email to the AP, Vincent said he stands by everything he said to TSN. An attorney for Aldrich told Chicago public radio station WBEZ that his client denies the allegations in the lawsuit. In a May statement to the radio station, the Blackhawks said the allegations directed at it were groundless. 1216675 Pittsburgh Penguins

Former Penguins goalie Frank Pietrangelo joins federal lawsuit alleging sexual abuse at Minnesota

Matt Vensel

Former Penguins goaltender Frank Pietrangelo, who helped them win the Stanley Cup in 1991, has joined a federal lawsuit against former coach Thomas Adrahtas, the university, the Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois and USA Hockey, alleging he was sexually abused by Adrahtas.

Pietrangelo played for Minnesota from 1982 to 1986. Adrahtas was the goaltending coach at the university from 1984 to 1985. Pietrangelo, now 56, alleges he was the victim of sexual abuse during his tenure.

In an interview with Chicago television station WBBM, a CBS affiliate, Pietrangelo said that Adrahtas touched him inappropriately during “visual practices” behind closed doors. Pietrangelo said he was at times blindfolded during them.

According to a statement from the law firm representing Pietrangelo, the goalie during that 1984-85 season complained to both Adrahtas and Minnesota head coach Brad Buetow about the “visualization practices” and said they made him feel uncomfortable. Pietrangelo said his concerns were dismissed.

“This has been a nightmare for many people,” Pietrangelo told the television station WBBM, adding, “I believe [Adrahtas has] done this from the day he started. I believe he’s done this every single year, wherever he’s been.”

Pietrangelo joined a federal lawsuit that was filed last month in Minnesota. Five men initially sued the coach, the university and other organizations alleging that Adrahtas used his position to sexually assault them. Others in the lawsuit accused Adrahtas of posing as a woman to perform sex acts on them.

After leaving the University of Minnesota in 1985, Adrahtas returned to Illinois to coach youth hockey, where the abuse allegedly continued. He was mostly recently employed at Robert Morris University of Illinois, resigning in 2018.

Pietrangelo was a fourth-round pick of the Penguins in 1983. He made his NHL debut in 1987. He backed up Tom Barrasso during their Cup run in 1991.

Called into action with the Penguins down 3-2 to the New Jersey Devils in the first round that year, Pietrangelo made a lunging glove save on Devils star Peter Stastny to help them stave off elimination and eventually go on to win their first Cup. Three decades later, it is still known as “The Save” in Pittsburgh.

Pietrangelo won four of his five starts during that postseason run, including making 27 saves to shut out the Devils in Game 7 of that first- round series.

Pietrangelo, an Ontario native, was traded to the in 1992. He spent three seasons with the Whalers. His last NHL game was in 1994.

Post Gazette LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216676 Pittsburgh Penguins I sure made this sound simple, didn’t I? But even with good intentions, negotiations can go awry. Malkin is a deeply proud man. And the Penguins, while showing proper reverence to a franchise icon, want to win the Cup at least once more before Crosby calls it quits. We’ll see if Penguins offseason preview: What’s the right price for an Evgeni Malkin they find common ground this summer. deal? Expansion considerations

We assume the Penguins will protect seven forwards, three defensemen Matt Vensel and a goalie in the July 21 expansion draft. Crosby and Malkin have no- movement clauses requiring them to be protected.

Theoretically, they could ask Malkin to waive his clause under the With the NHL offseason right around the corner, Post-Gazette reporters assumption the Seattle Kraken would not want a pricy 34-year-old Matt Vensel and Mike DeFabo are going position by position to examine coming off knee surgery, allowing them to protect another one of their areas the Penguins must address. The five-part series begins today at forwards. But do they really want to play a game of chicken with the the center spot. Kraken and risk losing a player of his stature? A few days after the Penguins prematurely exited the playoffs (again), As for the other centers, the Penguins should protect at least two of Jeff general manager sucked some of the intrigue out of the Carter, Teddy Blueger and Jared McCann. It’s the most important offseason when he said the team planned to keep Evgeni Malkin around position in hockey, and it appears there is a chance that Malkin is for the 2021-22 season. sidelined for a chunk of 2021-22. What had not been publicly revealed yet was that Malkin needed knee The Penguins have yet to finalize their protection list, but it’s a safe bet surgery. The Penguins announced two days later, on June 4, that he that Carter will be on it when they do. He had 13 goals in 20 games with would be sidelined through training camp. If Hextall had hypothetically Pittsburgh last season. He quickly became a vocal leader, earning the been open to shopping the 34-year-old, his health status torpedoed any ear of guys like Crosby and Letang and youngsters such as McCann. chance of a considerable return. And his cap hit is just $2.6 million. So Geno will stay put, presumably along with and Kris Blueger, meanwhile, is a strong defensive pivot, a key penalty killer and Letang. with 22 points in 43 games in 2021, he displayed third-line upside. “We see a future with this core,” said Hextall, entering his first summer as McCann has enticing talent, but his playoff no-shows would give me GM. “We had a good year. It certainly didn’t give me pause to think about pause. what we should do with this core. … I expect to have these guys back next year, for sure.” Free agent situation

What about the years after that? That is a significant offseason storyline. Blueger is a restricted free agent and the 26-year-old could be looking at an awarded salary between $3 million and $4 million should they go to Malkin has one year remaining on the long-term contract that pays him arbitration. $9.5 million annually. The Penguins are now eligible to tack a new extension onto it. Mark Jankowski is also an RFA but is unlikely to be retained. Versatile veterans Freddy Gaudreau and Evan Rodrigues will be unrestricted free Given Malkin’s contributions to three Stanley Cup victories, his agents. willingness to play on an injured right knee during these playoffs, and his flashes of elite performance in 2019-20 and for a couple of weeks this Potential promotions past season, the organization is expected to at least explore a new deal with their future Hall of Fame center. Radim Zohorna, another RFA, should be in the mix for a roster spot next season. The Penguins liked what they saw from the big lug in his first Can a compromise be found that allows Malkin to finish his career in season in North America. He skates well and has deft touch for a 6-foot- Pittsburgh while giving Hextall the financial flexibility needed to build a 6, 220-pound player. contender around Crosby, Malkin and possibly Letang (who is also in the last year of his deal)? Minor leaguers Justin Almeida, Jordy Bellerive and Anthony Angello are still under contract for 2021-22. None is a lock to settle in as an NHL Malkin has given no indications he wants to play elsewhere. And while regular. Malkin did not speak with reporters after their first-round playoff loss to the New York Islanders, Letang suggested that his buddy wants to re- Is this position a priority? sign with the Penguins. Malkin’s injury is cause for concern on multiple levels. Obviously, it won’t “Like I’ve said in the past, me, Geno and Sid want to finish as Penguins,” be ideal if he isn’t available until the snow starts falling around here and the blue-liner said. “We truly believe in ourselves, and we think we have then needs more time to ramp up. But it could also overtax Carter, who a lot to offer.” turns 37 on Jan. 1.

For that to happen, Malkin will probably have to take a pay cut in his next Given that the Penguins will have limited cap space, it’s hard to see them deal. adding another middle-six center to the mix. The focus should be to retain the centers they’ve already got and hope that somebody like His age, injury history and the fact that he had one standout season in Blueger takes another step. the last three will make an extension a gamble for the Penguins. Can Malkin be a top-10 center again? I suppose it’s possible. But the potential Post Gazette LOADED: 06.29.2021 downside is considerable. Father Time hooks everyone, and Malkin could be staring at a steep decline.

Given that, it would be reasonable for the Penguins to seek a shorter extension that would slot Malkin in somewhere between the league’s top 20 and 25 centers going forward. Per Capfriendly.com, Kevin Hayes ranks 20th among NHL centers with an annual cap hit of $7.1 million. Brayden Schenn is 25th at $6.5 million.

Having no-movement protection may incentivize Malkin to take a little less.

As for the term, three years would make a lot of sense. That would sync up Malkin with Crosby, whose contract will expire at the end of the 2024- 25 season. 1216677 Pittsburgh Penguins

NHL Players at Olympics in Doubt, League Announces Important Dates

By Dan Kingerski

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman both affirmed his promise to the NHL players to go to the 2022 Winter Olympics, but also cast doubt because prolonged negotiations are interfering with finalizng the 2021-22 NHL schedule. As part of the annual joint media conference before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final with deputy commissioner Bill Daly, the pair answered the lingering questions about the 2021-22 season and where the important dates will be held.

Daly also seemingly hinted at worldwide questions over China’s suitability to host the games.

“With the future games in Beijing, and the continued uncertainty over the virus, and the games being halfway around the world, not necesssarily an ideal games to elect to go to,” Daly said. “Having said that–we negotiated in good faith with the players association last summer. We agreed that if the conditions were right, and we could reach agreement on all of the material issues, that we would commit and support going to the Olympics…”

As part of the five-year CBA agreement reached last summer before teams agreed to entre the playoff bubbles, a the league made a good faith promise to let the players participate in the 2022 Olympics if specific details, such as insurance costs, could be worked out.

There are renewed questions over the specific origins of COVID-19 which began in Wuhan, China. On May 27, U.S. President Joe Biden ordered an investigation into the origins of the virus after Biden admitted the U.S. intelligence community was divided over the issue.

The league is deferring to the NHLPA to work through the issues with the IOC to get the deal done. However, Bettman expressed concern that talks are dragging on and are affecting the 2021-22 schedule.

“We don’t know. as of right now, and that’s causing us, in addition to consternation, a fair number of issues relative to getting next season up and running,” Bettman said. “It’s reaching the point that we’re getting concerned about the impact on the season because of the uncertainty.”

We’re awaiting the final decision so we can write the Sidney Crosby for captain column. Daly and Bettman admitted time is running short for a resolution. The NHL did not go to the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, either.

As part of the yearly press event, the league also announced the outdoor games, the ALL-Star Game and the 2022 NHL Draft.

NHL Events Schedule

*The NHL schedule will be announced between the end of the Stanley Cup Final and the NHL Draft on July 23-34.

*The Winter Classic will be in Minnesota. The Minnesota Wild will host the St. Louis Blues at Target Field.

*The Stadium Series game will be in Nashville at Nissan Stadium. The Nashville Predators will host the Dallas Stars.

*The 2022 NHL All-Star Game will he help in Las Vegas. It was originally to be held in Florida, but the league did not reschedule

*All Dates (except the Jan. 1 Winter Classic) are TBD while the NHL works on the schedule which could include an Olympic break.

* of Sportsnet reports the 2022 NHL Draft will be held in Montreal.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216678 Pittsburgh Penguins The Penguins are solid in net. They could use a playoff experienced goalie in the mix should Jarry whiff again, but Casey DeSmith is also a low-paid, capable puck stopper. So, there’s no desperation to fill that need until the 2022 NHL trade deadline. Goalies to Prospects; Questions & Answers for Penguins Q3: Why don’t they trade Malkin and Letang? Offseason Stop it already.

Q4: Which Pittsburgh Penguins are most likely to be traded? By Dan Kingerski This is an easy question. Start at the top of the salary scale, skip the big three, and start there. and Jason Zucker make $11.5 million combined. Marcus Pettersson makes over $4 million. We are all getting a little impatient for the Pittsburgh Penguins offseason to begin. They haven’t played a game in nearly one month, but nor have I didn’t include John Marino because he is a young defenseman (who got the Penguins tore up the NHL trade market, been engaged in high-profile paid very early in his career). His career trajectory is probably closer to trade chases, or otherwise made a move. his rookie year than his sophomore year. Still, his trade value would be closer to his sophomore year. He’s also one of those d-men who could That’s not a criticism or a report that Penguins GM Ron Hextall is sitting grow to become more physical, too. Nothing is impossible, but it doesn’t on his hands. It is an acknowledgment that a few weeks away from the seem likely unless the Penguins get a sweet return. Seattle Kraken expansion draft and the questions don’t yet have answers, nor do we have many clues. The Penguins both have big trade chips, but not many of them. Some readers and YouTube viewers have asked about Bryan Rust. To that, I’d As part of Michael Russo’s report that the Minnesota Wild began trade say–no way. That low salary ($3.5 million) combined with that production talks for Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel, Minnesota GM Bill Guerin and his gritty game? You keep that. admitted it is unlikely trades will happen until after the July 21 expansion draft. Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 06.29.2021 In other words, buckle in for a few more weeks before all hell breaks loose. Guerin reads the market as well as anyone and has done a remarkable job with a cap-strapped team that wasn’t very good. They pushed Vegas to seven games this season.

But the questions surrounding the Pittsburgh Penguins persist.

Q1: What about Sam Poulin and Nathan Legare?

Should the Penguins need additional forward depth, their top two forward prospects Sam Poulin and Nathan Legare, offer a good bit of hope for the future.

Take this as my insight, I see Poulin as a solid third-liner, and there isn’t much chance he’ll miss. He may be a fourth-liner if his skating doesn’t match the pro game, but he has a complete game.

Poulin is 6-foot-2, 213 pounds, so size isn’t a problem. He also played both wings at the junior level.

Legare will take more seasoning in the AHL before he lands in the NHL. He won’t be ready as quickly because he has a power forward sniper game, and he will need time to learn where to be and how to find space to unleash his wicked wrister.

Legare has a real chance to be a top-six winger. His skating dramatically improved this season. The hip-twists skating style was streamlined, and he got to his spots much quicker.

He’s got a chip on his shoulder and an edge to his game, but don’t plan on his arrival in 2021-22.

PHN will be doing in-depth scouting reports with QMJHL scouts and video in the coming weeks. For now, don’t plan on either making an impact, at least at the start of the season. But…if it happens, bonus Penguins.

Q2: The playoffs teams have great goalies. Don’t the Penguins need to upgrade their goalie?

I’ve been surprised by the undersell on Tristan Jarry. The guy made the All-Star game one season ago. He brilliantly stole a handful of games this season.

He stunk in the playoffs.

But refer back to the first paragraph. Is Semyon Varlamov or Marc-Andre Fleury significantly better than Jarry? Well, Fleury is certainly better, sometimes. Otherwise, Jarry is a good goalie who whiffed at his first big chance. He’s not the first.

The Stanley Cup Final goalies Andrei Vesilevskiy and Carey Price are certainly better than Jarry. But go ahead–find an available goalie in their league. There are only one or two other goalies in that class, and teams don’t readily give them up (*cue the John Gibson replies, but that’s a long shot). 1216679 San Jose Sharks

Evander Kane, Sharks offer condolences to David Pastrnak after son’s tragic death

By CURTIS PASHELKA PUBLISHED: June 28, 2021 at 10:45 a.m. | UPDATED: June 28, 2021 at 11:15 a.m.

Condolences from around the NHL poured in Monday for David Pastrnak and his girlfriend, Rebecca Rohlsson, after the Boston Bruins forward announced that the couple’s infant son had died.

Viggo Rohl Pastrnak was born June 17 and died last Wednesday.

“We have an angel watching over us and we call him SON. You will be loved forever,” Pastrnak wrote in an Instagram post. “Please respect our privacy as we are going through these heartbreaking times.”

“We are heartbroken by the passing of David and Rebecca’s son Viggo,” a statement from the Bruins said. “David and Rebecca are a part of our family and we share in their loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and respect their privacy during this very difficult time.”

“The entire National Hockey League family sends our prayers and deepest condolences to David Pastrnak and Rebecca Rohlsson on the heartbreaking passing of their newborn son Viggo,” a statement from the NHL said.

Waking up and seeing the news that David Pastrnak’s infant son passed away. Heartbroken for him and his girlfriend, Rebecca. No parent should have to go through this. pic.twitter.com/epxIBvmJZE

— Cealey Godwin (@CealeyGodwin) June 28, 2021

Teams and individuals responded with messages of sympathy for Pastrnak and Rohlsson, including Sharks forward Evander Kane. In March 2019, Kane shared that he and his wife, Anna, had lost a child, Eva, in the 26th week of pregnancy.

“Our family sends its deepest condolences to David, Rebecca and his entire family,” Kane tweeted. “Our family knows that pain and it’s the worst imaginable. We are just devastated for you both. Sending prayers your way.”

Our family sends its deepest condolences to David, Rebecca and his entire family. Our family knows that pain and it’s the worst imaginable. We are just devastated for you both. Sending prayers your way ❤ https://t.co/0VddJbIw4m

— Evander Kane (@evanderkane_9) June 28, 2021

Last July, Kane announced on Twitter that Anna had given birth to a baby girl.

Sharks center Tomas Hertl was among several NHL players to respond with condolences to Pastrnak’s message on Instagram. Hertl and Pastrnak are both from the .

In a reply to the Bruins’ statement, the Sharks tweeted, “Our thoughts and prayers are with David, Rebecca, and their entire family.”

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216680 San Jose Sharks

Sharks president Becher doubles down on disinterest in rebuild

BY ALEX DIDION

The Sharks haven't made the playoffs since the 2018-19 season, and finished second-to-last in the Honda West Division this past year. Despite the recent struggles, Sharks president Jonathan Becher doubled down on the organization's public stance that a rebuild is not in the cards.

"Yeah I'll reiterate what Doug has said, our owner, (Sharks general manager ) Doug, myself, that's not something we wanna live through," Becher told reporters Monday during a virtual press conference. "It'd be hard for me to sell a three-year season ticket plan to someone and say 'we plan not to be good for the next three to four years.' "

Wilson laid out his expectations for next season in May, indicating that he expects the Sharks to return to contention in 2021-22.

"I expect this to be a very good hockey team," Wilson said (h/t Associated Press). "I expect a team every year to compete for the playoffs. If we add the right things, players get back in their cycle, they're able to do that. I think we'll be a very good team next year. I really do."

As San Jose Hockey Now's Sheng Peng pointed out a few months ago, this past season marked just the third time in franchise history that the Sharks have missed the playoffs in back-to-back years, and the first time in 24 years.

The Sharks have a number of veterans with contracts that extend three to four years into the future, contracts that could be difficult to offload without surrendering draft picks that would be integral to kickstarting a rebuild.

Rebuilds are difficult to sell to fans, especially teams that struggle to maintain a foothold of support in a market.

The Sharks' top brass appear to be in agreement that rebuilding isn't an option, but after a last-place finish in the Western Conference in 2019-20 and not much improvement last season, changes will need to be made this offseason.

However, a majority of the current roster also helped lead the Sharks to the Western Conference Finals in 2018-19.

Wilson and the front office currently have $10.3 million in cap space (per CapFriendly) and eight draft picks, including the seventh overall pick, in their possession.

The pressure is on to avoid what never has happened in franchise history: three consecutive years without a playoff appearance.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216681 San Jose Sharks

Sharks forward Hertl at Euro 2020 supporting Czech Republic

BY ALEX DIDION

Tomas Hertl clearly is enjoying his offseason, as the Sharks forward went to Budapest to take in his Czech Republic taking on the in the round of 16 at the Euro 2020.

Sharks forward Tomas Hertl showed up to support his fellow countrymen at the #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/rQQpXb7Wzt— Alex Didion (@alexdidion_) June 27, 2021

The Czech Republic surprisingly took down the Netherlands 2-0 on Sunday, after the Dutch defensive leader Matthijs de Ligt was given a red card in the 55th minute of a scoreless game.

Hertl played professionally in his home country before being drafted 17th overall by the Sharks in 2013.

He also has represented the Czech Republic internationally on multiple occasions, playing in multiple IIHF World Championships as well as the 2016 World Cup.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216682 San Jose Sharks many teams looking for a second-line center, but even Couture had a rough second half last season. Couture also has a full no-movement clause, and there have never been any indications that the captain wants to play elsewhere. Can the Sharks follow the Canadiens’ model for a successful ‘reset’? Wilson also has to decide whether players like Timo Meier and Kevin Labanc, both of whom have been trending downwards since the Sharks’ run to the 2019 Western Conference finals, should be part of the team’s By Kevin Kurz Jun 28, 2021 young core moving forward. That’s something that the Canadiens also have in place with guys like Brenden Gallagher and Phillip Danault, the latter of who received a number of votes for the Selke Trophy this year. The Montreal Canadiens reaching the Stanley Cup Final, which begins Bergevin remained committed to those players after 2018, and a few on Monday night against Tampa Bay, is the culmination of a plan others like Arturri Lehkonen, the Game 6 overtime hero against the originally set in motion by general manager Marc Bergevin three years Golden Knights in the previous round, and it turned out to be the right ago. At the 2018 draft, Bergevin — under fire after Montreal finished 28th call. in the league standings that season — declared that the Canadiens would undergo a “reset,” or an attempt to build around the veteran core Finally, drafting well is always important, but that’s particularly true in a already in place while adding important peripheral pieces and finding new reset. Montreal’s run has been fueled by a number of young players who young talent through trades and the draft. came up through the organization.

It was an ambitious plan, and one without much precedent for success. It Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Cole Caufield are at the top of that list. Bergevin should also sound familiar to Sharks fans. nabbed Kotkaniemi with the third overall pick in 2018, while Caufield was the 15th overall pick in 2019. Each has scored key goals in the It’s likely that Doug Wilson had the Canadiens in mind when he postseason, and each is just 20 years old. expressed in March that the Sharks are undergoing a reset of their own, particularly after the conclusion of a second straight disappointing Will the Sharks be able to find that kind of talent in the coming drafts? season. There’s not going to be a rebuild here, like there wasn’t in They’ll enter this year’s draft with the seventh overall pick, so whomever Montreal. they take in that spot will probably have to contribute sooner than later. There’s also the possibility that a trade before this year’s draft could give A big part of the reason for that, as it was with the Canadiens in 2018, is them more than the eight picks they already own. In fact, Wilson has necessity. Montreal had some long, expensive contracts that were already suggested that the Sharks will have more picks when the draft probably immovable at the time. Defenseman Shea Weber still had eight takes place on July 23-24. It’s probably safe to assume that the Sharks’ years left on his contract at nearly $8 million annually. Carey Price was first-round pick in 2022 is off the table in any future deal, much like their coming off of the worst season of his career, posting a .900 save 2021 first-rounder was throughout last season. percentage and 3.11 goals-against average in 49 games. All of a sudden, there were concerns about Price and his $10.5 million salary-cap hit It’s a daunting task, and at first glance, the Sharks’ attempted reset looks through 2025-26. Weber and Price remain the two highest-paid players more complicated than what Montreal had to do. Still, Sharks owner on the Canadiens’ roster. Hasso Plattner seems to think Wilson has earned that chance after a long run of success. The blueprint for how to do it now seems to be right The Sharks’ contract situation looks a little more dire, because of the in front of them, four wins away from a championship. money tied up in players who seem to be past their primes. We won’t go through that painful list again item by item, but it is worth pointing out that The Athletic LOADED: 06.29.2021 Erik Karlsson, with $11.5 million owed to him annually for the next six seasons, is one year younger than Weber was at the time of the Canadiens’ reset. They’re different players, of course, but there’s no question that Wilson’s reset will not succeed unless Karlsson plays much more consistently and at a much higher level than he has for the first two seasons of the massive eight-year extension he signed in 2019.

Fruitful trades are also required during a reset, and they have helped the Canadiens, too. Their most notable deal came late in the 2018 offseason, shortly after Bergevin’s reset began, when they dealt captain Max Pacioretty to the Vegas Golden Knights for Nick Suzuki, Tomas Tatar and a second-round draft pick. The 21-year-old Suzuki, the Golden Knights’ first-round pick (13th overall) in 2017, managed 41 points in 56 regular-season games for Montreal in the regular season and has 13 points in 17 playoff games headed into the final, skating as the second- line center. Tatar, meanwhile, is a useful depth player who posted 30 points in 50 regular-season games.

At the time of the Pacioretty deal, the forward had just one year left on his deal. The Sharks have one such player like that in Tomas Hertl, who is about to enter the final year of his contract at $5.625 million. Would Wilson entertain dealing Hertl for a handful of assets, like the Canadiens did with Pacioretty? The situations aren’t completely similar, because Pacioretty likely wasn’t going to re-sign in Montreal and Hertl expressed in his 2021 exit interview that he’d like to remain in San Jose for the long term. But there’s little doubt that many teams would come calling if Hertl were to be made available, and a Hertl deal could potentially land the Sharks a blue-chip prospect like Suzuki, which is something that their system is devoid of at present.

Even if Hertl is off the table and the Sharks would prefer to sign him to a long-term extension instead, they still have some aging pieces that contending teams would be interested in, although it gets more complicated. Brent Burns could be one, and he seems like the likeliest core player who could get dealt this summer, but he also has a three- team limited no-trade clause. Evander Kane was the Sharks’ best player last season, but he also has a three-team limited no-trade clause and some off-ice baggage. Logan Couture is still effective and has a knack for upping his game in the playoffs, which would make him attractive to 1216683 Seattle Kraken

Seattle Kraken announce temporary AHL affiliation agreement

By Lauren Kirschman

The Seattle Kraken announced a temporary American Hockey League affiliation agreement on Monday.

The Kraken will partner with the Florida Panthers and place eight to 12 players with the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL. The Checkers will serve as Seattle’s official primary minor league affiliate for the 2021-22 season.

“The AHL plays such a key role in the development of NHL players,” Seattle general manager Ron Francis said in a release. “This is a very important decision for the long-term success of our organization.”

There are already connections between Seattle and Charlotte.

Francis, assistant general manager Ricky Olczyk and Kraken director of amateur scouting Robert Kron all worked with Charlotte’s leadership group when the AHL team was an affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes. A former GM for Carolina, Francis also captained the Hurricanes when they reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2002.

“We are obviously familiar with (CEO and owner) Michael Kahn and the Charlotte Checkers as well as the area,” Francis said in a release. “This agreement helps ensure we can loan all of our prospects to one place rather than multiple locations. We would like to thank both Charlotte and the Florida Panthers for their cooperation to make this happen.”

The Kraken were previously awarded the AHL’s 32nd franchise in Palm Springs, but construction was delayed on the arena site in the Coachella Valley. Crews broke ground this month and the team will begin play in 2022.

Due to the delay, Francis and Olczyk spoke with several NHL organizations about a player-share arrangement.

Only 20 players dress for NHL games while up to three others are designated as scratches. Several of the 30 players selected by Seattle in July’s Expansion Draft as well as free agents signed to AHL deals or two- way agreements will play for the AHL affiliate. Players will be called up to the NHL throughout the season, some several times.

Prospects selected in the NHL Amateur Draft, which follows the Expansion Draft, must return to juniors or collegiate hockey if they aren’t placed on an NHL active roster.

“The AHL is such a vital component to building our team and having success on the ice,” Olczyk said in a release. “It’s our foundation, our bloodline.”

The Panthers will name the coaching staff, but Olczyk said in a release that the Kraken will have “lots of eyeballs” on their prospects.

News Tribune LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216684 St Louis Blues These results tell us a few things. No. 1, despite many fans saying they no longer care about Pietrangelo, his departure is overwhelmingly Armstrong’s most questionable move. Pietrangelo’s dominating play with Vegas in the postseason probably didn’t help the Blues GM. Blues fan survey results: Trade for Matthew Tkachuk? Re-sign Jaden Schwartz? Protect Vladimir Tarasenko? I thought Krug’s contract (17.9 percent) would take up a bigger chunk of the chart, but after Pietrangelo, the options were fairly evenly split. Almost as many people chose Armstrong not selling at the trade deadline (15 percent) as Krug’s contract. By Jeremy Rutherford Jun 28, 2021 The response that is a little alarming is Jordan Binnington’s contract (8.5

percent). I’m not saying the Blues goalie will still be worth his $6 million A week ago, we asked subscribers to participate in The Athletic’s annual AAV toward the end of the deal, but even after his solid finish, some still St. Louis Blues fan survey. aren’t sold on him.

For me, it’s always an interesting way to see how the fans feel about What is your level of confidence in Blues coach Craig Berube and his certain topics. I try to make the questions as timely as possible, and while staff? there are different ways of asking them, the goal is to pose them in a Whether you have faith in Berube or not, this much is clear: We’ve manner that makes you think. reached the stage where he’s being evaluated on what he does moving A few people told me on social media last week that they wrestled with forward as opposed to being graded on the curve because of the Stanley many of the questions and wanted to vote “I don’t know” on several. Cup. That’s a good sign. That means they’re tough. I’m not one who ever thought that Berube’s job was in jeopardy this year. Well, nearly 1,700 subscribers responded in the past seven days, and But heading into the final year of his three-year contract, you can bet he’ll before we go any further, I want to say thank you! The assignment be under a lot more scrutiny. Having a healthy roster will be key, but doesn’t work without your engagement, so it’s much appreciated. there won’t be any excuses.

Now let’s get to the results … My one question is whether these results would have been different if Berube’s “staff” wasn’t included. ’s defense had issues After back-to-back first-round exits in the playoffs, what is your throughout the season and Jim Montgomery’s power play got off to an confidence level in the direction of the organization? awful start before figuring things out in the second half. I’m not so sure Berube’s grade would have been any better, though, if he were listed This is close to what I expected, with a majority of the voters in the alone in the question. middle. Yes, the Blues won the Stanley Cup just two years ago, but with back-to-back first-round exits (2-8 playoff record), you’re going to lose a What was Berube’s biggest issue in 2020-21? lot of that support. When I was coming up with the choices for this question, a few of them However, I don’t think these results simply reflect the disappointment of were obvious. Keeping Mike Hoffman on the No. 2 power play became a the past two years. As the question specifies, “What is your confidence hot topic and that blew up in the Blues’ face when he carried the top unit level in the direction of the organization?” down the stretch. It’s no surprise that that earned the second-largest vote (29.4 percent) Who are the Blues? Are general manager and head coach Craig Berube on the same page in terms of the types of players I knew the home record (14.1 percent) and Berube’s handling of the they want? Even if they are, does the team have enough talent? As the healthy scratches (12.6 percent) were also glaring issues and would get survey shows, there’s a lot of uncertainty. a lot of attention. But what blew me away was the winner, which was the inability to get the Blues to play with more passion (35.8 percent). Who or what is most responsible for the Blues’ recent failures? I’m mostly surprised because this was Berube’s calling card when he Wow, with nearly 50 percent of the vote, it’s clear that fans are putting took over in 2019 and they won the Stanley Cup. Those players needed the Blues’ struggles on the players. I don’t blame them. confidence and Berube instilled it in them. I know the lineup looks much Yes, injuries were a major factor this season, and perhaps the 7.9 different today, but I would have never guessed that he would have percent of people who voted “other” did so pointing to the injuries. But trouble creating passion in his players, even if it’s perception. what about when the Blues got healthy toward the end of the season and What direction do you think the Blues should go in this offseason? couldn’t win a game? Yes, it does take a little time for a team getting healthy to rediscover its chemistry, but this looked more like a club that You want to talk about confidence: 11 of our 1,678 responses were OK wasn’t playing together. with keeping the roster the same. Those 11 people may have relatives on the team. It’s interesting that the pandemic was seen as being more responsible (23.4 percent) than both Armstrong (14.4 percent) and Berube and his The rest of you were split on being aggressive buyers (32.4 percent), staff (6.8 percent). I do agree that the pandemic restrictions played a shaking up the core (32.5 percent) and making a few tweaks (30.7 role, but a lot of other teams overcame those challenges. percent). Then you had the folks who want to blow it up and start over (3.1 percent). What is your level of confidence in GM Doug Armstrong? I guess the takeaway here is that 64.9 percent of the responders want to While things haven’t gone as expected the past two years, I’ve still seen be A) aggressive or B) shake up the core. That’s significant in that most a lot of “In Armstrong, I trust.” This result, with 75.3 percent of people people don’t think a few tweaks are going to get the Blues over the giving the Blues GM a 4 or 5, backs that up. hump. Armstrong’s armor may have taken a couple of dings, but with a bold What is the Blues’ most pressing on-ice need? vision and a successful trade history, many fans see the possibility of him making moves that pull the Blues out of their predicament. A few people wanted to vote for more than one on this question, which is understandable because the Blues have a few holes. But again, asking That may be true, however, this time is different. Once a player like Alex you to narrow it down to one makes it pretty tough — and enlightening. Pietrangelo is gone, he’s gone — you don’t get him back. There are also a lot of long-term contracts on the books that may be immovable — The narrow winner was top-four defenseman (35.3 percent) followed by a Justin Faulk, Torey Krug, Brayden Schenn — so those players have to scoring forward (34.2 percent) and a net-front presence (28.1 percent). produce. This isn’t to say that Armstrong can’t work his magic again, but it’s going to be more difficult this time. This is probably why many of you wanted to pick two of the options: a defenseman and a scoring forward, and it wouldn’t hurt if that scoring What was Armstrong’s most questionable move in 2020-21 (including the forward can play in front of the net, too. Matthew Tkachuk anyone? We’ll previous offseason)? get to him in just a bit. What is your level of concern regarding Vladimir Tarasenko’s future from What is your level of confidence in the Blues’ amateur scouting staff led a health and production standpoint? by Tony Feltrin?

You have to be concerned with Tarasenko, right? A majority of you are, This a small sample considering Tony Feltrin has had just one draft, although 211 of our 1,668 voters don’t seem all that worried, choosing a taking over for Bill Armstrong last summer when Armstrong accepted the 1 or 2. GM job in Arizona. And like the rest of the league, the amateur scouting staff had the disadvantage of selecting players whom they didn’t see a lot In the 28 games he played this season, Tarasenko sure didn’t look like because of the pandemic. himself. He was coming off his third shoulder surgery, and he also had a groin issue down the stretch, so his health was a factor. But considering With the junior and college seasons being mostly shut down again this he turns 30 in December, is that going to get better? season, drafting will again be a crapshoot. But with the No. 16 pick, Feltrin will have his hands on a much higher pick than the Blues have If he’s healthy and can play a full season again, Tarasenko may be had in more than a decade. capable of scoring 25 goals. But is he still capable of netting 30-plus, like he did five times earlier in his career? Many seem skeptical. What is your level of confidence in Blues director of player development Tim Taylor? Assuming Jaden Schwartz wants to return at market-value price, should the Blues re-sign him? Similar to Feltrin’s situation, with the Blues’ AHL affiliate in Springfield, Mass., closing its doors and the backup in Utica, N.Y., being significantly As much as I like the multiple-choice questions, I love “yes or no,” and impacted by COVID-19, Tim Taylor didn’t have a whole lot of hockey to we have two of them regarding contract extensions for Jaden Schwartz watch and thus players he could mentor. and Mike Hoffman. Some fans may be critical because of Kostin’s success in the KHL, which Many people would probably like to know what market value is before hasn’t happened yet in the NHL. But Taylor was partly responsible for answering. In April, I looked at the market value for Schwartz with Kostin playing in Russia this season and staying in constant contact with colleagues Shayna Goldman and Dom Luszczyszyn based on contract Avangard coach Bob Hartley, who praised Kostin’s progress. comparables and future projections. But even those voters who didn’t have those projections at their fingertips were by and large in support Which player do you think the Blues will lose in the Seattle expansion (55.1 percent) of re-signing the left winger who turned 29 last week. draft?

Assuming Mike Hoffman wants to return at market-value price, should Earlier this month, The Athletic released its Seattle mock expansion draft, the Blues re-sign him? and our experts said that if Vince Dunn were available, he would be the Kraken’s pick from the Blues’ roster. The voters agreed, with Dunn taking This is interesting on an individual level and within the team scope. The 63.8 percent of the vote. percentage in favor of re-signing Mike Hoffman (54.6 percent) is nearly identical to Schwartz’s margin. Is this a situation in which people think If Dunn is traded by then, however, another popular choice is Ivan Hoffman, even at market value, will play well enough in the role he’s Barbashev (15.9 percent), followed by Sammy Blais (10.7 percent) and given to be worth the money? Or do they remember what he did for the Niko Mikkola (5.5 percent). If you voted “other” (4.2 percent), let me know power play and they’re just saying, “Bring him back”? in the comment section who you think it will be.

As I illustrated earlier, many Blues fans want to be aggressive or shake Would you protect Vladimir Tarasenko in the expansion draft? up the core. That would seem difficult to do if you’re bringing back both Schwartz and Hoffman, who could each cost around $5 million per I published my latest Blues mock protected list earlier this month, and I’m season. I suppose they could bring back both and clear the necessary glad to see that a majority of you — albeit a slim majority (53.1 percent) salary-cap space in other ways to make a major splash, but that will be — agreed with me about protecting Tarasenko. challenging financially. I will say that it’s a tough decision, especially when you consider Seattle If Armstrong could acquire one of the following four players via trade or likely wouldn’t take on Tarasenko because of his health concerns and free agency, who should it be: having two years ($7.5 million AAV) left on his contract. But as I wrote before, and I’ll say it again, I do think the Blues can get some sort of How bad do St. Louisans want Tkachuk to come home? Buffalo’s Jack return for the right winger, even if they have to retain some of his salary. Eichel was the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft and has 355 career points in 375 games, and fans voted overwhelmingly for Armstrong to trade for Do you think the Blues’ championship window is still open and, if so, for Tkachuk (55.1 percent) over Eichel (16 percent). In fact, Colorado’s how long? Gabriel Landeskog generated more of the vote (19.8 percent) than In my recent conversation with Blues owner Tom Stillman, he was Eichel. adamant that the Blues’ championship window is still open. Many agree Sure Eichel’s contract ($10 million AAV) and health may have been with Stillman, with a combined 79.7 percent saying the Blues have considered while voting, but it’s clear that the city will not give up on anywhere from one to three years to still win a championship. Tkachuk wearing the Blue Note until his career is over. But yet 20.3 percent of you are not of that belief, using your voice to say Who is the Blues’ top player 23-and-under currently on the roster? that the window is now closed. If I had to pick one or the other, I would say that it’s open, but I’d add that I’m surprised that nearly 80 percent of A year ago, this was Robert Thomas’ category going away. But after fans feel that way. That’s a lot more optimism than I expected when I set Jordan Kyrou’s breakout season (35 points in 55 games) and Thomas’ out to do this survey. disappointing year (though he was slowed by injuries), the 23-year-old winger has taken over this title. The Athletic LOADED: 06.29.2021

That’s not to say Kyrou will be the better player. As I said, a year ago it was Thomas, so it flipped in just 12 months. But at this point, fans feel Kyrou brings more value to the team. In third place was Klim Kostin (3.1 percent), who will attempt to make the roster after spending last season in Russia.

Who is the Blues’ top prospect not currently on the roster?

No one has forgotten about , the Blues’ second-round pick in 2018 who won the Hobey Baker as college hockey’s best player in 2020. Either that or we reminded them about the 5-foot-9, 180-pound defenseman who missed this season because of shoulder surgery.

Perunovich was the winner (70 percent) over 2020 first-round pick Jake Neighbours (13.3 percent), 2018 fourth-round pick Joel Hofer (5.8 percent), 2019 third-round pick Colten Ellis (5 percent) and 2019 second- round pick Nikita Alexandrov (3.8 percent). 1216685 Tampa Bay Lightning If at first ... Lightning center Yanni Gourde celebrates his goal along with

defenseman Jan Rutta (44) during second-period action. Lightning-Canadiens Game 1 report card: Tilting the ice Price might have thought he had a reprieve when Barclay Goodrow’s Tampa Bay controls the neutral zone in taking the first game of the shot from the high slot early in the second period was blocked. But Blake Stanley Cup final. Coleman didn’t give up on the play, finding the loose puck and shooting from slightly lower in the slot. Brayden Point didn't score in the game, but he handed out three assists and was particularly strong in the neutral zone. Yanni Gourde took away Price’s eyes with a screen in front of the net, drawing defenseman Jon Merrill with him, and then stole what would have been Coleman’s first goal in 18 games and second of the playoffs.

By Frank Pastor After first awarding the goal to Coleman, official scorers determined later that Gourde deflected the puck into the net and gave it to him instead.

Just Tampa Bay’s third line doing what it does best. Goals are scored at the ends of the ice, but games — particularly in the playoffs — are often won between the two blue lines in the middle. Grade: A

There was nothing neutral about that zone on Monday. The Lightning Whatever it takes controlled the area in a 5-1 win over the Canadiens in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final, moving to within three victories of a second straight Alex Killorn gave up his stick, then his body. Cup. After Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman lost his stick behind the Because its forwards did such a good job of pressuring on the Tampa Bay net in the second period, Killorn gave him his own, then backcheck, Tampa Bay defenders were able to stand up at the blue line skated out to the left circle, where he laid out to block a Jeff Petry shot and deny Montreal easy entry into the zone. from the right point with the heel of his left skate.

NBC studio analyst joked at one point that the Canadiens Killorn was in obvious pain as he went to the bench, where his would have an easier time getting back across the Canadian border than teammates made sure he knew they appreciated his selfless play. across the Lightning blue line. They didn’t realize how big of a sacrifice had had made until later, as Nikita Kucherov leads the scoring surge with two goals and an assist in Killorn was limited to a few short shifts the rest of the period and only one the victory. 23-second appearance in the third.

As soon as Tampa Bay got control of the puck, it pushed the pace — its Grade: A-plus defensemen joining its transition game — and did a nice job of managing Round 1 to Vasy the puck, resulting in three goals off the rush. Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) works to deflect the puck in First-line center Brayden Point played particularly well in the neutral the second period. zone, using his speed and skating ability to disrupt Montreal’s transition game and setting up the Lightning’s first goal with a strong defensive play Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) works to deflect the puck in in his own zone. the second period. [ DIRK SHADD | Times ]

Learn how Oura helps optimize your daily routines Many observers view the Stanley Cup final as a passing of the torch from Price to the Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy as the league’s best Defenseman Jan Rutta initiated Yanni Gourde’s second-period goal by goaltender. picking off a pass above the circles in the Tampa Bay zone and passing ahead to Blake Coleman on the breakout. Defenseman Mikhail If Vasilevskiy hadn’t already taken Price’s crown with his play over the Sergachev later created a turnover at center ice to set up the first of past few seasons, he certainly got the better of his counterpart in Game Nikita Kucherov’s two third-period goals. 1, stopping 18 of the 19 shots he faced.

In the process, Tampa Bay did what Toronto, Winnipeg and Vegas failed Both goalies had spectacular saves in the second period, Vasilevskiy to do against Montreal in the first three rounds of the playoffs: get pucks making a glove stop on a Shea Weber shot from low in the left circle on a behind the Canadiens’ defenders and create scoring opportunities off the breakaway and Price sprawling to his right to make a blocker save on a rush. Tyler Johnson backhand attempt.

Call it tilting the ice. While Price yielded five goals on 27 shots, the only puck to get past Vasilevskiy came on a double deflection, as Ben Chiarot’s shot from the Grade: A-plus right point late in the second period ricocheted off Anthony Cirelli in the Here’s how we graded the rest of the Lightning’s performance in Game 1: right circle and then Ryan McDonagh in front of the net.

Changing places Grade: A

The playoff’s leading goal scorer created the turnover in the defensive Message sent? zone, and one of the Lightning’s top shut-down defenders put the puck in Lightning center Steven Stamkos caps scoring in Game 1 of the Stanley net on Tampa Bay’s opening goal early in the first period. Cup final against the Canadiens. Point skated hard to the center of the ice on the backcheck and Lightning center Steven Stamkos caps scoring in Game 1 of the Stanley intercepted Nick Suzuki’s drop pass for Tyler Toffoli in the Lightning Cup final against the Canadiens. [ DIRK SHADD | Times ] zone. He flipped the puck to defenseman Erik Cernak, who skated to center ice, then passed to wing Ondrej Palat and went hard to the net. Despite leading by three goals, the Lightning sent their top power-play unit onto the ice after Joel Edmundson was penalized for roughing Palat carried the puck to the top of the left circle, then sent a pass along Gourde in the closing minutes. the ice to Cernak in the slot. Cernak redirected the puck high over goaltender Carey Price’s glove from between the hashmarks to give More important than giving Tampa Bay a four-goal cushion, Steven Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead just over six minutes into the game. Stamkos’ one-timer from the left circle ended Montreal’s penalty-kill streak at 32. Scorers defending? Defenders scoring? It gave Tampa Bay’s some confidence after failing to convert a couple of If that’s not complete buy-in to Jon Cooper’s system, I don’t know what opportunities earlier in the game and served notice to Montreal that it has is. not yet faced a power play with the level of skill and diversity of scoring Grade: A options of Tampa Bay’s. Grade: A-minus

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216686 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning’s Alex Killorn ‘couldn’t go down the stretch’

The Tampa Bay forward played one shift in the third period after blocking a shot in the second.

By Mari Faiello

TAMPA — Shot-blocking is something the Lightning pride themselves on when it comes to their compete level.

But Alex Killorn paid a hefty price for his willingness to play unselfishly and sacrifice his body to prevent a scoring chance in Monday’s 5-1 win over the Canadiens in the opening game of the Stanley Cup final.

Halfway through the second period, the Tampa Bay forward turned his body in front of a shot from Montreal defenseman Jeff Petry, who took a shot from above the right faceoff circle.

The puck hit Killorn’s left leg and took him down to the ice for a brief moment. He made his way back to the bench to praise from his teammates, who patted him on the back for his selflessness.

And him on the bench recovering from said block pic.twitter.com/OJDDRkcbSO

— ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 29, 2021

Killorn played another three shifts totaling 1:58 before the end of the second period but just one 23-second shift in the third.

Coach Jon Cooper did not have an update on Killorn after the game, saying he hopes for one Tuesday.

“I don’t have an update yet, but he obviously couldn’t go down the stretch there,” Cooper said. “Hopefully we’ll see tomorrow.”

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216687 Tampa Bay Lightning "We've learned from past mistakes." pic.twitter.com/rAazwlvRzI — Sports by Tampa Bay Times (@TBTimes_Sports) June 29, 2021

Kucherov made something out of nothing with a backhanded fling toward Lightning strike first against Canadiens in Stanley Cup final the net from the right wall into traffic. The puck went off Chiarot’s glove Nikita Kucherov quickly turns a one-goal lead for the Lightning into an and through Lightning forward Ondrej Palat past Price two minutes into insurmountable advantage in the third period. the third to make it 3-1.

Kucherov then took the puck off forward Brayden Point’s faceoff win and rifled a wrister from the high slot through Point, who sped toward the By Eduardo A. Encina goal, and into the net to put the Lightning up 4-1 with 8:35 remaining.

Kucherov then corralled the puck along the near wall, circled back toward the point and found Stamkos for a one-timer at the left circle for a power- TAMPA — When the finish line is near and the final prize in sight, you play goal with 1:10 left. push the pain to the side. “We just stick to our plan and try to play the same way for 60 minutes,” Lightning wing Kucherov won’t admit it, but he’s playing in the Stanley Kucherov said. “And we don’t think about them. We have a system, we Cup final with a lot of discomfort. have a plan, and we stick to it.” But that didn’t stop him from scoring twice and getting an assist in the Lightning 1-1-3—5 third period as the Lightning won Game 1 against the Canadiens 5-1 on Monday night at Amalie Arena in front of an announced crowd of 15,911. Canadiens 0-1-0—1

“Everybody knows how ‘Kuch’ chips in with our team,” coach Jon Cooper First Period—1, Tampa Bay, Cernak 1 (Point, Palat), 6:19. Penalties— said. “But when guys are battling through injuries, it’s kind of an Goodrow, TB (Cross Checking), 15:21; Chiarot, MTL (Roughing), 19:14. inspiration to others, so it’s uplifting watching what guys fight through, especially at this time of year. Second Period—2, Tampa Bay, Gourde 6 (Goodrow, Coleman), 5:47. 3, Montreal, Chiarot 1 (Weber, Kotkaniemi), 17:40. Penalties—None. “You have to do that if you want to have any chance to win, and he’s doing that, and clearly he was rewarded for it (Monday).” Third Period—4, Tampa Bay, Kucherov 6 (Sergachev), 2:00. 5, Tampa Bay, Kucherov 7 (Point), 11:25. 6, Tampa Bay, Stamkos 8 (Kucherov, Kuch is "playing like a beast" pic.twitter.com/xljhsHrrF4 Point), 18:50 (pp). Penalties—Staal, MTL (Roughing), 6:30; Cernak, TB (Roughing), 6:30; Coleman, TB (Roughing), 13:42; Kotkaniemi, MTL — Sports by Tampa Bay Times (@TBTimes_Sports) June 29, 2021 (High Sticking), 15:51; Edmundson, MTL (Roughing), 17:20. The Canadiens got to this point in the postseason by neutralizing their Shots on Goal—Montreal 5-9-5_19. Tampa Bay 7-12-8_27. Power-play opponents’ top offensive players, and early in Game 1, they were trying opportunities—Montreal 0 of 2; Tampa Bay 1 of 3. Goalies—Montreal, to do all they could to stop Kucherov — a slash by defenseman Shea Price 12-6-0 (27 shots-22 saves). Tampa Bay, Vasilevskiy 13-6-0 (19- Weber that went uncalled, followed by a cross-check to the head that 18). A—15,911 (19,092). T—2:31. Referees—Francis Charron, Dan wasn’t quite as subtle. O’Rourke. Linesmen—Michel Cormier, Jonny Murray. Montreal intended to be physical, and it had Kucherov in its crosshairs. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.29.2021 But Kucherov had the final say.

The Lightning are now three wins away from their second straight Stanley Cup title, and Kucherov’s mettle over the past two postseasons is one of the major reasons why.

Kucherov now has 30 points this postseason, joining Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri and Mario Lemieux as the only players to register multiple 30-point playoff seasons.

“He’s playing like a beast right now, and he’s so, so good,” Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said.

Nikita Kucherov leads the scoring surge with two goals and an assist in the victory.

The five goals allowed by Montreal goalie Carey Price were his most allowed in 38 postseason games dating to a 6-2 loss to the Lightning in Game 2 of the 2015 Eastern Conference semifinals.

The Lightning crowded the front of the Canadiens’ net, focused on taking away Price’s line of sight.

After defenseman Erik Cernak’s first career postseason goal put the Lightning up 1-0 in the first period, forward Yanni Gourde crashed the net, bringing defenseman Jon Merrill with him, forming enough traffic that Price couldn’t see forward Blake Coleman’s shot and Gourde’s deflection for 2-0 lead in the second.

A late second-period goal by Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot that deflected off two Lightning players late in the second period sent the Lightning into the intermission up 2-1. Tampa Bay had been in this situation before in the playoffs and on occasion sat back and paid the price. But Monday, they were determined to remain aggressive in the offensive zone.

“That’s the key. We’ve learned from past mistakes where we’ve sat back a little bit,” Stamkos said. “But we just talked, ‘We’ve got a one-goal lead going into the third. … Let’s attack, let’s go, let’s keep the pressure on.’

“And I thought we did a really good job of that. Just a great third period to finish it out.” 1216688 Tampa Bay Lightning "Tonight was just one. The series is long from over." pic.twitter.com/0B1yxds8g7

— Sports by Tampa Bay Times (@TBTimes_Sports) June 29, 2021 Warning label: It’s only one game. But man, what a beatdown You want to know what was impressive in Game 1?

It wasn’t Nikita Kucherov’s two third-period goals. It wasn’t Stamkos By John Romano getting a power-play goal in the final minutes. It wasn’t Andrei Vasilevskiy stopping 94.7 percent of the shots on net.

It was the postseason’s leading scorer playing defense. TAMPA — Is it too soon to talk about a three-peat? The game was still scoreless in the first period when the Canadiens had Oh, I kid. The Canadiens will have an answer in this Stanley Cup final, a 3-on-2 rush. Lightning defensemen Erik Cernak and Ryan McDonagh perhaps as soon as Wednesday night. were backpedaling and Montreal was setting up its offense when Brayden Point came flying into the picture and intercepted a pass. But you’ve got to admit Tampa Bay’s performance in a 5-1 victory in Game 1 Monday night makes you ponder whether Montreal’s fairy-tale Point quickly spun around, passed the puck into the neutral zone and, story is suddenly running short of pixie dust. seconds later, Ondrej Palat set up Cernak for the game’s first score.

Forget the lopsided score and all the stats, here is what the Canadiens “Pointer is an unbelievable player,” Kucherov said. “He knows when and should be worried about: what to do … and he sees the ice to make those plays.”

It just seemed so effortless. Almost like a Monday night in December for Of course, this is not over. Of course, the Canadiens will adjust. Of the Lightning. course, the Lightning will make their own mistakes in the coming games.

That historic Montreal penalty kill that had not given up a goal in 13 But you get the feeling that if Tampa Bay plays to its potential, this series consecutive games? is already decided.

Yeah, the Lightning scored on it. “This is the National Hockey League with the best players in the world. You can be beat on any night by any team. The players are that good,” Those big Montreal defensemen and hard-checking forwards who had Cooper said. “Consistency is the key. You have your plan, you stick with held opponents to 1.92 goals per game over the last 13 postseason it, you consistently rock it. If you do that, we like our chances in games.” games? Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.29.2021 Yeah, the Lightning torched them for five goals.

The defending champion Lightning face the underdog Canadiens .

That feel-good story of a No. 16 seed upsetting every team in its path?

Didn’t feel so good north of the border Monday night.

“Tonight was just one,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “The series is far from over.”

Absolutely true. The Lightning have jumped out to early leads in other rounds, then had brief stumbles on the way home.

And no matter how pedestrian the Canadiens were during the regular season, you cannot overlook their third-round victory against a strong Vegas team.

But this game had to be troubling for the Canadiens. The Lightning led for nearly 54 of the game’s 60 minutes, and had a two-goal lead or more for half the game.

The Lightning were more explosive than Florida in the first round of the postseason, and they ended up being more disciplined than New York in the third round.

Against Montreal?

They were just better. Much, much better.

Tampa Bay convincingly, methodically, almost casually, beat the snot out of the Canadiens.

“We try to focus on ourselves. We know the quality of opponent we have. They’re going to get their looks, they’re a great team, they’re here for a reason,” captain Steven Stamkos said. “We have a game plan and we have a recipe. If we go out there and do the right things, we’re going to get rewarded for it. And we have so far.”

In the end, that’s why the Lightning are defending Stanley Cup champions and are now three victories away from repeating.

They are talented, obviously. You don’t win MVP, and Vezina and Norris trophies without elite players.

But last year, the Lightning also figured out that recipe for success. They learned to play with the scoreboard in mind instead of individual statistics. They got bigger on the blue line, and smarter and tougher on the offensive end.

Of course, they are going to lose games. Everybody does. But they can walk on the ice every single night knowing that they are probably the better team before the first whistle blows. 1216689 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning’s Erik Cernak scores first career postseason goal in Stanley Cup final

After 46 career playoff games, a Stanley Cup and 69 shots this postseason, the Tampa Bay defenseman scored his first goal.

By Mari Faiello

TAMPA — Erik Cernak had a career first Monday after three years in the NHL.

The Lightning defenseman has skated in 46 playoff games, won a Stanley Cup and taken 69 shots this postseason. Now, he has his first career playoff goal.

In the Lightning’s 5-1 win in Game 1, Brayden Point intercepted a pass in the defensive zone early in the first period. He spotted Cernak along the right wall and passed him the puck.

This was the move by Point from earlier in the sequence pic.twitter.com/7NITC1j73R

— ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 29, 2021

As Cernak skated through the neutral zone, he passed to Ondrej Palat. The Lightning wing skated to the left faceoff circle and returned the puck to Cernak racing down the slot toward Montreal goaltender Carey Price.

GOAL: #GoBolts Cernak(?!) with the opening goal of the #StanleyCup final. Point interrupts a pass in the defensive zone and Palat takes it down the stretch to the blueliner, who flicks it past Price in the slot. His first goal of the postseason. pic.twitter.com/jMNWHg7Dim

— ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 29, 2021

Palat put the puck on Cernak’s stick, and Cernak redirected it into the net to open the scoring.

Cernak’s immediate reaction on the ice said it all.

“I just tried to get the puck in the zone,” Cernak said. “(Nikita Kucherov) did a great job to skate straight to the net to take the defense from me, and I just tipped the puck. It was pretty good, and I was glad we got the first goal, really good start there.”

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216690 Tampa Bay Lightning — ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 29, 2021 Suzuki shot is wide of the net

Goodrow clears the puck out of the zone Stanley Cup final: Lightning-Canadiens Game 1 live updates Hedman blocks Suzuki shot Nikita Kucherov scores twice as Tampa Bay moves within three wins of its second straight title. Hedman clears the puck

Lightning kill the Coleman penalty

By Frank Pastor Kotkaniemi penalized for high-sticking Cernak, likely in retaliation after taking a knee from Cernak to the face while down on the ice

Johnson shot from the right circle saved by Price Nikita Kucherov scored two goals and Erik Cernak, Yanni Gourde and Steven Stamkos had one apiece as the Lightning beat the Canadiens 5-1 Edmundson penalized for roughing Gourde in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final Monday at Amalie Arena. SCORING CHANGE: Palat’s goal now credited to Kucherov Tampa Bay moved to within three victories of winning its second consecutive Cup. LIGHTNING GOAL! Steven Stamkos scores on the power play. Lightning 5, Canadiens 1. Cernak redirected a Palat pass past Montreal goaltender Carey Price in the first period, and Gourde deflected a Blake Coleman shot into the net GOAL: #GoBolts' Stamkos nets his eighth goal of the season on the in the second. power-play with 1:10 remaining in regulation. 5-1 lead over #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/PUSFKl0FPf After the Canadiens’ Ben Chiarot scored from the right point late in the second period, Kucherov restored the Lightning’s two-goal lead by — ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 29, 2021 putting a puck on net from the right sideboards in the third. Kucherov (Lightning win 5-1) scored his second goal from the slot after a Brayden Point faceoff win, and Stamkos added a power-play goal late. Second period

Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 18 of the 19 shots he Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak (81), center, celebrates his first-period faced. goal along with right wing Nikita Kucherov (86).

Here’s how it happened: Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak (81), center, celebrates his first-period goal along with right wing Nikita Kucherov (86). [ DIRK SHADD | Times ] Third period Lightning will carry over the power play from the end of the first period Lightning players celebrate Erik Cernak's first-period goal. Point shot from the slot just misses the net LIGHTNING GOAL! Ondrej Palat knocks a puck into the net after Montreal defenseman Ben Chiarot batted it out of the air. The play ‼CLOSE: #GoBolts' Killorn, Point and Kucherov all in the zone on this started when Nikita Kucherov backhanded a puck on net from near the power-play sequence as time winds down. pic.twitter.com/DgRegsxAXj right sideboards. Lightning 3, Canadiens 1. — ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 29, 2021 GOAL: #GoBolts' Palat regains the two-goal lead for #TBLightning with a tip past #GoHabsGo's Price off a shot from Kucherov that's Canadiens kill the penalty knocked into mid-air by Chiarot. His fifth of the playoffs give TBL a 3-1 Vasilevskiy stops Caufield shot from low in the left circle lead with 18 minutes to go in regulation. pic.twitter.com/1Mv5SOH1Z1 McDonagh shot bounces into the crease and is covered by Price — ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 29, 2021 Vasilevskiy covers Gallagher shot Cernak and Staal receive roughing penalties, and we’ll have 4-on-4 play for two minutes Chiarot shot from the left point hits the post with Corey Perry setting a screen in front of the Lightning net PENALTIES: #GoBolts' Cernak and #GoHabsGo's Staal sent off for roughing at 13:30. 4v4 pic.twitter.com/WDxZwJAwhy Price makes a glove save to rob Steven Stamkos from low in the right circle — ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 29, 2021 LIGHTNING GOAL! Blake Coleman’s shot from the slot deflects off Yanni Back to 5-on-5 Gourde, who was setting a screen in front, into the net. Coleman picked Perry redirect of Petry shot from the left point misses high up a Goodrow shot from the high slot that had been blocked. The play started with a turnover by Gallagher at the offensive blue line. Lightning Petry shot from the center point misses the net 2, Canadiens 0.

Lehkonen shot deflects wide GOAL: #GoBolts' Coleman adds insurance in the second period with 14:13 remaining. He swipes in a mis-shot off Goodrow for the 2-0 lead LIGHTNING GOAL! Kucherov whips a shot from the slot over Price’s over #GoHabsGo in Game 1 of the #StanleyCup final. The irony? glove after a Brayden Point faceoff win in the Canadiens end. Ondrej Gallagher turned it over to start the goal sequence... Palat picked Tyler Toffoli to open the shooting lane. It was Tampa Bay’s pic.twitter.com/7IuDWFbVks second goal of the period on three shots. Lightning 4, Canadiens 1. — ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 29, 2021 GOAL: Someone (possibly Kucherov) from #GoBolts gets the 4-1 lead for #TBLightning against #GoHabsGo with 8:35 to go in regulation. The turnover... pic.twitter.com/uFOVzUvhFV pic.twitter.com/5g6ybyUWHN — ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 29, 2021 — ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 29, 2021 Wow. Vasilevskiy makes a glove save on Shea Weber, who tried to go Gallagher leaves for the locker room after Sergachev takes him head-first top shelf from low in the left circle on a breakaway into the ice after Coleman ripped off his helmet. Coleman is penalized for roughing Stamkos backhand shot goes up out of play

TAKE-DOWN: #GoBolts' Sergachev topples over on #GoHabsGo's SAVE: #GoBolts nation erupts with a big save from Vasilevskiy on Gallagher, who comes up with a bloody forehead. Oof. #GoHabsGo's Weber. "Vasy!" chants ring out across the arena... pic.twitter.com/Nr0SVvpwE7 pic.twitter.com/DFg7rU2Ofl — ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 29, 2021 Palat shot high of the net This was the move by Point from earlier in the sequence pic.twitter.com/7NITC1j73R Cernak shot from the right point blocked in front — ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 29, 2021 McDonagh shot from the left point deflects wide Missed this one earlier, but oof. #GoBolt's Coleman and #GoHabsGo's Tyler Johnson backhand shot blocked by Price’s right pad Gallagher... pic.twitter.com/tPbKTCtZ40 SCORING CHANGE: The second Lightning goal has been awarded to — ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 29, 2021 Gourde Cernak partially blocks Jake Evans shot from the right circle After Hedman loses his stick behind the Lightning net, Killorn gives him his, then lays out to block a shot from the right point off the heel of his left Ben Chiarot with a hard hit on Barclay Goodrow skate. Vasilevskiy makes save on Arrturi Lehkonen, and then Victor Hedman ‼SHOT BLOCKED: #GoBolts Killorn with a huge shot block on and Gallagher go at it after Gallagher tried to push Hedman into #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/YTbEmD7WMt Vasilevskiy

— ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 29, 2021 Price saves David Savard shot from the right point

Price turns away a Gourde shot off an odd-man rush Mikhail Sergachev shot misses the net

Sergachev shot blocked in front Goodrow penalized for cross-checking Gallagher with 4:39 left in the period, and the Canadiens go on the power play Big hit by Palat on Chiarot, who has to leave the ice because he loses his helmet PENALTY: #GoBolts' Goodrow cross-checks #GoHabsGo's Gallagher and gets the first penalty of the #StanleyCup final with 4:39 remaining in Palat wrist shot saved by Price the first pic.twitter.com/AAAm7q1BAg CANADIENS GOAL: Ben Chiarot’s shot from the right point deflects off — ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 29, 2021 two players into the net. Shea Weber knocked down a Lightning pass at the blue line to start the rush up ice. Lightning 2, Canadiens 1. Cirelli shorthanded shot from the slot on 3-on-2 break deflected wide after Gustafsson turned the puck over at the blue line GOAL: #GoHabsGo's Anderson gets MON on the board with 2:20 remaining in the second period off a deleflection from Chiarot's shot. Lightning clear the puck out of the zone MON trails 2-1 vs. #GoBolts pic.twitter.com/AhAVB9Js6e Goodrow returns as the Lightning kill the penalty. No Canadiens shots — ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 29, 2021 with the man-advantage

McDonagh hustles back to break up Gallagher scoring opportunity Phillip Danault backhand shot misses the net after a turnover by Ryan McDonagh First period Palat shot from above the left circle misses wide Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (77) and left wing Pat Maroon (14) skate during pregame warmups. Chiarot penalized for cross-checking Nikita Kucherov, and the Lightning get a power play with 46 seconds left in the period Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (77) and left wing Pat Maroon (14) skate during pregame warmups. [ DIRK SHADD | Times ] PENALTY: #GoHabsGo's Chiarot off for roughing. #GoBolts on the power-play with 45.4 seconds to go. Their first man-advantage of the PUCK DROP: #GoBolts-#GoHabsGo, #StanleyCup final Game 1 night. pic.twitter.com/cIslAl6JRZ pic.twitter.com/q8anJpWJqR — ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 29, 2021 — ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 29, 2021 Kucherov fans on a shot attempt from the right circle Cole Caufield shot from the high slot off the rush misses high. Caufield skated right and shot left, and Vasilevskiy seemed to have trouble Kucherov looks for redirect from Killorn in front tracking the puck. Canadiens clear the puck Jeff Petry shot from the side boards covered by Vasilevskiy (Lightning lead 1-0 after one period) Carey Price makes save after Victor Hedman shot goes off Joel Edmundson’s skate Pregame scouting report

Anthony Cirelli wrist shot saved by Price Fans cheer for the Lightning before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final Monday at Amalie Arena. Vasilevskiy makes right toe save on Brendan Gallagher wrist shot from low in the right circle When you’ve got goaltenders as talented as the Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy and Canadiens’ Carey Price meeting in the Stanley Cup final, Price stops Brayden Point shot from the right circle there is a temptation to want to reduce the NHL’s championship series to a matchup between the two. Vasilevskiy makes save on Shea Weber shot Vasilevskiy, the best goalie in the world, gave Tampa Bay a sizable Tyler Toffoli shot from the high slot misses the net after a turnover at the advantage in net in each of its first three playoff series. But that edge will Lightning blue line be reduced significantly against Price, who previously held that title.

Vasilevskiy makes a blocker save on Caufield shot from the center point So, while there is certainly merit to that story line, it’s not as simple as Price makes glove save on Hedman shot that.

LIGHTNING GOAL! Erik Cernak, from between the hashmarks, redirects Okay, yes, it’s also the defending Stanley Cup champion against the an Ondrej Palat shot from above the left circle. Brayden Point started the team with the worst regular-season record in the playoff field. But as rush by intercepting a pass on the backcheck and passing out of the Montreal showed in beating Vegas — whose 82 points tied Colorado for defensive zone. Lightning 1, Canadiens 0. most in the league — it’s not a team to be taken lightly.

GOAL: #GoBolts Cernak(?!) with the opening goal of the #StanleyCup And the Canadiens, who have won 11 of their past 13 games, play a final. Point interrupts a pass in the defensive zone and Palat takes it similar tight-checking, defense-first, counterattacking style to that down the stretch to the blueliner, who flicks it past Price in the slot. His employed by the Islanders, who pushed the Lightning to seven games in first goal of the postseason. pic.twitter.com/jMNWHg7Dim the semifinal round.

— ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 29, 2021 While Montreal has nowhere near the offensive firepower Tampa Bay Killorn-Cirelli-Stamkos does, it also rolls out four lines, the first (Phillip Danault, Brendan Gallagher and Artturi Lehkonen) of which neutralized the top scorers Coleman-Gourde-Goodrow from Toronto (Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner), Winnipeg (Nikolaj Ehlers Maroon-Johnson-Colton and Blake Wheeler) and Vegas (Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty) in the first three rounds. Hedman-Rutta

The Canadiens also have the postseason’s top penalty kill, one operating McDonagh-Cernak at a 93.5-percent success rate. But they have yet to face a power play Sergachev-Savard with the number of options the Lightning’s top unit presents, including postseason scoring leader Nikita Kucherov, playoff goals leader Brayden Vasilevskiy in net. #GoBolts #GoHabsGo #HockeyTwitter #TampaBay Point and sniper Steven Stamkos. — Eduardo A. Encina (@EddieInTheYard) June 28, 2021 Tampa Bay, playing in its third Cup final in the past seven seasons, has a considerable advantage in playoff experience. Montreal, which last won #GoBolts take the ice for pre-game warm-ups for Game 1 of the the Cup in 1993, was knocked out in the first round last season and failed #StanleyCup final vs. #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/sLBbwgJBh9 to make the playoffs in three of the previous four. — ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 28, 2021 The Lightning, meanwhile, hope to join the 2016-17 Penguins as the only The #StanleyCup Final suit pics you've been waiting for teams to win back-to-back Cups in the salary-cap era. And unlike last pic.twitter.com/KWTc6PSlRw season, they have captain Stamkos back in the lineup and will be playing in front of their home fans, starting with Game 1 tonight at Amalie Arena. — Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) June 28, 2021

Are the Bolts still hungry for more? The #TBLightning will expand capacity for Stanley Cup final home games at Amalie Arena to 16,300 fans.#gobolts We’ll find out tonight, starting at 8 p.m., as the Lightning hope to earn the first of four wins needed to secure their second consecutive Cup and — Eduardo A. Encina (@EddieInTheYard) June 28, 2021 third in franchise history. #StanleyCup Final ready. ⚡ pic.twitter.com/XczK3wIdKA Gameday scene — Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) June 28, 2021 Fans cheer for the Lightning before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final Monday outside Amalie Arena. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.29.2021

No questions here on what #GoBolts nation thinks of #TBLightning’s Vasilevskiy pic.twitter.com/udQbfzvGIT

— ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 29, 2021

Just a few minutes before puck drop for Game 1.#gobolts #GoHabsGo #StanleyCup #StanleyCupFinal #StanleyTweets pic.twitter.com/7qBags3RvW

— Eduardo A. Encina (@EddieInTheYard) June 29, 2021

That’s @TitusONeilWWE on the Amalie in the video board hyping up the home crowd pregame.#gobolts #GoHabsGo #stanleycup #wwe #tampabay pic.twitter.com/1VMIMKyXqh

— Eduardo A. Encina (@EddieInTheYard) June 29, 2021

Absolutely nothing better than a #StanleyCup Final game at home with #Bolts Nation. ⚡ pic.twitter.com/szi5q0g04Z

— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) June 28, 2021

#GoBolts nation getting loud as Jon Cooper’s quote about the fans in Game 7 vs. #Isles shows on the video board. Pre-game presentation underway with puck drop happening some time in the next 15 minutes or so pic.twitter.com/kyob3dofKa

— ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 29, 2021

Canadiens line rushes:

Lehkonen-Danault-Gallagher

Toffoli-Suzuki -Caufield

Byron-Kotkaniemi-Anderson

Evans-Staal-Perry

Chiarot-Weber

Edmundson-Petry

Gustafsson-Merrill

Price

So looks like Jake Evans IN, Joel Armia OUT

— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) June 28, 2021

#TBLightning #StanleyCup final Game 1 pregame forward lines and D- pairings:

Palat-Point-Kucherov 1216691 Tampa Bay Lightning

Flashback to early pandemic protocols for Stanley Cup final

Tampa Bay, which has at least 85 percent of its travel party vaccinated, got a taste of the stricter guidelines starting in last season’s playoff bubble.

When the Lightning faced the Stars in the Stanley Cup final at Rogers Place in Edmonton last year, no fans were permitted in the arena.

By Mari Faiello

TAMPA — Time spent in last postseason’s Canadian bubble may serve the Lightning well in the Stanley Cup final this year.

Bill Daly, the league’s deputy commissioner and chief legal officer, said Monday that in order for teams to travel back and forth across the United States-Canada border, the league needed to negotiate “a comprehensive health and safety protocol” with the Canadian government.

“It’s very similar to the (coronavirus) protocols that we started the season with in all of our markets,” Daly said. “But obviously markets like Tampa, and Florida and Las Vegas and in Texas, there’s been some relaxation of those protocols over time. And while it’s familiar on some levels, it’s distantly familiar to Tampa.”

In May, the Lightning benefitted from relaxed protocols with at least 85 percent of the team’s travel party fully vaccinated. It was a mark of returning to some normalcy with players allowed to venture outside of their hotels on the road, practice facilities and arenas.

On Monday, the Lightning expanded fan capacity from 14,800 to 16,300. Each postseason round, Tampa Bay has increased attendance. Montreal, meanwhile, is hosting 3,500 fans at the Bell Centre.

The Lightning will play in Montreal for Games 3 and 4, possibly Game 6 if needed.

Tremor, Slowness, Stiffness: Is There Another Option?

“The list (of protocols) is way too long to go over right now,” coach Jon Cooper said. “It’s definitely, we’ve gone back to what it was early in the year. Nothing we haven’t seen before, though. It’s no big deal. We’ve gone through this.”

Daly said that the primary differences in the protocols for the Cup final are in a stricter approach to quarantine so that the players stay in their hotels or homes and the teams’ respective arenas — much like last year when the Lightning spent the entirety of the playoffs in Toronto and Edmonton.

“(The players won’t) do any socializing in between (games),” Daly said. “Don’t do any socializing and the mask use (will be enforced).”

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216692 Tampa Bay Lightning traffic in front of him and then nothing,” Lightning TV analyst Brian Engblom said.

“Maybe the team just won by three goals and they won it going away, but Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy builds a resume comparable to the greats they gave up three just stellar chances in the first period and he stopped all three,” Engblom added. “So they could have been down by two, they The goaltender could become one of the few players to win the Stanley could have been down by three, and you kind of forget about it because Cup twice and Vezina twice before turning 27. they won by three at the end of the night. That’s the thing with Vasy. He always starts on time.” Andrei Vasilevskiy set career bests in goals-against average (2.21) and save percentage (.925) while becoming the first goaltender since Martin Ask anyone inside the locker room and Vasilevskiy quickly is mentioned Brodeur to lead the league in wins a fourth straight season, going 31-10- as team MVP. He has saved the Lightning on many occasions when a 1 with five shutouts. turnover led to an odd-man rush, and there were times during the regular season when the team leaned on Vasilevskiy too much. But when his

teammates lapsed, Vasilevskiy often came through. By Eduardo A. Encina “It’s all about experience and how the team is playing in front of you,” Vasilevskiy said. “When a team is playing like this in front of you, you just get a lot of confidence from them and you’re trying to help them as much TAMPA — Few people outside the Lightning locker room see the work as you can and just try to be at your best every night.” goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy puts in behind the scenes or the drive he has to be the best at his position. Former NHL goaltender and current NHL Network analyst Kevin Weekes said Vasilevskiy is setting a foundation to becoming one of the best ever. They don’t see him sweating out 225-pound squats to strengthen his legs Weekes said Vasilevskiy is on a track similar to some of the greats, on a Friday night minutes after a game of turning away pucks. They don’t players like Brodeur, Fleury, and Henrik Lundqvist. see how much he hates to lose, or how focused he gets going into a game. All they see are the dynamic saves, the way he can control a “Vasy is a bigger, stronger, more powerfully-built version of Henrik right game in front of the net. now and Hank was one of the best who ever played,” Weekes said. “If you look at what Hank did his entire career, he was on some great “His work ethic is on a different level,” Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov Rangers teams and he carried that franchise his entire career. said. “His compete level is as high as it can be. He works all the time on his skill, he’s always in the gym first. He’s always there before and after “And when you look at what Vasy’s doing, it’s similar. All he needs to do practice, working on something that’s going to make him better. It doesn’t is keep his head on his shoulders, stay focused and continue his work surprise me. ethic and his approach to the game. Just continue all of that, but he’s on an amazing trajectory right now.” “I remember him when I was 16, 15. He was always the guy that cares about the game and wants to be better and he wants to be No. 1, and as NHL Awards we can see, he is.” 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, NBCSN Vasilevskiy, 26, is the favorite to win his second Vezina Trophy, awarded • Calder Trophy (finalists: Kirill Kaprizov, Alex Nedeljkovic, Jason annually to the league’s top goaltender in the regular season. He’s the Robertson) only one of the three finalists — Vegas’ Marc-Andre Fleury and Colorado’s Philipp Grubauer — still playing. The winner will be • Hart Trophy (finalists: Nathan MacKinnon, Auston Matthews, Connor announced Tuesday night. McDavid)

Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy has been a Vezina finalist four • Norris Trophy (finalists: Adam Fox, Victor Hedman, Cale Makar) straight seasons. • Award (finalists: Sidney Crosby, Auston Matthews, Connor What Vasilevskiy can accomplish at his age is rare. In the upcoming McDavid) days, he can become just the fourth goaltender in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup twice and Vezina twice before reaching his 27th birthday. • Vezina Trophy (finalists: Marc-Andre Fleury, Philipp Grubauer, Andrei Vasilevskiy) In fact, according to NHL Stats, Vasilevskiy would be the first to accomplish that feat since criteria for earning the Vezina changed in Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.29.2021 1981-82. It once was awarded to the goaltender who allowed the fewest goals. Now it is selected by a vote of the league’s 31 general managers.

Vasilevskiy won his first Vezina in 2018-19 and is a finalist a fourth straight season. This year he set career bests in goals-against average (2.21) and save percentage (.925) while becoming the first goaltender since Martin Brodeur to lead the league in wins a fourth straight season, going 31-10-1 with five shutouts.

“Vasy is our rock,” Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said. “I think he’s just a stabilizer back there. … It doesn’t surprise us anymore in the room because of the preparation and the work that he puts in. He’s the best goalie in the world, we think, and he gives us a chance every night.

“When you only have to score one goal in a Game 7, that says a lot,” added Stamkos, referring to the Lightning’s 1-0 Game 7 win over the Islanders in the semifinals. “So for sure he’s the backbone.”

How does greatness get better? Experience helps, and through his seven seasons, he has seen the Lightning go through ups and downs. He’s always been athletic and flexible, but over the years, he’s honed his mental approach.

Former NHL goaltender and current NHL Network analyst Kevin Weekes thinks Andrei Vasilevskiy may one day overtake the greats at his position. He's certainly a peer at the moment.

“Vasy has a great ability to be able to stand there for four or five or six minutes with virtually nothing happening, and then have a couple of two- on-ones or some one-timers or three- or four-in-a-row screenshots with 1216693 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning-Predators will play outdoor game next season

Tampa Bay becomes the 27th team in the league to head outside the arena, taking on Nashville at the Titans’ stadium.

By Mari Faiello

TAMPA — The Lightning will visit the Nashville Predators next year for the NHL Stadium Series on Feb. 26, playing in the Tennessee Titans’ Nissan Stadium.

It’s the first outdoor game for the Lightning in the franchise’s 28-year history. This will be Nashville’s second.

Of the 32 teams in the league (including the Seattle Kraken, who will take the ice next season for the first time), 26 have played outside. The Lightning will be the 27th.

The most recent Stadium Series game, pre-pandemic, was played in Falcon Stadium on Feb. 15, 2020, between the Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche with 43,574 fans.

On Feb. 21, 2015, the Kings and Sharks brought in the most fans for a Stadium Series game to date with 70,205 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

The Lightning-Predators matchup is the second outdoor game of the 2021-22 season. The St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild will meet in the 2022 Winter Classic at Target Field (home of the MLB’s Twins) in Minneapolis on Jan. 1.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216694 Tampa Bay Lightning how that player performs in different situations and how much he’s on the ice in various scenarios.

“When a team is pre-scouting you, there’s a couple of guys they circle,” Lightning’s Victor Hedman set the standard for defensemen Cooper said, “and if they’re circling a defenseman, that means he’s probably a Norris caliber-type player.” He will find out at Tuesday’s NHL awards show if he will take home his second Norris Trophy in his fifth straight year as a finalist. Hedman makes the big things look easy, and his desire to improve is hard to match. Since joining the league in 2010-11, he’s the sixth most- Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman was named a Norris Trophy finalist productive defenseman, scoring 498 points (110 goals and 388 assists) for the fifth consecutive season. in 742 regular-season games.

His 86 career postseason points (18 goals and 68 assists through 127 games) dating to 2010-11 are most in the league, 22 more than By Mari Faiello Washington’s John Carlson — a Norris finalist last season, along with Hedman and Nashville’s Roman Josi, the eventual winner.

TAMPA — If Victor Hedman decided to hang up his skates tomorrow or Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois called Hedman, an “elite- in a decade, it wouldn’t have much impact on the legacy he’s already level player,” saying he knows how to elevate his game from one year to forged in his 12-year-career as one of the best defensemen in the NHL. the next, which is why he’s been in the Norris conversation so regularly.

Hedman has set the standard for what it takes to be elite. Hedman’s postseason run last year (10-12—22 in 25 games) en route to the Stanley Cup allowed the world to see his playmaking abilities on a After being named a finalist for the Norris Trophy for the fifth straight larger stage. season, the Lightning defenseman will find out Tuesday night at the NHL Awards Show if he’s taking home some extra hardware this season. His play was so impressive he was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy, given to the most valuable player of the postseason. Eleven defensemen The trophy is awarded to the league’s top “defense player who have won the award in the trophy’s 56-year history, but only two are still demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-around ability in the active (Keith in 2015 and Hedman). position.” Members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association vote yearly on the award at the end of the regular season. “To be mentioned with Ray Bourque and Nick Lidstrom, I think it just goes to show that Victor is a generational talent, and in my opinion, the Hedman won the Norris in 2017-18, becoming the first player in franchise best defenseman of his generation,” BriseBois said. “And I think he’s still history to win the honor after scoring a career-high 17 goals — tied for getting better.” first among NHL defensemen — and handing out 46 assists. He placed third in his other three previous seasons as a finalist (2016-17, 2018-19, NHL Awards 2019-20). 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, NBCSN Victor Hedman poses with the Norris Trophy after winning the honor at • Calder Trophy (finalists: Kirill Kaprizov, Alex Nedeljkovic, Jason the 2018 NHL Awards show in Las Vegas. Robertson) Swedish countryman Nicklas Lidstrom was the last player to be named a • Hart Trophy (finalists: Nathan MacKinnon, Auston Matthews, Connor Norris finalist five or more consecutive seasons, doing it six times from McDavid) 1997-98 through 2002-03. Altogether, Lidstrom won the Norris seven times during his 20-year career with Detroit before he was inducted into • Norris Trophy (finalists: Adam Fox, Victor Hedman, Cale Makar) the Hockey Hall of Fame. • (finalists: Sidney Crosby, Auston Matthews, Connor It shouldn’t be surprising that Hedman’s name comes up in a McDavid) conversation involving Lidstrom, arguably the greatest defenseman of all time. Hedman, 30, has proven season after season what it takes to be • Vezina Trophy (finalists: Marc-Andre Fleury, Philipp Grubauer, Andrei the best, which has earned him the respect of his teammates and others Vasilevskiy) throughout the league. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.29.2021 “Knowing year after year that (your peers and the voters) consider you one of the best and top guys in the game, that’s really saying a lot,” Lightning color analyst and former Canadiens defenseman Brian Engblom said of Hedman. “That’s really something to be up there (in the same conversation as Lidstrom).”

Tuesday, Hedman’s career could reach another level.

Among active players, only two have won the Norris twice — the Blackhawks’ Duncan Keith (2009-10 and 2013-14) and former Senator Erik Karlsson (2011-12 and 2014-15), now with the Sharks.

Hedman didn’t score at the rate he did in 2017-18, but his 45 points ranked third among defensemen, his 36 assists fifth and his nine goals seventh.

With voting taking place before the playoffs, Hedman’s quieter postseason wasn’t taken into account. He has one goal and 15 assists through 18 games entering the Stanley Cup final.

Still, it’s not always the elevated production that keeps a player in the Norris conversation, Engblom said. It’s the consistency of play and knowing that a player has to have enough of an offensive game through all three zones on the ice.

When coach Jon Cooper considers what makes a good Norris Trophy candidate, he thinks about players who make “an impact on the outcome of the game in a positive way” and play in all situations.

Cooper said he doesn’t believe the defenseman who scores the most points in the regular season should be a shoo-in for the honor. It’s about 1216695 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning know winning Stanley Cup opener isn’t everything

Tampa Bay has never won a Game 1 in the NHL’s championship series but has won the Cup twice.

By Eduardo A. Encina

TAMPA — Emotions surely will be high for tonight’s Stanley Cup final opener at Amalie Arena, but history shows that if the Lightning don’t win Game 1, fans shouldn’t panic.

In their three previous Cup final appearances, the Lightning never won Game 1 but still clinched two of those series, including last year against the Dallas Stars.

The Lightning don’t expect to to be awed by the moment. Still, it will be different playing in front of their home crowd tonight after winning last year’s Cup in the bubble in Edmonton.

“Maybe we’re a little bit less, it’s not starstruck, but we’ve been there,” Lightning forward Blake Coleman said. “It doesn’t take away from the excitement. Any time you’re in the Stanley Cup final, there’s no better place to be. It’s still our dream to be here, whether you’ve been here before or not.

“We know how hard it is to get here. … It’s just business as usual for us. We’re gonna play the same game and have the same approach, but like I said, it’s just it’s fun to share it with everybody.”

A Montreal team that hasn’t been to the Cup final since 1993 will attempt to harness its emotions out of the gate.

“I think there’s going to be a lot of emotion going into the first game of the Stanley Cup final,” said Canadiens forward Josh Anderson, who played the Lightning each of the previous two postseasons with Columbus. “It’s so important, so I think you’re just going to get a tight and close game — a lot of emotion, a lot of guys being physical out there.”

The Lightning dropped the series opener to the Stars 4-1 last season, then won the next three games to take a commanding 3-1 series lead before winning in six games.

Tampa Bay also lost Game 1 in their first trip to the final in 2004, falling to Calgary 4-1. The Flames took a 3-2 series lead, but the Lightning won Game 6 in Calgary and Game 7 in Tampa.

In the Lightning’s 2015 Stanley Cup final loss to Chicago, Tampa Bay dropped Game 1 by a 2-1 score, then won the following two games before dropping the next three, losing in six games.

Even as recently as the Lightning’s semifinal series against the Islanders this season, they lost to New York at home in Game 1, then won four of six to clinch the series in seven games.

Add the fact the Lightning are 13-0 after a loss the past two postseasons. So, while winning Game 1 would be great for setting the tone, it isn’t essential for reclaiming the Cup.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216696 Tampa Bay Lightning Lightning’s Stanley Cup journey so far Round 1, Florida Panthers (4-2): For the first time in NHL playoff history,

the two Florida teams went head to head. The Lightning edged out the Sit out the Lightning’s Cup run last year? A primer for new fans Panthers in six games, but Florida wasn’t a pushover by any means in a physical, hard-checking matchup. Grab a sweater (jersey), get ready to yell at the refs about icing (not the sweet stuff) and prepare to lose a lot of sleep. Round 2, Carolina Hurricanes (4-1): The Lightning’s tight-checking play continued against the Hurricanes as the final series coming out of the Central Division. The two teams were fairly even in the regular season but Tampa Bay’s fourth line helped make the difference in the series By Mari Faiello finale, despite spending little time on the ice.

Round 3, New York Islanders (4-3): The Islanders pushed Tampa Bay to TAMPA — The Tampa Bay Lightning vs. the Montreal Canadiens. The its first seven-game series since 2018 (when the Lightning met the pairing everyone expected in this year’s Stanley Cup final, right? The Capitals in the Eastern Conference final). Forward Yanni Gourde locked Boys of Summer compete for sports’ most famous trophy starting tonight. up the 2021 series win with the only goal of the game and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy registered his fourth consecutive shutout series- Welcome to the Stanley Cup final in a sort-of pandemic season. clinching win.

If you’re a casual hockey fan getting swept up in the buzz that always Schedule permeates a professional sports town when trophies are at stake, we’re here to help you make sense of the broadcasts. Tonight: at Amalie Arena, 8, NBCSN

Grab a sweater (jersey), get ready to yell at the refs about icing (not the Wednesday: at Amalie Arena, 8, NBCSN sweet stuff) and prepare to lose a lot of sleep. The home team is pretty Friday: at Montreal, 8, NBC good about bouncing back after a loss and a jolt from the Bolts (acceptable team nickname) will keep you up well past bedtime, even on July 5: at Montreal, 8, NBC weeknights. July 7: at Amalie Arena, 8, NBC* Lightning center Yanni Gourde celebrates the lone goal of Game 7 in the semifinal win over the Islanders. July 9: at Montreal, 8, NBC*

Hockey terms to know July 11: at Amalie Arena, 7, NBC*

Icing: When a player shoots the puck down the ice and it crosses the * If necessary center line and the red line at the back of the rink (called the goal line) Radio: All games 970-AM without a player touching the puck. Officials will blow their whistles and teams will line up for a faceoff in the defending zone of the team who Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.29.2021 “iced” the puck.

Power play: When the opposing team is called for a penalty, the other team gets a one-man advantage for two or four minutes, depending on the severity of the penalty.

Penalty kill: The team that is down a player is trying to “kill” the opponent’s chance at scoring.

Offsides: Just like football, hockey has its own version. A player can’t enter the offensive zone (cross the blue line — yes, that’s the technical term) before the puck does.

Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak works to keep Islanders center Casey Cizikas from having a good look at the the net during Game 7 of the semifinals.

Hockey quirks

Fate decided late: Overtime in hockey consists of 20-minute periods. The first team to score wins, no matter how many extra periods it may take. The Lightning have some experience with this, playing three overtime games during the postseason. Keep caffeine handy.

Intermission: Other sports are split up nicely into halves and quarters; hockey leans toward periods (three total). Don’t let the second intermission fool you into thinking the game is over.

Hands off? It’s a superstition of sorts that most teams do not touch their conference trophy, the East’s Prince of Wales and the West’s Clarence S. Campbell Bowl. Teams instead prefer to get tactile with the Stanley Cup only. The Lightning ignored that tradition a year ago, and were totally touchy-feely with the trophy again last week.

Mind games: Don’t expect either coach to share injury updates (cough, Nikita Kucherov, cough) or the game’s lineup at any time in the series before puck drop.

Line up: Touching the conference trophies may be taboo, but in the playoffs, hockey players form a handshake line at the end of the series; coaches often participate, too.

#GoBolts' Vasilevskiy and #Isles' Varlamov meet in the line pic.twitter.com/EacP5p9Wmn

— ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 26, 2021 1216697 Tampa Bay Lightning There is a legacy factor involved in this matchup. Price is a likely Hall of Famer, but finishing your career without holding the Stanley Cup inevitably changes the way fans and critics view a player.

Andrei Vasilevskiy vs. Carey Price is the matchup Lord Stanley’s Cup Vasilevskiy already has his name on the Cup, but he does not yet have deserves the weight or history of Price’s career. Beating him head-to-head would allow Vasilevskiy to stake his claim as the best goaltender of a John Romano | The Stanley Cup has not seen a goaltender matchup as generation. enticing as Tampa Bay and Montreal in quite some time. “Carey is one of the best goalies in the NHL. It will take lots of effort to beat him,” Vasilevskiy said. “Obviously, it’s a big personal challenge as well for myself. That’s the game of hockey. You’ve got to beat the guy on By John Romano the other side. You have to be better than him. So I’ll give it my best, I hope, and do whatever I can to beat him.

TAMPA — He is today’s goaltender. Most people seem to agree on that. “As I said, it’s a big challenge. It’ll be interesting for the fans, for the experts, for everybody.” On this day, in this moment, Andrei Vasilevskiy is the best goaltender in the world. He is a defending Stanley Cup champion and a favorite to win There will likely be 40 or more other guys who play a role on the ice in his second Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goalie. Even a majority of determining the 2021 Stanley Cup champion. Point is the postseason’s NHL players named him the league’s best in an annual poll this season. top scorer and Nikita Kucherov is the points leader. Victor Hedman won the Conn Smythe last season, and Corey Perry is attempting to win a But today is not enough. Vasilevskiy also wants to own tomorrow. Cup 14 years after winning his first. Montreal is attempting to win a record 25th Cup and its first since 1993. The Lightning will try to become And that means beating yesterday’s goaltender. the first back-to-back winners since 2016-17. Oh, what a Stanley Cup showdown we have here. Stats and seeds will There will be no shortage of storylines in the coming days. tell you the Lightning are big favorites against the Montreal Canadiens, but the masked men in front of the nets have a different story to tell. But one thing you can be sure about:

Montreal’s Carey Price is a former Vezina winner himself. He also won If Andrei Vasilevskiy outperforms Carey Price, the Lightning will lift the the NHL players poll in 2018. And ’19 and ’20. He has an Olympic gold Stanley Cup again. medal in his trophy case and needs only a Stanley Cup to complete his resume. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.29.2021

Vegasinsider.com has Vasilevskiy, 26, as the favorite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the postseason’s MVP. Price, 33, is listed second.

“Vasy gives us a huge amount of confidence,” Lightning forward Alex Killorn said. “And I think it’s similar to the goalie on the other side.”

It is, in some ways, a throwback to fonder days when goaltenders ruled the ice. To Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy meeting in the Stanley Cup final in 2001. Or Ed Belfour and Dominik Hasek in ’99. Or Ken Dryden and Tony Esposito in ’71 and ’73.

“In order to be successful in this league, it always has to start with the goaltender,” Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos said. “I mean, just look at the two teams that are in the finals this year.”

Yes, let’s look at them. Montreal’s goaltender is 12-5 in the postseason with a .934 save percentage and a 2.02 goals-against average. Tampa Bay’s goaltender is 12-6 with a .936 save percentage and a 1.99 goals- against average. The last time two goaltenders finished a postseason with numbers better than that was in 2003, when Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils beat Anaheim’s Jean-Sebastien Giguere in seven games.

“We know what we have in our goaltender. We’ve watched him grow into the winner he is, the competitor he is,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “You don’t get to this level unless you’ve got great goaltending. Hence, why both goalie statistics are the same. Both teams are still playing, in large part, because both goalies have been great.”

The greatest difference could be the one thing neither Vasilevskiy nor Price can control: the players in front of them.

Montreal might be a defensive-oriented team, but the Lightning have been just as impressive keeping goals out of the net in this postseason. And the Lightning have a much more dynamic offense.

That’s probably why Price has gotten more attention — and shown up in more highlight reels — than Vasilevskiy in the past month. The Lightning have certainly relied on Vasilevskiy, and wouldn’t be in Game 1 without him, but the Canadiens probably don’t get out of the first round without Price.

“We’ve got great confidence in Vasy, just as Montreal has great confidence in Carey. I mean, they’re both world-class guys,” said Lightning forward Brayden Point. “Carey is just so calm in the net. You look at their playoffs, he’s made so many big saves for them. It’s going to be tough to get some by him. I don’t know if there is an edge one way or another, but both are extremely good and both tough to beat. 1216698 Tampa Bay Lightning Cooper said that since the Lightning hadn’t faced the Canadiens this year, they wanted to get a feel for the matchups first.

“I liked the way things were going for us,” he said. “So I stuck with it. Are From ‘beast’ to a bloodied face: What we learned from the Lightning’s 5-1 we going to keep sticking with it? Who knows.” win in Game 1 It would make sense for Tampa Bay to do the same in Game 2, when it still has the last change as the home team. Canadiens coach Luke Richardson said there’s not much they can do on the road, other than By Joe Smith Jun 29, 2021 maybe catch them in icings. “You are on the road — you’ve got to compete in the playoffs, no matter who you’re going against,” he said.

There’s really not much anyone can do if the Point line executes like it Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper said after Monday’s game that did on the faceoff play in the third that led to Kucherov’s second goal. his team has “more to give.” NIKITA KUCHEROV WITH A QUICK GOAL #GOBOLTS That has to be a scary thought for the Canadiens. PIC.TWITTER.COM/IFAC85MRFW The Cup champs delivered an emphatic 5-1 win over Montreal at Amalie — SHAYNA (@HAYYYSHAYYY) JUNE 29, 2021 Arena to open the Stanley Cup Final. It was just one game, of course, and this could very well end up being a long series. But if the Lightning “The Pointer line with ‘Kuch’ and ‘Pally,’ they’re elite for a reason,” play like that, nearly executing their plan to a T, they’re going to be a Stamkos said. “They’ve done this and been in this position before. hard team to beat. If this was their B or B-plus game, wait until you see They’re a huge reason why we are where we are. their A. “They are elite players; it’s tough to keep them down.” Could the “team of destiny” actually be the favorite in this case? Speaking of elite players … The Lightning did a lot of what they wanted to. Kucherov a ‘beast’ They took away the eyes of Canadiens goaltender Carey Price, consistently crashing the net in traffic and scoring the most goals on the Maybe Kucherov wasn’t joking the other day when he said, “There was former Hart Trophy winner in a playoff game since putting up six in a no injury — I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 2015 matchup. Or maybe he’s just, as Lightning color analyst Brian Engblom says, “a They managed the matchups well, with the Phillip Danault line not seeing different human.” much of the Lightning’s trio of Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej The 2019 Hart Trophy winner sure seemed banged up when he missed Palat. all but one shift of Game 6 of the Islanders series. And Cooper conceded They didn’t give the Canadiens much to work with offensively for a good it seemed “dicey” that Kucherov would play in Game 7. But Kucherov part of the game, and when they did, goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy was there. hasn’t shown any ill effects since, putting on another impressive display with two goals and an assist in Monday’s win. And Tampa Bay finally cracked the Montreal penalty kill, snapping its streak of 32 straight kills. There are now three players in NHL history with back-to-back 30-plus- point postseasons: Was this close to a perfect game? Wayne Gretzky. “It’s hard to say,” Cooper said. “I think every game you win is perfect, so my scale is a little different. I thought for two of the periods we didn’t Mario Lemieux. really give them much. A lot of it I liked, obviously. But there’s definitely Kucherov. more room for improvement.” “That’s one of the best players in the world,” Stamkos said. “He’s playing It was a group effort. Eleven players had at least a blocked shot, and only like a beast right now. He’s so, so good.” Kucherov and Jan Rutta left the game without a hit (Blake Coleman had 11). They were pretty solid overall in puck management and controlled "THIS GUY IS SPECIAL." the areas in front of both nets, as you can see from this Natural Stat Trick heat map. "HE'S A DIFFERENT HUMAN."

Cooper has preached “process over outcome” the past few years, and "I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT." this is what it looks like. NHL LEGENDS, LIGHTNING TEAMMATES AND MORE ARE “They’re a great team. They’re here for a reason,” captain Steven MARVELING AT NIKITA KUCHEROV'S HISTORIC POSTSEASON Stamkos said. “We have a game plan and we have a recipe. If we go out PLAY HTTPS://T.CO/4MU5TRIA9O there and do the right things, we’re going to get rewarded for it. And we — THE ATHLETIC NHL (@THEATHLETICNHL) JUNE 23, 2021 have so far.” Kucherov’s first goal came on a play in which he just flipped a Here’s what we learned from the Lightning’s Game 1 win. backhanded pass at the net for a streaking Palat, and “fortunately a lucky The matchup game bounce for us.” (He felt the goal should be credited to Palat.) Kucherov has 30 points in just 19 games. The only player to reach that mark faster The Canadiens’ shutdown line led by Danault had been a star silencer in the past 25 years was Evgeni Malkin in 2009. throughout the playoffs. “Guys are battling through injuries. It’s kind of an inspiration to others, so It muzzled Auston Matthews. it’s uplifting,” Cooper said. “And (Kucherov) is doing that, and clearly he was rewarded. It’s Finals time, and everyone is playing banged-up.” It silenced Mark Stone, who said he got “skunked.” Kucherov’s record postseason has sparked some controversy over the But in Monday’s Game 1, Cooper didn’t give Danault much of a chance Lightning’s use of long-term injury reserve, with the Cup champs able to at his top line. get $9.5 million of cap relief during the season. There’s no salary cap in In a savvy matchup move, Cooper kept the Palat-Point-Kucherov line the playoffs, and Kucherov was back for Game 1. But NHL commissioner away from Danault, who played just over two minutes of five-on-five ice Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly reiterated Monday that time against that trio, per Natural Stat Trick. Instead, Danault got a heavy the Lightning’s actions were above board. dose (around nine minutes) of Tampa Bay’s tone-setting third line of “Nothing inappropriate was done here,” Daly said. “At the end of the day, Coleman-Yanni Gourde-Barclay Goodrow. all of the managers know what the rules are. The facts seem to align with The Point line scored three even-strength goals, outplaying the Cole the situation that allowed Tampa to bring back a significant player in the Caufield line. playoffs. I’m not apologizing for what’s been a sound system and what has been a sound system from the start.” Bettman pointed out the salary-cap provisions have been in place since It’s likely because of this heck of a play Killorn made late in the second 2005. period when he gave Hedman his stick and then laid out to block a Jeff Petry slap shot. Killorn skated toward the bench in pain. Cooper hopes to “This is not new news for anyone,” Bettman said. “Circumstances were have a better idea about Killorn on Tuesday. what they were, and we were satisfied there was nothing untoward going on.” KILLORN HANDS OFF HIS STICK TO HEDMAN, THEN BLOCKS A SHOT FROM PETRY. PIC.TWITTER.COM/NIP4EMFHGQ Paying price vs. Price — SHAYNA (@HAYYYSHAYYY) JUNE 29, 2021 The saying goes that to beat a great goalie, you have to take away his eyes. • Vasilevskiy didn’t have to be spectacular Monday, but he made timely saves when Tampa Bay needed him to. The only goal he allowed was a And the Lightning did a terrific job in Game 1 of trying to get traffic in front point shot by Chiarot that bounced off Anthony Cirelli and Ryan of Price. Forwards consistently crashed the net, from up top and the side. McDonagh. Vasilevskiy’s biggest save came on a breakaway by Shea They looked for deflections and redirections, like the goal by Erik Cernak Weber midway through the game. off the rush in the first period. On Tuesday, Vasilevskiy could be awarded his second Vezina Trophy. Their second goal, scored by Gourde in the second, included the forward going to the net for a screen and tipping a Coleman shot off the rush. VASILEVSKIY STOPS WEBER TO KEEP MONTREAL OFF THE BOARD PIC.TWITTER.COM/R1ADBCX2ZM NBC analyst , a former longtime NHLer, said he saw the Vegas Golden Knights crash the net like that only two or three times — SHAYNA (@HAYYYSHAYYY) JUNE 29, 2021 during their entire semifinals series against the Canadiens. Tampa Bay already did it that many times, or more, in Game 1. “Their guys are • The game got a lot more physical than I thought it would from the start, getting in front of the net, taking away the eyes, willing to pay the price,” with 46 combined hits in the first period. There were a ton of scrums, Olczyk said. including Joel Edmundson and Gourde taking swings. But the most viral image was of Gallagher’s bloodied face following a takedown from former Good things happen when you go to the net, and the Lightning got a Montreal prospect Mikhail Sergachev. much-needed insurance goal early in the third when Kucherov flipped a backhand floater out front. Ben Chiarot tried to glove it, and Palat was SERGACHEV WRESTLES GALLAGHER TO THE ICE… right there in the crease as the puck trickled in. The goal was credited to PIC.TWITTER.COM/8LB7XMEXCT Kucherov. — SHAYNA (@HAYYYSHAYYY) JUNE 29, 2021

“That’s the key, going on the inside and grabbing the net,” Gourde said. • The streak is over. The Canadiens penalty kill had been on a “Taking his eyes away.” tremendous run, but the Lightning snapped their steak of 32 straight kills The counterattack with a power-play goal late in the third period.

Raise your hand if you picked Cernak as the first goal scorer of the • Lightning owner Jeff Vinik said every time he sees Bettman, he asks Stanley Cup Final. him when his franchise will get an outdoor game.

Thought so. The time has finally come. Tampa Bay will be part of next year’s Stadium Series, playing an outdoor game in Nashville on Feb. 26 against the It was Cernak who jumped into the rush, darted into the middle of the slot Predators. and finished off a give-and-go with Palat seven minutes into the game. It was just the fourth goal by Lightning defensemen this postseason (Victor The Athletic LOADED: 06.29.2021 Hedman, Jan Rutta and had the others) after scoring 17 combined last year. “I just tried to get the puck in the zone,” Cernak said. “(Kucherov) did a great job to skate straight to the net to take the defense from me, and I just tipped the puck.”

A FEW DAYS BEFORE ACQUIRING ERIK CERNAK IN THE BEN BISHOP TRADE, #TBLIGHTNING GM STEVE YZERMAN MADE A TRIP TO WATCH @ERIEOTTERS + ASKED COACH KRIS KNOBLAUCH. "CAN HE PLAY IN THE NHL?" WHAT A FIND FOR TAMPA BAY. AS JON COOPER SAID, 'HE'S BEEN A STAR FOR US" HTTPS://T.CO/IEWSBHWGFL

— JOE SMITH (@JOESMITHTB) JUNE 29, 2021

But this play really started in the defensive zone.

The first two Tampa Bay goals were sparked by Canadiens turnovers at the offensive blue line. On this goal, Point did a fantastic job on the backcheck to nullify a potential odd-man rush, breaking up a pass from Caufield, then starting the attack the other way:

On Gourde’s goal in the second period, the Lightning were quick in transition after a Brendan Gallagher turnover at Tampa Bay’s blue line, where Goodrow forced the Canadiens veteran to make a mistake.

“It’s going to be the puck management,” Richardson said. “Especially around the offensive blue line, where we turned a few pucks over. Especially when you’ve got their two big lines out there, you can’t do that against that team. They’re going to counter quick like they did (Monday) and make you pay. …

“We can’t be standing still and making a lateral (pass) because they’re tracking hard and they have good gaps and they have great hand-eye coordination with their skill and their sticks. It led to turnovers.”

Quick hits

• Alex Killorn played just one shift in the third period and didn’t return, and Cooper didn’t have an update after the game. 1216699 Tampa Bay Lightning overall. Vasilevskiy, too, was considered a generational prospect, drawing comparisons to Russian legend Vladislav Tretiak. Vasilevskiy might have been a top-five pick, too, but he had two things going against him: He was Russian, and he was a goalie, both of which can limit draft Andrei Vasilevskiy vs. Carey Price: Who is the best goalie in the world? position. But BriseBois said the hockey world knew Vasilevskiy was a special prospect, and “had the potential to be the best goalie in the

world.” By Joe Smith Jun 28, 2021 “You look at the size and skill level, he blew you away,” scouting director Al Murray said. “You follow him as a player up until the draft, he was a special player from the first time I saw him at age 15. He was the best Nikita Kucherov met Andrei Vasilevskiy when they were teenagers in Russian goalie to come through since Tretiak, and those kinds of Russia. comparisons were being made at a young age.

The two were touted prospects in the country’s development system, and “He played in three Under-18 world championships, world junior, KHL Vasilevskiy — the 6-foot-3 goalie — always found a way to stand out. playoffs as an 18-, 19-year-old. He’s been through a lot of pressure Kucherov saw the same relentless work ethic and compete level in situations. I’ve never ever seen him falter or flounder, or look Vasilevskiy at 16 as you see now in the Vezina Trophy winner. overwhelmed. He’s one of the most mature people I’ve ever been around at a young age.” “He wants to be better and he wants to be No. 1,” Kucherov said. “And, as we can see, he is.” Vasilevskiy and Price’s styles are different, however. “Price is smooth, elegant, very efficient in his movements,” Weekes said. “But when he That would spark debate in Montreal, where Carey Price, 33, is needs to, he has the power and agility to turn it on. He’s very controlled considered the best goaltender in the world. Price, a former Hart Trophy and a very elegant goalie. He’s hyper-competitive, but can play with a winner who led Canada to a gold medal in 2014, has often been cited as very low heart rate, which is rare.” the standard-bearer at the position the past decade. But Vasilevskiy, 26, has been closing in, with a likely second Vezina Trophy coming Tuesday Weekes has said Vasilevskiy is like Eric Lindros in net (the two both wore and potentially backstopping back-to-back Stanley Cups. The recent No. 88), with his power and explosiveness really standing out. NHLPA poll of around 500 players had Vasilevskiy winning in a landslide as the league’s top goaltender (54 percent), with Price — the No. 1 pick “There’s more cadence in how he plays,” Weekes said. “He’s very the previous three years — third at 8.25 percent. powerful, very athletic and when he needs it, super flexible too.”

Could this year’s Stanley Cup Final go a long way in settling the debate? Jose Theodore, who won the Hart Trophy with the Canadiens, said It’s Price and Vasilevskiy’s first head-to-head matchup in the playoffs and Vasilevskiy’s first seven years statistically are very similar to the first just the second time two Vezina Trophy winners have competed for the seven of Hall of Famers Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy. Theodore championship. Dominik Hasek and Ed Belfour were the last two Vezina compared Vasilevskiy’s athleticism to Dominik Hasek, who said of the winners, back in 1999 with Buffalo and Dallas in the final. Lightning goaltender, “He’s a great goalie, he never gives up. He’s big, he’s quick. He’s acrobatic. He’s the reason why Tampa won the Cup, and “It’s a big personal challenge,” Vasilevskiy said. “In the game of hockey, now they’re one of the top teams.” you’ve got to beat the guy on the other side. And you’ve got to be better than him. So I’ll give it my best and I hope to do whatever I can to beat “What I like about Vasilevskiy is he’s not your typical goalie,” Theodore him. It’ll be interesting for the fans, for the experts, for everybody.” said. “He doesn’t play like Price or (Ben) Bishop, who always play the same system, can tell they have the same butterfly. Vasy is more (Via Moneypuck.com) athletic, where it doesn’t always look pretty, but he’ll do whatever it takes to stop the puck. He’s still very solid technically but lets his reaction play Price has backstopped an underdog Canadiens team to wins over the a big part. That’s why you see a lot of highlight saves. Some guys might Maple Leafs, Jets and Golden Knights in the first three rounds, with his quit on the play, but he’ll drive and throw his glove. playoff numbers (2.02 goals-against average. .934 save percentage) very similar to Vasilevskiy’s (1.99, .936). Vasilevskiy has clinched the “I have no problem saying he’s the best goalie in the league.” Lightning’s past four series, including the 2020 Cup Final, with a shutout, which is an NHL record. NHL Network analyst Kevin Weekes, a retired Biron believes Price has the ability to get into opponents’ heads, as goaltender, believes Vasilevskiy “has a chance to be in the top five of all evident in the series victory over the Golden Knights. He noted how time.” many times Vegas missed the net with shots while trying to be too fine, too perfect. But has Vasilevskiy already surpassed Price as the best goalie of this generation? Some aren’t ready to pass the torch. “That’s the Carey Price Effect right now,” Biron said. “He has that effect on shooters. You saw it in the Toronto series, saw it in the Winnipeg “Vasilevskiy is the best goalie in the world, and there’s no denying that,” series and saw it in the Vegas series. For me, that’s what he does. He’s said former NHL goaltender Martin Biron. “He’s so good technically, so just almost playing mind games with you. I remember (Jonathan) athletic, and incredibly fast. He’s got all the tools. He’s won a Cup, he’s Marchessault saying after Game 1, ‘No Carey Price isn’t in our heads.’ If been there. But Carey Price, I don’t think Vasilevskiy has gotten to that you’re addressing it, he is in your head.” level yet. Although Vasilevskiy has been incredible in the last few years and won the Cup, I still think Carey Price the name, his demeanor, his Those who have played with Price bring up the weight he has to carry as presence, who he is and what he’s accomplished, it carries so much the centerpiece of the franchise, which hasn’t always had the kind of weight. supporting cast Vasilevskiy has with the Lightning.

“I think Vasilevskiy is the best goalie, but Carey Price has that it factor “The team is built around him, he’s the main piece,” said former Montreal right now that you can’t look past.” and Lightning backup Peter Budaj. “It’s not taking away from Vasy. He’s the backbone of the Lightning. But they have a lot of superstars up front, Carey Price (Jean-Yves Ahern / USA Today) which is something Montreal doesn’t have. Carey is their biggest piece, and they’re really a team standing on him. They don’t have the Lightning GM Julien BriseBois is in the unique position of having been Kucherovs and Stamkos’ and Points and Hedmans.” part of drafting both Price and Vasilevskiy. CAREY PRICE REGULAR SEASON: 1.05 GOALS AGAINST PER XGA. BriseBois was part of the Canadiens front office in 2005 when Price was picked fifth. CAREY PRICE PLAYOFFS: 0.73 GOALS AGAINST PER XGA. PIC.TWITTER.COM/QHLVF0OLJS “At the time, our group considered him to be a generational prospect at the goaltender position,” BriseBois said. “Now, that draft was 2005, so — MICAH BLAKE MCCURDY (@INEFFECTIVEMATH) JUNE 25, 2021 we’re 16 years later, to see that he has realized that potential, he’s got a Hall of Fame career if he retires right now.” Budaj may be the only goalie to have backed up both Price and Vasilevskiy. BriseBois was an assistant GM with the Lightning when they selected Vasilevskiy seven years later with their second first-round pick, 19th He saw a lot of similarities in terms of their work ethic, how much pride 2019-20, saving 11.04 fewer goals than expected. But he bounced back they took in their practices, how athletic they were, and how they were so to have a strong postseason, a primary reason the Canadiens advanced down to earth. past Pittsburgh in the play-in round. In this season’s playoffs, it may look like Vasilevskiy and Price are close in save percentage, but Vasilevskiy “And the team loved to play for them,” Budaj said. has allowed a lower rate of goals, has had a tougher workload and has Budaj recalled that during the 2013 season, Price invited him over his responded better against that tougher workload. house in Montreal. Budaj joked Price was the typical Western Canadian (Charts by Shayna Goldman) kid who drove a pickup truck and loved the rodeo. Budaj said Price enjoyed practicing roping, having a machine in his garage with a “I guess the expression we could use is he’s a big-game player,” mechanical steer. Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin said of Price. “He rises to the occasion. He does extremely well under pressure. In big moments, like you Budaj said he had to learn the basics of how to do it, but Price was — of mentioned the Olympics, he was outstanding. I was part of the course — a natural. management group at the World Cup, he was outstanding. When the “He was really good,” Budaj said. “He’s really good at everything it seems game is on the line … I think they had a poll at some point in the past, if like.” you need a big game to win, who you want to be your goaltender, it’s Carey Price.” Another similarity between Price and Vasilevskiy is how religion plays a role in their lives and their careers. Praying is part of Vasilevskiy’s How both Vasilevskiy and Price fare in this series could go a long way in pregame routine, with the Lightning goaltender having an image of God who hoists hockey’s holy grail. painted on the back of his mask. He’s kept a plaque of Saint Andrew, the And it could further add to the debate of who is actually the best in the first follower of Jesus Christ, in his dressing room stall since he was a world? rookie. Vasilevskiy, along with his wife, Ksenia and their 3-year-old son Lukas, are known to visit St. Gregory’s Russian Orthodox Church in “Vasilevskiy is right there. He’s already won a Cup, been an All-Star, won Tampa on many Sundays. a Vezina,” said Lightning color analyst Brian Engblom, a two-time Cup champ with the Canadiens. “Carey hasn’t won the Cup yet; it’s the only Vasilevskiy has met Russian Orthodox Bishop Patriarch Kirill a few times, thing he hasn’t. It’s a team sport, and you’ve got to be on the right team calling it one of the best experiences of his life. at the right tie. This is his chance right now. All I’m saying is, that passing “In church, I find myself,” Vasilevskiy said. “It’s where I can come and talk of the torch, Carey might say, ‘I’m not ready. If it’s still in my hand, it’s in to myself, just be with myself one-on-one. Sometimes, I need to set my my hand,’ I don’t expect him to retire anytime soon. mind, set my spirit. Especially when it’s tough times. It helps a lot. “I’ve already coined Vasilevskiy as the best in the world, a lot of people “A lot of guys are (praying), but nobody probably talks about it. It’s do. But I’d be reluctant in saying it’s the passing of the torch.” personal, but I respect that.” The Athletic LOADED: 06.29.2021 Price listens to a podcast, “Church on the Move,” which allows him to hear his favorite sermons during a hectic playing and traveling schedule. He said his faith helps him stay grounded and humble, and he’ll often pray for the safety of other players before games.

“It helps you see the perspective,” Budaj said. “It helps you be thankful for what’s going on. You play your best when you feel the outcome is out of your hands. It helps you focus on the task at hand and you don’t get distracted.”

The steadying presence of Vasilevskiy and Price allows their teams to play more freely, with confidence, and not worrying about mistakes. Steven Stamkos pointed out a breakaway by the Islanders’ Anthony Beauvillier early in Game 7 on Friday. Vasilevskiy made the stop and kept it 0-0. “It goes in, it’s a different story,” Stamkos said. “Vasy is our rock.”

So who is better? If you look at career playoff numbers, they’re pretty close.

Andrei Vasilevskiy

45-28

2.28

0.923

5

Carey Price

42-41

2.34

0.92

8

In 86 playoff games, Price has saved 0.45 more goals than expected, which equates to 0.01 per 60 minutes, according to Evolving-Hockey. In 76 playoff games, Vasilevskiy has saved 17.61 more goals than expected, which is a rate of 0.23 per 60. During the regular season? Vasilevskiy has saved 12.11 more goals than expected in 42 games, good for a rate of 0.29 per 60. Price had a rough regular season, saving 8.11 fewer goals than expected (-0.33 per 60).

Here are Price and Vasilevskiy’s playoff numbers from 2020 and 2021 side by side. Price had a tough regular season — by his standards — in 1216700 Tampa Bay Lightning seven more than linemate Brayden Point. In Game 1, he showed he’s still a dangerous sniper on top of his playmaking prowess, ripping his second of the game high glove with a lethal shot past Price. That was hot, and it sealed the game. Conn Smythe WATCH: Tracking the MVP favourites throughout the Stanley Cup Final Previously in the playoffs

Game Score: 20.8

By Dom Luszczyszyn Jun 29, 2021 GSVA: 0.79 wins, 3.6 win pace

Key stats: 18 games, 5-22-27, 18:04 TOI, 53% xG, +2

The Stanley Cup Final is set: Tampa Bay versus Montreal, a battle for As always, it’s very hard to separate Point and Kucherov, with next to Atlantic Division … err leaguewide supremacy. nothing separating the two. It basically comes down to personal preference. To me, it feels like the narrative surrounding Kucherov Throughout the series, I’ll be looking at the Conn Smythe Trophy race, makes him a stronger choice: he missed the entire regular season but analyzing the MVP favourites from both teams and how their stock rises didn’t miss a beat come playoff time and fought through an injury to play or falls after each game. This post will be updated after each game to in Game 7. That could affect his ability in the final too, but a strong reflect the current value those players have brought to their respective showing there would only add to the lore. He didn’t look right in that team during the postseason. Game 7, but Kucherov still leads the playoffs with a whopping 27 points in 18 games, seven more than his linemate. A lot of that has come on a Before the final began, it was clear cut who the MVP was for Montreal, lethal power play, Tampa Bay’s biggest strength in the playoffs and that’s but as expected, Tampa Bay had a few players with a legitimate case. almost entirely been Kucherov’s doing. He makes it work to perfection. Last Update: June 28 Brayden Point Tampa Bay Cup Final Stanley Cup chances: 85 percent Game Score: 3.9 The Front-Runner Key stats: 0-3-3, 19:02 TOI, 64% xG, +3 Andrei Vasilevskiy Game 1: After scoring at a ridiculous pace throughout these playoffs, it Cup Final was high time for Point to round out his stat line with some assists. The only non-secondary assist was off a faceoff win, but it was still a very Goals Saved Above Expected: 0.8 strong effort from the center with a dominant performance at five-on-five. Montreal had no answer for Point’s line which was buzzing all night. Save percentage: .947 save percentage Previously in the playoffs Game 1: An extremely light workload tonight as the Lightning cruised to a win with just a single goal against off a double deflection. Vasilevskiy was Game Score: 20.6 otherwise perfect, but Montreal didn’t generate many dangerous chances to threaten him. If the rest of the final has more nights like these, we GSVA: 0.78 wins, 3.6 win pace might see the narrative shift away from Vasilevskiy as the favourite and Key stats: 18 games, 14-6-20, 18:56 TOI, 53% xG, +4 back toward one of Tampa Bay’s star forwards. Vasilevskiy was superb through the first three rounds, but if it looks like Tampa Bay can win the The main argument in Point’s favour over Kucherov’s is the goal totals. final series with a shooter tutor in net, his narrative might be a tougher Point has an absurd 14 goals in 18 games, capped by a nine-game goal sell. streak that was just one off the all-time record. Scoring is the most important stat and it’s why, despite a seven-point deficit to linemate Previously in the playoffs Kucherov, Point is right there in terms of total value (GSVA rates goals Goals Saved Above Expected: 15.4 higher than assists). He’s also generally the primary driver on that top line at five-on-five, always carrying the puck in and making things GSVA: 2.48 wins, 8.3 win pace (per 60 games) happen. Point also has a plus-three penalty differential to lead the team and has been stronger defensively, too. The all-around factor leans Save percentage: .936 save percentage toward Point. Tampa Bay was dominant in the regular season despite missing its best Other Contenders skater and that’s because of Vasilevskiy, who was without a doubt the team’s MVP this year. He likely has a second career Vezina Trophy Steven Stamkos locked up, but that may not be the only individual hardware he brings home this season as he should be the current leader for the Conn Cup Final Smythe. He’s leading the playoffs in goals saved above expected by six, Game Score: 0.9 a ludicrous amount given just how good the goalie in second place has been. The Lightning have played a bit more fast and loose during the Key stats: 1-0-1, 16:17 TOI, 69% xG, -1 playoffs knowing they have Vasilevskiy to bail them out, and he has so far with an excellent .936 save percentage. He’s not the only reason the Game 1: A relatively quiet night for the captain until the very end where Lightning are four wins away from repeating, but he’s the top reason for he popped in a meaningless power-play goal. It did end Montreal’s now. Three shutouts in series-clinching games in these playoffs shows illustrious short-handed clean sheet and that could mean the floodgates how clutch he’s been, too. The Conn Smythe should be his to lose. will open there for future games. It was a weak goal, but a good sign. Stamkos’ line controlled play heavily at five-on-five though and it’s hard The Dark Horse to fault the goal against on anyone that was on the ice too.

Nikita Kucherov Previously in the playoffs

Cup Final Game Score: 17.4

Game Score: 4.3 GSVA: 0.62 wins, 2.8 win pace

Key stats: 2-1-3, 18:54 TOI, 55% xG, +3 Key stats: 18 games, 7-10-17, 15:47 TOI, 57% xG, +1

Game 1: “There was no injury, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” It’s legitimately heartwarming to see the captain on the ice for this run. That was Kucherov before Game 1 and it sure didn’t look like it when he He played all of 2:47 in last year’s playoffs and deserves a shot to stepped onto the ice. Any concerns about him before the series are long actively contribute to a Cup win. He’s done his part so far with a near gone after an excellent Game 1 that closed the gap between him and point-per-game pace and a team-leading 57 percent expected goals rate. Vasilevskiy for the Conn Smythe. Kucherov has 30 points in 19 games, He’s not on Kucherov or Point’s level in the playoffs, but a strong final could see him leapfrog his teammates — especially if he rises to the occasion with a potential Kucherov injury. It’s also worth noting his ice time is much lower than his teammates, making his near point-per-game rate even more impressive.

Montreal

Stanley Cup chances: 15 percent

The Front-Runner

Carey Price

Cup Final

Goals Saved Above Expected: -2.2

Save percentage: .808 save percentage

Game 1: This team will go as far as Price takes them and while this wasn’t a bad game from Price, it’ll be hard for Montreal to win when Price isn’t at his best. The fifth and final goal — an inconsequential one with 1:10 left in the game — is the only one you can really pin on Price, but the Price that carried the team this far is usually sharp enough to not allow the others either. Perhaps that’s good fortune taking a night off on his incredible run. Price had incredible moments to keep the game close, but the Lightning attack was ultimately too much. While Price was still probably the best Canadien on the ice, that’s not a good sign when he allows five goals on 26 shots — his fault or not.

Previously in the playoffs

Goals Saved Above Expected: 9.0

GSVA: 1.50 wins, 5.3 win pace (per 60 games)

Save percentage: .934 save percentage

I mean, who else? If not for Vasilevskiy looking just as good (or better) on the other side, there would be a legitimate argument to give Price the postseason MVP, win or lose. He’s been that good and in terms of most valuable player, it’s hard to argue against his relative value to Montreal’s run. He’s the reason the Canadiens are here, putting up one consistently dominant performance after another. Over 17 games, he’s saved nine goals above expected thanks to a .934 save percentage. That’s second in these playoffs and a per game pace that matches his MVP-calibre season. If Montreal dethrones Tampa Bay, it’ll no doubt be because of Price and I’m excited to watch his calm and cool demeanour potentially frustrate another high octane team.

The Dark Horse

Nick Suzuki

Cup Final

Game Score: -1.6

Key stats: 0-0-0, 17:45 TOI, 38% xG, -3

Game 1: It was already going to be hard to give anyone but Price the MVP on Montreal. A game like that from Suzuki doesn’t help as his line got absolutely buried in the matchup against Point and Kucherov. A rough possession rate and on for three goals against with almost no offence the other way to show for it. He can be better, but that felt like a deer in the headlights game now that Suzuki and company are on the game’s biggest stage.

Previously in the playoffs

Game Score: 15.8

GSVA: 0.56 wins, 2.7 win pace

Key stats: 17 games, 5-8-13, 18:47 TOI, 57% xG, Even

It is very difficult giving the Conn Smythe to anyone on the Canadiens but Price because he’s the reason they’re here. But if we’re talking most valuable skater that honour should go to Suzuki, who has looked like a star in the playoffs. He’s speedy, shifty and smart and is one off the scoring lead to linemate Tyler Toffoli. It’s Suzuki that has made that line go, though, and his expected goals rate for the playoffs has been really impressive. When he’s on, Montreal controls play and looks threatening on offence.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216701 Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs reportedly in talks to re-sign

Terry Koshan

The Maple Leafs reportedly are working toward keeping forward Wayne Simmonds in blue and white.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman tweeted on Monday that the club is in talks to re-sign Simmonds.

If it happens, one would think Simmonds won’t get the $1.5 million US he was paid last season on a one-year contract.

And if Simmonds does re-sign and gets much more than the NHL minimum of $750,00 on a one-year deal — which is what Jason Spezza re-signed with Toronto for on June 16 — chalk it up as a player-friendly contract.

In 38 games with the Leafs in 2020-21, Simmonds had nine points (seven goals and two assists), averaging 11 minutes 59 seconds a game in ice time.

Five of his goals came in the 12 games he played before suffering a broken wrist against Vancouver on Feb. 6.

In seven playoff games, Simmonds had one assist.

Simmonds, who turns 33 in August, brought a physical element to the Leafs every so often. On the power play, Simmonds had three goals.

If the Scarborough native can stay healthy, the Leafs will have retained a good depth option for their bottom six.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216702 Toronto Maple Leafs Should the Leafs re-sign Rielly? Can Rielly be the No. 1 defenceman on a Stanley Cup winner? And if

not, should the Leafs pay him as such? What should the Maple Leafs do with Morgan Rielly: Re-sign him, trade Rielly is a class below some other recent players in that role, such as him or stand pat? Victor Hedman and Alex Pietrangelo. But with Jake Muzzin and T.J. Brodie signed for the foreseeable future, perhaps the Leafs can have a strong enough group with their top three D, with Rielly leading the pack By James Mirtle and Jonas Siegel Jun 28, 2021 as Kris Letang Lite?

Even if Rielly is soon relegated to the Leafs’ second power-play unit, he figures to remain a strong offensive contributor in the years ahead. He The Maple Leafs are approaching a crossroads with Morgan Rielly this was 15th among his peers last season with 35 points, and his 5-on-5 summer. production has been reasonably steady the last few seasons. The 27-year-old is eligible for a contract extension one month from today. He’s fourth among NHL defencemen in even-strength points over the He is also eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in July 2022. past three seasons, trailing only Carlson, Roman Josi and Brent Burns. The pressure is on general manager to extend the tenure of Still, that he may not be a top unit power-play option bears scrutiny if he’ll the longest-serving Leafs player with a new long-term deal. But he could be paid like an elite defenceman. Especially considering he is not a also move Rielly via trade before the clock on his contract runs out, likely stalwart defensively and no longer plays a significant role on the penalty for a significant asset (or assets) in return. kill. The Leafs could also let Rielly play out the final season of the bargain That’s the real question when it comes to value: Can Rielly be reliable six-year contract he signed in the spring of 2016, taking their chances he enough in his own zone to be worthy of the No. 1 designation — and walks for nothing a year from now. payday — on a championship team? This isn’t a simple or easy decision for the Leafs, given the long-term It’s clear that head coach Sheldon Keefe typically went with Muzzin, ramifications and how tight they are to the salary cap. Rielly is an Brodie, Justin Holl and even Zach Bogosian when the Leafs were important, popular veteran, one who has played more minutes than protecting a late lead with the opposing net empty. anyone over his eight seasons with the team. But he can also command a huge deal as a UFA, one potentially out of reach for the Leafs. Leafs' D -- TOI vs. empty net

What follows is an in-depth exploration of Toronto’s options in this 1 situation and some thoughts on how Dubas should proceed. Jake Muzzin What will Rielly’s next contract look like? 26:13 It will come with term, for one. 2 No top defenceman coming off so many seasons as a No. 1 D, especially at such a young age, would settle for anything less than six or seven Justin Holl years in unrestricted free agency. 24:30 Given Rielly’s accomplishments and statistical profile, the following group 3 of 11 contracts stands out as the best set of comparables, a group that ranges from Oliver Ekman-Larsson on the high end ($8.25 million) down T.J. Brodie to Alex Goligoski, who signed for $5.475 million per year. 14:03 All of these defencemen were of comparable age, signed within the past seven years and had similar career production to Rielly when they landed 4 their big-ticket UFA deals. Zach Bogosian

After eight years in the league, Rielly is almost directly right in the middle 8:26 of this comparable group: He has played 572 games and produced 305 points. 5

If we simply take the average of these 11 comparables, he would be due Morgan Rielly roughly 8.86 percent of the salary cap — or $7.22 million per season. 7:52 That’s a pretty fair “open market” valuation for the contract Rielly would receive as a UFA, one that would likely be for the maximum seven years 6 (with a new team). Especially if you consider a UFA deal would be signed Travis Dermott a year from now when Rielly’s games played and point totals would be higher — and toward the top end of this group. 2:16

So Rielly is likely looking at a payday of up to $50 million when the time 7 comes. Ben Hutton Can he deliver value on that deal? 1:37 According to our quant, Dom Luszczyszyn, Rielly projects to add $8.25 million per season in value in the six years after he becomes a UFA. For 8 2021-22, he projects to bring $9.2 million in value while earning just $5 Rasmus Sandin million in the final year of his last contract. 0:52 Rielly is, at this point, significantly underpaid. Whether he remains so as he approaches 30 remains to be seen. 9

This further reinforces that given his production to date and his projected Timothy Liljegren trajectory, Rielly can expect to fall into the $7 million range for a cap hit, 0:31 even in the NHL’s pandemic-induced flat-cap environment. 10 It’s a number that would make Rielly one of the 20 highest paid defencemen in the league. Mikko Lehtonen 0:21 Or could the Leafs have interest in 24-year-old Adrian Kempe, a top-six forward with a $2 million cap hit next season, as part of a package from One thing that bodes well for the future is how well Rielly has performed the Kings? in the playoffs. He was one of the few Leafs players who remain composed and confident as the series with Montreal slipped away. He Maybe. But it’s easy to miss on deals like this. and Brodie proved to be the team’s most stable pair throughout the season, too. The Hurricanes netted only a year of Joel Edmundson and prospect Dominik Bokk when they dealt Faulk to St. Louis. (Faulk then signed the Brodie is signed for the next three seasons and was brought in to play enormous seven-year extension with the Blues that’s listed in the with Rielly. Extending him now would cement their partnership for the comparable section above.) remainder of Brodie’s deal. For Brent Burns and a second-round pick, Minnesota received Devin But could Rasmus Sandin be ready to play top-four minutes a year from Setoguchi, then-prospect Charlie Coyle and a first-round pick. now, alongside a veteran like Brodie? And will there be a hole for him if Rielly is signed long term? Time and again, the Leafs — beginning when Lou Lamoriello was GM — have opted not to trade key players entering the last year of their Should the Leafs trade Rielly? contracts. , Jake Gardiner, , and Hyman have all played out the final year of their contracts The Leafs have a few blueprints to work off if they choose to trade Rielly the last four seasons. this summer. It currently appears Hyman and Andersen will follow the others in signing When the Montreal Canadiens couldn’t agree on a new contract with Max elsewhere. Pacioretty in the 2018 offseason, they dealt him to Vegas for Tomas Tatar — who ultimately outproduced Pacioretty in his first season with But Rielly is a different case than all of them. the Canadiens — rising star Nick Suzuki and a second-round pick. Rielly was drafted by the organization in 2012, fifth overall, and That seems to be the typical return in trades like this: the combination of developed as a cornerstone on the road back to respectability. Auston a quality NHL player, a prospect and a draft pick. Matthews and Mitch Marner may be the faces of the Leafs today, but Rielly is the team’s backbone, the one piece remaining from the Leafs’ A package like that for Rielly might suit the Leafs just fine. Especially if last-place 2015-16 season and a long-time alternate captain. they can nail some of the supporting pieces. Trading him would jolt the organization. It would hurt. The Pittsburgh Penguins, for example, downgraded from Jordan Staal to Brandon Sutter when they dealt Staal a year out from unrestricted free The front office may decide that pain is necessary with the Core Four agency to Carolina in 2012. And while the first-round pick didn’t pan out staying put after a fifth straight first-round exit. But losing Rielly would be — Derrick Pouliot played only 67 games for Pittsburgh — the prospect a significant blow to the dressing room, in addition to the loss of the they received, Brian Dumoulin, became a top-pair defenceman for the minutes he plays on the ice. Penguins while winning back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017. The Leafs’ margins on such a trade are narrower than Montreal with (Perry Nelson / USA Today) Pacioretty or Colorado at the time of the O’Reilly trade. Or even the when Erik Karlsson was dealt a year before his deal But it won’t be easy for the Leafs to find a viable replacement for Rielly in was up. a deal. Those teams weren’t competing for the Stanley Cup. It wasn’t essential Another team would have to be enamoured with Rielly to trade a that the return in those trades delivered right away. comparable player for him while he approaches UFA status. And he would need to be willing to sign an extension in his new home in order to If the Leafs trade Rielly, they need to find a player or players who don’t help make a deal happen. diminish their chances of contention in 2021-22.

That could be problematic given how badly he wants to remain with the Status quo Leafs. What if the Leafs can’t find a trade that accomplishes that? And what if Would a team like the Florida Panthers move someone like MacKenzie the terms on an extension are too pricey? Weegar, who has two years remaining on his contract before unrestricted free agency ($3.25 million cap hit), as part of a package that nets them a That’s where a third option comes into play: Let Rielly play out the last locked-up Rielly? year of his contract.

Rielly would obviously fit nicely with Aaron Ekblad on the Panthers’ No. 1 The Leafs would get another year of Rielly at well below market rate as pair. And the Leafs could use the savings from a deal like that in their bid they chase a Stanley Cup. And not signing him now doesn’t preclude the for more help up front. possibility of an extension further down the line, even if it elevates the risk he leaves without bringing back a return. Another alternative: The front office opts for ready-made help rather than bringing in futures. If the Leafs keep Rielly, they could then determine after next season if Sandin needs more time to step into the top four. And if Rielly is the best When the Colorado Avalanche dealt Ryan O’Reilly (along with Jamie long-term solution for a defence that will have a then-33-year-old Muzzin, McGinn) to Buffalo in 2015, they netted two roster players who were first- 32-year-old Brodie and 30-year-old Holl. round picks, Mikhail Grigorenko and Nikita Zadorov, along with prospect J.T. Compher and a second-round pick. The path we would choose

Later, the Avs used Tyson Barrie, in the final year of his contract, to fill a Jonas says: I would look to sign Rielly on a six-year deal for around $6 need up front by acquiring , who had three years left on his million per season right now. That’s a discount rate, certainly, but it would deal in Toronto. also make Rielly the highest paid defenceman on the team — falling just in front of Muzzin at $5.625 million and Brodie at $5 million. Unlike the Avalanche, however, the Leafs don’t have a Cale Makar waiting in the wings to absorb Rielly’s workload. And short of splurging I wouldn’t be averse to adding an extra year if it keeps the cap hit down, on Dougie Hamilton as a UFA, a contingency plan in free agency may be given Rielly will be only 28 when the deal begins. hard to find. Otherwise, I’d explore a trade — although I’m not entirely against That said, a Rielly deal could serve as an answer for their needs bringing him back on an expiring deal. Rielly boosts the Leafs’ elsewhere on the roster. championship odds. A new deal can always be worked out later.

The Vancouver Canucks, for example, feel like a natural destination for James says: If Rielly is serious in his commitment to taking a hometown Rielly, a hometown kid. Would J.T. Miller, a top-six replacement for Zach discount — as per multiple sources — I would pursue that path as soon Hyman with two years left on his contract ($5.25 million cap hit), make as possible. Timing is a key factor here for me: If the Leafs are going to sense for the Leafs? look at making a trade, it needs to be before free agency opens, as that deal would have massive ramifications on the roster. If you receive a forward in return for Rielly, for example, you need to add another defenceman to replace him, as Sandin and company are not ready to take on his minutes next season. The front office would need time to find a workable solution for Rielly’s absence.

That said, provided Rielly will sign for something in the $6.5 million range, a long-term extension feels like the most prudent course of action here. The Leafs are in win-now mode, and he’s a big part of their current core. He’s also young enough that you are likely to get four or five productive seasons, at minimum, before an age-related decline becomes an issue.

Rielly may not be a perfect player, but he’s one you can win with at that salary. And all indications are he’s willing to take less than his market value, which is a must given how the Leafs’ pay structure is set for the coming years.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216703 Vegas Golden Knights This was a new event in 2020. Players shot seven pucks from about 30 feet above the ice at nine targets, which had different point values. The platform was in the stands behind one of the nets. Four targets were above the faceoff circles, two were on the blue line and three on the Here’s what to expect at NHL All-Star weekend in Las Vegas center red line.

Whoever scores the most points wins. Kane claimed the first event with 22 points. By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal Elite women’s 3-on-3 hockey

Which women’s All-Star team is the best? Las Vegas is no stranger to hosting the NHL’s best and brightest. This was also a new competition in 2020, as the NHL invited 20 of the The city held the league’s annual award show every year since 2009 best women’s players in the world to play a 20-minute 3-on-3 game. except for 2013 and 2020. But commissioner Gary Bettman’s announcement that T-Mobile Arena will host the 2022 All-Star Game There were 10 American All-Stars and 10 Canadian All-Stars. marks the first time fans will get to see the NHL’s best players on the same sheet of ice. The date of the game wasn’t announced, but it will be Team Canada won 2-1, coached by Seattle Kraken scout Cammi at the midway point of the regular season. Granato.

Get ready to see Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews mixing it up. All-Star Game And for Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin to play on the same team for Which division’s All-Stars will come out on top? once. It’s one of the few weekends the hockey community gets together to have fun and players try to win money. The main event took on a new format in 2016.

So what happens during an NHL All-Star weekend? Here are the The four divisions play one another in a single-elimination, 3-on-3 competitions that took place in 2020, starting with the skills competition tournament to determine the winner. There are 10-minute halves, and the the day before the game: game proceeds directly to a best-of-three shootout if tied after regulation.

Fastest skater Knights coach led the Pacific Division to the 2018 championship with Vegas right wing James Neal on the roster. Knights Who can take a lap around the rink the quickest? left wing Max Pacioretty was part of the Pacific’s winning squad in 2020. Skaters take turns going around the ice to see who can record the fastest The first-place team gets $1 million. time. Unsurprisingly, this event has belonged to McDavid, the Edmonton Oilers star, in recent years. He won it three straight years from 2017 to LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 06.29.2021 2019 before being dethroned by New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal in 2020.

Barzal’s lap lasted 13.175 seconds. Winners of each skills competition event get $25,000.

Accuracy shooting

Who can knock down targets the fastest?

This event places five targets in an NHL net. Four are in the corners, and one is in the center. Whoever hits all of them in the least amount of time wins.

Several of the NHL’s most skilled players have won the competition in recent years, including Chicago Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane (2015), Pittsburgh Penguins center Crosby (2017) and Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (2019). Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin was a surprise winner in 2020 at 9.505 seconds.

Hardest shot

Who has the NHL’s fastest shot?

The event is pretty straightforward. Participants start at the blue line and skate to a puck below the tops of the circles but above the hash marks. They then try to line up and fire a shot as hard as they can.

Whichever shot gets clocked as the fastest win. Montreal Canadiens captain Shea Weber won the event in 2020 with a blast that reached 106.5 mph. The record belongs to defenseman Zdeno Chara at 108.8 mph.

Save streak

Which goaltender can last the longest?

In this event, each goaltender faces all the skaters from an opposing division in a shootout and tries to make as many saves as possible. If the goalie saves the division captain, who goes last, he keeps going until he fails to make a save.

The netminder who makes the most stops in a row wins. If there’s a tie, whoever made the most total saves wins.

Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury won the event in 2018 with 14 saves.

NHL shooting stars

Who can hit the most targets from an elevated shooting platform? 1216704 Vegas Golden Knights to showing hockey fans the only-in-Vegas experiences they’ve come to expect,” Brunelle said.

LVCVA spokeswoman Maria Phelan said the agency doesn’t have any Golden Knights, Las Vegas awarded 2022 NHL All-Star Game visitation forecasts for All-Star Weekend.

The All-Star Game will be the first high-profile event the Knights have hosted since the expansion draft in 2017. They participated in the NHL By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal Outdoors event in February at Lake Tahoe, but that was officially a Colorado Avalanche home game on the schedule.

The 2021 All-Star Weekend was originally scheduled for Jan. 29-30 in Golden Knights center Mattias Janmark (26) and Canadiens center Nick Sunrise, Florida, but was canceled in October because of the condensed, Suzuki (14) skate during warmups before Game 1 of an NHL Stanley 56-game schedule that resulted from the coronavirus pandemic. Cup semifinal playoff series at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Monday, June 14, 2021. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal) “This really came to fruition, we agreed to host the game, it’s only been @ellenschmidttt within the last couple of weeks,” Foley said.

The crowd is on their feet before Game 1 of an NHL Stanley Cup Since 2016, the All-Star Game featured the league’s biggest stars semifinal playoff series between the Golden Knights and the Canadiens competing in a three-on-three tournament with teams from each division at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Monday, June 14, 2021. (Ellen competing for a winner-take-all $1 million prize. The format for the 2022 Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @ellenschmidttt All-Star Game has not been confirmed.

Bill Foley’s stance about the NHL All-Star Game coming to Las Vegas There also is a skills competition the day before the All-Star Game evolved over the years. featuring events such as the fastest skater and hardest shot. Past all-star weekends included a Fan Fair area and several other public events as The Golden Knights owner initially was against the idea, citing the burden part of the festivities. that would be placed on the organization’s staff. By last year, Foley had come around and even advocated for the event to take place at T-Mobile “We haven’t gotten into the planning stage of all the events we’re going Arena. to have and the things we’re going to do,” Foley said.

On Monday, the Knights were selected to host 2022 NHL All-Star Max Pacioretty represented the Knights at the All-Star Game in 2020 in Weekend, commissioner Gary Bettman announced before Game 1 of the St. Louis and scored in the championship game to help the Pacific Stanley Cup Final. Division defeat the Atlantic Division.

Las Vegas also will host the NFL Pro Bowl on Feb. 6 at Allegiant Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury won the save streak competition at the NHL Stadium. All-Star Skills event in 2018 and also was selected to play in 2019. He skipped the 2020 event, which took place two months after his father “We’re in a much different situation than we were three years ago, four died. years ago,” Foley said. “We’re not a mature team, but we’re certainly well organized. And this will be fun. This will be a lot of fun to have everybody James Neal was chosen for the 2018 All-Star Game along with Knights in town.” coach Gerard Gallant, who also was slated to coach the Pacific Division in 2020 until he was fired less than two weeks before the game. The NHL event will be scheduled at its traditional midway point of the regular season. The confirmed dates will be announced when available, “It’s a real honor,” general manager Kelly McCrimmon said. “I know the the league said in a news release. organization and the city will do a great job as host. It will be a lot of fun.”

Ticketing and broadcast information also will be released at a future date. In addition to all-star weekend, the NHL announced two outdoor events.

“It’s very exciting to have the opportunity to host the 2022 NHL All-Star The Minnesota Wild will host the St. Louis Blues in the Winter Classic on Weekend at T-Mobile Arena,” Knights president and chief operating Jan. 1 at Target Field in Minneapolis. The Nashville Predators and officer Kerry Bubolz said in a statement. “This is one of the league’s Tampa Bay Lightning meet Feb. 26 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, premier events of the year, and we are thrilled to bring fans from around Tennessee. the world to Las Vegas to celebrate hockey. This event will also help continue our growth of the game in Nevada and our surrounding areas.” LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 06.29.2021

The NHL All-Star Game usually takes place the final weekend of January, but next season’s schedule has not been finalized with participation in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing yet to be determined.

The league and players’ union continue negotiations with the International Olympic Committee and International Federation, and Bettman indicated there’s concern whether a deal can be completed in time.

The NHL is hoping to release the 2021-22 schedule between the end of the Stanley Cup Final and the NHL Draft, which begins July 23.

“For us, when these all-stars come to town, they’re going to appreciate just how great a city Vegas is and how hockey-ready it is and how engaged our fans are with the Golden Knights,” Foley said. “There’s going to be all kinds of things going on. Las Vegas is a great host city, and we’re done with COVID at that point. There will be a ton of different events and things to go to, opportunities for individuals to see and be around some of these great hockey players.”

H. Fletch Brunelle, vice president of marketing at the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said in a statement the tourism agency is “thrilled” by the announcement and that having the opportunity “to host events of this caliber solidifies our position as the sports capital of the world.”

“The excitement around live sports and events is palpable, and from world-class dining and entertainment to the game itself, we look forward 1216705 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights co-favorites to win 2022 Stanley Cup

By Todd Dewey Las Vegas Review-Journal

The window to win the Stanley Cup is still wide open for the Golden Knights.

The Westgate sportsbook has installed the Knights as the 5-1 co- favorites with the Colorado Avalanche to win the 2021-22 Stanley Cup.

Station Casinos made the Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning 5-1 co- favorites, with the Knights the 6-1 third choice.

“We’re expecting the NHL to go back to the traditional divisions and conferences,” Westgate vice president of risk Jeff Sherman said. “We haven’t put up division and conference odds just in case they don’t. But if you look at the Knights’ division, it’s extremely weak. It’s the same for the Avalanche’s division. Those two teams are likely on a collision course.

“If we were much higher on them, we’d probably be inundated with support.”

The Lightning are the 7-1 third pick at the Westgate, followed by the Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs at 14-1 and the Boston Bruins at 16-1. Every other team is 25-1 or higher.

“If you look at the other side of the bracket, Tampa’s division and Carolina’s division are much more difficult than the Knights’ and Avs’ divisions,” Sherman said.

Let’s get Kraken

The expansion Seattle Kraken are the longest shots at Station, at 200-1, to win the Stanley Cup. The Kraken are in a pack of eight teams at 100-1 at the Westgate, where the Detroit Red Wings and Buffalo Sabres are the longest shots at 200-1.

Sherman expects bettors to take a shot on the Kraken in the hopes that they will follow the Knights’ lead and reach the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season.

“We’re expecting some support for them,” Sherman said. “They’re going through a similar draft process that the Knights did, and we expect them to be more competitive than some teams.

“It’s going to be tough to replicate what the Knights did. But people will want to take a flier on them at long odds.”

William Hill has posted the Kraken’s regular-season point total at 66½.

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NHL All-Star Game coming to Las Vegas next season

By Justin Emerson

The Entertainment Capital of the World is getting the NHL’s All-Star Game.

League commissioner Gary Bettman said Monday during his annual press conference that T-Mobile Arena and the Golden Knights will host the 2021-2002 season’s All-Star Weekend at a to-be-determined date.

The All-Star Game is annually the headliner of the weekend, which also includes a skills competition and several other events. It’s typically held the last weekend of January, and the league said next season the event would stay in its spot at the “traditional midway point of the NHL regular season.”

“It’s very exciting to have the opportunity to host the 2022 NHL All-Star Weekend at T-Mobile Arena,” Golden Knights president Kerry Bubolz said in a statement. “This is one of the league’s premier events of the year and we are thrilled to bring fans from around the world to Las Vegas to celebrate hockey. This event will also help continue our growth of the game in Nevada and our surrounding areas.”

There was not an All-Star Game in the 2020-21 season because of the pandemic-shortened season with the last one held in early 2020 in St. Louis.

The league has traditionally not held an All-Star Weekend on Olympic years when NHL players were scheduled to attend (they did not play in the 2018 games in PyeongChang, but did go to Sochi in 2014). Bettman said he did not know if the NHL will go to the Olympics in 2022, though participation was negotiated as part of the most recent collective bargaining agreement.

The NHL has never brought its All-Star Game to Las Vegas, though the WNBA held its at Mandalay Bay Events Center here in 2018 and will again next month. The NBA played its game at Thomas & Mack Center in 2007, and the NFL will hold the Pro Bowl at Allegiant Stadium in February.

LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216707 Vegas Golden Knights point that Fleury’s kids sent him a good-luck piece of artwork before his Game 6 start against Montreal.

Maybe $12 million is too much to spend on goalies, but it’s worth noting Three key questions facing Golden Knights headed into the offseason that the only team that spends more is the team that beat Vegas and is playing in the Stanley Cup Final. Maybe $5 million or $7 million can get Vegas the scoring threat it needs to get over the hump, but the possibility exists the Golden Knights run it back again with two top goalies. By Justin Emerson “I can tell you it was obviously an integral part of our success this year in

the unique year we were in with the condensed scheduled, the number of Knights’ competitive window remains open despite another upset playoff games and everything that went on,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “It was exitKnights’ competitive window remains open despite another upset obviously a blessing this year, but next year’s a different story. We’re not playoff exit in those unique circumstances anymore.”

Down and Out: Golden Knights, Mark Stone come up empty as season Can the power play improve? ends Barring any major changes to the roster, the biggest thing Vegas needs Former Golden Knights prospect has come back to haunt them with to improve is the power play. The 0-for-15 run in the semifinal series CanadiensFormer Golden Knights prospect has come back to haunt against Montreal was terrible, but it wasn’t good before that either, them with Canadiens ranking 22nd in the regular season.

Last offseason, they signed Alex Pietrangelo. The one before that was “That’s at the top of the list to fix,” DeBoer said. “We shuffled some consumed by clearing cap space in the aftermath of the Mark Stone things, put a new set of eyes on it this year, and it stumbled again. That’s trade that had just happened a few months earlier. Max Pacioretty came going to be the priority moving forward.” aboard three years ago. There’s no obvious answer for why the power play has struggled, The Vegas Golden Knights have never had a boring offseason, and this especially considering the firepower it contains. On paper, a unit that summer doesn’t look like it will break the streak. Much of the team is runs through players like Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty, Alex Pietrangelo under contract for next season with just three regulars eligible for and others should be more dangerous. unrestricted free agency and no restricted free agents. The Golden Knights tried shifting things around. They bounced Stone, But that doesn’t mean the same team is coming back. Pacioretty and Alex Tuch to different spots. They attempted to leave out the Misfit Line of William Karlsson, Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly The Golden Knights were two wins away from the Stanley Cup Final, and Smith. if this front office has demonstrated anything in the past, it’s that it will do whatever it thinks is necessary to improve the team’s chances of getting But nothing seemed to work. there next year. At times, feeding Alec Martinez for a one-timer was the only effective So what do they need to do? The Golden Knights will almost surely be option and using him as a second defenseman on the first unit in lieu of a competitive next season, but before the puck drops on next season, fourth forward. they’ll need to answer a few key questions. Players like to say how a strong power play can bleed into 5-on-5 play. Will the goalie tandem stay together? They mean it in a positive way, but when the power play was as silent as it was, the negativity seeps into other aspects of the game too. The Golden Knights had one of the best goaltending tandems in the NHL last season and took home the Jennings Trophy for fewest goals scored “Especially in the playoffs it’s so hard to create offense you have to rely against during the regular season because of it. Marc-Andre Fleury and on your power play to get, if you’re not scoring, to at least get chances, Robin Lehner combined to lead the Golden Knights to best goals-against feel the puck,” Pacioretty said. “I feel that it went the opposite way with average in the league, and Fleury is a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, our group, in fact made guys probably doubt themselves a little bit, lose a which will be announced Tuesday. little bit of confidence.

That kind of talent comes with a hefty price tag. They combine for a $12 “We didn’t make many plays on the power play and I think it had a million hit against the cap with Fleury accounting for $7 million next negative impact on the guys who were out there and the team as a whole season and Lehner $5 million. That’s the second-highest total in the with momentum swings. So we have to figure it out.” league. Whether it’s acquiring a power-play specialist in the offseason or handing There’s a strong argument that the salary of either one of them would the keys to the system from one coach to another, the Golden Knights’ make more sense elsewhere. power play is the biggest reason they’re not prepping for a Stanley Cup Final game. It hasn’t been good two playoffs in a row now, and It would require a trade for either not to return. While Fleury turned in something Vegas needs to fix this offseason. perhaps the best season of his career, he is 36 years old, makes more money than Lehner and would be easier to move with an expiring How do the younger players fit in? contract. DeBoer started his first offseason news conference by praising the Lehner has four years remaining on a deal he signed before last season. emergence of the Golden Knights’ younger players like Zach Whitecloud, Nicolas Hague and Nicolas Roy, all of whom established themselves as “Those are all things that have to be discussed going into the offseason NHL regulars this season. and into next year,” general manager Kelly McCrimmon said. “We’ll get to that in due course.” He also fired a warning shot to other younger players in the system, saying that high hopes for talented players won’t automatically translate Moving one of them is almost a requirement if the Golden Knights were to a roster spot. to make a big splash in the trade market or free agency, as they otherwise have only about $6 million in cap space and a few roster spots “For a young franchise, it’s important to keep infusing that youth. At the to fill. same time it can’t be not earned, and it can’t be at the detriment of the group not winning a Stanley Cup,” DeBoer said. “They have to be able to They have their own free agents — Alec Martinez, Tomas Nosek and pull their weight. That’s going to be the challenge for those young guys.” Mattias Janmark — to worry about, before even getting into the big names that have become a staple of the team’s strategy, players like Without mentioning anyone by name, DeBoer’s comment raised Buffalo’s Jack Eichel or Columbus’ Patrik Laine. speculation about Cody Glass’ future. The Golden Knights’ first-ever draft pick has yet to carve out a regular spot in the lineup with Vegas, playing The two goalies, meanwhile, seem happy with their set-up. Lehner has in just under half the regular season games before a demotion to the been part of a tandem nearly his entire career and said playing with AHL in March. He played with the Silver Knights in the postseason and Fleury is a “privilege.” The two bonded over the year, Lehner said, to the appeared in one NHL playoff game before a relegation to the taxi squad. His absence in the NHL was highlighted by the player Vegas selected seven picks later in 2017. Nick Suzuki was terrific for the Canadiens in the series against the Golden Knights and fulfilled the promise of an early first-rounder.

Considering Glass wasn’t even skating with the team during the third round, it’s fair to ask if the Golden Knights still see him as a part of their future though McCrimmon said he was.

“I think it’s important we still believe in him and sometimes these things take more time,” McCrimmon said. “There’s a long list of players that have been a little later finding their way and we still expect that Cody is going to do that.”

The Golden Knights have some younger players expected to be part of next year’s lineup, most notably 2019 first-rounder Peyton Krebs, who appeared in four regular season games before a fractured jaw ended his season. It’s possible he would have played in the postseason had he not been injured, but the 20-year-old will get every chance to break camp with the big club next season. With how close Vegas is expected to be against the salary cap next year, having young players on inexpensive entry-level contracts will be a major key.

LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216708 Vegas Golden Knights Stamkos. That’s excellent company to keep, and Eichel certainly belongs in that conversation. In his five complete seasons in the NHL, he has never scored fewer than 24 goals or registered fewer than 56 points. He’s a premiere, offense-driving center with the ability to single-handedly Exploring the Golden Knights’ offseason scenarios, from Jack Eichel to break down an opposing defense. That’s something the Golden Knights keeping the band together have desperately lacked.

But elite centers aren’t available often, and there’s plenty of baggage with Eichel. After six losing seasons in Buffalo, the 24-year-old’s relationship By Jesse Granger Jun 28, 2021 with the franchise worsened because of a neck injury in March that forced him to miss the final month of the season. The team prefers for Eichel to use traditional remedies — rest, therapy, etc. — but he wants to The Golden Knights enter the offseason with minimal wiggle room have artificial disc replacement surgery. Buffalo doctors say it has never underneath the NHL’s salary cap ceiling of $81.5 million. been performed on an NHL player and reportedly are concerned about the potential risks. The 2021-22 season will be the league’s third consecutive year with a flat cap, putting immense pressure on high-budget teams like the Golden This is where I make the joke about Vegas signing Eichel and Knights. Vegas enters this summer with roughly $76.5 million allocated to immediately putting him on the long-term injured reserve (LTIR) until the next season, but that is with a roster of only 19 players. playoffs to skirt the salary cap, the way the Lightning did with star Nikita Kucherov. Thanks to Sean McIndoe of The Athletic for that one. The Golden Knights have three key players set to hit unrestricted free agency in Alec Martinez, Mattias Janmark and Tomas Nosek. Even But on a serious note, Eichel’s neck and potential surgery are major without re-signing those players and adding a young, cheap player like concerns, especially for a player with five seasons remaining on this Peyton Krebs to fill the active roster, it leaves Vegas with only $4.1 contract at a $10 million annual cap hit. Vegas obviously would want to million. have its own doctors take a look at Eichel’s medical records, and likely his neck. The unknowns certainly limit his value on the market, but he That’s all to say – money is tight in Vegas. That’s nothing new for the would still fetch a hefty return for Buffalo. Golden Knights’ front office of Kelly McCrimmon and George McPhee. They’ve successfully maneuvered this obstacle several times already in As for what the Sabres could be looking for in return, I turned to our their short tenure in Vegas and have even found ways to add pieces talented Buffalo beat writer, John Vogl. while doing it. Vogl said: “Here are the two things any and all Eichel proposals need: A Entering last offseason, the Golden Knights were actually in a more potential franchise cornerstone to get fans excited, and a first-line center precarious position, $2.8 million over the salary cap prior to trading Paul under team control for three years or more. The reason for the first is Stastny to Winnipeg for cap relief. Only three days after that trade, the obvious. Buffalo has been waiting for the ‘future’ to arrive for a decade. Golden Knights signed Alex Pietrangelo to a seven-year, $61.6 million The hope tank is empty, so the key acquisition has to be a can’t-miss. It deal. can’t be just a draft pick or middling prospect. As for the second piece, the Sabres simply don’t have anyone in the organization to fill the first- If the front office was able to land the biggest free-agent signing of the line role if Eichel leaves. It doesn’t have to be an elite center, just year in an offseason that they began over the salary cap, imagine what someone good enough to hold down the top line until Dylan Cozens is they can do with the minimal space they have this year. ready in a couple of years.” “I think this was our best team,” McCrimmon said Saturday. “We made You have to give up talent to receive talent, and as talented as Eichel is, improvements to our team in year four from a personnel standpoint. I it’s going to be a major haul heading back to Buffalo. There are plenty of think we made improvements to our team in terms of style of play. I think routes Vegas could take but for the purposes of this exercise, I’ll propose without both of those improvements I don’t know that we beat Minnesota this package: or Colorado. It’s hard to win. You have to continue to get better in whatever ways that you can.” Buffalo sends: Jack Eichel

To say Vegas has been managed aggressively since its inception in Vegas sends: Shea Theodore, Cody Glass and a 2022 first-round pick 2017 would be an understatement. The Golden Knights have pursued high-priced free agents and made a handful of blockbuster trades. Their Theodore serves as the “can’t miss” cornerstone for the Sabres. He’s core players are in their late 20s or early 30s, so the window to win a played at a very high level for the last two seasons and is still only 25. championship is wide open but we’ve seen in the past how quickly it can He’s also under contract for four more years at an incredibly reasonable slam shut. $5.2 million AAV, and he plays the right side so he wouldn’t hamper Rasmus Dahlin (or potential 2021 first-overall selection Owen Power). It McCrimmon must now decide how aggressive he wants to be. I’ve would hurt the Golden Knights’ defensive core tremendously to lose researched three potential scenarios for this offseason, ranging from Theodore, but that is the price of acquiring one of the best players in the another franchise-altering trade to essentially bringing the 2021 roster league. back for another shot at the Cup. I included Glass because he seems to have fallen out of favor with the Let’s start with the wildest of scenarios… coaching staff, and he would be a potential top-six center Buffalo hopes to receive back. If the Golden Knights pursue an Eichel trade, their Trade for Jack Eichel biggest issue will be how low their draft picks are. Vegas’ success makes Rumblings about Vegas’ potential interest in Eichel, the unhappy Buffalo its first-round picks significantly less valuable than other teams that may star, began before the Golden Knights were even eliminated from the be trying to match or top their offer to Buffalo. playoffs. It’s easy to see why. If there’s a hole in the Golden Knights’ Making a trade like that would also place a premium on retaining talented roster, it’s in the middle of the top line. Chandler Stephenson Martinez, who is an unrestricted free agent. Vegas would have no cap played fantastic this season, setting new career-highs in goals (14) and space to make that signing without trading one of its star goalies. assists (21). But as good of a stylistic fit as Stephenson is between Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty, he’s not the elite No. 1 center who has been a You can see where this is going. It won’t be easy or practical for the cornerstone of Stanley Cup champions. Golden Knights to trade for Eichel. It would hurt their roster in a lot of ways and put them in a worse cap situation than last season, when they Stephenson’s play in 2021 was strong enough that Vegas isn’t in a played without a full roster on several occasions. I included this option for position where it must add a top center, but if the Golden Knights decide several reasons. First, because it’s on the mind of every fan in Vegas. to make a major roster move, that’s the most likely spot. And there’s no And second, if there’s a franchise aggressive enough to pull a move like better fit than Eichel, who is an elite centerman entering the prime years this off, it’s the Golden Knights. of his career. In the scenario posted above, if Vegas were to trade one of Fleury or Eichel missed part of the 2021 season with a serious neck injury – more Lehner plus Ryan Reaves (it will be difficult to unload salary with another about that later – but in the two years prior he ranked fifth among NHL year of the flat cap and expansion draft approaching) it could just sneak centers with 160 points. The only centers with more points over that span were Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Steven under the cap enough to sign Martinez to a three-year, $15 million unrestricted free agent, and at 36 years old he’ll likely be looking for a extension. short-term deal with a contender. The $2.182 million cap hit projected by Evolving Hockey would be an incredible value for a player who is clearly Under that incredibly specific, totally made-up scenario, here’s what the not what he once was, but who still has plenty left in the tank. roster would look like, courtesy of Cap Friendly’s armchair GM tool: Getzlaf’s days of driving offense for his line and producing 20 to 30 goals It gives Vegas one of the most talented top lines in hockey. Eichel’s size, per season are long gone. He had only two goals in 48 games this power and speed combined with his passing and playmaking ability season for a struggling Anaheim squad. However, he’s still an effective would likely elevate Stone and Pacioretty’s games even further. It would power forward who can win possession down low and pick out seam also allow Stephenson to slide down to the third line, where he and Tuch passes to set up teammates. His statistics were not good this year, but would be a difficult matchup for the opposition, allowing the Golden playing between talented wingers on a team with title aspirations could Knights to overwhelm teams with offensive depth. But it also weakens revive him considerably (cough, cough … Martinez). the Golden Knights considerably on the back end. They would lose their youngest star player in Theodore, and the goaltender position is Ryan Nugent-Hopkins would be a good addition, but the price tag will suddenly not nearly as solid – whether they would opt to trade Lehner or likely be far beyond Vegas’ reach. Evolving Hockey projects a seven- Fleury. year deal at $8.121 million per season. That seems very high for Nugent- Hopkins, whose 1.15 points per 60 minutes at even strength ranked 90th Considering Pete DeBoer prefers a possession-heavy, defensive style of of 105 centers with at least 600 minutes of ice time. If Vegas is going to hockey – shown by Vegas allowing the fewest goals in the NHL this spend that type of money on a center, it might as well go after Eichel. season – this doesn’t seem likely. You could also substitute Theodore for a player such as William Karlsson, but that would likely require upgrading Nashville’s and Tampa Bay’s Blake Coleman could both the second trade piece from Glass to Peyton Krebs, or more. It would be good fits in Vegas. Granlund tallied 13 goals and 14 assists this also defeat the purpose of strengthening the center position. There are season, mostly playing second-line center for the Predators. He would plenty of options but most require retooling the roster. That, combined give the Golden Knights another middle-six option with the ability to play with the uncertainty surrounding Eichel’s neck, could be enough to keep higher in case of injury. Vegas out of these sweepstakes. Coleman could pique Vegas’ interest because he’s defensively But there are other ways for the Golden Knights to improve at center responsible – a non-negotiable for DeBoer’s centers – and has offensive without completely blowing things up. upside. His on-ice shot share (56.87) and on-ice expected goal share (58.05) both led all Lightning players with at least 200 minutes this Make a smaller but important upgrade season, which is quite the feat.

This year’s free-agent class is fairly deep at center, and several will be Coleman has played mostly on the third line in Tampa Bay but is fully options for the Golden Knights if they want to upgrade. Here are six capable of playing higher in the lineup. Coleman topped 20 goals in unrestricted free agent centers, along with their projected contracts back-to-back seasons with the Devils in 2018-19 and 2019-20, and his according to Evolving Hockey. 14 goals in 55 games this season projected to another 20-goal season PLAYER AGE YEARS CAP HIT (PROJECTED) under normal circumstances. He is effective in all three zones and could be an instant fit in Vegas’ system. Evolving Hockey projects his deal to Ryan Getzlaf be four or five years with an annual cap hit of $4.7 million. If the Golden Knights were to move on from one of their goalies, it could give them the 36 space needed to re-sign Martinez, add a player of Coleman’s level at 1 center and still have a couple of million dollars to spare.

$2.2 M As this graphic shows, the Golden Knights could improve their center depth with the signing, and it doesn’t necessarily need to be Coleman. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins There are plenty of options such as Granlund, Florida’s Alex Wennberg or former Golden Knight Erik Haula. I listed a potential younger, more 28 skilled fourth line just out of curiosity. In this scenario, Vegas could 7 choose between its more traditional fourth line – Reaves, William Carrier and Keegan Kolesar – or use it to groom young talented forwards Glass $8.1 M and Krebs.

Mikael Granlund However, any scenario that includes adding a free agent almost certainly requires trading a goalie. After Fleury and Lehner combined to allow the 29 fewest goals in the league, it’s a risk to break that tandem up. 3 Run it back $5.0 M The Golden Knights were close to winning the Stanley Cup this season, Blake Coleman and their four straight wins over the Colorado Avalanche showed that when they’re at their best, they can compete with anyone. They obviously 29 fell short again, but plenty of teams have shown the ability to finally get 4 over the hump after years of contending. If McCrimmon and McPhee decide they want to bring back last year’s team – or at least the closest $4.7 M version they can fit under the cap – this is what they’ll be dealing with.

Erik Haula The current, 20-man roster accounts for a $77.4 million cap hit, leaving only $4.1 million in cap space. If Vegas were to waive Nick Holden like it 30 did last season, that cap space would increase to $5.2 million.

4 That is obviously not enough to bring back Martinez, Nosek and $3.8 M Janmark. It may not be enough to even re-sign Martinez, who is looking at a substantial raise from his current cap hit of $4 million after an Alex Wennberg impressive postseason. But we’ve seen players take less money to stay in Vegas before. The desire to play for a contender, combined with no 26 state income tax in Nevada, are factors, and it wouldn’t surprise me to 5 see Martinez end up in Vegas for less than market value. It’s only a four- hour drive from Los Angeles, where his permanent residence is, and he’s $4.9 M quickly grown to love Las Vegas.

I believe the Golden Knights had some interest in Ryan Getzlaf at the If he took a slight pay cut to stay, it could allow Vegas to keep Nosek for trade deadline, but his $8.25 million cap hit eliminated him from the $1 million or less. That’s what he signed for in each of the past two discussion and Vegas ultimately landed on Janmark. Now Getzlaf is an offseasons. There’s also a chance the team feels Krebs is ready for the NHL, leaving the option to let Nosek walk in free agency.

It would mean losing Janmark, which is all but a formality at this point. Even Janmark sounded like he could see the writing on the wall during Saturday’s end-of-season media session.

These moves would keep the Golden Knights just under the cap, and likely set them up for another trade-deadline move to bolster the roster, similar to the one to acquire Janmark last season.

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NHL All-Star Game Scheduled for Las Vegas in 2022

By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com

Gary Bettman loves Las Vegas.

The NHL commish was an advocate for a new NHL franchise in Sin City. The NHL has held its annual award shows in Las Vegas.

And now the NHL All-Star Game is set for T-Mobile Arena in 2022.

The NFL is also holding its annual Draft event and Pro Bowl in Las Vegas in 2022.

Here’s the NHL statement on the All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas:

“The 2022 Honda NHL® All-Star Weekend will take place in Las Vegas, Nev., at the home of the Vegas Golden Knights, T-Mobile Arena, and will be scheduled during its traditional midway point of the NHL regular season. The 2022 Honda NHL® All-Star Weekend will include the 2022 NHL All-Star Skills™ and the 2022 Honda NHL All-Star Game, and will feature various hockey-themed events, entertainment and activities. Confirmed dates for the 2022 Honda NHL® All-Star Weekend will be announced when available.”

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Alec Martinez Deal Should Be a Top Priority for Vegas Golden Knights

By Tom Callahan

Fans of this site know how much we value Alec Martinez, and for good reason. He’s a Stanley Cup winner twice over, a player who has an uncanny knack for scoring big goals at big times, is not afraid to sacrifice his body and block shots, leads by example and does a million little things that make him an incredibly important player to the Vegas Golden Knights. While the VGK figure out if they can swing a deal for Jack Eichel, they also need to get Martinez back into the fold as quickly as possible.

I’m not a giant fan of fancy stats, but I do think they have their place when used in conjunction as a look at the overall larger picture. Martinez does some things that will come as no surprise to an avid Golden Knights fan. His 168 blocks not only led the team but the entire NHL, putting him a full 40 blocks ahead off Edmonton’s Adam Larson. Watching him play you realize what his veteran presence, reading and reacting as the play unfolds and typically covering for his defensive partner who has joined the rush. Martinez is an important part of the defensive structure of the team.

What you may not realize is how important he is to the offense as well. Among Golden Knights defensemen this past regular season, Martinez was second in both goals (6) and assists (16). At five-on-five, Martinez was third in individual expected goals-for (4.08), and fourth in both individual Corsi-for (142) and individual Fenwick-for (88). Of course, Shea Theodore and Alex Pietrangelo run one-two in almost all of those categories.

Those numbers rise to ixG of 6.09, iCF of 183, and iFF of 122 in all situations. Not bad for a 33-year-old defenseman.

But that does bring up the down side of Martinez, and that’s his age. While I don’t think we’re going to see any type of immediate drop in his numbers next season, it does make the term challenging. Signing Martinez for two, or perhaps three years if it nets the team a break on the salary, would be ideal. Anything longer than that and you’re really taking your chances with age.

Martinez is smart enough to stay ahead of the play and keep himself out of trouble even as the wheels slow down. I do worry about physical durability with a player who blocks as many shots as Martinez does. As we just found out the other day, he was playing on a broken foot in the playoffs this year.

When it’s all said and done, the positives of what Alec Martinez brings to the table for the Vegas Golden Knights far outweighs the downside of age for the forseeable future. Re-signing him must become a major priority this summer for the VGK.

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Jack Eichel Trade: Should Any Vegas Golden Knights Be Untouchable?

By Tom Callahan

Jack Eichel is going to be traded. We know that. We also know the Vegas Golden Knights needs a true number one center. As they pursue a deal to bring Eichel to Vegas, are there any players on the Golden Knights that should be untouchable?

The Buffalo Sabres have made their demands for the 24-year-old forward, but many around the league are speculating that despite the ask the return won’t be as high. Part of that is the unknown regarding his recovery from a neck injury. Part of it is knowing the Sabres hands are tied with the timing. They must deal Jack Eichel before the No Movement Clause in his contract kicks in, severely limiting the teams he could be traded to. And Sabres GM Kevyn Adams appears to be eager to move him prior to this year’s NHL Entry Draft, which makes sense because acquiring teams need to plan how they’ll fit the contract in before free agency.

When it comes to the Golden Knights, they have prospects they could offer like Peyton Krebs, Cody Glass and more. Buffalo desperately needs goaltending, but would the Sabres be interested in Logan Thompson? Thompson just dominated the season with the Henderson Silver Knights in the American Hockey League, winning almost every possible award and showing the promise of a real number one goaltender. While it would be tough to say yes, I still think Thompson is not untouchable as a trade option when you consider the return.

Because of the Sabres’ need in goal, I would certainly listen to offers on the Marc-Andre Fleury and Robin Lehner tandem, but in reality that’s very unlikely. Fleury has one year left and doesn’t want to go anywhere. Lehner has more time but has already had a stint in Buffalo that didn’t go so well. I can’t see the Sabres having an appetite to reacquire him despite his much-improved play after he left the organization. It’s possible that if a third team was involved seeking a goaltender you could move an extra draft pick or another player to Buffalo in a three-way deal. This is actually something that could happen because of the return someone like Lehner could fetch.

At forward, I would only suggest two players are untouchable: Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone. Those two players are your cornerstones, and everyone else is in play. It would be hard to part with an Alex Tuch or Jonathan Marchessault. I would probably protect William Karlsson because Vegas does need a strong second center and he is definitely that. Otherwise, unless you think Chandler Stephenson can sub for Karlsson in that 2C role (which I don’t see him as a fit there) all remaining names are on the table.

Defensively, we know Alex Pietrangelo is not going anywhere. Also, I think Shea Theodore should be held back. Theodore had a down year this year, and if you did trade him now I’d fear selling too low. Plus, I still believe he is a future Norris Trophy winner for this franchise and can’t see him being dealt. Re-signing Alec Martinez is a priority, and I would not let him go either. Beyond those three, I think everything is on the table including some of the young, promising players like Zach Whitecloud and Nicolas Hague. There will have to be some sacrifices to acquire Eichel, and defense is one place I think Vegas could deal from a position of strength.

So at the end of the day, I have a very short list. Max Pacioretty, Mark Stone, William Karlsson, Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore. Otherwise, my ringer is on and I’m willing to listen to offers to acquire Jack Eichel.

Vegas Hockey Now LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216712 Washington Capitals

Bettman claims NHL has the best officials of every sport

BY MIKE DEPRISCO

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman met with media ahead of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final between Tampa Bay and Montreal to answer an assortment of questions about the NHL.

Among several topics were questions about the league's officiating. Much has been made regarding the difference in the way referees call playoff games as opposed to regular-season games, including the amount of calls officials let go in the playoffs that breed a more physical play style.

Bettman addressed this issue directly and couldn't have spoken more highly of NHL referees.

"It seems every season, it's a playoff ritual for me to address some aspect of officiating," Bettman said. "Let's be clear. Our officials are not only the best hockey officials in the world, they're the best officials in any sport."

"Just as coaches and players make mistakes, officials do on occasion as well... It is the nature of human element of calling our game."

Gary Bettman spoke about the high standards of officiating in the NHL. pic.twitter.com/zL8sdP1YKp— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 28, 2021

The playoffs have always been inherently more physical than the regular season. There are more hits, collisions into the boards and hectic play close to the net as you go later in the season.

Similar to fans across every major sport in the world, referees are under constant scrutiny for their misses. To Bettman, NHL refs have the hardest task and are still the best at what they do.

"Our officials have the hardest game to officiate, but no sport comes close to managing the speed and split-second reaction time required to make or not make hundreds of calls in real-time," Bettman said. "Yes, our officials miss calls. Not as many as some suggest, but they occasionally miss calls just as coaches and players make mistakes."

Connor McDavid not drawing a single penalty in a first-round sweep at the hands of the Jets and referees missing a too-many-men call in Game 2 of Islanders vs. Lightning highlighted these controversial playoffs for NHL officials. Bettman isn't happy about any missed call, but he noted that they come hand-in-hand with the human aspect of the game.

"We don't like it when it happens, in fact, we hate it," Bettman said. "But it's the nature of the human element in calling our game. Even with the human element, we have been and will continue to be at the forefront of adding technology to assist in their efforts."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216713 Winnipeg Jets A total of 69% said they’d prefer to protect Josh Morrissey, Neal Pionk and Stanley over Morrissey, Pionk and DeMelo. In all, 84% chose protecting some combination of three defencemen that includes Stanley.

Approval ratings for Cheveldayoff and Maurice slip in latest You Be The Up front, it looks like most fans expect winger Mason Appleton to be Boss survey about Jets exposed to the Kraken in order to protect the likes of Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers, Adam Lowry, Andrew Copp and Dubois.

Ted Wyman Ehlers (98%), Connor (97.3%) and Lowry (96.2%) are the players most fans said are the most untouchable among the Jets forwards.

All that said, a large majority of fans (69.5%) believe the Jets should The men who generally manage and coach the Winnipeg Jets are trade one of their high-end forwards for a top-four defenceman to starting to get less favourable approval ratings from the fans. improve the weakest area of the team. That was a significant takeaway from the Sun’s annual You Be The Boss Fans also weighed in on the suspension handed down to Scheifele by survey, which was conducted at winnipegsun.com over the last week. the NHL Department of Player Safety, which kept the veteran centre, and Of the 4,000-plus fans who responded, 43.8% think Jets head coach leading scorer, out of the final three games of the playoffs (plus one Paul Maurice should be fired after the team had an up and down season game next season). in 2021. Only 11.8% thought the NHL got it right in handing Scheifele a four-game Another 36.6% think general manager should be suspension for the hit, which knocked Jake Evans of the Canadiens turfed as the Jets have slipped backward since making it to the Western unconscious and left him with a concussion. Conference final in 2018. Most fans (56.9%) believe Scheifele should have been suspended but Last November, when the same type of survey was conducted, only the sentence handed down was too long, particularly for a first-time 19.6% of fans wanted to see Maurice fired and 11.2% hoped offender. Another 31.3% agreed with Scheifele and Maurice that the hit Cheveldayoff would get the axe. was clean and should not have been worthy of a penalty, nor a suspension. The Jets went 30-23-3 in 2021 and swept the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The euphoria of that series win — Looking ahead to next season, Jets fans are very excited about Winnipeg’s first ever against Edmonton in the NHL — was short-lived prospects Cole Perfetti and Ville Heinola and are hopeful that the team however, as the Jets were swept by the Montreal Canadiens in the will try to re-sign veteran centre after he played a strong second round. leadership role with the team in 2021.

Fans were asked if they considered the season a success because the Getting defenceman Neal Pionk to sign a long-term contract is priority Jets made the playoffs and won a round and the response was almost No. 1 for almost 50% of the fans. dead even — 50.2% said no and 48.8% said yes. Many fans (63.2%) said it’s time to say goodbye to unrestricted free Fans (56.4%) still have hope that the Jets are a team that’s just a few agent winger Mathieu Perreault, who has played seven seasons with the tweaks away from being a contender, although clearly a considerable Jets. And only 62.7% (down from 79.4% in 2020) want the Jets to keep amount (21.5%) believe this is a team that’s going nowhere fast and Wheeler, the team’s captain since 2017). needs sweeping changes. You get the sense a sizeable portion of the fan base is eager for change Most fans believe the Jets will make the playoffs again next year when in the organization, but they’re still willing to get behind the team — and they are expected to return to a Central Division that is home to the coaching staff — they have right now. powerhouse Colorado Avalanche, plus strong teams in St. Louis, A total of 74.4% of respondents said they expect things to get back to Nashville, Dallas, Chicago, Minnesota and Arizona. normal in terms of attendance at Jets games once things fully re-open A total of 86.3% of respondents believe the Jets will finish between first after the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, 15.8% said they don’t expect to see and fourth in the Central Division next year. full houses at Canada Life Centre because the pandemic has made people too wary and another 9.9% said fans are angry about the team’s Those high expectations will put even more pressure on Cheveldayoff decline and won’t return to the arena. and Maurice to make sure the Jets perform in front of all-world goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. Our guess the fans will be there and they’ll have plenty of opinions to share as the 2021-22 season goes on. Many eyes will be on centre Pierre-Luc Dubois as the season progresses after he underwhelmed in his first 46 regular season gamed and seven YOU BE THE BOSS RESPONSES playoff games with the Jets. What would you do with Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff? Asked to look back on the trade that sent popular winger Patrik Laine and Give him a raise 63.4% centre Jack Roslovic to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Dubois, Jets fans were generally taking a measured approach. Fire him 36.6%

A total of 55.8% of respondents said we won’t know which team won the What would you do with Jets coach Paul Maurice? trade until after next season when all the players have truly settled into their new teams. Give him a raise 56.2%

Only 6.1% currently believe Winnipeg won the trade and 20.8% said it Fire him 43.8% was a bad trade for both teams. What would you do with Jets assistant coach Charlie Huddy? However, 67% of respondents said they expect Dubois to become an Give him a raise 53.1% impact player next season and only 13.3% were against the idea of the Jets signing the 22-year-old centre to a long-term contract. Fire him 46.9%

As for the upcoming expansion draft to stock the Seattle Kraken, 82.1% What would you do with Jets assistant coach Dave Lowry? of fans think the Jets should keep one goalie, seven forwards and three defencemen as opposed to one goalie, four forwards and four Give him a raise 86.2% defencemen. Fire him 11.8%

That plan will almost certainly mean the Jets will have to expose a quality What would you do with Jets assistant coach Jamie Kompon? defenceman, most likely either Dylan DeMelo of promising rookie Logan Stanley. Give him a raise 61.8% Fire him 38.2% Ville Heinola 26.2%

What would you do with Jets assistant coach Wade Flaherty? Dylan Samberg 14.5%

Give him a raise 75.9% Kristian Vesalainen 5.4%

Fire him 24.1% David Gustafsson 3.6%

Did the Jets four-game sweep of the Oilers make you consider 2021 to Declan Chisholm 0.9% be a successful season even though they got swept themselves in the second round? What route should the Jets go in the expansion draft for the Seattle Kraken after the 2020-21 season? Yes 49.8% One goalie, three defencemen, seven forwards 82.1% No 50.2% One goalie and eight skaters 17.9% In hindsight, what are your thoughts on the Jets trade of Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic for Pierre-Luc Dubois? If the Jets protect only three defencemen, which three should it be?

We won’t know until after next season 55.8% Josh Morrissey, Neal Pionk, Logan Stanley 69%

The trade was bad for both teams 20.8% Josh Morrissey, Neal Pionk, Dylan DeMelo 13.4%

Columbus won the trade 17.3% Neal Pionk, Logan Stanley, Dylan DeMelo 10.2%

Winnipeg won the trade 6.1% Josh Morrissey, Logan Stanley, Dylan DeMelo 4.8%

Do you think Pierre-Luc Dubois will bounce back and become an impact Other 2.6% player in 2021-2022? If the Jets protect seven forwards, which players should it be?

Yes 67.2% Nikolaj Ehlers 98%

No 32.8% Kyle Connor 97.3%

Do you envision the Jets signing Dubois long-term after next season? Adam Lowry 96.2%

He’d have to really show me something 52.1%Yes 34.5% Mark Scheifele 96.1%

No 13.3% Andrew Copp 83.5%

Should the Jets make a trade to improve their blue-line, even if it means Blake Wheeler 77% parting with a top-line forward? Pierre-Luc Dubois 76.9% Yes 69.5% Mason Appleton 42.5% No 30.5% Other 10.3% Should the Jets try to re-sign unrestricted free agent Paul Stastny? Who was the Jets MVP in the 2019-20 season? Yes 69.3% Connor Hellebuyck 48.7% No 30.7% Nikolaj Ehlers 30.9% In hindsight, what did you think of the Jets signing free agent defenceman Derek Forbort? Mark Scheifele 7.3%

Good move 70.4% Kyle Connor 5.5%

Bad move 29.6% Neal Pionk 2.9%

In hindsight, what did you think of the Jets re-signing pending UFA Adam Lowry 2.4% defenceman Dylan DeMelo? Andrew Copp 1.2% Good move 76.4% Paul Stastny 0.7% Bad move 23.6% Josh Morrissey 0.3% In hindsight, what did you think of the Jets signing free agent centre Nate Who was the Jets top defenseman in 2021? Thompson? Neal Pionk 68.8% Good move 56.2% Josh Morrissey 15.8% Bad move 43.8% Logan Stanley 11% In hindsight, what did you think of the Jets signing free agent winger ? Dylan DeMelo 2.5%

Good move 65.1% Derek Forbort 1.1%

Bad move 34.9% Nathan Beaulieu 0.4%

What did you think of the Mark Scheifele hit on Jake Evans of Montreal If you could sign only one of the Jets nine unrestricted free agents, which and the four-game suspension he received? would it be?

He should have been suspended but four games was too much 56.9% Paul Stastny 48.7%

Clean hit, no suspension 31.3% Tucker Poolman 17.6%

NHL got it right 11.8% Laurent Brossoit 13.5%

Which Jets prospect are you most excited about? Mathieu Perreault 9.7%

Cole Perfetti 49.3% Derek Forbort 6.3% 1.5% F Kyle Connor

Trevor Lewis 1.4% Keep him 94.6%

Nate Thompson 0.7% Trade him 5.4%

Jordie Benn 0.6% F Pierre-Luc Dubois

If you could sign only one of the Jets three restricted free agents, which Keep him 71.2% one would you sign? Trade him 28.8% Neal Pionk 49.8% F Paul Stastny Logan Stanley 31.9% Keep him 69.5% Andrew Copp 18.4% Let him go 30.5% In what area do the Jets need the most improvement? F Nikolaj Ehlers Defence 93% Keep him 98.9% Special teams 3.2% Trade him 1.1% Forward 2.9% F Adam Lowry Goalie 0.9% Keep him 98.2% If the health officials allow the Jets to have fans at Canada Life Centre in October, will you attend? Trade him 1.8%

Yes 49.3% F Andrew Copp

Only if you must be vaccinated to attend 38.7% Keep him 86.1%

No 12% Trade him 13.9%

Do you expect games to sell out if the Jets are allowed to have fans? F Nate Thompson

Yes, it will get back to normal 74.4% Let him go 75%

No, the pandemic has made people too wary 15.8% Keep him 25%

No, fans are angry that the Jets haven’t been as good since 2018 9.9% F Jansen Harkins

How do you think the Jets will fare in a return to the Central Division in Keep him 62% 2021-22? Trade him 38%

Third place 40.4% F Mason Appleton

Fourth place 23.7% Keep him 83.9%

Second place 18.5% Trade him 16.1%

Fifth place 8.2% F Mathieu Perreault

First place 3.7% Let him go 63.2%

Sixth place 3.5% Keep him 36.8%

Eighth place 1% F Kristian Vesalainen

Seventh place 0.8 % Keep him 69.1%

What best sums up the state of the Jets? Trade him 30.1%

A team that just needs some tweaks 56.4% F David Gustafson

A team on the verge of becoming a legitimate contender 22.1% Keep him 70%

A team that lacks a foundation and isn’t going anywhere any time soon Trade him 30% 21.5% F Dominic Toninato THE PLAYERS Let him go 65% What would you do with the following players: Keep him 35% F Blake Wheeler D Josh Morrissey Keep him 62.7% Keep him 86.1% Trade him 37.3% Trade him 13.9% F Trevor Lewis D Neal Pionk Let him go 63.6% Keep him 96.2% Keep him 36.4% Trade him 3.8% F Mark Scheifele D Dylan DeMelo Keep him 94.5% Keep him 71.2% Trade him 5.5% Trade him 28.2% D Derek Forbort

Let him go 54.8%

Keep him 45.2%

D Tucker Poolman

Keep him 62.5%

Let him go 37.5%

D Nathan Beaulieu

Let him go 65.1%

Keep him 34.9%

D Sami Niku

Trade him 74.8%

Keep him 25.2%

D Logan Stanley

Keep him 97.3%

Trade him 2.7%

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 06.29.2021 1216714 Vancouver Canucks concussions and numerous broken bones in his hands and feet from blocking shots.

Johnson knows the hockey ditch is littered with hot-shot juniors who Canucks: Ryan Johnson ‘waiting’ on Abbotsford name, welcomes fame struggled to understand demands of the minor-pro game. Also, high- of Sedins in developing AHL talent scoring AHL players who couldn’t transition their talent and remain consistent at the tougher NHL level. ‘It’s when they (prospects) understand that they don’t know everything and need to adapt — and need to create an identity. It’s what are you “Even before these guys get to the AHL, it’s professionalism,” said when you get to the NHL?’ — Canucks senior director of player Johnson. “It’s learning that this is an every-day thing and it’s incredibly development Ryan Johnson hard to play in the NHL. You might not play until Friday, but are you coming to the rink on Monday with a plan? If you don’t have one, you’re just throwing hope to the wind.

Ben Kuzma “It’s when they understand that they don’t know everything and need to adapt — and need to create an identity. It’s what are you when you get to

the NHL? What is your identity? Some of them look at you like: ‘I don’t Ryan Johnson doesn’t know which name will be affixed to the relocated know.’ ” American Hockey League franchise in Abbotsford. He has a favourite, The class of 2017 is an example of good drafting and great expectations. but obviously has to keep it to himself. That year’s class could rank as one of the franchise’s best hauls in Elias The club’s general manager, who doubles as the Vancouver Canucks’ Pettersson (fifth), Kole Lind (33rd), Jonah Gadjovich (55th), Michael senior director of player development, understands there are obvious DiPietro (64th) and Jack Rathbone (95th). The electric Pettersson and branding opportunities with the Fraser Valley’s strong connection to flight the promising Rathbone sport games that were NHL ready from the get- — Aces, Aeros, Avengers, Aviators, Pilots and Falcons. go. Such a moniker would salute a rich 49-year history of the Abbotsford But what about Lind and Gadjovich, who got late NHL looks this season? International Airshow. It’s Canada’s largest event that’s ranked as one of the top 10 shows in the world. The annual three-day summer show drew Lind went pointless in seven games with ice time that started at 17:12 a record 321,000 spectators in 1989 when Russia was represented by a and dwindled to 10:15. Gadjovich appeared in just one game and played large number of aircraft, including MiG-29 fighter jets. just 4:55. Can they take the next step and stick? It’s how development will be judged. So, how about the Aviators taking flight his fall? Makes sense. Their regular-season NHL debuts, coupled with first looks at Jalen “Like everybody, I’ve had lists put to me and I’ve put in my two cents,” Chatfield and Will Lockwood, are all in the crosshairs of curiosity. And Johnson said with a chuckle Monday from his native Thunder Bay, Ont., Lind might be the best study to see if he can become a roster mainstay at where he’s concluding the final three days of a still mandatory 14-day the NHL level. quarantine period in relocating from his home in Nashville. “I have my thoughts and there was (name) stuff I like, but I don’t have any say in it Lind was a natural goal-scorer in the . However, and I’ve been waiting. We’ll see what ownership decides.” his 39 goals and 95 points in his final season with the were tempered by an eye-opening experience in a six-game AHL What Johnson does know is a transition from Utica, N.Y. to Abbotsford exposure at end of the 2017-18 season. and building off eight seasons as the Comets, will be easier with head coach and assistant Gary Agnew in place, and not sharing the His game greatly improved in following seasons and he had eight points AHL affiliation with another NHL club and the proximity to Vancouver. (5-3) in eight games this season. The question is how much can he build on what he has endured and produced? Johnson will be present for most Abbotsford home games, but still has commitments to view NHL games in Nashville and work with NCAA “Kole had some real raw ability in junior, but it was looking him in the eye prospects on the East Coast. and saying: ‘I’m just telling you what’s coming next year,’ ” recalled Johnson. “I was trying to get him ahead of the game because I don’t think As for the West Coast, sharing insights into the game and player he understood how good the American Hockey League is. development with former teammates Henrik and is not lost on Johnson. It’s almost like turning the tables — listening and learning “Some of his habits were going to get eaten up. But I give the kid credit. instead of teaching and motivating — as the legendary Sedins start as He was humbled, didn’t blame anybody and got to work on strength and special advisers to Canucks general manager Jim Benning. skating. He was used to sitting in the middle of the ice and letting people do the work for him. Their job description includes player evaluation, development, draft and free agency preparation and working with staff of the AHL affiliate and “He’s learned to forecheck and pressure pucks. Our goal was to get especially in concert with Johnson, who helped chart the Sedins’ course pucks in his hands more and be the guy for us every night in Utica.” back to the NHL. The development mantra isn’t “I got you to The Show and it’s up to you.” “I’m extremely excited about it and I’ve been talking to them over the last Of 15 players who made their NHL debut the last few years, 11 came six weeks about this and having it come together when they let me know through Utica. Johnson is obviously impressed by that stat. of their interest,” said Johnson. “I’m a guy who functions in building a team by putting incredible resources together and they want to learn this “We don’t pride ourselves on players getting to the NHL to get a shot — side of it. we want to build players who go up and never come back,” said Johnson. “To me, that is the true sign of making the step and we got Zack “They want to be around and be a voice and a sounding board for MacEwen (undrafted) raw out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey coaches and players. For me, I’m adding two unbelievable people and League. A great guy but all over the place with where his game and his resources — never mind their careers and what they’ve done — who are skating were at. excited about helping out. It’s an absolute home run.” “He took our resources, ran with them and we never saw him again.” As for the player development side, Johnson doesn’t have to look far for what it takes to pack patience and a thirst for knowledge to ascend to the Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.29.2021 National Hockey League and have more than a career cup of coffee. He was a second-round draft pick by Florida in 1994, but had to tailor a game that had some scoring punch with 18 and 19-goal AHL seasons.

In the 2010 NHL playoffs, Johnson centred Steve Bernier and Jannik Hansen as the Canucks dropped the Western Conference semifinal series to the Chicago Blackhawks in six gruelling games. He would carve out 701 career NHL games with the Panthers, Lightning, Blues, Canucks and Blackhawks. He never scored more than seven goals, had five 1216715 Vancouver Canucks The Canucks have some really good prospects remaining in their system, especially Vasili Podkolzin and Jack Rathbone. Once those two players graduate to full-time NHL duty at some point in the next 12-18 months — and most likely sooner — Vancouver’s prospect pipeline will What a perfect conservative offseason could look like for the Vancouver begin to look very lean. In fact, it already does. Canucks Vancouver has churned out NHL players over the past few years, to their credit, but that gravy train will slow down in the near future. The class of 2019 has already delivered huge value and still holds some promise By Thomas Drance Jun 28, 2021 even beyond Podkolzin and Nils Höglander, but none of Vancouver’s 2020 draft picks are trending particularly well — although it’s too soon to jump to conclusions and, in fairness, their draft-plus-one seasons were Next season it’s incumbent on the Vancouver Canucks to bounce back massively impacted by the interruptions, cancellations and logistical from a dreadful, chaotic 2021 campaign. challenges posed by COVID-19.

Make no mistake, the internal pressure is real. Though few changes were All of which just amplifies the leverage of the 2021 draft from ultimately made in hockey operations and behind the bench this Vancouver’s perspective. And given the uncertainty surrounding the most offseason, ownership was concerned enough to canvass opinion widely under-scouted class in NHL history, it’s crucial for the club to have as — discussing the future of the franchise with various alumni and elder many picks as possible and be especially protective of their picks in the statesmen in the Vancouver hockey community — and they did bring in first and second round. Henrik and Daniel Sedin as advisers on the management side. Vancouver must restock the cupboard here, and quickly. Not only are Meanwhile, only two years remain on both general manager Jim Benning they still in need of elite players — the type teams most often find at the and head coach Travis Green’s contracts and the club hasn’t made the draft table — but the club also requires a haul of depth contributors at playoffs over a full 82-game season since 2015. The rebuild should be every position. A cost controlled labour resource to lean on in filling those long over, patience in the Vancouver market is wearing thin and with the roles is crucial, especially in the years ahead when Pettersson, Hughes, realistic prospect of being able to generate gate revenue again looming Brock Boeser and Bo Horvat are all signed to new, more expensive in the fall, the pressure is on. contracts.

In February, however, Benning suggested his club was two years away It’s also vital for the conveyer belt of NHL level contributors to continue from meaningful contention. whirring, because the Canucks are also going to be in need of prospect capital to get this build back on track. There’s no better currency than a “Realistically our core players, they still need to mature a little bit yet,” good prospect; hitting on a third-round pick that becomes a Hobey Baker Benning said at the time. “And I think in two years’ time, we’re going to nominee is often the fastest route to acquiring a really good top-six be real competitive and have a chance to compete for the Cup, but we forward in a midseason trade, after all. have to keep building and keep adding players to our group.” If there are unique opportunities presented by expansion, then trading a The comment was poorly received among Canucks fans and stands in pick is worth considering. If they can make a deal for a really, really good stark contrast with more recent statements about being aggressive this young player that also includes sending a big salary back, they probably offseason, but of course, Benning was absolutely right in February. The should consider dealing the ninth selection. Aside from that, Vancouver club isn’t well-positioned to chart an aggressive path this offseason. should be looking to swap problems, even if their problems are bigger Salary cap space is severely limited this summer. There are very few and more plentiful. assets on the NHL roster that grade as expendable and likely to return Because here’s the thing about trading a pick to get off Eriksson, Beagle, value on the trade market. The prospect pool below the NHL roster is thin Holtby and Roussel. It’s that in one cycle those deals will expire and just and the club clearly shouldn’t — and is unlikely to anyway — trade the disappear. Poof. Like magic. ninth pick. So how do the Canucks get better? The opportunity cost of some poor work on Day 1 of free agency in years It won’t be easy, it certainly won’t be straightforward and a lot of it will rely past is already astronomical for this club in the flat cap era. Dealing on factors beyond the moves the club makes this offseason — factors futures to alleviate the short-term pain that remains isn’t going to help this like Elias Pettersson’s health, Quinn Hughes’ two-way impact bouncing team get ahead, and will be scrupulously avoided in a perfect back, Thatcher Demko’s continued progress — but it is doable. And it’s conservative offseason. doable affordably without mortgaging the club’s long-term cap flexibility or valuable future assets. 2. Don’t overthink the No. 9 pick

On Friday, we modelled what a perfect aggressive offseason could look In various NHL mock drafts, you’ll find names like Mason McTavish, like for the Canucks, and it leaned on spending futures to reallocate cap Brandt Clarke, Kent Johnson and occasionally even a player like William space. Today we’ll go through a similar exercise, based on similar Eklund or Simon Edvinsson being selected by the Canucks with the ninth assumptions — that the club will spend like the Canucks traditionally pick. have prior to the pandemic and will prioritize making the playoffs — but with a heightened emphasis on preserving useful futures and salary cap Any of those players would immediately become Vancouver’s second flexibility for the summer of 2022. best prospect, behind only Podkolzin. Frankly, some of those prospects would immediately become Vancouver’s top prospect. As we noted Friday, it’s probable that the best possible offseason may feature a blend of both approaches and the real point of this exercise is Vancouver is in a really good spot at No. 9. While unlikely to get Owen to outline some of the key concepts and opportunities that could shape it. Power, Matthew Beniers, Dylan Guenther or Luke Hughes, literally any of So let’s get to what a “perfect” conservative offseason could look like for the other top-nine players in the 2021 draft class could fall to them. We Vancouver. know how surprises happen on draft day and there’s a ton of divergent opinion in how the industry rates the top of the 2021 draft. 1. Don’t surrender additional assets to get off the last year of Eriksson, Beagle, Roussel and Holtby That’s in the Canucks’ favour, frankly.

The surest way for the Canucks to take a step forward next season is to The Canucks are going to get a really good prospect with the ninth pick find some way of getting meaningful hockey value out of the combined and this isn’t the year to trade up or down the draft order. In a perfect minus-1.24 wins that Dom Luszczyszyn’s game score value added offseason, the Canucks won’t get cute and won’t overthink it. They’ll just (GSVA) metric projects Loui Eriksson, Jay Beagle, Antoine Roussel and stay put, hope one (or two) of the eight teams ahead of them decide to Braden Holtby to contribute for $16.3 million in cap space in 2021-22. reach for a goaltender or a centre like Chaz Lucius, and pick the best player that falls to nine. Even with the expansion process offering a simple and appealing way to dump one of those salaries, the club should be very cautious about 3. Go longer on Hughes, match his cap hit to Pettersson’s bridge to surrendering additional futures in any deal involving one of their bad impose some sense of internal cap discipline contracts. We’ve brought this possibility up in the past, and it remains a solid option for the Canucks. Vancouver’s hockey operations group and Hughes and Pettersson’s The fact is that unless the club can make a significant move that clears representatives with Creative Artists Agency (CAA) have been engaged out at least one of Eriksson, Beagle or Roussel in exchange for a more in active dialogue throughout this offseason. There’s motivation on significant contributor, it just doesn’t make a ton of structural sense to Vancouver’s end to get these deals done in the next three weeks, before compromise their cap positioning beyond this year on a player they the machinery of the NHL offseason really whirs into gear with the signed just nine months ago. expansion roster freeze on July 17. Getting off Holtby in any other manner is going to be excruciatingly In discussions to this point, the big hurdle that remains is really figuring difficult. This is a legacy of Vancouver’s ownership group turning the taps out the term. The term, after all, dictates pretty much everything. off resources-wise last offseason, but Holtby’s deal is structured so that it carries $5.7 million in actual salary for 2021-22. Holtby’s deal might be For a while now, the expectation has been that both Pettersson and more difficult to move than Eriksson’s, frankly, considering the salaries. Hughes will sign bridge contracts. In part, that’s because Vancouver can’t really afford to go long term with either player and be competitive next In a perfect conservative offseason, the Canucks will recognize that a season. Holtby buyout isn’t the sensible route here. Instead they’ll try to dangle him in expansion and on the trade market, offer to retain half of his There’s even a slim chance that Pettersson could end up on a two-year salary, be willing to take back an overpriced depth guy and an additional arrangement, although one would think that the Brayden Point (three expensive deal below the $1.125 million threshold if necessary. years, $6.75 million AAV) and Mathew Barzal (three years, $7 million AAV) comparables will loom large here. The market for Pettersson is set Sacrificing $1.9 million in cap space for a 2022-23 season in which the pretty firmly, minimizing the latitude the two sides have in those contract club is legitimately well positioned — at long last — just to get out from talks. We can feel pretty confident, within a relatively narrow range, under the backup goaltender’s short-term deal isn’t the answer, where Pettersson is going to come in at, at this point. particularly with how volatile goaltending performance is year over year.

It’s with Hughes that it gets really interesting. Hughes is a blackhole 5. Adopt a volume approach by placing relatively low cost bets on a restricted player with limited leverage. He’s also a defender and bunch of free agents with upside defencemen just haven’t ever really been subject to the same level of second contract inflation that second contract forwards have benefitted Sources throughout the Canucks organization have indicated to The from over the past five years. Athletic that the club will be back to operating in a way that more closely resembles what we’ve come to expect from an NHL team with a big, The Hughes comparables — Charlie McAvoy (three years, $4.9 million relatively wealthy and passionate fan base in a big Canadian market, not AAV), Zach Werenski (three years, $5 million AAV) and Mikhail to mention lucrative arena naming and broadcast rights deals. Sergachev (three years, $4.8 million AAV) — all place him around $5 million on a three-year bridge deal. The Canucks operated as a spendthrift outfit last year, but it appears to be a one-year necessity. That isn’t just what team sources are insisting The problem for the Canucks, though, is that McAvoy, Werenski and either, it’s also a logical conclusion based on the competitive offers the Sergachev aren’t really comparable in terms of their counting stats. And club signed Green and goalie coach Ian Clark to last month. the problem for Hughes is that he’s a 10.2(c) blackhole and it’s relatively obvious to the industry that Hughes isn’t the defensive contributor at this If the purse strings have in fact been loosened by club ownership this stage of his career that McAvoy, Werenski and Sergachev were on their offseason, then the most important strategic posture that Canucks entry-level deals, regardless of how many points he’s produced. hockey operations has to adopt is to go with a high volume approach in placing a bunch of savvy, relatively low cost bets on the free agent So how do you pay Hughes fairly, considering all of that? market.

Well, one way is to do a longer-term deal, and this is where the Canucks The Canucks don’t really have the cap space to chase a $6 million player would be well advised to steer into making a pair of shorter-term deals a on the open market or in free agency. There will be no Nate Schmidt or long-term solution to a running problem that’s afflicted them in the sized additions this July. And that’s probably a good thing. Benning era: a complete absence of internal cap discipline. Instead, the club should take $8-10 million in player personnel budget If there was a way to go longer on Hughes, perhaps six years, buying out and splash is across a bunch of players willing to sign on cap hits as an unrestricted free agent season, then perhaps the club could even get close as possible to the $1.125 million threshold for contracts that can be to a point where they’d be in range to match Pettersson and Hughes’ buried “below the line” in the AHL without cap consequence. second contract cap hits. It’s a smart way to put pressure on the two players, who are close friends off the ice and are represented by the Now, searching out value is often a risky proposition. Shopping in the same agency. bargain bin means that you’re going to miss, and perhaps miss badly.

It would also provide the Canucks with a cudgel that they could wield in If you take a bunch of swings though, that’s fine, because you only have future negotiations, like the complicated one they’re facing with Boeser to hit on two really useful contributors to get your money’s worth. And if — a $7.5 million qualifying offer in hand — next summer. And then you hit on three, well, that’s the sort of thing that can transform a team in Horvat in the summer of 2023. the mushy middle with bad draft lottery odds into a contender for the division crown. Because make no mistake, the club’s future negotiations with Horvat and Boeser will be fundamentally shaped by what happens this summer with Hit on four, like the Florida Panthers did with Gustav Forsling, Anthony Pettersson and Hughes. Duclair, Carter Verhaeghe and Alexander Wennberg last offseason? You can become an actual contender. Which is why in a perfect conservative offseason, the Canucks will find a way to think long term while signing their most important young players to Of course, it’s not as simple as that. The Panthers placed a ton of bets their second contracts, even if the deals are shorter in length. beyond the four high profile successes that didn’t work out, including Noah Juulsen, Kevin Connauton, Ryan Lomberg, Markus Nutivaara and 4. Don’t compromise 2022-23 salary cap space with Holtby buyout . In total, Florida dropped well over $10 million in salary on nine players and fewer than half of them really worked out. The You can understand why a Holtby buyout would be tempting for the surplus value they mined from the makes, however, more than justified Canucks this summer. the misses.

Holtby’s contract is one of two deals on the books that make sense to With limited cap space, replicating this high volume approach is basically even consider as buyout candidates; a buyout would offer the club $3.8 a necessity for the Canucks. And it will have spillover benefits in a million in cap savings for 2021-22. Never mind that those cap savings season in which the club’s minor league affiliate is also moving to the come at the cost of $1.9 million counting against the cap in 2022-23, the Lower Mainland. Even the club’s misses, after all, will help Vancouver’s club will be swimming in cap space in the summer of 2022 anyway. now locally based AHL club be competitive and make a good first Right? impression in the valley.

Not quite. It’s amazing how quickly cap space dries up in the flat cap era. In a perfect conservative offseason, making a ton of affordable bets — And even $3.8 million in salary cap space isn’t really $3.8 million in salary and hitting on several — will be the Canucks’ main route to improving the cap space, not when the club will still need to sign a backup for about $1 NHL roster. We’ll get into some targets that the club should be looking at million anyway. over the next few points. Alex Edler (Perry Nelson / USA Today) identified solid value by digging into the secondary market and placing a few sharp bets. 6. Play hardball with Hamonic and Edler and be prepared to find replacements This is where the Canucks need to be aggressive, even in a conservative offseason. Travis Hamonic and Alex Edler are probably Vancouver’s smartest two- way defencemen and both are pending unrestricted free agents. It’s hard for us to gauge exactly what will shake loose in July in terms of that secondary market. You can bet that there will be surprises, too. Complicating matters further, they’re both over 30 and those negotiations need to be managed very carefully. The Canucks need what Hamonic What we can confidently say is that there will very likely be interesting and Edler provide but they really can’t afford to pay much for it. value bets to place as a result of teams exercising buyouts or non- tendering restricted players — particularly those with outsized qualifying Vancouver needs to mine surplus value from just about everywhere else offers and arbitration rights. in the lineup if they’re going to overcome what the club has committed inefficiently to Beagle, Holtby, Eriksson, Roussel and the Luongo Nick Leddy and Tyler Johnson are among those to watch on the buyout recapture penalty. Paying Edler or Hamonic even $3 million per season front due to their team’s tight cap situations, in addition to surprising — even on short-term deals — doesn’t help them bounce back. names like Nick Schmaltz — Boeser’s college centre at North Dakota — who’s in the final year where he’d qualify for a buyout at one-third the The Canucks are going to be in a position where they’ll have to play price. Meanwhile, players like Tyler Bertuzzi, Ondrej Kase, Danton hardball with Edler, the greatest defender in franchise history, and Heinen, Canadiens overtime hero Arturri Lehkonen, The Athletic Hamonic, who earned rave reviews from Green and is seen internally as Vancouver favourite Warren Foegele and perhaps even Ryan Donato fit an ideal fit on Hughes’ right side. And if they’re going to play hardball, the bill for players that could be left unqualified considering their they have to be prepared to quickly reorient themselves and identify expensive qualifying offers and arbitration rights. credible replacements in their price range in the event contract talks fall apart. The Canucks should pick a couple of targets from this group who they really believe in when the market opens and be prepared to pay a Effectively, if the Canucks can’t carve out additional cap space over the modest premium for the right secondary market piece. This is a crucial next three weeks, then they’re looking at needing to add three capable area where the team may be able to add that middle-six forward they’re everyday defenders, including two top-four calibre defenders, at a desperate for on the sly. combined clip of $4.5 to $5.5 million. If Edler and Hamonic fit into that price range, great, and if not the club will have to pivot quickly into trying 8. Mine the European free agent market to find the next Derek Forbort on the open market. What does the perfect conservative offseason look like? Well, at times The list of free agent defencemen available this summer is lean, and “perfect” and “conservative” are oxymorons in an NHL context. some of the most credible options — like Jamie Oleksiak and David Savard — will fall outside of Vancouver’s price range. More likely the club When a club doesn’t have a ton of cap space, it doesn’t get to target the will be looking at targets like Alex Goligoski, Ryan Murray and Brandon players that everyone in the industry agrees are good. They’re left Montour; among whom only Murray really helps fill the club’s two-way instead to try to identify value among those players that have been intelligence gap. overlooked for one reason or another at various stops along the way in their career. Cobble together a perfect solution in the aggregate by In terms of finding affordable value on the open market, though, the club signing or acquiring a high volume of imperfect players. may have to dig even deeper into the bargain bin, and there are a few intriguing options. The European free agent market is really complicated this offseason, particularly since the NHL league year will begin a month later than At the top of the potential bargain watchlist is Kevan Miller, a physical, usual, and all of those leagues are starting up shortly. NHL teams will intelligent defensive defender that’s been a longtime member of the have to act very promptly over the next several weeks if they’re going to Boston Bruins organization. Benning would be familiar with the player entice any players from the top European leagues in Russia and Sweden from his time in Boston, and have a good sense of his health issues, and Switzerland to take a shot with their club at training camp. which is the key to placing this bet. It’s also pretty difficult to project how these players will translate when Miller had four knee surgeries and missed the entirety of 2019-20 but jumping over to the NHL from the big ice on the other side of the Atlantic. bounced back nicely last year before getting hurt again in the playoffs. Occasionally teams will find a supernova like an Artemi Panarin or a He would bring bite to the back end while being a potential caddy for really good player like Evgenii Dadonov or Melker Karlsson. More often Hughes or Rathbone. There are a host of other intriguing names with though, they end up with Mikko Lehtonen or Fabian Brunnstrom. some potential, including players like Jani Hakanpaa, Jon Merrill, Patrik Nemeth, Mark Pysyk and Jordan Oesterle. The risk is well worth it, though, particularly if the price is right. Finding even a Karlsson or Joonas Donskoi type of player would be a massive We’ll get more into analyzing potential targets in the days and week to help for a Canucks side in need of significant middle six help and there come, but ideally the Canucks can keep both Hamonic and Edler on are some intriguing bets to be made. team-friendly deals and still take a couple of swings on players in this mold. In the event that Edler and Hamonic prove too costly, there is Two of our favourite targets, however, are under contract in the KHL and some real value to be mined relying on this class of defender. both with Avangard Omsk, which illustrates the complications of shopping here with NHL teams facing a later than usual offseason. The club actually might be better off playing exclusively in this tier of free agency rather than bidding significantly on the likes of Montour and Corban Knight is one of them, and he was one of the KHL’s highest Goligoski. scoring centres last season and won nearly 60 percent of his draws. Because of his contract in the KHL, he’s not a straightforward target, but 7. Mine the secondary market he also wouldn’t be the first player to hone his defensive game and develop himself into an everyday bottom-six centre in his early 30s. The flat cap has forced teams to significantly rethink the way they do business in the offseason. Last offseason, for example, we saw more Peter Cehlárik is another, but he similarly signed with Omsk just last buyouts and fewer restricted players tendered qualifying offers than we weekend after he was one of the most prolific forwards in the SHL this ever have previously. A wash of useful talent became unrestricted free past year. His rights are owned by the Bruins, so he would be a low cost agents in the final days before the market opened. trade target, and might still be with the future in mind beyond this season.

The flat cap is here to stay and teams are going to be making similar The Slovakian-born winger lit up the AHL when he was last in North calculations this summer, albeit with perhaps slightly less urgency to America but never really earned an extended NHL shot. He’s definitely shed salary overall. got NHL level skill, although there’s some question if he’s got NHL level compete. It would be worth a late-round pick and a flier contract to find Players that end up as late entrants into free agency are referred to by out, even if the club would have to wait a year for him to arrive. the industry as the secondary market. It’s a marketplace that proved fertile for bargain conscious teams last offseason. From Dominik Kahun KHL forward Maxim Mamin, a favourite target of ours, remains unsigned. to Wennberg to Jayce Hawryluk to Duclair; teams did relatively well and The Panthers still own his rights, although it’s unclear whether he’s interested in returning to play in South Florida specifically or in North America more generally. A physical specimen with plus wheels and an Vancouver won’t exactly have first dibs, but they’ll be near the top of the ability to bring a significant physical edge, Mamin would seem a perfect list. If they can preserve a couple million dollars of cap flexibility — easier — and affordable — complement for Podkolzin on a wrecking ball said than done considering their cap situation — then this is a real route bottom-six line. the club can use to add a talented player or two. Certainly, it worked for Florida, as they identified a top-pair contributor on the waiver wire prior to Swiss forward , 28, was one of the highest scorers in the season. the A last season for the Zurich Lions. The hardworking but undersized forward has been a prolific AHL point producer NHL teams often start to get nervous as the offseason goes along, throughout his career and has scored at a 30-point-per-82-game pace particularly if they still have gaping holes in their lineup. In a perfect over 200 games at the NHL level. He’d be an affordable upgrade on most conservative offseason, however, the Canucks should just relax, be of Vancouver’s projected bottom six forwards. patient and wait for the right opportunity to pounce on. That opportunity could come in mid-August, but it could also come on Oct. 10 when the There’s also a trio of interesting KHL defenders in Chris Wideman (UFA), right player hits waivers after being cut at training camp. Lawrence Pilut (Buffalo Sabres) and Brennan Menell (Minnesota Wild) who could be worth a look. Menell, in particular, is a right-handed In fact, when you look over that list of useful players that were waived defender who has produced at a high level in the KHL, is under 25 and this season, you could argue that there could be better talent available to would at least project to be a top AHL defender, though he could be more the Canucks on the eve of the regular season than will be available to if given the right opportunity. It likely wouldn’t cost a ton to pry his rights them (at a more expensive rate) on July 28. What matters for this club in from the Wild. a perfect conservative offseason isn’t so much fit as it is value and flexibility. Even some lower end targets with Abbotsford in mind are worth looking at. Jaedon Descheneau, for example, was productive for Brynas in the Being disciplined about maintaining cap space this summer in order to SHL this season and hails from western Canada; he was Sam Reinhart’s seize those opportunities is central to that approach. It’s exactly the linemate for Kootenay in the WHL. He only got a brief AHL shot in his opposite of a series of decisions over the years that have created this early 20s before moving overseas and might be worth a look as a mess in the first place. potential late bloomer with some offensive upside. The Athletic LOADED: 06.29.2021 Playing in the European market isn’t as high leverage as identifying talent on the secondary market or in the free agent bargain bin, but there is talent available, and as part of a holistic approach to find some diamonds in the rough, it’s a challenging marketplace that can’t be ignored.

9. Don’t worry about third-line centre, just find the most talented, team- friendly bets up front regardless of position

In a perfect world, the Canucks would identify a potential third-line centre upgrade to give them enough options to keep J.T. Miller on the wing. This isn’t a perfect world for the Canucks, however, and even in modelling out a perfect conservative offseason, expediency is key.

Centres are highly valued on the open market, both in free agency and in trades. So while there are some interesting possible value propositions among NHL pivots in free agency — Phillip Danault on the high end, Derek Ryan and Derick Brassard on the lower end — any full-time centres will likely command a premium price.

The same logic applies to the trade market. Even an expansion crunched team like the Toronto Maple Leafs will find a robust market for the services of a player like Alex Kerfoot, a prime Seattle Kraken expansion target, on the trade market. And while Kerfoot is a solid, useful piece, he doesn’t fit the mold of a long-term fit behind Horvat and Pettersson as a defensive-oriented third-line centre that can kill some penalties.

Unless an ideal fit emerges, in a perfect conservative offseason, the Canucks will prioritize keeping their bets affordable. In a world in which the club is going to let their expensive expiring deals lapse after 2021-22, if Miller has to play a ton of centre next season, it’s far from ideal, but so be it.

10. Save some cap space for the preseason waiver wire

Over the course of the cap era, the NHL’s waiver wire hasn’t usually been a high leverage area for acquiring talent. That has changed, however, with the introduction of the flat cap and the economic pressure that’s been brought to bear by the pandemic.

Just consider the past six months. Since Jan. 1, 2021, the following players were placed on waivers and available to any team with sufficient cap space for free: Victor Mete, Paul Byron, Drake Caggiula, Richard Panik, Tyler Ennis, Shayne Gostisbehere, Leo Komarov, Derek Ryan, Brett Connolly, Adam Henrique, , Alex Nedeljkovic, Mathieu Perreault, Luke Schenn, Tyler Johnson, Corey Perry, Jason Spezza, Jujhar Khaira, Oliver Kylington, Michael Bunting, Gustav Forsling, Jacob MacDonald, Denis Malgin.

To a man, those are useful players that could help the Canucks win games and return to the playoffs next season.

Now here’s the thing, there’s one benefit for the Canucks of finishing last in the North Division. For the first several weeks of the 2021-22 season and throughout training camp, the club will have a relatively high waiver priority. 1216716 Websites BriseBois was an assistant GM with the Lightning when they selected Vasilevskiy seven years later with their second first-round pick, 19th overall. Vasilevskiy, too, was considered a generational prospect, drawing comparisons to Russian legend Vladislav Tretiak. Vasilevskiy The Athletic / Andrei Vasilevskiy vs. Carey Price: Who is the best goalie might have been a top-five pick, too, but he had two things going against in the world? him: He was Russian, and he was a goalie, both of which can limit draft position. But BriseBois said the hockey world knew Vasilevskiy was a

special prospect, and “had the potential to be the best goalie in the By Joe Smith Jun 28, 2021 world.”

“You look at the size and skill level, he blew you away,” scouting director Al Murray said. “You follow him as a player up until the draft, he was a Nikita Kucherov met Andrei Vasilevskiy when they were teenagers in special player from the first time I saw him at age 15. He was the best Russia. Russian goalie to come through since Tretiak, and those kinds of comparisons were being made at a young age. The two were touted prospects in the country’s development system, and Vasilevskiy — the 6-foot-3 goalie — always found a way to stand out. “He played in three Under-18 world championships, world junior, KHL Kucherov saw the same relentless work ethic and compete level in playoffs as an 18-, 19-year-old. He’s been through a lot of pressure Vasilevskiy at 16 as you see now in the Vezina Trophy winner. situations. I’ve never ever seen him falter or flounder, or look overwhelmed. He’s one of the most mature people I’ve ever been around “He wants to be better and he wants to be No. 1,” Kucherov said. “And, at a young age.” as we can see, he is.” Vasilevskiy and Price’s styles are different, however. “Price is smooth, That would spark debate in Montreal, where Carey Price, 33, is elegant, very efficient in his movements,” Weekes said. “But when he considered the best goaltender in the world. Price, a former Hart Trophy needs to, he has the power and agility to turn it on. He’s very controlled winner who led Canada to a gold medal in 2014, has often been cited as and a very elegant goalie. He’s hyper-competitive, but can play with a the standard-bearer at the position the past decade. But Vasilevskiy, 26, very low heart rate, which is rare.” has been closing in, with a likely second Vezina Trophy coming Tuesday and potentially backstopping back-to-back Stanley Cups. The recent Weekes has said Vasilevskiy is like Eric Lindros in net (the two both wore NHLPA poll of around 500 players had Vasilevskiy winning in a landslide No. 88), with his power and explosiveness really standing out. as the league’s top goaltender (54 percent), with Price — the No. 1 pick the previous three years — third at 8.25 percent. “There’s more cadence in how he plays,” Weekes said. “He’s very powerful, very athletic and when he needs it, super flexible too.” Could this year’s Stanley Cup Final go a long way in settling the debate? It’s Price and Vasilevskiy’s first head-to-head matchup in the playoffs and Jose Theodore, who won the Hart Trophy with the Canadiens, said just the second time two Vezina Trophy winners have competed for the Vasilevskiy’s first seven years statistically are very similar to the first championship. Dominik Hasek and Ed Belfour were the last two Vezina seven of Hall of Famers Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy. Theodore winners, back in 1999 with Buffalo and Dallas in the final. compared Vasilevskiy’s athleticism to Dominik Hasek, who said of the Lightning goaltender, “He’s a great goalie, he never gives up. He’s big, “It’s a big personal challenge,” Vasilevskiy said. “In the game of hockey, he’s quick. He’s acrobatic. He’s the reason why Tampa won the Cup, and you’ve got to beat the guy on the other side. And you’ve got to be better now they’re one of the top teams.” than him. So I’ll give it my best and I hope to do whatever I can to beat him. It’ll be interesting for the fans, for the experts, for everybody.” “What I like about Vasilevskiy is he’s not your typical goalie,” Theodore said. “He doesn’t play like Price or (Ben) Bishop, who always play the (Via Moneypuck.com) same system, can tell they have the same butterfly. Vasy is more athletic, where it doesn’t always look pretty, but he’ll do whatever it takes Price has backstopped an underdog Canadiens team to wins over the to stop the puck. He’s still very solid technically but lets his reaction play Maple Leafs, Jets and Golden Knights in the first three rounds, with his a big part. That’s why you see a lot of highlight saves. Some guys might playoff numbers (2.02 goals-against average. .934 save percentage) very quit on the play, but he’ll drive and throw his glove. similar to Vasilevskiy’s (1.99, .936). Vasilevskiy has clinched the Lightning’s past four series, including the 2020 Cup Final, with a shutout, “I have no problem saying he’s the best goalie in the league.” which is an NHL record. NHL Network analyst Kevin Weekes, a retired goaltender, believes Vasilevskiy “has a chance to be in the top five of all Biron believes Price has the ability to get into opponents’ heads, as time.” evident in the series victory over the Golden Knights. He noted how many times Vegas missed the net with shots while trying to be too fine, But has Vasilevskiy already surpassed Price as the best goalie of this too perfect. generation? Some aren’t ready to pass the torch. “That’s the Carey Price Effect right now,” Biron said. “He has that effect “Vasilevskiy is the best goalie in the world, and there’s no denying that,” on shooters. You saw it in the Toronto series, saw it in the Winnipeg said former NHL goaltender Martin Biron. “He’s so good technically, so series and saw it in the Vegas series. For me, that’s what he does. He’s athletic, and incredibly fast. He’s got all the tools. He’s won a Cup, he’s just almost playing mind games with you. I remember (Jonathan) been there. But Carey Price, I don’t think Vasilevskiy has gotten to that Marchessault saying after Game 1, ‘No Carey Price isn’t in our heads.’ If level yet. Although Vasilevskiy has been incredible in the last few years you’re addressing it, he is in your head.” and won the Cup, I still think Carey Price the name, his demeanor, his presence, who he is and what he’s accomplished, it carries so much Those who have played with Price bring up the weight he has to carry as weight. the centerpiece of the franchise, which hasn’t always had the kind of supporting cast Vasilevskiy has with the Lightning. “I think Vasilevskiy is the best goalie, but Carey Price has that it factor right now that you can’t look past.” “The team is built around him, he’s the main piece,” said former Montreal and Lightning backup Peter Budaj. “It’s not taking away from Vasy. He’s Carey Price (Jean-Yves Ahern / USA Today) the backbone of the Lightning. But they have a lot of superstars up front, which is something Montreal doesn’t have. Carey is their biggest piece, Lightning GM Julien BriseBois is in the unique position of having been and they’re really a team standing on him. They don’t have the part of drafting both Price and Vasilevskiy. Kucherovs and Stamkos’ and Points and Hedmans.” BriseBois was part of the Canadiens front office in 2005 when Price was CAREY PRICE REGULAR SEASON: 1.05 GOALS AGAINST PER XGA. picked fifth. CAREY PRICE PLAYOFFS: 0.73 GOALS AGAINST PER XGA. “At the time, our group considered him to be a generational prospect at PIC.TWITTER.COM/QHLVF0OLJS the goaltender position,” BriseBois said. “Now, that draft was 2005, so we’re 16 years later, to see that he has realized that potential, he’s got a — MICAH BLAKE MCCURDY (@INEFFECTIVEMATH) JUNE 25, 2021 Hall of Fame career if he retires right now.” Budaj may be the only goalie to have backed up both Price and Vasilevskiy. He saw a lot of similarities in terms of their work ethic, how much pride Here are Price and Vasilevskiy’s playoff numbers from 2020 and 2021 they took in their practices, how athletic they were, and how they were so side by side. Price had a tough regular season — by his standards — in down to earth. 2019-20, saving 11.04 fewer goals than expected. But he bounced back to have a strong postseason, a primary reason the Canadiens advanced “And the team loved to play for them,” Budaj said. past Pittsburgh in the play-in round. In this season’s playoffs, it may look Budaj recalled that during the 2013 season, Price invited him over his like Vasilevskiy and Price are close in save percentage, but Vasilevskiy house in Montreal. Budaj joked Price was the typical Western Canadian has allowed a lower rate of goals, has had a tougher workload and has kid who drove a pickup truck and loved the rodeo. Budaj said Price responded better against that tougher workload. enjoyed practicing roping, having a machine in his garage with a mechanical steer. (Charts by Shayna Goldman) Budaj said he had to learn the basics of how to do it, but Price was — of course — a natural. “I guess the expression we could use is he’s a big-game player,” Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin said of Price. “He rises to the occasion. “He was really good,” Budaj said. “He’s really good at everything it seems He does extremely well under pressure. In big moments, like you like.” mentioned the Olympics, he was outstanding. I was part of the Another similarity between Price and Vasilevskiy is how religion plays a management group at the World Cup, he was outstanding. When the role in their lives and their careers. Praying is part of Vasilevskiy’s game is on the line … I think they had a poll at some point in the past, if pregame routine, with the Lightning goaltender having an image of God you need a big game to win, who you want to be your goaltender, it’s painted on the back of his mask. He’s kept a plaque of Saint Andrew, the Carey Price.” first follower of Jesus Christ, in his dressing room stall since he was a How both Vasilevskiy and Price fare in this series could go a long way in rookie. Vasilevskiy, along with his wife, Ksenia and their 3-year-old son who hoists hockey’s holy grail. Lukas, are known to visit St. Gregory’s Russian Orthodox Church in Tampa on many Sundays. And it could further add to the debate of who is actually the best in the world? Vasilevskiy has met Russian Orthodox Bishop Patriarch Kirill a few times, calling it one of the best experiences of his life. “Vasilevskiy is right there. He’s already won a Cup, been an All-Star, won a Vezina,” said Lightning color analyst Brian Engblom, a two-time Cup “In church, I find myself,” Vasilevskiy said. “It’s where I can come and talk champ with the Canadiens. “Carey hasn’t won the Cup yet; it’s the only to myself, just be with myself one-on-one. Sometimes, I need to set my thing he hasn’t. It’s a team sport, and you’ve got to be on the right team mind, set my spirit. Especially when it’s tough times. It helps a lot. at the right tie. This is his chance right now. All I’m saying is, that passing “A lot of guys are (praying), but nobody probably talks about it. It’s of the torch, Carey might say, ‘I’m not ready. If it’s still in my hand, it’s in personal, but I respect that.” my hand,’ I don’t expect him to retire anytime soon.

Price listens to a podcast, “Church on the Move,” which allows him to “I’ve already coined Vasilevskiy as the best in the world, a lot of people hear his favorite sermons during a hectic playing and traveling schedule. do. But I’d be reluctant in saying it’s the passing of the torch.” He said his faith helps him stay grounded and humble, and he’ll often The Athletic LOADED: 06.29.2021 pray for the safety of other players before games.

“It helps you see the perspective,” Budaj said. “It helps you be thankful for what’s going on. You play your best when you feel the outcome is out of your hands. It helps you focus on the task at hand and you don’t get distracted.”

The steadying presence of Vasilevskiy and Price allows their teams to play more freely, with confidence, and not worrying about mistakes. Steven Stamkos pointed out a breakaway by the Islanders’ Anthony Beauvillier early in Game 7 on Friday. Vasilevskiy made the stop and kept it 0-0. “It goes in, it’s a different story,” Stamkos said. “Vasy is our rock.”

So who is better? If you look at career playoff numbers, they’re pretty close.

GOALIE RECORD GAA SV% SHUTOUTS

Andrei Vasilevskiy

45-28

2.28

0.923

5

Carey Price

42-41

2.34

0.92

8

In 86 playoff games, Price has saved 0.45 more goals than expected, which equates to 0.01 per 60 minutes, according to Evolving-Hockey. In 76 playoff games, Vasilevskiy has saved 17.61 more goals than expected, which is a rate of 0.23 per 60. During the regular season? Vasilevskiy has saved 12.11 more goals than expected in 42 games, good for a rate of 0.29 per 60. Price had a rough regular season, saving 8.11 fewer goals than expected (-0.33 per 60). 1216717 Websites the other already know what team they’re riding with, and I’ll focus on coming up with recommendations for anyone who doesn’t really care and just wants the best bandwagon to hop on.

The Athletic / Down Goes Brown: Canadiens or Lightning? A Stanley So with that said … the Flames. They have some Stanley Cup Final Cup Final rooting guide for every other fan base history with the Habs, splitting a pair of showdowns in the 1980s that included Calgary’s only championship in 1989. That’s worth something, as is lingering bad blood over the 2004 final against Tampa Bay. Now mix in the fact the Flames finished with more wins than the Canadiens By Sean McIndoe Jun 28, 2021 this season (and went 6-3-0 against them in the regular season), which kind of sort of means that if the Habs win, Calgary was actually better than the Cup champs. Look, don’t think too hard about it, just go with it. The Montreal Canadiens are in Tampa tonight to kick off the first round of the Atlantic Division playoffs. (Checks notes.) Nope, wait, apparently this Pick: Canadiens is the Stanley Cup Final. Huh. Got to be honest, I did not see this Carolina Hurricanes matchup coming. Not many of us did. But it’s been pretty much the weirdest season in NHL history, so let’s roll with it. There’s more history between the Hurricanes and Canadiens than you might think, and I’m still bitter that we only wound up with half of the One thing that hasn’t changed from past seasons: Two teams made the ultimate Team Chaos final. Still, this one doesn’t feel all that difficult. The final, which means everyone else didn’t. That means it’s time for one of Hurricanes saw their season end at the hands of the Lightning, and the my favorite annual columns, as we go through all of the other 30 teams Habs have Carolina legend Eric Staal. and try to figure out which of the finalists they should be rooting for. In theory, this year delivers a classic David vs. Goliath matchup, with the Pick: Canadiens defending champs facing a huge underdog that everyone should be rooting for. Does it actually work out that way? Let’s find out. Chicago Blackhawks

As always, these are suggestions only, and if you’ve already made up The Hawks are another team that was tied with the Canadiens in regular your mind then you’re free to stick with that pick. But if you’re on the season wins. But more importantly, Marc Bergevin’s overlapping fence or open for discussion, let’s see if we can talk you into one side or windows approach to building this team feels a lot like what Chicago is the other. trying to pull off. Seeing it work just about perfectly would be a nice proof- of-concept for Blackhawks fans wondering if they’re on the right track. Anaheim Ducks Pick: Canadiens Last year, I told Ducks fans they should root for Corey Perry’s team to beat the Lightning in the final. It’s always nice when the hockey gods give Colorado Avalanche me an excuse to recycle content. Avs fans should root for the Lightning, for two reasons. First, you’ve built Pick: Canadiens a high-skill roster and it would be nice to see that approach win out over a more defensive mindset. And second, even if you don’t know it, you’ve Arizona Coyotes got some Quebec Nordiques buried down in your fan DNA, and that means you hate the Habs. The Canadiens won 24 games during the regular season, just like the Coyotes. By the transitive property of playoff success, that means that if Pick: Lightning they win the Cup then Arizona is knocking on the door too. Columbus Blue Jackets Pick: Canadiens I briefly got excited and thought Aaron Portzline was going to answer this Boston Bruins question for me, but he punted. As Aaron points out, both teams have a former Blue Jackets player in a key role — Josh Anderson in Montreal This is a tough matchup for Bruins fans, who aren’t exactly going to be and David Savard in Tampa Bay. (The Lightning also have Curtis shoving each other out of the way to get on the Lightning bandwagon McElhinney as their backup goalie.) Those probably come close to after their recent Atlantic Division rivalry. But come on — no self- canceling out, so we’ll look elsewhere. It’s tempting to pick Montreal, respecting Bruins fan can possibly cheer for the Habs, right? Of course because them winning would remind Columbus fans that a so-so team not. I’m guessing a lot of Boston fans will choose “none of the above,” but that everyone counts out and that pulls off a coaching change can win it if we have to pick one team, the choice is clear … all. But I’m going to go with Tampa Bay, because if they win again then Pick: Lightning the Blue Jackets can go another year claiming that they were the last team to beat the defending champs in the playoffs. Buffalo Sabres Pick: Lightning If you’re a Sabres fan searching desperately for some small ray of hope, good luck finding it in a Lightning team that seems miles ahead of Dallas Stars anything the Sabres could ever imagine being anytime soon. Then you You couldn’t beat the Lightning for the Cup last year, do you really want see a Habs team that finished with almost the same record as Buffalo to see an 18th place team waltz in and do it now? just last season, and you think … maybe? Pick: Lightning Pick: Canadiens Detroit Red Wings Calgary Flames Huh. Is there still some lingering loyalty to the team Steve Yzerman Hold on, everyone. Timeout. helped build? Or do you fall back on Original Six nostalgia, maybe mixed Canada, huddle up, we need to talk. with the fact that a Habs win would mean the Red Wings could say that they haven’t lost to the Cup champs in over two years? I’ve been doing this gimmick for years now, but this is the column’s first season where we’ve had a Canadian team in the final. That means we I pushed Wings fans toward the Lightning last year and a lot of them have to consider the whole “Canada’s Team” debate again. Should a didn’t like it; there’s apparently more bad blood in that rivalry than the rest Canadian fan cheer for the country’s last remaining team, out of of us might expect. I’m guessing they won’t like this pick either, but patriotism or obligation or whatever, and root for them to end the nation’s consider it penance for being the team responsible for the dismantling of 28-year Cup drought? Or does it work the other way, where any decent the last championship roster Montreal had. Canadian fan will root against the country’s other teams out of spite? Pick: Canadiens There’s a right answer here, but let’s skip the debate entirely, if only Edmonton Oilers because having six Canadian entries that were all a cut-and-paste of the same Canada’s Team stuff wouldn’t be very interesting. Instead, I’m The Oilers are the only North Division playoff team that didn’t get going to assume that any Canadian fans who feel strongly one way or bumped off by the Habs, so there’s no ill will there. Instead, we can point out the presence of a pair of former Oilers blueliners who are writing cool winner knowing you’ll have to go through months of this second- postseason stories: Jeff Petry, who started his career in Edmonton guessing? before being given away traded to Montreal, and temporary coach Luke Richardson, who played more games with the Oilers than any other team Pick: Lightning in his 21-year career. Pittsburgh Penguins

Pick: Canadiens Are Pens fans still holding grudges against Carey Price for last year’s Florida Panthers play-in round? Maybe, but there’s more important turf to defend here. The Penguins remain the only team in the cap era to repeat as After almost three decades, we finally got our first Battle of Florida this champions, and the Lightning are threatening that. Pittsburgh fans have year, and it was … fine? I think it was fine. It feels like it was a long time already had to battle Chicago for the title of the era’s best team, do you ago, to be honest, but I seem to remember there was some bad blood, a really want Tampa knocking on that door too? few plots twists, and at least one game that was legitimately amazing. But the key point here is this: Florida fans, you did not wait all this time to Pick: Canadiens finally have a rivalry with the Lightning just to turn around and root for San Jose Sharks them in the final. Screw those guys. The Canadiens made Joe Thornton sad. Well, it’s probably more Pick: Canadiens accurate to say that the Maple Leafs made Joe Thornton sad, but you Los Angeles Kings already hate them. Let’s stay loyal to Barclay Goodrow and your early- 90s expansion cousins. Another tough one. The Tyler Toffoli factor has to play in here, after he won a Cup with you and left on good terms once the rebuild started. But Pick: Lightning there’s also the 1993 final, when the Canadiens used a cheap stick Seattle Kraken measurement to steal a first Cup you ended up waiting almost two more decades for. Would it be ridiculous and petty to still be holding a grudge You’re the new guys now, and that means you have to lead the way after nearly 30 years? Yes, it would, welcome to being a hockey fan. when it comes to rolling your eyes at stuffy tradition. Montreal’s the oldest team in the league, they just beat your expansion cousins, they also beat Pick: Lightning your new coach’s ex-team, and they’re facing an opponent that’s still Minnesota Wild relatively new in the grand scheme of things. You know what to do.

The Canadiens are a notoriously middle-of-the-pack team that doesn’t Pick: Lightning have an elite center but does have an exciting rookie and an aging St. Louis Blues former Predators player on the blueline, plus a GM who played for eight different NHL teams during his playing career. You’re practically twins. The Canadiens have two former Blues players in Jake Allen and Joel Edmundson, and their GM scored his most memorable playoff goal while Pick: Canadiens playing for St. Louis. Also, a Lightning win would give the Blues a league Nashville Predators record fifth ultimate loser title, including the last two back-to-back, and that doesn’t feel like a good thing. I’m sure some Predators fans will still have to hold their nose when it comes to rooting for Corey Perry, but come on, you have to be pulling for Pick: Canadiens OGWAC Shea Weber to get his first Cup here. Toronto Maple Leafs

Pick: Canadiens The Leafs are a tough one, even putting aside all the history between New Jersey Devils Toronto and Montreal. The big issue here is how a Canadiens win would reframe that first-round loss. Leafs fans have spent the last six weeks Having the Canadiens win the Cup by shutting down the Lightning on feeling like their collapse was an existential disaster for the current core. their way to winning four mind-numbingly dull 2-1 slogs might finally spell But if the Habs end up winning the Cup, especially with Toronto having the end of that whole “the 1995 Devils ruined hockey by inventing the given them their toughest challenge along the way, does that mean the concept of defense” narrative. Leafs may be closer than we think?

Pick: Canadiens Maybe, but I don’t think it’s enough. The Lightning are the team the Leafs want to be when they grow up — lots of skill, lots of big names, lots of big New York Islanders contracts. If you’re a Toronto fan, you want to be reminded that the When you lose to a team in the conference final, some fans would argue model works. Seeing it lose to a more balanced, team-first approach with that you should put any lingering bitterness aside and cheer them on as a a stud goalie would feel like one more piece of evidence that the Leafs’ sign of respect. Those fans are psychopaths. plan is all wrong.

Pick: Canadiens Pick: Lightning

New York Rangers Vancouver Canucks

The Rangers and Lightning used to have an ongoing exchange program, Carey Price is a B.C. boy, so that nudges the needle toward Montreal. but now Ryan McDonagh is pretty much the only connection that’s left, After that, it gets a bit tricky, for a couple of reasons. First, there’s the so that’s not really a factor anymore. What is: The Lightning keep making Tyler Toffoli factor. If you’re a Vancouver fan, are you happy to see a Islanders fans sad. recent Canucks forward playing well for a Cup contender? Or does that just twist the knife a little more on Jim Benning letting him walk so he Pick: Lightning could invest his cap space in the fourth line?

Ottawa Senators Then there’s this past season, which saw the Habs kick sand in the Canucks’ face more than a few times. The Canadiens went 6-0-3 against There’s got to be some support for Luke Richardson, who used to coach Vancouver and scored five or more goals in seven of those games. You the Sens’ AHL team. But there’s an immutable law of the hockey could certainly hold a grudge over that. Or you could shrug and say that if universe that says you never cheer on a hated rival in the Stanley Cup Montreal wins the Cup, maybe there’s no shame in losing a season Final. Do the Canadiens and Senators have a rivalry? Eh, maybe not, but series to eventual champs. Ottawa fans seem to think they do, and that’s close enough. It’s a tough one, but I’m going to offer a twist: If it wasn’t for the Canucks Pick: Lightning in the regular season, the Habs don’t make the playoffs, and it wasn’t for Philadelphia Flyers Toffoli in the playoffs, they don’t make the final. If they win it all, Canucks fans can at least feel like they had a hand in making it happen. There’s still a lot of runway left on the whole Cam York conversation, but do you really want to see Cole Caufield out there scoring the Stanley Cup Pick: Canadiens Vegas Golden Knights

See the Islanders entry.

Pick: Lightning

Washington Capitals

Despite decades of playoff disappointment, the Capitals have somehow never been the NHL’s ultimate loser, a 46-year stretch that’s by far the longest in the league. But that streak is in serious jeopardy, as the Caps lost to the Bruins who lost to the Islanders who lost to the Lightning, meaning a Habs win completes the chain. We can’t have that.

Pick: Lightning

Winnipeg Jets

As I’m coming to the end of this, I’m realizing that I’ve got every team that lost to Montreal or Tampa Bay in the playoffs rooting for the other side. I guess that makes sense — postseason scars take some time to heal — although I don’t think it has to be a hard-and-fast rule. A Habs win would take some of the sting off a disappointing second round, and also put an end to the narrative that the North was a minor league division and the accomplishments of teams like the Jets shouldn’t count. Is that enough to overcome the bitterness of seeing the team that beat you skate with the Cup? Probably not, but it’s at least close, right?

Pick: Lightning

The Athletic LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216718 Websites seven more than linemate Brayden Point. In Game 1, he showed he’s still a dangerous sniper on top of his playmaking prowess, ripping his second of the game high glove with a lethal shot past Price. That was hot, and it sealed the game. The Athletic / Conn Smythe WATCH: Tracking the MVP favourites throughout the Stanley Cup Final Previously in the playoffs

Game Score: 20.8

By Dom Luszczyszyn Jun 29, 2021 GSVA: 0.79 wins, 3.6 win pace

Key stats: 18 games, 5-22-27, 18:04 TOI, 53% xG, +2

The Stanley Cup Final is set: Tampa Bay versus Montreal, a battle for As always, it’s very hard to separate Point and Kucherov, with next to Atlantic Division … err leaguewide supremacy. nothing separating the two. It basically comes down to personal preference. To me, it feels like the narrative surrounding Kucherov Throughout the series, I’ll be looking at the Conn Smythe Trophy race, makes him a stronger choice: he missed the entire regular season but analyzing the MVP favourites from both teams and how their stock rises didn’t miss a beat come playoff time and fought through an injury to play or falls after each game. This post will be updated after each game to in Game 7. That could affect his ability in the final too, but a strong reflect the current value those players have brought to their respective showing there would only add to the lore. He didn’t look right in that team during the postseason. Game 7, but Kucherov still leads the playoffs with a whopping 27 points in 18 games, seven more than his linemate. A lot of that has come on a Before the final began, it was clear cut who the MVP was for Montreal, lethal power play, Tampa Bay’s biggest strength in the playoffs and that’s but as expected, Tampa Bay had a few players with a legitimate case. almost entirely been Kucherov’s doing. He makes it work to perfection. Last Update: June 28 Brayden Point Tampa Bay Cup Final Stanley Cup chances: 85 percent Game Score: 3.9 The Front-Runner Key stats: 0-3-3, 19:02 TOI, 64% xG, +3 Andrei Vasilevskiy Game 1: After scoring at a ridiculous pace throughout these playoffs, it Cup Final was high time for Point to round out his stat line with some assists. The only non-secondary assist was off a faceoff win, but it was still a very Goals Saved Above Expected: 0.8 strong effort from the center with a dominant performance at five-on-five. Montreal had no answer for Point’s line which was buzzing all night. Save percentage: .947 save percentage Previously in the playoffs Game 1: An extremely light workload tonight as the Lightning cruised to a win with just a single goal against off a double deflection. Vasilevskiy was Game Score: 20.6 otherwise perfect, but Montreal didn’t generate many dangerous chances to threaten him. If the rest of the final has more nights like these, we GSVA: 0.78 wins, 3.6 win pace might see the narrative shift away from Vasilevskiy as the favourite and Key stats: 18 games, 14-6-20, 18:56 TOI, 53% xG, +4 back toward one of Tampa Bay’s star forwards. Vasilevskiy was superb through the first three rounds, but if it looks like Tampa Bay can win the The main argument in Point’s favour over Kucherov’s is the goal totals. final series with a shooter tutor in net, his narrative might be a tougher Point has an absurd 14 goals in 18 games, capped by a nine-game goal sell. streak that was just one off the all-time record. Scoring is the most important stat and it’s why, despite a seven-point deficit to linemate Previously in the playoffs Kucherov, Point is right there in terms of total value (GSVA rates goals Goals Saved Above Expected: 15.4 higher than assists). He’s also generally the primary driver on that top line at five-on-five, always carrying the puck in and making things GSVA: 2.48 wins, 8.3 win pace (per 60 games) happen. Point also has a plus-three penalty differential to lead the team and has been stronger defensively, too. The all-around factor leans Save percentage: .936 save percentage toward Point. Tampa Bay was dominant in the regular season despite missing its best Other Contenders skater and that’s because of Vasilevskiy, who was without a doubt the team’s MVP this year. He likely has a second career Vezina Trophy Steven Stamkos locked up, but that may not be the only individual hardware he brings home this season as he should be the current leader for the Conn Cup Final Smythe. He’s leading the playoffs in goals saved above expected by six, Game Score: 0.9 a ludicrous amount given just how good the goalie in second place has been. The Lightning have played a bit more fast and loose during the Key stats: 1-0-1, 16:17 TOI, 69% xG, -1 playoffs knowing they have Vasilevskiy to bail them out, and he has so far with an excellent .936 save percentage. He’s not the only reason the Game 1: A relatively quiet night for the captain until the very end where Lightning are four wins away from repeating, but he’s the top reason for he popped in a meaningless power-play goal. It did end Montreal’s now. Three shutouts in series-clinching games in these playoffs shows illustrious short-handed clean sheet and that could mean the floodgates how clutch he’s been, too. The Conn Smythe should be his to lose. will open there for future games. It was a weak goal, but a good sign. Stamkos’ line controlled play heavily at five-on-five though and it’s hard The Dark Horse to fault the goal against on anyone that was on the ice too.

Nikita Kucherov Previously in the playoffs

Cup Final Game Score: 17.4

Game Score: 4.3 GSVA: 0.62 wins, 2.8 win pace

Key stats: 2-1-3, 18:54 TOI, 55% xG, +3 Key stats: 18 games, 7-10-17, 15:47 TOI, 57% xG, +1

Game 1: “There was no injury, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” It’s legitimately heartwarming to see the captain on the ice for this run. That was Kucherov before Game 1 and it sure didn’t look like it when he He played all of 2:47 in last year’s playoffs and deserves a shot to stepped onto the ice. Any concerns about him before the series are long actively contribute to a Cup win. He’s done his part so far with a near gone after an excellent Game 1 that closed the gap between him and point-per-game pace and a team-leading 57 percent expected goals rate. Vasilevskiy for the Conn Smythe. Kucherov has 30 points in 19 games, He’s not on Kucherov or Point’s level in the playoffs, but a strong final could see him leapfrog his teammates — especially if he rises to the occasion with a potential Kucherov injury. It’s also worth noting his ice time is much lower than his teammates, making his near point-per-game rate even more impressive.

Montreal

Stanley Cup chances: 15 percent

The Front-Runner

Carey Price

Cup Final

Goals Saved Above Expected: -2.2

Save percentage: .808 save percentage

Game 1: This team will go as far as Price takes them and while this wasn’t a bad game from Price, it’ll be hard for Montreal to win when Price isn’t at his best. The fifth and final goal — an inconsequential one with 1:10 left in the game — is the only one you can really pin on Price, but the Price that carried the team this far is usually sharp enough to not allow the others either. Perhaps that’s good fortune taking a night off on his incredible run. Price had incredible moments to keep the game close, but the Lightning attack was ultimately too much. While Price was still probably the best Canadien on the ice, that’s not a good sign when he allows five goals on 26 shots — his fault or not.

Previously in the playoffs

Goals Saved Above Expected: 9.0

GSVA: 1.50 wins, 5.3 win pace (per 60 games)

Save percentage: .934 save percentage

I mean, who else? If not for Vasilevskiy looking just as good (or better) on the other side, there would be a legitimate argument to give Price the postseason MVP, win or lose. He’s been that good and in terms of most valuable player, it’s hard to argue against his relative value to Montreal’s run. He’s the reason the Canadiens are here, putting up one consistently dominant performance after another. Over 17 games, he’s saved nine goals above expected thanks to a .934 save percentage. That’s second in these playoffs and a per game pace that matches his MVP-calibre season. If Montreal dethrones Tampa Bay, it’ll no doubt be because of Price and I’m excited to watch his calm and cool demeanour potentially frustrate another high octane team.

The Dark Horse

Nick Suzuki

Cup Final

Game Score: -1.6

Key stats: 0-0-0, 17:45 TOI, 38% xG, -3

Game 1: It was already going to be hard to give anyone but Price the MVP on Montreal. A game like that from Suzuki doesn’t help as his line got absolutely buried in the matchup against Point and Kucherov. A rough possession rate and on for three goals against with almost no offence the other way to show for it. He can be better, but that felt like a deer in the headlights game now that Suzuki and company are on the game’s biggest stage.

Previously in the playoffs

Game Score: 15.8

GSVA: 0.56 wins, 2.7 win pace

Key stats: 17 games, 5-8-13, 18:47 TOI, 57% xG, Even

It is very difficult giving the Conn Smythe to anyone on the Canadiens but Price because he’s the reason they’re here. But if we’re talking most valuable skater that honour should go to Suzuki, who has looked like a star in the playoffs. He’s speedy, shifty and smart and is one off the scoring lead to linemate Tyler Toffoli. It’s Suzuki that has made that line go, though, and his expected goals rate for the playoffs has been really impressive. When he’s on, Montreal controls play and looks threatening on offence.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216719 Websites The Lightning had their game all the way through this first one, churning well-oiled after dispatching the New York Islanders in seven games of a hard-fought semifinal that followed series wins over the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes. By the time the clock ran out on the third Sportsnet.ca / Canadiens’ mistakes, atypical puck management give period, they had the thundersticks clapping at full volume in Amalie Lightning Game 1 win Arena, with two goals flying off playoff-leading point-man Nikita Kucherov’s stick and a power-play marker for Steven Stamkos that

snapped a streak of 32 consecutive penalties killed for the Canadiens. Eric Engels @EricEngels June 29, 2021, 12:34 AM Remaining Time -0:00

Behind the bench, Jon Cooper guided the reigning champs masterfully, It was the most notable deviation from the plan that got the Montreal deploying Kucherov’s line with Palat and Brayden Point against the Tyler Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Final, and it cost them Game 1 against Toffoli–Nick Suzuki-Caufield combination and keeping them away from their most formidable opponent of these playoffs. shutdown mavens Phillip Danault, Brendan Gallagher and Lehkonen, who spent most their night chasing around Goodrow, Gourde and Blake Artturi Lehkonen said, “You need to beat the best to be the best,” before Coleman. this series against the Tampa Bay Lightning got underway, and his Canadiens won’t have a chance to do it if they commit the same “I liked the way things were going for us,” he said, “and so we stuck with mistakes they made over the 60 minutes played in this 5-1 loss in Tampa it.” on Monday. Adjusting to that will be a greater challenge than anything the Canadiens The mistakes interim to the interim head coach Luke Richardson said must focus on for Game 2. earlier on Monday would be the most important ones to avoid. “There’s not much to do other than maybe (catching them on) icings,” “I think puck management is going to be on our table, No. 1,” Richardson said Richardson. “But, we’ll try and change the order at times during the started. “They are an offensive team, but they do play hard and tight game just to shake things up. goal-scoring games. And they probably worked at it and got better at it “But on the road, you’ve got to compete in the playoffs no matter who over the last few years. You don’t win the Stanley Cup without doing that. you’re against, and just limit our mistakes and we’ll be fine.” So, I think the thing for us is that, managing those pucks in certain danger zones so we don’t turn it over and put ourselves in outnumbered Remaining Time -0:00 situations, because that’s where they feed off teams and do their best work offensively and counter on you quick and outnumber you so they That’s what the game comes down to when the rest of it is a tight-wire can strike quick.” fencing match.

When Cole Caufield tried to hit Jeff Petry with a pass across the The Canadiens were out-shot 26-19, marginally out-chanced, matched offensive blue line in the seventh minute of the first period, he fell right with 57 hits to their 58 and tied in the faceoff circle, but they beat into the trap. Brayden Point transitioned the play the other way for Erik themselves as much as Tampa beat them. Cernak to tip Ondrej Palat’s perfect pass for his first goal of the playoffs. They did it by committing the type of errors they knew to avoid against Remaining Time -0:00 the reigning Cup champs, the type they managed to avoid at all costs to get to this stage. You could actually hear Brendan Gallagher yell in frustration after he made the same error in the second period by trying to force a pass “The positive is we didn’t play our best game,” said Richardson. “We can through Barclay Goodrow, which deflected to Jan Rutta and started the get better. I think they’re always a talented team that plays well and counterattack Yanni Gourde capitalized on to make it 2-0 Tampa. definitely creates off mistakes that you make. So, by us playing better and managing the puck better and maybe limiting those mistakes and The game was less than 16 minutes old, and the only egregious errors creating a little bit more ourselves, I think we have a good way to go up, the Canadiens had made had resulted in goals against. They were trying and that’s going to be the positive out of it.” to create offence on both plays, but they got burned trying to do it at the expense of the structure that proved so effective in propelling them past Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.29.2021 the Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets and Vegas Golden Knights — teams who counterpunch exceptionally well, but not quite as lethally as this Lightning team does.

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“I think it was a couple of the plays that we made laterally, we were standing still,” said Richardson. “You’ve got to have that motion and our speed going on the rush and laying pucks through triangles if we’re doing that to another player into the middle of the ice, where we have motion going forward and that puck is going forward. We can’t be standing still and making it a lateral puck, because they’re tracking hard and they have good gaps and they have great eye-hand coordination with their skill and their sticks. So, it led to turnovers…

“If we can’t make a play with speed on the rush, we’ve gotta put pucks in behind those Ds and go to work there.”

For the portions of the game the Canadiens did that, they were effective, with Ben Chiarot’s first-ever playoff goal in the 18th minute of the second period the product of good work down low from Josh Anderson, Paul Byron and Jesperi Kotkaniemi.

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But with the margins razor-thin and the stakes as high as they can get, executing the plan part of the time doesn’t get the job done. It rarely does even under normal circumstances.

The Canadiens weren’t good enough in this game. Not even close.

“We had our game for a short period of time,” Chiarot said, “but we’ll look to put a full game together here in Game 2.” 1216720 Websites “It’s his mind,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. “He sees things in slow motion.”

While Kucherov’s injury allowed the Lightning to keep most of their 2020 Sportsnet.ca / Kucherov’s elite playoff production proving effective championship team intact because he spent the entire season on long- against Canadiens term injured reserve and gave them significant cap relief, it’s difficult to imagine them returning to this Stanley Cup Final if he didn’t return as the best version of himself while jumping straight back into the playoffs.

Chris Johnston June 29, 2021, 1:43 AM Some have levied criticism in Tampa’s direction as a result, but deputy commissioner Bill Daly pointed out during Monday night’s state of the

league address that the Lightning were adhering to rules that have been TAMPA, Fla. — No matter where you grew up wanting to be a hockey in place since the salary cap was instituted in 2005. player, you dreamed of one day keeping company like this. “The system was designed the way it’s designed,” Daly said. “It’s worked Wayne Gretzky. Mark Messier. Jari Kurri. Mario Lemieux. very, very well for the time we’ve had it in place. Nothing inappropriate was done here and at the end of the day all the managers know what the Tack Nikita Kucherov’s name on the end and you now have the complete rules are. The facts seem to align with the situation that allowed Tampa list of players with multiple 30-point performances in the Stanley Cup to bring back a significant player in the playoffs. Playoffs in the entire history of the league. The fact Kucherov did it in consecutive years places him in even more rarefied air as only Gretzky “I’m not apologizing for what is a sound system and has been a sound and Lemieux have ever produced more than his 64 playoff points (and system from the start.” counting) over two post-seasons. Remaining Time -1:44 What’s more impressive, he’s doing it at something less than 100 per Gourde credits simple play by Lightning in win over Canadiens cent. To see him buzz around the ice at Amalie Arena in the opening game of the Stanley Cup Final was to almost suspend belief given that There was certainly no guarantee everything would come together so he only managed to play 46 seconds of a game five days earlier after nicely for the Lightning. Kucherov is arguably the front-runner for the taking a hard cross-check to the ribs. Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, although Point and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy have built pretty strong cases as well. His stat line on Monday night? Two goals, one assist and a tilted rink whenever he shared the ice with Montreal’s talented Cole Caufield–Nick The only trophy he’s really worried about is the one that already bears his Suzuki–Tyler Toffoli trio. name on its silver edges. When he spent January through April grinding through his rehab work, he was dreaming of a night like the one we got When Kucherov claimed not to be injured on the eve of the series, it may here Monday — with a full building on tilt and a monster game to be have been a case of him willing some good vibes into existence because played. even head coach Jon Cooper seemed pleasantly surprised with his effectiveness. That’s what kept him going.

“Guys are battling through injuries,” Cooper said after the 5-1 victory. “It’s “It was tough mentally on not being able to play, but that’s all in the past,” kind of an inspiration to others and so it’s uplifting, watching what guys Kucherov said. “I’m just really enjoying the moment and happy to be with fight through, especially at this time of year. You have to do that if you the boys and just excited to play in the Final.” want to have any chance to win and he’s doing that and clearly he was rewarded for it tonight in how he played and some of the results.” My goodness did it ever show in Game 1.

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Kucherov rips puck past Price right after faceoff

The Lightning brought a blue wave at Montreal to open this series, casting some doubt on the pillars of this special Habs playoff run. They had killed an incredible 32 straight penalties until Steven Stamkos struck with a late power-play one-timer. And they had effectively neutralized an all-star cast of opponents at 5-on-5 in prior rounds that included Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, Nikolaj Ehlers, Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty.

With the last line change, Cooper was able to keep Kucherov, Brayden Point and Ondrej Palat largely clear of Phillip Danault’s ruthlessly effective checking line and they produced three even-strength goals.

They were particularly effective at creating havoc in front of Carey Price’s crease and completing precise passes that eluded defenders. Then there was Kucherov’s second goal of the night, where he just straight up beat one of the world’s best goaltenders with a shot you could send to the Louvre after Point won a draw in his direction.

“That’s one of the best players in the world shooting that puck and coming off the faceoff circle like that,” Stamkos said. “We’ve seen that plenty of times so it was a huge goal for us, gave us some breathing room.

“He’s playing like a beast right now, and he’s so so good.”

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Kucherov scores twice as Lightning take Game 1 over Canadiens

He’s lapping the field in the playoff scoring race with 30 points through 18 games, plus the one shift he saw in Game 6 against the New York Islanders last round. And he missed the entire regular season while recovering from hip surgery.

Fortunately, his greatest gift isn’t a physical one. 1216721 Websites The independent review into the allegations is already underway, according to Bettman.

“What we know is based on what’s public and that’s why we’re going to Sportsnet.ca / NHL to await results of independent investigation into be interested to see what the investigation reveals and doesn’t reveal,” Blackhawks he said. “And so I think everybody needs to not get ahead of themselves. These are allegations that relate to a period of time that’s quite some time ago and sometimes it takes a little bit of time to piece things together. Chris Johnston June 28, 2021, 8:29 PM “When we get all the information we will do what is necessary and

appropriate then.” TAMPA, Fla. — Gary Bettman says the NHL only learned of sexual He wouldn’t commit to the findings being made public. assault allegations against a Chicago Blackhawks video coach from 2010 “relatively recently” and that it will await the results of an independent “Let us see what the investigation reveals and then we can figure out investigation before deciding how to proceed. what comes next,” he said. “I think everybody’s jumping too far, too fast. This is going to be handled appropriately and professionally and done Bettman took several questions on the allegations against the right.” Blackhawks and video coach Brad Aldrich during his annual state of the league address before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, making the first Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.29.2021 public comments by a league official since two lawsuits were filed against one of its marquee franchises.

The first alleges sexual assault by Aldrich during the team’s 2010 Stanley Cup run and the second was filed by a former student whom Aldrich was convicted of assaulting in Michigan after leaving the organization.

The Blackhawks recently hired former federal prosecutor Reid Schar from Jenner & Block LLP to lead an investigation into the allegations and “follow the facts wherever they lead.” Bettman said the NHL would not conduct its own investigation.

“It’s being done independently by a law firm that’s been retained,” Bettman said Monday. “We’re satisfied that the retention has been appropriate and in the first instance we’re going to wait and see what the results are from this investigation and then we’ll determine what, if anything, we need to do to follow up.”

He added that “all options are available” when asked if there could be punishment for individuals or clubs found to have been involved in any wrongdoing.

A former Blackhawks player said Aldrich assaulted him, and that the team did nothing after he informed an employee. The lawsuit, filed on May 7 in Cook County Circuit Court, alleges Aldrich also assaulted another unidentified Blackhawks player. The former player who sued and is seeking more than $150,000 in damages is referred in the document as “John Doe.”

The eight-page lawsuit says Aldrich, then a video coach for the Blackhawks, “turned on porn and began to masturbate in front of” the player without his consent. It says Aldrich also threatened to “physically, financially and emotionally” hurt the player if he “did not engage in sexual activity” with him.

According to TSN, two Blackhawks players told then-skills coach Paul Vincent in May 2010 of inappropriate behaviour by Aldrich. Vincent said he asked mental skills coach James Gary to follow up with the players and management.

Vincent was called into a meeting with then-team President John McDonough, general manager Stan Bowman, hockey executive Al MacIsaac and Gary the next day. He said he asked the team to report the allegations to Chicago police, and the request was denied.

While Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly were unable to recall exactly when they became aware of the allegations, Daly said Blackhawks legal counsel first brought it to their attention relatively recently.

“The reaction whenever you hear allegations like that are concerning, but my first reaction is ‘tell me the facts,”’ said Bettman. “And once we know what the facts are we’re in a better position to evaluate what may or may not need to be done.”

After leaving the Blackhawks, Aldrich was convicted of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a student in 2013 in Michigan and is now on that state’s registry of sex offenders.

The former student whom Aldrich was convicted of assaulting filed a separate lawsuit against the Blackhawks on May 26, saying the Blackhawks provided positive references to future employers of Aldrich despite allegations from at least one player and took no action to report the matter. 1216722 Websites one. These are very serious accusations. People want answers, and deserve them. Nothing else will be accepted; nothing else is acceptable.

31 Thoughts: The Podcast Sportsnet.ca / 31 Thoughts: Why Blackhawks must publicly address and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey sexual assault allegations world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what they think about it.

Elliotte Friedman 31 THOUGHTS

1. Nothing is done until it is done, but it sounds like Wayne Simmonds will be back in Toronto. The Chicago Blackhawks tweeted five times this past weekend from their account. Four of them were related to the city’s Pride celebration and 2. This is what I can tell you about the rumours that Matthew Tkachuk Pride Month. The other was their weekly charity draw, benefitting the wants out of Calgary: When the news about Seth Jones got around, no team’s foundation. All positive and uplifting, nothing deserving negativity. one was thrilled it had leaked, but no one denied it. Same for Oliver Ekman-Larsson being available and Dougie Hamilton free to talk to other As of 11:30 p.m. (ET) Sunday, there were 173 combined replies. More teams. With Tkachuk, there’ve been firm denials. I do believe the Flames than 90 per cent had nothing to do with the actual tweets, instead refused to include him in any Pierre-Luc Dubois trade talks last season. reacting negatively to lack of clarity regarding lawsuits that allege the Blackhawks covered up sexual assault allegations from 2010 against 3. Still hearing a lot of Philadelphia and Jones. The Flyers are definitely then-video coach Brad Aldrich. In 2013 — after he’d left the Blackhawks working at it. — Aldrich was convicted of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct 4. Nothing definite, but Arizona’s done a very deep dive on OHL Ottawa’s involving a high school student. He was sentenced to nine months in Andre Tourigny. prison and five years of probation; he’s now a registered sex offender. 5. Last week was quieter on the Jack Eichel front, but I’d expect that to The organization can’t be surprised their social-media posts met with get going once again when Buffalo hires its head coach. Incumbent Don derision. And it’s not going to change until we get an explanation. Granato and Rick Tocchet are among the contenders. As with reporters at other outlets, everyone I’ve spoken to has supported 6. Another name I’ve heard: Nashville’s Viktor Arvidsson. Tough, hard- the account of Paul Vincent, the skills coach from 2010 who informed working player. Three years left at $4.25 million. senior management that something needed to be done. Because of that, however the legal process concludes, the organization must step up and 7. I do think some trade discussions are stalled because teams want to detail what occurred. make sure they don’t run into expansion protection trouble. You aren’t making a move without making sure it means you don’t get chewed up by On Monday, The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus reported Blackhawks CEO the Kraken. And Seattle is leveraging its position. Danny Wirtz sent an internal email announcing the formation of an independent review: “We want to reiterate to you that we take the There are definitely teams concerned that the Kraken will draft exposed allegations described in these lawsuits very seriously,” Wirtz wrote. “They players and flip them elsewhere. For example, would Seattle draft a Matt in no way reflect this organization’s culture or values.” Dumba or a Mark Giordano, potentially eat some salary and take bids? Either player makes sense for someone like Edmonton. Former federal prosecutor Reid Schar will lead the review. “Mr. Schar and his firm have significant experience conducting independent 8. Would expect that contract talks ramp up in Vancouver on Quinn investigative reviews, have no previous ties to the Blackhawks Hughes and Elias Pettersson over the next few days. organization, and have been directed to follow the facts wherever they lead,” Wirtz added. It’s going to be very interesting to see which of the talented young defenders — Hughes, Miro Heiskanen and Cale Makar — gets done first. The team will refrain from comment until its completion, which is not a Hughes is a little different than the other two, because he is not offer- surprise. According to several sources, Blackhawks employees have sheet eligible. Ottawa’s Thomas Chabot signed for eight years and an been told to lay low. AAV of $8 million in September 2019, which was prior to his final entry- level season. (He’s represented by Ian Pulver, who also reps This review will face enormous scrutiny. Some questions: Will it include Heiskanen.) the participation of former president and CEO John McDonough, who was fired in April 2020? Will it consist of informal interviews or formal From what I understand, all three of them consider themselves “ahead” sworn depositions? Is the mandate to assign blame or make sure it of Chabot at the time he extended. So that’s something to keep an eye doesn’t happen again? And will they commit to making the report public? on, although COVID-related finances make circumstances different. (I’d (The argument against this, from a lawyer’s perspective: People may not throw Adam Fox into the group as well, since he can be extended this be as honest if it is.) summer. But he has another year on his current deal and may prefer to wait.) In the meantime, this will not blow over. Commissioner Gary Bettman won’t be able to avoid the topic at his annual Game 1 State of the Union 9. Speaking of offer sheets: As expected due to COVID, the 2020–21 on Monday. Anyone with a connection to that team is going to be asked average league salary decreased from the season before. It ended up at about it, starting Sunday with Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin, then $2,960,905 — an 11.6 per cent decrease from $3,348,230. That means Blackhawks’ director of pro personnel, and Nick Leddy, who wasn’t on offer-sheet thresholds dropped slightly, too. Here are the 2021 off-season the 2010 champion, but made his professional debut with Chicago the “zones”: following season. To give you some comparison, the highest level last off-season was That includes GM Stan Bowman. $10,907,735.

Vincent said Bowman was one of four people he reported the allegations 10. I think New Jersey would consider moving the fourth-overall selection to, along with McDonough, Senior Vice-President Al MacIsaac and for a good, young defenceman. mental skills coach James Gary. We are at a time in the hockey calendar when general managers are extremely visible. There’s the expansion 11. Looks like there will be some churn among Carolina’s depth forwards. draft, entry draft, trades and free agency. You’re in front of the camera an According to a Facebook post, Jordan Martinook’s family thinks he’s awful lot. going to the open market, and there are Warren Foegele trade talks. Both player and team appear to want a change. I don’t know how anyone can expect questions to Bowman to stick to hockey. I don’t think, “Sorry, I can’t comment — it’s a legal matter” is 12. Ottawa’s Logan Brown is going to spend some time this summer going to cut it. Until there’s some clarity, this isn’t going away. training with Auston Matthews.

It’s possible judges rule the lawsuits can’t proceed because the statute of 13. As has been reported, Chris Phillips resigned from the Senators’ limitations have passed. That’s not a shield, and shouldn’t be used as charity because he was upset by the firing of another employee. In addition, several sponsors were upset with owner Eugene Melnyk’s comments on Bob McCown’s podcast last May. At that time, Ottawa city council voted to approve a $2.9-million tax break for a new car dealership He’s been lost in recent coaching searches, but I don’t think he’s ever in the neighbourhood of Vanier, part of a bigger plan to “stimulate lost the goal of being one, and this will thrust him back into the spotlight. business investment” in the area. 20. Don’t know how many of you are fans of the great comedian Bill Burr, “Here I am paying through the nose in taxes out there and they just gave but I love the guy. I listen to his podcast whenever it comes out and the Porsche dealer a [$2.9 million] tax break,” Melnyk said. “Give me a nearly drive off the road in laughter. Burr is a huge Bruins fan and the break. Give me the tax break. I’m dying out here. I’ve got no fans and I’m Canadiens’ run is absolutely killing him. He said he was cheering for the still trying to put on a show for everybody…. My point is this. It’s about Islanders, even though they beat Boston, because their ascendance in fairness. It’s not even about the money — it’s the fairness.” 1980 ended that Montreal dynasty. I can’t wait to hear the latest episode because I can only imagine how much agony he’s in over this. Not everyone disagreed with Melnyk’s stance, but the business community sure did, considering the work that had been put in to get that Remaining Time -1:09 deal done. Those are advertisers, and there’s going to have to be some fence-mending. BriseBois explains similarities between Lightning and Canadiens

14. I can’t find anyone in the NHL who thinks ’s 21. After the Lightning beat the Islanders in a tense, tight, entertaining extension isn’t already “in the drawer.” Game 7, and I thought the New Yorkers believed any extra shots on Nikita Kucherov were going to be penalized, because of the way 15. After last season, I had a lengthy conversation with Steve Valiquette, he was injured, via a crosscheck to the ribs. They didn’t harangue the the former goalie who works on the Rangers’ broadcasts and is the CEO superstar forward as much as I thought they would. I’m curious to see if of Clear Sight Analytics. Like others who try to build strong predictive the Canadiens are as careful. models, he is constantly searching for the right ingredient or statistic to create that “Eureka!” moment. After Tampa Bay won the 2020 Stanley 22. Not that Lou Lamoriello is going to offer much insight, but I think the Cup, he’d zeroed in on something. Islanders — who have lots of work to do — start at Adam Pelech and go from there. He’s got arbitration rights and is one year from unrestricted “For a few years, I thought the surest predictor of winning was free agency. It doesn’t mean his deal gets done first, but everything flows goaltending,” he said Sunday. “Then I was looking at differentials, such from where that number will be. as expected goals for and against.” 23. Had a chance last week to chat with new Columbus head coach Brad It wasn’t predictive enough for him — until he zeroed in on high-danger Larsen, who was promoted from within. One of the things we discussed goals against at five-on-five/60 minutes. Goalie errors are not included. was how incredibly difficult it can be to move from assistant coach to head coach on the same team. You go from good cop to bad cop, and “We leave them out for this exercise,” he added. players can see that as phony. Rod Brind’Amour is one of the very few Here’s last season’s Final 16 playoff bracket: who made it work.

As you can see, teams ranked higher in the stat Valiquette pinpointed “One of the questions (John Davidson and Jarmo Kekalainen) asked went 14-1. was, ‘How different was I going to be than ?’ The easy answer was, ‘I’m going to be me,’” Larsen said. “Two years ago, Tampa Bay was 19th; last year [they were] first,” Valiquette said. I like that response a ton, but it leaves something hanging. What does that mean? Larsen pointed out he did this exact move in the AHL, (The Lightning slightly ruined this year’s exercise, finishing 18th in 2020– spending two seasons as an assistant at Springfield before being 21 as they leaned more on Andrei Vasilevskiy.) promoted to head coach. This was from 2010 to 2014, before the Blue Jackets brought him to their bench. The Falcons were 92-45-15 under 16. Dallas was No. 1 overall in high-danger goals against at five-on- Larsen with one playoff-round victory. five/60 minutes this season, but didn’t make the playoffs. Guess who was second? Your Stanley Cup finalist Montreal Canadiens. “As an assistant, I was given a ton of responsibility,” he said. “I grew up rapidly. Quite honestly, there’s a lot of stuff about being head guy I don’t “I did not put any money on Montreal,” Valiquette laughed. “At face value, like. You have to have tough conversations, rip hearts out, tell guys they I didn’t see it happening, no way.” are not good enough. I understand what that’s like because it’s happened We both laughed at the idea he didn’t trust his own model, but the proof to me. But you must be assertive and convicted. Empower your staff. I is four wins away from a championship. Toronto, by the way, was third, truly believe there is no substitute for experience.” one spot below the Canadiens. Is there anything he did as an assistant that he won’t give up? 17. The conversation with Valiquette gave me an opportunity to ask him “[Keeping track of] scoring chances,” he laughed. “For five years [after one story I’d heard, but he declined to answer, saying he could not every game], I put on my jeans and cowboy boots and took a couple of discuss personnel moves because some teams are clients. The story I’d hours to do them right.” heard is that Minnesota finished first in that metric last season, and targeted because his specific strengths addressed their 24. Larsen said everyone starts fresh in training camp as the Blue specific weaknesses. Jackets begin a new era. What hangs over from last year?

I think that’s true, but got no confirmation. I also think he advises teams “The foundations that we believe in do not change at all,” he answered. that finish high in the metric but don’t finish well — Minnesota last year, “We had a bad year. Deal with it, learn from it and move on.” Dallas and Toronto this year — to address those kinds of specific weaknesses rather than ripping down to the studs and starting over. 25. I asked Larsen what he learned from Tortorella.

18. One other number I loved from last week: In Jeff Petry’s return game “There’s not enough time to answer,” he replied. “What conflict looks like from injury against Vegas, he was targeted 20 times on various entries. and how to handle it. If there’s something to deal with, deal with it head That doesn’t necessarily mean the Golden Knights saw him as a weak on. There were incredible moments — I shake my head thinking about link — it’s just that Petry is on the ice a lot and against good players. On them. He pushed players, challenged them, but showed he cared about those 20 entries, there was only one scoring chance against. (Courtesy: them. I was surprised at how many of his old players still call him. It @shutdownline, my favourite microstats accumulator, Corey Sznajder.) proved to me players want to be coached.”

It’s a fantastic stat line. Those red eyes must have terrified the Vegas 26. As I mentioned in the last blog, I wouldn’t be surprised if 2021–22 All- players. Shea Weber has no scoring chances against in 13 targets. Ben Star is Vegas. I think that’s going to happen. I also think Nashville’s Chiarot has zero in 11. success as a visitor to the Dallas outdoor game (and its overall success as a market) puts it on the radar for its own outdoor event. 19. Moments before Montreal scored the series-winning goal against Vegas, there was an icing against the Canadiens that should have been 27. Some fans tweeted they didn’t like an offside goal review in the waved off. You couldn’t help but notice how calm Luke Richardson Islanders/Tampa Bay series occurring 53 seconds after the entry. This remained in the moment. did the screaming, but a team was debated when the rule came in — should there be a limit on how takes on the personality of its head coach, and Richardson didn’t lose it. long you get to clear? But the feeling was an offside taints the entire play, no matter how long before the goal. 28. I heard on the weekend that there’s a team that offered to extend its amateur scouts — whose contracts expire at the end of this month — a 30-day extension through the draft. That’s rough.

29. Podcast co-host Jeff Marek had a conversation with Ryan Strome, who told a great story about meeting Colin Blackwell, who joined the Rangers this past year after two seasons in Nashville. When they were kids, they played against each other at the famous Brick minor-hockey tournament — Blackwell for the Boston Icemen, Strome for the Toronto Bulldogs.

At the time, Blackwell asked Strome for his jersey in one of those post- game exchanges, but Strome apparently blew him off. He had zero recollection of this incident, but Blackwell brought it up when they met this year in New York. First, that’s hilarious. Second, it’s always a reminder of someone’s always going to remember how you treated them.

UPDATE: Strome reached out to add something. He said his father had told him that if his team won the event he should keep the jersey for memory’s sake. It’s in his basement today:

30. Voting on the NHL’s awards is stressful enough, but the NBA is something else. Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Utah’s Donovan Mitchell saw the value of their contract extensions drop by $33 million because they weren’t selected to any All-NBA team. I don’t think I could do that. It would eat at me if I cost someone that much money.

31. Just wanted to send the best to David Pastrnak and Rebecca Rohlsson on the loss of their newborn son, Viggo. It’s absolutely heartbreaking.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216723 Websites He also had a nine-game goal streak, which was capped just one game shy of tying Reggie Leach’s all-time record set in 1975-76. (He and Leach are the only two players in NHL history to string together a playoff goal streak longer than seven games.) Sportsnet.ca / Conn Smythe Power Rankings: Price, Vasilevskiy clear favourites ahead of Cup Final Point’s production — including a 32.6 per cent shooting percentage — will be put to the test when he goes up against Price, and will be all the more crucial when it comes to the status and abilities of Kucherov, who seems to be dealing with an undisclosed injury acquired late in the series Emily Sadler June 28, 2021, 12:52 PM against New York.

Phillip Danault, Montreal Canadiens And then there were two. The Canadiens’ Conn Smythe conversation starts and ends with Price, The Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens are set to square off period. But we cannot talk about valuable players without mentioning in an all-Atlantic Stanley Cup Final, just like we all predicted. Phillip Danault. He doesn’t have the flash or offensive finesse of some of his young teammates, nor the overall production of Canadiens scoring It’s safe to say that whichever team hoists the Stanley Cup at the end of leader Tyler Toffoli. But while he may not be the Habs’ biggest offensive this one, their goaltender will be getting the MVP nod — it’s no surprise contributor, he will shut down that of his opponents. that the netminders are the betting favourites, too. En route to the Stanley Cup Final, the defensively-sound centreman put Here’s what the Conn Smythe conversation looks like as we head into Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner on mute, came up big against the the Final round, with two star netminders leading the way in the hunt for Jets’ top trio, and helped “skunk” Mark Stone – one of the best two-way the Stanley Cup. forwards in the game today.

Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens Danault epitomizes the kind of structured, defensively sound game the Canadiens have been thriving on, and is the top penalty-killing forward This spring’s incredible run by the Montreal Canadiens has seen the on Montreal’s top-rated unit operating at a league-best 93.5 per cent. franchise play about as complete a team game as you can put together, Can he accomplish more of the same against the Lightning? but the single biggest reason for their success is pretty obvious: Carey Price. Honourable mentions

The way the Canadiens play, they’re probably not going to best you in a Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay: He’s leading the league in playoff points for high-scoring, all-offence affair — they’re scoring at a rate of 2.53 goals the second year in a row, and is the king of the NHL’s most lethal power per game this post-season, which has them ranked 11th among the 16 play, but his health will be what everyone’s watching in the Cup Final teams who made the playoffs — but considering how Price has been against Montreal. Kucherov missed the majority of Game 6 against the playing, they haven’t needed to. Price has not just kept them in every Islanders with an undisclosed injury, but returned for Game 7 and later game with his consistently smart play and poise under pressure, but denied suffering a setback. He’s MVP-worthy every time he steps on the propelled them to victories by putting up otherworldly numbers, including ice at his best, but the play of Vasilevskiy and goal-scoring of Point give a .934 save percentage and 2.02 goals against average while making his teammates the edge if we’re talking trophies right now. saves like this one from Game 3 against Vegas: Cole Caufield, Montreal Canadiens: The rookie didn’t have a spot in the Remaining Time -0:31 starting roster for Games 1 and 2 against the Maple Leafs in Round 1, but he’s made sure he’s irreplaceable in the 17 games since. Billed as a Price comes across and makes great save to deny Tuch on doorstep goal-scorer coming out of college, he certainly lived up to that reputation He’s won just about everything an NHL goalie can win – the Hart, against Vegas with a four-goal semi-final series. But some of his best Jennings, Ted Lindsay and Vezina were all his in 2014-15 – and now plays this post-season have been assists, his stellar chemistry with he’s four wins away from two more. young centreman Nick Suzuki and Canadiens scoring leader Tyler Toffoli on full display — and incredibly fun to watch. The opportunity to see Price in his first Stanley Cup Final and taking on the most dangerous offence in the league is something every hockey fan Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.29.2021 can get behind regardless of allegiance.

Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning

Like Price, Andrei Vasilevskiy has been incredible this post-season. His .936 save percentage and 1.99 goals against average through 18 games this spring, are very similar to his Cup-winning numbers from last year’s run, and give him the slight edge statistically over the man at the opposite end of the rink.

The 2021 Vezina finalist has been absolutely flawless in the biggest moments. He has now shut out opponents in four consecutive series- clinching games, dating back to Game 6 of the 2020 Stanley Cup Final against Dallas last fall to hoist the Cup. That’s the longest such streak in NHL history.

He blanked the New York Islanders twice in the semi-final series, for a league-leading four this post-season alone. His five career shutouts are tied for the most in franchise playoff history, with Nikolai Khabibulin and Ben Bishop.

Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning

After an incredible Stanley Cup-winning run last fall, Brayden Point is up to his usual high-scoring ways once again. Point has been one of the league’s most productive players this post-season, his 20 points through 18 games second only to teammate Nikita Kucherov’s 27.

Point has a remarkable, league-leading 14 goals through three series this spring, matching last year’s 23-game playoff total and putting him in some pretty elite territory. 1216724 Websites Among her requests: “Personnel files relating to Bradley Aldrich, including any letters of reference or recommendation” and, “Any emails phone messages memos or other interoffice communications regarding Bradley Aldrich between or among the defendant, the Blackhawks, TSN.CA / Former Blackhawks player describes struggle as abuse employers, management employers, and/or executives.” allegations come to light While NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has not publicly addressed the A former Chicago Blackhawks player who alleges a team video coach Blackhawks abuse allegations, he is scheduled to hold a media sexually assaulted him and a teammate in 2010 tells TSN’s Rick conference later this afternoon ahead of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final. Westhead he is still struggling 11 years later with its long-term effects. TSN.CA LOADED: 06.29.2021

By Rick Westhead

Content Warning: The following article contains references to sexual assault.

A former Chicago Blackhawks player who alleges a team video coach sexually assaulted him and a teammate in 2010 says he has told his family about the abuse and is still struggling 11 years later with its long- term effects.

“Every day is a work in progress,” the player wrote in an email to TSN. “It comes when I wake up and much worse when trying to fall asleep, especially in light of all the activity now. I have not come to terms with it. It is ongoing. I don’t think I will ever fully come to terms with it.”

TSN received a number of comments sent by the player through his attorney on Monday morning. The remarks came in response to questions TSN sent on Friday.

The player’s answers were sent before The Athletic website reported that the Blackhawks have commissioned an independent investigation into allegations that former Blackhawks video coach Brad Aldrich sexually abused two players during the 2009-10 season, and that Blackhawks management at the time allegedly refused to go to police to file a complaint.

TSN has identified the players who were allegedly abused by Aldrich but has a policy of not naming victims of sexual abuse without their permission. In court documents the player is referred to as “John Doe 1.”

A second lawsuit filed against the Blackhawks alleges that the team provided Aldrich with a job reference after he left the Blackhawks in 2010, which he used to secure future jobs in the hockey world. In 2013, he was convicted of sexually assaulting a then-17-year-old high school hockey player in Houghton, Mich.

The Blackhawks have asked a court to dismiss the cases because they were not filed within the appropriate limitation period.

The former Blackhawks player told TSN that he has a message to any other players who have been victims of Aldrich but are afraid to come forward.

“I would tell them that it’s very hard to deal with the pain of coming out with what happened,” the player wrote. “But the minute you come out, the healing begins. It’s very uplifting to know how much support I’m getting from the public and other players.”

The player said he wasn’t sure what he would say to Aldrich today if he were sitting across a table from him.

“That question is too hard to answer,” the player wrote. “Obviously, it is an illness and I hope he heals for his sake and everyone else.”

Susan Loggans, an attorney for the former Blackhawks player, said she welcomed news of an independent investigation but said she found it curious that the team was seeking to dismiss her client’s lawsuit on a technicality.

“They don’t have to try to have our case dismissed because of a statute of limitations,” Loggans said. “If they wanted to do the right thing, they could acknowledge that something wrong has occurred, it’s been covered up for 10 years and say that it’s time to do the right thing.”

“John Doe 1” is seeking $150,000 in his lawsuit. Loggans, however, said that figure is a placeholder and that lawyers can only suggest award damages to juries. She said this case is likely worth at least $10 million.

On Friday, Loggans asked a judge to order the Blackhawks to produce emails, meeting notes, and other records related to her client’s alleged abuse. 1216725 Websites Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher was bloodied when his helmet came off as he was wrestled to the ice by Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev during the third period.

USA TODAY / Defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning pile on against Lightning forward Alex Killorn played only one shift after blocking a shot Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 in the second period.

“Obviously he couldn’t go down the stretch there,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “Hopefully we’ll see tomorrow.” Mike Brehm Country vs. country

The 2021 Stanley Cup Final is the first between teams from the USA and The Tampa Bay Lightning answered several questions Monday night in Canada since the Boston Bruins defeated the Vancouver Canucks in their quest for a Stanley Cup repeat. seven games in 2011.

How effective would leading scorer Nikita Kucherov be after missing all Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau challenged U.S. President Joe but one shift of Game 6 in the last round? Biden to a friendly wager, and it was accepted.

Could their spectacular power play connect against the Montreal No word on what's at stake. Canadiens' even more impressive penalty killing unit and could they solve goalie Carey Price? No Canadian team has won the Stanley Cup since the Canadiens defeated the Los Angeles Kings in 1993. Kucherov scored twice and Steven Stamkos connected on the power play in the third period as the defending champion Lightning piled on for Lineup change a 5-1 win in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. Canadiens forward Jake Evans (concussion) returned to the lineup for They got the puck past Price with deflections and screens. the first time since he left the ice on a stretcher in Game 1 of the second round. "I think that's the key, going on the inside, driving the net and taking his eyes away," said Yanni Gourde, who got his stick on a Blake Coleman Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele was suspended four games for shot to deflect the puck past Price in the second period. bowling over Evans after he scored an empty net goal.

Game 2 will be Wednesday night in Tampa. "A brain injury is a serious thing to not rush back, and I just wanted to take my time with it," Evans said. The Lightning are looking to become the first team to repeat as champions since the 2016-17 Pittsburgh Penguins. Evans replaced Joel Armia, who cleared COVID-19 protocol and flew on a private jet to Tampa. He took part in warmups but the Canadiens A look at Game 1: coaching scratched him because he had been at home for several days.

Lightning's top line thrives Interim coach Luke Richardson liked what he saw from Evans.

Kucherov's first goal was on a Montreal own goal, but he wristed a shot "We thought he played very heads-up hockey," he said. past Price for a 4-1 lead after a Tampa Bay faceoff win. USA TODAY LOADED: 06.29.2021 Kucherov, who was held off the scoreboard in Game 7 against the Islanders, finished with two goals and an assist. Brayden Point, who had a nine-game goal streak during the second and third rounds, had three assists.

Kucherov has 30 points after sitting out all of the regular season with a hip surgery.

"We just stick to our game plan," he said. "Coaches tell us what to do and we're doing a hell of a job listening to them."

Kucherov and Point assisted on Stamkos' power-play goal, which put Tampa Bay up 5-1. The Canadiens had gone 13 games without allowing a power-play goal.

"We know what we have with our power play group and we know the plays that we can make," Stamkos said. "And when we're confident and when we're making those plays, we go out there and execute and we did that at the end. So maybe a little confidence for our (power play) going forward."

Rare goals

Two defensemen picked up their first career playoff goal during the game.

Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak deflected an Ondrej Palat pass past Price in the first period for a 1-0 lead.

It was his first playoff goal in 46 postseason games.

Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot ended an even longer playoff drought with a goal in his 52nd postseason game.

His shot deflected off two Lightning players to pull Montreal to within 2-1.

Chiarot had bad luck later when he knocked the puck past his own goalie as Tampa Bay took a 3-1 lead.

"I was just trying to throw it at the net and see what happened, and fortunately it was a lucky bounce," Kucherov said.

Gallagher bloodied, Killorn hurt 1216726 Websites

USA TODAY / Boston Bruins star David Pastrnak announces death of newborn son

Scooby Axson

Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak announced early Monday morning that his newborn son has died.

Pastrnak posted on Instagram page that Viggo Rohl Pastrnak passed away on June 23.

Viggo was born on June 17.

“We have an Angel watching over us and we call him SON. You will be loved FOREVER,” Pastrnak wrote on Instagram. "Please respect our privacy as we are going through these heartbreaking times."

Pastrnak, 25, just completed his seventh NHL season, all with the Bruins.

He played in 48 games in 2020-21, and was third on the Bruins with 48 points (20 goals, 28 assists). He also led the team with 15 points in 11 playoff games. Pastrnak was the co-winner of the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the league's leading goal scorer (48) last season. He has 200 goals and 427 points in 438 games.

USA TODAY LOADED: 06.29.2021 1216727 Websites few players rival what Victor Hedman does on the ice – I think Price has enough drive and playoff experience to pull it off. -- Alyssa Hertel

USA TODAY LOADED: 06.29.2021 USA TODAY / Stanley Cup 2021 picks: Here's how Lightning-Canadiens series will play out

Jimmy Hascup, Mike Brehm, Jace Evans, Alyssa Hertel

The Tampa Bay Lightning are one series victory away from repeating as Stanley Cup champions.

The Montreal Canadiens, who hold the record for most Stanley Cup titles at 24, can end a 28-year championship drought for their franchise and for their country.

The winner of the 2021 season will be determined when the best-of- seven Stanley Cup Final starts Monday night.

The Canadiens have been the surprise of the playoffs as they finished fourth in the North Division, but ranked 18th among all teams with 59 points. They won series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets and Vegas Golden Knights despite starting on the road. The Lightning, who got past the Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders, will start at home for the second consecutive series.

Here is who USA TODAY Sports' experts predict will be hoisting Lord Stanley's Cup when the series concludes:

Lightning in six: I have not chosen the Canadiens once in these playoffs, and I won't go there now. Even though the Canadiens have been impressive and fully deserving of reaching the Final, Tampa Bay can match (and exceed) them all over the ice. While the Canadiens boast a very committed, 200-foot team, the Lightning have that and more, including more explosive top-end talent on offense (Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Steven Stamkos, to name a few contributors) and more depth, including a defense I give the slight edge to because of Victor Hedman and the way Ryan McDonagh played in the last series. Sure, Carey Price has been tremendous. But so has Andrei Vasilevskiy. Tampa Bay is also battle-tested as a group, with an experienced coach in Jon Cooper that can win the playoff chess matches. -- Jimmy Hascup

Lightning in seven: I incorrectly picked against the Canadiens in every round and correctly picked the Lightning in every round. As much as I like the way the Canadiens are playing, I'm going to have to go with the Lightning. Goalie Carey Price is playing brilliantly, but Andrei Vasilevskiy has been slightly better. The Lightning's offense has been more productive, and their power play (37.7%) has been dangerous. The Canadiens don't take a lot of penalties and their penalty killing is tops in the postseason, but the Lightning should sneak in enough goals on the power play to make a difference in a tight series. -- Mike Brehm

Lightning in six: I have picked against the Canadiens every single round and they have repeatedly made me look a fool, but I'm going to bet against them one more time. Tampa has talent in spades -- Brayden Point already has 14 goals these playoffs -- as well as toughness. as leading scorer Nikita Kucherov showed in his return to the lineup in Game 7 against the Islanders after missing almost all of Game 6 with an injury. And though this is a cliché, the Bolts also know how to defend to win this time of year: Backstopped by Andrei Vasilevskiy, they've pitched shutouts in four games, including all three series clinchers. The Lightning are a team on a mission to repeat, a feat that would make them arguably the greatest team of the salary cap era. I think they get it done. -- Jace Evans

Canadiens in six: Finally, an East vs. East matchup in the Stanley Cup Final. Montreal took six playoff games to overtime, and the Canadiens won five of those contests. On offense, Tampa Bay has the advantage, with the top five playoff points leaders wearing Lightning jerseys. But let’s not forget that Tampa Bay has lost to “worse” teams before (see the 2019 series against the Blue Jackets). Montreal’s Cole Caufield has been the hottest rookie in the postseason, and the Canadiens are 8-1 when he records at least one point. But relying on a rookie is risky, and ultimately this series is going to come down to goaltending. Andrei Vasilevskiy thrives under playoff pressure, and he’s eyeing his second Cup in as many years. Carey Price, frankly, is the reason the Canadiens made it this far. He already has an Olympic gold, and he wants his first Stanley Cup. Conveniently ignoring that the Lightning defense is stacked – and