SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 4/28/2020 1183568 Predictions review: Why did we so badly overrate the 1183600 DU Pioneers lose another player to an NHL contract Ducks? 1183601 The Athletic’s uniform fan survey: Your thoughts on how Denver’s pro teams look 1183602 Analyzing the Avalanche’s forwards in a potential return to 1183569 Bruins forward David Krejci plans to play beyond next year play 1183570 Despite reservations, Bruins’ David Krejci wants to finish season 1183571 Bruins Breakdown: Zdeno Chara still a force 1183603 Blue Jackets among NHL teams that realize relying on 1183572 Bruins' David Krejci identifies with all NHL fans: 'I miss one goalie no longer way to go hockey' 1183604 W-E-E-K-L-Y P-U-Z-Z-L-E: How John Tortorella keeps the 1183573 This Date in Bruins History: Epic Game 7 win catapults B's Blue Jackets together on historic run 1183574 Peter Cehlarik should be done with the Bruins after his latest comments 1183605 Stars center Tyler Seguin goes No. 1 overall in NHL.com’s 1183575 Staying or going? Projecting this summer’s Bruins roster 2010 redraft shuffle Red Wings 1183606 Here's where Givani Smith can help 1183576 Town of Holland native owes hockey career in part to going forward Bona's Final Four team 1183607 Red Wings’ Jeff Blashill named to Ferris State Athletics Hall of Fame Flames 1183608 Wings' Jeff Blashill dishes assist, insight in coaches 1183577 Flames sign forward prospect Emilio Pettersen to entry- mentorship program level deal 1183609 Red Wings, NHL rivals aid GM efforts to increase mask production 1183610 Jeff Blashill becomes a hall of famer at Ferris State 1183579 Bag of Jerks: Prospects, Andrei Svechnikov’s ceiling, thoughts on the 2006 team Oilers 1183611 How Edmonton could have left 2010 draft with both Taylor Blackhawks Hall and Ryan Johansen 1183580 Column: Chairman is a 1183612 Kailer Yamamoto’s NHL comparables offer Oilers fans popular team owner. Will that change after he fired John hope for the future 1183581 Chicago Blackhawks fire President John McDonough, a ‘difficult decision to embrace change,’ Rocky Wirtz says Panthers 1183582 The firing of John McDonough and the slow drip of the 1183613 Report card time: (Hopefully not) final grades for the Blackhawks’ decline 2019-20 1183583 Blackhawks fire president John McDonough, signaling monumental change in franchise’s direction 1183584 What's next for Blackhawks as McDonough exits? 1183614 hopes Wild gets chance for 1183585 Blackhawks fire team president McDonough in surprising playoff push move 1183586 Blackhawks release president, CEO John McDonough Canadiens 1183587 Blackhawks 2019-20 season in review: Alex Nylander 1183615 Team Basu wins our Canadiens fantasy draft / Équipe 1183588 Blackhawks Talk Podcast: Why the Blackhawks released Basu sacrée championne president John McDonough 1183589 Blackhawks relieved John McDonough because it was time for 'new mindset' 1183616 Predators goalie Pekka Rinne has a dream, and a speech 1183590 Blackhawks achievements during John McDonough's prepared if it happens tenure as president 1183617 His confidence shaken, Pekka Rinne hopes for a chance 1183591 Sports Talk Live Podcast: Blackhawks shake things up, to redeem himself releasing president and CEO, John McDonough 1183592 Blackhawks relieve John McDonough from duties as President & CEO 1183618 Untold stories from the Islanders beat: Confrontations and 1183593 Blackhawks help Detroit Red Wings in fight against Twitter lessons coronavirus 1183594 How 2020 Playoffs shake out in our NHL 20 simulation 1183619 NY Rangers' Adam Fox on par with top NHL rookie 1183595 Blackhawks 2019-20 season in review: Dominik Kubalik defensemen Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes 1183596 Lazerus: John McDonough was fired. Are 1183620 Rangers' Adam Fox praises defense partner Ryan and next? Lindgren 1183597 John McDonough leaves behind complicated Blackhawks legacy 1183598 Blackhawks fire team president John McDonough in signal that no job is safe 1183599 The mystery of former Blackhawks defenseman Kim Johnsson 1183621 Belleville Senators season expected to put on ice early 1183650 Former Capitals winger Joel Ward retires from NHL next month 1183651 Matt Bradley explains why Sergei Fedorov's Game 7 1183622 The NHL will make a decision on the 2020 draft "relatively series winner almost didn't happen soon" 1183652 Tom Wilson and John Carlson congratulate former 1183623 Sources: Russian free agent Artyom Zub commits to teammate Joel Ward on his retirement Senators 1183653 How Alex Ovechkin’s first pitch kicked off the Nationals’ 8-game playoff winning streak Flyers 1183654 Former Capital Joel Ward's message to minority hockey 1183624 Flyers icon , Snider Hockey assist families in players: 'Be proud of who you are' need during coronavirus pandemic 1183655 Joel Ward retires with emotional letter on The Players’ 1183625 Mike Haviland gives opponent's perspective on Flyers Tribune prospect Wade Allison making the pro jump 1183656 What is the Caps' best all-time Canadian lineup? 1183626 What signing Swedish winger Linus Sandin would mean for Flyers Websites 1183661 The Athletic / Lazerus: John McDonough was fired. Are Stan Bowman and Jeremy Colliton next? 1183627 Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin donates to Ronald McDonald 1183662 The Athletic / LeBrun: An inside look at John Tavares’ role House on the Return to Play Committee 1183628 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins sign defenseman Billy 1183663 The Athletic / Overhardt’s Exception Player proposal: Sweezey What is it and could it work in the NHL? 1183629 Penguins A to Z: Riley Barber hopes to be more than a 1183664 The Athletic / Down Goes Brown: 6 realities that fans will ‘4A’ player have to accept if the NHL returns 1183630 Penguins' Evgeni Malkin helps Ronald McDonald House 1183665 The Athletic / Ranking all 31 NHL uniforms: An unbiased provide kids with food, games outsider tackles the league’s looks 1183631 Penguins GM Jim Rutherford expects NHL draft will follow 1183666 The Athletic / Thermal temperature checks may come to NFL's virtual lead sports venues, but are they accurate? 1183632 Penguins’ player grades: John Marino 1183667 The Athletic / What the NHL can learn from the NFL’s 1183633 The inside story of the Penguins’ ‘Pittsburgh Pigeon’ logo virtual draft 1183668 The Athletic / By the numbers: The best value contract on every NHL team 1183634 Ex-Shark Joel Ward explains how he’d like to stay 1183669 .ca / Flames fast-tracking 'Norwegian Gretzky' involved in hockey Emilio Pettersen 1183635 San Jose Sharks launch relief fund for part-time 1183670 Sportsnet.ca / NHL's top 20 UFAs of 2020: Latest employees rumours, reports 1183636 Former Sharks forward Joel Ward announces retirement 1183671 Sportsnet.ca / Rookie phenoms Hughes, Makar making 1183637 Longtime NHL forward Joel Ward retires NHL look easy 1183638 Jonathan Becher Q&A: Sharks president on part-time 1183672 TSN.CA / Yost: The evolution of Maple Leafs F workers' relief fund William Nylander 1183639 Former Sharks wing Joel Ward announces NHL retirement 1183673 TSN.CA / Smooth-skating Jake Sanderson surging up after 11 seasons draft boards 1183640 What Scott Hannan misses about sports during NHL 1183674 TSN.CA / The All-Time 7: TSN's coronavirus hiatus All-Time Team 1183641 Beloved former Sharks forward Joel Ward retires, but will surely resurface soon Jets 1183657 Hello out there, will anyone care? St Louis Blues 1183658 Dustin Byfuglien’s 6 most memorable highlights from his 1183642 NHL gives summer hockey a hard look; Blues interested in time with the Jets being host city World Leagues News 1183675 Coronavirus costing school district dollars 1183643 Spezza, Leafs have not talked contract, but three young 1183676 Leishman braced for 'very different' November Masters reasons fuel his desire to return 1183677 Lakers received $4.6 million ‘small business’ loan from 1183644 LeBrun: An inside look at John Tavares’ role on the Return feds, returned it to Play Committee 1183678 USA Swimming Unveils Tentative Schedule After 1183645 What exactly does one do with 13,000 socks with Mike Coronavirus Hiatus Babcock’s face on them? 1183679 How Montana's football recruiting is being impacted by the coronavirus pandemic Canucks 1183680 Coronavirus Florida: Don't touch that pin! Palm Beach 1183659 Ben Kuzma: How Canucks' standout Hughes didn't Wing it County golf courses to reopen in 2018 draft 1183681 What is New York’s plan if coronavirus threatens fall high 1183660 Who stays, who goes? Analyzing the Canucks’ roster for school sports? the 2020-21 season 1183682 Decisions this week as sport tries to emerge from coronavirus shadow 1183683 What Has to Happen Before Sports Can Make a 1183646 Golden Knights’ radio station to air more classic games Comeback? 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Cooper: Ack … Getzlaf’s 0.61 points per game were the lowest of his Predictions review: Why did we so badly overrate the Ducks? career. I really thought that he still had at least one legit, -per-game season left, but I was totally wrong on this. That being said, not having a finishing winger probably played a huge role. Getzlaf is an all-world By Eric Stephens and Josh Cooper Apr 27, 2020 passer, but if his wingers aren’t finishing he won’t get any assists. Then again, maybe he wasn’t setting guys up as well — we’ll get to that further

down. You can’t say we had no belief in the Ducks back when the 2019-20 Ondrej Kase’s games season kicked off. We put our names to that. Eric had 71 games. Josh went with 73 and Lisa predicted 62. Unfortunately, we also put our names to some wayward predictions that had all the accuracy of a 9-year-old Little League pitcher. Stephens: Should we have included a trade element with this? Kase was supposed to get dealt in September and then he did in February. His Here is one thing you can say about our prognosticating: We had too injury history made this a question worth entertaining, and if he were to much belief. Thanks, Ducks. No, really. Thanks a lot. In all honesty, we complete his regular season with Boston and not miss any more action, thought the young players would consistently perform this season. All he would end up playing in 67 games. Either way, I was too ambitious prospects are perfect until you see them play more than the odd call-up, once again. and it’s clear Anaheim’s bevy of youth, while talented, still have a lot to work on. Cooper: Kase played a total of 49 games for the Ducks, so I was off by a lot. I love Kase’s game and his character, but he’s going to have to find a Will we apply these lessons learned whenever the next batch of way to stay healthy if he wants to have a decent NHL career. There were preseason predictions come around? We sure hope so. And if we don’t, it times with the Ducks where it almost seemed like he went to dangerous means we will have another NHL season to feast on. areas when it wasn’t necessary. I don’t think he’ll ever hit the 70-game Part of the fun with looking back is how bad we missed the mark on mark, sadly. That’s not a knock on him as a player; he needs to fine-tune some of the categories and how it opens us to mocking from you faithful his game to where he can be effective and less reckless. readers who either also bought into them six months ago or had this day Rickard Rakell’s goals in mind when it came to giving us grief for our foolhardy visions. Have at it. Let the mocking flow. Eric predicted 32 goals for the Ducks winger. Josh thought Rakell would get 40 and Lisa had 28. We will have our day. And it will be glorious. Stephens: Man, there was optimism run amok with all these questions, Here are our original predictions that included Lisa Dillman, Kings beat wasn’t there? At least, we were all breathing the same air. He’ll get back reporter for The Athletic. to 20 for sure in the future. I know he will. Will he? Ducks in the playoffs Cooper: What. Was. I. Thinking. In all seriousness, I’ve been a huge fan Eric predicted they would be in. Josh and Lisa did not. of Rakell’s game for some time. I thought with a coach who was more willing to allow a free-flowing offensive game than Randy Carlyle, Rakell Stephens: I’m wondering if I just wanted to play contrarian to my would have been able to put up more goals. Instead, he struggled. I can’t colleagues and shine brightly when the Ducks surprised everyone understand why. At 26 years old, he shouldn’t be slowing. He doesn’t coming off a season where they finished 13th in the Western have a devastating injury history. His long-term contract isn’t super Conference. What was I thinking? The joke was on me, apparently. The financially secure, so he still has at least another deal to play for. Maybe Ducks were embracing a new . Their best players would he was more a creation of Ryan Getzlaf’s other-worldly playmaking ability respond to a system that encouraged them to make plays. They had (when Getzlaf was in his prime), and with Getzlaf’s game falling off, so talented young forwards that could be quality support pieces. They had has Rakell’s. an All-Star goalie in net. They play in a Pacific Division that wasn’t teeming with juggernauts. And I bought into it all. They were never really John Gibson over/under of 60 games in it after American Thanksgiving. Oops. The group unanimously took the under in how often the Ducks goalie Cooper: I got this right. The Ducks were definitely not a playoff team, but would play. as you’ll see in the next category, I thought they would be a lot better. Stephens: I was bound to get one right. Honestly, this was one I thought Ducks points would be the easiest to predict. It didn’t have to do with him missing games to injury, although a groin issue suffered right before the stoppage Eric had 94 points. Josh had 90 and Lisa predicted 85. The Athletic’s did keep him at 51 for the season. But how many games should a goalie model said Anaheim most likely would have finished with 77 points. be playing these days anyway? And if you have Ryan Miller as your backup, why not keep him busy and make sure your No. 1 stays fresh Stephens: Kudos to Lisa, who was the closest here. But I suppose we all over a long season? thought this “retool” wasn’t going to take as long as it might. Cooper: I assumed Gibson wouldn’t hit 60 games because he would be Cooper: What in the world was I thinking here? I legit thought this team injured at some point. That happened right before the hiatus. So really, if was going to hit 90 points this season? It’s easy to say now that there hockey starts back up and the Ducks play their remaining slate, we may was no chance this would happen, but you have to look at the team at all be wrong on this. That being said, Gibson’s injury shows the Ducks the time. It had a sizable of prospects who had played pro will always need a strong backup behind him. Anaheim is going to have hockey and were ready to make their marks in the NHL. I thought we’d to “load manage” him probably for his entire career, which means the see way more out of Sam Steel, Troy Terry and Max Jones. Steel had team will need to spend more than usual on the guy who plays behind the most points out of the group with 22 in 65 games played. Jones him. That’s not ideal, but it’s the price you pay for keeping one of the showed potential but didn’t score much. Terry looked like a bigger project NHL’s top under contract. than expected with just 15 points in 47 games. Lesson learned here? Don’t buy into hype. Hart Trophy winner

Ryan Getzlaf’s points Eric and Josh picked Nathan MacKinnon. Lisa chose Connor McDavid. Josh detailed his answer to this and the following three prognostications Eric had Anaheim’s finishing with 68 points. Josh had 71 points, in his Kings review. Lisa guessed 60 and editor Rich Hammond, who also took part in this, went with 52. Getzlaf had 42 points at the time of the stoppage and was Stephens: I do like the fact that MacKinnon, who was the Hart runner-up on pace for 49. in 2018 and whom I went with over Taylor Hall, has only gotten better since then. He was on pace for a career-best 111-point season. Connor Stephens: You win, Rich. Also, that isn’t good if you’re still the Ducks’ No. is Connor. There is no one like him. And yet I was leaning toward Leon 1 center. I still think Getzlaf has one more 60-point season in him. But am I falling into delusion once again? It’s not going to happen if the team Draisaitl, especially if the Oilers got in the playoffs. What he did without 97 in the lineup was mighty impressive.

Mark Messier Leadership Award winner

Eric picked Alex Pietrangelo, Lisa chose Blake Wheeler and Josh predicted Connor McDavid.

Stephens: Because St. Louis remains the reigning Stanley Cup champion and I chose the Blues’ captain, I’m claiming this one as well. Argue against this if you will.

Stanley Cup winner

The group all chose Tampa Bay to be the last team standing.

Stephens: We may not get a champion at all. And the Lightning should have it held against them if they don’t win it all in a season that contained an unprecedented weeks-long shutdown right in the middle of it. I’ll just make sure to choose virtually anyone else next time.

Dodgers win the World Series (2019)

Josh and Lisa said yes. Eric and Rich said no.

Stephens: My heart has been hardened by October failure, and my head knows what’s up. Even if the Astros cheated, starting Yu Darvish in Game 7 at home with Clayton Kershaw ready to take the ball is right up there with starting Dave Goltz over Fernando Valenzuela in the 1980 one-game playoff and pitching to Jack Clark with first base open in the ’85 NLCS. But we’ll always have the Bulldog and ’88.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183569 Boston Bruins Other tidbits from Krejci, who spoke from his offseason home in Charleston, S.C.:

David Krejci had 13 goals before the season was put on hold. Bruins forward David Krejci plans to play beyond next year ▪ On last Tuesday’s Zoom reunion of the 2011 Cup champs:

“Oh yeah, that was cool. Pretty much everyone being there, just kind of By Matt Porter Globe Staff,Updated April 27, 2020, 1:09 p.m. hanging out. We obviously stayed on a little longer once we went offline. It was cool to see everyone and nice to see we still have a really good relationship after all those years. That’s why you play the sport, right? You obviously want to create lots of memories and stay friends when The term of David Krejci’s current contract covers whatever is left of this you’re done playing. I think half the guys on that chat are already done suspended season, and the next one after that. playing, but we’re all still pretty close. And we have lots of fun together Though he has had plenty of time to ponder his future in the 46 days when we get together.” between the NHL’s March 12 pause and Monday, the veteran Bruins ▪ Krejci’s favorite memory of that season, other than winning the Cup, center believes he isn’t playing out the string. was the preseason trip to Prague. “That was extra special to me,” Krejci “I’m not planning on retiring, that’s for sure,” said Krejci, who turns 34 said. On the reunion call, a few teammates made veiled references to the Tuesday, on a Zoom call with local reporters. “I want to play after that. trip being quite a party. How long or what’s going to happen, I don’t know. I guess we’ll see what ▪ Like many players who have young families, Krejci was lukewarm to the happens after that next year. But definitely not planning on going into the idea of being sequestered with other NHL teams in an “Olympic Village” next season as it being my last.” setting. Krejci, with 1,043 regular season and playoff games on his resume, has “Not really sure if I’m a fan,” he said, “but we all want to finish the season, remained productive in his 14th NHL season, having posted a 13-30—43 so whatever’s going to be the best scenario, the safest place, the safest line in 61 games this year, while battling several injuries. He tied his way to finish the season, I guess that’s what we’ll have to do.” career high in points last season (20-53—73). ▪ He does not have a gym at his house, so he’s gone back to basics with David Krejci says he has no plans to retire after his current deal wraps his training: squats, pushups, running, biking. “Just trying to stay positive up. and do the work,” he said. Should he stay in good health, he could keep going into his late 30s. The ▪ A typical day also includes watching TV with his wife, Naomi, and Bruins may find keeping him a tricky exercise in salary cap management. chasing his two young children, Elina, 5, and Everett, 1. Everyone’s In the summer of 2021, the two-time playoff leading scorer will command healthy, but the parents are fatigued. a $7 million salary, with a team-high $7.25 million cap hit. Younger and “For whatever reason, my little guy, he’s been waking up every day less expensive centers, like Charlie Coyle and prospect Jack Studnicka, around 3, 4, 5 a.m., just kind of screaming,” he said. “That’s not helping could be pushing him for ice time. us.” General manager ’s business that summer includes a new ▪ If the NHL restarts without fans, as is expected, what would it be like to pact for Brandon Carlo ($3.5 million in salary), and perhaps an extension win the Cup without fans in the building? for longtime netminder Tuukka Rask ($6.5 million; has openly mused about retiring). He will also be thinking about an upcoming extension for “You always think about winning the Cup, lifting it up with the crowd Charlie McAvoy, who will be entering the last year of his $7.3 million there, great surroundings and stuff. Then have a parade back in the city. contract. But I understand, I guess it’s not possible right now. It is what it is. There’s more important things than that. I’m sure people would watch it But more immediately, Sweeney will try to sign to a long-term on TV,” he mused. “TV’s been pretty boring with no live sports right now.” extension before the start of next season. Other Bruins players, including Jake DeBrusk, Matt Grzelcyk and Anders Bjork, will command their share Boston Globe LOADED: 04.28.2020 of the pie. If captain Zdeno Chara wants to return at age 43, the Bruins will find a way to keep him. Backup goalie Jaroslav Halak doesn’t have that cachet.

Considering that, and the fact the cap structure may be less forgiving than that of this paused season (upper limit: $81.5 million), the Bruins may not offer Krejci another long-term, big-money deal.

David Krejci turns 34 this week.

GLOBE STAFF If he remains here, he would likely earn a one- or two- year tag at a reduced (though not bargain-basement) price. Since he will be 35, the Bruins would have to carry his full salary and performance bonuses on their salary cap if he cannot play or retires. Another team, be it in the NHL or his native Czechia, could offer a cushier landing spot.

Krejci, the Bruins’ first choice (second round, 63rd overall) in the 2004 draft, signed his current six-year, $43.5 million contract when he was coming off the 2013 run to the Stanley Cup Final.

When the season paused, Krejci was thinking about a return trip. He hasn’t stopped.

“I watch YouTube highlights and things like that pretty much every single day,” he said. “You know, we were in a really good position, with [12] games left. Pretty big [divisional] lead.

"I understand, playoffs is a different league. Everyone starts from zero. But how far we went last year in the playoffs and the way we were doing so far this year, we were obviously feeling pretty good about ourselves.

“That’s a little frustrating. But at the same time, if you turn on the TV to CNN, you see the bigger picture. It puts life in perspective a little, that there’s more important things than hockey.” 1183570 Boston Bruins that’s a challenging part. But we’re all professionals. We know our body, we should know what to do, so that shouldn’t be any problem.”

There’s no guarantee the NHL can return to finish out this season, or be Despite reservations, Bruins’ David Krejci wants to finish season unaffected for the ’20-21 season for that matter. Krejci’s contract with the B’s runs out after next season. With an average annual salary of $7.25 million, Krejci is the highest-paid player on the team. He’ll be 35 when this deal is up, and he won’t be getting that same number on his next By STEVE CONROY | PUBLISHED: April 27, 2020 at 4:46 p.m. | deal, whether it’s with the B’s or anyone else in the NHL or other league. UPDATED: April 27, 2020 at 4:48 p.m. But he doesn’t plan to hang up the skates just yet.

“I’m not planning on retiring, that’s for sure. I want to play after that,” said With David Krejci’s advancing years — he turns 34 on Tuesday — and Krejci. “How long or what’s going to happen, I don’t know. I guess we’ll perhaps with the coronovirus shutdown making his heart grow even see what happens after that next year, but I’m definitely not planning on fonder for hockey, the Bruins’ centerman said in no uncertain terms he going into the next season as it being my last.” wants to continue playing after his current contract expires in 2021. Krejci said that he’s gotten to a point in his life where he understands He also said he’ll be willing to do whatever is asked to restart the season how lucky he is. so the Stanley Cup can be awarded. “Not just the situation (with the coronavirus), but the older you get, the But Krejci sounded decidedly lukewarm to the idea being examined by more you appreciate everything. Your life changes at home. You’re the NHL and NHLPA that — provided health and government officials married, you have kids, so you appreciate all the little things, just being give it the OK — that calls for teams to disperse to four yet-to-be- around the guys, being on the road, then being home you just appreciate determined NHL cities to finish the season and start the playoffs. If it everything a little bit more than I did before I had kids,” said Krejci. “I’m even gets off the ground, it promises to be a logistical nightmare as really enjoying being at the rink every day and being on the road with the teams could potentially be sequestered for months. guys. I also like being at home, being a dad, a husband. Yeah, I was living the dream before this whole situation happened. But I’m sure we’ll “I’m not really sure if I’m a fan of being at one arena with a bunch of beat this one day and we’ll all go back to our lives.” teams,” said Krejci on a Zoom call with reporters on Monday. “But I guess we all want to finish the season so whatever the scenario, the Boston Herald LOADED: 04.28.2020 safest place, the safest way to finish the season, then that’s what we’ll have to do. But at the same time, it will be a little more challenging with people with families, kids. I don’t really know how that would work out, but I guess we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”

Even if the NHL and NHLPA can make this scenario happen, there seems to be little chance games could be played in front of fans. Krejci had just relived winning the Cup on an already infamous Zoom meeting with his 2011 Bruin teammates, and admittedly was having a hard time wrapping his mind around a team winning the Cup in an essentially empty arena.

“That would be weird because fans are a big, big part of the sport, right? Without the fans it wouldn’t be the way it is now,” said Krejci. “But if that’s what we’re going to have to do, then I guess that’s what we’ll have to do. I’m sure people will watch it on TV. But it will be a little different. You always think about winning the Cup, lifting it up with the crowd there and then having a parade in the city. But I understand that it’s not possible right now. It is what it is. There are more important things than that, but I’m sure people would watch it on TV. TV’s been pretty boring without any live sports right now.”

No matter the scenario or how far outside the box the league ventures to restart the season, finishing the season remains a high priority for Krejci. That’s true even though whatever semblance of a playoff can be conjured will have a tenuous-at-best connection to the 2019-20 season; any advantage the B’s might have earned through their outstanding 70 games will be lost.

“You definitely want to finish the season, especially with the older you get, you don’t know how many seasons you have left. We were pretty close to being in the playoffs and having another crack at it,” said Krejci. “You don’t want to kind of just wash the season off and then start a new one. We definitely want to finish it, especially with the team we had this year being at the top of the standings with (12) games left in the regular season it would be nice to finish the season off. But at the same time, being off for this long — who knows how many more weeks and months — and then go back into the playoffs, that’s going to be real challenging. As the Bruins, it’s not going be any advantage anymore. I don’t think it matters who finished first or who was 15th or 20th. I think if we start the season or the playoffs, it’ll be like a new season anyway, so us as players, all we can do is what’s under our control, which is stay in shape and what happens will happen.”

And that, he admits, is a challenge. Krejci said he’s been doing mostly rudimentary exercises — squats, push-ups, stationary bike, running — but said that the most difficult part is not having a timetable.

“It’s tough,” said Krejci. “It’s challenging because you don’t know when we’re going to come back, so you cannot work out every single day. It’s just not possible to (go from) mid-March and just work out till the season starts. You don’t even know when. You need your body to rest as well, so 1183571 Boston Bruins The good news with regard to Chara is that the captain has been amenable to work around the team’s needs and constrictions, as GM Don Sweeney pointed out in a recent conference call with reporters. He’s been on one-year deals the last two seasons, the current one being a Bruins Breakdown: Zdeno Chara still a force relative bargain at $2 million base salary (bonuses can bring it up to $3.75 million).

Chara has given no indication that he wants to hang ’em up any time By STEVE CONROY | PUBLISHED: April 27, 2020 at 3:48 p.m. | soon, and the B’s seem more than happy to go one year at a time. UPDATED: April 27, 2020 at 4:18 p.m. As we’ve seen with Tom Brady and the Patriots, even the best sports

marriages don’t always last forever. But after 14 years, the one between (The latest in a series of Bruins player-by-player analyses that will appear Chara and the B’s still seems strong. occasionally). While David Krejci admitted that the idle time during the coronavirus We have reached the point in Zdeno Chara’s career where few hockey outbreak has given him a lot of time to think about his NHL career, the observers would dispute his hallowed place in the game. playmaking center said he was no plans on retiring when his $7.25 million per year contract runs out with the Bruins following next season. Most Bruins’ fans know his No. 33 will hang from the Garden rafters one day. The big man will also be enshrined in the Hockey Hall Hall of Fame Krejci will turn 34 years old on Tuesday in a season where he’s posted at some point. And if his sheer excellence was not good enough for some 13 goals and 43 points in 61 games along with a plus-14 rating. He has people, his stunning display of courage and toughness by playing with a managed to remain largely healthy and productive even as he’s entering shattered jaw that was wired shut last June in the Stanley Cup Final just the mid-30’s portion of his NHL career. about sealed his legendary status. So it makes sense that Krejci will be looking for at least one more But here’s the thing. While his stature in the game is unassailable, the contract either with the Bruins or somebody else. 43-year-old defenseman still matters a great deal to the Bruins. "My contract expires after next year. Then we’ll see. I’m not planning on No, Chara is not the same player he was a decade ago when he was an retiring, that’s for sure. I plan on still playing. But for how long or what’s all-situation, No. 1 defenseman who was regularly a Norris Trophy going to happen after [the current contract], I guess we’ll see. I’m finalist. With his advancing years, Chara has become a defensive definitely not planning on going into next season as my last," said Krejci. specialist extraordinaire. "I’m aware that I only have one year left. It’s not just this situation, but the older you get the more you appreciate everything. He is no longer a power-play presence. He no longer plays half the game. In fact, he has ceded the team lead in total minutes to Charlie "The life you have at home [changes], so you appreciate more [the time McAvoy (23:10). But he’s still still second in total icetime (21:01) and with] the guys and your time on the road. But then being home you leads the Bruins in shorthanded time on ice with an average of 3:11, appreciate everything more than before, before I had kids and stuff like occasionally staying on the ice for the full two minutes. His defensive that. I really enjoy going to the rink every day and being with the guys. zone starts at 5-on-5 are at 63.7%, the highest of his career, according to But I also really enjoy being at home, being a dad and a husband. I was hockey-reference.com, and he leads the team in plus-minus at plus-26. living the dream before this situation happened, but I’m sure one day With Chara being utilized in this way, the B’s led the league in goals- we’ll all be going back to our lives." against average (2.39) and were third in killing (84.2% kill rate) at It will be interesting to see what the Bruins do after next season when the time of the coronavirus shutdown on March 12. Krejci will be turning 35 years old with the fellow middle-aged Patrice Now, if he gets caught out in open space with the young legs of a Connor Bergeron still signed up for two more seasons beyond this current one. McDavid or a Nathan MacKinnon without a perfect gap, it is going to end The Bruins have top center prospect Jack Studnicka in the development badly for him, and it’s not going to look pretty. But Chara rarely gets pipeline right now and 2019 first-round pick John Beecher could come himself in those situations. quickly.

As he approaches middle age, Chara is still a player no one enjoys It’s clear the Bruins have their eyes on getting younger at the center playing against, even the young speedsters of the game. position over the next few years and that could mean moving on from Krejci in the twilight of his NHL career. “His long stick, you can’t get around him or get by him,” said the Red Wings’ 23-year-old star , on an NHL-sponsored Zoom call One byproduct of being a seasoned veteran like Krejci, though, is that last month. “We have (former B’s and current Wings’ assistant coach) you know there are only so many chances to win a Stanley Cup. Krejci Doug Houda, who had Big Z in Boston and he says ‘just skate by him,’ and the rest of the Bruins had a prime chance at another Cup run this but you can’t. His stick’s so long, he’s got great feet. And I definitely don’t season as they were leading the entire NHL with 100 points. miss when the puck does get by him and you have to go in the corner to "You definitely want to finish the season," said Krejci. "The older you get, get it back from him and you know he’s going to get a piece of you you don’t know how many seasons you have left and we were pretty somehow. I don’t miss that.” close to the playoffs and having another crack at it. You don’t want to just At 6-foot-9, 265 pounds, Chara can’t help but be an intimidating physical wash the season off and then start a new one. I definitely want to finish it, presence. Still. especially with the team we had this year at the top of the standings.

“The crosschecks in the back are something I definitely don’t miss. When "But being off for this long and how many more weeks or months, it’s he lays the lumber on my shoulder, it’s doesn’t feel too good,” said the going to be challenging [when we return]. I don’t think we have any Senators’ Brady Tkachuk, 20. advantage anymore. I don’t think it matters which team finished first and which team finished 15th or 16th." Chara, clearly, is not just hanging on. Clearly the clock is ticking on Krejci’s time in Boston given all of the How long can he go? It’s tempting to answer ‘As long as he wants to,’ but factors involved even if the Czech center keeps playing beyond his that is never the case for athletes. But his dedication to fitness and current deal. This postseason, if it happens at all, may be the last, best nutrition were part of his reputation when he signed in Boston back chance for many of the current, aging core of Bruins players to win a Cup during the George W. Bush administration and, if anything, his attention before changes are forced on a hockey team with a window shutting on to those off-ice details has only grown with age. It is reasonable to them. believe that Chara can give the B’s another year in his current capacity, maybe two. SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.28.2020

He will be an unrestricted free agent, whenever the offseason truly arrives. If the salary cap stays flat at $81.5 million, as has been rumored, that would give the B’s about $21 million to sign UFAs Chara, Torey Krug, a backup goalie and RFAs Jake DeBrusk, Matt Grzelcyk and Anders Bjork as well as someone to fill Joakim Nordstrom’s role if not Nordstrom himself. It will be a tight fit 1183572 Boston Bruins

Bruins' David Krejci identifies with all NHL fans: 'I miss hockey'

By Joe Haggerty April 27, 2020 4:40 PM

Professional athletes are just like the rest of us in most respects.

Sure, they make a lot more money than normal members of society and their lifestyle of charter flights and luxury hotels is on a different level than Joe Six-pack.

But those athletes are in self-quarantine practicing social distancing like the rest of us right now with the coronavirus outbreak continuing to hit hot spots around the world. And with all that time cooped up inside comes the same boredom and mundane routines that everybody has been experiencing for the last six weeks.

Bruins center David Krejci has a newborn baby boy that adds to the degree of difficulty because the child has been waking up at all hours of the night hungry for feedings. But the soon-to-be 34-year-old center fully admits that he wants pro sports back just as much as anybody else because of the sheer boredom when it comes down to what he’s watching on television right now.

Krejci also understands that games are probably going to be played in empty arenas for at least the short term, but at least fans will have something new to watch on television aside from viral shows taking us hostage like "Tiger King."

“It would be weird. Our fans are a big, big part of the sport. Without the fans it wouldn’t be the way it is now and [the Stanley Cup Playoffs] wouldn’t have the integrity, I guess,” said Krejci, who was currently in his offseason home in South Carolina with his wife and two children. “But if that’s what we’re going to have to do then I guess that’s what we are going to have to do. I’m sure people are going to watch it on TV. It would be a little bit different winning a Cup and lifting it up without the fans all around you, and then not having a parade around the city.

“But I understand that [playing games with fans] isn’t possible right now. I’m sure people would watch it on TV. TV has been pretty boring with no live sports right now. I miss hockey. Everyone misses hockey. I know the players, the fans, everyone [does] right?”

Krejci is right on about all of the above with the NFL Draft sitting as the most exciting live sports event that’s happened in the sports world in over a month. Everybody hopes that’s going to change by the time June or July rolls around and hopefully some of the sports leagues have been given a healthy green light by the government to resume business at least as quasi-usual.

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This Date in Bruins History: Epic Game 7 win catapults B's on historic run

By Nick Goss April 27, 2020 1:24 PM

April 27 will forever be an important day in the history of the Boston Bruins.

It was on this date in 2011 that Boston defeated the rival Montreal Canadiens in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series, a victory that catapulted the Bruins on a historic run that ended with the franchise's first Stanley Cup championship in 39 years. This thrilling win versus Montreal was the first of three Game 7s the Bruins would play in the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs.

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The Bruins took a 2-0 lead in the first period of this Game 7 and appeared on the verge of a blowout win, but the Canadiens struck back and tied the score in the second period. Chris Kelly's in the third period put the B's back on top, but Montreal equalized again late in regulation on a power-play goal from P.K. Subban.

The Bruins won the series in overtime on a goal from Nathan Horton. He would also score the winning goal in Game 7 of Boston's Eastern Conference Final series against the a few weeks later.

Boston is 4-5 overall in games played on Aprl 27. The team's most recent matchup on this date was a double-overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets in last season's Eastern Conference second-round series.

Here's a recap of Bruins playoff games on April 27:

2002, First Round: 2-1 loss at Canadiens

1994, East Qtrs: 3-2 win at Canadiens

1991, Division Finals: 3-2 loss at Canadiens in OT

1976, Semifinals: 4-2 win at Flyers

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183574 Boston Bruins Beyond this season, though, it feels like Cehlarik will be headed the way of discontented Russian winger Alexander Khokhlachev after speaking out against a head coach. Khokhlachev’s camp did the same with Claude Julien at the beginning of Don Sweeney’s tenure running the Bruins with Peter Cehlarik should be done with the Bruins after his latest comments very similar comments and hasn’t played a game for the Bruins organization since then. Cehlarik is still a restricted free agent with

arbitration rights following this season and spoke extensively in the By Joe Haggerty April 27, 2020 12:27 PM interview about playing in Europe next season rather than going back to North America for another season in Providence.

Perhaps the underachieving Cehlarik will end up firing his way out of Let’s make this as clear we can. town with a trade after venting his feelings over the last month in Slovakia. It should be the end of the line for an underachieving Peter Cehlarik and the Boston Bruins. But it feels much more likely that the Bruins will do exactly what they did with Khokhlachev and not really reward a player for being critical of the The 24-year-old Cehlarik managed to appear in just three NHL games in staff while he was still a member of the organization. At last check, Boston this season while the B's were actively searching for a top-9 Khokhlachev wasn’t exactly lighting it up with Moscow Spartak in the winger who could bring some size, strength and offense to their lineup. KHL after blasting his way out of Boston and will probably never again That should tell you all you need to know about what the organization's get an NHL opportunity following the need to clear the air publicly with evaluation is for a Bruins player who was once considered one of their the Black and Gold. top forward prospects. Either way, it should be the end of the line for Cehlarik with the Bruins On paper, Boston’s top-9 wingers this season could have — or should after he popped off in his native country earlier this month. have — included Cehlarik given that the Bruins prospect is 6-foot-2, 202- pounds and had posted 16 goals and 37 points in 48 games with Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.28.2020 Providence this season.

He has never been overly physical by any means, but he had displayed flashes while posting five goals and 10 points in 37 games for Boston headed into this season.

This year really appeared to be end of the road for him, however, as Cehlarik managed just the three games and hadn’t appeared at the NHL level since November. It was clear there wasn’t much trust in his game, and even when he did get chances at the NHL level this season, he only managed one assist, zero shots on net and a minus-1 in those three games, making zero impact.

Once the Bruins traded for Ondrej Kase and Nick Ritchie at the NHL trade deadline, it seemed very clear that Cehlarik wouldn’t be getting any more chances in Boston again anytime soon.

Cehlarik has given a few interviews in Slovakia since coming back from the NHL with the regular season on pause due to the coronavirus outbreak, and it sounds like the player thinks there’s a trust issue with head coach . It also sounds like Cehlarik had designs on exploring things as a restricted free agent elsewhere prior to eventually re-signing with the Bruins last summer — and now he wants a fresh start somewhere else.

"I also feel like I have been working with the same people for four years and I can't cross the line to convince Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy permanently. Sometimes I felt like he was just waiting for my mistake and could send me back to the farm,” said Cehlarik, per a Google translation of the Slovakian article. “It's up to him who he trusts. I would find a change. My agent and I tried for [that] last summer. However, they immediately caught me with a qualification contract. The rules still play their cards.

“They know what they are doing. They invested years of education in me. It's all about the trust from the coach that I don't get. I still hear I'm ready for the NHL, I have it, but when it goes like this, I need a change and a new start. It's high time."

It will be interesting to see what happens with Cehlarik if/when the NHL resumes this summer. He would likely have been one of the extra players called back that all NHL teams are expected to carry when their three- week training camp gets going ahead of the resumption of the season. He still might be one of those chosen players given that he was one of Providence’s best players in the AHL this season, and likely would have likely been a “Black Ace” for the Stanley Cup Playoffs had they gone off this spring.

"As far as the performance in Providence is concerned, I am satisfied. I had goals until the end of the basic part, unfortunately I couldn't move the numbers anymore,” said Cehlarik. “I tried to detach myself from not being in the NHL. I enjoyed hockey, I was more comfortable. There weren't many moves up in the Bruins, not only did I have only three matches. This year, Boston had a very busy staff. It wasn't perfect for me.”

If this humble hockey writer was running the Bruins, Cehlarik would be out the door at this point after publicly airing his frustrations. 1183575 Boston Bruins probably one of the best moves made by general manager Don Sweeney. Coyle is a perfect third-line center for the Bruins, and could replace Krejci if the veteran moves on once his contract expires. Coyle’s also a bridge to Jack Studnicka, who is considered a future top-6 Staying or going? Projecting this summer’s Bruins roster shuffle centerman. Not many players have the ability to play and have success in their hometown, but Coyle thrives in Boston.

Charlie McAvoy – He’s been dubbed the future face of the franchise. The By Joe McDonald Apr 27, 2020 22-year-old defenseman has made major strides this season and become a beast on the ice. He’s still learning some of the finer points of the offensive side, but his defensive game has been fierce. He inked a It’s no secret that the veteran core of this Bruins team won’t be together deal earlier this season worth $14.7 million for three years. too much longer. But the group proved good enough again this season to anchor a Stanley Cup contender. At the time of the NHL pause due to Brandon Carlo – He’s quickly becoming one of the league’s best COVID-19, Boston was leading the league with 100 points. shutdown defenseman, especially on the penalty kill. And he’s only 23. The 6-foot-5, 212-pounder has learned to use his size and strength With the exception of captain Zdeno Chara, the rest of the core remains effectively with his angles and gap protection. He’s also learning to under contract past this season. While it’s important to look to the future, effectively jump into the play. Carlo and Krug have become a solid the reality is that this group has more left in the tank. Whether or not this tandem and could, contract issues aside, dominate opposition top lines season resumes and a Stanley Cup champion is crowned, the Bruins are for years to come. It also helps that they’re normally on the ice at the set to contend for another title in 2020-21. same time with Bergeron’s line. Carlo has one season and $2.85 million remaining on his deal before he becomes a restricted free agent. Still, change is eventually coming. The Bruins have become a model of consistency over the last decade-plus, but how much longer will it last? Here if he wants to be

So, since we have time to ponder the future of the organization, let’s play Zdeno Chara – His future is completely in his hands. The 43-year-old our annual game of “Who stays and who goes?” We’ll take a look at the captain has signed two consecutive one-year, incentive-laden deals with players coming back under contract, the free agents and those possibly the Bruins and he plans on continuing that trend for next season. He moving on, and project who will still be around for next season. understands his next contract is last on Sweeney’s docket, but another $2 million deal would be money well spent for the Bruins. Once Chara The untouchables does decide to retire, no doubt he’ll end up in the front office. Patrice Bergeron – Unless Quebec is one day granted a new team, the Chara will be back if he wants to be. (Greg M. Cooper / USA Today) 34-year-old forward will play his entire career with the Bruins. Soon after he hangs up the skates for good his No. 37 will be retired. Bergeron grew Almost certainly staying put up a Nordiques fan and the only possibility he would ever wear another sweater is if his hometown was awarded an NHL franchise. If that came Ondrej Kase – It’s no secret that Sweeney likes to acquire players at the to fruition, the theory goes that he could play one season for Quebec trade deadline with term remaining on their contract. Kase fits that mold. before officially retiring. As unlikely as it seems, I’m willing to bet The Bruins acquired him from the Ducks at the deadline and the 24-year- Bergeron would consider it. Now, back to reality. He has two seasons old forward has one year and $2.6 million remaining on his contract. remaining on his current eight-year, $55 million deal, with an average Depending on next season’s salary cap, Kase is the type of player annual value of $6.875 million. Considered the best two-way center of his Sweeney could re-sign once he figures out the status of the pending free generation, this is a huge bargain or the Bruins. agents.

David Krejci – Many believe the veteran centerman is expendable. It’s Sean Kuraly – The 27-year-old forward has been a solid fit in the bottom crazy to believe that. The Bruins have become perennial Stanley Cup six for the Bruins. Last season, he anchored the fourth line and was one contenders for many reasons; the fact they are strong down the middle is reason for the team’s deep playoff run. Kuraly hasn’t been as consistent high among them. Krejci, 33, is a proven playoff commodity and there’s this season and has been shifted between center and left wing. He no chance the Bruins move him. After this year, though? Krejci has one started to find his game before the hiatus. He has one season and $1.2 season and $7.25 million remaining on his six-year, $43.5 million deal. It million remaining on his contract before he can become an unrestricted wouldn’t be a surprise if he decides to retire after his contract expires, or free agent on July 1, 2021. It’s likely he’ll sign elsewhere since the Bruins continue his pro career back in the Czech Republic. will have younger and less expensive options at that point.

Tuukka Rask – He’s showing zero signs of slowing down and the 33- Chris Wagner – His most recent contract extension, a three-year deal year-old is actually getting better each season. Had the worth $4 million, will start at the completion of this season. Since it holds Bruins won the Stanley Cup last June, Rask would have likely been an annual average value of $1.35 million, the 28-year-old forward will named the winner. At the time of the pause this season, he continue to be a versatile player for the Bruins going forward and will help was in contention for the Vezina. It’s incredible (knock on wood) how mentor the younger players coming up. healthy he’s been during his career. He has one season and $7 million Anton Blidh – The coaching staff really likes the 25-year-old’s style of remaining on his current deal, and as I’ve said and written many times in play. He’s strong and can play that physical game when he wants. Blidh the past, I wouldn’t be surprised if he decides to retire after his contract was slated to be on the roster at the start of the season, but he suffered expires. He’s played a lot of hockey at a tough position and he’s an injury during training camp and did not return until January. He’s only accomplished nearly everything, short of starting for a Stanley Cup played 28 games in the NHL but has the ability to make an impact when winner. He’ll play his entire career with one organization and should be healthy. He has one season and $700,000 remaining on his contract considered one day for the Hall of Fame. before he reaches restricted free agency on July 1, 2021. David Pastrnak – The 23-year-old winger has become an elite forward. Jeremy Lauzon – If the season resumes, Lauzon has earned a spot in At the time of the NHL pause, Pastrnak had 48 goals and was set to the lineup. It took longer than the organization thought it would, but the become the first Bruins player to notch 50 since Cam Neely in 1994. 22-year-old defenseman has played well since he was brought up from Pastrnak has three seasons remaining on his six-year, $40 million deal. If the AHL. He’s played a physical role and has moved the puck better than he continues to progress as one of the top goal scorers in the league, his some expected. Because of his success, others who had been out of the next contract, whether with Boston or elsewhere, will be massive. lineup due to injuries aren’t guaranteed a spot once the NHL restarts. Brad Marchand – Safe to say No. 63 isn’t going anywhere since the 31- And, Lauzon doesn’t become a restricted free agent until 2022, which year-old forward has five seasons remaining on his eight-year, $49 bodes well for the Bruins. million contract. He registered 100 points during the 2018-19 season and Connor Clifton – He’s now one of those players who could be on the was on pace to reach that mark again this season. At the time of the outside looking in due to Lauzon’s success if the season resumes. pause, he had 87 points in 70 games. He could join Bergeron in Clifton, who has been solid since last season, suffered a concussion in spending his entire career with one organization. December and has not been able to return. He was close to being Charlie Coyle – Signing the 28-year-old centerman to a six-year deal cleared at the time of the pause. The 24-year-old defenseman’s entry- worth $31.5 million at the start of the season was a huge deal for both level deal expires at the end of the season before his three-year Coyle and the Bruins. Acquiring him at the 2019 trade deadline was extension worth $3 million kicks in. Staying put … I think day wear the “C” on his sweater for the Bruins. He said recently he hopes he hasn’t played his last game for the Bruins, but he would have to sign a Par Lindholm – He’s contributed more than expected, especially making hometown discount in order to continue here, and a lot of currently only $850,000 as a bottom-six forward. The 28-year-old has one season unknowable things need to be sorted out for him to return. remaining on his current deal before he becomes a free agent, but he will have to battle for a job. So long

Nick Ritchie – He was a little slow out of the gate once he arrived from Joakim Nordstrom – The Bruins really like his contributions and style of Anaheim at the deadline. At the time of the pause, coach Bruce Cassidy play, but he’s battled injuries this season and was limited to 48 games at had Ritchie playing the left side on the third line, with Coyle in the middle the time of the pause. The 28-year-old forward can become a free agent and Anders Bjork on the right. That trio was starting to find chemistry too. this summer 1 and it’s likely he’ll sign elsewhere since the Bruins have Ritchie, 24, has one year and $1.4 million remaining on his contract. prospects ready to make the jump to the NHL and fill similar roles. However, forward prospect Trent Frederic should be ready to make the full-time jump to the NHL and he brings a lot to the table, including The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 physical strength, a willingness to defend teammates and the ability to score goals in a bottom-six role at either center or wing.

Restricted free agents — so likely staying put

Anders Bjork – The start of his pro career was derailed a bit by shoulder injuries and subsequent surgeries. The 23-year-old winger finally started to prove his worth this season, but still needs to produce more on a consistent basis. Management believes he has the ability to play in the top six, but playing with Coyle could be the right spot for Bjork at this point.

Jake DeBrusk – The 23-year-old forward has found a home on Krejci’s left side. DeBrusk’s speed and strength are key factors in his success, but still needs to be more consistent. He’s a streaky player but when his motor is going he’s tough to stop, especially in the dirty areas when he’s willing to compete.

Matt Grzelcyk – The 26-year-old is such an underrated player. Yes, he’s undersized, but he’s also an effective, puck-moving defenseman with a strong hockey IQ. His has improved this season and he’s learned how to quarterback a power play when needed, especially if Krug is out of the lineup due to injury. He’s an important part of Boston’s blue line and he’ll receive a raise from his current $1.4 million deal.

Could be on the move

Jaroslav Halak – The veteran goalie is set to become a free agent on July 1 and it could be in everyone’s best interest to sign at least a one- year deal to remain in Boston, both because the Rask/Halak tandem is crucial to the team’s ability to win a Stanley Cup and because Halak is unlikely to find a better chance at a championship elsewhere. With those two basically splitting the regular season workload, it allows Rask to be healthy and fresh for the postseason. If Halak stays, it will also allow prospects Daniel Vladar, Kyle Keyser and Jeremy Swayman more time to develop in either Providence or Atlanta.

John Moore – The Bruins understand depth on the back end is key for a successful playoff run. When Moore signed as a free agent on July 1, 2018, he seemed set as the left-shot defenseman the team needed at the time. Because of the depth on the blue line, and more possibly coming from Providence, Moore’s spot is uncertain. The 29-year-old has three years at an annual average value worth $2.75 million remaining. It’s also possible he could find himself in Seattle with the expansion draft next summer.

Kevan Miller – Pound for pound, one of strongest players in the NHL. He’s respected for his strength and relentless style of play. The Bruins have missed his presence on the ice and in the room over the last calendar year as he’s undergone a long, fitful recovery from a knee injury. Sweeney recently said that even if the season does resume, the team has decided it would be best to let Miller reach 100 percent before clearing him to play. The issue is that he can become a free agent on July 1. If other teams shy away from signing him due to this long layoff, it could be a situation where the Bruins bring him back for relatively inexpensive money and he battles for a position next season.

Should be a future captain — but might not have a future here at all

Torey Krug – The veteran defenseman should be in the untouchable category, but the final decision whether he remains in Boston or signs elsewhere is up to him since he’ll become a free agent after the season. The sides have been talking about a long-term contract, but they haven’t been able to find common ground. Those negotiations have been complicated significantly by the uncertainty caused by COVID-19, especially in how it impacts the future salary cap. Considered one of the best power-play quarterbacks in the league, Krug is a perfect fit for the Bruins both on and off the ice. Put it this way: If he signs a long-term deal, once Bergeron and Chara are no longer playing, Krug could one 1183576 Buffalo Sabres Wieland says he gave Helper the nickname “Beaver" because this Gerry looked so much like Jerry Mathers, star of “Leave It to Beaver,” the sitcom from the late 1950s and early 1960s. “Everyone around the office called him Beav,” Wieland says. “Even the Knoxes.” Town of Holland native owes hockey career in part to Bona's Final Four team Helper worked for the Sabres from 1979 to 1986. Then came jobs in the NHL offices in New York and a sports marketing firm, in Washington, with ties to the NHL. And after that came gigs with NHL newborns — the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1991 and the Predators in 1997. By Erik Brady All of which is a long way from Christmas break in 1969, when St. Published Mon, Apr 27, 2020 Bonaventure played in the Holiday Festival at Madison Square Garden. Lanier dropped 50 points on Purdue in the title game. Helper didn’t go to the tournament, but a friend of his father’s did, and he brought back a NASHVILLE — Gerry Helper puts the into Middle program signed by all of the players on that forever team. Tennessee — and the senior into senior vice president. That’s his title with the Nashville Predators, for whom he’s worked since the NHL Helper spreads out the program on the desk in his office at Bridgestone franchise was born. Arena. Its cover carries the signatures of his heroes. The ink is fading, but the names are legible: Bob Lanier, Matt Gant, Billy Kalbaugh, et al. These days, with hockey on hiatus, he misses the game dearly. But he Helper doesn’t mind that his name is misspelled as Jerry. “This,” he says, understands. “is one of my favorite possessions.”

“In our community it’s a double whammy,” he says. “We’re just weeks Helper believes he owes his career to that Final Four team, since that’s removed from tornadoes hitting Nashville. We’re dealing with a one-two what lured him to St. Bonaventure, which in turn took him to Wieland, punch here.” who got him started in the hockey biz more than 40 years ago.

Helper got his start with the Buffalo Sabres in 1979 and has been in “I always look at it like Paul helped me get my foot in the door. Then it hockey ever since. Funny thing is, though, he got into hockey by way of was my job to close the door behind me by working hard and doing it basketball. And it all began 50 years ago when St. Bonaventure well.” University, the little college that could, won its way to the Final Four. And, as it turns out, paying it forward. Helper says he’s gone out of his Helper turns 63 today. He was 12 and living in the Town of Holland when way ever since to give young talent a chance. That’s also often meant Bob Lanier’s Bonnies made that magical run in the 1969-70 men’s hiring people with Buffalo roots. basketball season. “If you’re from Western New York, I know your work ethic,” Helper says. “That’s when I decided I was going to go to school there,” Helper says. “I “I know what you’re made of.” had no idea what kind of courses they had, but it didn’t matter. I knew that’s where I was going to go.” Buffalo News LOADED: 04.28.2020

A few years later he applied to two colleges and chose St. Bonaventure over Notre Dame University. By then he knew about Bona’s renowned journalism school, and had dreams of becoming a sportswriter. His capstone project in his senior year was a content analysis of how Buffalo’s battling newspapers — Buffalo Evening News and Courier- Express — covered the Buffalo Braves and Sabres.

That’s how Helper came to call Paul Wieland, a St. Bona grad who was then the Sabres’ director of public relations.

“So I go to his office and I ask my questions about newspaper coverage,” Helper says. “And then I say, ‘Hey, I’m going to be home over Christmas with nothing to do. Any chance I could come in and learn about the business?’ And, typical Paul, he says, ‘Well, I don’t know, but we’ll figure something out. Yeah, sure, come on in.’ ”

Helper says he did not have designs on a career in hockey at the time. He just figured it would be a nice way to see some games for free.

Wieland had Helper keep stats in the press box. After games he would stand amid the reporters as they interviewed players, and take notes as if he were covering the game — sort of a dry run for his career. Helper enjoyed all of this so much that once Christmas vacation was done, he asked if he could keep helping out during his last semester of college.

“I’m sure Paul figured, ‘Well, you don’t cost anything,’ ” Helper says. “So he says yes, and it was a bold offer on my part, because I didn’t have a car. So I had to borrow cars or beg rides and somehow find my way up to Buffalo for the games.”

Near season’s end, Wieland told Helper he had been trying for several years to hire an assistant and was going to try to get the position approved once again. He invited the graduating senior to apply. That’s the first time Helper thought about a job in media relations rather than media.

“Now I’ve got my heart set on it,” he says. “This is the job I want, and I don’t apply anywhere else. Probably not the smartest move in the world, putting all my eggs in one basket. So I graduate in May. We get to June and Paul doesn’t have any news. Then July, no news. This is not good.

“August comes and goes. Now we get to the Tuesday after Labor Day — and I get the call. Paul says, ‘Hey, they just approved it. Come on down for your interview.’ So I went down the next day. And I’ve been in the NHL ever since.” 1183577 He’ll likely be taking those talents next to Stockton, Calif., home of the Flames’ farm club.

But Pettersen, who is listed at 5-foot-10 and 175 lb., has undoubtedly Flames sign forward prospect Emilio Pettersen to entry-level deal emerged as one of Calgary’s most intriguing prospects.

Instead of returning overseas, he has been living with his girlfriend and her family in New Jersey since college campuses — and rinks — were Wes Gilbertson closed due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Publishing date:10 hours ago His proud parents watched via FaceTime as he inked his first pro contract.

“It seems like it’s the right move for me in my career. (The team) felt like I Like countless other hockey-crazed kids, he wanted to be just like Sid. could make the next step, and I felt the same way,” Pettersen said. “For “I guess that’s probably pretty cliché,” said Calgary Flames prospect me, it’s been the development I’ve had over the last two years. I felt like Emilio Pettersen. “A lot of guys probably looked up to .” I’ve been more dominant in a few areas of my game, and I always wanted to get to that next level and take that next step of getting better. I True, but not necessarily where Pettersen is from. feel like I have confidence in myself and it’s important to use that confidence now and just run with it. Calgary gives me that confidence as The up-and-coming forward hails from Oslo, Norway. well, so it was kind of a no-brainer.” Only eight gents from his homeland have logged even a shift of NHL Mats Zuccarello of the Minnesota Wild was the only Norwegian on an action. NHL payroll during the now-paused season. On Monday, when he scribbled his signature on a three-year, entry-level Perhaps, Pettersen can eventually join him. contract with the Flames, Pettersen inched a little closer to becoming the ninth. “It just seems like I’m a step closer to where I want to be,” he said after inking his entry-level pact. “It’s surreal. It’s a dream come true.” “Honestly, it always felt like all my friends and myself were kind of just living in this bubble — we all wanted to one day possibly play in the NHL, Calgary Herald: LOADED: 04.28.2020 but it just seemed so far away, coming from Norway,” Pettersen said. “But at the same time, I felt like my mentality was that I did have a chance. I wanted to always be that guy from Norway to make it all the way. Now that it’s a step closer, it just feels amazing.

“All my buddies are just really happy for me. And my family, they’re fired up … You kind of lose words when you’re from a country like Norway and this has been your dream for your whole life.”

Pettersen, who turned 20 earlier this month, hasn’t fully achieved his childhood dream just yet, but the Flames’ development-staffers are certainly excited about the progress of this sixth-round pick from the 2018 NHL Draft.

As a sophomore, he was the top point-producer this past winter for the NCAA’s University of Denver Pioneers, notching 13 goals and 22 assists in 36 outings.

The speedy left-winger was initially expected to return for another season with the powerhouse program, but Monday’s signing signals that he will turn pro instead. His contract kicks in for the 2020-21 campaign.

“Another year of college wouldn’t have hurt him at all, but he was really anxious for the next step,” said Flames general manager . “And what I like about him is his mindset isn’t, ‘OK, I’ve signed and I’m just going to jump right into Calgary.’ He’s eager to come to training camp next year, whenever that is, and show what he’s got. So it’s not like he’s resigning himself that he’s not going to make the team.

“But he also understands the process. What stuck out to me, when we were talking about the pros and cons of both options, is that he was like, ‘I just look at it a year from now, and if I’m in Stockton and I’m playing pro and I’m playing against those players, I’m that much closer a year from now.’ So I think his mentality is the right mentality. He’s driven, and he’s not afraid of the work.”

Long before he was Flames’ property, Pettersen was something of a YouTube sensation, with his father Flemming posting clips of his end-to- end rushes, slick setups and top-shelf snipes against overmatched minor-hockey opponents in Norway. A video montage from his 10-year- old season now has upwards of 445,000 clicks.

He was only 14 when he committed to Denver, then left home that fall to further his puck pursuits at a prep school in Connecticut and later in the United States Hockey League.

“He’s a real gifted, a real slick, offensive player,” Treliving said. “He’s competitive. He’s not shy about going to the areas that you have to go to score goals. He has great vision. He can drive a line. He’s an offensive driver.

“His defensive game is an area that he’ll need to continue to grow. But he makes plays. He creates offence. He’s dynamic on the power-play. He brings skill and speed.” 1183578 Calgary Flames “His defensive game is an area that he’ll need to continue to grow. But he makes plays. He creates offence. He’s dynamic on the power-play. He brings skill and speed.”

Flames sign forward prospect Emilio Pettersen to entry-level deal He’ll likely be taking those talents next to Stockton, Calif., home of the Flames’ farm club.

But Pettersen, who is listed at 5-foot-10 and 175 lb., has undoubtedly Wes Gilbertson emerged as one of Calgary’s most intriguing prospects.

Published:April 27, 2020 Instead of returning overseas, he has been living with his girlfriend and her family in New Jersey since college campuses — and rinks — were Updated:April 27, 2020 5:00 PM MDT closed due to the COVID-19 crisis.

His proud parents watched via FaceTime as he inked his first pro Like countless other hockey-crazed kids, he wanted to be just like Sid. contract.

“I guess that’s probably pretty cliché,” said Calgary Flames prospect “It seems like it’s the right move for me in my career. (The team) felt like I Emilio Pettersen. “A lot of guys probably looked up to Sidney Crosby.” could make the next step, and I felt the same way,” Pettersen said. “For me, it’s been the development I’ve had over the last two years. I felt like True, but not necessarily where Pettersen is from. I’ve been more dominant in a few areas of my game, and I always wanted to get to that next level and take that next step of getting better. I The up-and-coming forward hails from Oslo, Norway. feel like I have confidence in myself and it’s important to use that Only eight gents from his homeland have logged even a shift of NHL confidence now and just run with it. Calgary gives me that confidence as action. well, so it was kind of a no-brainer.”

On Monday, when he scribbled his signature on a three-year, entry-level Mats Zuccarello of the Minnesota Wild was the only Norwegian on an contract with the Flames, Pettersen inched a little closer to becoming the NHL payroll during the now-paused season. ninth. Perhaps, Pettersen can eventually join him. “Honestly, it always felt like all my friends and myself were kind of just “It just seems like I’m a step closer to where I want to be,” he said after living in this bubble — we all wanted to one day possibly play in the NHL, inking his entry-level pact. “It’s surreal. It’s a dream come true.” but it just seemed so far away, coming from Norway,” Pettersen said. “But at the same time, I felt like my mentality was that I did have a Calgary Sun: LOADED: 04.28.2020 chance. I wanted to always be that guy from Norway to make it all the way. Now that it’s a step closer, it just feels amazing.

“All my buddies are just really happy for me. And my family, they’re fired up … You kind of lose words when you’re from a country like Norway and this has been your dream for your whole life.”

Pettersen, who turned 20 earlier this month, hasn’t fully achieved his childhood dream just yet, but the Flames’ development-staffers are certainly excited about the progress of this sixth-round pick from the 2018 NHL Draft.

As a sophomore, he was the top point-producer this past winter for the NCAA’s University of Denver Pioneers, notching 13 goals and 22 assists in 36 outings.

The speedy left-winger was initially expected to return for another season with the powerhouse program, but Monday’s signing signals that he will turn pro instead. His contract kicks in for the 2020-21 campaign.

“Another year of college wouldn’t have hurt him at all, but he was really anxious for the next step,” said Flames general manager Brad Treliving. “And what I like about him is his mindset isn’t, ‘OK, I’ve signed and I’m just going to jump right into Calgary.’ He’s eager to come to training camp next year, whenever that is, and show what he’s got. So it’s not like he’s resigning himself that he’s not going to make the team.

“But he also understands the process. What stuck out to me, when we were talking about the pros and cons of both options, is that he was like, ‘I just look at it a year from now, and if I’m in Stockton and I’m playing pro and I’m playing against those players, I’m that much closer a year from now.’ So I think his mentality is the right mentality. He’s driven, and he’s not afraid of the work.”

Long before he was Flames’ property, Pettersen was something of a YouTube sensation, with his father Flemming posting clips of his end-to- end rushes, slick setups and top-shelf snipes against overmatched minor-hockey opponents in Norway. A video montage from his 10-year- old season now has upwards of 445,000 clicks.

He was only 14 when he committed to Denver, then left home that fall to further his puck pursuits at a prep school in Connecticut and later in the United States Hockey League.

“He’s a real gifted, a real slick, offensive player,” Treliving said. “He’s competitive. He’s not shy about going to the areas that you have to go to score goals. He has great vision. He can drive a line. He’s an offensive driver. 1183579 Carolina Hurricanes What has been your favorite episode of “Checking In With Tripp” Tracy? — Thomas S.

Oh, these have all been absolute gold. I love that they show how much Bag of Jerks: Prospects, Andrei Svechnikov’s ceiling, thoughts on the the guys genuinely love Tripp, and they also show how much Tripp 2006 team knows about them and how much he cares about the Hurricanes franchise and all of you. I actually talked to him a few days ago — he’s quarantined with his legendary mom, and they’re doing great and say hello. But he told me to watch out for the most recent installment of the By Sara Civian Apr 27, 2020 series because he thought it was the best one yet.

It did not disappoint. Not to sound like one of those awful car commercials coming out these IT'S A DEFENSIVE TRIO!@PMRAZEK34, @FLEURY96 AND days, but I want to start by thanking everyone from the bottom of my @TVANRIEMSDYK6 JOIN THIS WEEK'S EPISODE OF CHECKING IN heart for supporting me and The Athletic during this time. WITH @TRIPPTRACY, PRESENTED BY @INVISALIGN It’s not just about the tangible things, like continuing to subscribe and PIC.TWITTER.COM/3VNOF1ATXU keeping us in business, but also all the comments and discussions that — CAROLINA HURRICANES (@CANES) APRIL 25, 2020 haven’t slowed down a bit. You might not know it, but it has been keeping me going. You give me something to look forward to every day, between Sara, what are your thoughts on Dominik Bokk? Could he make the all the stories you told me in the comments of the Hurricanes fans roster? — Peter S. survey, indulging me in a simulation of the 2020 NHL playoffs, encouraging me to write a story that was very hard to write, going down a Like, when? If you mean in general, I would say yes. The first-round 2006 rabbit hole together and even just showing up for our monthly live forward the Hurricanes got in the Justin Faulk trade tore it up in the SHL Q&A. (13 points and 10 goals in 18 games) when he returned from tearing it up for Germany in the World Junior Championship. Thanks for being a constant sense of community and normalcy when almost nothing else is. I do think it will take a little patience and development for the 20-year-old who is entering the second year of a three-year ELC. He’s fast and Anyways, let’s get to it. skilled, and as we know with those types, it can take an adjustment before that skill set translates to the NHL. What was your honest view of the Hurricanes franchise before you started covering them? — Christian A. If you could magically go back in time to 1997 and we’re given the responsibility of redesigning the entirety of the relocated Whalers That’s a great question. I think about this all the time, and I actually had franchise, what nickname, logo, color scheme, and mascot would you good conversations about it with a few players from the Hurricanes’ come up with? Here are my top three choices: 2005-06 teams while interviewing them for this story last week. First: When you come from these hockey hotbeds (I am from Boston), you really do tend to grow up thinking you’re a superior fan. It’s incredibly Nickname – The Triangle Triangles silly. I think I was sort of brainwashed to believe things that weren’t true at all. Then, as you grow up, you start to open your mind in general Logo – A rhombus (hopefully), so before I got here or even got the job offer, I sort of realized Colors – Three subtle but distinct shades of periwinkle how stupid this mindset was, but it was still ingrained. When I got the job offer, I got calls from so many random people in the hockey world — from Mascot – A tetrahedron with the grace and charm of Caroline reporters to GMs of teams that aren’t the Hurricanes — just telling me the passion I was in store for come playoffs. Second:

I didn’t think the playoffs would come as soon as they did heading into Nickname – The Carolina Magnificent Manes last season, but even in the first few months I learned so much about Logo – A profile of ’s glorious hair and sideburns how wrong I was. When I got here, I obviously had to learn as much about the franchise in as little time as possible, so I would meet up with Colors – Whatever three or four colors that currently constitute Justin fans, talk on Twitter, etc., and I realized that even if there weren’t 5 billion Williams’ beard casual fans, the die-hards were die-hards. Come playoffs, I’ll let Aaron Ward take it away. Mascot – Caroline, only with sideburns

“I don’t know, I hate having to validate what Carolina is or isn’t because Third: every market is unique, but you know what? We created our own version Nickname: The North Carolina Not South Carolinas of the Stanley Cup playoffs that year (2006), and I think that’s why the excitement last year was the way that it was — because everyone knew Logo: A map of South Carolina inside a circle with a slash through it what was coming.” Colors: Whalers colors It’s truly your version of the Stanley Cup playoffs, and it’s so unique. Mascot: NOT STORMY (that $&#%¥€ knows why) — Keith R. Sara, what is your absolute favorite flavor of White Claw? And, will Andrei Svechnikov be a point-per-game player next season (should there I knew this was going to be the one and only Keith R. before I looked at be one)? — Spencer P. who asked the question. Keith, thank you for making my articles more fun every time. I don’t think I’m the only one who looks forward to your Have you had the new ones yet?! The watermelon flavor just hits comments every day. different. The new variety pack is spectacular. Lemon is dangerous because if you put it in a water bottle, it’s like you’re just drinking a virgin I am cracking up. seltzer. What did Stormy ever do to you?! If anything, Caroline is the creepy one. As for Svechnikov, he is absolutely capable of becoming a point-per- That said, the thought of her with only sideburns as an ode to John game player. He had 61 (24 goals, 37 assists) in 68 games before the Forslund is intriguing. I will go with Option 2. season was “paused” — an improvement on last season’s 37 (20 goals, I knew the 2006 Cup team was loaded with veterans, but they were 17 assists) in 82. Obviously, some of that was due to sheltering him in his more, uh, veterany than I remember. (Mark) Recchi was 38, Rod rookie year and increased power-play usage, but that’s still a notable (Brind’Amour) was 35, (Ray) Whitney 34, (Cory) Stillman 32, (Glen) improvement no matter how you spin it. All that and he only just recently Wesley 37, (Bret) Hedican 35, Aaron Ward 33, (Frantisek) Kaberle 32. turned 20 years old? At the very least he will come close to averaging a point per game next season. Then, I believe he will evolve into a Really makes you appreciate the youth of this current team with (Justin) consistent point-per-game player over the course of many seasons. Williams, (Jordan) Staal, and … ? I don’t even know if there’s another 30- something on the team. If Williams does not return next season, is it until it’s safe enough. I have been taking everything that comes out with a important they add a veteran to the locker room? — Peter W. mound of salt. I believe the NHL is just trying to be prepared for anything, and I wouldn’t believe anything being suggested will actually come to I was thinking the same thing the whole time. The debate between fruition until there is an official plan. veteran experience and hungry/fast/skilled youth is interesting. I do think the game was a little different in ’06, in terms of physicality, but at the Be well, everybody. same time, the Stanley Cup playoffs will always bring that same heat. I believe you need at least three or four players who have been there The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 before to set an example and adequately prepare the rest of the team for what’s about to happen.

I do think the age requirement for being an NHL veteran has lowered by at least three years, and not an age limit but an age average for the older end of playing in the NHL has done the same. That changes the “veterany” aspect you mentioned, but the answer to your second question remains the same. I do think it’s crucial to have a veteran presence in any Stanley Cup playoff locker room, and Williams is not a replaceable person, but they will have to find at least one more veteran voice should he retire. That’s why you see so many veterans being traded at the deadline.

What’s been your toughest assignment since being on the beat? How about your most enjoyable project you’ve worked on? — Cody C.

Full disclosure: This is a question from last month’s mailbag I must’ve skimmed over. Sorry, Cody! But here we are.

My toughest assignment, in general, has been finding the correct balance of content and trying to figure out who I “am” as a reporter. When you’re lucky enough to work at The Athletic, the world is your oyster because no idea is too big and no silly idea you think of is too silly.

Specific assignment, though? Absolutely the recent article about Hurricanes announcer John Forslund and Hurricanes digital content producer Zack Brame self-quarantining due to COVID-19. To tell you the truth, I think I did such an awful job. At the time, I was so confused, trying to process not only that all of this was happening so fast but also that I loved these people and I was there. Like, I’m sitting there trying to write this story, and at the same time I’m subconsciously worrying: “Should I be self-quarantining? (I did.) What is going on?”

Not only am I trying to ask folks about something as unprecedented as it is serious, but I also have never felt more like part of the story. It was hard to separate my own fear and involvement from the story itself. But I learned that maybe next time, if it hits that close to home, it’s OK to sit it out.

Most enjoyable has to be the player polls. It’s not like they take much effort or writing on my part, so I wouldn’t say they are the most fulfilling. But I love how the whole room gets involved and everyone is genuinely excited to answer the questions — believe it or not, that doesn’t happen every day in this industry! I’ve had so many laughs doing those, and I get so excited to share them with you.

What’s your favorite — and least favorite — pasta shape? — Evan L.

Rugrats Mac and Cheese is my favorite. Do they still have that?

I am Italian. There is no least favorite.

Why do you think the NHL is so adamant that NEXT season be a complete 82-game season? Why not finish this one out in August- September, reset, start next season in December and bang out 60 games next year?

Forget it, I just thought of 500 reasons why this wouldn’t work.

Why are we bothering? This sucks. — Bernie P.

Bernie, every time I think about all this, I, too, land on the conclusion that this sucks. It’s been a crazy shift in my mindset to realize the way we were doing things for the past 25 years I had been alive was actually a best-case scenario and not just how things would always be.

I hope I remember when this is all over that “normal life” is actually a privilege.

So now we are looking at a bunch of less-than-best-case scenarios, each seeming wackier and more non-ideal than the last. I think the new ideas the NHL seems to be rolling out every week elucidate that no one has a perfect answer and that we are all navigating this for the first time together.

I have my opinions on what I think should happen, but it’s so hard to put the logistics in context, and I don’t think there’s any real way to do that 1183580 Chicago Blackhawks take a new mindset to successfully transition the organization to win both on and off the ice.”

I don’t know Wirtz at all, but I did interview him back in March after the Column: Chicago Blackhawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz is a popular team NHL season was suspended. He professed hope the season would owner. Will that change after he fired John McDonough, the man who restart soon. made him? “Hopefully, if we open again, it’s going to be a mad dash to the finish line,” he said. “Who knows what’s going to happen? Some of the teams were doing really well, and you break their momentum. ... Let’s put it this By PAUL SULLIVAN way: We haven’t given up on the season, even though we were going to be long shots. As they say, funnier things have happened.” APR 27, 2020 | 8:49 PM Naturally, I felt the need to inform him the Hawks had no chance of

making the playoffs. He didn’t really respond, so I politely changed the Blackhawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz is the rare owner of a Chicago sports subject. Wirtz then told The Athletic: “I know some of the writers, I talked team whose popularity has remained intact in spite of his team’s bout to somebody from the Trib, he said he wrote off the Hawks after the with mediocrity. back-to-back losses to the Red Wings. But then I said, I haven’t given it up.” Bulls and White Sox Chairman has always had his detractors, even while bringing seven championships to this city over the Apologies for being that somebody, but it doesn’t take a hockey expert to last three decades. Many Sox fans blamed Reinsdorf for his role as a see the Hawks were too inconsistent and too far behind to have a hawk in the 1994 players strike that canceled the season with his team in realistic chance of getting in. Maybe Wirtz realized, after a month and a first place. And as “The Last Dance” reminds us, he made the worst half of reflection, that guy from the Trib was right and his decision to fire decision by a Chicago sports executive in history, choosing Bulls general McDonough stemmed from the team’s inability to make the postseason manager Jerry Krause over coach Phil Jackson, which led to Michael again. Jordan’s departure. No one is assured of lifetime employment, with the obvious exception of Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts had an easy act to follow when his family Sox pitching coach Don Cooper. So if McDonough is the fall guy for the bought the team from Tribune Co. in 2009. But Ricketts quickly learned Hawks’ fall from grace, that’s Wirtz’s prerogative as the owner. that ending the team’s 108-year championship drought in 2016 didn’t McDonough was unavailable for comment, but knowing him, he’ll have provide him with a lifetime pass from Cubs fans spoiled by the success of nothing but praise for Wirtz and this will become just another conscious the rebuild, and he was booed at the Cubs Convention this year for uncoupling — a no-blame divorce like the Theo Epstein-Joe Maddon split moving telecasts to a team-owned channel many couldn’t watch. in October. And as much as everyone respects Bears owner Virginia McCaskey, So what’s next? Wirtz handed the president’s job to his son, Danny, on there has never been any love lost for her two sons who have run the an interim basis in the great Chicago tradition of nepotism. Unlike his dad team, Michael and George. and late grandfather, Danny Wirtz has no nickname that I know of. But you seldom hear a discouraging word about Wirtz, and if you do, it’s Now the McDonough era is over, and Rocky and Danny will have to usually in hushed tones. How can you possibly dislike someone decide on Bowman’s future and whether to go full-metal rebuild. Twitter nicknamed “Rocky”? already has a few suggestions on Bowman, some of which are printable. One reason for his quick acceptance in Chicago was the man he Whatever the next move is, at least they’ll have a while to think about it. replaced, his father, Bill, happened to be one of the most disliked owners Whether Rocky still gets the benefit of the doubt from disgruntled Hawks ever, nicknamed “Dollar Bill” for his frugal ways. fans is a question that may be answered soon. To his credit, Rocky immediately rejected the backward business model LOADED: 04.28.2020 his father built, putting home games on TV and hiring marketing expert John McDonough away from the Cubs to run the organization.

But after McDonough was abruptly fired as Hawks president without reason Monday, we’ll soon find out whether Rocky’s Teflon image will also bite the dust. After all, McDonough made Wirtz, whether the Hawks chairman cares to admit it or not.

It was McDonough who transformed the Hawks from laughingstock to league power, who brought back iconic players , and Tony Esposito as team ambassadors and who rehired beloved broadcaster after the Hawks had let him go for being too honest about the team.

Before agreeing to become Hawks president, McDonough made it a condition that he would be allowed to rehire Foley. Over the last two seasons, Foley was often the only reason to continue watching games once the snow melted and the playoffs were a mirage.

Why McDonough was fired during the suspended season remains a mystery. Wirtz told The Athletic in March that McDonough, general manager Stan Bowman and coach Jeremy Colliton were all safe, so something happened recently that made him change his mind.

A press release issued late Monday said “Wirtz cited the COVID-19 crisis and the league suspension as an opportunity to reassess the team’s future and to set a renewed positive direction for the organization.”

So does that mean he’ll also reassess Bowman’s future?

We’ll have to wait and see. Because there’s no hockey in the foreseeable future, he might as well let the mystery deepen and keep the Hawks in the news.

“While we can reassure our fans there will be hockey again, no one knows what that will look like,” Wirtz said. “What we do know is that it will 1183581 Chicago Blackhawks Wirtz hired McDonough in November 2007, luring him from the Cubs, for whom he had worked for 25 years, shortly after Wirtz took control of the Hawks following the death of his father, .

Chicago Blackhawks fire President John McDonough, a ‘difficult decision McDonough’s arrival helped spur the franchise’s revival into a box-office to embrace change,’ Rocky Wirtz says success in addition to the three Stanley Cup titles. The Hawks had sold out 531 consecutive home games before the season was suspended last month.

By PHIL THOMPSON Known for his marketing mind, McDonough is credited with pioneering the first Cubs Convention in 1986, and since then teams have staged APR 27, 2020 | 7:34 PM their own fan conventions and copied other of his innovations.

Danny Wirtz has served a number of roles for the Hawks and their More than a month ago, Blackhawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz gave foundation. President and CEO John McDonough and general manager Stan “I cannot adequately express my family’s appreciation to John for his Bowman a vote of confidence despite the team’s fading hopes of making contributions to the turnaround of the Chicago Blackhawks organization,” the playoffs. Danny Wirtz said in a statement. “I take this interim role with the utmost But when the NHL went on hiatus because of the coronavirus outbreak, it responsibility to the team and will focus on resetting the framework for apparently gave Wirtz time to assess and reflect. the next generation of the Chicago Blackhawks. I look forward to working with Rocky to identify our next leader.” The Hawks honcho announced Monday he has cut ties with McDonough, crediting him for helping revive an aimless franchise into one that won Danny Wirtz will maintain his roles as vice chairman of Breakthru three Stanley Cup titles in six years but acknowledging that the current Beverage Group and helping run the family’s other business concerns. version needs a new vision. The Hawks were on pace to miss the Rocky Wirtz said in the memo that he’ll “work closely with Danny and our playoffs for a third straight season before the suspension. Blackhawks senior leadership team to set a new course and vision for Wirtz’s 43-year-old son Danny, the team’s vice president and an the organization.” alternate governor to the NHL, will serve as interim president while the “We want to reiterate our appreciation for all of you during these team searches for McDonough’s permanent replacement. unsettled times,” Wirtz said. “We recognize that change is difficult and “Thirteen years ago, I recruited John to the Blackhawks because of his there may be bumps on our road, but we will strive to navigate them with leadership, direction and vision. John brought all of that to the table and the health of the organization intact. We will make decisions today to more,” Rocky Wirtz said in a news release. “His contributions went well ensure we are well-positioned for great success in the future.” beyond leading the team to three Stanley Cup championships. He rebuilt Chicago Tribune LOADED: 04.28.2020 the front office and helped guide the organization toward a winning vision.

“As difficult as this is, we believe it was the right decision for the future of the organization and its fans.”

Wirtz expressed similar sentiments in a memo sent to employees, also indicating how he wrestled with the decision.

“All of us with the Chicago Blackhawks organization share a passion and commitment to win both on and off the ice,” Wirtz said in the memo. “That commitment has been our foundation as we face our most difficult decisions and embrace an opportunity for change.

“Today, we have made the difficult decision to embrace change and release John McDonough from his role as president and CEO.”

Wirtz cited “unprecedented times that require us to think very differently about our future.”

“While we can reassure you all that there will be hockey again, no one knows what it will look like,” he said in the memo. “We must take the opportunity today to reimagine our future and to set a positive course getting there.”

Wirtz struck a different tone in March, less than a week into the shutdown. The Hawks were 32-30-8, six points back in the wild-card race, and Wirtz expressed confidence that McDonough and Bowman could get the team headed in the right direction.

"You look at everything,” Wirtz told NBC Sports Chicago’s Blackhawks Talk podcast. “You’re looking at salaries, you’re looking at free agents, you’re looking at signing college players, free agents in Europe. The nice thing is, John McDonough and his crew and Stan Bowman, in my humble opinion, we have a good organization. They will figure it out.

“On my epitaph and on my tombstone with my kids, I promise you, it’s going to say: ‘Just figure it out.’ It’s going to be the day I was born, the day I died and ‘Just figure it out.’ They will figure it out. I promise you.”

McDonough won’t get the opportunity to figure it out, and his ouster raises questions about whether Bowman fits into the team’s future as well.

Bowman wasn’t mentioned in Wirtz’s public statement or the internal memo. Neither McDonough nor Bowman could be reached for comment. 1183582 Chicago Blackhawks Is more change on the way? Ask the new president, whomever he is and whenever he shows up.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 04.28.2020 The firing of John McDonough and the slow drip of the Blackhawks’ decline

By Rick Morrissey Apr 27, 2020, 6:29pm CDT

Anyone can be fired. If you somehow had been under the impression that wasn’t true, you got a good first taste of it in 2018, when the Blackhawks dumped hugely popular and successful coach . But in case that didn’t quite register, the Hawks’ firing of team president John McDonough on Monday surely brings home the point for good.

Nobody is safe. I used to think general manager Stan Bowman could survive a nuclear attack, but he and coach Jeremy Colliton look especially vulnerable now.

McDonough’s shocking ouster is another reminder that the 2010s are over and that the skating in place the Hawks have done for the better part of five years isn’t enough. As though you needed another reminder.

Chairman Rocky Wirtz hired away McDonough from the Cubs in 2007 to modernize the Hawks’ off-ice operations — and modernize, he did. Mostly what he did was sweep away the backwardness of the organization while welcoming back some of the icons of the past, including Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita.

That gust of fresh air coincided perfectly with the arrivals of and . What followed was an incredible burst of success and civic energy. The Hawks won Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013 and 2015. Chicago celebrated.

McDonough was known as a taskmaster in the office and a man who knew how to shake a hand and slap a shoulder outside of it. He received a lot of the credit for the Hawks’ re-emergence, some of it at the expense of former GM . But what couldn’t be argued was the success. It was massive.

Was, past tense.

‘‘It will take a new mindset to successfully transition the organization to win both on and off the ice,’’ Wirtz said in a statement.

In the days and weeks to come, perhaps we’ll find out what the off-the- ice failings were that sent McDonough into the street. For now, we’re left to look at five years of not much of anything as a major clue.

One thing is sure: The drip, drip, drip of slow decline isn’t much of a spectator sport.

Maybe it was better that Michael Jordan’s Bulls ended the way they did. It was a sudden death, as opposed to what has gone on with the Hawks. Bulls general manager Jerry Krause pushed out coach Phil Jackson, causing Jordan to retire and many of the champion Bulls to scatter to the four corners of the NBA. Finality. Winter set in, and we bundled up.

This way, this slow demise, has been cold in its own dull way. Death by salary cap? There’s no drama in that, just the sight of good players getting more money to play elsewhere. We’ve had to watch Toews go from superstar to something less. When Jordan retired after the 1997-98 season, we thought it was for good. We had seen him win his sixth title and sixth Finals Most Valuable Player award, and we knew we had seen him still at the top at the end.

That he chose to play again with the Wizards a few years later was disturbing, but it was also out of sight, out of mind for Bulls fans. If it didn’t happen at the , it didn’t happen.

The Hawks’ dynasty hasn’t gone away gracefully. Maybe Wirtz had gotten sick of the losing and the lack of progress. Who knows? He recently had told The Athletic that McDonough, Bowman and Colliton would be back next season. Something changed.

Sometimes it takes new people to see things for what they really are. If Wirtz came to the conclusion that major change was needed, it certainly would be understandable. Hawks fans, a discerning group, have been vocal about their displeasure with the post-dynasty slide. They happen to be the people who buy the tickets. 1183583 Chicago Blackhawks movement, already buoyed by Kirby Dach and Adam Boqvist and recently injected with Ian Mitchell, may soon fill the entire stovetop.

Monday’s firing ends the era of McDonough — and perhaps also the Blackhawks fire president John McDonough, signaling monumental current era of the Hawks. change in franchise’s direction Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 04.28.2020

By Ben Pope

CST Apr 27, 2020, 4:40pm CDT

After 13 years at the helm of the Blackhawks’ rise, Stanley Cup dynasty and recent downturn, John McDonough was fired from his role as the franchise’s president and CEO.

The shocking news, announced by the Hawks on Monday afternoon, signifies a monumental directional shift in the franchise’s approach to its post-dynasty era.

“It will take a new mindset to successfully transition the organization to win both on and off the ice,” chairman Rocky Wirtz said in a statement. “As difficult as this is, we believe it was the right decision for the future of the organization and its fans.”

Danny Wirtz, previously the Hawks’ vice president, will serve as interim president.

But the Hawks will nonetheless immediately begin the search for a new president, even while the 2019-20 season remains paused because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The timing of Monday’s firing is particularly strange, not only because of the uncertain status of the NHL’s schedule, but also because Rocky Wirtz definitively endorsed McDonough — along with general manager Stan Bowman and coach Jeremy Colliton — just last month.

Wirtz told The Athletic in mid-March that all three would “absolutely” return, adding that “there’s not going to be any changes in the front office.”

Mere weeks later, the biggest possible change in the front office has already occurred, and that change could potentially create a domino effect spilling down throughout the leadership chain.

Bowman’s fate was not mentioned in the announcement, but his job security is certainly now at an all-time low. After all, it was McDonough — who became Hawks president in 2007 and CEO in 2011 — who controversially ousted old-school GM Dale Tallon in 2009 and replaced him with the more analytical Bowman.

And with Bowman’s fate goes Colliton’s, given that Bowman controversially ousted coach Joel Quenneville in 2018 and replaced him with Colliton. The coach and GM have frequently spoken about how smoothly their mindsets toward strategy and team-building align.

For now, though, Bowman and Colliton remain on board, but McDonough — one of the flagship pieces of the Hawks’ 21st-century resurgence, in a less public but equally important role to Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews — does not.

McDonough, 66, was most influential in the team’s off-ice operations. The Hawks’ ongoing sellout streak of more than 500 consecutive games is just as big of a highlight of his tenure as the three Stanley Cups.

But the team’s struggles in recent years — the 2019-20 season, barring a postseason format change, will mark its third consecutive playoff miss — triggered sharp declines in resale ticket prices. The get-in price for some games this season fell below $20, and season-ticket holders complained of big losses. Yet in March, the Hawks still announced plans to increase the price of about 10 percent of season-ticket plans for 2020-21.

McDonough also ran a tight ship in terms of media access, perhaps best exemplified by the Hawks’ current ban on interviews during the pandemic.

Nevertheless, even if the firing of McDonough directly affects the franchise’s off-ice operations, the imminent and sweeping mentality shift will almost certainly spill over to the on-ice side.

Vestiges of the Cup era, from the starting-to-be-mocked “One Goal” slogan to perhaps even veteran stalwarts such as and , are in great jeopardy. The back-burner youth 1183584 Chicago Blackhawks There were rumors in 2016 that the Bears might try to pry McDonough loose, and he would be a perfect fit for that organization, also stuck decades behind the times.

What's next for Blackhawks as McDonough exits? And then there's the White Sox, just about to hit full stride on the baseball side after a rebuild. McDonough is close with Jerry Reinsdorf and putting McDonough in charge of filling up that ballpark would be a natural for a former baseball executive. Barry Rozner McDonough has never been in the business of making friends or holding Updated4/27/2020 6:31 PM hands, which is what most people want these days. He was all about winning and filling the arena, two things he did better than just about any executive in the history of Chicago sports. It was business as usual late Monday afternoon. All you need to remember is that if Wirtz hadn't hired McDonough when Or unusual, if you will, given the circumstances of an NHL shutdown, but he did, and McDonough hadn't hired Joel Quenneville when he did, the the Blackhawks were going about their business during the busiest time Hawks would not have won three Stanley Cups in six seasons, and the of the year. decade of brilliant hockey that you saw in Chicago would not have occurred. For those in hockey operations, it's a critical period as they prepare for the draft and try to determine a roster for next season depending on so "Rocky gave me a mandate and my name was on it," McDonough said in many factors, not the least of which is a salary cap that could take any 2017 as we spoke about his 10-year anniversary. "Rocky deserves all of form and change based on many factors. the credit for the last 10 years, and I mean all of it.

In business and marketing, the time for setting up next season occurs "My role was micro-fractional. Rocky took a nonfamily member and put now, so working remotely did not mean working any less diligently. him in a position that was always occupied by a family member.

This was the picture painted by Hawks employees who were as stunned "Rocky didn't want the job. He has too many other responsibilities. But to as anyone when they learned team president John McDonough had take someone from a different sport? Are you kidding me? been fired Monday. "So all of the people that were dubious about my coming over here -- and McDonough "was completely caught off guard," said a team source, and 'What would a baseball guy know about hockey?' -- I got that. I would had no inkling that owner Rocky Wirtz was of a mind to make a change. have been the same way.

Wirtz expressed nothing but support for McDonough these last few years "The one thing that surprised me the most -- that blindsided me at 54 as the Hawks struggled on the ice, and praised McDonough endlessly years old -- was when you walk into an organization and they know over 13 years for his leadership and for bringing the Hawks into the you're coming in to change everything, that a large percentage of people modern era of sports business. simply did not get on board with the program.

Son Danny Wirtz has been around more over the last couple of years "That shocked me. and takes over as acting president, which calls into question the future of general manager Stan Bowman and much of the hockey ops staff, which "I said to Rocky that the changes we talked about are going to come had the backing of McDonough. faster and be more bountiful. But everything he talked about ... autonomy and independence and the ability to make decisions, 10 years later he's Rocky Wirtz has been strictly hands off in every aspect of the been true to the letter on all of it." organization, so it's highly unlikely there was a dispute in terms of the GM position while Bowman tried to win and rebuild at the same time, a nearly The changes included new buildings and rinks and divisions and impossible task. departments, and the Hawks went from a staff of about 50 to more than 200. That also doesn't mean that Wirtz didn't disagree with the direction of the program, even if he never voiced it. What was before a philosophy of self-preservation for those in charge, where backstabbing became an art in the most dysfunctional In his statement Monday, Wirtz wrote, "What we do know is that it will organization in professional sports, evolved into a championship take a new mindset to successfully transition the organization to win both organization in every way. on and off the ice." Even those who did not like McDonough or any of his hirings or firings One surprising but logical replacement atop the organization is have to admit he was successful in revolutionizing an archaic and broken broadcaster and former Hawk , whose name has been franchise. quietly bandied about in rumors among NHL types for years and in several NHL cities as a team president, including Philadelphia and "We had to implement a system that was collaborative between hockey Seattle. ops and business ops," McDonough said. "Everyone has to work together. Olczyk has the hockey knowledge and personality to run an organization, and he's widely popular in Chicago. That would give him the time "From 1997 to 2007, the Blackhawks had five general managers and necessary if he chose to rebuild. seven head coaches," McDonough said, never once mentioning 's name. "If you do that every 14 months, you're changing the McDonough, meanwhile, was always the first to admit that he is difficult blueprint, changing personnel, changing philosophies. You're changing to work for and incredibly demanding, but he also took over an everything. You have no chance. organization that was stuck in the 1950s on the business side and in the on the hockey side. "You have to hire someone you're committed to. It's not continuity for the sake of it. It's continuity tethered to success and buying into the process. A complete structural rebuild was necessary and that meant a serious approach that never existed on the West Side. "This isn't Camelot here. I think people sometimes think that everything's perfect. This can be a pretty intense place on any given day." "We all read body language for a living, right? I could just see in people's eyes, 'I'm out. I want no part of this. I've heard of this guy and I want no Like him or not, John McDonough brought the Hawks into the 21st part of it,' " McDonough told me in 2017 of his first day on the job with the century and three Cups later the team has sold out 531 straight games. Hawks. "I didn't want to make knee-jerk assessments on anyone, but I The man did what he promised he would do -- and then some. knew there had to be a new approach. Daily Herald Times LOADED: 04.28.2020 "People talk all the time about 'changing the culture.' I think it's the single- hardest thing I've ever had to deal with." 1183585 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks fire team president McDonough in surprising move

By JAY COHEN

Associated Press

Updated4/27/2020 5:37 PM

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks fired team president John McDonough on Monday, cutting ties with a key figure in the most successful decade in team history and raising questions about the direction of one of the NHL's marquee franchises.

The surprising move, coming with the season suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic, could have a domino effect on Chicago's leadership structure. Stan Bowman has served as general manager for almost 11 years, but the Blackhawks haven't made the playoffs since 2017 - a painful drought for a franchise that hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015.

The Blackhawks announced McDonough's dismissal in a news release. Owner Rocky Wirtz pointed to the coronavirus crisis and the pause in play as an opportunity to assess the team's direction.

'œWhile we can reassure our fans there will be hockey again, no one knows what that will look like," Wirtz said in the statement. 'œWhat we do know is that it will take a new mindset to successfully transition the organization to win both on and off the ice.'•

Danny Wirtz, Rocky's 43-year-old son and a vice president with the team, is replacing McDonough on an interim basis.

'œI take this interim role with the utmost responsibility to the team and will focus on resetting the framework for the next generation of the Chicago Blackhawks,' Danny Wirtz said in the release. 'œI look forward to working with Rocky to identify our next leader.'•

The 66-year-old McDonough is one of the most respected figures in sports business. He was president of baseball's before he was hired by Rocky Wirtz in 2007 to take over the Blackhawks.

McDonough was a big factor in Chicago's rise to the top tier of the NHL on and off the ice. The team has an active sellout streak of 531 games. The organization is well known for its fan experience and marketing abilities, one reason why it has been a regular participant in the NHL's outdoor games.

'œThirteen years ago, I recruited John to the Blackhawks because of his leadership, direction and vision. John brought all of that to the table and more," Rocky Wirtz said. "His contributions went well beyond leading the team to three Stanley Cup championships. He rebuilt the front office and helped guide the organization toward a winning vision.

'œAs difficult as this is, we believe it was the right decision for the future of the organization and its fans."

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183586 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks release president, CEO John McDonough

John Dietz

Updated4/27/2020 4:49 PM

The Chicago Blackhawks announced Monday that they are releasing John McDonough from his role as president and CEO of the organization.

Team Chairman Rocky Wirtz said the COVID-19 crisis and the suspension of operations by the gave him the opportunity to reassess the team's future "and to set a renewed positive direction for the organization."

A search will begin immediately to replace McDonough, who was hired in 2007 as president. In 2011, the role of CEO was added.

"Thirteen years ago, I recruited John to the Blackhawks because of his leadership, direction and vision," Wirtz said in a statement. "John brought all of that to the table and more. His contributions went well beyond leading the team to three Stanley Cup Championships.

"He rebuilt the front office and helped guide the organization toward a winning vision. As difficult as this is, we believe it was the right decision for the future of the organization and its fans."

Daniel Wirtz, 43, will serve as the team's interim president until a new one is named. He has been an active adviser with the Hawks for the past 10 years and is currently the vice president of the team and Alternate Governor to the NHL.

"While we can reassure our fans there will be hockey again, no one knows what that will look like. What we do know is that it will take a new mindset to successfully transition the organization to win both on and off the ice," Wirtz said.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183587 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks 2019-20 season in review: Alex Nylander

By Charlie Roumeliotis April 28, 2020 12:00 AM

The NHL put its 2019-20 season on pause March 12 due to the COVID- 19 pandemic but remains hopeful to award the Stanley Cup at some point. Although it's unclear if or when it could return, NBC Sports Chicago will recap the season of each Blackhawks player to date in our "season in review" series.

Alex Nylander was acquired by the Blackhawks in the offseason for defenseman prospect Henri Jokiharju, who had quickly earned Joel Quenneville's trust during the 2018-19 season and spent much of his playing time on the first pairing with two-time Norris Trophy winner Duncan Keith. Because of that, Nylander was under a microscope all season long by the Chicago fanbase — fair or not.

While he scored in his season debut as the top-line left winger alongside Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, Nylander struggled to find a consistent spot in the lineup and at times was a healthy scratch. Consistency has really been the biggest challenge for him ever since he turned pro.

Nylander's best stretch of the season came in the final five games of March before the season was suspended when he averaged a point per game with two goals and three assists on top of a plus-4 rating.

The offensive upside is certainly evident with Nylander, who's a fun player to watch in practice. He can stickhandle, he can dangle, he can shoot. But putting the whole package together in a game, which includes playing with more energy without the puck, is something that's a work in progress.

"He's still in the developing phase," GM Stan Bowman said in February. "He's proven that he's an NHL player. ... He started the year higher up in the lineup, which maybe didn't serve him as well because you put a lot of pressure on yourself to score when you're up playing with productive players and you want to be a productive player. Tactically, when he's down the lineup, now it's like a progression.

"If you can nail that down to be someone that the coach can trust to use, then you would like him to find his offensive skillset, he's got the ability to make plays and buy time and space with the puck and he can shoot the puck. We've seen flashes of it but it's not the full picture yet, so hopefully we can see him build on becoming not just an NHL player but an offensive NHL player. That's what we'd like him to take that next step at some point."

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Blackhawks Talk Podcast: Why the Blackhawks released president John McDonough

By NBC Sports Chicago April 27, 2020 9:16 PM

Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz sent out a statement announcing the release of president John McDonough.

In an emergency edition of the Blackhawks Talk Podcast, Pat Boyle, Charlie Roumeliotis, Scott King and Slavko Bekovic discuss what may have happened and McDonough's legacy.

(1:25) - Rocky Wirtz explained in March that he was happy with the direction of the team

(7:30) - Is this the start of a major overhaul in the Hawks organization?

(13:30) - Is the Blackhawks president position a coveted job around the league?

(19:00) - McDonough's legacy

(23:16) - McDonough's impact on the franchise

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Blackhawks relieved John McDonough because it was time for 'new mindset'

By Charlie Roumeliotis April 27, 2020 9:08 PM

On March 17, Blackhawks chairman Rocky Wirtz appeared on the Blackhawks Talk Podcast and gave a vote of confidence to the management group led by President & CEO John McDonough and GM Stan Bowman.

"They will figure it out," Wirtz said. "I promise you."

On Monday, McDonough was relieved of his duties after 13 years with the organization, where he played an integral role in changing the hockey culture in Chicago. During his tenure, the Blackhawks won three Stanley Cups, went to the playoffs nine consecutive seasons and had a United Center sellout streak of 531 games, which remains ongoing.

Before accomplishing all that, McDonough helped rekindle fractured relationships with some of the greatest players in team history. He aggressively pushed for the 2009 Winter Classic at that put the Blackhawks on the national map. The list goes on and on.

"His contributions went well beyond leading the team to three Stanley Cup Championships," Wirtz said in statement. "He rebuilt the front office and helped guide the organization toward a winning vision."

There's no denying McDonough was as important as anyone to the renaissance of a franchise that was dubbed by ESPN as the worst in professional sports in 2004. But it was probably time for a change at the top.

"As difficult as this is," Wirtz said concluded, "we believe it was the right decision for the future of the organization and its fans."

The real question is: Why now? What changed from six weeks ago?

The timing is certainly peculiar, but the COVID-19 pandemic allowed Wirtz to reassess the state of the franchise as a whole. The conclusion? The Blackhawks need a shift in mentality.

“While we can reassure our fans there will be hockey again, no one knows what that will look like," Wirtz said. "What we do know is that it will take a new mindset to successfully transition the organization to win both on and off the ice."

Danny Wirtz, who is Rocky's 43-year-old son, will immediately take over as the interim president while the team conducts its search. He has been an active advisor with the Blackhawks for the past decade and will work closely with Rocky to "identify our next leader."

McDonough was the right leader to build and oversee the dynasty era. It will take a new one to get the Blackhawks back on track.

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Blackhawks achievements during John McDonough's tenure as president

By Slavko Bekovic April 27, 2020 8:50 PM

In somewhat of a surprise move, the Blackhawks released president and CEO John McDonough on Monday afternoon. McDonough spent almost 13 years with the Blackhawks and helped rejuvenate a franchise that once had one of the worst reputations not only in the NHL, but in all of professional sports.

When he joined the organization, the team’s attendance was under 13,000 per game, and over the course of his time in Chicago, McDonough helped the Blackhawks become one of the model franchises in North American sports.

Here is a look at some of the achievements McDonough helped orchestrate in his successful tenure with the Blackhawks, both on and off the ice.

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Sports Talk Live Podcast: Blackhawks shake things up, releasing president and CEO, John McDonough

By NBC Sports Chicago April 27, 2020 6:34 PM

Stunning news from the Blackhawks as John McDonough is released from his role as President and CEO. Laurence Holmes, David Haugh and Pat Boyle join Kap to discuss the shocking firing.

Later, Ian Rapoport joins Kap to talk about the Bears’ draft and gives his thoughts on Mitch Trubisky’s 5th-year option.

Finally, KC Johnson joins Kap, David and Laurence to talk about the latest episodes of “The Last Dance” including the Pistons’ handshake snub and Dennis Rodman’s importance to the second 3-peat.

0:00 - Stunning news from the Blackhawks as John McDonough is released from his role as President and CEO. Laurence Holmes, Pat Boyle and David Haugh join Kap discuss the shocking firing.

9:30 - NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport joins Kap to talk about the Bears draft and Mitch Trubisky’s 5th year option.

16:30 - KC Johnson joins Kap, Laurence and David to dissect the latest episodes of “The Last Dance” including Isiah’s handshake snub and Dennis Rodman’s importance to the 2nd 3-peat.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183592 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks relieve John McDonough from duties as President & CEO

By Charlie Roumeliotis April 27, 2020 4:21 PM

After 13 years with the organization, John McDonough has been relieved of his duties as Blackhawks President and CEO, the team announced Monday.

Chairman Rocky Wirtz released this statement thanking McDonough for the role he played in changing the culture and bringing three Stanley Cup titles to Chicago:

Thirteen years ago, I recruited John to the Blackhawks because of his leadership, direction and vision. John brought all of that to the table and more. His contributions went well beyond leading the team to three Stanley Cup Championships. He rebuilt the front office and helped guide the organization toward a winning vision. As difficult as this is, we believe it was the right decision for the future of the organization and its fans.

The Blackhawks will immediately begin a search to fill the role as president. Danny Wirtz, who is currently the vice president of the Blackhawks, will serve as the interim.

“I cannot adequately express my family’s appreciation to John for his contributions to the turnaround of the Chicago Blackhawks organization," Danny Wirtz said. "I take this interim role with the utmost responsibility to the team and will focus on resetting the framework for the next generation of the Chicago Blackhawks. I look forward to working with Rocky to identify our next leader.”

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Blackhawks help Detroit Red Wings in fight against coronavirus

By Alex Shapiro April 27, 2020 10:04 AM

While hockey is on hold, The Blackhawks have put rivalries aside to join the fight against COVID-19.

According to a report from ESPN, General Motors reached out to their local team, the Detroit Red Wings, for help making face masks for people who are still at work. GM wanted an equipment sanitizing machine, as it would boost its capacity to produce the face masks.

"What we use them in the sports industry for is killing the bacteria and making that wonderful sports odor go away,” Paul Boyer, the Red Wings' head equipment manager said via ESPN. “You put anything in it that touches the skin: skates, shoulder pads, helmets. They're designed to sanitize an entire bag of hockey equipment in one shot."

But the Red Wings couldn’t help. When they opened in 2017, they built the equipment sanitation machine into the stadium, so it couldn’t be lent out. So Boyer reached out to five other equipment managers to see if they could help, according to ESPN.

Two teams came through: the Blackhawks and the .

Rob Portugaise, GM’s executive director of manufacturing and lifelong hockey fan, was not surprised by the outreach.

“Hockey has a reputation for this, right?” Portugaise said via ESPN. “For being close-knit and helping out the community. To be able to witness it firsthand was really exciting. It was all done very quickly. The only thing they asked for was a shipping address."

With the extra hockey machines, GM is now able to make three million face masks per month, according to ESPN. All of those masks will go to workers in , but if they can increase their capacity again, they’ll look into helping other states, as well.

“You hear stories,” Portugaise said. “But this just gave me more appreciation for the hockey community.”

“It was an absolute godsend.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183594 Chicago Blackhawks Philadelphia def. Boston, 4-3 The Flyers begin the 2020s the same way they began the 2010s - with a

trip to the Stanley Cup Final. I think we all remember that time Patrick How 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs shake out in our NHL 20 simulation Kane snapped a 49-year Cup drought for Chicago. Philadelphia won a hard-fought seven-game series over Boston, once again leaving Brad Marchand and the Bruins in tears. You just hate to see it.

By Matthew Rooney April 27, 2020 6:01 AM Out West, the conference finals were not nearly as dramatic. Led by Tyler Seguin and Ben Bishop, the Stars cruised past the Golden Knights

en route to their first Stanley Cup Final since 2000. In our 2020 Stanley Cup playoff simulations, the Blackhawks dropped a Stanley Cup Final heartbreaking seven-game series to the Blues in the first round. After the Blackhawks took a demanding 3-1 series lead, the defending champions Dallas def. Philadelphia, 4-1 stormed back with back-to-back overtime wins before a resounding Game 7 victory. After going the distance with the Avalanche in Round 1, the Stars never really faced much drama in the next three rounds. In their last three With the Blackhawks eliminated, we simulated the rest of the Stanley series, Dallas went 12-2 on their way to their first Stanley Cup win since Cup Playoffs. Let’s take a look at the results. 1999. James van Riemsdyk was the goal-scoring leader in the playoffs, but the Flyers just couldn’t get enough out of their bottom-six and First round: goaltending to get over the hump. Western Conference Bishop went 16-4-1 with a 2.10 goals against average and a dazzling St. Louis def. Chicago, 4-3 .929 save percentage in net for Dallas. Seguin chipped in with 11 goals and 30 points in 21 games. The Dallas duo received a majority of the Dallas def. Colorado, 4-3 Conn Smythe votes for playoff MVP, with Seguin barely edging out Bishop. Vegas def. Nashville, 4-1 While Bishop was outstanding, Seguin was the only Stars skater that Edmonton def. Vancouver, 4-0 averaged a point-per-game and carried the load for Dallas offensively. Eastern Conference It’s an impressive end of the season for Seguin, who went 17 games without a goal after the turn of the calendar. You can expect the Central Boston def. Columbus, 4-2 Division to once again be ultra competitive in the 2020-21 season.

Toronto def. Tampa Bay, 4-3 Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.28.2020 Washington def. Carolina, 4-0

Philadelphia def. Pittsburgh, 4-3

Round 1 was filled with its fair share of drama. Half of the series went to seven games, including rivalry matchups between the Blackhawks and Blues, and the Flyers and Penguins. For the second consecutive year, one of the Eastern Conference favorites in Tampa Bay was upset in the first round. The Lightning followed up last season's loss to the Blue Jackets with a seven-game loss to the Maple Leafs.

The Capitals completed one of the two first-round sweeps, getting revenge on the Hurricanes from last year’s defeat, while Connor McDavid and company took out the Canucks in four games. Behind strong goaltending, the Golden Knights easily dispatched the Predators in just five games.

Second round:

Western Conference

Dallas def. St. Louis, 4-1

Vegas def. Edmonton, 4-3

Eastern Conference

Boston def. Toronto, 4-3

Philadelphia def. Washington, 4-1

For the third consecutive season, the Maple Leafs fell to the Bruins in seven games. Riding the momentum of their series win against their in- state rival Penguins, the Flyers rolled through the Capitals in five games to punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals.

For the second straight season, the Stars and Blues met with a trip to the Western Conference Finals on the line. After dropping last year’s series in seven games, the Stars breezed by the Blues in just five games, eliminating the reigning Cup champs. The last conference final bid went to the Golden Knights, as they outlasted the Oilers in seven games. It’s the second appearance in three seasons for Vegas in the Western Conference Finals.

Conference Finals

Western Conference

Dallas def. Vegas, 4-0

Eastern Conference 1183595 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks 2019-20 season in review: Dominik Kubalik

By Charlie Roumeliotis April 26, 2020 11:15 PM

The NHL put its 2019-20 season on pause on March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the league remains hopeful that it will be able to award the Stanley Cup at some point. Although it's unclear if or when hockey will return this season, NBC Sports Chicago will use this opportunity to evaluate the Blackhawks to date in our "saeason in review" series. First up is Dominik Kubalik.

Before the NHL put its season on pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dominik Kubalik was building a strong case as a potential Calder Trophy finalist. He ranks first among all rookies in goals (30), even-strength goals (26), even-strength points (38) and shots on goal (157). Only Quinn Hughes (53) and Cale Makar (50) have more total points than Kubalik (46).

Kubalik was also having one of the best rookie seasons in franchise history from a production standpoint. He joined Eric Daze (30), Artemi Panarin (30), (40) and Steve Larmer (43) on the short list of Blackhawks to score at least 30 goals in a rookie campaign, and was on pace to finish with 35.

Kubalik, who was a healthy scratch twice in the beginning of the season, didn't hit his stride until Christmas time. Since Dec. 18, Kubalik is tied with Nikita Kucherov for second among all NHL skaters with 20 even- strength goals. The only player above them is eight-time Rocket Richard winner Alex Ovechkin with 22.

It's safe to say Kubalik's first season with the Blackhawks was a major success.

"I probably wouldn’t have penciled him in for 30," head coach Jeremy Colliton said in March. "He’s been getting better and better all year. A lot of it is confidence, and when he’s got the puck, wanting to be the guy, wanting to make a play, wanting to drive play himself. He can create for his linemates, also. He can create for himself. He’s continuing to go to the net, and that’s big. You get freebies there. We’re pleased with him."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183596 Chicago Blackhawks You can also make a case for keeping Colliton. The players like him, particularly the younger ones. He’s a fabulous communicator and no one in the dressing room is ever left in the dark wondering what his role on the team is. His teams haven’t been good, but they’ve had character to Lazerus: John McDonough was fired. Are Stan Bowman and Jeremy burn — they play hard, they fight back, they never roll over. And while it Colliton next? sounds like an excuse, the fact is Colliton was put in an absolutely untenable position in 2018-19, replacing a legend on a poorly

constructed team in the middle of a season; then he lost three key By Mark Lazerus Apr 27, 2020 players to season-ending injuries in 2019-20. And still, the Blackhawks fought their way to the edge of the postseason. Colliton deserves a lot of credit for that.

Seventeen months and some change ago, John McDonough sat at a But it’s awfully difficult to make a case for firing McDonough and nobody table in the lobby of Fifth Third Arena — one of the many sparkling else. If things are bad enough to dump the business guy, how are they monuments to the money-making machine he helped turn the not bad enough to dump the hockey guys? McDonough’s firing — barely Blackhawks into — alongside Stan Bowman, the man he chose over Joel a month after he, Bowman and Colliton all got the vote of confidence Quenneville; and Jeremy Colliton, the man he chose to replace Joel from Wirtz, no less — sends a clear message to the entire organization: Quenneville. He punched the air with his fingers a few times as he spoke, Nobody is safe. Not Bowman. Not Colliton. Hell, maybe not even Toews solemnly, reverently, disconcertedly, about the state of his Chicago and Kane, no-movement clauses be damned. Blackhawks. All franchise pillars are officially on notice. “We need to get better,” he said. “We need to get better. And we are all accountable. That starts with me.” The timing of the firing makes things even dicier for those left behind. The NHL appears dead-set on returning to play out the 2019-20 season Well, it actually started with Quenneville, who was dumped a month into in some form this summer, and there’s little appetite for skipping straight the 2018-19 season, the first pillar of the Blackhawks’ golden age to fall. to the postseason. The Blackhawks have 12 games remaining. The draft It continued Monday, with the just-as-shocking dismissal of the seemingly — one in which the Blackhawks are sure to have a lottery pick — could untouchable McDonough by owner Rocky Wirtz. The only question that be in June or it could be in September. Free agency might be even more remains is will it continue with Bowman? And if Bowman goes, will compressed than usual. Is that why Bowman and Colliton weren’t on the Colliton inevitably follow? Are we truly looking at a foundational shift of a same press release as McDonough? Can either be expected to do their lumbering franchise that tells time in decades, not days? jobs well in those situations with their necks in the guillotine?

It’s a cruel irony — one that’s likely not lost on McDonough, given his There are so many ways this can go from here. The Blackhawks can self-awareness and penchant for burnishing his own reputation — that he bring in another business person to run the franchise. More likely, they helped create the environment that led to his own dismissal. Thirteen bring in a Brendan Shanahan-type as president of hockey operations to years ago, when Wirtz lured him over from the Cubs with the promise of oversee Bowman and make the big hiring and firing decisions while a new challenge and free reign on a truly pathetic organization — one rebuilding the front-office infrastructure. Maybe Wirtz kicks Bowman that ESPN aptly deemed the worst in all of professional sports just three upstairs into that kind of role and hires a young up-and-coming cap guru years earlier — a mediocre team that sells out the cavernous United to take over as GM and hire his own coach. Or hell, maybe Bowman and Center night after night sounded like a pipe dream. Now, in the wake of Colliton aren’t going anywhere and can survive a make-or-break season the franchise’s greatest era, it feels like a waking nightmare. to entrench themselves in Chicago a while longer.

Prime years of the careers of Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews are Who knows? All options are on the table now. being wasted. A decade of goodwill built up with the fan base is eroding. A young generation of talent is generating hope, but a glut of highly paid, “We are all accountable,” McDonough said 17 months ago. unmovable veterans stand in its way. The Blackhawks are in no man’s It hasn’t always felt that way around an organization that prides itself on land. They’re not good enough to contend for another Stanley Cup, its loyalty and continuity. But now we know it’s true. Because once you they’re not bad enough to land another generational talent, and they’re fire John McDonough as president of the Chicago Blackhawks, shoot, not flexible enough to blow it all up and start over. just about anything is possible. At least, not on the ice. But perhaps Wirtz has decided to do just that off The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 the ice. The house-cleaning that probably should have come in 2018 might finally be coming now.

After all, of all the Blackhawks’ problems, marketing and making money — McDonough’s primary directives as team president and CEO — aren’t high on the list. Did McDonough, who has neither the background nor the credentials of a so-called “hockey man,” meddle in hockey affairs from time to time? Sure did. It’s the worst-kept secret in town. Did McDonough choose Bowman over Quenneville? Yep. Does the buck stop at the president’s desk when a team whose stated “One Goal” is to win a championship every year hasn’t won a playoff series in five years or made the playoffs in three? Absolutely.

But did McDonough hand a 30-year-old a roster-buckling eight-year contract worth $55 million? No, Bowman did. Did McDonough trade away Artemi Panarin as part of a knee-jerk reaction to one bad week against Nashville in the 2017 playoffs? No, Bowman did. Did McDonough misuse a rare chunk of cap space the past two summers on middling and/or injury-prone veterans? No, Bowman did. Did McDonough try, midseason, to install a convoluted defensive system that was basically the polar opposite of what the Blackhawks had been running for years? No, Colliton did. Has McDonough been unable to take the Blackhawks out of the running for “worst defensive team in the league” over the last two years? No, Colliton has.

Look, you can make a case for keeping Bowman, just as you could in 2018. For all the misses, there have been plenty of hits, too. Few teams draft as well as the Blackhawks. Few teams plunder Europe for high-end talent as well as the Blackhawks. Bowman deserves a lot of credit for that. 1183597 Chicago Blackhawks The younger Wirtz isn’t especially popular himself around some circles of the organization. He and McDonough have sparred about the business side of the team, two sources told me, and their dislike of each other was an open secret. One reason for the dissension? Marketing. In 2018, the John McDonough leaves behind complicated Blackhawks legacy Blackhawks fired their longtime advertising agency Ogilvy Chicago, which was responsible for the popular “One Goal” campaign, and hired a

small hipster firm Varyer. Why Varyer, which was founded by two ex- By Jon Greenberg Apr 27, 2020 Pitchfork executives and had few clients at the time? Danny Wirtz was a partner.

One view of this rivalry is that while McDonough can be a jerk, at least I hate to speak ill of the recently fired, but anyone who universally praises he’s earned that right by being good at his job for decades, unlike the John McDonough has probably never worked for him or spoken honestly younger Wirtz. Another view of McDonough is that he’s a poor leader to anyone who has. who intimidates people under him, creating a toxic work environment.

That’s not an opinion, it’s just the result of talking to people over the last McDonough’s lengthy executive profile was taken off the team’s website decade. And boy, do people like talking about working for John almost immediately after the news broke Monday and he was removed McDonough, a complicated, successful man who is now without a job. from the front office directory. Just like that.

McDonough, who was shockingly fired by the Blackhawks on Monday Will the Blackhawks be better off without him? As someone noted, afternoon in a press release, is a polarizing figure among Cubs and McDonough and Blunk marketed the idea of Rocky Wirtz, heroic owner, Blackhawks employees who worked under him in his almost 40 years in as much as they marketed the Blackhawks. Will a Wirtz and Wirtz leadership roles in sports. The opinion of him is mostly split between production be successful? The Blackhawks are already trending camps of “He’s tough to work for, but I respect him” and “Man, I really downward. don’t like that guy.” There’s a level of shock around the organization right now and I’m sure I’m leaving the expletives out of the latter opinion out of respect for the players are wondering if they’re allowed to talk to the media without sports marketing guru who is credited for inventing the modern fan getting it OK’d by the team. Front office employees are probably convention. I’ve never had a problem with McDonough and I think he wondering if they don’t have to wear suits now when they work from deserves a lot of credit for what he actually deserves credit for. He’s home. The Blackhawks’ dress code under McDonough is one of my done a lot of nice things for people in the media and in the local sports favorite jokes because it’s indicative of the gratuitous aspect of his community. But people who worked for the Hawks lived in fear of him. Is management style. that a good thing? McDonough loomed large over the franchise and you could always justify I have tweeted out jokes about McDonough and his top lieutenant Jay his severe nature by looking at the success of the organization. The Blunk for years as a way of balancing out the over-the-top praise they get Hawks were a complete joke when Bill Wirtz died and left his son Rocky, for the Blackhawks’ recent success, which is due, of course, to the who had been working in the liquor business, in charge. talented core of players led by Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith, and the coaching of Joel Quenneville. People who worked It was Rocky who reversed the insane decree that home games weren’t for the Hawks (and the Cubs) loved the tweets and encouraged me to televised a year before he hired McDonough from the Cubs. It wasn’t a keep them going, even as late as this past fall in Prague. He deserved genius business move, just common sense. the tweaking. McDonough joined up just as the hockey side got going. The Hawks McDonough and Blunk did an admirable job of upgrading the business needed his particular set of skills. It was the right hire at the right time, as operations of the franchise. Hockey and marketing were aligned and was promoting Joel Quenneville, who was hired as a scout after losing three Stanley Cups later, the Hawks are still drawing big crowds despite his job in Colorado. McDonough had a hand in that decision as well. a pronounced descent into mediocrity. “We were remodeling everything here, everything,” he told Powers in an After he got there at the same time as Toews and Kane, the Hawks went oral history of the Quenneville hiring. “We had made so many changes from afterthought to marketing juggernaut. Hockey fans in Chicago were even by then. We looked at everything. We looked at every single part of starved for relevance and there were hundreds of thousands of the organization. We had an obligation to Rocky, to his family, to the city Chicagoans who appreciated a winner. If there’s ever been a celebrity that we needed to take a really hard look at everything. This certainly who stepped off a plane in Chicago and didn’t immediately get a was one of them.” personalized jersey, I’d be shocked. For all the work John McDonough did for the franchise, for how he lived To be sure, if the Hawks were still competing for Stanley Cups, and breathed the Blackhawks for the last 13 years, it’s fair to say he McDonough would still have a job. But as everyone waits for the sports deserved better than a press release during a pandemic. world to restart, this must’ve seemed like a good time for a shocking If McDonough were throwing his own goodbye party, it would be a classy change. Or maybe Rocky Wirtz was just jealous that Michael Reinsdorf affair with catered food and plenty of praise for him. Maybe a band. was getting good press for pulling the plug on the GarPax era. Certainly a dress code. As the Blackhawks president, McDonough certainly wasn’t one who What’s next for him? I’m guessing he’ll open a consulting shop or maybe believed that all press is good press. His rants about stories (sometimes he’ll write a book. He’s got plenty of stories to tell. No, I don’t see another down to the most unimportant detail) he disagreed with are legendary, franchise in town hiring him. Given the state of the Hawks, maybe he left even if he only took out his anger on his subordinates, who then took it at the right time, just like how he arrived. out on reporters. The trickle-down effect of his temper was unnecessary. The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 McDonough was unapologetically tough on people and some of his subordinates didn’t mind it. But they appreciated him more after they stopped working with him. In that regard, he was a lot like a red-ass, high-school coach.

But here’s the question: Why fire him now, just weeks after Wirtz told The Athletic’s Scott Powers that McDonough and everyone was safe?

Based on conversations I’ve had, this is likely the result of a power struggle between McDonough and Danny Wirtz, the 43-year-old son of chairman Rocky Wirtz, who is now the interim president.

Danny Wirtz, officially the team’s alternate governor and vice president, has taken a more active role with the franchise in recent years since the family’s liquor business merged with Charmer Sunbelt in the fall of 2015. 1183598 Chicago Blackhawks from Day 1 that we were here to make things better for them. I mean, in some ways, this was incomprehensible. How could we have gone this long without some of these things? Even the quality of food in the press box. You’ve got to treat people well. This is an team in Blackhawks fire team president John McDonough in signal that no job is Chicago, , and we were not acting like a major-market team. All of safe that had to change.”

It did. And now it will again.

By Scott Powers and Mark Lazerus Apr 27, 2020 This story will be updated.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 John McDonough arrived at the United Center and found a franchise in shambles. There was no receptionist at the United Center. No HR department to speak of. There were more full-time employees on the ice than off the ice. Blackhawks home games had just returned to local television.

Within three years, the Blackhawks were Stanley Cup champions and the hottest ticket in town. Within eight years, they were three-time champions, the NHL’s model franchise and most heavily marketed team.

But less than 14 years after that fateful meeting between new owner Rocky Wirtz and McDonough at a sports bar in Schaumburg, McDonough is out. The team president and CEO was fired by Wirtz on Monday in a move that rivals Joel Quenneville’s dismissal for its shock value. It’s a clear signal from Wirtz that nobody is safe in a franchise that has been spinning its wheels, mired in mediocrity. It’s been five years since the Blackhawks last won a playoff series, and they were on the verge of missing the playoffs for the third straight season when the season was paused in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

And if McDonough — the man who made the Blackhawks bankable — can be fired, anyone can be fired. After all, marketing and business haven’t exactly been the team’s biggest problems of late.

“It will take a new mindset to successfully transition the organization to win both on and off the ice,” Wirtz said in a released statement.

It’s a total 180 for Wirtz, who just a month ago told The Athletic that the management team would remain in place next season.

Asked if McDonough, general manager Stan Bowman and coach Jeremy Colliton would be back, Wirtz responded: “Oh yeah, absolutely. There’s not going to be any changes in the front office.”

Asked about a rumored contract extension for Bowman, Wirtz doubled down: “I’ll let John (McDonough) get into all the details. But there’s not going to be any changes, so let’s put that away.”

Rocky’s son, Danny Wirtz will take over for McDonough in an interim role. The Blackhawks release described the 43-year-0ld Wirtz as “an active advisor with the Blackhawks for the past decade.” He is listed as the team’s vice-president and alternate governor and has been getting more involved with the team in recent years.

“I cannot adequately express my family’s appreciation to John for his contributions to the turnaround of the Chicago Blackhawks organization,” Danny Wirtz said in the release. “I take this interim role with the utmost responsibility to the team and will focus on resetting the framework for the next generation of the Chicago Blackhawks. I look forward to working with Rocky to identify our next leader.”

The Blackhawks have been in total lockdown mode since the season was put on hiatus. While other teams have made their players available to reporters, the Blackhawks have kept their players, coaches and front- office members off-limits.

“Wow,” one team source said. “I was caught off guard.”

McDonough ruled the Blackhawks with an iron fist — even star players were afraid to talk to reporters outside of a locker-room context and would run out of the room to grab a team-sanctioned hat if a camera showed up in a scrum — but was hailed for turning the Blackhawks from the worst franchise in professional sports (as deemed by ESPN in 2004) into the league’s standard-bearer.

McDonough had worked for the Cubs for the previous quarter century and was credited for their marketing prowess.

“I couldn’t believe it,” McDonough once said. “They were reluctant to even give hockey bags to people. Just things I never imagined in baseball. They needed to think bigger, and I don’t know if there was an intimidation period or not for some of these guys, but I think they sensed 1183599 Chicago Blackhawks concussion symptoms and was unsure of his hockey future. Johnsson sat out the 2010-11 season, and his Swedish agent, Bo Falkman, said in an April 2011 interview he also was unsure of Johnsson’s future amid rumors he may return to play in the SHL. Falkman then said Johnsson The mystery of former Blackhawks defenseman Kim Johnsson first needed to get completely healthy.

Johnsson never returned to hockey. He also never talked to the media about hockey again. By Scott Powers Apr 27, 2020 “I liked him, but when he was traded and when he retired, he completely

went MIA and declined interviews,” Russo recently said. “Was bizarre.” Kim Johnsson moved on from hockey. Russo wasn’t the only person trying to talk to him. The media in Sweden The question of what happened to Kim Johnsson did not. also wanted to hear from Johnsson. He had played in the SHL before leaving for the NHL and represented Sweden in a number of international “He just vanished,” said Adam Jahns, who covered the Blackhawks competitions. during the 2009-10 season for the Chicago Sun-Times. “It became a running joke of where he was.” “I haven’t really tried to reach out for him myself, but our website has been interested in doing a bigger thing about his career to no avail,” Johnsson was acquired by the Blackhawks along with from Hockeysverige.se editor in chief Uffe Bodin recently said. “He seems like the Minnesota Wild for in February 2010. Barker hadn’t lived one of those guys who leaves the spotlight as soon as he’s done playing. up to expectations, and the Blackhawks were looking to add a defensive … He (was in) his prime before I became active as a sports journalist and piece for the present (33-year-old Johnsson) and future (18-year-old I haven’t spoken to him in probably 12 years. He remains a mystery. But I Leddy). Johnsson had been a top-pairing veteran defenseman for the guess that’s what makes the story appealing.” Wild, averaging 23-plus minutes a game, and was brought in to add to the Blackhawks’ already elite defensive corps and help improve the Another Swedish source said, “He is like Greta Garbo (a Swedish- team’s chances at a Stanley Cup. American actress who rarely did media). You don’t see him much. Haven’t spoke to him in many years. He lives on an island in Stockholm.” In Johnsson’s first seven games, he was everything the Blackhawks hoped he would be. He was playing 14-20 minutes and contributing in I attempted to reach Johnsson as well. The search began with three every facet of the game. He scored a goal and dished out two assists. He phone numbers once associated to him, provided by different people. had a 61.94 Corsi percentage and was on the ice for 10 goals for and None of those messages were returned. An old email for him came back four against in 5-on-5 play. Plus, the Blackhawks were 5-2-0 with him in as no longer existing. Curran said he hadn’t spoken to Johnsson in the lineup. years.

In Johnsson’s eighth game, against the Philadelphia Flyers on March 13, Then I found Johnsson’s LinkedIn page. He listed his NHL playing he suffered a concussion, which was at least the third known one of his career, and what he’s done since. He went back to school and studied NHL career. He suffered one when he was sucker-punched in 2007. It’s business administration. He was a partner in an investment firm called unclear where and when the concussion occurred during the Flyers Accum Kapital from 2011-2017. Since 2018, he’s been a partner with game (the NHL was unable to provide archived video of the game), but Club Network Investments, another Stockholm-based investment firm. he sat out the game’s final 11-plus minutes and finished with 10:02 of ice His company bio reads, “Mr. Johnsson moved back to Sweden and time. Stockholm in 2011. He has since studied business administration while being instrumental in building CNI with a particular focus on business And then the mystery began. development.” Johnsson, who is now 44, even has his own bio on Bloomberg, which features a photo of his playing days with the New York Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville announced the following day Rangers. Johnsson was quoted in an article in 2017, but it was business, Johnsson was out with an upper-body injury. From there, reporters not hockey, related. consistently asked Quenneville for updates. I tracked down another potential email account for Johnsson and sent a “People were constantly asking about him,” ESPN reporter Jesse Rogers message. Eight minutes later, a reply arrived. It read, “Hi Scott. I’m not said of fans. “I remember being asked all the time.” interested. All the best! Kim Johnsson.” There weren’t really updates to give, though. Quenneville said time after I wrote back and asked whether I could ask if he was now completely time nothing had changed with Johnsson’s status. Beginning with the healthy from his concussions and whether he had found fulfillment in his Blackhawks’ next game on March 14 throughout their Stanley Cup run, career after hockey. I obviously wanted to ask about a thousand other Johnsson never even began skating again. One team source said there questions, but I thought these would most likely get an answer. was originally hope he’d return, but he never got close and it just wasn’t realistic. He wrote back the next day, “That would be a yes on both questions;-)”.

Johnsson was technically still on the team and was listed as a scratch for A few days later, Falkman returned a message too and wrote, every playoff game, but he wasn’t around the team. He wasn’t in the “(Johnsson) asked me kindly, but firmly to tell you that he, and his family, press box waiting to join the team when they clinched the Stanley Cup in has no wish to be back as a public person. He/we hope/s that you Philadelphia. He became an unrestricted free agent after the season and respect his wish to remain a private person, outside the media world. his association with the Blackhawks ended. Thanks for your understanding.”

“He was a really good player,” Blackhawks general manager Stan I did understand. It was time to leave him alone. There was no need for a Bowman said. “He came over, he played, I remember he scored a goal Steve Bartman-esque search. and he was looking great. Then all of a sudden, it’s like, that’s the end of it, never saw him again. That happens with injuries sometimes. He was a Long before, I had asked Niklas Hjalmarsson about Johnsson. I thought talented player.” there might be a connection between them. Both were defensemen, both are Swedish. Could Hjalmarsson shed any light on what happened to Quenneville needed a refresher on Johnsson when asked about him him? Did he keep in touch with Johnsson? earlier this season. It wasn’t as bad as his memory about Radek Smolenak, but it wasn’t much better. “Not at all,” Hjalmarsson said. “I just watched him play growing up. No, I don’t really know. I have no idea where he is now. … I don’t know (what “The guy we picked up from Minnesota? I think so,” Quenneville said. happened to him). He didn’t play many games before and then he got the “He got hurt right away. He didn’t play much at all. … We’re going way concussion. I don’t know really.” back here.” When mentioned others felt like Johnsson had just disappeared, Former Blackhawks forward Dave Bolland remembered Johnsson as a Hjalmarsson replied, “Maybe that’s what he wanted to.” “quiet guy” who “did his job.” As we now know, that’s exactly what he wanted. In July 2010, The Athletic’s Michael Russo talked to Johnsson’s North American agent Rick Curran, who said Johnsson was still dealing with The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183600 Colorado Avalanche

DU Pioneers lose another player to an NHL contract

By MIKE CHAMBERS | April 27, 2020 at 4:20 p.m.

Pioneers coach David Carle said last month that junior defenseman and team captain Ian Mitchell was his only off-season “flight risk.” Mitchell signed with the Chicago Blackhawks on April 13.

Pettersen, a 2018 sixth-round draft pick of the Flames, had 19 goals and 65 points in 76 games at DU. The Norwegian led the Pioneers with 35 points in 36 games last season, which was cut short because of the coronavirus.

Denver Post: LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183601 Colorado Avalanche

The Athletic’s uniform fan survey: Your thoughts on how Denver’s pro teams look

By Kendra Andrews Apr 27, 2020

Whose jersey do I want to buy this season?

That’s the question that races through sports fans’ heads at the beginning of every season. And with that question, come others as well. Do I want to get the homecourt jersey? The classic throwback jersey? The special alternative jersey that was just unveiled this season? And which team should I get it for? Which player?

A lot goes into making these decisions. Perhaps the question that carries the most weight is: Which is the coolest?

Sports uniforms have become much more than just what athletes wear during the games. It carries weight and helps determine how cool the team you support is. Yeah, maybe they’re bad, but at least they look great. Maybe you don’t like the team, but you can’t deny their outfits are the best in the league.

The Avalanche, Broncos, Nuggets, Rapids and Rockies combine to have a whole lot of uniforms. But which is the best? The worst?

Here is your chance to weigh in on those questions, and more, while getting insight on how other Denver sports fans feel about the teams’ uniforms. The window for The Athletic’s survey will last through Wednesday with the results being published toward the end of the week. If we didn’t give you an option to vote for your favorite uniform, let us know in the comments below.

(Note: Readers who are using our app on an iPhone may need to have their finger on the far left or right side of the screen to scroll through the quiz. Readers who are using our app on an Android device may need to use two fingers to scroll. Still unable to get to the survey? Try this direct link)

The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183602 Colorado Avalanche milehighsports.com LOADED: 04.28.2020

Analyzing the Avalanche’s forwards in a potential return to play

By Aarif Deen - April 27, 2020

The NHL has grown more optimistic that a summer return is likely, taking steps towards navigating the COVID-19 pandemic to finish the regular season in its entirety and play a full playoff.

In Colorado, the Avalanche were one of the most injury-riddled teams at the March 12th pause. They were without superstar center Nathan MacKinnon and top-six forwards , Nazem Kadri and Andre Burakovsky. Also missing was depth forward Matt Calvert, who was enjoying a career-year offensively, starting goaltender Philipp Grubauer and the often-forgotten Colin Wilson, who has not played since October.

With all of these players potentially healthy come July (or whenever the season resumes), Avs coach and his staff will have decisions to make on which forwards will play.

With 14 capable forwards and 12 slots to fill, the two on the outside are likely Tyson Jost and Wilson. And make no mistake, both are capable players that will likely play at some point. Jost, while in the midst of a disappointing season, has seven points in his last nine games. Wilson proved his worth during Colorado’s 2019 playoff run.

The top line remains intact

While the trio of MacKinnon, Rantanen, and captain Gabriel Landeskog have not played much together this season because of rotating injuries and line shuffling, a healthy Avalanche lineup should lead to Bednar uniting one of the most productive lines in the NHL in recent years.

Landeskog entered the break on an offensive tear, recording 11 goals and 27 points in 26 games. His offensive production was much-needed in March when the Avs were dealing with the bulk of their injuries.

The eighth-year captain has a history of revamping his game heading into the playoffs and this season was no different.

Newcomers invade the middle-six

The Avalanche’s successful offseason acquisitions gave them the depth scoring they’ve been yearning for over the past two years. The trades for Kadri and Burakovsky and free-agent signings Joonas Donskoi and Valeri Nichushkin have each paid off.

But GM continued his run of successful acquisitions at the trade deadline, acquiring Vladislav Namestnikov from the Ottawa Senators. Namestnikov, 27, was an instant success in Denver, scoring four goals and six points in nine games. He was brought in to play a depth role but was quickly relied upon to play top-line minutes after injuries to Colorado’s top six.

The Avalanche’s second line will likely consist of Kadri, Burakovsky, and either Nichushkin, Namestnikov or Donskoi. The other two will make up Colorado’s third line alongside center J.T. Compher.

Nichushkin’s latest success with Kadri and Burakovsky may have earned him that second-line role. And if such is the case, the third line of Namestnikov, Compher and Donskoi gives the Avalanche an outstanding hard-working line that can pitch in offensively and shut down the opposition’s best players.

The successful fourth-line combination

Calvert and Matt Nieto played with center Carl Soderberg in 2018-19. What was once Colorado’s second line quickly became the fourth after a bevy of acquisitions and a trade that sent Soderberg to Arizona. Sakic added Pierre-Edouard Bellemare on July 1 and the center quickly replaced Soderberg’s presence with the two wingers.

Considering the success this line has had all season, it would be wise to keep them together.

For the first time in three years, the Avs finally have the depth to withstand the rigors of a long playoff run. 1183603 Columbus Blue Jackets the St. Louis Blues won the Stanley Cup over the Boston Bruins with rookie goalie Jordan Binnington, who’d appeared in only 32 games after seizing the No. 1 job in January.

Blue Jackets among NHL teams that realize relying on one goalie no Korpisalo’s injury forced a near even split of the Jackets’ net this season, longer way to go but more balance could be coming in the next couple of years.

"It’s a great luxury for us to have two really good, young goaltenders who can compete for ice time, compete with each other (and) push each other Brian Hedger to get better," Kekalainen said. "I’m confident these two competing for the ice time here are going to push each other ... and I think it’s going to be Apr 27, 2020 at 6:01 AM the best for both of their developments."

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 04.28.2020 There can be only one.

That logic has dominated the NHL’s collective thought process for years when it comes to deciding which goalie starts, but a new way of doing it is emerging. Teams are dividing the net more evenly between two or more goalies, aiming to keep their top option fresher.

The Blue Jackets, who’ve signed Elvis Merzlikins and Joonas Korpisalo to two-year contract extensions recently, are one of those teams.

"I think people are realizing the workload of what used to be normal is now hard to do, and if you’re going to split it 50/50 or 52 games to 30 games or something like that, then you’re going to need two quality goaltenders," general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. "You needed two quality goaltenders even when it was 65/17, but … if it’s 52 games and 30 games or (an even) split, you need two really good ones."

Judging by this season, which is paused for the COVID-19 pandemic, the Jackets have found theirs.

Korpisalo and Merzlikins, who each began the season hoping to replace former star Sergei Bobrovsky, both proved they can handle the role after both got off to bumpy starts.

Korpisalo, who turns 26 Tuesday, took off after a one-game benching for a post-goal tirade Nov. 9 in Colorado, going 11-3-3 with a 2.02 goals- against average and .926 save percentage. He also notched two shutouts and played in 10 straight games before tearing a meniscus in his right knee Dec. 29 in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Blackhawks.

That stretch helped the Jackets rejoin the playoff race and also earned Korpisalo his first invitation to the NHL All-Star Game, an honor he couldn’t experience because of the injury.

Merzlikins took it from there.

The Latvian rookie, who turned 26 this month, played 21 games while Korpisalo was sidelined and went 12-5-4 with five shutouts. He also posted a 1.97 GAA and sizzling .935 save percentage as the Jackets stayed in the playoff race amid a slew of injuries.

In other words, the Blue Jackets have discovered an embarrassment of goaltending riches. Merzlikins’ deal pays an average of $1.2 million a year more than Korpisalo’s, based primarily on arbitration cases each could have made, but the competition for playing time likely will continue.

"I think we’re fortunate in that way, where both of these guys had really good stretches in this league and have proven they can both be what you might call starters," Kekalainen said. "The workload’s going to be divided the way our head coach (John Tortorella) and our goalie coach, Manny Legace, are going to decide. It could be real good. It’s something that could be a huge strength of our team."

The Jackets aren’t alone.

At the time the league paused, 18 of 31 teams had started one goalie in just 60 percent or fewer of their games.

Collectively, those 18 teams posted a higher overall GAA (2.94) and lower save percentage (.905) than 13 who started one goalie in more than 60 percent of their games (2.74 GAA, .912), but the regular season doesn’t tell the whole story.

Balancing goalie starts is about keeping goalies fresh, especially for the playoffs, and a look back to the 2019 postseason provides evidence that it might be wise.

Teams that started one goalie in just 60 percent or fewer of regular- season games won seven of eight series in the first round, with the Blue Jackets and Bobrovsky the lone exception. Teams fitting that parameter also won three of four second-round series, both conference finals, and 1183604 Columbus Blue Jackets Atkinson, whose wife, Natalie, just gave birth to the couple’s second child, took an enormous amount of abuse, he said. He’s keeping early, long and unpredictable hours these days with two kids under 2 years old in the house. W-E-E-K-L-Y P-U-Z-Z-L-E: How John Tortorella keeps the Blue Jackets together “You know what, guys, I’ve got shit to do,” Atkinson said with a chuckle. “I can’t wait around until 9 a.m. for an email.”

Week 2 was Shaw’s puzzle, and it followed a theme similar to By Aaron Portzline Apr 27, 2020 Tortorella’s. But he also probed some of the personalities in the room.

“How many man-games we lost was a question, because I think it’s important for guys to remember that one,” Shaw said. “I also asked them COLUMBUS, Ohio — Blue Jackets players haven’t been together since which of their teammates was most likely to ask for video clips while March 12, the day the NHL paused the season because of the we’re apart. coronavirus outbreak. Several players have returned to Europe or Canada, meaning they’re spread across the globe as if it’s the offseason. “When you get that many guys together, and you spend basically every waking hour together for six months, some silly stuff happens, some of it Coach John Tortorella has no experience coaching during a pandemic, of not fit for publication. So I got some stories from (Foligno), and those course. Does anybody? But the veteran coach has come up with a way were a question or two.” to keep the Blue Jackets together and engaged. Seth Jones was the winner of Shaw’s puzzle. The answer spelled a If only Will Shortz were on the Blue Jackets coaching staff. favorite Tortorella phrase: FIND A WAY Three weeks ago, Tortorella sent a word puzzle to players, a series of Atkinson finished third, but not without a protest. multiple-choice questions that, when answered correctly, spelled a word that has relevance to their paused season. “I texted Torts,” Atkinson said. “I said, ‘This is bullshit. My kid took my phone, or I would have finished first.’” Assistant coach Brad Shaw created his puzzle two weeks ago, while assistant Kenny McCudden took his turn late last week. Appeal denied.

“Guys at first were like, ‘Whatever,’” captain Nick Foligno said. “Now, it’s McCudden put together last week’s puzzle, and he put some serious pretty much bloodsport. work into it. His questions required a search engine.

“You’ve got some texting going on, some bitching, some chirping. It’s like How many Blue Jackets players over the past five seasons also have a being back at the rink again.” father who played in the NHL? (Seven)

Here’s how it works: What’s the highest sweater number ever worn by a Blue Jackets player? (97) The quiz is sent to players via email promptly at 9 a.m. ET each Friday by team services manager Julie Gamble. The first five players to text the What’s the nickname of the first pro hockey team in Columbus? correct answer to Tortorella are awarded points (10-8-6-4-2). (Checkers)

And here’s the motivation: What 19th-century structure once sat where Nationwide Arena sits today? (Ohio Penitentiary) The overall winner will get to do two fewer laps in the “Torture-ella” conditioning skate that awaits the Blue Jackets players when they’re What do the initials of hockey equipment manufacturer CCM stand for? back in action, either to resume 2019-20 or start the 2020-21 season. (Canada Cycle & Motor Co. Ltd.)

Even better, the two laps can be given to a teammate. “I thought Kenny’s was a little more fair,” Nyquist said. “Some of the questions have been … I’d say Shaw’s questions were a little more “I’d say that prize alone has helped our participation rate, yes,” Shaw ‘insider,’ where only the (defensemen) would know. said, laughing. “Anybody who’s been through one of Torts’ training camps knows that it’s worth putting in a little effort with these quizzes.” “The ‘D’ has had a way easier time than the forwards with Shawsy’s questions, and that can go on the record.” Foligno said he sits with his phone and a pad of paper just before 9 a.m. each Friday. It’s the same for the other players who have stuck around Nathan Gerbe, David Savard, and Oliver Bjorkstrand tied for first place Columbus, such as Cam Atkinson, Gustav Nyquist, Elvis Merzlikins, etc. with McCudden’s puzzle, which spelled RELENTLESS.

The email lands around 3 p.m. local time in Sweden, where Alexander Nobody can say how long the puzzles will continue because nobody Wennberg, Emil Bemstrom, Kevin Stenlund and others are waiting for the knows how long the NHL will be on pause. But the puzzles are getting season to resume. increasingly personal.

It’s 4 p.m. in for Joonas Korpisalo and Markus Nutivaara. The players have alleged improprieties on the part of the coaches, specifically Tortorella. “We’re usually all group-texting or just talking, pretty much daily,” Atkinson said. “But it’s funny how it goes radio silent on Thursday night. “I sent mine in (Week 2) at 9:01, and somehow three people have They’re hoping some of the other guys will forget about Friday morning. already answered?” Foligno said. “I think they’re releasing the questions earlier to some people.” “I don’t think it’s working, though.” The coaches, specifically Tortorella, have alleged widescale cheating Tortorella’s puzzle in Week 1 had six clues that leaned hard on the Blue among players. They believe alliances are being formed and the puzzles Jackets’ performance through 70 games before the world came to a are being divided and conquered. screeching halt. How many goals had they allowed? How many one-goal games? “New rules coming!” Tortorella barked Friday after Gerbe, Savard and Bjorkstrand needed just four minutes to answer McCudden’s puzzle. The answers spelled a word Tortorella has been preaching almost since he arrived in Columbus, but especially this season: BELIEF. “Cheating is a strong, strong word,” one player said. “But is there sharing of information? Perhaps there is sharing of information.” Rookie winger Eric Robinson was the winner. That is the kind of banter that fills the dressing room throughout the “I know Robinson went to Princeton,” Foligno said. “But, seriously, I have season, of course. no idea how he got into that school. “There are guys who act like they’re annoyed by (the puzzle), but they “Torts’ best question was, ‘Who will be the last person to respond to get so pissed off when they’re not one of the first ones to answer,” this?’ Everyone picked (Pierre-Luc Dubois), but I think it was Cam. And Foligno said. “We’re so competitive that it’s actually hilarious.” I’m not sorry that I just threw Cam under the bus, either.” Foligno suggested all players who don’t generate any points should have to pick up a team dinner on the road. Once play resumes, of course.

It is that kind of thinking — the team together, with optimism for the future — that the puzzle is meant to promote, Tortorella said.

General manager Jarmo Kekalainen has ordered each player a copy of the book “The Captain Class: The Hidden Force That Creates the World’s Greatest Teams.” The players are asked to do short synopses during the break.

That feels like homework, the players said.

Tortorella and the coaches talked about sending players video clips, too, as a way to keep them reminded of the system that has carried them so far already this season.

But Tortorella didn’t think that type of work would be beneficial until hockey is on the horizon. He wanted something lighthearted yet competitive.

There’s no word yet on who’s doing next week’s puzzle.

“As this (quarantine) has gotten longer and longer, it could really, easily, turn into feeling like an offseason,” Nyquist said. “That’s important to keep that kind of togetherness.

“If it resumes, it’s going to be right in the most important part of the season. We’re going to have to win most of our (final 12) games to get into the playoffs. We have to stay on top of it here, stay sharp.”

The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183605 Dallas Stars

Stars center Tyler Seguin goes No. 1 overall in NHL.com’s 2010 redraft

By SportsDay Staff

5:45 PM on Apr 27, 2020

Tyler Seguin has his name on the Stanley Cup, and has also become a key cog in the Dallas Stars’ offense since his trade from Boston.

Those are just a few of the reasons why No. 91 leaped Taylor Hall to become the new No. 1 overall pick in NHL.com’s recent 2010 redraft.

“Taylor or Tyler? A decade later, this still was a tough choice. I love Hall as a player, and I know he has been put in more difficult situations than Seguin has. Who knows how their careers might be different had they switched places originally?” said NHL.com columnist Nick Cotsonika.

“But in hindsight, I can see the injury problems Hall has had, and the numbers don’t lie. Seguin leads the 2010 draft class in games (741), goals (279), assists (356) and points (635). At No. 1, I took the No. 1 producer.”

And while the Stars -- who drafted Jack Campbell at No. 11 in 2010 -- did not find a goaltender of the future at the top of the 2010 draft, they did find a top-tier defenseman stashed away in the fifth round.

Uncovering John Klingberg at No. 131 overall was a steal for Dallas, and the 2018 All-Star skyrocketed up the board in NHL.com’s do-over.

“One season after drafting their franchise center (John Tavares), the rebuilding Islanders landed the No. 1 defenseman they’ve been missing for most of the past 20 years,” NHL.com managing editor John Kreiser said after Klingberg went No. 5 overall to the Islanders.

“Klingberg is second among defensemen and 14th among all players from the 2010 draft with 291 points (58 goals, 233 assists) in 425 games, fewer than any of the players ahead of him and 254 fewer than Cam Fowler, the only defenseman who’s outscored him (by 10 points). For a team that hasn’t had a defenseman score more than 300 points since the dynasty days of the early 1980s, Klingberg is a gift from heaven.”

Klingberg isn’t the first Star to see their value drastically increase in these redrafts. In the 2007 edition, Jamie Benn jumped from No. 129 to No. 2 overall.

As previously mentioned, the Stars missed on their original Campbell pick at No. 11. To replace him, the Stars landed 2010-11 Calder Trophy winner Jeff Skinner, instead.

“Skinner has had his ups and downs -- a big up with an NHL career-high 40 goals in 2018-2019 has been followed by a big down with 23 points (14 goals, 9 assists) in 59 games this season -- but it’s hard to ignore that he’s second in the 2010 draft class with 258 goals and 11th with 207 assists,” said NHL.com’s Amalie Benjamin.

“Dallas was 12th in the NHL in scoring in 2009-10 (2.80 goals per game) and 17th in 2010-11 (2.71), so adding Skinner to the roster makes sense.”

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 04.28.2020

1183606 Detroit Red Wings

Here's where Givani Smith can help Detroit Red Wings going forward

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press Published 6:01 a.m. ET April 27, 2020 | Updated 12:53 p.m. ET April 27, 2020

Detroit Red Wings prospect Givani Smith says he and his brothers 'were raised to be mentally tough.' Detroit Free Press

With the hockey world on pause because of the coronavirus pandemic, this is an opportunity to check in on Detroit Red Wings prospects.

This edition takes a look at Givani Smith.

When the Wings selected Smith in the second round, 46th overall, in 2016, he was billed as a high-energy, physical forward with a respectable scoring touch. Smith was coming off a season in which he had 23 goals and 19 assists in 65 games with Guelph in the Hockey League. He finished his junior career in 2017-18 with Kitchener, capping his season with 11 goals and seven assists in 18 playoff games.

Previously we covered:

How Michael Rasmussen can make Red Wings next season

What Red Wings are waiting for from Evgeny Svechnikov

Smith turned pro in 2018-19 and notched six goals, seven assists — and 86 penalty minutes — in 64 games with the . He added two assists in a four-game playoff run. Smith improved in his second year of pro hockey, and had nine goals and 10 assists, plus 75 penalty minutes, in 37 games when the AHL shut down March 12.

“Givani was playing really, really good hockey,” Wings director of player development Shawn Horcoff said. "The first half, he was probably our most consistent best forward down in Grand Rapids.”

Smith had two goals and two assists in four games with the Griffins when he was called by the Wings in October to offset injuries to Luke Glendening and Justin Abdelkader. Smith made his NHL debut Oct. 25, playing 11 minutes on a line with Jacob de la Rose and Christoffer Ehn in a 2-0 loss to Buffalo. Smith was reassigned two games later, on Oct. 29. He made a two-game appearance with the Wings in mid-November, joining the team for its California trip, but he was sent back to Grand Rapids later that month after recovering from an injury.

Smith, 22, played 16 games with the Wings from late December to early February, recording his first point, an assist, on Jan. 7. He scored his first goal Jan. 14 and another Jan. 20, and finished with three points in 21 games with the Wings.

“He came to Detroit and I think you could see there was a lot of maturity in his game,” Horcoff said. “You’re starting to see the type of player he can be at the NHL level — a guy who’s big and physical and good net- front. I think for him, he’s one of those players that has to learn to walk the line where he is physical and getting under the other team’s skin without taking a penalty. And he can also chip in with offense. He’s starting to figure it out.”

For Smith to be with the Wings full-time and help them regain competitiveness, he needs to use his 6-foot-2, 210-pound body to punish opponents and get them off the puck. He has the size to be a force down low, and could find success as a power-play specialist if he can handle the punishment that comes with setting up in front of an opponent’s net.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183607 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings’ Jeff Blashill named to Ferris State Athletics Hall of Fame

The Detroit News Published 4:49 p.m. ET April 27, 2020 | Updated 4:50 p.m. ET April 27, 2020

Blashill was a goaltender for the Bulldogs from 1994-98, earning the team’s Rookie of the Year award in 1994-95. He made the CCHA All- Academic Team in 1996-97 and earned the Ferris State President's Award for three straight years for having the hockey team's highest grade-point average. Blashill played 78 games for the Bulldogs and earned 27 career victories.

Blashill also began his coaching career with the Bulldogs as an assistant for three seasons (1999-02) under head coach Bob Daniels.

The 2020 class will be inducted during a ceremony in the fall; details will be announced later.

Detroit News LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183608 Detroit Red Wings “A priority of our job is that you can know all the X's and O’s, but you have to be able to connect and manage people and get the most out of them," Blashill said.

Wings' Jeff Blashill dishes assist, insight in coaches mentorship program “People do it in a variety of ways. You have to do it toward your personality and that’s your No. 1 job.”

Blashill has coached in the USHL, college and minor pro and has been Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News Published 3:05 p.m. ET April 27, 2020 | an assistant and head coach at the NHL level. That allows him to Updated 3:13 p.m. ET April 27, 2020 understand what different coaches at different levels go through.

Through all those experiences, Blashill feels there are specific challenges to every level but the core of coaching hockey remains the same. Detroit — NHL coaches aren’t able to coach their players these days, but that doesn’t mean they’ve stopped coaching. "What I say to people is coaching is coaching, the principles of coaching are the same," Blashill said. "There are different challenges. You have Many, including Red Wings' Jeff Blashill, can be found coaching unique challenges coaching high school, my brother coaches high coaches. school. I have challenges he doesn't have, and vice versa, but the Blashill and other NHL coaches of the NHL Coaches’ Association fast- principles of coaching and people management and how you apply it, to forwarded the launch of its mentorship program approximately six me, they're the same." months with coaching webinars to help hockey coaches quarantined at Today's players, said Blashill, aren't much different from other decades home during the coronavirus pandemic. or eras. The key is getting the best out of them, which the mentorship So far, the webinars on the website (nhlcoaches.com/nhlca-mentorship- program attempts to help with. program) have attracted some 3,000 coaches from over 30 countries in a "There's a bit of a change in human behavior in every generation, but matter of almost two months. that doesn't mean it makes it harder or easier to manage people," Blashill “I have a number of coaches who are friends in the coaching industry, in said. "It's just different. Younger people growing up today certainly have various levels, and they’ve all said it’s been great. They really enjoyed it,” different challenges, some of them greater challenges, than we had. So said Blashill, who did a webinar specific to the challenges of the United it's a matter, again, of trying to find ways to connect with younger people, States Hockey League, where Blashill coached before going to Western to connect with people you manage and get them to become the very Michigan. “Especially in these times when you’re looking for something best version of themselves. (to do), it’s been great. It was set up to eventually do this, but the timing "That, to me, is the art of managing and coaching." has worked out. Waiting to return “It just allows insight, allows people to learn from the shared experiences of NHL coaches.” Blashill hears the speculation regarding the different scenarios of resuming the paused NHL season because of the coronavirus pandemic. A hockey coach, be it the men’s or women’s game at the college, junior, high school or youth league level, can gather information and knowledge But until something becomes definite, Blashill is going to stay away from from a variety of webinars offered by NHL head and assistant coaches. conjecture and analyzing a return.

Presentations on the penalty kill, power play, pre- and post-scouting, "Right now the NHL is still waiting to determine what the best solution is communication, and “My Coaching Journey,” a webinar by Buffalo coach to come back," Blashill said. "That answer can't be answered until we Ralph Krueger, who has coached in Europe and has been in the front have a clear picture of health in the world, in the United States." office of English soccer’s Premier League, are just some of the available options. New ones come out in a timely schedule. Commissioner Gary Bettman said last week many different scenarios are being considered, including one where the season could be concluded in There’s been a real positive response from women’s coaches, with four cities. Each city would host an NHL division, with those teams information and strategy specific to the women's game, which many playing games and finishing the approximately 10 games left in the coaches have been enthusiastic about. regular season. The Red Wings have 11 games left on their schedule.

Blashill did a presentation on the USHL because of his familiarity with the Teams reaching the playoffs would then begin a full four-round quest for league and the challenges of coaching teenage players who are the Stanley Cup. dreaming of pro careers. "So many plans are being talked about right now, but we don't know what “In my case I really enjoyed the opportunity,” Blashill said. “It was, in my it (the format upon returning) is going to look like," Blashill said. mind, a chance to speak to the coaches in the USHL knowing there are "Honestly, I'm being patient, and I'm going to wait and see what it's going unique challenges and say to them these are the lessons I learned and to look like." maybe they may apply to you. Detroit News LOADED: 04.28.2020 “We did a question and answer afterward and there were some real good questions. It was just a good opportunity to have others learn from your experiences.”

While some coaches, at various levels, are sometimes hesitant about sharing or discussing strategy, Blashill is among a new wave of coaches who are willing and eager to share ideas.

For Blashill, it goes back to when he entered the coaching profession.

“I’ll say I’ve been willing to share my thoughts, and I’ve been willing to share those things, because I know people shared those things with me,” Blashill said. “I grew because of it. Ultimately if you copy and paste what I do, it’s not going to work for you. You have to be able to take the message and apply it to your own way and your own situation.

“That, to me, is the secret anyway. Sharing my thoughts and ideas is not a big issue. It’s more what can each person do with it and can it initiate thought and (can a person) allow it to apply in their own situation.”

Though strategy is a big segment of the program, how to deal with today’s players and getting the maximum from your players, said Blashill, is just as important. 1183609 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings, NHL rivals aid GM efforts to increase mask production

By Ansar Khan

When General Motors sought to increase production of face masks for front-line workers in the coronavirus pandemic, the Detroit Red Wings and a couple of their NHL rivals were happy to assist.

“When General Motors started producing face masks, we quickly realized there was a bottleneck in a crucial step, which was disinfecting the masks,” GM spokesperson Maureen Bender said.

Hockey teams use sanitizing machines for equipment like skates, helmets and, of course, gloves. So, GM, which last month repurposed its dormant Warren facility to produce face masks, reached out to Red Wings CEO , who contacted equipment manager Paul Boyer.

“He quickly moved to action for us,” Bender said.

The Red Wings’ sanitizing machine is built into the HVAC system at Little Caesars Arena, so that was out. Boyer, however, procured one from Precision Blades, a skate shop in Grosse Pointe, and called some NHL teams for help.

“The Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers sent us their portable units, room sterilizers that enable us to sterilize and disinfect eight times as many masks,” Bender said. “With the donation of those pieces of equipment we were able to sanitize as many face masks as we were able to produce. With their support, we went from 1.5 million masks to 3 million masks a month, what our capacity would be.

“We’re not quite at full production yet. We’re still ramping up, and as of last week we delivered over 600,000 masks.”

Sanitizer

The GM plant now has four sanitizing machines including its original, which does the disinfecting of bacteria in a large cabinet. The portable units are about the size of a small suitcase. It takes 20 minutes for the room to be sanitized.

“I found one locally and I knew the floor units do the same thing, instead of in a contained box you can put them in a room, and then it gets contained in the room,” Boyer said.

Boyer, for the sake of expedience, called teams in U.S. cities closer to Detroit where someone could enter the arena and get the units.

“Our guys are very helpful; we’re a tight-knit group, NHL equipment managers and trainers,” Boyer said. “Both the Blackhawks and Flyers were immediately willing to help, so that was a great gesture on their part.”

Once the machines arrived in Warren, Boyer helped set them up and show employees how to use them.

“We’re so appreciative of the hockey community and it’s been really incredible to see how quickly they moved and how we can work together on this,” Bender said.

Michigan Live LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183610 Detroit Red Wings

Jeff Blashill becomes a hall of famer at Ferris State

By Peter J. Wallner

Detroit Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill, who started his coaching career at Ferris State, was named to the Bulldogs Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2020.

He was one of nine former athletes recognized by the athletic department in the announcement Monday.

Blashill, in his fifth season with the Red Wings, began his coaching career at Ferris State as an assistant under head coach Bob Daniels from 1999-2002 before moving on to the professional ranks.

Before coaching, Blashill was a goaltender at Ferris State. He spent four seasons with the team, earning the Bulldogs’ Rookie of the Year award in 1994-95 and a spot on the CCHA’s All-Academic Team for 1996-97.

He also earned the President's Award three straight years for having the team's highest-grade point average.

Blashill ranked among the top 15 netminders in school history with 27 career victories and his 78 games played also ranked among the top 10. He’s also listed on the all-time charts with 1,666 career saves.

The rest of the 2020 class for Ferris State: Lucy (DeMartin) Prior (Women's Basketball, 2000-04), Dannie Hayes (Men's Basketball, 1991- 95), Tianna Kirkland (Women's Basketball/Track & Field, 1997-01), Chris Kunitz (Hockey, 1999-03), Brad Morris (Wrestling, 1985-89) and the late Gideon Smith (Football, 1910-11).

The induction class event is currently scheduled for Friday, Oct. 16, at the University Center Ballroom on the Ferris State campus.

Michigan Live LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183611 Even if we start the clock in the summer of 2012, ignoring Eberle’s outlier 34-goal/76-point season, over the next six years he ran up 322 points in 441 contests. That’s one point less than either Sedin twin over the same span and ranks him 31st among NHL forwards in that period. He was a How Edmonton could have left 2010 draft with both Taylor Hall and Ryan blue-chip prospect. He developed into a brilliant major-league player, one Johansen in turns overrated and then underrated in the Edmonton market.

(Shooting percentage and playoff performance are usual catalysts of player misjudgment. In 2012, Eberle scored on 18.9 percent of his shots By Jonathan Willis Apr 27, 2020 – he hasn’t topped 14.5 percent since – and although the Oilers missed the playoffs he’d been brilliant at the Worlds. In 2017, when he was traded, Eberle scored on 9.6 percent of his shots – the only time in his The NHL Draft lends itself to fish stories. The army of scouts working career he’s been in single digits – and was goalless in the postseason.) their solitary beats, the need for secrecy and the gap of years between when the selections are made and when the best players emerge make In 2010, it fell to Tambellini to make the call on keeping Eberle or such tales inevitable. including him in a deal for Johansen. He told Oil Change that Eberle was a non-starter. In the Edmonton market, the most popular subgenre has been “the one that got away,” and sometimes the stories are true. Robert Nilsson and “We thought we could maybe get another top-five pick,” Tambellini said. Griffin Reinhart, for example, were both rumoured as top targets of the “These are the players that they’re going to ask for. If I was another Oilers in the 2003 and 2012 drafts, and both eventually found their way to manager and I was looking to move up into the top segment of the draft, the team. that’s who I would be asking for too. There’s no chance that Jordan was going to be part of that package.” The 2010 draft was different because it’s the rare case where there’s video available from inside the scouting room and from the draft floor. In hindsight, there are a lot of ways an Eberle-plus trade for Johansen The documentary series “Oil Change” leaves no doubt that the Oilers could have worked out for the Oilers. Eberle has proved the more highly valued centre Ryan Johansen, or that they made a play to move productive player over the bulk of his career, but there’s no question that into the top-four and draft him. a 6-foot-3 right-shot centre is prized by NHL teams over a comparable 5- foot-11 right-shot winger. The problem for Edmonton was one of cost. There’s also the trade angle. When Columbus flipped Johansen for Seth “Oil Change” shows then-general manager Steve Tambellini on the Jones in January of 2016, they accomplished what Edmonton would try phone early in the draft, after the Bruins selected Tyler Seguin with the and fail to do with Taylor Hall six months later: turn a star forward into a second pick and before the Blue Jackets chose Johansen at fourth No. 1 right-shot defenceman. overall. After hanging up the receiver, he comments that “they asked for Eberle.” What might be less apparent is that there were lots of ways that deal could have gone sideways, too. Edmonton developed a bad reputation Jordan Eberle was Edmonton’s first-round selection in 2008, a sneaky over its rebuild years both for how it developed young players and how it good pick at 22nd overall. Somehow he’d tumbled to the bottom-third of treated the handful of success stories (see Hall and Eberle). Johansen the first round after a 42-goal, 75-point draft year in the WHL, and he’d wasn’t an immediate success: he had another year in junior, two low- done nothing but build on that performance. Internally the Oilers had scoring years in the majors and as late as May 2013, was a healthy Eberle slated as their second-line right wing for the start of 2010-11, and scratch in the AHL playoffs. justifiably so. “I think this is probably going to be a disappointment (to him), to say the In 57 games over his final WHL season, Eberle had scored 50 times and least, maybe even a bit embarrassing,” GM Jarmo Kekalainen told Aaron ran up 106 points. He’d twice starred for Canada at the World Juniors, Portzline at the time. “Hopefully, he takes it the right way, gets to work with 14 goals and 26 points in 12 games over two tourneys. He’d scored this summer and shows us in the fall that he has taken it to heart and at better than a point-per-game clip in 20 AHL games spread over two he’s ready to earn a spot on the (Blue Jackets).” seasons and been a point-per-game player for Canada at the World Championships. Johansen broke out the next year.

Elite Prospect’s summary of his awards that summer lays it all out nicely: Would he have developed into the player he is today if he’d come up with the dysfunctional 2010s Oilers? Even if he did, would Edmonton have CHL First All-Star team had the patience to wait for his breakthrough, or would they have traded him early? Neither question is answerable today. CHL Player of the Year What we can say with certainty is that it would not have made a U20 WJC All-Star team difference for Tambellini. Two weeks before Johansen was sitting out a U20 WJC Best Forward minor-league playoff game, the Oilers fired their GM. Eberle at the peak of his powers wasn’t enough to save his job. Johansen, slowly finding his U20 WJC most goals way as a pro, certainly would not have been.

U20 WJC Most Valuable Player For the Oilers, it might have changed nothing or it might have changed U20 WJC Silver medal everything.

U20 WJC top-three player on the team There tends to be a hard line on what-if stories in Edmonton starting with the 2015 draft, because once Connor McDavid arrived there was no WHL First All-Star team longer an argument that the Oilers’ issues had much to do with elite talent or the lack thereof. WHL Player of the Year Perhaps there’s some alternate universe where Peter Chiarelli ends up That resume is somewhat bloated by Eberle’s exceptional performance with his one-two punch down the middle and Todd McLellan gets to leave at the Tournament of Small Sample Size, but anytime a prospect is McDavid and Leon Draisaitl together on a super line. Alternately, perhaps acknowledged as the best player in Canadian junior hockey as well as Edmonton ends up with that Johansen-for-Jones deal rather than the the best player during the world’s highest-profile international junior Hall-for-Larsson swap they actually made. The problem with either hockey tournament, it’s a big deal. scenario is that it doesn’t change the choice of Chiarelli as GM, and It’s easy to look at the heart of Eberle’s career, where for the most part Chiarelli’s errors in the role would not have been fixed by the addition of he was a solid 25-goal/60-point winger in the NHL, and forget that he one more good forward to the team. was a transcendent prospect. That’s probably because it’s easy to forget Maybe all Johansen represents is a win for an Oilers scouting group that what an achievement being a regular 25-goal/60-point player in the took its share of lumps in the failures of those years. Normally, that’s why majors is. these stories get told: scouts get graded on the handful of picks their team makes, rather than the massive amount of work that goes into ranking hundreds of eligible players every year, and understandably like to talk about the guys they knew were going to be good.

Johansen’s just a better example than most because the evidence is so strong.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183612 Edmonton Oilers 0.96

'17-18 Kailer Yamamoto’s NHL comparables offer Oilers fans hope for the future 21

3 By Allan Mitchell Apr 27, 2020 0.96

Matt Tkachuk Kailer Yamamoto has just completed his 21-year-old season, giving us a chance to measure him against previous pro players at the same point in '18-19 their development. We’re fortunate because he played enough in two leagues — the NHL and AHL — meaning there are more opportunities to 21 find a perfect comparable. 3

There are two ways to go about the business of comparable players. 0.96 First, we can find a style match, like Tyler Johnson of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Johnson, like Yamamoto, is highly skilled, undersized and from My first reaction to seeing this list? Wow. Context is important here, as Spokane, Wash. Yamamoto’s linemates (Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins) were outstanding, and he could be correctly identified as a complementary Although that’s interesting, I think we can find out more about this player player whose numbers were artificially inflated on the trio. using math and the past. Johnson didn’t play in the NHL until he was 22, and his first full season came when he was 23. Can we find a match at Looking at his comparable players, would Eberle qualify as 21? complementary on his ’11-12 line that featured Taylor Hall and Nugent- Hopkins? Yes. Using AHL and NHL forwards from past seasons, with Yamamoto’s numbers as our reference, can we project this player into the future? I’ll suggest that Pettersson’s linemates (JT Miller and Brock Boeser) in Let’s have a look. ’19-20 are (quality) support players, and the same would apply to Evander Kane and Jason Pominville, who were Jack Eichel’s linemates Health for the ’17-18 Buffalo Sabres. Matt Tkachuk was a driver on his line in No one questions Yamamoto’s skill or his heart, but his size and lack of ’18-19, with Mikael Backlund and Michael Frolik. fear mean we’re going to be monitoring this player in terms of injury for There are similarities between Yamamoto and Tkachuk in that both his entire career (or until he establishes a long track record of good wingers find a way to get under the opponent’s skin. I would suggest that health). This season, he played in two leagues. How many games did he Tkachuk is agitation and Yamamoto irritation, but they are both very miss? effective. It’s my opinion Tkachuk is more of an impact player; your In the AHL, he played in 23 of 28 games before recall mileage may vary.

In the NHL, he played in 27 of 30 games after recall That leaves us with Jordan Eberle in 2011-12 as the closest match to Yamamoto’s 2019-20 season. Eberle has enjoyed a fine career as a Yamamoto played in 86 percent of the games available while he was on scoring winger over 724 NHL games. Per 82 games, he has scored 25- the two rosters. He began the season coming off surgery, and he had an 34-59, and he has played with quality linemates for his entire career. ankle injury with the NHL Oilers in March. That’s a fairly healthy season. If the Oilers get 705 out of 820 games from Yamamoto over the next Is that a reasonable comparable and therefore projection? I think it is. decade I expect the organization would be happy with the result. There’s little doubt in my mind Yamamoto is going to play with skill in his NHL career, and the Oilers have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl as NHL comparable centres on the top two lines. I’m comfortable with Eberle as the NHL comparable. If healthy, Yamamoto should cover the bet (59 points per 82 Yamamoto’s comparables are outstanding, and part of that is no doubt games). usage, but let’s look at the group before we drill down on his linemates and ice time. Although this season was his first of more than 20 NHL AHL comparable games, it is, in fact, his third season of playing at least one game in the league. I used 20-plus games, age 19-21 and any of the first three Yamamoto’s AHL numbers were less impressive, owing in part to a lack seasons of a career as my criteria, and my pool came from seasons of similarly talented skill forwards. He was a chance machine, although 1999-00 through 2019-20, run through Hockey-Reference’s season his numbers (8-8-16 in 23 games) were less impressive than his NHL finder. totals. I looked for offensive forwards, age 21, who delivered similar production. Jordan Eberle Micheal Ferland '11-12 '13-14 21 21 2 1 0.97 0.72 Elias Pettersson Sven Baertschi '19-20 '13-14 21 21 2 2 0.97 0.71 Kailer Yamamoto Ty Rattie '19-20 '14-15 21 21 3 2 0.71

Kailer Yamamoto

'19-20

21

2

0.70

Oliver Bjorkstrand

'16-17

21

2

0.70

A less impressive list, I don’t think that should come as a surprise. Whereas Yamamoto was playing in the penthouse with Draisaitl and Nuge, in the minors he was stone alone. It’s likely the other men had a similar AHL experience.

There are some encouraging names here, notably Bjorkstrand, who has delivered two 20-goal seasons in a row for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Taking all four men in Yamamoto’s comparable group, the average output in the NHL per 82 games is 17-20-37.

Could Yamamoto survive on an NHL skill line with those numbers? Probably, but I think he’s a good bet to exceed those totals.

I go back to the presence of Draisaitl and Nugent-Hopkins on Yamamoto’s line once he arrived in the NHL. Although he was not the most talented player on the line, he found a way to make himself useful instead of ornamental. Not every skill player can riff with elite talent. Yamamoto fit his line perfectly.

When Bjorkstrand earned regular NHL shifts, his teammates were Alex Wennberg, Nick Foligno and Scott Hartnell. Bjorkstrand had to work for his opportunity and delivered when the time came. When Ferland arrived in the NHL as a regular, his most common linemates were Matt Stajan and Joe Colborne, decidedly less powerful than Yamamoto’s landing spot.

It’s possible for Yamamoto’s reasonable expectation to be 37 points per 82 games on a lesser line, but I don’t believe he’ll play there. He outperformed reasonable when he was placed with Draisaitl and Nugent- Hopkins upon NHL arrival. One suspects he will get the same opportunity when the NHL resumes.

Style comparison

There are a dozen forwards (Yamamoto included) who played in the NHL a year ago and are the same height or less than Edmonton’s diminutive winger. Johnson is an obvious style comp and served as inspiration for the young Yamamoto as he grew up playing the game in Spokane. I’ll also name Conor Sheary as a similar player type.

What does it all mean?

I like the NHL comparable (Eberle) and am comfortable with Bjorkstrand as a reasonable comparable from the AHL. I understand if there is some hesitation to accept those names, but for me, they’re reasonable and help explain Yamamoto’s unusual season.

Bjorkstrand, who posted similar numbers to Yamamoto in the AHL at 21, had an explosive season with the Blue Jackets in 2019-20. Placed on a line with Pierre-Luc Dubois, Bjorkstrand scored nine goals in 278 five-on- five minutes this season. Who’s zooming who? Same situation as the young Oilers forward.

It’s unlikely Yamamoto will post 3.16 points-per-60 five-on-five in the NHL next season, but as long as he’s healthy, fans can expect a productive winger. It’s one roster spot doesn’t have to worry over this summer.

I think we can say Yamamoto is an impressive complementary winger who will play the right side with an elite centre (Draisaitl or McDavid) until someone better comes along. If healthy, expect Yamamoto to play a role on one of the top two lines in Edmonton for years to come.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183613 Florida Panthers — Mike Hoffman (69 GP, 29-30, 59 points); Midseason grade: B. The season: A pending free agent, Hoffman played like one who wanted to stay with the Panthers as he was by far their best player during their February swoon. Hoffman led Florida in goals and had 16 goals and 30 Report card time: (Hopefully not) final grades for the 2019-20 Florida points since Jan. 1. Hoffman led the team with 14 multipoint games. Panthers Hoffman played up and down the Florida lineup and was productive wherever he went. Final grade: A

— MacKenzie Weegar (45 GP, 7-11, 18 points); Midseason grade: B. By George Richards Apr 27, 2020 The season: Weegar missed some time due to injuries, but when he was in, he was one of the Panthers’ most valued defensemen. In the final few weeks, Weegar’s ice time increased as did his responsibilities. A SUNRISE, Fla. — The Florida Panthers may or may not play again this restricted free agent, Weegar set career highs in goals and points. Final season, but the grades for 2019-20 are in. grade: A

Although some school districts are not handing out letter grades this — Riley Stillman (34 GP, 0-5, 5 points); Midseason grade: C-plus. The semester for obvious reasons, there are no Pass/Fail credits being season: After a short stay in his first call-up of the season, Stillman came handed out here. back in December and made an immediate impact and a strong case to stay — which he has done. Paired with Anton Stralman of late, Stillman The first season under coach Joel Quenneville was filled with highs and (the son of former Florida forward Cory Stillman) has led the Panthers in lows like any typical season. But this one has been anything but typical. ice time on numerous occasions and has been a trusted defensive Florida had 13 games remaining when the NHL put its season on pause player. He was seeing more and more minutes before leaving the March March 12. The Panthers were three points out of a playoff spot — either 7 game with an undisclosed injury. Final grade: B+ third in the Atlantic Division or a wild-card position — when the standings — Keith Yandle (69 GP, 5-40, 45 points); Midseason grade: B. The were frozen in time. season: The NHL’s Iron Man has played in 866 consecutive games Hopefully, we can revisit these grades in the coming months and simply dating to his days in Arizona and continues to play at a high level for the refer to them as the hiatus-term grades, a progress report before the final Panthers. Yandle leads Florida’s blueliners in assists and points and report card. quarterbacks the power play. Yandle’s 40 assists were tied for fifth among NHL defensemen. Final grade: B+ If the games are shut down completely, these will serve as the final grades going into an offseason filled with questions for the Panthers. — Evgenii Dadonov (69 GP, 25-22, 47 points); Midseason grade: A. The season: Now in the final season of a three-year deal to return to the The Florida Panthers’ final (perhaps?) grades for 2019-20 Panthers in 2017, Dadonov was productive throughout the early parts of Note: Any player who did not complete 10 games with the Panthers the season, but his numbers have taken a dip of late. When he scored in received an incomplete. the win at Chicago on Jan. 21, Dadonov went into the break with goals in four consecutive games and eight of 10. Since then, he had just two — Jonathan Huberdeau (stats through March 12 — 69 games played, 23 goals and five assists in the past 20. Final grade: B goals-55 assists, 78 points); Midseason grade: A+. The season: This was a big one for Huberdeau as he was looking to eclipse last season’s — Mark Pysyk (58 GP, 9-9, 18 points); Midseason grade: C. The season: career high of 92 points. A first-time All-Star, Huberdeau led the Panthers Lost in the Panthers’ defensive rotation, Pysyk jumped to life when he in scoring and became the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, passing made the transition to forward. Now a full-timer in Florida’s forward ranks Olli Jokinen in January. Huberdeau is also Florida’s all-time leader in (save for when he slides back on the penalty kill), Pysyk became the first assists. Final grade: A+ Florida “defenseman” to record a hat trick when he did so in Toronto on Feb. 3. As a forward, Pysyk set career highs in points and goals this — Noel Acciari (66 GP, 20-7, 27 points); Midseason grade: A. The season. Final grade: B season: The Panthers figured when they signed Acciari they were getting a tough-nosed, fourth-line grinder. Those 20 goals? No one saw that — Anton Stralman (69 GP, 5-14, 19 points); Midseason grade: B. The coming. Acciari slid up to the second line and recorded back-to-back hat season: After missing a good chunk of the Lightning season last year due tricks. He surpassed his old career high of 10 goals months ago. Oh, and to a sports hernia, Stralman hasn’t missed a game with Florida. on defense, Acciari kept it coming. His 103 blocked shots were the most Quenneville has put Stralman with various partners throughout the by a Florida player since the stat started being tracked in 2005-06. He season, and he really seems to have meshed with rookie Riley Stillman. also led the squad with 121 hits. Final grade: A Final grade: B

— Sasha Barkov (66 GP, 20-42, 62 points); Midseason grade: A. The — Frank Vatrano (69 GP, 16-18, 34 points); Midseason grade: C. The season: Barkov was having another outstanding season before a knee season: Vatrano put up decent numbers this season despite not seeing injury on Feb. 1 slowed him down. Barkov only missed three games, but much time in the top six. His season highlight came in Chicago when he he went into the Dallas games with just four goals and eight points in the recorded a hat trick in Quenneville’s return. Final grade: B 16 games upon his return (with no points in his past six). Barkov may not — Sergei Bobrovsky (23-19-6, 3.23 GAA, .900 save); Midseason grade: have posted the numbers he did last year when he set a franchise mark C. The season: Has been bothered with what is thought to be a groin with 96 points, but he was still having a solid year and was second on the injury for much of the season but played in 50 games before going out team in assists and points. If the Panthers return, Barkov should be March 1. Signed to the biggest contract the team has ever given out healthy and ready to roll. Barkov is currently 12 points back of Jokinen for (seven years, $70 million), more was expected of Bobrovsky, although he second on the team’s all-time scoring list. Final grade: A was often not rewarded for strong games. He led the league with nine — Chris Driedger (7-2-1, 2.05 GAA, .938 save); Midseason grade: B. shutouts last season in Columbus, but he had just one with the Panthers. The season: Called up in November to replace Sam Montembeault, Final grade: C Driedger has proven to be a terrific addition. He had won five of seven — Brian Boyle (39 GP, 6-9, 15 points); Midseason grade: C. The season: starts before getting hurt in January and missing six weeks. He returned Though he missed most of the opening month after signing with the in March and took an OT loss to the Bruins but won Florida’s final two Panthers late, Boyle was heavily relied upon by Quenneville as a games before the hiatus. In his three games upon returning, Driedger versatile forward who could center top lines and play wing on lower ones. gave up four goals on 89 shots against the Bruins, Canadiens and Blues, Boyle got hurt in the post-break game at Montreal on Feb. 1 but was and his GAA leads the league among goalies with at least 12 games. close to a return when the season was put on hold. Final grade: C Final grade: A — Josh Brown (56 GP, 3-5, 8 points); Midseason grade: C. The season: — Aaron Ekblad (67 GP, 5-36, 41 points); Midseason grade: A-plus. The In his second NHL season, Brown was a solid bottom-pair defenseman season: Was Florida’s most valuable and counted-on defenseman this who, at times, showed a nice offensive touch. Florida likes Brown’s season as he continued to put up offensive numbers while improving his toughness as he leads the D-men in hits with 77. Final grade: C play on the back end of the ice. Ekblad led Florida in ice time (23:08) and set a career-high in points. Ekblad ended things with 11 points in 13 — Brett Connolly (69 GP, 19-14, 33 points); Midseason grade: B-plus. games. Final grade: A The season: After a slow stretch in which he went 12 games without a goal, Connolly got the game-winner in St. Louis and is a goal away from — Henrik Borgstrom (4 GP, 0-0, 0 points); Midseason grade: Inc. The his second consecutive 20-goal campaign. Connolly was productive season: He only spent a few weeks with the Panthers and was sent without much power-play action, getting 15 of his goals at even strength. down to Springfield after four games when the Panthers signed Boyle in Final grade: C October. Borgstrom has not had a great year in Springfield, but if rosters are expanded upon a return, Borgstrom could be right back with the — Mike Matheson (59 GP, 8-12, 20 points); Midseason grade: C. The Panthers. Final grade: Inc. season: It was an up-and-down season for Matheson, although when things stopped, his play was trending up. Matheson was the subject of The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 trade rumors before getting ill prior to the deadline. Upon his return, his game picked up and he was becoming a trusted part of the defensive rotation as his numbers improved. His 21:37 played in St. Louis was his most ice time in months. His next game played will be the 300th of his career. Final grade: C

— Sam Montembeault (5-5-1, 3.34 GAA, .890 save); Midseason grade: C. The season: Lost his backup job in November to Driedger but played well in the minors and came back in January, getting the win in relief when Driedger got hurt against the Kings. Recorded his last win Feb. 11 at New Jersey with 25 saves. Final grade: C

— Colton Sceviour (69 GP, 6-10, 16 points); Midseason grade: C. The season: A solid, relied-upon, bottom-six forward, Sceviour showed offensive ability when moved higher in the lineup in the past, although that opportunity has not surfaced this season. After missing time with injury last year, he did not miss a game this season. Final grade: C

— Dominic Toninato (46 GP, 4-11, 15 points); Midseason grade: C. The season: Came up from the minors in November and earned a full-time spot on the team in a bottom-six role. Toninato’s production tailed off in the last few months, and he found himself a healthy scratch in four of the final eight games. In his last 18 games, Toninato had just two points. Final grade: C

Panthers winger Dominic Toninato. (Russell LaBounty / USA Today)

— Vincent Trocheck (55 GP, 10-26, 36 points); Midseason grade: C. The season: This was a bit of a disappointing season for Trocheck as he failed to reach the scoring output he did in previous years and ended up being traded to Carolina in February. Trocheck was centering Florida’s second line until the trade, although his playing time and responsibilities had been decreased by Quenneville. Final grade: C

— Dryden Hunt (21 GP, 0-4, 4 points); Midseason grade: Inc. The season: Appeared to be a mainstay on the fourth line before he was sent to the minors in November. He came back in February but played in only one game before getting hurt. Final grade: C-

— Jayce Hawryluk (15 GP, 1-2, 3 points); Midseason grade: C. The season: Was playing well before getting hurt in October and then struggled to get into the lineup upon his return. The Panthers tried sneaking him through waivers before the trade deadline to make roster room, but he was claimed by Ottawa where he had two goals and seven points in 11 games. Final grade: C-

— Denis Malgin (36 GP, 4-8, 12 points); Midseason grade: D. The season: Appeared to be one of Quenneville’s early favorites, but then he found playing time hard to come by. Going into the midseason turn, Malgin was scratched in seven of the final eight games and did not record a point in his past 17 games. He was traded to Toronto before the deadline where he is scoreless in eight games with the Maple Leafs. Final grade: D

— Erik Haula (7 GP, 0-2, 2 points); Midseason grade: None. The season: Came to the Panthers in the Trocheck deal and took over his spot on the second line. Haula plays a strong defensive style, which was apparent in Florida’s final three games of the season. In 41 games with the Hurricanes, Haula had 12 goals and 10 assists. He is an unrestricted free agent following this season. Final grade: Inc.

— Aleksi Saarela (9 GP, 2-2, 4 points); Midseason grade: None. The season: He was called up for three games in December before being sent back to the minors. In six games since being recalled, Saarela has looked good and had a career-high two assists in the win at St. Louis. Final grade: Inc.

— Lucas Wallmark (7 GP, 1-1, 2 points); Midseason grade: None. The season: A strong two-way player, Wallmark was considered one of the key pieces for the Panthers coming back in the Trocheck deal. Florida figures Wallmark (24) will center one of its bottom three lines for the foreseeable future. Got his lone goal with the Panthers on March 7, though he had 11 goals and 23 points in 60 games with Carolina. Final grade: Inc. 1183614 Minnesota Wild Etc. • Guerin continues to stay in touch with prized prospect Kirill Kaprizov,

whose contract in the Kontinental Hockey League expired after this General Manager Bill Guerin hopes Wild gets chance for playoff push season. The KHL canceled the rest of its season in late March, and Kaprizov is eligible to sign with the Wild starting Friday, Guerin said. Pandemic still has NHL in limbo, with teams staying ready for potential restart. “We’ve been texting back and forth, here and there,” he said. “I feel good about it.”

• Defenseman Carson Soucy has healed the upper-body injury that By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune APRIL 27, 2020 — 7:45PM sidelined him Feb. 21.

“When we get back,” Guerin said, “we’ll all be healthy and ready to roll.”

Some days, Wild General Manager Bill Guerin is on the phone nonstop. Star Tribune LOADED: 04.28.2020 Other times are much quieter.

“It kind of depends on the day,” he said.

As the NHL focuses on how it can return during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Guerin’s priority is keeping players informed and making sure they’re staying in shape for a potential restart.

And whatever that looks like, Guerin hopes the Wild gets a chance to reignite a playoff push that was stalled when the league halted its season.

“We’ve put ourselves in a pretty good position to try to make the playoffs,” Guerin said Monday. “I just don’t want to lose that. I don’t want to give. I just want to make sure we maintain our position to be able to compete for one of those final spots.”

From an expanded playoff field to neutral-site games, more and more theories have emerged since the league halted play of how the NHL could get back on the ice.

The latest concept broached by Commissioner Gary Bettman last week in an interview with Sportsnet has teams descending on as many as four NHL arenas for three games per day. Bettman scrapped the neutral-site idea since the facilities wouldn’t have the infrastructure to support NHL demands, especially if multiple teams are concentrated in one venue.

Minnesota is reportedly being considered as a possible host.

“The decision ultimately will be made by medical people and people who are in governments at all different levels,” Bettman told Sportsnet. “So we’re not going to try and do anything that flies in the face of what we’re being told is appropriate.”

Still, as the brainstorming continues, it’s clear the NHL is working to salvage its season rather than cancel it at this point — even if it seems unlikely fans will be in attendance at the start.

For now, NHL players and staff are advised to self-quarantine through Thursday. This has been the league’s recommendation during the pause, which began March 12 with the Wild one point out of a playoff spot with 13 regular-season games remaining.

“I don’t know what’s going to be the right [way],” Guerin said. “I do know this: if we do get back to playing, it’s going to be under safe conditions. And if we do, I’ll just be happy to be playing again.”

Draft talk

Another possibility making the rounds is the NHL hosting its draft before the season ends.

Plenty of hurdles stand in the way, like finalizing the draft order without a completed season and figuring out what impact that has on the draft lottery. There’s also the issue of conditional draft picks, which affects the Wild; the team received a 2020 conditional first-round draft pick from the Penguins in the Jason Zucker trade that could turn into a 2021 first- rounder instead if Pittsburgh missed the playoffs this season.

Last month, the NHL postponed the scouting combine and draft — which was set for June 26 and 27 in Montreal. After seeing how the NFL’s virtual draft recently captivated the sports world, the NHL could decide to follow suit.

Regardless of what ends up happening, Guerin said the Wild will be prepared for any scenario.

“You’re not going to make everybody happy,” he said. “But whether the draft is tomorrow or two months from now, we’re going to be ready.” 1183615 MontrealCanadiens They very nearly did. But just enough of you voted for high-octane, fun hockey as opposed to whatever it is Team Dumont was trying to sell you, and that is comforting.

Team Basu wins our Canadiens fantasy draft / Équipe Basu sacrée In the end, it was not so much Team Basu that won (though, to be clear, championne it was very much Team Basu that won, but I’m trying to make a point here).

No, it was everything that is good and pure about the game of hockey By The Athletic Montreal Apr 27, 2020 that won. Nothing less.

La finale du repêchage d’anciens et d’actuels joueurs du Canadien qu’avait organisé Athlétique Montréal s’annonçait serrée, et ce fut le cas. (La version française suit la version anglaise) Les abonnés qui ont participé au vote ont donné la victoire à Équipe The final of The Athletic Montreal’s Canadiens fantasy draft looked like it Basu par la plus petite des marges. La bataille a été âprement disputée would be a tight matchup, and did it ever deliver. au cours des 24 heures qu’a duré le scrutin. Our voters named Team Basu the winner of the title by the slightest of Après 116 votes, il y avait non seulement une égalité 50-50, mais tous margins, and it was a toss up throughout the 24 hours of voting. les scénarios possibles étaient à égalité. After 116 votes, it was not only a 50-50 tie, but every possible outcome C’est à peu près à ce moment-là qu’Équipe Dumont a commencé à offrir was tied as well. des pots-de-vin. It was at around this point that Team Dumont turned to bribery. I COULD ARGUE THAT MY TEAM IS CLEARLY BETTER, BUT LET’S I COULD ARGUE THAT MY TEAM IS CLEARLY BETTER, BUT LET’S MAKE THIS SIMPLE. MAKE THIS SIMPLE. IF YOU VOTE FOR ME, @ARPONBASU* WILL GIVE YOU A FREE IF YOU VOTE FOR ME, @ARPONBASU* WILL GIVE YOU A FREE IPHONE 11. IPHONE 11. *NOT REALLY BUT PLEASE VOTE FOR ME ANYHOW. ALSO, *NOT REALLY BUT PLEASE VOTE FOR ME ANYHOW. ALSO, PLEASE DON’T FIRE ME, ARPON.HTTPS://T.CO/BFP4WCKKOA PLEASE DON’T FIRE ME, ARPON.HTTPS://T.CO/BFP4WCKKOA — MARC DUMONT (@MARCPDUMONT) APRIL 23, 2020 — MARC DUMONT (@MARCPDUMONT) APRIL 23, 2020 TEAM DUMONT HAS COOKIES. JUST SAYIN’. TEAM DUMONT HAS COOKIES. JUST SAYIN’. HTTPS://T.CO/FVWAQZ3VYZ HTTPS://T.CO/FVWAQZ3VYZ — MARC DUMONT (@MARCPDUMONT) APRIL 23, 2020 — MARC DUMONT (@MARCPDUMONT) APRIL 23, 2020 La stratégie n’a pas fonctionné et le directeur général des élections mène It didn’t work, and our electoral officers are currently investigating. présentement une enquête.

Once the polls had closed at 1 p.m. on Thursday, 52.2 percent of the 371 Au moment de la fermeture des bureaux de vote, à 13 h jeudi, 52,2 % responses gave the championship to Team Basu. des 371 participants donnaient le championnat à Équipe Basu.

It was a hard-fought battle in the final, so let’s give both general Si vous voulez consulter les formations originales des équipes Basu, managers some time to make a little speech, starting with the runner up. Dumont, Godin et Gordon, cliquez ici. Et pour voir les résultats des deux demi-finales, cliquez ici. Marc Dumont L’affrontement en finale a été rude. Laissons donc les deux directeurs The people have spoken. généraux faire un petit discours, en commençant par le vaincu.

I’m not bitter. I’m not bitter at all. Marc Dumont

I’m especially not bitter that I lost to Team Basu even though my team Le peuple a parlé. scored 1280 more points in a Canadiens uniform, which means that even if you added Guy Lafleur to his roster – the highest-scoring Canadiens Je ne suis pas amer. Je ne suis pas du tout amer. player of all time – my team would still have more points. Je ne suis surtout pas amer d’avoir perdu contre Équipe Basu même si And I’m definitely not bitter that my roster lost even though I have more ma formation comptait 1280 points de plus dans un uniforme du than double the individual awards. Definitely not. Canadien. Cela veut dire que même si on ajoutait Guy Lafleur à son équipe – le meilleur pointeur dans l’histoire du Canadien – mon équipe And I’m absolutely not launching an official petition for a recount. aurait encore plus de points.

No, I’m not upset. If I were, I would be crying right now, and I’m definitely Je ne suis surtout pas amer d’avoir perdu même si ma formation a not crying. récolté plus du double d’honneurs individuels. Certainement pas.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go, it looks like it’s beginning to rain. Je ne vais certainement pas demander un recomptage.

Arpon Basu Non, je ne suis pas contrarié. Si je l’étais, je serais en train de pleurer en ce moment, et ce n’est certainement pas le cas. Well, I’m pretty relieved. Si vous voulez bien m’excuser, je dois partir. On dirait qu’il s’apprête à No, it’s not the fact that a victory for Team Dumont would have meant an pleuvoir. endless stream of Slack messages reminding me of his victory for months, with elaborate photoshopped GIFS of him dunking on my head Arpon Basu and memes as far as the eye can see. Je suis plutôt soulagé. Well, it’s not only that, at least. Pas seulement parce qu’une victoire d’Équipe Dumont aurait mené à un I respected Team Dumont, even though it had Bob Gainey, Guy flot incessant de messages sur la plateforme Slack me rappelant sa Carbonneau and Chris Nilan and for some reason decided to play Nilan victoire pendant des mois. Sans compter les GIFs retravaillés de lui on a different line. But I was afraid his quasi-goon squad with affable réussissant un ‘dunk’ contre moi ainsi que des mèmes à ne plus finir. checkers would win over too many voters instead of focusing on the sheer depth of offence and speed and excitement my team provided. Du moins, ce n’est pas seulement pour cela. Je respectais Équipe Dumont, même si elle comptait sur Bob Gainey, ainsi que Chris Nilan et que, pour une raison quelconque, elle a décidé d’utiliser Nilan sur un autre trio. J’avais toutefois peur que son équipe comptant plusieurs durs à cuire et de nombreux joueurs robustes attachants ne gagne le cœur de trop d’électeurs, au lieu que ces derniers ne se concentrent sur la profondeur en attaque, la vitesse et l’excitation que mon équipe offrait.

Elle a failli réussir. Par contre, vous avez été assez nombreux à voter pour un hockey électrisant et amusant plutôt que pour ce qu’Équipe Dumont essayait de vous vendre. C’est rassurant.

En fin de compte, ce n’est pas tant Équipe Basu qui a gagné (même si, pour être clair, c’est vraiment Équipe Basu qui a gagné, mais j’essaie de démontrer quelque chose).

La victoire revient à tout ce qui est bon et pur dans le hockey. Rien de moins.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183616 Nashville Predators The island, which also features "a lot of other summer houses," Rinne said, overlooks his hometown.

He sometimes reminisces about his childhood, which he spent with his Predators goalie Pekka Rinne has a dream, and a speech prepared if it parents and two older sisters, including twin Anna, who was born a happens minute before Rinne and always has been quick to pull rank because of that.

"I was lucky. I always had a friend," Rinne said, adding he remains close Paul Skrbina, Nashville Tennessean Published 5:00 a.m. CT April 27, with his sisters. 2020 And friends sometimes could be, well, a bit unkind.

"Once a week we had a sweets day. We were allowed to have candy," He's rehearsed the words a thousand times. Rinne said. "So because I was the youngest I was always the last to pick and they would steal all the good stuff. I never had a chance." Sometimes while he's driving. He also often found himself in the middle of his sisters, literally. Like Sometimes while he's sleeping. when the family traveled anywhere in the car. Sometimes when he wakes up. "They would always put me in the middle seat and they were be Predators goalie Pekka Rinne wouldn't offer any excerpts, though. He's comfortable on the sides," Rinne said. "That was my spot." saving the whole thing for if and when the time comes when he finally Back to now fulfills his dream. Rinne's place in Predators lore is pretty much wrapped up. He'll likely be "I practice the winning speech in my head," Rinne said. "I catch myself the first player in franchise history to have his number retired. sometimes when I'm driving around dreaming about winning a Stanley Cup. When I'm by myself or if I'm having a nap, sometimes things like For now, the face of the organization remains in Nashville, contemplating that come to my mind." a return home to Finland if the pandemic stretches much further.

Rinne has had plenty of time to think since the NHL season was paused On Wednesday afternoon, though, he was lounging on his couch, his March 12 in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. girlfriend within earshot and their dog sleeping by his side. He apologized for calling a half-hour late for an interview. But he hasn't been dwelling on nostalgia. He's using the break to rest and relax with his girlfriend, Erika Parkko, and their dog, Pabla. He was covering his tracks with his sly sense of humor when asked which teammate would be the best quarantine partner, aside from Juuse Rinne has plenty of hardware stored from his career. A Vezina Trophy Saros. from 2017-18. Three All-Star appearances. A trip to the Stanley Cup Final. Pretty much every goalie record in franchise history. "Nick Bonino. I watch him on Instagram and he's always putting up stories where he's making these amazing meals," Rinne said. "He's really Predators goalie Pekka Rinne on scoring first NHL goal against Chicago into food and wine and stuff like that. I wouldn't mind." Blackhawk Nashville Tennessean Then he interrupted himself, taking notice of the ears listening to him. Oh, and the puck that made another of his dreams a reality, the one he sent into the net Jan. 9 at the United Center for his first career goal. "My girlfriend is a great cook," he said with a laugh. "She's listening to me so I have to say that." His next goal is the same goal he's always had: Win a Cup. Rinne said he can't wait to see a show, go to a restaurant, play at Back to the past Bridgestone Arena again. He knows time is ticking. He's 37. He's in his 14th season. He's "When this is over, that's the first thing on my mind: Go and actually see essentially become Juuse Saros' backup. His .895 save percentage and people and talk to them and be close to them," he said. 3.17 goals-against average are career lows by a wide margin. His dream, he hopes, will be there waiting. The speech already is done. Could this extra time off benefit him, especially given that he's played just 36 games this season? Perhaps extend his career? Tennessean LOADED: 04.28.2020 "It's a fair question," Rinne said. "I haven't really thought about what happens if we come back this year or if it moves to next year. My goal is to improve my own performance. I'm not happy how I've played this year. My game has been a bit of a disappointment. That's the main thing in my head.

"I haven't thought about my career. Only thing in my head is I want to be ready. I still have next year on my contract, so I refuse to think any further than that."

Predators general manager is paid to think ahead. But when it comes to Rinne, he said he believes there's something left in the tank.

Back to the future

There's one gas station, one grocery store, spotty cell service.

This is Rinne's getaway. His quiet safe haven, a small island near his hometown that's reachable only by boat or ferry.

He bought a place there a few years back. He spends many a summer day and night on the island.

"It feels like you're going back in time," Rinne said. "Not a lot of people and beautiful nature and you're by the water."

Rinne used to fish a lot more than he does now. But for years he and a group of guys would make such trips to northern parts of Finland, Sweden and Norway, tents serving as their temporary abodes. 1183617 Nashville Predators 0.825 0.792

Overall (shorthanded) His confidence shaken, Pekka Rinne hopes for a chance to redeem himself 0.792

0.865

By Adam Vingan Apr 27, 2020 Slot (shorthanded)

0.671

Pekka Rinne recommends that you watch “Trapped.” 0.815

Yes, he understands the irony of suggesting a show with that title at a Inner slot (shorthanded) time when we are all stuck in our homes. 0.556 “It’s about this small town in Iceland,” Rinne said last week about the series that airs on Amazon Prime. “There’s a terrible storm. Nobody can 0.762 get out, and nobody can get in. Murders start happening. It’s not the most “Even during the season, I thought about that a lot,” Rinne said, positive thing to watch, but it’s a good series.” addressing the decline in his play. “To me, it’s always very important to To lighten the mood, Rinne has also tuned in to “The Last Dance,” the get off to a good start. Any player would say the same thing. It’s so ESPN documentary series about Michael Jordan and the end of the important for you mentally and confidence-wise. As a team, we dipped ’ dynasty. big time after a good start, and we struggled for a long time. I think (during) that time, I just couldn’t stay consistent. It started affecting my “It really opened my eyes when I watched the documentary (to see) how confidence. That’s a hard way to play, when you’re second-guessing competitive, how intense he was and how demanding he was of himself yourself. I think that was just hard. For so long, you just have this and his teammates,” Rinne said. “He just wanted to win so bad. It’s no swagger about your game, and it’s hard to get that back when you feel surprise to me, though, what kind of player he was. A lot of times, that’s like you lose it. how the top-of-the-top players are.” “You make things more difficult for yourself when you start doubting your In a way, Rinne, 37, can relate to Jordan. Obviously, Jordan is far more game or second-guessing yourself, (thinking), ‘What’s wrong with me?’ accomplished, and Rinne is much less cutthroat. But behind the beaming But at the same time, things are never as good or as bad as they may smile that has endeared Rinne to Predators fans for more than a decade seem to you. Now, looking back, I feel like I had a lot of good games, but is a deep-seated desire to win, especially as he nears the end of his I also had bad games. You try to be honest with yourself, and a lot of career. times, it’s easy to get almost too critical of yourself. There were a lot of good things, too.” Rinne, though, struggled for most of the season, and by the time the NHL shut down last month, he had lost his starting job to Juuse Saros, who Like his fellow players, Rinne has no idea if the season will restart and was in net for 15 of the Predators’ final 21 games. what it could look like if it does. He and his girlfriend decided to shelter in Nashville instead of returning to Finland, not wanting to deal with the The unexpected break came at a good time for Rinne, who has used it to challenges associated with traveling overseas during a pandemic. (Plus, reset. Rinne said, the weather in Nashville is better this time of year.) “I think it was good for me to slow down and have a breather and He converted his garage into a home gym, and Predators goaltending regroup,” Rinne said. “Personally, for sure, it’s been a challenging year coach Ben Vanderklok dropped off equipment, including Rinne’s glove and disappointing at times. But all in all, we were playing really well at the and blocker, so he could keep up with his hand-eye training. Rinne has time this happened. I’m happy about that. I’m happy about how Juuse even enlisted his girlfriend to play catch with him when he tires of tossing played down the stretch. But of course, I’m a competitive guy, and I was balls against a trampoline. disappointed with my performance this year.” “Some days, I feel like I’m a goalie,” Rinne said, laughing. Rinne started the season by winning in eight of his first 10 appearances. From there, though, he lost 16 of his next 26 games, recording a 3.65 At some point, Rinne will resume being a goaltender, and he hopes for goals-against average and an .885 save percentage over that an opportunity to redeem himself. monthslong stretch. “For a lot of guys, it could be a chance to put the past season behind you His last start, March 2 against the Edmonton Oilers, was the worst of his and get off to another start,” Rinne said. “I try to approach it like that. lengthy career. He surrendered eight goals in a performance that was, at Hopefully, we can get back out there. That’s the good thing as a hockey times, uncomfortable to watch. player, that a lot of times, not always, but a lot of times, you do get another chance.” In terms of save percentage, Rinne was actually an above-average goaltender this season at five-on-five, according to Sportlogiq. His .825 The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 mark on shots from the inner slot, the most dangerous area of the ice, was 10th at the position.

Rinne, however, was the league’s worst goaltender on the penalty kill, ranking last out of 62 qualified players in overall shorthanded save percentage and slot save percentage.

Pekka Rinne's 2019-20 save percentages

Overall (five-on-five)

0.923

0.92

Slot (five-on-five)

0.854

0.841

Inner slot (five-on-five) 1183618 New York Islanders I was tired and hungry and also a little incredulous that the coach would care about a tweet from the middle of a game his team won. I fired back with a few choice words of my own, he fired back, etc. What ensued was a solid two minutes of shouting before we both realized what idiots we Untold stories from the Islanders beat: Confrontations and Twitter were for arguing over a tweet that had no basis in fact. We calmed down lessons and got off the phone.

At the morning skate the next day, handshakes and apologies were proffered. It was an early lesson for me in the “everyone sees the tweets” By Arthur Staple Apr 27, 2020 rule, even if it didn’t seem that inflammatory, and a reminder that it’s better to be on good terms than to be right. He probably was in danger of being fired if the team didn’t pull it together and it’s important to see that Cover a team for more than a season or two and there will be some and not add fuel to the fire. conflicts. It’s just human nature — you the reporter are asking questions, sometimes after difficult games, and players and coaches aren’t thrilled Not long after, I found out Garth Snow was in Capuano’s suite when he to have to answer. called me. Figures. Snow loved to stir it up behind the scenes.

Add in the element that Twitter brings and you’ve got even more 2. Another season — this one 2014-15 — and another tweet that started opportunities to piss people off. I’ve been a sports reporter for almost 30 it all: years now and you learn how to navigate all kinds of situations that are BOULTON WITH THE 3 ON 2 DUMP-IN. OLD SCHOOL. new and different, from sport to sport, from high schools to colleges to the pros, and lots of other interactions you never think you’ll have. — ARTHUR STAPLE (@STAPEATHLETIC) NOVEMBER 7, 2014

Once someone calls you at home and threatens to kill you — that was in Again, pretty innocuous and enough to elicit a few laughs from the fans the spring of 1997 — every other confrontation or conflict seems a little following along on a late start in Los Angeles, and I didn’t think much of it less important. until the game was over. That’s when an Islanders PR person said Eric Boulton wanted to talk to me. Now, in my decade covering the Islanders, I’ve had a few unhappy seasons where everyone is simply finishing out the string. You’d assume He came up to me outside the locker room and asked why I would tweet the players and coaches would be more testy during those down years, something that was a shot at him. My initial response was to ask why like 2011-12 or 2013-14. That actually hasn’t been the case. The stories he’d be searching for tweets of mine when the game just ended, which below are all from seasons in which the Islanders made the playoffs, so was an unnecessary reply given the situation. Boulton was an imposing perhaps when the stakes are higher, there’s more potential for a clash. player and still is an imposing guy, but he’s not that way at all in person.

Also you cannot discount this factor: I can be a sarcastic jackass, And we had a real conversation in the Staples Center hallway — he was especially on Twitter, which is something all players and coaches (or 38, nearing the end of a decent career for a guy with his skills, playing a someone close to them) see. Not many players read every word written handful of shifts a night while Josh Bailey was injured. He knew what the about them, but I’ve learned a tweet gets around the locker room faster fans said about him on social media and it was a good reminder that he than anything else. So I play as big a role in these disagreements as any didn’t need the team’s beat writer piling on. of the guys listed. I appreciated he came to me directly and that was that. A small thing, My general rule for Twitter and my writing is this: Be critical but never sure, but one of the main factors to me in how well you do the job as a personal. Fans can say, “This guy sucks,” or “That guy is useless,” but beat writer is relationships. You’re not going to be a popular guy in all once you do it, you’ve turned something that’s supposed to be informed corners of the room, but if you can have a talk with someone who’s and analytical into something cheap and stupid. And you’ll get treated bothered by something you wrote — rather than letting it quietly fester that way. without a real conversation — you can salvage the relationship.

Having said that, here are three moments from my time covering the 3. The last one was probably the biggest firestorm in the locker room Islanders I’d like back: during my time on the beat because it involved John Tavares. Oh, and a tweet. Twitter — the best and worst thing to happen to sports writing! 1. It all started, mid-game, with this tweet: The Islanders lost in a shootout to the Panthers in Florida the day after #ISLES ARE CERTAINLY PLAYING LIKE A TEAM THAT WOULD LIKE Thanksgiving in 2015. Isles fans on Twitter were unhappy; the team was A COACHING CHANGE. NO FIRE. coming off its best season in three decades and sat at 11-8-4 after that — ARTHUR STAPLE (@STAPEATHLETIC) FEBRUARY 22, 2013 game. In a postgame interview, Tavares said what he almost always did after a close loss — that the Isles did some good things, played well This was during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. The Islanders enough to win. I posted a tweet with his quote and added were in Montreal after losing their seventh game of the previous nine in “#KoolAidDrinker” as a goof directed toward a small but vocal contingent Ottawa two nights earlier (Rick DiPietro’s last game in an Isles uniform), of Isles fans on Twitter who labeled anyone with positive words about the and they were already down 2-0 to the Canadiens when I tweeted the team as such. above. It was a stray observation during a game, one of dozens, and as it happens, the Islanders got it together and won that game in overtime, As I drove away from Sunrise, the PR guy called me to say everyone on kicking off a 17-8-6 push to the finish line of that season and the first the bus had seen the tweet and they were pissed. I was pissed too — I playoff berth under Jack Capuano. missed Thanksgiving, dammit! And now I was catching grief for a tweet that had nothing to do with the players. The next day I drove from Montreal to Syracuse in a rented Honda Odyssey, the only car the rental place in Ottawa had with snow tires. As I The Isles had a game the next night in Tampa, which meant no morning drove, the Islanders put DiPietro on waivers, which meant I was tweeting skate, which meant no opportunity to talk to Tavares and smooth things while driving (not smart), then writing an entire story for Newsday’s over or let him vent — letting people vent is an unspoken part of this job. website at a rest stop in Quebec. I made it to my in-laws’ house just So I covered the game, a 3-2 Islanders win in which Tavares scored the before dinner time, wrote a full story, did a couple of media appearances winner late in the third, and headed to the locker room. and was getting ready to eat dinner with my wife when my phone rang. As I walked in, most of the guys were still sitting at their stalls. It was Capuano, who was with the Isles in Buffalo, where I was headed Immediately there was one loud voice: the next day. “Was there any Kool-Aid in the press box tonight?” “Hi, Jack. What’s up?” Damn you, Johnny Boychuk. At least he had a smile on his face, like he “Why the fuck would you tweet that about my team trying to get me fired? always does. That’s bullshit!” I got a few one-word answers from a player, then Tavares spoke to the And so began the F-bomb war of 2013. small group of reporters. After that was done, I asked to talk to him and said I’d heard he was upset. He said he was and that he never looks for things like that, but the guys showed it to him and he didn’t think it was right for me to take a shot like that. I apologized and said to whom I’d directed the reference, and we were fine after that.

I did have to have one more private conversation with another player who was chirping in my ear while Tavares was talking. That was the only time I got upset — disrupting me while I’m trying to work isn’t cool. So that player and I had settled things in conversation, and it was done with by the time I left the building that night.

What’s funny is that my relationships with all of these guys might have gotten better after our disagreements. There’s something about clearing the air that helps everyone move forward a bit, get out of their own space and realize, at least on my end, that when you’re tweeting about a player or a coach, there’s an actual person on the receiving end of it.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183619 New York Rangers Overall, Makar was a slight notch above the other two this season, which is why I picked him as USA TODAY's hypothetical Calder winner. But the impact on the game — and ability to transition to the NHL seamlessly — is something the trio deserves near-equal credit for. NY Rangers' Adam Fox on par with top NHL rookie defensemen Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes They certainly seem to feel that way, with Fox earning praise from both Hughes and Makar.

"I remember watching him when I was 16 or 17 and thinking how good he Vincent Z. Mercogliano, NHL Writer Published 4:29 p.m. ET April 27, was," Hughes said of Fox. "I’ve watched him for a while, and it’s been fun 2020 | Updated 4:56 p.m. ET April 27, 2020 to see."

In many respects, they've changed the way the league views NCAA defensemen. All three went straight from college to the NHL without any The respect between the NHL's top three rookie defensemen appears to time in the minors. be mutual. "There’s a lot of physical attributes that college allows you to work on and Yet, it's puzzling why one is often being left out of the conversation for grow there," Fox said. "You’re not just going there to play for a year and the league's most coveted rookie accolade. leave. Sometimes, it’s two, three or four years. It really lets yourself jump On a Zoom call Monday, Adam Fox of the New York Rangers, Cale into the NHL and be ready for it." Makar of the Colorado Avalanche and Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Their similar paths, along with comparable builds and skill sets, ensure Canucks spoke about the evolution of the game and how they've been Fox, Hughes and Makar will be connected for a long time. able to achieve instant success. The final vote for the Calder should reflect that. "There’s a new generation of defensemen coming in — whether they’re just smaller or mobile — but I think everybody’s just going to take a Bergen Record LOADED: 04.28.2020 different amount of time to develop," Hughes said. "I think for us, we're all kind of similar builds in terms of our height and stuff. ... I think the game is just changing. It's becoming faster and definitely a more agile sport."

The trio is undersized by traditional standards, with all three under 6-feet tall, and each entered the league with reputations as "offensive defensemen."

They lived up to it by producing points in short order.

Hughes led all rookies, regardless of position, with 53 points, while Makar had 50 and Fox notched 42. However, much of the debate surrounding the Calder Trophy, which is awarded to the league's best rookie, has focused on Hughes and Makar.

In a writers' poll from NHL.com, Makar received the most votes, adding to a total of 82 points, with Hughes right behind him at 77. Fox finished a distant seventh with 11 points, but the objective numbers suggest he should be much closer.

Quinn Hughes leads all rookies with 50 points, but @NHLdotcom writers still favor Cale Makar (@Cmakar16) for the Calder.

Read more https://t.co/L9fm7Qz3eypic.twitter.com/gdlyVwrHWW

— NHL (@NHL) February 26, 2020

Points are the first place most look, where Fox is slightly behind the pace of Makar and Hughes. Makar missed a handful of games due to injury but averaged the most at 0.88 per game, with Hughes at 0.78 and Fox at 0.6.

But it's worth noting that Makar and Hughes spent most of the season on their respective team's top power-play units, while Fox played on unit No. 2 for the Rangers. Another skilled defenseman, Tony DeAngelo, took on the responsibility as New York's main power-play quarterback.

That led to a discrepancy in special teams scoring opportunities, with Hughes collecting 25 power-play points — nearly half of his season total — and 18 for Makar. Fox posted 13 in a more limited role.

And then there's the other key aspect of being a defenseman — which is, quite simply, defending.

There are basic stats that show Fox was more active in the defensive zone, as he accumulated more blocked shots (92) and takeaways (57) than the other two. Makar had 47 blocks and 34 takeaways, while Hughes was nearly even with 46 blocks and 35 takeaways (albeit in 11 more games played).

The advanced stats also favor Fox. His defensive rating, which according to Evolving Hockey combines even-strength and short-handed defensive metrics, is a 2.9. It's 1.3 for Makar and only 0.2 for Hughes.

None of the three are going to be confused with an imposing, lockdown defender like Zdeno Chara, but they are ushering in a new era of smaller defensemen who skate well and move the puck with efficiency. They rely on smarts and skill over brawn. 1183620 New York Rangers

Rangers' Adam Fox praises defense partner Ryan Lindgren

By Colin Stephenson

Speaking on an NHL-sponsored Zoom call Monday with fellow rookie defensemen Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes, the Rangers’ Adam Fox was asked about the physical pounding his defense partner, Ryan Lindgren, has taken this season.

“He had a streak of getting pucks to the face, high sticks — and it wasn’t even the way he plays, it was just unfortunate bounces,’’ Fox said. “So his face probably needed this quarantine a little bit to heal up.’’

The good-natured gibe was nothing more than Fox showing a little love and admiration for his partner. The two 22-year-olds — whose close friendship goes back to the days when they played together as teenagers in the U.S. national team development program — developed into the Rangers’ most reliable defense pair in the course of their 58-plus games together.

The two were nearly inseparable after Lindgren got called up from Hartford on Oct. 28. Coach David Quinn put them together, and they remained together for 58 of the 60 games Lindgren played.

Fox recalled sending a pass to Lindgren that hopped over his stick and got Lindgren crunched by an opponent. “That was his first shift as my ‘D’ partner,’’ Fox said. “So we’ve come a long way from there.

“He thinks the game really well, and he complements me so much. And he’s willing to stay back and make smart outlet passes. And he’s a tough guy. And I think the way I play, he just suits me really well as a ‘D’ partner.’’

The way Fox, a Jericho native, played this season had prompted talk about him as a candidate for the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year, along with Hughes and Makar.

Before the NHL paused March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic, Fox was fifth in scoring among rookies with 42 points (Hughes was first with 53 and Makar second with 50). He was first among first-year players in plus-minus at plus-22 (Makar was plus-12, Hughes minus-10).

Monday’s call was moderated by NHL senior vice president of communications John Dellapina, who asked the three about their favorite player when they were growing up. Fox’s was Nicklas Lidstrom, though he loved watching tape of former Ranger Brian Leetch.

All three chose Edmonton’s Connor McDavid as the toughest forward to defend, and all identified Montreal’s Shea Weber as the opposing defenseman they’d least like to see winding up for a shot as they battled in front of the net.

Dellapina asked Fox about the challenge of killing a penalty and staring at a one-time shot by Alex Ovechkin.

“I might try and throw Lindgren there,’’ he said, “because he’ll eat anything, really.”

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 04.28.2020

1183621 Ottawa Senators

Belleville Senators season expected to put on ice early next month

Bruce Garrioch

It would appear the end is near for this year’s edition of the Belleville Senators.

Speaking in a video taped message at the CAA Arena in Belleville Monday morning – where the ice has already been removed – Mayor Mitch Panciuk indicated the will announce soon the rest of the season and the playoffs will be cancelled for Ottawa’s top affiliate.

League sources told this newspaper Monday afternoon the AHL’s board of governors are expected to hold a conference call May 8 to make a final decision on the rest of the year, but as a gate-driven league it would be difficult for the league to return with empty arenas.

“One of the reasons I wanted to be here at the CAA Arena is we because did get a little bit of bad news,” Panciuk said in the taped message. “That’s not good sign for those of us who are fans of the Belleville Senators and so proud that our team is in first place in this division.

“The NHL and the American Hockey League will be making some announcements and some decisions shortly, but I can share with you the ice is out of here.”

Panciuk is right that this wouldn’t only be a devastating blow for fans, it would be difficult news for the Senators who were hoping to develop the likes of Josh Norris, Vitaly Abramov, Drake Batherson, Alex Formenton, Erik Brannstrom, Marcus Hogberg, Filip Gustavsson and Joey Daccord.

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183622 Ottawa Senators involved for the teams because though they’d be registered as trades they wouldn’t be completed until the season is actually completed and the playoffs are held.

The NHL will make a decision on the 2020 draft "relatively soon" “The draft is usually a good time to move a contract,” said a league executive Monday.

And, of course, that element will be removed unless the 31 teams are Bruce Garrioch able to come some sort of a decision on how trades are going to work, but that’s a hurdle that can be overcome to make this work.

Getting this right is important but it will also help to get hockey back on The National Hockey League won’t let a decision on whether the NHL the radar screen, especially if the league intends to play through the draft will be held in June linger. summer months to try to get its season completed. After NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Teams always like to act in their own best interests, but in this case the Daly discussed the idea of holding the 2020 draft in early-June with the league is suggesting they act for the greater good because this is general managers during a conference call last Tuesday, they aren’t uncharted waters for everybody involved and everybody may have to going to allow for a long, drawn out discussion before a decision is made take one for the team by holding the draft in June even if they don’t like it. because if the draft lottery and the draft are going to be held virtually then plans have to be put in place. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 04.28.2020 Yes, if the NHL does finish its regular season, hold the playoffs and award the Stanley Cup in the summer if the threat of the novel coronavirus across North America has subsided, the lottery and draft would be held before the year is actually completed, but league is trying to be creative and, as a result, they’ve asked GM’s to be open-minded to the idea instead of just quickly dismissing it.

“We are still in the process of vetting club reactions,” Daly told this newspaper in an email Monday morning. “Don’t have a precise timetable, but I would say we’ll have a decision relatively soon.”

Naturally, Ottawa Senators’ owner , general manager and chief scout Trent Mann along with the fan base are waiting anxiously to see what route the league is going to take. As Daly noted in an interview last week there’s “no perfect” solution but even if the league waits until the season is completed in September many of the same hurdles are going to exist.

The Senators are among the teams that don’t have any issues with moving up the draft before the season is completed because let’s face it they’ve got zero complaints about their odds right now.

Daly indicated in his interview with this newspaper last Wednesday that points-percentage would most likely be used to decide the odds in the draft lottery. If that’s the case, and there’s no reason it wouldn’t be, then the Detroit Red Wings would have the best odds at 18.5% with a .275 winning-percentage while the Senators would be second at 13.5% with their own selection at .437.

However, the Senators also have the third-best odds at 11.5% because the club owns the San Jose Sharks’ No. 1 pick as a result of the Erik Karlsson trade in Sept., 2018. That gives the Senators a 25% chance of winning the lottery under that format so absolutely nothing would change for Dorion, Mann and the scouting staff if the league does indeed go ahead with an early draft.

There is concern among some executives that it’s possible a team could win the lottery and then go on to win the Stanley Cup

The reality is Bettman and Daly wouldn’t have presented this option to the GM’s if they didn’t want it to happen and as much as there may been opposition the best bet for some teams may be to find a way past those hurdles because the draft has a better chance of happening in June than wait until the season is officially completed sometime in the summer.

One of the reasons the league is going this route is they’d like to throw their broadcast partners a bone or two to help them with live programming because like everybody else in the sports world they’re suffering during this COVID-19 crisis by showing replays of old games.

The NFL draft was held virtually Thursday, Friday and Saturday and did huge television numbers.

Yes, the GM’s understand they need to do something to help stir up the level of interest in the draft, but it’s one of the key events on the league calendar every year. The Senators have three selections in the first round, seven in the first two rounds and 13 in total. You have to think they want to deal some of those picks for roster players for next season and that may be difficult under these circumstances.

A league executive suggested Monday the NHL might have to allow teams to make deals for future considerations as way to entice teams to accept the draft proposal. Basically, there’d have to be a level of trust 1183623 Ottawa Senators He seems like a player whom head coach D.J. Smith could take a liking to, especially considering his fondness for DeMelo and Zaitsev.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 Sources: Russian free agent Artyom Zub commits to Senators

By Hailey Salvian Apr 27, 2020

Russian free agent Artyom Zub has verbally committed to sign with the Ottawa Senators, sources told The Athletic.

While Zub has not yet signed with Ottawa, it is expected he will ink an entry-level NHL deal as soon as the first week of May, a source said. The 24-year-old defenceman’s KHL contract expires April 30. It is believed he will not make an official announcement about his future before then.

The sources cautioned that the deal is not yet finalized and that players can change their minds at the 11th hour, but added they would be surprised if Zub did not sign with the Senators.

Zub’s agent, Dan Milstein, who also represents current Senator Nikita Zaitsev, declined to comment.

Zub has been linked to the Senators since TSN’s reported in January that Ottawa was one of three finalists to sign him. That report came shortly after Ottawa general manager Pierre Dorion completed a scouting trip overseas and saw Zub play in the KHL.

Dreger further reported in late March that Ottawa had emerged as Zub’s top choice and that he was expected to sign with the team.

On a video conference call in early April, Dorion confirmed that the Senators were one of the finalists for Zub. He added that the team’s scouts “really” liked what he had to offer.

“We feel he is NHL ready,” Dorion said on the call. “We know he’s someone who could help us in the near future.”

A right-shot defenceman, Zub would fit nicely on the Senators’ blue line, which is shallow on the right side.

The Senators have three right-shot defencemen signed for next season: Zaitsev, Christian Jaros and Lassi Thomson. Realistically, Zaitsev is the only reliable NHL option right now. Jaros didn’t excel in his NHL stints this season, while Thomson is only 19 and might need more time. Prospect Jacob Bernard-Docker is returning to the University of North Dakota. Meanwhile, veteran unrestricted free agent Ron Hainsey is another option who could re-sign in Ottawa.

Last month, The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler broke down four games of Zub’s tape for a deeper look into what he could provide in Ottawa.

You can check that out here.

For the past few seasons, Zub has played a top-four role on SKA St. Petersburg’s blue line and has logged big minutes for Russia in international competition. He won bronze at two world championships (2017 and 2019) and was part of the gold-medal-winning team at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.

Zub is listed at 6-foot-2 and 198 pounds. He’s a mobile, reliable defenceman who saw a spike in his offensive production during the 2019-20 season. His 13 goals in 57 games this year are more than double his tally (six) in his first 199 games in the KHL. His 22 points were also a career high.

He appears to be rounding out his game, but Zub likely won’t produce much offensively in the NHL. And that likely won’t be his role on the team, either, as the Senators already have an offensive defenceman in Thomas Chabot.

Some scouts and media members have compared Zub to Zaitsev, his countryman. Zaitsev put up modest offensive numbers in the KHL and his rookie NHL season but has mostly been tapped for his defensive game, especially in Ottawa.

If he joins the Senators, it is believed Zub could take on the role once played by Dylan DeMelo, who was sent to Winnipeg at this year’s trade deadline. He’s a steady hand in his own zone and can jump into the play if the opportunity presents itself, but he won’t force anything for the sake of tallying points. In short, Zub is considered a smart player with two-way instincts who can play a variety of roles. 1183624 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers icon Bernie Parent, Snider Hockey assist families in need during coronavirus pandemic

by Sam Carchidi,

Bernie Parent, the Hall of Fame goalie who had shutouts in series- clinching wins in the 1974 and 1975 , is still delivering for Philadelphia.

Literally.

Parent, 75, joined members of the Youth Foundation in distributing free grab-and-go meals, bandannas serving as masks, and children’s books to those in need Monday morning in Northeast Philadelphia.

The bandannas, designed by Parent and his wife, Gini, with a picture of Parent’s goalie mask on them, were created to protect people from the coronavirus pandemic.

“You hear in sports, that if you want to win, if you want to succeed, you have to work as a team,” Parent said. “You should take that into the rest of your life. It’s the same thing here. If people need help, you have to be there to help them.”

In partnership with the Nutritional Development Services and the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department, Snider Hockey is assisting to provide 2,200 meals each week.

On Monday, Snider’s Tarken Ice Center was the drive-by pickup spot, where people stopped in cars and Parent was one of the delivery persons who handed them packages.

#Flyers legend Bernie Parent distributing meals to the needy today in Northeast Philly. pic.twitter.com/JfqUUD9T4j

— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) April 27, 2020

The bandanas/masks are available at SniderHockey.org, with proceeds benefiting Snider Hockey.

“I tried to bring a positive attitude into it,” Parent said of the masks. “When you feel good and you’re happy, it helps. Little things like this give good results.”

Parent said the masks were a “good distraction” for people.

“Instead of focusing on the fear,” he said, “it helps you [stay positive]. It protects you, No. 1, and it gives you a sense to dream a little bit about the good old days when we won the Cup.”

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183625 Philadelphia Flyers Laczynski, a four-year forward out of Ohio State, Allison's transition to the AHL and NHL from a physical standpoint shouldn't be as drastic as it would be for a younger player making an expedited jump.

Mike Haviland gives opponent's perspective on Flyers prospect Wade Both Allison and Laczynski will be 23 years old in 2020-21. Allison making the pro jump "They’re men, they’re good hockey players and I expect that they’ll challenge for spots right away," Flyers general manager said in March. "Whether they can make it, time will tell. But they’re By Jordan Hall April 27, 2020 7:15 PM players that are very close to being able to step in and play.”

There's enticement to Allison's pro ceiling because he has a craftiness and skill set to potentially play up in the lineup. Then there's the size and Mike Haviland has experienced the entire gamut of hockey. disruptiveness to profile down in the lineup. The 52-year-old native of Middletown, New Jersey, has coached at the He could be a wild card. NHL, AHL, ECHL and NCAA levels. He won the 2010 Stanley Cup as an assistant with the Blackhawks and owns a pair of ECHL championships Haviland likened Allison to Troy Brouwer, a 6-foot-3, 213-pound winger when he was the bench boss of the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies and who won the 2010 Cup in Chicago. Brouwer has scored 20-plus goals Trenton Titans. and 40-plus points three times in his 14-year career.

Haviland has learned about pro players and players aspiring to be pros. “I would probably say a pro guy, because I spent so many years in pro There's a keen sense to identifying the differences between the two. hockey, for me, he’s got a little bit of Troy Brouwer," Haviland said. "Brouwsy could score when he played like that power forward type of As the head coach of Colorado College, Haviland watched Flyers player. I think Wade maybe is a little bit more fluid through the neutral prospect Wade Allison score five points (two goals, three assists) for ice. Brouwer was more of a north-south guy and Brouwsy had a Western Michigan during a two-game series in January. The senior tremendous career, I loved him and he was one of my favorite players, Allison was clicking for the Broncos as they swept Haviland's Tigers in but I saw a lot of Wade in that — dangerous in the offensive end and the weekend set. A week and two months later, Allison inked his entry- when they play that power forward game, they can be really effective. I level contract with the Flyers, officially starting his pro career. think that’s where Wade can be.” “He possesses a great package of size, speed and skill, and we strongly Wade Allison, definitely crafty around the net. believe he’ll be an NHL power forward moving forward," Flyers assistant pic.twitter.com/2PTnIXoMkU general manager Brent Flahr said in a statement on March 27 when the 2016 second-round pick signed. — Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) June 26, 2019

Haviland had no addendums to the description, specifically the power Wade Allison with a nasty shot past Felix Sandstrom to send forward section. Allison matured into a pro-ready 6-foot-2, 205-pound championship game to OT. pic.twitter.com/7HxpXaOHtD winger with four years at Western Michigan and playing for , a former Flyers assistant coach who has 10 years of NHL head coaching — Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) June 28, 2019 experience. Power forwards aren't always flashy and the mindset of one might not be "I know Flahrsy a little bit, too, and I agree," Haviland said last a style many wrap their arms around. Head coach 's Wednesday in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. "Listen, I system is predicated on that effort. think the biggest thing with anybody from college, it’s the learning curve It could be Allison's quickest ticket to the NHL. and how long is that curve until they can understand what it’s like to be a pro and how hard it is daily. “I’ve had a lot of guys come out of college when I was in the American League and even in the NHL, some of them, the curve is 30 games in the "Learning under Andy Murray and that staff there I’m sure has helped American League and some guys are a year in the American League," Wade understand what it is to be a pro because Andy understands it and Haviland said. "I think Wade has that chance to make an impact on a so does his staff. very good Philadelphia team and organization. He’s going to be a really "When Wade plays hard and he was really getting after it like I’ve seen, good pro player because of his IQ and his skill set. If he buys into that he’s a dangerous player. I’m sure Philly wants the curve to be quick and power forward thing — certainly I don’t have him on a regular basis, but not take a lot of time, but that’s just the way it is.” I’ve seen it — if he becomes that power forward, I think he could be an impact guy for them.” With Allison, Haviland emphasized power forward. During 2018-19 — a season in which Allison was not himself after tearing his ACL, abruptly Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.28.2020 ending a special sophomore year — Colorado College held the junior to one assist over four games.

The 2019-20 season was not the same story. Allison faced the Tigers only twice but had a four-point game in the second matchup after netting a goal in the first meeting. Through the two games, Allison was that authoritative power forward, playing on his terms and recording eight shots to go along with a plus-5 rating.

I think Wade took his game to a different level. He was dangerous every time he touched the puck, it didn’t matter who he was playing with. He was always dangerous on the power play, but I think he was more dangerous every time this year. When we played them, he was making something happen — more of that power forward, taking things to the net, a noticeable player and a dangerous player.

It just seemed that he was at a different level this year for me.

(Allison's first goal against Colorado College)

(Allison's second goal against Colorado College)

In his final collegiate season, Allison scored 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists) in 26 games, with 17 of his points coming at even strength. Because of injury issues, he played 30 or more games only once in his four years with the Broncos. As a result of the injuries, staying in college made much more sense. Similar to fellow Flyers prospect Tanner 1183626 Philadelphia Flyers The Flyers have occasionally hooked up with the Hall of Fame center for promotions and alumni events. Last week he officially became a team ambassador and the first such assignment is the ALL IN Challenge, which has already raised more than $20 million to provide food to those What signing Swedish winger Linus Sandin would mean for Flyers in need. The Flyers will auction off a “ultimate game day experience” with Lindros including a game day skate, ceremonial puck drop, catered suite

to watch a game and postgame celebration. Dave Isaac, NHL Writer Published 12:17 p.m. ET April 27, 2020 “I look forward to being back with my Flyers family and kicking things off in a way that makes a positive impact during a time of need,” Lindros said in a press release. “Philadelphia has always been my home away Flyers general manager and team president Chuck Fletcher has already from home and I’m eager to continue connecting with and giving back to started adding for next season by signing a couple draft picks and he the passionate Flyers fan base that has treated me so well over the past reportedly is set to add another forward as well. two decades.”

Everything in the hockey world is in flux these days and part of the • Hockey gaming is going to be picking up in a big way soon, especially uncertainty is trying to keep costs down. with a new NHL directive. Starting Thursday, every NHL team will have a player representative playing EA SPORTS’ NHL 20 in a four-week That means any additions can’t have too much effect on a salary cap that tournament. James van Riemsdyk will be the Flyers’ representative and almost certainly won’t increase as planned next season while the NHL all games will be broadcast on NHL Network or the league’s Twitch loses money as its season is on pause. While the Flyers don’t have much channel. Seattle is also involved, with NFL tight end Luke Willson space on their roster for newcomers, Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reported representing the yet-to-be-named Seattle franchise that will enter the last week that the team intends to sign Swedish winger Linus Sandin. NHL in the 2021-22 season. If Sandin were to sign with the Flyers, it would be an entry-level contract Van Riemsdyk isn’t the only Flyer playing for a cause. Goalie Carter Hart so the cap hit would be relatively low even though the Flyers likely would played over the weekend in a tournament started by player agent Allain have to include bonuses to entice him since other teams were reportedly Roy, whose Roy Sports Group represents Hart. Donations from that involved. When Sandin potentially signs would also be a factor because tournament benefitted a GoFundMe for frontline responders and the his 24th birthday is coming up on May 19. If he signs at age 23, it would ECHL Player Relief Fund. Roy Sports Group made $1,500 contributions be a two-year contract and if he waits until after he blows out his birthday to both efforts. candles it would be a one-year pact to play with fellow Uppsala native and childhood teammate Robert Hägg. • Along with the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings, the Flyers loaned some of their disinfecting machines, usually used for hockey The Flyers are set on right wing with Travis Konecny and Jake Voracek, equipment, to General Motors. but those are top-six players and Sandin certainly wouldn’t start there if he makes the NHL roster. That means Sandin, whose younger brother The car manufacturer is using the machines to disinfect face masks, of Rasmus plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs, would be in a battle with which they are able to produce three million per month. players like Nicolas Aube-Kubel, pending unrestricted free agents Tyler Pitlick and Derek Grant and newly signed college draft picks Wade Sending a special thank you to the @DetroitRedWings, Allison and Tanner Laczynski. @NHLBlackhawks and @NHLFlyers for coming together to loan us their high-tech sanitation equipment. These machines disinfect face masks at Now perhaps the Flyers don’t intend on bringing back Pitlick or Grant, a rapid rate, helping us produce over 3 million masks a month. who will be due a raise from his $700,000 salary after putting up career- pic.twitter.com/fLwHYLbo5y high numbers this season. Flyers president and general manager Chuck Fletcher said recently he expects Allison and Laczynski to immediately — General Motors (@GM) April 23, 2020 compete for NHL jobs considering they played four years of college Courier-Post LOADED: 04.28.2020 hockey, so things are already looking crowded on the third and fourth lines. Joel Farabee, Michael Raffl, James van Riemsdyk and Scott Laughton are wingers vying for those spots also.

Sandin tied for third in the with 19 goals. The right winger averaged 15:30 of ice time per game for HV71, which was in fifth place of 14 teams when the SHL stopped its season due to the coronavirus.

“Linus is somewhat of a late-bloomer,” said Uffe Bodin, editor in chief of hockeysverige.se in Sweden. “He played on a stacked junior team in Modo with players like Adrian Kempe, Victor Olofsson, Dmytro Timashov and to some extent Robert Hägg and William Nylander. It took him a while to get accustomed to senior-level hockey, but he has always shown intriguing offensive instincts, and these past two years he has been a very reliable goal-scorer in the SHL. I'm not sure what that could translate to in the NHL, but my sense is that he could do well in a bottom-six role as well since he's not a one-dimensional offensive player. Maybe he could be your next Michael Raffl if everything works out for him in North America.”

Perhaps the Flyers’ forward group to start next season looks something like this…

Claude Giroux — Sean Couturier — Jake Voracek

Joel Farabee — Kevin Hayes — Travis Konecny

James van Riemsdyk — Nolan Patrick — Morgan Frost

Tanner Laczynski — Scott Laughton — Linus Sandin/Wade Allison

Michael Raffl

Here are a few other notes involving the Flyers in the last week:

• is back in a bigger capacity. 1183627 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin donates to Ronald McDonald House

SETH RORABAUGH | Monday, April 27, 2020 12:24 p.m.

Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin made an unspecified donation to the Ronald McDonald House of Pittsburgh on Monday.

The donation will allow the organization “to fulfill its entire pantry wish list and provide games for family entertainment,” according to a news release.

“My wife, Anna, and I wanted to do something to help families in the Pittsburgh area,” Malkin said in the release. “We know it is hard for everyone right now, but we couldn’t imagine having a child hospitalized during this uncertain time. While we are comfortable in our own homes, others are relying on the generosity of others, like Ronald McDonald House to open their doors.”

The donation will also be used to aid the organization in continuing to provide daily hot meals and catering.

The Ronald McDonald House of Pittsburgh had a wish list for pantry items.

Thanks to @emalkin71geno and his wife, Anna, the organization got everything on their list (and some board games too!)

More info: https://t.co/MejYeJWXXf pic.twitter.com/nGlBIYkQMe

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 27, 2020

Tribune Review LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183628 Pittsburgh Penguins

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins sign defenseman Billy Sweezey

SETH RORABAUGH | Monday, April 27, 2020 11:59 a.m.

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have signed undrafted free agent defenseman Billy Sweezey to an American Hockey League contract for the 2020-21 season.

Sweezey, 24, recently completed a four-year NCAA career at Yale. As a senior in this season, Sweezey (6-foot-2, 215 pounds) appeared in 32 games and recorded eight assists as well as 47 penalty minutes.

In 129 career games at Yale, Sweezey had 29 points (three goals, 26 assists).

The AHL’s season is currently delayed because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Tribune Review LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183629 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins A to Z: Riley Barber hopes to be more than a ‘4A’ player

SETH RORABAUGH | Monday, April 27, 2020 11:58 a.m.

While the NHL is on hold because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Tribune-Review will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at all 54 individuals under NHL contract with the organization, from mid- level prospect Niclas Almari to high-profile trade acquisition Jason Zucker.

Riley Barber

Position: Right winger

Shoots: Right

Age: 26

Height: 6-foot

Weight: 190 pounds

2019-20 NHL statistics: Nine games, 0 points (0 goals, 0 assists)

2019-20 AHL statistics: 46 games, 37 points (16 goals, 21 assists)

Contract: One-year contract with a salary cap hit of $700,000. Pending unrestricted free agent

Acquired: Acquired via trade on Feb. 20

This season: After four productive seasons with the Hershey Bears, AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals, Barber opted to join the Laval Rocket, the Montreal Canadiens’ affiliate as a free agent last offseason.

As usually has been the case throughout his professional career, which has been played primarily at the AHL level, Barber was one of Laval’s most productive players with 31 points (13 goals, 18 assists) in 39 games. He even earned a recall to the NHL level when injuries ravaged the Canadiens’ forward ranks in December.

In February, Barber and teammate Phil Varone, ran afoul of Laval coach Joel Bouchard, who suggested they weren’t sufficiently engaged. Shortly before the NHL’s trade deadline, Barber and Varone were dealt to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in a trade for forwards Joseph Blandisi and Jake Lucchini.

A native of Washington, Pa., Barber found an immediate fit with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins by producing six points (three goals, three assists) in only seven games before the AHL halted play.

The future: In his five professional seasons, Barber has developed into a classic “4A” player: good enough to be a productive first-line AHLer but not good enough to be a regular — or even occasional — NHLer. The fact he has all of 12 NHL games on his resume since being a sixth-round draft pick in 2012 would be evidence of that.

A number of injuries or other absences would have to occur on the NHL roster for Barber to dress for a game in his hometown team’s jersey. But given his ability to shoot the puck and the Penguins’ general attitude about fitting every ounce of skill — as opposed to grit — into their lineup on a nightly basis, it isn’t entirely unreasonable to see Barber in Pittsburgh, even if only on an infrequent basis.

Tribune Review LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183630 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins' Evgeni Malkin helps Ronald McDonald House provide kids with food, games

Joshua Axelrod

Penguins center Evgeni Malkin has made a donation to the Ronald McDonald House of Pittsburgh that, though the monetary amount is unknown, was enough to help the nonprofit “fulfill its entire pantry wish list and provide games for family entertainment,” according to the Penguins.

“My wife, Anna, and I wanted to do something to help families in the Pittsburgh area,” Malkin said in a news release. “We know it is hard for everyone right now, but we couldn’t imagine having a child hospitalized during this uncertain time. While we are comfortable in our own homes, others are relying on the generosity of others, like Ronald McDonald House, to open their doors.”

As the COVID-19 crisis continues to unfold, the Ronald McDonald House is currently serving as a home for 20 families with hospitalized children, according to the release. Malkin’s donation will aid the organization with giving these kids hot meals, important supplies such as paper products and games to help escape from the realities of their situations.

In addition, the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation also gave the Ronald McDonald house a care package of Penguins-themed promotional items, blankets and Malkin bobbleheads.

“We are incredibly grateful for the support that Evgeni Malkin has extended to our charity,” Eleanor Reigel, Ronald McDonald House’s executive director, said in the press release. “His generosity ensures that we can continue to provide our families with warm meals, essential household and pantry items and a safe and supportive environment to call home during this uncertain time.”

Malkin, who led the Penguins with 74 points before the NHL suspended play in March, is just one of many Penguins trying to provide Pittsburgh families with relief during this trying time. Multiple Penguins have partnered with Fox’s Pizza Den to make sure folks in the Hill District, North Side and other neighborhoods have access to a freshly made meal.

Post Gazette LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183631 Pittsburgh Penguins The other conditional pick is related to the Patrick Marleau trade. The 2021 third-round pick the Penguins gave up becomes a second-round pick if the Penguins win the Stanley Cup in 2020. But because that pick isn’t for another year, that’s not a pressing concern, either. Penguins GM Jim Rutherford expects NHL draft will follow NFL's virtual lead Draft prep

When the NHL does ultimately hold the draft, the Penguins are not scheduled to pick until the third round. That’s not the worst thing during Mike DeFabo this draft cycle. Canceling the scouting combine took away some evaluation time. Canceling the 2020 IIHF World U18 Championships may

have hurt even more. This weekend, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell welcomed America into “That was the final grading period for scouts,” Rutherford said. “It is every his home — and onto his recliner — when the league held its first virtual year. It’s a very important tournament. Those adjustments have to be draft. made.” A record 55 million viewers tuned in over the course of the three-day In case you’re keeping score at home, the Penguins’ first-round pick was event. Count Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford among them. part of the compensation for Zucker and the second-round pick went to While he wasn’t necessarily glued to the TV waiting to see who the Vegas so that they would pick Marc-Andre Fleury in the expansion draft. Browns picked in the seventh round, he did happen to catch “some” of it. Rutherford said that even with the unique circumstances and the Soon, Rutherford might find himself on the other side of the screen. uncertainty, the Penguins scouting department has done enough homework to be ready when it’s their turn on the clock The NHL initially planned to hold its draft June 26-27 in Montreal. However, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the league to cancel the event “I feel like our scouting staff had enough viewings of players that they’re and, likely, change the format. While there are no concrete plans yet, ready for the draft,” Rutherford said. “We’re trying to find one or two chances are the NHL will follow the NFL’s virtual lead. players in the middle rounds, which we’ve been able to do before. I think we’re prepared.” “The NFL did it in a way that’s the safest,” Rutherford said. “They did what they had to do. I suspect we’re going to do the same thing.” Hopefully Bettman’s recliner is ready, too.

As the NFL draft showed, there are some silver linings to a virtual Post Gazette LOADED: 04.28.2020 experience. It gave fans a chance to meet Bill Belichick’s dog, visit Kliff Kingsbury’s swanky penthouse and wonder what the heck is up with Mike Vrabel’s sons.

Should the NHL choose a similar format, it will also give fans the chance to see front office personnel and league executives in a different, more personal way. Unfortunately, this also means there won’t be any walks on a red carpet and colorful suits to kick start careers.

“It’s a big day, certainly, in our league, where all the players and families go to the draft,” Rutherford said. “I feel bad for them that they’re not going to be able to do that. That’s the same as a lot of things. The kids can’t have their graduations now and all these things. It’s just one of many, many things that changes in our world today.”

When could it happen?

Beyond the FaceTime vs. Zoom debate, there are a number of details the NHL will need to work out.

Commissioner Gary Bettman reportedly floated the idea of holding the draft in June. Because the NHL season won’t be complete by then, the league would need to figure out the draft order. Points percentage isn’t a perfect solution, but a logical one.

This will allow teams to make their picks. But what about all the other business that typically happens around the draft?

Draft weekend is one of the most active windows for trades. Teams that want to move up offer players as compensation. Other teams with salary cap considerations use draft weekend to reshape the way their roster will impact their pocketbook. But if a season isn’t done, can you trade a player before a postseason run? Probably not.

What about conditional picks?

Conditional picks are another detail that would need to be sorted out if the NHL chooses to hold the draft before the season is finished.

For some teams, this is a significant issue. For example, when the Calgary Flames traded James Neal to the Edmonton Oilers for Milan Lucic, it came with an interesting caveat. If Neal scored 21 goals or more and Lucic scored 10 fewer than Neal, the Flames get the Oilers’ third- round pick in 2020. When play was paused, Neal had 19 goals with 11 games remaining and Lucic had eight with 12 games left. See the problem?

Even though the Penguins made two trades this year that feature conditional picks, this is less of an issue for them than it is for other teams. First, if the Penguins fail to make the 2020 playoffs, the first-round pick they gave up for Jason Zucker can be optioned to 2021. But as long as the NHL decides it will play the postseason, the Penguins are in. So that’s not going to be a problem. 1183632 Pittsburgh Penguins impressive accomplishment given the current crop, specifically on defense.

Consider how Marino fared among the eight rookie defensemen to play Penguins’ player grades: John Marino at least 900 minutes at 5-on-5 (as recorded by the Natural Stat Trick website):

John Marino: hockey god By Rob Rossi Apr 27, 2020 SCF/60

24.15 The last hockey night for the Penguins was March 10, when they defeated the Devils, 5-2, in Newark, N.J. Within 48 hours, the NHL had 7 paused its 2019-20 season indefinitely because of a novel coronavirus SCA/60 pandemic. The league intends to finish the regular season and award the Stanley Cup if possible, but players have scattered across the globe and 22.99 there is no official timetable for a re-start of hockey. While everybody waits, The Athletic Pittsburgh will evaluate Penguins who played in at 2 least 10 games for the club before the pause. The series starts with John SCF% Marino. 51.23 After one of the earliest training-camp practices at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, former Penguins general manager and coach Eddie 5 Johnston asked my opinion on John Marino, who had impressed management and coaches during a prospect tournament. Before hearing Off. Zone Starts/60 my response, Johnston offered his assessment. 9.1

“He’ll make our team,” Johnston said of Marino, whom the Penguins 3 acquired from Edmonton late last July in an unheralded move during a busy offseason. “I’m telling you, he’ll be one of our best defensemen.” Neu. Zone Starts/60

Other than resisting generous offers to trade the No. 1 overall pick in 12.27 1984, has Johnston ever been more correct about something involving the Penguins? (No, I dare not compare Marino to . Yes, I 6 do contend Marino’s rookie seasons was one of the Penguins’ best.) Def. Zone Starts/60

Perhaps that last sentence will be enough to wipe from my memory the 8.98 dismissive look directed at Johnston when he lauded Marino during camp last September. I was a prisoner of the moment, and nothing about 15- 3 plus seasons covering the NHL afforded me the clairvoyance to envision On The Fly Starts/60 a rookie out of college cracking a lineup that was congested with proven and/or capable defensemen. 46.55

Thing was, I had been ignorant to an upbringing that helped form the 1 mature-beyond-his-years Marino who altered an awful lot for these Penguins — for last season and who knows how long. Colleague xGF/60 Stephen Nesbitt’s deep dive into Marino’s upbringing made it so that 2.16 nobody ever needs to repeat my mistake. 7 Marino was ready, at least as much as any Penguins rookie since Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal stormed the gates at Civic Arena in the fall of xGA/60 2006. If Marino had only pulled off that much, he would have done something special. 1.8

Kris Letang (2007-08), Olli Maatta (2013-14) and Jake Guentzel (2016- 1 17) each made major impacts as rookies. Matt Murray (2015-16) won the Defending is the least glamorous of jobs for defensemen. Being sound, Stanley Cup. let alone strong, at the root of the position is not something at which most Yet, Marino was at least as good — and perhaps better — than Letang, rookies excel. Maatta, Guentzel or Murray had been in their respective rookie seasons. It’s also not something that sells, so to speak. Though as impactful for Without much of a cushion, unless you consider spending the first week the Penguins as was any rookie for another club, Marino existed largely of the season watching games from the media level a cushion (it wasn’t), in the shadow of a group of rookie defensemen that just might prove his insertion into the lineup transformed a perceived weakness into a generational. Colorado’s Cale Makar, Vancouver’s Quinn Hughes and strength for the Penguins. the Rangers’ Adam Fox each scored at least 16 points more than Marino.

Marino was so good so soon, he: To take nothing away from those three players, but they all received a lot Rendered expendable Erik Gudbranson and his $4 million salary-cap hit; more power-play opportunities than Marino for the Penguins, who only occasionally used more than one defenseman on the advantage and, Helped Jack Johnson look a lot more like the dependable presence when healthy, could call upon Kris Letang or Justin Schultz to run their general manager Jim Rutherford believed he had signed in July 2018; first or second units.

Reignited coach Mike Sullivan’s system by giving the Penguins a right- The power play is where defensemen make money as point producers in handed puck mover on the ice for all even-strength situations; the NHL. The Penguins didn’t need Marino on theirs, and he paid the price. He was still paying the price as of Monday, when the league was Had he the cap space, there is likely no limit to the price Rutherford scheduled to provide Makar, Hughes and Fox for one of its pause would have paid for a defenseman who could do any one of those things. period’s national conference calls. In Marino, he had that player on an entry-level deal that counted only $925,000 against the cap. The national media’s loss will have to be Pittsburgh’s gain, just as the Oilers’ inability to entice Marino to stay in their organization was for the It wasn’t the Cup. But receiving what they did early and often from Marino Penguins last summer. was a fairly big win for the Penguins. By the time of the league’s pause, he had produced one of the finer seasons among NHL rookies — an Marino managed to defend better than any rookie defenseman. His return coincided with the comeback from ankle surgery of Brian Defending at or near that specific level might have been a fair Dumoulin, and the prevailing thought among coaches by that point was expectation for those who scouted him in college. that the Penguins were adding two top-pairing caliber defensemen for the stretch run. Defending better than, uh, a Norris Trophy-level defenseman — nobody had counted on Marino reaching that level. His expected goals against If there is higher praise for a rookie than for coaches and management to per 60 minutes was 0.26 better than Nashville’s Roman Josi. already view him as worthy of being a top-pairing defenseman, I’m not sure what it is. You might need a minute after reading that last sentence. I sure did after writing it. Oh, wait. Actually, I do.

Truth is stranger than fiction. There is this quote from Sullivan after Marino’s second NHL game.

No wonder Sullivan’s comments regarding Marino’s performances often “I think that I was maybe misunderstood after last game when we put him sounded as though he had fallen in love with the young man. So what if in the lineup and chose to play seven defensemen,” Sullivan said. “We he had? Falling head-over-heels for a rookie worthy of being discussed in put him in the lineup because we think he can help us win.” the same breath as Josi, one of the elite defenders in the league, is allowed. He could. He did. He probably will for years to come, too.

Heck, it should probably be encouraged. (If there isn’t a “John Marino is a For that reason and so many others, Marino earned the highest grade for hockey god” shirt being sold by the time the NHL returns, Pittsburgh’s any Penguins defenseman: A. many creative clothiers aren’t as creative as I’ve known them to be in the The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 past.)

Once Marino became a regular for the Penguins, it was apparent to even an untrained observer he was ready for regular work despite having jumped to the highest level of hockey from Harvard. Still, what became clearest was Marino’s rare ability to elevate his level when more was asked of him for whatever reason.

Often those reasons were obvious. Injuries to Brian Dumoulin and Justin Schultz forced the Penguins to pluck Marino from a third pairing and play him in a top-four role alongside whatever other defensemen were available. However, it would be a disservice to Marino’s consistency when playing up in the lineup to say that he had not earned increased opportunities.

It would be fairer to say that Marino provided Sullivan little choice but to turn him loose. When that happened, Marino flashed offensive traits that probably had to be witnessed daily to be appreciated.

A glimpse at his metrics would not reveal Marino as a defenseman who drove offense for the Penguins. The status might not lie, but they do fib, as Marino flashed overall instincts that hinted he was better offensively than his numbers indicated.

He knew where to be when he didn’t have the puck and what to do with it when he did. When he did appear to take chances, he rarely skated himself out of position. His release was quick and accurate. He patiently held the puck when the opportunity presented itself, and he could make a soft pass into tight spots.

Most impressive was his comfort along the boards, which he increasingly used to pinch off opposing forwards and as a shield when the puck was on his stick blade. He was adept on his forehand or backhand, which is not something many defensemen ever master, but Marino had that trick in his arsenal after only a few weeks in the NHL.

No less an authority at the more skilled aspects of hockey than Letang said there “isn’t much (Marino) can’t do.” And Malkin marveled at Marino’s upside, while in his own blunt way praising the rookie.

“Marino so good,” Malkin said while the Penguins were in Western Canada. “Like, maybe our best defenseman.”

Sure. In a few years. But …

“No, like maybe this year,” Malkin said. “You watch in practice sometime. Best players do same in practice. Marino so good in practice, makes games easy for him.”

The games weren’t easy, of course. Neither was the season.

Facial fractures sidelined Marino from Feb. 6 to March 3. The Penguins went 4-6-1 during that stretch and surrendered 24 goals in those regulation defeats.

They were missing more than just Marino in those games. He had done so well to cover up for the absences of Justin Schultz and Brian Dumoulin that the Penguins seemed to be all right without those defensemen while he was playing. When he couldn’t play, the Penguins barely could compete.

At plus-28 in goal differential at the time of the pause, the Penguins were a minus-6 during Marino’s time missed. That math doesn’t lie. 1183633 Pittsburgh Penguins Two: Baldwin made his bones in pro sports during the 1970s as a driving force in the upstart . As that league’s president, he’d engineered a four-team merger with the NHL in 1979, but not before founding the New England/Hartford Whalers and generally The inside story of the Penguins’ ‘Pittsburgh Pigeon’ logo building a reputation as a prime-time hybrid of marketer, string-puller and hype man.

An example: Baldwin knew that poaching top junior players was the main Sean Gentille Apr 27, 2020 source of leverage for the WHA. He also knew that the Whalers signing a particularly great one in 1979 would’ve been shortsighted.

Congratulations. You’ve just purchased a professional sports franchise. From his autobiography:

Not a random one, either. Not a bad one, and not a good one. A great “The only way that Hartford was going to get into the NHL was by one; a hockey team that just won a Stanley Cup behind the best player becoming a solution to a problem, not by creating new ones. So I felt, on Earth and one of the most talented rosters in the history of the NHL. rightly or wrongly, that if we signed Gretzky, we’d be on the NHL’s shit list. Big time. And by then, we were the only American team that had a Now, not that you could know for certain, it’s hard-charging toward a chance to get into the NHL, if they took any WHA teams at all, not second-straight title. What do you do? Enjoy the run? Hold off on the because of the city but because of the ownership. The NHL had a course alterations? Luxuriate in your brand equity? Probably. disease that wouldn’t go away called the WHA.”

You’re also, probably, not Howard Baldwin in 1992. Baldwin had just So, Baldwin called Indianapolis Racers owner Nelson Skabania — who bought the Pittsburgh Penguins — a front-facing chunk of them, at least realized his team wasn’t on the NHL shortlist and also owned half of the — and he wasn’t ready to make a big change. He was ready to make a WHA’s Edmonton Oilers — “because I knew he would understand that it huge one. was a huge opportunity and would help facilitate our strategy.” Skabania signed Gretzky, then after eight games sold the player and his own 50 So, he met with Gary Adams, the president and founding partner of percent stake in the Oilers (the WHA had no rule against owning more Pittsburgh graphic design firm Vance Wright Adams. than one team) to partner Peter Pocklington. By December, the Racers “The first thing (Baldwin) said to me was, ‘I need to change this pathetic had folded. By the next year, Hartford, Edmonton, Quebec and Winnipeg logo,’” Adams told The Athletic. had been absorbed by the NHL. Tic, tac, toe.

“I said, ‘Well, that’s not gonna go down too well.’” Three: He wanted a new logo. Badly.

It went down all the same. This — a well-intentioned, ill-timed change; an “(The decision happened) pretty quick,” Baldwin told The Athletic recently avatar for a distinct chapter in franchise history; a case study in shifting from his home in Los Angeles. “And it isn’t because we didn’t like the sports design principles; the meat in a skating-penguin sandwich — is logo they have now or had then. It was because when I had the Whalers, the story of the “Pittsburgh pigeon.” we were really one of the first teams to be at the forefront of merchandising. A Pittsburgh Penguins logo concept. (Courtesy of Gary Adams) “The one aspect of professional sports that has infinity attached to it is Before there could be conflict over the new logo, there had to be conflict merchandising. If you create the right materials and right brands, you can over the original name. After the NHL awarded Pittsburgh an expansion sell and sell and sell and sell. There’s no limit to it.” team in 1966, founder (and former state senator) Jack McGregor solicited nickname suggestions. Penguins — favored by McGregor’s wife Back then, Baldwin said, NHL merchandising regulations were simple Carol — beat out, among others, the one used for decades by the city’s enough; you kept the money you made in “your marketing radius.” Sell successful minor-league team. and sell and sell and sell.

“Most fans wanted to keep the Hornets name,” former general manager “It’s no coincidence that it takes place at a moment — a very singular Jack Riley — who died in 2016 at age 97 — told author Rick Buker for a moment — where licensing is just exploding,” said Todd Radom, a 2011 book on franchise history. “I certainly wasn’t in favor of it, but it designer whose work includes the current logos for the Washington caught on.” Nationals and Los Angeles Angels. “So professional leagues all of a sudden realize that there is a goldmine there to be exploited.” The team commissioned local artist (and logo guru) Bob Gessner to draw the logo. His response: “No, really, what will the team be called?” Think about the Charlotte Hornets, Radom said; teal, purple, fashion principles. Or the Chicago White Sox; a “very disciplined” redesign in Not the sort of start you’d like. After decades of tweaks, though — the 1991 after decades in the aesthetic wilderness. Or the penguin lost his scarf and his pot belly; the jersey ditched its center crest; in 1988; what better way to sell jerseys than trade for Wayne Gretzky and the color palette dropped blue; the team added Mario Lemieux and a crib from the Raiders? couple of Stanley Cups — the identity wasn’t just set; it was lucrative. According to the Associated Press, merchandise sales during the Cup Or the Pittsburgh Penguins. years were on par with Super Bowl cities. “Everything Howard did was to generate revenue,” longtime Penguins That’s where Baldwin, a sports executive and owner since the 1970s, broadcaster Paul Steigerwald said. “So he created a new logo because entered the picture. There are a few important things to keep in mind he knew that if he did, he’d create all new merchandise sales. And that about him, at least regarding his early days as the frontman for the was the one thing he could make money on, and the one thing he Penguins’ ownership group. retained.”

One: he had a talent for acquiring ownership stakes in franchises without By the winter of Baldwin’s first season with the team, he was publicly investing much of his own money, opting instead to involve partners and floating the idea of a new look for an even simpler reason. The bird, he assume debt. His stake in the Penguins came as the third leg in a said, was soft. personal NHL ownership relay beginning with the expansion San Jose “We’d like to (change the logo),” Baldwin told The Pittsburgh Press in Sharks and Minnesota North Stars. After leaving the Whalers in 1988, January 1992. “Make it a little more aggressive.” Baldwin — motivated in part by the success of Wayne Gretzky and the Kings — secured an arena deal in San Jose so lucrative that Minnesota’s A Pittsburgh Penguins logo concept. (Courtesy of Gary Adams) owners took it for themselves. In exchange for George and Gordon Gund essentially calling “dibs,” Baldwin and financier Morris Belzburg were Baldwin’s search for a design partner didn’t take him far. Vance Wright allowed to purchase the North Stars. After disagreements over the Adams — and Gary Adams specifically — had long worked on projects direction of the franchise with co-owner Norm Green, and with Edward with the Penguins and the DeBartolo corporation; logos for shopping DeBartolo Sr., looking to sell the Penguins in 1991, Baldwin and malls and the USFL’s Pittsburgh Maulers in 1984; marketing materials for Belzburg — along with Tom Ruta and Spectacor Management Group — the Penguins, including a muscular bird originally designed for an early- pounced. 90s ticket package that was eventually adopted by the AHL team in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 1999. That didn’t change under the Baldwin group. “When Howard came in,” Baldwin remembers it that way, too; Adams made something of a Adams said, “he took a liking to us. We just kept working with him and his suggestion, and he shot it down quickly … but not immediately. It wife Karen.” would’ve been a big bite for a new ownership group.

The Baldwins’ other motivating factor was a matter of taste. They were “Remember,” he said, “when we got the team, (fans) were kind of the owners — the decision-makers in this case, at least — and they skeptical of us, because we were in LA. It was like, ‘What are these wanted their team to have a logo they liked. At the time, Howard Baldwin outsider guys gonna do?” I think if we came in and changed the logo acknowledged that a new look would move more merchandise and serve and changed the name, they’d have been even more pissed. So we tried as a new marketing tool. He also didn’t hide his opinion. Not initially, and to take it slowly. not when he walked into the VWA offices on the North Side in the spring of 1992. “There’s tradition behind these franchises. There’s certain things that are sacrosanct.” “Everybody thought it was marketing,” Adams said. “People came to me and said, ‘So why’d Howard do this? Did he just want to make more Fair enough — and, maybe, crisis averted. Now, it was time for Adams to money and sell more jerseys?’ I said, ‘Well, that’s part of it. But he just draw. hated the logo.’ It came down to that. These logo concepts were being considered for the Penguins in the “He just said, ‘I don’t like it. I want something intimidating. I want 1990s. (Courtesy of Gary Adams) something sleek. I don’t want this mild-mannered penguin for a hockey Baldwin wanted an offseason reveal. By then, it was already spring. That logo.’” doesn’t sound like much runway — and in 2020, given the complexities And Baldwin, nearly 30 years later, cops to it. He thought the skating of the process and the number of stakeholders involved, it isn’t. Pitt’s bird’s time was up, from an aesthetic standpoint. 2019 redesign took years to plan and execute, not a couple of months.

“I won’t kid you. At the time, I thought it was,” — he paused — “fun. But I In 1992, though, it was more than Adams and his firm needed. One didn’t think it was the representation that we wanted. There’s no other week, Adams said. Maybe a couple of extra days. Done. way to put it. I just felt that we needed something with the connotation of “No focus groups. No blind testing. No showing it to broadcast partners,” action and power. Radom said. “That’s the way that it was done.”

“And again, when I say that, people will be probably mad at me, but that’s Adams and his team took Baldwin’s requests — speed, aggression, too bad. I felt that it would be fun to have something that wasn’t quite so action, power — and got to work. They treated it like any other request, cartoony.” starting with tracing-paper thumbnails and fleshing out designs, adding Sometimes, it’s that simple. There are typically two reasons for a color toward the end. Over, and over, and over. This wasn’t about redesign, Radom said. One is to break away from an era of losing. After presenting one finished product. It was about providing options. the 1990-91 season, that was as far from a concern for the Penguins as Adams eventually packed up a stack of different logos, wordmarks and possible. The other? An ownership change. Those aren’t rare in pro uniform designs and drove them from the North Side to the Civic Arena. sports, and for a stretch, they were commonplace for the Penguins. Tens. Dozens. Hand-drawn — because even though the landscape was But typically, teams aren’t sold in the middle of championship runs — evolving, computer-based design was still not standard. There were because championship runs are profitable and fun. Lemieux and Ron head-only penguins, full-body penguins, grimacing penguins, growling Burkle explored their own sale of the Penguins for years, then promptly penguins, stern penguins. A couple of logos were missing teeth — and a took them off the market after the 2016 Stanley Cup. couple of jerseys were colored differently.

And while teams don’t typically overhaul their look immediately after a “I actually wanted (Baldwin) to change to the metallic gold that they went title, either — every franchise wants an iconic look, and few have the back to (in 2002),” Adams said. “But he said, ‘Nah, we’re changing chance — there are some semi-recent examples; the St. Louis Rams in enough right now. I don’t want to make this too dramatic.’” 2000, the Houston Rockets in 1995 … and, of course, the Penguins in For those keeping score, a full-on nickname shift and a color change 1991. would’ve been a bridge too far for Baldwin. A new logo, though — after Baldwin, in other words, took an unorthodox route to a rare purchase and 25 seasons and one-Cup-and-counting — was in bounds, and both he made a non-traditional decision. And he did it quickly. There was money and Karen liked one in particular. In profile, less cartoony, no teeth to be made. (missing or otherwise), and no skates (because it had no feet). It appealed to the owner and the designer, even though it was an outlier “More often than not, a new owner’s gonna come in, and they want to among stacks of beefed-up originals. impart their stakes,” Radom said. “These days, they’re billionaires with very defined opinions. You can adjust that for inflation back in this case, “I think people would’ve been more upset if we took their logo and … but the sentiment holds true.” what?” Baldwin said. “Made it muscular? I think that would’ve been more distasteful than just coming up with a new one.” That sentiment also had a fundamental problem: plenty of mascots are intimidating. Plenty of mascots are sleek. Those mascots tend not to be The final product ticked all the initial boxes. It was sleeker, a little flightless birds. Artistically speaking, “make the penguin scarier” was not tougher, a little less cartoonish. It was a little more corporate; this bird the easiest request Adams had ever fielded. wasn’t fighting anyone. It wasn’t skating, or missing any teeth.

“I’m thinking, Why can’t I get the Sharks or the Lightning or the Bruins?” It was also — for better or worse, and certainly on purpose — different Adams said. “I get the freakin’ Penguins.” enough to sell.

The Pittsburgh portion of Adams’ brain kicked into gear, too. “I thought it was nice,” Adams said. “It was different. He realized what we were up against.” “I said, ‘This isn’t gonna be real popular, Howard, with them just winning the Cup.’ The Penguins ended up wearing these jerseys for much of the 1990s. (Courtesy of Gary Adams) “He goes, ‘I don’t give a shit.'” Baldwin’s final call was two jerseys, rather than the four-jersey scheme That’s when Adams — like Riley back in 1966 — made a hard left turn Adams had floated. The home white would feature the new penguin on and floated the seismic shift: “I go, ‘Do you know who the Pittsburgh the chest. The away black would have diagonal PITTSBURGH across Hornets were?’ And he says, ‘No.’ the chest — cribbed from the 1967 Penguins and the Rangers — and the new logo on the shoulder. Done deal. “I said, ‘Do you ever think about going back to that name?’ He goes, ‘Let me kick it around.’ And he did. He came back and said, ‘Nah, we think “When he showed them all to me — and he did a fabulous job — (the they’re gonna be upset with us enough for changing the logo after two white home uniform set) jumped off the page,” Baldwin said. “ I Cups. We’d better keep it at this.'” remember (equipment manager) Stevie Latin in particular, we all agreed that that was the one. And the one diagonally, (general manager Craig Patrick) liked, and we did too, because of the New York Rangers culture and the Patrick family, so that’s what we did.” Now, all Baldwin and Adams had to worry about was tweaking the design of Lemieux’s Hodgkin’s diagnosis, the team kept winning. And winning. and meeting with NHL apparel partner CCM. Adams made a few trips to And winning. CCM’s headquarters around the same time the Ottawa Senators, set to enter the league in 1992, were getting their original looks approved. Sell and sell and sell and sell.

That didn’t mean that CCM was making the prototypes, though. That was By the end of the 1992-93 regular season, they’d totaled more points also the responsibility of Vance Wright Adams. At one point, some than any other team in the league and set an NHL record for consecutive “players” tried on the jerseys and skated around the Civic Arena to see wins, with 17, that still stands. Four 100-point scorers, five 30-goal guys, how they looked on the ice. That day, the arena doors were locked. a President’s Trophy — this all happened while they wore Adams’ work.

The firm was used to working with non-disclosure agreements, but the “It was fun, but it would’ve been more fun if (the reaction was) a little project’s scope and visibility were next-level. Visitors popped into the more favorable. People were so superstitious. ‘You just won two Stanley shop all the time including, Adams said, current Steelers president Art Cups, and you’re changing the logo?’ I’m sure the players felt that way Rooney II, who lived nearby. too, as superstitious those guys are,” Adams said. “It was just the playoffs when (fans) started blaming the logo for when Tom Barrasso “One of the biggest problems, obviously, was keeping that under wraps,” looked like he just wanted to get the hell off the ice.” Adams said. “Usually there were 30 people working for us. So they all knew there was something going on, and we’re trying to keep this a Indeed, something else happened. And the thing that happened was not secret. We had people out there making uniforms, and we’re saying, ‘You good. have to keep this to yourselves.’” “I still think,” Adams said, “the uniform gets blamed for the David Volek Vance Wright Adams kept the secret and so did everyone else, all the goal.” way up to the start of the Wales Conference finals. The only thing that He laughed, but it’s hard to discount. The Lemieux-Jagr Penguins made it easy? They didn’t have to stay quiet all that long. reached their high-water mark, and the Islanders pulled the plug. The By mid-May, NHL-licensed pucks featuring the new logo hit shelves in rest of the 90s brought plenty — wins, drama, individual greatness, Canada. The beans were spilled, and not by anyone in Pittsburgh. Idea playoff trips. The Cup count, though, stalled on No. 2. to execution in a couple of months. The wildest thing about the process, Still, for all the agita, the brand was strong. When the NHL began Baldwin said, only cropped up in hindsight. allowing clubs to introduce third jerseys, the Penguins revisited some of “It’s crazy compared to the way they get things done today,” Baldwin Adams’ ideas. A couple years after his initial redesign, dye sublimation said. “And I don’t mean that in a disparaging way — there was just less had changed the sports logo game. Now, designers could print colors red tape. No question that we had to get league clearance, but they directly into fabrics. responded well and got behind it and there it was. We were off and “That gave you a lot to work with, as opposed to just being limited in what running.” we can do with embroidering. That’s what some of those teams — the If the league’s response was positive, the public’s fell somewhere south. Coyotes and teams like that — were doing. Really nice,” Adams said. Even the AP write-up of the leak — typically straightforward as it gets — “But again, we had to work with a penguin.” acknowledged the popularity of the skating penguin. “The change to a And again, he laughed. The third jersey process started ahead of the more contemporary, more abstract logo may not prove popular among 1994-95 lockout and involved several of Adams’ other designs. It also, Penguins fans,” the story read. prominently, featured the color blue, some “arctic” schemes and several The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Press didn’t cover the story because alternate secondary logos, including one that featured an igloo and a set they couldn’t. A newspaper truck driver strike effectively halted both of crossed hockey sticks. publications on May 17, 1992. When the strike ended in January 1993, The end result wasn’t rolled out until after the lockout and was worth the the Post-Gazette had purchased the Press, merged newsrooms and effort. The gradient/”RoboPenguin” jersey, different but still in line with stopped publishing an afternoon paper. their overall look, quickly replaced the diagonals as the go-to road look. It What we’re left with as a barometer of how local fans welcomed the was the most successful of the NHL’s five alternate jerseys and remains change are papers like the North Hills News Record, where they printed a common sight at PPG Paints Arena. pages’ worth of angry letters in late May 1992. I think it’s a good The Penguins also considered these alternates in the mid-1990s. advertisement for the Aviary. … It just desensitizes the whole team. … It (Courtesy of Gary Adams) looks like a stupid bird. … I love the logo. NOT. There are more. There are many more. By the end of the decade, Baldwin’s group was out of the owner’s box — the team, famously, declared bankruptcy in 1998. Lemieux parlayed the “They called it a pigeon and stuff like that. It just looks like a proud money he was owed into a successful bid to save the franchise, along penguin,” Steigerwald said. “That’s the way penguins really look.” with co-owner Ron Burkle.

Baldwin wasn’t thrilled. He also wasn’t overly concerned — and He also brought back the skating penguin, first as an alt in 1999 and eventually, the worm would turn. then, three years later, full-time and to widespread acclaim. Nearly 20 “I always care what people think. People who say they don’t care years, a color palette shift and three more Stanley Cups later, here we shouldn’t be in the sports and entertainment world. But at the same time are, walking through the door of mid-90s nostalgia. you have to rise above it,” he said. In our recent Penguins fan survey, plenty of fans, without prompting, “Yeah, there was a segment of people that didn’t like it, but the best asked for some sort of 90s throwback. At Lemieux’s own fantasy camp in evidence is whether it sold. And it sure did sell, I can tell you that.” February, campers wore the black diagonals. On the other side of the coin, the team hasn’t finished its second season with its current yellow The Penguins considered these alternate jerseys in the mid-1990s. third jerseys, and the NHL plays a major role in deciding on jerseys for (Courtesy of Gary Adams) outdoor games. The priority there, as in the 2019 game at Heinz Field, is often coming up with similar designs for both teams. Part of that was true, of course, for reasons that had nothing to do with a logo change. After the franchise’s first Stanley Cup win, over Minnesota Either way, whether the rehab process is official or not, it’s on — and it’s in 1991, merch moved on the level of “post-Super Bowl sales in the cities been on. of NFL champions,” according to the AP. That stayed true through the second Cup, and that was with a dead logo walking. By the time Lemieux That, Radom said, is how it tends to work; he called it “a 25-year wave,” took his post-victory lap in Chicago, the redesign had leaked. Didn’t with examples going back to “Happy Days” and Sha Na Na in the 70s. matter. “You’ve got people (in their 30s) who grew up with this, and you’re seeing “You’ve got an amazing fanbase there, and they support their team, and it in a fresh light with purchasing power in mind,” Radom said. “In sports, they buy a lot of merchandise,” Baldwin said. though, we’re members of this community, members of this tribe. And a lot of these looks represent comfort food. It’s a nice heaping bowl of Avid fanbase. Great team. The old logo was moving units, so of course a mashed potatoes.” new one would, too. Doesn’t hurt when, against the odds and in the face For Adams and Baldwin, it’s a little more than that. Both would like to see the logo make some sort of comeback, and they’re not alone. The gradient jersey, making some sort of comeback during a stadium series game? “Gin And Juice” on the road, every now and then? Why not?

“It’s their team, not mine. And I don’t think there are two better owners in that league than Mario and Burkle,” Baldwin said. “Everybody that owns the team has a right to have their own logo, so there it is. But it’d be fun to bring it back once in a while, wouldn’t it?”

The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183634 San Jose Sharks San Jose lost in the final to Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.

“Obviously, we came up short against a great team,” Ward said. “It was a Ex-Shark Joel Ward explains how he’d like to stay involved in hockey tough way to go, but to play against some great people, everybody bonded well, fought for each other and made it really special.” NHL: Joel Ward, who announced his retirement Monday, says has had discussions about joining the San Jose Sharks in perhaps a coaching Ward was involved with the NHL’s “Hockey is for Everyone” program for capacity throughout his career. But recent incidents have served as a reminder of how much work there remains to be done to eradicate racism from the game.

By CURTIS PASHELKA | PUBLISHED: April 27, 2020 at 3:26 p.m. | In November, Bill Peters resigned as Calgary’s coach after allegations UPDATED: April 27, 2020 at 3:31 p.m. arose that he used racial slurs and was physically abusive when he was a coach in the minor leagues.

Earlier this month, Miller, after he agreed to terms with the Rangers to SAN JOSE — Former Sharks forward Joel Ward is fully ready to start the turn professional after two seasons at Wisconsin, was subjected to a next chapter of his life. racial slur during a Q&A session the NHL team hosted on a Zoom call. Being a father to his one-year-old son and a husband to his wife, There was little oversight of the session, which was open to the first 500 Kathleen, are the biggest priorities for Ward, who officially announced his people who joined. retirement Monday. But after experiencing racism first-hand during his “It’s definitely disheartening, it’s sickening to hear some of these cases hockey career, and seeing New York Rangers prospect K’Andre Miller for sure,” Ward said. “All he wanted to do was to play, and that’s exactly become a target of a recent online attack, Ward also feels he can help what I wanted to do as a kid, was to pick up a hockey stick and play the the NHL combat bigotry in the game. game. “It’s just a game for everybody,” said Ward, whose parents immigrated “I’ve gone though personally some racism (in) the game. It’s definitely from Barbados to Canada before he was born, on a conference call. hard. You just put your foot down, I think my love of the game kind of “I picked up a stick and fell in love with it, why can’t the next kid? I think a took over. It’s unfortunate what happened with K’Andre. We’ve got to lot of it for guys like myself and other players to show kids of minority step up and say we want to end this, as we need everybody, (both) from background and people of color that hockey is for everybody. We’re here the league and key marquee players.” just to enjoy the game and have fun. It’s another sport that anybody else In his article, Ward wrote how fatherhood has changed his perspective can just pick up and play and we’ve been trying to focus that to get more following his playing career. His son, Robinson, was born a little more ids more involved and not to be scared.” than a year ago in the South Bay, where he and his wife still have a Ward made his retirement official with an article he published in The home. Players’ Tribune titled “726,” representing the number of regular season “When I saw my son during my wife’s ultrasound over a year ago, I games he played in the NHL over 10-plus seasons. That included 209 couldn’t wait to tell him those stories,” Ward wrote. “That’s, I think, what games with the Sharks from 2015 to 2018. made me ready to call it a career. I just wanted to be a dad.” Undrafted, Ward played four years of university hockey in Canada and San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 04.28.2020 spent over a season in the AHL before made his NHL debut with Minnesota on Dec. 16, 2006 at the age of 26.

Ward also played for Nashville and Washington before he joined the Sharks. He finished his career with 133 goals and 304 points, which included 36 goals and 84 points in San Jose.

Ward’s first year in San Jose in 2015-16 was his best with the Sharks. At age 35, he scored 21 goals and had 43 points, the second-highest single season totals of his career. He also had 13 points in 24 playoff games, as the Sharks advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time as a franchise.

In his article, Ward detailed how well he meshed with the Sharks, saying, “I miss that group so much already. I miss how much fun it was to come to the rink every day.

“That’s what separates San Jose from anywhere else. The atmosphere in that locker room, it’s remarkable. Every day was a blessing there. Patty, Pavs, Jumbo, Burnzy — those guys set the culture and everyone followed. I’m thankful to that organization for the opportunity to have played there, to have been a part of it all.”

Ward said there have also been discussions with the Sharks about being a part of the organization, possibly in a developmental role.

“I’ve shared I would like to get on the ice with them if that can work,” Ward said.

Ward became an NHL regular in 2008 and spent three years with the Predators, helping the team win its first ever playoff series in 2011. He had three goals and two assists in the Predators’ six-game series win over Anaheim in the first round.

Ward then signed with Washington in the summer of 2011, and added to his reputation as a clutch playoff performer. In Game 7 of the Capitals’ first round series with the defending Cup champion Boston Bruins, Ward scored the overtime winner to lift seventh-seeded Washington past No. 2 Boston.

Ward had 52 points in 83 career playoff games. In the Sharks’ run to the Cup final in 2016, Ward had seven goals and six assists in 24 games. 1183635 San Jose Sharks

San Jose Sharks launch relief fund for part-time employees

Team puts $200,000 into pot for workers at SAP Center and team’s ice- rink facilities

By SAL PIZARRO | PUBLISHED: April 27, 2020 at 2:46 p.m. | UPDATED: April 27, 2020 at 3:04 p.m.

It may be quiet inside SAP Center right now, but the San Jose Sharks made some noise off the ice Monday by launching a relief fund for more than 1,800 part-time workers — everyone from the “blue coats” who scan tickets at the Shark Tank to the person who rents skates to kids at Solar4America Ice.

The fund is already seeded with more than $200,000 from the Sharks’ owners, players, front office staff and other corporate and individual supporters. The team is already paying its staff who are full-time (or nearly full-time) during the shelter-in-place period, but Sharks President Jonathan Becher said the fund is a way to help more employees who work at SAP Center, as well as Solar4America Ice in San Jose and Fremont and the Oakland Ice Center. All four facilities have been closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and part-time workers who are eligible to apply for aid will be contacted by their supervisors.

“The effect that COVID-19 has had on the lives of these people is drastic and ongoing,” Becher said. “This is a wonderful way to say ‘thank you’ to these individuals who make our experiences truly memorable.”

The Sharks also are encouraging fans with the resources to do so to donate to fund at sjsharks.com/covid19relief. Donations will be accepted from the public through July 25, and team ownership has committed to matching money raised through the campaign.

This new campaign adds to a $300,000 donation the Sharks Foundation and SAP made to Second Harvest of Silicon Valley in March, and a donation — with food service vendor Aramark — of more than 2,000 lbs. of perishable food from SAP Center to Martha’s Kitchen in San Jose.

NO DERBY? NO PROBLEM FOR JUNIOR LEAGUE: The Kentucky Derby may have been put off until September but that isn’t stopping the Junior League of San Jose from throwing its Derby Day fundraiser. Of course, because of shelter-in-place rules, the festivities — dubbed “A Derby State of Mind” — are taking place virtually from 3 to 6 p.m. on May 2, when the 146th Run for the Roses had been scheduled.

The YouTube and Facebook livestreams will include a DJ-led happy hour (bring your own Mint Julep), live and silent auctions and a DJ dance party. And the Junior League, led by President Bree von Faith, recommends you really get into it by ordering food and cocktails from the special Derby Day menus being offered by Santana Row restaurants Left Bank Brasserie, Meso and LB Steak. Even better? Ten percent of the food purchases will benefit The Hub at Bill Wilson Center, which supports foster youth.

When your fancy hat and bow tie is ready, you can register to “attend” the party — and get links to the livestream — on Eventbrite. Just head to www.jlsj.org for more details.

BUILDING COMMUNITY IN SUNNYVALE: Most of us have experienced some sort of new kinship with our neighborhoods and towns during the shelter-in-place, but Sunnyvale Community Services has an opportunity to really emphasize that its city is in this together. Executive Director Marie Bernard says that a generous couple — who prefer to remain anonymous — has offered to match donations of up to $250 each made in the next two weeks by Sunnyvale residents up to $100,000.

Part of the point is to get more Sunnyvale residents to support the nonprofit, which Bernard says is dealing with an unprecedented flood of new clients who are out of work because of business closures. Donations will be accepted through May 10 at svcommunityservices.org or by sending a check to 725 Kifer Road, Sunnyvale, CA 94086.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183636 San Jose Sharks scored the overtime winner to lift seventh-seeded Washington past No. 2 Boston.

Ward had 52 points in 83 career playoff games. In the Sharks’ run to the Former Sharks forward Joel Ward announces retirement Cup final in 2016, Ward had seven goals and six assists in 24 games.

Joel Ward, who played 10-plus seasons in the NHL, including three with Ward took part in an exhibition game between Sharks’ alumni and the San Jose Sharks, officially announces retirement members of the PWHPA bat the team’s Fan Fest at SAP Center in September 2019. After the game, outside one of the dressing rooms at the arena, Ward held his son in his arms. Ward wrote that it was important to him that his son be present for a game when he was on the By CURTIS PASHELKA | PUBLISHED: April 27, 2020 at 9:38 a.m. | ice. UPDATED: April 27, 2020 at 2:57 p.m. “It was a really emotional day,” Ward wrote. “I took a photo with

Robinson. He didn’t know exactly what was happening, but he will SAN JOSE — Joel Ward’s playing career was a study in perseverance. someday. And I hope it means as much to him as it did to me.” Undrafted as a junior hockey player in Ontario, Ward went on to play four San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 04.28.2020 years of university hockey in Canada and over a year in the minor leagues before he made his NHL debut in Dec. 2006 at the age of 26.

Ward, who went on to play 10-plus seasons in the NHL, including three with the Sharks from 2015-2018, officially announced his retirement Monday in an article he wrote for The Players Tribune titled “726,” reflecting the number of games he played in the league.

Ward wrote, “I know I didn’t play the last two years, but I tried. I did. I wish I could have gone out in a bit of a different way. But, you know, just thinking about it all — all 726 games — I realized something. Who am I to wish for any more time? I got what I wanted. I’m one of the lucky ones.”

Ward wrote how fatherhood has changed his perspective following his playing career. His son, Robinson, was born a little more than a year ago in the South Bay, where he and his wife, Kathleen, still have a home.

“When I saw my son during my wife’s ultrasound over a year ago, I couldn’t wait to tell him those stories,” Ward wrote. “That’s, I think, what made me ready to call it a career. I just wanted to be a dad.”

Ward, 39, signed a three-year contract with San Jose as a free agent in 2015. He, along with defenseman Paul Martin and goalie Martin Jones, other players also acquired by general manager that offseason, helped the Sharks reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 2016.

Playing a top nine forward role, Ward, at age 35, scored 21 goals and had 43 points in his first season with the Sharks, the second-highest totals of his career after he had 24 goals and 49 points in 2013-14 with the Washington Capitals.

Ward played 209 regular season games with the Sharks and 30 playoff games.

In his article, Ward detailed how well he meshed with the Sharks, saying, “I miss that group so much already. I miss how much fun it was to come to the rink every day. That’s what separates San Jose from anywhere else. The atmosphere in that locker room, it’s remarkable. Every day was a blessing there. Patty, Pavs, Jumbo, Burnzy — those guys set the culture and everyone followed. I’m thankful to that organization for the opportunity to have played there, to have been a part of it all.”

Ward’s route to the NHL was unconventional, to say the least.

A Toronto native, Ward played four seasons with Owen Sound of the OHL before he attended the University of Prince Edward Island. He played Canadian university hockey for four more years and turned professional when he was 25.

Ward signed a contract with Florida Everblades of ECHL but was signed shortly afterward to a professional tryout by the Houston Aeros of the AHL. He made his NHL debut on Dec. 16, 2016, and noted in the Players’ Tribune article that it came against the and Daniel and Henrik Sedin. In 1999, Ward and his mother attended the NHL Draft in Boston and saw the Sedin twins taken second and third overall.

Ward became an NHL regular in 2008 and spent three years with the Nashville Predators, helping the team win its first ever playoff series in 2011. He had three goals and two assists in the Predators’ six-game series win over Anaheim in the first round.

Ward then signed with Washington in the summer of 2011, and added to his reputation as a clutch playoff performer. In Game 7 of the Capitals’ first round series with the defending Cup champion Boston Bruins, Ward 1183637 San Jose Sharks

Longtime NHL forward Joel Ward retires

Josh Dubow, Ap Sports Writer Updated 12:13 pm PDT, Monday, April 27, 2020

Longtime NHL forward Joel Ward announced his retirement Monday, ending an 11-year career that started as an undrafted player.

Ward became known as one of the game's most clutch playoff performers and said he relished the chance to be teammates with stars like Alex Ovechkin, Joe Thornton, Shea Weber and Pekka Rinne during his time in the NHL.

“To me it's unbelievable,” Ward said in a conference call. “I just wanted to play one hockey game. The fact I got a chance to play with a lot of great hockey players, Ovie, Jumbo. I got a chance to be around some world- class guys. ... It's kind of still surreal to me. I was just hoping to get a chance to just be out there at some point. But to be on the ice at the same time as all these guys and be friends with them. I never thought about that growing up.”

The 39-year-old Ward last played in the NHL in 2018 for the San Jose Sharks. He went to training camp with Montreal in 2018-19 but was unable to get another shot and decided officially to end his career in an announcement on the Player’s Tribune.

Ward said he considers himself lucky to have played 726 career games after going undrafted and now wants to focus on being a dad to his 1- year-old son Robinson.

Ward started his career with Minnesota in the 2006-07 season and also played for Nashville, Washington and San Jose in his 11-year career.

He scored 133 goals and had 171 assists in the regular season. He had some of his best moments in the playoffs.

He had seven goals and six assists in 12 games in the 2011 postseason for the Predators, scored a Game 7 double-overtime goal for Washington at Boston in the first round in 2012, and had seven goals and six assists in the 2016 postseason when he helped the Sharks reach the Stanley Cup Final before losing to Pittsburgh.

Ward finished with 22 goals and 30 assists in 83 playoff games.

Ward said he wants to give back to the game in some way, either as a coach or helping the league confront racism that he faced at times in his career.

“Over the years, I've had such great teachers, coaches,” he sad. “I think I've learned so much over the years and it would be a shame if I kept all that information to myself and not share it.”

San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183638 San Jose Sharks

Jonathan Becher Q&A: Sharks president on part-time workers' relief fund

By Brodie Brazil April 27, 2020 3:11 PM

While the Sharks' hockey operations have come to a complete halt due to the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the business side is busy as ever, according to team President Jonathan Becher.

Like many companies, one of their biggest struggles and first orders of business was to get all employees connected from home. That Includes setting up weekly Zoom conference calls that feature more than 200 simultaneous guests.

On Monday, NBC Sports California caught up with Becher via FaceTime, around the time the team announced a new plan to support their part- time workers across multiple locations.

On assisting the 1,800 part-time workers at SAP Center:

“Frankly, we’re deep in the community. We care a lot, and know the part- time workers in our building that don’t work as frequently for us. They may only get a couple hours per week from us. And a couple hours per week from somebody else. They are as impacted by this pandemic as anybody else. Not only from a health point of view, but also a financial point as well. We’re announcing a COVID-19 relief fund from Sharks Sports & Entertainment.”

How the fund got started, and is expected to generate at least $600,000:

“Sharks management, ownership, friends of the franchise, players, coaches, all of us have already seeded the fund. And [Sharks owner] Hasso [Plattner] has generously agreed to match whatever money that we get. Last I'd checked, we had already raised $200,000, likely going to raise much more than that.”

On how different Sharks games and other events will likely feel once resumed:

“It seems likely, although not a foregone conclusion there may be something like temperature checks before you can get people into a building again. Not just our building but restaurants, or even movie theaters. Any public gathering. It’s certainly possible that face masks might be required for all fans the beginning. We don’t know that for sure, but it’s likely. We’re still working through what food and beverage might be when you come into a building like ours. If you have to wear a face mask, how do you drink or eat?”

On predicting how technology could aid sports and other businesses:

“In the coming months there may be a digital immunity card, kind of like a drivers license but only the fact that you’ve been exposed to this already. If you’ve got a digital immunity maybe you scan that at the door the same way we scan tickets?”

How the NHL could return with varying guidelines at arenas across North America:

“It’s certainly possible the guidelines will be different in Santa Clara County than they will be in some other state. When the league re-opens, it may do so with slightly different rules in one building than that are in some other building. It may be that we play a few more games on the road at the beginning of the year for next season, and we don’t open our season at home for 10 days later. The point is, there are so many different potential scenarios out there that, I’ve lost track. We don’t need to know exactly which is going to happen and when. Our goal right now is to build a detailed a plan as we can for each of them. Then when it becomes clear which is the best of them, that’s what we put into operation."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183639 San Jose Sharks

Former Sharks wing Joel Ward announces NHL retirement after 11 seasons

By Alex Didion April 27, 2020 11:22 AM

After 726 NHL games, former Sharks wing Joel Ward is hanging up his skates. The 39-year-old made the announcement in a Players' Tribune piece published on Monday. https://t.co/KYqxe9v1Mo

— Joel Ward (@JRandalWard42) April 27, 2020

Ward played 209 games across three seasons with San Jose, and waxed poetic about his time in the Bay Area in the essay.

Then there’s San Jose, and everything that place has meant to me.

That isn’t one image, really. It’s more like a feeling.

I miss that group so much already. I miss how much fun it was to come to the rink every day. That’s what separates San Jose from anywhere else. The atmosphere in that locker room, it’s remarkable. Every day was a blessing there. Patty, Pavs, Jumbo, Burnzy -- those guys set the culture and everyone followed. I’m thankful to that organization for the opportunity to have played there, to have been a part of it all.

After signing with the Sharks in 2015, Ward was an instrumental part of the group that reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2016. He ranked fifth on the team with 13 points during that postseason run.

He made his last NHL appearance back on Apr. 7, 2018, scoring a point in a Sharks' loss to the Minnesota Wild.

The organization and Ward’s former teammates returned the favor and made sure to thank the veteran on social media for all of his contributions to the franchise.

Congrats on a great career, Wardo! https://t.co/bXeJj2sIWW

— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) April 27, 2020

Unbelievable player and person! Still try and implement your can’t change it now advice and stop stressing! special family and a huge congrats to a great career bud! One of the best teammates you could hope for and brought everyone young/ old/ married/ single together #specialguy https://t.co/18UVyyFzx1

— Brent Burns (@Burnzie88) April 27, 2020

Enjoy retirement, Joel. You earned it.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183640 San Jose Sharks

What Scott Hannan misses about sports during NHL coronavirus hiatus

By Scott Hannan April 27, 2020 10:00 AM

Editor's note: Like you, NBC Sports Bay Area insiders, reporters and analysts are feeling the sports void during the coronavirus stoppage. They'll share their thoughts every Monday, Wednesday and Friday in "What I Miss About Sports." Next up in the series: Sharks analyst Scott Hannan.

I have a confession to make. I miss hockey. I don't say this just as a retired hockey player looking back at my career, I say this as a fan of the sport. From growing up a Vancouver Canucks fan idolizing the likes of Doug Lidster and Jyrki Lumme. To watching Pavel Bure streak down the ice to score another goal.

As a player and getting paid to do what I loved, I have so much to be grateful for. I was able to travel and meet people from all over the world, creating lasting friendships along the way. I met my wife and started a family while playing hockey. I've called many places home. All of these, and much more, happened with one constant: hockey.

To be sure, my perspective as a player was different than as a fan. When I was younger, I'm not sure I recognized just how fortunate I was. I guess I thought things would last forever. We are all guilty of taking things for granted from time to time and, I must admit, I think I took hockey for granted at times. It wasn't until the end that I realized just how much I loved the game and how much I would miss playing. Life happens faster than you think.

Since retiring from professional hockey, I've been able to sink into the role of being a fan once again. Going to games, watching them on TV, using hockey as an excuse to hang out with friends, and phone calls with buddies trying to guess what's going to happen around the NHL trade deadline.

And then there was Game 7 against the Vegas Golden Knights last year. The excitement that was building that erupted into madness that included every Sharks player on the ice and every Sharks fan in the Tank. I was one of those fans. I was part of the joy and the mania that erupted when Barclay Goodrow scored "The Goal" to seal the Sharks' first-round victory and epic comeback.

It was a new perspective going from a fan to a player and back to a fan again. That joy. That comradery amongst fans. I am humbled that I, in some fashion was able to bring joy to fans during my time playing.

And now there are no sports. There is no hockey. Hockey is not happening somewhere, anywhere. It feels, in a way, like a second retirement. A similar sense of loss. As the saying goes, "You don't realize what you have until it's gone."

The absence of hockey will one day, come to an end. I will step back on the ice and be able to coach my kids. We will be able to watch Sharks games, both live and on TV, feel the excitement again. At some point in the not-too-distant future, this difficult time will pass. In the meantime, I'll get to spend quality time with my family at home. Help my kids improve their skills in the backyard. And I'll remember that even these little things cannot be taken for granted.

Until the puck drops.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183641 San Jose Sharks The league has made strides towards including players and fans of all colors and backgrounds in recent years with the “Hockey is for Everyone” program. Still, as with society in general, there is plenty of work to be done. Earlier this month, one pathetic individual ambushed a video chat Beloved former Sharks forward Joel Ward retires, but will surely with local fans and Rangers prospect K’Andre Miller. And earlier this resurface soon season, former player Akim Aliu went public with accusations that Flames coach Bill Peters previously directed racial slurs toward him in

2009-10, and Peters eventually resigned from the Flames. By Kevin Kurz Apr 27, 2020 Growing the game and making everyone feel safe is something that Ward takes very seriously, and he wants to do whatever he can in that regard. For the past year, and for the foreseeable future considering the state of society, Joel Ward has been, in his words, “daddy daycare.” After his son “For me, it’s representation,” Ward said. “Growing up in Toronto, there Robinson was born last year on April 16, Ward remained at his South wasn’t too many blacks that that would play in the National Hockey Bay home while his wife, Kitt, continued to work her job at a non-profit League, and to look up to. organization. “I picked up a stick and fell in love with it. Why can’t the next kid? Guys “I’ve gotten a chance to bond with the little guy,” Ward said. “It’s actually like myself and other players (need) to show kids of minorities and helped me mentally (get) over missing the games and has been a good people of color that hockey is for everybody. We’re here just to enjoy the transition for me.” game and have fun. It’s another sport that anybody else can pick up and play. We’ve been trying to focus (on) that and to get more kids more Ward officially retired from the NHL on Monday with a touching essay in involved, and to not be scared. … Obviously, the league and everybody The Players’ Tribune, but he’ll almost certainly be back in the game else has got to do their part, but it’s important for the current player sooner rather than later. In fact, he’s already had discussions with the representation for those kids to see (and) to look up to.” Sharks about a role in the organization. Ward, who named his son after Jackie Robinson while adopting the No. “I’ve had some talks with the Sharks briefly, going back and forth a few 42 during his time with the Capitals and Sharks, was certainly aware of times. We chat about some different areas,” Ward said on a conference what happened with the 20-year-old Miller. call Monday. “I’ve kind of shared that I’d like to hopefully get on the ice at some point with them. It would be great to stay here.” “It’s definitely disheartening,” he said. “It’s sickening to hear some of these cases, for sure. Because, I mean, all we want to do is to play, and Ward played 726 NHL games with the Wild, Predators, Capitals and that’s exactly what I wanted to do as a kid, is just to pick up a hockey Sharks, and concluded his career with three seasons in San Jose from stick, play the game. Sometimes when you’re in a locker room it can feel 2015-16 to 2017-18, posting 84 points (36g, 48a) in 209 games, and a little lonely at times, because it’s hard to relate in certain situations. another 17 points (8g, 9a) in 30 playoff games. He was a key component Coaches or teammates or what have you call you certain names on the ice and in the dressing room for the 2015-16 team that advanced because of the color your skin, it’s definitely (hurtful).” to the Stanley Cup final. His message? He attempted to extend his career after his Sharks contract expired, attending Montreal Canadiens training camp on a tryout in 2018, but “Just be proud of who you are,” he said. “I love my West Indian wasn’t offered a contract. Caribbean culture. I’m just very proud of who I am and what I’ve become, and (I wasn’t) going to let somebody deter me of my goals and my Ward was a versatile player for the Sharks and someone that then-coach dreams. My dream was to play the National Hockey League.” Pete DeBoer relied on to play up and down the lineup. Typically, Ward slotted in as a third-line winger. But he often played in the top six while It was a dream Ward fulfilled. Now, as he moves on to the next stage of getting time on the second power-play unit and the penalty-kill, too. his life, he seems ready and willing to help others fulfill, it, too.

Along with his production, a big reason Ward was signed to a three-year, The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 $9.825 million contract during the 2015 offseason was for his reputation as an individual and teammate. The Sharks were coming off of a rough season that ended with coach Todd McLellan’s dismissal, but they still had a solid core in place. They just needed the right players around that core, and signing Ward proved to be one of general manager Doug Wilson’s best roster decisions.

Ward, 39, figures he is still young enough to understand today’s NHL player. Considering his experience in so many situations as well as a penchant for coming through in the clutch, Ward should have much to offer. It could be a natural fit for him to break in as an assistant coach, perhaps even on ’s staff if the interim coach is offered the full-time job next season. Or, maybe Ward could get his feet wet in player development by working with the organization’s young prospects on the AHL Barracuda.

“Over the years I’ve had such great teachers, coaches, I’ve learned so much over the years. It’d be a shame if I just kind of kept all that information to myself and not share it,” Ward said. “Going through a lot of different teams and different philosophies and everything, I think just me being relatable to a lot of guys nowadays, and not being too far away from it is another aspect. I played in all different aspects of the game, been fortunate to play on some top lines a couple of times, and been on the bottom (lines). So I kind of relate to a lot of different guys.”

But there’s much more to Ward than just his hockey knowledge and expertise.

As the descendant of parents who emigrated from Barbados to Ontario, Ward has seen and been the victim of some ugly racism in the sport. The most well-known incident occurred while he was with Washington. After scoring a winning overtime goal in the 2012 playoffs against Boston, a small minority of Bruins fans unleashed a torrent of slurs toward Ward on Twitter. 1183642 St Louis Blues As for the Blues, they seem ready — maybe even eager — for an opportunity to defend their title even if it means playing in July and on into August, with no fans.

NHL gives summer hockey a hard look; Blues interested in being host “We’d be defending our Stanley Cup championship, so I think it would be city nice,” forward Sammy Blais said. “If we have to play without any fans, I think it’s gonna be hard, but we’re gonna have to find a way to be able to (play).”

Jim Thomas Last week on a Blues’ Happy Hour videoconference with season-ticket holders, defenseman Colton Parayko was asked about hockey without

fans. The possibility of summer hockey is coming more into focus as the NHL “For sure, fans do have some sort of, I would say a little bit of a factor in tries to salvage its 2019-20 season. There is much to be worked out, and the game,” Parayko said. “That’s why we call it home-ice advantage. maybe nothing ultimately will come of it. That’s what it’s there for. But if that’s what it takes to continue, that’s what But a scenario described last week by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman it takes to make everyone safe, then we’ll just have to follow the seems to have legs. guidelines.”

“We’re hopeful,” Blues general manager told the Post- The newest Blue, defenseman Marco Scandella, best summed up what a Dispatch. “You plan for the best. And the best is to play. It gives us return to hockey would mean for himself and the team. something to work forward to. There’s no harm in preparing to play, I “It’s gonna be tough to say: ‘Let’s just scratch this season,’” Scandella know that.” told the Post-Dispatch. “I feel like everyone’s worked hard to get to this The latest — let’s call it “possibility” — calls for four pod cities hosting point. For me, we have to finish. I feel like we have to find a way to play. games, all NHL cities, as opposed to previous discussion about using Even if it’s without fans. It’s not gonna be that fun, but I feel like we owe it arenas in non-NHL locales such as North Dakota and New Hampshire. to hockey.

There would be eight teams playing in three of those cities and seven in “If it’s safe and we’re allowed to do it, I feel like everyone wants to play. a fourth — comprising the 31 NHL teams. There would be no fans in You only have so many chances to win a Stanley Cup.” attendance. The players and team officials would be lodged in nearby But Scandella also realizes a renewed wave of the coronavirus in the hotels. summer “would be terrible.” Three games would be played per day in those four arenas to complete “Say a team would get the coronavirus,” Scandella said. “What would the regular season. they do? Just delay the playoffs? But if there’s a way to do it safely and “I think based on what the commissioner has said, if we come back and test safely, and the league approves it, governments approve it, I feel like play, the likelihood of playing in front of fans is limited,” Armstrong said. everyone just wants to get back to playing.” “And if that’s the case, it’s safer for everyone to be in fewer locations than There would need to be some buildup prior to playing games, about three having 31 teams flying all across the country, or all across the continent weeks of practice time, Bettman said. Perhaps preceded by small-group — two countries.” workouts. Shelter-in-place rules have prevented NHL players from One early assumption is that teams in each pod city would be grouped by getting on the ice, but Parayko makes it sound like that factor is a division. With the Central Division teams assembled in one city, the overstated. Pacific teams in another, and so on. But that’s not a certainty. “We’ve definitely been working out, making sure our cardio’s up,” he said Scheduling games in a fair manner will be a headache. Each NHL team during the Happy Hour. “So we’re staying in shape and fit. But in terms of had between 11 and 14 games remaining to complete the 82-game the skating, I feel like we’re gonna pick it up in no time. regular season when play was suspended March 12 due to the “We get one or two skates in there and it’ll be like we’re in midseason coronavirus pandemic. form I think.” The Blues have 11 games left — and of those 11, seven are against St. Louis a pod city? Eastern Conference teams, two against Pacific teams, and only two against Central foes (Minnesota and Colorado). The Blues wouldn’t play Edmonton, St. Paul, Minn., and Raleigh, N.C., already have been those 11 opponents — or at least not most of them — under the pod mentioned as possible pod cities for the resumption of play. format. The first requirement obviously is a place that is not a coronavirus hot “Whatever format they come up with is (simply) to play games,” spot. A practice facility or facilities would be needed for the teams, and Armstrong said. “You can’t look at it as what would’ve happened. That hotels in close proximity to the arena where games are played is a plus. ship has sailed. So why not St. Louis? The metro area is not a COVID-19 hot spot, at “You just travel to one city and play all your games. My understanding is least not at this time. they’re gonna put you in a pod, and you’re just gonna play those teams exclusively.” The recent renovation work at Enterprise Center has made it much more presentable and functional. Obviously, all sorts of things must be hashed out to make this happen in terms of the health and safety of players, coaches, team equipment and The St. Louis Union Station Hotel (nearly 600 rooms) and the Red Lion training staffs. Who else would be allowed in the arenas? What kind of Hotel (nearly 300) are both within two or three blocks of Enterprise. quarantine and social-distancing policies will be put in place at team In terms of practice rinks, the new Centene Community Ice Center in hotels? Maryland Heights has three rinks and the new Maryville University And of course nothing happens without approval from local governments Hockey Center in Chesterfield has two. and the medical/science community. Additionally, St. Louis and the Blues have shown they can handle high- “It’s a monumental task to even pull this off. That’s why they’re getting an level NHL events, be it the Winter Classic, a Stanley Cup games, and the early start on it,” Armstrong said. All-Star Game.

The presumption is that these regular-season games would start in July. Although he thinks St. Louis would have a lot to offer as a pod city, Armstrong said: “Chris Zimmerman, that’s his area. Those are things that “There’s a lot of hoops they gotta jump through testing-wise, making sure are way out of my pay grade.” every day the tests are done,” Armstrong said. “You’re doing it in front of no fans because you want to have the greatest likelihood of no one Zimmerman, the Blues’ president and CEO, said the Blues are indeed getting sick.” interested.

What do the players think? “If the NHL pursues this plan when play resumes, we would love for them to consider St. Louis and Enterprise Center to host games,” Zimmerman said via text.

He declined further comment.

When asked if the league had contacted or had discussions with St. Louis, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly replied via email: “Not really inclined to turn our due diligence into a public process.”

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Prior to the start of training camp last season, Armstrong said he felt the window of opportunity for a Cup run was starting to open again after missing the playoffs entirely the previous season. That window opened wide and the Blues jumped through, all the way to the first Cup in franchise history.

If hockey doesn’t resume this season, the Blues will lose a year of having that window open with nothing to show for it. In the era of the salary cap, nothing lasts forever.

“You want to be cognizant of the fact that we’re a luxury item,” Armstrong said. “There’s another four million people that applied for unemployment. So I don’t want to come off like ‘poor St. Louis Blues, they don’t get a chance to defend the Stanley Cup.’ There’s a lot bigger issues at play here.

“But if we can just provide some normalcy as a league for people in society, I think that’s our responsibility.”

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183643 Toronto Maple Leafs “(Coach) Sheldon (Keefe) really helped Willie gain a level of consistency in his game (to the point) where a lot of nights he was one of the best players on the ice.”

Spezza, Leafs have not talked contract, but three young reasons fuel his WARD RETIRES, REVEALS TIES TO LEAFS desire to return Joel Ward officially retired from the National Hockey League on Monday, and in doing so revealed that his mom, Cecilia, has a rather soft spot for the Maple Leafs. Terry Koshan In an essay published by The Players’ Tribune, Ward, who has not played since the 2017-18 season with the San Jose Sharks, said he would get texts from his mom every so often including some about the As often as Jason Spezza has spent his first season with the Maple Leafs: “Why isn’t Babcock playing Nylander with Matthews? What’s he Leafs — we’re not going to use the past tense yet — being sought out by doing?” his teammates for his wisdom, the veteran of more than 1,100 National Hockey League games has been taking mental notes. Ward recalled going to Leafs games at Maple Leaf Gardens with his father, who passed away when Ward was 14. Spezza, who has the kind of hockey brain that would make him a fine coach one day, allowed himself a little smile whenever he would look Ward, who grew up in Scarborough, played in 726 NHL games, enjoying around the room and cast a glance at Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner or a hard-won career after spending four years at the University of Prince William Nylander. Edward Island from 2001-05, which followed four seasons with Owen Sound of the . Members of Leafs Nation who find the lack of hockey an unwelcome consequence of the global COVID-19 pandemic should be buoyed by a He played for Minnesota, Nashville, Washington and San Jose, recording rather simple fact: The Leafs’ youth should ensure years of success, if 304 points. not strong cracks at it, once the sport resumes. Toronto Sun LOADED: 04.28.2020 It’s one reason why Spezza, who will turn 37 in June, would love to not only play beyond the 2019-20 season, but would prefer to do so with the Leafs. He wants to win the Stanley Cup, and figures his home-town team will have a legitimate shot to do so relatively soon.

Spezza’s agent, Rick Curran, told the Toronto Sun on Monday that the subject of Spezza returning to the Leafs after this season has not been broached with general manager . Once this season is in the books, Spezza becomes an unrestricted free agent.

“There have not been discussions with the Maple Leafs and nor would we expect there to be,” Curran said. “There’s no need for it right now. There will be plenty of time for that.”

Spezza didn’t know either Marner or Matthews before he signed a one- year, $700,000 US deal with the Leafs last summer. A number of factors drive Spezza in his desire to continue his career, among them the skill and attitude the Leafs’ pair of budding 22-year-old superstars possess.

“I have been really impressed with Mitchy — the excitement, the enthusiasm, the energy he brings every day, he has an infectious personality,” Spezza said recently. “The guys loved being around him, he’s kind of like an Energizer Bunny, going around the rink and always yapping at guys, always has a good demeanour.”

The work ethic on the part of Matthews and his ability to break down the game was revealing to Spezza.

“I have really taken to Matts, the sense that he loves the game, he works really hard at it,” Spezza said. “I think people don’t know how dedicated he is and how much effort he puts into his game and how much thinking (he does).

“I can relate to him a lot that way because that’s how I was as a younger player. You can tell he has that fire and I want to help him be the best version of himself that he can be. Those are exciting guys to have in the locker room with you, because there are no limits to what we can be as a team when you have high-end guys like that.”

Put Nylander — who turns 24 on Friday — in that group as well. The narrative that Nylander was overpaid by the Leafs when he struggled after signing a six-year, $45-million contract on Dec. 1, 2018, rightfully has been ruined. With 59 points this season, including 31 goals, in 68 games, Nylander’s depth as a player was on display.

“Willie is a guy who works really hard on his game, he loves the game, he practises a lot on his skill,” Spezza said. “At times he probably lacked confidence, but he came up with a belief in his game and understanding what he has to do night in and night out to be a dominant player.

“He added (determination) in around the net a little more and got rewarded. It snowballs. You feel what it’s like to start scoring every night. You could see the confidence growing. He has the outwardly confidence, but as a player, it’s that knowing night to night how consistent you have to be. 1183644 Toronto Maple Leafs Daly says the feedback from players has been well-received in the committee meetings.

“I think it’s always very helpful to hear directly from the players,” Daly LeBrun: An inside look at John Tavares’ role on the Return to Play said via email on Monday. “And their guidance on issues like how much Committee time they think they are going to need to reacclimate and recondition are essential to our collective planning. ‘’

If there’s one word Bettman has repeated constantly over the past few By Pierre LeBrun Apr 27, 2020 weeks in addressing all the possible return to play scenarios, it’s “flexibility.’’ That depending on how the pandemic continues to play out,

the league will need to be ready for several different options. It has always been interesting to me over the years to see which NHLers So while there’s been talk of players needing a three-week training camp end up playing roles in collective bargaining. before the season can resume, even that depends. Or on the Competition Committee. “So, it’s hard to get into exact timing,” Tavares said of a three-week It tells you about their willingness to stick their neck out and take training camp. “That’s what we discussed is having an understanding that ownership, something that I have always respected. if certain variables present themselves, how we can address them. This is also about being prepared. Because things are changing, as we see, Which is how I view the players who have accepted invitations from the daily and weekly; so just being able to adapt about how much time we’re NHL Players’ Association to be members of a so-called Return to Play going to have, how much time we’re going to need.” Committee. Phase 2 of the NHL-NHLPA plan is loosening self-quarantine and The idea of trying to salvage the season has become a divisive issue, so allowing players to work out in small groups at team facilities. Will that be it would be understandable if some players said, “thanks but no thanks” in mid-May as hoped? That’s not decided yet. to the idea of sitting on calls with NHL brass to game theory what a season resumption may look like. If Phase 2 gets truncated, maybe a longer training camp is needed. These are all the different scenarios at play. So kudos to Connor McDavid, James van Riemsdyk, Ron Hainsey, John Tavares and Mark Scheifele for agreeing to join the committee, which “If we’re not on the ice very long and obviously have to get a lot of has had two meetings and plans to convene (in a virtual manner of players from around the globe into their club cities – which will be a course) at least once a week to tackle issues, of which there are many, in challenge in its own right – making sure everyone has all the right visualizing what reigniting the 2019-20 season would look it. amount of time to get those first couple of weeks to really get those cobwebs out,” Tavares said. “Just to really feel about being back on the If it happens at all, of course. ice let lone thinking about being competitive. So do we need a longer training camp? So it’s just discussing all those types of variables and how NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, senior to approach them if certain things unfold and be as best prepared as we executive VP Colin Campbell and NHL schedule maker Steve Hatze can be, so we just have a good understanding of each other and when Petros have been on the committee calls representing the league so far, decisions need to be made they can be made quickly.’’ while NHLPA executive director Don Fehr, NHLPA executives Mathieu Schneider, Don Zavelo and Steve Webb have joined the above- Either way, whether it’s through small groups in Phase 2 or longer camps mentioned players to rep the NHLPA. in Phase 3, the players will need ample time to skate again.

“I was asked to be a part of it and I’m obviously happy to help and “I think definitely the most important thing is getting the proper communicate with as many guys as I can and get a general feeling on preparation … for guys to be healthy and safe in playing the game,’’ what we feel is going to be best, collectively, going forward coming out of Tavares said. “And also, we’re at a very crucial point in our season where this, how best to deal with this situation,” Tavares said over the phone on we’re finishing up the regular season, each team has around 10 games Monday. “Obviously, timing is very important from a health and safety left, maybe a couple more than that, and then you’re into the most standpoint to proper preparation and then how to play with integrity and competitive that anyone plays in a two-month grind of trying to win the fairness to award the Stanley Cup. All that is part of this and I’m just Stanley Cup. happy to be part of it.’’ “To just jump right into that is unrealistic when pretty much 100 percent of Tavares, it should be noted, began our interview by pointing out that the league has been off skates what will be getting close to two months there are bigger issues at play right now in society dealing with the here. So it really is substantial from our end to make sure we’re properly pandemic, but that obviously at some point the NHL will have to get prepared.’’ rolling again. No matter when that happens, there will be issues to overcome, so the Toronto Maple Leafs captain welcomed the chance to Then there’s the proposed idea of resuming the season in four “bubble’’ share his voice in shaping that transition for the season to be restarted. cities. Toronto among a dozen cities being vetted by the NHL to be one of those centralized sites. The back and forth with NHL officials have been a healthy dialogue so far. But the tough part for a lot of players is the idea of being away from loved ones and living in that bubble for quite a while, anywhere from a month to “I think it’s great,” Tavares said. “We ask questions from our side, and two and a half months depending on the team. they ask questions from their side. Just all trying to get on the same page and get a good understanding of once things do get to a point where the “We’ve definitely had that conversation about the time commitment and time is right to progress and potentially preparing to play, what’s going to what that could account for, especially teams that go really deep in the be needed?” playoffs and if this scenario is the one that ends up happening, I think from players we definitely brought that up to their attention and they’ve One of the messages from the players on the committee so far? They completely been really understanding that that’s a part of this process need ample time to skate again before even thinking of playing games. and something that’s going to have to be addressed,’’ Tavares said. “Because that’s a very significant amount of time.’’ “In hockey, as much as you can train and get stronger and work on a lot of things off the ice, there’s really nothing that can really truly mimic the Tavares is getting player feedback on that front from around the league type of stress skating has,” Tavares said. “So I think that’s been a big but even in his situation, being away for that long would be tough with a talking point and I think they wanted to get a good sense of that. And for seven-and-a-half-month-old newborn at home. us, just what are they looking at from a scheduling standpoint and how they’re kind of managing all this, how they see this unfolding if things turn “I know personally, my situation, that would be very difficult to go through the corner and there’s approval from health officials and people in that amount of time without seeing your family, especially a newborn son government, people in those positions who give the green light, just and whatnot,” Tavares said. “But I think the league has been very trying to get a whole understanding so we can just be as best prepared. receptive, there are still hurdles to cross before we get into more details So if there’s an opportunity, or when the opportunity is there to get things about that.” rolling, that we’re ready and everyone’s on the same page and feels good about re-starting and getting back into it.’’ In the end, Tavares said there’s also the understanding that this is a far- from-ideal situation everyone is in right now.

“I think the common thread on a lot of things, it’s never really going to be perfect because obviously with the circumstances we’re in, there are a lot bigger issues than the game,” Tavares said. “But once things are healthy and safe, we’re facing challenges that we never faced before and we’re going to try to do the best we can to make it as perfect as we can. … Us talking and going back and forth and listening to what’s really important to us and how we can make it best we can, that’s a great sign and it’s been really good that we started the conversation early to try to be ahead of things and on top of it if and when we can resume.’’

It’s a tough task ahead for the committee, regardless of the outcome.

“It’s just trying to make the best decisions possible with the most amount of information you have in front of you to get the best result,” Tavares said. “Do the best you can for everyone as players and for the game as a whole. We want to get back playing and we want to play for the Stanley Cup. But we also understand there’s a lot more going on than the game, and just keep things in perspective and try to understand that.’’

The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183645 Toronto Maple Leafs The donation means Major League Socks still has 12,000 Babsocks to somehow dispose of, something they’re willing to take suggestions from our readers on. Unless Babcock signs on with another NHL team in the near future, it’s unlikely they will be able to sell them — only 150 pairs What exactly does one do with 13,000 socks with ’s face have been purchased in the past five months. on them? Some of the controversy around Babcock after the Leafs let him go damaged his reputation with hockey fans, too. While he arrived in Toronto hailed as the best coach in the game and the team steadily By James Mirtle Apr 27, 2020 improved in his first two seasons, he left under a cloud of negative stories related to the way he treated his players.

There have been hundreds of thousands of workers in the sports industry Mednick and McCole say they saw a different side of the Leafs former affected by the COVID-19 shutdown, a group that includes everyone coach. One charitable endeavour the company held each year was from arena staff to restaurants and retailers. rewarding a local minor hockey team that sold the most Babsocks in support of mental-health initiatives with a practice run by Babcock One small local company that was founded in my neighbourhood in himself. Toronto’s east end is in that group. Major League Socks, created by Jake Mednick and Tom McCole four years ago, has sold hundreds of Despite losing his job and leaving the city, Babcock made the four-hour thousands of socks branded with hockey players’ faces. If you’re a Leafs drive from Michigan to coach the Midget AAA Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs in fan, you’re probably familiar with their original idea, Babsocks, which January at Chesswood Arena. The practice was vintage Babcock, were dedicated to then-Leafs coach Mike Babcock. apparently, with plenty of preparation and tutoring turned into an hour- long grind on the ice. After Babsocks took off — selling more than 400,000 pairs since their launch in the fall of 2015 — Mednick and McCole went on to partner with Babcock with Elgin-Middlesex coach Rumun Ndur. the NHL Alumni Association and later the NHLPA to add nearly 100 more “He put everything into it,” Mednick said. “He did a great job.” faces to socks and get them into team stores across North America. Babcock also spent time with the team’s captain, Eric Smith, and spoke They also have an agreement to begin selling socks with Major League with his parents, who had been devastated by a recent suicide in the Baseball players on them that is on hold until the baseball season family. resumes. “The entire community rallied to make sure that they won this practice Their quirky little idea has become big business. Or at least it was, until with Babcock,” McCole explained. “I know that he got a hold of the the shutdown. parents that lost their son and had a private conversation with them. He’s “We were finally starting to build up some traction in markets outside of always been so good to us. It’s awesome he kept his word.” Toronto, especially in the U.S., which is really exciting,” Mednick said of “With the help Babcock, we’ve done a lot of good charity work,” Mednick the momentum the business had. “Honestly, the timing couldn’t have said. “So it’s nice as the socks can continue in that vein.” been worse.” Mednick and McCole hope that Babcock will coach again in the NHL — Full disclosure: I’ve gotten to know Jake and Tom fairly well the last few and not just for the sake of their company. They saw a lot of good in the years, after first writing about them in The Globe and Mail back in 2016. I man in the years they spent turning his face into a sock empire, and see them around the neighbourhood, and we play beer league hockey Babcock never asked for anything in return. once in a while. It’s been great to see them turn into a local success story. It’s Babcock’s charitable spirit, they said, that they hope to carry on even with business ground to a halt these past few weeks. Major League The reason I wanted to write about them was twofold. Socks is working on another initiative that will be announced soon that One, they’re representative of the wide array of businesses and people in will support front-line health-care workers fighting COVID-19 in hospitals sports affected by the shutdown. Their business has basically been around the world. decimated the past few weeks, with most retailers cancelling all orders. Their goal is to create a line of socks with doctors, nurses, and other Major League Socks has raised more than $150,000 for mental-health medical staff on them and donate 100 percent of the proceeds to helping charities since the company was founded, in part thanks to Babcock’s them combat the pandemic. endorsement, and all of that work is on hold now that revenues have evaporated. “We usually celebrate hockey heroes on our socks, but there are some more important heroes to celebrate right now,” Mednick said. “That’s the The other thing that is unique about their story is the Babsocks goal of the program.” themselves, something I had intended to write about before the shutdown. When Babcock was let go by the Leafs back in November, the The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 company still had a huge inventory of socks bearing the coach’s likeness — 13,000 pairs to be precise. Boxes and boxes, to the chagrin of Jake’s parents, whose basement is filled with them.

So, for the past four and a half months, they’ve been wondering what exactly to do with 13,000 socks that have an unemployed NHL coach’s face on them.

“Well, I never have to buy another pair of socks again,” Mednick said when we connected the other day. “At least that’s crossed off the balance sheet in the future, you know?”

“Maybe, you know, Seattle could be blue?” McCole added, joking that the new franchise might be where Babcock ends up.

The pair are hopeful that Babcock will be rehired somewhere, and the momentum behind the brand will come back. Realistically, however, that may not happen. And that’s a lot of socks.

The company recently donated 1,000 pairs of Babsocks to one charity, Socks for Souls Canada, which provides the homeless with footwear. According to their website, socks are “the most needed but least donated item of clothing to homeless shelters” and more than “20 percent of medical problems experienced by homeless people are related to foot care.” 1183646 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights’ radio station to air more classic games

By David Schoen

April 27, 2020 - 4:37 PM

More Golden Knights radio broadcasts are on the way.

An additional eight games from the inaugural season will be broadcast on Fox Sports radio KRLV (98.9 FM, 1340 AM), the team’s flagship station announced Monday.

The expanded schedule begins Wednesday and concludes May 13, with games airing every other day. Each broadcast begins at 6 p.m. Pacific and features the entire game.

The next broadcast is from the Knights’ 4-2 victory over Los Angeles on Nov. 19, 2017.

The full schedule (original air date in parentheses):

Wednesday – Golden Knights 4, Los Angeles Kings 2 (Nov. 19, 2017)

Friday – Golden Knights 5, San Jose Sharks 4 (OT) (Nov. 24, 2017)

Sunday – Golden Knights 4, Nashville Predators 3 (SO) (Dec. 8, 2017)

May 5 – Golden Knights 5, Dallas Stars 3 (Dec. 9, 2017)

May 7 – Golden Knights 2, Pittsburgh Penguins 1 (Dec. 14, 2017)

May 9 – Golden Knights 4, Tampa Bay Lightning 3 (Dec. 19, 2017)

May 11 – Golden Knights 3, Los Angeles Kings 2 (OT) (Dec. 28, 2017)

May 13 – Golden Knights 6, Toronto Maple Leafs 3 (Dec. 31, 2017)

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Knights offer behind-scenes experience with #AllInChallenge

By Mark Anderson

April 27, 2020 - 4:00 PM

The Golden Knights are joining the #AllInChallenge, offering the winner of a sweepstakes a chance to take part in the first official day of training camp for the 2020-21 season.

That fan will go through fitness testing with the players, have a stall in the main locker room and take part in photo and video shoots as well as a podcast.

A two-night hotel stay and airfare within the U.S. also are included.

To enter the sweepstakes, go to this site.

Several sports organizations have joined the #AllInChallenge, and all proceeds from this Challenge will go to Feeding America, Meals on Wheels, World Central Kitchen and No Kid Hungry.

The date for training camp has not been determined.

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Golden Knights roster review: Nick Cousins

By Ben Gotz

April 27, 2020 - 1:35 PM

The Review-Journal presents its “Roster Review” series, which will examine each Golden Knights player’s current production and future outlook in alphabetical order. Next up: Forward Nick Cousins.

Background

Cousins comes with a reputation.

Teammate Alec Martinez called him a “(expletive)-disturber.” His peers in the NHL Players Association voted him the league’s fourth-worst trash talker.

Those aren’t exactly the nicest labels, but they’re ones Cousins doesn’t shy away from.

“In-their-face kind of style,” Cousins said when describing his game. “Those are the guys you like to have on your team but hate to play against. I consider myself one of those guys for sure.”

But being “one of those guys” — one more well known for his ability to agitate than his play — put Cousins’ career at a crossroads before this season. He emerged with his future intact.

Performance

Cousins’ last summer started poorly. The , his team for the past two seasons, deemed the restricted free agent unworthy of a qualifying offer.

Cousins signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Montreal Canadiens to keep his NHL career alive.

Not only did he live up to the deal, but he also proved to be an asset. Cousins scored 22 points in 58 games (his 0.38 points per game was a career high) for a less-than-stellar Canadiens team.

Suddenly, he went from cut loose to coveted. The Knights sent a fourth- round pick to Montreal to acquire his services at the trade deadline.

Cousins fit in immediately. He scored in his debut and recorded three points in seven games. His ability to play center or either wing made him a useful bottom-six piece for coach Pete DeBoer.

Cousins even earned power-play time after showing a surprising playmaking touch in limited action.

“He’s a guy I’m going to move around,” DeBoer said. “I think he has the ability to play up and down the lineup. He can play any position. He can bring energy anywhere you stick him.”

Future

Cousins, 26, is a restricted free agent again this offseason. It’s hard to see him succumbing to the same fate as last year.

His skill, versatility and likely modest price tag make it probable he’ll stay in a Knights’ sweater. With a little security, he should be able to build off his career year.

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Golden Knights’ online stick auction benefits local food banks

By David Schoen

April 27, 2020 - 1:17 PM

The Golden Knights are holding an online stick auction that runs through Friday to raise money for coronavirus relief.

The auction was organized by the players’ wives and girlfriends through the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation, and nearly every player on the active roster is participating. All proceeds will go to Las Vegas food banks.

To place a bid, follow this link.

Marc-Andre Fleury’s goalie stick has the highest bid so far, followed by forward Mark Stone’s.

Sticks will be available to the winning bidders once hockey has resumed. Any delivery/shipping will incur an additional charge.

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Former Capitals winger Joel Ward retires from NHL

By Adam Zielonka - The Washington Times - Monday, April 27, 2020

Former Washington Capitals right winger Joel Ward announced his retirement from the NHL in a Players’ Tribune article Monday.

Ward played 726 games across 11 seasons in the NHL, including four years with the Capitals. He broke into the NHL with the Minnesota Wild and spent three years with Nashville before Washington, and most recently played in 2017-18 for the San Jose Sharks, his third and final season there.

“I know I didn’t play the last two years, but I tried. I did,” Ward wrote in his retirement piece. “I wish I could have gone out in a bit of a different way. But, you know, just thinking about it all — all 726 games — I realized something. Who am I to wish for any more time? I got what I wanted. I’m one of the lucky ones.”

Ward also wrote that though his playing days are through, the NHL might see him “back in one form or another.” On a conference call with reporters, he said he didn’t have anything set in stone yet, but he’s talked with the Sharks about returning in some capacity.

“I just didn’t want to think I was just vanishing away,” Ward said.

Another role Ward might explore in retirement is league outreach. Ward, a black Canadian whose parents are from Barbados, has talked with some league officials about the problem of racism in hockey culture. Most recently, New York Rangers prospect K’Andre Miller was subjected to racial epithets in the chat function on a Zoom call this month, and former NHL player Akim Aliu revealed his former coach Bill Peters used the N-word when speaking to him on at least one occasion.

“Especially after a lot of these incidents that came up especially with racism in hockey lately, it’s definitely been very disappointing,” Ward said. “It’s I guess you could say a switch-on for me a little bit more to try to help, basically, and try to help others who’ve been through it but also try to help the league to combat this a little bit better and a little bit more.”

Ward recently returned to Washington to do a ceremonial puck drop at the Capitals‘ annual Black History Game. He’s also supported the NHL’s “Hockey Is for Everyone” diversity initiative.

“It’s (about) representation,” Ward said. “For me growing up in Toronto there wasn’t too many blacks that were playing in the National Hockey League to look up to … It’s just a game for everybody. I picked up a stick and fell in love with it. Why can’t the next kid?”

Ward finished his career with 133 goals, 171 assists and 557 hits. His best statistical year came with the Capitals in 2013-14, when he racked up 24 goals and 25 assists.

He is best remembered in Washington for scoring a series-clinching double-overtime goal in Game 7 of the first round of the 2012 playoffs against the Boston Bruins, which he called a moment he’ll never forget.

Some current Capitals who played alongside him wished him a happy retirement on social media and thanked him for his time in Washington.

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Matt Bradley explains why Sergei Fedorov's Game 7 series winner almost didn't happen

By J.J. Regan April 27, 2020 8:00 PM

On April 28, 2009, Sergei Fedorov scored one of the biggest goals in Capitals franchise history. Alex Ovechkin was drafted in 2004 and although he completely turned the franchise's fortunes around, it didn't happen overnight. In the Ovechkin era, Washington did not reach the playoffs until 2008. In 2009, they went down to the New York Rangers 3- 1 in the first round, but rallied to force a Game 7. In that game, Fedorov broke a 1-1 tie with less than five minutes remaining to give the Caps their first series victory since 1998. And it almost didn't happen.

NBC Sports Washington replayed Game 7 on Monday as part of its Capitals Greatest Hits Series. Former Capitals forward Matt Bradley, who provided the assist on Fedorov's goal, joined Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin on the broadcast to break down the game. On it, he revealed that he almost didn't give Fedorov the play that led to the goal.

With the Caps defending, Brandon Dubinsky missed a shot wide of the net that hit off the backboards and curled around to the half wall. Bradley went to retrieve it with Nik Antropov closing in behind him. Bradley could not have carried the puck out without getting hit and probably turning it over, but he had a clear lane to get the puck out of the zone.

"My first instinct was to chip it off the wall," Bradley said.

Chipping the puck out would have been the safe play and, as a fourth- liner, that was Bradley's biggest concern. Chip the puck out, relieve the pressure. But that's not what he did. Instead, he did not play it safe and delivered a no-look backhand pass in his own zone when he heard Fedorov calling for it.

"I knew he was there," Bradley said. "I gave it to him and he did the rest."

The pass launched Fedorov on the breakout which he took all the way to the other end of the ice before pulling up and firing a shot right into history. It's just a good thing Bradley decided not to play it safe.

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Tom Wilson and John Carlson congratulate former teammate Joel Ward on his retirement

By Raichele Privette April 27, 2020 5:18 PM

Former Capitals forward Joel Ward announced his retirement from the NHL on Monday, ending an 11-year career in the league.

Following the announcement Tom Wilson and John Carlson took to Twitter to congratulate their former teammate on an amazing career.

“You were one of the best teammates and mentor a guy could have asked from coming in to the league! Congrats on an amazing career. Cheers to the next chapter!” Wilson said.

“Congrats on a great career pal and can't wait to see what this next phase in life holds for you!”

Ward played in 726 NHL games with four different teams, including the Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks and the Washington Capitals.

Ward came to Washington in 2011 and played for the Capitals for four years.

He scored the Game 7 overtime winner in the 2012 playoff series against the Boston Bruins, a memory Caps fans will never forget.

In a letter written in The Players’ Tribune, entitled “726” Ward wrote, “Hockey is a beautiful game, and it works in mysterious ways.”

“Some players, they end on a perfect high, some have it taken from them. But me, I kind of thought it was fitting that I went out the way I came in — without anybody really noticing.”

Ward went to training camp with the Montreal Canadiens in 2018-19 but was unable to get another shot.

Being a dad was also a contributing factor.

“That’s, I think, what made me ready to call it a career,” Ward said. “I just wanted to be a dad.”

He finished his career with 133 goals and 177 assists.

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How Alex Ovechkin’s first pitch kicked off the Nationals’ 8-game playoff winning streak

By Matt Weyrich April 27, 2020 5:05 PM

The last time Alex Ovechkin stepped foot on the field at Nationals Park, history was in danger of repeating itself.

Down 2-1 to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS, the Nationals were on the brink of being knocked out of the first round of the playoffs for the fifth time in as many tries since moving to D.C. in 2005. Washington had pulled off a come-from-behind victory in the NL Wild Card Game but didn’t look capable of taking down the 106-win Dodgers.

Ovechkin helped end D.C.’s championship drought in 2018 after the Capitals erased their own playoff demons by getting past the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round. Despite trailing in every series throughout the postseason, the Capitals snapped a 26-year title drought for the District by winning their fist Stanley Cup in franchise history.

Sixteen months later, the Nationals were hoping to win a championship of their own—but were in desperate need of a little Ovechkin magic to help get past Los Angeles and finally win a playoff series. The Capitals legend was asked to throw out the first pitch before Game 4 in D.C., just before the Nationals took the field for a win-or-go-home fight.

Typically, the Nationals don’t ask players starting that day to catch the first pitch so as not to interfere with their pregame routines. But right fielder Adam Eaton, being one of the biggest Capitals fans on the team, jumped at the opportunity to catch the pitch from the Great 8.

The ball was a bit high, but Eaton caught it easily and walked out onto the infield grass to hug Ovechkin before heading back to the dugout.

Somehow, it worked.

The Nationals won that night. They won again two nights later, finally claiming their first postseason series victory. They won eight straight games that propelled them all the way into the World Series with a 2-0 lead, tying the record for the longest playoff winning streak by a team in a single postseason.

“Whatever he touches turns to gold,” Eaton said in an interview with the Capitals blog Russian Machine Never Breaks that was published Sunday. “I didn’t get as many hits as I’d like to after we shook hands but maybe next time. But it was awesome for him to come out there…crowd responded well to him and in turn, we took off.”

Washington’s postseason run can only be described as a miracle after the team trailed in five different elimination games and won all five; this, of course, on the heels of turning around their season after a 19-31 start to the year. Once in the World Series, they became the first team to win four games on the road—all against another juggernaut in the 107-win Houston Astros.

But none of that would’ve happened had the Nationals not won Game 4 of the NLDS. With Ovechkin on hand to pass on a little magic, the Nationals pulled off an improbable eight-game winning streak that stands as one of the most impressive stretches of postseason baseball in the history of the sport.

Just another addition to the Great 8’s resume as one of the best athletes D.C. has ever seen.

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Former Capital Joel Ward's message to minority hockey players: 'Be proud of who you are'

By J.J. Regan April 27, 2020 4:00 PM

Joel Ward is a husband, a father, a Canadian and an NHL veteran with 726 career games. He is also black and unfortunately, that has made him the target of racism at points during his NHL career. But with time to reflect as he announced his retirement on Monday, Ward wanted to give a message to all minority players trying to pursue a hockey career: Be proud.

Watching Ward play, it did not take long to figure out that he did not look like most of the other players out on the ice.

"Sometimes when you're in a locker room you can feel a little lonely at times because it's hard to relate in certain situations," Ward said in a conference call on Monday.

But Ward also wanted to emphasize to minority players that the game really is for everyone.

"It's just a game for everybody," Ward said. "I picked up a stick and fell in love with it, why can't the next kid? I think a lot of it for guys like myself and other players to show kids of minority background and people of color that hockey is for everybody. We're here just to enjoy the game and have fun. It's another sport that anybody else can just pick up and play and we've been trying to focus that to get more kids more involved and not to be scared."

Ward has been very involved in championing hockey is for everyone throughout his career even though he has faced racism at times during this career. The most notable example came in the wake of Ward's Game 7 overtime goal against the Boston Bruins in which he faced a wave of racial slurs on Twitter from angry Boston fans. Ward said those kinds of attacks made him want to work harder. Now he hopes his story of going from an undrafted free agent to a player with a 726-game career can inspire other minorities to pursue the game.

"Be proud of who you are," Ward said. "I come from a Bajan background, both my parents from Barbados. I lived in Toronto, I love my West Indian, Caribbean culture. I'm just very proud of who I am and what I've become. I'm not going to let somebody deter me of my goals and my dream."

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Joel Ward retires with emotional letter on The Players’ Tribune

By J.J. Regan April 27, 2020 12:06 PM

Former Capitals forward Joel Ward announced his official retirement on Monday with an emotional letter written in The Players’ Tribune. Ward’s career spanned 11 seasons and four teams. He ultimately played in 726 games despite going undrafted.

Ward’s letter is very fittingly entitled “726.”

“Hockey is a beautiful game, and it works in mysterious ways,” Ward wrote. “Some players, they end on a perfect high, some have it taken from them. But me, I kind of thought it was fitting that I went out the way I came in — without anybody really noticing.”

Ward has not played professionally since the 2017-18 season, but did not officially step away in the hopes that he would still be able to sign a contract somewhere.

“I know I didn’t play the last two years, but I tried,” Ward wrote. “I did. I wish I could have gone out in a bit of a different way. But, you know, just thinking about it all — all 726 games — I realized something. Who am I to wish for any more time? I got what I wanted. I’m one of the lucky ones.”

Ward came to the Capitals in 2011 and played four years for Washington. He will forever be remembered by Caps fans for scoring the Game 7 overtime winner over the Boston Bruins in 2012.

In his letter, Ward references all the support he received from his mother and his now-deceased father in what is really a touching tribute to both. For any Caps fans out there who remember Wards’ time in Washington, it is certainly worth the read.

Ward also notes the being a dad was the deciding factor in hanging up the skates.

“That’s, I think, what made me ready to call it a career,” Ward said. “I just wanted to be a dad.”

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What is the Caps' best all-time Canadian lineup?

By J.J. Regan April 27, 2020 6:30 AM

Hockey fans from the capital of the United States tune in every game to cheer on a Capitals team led by a Russian superstar, an elite Swedish center and a Canadian goalie. Hockey truly is an international game with many players coming from all around the world to don those red sweaters.

We know who some of the best Capitals were, but what if you separated the players by their native countries? Where have the best Capitals players really come from? Let's look at some of the best players in franchise history to determine what the best lineup is (two wings, one center, two defensemen and one goalie).

For the next installment, we are looking at the best Canadians to play for Washington.

Forwards

Dino Ciccarelli - Adam Oates - Mike Gartner

In February, Alex Ovechkin became just the eighth player to ever score 700 career goals. No. 7 is Gartner who scored 708 tallies over the course of his Hall of Fame career. Gartner's No. 11 is one of four numbers retired by the franchise and he is one of the best goal-scorers to play the game. He surpassed the 700-goal plateau not so much for his volume, but his consistency. Gartner scored 50 goals in his career only once, but he collected over 700 because he scored at least 30 goals in 17 seasons.

And man was he fast.

Exactly 100 goals behind him sits Ciccarelli who did the bulk of his offensive damage in his five seasons in Washington with 182 goals and 249 assists in 343 games, producing at a rate of 1.26 points per game. As great an offensive player as he was, he was also a pest on the ice and the kind of player other teams hated to play against.

At center, there is no question that Dale Hunter meant more to the franchise than Oates, but in terms of pure talent, Oates far surpasses him. Oates may have been a terrible head coach, but he was one heck of a hockey player and one of the best set-up men to play the game which is why he sits in the Hall of Fame. He tallied an incredible 1,079 assists in his career, the eighth-most all-time.

Defensemen

Scott Stevens - Larry Murphy

Neither Stevens nor Murphy are best known as Caps -- that's what happens when you win multiple Stanley Cups with other teams -- but it's not like either player was just in Washington for a cup of coffee either. Stevens played eight seasons for the Caps while Murphy played six. Both players were threats offensively while still being great shutdown players on defense and that's why both are in the Hall of Fame.

Goalie

Braden Holtby

Holtby won a Vezina, a Stanley Cup, tied the record for most wins in a season (48) and has the fifth-best playoff save percentage of all-time. He is the best goalie in franchise history and a no-brainer for the top Canadian netminder the franchise has seen.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183657 in four different "hub cities" to cut down on how much travel would be required, playing all games in those markets.

Winnipeg, despite having NHL-ready infrastructure and relatively low Hello out there, will anyone care? infection rates, is not among those cities currently being vetted. A lack of five-star hotel rooms is the biggest obstacle. Minneapolis-St. Paul is the regional favourite for the Jets' base.

By: Mike McIntyre Details would still have to be worked out regarding testing and ongoing monitoring of players, coaches and staff, which I'm told is a big part of the Posted: 04/27/2020 5:54 PM Return To Play committee discussions. Curiously, Daly told TSN last Friday night that a positive test wouldn't necessarily bring this whole experiment to a screeching halt. With each passing day and the evidence starting to pile up, it no longer seems like a question of if we're going to get the NHL back in some form "No, we do not believe that one positive test, even multiple positive tests, this season, but when. would necessarily shut the whole thing down," said Daly.

The latest smoking gun is the fact the leagues and the players' "No, we do not believe that one positive test, even multiple positive tests, association have quietly established a Return To Play committee, which would necessarily shut the whole thing down." held a pair of virtual meetings last week and will do so again this week. – NHL deputy Bill Daly Cue the raised eyebrows, theme song and maybe some Stompin' Tom Connors for good measure. If this all seems like an awful lot of headaches just to finish up a season at some point in September, before starting the 2020-21 campaign likely Winnipeg Jets centre Mark Scheifele is among a handful of players who in November after an abbreviated off-season including a draft, will have an important voice in this process. His involvement in the free=agency and contract signings, well, it is. But money talks, and there NHLPA team includes Connor McDavid, John Tavares, James van are estimates that finding a way to award the Stanley Cup could cut that Riemsdyk and former Jets defenceman Ron Hainsey, along with projected financial deficit in half. association head Don Fehr and assistant Mathieu Schneider. Commissioner Gary Bettman, deputy Bill Daly and senior VP Colin I've heard from many folks swearing they wouldn't watch a second of Campbell are among those on the line for the NHL, along with legal empty-arena summer hockey. I'll believe that when I see it. Broadcasters, counsel. along with sports fans, are desperate for fresh content right now. That was proven by the record-setting ratings in both the United States and You can be sure the two sides aren't coming together to chat about how Canada for the just-completed NFL draft, which was done virtually and they're staying in shape or what Netflix shows they've been bingeing received plenty of praise. since games were paused March 13. No, they're starting to drill down on the Xs and Os of how to kick-start a league that stands to lose $1 billion if No doubt executives in all leagues, including the NHL, took note of that the 2019-20 season can't get up off the mat. immense interest and what it could mean for them going forward.

"We all can’t wait to be back playing hockey again soon," Scheifele told There are still hurdles to overcome, and nothing has been set in stone. reporters during an April 13 Zoom conference call. At the time, it seemed All the best-laid plans will go awry if we experience a sudden surge in like nothing more than a throwaway line offering some faint hope to fans, cases in the coming weeks, which isn't out of the question. But for those especially with numerous NHL markets dealing with a massive spike in who are pining for a return to hockey, you may get your wish. Just keep COVID-19 infections and deaths. flattening that curve, folks.

But life moves fast and plenty has changed since, including governments Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 04.28.2020 and health officials in many cities now discussing how they plan to ease restrictions and reopen to boost the local company. Sports are expected to play a prominent role, albeit in a very different format.

Details are beginning to trickle out of what this all might look like, with the NHL expected to give teams an update later this week.

Just as the NHL followed the NBA's lead in shutting down in mid-March, there will be a similar follow-the-leader approach in ramping up operations. Which is why Monday's news that the NBA will allow players to begin working out at their home training facilities starting May 8 was most interesting. The exception will be any markets that still have strict stay-at-home orders in place. No more than four players can be at the venue at any time.

Expect a similar move coming soon in the NHL. Allowing players to get back on the ice, first by themselves, then in small groups and eventually as a team, would be the order, a pair of agents told me. One of the challenges will be getting players back in the same city for this to happen. Most have returned to their off-season homes, and ongoing travel restrictions, especially for those who are overseas and would likely need to quarantine on arrival, which could make this difficult.

For example, Jets players are currently scattered around the globe, including Patrik Laine in Finland. How quickly could they all get back to Winnipeg, then get medically cleared to start taking some twirls at Bell MTS Place or Bell MTS Iceplex? Expect some further clarity from the league in the coming days.

Once players get some ice time under their belts, the next step would be a more formal training camp. Ex-NHLer John Scott added some fuel to the fire this weekend when he tweeted that camps will open June 1. He cited no source for his information, but Scott is still well-connected in the hockey community, so judge accordingly.

July is the target date to resume the regular season, which had just over three weeks left at the time the league was paused due to the pandemic. As we learned last week, the idea is to essentially lock down all 31 teams 1183658 Winnipeg Jets Once again, Byfuglien made an extraordinary feat look routine — which was commonplace during his eight seasons with the Jets.

Jan. 26, 2016 Dustin Byfuglien’s 6 most memorable highlights from his time with the With the Jets leading the Arizona Coyotes 4-1, Byfuglien was out on the Jets ice with Andrew Ladd and Tyler Myers during a two-man disadvantage.

When the puck went to Martin Hanzal along the wall just inside the point, By Ken Wiebe Apr 27, 2020 Byfuglien made an instinctual read, forced a turnover and found a seam through the neutral zone — where Myers hit him perfectly in stride.

Byfuglien was off to the races and beat Louis Domingue with a quick Dustin Byfuglien was a human highlight reel. shot. For good measure, Byfuglien celebrated with a wide smile after dabbing. His unique combination of size and skill provided a career filled with moments of sheer brilliance, including eight seasons with the Winnipeg It’s tough enough to kill off a 5-on-3, let alone score on a breakaway Jets. during one.

By the time Byfuglien and the Jets mutually agreed to terminate his The other noteworthy part of the goal was that it didn’t involve any risk or contract on April 17, his name was littered throughout the franchise cheat on Byfuglien’s behalf. record book. He showed great anticipation in forcing Hanzal to cough up the puck, There were impressive goals, sweet setups and a number of bone-jarring then took a direct route through the neutral zone to open up for the pass hits, not to mention the habit he made of pulling multiple players out of a and used his speed to pull away from any potential chasers before pile during scrums. showing poise as he found an open spot to bury his shot.

How does one pare down a list of those athletic achievements while still March 30, 2016 doing it justice? The Jets were trailing the Ottawa Senators 1-0 with just over eight Here’s a six-pack of Byfuglien moments that stand out for me. minutes to go in the first period. Winnipegger Mark Stone was trying to track down a puck off the boards in the neutral zone and Byfuglien Sept. 20, 2011 caught him with his head down. It didn’t take long for Byfuglien to announce his presence to Jets fans. The force of the collision knocked Stone out of the game, though it could For those of you scoring at home, it took all of four seconds into the first have been worse. Byfuglien actually let up on the play, realizing his preseason game. opponent was in a vulnerable position.

Now, it’s important to remember that this wasn’t a standard fare “That’s definitely the hardest hit that I’ve ever seen — I was on the ice for exhibition tilt with no emotion attached. that one,” said former Jets defenceman Ben Chiarot, a frequent partner of Byfuglien’s. “What’s funny about that is that actually as he was skating That was evident from the time the doors opened and folks started filing towards Stone, he was trying to say something to him, to let him know into their seats. that he was coming. He was trying to get his attention, but when you’re going that fast, there was no time to react.” This was the first NHL preseason game involving the Jets since 1995 and the buzz in the air was palpable. The force of the collision knocked Stone out of the game and he sat out the final five games of the 2015-16 season with a concussion. Sure, there were a couple of neutral site games played as Winnipeg worked to show the NHL it was interested and capable of once again Many opponents felt the impact of a Byfuglien hit, but while he enjoyed housing a franchise after a new building had been constructed. throwing a body check, he didn’t usually deliver those blows with bad intentions. But this marked the return of the Jets, who dressed a veteran-laden lineup against the Columbus Blue Jackets and they were greeted by a Given his size and strength, if he had a bit more of a mean streak, he full house of fans — most of whom were on their feet for the pregame could have inflicted a lot of damage. warmup. May 1, 2018 Byfuglien was in the starting lineup and four seconds into the shift, he flattened Brandon product Matt Calvert. After winning the series opener on the road against the Predators, the Jets lost a heartbreaker in Game 2 when Kevin Fiala scored in double Before the shift was over, he had thrown another thunderous check on overtime. Tomas Kubalik and eventually dropped the gloves with Cody Bass. Instead of a comfortable 2-0 cushion, the Jets were back to even in a Nodding his head as he made his way to the penalty box to serve the series that had become a best-of-five, though they had stolen home-ice major penalty, Byfuglien sent the locals into a frenzy for the first of many advantage. times during his illustrious career with the Jets. Playing in front of an energetic building, the Jets promptly fell behind 3-0 “I remember hearing about it and seeing it and it was just crazy,” said and looked like they were in big trouble. former Jets forward Tim Stapleton, who was in the split squad lineup for the road game in Columbus that night. “It was a pretty awesome opening But with the game 3-1 and Mark Scheifele and P.K. Subban in the box for the fans, even though it was only the preseason. But it set the tone for serving coincidental roughing minors, Byfuglien ripped a slapshot past what was to come with (Byfuglien).” Pekka Rinne and through a self screen from Kyle Turris.

Did it ever. A mere 18 seconds later, Jacob Trouba scored to tie the game, causing the building to erupt again. Jan. 18, 2016 Byfuglien ripped home a one-timer after a perfect feed from Patrik Laine, Delivering a thundering check was a frequent occurrence, but this bit of capping a stretch of four consecutive goals to close out the second double trouble was significant. period.

The Jets and Los Angeles Kings were going head-to-head at a time Whether it was the booming shot or the joy of the celebration, this is when the Kings were still among the powerhouse teams in the NHL. Byfuglien at his best — showcasing his love for the game — and for finding the back of the net. During this rush, Byfuglien knocked Drew Doughty to the ice, then drilled Anze Kopitar into the boards in a classic example of his sheer power. May 12, 2018

The brute force element was on display, as neither Doughty or Kopitar The Jets were riding an emotional high after disposing of the Presidents’ are small guys who were easy to knock off the puck. Trophy–winning Nashville Predators on the road in Game 7. Two days later, they were hosting the plucky Vegas Golden Knights, who were looking nothing like an expansion team playing its inaugural season as the Western Conference final arrived.

Would the Jets be tired after an emotional series with a Central Division rival?

Might there be a letdown of some kind?

No chance.

Just 65 seconds in, Dustin Byfuglien provided an answer, taking a drop pass from Mark Scheifele and blistering a slapshot past Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury — sending a capacity crowd inside the building, and thousands more outside at the watch party, into a frenzy.

The Jets won the opener 4-2 and it was Byfuglien who set the tone with the early marker.

Although the Jets didn’t win another game in the series, bowing out in five games to a Golden Knights club that eventually lost in the Stanley Cup final to the Washington Capitals, there’s a case to be made that that goal from Byfuglien was the most important he scored since the franchise relocated in 2011.

What was your favourite Dustin Byfuglien moment?

Be sure to share in the comment section below.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183659 Vancouver Canucks Pre-draft speculation had the Canucks likely to land a defencemen in either Evan Bouchard or Noah Dobson, who went 10th and 12th, respectively, to the Edmonton Oilers and the New York Islanders. And when blueliner Rasmus Dahlin was picked first overall by the Buffalo Ben Kuzma: How Canucks' standout Hughes didn't Wing it in 2018 draft Sabres and winger Andrei Svechnikov went second to the Carolina Hurricanes, Hughes could have gone third to the Montreal Canadiens or

fourth to the Ottawa Senators, who were in a back-end remake. BEN KUZMA However, when the Habs chose centre Jesperi Kotkaniemi and the Published:April 27, 2020 Senators followed with winger Brady Tkachuk, the Hughes plot thickened. The Arizona Coyotes coveted a centre and took Barrett Updated:April 27, 2020 4:38 PM PDT Hayton and pulses started racing at the Vancouver table. It would prove warranted.

Zadina has split this season, and with 15 points (8-7) in 28 NHL games Quinn Hughes has a Michigan hockey history but is the toast of B.C. and 16 points (9-7) in 21 AHL outings, the rebuilding Wings may have a 'He was the guy we wanted all along.' future bonafide top-six player. But the Canucks already know what they have in Hughes. So does Blashill. Quinn Hughes knew where he wasn’t going in the 2018 NHL draft. He knew at the 2018 world championship where Hughes, the youngest thought he knew several logical landing spots for the super- tourney player at age 18, looked like a veteran as the U.S. claimed skilled, quick thinking and highly coveted puck-moving defenceman. And bronze. the general manager knew Vancouver wasn’t a likely destination with the seventh-overall selection. “I had a pretty unique opportunity to see him first-hand,” recalled Blashill. “I like that he cares a ton, wants to be a player, has big-time passion for However, for the second-consecutive draft, the Canucks landed a hockey and is willing to get better. I’m a big fan. I thought he could be foundation player and whether you believe the hockey gods or karma or one of those guys who had a skill set that was transferable. whatever, the franchise could have back-to-back Calder Trophy winners and generational talents in Elias Pettersson and Hughes. “Some guys are really good players in junior or college, but maybe they’re not explosive enough or not big enough or fast enough. And should Hughes get the top-rookie nod over Cale Makar, the outstanding Colorado Avalanche defenceman who was on the Canucks’ “He’s super-explosive with the best players in the world because of his radar in the 2017 draft, it will be the first time a franchise has boasted skating.” consecutive Calder winners since and Derek Sanderson in So, no coaching influence at the Detroit draft table? 1966-67 and ’67-68. “Coaches sit there,” added Blashill. “We hope to pick out a good suit and Noodle on that as we navigate the novel coronavirus pandemic. we hope to look good. We don’t really have a whole bunch (to add) Staying at home means keeping the mind sharp and working a puzzle is because I saw one guy a lot (Hughes) and a whole lot of guys not much. like working the draft floor. After all, one key piece that seemed to so How can I have a real grasp of comparable or things like that? easily fit in the 2018 event at Dallas was Hughes going to the Detroit Red “And I don’t think you should judge drafts after two years. Judge them Wings at No. 6 if he fell down the draft board. after five, six or seven years. I was a head coach in college and my Hughes had a strong hockey lineage with the USA Hockey National assistants did all the recruiting. If I did, I would have screwed it up. Let Team Development Program, the University of Michigan and USA the guys who see the players all the time make the judgments.” Hockey. He played in two world hockey championships for Red Wings Hughes joined Makar and Adam Fox of the New York Rangers — the coach Jeff Blashill and that selection scenario had a no-brainer feel. top-three-scoring rookie defencemen this season — in an NHL Not so. conference call Monday and what rang through was the mutual respect between the NCAA products, especially Hughes and Makar. “I was kind of told a couple of days earlier that I wasn’t going to the Red Wings,” Hughes revealed when the Canucks played in Detroit this “The first time I saw Quinn was when we were knocked out (NCAA play season. “I just wrapped my head around that. It was awesome and I’m downs) at UMass and a bunch of us went to the regionals and it was: grateful for that (world championship) experience and to do it for two ‘Damn, his skating is pretty legit.’ years and to play against pro guys.” “It’s been awesome to see what we have done for college hockey and And it’s why the backstory that led to the definitive draft is as good as the how it helped us step into the pros. There’s a new generation of story Hughes is writing. Leading rookies in scoring during this paused defencemen coming in, whether they’re small or mobile, and everybody season with 53 points (8-45) in 68 games and also first in power-play just takes a different amount of time to develop. But you know when points (25) and second in average ice time (21:53), his story is as good you’re ready and you just go.” as Benning’s reaction when the Wings opted for European winger Filip For his part, Hughes didn’t need much memory-jogging to recall Makar. Zadina. “I didn’t play against him in college, but I did in the World Juniors and at Call it the one-man wave. the draft I knew he was really high end,” said Hughes. “The first time I “We were really excited because he was the guy we wanted all along,” really watched him was in the (NHL) playoffs last year and in his first Benning recalled Monday. “We tried to trade up a couple of times and I game, he scored like 10 minutes in and I thought: ‘Oh my God, this is couldn’t get any real traction. I wasn’t going to get anywhere inside the insane.’ top four. “We’re lucky to have coaches who put us in the right spots. You believe “We kept hearing that teams wanted centres and it happened at No. 3 in yourself, but you never really know.” and No. 5, but then Detroit had the sixth pick. We didn’t know if they were Makar became the first defenceman to score a playoff goal in his NHL going to take Quinn. We thought he could go anywhere from No. 3 to No. debut and could be running the Canucks’ power play if the Avalanche 7 and he wasn’t going to go by us. didn’t take the Hobey Baker winner fourth overall in 2017 at Chicago. “He had the foundation to be really good because his hockey sense was “That would have been a tough decision because Makar dominated and off the charts. And because he thinks the game so well, it’s actually was as good a defenceman in his draft year that we’ve seen in a long easier to play in the NHL than the AHL, where it might be more of a time,” said Benning. “We’ve had no luck winning the lottery, or getting a scramble. higher pick for the draft, but we’ve been lucky that the player we wanted “Every day in training camp, he just kept getting better with his all along has kind of fallen to us.” confidence and there are still a lot of things he’s going to get better at. The Canucks were always sold on Pettersson because the NHL game “He changed the dynamic of our team. He gave us that guy who can was changing and speed and skill was outweighing size and strength. transition the puck and run the power play.” Pettersson and Hughes have proven that. “I don’t know if that’s so much the case because when you’re building a team, you’re always looking for a No. 1 centre, who can put up numbers and create offence,” added Benning. “And you want a defenceman to run the power play some day and help us transition.

“Quinn checked all those boxes. I know the game has changed, but the way he plays, he would have been a good player in the 1990s.”

Hughes has had his moments and was quick with the right answers Monday when quizzed about how rookie defencemen have excelled in the NHL. He instantly knew that Ray Bourque was the last NHL rookie to match his production of four, three-point games.

Most importantly, Hughes knows trust from coach was pivotal to allow him to do what he does best and learn through mistakes. He gets the angle on forwards by retreating with speed and a strong stick. And he has learned to pick his spots too.

“The coaching staff has been tremendous and taught me a lot,” said Hughes. “I’ve seen guys come in who are really skilled and they have a leash on them. I’m trying to take the coach’s advice and we’ve got a good relationship.

“There’s a reason Boes (Brock Boeser) came in and did really well and then Petey (Pettersson) and I’m doing my thing.

“He (Green) has let them come in and just do it.”

For Green, it has been easy to reward effort and enthusiasm.

“He’s an exceptional talent,” said the coach. “His skating wows you and he’s a heads-up player who can snap a pass 10, 20 or 60 feet and understands how hard you have to pass it. And he’s a really good kid off the ice too.”

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183660 Vancouver Canucks Tyler Myers Tyler Myers will be a divisive player for the duration of his contract, but

there’s virtually no chance he’s moved. With Chris Tanev and Troy Who stays, who goes? Analyzing the Canucks’ roster for the 2020-21 Stecher both unsigned, Myers is the Canucks’ only right-shot season defenceman locked up for 2020-21.

Micheal Ferland

By Harman Dayal and Thomas Drance Apr 27, 2020 Micheal Ferland’s impact on the 2019-20 Canucks was limited as the result of a difficult series of head injuries.

According to Rick Dhaliwal’s diligent reporting, Ferland remains focused Roster churn is a fact of offseason life in the contemporary NHL. on recuperating this summer, on making it back and on helping the team.

Led by a young core group that’s already demonstrably elite, the Because of Ferland’s injury status, there’s no possibility of the Canucks Vancouver Canucks took a significant step forward this season but will exercising a buyout on his deal. And because he has a full no-move be facing some particularly difficult decisions whenever the offseason clause, the Canucks are unable to trade Ferland or place him on waivers begins. That will be true regardless of whether the NHL can conclude the without his consenting to it. 2019-20 regular season and/or hold the playoffs at some point this summer or not. He’ll get every shot to get back to full health and retrieve the 40-point form he managed in two consecutive seasons prior to signing with the If the Canucks hope to take another step forward in the 2020-21 season, Canucks. they’ve got a lot of work to do, from retaining some key unrestricted free agents (including starting goaltender and team MVP Jacob Markstrom) to Tanner Pearson improving their defense corps to maintaining at least a similar level of Fans have begged for consistency on Horvat’s flanks. In Tanner forward depth. And they’ll have to accomplish those tasks in a limited cap Pearson, there’s at least stability on the left side. space environment while navigating the perilous uncertainty that’s been introduced by the pandemic. Since arriving in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins at the trade deadline last year, Pearson has provided offence, notching 30 goals and When it comes time to shape the Canucks roster for the 2020-21 season, 57 points in 88 games. Some of those numbers are inflated because of who will stay and who will go? We’ve organized 27 Canucks roster the empty-net rewards he’s cashed in, but the offensive results are players into a variety of categories, in our attempt to answer that strong even after accounting for that. Also, he’s only getting those empty question. netters because he’s one of the few wingers that Green trusts in all Returning for sure situations.

Elias Pettersson Vancouver will need their second-line to be at their best to make the playoffs next year and Pearson will be counted on to be a crucial part of Elias Pettersson singlehandedly changed the conversation around the that. Canucks’ rebuild last year and his encore performance as a sophomore featured subtle, but crucial steps forward. His two-way game is incredibly Antoine Roussel mature for a 21-year-old centre and when you couple that with his elite Coming off of a major ACL injury in midseason, Roussel was rusty. He offensive skills, you’ve got the makeup of an undisputed franchise centre. far less dangerous off the rush than we’ve seen previously and his Good luck trying to pry a piece like that away if you’re a rival team. usually strong two-way value eroded early.

Quinn Hughes There were signs he was getting more comfortable as he worked his way back. Over the Canucks’ last 20 games, his 5-on-5 expected goal Quinn Hughes’ debut season shattered even the most optimistic differential led the team. That’s a significant reason to believe that expectations. Roussel can rebound in 2020-21 and help stabilize a bottom-six forward group that’s continued to be Vancouver’s Achilles’ Heel. Hughes was fifth among all defencemen in points, which in conjunction with his strong two-way impact already qualifies him as a bona fide No.1 Jay Beagle defenceman at the NHL level. The Canucks has never seen a defenceman of Hughes’ ilk before. He’s irreplaceable, a franchise Canucks management believes strongly in what Jay Beagle provides to a cornerstone and won’t be going anywhere. young team, in terms of his defensive ability, mentorship and championship pedigree. Alex Edler The perpetually upbeat, veteran checking centre and faceoff ace will Alex Edler has consistently signed for below market value to stay in have two years remaining on the four-year, $12 million deal he signed in Vancouver and he’s earned a no-movement clause as a consequence. the summer of 2018. While Beagle’s modified no-trade protection will Entering the last year of his contract, the 34-year-old is in full control of shift for the 2020-21 league year – he’ll only be permitted to submit a his future and it’s not like the Canucks, who are shallow on defence, are five-team no-trade list, rather than a 15-team no-trade list, according to looking to move on from Edler either. CapFriendly.com – that does little to alter his status. The club isn’t going to actively look to trade him anyway. Bo Horvat And because of his contract structure, there’s limited benefit to buying NHL teams don’t go very far without a formidable one-two punch down out his contract. There’s going to be better options for clearing out cap the middle – and for the Canucks, Bo Horvat helps solidify that. space, which makes a Beagle buyout exceedingly unlikely regardless of Horvat takes on the toughest matchups, was the top goal scorer on the how tight things get. team’s first power-play unit and has another gear that could be unlocked Returning … we think with an upgrade on right-wing. The team’s centre depth would look shallow without Horvat and his contract provides much-needed surplus- Brock Boeser value – you can bet the house that he’ll be back next year. Brock Boeser is a core piece who still possesses star-level upside. J.T. Miller Declining goal totals in consecutive seasons suggest he may not be the franchise winger that fans hoped for after his dominant rookie season, Things could not have turned out better for J.T. Miller in his first season but his defensive game has come a long way and his playmaking took as a Canuck. He leads the team in scoring, is one of the NHL’s best play- another step forward this year too. He’s a first-line winger on a bargain driving forwards, brings swagger to the locker room and sets the tone cap hit with tremendous value and will probably return to the west coast. with his competitive nature. Tack supreme versatility and a sweetheart contract on top of that package and Miller is probably the Canucks’ He’s not an untouchable piece, however. second-most valuable forward. (Adam Davis / Icon Sports) Boeser’s yet to play 70 games in a season due to injuries and becomes An arbitration-eligible restricted free agent, Tyler Motte will be back next an RFA with a minimum qualifying offer of $7.5 million in the summer of season because the organization needs his speed in the bottom six and 2022. The Canucks won’t shop Boeser themselves, but you also have to rates his contributions. remember how shaky the future of Vancouver’s defence core is. An already weak group has Edler nearing the end of his career, Chris Tanev Between his defensive play and penalty killing impact, Motte will likely as a potential cap casualty and Myers is only getting older without many earn a modest raise over the $975,000 salary he earned during the 2019- high-end defence prospects in the pipeline. 20 campaign.

The team’s looming defensive uncertainty is arguably the biggest Zack MacEwen obstacle to their long-term goal of competing for a Stanley Cup. You It’s a shame that the season ended when it did for MacEwen, just as he have to expect that Jim Benning will have to pursue every option was just in the midst of solidifying himself as an everyday NHL player. available to address this moving forward. In a brief stint with the Canucks this season, MacEwen played fast, It would take a blockbuster for Boeser to move and it remains an unlikely physical and chipped in with the odd goal. The organization believes scenario. Considering the team’s significant needs on the back end MacEwen is ready to become a regular and he adds further value with though, it’s not outside the realm of possibility. how inexpensive his second contract will be.

Jacob Markstrom Jake Virtanen

Jacob Markstrom has long indicated that he’d like to stay with the Benning’s faith in Jake Virtanen has never really wavered and finally, it Canucks. And why not? From a hockey perspective, the fit for Markstrom was rewarded this year. in Vancouver has been just about perfect. Virtanen set career-highs with 18 goals and 36 points in 69 games. It’s He’s a leader on this Canucks team, trusted and respected by his tough to see why Benning, who’s been incredibly patient with the teammates and his coaches. The only thing that remains, is for him to get Abbotsford native, would then cut bait when the latter’s finally showing paid by Canucks management. And therein lies the rub. signs of being a productive middle-six player.

A pending unrestricted free agent whenever the 2019-20 league year There are a couple of scenarios that could force a move. Cap constraints ends, Markstrom is due for a long-term deal and a significant raise over could come into play given that the arbitration-eligible Virtanen has put the $4 million in actual salary he earned last season. himself in line for a significant raise. A trade could as well, for many of Markstrom is willing to be flexible to remain in Vancouver. That flexibility the same reasons we enumerated in the Boeser section. If the right move isn’t going to extend to the point that Markstrom and his camp acquiesce comes along that permits the Canucks to upgrade on the back-end, to a shorter-term deal, at less money with no-move protection (an would they consider dealing Virtanen? important concession ahead of the 2021 expansion draft), however. The 50/50 club

Whenever talks between the Canucks and Markstrom’s representatives Tyler Toffoli resume, it’s going to be a tough negotiation. Markstrom is a vital piece for a team with pressure to win now, but he’s also an unrestricted free agent Keeping Tyler Toffoli is a priority for the Canucks. And why not? Toffoli goaltender facing a buyers market and unprecedented levels of cap- showed extraordinarily well in 10 games on the top-line with Pettersson related uncertainty. and Miller, and brought some serious offensive savvy at the net front on the first power-play unit. In handicapping it, it seems that neither Markstrom nor the Canucks have real incentive to walk away from a relationship that has functioned this Aside from Taylor Hall, Toffoli is considered to be in the ‘best of the rest’ well and benefitted all involved. Leverage will shape the ultimate contract class among free-agent wingers this offseason, alongside Mike Hoffman outcome but expect the two sides to find common ground and get an and Evgenii Dadonov. It’s tough to gauge what that market might look extension done eventually. like with so much up in the air at the moment, but getting an unrestricted free agent winger of Toffoli’s calibre under contract is still likely to be Oscar Fantenberg pricey.

Vancouver’s delicate cap scenario means they’ll need to find inexpensive We know that the Canucks will be motivated to retain Toffoli, but there’s depth options and bringing Oscar Fantenberg back makes a lot of sense. still too much uncertainty at the moment for us to confidently handicap He’s not well-suited to being a regular, but serves just fine in the seventh Vancouver’s chances of actually getting a deal done. or eighth defenceman role and certainly gained Green’s trust based on Josh Leivo how many games Jordie Benn spent as a healthy scratch. Josh Leivo probably had more on the line this season than just about Restricted … so likely staying put anyone in the NHL, which is what made the kneecap fracture he Adam Gaudette sustained in mid-December so devastating.

Adam Gaudette isn’t technically a free agent at all. He’s a “black hole” As an unrestricted free agent with a relatively shallow track record who with 10.2(c) status. missed half of the season due to injury and is now hitting an unpredictable market rocked by a revenue sapping pandemic, Leivo So while Gaudette is very much like a restricted free agent, in that he’ll might be a textbook case of a UFA player we’d expect to strongly have to receive a qualifying offer and is out of a contract, in fact, he has consider a short-term deal to rebuild his value. no right to free agency at all. He’s ineligible to receive an offer sheet and is only entitled to accept his qualifying offer, or not. After waiting, and waiting and waiting for his opportunity in Toronto, Leivo has found it in Vancouver. He’s trusted to play a matchup role and was The most interesting question, then, for the Canucks and Gaudette in the playing serious top-six minutes before his injury. With Green behind the 2020 offseason isn’t whether he’ll be back with the Canucks or not – he bench, Leivo knows he’s going to play. And play a lot. almost certainly will be. It’s whether or not the Canucks will have the cap flexibility to utilize Gaudette’s unusual status creatively. If Leivo does decide to go the short-term route, you’d expect that might matter more than just about any other factor. If the Canucks need to make every dollar count next season, they could grind Gaudette this summer in the hopes of signing a very affordable, Troy Stecher team-friendly one-year deal. After all, even something like $900,000 It’s hard to ignore how Troy Stecher’s situation mirrors Ben Hutton’s from would be more than the qualifying offer Gaudette is due. last year. It seems that, like Hutton, Stecher’s Canucks future will be That classic “prove it” contract track provides a useful option for the determined by what Benning does with players higher on the depth chart. Canucks, one they can utilize if things get tight. One wonders though if If Tanev doesn’t come back and the Canucks are unable to acquire going a bit longer – at a higher cap hit in 2020-21 – might be the better another right-shot blueliner, they’ll likely have to re-sign Stecher. That’s option, particularly considering the strides Gaudette has managed to probably the fallback option though since it’s apparent that the blue line make both as a point producer and two-way player at the NHL level. requires a significant upgrade. It adds some pressure too that Brogan Tyler Motte Rafferty is in the organization, is a more affordable option and seems Sutter, the only realistic ordinary course buyout candidate who was on ready to fight for third-pair minutes. the Canucks’ NHL roster when play was suspended.

The true wild card We want to be very clear: this analysis is simply based on our reading of the cap space tea leaves, not any sourced information from within the Loui Eriksson Canucks organization. Internally, this would not be the first option for the Let’s assume the upper limit of the salary cap is set at $81.5 million, the Canucks. There’s a lot of regard for Sutter as a person and competitor flat cap scenario. In this formulation, once the roughly $1.7 million bonus and he performed ably when he was healthy this season. overage is factored in, the Canucks are projected to have roughly $15.3 If Sutter’s deal were subject to an ordinary course buyout, however, the million to fill out seven vacant spots on their roster. It’s going to get tight Canucks would net $2.33 million in cap savings for next season, at the in a hurry. cost of just a hair under $1.2 million in buyout cap hit for the 2021-22 Let’s assume that Markstrom and Toffoli sign for $11 million combined, campaign. That’s a relatively attractive cap proposition and one we which seems realistic albeit a bit team-friendly. That leaves $3.3 million suspect the Canucks may have to seriously consider, particularly if available for five additional spots to fill out the roster. they’re able to sign both Markstrom and Toffoli to contract extensions.

Obviously, in that scenario, the team will need to carve out more space, if Expansion compliance watch only to re-sign their key RFAs (not to mention upgrading the blue line). Thatcher Demko

That should give you an idea of how quickly the dollars can dry up for the When the expansion draft occurs following the 2020-21 season, the Canucks. And it’s why the Loui Eriksson situation bears monitoring. Canucks will only be able to protect one goaltender.

Eriksson played a bit in the top-six for the Canucks this season and Even as their future geographical rival from down the I-5 threatens the remains a useful NHL player. Seriously. If he were a utility role player on organization’s goaltending depth, the Canucks won’t be forced into a one-year, $1 million cap hit, that would be decent value. prematurely moving Demko.

At $6 million and with a contract that runs through the 2021-22 season, Benning spoke to The Athletic about the goaltending situation in January it’s a problem for a team that’s looking to take a big step forward quickly. and was adamant that there are so many moving parts that could change The shape of Eriksson’s situation will be determined by a variety of the landscape of that draft. Vancouver’s likely to take a wait-and-see factors: approach with their goaltending dilemma. You don’t have to squint too hard in reading between the lines on that one, the odds are that Demko The way Eriksson’s contract is structured means the Canucks would only won’t get moved this summer. receive $333,333 in cap benefit for the 2020-21 season if the club were to exercise a buyout in the ordinary course on the remaining two years of Louis Domingue Eriksson’s deal. We can rule out this possibility because it’s an Regardless of how things play out with Demko and Markstrom in the inconsequential level of cap savings. In fact, the Canucks would receive months ahead, the Canucks will be in the market for a veteran third-string less cap benefit from buying out Eriksson’s deal than they would receive goaltender for expansion reasons. And they’ll be looking to sign that by simply … veteran third-string goaltender to a two-year contract.

Assigning Eriksson to the American League would save the club $1.075 Here’s why: while you can only protect one goaltender in the expansion million against the salary cap. The bright side: an extra million in space process, the expansion rules also stipulate that you must expose at helps a lot. The downside: Eriksson would still cost the Canucks $4.925 least one eligible goaltender who is signed for the 2021-22 season or million against the cap with his cap hit is buried in the AHL. Which is why who is a restricted free agent and has received their qualifying offer. the club might prefer … Failure to do so carries a very steep penalty.

A retained salary transaction would potentially permit the Canucks to As it stands now, the Canucks will have hotshot goalie prospect Mike shave at a minimum of $3 million off of the books and potentially more. DiPietro, who will be excluded from the expansion process as a second- Eriksson’s deal is structured so that if he receives the signing bonus he’s year pro. They’ll protect one goaltender and that decision will come down due at the start of the 2020-21 league year, he’ll be owed just $5 million to Demko or, more likely, Markstrom. in actual salary over two years, despite his deal carrying $12 million worth of cap liability during that timeframe. If you’re a team interested in If the Canucks don’t want to risk losing a goaltender in the expansion hitting the cap floor – i.e. the Ottawa Senators and basically no one else draft with no return and would prefer to lock in an asset in a trade, it’s – that gap in salary level and cap hit could be intriguing, but only if taking essential to have another veteran goaltender in the organization signed Eriksson’s deal comes attached to some quality sweeteners. to a multi-year contract. Without it, the Canucks won’t have the flexibility Unfortunately, if the cap is flat (or goes down) in the wake of the to trade one of Demko or Markstrom in-season. pandemic, there will be even more teams competing even more urgently to shed cap space in that manner too, making a trade involving Eriksson All of which is to say, don’t be shocked if the Canucks end up signing even more difficult for the Canucks to consummate. And that’s why the Domingue to a multi-year deal. Domingue’s only outing for the Canucks – best-case scenario would be … the comeback loss in Columbus – didn’t go the way he’d have wanted it, but they acquired him for a reason and he’s well-liked, which matters a If Eriksson were assigned to the American League and declined to ton. report, a la Zach Bogosian, then his contract could be terminated once he passed through unconditional waivers. There’s certainly a lot of More likely to move on … we think whispers around this topic in the Vancouver market, but as Dhaliwal Chris Tanev wrote a few months ago it could be a mistake to interpret this possibility as a fait accompli. Between the way he holds onto pucks and takes hits to key the breakout, the way he blocks shots and the overall sturdiness of his defensive As you can see, Eriksson is the real wild card for the Canucks’ offseason. game; Tanev plays some of the toughest minutes ever witnessed in Considering the club’s needs and cap commitments, it seems certain that Vancouver. something has to give. While Tanev’s abilities in transition have fallen off a bit in recent seasons, The only outcomes that would genuinely shock me would be an ordinary he remains a remarkable defensive player and a pretty rare piece in the course buyout or Eriksson actually being on the opening day 23-man contemporary game. If the market provides for a significant opportunity roster at the start of the 2020-21 season. for Tanev elsewhere, I expect he’ll be priced out of what the Canucks can Buyout watch afford. If pandemic-related craziness complicates things, however, I do think both sides would be open to making something work. Brandon Sutter Tanev has played the game so hard, for so long that he deserves his big To this point in our survey of Canucks players likely (or not likely) to payday. Without the market shifting significantly, I just don’t see that return in 2020-21, we’ve discussed why buyouts don’t make sense for payday coming from the Canucks at this juncture. three players: Ferland, Beagle and Eriksson. Which brings us to Brandon Jordie Benn Jordie Benn looked like a tremendous fit when he signed a two-year deal with the Canucks last summer, but it just didn’t work out. As the season went on, Benn lost his everyday spot in the Canucks lineup to Fantenberg and from the Christmas break on, appeared in just seven games.

Obviously, it wasn’t easy for a competitive, longtime NHL veteran like Benn to be out of the lineup with that level of frequency, even if he handled it like a pro, by all accounts.

It’s perhaps notable that by far the best game Benn played down the stretch came against the Arizona Coyotes when he was on his right side. There’s a mounting body of evidence that Benn may be at his best as a right-sided defender, but Green and the Canucks coaching staff prefer to use defenders on their strong sides.

Benn may just be an odd fit for the Canucks. It happens sometimes and it may be best for all sides if the Canucks can find a hockey trade for Benn this offseason, particularly considering Vancouver’s need for cap space.

Sven Baertschi

Sven Baertschi has played his last game for the Canucks. It’s just about how exactly his Vancouver tenure ends.

Baetschi’s deal may end with a buyout, although that remains a backup option. The Canucks would retain a $1.733 million cap hit for 2020-21 if Baertschi’s contract were to be bought out. Considering that Baertschi’s cap hit when his deal is buried in the American League stands at just under $2.3 million, that represents a limited level of cap benefit.

A Baertschi trade would benefit the Canucks more. Even if Vancouver retained the maximum 50 percent of the last year of Baertschi’s deal, they’d still save narrowly more cap space going that route than they would by exercising a buyout on his deal.

Baertschi cleared waivers on two occasions this season and the club was unable to find a trade for him at the deadline, so it may not be easy. Expect the club to exhaust all options on the trade market, before using a buyout on Baertschi’s deal though.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183661 Websites You can also make a case for keeping Colliton. The players like him, particularly the younger ones. He’s a fabulous communicator and no one in the dressing room is ever left in the dark wondering what his role on the team is. His teams haven’t been good, but they’ve had character to The Athletic / Lazerus: John McDonough was fired. Are Stan Bowman burn — they play hard, they fight back, they never roll over. And while it and Jeremy Colliton next? sounds like an excuse, the fact is Colliton was put in an absolutely untenable position in 2018-19, replacing a legend on a poorly

constructed team in the middle of a season; then he lost three key By Mark Lazerus Apr 27, 2020 players to season-ending injuries in 2019-20. And still, the Blackhawks fought their way to the edge of the postseason. Colliton deserves a lot of credit for that.

Seventeen months and some change ago, John McDonough sat at a But it’s awfully difficult to make a case for firing McDonough and nobody table in the lobby of Fifth Third Arena — one of the many sparkling else. If things are bad enough to dump the business guy, how are they monuments to the money-making machine he helped turn the not bad enough to dump the hockey guys? McDonough’s firing — barely Blackhawks into — alongside Stan Bowman, the man he chose over Joel a month after he, Bowman and Colliton all got the vote of confidence Quenneville; and Jeremy Colliton, the man he chose to replace Joel from Wirtz, no less — sends a clear message to the entire organization: Quenneville. He punched the air with his fingers a few times as he spoke, Nobody is safe. Not Bowman. Not Colliton. Hell, maybe not even Toews solemnly, reverently, disconcertedly, about the state of his Chicago and Kane, no-movement clauses be damned. Blackhawks. All franchise pillars are officially on notice. “We need to get better,” he said. “We need to get better. And we are all accountable. That starts with me.” The timing of the firing makes things even dicier for those left behind. The NHL appears dead-set on returning to play out the 2019-20 season Well, it actually started with Quenneville, who was dumped a month into in some form this summer, and there’s little appetite for skipping straight the 2018-19 season, the first pillar of the Blackhawks’ golden age to fall. to the postseason. The Blackhawks have 12 games remaining. The draft It continued Monday, with the just-as-shocking dismissal of the seemingly — one in which the Blackhawks are sure to have a lottery pick — could untouchable McDonough by owner Rocky Wirtz. The only question that be in June or it could be in September. Free agency might be even more remains is will it continue with Bowman? And if Bowman goes, will compressed than usual. Is that why Bowman and Colliton weren’t on the Colliton inevitably follow? Are we truly looking at a foundational shift of a same press release as McDonough? Can either be expected to do their lumbering franchise that tells time in decades, not days? jobs well in those situations with their necks in the guillotine?

It’s a cruel irony — one that’s likely not lost on McDonough, given his There are so many ways this can go from here. The Blackhawks can self-awareness and penchant for burnishing his own reputation — that he bring in another business person to run the franchise. More likely, they helped create the environment that led to his own dismissal. Thirteen bring in a Brendan Shanahan-type as president of hockey operations to years ago, when Wirtz lured him over from the Cubs with the promise of oversee Bowman and make the big hiring and firing decisions while a new challenge and free reign on a truly pathetic organization — one rebuilding the front-office infrastructure. Maybe Wirtz kicks Bowman that ESPN aptly deemed the worst in all of professional sports just three upstairs into that kind of role and hires a young up-and-coming cap guru years earlier — a mediocre team that sells out the cavernous United to take over as GM and hire his own coach. Or hell, maybe Bowman and Center night after night sounded like a pipe dream. Now, in the wake of Colliton aren’t going anywhere and can survive a make-or-break season the franchise’s greatest era, it feels like a waking nightmare. to entrench themselves in Chicago a while longer.

Prime years of the careers of Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews are Who knows? All options are on the table now. being wasted. A decade of goodwill built up with the fan base is eroding. A young generation of talent is generating hope, but a glut of highly paid, “We are all accountable,” McDonough said 17 months ago. unmovable veterans stand in its way. The Blackhawks are in no man’s It hasn’t always felt that way around an organization that prides itself on land. They’re not good enough to contend for another Stanley Cup, its loyalty and continuity. But now we know it’s true. Because once you they’re not bad enough to land another generational talent, and they’re fire John McDonough as president of the Chicago Blackhawks, shoot, not flexible enough to blow it all up and start over. just about anything is possible. At least, not on the ice. But perhaps Wirtz has decided to do just that off The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 the ice. The house-cleaning that probably should have come in 2018 might finally be coming now.

After all, of all the Blackhawks’ problems, marketing and making money — McDonough’s primary directives as team president and CEO — aren’t high on the list. Did McDonough, who has neither the background nor the credentials of a so-called “hockey man,” meddle in hockey affairs from time to time? Sure did. It’s the worst-kept secret in town. Did McDonough choose Bowman over Quenneville? Yep. Does the buck stop at the president’s desk when a team whose stated “One Goal” is to win a championship every year hasn’t won a playoff series in five years or made the playoffs in three? Absolutely.

But did McDonough hand a 30-year-old Brent Seabrook a roster-buckling eight-year contract worth $55 million? No, Bowman did. Did McDonough trade away Artemi Panarin as part of a knee-jerk reaction to one bad week against Nashville in the 2017 playoffs? No, Bowman did. Did McDonough misuse a rare chunk of cap space the past two summers on middling and/or injury-prone veterans? No, Bowman did. Did McDonough try, midseason, to install a convoluted defensive system that was basically the polar opposite of what the Blackhawks had been running for years? No, Colliton did. Has McDonough been unable to take the Blackhawks out of the running for “worst defensive team in the league” over the last two years? No, Colliton has.

Look, you can make a case for keeping Bowman, just as you could in 2018. For all the misses, there have been plenty of hits, too. Few teams draft as well as the Blackhawks. Few teams plunder Europe for high-end talent as well as the Blackhawks. Bowman deserves a lot of credit for that. 1183662 Websites Daly says the feedback from players has been well-received in the committee meetings.

“I think it’s always very helpful to hear directly from the players,” Daly The Athletic / LeBrun: An inside look at John Tavares’ role on the Return said via email on Monday. “And their guidance on issues like how much to Play Committee time they think they are going to need to reacclimate and recondition are essential to our collective planning. ‘’

If there’s one word Bettman has repeated constantly over the past few By Pierre LeBrun Apr 27, 2020 weeks in addressing all the possible return to play scenarios, it’s “flexibility.’’ That depending on how the pandemic continues to play out,

the league will need to be ready for several different options. It has always been interesting to me over the years to see which NHLers So while there’s been talk of players needing a three-week training camp end up playing roles in collective bargaining. before the season can resume, even that depends. Or on the Competition Committee. “So, it’s hard to get into exact timing,” Tavares said of a three-week It tells you about their willingness to stick their neck out and take training camp. “That’s what we discussed is having an understanding that ownership, something that I have always respected. if certain variables present themselves, how we can address them. This is also about being prepared. Because things are changing, as we see, Which is how I view the players who have accepted invitations from the daily and weekly; so just being able to adapt about how much time we’re NHL Players’ Association to be members of a so-called Return to Play going to have, how much time we’re going to need.” Committee. Phase 2 of the NHL-NHLPA plan is loosening self-quarantine and The idea of trying to salvage the season has become a divisive issue, so allowing players to work out in small groups at team facilities. Will that be it would be understandable if some players said, “thanks but no thanks” in mid-May as hoped? That’s not decided yet. to the idea of sitting on calls with NHL brass to game theory what a season resumption may look like. If Phase 2 gets truncated, maybe a longer training camp is needed. These are all the different scenarios at play. So kudos to Connor McDavid, James van Riemsdyk, Ron Hainsey, John Tavares and Mark Scheifele for agreeing to join the committee, which “If we’re not on the ice very long and obviously have to get a lot of has had two meetings and plans to convene (in a virtual manner of players from around the globe into their club cities – which will be a course) at least once a week to tackle issues, of which there are many, in challenge in its own right – making sure everyone has all the right visualizing what reigniting the 2019-20 season would look it. amount of time to get those first couple of weeks to really get those cobwebs out,” Tavares said. “Just to really feel about being back on the If it happens at all, of course. ice let lone thinking about being competitive. So do we need a longer training camp? So it’s just discussing all those types of variables and how NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, senior to approach them if certain things unfold and be as best prepared as we executive VP Colin Campbell and NHL schedule maker Steve Hatze can be, so we just have a good understanding of each other and when Petros have been on the committee calls representing the league so far, decisions need to be made they can be made quickly.’’ while NHLPA executive director Don Fehr, NHLPA executives Mathieu Schneider, Don Zavelo and Steve Webb have joined the above- Either way, whether it’s through small groups in Phase 2 or longer camps mentioned players to rep the NHLPA. in Phase 3, the players will need ample time to skate again.

“I was asked to be a part of it and I’m obviously happy to help and “I think definitely the most important thing is getting the proper communicate with as many guys as I can and get a general feeling on preparation … for guys to be healthy and safe in playing the game,’’ what we feel is going to be best, collectively, going forward coming out of Tavares said. “And also, we’re at a very crucial point in our season where this, how best to deal with this situation,” Tavares said over the phone on we’re finishing up the regular season, each team has around 10 games Monday. “Obviously, timing is very important from a health and safety left, maybe a couple more than that, and then you’re into the most standpoint to proper preparation and then how to play with integrity and competitive that anyone plays in a two-month grind of trying to win the fairness to award the Stanley Cup. All that is part of this and I’m just Stanley Cup. happy to be part of it.’’ “To just jump right into that is unrealistic when pretty much 100 percent of Tavares, it should be noted, began our interview by pointing out that the league has been off skates what will be getting close to two months there are bigger issues at play right now in society dealing with the here. So it really is substantial from our end to make sure we’re properly pandemic, but that obviously at some point the NHL will have to get prepared.’’ rolling again. No matter when that happens, there will be issues to overcome, so the Toronto Maple Leafs captain welcomed the chance to Then there’s the proposed idea of resuming the season in four “bubble’’ share his voice in shaping that transition for the season to be restarted. cities. Toronto among a dozen cities being vetted by the NHL to be one of those centralized sites. The back and forth with NHL officials have been a healthy dialogue so far. But the tough part for a lot of players is the idea of being away from loved ones and living in that bubble for quite a while, anywhere from a month to “I think it’s great,” Tavares said. “We ask questions from our side, and two and a half months depending on the team. they ask questions from their side. Just all trying to get on the same page and get a good understanding of once things do get to a point where the “We’ve definitely had that conversation about the time commitment and time is right to progress and potentially preparing to play, what’s going to what that could account for, especially teams that go really deep in the be needed?” playoffs and if this scenario is the one that ends up happening, I think from players we definitely brought that up to their attention and they’ve One of the messages from the players on the committee so far? They completely been really understanding that that’s a part of this process need ample time to skate again before even thinking of playing games. and something that’s going to have to be addressed,’’ Tavares said. “Because that’s a very significant amount of time.’’ “In hockey, as much as you can train and get stronger and work on a lot of things off the ice, there’s really nothing that can really truly mimic the Tavares is getting player feedback on that front from around the league type of stress skating has,” Tavares said. “So I think that’s been a big but even in his situation, being away for that long would be tough with a talking point and I think they wanted to get a good sense of that. And for seven-and-a-half-month-old newborn at home. us, just what are they looking at from a scheduling standpoint and how they’re kind of managing all this, how they see this unfolding if things turn “I know personally, my situation, that would be very difficult to go through the corner and there’s approval from health officials and people in that amount of time without seeing your family, especially a newborn son government, people in those positions who give the green light, just and whatnot,” Tavares said. “But I think the league has been very trying to get a whole understanding so we can just be as best prepared. receptive, there are still hurdles to cross before we get into more details So if there’s an opportunity, or when the opportunity is there to get things about that.” rolling, that we’re ready and everyone’s on the same page and feels good about re-starting and getting back into it.’’ In the end, Tavares said there’s also the understanding that this is a far- from-ideal situation everyone is in right now.

“I think the common thread on a lot of things, it’s never really going to be perfect because obviously with the circumstances we’re in, there are a lot bigger issues than the game,” Tavares said. “But once things are healthy and safe, we’re facing challenges that we never faced before and we’re going to try to do the best we can to make it as perfect as we can. … Us talking and going back and forth and listening to what’s really important to us and how we can make it best we can, that’s a great sign and it’s been really good that we started the conversation early to try to be ahead of things and on top of it if and when we can resume.’’

It’s a tough task ahead for the committee, regardless of the outcome.

“It’s just trying to make the best decisions possible with the most amount of information you have in front of you to get the best result,” Tavares said. “Do the best you can for everyone as players and for the game as a whole. We want to get back playing and we want to play for the Stanley Cup. But we also understand there’s a lot more going on than the game, and just keep things in perspective and try to understand that.’’

The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183663 Websites is so 2004 or 2011. I think there would be a healthy debate amongst owners. There are owners I think who would embrace this because it does give them flexibility. If their GMs have done a great job putting the organization together, they don’t have to put a wrecking ball to it.” The Athletic / Overhardt’s Exception Player proposal: What is it and could it work in the NHL? That’s the thought process. What might it look like? Let’s start with player acquisition. It would totally transform free agency. Let’s use Taylor Hall, the top unrestricted free agent forward in the class of 2020. Right now, he’s limited to joining teams that can fit another $8-10 million in their cap By Craig Custance Apr 27, 2020 situation each season. Assuming the cap is flat, which seems to be the best-case-scenario for next season, that’s not a lot of teams.

Thought exercises are fun. Concepts that might help solve a potential Introduce this system and everything changes. The Edmonton Oilers problem while also adding some juice to the sport are fun too. So as NHL could bring him back without breaking a sweat. The Chicago Blackhawks player agent Kurt Overhardt explained his “Exception Player” rule over could add him for one last Stanley Cup push for its veteran core. Don’t the phone, it certainly was fascinating to consider. The current NHL you think Jim Rutherford and the Penguins would somehow get system might have to look different if the league ends up losing a billion involved? You could do the same exercise with Alex Pietrangelo or Torey dollars in revenue because of an extended pause. Simply coming up with Krug. a new salary cap number may not cut it as a solution. It would certainly be a game-changer. And it’s fair to say this year’s free And it’s clear Overhardt has thought a lot about it. agents would become the league’s highest-paid players, rather than slotting in wherever it is they are going to slot. Assuming the Exception “There needs to be a shift,” Overhardt said. “Trying to fix what the upper Player could be retroactively affixed to a player, it would immediately fix limit is going to be over the course of the next two years is going to be a the coming cap headaches for the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto challenge because we’re going to be dealing with a receding economy.” Maple Leafs. Toronto GM Kyle Dubas could slide Auston Matthews into that Exception Player slot and call it a day. So, during a time in which the NHL is fielding creative ideas from its owners and managers to find solutions to get back in business, Right now, teams like the Maple Leafs and Lightning might have to be Overhardt decided to share his own. It’s a mechanism he’s calling broken up eventually, possibly without a championship ring to soften the the Exception Player rule and, at the very least, it’s interesting and fun to blow. Overhardt also argues that it isn’t just the bigger market teams that consider. After he’s done explaining it, you can easily think of a bunch of would benefit. teams that would benefit. “A team like Winnipeg, you might say that’s a small market team but they He wrote a longer explanation of it on his website but the highlights look have a big market owner. The owner is committed,” Overhardt said. “I like this: don’t see how they wouldn’t use it either. They maybe wouldn’t have had to make the moves they’ve made.” Each team would be allowed to designate one Exception Player whose salary would be excluded from the salary cap total, as well as the share It would be an entirely different NHL ecosystem. At some point, there of the revenue split. They’d essentially exist outside the current system. might be some dramatic solutions put in place to respond to what’s happening right now. Overhardt’s hope is that this at least adds to the This would be an opt-in system and it would be up to each team to conversation. decide whether or not they’d want to use it. There would be no minimum salary required for an Exception Player, and the goal would be for teams “The system needs to evolve,” he said. “This is one creative solution to to attract and retain their elite players. enable it to evolve that will help the game both on and off the ice.”

If a small-market team decides not to use an Exception Player The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 exemption, they would be eligible for a luxury tax charged to teams that do use it. Exception Players can be acquired through free agency, draft and trades. They wouldn’t have to be originally drafted by the team tagging them as exceptions.

Overhardt points out that the salaries of the NHL’s best players have grown slowly because of the cap, especially compared to other sports. For instance, the largest contract in the NFL has increased 226 percent since 1999-2000. In hockey, that increase (Connor McDavid’s $12.5 million AAV compared to Jaromir Jagr’s $10.4 million AAV in 1999-2000) is 20.2 percent. That’s life in a hard cap sport.

Now, before we get too far into overanalyzing this, let’s offer up a bit of perspective. It’s hard to imagine NHL commissioner Gary Bettman going for this. At all. Especially considering the lengths the league has gone through in his tenure to establish a cap system and a 50/50 revenue split with the players. The owners like this system. They like the parity.

I hadn’t even finished reading the highlights of this proposal to one NHL general manager when he shot it down.

“We have a system. … Anything that gives the players more than 50 percent is a nonstarter. There’s no owner that would want this,” he said. “Gary won’t even listen.”

You’d probably get 30 similar responses from the other GMs, and Overhardt anticipates this pushback. This would certainly qualify under what the league might call “seepage” – money that falls outside the hard cap. They’ve worked hard to eliminate seepage – like adjusting rules to set limits on how much money can be stashed in the AHL.

A system like this would be more like a flood of money outside the system than seepage.

“I totally respect the cost control that the commissioner and his lieutenants and the people at (the law firm) Proskauer created in 2004. It was a brilliant system. But things need to change,” Overhardt said. “I take a longer view on it. Not, ‘Oh, there’s leakage in the system.’ The leakage 1183664 Websites They might since the alternative could be losing a big chunk of their paychecks. But are they going to leave it all on the ice? Doubtful. It’s not hard to imagine that late-season Devils/Sabres game having all the intensity of an All-Star Game, only without the stars. The Athletic / Down Goes Brown: 6 realities that fans will have to accept if the NHL returns The same issue will be in play even if common sense prevails and we skip straight ahead to the playoffs. Some players will have spent their time off obsessing about the chance to get back on the ice and chase a Cup. Many others will have decades of hyper-competitive instincts kick in By Sean McIndoe Apr 27, 2020 as soon as they step on the ice. That’s great. But others may have been dealing with difficult situations involving family and friends. Some might have been sick. Some may be struggling. Some of them just won’t want It sounds like hockey fans might get to see a conclusion to the 2019-20 to be there. season after all. Mix in the lack of fans to fire up the home side, and it wouldn’t shock me It’s no sure thing, and the plans being floated seem to change almost to see a near-total absence of the sort of big hits and bad blood that so daily. But over the last few weeks, it feels like the consensus has shifted often define the playoffs. Fighting might disappear completely. We could from doubt that won’t see any hockey until at least the fall to something see highs and lows, where some games have all the intensity we’re used more optimistic. Maybe we resume the regular season, or maybe it’s an to and others feel like they don’t need to be happening. Sometimes it expanded playoff tournament, or maybe we have to settle for less than might be both in the same game. that. But it increasingly sounds like the hockey world is expecting that we’ll get … something. It’s going to be weird. Be ready.

We’ll see. There are still countless details to work out, and it would only Expect lots of complaints about the ice (even if it’s fine) take a day or two of bad news from the front lines of the pandemic to Hockey fans have spent years hearing about how the quality of ice render all of this moot. But for now, let’s assume that the optimists are deteriorates as the games stretch into May and June. Now we’re being right. Let’s imagine that the NHL is indeed coming back at some point told that we can play three games a day in the same rink in August and this summer. That’s great news, right? Hockey fans should be thrilled. everything will be fine? Well, yeah. For the most part. But at the risk of being a downer, we may Well, yeah, it actually might. The NHL has made a lot of progress over need to pump the brakes just a bit. If the NHL does return, I think there the years when it comes to ice quality; if they can play outdoor games in are a few things that hockey fans should start thinking about now. None California and make it work, maybe summer hockey is doable after all. of these are meant to be read as reasons why the league shouldn’t This isn’t 1940; it shouldn’t be that hard to keep an otherwise empty return, or why fans shouldn’t hope that it does. But if we’re going to wade building cold. into uncharted territory, there are a few things we should probably start wrapping our heads around first. It’s entirely possible that the ice quality won’t be an issue. Or maybe we’ll be treated to awkward shots of puddles in goal creases, and the whole At least early on, the quality of play might not be great thing will be a disaster. We don’t know. Have you ever watched the first few games of the exhibition schedule in But here’s one thing we can be sure of: Whether the ice holds up or not, September, as everyone shakes off the rust after a few months off? No, we’re going to hear plenty of complaints about it. That’s just hockey you have not, because those games are terrible and you have better culture. The first time some team gets eliminated in double overtime, things to do. their captain or coach or GM is going to blame the ice. And their fans will And that’s fine because none of those games matter. In a resumed NHL, hear that, and they’ll run with it. they’ll matter a lot. So what will the quality of play look like? The winning teams will have no such complaints. Even if the playoffs end It’s an open question, but at least we have some evidence that it won’t be with a Stanley Cup handoff that takes place in ankle-deep slush, the great. Remember, this is the same league that has an annual crisis over winners will think it was good enough. If anything, the soap opera over teams returning from bye weeks needing a few games to get back up to ice quality might end up being the one thing about these playoffs that speed. That’s after a week off. Now, we’ve got players who haven’t actually feels normal. played since early March, and who may not have had access to the Those empty arenas might be hard to get used to workout routines they’re used to. They’re going to have a few weeks of practice and then jump right back into the regular season, or even Depending on who you listen to, it might be a long time before we see directly into the playoffs, and it’s going to be business as usual? sports played in front of fans again. This summer? No chance. Any comeback scenario for this season involves games being played in front It won’t be. But here’s the thing: That might not be a negative. Bad of empty stands. hockey is often fun hockey. Every coach’s idea of a perfectly played game involves his team winning 1-0 while all the fans fall asleep. But And as a fan watching from home, it’s going to be weird … at least at when everyone is making mistakes, things can get wild. And wild is fun. first. After a few games, who knows. It might turn out to be the sort of thing you just get used to. Or maybe we’ll be so happy to have hockey Maybe in a perfect world, the NHL comes back with forgotten defensive back that we’ll be able to look past the distracting background and just systems, end-to-end action and a bunch of sloppy but exhilarating 6-5 enjoy the action. finals. Most of us could get on board with that, especially if the extended layoff means everyone is healthy and the risk of new injuries isn’t any But maybe not. If you’ve been a sports fan for a long time, you’ve had higher. decades of training that “empty stands” equals “this doesn’t matter.” Empty arenas mean that you’re watching the low minor leagues, or a Unfortunately, there’s a related problem that looms larger … meaningless exhibition game, or the end of a blowout where everyone Intensity is going to be an issue has decided they’d rather beat the traffic than bother to watch until the end. You see empty seats, your hand instinctively reaches for the Justin Bourne hit on this a few days ago, and he’s absolutely right. Are remote. NHL players going to be motivated to go all out for the rest of the season? Some of them will be, sure. But not everyone, and it’s going to There is one case where sports fans have watched meaningful games show. without fans in the picture, and it’s unique to hockey: outdoor games. Those games are well attended, of course, often shattering records. But Let’s start with the teams that have nothing to play for. We’re still being because of the rink setup, you don’t see those fans during game action. told that the NHL wants to finish the regular season, and that would And at first, it’s distracting. But you get used to it. It’s not a great mean teams like the Kings and Red Wings being pulled away from their comparison, because you can still hear those fans and know they’re families and communities so that they can play out the string on last- there, but maybe those outdoor games will turn out to be a useful place seasons. The Senators have had multiple players test positive. Do practice run for what we’re about to experience. they even want to play? But it’s possible that you just won’t be able to get used to watching hockey without fans. Pro wrestling isn’t sports, but it’s a sports-like experience, and despite some honest efforts it’s been borderline unwatchable without fans in the building. Maybe hockey is too, at least for some of us.

We’ll get lectured about how it shouldn’t matter, and it shouldn’t. But it might. Your brain will know that the games matter, but your subconscious will be screaming that they don’t.

TV is going to try some things that just won’t work

What should an NHL broadcast look like in a world without fans? I have no idea, and I’m betting the people who produce the games don’t either.

They could try to stick with the tried-and-true approach, reasoning that fans will be more comfortable with something that feels as close as possible to the old way. But they could also take this situation as an opportunity to experiment.

For example, with no fans in the stands, it might make more sense to get closer to the action. There would be fewer limits on where cameras could be set up. Presumably, you’d want to limit how many operators were working a game, but you could have fixed cameras from different locations around the building than we’re used to. Would the broadcasts give us the ability to listen in on the verbal back-and-forth on the ice and benches that we’ve never been able to hear before? Pump in music during the action? Use more on-screen stats and information?

They might try all of it. And some of it will make for a better experience – I’m already looking forward to actually seeing the faceoff setup instead of an endless series of closeups of fans staring at their phones.

But some of it won’t work. You’re going to hate a lot of it because it’s not what you’re used to. And when that happens, let’s all resolve to take a few deep breaths before we start hurling abuse on Twitter or talk radio. None of us know exactly how to handle all of this, so let’s be willing to accept a few stumbles along the way.

And finally, let’s address the elephant in the room …

All of this might not matter, because we might just get shut down again

Can the NHL come back? It increasingly sounds like it. Should it? That’s a different debate altogether. But even if we assume that hockey can return safely, there’s always going to be that nagging voice in the back of our fan brains telling us not to get too attached, because this could all vanish again quickly.

Exactly how quickly is up for debate, with Bill Daly pushing back on the idea that even one player testing positive would have to shut down the entire league. Maybe that’s true. But it’s not hard to envision plenty of scenarios, both internal and external, that would force the NHL to hit pause again. And if that happens, even temporarily, will there be an appetite to try again?

Like with most of the questions about this whole situation, the answer is that we just don’t know. But it’s possible that fans could get their hopes up, get to experience the return of at least passably entertaining hockey, and then have it all yanked away from them. If you think the idea of saying goodbye to the season is painful now, imagine what it would feel like deep into the playoffs, or even in the middle of the Stanley Cup final.

It’s not a pleasant thought, but there’s no point pretending it couldn’t happen. Does that mean we don’t bother trying, or that fans should resist getting invested in the outcome of the season? Not necessarily. But the reality is that nobody knows what the return of the 2019-20 season will look like. The games might be awful – low-intensity slogs played in distractingly empty buildings by players who don’t really want to be there. Or they could be surprisingly great, and just the distraction that so many of us could use these days.

We won’t know until we know. And these days, it sounds like we’re going to find out.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183665 Websites Not everyone has heard of complementary colors, but broadly they are pairings of colors that are opposite each other on the traditional RYB color model.

The Athletic / Ranking all 31 NHL uniforms: An unbiased outsider tackles What does this mean? Well, if you combine red and blue you get purple. the league’s looks The only primary color not being used here is yellow, which sits opposite purple on the wheel.

Yellow and purple are complementary colors, which is weird because you By Ed Malyon Apr 27, 2020 never see them together. There’s probably a reason for that and the reason is likely because it doesn’t look very good at all, and actually, the

more you analyze it, the world has largely shunned these pairings of “This is certainly not the quality of content I have come to expect of The colors … except for the NHL. Athletic.” The most egregious example is the Minnesota Wild, which uses There, I got that one out of the way so you don’t need to. If I see it in the complementary colors green and red – magnified by the fact that they comments section now, I’m going to be annoyed. use a dirty green and deep red. Not having it.

And I don’t want to be annoyed really because this is supposed to be a 27. Vegas Golden Knights fun exercise. Is it me or were the Golden Knights’ original uniforms really good? I was As an impartial observer, I am neutral, so free from bias that my favorite sure they were better than this. cheese is Swiss. In a freaky turn of events, I also boast a fashion sense One of the advantages of being a new team is that you can design that has been described as “interesting,” so it was no surprise that a everything from scratch and leave all the old-fashioned franchises trailing shadowy editorial figure from the NHL team would approach me – a pure, in your wake. innocent outsider with virgin eyes – to rank all the teams’ uniforms on their relative aesthetic merits. You could say they did that on the ice in their first season, but their uniforms are an uninspiring gray, accented by a peculiar choice of And I agree with you that this is not the quality of content I have come to yellows and reds, and they’re marooned near the foot of our list. expect of The Athletic either, but fortunately there’s tons of good storytelling still here for you to read in addition to this journey into the They just ended up as a crappy, expensive mistake, which is such a unfashionable. shame for Vegas because nobody has ever gone to … oh.

Anyway, you can’t eat Wagyu steak all the time. Occasionally you’re 26. New York Islanders going to want a big, greasy burger. Do you remember our discussion about complementary colors? So get your gob around this. Blue and orange. 31. Anaheim Ducks Of the NHL’s two teams that continue to drape themselves in blorange, For the parts of the world that don’t live half the year under ice, the first this is the worst. They should be made to explain how this happened. exposure most people have to hockey is the Mighty Ducks movies. Gordon Bombay’s rag-tag bunch of misfits have a special place in the 25. Arizona Coyotes heart of children all over the world, and so it is weird that the only globally I don’t like the color. That’s always a bad start. relevant NHL franchise turned its back on that in favor of … well, these. Wikipedia tells me officially it’s brick red but way more interesting was the The colorway isn’t great, though there was another team whose uniforms Coyotes’ original logo! Why did they get rid of that? were orange and black that didn’t look this heinous. Stick it back on the front of your jersey and watch them sell like crazy and I guess it’s just the disappointment. rise up the uniform rankings. Possibly even a top 10 slot. And as you’ll know if you saw the way the kids looked at coach Bombay Don’t think this exercise is just rating and slating. I’m here to provide when he tried to get Hawks star Adam Banks transferred to the Ducks, constructive advice, too. Coyotes, you’ve been told. nothing hurts more than disappointment. Patrice Bergeron 30. Washington Capitals 24. Boston Bruins Was this lot an expansion team? It’s not even that bad as a uniform, I think the overwhelming factor here is It’s a very “expansion team” vibe in this uniform. The logo. Even the that so many Boston sports fans I’ve met have proven to be unbearable, name! “What shall we call the team from Washington? Ummm, errr, and there was a point when one of them was telling me last year that the yeah, uh, W… Walkers … Warriors? Capitals! Capitals!” Bruins, Patriots, Red Sox and Celtics could sweep the major leagues. It If you squint it looks like a bad Premier League shirt, and that is no just would have been too much. compliment. Now that Tom Brady is gone and the 2018 World Series is tainted maybe 29. St. Louis Blues things will calm down a little. The Bruins just have a worse version of the Penguins’ gear anyway. Can I shock you? I own one of these. 23. Edmonton Oilers The blue one, with my name and number (88 – don’t remember why) on the back from when I went on an exchange trip to a St. Louis school Earlier on this episode of Sesame Street, we taught you about when I was 14. complementary colors. This is the NHL’s best use of them … and it still isn’t good. I have no quarrel with the blue one. I’d even go as far as describing it as “nice.” The problem is the white one. The Oilers might boast the best player in hockey but the one time I saw him play he couldn’t get past Olli Maatta and Zack Smith. Makes you I don’t know why it offends me so much but there’s something dreadful think, would he play better if he wasn’t being held back by blorange? about it. Maybe it should be yellow. Have they considered this? Check out next week’s column.

Either way, it’s such a juddering falloff from blue to white that St. Louis 22. Colorado Avalanche (forgettable city) has been marked down appropriately. Similar colors to Arizona, slightly better execution. Plus points for a cool name. 28. Minnesota Wild 21. Columbus Blue Jackets The logo, the name, the uniform all scream UNLOVED EXPANSION 9. Philadelphia Flyers TEAM. I don’t really like the colors here but I love the uniform. How does that 20. Dallas Stars work?

Very green, isn’t it? Bit too green. Yeah. Very green. Too green. Well, I also don’t really like eggs and flour in their raw form but am a big fan of cake, so maybe that explains it. 19. Buffalo Sabres History lesson: I played a ton of NHL 99 on PlayStation when I was a kid A forgettable effort but not as offensive as some of the league’s worst. and the Flyers were amazing. Eric Lindros and John LeClair!

The Red Clump (No. 14-18) Does this count as bias? Impossible to conclude.

Welcome to the rankings within the rankings. Rankingception. 8. Los Angeles Kings

Looking over the 60-plus uniforms and scoring them on style, originality, When I said that Vegas should be killing it uniform-wise as an expansion class and other completely intangible metrics, you soon realize that lots team, I mean they should look more like the L.A. Kings. of these are the same. These are nice. No two ways about it. Five franchises, in particular, have settled on a near-identical combo of red and white with only small detailing (and a large logo) to distinguish I can’t say I’ve seen many people wearing these around L.A., though. them. 7. Nashville Predators Of course, that means we can narrowly rank them within this category but fundamentally this clump is a protest at the lack of individual Nice. expression being shown by these uniforms (or whoever designs them). I like what they’re doing here. Don’t understand the Catfish situation, but 18. Carolina Hurricanes we can take care of that at a later date.

Your logo is a tornado. How did you get that wrong? 6. Vancouver Canucks

17. Florida Panthers Now, if this ranking had been published before the Vancouver Canucks – great name by the way, and “Da Nux” would be a good nickname to To start delving into nicknames is a dangerous wormhole but Panthers consider – designed their uniforms then you’d accuse them of simply and don’t mix, and the logo is objectively bad irrespective of copying the Toronto Maple Leafs’ delightful two-tone vestiges and adding the subject matter. a splash of green.

At least it depicts what is described, unlike the Carolina Tornadoes. For future reference, that would not be a good way to try and come top of the list. I prefer the originals. 16. But the green doesn’t ruin the jersey. Some people probably even prefer This reminds me of the 2000 saucy Hollywood romp Bedazzled, a high- it, but these are nice to look at and I’ve never met anyone from profile, low-quality romantic comedy starring Brendan Fraser and Vancouver who wasn’t an absolute delight so they can sit at No. 6. Elizabeth Hurley. 5. Detroit Red Wings Nothing further to add. Another ranking that threatens to deepen my already potentially life- 15. Ottawa Senators altering unpopularity in the 312, the Red Wings are one of the franchises The prize for second-worst logo on a red or white shirt goes to Ottawa. that went with classic simplicity and pulled it off.

14. Chicago Blackhawks There’s a chance the uniforms are every bit as nice at the Maple Leafs’ and just that I simply couldn’t face putting Detroit as No. 1, but I wouldn’t Whisper this quietly because people in Chicago love the jersey, but it’s be able to comment on such speculation at this time. genuinely indistinguishable from nearly a quarter of the other teams in the league apart from its Blackhawk logo. Tensions are still running a little too high.

The best of an average bunch, though. 4. Pittsburgh Penguins

13. San Jose Sharks Mario Lemieux! Sidney Crosby!

San Jose’s wild idea was to play in a color that none of the other teams The Penguins have had at least two good players in their history and it play in. Not rocket science, but a helpful step forward for NHL fashion in simply wouldn’t be right for them to have draped such excess amounts of the Bay Area. ugly polyester over two such game-defining talents.

12. Winnipeg Jets Pittsburgh’s consistent coloring across its major league sports teams is a synergy that should be applauded (and more readily replicated) across The Tennessee Titans of the NHL. North America.

Good on Winnipeg for having a team. I’d love to go one day. Winnipeg. It’s a contributory factor to their lofty position in these rankings. Funny word, that. 3. Tampa Bay Lightning 11. Calgary Flames There’s always a pressure to put the classic styles at the top so you don’t But wait, how did Calgary escape the red clump? look like some sort of millennial twat choosing some futuristic design that every fanbase hates as the best in the league. Well, quite obviously because they have an iconic logo that elevates them well above their peers. All we can confirm is that, while Tampa Bay doesn’t seem a natural place for a hockey team, its black and silver get-ups are straight fire. The blue Additional note: I used to do the perfect impersonation of the NHL 99 ones and the white ones are pretty similar to Toronto’s. play-by-play guy saying Jarome Iginla’s name. From this angle, that’s a great bundle. The best of the more modern 10. New York Rangers uniforms. New York sports fans would be easy to penalize for the same reason as 2. Montreal Canadiens Boston sports fans. The difference is that the teams in Massachusetts tend to win stuff so it’s a lot more annoying. Canada dominating! Does this happen in the actual league?

The Rangers probably aren’t very good but they have a classic uniform Montreal’s uniforms carry with them a sense of gravitas and history. that is hard to find too many faults with. They’re bright and bold but simple. The logo looks like someone came up with it in a woodshed in 1905 when the team was formed by a group of local carpenters skating on the lake.

No idea if any of that is remotely close to the truth but I’m only ranking uniforms so the only things that matters is what they look like – and they look great.

1. Toronto Maple Leafs

For some reason, in my head the Maple Leafs are good. I think it’s because I went to Toronto once and couldn’t get tickets to see them for love nor money, but I just checked them out and it turns out that they’re pretty bad.

It might not be the greatest consolation that their uniforms are by far the league’s nicest, positively brimming with tradition and class, while boasting a clean two-way color palette.

If there’s anyone out there who wants to send me one of these then I’m fully willing to devote my lifelong fan services to your seemingly terrible hockey team.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183666 Websites “My guess is there’s going to be companies that pop up that do hinge around products and technology that can help make spectator venues safer post-COVID for not just sports venues. “Think about museums, you think about outdoor venues, think about all the kind of places people The Athletic / Thermal temperature checks may come to sports venues, gather.” but are they accurate? The way the heat camera works in Asian airports is the passenger for maybe a second looks at the camera, and if an elevated reading occurs, they are sent to another screening line. There they are interviewed about By Daniel Kaplan Apr 27, 2020 their travel and medical history.

Is this possible in a sports venue? Each facility in this scenario would Since sports went into lockdown last month, teams and leagues have need medical-type personnel on hand for such interviews. And unlike scrambled to create reopening strategies, most of which revolve around governmental ports of entries, will people feel comfortable being massive COVID-19 testing that is not yet available but may emerge. interrogated to get into, say, a Red Sox game or a Sting concert?

There is also a sharp interest in deploying at sports venues thermal heat “Again, when you’re going through a port in a border, you’re exposed to cameras — devices that take temperatures in an instant — and are government authorities,” Cannon said. “And the government has a right widely used in Asian ports of entry like airports. Games, when they come to screen passengers. A sporting venue is very different. You know, it’s back, might be played initially with no fans, but when they are allowed in, not the government. It’s not a border that you’re going over. So I think the old tolerance of letting through someone coughing and sick is unlikely that these are the kind of new questions that we’ll have to figure out as to persist. we go forward with this new normal.”

“We’re probably going to be requiring masks and fever testing before There is also the issue that the cameras are just one line of defense. (fans) show up,” Florida Panthers president and CEO Matthew Caldwell “We have not decided” whether to use them, wrote in an email Dallas said last week on a Re-Open Task Force Industry Working Group Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who last month spoke about thermal teleconference. temperature checks becoming akin to bag checks. “One hurdle we have Would fans consent to a camera temperature check to gain entry into a to overcome is someone taking a few extra strength Tylenol, eliminating sports facility? Outside of sports, Amazon is installing them to screen their fever, and misleading us, while still being contagious.” workers at warehouses, and Walt Disney suggested they could be Another problem is many carriers of the new coronavirus are coming to its theme parks. Sports teams are beginning early talks with asymptomatic so they would not have an elevated temperature. And manufacturers, with many unanswered questions like what to do with those that do trigger the camera may not be sick. fans who are detected with an elevated reading. “If you think about a sporting venue, for example, if they’re queued up in “There’s a lot of people looking after this, if you will, trying to be the first a parking lot in the middle of summer, I mean, your body temperature to market,” said Sam Adeyemi, head of the U.S. sports division of Orion rises naturally as you’re getting hotter and hotter,” Cannon said. FLIR’s Business Innovations, which has technology contracts with MLB, the cameras are directed at a person’s tear ducts, an area of the body he NHL and NFL and he adds is talking with them about a thermal camera said gets the best reading. his company is developing. “It’s a huge undertaking, right? So in order to provide this in a stadium, to have 20,000 people to get them in the door, “So you’ve got to make sure you put it in the right place so you’re not that’s the first problem you have to solve. getting false readings,” he added. That means teams would need more than just a seasonal, gate-entry employee to handle the device, but “Then that process of turning away a fan and crediting them their money instead people skilled in its operation. for a ticket that they paid for it to get into an event, those still need to be thought through … Ultimately it’s up to the league to enforce rules around Despite the obstacles, Adeyemi, when asked to place odds that the next that, communicate that publicly, prior to any events being restarted.” time a fan walks into a sports arena he or she will have a temperature reading, estimated higher than 50 percent. In fact, through a technology The leader in the thermal heat camera market is a company called FLIR, partner he declined to name, he said Orion is also developing a thermal which stands for forward-looking infrared. It’s an Oregon-based public camera spectators themselves can use to detect if people near them company that makes a wide range of security devices, including the only have a high temperature. FDA-approved thermal camera, which is widely used in Asia and by some Nippon Professional Baseball league venues. FLIR is also “So it’s something that, it will be needed,” he said. “I mean, sports needs supplying the cameras to Amazon. to come back in a hurry.”

“For us, it really started 20 years ago with the first SARS outbreak in The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 China. Because we can see heat quickly, authorities across Asia — in particular, China, South Korea, in Japan — reached out to us to use our cameras,” said James Cannon, FLIR’s CEO and president. “And it was a new application for us to look at crowds as they go through airports or cross borders at passport control, to identify people that could have a fever or an elevated body temperature to be able to separate them for additional screening.

“Across Europe now and North America, demand has grown to outpace that or match that of Asia. Anywhere that large groups of people come together and they have to go through some sort of entry point (like) at a sporting facility would match how these products, this technology would work.”

One sports entity FLIR has had discussions with is Vulcan Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle Seahawks. FLIR is actually a sponsor of the Trail Blazers, so the talks were a natural extension.

“We’re trying to understand like, what’s the technology? How is it applicable? Is it for use in a venue? All those types of things,” said Chris McGowan, president and CEO of Vulcan Sports & Entertainment, adding that the organization has a venue-reopening task force. “It’s kind of a new world. So we just want to be as prepared as an organization as possible. 1183667 Websites having him read the picks from his basement and living room worked out fine, as did the candid reels of him talking to players after they were drafted. That at least felt authentic.

The Athletic / What the NHL can learn from the NFL’s virtual draft Too many references to “this trying time”

Look, it makes sense – the league doesn’t want to seem tone-deaf over this event happening at a bizarre, difficult moment for just about By Max Bultman and Sean Gentille Apr 27, 2020 everyone in the world. But that’s just the reality right now. We all knew that going in. The references just felt a little too frequent.

There’s a line between acknowledging the situation and straight-up trying Do we know when the NHL Draft will be held? No, we do not. to co-opt it. If our situation is any different today than it was last Monday, Do we know where the NHL Draft will be held? Not really. it’s not because we had three nights of NFL content.

We do know that it’ll happen sometime, somewhere. It may very well be By the time the NHL Draft goes down, you hope this is less of an issue, virtual. And if it is, we know that it’ll have the NFL Draft — in all its but still, if there’s any compulsion to do the hockey version of … captivating, consequential, self-serving, bloated glory — to use as a set whatever Peyton Manning was saying at the start of the broadcast, tamp of signposts. it down. Please. Acknowledge it. Regularly run a donation link on the screen. Maybe rip off the “Draft-a-thon” charity stream. Just don’t make it Here’s what hockey, looking to find its way in a post-coronavirus world, weird. can steal from football, and what it can toss back. All commissioner, all the time Keep Seeing Goodell read as many picks as he did was unexpected. Normally Lots and lots of highlights he’s out after the first round. Gary Bettman’s involvement at the NHL Draft is typically even more scaled-back, and there’s probably not much This might be a bit harder to pull off for the NHL since some players are reason to change that. Have front offices read their picks, as usual. Enlist coming from leagues without nearly the publicity of college football, but franchise greats. Have random people do it. Whatever. But there’s no that’s why it’s essential. Unlike in football, where there’s a good chance need for Bettman to attempt a forced, gormless replay of Goodell fans will have seen close to half the players their team picks on TV at slumped in his chair, mangling player names. There’s also no real reason some point, many hockey fans will have no idea what the vast majority of to expect it. their draft class looks or plays like. So whatever it takes to compile 60- second highlight reels of every player in the first few rounds and a good (That’s another thing, actually. Goodell screwed up even more than enough clip package for the late-rounders, it’ll be worth the investment. usual, in that department. There are plenty of understandable ways to Considering how little else there is to do right now, it seems likely fans butcher “Tua Tagovailoa,” and his was not one. Same goes for how he who might not normally tune into a hockey draft will be watching. Show handled “Appalachian State.” The relay system might’ve been different them some good plays to showcase the sport. this year — but either way, it isn’t one to emulate.)

Also, playing highlights with an analyst talking over top has the distinct Change advantage of being the only time you forget the draft is virtual. Handle tragedy with respect Regular check-ins on war rooms Our Ryan S. Clark detailed this, so there’s no reason to belabor the point, Depending on when a virtual NHL Draft would happen and what but if the NHL’s broadcast partners find themselves building chyron restrictions might still be in place, the members of the NHL front offices templates that go, in order, “Player name, team, stats, worst thing to ever might not need to be quite as distanced as the NFL personnel were this happen to them,” they should reassess. ESPN’s obsession with tragedy weekend. But the regular cuts to war rooms yielded some of the best became revolting and should not be repeated. moments of the draft, even if many others were pretty mellow. But between the Mike Vrabel household squat-gate, Kliff Kingsbury And that’s not to say that the NHL shouldn’t constantly search for ways to apparently owning the “Parasite” house and the Bill O’Brien reaction shot humanize its players and introduce them to larger audiences. It’s when something didn’t go according to plan, there was a lot to like. something that, frankly, the league isn’t good at, as is. But there are better ways to do it than turning the worst moment of a person’s life into BILL O’BRIEN SEEMS UPSET WITH SOMEONE four bullet points. It’d be better to say nothing, actually. Tell a wide range PIC.TWITTER.COM/KDWO1GRTF3 of stories. Hit a varied number of notes. Or, just do less and talk about them as hockey players. This time, that’d suffice, too. — JORDAN DAJANI (@JORDANDAJANI) APRIL 25, 2020 When to cut to prospects’ home feeds Ultimately, this is the way you make the virtual draft exciting to fans: not through cheap, scripted reminders that, “this is different, and that’s OK!” There were a couple moments where the broadcast nailed this, going live but by giving them actual looks at things a normal draft can’t. Don’t act into a player’s home right in time for him to be taking a life-changing like no one else tried to squint and see if they could read Jon Gruden’s phone call. That, obviously, was excellent. But other times the cuts to whiteboard. That’s the good stuff. Even just showing silent feeds of living rooms right after the commissioner called a prospect’s name executives talking on the phone at intermittent points would be enough to appeared to be showing us a player still waiting, which lessened the generate some excitement. excitement a bit. Might be nit-picking, but going straight into the highlights and then doubling back on the living room feed once the family reaction A limited cast of broadcast characters is available seems like it would have sufficed just as well, if not better. ESPN had, essentially, seven people speak throughout the entire ordeal. The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 Prospect interviews were relatively minimal, as were cutaways to reporters outside of Trey Wingo and the core group of six analysts. That almost certainly was to cut back on the number of potential mistakes, but it also helped improve the broadcast in general. There was a sense of focus that’s usually missing. So, hopefully the NHL identifies the people they want to offer analysis and then sticks with them.

Ditch

Any attempts to get cute with commissioner-fan engagement

The weak, prompted boos at the beginning were the most egregious example, but nothing related to the digital fan galleries behind Roger Goodell during the draft worked. The NFL was trying to keep some level of fan involvement, which is fine in theory, but in practice it ended up highlighting that this draft was watered down in that way. Other than that, 1183668 Websites Ondrej Kase 0.86

0.5 The Athletic / By the numbers: The best value contract on every NHL team 0.36

$2.60

By Harman Dayal Apr 27, 2020 1

Nick Ritchie

Every dollar matters. 0.61

That’s the takeaway when you realize that more than half of the NHL’s 0.16 teams have less than one million dollars in cap space. 0.45 Efficient salary allocation is a crucial part of building a sustainable contender and it changes the way we look at players. In the modern $1.50 NHL, GMs are trading contracts just as much as they are players when 1 making transactions. “xWin” is the expected value of a player with that cap hit, “Difference” is The numbers attached to each contract are only going to become more the surplus-value important as revenue loss from cancelled games increases the chance that the salary cap upper limit stays flat at $81.5 million. Almost every Best contract: Rickard Rakell, $3.79M x two years left team is going to feel the constraints of a lower ceiling and this subsequently makes players on bargain deals who provide surplus-value The Ducks are in a unique financial position where they don’t have a lot on their contracts even more valuable. of bargain contracts (Cam Fowler is their only skater outperforming his deal by at least half a win), but they also don’t have any worrisome long- With that in mind, it’s a prudent time to analyze which players are giving term obligations on ageing veterans like their California foes, San Jose their teams the most bang for their buck. I’ll use colleague Dom and Los Angeles. Luszczyszyn’s model to highlight five players from each club who provided the most value for their cap hits this season and then will Rickard Rakell has mostly disappointed since his 34-goal, 69 point handpick what I think is the best contract moving forward. The last part of breakout season two years ago, but he remains a legitimate top-six that sentence is key — we’re trying to predict who will continue to scorer clocking in at a very tidy cap hit and desirable term. It’s true that outperform their cap hit with a priority on age and remaining term when Fowler provided more surplus value this season, but there’s a lot more choosing what the best value contract is. Oh and to make things more risk on his contract moving forward when considering that the 28-year-old fun, I can’t pick entry-level contracts. has suited up for fewer than 70 games in three consecutive years and has six years left on a deal that carries him to his mid-30s. As for the metrics in the tables below, “GSVA/82” is Luszczyszyn’s Game Score model. It’s an all-encompassing estimate of how many wins a Arizona Coyotes player added for his team per 82 games when taking into account a 2019-20 Best Performers Relative to Cap player’s point totals, two-way ability and so much more. “xWin” is the number of wins you’d expect that player to contribute based on their cap Conor Garland hit (eg: a $925,000 ELC player is only expected to provide -0.2 wins in value). The third column represents the difference between their actual 1.63 and expected win contributions. -0.07

Anaheim Ducks 1.7

2019-20 Best Performers Relative to Cap $0.78

Cam Fowler 1

2.01 Ilya Lyubushkin

1.44 1.24

0.58 -0.2

$6.50 1.44

6 $0.87

Jakob Silfverberg 0

1.52 Clayton Keller

1.33 1.3

0.19 -0.04

$5.25 1.33

4 $0.89

Rickard Rakell 0

1.36 Christian Dvorak

0.87 1.92

0.49 1.08

$3.79 0.85

2 $4.45 5 After trading David Backes away, the Bruins’ cap management relative to the talent they’ve accumulated is maybe the closest you’ll find to perfect. Jakob Chychrun They’ve got all their top players inked at significant discounts and have 1.35 John Moore as the only regrettable deal on their books.

0.88 Leading their group of excellent deals is David Pastrnak, who was on pace to hit 56 goals and 111 points this season at a ticket under $7- 0.47 million annually. With three years left after this one to carry Pastrnak through his prime, he’s a contender for the best contract in the entire $4.60 league. 6 Buffalo Sabres Best contract: Conor Garland, 775K x one year left Victor Olofsson In an attempt to secure future surplus-value, many teams are starting to 1.72 offer young players extensions before they’ve firmly established themselves as surefire NHL regulars (the Leafs did this with Pierre -0.07 Engvall for example). It works because the player is guaranteed NHL money while the club is making a calculated bet on the skater to carve 1.8 out a full-time role and improve. $0.77

Arizona executed this strategy perfectly following last year’s trade 0 deadline — inking rookie Conor Garland to a two-year extension at just $775,000 annually. Garland’s responded by exploding for 22 goals this Rasmus Dahlin year and has one year left at this dirt-cheap rate. 1.26 Boston Bruins -0.19 2019-20 Best Performers Relative to Cap 1.45 Brad Marchand $0.93 4.66 1 1.6 Dominik Kahun 3.05 1.33 $6.13 -0.02 5 1.35 David Pastrnak $0.93 4.82 0 1.77 Sam Reinhart 3.05 1.69 $6.67 0.83 3 0.86 Charlie McAvoy $3.65 3.44 0 0.97 Johan Larsson 2.47 0.81 $4.90 0.17 2 0.64 Patrice Bergeron $1.55 3.82 0 1.84 Best contract: Jack Eichel, $10M x six years left 1.99 Buffalo got a lot of value from the cheap, young talent they have (and $6.88 Johan Larsson), but Rasmus Dahlin is the only one of their top-five surplus contributors who doesn’t have an expiring contract. In fact, the 2 team as a whole has just ten NHL players signed for next year.

Matt Grzelcyk Among those set to return, Jack Eichel is still handily exceeding the 1.67 performance you’d expect from a $10-million player, following a breakout this season where he was on pace to net 43 goals. -0.05 Calgary Flames 1.72 Andrew Mangiapane $1.40 1.73 0 -0.09 Best contract: David Pastrnak, $6.66M x three years left 1.81 $0.72 $5.30

0 5

Rasmus Andersson Teuvo Teravainen

1.47 3.02

-0.24 1.38

1.71 1.65

$0.76 $5.40

0 4

Mark Giordano Warren Foegele

2.6 0.98

1.51 -0.08

1.09 1.06

$6.75 $0.75

2 0

Matthew Tkachuk Best contract: Jaccob Slavin, $5.3M x five years left

2.58 A year removed from being one of the lowest payroll teams to make the conference final in the cap era, the Hurricanes are another team with a 1.88 nearly impeccable salary structure. Truth be told, you could make a 0.7 viable case for any of Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teravainen and Jaccob Slavin as the organization’s best contract as all three provide very team- $7.00 friendly cap hits on deals with enough term to carry each player through their prime years. 2 Slavin ultimately comes out with the edge as a No.1 defenceman who’s Elias Lindholm locked up through all of his 20s at a steal of a $5.3 million annual charge. 1.84 Chicago Blackhawks 1.2 Dominik Kubalik 0.64 1.66 $4.85 -0.02 4 1.68 Best contract: Elias Lindholm, $4.85M x four years left $0.93 While his 78-point output from last season seemed like a stretch to 0 replicate, Elias Lindholm still added 54 points in 70 games, including a team-leading 29 goals. There are other Flames like Matthew Tkachuk, Dylan Strome Johnny Gaudreau and Mark Giordano who could offer a greater surplus- value in the short-term, but Lindholm has two extra years of term left 1.38 compared to all three of Calgary’s top players. -0.04

Carolina Hurricanes 1.43

Dougie Hamilton $0.86

4.88 0

1.22 Slater Koekkoek

3.66 1.23

$5.75 -0.19

1 1.42

Andrei Svechnikov $0.93

2.93 0

-0.02 Alex Debrincat

2.95 1.28

$0.93 -0.07

1 1.35

Jaccob Slavin $0.78

2.85 0

1.09 Kirby Dach

1.77 0.29 -0.02 points in his platform year but has managed a whopping 289 points in 225 contests over the past three years. 0.31 Columbus Blue Jackets $0.93 Oliver Bjorkstrand 2 3.61 Best contract: Alex DeBrincat, $6.4M x three years left 0.47 The Blackhawks are an interesting mix of veteran stars who are commanding full price for their services mixed with youth who are just 3.14 carving out roles as impact players. As such, you’ll note that with the exception of Slater Koekkoek, every one of Chicago’s bargain deals is $2.50 coming from ELC talent. Unfortunately, everyone but Kirby Dach will be 1 in line for a raise. Pierre-Luc Dubois There are very few non-ELC contracts that look attractive, with the best of the bunch probably being Alex DeBrincat’s (which kicks in next 1.92 season). DeBrincat had a frustrating year where he tallied just 18 goals -0.03 after a 41-goal sophomore campaign, but if he can return to form as a 30-40 goal marksman that would represent nice value for his $6.4 million 1.96 cap hit. $0.89 Colorado Avalanche 0 Cale Makar Zach Werenski 3.52 2.58 -0.2 1 3.73 1.58 $0.88 $5.00 1 2 Nathan MacKinnon Vladislav Gavrikov 4.91 1.06 1.66 -0.19 3.25 1.25 $6.30 $0.93 3 0 Valeri Nichushkin Eric Robinson 2.22 0.88 -0.05 -0.04 2.26 0.92 $0.85 $0.87 0 2 Ryan Graves Best contract: Zach Werenski, $5M x two years left 1.86 The summer of 2022 is shaping up to be a big offseason for the Blue -0.25 Jackets who will see Zach Werenski (RFA), Seth Jones (UFA) and Jonas Korpisalo’s (UFA) contracts expire. In the meantime, Columbus can 2.1 enjoy the luxury of having two top-pairing calibre defenceman making $0.74 less than $6-million per year. You really can’t go wrong choosing either, but Werenski gets the slight edge over Jones in my eyes for being 0 slightly cheaper, three years younger and having the more productive Samuel Girard campaign this season.

1.81 Dallas Stars

-0.25 Miro Heiskanen

2.06 2.88

$0.73 -0.2

0 3.08

Best contract: Nathan MacKinnon, $6.3M x three years left $0.89

Colorado has a plethora of young talent and GM Joe Sakic has done a 1 splendid job of locking many of those pieces in at attractive valuations. Roope Hintz His best bet by far was going long on Nathan MacKinnon who had just 52 1.61 -0.06 Just three players provided surplus-value on the Red Wings this past season and among them, Dylan Larkin is the only one whose contract 1.67 extends beyond this season. Still, that shouldn’t undermine how sweet $0.81 Larkin’s deal is as it ensures Detroit has its best player and number one center locked in at a notable discount for the next three years. 0 Edmonton Oilers Denis Gurianov Kailer Yamamoto 1.21 3.92 -0.03 -0.03 1.24 3.95 $0.89 $0.89 0 1 Andrej Sekera Leon Draisaitl 0.89 4.18 -0.02 2.34 0.92 1.84 $1.50 $8.50 0 5 Jamie Oleksiak Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 1.03 2.72 0.16 1.56 0.86 1.16 $2.14 $6.00 1 1 Best contract: John Klingberg, $4.25M x two years left Caleb Jones A down season relative to his lofty standards meant he didn’t show as one of the Stars’ top surplus-value players in 2019-20, but John 0.84 Klingberg has been one of the NHL’s premier puck-moving defencemen -0.25 over the last handful of years. Klingberg’s surrendered the reins as the team’s best rearguard to Miro Heiskanen, but his $4.25 million cap hit 1.09 remains a steal and given that he’ll only turn 28-years-old come August, one can be hopeful about a bounceback performance too. $0.72

Detroit Red Wings 0

Anthony Mantha Zack Kassian

3.56 1.04

0.72 0.3

2.85 0.74

$3.30 $1.95

0 0

Tyler Bertuzzi Best contract: Leon Draisaitl, $8.5M x five years left

1.58 When it was first signed, Leon Draisaitl’s max-term extension seemed like an outlier relative to statistical comparables and the Oilers received 0.13 harsh criticism for handing out such a high AAV. Fast forward three seasons and this same deal looks like it will criminally underpay the 1.45 NHL’s leading scorer for the next half-decade.

$1.40 Edmonton still has regrettable contracts holding them back, but they’ve 0 got some of their top players signed to nice cap hits with term (Connor McDavid, Oscar Klefbom and Draisaitl) along with emerging young talent Dylan Larkin that should be cost-controllable (Kailer Yamamoto, Ethan Bear and Caleb Jones). 2.37 Florida Panthers 1.59 Mackenzie Weegar 0.77 2.4 $6.10 0.01 3 2.39 Best contract: Dylan Larkin, $6.1M x three years left $1.60 0 $2.43

Jonathan Huberdeau 1

2.97 Tyler Toffoli

1.53 2.14

1.44 1.13

$5.90 1.02

3 $4.60

Aleksander Barkov 0

2.4 Blake Lizotte

1.53 0.43

0.86 -0.02

$5.90 0.45

2 $0.93

Evgeny Dadonov 1

1.75 Best contract: Adrian Kempe, $2M x two years left

0.94 LA has managed to unearth decent talent from unexpected sources that should stay cost-controllable but the only impact players they’re 0.81 committed to beyond next year are expensive veterans (Jonathan Quick, $4.00 Drew Doughty, Jeff Carter, Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar). The exception to this pattern is Adrian Kempe who can provide quality 0 middle-six value at a cheap cost.

Aaron Ekblad Minnesota Wild

2.43 Jared Spurgeon

1.73 3.35

0.7 1.05

$7.50 2.3

5 $5.19

Best contract: Jonathan Huberdeau, $5.9M x three years left 0

In his first season skating in the top-four, right-shot defenceman Kevin Fiala MacKenzie Weegar quietly had a very strong campaign and could continue to add tremendous value depending on the RFA contract he 2.14 scores this summer. The Panthers also have the luxury of having their 0.63 two best forwards, Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau, coming in at a shade below $6-million annually. Barkov’s the better player and 1.51 operates at the premium position, but we’ll give the nod to Huberdeau for having one extra year of term left. $3.00

Los Angeles Kings 1

Matt Roy Joel Eriksson Ek

2.08 1.63

-0.26 0.15

2.33 1.48

$0.70 $1.49

1 1

Ben Hutton Carson Soucy

1.09 1.17

-0.02 -0.24

1.11 1.41

$1.50 $0.75

0 0

Alex Iafallo Jonas Brodin

1.48 1.94

0.45 0.75

1.03 1.18 $4.16 $4.00

1 0

Best contract: Kevin Fiala, $3M x one year left Ryan Ellis

Jared Spurgeon doesn’t get the plaudits he deserves as an elite 4.33 defenceman and in the short term, I’d bet he provides the most surplus value on his $7.57 million annual tag that kicks in next season. That said, 1.36 there’s a genuine risk in the later years because the seven-year pact will 2.96 pay him until he’s 37-years-old. For that reason, I think Kevin Fiala, who finally broke out as a game-breaker with 54 points in 64 games, deserves $6.25 top recognition despite having just one year left on his deal. 6 Montreal Canadiens Colin Blackwell Brendan Gallagher 1.23 3.36 -0.1 0.86 1.33 2.5 $0.68 $3.75 0 1 Rocco Grimaldi Phillip Danault 1.01 2.84 0 0.65 1.01 2.18 $1.00 $3.08 0 1 Craig Smith Ilya Kovalchuk 1.95 1.76 1.02 -0.09 0.93 1.86 $4.25 $0.70 0 0 Best contract: Mattias Ekholm, $3.75M x two years left Tomas Tatar Ryan Ellis is a bonafide number one defencemen carrying just a $6.25 2.88 million hit for the next six years and I certainly wouldn’t fault anyone who thinks this is Nashville’s best contract, but I just can’t get over how cheap 1.34 Mattias Ekholm is for the next two years. Ekholm’s performance this 1.54 season wasn’t as dominant as years prior, but I’m confident he can bounce back with top-pairing value at a fraction of the price. $5.30 New Jersey Devils 1 Jesper Bratt Jeff Petry 1.42 2.49 -0.08 1.15 1.49 1.35 $0.75 $5.50 0 1 Nico Hischier Best contract: Brendan Gallagher, $3.75M x one year left 1.4 Montreal has a lot of undervalued players, but many of their most prominent (Brendan Gallagher, Philip Danault, Tomas Tatar and Jeff -0.02 Petry) all become unrestricted in the summer of 2021. Perhaps the most 1.42 attractive deal of the bunch belongs to Gallagher who’s cementing himself as a consistent 30-goal threat at a measly $3.75 million cap hit. $0.93

Nashville Predators 0

Roman Josi Blake Coleman

4.31 1.45

0.71 0.25

3.61 1.2 $1.80 but Anthony Beauvillier, who produced at a 47-point clip this season, is virtually guaranteed to outperform his tidy $2.1 million cap hit. 1 New York Rangers Kyle Palmieri Adam Fox 2.08 2.88 1.14 -0.19 0.94 3.07 $4.65 $0.93 1 0 Best contract: Kyle Palmieri, $4.65M x one year left Mika Zibanejad Having traded away Blake Coleman, the New Jersey Devils are left in a tough spot as far as contracts that are giving them good bang for their 3.76 buck. If there’s a positive it’s that they’ve only committed term to Nico Hischier and Damon Severson so they don’t have any significant 1.36 liabilities, but Kyle Palmieri is really the only player who stands out 2.4 relative to his salary and he could be trade fodder due to limited term. $5.35 New York Islanders 2 Mathew Barzal Tony Deangelo 2.33 1.92 -0.04 -0.19 2.37 2.11 $0.86 $0.93 0 2 Devon Toews Ryan Strome 1.61 2.53 -0.26 0.66 1.86 1.87 $0.70 $3.10 0 0 Ryan Pulock Artemi Panarin 1.96 4.91 0.12 3.31 1.84 1.6 $2.00 $11.60 0 6 Noah Dobson Best contract: Mika Zibanejad, $5.35M x two years left 0.74 If people put money down on which player would lead the league in goals -0.2 per game before the season, Mika Zibanejad would have been nowhere 0.94 near the conversation. The 27-year-old emerged as a high-end top-six centre last year, but nobody could have seen him taking off for 41 goals $0.89 in 57 games this time around. The kicker? He doesn’t even play with Artemi Panarin at even-strength. 2 Ottawa Senators Anthony Beauvillier Brady Tkachuk 1.28 2.07 0.34 -0.02 0.94 2.09 $2.10 $0.93 1 1 Best contract: Anthony Beauvillier, $2.1M x one year left Thomas Chabot The Islanders are getting positive value on many of the forward contracts they signed last offseason, but that’s largely to be expected — it’s the 1.79 later years when these forwards enter their 30s when they might run into some trouble. It’s tough to pick out many great contracts on the books, -0.21 2 1.23

$0.86 $0.70

8 0

Tyler Ennis Travis Konecny

1.2 2.59

-0.06 1.41

1.26 1.19

$0.80 $5.50

0 5

Dylan Demelo Best contract: Sean Couturier, $4.33M x two years left

0.97 Sean Couturier and Aleksander Barkov represent the current and next generation of elite two-way centres that will compete for the Selke Trophy -0.2 year in and year out. Couturier has always been a defensive stalwart, but 1.17 the rise of his offensive game (averaging a 70-point clip over the last three years) is what elevates him from “middle-six shutdown centre” to $0.90 “legitimate 1C.” That type of value is, of course, a steal at $4.33 million annually. 0 Pittsburgh Penguins Anthony Duclair Bryan Rust 1.2 3.84 0.2 0.78 1 3.06 $1.65 $3.50 0 2 Best contract: Thomas Chabot, $8M x eight years left Jake Guentzel GM Pierre Dorion went all-in on Thomas Chabot, signing him to one of the biggest second contracts for a defenceman in NHL history. It’s a deal 4.35 that’s almost guaranteed to be worth every penny and much more as they’ve locked in a No.1 defenceman through his entire prime at a cost 1.56 that’s still at a discount to the league’s elite blueliners. 2.78

Philadelphia Flyers $6.00

Sean Couturier 4

3.18 John Marino

1.04 2.5

2.14 -0.19

$4.33 2.69

2 $0.93

Oskar Lindblom 1

1.67 Evgeni Malkin

-0.02 4.54

1.7 2.66

$0.93 1.88

0 $9.50

Philippe Myers 2

1.28 Marcus Pettersson

-0.26 1.19

1.54 -0.2

$0.68 1.4

0 $0.87

Nicolas Aube-Kubel 0

1.13 Best contract: Jake Guentzel, $6M x four years left

-0.09 There were three main contenders for the Penguins and you could honestly make a convincing case for each one. Sidney Crosby may have passed the baton as the NHL’s best player, but it goes without saying 1.4 that he’s still 0ne of the game’s best players and has a cap hit that’s probably two-thirds of what he’s realistically worth. Bryan Rust was one $1.50 of the NHL’s top breakout players at over a point-per-game while being 1 slated to earn just $3.5 million annually for two more years. And then there’s Jake Guentzel who hit the 40-goal mark last year and was Jaden Schwartz clicking at a nearly identical rate this year before getting injured. 2.67 I’ll give Guentzel the nod over Rust for having more term and the slight 1.36 edge over Crosby because of the latter’s age and injury history. 1.31 San Jose Sharks $5.35 Tomas Hertl 1 2.41 Best contract: Colton Parayko, $5.5M x two years left 1.45 Colton Parayko had an up-and-down year after dominating during the 0.96 Blues’ Stanley Cup run, but he remains one of hockey’s premier $5.63 shutdown defensemen. Parayko’s mammoth 6-foot-6 frame combine with excellent skating to give him a very rare physical package that should 2 make him a top-pairing stud for years to come.

Kevin Labanc Tampa Bay Lightning

0.39 Anthony Cirelli

0 2.86

0.39 -0.08

$1.00 2.95

0 $0.73

Best contract: Timo Meier, $6M x three years left 0

The Bay Area empire is falling and you can see that the Sharks had just Kevin Shattenkirk two players give the club positive value on their contracts. 2.68 Timo Meier disappointed this season (and doesn’t even show up on the table), but at just 23-years-old, I think he can revert back to the 30-goal, 0.05 60+ point production he showed last year, if not even better. I believe 2.63 Meier still has legitimate first-line ability and an outside shot at star potential and if he can fulfill that he’d crush the performance one would $1.75 expect from a $6-million player. 0 St. Louis Blues Mikhail Sergachev Alex Pietrangelo 2.1 3.33 -0.2 1.44 2.3 1.89 $0.89 $6.50 0 0 Victor Hedman Robert Thomas 4.12 1.77 1.84 -0.03 2.28 1.81 $7.88 $0.89 5 1 Brayden Point Vince Dunn 3.83 1.43 1.8 -0.25 2.03 1.68 $6.75 $0.72 2 0 Best contract: Brayden Point, $6.75M x two years left Zach Sanford A team as talented as Tampa Bay will continually need underpaid players 1.56 to fit under the salary cap, but the three-year bridge contract Brayden Point signed at $6.75 annually is straight-up larceny (especially when 0.16 compared to what Mitch Marner got). Most of the players we associate with the best contracts in hockey were paid before breaking out, but in 1 Point’s case, he got this extremely team-friendly deal after erupting for 41 goals and 92 points. Quinn Hughes

Toronto Maple Leafs 2.47

Zach Hyman -0.19

2.26 2.67

0.39 $0.92

1.87 1

$2.25 J.T. Miller

1 3.37

Ilya Mikheyev 1.33

1.56 2.05

-0.02 $5.25

1.58 3

$0.93 Brock Boeser

0 2.62

Auston Matthews 1.52

4.59 1.09

3.32 $5.88

1.27 2

$11.63 Josh Leivo

4 1.06

Justin Holl 0.16

0.9 0.9

-0.26 $1.50

1.16 0

$0.68 Best contract: J.T. Miller, $5.25M x three years left

0 The Canucks are in an interesting financial position where all their best players are underpaid (especially Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes on Travis Dermott their ELCs), but they’re then hamstrung by awful contracts for overpaid veterans like Loui Eriksson, Brandon Sutter and Jay Beagle. 0.92 Of the non-ELC bunch, J.T. Miller’s deal stands out as the most -0.21 attractive. Miller led the Canucks in scoring with 27 goals and 72 points in 1.13 69 games on top of providing excellent two-way value. He’s solidified himself as a high-end first-line forward and will give Vancouver much $0.86 needed bang for their buck.

0 Vegas Golden Knights

Best contract: Morgan Rielly, $5M x two years left Shea Theodore

If we’re talking about which player will give the Leafs maximum surplus- 3.71 value moving forward, the answer is probably Auston Matthews, but I think that’s a little bit unfair considering he has the third-highest cap hit in 1.06 the NHL. I think Matthews’ positive contract value says more about how 2.65 the league’s top five skaters or so will outperform pretty much any salary you give them, as opposed to any shrewd negotiation on Kyle Dubas’ $5.20 part. 5 It would have been practically impossible not to have scored a lot of value on the Matthews deal, so while it’s technically the Leafs’ best Max Pacioretty contract, I’m more inclined to acknowledge Morgan Rielly under the spirit 3.92 of what conventionally constitutes a bargain contract. 1.88 Vancouver Canucks 2.05 Elias Pettersson $7.00 3.76 2 -0.02 Chandler Stephenson 3.79 1.37 $0.93 0.02 1.35 Jakub Vrana

$1.05 1.9

0 0.73

Nick Holden 1.17

1.43 $3.35

0.18 1

1.25 John Carlson

$2.20 2.77

0 1.88

Mark Stone 0.89

3.75 $8.00

2.66 6

1.1 Jonas Siegenthaler

$9.50 0.59

7 -0.25

Best contract: Shea Theodore, $5.2M x five years left 0.84

Shea Theodore is one of the NHL’s most underrated players — his $0.71 GSVA ranked third behind only Roman Josi and Victor Hedman among defencemen. The slick puck-moving defenceman added 46 points from 0 the backend, dominated play when on the ice and looks ripe for a Nic Dowd tougher matchups role. Theodore may never be a prototypical No.1 D in the eyes of the general public, but he’ll continue to provide top-pairing 0.47 value at the very least with a cap hit more commensurate with a second- -0.08 pair contributor. 0.55 Winnipeg Jets $0.75 Nikolaj Ehlers 2 2.12 Lars Eller 1.56 1.22 0.56 0.78 $6.00 0.44 5 $3.50 Mark Scheifele 3 2 Best contract: Jakub Vrana, $3.35M x one year left 1.6 It was tempting to go with John Carlson who put together a phenomenal 0.4 offensive campaign and while his contract is already a bargain relative to $6.13 what other elite defencemen like Erik Karlsson and Drew Doughty have commanded, there’s always some element of risk in paying a rearguard 4 big money until the age of 37. I tend to believe Carlson could age better Neal Pionk than most comparable defencemen given his playstyle, but just like I did in picking Fiala over Spurgeon, I’ll give the advantage to the hotshot top- 0.66 six forward in Jakub Vrana. The 24-year-old was clicking at a 30-goal, 62 point clip before the season was suspended and will perform at a huge 0.42 discount next year.

0.24 The Athletic LOADED: 04.28.2020 $3.00

1

Best contract: Mark Scheifele, $6.125M x four years left

Kyle Connor and Patrik Laine get dinged for their dreadful defensive impact despite providing copious amounts of offence and that leaves us with just three Jets who had positive values this season (Wheeler and Connors’ performances were almost exactly in line with their salaries). It really comes down to Mark Scheifele and Nikolaj Ehlers for Winnipeg’s best contract and while you can’t go wrong with either one, Scheifele gets the leg up from me for playing the premium position and for having the more prolific résumé.

Washington Capitals 1183669 Websites The left-handed native of Oslo was named to the NCHC Academic All- Conference team, as well as the NCHC Second All-Star team.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.28.2020 Sportsnet.ca / Flames fast-tracking 'Norwegian Gretzky' Emilio Pettersen

Eric Francis | April 27, 2020, 6:47 PM

The kid they called The Norwegian Gretzky is now a member of the Calgary Flames.

Emilio Pettersen, a 20-year-old standout at the University of Denver, signed a three-year entry level deal with the Flames Monday, a mere decade after he became a YouTube sensation.

Shown on several videos demonstrating a stride, hands and a hockey sense that belied his tender age of 10, Pettersen left Norway for the U.S. at age 13 to chase a day just like this.

“I’m so excited for this new opportunity,” said the Flames’ sixth-round pick in 2018, whose father, Flemming, was a pro hockey player in Norway. “When I came here (to Denver) I wanted to stay four years, but that didn’t happen.”

Instead, at his urging, the Flames decided to accelerate his progression to pro hockey by agreeing he was better served starting in the American Hockey League next year than returning to college.

Senior Writer Ryan Dixon and NHL Editor Rory Boylen always give it 110%, but never rely on clichés when it comes to podcasting. Instead, they use a mix of facts, fun and a varied group of hockey voices to cover Canada’s most beloved game.

Another factor in the change of plans may have something to do with the likelihood that pro hockey has a better chance of returning to action next fall than college hockey does, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic already cost him a golden opportunity, as he was slated to play for Norway at the men’s world championships this spring before the event was cancelled.

“They told me I’ll be playing in Stockton next year, but I’m ready to make an impression,” said Pettersen, a confident, driven winger who has been under the Norwegian hockey microscope since he was six.

“Since the season ended it has been pretty straightforward – they wanted me to sign and I wanted to sign. They felt I’d develop better at the next level.”

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Flames GM Brad Treliving said the plan, until the last handful of weeks, was for the five-foot-10, 175-pound playmaker to continue at the highly respected college next season. However, with more and more discussion with the player, scouts and management, it was determined he deserved to be fast-tracked.

“He’s an ultra-serious and determined kid who has high-end skill,” said Treliving, who said staffers watched almost every one of his games this year.

“He was a YouTube sensation when he was a little kid – they called him the Norwegian Gretzky. Our plan probably all along was he’d go back another year and when I talked to him at the end of the year this is what he wanted to do. He’s got his head screwed on straight and I have no qualms that he’s going to be putting in the work he needs to put in.”

That work includes getting stronger, so he can better prepare himself for a more rugged ride in the pros.

“He’s relentless in terms of his work ethic and determination,” said Treliving, who recalls first seeing the videos that drew attention to him as a youngster.

“His biggest thing he’ll have to work on is his defence – that will be a growth area for him. He’s got great vision, he can drive a line, but an area he needs to improve upon is his play away from the puck.”

With the puck he continues to shine, as he did as a child, leading all DU scorers this year with 13 goals and 35 points in 36 games. 1183670 Websites The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford pointed out earlier this year that the two side would wait until season’s end to talk contract, so despite the uncertainty in that regard, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that talks haven’t taken place. Sportsnet.ca / NHL's top 20 UFAs of 2020: Latest rumours, reports Pietrangelo, too, has been consistent in his message that he’s happy in St. Louis.

Emily Sadler | April 27, 2020, 2:00 PM It might not be so easy to get it done, though. Early-season reports projected the AAV on Pietrangelo’s next deal to come in at around $8

million per, and that would turn out to be a bargain at this point as his If there’s one word to describe the status of this year’s free agency class, stock has risen throughout a strong season. One season after leading St. it’s “uncertain.” Louis to the Stanley Cup, the Blues captain has scored a career-high 16 goals and was just two points shy of his highest total ever before the With the 2019-20 season on hold and a return to action still unconfirmed, season was put on hold. If that doesn’t earn you a sizeable raise, I don’t no one knows when this year’s class of pending free agents will hit the know what will. open market and what effect the current economic climate will have on this summer’s contracts when they do. 3. Braden Holtby, G, Washington Capitals

Keeping all that uncertainty in mind, here’s an updated look at the top 20 Age: 30 pending UFAs of 2020, which we’ll continue to update as the season 2019-20 cap hit: $6.1 million (hopefully) continues. Holtby’s contract year hasn’t been kind to him. An up-and-down season 1. Taylor Hall, LW, Arizona Coyotes through 48 starts has seen his stats dip lower than we’re used to seeing Age: 28 from the starter: 3.11 goals against, with a .897 save percentage – both career lows by a pretty wide margin. 2019-20 cap hit: $6 million Factor in the emergence of rookie Ilya Samsonov and his impressive Hall scored 10 goals and added 17 assists for 27 points through 35 numbers through 26 appearances (2.55 GAA, .913 SV%), and it’s easy games with the Coyotes. Add that to his totals with the Devils this to question Holtby’s future in the U.S. capital. season, and he’s got 52 points in 65 games. We know what Hall is capable of – his 39-goal, 93-point, Hart-winning 2017-18 season showed Capitals GM Brian MacLellan gave Holtby big vote of confidence back in his ability to single-handedly pull a team into the playoffs — but injuries in January: 2018-19, rampant trade rumours throughout the first half of this season, “Holtby’s our guy. I mean, he’s got a Cup, he has a history, he’s been a and now an uncertain economy and a season hiatus has put a big huge part of our organization,” MacLellan said during a radio question mark beside Hall’s next deal. appearance. “I think what we’ve been trying to do is develop Samsonov “It is definitely a weird time to possibly be a free agent, but there’s so and he’s handled everything we’ve thrown at him very well. He’s much uncertainty throughout the league…throughout the world, really,” continually gotten better, he works at his game, he’s calm under Hall told Sportsnet’s in March. “So I’m not as worried pressure.” about free agency as I am about getting back to hockey and hoping that Word back in December was that Holtby and the Capitals were going to we can somehow get into the playoffs. I think everyone just wants some wait until season’s end to talk contract, and there haven’t been many normalcy back in their lives.” rumblings since that suggest otherwise. Regardless of the downward After Hall’s agent, Darren Ferris, told SiriusXM’s Hot Stove that the trend in his stats, Holtby is still likely to land the biggest contract of the Coyotes had not yet tabled an offer, Arizona GM John Chayka shared off-season among this year’s strong crop of pending UFA goaltenders. some insight into the situation in an interview with ESPN’s Greg 4. Torey Krug, D, Boston Bruins Wyshynski: Age: 28 “Obviously, [Hall] has a great understanding of what’s going on in the world right now,” Chayka told Wyshynski last week. “I think there’s a right 2019-20 cap hit: $5.25 million time to approach some of these things. Unfortunately, it’s difficult given all of the uncertainty. But we’ll have that discussion. It’s not an He’s one of the league’s best offensive defencemen with plenty of evaluation-type discussion, because Taylor Hall is a great player. As sandpaper in his game. In other words, should Krug hit the open market, much as players and teams will be impacted by this, great players will there would be a mile-long lineup of GMs vying for his services. still get paid. And that’s our expectation in dealing with Taylor. Darren’s Krug has clearly expressed a desire to stay in Boston, and Bruins GM accurate in saying that we haven’t had any meaningful back-and-forths, Don Sweeney told reporters earlier this month he’s hopeful the two sides because we’re still figuring out what we’re working towards, in the greater can find common ground on a new deal: picture.” “We’ve had very, very good discussions with Torey’s group, but we just As for other possible suitors, Sportsnet’s Eric Francis believes Calgary haven’t found a landing spot,” Sweeney said during a virtual media will “kick tires” on Hall but said the Flames’ focus “will likely be spent on appearance. “That’s understandable given the circumstances of where plugging significant holes on the blue line, as opposed to overpaying for the cap is and his value, both to us and also in a potential open-market Hall.” Over in Edmonton, Mark Spector predicts a “zero per cent chance” type situation. of Hall re-joining the Oilers, considering the club already has two mega contracts on its books. “We’re hopeful that we will find a resolution with Torey, but at this point in time, we haven’t been able to do so. But it’s been very amicable and 2. Alex Pietrangelo, D, St. Louis Blues we’ve made our feeling perfectly clear that we respect and acknowledge Age: 30 what Torey has done and what he’s capable of doing for us as a member of the Boston Bruins and we hope that continues.” 2019-20 cap hit: $6.5 million 5. Tyson Barrie, D, Toronto Maple Leafs Every time Blues GM Doug Armstrong has signed someone this season – Justin Faulk, Brayden Schenn, Sammy Blais, Marco Scandella – he’s Age: 28 had to answer the same question: How will this affect your ability to keep 2019-20 cap hit: $5.5 million (this AAV is split between Colorado and Pietrangelo? Toronto) And every time, he issues a similar response: It won’t. Barrie’s Toronto tenure hasn’t gone how he or Maple Leafs brass “Our goal is to try and get Petro signed,” Armstrong stated earlier this expected. GM Kyle Dubas explored the possibility of trading Barrie at the month, via Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “We were gonna deadline but ultimately didn’t get a return offer to his liking – especially need a player like Marco, with or without Petro. And now we have that considering a slew of injuries on Toronto’s blue line that made him pretty done but we still want to sign Petro.” indispensable at the time. It feels like a fresh start is in the books for Barrie, but where? Luke Fox points in his first year with the club. The Panthers’ goals leader (he’s third suggested a few destinations in his latest Maple Leafs Mailbag, with one in overall points, with 59) looked like an intriguing rental candidate at the particularly intriguing option: Winnipeg. deadline but wasn’t moved.

6. Jacob Markstrom, G, Vancouver Canucks 10. Tyler Toffoli, RW/LW, Vancouver Canucks

Age: 30 Age: 27

2019-20 cap hit: $3.67 million 2019-20 cap hit: $4.6 million

Markstrom has been putting up MVP-worthy numbers in Vancouver Toffoli had a down year in 2018-19 with 13 goals and 34 points on a behind a surprising Canucks club. floundering Kings squad. Considering how early the trade rumours began, it’s a bit surprising it took until one week before the trade deadline The 30-year-old has been the perfect netminder to complement his club’s for the Kings to finally move him. young core, which looks capable of doing some pretty special things quite soon, and while his strong play has surely presented plenty of He’s gotten off to a strong start in Vancouver, posting six goals and 10 options should he hit the open market, he told reporters he’s not eying points in 10 games with the Canucks prior to the season being put on the door. hold.

“In my mind, I want to stay in Vancouver. That’s my goal,” he said earlier 11. Mikael Granlund, C/RW, Nashville Predators this month from Sweden, via Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre. “The season isn’t over this year, either. I’m still hoping we can come back and play Age: 27 and make a push in the playoffs here. It’s going to be tough to get fans in 2019-20 cap hit: $5.75 million the building, but give the people and city of Vancouver something to cheer for. That’s pretty much 100 per cent of my mindset. I’m still a Granlund was a deadline acquisition for the Predators a year ago, and Vancouver Canuck and I’m super proud of being it. I have no plans of his status with the club felt very much up in the air as we looked at this leaving.” year’s deadline. Despite not striking great success in Nashville, it feels like it’s only a matter of time before he heats up again, likely with a Markstrom’s next paycheque should be a pretty big increase from his different team in free agency. He feels like a strong candidate for a short- current modest cap hit. A mid-term deal – say, three or four years – term bridge deal to help him hit his stride again. would make a lot of sense here, as would an AAV of perhaps up to $6 million. 12. Travis Hamonic, D, Calgary Flames

7. Robin Lehner, G, Vegas Golden Knights Age: 29

Age: 28 2019-20 cap hit: $3.857 million

2019-20 cap hit: $5 million Hamonic reportedly wanted to leave negotiations until after the season was through, but the stay-at-home d-man looks like a safe bet to stay in Last year’s Masterton Trophy winner thrived as part of an excellent Calgary long-term – as does teammate T.J. Brodie. tandem with the New York Islanders and then completely stole the show in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, yet the Vezina Trophy finalist still Flames GM Brad Treliving was open about his desire to re-sign both of found himself in a new city — and on a new one-year deal – that off- his pending UFA blue-liners during a media availability earlier this month: season. “I’ve talked with both their agents and said, ‘Listen, we like both players, Paired with veteran (and fellow pending UFA) Corey Crawford through we want to see if there’s a way to get something done,’ but both of us much of 2019-20 with the Blackhawks, he brought that same game- agree there’s so much uncertainty right now,” Treliving said, via NHL.com saving consistency to Chicago’s crease, but still didn’t stick long-term. correspondent Aaron Vickers. “In all of us, we can’t get wound up in the uncertainty. Things will happen. Things will work out. The things you “I thought there was a future there, and I did everything to get a future can’t control, there’s no sense in burning any jet fuel on it because it’s not there, and I still couldn’t get a future there,” Lehner said, via David going to make a difference. Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, after being traded to Vegas at the deadline. “In the end, the last couple weeks were tough mentally to “With that, what we’ve told them is that we like them and we’re going to kind of find a motivation needed.” plan to get them back here as soon as we can restart the season, that’s the priority, and then we’ll deal with contracts whenever the off-season is Now as part of the NHL’s best goalie tandem alongside Marc-Andre and when we have all the information that we’re going to have in terms of Fleury, Lehner has a chance to prove to a team that’s he’s worthy of a [the NHL salary] cap and those things.” long-term pact – though, it feels unlikely that will be in Vegas, considering Fleury’s still under contract as the undisputed starter for two more 13. T.J. Brodie, D, Calgary Flames seasons. Age: 29 8. Evgenii Dadonov, RW, Florida Panthers 2019-20 cap hit: $4.65 million Age: 30 Brodie’s name has been in trade rumours before, but injuries to fellow 2019-20 cap hit: $4 million blue liners Hamonic and Mark Giordano made him in pretty indispensable as far as any possible deadline deals went. (See Dadonov quietly put up back-to-back 28-goal campaigns down in Florida, Treliving’s comments, above.) tallying 65 and 70 points in his past two seasons, and a scoring spree in January has him just three markers shy of that total through 69 games. 14. Jaroslav Halak, G, Boston Bruins He’s one of the league’s most underrated sharp shooters and his Age: 34 production over the past three years all but guarantees he won’t be underpaid come free agency – though age and the current cap 2019-20 cap hit: $2.75 million uncertainty may deter clubs from offering long-term pacts. Signing Halak to a two-year, $5.5-million deal in July 2018 proved to be 9. Mike Hoffman, RW/LW, Florida Panthers GM Don Sweeney’s best move of the off-season, as his presence brought load management to the Bruins’ crease and has other teams Age: 30 attempting to build similar one-two punches in net. Re-signing him this 2019-20 cap hit: $5.1875 million year would be just as smart.

Florida has been one of the most intriguing teams to watch down the 15. Erik Haula, LW, Florida Panthers stretch, considering their position in the standings straddling the line Age: 28 between contention and, ultimately, not. 2019-20 cap hit: $2.75 million Hoffman is coming off the best season of his career (by a pretty wide margin) in 2018-19, leading the Panthers in goals (36) and tallying 70 Haula was part of a head-scratching deal made between the Hurricanes after the deadline that Toronto could be his next destination if he chooses and Panthers at the deadline, which saw Florida deal away Vincent to leave San Jose. Trocheck for a package that included Haula. A string of injuries have hindered Haula’s ability to match the success he had with the Vegas Other notable pending UFAs to keep an eye on: Corey Crawford (CHI), Golden Knights in 2017-18. There’s no doubt he’s been a much-loved Kevin Shattenkirk (TB), (NYI) Cody Eakin (VGK), Chris and valuable member of each team he’s played on, but durability will Tanev (VAN), Cody Ceci (TOR), Justin Schultz (PIT), Michael Frolik factor in his next deal. (CGY), Vladislav Namestnikov (OTT), Marco Scandella (BUF), Erik Gustafsson (CHI), Pat Maroon (TB), Zach Bogosian (BUF), Kyle Clifford 16. Ilya Kovalchuk, LW, Washington Capitals (LA), Radko Gudas (WSH), Anton Khudobin (DAL)

Age: 36 Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.28.2020

2019-20 cap hit: $700,000

Montreal’s Kovalchuk experiment got off to a great start — the veteran proved he’s still got a little magic left in him, and his success looks even better with a $700,000 price tag attached — and saw the club flip him to the contending Capitals for a profit at the deadline. It feels likely this wasn’t the last we’ve seen of Kovalchuk in le bleu, blanc, et rouge, as he could be a strong candidate to return to Montreal as a free agent.

“This group of guys is special,” he said in February (before being traded), via Sportsnet’s Eric Engels. “They all care, they want to win, they want to be better. And all the young guys like (Nick) Suzuki … and (Jesperi Kotkaniemi) and (Cale) Fleury — they sent them down, but they’re all ready to play. This team has a bright future, and if I can be part of it that would be really good.”

17. Alex Galchenyuk, LW/C/RW, Minnesota Wild

Age: 25

2019-20 cap hit: $4.9 million

Things didn’t exactly work out in Pittsburgh. A lot is now riding on his performance with the Wild. Three goals and seven points through 14 games prior to the season hiatus suggests he might be a candidate to sign a one-year, show-me deal in Minnesota to get back on his feet.

With the trade to the Wild and the Central, Alex Galchenyuk has now played in every division in the NHL before his 26th birthday (Wednesday).

— Justin Bourne (@jtbourne) February 11, 2020

18. Wayne Simmonds, RW, Buffalo Sabres

Age: 31

2019-20 cap hit: $5 million

The past year hasn’t been kind to Simmonds, who has struggled to find his stride since landing in Nashville at the 2018-19 deadline. Since then, he’s scored just nine goals and 28 points in 85 games split between the Predators, Devils, and Sabres. He’s just three seasons removed from back-to-back 30-plus goal campaigns and is a top candidate for a one- year deal on a team that can help revive his career.

19. Sami Vatanen, D, Carolina Hurricanes

Age: 28

2019-20 cap hit: $4.875 million

Vatanen has yet to suit up for a game with the Hurricanes, the team that acquired from the Devils at the deadline, due to the lower-body injury that’s kept him sidelined since Feb. 1 and the current season hiatus. Injuries have prevented the rearguard from ever being able to play a full season.

20. Joe Thornton, C, San Jose Sharks

Age: 40

2019-20 cap hit: $2 million

The veteran forward expressed disappointment that he wasn’t dealt at the deadline.

“It would have been nice to at least have a chance,” he told The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz. “I wanted a shot, you know? Believe it or not. I’ve been hunting this thing down for 22 years, so I wanted another shot at it. I wanted to get something (for the Sharks) in return. It just didn’t work out. Back to the grind, and that’s how it is.”

He’ll be back in an NHL sweater next year – and probably a few more after that – but might it be teal? Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggested 1183671 Websites Dominik Kubalik, for instance, the leading scorer among rookie forwards with 30 goals in 68 games, is 24 years old and spent the last five seasons playing professionally in Europe.

Sportsnet.ca / Rookie phenoms Hughes, Makar making NHL look easy Kubalik compared to Hughes or Makar is not an apples-to-apples discussion, although the younger defencemen will top the Calder ballot.

Since the NHL expanded to 12 teams in 1970, only eight defencemen Iain MacIntyre | April 27, 2020, 6:01 PM have been named the top rookie. And the last time defencemen finished first and second for the award was when lost the 1967

Calder Trophy race to a guy named Bobby Orr. Halfway through Monday’s video conference involving the National Richard Deitsch and Donnovan Bennett host a podcast about how Hockey League’s historic class of rookie defencemen, Colorado COVID-19 is impacting sports around the world. They talk to experts, Avalanche blueliner Cale Makar was asked about his “welcome-to-the- athletes and personalities, offering a window into the lives of people we NHL moment.” normally root for in entirely different ways. Makar’s debut came during last year’s Stanley Cup playoffs when he was Hughes, who spent two seasons at the University of Michigan, never rushed into the Avalanche lineup against the Calgary Flames just two faced Makar in college hockey. But they’ve been watching each other days after losing the U.S. college championship game with the University from afar for a while. of Massachusetts. “I always knew who he was since the draft,” Hughes said of Makar, who “I was getting ready, just for warmups that first game, and obviously the Avalanche claimed fourth-overall, one spot before the Canucks you’re pretty nervous,” Makar said. “You don’t know what to expect. drafted Elias Pettersson, last season’s Calder winner. “I was at the draft We’re lined up in the hallway and (teammate) Tyson Barrie just comes up (in Chicago) and I watched him get drafted. I obviously knew he was to me and pats me on the shoulder and goes: ‘It’s an easy league, kid.’ really high-end. I’d say the first time I really closely watched him was last That was just kind of a funny one.” year in the (NHL) playoffs. I remember watching his first game with a What’s even funnier is Makar, then just 20, scored 16:02 into his first couple of my buddies – I was back at Michigan – and he scored, like, 10 game. This season, the five-foot-11 defenceman from Calgary was minutes in. And we were all like: ‘Oh my God, this is insane.’” second in Avalanche scoring, behind only superstar Nathan MacKinnon, “The first time I kind of saw Quinn is we were knocked out of the (2018 with 12 goals and 50 points in 57 games before the NHL closed for the NCAA) playoffs after my first year at U-Mass,” Makar said. “We had a coronavirus on March 12. bunch of us go up. . . to watch the regionals. That was kind of the first It’s equally hilarious that Makar’s formidable freshman scoring still left time I got to watch Quinn live. I was like: ‘Damn, his skating is pretty him just second among rookie defenceman because Vancouver Canucks legit.’” phenom Quinn Hughes had 53 points in 68 games. And in the last two Hughes was drafted seventh overall by the Canucks that spring. months before the shutdown, Hughes led all NHL defencemen, including Norris Trophy favourites John Carlson of Washington and Roman Josi of Senior Writer Ryan Dixon and NHL Editor Rory Boylen always give it Nashville, with 23 points in 25 games while leading Vancouver in 110%, but never rely on clichés when it comes to podcasting. Instead, average ice time at 22:47. they use a mix of facts, fun and a varied group of hockey voices to cover Canada’s most beloved game. Hughes turned 20 last October. He is five-foot-10 and 170 pounds. Hughes has been rollerblading with his brothers around the Canton, Makar was tied for sixth among scoring by defencemen the last two Mich., family home to help stay in shape during the NHL shutdown. months only because he missed five games with an upper-body injury. Makar has ordered some road skates for himself. New York Rangers rookie Adam Fox, the third player on Monday’s conference call, tied Makar with 18 points over that time and was up to “I saw the video of Quinn and his brothers playing (and) figured I’d better 42 points in 70 games when the NHL paused. suit up myself,” Makar explained.

The five-foot-11 Fox is 22 years old. Got to keep up.

The NHL is not an easy league, but these dynamic defencemen are Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.28.2020 making it look that way.

A generation ago, Hughes, Makar and Fox may have had to struggle just for the chance to play in the NHL due to their size. Now, driven by their skating and puck skills, they’re already moving up among the top players at their position.

“I think we’re all lucky we went into good spots, good situations,” Hughes, who is from Michigan via Toronto, said of the rookies’ NHL landing spots. “We had coaching staffs that probably believed in us and put us in the right situations and spots. For me, going from college to the NHL, you obviously believe in yourself and you hope that you’re ready, but you never really know. So you kind of just hope you’re going into a good spot and it all kind of just works out.”

By November, Hughes was the Canucks’ best defenceman.

“I feel like there’s a new generation of defencemen coming in, whether they’re just small or mobile,” Makar said. “I think for us, we’re all kind of similar build in terms of our height and stuff. You just know when you’re ready. Regardless of the way that you go, I think the game’s just changing. It’s just becoming faster and definitely a more agile sport.”

Makar and Hughes will be Calder Trophy finalists this season in what could be one of the closest rookie-of-the-year votes in years. A ballot of 14 Sportsnet insiders earlier this month had Hughes and Makar tied for the Calder.

Makar missed 13 games with two separate injuries, so his points-per- game are better than Hughes’ (0.88 vs 0.78). But Hughes is a year younger, and actual age should always be a factor when the Professional Hockey Writers Association votes on the Calder. Chicago Blackhawk 1183672 Websites coming from. The beauty of playing with a centre like Matthews or Tavares is they are going to be good at finding passing lanes others can’t; they’ll also create heaps of rush and rebound opportunities for wingers who can effectively crash the net, or finesse their way around TSN.CA / Yost: The evolution of Toronto Maple Leafs F William Nylander slower defenders. Nylander can do both.

Consider his year-over-year shot maps for a moment. We figured last year was something of an albatross season – whether it was the late Travis Yost start, the ever-changing linemates, or an inability to finish on scoring opportunities, it was underwhelming.

Look around the National Hockey League, and you can find a couple of How do you turn it around? Shoot from the premier scoring areas, and do players in every organization who might be deprived of finishing so with a high degree of frequency (via Evolving Hockey; note 12 exceptional seasons because of the coronavirus outbreak. additional games played year over year):

In Toronto, no player had a bigger year than 22-year-old Auston Though we may not be able to see how Nylander would have finished the Matthews, who was in the heat of the Rocket Richard race with Boston’s season, this is exactly what general manager Kyle Dubas and the David Pastrnak and Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin. Toronto Maple Leafs envisioned for the growth of his game. Nylander’s evolution took a handful of seasons, and the team is materially better Matthews has been a superstar since the minute he entered the league, with him on the ice. and this year solidified his position as one of the league’s premier offensive weapons. (It’s a shame we might not get to see the end of this If it’s a sign of things to come, the contract we spent months analyzing prediction.) will start to look very team friendly in a hurry.

Lost in Matthews’ season was a breakout year by his 23-year-old TSN.CA LOADED: 04.28.2020 teammate William Nylander. Despite similar accolades prior to entering the league, Nylander has travelled a much rockier road, one seeped with questions about his ability to consistently score against NHL-calibre defences.

Let’s also not forget his rather acrimonious contract negotiation with the Maple Leafs organization, one that was resolved by way of a last-minute deal during the 2018-29 regular season.

Nylander wasn’t a fully polished player entering the league, but the criticism around his game always felt a shade more aggressive than what was warranted.

In four seasons and change, Nylander has scored 87 goals in 307 games, or 0.8 goals per 60 minutes of play. That is on par with the likes of Arizona’s Taylor Hall and Calgary’s Matthew Tkachuk. Bring in his assist contributions, and Nylander moves into the top 50 in scoring league-wide over the same time frame at 2.1 points per 60 minutes. That is on par with Dallas’ Jamie Benn, and ahead of Carolina’s Andrei Svechnikov. It’s very respectable company. (He is also +40 goals at even strength, which is important considering how strong of a defensive player he is.)

A lot of his surge in the multi-year scoring race came from this season, where Nylander potted 31 goals and 28 assists. There is no shortage of explanations for Nylander’s outburst, but near the top of list is a combination of opportunity and improved linemates. Just look at how his common linemates have progressed over the years, starting in 2015-16. It’s night and day.

The last two years have been much more kind on the teammate quality front, but you have to take Nylander’s shortened 2018-19 season with a grain of salt – he didn’t even log his first game that year until Dec. 6, injected into the lineup as the ink was drying on his contract. (There’s no question that some of that is on Nylander, who chose to negotiate his contract through the season.)

But this season was a different animal, in part because Nylander was always playing with an elite centre. If you look at the raw data, you see that Nylander played about 56 per cent of his even-strength minutes with Matthews and 41 per cent with John Tavares. The key distinction here is that Matthews and Tavares rarely played together (10 per cent of their minutes together), which means that Nylander always had one of the two on his hip.

I bring that up because one thing that we know about both Matthews and Tavares is that they are elite individual shooters and play creators, both of which can benefit a winger as talented as Nylander.

Nylander has had some roller-coaster shooting percentages over the years, but one thing is true: as his game has become more refined, his coaches have been more comfortable locking him into a top-six role.

A top-six role comes with better supporting talent. And what a surprise, Nylander has become a consistently more threatening shooter. Look just at his expected scoring rates for confirmation of that:

There’s one other important plot that shows how strong of a rebound Nylander has had this year, and that concerns where his shots are 1183673 Websites Do you have a favourite memory of being around NHL dressing rooms as a kid?

"I was really young when all that was going on and I definitely do TSN.CA / Smooth-skating Jake Sanderson surging up draft boards remember going in some dressing rooms like in Edmonton and Phoenix, but it was pretty long ago."

What kind of hockey dad is your dad? Mark Masters "He comes to a lot of our tournaments, a lot of our games, which is really nice. After games he gives me pointers and stuff, but he's not terribly hard on me. I think he knows how I would feel if he was yelling at me or Jake Sanderson is surging up draft boards. something. He lets me do my own thing." National Hockey League Central Scouting had the United States National Your dad was a forward, how did you become a defenceman? Development Team Program defenceman at No. 11 on their mid-season list of North American skaters before moving him up to No. 4 in the final "I was a bit of a forward when I was younger, but I was drawn to the rankings earlier this month. defence position. When I was younger, I was a really good backwards skater, so I think that was an advantage." TSN director of scouting Craig Button had Sanderson at No. 33 on his January prospects list before bumping him up to No. 12 in March. Which NHL player do you model your game after?

"My whole game improved as the season went on, but probably the "I really like to watch [Dallas Stars defenceman] Miro Heiskanen, mental aspect the most," Sanderson explained. "My confidence grew, because he's a great skater and I try to skate like him. He also puts the and our team got gradually better throughout the year and that helped my puck in the net, and I try to do that as well." individual play. At the start of the year we played a lot college teams and that was difficult, and then when we went over to play kids that were our What does an average day look like for you at the moment? own age it was a little easier because they weren't as big or strong." "Right now I'm in Whitefish and we're pretty lucky here. We're able to get Sanderson, the son of former NHLer Geoff Sanderson, made a big outside a lot and go mountain biking and work out and even skate a little statement at January's All-American Game for top draft prospects, bit." picking up two assists and being named MVP. The 6-foot-2, 182-pounder Montana doesn't have too many COVID-19 cases. What's it like right also didn't hesitate to throw his weight around, landing a couple big hits. now? "I made some nice plays, but I can't take all the credit because I wouldn't "Yeah, it's definitely not hit hard. Obviously, the weather's pretty nice be able to do it without my teammates. That was probably one of the here now. I mean, there are still a lot of places closed down, so we're still most complete games our team has played all year, so that helped me," social distancing and stuff as a precaution." he said. What's it like to still be on the ice? Not many players are able to do that Sanderson is projected to be the top American selected in the NHL draft right now. and the second defenceman behind only Erie's Jamie Drysdale. "I'm really lucky, actually. Nobody else is probably skating so I'm not Sanderson spoke to TSN via Zoom from his family home in Whitefish, taking that for granted." Mont., and reflected on what it was like growing up in a state with a small hockey community. The 17-year-old also explained how his dad helped What was it like growing up in Whitefish? improve his skating and why the next World Juniors in Edmonton and Red Deer are a big goal for him. "It was really cool. There's not a lot of hockey here. There was only one team for each age group, so you had to make the most of what you had, The following is an edited transcript of the interview. and you had to travel a lot for games, which was pretty cool."

What would it mean to be the top American picked at the draft? You are on pace to become the first player born in Montana to play in the NHL. What would that mean to you? "That would be awesome. Watching the draft last year with Jack Hughes [going first overall] and seeing all those guys we knew last year was What's the toughest question you've been asked during interviews with pretty cool. I think this is our year, so every guy on our team is excited." NHL teams?

TSN director of scouting Craig Button did a mock draft and had you going "A team asked me if I was more of a gym rat or a rink rat. It wasn't really to Winnipeg. What do you make of the potential of playing in a Canadian a tough question, but something I've never been asked before, so I had market? to think for a second."

"That'd definitely be cool. Obviously, my dad played for Canadian teams What did you say? (Vancouver and Edmonton) and I have family in Canada as well. It'd be cool to be drafted anywhere." "I said I was probably more of a gym rat. Just love being in the gym."

You served as captain at the under-17 and under-18 levels. What What was the highlight of your season? makes you a good leader? "Definitely winning the [under-18] Five Nations tournament in November "I'm somebody who leads by example and somebody who comes to the in Sweden. Our team went through a lot of adversity in the time we were rink every day and brings it – whether it's in practice or in a workout. I'm together, so it was nice to get a win together." someone who sets the tone for every single game." What was the adversity and how did you guys overcome it?

During the All-American Game in January you levelled the USHL's rookie "Our 17s year [in 2018] we finished last at the World U-17 Hockey of the year, Brendan Brisson, with a big hit. How has the physical side of Challenge, but that was kind of a good thing for us, because we based the game developed for you? our whole experience at the NTDP on coming last and having that chip "It's definitely increased with going to the NTDP and working out a lot and on our shoulder that entire time." gaining weight and strength and muscle mass. That helps me, because Why is the University of North Dakota the right spot for you next season? I’m a pretty physical player. I've definitely been working out a lot." "I'm really excited. It has all the tools for me to go to the next level, How much muscle mass have you gained? especially with the facilities and stuff. It's pretty close to home too, which Your dad was an excellent skater in during his playing days, how has he is nice." helped you in that regard? What's the most impressive thing about ?

"When I'm working out with him here and skating with him here, we "They got a new jumbotron, which is pretty crazy." always work on skating for a long time, because that's probably the most important part of my game." How much is the next World Juniors on your radar? "It's in Edmonton and Red Deer so I have a lot of family up there – my dad's parents and mom's parents and a lot of cousins – so it’d be really cool if I was able to make that team."

The under-18 World Championship slated for Michigan in April was cancelled, how much does that drive you to get back to the international scene?

"It was heartbreaking to have that tournament cancelled, because it's kind of like our big thing during the two years we're together at the NTDP. It motivated me a bit more to have the opportunity one more time, not just to play with the USA jersey on, but to have the chance to play with those guys again."

TSN.CA LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183674 Websites □ Last cuts by position are exactly as advertised, the players who just missed selection to the all-time team

Goalie Ken Dryden TSN.CA / The All-Time 7: TSN's Montreal Canadiens All-Time Team Dryden’s career statistics are staggering: Six Stanley Cups, the , the Calder Trophy and six berths on the first or second all-star team in eight NHL seasons. Steve Dryden Goalie Carey Price

The winningest goalie in team history and 2014-15 Hart Trophy winner is TSN Hockey today introduces the All-Time 7 Project. We are naming all- the right choice to represent the current Canadiens on the all-time team. time teams – 21 players, a head coach and GM - for each of the seven Canadian NHL clubs. Today, we begin with the Montreal Canadiens. LD Doug Harvey – RD Butch Bouchard

Picking an all-time team in any sport is a mug’s game at best, an act of The six-time Norris Trophy-winning Harvey and three-time first all-star masochism at worst. Bouchard make a great combination on the ice and in the Hall of Fame.

You can’t win. And you certainly can’t win when you’re tasked with LD Guy Lapointe – RD selecting 21 players to capture the history of the most decorated team in Two like-sized and like-minded players, Lapointe had three 20-goal NHL history: the Montreal Canadiens. seasons and six top-five finishes in Norris voting while Chelios won a Nowhere was the challenge greater than in the crease where five Hall of Norris and a Stanley Cup. Famers squared off to fill one position. LD Larry Robinson – RD Serge Savard Only one, and not two, because Carey Price was the only authentic Shutdown Pair: Is there anyone else you would want protecting a lead in candidate to fill one of the baseline requirements for assembling TSN all- the final minute of a playoff game more than a pair of Conn Smythe- time teams for all seven Canadian NHL teams. winning defencemen? That is, there must be at least one member of 2019-20 teams on each of LW Steve Shutt - C Jean Beliveau - RW Guy Lafleur the rosters. Shutt and Lafleur share the team record for most goals (60) and Beliveau Price, No. 1 in franchise wins, gets the job of Montreal’s No. 2 goalie. is one of the great puckhandlers and puck distributors in NHL history. So, who’s No. 1? Six-time Stanley Cup winners Jacques Plante and Ken LW – C – RW Rocket Richard Dryden; six-time first all-star Bill Durnan, two-time playoff MVP Patrick Roy or George Hainsworth, he of the 22 shutouts in 44 games (1928- Blake and The Rocket comprised two-thirds of the famed ; the 29)? Pocket Rocket stands in for Punch Line original Elmer Lach on the strength of a record 11 Stanley Cups. Georges Vezina, the man whose name is on the trophy given annually to the league’s best goalie, was not a consideration on a technicality: He LW Dickie Moore – C Howie Morenz – RW Bernie Geoffrion didn’t meet the minimum requirement of 225 games played with the Canadiens. All three players won two scoring titles each and we couldn’t resist putting Geoffrion on the same line as his father-in-law, Morenz, the In the end, Dryden got the nod to represent the back end by the game’s most important player during the 1920s and early 1930s. narrowest of margins over Roy. LW Bob Gainey – C Guy Carbonneau – RW Claude Provost And Plante was named the Canadiens’ foundational player – defined as the player who is part of the very fabric, the DNA, of the organization. Checking Line: If a combined seven Selke Trophies and 16 Stanley Cups don’t add up to the greatest-ever checking line from a single team, then There was a compelling case for Roy because he carried Montreal to two we don’t know what does. Stanley Cups, earning two Conn Smythe honours along the way. His Canadiens of the 1980s and 1990s were not filled with Hall of Famers Foundational Player - G Jacques Plante like Plante’s of the 1950s and Dryden’s of the 1970s. A revolutionary player in style and impact, Plante changed the face of the But Dryden’s extraordinary career marks could not be denied: 258 wins game, becoming the first goalie to wear a mask. He compiled a 40-9 and only 57 losses during the regular season, plus 19 series wins and playoff record from 1956 through 1960, finishing off with eight straight just two losses in eight post-seasons. victories to complete Montreal’s record run of five straight Cups.

Here are the rest of our choices and last cuts. Let us know what you Head Coach - (1971-79) think. GOAT coach Bowman may not have won more Cups than Blake behind TSN All-Time Team Eligibility Criteria the bench with the Canadiens – five versus eight – but his winning percentage was superior - .744 to .634. Besides, there is no room for a □ Team: two goalies, six defencemen, 12 forwards and one foundational player-coach on the all-time team and Blake is otherwise occupied with player the Richard brothers

□ Members must have played at least 225 games with the Canadiens General Manager - Sam Pollock (1964-78)

□ At least one member of the all-time team must be from the 2019-20 Hockey smarts, business smarts and flat-out smarts combined to make Canadiens Pollock the automatic choice. He won more Stanley Cups – nine - than he had fingers to wear them on. □ Players are slotted in positions they played with the Canadiens THE LAST CUTS □ One line must be comprised of defensive standouts, aka a checking line The hardest cut of all was Patrick Roy, the driving force behind two Montreal Stanley Cups, joining Bobby Orr, Bernie Parent, Wayne □ One pair must be comprised of suffocating defenders, aka a shutdown Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby as the only players to win pair two Conn Smythes with one team. □ Lines and pairs are put together because they fit together, not because G: Patrick Roy, 1985-95 they are necessarily the first, second and third best at their positions LD: Jacques Laperriere, 1963-74 □ Foundational players are defined as players part of the fabric – the DNA – of a franchise RD: P.K. Subban, 2010-16

LW: Aurel Joliat, 1922-38 C: Elmer Lach, 1940-54

RW: Yvan Cournoyer, 1964-79

Who is the biggest omission from the Montreal Canadiens’ all-time team?

GOALIES W L T/OTL GAA CUPS

Ken Dryden 258 57 74 2.24 6

Carey Price 348 250 74 2.49 0

Jacques Plante 314 133 108 2.22 6

DEFENCEMEN GP G A PTS CUPS

Larry Robinson 1,202 197 686 883 6

Guy Lapointe 777 166 406 572 6

Doug Harvey 890 76 371 447 6

Serge Savard 917 100 312 412 8

Chris Chelios 402 72 237 309 1

Butch Bouchard 786 49 144 193 4

FORWARDS GP G A PTS CUPS

Guy Lafleur 961 518 728 1,246 5

Jean Beliveau 1,125 507 712 1,219 10

Henri Richard 1,258 358 688 1,046 11

Rocket Richard 978 544 422 966 8

Steve Shutt 871 408 368 776 5

Bernie Geoffrion 766 371 388 759 6

Dickie Moore 654 254 339 593 6

Claude Provost 1,005 254 335 589 9

Guy Carbonneau 912 221 326 547 2

Toe Blake 569 235 294 529 2

Bob Gainey 1,160 239 262 501 5

Howie Morenz 460 257 164 421 3

TSN Hockey's All-Time 7 Canadian Teams

Monday, April 27 – Montreal Canadiens

Wednesday, April 29 – Calgary Flames

Friday, May 1 – Edmonton Oilers

Monday, May 4 – Toronto Maple Leafs

Wednesday, May 6 – Ottawa Senators

Friday, May 8 – Winnipeg Jets

Monday, May 11 – Vancouver Canucks

TSN.CA LOADED: 04.28.2020

1183675 World Leagues News Grosch said he expects the local services tax and occupational privilege tax revenues to be down by about 10 percent – a loss of about $9,000. The estimated drop in the earned income taxes to the district is higher — Coronavirus costing school district dollars 20 percent, resulting in a $157,000 loss of revenue.

Stewart said the district expects to see some savings out of the shutdown and will discuss them in May. “We do believe we will have some savings APR 28, 2020 that we are looking at,” she said.

BRIAN FERRY Budget

Staff Reporter Grosch shared his pre-COVID-19 projections with the board.

COVID-19 is an expensive proposition when it comes to education. Without any of the increased expenses and decreased revenues related to the pandemic, and without significant positive changes, Grosch Earlier this month, the Warren County School District board approved a projects that the district will be in the red starting in the 2022-2023 school line item of $250,000 that Superintendent Amy Stewart could spend on year. pandemic-related expenses. “By the year 2022-2023, there’s going to be a $2.5 million deficit in our At Monday’s meeting of the finance committee, Chairman Arthur Stewart fund balance,” he said. “We’ll have burned completely through our fund asked if the board should do that again. balance. That will mean we’ve spent the entire $17.4 million.” Amy Stewart said that would be very helpful. The district has set dollars aside to pay for large expenditures that Out of the initial $250,000, WCSD has spent more than $210,000. officials know are coming in the near future.

“The kids will be able to get what they need because I’ve been able to Times Observer LOADED: 04.28.2020 pull the trigger faster,” she said.

Technology, learning kits, and mileage for delivering meals are among the larger ticket items.

The largest, by far, is hotspots.

Providing for education continuity has been a challenge for the district because of the high percentage of students who do not have access to suitable internet service.

More than a month into the closure, “We have yet to be able to have a hotspot or mobile device,” Stewart said.

That is about to change. “We were able, finally, to get a vendor with hotspots in inventory,” she said. “They’re coming.”

Board member Kevin Lindvay asked Stewart to be sure that expenses related to COVID-19 are tracked in case there is some kind of reimbursement.

She assured the board that administration is carefully tracking those expenditures.

Among the $213,988.30 detailed in a budget report, was an expense of $21.98 for “sewage plant supplies.”

Stewart explained those dollars purchased for the district some rabbit food.

Because the schools are closed, sewer systems that utilize activated sludge are at risk of disruption. The rabbit food takes the place of the material that typically feeds the system.

At the special board meeting held at the conclusion of the committee meetings, the board approved another $250,000 to push through the COVID situation until the May meeting.

In full, the district is down about $1.2 million due to COVID-19. Of that, some expenditures ($700,000) were previously authorized by the board, the $210,000 spent so far under the special authorization, and over $300,000 paid out to food service workers that the district must pay under the National School Lunch Program, while the NSLP dollars are not authorized.

The district has been authorized to operate its summer lunch program – one of the victories of the situation. “I think it’s providing a great relief to some of the families out there,” Stewart said.

“We’ve had 30 serving days,” Director of Business Services Jim Grosch said. “So far, the people have served 45,459 meals — 1,515 a day.”

The numbers are up recently, he said. Over the last five days, the program is moving 1,657 meals per day.

“I want to say thank you to all the people that are providing the meals,” he said.

Some revenues are expected to be down due to the pandemic, too. 1183676 World Leagues News sportingnews.com LOADED: 04.28.2020

Leishman braced for 'very different' November Masters

WRITTEN BY

SACHA PISANI

Marc Leishman is braced for a "very different" Masters, while the PGA Tour star is still dreaming of winning gold for Australia at the Olympic Games.

The Masters – originally scheduled for April – was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic and organisers have identified November 9-15 as the intended dates to stage the rescheduled major at Augusta.

World number 15 Leishman has twice finished in the top 10 of the iconic Masters – his best result tied for fourth in 2013 in Georgia.

Asked about a November Masters, five-time PGA Tour champion Leishman told Stats Perform: "The greens are usually firmer in November. I have a friend who is a member there and he has always tried to get me to go there in November.

"I guess the course is as good if not better in November than it is in April. Very different, there will be different grasses, different winds, flowers won't be blooming.

"It will be extremely different but hopefully we can play that with crowds and get that atmosphere because that's one of the best things about the tournament."

The rescheduled Masters will form part of a condensed PGA Tour schedule – consisting of 36 events instead of the original 49 – due to the COVID-19 crisis, which has wreaked havoc on sport across the world.

The PGA Tour is planning for tournaments to resume behind closed doors in the second week of June after a number of events had to either be postponed or called off since mid-March in an effort to contain the spread of coronavirus.

The US PGA Championship, originally scheduled for May, has been pushed back to August, prior to the Tour's season-ending tournaments that comprise the FedEx Cup play-offs.

In September, three months after it had initially been due to begin, the U.S. Open will take place in New York, before the Ryder Cup gets underway two days later, while The Open has been cancelled.

Leishman, who claimed January's Farmers Insurance Open, earned top- three finishes at the Safeway Open (third) and Arnold Palmer Invitational (second) to be seventh in the FedEx Cup standings following a fast start prior to golf's suspension.

"Having this big spell, it will probably be two, three months before it's over, so I guess it will be easy to come back and try play everything just because we haven't been doing anything," Leishman said when asked how he will approach the jam-packed schedule.

"But I'm still going to try to play my normal schedule, which will probably be reasonably light, just so I'm fresh for the run at the end of the year – the PGA, the play-offs etc. It's flat out and hopefully there will be a trip to Australia in there as well. As long as everything gets back in order and we can travel, it will be hectic but a good hectic."

The coronavirus pandemic also forced the Olympic Games to be postponed until 2021 – Tokyo 2020 had initially been scheduled to start in July this year.

But Leishman – who grew up in the Victorian town of Warrnambool and represented the International team during December's Presidents Cup against the United States in Melbourne – is still eyeing a gold medal in Japan.

"I was really looking forward to that this year," the 36-year-old added. "I was in a good spot to be on the team. I'd love to be there to represent Australia. I was unable to be there last time [the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro]. The priority for me is to go and win a gold medal for Australia." 1183677 World Leagues News

Lakers received $4.6 million ‘small business’ loan from feds, returned it

By DENNIS YOUNG

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS |

APR 27, 2020 | 2:48 PM

The Lakers are among the world’s most profitable professional sports teams. The Lakers also applied for and received a $4.6 million loan from a federal government program supposedly intended to help small businesses weather the coronavirus. The team has since returned the loan, according to an ESPN report Monday.

The Payroll Protection Program was intended as $349 million in relief for small businesses that had to shut their doors because of the coronavirus. It quickly ran out of money as intentionally lax oversight and minimal transparency led to huge corporations snapping up the funds. The loans were earmarked for companies with 500 or fewer employees, but it quickly became a slush fund for corporate chains that could work the process. Ruth’s Chris and Shake Shack infamously received $20 million and $10 million, respectively, and eventually returned the money. (The Lakers have about 300 employees, per ESPN.)

The PPP ran out of money and closed applications on April 16. It reopened on Monday, although with no protections to prevent the same thing from happening again. Experts said it could run out of money again in a week or less; it appears to have run out of money in less than five minutes.

“The Lakers qualified for and received a loan under the Payroll Protection Program,” the Lakers told ESPN. “Once we found out the funds from the program had been depleted, we repaid the loan so that financial support would be directed to those most in need.”

The PPP doled out $349 billion in its first round; $2 billion of that has been returned so far. The Lakers are worth $4 billion, according to Forbes. ESPN reports that a lost playoff run would cost the Lakers “tens of millions of dollars” in revenue.

The Lakers were 49-14 — best in the Western Conference and second best in the league — when the NBA suspended its season because of the coronavirus.

They’re the only professional sports team known so far to have taken PPP money. But because the program is so opaque and MLB/NBA/NFL teams aren’t publicly traded, it’s unclear if a team would ever have to admit getting federal aid.

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183678 World Leagues News After getting an unexpected break when the Olympics were officially postponed last month, most swimmers have returned to some form of training.

USA Swimming Unveils Tentative Schedule After Coronavirus Hiatus Murphy said he's been able to get in occasional pool training at private facilities in the Bay Area, but the main training pool at Cal-Berkeley remains closed. The bulk of his training is on dry land, mostly in the Associated Press garage of the house he shares with five roommates since gyms have yet to reopen in California.

"No one is really leaving the house, so we're all just working out USA Swimming is planning a return to the pool. together," Murphy said. "We pull the cars out of the garage and work out Though, no one is quite sure how it will all play out during the coronavirus there. We have a boxing bag, some ropes. I got a stationary bike. We've pandemic. got a 30-pound dumbbell and a 50-pound kettlebell. We're making it work. We don't need all the fancy bells and whistles to stay in shape." The national governing body unveiled a tentative schedule Monday that begins with a series of regional events in August before a national lineup And now, at least, he has a series of meets to look forward to — of meets kicks off in early November — all leading up to next summer's assuming they actually take place. Olympic trials in Omaha, Nebraska and the Tokyo Games. "I'll be there for sure if they do," Murphy said. "But I'm also going to be "It gives us a little bit of hope," Hali Flickinger, a 2016 Olympian who ready if potentially everything gets pushed back again." trains in Arizona, told The Associated Press. "Everything is kind of stale LOADED: 04.28.2020 right now. I have no idea what’s going to happen — nobody does — but at least we have something to look forward to in the future."

Tentative is the key word, for sure.

"I think everything is taken with a grain of salt and maybe even more than one grain of salt," said Mike Unger, USA Swimming's chief operating officer. "We're trying to bring normalcy back when it's not normal, and we know that. But we have to have a Plan A, a Plan B and even a Plan C."

Olympic champion Ryan Murphy, who won three gold medals at the Rio Games, welcomed news of a revamped schedule but said he's not ready to celebrate just yet.

"I'll be ready to adjust," Murphy told the AP in a telephone interview from his training base at Cal-Berkeley. "Until we get out of this thing, I'm going to stay in a flexible mindset."

USA Swimming canceled all national events in July and early August, most notably the Speedo Summer Championships. The regional events would be held in mid to late August, with an eye toward limiting the need for travel and promoting a safer environment for athletes, coaches, officials and families.

Unger said the organization is talking with pools all over the country to assess potential availability, but also recognizes that any plans would be subject to health guidelines and the approval of local officials. USA Swimming is considering anywhere from 12 to 16 meets, divided equally between four geographic regions that are already set up for lower-level meets.

"We're not trying to rush into anything, but we've got to be methodical," Unger said. "With these regional meets, we would not be forcing someone from, say, Boston to go to Atlanta for a meet. Hypothetically, they could go to Long Island instead."

The first meet of the TYR Pro Swim Series is set for Richmond, Virginia from Nov. 5-8, followed by events in Knoxville, Tennessee (Jan. 13-16); San Antonio (March 3-6); Mission Viejo, California (April 8-11, 2021); and Indianapolis (May 12-15).

Also, the Toyota U.S. Open in Atlanta would be held from Dec. 2-5.

The U.S. Olympic trials in Omaha have already been rescheduled for June 13-20, about a month ahead of the new 2021 dates for the Tokyo Summer Games.

There are some changes from this season's Pro Swim Series, with Richmond replacing Greensboro, North Carolina as the leadoff event in November and San Antonio taking Des Moines' spot on the schedule in March.

Des Moines was the last TYR meet this year before the pandemic largely shut down live sporting events around the world and forced a one-year postponement of the Olympics.

Even if swim meets are able to resume, they may look different than they have in the past. USA Swimming will consider everything from competing without fans to maintaining social distancing on pool decks that are usually jammed with athletes, coaches and officials.

"From an optics standpoint, we need to be smart and wise about how we gather when we are able to gather," Unger said. 1183679 World Leagues News “That’s how far we want to go as far as vetting the kid,” Green said. “We do our best to bring the best quality character kid we possibly can, and when we can’t see a kid or get to those avenues, it’s hard.”

How Montana's football recruiting is being impacted by the coronavirus Also important to evaluation is seeing players live in football practice or pandemic playing other sports to see how they physically move around, how they interact with others, and how they treat and are treated by teammates.

FRANK GOGOLA Missoulian Apr 27, 2020 Updated 6 hrs ago 0 “Not being able to see those things has kind of slowed us down with that,” Green said. “Being able to see those things, it allows you to be able to say, ‘OK.’ Not being able to see those things kind of puts some holds on our evaluation.” MISSOULA — One of Montana’s biggest selling points compared to other FCS football schools, if not the biggest, is Washington-Grizzly The Griz have extended just 14 known offers so far to high school Stadium. seniors, including just six since the pandemic began, three of which are in-state kids and three of which are out-of-state kids. They have one However, visiting the 25,000-capacity home of the Griz as well as the known high school commit in the class of 2021, which came back in Champions Center won’t be an option for potential UM recruits until June January. 1 at the earliest. The NCAA extended the dead period until May 31 after initially setting the date at April 15 following the start of the coronavirus “We’ve never been in a hurry to take guys, so I don’t see that process pandemic. being sped up for us,” Green said. “You can see a lot of schools have sped up their process as far as how many guys they’ve offered, who The change has thrown a wrench into Montana’s regular recruiting they’ve offered. For us, it has not necessarily sped up. We’re actually process as in-person meetings both on and off campus have been staying on course, hoping for the ability to have camps.” suspended. They had to cancel their Junior Day, which was scheduled for the first week of April, weren’t able to complete spring camp, during The NCAA dead period is slated to end on May 31. If that’s not extended, which they could have players come to campus for visits, and can't visit travel within Montana could become possible at that time if stay-at-home potential recruits off campus. orders are no longer in place, but other states in their recruiting areas could still be observing quarantine, limiting the movement of coaches and Montana and recruiting coordinator Justin Green are trying to adapt to players to and from certain areas. the new realities while sticking to their high recruiting standards. Recruiting players who are in the transfer portal also poses an issue “This place really does sell itself,” Green said. “If we can’t get guys up because teams can’t bring them to campus to show them what the here, it’s going to be hard for that part of the process as far as when school has to offer. The Griz like for prospects to visit campus during the we’re competing at the end for the guy to sign here or somewhere else. If school year so they can see the full college experience, especially on he’s seen this place, now we feel we have a pretty good opportunity to game days during the season, the status of which currently is an get the kid we want.” unknown. Montana is holding onto hope that the NCAA’s dead period won’t be If the dead period is extended even longer, then there are more serious extended again deeper into the summer. The Griz are still planning to questions that'll have to be answered for teams all across college host their camps in Missoula in June and July until they hear otherwise. football. The camps will allow the coaches to evaluate the groups of largely out- “We’ll put together a strong signing class no matter what we have to do,” of-state players in person and give them a tour of the facilities and the Green said. “We’re not the only one that’s going to deal with those opportunity to interact with coaches, asking or being asked questions. difficulties. It’s a matter of being strategic and being on top of it and being “That’s where we hope to make up some steam,” Green said. “It’s geared up to doing what we have to do.” important that we get those camps because we get to see guys and guys Missoulian LOADED: 04.28.2020 get to see this place. That’s kind of our meat and potatoes of selling this place is seeing the place.”

Some schools around the country have gone to recording videos of their facilities or providing a virtual reality tour. Montana hasn’t done exactly that yet.

The coaches want to see an out-of-state kid make an effort to come to campus as a way to show they truly are interested in joining the program. There are also videos or photos online for anyone to check out. If the Griz were to put something together, they want to make sure they’re accurately representing UM and not making things look bigger or brighter than they are.

“Part of our recruiting is selling ‘You get what you see,’” Green said. “We can make that thing really nice just like other places are, but being able to actually truly see it with your eyes is different.”

The main thing the coaches can do at this point to interact with potential recruits is to talk with them on the phone or digitally. They can also view players’ film on Hudl, but the character evaluation is also important for UM.

“I think we’ll always be selective,” Green said. “We just have to be creative with what it is that we want to see. Having that ability to have Zoom conversations if that’s something we need to do. We’ll do whatever it takes to make sure we’re able to go through our process and deciding on who are the guys we want.”

The Griz coaches in the past would visit the players on campus and talk with coaches, who are still anxious to speak and pass along film during the down time caused by the quarantine. They’d also observe how a player treats other people and talk with people like the player’s counselor, janitor, lunch lady or a school police officer, things they can’t do as easily now. 1183680 World Leagues News Ending the closures this week is good timing for public golf courses and some private courses who offer summer memberships that start Friday.

The PGA Tour is expected to become the first professional sport to return Coronavirus Florida: Don't touch that pin! Palm Beach County golf June 11 with a tournament in Texas, which will allow Palm Beach County courses to reopen residents Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, and others to resume their careers.

Craig Dolch Special to The Post "When the Tour announced it was playing in June, that was an injection of positivity for me," Lofstead said. "It was kind of a light at the end of the Apr 27, 2020 at 5:55 PM tunnel."

This is a searing bright light for area golfers.

*Next up on the tee … Palm Beach County residents. Play away … Palm Beach County residents. And behave.

Public and private golf courses will re-open in the county Wednesday, Palm Beach Post LOADED: 04.28.2020 Palm Beach County Mayor Dave Kerner announced Monday. The sport has been shut down in the "golf capital of the world" for 34 days because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Not every course will open Wednesday. Kerner said all four county-run golf courses, for instance, won’t be ready Wednesday, but they are taking tee times. (Check with your local course).

Monday’s announcement was a huge boost for area golf course operators, who were enjoying a banner tourist season until COVID-19 closed the county’s courses March 26. Unlike other businesses, golf courses were unable to ease the financial burden by offering other services.

"The biggest challenge is you went from clubs getting ‘season’ and ‘peak’ rates to absolutely nothing overnight, and they didn’t have a lot of time to plan for it," said Geoff Lofstead, executive director of the South Florida PGA. "It’s been a challenge for all of them.

"This is certainly welcome news. Most clubs have had time to refine their safety practices, not only for the employees, but their customers and members."

It also was great news for the several hundred thousand golfers in South Florida who have been unable to chase the little white ball the last five weeks. The nature of the sport lends itself to social distancing.

Several restrictions will remain in place: Common areas such as clubhouses, driving ranges, putting greens and locker rooms (except restrooms) are closed. Also, most payments will be handled online or by phone, pins cannot be touched, rakes will be removed, tee times will be staggered 15 minutes instead of the usual 10 and players are asked to arrive no more than 20 minutes before their tee time.

Golfers in the same household will be allowed to ride in the same cart while others will be limited to one per cart. Many facilities in other counties were running out of carts with the one-person-per-cart rule.

Kerner stressed the county could close courses again if players don’t adhere to the social distancing guidelines. A person can be fined or arrested if violating the rules.

Then again, this is a sport where rules mean everything.

>>What does the coronavirus infection do inside your body?

Palm Beach County, Broward and Miami-Dade are the only counties in the state where golf courses have been closed. They also represent 60 percent of the state’s positive cases.

Palm Beach Par-3, the first area course to announce its closure because of the virus, will re-open Thursday at 7:15 a.m.

"I’m not sure if it’s going to be crazy busy or kind of quiet. That’s the million-dollar question," said Tony Chateauvert, Palm Beach Par-3’s manager/head professional.

"How loud can it get when you only have 16 players teeing off every hour. I know people are excited to play golf again, especially with the great weather we have been having."

Palm Beach Par-3 will invert the cups in the pins, so the ball doesn’t go into the hole. (Hint: Hit the ball hard enough!)

"People’s scores are going to go down by 10 strokes," Chateauvert said, laughing. "You just got to hit it." 1183681 World Leagues News

What is New York’s plan if coronavirus threatens fall high school sports?

By Lindsay Kramer | [email protected]

Syracuse, N.Y. — Robert Zayas’ focus is understandably locked in on the toll coronavirus is taking on spring high school sports in New York state.

Zayas, executive director of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association, announced Monday that his organization has cancelled this year’s state tournaments for spring high school teams. Pinched schedules and concerns about the availability of host sites made that competition impossible.

But the unfortunate reality of the current situation is that the attention of Zayas and his fellow high school sports officials could soon be turning a few months down the road, to fall sports.

And already, a plan for that is taking shape.

Zayas said Monday that if it still looks like coronavirus could impact the start of next fall’s school year, he’ll put together a committee of health and education officials to begin discussing what steps should be taken. That committee, Zayas said, would theoretically need to start meeting as soon as the end of May or the start of June.

“At that point in time we’ll have a better indication as to whether there will be or there could be an impact upon the fall season, and then I would like to go ahead and utilize that ad hoc committee to provide recommendations to our association as well as the 11 sections,” Zayas said. “When it comes to the fall season, I think I’m aware of the potential impact that this crises could have. But I don’t want to get too far out in front of this. That ad hoc committee has yet to be created because we don’t know what the next month or two will hold with this crises.” syracuse.com LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183682 World Leagues News Sheffield United, Watford, Southampton and Aston Villa players have all agreed wage deferrals.

Chelsea are one of several clubs where negotiations have stalled with Decisions this week as sport tries to emerge from coronavirus shadow players keen to ditch wage cut proposals in favour of a deferral.

A GREEN LIGHT FOR GERMANY?

Adam Shergold Some of the Premier League's planning has been based on what's happening in Germany, where the Bundesliga appointed a task force to investigate what was necessary for games to resume. Could sport be about to emerge fr om the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic? They produced an extensive set of guidelines designed to ensure stadiums conform to hygiene and social distancing requirements. There is increasing optimism that action could resume in the United Kingdom and across Europe in the coming weeks as lockdown Extensive twice-weekly testing of the approximately 1,100 players would restrictions are cautiously relaxed. be required at a cost of around £2.2million.

Of course, any sporting events that do take place in the coming weeks Following meetings last week, the clubs of Germany's top two divisions, and months would be behind closed doors and with strict hygiene agreed to restart the league on May 9 with all remaining matches guidelines in place. squeezed in before the end of June.

But there are encouraging signs now that sport, in some form, could soon However, this is all subject to approval from the German Government be back with us and further progress could be made this week as the and state health authorities. various governing bodies meet. And the next federal Government conference, which could give the green Sportsmail takes a look at what's on the agenda this week and some of light to these plans, takes place this Thursday. the important decision that could be made. HOW TO FINISH THE NATIONAL LEAGUE

PLANNING THE PREMIER LEAGUE'S RETURN The three divisions of the National League, which are the fifth and sixth It's been over six weeks now since Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta tested levels of English football, have already voted to not play the remaining positive for coronavirus, bringing a juddering halt to the Premier League fixtures of the season. season. Now the clubs need to decide how the season is concluded in terms of But after what has at times seemed an interminable nationwide promotion and relegation matters. lockdown, there are signs that England's top-flight could soon be back in The National League met last Friday and more discussions are likely this business. week before an expected vote on a series of options presented to the The Premier League has drawn up Project Restart, fleshing out some of club. the detail to make its ambition to resume the 2019-20 season on June 8 One is likely to be declaring the whole season null and void with no a reality. promotion or relegation, while another could be to form a final league And the next meeting of Premier League stakeholders, to be held over table based on a points-per-game basis. video conference this Friday, will discuss in more detail ways to move There's a lot at stake for many clubs, especially Barrow, who were four forward. points clear at the top of the National League and on course for a return It will follow meetings between government medical experts and medical to the Football League for the first time in 48 years, when the season was officers from a number of sports in the next few days to discuss the ways suspended. and means sport could return. A decision needs to be taken soon on whether they will indeed secure One encouraging sign is that Arsenal are returning to their training that promotion. ground on Monday, the first club to do so, although all fitness work will be COULD THE BELGIAN SEASON BE REPRISED? subject to social distancing guidelines. Belgium's Pro League was one of the first to announce the cancellation Details of the Premier League's plans are beginning to emerge as well as of the 2019-20 season but now speculation is mounting over whether that a shift in the stance of the Government to facilitate sport's return to decision could be reversed. generate positivity during the lockdown. A twice-postponed meeting of the league's 24 clubs is scheduled for The Premier League is likely to resume at 'approved neutral stadiums' as Monday with the possibility of a resumption to the season still an option opposed to all 20 regular grounds, with the England team HQ at St on the table. George's Park one possibility, and the number of people permitted inside games will be between 300 and 500. It means runaway leaders Club Brugge, who were declared champions earlier this month, may yet have to win a few more games to get over the Leicester versus Aston Villa was the last Premier League game to be line. played - on March 9 WILL THE HUNDRED EVEN GET OFF THE GROUND? Sadly for fans, that won't include them, but rather players, coaching staff, medical personnel, referees, doping controllers, ground staff and the We already know that no cricket will be played in England and Wales media. until at least July 1 though the ECB remain optimistic some games can be played this summer. Premier League clubs are already aware of these proposals and the ambition to complete all 92 remaining games between June 8 and July This Wednesday will see a decision on whether to postpone the 27, which would allow next season to begin pretty much on time in inaugural edition of The Hundred, the new short-form version of the August. game that was set to be launched this July.

However, any decisions will be subject to the approval of the The whole premise of the competition is to draw in large crowds and Government's medical advisors and are likely to depend on mass testing appeal to new audiences, so it would be counter-productive to stage the for Covid-19 symptoms being available. first games behind closed doors.

Another topic for discussion in Friday's meeting will be player wage cuts A decision will be made this week on whether The Hundred will be in the Premier League, with agreements few and far between. postponed until next year

Arsenal are the only club to have agreed an actual pay cut so far, though There is a very real possibility its launch will be postponed until 2021 and there have been rebels who rejected the terms offers, while West Ham, ECB chief executive Tom Harrison has ruled out scrapping it altogether. 'If anything this crisis and the implications long term or medium term, the case for The Hundred is even more important,' he said last week.

'The Hundred is a profit centre for the game of cricket in this country.'

PLOTTING THE FORMULA ONE SEASON

After a flurry of race cancellations, the 2020 Formula One season could now finally be taking shape.

F1 boss Chase Carey wants a truncated season of at least 16 races to get underway in early July, albeit behind closed doors and with certain restrictions.

Plans are likely to crystalise this week with the season starting in Austria on July 3-5 followed by a second race in Austria a week later and then two at Silverstone, according to the BBC.

The 2020 Formula One calendar is finally starting to take some shape following cancellations

The next races could then be in Spain, Hungary and France, depending on how far coronavirus restrictions have been eased by that point.

The French Grand Prix, scheduled for June 28, has been called off but talks are ongoing about whether a race could be held at the Paul Ricard circuit later in the summer.

Other races across the globe would then be slotted into a calendar that would run all the way through until December but the packed calendar would test team logistics to the limit, especially if social distancing was a factor.

The situation is evolving all the time but F1 fans look set to get at least some action before the end of the year.

RUGBY LEAGUE RETURN DOWN UNDER?

Australia's NRL is determined to get back up and running on May 28, having played two rounds of matches prior to the country's lockdown beginning in March.

This week is set to be crucial in finding out whether the restart will be possible. First, league officials will hold crunch meetings with broadcasters, while clubs and player associations are due to give their feedback on the league's biosecurity measures.

And then the federal government's health detection committee will decide whether the NRL's protocols are sufficient in a meeting on Friday.

If they are, this would pave the way for the return of sport Down Under next month.

Daily Mail LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183683 World Leagues News The more one thinks about how sports could possibly return, the more one runs into concrete walls that dramatically force a change of direction on how this could all work out.

What Has to Happen Before Sports Can Make a Comeback? There’s No The screwball idea of putting baseball players all in one location and Playbook for Coronavirus isolating them from the world without fans was dead on arrival after players like Angels star Mike Trout explained some of the holes in the plan. By Shahan Ahmed • Published April 27, 2020 • Updated 4 hours ago "Obviously, I can't miss the birth of our first child," Trout said, pointing out that his wife was pregnant.

Just a few months ago, sports were doing what they’ve always done — Notably, the strength of the players' union in that sport is best presented bringing us together for shared experiences like few things can. with a reminder that none of the Houston Astros players who admitted to cheating to win the World Series has been punished. There was anticipation around March college basketball and the promise of a new baseball season as the NBA entered a final stretch with .@miketrout wants MLB to come back soon as possible, but brings up a compelling storylines. number of issues that would have to be worked out logistically before baseball returns in any fashion. #LunchTalkNBCSN But the world and sports will likely never be what they were just months pic.twitter.com/TdPfIVI8Jp ago. Empty stadiums and arenas are likely, if we see any sports for the remainder of 2020. — NBC Sports (@NBCSports) April 15, 2020

The shockingly expected alternative to no fans is no sports at all. Completely isolating players away from their families for months is a non- starter—and that’s likely true for all major sports leagues. LeBron James The NBA announced Monday that it is planning on opening up practice of the Lakers shared similar views as Trout when he was on the “Road facilities to teams no earlier than Friday, May 8 for individual workouts, Trippin” podcast in March. with social distancing practices remaining in place. On baseball's Arizona isolation plan, Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw When teams do open facilities there are restrictions: said, "I will say that situation, I just don’t see that happening. I’m not • No more than 4 players at a facility at a time. going to be away from my family and not see them for four and a half months." • No head or assistant coaches can participate. The best hope to see sports any time soon requires science and • No team practices or scrimmages. technology provide dramatic improvements in testing over the coming months: speed; accuracy; availability. The most plausible method for the • Players can’t use non-team facilities such as public health clubs or NBA or any sports leagues resuming play--short of a miracle cure-- gyms. involves religiously testing players, personnel and anyone else that — Kurt Helin (@basketballtalk) April 27, 2020 comes into contact with the practice or game facilities prior to allowing entry. In states that are loosening restrictions, like Georgia, facilities can open to players for individual workouts. That may be a far cry from the Los Theoretically, for the NBA to finish its season safely, it would need to Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers sparring in the Western Conference convert all of its practice and game locations where people gather into Finals, but it’s the first small sliver of hope that there could be a drive-thru testing sites. Entry would require driving up and passing a resumption of the NBA season in the future. rapid test that ideally doesn’t involve being nasally violated with a giant swab stick. In the European country most clobbered by the coronavirus, the Italian prime minister Sunday cleared individual sports to begin practices If you fail the test, you don’t enter the facility. starting Sunday, May 3. Team sports like Serie A soccer and stars like Even under that type of heavy control, the plan has as many holes as Cristiano Ronaldo can return to training on May 18, according to the Swiss cheese. For example, if Anthony Davis of the Lakers tests positive prime minister, with hopes that the season can be salvaged and for COVID-19 before entering the game site against the Clippers in completed over the summer. Game 2 of a playoffs series, is he out for the series? What about all of These are a couple baby steps on the way to putting the ball or puck the Lakers and Clippers that played a day or two earlier in Game 1? Is back in play. the team trainer no longer able to treat players? Is that game canceled or postponed? Or do the Lakers play without Davis for the remainder of the Players require weeks of training before games that count can be played, series if everyone else tests negative? so any sports trying to come back are still at least a month away—and that’s with empty seats. If testing is up to where it needs to be to keep everyone safe, positive tests are bound to occur. The glaring obstacle remains the gross lack of knowledge about the novel coronavirus. Even freed of fans, resuming play remains There are plenty of coaches and team personnel that are in at-risk age complicated due to unanswered questions about the modern plague. As groups, without even factoring medical histories. Greg Popovich of the the World Health Organization pointed out over the weekend, no study San Antonio Spurs, one of the greatest coaches of all time, is 71. The has been done on immunity to future infections. Further, the WHO stated Spurs may not be in the playoff picture, but Houston Rockets coach Mike that studies on the antibodies show people who recovered had D’Antoni is 68. So, do the Rockets just not have their coach anymore antibodies, but "some of these people have very low levels of neutralizing because he's at-risk? Does the team have to find a new coach? Or does antibodies in the blood, suggesting that cellular immunity may also be the league accept the possibility that a death or multiple deaths could critical for recovery." occur?

The science simply isn't in. More than half the NBA’s head coaches are over 50. Add in assistant coaches and developmental coaches, and an outbreak could be To avoid further confusion, we are taking down the previous thread on disastrous and deadly for the NBA. the #COVID19 "immunity passport", but you can still see it here pic.twitter.com/bLx3bRDaTB This is in no way an isolated problem only for the NBA.

— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) April 25, 2020 New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick is 68, and the Super Bowl champion coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, Andy Reid, is 62. If the NFL And, there is still no cure or proven treatment for COVID-19. plans to start its season with no fans in the stands and ramps up testing every person coming into practice and game facilities, that’s a massive Even if antibody tests prove that a player had COVID-19 and recovered, endeavor that would require each team to turn into a private testing lab-- there is presently no evidence that he or she cannot get the virus again, without even accounting for false negative tests. grow more ill from a second infection or pass the virus on to teammates, coaches and their families. Even then, gathering the number of people required to play an NFL season—without fans—would put scores of people and their families at- risk every time the team convened for practices and games.

"We will have coronavirus in the fall--I am convinced of that," Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said recently, before adding that the gravity of that coronavirus in the fall was unknown.

The NFL is far from guaranteed to have a season, just as kids are far from guaranteed to go back to schools and colleges in the fall.

College sports are toast until campuses move away from remote learning, which may not happen until there's a vaccine. Even if you’ve been living under a rock, you’re probably aware that a vaccine will not be available for more than a year—at the minimum.

Ironically, the immoral decision to cut out college football and basketball players from the money they earn while risking their limbs forces the NCAA to take the moral decision of choosing safety over profits and leaving the players at home until schools resume regular instruction.

American professional sports leagues, however, will inevitably attempt to chart paths to resume play in the coming months. Individual sports like tennis and golf provide the safest bets, but even those offer logistic and ethical challenges.

For the time being, though, multi-billion dollar sports leagues can't figure how to resume operations without putting their employees at risk despite being privileged enough to tilt the table with rivers of resources, mountains of money and a modified product that limits exposure by eliminating fans.

If or when they do figure it out, one thing is for sure--it won't look like it did six months ago. Don't expect to see any fans in the stands.

NBC Universal LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183684 World Leagues News

Coronavirus: NBA will not reopen practice facilities until at least May 8; sets guidelines for safe workouts

Sam Quinn

Mere days after the NBA set about reopening its practice facilities and beginning the process of returning to basketball, safety concerns have altered the league's plans. The NBA had initially planned to reopen its practice facilities in areas with relaxed social distancing guidelines, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. However, the league announced Monday that it will push that date back to at least May 8, if not later. Additionally, the league set the following guidelines for workouts at its facilities.

No more than four players would be permitted at a facility at any one time.

No head or assistant coaches could participate.

Group activity remains prohibited, including practices or scrimmages.

Players remain prohibited from using non-team facilities such as public health clubs, fitness centers or gyms.

Additionally, players in team facilities must wear facemasks at all times except during physical activity, and team staffers must remain at least 12 feet away from them, per The Athletic's Shams Charania.

The initial decision to reopen practice facilities was based on Georgia's plan to slowly reopen its economy, as players considered traveling there to facilitate workouts in ways the NBA considered unsafe. But the Atlanta Hawks, Georgia's only NBA team, had decided not to open their facility on May 1, a Hawks source confirmed with CBS Sports.

That May 8 date applies only to areas with relaxed stay-at-home guidelines. The original May 1 plan sought to find safe facilities in areas that had not relaxed their guidelines for the sake of competitive balance. A number of high-level players currently lack access to proper equipment to train or even shoot, so if a return to basketball is ever going to come, allowing players the ability to work out properly is critical. According to Charania, though, NBA players will not be allowed to workout in facilities other than those of their NBA team. Teams have also been asked to name a Facility Hygiene Officer from among its current staff, according to Charania.

For now, the NBA has informed its teams that "it is not possible or appropriate in the current public health context to regularly test all players and staff for COVID-19," according to Charania, and any sort of widespread return to basketball would have to include regularly testing. Players must also receive a resting ECG and troponin test prior to engaging in physical activity, according to Charania.

The most recently reported plan to bring basketball back involved a 25- day preparation period in which players would work out individually for 11 days before coming together as teams for a 14-day training camp. Some players have expressed skepticism at the viability of such a truncated timeline, and now, with the opening facilities delayed, any hopes of initiating that plan have been dashed for the time being.

No NBA games have been played since March 11. Six weeks without basketball are now in the books, and quite a bit more are surely coming. Nothing is set in stone yet, but today's news is proof of just how far the NBA is from playing real games again.

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Sports bosses urge calm as athletes worry about coronavirus impact on funding

Susanna Tapani

After the Covid-19 pandemic forced the postponement of this summer's Olympic games for a year and cleared the rest of the season's sporting calendar, questions have been raised over the availability of funding for athletes aiming for next year’s games.

One athlete who received 6,000 euros in support this year, heptathlete Miia Sillman, told Yle Sport (in Finnish) she was having to save up money for next year.

“It’s a tough situation for the team, so why not for the Olympic Committee as well?” she said.

"We’ve talked with our coach and, looking forward, we’ll try to save money from this year for next year,” she continued.

But Mika Lehtimäki, director of the Finnish Olympic Committee’s high- level sports unit, said the situation isn’t so clear cut.

“We have tried to make as many multi-year agreements with athletes as possible,” he said. “A situation where funding is given for just one year before it ends only applies to very few athletes.”

Tax-free grants for coaching and training are distributed by the Ministry of Education and Culture twice a year, once for summer athletes and once for winter athletes. The grants vary in scale, coming in tranches of 20,000, 10,000 or 6,000 euros.

Promising athletes will still be eligible

According to the Olympic Committee, the situation has improved since last year, after the criteria for qualifying for grants were changed.

Now, even the biggest possible grant can be awarded to an athlete who has not yet been successful in the respective championships of their sport. Previously, in order to receive a grant of 20,000 euros an athlete had to be ranked in the top eight at the Olympics or the World Championships.

The most important factor is an assessment of an athlete’s potential to win medals, said Lehtimäki.

One example of this is the women’s national ice hockey team, who came second in last year’s World Championships, held in Espoo. That performance in 2019 places them in a good position for grants awarded this year, even though this year’s competition has been cancelled.

“It means that new grants will be influenced strongly by performance last year,” Lehtimäki explained. yle.fi LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183686 World Leagues News De La Hoya plans to build upon the work he did with AHWMH to help with Coronavirus relief efforts on a much wider scale, of which bringing assistance and awareness to Latino and African American communities ‘Golden Boy’ Oscar De La Hoya Expects Boxing To Be Among First across the nation, who have been hit especially hard by the virus. Sports To Return From Coronavirus “We must continue to educate. There are reasons why more Latinos and African Americans are dying and a big part of that is education - and I see that as my role to help close that gap.” Daniel Marcus forbes.com LOADED: 04.28.2020

Oscar De La Hoya is working to restart boxing as early as July.

Never one to back down from a fight, boxing-legend-turned-promoter- turned-sports-entrepreneur Oscar De La Hoya, who has been helping band together his influential friends in sports and entertainment to step up in the global battle to combat the coronavirus, believes that a return to sports led by the return of the fight game is right around the corner.

As the curve begins to flatten in some of the locales across the nation that have been hit hardest by the Coronavirus pandemic, news and rumors about which sports might return and when have begun to trickle out at a steadier pace recently. New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, even devoted several minutes of his daily press briefing yesterday to discussing the role in which a return to sports would have on the broader transition to what he and many others are describing as the “New Normal.” De La Hoya sees an opportunity for boxing specifically to be one of the first sports to return to action.

“America needs sports right now and we’re very confident that we will be able to resume within the next few months.” said De La Hoya.

De La Hoya went on to add that “Boxing is a sport that has survived wars and the most significant events we’ve lived through in recent times. Boxing has always been able to survive and I don’t expect this time to be any different.”

As to when exactly that might happen, De La Hoya noted that “We are discussing plans to restart in July and have had conversations with the commissioners of various states including California, New York, Texas, Arizona, and Nevada.”

Though it’s not ideal, De La Hoya admitted that any fights that would take place in the near term would have to be held without spectators, a move that most sports are likely to embrace in the near term as they attempt to balance the quality of their product with the obvious public health concerns.

“We all feel that safety is first,” said De La Hoya.

In terms of what such a set up might look like, the 10-time world champion, who has been promoting fights for nearly two decades vis a vis his eponymous Golden Boy Promotions, described a controlled environment in an arena or a venue connected to a hotel without spectators and an aggressive testing protocol. This outline tracks pretty closely to that laid out the other day by legendary boxing promoter, Bob Arum, who is gunning for a June restart in Las Vegas with a bare bones set up in a hotel ballroom and a four-fight card.

In the interim, De La Hoya, who is a seasoned entrepreneur in his own right, is also exploring other means of bringing boxing content and entertainment to people while the logistics of resumption sort themselves out. This would include a potential foray into e-sports and the revival of a popular boxing video game title for which De La Hoya graced the cover during his career.

“We’ve explored a number of different possibilities and have had discussions with EA Sports about potentially using this time as an opportunity to revive the Fight Night franchise.”

In addition to doing his part by bringing live sports and entertainment back to the sports-starved masses, De La Hoya is also putting his money where his mouth is to help his local community in Southern California combat COVID-19 as he personally donated $250,000 to Adventist Health White Memorial Hospital in East Los Angeles - and with the help of some of his friends in boxing and entertainment, was able to raise over $5,000,000 and counting for the hospital that De La Hoya has supported since they helped treat his mother in her fight against cancer.

“Adventist Health White Memorial Hospital is close to my heart so I’ll do whatever I can to help. We were able to help raise over $5,000,000 to buy equipment and supplies (including food) that they didn’t have before and I’m proud of that.” 1183687 World Leagues News owe its broadcast partners "credits against next season," since the bulk of the TV revenue is from the postseason and the league has already received its money from those deals this season.

The NHL's coronavirus pause: Where the games could be played, latest When it comes to the players making up the revenue shortfall with on the draft, more escrow contributions, Bettman told Ron MacLean of Sportsnet, "I don't want to get into the specific numbers. The fact is that we have a system that made the game healthy, that has paid the players more than before Emily Kaplan the system was in place, and has made our game more competitive than it's ever been. The system works, in good times and in difficult times." Greg Wyshynski Is there a plan in place for where the NHL might play?

Wyshynski: Out with the campuses, in with the clusters. The NHL is It has been 46 days since the NHL hit the pause button on the 2019-20 looking at using two to four of its arenas as "hubs" where clusters of season. As the cancellations and postponements around the world of teams would finish the regular season -- which is very much still an sports continued, the 2020 NFL draft was staged virtually this weekend, objective for the league, despite the crunched timeline -- and play some to mostly positive reviews. Could that be a preview of what's to come for form of the postseason. the NHL? Bettman said these NHL arenas "won't necessarily be divisionally based" As players, executives and fans continue to adjust to the new normal, we but rather regionally friendly for teams to travel there. The plan will provide updates every Monday, answering all the burning questions "presumes there wouldn't be fans in the building," he noted. about the various angles of the NHL's relation to the pandemic. Although on-ice action remains on the shelf, there have been some intriguing As for location, they can be anywhere that "isn't a hot spot," according to developments since last week's update. Get caught up here: Bettman.

Has there been an update on when play could resume? "There's a number of criteria. What state is friendly? What province is friendly? What are they dealing with? Obviously the New York area is not Emily Kaplan: Not really, but we do have a clearer sense of what a very friendly. You look at Alberta, and it seems fairly friendly," said Colin return-to-play format would look like. Campbell, NHL vice president of hockey operations, in an interview with The NHL and NHLPA -- which have been in constant contact and must Sportsnet. collaborate during this -- have created a Return to Play Committee, which (As a reminder how quickly things move in these scenarios: The chief will have regularly scheduled calls. On the committee: Gary Bettman and medical officer of Alberta called for an extension on its ban on mass other NHL executives; and, according to the NHLPA, executive director gatherings through the summer within 24 hours of Campbell's interview. Don Fehr, assistant to the director Mathieu Schneider, general counsel So, maybe not so friendly.) Don Zavelo and divisional player representative Steve Webb; as well as current players Ron Hainsey, Connor McDavid, Mark Scheifele, John Specifically, the NHL is looking for arenas with four dressing rooms, Tavares and James van Riemsdyk. since an essential part of the "hub" plan is to stagger multiple games each day, like the World Cup or the Olympics. It's looking for arenas that The NHL is currently in the first stage of its restart plan: self isolation. The have nearby hotels that are up to standards for NHL teams. It's looking second stage would include getting players back in small groups at NHL for arenas that offer practice facilities, either attached to the building or facilities to begin working out -- and, perhaps even more important, within a reasonable distance, seeing as how multiple teams would need getting on the ice to skate. Remember, most players don't have access to to practice. ice right now, and skating is obviously a crucial component for staying in hockey shape. Wait, I thought the NHL was thinking about playing games in North Dakota or New Hampshire. What happened to that idea? According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the NBA is reopening team practice facilities beginning Friday for players in states and municipalities Kaplan: The NHL looked into the concept, but it never got off the drawing that are loosening stay-at-home restrictions. In an email over the board because of insurmountable issues on the back end. Here's how weekend, deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the NHL has begun to Bettman explained it to MacLean: "We can't play in a small college rink in evaluate doing something similar, but there have been "no decisions yet." the middle of a smaller community, because if we're going to be Daly noted that the league is due to give teams and players new centralized, we need the back-of-the-house [amenities] that NHL arenas guidance in advance of Thursday, which is the day to which they have provide, whether it's multiple locker rooms, whether it's the technology, extended the self-isolation order. the procedures, the boards and glass, the video replay, the broadcasting facilities." Several states with NHL teams -- Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, Tennessee and Texas -- have stay-at-home orders that are expiring by Which NHL arenas are in play? the end of April, though restrictions in each state might vary after that. Wyshynski: The NHL has been vetting about a dozen potential sites. The New York Post reported that one team has told its players to be Sources tell ESPN that the home rinks for the Minnesota Wild, Vegas prepared for a return to training facilities on May 15. Former NHL player Golden Knights, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Carolina and current podcaster John Scott posted on Twitter that he heard NHL Hurricanes and Edmonton Oilers have been among those examined. training camps will begin again on June 1, and that "European players are coming back soon." That has not yet been confirmed, nor has it been Las Vegas is a site that sticks out here, for various reasons. The NHL communicated to all players. has had a long business relationship with the city, bringing the NHL Awards there years before the Golden Knights arrived. The team has a One critical detail to keep in mind: Fehr reminded us recently that "it's top-notch practice facility in Summerlin. T-Mobile Arena is positioned on going to be very difficult to do anything" if borders between the U.S. and The Strip, so hotel accommodation wouldn't be a problem in the least. Canada remain closed. On April 20, the countries announced that While Vegas temperatures in July are not exactly hockey-friendly, the restrictions on nonessential travel would be extended for another 30 NHL is confident it can have playable ice anywhere due to its technology days. That could easily be extended again. -- and without fans in the building and the doors closed, the quality should be maintained. Why not just cancel the season and focus on 2020-21?

Greg Wyshynski: Money. OK, there's also the unwavering desire of professional athletes to complete their season and compete for a (For the record: While recent comments by Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn championship. But mostly money. Goodman about reopening the city have been widely ridiculed, she doesn't have jurisdiction over The Strip, according to Nevada Gov. Steve Some estimates have the financial impact for squashing the rest of this Sisolak.) season in the realm of a billion-dollar loss. So reopening would soften that blow for the league and its players in a variety of ways. The Hurricanes probably aren't a front-runner. General manager told the News & Observer on Friday that the NHL discussed For example, Bettman said that if the Stanley Cup playoffs are outright PNC Arena as a potential site but needed practice facilities for all eight canceled rather than played as a made-for-TV event, the league could teams to conduct training camps simultaneously. The team's practice Kaplan: The 2020 NHL draft was scheduled to be held in Montreal at the facility in Morrisville, which would have two available sheets of ice, is still end of June, and it has technically been postponed -- but we all know it's under construction. likely not going to happen in its typical form, live with all parties gathered in one space. Montreal should get a chance to host another draft in the "We'd love to be in a position to host for multiple reasons," Waddell said. near future. "We're not at the top of the list, but we're still talking about it." As Bettman said on Sportsnet: "We don't live in a world of perfect As for the Oilers, the situation in Alberta makes things complicated, but anymore. We're going to have to make adjustments." the NHL would love to stage some of this restarted season in Canada. If the goal is trying to squeeze as much revenue out of the 2019-20 A virtual draft is most likely at this point, and the NHL paid close attention campaign as possible, keeping costs low is essential. to how the NFL draft was executed this past weekend. Bettman floated an interesting idea to his GMs recently: What if they host a virtual draft in "Obviously, to have it in Canada you're dealing with the 70-cent dollar June before the NHL resumes play? The NHL would have to decide on now, which would be, in these tough economic times everyone's dealing this fairly quickly because of the logistics involved. with, it would be kind of an extra perk that any Canadian team would have, wanting to do it," Campbell said. However, there is tantalizing upside: The NHL can capitalize on an otherwise dead period without live sports. The league office certainly took One site that Campbell was high on for potential use was Toronto. The note of the NFL shattering its all-time draft viewership record, with 15.6 NHL staged the 2016 there, using it as a hub for million tuning in across ABC, ESPN and NFL Network for Round 1. several teams. "Toronto has a number of excellent pluses on their side to be one of the hub centers," he said. Bettman's idea of hosting the draft before play resumes was met with mixed reaction. The biggest issue the NHL would have to sort out is the If the NHL resumes, what would happen if a player tested positive? draft order, which is typically based on final standings. But there are Kaplan: The NHL is working through policy with medical experts they plenty of other complications, such as teams holding conditional picks have retained to figure out a contingency plan for this scenario and to that are based on the standings or playoff results. make sure it wouldn't derail the entire production. (For example, when the Vancouver Canucks acquired J.T. Miller from the "Everything depends on the facts and the entire set of circumstances," Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019, the Canucks agreed to send a first-round Daly told TSN's Ryan Rishaug last week. "But no, we do not believe that pick in 2020, but stipulated that if Vancouver did not make the playoffs one positive test, even multiple positive tests, would necessarily shut the this season, the first-round pick would bump over to 2021. And oh yeah, whole thing down." that was the pick sent to the New Jersey Devils in the Blake Coleman trade this February.) What type of measures does the NHL have to take when reopening, either for training camps or games? Appearing on Sportsnet's "Tim and Sid Show" on Thursday, Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan said that he supports hosting a June virtual Wyshynski: Like many leagues, executives around the NHL are looking draft. at how other sports are attempting to return to play around the world. Arizona Coyotes GM John Chayka, for example, takes part in a weekly "It's not ideal, we're never gonna be in a position for this year's draft call with NBA, EPL and German soccer league executives. Among the where we're down on the floor together and mixing and mingling and nuances they've discussed: decreasing the amount of cross-traffic in making trades and talking to one another," Shanahan said. "So my view - practice facilities, having access to thermometers and maximizing the - and it's just the view of the Maple Leafs, and I've talked to [Leafs GM] amount of airways that are going through the building so the virus can't Kyle Dubas on this -- is while we know what we're doing now, which is be sustained. not anything, we should get it out of the way and take care of it in June. I know other clubs, and I respect that they might have a different opinion, "All of that will be important and taken into consideration if and when," but certainly Toronto would support the league in doing it remotely in Daly said. June."

Chayka said the nuances are as important as the big picture. Even though more than three months' worth of games for draft-eligible prospects have been wiped out -- including the Frozen Four, CHL "Nothing's simple. Testing sounds simple, but it's very complex," he told playoffs and under-18 tournaments -- teams have shifted to virtual prep ESPN. "How to train and isolate sounds simple, but it's really complex. for the draft. Many teams are conducting Zoom interviews with prospects; Even how to get players in and out of a facility in a safe way is a more interviews typically would have taken place at the annual scouting complex endeavor than one can imagine. But that's the new normal." combine in Buffalo, New York. To put that new normal into perspective, La Liga, Spain's highest-level "I don't think doing [the draft] in August or September is really going to soccer league, is attempting to return to training in the second week in change much," Shanahan said. "We're not going to see these young May. Among the plans circulated around the league, per a document guys play any more. We've seen them all, we've got video on them all." acquired by The Guardian: What about the draft lottery? Phase one would see at least three tests being carried out on every player before a return to activity, "beginning with polymerase chain Wyshynski: If the NHL opts to hold the draft around June 5 -- and again, reaction and serology tests." when Bettman "suggests" something, the general managers usually take it to mean that it's going to happen -- then the draft lottery will be held Phase two would be a return to individual training, which would involve without the regular season having been completed. Several NHL sources daily serology antibody tests. Players who test positive would be said they expect the draft order would be determined by points immediately isolated. How careful are they expected to be? Consider that percentage at the point in which the season was paused. players "will arrive at training always in the same car and in kit, taking away the following day's kit in a sealed, biodegradable bag." The gym But the lottery itself is a different story. There's a real concern among would be restricted to two players at a time. Players would wear face some GMs that because we don't know which teams are in the playoffs, masks during practice. as they could be expanded to 20-24 teams this summer, there's a chance the same team that wins the first overall pick could potentially win the Phase three would have teams in isolation, potentially in a closed hotel Stanley Cup a few months later. space occupied only by the team, with each player in his own room. They would not be allowed home. Training sessions are limited to three eight- One clear remedy, according to Bettman, would be for the NHL to player groups. After training, it's back to the isolation hotel. reintroduce the rule that says "you can't move up more than a certain number of spots, which is how the lottery used to be." Currently, there Phase four, about a month later, would be a return to play. are three different draws to determine the first three picks in the draft, in As Chayka said, nothing's simple. And that's not even getting into an effort to discourage tanking. From 1995 to 2012, the team that won emotional pressure points like an inability to see one's family for months the draft lottery moved up no more than four positions in the draft order. and the perception of the NHL if it's given special exceptions on travel, Under that rule, only the bottom five teams would have a shot at the first mass gatherings or acquisition of COVID-19 tests. overall pick: The Detroit Red Wings (.275 points percentage), Ottawa Senators (.437), San Jose Sharks (.450, although the pick belongs to What's the deal with the draft? Ottawa), Los Angeles Kings (.457) and Anaheim Ducks (.472). Are we starting to see contract signings influenced by the economic impact of the pause?

Wyshynski: Potentially. The Columbus Blue Jackets signed goalies Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins last week to two-year deals. Both of their contracts start with a lower salary in Year 1 than in Year 2: Korpisalo's base salary jumps by $1.2 million, while Merzlikins' jumps by a full $2 million. There was immediately speculation that these were the first of many "back-loaded" deals we'll see for unrestricted and restricted free agents this offseason, with the first season of the contract carrying a lower salary so the player loses less to what's expected to be a massive increase in escrow withholdings.

Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen wouldn't confirm that was the motivation for the contracts. "There are always different motives for different structures, and they play a part in reaching for an agreement," he told ESPN.

Finally, what's your latest pop culture addiction this week?

Kaplan: I think Phoebe Waller-Bridge is brilliant, and this weekend I streamed the stage version of "Fleabag," which is now available on Amazon. (It's only $5, and proceeds go to charity!) There was some overlap in the material from the popular TV series of the same name she adapted from the play, but I still loved every minute of it. It was especially cool to see her perform the material in a different medium. I also began reading Trevor Noah's memoir.

Wyshynski: Two Apple+ shows I've enjoyed recently. "Defending Jacob" is a Chris Evans series in which he plays an assistant district attorney who suddenly finds the lines blurred between upholding the law and being a father. The first three episodes really grab you. I also enjoyed Spike Jonze's "Beastie Boys Story" for what it was, which is a stage show featuring the band's surviving members that takes us through their history and, in turn, a history of New York's music scene, hip-hop, MTV's influence on pop culture and -- perhaps most interestingly -- how artists "age out" of the controversial and regretful material that launched their careers.

ESPN LOADED: 04.28.2020 1183688 World Leagues News services, may never recover. The vast majority of the road race industry is comprised of small businesses with eight employees or less, according to Running USA’s Harshbarger.

Running industry walloped by COVID-19, and it may take years to “It absolutely can be a fatal blow, and unfortunately it will be for a lot of recover the industry,” Harshbarger said. “We were already seeing some event management companies have to close their doors. Their sole business is to go around their region or their city and help produce events. When By John Meyer, The Denver Post Apr 27, 2020, 6:00 am those events cease to have revenue, their livelihood evaporates.”

The Bolder Boulder was able to reach quick agreement with the City of Boulder and the University of Colorado (where the race finishes) to With more than a third of this year’s competitive road racing schedule postpone from Memorial Day to Labor Day. But the Cherry Creek Sneak, canceled or postponed by the coronavirus, and running stores enduring which was scheduled for April 26, is still waiting for the City of Denver to massive drops in sales because of restrictions on retail businesses, approve a new date it sought to reserve in September. So is the Colfax America’s running industry is bracing for months or years of fallout. Marathon, which includes a half marathon, a 10-miler and marathon relay The effects of COVID-19 on the sport may not be all bad, many in the that were scheduled for May 17. running community believe, citing a running boom that followed the Great Colfax race director Andrea Dowdy said 14-15,000 medals for her races Recession in 2008. The only thing a runner really needs to run is a pair of were scheduled to arrive last week, and there’s no guarantee those races running shoes. will be held this year. “People turn to this sport in particular in times of economic downturns “We feel very comfortable that operationally we’re in a sound place, so and crises,” said Rich Harshbarger, chief executive of Running USA, an that when the city says to us, ‘You can have an event this fall,’ or ‘We industry trade group. “We saw this in the late 2000s. People gave up need all events to wait until the spring,’ we can work either way,” Dowdy their country club memberships and returned to simpler sports like said. running. You saw a downturn in golf, you saw a downturn in skiing — things that are more expensive. Runners turned to the sport, or returned Harshbarger fears that races will “cannibalize” each other if they are to the sport, to relieve stress. And, to get and remain healthy.” rescheduled in the fall, which is already the second-busiest season with 31% of the nation’s races scheduled in September through November. But the number of road race registrations — more than 17.6 million in The Bolder Boulder has already folded its Fortitude 10K, normally 2019, according to Running USA — is bound to decline significantly this scheduled for Labor Day in Fort Collins, into the Boulder race. In effect, year and maybe beyond. Meanwhile, many running stores are prohibited both races will be run concurrently in Boulder. from having customers in their stores, as is the case with other “non- essential” retail stores, and that has hit them hard. If the Cherry Creek Sneak and the Colfax event are added, September would become an extremely crowded race calendar in Denver. And that Sales have declined 80% at Runner’s Roost in Lakewood and 70% at In would come on top of non-running events already scheduled in the city or Motion Running in Boulder, according to owners of those stores. The looking to reschedule then. Dowdy and Cherry Creek Sneak race director Lakewood store cannot have customers inside but is finding other ways Pat Downing can only wait on word from the city’s Office of Special to fill shoe orders, and owner Sonya Estes senses an influx of Events. newcomers to the sport because of COVID-19 — just as Running USA predicted. “They need to form a new process on how they’re going to allocate a very limited number of spaces into a space now that is overcrowded,” “We can look at all the bad, or we can look at the good, and the good in Downing said. this is that running has been touted as one of those things that is great for your mental and physical health,” Estes said. “To have the governor Another question that arises: What will races look like when they do stand up there and say, ‘Get out and go for a hike,’ or, ‘Go for a run, just resume? don’t do it in a large group,’ I think long-term it’s going to be amazing for the business. When you see gyms and rec centers close down, I’ve “Who knows, resurgence or not, what social distancing guidelines are never seen so many people up on Green Mountain or at Bear Creek. going to be?” Harshbarger said. “Let alone the emotional fog of, ‘Do I People that wanted to work out are now embracing running. If they find really want to get in a corral with 50 people? Do I want to get in a race that they really like this, I think long-term, for running, it’s actually a good with 10,000 people?’ We don’t know. When we come through this — and thing.” I don’t know when that is, a year? Maybe two years? — I do think the sport will be strong. I do think there will be demand to do this. I think In Motion Running has remained open, in part because owner Mark there will be new guidelines and corral set-ups. But history shows us that Plaatjes practices physical therapy at In Motion Rehabilitation, a clinic runners are resilient.” attached to the rear of the store, and that stayed open. Only two retail customers are allowed in the store at a time, though, and store personnel The Denver Post LOADED: 04.28.2020 disinfects after customers leave.

Like Estes, Plaatjes has seen newcomers. “It’s definitely nice to see new people coming in that we haven’t seen before,” Plaatjes said. “Once our regular customers come back, I’m sure that will translate into an increase in sales and participation in running.”

Both stores are offering non-contact curbside service and home deliveries. They and other running stores are offering virtual gait analysis to assist customers in choosing the right shoes, a process that normally is conducted on treadmills inside the stores. Customers submit videos of them running so trained staff can analyze them and recommend shoes constructed for their anatomical particulars.

The carnage in road racing could be significant, though. Running as a solitary fitness or mental healthy pursuit is one thing, but for many runners, the social aspect of the sport comes out in racing. Races are community celebrations of the running lifestyle. That part of the sport has been dealt a devastating blow, and officials fear it could take years to recover.

Spring is the busiest season of the year for racing, with 35% of America’s races scheduled in March, April and May. Most of those have been canceled or postponed until fall. Some of those events, and the companies that support them by providing timing and other event