SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 9/13/2020 Boston Bruins New York Islanders 1193308 Bruins’ days as a true Stanley Cup contender could be 1193331 Islanders’ Casey Cizikas a ‘game-time’ decision for Game over 4 1193332 Semyon Varlamov reclaims mantle as Islanders’ No. 1 Buffalo Sabres goalie 1193309 How Sabres GM Kevyn Adams could navigate a lower 1193333 Islanders’ Lou Lamoriello named NHL’s GM of the Year budget for next season 1193334 Islanders’ top two lines come up big in Game 3 1193335 Casey Cizikas is a game-time decision for Game 4, Barry Carolina Hurricanes Trotz says 1193310 Carolina Hurricanes trade Joel Edmundson to Montreal 1193336 Islanders' Lou Lamoriello voted general manager of the 1193311 For Hurricanes, trading pending UFA Joel Edmundson year was a no-brainer 1193337 Islanders must maintain same focus as they had in Game 1193312 Dissecting the Carolina Hurricanes and Charlotte 3 win Checkers parting ways 1193338 Barry Trotz not planning any big speeches for Islanders' biggest game Chicago Blackhawks 1193339 Islanders' Ilya Sorokin getting invaluable practice time 1193313 Blackhawks’ chance to draft top goalie Yaroslav Askarov heading into uncertain offseason depends on teams picking before them New York Rangers Colorado Avalanche 1193340 Rangers win NHL draft lottery, now have chance to draft 1193314 Chambers: Nathan MacKinnon is not your typical Lady Alexis Lafreniere Byng winner 1193341 Nils Lundkvist dilemma pushing Rangers to trade Tony 1193315 Joe Sakic will have cap space to use in free agency to DeAngelo improve Avalanche roster 1193342 Rangers' prospects getting an opportunity to play in Europe Columbus Blue Jackets 1193316 Michael Arace | Columbus Blue Jackets face decision on Tampa Bay Lightning Josh Anderson 1193343 Julien BriseBois didn’t rush but made the Lightning a better playoff team Dallas Stars 1193344 Could the Lightning get Brayden Point back for Game 4? 1193317 Anton Khudobin, Stars steal Game 4 from Golden Knights, sit one win away from Stanley Cup Final Toronto Maple Leafs 1193318 He may be unpredictable, but Alexander Radulov’s 1193345 The Maple Leafs need work in the off-season, but you fingerprints are all over the Stars' playoff run have to like their prospects 1193319 Stars' Jim Nill finishes third in voting for Jim Gregory 1193346 Matthews a strong second to MacKinnon in Lady Byng General Manager of the Year award vote 1193320 Stars’ Radek Faksa misses Game 4 of Western 1193347 Leafs legend Dave Keon hopes Auston Matthews can Conference Final against Vegas Golden Knights bring home Byng 1193321 Stars notebook: Another Alex Tuch infraction goes uncalled; Dallas getting comfortable in close games Vegas Golden Knights 1193322 Stars 20/20: Anton Khudobin plays hero again as Stars 1193348 Veterans buck trend as Stars rally to defeat Golden are 1 win from Cup Final Knights 1193323 Stars Mailbag, Vol. 61: Royal Rumble, contract extensions 1193349 Missed special teams chances haunt Golden Knights in and the perfect player Game 4 1193350 Golden Knights stymied again, face 3-1 series deficit Detroit Red Wings 1193351 Golden Knights name goalie for Game 4 against Stars 1193324 Steve Yzerman must nail 2020 draft pick for Red Wings' 1193352 NBC’s Pierre McGuire blown away by safety inside NHL rebuild to succeed. Here's why bubble 1193353 With sputtering offense, Golden Knights on verge of Edmonton Oilers elimination against Stars 1193325 Lowetide: For Oilers prospect Tyler Benson, the past can 1193354 Golden Knights searching for answers with backs against be inspiration the wall 1193355 Dallas Win Over Frustrated Golden Knights Saturday Los Angeles Kings Leaves VGK A Game From Elimination In West Finals 1193326 The Kings’ smart, creative deal with Sean Walker reflects current uncertainty Websites 1193356 Sportsnet.ca / Golden Knights forwards feel ‘sense of Minnesota Wild urgency’ as elimination looms 1193327 New Wild center Nick Bjugstad arrives with 'something to 1193357 Sportsnet.ca / Quick Shifts: Beware of the 4 teams with prove' extra first-round picks 1193328 Nick Bjugstad’s homecoming with Wild is more business SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 than pleasure Montreal Canadiens 1193329 Canadiens acquire defenceman Joel Edmundson from Hurricanes 1193330 Ask Arpon: On the Joel Edmundson trade, the draft and the Danault-Domi situation 1193308 Boston Bruins They should also expect to lose Krug, who has made it clear he wants to maximize his earnings. The Bruins will be a lesser team without Krug’s puck-moving ability, no Bruins’ days as a true Stanley Cup contender could be over question. It’s fair to wonder if he will be less effective without Brandon Carlo and Charlie McAvoy as his right-side partners. It’s also fair to wonder if Krug, whose capability as a defender is limited by his size and By Matt Porter lack of high-end speed, is worth building a defense around. But some team with cap space will be obliged. Updated September 12, 2020 The most obvious fit is Detroit, which could easily sell fans on his playoff experience, production, and local roots. Krug could be the leader the Red GLOBE STAFF In this space, we believe in the fickle bounces of the Wings desire, replace Filip Hronek as the power-play quarterback, and frozen biscuit, which is to say that anything can happen in this sport. bring along 19-year-old prospect Moritz Seider, whose game is similar to Carlo’s. Krug played for Wings coach Jeff Blashill in juniors, and grew up The Bruins could ride a rejuvenated Tuukka Rask and a duck boat’s a fan of Steve Yzerman, Detroit’s GM. worth of lucky goals to the Stanley Cup in 2021. Hope springs eternal. You never know. Montreal needs forward talent, particularly in the middle, but coach Claude Julien could find an offensive spark from Krug, whom he coached But as team president Cam Neely acknowledged this past week, this is a for five seasons in Boston. On the back end, the Habs have some $21.4 gut-check offseason for the local hockey club. He knows the work of the million tied up in Shea Weber (due $7.86 million per year through 2026), weeks ahead, before the draft (Oct. 6 and 7) and the opening of free Jeff Petry, Karl Alzner, and Ben Chiarot. The latter three are off the agency (Oct. 9), involves taking “a hard look at our roster and our books after 2022. organization and [seeing] where we should be going for this next year or two.” The Devils are interesting, given they could use Krug on the man- advantage to facilitate P.K. Subban’s heavy one-timers. “Can we compete for the Stanley Cup?” Neely asked. “And if everyone feels we can compete for the Stanley Cup, what do we have to do to get Other teams with cap space don’t look as enticing. Buffalo, desperate to back to that final twosome and have a legitimate shot to win?” build a contender around Jack Eichel, could slot Krug behind Rasmus Dahlin, but would they take PP time off the young Swede’s plate? Would The realistic answer: The Bruins' days as a “legitimate shot” team could Ottawa do the same to Thomas Chabot? Doubtful. Can the Kings, who very well be over. have $11 million per year tied up in 30-year-old Drew Doughty through 2027 and a huge hole on the left side, take on another long-term deal? The core is aging out. The prospect pool is comparatively shallow. Losing Torey Krug is going to hurt. The free agent market isn’t deep. Barring a Calgary could be a player for Krug, given its need for puck-mover. The groundshaking effort from the supporting cast, Boston could very well Flames are also in need of some juice up front. If the Bruins aren’t willing recede into the sizable pack of NHL also-rans. to meet DeBrusk’s price for a second contract — his reps have every right to expect at least $4 million a season, given he ranks 30th in goals Because of age and mileage, the Bruins' 2011 holdovers are in decline. per 60 minutes since breaking into the league — maybe they could Patrice Bergeron is still a top-flight center, but he is 35 with a wonky explore a swap involving Noah Hanifin. groin. David Krejci remains productive at 34, but his days of carrying a line are numbered. Zdeno Chara, 43, is useful in a limited role. Brad Hanifin, from Norwood and Boston College, is no stranger to the trade Marchand, 32, is one of the best left wings in the game, but how many block. He has been on Bruins GM Don Sweeney’s radar going back to elite years does he have left? the 2015 draft (Carolina took him fifth overall, then shipped him to Calgary three years later in a Dougie Hamilton blockbuster). Hanifin, 23, Then there’s Rask, 33, who was equal parts Vezina candidate and makes $4.95 million against the cap and would bolster Boston’s left side question mark this season. through 2024. Three Finals and one Cup is an outstanding decade, certainly Boston’s In that kind of deal, the gregarious DeBrusk would be going home to best since the 1970s, and an even more remarkable feat in a salary-cap Alberta to take the next step in his career (and would be an instant fan world. The Hall of Fame-caliber and HOF-adjacent players who made it favorite). But the Bruins would then be hunting for the kind of speed and happen are not going to be the primary producers for another Cup run. scoring that DeBrusk provides when he’s on.