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Home , Adam Lowry, Alexander Barabanov, Alexei Kasatonov, Alex Biega (ice hockey), Anton Slepyshev, Bobby Baun

SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 4/8/2020 1173351 Ducks talk about what-ifs and Netflix while idled during 1173381 Red Wings' Alex Biega a major promoter of life after coronavirus outbreak hockey for NHL players 1173352 My favorite player: Teemu Selanne 1173382 Gary Bettman says no decision imminent on NHL season, all options open 1173383 My favorite player: 1173353 Arizona Coyotes' Darcy Kuemper embracing change during hiatus from NHL season Oilers 1173384 Oilers GM optimistic NHL hockey will be back Bruins this season 1173354 Mike O’Connell, spat over blockbuster 1173385 Oilers prospect recovering from surgery to of Joe Thornton remove brain cyst 1173355 Former Bruin Colby Cave out of emergency brain surgery, 1173386 JONES: stepping up for charity in local but remains in induced coma COVID-19 relief effort 1173356 The simple interactions with his Bruins teammates are 1173387 ‘Hockey’s not that important right now’: Oilers minor- what Torey Krug misses the most right now leaguer Colby Cave in coma 1173357 Bruins’ Torey Krug mulls future, possible free agency 1173388 Lowetide: Oilers’ five-on-five with and without Connor 1173358 Top 10 Bruins not named Orr: No. 9 — McDavid is improving always Nifty 1173359 Top 5 things Bruins fans will miss if the rest of the regular season gets axed 1173389 Panthers’ Bobrovsky helps community, hopes for NHL 1173360 Bettman wants fairness, but concedes completing NHL restart amid coronavirus pandemic regular season 'may not be possible' 1173390 From donating money to BB&T workers to buying N95s, 1173361 Former Bruins GM Mike O'Connell says Brian Burke Panthers’ Bobrovsky trying to do his part during pandemic fabricated story about Joe Thornton trade 1173362 Former Bruins forward Colby Cave placed in medically-induced coma 1173391 Kings hope new initiative will convince people to give 1173363 Torey Krug hopes he hasn't already played last game for blood amid donation shortage 1173392 Gary Bettman says it might not be possible to complete 1173364 Top Bruins prospect Jack Studnicka draws positive review NHL season normally from Bruce Cassidy 1173393 Gary Bettman uncertain NHL can complete regular season 1173365 Why Torey Krug fears his days with Bruins are nearing due to coronavirus their end 1173394 My favorite player: Drew Doughty 1173366 What if the Bruins had traded Joe Thornton to Anaheim 1173395 Remembering Jack Bowkus: “He left such a positive instead of San Jose? attitude, a positive way to lead their lives” 1173367 My favorite player: Bruins legend Canadiens 1173396 Claude Julien is preparing for . Would that be good 1173368 Sabres' Jeff Skinner makes three $53,000 donations to for the Canadiens? Covid-19 causes 1173397 Why the Canadiens are positioned to take full advantage 1173369 Evaluating five of the NHL's rumored return-to-play of a flat NHL salary cap scenarios 1173370 We asked, you answered: The results to The Athletic’s Sabres fan survey are here 1173398 Devils’ Travis Zajac, a ‘Tiger King’ since he was a toddler, weighs in on hit Netflix documentary Flames 1173399 Q & A with Devils prospect Nolan Foote: Big with 1173371 Flames' Treliving enjoying throwback games, still hopeful famous dad honed skills on backyard rink for live playoff action 1173400 NJ Devils' Travis Zajac wants to resume season, but only 1173373 Duhatschek: Calgary GM Brad Treliving is readying the if it's done safely Flames for any scenario 1173401 Ranking the Devils drafts (Part II): And the winner is … 1173374 The Athletic’s Hurricane survey: Tell us what you think of 1173402 Rangers’ Brendan Smith overcame self-inflicted obstacles the franchise to save career 1173403 Fan favorite Eddie Giacomin recalls adoring reception he got at MSG when he returned as a Red Wing 1173375 NHL 20 sim: kill dooms Blackhawks in Game 1 1173404 To his many pupils, Rangers assistant Benoit Allaire is the loss vs. Blues ‘goalie whisperer’ 1173376 2010 Hawks Rewind: 3 things we noticed in Blackhawks' Game 3 win over Sharks NHL 1173377 Hawks Rewind: 2010 Blackhawks close in on 1173405 Bettman raises chance of NHL not completing regular Final season 1173378 A third Avalanche player tests positive for COVID-19 1173406 Ottawa Senators working hard to get ready for NHL draft 1173379 Third Avs player tests positive, NHL now has eight that's on hold confirmed cases 1173407 TSN's Craig Button says Artyom Zub could be a good addition for the Ottawa Senators 1173408 Gary Bettman says the NHL can play 'well into the 1173380 Tiers, projections and comparisons for the Stars’ top 16 summer' to try to complete the season prospects 1173409 Senators' Duclair opens up about life at home 1173410 Gary Bettman admits NHL might not complete regular 1173443 Review-Journal NHL writers reveal mock ballots for league season due to coronavirus awards 1173411 How will Flyers fare in 64-player bracket against other 1173444 NHL’s Gary Bettman hopes for clarity on season by end of all-time great Philly athletes? April 1173412 Flyers' season should remain a memorable one 1173445 Golden Knights’ radio home to rebroadcast first 8 wins 1173413 Why Flyers are in good spot after Gary Bettman's latest on 1173446 Fleury’s flying save named 1 of NHL season’s greatest NHL season amid coronavirus outbreak moments 1173414 Pushing Olympics to 2021 makes Brian Boucher optimistic 1173447 Understanding rules governing the NHL entry draft for NHL to finish season 1173448 Sports Industry Facing Strange New World To Navigate 1173415 Flyers OK with neutral sites reset ‘to have a chance to win During COVID-19 Era; Sports Options Down To UFC the Stanley Cup’ White’s P 1173416 Penguins’ Bryan Rust settles into routine of working out, 1173449 Alex Ovechkin challenges Ilya Kovalchuk, board games, street hockey to shave while in isolation 1173417 Penguins’ Zach Aston-Reese moves in with Bryan Rust, 1173450 With NHL season paused, a ranking of Capitals' best wins wife of 2019-20: No. 4 1173418 Penguins’ 2016 Stanley Cup Final wins, 2009 Game 7 to 1173451 Who would the Caps play in the first round based on NHL air on TV, radio 20's final regular season standings? 1173419 Angello’s commitment to Penguins, community recognized 1173452 For Capitals coach Todd Reirden and his by AHL immune-deficient son, the risks of coronavirus are all too 1173420 'Season of adversity' turns into career year for the real Penguins' Bryan Rust 1173453 The DMV jersey number debates: Weighing local legacies 1173421 Penguins on pause: Finally healthy, Zach Aston-Reese head-to-head establishes his role 1173422 Yohe: Ranking the top 20 Penguins in franchise history Websites 1173423 My favourite player: 1173465 The Athletic / LeBrun: Non-playoff teams using time wisely, one city unlikely 1173466 The Athletic / What would a centralized NHL playoff 1173424 Gary Bettman: ‘Best thing’ for NHL is to finish regular tournament look like? season, then start playoffs 1173467 The Athletic / Wheeler: Every lottery team’s biggest need 1173425 Sharks' Mario Ferraro reveals lesson learned in whirlwind at the 2020 NHL Draft rookie year 1173468 .ca / 'He's a warrior': Oilers' Colby Cave fighting 1173426 Gary Bettman says NHL examining 'all options' for for life due to brain bleed coronavirus restart 1173469 Sportsnet.ca / Top 5 Maple Leafs departures that stung 1173427 How 's kids helped form Mitch the most Marner-Auston Matthews bromance 1173470 Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs' Dubas explains what 1173428 My favorite player: The NHL dads I’ve gotten to know Barabanov brings to the table 1173471 Sportsnet.ca / Leafs' Sheldon Keefe still grinding, looking St Louis Blues for solutions during break 1173429 Youth hockey in St. Louis began with Bouncer 1173472 Sportsnet.ca / Flames' Milan Lucic among many NHLers 1173430 Minor details: Blues believe Springfield offers a lot as their showing lighter side during shutdown new AHL affiliate 1173473 Sportsnet.ca / Canadiens' Claude Julien 'positive, but 1173431 My favorite player: Brett Hull was anomalous, realistic' about season resuming misunderstood and sensational 1173474 Sportsnet.ca / Dylan Samberg sees 'a lot of opportunity' with the Jets 1173475 Sportsnet.ca / Ottawa Senators' four biggest off-season 1173432 How Lightning players are adjusting to full-time dad role questions during NHL shutdown 1173476 Sportsnet.ca / Blue Jackets' Jones: Ankle 'felt good' during first skate since surgery 1173477 Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs' Mitch Marner posts letter to 1173433 Leafs sign Russian forward Alexander Barabanov to kids: 'You’re not alone' entry-level contract 1173478 TSN.CA / Gary Bettman: No Olympics gives NHL ‘broader 1173434 Coach Keefe binges on the Maple Leafs — and tunes out window’ to play in summer ‘Tiger King’ 1173479 TSN.CA / Sheldon Keefe expects Alexander Barabanov to 1173435 Why the Leafs were so hot on signing Russian forward be ‘important piece of the puzzle’ Alexander Barabanov 1173436 The NHL is cool with games in the summer — if it’s safe to play by then 1173454 Like rest of hockey world, Chevy in neutral, waiting for 1173437 Maple Leafs coach Keefe keeps busy with Leafs during light to change COVID-19 1173455 Samberg feels time is right to make jump to Jets 1173438 Hayley Wickenheiser, Canadian treasure, is a hero when 1173456 Morrissey uses changing circumstances to learn about we need one most himself 1173439 Maple Leafs sign Alexander Barabanov to one-year deal 1173457 Jets' Chevy not shutting down engines, yet 1173440 Can Alexander Barabanov be the next Ilya Mikheyev-like 1173458 Jets' Morrissey 'on board' for neutral site games value buy for the Leafs? 1173459 Jets ink Samberg to three-year, entry-level deal 1173441 No Netflix? 5 things we learned from Sheldon Keefe’s 1173460 Jets sign Dylan Samberg but where he begins his pro media availability career remains unclear 1173442 Should the Maple Leafs try to re-sign Tyson Barrie? 1173461 My favourite player: Mario Lemieux 1173462 Wheeler: Every lottery team’s biggest need at the 2020 Canucks NHL Draft 1173463 Ben Kuzma: Dare to dream about a Canucks-Oilers playoff matchup 1173464 Zone exit data reveals Canucks are one of NHL’s most improved teams at breakouts World Leagues News 1173480 Iconic sports cities turn eerie during coronavirus shutdown 1173481 Will the World of Sports Change After Coronavirus? 1173482 Attention, sports TV networks: Please air vintage games 1173483 What does coronavirus mean for upcoming international sports events in Australia? 1173484 How sports leagues are responding to coronavirus and what fans are doing to get through it 1173485 16 Times Entire Sports Leagues Were Cancelled Before Coronavirus 1173486 NBA commissioner Adam Silver outlines sobering news of coronavirus impact on this season and possibly next 1173487 Japanese baseball delayed again in bad sign for all sports 1173488 DraftKings Digs Deep To Keep Bettors Interested, With Major Sports Halted By Coronavirus 1173489 MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS URGE ALL COMBAT SPORTS TO STOP UNTIL CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC SUBSIDES 1173490 Coronavirus Sports: MLB May Be First Major Sport To Make Comeback Amid COVID-19 Outbreak, Reports Say 1173491 Never Mind Coronavirus, A New U.S. Rugby League Launches While The Rest Of Sports Is Quiet SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1173351 Anaheim Ducks “There were a lot of ups and downs for a lot of guys. Certainly, with the unknown we’re in right now and the unknown with the offseason – or if we’re not in the offseason, we don’t really know right now – individually, Ducks talk about what-ifs and Netflix while idled during coronavirus everybody has to take steps to get better and improve the team.” outbreak Orange County Register: LOADED: 04.08.2020

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | Orange County Register PUBLISHED: April 7, 2020 at 3:10 p.m. | UPDATED: April 7, 2020 at 3:10 p.m.

Under normal circumstances, the Ducks might have spent Tuesday completing their season-ending meetings with the coaching staff and Bob Murray and then cleaned out their lockers at Honda . Their regular-season finale was to have been played this past Saturday in San Jose.

Instead, Ducks center Adam Henrique and defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Josh Manson couldn’t say when or even if their 2019-20 season would resume. The Ducks had 11 regular-season games remaining when the NHL suspended the season March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

If the Ducks’ season is done and there are no more games to play, then Henrique will have missed out on a chance to score 30 goals for the first time since 2015-16 while with the New Jersey Devils. He had scored 26 goals in 71 games this season with the draft lottery-bound Ducks. https://embed.sendtonews.com/oembed/?fk=XOBj4afj&cid=8130&sound =off&format=json&offsetx=0&offsety=0&floatwidth=400&floatposition=bot tom-right&float=on

“I was eyeing that 30- mark again and, certainly, it was something I was pushing for and hoping to get to,” he said. “I started out the year great, had a bit of a lull, and then came out it and was back on track to get 30 goals and 50 points, hopefully. But I don’t know if we’ll finish the season.

“Going into the year, you kind of a have a number (of goals) in mind, but you also focus on what you want to do in your overall game. I wanted to shoot more pucks. You want to get 20 goals, then when you get 20, you want to get 25, then you get 25 and you want to get 30.”

The Ducks seemed grateful for the diversion of a 35-minute video conference call Tuesday, as the NHL’s suspension of play reached its 27th day. Among other subjects, they spoke of the challenges of staying fit and filling the hours during ’s stay-at-home order.

Henrique said he hadn’t taken Ducks coach Dallas Eakins’ burpee challenge yet and hoped it wouldn’t come around to him. Lindholm said his rehabilitation from multiple upper-body injuries was ongoing. Manson said he and his wife, Julie, were expecting their first child in three weeks.

Henrique and Manson brought home stationary bicycles from Great Park Ice, the Ducks’ training facility in Irvine. Lindholm said he had gone to the rink to undergo therapy sessions after he was injured after taking hard fall into the boards during a Feb. 25 game against the Edmonton Oilers.

The players each said Netflix had become a greater part of their lives in recent days and nights.

“Everyone in the world has watched ‘Tiger King,’” Lindholm said, exaggerating only slightly.

Manson also said he binge-watched it, but Henrique admitted hasn’t seen the ending.

“They live a pretty wild life, those people,” Manson said. “They’re pretty eccentric.”

The players also spoke of the benefits and drawbacks of rollerblading for exercise, although none of the three seemed to embrace it. Yoga was discussed with chuckles, as was hiking, home gyms and the sudden closure of nearby beaches because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Eventually, the talk returned to hockey, to the Ducks and to the franchise’s future. They agreed the present, while painful at times, wasn’t as grim as it might have seemed. They also sounded an optimistic tone when asked about the direction of Murray’s ongoing rebuilding efforts.

“I like where our foundation is,” Henrique said. “I like the structure and the systems that Dallas brought in. It gives us a solid base to work off. I think as far as the team, I think we still have some growing to go through. There was good progression throughout the year. 1173352 Anaheim Ducks But what really told me who this person is all about is what happened outside of that game. The Ducks played in Chicago the night before and arrived at their downtown hotel at an hour when most of us are fast My favorite player: Teemu Selanne asleep. Teemu didn’t go right to his room. Dozens of fans were outside in the cold at nearly 3 a.m. The Finnish Flash was out there with them, taking pictures and signing his name on their favorite items. He did the same when the team was boarding its bus to the game. Every single By Eric Stephens Apr 7, 2020 person.

After being saluted several times during the game and doing a press For this exercise, as we come up with creative ways to entertain you, our conference after it, Selanne went to meet and greet a horde of familiar cherished readers, during this unprecedented time in our lives, I’m first faces and well-wishers in the bowels of MTS . I don’t remember going to lay myself bare here a little bit. how many people there were exactly but it felt like hundreds. There was hardly any room to move about in the hallway and meeting area where I’m not a columnist. There are times when I think I could write one. most were gathered. Members of the Ducks’ media relations staff Maybe even deliver the goods regularly. And then the realistic side of me occasionally pleaded for No. 8 to head to the bus. Their pleas kept going jumps on the idealistic one and offers a swift, merciless reminder of the unfulfilled. Teemu was determined to give everyone who came their fool that I also can be. Usually that comes from reading others who are cherished moment with him. lightyears more talented than I am when it comes to the written word. I’ll finish by chuckling at myself for having that thought at all. Look, this is no The thing is, he is just as invested in those moments as you are. Good master author that you’re reading when it comes to the English language. and bad. I remember a night in the visitors dressing room when he was enraged, passionately giving his opinion of the And I’m not the greatest when it comes to remembering all the details. It officiating during a blowout loss to Detroit. Or the subdued moment in is one reason why I’ve never seriously considered writing a book. My wife Dallas when he detailed how he came through on a promise to get a hat is infinitely better with knowing the exacts. When that moment happened, trick — his first in six years — for a dear dying friend who requested one. along with the where, why and how. Uh-oh. Now the keeping-it-real side of me is wondering why The Athletic looked in my direction in the first An hour-long conversation in the players’ parking lot following a practice place. at Anaheim Ice. Eating lunch at his successful restaurant in Laguna Beach. The times when we just the breeze. The topic usually was Nevertheless, I’m thankful and endlessly appreciative for the opportunity hockey-related often but on numerous occasions it wasn’t. It might have to inform, enlighten and maybe even entertain. But when it came to been about our families because he had asked about mine. Unprompted. writing about my favorite player that I’ve covered, I freely admit to reading the fine baseball writer Andrew Baggarly and how he went about this And it’s that smile. You know that smile. Never forced. Natural. Easy. All exercise that many of us are doing. And as I read his prose, I the goals and exploits are obvious reasons why Ducks fans still let out immediately thought, “How the hell am I going to live up to that?” So, I’m loud cheers whenever his face is shown on the Honda Center videoboard not. when he attends home games during his retirement. But the other reason why he gets those cheers is he’s as personable as they come, and that Let’s get to the goods. I did not cover Teemu Selanne throughout all of ebullience is genuine. Other players in NHL history were better. Few are his fabulous 21-year Hall of Fame career and wasn’t there for his from- loved as much as he is. another-planet rookie season with the original Jets or the days when he and made the early Mighty Ducks worth watching. I don’t Over the years, fellow writers and some fans would ask what it’s like to have many memories of his San Jose days and there might not be many cover Teemu every day. It was a privilege. At training camp this past who want to have memories of that lone season in Colorado. September, I spent some time with him, his lovely wife, Sirpa, and their daughter, Veera. We shot the breeze as usual. I had made myself a But I was lucky to be there for his entire second act in Anaheim. It played bagel but went away from it to watch the Ducks practice on another sheet out over his final nine seasons. So many thrilling moments. All the of ice. When I returned, that bagel was chomped on. I knew exactly who milestones (1,000 games, 500 goals, 600 goals, etc.). Winning the the culprit was. Masterton Trophy with a spectacular 40-goal, 90- comeback season following the 2004-05 lockout. Following that up with a team-leading 48 To this day, I enjoy those moments with Teemu Selanne. While I’m goals and 94 points in a 2006-07 season that ended with him in tears as writing, let me fix something here. It’s Selänne. And it still is a privilege. I the Stanley Cup, which he had never been close to hoisting, was soon to only wish they came as often as when he was playing. be in his hands. Turning back the clock with 31 goals and 80 points in The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 2010-11 while leading the Ducks with six goals in seven playoff games. He was doing this at 40.

Trust me, I was fortunate to be able to chronicle those moments. But those are hardly the reasons why he was my favorite.

Teemu Ilmari Selanne isn’t the only athlete on this earth to have that combination of being a wondrous talent and being entirely approachable. There are many others. But when it comes to athletes I’ve personally been around and witnessed, there isn’t another superstar who makes you feel as if he could be having a beer with you while sitting outside on your patio. Or in your kitchen.

It is the interactions that make him beloved. Teemu makes time for you. For everyone. The fan who wants his autograph. The kid who wants a picture with him. The person who is meeting him for the first time. The person who met him once many years ago. The teammate over several seasons. The teammate for just a few days. The owner. The security guard. The hotel employee who recognizes his face. The beat writer who has come to know him a little bit. The visiting sportswriter who is introducing herself.

One of my most favorite memories is when he returned to Winnipeg for the first time as a player after the trade to Anaheim. It had been 15 years and the loyal fanbase that never got a chance to properly say goodbye was welcoming him back as if he were a long-lost family member. He was cheered before the game. He was cheered every time he touched the puck. He was greeted with a standing ovation while the Jets played a video of his greatest hits. And he got another ovation when he returned to the ice as one of the game’s three stars. 1173353 Arizona Coyotes win. The numbers, I don't really worry about that, don't focus on that, I just worry about the next save and the process of preparing for each game."

Arizona Coyotes' Darcy Kuemper embracing change during hiatus from As for how long Kuemper could keep the mustache? NHL season "You know, it's more popular outside the house than it is inside, that's for sure," he said, laughing.

Jeremy Cluff, Arizona Republic Published 7:08 p.m. MT April 7, 2020 Arizona Republic LOADED: 04.08.2020

Darcy Kuemper hopes to be the same goaltender for the Arizona Coyotes when (or if) play resumes for the 2019-2020 NHL season.

But Kuemper is trying different things right now during his break from hockey.

Kuemper recently got himself a Peloton to work out on. He's also trying new recipes for dinner.

And he's sporting a mustache as he spends more time at home.

"I'm just going with it over the break," Kuemper said when asked about his new look during a video conference with reporters on Tuesday. "I didn't shave for a couple of weeks and then I thought I would just keep it."

Kuemper talked about the challenges the break has brought for him and his teammates during the call.

And the frustrations.

Kuemper missed more than two months of games and more than a quarter of the 2019-20 season with a lower-body injury before returning a short time before the NHL season was put in limbo due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.

"I was back playing and it was a long road through that injury so it was great to get back and then things ended pretty quickly," Kuemper said. "I'm glad that I was able to get back before things stopped because it would be hard to have the season end on an injured note, or go on to this break of this season on an injured note, but I was feeling good and I was feeling like I was back to normal.

"I'm more frustrated. I miss hockey, so that is more of the issue than coming back from the injury, but obviously we all have to make sacrifices now."

Arizona Coyotes goaltender Darcy Kuemper is eager for hockey to return.

Kuemper, who was an All-Star selection this season, but missed the game with his injury, said that he would love to get back on the ice with his teammates.

But, he would understand if the season does not begin again.

"If that's the decision, so be it," Kuemper said. "I feel like it would be a little letdown, just all of the work our team put in and I'm sure all of the other teams across the league would feel the same way that you put in so much effort throughout the season and then for things to just kind of end unconcluded would be, not disappointing, but a bit of a letdown, but with the times we all have to kind of accept certain things, so if that is it, so be it, I guess.

"There's been a couple of different opinions from guys. A lot of guys share the same thing where they would like a chance to continue to play, but obviously time is of the essence. The further things get and go before things calm down, at some point it is going to get less and less realistic. Guys are kind of accepting and open to whatever happens and obviously hoping that all of this calms down as soon as possible."

Kuemper is 16-11-2 in 29 starts for the Coyotes this season. He has a .928 save percentage and a 2.22 goals against average.

He was 1-3 in four starts since returning to the Coyotes lineup on Feb. 25, saving 121 of 131 shots (92.3 save percentage).

Amid the uncertainty of the season, Kuemper is certain of one thing.

He'll be ready to play whenever hockey resumes.

"Every game I just try to go out there and play consistent and come with the same approach and just try to bring that to the table for the team" he said. "I just want to do my part every game and go out there and play to 1173354 Boston Bruins Brian Burke (seen here at a press conference when he was GM in Toronto) and former Bruins' GM Mike O'Connell are at odds over what happened involving Joe Thornton.

Mike O’Connell, Brian Burke spat over blockbuster trade of Joe Thornton Brian Burke (seen here at a press conference when he was GM in Burke, the Anaheim GM in 2005, says he offered then-Bruins GM Toronto) and former Bruins' GM Mike O'Connell are at odds over what O’Connell more than Sharks. happened involving Joe Thornton.REUTERS

In hindsight: considering the strength of Burke’s roster, it's quite possible O’Connell would have found a better deal with the Ducks. By Matt Porter Globe Staff,Updated April 7, 2020, 11:03 p.m. The 2005-06 Ducks, who won the Stanley Cup the following season, had future Hall of Famers (Teemu Selanne, Scott Niedermayer), standouts in their mid-20s (Chris Kunitz, who went on to win four Stanley Cups, and The Anaheim Ducks desperately tried to get Joe Thornton, who was 85-point center Andy McDonald) and future stars (Ryan Getzlaf, Corey traded to the Sharks, from the Bruins. Perry, both 20 at the time, and 22-year-old Joffrey Lupul). Anaheim The Anaheim Ducks desperately tried to get Joe Thornton, who was surely would have kept starting goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere. It’s traded to the Sharks, from the Bruins.CHRISTIAN PETERSEN/GETTY unclear if 25-year-old defenseman Francois Beauchemin, who arrived that Nov. 15, was in the mix when Burke and O’Connell were supposedly Longtime NHL executives Brian Burke and Mike O’Connell are in a talking. public, you-callin’-me-a-liar spat concerning the 2005 blockbuster trade that sent Joe Thornton out of Boston. The Bruins instead got 75 cents on the dollar — or , and — when they dealt Thornton that Nov. 30. It centers on an enticing trade offer supposedly made by Burke, then the Anaheim general manager. Burke, the Ducks general manager from The speedy Sturm spent five years in Boston, producing 193 points in 2005-08, recalled when he learned O’Connell was shopping Thornton in 302 games before knee injuries took its toll. Stuart and Primeau lasted the fall of 2005, he was determined to win the bidding. two seasons before they were shipped to Calgary in a deal for Andrew Ference and Chuck Kobasew. “I tried desperately to get Joe Thornton to Anaheim,” wrote Burke, now a commentator for Sportsnet in , during a Twitter Q&A last Thornton, won the Hart Trophy that season (29 goals, 96 assists, 125 Thursday. “I thought we beat the offer that got accepted.” points), has been a Shark ever since. Nearing age 41, he remains in search of his first Stanley Cup. Burke proposed to O’Connell, the Bruins’ GM from 2000-06, a deal that would protect five players on Anaheim’s roster. O’Connell “could take Boston Globe LOADED: 04.08.2020 whoever he had ranked 6th,” Burke wrote. “No restrictions. Then I’d add another roster player, a prospect, and a first [-round pick]. I’m still bitter we didn’t get him.”

O’Connell disputed Burke’s account. In a story posted Tuesday on The Athletic, O’Connell said Burke’s story was “fabricated … No such offer was made to me as I never informed Anaheim of my intentions to trade Joe Thornton,” said O’Connell, who has led the Kings’ player development sector since he was fired by the Bruins in March 2006.

“Unfortunately,” O’Connell added, “certain personalities never let the truth get in the way of their ultimate goal, self-promotion.”

Joe Thornton, seen here playing for the Bruins in 1999, spent eight seasons with Boston.

Joe Thornton, seen here playing for the Bruins in 1999, spent eight seasons with Boston.BOHN, JOHN

Burke, appearing Tuesday on ESPN’s Ice podcast, said O’Connell’s comments were “unfortunate, because Mike and I were friends once.”

Burke said O’Connell was “quite upset” when he called him last Friday to claim the exchange never happened.

“I said, ‘Hang on a second. I can see if you’re saying I got a detail wrong. Maybe it was six players I’d protect,’ ” recalled Burke, growing incredulous. ‘You’re telling me this never happened? That’s your answer?’

“And he said, ‘Yeah.’ He said, ‘You fabricated this.’ I said, ‘First off, I wish we were in the same room. If you’re calling me a liar, I wish we were in the same room. I’ve been accused of many things, but certainly not being untruthful.’

“I said, ‘Second problem you have, Mike, is that I wasn’t alone when I made this offer. [Then-assistant GM] Bob Murray was sitting right there at my desk. In fact, it was Bob who came in and said, ‘I heard they’re trading him to San Jose. We’ve got to hijack this trade.’ I said, ‘Let’s protect six,’ and he said, ‘Let’s make it better than that, we’ll protect five.’ I called and made the offer with Bob sitting three feet away.

Murray, now the Ducks GM, did not immediately return a message from the Globe on Tuesday.

“So I think it’s a bizarre defense,” said Burke, a product of Providence College and Harvard Law. “He knows he made a bad deal. He got a lot of heat afterwards for not shopping him properly. You’re going to trade a player of that caliber, you’ve got to offer him to every team that might have an interest and get the best offer you can. He tried to move him quietly. Didn’t make a good deal. And I guess he’s taking it out on me.” 1173355 Boston Bruins

Former Bruin Colby Cave out of emergency brain surgery, but remains in induced coma

By Matt Porter Globe Staff ,Updated April 7, 2020, 2:54 p.m.

Colby Cave played in 23 games with the Bruins from 2017-19, recording a goal and four assists.

Former Bruins center Colby Cave, 25, was admitted to the intensive care unit at a Toronto hospital on Tuesday after suffering a brain bleed overnight.

According to the Edmonton Oilers, Cave’s current team, he had emergency surgery to remove a colloid cyst that was causing pressure on his brain. The team said Cave is out of emergency surgery, but he remains in a medically induced coma at Sunnybrook Hospital.

Edmonton Oilers

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@EdmontonOilers

· 10h

Replying to @EdmontonOilers

Emily Cave provided this update on Colby via Instagram.

View image on Twitter

Edmonton Oilers

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@EdmontonOilers

UPDATE: #Oilers & @Condors forward Colby Cave is out of emergency surgery at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto. Doctors removed a colloid cyst that was causing pressure on his brain. He remains in a medically- induced coma. Emily & his family ask for continued thoughts & prayers.

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6:37 PM - Apr 7, 2020

Cave’s wife, Emily, said earlier on Instagram that doctors were “fighting to keep him alive” in surgery. She called Monday and Tuesday the worst days of her life.

“We need a miracle,” Emily Cave wrote. “Please pray for my husband and best friend.”

Cave is from , Saskatchewan, and his wife is from Toronto. The couple married last summer.

Cave, who signed with the Bruins out of junior (WHL Swift Current) in 2015, played in 23 games with the varsity from 2017-19, recording a goal and four assists. He suited up for 20 games in 2018-19, briefly filling in as the No. 1 center for an injured .

It was a feather in the cap for Cave, who was twice passed over in the NHL Draft (2013, 2014) and departed from summer camps in San Jose (2013) and Arizona (2014) without employment.

“If you’d have told me five years ago I’d be playing on the first line in the NHL,” he said at the time, “I’d have told you you were full of it."

Edmonton claimed him on in January 2019, and dressed him for the final 33 games of that season (2-1—3). He played 11 games there last year and 44 with the Oilers’ AHL affiliate in Bakersfield, Calif. (11- 22—23). He does not have a contract for next season.

Boston Globe LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173356 Boston Bruins Krug doesn’t know what a restart to the NHL season should look like, other than saying there should be a short training camp to get players ready. Should they play regular season games first? Or jump into the The simple interactions with his Bruins teammates are what Torey Krug playoffs and play in empty buildings or neutral sites? He welcomes misses the most right now creative solutions, as long they’re fair to all teams and honor the history of the game.

“I just hope we can get back and play and have the opportunity to win a By Matt Porter Globe Staff Updated April 7, 2020, 1:51 p.m. [Stanley] Cup, because this group that we have here in Boston is special,” he said. “I think there’s a lot of other teams around the league

that feel the same way.” Torey Krug will be a free agent after the 2019-2020 season. Before disconnecting, Krug offered a parting word. Once the “initial shock” of the NHL suspending its season because of the “In some way, shape, or form, we’re all connected to the coronavirus,” he coronavirus pandemic wore off, Bruins defenseman Torey Krug found a said. “We’re all in this together. It’s a tough situation, but there’s always a daily routine outside of the rink. He’s keeping up with his teammates, but light at the end of the tunnel. As long as we continue what we’re doing, nothing replaces the camaraderie of the locker room. hopefully we’ll see each other sooner than later.” "We do miss the guys, the going back and forth every day. I just miss LOADED: 04.08.2020 simple conversations," Krug said Tuesday on a conference call arranged by the Bruins, his first time speaking with reporters since the NHL paused on March 12.

Other things he misses: "Seeing what Pasta (David Pastrnak) is wearing when he walks through the door. Wondering what kind of mood Chris Wagner's going to be in. Seeing Chucky (McAvoy) and his big smile ... trying to make sense of what comes out of Jake DeBrusk's mouth." He might even miss being razzed by , but given their ongoing chirp war, he wouldn't cop to it.

Krug, who turns 29 on Sunday, has spent most of the pause in at his in-laws’ house, with his wife, Melanie, and 9-month-old daughter, Saylor, and bulldog, Fenway. They have had ample time to consider the future.

Krug, a premier offensive defenseman, does not have a contract for next season. He could return to Boston, where he has built a life since signing out of Michigan State in 2012. The open market could bring him a significant raise.

The coronavirus outbreak makes an already uncertain stage of his career even more murky. The disease carries implications far beyond whether games are played in the next few months.

"Obviously we're all in a relatively similar situation," said Krug, noting he has not had any contract discussions since the pause, or made any progress. "There's so many unknowns. You can only control so much of that.

"For me personally, I really hope I did not play my last game as a Boston Bruin. It's been a special place for me and my family to grow. My love for the game, playing in front of these fans, it's been very special for me."

The pause, he said, "hasn't given me any clarity. If anything, it's made me wonder about this process a little bit more. I was just in the moment and playing games to help my team win, and hopefully push us in the right direction and win a championship. Now with this season paused, I've definitely wondered about what's going to happen. In terms of clarity, there's been none.

"From a business perspective ... I can only guess things are going to look a little bit different from a salary cap perspective next year. Team structures are going to be affected by that. I really have no clarity. I wish I had a better answer for you. That's just the reality of the situation."

The salary cap, and by extension player salaries, are tied to hockey- related revenue. Missed games could mean the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars. The salary cap ceiling, which was $81.5 million last year, was expected to rise. It may not now.

Krug, who was injured (upper body) when the season halted, said he’s healthy now. He is training with the discipline that got him this far. “Absolutely nothing” replicates the act of battling with larger forwards in the corner and stopping on a dime, Krug said, but he has made do with the body weight training program the Bruins provided, consultation with his personal trainer, and a stationary bike.

Torey Krug could enter free agency this offseason.

“I’ve been running a little more than I normally do,” he said. “It’s been therapeutic in a way. As well as trying to lick my wounds and heal up in case we do get a chance to go back and play playoffs.” 1173357 Boston Bruins standpoint, or just continuing the social distance cues we’ve been given and the guidelines in that regard, no one wants to jump into a situation where we put a bunch of people in one area and all of a sudden this thing Bruins’ Torey Krug mulls future, possible free agency takes off again. Frequent testing is probably something that would help, but we’ve got to make sure it’s safe to even get to that point where we B’s defenseman grappling with a changed world can even talk about it. I know there are a few guys around the league where I don’t even know if they’d feel comfortable in that situation.”

And while Krug is open to out-of-the-box concepts for restarting the By STEVE CONROY Boston Herald PUBLISHED: April 7, 2020 at 2:52 season, he doesn’t want any form of play resumption to be something p.m. | UPDATED: April 7, 2020 at 7:58 p.m. that could be viewed as a farce.

“For me, I think it’s just a fairness thing, as long as everyone’s in a On March 11, Torey Krug was still on course for his biggest payday ever, situation where the playing field is level and we’re all able to compete for one he’d been working toward his entire life as a hockey player. On a Stanley Cup. That’s our ultimate goal,” said Krug. “I don’t know how it’s March 12, when the league suspended play indefinitely because of the going to play out, none of us will. It’s almost a great opportunity to get coronavirus outbreak, all of that changed. creative and see what we can come up with. But in terms of restoring the integrity of the game, we’ve got to make sure we’re not doing anything What lies ahead for him is anyone’s guess. crazy that we can’t look back on and hang our hats on and be proud of what we were able to do under these circumstances. But the integrity of The Bruins defenseman was set become an unrestricted free agent on the game is extremely important to not only the league but also the July 1 when the world as we knew it ceased to be — including the tiny players. It’s something we’ve discussed as well. We want to make sure aspect of it that is the business of the . While it’s it’s fair and it resembles something close to what we’ve had in the rich not clear how much progress had been made between Krug and the history of this game. I don’t know what I would recommend, but I just Bruins on a potential new deal, the D-man said nothing’s been going on hope we can get back to playing and have a chance to win a cup, in that regard since the NHL hit the pause button. because this group we have in Boston is special and I think there are a “It’s a good question and probably one a lot of people would like an lot of other teams around the league that feel the same way.” answer to. We haven’t had any talks since this thing has started. I And it could be Krug’s last kick at the can in Black and Gold. haven’t spoken to any other UFA (unrestricted free agent) that’s been in a position like I am but in terms of my situation here in Boston, we Boston Herald LOADED: 04.08.2020 haven’t continued any talks or made any progress in that regard,” said Krug on a video conference call on Tuesday.

Krug, at 28, is in his prime. He’s one of the best power-play quarterbacks in the league and has built himself into a legitimate top-four defenseman on an elite team. Whether he was going to resign with the Bruins — a possibility one could surmise is only getting more unlikely given the financial hits the league and teams are taking — or move on to another team, Krug had been in a position to ink a long-term deal in the range of $7 million to $9 million per season.

Now, who knows? Even a strategy for signing his contract is in question. Usually this would be a time to hit it big for a player in his position, but — given the financial uncertainty — would it be better to gamble on himself on a one-year deal until things get back to normal?

Krug has plenty of time to think about it, and no answers.

“There are so many unknowns and you can control only so much of that. For me personally, I really hope I did not play my last game as a Boston Bruin,” said Krug, who is in his home state of Michigan at his in-laws’ house. “It’s been a place for me and my family to grow. My love for the game and playing in front of these fans has been very special for me. (The situation) hasn’t given me any clarity. If anything, it’s made me wonder about this process a little bit more. I was just in the moment and playing games trying to help my team win and hopefully push us in the right direction to win a championship. And now with the season paused, I’ve definitely wondered about what’s going to happen but in terms of clarity there pretty much has been none. From a business perspective, I can’t put any assumptions on it but I can only guess that things are going to look a little different from a salary cap perspective next year and team structures are going to be affected by that as well. I have no clarity and I wish I had a better answer, but that’s just the reality of the situation.”

If the league has its way, Krug has not played his last game for the Bruins. It remains hopeful that some semblance of a playoff can be played and the Stanley Cup can be awarded. The idea of staging the playoffs in August and September has been floated, perhaps at neutral sites and without fans. Possible locations that have been talked about are Manchester, N.H., and Grand Forks, N.D.

Krug, of course, would love an opportunity for the Bruins, one of a handful of favorites, to play for the Stanley Cup. But he stressed that the league and the players have to be smart about it.

“Look, we all want to get back to play,” said Krug. “Most players I think feel a little bit lost in this situation. But I think first and foremost, we have to park that and put that aside and realize that there’s something bigger here. And if we do have the opportunity to get back to playing, let’s be safe about it and be smart. Whether that’s the health and safety of the players in terms of jumping back into intense hockey, from our bodies’ 1173358 Boston Bruins Canadiens, winning the best-of-seven divisional final series in five games, and winning it in the , no less.

The B’s would lose to another great dynasty team, the Edmonton Oilers, Top 10 Bruins not named Orr: No. 9 — Rick Middleton always Nifty in the Cup final, but the win over Montreal was a pretty good parting gift for a career that deserved one.

By STEVE CONROY April 7, 2020 at 6:00 a.m. Boston Herald LOADED: 04.08.2020

When Rick Middleton’s No. 16 went up to the Garden rafters on November 29, 2018, it was the first time a Bruins’ jersey had been retired in 14 years.

That begged one question. What took them so long?

Middleton ranks fourth on the Bruins’ all-time scoring list, behind only Ray Bourque, Johnny Bucyk and Phil Esposito and one place ahead of Bobby Orr. That’s some rarefied air that Middleton — No. 9 on our greatest-Bruins-besides-Bobby list — breathes in there. And while there’s a worthy debate as to whether he could or should go into the Hockey Hall of Fame — counting his two seasons with the Rangers, he finished just 12 points shy of 1,000 — there’s little doubt he belongs in the Bruins’ pantheon.

Middleton arrived in Boston by way of one of the most underrated trades in league history. Early in the 1975-76 season, GM Harry Sinden had traded Phil Esposito and Carol Vadnais for Brad Park and Jean Ratelle (plus NHL short-timer Joe Zanussi), credited with keeping the B’s among the NHL’s elite into the next decade. But the one he made the following May was a true heist.

Sinden gave the Rangers Esposito’s old linemate in Boston, Ken Hodge, and took on a talented kid who was known to have some defensive deficiencies in Middleton.

A season and change later, Hodge was out of the league while Middleton would play 881 games for the B’s, average better than a point a game (402-496-898) and notch an even 100 points in 111 playoff games. He even overhauled his reputation as an offense-only skater.

When arrived in Boston, the right wing had some work to do on his all- around game.

“At the end of the year,” cracked his coach at the time, Don Cherry, on the night of Middleton’s retirement ceremony, “we had to introduce him to our goalie.”

But he not only made himself a more well rounded player, but one who would garner votes for the Selke Trophy and, on the night of his number retirement, he still held the club record for shorthanded goals with 25, a record held for 30 years until Brad Marchand finally set a new one, which currently stands at 27.

While he filled some cracks in his game, Middleton was still, first and foremost, a scorer. From 1979-80 to 1983-84, Middleton registered five straight 40-goal seasons (with a 51-goal season in 1981-82 while playing with centerman Barry Pederson) and had two 100-point seasons in that span. He enjoyed his best payoff season in ’82-83, when he notched 11- 22-33 totals in 17 playoff games before the B’s bowed out to the in the conference finals.

According to hockey-reference.com, Middleton is ranked sixth in shooting percentage at 19.72% and tops among players who played 1,000 games. Part of the reason was that he was often shooting into an empty net. Not blessed with a booming shot, Middleton was a sublime one-on-one player who could dipsy-do his way around a defender and then pretzel the goaltender before calmly slipping home the puck, leaving the wreckage in his wake. There never was a more appropriate nickname than his, “Nifty.”

Middleton is one of just a couple Bruins on this list who never won a Stanley Cup, but he got a nice consolation prize in his final season with the B’s.

Perhaps no other Bruin in history had suffered more at the hands of the . His teams lost three straight seasons to the Habs in the late ’70s — twice in the Finals and another time in the heartbreaking too-many-men game in ’79 — and then lost four straight first round series to the Habs in the mid ’80s, winning just two games in those four series.

But in 1988, in his final season with the Bruins and with the club poised for another upturn, the B’s snapped the 45-year playoff curse against the 1173359 Boston Bruins This season, Bergeron was also fast approaching a career-high in goals in his 16th NHL season after reaching 32 goals twice in his career, including last season. Bergeron was at 31 and was poised to blow away Top 5 things Bruins fans will miss if the rest of the regular season gets his prior personal best. He had two goals in four March games before the axed season was put on hold.

Certainly, it’s not going to break No. 37’s heart if he never gets beyond 32 goals and he still has six 30-goal seasons on his NHL resume, but it By Joe Haggerty April 07, 2020 10:35 PM would have been fun to see how high he could have pumped the goal total.

4) Ondrej Kase and Nick Ritchie will miss important transition time. When the NHL hit the pause button on March 12, the Bruins had just 12 games remaining on their regular-season schedule. It remains to be seen One of the real disadvantages for the Bruins should they jump right into what’s going to happen, but it seems as if there isn’t going to be any way the playoffs, will be the lack of time that Kase and Ritchie had to jell with to make them up if the NHL wants to host a full two months of Stanley their new teammates. Cup playoffs over the summer. Kase, 24, had just one assist in six games since arriving in Boston after Get the latest news and analysis on all of your teams from NBC Sports the trade with the Ducks and Ritchie, 24, was similarly just settling in Boston by downloading the My Teams App after playing seven games with the B's since getting swapped for Danton Heinen in a separate deal with Anaheim. Perhaps the NHL will find a way to finish off the final 12 games given the importance to salary-cap projections, but it doesn’t appear realistic. With Kase and Ritchie had settled in as wingers on the second line with David that in mind, here are the top five things that Bruins fans will miss out on Krejci and it appeared that the three were beginning to develop some if the NHL does indeed move right to the playoffs when hockey resumes. chemistry together, but a couple of weeks’ worth of games isn’t nearly enough time to get the players ready for a postseason . Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak. Haggerty: Krug hopes he hasn't played his last game with Bruins 1) We again won’t get to see David Pastrnak get to 50 goals. The good news is that every team is going to be in the same boat when it That’s right. For the second consecutive season, it appears Pastrnak comes to rust on their collective games, but the new faces are going to won’t get to the 50-goal mark due to forces working against him. Last be forced into playing catch-up as Kase and Ritchie will be. season, it was his own fault as he tore ligaments in his thumb after falling down after a team-sanctioned event and then missed a large chunk of Torey Krug of the Boston Bruins (right) battles the St. Louis Blues' time before returning just ahead of the playoffs. Alexander Steen for the puck.

Pastrnak was never quite the same in the playoffs likely due to the injury, 5) We won’t get another regular-season Cup Final rematch in St. Louis but he finished the 2018-19 regular season with 38 goals in 66 games. He certainly would have reached 40 goals last season and had a chance The Bruins had actually already played most of their big-ticket regular- at 50 if he’d gone through a late-season hot streak. season matchups at this point in the season, but one game that may get wiped from the schedule was the April 2 Stanley Cup Final rematch in St. This season, Pastrnak was leading the NHL with 48 goals at the time of Louis against the Blues. the shutdown and becoming the first Bruin since Cam Neely to hit the 50- goal mark was pretty much a foregone conclusion. They had already met for one game earlier in the season in Boston on Oct. 26, when Tuukka Rask pitched a 3-0 shutout in a game where the This time around, the delay is out of Pastrnak’s control in what had been B’s played exceedingly well. But this second-to-last game of the regular a magical season. Still, it does make you wonder if the hockey gods are season matchup had all the makings of something that could have turned determined to keep Pastrnak from reaching 50 goals in a season. a little nasty with both teams comfortably in postseason spots.

Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand tries to get a shot off against the Perhaps it will still happen if the NHL tries to shoehorn in a few regular- Montreal Canadiens' Carey Price. season games prior to holding a playoff tournament, but I wouldn’t hold my breath on that. 2) Brad Marchand won’t reach 100 points for the second consecutive season. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.08.2020 It wasn’t as much of a lock as Pastrnak getting to 50 goals, but Marchand needed only 13 points in his final 12 games to get back to the century mark. Given that he was averaging over a point-per-game this season, that certainly felt like an achievable goal.

There haven’t been many 100-point scorers in Bruins history overall, and there have been even fewer players that have done it two seasons in a row. Marchand would have been the first Bruin to accomplish the feat since Adam Oates did it from 1992-94 in back-to-back seasons.

Haggerty: NHL looking at sites including N.H. for summer playoffs

It would have been another impressive notch on his growing resume with the Bruins. If the regular season doesn’t resume, then Marchand will have to settle for 28 goals and 87 points in 70 games.

That's still an extraordinary season for the Bruins agitator as he continues a great career in Boston. But back-to-back 100-point seasons is something not a lot of NHLers can say they accomplished.

Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron is congratulated by his teammates after scoring a goal.

3) Patrice Bergeron won’t get to set his career-high in goals.

To his credit, Bergeron is never going to be a stats guy. He doesn’t care what his final numbers look like and he really never has cared for his own personal stats as long as the team is winning.

He’s backed that up by winning Stanley Cups, Olympic gold medals, world junior titles and a World Cup. 1173360 Boston Bruins

Bettman wants fairness, but concedes completing NHL regular season 'may not be possible'

By Patrick Dunne April 07, 2020 6:05 PM

Completing the NHL regular season "may not be possible," league commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday.

Get the latest news and analysis on all of your teams from NBC Sports Boston by downloading the My Teams App

"The best thing, and the easiest thing, would be if at some point we could complete the regular season and then go into the playoffs as we normally do," Bettman told Mike Tirico in an interview on NBC Sports Network. "We understand that that may not be possible, and that's why we're considering every conceivable alternative to deal with whatever the eventuality is. Again, it doesn't even pay to speculate because nobody in any of the sports knows enough now to make those profound decisions."

Teams had between 11 and 14 games remaining in their regular seasons when the NHL suspended play on March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Bruins, at 44-14-12 and a league-leading 100 points, had 12 games remaining.

Haggerty: Krug hoping he hasn't already played his last game with Bruins

"Our clubs if nothing else are extraordinarily competitive," Bettman said, "and whatever we do, has to be fair...but when you talk about fairness, we also have issues about if we get to play a playoff, who gets in if we can't complete the regular season. We had, I think, seven teams on the bubble and they all think they would have had a chance. We have to deal with the [draft] lottery and order of selection in the draft."

It was reported Monday that neutral-site locations, including Manchester, N.H., are being considered as possibilities to host the resumption of the NHL.

"We're looking at all options. Nothing's been ruled in, nothing's been ruled out," Bettman said. "It's largely going to be determined ... by how much time there is, because we have next season to focus on as well and the health of the countries."

Bettman said playing into the summer is being considered "and on the NBC platforms, the fact that the Olympics have been postponed gives us a broader window to focus on when and if we can play."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173361 Boston Bruins

Former Bruins GM Mike O'Connell says Brian Burke fabricated story about Joe Thornton trade

By Erin Walsh April 07, 2020 5:19 PM

Did former Anaheim Ducks general manager Brian Burke make up the story about what he offered the Boston Bruins for Joe Thornton in 2005?

That's what former Bruins GM Mike O'Connell is saying.

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In a Twitter Q&A session last week, Burke said he offered O'Connell whichever player he ranked to be sixth-best on the Ducks roster, another roster player, a prospect and a first-round pick in exchange for a young Thornton, who was having a fantastic season.

O'Connell contends that Burke never made an official offer for Thornton.

“The details surrounding this story are fabricated and I can confirm that no such offer was made to me as I never informed Anaheim of my intentions to trade Joe Thornton,” O’Connell said, according to The Athletic's Joe McDonald. “Unfortunately, certain personalities never let the truth get in the way of their ultimate goal, self-promotion.”

Regardless of whether or not Burke put in an official offer for Thornton, O'Connell accepted a deal from the San Jose Sharks for Marco Sturm, Wayne Primeau and Brad Stuart.

Burke fired back, telling ESPN, among other things, that "It's unfortunate because Mike and I were friends once." Burke said current Ducks GM Bob Murray was in the room with him when the offer was made.

Brian Burke said his @AnaheimDucks made the @NHLBruins a better trade offer for Joe Thornton than what they got from San Jose in 2005.

Ex-Bruins GM Mike O'Connell told @TheAthletic that Burke "fabricated" this and "no offer was made."

Burke candidly responded on ESPN ON ICE: pic.twitter.com/57rwvCF7DC

— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) April 7, 2020

So, believe who you want to, but Burke's supposed offer for Thornton seems like the better deal in hindsight.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173362 Boston Bruins

Former Bruins forward Colby Cave placed in medically-induced coma

By Joe Haggerty April 07, 2020 2:26 PM

In a stunning development, former Bruins forward Colby Cave has been placed in a medically-induced coma at a Toronto area hospital at just 25 years old.

The undrafted center was a current member of the Edmonton Oilers organization who had played mostly for the this season and was admitted to the critical care unit at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto after suffering a brain bleed overnight. Cave was a member of the Oilers organization after being waived by the Bruins in the 2018-19 season and finished his career with the Black and Gold with a goal and five points in 23 career games in Boston.

Get the latest news and analysis on all of your teams from NBC Sports Boston by downloading the My Teams App

Cave’s best season with the B’s organization came in 2016-17 when he posted 13 goals and 35 points in 76 AHL games with the P-Bruins that preceded his two stints with the NHL club in Boston.

Jake DeBrusk and Cave were junior hockey teammates with the WHL’s prior to playing together with the Bruins as well, and DeBrusk retweeted something from the Swift Current team account sending along heartfelt prayers to Colby and his young wife Emily.

There was no further information from the Oilers organization about Cave’s health situation which seemingly came out of nowhere, so the hopes and prayers are obviously that the quiet, hard-working Saskatchewan kid makes a full recovery.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173363 Boston Bruins

Torey Krug hopes he hasn't already played last game for Boston Bruins

By Joe Haggerty April 07, 2020 1:30 PM

Bruins defenseman Torey Krug mentioned several times he has “no clarity” on his future after sitting down for a Boston Bruins-organized Zoom conference call with B’s media members on Tuesday afternoon.

After all, pretty much nobody has any kind of clarity about what’s going to happen over the next few months as regions of the United States are attempting to slow down a global coronavirus outbreak with hot spots in places like Boston.

But there’s another level to the uncertainty for Krug as a looming unrestricted free agent once this 2019-20 season has been finished, one way or the other. Krug hopes that there is some manner of resumption of the regular season and over the next few months, and just as passionately hopes he hasn’t played his last game as a member of the Bruins.

“For me personally, I really hope I did not play my last game as a Boston Bruin. It’s been a special place for me and my family to grow. My love for the game and playing in front of these fans has been very special to me. But [this situation] hasn’t given me any clarity,” said Krug, who also mentioned there have been no contract discussions with the Bruins since the season went on pause in early March. “It makes you wonder about this process a little more because I was just in the moment thinking only about helping my team win games and hopefully push our team toward winning a championship.

But now the season is on pause and I’m definitely wondering what’s going to happen. But in terms of clarity, there pretty much has been none. I can’t put any assumptions on it, but I can only guess that things are going to look different from a salary cap perspective next season. Team structures as well are going to be affected by it, but I have no clarity about it. I wish I had a better answer for that, but it’s just the reality of the situation.

Krug had nine goals and 49 points in 61 games this season for the Bruins and was moving toward a big payday this summer — whether it was in Boston or somewhere else.

Based on comparable deals for other elite NHL defensemen across the NHL, a long-term teal in the range of $6-8 million per season was pretty much an automatic no matter where he was going to sign. It remains to be seen how much a lowered salary cap ceiling would impact player contracts for guys like Krug, but he’s clearly going into the situation with his eyes wide open.

There’s also very little clarity on when the NHL season will resume, or even if it can resume as the league explores options like summer Stanley Cup playoff hockey and neutral site locations for playoff hockey without any fans in the stands.

Krug has consistently said he wants to remain with the Bruins and might even take less to do exactly that when it’s all said and done, but there also hadn’t been a lot of documented progress in contract talks between the player and team to this point either.

It remains to be seen how Krug’s situation will play out, or if the player will get his wish to at the very least finish out the rest of what’s become a long, strange year with the Bruins.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173364 Boston Bruins

Top Bruins prospect Jack Studnicka draws positive review from Bruce Cassidy

By Nick Goss April 07, 2020 12:08 PM

The Boston Bruins don't have a robust prospect pool filled with elite talent. This is not unusual for a franchise that's been a perennial playoff contender, and one that often looks to move draft picks and/or prospects to make roster upgrades at the NHL trade deadline.

This also doesn't mean the Bruins lack exciting talent throughout the organization, though. For example, Maine goaltender Jeremy Swayman, who Boston selected in the fourth round of the 2017 draft, was recently named as a finalist for the Hobey Baker Trophy.

Get the latest news and analysis on all of your teams from NBC Sports Boston by downloading the My Teams App

The top prospect in Boston's system is center Jack Studnicka -- a second-round pick by the Bruins in 2017. Studnicka had played the entire 2019-20 campaign with the AHL's before the outbreak of the coronavirus halted the season. He's tallied 49 points (23 goals, 26 assists) in 60 games for Providence.

Studnicka's performance has drawn positive reviews from Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy.

“How he scores goals is interesting,” Cassidy told Joe McDonald of The Athletic. “He gets inside and works to the good ice a lot, which is important in the NHL. It’s hard to be a perimeter player and have success. That was one thing I noticed about him. … He’s a very aggressive guy on the puck, and for a centerman that’s unique because usually you want your wingers in there on puck pursuit more than a centerman because he has a long way to go (to get back into the defensive zone).”

Studnicka's chance to make a real impact in the NHL could come as early as next season. He'd be an excellent addition to the bottom-six, a group that could use more speed and offensive skill.

The goal for Studnicka is becoming a top-six center, and his play in Providence this season should give Bruins fans plenty of optimism that he'll eventually reach that level.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173365 Boston Bruins sports performance staff. Krug is also consulting with his personal trainer. He knows his workouts do not approximate his usual on-ice routine.

“Even rollerblading, yeah, it mimics the motion,” said Krug, more of a Why Torey Krug fears his days with Bruins are nearing their end violent skater than a graceful one. “But you don’t get the buildup of lactic acid and having to deal with your groin and hip motions when you’re digging into the ice and trying to stop and start. That’s a big part of it. By Fluto Shinzawa Apr 7, 2020 Riding a Peloton or using an Assault bike, that all helps and that’s great. But there’s absolutely nothing you can do to prepare for the ins and outs

of a shift and the physicality of it. Not only are you trying to mimic the On March 7, Torey Krug played 22:18 in the Bruins’ 5-3 loss to Tampa. It skating motion, but there’s no way you can train for going into a corner was Krug’s 523rd game for the only organization he’s ever known. with a guy who’s 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, outbattle him, get the puck and skate away.” It may be that there will not be a 524th. If the NHL resumes, under whatever scenario — empty arenas, neutral “I really hope I did not play my last game as a Boston Bruin,” Krug said sites, no regular-season games — Krug worries about the physical during a Tuesday video call. “It’s been a special place for me and my consequences. In his opinion, the players would require a mini-training family to grow. My love for the game and playing for these fans has been camp to get back up to professional conditioning and reduce the risk of very special to me.” injury.

On Nov. 27, Charlie Coyle signed a six-year, $31.5 million extension. The Players usually do not enjoy camp. But at this point, Krug would embrace 28-year-old Coyle is signed through 2026, giving him the most security of the grind and the familiarity that goes with it: being blinded by David any current Bruin. Pastrnak’s outfits, monitoring Chris Wagner’s grumpiness, seeing Charlie McAvoy’s smile, deciphering Jake DeBrusk’s lingo. Like every other In comparison, Krug, who is also 28, will be out of contract once the player, Krug has experienced the trauma of an abrupt and unexpected season officially ends. It may have already unofficially concluded. halt following the NHL’s usual frenzied pace. Without structure, Krug has Neither the NHL nor the NHLPA can project how next year’s salary cap lost part of his compass. — to say nothing of future ceilings — will be affected by the ongoing “We’re robots,” Krug said. “Every day, we go to the rink. We have a financial ruin from the decision to halt the season due to the COVID-19 routine. We get up. We set our alarms. If it’s a practice day or a game pandemic. As such, it has been impossible for general manager Don day, we’re setting our alarm for a certain time. I think most guys have two Sweeney and Lewis Gross, Krug’s agent, to formulate any kind of alarms on their phone. You get up. Go to the rink. Have breakfast. reasonable template for the defenseman’s next contract. So with any Stretch. We go to meetings. Jump on the ice. Get off the ice. Eat lunch. talks certain to be a wasted exercise, negotiations have ceased since the Then our routine goes on from there. You go home and do whatever you NHL slammed on the brakes. do in your private life.” “From a business perspective, I can’t put any assumption on it, but I can Krug aches for a return to normal. What happens after that he cannot only guess that things are going to be a little different from a salary cap predict. perspective next year,” Krug said. “Team structures as well are going to be affected by that.” The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 At one time, Krug (9-40—49 this season) would have been able to use fellow defensemen such as Roman Josi (16-49—65) and Jared Spurgeon (12-20—32) as comparables. Like Krug, Josi and Spurgeon are in the final years of their contracts.

But they had the fortune of signing extensions in the fall. Josi re-upped for eight years and $72.472 million. Spurgeon scored a seven-year, $53.025 million deal.

Whether the Bruins made Krug an offer or if Gross submitted a proposal is unknown. Either way, no agreement took place. Any future offer, from the Bruins or other clubs, is likely to be lesser in value considering the losses that every organization is absorbing as play is paused.

It is unfair, then, that arguably the NHL’s best power-play quarterback will not earn appropriate compensation for his services. But Krug has company, not just among fellow pending unrestricted Bruins free agents such as Jaroslav Halak, Zdeno Chara, Kevan Miller and Joakim Nordstrom, but also restricted free agents like , Jake DeBrusk and Anders Bjork.

Comparables help to frame concepts for contracts. There is nothing comparable between pre-pandemic business and the uncertainty of what is to come.

The NHL and NHLPA may not set the 2020-21 salary cap to reflect lost revenue. It would be crippling for teams to reach compliance by jettisoning players. In all likelihood, the league and players would agree on a compromise — perhaps staying with the 2019-20 $81.5 million ceiling, or accommodating a small increase to account for agreed-upon extensions.

But even if the eventual 2020-21 cap gives the Bruins enough wiggle room to re-sign Krug, it’s no guarantee they would bring him back. Grzelcyk and Charlie McAvoy could take Krug’s power-play reps. At even strength, Jeremy Lauzon, Jakub Zboril and Urho Vaakanainen are pushing for regular left-side work. Krug turns 29 on April 12. A long-term extension, even before the shutdown, would have been suspect.

For now, Krug is counting on extending his 2019-20 season. He has settled in with his in-laws in Michigan alongside wife Melania, daughter Saylor and dog Fenway. He is riding a Peloton stationary bike, running outdoors and performing body-weight exercises issued by the team’s 1173366 Boston Bruins Bergeron and Getzlaf down the middle for the Bruins, or Perry on Krejci’s right side.

If Getzlaf is in the mix, the Bruins don’t lose to the Flyers in an epic What if the Bruins had traded Joe Thornton to Anaheim instead of San collapse in 2010 after Krejci was lost to injury. Getzlaf would’ve been the Jose? Charlie Coyle-type center before Coyle: big, strong, physical, with the ability to score goals and produce.

By Joe McDonald Apr 7, 2020 But let’s keep this realistic; there’s little chance Burke would have given up either Getzlaf or Perry if they were considered the “prospect” in the deal. Both highly touted players were projected to make a big impact, and both were in the midst of successful rookie seasons. So, if we’re Editor’s note: “What if” is an occasional series at The Athletic exploring talking a pure prospect, let’s go with Bobby Ryan, who was Anaheim’s what might have happened if things had gone differently at significant first-round pick (No. 2 overall) in the 2005 NHL Draft — far enough away points in sports history. from making his debut that he was no sure thing, but of a high-enough Bruins fans will always be bitter about the Joe Thornton trade. pedigree to be very attractive. He eventually would’ve fit right in with the Bruins. I was out having a few beers with a good friend the night of Nov. 30, 2005, when my pal saw on the TV ticker that Thornton was traded to the As far as the untouchables, Burke would’ve probably protected Teemu San Jose Sharks for Marco Sturm, Brad Stuart and Wayne Primeau. Selanne, Scott Niedermayer, Andy McDonald, JS Giguere and Joffrey Lupul. So, with those players off the table, the Bruins could have asked “Looks like you have to work tonight,” he said to me. for Chris Kunitz, Francois Beauchemin or Getzlaf. With the benefit of hindsight, we know Getzlaf would have been an ideal choice, but at the I grabbed my cell, asked the bartender for a pen and a few napkins and time the Bruins might have preferred a more established player, more immediately started making phone calls. The first Bruins player I called certain to make an immediate impact. answered by saying: “Are you kidding me? We traded Joe Thornton for three guys who can’t tie their skates.” Kunitz was 26 at the time and no doubt could have played the Bruins’ style of hockey on the left side. He eventually etched his name onto the Players were upset, and the fan base blasted ownership and Stanley Cup four times, and he could’ve played with Bergeron in Boston. management for the deal that sent the former No. 1 overall pick and team If that scenario played out, however, Brad Marchand might never have to the Sharks. At the time, Bruins general manager Mike made the impact he did for the Bruins at Bergeron’s side. Perhaps with O’Connell was only doing what team president Harry Sinden wanted him Kunitz in the mix, the undersized Marchand never gets his full chance at to do. all. There were a few factors behind the trade. One reason it made sense for Beauchemin, a left-shot defenseman, would’ve been Andrew Ference the organization involved a 20-year-old forward named Patrice Bergeron. before Ference on Boston’s blue line. Believe it or not, Thornton’s departure opened the door to a brighter future for Bergeron as a leader on and off the ice for the Bruins. Instead, the Bruins had Sturm, Stuart and Primeau. Sturm was a solid player for the Bruins and had a big impact on Bergeron. Stuart and But what if O’Connell hadn’t traded Jumbo to the Sharks? What if the Primeau were dealt to the Flames in 2007 for Ference and Chuck Bruins instead sent him to the Anaheim Ducks? Kobasew. Ference was an integral part of the Bruins’ 2011 Cup team. Last week, former Ducks GM Brian Burke dropped some intel that So in the end, the Bruins ended up with what they needed. A deal with opened old wounds for Bruins fans. Anaheim would have likely been better in the short term, but in the long During a Q&A on social media, Burke detailed his offer to the Bruins in term, it might not have made a significant difference for Boston’s long- exchange for Thornton. In a conversation with O’Connell at the time, term prospects when compared to the San Jose trade. Burke said he would protect only five players on his roster and O’Connell And what of Thornton? He went to a very good San Jose Sharks team, “could take whoever he had ranked 6th. No restrictions. Then I’d add one that would be in playoff contention for years with his help. But if he another roster player, a prospect and a first. I’m still bitter we didn’t get had gone to Anaheim? He could have been on an even better squad. him.” Without Thornton’s help, the then-Mighty Ducks of Anaheim finished just I TRIED DESPERATELY TO GET JOE THORNTON TO ANAHEIM. I behind the Sharks in 2006, notching 98 points to San Jose’s 99. The next THOUGHT WE BEAT THE OFFER THAT GOT ACCEPTED. MIKE year, Anaheim was even better, putting up 110 points and claiming the O’CONNELL WAS THE GM AND WE WERE BABYSITTING HIM, Pacific Division title on the way to hoisting the Stanley Cup. Had CHECKING IN ONCE A DAY, SOMETIMES MORE (CONT) Thornton gone to Anaheim, he probably wouldn’t be enduring all those HTTPS://T.CO/ZKLZBWLLL9 references today to his status as one of the longest-tenured players never to win it all. Instead, he would likely be a Stanley Cup champion, — BRIAN BURKE (@BURKIE2020) APRIL 2, 2020 helping those 2007 Ducks to glory.

I TOLD OC THAT I WOULD PROTECT 5 PLAYERS ON MY ROSTER The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 AND HE COULD TAKE WHOEVER HE HAD RANKED 6TH. NO RESTRICTIONS. THEN I’D ADD ANOTHER ROSTER PLAYER, A PROSPECT, AND A FIRST. I’M STILL BITTER WE DIDN’T GET HIM. #ASKBURKIE HTTPS://T.CO/ZKLZBWLLL9

— BRIAN BURKE (@BURKIE2020) APRIL 2, 2020

First things first: Did this happen? Depends on whom you believe.

O’Connell told The Athletic after we first published this story that he never had any talks with Anaheim about Thornton.

“The details surrounding this story are fabricated and I can confirm that no such offer was made to me as I never informed Anaheim of my intentions to trade Joe Thornton,” O’Connell said. “Unfortunately, certain personalities never let the truth get in the way of their ultimate goal, self- promotion.”

But, in the interest of “what if,” we’ll play out potential trade talks.

Let’s start with the question of which prospect the Bruins could have landed in such a deal. Imagine reeling in Corey Perry or Ryan Getzlaf. Both were 20-year-old rookies at the time in the Anaheim system and obviously have enjoyed great careers. Think about David Krejci, 1173367 Boston Bruins He was the reason I painted my room gold, always wanted to play defense in our neighborhood street hockey games, and wore No. 7 when 77 was too high for travel softball leagues.

My favorite player: Bruins legend Ray Bourque He was the first athlete I cheered for, even when it hurt.

And it hurt a lot. By the mid-90s, the Bruins losing in the first round of the By Brittany Ghiroli Apr 7, 2020 playoffs seemed practically predestined.

First, it was the New Jersey Devils, who had such quiet success for years I often wondered if their celebrations were held in a parking lot Editor’s note: This week, The Athletic’s writers are offering essays on somewhere. Then it was the Florida Panthers, a team that didn’t even some of their favorite athletes. Read more of them here. exist until 1993. Two players stood between Florida and its first-ever playoff series victory in ’96: Bourque and goaltender Bill Ranford, who “Why now? Well, two reasons. One: I asked to be traded because I want had been in the net when Edmonton won the Cup in 1990. Neither guy to win a Cup. It’s the one thing I haven’t accomplished in my career. And could save the five-game series. After staving off a sweep in Game 4, two: At this point in time, I needed a change. I want to find out what’s left Bourque tried, tripping Panthers winger Bill Lindsay as he skated by on to Ray Bourque.” the right wing. But Lindsay somehow batted the puck between Ranford’s Bourque on why he asked to be traded, March of 2000 legs before falling to the ice.

I was 14 years old when I witnessed real heartbreak for the first time, the Of course, he did. kind of gut-wrenching, soul-sucking news that makes you question your The frustration of being a Bruins fan in those days was well chronicled in sports fandom. one big scrapbook I made on weekends with my father. We had To be a Boston Bruins fan for most of the 1990s meant utter newspaper clippings from each regular-season game along with box disappointment. The B’s lost in the Stanley Cup Final to Mark Messier’s scores carefully cut and taped on Bruins’ yellow paper. Edmonton Oilers in 1990, and in the conference finals the following two The playoffs were done in red. It was as if we already knew the season years, both to a Mario Lemieux-led Pittsburgh Penguin team. I wasn’t old was about to stop. enough to remember any of those live and miffed a chance to settle the Messier score in 2009, at a Yankees’ World Series game. “We’re seen as an underdog. Sometimes that can be a good thing.” — Bourque heading into the 1996-’97 season Tasked with the celebrity beat for MLB.com, which meant stalking the Yankees’ VIP entrance, in walked Messier. I’d know that bald head The notion was that they were pushovers. The least-penalized team in anywhere. In the years that followed, he’d be a New York Ranger, one of the league, the Bruins were wholly uninterested in defending their Fair my dad’s favorite players (and all of New York’s, really) after the Stanley- Play Trophy in ’96. But who were they? The team that lost to the Cup winning goal in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden in ’94. I wanted Panthers lacked identity, then-coach Steve Kasper had told the media. so badly to ask him about edging Bourque — the rightful winner in my By the following season’s end, it was clear what this one was: a bad mind — for the Hart Trophy in ’90. Instead, I panicked. team. Even with Bourque, who had five Norris Trophy awards but hadn’t come close to sniffing a Cup since losing to Edmonton, the Bruins were “Hey, you’re Mark Messier!” I yelled as he politely smiled and walked tough to watch. Boston missed the playoffs for the first time in 30 years away. that season, snapping a North American record. They would win just one Fortunately, my bosses didn’t want an interview. more playoff series before an aging Bourque was thrown a lifeline and traded to the Colorado Avalanche. Two votes. That what’s the Hart Trophy came down to that year, then the closest race in the history of the award, which anoints the NHL’s Most I was devastated by the news and briefly considered chucking the Valuable Player. Messier would win twice in ’90 and ’92. Bourque would Bourque cards and autographed photos I had procured after convincing twice be runner-up, fitting for a Hall of Famer who somehow still never my family to make a February trip to the team’s annual wives charity seemed to get as much attention as he deserved. carnival in ’97. I wish I had remembered what Bourque said to me in that brief exchange or that Cam Neely’s autograph station stayed open five Lemieux is widely considered one of hockey’s best. It’s a practically more minutes. We were next in line, and he was, along with Bourque and indisputable list when it comes to the top four: , Gordie Adam Oates, splashed on the poster above my bed. Howe and Boston’s own Bobby Orr. I was still a Bruins fan. But I was conflicted, too. How could you not keep Bourque was Boston’s other great defenseman, a smooth authoritative rooting for Bourque? The guy was the fourth defenseman taken in his leader whose year-to-year brilliance is best appreciated when you stack own draft, a Bruin only because Keith Brown was selected by the all those seasons together and marvel. Chicago Blackhawks immediately before Boston’s pick. Panicked, the story goes, general manager Harry Sinden took Bourque against his The durability. better judgment. The payoff? A rookie who tallied a then-record 65 points The greatness. for a defenseman, winning the as Rookie of the Year and garnering first-team All-Star selection. He played 21 years and 19 of those he was named an All-Star, playing in every game that was held during his career. A perennial shot accuracy No one was better at getting a shot from the point through the defense champion, his was a game of sharp angles and limited flash. My dad, than Bourque. No one cared more about winning. So it was no surprise who met Gretzky when his friend’s company installed The Great One’s when I found myself, like most of Boston, rooting hard against the Devils satellite dish, would remind me from our Connecticut home that Bourque in the 2001 Stanley Cup Finals. This was Bourque’s team now, the was the best Bruin I would ever watch. And until Orr stopped into Avalanche, in New Jersey one loss from elimination. This was the swan Nationals spring training one day last year, he was the best athlete I had song for a magnificent career that would have started and ended in ever met, too. Boston if only they could have fielded a competitive team.

When The Athletic asked us to write about our favorite athlete, it wasn’t Two days before Game 6, Bourque had delivered a tearful truth, telling one of the thousands of baseball players I’ve covered that came to mind. teammates it was up to them. Bourque either had one, somber, game left From the minute I was old enough to cheer for the Bruins, and the old “B” in him. Or they could even it up, give him a shot at the Cup and make it logo became more than just the same letter as my first name, Bourque two. was mesmerizing. A symbol of persistence and durability. He played so “Nobody,” Avalanche coach Bob Hartley told NHL.com, “wanted to be hard, so often, that later in his career, teammates would threaten to hide part of canceling the party for Ray.” his skates for optional morning practices. The rare defenseman who was a force on offense. The guy who quickly and quietly settled on contract That first victory lap should have belonged to Avs captain . figures, passing over chances to set new records, much to the NHL Instead, he took the Cup and handed it to the 40-year-old Bourque, who Players Association’s chagrin. It was all about the ice for Bourque, and hoisted it high, brought it to his lips and broke down in tears, two decades hockey was better each time he was on it. worth of waiting released in those indelible first few seconds. Hockey tradition wasn’t nearly as important as hockey history. I watched Bourque’s final game with my dad, who later had the idea to add a special page to the back of my scrapbook.

“It’s OK to root for the person,” he told me as we fitted Bourque’s newspaper headlines against Avalanche blue paper.

I lost my dad to lung cancer in 2015, six years after Bourque lost his the same way. It was quick, sudden and painful.

I still have the scrapbook and all the memorabilia. But, most importantly, I still have my father’s wisdom. It’s OK to root for the person, even when it hurts.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173368 Buffalo Sabres commemorating his Markham roots by giving back to help Markham Stouffville Hospital combat Covid-19. His contribution will make a huge difference to our front-line health care workers and will help ensure our Sabres' Jeff Skinner makes three $53,000 donations to Covid-19 causes community – the community where Jeff grew up – receives the critical care it needs during this challenging time."

Kitchener was Skinner's home during his final two years of high school. By Lance Lysowski He left his family in Markham to pursue his dream with the storied OHL franchise and wound up scoring 77 regular-season goals over his two

years with the Rangers, leading him to be selected seventh overall by the The tales of courage and kindness featured on news broadcasts during Hurricanes in 2010. the coronavirus pandemic resonated with Jeff Skinner. His donation will help the Food Bank of Waterloo Region – which covers Skinner, a 27-year-old winger for the Buffalo Sabres, wondered how he the Kitchener area – reduce service disruptions by providing more than could help those impacted by the public health crisis. 150,000 meals to the community.

He took action over the past week by making three separate $53,000 "It’s always been a supportive community to me," Skinner said. donations – a reference to his jersey number, 53 – to Covid-19 related "Obviously leaving home and going to a new place to play hockey, it can causes in Buffalo; his hometown, Markham, Ont.; and Kitchener, Ont., be challenging. Kitchener supported me and guided me and helped me the city in which he was a junior hockey star. grow up in a way. The food bank there is another opportunity to give back to a community that’s always been good to me and is part of who I His first contribution went to the relief fund created by Pegula Sports and am. " Entertainment. Then, Skinner chose to assist Markham Stouffville Hospital, and the Hockey League's Kitchener Rangers Buffalo News LOADED: 04.08.2020 announced Tuesday their former star forward made a donation that will provide more than 150,000 meals to the Food Bank of Waterloo Region.

"It’s obviously a shock to the system for everyone, but I’m in a fortunate position that I can help out in a way," Skinner told The Buffalo News. "It causes a lot of time for reflection and what you can be grateful for. Obviously watching the news and seeing what’s going on, there’s a lot of great stories out there amidst the crisis and some great kindness and courage stories about humanity. For me, I think you pause and be grateful for what you have. From there, you look to help any way you can."

Skinner wanted to help the communities that helped him become a two- time All-Star in the National Hockey League. His first donation came approximately one week after PSE announced it was partnering with the Bills and Sabres foundations to make an initial $1.2 million donation to help with Covid-19 relief in Western New York.

In addition to providing aid to front-line health care workers, the money was to be distributed to a number of organizations, including FeedMore WNY, Rural Outreach Center and the newly formed Western New York COVID-19 Community Response Fund.

Skinner, who played his first eight NHL seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes, signed an eight-year, $72 million contract with the Sabres last June after being traded to Buffalo before the 2018-19 season. He was named an All-Star and scored a career-high 40 goals during his first season with the Sabres.

"Buffalo is where I live," said Skinner, listing the reasons why he chose to help in Western New York. "Being a Sabre and what that means to the community, seeing what the Pegulas kickstarted. To jump on board and be part of that was a good opportunity for me to contribute there.

"I was born in Toronto, but I grew up in Markham. My family is there. All my roots are there. The hospital there isn’t too far from where I grew up. Just like any hospital now, it’s facing some unprecedented challenges through this crisis and for me it’s always going to be where I grew up. ... I have really strong ties to that community."

Markham Stouffville Hospital is a two-site community care facility serving the southeast York region near Toronto. The hospital has created a fund to purchase hospital-grade masks, gloves, gowns and face shields.

Thank you to Markham native and @BuffaloSabres @JeffSkinner for honouring the frontline health care workers combatting #COVID19 at his hometown hospital, @MSHospital, with a $53,000 donation, a nod to his jersey number. #MarkhamProud pic.twitter.com/5QmyUefdWX

— Markham Stouffville Hospital (@MSHospital) April 6, 2020

The coronavirus pandemic has overwhelmed health-care facilities across the globe, leading to a shortage of ventilators and personal protective equipment. Sabres captain Jack Eichel assisted with the latter when he donated 5,000 medical shields to hospitals in the Buffalo area.

"Jeff Skinner’s generous donation to Markham Stouffville Hospital speaks directly to his character as a leader and the values at the heart of our community," Suzette Strong, CEO of Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation, said in a statement. "We are honored that Jeff is 1173369 Buffalo Sabres Harrington: This one intrigues me. It's questionable when we might see fans in any arenas, but it's seems plausible to be playing games without large gatherings. So why not find more intimate environments that would Evaluating five of the NHL's rumored return-to-play scenarios look better for television? Sportsnet floated the idea of Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, N.D., one of college hockey's premier venues, as a neutral site for multiple games. Manchester, N.H., has been mentioned. What about Pegula Ice Arena at Penn State? Maybe you want to stay in By Mike Harrington and Lance Lysowski solid college rinks in much more rural settings where the coronavirus has been less of an issue so far. Go to a province like Saskatchewan, where there are junior rinks. If there's a comfort level to moving into cities, what No one knows when or if the National Hockey League will be able to about historic in Boston, where the Bruins played a resume its season. century ago and Northeastern University still plays? The Associated Press even tossed the LECOM Harborcenter into the ring among the Commissioner Gary Bettman acknowledged Tuesday on NBC Sports myriad options. Why not? It's hosted multiple world championship events. Network that the NHL is weeks away from making a decision and is capable of playing well into the summer. The league is considering a Lysowski: Neutral-site games could help the NHL mitigate the risk of number of scenarios, one of which includes neutral-site games at players or staff members contracting the virus. This would allow the locations across North America. league to keep players at designated hotels in cities where the coronavirus has not overwhelmed local health care facilities. Less travel How realistic are those plans, though? Mike Harrington and Lance is better for everyone – including the general public – and would address Lysowski offer their thoughts on five return-to-play scenarios that have some of the possible concerns with TV networks. been the subject of speculation in various media outlets: Do you think NBC will want to shuttle equipment and staff between sites? Resume the regular season with an abbreviated playoff format There are safety and logistical concerns that need to be considered. Harrington: Assuming we play hockey at some point – admittedly a huge Charter flights aren’t available to everyone. This would also allow the assumption right now – it's clear no one is comfortable with deciding the league to focus its staff and resources on select locations. final playoff teams on points percentage because we currently have The NHL will need to formulate a plan on how participating teams will uneven numbers of games played. The Islanders, with one fewer point split the revenue and the NHLPA will need to agree to a plan that could but two fewer games played, would get in over Columbus in the East prevent players from seeing their families for up to two months. Good while current West wild-card leader Winnipeg (80 points in 71 games) luck getting everyone to agree. would be out and replaced by Vancouver (78 points in 69 games). That's goofy. This is my ideal scenario: Resume the regular season so that all Return every team to play with a 31-team playoff teams can get to 76 or 78 games and things are thus equal. Then start the playoffs with either a best-of-three or best-of-five series for the first Harrington: This was P.K. Subban's idea. I get it. Give his team two rounds. Get to your conference finals before you go best of seven. something to shoot for after a lousy season in which the Devils finally saw the light by going 6-2-2 heading into the pause. But this isn't March Lysowski: This is a best-case scenario for the league. Playing the Madness. I don't want to see the Los Angeles Kings, who won their final remaining 189 regular-season games would provide teams on the bubble seven games but are still 28th overall, make some crazy miracle run with every opportunity to qualify for the playoffs. It would also help teams deep into the playoffs. They had 70 games to figure things out. If I'm maximize the value of players acquired at the trade deadline, some of running this league, I can run many scenarios, but Buffalo, New Jersey, which cost high draft picks. This would also finalize each team’s odds for Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Jose, Ottawa and Detroit would all be told, the draft lottery, though we aren’t sure when or how a draft will be held. 'See ya in the fall.' It will be brutal on those organizations to be forced to have potentially seven months off, but they could have played better from This scenario isn’t worth the trouble, though. You’d end up pushing back October to March and not been in this spot. the lottery, scouting combine, draft, free agency, training camp and likely, the start of next season. Remember, teams are going to need weeks of Lysowski: Don’t hold the playoffs at all if you’re going to have to put an training before a game is played. Owners would still lose millions of asterisk next to the team’s name on the Stanley Cup. How would the dollars because fans won't be able to attend games. That means no league and its fans react if the Florida Panthers win the single-elimination revenue from ticket sales, luxury suites, concessions or parking. tournament? Again, do the Sabres deserve the same Stanley Cup odds as the Bruins? Sorry, P.K., but your team and many others had plenty of Return with an expanded playoff format of 24 teams time to earn a playoff spot. The league doesn't need to worry about Harrington: A lot of players who have done various interviews in recent reaching every market, though doing so would be welcomed by some weeks are hesitant to jump right into the playoffs. Edmonton's Connor owners. Playoff ratings will be through the roof across North America McDavid said a possible Oilers-Calgary series would at first look like regardless of who is participating. Stockton vs. Bakersfield, a reference to the clubs' AHL affiliates. My Just call the whole thing off sense, however, is players might have to deal with exactly that. A 24- team field would bring hockey back to the majority of markets, eliminate Harrington: I don't even want to ponder this and don't understand why so the inequities currently at the bottom of the wild-card lists and, lo and many people are so quick to go down this road. If we can have a behold, give the last two spots to major markets of Chicago and tournament and award the Stanley Cup in August or September, why Montreal. You don't think NBC and the Canadian broadcast partners shouldn't we do it? Fans will watch and there won't be the asterisk on the would smile over that news? Especially in a summer when the Olympics championship. We have 19 teams that have played at least 70 games. are off? Fans of the 1995 Devils and 2013 Blackhawks will celebrate their Cup titles forever – and they followed seasons of 48 games. Lysowski: Do you think the Canadiens deserve to be in the playoffs? What about the Blackhawks? Me neither. And they definitely don’t And there are too many financial ramifications of not playing involving deserve to have the same Stanley Cup odds as the Boston Bruins, who television rights, player escrow, the salary cap and the like to not make lead the NHL with 100 points through 70 games. A 24-game playoff every effort to play. If the health officials say it can't be done, so be it. But would also take too long and waters down the format. we should be able to wait several more weeks before making that call. Otherwise, drop the puck. The better scenario is cancel the regular season and hold wild-card play- in games to determine the final spots in a regular 16-team playoff field. Lysowski: We all want hockey to return. The world needs the distraction Have four teams in each conference play – in the East, Carolina versus now more than ever. However, it's unclear if it will be possible before the the Rangers and Columbus versus the Islanders – with the winners start of next season. Recent projections indicate there are areas of the entering a typical postseason format. Make it a best of three if you want. United States where the curve is flattening, but there might be too many hurdles to hold professional sporting events in the near future. Is it perfect? No, but you’re not going to find a perfect, realistic scenario. This maintains the integrity of the Stanley Cup playoffs while providing There is significant risk involved and the situation isn't up to the leagues. the league with a schedule that won’t be disruptive to next season. Calgary canceled or banned all public gatherings, including sporting events, through June 30. Is it realistic to start the playoffs July 1? Luckily Hold a standard 16-team playoff with multiple neutral sites the NHL and other professional sports leagues won't have to make a final decision for weeks or months.

Here's an idea if the season is canceled: hold a in August or September. Sure, you're probably bumping back the start of next season – who needs the All-Star Game, anyways – but you're going to recoup revenue and this would prevent players from not competing in games for seven months. There won't be fans in the seats, but perhaps there will be less risk involved late in the summer.

Buffalo News LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173370 Buffalo Sabres It’s a blowout. The Sabres’ first uniform remains first in your hearts. Although slug jerseys flew off the shelves at an incredible rate during the 2006-07 season, a mere 1.1 percent of you chose it as your favorite.

We asked, you answered: The results to The Athletic’s Sabres fan survey Miller won in a landslide and is probably the answer that will come true. are here The Sabres haven’t given out the goalie’s No. 30 since trading him in 2014. But second place went to “No one,” which is certainly notable at 24.9 percent. By John Vogl Apr 7, 2020 The next question was “Who is your all-time favorite Sabres player?” It generated 1,533 responses. Here is everyone who got at least four votes: Let’s revisit the opening line of our Sabres fan survey. Dominik Hasek – 293 “The one constant through the Sabres’ 50 years has been the passion of the fans.” – 236

Yup, still true. Pat LaFontaine – 141

You embraced the chance to let your voice be heard in our inaugural 30- Ryan Miller – 110 question survey. You believe the Stanley Cup will one day be paraded through the streets of Buffalo, but not anytime soon. That’s probably Daniel Briere – 87 because you have little faith in general manager Jason Botterill. Still, the – 75 rough seasons haven’t dampened your enthusiasm for tuning into games and dreaming of superstars. Jack Eichel – 66

It was fun to watch the answers arrive in real time, and the final results Alexander Mogilny – 62 from 1,763 voters featured a few surprises. It was also a who’s who of Sabres history. So without further ado, here we go. Thomas Vanek – 35

Nearly half of you consider yourselves “die-hards” and a whopping 83.3 Maxim Afinogenov – 34 percent believe you’re more passionate than most. And you’ve been that Michael Peca – 33 way for a long time. Jason Pominville – 28 All-world goaltender Dominik Hasek piqued your interest while the untouchable scoring duo of Pat LaFontaine and Alexander Mogilny also Rick Martin – 25 attracted you. Just more than a quarter of you arrived in the Sabres’ – 17 earliest days, when Gilbert Perreault’s flowing hair and overflowing skills graced the Aud. Tim Connolly – 15

Hope springs eternal. Despite nine straight seasons without the playoffs Jim Schoenfeld – 14 and the lingering agony of No Goal, no defensemen and , nearly 83 percent of you are waiting for the Cup to arrive. – 12

However, nearly the same number of you can’t picture a parade by 2025. Danny Gare – 11 Nine seasons of losing will do that to a fan base, but the lack of belief in a Mike Foligno – 11 five-year plan should be worrisome since Jack Eichel is under contract for only six more seasons. Jay McKee – 11

(Note: This paragraph has been corrected from its original version) Stu Barnes – 11

The waiting list for season tickets is long gone and won’t be back anytime Mike Ramsey – 9 soon. Though the Sabres didn’t announce a season-ticket total this season, they did announce a tickets-sold count of 15,358 for the Oct. 28 Miroslav Satan – 9 visit by Arizona. If we assume zero walk-up sales for that contest and the J.P. Dumont – 7 actual renewal rate matches the 40 percent drop you say is coming, the Sabres would be looking at 9,215 season-ticket packages next season. Brad May – 6

That would be a staggering drop – and downright scary – for an – 6 organization that used to cap sales at 16,000 and needs to fill a 19,070- seat arena. Dave Andreychuk – 6

Nearly 84 percent of you catch the Sabres live at least once a season. – 6 We also asked, “If you don’t attend Sabres games, why not?” and Rene Robert – 6 received 922 responses. More than 500 said you don’t live in the Buffalo area. A significant number cited a bad or boring product, rising costs and Rick Dudley – 5 time constraints. Donald Audette – 4 Here’s the full list, including someone who’d rather take a hot stick to the backside than attend a game: Reasons. Derek Roy – 4

It’s not hard to find tickets for under $10 online and you clearly prefer a Jerry Korab – 4 bargain to the box office. – 4

I’ll admit, I was astonished that more than 25 percent of you tune into Don Luce – 4 every game. That’s a serious commitment and should be commended. A remarkable 65.6 percent watch more than half the games, so the Sabres Vaclav Varada – 4 remain must-see TV among the fan base. A mere 1 percent has totally tuned out. Teppo Numminen – 4

You’re more likely to have at least four jerseys than none and 57.7 If you carved a Mount Rushmore of Sabres legends, it would feature percent of you have multiple Sabres sweaters. While almost half will wait Hasek, Perreault, LaFontaine and Miller. It’s really no surprise the two to see what next season’s jerseys look like before deciding on a greatest players in franchise history – Hasek and Perreault – accounted purchase, 22.6 percent plan to embrace the return to royal blue for 34.5 percent of the votes. regardless of the sweater’s appearance. Briere and Drury are almost equally loved, which is fitting given their Kyle Connor – 5 connection as co-captains. A nice surprise is Connolly, who cracks the top 15 despite an injury-filled and often-belittled career. Patrik Laine – 5

Others getting votes included Patrick Kaleta, Andrew Peters, Yuri Jonathan Toews – 5 Khmylev, Tom Barrasso, , Matthew Barnaby, Lindy Ruff, Mitch Marner – 5 Larry Playfair, Jochen Hecht, John Scott, Johan Larsson, Henrik Tallinder, Eddie Shack, , Dixon Ward, Craig Ramsay, John Tavares – 5 Adam Mair and Dave Snuggerud. Sean Couturier – 5 Since Eichel finished seventh in the all-time vote, there’s no shock he’s Victor Hedman – 4 the runaway winner for the current Sabres. Rasmus Dahlin was second while Sam Reinhart finished third at 5 percent. John Gibson – 4

The Sabres lost two seasons just to get Eichel, and 34.3 percent are Colorado’s MacKinnon ranks as the NHL’s second-best player in your tuning in simply to watch the captain and his blossoming career. eyes. Kane gets the hometown vote. The Sabres need a No.2 center, and the departed O’Reilly gets the need and snark vote to finish third. He Perreault not only leads every category, it’s not even close. For Eichel to was also one of the only ones to get comments attached to his name. have a shot, he’s going to need more seasons like this one. The center is averaging 1.15 points per game in 2019-20, a shade above Perreault’s “Housley blew it with him, should have tackled his apathy rather than career average of 1.11. ignore it.”

The Original Sabre put up 512 goals, 814 assists and 1,326 points in “Too soon?” 1,191 games. Eichel is at 137 goals, 200 assists and 337 points in 354 games. He’ll need to match Perreault’s longevity to have a chance, but “Ouch. Just Thanos Snap exactly what your team needs out of the roster more than half of you think he can do it. and replace it with … nothing.”

The Sabres hope Dahlin will become the first Norris Trophy winner in Along those lines, there were a few write-in votes for “any second-line franchise history. He’s still no match for Eichel. center.”

I figured this would be closer. Luukkonen has a nice path to the Sabres’ People still love RJ and you also like the studio analysts. Biron and Duff crease in two seasons, but you clearly believe Cozens will develop and finished second and third, respectively, for their roles on the pre- and give Buffalo its needed one-two punch down the middle with Eichel. postgame shows. Ray was just behind Duff at 6.1 percent.

The next question – “If you could pick any NHL player to join the Sabres, I have to believe the 3.2 percent who voted for Rigas were kidding since who would it be?” – was an absolute blowout. Of the 1,386 responses, his bankruptcy nearly forced the team to move. Regardless, no one can there were 514 votes for Connor McDavid (37.1 percent). The obvious touch the beloved brothers who founded the organization. The Pegulas thought is who wouldn’t want him, but there were plenty of people who and Golisano have a similar number of backers. chose someone else. Here’s everyone who got at least four votes: First of all, one of you commented there should have been a “Confident” Nathan MacKinnon – 87 choice between “Very confident” and “Not very confident.” I agree, so my apologies. Since “Not sure” was listed in the middle, it’s safe to assume – 82 some voters equated that choice with “Confident.”

Ryan O’Reilly – 70 Either way, 56.2 percent of you have little or no confidence in the Pegulas. Six coaches, four presidents, three GMs and one playoff Leon Draisaitl – 43 appearance in 10 seasons of ownership will do that. Alexander Ovechkin – 42 The Pegulas can at least take solace that they aren’t Botterill. Nearly 60 Auston Matthews – 40 percent of you have little or no confidence in the general manager. His team ranks 29th in the NHL with an 88-115-30 record since he took over – 30 in May 2017. The only teams worse are Ottawa (82-124-29) and Detroit David Pastrnak – 23 (79-128-28). The O’Reilly trade and the aforementioned inability to replace the center certainly impacted the votes. – 21 Krueger is held in much higher regard among the fans. A shade under 50 Patrice Bergeron – 16 percent of you are very or extremely confident in the first-year coach. With another 41.1 percent falling in the middle, it’s clear the honeymoon Anthony Cirelli – 14 period hasn’t worn off for the well-spoken leader.

Dylan Larkin – 14 The Pegulas’ privately funded arena and stadium study has been Steven Stamkos – 12 completed (but not yet revealed). The overwhelming majority of you hope the study shows renovations for KeyBank Center and not a brand-new Brad Marchand – 11 build.

Andrei Vasilevskiy – 10 And following off that, the next question was “What changes to the arena need to be done most?” There was no shortage of opinions with 1,222 Artemi Panarin – 10 responses. The No. 1 answer – by a mile – was new seats. The replies Brayden Point – 10 also prominently featured concessions, cleaning the place, the scoreboard and the simply stated “everything.” Johnny Gaudreau – 10 Here is your full list of suggestions: Arena. Taylor Hall – 9 It was a Sabres fan survey, so you’d expect the hockey team to win. But Brady Tkachuk – 9 Buffalo is often regarded as a football town first, and the Bills had a solid showing. Logan Couture – 8 There’s obviously a lot going on in the world, and it’s more significant Matthew Tkachuk – 7 than goals or assists and wins or losses. But living without sports for the – 7 past month has increased your desire for the games. Fewer than 1 in 10 of you don’t miss the action, a stat that’s sure to be embraced by teams Elias Pettersson – 6 and leagues whenever sports return.

Carey Price – 6 But for now, talking about sports and the Sabres is all we have, so thank you for making your voice heard. The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173371 “You’re really excited to see what this team could do,” Treliving said. “We went through a great deal of adversity throughout the year and I think in a lot of ways, that hardened us. I thought our team was really playing Flames' Treliving enjoying throwback games, still hopeful for live playoff extremely well. I thought we were sort of approaching this time of year as action you would hope to be, in terms of playing our best games. I know our team was excited about the stretch-drive ahead of us …

“Adversity, it doesn’t build character, it reveals it,” he added later. “I think Wes Gilbertson we’ve been through a lot and I was excited to take all those experiences and see how the finished product would look. Hopefully, we’re going to

get a chance to see that.” When Brad Treliving has control of the remote, he prefers Joe Carter or WHAT ABOUT JUUSO? Joe Colborne to Joe Exotic. He must be lonely, but Flames top prospect Juuso Valimaki is making “I couldn’t get into that Tiger King thing my daughters were watching — positive progress in his recovery from what most expected would be a that’s just crazy,” Treliving said Tuesday on a conference call with local season-ending knee injury. media. “So I’ve been watching a lot of those old games, and it’s been entertaining.” As a rehabbing player, the 21-year-old is permitted to skate at the Saddledome during the COVID-19 pause. With all professional sports paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of fans have been getting their fix thanks to throwback footage. None of his teammates are allowed at the rink.

Treliving, the general manager of the Calgary Flames, is no different. “He’s made tremendous strides throughout his rehab,” said Flames general manager Brad Treliving of Valimaki, who suffered a torn ACL in He’s re-lived the glory days of the Toronto Blue Jays, winners of back-to- August and has missed the entire season so far. “We’re not at that back World Series titles in 1992 and ’93. position where if we were playing today, he’s cleared. But he certainly is He’s watched current assistant coach Martin Gelinas start his reputation moving in the right direction and there has been no setbacks there.” as ‘The Eliminator’ with a Game 7 goal for the Flames in the Question is, could Valimaki — the Flames’ first-round selection in the opening round in 2004 and then skate for the 1994 2017 NHL Draft and with 26 big-league appearances on his resume so just after the commercial break, quite a feat even for this fitness freak. (“I far — return to the lineup if this season eventually resumes? phoned Gelly and said, ‘You must be tired — you were playing in back- to-back games!’ ”) “I guess the answer would be maybe,” Treliving replied. “I’ve said it all along — the No. 1 priority for us for Juuso is we think he’s going to be a He’s wondered the same as the rest of us. (“What the hell was a penalty really, really impactful player for a long time, and I’m not going to do back then?”) anything to put that in jeopardy for a short-term return. When he’s ready “And then I watched our Game 6 in 2015 against Vancouver,” Treliving to go at 100%, no restrictions, that’s when he’ll go. If that matches up and said, referring to a stirring comeback for a series victory in his what was blends in when we have time remaining in this season, so be it. If it’s not his first campaign at the Saddledome. “It’s funny, you start sweating. We until 2020-21 … were down 3-0 and I knew how it ended, but you’re still nervous.” “There is no, ‘Let’s push it a little harder here now so we can get him For the foreseeable future, hockey fans will have to settle for archived ready for if we come back.’ We’re taking the long view on this one.” material. Calgary Herald: LOADED: 04.08.2020 It’s been nearly four weeks since COVID-19 forced a sporting shutdown. There’s no score-clock for a global health crisis, but the end is nowhere in sight.

Treliving started Tuesday’s call with the important stuff — thanking medical workers and other front-liners, marking the second anniversary of the Humboldt Broncos’ bus tragedy and sending his well-wishes to Edmonton Oilers forward Colby Cave after he was placed in a medically induced coma due to a brain bleed — but also reiterated that he remains optimistic about eventually returning to the rink to conclude the 2019-20 campaign.

There has been plenty of brainstorming about what the Stanley Cup playoffs could look like, including talk of a neutral-site tournament.

Before any of that, the skating stars would need to be cleared to travel. Many are isolating at their off-season homes, some overseas.

“Our hope is that you get to that stage because that means a lot of things are going well,” Treliving said. “I think we’re all looking for good news. Again, I always preface that we have to take our appropriate place and make sure that we place the importance of our games in the appropriate — it’s down the list. But to me, that gives you hope and optimism that things are going to get better.”

Things were going fairly well for the Flames before the COVID-19 pandemic prompted this timeout.

They were perched in a playoff position.

After a rollercoaster season that included TJ Brodie’s scary collapse in practice and alarming accusations from Bill Peters’ previous stops that eventually led to his resignation as coach, they believed they were peaking at the right time.

Sure, Treliving has enjoyed those throwback games, but the reality TV that he’s yearning for is to see what his club could accomplish in the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs. 1173372 Calgary Flames “You’re really excited to see what this team could do,” Treliving said. “We went through a great deal of adversity throughout the year and I think in a lot of ways, that hardened us. I thought our team was really playing Flames' Treliving enjoying throwback games, still hopeful for live playoff extremely well. I thought we were sort of approaching this time of year as action you would hope to be, in terms of playing our best games. I know our team was excited about the stretch-drive ahead of us …

“Adversity, it doesn’t build character, it reveals it,” he added later. “I think Wes Gilbertson we’ve been through a lot and I was excited to take all those experiences and see how the finished product would look. Hopefully, we’re going to

get a chance to see that.” When Brad Treliving has control of the remote, he prefers Joe Carter or WHAT ABOUT JUUSO? Joe Colborne to Joe Exotic. He must be lonely, but Flames top prospect Juuso Valimaki is making “I couldn’t get into that Tiger King thing my daughters were watching — positive progress in his recovery from what most expected would be a that’s just crazy,” Treliving said Tuesday on a conference call with local season-ending knee injury. media. “So I’ve been watching a lot of those old games, and it’s been entertaining.” As a rehabbing player, the 21-year-old defenceman is permitted to skate at the Saddledome during the COVID-19 pause. With all professional sports paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of fans have been getting their fix thanks to throwback footage. None of his teammates are allowed at the rink.

Treliving, the general manager of the Calgary Flames, is no different. “He’s made tremendous strides throughout his rehab,” said Flames general manager Brad Treliving of Valimaki, who suffered a torn ACL in He’s re-lived the glory days of the Toronto Blue Jays, winners of back-to- August and has missed the entire season so far. “We’re not at that back World Series titles in 1992 and ’93. position where if we were playing today, he’s cleared. But he certainly is He’s watched current assistant coach Martin Gelinas start his reputation moving in the right direction and there has been no setbacks there.” as ‘The Eliminator’ with a Game 7 overtime goal for the Flames in the Question is, could Valimaki — the Flames’ first-round selection in the opening round in 2004 and then skate for the 1994 Vancouver Canucks 2017 NHL Draft and with 26 big-league appearances on his resume so just after the commercial break, quite a feat even for this fitness freak. (“I far — return to the lineup if this season eventually resumes? phoned Gelly and said, ‘You must be tired — you were playing in back- to-back games!’ ”) “I guess the answer would be maybe,” Treliving replied. “I’ve said it all along — the No. 1 priority for us for Juuso is we think he’s going to be a He’s wondered the same as the rest of us. (“What the hell was a penalty really, really impactful player for a long time, and I’m not going to do back then?”) anything to put that in jeopardy for a short-term return. When he’s ready “And then I watched our Game 6 in 2015 against Vancouver,” Treliving to go at 100%, no restrictions, that’s when he’ll go. If that matches up and said, referring to a stirring comeback for a series victory in his what was blends in when we have time remaining in this season, so be it. If it’s not his first campaign at the Saddledome. “It’s funny, you start sweating. We until 2020-21 … were down 3-0 and I knew how it ended, but you’re still nervous.” “There is no, ‘Let’s push it a little harder here now so we can get him For the foreseeable future, hockey fans will have to settle for archived ready for if we come back.’ We’re taking the long view on this one.” material. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 04.08.2020 It’s been nearly four weeks since COVID-19 forced a sporting shutdown. There’s no score-clock for a global health crisis, but the end is nowhere in sight.

Treliving started Tuesday’s call with the important stuff — thanking medical workers and other front-liners, marking the second anniversary of the Humboldt Broncos’ bus tragedy and sending his well-wishes to Edmonton Oilers forward Colby Cave after he was placed in a medically induced coma due to a brain bleed — but also reiterated that he remains optimistic about eventually returning to the rink to conclude the 2019-20 campaign.

There has been plenty of brainstorming about what the Stanley Cup playoffs could look like, including talk of a neutral-site tournament.

Before any of that, the skating stars would need to be cleared to travel. Many are isolating at their off-season homes, some overseas.

“Our hope is that you get to that stage because that means a lot of things are going well,” Treliving said. “I think we’re all looking for good news. Again, I always preface that we have to take our appropriate place and make sure that we place the importance of our games in the appropriate spectrum — it’s down the list. But to me, that gives you hope and optimism that things are going to get better.”

Things were going fairly well for the Flames before the COVID-19 pandemic prompted this timeout.

They were perched in a playoff position.

After a rollercoaster season that included TJ Brodie’s scary collapse in practice and alarming accusations from Bill Peters’ previous stops that eventually led to his resignation as coach, they believed they were peaking at the right time.

Sure, Treliving has enjoyed those throwback games, but the reality TV that he’s yearning for is to see what his club could accomplish in the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs. 1173373 Calgary Flames Cup. And the people who are going to win it are the people that come out of the break the best. It means fitness levels are an important thing. Then there’s all the minutiae – of how do we get the players here? (Only Duhatschek: Calgary GM Brad Treliving is readying the Flames for any between eight and 10 currently remain in Calgary.) Then the other piece scenario is the technical side. We will be coming off something that no one’s ever seen before – where players have been off the ice for a long period of time. So, will there be technical changes? Will we play a more aggressive style? Would you play the same style? Would you play a more reserved By Eric Duhatschek Apr 7, 2020 style? So, all those questions come under the restart file.

2020-21:“All the things for next year that need to happen – free agency. Just as the rest of us these days, Calgary Flames general Brad Treliving Team building. Staffing. How does that look moving forward? Is it is working from home most of the time, trying hard not to interrupt the expanding? Is it decreasing? Does it mean redeploying people?” household routine of his wife and two teenage daughters. Sometimes, The draft: “All of our preparation for the that goes into the draft. Our he’ll even succeed (“They haven’t voted me off the island … yet,” says amateur guys are working on video; compiling our list; doing all that sort Treliving, with a laugh). of stuff. We have a plan in place to continue that process.” After six years at the helm, the one quality that always stood out with “So those files, they encompass today and tomorrow,” said Treliving. “So Treliving was his organizational skill – and the current NHL pause as a you work on those and then you call everybody every two or three days result of the coronavirus is no exception. Treliving has divided his to see how they’re doing. workload into three separate files and chips away at all of them, little by little, day by day. The goal is to be ready for any contingency: a “I’ve been through lockouts before, but this is different. There is no resumption of play at some later stage of the spring or the summer, or playbook for this one, because of the total uncertainty. Even with the ultimately, the cancellation of what remains of the 2019-20 NHL season, lockout, as much as the there was uncertainty over when we were in which case he would then quickly have to segue into setting next starting up again, you just focused on when we’re starting and what’s the year’s plans and agendas. cap going to be – and then you worked through all the transition rules.

All of this is complicated by the all-too-apparent fact that the NHL is “But this? This is so much bigger. And what are we coming back to? I treading in unknown waters, and so all the lessons that can be learned haven’t spent a lot of time on the business side. The economic impact of from previous work stoppages are, for the most part, unhelpful. When the this. What’s the new normal going to look like?” NHL gets back to playing – which it will, eventually – what will the salary cap look like? That has an implication on his budget. Will there be a Treliving noted that while every day felt like Groundhog Day because the contract amnesty? Because if NHL revenues drop precipitously during days can be so repetitive, “you can’t get lost in the that. At the end of the The Pause, teams that were pressing up against the salary cap back in day, there are a host of issues out there. They’re going to get solved. the days of normal operations will be in a tight spot. “I keep coming back to this. There’ll be an end to the 2019-20 season, Any player approaching unrestricted free agency this summer – and the and there’ll be a start to the 2020-21 season, and in the middle, there’s Flames have a few, including defencemen T.J. Brodie, Travis Hamonic, going to an opportunity to get all the other business done. You can’t get plus newcomers Erik Gustafsson and Derek Forbort – may discover that frustrated. The league is aware of the critical-date calendar. Things will what they thought they might be able to earn on the open market is less get done. You just need to be prepared for it. than what they originally believed – and the idea of getting term on a “Whenever you come through a crisis — and we’re in a crisis now — contract might become more difficult. there are opportunities there. That sounds positive in a time where there Moreover, if the NHL does come back in some version this year, the are lots of negatives. But you have to find what the next opportunity is. Flames’ depth on defence will be practically unprecedented. Mark You’ve got to find out how best to lead. It’s easy to lead when you’re a Giordano was already back playing before play stopped. Hamonic was sailor and the seas are calm. It’s when it gets choppy that you have to dig skating and getting close. in and lead – and that’s what we’re trying to do here. How best do we prepare ourselves and not get down or frustrated by the things we don’t And a player they hadn’t counted on at all this year – Juuso Valimaki, have answers to, but be prepared, when the answers do come, that you who’d been out all season recovering from major knee surgery in the fall adapt. – could also be ready to go, and Valimaki might even have an advantage over the field because he is currently eligible to skate as part of his “One day sort of blends into the next right now. At some point, it’s going rehabilitation program, which the rest of the league can’t do. to turn into a sprint – and you can’t be in a situation that you’re just opening up the file for the first time and say, ‘OK, let’s deal with those.’ So, a laundry list of what ifs, maybes and uncertainties, all of which are Let’s have answers to the questions that we know inevitably will come – occupying Treliving at the moment. and when they do come, we think we can act appropriately.”

Nowadays, just about every conversation – personal and professional – Treliving’s point about adaptability is a good one because he’s correct begins with a review of how people are coping. Treliving mentions in that when the NHL returns, it will not be business as usual. It can’t be. passing that he and his family continue to support a neighbourhood sushi Just about everybody is feeling poorer today than they were before the restaurant that they patronize regularly – and it feels as safe as it pause. What are the implications of that on the business of professional possibly can, the chefs outfitted in protective gear that looks not unlike a hockey? Businesses may fail, especially in Calgary, where the oil patch Hazmat suit. But Treliving’s father, Jim, operates Boston Pizza and is under siege. Unemployment rolls are swelling everywhere. If everyone overall, the restaurant industry is suffering greatly during the call to social feels poorer, people are not going to have the same disposable income isolation. Work, in these times, can be a distraction, even a balm of sorts, as they did two months ago – and that will have an effect on the bottom and Treliving tends to be a bit of workaholic in normal times anyway. line of professional sports franchises, and by extension, on the way they operate going forward. In an interview with The Athletic – and then later in a conference call with reporters, Treliving discussed how he’s keeping his busy, beginning with Coming out of the 2004-05 lockout, when the NHL introduced the salary the three files that occupy most of his working day. They are: cap for the first time, some NHL teams continued to operate the way they did before the work stoppage and didn’t adjust particularly well to the new The restart, if it actually does occur: According to Treliving, you have to realities (Boston Bruins, take a bow. You went from second overall in the be ready, just in case: “So that involves a) How do we get everybody conference to 13th). Others anticipated how the business of hockey back? b) From a coaching perspective, what do we want to do with changed and adapted seamlessly (including a Detroit Red Wings team camp? Do we want to expand the camp? Do we want to bring in extra that everyone believed would slip because they couldn’t spend endlessly players so we can do intra-squad games? It’s everything to do with how and still ended up winning the Western Conference for the next three do we restart the season, if we do restart the season. Because, at the years). end of the day, you have to operate as if you’re playing. You can’t be caught unawares. Until somebody tells us we’re not playing, everybody in That year, the NHL actually set its first salary cap deliberately low, our group is operating under the assumption that we are playing, but we because they anticipated that fan anger might keep attendance down. As just don’t know when. So, we have our strength and conditioning people it turned out, the people who threatened to boycott and otherwise stay talking to our players every day. If we restart, somebody’s winning the away from games didn’t do so for very long. In the end, it didn’t take any Normally, if the NHL hadn’t been paused, the playoffs would start this time at all for the business of hockey to recover. week. On a percentage basis, the Flames were among the top eight teams in the Western Conference heading into the pause, after a season But this somehow feels different and potentially longer lasting. And it isn’t of turmoil that included a coaching change – from Bill Peters to Geoff fuelled by emotion, the way it might have been in 2004-05. It is fuelled by Ward – and a scary cardiac episode on the ice involving Brodie (who a darker, starker economic reality. It’s not that people won’t want to go subsequently made a full recovery). In short, it’s been one challenge after back to games. They probably will – they’ll need the distraction, and the another and Treliving believes it hardened the team. social interaction. They just won’t be able to afford to. Does that mean ticket prices potentially could come down? “I thought our team was really playing well,” said Treliving. “I know our team was excited about the stretch drive. “I don’t care where you sit on the economic scale, nobody has escaped this,” said Treliving. “So, what does that all mean? That’s why I’m trying “My grandmother used to say, ‘This too shall pass.’ I do think our team, to figure out — what is the new reality going to look like? we’ve been through a lot. Adversity doesn’t build character, it reveals it. I was excited to take all those experiences and see how the finished “You’re very mindful of the hardships people are going through. You also product would look – and hopefully we’ll get a chance to see that … to have to cognizant of what the world is going to look like when we get see what this team can accomplish, if and when we get back together.” through this. We are going to get through, but it’s something you have to pay attention to. The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020

“My daughters are 17 and 13. They don’t remember a world where, when you went through airport security, you didn’t have to gear down … Our new normal after 9/11 was just their regular life. When we emerge from this, there’ll be a new normal – and all of us have to work together to help one another emerge stronger.

“It’s not lost on us the hardships people are going through. How do we help with that, and how do we get through it, and on the other side, get everybody back up on their feet.”

Because of the uncertainty over the salary cap going forward, Treliving says he is talking to player agents about possible contract extensions, but no real negotiations are taking place.

“There’s communication but you are kind of saying the same thing – there’s a willingness on both sides to negotiate, but until you get more information, how can you? But it’s important to keep the lines of communication open and wait and see. Because at some point in time, we will have that information – for both sides to make an informed decision.”

Ultimately, commissioner Gary Bettman will make the call about a possible resumption of the 2019-20 season, with the help of the appropriate medical people. Ideally, they want to complete the regular season and the playoffs, even if it means spilling the current season into the first week of September, at which point they could award a Stanley Cup, give everyone five weeks off and then start the 2020-21 season about a month later than usual. If they then eliminated the All-Star and the bye week, they could complete the season by the end of April 2021 and award next year’s Stanley Cup by the end of June.

“Once you get that quote/unquote ‘all-clear’ to get going, you try to build that into a potential re-start calendar,” said Treliving. “But there’s a lot of moving parts, if we get to that stage. Our hope is you get to that stage, because that means a lot of things are going well. And then I think it all falls into the ‘we’ll figure it all out’ file.”

If the “all-clear” comes later rather than sooner and thus shortens the time frame to potentially complete the current campaign, that’s when the more creative adjustments – shorter playoff series, play-in rounds, etc. – start becoming more viable options.

Financially, it’s understandable why the league doesn’t want to lose any regular season revenue if that is at all possible, but from a practical standpoint, it seems silly to drag the bottom three teams in each of the conferences back to complete a meaningless regular season because they have all been effectively eliminated from postseason play. And to include them in a playoff-style tournament would unduly diminish the value and importance of the first 1,000-plus games of the regular season – which makes far less sense.

“Say we come back and play a stretch drive. It’s going to look very different than it otherwise would have. If you go through every team – and I have – it’s amazing how many guys were injured and are now going to be healthy. You go up and down the league, there were just so many injuries this year. So how teams looked when we stopped on March 12 and how they look if we start up at some point wherever, or if ever, that’s completely changed.”

“The draft is the easiest thing. You can do the draft via conference call. It’s taking away the expectations of what we normally do. Is it going to have the flair that we normally have? No. But to physically draft players and to have everyone come out with a completed draft, that’s not that difficult to do.” 1173374 Carolina Hurricanes

The Athletic’s Hurricane survey: Tell us what you think of the franchise

By Sara Civian Apr 7, 2020

First off, thank you.

For real.

We’re all collectively going through an unprecedented, scary and incredibly stressful time right now, but one thing I have felt so grateful for every day is your continued support of The Athletic. You are the reason my colleagues and I have one less worry these days.

I can only hope I’m reciprocating by giving you a little distraction here and there.

Expect that to continue as we all search for a new normal together. We also thought it would be fun to put together a series of surveys seeking your opinion about what’s currently going on with the local teams.

Though the Metropolitan Division was the tightest race in the league and it’s impossible to say how the playoff picture would look today, Dom’s trusty model says the Canes would have made it (more on that from both of us soon).

The Canes went through some brutal injuries, with Norris contender Dougie Hamilton out months ago, then rock-solid Brett Pesce and both Petr Mrazek and James Reimer out right before the deadline. The most eventful trade deadline in franchise history, though, brought reinforcements in Vincent Trocheck, Brady Skjei and a recovering Sami Vatanen.

We obviously don’t know if this season will get to resume in light of the COVID-19 crisis, but I wouldn’t bet on it. So maybe it’s time for some reflection, then some looking ahead?

Have fun.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173375 Chicago Blackhawks Corey Crawford: 24/29 (.828 SV%)

Jordan Binnington: 26/30 (.867 SV%)

NHL 20 sim: Penalty kill dooms Blackhawks in Game 1 loss vs. Blues For the Blackhawks to make a run, perhaps the most important is Crawford's play. He wasn’t at his best in Game 1, and thus finished with a 6-4 loss. Part of the issue was control, which led to the Blues By Matthew Rooney coming back to tie things up, but the defense didn’t do much to help. The penalty kill also left him hanging high and dry, especially on the game- winner, with Schenn cashing in wide open.

After surging into the postseason with two big wins in New York to earn Power play: the second wild-card spot, the rejuvenated Blackhawks head into a first round showdown with the rival Blues, who swept Chicago in the regular Chicago: 0-0 season series. Youth and defense fueled the Blackhawks in the last two St. Louis 3-4 games, which saw the likes of Alex DeBrincat, Kirby Dach and Alex Nylander play big roles in earning a playoff bid. No doubt Jeremy Colliton and company aren’t thrilled about getting zero power plays in Game 1, and they’ll certainly be in officials’ ears to try and As the Hawks head into Game 1, they’ll look for Patrick Kane and change that. However, the real killer here was the penalty kill. After the Jonathan Toews to return to the scoresheet like they have so many times Blackhawks' PK stepped up down the stretch, they collapsed in Game 1, in past playoffs. St. Louis comes into the series on a roll, one they’ve allowing three goals on four chances. Special teams success was practically been on since midseason last year. Not much is expected arguably the biggest factor down the stretch for the Hawks, and they league-wide from the Hawks in this series. Can they shock the world and need it to return to form to have any chance against St. Louis in this make some noise against their biggest rival? series.

Game 1: Blackhawks at Blues (April 8) Notable Blackhawks performances:

Result: Blues win 6-4 (STL leads 1-0) Patrick Kane (Goal)

Three Stars: Dominik Kubalik (Goal)

First Star: Ryan O’Reilly (2 G, 4 SOG) Duncan Keith (Assist)

Second Star: Vince Dunn (3 A, 1 SOG, 1 H, +1) The Blackhawks saw their familiar names return to the scoresheet, with Third Star: Alex DeBrincat (2 G, 5 SOG) regular season goal leaders Kane and Kubalik each notching a goal. Toews assisted on one of DeBrincat’s tallies. Keith assisted on another. DeBrincat was the star for the Hawks, netting two goals and getting five But the youth movement came to a bit of a halt in Game 1. shots on net. O’Reilly starred for the Blues, single-handedly bringing them back from a 4-2 deficit with a pair of goals, including a momentum- After playing big roles to close out the regular season, Dach, Strome, shifting goal late in the second period. That woke up the crowd and the Boqvist and Nylander combined for just one assist. The Hawks will need team as the Blues added three more unanswered goals in the third. their young role players to play a bigger role again to provide the depth needed to get by the Blues. Scoring summary: Game 1 of the playoffs looked much more like the first 70 regular season First period games than the last 12 for the Hawks. Chicago’s offense wasn’t able to bail out their defensive deficiencies like it did much of the season. It’s 8:16 Alexander Steen (O. Sundqvist, V. Dunn) 1-0 only one game, and a win in Game 2 would give the Hawks all the momentum as the series shifts to Chicago.

11:49 Alex DeBrincat (D. Keith) 1-1 In order to send the series home tied 1-1, the Blackhawks will need better play across the board. Look for a bounce-back performance after a 12:55 Alex DeBrincat (J. Toews, O. Maatta) 2-1 tough loss.

13:41 PP Robert Thomas (Z. Sanford, C. Parayko) 2-2 Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.08.2020 Second period

7:31 Dominik Kubalik (S. Koekkoek) 3-2

14:00 Patrick Kane (D. Strome) 4-2

18:34 R. O’Reilly (J. Schwartz, V. Dunn) 4-3

Third period

9:45 Ryan O’Reilly (C. Gunnarsson) 4-4

19:07 PP (C. Parayko, V. Dunn)

19:51 EN Jordan Kyrou (Unassisted)

Box score:

Shots on goal

Chicago: 30

St. Louis: 30

The Blackhawks kept up with the Blues the whole way, going shot-for- shot all 60 minutes. The turning point was O’Reilly’s late goal, which sparked the favored-Blues and their crowd. The Hawks gave up a few more shots on goal compared t the past two games, but taking four penalties played a hand in that. Their familiar names were back on the scoresheet, but unfortunately the defense fell back into old habits and couldn’t contain the Blues surge.

Goalies: 1173376 Chicago Blackhawks

2010 Hawks Rewind: 3 things we noticed in Blackhawks' Game 3 win over Sharks

By Charlie Roumeliotis April 07, 2020 7:00 PM

In honor of the 10-year anniversary of the 2010 Stanley Cup team, NBC Sports Chicago is re-airing each of the Blackhawks' 16 postseason wins from the run that ended a 49-year championship drought. You can join the conversation using #HawksRewind on social media.

The Blackhawks would've been happy with one win in San Jose, but they got two going back to Chicago and built on that momentum by knocking off the Sharks 3-2 in overtime to go up 3-0 in the Western Conference Final. Here are three things we noticed in the win:

1. Dustin Byfuglien's heroics

As tight as the first two games were, the Blackhawks faced their first real adversity of the series in Game 3 when they went up 2-1 late in the third period and gave up the tying goal 2:32 later as the Sharks forced overtime.

But then Big Buff did what he did best.

With 7:36 remaining in overtime, Byfuglien buried a pass in the slot, going top shelf before Evgeni Nabokov even realized where the puck was. And then Byfuglien celebrated the only way he knows how.

2. Dave Bolland was a force

Speaking of the game-winning overtime goal, what an incredible pass by Bolland to set that up. The Rat had an incredible third period and overtime, scoring the go-ahead goal with 6:55 left in regulation by getting past a couple of Sharks defenders and juking Nabokov.

3. A negated early goal

The Sharks were in a virtual must-win situation going into Game 3 after dropping their first two contests at home, and they thought they struck first in the opening 1:51 with a power-play goal. But after further review, the officials ruled that kicked the puck into the net and the call was overturned.

The Sharks scored the game's first goal anyways, but it didn't come until the 3:58 mark of the second period. You wonder how much life the negated goal would've given them and how it would've changed the complexion of the game had it counted.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173377 Chicago Blackhawks

Hawks Rewind: 2010 Blackhawks close in on Stanley Cup Final

By Scott King April 07, 2020 10:40 AM

Tuesday at 7 p.m. on NBC Sports Chicago, watch the Blackhawks take on the San Jose Sharks in Game 3 of the 2010 Western Conference finals.

Two of the Hawks' top playoff performers in 2010 would keep it going for Game 3 in San Jose.

Dustin Byfuglien scored in overtime to give Chicago a 3-0 series lead and bring the team incredibly close to the Stanley Cup Final. The Blackhawks hadn't been to the big dance since 1992.

Patrick Sharp stayed hot by scoring a power play goal in the second period.

Another player who regularly checked in during the 2010 postseason, Dave Bolland, scored in the third period.

Bolland's goal came on a breakaway and put Chicago ahead 2-1, but Patrick Marleau tied it up with 4:23 left in regulation to force overtime.

Byfuglien scored his seventh goal of the playoffs 12:24 into overtime for the 3-2 victory.

Antti Niemi had a stellar 44-save game for the Blackhawks, with five stops in overtime. Niemi and Chicago's penalty kill held San Jose to just one goal in six power play attempts, including the Hawks stopping all three in the third period.

Jonathan Toews grabbed two assists in Game 3, giving him a point in 12 straight playoff games and setting a Blackhawks record. had an 11-game streak in 1962.

The Hawks were set for the Sharks to visit the United Center for Game 4.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173378 Colorado Avalanche

A third Avalanche player tests positive for COVID-19

The NHL now has eight known coronavirus player cases, including five from the Ottawa Senators

By MIKE CHAMBERS | The Denver Post April 7, 2020 at 3:08 p.m.

A third Avalanche player has tested positive for COVID-19, the NHL announced Tuesday afternoon. The player is in self-isolation and has not had close contact with teammates for staff members, according to the league, which now has eight known positive tests among players.

The second Avalanche player to test positive was announced March 28, two days after the first.

The Ottawa Senators have the other NHL’s five other positive COVID-19 player tests. The Senators played at San Jose on March 8, the day before the Avs, and both games were played despite a Santa Clara County warning for residents to stay away from larger gatherings.

The Sens and Avs used the same visiting NHL locker room at SAP Center.

Denver Post: LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173379 Colorado Avalanche The Avalanche opened March on the road starting with a Feb. 28 back- to-back against the Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C., that was followed by a game versus the Predators in Nashville, Tenn. From there, they flew Third Avs player tests positive, NHL now has eight confirmed cases March 1 to Detroit for what was a March 2 victory over the Red Wings before flying back to Denver for a March 4 home game with the Anaheim Ducks.

By Ryan S. Clark Apr 7, 2020 Pepsi Center is also a venue the Avalanche share with the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets had games at Pepsi on March 1 and March 3.

Those games were against the and the Golden State Another Colorado Avalanche player is now the third on his team to test Warriors. No players from the Raptors or Warriors have tested positive positive for COVID-19 and the eighth overall confirmed case throughout for COVID-19. The Nuggets did issue a statement March 19 saying that a the NHL. member of their organization had tested positive and that person was being held in isolation. The NHL issued a release Tuesday afternoon saying the organization was informed in the morning about the unidentified player who tested On March 5, the Avalanche flew to Vancouver to begin another three- positive. The player in question is in self-isolation and has not had close game trip over a four-day span. The Arizona Coyotes played the contact with any of his teammates or staff members, according to the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena after playing three straight games release. As it stands, the Avalanche and Ottawa Senators are the only at home. The Avs then traveled March 7 to San Jose for a March 8 game franchises who have knowingly had players test positive for the disease. against the Sharks at SAP Center. The Sharks’ last home game was against the Senators. Ottawa had the league’s first confirmed case on March 17 with a second one that was announced March 21. Colorado sent a release on March 26 It was a trip that ended March 9 with a loss to the Los Angeles Kings at that one of its players had also tested positive before a second confirmed Staples Center. The and Toronto Maple Leafs were the case was announced March 28. The Avalanche stated the first player last two visiting teams before the Kings hosted the Avalanche. A day who tested positive was “back to normal” while the condition on the earlier, the Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers played each second player was not initially given. On April 1, the Senators announced other at Staples Center. The Lakers then confirmed on March 19 that that four additional members of their organization tested positive with a they had two players who tested positive for COVID-19. source confirming to The Athletic that three of the people were players. The Ducks and Kings announced in separate statements that no players The team said those who tested positive had recovered. within their respective organizations stated they experienced COVID-19 NHL Players’ Association executive director Donald Fehr told The symptoms even though there was no word on whether players from the Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun and Scott Burnside in late March that players Kings or Ducks had been tested. who test positive do go through medical protocols. Fehr added that the The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 players’ families are notified and that the tests come back to the league and then to the NHLPA. He noted that the process does not take long “but it’s not instantaneous.”

“In terms of players being tested, I think we’re in pretty much the same boat everybody else is, which is if you become symptomatic or there are other reasons discovered during a medical evaluation that you should be tested, you get tested,” Fehr said. “Otherwise that is not the case. And we can just hope that the self-quarantine and other measures that have been taken will be sufficient so that we’ll have a relatively low and hopefully very low incidence of positives as this thing progresses. But no one in our society, no group, is going to be immune from it. That is clear.”

The NHL’s release did not divulge if players and/or others within the organization were tested. League officials did not respond to The Athletic’s previous requests seeking clarification on if any of the Avalanche’s coaches, players and/or additional personnel also received testing.

Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog was part of a four-player Central Division conference call on March 31 that also included Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn, Minnesota Wild alternate captain Zach Parise and Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler. Landeskog, who was at his in- laws’ house in Toronto with his wife and daughter, spoke about the circumstances around the team as it related to two players testing positive for COVID-19.

“I mean, we’ve been apart since our last game, which was March 11,” Landeskog explained. “Right away, I know in our household we took it pretty seriously. Obviously, for the major sports leagues to shut down, we realized it has to be pretty serious. We stayed in Denver for about five days and didn’t see a single person. It took a while for us to find out that a couple of the guys had tested positive. From the conversations I’ve had with them, they’ve recovered well and they’re doing well.

“In our household, we’re doing really good and we seemed to have been lucky. It’s one of those things where you don’t know how serious it was going to be when the news came out that the league was on pause and I’m sure it was up to everybody at that point to kinda quarantine themselves. But, at the same time, guys had left own their own. Single guys are living on their own. They got nothing to keep them busy but I’m glad everybody is doing well and hoping everybody else in Denver and everywhere is staying safe and healthy.”

Colorado’s final game was a 3-2 overtime win on March 11 against the New York Rangers at Pepsi Center. It was the second-to-last game played with the league announcing it would join the NBA in indefinitely suspending play. 1173380 Dallas Stars Gardiner. If he gets a long leash, he’s got star power and game-breaking ability. I see shades of Shea Theodore in his game, too.

Team’s Take: He was outstanding on not a very good team, which is Tiers, projections and comparisons for the Stars’ top 16 prospects unfortunate because we were looking forward to getting him down to Texas once their season was over (in the OHL) and get some games to increase his confidence level. He’s right on target, and he had an By Sean Shapiro and Scott Wheeler Apr 7, 2020 extremely solid year. I would think his goal at this point should be to make our club next year. — Joe McDonnell

Ty Dellandrea, C, 19, Flint Firebirds For the majority of the Dallas Stars’ prospects, the season is already officially over. Junior and European leagues have already pulled the plug, Dellandrea never got the payoff of a great season in Flint after living while the NHL and the other major sports are still playing limbo with through some very difficult seasons caused by off-ice circumstances. But COVID-19. he was part of the Canadian team that took home gold at World Junior, and his brief cameos in the AHL at the end of last season and the NHL The AHL is still officially on suspension, but even if it were to return, it is preseason have shown Dellandrea is on the cusp of being an NHL roster highly likely the Texas Stars’ season is over, too. They were outside of option in 2020. the playoff picture when things came to a halt. There are lots of “good kids” when it comes to NHL prospects, but In normal times, today would be reserved for previewing an upcoming Dellandrea may be one of the best human beings I’ve ever met as a 19- first-round playoff series featuring the NHL club, likely Dallas vs. the year-old. He’s got that type of personality, and his off-ice charisma was Colorado Avalanche. Instead, we’re taking a deeper look at the prospect infatuating for the Stars, who see him as a future NHL captain. Stars pool for a season update, player comparables and just how likely it is general manager has compared Dellandrea to former Nashville various prospects will reach the NHL. Predators captain Mike Fisher. Before we start, I (Sean) have a confession: I’ve become jaded when it Wheeler’s comparison: Brock Nelson comes to prospects, particularly the Stars’ pool of potential future NHLers. Having covered the AHL beat from 2012 to 2016 and seeing Nelson’s got a couple of inches on Dellandrea, but the game and the very few players establish themselves as full-time NHL players, I’ve gone trajectory are the same. Nelson began his career as a competitive third- from being an eternal optimist about prospects to a pessimist. It now line center, posted 26 points in his rookie season and has slowly takes a lot for me to believe a player will actually make it, and by make it, continued to improve and come into his own later in his career than most. I mean actually stick in the NHL beyond the occasional call-up. While the majority of NHL forwards are now peaking at age 23 or 24, Nelson is coming off his best season yet at 28. He has, over the course The Stars’ current prospect pool only includes three players I’m confident of his seven-year NHL career, gone from excellent third-line center to in betting will make it in the NHL. They are Thomas Harley, Jason good second-line center to excellent second-line center. And he has Robertson and Ty Dellandrea. I have hope for Jake Oettinger, but he’s a done it playing a competitive game that thrives in all three zones as a key goalie and projecting goalies can be voodoo. piece on an Islanders team that just keeps surprising people. That’s The rest of the pool consists of players who vary from potential depth Dellandrea in a nutshell. He’s got puck skill, he can score and he will NHLers to “they’ll really have to prove me wrong.” The word prospect is occasionally surprise defenders with a pass through their feet, but he also subjective, and for my criteria, players like Nick Caamano, Gavin excels because he makes the most of every shift and can be trusted in all Bayreuther and Rhett Gardner are now in that organizational depth situations up and down the lineup. category as opposed to being bona fide prospects. Team’s Take: Everything that we expected this season, and it was a big For this exercise, we’re taking a look at the top 16 prospects that I thing getting to play for Team Canada and being a leader on that team. believe have a chance of making it. For each prospect on the list, I’ve He basically turned Flint around. They added some pieces to their team, asked prospect guru Scott Wheeler for an NHL comparison, while also but this kid stuck through it thick and thin. He’s everything we had hoped asking either Stars director of amateur scouting Joe McDonnell or Texas for at this stage. Obviously there is always room to grow, but he is right Stars coach Neil Graham for a view on the player. on target, and we were very happy with his year. — McDonnell

Will Make It Jason Robertson, LW/RW, 20, Texas Stars

Thomas Harley, LHD, 18, Mississauga Steelheads Robertson is a bona fide goal scorer in a Stars system that lacks them. He made his NHL debut this season and looked rather comfortable in the Harley is the Stars’ top prospect. While he was cut from Team Canada offensive zone. In the AHL Robertson went from a top-six forward who before the World Junior Tournament, he could very well be one of the had to be protected to one that could be used in all situations and in all Stars’ NHL defensemen in October when the 2020-21 season (hopefully) zones, and his minutes went up with that responsibility throughout the starts up. Harley’s skating is sublime, and he knows it. He has a healthy season. ego which, frankly, you need in order to be a top player in the best league in the world someday. He’ll play in the NHL and should be a fixture for a while in the league. The question is simply when the full-time duty begins. There are some flaws that need to be hammered out defensively, and certain puck decisions Harley makes in the OHL will be exposed in the Wheeler’s comparison: A lesser Filip Forsberg NHL, but his upside and potential reward should outweigh the risks as he Forsberg’s not the fastest skater, the most powerful forward, the most takes the next step in his career. dynamic puck handler or the most dangerous scorer. But he does Wheeler’s comparison: Jake Gardiner everything well, he has size and he has learned how to navigate through the ice to make plays for himself and his linemates. And though I’m not A senior member of the Mississauga Steelheads management staff once sold on Robertson becoming the low-60s point producer that Forsberg compared Harley to Jake Gardiner, unprompted, in a conversation with has been for six consecutive seasons now, I think he’s got the tools to be me. It’s the natural fit given his effortless skating technique, occasional a 50-point guy with a lot of the same traits. He’s going to generate shots, mental lapses with the puck and propensity to try things that many he’s going to make plays and he’s going to help an NHL power play, but defenders either don’t see or don’t have the confidence to execute. I he’s never going to be the best forward on his team or one of the game’s would say, though, that the fluidity of Harley’s stride is most evident when true stars, whereas Forsberg’s on the cusp of that. he’s driving up the ice in straight lines (a lot like Miro Heiskanen with those long, controlled pushes), whereas Gardiner’s strength is his east- Team’s Take: Obviously, his offense speaks for itself. He has the ability west footwork. Harley became one of the CHL’s most entertaining to change the course of a game whether it’s a big goal or a big play that players in the last two seasons not because he was willing to join the results in a goal. The offense is there, and that was a big reason he was rush, but because he would lead it. His ability to carry the puck up ice, go drafted so high and everybody knows about him. What I like is the growth end-to-end, weave through pressure and drive wide upon entry is he took on his 200-foot game, and obviously those things don’t happen exceptional. I’m willing to bet his upside will be determined by whether overnight. As the season progressed, you could see a lot more discipline coaches try to coach some of that out of him, like they always have with in the details as far as the way he would stay in a battle compete on the right side of a puck, use his size to his advantage a lot more; and then really the little defensive details through the neutral zone (and) through was good down the stretch. It’s unfortunate because it’s a big learning the D-zone improved a ton. curve and experience to go through a big playoff run, and for Riley, it’s very unfortunate that we didn’t get to see him in those big moments. We That was right around the time he earned a call-up, and it was great to do see the player he can be down the road and he’s on target. — see him get rewarded and really starting to buy-in to some of those McDonnell things. And it was impressive to see some of the plays he made defensively later in the second half of the year because the offense was Ben Gleason, LHD, 21, Texas Stars strong throughout. He also got more confident, and he knew he was doing things the right way. So when you know you have your coaches’ If the AHL ever had big-time television deal, they would put an iso-cam trust and you have your teammates’ trust, I think that adds to the on Ben Gleason because the defenseman embodies entertaining back- swagger and the confidence. It led to him defending a lot faster, which and-forth hockey — for both teams. That’s why Gleason has gone from meant he didn’t have to defend as long, and he was more efficient, making a surprise NHL debut in 2018 and doing spin moves at the blue playing with the puck offensively more where we want him to play. — line in that debut, to serving as a healthy scratch for the Texas Stars Graham during the 2019-20 season.

Should Make It Gleason has a long way to go to earn the trust of an NHL coach, especially in an organization where there are already a bevy of puck- Jake Oettinger, G, 21, Texas Stars moving options and power-play quarterbacks. With John Klingberg and Miro Heiskanen around, it’s not like Dallas needs to force a prospect up The Stars are hoping and praying Jake Oettinger is the long-term answer to help with the power play. He’s intriguing to watch, for sure, but he can in goal. Dallas doesn’t want to rush the prospect; the plan is to either re- also make a coach want to pull out his hair. sign Anton Khudobin or find another NHL veteran backup for 2020-21. But the hope is that Oettinger will be ready to take over as Ben Bishop’s Wheeler’s comparison: Brendan Smith heir apparent at the start of the 2021-22 season. Smith’s one of those players who has always had the talent to be more The Texas Stars used a platoon this season, with Oettinger splitting the than he is but has never really put the pieces together for an extended net with Landon Bow. But based on performance, the first-round pick period. The result has been an NHL career, but a volatile one. I think likely would have been given the No. 1 role if the Texas Stars had Gleason fits into that mold. He might work his way onto an NHL team, but reached the playoffs. the consistency season-to-season and coach-to-coach may not be there. He’s a frustrating player that way, just like Smith has been. Wheeler’s comparison: Linus Ullmark Team’s Take: It wasn’t necessarily the season (Gleason) would have This was a relatively easy comparison to make because it is one I’ve liked to have after having the tremendous first year. He wasn’t able to been making for a couple of years. They are a lot alike. They’re both 6- build off that in the terms of the ice time and the production and the foot-4. They’re both on the heavier side for a goalie (in fact, their listed minutes. But at the end of the day, that’s what the development process weights are only a few pounds apart). And they both play the same way, is about. If it was a smooth ride for everyone, they’d have one good year swallowing up low shots and occasionally challenging a little too in the (AHL) and then go right to the NHL and never look back. That aggressively. After spending the first few seasons of his pro career happens for some guys, and some guys it doesn’t. bouncing between the AHL and the NHL as he found his footing, Ullmark has now wrapped up a strong season at 26 years old, having outplayed You saw flashes and flashes of what makes him such an electric Carter Hutton to win more starts in Buffalo. I suspect Oettinger follows defenseman and an elite playmaker. But there were some the same trajectory, working his way into a backup role under Bishop inconsistencies that he’s going to have to continue to work on over the before slowly challenging the veteran for more starts as age inevitably summer. We have confidence as a staff in Texas that he’s going to work catches up to him towards the end of the next three years in his contract. on those and will come back with a chip on his shoulder for the right reasons. —Graham Team’s Take: He’s a pleasure to coach, and he makes it easy on you. He always wants more, and his work ethic is incredible. If anything, he’s a Oskar Bäck, C, 20, Färjestad BK guy where you have to say, ‘Alright Jake, that’s enough for today. You’ve had enough shots.’ He always wants more, he always wants to learn and Bäck’s numbers aren’t going to wow anyone. He had nine points in 47 he’s a student of the game. His passion and drive are excellent. We were games, which is both a combination of his skillset and usage with very fortunate to have two very good goalies, and Jake really grabbed his Färjestad. If he’s going to make the NHL, it’s going to be as a reliable opportunity, and with how many games he was playing down the stretch, depth forward who kills penalties. you could see he was making a push to carry us into the playoffs. — Wheeler’s comparison: Tom Kuhnackl Graham Kuhnackl is the depth forward your coach loves because he’s got size, Might Make It he’s always supporting the play defensively, he’s rarely caught out of Riley Damiani, C/RW, 19, Kitchener Rangers position, he can play defensive zone draws and he stays out of the box despite always being engaged in board battles. Bäck has a lot of that in Damiani has turned into a fifth-round pick with some promise, and he had him. He may not become more than the fourth-liner that Kuhnackl has an impressive 78-point season (in 61 games) as the captain in Kitchener been throughout his career, but he’s the kind of player who may work his before the OHL season was shuttered. When you talk to Stars brass way past the AHL or SHL in time. He’s reliable, he’s got just enough skill about the player and those around him, you immediately here about how and he can penalty kill, even if he doesn’t put up numbers at lower levels. hard Damiani works and does the things that coaches will love. Earning the trust of a coach is one of the most important things a prospect can do Team’s Take: He had a productive year, went up and kept improving. when it comes to getting his foot in the NHL door, and for that reason, More like a third-line center at the end. He’s improved in all areas. His Damiani is already on a pretty good track. skating has improved, he’s gotten stronger like they all do as they get older. We’ll see where it leads him. I think the development guys have Wheeler’s comparison: Jesper Bratt kept him on the right trail. — McDonnell

Bratt has some nice north-south skill. He can help out on the penalty kill, Albin Eriksson, RW/LW, 19, Färjestad BK he’s talented enough to contribute on the second power play, but he’s a little small, he’s not the type to drive a line and he’s never going to be a Eriksson has a cannon of a shot. The problem is he doesn’t get to use it big point producer. On a good team, Bratt’s a third-line player who adds very often and doesn’t create much for himself at this point. He’s got an element of speed and finesse to his line and never lacks effort. He’s some skill that showed up at times when playing against his age group in the best-case scenario for Damiani, as a 30-40 point guy who can play international play, which is a bright spot in a season when he was buried with a variety of different kinds of linemates. This is probably a little on depth charts for a few different teams. generous for Damiani as a projection, but he’ll turn coaches into Wheeler’s comparison: Artem Anisimov believers and that might give him a shot. Eriksson was on a solid, upward trajectory before things got away from Team’s Take: He had a tough start to the year, and as the year him a little this year. And though he’s a bit of a Frankenstein project, he’s progressed, he got back to being himself. High-character guy, played in fascinating and there’s still enough skill in that massive frame for there to all situations, was basically the straw that stirred the drink there, and he be an NHL player long term. I have seen this kid absolutely take over shifts. There are moments in every game out of him, even as he about five to six games in a row right before his injury I thought he was struggled to produce this year, where he would just attack with size, playing great. He started to find some consistency and he was speed and puck protection skill to manufacture offense out of nothing. He contributing on a nightly basis on the power play. It looked like he had reminds me a lot of Anisimov (the one from earlier in his career). When found that jump and excitement in his legs, and it’s unfortunate we didn’t Anisimov arrived in the NHL, he demonstrated raw skill and size that get to see what happened after the injury. — Graham every team coveted. In the early days, though, it was fleeting. Later in his career, in order to maximize his value, he has changed the way he plays. Eriksson may have to do the same. Jacob Peterson, C/LW, 20, Frolunda HC

Team’s Take: Just a tough, tough year. Being over there, and I saw him Peterson didn’t play a huge role with Frolunda this season and should a few times this year, every game I saw he was excellent. I just can’t put play a larger role next season with Farjestad in Sweden. The jury still is my finger on it, I have no idea — he just seems to lack the ice time. He out on his future as a Stars prospect, with next season being key to made the transition from one team to another, they seemed to want him whether Dallas signs him before losing his rights on July 1, 2021. and then the ice time dwindled there again. With our development guys, they see the same thing that I’ve seen. He deserves more and didn’t get Wheeler’s comparison: Joakim Nordstrom it. So what is it? Is it just him, does he have to buckle down? This is Every team needs bottom-six forwards who play in the middle of the ice, sometimes where the character comes out in these kids. You hope with make quick decisions with the puck and come at teams in waves as part him he’s got so much going for him, he can do everything. Maybe it’s him of a simple-but-effective game. After showing he could do that in a top- getting to North America to figure it out. I have no idea. If we knew what it six role in the AHL, Nordstrom has now found a niche doing it as a depth was, he’d have turned the corner two years ago. option on the best team in the NHL in Boston. That’s Peterson’s future if Prove Me Wrong he continues to progress.

Jakob Stenqvist, RHD, 21, Assat Team’s Take: Improved. I wouldn’t say drastically, so it’s gonna be a matter of when he comes to North America what happens with his game. My first impression of Stenqvist goes back to a development camp and Some kids completely turn the corner and it’s like a breath of fresh air how smooth he was during skating drills. He seamlessly glided during when they do get here. So it’s going to be a matter of seeing what drills that other prospects struggled with. When he had the puck on his happens with him. — McDonnell. stick Stenqvist was also rather fun to watch and he made smart decisions. Those things stand out in a development camp, but when you Curtis Douglas, C, 19, Windsor Spitfires watch Stenqvist play against real competition, you quickly learn why he Douglas is already taller (6-foot-8) and heavier (249 pounds) than any may never make the NHL. He makes many mistakes and loses defensive forward in the NHL — Jamie Oleksiak is the league’s heaviest player at coverage in Finland. It’s not a good combination for gaining a coach’s 255 pounds. He’s a freak of nature who towers over his peers. If he trust. reaches the NHL, he’ll be the largest human on the ice, but his skill with Wheeler’s comparison: Madison Bowey that size will be the key to whether he goes from a tall novelty to an NHL player. Bowey and Stenqvist are both fascinating to me because whenever I watch (or watched) them play at lower levels, I was quick to say, “That Wheeler’s comparison: Brian Boyle (but really nobody) kid should be in the NHL and he should be good.” Both have the talent If Eriksson is Frankenstein, then I don’t know what Douglas is. There and the puck skill teams look for in modern defensemen. Both can really is no comparison. stretch the ice with a long pass, lose a defender with the puck or break open the offensive zone with a play. But there’s also an element of risk- Here’s the list of forwards who have played in NHL games in the last taking to their game that can burn them, and they have never really decade at 6-foot-7 or taller (Douglas is 6-foot-8): Derek Boogaard and polished their defensive warts. And though Bowey has shown he can John Scott. dominate in the AHL and get by in the NHL, I’m still waiting for that next level out of his game. Stenqvist is a little similar. And here’s the list of forwards who have played at a weight at or above 245 pounds in the NHL in the last decade: Derek Boogaard, John Scott, Team’s Take: Saw him late February over there in a Swedish Elite Brian Boyle, Steve MacIntyre, Dustin Penner and Nik Antropov. League game. Very, very smart with the puck. He’s a tough decision (to sign or not). Not very good defensively. Now you can teach that, but it’s The odds aren’t in his favor. Boyle is the closest fit in that his finishing gonna be a question of whether we sign him or even bring him over. Lots touch around the net has helped him score 10-15 goals a year for most of skill, lots of offensive instinct. — McDonnell of his career, even if he’s only a 20ish-point guy as a depth center and he doesn’t make many plays. That’s probably Douglas’ ceiling in that he has The Stars have until June 1 to sign Stenqvist. So I asked Scott for his come to rely on his touch around the net to create his offence. take on players in situations like this. Team’s Take: I would say first half of the year, I would really have Wheeler: Right-shot defenders with size and offensive ability are hard to washed my hands of him. The second half of the year, he was excellent. come by. His defensive game still needs some work, but he’d be a He did things that he just didn’t do in the first half. He was competing dynamic AHL option at worst and potentially even a cheap depth NHL really, really hard. He was using his size, and he produced for them. He option. He’ll get a deal from an NHL team if the Stars don’t give him one. was hard to contain by the opponents, he really turned a corner starting January on. He’s a tough one now with the season over (on whether to Adam Mascherin, LW, 21, Texas Stars sign or not). You would have loved to see him in the playoffs and be able Mascherin is a fine AHL player, and even with sophomore dip, he’s a to make a decision after that, so now we have a tough call on our hands. good piece of the organization. But as a player that has some good — McDonnell. offensive skill, I still keep struggling to see why or what will turn him into a So should the Stars sign Douglas? legitimate NHL player. He was limited to 30 games this season because of injury. Wheeler: Douglas is the kind of player who could most benefit from getting into an NHL environment to work with a wide range of specialized Wheeler’s comparison: Noel Acciari coaches. He’s the kind of project every farm system should be looking to Small but stocky with a wicked wrist shot and an up-and-down AHL track turn into their success story. Because of that, I’d give him an ELC or, at record? Sounds about right. I think Mascherin has a little more cross-ice the very least, an AHL deal if you’re confident another team won’t swoop vision to his game at the same age in terms of the way he involves his in to offer him an NHL contract. linemates, but it’s close. Given everything that went on in the season he Tye Felhaber, C/LW, 21, Texas Stars just had, his chance of reaching that comparison is also now a lot smaller than it was a year ago, when he was wrapping up a solid rookie Felhaber was a high-scoring, undrafted OHL player whom the Stars campaign. signed as a low-risk, potentially high-reward piece to their prospect pool. His first full pro season was up and down, including an ECHL cameo, but Team’s Take: He had a little bit of a slower start, I think you would say Felhaber leaves a positive impression on everyone in the organization that for a lot of our team after we had the losing streak. He was a guy whenever they come across him. Going back to NHL training camp, that you could say his numbers take a dip early, I would say probably Felhaber has already established himself as a player who will do This is one of the better true fits. They’re both 6-foot-1, left-shot anything for a team, which is a trait that coaches absolutely love. defenders who play at roughly the same weight while approaching the game in nearly the exact same way. Neither were dynamic offensive Wheeler’s comparison: Ryan Hartman players in junior but they found success by being efficient with the puck, If it weren’t for their different handedness, this would be really close. moving it up ice quickly. They’re smooth without being showy. And after They’re both the same height and weight, and they both play the same his junior career, Stillman took some time to become that at the AHL style of game. His bouncing around from team-to-team aside, Hartman is level and, eventually, the NHL, where he’s now a serviceable option as a a 15-20 goal scorer who can put up 30-or-so points in a season. He’s 4-5D on a decent team and more likely a No. 6 on a contender. That’s also at his best when he’s keeping his feet moving, he’s using his shot, Barteaux’s ceiling – and he’d be wise to watch Stillman’s tape. and he’s playing physical (though Felhaber doesn’t shy way physically, I Team’s Take: Steady progression right from the day that we drafted him. wouldn’t say he’s quite the presence Hartman is in that regard). It might Big guy, probably a shutdown guy in the end. He’s a five, six or seven D take Felhaber a little longer to get there — he has always needed an at the next level. But he does everything really well and moves the puck adjustment period at every level he has ever played at — but I wouldn’t really well. That’s probably his biggest asset; he just always makes that rule it out just yet. good first pass.

Team’s Take: He’s a kid that has the potential to break out next season. Just missed the Cut The numbers you saw in the OHL didn’t find the immediate success in the (AHL) that I’m sure he would have liked. But at the end of the day, he These are players I’m still keeping an eye on, but didn’t make the list. was a first-year pro, and the energy, the work ethic and the attitude that he brought around the rink was contagious. He was the first player at the Joe Cecconi, RHD, 22, Texas Stars rink every day; he’d be there at 8 a.m. starting to do what he could do to Cecconi played well enough for Texas after coming back from offseason get better. And those things are going to pay dividends for him. He has shoulder surgery but really didn’t live up to the hype of a player who some spunk in his game. He has some toughness, but also has that would have warranted other NHL offers after returning to Michigan for his speed and some jump. Now he has to find a way to tie it all in and have a senior season. Next season, when he’s fully healthy, will be telling about good reset here over summer. –Graham. whether he’s an AHL piece or a prospect.

Riley Tufte, LW, 21, Texas Stars Colton Point, G, 22, Idaho Steelheads

Stars first-round picks typically carry more scrutiny because of past Based on his play Point shouldn’t even be considered, but because of his misses, and Tufte is one of them. He was a good, not great college pedigree and past college success, he deserves to stay on the radar. player and far from a first-round offensive force when he turned pro. Tufte has taken some strides in my book; earlier in the season, I was Jerad Rosburg, LHD, 23, Texas Stars confident he’d never play an NHL game and was almost certain he’d end A signing out Michigan State this spring with an ELC that starts on July 1. up on the list of draft busts with Scott Glennie and Jack Campbell that He’s an organization depth piece, in all likelihood. Stars fans lament when looking at draft history. That stance has changed, and I could see him being an NHL call-up at some point in his Ben Brinkman, LHD, 19, University of Minnesota career. He had a so-so season according to McDonnell. I went and watched him Wheeler’s comparison: Anthony Angelo back in January; he’s like a left-handed Roman Polak, in my view.

Angelo was never a dominant offensive player at other levels, but he was Samuel Sjolund, LHD, 19, AIK a dominant player in other ways, first at college (a lot like Tufte) and then, slowly, in the AHL. For Angelo, the points were never reflective of the Fourth-round pick from 2019 who is still below the radar. Hasn’t played a value of a 6-foot-5 forward who could make the odd play and add game at the top level yet in Sweden. defensive value lower in your lineup. This year, despite being only a The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 shade over half a point per game in his second full season in the AHL, Angelo earned a call-up with the Penguins. That’s what the Stars should be looking for out of the 6-foot-6 Tufte in his second year at the pro level: Show you can be a contributor in the AHL while doing all of the little things right, even if you’re not one of the team’s leading scorers. One step at a time.

Team’s Take: He’s an exciting one for me. He’s a young kid, and his raw tools are extremely impressive. To be 6-6, to have the frame he has and to be able to skate the way he does, he has some raw talent that you see in other guys. But those other guys are 6-6 and can’t move the way he can move. It took him a little while to find his confidence and game at the AHL level. I’m not telling you anything you don’t know in that sense.

What I really like is we talked, Tufte and myself, about how we could add minutes to his game. We needed to find roles to add minutes, including things (to make him) — for lack of a better word — a defensive prick to play against for the other team. We were also lacking a guy driving pucks wide on D and taking them to the net and using size and strength below the goal line. Our PK was also up and down all year, so there was a spot open to grab. And I think (Tufte) did a remarkable job of adding minutes to his game. By the time the stoppage happened, there were nights he was playing 17 to 18 minutes, and at the very start of the year, he was playing eight to nine minutes. — Graham

Dawson Barteaux, RHD, 20, Winnipeg ICE

Barteaux has been, admittedly, in my blind spot the past two seasons, and I didn’t do enough homework on the defensive prospect until earlier this season. He’s smart with the puck but doesn’t really trust himself carrying it. Pass first, skate later. His defensive game is fine for the WHL, but I wonder if it’ll translate well enough when he turns pro.

Wheeler’s comparison: Riley Stillman 1173381 Detroit Red Wings advance their lives – and quite possibly the lives of others – off the ice as well.”

Several current Red Wings teammates and former Vancouver Red Wings' Alex Biega a major promoter of life after hockey for NHL teammates have talked to Biega about the program. players “Especially times like this, guys aren’t doing too much, they understand there are resources there and it’s kind of a word-of-mouth thing,” Biega said. “It’s in the beginning stages in terms of marketing, and in terms of Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News Published 12:38 p.m. ET April 7, 2020 taking advantage of it.”

Biega isn’t close to leaving his playing career, but has already prepared for when he hangs up his skates for good. A career in hockey Detroit – Alex Biega has seen it happen on several occasions during his management, some role in a front office, would appeal to Biega. six-year NHL career. “I’ve put some thought into it, especially when you have a family,” Biega The Red Wings defenseman has watched as a teammate had his career said. “I want to think I can play for a lot longer and contribute, but you put end suddenly, usually for injury, but maybe simply getting cut, and not thought into it. I love the game, and the game has been real good to me. getting another shot at the NHL. “The way I look at it, you have to find your passion in what you do and Alex Biega what drives you to wake up every morning, and what makes work not With that mind, Biega has been active in the NHL/NHL Players going to be work. Staying in the game in some capacity, I’ve definitely Association Core Development Program (CDP) since its inception in looked into that, whether working in management one day, and gaining a October 2016. better understanding of how to transition into that.”

The CDP aims to help the transition for players to careers after hockey, Detroit Free Press LOADED: 04.08.2020 and life after hockey.

“Once I was approached (by the NHLPA) about it, I felt it was a resource that was definitely needed in the NHL,” Beiga said during a phone conversation from his home last week, during the NHL’s pause due to the coronavirus pandemic. “I’ve been an advocate for it, in terms of how to build it, and from a player’s perspective, what could be utilized from it.

“We’re just in the preliminary stages now, but the sky is the limit for this kind of thing.”

There are two major goals for the CDP:

►To provide players an opportunity to develop a path to success off the ice.

►To provide players a customized strategy to enhance their overall performance during their playing careers – identifying or completing educational endeavors; augmenting financial goals; building networking skills and establishing professional networks; and creating philanthropic, business and career foundations.

The key to all of it, said Biega, is to help the player transition to life after hockey.

“Let’s face it, some guys are fortunate enough to sign very lucrative deals and come out of the game at age 35, or maybe if they’re lucky enough, 38 or 40, and once you retire you might be old in the hockey world, but it’s young in the real world,” Biega said. “Having this program in place now, players can start taking advantage of what is offered. They can learn a little bit more about themselves and their interests and passions and how it can help them prepare when they inevitably are finished with hockey.

“This can help steer them in the right direction in what will be their next passion.”

Biega, 32, has an undergraduate degree from Harvard and an MBA from New Hampshire. He was singled out by the players association to help develop the program.

Biega met with commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly two years ago regarding the CDP.

“They were both very supportive,” Biega said. “They loved it. In conversations with them, it was clear they want to do whatever they can to help players in terms of wellness. They want to do what is right for us in that respect.”

Former Red Wings defenseman Mathieu Schneider, now NHLPA special assistant to the executive director, said the CDP will benefit players once their careers are done.

“We believe this will help players reach their full potential on and off the ice,” said Schneider. "It is designed to be flexible and customized to meet many individual needs.”

Said Daly: "This program will afford our players with the opportunity, not only to maximize their performance on the ice, but also the opportunity to 1173382 Detroit Red Wings

Gary Bettman says no decision imminent on NHL season, all options open

By Ansar Khan

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the league hopes to have more information on a potential return by the end of April and is keeping all options open, including playing well into the summer.

Bettman, speaking Tuesday with Mike Tirico on NBC Sports Network’s “Lunch Talk Live,” said people’s safety is the top priority. The NHL “paused” its season on March 12.

“I think right now there’s too much uncertainty,” Bettman told Tirico. “We want to be ready to go as soon as we get a green light -- and the green light may not be crystal clear because there may still be some places in the (U.S. and Canada) where we can’t play and other places where you can. We’re looking at all options. Nothing’s been ruled in, nothing’s been ruled out. And it’s largely going to be determined by how much time there is because we have next season to focus on as well and the health of the both Canada and the U.S.”

The Detroit Red Wings were officially eliminated from the playoffs prior to the pause. While it seems unlikely they will play their remaining 11 games, Bettman reiterated that nothing has been ruled out.

“We also have issues about if we get to play a playoffs, who gets in if we can’t complete the regular season?” Bettman said. “We had seven teams on the bubble, and all think they would have had a chance. We have to deal with the lottery and order of selection in the draft.

“The best thing, and the easiest thing, would be if at some point we could complete the regular season and then go into the playoffs as we normally do. We understand that that may not be possible and that’s why we’re considering every conceivable alternative.”

If the NHL returns, it seems certain to play games in July for the first time, perhaps even August. They would need “at least a couple weeks” of training camp, Bettman said.

“First and foremost, we have to give an opportunity for the players to get back into game shape; that’s something we’re consulting with the Players Association on,” Bettman said. “I do believe we can play into the summer and well into the summer and even on the NBC platforms, the fact the Olympics have been postponed gives us a broader window to focus on when and how we can play, so nothing has been ruled in and nothing has been ruled out.”

Tirico asked Bettman if there are concerns about the quality of ice late in the summer.

“The days of when games had to be postponed because there was no air conditioning in a particular building are long behind us,” Bettman said. “We can handle making ice now in any condition because our buildings are that good and our ice-making capabilities are that good. Ice won’t be a factor.”

Players and league personnel have been self-isolating for weeks. Many have returned to their homes outside of their NHL cities, including Europe. With team facilities and public gyms closed, staying in shape has been challenging.

“As a league, we’re doing what we have to do to keep our people healthy and not be part of the problem,” Bettman said. “I know it’s got to be incredibly frustrating for our players, who not only love the game, but they love staying in shape and this has been a challenging time for everyone. But when we get the opportunity to allow workouts, which may be jurisdiction by jurisdiction, when we get the opportunity to play on some basis, then we’ll be prepared to execute whatever makes the most sense under the circumstances at the time.”

Bettman said the possibly of playing games at neutral sites is part of the planning process.

Michigan Live LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173383 Detroit Red Wings — Datsyuk It turns out, Datsyuk was funny, too.

Back then, I was a devoted reader of the Yahoo! Sports blog Puck My favorite player: Pavel Datsyuk Daddy. Every so often, writer Dmitry Chesnokov would catch up with Datsyuk over the phone and then translate their conversation for the blog. I kid you not, I kept a running Word document with my favorite By Stephen J. Nesbitt Apr 7, 2020 Datsyuk quotes until my computer died when I was in college and all that gold was lost.

I found some old favorites in the Puck Daddy archives this week. “Don’t touch my dream with your dirty hands.” On the NHL’s most underrated player: “I am a very shy person, so I — Pavel Datsyuk to Puck Daddy cannot name him. But you can hear that player in your receiver right now This story starts when the Red Wings traded my first favorite player: talking to you.” Vyacheslav “Slava” Kozlov, the forgotten member of the Russian Five. On who would play him in a movie: “I honestly don’t see an actor who Kozlov was a two-time Stanley Cup champion who wore the No. 13 could do that, an actor who is so goofy and pale.” sweater and shot left-handed. By the time I was 7, I could spell Vyacheslav and his hometown, Voskresensk, without a typo. But three On playing hockey in the house: “There was one vase that was special to years later, in the summer of 2001, he was traded away. The return for my sister that I broke. I tried very hard to glue pieces back together. It Kozlov and a first-round pick was Dominik Hašek, so I wasn’t going to stood on the table for some time and then my sister noticed and I was in complain, but I was wrestling with the fact my favorite player now played trouble.” in Buffalo. That would not do. On being a joker: “What are you talking about? I am a serious grown-up So, during Red Wings training camp that fall, I flipped through a pile of man, over 30 already.” newspapers in my grandmother’s apartment in suburban Detroit. It was time to pick a new favorite. My brothers had already claimed theirs: Steve On what he means when he says he likes to dangle-dangle: “It’s like Yzerman (Dan), Sergei Federov (David) and (Peter). The dancing rock-n-roll with a puck. You pick a puck on your stick and you roster was stocked with decorated veterans — from Nicklas Lidstrom to dance around on the ice with it.” , Brendan Shanahan, Chris Chelios, Brett Hull and Luc On how Henrik Zetterberg became captain: “He cut out the letter ‘C’ and Robitaille — but I was drawn to this 23-year-old rookie, Pavel Datsyuk, a stitched it on to his jersey, that’s how.” former sixth-round pick wearing No. 56 in camp. The papers said he had an outside shot to make the team. On NHL realignment: “I just hope we won’t be realigned to the KHL.”

That was my guy. “Twitter, Facebook, bicycle, car — I am behind the handle of all of those things myself.” On opening night, Datsyuk had a new number. And that’s how, once again, my favorite player was a Russian who wore the No. 13 sweater — Datsyuk and shot left-handed. (He would go on to win two Stanley Cups, too.) It took barely any practice before I was properly spelling Datsyuk’s name In 2012, when the NHL announced that the next Winter Classic would be and hometown of Sverdlovsk. Soon, Datsyuk started to win over the held at “The Big House” in Ann Arbor, Mich., I was a junior at Michigan whole hockey world. and the student newspaper’s managing sports editor. The Red Wings sent general manager Ken Holland, head coach and five TWO KIDS & AN OLD GOAT. #TBT PIC.TWITTER.COM/Z4QTCNKK4U players — Lidstrom, Zetterberg, Datsyuk, and Niklas Kronwall — to a news conference at the stadium on a Thursday — DETROIT RED WINGS (@DETROITREDWINGS) MAY 30, 2019 afternoon. I skipped class to be there. “Playing defense actually is an intellectual challenge. It is a mental game. After NHL commissioner Gary Bettman answered questions, the players It is fun to make people nervous.” scattered across the field. I went straight for Datsyuk with two other — Datsyuk writers from the student paper, Everett Cook and Matt Slovin. Datsyuk weaved across the turf shooting imaginary pucks at the nets set up They called him “Magic Man.” Datsyuk was never the fastest or strongest nearby. Then he stopped, smiled, leaned on his stick and waited for our Red Wing, but he dazzled with his bag of dekes and puck-handling questions. We asked a few, just to seem like we knew what we were artistry. At home, we’d listen on the radio as Ken Kal and Paul Woods doing, and then put our recorders down. marveled at Datsyuk’s moves. He was a special brand of player. He wasn’t a sniper. He was a magician and a thief. He robbed puck-handlers Matt Slovin, Everett Cook and I interviewing Pavel Datsyuk. (Courtesy of blindly. He had the puck on a string. He slipped between defenders with Adam Glanzman) ease. Then he humiliated goalies. The four of us chatted for another minute as the crowd dispersed. We Take away the defenders and it was just unfair. asked Datsyuk if he’d ever played football. He said no. “If so, I would have been a kicker.” We asked if he’d ever been to a Michigan football Take away his stick and somehow it’s still unfair. game. “Not yet,” he said. “I’d love to. If you have free tickets, let me know.” He was friendly. He was funny. And he was just as cool as you’d Datsyuk would win four consecutive Lady Byng trophies, given to the hope your favorite player would be. league’s most gentlemanly player, then took home three consecutive Selke trophies for being the game’s best defensive forward. But before all The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 that, he won the heart of a kid living in the middle of Michigan. I wore No. 13 on every one of my youth baseball teams because of Datsyuk (and Kozlov).

I didn’t have any hockey cards for Datsyuk to sign, but I had an idea. One day, I printed a black-and-white photo of Datsyuk, playing for Team Russia, and mailed it to Joe Louis Arena. A month later, it came back, autographed by Datsyuk. I was over the moon. I made no effort to protect the photo. I slapped some sticky tack on the back and stuck it on the wall beside my bed.

The photo is no longer by my bed. (Marriage rules.) But I found it in a box last week, all wrinkled and stained, and now it’s on display in my office.

“I think hockey players are all great skaters and can avoid all the octopuses.” 1173384 Edmonton Oilers an option. Holland hopes to bring him to training camp next year and if he doesn’t “force his way onto the (Oilers),” he’ll stay in Europe rather than Edmonton’s farm team.

Oilers GM Ken Holland optimistic NHL hockey will be back this season “He’s comfortable and he’s happy there,” Holland said.

• As for the conditional third-round pick that Calgary asked for in the James Neal-Milan Lucic trade if Neal hits 21 goals (he was at 19 when Robert Tychkowski the NHL paused), Holland dismissed any notion that Calgary would still get the pick based on pro-rated totals if the season doesn’t resume.

“He had to score 21 goals. If you look at the trade memo, there is nothing Ken Holland thinks there will be hockey. Someway, somehow, at some in there about pro-rating or anything. It’s pretty black and white. point, he thinks the National Hockey League will resume the 2019-20 season and award the Stanley Cup. “If we’re able to complete the season, it will play itself out and hopefully James scores a few more goals because we’re going to need some to At a time when hope seems to be all we have to cling to on a lot of fronts, play our way into the playoffs. But if not, my understanding is we’d get the Edmonton Oilers general manager is holding tightly to his. our third-round pick back.” “Nobody knows where the world is going to be over the next few weeks Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 04.08.2020 or few months, but hopefully we get an opportunity to finish the season and see what we can accomplish,” said Holland, speaking on a media conference call Tuesday. “The hope is that we’re going to be able to pick up and conclude the regular season in some degree and play some Stanley Cup playoffs.”

Holland said even though it doesn’t look like it right now, time is on the NHL’s side. Playing well into the summer seems to be an option everyone is comfortable with, which means there is still plenty of runway left before they have to abort the takeoff.

“If we have to play hockey in July and August, we’ll play hockey in July and August. It’s a different world and we have to adjust to what we’re battling against,” he said. “It’s early April. That gives us all of April, May and June. When you get into July and August, we’re four and five months out. Hopefully, over the next few weeks to few months, the world can get this (COVID-19) somewhat under control and we can find some vaccines or something to control it.

“I’m optimistic that there’s enough time out there that we’re going to find a solution to get sports and businesses back and slowly start to get our world back. The whole world is in this together. We’re going to win the battle, it’s just a matter of how soon.”

Eleven months ago, when Holland became the Oilers fifth GM in seven years, and hired Dave Tippett (their ninth coach in 11 years), not many predicted they would turn the mess they inherited into a playoff contender this quickly. But they did a masterful job putting together a team that was poised to break though Edmonton’s glass ceiling of failure. To have the season paused just as they were making a final playoff charge is especially frustrating.

“We believed we were going to play our way into the payoffs and when you get in, you never know,” said Holland. “That’s the disappointment of not being able to continue on, but we all understand what’s going on in the world today.”

What will hurt most if, for some reason, the NHL can’t resume is the lost opportunity that would have benefitted so many of Edmonton’s young players. Nothing strengthens a team more than a playoff run, and with room full of kids, the Oilers need that tempering as much as any club in the league.

“We had 11 games to go and those were going to be 11 big games, they were sort of like playoff games,” said Holland. “And then, if you’re able to play your way into the playoffs, it goes to another level. Those are very valuable times for all players, for the team. We’re trying to build a program here and identify players that we want to go forward with.

“Kailer Yamamoto, Ethan Bear, Caleb Jones, those were really young players that these game were the utmost importance to in their long term development. Hopefully we get an opportunity to come back and pick up where we left off.”

Holland hit on a number of subjects in his conference call, including former Oilers player Anton Slepyshev, who spent last season in the KHL.

Holland went to Russia last December and met with Slepyshev and his agent to try and convince him to return to the Oilers.

“We would like to sign him and I have made an offer,” Holland said. “I’m waiting to hear what decision Anton has made.”

• Defencman Philip Broberg, Edmonton’s eighth overall pick last June, will either spend next season in Edmonton or Sweden. Bakersfield is not 1173385 Edmonton Oilers around the pro game for awhile and when he comes up, you know what you’re going to get.

“If he comes up he’s going to check no matter how many minutes he Oilers prospect Colby Cave recovering from surgery to remove brain cyst plays and you need two or three of those players on your team. Would you like to have 12 stars? Yeah, but you can’t have that. You need players like Colby.”

Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal While playing in Bakersfield this past October, Cave fought Calgary Flames farmhand Martin Pospisil, knocking him out with one punch

before quickly going on Twitter to express his concern. Cave won a Edmonton Oilers forward Colby Cave had emergency surgery Tuesday legion of followers after his gesture. at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, where doctors removed a colloid cyst “Hey buddy, it’s Cave from the other side. Just wanted to reach out and that was causing pressure on his brain. hope you have a quick recovery, buddy.” Cave, who played 11 games for the NHL team this season and spent Pospisil was taken aback by Cave’s actions and tweeted back. much of the year on the farm team in Bakersfield, Calif, experienced headaches Monday night and was taken “Hey, bud, I’ll be alright. Thank you for reaching out!!!” to hospital in Barrie, Ont. He was then transferred to Sunnybrook’s critical care unit with a brain bleed. Cave is finishing up a two-year contract and he’s a restricted free-agent.

He remains in a medically induced coma he was put into prior to the Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 04.08.2020 surgery he underwent.

There was no accident or fall for the 25-year-old, who is in perfect shape. He just fell ill. It had nothing to do with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Last night and today have been the worst days of my life. Please pray for my husband and best friend,” said Cave’s wife, Emily, on Twitter as he was in surgery.

Oilers general manager Ken Holland echoed the sentiment following a video conference call with reporters regarding the coronavirus and its effect on the NHL schedule.

“Our thoughts go out to Colby and Emily and his family. We’re thinking of them and praying for them. We’re all hoping for good news,” Holland said. “In my experience with Colby, he’s a great person, he’s respectful, he’s a good pro. We’re all praying for good news and down the road he’s playing hockey.”

Cave is from Saskatchewan, having played junior for the Swift Current Broncos under ex-Oilers centre , and was was spending the NHL pause in Ontario, where his wife’s family is.

“Colby was my captain when I first came into Swift Current,” said Jake DeBrusk, the Boston Bruins winger. “And he was a great leader.

“He really looked out for me.”

The 25-year-old has played 44 games with the Oilers since they claimed him off waivers from Boston Bruins during the 2018-19 NHL season. He played 33 games last season after former Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli grabbed him from the Bruins.

Cave played 44 games in Bakersfield this past season with 23 points and was called up a few times from the minors, scoring a dazzling goal in Pittsburgh in November.

He roared down the right-wing, went around defenceman Marcus Pettersson and tucked it by . A highlight-reel play in a game where Oilers goalie Mike Smith stood on his head and they won 2-1 in overtime on a Leon Draisaitl goal.

#Oilers & @Condors forward Colby Cave has been placed in a medically-induced coma & admitted to the critical care unit at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto after suffering a brain bleed overnight. Please keep Colby & his wife Emily in your thoughts & prayers at this time.

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 7, 2020

Cave has been a fourth-line centre or winger since joining the Oilers, a hard-skating kid who has always been in terrific shape, just as the undrafted forward was with the Bruins over 23 NHL games and three seasons in Providence in the AHL before the Oilers got him.

Born in Battleford, Sask., Cave has been a good depth NHL player but hasn’t been able to gain traction as an every day forward yet. He’s close, though.

“He’s a checker. If he was a healthy scratch, he wouldn’t complain. If he played six minutes, he didn’t complain. If he got sent to the American League, he didn’t complain,” said Holland. “He just plays. He’s understands his role and he accepts his role. He’s a pro, he’s been 1173386 Edmonton Oilers Simon, Detroit Red Wings’ Filip Hronek, Vegas Golden Knights Marc- Andre Fleury and Max Pacioretty and Edmonton Oilers’ William Lagesson were also early to donate.

JONES: Edmonton Oilers stepping up for charity in local COVID-19 relief Jonathan Toews of the Blackhawks committed $100,000 to the Chicago effort COVID-19 Response Fund. Canadiens’ Carey Price donated $50,000 to an emergency fund to help children across the country.

In New York, Henrik Lundqvist donated $100,000 to the Food Bank to Terry Jones help in coronavirus relief. In Minnesota, Matt Dumba made a donation to support families impaired during the pandemic with immediate and basic

needs. I don’t believe in telling people that they have to support their home town Now, you may look at that list and, other than the donation by Nurse pro sports team as mom and pop ticket buyers — and Edmonton may through the radio station and Lagesson, wonder where the heck all the lead the league in those — like it’s some sort of civic responsibility. Oilers are here? With the economy as we knew it two months ago, particularly in Well, other than raising awareness, that’s the purpose of this piece. with the oil situation, there were already challenges. Now with layoffs and salary cuts and non-essential businesses closing their doors, maybe The Oilers, as a team of players, your correspondent has learned, are never to open again because of COVID-19, pro sports teams everywhere currently combining to contribute together to make a sizeable donation to are going to have a tough time getting people to find the cash to sit in the local charities in the response and relief effort. seats when games return. Expect an announcement soon. But there’s another thing. City of Champions. Most pro sports teams in Canada do an exceptional job with their charitable foundations. But with no games, no 50-50s, no ‘shirt-off-their- Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 04.08.2020 backs’ programs, a lot of charities are going to miss money they’d come to count on.

To be honest, there are so many things at play I hadn’t given much thought to that part of it until I received an email from Bill Clark, a semi- retired certified management consultant who has done pro bono work for non-profits over the past few years.

It coincided, almost to the minute Monday with the announcement Edmonton Oilers Darnell Nurse had made a small donation to go with giving visibility to the situation facing the Edmonton Food Bank.

“The shutdown of major sporting events has had a collateral impact that most of us will have missed,” wrote Clark. “Many worthy charities rely on the generosity of sports teams and their associated charitable foundations. As an example, the Oilers Community Foundation has provided numerous grants to worthy organizations and supports a number of ongoing legacy projects.

“I’ve seen how hard they work to meet unending need. Those organizations need help now more than ever. There’s a lot of suffering going on but the ones suffering the most are the ones on the receiving end of the services provided by these charities.”

Think about it. The Oilers, who had been one of the first teams in the NHL and Canada to step up and look after their part-time arena staff, look like they’re going to lose eight home games of regular-season revenue and a possible pile of playoff money. They just laid off 139 staff members, so they’re not likely to make up the missing dollars for charity.

Who is going to step up to replace that money?

It might have to be the players.

Nurse made a $5,000 donation to the Feed Your Friends campaign for The Food Bank in conjunction with 104.9 Virgin Radio drive to help Edmontonians with some much needed food during the pandemic.

Many players contribute to charities and do it quietly because of the ‘Why not us?’ syndrome that makes more enemies than friends. Many make contributions of their (until now) more valuable time by becoming involved as honorary chairmen of various entities. The all-time team for that was Glen Sather’s five-time Stanley Cup champion Oilers.

Edmonton Eskimos players have a long and proud tradition of being champions in the community. But don’t be looking to CFL players to make any donations. They’re not making the big bucks and might not see a paycheque for a long while.

The other day, I made a call to the NHLPA and discovered many players have been making visible donations with the hope of encouraging fans to do the same.

Dallas Stars’ John Klingberg and Florida Panthers forward Jonathan Huberdeau were the first players to announce donations to the Centre for Disaster Philanthropy’s COVID-19 Response Fund. Panthers’ Mike Hoffman, St. Louis Blues’ , Pittsburgh Penguins’ Dominik 1173387 Edmonton Oilers “Everybody’s waiting to get back playing hockey. All of a sudden, hockey’s not that important right now,” Davidson said.

All that’s left to do now is wait and try to be optimistic, Davidson said. ‘Hockey’s not that important right now’: Oilers minor-leaguer Colby Cave He’s worried but certainly hopeful. in coma “If anybody’s gonna come out of his unscathed, Colby Cave will,” Davidson said. “He’s a warrior.

By Daniel Nugent-Bowman Apr 7, 2020 “Good things happen to good people – and Colby’s one of those.”

The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020

Jason Davidson couldn’t believe the call he received at 7 a.m. Tuesday.

On the other end of the line was Emily Cave, wife of Oilers minor-leaguer Colby Cave, informing him that her husband was in a medically induced coma.

“You wanna hit pause, rewind and start over,” said Davidson, Cave’s longtime agent. “You don’t understand what you’re processing.”

The Oilers sent out a tweet late Tuesday morning Mountain Time, saying Cave, a 25-year-old centre, had suffered a brain bleed overnight and had been admitted to the critical care unit at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto.

Per a team update Tuesday afternoon, Cave had emergency surgery to remove a colloid cyst that was causing pressure on his brain. He remains in a coma.

Cave was first admitted to a hospital in Barrie, Ont. That’s when he was put in a coma, Davidson said, and airlifted to Sunnybrook.

“It’s something else,” Davidson said. “You don’t ever prepare yourself for this part of the job.”

Emily was not permitted to accompany her husband via helicopter. She and her parents were in the process of driving to Toronto early in the afternoon.

The Caves were quarantining in Barrie after they flew back from Bakersfield, Calif., last week with the NHL and AHL seasons postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They were staying in the basement of her parents’ house.

Davidson wasn’t sure if Emily would be permitted to enter the hospital because of the coronavirus crisis.

“That’s what Emily is fearful of right now. I can’t blame her,” he said. “It’s a frightening time. You’re helpless. What do you do? You pray. You pray for the family and you pray for Colby.”

The Oilers – with Davidson’s help – arranged a flight to Toronto for Cave’s parents, Jennifer and Al. They’re travelling from Saskatoon via their home in North Battleford, Sask.

“The Oilers have been unbelievable,” Davidson said. “It was something to ease their mind and not have them stress or worry about (it).”

Cave was acquired by the Oilers off waivers from the Bruins by former general manager Peter Chiarelli in January 2019. He finished last season in Edmonton, recording two goals and three points 33 games.

Cave played 11 games for the Oilers this season, scoring once. He had 11 goals and 23 points in 44 AHL games with the Condors.

Through the ups and downs this season, Emily was Cave’s rock.

The couple married in Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ont., last summer. She made the best of the constant moves; they went from an Airbnb in training camp and shuffled back and forth between an apartment in Bakersfield and a hotel in Edmonton amid three call-ups. She did so while staying behind to pack and travel with extra belongings and care for their puppy, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel-Poodle mix named Chester.

“My wife’s a trooper. She’s always on the positive side of things,” Cave said during an interview in February.

Cave was expected to become a Group 6 free agent – essentially unrestricted – because he had not reached 80 career games by age 25 with at least three years of pro experience. Cave had played 67 career games and the Oilers had only 11 games left in their postponed campaign.

The Condors had 12 games left in their season. 1173388 Edmonton Oilers rookie. That’s outstanding production. General manager Ken Holland made an astute move signing the youngster at midseason.

The top four (Nurse-Bear, Klefbom-Adam Larsson) all played big minutes Lowetide: Oilers’ five-on-five with and without Connor McDavid is without McDavid and all came in around 42-43 percent in goal improving differential. There are many reasons for this, and their production improved as the season went along, but the emergence of Bear early and Jones later was timely. Larsson and Klefbom need to stay healthy to help this team make the next step. By Allan Mitchell Apr 7, 2020 One more thing about the defence before we move on to McDavid’s

linemates. From Jan. 1 until the season was suspended, the five-on-five The Oilers enjoyed strong performances on special teams this season, goal differentials by defender looked like this: obscuring what has been an ongoing problem since Connor McDavid’s Caleb Jones 21-13 +8 arrival in fall 2015. As strong as the power play and penalty kill were this season (Edmonton went 62-41 on special teams in 2019-20), the Oilers Adam Larsson 25-20, +5 desperately needed to improve at five-on-five with the captain off the ice. Ethan Bear 25-23, +2 The good news? Edmonton improved at five-on-five scoring with McDavid on and off the ice. More work needs to be done, but in Oscar Klefbom 19-17, +2 possession and scoring differential, progress was made this season. Darnell Nurse 24-23, +1 Oilers’ five-on-five with McDavid on the ice Matt Benning 9-9, 0 I’m not certain what normal differential should be with McDavid on the 7-8, -1 ice. His best season came in 2016-17 (77-47, 62.10 percent differential), and his career percentage is just shy of 55 percent. Sidney Crosby’s best The last 29 games of the Oilers’ season were revealing for this defensive three-year run so far in his career (2010-12) was 68.2 percent, but it’s fair group and offered an indication of things to come. Bear earned every to say Pittsburgh’s generational talent played with a more balanced team, accolade that came his way in 2019-20 and might have obscured the and depth was more plentiful. accomplishments of Jones in the process. If you’re waiting for Jones to arrive as an NHL player, he’s already there. McDavid’s best differential is a moving target as he approaches his prime seasons. So far, his 2016-17 campaign is the clubhouse leader. Playing with McDavid (forwards)

This season was very different for McDavid, as his goal differential The first thing we need to establish is this: An overwhelming number of experienced a small uptick under difficult circumstances. McDavid, as wingers post strong offensive numbers at five-on-five when playing with you might recall, spent the summer rehabbing a knee injury. This season, McDavid. One of the few curious coaching moves of the season was the he dealt with a quad injury, a suspension and the usual shuffling of decision to run James Neal for 225 mostly unproductive minutes. Here linemates. Despite that, it was an encouraging campaign. All numbers via are the five-on-five points per 60 with McDavid in this season. I’ve limited Natural Stat Trick. it to 10 players:

Oilers’ five-on-five with McDavid off the ice Six scored 2.00 or better per 60 with McDavid in 2019-20 and three spent significant time with him on the line. Kailer Yamamoto also had a good This represents an improvement and is a reflection of Edmonton’s new output (2.29 per 60), but it was in just 26 minutes so I left him (and Jujhar impact line that came together at the beginning of 2020. Ryan Nugent- Khaira) off the list. Hopkins, Kailer Yamamoto and Leon Draisaitl stormed the opposition in the second half, outscoring opponents 28-8 at five-on-five. That accounts This summer, Holland won’t have to worry about finding someone who for the year-over-year improvement, but it’s pretty clear the third and can score five-on-five with his best player. If he’s about to make an fourth lines are getting fed when the big guns are at rest. addition, great. If not, the Andreas Athanasiou trade added another option to Zack Kassian, , Alex Chiasson and possibly For our purposes, this represents progress. Edmonton’s gap in goal Joakim Nygard. differential with the captain on the bench (or injured) moved up over 4 percentage points. If the Oilers and coach Dave Tippett can get that McDavid posts so much offence off the rush there’s the possibility of a number to 50 percent, Edmonton should have a strong Stanley Cup mad dash back to the defensive zone on breakouts the other way. contender — especially if the special teams remain brilliant. McDavid does well with wingers who can excel along the wall and turn pucks over while checking. That’s Kassian and could be Yamamoto or As is the case with McDavid’s season, I think this is an encouraging Archibald. McDavid can also use a shooter and good passers (everyone trend. The key will be to build on it. who plays with McDavid needs to be able to take and make a pass). Playing with McDavid (defence) Who helps McDavid outscore the competition? Here’s a look at this It’s a big advantage to play with the world’s best player. It’s also a season’s goal-differential numbers, all five-on-five: challenge because the players who skate alongside McDavid are facing Kassian shows well in points per 60 and goal differential. After getting his the toughest opposition in the NHL. Despite that, numbers tend to be new lucrative contract, it’s a good bet he gets plenty of time with McDavid better for the players who spend time on the ice with him. Here are the next season. I wouldn’t count out Yamamoto, although he’s got a good goal-differential numbers five-on-five for Edmonton’s regular defencemen gig on the Draisaitl line. in 2019-20 when they were on the ice with McDavid: Who plays the other wing? Nygard is a fascinating player. I’m tempted to McDavid is such a difference-maker that the puck consistently ends up in say his offence is a weak point, but you can’t tell much from less than 60 the opponent’s net. Darnell Nurse and Ethan Bear were in the red in minutes on any line. Maybe he’s the answer, or Athanasiou, or even goals against. I wonder if Tippett’s initial thought of pairing Oscar Ennis. Klefbom with Bear would have resulted in superior results. I’d ordinarily blame the rookie, but the evidence suggested that Bear was Nurse’s Finally, here are the forwards’ scoring numbers without McDavid at five- equal — even the better player of the duo for long stretches of the on-five. We begin with goal differential and that tremendous Draisaitl line. season. Logic dictates there’s a falloff beyond that line:

Kris Russell is an outlier and not for the first time. Everyone else is 50 The two veteran right wingers (Chiasson and Kassian) hold their own percent or better, and the top pair (Nurse-Bear) played an enormous without McDavid, but the lack of depth at centre is exposed here, and number of minutes with the captain. Here’s the same group without there’s several million dollars at the bottom of this table not helping at all. McDavid, all numbers five-on-five: Finally, we have five-on-five scoring without McDavid:

Benning, Caleb Jones and Russell played between 23 and 26 percent of Nygard’s output is at least a little promising. He’s another midseason their five-on-five minutes against elite competition (third pairing), but it’s signing by Holland that might work well. The fourth line is vital to the still worth mentioning Jones was above 50 percent without McDavid as a penalty kill. Riley Sheahan, Archibald and Khaira have shown enough value elsewhere to justify the lack of offence.

What does it all mean?

If we review the numbers with and without McDavid there are myriad options for linemates, and the top two pairings are more than adequate. The top of Edmonton’s five-on-five depth chart could be Athanasiou- McDavid-Kassian, Nuge-Draisaitl-Yamamoto and the pairings could remain as a season ago (Nurse-Bear, Klefbom-Larsson).

There are even seeds for solutions on the third pair (Jones) and depth scoring (Nygard) in these numbers. Add in the penalty killers, and there’s more to build on this offseason than the day Holland arrived. That’s based on the numbers.

Holland might look for a third-line centre, scoring winger if he’s available and a deft signing in goal. The Oilers record this season is good enough for a playoff spot and the special teams shine like a diamond. The five- on-five numbers reveal some real progress in areas of need and offer some intriguing options in those spots.

The Oilers are posting better numbers, and there’s progress and momentum. But there’s still room to grow.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173389 Florida Panthers our hands. The most important thing is the team success. We have the possibility to get into the playoffs and that’s the really important thing for me.”

Panthers’ Bobrovsky helps community, hopes for NHL restart amid But would the Panthers get that opportunity? coronavirus pandemic The NHL, following guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that limit large gatherings, is still tentatively hoping for a mid- May return to the ice although the exact timing is anything but certain. BY JORDAN MCPHERSON There’s the potential that the NHL could go straight into the postseason with the current standings, leaving the Panthers once again on the outside looking in. When the National Hockey League put its season on an indefinite pause March 12 because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Florida “I think it’s not really fair because there were still 12 or 13 games left. It’s Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky’s mind went to the employees at a lot of games,” Bobrovsky said. “We’re right in the mix and have the the BB&T Center and the medical workers at the front line of containing opportunity to be in there. ... I don’t think it’s fair because the season this virus. from the sports standpoint is 82 games and then the playoffs. You can’t just cut it off where we are and move right into the playoffs.” That’s why Bobrovsky pledged a $100,000 donation to pay arena workers while events at the BB&T Center are postponed. His teammates Miami Herald LOADED: 04.08.2020 matched his $100,000 donation, and Panthers ownership is chipping in an undisclosed sum to cover the rest of the needed money. Ownership is also paying full-time employees as scheduled during the league’s shutout.

It’s also why Bobrovsky also worked with the Florida Panthers Foundation to donate N95 masks to medical workers in South Florida to protect themselves from COVID-19.

“It’s a tough time for everybody, for the whole world,” Bobrovsky said Tuesday on a conference call. “I just tried to do the right thing for those people, to support them and help a little bit from my side.”

With hockey — and most everything else — in a holding pattern, Bobrovsky is trying to do his part both to help the community and be ready to help the Panthers make a playoff push should the NHL eventually resume its season.

“Everybody is in the same situation,” Bobrovsky said. “We don’t know what’s going to happen or when we’re going to play. We’ll see what’s going to happen.”

‘THESE ARE CRAZY TIMES’

The Panthers were in Dallas preparing to play the Stars when the NBA became the first professional sports league to suspended its season March 11.

The next morning, the NHL canceled practices and morning skates. By the afternoon, the season was officially paused.

“It crept into my mind that these are crazy times,” Bobrovsky said. “It’s bigger than just us. ... It was a little bit crazy. Unbelievable and crazy.”

Bobrovsky, who didn’t play in the team’s final four games before the hiatus because of a lower-body injury, was close to returning to the ice at that point.

Now, he’s working out in his home gym to stay nimble and ready for when the league says the season will continue.

For most hockey players, there are ways to hone skills without being on the ice. For a goalie, keeping timing in check requires someone to compete against, something Bobrovsky doesn’t have at the moment.

“You need somebody to shoot at you,” Bobrovsky said. “You need to see the puck, read the players and stuff like that. At this moment, I don’t have that possibility. I can only build my body to be strong, to be fast, to be quick.”

‘WASN’T AN EASY SEASON’

Bobrovsky also would want a final chance to make a statement after a rocky first season with the Panthers after signing a seven-year, $70 million contract last offseason. The two-time Vezina Trophy winner went into the impromptu break allowing a career-worst 3.23 goals per game.

However, the Panthers were still in the thick of the Stanley Cup Playoff race. Florida was three points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs for the third playoff spot in the Atlantic Division with 13 games remaining in the regular season when the season was stopped.

“It wasn’t an easy season for me,” Bobrovsky said. “New team, new coach, new surroundings. Everything is new. As far as the team standpoint, we’re fighting for the playoffs. We’re right in the mix. It’s all in 1173390 Florida Panthers NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said on Tuesday that the NHL is exploring multiple options for resuming the season, and will be ready to continue play when the all-clear is given by authorities and health professionals. From donating money to BB&T workers to buying N95s, Panthers’ Bobrovsky trying to do his part during pandemic Sun Sentinel LOADED: 04.08.2020

By BRETT SHWEKY

In the wake of the new coronavirus pandemic, Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky is hoping to make a positive difference in the South Florida community.

Bobrovsky, who is in his first season with the Panthers, recently donated $100,000 to help BB&T Center workers with no events being held at the arena and followed by donating thousands of masks to multiple hospitals in the Fort Lauderdale area.

“The workers in the arena they do a big part of our events and [are] a big part in our support," Bobrovsky said on a conference call Tuesday. “There will be a risk for them to lose their jobs and not have the possibility to feed their family. ... I guess I tried to do the right thing for those people and to support them and help a little bit from my side.”

His teammates later matched his $100,000 donation and Panthers ownership is also supporting the workers with an undisclosed amount to cover the rest of the needed money.

Along with New York Rangers left winger Artemi Panarin, Bobrovsky didn’t stop there as they came together to help health care workers by donating thousands of masks to multiple hospitals in Florida and New York.

The 31-year-old from Novokuznetsk, Russia purchased the N95 masks and arranged for them to be delivered in Fort Lauderdale to different medical facilities. Panarin donated 1,500 masks to the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York and later joined New York Islanders players in donating 3,000 masks to Northwell Health system in Long Island.

“We wanted to make sure the first responders have the right masks,” Bobrovsky said. “Those masks are N95s and they’re high-quality masks. So it’s good to support those people with high-quality masks.”

With sporting leagues all across the world on pause, Bobrovsky is trying to do as much as he can in the community while also staying in shape to help the Panthers make a potential run at the postseason if the NHL season is resumed.

Bobrovsky, who was close to returning to the ice before the NHL season was suspended, said that he’s feeling healthier and would’ve been ready to help the Panthers make their postseason push. The veteran goalie missed the team’s last four games due to a lower-body injury.

A morning update with the latest news and analysis on South Florida sports, including info about the Dolphins, Heat, Marlins, Panthers and much more.

The Panthers are three games behind the final spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs with Carolina and Columbus holding the wild-card slots and Toronto close to securing the No. 3 seed in the Atlantic Division.

“I have the possibility here in my house," Bobrovsky said on still being able to work out and stay in shape. “I had the time to organize the gym during the season. So, I would say that I have a good gym. I have all the equipment needed to be in shape.

“It’s not easy times because we don’t know when it’s going to happen, when we’re going to play and stuff like that,” Bobrovsky continued. “But, it’s just one day at a time.”

Despite having access to a house gym, the 2012-13 and 2016-17 Vezina Trophy Award winner said it’s slightly more difficult for a goalie to stay game-ready compared to players at other positions.

“For the goalie, it’s a little bit harder to train,” Bobrovsky said. “You need someone to shot at you. You need to see the puck, to read the players and stuff like that. But, at this moment, I don’t have that possibility. So, I can only build my body to be strong, to be fast and to be quick." 1173391 Los Angeles Kings “We all don’t have the funds to donate $20, $100, $1,000,” Pope said. “But everyone has the capability to donate blood, and it gives our fans and the general public a way to give back.”

Kings hope new initiative will convince people to give blood amid One example: Pope received an email last week from a fan, John Ufland, donation shortage who organized donations among his five-team adult league in Panorama City, staggering three donation days across April.

“I’ve got like 60 hockey players that I know,” said Ufland, who added that By JACK HARRIS STAFF WRITER APRIL 7, 20203:46 PM his group will donate all the tickets they receive back to the Kings’ Care Foundation. “I figured, well, we have a lot of extra blood right now that we

can do something with.” The partnership was obvious from the start, a hockey team and a It all explains why O’Gorman, a Kings’ season-ticket holder himself, used children’s hospital coming together for a crucial cause. such words as “unique” and “personal” to describe the team’s “Hockey and blood,” said Jennifer Pope, the Kings’ vice president of relationship with CHLA. It goes beyond occasional player visits and community relations. “We thought that was a no-brainer.” performative philanthropic duties. The hospital has treated children of Kings players and staff members, including Pope’s son Charlie, who That was in 2008, when Children’s Hospital Los Angeles was looking for spent much of his first two years in and out of CHLA while battling partners to help make its blood-donor program self-sufficient. The Kings hydrocephalus, a condition in which fluid builds up in the skull and became a perfect match, aiding in the acquisition of a mobile blood- causes the brain to swell. donation truck, organizing donation drives before games and at events around the community, and publicly pounding the drum on the “For programs like CHLA and its blood donor center, that is stuff that is importance of donating. vital to so many kids and so many people,” Pope said. “It’s something that we want to do.” “The L.A. Kings relationship for us is extremely valuable,” said Maurice O’Gorman, CHLA’s chief of laboratory medicine. “They are getting our LA Times: LOADED: 04.08.2020 institutional needs out in the public, in a very public way, from a professional team that has a lot of reach.”

With the Kings’ help, CHLA has long since reached self-sufficiency, meaning it can cover 90% of its patients’ needs through self-raised donations, a rarity among pediatric clinics around the country. Amid the outbreak of COVID-19, however, staying above that threshold has proven to be a unique challenge.Social distancing and self-isolation have sidetracked CHLA’s normal donation plan.

As they did 12 years before, hospital and hockey team have needed to get creative once again.

Utah Jazz v Phoenix Suns

SPORTS

Coronavirus tracker: Athletes and sports figures who have tested positive

“Any time there’s any sort of shortage or any time there’s any sort of emergency need, we’re always happy and willing to promote whatever they need,” Pope said. “The hospital still has to function. The hospital still needs to satisfy the needs of their patients.”

Barely a week after the NHL season was suspended last month, the team launched a “Blood and Pucks” initiative, offering two free tickets to games next season to any healthy fan who goes into CHLA’s clinic to donate blood.

“The Kings recognized this very early and came to us, asking how they can help,” O’Gorman said. “We can’t even explain the gratitude that we feel to our donors, to the Kings and everybody that is supporting us in these unusual times.”

Of all the second-hand consequences to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic, a lack of blood donations has been among the most serious.

To remain self-sufficient, O’Gorman said CHLA needs roughly 40 donations per day. Normally, it can procure half that amount annually through mobile blood drives, sending the “bloodmobile” donation truck — “a vehicle that the Kings helped us resource to acquire,” O’Gorman said — around the Southland to build up its supply.

“So you can imagine, with no social gatherings, the closing of schools, the closing of universities,” O’Gorman said with a sigh, “half of our blood supply access to donors has been cut off.”

So far, CHLA has been able to maintain its minimum donation mandate.

“But as you can see, with 40 a day, our job is never done,” O’Gorman said. “The water is running full blast and the drain is wide open.”

In-house donations from CHLA’s more than 5,000 employees have helped, but so too has the Kings’ doubling-down on donation efforts. While the hospital doesn’t track exactly how many walk-ins are a result of the Kings’ marketing efforts, the anecdotal evidence has been overwhelming. 1173392 Los Angeles Kings on or watching it, and we all want to come back as quickly as possible, we understand what the No. 1 priority is.”

LA Times: LOADED: 04.08.2020 Gary Bettman says it might not be possible to complete NHL season normally

By HELENE ELLIOTT APRIL 7, 20202:37 PM

A third player on the Colorado Avalanche has tested positive for COVID- 19, the NHL announced Tuesday, not long after Commissioner Gary Bettman acknowledged for the first time that it might not be possible to finish the regular season and conduct the Stanley Cup playoffs as it traditionally has done.

Bettman also said during an interview on NBCSN that continuing uncertainty about the COVID-19 pandemic makes it impossible to project a time frame for a resumption of the season.

The positive test on the unnamed Colorado player brings to eight the number of NHL players known to have tested positive. The Ottawa Senators have acknowledged five positive tests among their players and one positive test among the members of their traveling party for games at San Jose, Anaheim and Los Angeles from March 7 through March 11. In addition, broadcaster John Kelly of St. Louis — which played at Honda Center on March 11 — and broadcaster Gord Wilson of Ottawa have said they had the novel coronavirus.

The NHL suspended play on March 12 with about 85% of its regular- season schedule complete. The regular season was scheduled to end last Saturday and the playoffs likely would have started Wednesday. The NHL has recommended players and staff members self-isolate through April 15 and is likely to extend that recommendation.

Utah Jazz v Phoenix Suns

SPORTS

Coronavirus tracker: Athletes and sports figures who have tested positive

Speaking to Mike Tirico of NBCSN, Bettman said league executives are hopeful of having a better grasp on the situation by the end of this month. “We’re viewing all of our options. We want to be ready to go as soon as we get a green light,” he said. “Nothing’s been ruled in, nothing’s been ruled out.”

He added, “The best thing and the easiest thing would be if at some point if we could complete the regular season and then go into the playoffs as we normally do. We understand that that may not be possible.”

Bettman said a potential playoff format would have to take into account the uneven number of games teams had played when the season was paused. “Everything we do needs to be fair,” he said. “We are considering every conceivable alternative to deal with whatever the eventuality is.”

Staging playoff games at neutral sites is an option that has been discussed, with sites such as Grand Forks, N.D., and Buffalo as potential candidates to host playoff games. Playing deep into the summer is a viable option. “The days of when games had to be postponed because there was no air conditioning in a building are long behind us,” Bettman said. “We can handle making ice now in any condition. ... Ice won’t be a factor.”

2018 NHL Draft - Round One

HOCKEY

Hacker posts repeated racial slur in online fan video chat with black NHL prospect

Bettman was among about a dozen commissioners and league presidents who participated in a conference call with President Trump last weekend, and Bettman described it as “a very cordial, constructive conversation.” The consensus was that more information would be needed before any decisions could be made regarding resuming any league’s season.

“All of us running sports are basically focused on the same things,” Bettman said. “First and foremost, people’s health and well-being and safety is the most important, and while we all miss sports, either putting it 1173393 Los Angeles Kings Boston defenseman Torey Krug urged the NHL to take a patient approach.

“Look, we all want to get back to playing,” Krug said. Gary Bettman uncertain NHL can complete regular season due to “If we do have the opportunity to get back to playing, let’s be safe about it coronavirus and be smart,” he added. “No one wants to jump back into a situation 'We're looking at all options. Nothing's been ruled in. Nothing's been where we put a bunch of people in one area, and all of a sudden this ruled out,' NHL commissioner says thing takes off again.”

Bettman sees the potential of games being played into the summer and doesn’t expect the ability to maintain NHL-caliber ice sheets to be an By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS |PUBLISHED: April 7, 2020 at 2:58 p.m. | issue because of the league’s modern and air-conditioned facilities. UPDATED: April 7, 2020 at 2:58 p.m. Orange County Register: LOADED: 04.08.2020

For the first time since halting play four weeks ago, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman raised the possibility Tuesday of not completing the regular season in order to squeeze in time to award the Stanley Cup.

Bettman also acknowledged during an interview with NBCSN the league is considering having games played at neutral sites in the event not all teams will be allowed into their home rinks.

Bettman, however, stressed these are among myriad options being considered with nothing determined because it will take at least two more weeks to gain a clearer picture on how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting the league’s 31 markets.

“We’re looking at all options. Nothing’s been ruled in. Nothing’s been ruled out,” Bettman said during the interview broadcast on the league’s U.S. broadcast partner.

“The best thing and the easiest thing would be if at some point we could complete the regular season and then go into the playoffs as we normally do,” he said. “We understand that may not be possible. And that’s why we’re considering every conceivable alternative to deal with whatever the eventuality is.”

Bettman had not previously raised the possibility of shortening the regular season, which was halted on March 12 with 189 games remaining.

The 16-team playoffs were scheduled to open Wednesday, though they likely won’t begin until late June – at the earliest – and could stretch into August and potentially September.

NHL players have been asked to self-quarantine through April 15, a date that has been pushed back twice already and is expected to be moved once again. The number of NHL players testing positive for COVID-19 rose to eight Tuesday as the league announced a third Colorado Avalanche player tested positive, joining five members of the Ottawa Senators.

The season was put on hold with teams having played an uneven amount of games and with tightly contested races taking place in each of the two conferences.

The NHL has not placed a firm deadline on the latest when the playoffs could start. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, however, acknowledged in an email to The Associated Press the league will eventually have to establish “some last possible day” so not to cut into the start of the following season.

“It’s nothing that we are even close to setting at this point in time,” he wrote.

Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky said it would be unfair for the NHL to dump what remains of the regular season.

“There’s a lot of games (left) and we’re right in the mix, and we have the opportunity to be in there,” Bobrovsky said. “The season is 82 games and then the playoffs. So you can’t just cut of where we are and jump right into the playoffs.”

The possibility of playing at neutral sites is being considered because the pandemic is affecting regions at different times. North Dakota, among a handful of states without stay-at-home orders, was mentioned as a potential site because the state isn’t densely populated and the University of North Dakota features an NHL-caliber facility.

Buffalo has also been discussed because the Sabres, who are out of contention, have a two-rink practice facility connected to their downtown arena and a 200-plus room hotel. 1173394 Los Angeles Kings Cup championships with the Kings and two Olympic gold medals for Canada before he turned 25.

Eight glimpses of No. 8 through the ages. My favorite player: Drew Doughty Day One

The teenaged Doughty was hit by nerves and thought he might be going By Lisa Dillman Apr 7, 2020 to the Calgary Flames when he spotted then-Kings general manager Dean Lombardi shaking hands with then-Flames GM on the draft floor in Ottawa.

Whether it’s a sign of advancing age or simply a matter of liking a lot of (That conversation had to do with Michael Cammalleri getting traded to people over the years — my preference is the latter, not the former — the Flames.) selecting a favorite player is one of the trickier assignments during my time at The Athletic. Doughty showed his quote-worthiness right away. From my story on Doughty’s draft day in the Los Angeles Times with Eric Stephens: I’ve been thinking: should it be someone from the tennis world or hockey? A last-minute move to Calgary, instead of Los Angeles, was not in the plans of the 18-year-old Doughty, who grew up a Kings fan and has kid- I’ve had a foot in both camps for significant parts of my career. My sized jerseys of Wayne Gretzky and Kelly Hrudey in his bedroom. favorites in tennis include Lindsay Davenport, Pete Sampras, Martina Navratilova, , Steffi Graf, and Bob and “I was losing it,” Doughty said. “I was a little worried. I looked at my Mike Bryan. How can you possibly choose between five Hall of Famers parents and kind of buried my face in my hands. They were a little and future Hall of Famers, in Williams and the Bryans? worried because they knew how bad I wanted to come here.”

Maybe that will be a future story. Phone meets water

After all, I’m assigned to cover hockey at the Los Angeles branch of The When recently searching for some information, I went down a fascinating Athletic with an emphasis on the Kings and occasional swings through rabbit hole of Rich Hammond’s former blog. We are now colleagues at Anaheim to check in on the Ducks. The Athletic, and Rich has covered the Kings expertly and humorously from all angles, first at the Los Angeles Daily News and then as the So let’s stick to hockey (and Southern California) for this assignment. original L.A. Kings Insider.

Without further ado, my top-10 favorite hockey players to cover, in The archives of his blogs are tremendous and this specific entry about alphabetical order: , Dustin Brown, Mike Donnelly, Drew Doughty from Rich was laugh-out-loud quality. It had to do with Olympic Doughty, Tony Granato, Wayne Gretzky, Kelly Hrudey, Paul Kariya, orientation camp in Calgary in late August of 2009. Marty McSorley and Teemu Selanne. After the first day of camp, Doughty talked to reporters about the call he The list easily could have included 20 players. got from Team Canada executive director , informing him of his selection to the camp. Numerically, that’s No. 4 (Blake), No. 9 (Kariya), No. 11 (Donnelly), No. 21 (Granato), No. 23 (Brown), No. 32 (Hrudey), No. 33 (McSorley) and “I saved his message so I could hear it over again, but I dropped my No. 99 (Gretzky). phone in the water and now the phone doesn’t work,” Doughty said. “I can’t hear what he said. Really disappointing.” That leaves two players who wore (and are wearing) No. 8 — Hockey Hall of Famer Selanne with the Ducks and a future Hall of Famer, Playoff Doughty Doughty, with the Kings There seemed to be little left after the Kings completed an epic and Coincidentally, those are my top two: emotional series against the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2014 Western Conference final. 1. Doughty Obviously, the Kings did dig even deeper and found extra reserves in the 2. Selanne Stanley Cup final against the New York Rangers to win their second Why those two you ask? Stanley Cup championship.

Was it because The Athletic colleague Eric Stephens ruthlessly beat me Against Chicago, the Game 7 overtime goal by Alec Martinez won it for to the selection and got his story on Selanne in first? the Kings, and it was their third Game 7 win on the road in those playoffs.

I’d like to say that but it’s not entirely accurate. (But he did get his story in We were wrapping up interviews in the Kings’ dressing room at United first!) Center and I was standing with Los Angeles Times colleague Lance Pugmire, presumably going over coverage assignments or maybe With Doughty, there is a recency bias at work. Selanne was inducted in something mundane like travel plans. the Hall of Fame in 2017, and I haven’t been around him regularly since he retired in 2014. Then we heard someone yell, loudly: “Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

My association with Doughty goes back to when we were all a lot It was Doughty. younger, in 2008. That’s when the Kings took him No. 2 overall at the Pugmire is also now with The Athletic, covering boxing. And, yes, we still NHL Draft in Ottawa behind Steven Stamkos, who went to the Tampa say that catch phrase to each other. Bay Lightning. And, yes, we end up laughing just like we did in Chicago. The next three seasons, I was assigned to cover the Los Angeles Clippers, chronicling the likes of Baron Davis, DeAndre Jordan and Blake Fear factor Griffin. So I wasn’t on hand for Doughty’s NHL debut in the fall of 2008 or when he won gold with Team Canada at the Olympics in Vancouver in In 2015, Doughty took part in an entertaining roundtable, hosted by 2010. ’s George Stroumboulopoulos, along with Stamkos and of the New York Rangers. But starting from the 2011-12 season, I’ve been around him consistently and one of the cool perks of the job includes not knowing what Doughty Doughty was asked who hit him the hardest and answered, saying he is going to say on a daily basis, a throwback to the days when players was rocked by Dustin Byfuglien of the Winnipeg Jets on the first shift of a spoke their minds regularly. game. “I’m still hurting,” Doughty said.

It’s also special to appreciate greatness from a front-row seat. Like But who out there scares him? Sampras and Serena, Doughty was a teenaged prodigy, breaking into “For me, it’s (Pavel) Datsyuk,” Doughty said in the interview. “Maybe like the NHL at age 18, months after he was drafted. He won two Stanley Getzy (Ryan Getzlaf) too. Most guys you can take on. As a defenseman when I have the puck, those two guys, I’m kind of scared, to try make a “I think we both know who the better player is,” Doughty said. “If he wants play by them. to compliment me first, then I’ll give him one back.”

“I’m not scared to make plays by many people. But those two guys will Tkachuk and Doughty backed up the talk. Tkachuk had three points — knock it out of the air, they’ll steal it from you. They’re so smart. … They two goals and an assist. Plus this sensational goal to tie the game late in know what you’re thinking. And so when those two guys are on the ice, regulation. I’m giving the puck up and giving it up to one of my teammates.” Doughty responded with a three-point night, and had the last word — Norris Trophy winning it in overtime with a power play goal. Then he went WWE-style with an off-color celebration. Doughty had been a finalist for the Norris Trophy two other times before he finally won in 2016, edging Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks and Later, Doughty told us that his mother was not happy with the goal of the Ottawa Senators. celebration, noting his boyhood idol Gretzky wouldn’t have done such a thing. That season, Doughty had 51 points and was a career-high plus-24. In this case, Mom had the final word. During his acceptance speech, Doughty got emotional when he mentioned his mother, Connie, saying: “Mom, you’re going to make me The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 cry.”

Later, he spoke about that moment on stage in the post-awards media session in Las Vegas.

“I planned to thank my family and then I looked over there and that was the wrong move for me because it choked me up a little bit,” Doughty told reporters that night.

“My mom was crying the whole awards. That’s just how she is. I guess I got that emotional side a little bit from her.”

Jerry Maguire goes to work

Doughty roomed with Brown on the road early in his career and remembered when Brown decided to negotiate his own contract in 2013. That summer, Brown agreed to an eight-year, $47 million extension, which runs through the 2021-22 season.

So, Doughty decided to represent himself and self-negotiated his contract (eight years, $88 million extension in the summer of 2018), raising more than a few eyebrows with that move and this quote about agents.

“In the end, if you punch the numbers in and they take three percent, the amount of money that I saved doing the deal for myself is ridiculous,” he said.

NBA Envy

One of my favorite Doughty moments was when he suddenly appeared in a video early in the Kings’ star-crossed season of 2018-19.

Only it was at an NBA game.

Doughty was smiling and yelling something in the tunnel at Houston’s James Harden after the Rockets beat the Lakers at Staples Center in the home debut of LeBron James.

We never found out what exactly Doughty said to Harden, but Doughty said it was nothing “bad.”

Coincidentally, Doughty told me a week earlier in Toronto that he got a kick out of the Jimmy Butler story, in which the then-Timberwolves player relished being the villain in Minnesota.

“I could see myself doing something ridiculous like that,” Doughty told The Athletic. “But not to that extent.”

DREW DOUGHTY OF THE KINGS YELLING SOMETHING AT JAMES HARDEN AFTER THE ROCKETS BEAT THE LAKERS AS THEY ARE WALKING THROUGH THE TUNNEL #NBA #NHL #ROCKETS #LAKINGS PIC.TWITTER.COM/YLZEX60HHF

— JOHN HORN (@SPORTSHORN) OCTOBER 21, 2018

Mother knows best

The raging feud between Doughty and his nemesis, Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk, seems so long ago, doesn’t it?

But for a few weeks, it felt almost felt NBA-like, in terms of the back-and- forth rhetoric this season. The heat went up a few notches a day before the first meeting between the Kings and the Flames, on Oct. 8, in Calgary.

Doughty tried not to wade into the fray but couldn’t help himself under relentless media cross-examination.

Finally, he gave the people what they wanted. 1173395 Los Angeles Kings When Bowkus had his stomach removed in a surgery shortly after his diagnosis, Alex joined his family at the hospital and was an intermediary between the coach and his players. That year he was coaching a 14U team. “All I could think about was all these kids texting me, saying, Remembering Jack Bowkus: “He left such a positive attitude, a positive ‘How’s Coach Jack?’ He left such a positive feeling. He left such a way to lead their lives” positive attitude, a positive way to lead their lives – not just as hockey players, but as citizens.”

It’s a sentiment expressed both verbally and expressively. So many JON ROSENAPRIL 7, 2020 coaches will share that more than anything, the relationship with their players must be built on a two-way bed of trust. There were those moments when he was firm but certainly fair, but the moments that will Descriptions of those who’ve left their mark on hockey often include resonate long beyond his passing will be the way he reached out to his allusions to a man or woman’s love for the game – their love playing it, former players well after they’d played their last game for him. “They watching it, talking about it, absorbing it. As they reflect on their careers, knew that all they had to do was pick up the phone,” Alex said. a feeling for some may surface that they always owed the game, that they owed their character and their efforts to their coaches, to their And so they did. Just as Bowkus had run practices and traveled and players, to those who sat beside them. drew up plays while battling cancer’s war on his body, he was also making sure that as he and the team battled the disease together – as he That selflessness was inherent in Jack Bowkus, who firmed the aim and explained it to his players – and found softer moments, even as a hockey trajectory of Southern California hockey’s reach and passed away on coach, to add some levity. “As sick as he was, on Halloween he got March 28 after a three-year fight with stomach cancer. The legacy he dressed like a clown and ran his practice,” Mark Hardy said. leaves behind is seen clearly through ex-teammates’ testimonials and from those he’d coached and built an amplified Southern California The former Kings player and assistant coach, Hardy had won rec league hockey network with as a renowned L.A. Junior Kings head coach and championships at Toyota Sports Performance Center alongside him, father who strove to set the best examples for his son, Austin. Kelly Sorensen, Brad Sholl and Ralph Barahona, the Long Beach native and former Ice Dog, before joining the Jr. Kings’ coaching staff. But Jeff Berting Photography; provided by Nick Vachon Hardy hadn’t yet seen that side of minor hockey, the importance of setting an example for teenagers and still finding the ability to lead even * * * * * during the most difficult times. Helen Alex has had many titles. She’s currently the L.A. Junior Kings In the last month, and just before the world began closing its doors in Finance Director and the Team Manager of the 18-and-under AAA club, response to an escalating pandemic, Bowkus was still venturing to find and, in an important moment in the organization, was also a recruiter. In support and grace in the presence of others. He was also still a hockey 2007, she and Bowkus, who coached the USHL’s at the time, coach. Just before social gatherings became taboo, he still summoned were already close through several mutual friends. Bowkus had the strength to visit his former players at a roller rink in El Segundo. It previously helmed the Orange County-based California Wave program was fitting, because he’d often encouraged his players to play roller that entrenched Southern California as a scouting locus through the hockey to boost their skill and wasn’t known to chide them when their confluence of Bowkus’ coaching and the skilled ability of a booming local schedules overlapped, as often happens in these parts. player pool driven to play through Wayne Gretzky-inspired fervor. Young children in Southern California who’d learned to skate around the Kings’ “He was in his wheelchair at that point, and no matter what, he wanted to run to the 1993 Stanley Cup Final were in their early-to-mid teens during see those kids, he wanted to be with those kids,” Alex said. Bowkus’ tenure with the Wave. “He told me, ‘You can’t take hockey away from me. Then you’re taking Bowkus was particularly proud of his 1989-born group, which won the my life away from me.’ He still developed game plans. I mean, he never Kamloops International Bantam Tournament in 2004 and stopped giving to hockey until the end. That’s how much he loved it.” would go on to place seven 16-year-old rookies on teams one year later when the typical team in a league * * * * * dominated by 18, 19 and 20-year-olds usually doesn’t have more than Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI one or two. There was Jonathon Blum in Vancouver, Shane Harper and Jonathan Milhouse in Everett, C.J. Stretch in Kamloops, Colin Long in Shane Harper was part of a team notoriously instructed – to be Kelowna, Ryan Letts in Calgary and Matt Sokol in Medicine Hat, all of diplomatic – by head coach Kevin Constantine not to change out of its whom came together under Bowkus to punch above their weight as a equipment for the three-and-a-half-hour bus ride from the Tri-Cities to group, taking a number of unexpecting Canadian bantam and midget Everett, Washington following a poor 2006 preseason performance. This, teams by surprise from 2012-15. one would think, would give him a fairly good starting point on coaching authority and organizational discipline. Bowkus, a Michigander who played four seasons for the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades and amassed 100 points his 20-year-old year, had And even he thought Jack Bowkus to be “extremely demanding.” begun the Wave program with Jeff Turcotte and Shawn Pitcher to provide a top-tier local AAA team and reached out again to his “recruiter” Words like that carry weight from Harper, whose conditioning regimen after he left Indiana. and self-discipline even as a teenager were highly advanced and prepared him well for a professional career. “I literally had to kick him out Alex, then the director of the Jr. Kings’ board, pushed for Bowkus’ hiring of the weight room on Thanksgiving Day,” a former athletic trainer said of to the organization’s president, Rosemary Voulelikas. “She took my him. recommendation, he came out, didn’t really need an interview. His whole career, everything he’s always done, he was the right person for the job.” There are plenty of influences who’ve stoked and refined that constitution, among them Bowkus, his former California Wave coach. “I Bowkus was hired in April, 2007 and over the past 13 years – even still think he’s the best coach I’ve ever had,” said Harper, a Valencia remarkably deep into his cancer diagnosis – he coached teams up and native who also played for Craig Hartsburg in Everett and Gerard Gallant down the program’s U14, U16 and U18 spectrum. “He could take any in Florida. player, and I mean any player, and he could get the best out of them,” Alex said. The mother of former Kamloops Blazer and Colorado But the union between Harper’s group of ‘89-born players and Bowkus Avalanche defenseman Ray Macias, she’s an enduring figure in minor was special. hockey and an empathetic caretaker for a number of young players on “He was, honestly, just so instrumental in my career, and while he the precipice of their hockey careers. coached us, we were always a bit intimidated of him, a bit scared of him, “He rolled the lines. You don’t find a lot of coaches that roll the lines because he demanded so much and he was such a hard-nosed coach. nowadays,” she said. “He rolled the lines all the way through to Still, to this day, we joke around, you hear players now complaining Christmas. I remember he gave every single player the opportunity to be about coaches yelling at them or being too hard on them and I still laugh the best and earn a spot on a AAA team. He built confidence in players with my parents, guys that I played with, like are you kidding me?” Harper who never had any.” said. As Alex shared, he was known for running a “tight ship.” “I’ve heard it all from Jack, literally everything, and I’ve had some really That toughness provided what therapy it could early into his cancer difficult coaches after that, but it never really affected me like some diagnosis and after the September, 2018 surgery to remove his stomach. players,” Harper continued. “I owe a lot to him. He really did prepare us And because Bowkus was a hockey player, obviously there were odds to for that next step and it’s kind of unbelievable what he was able to do in defy. “They told him it’d take four-to-six months of recovery time. ‘Take three years coaching us.” your time,” Vachon said, sharing the doctors’ advice. “He was back on the ice in 10 days. He was back, literally on the ice, in skates, in 10 days, As in: From 2002-05, a talented group of California teenagers hung with leading a clinic. What pushed him was to be with the kids, and he just the best teams in their age groups by virtue of the tremendous chemistry pushed through it.” they’d built, aided in part by Bowkus’ decision to expand their competitive circles by facing top competition. “The ’89 birth year team used to go up But behind the scenes, Vachon knew of the intense pain that his friend to Toronto and play against John Tavares and (Phil) Kessel and all these was going through, and after the cancer had spread and made every guys, and they would go back-and-forth in every tournament, and they aspect of his life difficult, was part of a coaching staff that expanded to were always in the finals together,” said Nick Vachon, a close friend for accommodate Bowkus’ 21-year-old son, Austin, who played for the Jr. years who has coached alongside Bowkus for the last four and Kings and the Yarmouth Mariners in the Maritime Junior Hockey League understands the impact that California Wave founders Bowkus, Jeff and spent the second half of the 2019-20 behind the same bench as his Turcotte and Shawn Pitcher had on developing and growing the local father. “When we traveled, Austin actually joined our coaching staff this pool. “Colleges, junior programs, they’re all scouting our kids. Our kids year around Christmas so that he could not only help us work with the are getting drafted and getting to play all over, and it all started with those kids, but also be with his dad and on the road with us and really be a big guys.” part of it,” Vachon said.

And so they traveled. To Vancouver. To Medicine Hat. To Prince Albert. The relationship between Jack and Austin stirs strong emotions. “One “We were going to tournaments where we didn’t even know where we thing that stuck with me was a year and a half ago when he first got his were, we had no idea until we went up there,” Harper said. cancer and then he beat it and he worked closely with the Tour de Pier foundation to raise funding for others, there was a video made of him at Defenseman Jonathon Blum, a 2007 Nashville first round pick, may have the time,” Vachon said. “He said that he felt he hadn’t been able to teach been the emerging centerpiece, but the offensive skill inherent in Harper, his son – like really, really teach his son everything – and was so happy Colin Long and C.J. Stretch’s games and many others helped define the that he had gotten through it the first time and was able to do that.” group. Their hands, their feet and their repetitions were all aided by their seamless transition between roller and ice hockey and weaponized by In a video on the Tour de Pier site, Jack spoke about the importance of Bowkus. “He encouraged us to make plays, but also was extremely forging ahead with his “13-year-olds” and beating cancer together as a demanding, so I don’t think I would have been nearly as prepared to go team. to the WHL if I hadn’t been coached by him for the three years prior,” Harper said. “In all my years coaching, every team goes through adversity. Being the leader of the group, preaching ‘you go through adversity, you’ve got to “We bag skated almost every practice, so that work ethic, coming to the fight through it,’ well, I can’t just preach it. I have to live it,” Jack said, rink almost knowing what we were going to do and preparing for it helped sharing that he was inspired to fight as hard as he could continue to set me build my work ethic on and off the ice. I pride myself as being a hard an example for his son. worker, and you don’t really think about that on the daily, but you have to get that from somewhere, so it comes back to those times when as a “I just thought that was amazing, because he was close with Austin and young person, you start to develop those habits and you definitely have that was the one thing for him, he was so grateful that he beat cancer the to think that came a lot from Jack. At 13, 14, 15, hockey’s all that matters, first time that he could spend more time with his son,” Vachon said. so that was the big influence in my life at that time.” And so there they were in dressing rooms, on planes, on skates, in When Harper was 23, and ready to resume his career with Adirondack in tournaments and at rinks, as they should be, and as it always had been. the Philadelphia organization, it was Bowkus who reached out and LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 04.08.2020 invited him to the late-summer pro skates in El Segundo that included a mix of L.A.-based National Hockey League players and several passers- through. Sidney Crosby, who’d spent summers in Santa Monica and Brentwood, was among the pros to skate under Bowkus.

“I wish I was able to talk to him a little bit more, before the end, it’s so unfortunate and so sad, but it’s really awesome to see how much support and how much people are talking about him right now. He’s getting the credit he deserves,” Harper said. “He broadened our horizons and showed us there was more than just hockey in California. Funny enough, guys were playing in [the WHL] one year later – it was incredible.”

After the 1989’s, there was 1990-born Mitch Wahl, a second-round Calgary pick, 1991-born Mitch Callahan, a sixth round Detroit pick, and then Stanley Cup champions Beau Bennett and Chad Ruhwedel and goalie Thatcher Demko and Kailer and Keanu Yamamoto and so on and so on. Six players with California ties were selected in the 2017 NHL Draft, four of whom came directly from the Jr. Kings program. In 2018, one player was drafted from the Jr. Kings, followed by three more in 2019.

They just keep coming.

And as they export young hockey players into the world, they’re also importing love, condolences and memories from managers, coaches, players, fans, former teammates and confidants. “If they ever wanted a true evaluation of a player, they would call Jack,” Alex said.

Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI

* * * * *

“Just to tell you, he’s the toughest guy that I know,” said Nick Vachon. The Jr. Kings’ General Manager of Hockey Operations, his friendship with Jack Bowkus extended well, well beyond their time coaching together over the past four seasons. During Bowkus’ battle he remained a close figure – personally and professionally – with Bowkus and his son, Austin. 1173396 Montreal Canadiens 13, all the same year as a fourth-liner playing 10:48 a night. This was always the value for the Canadiens of sneaking into a playoff spot, even if it meant getting knocked out in the first round, because you often have to go through that to understand how different playoff hockey is from the Claude Julien is preparing for playoffs. Would that be good for the regular season version. Canadiens? Con – That test kitchen closing

Julien brought up Nick Suzuki on that call because he’s become the By Arpon Basu Apr 7, 2020 Montreal poster child for the future. His incredible progression from fourth-line winger to top-six centre over the course of the season was, by

far, the best story on the team. Back when Claude Julien was still doing his job, which seems like a year “You do project as a coach and general manager and management and ago at this point, a climate of acceptance had finally settled in around the say, OK, how far can we go with this kid, can he be a top line centre, can Canadiens. Their irrational hope of making the playoffs had lasted far he be this?” Julien said, using Suzuki as an example. “You project for the longer than anyone considered to be reasonable, but it had evaporated future, but you’re also looking at the present more than anything else. So at that point. Players were being asked about remaining motivated while that’s what I’m doing right now, I’m really looking at the present and playing out the string, and Phillip Danault, for one, admitted it would be looking at the opportunity that if we come back, we’re part of that group hard, but they had an obligation to do it. that comes back and finishes the season and has an opportunity to do After starting Carey Price in goal 11 times in a row from Feb. 6-27, Julien some good things.” sat him in two of the Canadiens’ final five games. Again, acceptance had Suzuki was already a big part of the present, there weren’t too many finally set in. situations where Julien was holding back on his usage. But there were This climate of acceptance, however, would be an opportunity for the others who would have benefited from some test kitchen time. Jake Canadiens to start laying the groundwork for the future, by trying things Evans leaps to mind, because Julien had said he would be put in more they hadn’t yet tried but which may prove useful next season, by putting difficult situations down the stretch once the Canadiens lost hope of players in new roles with new linemates or defence partners to see what making the playoffs. Would that change if hope was renewed? would come of it. Julien was beginning to experiment with having Brendan Gallagher on Playing NHL games of no real consequence to yourselves but of major Domi’s wing rather than playing with Danault. It would have been consequence to your opponents can be the ultimate test kitchen, where interesting to see how the two of them meshed. Now, with Julien saying coaches can start fiddling with the ingredients in an effort to create Tomas Tatar is healthy and would be ready to play as soon things ramp something new and, if you’re lucky, delicious. up again, and with the need to start winning games, we probably won’t find out because the temptation to put his best forward line back together Then the NHL season ground to a halt. The test kitchen was shut down. will be too great.

Julien spoke to reporters from his offseason home in Ontario on Julien could have tried Domi on the wing, fiddled with his defence Tuesday, and though the current situation around the world is obviously pairings, tried new people on the power play, given Lindgren more starts not one that is eliciting much hope for people right now, from a to see if he should be in consideration for the backup goalie role next professional point of view, Julien has managed to find some. season. He could have done lots of things in that test kitchen.

The various ideas for rebooting the NHL season at some point include Pro – Could the Canadiens actually win? scenarios where the Canadiens would still have a chance of playing meaningful hockey whenever hockey games start being played again. Julien compared the current suspension of play to what is usually a One of them would be to include 12 teams in each conference in the summer break, at least in terms of the length of time players will likely be playoffs, and the Canadiens were 12th in the Eastern Conference in off the ice. One thing about the Canadiens is they usually start the points percentage when the season was halted. season well. Their record on Oct. 31 in each of the last two seasons was 7-4-2 and 6-3-2. The start in 2017 was a disaster, but prior to that the So whenever that return happens, Julien wants to be ready. But if the Canadiens were 8-0-1 on Halloween in 2016, 10-2-0 in 2015, 8-2-1 in Canadiens are indeed in playoff contention at that point, the test kitchen 2014 and 8-5-0 in 2013. will remain closed. The Canadiens would come back healthy, but so would basically every “I’d love to have an opportunity to talk about at one point 12 teams (in the other team. Still, Jonathan Drouin would have had the opportunity to fully playoffs) and we’d be part of those 12 teams. There’s talk of March heal, as would Tatar and Victor Mete would be back to help on defence. Madness and we’d be part of that. I’m excited (for) the opportunity to be Every team suffers injuries, but what this season demonstrated is that the part of whatever they come up with next,” Julien said. “So I’m really Canadiens don’t have the necessary depth to overcome them. However, looking at the present right now, I’m looking at the players we have right this team was very effective when it was healthy over the first six weeks now and what we can do to give ourselves a chance once we get back to of this season, so who’s to say they couldn’t do it again in an abbreviated finishing the season. I’m not going to look too much into next season until playoff format? they tell us this season is done and over with.” “We’ve actually had a tough year, and I keep saying it, basically due to Having a chance to unexpectedly play in some sort of playoff tournament major injuries, I think we slipped,” Julien said. “When you keep moving is an interesting conundrum for the Canadiens, with pros and cons to it. guys up to positions where they normally wouldn’t be, eventually that Let’s have a look at some of those. catches up to you. So if we can come back, be healthy and everybody’s starting at the same time, I think it’s important for us as a coaching staff, Pro – Gaining valuable experience and information as a group, to be ready for that to give us the best chance possible.” Max Domi has never played in the Stanley Cup playoffs. His contract Of course, it goes without saying a hot Carey Price in a short playoff expires at the end of this season, and it would probably good for the series could essentially win it by himself. Canadiens to see what Domi looks like in a playoff environment. Because frankly, he seems like the type of guy who would thrive. His Con – Is the chance of the Canadiens winning better than their lottery high-energy game, intense pace and ability to serve as an agitator would odds? seem to be a perfect cocktail to create a solid playoff performer. I sometimes picture , during some of the abundance of Except we don’t know that for sure yet. And Domi is an arbitration-eligible quiet time he is experiencing right now, spending hours on Tankathon restricted free agent coming off a bit of a rollercoaster season with long hitting the SIM LOTTERY button over and over again just to pass the spells of ineffectiveness interrupted by stretches of electric play. This time. added bit of information would be useful to the Canadiens entering a contract negotiation, and could really benefit Domi as well if he performs The Canadiens, based on points percentage, currently have the eighth- as we suspect he would. best odds in the draft lottery, obviously pending what would happen if the regular season were to be completed. Their chance of winning the No. 1 Domi is not alone in this situation. Danault, Paul Byron and Artturi Lehkonen have each played six playoff games. Joel Armia has played overall pick is a meagre six percent, but their chances of landing in the • Finally, when asked how long he thinks NHL players would need before top-three is 19 percent. they would be physically ready to play games, Julien made an interesting suggestion. He mentioned a week of skating would basically be enough Would the Canadiens still be in the lottery if they were included in an for most players, and then said this might be an opportunity to look at adapted playoff format? Perhaps. But if not, would they have better than changing the way the NHL prepares for a normal season. “We often say a 19 percent chance of winning a round or two in those adapted playoffs? we have a two or three-week training camp and we often say we’d like to The Canadiens would have the worst record among the 24 playoff teams cut exhibition games, we don’t need that many because the guys are in if indeed the NHL goes with 12 teams per conference in the playoffs; it’s such good shape,” Julien said. “So this might also be a good opportunity hard to rationally believe their chances of winning a round would be to see how it would work with a shorter camp.” better than their chances of getting a top-three pick in the draft. The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 Then again, their chances of climbing into the top-three is pretty slim as it is, and if the lottery were limited to the seven teams that weren’t included in the 24-team playoff, that would lock Montreal into the No. 8 pick. As it stands now, they could fall to No. 9, 10 or 11 if teams leapfrog them by winning the lottery for one of the top-three picks.

Ultimately, it makes perfect sense for Julien to embrace the hypothetical possibility of making the playoffs when the NHL resumes play. He is a competitor. It’s only normal. But it’s important to note Julien has not lost perspective of the situation in the world right now. He had some very thoughtful things to say on the current situation and various other topics that we’ll summarize here.

• On spending time with his family, Julien spoke of how proud he was of his daughter for her discipline in doing online schooling from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day and how he’s enjoyed helping his younger son with his homework every day. But most of all, he has enjoyed the opportunity to sit around a table and have dinner with his family every night. “The positive in this extremely negative situation is having time with your family,” he said. “Even during downtime, whether that’s in the summer or at the end of the season, you always have something going on. Your kids are doing sports so you’re running here and there with them. It’s extremely difficult just to have a family meal. So that part is incredible; I can’t remember the last time we spent so much time sitting around a table for dinner with the whole family. So it gives us a chance to look at what we might have forgotten, or maybe what we’re missing. This situation will give us a chance to reflect on many things once we’ve gotten through it.”

• Julien, as someone who holds news conferences nearly every day, has a unique perspective on the daily updates being provided by our political leaders, which he’s been following as closely as everyone else right now. He’s not only doing it to get information, though that is the primary reason why, but also to get tips on how to conduct yourself in these situations and project calm while under pressure. “You’re watching so you can learn. You always want to learn. I want to know what’s going on, but also learn from these people,” he said. “Listen, in my press conferences, we’re not talking about life and death, we’re talking about a sport. They’re talking about life and death, so it’s more difficult for them to answer these questions. But I’m trying to learn from these people while respecting the challenge they are facing.”

• Julien said he and some other coaches around the NHL have been holding conference calls to bounce ideas off each other. He mentioned Barry Trotz, Peter DeBoer, Jon Cooper, Mike Babcock and Ken Hitchcock as some of the regular participants. He wouldn’t get into the details of what they talk about, but he appreciated the opportunity to keep growing as a coach by discussing some of the unique challenges that come up over the course of a season with the coaching fraternity. “We normally do this sometimes at the draft, we get together, we chit chat. The draft obviously is not happening, this is a chance for us to do those kinds of things.”

• On Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s health, Julien said he hasn’t spoken to him since the season ended, but his spleen injury seems to be going in the right direction. “I haven’t been in touch with him yet because basically he was with Laval when all that happened,” he said. “Right now, when I’m touching base one-on-one, I’m touching base with the players I have now. He will be part of that group because he is one of our hopes and one of our players down the road that I think will be a great player for us. His situation was good enough so that he was able to return to home. So he’s returned home, because basically right now all he can do is rest, and that’s what he’s doing right now. The medical staff has kept us in the loop with what’s going on with all the players, and in his case, there has been no setback. It’s just about him resting. At the end of the day, for those kinds of players, we’re buying time. This situation allows them to get better and if at some point they decide to get back to finishing the season and with these guys where we said they were done for the year, they may not be anymore.” 1173397 Montreal Canadiens Toronto 76 910 000 (17)

765 000 Why the Canadiens are positioned to take full advantage of a flat NHL salary cap Travis Dermott (RFA), Ilya Mikheyev (arbitration)

1st, 3rd rd

By Arpon Basu and Marc Antoine Godin Apr 7, 2020 Frederik Andersen (UFA)

St. Louis

This is the first in a series of three articles examining how the Canadiens 72 850 000 (18) might benefit from a change in philosophy this offseason. 1 730 000 The Canadiens have spent the last three years resisting the gravitational pull of spending to the salary cap, choosing instead to avoid useless (UFA), Vince Dunn (RFA), Samuel Blais (arb) expenditures that would complicate their cap situation in future years. 2nd rd The frugal spending was immediately criticized in light of the simultaneously disastrous contract negotiations with Jordan Binnington (UFA), Jaden Schwartz (UFA), big salaries off the and Andrei Markov in 2017, but over the two subsequent years the books Canadiens wisely maintained the same course of refusing to spend just for the sake of spending. Vegas

The Canadiens were set to dip into their reserves this summer because 72 625 000 (15) of the expiration of some contracts, most notably the one belonging to 1 100 000 Max Domi. But the unanticipated suspension of the 2019-20 NHL season places the Canadiens in good position to not only deal with a salary cap Need supporting cast that won’t rise as expected, but actually take advantage of these unique circumstances. 2nd, 4th, 5th rd

Before we can even guess what the salary cap might be next season, we Paul Stastny (UFA), Alec Martinez (UFA) would first need to know the extent of the financial damage on this Edmonton season and the mechanisms that might be put in place to salvage this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs. But barring a scenario where the salary cap 70 400 000 (15) actually decreases next season or some sort of across the board salary 1 380 000 rollback is implemented as it was in 2005, it is very possible that next year’s salary cap will be identical to this year’s. It wouldn’t be surprising Andreas Athanasiou (RFA), need 1B goalie, overall depth to see it remain flat the year after as well. 2nd rd If that happens and the salary cap doesn’t change for the next two seasons, the Canadiens are in an enviable position. This summer they Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (UFA), Adam Larsson (UFA) would have flexibility that other teams don’t have, and next summer that Carolina flexibility would only grow because of all the players on the roster set to be unrestricted free agents in 2021. The Canadiens will obviously need 72 350 000 (16) players in 2021, but they won’t be handcuffed by having too many long- term contracts on the books. 1 300 000

“This is a question Marc (Bergevin) would probably be more comfortable Sami Vatanen (UFA), Joel Edmundson (UFA) answering than me, but I would say with the cap situation we have right 1st (conditional), 5th rd now, we have cap space on our side,” coach Claude Julien said in a conference call Tuesday. “And I know if we were to ever run into a Andrei Svechnikov (RFA), Petr Mrazek (UFA), need 1B goalie problem, there are many teams around the league who will have far more serious problems than we will. I’m thinking of teams who are at the cap Tampa right now and have much more difficult situations to manage. So, I think 76 170 000 (15) in our situation, where Marc has left the team with space under the salary cap, we’re in a good position.” 660 000

But there are pros and cons for the Canadiens, making it worthwhile to Kevin Shattenkirk (UFA), Sergei Sergachev (RFA), Anthony Cirelli (RFA) look at a two-year flat cap scenario from a few different angles. 1st rd Negotiating with teams in cap prison Blake Coleman (UFA) Some teams who were already having trouble breathing under the cap were counting on it rising in order to get some oxygen. What happens if Winnipeg that oxygen is suddenly revoked? Those teams will be forced to liquidate, 73 520 000 (15) perhaps costing them assets with little to no valuable return. 997 000 The consequences of an $81.5 million salary cap for the next two years would be most problematic for the following teams: Dmitri Kulikov (UFA), Dylan DeMelo (UFA), Nathan Beaulieu (UFA), (UFA) Squeezed by a flat salary cap 3rd, 4th rd Arizona Patrik Laine (arbitration), (UFA), Neil Pionk (arb) 74 625 000 (17) Nashville 1 140 000 72 230 000 (17) Taylor Hall (UFA) 1 540 000 1st rd (conditional) Mikael Granlund (UFA), Craig Smith (UFA) Derek Stepan UFA. 4 UFA defencemen 4th rd Pekka Rinne (UFA), Nick Bonino (UFA) compensation for signing a restricted free agent might be more digestible to the Canadiens than it otherwise would be. Columbus If the free agent class of 2021 gets spooked by the current circumstances 68 300 000 (21) and decides to ride out their current contracts, it would obviously be a 6 600 000 -edged sword for the Canadiens. There is significant risk in that scenario. But it would also provide the Canadiens with enormous Pierre-Luc Dubois (RFA), Josh Anderson (arb), Elvis Merzilikins (arb), flexibility to pursue an offer sheet next summer instead of this one. Joonas Korpisalo (arb) But regardless of when they do it, their advantageous financial position 2nd, 3rd rd compared to many other teams and the fact they would be in an easier position to wave goodbye to valuable draft picks give the Canadiens the Nick Foligno (UFA), David Savard (UFA), Ryan Murray (UFA), Oliver ammunition necessary to drop another offer sheet and acquire a player Bjorkstrand (arb) that would send the reset into overdrive. (scroll to the right if on a phone to see full table) Compliance buyouts That table has a bit of everything. There are teams under immediate If the Canadiens chose to be aggressive and spend money in the coming pressure who would have trouble negotiating new contracts under an months, the possibility of buying out Karl Alzner’s contract would always $81.5 million salary cap. There are teams who have key players without be there as a release valve, even if it would be preferable to wait as long contracts as of next summer who will need to prepare for those as possible to play this card because of the cap implications it would negotiations more quickly. And there are the , entail. who appear to be in a good position with 21 players signed next season, but who need to sign Pierre-Luc Dubois and both their goalies. Once Unless, of course, the Canadiens would not be penalized at all. that’s done, there won’t be a whole lot of money left for Josh Anderson. Following the 2012 lockout, with a negotiated reduction of the salary cap, The Canadiens are a perfect partner for these teams who will need to each team was allowed two compliance buyouts that would not count perform cap gymnastics just to be compliant next season. We have often against the cap. That’s how Scott Gomez and Tomas Kaberle noted the opportunity the Canadiens have to use their financial flexibility disappeared from the Canadiens’ books. to their advantage prior to the opening of free agency by essentially renting out cap space to teams in need. Marc Bergevin would have a It is not difficult to see a scenario under which the NHL would resuscitate tremendous opportunity to do that with the pressure some teams would this mechanism to create some wiggle room for teams under these feel under a flat cap. unique circumstances. Every team can find a player to buy out, but not every team has a candidate as perfect as the Canadiens do. In fact, most You will note we included the draft picks each of these teams are teams squeezed against the salary cap don’t have an Andrew Ladd, missing. If the Canadiens could be convinced to part with their first-round , Milan Lucic or Kyle Okposo on their roster. Take for pick or two of their three second-round picks in 2020, they could example the Tampa Bay Lightning. Unless they decide it would be a potentially acquire a true impact player. good idea to buy out someone like Yanni Gourde, there is no ideal candidate for a compliance buyout. The release valve for the Lightning The 2021 free agent class would most likely be to trade Alex Killorn, who is too valuable a player to Brendan Gallagher, Phillip Danault, Jeff Petry, Tomas Tatar and Joel simply buy out and lose for nothing. Armia all have these two things in common: they are comfortable in a There are therefore numerous ways in which the Canadiens could benefit Canadiens uniform and would like to stay in one. They are all good from the various solutions the NHL could come up with to compensate for players, but not exactly superstars, and part of their value to the the suspension of this season and the uncertain revenue streams that Canadiens is the fact they like playing in Montreal. That is a quality that is will result from it. But that doesn’t mean there would be no peril. There very difficult to find on the free agent market. are bad sides to this for the Canadiens. Playing in Montreal is an acquired taste. Losing a financial advantage All these players could sign a new contract with the Canadiens in the Looking back at the offer sheet Aho signed with the Canadiens last offseason that would kick in for the 2021-22 season. For some of them – summer, the primary reason why Montreal believed it wouldn’t be we’re thinking mainly for Petry, Tatar and Armia – the current uncertainty matched by the Hurricanes was all the up front bonus money. Only $3.65 could lead them to take less annual money in return for more long-term million of the $42.3 million contract was paid out in salary, the rest in security. bonuses. More than half of the total money, $21.9 million, was to be paid Just as an example, would Petry prefer to hit the free agent market next out in the first 12 months of the five-year deal. summer at age 33 not knowing how much money would be available to Ultimately, it didn’t work. But the only way it was ever going to work him around the league, with teams squeezed by a flat cap? Or would he would be if the Hurricanes decided they didn’t want to pay out that much rather sign a four-year deal with Montreal while taking a relatively money in such a short period of time. It was the Canadiens trying to flex significant annual pay cut? Hard to know, but it’s definitely a possibility their financial might. that some players might have to re-evaluate their salary expectations under the current climate of instability. Same goes for Tatar, who will be This is obviously appealing to players; they get their money quicker and 30 in the summer of 2021. can invest it or do whatever they want with it in a shorter period of time. Carey Price, for instance, received $30 million of his eight-year, $84 As Gallagher himself said back in late February, “There’s something to million contract in the first 12 months, and overall he will receive $70 be said about guaranteed money.” million through signing bonuses over the eight years. His base salary is Offer sheets never higher than $2 million in any given year.

The Canadiens surprised the NHL last summer in more ways than one. This has now become relevant for the Canadiens and any other team First with the audacity of signing Sebastian Aho to an offer sheet. Second that likes using this advantage – the Toronto Maple Leafs are paying with how timid that offer sheet was, making it easy for the Carolina Auston Matthews $31.1 million of his $58.17 million contract in the first Hurricanes to match and have their young star signed at a fair market 12 months – because of the impact the current shutdown will have on price. league revenues not only in terms of the salary cap, but also the effect it risks having on the escrow money players have taken off every No matter how that played out, it wouldn’t be wise to think Bergevin paycheque. wouldn’t try it again just because it didn’t work the first time. The escrow mechanism in the collective bargaining agreement is meant Depending on what the Canadiens consider to be worthwhile targets and to ensure that the players and owners each receive a 50-50 split of the teams that would be most vulnerable this summer or next, Bergevin hockey related revenue. Revenue has consistently risen every year the could decide to pounce. After this year’s draft, the Canadiens will have system has been in place, but now risks dropping not just this season – replenished their prospect pool nearly to the point of saturation, which that’s guaranteed at this point – but in coming seasons as well. If that’s would make the draft a bit less crucial in the years to come. If an impact the case, there are people predicting escrow rates could soar as high as player was coming, giving away several first-round picks as 30 percent next season, more than double the 14 percent players paid this season.

Under these circumstances, it is not difficult to imagine agents advising players against frontloading new contracts and instead backloading them so the bulk of the money is paid out when escrow rates and all other league finances have had a chance to stabilize to something close to current conditions. In other words, take your chances that escrow rates (assuming they exist at all in the next CBA) will be back around 15 percent in five or six years instead of paying 30 percent on the biggest chunk of the money on the contract in the first year.

For the Canadiens, the timing for this sudden change is less than ideal. It’s not a disaster by any means, just not ideal. At the end of this season, at least under normal circumstances, they would have been allowed to sign their 2021 unrestricted free agents to contract extensions.

Frontloaded contracts being less attractive right now won’t necessarily prevent the Canadiens from doing their business, it’s just a sudden change in the circumstances surrounding those negotiations that they couldn’t have anticipated and an advantage they may no longer enjoy.

Conclusion

We were only able to come up with one real downside for the Canadiens to the salary cap remaining flat and the league being forced to collectively tighten its belt, and it was a relatively minor one. When compared to all the advantages the Canadiens’ current financial flexibility provides them, losing the advantage of heavily front-loading contracts is basically an afterthought.

This is a highly unique situation that no one saw coming, but one that is oddly similar to the conditions under which Bergevin began his time as Canadiens general manager. Coming out of the lockout in 2012, Bergevin was faced with a lower salary cap than the previous season, the only time in the cap era that happened. There were compliance buyouts instituted to allow teams to get under the new, negotiated salary cap of $60 million, down from $64.3 million prior to the lockout and far lower than the projected figure of $70.2 million announced in June, one month after Bergevin was hired.

Teams were being squeezed, and the Canadiens were one of them. This time, they are not.

Considering where the Canadiens are in their development curve and the relative urgency to compete while Price and Shea Weber remain effective players, the current financial insecurity around the NHL should be viewed as an opportunity for the Canadiens to speed up on their road to being competitive. They need to take advantage of every situation this new landscape presents, because they are one of the teams best placed to do so.

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Devils’ Travis Zajac, a ‘Tiger King’ since he was a toddler, weighs in on hit Netflix documentary

By Randy Miller

Although missing hockey and hating what’s going on in the world, Devils center Travis Zajac has enjoyed being cooped up in his New Jersey home during the NHL’s coronavirus stoppage.

The family time with wife Nicole and their three children, who range from ages 3-to-8, has been priceless for Zajac.

This downtime has included Zajac being fascinated while watching Netflix hit documentary “Tiger King,” and then having his mother email him a decades-old photo from when he was two or three years old.

“I was posed with the tiger,” Zajac said. “I got my mom to send me it, so I sent it to my wife and said, ‘Look, I’m the ‘Tiger King!’”

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Zajac, who was born in 1985, was amazed that a zoo in Winnipeg allowed children to pose with tigers in the late ‘80s.

“I asked my mom, ‘How did this happen?’” Zajac said. “She's like, ‘It was sedated … so you're safe.’”

“I said, ‘Come on!’ She said, ‘They stopped doing it after a while.’ I'm like, ‘Yeah, no kidding!”

Zajac and his wife finished watching “Tiger King” last weekend.

“That's one of the best shows I've ever seen,’ he said. “I'm not gonna lie. It was pretty entertaining.”

“I can't believe that actually was real life. That was pretty cool.”

“Tiger King” tells the story in seven crazy episodes of Joe Exotic, who ran a big cats zoo in Oklahoma and now is serving a 22-year prison sentence for animal abuse and plotting to kill arch-enemy Carole Baskin, who founded and runs Big Cat Rescue in Tampa.

Oh, and Baskin has been accused in the public eye of killing her millionaire second husband, who has been missing since July 2007, and then feeding him to tigers.

Zajac’s hunch is that Baskin is guilty even though no charges ever has been filed.

“There's no evidence, but I think you have to assume she did,” Zajac said. “She seems like she's got a dark side to her. She knows what she's doing. It seems like everything she does this is scripted. and I can see her doing it”

Zajac’s tasks in the last month have included being the “gym teacher” for his children in addition to fixing them breakfast and lunch.

The main teacher is Zajac’s wife, who majored in education while playing college hockey at New Hampshire.

“It’s kind of been a blessing being around your family as much and not having to be in a rush to go somewhere,” Zajac said. “We've had time to play games and have family dinners every night and talk and laugh.”

Star Ledger LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173399 New Jersey Devils Q: Your father played more than 1,110 NHL games and you probably remember his last six or seven seasons. I’m guessing you were in the locker room a lot with your dad. How much of a benefit was it to you to be around the likes of , Joe Sakic and other great players Q & A with Devils prospect Nolan Foote: Big winger with famous dad that were teammates to your dad? honed skills on backyard rink Foote: “My brother and I loved going to the locker room. We wanted to miss school and go to morning skates. ( star center) Matt Duchene lived with us for his first two seasons with the Avs. That By Randy Miller was cool. I made a friendship and I still can go to him for advice. Also, I grew up playing with Joe Sakic’s son, Chase, and we’re really good friends. I loved being around their family. Ryan O’Reilly treated me really Nolan Foote, one of hockey’s top power forward prospects, was focused great, as well. And that one year when Forsberg came back to Colorado, on getting over a nagging lower-body injury and rejoining his Western it was really fun to watch him and be around him.” Hockey League team when he received a jarring phone call last February from Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BrisBois. Q: You were born in the United States, but opted to play Canadian junior hockey. Also, you won a World Juniors Gold Medal this past winter While sitting in the waiting room of a Kelowna, British Columbia rehab playing for Canada. When did you get dual citizenship and why did you center, Foote was told he’d been traded to the Devils. opt to play for Canada instead of Team USA?

Introducing Devils Insider: Sign up for exclusive news, behind-the-scenes Foote: “My parents have their Canadian citizenship in a picture frame in observations and the ability to text message directly with beat writers our house and I just remember always wanting dual citizenship. I got it when I was 14 or 15. I just had to sign my name, and it was joy, for sure. This news was tough to accept initially for the 19-year-old, but it had And I knew right away what I wanted to do when I had the opportunity to nothing to do with Foote leaving the farm system of the Eastern pick playing for the United States national team or for a Canadian junior Conference-power Lightning for a still-rebuilding Devils organization that team. My brother had a big year his first year with Kelowna, then when was steamrolling to a seventh playoff miss in eight seasons. they drafted me, I said, “How can I turn that down?’ Then I chose to play What stung Foote, who scored 36 goals in 66 games in 2018-19 and 15 for Canada in the World Juniors because I wanted to wear the Maple in 27 games this season, was the sudden numbing realization that he Leaf on my jersey. My dad played a big factor with that, because he had probably wouldn’t someday begin his NHL career having his older success wearing the Maple Leaf (winning Gold in the 2002 Winter brother as a teammate. Olympics).”

Nolan Foote, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound left wing, loved playing with Cal Q: You are known for having a great shot. How did it get to be so good? Foote, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound defenseman, in junior with the WHL’s Foote: “I grew up shooting pucks like a lot of kids and it turned out to be Kelowna Rockets while being coached by their dad, former NHL one of my greatest skills. But I was fortunate to have a rink in our defenseman Adam Foote. backyard in Denver growing up. It was small – like blue line to goal line And the whole family of four – mom, dad and the two boys - was ecstatic and pretty skinny – but it was a perfect spot to take shots. We put some last summer when Nolan was drafted in the first round, 27th overall, by ice on it in the winter, and in the summertime we could roll around or run the Lighting two years after Cal was picked by Tampa Bay in the first around and play ball hockey. It was really fun. We lived near two kids round, 14th overall. from Texas, and one of them was a goalie. It was fun when he’d come over and we’d take shots at him.” Now a happy member of the Devils organization, Nolan Foote talked about his trade, the perks of growing up in a hockey family and a lot more Q: You shoot left, your dad and brother shoot right. You’re the only during a phone interview with NJ Advance Media last week. forward of the three. How are you not a left-handed shooting defenseman? Here’s what Foote had to say: Foote: “It’s funny. I don’t know how I became a lefty and a forward, but I Q: How long did it take you to get over being traded? always loved scoring goals. Growing up, it was pretty fun when Cal and I Foote: “I was in complete shock. That first day or two didn’t feel real, and would battle against each other in the backyard, so it was pretty cool to then I went to New Jersey a few days later to get treatment and meet have him as a defenseman. Even now, it’s nice in the summer training everyone. I was there for three weeks and I saw right away it was great with him doing 1-on-1s against each other. He’s strong and I think he’s organization, great locker room. The guys treated me really well and NHL ready.” made me feel comfortable. So it’s definitely exciting coming into a young Q: What area of you game do you need to improve the most? organization and getting a chance to get to the NHL sooner. I’m happy now. It’s better for me now when I look at it. It sucks not playing with Cal Foote: “Quickness. Improving my first three steps is a huge thing. Also, I eventually one day, but Tampa Bay is a tough organization to crack right need to continue to get stronger and grow into my body. Obviously, that now. I get what Tampa is doing. They are in Cup time in the next couple will come with time.” of years, so it makes sense.” Q: This was your last season of junior and you signed an Entry Level Q: You got hurt in late January and were supposed to return in March. Contract when you were with Tampa Bay. Next season, you’ll be fighting What was the injury? for a roster spot when you go to training camp with the Devils. Do you feel NHL ready? Foote: “We’ve been calling it lower-body injury, and I’ll just go with that. That’s from my agent, but it was a nagging injury from before World Foote: “My thought process is that I’ll have an opportunity to make the Juniors. I played through World Juniors with it, then I got back and played Devils’ lineup. But I need to continue to get stronger and I need to in a game on Jan. 10, and it got bad again. So I ended up going to continue to make my injury stronger. I’ll work on that. I’ll work on my Tampa to do rehab there, then I continued my work in Kelowna and tried torso. I’ll continue to work on my skating. We may have a long couple of playing again. It didn’t feel good, so I went to New Jersey for three weeks months until the NHL decides what to do after this coronavirus. and they fixed me up. Since then, it’s been really good. It sucks that the Whenever that ends and we get to next season, I’ll go to training camp season ended right when I was healthy, but it definitely makes sense the and if I don’t make the Devils, then I’ll go to Binghamton and develop and games stopped with what’s going on in the world.” grow as a player.”

Q: Were you just about to return from that lower-body injury when hockey Buy Nico Hischier Devils gear: Fanatics.com, Dick's Sporting Goods, shut down due to the coronavirus. Did you get out of Canada and back to MLBShop.com, Lids Denver right away? Q: You and your brother are a couple inches taller than your dad, who is Foote: “No. We’re all in Kelowna. We still have a house in Denver, but 6-2. Did you get size from your mom’s side, as well? Was she athletic? my family has been living in Kelowna the last four years because my dad Foote: “My mom (Jennifer Foote) was very athletic. She was a was coaching here. We like it here. But my parents and I were already competitive figure skater. I’ve heard she worked very hard at it and was a here when the season stopped, and my brother is here now, too, after great figure skater in her teen years and low 20s. My grandfather on my playing with Syracuse in the American (Hockey) League." mom’s side … I never met him, but he was tall, so I got some of my height from my mom’s side, too.”

Q: So someday we might see you do a triple lutz to celebrate scoring a goal for the Devils?

Foote: “Noooo!”

Star Ledger LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173400 New Jersey Devils Continuing the season Feb 27, 2020; San Jose, California, USA; New Jersey Devils center

John Hayden (15) and New Jersey Devils right wing Joey Anderson (14) NJ Devils' Travis Zajac wants to resume season, but only if it's done and New Jersey Devils center Travis Zajac (19) and teammates safely celebrate after the goal during the first period at SAP Center at San Jose.

Zajac has remained steadfast in his commitment to the only professional team he has ever played for even when the season took a disastrous Abbey Mastracco, NHL Writer Published 5:12 p.m. ET April 7, 2020 | turn early. At the time of the stoppage, the Devils were 28-29-12 and on Updated 5:29 p.m. ET April 7, 2020 their second head coach (Alain Nasreddine) and second general manager (Tom Fitzgerald) of the season.

There is little to play for other than pride at this point but Zajac believes It’s been 27 days without any hockey games in the NHL and New Jersey it’s important for the Devils to finish what they started. Devils players are doing the same thing the rest of us are doing: Working out at home, helping their kids with their schoolwork and binge-watching “It hasn’t really felt like we finished anything,” he said. “Whether we make Netflix’s “Tiger King.” the playoffs or not, there’s no real end to it or anything like that. I think for our group, we would still like to get together and finish the season.” Alternate captain Travis Zajac called it one of the greatest shows he’s ever seen in a call with the media Tuesday afternoon. But more important BREAKDOWN: NJ Devils' position-by-position, as Mackenzie Blackwood than his opinion of whether or not Carole Baskin killed her husband and highlighted the 2019-20 season fed him to the tigers (he thinks she did) is his opinion on a resumption to the 2019-20 season. How he’s staying in shape

Zajac wants to continue to play out the string, despite the fact that the Hockey players have a unique challenge when it comes to staying in Devils are 13 points outside of the second Eastern Conference Wild Card competitive shape during this layoff since they can’t get on the ice. The spot. family typically spends most of the offseason in New Jersey so he has the benefit of a home gym and a shooting area set up in his garage. The “Whatever the number would be, I don’t know how many (games) we Devils’ training staff has distributed workouts to the team and he has could end up fitting in, but it would still be nice to get back with the team access to yoga classes on Zoom. They’re quite difficult, he said. So and kind of finish the season together,” he said. difficult that he’s been doing the yoga classes intended for his kids instead. Here are some takeaways from Zajac’s conference call. But there is little he can do to replicate being on the ice. What’s next? “It’s been over three weeks now and that’s a long time,” he said. “That Zajac serves as the Devils’ NHL Player’s Association representative so will be the toughest part, getting back on the ice. Even after the season, it he’s been involved in several discussions with the league about the seems like you take a shorter time away from the ice each year and to be possible scenarios for a continuation of the season. But as of right now, honest, this is probably the longest I’ve been off the ice in a couple he doesn’t have much to report. years.” “Not much has changed from a couple weeks ago,” he said. “It’s about Zajac’s solution: Rollerblades. the health and making sure we’re being safe and that we’re abiding by the rules and being role models as far as staying home and practicing “I ordered a pair of Rollerblades the other day to start ripping around the social distancing. driveway with the kids,” he said.

“We probably know as much as you guys right now, which is not a whole So, what now? lot.” Zajac and many others saw this hiatus coming well before it actually One possible scenario reported over the weekend was similar of MLB’s happened. The writing was on the wall a month ago when the San bubble scenario of playing the rest of the season in one or two neutral Francisco Bay Area put bans on mass gatherings early last month, site locations. The location discussed was Ralph Engelstad Arena in leaving the San Jose Sharks in limbo. Grand Forks, North Dakota, where Zajac played collegiate hockey. But now, everyone is in limbo waiting this out. LOOKING FORWARD: If the NJ Devils' season ended today, what would happen next? “At that point, you were thinking a couple weeks or a month at the most,” Zajac said. “But as of right now, you don’t kind of know where the end is.” The possibility of a return to the University of North Dakota is an interesting one for Zajac, but only if it’s safe. As one of the longtime leaders in New Jersey, Zajac continues to check in with his teammates and monitor their health and well-being. The team “In New Jersey and New York, it’s kind of hard to imagine us playing in has a group chat, as most do, but Zajac has taken things offline in order front of fans again anytime soon with how bad it is,” Zajac said. “I know to communicate 1-on-1. The conversations aren’t really about hockey the NHL is exhausting every option possible and it seems like North right now. Dakota hasn’t been hit as hard as some of these areas. The players all want to finish the year any way we can, so if it comes to it where we have “I try to talk to a few guys a week and make sure everyone is OK,” he to go to a neutral site to play, I know guys will be all for it.” said. “At this point, it’s about staying healthy and making sure their family and everyone involved is safe.” The problem is that it might not be safe. The priority is the kids and helping them with their work at home. Nikki North Dakota may not have as many confirmed cases of coronavirus as has an education degree so she’s been the primary teacher and Zajac New Jersey or New York but without mass testing, it’s impossible to called himself the “gym” teacher. He’s been in charge of breakfast and determine just how many people are carrying the virus. lunch and recently introduced his kids to peanut butter and jam sandwiches with pickles. The veteran center also recently built raised Zajac and his wife, Nikki, remained in their New Jersey home with their garden beds in the backyard to be able to plant vegetables with his 8-, 6- three kids and have decided to remain there throughout this break. and 3-year-old kids. They’re paying attention to what’s going out outside of their home in their adopted home state, which happens to be a COVID-19 hotspot. Family time has been the silver lining. Zajac is grateful for the time he wouldn’t otherwise have at this point in the year. And while he may be “We’re kind of in a holding pattern until we see a plateau or whatever the eager to get back to work, for the sake of his family and everyone else's, government or health officials need to see before we can get back being he only wants to get back on the ice when it’s safe to do so. around the guys,” he said. “It definitely is scary being in New Jersey and seeing the numbers and seeing how many people are infected. And I’m “For us, it’s about trying to be safe right now and making sure we’re sure those are just the people who have tested positive, you don’t even practicing the things that are preached,” he said. see the whole picture.” Bergen Record LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173401 New Jersey Devils What if: Reece Scarlett (No. 159) Scarlett has spent the past seven years in the AHL, while Josh Manson

(No. 160) has become a top-four NHL defenseman. Ranking the Devils drafts (Part II): And the winner is … NHL players: Adam Larsson (No. 4), Coleman

A couple of the players taken right after Larsson have become better By Corey Masisak Apr 7, 2020 NHL players, but Larsson did fetch Taylor Hall in one of the best trades in franchise history. Reid Boucher has played 133 NHL games, which is third in this draft class. The Devils haven’t had another class with three picks who played 133-plus games since 2005. The Devils have had many lean years at the NHL Draft, particularly in the past 20 years. For the club to return to Stanley Cup contender status, 16. 2003 that is going to have to change. The 2020 draft could include three first- round picks for the first time since the franchise moved to New Jersey. Best pick: Zach Parise (No. 17)

While the Devils prep for that draft and wait to see if and when the 2019- The best player the Devils drafted between 1994 (Patrik Elias) and 2017 20 season will continue, The Athletic is ranking all of the Devils’ previous (Nico Hischier). 38 draft hauls. The bottom half of the list is here. Worst pick: Petr Vrana (No. 42) Now it’s time for the 19 best classes. As a reminder, each class includes Vrana scored one goal in 16 NHL games and returned to Europe by a best pick, a worst pick and a “what if,” denoting the best or most 2009. He had 38 points in 47 games in the Czech league this season. interesting player selected within three choices after the Devils picked. What if: Vrana 19. 2015 Patrice Bergeron (No. 45) would have been a nice complement to Parise Best pick: Mackenzie Blackwood (No. 42) at the top of the lineup. Blackwood took a significant step forward this season and should be the NHL players: Parise club’s No. 1 goaltender in the years to come. The 2003 draft is arguably the best in league history. Organizations that Worst pick: Blake Speers (No. 67) did well in this draft were among the top teams in the NHL after the 2004- Speers made the team out of camp in 2016, but slid down the depth 05 lockout. Getting Parise at 17 was a great pick, but the bar for a great chart during his time with Binghamton and was included in December’s draft in 2003 was higher. Taylor Hall trade to make the contracts work. 15. 2019 What if: Pavel Zacha (No. 6) Best pick: Jack Hughes (No. 1) When fans can rattle off the players selected after their team’s pick from Many players from the 2019 draft class could prove themselves, but memory, it’s a problem. Zacha has become a solid role player with Hughes has the highest ceiling. That hasn’t changed in nine months. glimpses of more, but Ivan Provorov (No. 7), Zach Werenski (No. 8) and Timo Meier (No. 9) have all developed into impact players. Worst pick: N/A

NHL players: Zacha, Blackwood Someone would have needed to quit hockey to end up being a bust at this point. All five players from this class have played in the NHL. Blackwood and Zacha look like they will for a long time. It’s still going to be hard to shake What if: Daniil Misyul (No. 70) the “what might have been” at the top. Misyul could end up being a good pick for the Devils, though his timeline 18. 1989 for arrival in New Jersey is unclear at this point. Hugo Alnefelt (No. 71) had a big year and is now one of the best goaltending prospects in the Best pick: (No. 5) league. Guerin played more than 1,200 NHL games and scored 429 goals. He NHL players: Hughes helped the Devils win the Stanley Cup in 1995 and was the key piece in a trade for Jason Arnott. The Devils had a host of picks last year, but the immediate reviews of this class after Hughes were only so-so. Both of the Providence products Worst pick: Jason Miller (No. 18) (Tyce Thompson and Patrick Moynihan) have improved their stock since Miller spent nearly 15 years playing in Germany after appearing in only the draft, while the two Ottawa players (Nikita Okhotyuk and Graeme six games for the Devils. Clarke) missed big chunks of the season with injuries.

What if: Miller 14. 1985

What if the Devils had drafted Olaf Kolzig, who went one pick after Best pick: Sean Burke (No. 24) Miller? They probably don’t select a certain goaltender from the Montreal Burke had a great postseason run with the Devils in 1988 and won more suburbs in the first round the following year. Do they win three than 300 games in his career. championships without ? Does “Olie the Goalie” become the most revered player in franchise history? Worst pick: Myles O’Connor (No. 45)

NHL players: Guerin, (No. 47) O’Connor was a third-round pick and never played more than 22 games in an NHL season, finishing his career with 45 total games. The Devils hit on their top-five pick, but the rest of this class is not inspiring. What if: Jamie McKinley (No. 213)

17. 2011 The Devils didn’t shy away from Soviet-born players, but taking McKinley at No. 213 when Igor Larionov went one pick later to Vancouver was a Best pick: Blake Coleman (No. 75) missed opportunity. Coleman was a bit of a late bloomer after spending four years in college, NHL players: Craig Wolanin (No. 3), Burke, Eric Weinrich (No. 32), Jamie but he became a good player and fan favorite before landing the Devils a Huscroft (No. 172), David Williams (No. 234) big haul at the trade deadline this year. Burke and Weirich combined to play nearly 2,000 NHL games. More Worst pick: Blake Pietila (No. 129) importantly, they were the package New Jersey sent to Hartford for Pietila played 38 games over four seasons, but had one goal and four Bobby Holik and a draft pick that became Jay Pandolfo. Wolanin played points and never found a regular role with the NHL club. nearly 700 games, but didn’t become the impact player teams expect Popugaev has bounced around a lot and spent most of this season in the from that draft slot. ECHL. The Devils haven’t signed him (he’s on an AHL contract), and he looks like someone who isn’t going to reach his potential. 13. 1995 What if: Hischier Best pick: Petr Sykora (No. 18) Hischier has been a no-doubt success for the Devils, but Cale Makar One-third of the best line in franchise history, Sykora spent eight seasons (No. 4) is already one of the best defensemen in the NHL in his rookie with the Devils and ended up with 721 points in 1,017 NHL games over year. How the top of this draft class shakes out will be fascinating. 15 seasons. Hischier could make several All-Star teams and win a Selke Trophy, but Worst pick: Nathan Perrott (No. 44) Makar, Elias Pettersson or Miro Heskainen could end up being the best player from the group. Perrott was a second-round pick who didn’t sign with New Jersey, played in 89 NHL games and eventually became a professional boxer who went NHL players: Hischier 1-3 in four fights. Jesper Boqvist (No. 36) got a taste of the NHL this year but wasn’t ready. What if: Richard Rochefort (No. 174) Of the five other players in this class who are intriguing prospects, it’ll likely be another year or two before we know if they can be NHL regulars. While Rochefort spent five seasons with New Jersey’s AHL club, P.J. Axelsson (No. 177) could have been a better role player or trade bait to 9. 1987 help those early 2000s teams. Best pick: Brendan Shanahan (No. 2)

NHL players: Sykora, Alyn McCauley (No. 79), Chris Mason (No. 122) Shanahan became a Hall of Fame talent, and also one of the great free- McCauley was part of the Doug Gilmour trade, while Mason didn’t sign agent losses in NHL history … because the league awarded the Devils a but eventually became a starting goalie for Nashville and St. Louis. defenseman named Scott Stevens as compensation. Landing one great player makes any draft class a good one, but the rest Worst pick: Brian Sullivan (No. 65) of this group didn’t offer much help. Sullivan was a fourth-round pick who played two games for the Devils in 12. 1996 1992-93.

Best pick: Willie Mitchell (No. 199) What if: Ricard Persson (No. 23)

Mitchell was an eighth-round pick who played more than 900 games and Local hockey rivalry history might be a lot different had the Devils passed became a two-time Cup champ near the end of his career with the Kings. on Persson and taken the player who went 25th, Stephane Matteau. He was traded for pending UFA Sean O’Donnell in 2001. NHL players: Shanahan, Persson, Kevin Dean (No. 86), Jim Dowd (No. Worst pick: Lance Ward (No. 10) 149)

It was a different era, but the Devils drafted Ward with the 10th pick and Dowd played more than 700 games in his NHL career. The Brick, N.J., didn’t sign him. He did play 209 games in the NHL for the Panthers and native helped the Devils win the Stanley Cup in 1995. Ducks. 8. 1992 What if: Daryl Andrews (No. 173) Best pick: Sergei Brylin (No. 42) Derek Morris (No. 13) played more than 1,100 NHL games, but skipping Andrews in favor of Sammy Pahlsson (No. 176) would have given the Three-time champ and a critical role player for the Cup-era Devils. Devils another great defense-first forward in their stable. Worst pick: Vitali Tomilin (No. 90) NHL players: Ward, Colin White (No. 49), Scott Parker (No. 63), Mitchell The first three picks in this class played 600-plus NHL games. Tomilin White was the most important pick in this class for the Devils, and never left Russia. Mitchell was a good find in the eighth round. What if: Ryan Black (No. 114) 11. 1993 Black never played in the NHL, while Adrian Aucoin (No. 117) would Best pick: Brendan Morrison (No. 39) have made the 2000 champs even more formidable on the blue line. Does one player like Aucoin swing the 2001 Cup Final, as well? Morrison became a really good player after the Devils traded him to the Canucks, but getting Alexander Mogilny in return made it a fair deal for NHL players: Jason Smith (No. 18), Brylin, Cale Hulse (No. 66), both sides. Stephane Yelle (No. 186), Jeff Toms (No. 210)

Worst pick: John Guirestante (No. 110) None of these players became stars, but drafting four in one class who play 600-plus games in the league makes this a strong group — even if Guirestante, a forward, scored 16 goals combined in his two post-draft Yelle never signed with the club and the Devils didn’t get much for him. years in the OHL and never played in the AHL. 7. 1984 What if: Guirestante Best pick: Kirk Muller (No. 2) Miroslav Satan was the next pick in the draft. The Devils passed on Satan, and the NHL was a less fun league because of it. The Devils landed the player who collected the second-most points of any first-round pick in this draft class and fourth overall. They missed out NHL players: Denis Pederson (No. 13), Jay Pandolfo (No. 32), Morrison, on the player who had the most, No. 1 pick Mario Lemieux. Krzysztof Oliwa (No. 65) Worst pick: Neil Davey (No. 44) Pandolfo and Morrison were good picks. Oliwa was fine. The rest of the class was a miss. Between 1992 and 2010, the Devils picked higher than Davey was a third-round pick who finished his career with zero NHL 17th twice, and neither player really worked out. games and 13 AHL games.

10. 2017 What if: Mike Roth (No. 170)

Best pick: Nico Hischier (No. 1) One of the two non-first round picks who had more career points than Muller was Luc Robitaille. The Devils did not take “Lucky” Luc at No. 170, Teams expect to land a franchise player with the first pick. Hischier has but Los Angeles did at No. 171. been just that. NHL players: Muller, Craig Billington (No. 23), Paul Ysebaert (No. 74), Worst pick: Nikita Popugaev (No. 98) Kirk McLean (No. 107), Mike Peluso (No. 190) Five NHL players is tied for the second-most of any New Jersey draft What if: Curtis Regnier (No. 121) class. McLean and Billington combined to win 350 games. New Jersey drafted two of the five players from this class who played 6. 1983 1,200-plus NHL games, and it could have been three had they tabbed Sean O’Donnell (No. 123) two spots earlier. Best pick: John MacLean (No. 6) NHL players: Neidermayer, (No. 11) Landing the player who became the franchise’s leading scorer for two decades is not a bad way to kick off the draft class. The Devils might have two top-11 picks in the 2020 draft, where something similar to this haul would be an ideal outcome — an all-time Worst pick: Shawn Evans (No. 24) great and a very good NHL player. The rest of this draft didn’t pan out, An early second-round pick, Evans played nine games in the NHL but it’s hard to be upset when the first two picks hit like they did. (though the Devils were able to trade him along with a fifth-round pick for 2. 1994 Mark Johnson in 1985). Best pick: Patrik Elias (No. 51) What if: Evans (No. 24) The Devils selected the most productive forward in team history in the Two picks after Evans, the Canadiens tabbed a fiery player from the second round. QMJHL named Claude Lemieux. The mid-to-late 1980s might have been a little different for the Devils if their future postseason hero was already Worst pick: Vadim Sharifijanov (No. 25) in the lineup. Elias certainly made up for the Devils taking a player who didn’t get to NHL players: MacLean, Chris Terreri (No. 85), Slava Fetisov (No. 145), 100 NHL games in the first round. Alexei Kasatonov (No. 225) What if: Sharifijanov The Devils were one of the teams that eventually reaped the benefits of drafting players who were stuck behind the Iron Curtain at the time. Rhett Warrener (No. 27) might have been a useful third-pairing Fetisov and Kasatonov both arrived in 1989 and spent at least four defenseman or a better trade chip. seasons with the club. NHL players: Elias, Sheldon Souray (No. 71), Steve Sullivan (No. 233)

5. 1998 Elias makes any class a winner. The Devils drafted three really good Best pick: Brian Gionta (No. 82) players here, but traded two of them away before they blossomed.

Gionta played more than 1,000 NHL games and had one of the best 1. 1990 offensive seasons in club history (48 goals, 89 points in 2005-06). That’s Best pick: Martin Brodeur (No. 20) great value in the third round. The only player in this draft class with a statue outside of the Prudential Worst pick: Christian Berglund (No. 37) Center.

Berglund failed to reach 100 NHL games and was traded for Viktor Worst pick: Chris Gotziaman (No. 29) Kozlov in 2004. Gotziaman barely played in the AHL and never reached the NHL. What if: Mikko Jokela (No 96) What if: Todd Reirden (No. 242) Jokela played one NHL game, which was 1,007 fewer than Shawn Horcoff (No. 99). This was a great class, and it would have been even better had they passed on the future Capitals coach and selected the future Cup winner NHL players: Mike Van Ryn (No. 26), Scott Gomez (No. 27), Gionta with both the Rangers and Devils, Sergei Nemchinov (No. 244).

Gomez was the best first-round pick the Devils made between Petr NHL players: Brodeur, David Harlock (No. 24), Mike Dunham (No. 53), Skyora (1995) and Zach Parise (2003). Van Ryn went to court to get out Brad Bombadir (No. 56), Chris McAlpine (No. 137), Jaroslav Modry (No. of the Devils owning his rights and won, so he signed as a free agent 179), Corey Schwab (No. 200), Valeri Zelepukin (No. 221) with the Blues. This is the deepest collection of NHL talent the Devils have drafted. Ten 4. 1982 picks played at least 100 games. Not only did they select the winningest Best pick: Pat Verbeek (No. 43) goalie in NHL history, they drafted two others who combined for 541 games in net. Finding a future 1,000-point scorer in the third round is good work. The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 Worst pick: Rocky Trottier (No. 8)

Bryan’s brother was the Devils’ first pick after it was announced they were moving to New Jersey from Denver, but he played in only 38 NHL games.

What if: Scott Brydges (No. 85)

Brydges never reached the NHL, but went three picks later and scored 408 goals.

NHL players: (No. 18), Verbeek

New Jersey’s second pick worked out a little better. No one has played more games for the Devils than Daneyko. This was one of four times in club history that one draft class produced two players who played 1,000- plus NHL games.

3. 1991

Best pick: Scott Neidermayer (No. 3)

Eric Lindros was the obvious No. 1 pick, but Niedermayer became the most accomplished player in this draft class.

Worst pick: Donevan Hextall (No. 33)

Ron’s cousin played 55 games in the AHL and none in the NHL. 1173402 New York Rangers Boston University. Apparently Quinn did not hold it against him for choosing Wisconsin instead.

The obstacles were of his own making, of course, but Smith overcame Rangers’ Brendan Smith overcame self-inflicted obstacles to save career them. The work he invested to reclaim his career was truly impressive. Ideally, the Rangers will have a legitimate fourth-line winger next year and one of the young lefties will be able to earn a regular spot. That would endanger Smith’s tenure. If amnesty buyouts come into the By Larry Brooks April 7, 2020 | 7:52PM picture, that would jeopardize No. 42’s spot as well.

But that does not change 2019-20 and the value provided by Smith up- Part 15 of a series the New York Rangers. front, and more critically on defense as ’s partner.

Jacob Trouba overheard my question to Brendan Smith following New York Post LOADED: 04.08.2020 practice one day in February and laughed.

The question was whether Smith, who was being utilized as a fourth-line winger at even strength, but shifted to defense on the penalty kill, switched sticks when he changed assignments. I thought maybe a longer stick might be beneficial on the penalty kill.

Smith said that, you know, he had never thought of it, but maybe it wasn’t a crazy idea and maybe he’d consider it. Probably not, but maybe. Certainly, he was being polite.

By the end of that month, there was no need. For when the Rangers traded Brady Skjei to Carolina at the Feb. 24 deadline and were in need of a left defenseman, they did not summon Libor Hajek from the AHL Wolf Pack, but rather shifted Smith back to defense, where he partnered with Trouba for the team’s final nine games. Who was laughing now?

Seriously, though, folks, Smith had been a healthy scratch for the four previous games and eight of the previous 10 matches. He had played only two full games on defense to that point of the season, in mid- February when Marc Staal and Tony DeAngelo were sidelined for one match apiece.

But when he stepped in beside Trouba, he did the job. Indeed, the pair did the job, on for only three goals against in 110:31 as a tandem through those nine games played in the midst of a playoff race, per Naturalstattrick.com. It was not the most elegant pair in franchise history, but the duo was physical and made it difficult on the opposition.

Smith provided value all season, even if you think it was crazy for an NHL team to use a defenseman on the wing. There aren’t many anymore who fit the definition of being that type of hybrid player.

Stu Bickel was the last Ranger to do it, playing wing and D for the 2011- 12 team. A check of my notebook, however, reveals that No. 41 played only five of his 51 games that season up-front, plus one in the playoffs.

An aside here: You know Game 3 of the series against the Capitals that went to triple overtime before Marian Gaborik won it? It was the 20th- longest game in NHL history, lasting 114:41. Bickel was on the third pair that night with Michael Del Zotto. Bickel played three shifts worth 3:24 and did not get on the ice after the 4:18 mark of the second period. He thus watched the final 90:23 from the bench while Ryan McDonagh played 53:17, Dan Girardi, 44:26, Del Zotto, 43:33, Marc Staal, 40:34 and Anton Stralman, 28:00.

But fatigue had nothing to do with that team’s ultimate upset loss to the Devils in the conference finals after needing 14 games to play the first two rounds. Of course not. But enough of that for now.

We all know the contract Smith scored after his excellent work in the 2017 playoffs against Montreal and Ottawa while paired with Skjei — four years at $4.525 million per for a career defenseman who became primarily a fourth-line winger — has not held up well. But you have to recall how good Smith was in the playoffs after he was acquired from Detroit at the deadline.

The problem was, Smith arrived at the ensuing training camp out of shape after a summer in which he got married and attended numerous weddings. His play was so deficient, he was waived through the league to Hartford at age 28 with more than 350 NHL games to his credit. He got into a fight with Wolf Pack teammate Vinni Lettieri, broke his hand, and was done for the year after 11 games. He seemed done as an NHL player.

Rather, he rededicated himself, showed up in great shape the following camp, and, almost as a shock, earned a spot on the roster. It did not hurt that he and then-incoming coach David Quinn had a longtime relationship dating back to when the coach attempted to recruit Smith for 1173403 New York Rangers manager John Ferguson for the head-coaching job that eventually went to Fred Shero in 1978.

A close friend of Islanders coach Al Arbour, Giacomin was a broadcaster Fan favorite Eddie Giacomin recalls adoring reception he got at MSG with the Islanders in ’78-79. He owned a bar and coached high school when he returned as a Red Wing hockey in Detroit before returning to the Rangers as goaltending coach for three seasons from 1986-89. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Detroit Red Wings' Ed Giacomin receives an ovation Detroit Red Wings' Fame in 1987 and the Rangers retired his No. 1 in 1989. It was the Ed Giacomin receives an ovation second number retired by the franchise, after Rod Gilbert’s No. 7.

Giacomin has been out of hockey since, living in Florida and Utah before settling in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, near where his daughter and her By Colin Stephenson family lives. Brought back into the Rangers' family by former President and general manager Glen Sather, he makes four trips to New York every season to see games and greet fans. It happened 45 years ago, and it remains one of the iconic moments in Rangers history. Giacomin is staying at home these days, social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. He is healthy and feels good, he said. Eddie Giacomin was skating around the ice at Madison Square Garden on the night of Nov. 2, 1975, but he was wearing a red jersey instead of a “I know that [the coronavirus] definitely will come after the older people, white one — red being the color of his new team, the visiting Detroit Red and I’m considered in that bracket,’’ he said. “But they’re not gonna get Wings. me.’’

After Giacomin's 10 years with the Rangers, it was a shocking sight. Steady Eddie

Two days earlier, he had been placed on waivers by the Rangers, and Eddie Giacomin's career stats: the next day, he’d been claimed by the hapless Red Wings. REGULAR SEASON Now, before anyone had time to truly process what had just happened, Years Team GP GS W L T GAA Save % Shutouts he was back. And no one had any idea what kind of reaction his return would draw from the Garden fans. 1965-66 NYR 36 34 8 20 6 3.69 .886 0

It turned out to be nothing but pure love. The reception was like nothing 1966-67 NYR 68 66 30 27 11 2.61 .917 9 ever before — or since — for a visiting player. 1967-68 NYR 66 66 36 20 10 2.44 .915 8 “Ed-die! Ed-die!’’ the fans chanted. There were signs all around the Garden. Lots of them. Giacomin, who had just met his new teammates 1968-69 NYR 70 70 38 23 7 2.56 .911 7 that day and unexpectedly found himself starting in goal that night, 1969-70 NYR 70 70 35 21 14 2.36 .915 6 waved to the crowd during the national anthem and wiped away tears. 1970-71 NYR 45 44 27 10 7 2.16 .922 8 “The whole Garden cheered for us that game,’ ’’ he recalled in a recent telephone interview with Newsday. “After the first period, we had a 4-0 1971-72 NYR 44 44 24 10 9 2.71 .901 1 lead and Dan Maloney [no relation to future Rangers Dave and ] turned around and said, ‘Look, guys, we don’t get this reception 1972-73 NYR 43 43 26 11 6 2.91 .898 4 at home . . . Come on, let’s make good use of it.’ ’’ 1973-74 NYR 56 54 30 15 10 3.07 .890 5

The Red Wings hung on to win the game, 6-4. Rangers fans booed their 1974-75 NYR 37 36 13 12 8 3.49 .870 1 own team when they scored against Giacomin. But he recalled that as the Rangers started to mount a comeback, the crowd slowly began to 1975-76 NYR 4 4 0 3 1 4.75 .806 0 root for the home team. 1975-76 DET 29 29 12 14 3 3.46 .890 2 “It was a very emotional game,’’ he said. “They were in Montreal the night before, the Ranger players. And all of a sudden, now they’ve got to face 1976-77 DET 33 30 8 18 3 3.59 .872 3 me. I don’t know what went through their minds, but all I know is it was a 1977-78 DET 9 9 3 5 1 3.14 .893 0 very hard game to play.’’ Totals --- 610 599 290 209 96 2.82 .902 54 During the game, players who scored against Giacomin apologized for doing so. Giacomin recalled that Rangers defenseman Brad Park, who PLAYOFFS was traded to Boston five days later, would circle back to his own blue line when he got the puck, apparently uncomfortable attacking his former Years Team GP GS W L GAA Save % Shutouts teammate. 1966-67 NYR 4 4 0 4 3.43 .895 0

After the game, Giacomin returned to his home in Manhasset, where he 1967-68 NYR 6 6 2 4 3.02 .911 0 was met by his former teammates, who hung out with him all night. 1968-69 NYR 3 3 0 3 3.35 .853 0 “We partied until about 8 o’clock in the morning,’’ said Giacomin, 80. “They had to leave because they were going out West. And that’s when 1969-70 NYR 5 5 2 3 4.15 .858 0 Brad Park got traded [with Jean Ratelle and Joe Zanussi] for Phil 1970-71 NYR 12 12 7 5 2.22 .912 0 Esposito [and Carol Vadnais].’’ 1971-72 NYR 10 10 6 4 2.72 .902 0 Giacomin’s departure — to open the door for young star John Davidson to take over as the No. 1 goalie — signaled the end of an era for the 1972-73 NYR 10 10 5 4 2.57 .903 1 Rangers. For 10 years, under coach Emile Francis, they had been one of the league’s best and most entertaining teams, making the playoffs for 1973-74 NYR 13 13 7 6 2.83 .895 0 nine straight seasons and reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 1972 before 1974-75 NYR 2 1 0 2 2.82 .867 0 losing to Bobby Orr's Bruins. Totals --- 65 64 29 35 2.83 .897 1 “We should have won a couple of Cups,’’ Giacomin said. Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 04.08.2020 But 1975 was the end of the run. After a brief rebuild, the Davidson-era Rangers were back in the playoffs in 1978 and reached the Cup Final in '79 before losing to the Canadiens.

Giacomin played parts of three seasons with Detroit, retiring early in the 1977-78 season at age 39. He interviewed with Rangers general 1173404 New York Rangers be really analytic with that. We tried to make stats out of it. We started to find ways to say, ‘OK, here is where the guy can’t score, here is where we have to stop the puck the most. We have to be rock-solid at the bottom of the net.’ And that came with different stats. Because of that, I To his many pupils, Rangers assistant Benoit Allaire is the ‘goalie think we got really good success early on in our careers – Patrick’s whisperer’ career, my career as well.”

Roy won two Stanley Cups for the Canadiens (one as a rookie) and then two more with Colorado. Rick Carpiniello Apr 7, 2020 After Francois’ stint in Montreal ended in 1996, he moved to Anaheim,

where he stayed until 2009. His most notable pupil there was Jean- He has been one of the most important pieces of the Rangers’ Sebastien Giguere, who won the in 2003 in a Cup infrastructure for almost 16 years, the mentor and partner of the team’s final loss and a Stanley Cup in 2007. most critical player. Teaching proper style, of course, is important. But coaching, particularly And as the Rangers step into the post-Henrik Lundqvist era either now, coaching goalies, can include spending time as a psychologist, a or fairly soon, the role of “The Goalie Whisperer,” Benoit Allaire, becomes babysitter and a nurturer of positive thoughts. That’s always been one of even more crucial. Allaire has had a fabulous run with Lundqvist, perhaps Benoit’s strengths. the greatest homegrown Ranger ever. Their collaboration led the “Benoit is a happy guy,” his brother said. “He tries to be happy every day. Rangers to so much success in the 2010s – a Stanley Cup final, two He tries to make his goalies happy as well. So he loosens up the guy. other conference finals, a Presidents’ Trophy, and 15 playoff series in the He’s not the kind of coach where the guys are tight or really, I would say, decade – and will surely end with Lundqvist’s easy walk into the Hockey overcoached. I think he keeps a good spirit with his guys. That’s his Hall of Fame at the end of his playing days. personality and that’s the way he’s coached.” As the Rangers enter into the next phase of their history and of their Francois has won more hardware, and in Roy he had one of the best and rebuild, Allaire, 58, will be asked to work his magic once again. His most decorated goalies ever. newest challenge will be to escort the next wave of young goalies, perhaps Igor Shesterkin and very likely Alexandar Georgiev, both 24, to But he’s proud of his little brother and his years of success with heights reached by so many others he has worked with over the years. Lundqvist.

But to unearth the secret to his success, you can’t talk to the man behind “Yeah. You know, it’s really tough for any coach to stay a long time in the the curtain, the wizard himself. He has survived four different coaching NHL and it’s really tough to stay with the same team with the same staffs in New York, is rarely, if ever, quoted in the press, and politely athletes, for sure,” Francois said. “I’ve done that before and I know how declined to be interviewed for this story. But there are other ways to learn much commitment you need to do that. It’s a great commitment to be about the man who has had such a profound impact on the craft of able to stay at the same place with the same athlete and push him every goaltending. After all, before landing with the Rangers in 2004, Allaire year to get better. That’s a big accomplishment, especially at that level, coached netminders at three spots in the Major Junior League the NHL level. It’s really hard. It’s something you have to give 100 before spending a year with the Canadiens in Montreal and then seven percent of your time to every season. So it’s demanding. If you stay a with the Phoenix Coyotes. long time, of course you have a lot of changes in management and coaching, so you have to (prove) yourself every time.” Sean Burke’s career skyrocketed after he teamed with Allaire in Phoenix. Nikolai Khabibulin won a Stanley Cup in Tampa in 2004 (and sources HANK CLOSING UP THE 5-HOLE ON THE SHESTY WRISTERS. insist Allaire and Khabibulin continued to talk long after the goalie was #NYR PIC.TWITTER.COM/OLZTJ1SLHY dealt from Phoenix to Tampa in 2001). And Brian Boucher set an NHL record with five straight shutouts under Allaire’s tutelage. — RANGERS ON MSG (@RANGERSMSGN) JANUARY 15, 2020

And perhaps some of his best work was with Cam Talbot, an unknown Henrik Lundqvist and undrafted goalie from the University of Alabama-Huntsville. In 2014- When Henrik Lundqvist signed his seven-year contract in December 15, Talbot, now with the Flames, took over for an injured Lundqvist and 2013, a member of the Rangers team staff joked to anybody within led the Rangers to the Presidents’ Trophy, winning the prestigious earshot: “Hey, did you hear Benny got a seven-year extension?” Steven McDonald Award that season. The all-time greatest goalie in franchise history and the guru who So to learn about Allaire, we talked to some of those who have been manages him are almost joined at the hip and their relationship remains close to him through the years and were eager to share what they knew superb. of this humble, behind-the-scenes craftsman. “He’s so many things, you know?” Lundqvist said. “He’s a big supporter Among them, Lundqvist, his former backup Martin Biron, Burke and MSG as to playing this game. Technically, he’s very smart, very dedicated and broadcaster Steve Valiquette. We also talked to Allaire’s older brother, prepared and always helps you to push yourself. He’s honest in his retired goalie guru Francois Allaire, who helped take us to the natural assessments, but he works hard as a goalie coach, too, his preparation, beginnings of their work in a field that didn’t really even exist when they his attention to details. It’s been a lot of fun. He’s such a nice man, too. started. There are definitely ups and downs throughout the year and it’s great to Francois Allaire have a guy who’s very positive around you. Sometimes, to have someone in your corner, it’s important for us to have a guy who’s like If the brothers didn’t invent the butterfly style that now dominates modern that, to encourage you and push you, that’s important.” goaltending, they are surely among its godfathers. They also are among the pioneers of the position of goalie coach. Lundqvist is the prototypical butterfly goalie, one who plays deep in his net, and spends a lot of the game on his knees. While the technical Francois, 64, thought about the topic while at college at Sherbrooke tweaks are always ongoing, Lundqvist’s focus – and Allaire’s, too – is University in Quebec in the 1970s. After he graduated, he pursued it and between the ears as much as between the pipes. eventually landed a job in 1984 as the Montreal Canadiens’ goalie coach, where he worked with a kid named Patrick Roy. “I think goaltending, a big part of it is your focus,” Lundqvist said. “In the end, it’s up to you to figure it out. He helps you with different tools. A lot The Allaire brothers ran hockey schools in Quebec, and taught the of times it’s more just talking through things, to have a freer and clear “butterfly,” where goalies would spend most of the time on their knees, mind. We talk a lot. We do, I would say daily. Sometimes it’s very short, taking up as much net as possible. sometimes we have longer sessions to discuss your last game you played, or your approach. Other than my family, he’s probably the guy “The butterfly movement was coming a long time, but nobody used it as I’ve seen the most.” much as we did in Montreal in the early ’80s,” Francois Allaire said. “Because of … the early success of Patrick in the NHL, of course, that Lundqvist’s approach and concentration on the task at hand mesh with brings a lot (of credibility to the style). That wasn’t something new. I think Allaire’s. we used it in many, many ways, more than other people, and we tried to Allaire chats with Lundqvist at practice earlier this season. (Nicholas The positive reinforcement is what meant the most to Raanta. Homler / MSG) “Benny, I would say he never has a bad day,” Raanta said. “I’ve never “He’s been around goalies for so long, he understands the importance of seen him not smiling. Obviously, sometimes when we lost a game he a good mind, or a good mindset, being positive,” Lundqvist said. “He’s was probably not having the big smile, but he was always in a great supportive. And it’s hard sometimes, because the game is hard. It’s black mood. He always had something in his pocket – if you were having a bad and white. You win or you lose and there’s nothing in between. Even day or anything like that, you saw Benny and it’s almost like the sun though at times you feel like you’re doing the right things, you work so started to shine in your head also. hard but it’s not paying off. Of course, that can be frustrating. But you can only control what you can control and that’s so hard to do sometimes. “I remember one practice, I felt really bad. I felt like I couldn’t stop a puck. Benny didn’t say anything. He was just in the neutral zone and the “His really positive attitude helps you push through where it gets a little practice kind of ended and you were like, ‘That was a really bad practice.’ tougher.” … And Benny skates over and goes, ‘Good job today’ and then skates away. You start thinking, maybe it wasn’t that bad a day.” Allaire would never welcome, or desire, the credit for Lundqvist’s success. Just as having great students makes a better teacher or having During his first season in New York, Raanta was in a funk after a 6-5 loss a great quarterback makes a smarter football coach, there’s a tandem to the Kings in overtime. there. That night he talked about the struggle, that he didn’t “have the feeling” in “Yeah, I mean, I know how he works with me,” Lundqvist said. “I see how his head or his body to make a save. we work on the ice, and obviously the meetings with all the other guys. That’s why it’s been so fun to work with him for so many years, because But after getting back to work with Allaire, Raanta won his next three he brings a lot to the table – the knowledge and the understanding, but starts with a .949 save percentage. Allaire, of course, worked on also his personality. So of course, every guy who’s been here, he’s Raanta’s technique in practices, but also his mental approach. helped, for sure, the way he works, with his mindset. I bet if you talk to “Oh, yeah, that’s the big thing,” Raanta said. “When I first came to New any of the goalies who’ve been here, they will only have good things to York, he said he doesn’t want to change me. He’ll maybe give some say about him.” small advice, what we can do better, maybe take a step back and start Alexandar Georgiev reacting more with your hands, trusting your hands. But it was way more about inside your head – the mental things. You know, usually we were He was undrafted and unsigned for three NHL off-seasons, but then the watching videos and if you lost and you go and see the tape from the Rangers brought Georgiev over from Russia for what amounted to a game, we always tried to find the good things. Sometimes when you win, developmental camp tryout before the 2017-18 season. then you find the bad things, or the not great things you want to work on. It was a big piece for him, the mental stuff, and keeping yourself clear in Georgiev jumped at the chance, making the trek with no promises. your head and trying to focus on the right things.”

“He showed up at development camp and Benny absolutely loved him,” Even now, at age 30, Raanta recalls the lessons. Rangers director of European scouting Nickolai Bobrov recalled. “He said he was one of the quickest goalies he’s ever worked with, probably after “There are still a couple of things I do before the game that I learned from Hank the hardest worker he’s ever seen. Absolutely loved him during that Benny,” he said. camp. So that was really comforting.” Steve Valiquette Something clicked halfway through the first half of a season together. Georgiev went on an 8-0-1 run (1.76 goals-against average, .948 save The deep-thinking Valiquette – a studio analyst for MSG’s Rangers percentage, two shutouts) in Hartford (AHL), and made the jump to the coverage – kept a “moleskin” from the time he met the Allaire brothers, NHL when backup Ondrej Pavelec was hurt. writing down key points from every session, on and off the ice, a diary of techniques and mantras. “Almost any time that Benny spoke,” Valiquette Since then, Georgiev worked with Allaire daily until the shutdown. said, he’d take out his notebook and write.

“He’s a huge part of why I’m in the NHL, obviously,” Georgiev said. “If I Valiquette’s NHL career was relatively brief, but he had an NHL career, look back at how I was playing when I just signed with the Rangers, I’m he says, because of Benoit Allaire. playing quite a bit differently now and we’re working on small things every day. And you learn something new about the game every day with Valiquette met the brothers when he was a teenager and working out him. with Zac Bierk at the Jim Park goalie school in Toronto. Bierk was playing for Benoit Allaire in Phoenix when he came to Valiquette with a proposal. “Obviously, we’re at the rink together every day and work with each For $1,500, he and Valiquette could go and stay at Francois Allaire’s other. We have a really good relationship. … He’s a real guru at what he house for three days and be privately tutored. Francois, at the time, was does.” Patrick Roy’s goalie coach in Montreal.

Georgiev repeated a common theme with Allaire’s style – that he focuses “If we can get there and stay with him, we’ll both play in the NHL, I’m on the positives, the good things, while working on what needs to be convinced,” Bierk told Valiquette, who sold his parents on the soundness adjusted. of the investment.

Allaire has one of his daily chats with Georgiev. (Nicholas Homler / MSG) “In those three days, he taught me more about goaltending than I had learned in the previous four or five years of going to the local camps in “He’s really positive, always,” Georgiev said. “When you’re doing Toronto,” Valiquette said. “So I went back and had a bangin’ year as an something good, he lets you know about it. When something is not good 18-year-old, had a really good year as a 19-year-old, and then as a 20- he tries to keep that positive as well. He’s got a lot of great ‘attitude’ year-old I had my best year. I was using his reference points from our quotes. One of my favorites is: ‘Cream always rises to the top.’ So if meetings before every game. It was like my log. I had a piece of paper you’re doing the right stuff, sometimes if you’re struggling, ‘Keep working that was actually laminated so I couldn’t wreck it. I’d sit in the cold tub hard and it will get better.’ Stuff like that, it gives you really positive and read it, that’s how important I thought it was.” support. He supports his goalies.” In his third year as a pro, playing for the Islanders’ AHL team in Antti Raanta Springfield, which was shared by the Phoenix Coyotes, Valiquette During his time with the Rangers from 2015-17, Raanta grew under serendipitously wound up on the ice with the Coyotes’ goalie coach, Allaire, blossoming into a legit backup to Lundqvist. Benoit Allaire. Of course, Allaire was only allowed to work with the Coyotes’ prospects, so Valiquette watched from afar as Patrick “You can see why he’s been in the top of the goalie coaching in this DesRochers got all the “good” reps in practice. league for so many years,” Raanta said. “It’s always fun. He still texts me sometimes and he usually sends something in French or something, “All I could do is copy the drills they were doing, but I wasn’t allowed to even in Spanish, so I have to use Google Translate to get what he’s participate with them,” Valiquette said. “It was like the kid in the trying to say. But just a great guy and an awesome human being to be schoolyard who isn’t allowed to play. I’m standing there watching, going, around. Bad day, good day, it really didn’t matter for him. He always ‘Every one of these drills is awesome!’” made it even better.” At the trade deadline in 2004, Valiquette was dealt by Edmonton to the Biron is a believer that there ought to be more recognition for assistant Rangers as part of GM Glen Sather’s housecleaning that sent Petr coaches such as the Allaire brothers, even, perhaps, enshrinement. Nedved to the Oilers. That summer, the Rangers hired Benoit Allaire. When the 2004-05 season went up in smoke due to a lockout, Valiquette “I do believe that, in some way, shape or form, that Francois and Benoit prospered. Allaire should be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame at some point because everything that I teach my (hockey school) students on the ice, “Benny later told me that during the ’04-05 lockout, when he joined us in that the goalie coaches around the National Hockey League are Hartford, that he loved watching me practice at that time, that I had a teaching, that the goalie coaches in Sweden, Finland, Russia are great work ethic,” Valiquette said. “He was surprised that I hadn’t become teaching, really I believe that the foundation of that is the work that Benoit an NHL goalie yet. He stayed with Jason LaBarbera and I every day and Francois did to develop the new way of playing the game, to study before practice during the entire lockout. Talk about being selfless. He the game, and to always push the game to new limits,” Biron said. didn’t have to be there. He could have just hung out in New York and collected a paycheck. But he stayed with us 30 minutes before every “It wasn’t just ‘Well, Patrick Roy was better than everybody else.’ It didn’t practice, 40 minutes after practice for extra work. LaBarbera and I had just touch Patrick. It touched everywhere.” our best years. We got so much better just because we had attention. Sean Burke Back before those days, we didn’t have a goalie coach before practice, ever.” Burke had played in 511 NHL games with a 3.21 goals-against average, .895 save percentage and 19 shutouts when he arrived in Phoenix in Buoyed by Allaire’s lessons, and even more so by his positivity, the 6- 1999 and teamed up with Benoit Allaire during his time as Coyotes goalie foot-6 Valiquette finally felt like an NHL goalie. coach. Burke had played mostly for the Devils and Hartford “A big part of Benny – and it’s really nice to hear for a guy who hasn’t Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes, and found himself bouncing around, from made it yet – is, ‘I’m here to help you.’ He would say, ‘Val-ee (he Carolina to Vancouver to Philadelphia to Florida. exaggerates a French accent), I know you can be an NHL guy. Let me “Luckily for me, I got there at the right time,” Burke said. “The first thing help you do that.’ It was so honest, like, ‘Thank God. What a breath of was, I got traded at a time when my game wasn’t very good. I was really fresh air.’ I’ve had many goalie coaches who thought, ‘You’re doing this struggling physically, but also had just lost confidence in my game, the wrong, you’re doing that wrong, this will never translate.’ Benny would way I wanted to play. I didn’t really understand what I was trying to do out just say, ‘Listen to me, Big Man. I’m going to get you to the NHL. We’ll there. I wasn’t technically doing things very well and so I got traded to get there together. I won’t let you fail.’ ” Benny – probably saved my career in a lot of ways.

By the end of that season, Valiquette said, “Now I felt I could move “Right off the bat it was a confidence thing where he knew there were mountains.” His career save percentage in the AHL before Allaire was things that he could do to help me if I was open-minded to it, and around .909. In one year, it improved to .935. And this was typical of obviously I was, especially at that stage. Confidence-wise he turned me Allaire, whom Valiquette calls, “the most likeable man in hockey.” around pretty quickly.”

“The thing is, you can’t fool the guys who’ve been around him,” Allaire didn’t drastically change Burke’s style – he played deep in his Valiquette said. “We all know how much he’s meant to Henrik and crease and tried to use his natural ability and patience. Instead, Allaire everybody. We all need help. None of us can do this alone. And it’s an recognized Burke’s strengths and built upon those. amazing thing that we lived in a generation (with Allaire). He did it with the Allaire-trademark positive reinforcement. “So when I see these guys, like Marty Biron come in and rediscover his game with Benny, and then Cam Talbot come in and play as well as he Burke’s numbers in Phoenix, over 211 games, improved to 2.39 and .919 did (for the Rangers), and then Antti Raanta, Alexandar Georgiev, and with 15 shutouts. He was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy and in back-to- what he’s going to do with Igor Shesterkin – of course, what he’s done back years received Hart Trophy (MVP) votes (finishing fourth in ’01-02). with Lundqvist – I think it’s very hard to argue that we’ve never seen “For me, I was always pretty positive in my own way, but I think a lot of anybody be that successful for that long term.” that confidence grows when you’re working on the right things,” Burke Martin Biron said. “It’s one thing to go out and practice every day and to work hard, but sometimes it can be a little counter-productive if you’re not working The affable Biron had plenty of success in his own right, known for part of on the right things or you’re not paying attention to the details of your his career as the guy who replaced Dominik Hasek in Buffalo and as the game. I mean, right off the bat, that was something that changed for me. backup to Lundqvist in New York until he retired in 2013. But he was about 15 when he first came across the Allaire brothers at their goalie “Benny had a very, very definitive plan. He had an idea of the things I school north of Montreal. Later, he joined Benoit in New York and worked needed to work on, and so your confidence naturally grows when you with Francois on a hockey school venture in Switzerland. start to get more comfortable with what you’re doing and you are putting in quality time working on the right things. There’s no doubt he’s a very, “Benoit and Francois are very different and very similar at the same very positive guy. He’s an easy guy to be around. Enjoyable to be time,” Biron said. “When I worked with Francois, it was more, ‘This is the around. But again, I think the confidence grew from that as well as that structure that we have. This is how we do it.’ And there was not a lot of we were starting to work on the right things.” variation from that structure. Burke said he “plagiarized” some of Allaire’s methods when he later “With Benoit, yes, he always had a smile, always brought a joy to work. became the Coyotes goalie coach (in addition to director of prospect But I can tell you this: He talked about things mentally that goalies were development and assistant to the GM), working with Ilya Bryzgalov, Mike not really willing to talk about before.” Smith and Devan Dubnyk. He currently scouts for Montreal, where he is The mindset was to strive to achieve perfection, but in an upbeat way. occasionally an on-ice coach for the Habs and their Laval AHL team. He has also been GM for Team Canada at the 2018 Olympics, and he “It was very interesting in that way that he worked on the mental side, but interviewed for the GM jobs in Edmonton and Seattle. by having a different approach,” Biron said. “Like, for me, I came in and I was a little older (28), I was towards the end of my career, and he As with many goalies, Burke believes Allaire stretched his career. basically looked at me and said, ‘I know I can get you more years. You’re “He definitely (did),” Burke said. “I went from being a player that came at the end of your career, but I can buy you more years in the National into the league with a lot of success as a young player – I played in the Hockey League.’ I was like, ‘Man, nobody’s ever said that to me, like All-Star Game as a rookie – and had some success in Hartford. But I was that.’ It was always, ‘You’re great, you’ve still got plenty of years left, inconsistent. Benny got me 10 years into my career and I played in whatever.’ But Benny came to me and said, ‘The way you’re playing, the consecutive All-Star Games while I was working with Benny, when I was way you’re setting yourself up right now, you’re going to struggle. But I well into my 30s, so he definitely stretched my career. But more than just can buy you more years. Let’s work together. We’ll buy you more years.’ stretching it, for me personally, he elevated my level so I wasn’t just a And now it’s like, wow. It’s a challenge. It’s fun. I want to play more years. guy in the league, I was a very good player in the league. I’m pretty sure I welcome that challenge. I want to have shutouts. We want to be the that wasn’t going to happen at that stage of my career without getting best tandem of goaltenders in Rangers history. Wow. Let’s welcome this together with Benny and without the work he put in with me.” challenge. It was completely different than what I had dealt with with other goalie coaches before.” As with all of his athletes, Allaire the man is revered at least as much as Allaire the coach. “Benny’s just a very good person,” Burke said. “You know, he’s a quality guy. He’s a very good family guy. He’s got a very good disposition with not a lot of ego. I think right away you get the sense that he enjoys helping you be successful. I think that’s really important.

“There’s a lot of different ways to approach coaching, but ultimately for a player to know that a coach is invested in him personally, and it’s not about the coach getting his name in the paper. It’s about working with the athlete, trying to get him to get the most out of his game. I think that’s something that really works in Benny’s favor. He’s a quality person, but he’s also very genuine in trying to get the most out of his athletes because of what it’s going to do for them, not what it’s going to do for him.”

The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173405 NHL “Look, we all want to get back to playing,” Krug said. “If we do have the opportunity to get back to playing, let’s be safe about it

and be smart,” he added. “No one wants to jump back into a situation Bettman raises chance of NHL not completing regular season where we put a bunch of people in one area, and all of a sudden this thing takes off again.”

Bettman sees the potential of games being played into the summer and By JOHN WAWROW and STEPHEN WHYNO The Associated Press doesn’t expect the ability to maintain NHL-caliber ice sheets to be an issue because of the league’s modern and air-conditioned facilities.

Seattle Times LOADED: 04.08.2020 For the first time since halting play four weeks ago, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman raised the possibility Tuesday of not completing the regular season in order to squeeze in time to award the Stanley Cup.

Bettman also acknowledged during an interview with NBCSN the league is considering having games played at neutral sites in the event not all teams will be allowed into their home rinks.

Bettman, however, stressed these are among myriad options being considered with nothing determined because it will take at least two more weeks to gain a clearer picture on how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting the league’s 31 markets.

“We’re looking at all options. Nothing’s been ruled in. Nothing’s been ruled out,” Bettman said during the interview broadcast on the league’s U.S. broadcast partner.

“The best thing and the easiest thing would be if at some point we could complete the regular season and then go into the playoffs as we normally do,” he said. “We understand that may not be possible. And that’s why we’re considering every conceivable alternative to deal with whatever the eventuality is.”

Bettman had not previously raised the possibility of shortening the regular season, which was halted on March 12 with 189 games remaining.

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The 16-team playoffs were scheduled to open Wednesday, though they likely won’t begin until late June – at the earliest – and could stretch into August and potentially September.

NHL players have been asked to self-quarantine through April 15, a date that has been pushed back twice already and is expected to be moved once again. The number of NHL players testing positive for COVID-19 rose to eight Tuesday as the league announced a third Colorado Avalanche player tested positive, joining five members of the Ottawa Senators.

The season was put on hold with teams having played an uneven amount of games and with tightly contested races taking place in each of the two conferences.

The NHL has not placed a firm deadline on the latest when the playoffs could start. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, however, acknowledged in an email to The Associated Press the league will eventually have to establish “some last possible day” so not to cut into the start of the following season.

“It’s nothing that we are even close to setting at this point in time,” he wrote.

Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky said it would be unfair for the NHL to dump what remains of the regular season.

“There’s a lot of games (left) and we’re right in the mix, and we have the opportunity to be in there,” Bobrovsky said. “The season is 82 games and then the playoffs. So you can’t just cut of where we are and jump right into the playoffs.”

The possibility of playing at neutral sites is being considered because the pandemic is affecting regions at different times. North Dakota, among a handful of states without stay-at-home orders, was mentioned as a potential site because the state isn’t densely populated and the University of North Dakota features an NHL-caliber facility.

Buffalo has also been discussed because the Sabres, who are out of contention, have a two-rink practice facility connected to their downtown arena and a 200-plus room hotel.

Boston defenseman Torey Krug urged the NHL to take a patient approach. 1173406 Ottawa Senators know Trent Mann and all his staff do an unbelievable job and we’re lucky it’s in their hands to help us build this team.

“They’ve got a lot of picks to work with and they’re sending out videos all Ottawa Senators working hard to get ready for NHL draft that's on hold the time. I get to put in my one cent, I don’t put in a full two cents, but it’s fun to be part of the process. They do a great job. They’re really thorough. Right now, they’re confident they’ve seen enough of the players. They’ve hit the road a ton and they do the work. Our staff work Bruce Garrioch harder than anybody in the league and they’ve gone to see everybody April 7, 2020 7:56 PM EDT enough. They’re doing their best to get their lists ready.

“They do a great job on every player, they separate the video into blocks of three and they just send it out to the scouts to look over. They already If all was right with the world, the Ottawa Senators were supposed to be have their viewings but they’re just going over it with a fine tooth comb to gearing up for the NHL draft lottery that was scheduled for Thursday make sure they make no mistakes.” night. The draft isn’t a perfect science but the Senators are making sure they’re Senators owner Eugene Melnyk and general manager ready, willing and able whenever their turn is called. were scheduled to make their way to the NHL Network’s studio in Secaucus, N.J., to take part in the NHL draft lottery to determine which spot the club would select in the draft, originally set for June 26-27 at the Ottawa Sun LOADED: 04.08.2020 Bell Centre in Montreal.

But, all is not perfect at the moment, and with the NHL on pause since March 12 because of the threat of the novel coronavirus around the world, the lottery and the draft have both been postponed which means the Senators will have to wait to see where the three picks they hold in the first round fall until it’s determined whether the league will even finish the season or not.

Once that has been determined, the format and date of the lottery will be set along with a decision on whether the league will hold a scaled-down draft at a Montreal hotel or have a virtual draft the way the NFL will conduct its later this month.

If the season is completed, the way the lottery is conducted will remain the same and, if it isn’t, it will have to be tweaked to make sure it’s fair for everybody involved. At this point, the Detroit Red Wings have the best odds of landing the top pick at 18% while the Senators have the second- best at 13.5%. Ottawa also holds the San Jose Sharks from the Erik Karlsson trade with the third-best odds at 11.5%.

The Senators also have the New York Islanders’ first-round pick they got in the deal that sent Jean-Gabriel Pageau there at the deadline in February. But it’s lottery protected if it’s in the top three.

All is quiet on the league front, but there is a lot of work going on behind the scenes because the Senators know this is a huge draft in this rebuild. The potential is there for this club to take two players in the top 10 that could make a massive difference for the organization down the road and help the organization return to being a Stanley Cup contender.

Senators’ chief amateur scout Trent Mann along with his staff have been sending out videos to each other and the club’s hockey department of prospects to get their two cents on what they think of players. It gives those who maybe haven’t seen enough of a player the opportunity to take another look and make sure when they do sit down everybody has a good idea of what a player can do.

The Senators’ scouting meetings are still scheduled for next month at the Canadian Tire Centre but who knows if they’re actually going to take place and the organization doesn’t want to be too quick making a decision because nobody is able predict with any certainty what route the spread of this virus is going to take, so it’s best for the club to be patient.

Dorion, Mann and the staff have been working hard to make sure the preparations are in place because at some point or another it will be business as usual. The video distribution is something a lot of teams are doing because the number of views are going to be cut down this year because there won’t be any playoffs in the , NCAA or Europe because of the crisis.

Not only do the Senators have seven picks in the first two rounds of what’s believed to be a strong draft, they have 13 in total and that’s why the preparations are ongoing. With the draft combine set for Buffalo in June cancelled, several teams are setting up Zoom meetings with prospects to get to know them.

“Things are ramping up,” said former Ottawa winger Shean Donovan, the club’s director of player development on TSN 1200 on Monday. “With the amateur guys, it’s probably the most important draft in Ottawa Senators history coming up, and that’s exciting for fans and our organization. I 1173407 Ottawa Senators

TSN's Craig Button says Artyom Zub could be a good addition for the Ottawa Senators

Bruce Garrioch

April 7, 2020 5:29 PM EDT

The Ottawa Senators will have to wait to make the signing of Artyom Zub official.

While it’s believed the Senators are close to an agreement with the 24- year-old Zub, who has spent the past four seasons with St. Petersburg SKA in the Kontinental Hockey League, the expectation is the deal may not be made official until his contract overseas expires April 30.

There’s a belief that Zub can step in and play the shutdown role left vacant by Dylan DeMelo’s trade to the Winnipeg Jets at the deadline in February. He won a gold medal with Team Russia at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeonchang, South Korea and those who have seen him have been impressed.

“There is zero downside or negativity in signing these player,” said Craig Button, TSN’s director of scouting and a former NHL general manager, in a text message. “They’re older, they are much more ready for the NHL and it doesn’t cost much to give them a chance. It’s the old; “nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

He has always been a good skater who could hold his own in different areas of the game.”

Yes, Zub had 13 goals and 21 points in 57 games with St. Petersburg, but Button doesn’t believe the Senators will be able to count on him for offence because that’s simply not his game and that’s not why they’re signing him because they already have Thomas Chabot to play that role.

“He moves the puck efficiently and defends with a good understanding. He’s not a physical force but is certainly no pushover and he competes well,” Button added.

Ottawa general manager Pierre Dorion and assistant GM Peter MacTavish both went overseas separately to see Zub and were impressed. More than 20 teams were looking at Zub before he selected the club’s offer.

“Not a dynamic player but one who you know what you’re going to get,” said Button, who added teams were probably attracted to Zub by his offence. “Players who you think can help and don’t cost you much, if anything, are worth the effort.”

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173408 Ottawa Senators considering every conceivable alternative to deal with whatever the eventuality is.”

He took part in a conference call with U.S. President Donald Trump along Gary Bettman says the NHL can play 'well into the summer' to try to with the heads of all the major sports Saturday and indicated it was a complete the season good discussion.

“President Trump gave us a briefing and brought us up to date,” Bettman said. “Each of us had an opportunity to make a comment, ask a question, Bruce Garrioch and I think it was a very cordial, constructive conversation.

April 7, 2020 5:37 PM EDT “Although the uncertainty of the times weren’t clarified in that call, we’re all going to have to wait until we have a lot more information, maybe in

the next few weeks, before we can make any decisions.” All people around the NHL can do right now is self-isolate and wait. Bettman is well aware people can’t return to arenas until it’s completely But if anybody thinks NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, deputy safe. commissioner Bill Daly, the 31 owners and members of the Players’ “All of us running sports are basically focused on the same thing,” said Association are ready to throw in the towel on the rest of the regular Bettman. “First and foremost, people’s health and well-being and safety season and the playoffs with the league on hold because of the spread of is the most important, and while we all miss sports, either putting it on or the novel coronavirus then think again because there’s no decision watching it, and we all want to come back as quickly as possible, we pending soon. understand what the number one priority is.” Speaking on Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico on NBC Sports Network

Tuesday afternoon, Bettman indicated he knows that finishing the regular season and awarding the Stanley Cup, ultimately, may not be possible, Ottawa Sun LOADED: 04.08.2020 but the league wants to give itself as much time as possible before determining what route it’s going to take and it doesn’t sound like there will be a decision before May 1.

Even then, that date could easily change because as Bettman noted this is all a moving target at the moment.

“I think right now there’s too much uncertainty,” Bettman told Tirico when asked about a potential timeline for a return of hockey. “Hopefully we’ll all know more by the end of April. From an NHL standpoint, we’re viewing all of our options. We want to be ready to go as soon as we get a green light … Nothing’s been ruled in, nothing’s been ruled out.”

Bettman and Daly met with the NHL’s board of governors by conference call Monday for a bi-weekly update and essentially conveyed the same message as Tuesday because there’s no point being in any hurry. The league doesn’t want to be hasty in making a decision because while they know it could be weeks or months before this pandemic threat comes to an end nobody can can be certain when that will be.

The decision by the International Olympic Committee to postpone the Games until next summer gives the NHL some flexibility to play through July, August or September if necessary. NBC was supposed to show the games in the United States, but will be looking for programming to fill that air-time left empty by the Olympics and is a major partner with the league.

No, Bettman isn’t concerned about the quality of ice in some buildings.

“I do believe we can play well into the summer,” Bettman said. “The days of when games had to be postponed because there was no air conditioning in a building are long behind us. We can handle making ice now in any condition. Ice won’t be a factor.”

If the NHL does finish this season then nobody is sure what form that will be in there. There’s been no shortage of speculation that the league is now studying the option of holding the playoffs with 24 teams in four cities in neutral sites to try to help cut down on what could be a loss of more than $1 billion in revenues if the NHL isn’t able to finish the year and award the Stanley Cup.

There is talk the NHL is studying the option of playing in places like Grand Forks, N.D., Manchester, N.H. and Saskatoon. The league isn’t ready to choose an option yet because it doesn’t know what’s going to happen but Bettman did indicate absolutely every possibility is on the table, but noted neutral sites are just one possibility that has been discussed.

“That’s just part of considering all the potential options,” Bettman said.

The league wants to make sure whatever system it comes up with for a return is fair for everybody involved, especially if playing the final 10% of the schedule remaining isn’t possible.

“Everything we do needs to be fair,” said Bettman. “The best thing and the easiest thing would be if at some point if we could complete the regular season and then go into the playoffs as we normally do. We understand that that may not be possible and that’s why we are 1173409 Ottawa Senators

Senators' Duclair opens up about life at home

Ken Warren

April 7, 2020 4:47 PM EDT

Ottawa Senators winger Anthony Duclair is asking fans to help him get through his self-isolation.

“I like to watch a lot of moves, TV shows, documentaries, you name it,” he said of his viewing habits. “If you guys have any good suggestions, let me know.”

Typically, Senators players do their off-ice training at Canadian Tire Centre during the season, but with that option not possible, Duclair says he’s doing what he can with the resources he has on hand in his Ottawa home.

“I like to go for walks around the neighbourhood,” he said as the camera panned to his makeshift home gym. “I don’t have too much equipment with me. I’ve got two yoga mats, a medicine ball and a weighted vest. I try to be as creative as I can in being active.”

Like the rest of us, the sense of normalcy in his life has disappeared. The routine of going to the rink for games, morning skates and off-day practices is gone. As is the social world of hanging out with his NHL peers.

“I also miss the boys a lot, just going to the rink and interacting with everyone,” he said.

If the season is over for the Senators, there’s some uncertainty in what happens next in Duclair’s career. He signed a one-year, $1.65 million contract last June and is scheduled to become a restricted free agent in the summer.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman continues to be optimistic that there could be summer hockey.

“The best thing and easiest thing would be if, at some point, we could complete the regular season and then go into the playoffs as we normally do,” he told NBCSN Tuesday. “We understand that may not be possible and that’s why we are considering every conceivable alternative to deal with whatever the eventuality is.”

While there are currently no games to play, Duclair recognizes that NHL players aren’t any different from everyone else amid the pandemic.

“We’ve got to stay safe, stay at home,” he said. “I would also like to thank all the nurses, doctors and first responders for helping everyone in need. It’s a tough time, but at the same time, we’ll all get through this together.”

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173410 Philadelphia Flyers “If we do have the opportunity to get back to playing, let's be safe about it and be smart,” he added. “No one wants to jump back into a situation where we put a bunch of people in one area, and all of a sudden this thing takes off again.” Gary Bettman admits NHL might not complete regular season due to coronavirus Bettman sees the potential of games being played into the summer and doesn’t expect the ability to maintain NHL-caliber ice sheets to be an issue because of the league’s modern and air-conditioned facilities. by John Wawrow and Stephen Whyno, Associated Press

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 04.08.2020 For the first time since halting play four weeks ago, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman raised the possibility Tuesday of not completing the regular season in order to squeeze in time to award the Stanley Cup.

Bettman also acknowledged during an interview with NBCSN the league is considering having games played at neutral sites in the event not all teams will be allowed into their home rinks.

Bettman, however, stressed these are among myriad options being considered with nothing determined because it will take at least two more weeks to gain a clearer picture on how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting the league's 31 markets.

“We’re looking at all options. Nothing’s been ruled in. Nothing’s been ruled out,” Bettman said during the interview broadcast on the league’s U.S. broadcast partner.

“The best thing and the easiest thing would be if at some point we could complete the regular season and then go into the playoffs as we normally do,” he said. “We understand that may not be possible. And that’s why we’re considering every conceivable alternative to deal with whatever the eventuality is.”

Bettman had not previously raised the possibility of shortening the regular season, which was halted on March 12 with 189 games remaining.

The 16-team playoffs were scheduled to open Wednesday, though they likely won’t begin until late June – at the earliest – and could stretch into August and potentially September.

NHL players have been asked to self-quarantine through April 15, a date that has been pushed back twice already and is expected to be moved once again. The number of NHL players testing positive for COVID-19 rose to eight Tuesday as the league announced a third Colorado Avalanche player tested positive, joining five members of the Ottawa Senators.

The season was put on hold with teams having played an uneven amount of games and with tightly contested races taking place in each of the two conferences.

The NHL has not placed a firm deadline on the latest when the playoffs could start. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, however, acknowledged in an email to The Associated Press the league will eventually have to establish “some last possible day” so not to cut into the start of the following season.

“It’s nothing that we are even close to setting at this point in time," he wrote.

Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky said it would be unfair for the NHL to dump what remains of the regular season.

“There’s a lot of games (left) and we’re right in the mix, and we have the opportunity to be in there,” Bobrovsky said. “The season is 82 games and then the playoffs. So you can’t just cut of where we are and jump right into the playoffs.”

The possibility of playing at neutral sites is being considered because the pandemic is affecting regions at different times. North Dakota, among a handful of states without stay-at-home orders, was mentioned as a potential site because the state isn’t densely populated and the University of North Dakota features an NHL-caliber facility.

Buffalo has also been discussed because the Sabres, who are out of contention, have a two-rink practice facility connected to their downtown arena and a 200-plus room hotel.

Boston defenseman Torey Krug urged the NHL to take a patient approach.

“Look, we all want to get back to playing,” Krug said. 1173411 Philadelphia Flyers battled diabetes and still became a world-class player. No one worked harder. No one set a better example.

Readers agreed. In a poll I did on Twitter that had about 2,000 How will Flyers fare in 64-player bracket against other all-time great responses, 80% gave Clarke the nod over Parent -- I was surprised it Philly athletes? was so one-sided -- as the best player in franchise history.

There were several outstanding players I hated not having in my top 16, especially Rod Brind’Amour. But I ran out of room. Jimmy Watson, by Sam Carchidi Kimmo Timonen, and Dave Poulin were also close calls.

There are some interesting first-round matchups, including the sixth- seeded MacLeish against the 11th-seeded Giroux. I expect Giroux to pull For an interactive, online project we are doing for Inquirer.com, I was the upset because of the fact that many of our readers didn’t have a asked to select the top 16 players, in order, in Flyers history. chance to witness MacLeish’s greatness. Colleagues Les Bowen (Eagles), Keith Pompey (76ers), and Scott Some other interesting early matchups: No. 2 Parent vs. No. 15 Hextall. Lauber (Phillies) were asked to do likewise for their respective sports. We This should be one-sided, but it’s odd how the two best goalies in Flyers then put a 64-player bracket together, with each team having a 16-player history are matched against each other in the first round. field. The fans’ vote will determine the greatest Philly athlete of all-time. To me, the best opening-round matchup is between No. 8 LeClair and The final four will have one player from each team, and the top seeds are No. 9 Leach, wingers who were prolific goal scorers. the Flyers’ Bobby Clarke, the Eagles’ Reggie White, the 76ers’ , and the Phillies’ Mike Schmidt. Four Philly sports icons, to Anyway, our 64-player field is expected to go online at Inquirer.com this be sure. week, giving fans a chance to vote on players from all four sports. The four beat writers also did a video talking about how we composed our For the four beat writers, narrowing each field to 16 players was not rankings, some of our difficult decisions, and more. easy, and you probably could make a strong case for other choices than the ones we selected, especially the players ranked in the teens. With all of our sports closed down because of the coronavirus, it’s our hope that this 64-player field will serve as a diversion and be a fun and Most of the players on my top-16 list played for the Flyers in the ‘70s, thought-provoking exercise. As I said in the video, there are no right or ‘80s, ‘90s and the early part of the 21st century. The exceptions: Claude wrong answers. Everyone has their own opinions and this is not an exact Giroux (11th) and Simon Gagne (12th). science, but rather something we hope will stir some lively conversations From here, Giroux has a good chance to climb to sixth on the list before and debates. his brilliant career ends. A decade from now, Sean Couturier, Travis Since many of our readers have not seen some of the great players from Konecny, Carter Hart, and Ivan Provorov are among the current Flyers the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s, and even ‘80s, I’m guessing the younger athletes will who could be on the list. do well in this 64-player field — guys like Giroux, Brian Dawkins, Joel Here is my top 16: Embiid, Allen Iverson, Chase Utley, , Ryan Howard, and Cole Hamels. 1. Bobby Clarke Personally, I think Chamberlain should be the overall winner, hands 2. BernieParent down. But my guess is that Dawkins, who is fourth-seeded among the Eagles, will win the whole thing. 3. Bill Barber Enjoy. 4. Flyers Claude Giroux skates with the puck against the Florida Panthers 5. Mark Howe on Feb. 10 at the Wells Fargo Center. 6. Rick MacLeish Flyers Claude Giroux skates with the puck against the Florida Panthers 7. Tim Kerr on Feb. 10 at the Wells Fargo Center.

8. John LeClair Things to know

9. Reggie Leach The Flyers donated $250,000 to Philabundance, helping families in need during the coronavirus outbreak. 10. Brian Propp Next year’s expansion draft will affect the moves made this offseason by 11. Claude Giroux Flyers GM . My column.

12. Simon Gagne Flyers center Kevin Hayes is concerned about this season’s return but is 13. Eric Desjardins staying positive and even learning how to cook.

14. James van Riemsdyk is among injured Flyers who will be ready if season does return. 15. Former Flyers coach Peter Laviolette wants to get behind a bench again. 16. Rick Tocchet (Paging Seattle.)

Clarke was No. 1, but it was a difficult choice over Parent. Here’s a story I did in 2017, placing the top all-time Flyers on lines, and pairings, and ranking their goalies to commemorate their 50th Do the Flyers win two Cups without Clarke? Probably not, but there’s a anniversary. chance they do. If Clarke was out, MacLeish would have moved to the No. 1 center spot and the Flyers’ top line would have still been excellent, Intriguing series though their depth at center would have had an obvious drop-off. If you’re keeping track, the regular season would have ended last But if you took Parent away from those teams, they absolutely wouldn’t Saturday and the playoffs would have started this Wednesday. If the have won a Cup. He was the biggest reason for their playoff success. No playoffs were based on how the standings stood when the season was offense to backup goalies Bobby Taylor in 1973-74 or Wayne paused March 12, the Flyers would have hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins Stephenson in 1974-75, but the drop was precipitous. in Game 1.

That said, I went with Clarke at No. 1 for all his intangibles and the fact Yes, it would have been an intriguing matchup, and the Flyers, who were he played 15 seasons with the Flyers, compared with Parent’s 10. Not 1-1-1 against the Penguins this season, were peaking and seemed ready only was Clarke a great all-around center, but he was the best captain in to win their first playoff series since 2012. franchise history and some think the best captain in NHL history. He Here’s hoping at least some of the playoffs can be salvaged. Important Dates:

Wednesday: Replay of alumni game, Flyers vs. Penguins from 2017, 7 p.m. (NBCSP).

Thursday: Replay of Rangers at Flyers from Feb. 28, 7 p.m. (NBCSP).

Sunday: Replay of Capitals at Flyers from March 4, 7 p.m. (NBCSP).

Answer: Thanks for the question, Michael. As it now stands, I would protect the blossoming Laughton over van Riemsdyk, but not over top- line right winger Voracek. There are lots of moving parts, of course, because of the health uncertainty of Nolan Patrick and Oskar Lindblom. That will play a part in whom the Flyers protect next year.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173412 Philadelphia Flyers So, sad to say, sports doesn't matter right now. Yes, it is an escape from the depressing daily agenda of staying inside, sipping on an occasional Rolling Rock and washing your hands 33 times a day (not to identify, or anything), but all this talk of starting hockey back up by playing the Flyers' season should remain a memorable one regular season string out in greater North Dakota, where even viruses don't want to go, or inventing a "Stanley Cup Tournament" sometime

during a summer Corona lull in Las Vegas? By Rob Parent [email protected] @ReluctantSE Ridiculous.

But hey, maybe that's a better idea than the one making all the media One of the few Flyers still living in cozy quarters in Philadelphia, Scott rounds Tuesday: Baseball is seriously pondering starting the season with Laughton has been finding a way to keep in tip-top playing shape. a bunch of games at empty spring training parks all around Phoenix?

"It's a smaller apartment here; I'm just trying to do body weight stuff (that) In a nice example of non-committal jibber-jabber, however, MLB released our trainers in Philly have begun to give us to do at home," Laughton said a statement that said, in part, "The health and safety of our employees, on a random Tuesday media conference call. "The odd day, I will do players, fans and the public at large are paramount, and we are not some yoga with my girlfriend in the living room. Other than that, I'm just ready at this time to endorse any particular format for staging games in trying to get a sweat on and stay active. Just stay in shape the best that I light of the rapidly changing public health situation caused by the can." coronavirus."

Despite there being nothing but odd days for all of us, Laughton admitted OK, we'll wait for the official notice, then. it wasn't the best of workout situations for him, which might be part of the MLB's anxiety seems in direct contrast to the NBA, which under the reason why he'll soon join most of his teammates back in their homeland. steady, skinny hand of Adam Silver essentially is taking a sit back and Having recently bought a place in Toronto, just up the road a piece from chill approach to whenever, if-ever the season will resume. his native Oakville, Ont., Laughton is like most other Flyers, NHL players As for the ongoing hand-wringing in the NHL, the regular season which and professional athletes: He's heading home, and he doesn't know how should have ended over the weekend should indeed be bagged. Just like long he'll be sequestered there. an entire season was bagged once before by still-commissioner Gary What they all may not realize is that the longer athletes are made to wait, Bettman. Only difference was that then it was for the greater economic the better off for all of us. Not that it's easy for anyone. good of Bettman's owner friends' budgets.

For Laughton and his teammates, being the hottest team in the NHL at Now? the time the league shut down perhaps only makes the wait more No one wants to do such a thing, and for good reason. difficult. For them and the team's fans. But the reasons to not play again for a long time outweigh all other The Flyers had won nine games in a row before losing at home to the wishes for some semblance of normalcy. Boston Bruins, probably the most complete team in the league. This is not going away next week or even next month. The experts see it Then the coronavirus ax fell. coming in waves, spreading and dissipating and vice-versa at various "I think the way we were rolling ... when it kind of got shut down, there times across North America. Until a vaccine is not only realized, but also was a really good feeling in the locker room," Laughton said. "Obviously distributed everywhere, what's we're doing now may become more of the you don’t know what would have happened in the last 13 or however normal than what we were doing a month ago. many games we missed, but the feeling in the locker room was good. Hence, the only thing that makes sense now for not only the NHL, but the The vibe was good. We were playing some of our best hockey of the NBA and MLB, too, is to play games without gatherings of fans. They'll year, if not the best. Hopefully we can come back and return to that. probably wind up doing so, since TV contracts have to be fulfilled some "But we can’t really carry the momentum over with this much of a break." improvised way.

It hadn't been just that one streak. Other than some annoying road-game Without the roar of the fan, however ... there really isn't much point, is losing streaks, the Flyers have been more or less solid from the start. But there? coming off their worst-played road trip of the season, they hit a different Scott Laughton should go to his new home, maybe paint a few walls and level. organize his things. On Jan. 8, on very little rest, they found a way to beat the front-running Gary Bettman should forget all about North Dakota. Washington Capitals at home. That sparked a run of 19-6-1 that had them within a point of the Caps in what is now a real race for the Rob Manfred should laugh at himself in the mirror for even thinking about Metropolitan Division title. an all-Arizona spring league disguised as the start of the 2020 major league season. And then it all stopped. Go home. Stay home. "It's horrible what’s going on, doesn’t matter where it is," the Flyers' Kevin Hayes said last week. "I think people kind of took it lightly in the See you next year? beginning and they weren’t following the right procedures to quarantine. We’ve kind of suffered a little because of that."

"Obviously it’s a little bit out of our hands right now," Laughton added, Delaware County Times LOADED: 04.08.2020 "but at the same time, you got to stay optimistic, continue to train and be ready for when the season comes."

All the yoga videos in Greater Toronto aren't going to completely allow him to do that. But what Laughton and everybody else playing the sports waiting game ought to do is wait some more.

And then some more.

And then some more after that.

This, fans, is a game-changer of a pandemic. You may hate it. You may have trouble getting out of bed in the morning, but it is just what it seems to be.

Unprecedented territory in America. 1173413 Philadelphia Flyers The improvement in the second month of the season and huge push since early January could turn out to be huge if the league jumps right into the playoffs. If the playoff format remains the same and games are played in the teams' regular arenas with fans, the Flyers already hold Why Flyers are in good spot after Gary Bettman's latest on NHL season second place in the division, which would give them home-ice advantage. amid coronavirus outbreak The marked progress has put the Flyers in strong standing with whatever avenue the NHL may take to resume the season and award the Stanley Cup. By Jordan Hall If hockey returns in 2019-20, in any shape or form, the Flyers should like April 07, 2020 7:40 PM their outlook.

The NHL is at a standstill and won't be moving any time particularly soon. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.08.2020 Across sports, the reality is vast patience. The NHL, like everyone else, will have to wait for answers during the coronavirus outbreak, which forced the league to suspend its 2019-20 season back on March 12.

Waiting for answers means mulling decisions. The NHL, understandably so, is in no rush to make them. Right now, everything remains on the table.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman provided an update Tuesday regarding the league's 2019-20 status in an interview with NBC Sports' Mike Tirico:

Our clubs, if nothing, are extraordinarily competitive and whatever we do has to be fair, which is why there has been some public speculation in the media about neutral site games in remote parts of the country. That’s just part of considering all of the potential options, depending on how we find the circumstances.

But when you talk about fairness, we also have issues about if we get to play a playoffs, who gets in, if we can’t complete the regular season — we had I think seven teams on the bubble and they all think they were to have a chance — we have to deal with the lottery and orders of selections in the draft.

So, the best thing and the easiest thing would be if at some point we could complete the regular season and then go into the playoffs as we normally do. We understand that that may not be possible and that’s why we’re considering every conceivable alternative to deal with whatever the eventuality is. But again, it doesn’t even pay to speculate because nobody in any of the sports knows enough now to make those profound decisions.

What does this all mean for the Flyers? They're in good shape, even a win-win situation for any type of resumption.

If the NHL can find a way to conclude 2019-20 in full, the Flyers will have a shot to finish off what was on pace to be their best regular season in nine years. Prior to the stoppage, according to Hockey-Reference.com, the Flyers were projected to finish with 104 to 105 points, which would be their most since 2010-11, when they had 106.

With 13 games left on their schedule, the Flyers are one point behind the Metropolitan Division-leading Capitals and own the NHL's sixth-most points at 89. They would love to go for the Metro crown and have an opportunity to cap off their 2019-20 regular-season turnaround following a tumultuous 2018-19.

“When you have time, use it," Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said March 30. "To me, there’s no sense in making any decisions until you have to make them. If we’re able to come back and play, that means that the world is in a much better spot than what it is right now, and I think that would be a tremendous sign. Obviously I hope that we have the ability to finish up this year, a lot of work was put in and we got through the majority of the regular season. We’re all competitors, we all want to play and if we’re playing, it means this situation has changed dramatically and we’re in a much better spot.”

If the NHL is forced to trim or completely ax the remainder of the regular- season schedule to expedite the process to the playoffs, the Flyers' work before the hiatus will have paid off.

Prior to the league's pause, the Flyers had won nine of their last 10 games and were 19-6-1 since Jan. 8, a stretch in which they were tied with the Bruins for the NHL's most points at 39.

And they finally had a positive, season-changing November in which they went 10-2-4 with an NHL-best 24 points. Over their previous five Novembers, the Flyers went a combined 23-29-14. 1173414 Philadelphia Flyers

Pushing Olympics to 2021 makes Brian Boucher optimistic for NHL to finish season

By Brooke Destra

April 07, 2020 3:00 PM

Brian Boucher, best known in Philadelphia for helping the Flyers push to the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs and now a well-respected analyst for NBC Sports, caught up with our own Michael Barkann during the current stoppage of play.

There, Barkann and Boucher discussed a wide variety of topics, the biggest being the future of the current NHL season.

“My hopeful side, my optimistic side says that we’ll have a playoffs,” Boucher said last Friday. “Why I say that is because the Olympics getting pushed to next year, 2021, opens up a window in July and August for the NHL to jump in there.

"That to me is a positive, so something tells me the NHL is going to do all they can to see this season through. Whether or not that means having a conclusion to the regular season remains to be seen.”

It’s a valid argument — and knowing that the league is going to do all it can to award the Stanley Cup, this could very well be one of the more viable and logical options.

Of course, this all depends on how the next few weeks play out. When will games even be able to start back up? If they do, can fans attend or will it be done in a smaller arena? There are still many unanswered questions during this time, but planning for just about every possibility is the right move.

Now if things were to eventually start again, how would the Flyers be affected? After going from one of the top teams in the league for months to going cold turkey for a significant amount of time certainly raises some concern.

“They were the hottest team in the National Hockey League,” Boucher said. “A stop like this certainly stops that whole momentum in its tracks, and whatever they were doing in early March and late February, it’s going to be next to impossible to replicate if they start up again in July.

“You cannot expect them to pick up where they left off. They’re going to be starting at square one, but I’ve been impressed with this club all year long — impressed with the direction that Alain Vigneault has brought to this club. They are much more organized, they defend better, I like the veteran leadership that they brought into this locker room and that’s a credit to Chuck Fletcher.”

To hear more about Boucher’s time during the NHL hiatus, his thoughts on the league moving forward and his former team the Flyers, you can watch the rest of the interview above.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173415 Philadelphia Flyers do,” Bettman said. “We understand that may not be possible and that’s why we’re considering every conceivable alternative to deal with whatever the eventuality is. Again, it doesn’t even pay to speculate because nobody in any of the sports knows enough now to make those Flyers OK with neutral sites reset ‘to have a chance to win the Stanley profound decisions.” Cup’ Speculation seems like one of the few forms of hope these days, so some aren’t ready to shut the door closed just yet.

Dave Isaac, NHL Writer “I mean, I assume we’re gonna be this good all the time,” Kevin Hayes, the first-year Flyer, said last week, “but who knows if we’re ever gonna Published 2:15 p.m. ET April 7, 2020 | Updated 3:14 p.m. ET April 7, have this feeling again? It’s kind of sad that you can’t go to the rink 2020 everyday but everyone’s dealing with this. It’s not just us.”

Nothing is set in stone, or frankly even written in pencil. It’s still too soon Courier-Post LOADED: 04.08.2020 for that.

All the sports leagues don’t have enough information about what a potential comeback amid the COVID-19 coronavirus would look like, although it hasn’t stopped some pipe dreams.

Baseball is reportedly considering starting its season in Arizona next month and, according to a report from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the NHL is considering North Dakota as one of what would need to be multiple locations to start its season back up. Seasoned reporter John Shannon also mentioned Manchester, New Hampshire as a potential site.

“I saw some reports like that too,” Flyers forward Scott Laughton said on a conference call Tuesday. “I think any chance it gives us to come back and play some meaningful hockey, that’s what you play all year for. That’s what a lot of guys are thinking, especially here in Philly. We want to play hockey and we want to have a chance to win the Stanley Cup. Any chance we can do that and logistics-wise, I guess, wherever we play, I think first and foremost is the safety of everyone. If we can get past all this and come out stronger, hopefully we can get something done where we can play. I know especially in Philly guys want to play and have a chance at winning the Cup.”

The timing of any potential return for hockey is still unclear. The NHL paused its season on March 12, when the Flyers had 13 regular-season games to go before the playoffs and they remain one point out of first place in the Metropolitan Division.

While the rest of the world seems bleak amid quarantines and calls for protective equipment, some are holding out hope that sports can resume and bring some light to a dark situation.

“I think you have to be optimistic at this point and hope for the best,” Laughton said.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman admitted Tuesday in a TV interview with NBC’s Mike Tirico, that games at neutral sites are “part of considering all potential options based on how we find the circumstances.”

“I think right now there’s too much uncertainty,” Bettman said. “Hopefully we’ll all know more by the end of April. From an NHL standpoint, and I’m sure this is what the other leagues are doing, we’re viewing all of our options. We want to be ready to go as soon as we get a green light. And the green light may not be crystal clear because there may still be some places in the country that you can’t play and other places where you can. We’re looking at all options. Nothing’s been ruled in, nothing’s been ruled out.”

At this point, hearing “nothing has been ruled out” has to be music to the Flyers’ ears.

After years of mediocrity, this is the latest in a season that they were contending for first place in their division since 2011, when they finished first in the Atlantic Division.

“I think the way we were rolling too, when it got shut down, there was a really good feeling in the locker room,” Laughton said. “You don’t know obviously what would have happened in the last 13 games, but the feeling in the locker room was good and the vibe was good. We were playing some of our best hockey of the year, if not the best, and hopefully we can come back and return to that. You can’t really carry the momentum over with this much of a break. Just a reset and hopefully we can come back.”

“The best thing and the easiest thing would be if at some point we could complete the regular season and then go into the playoffs as we normally 1173416 Pittsburgh Penguins Tribune Review LOADED: 04.08.2020

Penguins’ Bryan Rust settles into routine of working out, board games, street hockey

CHRIS ADAMSKI

Tuesday, April 7, 2020 5:18 p.m.

Hockey players are famously routine-oriented. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise Bryan Rust has been drawn to a daily schedule even during these uncertain times of stay-at-home orders.

“I get up, usually have a little bit of a slow morning and usually have a coffee, hang out a little bit, and then usually get a workout in of some fashion,” the Pittsburgh Penguins forward said Tuesday, carefully recalling what most of the past three weeks have been like at his suburban Pittsburgh home. “Then, depending on the weather, we might go outside and play a little street hockey — we have tried to get into that a little lately, trying to bring us back to when we were kids — and then usually later on in the day we try to find something to eat for dinner and then a whole ton of board games and card games and such.”

Rust’s routine is not unlike what other NHL players and professional athletes have outlined since the coronavirus pandemic shut down the sports world last month. It also sounds similar to what those who aren’t getting paid to play a game have resorted to with family and other household mates, either.

Rust and his wife, Kelsey — they were married last summer — took on two others in their home: Rust’s brother-in-law and Rust’s Penguins teammate, Zach Aston-Reese. The former turned the group on to the “Settlers of Catan” board game.

“My brother-in-law has been a huge advocate ever since I’d known him for this game,” Rust said. “I always was skeptical but just decided we were looking for something to do one night, so we tried it. Reeser got hooked first, and my wife and I were dragged in, and now we play multiple games very night.”

But before Penguins fans eager for the season to resume get worried the team’s leader in goals — Rust has 27 — is wasting away, Rust assured his home has the necessary workout equipment.

“On staying in shape, we have a good setup here,” Rust said. “We have some dumbbells, some stability balls, some bands, cardio machines. So we’re able to do some stuff.”

Being physically ready will be challenging for players if and when play resumes. Getting through the hiatus mentally, though, might be even more difficult.

With three adult roommates — including a teammate — and three dogs, Rust acknowledged he is better positioned than some to deal with these peculiar times.

“Just trying to stay busy,” he said, “whether it’s a hobby or anything that can kind of keep your mind going instead of just worrying about the what- ifs and things like that, I think that can help.

“It’s, obviously, really tough,” Rust said moments earlier. “We’re trying to make the most of it, but, obviously, not being able to get on the ice or do much skating or even some sort of skill work and things like that, it makes you a little bit rusty. I think some guys in the summer (never) go a month or more without skating, so it definitely poses a bit of a challenge there.”

It is clear the teammate Rust is keeping closest tabs on is Aston-Reese, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t in regular contact with the other two dozen or so Penguins. Rust said a players’ group chat keeps everyone engaged and in good spirits.

But when will they reconvene in real life? Will they get a chance to experience the playoff run they had been looking forward to?

“It’s just been a season of adversity, with all the injuries and other things …” Rust said. “Depending where this goes, if we get back into the season, it’s kind of another hurdle that we’re going to try to overcome.” 1173417 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins’ Zach Aston-Reese moves in with Bryan Rust, wife

CHRIS ADAMSKI

Tuesday, April 7, 2020 4:29 p.m.

Take a nationwide lockdown headed into its fourth week, the suburban house of a hockey player and his wife, add her brother, his teammate and three dogs.

“My wife has been good with it — a house full of boys,” Bryan Rust said Tuesday. “But she has been awesome.”

Rust invited fellow Pittsburgh Penguins wing Zach Aston-Reese into their home to stay during the quarantine-like conditions the nation is under during the coronavirus pandemic. NHL players and staff were told to stay in their homes once they got back to them beginning the day the league suspended its season out of health concerns related to covid-19 on March 12.

“We actually have my brother-in-law here, too, so there is a bit of a full house,” Rust said Tuesday during a video conference call with media. “But ‘Reeser,’ he’d just got a new puppy. He’s in an apartment downtown by himself. My wife was gracious and watching the puppy while we were on the road. So to make the transition smoother we offered him to stay with us.”

Aston-Reese, 25, turned pro three years ago and, when healthy, has established himself as a reliable and versatile bottom-six forward. He had just returned to practice after recovery from a lower-body injury the most recent time the team convened March 11 in Columbus.

Rust is two years older and in his fifth full season with the Penguins. He married Kelsey Burton last year.

Rust said it was a natural to invite Aston-Reese into his home. He also implied having a female’s influence would help Aston-Reese’s bachelor’s diet.

“We’re pretty close, and he gets along with my wife well,” Rust said, “and he’s a great guy, so it was a no-brainer to help and have him stay with us.

“I think it helps with his grocery shopping and choice of meals while staying with us.”

Tribune Review LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173418 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins’ 2016 Stanley Cup Final wins, 2009 Game 7 to air on TV, radio

CHRIS ADAMSKI

Tuesday, April 7, 2020 3:51 p.m.

The Stanley Cup playoffs would have begun Wednesday, and as such potentially could have been one of the most-watched and listened-to nights of the year on AT&T SportsNet and 105.9 FM radio.

In lieu of what could have been Game 1 of a Pittsburgh Penguins- Philadelphia Flyers first-round series, the stations will air re-broadcasts of what is arguably the most consequential game in Penguins history.

The only Game 7 the franchise has taken part in during its six Stanley Cup Final appearances, 2009 in Detroit, will be aired in its entirety at 7 p.m. Wednesday on the rightsholders for Penguins’ television and radio.

Also being broadcast on AT&T SportsNet and 105.9 FM will be all four Penguins victories of the 2016 Stanley Cup final against the San Jose Sharks. Game 1 is scheduled for broadcast Monday, Game 2 two days later on April 15, Game 4 on April 20 and the deciding Game 6 on April 22.

For 2009 Game 7 Wednesday, Tyler Kennedy will be live-tweeting commentary. Kennedy was a 22-year-old, third-line wing during those playoffs, posting five goals and nine points.

Tribune Review LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173419 Pittsburgh Penguins “I had a couple little (Crosby) pictures and inspirational things hanging in my room back in 2007 from the Winter Classic. I was 11 at that time,” he said. “It was just somebody I idolized, how hard he works, how skilled he was, how talented. To get called up and actually play with him, and he Angello’s commitment to Penguins, community recognized by AHL came over and shook my hand and said, ‘Congratulations, congrats on your debut. You’ll remember this day your whole life.’ It was just so

surreal. When I scored my first goal, he was super excited on the bench, Staff Report and he gave me a fist bump and smiled. Then, Patric Hornqvist was freaking out because nobody got the puck (from the first goal). SCRANTON TIMES-TRIBUNE “It was really cool. Obviously, a lot of hard work, a lot of sacrifice and a Tuesday, April 7, 2020 12:29 p.m. lot of people I need to thank for where I got to and how I got there. Those were two of the best memories I had from this season and that I’ll have

for the rest of my life.” Community service has been important to Anthony Angello for as long as he can remember and something his mother always preached. Tribune Review LOADED: 04.08.2020 Whether it was volunteering at a nursing home, meeting with hospital patients or something as simple as reading a book to children, he has cherished those experiences and is happy to use his presence in hockey for the greater good.

“The excitement and the smiles that little actions and things like that bring to people’s faces, it’s something that I take very dearly,” Angello said Monday in a video call with reporters. “It’s something that I think a lot of people kind of overlook in that it’s such a little action, but it has such a big impact.”

On Monday, the American Hockey League recognized the Penguins forward for his achievements. Angello was named Wilkes- Barre/Scranton’s winner of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year award for his contributions to the Northeast community. The annual honor is given to one member of each of the league’s 31 teams, and recipients become finalists for the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award, given annually to the league’s overall man of the year.

Angello, 24, teamed with Penguins vice president of operations Brian Coe to organize Anthony’s Book Club, a program to encourage reading for children and young adults. The New York native visited area libraries with teammates and mascot Tux to read to kids, work on arts and crafts and answer any of their questions about reading and hockey. The team was able to complete eight of nine in-person library visits before the league’s stoppage because of the coronavirus, and Angello has continued the program over the internet.

“Anthony’s the biggest part of this. This was his idea,” Coe said. “Keeping it going online right now is really important. Kids are home. They’re doing a lot of homeschooling. Parents are looking for help in any way possible to keep kids engaged and to keep them learning, and I think what Anthony is bringing to the table with these weekly stories and just sharing his thoughts and a positive attitude … it plays a big part in these kids’ lives virtually.”

Angello is happy to keep the book club going, especially now with hockey on the back burner for a lot of the Penguins during the pandemic. He hs continued to work out and keep up his cardio during the break, and he said he has been on the “up and up” recovering from an injury suffered just before the shutdown in early March.

However, he said he’s looking at the bigger picture and appreciating the extra time he’s getting to spend with his family and talking to his grandparents.

“I actually got off the phone with coach (Mike) Vellucci before this, and we were just talking,” he said. “Not even really that much about hockey. It was just about kind of everything on the outside that you don’t get to talk about at the rink because hockey’s just the focus.”

Angello echoed much of what Vellucci mentioned last week regarding the growth of the team’s younger players and how much it will benefit the Penguins when they eventually start playing again. He also admitted he was disappointed the Penguins had a potential playoff push halted by the league shutdown. The Penguins were seven points out of fourth place with 13 games left when play was stopped.

Individually, the second-year pro had a season to remember, as he emerged as one of the Baby Penguins’ top forwards and became the team’s leading scorer. More importantly, though, he made his NHL debut and scored his first NHL goal with Pittsburgh.

Angello was candid about what it meant to fulfill his dream and play with his hockey hero, Sidney Crosby. 1173420 Pittsburgh Penguins regular season games, maybe I’ll be able to get there. If we go right into the playoffs, it’s too bad, but I’m still happy with my season.”

'Season of adversity' turns into career year for the Penguins' Bryan Rust Mike DeFabo

Post Gazette LOADED: 04.08.2020 When the puck smashed into Bryan Rust’s hand in the final period of the final preseason game, that should have been a sign that the 2019-20 season would be anything but normal.

A season that began a month late because of the hand injury might also have ended prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But in between those unfortunate bookends? Rust enjoyed a career year, rattling off goals and redefining his place on the team.

Though he played in just 55 games, Rust led the Penguins with 27 goals. His contributions were all the more significant on an injury-ravaged team.

“It’s just been a season of adversity,” Rust said on Tuesday during a video conference call with local reporters. “Depending where this goes, if we get back into the season, it’s kind of another hurdle that we’re going to try to overcome.”

For the time being, Rust is like most players, stuck in a holding pattern waiting for what’s next.

The Michigan native is staying in the Pittsburgh area with his wife, his two dogs and his brother-in-law. They've also invited teammate Zach Aston-Reese and Aston-Reese’s puppy. So while many of us are passing time in quarantine by binge-watching TV shows, Rust’s setup itself kind of sounds like the plot of a bad sitcom.

“There’s a bit of a full house,” Rust said. “My wife was being really gracious and reached out to [Aston-Reese] to watch the puppy while we were on the road. To make things easier and make the transition smoother, we offered to have him stay with us.”

Rust said he’s passing time by playing board games like Catan and helping his wife make some interior design decisions for their summer home.

While players are not permitted to skate — or really even leave their houses for that matter — Rust is doing his best to stay in shape during the self-quarantine. He’s got a decent home gym with dumbbells, bands and exercise balls. Aston-Reese and Rust have also been keeping their hockey skills sharp by playing street hockey, which he said is taking him back to being a kid.

“As far as the uncertainty of the season and all that goes, it’s obviously really tough,” Rust said. “We’re trying to make the most of it. But, obviously, not being able to get on the ice or do much skating or even some sort of skill work makes you a little bit rusty. Some guys in the summer don’t even go a month or more without skating. It definitely poses a bit of a challenge there.”

No one knows for sure if, when or how the NHL will resume its season. Some ideas have floated around recently that the NHL might be able to play games at neutral sites and sequester players in hotels. At this point, these are just rough ideas.

Assuming the NHL can find some feasible way to make those plans work, Rust said it would definitely be different to play without fans waving towels and chanting.

“When the crowd gets on your side and you have a big shift or a big play or something, you just ride that momentum,” Rust said. “In an empty building, there wouldn’t be as much of that. You have to create your own energy. So that definitely would play a factor.”

For now, there are more important concerns than hockey. Rust made a point to thank people on the front lines, specifically those working in the healthcare and food service industries.

Only time will tell if this bizarre, injury-plagued, pandemic-shortened season might resume and give Rust a chance to turn his career year into a 30-goal season.

“For me personally, it’s been a really good year,” Rust said. “I’ve been trying to take it in stride and take it one day at a time. I honestly haven’t even given that thought.

“I’m just trying to see where this whole COVID-19 quarantine goes and the temporary stoppage in play. If we get back to the season and play 1173421 Pittsburgh Penguins Mike DeFabo Post Gazette LOADED: 04.08.2020

Penguins on pause: Finally healthy, Zach Aston-Reese establishes his role

The NHL has “paused” its season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is unclear if it will resume. So, with one eye still on the future, the Post- Gazette’s Matt Vensel and Mike DeFabo are looking back at what each Penguins player did in 2019-20. We started with the captain, No. 87, and will count down by jersey number.

Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese put one goal above all else this season: Stay healthy.

The first two years of his career, it seemed like every time Aston-Reese began to gain some traction, injured reserve kept him from taking the next step. A lower-body injury sidelined him for more than a dozen games in 2017-18. Then in the postseason, Capitals forward Tom Wilson concussed Aston-Reese and broke his jaw with an illegal hit. Last year, Aston-Reese missed 13 more games with a broken hand.

“No matter what, everything else aside, I want to play a full 82 games and see what happens,” Aston-Reese told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in early February.

During a season in which so many significant players missed so much time, Aston-Reese was one of the few who stayed relatively healthy ... at least for the first 57 games before a lower-body injury flared up.

As a result, he found a role on the shut-down fourth line. The trio featuring Aston-Reese, Teddy Blueger and was a hard- checking, tough-to-play-against group. Coach Mike Sullivan trusted the line enough that he frequently deployed it against the opponent’s top offensive line. They also had more defensive zone starts than any other line and were three key members of the penalty kill.

Earlier in his career, Aston-Reese got looks in a top-six role, playing alongside Evgeni Malkin and others. But maybe his wall play and willingness to finish checks meshes better in this type of muck-and-grind, bottom-six scenario.

In terms of offensive production, Aston-Reese said himself that he would have liked to contribute more. During his senior season at Northeastern, Aston-Reese led the nation in goals (31) and points (63) on the way to becoming a Hobey Baker Award finalist.

He scored six goals and tallied 13 points in 57 games this year with the Penguins. Maybe there’s more offensive upside there that can be tapped into down the line as the 25-year-old’s career continues. Or, maybe, this year is an example of the type of role Aston-Reese will continue to play.

DEFINING MOMENT: Aston-Reese scored a pair of goals during a 7-2 rout in Winnipeg in mid-January. The game summed up what made the Penguins successful early in the season. With Malkin, Bryan Rust and several others sidelined with injuries, the Penguins got production up and down their lineup.

STAT THAT STANDS OUT: Aston-Reese’s defensive-zone start percentage was 69.3% this year, second only to his center, Blueger. This stat illustrates the role that the Penguins cast him in, as a shut-down defender who was counted on to step in front of shots and keep the puck out of Pittsburgh’s net.

IF THE SEASON RESUMES: While Sullivan likes to shuffle his lines to create a spark, no trio stuck together more than Aston-Reese, Blueger and Tanev. Given how much this group played together, it’s likely they’d remain intact into the postseason. The one thing that could shake up this line is that an extended layoff should give several players such as Jake Guentzel, Nick Bjugstad and Dominik Simon a chance to get healthy. There’s at least a chance the new-found health could create a ripple effect that impacts the fourth line.

LONG-TERM OUTLOOK: Aston-Reese is signed through the 2020-21 season on a deal that pays him $1 million annually. The biggest question is: Can he show more offensive upside as his career continues? As noted previously, Aston-Reese was an elite goal-scorer in college. It remains to be seen if that will eventually translate to the pro game.

1173422 Pittsburgh Penguins James Neal — He was asked to score goals, and that’s exactly what he did. Neal scored 89 goals and put up 184 points in 199 games with the Penguins.

Yohe: Ranking the top 20 Penguins in franchise history Patric Hornqvist — The guy Neal was traded for hasn’t been so bad, either. Hornqvist scored a Cup-winning goal, has enjoyed other postseason overtime heroics and has registered 132 goals in 407 games with the Penguins. He’s one of the best postseason performers in By Josh Yohe franchise history. Apr 7, 2020 Sergei Gonchar — I hated keeping him off the list, though the very best seasons of his career did come in Washington. A great player who should be in the Hockey Hall of Fame. To say that Penguins fans have been spoiled is a profound understatement. Since Mario Lemieux arrived in Pittsburgh in 1984, the Brooks Orpik — Orpik had a long, proud run with the Penguins. Players Penguins have showcased the NHL’s most star-studded franchise almost of his style are becoming extinct in the NHL, but he pulled it off. His four- annually. knockdown shift against the Red Wings in Game 3 of the 2008 final remains among the most iconic in franchise history. There have been future Hall of Famers, franchise icons and enough star power to give the Penguins five championship and counting since 1991. — He did win a Norris Trophy, the only time a member of But who are the greatest Penguins of all? the Penguins has ever done that. Really good player on some really bad teams. Here are the rules: Alex Kovalev — It wasn’t easy keeping him off the list. If it were a most • I’m not creating the ultimate Penguins’ roster but rather am simply talented Penguins list, he’d be in the top five. Easily. He was that skilled ranking the 20 greatest players in franchise history. So don’t expect 12 and was also supremely productive in Pittsburgh. forwards, six defensemen and two goaltenders. This is a franchise so rich in forward talent that these players will lead the way on this list. The Top 20

• Players eligible had to play at least parts of two seasons with the Matt Murray (Charles LeClaire / USA Today) Penguins. So, sorry, Luc Robitaille, Marian Hossa and Sergei Zubov. 20. Matt Murray • This is designed to highlight the level players performed at while with Games 199; Record: 117-53-19; GAA 2.67; Save percentage .914 the Penguins. Bryan Trottier is an all-time great but was well past his prime with the Penguins. If you’ve won two Stanley Cups as a goaltender, you make this list. Murray hasn’t been around all that long, but his mark on this franchise is • The postseason matters. When I needed a tiebreaker, I considered not indelible. While he hasn’t been great the past two seasons, let’s just look so much Stanley Cup rings but Stanley Cup playoff performance. at the facts. He won his first seven playoffs series in which he played. He • I didn’t use any magic formula. I’ve been covering the Penguins for won the Cup in each of his first two seasons. He pitched consecutive more than a decade, watching them for 35 years and consider myself shutouts to end the Predators in the 2017 Cup final. He won two Cups on something of a franchise historian. This is my opinion, nothing more. the road as a young goalie. And he’s won 59 percent of his career starts.

Honorable mentions 19. Chris Kunitz

Rick Tocchet — Check out the names on the honorable mentions list. Games 569; Goals 169; Assists 219; Points 388; PPG 0.68 We’ll start with Tocchet. He had 179 points in 150 games in Pittsburgh, He simply belongs because of all that he accomplished. He isn’t one of scored a game-winning goal with a broken jaw, played an instrumental the 20 most talented Penguins of all time, but he is one of the best 20 role in the 1992 Stanley Cup run and scored 48 goals in the 1992-93 Penguins of all time. He won the Cup three times. He scored what I season. What a player. Too bad he didn’t play in Pittsburgh longer, or believe is the most important goal in franchise history in the double he’d be on the list. Had the list been the top 21 players in Penguins overtime, Game 7 thriller against Ottawa. Kunitz was a dependable history, he’d be on it. linemate for the Penguins’ stars. More than anything, he was just a Ulf Samuelsson — There have been a lot of cult heroes in Penguins winner. That’s a cliche in the world of sports, but he really was. He beat history, guys like Darius Kasparaitis, Matthew Barnaby and so many Ottawa. He forced the turnover in Nashville that led to Patric Hornqvist’s others. But there was only one Ulf. He was a terrific defensive player, Cup-winner. He made a spectacular pass to set up Max Talbot’s Cup- was dirty, mean, and physical beyond comprehension. And Pittsburgh winner in Detroit. You notice a pattern here? He wasn’t all that talented. loved him. Doesn’t mean he wasn’t great.

Brian Dumoulin — Don’t sleep on this guy. In five years, he may be 18. Jordan Staal regarded as the best defensive defenseman in franchise history. Games 431; Goals 120; Assists 128; Points 248; PPG 0.58 Joey Mullen — Rough keeping a Hall of Famer off of this team. Mullen The numbers are solid, not spectacular. But to watch Staal play was to was great with the Penguins, scoring 153 goals over six seasons. He appreciate him. The Penguins had star power when he arrived in 2006. was a wonderful player and deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, but I They didn’t have a two-way force, someone who could shut down the would suggest his numbers were aided somewhat by his teammates and opposition’s best player while providing his share of offense. Staal very the era in which he played. Not saying he wasn’t terrific, because he was. much gave the Penguins that player, and he did so immediately. He was But this is a tough team to crack. 17 when his first NHL training camp started and he made the team three Pierre Larouche — Pierre was a great player and made the Penguins weeks later. And scored 29 goals as a rookie teenager. And became one relevant in their early years. He scored 119 goals in 240 games with the of the league’s best defensive forwards at 18. In the playoffs, few were Penguins in the 1970s while also pulling off many “Dates with Pierre.” better. The Penguins don’t win the Cup in 2009 without him. It’s a shame (The team held a promotion where a lucky fan would actually get to go on Staal left in 2012. He wanted to play with his brother and can’t be blamed a date with Pierre. No, I’m not making this up. And yes, he is the world’s for that, but one wonders what the Penguins would have accomplished coolest man.) had they retained the three-headed monster for another decade.

Martin Straka — What a good player. Wasn’t great anywhere else, but 17. Larry Murphy when he played in Pittsburgh, he always produced. So fast. Multiple Games 336; Goals 78; Assists 223; Points 301; PPG 0.90 overtime playoff goals. Could play the point on the power play and any forward position. He was a good one. Murphy played on a lot of great teams, which didn’t hurt his cause. But he was also one of the great defensemen in Penguins’ history. His Petr Nedved — He only played in two seasons with the Penguins, but offensive ability made Paul Coffey expendable for God’s sake. And while those seasons are worth mentioning. He produced 88 goals and 170 he wasn’t known for his defensive work, he was a plus-101 in 336 games points in those two seasons. Nedved also scored 11 playoff goals in 23 games. Great player. with the Penguins, so he was doing something right. Murphy could do it Penguins were finally serious about winning. So, why isn’t he ahead of all. the next player on this list? Coffey played for parts of only five seasons in Pittsburgh and was not good defensively. This can’t be ignored. He was 16. Jake Guentzel a minus-50 in his time with the Penguins. But I’m not knocking him. Other Games 243; Goals 98; Assists 102; Points 200; PPG 0.82 than Lemieux, he’s probably the most entertaining player in franchise history and an all-time great. Does this seem too high? I disagree, and here’s why. The man is only 25 and he’s already a playoff icon. He could have been given the Conn Kris Letang (Geoff Burke / USA Today) Smythe Trophy as a rookie and absolutely no one would have been 8. Kris Letang shocked. That’s how important he was in 2017, when he scored 13 goals that postseason. In 41 postseason games, he’s scored 24 goals. That’s a Games 808; Goals 127; Assists 410; Points 537; PPG 0.66 48-goal pace over the course of a season during a time when it’s very difficult to score. He’s an incredible player. Always a tough player to rank because his errors can be so incredibly confounding. For my money, however, this is the greatest defenseman in 15. Syl Apps Penguins’ history. For one thing, when Letang is locked in, his defensive work is far better than it receives credit for. He’s a great one-on-one Games 495; Goals 151; Assists 349; Points 500; PPG 1.01 defender and one of the greatest — and strongest — skaters in franchise If you know your Penguins history, you know that Apps is a giant in history. His offensive numbers aren’t Coffey level but are outstanding, franchise history. The numbers speak for themselves. While we generally and he’s overcome major health issues. His performance in Game 6 in think of the Penguins as being nothing but a laughingstock until Mario San Jose during the 2016 Stanley Cup final is one of the best in Lemieux arrived in 1984, they actually had some good teams in the franchise history. 1970s. Apps, a master playmaker, played a big role in this. 7. Marc-Andre Fleury

14. Jean Pronovost Games 691; Record 375-216-68; GAA 2.58; Save percentage .912

Games 753; Goals 316; Assists 287; Points 603; PPG 0.80 Sometimes, the numbers speak for themselves. That’s a lot of wins. His Much like Apps, Pronovost’s contributions to the early years of the name is on the Stanley Cup three times. He made the greatest save in Penguins shouldn’t be forgotten. He was one of the best snipers in franchise history to preserve the Cup in Detroit in 2009. The Penguins franchise history. He scored more than 20 goals in nine straight seasons. don’t win the Cup in 2017 without his heroics against Columbus and He topped the 40-goal mark four times and once scored 53 goals in a Washington. No, he wasn’t perfect. He had his meltdowns. But I still think season. Admittedly, Apps and Pronovost were before my time, but he’s the greatest goaltender in franchise history. there’s no doubt that they deserve to be on this list. 6.

13. Rick Kehoe Games 533; Goals 164; Assists 449; Points 613; PPG 1.15

Games 722; Goals 312; Assists 324; Points 636; PPG 0.88 Let be it said that the Penguins never won anything until Francis showed Remember something about Kehoe: Most of the Penguins teams he up on March 4, 1991. He’s one of the great players of all time and one of played on weren’t all that good. Some of them were actually really the most respected leaders in the history of the sport, let alone the horrible. He scored 29 or more goals in a season eight times. That’s franchise. Look at the numbers he put up. Now, consider that his biggest really impressive. A really good player for a long time and played through contribution was bringing a defensive mindset to a team that badly some dark times in franchise history. needed one.

12. Phil Kessel 5. Kevin Stevens

Games 328; Goals 110; Assists 193; Points 303; PPG 0.92 Games 522; Goals 260; Assists 295; Points 555; PPG 1.06

Kessel was only a member of the Penguins for four years, but he got the The most underrated player in franchise history is Kevin Stevens. With all job done in a big way. The level of his consistency in the 2016 and 2017 due respect to the galaxy of stars on those early 90s teams, other than postseasons was remarkable. He’s a two-time Stanley Cup champion, he Lemieux, no one was more dominant on the 1991 and 1992 Stanley Cup never missed a game, and he ran the power play better than anybody teams than Stevens. His 17 postseason goals in 1991 remain a Penguins since the team’s owner. The Penguins don’t win those Cups without record. He scored 46 goals in 103 postseason games. He made the most Kessel. important guarantee in team history. And he backed it all up. Stevens’ prime was short and it was largely because of his own off-ice behavior. 11. Mark Recchi But for about four years, he was the best power forward in hockey and played at a Hall of Fame level. The bigger the game, the bigger he Games 389; Goals 154; Assists 231; Points 385; PPG 0.99 played. He was the soul of those early 90s teams. It’s tempting to put him higher on this list because of his performance in Evgeni Malkin (Charles LeClaire / USA Today) the 1991 postseason. He put up 34 points in 24 games that spring, having never played in the postseason. Recchi scored the goal that sent 4. Evgeni Malkin the Penguins to the Stanley Cup final, against the Bruins in Game 6 of the Wales Conference Final. He was always clutch and always produced Games 907; Goals 415; Assists 660; Points 1,075: PPG 1.19 huge numbers. Around the hockey world, Malkin’s accomplishments largely go 10. Tom Barrasso overlooked. They most certainly do not in Pittsburgh. Malkin hasn’t been quite as great as Sidney Crosby during his career, but frankly, he hasn’t Games 460; Record 226-153-53; GAA 3.27; Save percentage .895 been that far behind. Malkin is more physically gifted than Crosby and possesses the rare ability to take over games, something that’s only Gauging his career in Pittsburgh is tough. The media that covered him been surpassed by Lemieux in Penguins’ history. An all-time great. hates him so much that it typically doesn’t give him proper credit. Others, in a backlash to that, make him out to be Patrick Roy. The truth was 3. Jaromir Jagr probably somewhere in the middle. But make no mistake, Barrasso was great. He won two championships, was an awesome physical talent and Games 806; Goals 439; Assists 640; Points 1,079; PPG 1.34 maybe the best puck-handling goaltender in history. Don’t be Five scoring titles. Playoff greatness. Jagr was the best player in the unimpressed by his numbers. It was a different time. world for a few years during his career in Pittsburgh and he actually 9. Paul Coffey produced more points per game than Crosby during his Penguins career. His greatness should not be overlooked. Games 331; Goals 108; Assists 332; Points 440; PPG 1.33 2. Sidney Crosby Coffey’s points per game with the Penguins is absurd. Offensively, he was that great. The most important trade in franchise history is the one Games 984; Goals 462; Assists 801; Points 1,263; PPG 1.28 that brought Coffey to Pittsburgh because that let the city know that the Crosby has lived up to the hype and then some. On and off the ice, he’s been an all-time great. Crosby is probably among the top five players in NHL history, trailing only Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr in the minds of most. He’s arguably been the best player on the planet for the past 14 years. Think about that. He’s been truly great and should have some dominant years remaining.

1. Mario Lemieux

Games 915; Goals 690; Assists 1033; Points 1723; PPG 1.88

Crosby’s legacy and on-ice work has moved closer to Lemieux territory than anyone could have imagined. But still, he’s not all that close. Not yet. Lemieux was one-of-a-kind and the easy choice to be No. 1 on this list. I rank him as the greatest hockey player who ever lived and I’m not sure that any athlete is more synonymous with a franchise than Lemieux is with the Penguins.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173423 Pittsburgh Penguins A few years later, Lemieux would score a couple of highlight-reel markers that were downright extraordinary — including one in which he undressed Hall of Famer Ray Bourque and another in which he danced through what seemed like the entire Minnesota North Stars squad before My favourite player: Mario Lemieux beating Jon Casey with a backhand in the Stanley Cup final.

For a time, I used the Koho Revolution sticks that featured the black and yellow colours of the Penguins. By Ken Wiebe One of my favourite Christmas presents ever was the pair of Cooper Apr 7, 2020 hockey gloves with the swirl that Lemieux wore.

After unwrapping those gloves, my dad and I headed out for a skate on The elevator door opened on the event level at Consol Energy Center, the outdoor rink in my hometown of Altona, and that moment is etched in and as I turned to my left, I was transported to my youth. my memory.

It was Feb. 27, 2016, and the original purpose of my trip was a quick visit The Penguins weren’t on TV much in back in those days, but it with Winkler, Man., product Eric Fehr, who was rehabbing from an injury. didn’t matter.

As I looked up, walking toward me, still at a distance, was none other I would follow Lemieux as closely as I could through The Hockey News than Mario Lemieux. magazines I would peruse in the school library.

These days, Lemieux is the owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins, but to me, When a new set of hockey cards came out, I could not wait to buy a few he’s always going to be my favourite hockey player. packages, wondering how long it would take to secure Lemieux’s latest.

He’s one of the biggest reasons I wanted to make it to the NHL, long There were no immediate reactions on Twitter in those days, but that before I figured out these not-so-soft hands were made for typing and not didn’t prevent the hotly contested debate over who the best player in the scoring goals. NHL was: Gretzky or Lemieux.

My first interaction with Lemieux was brief but memorable. It’s easy to see why that debate raged on for a long time.

The year was 1991. And don’t get me wrong; as someone who was fortunate enough to watch some of those dynastic Edmonton Oilers teams roll through Picture a 15-year-old sporting a crisp home white Penguins jersey with Winnipeg, I had an incredible appreciation for The Great One. No. 66 on the back, sitting three rows behind the bench at the old Winnipeg Arena. Gretzky and his supporting cast (I loved the way seemed to deliver in many critical moments) seemed to break the hearts My father, Ken Wiebe Sr., was able to secure tickets from his workplace of Jets fans on an annual basis throughout the 1980s. for several Winnipeg Jets games every year, and this was one of those times. I had no issue with Gretzky, but I was drawn to Lemieux.

And for those of you who are too young to remember, having Lemieux Seeing him endure back trouble and later undergo cancer treatment was suit up for a game in Winnipeg wasn’t a frequent occurrence — not even tough, but watching his remarkable comeback was inspiring. during his prime. What he did during the 2000-01 campaign borders on unbelievable. With that in mind, my dad assured me we would arrive in time for the After sitting out for three full seasons, Lemieux came back and averaged pregame warmup, which was part of our routine but even more important nearly two points per game and was a point-per-game player during the on this day. Stanley Cup playoffs. My jersey first caught the attention of Badger Bob Johnson, who smiled Fairly early in my career as a sports writer, I was going to Pittsburgh to and nodded with approval. do a story on phenom Sidney Crosby, who had been the star of the show At some point during a break in the action, Lemieux noticed the young the winter prior for Canada’s world junior hockey team that trained in fan sporting his team’s colours and said, “Nice jersey.” Winnipeg and captured a gold medal in Grand Forks, N.D.

It makes me laugh out loud to think back to that moment, but it’s This was in 2006, and I had never been to The Igloo. precisely what went through my mind years later when Lemieux came One of the bonuses of that trip was the opportunity to see Lemieux play into focus inside the bowels of The Arena That Mario Built. live one final time — and perhaps I might be lucky enough to score a I was no longer in sports reporter mode, though I tried to use my instincts quote from him about Crosby, who was living with the Lemieuxs at the to quickly decipher whether I would stop and say something or simply let time. the moment pass. Alas, Lemieux’s health deteriorated in the weeks leading up to my visit Don’t get me wrong; I wasn’t in teenage autograph-seeker mode, either. and he never played another NHL game.

But knowing what kind of impact a small moment had on me so many Long before his career came to a premature end, though, Lemieux was a years ago, I politely stopped Lemieux, extended my hand and introduced first-ballot Hall of Famer to a young boy from Southern Manitoba. myself.

He couldn’t have been more generous with his time, even if it was only a The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 couple of minutes.

I quickly relayed the story to him and told him how much I appreciated it back then — and still do now.

He smiled and thanked me for sharing it with him.

Lemieux prefers to stay out of the spotlight, and that’s by design. It was probably one of the many reasons I was drawn to him as a player.

His skill was undeniable, but it was the graceful stride and the smooth hands that were so much fun to watch. His passing had a certain elegance to it, yet his shot had a ferocity to it.

I was 12 when Wayne Gretzky left a drop pass for Lemieux before he scored the series-clinching goal of the . 1173424 San Jose Sharks season was halted March 12, the Sharks still had 12 games left to play, including five home games.

“We don’t want to open up the doors and allow fans to come in until it’s Gary Bettman: ‘Best thing’ for NHL is to finish regular season, then start safe for them to do so,” said Jonathan Becher, president of Sharks playoffs Sports & Entertainment, last week.

On March 31, Bay Area health officials extended the shelter in place order until at least May 3. The last event held at SAP Center in San Jose By CURTIS PASHELKA | [email protected] | Bay was a March 8 NHL game between the Sharks and Colorado Avalanche. Area News Group Becher said the arena will not host any other event until the ordinance PUBLISHED: April 7, 2020 at 3:19 p.m. | UPDATED: April 7, 2020 at that forbids large gatherings is rescinded. 7:13 p.m. “Even when the shelter in place order is lifted … it’s likely it will be some time after that before large gatherings are permitted,” Becher said. “So the shelter in place being lifted is not enough. The second order which Although the NHL has no specific timeline for when it can resume play prohibits large gatherings also has to be lifted.” with North America and the world still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday the league’s most Tuesday, The Athletic reported that there have been discussions preferable course would be to finish the regular season before it starts between the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association about holding the playoffs. centralized playoff tournaments in areas that have emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic. “The best thing and the easiest thing would be if at some point if we could complete the regular season and then go into the playoffs as we Whether those games would be played in front of spectators is unknown. normally do,” Bettman said on “Lunch Talk Live” on NBCSN. “We The NHL has said it will follow the directions of health authorities before understand that that may not be possible and that’s why we are forming any concrete plans. considering every conceivable alternative to deal with whatever the eventuality is.” “It’s certainly possible, and we see it unfolding right now, that some areas will be hot zones and other areas will be less impacted,” Becher said. “So Bettman joined other league commissioners, including Roger Goodell of it may be safer to play in one venue and less safe to play in another the NFL, Adam Silver of the NBA and Rob Manfred of MLB, on a call with venue. I could imagine that some games would be played to packed President Donald Trump on Saturday for what he called a “cordial, houses and other games would be played with no fans whatsoever constructive conversation” where each official had the chance to assuming we start this season back up at some point.” comment and ask questions.

“Although the uncertainty of the times weren’t clarified in that call, we’re all going to have to wait until we have a lot more information — maybe in San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 04.08.2020 the next few weeks — before we can make any decisions,” Bettman said.

Some NHL players have said if the playoffs are going to be held, they would like to see the regular season resume, feeling it would be the best way to keep everybody healthy before the start of the postseason.

For complete Sharks coverage

Last month, Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid said while he likes the look of the NHL standings right now, with his team in a playoff spot, “you want a fair season. And a fair season is a full season. If we can do that, then that’s what we’d obviously prefer.”

Bettman said it doesn’t appear as if anything will be decided until after the end of this month, if then. The NHL still had just over three weeks left in its regular season when the decision was made to place the schedule on hiatus.

The 16-team playoffs were scheduled to open Wednesday.

“I think right now there’s too much uncertainty,” Bettman said about a possible resumption. “Hopefully we’ll all know more by the end of April. From an NHL standpoint, we’re viewing all of our options. We want to be ready to go as soon as we get a green light, and the green light may not be crystal clear because there may still be some places in the country we can’t play, and other places where you can.

“We’re looking at all options. Nothing’s been ruled in, nothing’s been ruled out. It’s largely going to determined, what we do, by how much time there is, because we have next season to focus on as well, and by the health of (the U.S. and Canada).”

Bettman said he believes buildings across the league would be able to host games in the warmest months of the year, which would appear to be the only way a regular season can be completed and a full Stanley Cup playoff schedule can be contested. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly has previously said the league would not do anything that would prevent it from playing an 82-game regular season in 2020-2021.

“I do believe we can play well into the summer,” Bettman “The days of when games had to be postponed because there was no air conditioning in a building are long behind us. We can handle making ice now in any condition.”

SAP Center in San Jose does not have ice right now, but quickly restoring the surface should the NHL be able to resume normal operations at some point would not be an issue. When the NHL’s regular 1173425 San Jose Sharks Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.08.2020

Sharks' Mario Ferraro reveals lesson learned in whirlwind rookie year

By Brian Witt

April 07, 2020 8:10 PM

Mario Ferraro has surpassed the wildest of expectations in his rookie season with the Sharks, and it hasn't exactly been an uneventful one.

Since making the jump straight from college to the pros, the 21-year-old defenseman has witnessed a mid-season coaching change, the acquisition and eventual trading of a franchise legend, a seemingly endless string of serious injuries to roster cornerstones and -- oh yeah -- an indefinite pause of the NHL season due to the coronavirus (COVID- 19) pandemic.

Not exactly your average rookie year.

Technically, Ferraro's rookie season hasn't come to an end -- at least not yet. Commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday that there currently is too much uncertainty for the league to be able to determine when the season might be able to resume, though he hopes to "know more by the end of April." In any case, even if San Jose was able to play out its remaining games, there are only 12 left. Considering the Sharks fell to the absolute bottom of the NHL standings right before the season was paused, an additional playoff run is entirely out of the question.

So, for all intents and purposes, we can't really consider Ferraro a rookie anymore. He has 61 career NHL games under his belt, so, really, that has been the case for a while.

Ferraro flew back to Toronto shortly before the Bay Area's shelter-in- place orders went into effect, and has been doing his best to stay in shape while living at his parents' house. In a recent discussion with NBC Sports California's Brodie Brazil, he described an important lesson that was crucial to his development as a rookie.

"I think one small thing that's actually not small at all when you really look at it," Ferraro said, "is just preparation and that mentality of staying even- keel the whole year. What I mean by that is not getting too high on the highs or too low on the lows. You have so many games and so many important games that if you have a good game one night, you better forget about it because you gotta do the same thing the next night. Or, vice versa, if you play poorly, you really gotta forget about it and bounce back strong.

"And it's not just from game to game -- it's from shift to shift. You're playing in a league that has really fast players, strong players. You can get exposed, and it's going to happen. People are going to make mistakes. I'm a defenseman, so I feel like you're more bound to make mistakes ... they're more glaringly obvious. From a mental perspective, you really have to learn to just kind of say, OK, it happened. Move on. Let's get back to my game and play hard."

While Ferraro is correct that no player is exempt from making mistakes, he didn't have too many glaring errors throughout his first season in the NHL -- or at least, he did a good job covering them up. He earned the trust of the coaching staff and was rewarded with additional opportunities, which he proved capable of handling. Over the last eight games before the season was paused, Ferraro averaged over 20 minutes of ice time per night.

In terms of mentors on the team, Ferraro specifically mentioned fellow defenseman Brent Burns as someone who has been tremendously helpful to him. And like seemingly everyone else in that locker room, Ferraro is a big fan of Joe Thornton. But ultimately, it has been a team effort in supporting Ferraro throughout his rookie year. It takes a village, after all.

"Nobody's counted out on this team," Ferraro explained. "They're all great guys. They've all taught me a ton this year, and we're really close. It has been a good learning curve for me."

While we're all focused on flattening the curve, it has long been evident that -- as a rookie -- Ferraro's wasn't very steep.

1173426 San Jose Sharks

Gary Bettman says NHL examining 'all options' for coronavirus restart

By Marcus White

April 07, 2020 1:26 PM

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday there is too much uncertainty for the league to determine a target date to return amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and that they hope to "know more by the end of April."

“From an NHL standpoint, we’re viewing all of our options," Bettman told NBC Sports' Mike Tirico on "Lunch Talk Live" on Tuesday (via Pro Hockey Talk). "We want to be ready to go as soon as we get a green light -- and the green light may not be crystal clear because there may still be some places in the [U.S. and Canada] where we can’t play and others places where you can.

"We’re looking at all options. Nothing’s been ruled in, nothing’s been ruled out. And it’s largely going to be determined what we do by how much time there is because we have next season to focus on as well.”

The NHL suspended its season on March 12, a day after the NBA did the same following Utah Jazz big man Rudy Gobert's positive coronavirus test. Eight NHL players -- three on the Colorado Avalanche and five on the Ottawa Senators -- have tested positive.

Bettman said reports of the NHL looking into playing the remainder of its season at neutral sites -- including North Dakota, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman -- reflected how "extraordinarily competitive" the teams were as they tried to ensure a fair finish to the regular season. The commissioner said the "best thing" for the NHL would be to finish the season as they normally do, but Bettman said the league understands that might not be possible.

"[That’s] why we’re considering every conceivable alternative to deal with whatever the eventuality is," Bettman said. "Again, it doesn’t even pay to speculate because nobody in any of the sports knows enough now to make those profound decisions.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173427 San Jose Sharks

How Patrick Marleau's kids helped form Mitch Marner-Auston Matthews bromance

By Jessica Kleinschmidt

April 07, 2020 11:55 AM

Patrick Marleau, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner aren’t just close friends -- they’re family.

The tight-knit group detailed what started their friendship during a recent interview with Sportsnet.

Marleau had been a member of the Sharks for 20 years and was joined by his sons who crashed the interview. One of them was even sporting a Sharks shirt which is even more adorable after Marleau had been traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins at the deadline. The kids ended up being more of the subject as to why Marner formed such a close bond with the Marleau fam.

Marner detailed that he and Matthews would play Mini Sticks for hours with Marleau’s kids. This would go on long enough where they would have to change into another pair of clothes due to the amount of sweat that would produce.

“I think that’s just kind of where the relationship started,” Marner said. “When we started going over there -- just kind of feeling we’re a part of the family."

Matthews mirrored those sentiments.

“Yeah, I’d say it evolved pretty quickly after that,” he explained. “He had us over, and obviously the boys are a blast to hang out with -- I think they like hanging out with us -- always had a good time, Mini Sticks got intense … “

The mini-stick battle had been detailed by Marleau’s wife, Christina, with an adorable photo of the three hockey players and the mini-Marleau’s.

From the 2017-19 seasons, Marleau was with the Toronto Maple Leafs where this bromance began and stayed.

When Matthews was participating in the NHL Accuracy Shooting event during the 2019 All-Star festivities, he unveiled a Marleau jersey underneath the Leafs uniform he was sporting -- in front of the San Jose crowd.

Amazing.

But Marleau has said that despite the trio being family, he respects them when they face one another after the puck drops.

That doesn’t appear to change the way they feel about one another.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173428 San Jose Sharks Now when I see Suter, our chats are far more about family than sports — unless I have to ask him a question of course.

With Weber, a lot of our conversations used to start out about fantasy My favorite player: The NHL dads I’ve gotten to know football — I actually found myself in a league with him during the 2012-13 NHL lockout and made a horrific trade with him.

Now, they’re about our kids — what activities are they doing? Walking? By Josh Cooper Talking? All the fun, ridiculous stuff that parents share is discussed.

Apr 7, 2020 Joe Thornton

When I was at Yahoo Sports, I developed a solid relationship with Sharks forward Joe Thornton and found out his wife made a children’s book. It My view of my favorite athlete(s) I’ve covered changed a bit after I had a was called “The Very Hairy but Not So Scary Mouse” and it was about son in the fall of 2017. how some animals may seem terrifying at first, but actually they’re quite I’ll never forget the moment I realized that life in an NHL locker room friendly. I decided to buy it after my son was born and he immediately would never be the same. I was talking to the Kings’ Dustin Brown for a took to it. I remember our nanny one day saying, “He really loves this story — a bunch of reporters had shaken my hand and/or high-fived me, mouse book.” since it was my first trip there since Ethan’s arrival — and he ended the We also once had a conversation about being scared driving a newborn interview by saying “congratulations.” home from the hospital. I was glad to know you could be one of the Brown, a father of four, knew what I was feeling and it meant a lot to me NHL’s greatest all-time players and still have the same fears as me. that he said that. He didn’t have to but he did. I’ve been fortunate to have covered a lot of really good people in hockey From that point on, I found talks with athletes — at least ones my age — and wanted to give a few more shoutouts. starting out with more chit-chat about kids. Former Nashville Predators (when I covered them) Nick Spaling, Steve Should I try baby-led weaning over purees? Sullivan, Eric Nystrom, Hal Gill, Joel Ward and Paul Gaustad were all tremendous to work with and I always enjoyed chatting with them. I still Is there a type of rocker your kid likes? do with some to this day.

What sleep methods did/do you use? Pekka Rinne gave me a hearty “Hi Josh!” after Nashville beat the Ducks in Game 7 of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was a bit Was the preschool transition hard? surprising that he would do that before his scrum — I hadn’t covered the No longer were we discussing our favorite bars or vacation spots in our team in a couple of years since moving out to L.A. — but that was cool pre-interview moments before we started talking about the team, games and weirdly put all this attention on me to ask the first question. Rinne is or anything else sports related. In all honesty, I enjoyed (and still enjoy) one of the nicest people you’ll meet, let alone hockey players. talking kids far more. My “Point Breakaway” co-host Shane O’Brien is an absolute beauty and Here are some of the dad hockey players I’ve gotten to know over the one of my favorite people I’ve met in hockey. He has this uncanny ability years who I want to highlight. to get me feeling good and positive before a podcast. By the end of each show with him I find myself in such a better mood. Also, when Shane Ryan Miller played he told it like it was … there was no filter or BS with him. Also I did a story on Ducks goaltender Ryan Miller in which he glowingly please subscribe to the podcast, listen and rate us five stars! spoke about his son Bodhi and why he wanted to play hockey in The Kings’ Drew Doughty is a quotation machine. Brown explains the Southern California — to be closer to where his wife, actress Noureen game at such a high level and Anze Kopitar has an incredible back story DeWulf, works. Being in a family with two working parents can be hard, as a Slovenian who became one of the greatest NHL players of his era. but Miller was trying to make it work as best he could. Then we somehow Kopitar has this almost mystical, royal quality to him that one can’t really started to bump into each other in the greater Los Angeles area with our describe unless you’re in his presence. kids, at a playground and a kid-friendly event, and in those moments I saw just a genuine dad wanting to play with his son. The Ducks’ Ryan Getzlaf oozes leadership and accountability when you speak with him. Same with defenseman Cam Fowler. Kyle Clifford Those people are all great — and a lot of them are fathers themselves — Former Kings forward Kyle Clifford graciously let me into his South Bay but it’s really the players I’ve gotten to know as dads who I wanted to home last summer so I could see his family life with his wife, Paige, and mention for this story. Right now family is beyond important for all of us their three boys. After we talked hockey, our interview shifted to a as we deal with the coronavirus, and I’m sure they’re all dadding, just like conversation about the mamaroo and me asking Clifford if he ever eats me, as we take it one day at a time. pre-made baby purees when he’s hungry (I do, guilty as charged).

By the end of that day, I had a greater sense of Clifford as a dad and also myself as a father. Knowing that he, like Miller, was just trying to make it The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 work with his kids and be a part of their lives while also making a living was similar to how I look at myself.

Shea Weber and Ryan Suter

I knew Shea Weber and Ryan Suter when they played for the Nashville Predators, well before my son was born. They’re both younger than me, but both started having kids earlier. In Nashville you could get to know players pretty well if you were a traveling beat reporter, which I was for The Tennessean, and Suter and Weber were two guys I really enjoyed covering. I felt like they respected me, and I respected them. I remember when an injured Suter sat next to me in a press box (it was near the end of a road trip and there was no sense in sending him home) and he saw me tweeting, watching the game and writing a running game story at the same time. I feel like it was his, “Oh wow, (Josh) really has to do a lot of work at these games” moment.

Anyway, I remember when Suter’s son Brooks was born, while I was covering the Predators, and then getting to meet Brooks at the Minnesota Wild’s family skate for their Stadium Series outdoor game years later. 1173429 St Louis Blues they were going to play. Taylor integrated the town’s baseball league, forming a team of African-American kids in the neighborhood.

“Dad said, 'I never understood this black-white thing,'" his son John said. Youth hockey in St. Louis began with Bouncer "'Never understood it.'"

“He loved for kids to learn to enjoy sports,” John said. “I’m a minister and I’m at a conference in Birmingham, Ala., waiting for the shuttle to go to Tom Timmermann conference. A guy is standing there waiting with me, and we get to talking. Turns out this guy lived a block away from me growing up, he

said, 'You’re Johnny Taylor, Bouncer’s boy? I loved your dad. I would Payton Adams is a 10-year-old girl who plays goalie on a boys team with come over to your house and your dad would teach me how to box. He the Meramec Sharks ("I think it's more competitive," she said) and one of made we sure had all the sports equipment we needed. Your dad was her favorite things in hockey is when she makes a save on a puck that a the greatest.' Wow. That was my dad.” shooter is positive has gone in. That was apparently driven in Bouncer by a difficult relationship with his “I just smile,” she said. “Nice try.” father, with Taylor vowing that wouldn't happen with his kids. (He had three sons and two daughters.) According to John, his dad had become a She’s also a living link to the history of St. Louis youth hockey. proficient poker player and was offered a $10,000 stake to get into games on trains and split the winnings with his sponsor, but he passed, Almost 60 years ago, her great-great-grandfather, Ralph (Bouncer) saying he didn’t want to miss the time with his family. Taylor, along with some other former St. Louis minor-league hockey players, started the first youth hockey league in St. Louis. There were Bouncer died of cancer at the age of 70 in 1976 — on July 3, the eve of about 32 boys — no girls, obviously — who ventured out on to the ice at the bicentennial, not that that meant much to him; he thought George Steinberg Skating Rink in Forest Park in the winter of 1961-62, needing Washington was a traitor, John said — and his legacy is not surprisingly to have only a stick, a pair of skates and $2.50 to start and then 50 cents fading away as those who knew him passed on. His surviving children each week to cover the rental of the rink. are in their late 70s and early 80s; his two daughters have died. The Hall induction is a chance for memories of Bouncer to be stoked. Youth hockey in St. Louis has grown a lot over the years, to the point where in 2016, five St. Louis players were chosen in the first round of the Taylor obviously never met his great-great-granddaughter, but there is NHL draft. The level of play has been boosted by former Blues who have one other link between Adams, the goalie in 2020, and Bouncer. After he stayed in the area to coach, but in the years before the Blues, the initial had retired, Taylor was the colorman on Flyers broadcasts on KXOK-AM push to get kids into playing hockey fell to former Flyers like Taylor. radio. In 1941, the Flyers had played a game in Kansas City, and after the game, their goalie Alex Wood, was stabbed in the shoulder by a fan. “He really loved working with and helping kids develop their own (The fan accused the Flyers of tanking to allow other teams to pass physical, natural talent,” said one of Bouncer’s sons, John, who lives in Kansas City in the playoff race.) The next day, with his goalie Chicago. unavailable, Flyers coach Johnny McKinnon asked Taylor if he would “He’s like a hidden treasure,” said Bob Kreutz, who spearheaded the play goalie. Taylor, who would later become coach of the Flyers and who drive to get Taylor into the St. Louis Amateur Hockey Hall of Fame, which sometimes got in goal to help at practice, said sure. So, Taylor, 36 at the Taylor will enter in August along with players Yan Stastny, Jamie time and two years after his retirement, got in goal against the Minnesota Husgen, Wayne Neis, Joe Lunny and builders Tony Sansone and Tom Millers and lost 1-0, though with the fans at the Arena going wild every Shinabarger. time he touched the puck.

Here’s the relevant background on Bouncer Taylor (everyone called him “Ralph Taylor got to play goalie one time and she’s a goalie,” said Bouncer): he played 102 games in the NHL, 80 with the Chicago Catherine Adams, Payton’s mother and Bouncer’s great-granddaughter. Blackhawks and 22 with the New York Rangers between 1927 and 1930. “It’s kind of cool.” In those games, he had four goals, one assist and 174 penalty minutes, That his great great granddaughter is playing hockey is something which may tell you all you need to know about his game, though he Bouncer Taylor would definitely approve of. avoided fights at all cost. His nickname came for his tendency to put opponents on the ice.

Taylor’s NHL career may have been short, but his minor-league career St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 04.08.2020 was long. He played 12 seasons in the American Hockey Association (now the AHL) and one in the IHL. Back then, with not many NHL jobs available, hockey players hung around in the minors a long time, and Taylor got to know the Midwest. A native of Toronto who became an American citizen, he played in Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City and Tulsa. His last season, 1938-39, was with the St. Louis Flyers, and when he retired after that season — he had taken the job as head of the sporting goods section of a department store and said he wouldn’t have time for hockey — he stayed in St. Louis, much to the city’s benefit.

There weren't many ice surfaces in St. Louis at the time, and because of that, there was no way to have a youth league. Steinberg opened in 1957 and in the winter of 1961-62, the city made ice time available for a youth league and Taylor, who had been planning one for years and had been, coincidentally, put in charge of the skate concession at Steinberg, jumped into action, along with some other former Flyers. While some of his former teammates became coaches in the league, Taylor became commissioner of the Missouri Amateur Hockey Association. Turnout was low at the start, with four teams of eight players that first winter. But with more ice time available, more kids learned to skate and more took up hockey. As more rinks popped up around the region, more kids got involved, and then when the Blues arrived, it really got going, building on the foundation laid by Taylor.

Taylor — “a soft-spoken man whose steel-gray line hair gives him the distinguished air of a professor,” as a 1962 P-D story described him — lived in Richmond Heights and was recreation director for the city. His house was near the city’s recreation center and kids would come by the Taylor house to get balls and bats and whatever they needed for what 1173430 St Louis Blues prospects. It worked as planned, as players such as defensemen Jake Walman and Niko Mikkola saw a dramatic improvement.

“You look at Walman, it’s his third year in the American League, and by Minor details: Blues believe Springfield offers a lot as their new AHL far his best year,” Armstrong said. “When valuing your prospects, you affiliate really go by whether other teams call you about him, and Walman’s name came up for the first time this year. Another player we’ve seen a lot of growth in is Mikkola. We liked how Jordan Kyrou was used down there coming off an injury. … Klim Kostin and Austin Poganski … they’ve been By Jeremy Rutherford given a chance to flourish, and the guys took hold of that.” Apr 7, 2020 But just as the Blues were taking hold in San Antonio, Armstrong received the surprising news SS&E was selling the Rampage. The company wasn’t looking to sell, multiple sources told The Athletic, but In October 2017, the Blues announced a five-year agreement to make when Vegas began looking for a franchise to relocate to Henderson, a the their new AHL affiliate. suburb of Las Vegas, it became a seller’s market. The going rate for an AHL team is about $6 million, and Golden Knights owner Bill Foley paid “We’re excited to work with San Antonio,” Blues general manager Doug $10 million, which SS&E couldn’t pass up. Armstrong said in a news release at the time. “We’ll start there with a five-year agreement where we’ll control all hockey operations and they Furthermore, SS&E underwent leadership changes in July, promoting will control all the business operations. We’ll be responsible for supplying Spurs GM R.C. Buford to replace Pych, who stayed on in an advisory all the players, and that’s something we’re looking forward to.” role, meaning the group Armstrong dealt with when he made the deal was no longer in charge. The Blues signed a contract that allowed for the The partnership was profitable for the Blues in terms of developing their sale, but it wasn’t something they considered a possibility. prospects, but in just the second year of that five-year deal, it ended abruptly. In early February, Spurs Sports & Entertainment (SS&E) “There had been a change in business direction with the Spurs, a change announced its decision to sell the Rampage to the Vegas Golden in leadership,” AHL commissioner David Andrews said this week. “I think Knights, who will relocate it to Henderson, Nev., for the 2020-21 season. they took a look at their core business and how hockey fit with it and decided that this was a good time to transition out. They certainly had a The decision, which happened while Armstrong was in the Czech very committed buyer in Mr. Foley, so everything eventually finds its Republic and admittedly caught him off guard, left the Blues without an level, right? It was surprising I suppose to everyone in our league that AHL affiliate for the second time in three years. San Antonio would elect to be the one team ready to sell, but they were, “I got a call and it happened the next day,” he said. “I made (Blues owner which obviously created a situation for the Blues.” Tom Stillman) and the group aware of what was going to come out From the Czech Republic, Armstrong immediately contacted Andrews to publicly. So, it did move quickly, but it’s one of those things that if you find out what the Blues’ options would be. He wanted to find out which can’t control it, you can’t really worry about it. I talked to my friends at the independently owned franchises were in the final year of contracts with American Hockey League, and they let me know of some different their parent teams. It’s believed they were the Springfield Thunderbirds possibilities that were going to be there, and we went to work quickly.” (Florida), Charlotte Checkers (Carolina) and Chicago (Vegas). The Blues had an agreement with the Springfield Thunderbirds on March “We just then started to look forward on what teams might have 6. It’s another five-year deal that will go into effect next season and give openings,” Armstrong said. “You know who’s signed long-term deals or them total control of hockey operations of the Massachusetts-based AHL has had a relationship for a number of years. Teams called us knowing affiliate. we were looking, and we called some teams that we thought might be The situation is just another example of the volatility of the AHL, which looking.” has had its share of startups, closures and relocations. But how did the “It’s not rocket science,” Andrews said. “It’s just trying to understand Blues find themselves in such a predicament, and what should they which teams that were expiring were interested in pursuing a different expect in Springfield, a city that lost a team in 2016 and replaced it with affiliate. It wasn’t nearly as complicated as trying to sort through the the Thunderbirds? Chicago-San Antonio-Colorado-(St. Louis) shuffle a couple of years ago. The Athletic went in search of those answers in interviews with That was a lot more complex. This was basically just letting people know Armstrong, AHL president David Andrews, Springfield president Nathan that this had happened, here’s who to speak to, and yes, they’re Costa and Mike McKenna, a St. Louis native who has played more than interested in speaking to you.” 500 AHL games, including two stints in Springfield. Many Blues fans who followed the Blues-Chicago saga ruled out a In 2013, the Blues sold their longtime affiliate, the Peoria Rivermen, after reunion with the Wolves. Though it would have been highly improbable, Stillman took over as majority owner. Not all NHL teams own their minor- Armstrong claims there wasn’t as much animosity as might have been league team and it was a way for a group of 16 local investors new to pro portrayed. sports to shed cost. “It’s funny, I know (Wolves owner Don Levin) has said some things, but I The Blues aligned themselves with the independently owned Chicago didn’t mind the relationship with Don and (GM) Wendell Young,” he said. Wolves beginning in 2013-14, and the partnership stayed intact for four “It was a different relationship because Don was in the winning business seasons. But as can often be the case when AHL affiliates are consumed and not in the developing business and we knew that going in. But I by winning and NHL teams are more concerned with player thought (former Wolves and current Blues coach ) did a development, there are varying opinions on day-to-day operations. really good job of developing our players and winning down there. So, I actually enjoyed Don. He’s a fired-up guy, but I’ve always enjoyed his Before the 2017-18 season, the last of the Blues’ agreement with passion.” Chicago, the Golden Knights joined the league and agreed to an affiliation with the Wolves. There were 31 NHL teams and only 30 AHL The Blues had discussions with Springfield before agreeing to go to San affiliates, so the Blues were left without one. In a complicated Antonio, but the deal grew complicated and never materialized. arrangement, they loaned some of their prospects to the Wolves and Armstrong, though, had already visited the city and toured the facilities, others to the Rampage, with the plan to enter into a five-year agreement and another factor leading to a potential match was the familiarity Blues with the Rampage in 2018-19. assistant GM Kevin McDonald, who lives in Massachusetts, had with Springfield. It was a desirable setup in San Antonio as the Blues would be involved with SS&E, the company that owns the San Antonio Spurs, which Forbes “We were actually very close to going to Springfield last time,” Armstrong once proclaimed as North America’s “best-run professional sports said. “We had talked to those people and knew those people, so when franchise.” SS&E was hands-on with the Rampage and involved in the we contacted each other, it felt like we were just rekindling an old inner workings of the AHL, with CEO Rick Pych chairing the league’s relationship.” executive committee. One of the other pluses for Springfield is it is 90 miles west of Boston and The Blues would be allowed to hire the coaching staff, which they did by a historic hockey market. The city had one of the AHL’s charter bringing in Drew Bannister, and thus control the development of their franchises in the 1930s, and between the Indians and Kings, it won the Calder Cup a combined seven times. The Falcons moved in as an McKenna pointed out some players like being in the West because the expansion franchise in 1994 and had a 22-year run before they were flights make it seem like they’re in the pros, but ultimately, less travel is bought by the Arizona Coyotes in 2016 and relocated to Tucson. more important.

“It’s a city that has had AHL hockey for a number of years and is a real “You may be getting home at 1 or 2 in the morning,” he said. “But you hockey community,” Armstrong said. just don’t have many road trips where you’re four or five hours away at the very most, which certainly saves on the body.” Springfield’s reputation hadn’t been great for much of the last decade as attendance sagged to the bottom of the AHL in part because of a less- The move to the Northeast will also allow the Blues to do more scouting. than-stimulating game day atmosphere. There were also complaints about inadequate housing for players. But that began to change in 2016 “San Antonio is sort of a one-off trip for (staff members) Dave Taylor, Al when the were sold and relocated from Maine to replace MacInnis and myself,” Armstrong said. “In Springfield, you can tie that the Falcons. into college hockey close by and AHL and NHL games, so it’s going to be a different environment and I’m actually looking forward to the change.” Andrews had a role in that. The AHL’s headquarters is in Springfield, and the building is owned by businessman Paul Picknelly, whose office is on The flip side, however, is transactions may be more of a hassle. A direct the 25th floor, one above Andrews’ office. Picknelly is the president of flight from St. Louis to Springfield is about the same duration (2 hours, 20 Monarch Enterprises, which had a strong interest in heading a local minutes) as a flight to San Antonio (2:15), but there are regular direct ownership group for a new AHL franchise. flights to San Antonio.

“The idea of losing (the Falcons) was upsetting to a lot of business “If there are direct flights to Springfield, there’s not many,” Armstrong leaders in the community and Mr. Picknelly in particular,” Andrews said. said. “I know because when I had to go watch my son play prep school “So, I got summoned upstairs to the landlord’s office, and he said, ‘How hockey, I had to go through Baltimore to land in Hartford to go to his prep are we going to get an American League franchise back here?’ So, we school. It’s not going to be the same access of flights that Southwest had worked pretty closely to help him acquire a team to move to Springfield, to San Antonio, so guys might have to drive to Boston or find different and while we were doing that, I said to Paul, ‘You know, the guy you ways.” need to have run this franchise is working with us.'” But it’s one of the concessions the Blues were willing to make Nathan Costa was with the AHL at the time, but after a conversation with considering their situation, and they’ll have some continuity in bringing Picknelly, the Springfield native was hired as executive vice president of Bannister and his staff to Springfield. It was also a deal Armstrong the Thunderbirds. In just a few years on the job, Costa’s creative ideas wanted to get wrapped up because before these uncertain times in the took the team’s home attendance to more than 5,000 fans per game in NHL, free agency was scheduled for July 1 and players would want to 2018-19, and it was on pace to reach that figure again before this season know where they may be playing before signing. was put on hold. “You want to get it done as quickly as possible,” he said. “There are “We put a lot into what we were doing from an organizational standpoint,” templates that a lot of (NHL) teams work off of and standard business Costa said. “There’s so much history in Springfield of great hockey and practices, as far as we wanted to control the coaches, the players and being a part of the league for so long, I wanted to bring all of that back. I the trainers, and they want to control the business. You get an economic had a lot of faith that we could do it, but you have to set your organization package that works for everybody and you move forward. It wasn’t like up the right way, and you’ve got to focus on selling tickets, having good we were reinventing the wheel, so once you get comfortable with the promotions and investing in it. Our ownership was all for it, and that really personality of the relationship, the business side does move quickly.” allowed us to kind of lay the foundation.” St. Louis-Springfield has the look of a good marriage, said Andrews, who McKenna, who first played in Springfield with the Falcons in 2013-14, acknowledged the St. Louis-San Antonio relationship felt the same way. was part of the team when it relocated to Springfield in 2016. “I think the Blues liked it there, and certainly, the Spurs thought it was a “Quite frankly, a lot of us were like, ‘Oh, man, we’re going back to really good relationship,” Andrews said. “I don’t think there was ever a Springfield,'” McKenna said. “It really wasn’t that much fun in the building. breakdown between the two. It was just a business decision to sell the Then Nate and his team came in and they worked like crazy, they sold franchise. … I think (Springfield) is a great environment for players, and (tickets) like crazy, and they made it a really fun place to play. We did so the facility is excellent. It’s as good as there is as far as the infrastructure many promotions — plenty of the standard stuff — but he was willing to for players and player development. And the community has really get creative. I mean, we had (wrestling legend) Ric Flair in the building. embraced the team and will embrace it even more so going forward. They brought in (former star) David Ortiz. He hit hockey “The ownership group is stable, and the business environment around pucks into the stands with a baseball bat. Nate just really took everything the team is very good, so I would say that Doug and the fans in St. Louis from the minor-league fan book and put it to good use in Springfield.” can sort of be comfortable knowing that this is a long-term solution … Another factor that made it better the second time around, according to which we thought San Antonio was, too, but I would think this one should McKenna, was the player housing. be good for quite a while.”

“There weren’t many places to live, and it was expensive there,” he said. “But even just two years later, a couple of apartment complexes had The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 sprung up that everybody was living in. It definitely helped that there were places to live and it turned into a pretty good scenario.”

“I think we tried to put a lot into the comfort of the players,” Costa said. “Unfortunately, we’re not one of the sexy cities in the American League like Austin or San Antonio or San Diego, so we have a distinct disadvantage at times. When people go, ‘Oh, you’re going to Springfield?’ … we wanted to change the perception and make the players feel like they weren’t getting demoted. We take a lot of pride in a professional environment, so when a guy shows up, we want to make sure they feel like they’re coming to a place they can call a second home. I think a lot of people have been like, ‘Wow, Springfield has come a long way in a few short years,’ and I’m hopeful that that weighed into the decision (the Blues) made to partner with us.”

The Blues liked those improvements, as well as the fact having their AHL affiliate in Springfield will create less travel for their prospects.

“Peoria and Chicago and San Antonio, you do a lot of flying out of there,” Armstrong said. “This is much more of a bus league. The guys are going to have the chance for more practice time and more time in their own beds. It’s just a different league on that side compared to going out west.” 1173431 St Louis Blues Hull would score 32 goals that freshman year and 52 more as a sophomore. That was all he needed to prove to the NHL that he was ready to turn pro. I have to admit, I was pretty smitten with the first real sniper I had ever seen. Names come and go as a young sports My favorite player: Brett Hull was anomalous, misunderstood and enthusiast, but a few make a lifelong impression on you, and when the sensational son of a legend puts on a clinic in your hometown and brings your heroes to their knees like nobody ever has, you decide you are going to follow

that young man’s future to see where it ends up. Little did I know that By Bob Sturm would be in Dallas, Texas.

Apr 7, 2020 Here is the thing about Brett Hull: His legacy is complicated.

He was absolutely one of the best to ever play the sport of hockey. We can debate exactly and specifically what that means, but given that goals The year was 1985. I was 12 years old living in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. I are what determine the winners and losers of these games, it’s relevant loved sports more than a 12-year old probably should — and specifically, that almost nobody ever scored goals like Brett Hull. He started as a boy, I loved Robin Yount, James Lofton and Sidney Moncrief. making an indelible impression on me in Madison back in 1985, and then never stopped scoring goals despite playing at the highest level possible I also loved the Wisconsin Badgers hockey team. Because unlike those for years and years. He scored the fourth-most goals in the history of the other teams in my young life, the Badgers would ultimately not make me sport and was a league MVP, eight-time All-Star and Hall of Fame sad. In 1981 they did win it all (but I confess I wasn’t really paying inductee. attention as my parents didn’t understand the sport and were somewhat suspicious as to why I did). But by the time they won it all again in 1983, I He couldn’t be stopped from scoring no matter what teams tried. He was was prepared and fully on board my first bandwagon. Chris Chelios and among the very best of his era, and he also scored goals that mattered. Pat Flatley helped the only sports team in the state prove that 1981 Lots and lots of them. He not only scored the fourth-most goals (741) in wasn’t a fluke (nor 1973 or 1977 by winning their fourth national the history of the NHL, but he also scored the fourth-most playoff goals championship since my birth). It may not be impressive to most, but (103). Add in the 14 goals he scored for the USA in Canada Cups, given that most teams in my home state could hardly muster a winning Olympics, and World Cups, and you have a man who has scored an record since I hatched (I’m looking at you, Green Bay) it didn’t take long absurd amount of goals surpassed only by Wayne Gretzky, for this kid to realize that winning was way more fun than losing. Heck, and Jaromir Jagr. the Badgers football and basketball teams were pretty brutal back then, too, so hockey it was. Hull excelled in a way that almost didn’t make sense. Gretzky was always on the puck. So was Jagr. But Hull? Well, Hullie would slide in Every winter was about the Badgers on the ice, as the NHL was just a and out of the flow and appear as if he were using a cloaking device. He rumor to me at that age. My household certainly didn’t have cable, but would get lost out there. He would seldom skate around everyone and even if we had, the NHL was almost never on television in that area. It’s score a coast-to-coast goal like his father. Instead, he would appear for a not that the state didn’t care about hockey, but all the care was pretty one-timer, deflection or a sweet wrister to the far post against the flow of much dedicated to the Badgers. The pros settled for a tangential traffic. It was incredible, but he was absolutely a sniper in the trees far relationship with either the Chicago Blackhawks (south side of the state) more than a tank destroying everything in its path. He understood space or the Minnesota North Stars (north side), but you had to settle for radio and awareness that allowed him to appear out of nowhere. He also used or newspaper reports if you cared at all. It was how things were back this to always avoid direct hits, even though he would be mocked for his then. skating and movement all those years. The direct hits take a toll, and the innate ability to preserve your health has nothing to do with skating One weekend, the Badgers were playing Minnesota-Duluth, and ability, as Mike Modano suffered brutal hits repeatedly while Hull seemed positively crazy buzz was building about one player in particular. Bobby to never take a direct collision. Hull’s son had been drafted by the Calgary Flames in the previous summer, but only 117th overall. It was decided that he should go play in Instead, his collisions happened with words off the ice. He has rubbed the WCHA for a few years. He was a relatively old prospect and was not many the wrong way over the years. He has always spoken his mind any sort of young phenom, so it was more a novelty of Brett Hull being a about every topic under the sun and hasn’t always been polite. You could famous player’s son. While wasn’t routinely on television, he argue the abrasive, outspoken nature of his father — even though the was a name that everyone knew. Heck, my parents knew that name. two seemed to have an incredibly complicated backstory of their own — When the papers said Bobby Hull’s son was coming to play the Badgers was passed down with the hockey talent. Both tended to march to their with one of their heated rivals, it added a little spice to the weekend. own beat and certainly had no problem standing up to authority in the business that made them both rich and famous. Brett would take on Early in the year, the Badgers took a weekend trip up to Duluth and were coaches, commissioners and occasionally even his own fanbase. He smashed pretty badly. Those games weren’t on television, but the 6-1, 4- would not suffer fools and to this day has no problem saying as much. 2 sweep sent a real message to young Bob that this might not be Wisconsin’s best team. But we would be waiting to get even on February One reason he made fans and enemies alike was his approach to which 8th and 9th at the Dane County Coliseum. I wasn’t there, mind you, but I country he would represent in international play. He had dual citizenship was watching the tape-delayed game on the local PBS station at 10:30 as a young man who was born to a Canadian father and an American p.m. (If you avoided the news, you could watch them as if they were live mother, but Canada knew he was far more theirs and remained bitter for — which I did.) a long time when he elected to play for the USA. Hull’s logic was simple: He said the USA wanted him more, back when Canada was skeptical The weekend went very poorly for any Wisconsin fan. The Bulldogs put it about whether he was good enough to play for their country. And once on the Badgers in front of the entire state of Wisconsin, sweeping again he represented the USA, he decided that was final. It isn’t hard to find — 5-4 on Friday and 8-1 on Saturday. And the young Hull did the hockey enthusiasts north of the border who decided to hold a grudge — unthinkable as a freshman, lighting Wisconsin up for back-to-back hat- especially once the goals started pouring in by the hundreds. Some of his tricks: three goals on Friday and three more on Saturday. This, as you best work for Team USA came in the 1996 Hockey World Cup where he can imagine, seemed impossible. The guy who was featured in the led the team in goal-scoring and hammered three goals in the final two newspaper as being a famous person’s son looked to be worth all of the games played in Montreal against a stunned Canadian audience. ink and then some. He scored with ease and without warning. It was Knowing that their boys were defeated by their neighbors to the south something that you simply didn’t normally see. Wisconsin was a great with a sniper born in Ontario doing plenty of damage was not taken well. program and didn’t often get swept at home. But this kid was doing It was glorious to a USA hockey fan who knew how rarely the fully staffed whatever he wanted, and the Badgers lost every game against Duluth were beaten at this level. that year. I must admit, it was the first time in my life that I had experienced an enemy player destroying my own team without really Make no mistake: Hull was not a perfect player. In fact, for years, he being mad. It was weird, but it does happen. Some guys are just so would be called out as being one-dimensional. Sure, he scored, they undeniably great that you aren’t even that angry. Like Michael Jordan would concede. But did he back-check? Did he defend? Heck, did he would show me a few years later when he would score 50 in front of me even care? And if he did, why did he smile so much out there? This is and my dad at the Mecca in April, 1987 on the Bulls’ way to beating my serious business, this hockey! Bucks, I almost didn’t mind. Hull scored 26 goals in his first 52 NHL games in Calgary. Think about thought of as a rather slow skater, and it never looked more obvious than how absurd that accomplishment is, but because of his low draft profile, when he played on a line with the turbo-boosted Mike Modano. Yet, his limited athleticism and his approach to life, the Flames included him somehow, he could find those seams. Yes, on a power play there is a in a deadline-day trade to St Louis in his rookie season. Calgary would mathematical man-advantage that would allow for him to play high and be fine, as they won the Cup that year (1988) and used players from the fire pucks, but his understanding of spatial awareness was seen at equal trade to get there. But now St. Louis had this special player at age 23. He strength, when he would often lurk as the puck was being cycled on the would go on to score 380 goals in his next six seasons. That is not a opposite side or behind the net. The defenders would scout and misprint. strategize how to deal with a guy who once scored 86 goals in a season, and yet he would find the puck in the high slot or by the dots and a snap Between 1988 and 1994, he would dominate the NHL like few ever shot or wicked wrister would be away before they saw it was him. And, would. In 1990-91, he scored 86 goals in 78 games — which remains the honestly, when he was with the Stars, you would seldom see anyone second-most goals ever scored in a season — as he won the league deflect pucks with his effectiveness on drive-bys at the net. He was as MVP. The year before that, he scored 72. The year after, he scored 70. fluent as anyone ever was at figuring out how to get the puck to the net. 228 goals in 231 NHL games. It simply doesn’t look real on the page. Then there was the approachable off-ice version of him and the media. And yet, while doing all of this, he was being hammered by the hockey By this point of his career, he was one of the most famous players in the media because of three things. He didn’t win Cups like Gretzky. He didn’t game, but on this veteran Stars team — with Ed Belfour, Joe talk like Gretzky. And he certainly didn’t look like he cared enough. Nieuwendyk, Modano, Derian Hatcher and many other “names” — he I loved Hull’s response to this sort of criticism in his 1991 video, Hockey’s could sometimes blend in a bit. His reputation preceded him to town, and Top Gun (which I gloriously found on YouTube recently). in 1998, there were very few “hockey media” who knew you can’t believe everything you hear. Much of the city knew about bad boys and problem “You look in the dressing room before games, and you see the guys. And athletes from their dealings with the Dallas Cowboys and assumed Hull they’re like this and they’re shaking. You can’t play hockey like that. It’s a must be hockey’s version of that. So much of the mainstream football game of reaction and agility and touch and timing. And if you’re all tense press expected him to be a scary interview, only to generally find out that and nervous, you’re not going to have any of that, and you’re not going to the only thing scary about him was he might not pay attention to the be successful. I go out to the game with a fun-loving attitude. And it looks media for long before trying to sneak out to get to the golf course after like I’m not putting out effort. My father’s in the Hall of Fame, and my practice. mother was in the Ice Capades. The game comes pretty natural to me. And it may look like I’m not trying, but it’s one of those things where it He was such a great personality and guest on the radio. He would say comes so natural that it looks that way, and they put that label on me. what he thought, and he thought the NHL did a poor job at making sure That probably hurt the most out of anything anyone’s ever said to me. So they built a league that was fun to watch and stars whom everyone knew. I had to go out and prove them wrong.” He constantly viewed clutching and grabbing as the slow death of an enjoyable hockey product but also knew that coaches (including the one The first NHL game I ever saw in person was December 22, 1991. I was he played for in Dallas) would always be pragmatic in their thinking. They 18 years old and was finally old enough to take the journey to Chicago weren’t here to design the game or the rules. They were here to figure Stadium when I was home from college for Christmas. The Blackhawks out how to win under the current rules. That is an important distinction and the Blues hated each other, and I saw the first of many fights that because that logic made his team into a very effective yet not always night 1:04 into the game. Early in the second period, Brett Hull stole a enjoyable to watch unit. Ken Hitchcock and Brett Hull did not see hockey puck at the blue line and scored on Ed Belfour in the end of the arena I at all the same way, and they were each quick to pontificate on the was at my standing-room-only spot at the old stadium, where it felt like differences they shared, both with a smile and without. you were looking over Belfour’s shoulder in the first balcony. What a night. It had taken me long enough, but I had finally seen my hero score Yet the evolution of their relationship was clear on the way to the 1999 in person. Stanley Cup and the 2000 Stanley Cup Finals. Hitchcock and Hull had to figure out a partnership after the honeymoon, and it didn’t happen It wouldn’t be the last time, of course. overnight. There is the story of how Hull got kicked off the ice by the coach when he thought he would mock the dump-and-chase directives Through it all, he was abrasive. He was cantankerous. And, in my by dumping every single shot opportunity he had into the corner. If estimation, he was misunderstood. There was no player in the NHL I was shooting isn’t important, why shoot at all? That didn’t go over well with more interested in watching, but by then he had seen the public lose the coach, who might have had a bit of a temper back then. some interest in that old trick of scoring goals. Ultimately, like so many players who play a decade in one place where the biggest team dreams Overall, they found a happy medium. Mike Heika discussed the are left unrealized, little things become bigger things and perhaps arrangement with Hitch a few years back in retrospect. The quotes were everyone begins to tire of each other. Hull had his famous run-in with the a wonderful view of how they eventually figured it out. equally stubborn and cantankerous coach Mike Kennan (who just had Stanley Cup credibility with the 1994 New York Rangers), and it became “With special players, you cut deals, and the deal is I don’t tell them what clear he would ultimately be leaving his beloved St Louis in free agency to do with the puck, and they’ve got to be on the same page as to head to Dallas, Texas, in the summer of 1998. everybody else without the puck. I learned about power play, about angles, offensive structure, how to get odd-man rushes. He just thought In an extremely unrelated story, I would also head to Dallas in free at a whole other level than most coaches do. I think any coach can learn agency in the summer of 1998. We would both get our new jobs roughly from a skill player. I think he also saw that with good positional play, you one week apart. He was paid much more. But I’d bet I was as happy as can have [the puck] more. It became a pretty good partnership at the he was. end. It’s simple stuff. You take care of details, win battles, win games. The harder the game, the harder you have to work. You look at playoffs; Hull was unique for all sorts of reasons, and I think I only appreciated teams that work the hardest, win. Simple.” most of them when I was able to observe him daily as someone who covered the team from a short distance. Of course, watching him shoot in Time has had its way with Brett Hull’s three-year stint in Dallas. practice settings was a way to see just how well the man knew how to Obviously, to most everyone, the single memory is the only time in fire the puck. The one-timer was a true thing of beauty where the stick Dallas-Fort Worth major sports history when a championship was would be pointed high to the rafters both to signal for the pass from the clinched on a moment of late drama. All of the Cowboys’ five Super point to the top of the circle to the goalie’s right and to cock the enormous Bowls and the Mavericks’ NBA Finals clincher were won by double digits. gun. The stick would be flexible enough that pictures would capture it But the Stars needed triple-overtime and a goal that still gets Buffalo whipping under the torque of the motion that generated massive velocity, stirred up as they attempt to convince themselves that they were done-in yet he seemed to be able to aim and place the puck as well as anyone. by a rules interpretation. Coping aside, the Hull goal was the culmination There were many times he would drop to one knee when firing the one- of a franchise journey from Minnesota that took decades to get to the timer to get a little more leverage behind the shot as every ounce of Cup and a personal journey that required Hull to listen to a lot of noise might was to muscle a puck past the goal-line from a considerable about his ability to raise St Louis all the way to a championship. distance. In games, you would marvel at how he found the puck given how everyone knew who he was and what happens when he shoots. The goal itself was only scored because Hull was thrown back on the ice when Blake Sloan hurt his back. Hull was done for the night and was That was another thing about Hullie. Especially when he arrived in Dallas hardly playing in the series as the evening crept along in Game 6 in at such an advanced part of his career — year 13 and age 34 — he was Buffalo. But despite a knee injury that would later need surgery and probably would have kept him out of Game 7 (he barely played after Game 2), Hull went back on the ice for one more shift late in triple overtime. The puck would be sent to the net, where Hull would move the puck from skate to stick while having a foot in the blue ice, and send it home past Dominik Hasek to launch both franchise and player into hockey immortality. Ironically, years later, he would still be taking heat from fans who didn’t think the goal was legit.

“We all knew that they had changed the rule. But obviously the NHL decided they weren’t going to tell anybody but the teams … They changed the rule to say if you have control in the crease, you can score the goal, and that’s exactly what it was. But nobody knows that. You can tell people that a million times, and they just will not listen.”

The further we get from June 19th (and 20th) of 1999, the fewer memories of Brett Hull will make it to future generations aside from his stint as a member of a bankrupt Dallas Stars front office and him singing at the 2019 St Louis Blues parade and rally, which certainly show off his pipes and his love of life but perhaps don’t do his amazing career justice. In fact, both of those post-career memories reduce him to a whole new crowd. It would be a real shame if all he is known for is his time as co- GM, singing “Gloria” and his ugly goal in Buffalo.

Please don’t fall for that.

Brett Hull was an amazing player with a body of work that spoke for itself. He was also a refreshing change from the cookie-cutter hockey culture where personality is quickly shunned and stomped out lest anyone think that players have individual thoughts. He played the game like it was a game and didn’t mind smiling to indicate how much he enjoyed life. He was competitive as could be and clutch as you can get. The Stars won an unbelievable eight playoff series during his three seasons with the team and celebrated a parade (before they inexplicably tired of him and off he went to Detroit to help them do the same thing).

One of my favorite memories was watching Hull score on the road in playoff games where the entire arena was terrified from their seats because they knew he was about to shoot and then a collective gasp turned to a sad silence. I saw him do it over and over again. It happened in Buffalo, but my favorite was actually in Colorado at the new Pepsi Center in 2000, when he did what Hull would frequently do. In a Game 4 against the Avalanche where the Stars were outshot 39-15 and outplayed all night, Hull did what he did, sniping a pair past Patrick Roy. Suddenly, all of the advantages of the 60 minutes simply didn’t matter. He was the great equalizer. It didn’t matter how much possession you had. If he got one chance, you’d better hold your breath. He might go steal a game or a series with his amazing trick of scoring goals.

I think what made him “Hullie,” though, was that the machine wasn’t going to change him. His personality and his goal-scoring were a package deal. You want one, then you get both. They wanted to change him. They wanted him to conform like the other Canadian farm boys. They wanted him to act like back-checking was his passion. The NHL is all about conforming to the norm. Hullie wasn’t about that at all. And that caused him issues with the machine. Maybe it was because he ignored playing for Canada, which everyone else says they dreamed about as a lad. Maybe it was because he didn’t mind letting you know that was a bad question when everyone else just answers it nicely. Heck, maybe it was because he was going to do everything in his life his way. Either he would win while playing the game like he instinctively thought it should be played, or he wouldn’t. He wasn’t just going to take instructions from another guy with a clipboard who never played. You had to convince him you knew your stuff, coach. This was well before coaches felt compelled to explain “why” to players like many say they do today.

There is a blurry line for many of us in the sports media. We are only in the sports media because we first fell in love with sports. When we fell in love with sports, it is generally because some team or player captured our imagination and made us fans for life. The line really gets blurry when you are then able to work your way into a career where you are actually tasked with covering that guy. Little did I know at age 12 that I would be there on his day when he was able to finally drink from the Cup. You could tell what it meant to him to finally get over the top. He sure didn’t sing Gloria that night in Buffalo, but it wasn’t difficult to see how that would be possible 20 years later under the right circumstances.

He is and was one of a kind.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173432 Tampa Bay Lightning They had waited a full year hoping to get redemption after last year’s stunning first-round sweep. And after putting themselves near the top of the NHL standings, they’re beginning to face the possibility that the rest of the season could be wiped out by the pandemic. How Lightning players are adjusting to full-time dad role during NHL shutdown “If it were to be canceled, it would be a huge disappointment,” McDonagh said. “For what our team has done this year and how we set ourselves up and the additions we’ve made, we’re at a point in the season where there was only a handful of games left and we were trying to gear up for a By Joe Smith successful playoff run. You just hope and pray there’s some scenario Apr 7, 2020 where we can finish the season and get a chance to go out as a group and a team and see what we can accomplish (in the playoffs). We wanted to see how far this team can go.”

TAMPA, Fla. — Luke Schenn isn’t the only one in his home itching to get But McDonagh and company are also keeping things in perspective and back to Amalie Arena. understand that the safety and health of everyone come first. “Hockey is secondary,” Victor Hedman said. And the silver lining is that these The veteran Lightning defenseman was taking his 3-year-old son, players have gotten much more quality time than usual with their families. Kingston, to the arena once a week for skates after practice. It’s been McDonagh said his daily routine is breakfast and a walk with Falan, who about a month now, though. brings her scooter. They live in Davis Islands, three doors down from “When are we going to the Lightning rink?” Kingston asks. new Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady.

It’s hard to explain the coronavirus pandemic to a young child, so McDonagh said they work on puzzles and coloring books together, too, Schenn, 30, tells his son that there’s a “flu bug” out there, so they can’t with him and wife Kaylee enjoying all the “firsts” with soon-to-be-1-year- go. Instead, they go through heated mini-stick battles in the master old Murphy. bedroom, with Kingston in a No. 2 Lightning jersey (the name “Daddy” on “It’s kind of funny — you always say, ‘Kids say the darndest things,’ and the back) shooting a soft puck along the carpet. The 6-foot-2, 227-pound being able to be around them for this many days in a row, my oldest is at defenseman is on his knees with a mini-stick and mask, protecting the the point where you can have a full conversation with her,” McDonagh two-foot-by-three-foot net like Vezina Trophy winner Andrei Vasilevskiy. said. “(The kids) say the funniest things and make you laugh. This is a “He thinks I’m Vasy,” Schenn says, laughing. “This is our version of NHL time to have some laughter and make some memories. It could be right now.” something as simple as going on a scooter ride or walking around the block, she gets so excited. It’s fun to see her face light up. The Lightning players are wearing many different hats during this league- wide shutdown, where they’re expected to be in self-isolation and social “It makes you love them even more than you did before. It’s been tough distancing through at least the middle of the month. at times, no doubt. They have temper tantrums like all kids do. You definitely appreciate what your wife does while we’re on the road.” But the main gig for many is being a full-time dad, something they’ve missed out on at times due to the rigors of the NHL schedule. They’re For Coleman, this shutdown has allowed him to enjoy the first few helping out with virtual homeschooling: Retired wing Ryan Callahan months of his daughter’s life. It was a whirlwind couple of weeks for joked that he’s struggled with his kids’ math classes. They’re making runs Coleman and his wife, Jordan, who gave birth to Charlie in late February, to the grocery store, many hoping to find the elusive package of paper shortly after the winger was acquired in the deadline trade from the towels or toilet paper. Ryan McDonagh is taking 3-year-old Falan for Devils. daily walks around Davis Island with her scooter and is planning his son Jordan was eight months pregnant at the time of the trade, so she and Murphy’s first birthday in a few weeks. Fellow defenseman Kevin Blake had to travel in a private plane to Tampa, where Stamkos’ wife, Shattenkirk is enjoying his turns at bed/bath/book duty at night. Sandra, helped set her up with local doctors. Charlie’s first night at “He’s usually gone, so he misses this stuff,” said Shattenkirk’s wife, “home” was at a downtown hotel where the family stayed until they found Deanna. “He got to see (their son) Connor crawl. It’s been very, very nice a more permanent place. to have him around.” But now Coleman has the opportunity to experience every moment with The Lightning wives are trying to help out, too, collaborating to donate Charlie. He joked about the difference between when he picks out her 100 meals and 75 wellness shots to nurses and doctors at Tampa outfits vs. his wife. “The world is a crazy place right now,” Coleman wrote General Hospital last week and creating awareness of the nationwide on Instagram. “But there’s always a silver lining in every situation. For diaper shortage. There are more than a handful of Tampa Bay players me, it’s watching my baby girl grow every day and spend precious time with young children, with the wives of Shattenkirk, McDonagh, Steven with her that I otherwise might not have had.” Stamkos and Blake Coleman all giving birth in the last year. It was a few weeks ago when Stamkos started a conversation on the But the Schenns are in the unenviable position many other families team’s group chat. The premise was a question: around the world are in — expecting a child during the pandemic. How can we help people during the coronavirus pandemic? Schenn’s wife, Jessica, 31, is due to deliver their second child in three weeks. They had planned on having Schenn’s parents fly in from Lightning players ended up donating 500,000 meals to Feeding Tampa Kelowna, British Columbia, in mid-March to help with the transition. Bay and starting a fund to help the team and arena’s part-time Jessica’s mother was going to fly in, too, to help watch Kingston while employees during the shutdown. they were in the hospital. It didn’t take long for their significant others to follow suit. But with all the travel restrictions, there is no help on the way. Schenn doesn’t even know if he’ll be allowed in the room for the delivery. Doctors Deanna Shattenkirk said it started when they decided to send lunch over advised Jessica not to leave the house other than for a daily family walk to the staff at the New York hospital where their son, Connor, was born in their South Tampa neighborhood. So Schenn has been picking up the nine months ago. She suggested in the Lightning wives’ group chat that slack, including grocery runs and satisfying Kingston’s hockey fix. they might be able to chip in and do the same for a Tampa hospital.

“It’s been some stressful times,” Schenn said. “But we’ll get through it. “Everyone was more than happy to do it,” she said. We’re grateful for the situation we’re in compared to a lot of people as far Deanna got connected with the owner of LS Organics, a small Tampa as people stressed with work or jobs or having trouble feeding their kids. business that provides organic meal services. They ordered 100 meals There are people on the front lines, nurses. As strange as our situation and 75 wellness shots that LS Organics provided to Tampa General is, and it’s not the way we planned it a few months ago, it could still be a Hospital last week. The meals, typically around $10 apiece, are a lot worse.” combination of salads, vegan meals, organic chicken and turkey, and the There has been a natural disappointment among Lightning players that shots are small drinks containing extracts known for their immunity- they’re not starting the playoffs this week. boosting and anti-bacterial properties. Most of the resources went to the ICU unit, which has primarily been treating coronavirus patients. Deanna also noticed on a recent Target run that there were a bunch of empty shelves. No wipes. Diapers were sparse but expensive, in the $40-50 range. The Shattenkirks have the money to afford what they need, but not everyone else does.

“It made me tear up,” Deanna said of the diaper situation. “How can anyone afford to buy them in bulk? I just thought I needed to bring awareness to the issue.”

Deanna found out that there is a national shortage of diapers and got connected with the National Diaper Bank Network. She said the awareness the Lightning wives created helped raised $4,000 in donations through a GoFundMe page. They also donated to a local diaper bank in St. Petersburg.

“Some girls (from other teams) donated that I didn’t even know,” Deanna said. “Then Huggies stepped in and donated $5 million. A little action can make a big difference.”

Schenn said it has been a challenge trying to keep in hockey shape while he’s off.

Considering Schenn and fellow defensemen Braydon Coburn were voted the most likely to be in the gym in The Athletic’s player poll, this has been a huge adjustment. Schenn ordered some resistance bands off Amazon, finding some spots in the back alley of his three-bedroom townhome to work out.

Schenn said a lot of Lightning players have Peloton exercise bikes, but his is in Kelowna, which doesn’t help. Strength and conditioning coach Mark Lambert sent the team some suggested exercises, too.

“The biggest thing is that you can work out as much as you want, but if you’re a basketball player, you can put a hoop in the driveway,” Schenn said. “It’s tougher to do in hockey as there’s nothing resembling the on- ice shooting, stickhandling and skating.

“These are more executive-style workouts.”

Sportswriter workouts?

“Yeah,” Schenn said, laughing.

Schenn is amused that Kingston does what he and brother (Blues forward Brayden) did as kids, skating on the carpet inside the house. He’s trying to keep his son as busy as he can to give Jessica a breather. The family goes on a walk a day to get her outside the house, but Schenn isn’t even allowed to go to her checkups.

“They’re taking her temperature outside before they let her in,” Schenn said. “She gets in there and all the doctors and nurses are fully gowned and masked up. They try to get you in and out in a real hurry. So it’s been a different feeling.”

“I can never imagine,” Deanna Shattenkirk said.”You’re hearing that your spouse isn’t allowed to be in the room, no one else can be there for you. It’s really scary. You don’t know if (the virus) is passed on, if it can be passed to the baby if you become infected. I can definitely feel for Jess. And it’s sad because who knows when this (pandemic) will end? Their in- laws could miss the whole newborn stage.”

The Schenns are just taking it one day at a time. They’ll watch some of Kingston’s TV shows or check out “Tiger King” on Netflix. They’re still trying to figure out what to name their unborn child. Jessica had the name Kingston picked out for months before he was born. But Jessica, who met Luke a dozen years ago in British Columbia when he was in junior, is still stumped on baby No. 2.

Schenn said he and Jessica asked Kingston the other day what his brother should be named.

“Steven Stamkos.”

They laughed.

Steven Stamkos Schenn. It’s got a nice ring to it.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173433 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs sign Russian forward Alexander Barabanov to entry-level contract

Staff Report

The Canadian Press

Published April 7, 2020 Updated April 7, 2020

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Russia's Alexander Barabanov skates during a game against Finland in St. Petersburg on Dec. 16, 2018.

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed forward Alexander Barabanov to a one- year, entry-level contract for the 2020-21 campaign Tuesday.

The 25-year-old had 11 goals and 20 points in 43 games with SKA St. Petersburg of Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League this season. He added three points (one goal, two assists) in four playoff games for his hometown club.

“We’re really excited that another player to the fold here that we think has got great experience and a great skill set, very high character,” Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said on a conference call Tuesday. “Just checks a lot of the boxes that you’re always looking for when you’re adding a player that you fully expected to step in and be an important part of your team.”

Barabanov has appeared in 262 career KHL games, all with SKA, registering 137 points (62 goals, 75 assists). In 68 career playoff games, Barabanov recorded 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) while helping SKA win the KHL’s in both 2015 and 2017.

Internationally, Barabanov was a member of a team of Russian athletes – the country was banned from playing under its flag because of doping violations – that won gold at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. He has also represented Russia three times at the world championships, recording 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 28 contests.

“He’s very strong winger, tremendous playmaking ability, great skill level in tight,” Leafs general manager said of Barabanov on a separate conference call with reporters last week. “One of the other things that we like most about him is his ability to make plays under pressure, and his ability to win pucks (and) protect pucks when people come after him.

“He’s a playmaking winger that also has the ability to finish at the net.”

The move for Barbanov comes 11 months after the Leafs rolled the dice on another Russian forward, signing Ilya Mikheyev to a one-year, entry- level contract on May 6, 2019.

The 25-year-old registered eight goals and 23 points in 39 games with Toronto this season – which has been put on indefinite hold by the COVID-19 pandemic – before suffering a scary wrist laceration from an opponent’s skate on Dec. 27 that was expected to keep him out of the lineup until at least late March.

Globe And Mail LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173434 Toronto Maple Leafs But therein lies the rub. New tactics were unfurled under Keefe, but old habits eventually re-emerged. Just like Babcock used to repeat ad nauseam about the necessity to “dig in” and “work harder,” Keefe began rolling down an oddly similar road. Coach Keefe binges on the Maple Leafs — and tunes out ‘Tiger King’ “The biggest area for us to get better at is to be more consistent in both our preparation and effort, and then ultimately in our performance,” he said. “While all those other things are important — the structure, and how By Dave Feschuk Sports Columnist we play — if we can’t play at a high level every single day it doesn’t really Tues., April 7, 2020 matter what we’re talking about and what we’re trying to accomplish. We need to give ourselves an opportunity through a foundation of work ethic, competitiveness and discipline and structure.”

In a lot of ways, the Maple Leafs have built a reputation as a cutting-edge Two coaches coming to the same conclusion in such short order might franchise in the era of the Shana-plan. They’ve invested in analytics. lead you to believe that the team’s problems lie beyond the guy standing They’ve hired women in a league that’s still largely a boys club. They’ve on the bench in the suit; that it’s more about the personnel mix than the staffed their sports science and scouting departments more extensively message. And Tuesday brought news on that front, specifically word of (and more expensively) than any NHL franchise. the signing of Alexander Barabanov, the KHL forward who inked a one- year deal worth $925,000 (U.S.). Keefe called Barabanov “an important But they’ve also maintained an air of old-era eccentricity. General piece of the puzzle for us” in the 2020-21 season, when the post- manager Kyle Dubas wears professorial grey cardigans to press coronavirus salary cap situation is expected to be grim and the capped- conferences when he isn’t tweeting out the link to a dead writer reciting out Leafs will be in need of cheap help. At five-foot-10 and highly skilled, ancient wisdom. Team president Brendan Shanahan prefers pen and certainly the Russian fits Dubas’s preferred type. paper over typing with his thumbs. And head coach Sheldon Keefe created social media buzz on Tuesday when he fessed up to a Luddite As for the existing players, Keefe said the club’s been clear in its tendency of his own: Even in self-isolation amid the coronavirus-induced message to the group. The pandemic-related shutdown is a global halt to the sporting norm, Keefe does not have a Netflix account. calamity. But it can also be an opportunity.

Keefe prefers old-fashioned Hollywood movies to the latest buzz-worthy “The message that’s been given to our players and to our staff is that TV shows, he told a conference call of media types. So yes, he has there’s no excuse here,” Keefe said. “We should come back as better caught “Ford v Ferrari,” the Matt Damon auto racing epic nominated for versions of ourselves.” Best Picture at the most recent Oscars, and “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” the feel-good Tom Hanks flick. But no, he has not seen Better versions, and possibly fatter versions, considering the ongoing “Tiger King,” the streaming giant’s hit show of the moment. moratorium on skating.

“When I first heard about it, I thought it was going to be a documentary “Maybe in a lot of cases (coming back better) is going to be difficult to do on Tiger Woods, which I thought would have been terrific,” Keefe said. from a physical standpoint,” Keefe said.

That makes two of us, coach. Which is not to say Keefe is cueing up his As for the coach, he said he’s spending more time with his wife and two vintage reel-to-reel projector for nightly screenings in his home cinema. sons than he ever has. They’ve been playing board games, going for As he told TSN 1050 on Tuesday, he’s an iTunes guy. Which is not to walks, trying out home-schooling. (“My Grade 4 math skills are improving say he’s been spending the four weeks since the Leafs last played a daily,” Keefe said with a laugh.) Oh, and someone in the family has been game catching up on the years’ worth of popular culture in the Apple watching copious Leafs games, no matter if he knows how they end. catalogue. “I don’t know if I’m proud or embarrassed that I don’t have a Netflix Even if the games and practices have been put on hold, Keefe’s work account,” Keefe said. “But it seems like a rabbit hole of entertainment I continues. The only binge-worthy season on television, to his eye, was don’t necessarily need to get down.” interrupted after Game 70 of 82.

“I’m doing a lot of binging on the Toronto Maple Leafs currently. It’s Toronto Star LOADED: 04.08.2020 taking up a lot of my time,” he said. “In many senses it’s been sort of business as usual. We have projects and things we’re working on every day … Our season is not complete, and we have to take advantage of every day that we have.”

Whether or not the season is complete is, of course, yet to be determined. On Tuesday, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman kept alive the idea that summertime hockey — games as late as August — remains one of umpteen possibilities.

But while Keefe coached the Leafs for 47 of their 70 games after replacing Mike Babcock during a late-November road trip through the American West, it’s safe to say he eventually found himself as visibly frustrated by this team’s inconsistencies as his predecessor ever was. It only took a couple of months on the job for him to call the Leafs “immature,” this in the midst of a stretch that saw them lose five of six in the lead-up to the bye week and all-star break.

On that point, mind you, Keefe said he wanted to set the record straight.

“I think an important distinction that should be made: We didn’t necessarily say our team was immature, it’s that we played immature. I think they’re two different things,” Keefe said. “We’ve shown at times that we can play very well against the best teams in the league and get great results from that. So it’s a matter of us bringing that more consistently.”

As much as Keefe is a first-year coach, it’s a years-old refrain. The Leafs played at 102-point pace under Keefe, which is essentially the same as the previous two combined full seasons under Babcock, when they put up 100 and 105 points. And just like the rest of us who’ve watched this team closely, Keefe said he’s of the belief the enormity of the assembled talent ought to be producing better numbers. 1173435 Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Star LOADED: 04.08.2020

Why the Leafs were so hot on signing Russian forward Alexander Barabanov

By Mark Zwolinski Sports Reporter

Tues., April 7, 2020

Russian free-agent Alexander Barabanov, pursued by more than 20 NHL teams, signed with the Maple Leafs on Tuesday for one year at $925,000 (U.S.).

It’s a low-risk deal, and there’s hope that the 25-year-old forward will deliver the same impact as Ilya Mikheyev, another KHL product who signed a one-year contract last May.

Here’s a closer look at Barabanov and why he fits with the Leafs:

The skills

Barabanov is a fast, strong skater — made for the Leafs’ current blueprint under general manager Kyle Dubas. The Russian has played in the Kontinental Hockey League since he was 18, and has skated on a line with Alex Ovechkin and Ilya Kovalchuk at the world championship. Barabanov is also hailed as a tenacious worker, strong at retrieving the puck and protecting it in the corners — two of the most important areas of the game in modern advanced metrics, where Leafs Auston Matthews and Alex Kerfoot also excel. He is also an elite passer, according to his agent Dan Milstein and several scouts who have seen him live.

The comparison

One scout suggested the Leafs may be getting another Mikheyev, the third-line winger who exceeded expectations in 39 games with his size (six-foot-three), speed, reach and stick skills before season-ending surgery to repair a slashed wrist in late December. Mikheyev is also 25.

The resumé

Barabanov has spent parts of seven seasons with SKA St. Petersburg and won two Gagarin Cup championships, plus an Olympic gold medal in 2018. “He’s an important piece of the puzzle for us,” Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said Tuesday on a conference call. “We’re really excited to add another player to the fold here that we think’s got great experience and a great skill set … he has a very high character as well. He just checks a lot of the boxes that you’re always looking for when you’re adding a player that you fully expect to step in and be an important part of your team.”

The pricetag

At $925,000, Barabanov’s entry-level deal for next season helps a Leafs team with over $40 million a year committed to its top four players. At the very worst, he winds up in the AHL as low-cost insurance. The Leafs invested a lot of time and effort in pursuit of the winger. Dubas visited Russia twice to see him play. Former coach Mike Babcock went once, while Keefe has had video chats with him. They relied the most, however, on the advance work of Jim Paliafito, senior director of player evaluation. “Jim was over there (Russia) 15 or 20 times, and he built a great relationship with Alex,” Milstein said.

The race

After interest from about 20 teams, Milstein said the Leafs and Arizona Coyotes were dead even in terms of recruitment. Despite the prolonged courtship, the agent said Barabanov chose Toronto because “it was love at first sight.”

Most teams will take a shot at a seasoned, skilful free agent at less than a million dollars. The Russian lottery ticket doesn’t always pay off — defenceman Igor Ozhiganov didn’t pan out for the Leafs — but at that price and with the cost of development already paid off, it’s a no-brainer. Sometimes you hit the jackpot, like the Chicago Blackhawks did with forward Artemi Panarin, who signed a bonus-laden two-year deal worth $7 million in 2015 at age 23. Panarin became an NHL all-star and one of the game’s most dangerous players.

1173436 Toronto Maple Leafs

The NHL is cool with games in the summer — if it’s safe to play by then

By Kevin McGran Staff Reporter

Tues., April 7, 2020

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman doesn’t think playing hockey in the summer would be a problem, but he wants to make sure everyone is safe and healthy before unpausing the regular season.

“All of us running sports are basically focused on the same things,” Bettman said Tuesday on NBCSN’s “Lunch Talk Live.” “First and foremost, people’s health and well-being and safety is the most important. And while we all miss sports — either putting it on or watching it — and we all want to come back as quickly as possible, we understand what the number one priority is.”

The NHL paused its season on March 12 — following the lead of the NBA, which shut down after Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz tested positive for COVID-19 on March 11.

“Hopefully we’ll all know more by the end of April,” Bettman said. “From an NHL standpoint, we’re viewing all of our options. We want to be ready to go as soon as we get a green light … Nothing’s been ruled in, nothing’s been ruled out.”

Among the possibilities: expanded playoffs, games without fans and, of course, games in the summer.

“I do believe we can play well into the summer,” said Bettman. “The days of when games had to be postponed because there was no air conditioning in a building are long behind us. We can handle making ice now in any condition. Ice won’t be a factor.”

Last week, Bettman was among the sports commissioners and presidents on a conference call with U.S. President Donald Trump, who was eager for leagues to get going again.

“President Trump gave us a briefing and brought us up to date,” said Bettman. “Each of us had an opportunity to make a comment, ask a question, and I think it was a very cordial, constructive conversation. Although the uncertainty of the times weren’t clarified in that call, we’re all going to have to wait until we have a lot more information, maybe in the next few weeks, before we can make any decisions.”

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Bettman was not asked how the NHL would handle issues such as the salary cap if the pandemic craters hockey-related revenue. Players are entitled to 50 per cent of that revenue, regardless of whether the league hits its financial targets.

Toronto Star LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173437 Toronto Maple Leafs ‘19-20 season. Some coaches have guessed a few days, others insisted up to two weeks is a must.

Through the NHL Coaches Association grapevine, Keefe has been able Maple Leafs coach Keefe keeps busy with Leafs during COVID-19 to get some ideas what colleagues have been working on and how they’ll tackle what could be a mad summer dash, with the end of one season quite possibly rolling into the other.

Lance Hornby “The NHL and the NHLPA will decide that and whatever they give us (for prep time), we’ll use it to the best of our ability.” April 7, 2020 6:23 PM EDT When the coach goes to the couch, he’s a little out of touch with the

entertainment world. When Sheldon Keefe writes a book about his coaching experiences, the Family duties and Maple Leafs business leave Sheldon Keefe little time 2019-20 season could be the most bizarre chapter. for TV shows, the favourite pursuit of so many others in these stay-at- A year that started behind the bench segued into home times. promotion to the Maple Leafs, with a honeymoon win streak, wild swings “I’m binging a lot on the Leafs,” laughed Keefe when asked what shows in team fortunes, significant injuries, losing to a goalie who was called out he’s watching. “I don’t even have a Netflix account. I don’t know if I’m of the crowd and a tense playoff race that was halted along with proud or embarrassed about that fact. It seems like a rabbit hole I don’t everything else by COVID-19. necessarily need to get down. When I first heard about Tiger King, I “It certainly has been eventful,” Keefe agreed Tuesday afternoon on a thought it was going to be a documentary of Tiger Woods, which I conference call with Toronto media, three weeks after the NHL shuttered. thought would be terrific to catch.” “My own journey has been so unique and so exciting on so many levels, He has watched movies such as Ford Vs. Ferrari and A Beautiful Day In but going through what we are now isn’t exciting for anybody. As we look The Neighborhood, but prefers to maximize family time with board games back on it, we’ll remember (the pandemic) more than anything. That’s and walks. where the perspective should be. “It’s such a great time time and opportunity for people to work together by “When it comes down to it, sports is pretty low on the priority list. So spending time with those most important to them. I working on my home many things are more important, family and health are the most essential schooling. My Grade 4 math skills are improving greatly. thing.” “But you do recognize a lot of messages and calls from friends and Keefe, his wife and two young sons have stayed in Toronto, as he people around who enjoy sports and the role sports play in their lives. It monitors on-line learning and homework during the day and reviews the makes you realize people miss it.” Leafs’ season at night.

“Our family, we’ve gone through the same emotions and similar experiences as everyone else. I’ve tried to take advantage. I’ve really Toronto Sun LOADED: 04.08.2020 enjoyed that. Even in the off-season, you’re still busy, you always seem to be on the run. Conditions being what they are now, I’ve learned a lot. We’re going through everything together.

“As a coach, you want to continue to work and be prepared as possible for what might be coming.”

That has included a lot of video review of the 70 games to date, keeping tabs on some players via text and going through possible schedule scenarios with general manager Kyle Dubas and his assistant coaches for whenever play resumes.

“The obvious challenge is the distance, you don’t have the face-to-face contact, to talk to players, to show them something. But we’re like everybody, we’re adapting.

“It’s business as usual in the sense we have projects we’re working on every day. We have a responsibility. Our season is not complete and we have to take advantage to be better versions of ourselves.”

A March 10 win over Tampa Bay in their last game to date salvaged playoff positioning after a three-game California calamity brought some harsh words from Keefe. But he didn’t like leaving the wrong impression after using the term “immature”.

“A distinction should be made, we didn’t necessarily say our team was immature: We played immature. Two different things. We’ve shown at times we can play very well against the best teams in the league and get great results. (Now) we really want to identify how we want to grow, how we want to get there.”

Keefe had just got defenceman and alternate captain Morgan Rielly back in the lineup from a broken foot when play stopped and winger Ilya Mikheyev was due to be activated March 19 from wrist surgery.

Keefe also had a role in convincing new Russian winger Alex Barabanov to sign a one-year deal with the Leafs this week. A career KHLer, the 25- year-old will need lots of help acclimatizing to North America, albeit in the 2020-21 season.

“We think he’s has great experience and skill set, he ticks a lot of the boxes,” Keefe said. “He’s a player you fully expect to step in and be a big part of your team.”

Keefe would not get into the hypotheticals on how long a training camp NHLers would need to be ready for a spring/summer conclusion to the 1173438 Toronto Maple Leafs front of the cameras and the microphone, standing tall, standing smart. She was confident, sharp. But more than anything else, she was involved when involvement of some kind matters most.

Hayley Wickenheiser, Canadian treasure, is a hero when we need one She probably deserves an Order of Canada for everything she’s done on most so many levels, but she already has one. She probably deserves a place in the Hall of Fame, but she’s already been a first-ballot entry into that house. There’s nothing left to give her except maybe more of our admiration. Steve Simmons The worst of times can bring out the best in people in this country. We’ve April 7, 2020 5:12 PM EDT seen that before. We’re seeing that again on a variety of levels.

Her world started in sports, that little girl who dressed by herself in the She was 18 years old the first time I saw her wearing Canadian Red and arena for games played mostly by boys. The little girl who never felt like playing at the women’s world hockey championships in Kitchener. part of a team until she got on the ice. Then she kept her hair just short enough so that not everybody would notice who she was. She was the player you couldn’t stop watching. All these years and all these accomplishments later, everybody notices She was The One. who she is and what she’s become — and how much of a Canadian treasure she’s grown into. Hayley Wickenheiser was so quiet back then — shy, uncomfortable around a camera or a notebook, speaking in as few words and as many clichés as possible, sounding like just about every other teenage hockey player we hear who hopes the inquisitors will go away. Toronto Sun LOADED: 04.08.2020

That really was the beginning of her public life. In many ways, we’ve been along for the ride with Wickenheiser ever since. We watched her play hockey in five Winter Olympics, winning four gold medals for Canada. We’ve watched her grow up, almost before our very eyes.

You might remember, if you remember things like this, she was a backup infielder on the Canadian softball team at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney and, four years later, the quiet girl who didn’t care for microphones was doing television coverage on the largest sporting event in the world. I remember joking to her about doing television on a national network.

You might remember she was the woman — the one non-goal-playing woman — working in men’s professional hockey in Finland and, in between that, winning more medals at Olympics and world championships. She was breaking down barriers with every stride she took.

That was before the Hockey Hall of Fame called. That was before she played her final Olympic Games in Sochi on a Bobby Baun broken foot. That was before she got to parade her son, Noah, around the ice of Salt Lake City in 2002, flashing her gold medal and proudly carrying her pride and joy. That was before she announced her retirement. And that was before she decided to go to medical school — to become Dr. Wickenheiser, I presume — and to do all this while being a mom and growing into her 40s.

Who does that?

Who can do that?

Really, Wickenheiser has grown into our own version of Oprah, in a very different kind of way in a different kind of country, a woman who can do just about anything and everything and, probably when necessary, slip on the cape and become Canada’s Superwoman. She’s Captain Canada, the female version.

We all need heroes of some kind. Right now more than ever. We need people to look up to, people to admire, people to believe in. Hayley Wickenheiser isn’t a figure. She’s flesh and blood and heart and oh-so- Canadian.

There was Wickenheiser on social media on Twitter on Sunday night, with the country on hold, a lot of us alone or afraid or both, reaching out and asking for surgical masks and gloves and necessary equipment for medical workers in front-line peril because of COVID-19. She was asking others to be as involved as she was.

Before you knew it, the famous Canadian actor, Ryan Reynolds, was right alongside her, working to support Wickenheiser, helping in any way he can. And that’s Reynolds, who has 15.7 million followers on Twitter. It may not be the 111 million that Justin Bieber has, but it’s a lot. A whole lot.

Reynolds did his interview for the news over his cellphone and Wickenheiser was in Burlington, Ont., on Monday night, wearing Canada’s red on the national news shots, helping to unload boxes from trucks, rolling up her sleeves, giving back, being prominent, standing in 1173439 Toronto Maple Leafs Playing postponed regular season matches with empty buildings or low crowds for COVID-19 precautions, with the chance of staging several on the same day, was reported as an option for the league by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman this week. Manchester, N.H., is another mentioned by Maple Leafs sign Alexander Barabanov to one-year deal other sources, though local officials at SNHU Arena are saying they have heard nothing from the NHL.

Ralph Engelstad Arena, home of the UND Fighting Hawks, holds more Lance Hornby than 11,000 if crowds are allowed, has a big-league video clock, multiple April 7, 2020 6:44 PM EDT dressing rooms and two ice sheets to accommodate game day skates. It played host to the 2005 world junior hockey championship.

UND grad and Minnesota Wild forward Zach Parise said the main Alexander Barabanov is a Maple Leaf. But where does he fit in Toronto’s dressing room is better than many in the NHL. lineup? LOOSE LEAFS That’s a difficult question now, with no one sure when 2019-20 ends and 2020-21 begins, the latter with Barabanov’s one-year $925,000 US entry Colorado winger Gabriel Landeskog is self-quarantining in Toronto with level contract on the books. wife Melissa and five-month-old daughter Linnea. Two Avalanche players are among the four NHLers who tested positive for COVID-19, but “None of us know when the new season is starting so I don’t even know Landeskog is not one of them … It was 45 years ago Wednesday that about him coming to Toronto for a visit,” said Barabanov’s agent, Daniel Mike Murphy of the Los Angeles Kings scored in overtime against the Milstein, after the signing became official on Tuesday. Leafs, the only extra-time goal versus Toronto in the league’s short window of best-of-three opening round series. Murphy would later coach It could be interesting next season if the cap-challenged Leafs have to let the Leafs and was on their bench in the same L.A. Forum with a big salary go to stay under the limit. That’s where budget players such when Wayne Gretzky had the only other Kings’ OT goal against Toronto as Barabanov and (if he signs), Ilya Mikheyev, come in. in Game 6 of the 1993 conference final … The Marlies’ AHL man of the With COVID-19 closing borders, Barabanov had done the final interviews year nominee for off-ice charity work is forward Kenny Agostino. with Toronto and the Arizona Coyotes via video from ,

Russia. Milstein said about 20 NHL teams made enquiries once it became known Barabanov was interested in leaving the KHL after this Toronto Sun LOADED: 04.08.2020 season. But it came down to Toronto and Arizona, who had been the two front-runners a long time. Milstein called the final decision “a very difficult one” for Barabanov and wife, Val.

“Both teams did everything they could, the ownership in Arizona offered the same world-class facilities as Toronto. Both opportunities (to give Barabanov a fair opportunity to play) were the same. But I think he went with his first instincts, from the moment he met Jim Paliafito (Leafs’ senior director of player evaluation, who saw him play a few times) and then spoke to (GM) Kyle Dubas.”

DA DA, CANADA

There’s one vital aspect of being a Leaf that Barabanov can work on right away — his English.

“He has a long way to go with the language,” admitted Milstein. “But we’ll be doing the same things we did with Mikheyev.”

Aggressive tutoring was helped by Mikheyev’s girlfriend, Kristina, who had attended Boston College. Milstein indicated the issue might be harder with Barabanov, and though Mikheyev can interpret (provided he re-signs in Toronto next season), the agent was wary of letting those lessons to slide if he hangs around too long around his countryman.

“I think I’ll keep him away from Alex,” laughed Milstein.

ANTROPOV DROPS IN

A big help to both Mikheyev, Barabanov and even Egor Korshkov, who saw a little time with the Leafs this year, will be former Leaf Nik Antropov.

A Leafs skills development consultant, Antropov was seen frequently last season at the end of practice doing 1-on-1 sessions, but his abilities to help the overall transition with the young Eastern Bloc players is valuable.

“It’s on our organization to make it easy,” Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. “Nik was very important, particularly when I was with the Marlies with Korshkov. The language and all those things came up.

“Nik has the experience of playing in the NHL (more than 800 games with Toronto and two other teams for the Kazakh) and when I was with the Leafs, we started to have Nik around more.

“A big part of that (acclimatizing) goes first to the players, the exposure that they get (in Russia). The KHL is playing a lot more hockey on NHL- size ice. Barabanov has played with and against NHL players, like at the world championships.”

DAKOTA IN DEMAND?

Naturally, the folks in Grand Forks, N.D., are excited about the chance the NHL uses their city and rink for neutral site make-up games. 1173440 Toronto Maple Leafs around the net. He was also proving to be a rangy force on the penalty kill.

He was value personified for the Leafs, a best-case scenario of what Can Alexander Barabanov be the next Ilya Mikheyev-like value buy for they, or any team, could hope for in plucking an undrafted free agent the Leafs? from overseas.

A pending restricted free agent, Mikheyev won’t come cheap moving forward. Milstein, who represents Mikheyev, says the Leafs have had a By Jonas Siegel “few cordial conversations” but have yet to really drill down on anything concrete. (More on that in a second.) Apr 7, 2020 “At this point in time, hopefully he’ll come back and finish out the season

and have a good playoff performance and then we can talk about a The process that netted the Leafs 25-year-old Russian winger Alexander contract,” Milstein said of Mikheyev, who, he says, would have returned Barabanov goes back awhile. on March 19 against the Islanders. “But right now, this isn’t the time for either one of the sides.” Dan Milstein, the agent for Barabanov, estimates that Leafs senior director of player evaluation, Jim Paliafito, was there to watch Barabanov Milstein said he couldn’t say whether Mikheyev would seek a short-term in person in Russia at least 16 times, dating back as long as three years deal, a bridge that could help him further build his value, or a longer-term ago. pact. (Though it’s hard to see the Leafs finding the cap dollars to procure the 25-year-old for the long haul at this point.) “Mike Babcock went to see (Barabanov) in Russia,” Milstein recalled of the former Leafs coach on Tuesday morning. “Kyle Dubas has been to “Look at this way: He was on pace for 50 points, or maybe more,” Russia a few times. So, it’s been a long process.” Milstein said of Mikheyev, before adding more curiously, “we have two years until the (unrestricted) free agency, so we’ll see.” One that starts, as Dubas explained it, not long after Barabanov officially joined the Leafs on a one-year, entry-level contract for $925,000, with How they manage to squeeze the Mikheyev contract under a cap that Paliafito and the player personnel department eyeing prospective talents might rise minimally, if at all, next season will be fascinating, though it just like Barabanov — and Ilya Mikheyev, Nikita Zaitsev and Igor seems that whole process, along with bringing back Travis Dermott, Ozhiganov — well in advance. The Leafs are constantly on the hunt for another pending RFA, and any other free agents on the roster (Jason players overseas who might be able (and eventually willing) to jump to Spezza, Frederik Gauthier, Kyle Clifford among them) is probably on hold the NHL in their early-to-mid- (and sometimes late) 20s and — here’s the for now. key part — contribute right away. “You sort of put a bit of a pause on the other contract situations that you Then it’s waiting, watching, researching and maybe most important of all, have because you need to see what sort of dollars you’re going to have,” forging relationships with those players over the years. And it’s all driven Dubas said when asked about the uncertain cap ceiling for next season by Paliafito, now in his fifth season with the Leafs. and beyond.

“He really does a great job of identifying these athletes when their It’s an especially difficult situation for the Leafs, who are under the gun contracts have plenty of time left on them rather than jumping in during with the cap. the final season,” Dubas said. “He gets after it quite far in advance of the Though he is still hoping the 2019-20 season will return in some form at actual decision day so I think you feel prepared and you feel like you’ve some point, and was “optimistic” about that prospect, Dubas said it was got a good relationship and trust with the player and the player’s family, if up to the Leafs, “to really focus in” on finding solutions to the roster they have one. puzzle moving forward. “All that said, you still are — I guess, nerve-wracking is the best way (to That could be “our own internal players or finding guys in other situations describe how you’re feeling), you’re anxious to find out whether you’re that are going to be looking for a place to come and play with really going to win out and have the player commit to your program.” talented players up front, or for opportunity on defence. Whatever that That’s fueled by how crucial potential value buys such as Barabanov are may be, I think we provide an intriguing situation for forwards and to what the Leafs are building. It’s one way they fill the cracks of a salary defence,” the Leafs GM said. “I think the only position where you’re cap structure that features four big pillars — Auston Matthews, John probably not all too interested in us is in goal now. And so, regardless of Tavares, Mitch Marner and William Nylander, who together eat up more what happens with cap, we’re kinda working through all various different than $40 million. scenarios and trying to be as absolutely prepared as we possibly can for whatever comes our way. Dubas said it was “vital” for the Leafs to nab the Barabanovs and Mikheyevs of the world, even more so today with the salary cap for the “I think the thing that we have now is we’ve got players on good contracts 2020-21 season up in the air due to the coronavirus. The Leafs GM that would be of interest to other teams if need be, but I think we also pointed out that the other element in making their unique roster would have a situation where others that are free agents — and maybe construction work under those constraints was a successful development the market isn’t what they envision it being — might look at our situation program, turning prospects into NHL-calibre players “as quickly as you in the short-term and think it can really boost them and help them can without forgoing the process.” forward.”

“And it’s going to be finding players around the edges of the entry-level That all suggests an organization primed to twist and turn as much as system and near the minimum that can come in and continue to move us required, which could mean a Leafs team that looks a lot different around along and help us to get to the next level of our development as a team,” the edges next fall. Dubas said. It very likely means shedding some salary, almost certainly from the pool Value buys, in other words. of talent up front — those “players on good contracts” such as Kasperi Kapanen, Andreas Johnsson or even Alex Kerfoot. There’s arguably no better example of that — a player who was ready to step in and play right away and help bridge the gap to the next waves of Though his price tag will rise next season, complicating matters, prospects — than Mikheyev. Mikheyev helps cushion much of that blow and so might Barabanov. Ideally for the Leafs, he can chew up some of the depth minutes that Even though his first season in the NHL lasted only 39 games (to this went to Johnsson or Kapanen or whoever doesn’t return next season. point anyway), he brought the Leafs a ready-made NHL winger for the low, low price of $925,000. Mikheyev was outplaying that contract by the Barabanov and Mikheyev played on the Russian national team together, time his wrist was slashed, his season coming to a halt, in late and as they were both born in 1994 (Barabanov in June, Mikheyev in December. He’d stacked up as many five-on-five points (21) by that time October), competed against and knew one another growing up. as Evgeni Malkin, Brayden Point, Kyle Connor, Elias Pettersson — even Milstein was reluctant to compare two of his clients but said Barabanov with Nylander second on the Leafs behind Matthews. He increasingly had the same work-first mentality as Mikheyev. He was “humble” and not looked like a perfect complementary piece to either Tavares or Matthews, thanks to his big, strong frame, puck-hounding skills and finishing ability at all “flashy.” He was the kind of player who would “make superstars Milstein said the Leafs nicely laid out for Barabanov their vision for the better” in how he worked to win puck battles and make plays. roster and where they saw the team going. One other team, Milstein added, made a serious push, a “very appealing, very interesting” He’ll turn 26 later this summer. opportunity.

Late last month, Dubas said what was most attractive to the Leafs was “But in the end, he went with his first instinct and that’s why he chose the how Barabanov could make things happen under pressure, and while he Maple Leafs.,” Milstein said of Barabanov. wasn’t tall, at 5-foot-10, he was strong and found ways to “win pucks, protect pucks when people come after him and use his strength to be “I don’t even know if it’s really a pitch per se,” Dubas added of the Leafs’ able to do that.” sell job. “What we do is we try to show the player that we know the player, why his particular skill set fits within the organization and how we That makes him sound like a useful winger to pair with, potentially, want to play, and then Jim will educate them on the city, and adapting to Tavares or more likely, a Kerfoot-centered third line. come over.”

Whether Barabanov can deliver the same instant offensive punch, or Then it was helping the player — Barabanov in this case, Mikheyev, NHL readiness, as Mikheyev is uncertain. Zaitsev and Ozhiganov before that — acclimate to an entirely new His big breakout KHL campaign came during the 2018-19 season when environment, including with English lessons to ease the language barrier. he put up 17 goals and 46 points in 58 games (0.79 per game) for St. That would start right away for Barabanov, one of three hockey-playing Petersburg. He fell off with 11 goals and only 20 points in 43 games brothers, and his wife. (0.47) this past season. Toronto awaits. Mikheyev posted 0.72 points per game (83 in 116) in the two seasons prior to joining the Leafs.

“We’re really excited to add another player to the fold here that we think The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 has got a great experience and great skill set. Very high character as well,” Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said on a Tuesday conference call. “Just checks a lot of the boxes that you’re always looking for when you’re adding a player that you fully expect to step in and be an important part of your team.

“He’s played a lot both with NHL players and against NHL players in international competition with Team Russia and then in the world championships that he’s played in. And I’ve watched him play in some of those games against teams with a heavy NHL presence such as Canada.”

That, he hoped, would help Barabanov’s confidence in transitioning to the NHL, the Leafs, and Toronto, later this year.

Dubas said it was important to have buy-in from Keefe and the coaching staff, and while Babcock was there scouting and even reaching out personally to Barabanov in the early going, according to Milstein, Keefe got involved in the process towards the end.

“But Jim,” Dubas said, referring again to Paliafito, “he drives the bus on it.”

Once prospective candidates are identified, Paliafito and the Leafs player personnel team start digging into the character of the player in question, his contract situation and whether he has any interest in eventually making the leap to North America. All the research gets funneled into the organization so others, including the Leafs coaching staff, can get involved in the evaluation process.

“He’ll send the players to me, I’ll watch them,” Dubas said, referring to Paliafito. “(Director of player personnel) Dave Morrison, (assistant director of player personnel) Wes Clark will watch them. And then Jim will sort of drive the entire thing from there, just in terms of our communication with the player, the video that we do of the player, him seeing the player live, in-person meetings with the player, so on and so forth.”

The Leafs have clearly built a fortuitous relationship with Milstein in particular: Barabanov, Mikheyev, Ozhiganov and Zaitsev — all of them plucked from Russia — are all Milstein clients.

Barabanov checked in with Mikheyev and Zaitsev when it came to making a decision on which of the NHL teams — upwards of 20, according to Milstein — he would join.

Mikheyev told Milstein he was pleased to have another Russian joining him with the Leafs, though the agent insisted that Mikheyev and Barabanov not latch onto one another too closely.

“Alex needs to learn to speak English, so let him do it on his own,” Milstein advised.

Barabanov had to wrap up the two years that were left on his contract with SKA before he could give the NHL a go. He also wanted his chance to play, and ultimately win gold, for Russia at the 2018 Olympics in South Korea. 1173441 Toronto Maple Leafs “Ford v Ferrari” and “A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood” are two of the most recent movies he enjoyed.

“The story behind it and how they put it all together into a movie and how No Netflix? 5 things we learned from Sheldon Keefe’s media availability he impacted people’s lives was pretty terrific,” said Keefe.

In many ways, Keefe said it’s been “sort of business as usual” even with the season on hold. He’s continuing to pick away at different projects, By Joshua Kloke analyzing video, and is keeping in contact with the rest of the team’s staff via regular conference calls and texts. Apr 7, 2020 With the current uncertainty in the sports world, a return date for the NHL

is unclear. Keefe said he couldn’t pinpoint how long it would take for his What a season it’s been for Sheldon Keefe. team to “get back up to speed.”

He began the season as head coach of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, But that hasn’t stopped Keefe from working to be as prepared as looking to get a veteran team back into Calder Cup contention. His life possible for anything that might be coming. changed on Nov. 20, 2019 when he was named the new Leafs coach “We will also take advantage of the time that we have as a staff to really after Mike Babcock’s firing. From there, Keefe’s team won 15 of his first look back and reflect on what we’ve been through as a group and how 20 games behind the bench. They then struggled to find consistency, we can help both our team as a whole and the individuals themselves to looking like world-beaters some nights, including a dominant 4-0 win over be a little bit better when we return,” he said. “That’s been a priority as a the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 20 before losing 6-3 to emergency staff.” goalie David Ayres and the Carolina Hurricanes two days later. His first NHL season was then paused on Mar. 12 and the Leafs were 36-25-9 — So for Keefe, the message to his team has been consistent: they have good for third place in the Atlantic Division. the time to focus on improving themselves and they should be using their time to do just that. With Leafs president Brendan Shanahan and general manager Kyle Dubas already having made their media rounds, Tuesday was Keefe’s “The messaging that we’ve been giving to our players and to our staff is first opportunity to talk to reporters. that there’s no excuse,” he said. “We really should come back as better versions of ourselves. And maybe in a lot of cases that’s going to be As is usually the case with the 39-year-old Keefe, he was thoughtful difficult to do from a physical standpoint but there’s things that we can do during the 28-minute call and provided a rare glimpse into his personal in other areas that maybe, frankly, are more important for our group. So life. this pause that we’re going through right now gives us a chance to really Here’s what we learned from Keefe during the call: talk about those types of things, make those sort adjustments and make those plans. And we’re looking to take advantage of it.” Like many others, the current pandemic has given Keefe perspective. Keefe was in a particularly reflective mood on Tuesday, which allowed for “When it really comes down to it, sports is pretty low on the priority list. some insight into the team. And so many things are more important: family and health,” said Keefe. “And that’s why I think it’s such a great time and opportunity for people to “What I’ve learned is that we have to get better and the thing for us to get work together to take care of one another by spending time with those better at is to be more consistent in preparation and our efforts and who are most important to them and their families and helping each other ultimately in our performance,” Keefe said. “That was the biggest thing in that way. That perspective has been great.” that I learned and took away. While all the other things are so important, the structure and how we play, and all those things, if we can’t play at a Together, his wife and two sons take regular walks and play board high level every single day then it doesn’t really matter what we’re talking games together. Keefe has also had to hone his homeschooling skills. about and what we’re trying to accomplish. We need to give ourselves an opportunity through a foundation work ethic, discipline and structure, all “My grade four math skills are improving daily,” said Keefe. those things that give you a chance to win every day.” Since being hired as Leafs coach, Keefe said he’s learned how important Perhaps what’s plagued this Leafs team the most this season has been time management is at the NHL level. The time to put those lessons to their struggles to maintain consistency in their results despite high-end work will eventually come. But for now, being at home with his family has talent. been enjoyable. After a 6-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Jan. 18, Keefe called his “Even in the offseason, you get to spend significant time with your family team “immature.” Keefe was asked about the team’s immaturity, which of course, but you’re so busy, you always seem to be on the run and all continues to be a topic of conversation. those types of things. The conditions being what they are right now, you’re with each other all the time and I’ve learned a lot about them and “Part of that is the growth of the team,” said Keefe. enjoyed my time with them. We’re going through everything together here and we’re try to look at the positives that are coming out of that He added an important caveat — he thought the team played immature, experience,” said Keefe. not that the group itself was immature.

Keefe does not have Netflix And so for the team to begin playing with more maturity, Keefe believes steps can be taken with the season on pause to correct past errors. Perhaps the most interesting tidbit of information came when Keefe was asked what he’s been reading or watching with his extra time. “We’ve shown at times that we can play very well against the back teams in the league and get great results from that,” said Keefe. “So it’s a “I’m doing a lot of binging on the Toronto Maple Leafs currently,” said matter of us finding that more consistently. You can attach whatever Keefe. “That’s taking up a lot of my time.” description you want to it, but the reality is that we need to take steps both as a team and individually and right now, not playing is a chance for A predictable answer from the coach, sure. But he then admitted he us to reset, but also really identify where we want to go and how we’re doesn’t care much for TV programs and doesn’t even have a Netflix going to get there.” account. Throughout his career, Keefe has been a coach who fosters personal “I don’t know if I’m proud or embarrassed about the fact that I don’t have relationships with players. At almost every practice and morning skate, a Netflix account but seems like a rabbit hole of entertainment that I don’t Keefe can be seen pulling players aside for lengthy discussions. necessarily need to get down. But the longer this goes on it seems like these things are becoming more and more of a hot topic. Between the But with the distance that now exists between him and his players, Keefe ‘Tiger King’ stuff which, when I first heard that thought it was going to be has had to shift his approach. a documentary on Tiger Woods which I thought would have been terrific,” said Keefe. “Like everybody we’re adapting to the situation. We’re trying to find the balance as a coaching staff, and I myself, of finding the balance of giving Instead, Keefe considers himself a bit of a movie buff. the players space to deal with the things they need to deal with. Everybody has their own family situation, their own situations happening and the uncertainty being what it is, we’re trying to give the players space,” said Keefe, adding that he’s fully aware there are other members of the organization including the team’s medical staff regularly checking in on players.

Even with phone calls and texts to players to keep them informed about “what we’re working towards as a coaching staff,” it’s been challenging for Keefe to maintain relationships as he normally would.

Keefe stressed the importance of not wanting to force matters in conversations with players, but instead how he would prefer to “let things play out” over periodic, casual conversations.

“We’re hoping that as time elapses our players will want information and things we can do to help them get better. And that’s what I’m going to be focusing on,” he said.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173442 Toronto Maple Leafs After the coaching change, Barrie was tied for third among all NHL defencemen with 21 5-on-5 points. He was seventh in 5-on-5 points per 60 and tied for 12th in overall point production from the back end.

Should the Maple Leafs try to re-sign Tyson Barrie? 5-on-5 production since Nov. 21

Roman Josi

By Jonas Siegel 49

Apr 7, 2020 30

Aaron Ekblad

Not long after explaining why it was “at least good practice to listen” on 47 Tyson Barrie trade calls ahead of the Feb. 24 deadline, Maple Leafs GM 23 Kyle Dubas was asked about keeping the 28-year-old defenceman beyond July 1. Tyson Barrie

“That’s a question I don’t have the answer to right now,” Dubas said of 47 Barrie, who’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent after the season. “As you know, with our cap situation it’s never so simple.” 21

The Leafs GM added that the team and Barrie would use the remaining Ryan Suter time they had together to “see if there’s a fit.” 48

That was only another two weeks before the NHL season was paused. 21 But there was plenty of runway before that to get a read on Barrie, the only Leafs defenceman, and only player other than Auston Matthews, to Tony DeAngelo suit up in all 70 games. That’s a fairly robust sample size to determine whether there is indeed a fit between player and team, even if the 49 postseason would have (and may still) added more helpful data to the 21 equation. Quinn Hughes It hasn’t been a great year for Barrie — five goals, 39 points, 51 percent expected goals share — but given the team’s needs on right defence, 47 with Cody Ceci also headed for UFA and Timothy Liljegren probably not ready for primetime, is there an argument to keeping him — even at the 21 high cost he’s likely to demand and ultimately fetch? John Carlson

Keep him 45

Let’s set aside the potential price-tag for a second, a huge consideration 20 and roadblock obviously, and just explore the services Barrie provides. Jaccob Slavin Minutes after the deal which brought him to Toronto last summer, with going the other way to the Colorado Avalanche, Dubas 47 explained the appeal. The GM said the Leafs have a “certain way” they 20 want to play. “(W)e want to be able to really get mobile, and really move the puck effectively – really, just get the puck, pass the puck to our Charlie McAvoy forwards,” Dubas said. “And if we have defencemen that get up in the play and support it and push the play that way as well, and kind of set our 46 defensive line way up the ice — that’s really what we want to do.” 20 The 28-year-old was the embodiment of that, particularly with Sheldon Under Keefe, Barrie was chugging at an 82-game pace of about 56 Keefe running the bench in place of Mike Babcock from late November points, about on par with what he averaged (58) in the two seasons onward. Barrie can dish the puck, dance it up and out of the defensive previous. That’s elite production from the back end, the kind that’s zone himself when necessary, latch onto the rush and dive into the action unlikely to diminish on this particular team with this particular coach. in the offensive zone. A bit more shooting luck and Barrie is bound to add some extra goal He’s kind of like the Tasmanian Devil in enemy terrain, a whirl of action scoring punch, too. Barrie scored only five times for the Leafs, shooting a with a knack for bombing away from the point. paltry three percent, after averaging 14 goals on seven percent shooting Properly engaged, that’s all useful. And with Keefe secure as head coach during those last two seasons with Colorado. for the foreseeable future, Barrie can put his powers to good work. Soon after getting the Leafs coaching job, Keefe made a concerted effort Consider that when the Leafs had Barrie, Jake Muzzin and Morgan Rielly to empower Barrie, most prominently by foisting him onto the point of the all healthy — a stretch of only 16 games following the coaching change Leafs’ No. 1 power play unit. It moved Rielly, a staple of PP1 for years, — the club went 12-4-0, with a plus-20 goals differential and a 56 percent and a 72-point man and Norris Trophy candidate the season previous, to expected goals mark. Barrie, playing mostly with Rielly during that the second unit. “What remains important to us is having Tyson Barrie in stretch, put up 11 points and averaged 20 minutes a game. There’s some a good spot and wanting to see what that looks like,” Keefe said in early noise in there, with shooting luck especially amid a post-coaching change December, when Marner returned from a high ankle sprain and Rielly honeymoon, but it also demonstrated how a defence constructed around dropped to PP2. those three in particular could work. The Leafs had the second-best power play in the league after Keefe took The Leafs generated 3.3 5-on-5 goals per 60 minutes when Barrie was charge — with Barrie stapled to the top unit. on the ice in 47 games under Keefe, a top-10 mark among the 157 NHL Barrie wasn’t always the focal point of the action but did bring a useful defenders who logged at least 500 5-on-5 minutes. The Leafs mustered know-how. The Leafs were determined to make his shot more of a threat 2.8 expected goals per 60 with Barrie on the ice, mind you, the sixth-best as time went on, sliding him down to the left half-wall just before the mark at his position. season paused, with Marner jumping up top to quarterback things. Though other factors (hello Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Perhaps that unlocks more from Barrie. He scored only once on the Mitch Marner!) certainly play a part in that, when Barrie was out there, power play this season, against his former team oddly enough back in the offence hummed along nicely. November: Only John Carlson (65) and Keith Yandle (57) stacked up more power PTS/GP play points than Barrie (55) among NHL defencemen in the two seasons before he joined the Leafs. 0.72

It’s conceivable, too, given his shifting roles and varying partners on 0.44 defence (partly the result of injuries), that the Leafs are still figuring out S how to best deploy Barrie — even with Keefe unleashing him. It’s also possible that the Barrie who shows up next season, and beyond, is better 565 acclimated to everything Leafs than when he showed up out of sync last 653 fall following nine years in Colorado. ES PTS Also, Barrie eventually became a pretty popular personality inside the Leafs dressing room. 88

It was common to see Marner glued to him on the road, and he’s become 61 close pals with Matthews and Frederik Andersen and has connections to Rielly from their upbringing in B.C. ESG

There’s value to that, and the leadership dimension his experience 23 brings, for a team that’s trying to grow a culture. 23 “I think he’s done very well for us, and not just in recent games, but I just xGF% think there’s been a steady progression for him in the time that I’ve been here in terms of his confidence and his role with the team, his production, 49 all these types of things that have gotten consistently better,” Keefe said a few days before the trade deadline when Barrie’s name was swirling 52 about in trade speculation. “We’ve been really happy with him.” PP PTS “He’s a great member of our program off the ice and adds a lot to our 67 room,” Dubas added in that deadline day address. 42 Finally, unlike the defenders they could chase in trades or free agency, Barrie is a known commodity. The Leafs can be fairly certain who he is PPG and how he fits within their team and dressing room. 10 This isn’t a gamble on an unknown. 13 Let him go Barrie’s production (purely offensive) compares favourably to some other Here’s where the problem starts: Barrie is poised to cash in on his next defenders, including Faulk, who netted rich deals in recent years: contract. Tyson Barrie His agent, Craig Oster, didn’t respond to a request for comment — but how could the Barrie camp not start with Justin Faulk by way of 2020 comparison in negotiations? ?

In agreeing to a trade from Carolina to St. Louis last fall, Faulk netted a ? seven-year extension which carries a $6.5 million cap hit, just under eight percent of the cap at the time it was signed. ?

It won’t kick in until the start of the 2020-21 season when Faulk will be in 0.62 his age-28 season. Justin Faulk Barrie will celebrate his 29th birthday in July, so he’s a little older, but his stats eat up Faulk for the three seasons leading into negotiations (for 2019 Faulk that’s 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19 as his extension was sealed 7 in September, and Barrie, the last three, including the current one.) $6.50 I’ve highlighted some of the larger gaps: 8.0 GP 0.46 216 Kevin Shattenkirk 233 2017 TOI/GP 4 22:06 $6.65 22:36 8.9 G 0.61 33 Keith Yandle 36 2016 A 7 122 $6.35 67 8.7 PTS 0.56 155 Cam Fowler 103 2017 Early in the season, Babcock figured he could connect Barrie with Muzzin for a well-rounded, veteran second pair, but just before his 8 dismissal in late November, the goals against piled up and he dropped $6.50 Barrie down the lineup.

8.7 Perhaps that was Barrie adjusting to a new environment, but it’s hardly encouraging that he couldn’t hang with the team’s most stable defender. 0.44 Keefe went on to experiment with a Rielly-Barrie combination, but that Tyler Myers duo had predictable troubles defensively. During stretches without Rielly and Muzzin, meanwhile, the Leafs coach never could rely on Barrie for 2019 effective second and third line combat with whichever left-shooting 5 defenceman he ended up with (Rasmus Sandin, Martin Marincin or Travis Dermott). $6.00 It’s open to question whether Barrie can play in the top-four of a Stanley 7.4 Cup contender. We may soon learn the answer if there is a postseason, but will Keefe really trust Barrie defensively in big spots against, say, the 0.42 Lightning’s second line? Or would he have no choice but to shelter Barrie Jared Spurgeon in a diminished role?

2019 On March 10 against Tampa, in the Leafs’ final game before the season paused, with everyone finally healthy on defence, Keefe had Barrie on 7 the third pair and used him for just under 16 minutes.

$7.57 It was the second-fewest minutes Barrie played all season in a game that didn’t include an injury. 9.3 And Barrie still got twisted around by Brayden Point on the sequence that 0.42 led to the Lightning’s first and only goal: Ryan McDonagh The Leafs would be better served putting their precious cap dollars to 2018 use on someone who, like the recently re-signed Muzzin, would help stabilize their defence. 7 Sure, the offence gets extra juice with Barrie, but scoring won’t really be $6.75 a problem for the Leafs.

8.5 Even Barrie’s power play prowess wasn’t exactly required: He had only 0.45 three primary assists with the man advantage after he was moved to the first unit. Rielly can easily slide back onto PP1. Jake Muzzin Absent Barrie, it’s not as if the Leafs won’t still have a bunch of slick 2020 puck-movers looking ahead for the Keefe attack, with Rielly, Dermott, Muzzin, Sandin and all in the mix. 4 So, in light of everything, the answer to the “Should the Leafs try to re- $5.62 sign Tyson Barrie?” question feels fairly obvious: No.

6.9

0.43 The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 He doesn’t bring as much to the table as many of the players on that list but Barrie can still make the case for large coin.

It’s obviously worth noting that many of those deals look like overpays, especially Kevin Shattenkirk (he was bought out) and Faulk, who put up 16 points in 69 games in his first year with the Blues — the one before his new contract kicks in.

Barrie’s last contract was for four years and carried a $5.5 million cap hit, about 7.5 percent of the cap when it was signed. He would presumably be looking for a raise.

Even Barrie at a discount rate (between $5-6 million on the cap?) would require some roster finagling for Dubas, Brandon Pridham and Laurence Gilman.

Check out the state of things, assuming at best, a flat cap for next season, before new deals for pending RFAs, Ilya Mikheyev and Travis Dermott, before the likes of and Kyle Clifford are potentially re-signed, and before some sort of Barrie contract is added:

Who even knows what next year’s salary cap will look like? It’s probably not even feasible to bring Barrie back at less than market rate, let alone wise in light of other issues.

As much as he brought to the table offensively, Barrie was a drain on the Leafs defensively, particularly when injuries struck and he was forced into a more prominent role.

From Jan. 1 onward, he ranked last among the team’s defenders, in expected goals against per 60 — this in spite of a 61 percent offensive zone start percentage. 1173443 Vegas Golden Knights playing 11 fewer games. Chicago’s Dominik Kubalik, a 30-goal scorer, also garnered consideration.

Selke (Best defensive forward) Review-Journal NHL writers reveal mock ballots for league awards Gotz: Sean Couturier, C, Philadelphia Flyers Couturier finally should win this award after receiving votes in 10 By Ben Gotz and David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal previous seasons. He has won 59.7 percent of his faceoffs and leads the Flyers, who are allowing the seventh-fewest goals per game in the NHL, April 7, 2020 - 2:52 PM in shot attempts percentage. Schoen: Couturier The NHL Awards are typically a fixture of the Las Vegas sports summer It’s tough to get past Boston center Patrice Bergeron and St. Louis center calendar, much like the NBA Summer League or the Triple-A baseball Ryan O’Reilly, who own four of the past six trophies. But Couturier is season. winning almost 60 percent of his faceoffs and has paid his dues for what is largely a reputation award. But this year, because of the coronavirus pandemic, the NHL postponed the awards and said it “looks forward to returning to Las Vegas in the Jack Adams (Best coach) future.” Gotz: Mike Sullivan, Pittsburgh Penguins That didn’t stop Review-Journal NHL reporters Ben Gotz and David Schoen from filling out mock ballots. (Note: Writers don’t get a vote for This is a tough field with the Avalanche’s Jared Bednar, the Flyers’ Alain every award on the official ballot.) We’re revealing their selections now Vigneault and the Columbus Blue Jacket’s John Tortorella getting because the playoffs were supposed to start Wednesday. consideration. Sullivan has kept afloat a team that has dealt with injuries to key players Sidney Crosby, Evegeni Malkin and Jake Guentzel. Hart (MVP) Schoen: Vigneault Gotz: Nathan MacKinnon, C, Colorado Avalanche Flip a coin, with about eight deserving coaches. In his first season, No one has been more valuable to his team than MacKinnon. He is the Vigneault has squeezed the maximum out of the Flyers, who are one NHL’s fifth-leading scorer with 93 points. His next-closest teammate has point out of first in the Metropolitan Division and already surpassed last 50. The Avalanche are a Stanley Cup contender despite numerous season’s point total. injuries because of MacKinnon. Jim Gregory GM of the Year Schoen: Leon Draisaitl, C, Edmonton Oilers Gotz: Joe Sakic, Colorado Avalanche This is a right-now vote. If the season resumes and the New York Rangers reach the playoffs, then Artemi Panarin almost certainly gets the Sakic was a Hall of Fame player and is quite an executive, too. The nod in a photo finish. But Draisaitl leads the NHL in points with 110 and Avalanche are on the shortlist of Cup contenders while also boasting one has the Oilers in position to reach the playoffs for the second time since of the league’s best farm systems. No team arguably is positioned better 2006. in the short and long term. Vezina (Best goaltender) Schoen: Sakic Gotz: Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets Sakic’s bold decision-making through trades and free agency turned the Avalanche into an elite team. Colorado has made the second-largest Hellebuyck doesn’t just deserve this award — he deserves to be in the improvement in the league from last season, jumping from a .549 points Hart conversation. He ranks first in shots faced, saves and shutouts, and percentage to .657. is second in wins and goals saved above average. The Jets, who have the league’s third-worst scoring chance percentage, would be a mess Lady Byng (Most gentlemanly player) without him. Gotz: MacKinnon Schoen: Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins MacKinnon has only 12 penalty minutes in 69 games. Hellebuyck is the trendy choice, as his play helped mask the Jets’ Schoen: O’Reilly deficiencies on defense. But Rask has posted better numbers in goals- against average, save percentage, goals saved above average and high- To show how subjective voting for this trophy can be, 59 players received danger save percentage. The difference is Rask played 17 fewer games. votes last year. O’Reilly has only 10 penalty minutes to go with 61 points in 71 games. Norris (Best defenseman)

Gotz: Roman Josi, Nashville Predators LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 04.08.2020 The Washington Capitals’ John Carlson is having the best offensive season for a defenseman since 1994-95 with 1.09 points per game. But this isn’t the “best offensive defenseman” award. Josi has been real good on offense with 65 points in 69 games and excelled defensively, too. Schoen: Josi He trails only Carlson in scoring among defensemen, leads all blue liners in individual expected goals and is second in expected goals percentage. Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman could win this honor every season, and St. Louis’ Alex Pietrangelo is having his best offensive season, but Josi gets the nod. Calder (Best rookie) Gotz: Cale Makar, defenseman, Colorado Avalanche It’s tempting to pick Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes, but another blue liner should get this prize. Makar is simply special. He has 50 points in 57 games and is the second-leading scorer on a great Colorado team. Schoen: Makar Hughes came on strong in the final 25 to 30 games, but it’s Makar at the wire over his fellow dynamic defenseman. The Avalanche rookie tops Hughes in points per game, points share and expected goals share while 1173444 Vegas Golden Knights

NHL’s Gary Bettman hopes for clarity on season by end of April

By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal April 7, 2020 - 1:10 PM

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said he hopes to have a better understanding by the end of April as to when the season can resume. “I think right now there’s too much uncertainty,” Bettman said Tuesday on “Lunch Talk Live” on NBC Sports Network. “From an NHL standpoint, we’re viewing all of our options. We want to be ready to go as soon as we get a green light.” Bettman’s comments echoed those of NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who on Monday said on the league’s Twitter account that he does not expect to make any decisions regarding the season until May. So for the next month, Bettman will continue to talk with the NHL’s decision-makers and plot out scenarios for a return if the coronavirus pandemic subsides. One of several ideas is playing at neutral sites such as Grand Forks, North Dakota. Bettman said it would be ideal to complete the regular season — the NHL has played 1,082 of 1,271 regular-season games — but understands that might not be possible. He said he’s willing to play well past the league’s normal stopping point in mid-June to finish the rest of the season. He said he’s confident rinks will be able to create good ice even in the summer heat. “I do believe we can play well into the summer,” Bettman said. “We can handle making ice now in any condition.” Fleury makes bracket Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury’s leaping save against the Toronto Maple Leafs was named one of “The Greatest Moments of the NHL Season … So Far” on Tuesday. The NHL is counting down the top 64 moments of the season in a March Madness-style bracket. Fleury’s save, which preserved the Knights’ late lead against the Leafs on Nov. 29, faced Chicago Blackhawks rookie Dominik Kubalik’s 30th goal in the first round. Fleury’s stop on Nic Petan was dubbed the “save of the century” by his agent, Allan Walsh, and was one of his best with the Knights. Kubalik leads all rookies in goals (30) and points (46). Prospects honored Knights prospect Jiri Patera was named to the Western Hockey League’s Eastern Conference First All-Star Team on Tuesday. Patera, a 21-year-old goaltender, was 24-12-2-2 with a 2.55 goal-against average and .921 save percentage for the . The 2017 sixth-round pick recorded five shutouts. Also, 2019 first-round pick Peyton Krebs was named to the WHL’s Eastern Conference Second All-Star Team on Monday. Krebs, 19, had 60 points in 38 games for the Winnipeg Ice. He didn’t play until Nov. 17 after suffering a partially torn Achilles tendon over the summer.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173445 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights’ radio home to rebroadcast first 8 wins

By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal April 7, 2020 - 12:46 PM

The Golden Knights’ radio home KRLV (98.9 FM, 1340 AM) will rebroadcast the first eight wins in franchise history every other day starting Wednesday. Each broadcast will begin at 6 p.m. and feature the entire length of the game. It also will be available to stream online at lvsportsnetwork.com.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173446 Vegas Golden Knights

Fleury’s flying save named 1 of NHL season’s greatest moments

By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal April 7, 2020 - 10:12 am Updated April 7, 2020 - 10:21 am

Marc-Andre Fleury’s leaping save against the Toronto Maple Leafs was named one of “The Greatest Moments of the NHL Season … So Far” on Tuesday. The NHL is counting down the top 64 moments of the year in a March Madness-style bracket. Fleury’s save — which preserved the Knights’ late lead against the Leafs on Nov. 29 — is facing Chicago Blackhawks rookie Dominik Kubalik’s 30th goal in the first round. Fleury’s stop on Nic Petan was dubbed the “save of the century” by his agent Allan Walsh and was one of his best in a Knights sweater. It was also impactful, as the Leafs’ 4-2 loss caused them to fire coach Mike Babcock the following day. Kubalik, 24, led all NHL rookies in goals (30) and points (46). He will likely get consideration for the Calder Trophy for top rookie whenever the season ends.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173447 Vegas Golden Knights The first amateur draft was in 1963 in Montreal and open to players 17 years of age and older who were not already sponsored by an NHL club. By 1969, the era of direct sponsorship ended and every junior under age 20 was available to be selected. Understanding rules governing the NHL entry draft In 1979, the name was changed from “amateur” to “entry” draft to adjust for the inclusion of professional players from the defunct . The following year, a rule was instituted making players from By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal the ages of 18 to 20 eligible to be drafted. April 7, 2020 - 8:15 am Where does the draft take place? Host cities are awarded by the NHL after reviewing bids, usually a year in Having your name called at the draft each June is a dream come true for advance of the event. any hockey player. The draft was in Montreal every year from 1963 to 1985 before it started But there’s a lot more to the seven-round event than walking on stage rotating. Recent locations include Vancouver, British Columbia (2019), and posing for pictures. Dallas (2018) and Chicago (2017). Here is a guide to help understand the rules governing the NHL entry How are the top players identified? draft: Each team employees its own scouting staff. The NHL holds an annual Who is eligible to be selected? scouting combine in Buffalo, New York, and also releases rankings from its scouting service. All North American players who turn 18 by Sept. 15 and are no older than 20 by Dec. 31 in that draft year are eligible. Players who go undrafted NHL Central Scouting, which was established in 1975, teams with become free agents. European Scouting Service to produce rankings for North American skaters, European skaters, North American goalies and European A player drafted from Canadian major-juniors who is not signed by his goalies. NHL team within two years is eligible to re-enter the draft as long as he is 20 or under. A player who has been drafted twice cannot re-enter. There is no age limit for drafting non-North American players. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 04.08.2020 How is the order determined? The league conducts a lottery involving the 15 nonplayoff teams (or the teams that have acquired the first-round pick of a nonplayoff team) for the top three selections. The odds are based on inverse order of finish in the standings, meaning the worst team has the best chance to get the first overall pick. Commissioner Gary Bettman draws the lottery balls, with the first club pulled awarded the first overall choice. The second and third drawings set the No. 2 and No. 3 picks, respectively, while the remaining 12 teams are slotted by reverse order of finish in the regular season. Picks 16 through 23 are awarded to the nondivision-winning teams eliminated during the first two rounds of the playoffs based on reverse order of regular-season finish. That’s followed by any division winners at picks Nos. 24 through 27. The teams eliminated in the conference finals are given the 28th and 29th picks. The Stanley Cup runner-up has the 30th selection, followed by the Stanley Cup champion. How long does a team have to sign a player after drafting him? This depends on how old they were at the time they were chosen and the league in which they were playing. An 18-year-old selected from Canadian major-junior has two years to sign or he can re-enter the draft. For a college-drafted player, it’s more complicated. In general, the club retains his contract rights until Aug. 15 following the graduation of his college class as long as he remains in school. If a college-drafted player leaves school early, the club holds his rights until June 1 four years after he was drafted. For college players who were drafted at age 20, they are eligible to become a free agent after two years. Europeans drafted from a nation with a transfer agreement with the NHL (Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, Denmark, Norway and Germany) have a four-year window to sign. Teams hold indefinite signing rights to players drafted from Russia, Switzerland and other countries that do not have a transfer agreement with the NHL. What if a team doesn’t sign its first-round pick? A team that does not sign a first-round draft pick is awarded a compensatory second-round pick of the same numeral choice in the next draft. For example, if a club cannot sign the No. 3 overall pick in the first round, it will receive the third selection in the second round as compensation. When did the draft begin? 1173448 Vegas Golden Knights

Sports Industry Facing Strange New World To Navigate During COVID- 19 Era; Sports Options Down To UFC White’s Plan For UFC 249 On Mystery Island

April 7, 2020 By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com

It’s the morning after what was supposed to be college basketball’s national championship game. For the sports gambling types, some would be celebrating bets, while others are cursing or mopey. The NHL season was supposed to have ended over the past weekend and chances are the Vegas Golden Knights would be hosting two first round playoff games at T-Mobile Arena on the Strip this week. NBA teams were supposed to be jockeying for playoff position this week as the association would have been preparing for an intriguing postseason with star players finishing their first seasons with new teams like Kawhi Leonard with the Los Angeles Clippers, Russell Westbrook with the Houston Rockets and Anthony Davis with the Los Angeles. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said there won’t be news in April about re- starting the season. NBA Commish Adam Silver during the 2019 CES show in Las Vegas. The season would have been a week old and we would have seen how the Houston Astros were being received after their sign-stealing mess dominated spring training news. Now there’s talk of MLB launching its season in the metro Phoenix area, which has spring training ballparks scattered in the region. But the hard reality is this: Professional sports leagues have been shuttered for more than three weeks, sports bettors have had hardly anything to wager on except ping-pong matches and what’s left is Las Vegas-based UFC ringmaster/president Dana White staging UFC 249 at a reported private mystery island for the April 18 event minus the MMA promoter’s star attraction, undefeated lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov. Even the local basketball playgrounds are taped off to ensure social distancing as governments from local communities to the state level crack down on people who want to gather. These are strange new times the sports industry is navigating these days. LVSportsBiz.com has published stories on on how teams can respond to COVID-19 and how the leagues can set up shop in Las Vegas during an interim period of playing games with no live fans at the venues as the sports industry is integrated back into American society. Sports have played the roles of community healer and community galvanizer during previous stressful times like in New Orleans where the Saints won the Super Bowl after Hurricane Katrina in 2006 and in Houston where the Astros won the World Series in 2017 after the floods devastated Houston and in Las Vegas where the Golden Knights made a miracle run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2018 after a shooter killed 58 and injured more than 500 along the Strip on Oct. 1, 2017. But now sports are sidelined during the COVID-19 pandemic, which features counts of death tolls and confirmed cases instead of scores and standings that fans feed on and debate. The Raiders stadium construction work continues. More than 1,000 construction workers a day are on the job. Here’s a look at the stadium from the 215 western beltway trail some 12 miles to the west and two close up views.

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Alex Ovechkin challenges Ilya Kovalchuk, Evgeni Malkin to shave while in isolation

By Mike DePrisco April 07, 2020 6:54 PM

While we all focus on social distancing and staying at home to prevent the spread of coronavirus, this difficult time has basically given us a license to take time off from shaving. Don't tell that to Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin, who has seemingly started a new shaving challenge on Instagram with his wife, Nastya (music NSFW). As Ovechkin goes for the clean shave with Nastya dancing by his side, the caption translates to him challenging fellow Russian hockey stars Ilya Kovalchuk and Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin. Neither player has considerable facial hair, but credit to Ovechkin finding another way to keep busy during isolation. Even if he's fraternizing with a Penguin.

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With NHL season paused, a ranking of Capitals' best wins of 2019-20: No. 4

By Mark Zaner April 07, 2020 1:41 PM

While we wait for the NHL to hopefully resume its season, NBC Sports Washington is looking back at the 20 best wins of the Capitals' season so far. Mark Zaner, producer for Caps Faceoff Live and Caps Overtime Live, has watched every game. His rankings continue with No. 4, a 5-2 win over the New Jersey Devils on Jan. 16 that featured a bloodied Alex Ovechkin getting revenge against the Devils and Braden Holtby getting a fancy new hat. WHAT HAPPENED Ovechkin made his presence felt in the first period. He scored on a blistering one-timer during a 5-on-3 power play to get the Caps on the board first. Then with less than a minute remaining, after Nicklas Backstrom won an offensive zone draw, Ovechkin picked up the loose puck and fired a wrister that Louis Domingue never saw. Just 16 seconds in the second period, Ovechkin got some help. Lars Eller’s forecheck forced New Jersey into a turnover. Eller and Richard Panik eventually found Carl Hagelin in front of the net for the easy score. Hagelin’s goal came on Cory Schneider, who replaced Domingue at intermission. Despite being dead last in the Metro Division, the Devils didn’t roll over. Wayne Simmonds scored less than a minute after Hagelin’s goal. Blake Coleman scored shorthanded for his 19th of the season early in the third period to make it 3-2. Order was eventually restored. Jakub Vrana took advantage of a bad clearing attempt by Pavel Zacha and snuck one through Schneider. And at the 15:42 mark, the Capitals put the game away for good. Tom Wilson made one of the best passes of the season right to Ovechkin on the doorstep. Washington wins 5-2. MEMORABLE MOMENTS This was Ovechkin’s second hat trick of the season. It looked like it would be a rough night early on for the Captain. On one of his first shifts of the night, Ovechkin took a high stick from Miles Wood that drew blood. Ovi spent most of the period getting stitched up in the dressing room. He returned to the game just in time to score two goals in the final five minutes of the period. Don’t make Ovechkin angry, you won’t like him when he’s angry. WHY IT WAS SIGNIFICANT Just five days earlier, the Caps hosted New Jersey and lost 5-1. It was arguably their worst game of the season. Washington didn’t take the Devils lightly in this contest and got a much needed two points with the All-Star break looming. Ovechkin scored career goals 687, 688 and 689. That put him one behind Mario Lemieux for 10th place on the all-time scoring list. He would jump Super Mario less than 48 hours later. WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT When throwing hats on the ice, fans usually just chuck cheap baseball caps and toques. This is the first time I can remember someone throwing a women’s fedora on the ice. Braden Holtby pulls off the look well. The whole incident begs the question: who wears a fedora to a hockey game?

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173451 Washington Capitals The top three played out as expected though the gap between St. Louis and Colorado was much smaller than I would have guessed. Of the last four teams, I was very surprised that it was Minnesota that came out on top. Who would the Caps play in the first round based on NHL 20's final regular season standings? Pacific Division Vegas (48-25-9, 105 points) By J.J. Regan Edmonton (44-27-11, 99 points) April 07, 2020 1:40 PM Calgary (42-32-8, 92 points) Arizona (40-33-9, 89 points) The NHL's regular season was scheduled to end on Saturday meaning Vancouver (39-35-8, 86 points) we should be gearing up right now for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Alas, the San Jose (36-40-6, 78 points) coronavirus has us all stuck at home yearning for the day when live sports can return. Until that time, we are left to wonder what if and that is Los Angeles (34-40-8, 76 points) exactly what I am looking to answer. Anaheim (33-40-9, 75 points) NBC Sports Washington simulated the Capitals' scheduled games on EA Sports' NHL 20. With the regular season now over, it's time to take it to Vegas finally did what every expected it too, take control of the division. the next level. It is time to answer the questions we had in the final The way Arizona and Vancouver finished the season was hugely stretch run of the season. Would the Caps have won the Metropolitan disappointing. Division? Would Alex Ovechkin win yet another Rocket Richard Trophy? Capitals player stats Would John Carlson reach 90 points? Who would the Caps meet in the playoffs? Nicklas Backstrom 19 goals, 50 assists, 69 points The full season has been simmed, the stats have been tallied up and the Travis Boyd 3 goals, 7 assists, 10 points standings are set. Here is how the 2019-20 regular season finished according to the simulation. John Carlson 16 goals, 68 assists, 84 points Metropolitan Division Brenden Dillon 3 goals, 4 assists, 7 points Washington (52-22-8, 112 points) Nic Dowd 11 goals, 13 assists, 24 points Philadelphia (48-26-8, 104 points) Lars Eller 21 goals, 28 assists, 49 points Pittsburgh (47-29-6, 100 points) Martin Fehervary 1 assist, 1 point New York Islanders (44-28-10, 98 points) Radko Gudas 2 goals, 15 assists, 17 points Columbus (38-27-17, 93 points) Carl Hagelin 10 goals, 21 assists, 31 points Carolina (42-33-7, 91 points) 10 goals, 10 assists, 20 points New York Rangers (41-35-6, 88 points) Nick Jensen 1 goal, 13 assists, 14 points New Jersey (35-35-12, 82 points) Michal Kempny 3 goals, 16 assists, 19 points While it was Philadelphia who was red hot when the season paused, it Ilya Kovalchuk 5 goals, 7 assists, 12 points was the Caps who finished strong with seven straight wins to close out the regular season thus pulling Washington well ahead of the Flyers for Evgeny Kuznetsov 24 goals, 37 assists, 61 points the division crown. The Islanders did enough to separate themselves Brendan Leipsic 3 goals, 8 assists, 11 points from the middling Metro pack while Columbus and Carolina ultimately fell just short of the postseason. Dmitry Orlov 5 goals, 29 assists, 34 points Atlantic Division T.J. Oshie 27 goals, 32 assists, 59 points Boston (55-15-12, 122 points) Alex Ovechkin 54 goals, 27 assists, 81 points Tampa Bay (49-26-7, 105 points) Richard Panik 11 goals, 18 assists, 29 points Florida (42-29-11, 95 points) Jonas Siegenthaler 2 goals, 10 assists, 12 points Toronto (42-30-10, 94 points) Jakub Vrana 31 goals, 29 assists, 60 points Montreal (38-34-10, 86 points) Tom Wilson 24 goals, 30 assists, 54 points Buffalo (35-39-8, 78 points) Dowd set a new career-high in goals, Hathaway and Orlov set career- highs in assists, Dowd, Hathaway and Orlov all set career-highs in points Ottawa (30-36-16, 76 points) and Carlson, Eller, Siegenthaler and Wilson set career highs in all three Detroit (19-56-7, 45 points) categories. Toronto and Florida tried desperately not to earn the No. 3 seed, both Top goal scorers losing several games they should have won. In the end, the Panthers David Pastrnak 56 edged out the Leafs. Alex Ovechkin 54 Central Division Auston Matthews 50 St. Louis (47-25-10, 104 points) Mika Zibanejad 45 Colorado (46-26-10, 102 points) Leon Draisaitl 44 Dallas (43-30-9, 95 points) Ovechkin fell just short of a ninth Rocket Richard, but this total would Minnesota (42-32-8, 92 points)(36 regulation wins) give Ovechkin 712 career goals, moving him past Mike Gartner for Winnipeg (43-33-6, 92 points)(35 regulation wins) seventh overall on the all-time goals list. Nashville (40-32-10, 90 points) Points leaders Chicago (39-34-9, 87 points) Leon Draisaitl 123 points Connor McDavid 112 points David Pastrnak 108 points Artemi Panarin 103 points Nathan MacKinnon 103 points No one was going to catch Draisaitl. Top rookies Quinn Hughes 8 goals, 49 assists, 57 points Dominik Kubalik 33 goals, 19 assists, 52 points Cale Makar 12 goals, 39 assists, 51 points Victor Olofsson 25 goals, 26 assists, 51 points Adam Fox 8 goals, 37 assists, 45 points Playoff matchups M1 Washington vs. WC1 New York Islanders M2 Philadelphia vs. M3 Pittsburgh A1 Boston vs. WC2 Toronto A2 Tampa Bay vs. A3 Florida C1 St. Louis vs. WC1 Minnesota C2 Colorado vs. C3 Dallas P1 Vegas vs. WC2 Winnipeg P2 Edmonton vs. P3 Calgary This is a fascinating bracket. For the Caps, it's Washington vs. Barry Trotz in the first round. Flyers vs. Penguins, Lightning vs. Panthers and Oilers vs. Flames are all big rivalries that would have been incredible to watch in a seven-game series. I also love how the Leafs just can't escape the Bruins. The year they finish outside the top three is the year Boston wins the division.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173452 Washington Capitals do it as long as we could and he was still feeling healthy then he would go without right now, without any treatments, unless there was an issue."

With the whole world on edge right now, all the added anxiety going For Capitals coach Todd Reirden and his immune-deficient son, the risks through the Reirden household would be tough to take, but Reirden says of coronavirus are all too real Travis has approached it all with remarkable maturity. Not only did he advocate discontinuing plasma treatments to free up the nurse to be used where they may be most needed, but he also has been By J.J. Regan able to keep things in perspective with his friends. April 07, 2020 6:00 AM While his friends struggle to adapt to the current world of health precautions and social distancing, they are getting just a glimpse of how Travis has had to live his life. With the NHL season on pause, the Capitals stand either on the “It’s interesting from his standpoint that he’s gone through a lot of these precipice of the playoffs or the offseason. Either way, head coach Todd things kind of having to go through this type of deficiency that he has," Reirden has to stay prepared. For now, however, the most important Reirden said. "Some of his friends are going through now when they’re thing on his mind is the safety of his family. While he is not unique in that on Facetime or they’re talking and they’re like, ‘We can’t get together.’ respect, the dangers presented by the spread of COVID-19, more Originally, you couldn’t get together with more than 10 people and those commonly known as the coronavirus, are much more on Reirden's mind were all decision and you can’t be in groups, and you’ve got to be a little than it is for most people. further away from people with social distancing. These are all things that It can be hard to come to grips with the fact that the world is in the grips [Travis] does on his own now. So, he’s found that interesting that now his of a global pandemic. That has led to a lot of people downplaying the friends are seeing a little bit of how his life has to go when he’s out in the severity of the coronavirus. public and the precautions he needs to take just because of the inability to fight off everything as easily as others." "It's basically the flu." So far, everyone has remained healthy through the pandemic, but this "Only old people can get really sick." will continue to be nervous times for the Reirdens. While the coronavirus may not seem like a big deal to some, the Reirdens do not have the "I'm low risk so I don't need to follow the guidelines." luxury of being so dismissive. Sometimes it is hard to realize how serious a situation can be without Said Reirden, "It certainly has made it a different situation in the Reirden putting a face to it. For Reirden, however, putting a face to a situation like household." this one was not difficult at all because of his son, Travis.

"When first news came out of who was going to be most affected by this, obviously it was the elderly and people with compromised immune Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.08.2020 system and immediately Travis, who's now 17, goes to the top of that list," Reirden said in a conference call on Monday. Travis has common variable immunodeficiency, a disorder he has had since birth. This disorder leaves his immune system unable to defend against bacteria and viruses. Being a teenager on its own can be an ordeal, but Travis has had to face his teenage years with the uncertainty that comes with his disorder that is constantly affecting his health. Now with the rapid spread of the coronavirus, this is a very scary time for the Reirden family. Ironically, during the early stages of the spread of the coronavirus, it may have been an illness that initially kept Travis out of harm's way. "He was not in school, and it was a little bit of a fortunate break, for the prior month or more coming into this virus and the shutdown of everything," Reirden said. "He had gotten sick, had been tested, had the flu at the end of January. So for him, it takes him a little longer to fight off things. He got a little bit behind in school ... and they’ve actually put him on a homebound plan, which means that we had a tutor coming to our house and working with him to get him caught up while he was continuing to not just be healthy but also rebuild up his immune system before he went back into the school system. And as he was getting caught up and everything was going good and he was feeling better and all set to go back to school, then there was talk of this coronavirus so we kept him at home." But keeping Travis at home was far from the only precaution the family had to take. Since the spread of the coronavirus, health officials have advised everyone to wash their hands, avoid large groups and practice social distancing. The Reirdens now take this to a serious degree. "We've really had to be careful about what we're bringing into the house and not leaving and making sure that if we do go out and do something, that we basically leave all of our clothes at the door and make sure that they get washed and wash our hands," Reirden said. The tutor that was working with Travis is no longer able to come and he now has to do his schoolwork online instead. Travis was also receiving plasma treatments from a nurse who would come into the family home to administer it to him for several hours. The family elected to forgo those treatments for the time being. "It was our decision that we made that during this virus and shutdown time that it would not be a good idea to have someone coming into our house at this time," Reirden said. "And Travis felt that someone who had that type of specialization and health background that they should be out helping others who are going through this virus right now and if we could 1173453 Washington Capitals round in 2002. The three-time All-ACC guard and former NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player averaged 18.0, 18.2 and 20.4 points per game in his final three seasons at Maryland. Still the Terps all- time leading scorer, Dixon’s performance as a senior guided his team to The DMV jersey number debates: Weighing local legacies head-to-head a 32-4 campaign that will never be forgotten.” — Grant Paulsen “Without Juan Dixon, Maryland basketball would still be saddled with that label: the best program never to reach the Final Four. Instead, By Ben Standig, Tarik El-Bashir and Grant Paulsen thanks largely to Dixon, the Terps have two Final Fours and a national Apr 7, 2020 championship trophy in their showcase. The homegrown shooting guard sits atop any ranking of the best players ever to come through College Park, and there have been a lot. And that fact that he had his success as an unheralded but relentless player for a coach who took pride in those Decisions, decisions. Determining who represents each jersey number same characteristics. Along with all of his team success, Dixon still sits best among all D.C. area athletes over the past 50 years took time. atop Maryland’s all-time scoring list, a mark that might never be toppled Some debates required a bit more. in today’s early-exit college game.” — Jeff Ermann, Maryland publisher While some choices like Alexander Ovechkin (8), Max Scherzer (31) and for 247 Sports John Riggins (44) were quickly rubber-stamped by our three-member Allen Iverson (Georgetown) panel, five numbers demanded full-throated, table slapping arguments. The passionate pleas for Bradley Beal, Allen Iverson, Mike Gartner, “There’s the NBA Most Valuable Player award, a finals appearance and Elena Delle Donne, Charles Mann and other professional and college that talk about practice, but AI’s basketball Hall of Fame career and athletes led to a standalone article. cultural iconography began with the Hoyas. His two seasons at Georgetown thrust the revered program under John Thompson Jr. into While we included statements from respected broadcasters, reporters, the modern era. The masses swarmed to watch Iverson’s fast-breaking former teammates and the general manager who acquired one of the style in person while his crossover moves became must-see TV from players up for discussion, ultimately, the final say came down to The coast to coast. Iverson set the program’s single-season scoring record Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir, Grant Paulsen and Ben Standig. While the 926 points during the 1995-96 campaign as he earned first-team All- guys didn’t participate wearing blinders, they considered a player based American honors and led Georgetown to the East Region final. I don’t on what they did while representing the D.C. area teams. need to tell you to rewatch the highlights. You already do. AI was a show- There are no losers among these celebrated athletes, but only one stopper and that act began nationally in Washington.” — Standig winner emerged from each of the five debates. Something tells us the “If the question is who is the most memorable D.C. athlete to ever wear next round occurs in the comment selection below. We put forth our the No. 3, The Answer is obvious. In just two short years on the Hilltop, choices, so game on. Allen Iverson electrified the D.C. sports world and brought Georgetown Debate — No. 3 basketball back to national prominence. Before Iverson’s arrival on campus, the D.C. sports scene was toiling in mediocrity as the Redskins, Under consideration Bullets and Capitals were all struggling. Iverson nearly single-handedly gave reason for DMV fans to cheer again, helping the Hoyas advance to Caron Butler the Sweet Sixteen during his freshman season for the first time since 1989, and following it up with an appearance in the Elite Eight during his “Any listing of the best trades over the past 20 sophomore season before being drafted first overall in the 1996 NBA years includes if not starts with the 2005 fleecing of the Lakers for “Tuff Draft by the . As someone who had the pleasure of Juice” in exchange for Kwame Brown. The rugged small forward joined attending Georgetown during the Iverson era, I can personally attest to Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison to propel Washington into the the pride Georgetown students had at the time as a result of the playoffs for three consecutive years. Butler averaged 19.0 points over basketball team’s success, and a smile comes to my face every time I parts of five seasons with the Wizards.” — Ben Standig think of the bus rides out to USAir Arena in Landover to bear witness to Scott Stevens (Capitals) Iverson’s virtuoso performances.” — Andrew Geiger, founder of CasualHoya.com “The fifth overall pick in 1982, Stevens scored a goal on his first shot and helped the Caps to their first-ever playoff berth as a rookie. The rugged Mark Moseley (Redskins) defenseman played eight seasons in Washington but cemented his Hall “Thirteen years and 182 games with the Redskins cemented Mosely as of Fame credentials by leading the New Jersey Devils to three Stanley Washington’s all-time leading scorer, 419 points in the clear of his closest Cups (1995, 2000 and 2003). Stevens still ranks second among all Caps competitor. The only kicker to win the MVP award in the modern era, to in PIMs.” — Tarik El-Bashir Mosely led the NFL in field goals made four times while in D.C. — The showdown Paulsen Bradley Beal (Wizards) “Choosing a kicker as the greatest No. 3 in DMV history? Are you kidding me? No, we’re not kidding you. Many people know Moseley won the NFL “The kid drafted third overall in 2012 at 19 years old is now the Wizards’ MVP in the strike-shortened 1982 season making 20 of 21 field-goal main man. Not just because the shooting guard with the textbook jumper attempts but some forget that he led the NFL in scoring with 161 points turned into a two-time All-Star or ranked second in the NBA during this the following season. He was a two-time Pro Bowler and is still the now paused season with 30.5 points per game. There are clutch Redskins’ all-time leading scorer with 1,207 points during his 12+ years performances like his 38-point night in Game 7 of the 2017 Eastern with the team. Moseley was perfect in the Redskins Super Bowl XVII Conference semifinals. When given clearance by the basketball world to victory over Miami (3-of-3 field goals and 2-of-2 PATs), is a member of force a trade last summer, Beal instead signed an extension. The the Redskins Ring of Fame and the D.C. Sports Hall of Fame. So, yes, a connective tissue? The deep reserve of poise and maturity Beal came kicker — particularly this kicker — is worthy.” — Joe Yasharoff, longtime armed with even as a teenager and displayed over his eight NBA D.C. executive sports producer and member of D.C. Sports Hall of Fame seasons. The Wizards lacked tons of wins this season, but all that fight selection committee and pluck displayed started with their number one guy wearing the No. 3 jersey.” — Standig And the winner is …? “Wearing No. 3 in D.C. conjures up some true greats, and they all scored Among our group, the lead swung between the hoopsters with the in bunches. For me, it’s a difficult choice between Beal and Mark college kids emerging from the pack. There’s no denying the sway of AI, Moseley. Beal is fast becoming one of the Wizards all-time greats. He but rings rule. For No. 3, so does Juan Dixon. has improved each season, set records and proven to be the kind of loyal Debate — No. 10 teammate that places him near the top of the list of D.C. sports legends to wear No. 3.” — Former Wizards play-by-play announcer and WTTG Under consideration sports anchor Steve Buckhantz Bobby Carpenter (Capitals) Juan Dixon (Maryland MBB) “Selected third overall by the Caps in 1981, hockey’s ‘Can’t-Miss Kid’ “How can you not go Dixon over Iverson? I loved Iverson as much as jumped directed from high school hockey into the NHL, and recorded his everybody else, but he played two years at Georgetown compared to first point on an assist just 12 seconds into his debut. He became the first Dixon’s four at Maryland. Not to mention, Dixon made two Final Fours U.S. born player to score 50 goals — he finished with 53 goals in 1984- and won a national championship with the Terps. Then Dixon bookended 85 — but it was downhill in D.C. from there. Two years later, Carpenter his NBA career with stints on the Wizards, who drafted him in the first was dealt to the Rangers after clashing with organization brass.” — El- so good, there was a sudden revision of Ty Jerome’s prep career. How Bashir could so many coaches have missed out on this great college guard, this lynchpin; how could Tony Bennett have been the only one to see his Kelly Miller (Capitals) potential so early? This was kind of funny, because the answer wasn’t “Traded by the Rangers in the 1987 deal that sent Bobby Carpenter to hard. Even Ty Jerome knew the deal: In high school, he was a skilled, New York, Miller quickly established himself as one of the Caps’ most lanky kid who couldn’t get around on the floor all that well, who most reliable players, topping 40 points six times and 50 points twice. Miller is college coaches not unreasonably decided would be too slow to play at fifth in franchise history in games played (940).” — El-Bashir an elite, high-major level. Jerome happily admitted as much. He got better on those fronts at Virginia, as so many Cavaliers do, but it was The showdown what he always had, what Bennett first saw, that eventually made him special: toughness, verve, confidence, and an innate ability to see the Bobby Dandridge (Bullets) game. Kyle Guy was the team’s leading scorer, and its loudest outward voice; DeAndre Hunter was its bonafide lottery prospect. But Jerome was “Look back at Dandridge’s career. Somehow the small forward with two- the team’s heart and soul, an angular, shifty wizard who only briefly and way skills and the clutch gene often played in the shadows. That started sporadically got as much credit for Virginia’s first-ever national title as he during the 1971 NBA championship run in Milwaukee with Lew Alcindor deserved. He was never very quick. But man, was he a hell of a player.” and continued upon joining Washington’s big man tandem of Elvin Hayes — Eamonn Brennan and Wes Unseld before the 1977-78 season. Yet it was “Bobby D” tasked with defending George Gervin and Julius Erving during the early playoff Ali Krieger (Freedom/Spirit) rounds. While Unseld walked away with Finals MVP, it was Dandridge tying for team-high with 19 points in the decisive Game 7. The next “The NWSL isn’t a decade old yet, but the Washington franchise already season, the four-time All-Star averaged more than 20 a game for the last has its signature player. Krieger, a Northern Virginia native and member Bullets/Wizards team to reach the NBA Finals. There’s a case for of the U.S. Women’s national team, has played the bulk of her career in Dandridge as our No. 10 winner and the most underrated D.C. pro the area, including a stint with the Washington Freedom.” — Standig athlete over the past 50 years. Don’t even get me started about why his jersey isn’t hanging from the Capital One Arena rafters. — Standig Mark Rypien (Redskins) “We traded for Bobby before the 1977-78 season and the team went to “Rypien threw for 3,564 yards and 28 touchdowns in a 14-win 1991 another level. I considered him to be the most skilled and complete season that ended with the two-time Pro Bowler being named MVP of player on the team that won the NBA championship. He was a very Super Bowl XXVI. The sixth-round pick in 1986 started 72 games in six versatile, smart, competitive player. Bobby had a great feel for the game. seasons with the Redskins, throwing for 101 touchdowns.” — Paulsen He was a playmaking player and great passer who made his teammates The showdown better. A huge reason we traded for him was because he could defend against Dr. J and therefore help get us to the next round in the playoffs. If Elena Delle Donne (Mystics) you look at his career with the Bucks and the Bullets, I strongly think he should be in the Basketball Hall of Fame! — Bob Ferry, former Bullets “The WNBA turnaround in these parts began when Mike Thibault took general manager and architect of the 1978 NBA championship team over as the Mystics coach and general manager in 2013. However, great plans rarely reach the ultimate triumph without exemplary talent. The 2017 trade that brought Delle Donne to D.C. helped turn Thibault’s dreams into reality. The 6-foot-5 forward capable of scoring surges from Marco Etcheverry (DC United) all angles immediately turned Washington into a contender. The Mystics “Let’s be clear about this. Regardless of where D.C. sports fans count reached the 2018 Finals as EDD played through pain following an injury United among the area teams, there’s no denying the singular impact suffered earlier in the postseason. Nothing could stop Delle Donne’s from the Bolivian standout. Etcheverry made 190 appearances with DCU 2019 run to her second league MVP award and the Mystics’ first from 1996-2003, scoring 34 goals. During a four-year stretch, the electric championship.” — Standig midfielder fronted MLS Cup title teams and was named the league’s MVP “There are many reasons for the “District of Champions” to celebrate the in 1998. Career recognition came in 2005 with inclusion to the All-Time No. 11, but who wore it best? Elena Delle Donne, Elvin Hayes, or Ryan MLS team. More comes now if the vote goes his way. — Standig Zimmerman? A strong case can be made for all three. However, I have Robert Griffin III (Redskins) to go with Delle Donne, because of the layers of global impact that she possesses. I mean, one of her biggest fans, Wai Chi Yip, traveled over “The energy that surrounded Griffin during his legendary 2012 rookie 8,000 miles to see Delle Donne play last summer, and flew back the next season was unlike anything the DMV has experienced. The former day to go to work! The number “11” means being innovative, (a 6-5, Heisman Trophy winner, who Washington traded three first-round picks positionless hybrid), and creativity, (book author, and created her own to move up the draft board to take at No. 2, guided the Redskins to a shoe). Those things tip the scales for me for EDD.” — Christy Winters division championship in his first season. As the AP Offensive Rookie of Scott, Mystics/basketball analyst the Year, Griffin led the league in yards per attempt and interception rate while rushing for 815 yards and seven touchdowns. A shooting star who Mike Gartner (Capitals) burned out quickly, Griffin’s following two seasons ended him with being “To me, this debate comes down to Gartner and Hayes. And head-to- benched. But his legacy had already been carved. Ask any Redskins fan head, the distinction should belong to Gartner, a Hall of Famer and one what their favorite season was since the team was last winning Super of only four Caps whose jersey hangs in the rafters at Capital One Arena. Bowls and they will probably tell you it was the epic Griffin-led 2012 Why? Because of what the fourth overall pick in 1979 meant in campaign. A few of Griffin’s competitors may have been better for longer Washington during a pivotal decade in which the Caps vaulted from an but none captivated the city or were as dynamic at any point as ‘RG3’ also-ran to perennial playoff contender. In fact, during his nine full was at his best.” — Paulsen seasons here, Gartner led the Caps in scoring four times and was And the winner is…? second on four other occasions. Although he went on to play 10 more seasons with other teams, the seven-time all-star’s best years came in Call it recency bias if you must, but the majority voted for the player who D.C., where he scored 52-percent of his 708 career goals, which is good delivered arguably the most electrifying individual season for any D.C. for seventh on the all-time list (and just two ahead of Alex Ovechkin). athlete this century. His time in town was hardly perfect, but when we’re There have been a lot of greatest No. 11s in Washington sports history. talking about 10, Robert Griffin III rises above. But Gartner was the greatest, even if by a slim margin.” — El-Bashir Debate — No. 11 “It’s got to be Mike Gartner or Elvin Hayes. But to me, Mike Gartner is the model of consistency, starting with scoring 30 or more goals in 15 Under consideration straight seasons. He hit 50 goals once and went into the high 40s a few other times. So if you’re talking about long-range consistency in Jeff Halpern (Capitals) Washington, Gartner is the best 11 there’s ever been here. However, the “A true hometown hero, the Potomac (Md.) native grew up cheering for productivity and championship for Elvin Hayes makes it an extremely the Caps and later served as captain of the team in 2005-06. He played difficult decision.” — Joe Beninati, Capitals longtime TV play-by-play seven seasons (in two stints) for Washington, recording 20 goals once announcer and topping 40 points three times.” — El-Bashir Elvin Hayes (Bullets) Ty Jerome (Virginia MBB) “You know how everyone made a huge deal about how the Capitals’ “In March of 2019, as the country (or at least its generalized sports 2018 Stanley Cup championship snapped D.C.’s title drought among the media) gradually came to understand what made the Virginia Cavaliers four main professional sports since the Redskins’ Super Bowl in 1992? Before the Bullets won the 1978 NBA title, nobody locally won squat for 46 years!! And who was the leading scorer for that breakthrough group? scoring list and remained there until Beal passed him this season. The The “Big E.” This list is about what players accomplished during their two-time All-Star averaged over 20 points in five consecutive years from D.C. years, but we cannot ignore Hayes retired as the NBA’s third all- 1985-90. Sure, that decade of Bullets basketball lacks many fond time leading scorer and still ranks fourth in rebounding. With the Bullets, memories, but Malone’s play warrants your attention.” — Standig the power forward was named an All-Star eight times in nine seasons while averaging 21.3 points and 12.5 rebounds. It’s been a long minute “I had a front-row seat to watch Jeff, a high scoring but under- since he last played, but there’s no forgetting the career of Elvin Hayes.” appreciated 2-guard that played along with the “Bruise Brothers” tandem — Standig of Jeff Ruland and Rick Mahorn. Jeff Malone turned into a two-time All- Star with an unflashy style that many overlooked then and would now. A ‘The number “11” worn by D.C.’s greats is difficult to prioritize. Mark high-level mid-range scorer who scored 20 plus points with regularity, Rypien, Ryan Zimmerman, Elena Delle Donne and Elvin Hayes each Jeff was also a first-class defender who always did a good job guarding won a championship. Mike Gartner did not, but you can’t judge by a Michael Jordan. He loved to compete and especially so against MJ. world title alone, nor can you go solely by the athlete’s impact on the Lastly, he built a reputation for hitting the “Big Shot.” In 1984 against the team like you might for MVP consideration. If that were the case, you’d Pistons, Jeff hit one of the great game-winners in NBA history. While you likely have to choose Delle Donne for her dominance in the league and are home this week and on your computer, check it out in the archives. importance to her squad. This category must also include an impact on Re-thinking Jeff Malone’s career is also worth your time. — , the city. And a case could be made for each one. Rypien made the very standout at DeMatha, 13-year NBA career and former NBA executive most of his talents. Zimmerman and the Nationals made a remarkable turnaround to win a World Series. Gartner was a hard-nosed, no- Dawn Staley (Virginia WBB) nonsense, productive player for the Capitals, but he would be hard- “If we include the University of Virginia in our D.C. field, then pay strong pressed to supplant the others on this list. My vote would be for Elvin attention to the most decorated Cavalier hoopster this side of Ralph Hayes. A Hall of Famer and one of the 50 greatest players of all time. Sampson. Staley’s Basketball Hall of Fame journey began by leading the And not just for his contribution to the NBA Championship team but Cavaliers to appearances in three Final Fours and the 1991 national because of the impact it made on the city during an era of basketball this championship game. Need more? How about two-time ACC and national town has not witnessed since. Capital Centre in 1977-78 was as loud player of the year.” — Standig (and smokey) as any arena I’ve been to since and it proved why D.C. is truly a roundball crazed city. The “Big E” epitomized not only what the And the winner is…? Bullets were like, but how this town embraced it’s own and he and Wes Unseld will always be remembered as D.C. icons.” — Buckhantz These debates are often apples to oranges type comparisons. How do you contrast Bailey’s showy run with Malone’s underrated excellence and Ryan Zimmerman (Nationals) Staley’s trophy haul on the college level? This is what we do. In the final analysis, all deserve recognition, but with a nod toward who we think of “Zimmerman is Mr. National. Picked fourth out of the University of with each jersey number, it’s Champ Bailey‘s winning out. Virginia in 2005, Zimmerman has played in every season of Nationals history. The club’s all-time leader in almost every category, Zim has Debate — No. 71 made two All-Star teams, won a Gold Glove award and been named a Silver Slugger. The first National to score in the 2019 World Series — The showdown Zimmerman homered off of Gerrit Cole in Game 1 at Houston — the first Charles Mann baseman has played in 35 of the 36 postseason games the Nationals have participated in. Elena Delle Donne is a great player but she has “Our lone two-player debate occurs in the trenches. Often overshadowed been a DMV’er for what? Three hours? Hayes was special but he spent by the flamboyant and outspoken Dexter Manley, Mann quietly went half the time repping the nation’s capital that Zimmerman has. Nobody in about his business during the most successful decade in franchise town is more synonyms with a team than Zimmerman is with the history. He didn’t need to boast; his numbers/honors spoke for Nationals. As managers and other star players and come have gone, he themselves. Consider: Four Pro Bowls, four double-digit sack seasons, has been the one constant.” — Paulsen two second-team All-Pro selections and, most importantly, three Super Bowl rings (two with Washington and another with San Francisco). And the winner is…? Mann’s 82 sacks currently rank third on the Skins’ all-time sacks list Consensus didn’t come close to making an appearance here. The behind Manley (91) and Ryan Kerrigan (90). Trent Williams is a worthy arguments for each, particularly Gartner, Hayes and Zimmerman, ran opponent, but, to me, Mann’s consistency and overall contributions to the hottest. We even sought guidance from the boss level to help with the Skins’ dominant squads of the ’80s and early ’90s push him past stalemate. In the end, the man with the unstoppable turnaround jumper, Williams, who’s one of the best his position, too, but has been hampered Elvin Hayes, soared over the field. by injuries, suspensions and, more recently, an ugly and protracted contract-related dispute.’ — El-Bashir Debate — 24 Trent Williams Under consideration “Don’t let recency bias get in the way of appreciating Williams’ Kermit Washington (American MBB) dominance. I get that he is currently at odds with the team and is likely to be traded before the season starts, but Williams is one of the best tackles “The D.C. native put American University basketball on the national map in the team’s history. Having been named to seven consecutive Pro with an outstanding collegiate career. He’s one of only seven players in Bowls before skipping the majority of the 2019 season, the former fourth- NCAA history to average 20 points and 20 rebounds for his career. overall pick is considered one of the best left tackles of his generation. Although Washington played 10-plus seasons in the NBA, he’s best Unlike Mann who was surrounded by elite talent and benefitted from a remembered for punching Rudy Tomjanovich in an on-court fight in winning culture, Williams has been one of the Redskins’ few shining 1977.” — El-Bashir lights throughout his career. Much of his excellence has been wasted on The showdown underachieving teams. Few tackles in league history have possessed the footwork and athleticism of the former Sooner, who was on his way to Champ Bailey (Redskins) going down as a Redskins’ great before his relationship with the team imploded.” — Paulsen “Because Bailey made eight Pro Bowls and was named an All-Pro three times after being traded to Denver, I think people forget how good Bailey “(Trent) came in after Ring of Honor left tackle Chris Samuels, and was with the Redskins. The seventh pick in the 1999 draft, Bailey spent locked down the “blind side” at a Pro Bowl level for the next 10 years with five years and played 80 games in Washington before being shipped out no drop-off. And I saw him drop step, windmill dunk at lifetime fitness west with a draft pick for Clinton Portis. Bailey made the Pro Bowl in each during walkthroughs before the practice bubble was built. That was better of his final four seasons and ended up being used as a return man and than practicing at Dulles Airport in our socks (equipment guys had to on offense before his days with the Redskins concluded. He was one of throw away everybody’s oil-stained socks after that practice).” — former the best athletes in the league and by the time he left town, he had Redskins offensive lineman Will Montgomery already become one of the game’s premier corners, leading the NFL with 24 passes defended in his penultimate season with the Skins. While And the winner is…? Bailey became a Hall of Famer with the Broncos, he was well on his way While we collectively agree on Grant’s appeal for appreciating Williams’s to a Canton-worthy resume in the district.” — Paulsen performance, it’s interesting to consider how this battle shakes out before Jeff Malone (Wizards) the tackle’s contract drama. Then again, the chance to revisit Mann’s legacy helped remind us of his pass-rushing dominance. When it comes “Long before there was Bradley Beal, Malone set the two-guard standard to all that wore 71, Charles Mann does indeed sack the competition. for the Bullets/Wizards franchise. The 10th overall selection in the 1983 NBA Draft, Malone finished his Washington career second on the all-time The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173454 Winnipeg Jets Kulikov, Nathan Beaulieu, Luca Sbisa, Anthony Bitetto, Nick Shore, Gabriel Bourque and Logan Shaw.

Of course, July 1 free agency won't happen as planned, and what exactly Like rest of hockey world, Chevy in neutral, waiting for light to change the salary cap looks like down the road will be a significant factor. There had been projections it was poised for a big jump from the current ceiling of $81.5 million but you can throw that out the window now. The final number will be impacted by how much revenue the NHL loses because By: Mike McIntyre of the shutdown. Posted: 04/7/2020 5:59 PM Despite having so much currently up in the air, Cheveldayoff said all of it takes a back seat right now to real-life concerns. A playoff run that may never happen. An amateur draft on indefinite hold. "Outside the game, we all worry about each other. Because the health of A free-agent frenzy that will be frozen for the foreseeable future. A salary everyone is the paramount thing. All the decisions that have been made cap likely to take a nosedive. And all the typical league rules and and will be made moving forward are going to be based on the medical protocols and timelines thrown into complete disarray. experts and medical opinions and what’s best for everyone involved," he said. No, it's definitely not business as usual these days for Winnipeg Jets general manager , who spoke publicly for the first "As far as the worry side of it, certainly when you’re in a situation like we time Tuesday since the NHL hit pause last month due to the COVID-19 are in, whether you run a restaurant or have a grocery store or whether pandemic. you are part of a professional sports organization, there are realities that face you each and every day and you have to be looking at those These are strange times for everyone, including the brain trust of a challenges differently than maybe what you’d ever had to look at before. professional sports team. And while Cheveldayoff is in constant touch What the future holds in store certainly is obviously of paramount with the NHL, most of the major questions remain without answers right importance but the first and foremost things is the health of everybody now. involved." That includes whether the 2019-20 season could eventually resume in some form, either by playing some or all of the remaining three weeks of the regular season and/or jumping right into a playoff format that might Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 04.08.2020 take on any number of shapes and sizes. Throw in the potential of competing in empty — possibly neutral-site — arenas and playing well into late summer, and there's plenty of guesswork going on and no deadline set for a final decision. "Like a lot of you, we get a chance to read about different ideas and different thought concepts. A lot of thought goes into those concepts. Are they being talked about at the league level? I would assume all these things... when we get our updates and we talk about it, we never get into specifics about all these different ideas that might be floated out there other than the league is very open to saying we’re thinking about everything and we’re open to everything," Cheveldayoff said during the media conference call. "For everyone, obviously, we’re in a time where there are bigger things to worry about right now. If I let my mind kind of fast-forward or transport to a later time when things are good, I’d be open to anything." Winnipeg was 37-28-6 when play screeched to a halt, occupying the first of two wild-card playoff spots in the Western Conference with 11 games remaining. The Jets had won four consecutive games and was icing the healthiest and deepest roster of the season. Cheveldayoff speaks regularly with coach Paul Maurice, his scouting and training staff and players to ensure everyone is holding up well. No players or staff have reported any symptoms, and none have been tested for the coronavirus. With no action on the ice, Cheveldayoff said work continues towards the all-important NHL draft, which was set for late June in Montreal but has been postponed. With all junior leagues cancelling the remainder of their seasons and no scouting combine taking place, preparation takes on a whole different look. "You're not going to be able to have the similar type of viewings that you would have... but everyone's in that same situation, so it really comes down to the work that you did prior to the pause. We feel we're in real good shape," said Cheveldayoff, who will be holding upcoming scouting meetings on video rather than in person because of current travel restrictions. "One thing we constantly do is we monitor our time... with respect to all the prospects throughout the course of the year. We have regular conference calls to make sure that our coverage is where it needs to be. You can never, ever foresee a situation like this happening, but it's just more the preparedness of trying to make sure that you see the prospects in the early, kind of middle, kind of latter and then obviously late (stages). We won't get to see the late version of it, and you'll have to make your decisions accordingly, but it is something that all teams are in that boat," he said. At some point, Cheveldayoff will have to turn his attention to his own restricted free agents who need new contracts (, Mason Appleton, Jansen Harkins, Sami Niku), along with any unrestricted free agents he wants to retain. That list includes trade-deadline additions Dylan DeMelo and Cody Eakin, along with Laurent Brossoit, Dmitry 1173455 Winnipeg Jets

Samberg feels time is right to make jump to Jets

By: Mike McIntyre Posted: 04/7/2020 3:00 PM | Last Modified: 04/7/2020 4:33 PM

Dylan Samberg was denied a chance to go for a third straight college hockey championship this spring, but got his hands on a pretty sweet consolation prize — his first-ever NHL contract with the Winnipeg Jets. Samberg, 21, inked a three-year entry level deal on Tuesday that carries an average annual value of US $1.175 million. The contract begins for the 2020-21 season. "Our season ended a lot sooner than planned," Samberg said in a mid- afternoon Zoom conference call with media. "I was planning after this season to hopefully move on and maybe possibly get that time in the NHL this year. But after this virus happened, that kind of got put aside. We were kind of waiting, my family and I, and talking. There was no need to rush, but we eventually came to a deal that I liked and jumped on," Selected by the Jets in the second round (43rd overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft, Samberg was in his junior season with the University of Minnesota- Duluth Bulldogs. The left-shooting defenceman, who stands 6-4 and weighs 215 pounds, had a career-best 21 points (one goal, 20 assists) in 28 regular-season games, with 18 penalty minutes and a plus-17 rating. He also had two assists in seven games with the United States junior team at the world championships. UMD won two consecutive NCAA Frozen Four titles and were in prime position for a rare three-peat, ranked fourth-overall at the time the COVID-19 pandemic shut the season and playoffs down. The Jets wanted Samberg to turn pro last summer, but he opted to return to school for another year. He had the option of returning for a senior season this fall, but ultimately decided against it. "My family and I talked about it, but I wanted to move forward. I felt like this was a good time for me and I was ready for it. I’m obviously going to miss UMD because it was the college I dreamed of going to. But you’ve got to move on with life and hopefully it’s going to work out for me," said Samberg. Samberg will compete for full-time work on the Jets blue-line, which has undergone an extreme makeover in the past year. Jacob Trouba, Tyler Myers and Ben Chiarot all moved last summer and Dustin Byfuglien is expected to have his contract terminated in the coming weeks after missing the past season to contemplate retirement while also undergoing ankle surgery. Josh Morrissey, Neal Pionk, , Sami Niku, Ville Heinola and Carl Dahlstrom are all under contract while Dylan DeMelo, Dmitry Kulikov, Nathan Beaulieu, Anthony Bitetto and Luca Sbisa are all pending free agents. "Obviously it’s exciting for him and for our team and us. I’ve only really had the chance to see him play at the world junior for a couple of years and obviously he’s a big, strong defenceman and it’s exciting to have him into the fold," Morrissey said Tuesday of Samberg. "Obviously he’s had a three really good years at school and it’ll be a great addition to our team, hopefully as soon as possible in the future and hopefully for many years going forward."

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 04.08.2020 1173456 Winnipeg Jets So many scenarios have been tossed out about a possible resumption to the season down the road, such as neutral-site games in empty arenas. Morrissey said he's open to any format that gets the Jets back on the ice. Morrissey uses changing circumstances to learn about himself "It would be an odd situation, but given the circumstances and what's going on in the entire world, everyone realizes every person has had to adapt and had to make changes to everyday life," said Morrissey, who works out each day at an elaborate gym at home. "Would it be different By: Jason Bell than normal? For sure. But it would be better than not playing, in my Posted: 04/7/2020 1:10 PM | Last Modified: 04/7/2020 10:36 PM | opinion. Updates | Comments: 7 "I haven't really heard many of the details about what that would look like but I'm sure every option will be looked at, and as a player and somebody who feels like our team has really worked hard to make the There's a strong likelihood the most significant season of Josh playoffs, and so have all teams, it would be a nice way to play. I'd be on Morrissey's NHL career came to halt nearly a month ago in Edmonton. board for something like that." But the defenceman, a Winnipeg Jets' 2013 first-round pick who was Morrissey heaped praised on the healthcare professionals, first playing in his fourth full NHL season, says he made huge strides as a responders and others working in essential services for the collective player and person during a 2019-20 campaign now in limbo due to the effort to keep people safe and healthy. COVID-19 pandemic. "A thank you to all... it's crazy unprecedented situation. The people of Josh Morrissey spoke with media by video conference from his Winnipeg Winnipeg and Manitoba have done a great job and everyone should feel home.

proud that they're participating in an effort to stop the spread," he said. "We'll come out of this, everyone will, but for now just continue to stay Josh Morrissey spoke with media by video conference from his Winnipeg safe for ourselves and everyone else." home.

"Honestly, it might be the most important year in my career going forward and when I look back on my career one day, because I learned so much Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 04.08.2020 about myself... what drives me and how to handle adversity as well," Morrissey said Tuesday morning. Morrissey, who turned 25 a week ago, spoke with media by video conference from his Winnipeg home. "Even handling let's say a little bit of negativity around your game or some criticism around your game... looking back I honestly think I learned the most this year of any year of my NHL career," he said. "I think I grew the most as a player and so I'm excited to get back to playing, whether it's this season or next season and really build off that and use it as a springboard. I feel in so many aspects I learned just so much this year. I'm excited to keep building off that." The Calgary product, considered a load-bearing wall on the Jets blue line, had a lot on his plate this season. The organization locked him up in training camp with an eight-year, $50- million extension that carries a salary-cap hit of $6.25-million per season, nearly double his current $3.15-million earnings. He was also named an alternative captain, immediately taking on added responsibilities on and off the ice. Used to a pairing with Jacob Trouba, Morrissey had to find a comfort level playing with an array of defensive partners. Despite some early struggles, he had returned to playing the kind of mistake-free, heady puck-moving game that had become his trademark during the later stages of the season. He had scored five goals and chipped in 26 assists in 65 games — he missed six games to a pair of injuries — tying his point total (31) from a year go. Morrissey said he was honoured to wear the 'A' and took the job seriously. But initially some of that weight of being so heavily counted on took a toll. "There was a lot of new positions for me," said Morrissey, who remained in Calgary for a week after the season was postponded before heading back to Manitoba with his girlfriend. "Signing a long contract, being named assistant captain, being in a different position with a new defence partner, all those things. Not that any one thing particularly was a big change for me on a daily level but sort of the sum of everything coming at once. "As soon as I realized that you're just playing hockey again, you know what makes you good as a player and you were given the letter for a reason.. I realized be me, be myself and play my game that's gotten me to this point in my life and in my career. I started to settle in and saw improvement in my game." The Jets had an up-and-down season but were finding a groove at a critical time — until the NHL suspended ply March 12 due to the global coronavirus crisis. The Central Division squad had posted four straight victories (6-3-1 in its last 10 games) and held down the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference with 11 games left on their regular- season schedule. 1173457 Winnipeg Jets amount of faith in the league that the ultimate decision, if that opportunity ever presented itself, would be made in the proper fashion.”

It’s not something anybody should be losing any sleep over, though. Jets' Chevy not shutting down engines, yet You can’t worry about the toy department when every toy could be infected by a deadly virus. Paul Friesen “We’re in a time where there are bigger things to worry about right now,” Cheveldayoff said. “Outside the game, we all worry about each other. April 7, 2020 7:07 PM CDT Because the health of everyone is the paramount thing. All the decisions that have been made and will be made moving forward are going to be based on the medical experts and medical opinions and what’s best for Experts say a vaccine to prevent COVID-19 is more than a year away, everyone involved.” with more outbreaks likely after this first one dies down. If this first one With that in mind, Cheveldayoff said he was just updated by the Jets’ dies down. medical people, and nobody in the organization is feeling symptoms or Meanwhile major Canadian cities are now banning major gatherings until has felt the need to be tested for the coronavirus. early July. That’s a win. Yet professional sports executives keep clinging to the Trumpian notion It may also be the closest thing to hoisting a Stanley Cup for anyone this the games will resume sooner rather than later. That it’s only a matter of, year. maybe, a couple months. His dream of winning a third straight national college title dashed by a Perhaps that’s just how they’re wired. How they have to approach this virus, defenceman Dylan Samberg turned professional on Tuesday. mother of all uncertainties. The second-round draft pick from 2017 signed a three-year contract with Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff held a media conference call to the Winnipeg Jets, worth an average of $1.175 million per season. discuss the signing of prospect Dylan Samberg on Tuesday. “This whole pandemic thing put a halt to everything, which was tough,” But the discussion quickly turned to the pandemic that’s threatening to the 21-year-old Samberg said via a Tuesday online chat, taking time out wipe out the conclusion of the NHL and NBA seasons, has already from his biking, running, roller-blading and fishing routine in his native delayed the baseball and Canadian football seasons and could wipe out Minnesota. “Our season ended a lot sooner than planned. I was planning everything for 2020, and beyond, by the time it’s done. after this season to hopefully move on, and maybe possibly get that time “We’re all still focused on playing this season,” Cheveldayoff said. “We’re in the NHL this year. But after this virus happened that kind of got put not looking at it as anything other than trying to keep the group together, aside. There was no need to rush, but we eventually came to a deal that I trying to communicate with them. The coaches are proceeding in that liked and jumped on.” fashion… evaluating how we were playing, how we would need to come Samberg’s deal begins next season, assuming there is one. out and play. Those kind of conversations are at the forefront of our mind.” The University of Minnesota-Duluth product recorded a goal and 20 assists in 21 games this season. What that may look like, he has no idea. The Hermantown, Minn., native — the same area that produced Jets The prospect of playing games at a neutral site without crowds is defenceman Neal Pionk — has also helped the U.S. win silver and currently fluttering through the air. bronze medals at two world junior championships, recording a combined Another desperation shot has the NHL going straight to the Stanley Cup six points in 14 games. Playoffs. While the Jets haven’t made him any promises, at 6-foot-4 and a mature And did you hear the one about playing until September, then taking a 215 pounds, the opportunity will be wide open whenever training camp short break before firing up the 2020-21 season? begins. None of those pucks have landed on Cheveldayoff’s desk, yet. “He’s a guy that knows how to win,” Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said. “He’s the type of player that is certainly ready to turn pro.” The draft, free agency — it’s all about as fuzzy as a third-round playoff beard. Cheveldayoff acknowledged the Jets were already trying to persuade Samberg to turn pro last summer. “All the league really has talked about is that there’s a general time frame that all these things have to happen in,” the GM said. “There really “During development camp Paul (Maurice) and the coaching staff were haven’t been any of those kinds of discussions, certainly (not) that we’ve always frothing at the mouth to get their hands on him at the pro level,” been a part of.” the GM said. “If he has a good training camp, there’s certainly an opportunity for him to compete for a job with the Jets.” All the Jets and everyone else can do is be prepared.

For what? Winnipeg Sun LOADED 04.08.2020 Anything and everything. Scouting for the draft, for example, won’t include one final spring checkup, as everybody’s playoff season and things like the world under- 18 championships have been wiped out. It could mean holding conference calls with prospective picks instead of interviewing them in person at a combine. “But everyone’s in that same situation,” Cheveldayoff said. “So it really comes down to the work that you did prior to the pause. We feel we’re in real good shape. You can never, ever foresee a situation like this happening, but it’s just more the preparedness of trying to make sure that you see the prospects in the early, kind of middle (stages)… we won’t get to see the late version of it, and you’ll have to make your decisions accordingly.” If the league were to go straight to the playoffs, the Jets would be in the unenviable position of being .001 percentage points out of a spot, based on points percentage, even though they held the first wild-card spot based purely on points. “If you get to that point, you want it to be as fair and have as much integrity as possible,” Cheveldayoff said. “And I have a tremendous 1173458 Winnipeg Jets person, what drives me, and how to handle adversities as well. Even handling, let’s say, a little bit of negativity around your game or some criticism around your game… handling all of those things. Jets' Morrissey 'on board' for neutral site games “I grew the most as a player so I’m excited to get back to playing, whether it’s this season or next season, and really build off that.”

In 65 games, Morrissey had already tied his career-high with 31 points, Paul Friesen 26 of those assists. April 7, 2020 4:48 PM CDT Asked for his parting message, he sent out a stick-tap to health-care workers and people providing essential services during the pandemic.

And he called for Jets fans to provide their own assist, by staying home. Winnipeg Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey says he’d take neutral-site games in empty arenas over not finishing the NHL season at all. “We will come out of this, everyone will. For now, we just have to continue doing what we can to stay safe for ourselves and for everybody Hockey’s big thinkers have bandied that idea about as the pandemic- else.” induced pause to the season hit the four-week mark.

“Would it be different than normal? For sure,” Morrissey said during an online chat with reporters, Tuesday. “But it would be a lot better than not Winnipeg Sun LOADED 04.08.2020 playing, in my opinion. And not trying to play the rest of the season that everyone has put so much time into. “It would kind of be like playing in the world championships, or something like that. Just without fans… I would be on board for something like that.” Morrissey’s reason for hoping the season somehow continues echoed that of his head coach. Paul Maurice on Monday said a cancelled season would be one of the most disappointing events of his career, given how the Jets were playing some of their best hockey of the season, not to mention getting healthy, when things were shut down last month. The Jets had won four straight games and sat in the first wildcard playoff spot in the Western Conference, at least based on points. “It would just be so disappointing on so many levels,” Morrissey said. “Everyone realizes this situation, the pandemic, is much bigger than sports. But at the same time, we’ve worked really hard this year to put ourselves in a position to try and make the playoffs. In the last couple of weeks we were really surging.” The adversity the Jets faced this season, from off-season departures to Dustin Byfuglien’s no-show to a rash of injuries, created a strong bond among teammates, Morrissey said – another reason the 25-year-old would be sad to see it end. “Because of those things we’ve probably had the closest group ever. And a lot of credit for that goes to our coaches, the management, everyone, for basically having that idea set in place. But especially to Blake Wheeler, for trying to bring the guys together on the road and at home, and all those sort of things.” The other reason Morrissey doesn’t want to see the season go down the tubes involves the bigger picture, far beyond the Manitoba borders. “It would be disappointing because that, of course, means things haven’t improved in the near future or gotten to where some level of normal life is returned,” he said. “Which would be disappointing for everyone, the entire world.” What Morrissey remembers most about the day the NHL went dark was the “eerie feeling” as the Jets played in Edmonton, March 11. After the first period, word got out the NBA had shut down after a player tested positive for COVID-19. “On Edmonton I probably know, personally, the most guys of any team,” Morrissey said. “And just on faceoffs and stuff, talking to some of my friends about what’s going on – we saw the writing on the wall that that was going to be probably our last game. “You’re thinking about the health and safety of your family, your friends, your loved ones and just the craziness going on. And also you still have to play two periods of hockey, so it was a weird game.” The Jets flew to Calgary after the game, and the NHL pulled the plug the next day. Morrissey remained with his family in Calgary for a week, then drove with his girlfriend back to his Winnipeg home, where he’s set up with a home gym. Whether the season resumes or not, Morrissey says he’ll look back on his fourth NHL campaign as a turning point in his career. A springboard to better things, even if it wasn’t his most consistent one. “After having some time to reflect… it might be the most important year in my career,” he said. “I learned so much about myself as a player, as a 1173459 Winnipeg Jets

Jets ink Samberg to three-year, entry-level deal

Scott Billeck April 7, 2020 10:53 AM CDT

The wait is over. The Winnipeg Jets signed highly-touted defenceman Dylan Samberg to a three-year, entry-level deal on Tuesday, putting to bed any fears that the University of Minnesota-Duluth standout would return to college for a fourth year. The 21-year-old’s deal will kick in next season and is worth an annual average value of $1.175 million. Samberg was taken in the second round, 43rd overall, at the 2017 NHL Draft. Speaking to the Winnipeg Sun back in February, then still trying to make history with a third successive NCAA title with the Bulldogs, Samberg said he eventually wanted to sign with the Jets. “They took a chance on me, they wanted me for a reason and I respect that,” Samberg said. “I respect the organization, they have a lot of great people, and it’s not that far from home, which is nice. “I want to eventually get to the Jets.” There was an uneasiness in Jetsland surrounding the Hermantown native. If he elected to go back for his final year of college, he could have elected to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2021. But Samberg never indicated he wanted to sign anywhere else. He went back to college for a third season to become the first team in the modern era of the Frozen Four championship to win it three straight times. In its current 16-team format, no NCAA D-I school has ever accomplished the three-peat as men’s national hockey champions. It wasn’t to be, however, as the tournament was another sporting event cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. And he wanted to get better, too. “I don’t want to rush anything,” Samberg said. “This year, I wanted to come back (to college) and hone in on some of my skills so I can be ready for the jump (to pro.)” Samberg had one goal and 20 assists in 28 games this season while battling an injury. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Samberg brings size, physicality and defensive prowess to the Jets and could very well be in the opening night roster with a solid training camp, whenever that happens for next season. “But if there’s time spent in the AHL, it is what it is and you just have to take it with a grain of salt, work hard every day and when you get that chance, make the most of it,” Samberg said.

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 04.08.2020 1173460 Winnipeg Jets Samberg discussed the situation with his family and considered the prospect of returning for his senior season, but ultimately came to the decision to sign his entry-level contract. Jets sign Dylan Samberg but where he begins his pro career remains “I felt like this was what I wanted to do. I wanted to move forward,” unclear Samberg said during a video conference on Tuesday afternoon. “I felt like this was a good time for me and I was ready for it.”

As for where he might end up whenever the NHL gets things sorted out, By Ken Wiebe Samberg wasn’t about to make any bold predictions. Apr 7, 2020 “Right now I’ve just got to do my thing, make sure I’m working hard,” said Samberg. “I know there’s a lot of opportunity up there, which I’m excited for.” While Dylan Samberg won’t be getting the victory lap he was coveting, Coming to grips with the abrupt end to his college career has been a he instead gets to collect a signing bonus and the opportunity to play as challenge. a professional. “It’s definitely been a whirlwind with the season-ending like that, kind of The Winnipeg Jets prospect was rolling along during his junior season out of nowhere,” Samberg said during a recent interview with The Athletic with the two-time defending NCAA Frozen Four champion the University before inking his pro deal. “It still sucks, obviously. That’s the way it goes of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs when he and his teammates had the rug and you have to move on.” pulled out from underneath them. Despite Samberg putting on a brave face, it was clear from the tone of Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Samberg’s college hockey season his voice that he was devastated by the unexpected turn of events. came to an abrupt end. Little did he know, it would also mark the end of his collegiate career. The Bulldogs were playing some of their best hockey of the season, winners of four straight to move to 22-10-2 on the season and up to fifth On Tuesday morning, the Jets announced they had come to terms with in the NCAA rankings (Cornell was No. 1, the University of North Dakota the defenceman on a three-year, entry-level deal that carries an average was No. 2). annual value of $1.175 million which will begin next season (whenever it starts). One of the determining factors in returning to school instead of turning pro last summer when the Jets offered the opportunity to do so was the There have been several college players – including teammate Nick chance to win another collegiate championship. Wolff (with the Boston Bruins) – who have signed entry-level deals during the past couple of weeks. The situation was similar to when Tucker Poolman returned to the University of North Dakota for his junior season so he could play That led to questions about when Samberg might actually join those alongside his brother Colton, even though some believed he was departing for the pro ranks. talented enough to turn pro. Some worried that Samberg may not sign during the offseason and The Bulldogs took the morning skate on Mar. 12 in preparation for the instead head back to school for his senior season. NCHC Tournament when word came down that the event was canceled. With that concern alleviated, the narrative can now turn toward whether “We saw the NBA suspended their season, so that put a little doubt in my or not Samberg will be challenging for a spot on the NHL roster or if he mind,” Samberg said. “After the skate, guys were checking their phones could use some seasoning in the American Hockey League with the and seeing the season was done. We were like ‘what?’ . “It didn’t even feel real, to be honest. Just kind of in shock. The best time The answer to where Samberg slots within the Jets organization is a of the year is the postseason, especially when we were heating up. It tricky one because of the many unknowns. feels like it’s been taken away from us.” Even with all of the turnover on the Jets’ blueline this season, what In the final game that was played this season, Samberg chipped in four happens in free agency or via trade could ultimately dictate where assists in a 6-1 win over the St. Cloud State Huskies, an impressive total Samberg begins his pro career. as the Bulldogs enjoyed senior night. The answer won’t truly be known for some time, but what does Bulldogs “That was good, but it’s tough when you don’t know that it’s your last head coach Scott Sandelin think? game and it just kind of ends like that,” Samberg said. “It’s kind of a weird “He’s close,” Sandelin said during a recent telephone interview before the feeling.” signing. “There’s still probably going to be a learning curve, but he’s These are unprecedented times for everyone, so it’s understandable that further along now and the situation now might be better than it was a a young athlete would be dealing with a plethora of emotions after seeing year ago.” his season cut short. Minnesota Duluth Samberg is coming off a strong season with the Bulldogs, producing One thing is clear, no matter when he arrives, Samberg’s combination of career-highs in both assists (20) and points (21). size and puck-moving ability is something that’s going to bolster the back His secret to success – especially during the second half – was all about end. getting back to basics. “The bigger the games, the better he is,” Sandelin said. “That’s what I’ve “I simplified the game and didn’t try to do anything out of the ordinary. I always seen of him.” just stuck to what I know best,” Samberg said. “Just got pucks moving Aside from two championship runs with the Bulldogs, Sandelin also north. I contributed more on the offensive side of the game. That part is witnessed Samberg raise his game when he was coaching the where I excelled. defenceman on Team USA at the World Junior Hockey Championship “I loved it here in Duluth. This is not the way you wanted to end it. We (Sandelin was an assistant in 2018 and the head coach in 2019). wanted to go for another one, but at this point, I guess we’re still Samberg’s winning pedigree also includes consecutive Minnesota High technically the defending champions.” School State Championships with the Hermantown High in 2016 and Sandelin saw improvement for Samberg during the second half. 2017. Chosen in the second round of the 2017 NHL Draft, Samberg has taken “He’s been a big part of all those teams,” Jets general manager Kevin great strides with his game and Sandelin noticed the benefits of him Cheveldayoff said during a conference call on Tuesday afternoon. returning for his junior season when some folks wondered what he had “He’s a guy that knows how to win. He’s been part of organizations that left to prove at the NCAA level. have won. He’s developed a tremendous amount physically over the “He’s a good defender and he’s got a lot of poise. The biggest thing in course of time since we drafted him, and obviously he’s developed him coming back this year was to develop a little more consistency in mentally, as well. He’s the type of player that is certainly ready to turn everything that he was doing,” Sandelin said. “I don’t blame him for that, pro.” that’s what college is for. We want him to emerge to be a physical presence and that’s what I saw during the second half. “When he plays that way, he’s more engaged in the game and he’s a better player. That’s how he needs to play.”

The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173461 Winnipeg Jets For a time, I used the Koho Revolution sticks that featured the black and yellow colours of the Penguins.

One of my favourite Christmas presents ever was the pair of Cooper My favourite player: Mario Lemieux hockey gloves with the swirl that Lemieux wore. After unwrapping those gloves, my dad and I headed out for a skate on the outdoor rink in my hometown of Altona, and that moment is etched in By Ken Wiebe my memory. Apr 7, 2020 The Penguins weren’t on TV much in Manitoba back in those days, but it didn’t matter.

I would follow Lemieux as closely as I could through The Hockey News The elevator door opened on the event level at Consol Energy Center, magazines I would peruse in the school library. and as I turned to my left, I was transported to my youth. When a new set of hockey cards came out, I could not wait to buy a few It was Feb. 27, 2016, and the original purpose of my trip was a quick visit packages, wondering how long it would take to secure Lemieux’s latest. with Winkler, Man., product Eric Fehr, who was rehabbing from an injury. There were no immediate reactions on Twitter in those days, but that As I looked up, walking toward me, still at a distance, was none other didn’t prevent the hotly contested debate over who the best player in the than Mario Lemieux. NHL was: Gretzky or Lemieux. These days, Lemieux is the owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins, but to me, It’s easy to see why that debate raged on for a long time. he’s always going to be my favourite hockey player. And don’t get me wrong; as someone who was fortunate enough to He’s one of the biggest reasons I wanted to make it to the NHL, long watch some of those dynastic Edmonton Oilers teams roll through before I figured out these not-so-soft hands were made for typing and not Winnipeg, I had an incredible appreciation for The Great One. scoring goals. Gretzky and his supporting cast (I loved the way Glenn Anderson My first interaction with Lemieux was brief but memorable. seemed to deliver in many critical moments) seemed to break the hearts The year was 1991. of Jets fans on an annual basis throughout the 1980s. Picture a 15-year-old sporting a crisp home white Penguins jersey with I had no issue with Gretzky, but I was drawn to Lemieux. No. 66 on the back, sitting three rows behind the bench at the old Seeing him endure back trouble and later undergo cancer treatment was Winnipeg Arena. tough, but watching his remarkable comeback was inspiring. My father, Ken Wiebe Sr., was able to secure tickets from his workplace What he did during the 2000-01 campaign borders on unbelievable. for several Winnipeg Jets games every year, and this was one of those times. After sitting out for three full seasons, Lemieux came back and averaged nearly two points per game and was a point-per-game player during the And for those of you who are too young to remember, having Lemieux Stanley Cup playoffs. suit up for a game in Winnipeg wasn’t a frequent occurrence — not even during his prime. Fairly early in my career as a sports writer, I was going to Pittsburgh to do a story on phenom Sidney Crosby, who had been the star of the show With that in mind, my dad assured me we would arrive in time for the the winter prior for Canada’s world junior hockey team that trained in pregame warmup, which was part of our routine but even more important Winnipeg and captured a gold medal in Grand Forks, N.D. on this day. This was in 2006, and I had never been to The Igloo. My jersey first caught the attention of Badger Bob Johnson, who smiled and nodded with approval. One of the bonuses of that trip was the opportunity to see Lemieux play live one final time — and perhaps I might be lucky enough to score a At some point during a break in the action, Lemieux noticed the young quote from him about Crosby, who was living with the Lemieuxs at the fan sporting his team’s colours and said, “Nice jersey.” time. It makes me laugh out loud to think back to that moment, but it’s Alas, Lemieux’s health deteriorated in the weeks leading up to my visit precisely what went through my mind years later when Lemieux came and he never played another NHL game. into focus inside the bowels of The Arena That Mario Built. Long before his career came to a premature end, though, Lemieux was a I was no longer in sports reporter mode, though I tried to use my instincts first-ballot Hall of Famer to a young boy from Southern Manitoba. to quickly decipher whether I would stop and say something or simply let the moment pass. Don’t get me wrong; I wasn’t in teenage autograph-seeker mode, either. The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 But knowing what kind of impact a small moment had on me so many years ago, I politely stopped Lemieux, extended my hand and introduced myself. He couldn’t have been more generous with his time, even if it was only a couple of minutes. I quickly relayed the story to him and told him how much I appreciated it back then — and still do now. He smiled and thanked me for sharing it with him. Lemieux prefers to stay out of the spotlight, and that’s by design. It was probably one of the many reasons I was drawn to him as a player. His skill was undeniable, but it was the graceful stride and the smooth hands that were so much fun to watch. His passing had a certain elegance to it, yet his shot had a ferocity to it. I was 12 when Wayne Gretzky left a drop pass for Lemieux before he scored the series-clinching goal of the Canada Cup. A few years later, Lemieux would score a couple of highlight-reel markers that were downright extraordinary — including one in which he undressed Hall of Famer Ray Bourque and another in which he danced through what seemed like the entire Minnesota North Stars squad before beating Jon Casey with a backhand in the Stanley Cup final. 1173462 Winnipeg Jets 9.5 9.6

9.7 Wheeler: Every lottery team’s biggest need at the 2020 NHL Draft 2.8

26.1 By Scott Wheeler 34 Apr 7, 2020 8.3

Anaheim Ducks If there were a bracket for hockey clichés, one declaration made by NHL teams leading up to — and after — the draft would have to be a 8.5 contender for the title. 8.7 “We’re going to take the best player available,” they say in the days and weeks before draft day. 8.9 “He was the best player on our board,” they say in the days and weeks 8.4 after draft day. 34.5 It’s used so often that it has become synonymous with the entire process. 26.7 BPA, baby. BPA. 4.3 But we know that it’s layered in half-truths or excuses. Because, every so New Jersey Devils often, we get a glimpse into the roundabout ways that teams talk themselves into going certain directions. 7.5 “If all else is equal, we’ll go with a centre,” they’ll say. 7.8 “All else was equal, so we took the defenceman,” they’ll say. 8 And while we know that players can’t possibly be created equal (they’re 16.3 too dynamic, too different), it’s a debate that has at least some merit. It’s not hard to understand why teams prefer centres or defencemen to 38.9 wingers. Just like it’s not hard to understand how teams have made mistakes in that pursuit. Rightly or wrongly, when NHL teams feel a void 19.4 needs to be filled, some talk themselves into filling it. 2.1 So what might the 2020 NHL Draft look like, if every team drafted for Buffalo Sabres need? 6.5 Here, through an analysis of the prospect pools of each lottery team, I tried to answer that question for the first 15 picks of the draft. 6.8 For this exercise, I didn’t pretend to know how the NHL season was 7.1 going to end, whether the lottery system was going to be altered, or how many teams were going to participate in a hypothetical playoffs. Instead, 26 the order here is sorted by points percentage according to the standings 39.5 at the point of postponement. 13.1 Here’s where each team’s odds stand under the lottery format the NHL had originally instituted for 2020: 1 Detroit Red Wings Montreal Canadiens 18.5 6 16.5 6.3 14.4 6.7 50.6 36.8 Ottawa Senators 36 13.5 7.8 13 0.4 12.3 Chicago Blackhawks 33.3 5 27.9 5.3 Ottawa Senators 5.7 11.5 48.8 11.3 30.7 11.1 4.3 13.2 0.1 37.7 New Jersey Devils 15.2 3.5 Los Angeles Kings 3.8 4.1 is every team's preference in this scenario, there's a reasonable argument to be made that the Red Wings pool is deeper at centre (three 60.5 of their top prospects have all played the position in Joe Veleno, Michael 25.7 Rasmussen and Robert Mastrosimone) than at wing (where Jonatan Berggren and Ethan Phillips are probably the only prospects with top- 2.4 nine potential). >0.0 Alternate scenario: If the Red Wings slip to fourth overall (the most likely outcome), you can probably rule out top-ranked defenceman Jamie Minnesota Wild Drysdale, if need is a leading factor, given the strength they already boast at the position in their system with Moritz Seider, Jared McIsaac 3 and Antti Tuomisto. The Red Wings' need for a first-line forward is 3.3 greater than that for a top defenceman at this point. Though a centre like Marco Rossi would definitely be in the mix at fourth overall, the Red 3.6 Wings are likely one of the teams near the top of the draft that are most likely to target a winger like Lucas Raymond in that spot, or a hybrid 69.6 player with experience at both positions like Tim Stützle. Without 19.4 Lafreniere, their rebuild also probably has a longer timeline and NHL readiness becomes less of a factor (another reason Raymond may be a 1.1 good fit for Detroit). >0.0 2/3. Ottawa Senators Winnipeg Jets Position of need: Centre, then wing 2.5 Picks: C Quinton Byfield, then RW Lucas Raymond (or C/LW Tim Stützle) 2.7 The Senators are in an interesting spot as an organization these days in 3 that their two glaring holes – a first-line centre and a future starting goalie 78 – are the two biggest holes an organization can have. Though they have excellent depth in their prospect pool at centre with Josh Norris, Shane 13.3 Pinto and Logan Brown, their first target in this draft will be one of the top centres. At second overall, I'd be shocked if they didn't take Byfield. 0.4 Things would get interesting with No. 3 though, because while the >0.0 aforementioned depth at centre has an obvious hole at 1C, it may give them enough reason to take a winger at No. 3, given how nicely Norris New York Rangers and Pinto likely fit in as a 2/3C combination. As with the Red Wings before them, given the Senators' strong depth on defence (see: Erik 2 Brannstrom, Lassi Thomson, Jacob Bernard-Docker and Thomas Chabot), I doubt Drysdale would be an option at third overall. Instead, if 2.2 the Senators are looking to address a need, adding a high-skill line- 2.4 driving winger like Raymond to help insulate Drake Batherson at the right-wing position may be their play sooner than adding Stützle 85.5 underneath Brady Tkachuk at left-wing. I could see this going either way but for this exercise and with handedness in mind, I'll go with the 7.8 Senators taking Raymond in this scenario. Though that could go either 0.1 direction, the Sens are almost completely devoid of talented right-shot wingers these days. Florida Panthers Alternate scenario: If the lottery balls for both picks don't bounce in 1.5 Ottawa's favour, I think the outcome, position-wise, is likely the same, even if the players aren't. They probably take a centre first, with Rossi or 1.7 Stützle as the likeliest options, followed by a winger, with Raymond (if 1.8 he's available) as the likely follow-up. No matter how it goes, the Sens are in a can't lose scenario. 91.8 4. Los Angeles Kings 3.2 Position of need: Defence Columbus Blue Jackets Pick: RHD Jamie Drysdale 1 The Kings are the team best positioned to go the BPA route because 1.1 they've built the top prospect pool in the league. But if there's one position they're least likely to feel pressure to fill, it will be at centre. Alex 1.2 Turcotte, Gabe Vilardi, Akil Thomas, Tyler Madden, Rasmus Kupari and Aidan Dudas give them unrivalled prospect pool depth down the middle, 96.7 as well as options to switch to the wing and join high-end scorers like Note 1: Though my focus was on the needs of the prospect pool and not Arthur Kaliyev and Samuel Fagemo on the wing depth chart. The latter the NHL roster (due to the uncertainty of where Team X will be in two or two may also make them reluctant to go after another scoring winger like three years when Player Y is ready), I did factor in NHL lineups when Holtz. And though they have some options coming on defence in players considering the needs of the teams closer to the top of the draft, given like Tobias Bjornfot and Jordan Spence, none rise to the level of the proximity of some of the projected top picks to the NHL. Drysdale as a potential No. 1 defenceman. If the Kings don't win the lottery and Drysdale is available, I suspect he's their most likely pick as a Note 2: Remember, these are not the picks I would make but rather result. those I believe to be the most likely in the various scenarios based strictly off of need. My final top 100 ranking for the 2020 draft drops in May. Until Alternate scenario: If they fall, say, to pick No. 6 or No. 7, and Drysdale is then, you can refer to my midseason top 62 for my analysis of the players off the board, they probably go the wing route before the centre route, so in question. you're probably looking at Stützle if he's still on the board (his playmaking ability would fit with someone like Fagemo or Kaliyev nicely) or Cole 1. Detroit Red Wings Perfetti. If the Kings slip, I wouldn't be shocked if they were one of the teams that considered targeting star goalie prospect Yaroslav Askarov, Position of need: Forward either. That would really solidify them at every position. While Askarov's Pick: LW Alexis Lafreniere selection is harder to predict given how rarely goalies go in the top 10, he starts to be a wild card for a team like the Kings, especially if they can't This is the one spot where this exercise is redundant. Lafreniere's going land Drysdale. first overall, so position won't play a factor. And though a first-line centre 5. Anaheim Ducks Alternate scenario: As with the Sabres, I wonder if the outcome is the same even if the Canadiens win the third lottery pick. They'll take Byfield Position of need: Goal-scoring wingers and right-handed defencemen if they land the No. 2 pick but it's probably Rossi (or Stützle) even if they Pick: RW/LW Alexander Holtz land No. 3. The real danger is if they fall because it probably means they don't get any of the above. The Canadiens are right on that brink, odds- My top-five Ducks D prospects all shoot left, so the right-handed wise, where the results of the lottery could have a serious impact. The Drysdale would be a perfect fit for Anaheim's system. With Drysdale off teams ahead of them are going to end up with an A-level prospect in a the board though, they probably look where the teams ahead of them position of need even if they fall a spot or two. If you're a Habs fan, you haven't: for a winger with finish to play alongside playmaking centres like should be celebrating if they end up with No. 8, because the outcomes a Trevor Zegras and Sam Steel. Perfetti and Stützle are considerations pick or two lower could look drastically different. Finnish centre Anton here but Holtz's strength and goal-scoring acumen are probably too good Lundell is probably their next target if Rossi is off the board and they're a combination to pass up, given how perfectly they fit. picking ninth or tenth. Alternate scenario: Honestly, Holtz may still be available even if they fall. 9. Chicago Blackhawks The Ducks should be well-positioned to land one of the top wingers no matter what happens with their range of potential picks. Position of need: Forward and goalie 6. New Jersey Devils Pick: C Anton Lundell Position of need: Forward The Blackhawks pool skews heavily towards defencemen, so their pick will likely be one of the easier choices to predict across a variety of Pick: LW Cole Perfetti potential draft spots. In Adam Boqvist, Ian Mitchell, Nicolas Beaudin, Alec Regula and Ryan Shea they'll have a healthy competition among young Given that the Devils already boast one left shot and one right shot high- defencemen for NHL spots. A couple of those kids are destined to rise to end D prospect (the lefty Ty Smith and the righty Reilly Walsh, as well as the top of that crop. But outside of Evan Barrett and Philipp Kurashev, a plethora of lower-end D prospects who project further down the lineup), things really thin out at forward, especially given the volatility in the they'll almost surely take a forward with this pick once Drysdale is off the scouting community's opinion of Mackenzie Entwistle and Michal Teply. board. Though the Devils have enviable depth at forward in their Lundell makes a lot of sense here. He's a top-five pick in most drafts but prospect pool, the Tyce Thompsons and Joey Andersons of the world he seems to have become a bit of an afterthought relative to the eight aren't game-breakers. Because that will be available with this pick, they'll players taken ahead of him here. He could provide major value as a high- likely leap at the opportunity. At this point, we're entering into some pretty end 2C, adding more size and skill to go along with Dylan Strome and interesting territory because while Rossi and Stützle are probably the Kirby Dach as the Blackhawks' potential top nine centres for the post- best players available here, it almost feels like they could continue to fall Toews era. if I'm being honest. Stützle's elite speed and pass-first approach sound a lot like Jack Hughes, and taking Rossi, the centre, could create a Alternate scenario: The Blackhawks don't have a single goalie in their crowded depth chart down the middle with Hughes and Nico Hischier. prospect pool that I like, so they are among the teams that could take the Perfetti's blend of stickhandling skill, shot creation and game-breaking Askarov plunge. That becomes more likely if a couple of teams behind talent as a finisher might make him a more natural fit as their future first- them win the lottery and they end up selecting 10th or 11th. line winger and a goal-scorer for a power play that already boasts pass- always players like Hughes and Nikita Gusev. 10. New Jersey Devils Alternate scenario: If two or three teams behind the Devils win the lottery Position of need: Forward and they slide back, they could, like the Ducks before them, still be well- Pick: RW Jack Quinn positioned to land Perfetti. This is where things are going to go completely off the rails, draft boards 7. Buffalo Sabres are going to look dramatically different and need is likely to go from a Position of need: Playmaking winger or high-end defenceman factor to the factor in a decision. Given the obvious ties/trust between the Devils and the Ottawa 67's, as well as New Jersey's continued need for Pick: C/LW Tim Stützle (or RW Lucas Raymond if the Senators picked scorers even after taking Perfetti at No. 6, Quinn, one of the best goal Stützle) scorers in the draft and one of the lone 50-goal scorers of the CHL's 2019-2020 season, seems like an obvious choice. Half of the 67's are The Sabres prospect pool could really use a defenceman but if Drysdale already Devils property, what's one more? He'll likely still be available if is gone, it's probably too high to reach so far for a need that you take the the Devils slip a spot or two here as well. next-best defender on your board. But luckily for the Sabres, the stars have aligned and exactly the kind of player the team is looking for up Alternate scenario: The other potential outcome here might be the most front should be available. After taking centre Dylan Cozens last year as interesting because this pick was acquired from the Coyotes and it's the future 2C to Jack Eichel, the Sabres look for someone who can play lottery protected. The Coyotes would likely be wise to take Lafreniere or with Eichel's pace and get him the puck. Stützle is the perfect pick and Byfield at No. 1 and No. 2, but I'd bank on them taking a centre (ie. Rossi the Sabres get a luck best-case scenario outcome for the second year or Stützle) if they land the third pick. They've got depth at wing, a top D running. If that second Senators pick were Stützle, I think everything that prospect in Victor Soderstrom, but very little on the way down the middle follows plays out the same way and the Sabres may get lucky with outside of John Farinacci, who is years away and tops out as a middle- Raymond, who would also fit in nicely with Eichel. Either way, the Sabres six option. probably end up with an excellent outcome at pick No. 7, given the team preferences ahead of them. 11. Minnesota Wild Alternate scenario: What's fascinating about the way this might play out Position of need: Defence for the Sabres is that even if they win, say, the third lottery pick, I still Pick: LHD Jake Sanderson think the player they end up with at No. 7 may be the same they pick if they win it. I do believe, accounting for need, that Stützle stands a good The top six Wild prospects in my midseason pool rankings were all chance of being their guy at No. 3, as well. forwards, so this shouldn't surprise you. Though the Wild have learned the drafting-for-need lesson the hard way with Filip Johansson, there will 8. Montreal Canadiens be a reasonable argument for a defenceman as the BPA in this slot and Position of need: First-line centre there's an obvious void in the pool at the position. Though I think the second defenceman off the board could be several different defencemen, Pick: C Marco Rossi Sanderson is the frontrunner for most scouts and the Wild went to the ole' NTDP well successfully with both and Marshall The Canadiens have serious depth on the way on the back end, one of Warren last year. Sanderson's not going to be the No. 1 D they'll the game's top wing prospects and a plethora of long-shot middle-six desperately need in a few years but there isn't one available here and forwards with lots of puck skill. But they lack a true No. 1 centre and he's got a chance to be an excellent second pairing option. Plus he's got given the needs of the teams in front of them, they may end up laughing a July birthday so we may see a steeper incline in his progression their way off the stage (or the conference call ...) for the second year in a moving forward than in most other kids. An Askarov pick wouldn't shock row, with a gem. There are scenarios where Rossi is probably long gone me here either, even though the Wild clearly have some belief in Hunter (if the Senators don't get Byfield, for example) but this one may well Jones and Filip Lindberg has shown some promise at UMass. result in a no-brainer -- and a -- for the Habs. I'd be surprised if they considered anyone else here, honestly. I'd watch a power play with Alternate scenario: The Wild are probably one of the teams most likely to Marco Rossi, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. take Drysdale if they win the third overall pick. I wouldn't complain about that decision either, given what they have coming up front in Boldy, Kirill consider Askarov? I like Kirill Marchenko and Liam Foudy, as well as the Kaprizov and Alexander Khovanov. Blue Jackets' young core of NHL forwards, but the depth isn't so strong that it's reason enough to say "we don't need to go after a forward." And 12. Winnipeg Jets then there's almost nothing coming on the back end. So I went with some Position of need: Right-handed defenceman or centre combination of prospect-who-is-universally liked and would represent a value pick relative to my board. Pick: RHD Braden Schneider Alternate scenario: Let's face it, they're probably not moving up. The Jets aren't likely to take a left-handed D due to the depth Ville Heinola, Dylan Samberg and Declan Chisholm may provide at the Though there are a few teams I highlighted as likely to give Askarov position. They also have one of the best goalies on the planet locked up legitimate consideration, he wasn't actually picked here. That either for four more years, with one of the best young goalies in the AHL as speaks to the uncertainty that comes with picking a goalie in this range or insulation. But they're running low on right-handed D prospects (Leon my cowardice. Probably the latter, honestly. He's going to be the big Gawanke and Jonathan Kovacevic are fine but they aren't going to move disrupter in the first round and I'd put better than 50/50 odds on him the needle long term) and forward prospects, where, outside of Kristian going in the top 15, so that could really shake things up. Vesalainen and Jansen Harkins, their pool leaves a lot to be desired. There are going to be some darn good forwards available to playoff Given the depth the Jets already have up front, though, I suspect they're teams. After the big eight forwards go, there's that next tier with Zary, more likely to go after a right-shot D here than a forward. There are only Bourque, Mercer, Lapierre, Quinn, Holloway, Jarvis and Mysak. More three defencemen who have enough of a track record and notoriety to fit than half of that list is basically guaranteed to be available in the second the bill: long, late-birthday CHL defencemen Braden Schneider and half of the first round – and that's without any mention in this piece of wild Justin Barron, as well as SuperElit standout Helge Grans. The latter two cards like Noel Gunler, Rodion Amirov and Zion Nybeck, who I adore but have become a little volatile in the scouting world, while Schneider I suspect will end up slipping further than they should. provides a safer projection as a worthwhile pick at 12th overall. The needs of the teams that will be looking for defencemen tend to skew If they go the centre route (the Jets' organizational depth at wing is at a towards righties (shocking, I know), so there could be real value found in lot stronger than it is down the middle) then WHL star Connor Zary, and some favourites of mine that didn't get a nod here, including the QMJHL standouts Dawson Mercer, Mavrik Bourque and Hendrix Lapierre diminutive Emil Andrae, Jeremie Poirier and Lukas Cormier. Lefty Kaiden will likely get serious consideration. Guhle, who I have had in the 25-40 range of late, is another defender I Alternate scenario: If they end up with No. 1 or No. 2, it'll go how we continue to hear a lot of good things about from other scouts. It wouldn't expect it to. At No. 3, Rossi or Drysdale would fill the holes best. Rossi shock me if he's taken ahead of Sanderson or Schneider at this point. also gives a team like the Jets, who still have a chance to contend in the west for the next few years, another top-nine option as early as next season. That matters to them and could give Rossi the edge of Drysdale, The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 especially given the cap relief Rossi would provide to a Jets team that desperately needs cheap depth now. 13. New York Rangers Position of need: Forward Pick: LW Dylan Holloway The Rangers are the last team that's going to say, "You know what we need more of? Good young defencemen and goalies?" As such, you can all but pencil them in for a forward here. I don't think the position of the forward will be of particular concern to them. They've got Vitali Kravtsov coming on the wing and Morgan Barron as a potential third-line centre but they're not a position to be picky up front. Holloway's speed and physical traits would give their pool a different element, one that players like Kravtsov, Lauri Pajuniemi, Karl Henriksson and Leevi Aaltonen tend to lack. They would've got a good look at him while scouting and evaluating K'Andre Miller at the University of Wisconsin this year, as well. Alternate scenario: As mentioned above, once this draft leaves single digits, there's going to be a lot of volatility. Other forward names to do some research on if you're a Rangers fan: Dawson Mercer, Hendrix Lapierre, Connor Zary, Seth Jarvis and maybe even Jan Mysak. 14. Florida Panthers Position of need: Centre or right-handed defenceman Pick: C Connor Zary The Panthers have arguably the top drafted goalie prospect in the world and a plethora of future options at LHD, RW and LW, but their cupboards are virtually empty at C and RHD. I suspect they're one of the teams most likely to draft for need as a result. And while the aforementioned Grans and Barron could be options here if they go the D route, I suspect they're more likely to go with a centre given the strength of the available players down the middle. Alternate scenario: Zary's tenacious blend of speed and skill made the most sense for me relative to the direction the Panthers have gone with other recent picks. He turned many scouts into believers this year. But if it's not him, I'd bank on it being one of Mercer, Lapierre, Jarvis or Bourque. I think the Panthers will be in a good position to take a talented centre no matter where the lottery balls land for them. 15. Columbus Blue Jackets Position of need: Everything Pick: C/RW Dawson Mercer (?) They've got arguably the worst prospect pool in hockey. There's no one need that I can to point to and say "the Blue Jackets are likely to go in this direction." Even though I like Veini Vehvilainen and Daniil Tarasov as potential NHL goalies, neither are going to be a starter, so maybe they 1173463 Vancouver Canucks Beagle between Tyler Motte and Brandon Sutter has been effective — can tip the scales on any night.

However, in a 3-2 loss to the Oilers on Dec. 1 at Rogers Arena, Draisaitl Ben Kuzma: Dare to dream about a Canucks-Oilers playoff matchup struck twice on the power play, McDavid had two assists and won 58 per cent of his draws. Horvat struggled in the circle matchup and went just 8- for-21 (33 per cent). BEN KUZMA So, how could the Canucks author the upset? April 7, 2020 3:37 PM PDT They would have to live up to their second overall ranking in faceoffs and fourth rating on the power play, but the 16th-ranked penalty kill would have to pressure better. The Canucks have the edge in goal with Jacob Frustrating superstar Connor McDavid would be key to series. Markstrom and would benefit from J.T. Miller’s career season, leadership and playoff pedigree. Imagine a time crunch and awarding playoff positions based on points percentage. Canucks would be No. 3 seed and face favoured No. 2 There’s an X-factor in Pearson, who had a goal and 11 shots in the Oilers. season opener, youthful exuberance in Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser, and playmaking magician in Calder Trophy contender Hughes. Let there be levity and logic. Is all that enough? Amid incredible angst over the life-changing and life-threatening coronavirus pandemic — and the NHL’s appetite to somehow salvage its Outside of Vancouver, the answer is a resounding no. But within the city, season and bottom line by formulating a post-season format to award the we know this much — it would be interesting to see how the Oilers Stanley Cup in August — faithful followers of the Vancouver Canucks handle the tremendous pressure. And that’s where fans can dare to require a reporting pause for the sports-enjoyment cause. dream. They need to dream of a summer day at the beach and playoff hockey in Rogers Arena at night. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 04.08.2020 After all, supposed season-resumption news isn’t really news. It’s hope over lost-revenue fear. It’s optimism over growing pessimism that nobody really knows what the next weeks and months may bring. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman stated Tuesday that the league “can play into the summer, well into the summer.” He also said that neutral- site games in remote areas are possible to guard against COVID-19 and that he’ll have a better idea by the end of April of when the resumption switch could be flipped. Bettman also knows in a perfect world that the regular season would play out. It would force the Canucks to rally from the No. 9 conference hole. It would keep the Winnipeg Jets, who had won four straight games and were on a 6-3-1 roll before the March 12 season pause, in contention as the second wild-card club — instead of missing the post-season based on points percentage by a minuscule 0.001. But there might not be enough time to right that wrong. Even a 24-team playoff concept of a dozen clubs from each conference — including first-round byes, play-in and play-out rounds to get down to the customary post-season 16 teams — would be up against constraints to fit everything in under the normal two-month playoff window. Imagine the NHL having no choice but to award playoff positions based on points percentage. The Canucks would be the No. 3 seed in the Pacific Division and face the No. 2 Edmonton Oilers. The Jets would be out. The Canucks’ first post-season appearance in five years would be filled with anticipation because they would be underdogs — even though they went 2-2-0 in the season series against Edmonton. They limited the dynamic duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to a pair of assists in a 4-2 triumph at Rogers Arena on Dec. 23 in the clubs’ final meeting of the season. “We have a good team, we know it and we believe in ourselves,” rookie Quinn Hughes would say after scoring a power-play goal in the third period to provide a 3-2 lead, finishing with four shots and 10 attempts, and working with Chris Tanev to shut down McDavid and Draisaitl. “I’ve been watching 97 (McDavid) a long time and you’ve got to be careful what you ask for.” The series’ key would be to limit the damage. Draisaitl and McDavid led the NHL when the season was put on hold with 110 points (43-67) and 97 points (34-63), respectively. The Oilers also owned the top-ranked power play and second-ranked penalty kill, and McDavid was a beast in the faceoff circle against Bo Horvat. In the season opener Oct. 2 in Edmonton, the Oilers’ duo combined for four points and 18 shot attempts in a 3-2 win. However, the Canucks showed moxie in the next meeting at the end of a six-game road trip. A 5- 2 triumph at Rogers Place on Nov. 30 came with Horvat setting up the last three goals to snap a 2-2 tie, Tanner Pearson having four points (2- 2) and the penalty kill going 3-for-3. McDavid had two points (1-1) but committed four turnovers amid close scrutiny, and Draisaitl went pointless. Any matchup that forces the superstars to play in their own zone and get frustrated — a healthy Jay 1173464 Vancouver Canucks they’ve certainly been above-average on breakouts and that’s miles better than they could claim in years past.

We also see the same trend repeat itself as far as good puck-moving Zone exit data reveals Canucks are one of NHL’s most improved teams teams being the ones that are most likely to make the playoffs. Of the 11 at breakouts teams in the upper-right quadrant, 10 are either in or right on the cusp of a playoff position. On the other hand, just two of the eight teams in the lower-left quadrant are still prominently in the hunt for a playoff spot (Minnesota, Arizona) and neither would be in the postseason if it began By Harman Dayal today. Apr 7, 2020 Why do zone exits matter? While I haven’t done any rigorous testing to verify this, the zone exit In the modern NHL, one of the most important elements to a team’s results we’ve analyzed here show a strong correlation between teams success is their ability to proficiently move the puck up ice. that break out well and those that are primed for the playoffs. A team that consistently excels on breakouts spends less time stuck in This logic makes intuitive sense, but there’s research out there to further their own zone, retains possession of the puck and generally controls the explain why. flow of play. With failed zone exits, for example, an analysis of Sznajder’s database We know breakouts are crucial, but it’s often difficult to compare teams by Alex Novet revealed that 24 percent of 5-on-5 goals scored came after because microstats for transitional data like defensive zone exits or the opposition had possession but failed to exit the defensive zone. This offensive zone entries have to be manually tracked. is fairly obvious – defensive turnovers are killer – but it’s nice to have evidence of just how drastically it can tip the scales. Thanks to the work of analyst Corey Sznajder, who’s tracked thousands of NHL games, we can get some insight into these areas and it turns out This was a particularly notorious problem for the Canucks last season breakouts have been a major problem for the Canucks in years past. and there was actually a point where I tracked a sample of goals against Two seasons ago, Vancouver ranked as the second-worst team in the in January of 2019 and determined that nearly half of Vancouver’s 5-on-5 NHL at breaking the puck out of their zone with possession of the puck. goals against in that month originated from either a turnover or icing. Obviously, this is a smaller timeframe where that failed exits issue was Last year’s results weren’t much better. magnified and exaggerated, but it’s proof of how damaging it was at points in the campaign. The chart above shows how often each team was able to exit their defensive zone with puck possession (either by skating it out or passing) Sample of goals against from Jan 1-22 in the 2018-19 season with the average team clicking at 38.5 percent. Vancouver, meanwhile, was 28th in the league with a possession exit rate of just 34.6 percent. Those issues haven’t persisted this year as turnovers cost the Canucks drastically fewer goals this time around than in the year prior. It’s It bears mentioning that Corey doesn’t track every game (he’s got a unfortunate that deterioration in other areas, like rush defence, offset sample of 30 Canucks games from 2018-19), but because there are so what they gained from reduced turnovers because Vancouver could have many breakouts in a game, research has shown that it usually takes just otherwise seen better defensive results. It’s pretty scary to imagine how 15-20 games for this data to stabilize. In other words, while these porous the team would have been in their own end had they turned numbers don’t account for every game, we’ve got a large enough sample pucks over as often as they did last year. (almost 2700 zone exit attempts for the Canucks) that it’s going to be reflective of the team’s overall ability to some degree. Of course, it isn’t just about getting out of the zone period – consistently doing so with possession is also immensely important. Through this lens, we can establish that the Canucks had trouble exiting their own zone with possession – they were going glass and out or Analysis by Novet shows that when you break the puck out of your otherwise clearing it without being able to keep the puck. Some teams go defensive end by skating it out or making an outlet pass, you’re able to with a safer approach on this front to minimize turnovers, but we can see then enter the offensive zone (through either a dump-in or controlled that the Canucks were also below-average at cutting down on defensive entry) almost nine times out of 10. When you dump/clear the puck out, turnovers. however, the opposing team gains possession in the neutral area and re- enters your zone more than three-quarters of the time. The Canucks were bottom-third in the NHL at managing the puck on breakouts, as 23.2 percent of their exit attempts failed to leave the Clearing or dumping the puck out of your end is obviously preferable to defensive zone because of either turnovers or icings. turning it over and in some cases, the safer play is the better one, but it’s way better in most scenarios if you can ensure your team keeps When you combine Vancouver’s reliance on clearances and off the glass possession on the exit attempt. A team that can regularly orchestrate exits with their high rate of turnovers, you’ll note that they were clearly possession exits will spend much less time defending in their own zone. among the league’s bottom tier at breaking the puck out. All considered, zone exits really matter and that’s a great thing to hear for In the visualization above, teams in the upper-right quadrant owned a a Canucks team that is close to doing a complete 180 from the days high possession exit rate and a low turnover clip — they were the best where they were one of the NHL’s worst in this department. puck movers. You’ll notice that nine of the 12 teams in that quadrant made the playoffs last year. Stay tuned for the follow-up article where we’ll examine how Vancouver made this improvement while also analyzing individual players’ numbers. If you’re in the bottom-left quadrant, meanwhile, your club turned the puck over a lot and also struggled to breakout with possession. In this quadrant, just three (Pittsburgh, Dallas, New York) of the nine teams The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 qualified for the postseason. There’s an obvious link between teams that do a good job breaking the puck out and those that made it to the playoffs. Like any stat, it doesn’t tell the complete story of a team, but it’s a useful indicator of how well they perform in an important part of the game. From the Canucks’ perspective, you can see that they’re situated in the bottom-left quadrant – this was a weakness for them in 2018-19. There are many areas where the Canucks have taken a step forward this season and breakouts are among them. In the 20 games we have access to this season (15 tracked by Corey, 5 by myself), we can see that the Canucks’ zone exit data is much more promising. Their possession exit clip has rocketed up to 40.9 percent (from 28th to 15th) while their fail rate of 20.2 percent is fifth-best in the NHL. I wouldn’t characterize the Canucks as a top puck-moving team yet because their possession exit rate is right around league-average, but 1173465 Websites First of all, sources suggest North Dakota was mentioned internally a few weeks ago along with several other neutral sites as the league spit-balled different scenarios and different neutral sites. The Athletic / LeBrun: Non-playoff teams using time wisely, one city But most importantly, I’m told it is very unlikely the NHL would consider playoff format unlikely going to one site only if it is forced to go the centralized route. That’s because the NHL doesn’t believe a single location would work for its purposes. By Pierre LeBrun It could be four cities for 16 teams as we’ve reported before, or two locations, provided they each had two rinks apiece which the NHL could Apr 7, 2020 utilize. It could even be eight cities. All kinds of scenarios are being discussed but there is no formal plan at this point. It’s all in the very early stages of discussion. Last Saturday marked what was supposed to have been the last day of the NHL’s regular season had COVID-19 not come crashing down on us. But if the NHL is forced by the realities of the ongoing coronavirus threat to centralize its season resumption this summer, the only certainty as this Whether or not there will be a season resumption remains up in the air, point is the desire to have more than one location involved. but some non-playoff teams have made the wise decision to move on with player evaluations and individual player interviews. I thought colleague Scott Burnside had a really interesting take on the centralized format idea this week. I mean, why not? There’s been an ongoing discussion within the NHL Players’ Association The Anaheim Ducks, for example, have already started player exit about what to do with the players’ final paycheque, which is scheduled to interviews. be deposited into the players’ bank accounts on April 15. “Where our organization is, we have to make adjustments for next year, The debate among players has been whether to forgo their final and I want to talk to my players while it’s still fresh in their minds – what paycheque to start paying down the money they’re going to owe the went on this year,’’ Ducks GM Bob Murray said over the phone on owners in escrow. With the season interrupted and the overall Tuesday from Anaheim. hammering pro sports is taking due to the pause, the players are facing major paybacks next year. “If it gets too far down the road, it’s not going to be fresh. It’s going to be distant.’’ One argument is, if the players are going to owe a large sum due to escrow, why not start now? The counter-argument is to keep the And Murray also notes that the players have welcomed the chats. paycheques and worry about the rest later, especially when nobody is in They’ve got oodles of idle time on their hands and Murray has found his a position to say for sure if next season will start on time, never mind conversations with players have been terrific. whether this season will be resumed. “I spoke with Rickard Rakell today and it was two and a half hours, and it It’s a tough call for players. There was an executive board conference was outstanding,’’ Murray said of his player exit call with the Swedish call over the weekend (player reps), plus the NHLPA has been busy with forward. individual team calls discussing the issue. Maybe it’s therapeutic for everyone involved just to be talking hockey It’s very similar to the way players can be on the opposite side of the right now given what’s going on in the world. growth factor debate every year when it comes to the salary cap Either way, it’s a smart use of everyone’s time for teams that are calculation. Players on expiring contracts always want the highest obviously out of the playoff picture, such as Anaheim. Sure, the Ducks possible cap. Players on long-term deals would rather see the lowest may be asked to come back this summer and play some regular-season possible cap to mitigate escrow. games. But a handful of regular-season games isn’t going to change the In any case, there’s another executive board conference call set for narrative in these player evaluations and exit meetings for the Ducks. Wednesday at which point a decision should be made. With 85 percent of the regular season played, the Ducks have a picture of their team. If the players decide to give away the entirety of their last paycheque, you’re looking at about $140 million back into the system. Of course, they “I think it’s important for me and our players to talk about it now, we got to could decide to make it 50 percent or keep it at the current 14 percent get better next year, and it’s good for them to talk about it now,’’ Murray escrow rate. said. In the bigger NHL picture, I go back to what I wrote last week, about the What some other non-playoff teams are doing: CBA and potential (needed) labour peace long term as a way for the San Jose is having player “update’’ calls. It’s not just an evaluation of players and owners to help steer through the turbulent times which lie their season but also in the event there’s a season resumption, it will help ahead for their business. Freeze the cap for three years, freeze escrow, the players prepare for that. there are longer-term solutions needed here. Los Angeles has started the review process with coaches but hasn’t One team executive last week suggested to me that one idea that’s begun player interviews yet. floating around is freezing the salary cap at $82.5 million for the next few years, so just a $1-million raise from the current $81.5 million. But that New Jersey coaches are working on player evaluations for would still be significant given the expected losses in Hockey Related coach/manager meetings which will be held at some point. No player exit Revenue over the next year or two. Or three. meetings have been scheduled at this point.

Buffalo has more player evaluation meetings this week with coaches, then the Sabres will have (virtual) “development meetings’’ with the The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 players, but not exit meetings. The Sabres want to keep everyone ready for all potential options. Some other non-playoff teams I checked with are either waiting for official word from the league before moving on to player exit interviews or are operating under the assumption the season will resume and thus, have put the player interviews on hold. And yes, for now, the NHL and NHL Players’ Association remain focused on resuming the season even if it means July-August hockey, as we’ve been saying for a couple of weeks now. There’s been some confusion out there after a report from my good friend Elliotte Friedman at Sportsnet suggesting North Dakota as a potential neutral site for NHL playoff games. For whatever reason, some people have taken that to mean the league would stage its entire tournament in North Dakota. This is not the case. 1173466 Websites There are lighting issues in many smaller buildings that would have to be addressed, another Canadian-based executive warned.

Shannon identified Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario, home of the The Athletic / What would a centralized NHL playoff tournament look OHL’s – a miniature Scotiabank Arena, where the Maple like? Leafs play – as a place with “great camera positions, great facilities, good logistics.”

Windsor, Ontario, has a terrific relatively new major junior hockey facility, By Scott Burnside as well. Apr 7, 2020 Both London and Windsor would make sense for travel given proximity to Toronto and Detroit.

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, has a facility that might work for this kind of Even before U.S. President Donald Trump gathered the leaders of the endeavor. continent’s biggest sports organizations for a conference call on Saturday, all those organizations were exploring options for what is next. Longtime Edmonton coach and GM Glen Sather might support having games in Banff and/or Jasper or even Lake Louise as those Alberta The NBA is looking at holding its entire postseason in Las Vegas, and mountain resort towns were often employed as training camp sites for the there have been similar discussions for the Premier League in England. Oilers and/or Team Canada squads prior to best-on-best international Even baseball has imagined what regular-season games might look like tournaments and would have the required infrastructure in terms of hotels concentrated in Florida or Arizona, as The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and restaurants. reported. Another longtime NHL player and executive with a strong connection to And in hockey, there have been discussions at various levels of the the U.S. college hockey world said that Boston University, Boston game about whether a centralized playoff tournament would work and College and the University of Minnesota could also be options if the what such a tournament would look like, with preliminary discussions desire was to go into smaller facilities. between the NHL and NHL Players’ association about having teams gather in areas that are deemed to have emerged from the critical parts It’s possible these non-NHL options would work for a play-in round if, as of the pandemic to – under strict supervision – play postseason hockey. many teams have lobbied for, there is an expanded playoff grid with up to 12 teams from each conference included in the postseason. But a lack of First, let’s make it clear that the NHL and the NHLPA are not in a position hotel space and practice facilities in some of these smaller locales would to rush this into reality. The NHL and NHLPA are taking cues from health likely prohibit them from hosting a four-team event. officials, elected officials, the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the U.S., and Health Canada in Canada. There is also the issue of technical staff to broadcast up to 14 games over a two-week period, assuming a best-of-seven format. But what logistics are involved in putting together a multi-city playoff tournament that would still maintain the integrity of the game and the A longtime producer who is based in the U.S. said he thinks, for a host of spirit of the playoffs? reasons – like staffing, technological infrastructure, external support like hotels, ease of travel – an event like this has to be held in an NHL One format discussed was having one host city for each of the four building. divisions with four teams from each division playing in each city to comprise a traditional 16-team playoff grid. Vegas has a couple of options, including T-Mobile Center and the Orleans Arena, where the team’s new AHL team is supposed to begin John Shannon, a veteran producer of NHL and international hockey play in the 2020-21 season. games, thinks the NHL and NHLPA are continuing to look at August as a window to resume not just playoff hockey but to play regular-season Dallas could. games before a postseason. And with the 2020 summer Olympics postponed for a year, there is a wide-open block of television inventory Certainly Canadian centers could. available, Shannon noted. Edmonton has a new arena with a practice rink in the same facility and a NHL teams had played between 68 and 71 of the 82-game regular major hotel attached to the arena complex. season when the season was paused on March 12. Toronto has the Coca Cola Coliseum, home to Toronto’s AHL affiliate, But even the option of jumping right to a playoff tournament using points which was used by teams for practices during the 2016 World Cup of percentage as a determining factor after a training camp period for Hockey. players to get back up to game speed still presents significant Columbus likewise has a practice rink attached to Nationwide Arena. challenges. In a perfect scenario, games would be held in cities where health officials “I think it’s simpler for the NBA than for the NHL,” Shannon said. approved the gathering of large groups of people. But that seems overly With fewer players per team and no refrigeration needed to make ice, the optimistic at this stage, so let’s assume that such a playoff tournament NBA could run its playoffs in a way that’s not all that different than would start with games in arenas without fans. running the ACC tournament, Shannon said. Obviously one of the keys in considering this kind of setup is that it So, where would these games be played? eliminates the issue of having teams and support staff flying all over North America, even if they are flying on private charters. All kinds of options are being bandied about on this. That would mean that host buildings would need to ensure that all four There will be a huge demand for events like the Stanley Cup playoffs as teams have their own space in the building. a way of returning to normalcy on some levels, as a diversion for fans, and as a way of generating revenue on a league-wide basis and in the That might be easier to accomplish in buildings where NHL teams share local economies where the games might be played. space with NBA teams. The NHL and NBA teams have their own dressing rooms and workout facilities. But in many of those arenas, One veteran broadcast executive who has produced professional including Scotiabank Arena in Toronto and American Airlines Center in sporting events in North America said the harsh reality is that it’s hard to Dallas, the visiting hockey and basketball teams use the same dressing imagine any mass gathering like a sporting event being held in the New room. York City area for months and months. Most NHL teams have converted ice level space for lounges, restaurants There are other areas, like Michigan, Illinois, Louisiana, that also seem and family areas, so those could be retrofitted to accommodate a team, unlikely based on current COVID-19 numbers. including areas for working out, coaches’ offices, video and the like, team officials indicated. There has been some discussion by the NBA about going to smaller venues, assuming that there won’t be fans in the buildings. That might In Nashville, for instance, there is a rehearsal hall that was used as a create a more intimate broadcast atmosphere for basketball, but that media room during the team’s run to the Stanley Cup in 2017, which doesn’t necessarily translate to hockey, several broadcast experts said. could be employed as space for additional teams. First, if the NHL and NHLPA were looking at major junior or college rinks, “Logistics like that are going to be just as important as anything else,” you’d need to ensure they had the technical capabilities to produce a Shannon predicted. “There wouldn’t be anything shared anymore.” show with multiple feeds and camera angles. As for the broadcasts themselves, there are several ways to look at this. Several producers said you could use an Olympic style setup where “What you’re talking about is creating theater sport,” Shannon said. there is a global feed and broadcasters call the game from a remote site. And because the focus isn’t on the entire building experience but the You could use a bare-bones broadcast support staff to keep the number stage itself, the ice and the size of the building won’t matter in terms of of people actually in the arena to a minimum – say 30 people. Many of the broadcast. those in the broadcast team are in trucks and never physically enter the arena proper. Another Canadian broadcast executive noted that Florida has been broadcasting games with a half-empty arena for years. Still, one longtime executive suggested the opposite tack would be more beneficial. So, while it is an interesting exercise to explore what it would look like, and where and how it would work, an important question remains. Instead of paring down the production teams, add to it to produce a unique broadcast. Should it happen at all if it can’t happen as playoff games were meant to be played: To a packed house with media, concessions and the whole What’s the difference between having a bare-bones staff of 30 or a full nine yards? complement of 50 or 60 camera people, technicians, etc., involved when you normally have 18,000 or 19,000 people, he asked? “I don’t think this is a sports issue anymore. This is a life issue. If it’s not safe for everybody to be there then it’s also not safe for the players to be If there are no fans in the building you could take down the netting and there,” Shannon said. install cameras anywhere you wanted in the rink to provide a unique broadcast experience. Another veteran national broadcast executive who has been involved in most of the game’s most important moments shares those sentiments. The NHL has been working for some time with its rink board technology – shown at the All-Star Game earlier this year – which could be employed If you can’t check all the boxes, starting with keeping everyone healthy to satisfy advertisers. If the local broadcasters are allowed a bigger bite and having fans in the buildings, then you shouldn’t do it, he said. If it’s of the playoff experience – traditionally locals broadcast only the first safe enough for the players, then it should be safe enough for the fans, round of the playoffs – there could be ad revenue generated locally, too. he added, if not then it’s completely self-serving for the players and the league. Having locals involved for more of the playoffs would also allow for enhanced production possibilities, one U.S.-based producer said. If you “If you’re going to do this, then do it for the right reasons,” the executive had Sportsnet, NBC and the locals all combining with different angles said. “If it’s not 100 percent perfect, it creates a level of doubt. It creates, and views, the resulting product would be outstanding, he predicted. to me, a question of why are we doing this?” It would also mean hiring more crew – many of whom have been hit economically by the pause in all sports. The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 “This is such an anomaly, such a unique experience,” this veteran producer said. “I think this is the year you just throw caution to the wind (in terms of the production ideas). “Everybody has suffered through this, let everybody benefit from it,” if it can be held, he added. The other byproduct of holding games without fans is that ice conditions, always an issue in the latter stages of the playoffs, should be markedly better. Buildings are always colder during morning skates later in the playoffs, but the dynamics change when the public begins arriving 90 minutes to an hour before the start of the game and the climate inside changes perceptibly. That variable is eliminated if the fans aren’t in the building. Couple that with the fact that many top players have said in recent days they think a playoff tournament held after the pause might create the highest level of competition seen in a long time given the ability for injured players to heal and players in general to be refreshed instead of worn down by the normal 82-game grind. One issue of broadcasting without fans is what does it sound like? You would certainly hear the game in a different manner – the sounds of the skates, the puck on the stick – but you’d also hear the players in a way that might not be exactly what the normal hockey viewing family wants to hear. “You know the competitive juices of these guys,” Shannon said. That means trying to ensure choice comments from players or officials don’t make it to air while balancing broadcasting the sounds of the game action. “So, how are we going to create that ambiance?” Shannon wondered. There simply isn’t anything in sport like the sound and feel of an NHL playoff game. When television was in its infancy, there were laugh tracks on sitcoms. Do you recreate crowd noise to replicate the feel of a real playoff game? “Would it feel natural anymore? I don’t think it would,” Shannon said. On the positive side, scheduling would be a breeze. With no travel, you could run two games a day if you needed to on weekends, and teams could play back-to-back as a way of speeding up the process. Shannon said he remembers talking with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman at the Salt Lake City Olympics in 2002 while sitting in one of the hockey facilities. The commissioner wondered why the facility wasn’t bigger in terms of seating capacity, and Shannon said he told Bettman it was less about a mass fan experience and more about creating a different environment. 1173467 Websites 9.5 9.6

9.7 The Athletic / Wheeler: Every lottery team’s biggest need at the 2020 NHL Draft 2.8 26.1 By Scott Wheeler 34 Apr 7, 2020 8.3 Anaheim Ducks If there were a bracket for hockey clichés, one declaration made by NHL 8.5 teams leading up to — and after — the draft would have to be a contender for the title. 8.7 “We’re going to take the best player available,” they say in the days and 8.9 weeks before draft day. 8.4 “He was the best player on our board,” they say in the days and weeks 34.5 after draft day. 26.7 It’s used so often that it has become synonymous with the entire process. 4.3 BPA, baby. BPA. New Jersey Devils But we know that it’s layered in half-truths or excuses. Because, every so often, we get a glimpse into the roundabout ways that teams talk 7.5 themselves into going certain directions. 7.8 “If all else is equal, we’ll go with a centre,” they’ll say. 8 “All else was equal, so we took the defenceman,” they’ll say. 16.3 And while we know that players can’t possibly be created equal (they’re too dynamic, too different), it’s a debate that has at least some merit. It’s 38.9 not hard to understand why teams prefer centres or defencemen to wingers. Just like it’s not hard to understand how teams have made 19.4 mistakes in that pursuit. Rightly or wrongly, when NHL teams feel a void 2.1 needs to be filled, some talk themselves into filling it. Buffalo Sabres So what might the 2020 NHL Draft look like, if every team drafted for need? 6.5 Here, through an analysis of the prospect pools of each lottery team, I 6.8 tried to answer that question for the first 15 picks of the draft. 7.1 For this exercise, I didn’t pretend to know how the NHL season was going to end, whether the lottery system was going to be altered, or how 26 many teams were going to participate in a hypothetical playoffs. Instead, 39.5 the order here is sorted by points percentage according to the standings at the point of postponement. 13.1 Here’s where each team’s odds stand under the lottery format the NHL 1 had originally instituted for 2020: Montreal Canadiens Detroit Red Wings 6 18.5 6.3 16.5 6.7 14.4 36.8 50.6 36 Ottawa Senators 7.8 13.5 0.4 13 Chicago Blackhawks 12.3 5 33.3 5.3 27.9 5.7 Ottawa Senators 48.8 11.5 30.7 11.3 4.3 11.1 0.1 13.2 New Jersey Devils 37.7 3.5 15.2 3.8 Los Angeles Kings 4.1 is every team's preference in this scenario, there's a reasonable argument to be made that the Red Wings pool is deeper at centre (three 60.5 of their top prospects have all played the position in Joe Veleno, Michael 25.7 Rasmussen and Robert Mastrosimone) than at wing (where Jonatan Berggren and Ethan Phillips are probably the only prospects with top- 2.4 nine potential). >0.0 Alternate scenario: If the Red Wings slip to fourth overall (the most likely outcome), you can probably rule out top-ranked defenceman Jamie Minnesota Wild Drysdale, if need is a leading factor, given the strength they already boast at the position in their system with Moritz Seider, Jared McIsaac 3 and Antti Tuomisto. The Red Wings' need for a first-line forward is 3.3 greater than that for a top defenceman at this point. Though a centre like Marco Rossi would definitely be in the mix at fourth overall, the Red 3.6 Wings are likely one of the teams near the top of the draft that are most likely to target a winger like Lucas Raymond in that spot, or a hybrid 69.6 player with experience at both positions like Tim Stützle. Without 19.4 Lafreniere, their rebuild also probably has a longer timeline and NHL readiness becomes less of a factor (another reason Raymond may be a 1.1 good fit for Detroit). >0.0 2/3. Ottawa Senators Winnipeg Jets Position of need: Centre, then wing 2.5 Picks: C Quinton Byfield, then RW Lucas Raymond (or C/LW Tim Stützle) 2.7 The Senators are in an interesting spot as an organization these days in 3 that their two glaring holes – a first-line centre and a future starting goalie 78 – are the two biggest holes an organization can have. Though they have excellent depth in their prospect pool at centre with Josh Norris, Shane 13.3 Pinto and Logan Brown, their first target in this draft will be one of the top centres. At second overall, I'd be shocked if they didn't take Byfield. 0.4 Things would get interesting with No. 3 though, because while the >0.0 aforementioned depth at centre has an obvious hole at 1C, it may give them enough reason to take a winger at No. 3, given how nicely Norris New York Rangers and Pinto likely fit in as a 2/3C combination. As with the Red Wings before them, given the Senators' strong depth on defence (see: Erik 2 Brannstrom, Lassi Thomson, Jacob Bernard-Docker and Thomas Chabot), I doubt Drysdale would be an option at third overall. Instead, if 2.2 the Senators are looking to address a need, adding a high-skill line- 2.4 driving winger like Raymond to help insulate Drake Batherson at the right-wing position may be their play sooner than adding Stützle 85.5 underneath Brady Tkachuk at left-wing. I could see this going either way but for this exercise and with handedness in mind, I'll go with the 7.8 Senators taking Raymond in this scenario. Though that could go either 0.1 direction, the Sens are almost completely devoid of talented right-shot wingers these days. Florida Panthers Alternate scenario: If the lottery balls for both picks don't bounce in 1.5 Ottawa's favour, I think the outcome, position-wise, is likely the same, even if the players aren't. They probably take a centre first, with Rossi or 1.7 Stützle as the likeliest options, followed by a winger, with Raymond (if 1.8 he's available) as the likely follow-up. No matter how it goes, the Sens are in a can't lose scenario. 91.8 4. Los Angeles Kings 3.2 Position of need: Defence Columbus Blue Jackets Pick: RHD Jamie Drysdale 1 The Kings are the team best positioned to go the BPA route because 1.1 they've built the top prospect pool in the league. But if there's one position they're least likely to feel pressure to fill, it will be at centre. Alex 1.2 Turcotte, Gabe Vilardi, Akil Thomas, Tyler Madden, Rasmus Kupari and Aidan Dudas give them unrivalled prospect pool depth down the middle, 96.7 as well as options to switch to the wing and join high-end scorers like Note 1: Though my focus was on the needs of the prospect pool and not Arthur Kaliyev and Samuel Fagemo on the wing depth chart. The latter the NHL roster (due to the uncertainty of where Team X will be in two or two may also make them reluctant to go after another scoring winger like three years when Player Y is ready), I did factor in NHL lineups when Holtz. And though they have some options coming on defence in players considering the needs of the teams closer to the top of the draft, given like Tobias Bjornfot and Jordan Spence, none rise to the level of the proximity of some of the projected top picks to the NHL. Drysdale as a potential No. 1 defenceman. If the Kings don't win the lottery and Drysdale is available, I suspect he's their most likely pick as a Note 2: Remember, these are not the picks I would make but rather result. those I believe to be the most likely in the various scenarios based strictly off of need. My final top 100 ranking for the 2020 draft drops in May. Until Alternate scenario: If they fall, say, to pick No. 6 or No. 7, and Drysdale is then, you can refer to my midseason top 62 for my analysis of the players off the board, they probably go the wing route before the centre route, so in question. you're probably looking at Stützle if he's still on the board (his playmaking ability would fit with someone like Fagemo or Kaliyev nicely) or Cole 1. Detroit Red Wings Perfetti. If the Kings slip, I wouldn't be shocked if they were one of the teams that considered targeting star goalie prospect Yaroslav Askarov, Position of need: Forward either. That would really solidify them at every position. While Askarov's Pick: LW Alexis Lafreniere selection is harder to predict given how rarely goalies go in the top 10, he starts to be a wild card for a team like the Kings, especially if they can't This is the one spot where this exercise is redundant. Lafreniere's going land Drysdale. first overall, so position won't play a factor. And though a first-line centre 5. Anaheim Ducks Alternate scenario: As with the Sabres, I wonder if the outcome is the same even if the Canadiens win the third lottery pick. They'll take Byfield Position of need: Goal-scoring wingers and right-handed defencemen if they land the No. 2 pick but it's probably Rossi (or Stützle) even if they Pick: RW/LW Alexander Holtz land No. 3. The real danger is if they fall because it probably means they don't get any of the above. The Canadiens are right on that brink, odds- My top-five Ducks D prospects all shoot left, so the right-handed wise, where the results of the lottery could have a serious impact. The Drysdale would be a perfect fit for Anaheim's system. With Drysdale off teams ahead of them are going to end up with an A-level prospect in a the board though, they probably look where the teams ahead of them position of need even if they fall a spot or two. If you're a Habs fan, you haven't: for a winger with finish to play alongside playmaking centres like should be celebrating if they end up with No. 8, because the outcomes a Trevor Zegras and Sam Steel. Perfetti and Stützle are considerations pick or two lower could look drastically different. Finnish centre Anton here but Holtz's strength and goal-scoring acumen are probably too good Lundell is probably their next target if Rossi is off the board and they're a combination to pass up, given how perfectly they fit. picking ninth or tenth. Alternate scenario: Honestly, Holtz may still be available even if they fall. 9. Chicago Blackhawks The Ducks should be well-positioned to land one of the top wingers no matter what happens with their range of potential picks. Position of need: Forward and goalie 6. New Jersey Devils Pick: C Anton Lundell Position of need: Forward The Blackhawks pool skews heavily towards defencemen, so their pick will likely be one of the easier choices to predict across a variety of Pick: LW Cole Perfetti potential draft spots. In Adam Boqvist, Ian Mitchell, Nicolas Beaudin, Alec Regula and Ryan Shea they'll have a healthy competition among young Given that the Devils already boast one left shot and one right shot high- defencemen for NHL spots. A couple of those kids are destined to rise to end D prospect (the lefty Ty Smith and the righty Reilly Walsh, as well as the top of that crop. But outside of Evan Barrett and Philipp Kurashev, a plethora of lower-end D prospects who project further down the lineup), things really thin out at forward, especially given the volatility in the they'll almost surely take a forward with this pick once Drysdale is off the scouting community's opinion of Mackenzie Entwistle and Michal Teply. board. Though the Devils have enviable depth at forward in their Lundell makes a lot of sense here. He's a top-five pick in most drafts but prospect pool, the Tyce Thompsons and Joey Andersons of the world he seems to have become a bit of an afterthought relative to the eight aren't game-breakers. Because that will be available with this pick, they'll players taken ahead of him here. He could provide major value as a high- likely leap at the opportunity. At this point, we're entering into some pretty end 2C, adding more size and skill to go along with Dylan Strome and interesting territory because while Rossi and Stützle are probably the Kirby Dach as the Blackhawks' potential top nine centres for the post- best players available here, it almost feels like they could continue to fall Toews era. if I'm being honest. Stützle's elite speed and pass-first approach sound a lot like Jack Hughes, and taking Rossi, the centre, could create a Alternate scenario: The Blackhawks don't have a single goalie in their crowded depth chart down the middle with Hughes and Nico Hischier. prospect pool that I like, so they are among the teams that could take the Perfetti's blend of stickhandling skill, shot creation and game-breaking Askarov plunge. That becomes more likely if a couple of teams behind talent as a finisher might make him a more natural fit as their future first- them win the lottery and they end up selecting 10th or 11th. line winger and a goal-scorer for a power play that already boasts pass- always players like Hughes and Nikita Gusev. 10. New Jersey Devils Alternate scenario: If two or three teams behind the Devils win the lottery Position of need: Forward and they slide back, they could, like the Ducks before them, still be well- Pick: RW Jack Quinn positioned to land Perfetti. This is where things are going to go completely off the rails, draft boards 7. Buffalo Sabres are going to look dramatically different and need is likely to go from a Position of need: Playmaking winger or high-end defenceman factor to the factor in a decision. Given the obvious ties/trust between the Devils and the Ottawa 67's, as well as New Jersey's continued need for Pick: C/LW Tim Stützle (or RW Lucas Raymond if the Senators picked scorers even after taking Perfetti at No. 6, Quinn, one of the best goal Stützle) scorers in the draft and one of the lone 50-goal scorers of the CHL's 2019-2020 season, seems like an obvious choice. Half of the 67's are The Sabres prospect pool could really use a defenceman but if Drysdale already Devils property, what's one more? He'll likely still be available if is gone, it's probably too high to reach so far for a need that you take the the Devils slip a spot or two here as well. next-best defender on your board. But luckily for the Sabres, the stars have aligned and exactly the kind of player the team is looking for up Alternate scenario: The other potential outcome here might be the most front should be available. After taking centre Dylan Cozens last year as interesting because this pick was acquired from the Coyotes and it's the future 2C to Jack Eichel, the Sabres look for someone who can play lottery protected. The Coyotes would likely be wise to take Lafreniere or with Eichel's pace and get him the puck. Stützle is the perfect pick and Byfield at No. 1 and No. 2, but I'd bank on them taking a centre (ie. Rossi the Sabres get a luck best-case scenario outcome for the second year or Stützle) if they land the third pick. They've got depth at wing, a top D running. If that second Senators pick were Stützle, I think everything that prospect in Victor Soderstrom, but very little on the way down the middle follows plays out the same way and the Sabres may get lucky with outside of John Farinacci, who is years away and tops out as a middle- Raymond, who would also fit in nicely with Eichel. Either way, the Sabres six option. probably end up with an excellent outcome at pick No. 7, given the team preferences ahead of them. 11. Minnesota Wild Alternate scenario: What's fascinating about the way this might play out Position of need: Defence for the Sabres is that even if they win, say, the third lottery pick, I still Pick: LHD Jake Sanderson think the player they end up with at No. 7 may be the same they pick if they win it. I do believe, accounting for need, that Stützle stands a good The top six Wild prospects in my midseason pool rankings were all chance of being their guy at No. 3, as well. forwards, so this shouldn't surprise you. Though the Wild have learned the drafting-for-need lesson the hard way with Filip Johansson, there will 8. Montreal Canadiens be a reasonable argument for a defenceman as the BPA in this slot and Position of need: First-line centre there's an obvious void in the pool at the position. Though I think the second defenceman off the board could be several different defencemen, Pick: C Marco Rossi Sanderson is the frontrunner for most scouts and the Wild went to the ole' NTDP well successfully with both Matthew Boldy and Marshall The Canadiens have serious depth on the way on the back end, one of Warren last year. Sanderson's not going to be the No. 1 D they'll the game's top wing prospects and a plethora of long-shot middle-six desperately need in a few years but there isn't one available here and forwards with lots of puck skill. But they lack a true No. 1 centre and he's got a chance to be an excellent second pairing option. Plus he's got given the needs of the teams in front of them, they may end up laughing a July birthday so we may see a steeper incline in his progression their way off the stage (or the conference call ...) for the second year in a moving forward than in most other kids. An Askarov pick wouldn't shock row, with a gem. There are scenarios where Rossi is probably long gone me here either, even though the Wild clearly have some belief in Hunter (if the Senators don't get Byfield, for example) but this one may well Jones and Filip Lindberg has shown some promise at UMass. result in a no-brainer -- and a home run -- for the Habs. I'd be surprised if they considered anyone else here, honestly. I'd watch a power play with Alternate scenario: The Wild are probably one of the teams most likely to Marco Rossi, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. take Drysdale if they win the third overall pick. I wouldn't complain about that decision either, given what they have coming up front in Boldy, Kirill consider Askarov? I like Kirill Marchenko and Liam Foudy, as well as the Kaprizov and Alexander Khovanov. Blue Jackets' young core of NHL forwards, but the depth isn't so strong that it's reason enough to say "we don't need to go after a forward." And 12. Winnipeg Jets then there's almost nothing coming on the back end. So I went with some Position of need: Right-handed defenceman or centre combination of prospect-who-is-universally liked and would represent a value pick relative to my board. Pick: RHD Braden Schneider Alternate scenario: Let's face it, they're probably not moving up. The Jets aren't likely to take a left-handed D due to the depth Ville Heinola, Dylan Samberg and Declan Chisholm may provide at the Final thoughts position. They also have one of the best goalies on the planet locked up Though there are a few teams I highlighted as likely to give Askarov for four more years, with one of the best young goalies in the AHL as legitimate consideration, he wasn't actually picked here. That either insulation. But they're running low on right-handed D prospects (Leon speaks to the uncertainty that comes with picking a goalie in this range or Gawanke and Jonathan Kovacevic are fine but they aren't going to move my cowardice. Probably the latter, honestly. He's going to be the big the needle long term) and forward prospects, where, outside of Kristian disrupter in the first round and I'd put better than 50/50 odds on him Vesalainen and Jansen Harkins, their pool leaves a lot to be desired. going in the top 15, so that could really shake things up. Given the depth the Jets already have up front, though, I suspect they're more likely to go after a right-shot D here than a forward. There are only There are going to be some darn good forwards available to playoff three defencemen who have enough of a track record and notoriety to fit teams. After the big eight forwards go, there's that next tier with Zary, the bill: long, late-birthday CHL defencemen Braden Schneider and Bourque, Mercer, Lapierre, Quinn, Holloway, Jarvis and Mysak. More Justin Barron, as well as SuperElit standout Helge Grans. The latter two than half of that list is basically guaranteed to be available in the second have become a little volatile in the scouting world, while Schneider half of the first round – and that's without any mention in this piece of wild provides a safer projection as a worthwhile pick at 12th overall. cards like Noel Gunler, Rodion Amirov and Zion Nybeck, who I adore but I suspect will end up slipping further than they should. If they go the centre route (the Jets' organizational depth at wing is at a lot stronger than it is down the middle) then WHL star Connor Zary, and The needs of the teams that will be looking for defencemen tend to skew QMJHL standouts Dawson Mercer, Mavrik Bourque and Hendrix Lapierre towards righties (shocking, I know), so there could be real value found in will likely get serious consideration. some favourites of mine that didn't get a nod here, including the diminutive Emil Andrae, Jeremie Poirier and Lukas Cormier. Lefty Kaiden Alternate scenario: If they end up with No. 1 or No. 2, it'll go how we Guhle, who I have had in the 25-40 range of late, is another defender I expect it to. At No. 3, Rossi or Drysdale would fill the holes best. Rossi continue to hear a lot of good things about from other scouts. It wouldn't also gives a team like the Jets, who still have a chance to contend in the shock me if he's taken ahead of Sanderson or Schneider at this point. west for the next few years, another top-nine option as early as next season. That matters to them and could give Rossi the edge of Drysdale, especially given the cap relief Rossi would provide to a Jets team that desperately needs cheap depth now. The Athletic LOADED: 04.08.2020 13. New York Rangers Position of need: Forward Pick: LW Dylan Holloway The Rangers are the last team that's going to say, "You know what we need more of? Good young defencemen and goalies?" As such, you can all but pencil them in for a forward here. I don't think the position of the forward will be of particular concern to them. They've got Vitali Kravtsov coming on the wing and Morgan Barron as a potential third-line centre but they're not a position to be picky up front. Holloway's speed and physical traits would give their pool a different element, one that players like Kravtsov, Lauri Pajuniemi, Karl Henriksson and Leevi Aaltonen tend to lack. They would've got a good look at him while scouting and evaluating K'Andre Miller at the University of Wisconsin this year, as well. Alternate scenario: As mentioned above, once this draft leaves single digits, there's going to be a lot of volatility. Other forward names to do some research on if you're a Rangers fan: Dawson Mercer, Hendrix Lapierre, Connor Zary, Seth Jarvis and maybe even Jan Mysak. 14. Florida Panthers Position of need: Centre or right-handed defenceman Pick: C Connor Zary The Panthers have arguably the top drafted goalie prospect in the world and a plethora of future options at LHD, RW and LW, but their cupboards are virtually empty at C and RHD. I suspect they're one of the teams most likely to draft for need as a result. And while the aforementioned Grans and Barron could be options here if they go the D route, I suspect they're more likely to go with a centre given the strength of the available players down the middle. Alternate scenario: Zary's tenacious blend of speed and skill made the most sense for me relative to the direction the Panthers have gone with other recent picks. He turned many scouts into believers this year. But if it's not him, I'd bank on it being one of Mercer, Lapierre, Jarvis or Bourque. I think the Panthers will be in a good position to take a talented centre no matter where the lottery balls land for them. 15. Columbus Blue Jackets Position of need: Everything Pick: C/RW Dawson Mercer (?) They've got arguably the worst prospect pool in hockey. There's no one need that I can to point to and say "the Blue Jackets are likely to go in this direction." Even though I like Veini Vehvilainen and Daniil Tarasov as potential NHL goalies, neither are going to be a starter, so maybe they 1173468 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / 'He's a warrior': Oilers' Colby Cave fighting for life due to brain bleed

Mark Spector | @sportsnetspec April 7, 2020, 1:59 PM

EDMONTON — Colby Cave is fighting for his life at a Toronto hospital, a 25-year-old National Hockey League player who has always been the picture of health suddenly in a medically induced coma. “What do you say? What are the words for this? It’s unbelievable,” said Cave’s Saskatchewan-based agent, Jason Davidson, reached shortly after the Edmonton Oilers announced the forward’s condition Tuesday. “There is bleeding on the brain. He is in a medically induced coma, and he was headed for the critical care unit,” said Davidson. “The most confusing part for everyone is that you’re talking about a young, healthy athlete. This isn’t supposed to happen to people to like Colby.” The Oilers said later Tuesday that Cave is out of emergency surgery at Sunnybrook Hospital after doctors removed a colloid cyst that was causing pressure on his brain. After complaining of some headaches, Cave was transported to a hospital in Barrie, Ont., Monday evening, Oilers general manager Ken Holland said. Cave and his wife, Emily, were residing in Barrie closer to her family, riding out the coronavirus and the ensuing NHL stoppage. From Barrie, Cave was airlifted to Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, where he was admitted into intensive care. “He has great medical care,” Holland said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Emily, Colby and the Cave family. We’re just here, hoping and waiting for good news.” Cave, who grew up on a cattle ranch in Battleford, Sask., is a player who defines the term “Triple A-plus.” He requires no more seasoning at the American Hockey League level, having spent parts of five seasons with Boston’s and Edmonton’s farm teams. Yet, he has struggled to stay among the top-12 forwards on the Oilers. In the truncated 2019-20 season, he was assigned to AHL Bakersfield four times by the Oilers, and recalled to the NHL roster as many times. “Scored a huge goal for us in Pittsburgh to help us get a big win there early in the season, when we were scratching and clawing,” noted Holland. “Colby is a great kid. He’s a battler, a competitor and he’s respectful of people of the game. When we had to tell him to go down to the American League, he was disappointed but he was never down. He took it like a pro, went down there, played hard and we called him back up a few times. “He’s a true battler.” That trait, those close to Cave say, will hold him in good stead through this, clearly the biggest fight of his life. “He’s a warrior, a solider,” Davidson said. “If anyone will come out of this healthy, it will be Colby.”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173469 Websites him among the team’s top five leaders for seven straight years (of bad luck).

Sullivan raised his stock with the Blackhawks so high, they were able to Sportsnet.ca / Top 5 Maple Leafs departures that stung Toronto the most flip him to Nashville for two second-round picks at the 2004 trade deadline. Sullivan would deliver the Preds two-and-half seasons of hockey averaging better than a point per game, until finally injuries and age caught up with him. The Ontario boy retired with 747 points as a Luke Fox | @lukefoxjukebox member of the 1,000-game club. April 7, 2020, 9:46 AM 3. Randy Carlyle, 1978 The player, not the coach. When you’ve been playing the game for more than 100 years, there’s not Toronto drafted Carlyle in the second round in 1976 and gave up on the just One That Got Away. young blueliner way too soon. In search for a dependable D-man, GM You could fill an entire roster card with Maple Leafs or near-Leafs who Jim Gregory dealt Carlyle and George Ferguson to the Pittsburgh reached higher peaks after they slipped through the grasp of Toronto Penguins for Dave Burrows. management. Burrows provided something considerably less than a spark, recording There was the time Wayne Gretzky considered signing with the club 32 points and minus-14 rating in 151 games with Toronto. closest to home. There was the Canadian Tire CEO courting free agent Not only did Ferguson explode into his prime, responding with four Steven Stamkos in his prime. There were dealt-away first-round draft straight 20-goal seasons in Pittsburgh, but Carlyle’s early departure picks that morphed into golden tickets (Scott Niedermayer, Tyler Seguin). stung worse. And, boy, were there were some trade stinkers. Turns out, John Kordic Over 397 games as a Penguin, Carlyle put up 323 points from the back is no . Alexander Steen fashioned himself into a leader, a end and rapidly grew into one of the most dynamic blueliners of his era. scorer, and a champion — for St. Louis. Larry Murphy was booed out of He won the Norris Trophy in 1980-81 before continuing his excellent, town and seemed to enjoy the applause on a couple of Stanley Cup– 1,055-game career in Winnipeg. He served as captain for both the winning Detroit squads. Penguins and Jets. Wanna talk fresh pain? The Maple Leafs had the best odds of securing Good one, Randy. Connor McDavid in the 2015 draft lottery with one ball to go. 2. Tuukka Rask, 2005 But to narrow down our list here, we limited the disappointments to players whose rights were actually secured by the Maple Leafs before There are lopsided trades and then there is the Rask debacle, a they fumbled the elite talent away for minimal (or zero) return. regrettable move that seems to sting a little fiercer with each passing spring. Here are the five Leafs departures that stung the most. Read ’em and weep. It was Rask standing between the Boston Bruins’ pipes when it was 4-1 Leafs in Game 7 of that 2013 playoff series. It was Rask outduelling Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey Frederik Andersen in seven in 2018 and 2019. And it will likely be Rask world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what — a Cup champion and three-time finalist, still in Vezina form — standing they think about it. in front of the 2020 Maple Leafs if hockey is to resume and Toronto is 5. Rick Kehoe, 1974 somehow able to defeat the Lightning. Accurately identifying a promising talent in the draft, then parting ways Funny thing is, Toronto appeared to grasp Rask’s potential back in with him too early is a trend you’ll see on this list. And it starts with a 2005. John Ferguson, Jr. drafted the Finn 21st overall, but the Leafs GM Kehoe, a 22nd-overall choice in whom Toronto should’ve invested a little made the atrocious mistake of pegging prospect Justin Pogge as his patience. goaltender of the future, deeming Rask expendable before he played a single NHL game. Despite popping off for 33 goals and 75 points in his first full NHL season, the Leafs dealt Kehoe after a sophomore slump to the Pittsburgh JFJ dealt Rask to his rival in exchange for 2004 Calder Memorial Penguins for Blaine Stoughton and a 1977 first-round pick (Trevor Trophy winner Andrew Raycroft, who now analyzes Rask’s handiwork as Johansen). a studio analyst for the Bruins’ local NESN broadcasts. Raycroft posted save percentages of .894 and .876 in his two seasons for the Leafs. Poor Kehoe’s ice time fell off when red-hot rookies Lanny McDonald and Inge Pogge won just once and allowed 27 goals in seven NHL appearances. Hammarstrom joined the team in 1973-74. He wanted out. Now 33, he’s doing well for the Berlin Polar Bears. Seriously. Kehoe tore it up on some god-awful Penguins rosters, and — decades The best thing about the Rask trade is that no Leafs have to sit behind later — another Toronto-to-Pittsburgh sniper, Phil Kessel, would have his him on the team bus. wicked shot compared to Kehoe’s. Between 1974-75 and 1982-83, Kehoe averaged 33 goals and 65 points. He never scored fewer than 29 1. Bernie Parent, 1973 goals or 50 points. Giving up early on a future Hall of Famer and a man who would roundly The PIM-dodging right winger peaked with an 88-point, Lady Byng- be regarded as one of the best to ever don a mask is never a good look. winning campaign in 1980-81. He was still tickling point-per-game Toronto acquired Parent from offence-chasing Philadelphia in a 1971 production until a neck injury got the best of him. Kehoe was forced into deal. The young goaltender studied under his boyhood hero, Jacques early retirement in 1984 but had more than enough time to swell Leafs Plante, becoming a more technically proficient keeper. He appeared Nation with regret. ready to take the mantle, but when the management failed to come to a 4. Steve Sullivan, 1999 contract agreement with Parent, he signed a contract with the Miami Screaming Eagles and became the first NHLer willing to jump to the God bless Pat Quinn, but the legendary coach and exec probably emerging World Hockey Association. would’ve liked a mulligan on this one. The Eagles never got off the ground, so Parent signed with the WHA’s In an effort to obtain and clear roster space for high-scoring veteran Philadelphia Blazers and got shelled in his one season spent in the forward Dmitri Khristich, Quinn placed a 25-year-old Sullivan on waivers defensively weak league. Felt outcast, Parent wanted back into the at the outset of the 1999-00 campaign. world’s best league — just not with the Leafs. His request to stay in Philly and join the Flyers was granted. Unbeknownst to the world, Khristich — a 70-point man twice over — had just about hit a wall and experienced a dramatic plummet in production, Toronto dealt Parent’s rights and second-round pick (Larry mustering a measly 39 points for Toronto over a season and a half Goodenough) to the Flyers for a first-rounder (Bob Neely) and future before getting shipped to Washington (for just a third-rounder) and, not considerations (Doug Favell) in ’73. long after, Magnitogorsk. All Parent did in his first two seasons in Philadelphia was win two The smallish Sullivan didn’t fit Quinn’s preference for edgy vets, so Vezina trophies, two Conn Smythe trophies, and two Stanley Cups. Chicago swooped in and made out like bandits. Sullivan only enjoyed seven consecutive seasons in which he fired 22-plus goals and amassed Parent’s No. 1 hangs in the rafters and he was named one of the 100 60-plus points. Had he remained in T.O., those numbers would’ve put greatest players in NHL history.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173470 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs' Dubas explains what Barabanov brings to the table

Emily Sadler | @EmmySadler April 7, 2020, 6:32 PM

“Will the player be able to play in June?” That’s one of the questions general manager Kyle Dubas and the rest of Toronto Maple Leafs management ask themselves when evaluating players, meant to identify and gauge a player’s ability to help his team become the last club standing in the Stanley Cup final. In the case of newly-signed Russian free agent Alexander Barabanov, Dubas believes the answer is yes. “In Alex’s case, he’s been a part of an excellent team, he’s contributed not just with his production but just in the way that he plays on a very good team deep into seasons every year — in the KHL and at the world championship and at the Olympics,” Dubas explained during an interview on Tim & Sid on Tuesday. “It shows that he can be versatile in what he contributes.” Tim and Sid Kyle Dubas : Barabanov "a competitive player that's reliable" With the fate of the 2019-20 season very much in question due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dubas & Co. gave Leafs fans some early optimism for next season with the signing of Barabanov to a one-year, entry-level deal worth $925,000 for the 2020-21 campaign. The 25-year-old winger brings with him a winning reputation and a resume that includes two Gagarin Cups over parts of seven seasons in the KHL, Olympic gold in 2018, and a pair of world championship bronze medals with Russia’s national team. Dubas hopes he can also bring the kind of affordable depth the Maple Leafs have found in other low-risk signings like fellow Russian forward Ilya Mikheyev and veterans like Jason Spezza this year. “He can obviously produce and put up points, but he’s also a competitive player that’s reliable and strong and willing to dig deep as the season wears on,” Dubas said of Barabanov. “You always have a need for guys like that. So that was sort of where we went in our evaluation of him.”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173471 Websites “I think we were a little bit in an up-and-down kind of roller-coaster ride there for the last couple weeks, so I think this is a good time for us just to settle down and realize that we had the potential and the team that could do some great things,” Mitch Marner said Monday. Sportsnet.ca / Leafs' Sheldon Keefe still grinding, looking for solutions during break “It’s important that we use this down time to really take a look in the mirror,” Morgan Rielly said last week. “As players, we all have to be better. If you look at the ups and the downs, that’s obviously not how you want your year to be described.” Chris Johnston | @reporterchris The one indulgence this pause has afforded Keefe is the chance to catch April 7, 2020, 5:00 PM up on some movie watching. Among his recent favourites are “Ford vs. Ferrari” and “A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood.” TORONTO — Don’t go to Sheldon Keefe for an opinion on Carole Baskin He’d often take a trip to the theatre between the morning skate and puck or Joe Exotic. You won’t find him taking advantage of a paused NHL drop during his time in the American Hockey League with the Marlies, but season to catch up on “Ozark” or “Homeland,” either. had to abandon that routine after getting his Leafs promotion because of the increased demands with the new job. As much as everything has changed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the life of at least one NHL head coach is still pretty similar to what came In fact, if there’s been a specific aspect of Keefe’s new position where before it. he’s done some self-reflection over the last few weeks, it’s how he allocates and manages his time. “I’m doing a lot of binging on the Toronto Maple Leafs currently,” Keefe said Tuesday on a conference call. “That’s taking up a lot of my time.” And he’s made sure to savour the extra hours this unexpected break has given him with wife Jackie and sons Landon and Wyatt. The 39-year-old doesn’t even have a Netflix account. “My Grade 4 math skills are improving daily, so that’s the kind of stuff When Keefe first started hearing people talk about “Tiger King” he figured we’ve been working at,” said Keefe. “Playing a lot of board games with it was a documentary about Tiger Woods, which is something that would the family and trying to get out and move around and get some walks in hold appeal for him. As for what that series actually entails? with the family. No chance. “All that kind of stuff is taking up the time.” “I don’t know if I’m proud or embarrassed about the fact that I don’t have a Netflix account,” said Keefe. “It seems like a rabbit hole of entertainment that I don’t necessarily know that I need to get down.” Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.08.2020 Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what they think about it. That would first require him to exit the 24/7 rabbit hole most coaches already find themselves in, and it doesn’t sound like that’s happened so far. Even here, some four weeks since Toronto’s last game and at least two months before its next one, Keefe is still grinding away looking for solutions. He and the coaching staff are tackling some undisclosed projects and keeping in touch through a series of conference calls. While the task of maintaining regular contact with players largely falls to other members of the organization, the coaches hope to set an example with their commitment and work ethic during an unusual time. “The circumstances are difficult for everybody in the world but we have a responsibility here — our season is not complete — and we have to take advantage of every day that we have to work towards being better versions of ourselves whenever we do get back to playing,” said Keefe. The Leafs made some strides after Keefe replaced Mike Babcock on Nov. 20, compiling the eighth-best points percentage (.628) to climb into a playoff position while generating 52.73 per cent of the expected goals — the fifth-best total among NHL teams. But they were also puzzlingly inconsistent. Kyle Dubas referred to his group as “Jekyll and Hyde” when he met reporters following the Feb. 24 trade deadline and Keefe called them out after a couple tough losses, branding their performances as “immature” in the process. “We didn’t necessarily say that our team was immature, I think that we played immature. I think they’re two different things,” Keefe said Tuesday. “We’ve shown at times that we can play very well against the best teams in the league and get great results from that, so it’s a matter of us finding that more consistently. “You can attach whatever description you want to it, but the reality is that we need to take steps, both as a team and individually, and right now when we’re not playing it’s a chance for us to reset.” When the Leafs return — be it this summer to complete the 2019-20 season or next fall — he will be demanding more consistency in preparation and effort. That trumps even stylistic or systematic adjustments he’d like to see be made. Keefe wants to establish it as a foundational hallmark that wasn’t always present during a campaign where Toronto sat at 36-25-9 when play was halted on March 12. His players recognize the need for it, too. 1173472 Websites Case in point: who in the world could have imagined they’d see the likes of Darryl Sutter wearing a Mexican wrestling mask and holding two championship belts in anticipation of Wrestlemania, as posted by his son, Brett? Sportsnet.ca / Flames' Milan Lucic among many NHLers showing lighter side during shutdown “I know he did that for his son, Chris, who is a huge wrestling fan,” said Lucic, 31, who played for the typically straight-laced Sutter in Los Angeles. Eric Francis | @EricFrancis “Awesome.” April 7, 2020, 12:26 PM Whether it’s Matthew Tkachuk doing TikTok dance moves with his sister or Zdeno Chara outing Tuukka Rask for having bad gas, the recent re- emergence of the game’s personalities has provided refreshingly candid Wearing his wife’s fur coat and a tuque that she bedazzled his number glimpses into the players’ lives. on, Milan Lucic made his public Instagram debut last week in dramatic Even the league’s regular Zoom video chats with three or four players fashion. have had lots of light-hearted content for sports-starved fans. Having spent the previous 19 days binge-watching all eight seasons of Plenty of Flames players painted themselves into a good light shortly Game of Thrones with his wife, the rugged Flames winger chose to offer after the NHL season was put on pause, when they donated to a up a video review, in modified costume. GoFundMe page that raised money for laid-off Saddledome staffers. “A lot of fans were asking me what I thought of Game of Thrones, so I put “It was something me, and more so my wife, wanted to do because of one of my wife’s fur coats on,” said Lucic, laughing. how they treat her and my family on a night-to-night basis,” said Lucic, “Jon Snow is one of my favourite characters and he wore fur, so I still optimistic the league will try to shoehorn in a conclusion to the dressed it up a bit. The one mistake I did make is that it started to snow season this summer. “It’s important because, at a time like this, you want right after I took the video. I wish I would’ve done it outside in the snow to help the people that help you. I’m fortunate because I can still live because he’s up in a place called Castle Black in the north where it’s normally because of the financial stuff, but there are a lot of people that always snowing and cold. For people who watched the show, it would don’t have that option. have added a lot to it.” “It was just a way to kind of get it going and I was really happy and Rookie mistake. excited a lot of guys followed suit right after, and we got it up to $82,000 in 48 hours. It was a good thing, not just for the players to step up, but The question now is, what will he do for an encore? everyone else to help.” “I’m still thinking of ideas,” he chuckled. “Right now I’ve got nothing.” In between daddy duties, Lucic is now searching for the next series to binge-watch, and potentially critique. Welcome to the club. Stay tuned. Much like the rest of us, Lucic is adapting to life in self-isolation, spending his days at home in Calgary with his wife and three young kids. “I’ve got to say, Game of Thrones is the best show I’ve ever seen,” said the winger-turned reviewer. On the weekend they decided to drive to his native Vancouver for a two- week stint at Tsawwassen’s Centennial Beach where the warmer “From characters, the story… there’s a lot of violence and sex too in it. A weather and change of scenery should aid in their quest to stave off the big character will die off. The acting is really good. It’s just so well done. monotony of avoiding COVID-19. “Before that, the one I liked the most was Sons of Anarchy. Still, daily arts and crafts shifts with his 2, 5 and 7-year-olds continue. Same thing, I liked the characters and the whole motorcycle thing. I got “Art was not my strong point, so I’m mostly there to provide and help really into it. I even started looking up motorcycles after. And then I them with any cutting, or gluing, or taping,” smiled the 230-pound softie, smartened up and was like, ‘listen, I don’t really need a motorcycle (to) who ducks out for workouts in his home gym every time his son goes fall off.’” down for an afternoon nap.

“That’s what I’m there to do. We play board games and all that fun stuff, and every day we have at least 30 minutes to an hour of hide and seek. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.08.2020 But my kids don’t really understand they shouldn’t go to the same spot over and over again.” Cue more laughter. With every passing day it seems more and more NHLers are revealing a much lighter side, as they bide time with their families, waiting for the novel coronavirus to stop its assault on the world. Whether it’s a TikTok video, a funny tweet, home pics or a Facebook post, players are finding creative ways to showcase the personality that hockey players too often strive to keep hidden. “That’s part of why I decided to get a public Instagram on Thursday – it’s just a way to keep interaction with fans and show a side of yourself they don’t really see,” said the author of Milan.lucic.17. “Even Kevin Bieksa has done a couple posts and videos that are hilarious. That’s kinda cool to see because I had a ton of battles with him and never knew him as a guy. But then you see him doing stuff like that, it’s pretty funny to see a side of a guy you’ve never seen before.” The examples continue. “I’ve known Brendan Gallagher since he was 12 years old and the TikToks he’s done have been truly unbelievable,” he said. “I’m sure a lot of guys didn’t even know how funny he was. I know a lot of people have said this, but I think that’s where our sport is a little behind compared to other sports. Look at NBA players, I feel like their social media followings and their personalities are a lot more out there than ours. Maybe this is a step for us as individuals and athletes to take in that direction.” 1173473 Websites He also said Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who suffered a spleen injury in early March, was healthy enough to return home to Finland. Julien confirmed the 19-year-old is currently resting and recuperating in Pori. Sportsnet.ca / Canadiens' Claude Julien 'positive, but realistic' about And when he was asked how the rest of his players are handling this season resuming break, he reminded that they’re creatures of habit who will take appropriate action to keep themselves in shape.

“All the players have spoken with our conditioning coach and they’ve all Eric Engels | @EricEngels been given programs to follow,” he said. “The majority of players are well-equipped enough at home to keep themselves in good shape. April 7, 2020, 3:40 PM Whether they have exercise bikes or weights, there’s a program in place for all players to do what they have to do.” MONTREAL — It was during a 58-minute conference call Tuesday that Julien also said he has assurances that teams will be given the Montreal Canadiens coach Claude Julien spelled out a reality few — if opportunity to hold an abbreviated training camp of sorts and get their any — of hockey’s power brokers are willing to publicly acknowledge at players back up to speed before the NHL resumes games. this juncture of the COVID-19 global pandemic. On the possibility of the Canadiens being included in a tournament of “We’re talking about a virus and something that is spreading. It’s not a sorts for a chance to win the 2020 Cup, Julien said he’d relish that one-and-done kind of thing,” the 59-year-old started from his Ontario- opportunity. based cottage. “There’s a lot of unknowns, a lot of question marks… You “But for me, the most important thing is that we get this virus under think about when (hockey) comes back, what’s going to happen fan- control first and foremost,” he said. “After it’s managed in a way that’s wise? Are people going to be comfortable enough to sit next to each safe — and it has to be safe for everyone — I’m open to whatever other? And I don’t think that’s going to happen until this thing is totally solution the NHL thinks is best.” under control where there’s no fear. But if it’s kind of under control and not totally under control, how comfortable are you going to feel sitting next to somebody in an arena that you don’t know? Those kinds of things are things that you think about.” Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.08.2020 They are the kinds of things most of us are thinking, but things that have largely gone unsaid by members of the NHL and NHLPA who continue to work towards potential solutions for a resumption of the 2019-20 season. It’s understandable. So long as there’s a window to award the Stanley Cup before moving on to the next season, the league and its members will continue to volley hypotheticals and exhaust every imaginable option; they will keep hope alive as best they can and avoid any talk that diminishes it. Not that anyone should think Julien was speaking out of turn in raising these questions and expressing he’s personally uncomfortable with anyone taking on any unnecessary risk. “I like to be positive, but realistic,” he said. The coach was also quick to explain that he wants NHL hockey to return as soon as possible. Obviously, Julien’s not alone in that sentiment. “I think what people want — they want to see sports,” Julien said. “And again, it’s not just hockey; we’re talking basketball, baseball, football, and all the different sports. And I know I’m leaving some out, but they want to see those things. So, one way or another you’re going to want to get back to your sport. People are going to want the sports to get back to doing their things once everything is safe. And whether it’s watching it on TV to start with, who knows? I think there’s a lot of unknown and I think we’ll only know that once we move forward here and see where we’re going with this virus.” As Julien waits for conditions to change and for normal life to be enabled, he’s spending his days pouring over video, he’s continuing to hold individual conversations with his players and members of his coaching staff, he’s exchanging ideas on conference calls with coaches Jon Cooper, Barry Trotz, Peter DeBoer and Mike Babcock among others, and he’s spending precious time with his family that he’d otherwise be deprived of if hockey were currently in full swing. “Usually when I get family time, whether it’s in the summer or even during the season, there’s always something going on,” Julien said. “Your kids are in sports and you’re running around here and there, so it’s extremely difficult just to have a family dinner. It’s incredible — I can’t remember the last time we had this much time to sit at a table and just have dinner together and see the meal through to completion. “It’s giving us a chance to see what we’ve somewhat forgotten about or what we’ve missed. I’m sure this situation will give us the chance to reflect on many things once we get through it. All those things are going through our minds, and for the time being I’m trying to focus on the positive of the situation while staying safe and hoping this gets resolved as quickly as possible.” Julien added that, with the pause extending through May, injured Canadiens players Tomas Tatar (upper body) and Victor Mete (broken ankle) should be rehabilitated and ready to play once hockey returns. 1173474 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Dylan Samberg sees 'a lot of opportunity' with the Winnipeg Jets

Sean Reynolds April 7, 2020, 6:03 PM

At a time where we can all use a little good news, Jets fans specifically got a big dose of it Tuesday with the signing of much-touted prospect Dylan Samberg. Samberg made the fans sweat for this moment. Management wanted him in the fold much sooner than this. General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff and owner Mark Chipman flew to visit Samberg and his family last summer in hopes of returning with his name on a contract. Clearly that didn’t happen. So Samberg returned to the University of Minnesota-Duluth — where he had already won two national championships — for a third season. Fans were assured he remained committed to Winnipeg, but it left a lingering doubt about his future with the Jets. Had Samberg waited one more year he would have become an unrestricted free agent, able to sign with an NHL team of his choosing. He admits he pondered the temptation. “You think about that stuff,” he said to reporters in his post-signing press conference. Instead Samberg opted to head north where there’s a clear path to a long-term spot on the Jets’ back end. “I know there’s a lot of opportunity up there which I’m really excited for,” said Samberg. “I felt like this is what I wanted to do.” Opportunity clearly plays a major role in Samberg’s decision. Cheveldayoff says the 21-year-old will be in competition for a spot on the team come training camp, whenever that may be. That’s no surprise, considering Samberg represents exactly what the Jets need on the back end: A defenceman with size (6-foot-4, 215 pounds) and a heavy shot. Samberg should complement the likes of Josh Morrissey and Neal Pionk, smaller players who achieve their results with razor sharp fundamentals rather than force. Having a little beef on the back end doesn’t hurt. Not to over blow it, but this was a huge signing for the Jets. Had Samberg returned to college and entered free agency next season it would have been a blow to an organization that’s always placed the draft and develop model at the core of its philosophy. It would have trotted out the old cliche that Winnipeg is a place NHLers don’t want to be. There are varying level of truths to that cliche, but when it comes to enticing players, Winnipeg’s sales pitch is simply this: the Jets are a very well-built team with the potential to do something special. On this day, that was good enough.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173475 Websites Karlsson trade over the past two years. The question becomes: what prospects are ready to make the next step and which ones never will?

There is such a thing as too many up-and-comers. They can’t all fit in a Sportsnet.ca / Ottawa Senators' four biggest off-season questions 20-man roster, considering the necessary complement of veterans and established young players to go with a few choice rookies.

Winger Drake Batherson is clearly ready to soar, based on his play in Wayne Scanlan Ottawa and Belleville this season. Winger Alex Formenton, drafted for his speed, has displayed a scoring touch few imagined, and he will get his April 7, 2020, 12:01 PM opportunity, if not next season then soon. Centre Josh Norris, acquired in the Karlsson trade, has been one of the AHL’s top performers and didn’t look out of place in a three-game audition with Ottawa in late February. So much remains up in the air in the world of sport, we could ask Whither Logan Brown? The local product tantalizes with his combination questions all day long about how the games people play will sort of size – six-foot-six, 230 pounds – and skill at the centre position. His themselves out once COVID-19 has run its course. vision and passing ability on the power play are NHL-ready. But can he stay healthy and perform at a consistent level? Is he tired of knocking on In the bigger picture, science and public health will be the guide for the the door without seeing it open? Defenceman Erik Brannstrom benefitted appropriate course of action. from some extra time in the AHL this season and will be one to watch, Eventually, though, "we’ll meet again," as Queen Elizabeth II said over along with many others, including a waft of fresh talent from the 2020 the weekend, paraphrasing the war-time song of Vera Lynn. draft. We will also get back to such mundane and fun local activities as Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey armchair quarterbacking the home team, its prospects and future course. world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what With that in mind, here are four major questions confronting the Ottawa they think about it. Senators when they get back to business. Who’s minding the crease? Will Brady Tkachuk be here for a good time or a long one? Dorion has a lot of time on his hands to doodle with a depth chart. That The last time we saw the young Senators winger, he was mucking it up includes the all-important goaltender position, where Ottawa is quite at home in St. Louis alongside his brother, Matthew, a fellow trash-talker deep because of the progress of several of their goalie draft picks over and NHL holy terror with the Calgary Flames. the past five years and more. They have drafted them high, like Mads Sogaard at 37th overall in 2019, and got them late, like Kevin Mandolese For the Tkachuk family, including sister Taryn, a star field hockey player, 157th overall in 2018 or Joey Daccord 199th in 2015. this could go down as the longest off-season of their lives. But you just know the Clan Tkachuk will be loaded for bear when the time comes to Working from the top down, the first question revolves around the status get back to work. of Craig Anderson, who has been a solid performer for the Senators in nearly a decade of work. Anderson may choose to retire this summer. If Brady was picked fourth overall by the Senators in 2018, a player Ottawa he doesn’t, he has earned the right to sign as a free agent elsewhere or general manager Pierre Dorion considered so vital he gave up the to get a chance to come back to Ottawa as something akin to a playing chance to have his own pick in 2019. Tkachuk hasn’t disappointed. At 20 coach, a mentor to younger goalies. years of age, he led the Senators in points with 44 after 71 games and led the league in hits with 303. Almost certainly he would have cracked If Anderson leaves, the logical Senators duo would be Anders Nilsson the 25-goal mark, with 21 when the season was halted. (assuming recovery from concussion) and Marcus Hogberg, who had a breakthrough year in Ottawa as an injury replacement. Waiting in the A favourite expression of head coach D.J. Smith is that Tkachuk will wings at Belleville are Daccord and Filip Gustavsson, and in junior "drag his team into battle" even on nights they start out disinterested. The Sogaard (WHL) and Mandolese (QMJHL). kid is infectious, although we prefer a different word in these times. Daccord really battled to move up the charts from the ECHL to start the Though his entry-level deal doesn’t expire until after the 2020-21 season, season to become the No. 1 or at least 1A in Belleville alongside the hope is that the Senators can get him signed to a long-term contract Gustavsson, who started slowly but got better. Sogaard and Mandolese before then. Having Tkachuk and defenceman Thomas Chabot (secured were going strong when their seasons ended, especially Mandolese, who through 2027-28) on board for the bulk of the decade would go a long rebounded from a lower-body injury in the fall that caused him to miss a way toward changing the reputation of the Senators as a team that big chunk of games. He finished with 26 wins (26-8-1) for the Cape develops but loses its best players. Breton Screaming Eagles and outstanding underlying numbers (2.33 goals-against average and .925 save percentage). How will the balls fall when the NHL Draft Lottery revs up? The picture in the blue paint looks bright. Oh, what might have been. Oh, what still might be!

This Thursday was the tentative date for the draft lottery, which would have seen Ottawa front and centre at the proceedings. The Senators Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.08.2020 have their own lottery pick as well as that of the San Jose Sharks. Regardless of how the final standings get sorted out – whether the regular season eventually gets completed or a points per game formula is used – the Senators should have a greater chance than any other team of drawing the first-overall pick because they own two prime slots. If Ottawa were to acquire the No. 1 pick, forward Alexis Lafreniere is the kind of big, talented, NHL-ready player around which a rebuilding team like the Senators could structure a major marketing campaign as well as anchor the future of the roster. Combine Lafreniere plus another top selection from an excellent draft along with getting Tkachuk signed, and it’s easy to see how the outlook of the Senators could change dramatically. Even if Ottawa gets a couple of top-five picks and doesn’t land Lafreniere, these are going to be critical additions for a team that has been missing top-end skill since the losses of Mark Stone, Erik Karlsson, Kyle Turris, Matt Duchene, etc. The prospect pipeline: Who’s in and who’s out? When Bryan Murray first became GM in 2007, he lamented that the "cupboard was bare." He was referring, of course, to the state of his prospect pool in AHL Binghamton and beyond. Today that AHL club is a lot closer, in Belleville, and is brimming with young talent as a result of trade deadline selloffs and the blockbuster 1173476 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Blue Jackets' Jones: Ankle 'felt good' during first skate since surgery

Emily Sadler | @EmmySadler April 7, 2020, 3:16 PM

Columbus Blue Jackets fans got a little bit of good news this week when defenceman Seth Jones took his first strides on the ice after undergoing ankle surgery back in February. Jones, who posted a video of himself hitting the ice on Sunday, provided a brief update on his recovery process during an interview on Hockey Central on Tuesday. “The ankle felt good,” he said. “We’re obviously not rushing it too much at the moment, we’re handling things a little bit differently than if a season was going on still. So, taking it slow, just got out there in a track suit for a little Sunday skate. It was nice to lace up the skates again and stick- handle the puck again.” “I was a little rusty, but it was nice,” he said, adding that the skate lasted just 20 minutes. “Hopefully this week and next week I can start ramping up a little bit more.” Jones suffered a fractured ankle Feb. 8 against the Colorado Avalanche and underwent surgery a few days later. The team estimated at the time that he would be sidelined 8-10 weeks, which would have meant missing at least the remainder of the regular season with a potential return for the playoffs should the team make the post-season. Despite a long list of injured players that includes Jones, Josh Anderson, Alexander Wennberg, Alexandre Texier, Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Murray and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo, among others, the plucky Blue Jackets currently sit in the second wild-card spot – just one point ahead of the New York Islanders in the east. With the league now almost four weeks into its suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it remains unclear how the NHL will proceed to conclude the 2019-20 season. For now, Jones will continue to focus on getting his ankle healthy. “I’m not pushing it too hard but keep getting on the ice, I’ll work a little bit harder and push it a little bit harder with each time I’m out there, try to kind of get back in the groove,” Jones said when asked about next steps in rehabilitating the ankle. “I’m doing a lot of cardio work and strengthening and balance things with it off the ice. The trainers are doing a great job with me. It’s definitely a waiting game for all of us at the moment, but for now I’ll be here in Columbus and working.”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173477 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs' Mitch Marner posts letter to kids: 'You’re not alone'

Emily Sadler | @EmmySadler April 7, 2020, 3:59 PM

As the global pandemic continues to alter lives around the world, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner wants to make sure kids know they have somewhere to turn. Marner posted a hand-written letter to young hockey fans on social media to let them know that it’s OK to be frightened by what’s going in the world right now, and to tell them that they’re not alone in any anxieties or fears they may be feeling. He also reminded them that resources like Kids Help Phone are always just a call or a text away. “It’s really hard knowing some of you are scared and worried about what’s happening around the world right now. You’re not alone. I get scared too,” the letter reads. “What helps me is knowing that my friends, teammates and family are feeling the same way. We are doing what we can to help each other. If you need somewhere to go to talk about your feelings or worries, Kids Help Phone is here for you — just text 686868. Someone is always there.” A classy gesture during a difficult time — and one of many kind acts we’ve seen from athletes around the sporting world as everyone continues to do their part to get through this pandemic. Kids Help Phone is available 24/7 and always confidential, with professional counsellors reachable via phone, text, app, or online.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173478 Websites

TSN.CA / Gary Bettman: No Olympics gives NHL ‘broader window’ to play in summer

Frank Seravalli

There is plenty of runway left for the NHL to resume the 2019-season. That is the message NHL commissioner Gary Bettman delivered in an interview with NBC Sports Network’s Mike Tirico on Tuesday, saying that the league is still weeks away from making a decision on whether to drop the puck again. “I think right now, there’s too much uncertainty,” Bettman told NBCSN. “Hopefully we’ll all know more by the end of April. “We’re all going to have to wait until we have a lot more information, maybe in the next few weeks, before we can make any decisions.” There also does not appear to be a limit on how deep the NHL is willing to play into the summer to award the Stanley Cup in 2020. The NHL could lose approximately $1.1 billion in revenue, responsibility for half of which falls to the players, if the remainder of the season is not played. Bettman confirmed the fact that the Tokyo Olympics, which were scheduled to take place from July 24 to Aug. 6, have been postponed to 2021 provides the NHL with a deeper window to play games. Previously, the NHL’s two concerns with playing into July and August were network commitments and arena availability. NBC is the sole U.S. television rightsholder for the NHL and the Olympics is also their marquee sports property; there is now a hole to fill in that schedule. “I do believe we can play into the summer, well into the summer,” Bettman said. “And on the NBC platform, the fact the Olympics have been postponed gives us a broader window to focus on when and how we can play.” In that case, Bettman said sweltering summertime temperatures and the league’s ability to produce playable ice surfaces are “the least of the issues we’re focused on.” As far as potential scenarios where the NHL has reportedly discussed a potential Stanley Cup tournament conducted at centralized sites, Bettman reiterated that “nothing has been ruled in and nothing has been ruled out.” “It doesn’t even pay to speculate because nobody in any of the sports knows enough now to make those profound decisions,” Bettman said. Sources say the NHL has not contacted arena staff or investigated the potential of hosting games at University of North Dakota’s sparkling Ralph Engelstad Arena, as has been reported. “From an NHL standpoint, and I’m sure this is what the other leagues are doing, we’re viewing all of our options,” Bettman said. “We want to be ready to go as soon as we get the green light.” The problem the NHL is facing, as Bettman acknowledged, is the “green light may not be crystal clear because there may still be some places in the country that you can’t play and other places where you can.” It’s an even more multi-layered approach when you factor in hockey’s unique border-crossing situation, plus the fact that many players have already returned home to Europe, where different travel restrictions may be in place. Bettman joined U.S. President Donald Trump on a conference call Saturday with other sports leagues commissioners and representatives. He said the call was a “very cordial, constructive conversation,” but the “uncertainty of the times weren’t clarified in that call.” “Our first focus is keeping everybody healthy and safe,” Bettman said. “We want to get back to playing for our fans, and for the love of the game, as soon as it makes sense and is safe to do so.”

TSN.CA LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173479 Websites utilize that to the best of our abilities and be prepared,” Keefe said. "That's really what we can focus on, so I wouldn't want to get set on any sort of length of time.” TSN.CA / Sheldon Keefe expects Alexander Barabanov to be ‘important Mostly, Keefe has been zeroed in on controlling what he himself can piece of the puzzle’ control. Toronto entered the pause sitting at third place in the Atlantic Division, and Keefe has been pouring over every detail of the 2019-20 season to see how they got there, identifying ways the team can improve if and when they eventually reconvene. Kristen Shilton “The conditions are challenging. Yet, it is an opportunity,” he said. “There’s time to focus on certain things. And the message that we've It’s been nearly four weeks since the NHL hit pause in response to the been giving to our players and to our staff is that there's no excuse. We global COVID-19 pandemic, but not a whole lot has changed for Maple should come back as better versions of ourselves and maybe in a lot of Leafs’ head coach Sheldon Keefe. cases that's going to be difficult to do from a physical standpoint, but there's things that we can do in other areas that, frankly, are more “I'm doing a lot of bingeing on the Toronto Maple Leafs currently. It’s important for our group. So, it gives us a chance to really talk about those taking up a lot of my time,” Keefe told reporters during a media types of things and make those sorts of adjustments and make those conference call on Tuesday. “I've gone through all the same emotions plans.” and similar experiences to everyone else, but in many cases, it's been sort of business as usual in the sense that we have projects we're Keefe also pointed out that while his comment calling the Leafs working on every day, working back through video and connecting as a “immature” after a Jan. 18 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks has been staff. repeatedly brought up since, the original meaning behind it has become somewhat distorted, and wasn't indicative of how he views the Leafs as a “We have a responsibility here; our season is not complete. We have to whole. take advantage of every day that we have to look towards being better versions of ourselves whenever we do get back to playing.” “I think there's an important distinction that should be made in that I didn't necessarily say that our team was immature. [I meant] we played During the 30-minute media session, Keefe dove into several topics, immature, and that's two different things,” he said. “You can attach from Toronto landing KHL free agent Alexander Barabanov, to how he’s whatever description you want to it but the reality is that we need to take connecting with players, what went right (and wrong) for the Leafs so far, steps, both as a team and individually, and right now when you're not and why he still doesn’t have a Netflix account. playing, it's a chance for us to reset, but also really identify where we want to go and how we're going to get there.” 1. Big boost from Barabanov 3. Staying connected, from a distance The Leafs spent two years wooing KHL free agent forward Alexander Barabanov, and on Tuesday the club announced they’d finally succeed in Keefe only took over as Leafs’ head coach in mid-November, and had signing him to a one-year, entry-level contract that kicks in for the 2020- been working diligently ever since to build relationships with his new 21 season. players amid the rigours of an NHL campaign. Barabanov, 25, has been with St. Petersburg SKA for the entirety of his Now that they’ve scattered, Keefe has had to tap into his electronic seven-year professional career to date, posting 20 points (11 goals, nine communication skills to stay on top of everyone, while also being mindful assists) in 43 games during their 2019-20 campaign. not to smother anyone with too much contact. “We're really excited to add another player to the fold here that we think “The obvious challenge is you're not able to sit across from somebody, has great experience and a great skill set, and is very high character as and talk them through something or show them something,” Keefe said. well,” Keefe said. “He just checks a lot of the boxes that you're always “But I think we're like everybody, we're adapting to the situation and I am looking for when you're adding a player that you fully expect to step in staying in contact with guys directly through phone calls or text and be an important part of your team.” messages, emails, those types of things. I was still in the very early goings in my tenure in this job, so I was very much developing those Keefe credited Jim Paliafito, Toronto’s senior director of player relationships with guys. Obviously, it’s more challenging to do that now, evaluation, for identifying Barabanov’s potential and then laying the but I do think that there is a balance between forcing things at a time like groundwork that helped the Leafs win out as his landing spot over other this, versus letting things kind of play out and having periodic NHL suitors. conversations and trying to be respectful of a player's space and their “Alex had [other options] available to him and to ultimately settle on time.” Toronto, we're excited to have him,” Keefe said. “We’re still in the mode 4. A crazy year gets crazier of the 19-20 season here, but going forward beyond that, we certainly expect he's going to be an important piece of the puzzle for us.” While Keefe hasn’t allowed his focus to stray from the Leafs immediate future, he can appreciate what a whirlwind the last six months have been The Leafs have a recent history of attracting coveted European and for him personally, from starting the season as head coach of the AHL’s Russian free agents, including Nikita Zaitsev, Ilya Mikheyev and Calle Toronto Marlies, to taking over the Leafs in the midst of a November road Rosen. trip, and then now being sidelined from coaching entirely during a global In Barabanov’s case, Toronto is confident his history of participation in health crisis. international hockey tournaments – including winning gold with the “It certainly has been eventful,” Keefe laughed. “My own experience and Olympic Athletes from Russia in 2018 and earning three bronze medals my own journey, it's been very unique and very exciting on so many at World Championships (in 2017 and 2019) and the World Juniors (in levels. [But] going through what we're going through now isn't exciting for 2014) – will allow for a smooth transition to the NHL. anybody. So, I think as we look back on it, we'll remember what we're "The KHL is playing a lot more hockey on NHL-size ice, so right away going through right now more than anything and I think that's really where that is something too,” Keefe said. “[Barabanov’s] played a lot both with the perspective and the focus should be. Trying to keep things in NHL players and against NHL players in the international competitions. perspective as much as I can while recognizing I still have a job to do And I've watched him play in some of those games against teams with a and I've got to stay focused every day to keep working towards making heavy NHL presence such as Canada, and you see him succeed there. I our group better.” think that helps his confidence coming in.” Over his short time in the NHL ranks, Keefe said he hasn’t learned a 2. Preparing to be prepared whole lot of new things about himself as a coach, but can see where the Leafs have some growing to do. Since the NHL halted operations on March 12, there have been numerous scenarios floated about what a return to play might look like – “The general thing of what I learned is that we have to get better, and whether it will include remaining regular-season contests or jumping the biggest area for us to get better is to be more consistent in both our straight into playoffs. preparation and our effort,” he said. "While all the other things are important - the structure and how we play and all these things - if we With so much speculation already, Keefe didn’t add any more to the pot can't play at a high level every single day then it doesn't really matter when asked how long his group would need in a mini training camp what we're talking about. We need to give ourselves that opportunity before suiting up. through a foundation of work ethic and competitiveness, and then discipline and structure. All those things that give you a chance to win “I don't know that you can pinpoint a particular time [frame]; I think the every day.” NHL and the NHLPA will decide on that and whatever the time is, we'll 5. Tale of two Tigers It’s no wonder Keefe has been able to focus on Leafs tape during the pause, considering he’s abstained from joining other popular viewing outlets. “I actually don't even have a Netflix account,” Keefe admitted. “I don't know if I'm proud or embarrassed about [that], but it seems like a rabbit hole of entertainment that I don't necessarily know that I need to get down.” Other than watching a few movies he’s had earmarked - including Ford vs. Ferrari and A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood - Keefe has stayed pretty much oblivious to what’s riling people up online. “I’ve been getting a lot of messages and having conversations with different people about the various shows that are the hot topics right now,” he said. “The Tiger King stuff, when I first heard about it, I thought it was going to be a documentary on Tiger Woods, which I thought would have been terrific maybe to catch.” Instead, Keefe’s hours not spent dissecting hockey have been devoted to family time, and the hope that soon he'll be back doing what he does best. “I’ve been with my kids and working with them on my skills as a teacher,” Keefe said. “I’ve been able to work with them on the homeschooling type stuff here. My Grade 4 math skills are improving daily. When it really comes down to it, sports is pretty low on the priority list and so many things are more important, [like] family and health. But then I've been getting a lot of messages from people that enjoy their sports [that] also makes you recognize and know that what you're doing is important and that people miss it. When the health officials and the NHL decide it's time for hockey to resume play and it's safe to do so, we'll be excited to get going and entertain people once again.”

TSN.CA LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173480 World Leagues News Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming's capital city will carry on as planned in 2020.

"If we were going to play the world series, traditionally like we have done Iconic sports cities turn eerie during coronavirus shutdown for many, many years, we need to be playing and picking teams by the middle of June,” said Little League President Stephen Keener, who has yet to set a drop-dead date for deciding whether the season-ending PAUL NEWBERRY AP National Writer 5 hrs ago Comments tournament will be held in its usual August slot. Cheyenne Frontier Days, billed as the “Daddy of ’em all,” has celebrated the cowboy way of life for 123 consecutive years. In 2019, it drew more They are cities defined by iconic sporting events. than a quarter-million people to what is essentially a supersized county fair, a mix of rodeo events, musical acts, artery-busting food and carnival When Augusta comes up, one instantly thinks of the Masters. If Omaha rides stretching over 10 days in July. is mentioned, it’s often in the same breath with the College World Series. It's hard to imagine Louisville without the Kentucky Derby. For now, Frontier Days remains on the calendar. In the coming weeks, The Associated Press will look at those cities and But the countdown clock on the festival's web site is a stark reminder that others like them — from Williamsport to Oklahoma City to Cheyenne — time is running out on a festival that generated nearly $28 million for the to examine how the shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic is an county a year ago. . especially wrenching blow. “Through all the wars, through the depression, we’ve never missed a “This is who we are,” said Jason Fink, the chamber of commerce year,” lamented CEO Tom Hirsig, whose event is scheduled from July president in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, which has been synonymous 17-26. “It certainly wouldn’t be the end of Cheyenne Frontier Days, but it with the Little League World Series since it was founded in 1947. could change the face of it to miss a year." They can certainly relate to that sentiment in Augusta. Augusta National, which includes some of the world’s wealthiest and most influential people among its members, can weather the pandemic’s The Masters got its start in 1934 on the grounds of a former nursery and financial impact better than most sports institutions. the golf tournament is usually held the first full week of April. But it’s going to be a much tougher blow for those outside the gates, who This week, the city looks like a ghost town. rely on the Masters to provide a huge boost to their bottom lines. It Augusta National Golf Club is all locked up. Washington Road, which remains to be seen how many will still be around in November to reap should've been teeming with cars and commerce and humanity, is the benefits of a rescheduled tournament. desolate instead. The Masters is even more intertwined with the local community because A tradition unlike any other has become a year unlike any since the end of all the private homes that are rented out to handle the huge influx of of World II. tournament spectators, sponsors and media who descend on Augusta each year — far more than can be handled by the limited hotel space. No ticket brokers offering to buy and sell the coveted badges. No long lines trying to land a table at TBonz steakhouse. This is usually a week when thousands of locals head for the beach or take a cruise. “It's a big hiccup,” said Mark Cumins, who co-founded TBonz in 1985 and serves up a who's who of golfers, athletes and celebrities during Masters Now, most everyone is stuck at home. week. “It's not going to destroy us, but it hurts.” Sports — and some of its most iconic cities — have gone dark. While the Masters has been rescheduled for November, it won't be quite LOADED: 04.08.2020 the same. Another event seeping in tradition, the Kentucky Derby is headed for quite a shakeup — assuming it actually gets to the starting gate. The Run For The Roses is usually held on the first Saturday of May. Because of the pandemic, hold those mint juleps until Labor Day weekend, when the first leg of the Triple Crown is crammed into a slot that also marks the start of college football season. Not so fortunate: the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska and the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, both of which have already been wiped from the 2020 calendar. The NCAA Division I baseball championship has been decided in Omaha for the past 70 years. The eight-team tournament is such a part of the city's identity that $100 million TD Ameritrade Park was constructed a decade ago in exchange for a 25-year promise not to move the event. Rich Tokheim’s sports apparel shop is right across the street from the 24,000-seat stadium, which is dark most of the year other than the occasional local college game played before sparse crowds. More than half Tokheim's annual revenue comes from those 11 or 12 days when the CWS is held each June. “We’re here because of the College World Series," he said. "It’s just so many people.” Oklahoma City will feel a similar blow in late May and early June, when it was supposed to host the Division I softball tournament for the 30th time. To accommodate what were expected to be record crowds, USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium underwent a 4,000-seat expansion that raised its capacity to about 13,000. All the new seats were already sold out. Turns out, they won't be needed this year. Other prominent events are still clinging to the hope of being held. But each day of mounting deaths tolls and millions of people locked down in their homes makes it increasingly unlikely that either the Little League World Series — actually played in South Williamsport — or the 1173481 World Leagues News Franklin D. Roosevelt sent the so-called “green light letter” to Major League Baseball commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis in January 1942. Will the World of Sports Change After Coronavirus? In it, Roosevelt wrote that “it would be best for the country to keep baseball going.” The people, he added, “ought to have a chance for recreation.” The 1942 season went on as scheduled. Women’s-only by Lars Dzikus baseball leagues also became popular during this period. At its peak in 1948, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League attracted close to 1 million spectators. Baseball’s opening day came and went. The Olympics have been More recently, 9/11 presented a major challenge to sports. As sporting postponed. Football in the fall? Don’t count on it. events could present perfect targets for terrorists, security concerns and costs skyrocketed. With COVID-19 infections and deaths rising each day, the cancellation of live sporting events might seem like an afterthought. But in the coming On the day of the attacks, Major League Baseball immediately postponed weeks and months, their absence will undoubtedly be felt. all 15 games; over the next six days, 91 games were canceled. The last time the league had canceled games without a player strike had been D- This isn’t the first time sports have been put on hold. During previous Day in 1944. crises and conflicts, sports have been stopped. But in the past, the reprieve was brief; sports went on to act as a way to bring Americans Yet games resumed on Sept. 17, and the World Series was played in together, persevere and, ultimately, heal. November. The Super Bowl was also pushed back, but went on as planned. This time’s different. According to sports scholar Rebecca Kraus, baseball’s return, in An American ‘religion’ particular, “provided an emotional release, sense of hope and a place for Sports are so important to so many of us that some have likened them to the community to gather in its time of need, thus fulfilling its role as the a modern religion, replete with rituals, saints and shrines. national pastime.” “Sports are more than games, meets and matches,” sociologist Jay President George W. Bush throws the first pitch of Game 3 of the 2001 Coakley has observed. “They’re important aspects of social life that have World Series. meanings going far beyond scores and performance statistics.” E-sports into the void? Research suggests that watching sports can benefit physical well-being. The current sports stoppage, however, is unprecedented. It touches Fandom can also be linked to psychological benefits such as an every level of every game, in every country in the world, from the increased sense of belonging. When spectators experience social Olympics down to pickup basketball. connectedness to other fans, it can reduce negative emotions, like depression and isolation. In the battle against the coronavirus, sports cannot be relied upon. In fact, sports are among the culprits: Officials have discovered that a Enduring – and emerging stronger February soccer match in Milan, Italy, led to a massive outbreak that For these reasons, sports, during times of crisis, often act as a salve. accelerated the spread of the virus. At the onset of the Civil War, baseball was less than two decades old, In all of this, there’s an important point to consider. We’re still processing and the first two years of the war hit the young sport hard. As several the many jarring changes to our routines. And when sports return in a players enlisted and others focused on civilian war efforts, many clubs year or two, our perception of this strange hiatus will have certainly folded or played reduced schedules. changed. Still, as historian George Kirsch has noted, baseball “endured the trial of We might marvel at how quickly sports bounce back and pick up right civil war remarkably well, persisting and even progression under trying where they left off. At the same time, when sports do resume, who could circumstances.” Union soldiers brought the game to the battlefield, blame fans for being wary about attending games? playing to stay fit and get some much-needed distraction. In the process, Sports shouldn’t be taken for granted. In the great scheme of things, they exposed many of their fellow countrymen to the game for the first organized sports are a relatively recent phenomenon – less than 200 time. After the war, baseball’s popularity boomed. years old in the United States. Who knows what sports will look like 50, Sports went on to endure both World War I and the 1918 flu pandemic. 100 or 200 years from now. Starting at about 776 B.C., the ancient Olympic Games lasted for 12 centuries. Today they’re long gone. The ranks of college football players, for example, were vastly depleted, with many student-athletes going into active duty. Others joined the Could, over time, the steady threat of global calamity also relegate our newly established Student Army Training Corps on their campuses and current conception of sports to ancient history? were often kept out of practices and games. Still, the games went on, Already, one relative newcomer to the sporting scene has filled a void. with freshmen permitted to fill the rosters. Despite some initial hiccups, televised e-sport tournaments are still being Overseas, in Europe, millions of American troops continued to engage in held as planned. baseball, football and boxing behind the front lines as a respite from the With 1.3 million viewers following a virtual race, the recent inaugural drudgery of trench warfare. Sports and athletics, according to historian eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series on Fox Sports became the Steve Pope, became “central components of military life.” most-watched e-sport competition in American television history. The first wave of the flu arrived in the U.S. in the spring of 1918, but the Center for the National Interest LOADED: 04.08.2020 second, stronger wave hit right at the onset of the college football season. Given the shortage of players due to the war, discussions to cancel the 1918 season were already underway when the flu returned. Michigan had played only one game when the governor shut down public gatherings. A game against rival Michigan Agricultural College – now Michigan State – was postponed for concerns that “prolonged cheering at the games would weaken the throats of the spectators, thus making them more susceptible to the disease.” Nationwide, hundreds of college games were canceled. Nonetheless, as flu cases subsided in November 1918, Michigan was able to play four more games. Undefeated Michigan and Pitt were titled co-champions, despite having played only five games each. Bringing the country together Following the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, some wondered whether it was even appropriate to hold sporting events. Then President 1173482 World Leagues News Sox game from 1978 (any of the Boston Massacre games, please; the Bucky Effin Dent game? Well, in the same way it’s hard to ever hear “Layla” too much, it’s hard to watch the BED game too much. But not Attention, sports TV networks: Please air vintage games impossible)? Maybe throw in a vintage commercial or two from Schaefer beer or Manufacturer’s Hanover or Nobody Beats the Wiz?

MLB Network did air two games from the 1968 World Series Tuesday By Mike VaccaroApril 7, 2020 | 8:29PM night, but Al Kaline had to die first. It really shouldn’t have to come to that. (But thank you.)

OK. Rant over. Back to the important stuff. Like “Tiger King.” And We probably need to start with a disclaimer. Let’s go with this: “Ozark.” And listing “Ten Concerts I’ve Seen Live, and One’s a Lie” on Facebook. And … None of what follows is important, in the traditional sense of “important.” This is not an issue that will save lives. This is not a subject that will get NY POST LOADED: 04.08.2020 us back in the office any sooner, or in the ballpark, or on an airplane. This is important in the sense that not long ago, debating whether the Astros should be drawn-and-quartered or tarred-and-feathered for their high crimes and misdemeanors seemed “important.” But now … OK. Now that that’s out of the way … This begins as many things in 2020 do: on Twitter. Actually, the true origins lie in a more specific place, in the more specific time of spring, 2020, specifically inside the skull of a man spending another dull morning pondering the daily commute from his living room to his kitchen. That would be me. And from this fertile mixture emerged this observation: “An unimportant observation: why is it so hard for sports networks to realize that when it comes to re-broadcasting games, older is almost always better? I can’t be alone in preferring to re-watch games that took place 30 and 40 years ago as opposed to two months ago, can I?” Then I returned to my daily internal, infernal debate: “Cheers” reruns or “M*A*S*H?” Except a funny thing happened. Some Tweets, like some jokes, die in a pit of indifference. And others … well, let’s just say it was hard to keep up. It was hard to keep count. Perhaps it was the 87th replay of David Wright’s farewell game on SNY that did it, or another thrilling Yankees thrashing of the Twins from 2019 on YES, or the 2015 Home Run Derby that exactly nobody was yearning to see on MLB Network or (God help us) a replay of a 2020 Knicks game on MSG that almost nobody wanted to see the first time around … But let’s just put it this way: I had company. “If I see the David Wright game again I’ll throw a brick through my television,” said @chalulu23. “A midseason game from 2019 is NOT classic!” said @RkFast2. “Hell yeah! I want to watch a game with Winfield and Mattingly,” said @MarcNYY618. “I would even watch Anthony Young (RIP) go for the consecutive-loss record at this point!” said @Fantomah18. On and on and on. Many others simply said: “You are not alone.” Rare is the time I’ve ever posited an opinion and received almost unanimous backing. A few young whippersnappers OK-Boomered me, as expected. A professional sports gambler, gone loopy at the reality of nothing to gamble on, explained, “I don’t like to see old things, it hatches up old memories” and then, in a poignant coda, offered the hashtag #SidBream. And look: the networks will offer up a lot of reasons why they program as they do. The simplest one is the most frustrating one: until the ’70s, most games weren’t kept. They were erased. They were lost. Much as you might want to see the Tom Seaver Imperfect Game, there is no known copy of that Channel 9 telecast (believe me, I’ve asked). SEE ALSO How MLB's suspect coronavirus return idea got to this point Some networks don’t have the rights to games. Hometown networks are often reluctant to show games the home team lost (a rare exception: Mariano Rivera’s farewell). Licensing fees are an issue with some older games. And there is also the reality that most games that are 15 years or older were broadcast in standard-definition, and in an HD world it can be jarring to watch. (Yes. We are spoiled rotten now that we can see every pore, nose hair and droplet of sweat with breathtaking clarity.) Got it. All of it. Still: would it kill anyone if, once a day, we were served up a random Mets game from 1984, or a vintage Rangers game, or a Yankees-Red 1173483 World Leagues News calendar, there will be massive dislocation. The compression will mean more events in less time and with less money.”

Cycling Australia, Basketball Australia and FFA all indicated their desire What does coronavirus mean for upcoming international sports events in to be flexible. “There are so many unknowns right now for everyone – so Australia? it is hard to guess what might happen,” says Kaufmann. “I think by 2022 things will be sorted out and those [announced dates] will be the dates – but if not, we will work closely with all our partners and the UCI to make Kieran Pender changes.” Beset by these challenges, organising major international sporting events in the months ahead will not be smooth sailing. But if the cycling world In late March, Basketball Australia chief executive Jerril Rechter was championships, basketball World Cup and football World Cup do take preparing to fly to Geneva to meet with the board of Fiba, the game’s place as scheduled in the post-coronavirus era, each could offer governing body. Rechter and three colleagues had tickets booked, bags Australia a symbolic representation of our collective triumph over packed and a pitch ready to sell Australia as the best possible host of the adversity. 2022 Women’s World Cup. “These are the moments where the power of sport is on display,” says Just days before their flight, coronavirus-related travel restrictions Basketball Australia’s Rechter. “We don’t know what things will look like rendered the trip impossible. Rechter and her team pivoted to video- on the other side of coronavirus. But sport can bring people together and conferencing, presenting late into the evening during Fiba’s first-ever show them what is possible in ways that are incredibly inspiring.” virtual board meeting. They waited patiently as another nation outlined a competing bid, before re-joining the call to witness Fiba president For Kaufmann, the prospect for world class racing on the roads around Hamane Niang open an envelope that revealed Australia as the winner. Wollongong, broadcast across the globe, is enticing. “New South Wales has been devastated in recent months first with the bushfires and now In ordinary times, Australia securing the hosting rights for a major with coronavirus,” he says. “It will be absolutely perfect timing for us to international tournament would be headline news. The Opals are welcome the world.” currently the second best team in the world – 2006 world champions and three-time Olympic silver medallists. In 2022, they may well lift the World FFA too is buoyant about the benefits a successful bid would bring. Cup on home soil. But amid the coronavirus turbulence, the “Football will play a huge part in helping Australia, New Zealand and the announcement generated little buzz. Now, Rechter and her team must Asia-Pacific region in their recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” an begin organising a major international event – no easy undertaking in FFA spokesperson said. “Hosting the Fifa Women’s World Cup would be usual circumstances – with society in lock-down and sport in chaos. a much-needed and massive economic, sporting, social and cultural boost to both nations at that time.” “This has provided a light on the hill – something to aim for once we are through this crisis,” Rechter tells Guardian Australia. “We are putting our After months without sport in 2020, the years ahead could be a bonanza heads down now and working on our project planning for the next year. of sporting spectacles. “People will want to watch and participate – While no one knows what is going to happen next, nothing is impossible. because it has been taken away from them,” says Herbert. “The appetite Four weeks ago, no one thought you could present a bid for one of the will be extraordinary.” largest female sporting competitions in the world via Zoom. But we did.” Guardian News LOADED: 04.08.2020 Daryl Herbert Basketball Australia is not the only domestic sporting body seeking to organise a world championships against the backdrop of coronavirus. In the short-term, the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup is scheduled to begin in October across seven Australian cities. Cycling Australia is set to host the 2022 UCI Road World Championships, while Football Federation Australia is bidding together with New Zealand for the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup; a decision is due in June. Even with these extended lead-times, coronavirus poses a real threat. “The big international events that we have in Australia are typically funded by government,” says Daryl Herbert, chairman of sports event promoter GTR Events. “Governments will be under extraordinary financial pressure to somehow rebalance their books. “The other part of the funding model is corporate – broadcasting and sponsorships. Are companies going to be as comfortable as they would have been investing in these events, when they are all taking massive hits right now? I think it is going to be very difficult for the income models put in place pre-corona to be viable post-corona.” Australia's women's basketball team FacebookTwitterPinterest The road cycling world championships in Wollongong are expected to cost $20m, with the vast majority to be provided by the New South Wales state government. While Cycling Australia is confident of its funding guarantees, general manager Kipp Kaufmann concedes that corporate dollars were now uncertain. “Our government partners are fantastic,” he said. “We have no concerns – we are certain that the event will go forward. But sponsorship is one area of likely delay. Whereas we might usually be talking to companies right now, many of them might not be a position to have those conversations until next year.” Even if government funding remains in place, wholesale reform of the sporting calendar will also raise question marks. “Does everyone get pushed back a year? Nothing is off the table,” says Herbert. “There are going to be winners and losers.” The major events veteran pointed to the road world championships – the 2020 edition is scheduled for Switzerland in September, while 2021 is set to take place in Belgium. “I don’t see any chance of having a world champs this year in Switzerland,. Does that get pushed back a year? Or to 2022? Or 2023? There is going to be clash upon clash upon clash. Across the sporting 1173484 World Leagues News Almost a month ago, the NBA suspended its season after Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive for coronavirus. This week, commissioner Adam Silver said there would be no word on when How sports leagues are responding to coronavirus and what fans are basketball will be back until May -- at the earliest. doing to get through it What's a bored NBA fan to do? Well, for one, it seems like the players are just as antsy as the fans. By Leah Asmelash, CNN Sixteen players -- including Trae Young, Devin Booker, Zach LaVine and Demarcus Cousins -- have been participating in an NBA 2K20 tournament, in which they battle each other in the basketball video game. So, it's not real ball, but maybe it'll fill the void in fans' hearts. Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, empty on Opening Day on March 26. With the coronavirus pandemic growing, many leagues NBA returns in virtual form as Kevin Durant headlines video game have suspended or delayed their seasons. tournament Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, empty on Opening Day NBA returns in virtual form as Kevin Durant headlines video game on March 26. With the coronavirus pandemic growing, many leagues tournament have suspended or delayed their seasons. If simulated basketball just won't do, the NBA has made League Pass (CNN)One of the many facets of life put on hold by the coronavirus free until April 22 for fans stuck at home. The service offers replays of pandemic are, to the anguish of many fans, sports. games from the 2019-2020 season, as well as archived classic games. Days of obsessing over beloved teams -- chatting about NBA playoff Still, many questions remain about the NBA's return, and it's not just bets, lamenting about March Madness brackets or meticulously following about the start date. How will the regular season's timeline be affected? the opening days of the MLB season -- have been cut. How will playoffs operate? These are questions Silver alluded to in an interview with TNT, but he said it is too early to make any projections. Just ask Benjamin Dennison. The WNBA, meanwhile, was meant to begin its season May 15, but it The 24-year-old grew up watching basketball; he follows March Madness has since been postponed. New start dates have yet to be announced. every year and told CNN he watches a few NBA games a week. When the NBA suspended its season and March Madness was canceled, he NHL was shocked. Still, he said the changes were "totally necessary." On March 12, the National Hockey League suspended its regular Getting that many people together would just be too dangerous right season, which was originally scheduled to end on April 4, followed by the now, he said. Stanley Cup playoffs, of course. To fill the void, Dennison said he watches classic NBA games that some Obviously, a wrench has been thrown into the regularly scheduled channels have been airing. He's also gone on YouTube and watched programming. highlights. It helps, he said. The league, like many others, doesn't know much right now, though Pat Del Rosario, 28, got a little creative with his group of friends. commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday officials hope to know more Originally from the Bay Area, Del Rosario will sometimes stay up until 1 by the end of April. That means the fans could be watching hockey in the a.m. watching Golden State Warriors games from the East Coast. With middle of summer. the NBA on hold, he and some friends got together virtually and watched an old game together on YouTube, hitting play at the same time so they'd NASCAR all be in sync. NASCAR has postponed all race events through May 3, but that doesn't "It kind of feels like we're hanging out and COVID isn't happening," the mean there's no racing to be seen. It's just gone virtual. New York City resident told CNN. "It's like an outlet. It makes you feel Many NASCAR drivers, including the likes of Dale Earnhardt Jr., have normal." taken up iRacing -- where drivers race from the comfort of their home. Though he's saddened that so many sports are now on hold, he agrees The sport existed long before coronavirus, but has been getting extra with Dennison -- the suspensions are necessary, he said. attention because of the virus. And most leagues probably won't be returning to normal anytime soon. Fox Sports has plans to air the rest of the iRacing season on their platforms, making the sport easily available for NASCAR fans to tune in. For everyone in mourning, here's everything you should know on where professional leagues in the US stand on their coronavirus response, and NFL when you can expect your teams to return. The actual National Football League's season may be a few months MLB away, but the 2020 draft is still scheduled for April 23. In March, Major League Baseball canceled spring training and indefinitely How's that possible? The draft is going full virtual, with coaches and team delayed the start of the 2020 season, meant to begin on March 26. personnel making picks from their individual homes, announced commissioner Roger Goodell in a memo. But as the coronavirus spread has yet to slow down, the league is now considering other options -- most notably playing the entire season in one Meanwhile, league and club facilities will remain closed indefinitely. The location. NFL season is scheduled to kick off in September, but depending on the status of the epidemic, that could change. "While we have discussed the idea of staging games at one location as one potential option, we have not settled on that option or developed a Tennis detailed plan," the MLB said in a statement Tuesday. Both men's and women's professional tennis -- the ATP and WTA tour -- The league is considering "numerous contingency plans" for once the have suspended their seasons until June 7, freezing the rankings in the situation improves, the league said. process. Baseball could actually be back beginning as early as May, ESPN That means that the French Open, or Roland Garros, which typically reported. begins in May, has been moved to instead begin on September 20. Other reports say the league is looking to get all teams to play in Arizona, Wimbledon, however, has been completely canceled. It had been where half of MLB teams hold their spring training in the Phoenix area. scheduled to begin on June 29. The stadiums are all within about 50 miles from each other, allowing That being said, it's a difficult time for tennis fans everywhere. With teams to quarantine in a hotel and not have to travel far for their games. players stuck at home, some have taken to social media to provide some The games, of course, would be played with no fans. content for those feeling tennis-deprived. Still, the MLB says it has yet to seek approval for any specific plan from Venus Williams, for example, teamed up with Grigor Dimitrov to host a government officials or the players association so far. workout session on Instagram Live. It might not make up for Wimbledon, but it's something. NBA/WNBA CNN LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173485 World Leagues News > Season affected: 1943 Preparing for a season amid a war, the NFL shortened each team’s 1943 schedule to 10 games. With players off at war, many teams did not have 16 Times Entire Sports Leagues Were Cancelled Before Coronavirus enough athletes to fill out their roster. For the 1943 season, the Cleveland Rams suspended operations, and the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers combined their rosters to make the “Steagles.” The Grant Suneson MLB and NHL both faced similar roster shortages but did not lose any games. They made do by bringing up young players or coaxing past players out of retirement. Sports are often an escape from the difficulties of everyday life, but the 4. D-Day COVID-19 pandemic has forced three of America’s largest sports leagues to postpone some of their games — and at least two leagues > Leagues affected: MLB may have to cancel the rest of the season. > Season affected: 1944 The NBA and NHL usually crown a champion in June, though their postseasons could be delayed or even canceled. The MLB already World War II did not have a huge impact on the MLB’s schedule. missed its planned opening day, and it is unclear when baseball could President Franklin Roosevelt asked MLB Commissioner Kennesaw start. Even the NFL season, which is slated to start in September, may Mountain Landis to keep baseball going to offer Americans a distraction be in jeopardy. during the war. Teams played with patchwork rosters as many notable players left their teams to join the military during the war. The one time Even when international events like the Olympics were canceled in war baseball paused for the war was on June 6, 1944 — D-Day. To mark the time, American sports leagues typically played on. While the pandemic is assault on Normandy, all MLB games from that day were rescheduled. certainly unprecedented, there have been several instances in the past in which sports fans missed portions or even an entire season. These 5. MLB strike of 1972 cancellations happened due to labor lockouts, tragedies, and major > Leagues affected: MLB historical events. > Season affected: 1972 24/7 Wall St. looked back at mass cancellations of NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL games caused by major past events, using sources including the Baseball’s first strike came in 1972, when players went on strike. After 13 Sport Reference family of sites. We only considered events that affected days, owners agreed to add $500,000 to the players’ pension fund and multiple games across one or more leagues. For instance, the 1919 allow salary arbitration. The stoppage canceled the first week of games, Stanley Cup final was canceled because of the Spanish influenza and not all teams were evenly affected — some got to play 156 games, outbreak as most of Montreal’s players were sick before the decisive while others played one or two fewer games. This may have cost the game six. As just one game was canceled, that case did not make this Boston Red Sox a shot at the postseason as they finished 1972 with an list of mass cancellations. 85-70 record, a half-game back of the 86-70 Detroit Tigers. While the cancellation of sporting events is frustrating for athletes who 6. MLB strike of 1981 may be denied a shot at a championship and for fans who enjoy watching at home, these events are staffed by thousands of food > Leagues affected: MLB vendors, security workers, and other support staff at venues who are now > Season affected: 1981 out of work. Some players and owners have pledged their own money to help staff, but these workers remain among the many Americans facing MLB players went on strike for the second time in 1981, this time over huge economic challenges because of the pandemic. These are the free agency. In the event a star player left in free agency, teams wanted American industries being devastated by the coronavirus. to be compensated with another player of similar value, but players were opposed. Games were canceled from June 12 to Aug. 10, and schedules Given the grim nature of current news broadcasts, many people are likely were uneven that season, with teams playing between 102-110 games. searching for distractions. Unfortunately, sports are not the only form of entertainment disrupted by the coronavirus. Dozens of films have been 7. NFL strike of 1982 postponed as well — some of which were in production, while others were pulled back by studios until people will be able to return to movie > Leagues affected: NFL theaters. > Season affected: 1982 1. World War I The NFL Players Association went on strike three times prior to 1982, but > Leagues affected: MLB that season would be the first time the NFL missed games over a labor dispute. The strike began after week two, in September, and the season > Season affected: 1918, 1919 resumed in November. Teams played just nine games apiece that season as opposed to 16 in a typical season. As a result of World War I, Major League Baseball cut its 1918 season short. The World Series was played in September, a month earlier than 24/7 Wall St. the year before. Each team played 10 to 20 fewer games than originally scheduled, and the start of the 1919 season was also postponed. Most Severe Punishments in Sports History Many players enlisted in the military or took factory jobs to help the war 8. NFL strike of 1987 effort. The last year of the war was also the first season of the newly > Leagues affected: NFL formed NHL, though the public paid little attention to the sport in light of the global conflict. > Season affected: 1987 2. Warren G. Harding’s death Though it was shorter than the strike five years earlier, the NFL’s 1987 stoppage may have been more contentious. NFL players sought more > Leagues affected: MLB control in free agency and started striking after week two. Owners hired > Season affected: 1923 athletes to replace the striking players, so only one week was completely canceled. After star players began crossing the picket lines, the strike America’s 29th president, Warren G. Harding, unexpectedly passed fizzled out after 24 days. away in office on Aug. 2, 1923. The MLB’s entire schedule for the day after was postponed, as were all games scheduled for Aug. 10, the day 9. NHL strike of 1992 of Harding’s funeral. > Leagues affected: NHL 24/7 Wall St. > Season affected: 1992 The Most Embarrassing Records in Sports History The NHL’s first labor-related work stoppage ended up postponing 30 Source: Urban Archives, Temple University Libraries / Wikimedia games. The players began their strike in April, just before the start of the Commons playoffs, giving them substantial leverage in negotiations, because the postseason brings in significant revenue. After 10 days, the players and 3. World War II owners agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement that lengthened each team’s schedule from 80 to 84 games. > Leagues affected: NFL 10. MLB strike of 1994 and 1995 Another labor dispute shortened the 2012-2013 NHL season from 82 games to just 48. Players rejected a deal with owners that would have > Leagues affected: MLB reportedly slashed their share of league revenue from 57% to 43%. The > Season affected: 1994, 1995 two sides could not meet in the middle until January 2013. The longest work stoppage in MLB history began in 1994. Owners 17. COVID-19 pandemic reopened the active MLB labor deal and proposed changes that would > Leagues affected: NBA, NHL, MLB, and more benefit them, pressing players to make concessions on salary caps, arbitration, revenue splitting, pensions, licensing revenue, free agency, > Season affected: 2020 and more. Players refused and went on strike. This cut the 1994 season short by around 50 regular season games per team and canceled It is too soon to know the extent to which the sports world will be affected baseball’s postseason. The National Labor Relations Board repeatedly by the coronavirus pandemic. So far, the NBA and NHL seasons are on found that the owners acted unfairly, and the sides only came to an hold, and reportedly there is concern that neither league will be able to agreement after a U.S. District Court forced them to do so. Baseball complete its 2019-2020 campaign — both seasons typically end in June. came back in April 1995 after nearly eight months of labor strife. Around March 25, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said he hoped baseball would be back in May. More recently, however, around Apr. 4, 11. NHL lockout of 1994-1995 President Donald Trump told commissioners of several major sports leagues that he hoped fans would be able to attend sporting events by > Leagues affected: NHL August, according to ESPN. > Season affected: 1994-1995 The NFL is still planning to start its season in September as scheduled, The NHL played the 1993-1994 season without a collective bargaining as long as players are able to be tested before then. The NFL Draft is agreement. Owners, pushing to institute a salary cap, locked out the also slated to happen on its previously planned April 23-25 date, with players for over three months, starting October 1994. The owners limited staff from teams with no on-site players. Winter and spring college eventually relented, settling for a rookie cap and free agency limitations, sports have been scrapped for 2020. Other events in golf, tennis, auto and the season began in January 1995. Teams played just 48 games racing, soccer, the Olympics, and more have either been canceled or that season instead of the usual 82. postponed as well. 12. NBA lockout of 1998-1999 247wallst dot com LOADED: 04.08.2020 > Leagues affected: NBA > Season affected: 1998-1999 The first NBA lockout that resulted in cancelled games started in July 1998 and didn’t end until January 1999 — spanning over 200 days. Like many other lockouts in other leagues before, owners sought to reduce spending through measures like a salary cap. When an agreement was reached, there was only enough time for a 50-game regular season. ALSO READ: Most Successful #1 Overall Draft Picks in Sports History 13. Sept. 11 terrorist attacks > Leagues affected: MLB, NFL > Season affected: 2001 The terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, brought nearly everything in America to a halt, including sports. MLB games were postponed for a full week. The NFL canceled its slate of games scheduled for the weekend of the 16th, adding those games to the end of the regular season. New York’s first sporting event after 9/11 took place 10 days later, when the New York Mets hosted the Atlanta Braves. Mike Piazza hit a go- ahead game winning two-run home run in the 8th inning, giving the Mets a 3-2 victory and giving the city something to cheer about. It remains one of the most enduring and memorable moments in MLB history. 14. NHL lockout of 2004-2005 > Leagues affected: NHL > Season affected: 2004-2005 The 2004-2005 NHL season was completely wiped out by an owners’ lockout, as they wanted to institute a salary cap, which the players pushed back against. It was the only time one of the major North American sports leagues lost an entire season due to a labor dispute. Hockey returned in 2005 with a full slate of games, though it would not be the last time NHL fans would be forced to endure a lockout. 15. NBA lockout of 2011 > Leagues affected: NBA > Season affected: 2011 In their collective bargaining agreement that ended in 2011, NBA players received 57% of basketball-related income from the league. In negotiations, owners tried to reduce that share to 50%, and threatened to offer players just 47% if they did not accept the 50-50 split. Players insisted that they get more than 51%, and the season was delayed over four months. The NBA eventually came back for an abbreviated 66-game schedule. 16. NHL lockout of 2012-2013 > Leagues affected: NHL > Season affected: 2012-2013 1173486 World Leagues News Yahoo Sports LOADED: 04.08.2020

NBA commissioner Adam Silver outlines sobering news of coronavirus impact on this season and possibly next

Ben RohrbachYahoo SportsApril 7, 2020

Appearing on his league’s newly launched “#NBATogether with Ernie Johnson” Twitter broadcast, commissioner Adam Silver said no decision on the 2019-20 season would be made until at least May. When Silver made the decision to suspend the season following Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert’s positive test for the coronavirus on March 11, the NBA acknowledged its hiatus would last at least 30 days. Monday marked the 25th day without professional basketball in the United States, and Silver is no closer to outlining a timeline for the return of the sport than he was when COVID-19 halted American life. “The fact is sitting here today I know less than I did then,” Silver told Johnson in a video interview. The NBA has considered countless scenarios for when it is deemed safe for a return to play, including games without fans at either practice facilities or a single site and the possibility of permanent changes to arena access between players and fans, but no decisions will be made in April and possibly beyond. According to Silver, public health experts and the league’s advisors have suggested that the virus may be moving faster than anticipated and could potentially peak earlier, but there are too many unknowns. The league office had spent the first two weeks of the hiatus considering potential drop-dead dates for the possibility of completing a full 2020 slate, including the regular season, but it is a futile exercise now. “In a perfect world, yes we would try to finish the regular season in some form and then move on to the playoffs ... but what I’ve learned over the last few weeks is that we just have too little information to make those sorts of projections,” Silver said as a sobering reminder. “I will say though that as I look out into the summer, there does come a point where we would start impacting next season. Now, even there, I think a few weeks ago nobody thought we were going to be talking about a potential impact on next season independent of what we might choose to do to finish our regular season and playoffs.” More Silver and WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert were among the sports commissioners who participated in Saturday’s 45-minute conference call with President Donald Trump, who expressed his desire to see live sporting events again after tiring of classic golf telecasts over the past several weeks. Silver confirmed reports that he told Trump that sports leagues “would love to be part of the movement to restart the economy,” just as the NBA led the way in shutting business down as the virus spread. The commissioner said the health of everyone involved in the NBA would be his top priority when making decisions on this season, including the 55,000 arena workers and support staff whose jobs are now on hold, while also recognizing that a frozen economy and isolation are also public health matters. “Factoring those things in, where will we be in May? Will there be an opportunity?” Silver asked rhetorically. “Beyond virtue of crowing a champion, what will the symbolism be of major-league sports starting back up in this country? I think that’s what President Trump wanted to talk to us all about on that call on Saturday. It wasn’t just a pep talk, but I think it was a reminder of what the meaning of sports is to Americans, to our culture in particular. In essence, what came back from all the leagues collectively was, once we get the all clear, however that’s determined ... we’re going to be ready to go.” On a personal note, Silver said his wife Maggie is expecting their second daughter in mid-May. “There’s a bit of additional anxiety in terms of going into a New York City hospital,” he conceded. One more example of how much is unknown both within the NBA and in the lives of all Americans. – – – – – – – Ben Rohrbach 1173487 World Leagues News

Japanese baseball delayed again in bad sign for all sports

By Joel ShermanApril 7, 2020 | 4:52PM

Nippon Professional Baseball announced that the start of the Japanese baseball season, which was rescheduled for April 24, now will not happen until late May at the earliest. But it could be a lot longer than that after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared a national state of emergency Tuesday. A prominent baseball agent in correspondence with a team official in Japan was informed by that executive that with that national emergency declared, NPB does not expect to start before late June. An MLB club official confirmed that is the news they were hearing as well. Atsushi Ihara, an NPB executive, told reporters in Japan of the delay of at least one month. The Japanese league had initially delayed the start of its season to April 24 due to the coronavirus pandemic and was proceeding in that fashion even after three Hanshin Tiger players tested positive for coronavirus. However, Abe declared a state of emergency Tuesday that is expected to last at least one month and cover Tokyo and six other prefectures that account for most of the Japanese teams, such as Tokyo Giants and Yakult Swallows. That Japan had restarted spring training, albeit without fans in the crowd, after its initial wave with the virus was seen as encouraging in some MLB quarters. But the virus being caught by the Tiger players and this national emergency triggered as the virus rebounded more substantially in Japan is a symbol of how difficult it will be to make firm plans by any sports league. NY POST LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173488 World Leagues News Survivor, Top Chef and Bar Rescue. There have even been free pools on nailing the weather forecast.

Curb Your Enthusiasm DraftKings Digs Deep To Keep Bettors Interested, With Major Sports Halted By Coronavirus “Not everybody has disposable income right now to be gambling,” Avello said, “so we’re giving back to our customers who have been loyal to us.”

But the biggest moneymaker for the company over the last two weeks Shlomo Sprung has easily been table tennis. Since you can put money on each point, DraftKings has received a high volume of wagers from consumers who would normally focus their attention on the ATP and WTA tours. In the sports world, every business’ models have been challenged by coronavirus. But DraftKings and the sports betting industry as a whole One DraftKings player even hit big on a huge five-leg parlay, betting have been uniquely challenged, because what everyone usually bets on $800 on four table tennis matches and one Russia Liga Pro Short is suspended for the foreseeable future. Hockey game at +2501 to win $20,805.51. If you have someone in your life who wagers on sports or gambles, you “That’s the most eye-opening event that I’ve seen that handles the kind know that they still have that itch even if there aren’t traditional sports of money that it does,” Avello said of table tennis. “The way it’s being bet, games to bet or focus on. DraftKings is currently trying to fulfill the needs I think that’s gonna stick around.” of those consumers. Table Tennis Johnny Avello, the head of DraftKings’ sportsbook, is attempting to help Despite the volume of entries and wagers coming in at the online casino navigate the company through this trying and unprecedented time with and DFS, DraftKings has certainly taken its share of financial losses some unique fallback options during this period. Though physical during this difficult time. gambling locations have been closed, Avello and DraftKings are still trying to reach its consumer base through its gaming licenses in states “We took some major hits, there’s no question about it,” Avello said, “but like West Virginia, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Indiana and New Jersey, its we’re staying above water with what we have to offer. I would say the online and mobile casino games and its traditional daily fantasy sports. company is in good shape, and we’re gonna come out blazing when this thing’s over.” Avello has more than 40 years of experience in gaming operations and went to DK after 13 years running the sportsbook at the Wynn in Las That includes the official combination of its business with Diamond Eagle Vegas. After the Supreme Court ruled in 2018 that sports betting could Acquisition Corp. and betting and gaming technology company SBTech be legalized by individual states, Avello went to work, implementing the to publicly form what it calls “the largest U.S.-based vertically integrated company’s plan if sports gambling ever escaped the vice grip of a federal player in the sports betting and online gaming space.” ban. Despite everything going on, that’s still expected to take place at some With DraftKings already established as an online power, Avello said it point in April, with DraftKings very much looking forward to being was well prepared to deal with an emergency situation like this that would integrated in time for the sports world’s long-awaited return to normalcy drastically impact the broader global gambling market. where fans can bet on more than just Survivor and table tennis. “I think we’re in a little better position than some of the other places that “We had to get a little creative and find content that we wouldn’t normally rely on this point of sale or people to walk in,” he said over the phone on use,” Avello said. “And when we return to normal, that content won’t be Monday, “because we have the mobile app, which is the core of our first in the forefront, but it’ll still be on our menu.” business.” Forbes Media LOADED: 04.08.2020 DraftKings Avello and the DraftKings team have had to look for content and offerings that they hadn’t pursued before to stay afloat as COVID-19 has suspended the NBA, NHL, MLB, soccer’s Premier and Champions League and has seen the cancellation of the NCAA Tournament, one of betting’s biggest annual moneymaking events, Wimbledon and golf’s British Open. “This closes the entire world,” Avello said. “That’s what makes this so different from anything I’ve seen.” So what have people been wagering on the most as they sit on their couches and bet from home? From soccer in Belarus to darts in England to your favorite reality shows, Avello has been surprised by how many different obscure offerings people are putting money on or competing in free pools. That includes NASCAR’s iRacing esports telecasts on Sundays, which is legal to wager on in West Virginia and amassed more than 34,000 entries on the sportsbook’s free-to-play tool over the first three events. “Of all the virtual sports that we’ve seen so far, I thought that one was really well done, and really displayed well on TV,” Avello said. “I think that’s where we’re gonna go as far as new offerings in the future.” Even the Super Basketball League, Taiwan’s five-team semi-pro league, has seen significant action and is offered in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. The free daily fantasy sports tool is where DraftKings has been able to be the most creative. With esports like League of Legends, CS:GO, Rocket League, Madden and a pick e’m pool for the NBA’s players 2K tournament, the site has seen expected growth in that sector. But DK’s also offered free DFS pools for live reality TV events, which includes the March 15 debate between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, which drew over 70,000 participants, per data provided by the company. It gets even stranger than that. A week later on March 22, more than 13,000 entered a pool for the Curb Your Enthusiasm finale. Two days earlier, over 12,000 competed to predict which pitches would get major funding on Shark Tank. DraftKings also got five-figure entry numbers for episodes of other reality shows like 1173489 World Leagues News

MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS URGE ALL COMBAT SPORTS TO STOP UNTIL CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC SUBSIDES by H Jenkins

WWE has a ton of television tapings slated to start on Thursday. They will reportedly tape three weeks worth of each brand’s show. The Association Of Ringside Physicians would like them to reconsider. Coming off the heels of WWE’s plans and UFC’s announcement that they will also continue with closed-set events, The Association Of Ringside Physicians sent out a public address. They strongly urged all combat sports to cease production until the novel coronavirus threat has leveled off. Combat sports includes professional wrestling. The Association of Ringside Physicians has been actively following the recommendations of the CDC as well as other professional medical societies concerned with the spread of COVID-19, or novel coronavirus. Sporting events across the world have been cancelled in response to the increased risk of infection and transmission by participants, fans, officials, and support staff. It is our recommendation that all combat sporting events be postponed until further notice. This includes any and all events, regardless of the number of people involved. Any combat sport taking place during this global pandemic places the athletes, officials, and anyone else involved in the event under unnecessary risk of infection and transmission of Covid-19. In addition, combat sports athletes often require medical attention after a bout, and we do not wish to see any additional strain on an already overwhelmed medical system. We continue to monitor this ever-evolving situation, and our thoughts continue to be with those who have been and will be affected by this disease. Our organization remains steadfast in our mission: to serve, protect, and educate all involved in combative sports. This is not an official mandate. It is a recommendation from a group of highly respected and knowledgeable health care professionals who have extensive knowledge in this area. AEW worked hard last week to film a ton of programming at QT Marshall’s gym in Norcross, Georgia. All Elite Wrestling is in the clear until May, but we’re still waiting to find out Double Or Nothing’s status on May 23rd. WRITTEN BY H JENKINS Ringside News LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173490 World Leagues News

Coronavirus Sports: MLB May Be First Major Sport To Make Comeback Amid COVID-19 Outbreak, Reports Say

By CBS3 StaffApril 7, 2020 at 10:11 amFiled Under:Local TV, mlb, Philadelphia News, Phillies

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Baseball may be the first major sport to make a comeback. According to several reports, a radical new deal could be in the works. There are still major hurdles to overcome, but here are the major headlines out of the report. Games could resume by May or June. These changes would be wild to watch https://t.co/Epb0oy9a9k pic.twitter.com/pFhVbbvdSN — Dan Koob (@DanKoob) April 7, 2020 All games would be played at various stadiums in and around Phoenix, Arizona. But, according to the report, there would be no fans and players would live in relative isolation during the shortened season. CBS 3LOADED: 04.08.2020 1173491 World Leagues News for the 35-man rosters. For perspective, Major League Soccer pays $400,000, and the XFL and the short-lived Alliance of American Football were both around $75,000. Never Mind Coronavirus, A New U.S. Rugby League Launches While Competitive pay is critical for Clements, who reckons other startups like The Rest Of Sports Is Quiet the AAF failed because fans weren’t interested in a league without elite players, but the NRFL will struggle if it provides it. Kurt BadenhausenForbes Staff The NRFL will pull revenue from tickets, sponsorships and TV, just like the major U.S. leagues, says managing director Steve Ryan. Pulling enough will be the problem. New leagues typically receive little or no money for the rights to broadcast their games, which get exposure from I cover sports business with rare dips into b-schools, local economies media platforms that draw minimal advertising spends against them. NRFL execs are talking about holding games at NFL stadiums that hold Saracens v Sale Sharks - Gallagher Premiership Rugby more than 60,000 fans, but Major League Rugby averages only 2,500 Global sports are on lockdown. Owners are cooling their heels and fans at its home games. All this against a backdrop of tight sports wondering what to pay workers who have nothing to do. Soccer players marketing budgets, with a U.S. recession a near certainty in 2020. in Europe are seeing cuts to their million-dollar salaries. Fans are left with Alex Magleby, CEO of MLR’s New England Free Jacks, has seen several nothing to do but watch games from the past as everything from false starts in the U.S. during his two decades in the sport. The American Wimbledon to the Olympics is shuttered, postponed or canceled, with Professional Rugby Competition explored a league in 2012 but never got stadiums and arenas likely to remain dark at least through May. off the ground. PRO Rugby launched in 2016 and folded after one One Minneapolis entrepreneur is seizing on the lockdown as an season. The NRFL originally targeted a 2015 start before pausing and “opportune time” to pitch rugby in America. shifting to the single-entity structure. USA Rugby, which oversees school, club and national teams, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this week “The coronavirus has not impacted us because we are not in a survival because of “insurmountable financial constraints” as membership dues mode—we are in a building mode,” says Michael Clements, plummeted with play suspended and sponsors pulled back. commissioner of the National Rugby Football League. “With people at home, it has allowed potential partners to make time for us. There are “Is there a secret group of people that is suddenly going to turn into rugby people out there who are still on the outlook for opportunity, and we are a fans in this country?” Magleby says. “You can’t sustain a massive burn major opportunity.” rate without proof pretty quickly that there are large amounts of revenue willing to come in the door.” Clements is starting a re-launch of the NRFL under a league-owned-and- operated model this week, replacing his original plan for individually The hard reality of the U.S. rugby business is that it grows “one fan at a owned franchises when the NRFL was first conceived in 2014. He’s time,” Magleby says, adding that while rugby’s roots trace back to the currently raising funding and targeting a spring 2022 launch in eight cities early 1800s, it wasn’t professionalized until 1995 and continues to be with a 16-game season, followed by playoffs. The NRFL will compete in “country over club” in terms of player allegiances. the U.S. with the existing Major League Rugby league, which debuted in Michael Clements National Rugby Football League 2017. That’s nothing but naysaying chatter to Clements. The NRFL already has Today In: SportsMoney a couple of connected industry veterans enlisted, including South Africa- The venture is backed by NFL Alumni, the retired players’ advocacy based Hilton Houghton, a longtime agent for rugby players who is group for the world’s richest sports league, which plans to partner with advising the league and has connections to dozens of top players and the NRFL on a high-performance center for tackle-sport athletes that will coaches. He believes the new league can support its robust salary serve as a potential feeding ground for both leagues. Clements also projections and will be attractive to top players. wants to host events like the annual NFL combine showcase for college Clements also drafted longtime NFL executive Jeff Diamond, who joined football players to identify former football players who would make strong the NRFL to run team operations. Diamond spent two decades with the rugby players. Minnesota Vikings, where he served as general manager, and later was “We saw this as a way to support the ‘other’ tackle sport and help with president of the Tennessee Titans until his NFL retirement in 2004. He their presence in the U.S.,” says Dean Dalton, a former NFL assistant says the salary structure of the NRFL will attract players who wash out of coach and now the head of international events for NFL Alumni. “For us, the NFL and previously would have looked to Canada or other minor it helps with our goal of a more international reach.” football leagues to continue their careers. He predicts that the NRFL will quickly exist on par with New Zealand’s All Blacks and other famous Rugby is a massive sport outside the U.S. that is followed by nearly 800 teams around the world. million people globally, according to the governing body World Rugby. The sport has attracted private equity money in recent years, like CVC “The U.S. is the world’s largest sports market and the last frontier for Capital Partners’ $250 million investment in late 2018 for 27% of rugby to conquer,” says Houghton. “For my elite players, this market is England’s Premiership Rugby league. very exciting. Everyone loves the U.S. and has dreams of making it big there. The NRFL will be the Hollywood of rugby.” Clements plans to exploit the ties between rugby and American football— the term “touchdown” comes from rugby, where you need to literally Kurt Badenhausen touch the ball to the ground for the score to count—to drum up fan Forbes Media LOADED: 04.08.2020 interest in the U.S. The opportunity is rich, he says, citing the number of unsurpassed athletes, tackle-sport fans, stadiums and money. “Rugby is a big-league sport and a multi-billion economy,” Clements says, before pointing to one of the biggest corporations in Minnesota. “In Cargill style, it just hasn’t been planted here yet.” It’s a bold move launching a business during a pandemic, but Clements might be determined enough to pull it off if you subscribe to Paul Graham, founder of famed startup incubator Y Combinator, who tweeted last week: “Any startup that gets started during the next few months is disproportionately likely to succeed. Success depends most of all on determination, and imagine how determined you have to be to start a startup in the middle of a global pandemic.” Clements won’t talk revenue projections, pointing to the SEC and citing the league’s outstanding private placement memorandum to raise money, but his ambition is a salary cap of $9 million per team, on par with England’s top rugby league. Major League Rugby has a $500,000 cap and called off its current season last month because of coronavirus concerns, with plans to return in 2021. “We want our players to be 100% full-time rugby players, which means paying them on par with the rest of the big rugby leagues out there,” says Clements. The average salary in the NRFL would be around $250,000