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CAROLINA HURRICANES NEWS CLIPPINGS • June 8, 2017

Reports: Charlotte Checkers coach headed to Chicago

Ulf Samuelsson appears to be joining the Blackhawks as an assistant under former teammate Joel Quenneville

By Cory Lavalette

June 7th, 2017 3:28 pm

RALEIGH — It's looking like the Charlotte Checkers will have their fourth coach in four years.

Several news outlets are reporting Ulf Samuelsson, who took over Carolina’s AHL affiliate last offseason and led the team to the playoffs for the first time since 2013, will take an assistant coaching job with the Chicago Blackhawks. Rumors of the move started last month.

He would replace Mike Kitchen on coach Joel Quenneville’s staff. Kitchen, an NHL assistant coach since the early 1990s who was head coach in St. Louis for parts of three seasons, was fired as an assistant coach after seven years with the Blackhawks following the team’s elimination in the first round of the playoffs against Nashville. The Hurricanes did not respond to an email Wednesday asking if Samuelsson was departing.

Samuelsson most recently coached in the NHL in 2015-16, one of three years he spent as an assistant with the New York Rangers before joining the Checkers after Mark Morris left for a college coaching job with St. Lawrence University. Morris was only in Charlotte for one year as well, having replaced longtime Hurricanes’ AHL coach Jeff Daniels. Daniels, a former Hurricanes assistant coach who was on Peter Laviolette’s staff when the team won the Stanley Cup

in 2006, spent a combined seven seasons in Charlotte and Albany guiding Carolina’s top affiliate. He is now on of the team's pro scouts.

Samuelsson came to North Carolina after being offered the job by Hurricanes GM Ron Francis. The duo played together for 10 seasons in both Hartford and Pittsburgh, more than half of Samuelsson’s five-team, 16-season NHL career.

Like Francis, Quenneville was a teammate of Samuelsson’s in the NHL, playing six seasons together with Francis and the Whalers in the 1980s.

Samuelsson led Charlotte to a 39-29-8 record and a berth in the Calder Cup Playoffs this season. The Checkers were eliminated in the fifth game of their five-game series by the Chicago Wolves.

It was Samuelsson’s first head coaching job in North America. He was an AHL assistant back in Hartford in 2005-06 before joining the Phoenix Coyotes for five years as an associate coach under both Wayne Gretzky and Dave Tippett from 2006 until 2011. He then went back to his native Sweden as head coach of MODO in the Swedish Hockey League for two seasons before returning to North America as an assistant coach with the Rangers.


Draft Preview: Scouts Preparing for Busy Weekend in Chicago

Canes hold six draft picks in the top 73

by Michael Smith @MSmithCanes / CarolinaHurricanes.com

Visit www.Hurricanes.com/Draft for the latest news, videos and pick-by-pick information in the 2017 NHL Draft.

Within the walls of a fourth-floor conference room at 1400 Edwards Mill Rd., discussions are being had to help shape decisions that will be made just two short weeks from now in Chicago at the 2017 NHL Draft.

PNC Arena is the site of the Carolina Hurricanes' annual pre-draft meetings, during which the team, led by Executive Vice President and General Manager Ron Francis and Director of Amateur Scouting Tony MacDonald, assembles its ranking of players heading into the two-day draft event at United Center, slated for June 23-24.

"These guys have watched these guys for over two years, a lot of them if not all of them. It's having the conversations, seeing what they like about players and what they don't like about players," Francis explained. "My staff has been able to put their eyes on a lot of those guys as well, so it's being able to ask the right questions and working together as a group to get what we think is the list in the right order for the best players available for us to choose when we get to Chicago."

The Hurricanes currently hold 10 picks in this year's draft, including six picks amongst the top 73; 10 picks would be the most the team has made since 1998, when the draft spanned nine rounds.

"[Having 10 picks] certainly makes for a more interesting process in terms of the meetings. More picks means you've got more players to deal with," MacDonald said. "You also come in here knowing that some of those picks are currency that could be exchanged for something else, and that's fine too. But you try to approach it as we've got 10, so if we use all 10 we better be ready for that. It's more options and more interesting for everyone involved."

In kicking off the week of meetings with his amateur scouting staff, Francis mentioned the possibility of flipping draft picks for assets. The Hurricanes already made one such move in acquiring the rights to goaltender Scott Darling, who they then inked to a four-year contract.

"To be honest with you, I'm hoping we don't use all 10 when it comes to the draft," Francis told the room. "We have had contact with other teams and told them we are willing to make some deals and give up some of the picks to get players."

As MacDonald said, the scouting staff is preparing as if the Canes will make all 10 picks. First up: the 12th overall selection.

"The first order of business is to make sure we've got that first round straight so we get that right, that first pick," MacDonald said. "We're going to be able to get somebody that we like and that we think has a very, very good chance to be a solid NHL player. At that pick and that point in the draft, you're looking for a first line-type forward or a top pairing defenseman if you can get one there."

Who will be anxiously awaiting to hear his name called when the Hurricanes are on the clock on June 23? Will it be any one of forwards Elias Petersson, Nick Suzuki, Lias Andersson or Michael Rasmussen? Or, for the fourth year in a row, will the Canes look to the blue line with Timothy Liljegren, Juuso Valimaki or Cale Makar?

"I think there's going to be a mix of talent there available for us, both up front and on defense," MacDonald said, without tipping his hand.

Beyond the first round, the Hurricanes are slated to make three picks in the second round, a round that, over the last seven years, has delivered names like Justin Faulk, Sebastian Aho, Victor Rask, Phil Di Giuseppe and Brock McGinn.

"You've got three shots there to come up with a hockey player," MacDonald said. "Looking at the board now and the players we're looking at, I think we kind of like the potential and possibilities that exist for the players that might be there."

Though this year's draft lacks the elite, high-end talent that the last two years have produced - but how often are you going to get generational talents like Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews in back-to-back years? - the Canes are confident in the depth of the pool.

"We have found going through this process that it's a surprising number of players that we like as we get deeper and deeper into it in what is supposed to be a weak draft," MacDonald said. "It's alleged to be a weak draft, a draft without depth, but there's more players that we like than maybe we even realized as we go."

As discussions continue throughout the week, the Canes' rankings list comes together from pick one to 217 and even beyond. It's a ranking of not only skill and potential but also of who they feel is the right fit for the Carolina Hurricanes.

"We look at a lot of different facets, and we do a lot of different types of homework on players," Francis said. "At the end of the day, we take all of the information we have, go through it and make a decision on whether we think they're right for us."

This list isn't necessarily final - it will be tweaked and tinkered with in the days leading up to the proceedings in Chicago,


and then re-assessed after the completion of the first round - but years of preparation, research and analysis has been poured into this week and will culminate with the formal selection of players.

"I think there are a lot of good players in this draft. I think you look at every draft, whether it was rated good or poor, there are always good players that come out of it," Francis said. "The risk is, with any draft, that you're looking at kids who are very young, 17 turning 18, and you're trying to assess where they are, what their talents are and where they could be moving forward. That's a big challenge for any staff in

projecting the future; it's not easy to do. You do your homework, try to get it right and hope you get lucky."

"We look to come up with a group of players that covers the spectrum of a lot of different elements. You want speed and skill. You also need some players who can play a heavy game and give you that physical dimension," MacDonald said. "You look at the way we play now, our lineup now, the way we play the game and, in general, the way the game is played today in the NHL. There's a certain type of player that fits."

Tweetmail No. 147: Scouts, Homegrown & Cord Cutting

by Michael Smith @MSmithCanes / CarolinaHurricanes.com

June 7th, 2017

Hello and welcome to a weekly feature on CarolinaHurricanes.com in which I take your Twitter questions about the Carolina Hurricanes or other assorted topics and answer them in mailbag form. Hopefully the final product is insightful to some degree, and maybe we have some fun along the way.

Let's get to it.

5 Jun

Michael Smith @MSmithCanes

It's Monday, which means I'm looking for your #Tweetmail questions for this week. Send them along!

Anne Bowman @FinnWinn @MSmithCanes The scouting meetings: who are these guys? Where are they 'stationed' or do they move around? Travel internationally? Did I see Joni?!?! 7:03 PM - 5 Jun 2017

Let's talk amateur scouting meetings!

We'll start first with a behind-the-scenes look at how Executive Vice President and General Manager Ron Francis opened the proceedings on Monday.

The gentlemen you saw in the room in that video are a collection of the team's amateur scouting staff and management team, including Francis and his group of assistant general managers. Tony MacDonald is the organization's Director of Amateur Scouting, so he heads up all the pre-draft planning that occurs each June. Throughout this week, the scouts and management team will meet to discuss the draft-eligible prospects they've been scouting for at least the past year. At the end of the week, the team will have assembled a final list they will take to Chicago for the seven rounds of player selection on June 23-24.

All of the people you see in that room have, at one point or another over the past year, scouted players in some capacity. Even Francis himself makes it a point to travel and get a look for himself at some of these players. But, it's mainly the amateur scouting staff that's responsible for tracking and assessing this stock of teenage hockey players. Each scout has his specialty: some focus on college players, some focus on junior players. Some specialties are more regional: Robert Kron tracks European skaters, for instance.

And yes, you saw Joni Pitkanen in the room. He's been doing some part-time European scouting for the Hurricanes and is back in town this week for meetings.

Speaking of the amateur scout meetings …

5 Jun

Michael Smith @MSmithCanes It's Monday, which means I'm looking for your #Tweetmail questions for this week. Send them along!

Matt Cannon @MattCannon94

@MSmithCanes Since this draft is not as strong as previous ones, do you see the Canes trading their 1st pick this year for an established player? 6:42 PM - 5 Jun 2017

It's a real possibility that the Hurricanes look to make a draft-related move. After all, the team still holds 10 picks in this year's draft, including six picks in the first three rounds alone. Francis even touched on as much with the scouts in the video above.

"To be honest with you, I'm hoping we don't use all 10 when it comes to the draft," he explained to the room. "We have had contact with other teams and told them we are willing to make some deals and give up some of the picks to get players."


Now, whether that happens remains to be seen; it takes two to tango, of course, and the trade will have to make sense for both sides. But I've gone on record saying - just two

Tweetmails ago, in fact - that I think there are still moves to be made to acquire assets now.

5 Jun


eatRaleigh @eatRaleigh @MSmithCanes Is Homegrown returning next season? 6:49 PM - 5 Jun 2017

Yes, the Hurricanes Homegrown Series will be returning for a second season.

That's about the extent of the details we have at this point. We have some preliminary ideas for next season that will get beat up and fleshed out internally over the next few weeks and months - ideas ranging from the next iteration of food

items to bigger ideas of how we can grow the series. And once the NHL schedule is released at some point in the coming weeks, we'll have a better idea of what the Homegrown schedule might look like.

What would you like to see this season? Let us know in the comments below.

5 Jun


Follow

Peter Walz @peterwalz @MSmithCanes Recently cancelled satellite. Canes were main reason waited. Will there be new options for cord cutters to watch Canes games in 2017-18? 5:15 PM - 5 Jun 2017

I may not be the best resource for this since I am a Time Warner Cable Spectrum customer, but the landscape for how we consume media is shifting, and cord-cutting is a growing alternative to your standard cable or satellite option. So, I'm here to help!

The bad news: live sports, and especially live sports on regional networks, are hard(er) to find via cord cutting. The good news: there are a growing number of options. If you are within the Hurricanes viewing area, both Sling TV (through their Blue tier) and Hulu with Live TV offer regional FOX Sports programming. And, of course, there is FOX Sports GO, which requires you to have a paid subscription that

offers said regional networks. If you're not in the Hurricanes viewing area, a subscription to NHL.tv is your ticket.

Cord cutters: if I'm missing an option, drop it in the comments below.

***

Join me next week for more questions and more answers!

If you have a question you'd like answered or you were as disappointed in the majority of the second season of "Twin Peaks" as I am, you can find me on Twitter at @MSmithCanes or drop an email here.


2017 NHL Draft Profile: Ryan Poehling could grow into a dominant two-way player

Tall and lanky, Poehling is mature beyond his years, evidenced by his early high school graduation and contributions as a freshman at St. Cloud State.

by Justin Lape@LankyLape Jun 7, 2017, 1:03pm EDT

In our 2017 NHL Draft Preview, we look closely at some of the prospects that could be available when the Hurricanes draft at 12th overall on June 23 in Chicago.

Ryan Poehling DOB: January 3rd, 1999 - Lakeville, Minnesota Team: St. Cloud State University Center | Shoots: L | 6’3”, 185 lbs 2016-17 Stats: 35 GP - 7G, 6A, 13 Points, 12 PIM

Prospect Breakdown

Poehling (PAY-ling) is a tall two-way forward that can fit just about anywhere in a lineup. He uses his size to create separation offensively and his long reach to thwart away attackers in the defensive zone. He uses his large frame to win puck battles in the corners. Poehling can provide screens in front of the net and is a real problem for opposing goalies. Scouts can’t speak enough on his talented skating ability and how he can create separation with his tall frame.

Poehling was the youngest player to compete in the NCAA last season and is heralded for his hard work ethic. He is one of three Poehling brothers on the Huskies’ roster; his older twin brothers, Jack and Nick, are both wingers. Oddly, all three are classified as freshmen, despite Ryan being more than two years younger than the others: Ryan graduated from high school a year early and enrolled at St. Cloud State as a 17-year-old, while his brothers played two years in the USHL before heading to St. Cloud. The three brothers,

playing on the same line, were key pieces of Lakeville North High School’s 2015 Minnesota state championship team.

Scouting Analysis

Poehling will need to add more weight to his lanky frame but early signs show that he may be a top-six center in his career. Poehling’s style is reminiscent of a certain Hurricanes center: Jordan Staal. Scouts say he will need to work on the defensive aspects of his game as well as becoming more confident with the puck. It is often said Poehling does not shoot enough and has a pass-first mentality.

If he adds some muscle over his next couple of years in college hockey, he could be a prototypical-sized center by the time he is ready to jump to the professional ranks. Another year or two in the NCAA may work wonders for the young center and allow him to perfect and fine-tune his game.

Final Thoughts

There are many promising aspects to the young forward’s game that haven’t even come to fruition yet. However, Poehling is a bit of a stretch for the Canes to select him at number 12 overall. Most mocks have him listed in the early twenties. Poehling is more of a long term project than a prospect that can jump into the lineup within the first season or two. He seems too much of a gamble to take that early in the draft even if the Hurricanes hold onto their first round pick, unless their trade is to move down in the draft order.

Updated: Chicago Blackhawks reportedly hire Ulf Samuelsson as assistant coach

The Checkers’ bench boss will be the next assistant for the Chicago Blackhawks.

by Justin Lape@LankyLape Jun 7, 2017, 9:15am EDT

Update 6/7/17: The Checkers will indeed need a new coach. Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports, who covered Ulf Samuelsson when he was a Coyotes assistant coach, said this morning on Twitter that the Blackhawks do plan to hire Samuelsson to be an assistant to Joel Quenneville. An official announcement is forthcoming. The Checkers are now looking for their fourth coach in as many years.

Craig Morgan Source: Blackhawks will name Ulf Samuelsson asst. coach to fill Mike Kitchen's

spot. Ulf was coaching Charlotte, Carolina's AHL affiliate. 8:59 AM - 7 Jun 2017

Our original story from May 22 is below. -Brian

Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman pledged change to ‘Hawks fans after the Blackhawks were swept by the Nashville Predators. Unfortunately for the Carolina Hurricanesorganization, change may come in the form of Charlotte Checkers head coach Ulf Samuelsson.


Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune has reported that Samuelsson may be the leading candidate for the vacant assistant coach position with the Chicago Blackhawks. The position is open after Mike Kitchen was let go after the conclusion of the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup playoff run, which ended in a first-round sweep at the hands of the Nashville Predators. Kitchen had been with the team since the 2010-11 season.

The Checkers referred a request for comment to the Hurricanes, who did not respond.

A possible Samuelsson departure would be devastating for a Checkers team that jelled well with their first-year head coach. After a rough start to the season, Samuelsson guided the team to its first playoff appearance since the 2012-13 season. Samuelsson posted a 39-29-8 regular season record and was able to force a five game series against the top-seeded Chicago Wolves before losing the matchup.

Should Samuelsson leave, the Checkers will start next season with their fourth coach in as many seasons. Jeff Daniels was reassigned to scouting duties after the 2014-15 season, and Mark Morris’ tenure in Charlotte ended when he returned to coach his alma mater, St. Lawrence University, last summer.

It’s no surprise Samuelsson’s name is in the rumor mill given his history coaching in the National Hockey League. The retired defenseman was an assistant coach of the then-Phoenix Coyotesfor five seasons before becoming assistant coach for three successful seasons with the New York Rangers.

Most coaches may pad their resume in the American Hockey League before making the jump to the NHL and Samuelsson surely has proven his worth as an NHL and AHL coach. For the Checkers’ sake and selfish reasons, hopefully Samuelsson doesn’t make the jump again.

About Last Season: Final Grades for the 2016-17 Hurricanes

School’s out, so it’s time to hand out final grades along with a few superlatives.

by Jamie Kellner@jbkellner Jun 7, 2017, 9:02am EDT

Last season we built a couple of new venues for readers to weigh in on player performance. And weigh in you did. Our Rank ‘em

polls featured in our game recaps averaged almost 1,000 votes per game, and About Last Season individual player assessments averaged almost 300 votes per player. That’s a ton of feedback and it’s very much appreciated. Thanks to everyone who took time to share votes along with your comments. Here are the results of your voting.

For About Last Season, we calculated GPA on a 4.0 scale (4.0 being perfect and 2.0 being average). For Rank ‘em, results were ranked based on best overall vote differential (total upvotes minus total downvotes) per game played.

Only players with at least 10 games played were evaluated. We excluded Ron Hainsey and Viktor Stalberg from grade voting due to trades, and Bryan Bickell was excluded due to his unique medical situation. All three are included in the final Ranker summaries for comparison purposes.

For ease of reading, the full tables are located at the end of the article.

First, a Few Superlatives

Valedictorian - Could it be anyone but Jaccob Slavin? Over 80% of our readers gave the sophomore defenseman an ‘A’ for significantly outperforming expectations, and over 90% of his total Ranker votes were positive. Most impressively, from game to game his votes never wavered, reflecting his ability to perform at an exceptional level against the toughest competition on a consistent basis.

Most Likely to Succeed - At just 19 years old and in his first season in North America, rookie Sebastian Aho played in all 82 games, ranked second on the team in goals and points, and improved all aspects of his game as the season progressed. He received the most overall votes in game recap voting and was second most voted for his end of season grade, and ranked just below Slavin in GPA and vote differential.

Most Popular - 70% of readers voted Eddie Lack ’s overall performance as worthy of a ‘D’ grade or worse, yet fans showed up in droves when the affable Swede played well in net. Aside from a one-time voting anomaly in Bryan Bickell’s last game which skewed all of his stats, Lack received more votes per game played than any other player, and 77% of the votes he received during the season were positive.

Best Dressed - Jeff Skinner rose to the occasion when he was awarded an ‘A’ on his sweater. A career-best and team-leading 37 goals, Skinner took over many a game and his leadership on and off the ice led more than a few fans to petition for an upgrade to the captaincy. He was the only alternate captain to receive mostly ‘A’ grades in the season wrap-up and was a consistent top-five player in recap voting.

Most Improved - Elias Lindholm got off to a rocky start, without a goal until mid-November, and it showed in recap rankings. Once he discovered his ability to be a primary assist machine, he moved from the bottom to the top. His per game positive votes increased by over 20 percentage points between Nov. 20 and the end of the season and over 60% of voters gave him a ‘B’ or better for a final grade.

National Honor Society - In addition to Slavin, Aho, and Skinner, Brett Pesce deserves accolades as he joins the rarified air of players that far exceeded expectations. All four weighed in with a GPA greater than 3.40, and Pesce ranked just a notch below Slavin in overall percentage of positive votes received (88%).

On The Other Hand

Sophomore Slump - While Slavin and Pesce showed no signs of fading in their second season, Noah Hanifin did not fare as well, struggling for a good part of the season before finding his way after the trade deadline. While his overall grade reflects his late improvement (90% of his grade votes were ‘met expectations’ or better), Hanifin holds the dubious


honor of receiving more total downvotes than any other player in game recap voting.

Truancy Office - Victor Rask showed up at the beginning of the semester but then he disappeared. He finished the season with decent scoring stats but was a non-factor for much of the latter part of the season, and boy did it show in his GPA. 55% of voters gave him a ‘D’, and his per game vote differential dropped from 67 to 19 between November and the end of the season.

Dress Code Violations - Over 50% of voters said Jordan Staal and Justin Faulk ‘met expectations’ in their end of season grades, and both ranked in the middle in game recap voting as well. Neither had what you would call a bad season, but one might like to see a bit more leadershipping given that the captaincy was vacant and waiting for someone to grab hold.

A Final Observation

The Canes lost more games than they won last season, some in epic fashion. Despite that, over 70% of the total Rank ‘em votes were upvotes, and after the trade deadline that number went up to 76%. The 10 most-voted games were eight wins and the two overtime losses that started the season. The 10 least-voted games were all losses. You all made a point to recognize good performances over bad, which spoils the narrative a bit about fan forums being all about the complaints. But beyond that, it may also be an indication that overall, most Canes fans are supportive of the overall direction in which the Canes roster is headed, and that bodes well for the future.

About Last Season - Player Grades

Honor Roll

Player GPA Total Votes

Slavin, Jaccob 3.794 344 Aho, Sebastian 3.493 475 Skinner, Jeff 3.461 497 Pesce, Brett 3.403 288 Ryan, Derek 2.979 280 Lindholm, Elias 2.684 272 (60% of grade is A or B) Congratulations, You Passed


Stempniak, Lee 2.435 223 Staal, Jordan 2.328 296 McGinn, Brock 2.301 193 Faulk, Justin 2.241 336 Hanifin, Noah 2.213 333 Teravainen, Teuvo 2.112 294 Tennyson, Matt 1.790 157 Dahlbeck, Klas 1.760 279 Nordstrom, Joakim 1.677 164 (60% of grade is B or C) Summer School Recommended


Brown, Patrick 1.602 171 Ward, Cam 1.580 352 Di Giuseppe, Phil 1.486 282 Rask, Victor 1.441 299 McClement, Jay 1.429 163 Lack, Eddie 1.105 277 Nestrasil, Andrej 0.632 182 Murphy, Ryan 0.475 303 (60% of grade is C or lower)


Final Rank ‘em Standings

Player Games Played Upvotes Downvotes Vote Differential Votes/GP Vote Diff/GP

Slavin, Jaccob 82 4226 467 3759 57.23 45.84 Bickell, Bryan 11 655 173 482 75.27 43.82 Aho, Sebastian 82 4246 750 3496 60.93 42.63 Pesce, Brett 82 3823 521 3302 52.98 40.27 Lack, Eddie 20 1118 335 783 72.65 39.15 Skinner, Jeff 79 3717 913 2804 58.61 35.49 Lindholm, Elias 72 3168 899 2269 56.49 31.51 Staal, Jordan 75 3055 859 2196 52.19 29.28 Stalberg, Viktor 57 2053 592 1461 46.40 25.63 McGinn, Brock 57 1942 512 1430 43.05 25.09 Di Giuseppe, Phil 36 1285 418 867 47.31 24.08 Ward, Cam 61 2609 1283 1326 63.80 21.74 Teravainen, Teuvo 81 2838 1107 1731 48.70 21.37 Stempniak, Lee 82 2604 1021 1583 44.21 19.30 Rask, Victor 82 2780 1213 1567 48.70 19.11 Faulk, Justin 75 2449 1304 1145 50.04 15.27 Tennyson, Matt 45 1180 508 672 37.51 14.93 Ryan, Derek 67 1828 828 1000 39.64 14.93 Hanifin, Noah 81 2427 1373 1054 46.91 13.01 Nordstrom, Joakim 82 1945 1219 726 38.59 8.85 Brown, Patrick 14 288 205 83 35.21 5.93 Dahlbeck, Klas 43 1025 811 214 42.70 4.98 Nestrasil, Andrej 19 393 316 77 37.32 4.05 McClement, Jay 65 1329 1175 154 38.52 2.37 Hainsey, Ron 56 1230 1345 -115 45.98 -2.05 Murphy, Ryan 27 358 776 -418 42.00 -15.48 Ranking is based on Vote Differential per Game Played

NHL report cards: Grading each team's performance in 2016-17 season

Kevin Allen , USA TODAY SportsPublished 4:19 p.m. ET June 7, 2017

The Stanley Cup winner has yet to be decided but that doesn't mean general managers across the league haven't assessed their team's performance during the 2016-17 season.

USA TODAY Sports NHL columnist Kevin Allen takes out his red pen to give his final grades:

A

Pittsburgh Penguins. Speed. Goaltending. Scoring. Mental toughness. First-rate management and coaching. The Pens have it all.

Nashville Predators. General manager David Poile has been doing it the right way for a very long time. Top defense in the NHL.

Columbus Blue Jackets. Jumped from 27th last season to fourth this season in the regular-season standings. This is a team headed in the right direction.

Ottawa Senators. New coach Guy Boucher helped this team exceed expectations in the regular season and postseason.

Anaheim Ducks. Another break here or there and they could be in the Stanley Cup Final today.

Edmonton Oilers. With Connor McDavid leading the charge, the Oilers have finally emerged from a decade-long funk.

Toronto Maple Leafs. Brendan Shanahan, Lou Lamoriello and Mike Babcock have schooled the hockey world on how to rebuild and change the culture of an organization

MORE NHL:

A-

Chicago Blackhawks. Scrapped and willed their way to a strong regular season and then failed their playoff exam.

Minnesota Wild. Now has the total game necessary to be successful, but haven’t yet solved their playoff issues.

Montreal Canadiens. Despite a 103-point regular season, it’s clear that this team needs more offensive flash up front.

Boston Bruins. If you are grading on a curve, raise the Bruins a half grade for exceeding expectations. GM Don Sweeney has a clear vision.


B+

Washington Capitals. This is a quality team, but they lose a half grade because they haven’t found a way to succeed in the postseason. And everyone should stop heaping all of the blame on Alex Ovechkin.

San Jose Sharks. Have somehow managed to stay right on the edge of the contention range.

New York Rangers. This team had 102 points, but it was clear in the playoffs that their defense needs an overhaul.

St. Louis Blues. The Blues get extra credit for how they played down the stretch and Jake Allen’s playoff stinginess.

B

Calgary Flames. Intriguing team. Still plenty of work needs to be done, but this is a team that can test well.

Winnipeg Jets. The Jets have overflowing potential. You can see this is a team on the rise. They could get an "A" next season if their goaltending improves.

B-

New York Islanders. Stronger second half improved their grade. They were 24-12-4 with Doug Weight behind the bench.

Los Angeles Kings. The core group is still sound, but the team’s offense has to be improved.

C+

Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning underachieved, but injuries were the primary reason.

Carolina Hurricanes. When you consider the performance levels of the younger players, the future looks bright for the Hurricanes.

Philadelphia Flyers. Another team headed in the right direction, with younger players simply needing to mature.

C

Florida Panthers. With Dale Tallon back in charge as GM, we figure they will raise their grade next season.

C-

Detroit Red Wings. Long playoff streak is finally over, and it’s unclear where the Red Wings are really at right now. More questions than answers.

Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres took a step backward last season, but the hiring of Jason Botterill as GM is positive step. He’s a pro’s pro when it comes to managing.

D+

New Jersey Devils. Devils gain a half grade because GM Ray Shero has a history of success and the upcoming No. 1 draft pick will help.

Dallas Stars. This was a disastrous season for the Stars, but there’s enough talent there to rebound quickly. GM Jim Nill’s aggressiveness paid off with the signing of Ben Bishop early this offseason. Coach Ken Hitchcock will make the team better defensively.

D

Vancouver Canucks. Would like to see them be more committed to a full youth movement around the Sedin twins. They are classy enough to handle that.

Arizona Coyotes. The team was disappointing this season, but we have to give GM John Chayka some time to build. He has a bushel of quality prospects who need time to mature.

F

Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche were the NHL’s worst team, and it’s not evident what they are planning to do about it.

Golden Knights Could Absorb Significant Contracts

JUNE 8TH, 2017 SHAYNA GOLDMAN

The Vegas Golden Knights will soon select players at the 2017 Expansion Draft, many of which will become a part of their inaugural franchise. The NHL created a number of parameters for the expansion draft to facilitate the success of the Golden Knights, including minimum exposure requirements and protected player regulations.

According to the league’s minimum exposure requirements, in order to be eligible for the expansion draft a team must have at least two forwards and one defensemen exposed to the Golden Knights that 1) are signed through the 2017-18 season and 2) played in at least 40 NHL games last season

or 70 NHL games over the prior two seasons, as well as one goaltender that is either signed through 2017-18 or a pending restricted free agent.

Along with those rules, there are regulations regarding who teams may protect. Teams may only protect a combination of eight skaters and one goaltender or seven forwards, three defensemen, and one goaltender.

All first and second-year professionals are exempt and do not have to be protected. Players with active no-movement clauses must be protected by their teams unless they are


either asked to waive the clause or are bought out from their contract. Additionally, players who are on long-term injured reserve cannot satisfy a team’s exposure requirement, nor do they count as a protected player for a team.

Golden Knights Absorbing Contracts

Some teams may be handcuffed by the league’s expansion rules, forcing them to expose key players. If they want to ensure a return on their asset, those teams – granted they meet the requirements without this player on their roster – may look to move them before the expansion draft.

If teams do intend to move these players prior to the draft, general managers could also dangle them to Golden Knights general manager George McPhee, who has expressed his willingness to make transactions with teams in tandem with their expansion draft plans.

Essentially, teams could offer that a particular player will remain available to Vegas in the expansion draft or expose a player that would otherwise have been protected, granted McPhee acquires another contract from them – likely a more expensive contract that otherwise would be difficult to move. Another way that McPhee has cited the Golden Knights would be willing to absorb a less-than-favorable contract would be by packaging it with draft picks.

The cumulative cap hit of the players they acquire in the expansion must be at least 60 percent of the 2016-17 salary cap ($43.8 million). By absorbing these expensive contracts, particularly through the draft, the Golden Knights would ensure they reach the minimum salary cap requisite.

Vegas Golden Knights "We have a lot of teams that are offering us big contracts...we'll take a few of those, for the right price." --McPhee 12:46 PM - 3 Jun 2017 · Buffalo, NY

Already it has been speculated that the Golden Knights may be close to a deal with the Chicago Blackhawks. Because three of their defensemen have no-movement clauses (Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith, and Niklas Hjalmarsson), they are not able to protect defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk, who the Blackhawks, Golden Knights, and other teams around the league view as a valuable asset. Therefore, the Blackhawks may move van Riemsdyk before the draft to avoid losing their asset for nothing.

Since the Golden Knights are interested in acquiring him as well, it has been rumored that they will have to also accept Marcus Kruger to acquire van Riemsdyk – with one being drafted and the other traded.

Other than potentially acquiring Kruger to ensure van Riemsdyk becomes a member of the Golden Knights, there are a number of other teams that may look to unload contracts to Vegas. Below are teams that could dangle a valuable asset to McPhee in exchange for the Golden Knights absorbing one of their unfavorable contracts.

Antti Niemi/Kari Lehtonen

With the addition of Ben Bishop, the Dallas Stars have over $15 million in cap space dedicated to goaltending between

Bishop, Lehtonen, and Niemi. Prior to the start of next season, it can be expected that the Stars will move at least one of these contracts – whether it is through a buyout, trade, or the expansion draft.

Niemi and Lehtonen are only signed through next season. Although their salaries are both high (Lehtonen has a cap hit of $5.9 million, Niemi $4.5 million), they would only weigh on a team’s salary cap for another season, which is why one of these netminders could become a member of the Golden Knights.

To convince McPhee to acquire one these netminders, the Stars could offer expose a more valuable player to them, trade them a player (either before or after the draft) to make it worthwhile for the Golden Knights, or send a draft pick to Vegas. The Stars have each of their draft picks over the next three seasons, along with the Anaheim Ducks’ first-round pick this year and the Blackhawks’ fourth-round pick next year with which they can entice McPhee.

Eddie Lack/Cam Ward

Another team with too much invested in goaltending currently is the Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes acquired Scott Darling from the Blackhawks once their seasons ended and signed the pending unrestricted free agent to a four-year, $16.6 million contract.

In addition to their new acquisition Darling, the Hurricanes already have Ward (signed for one more season at a $3.3 million cap hit) and Lack (also signed for one more season, at a cap hit of $2.75 million). Since the Hurricanes have three goaltenders with a cumulative cap hit of over $10 million this season, it seems more likely than not that they will look to move at least one of their netminders.

Ward and Lack did not have the most encouraging seasons, which diminishes their value. Lack struggled more than expected and suffered a number of injuries that stifled his season. Ward, at 33 years old, has not been the most consistent in net over the last few seasons. Because neither appears to be the most attractive candidate based on his most recent season, general manager Ron Francis may look to bribe the Golden Knights to select one of the Hurricanes’ goaltenders in the draft.

Luckily, the Hurricanes have assets to offer the Golden Knights – especially draft picks. The Hurricanes have all of their 2018 and 2019 draft picks. For this year’s draft, they have their own first, second (in addition to the New York Rangers’ and Pittsburgh Penguins’), third (plus the Devils’ third), and fourth-round picks. In place of their own fifth-round pick, they have the Bruins’ selection.

Neither Lack or Ward’s contracts are egregious in salary or length, but will not be the easiest to move nonetheless. The expansion draft and their plethora of draft picks give them the flexibility to potentially move one goaltender.

Dan Girardi

The Rangers, who are eternally in a cap crunch, have to clear space on their defense. Both defensemen Girardi and Marc Staal have no-movement clauses, meaning they have to be protected from the expansion draft unless their contracts are bought out or they asked to waive their clauses and they approve. However, Girardi has a modified no-trade clause that kicks in on July 1 – so if he approved it, he could


be traded to Vegas then (unless he approves to move his no-movement clause prior to then).

Antti Raanta, the backup goaltender for the Rangers, is likely going to be an attractive trade chip this offseason. If the Golden Knights want Raanta to be available to them in the expansion draft and not traded sooner, then they may have to strike a deal with New York’s general manager Jeff Gorton – which could include one of their more expensive contracts, like the next three seasons of Girardi’s $5.5 million cap hit.

If the Golden Knights were unwilling to take on a contract as substantial as Girardi’s but still wanted to make a deal to ensure Raanta is available to them, they could assist the Rangers by taking on another defenseman – possibly Kevin Klein and his $2.9 million cap hit.

Andrew MacDonald

The Philadelphia Flyers signed MacDonald to a six-year, $30 million contract in 2014. Unfortunately, that costly contract has not been the Flyers’ best investment. In 2015-16, MacDonald even spent half of the season in the AHL. This year, though, he rebounded – playing 73 regular season games with the Flyers and earning 18 points (two goals, 16 assists).

The Golden Knights could select MacDonald, which would certainly help them meet the salary cap requirements of the expansion draft, but at a cost to the Flyers. Even though MacDonald improved for the 2016-17 season, that contract is still steep for a second-pair defenseman of his caliber.

In exchange for drafting MacDonald, the Flyers have options to send to the Golden Knights – mainly prospects and draft picks. The Flyers retained all of their draft picks for the next three years. In addition, they have the Bruins’ 2017 third-round pick and the 2017 fourth-round picks of the Islanders and Lightning.

These are just some of the contracts the Golden Knights may absorb to acquire more enticing options. Troy Brouwer, Marian Gaborik, Nikolay Kulemin, and Brooks Orpik are other players that may be offered to the Golden Knights as a way for Vegas to secure assets from those teams.

The key for Vegas, though, is to act cautiously with some of the players they acquire with expensive contracts since they cannot buy out a contract that they acquire from the expansion draft for a year. Nevertheless, McPhee is finding ways to make the Golden Knights competitive and this offseason very exciting, after a lackluster trade deadline.

*All salary cap data powered by CapFriendly on THW.

POTURALSKI NAVIGATES GRIND OF ROOKIE SEASON

Written by Nicholas Niedzielski

Published: June 07, 2017

The behemoth that is a pro season can be tough for a rookie out of college to handle, but Andrew Poturalski didn’t let that slow down his offensive prowess. “It’s a grind, there’s no doubt about that,” said Poturalski. “There was definitely an adjustment from college, but you kind of know that coming in and you prepare for it.” A sought-after free agent last year, Poturalski chose to sign with the Carolina Hurricanes at the conclusion of his sophomore season at the University of New Hampshire. The forward got a small taste of the pro game at the tail end of last season, but it was enough to get his attention. “I think it made me realize just how good this league really is,” said Poturalski of the handful of games he played last year. “There’s a ton of good players here. I took that into consideration and worked hard over the summer.” Poturalski took that small glimpse to heart and came into his proper rookie season with a full head of steam, leading the club in scoring for most of the year while emerging as one of the AHL’s top rookies.

“He’s a tremendous offensively skilled player,” said head coach Ulf Samuelsson. “He learned a lot away from the puck this year and slowly became a reliable player in our own end as well.” The 23-year-old was a powerhouse, becoming just the second rookie in franchise history to record 50 points. But as he said, the AHL schedule is a grind, with the 74 regular season games he played nearly matching his entire two-year career at UNH. “Being mentally focused and ready every game,” said Poturalski of the key to battling through the grueling season. “Even though you might be physically tired, if you’re mentally there and making the right plays and working hard, you’ll be successful.” As dominant as he was at times, Poturalski’s season wasn’t without some adversity. “There were definitely a lot of ups and downs in my rookie year,” he said. “But that’s what being a pro is like.” The consistency that Poturalski had wielded through the


majority of the season showed some cracks at the tail end of the year and into the playoffs, where he went scoreless in the team’s first-round loss to Chicago, though it wasn’t for a lack of trying. “He did struggle a bit with the pace and intensity in the playoffs,” said head coach Ulf Samuelsson. “But he managed to work through it and I thought he had a really good Game 5.” Poturalski seems to have taken that early playoff exit to heart, echoing his coach’s note as his main focus this summer. “I think the biggest thing for me is to continue to play with pace and work hard,” said Poturalski. “That’s the biggest

thing at the next level. The game is so fast and plays are made so fast. I’m going to work on that during the offseason and getting stronger, those guys are big out there. Working on those two things I think will help me out a lot.” With a full season and a playoff run under his belt, Poturalski has plenty of useful experience to draw from as he prepares for his sophomore campaign. But more than anything, a short stint Carolina toward the end of the season renewed the drive for his ultimate prize: an NHL job. “It was huge,” said Poturalski of his debut with Carolina. “That’s everyone’s goal, to play in the NHL. To get to do that and play some games was awesome. But it made me realize even more how good the guys are at that level. I have a lot of work to do.”

Dave Ogrean has been huge force for USA Hockey

Longtime executive director retiring with sport 'a lot better off' in United States

by Mike G. Morreale @mikemorrealeNHL / NHL.com Staff Writer

Long before Dave Ogrean became the executive director of USA Hockey, not to mention a great collaborator and alliance-builder for the organization, he got hooked on the sport at the "Miracle on Ice" in Lake Placid, New York.

Ogrean trained all the scorers and statisticians for the 1980 Winter Games as USA Hockey's director of public relations, and witnessed one of the greatest upsets in sports history when the United States won its second Olympic hockey gold medal. It defeated the vaunted Soviet Union in the semifinals before a victory against Finland two days later to capture gold.

"I never played the game and if it wasn't for my roommate [Ray Ferry] at the University of Connecticut who played and was tri-captain of the team, my attraction to hockey might not have been as great," said Ogrean, 64. "But the experience I gained in Lake Placid addicted me to the sport.

"It got into my bloodstream in a way I didn't realize, and it's one of the reasons I think I kept coming back."

Ogrean indeed came back, with even bigger aspirations.

He served two terms as executive director for USA Hockey from 1993-1999 and from 2005 to the present; his final day after a combined 18 years as the organization's leader will be Saturday at the USA Hockey Annual Congress in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Ogrean, who announced his retirement on Jan. 12, will be succeeded by Pat Kelleher and begin part-time work as adviser to USA Hockey president Jim Smith.

After one season as USA Hockey's director of public relations, Ogrean became a programming manager at ESPN

in November 1980. For the next eight years, he formed strong relationships with many people associated with the NHL, including then-President John Ziegler.

"The four things I'm most proud of is the creation of the National Team Development Program, the American Development Model, the expansion of our relationship with the NHL and the diversification of the game in the United States," Ogrean said.

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said Ogrean was everything anyone could ask for as a liaison between USA Hockey and the NHL.

"He was well-versed both in what USA Hockey needed to be successful, and understanding the pressures we were facing on the League side," Daly said. "He was always about finding a win-win, and his legacy will show he was pretty [darn] successful in achieving that. Just as importantly, he was a good partner and a really good friend. Hockey in this country is a lot better off because of Dave's many contributions."

The NTDP was launched in 1996 during Ogrean's first term as executive director. The program is composed of the U.S. National Under-17 and Under-18 teams, focusing on helping players improve and acquire experience against older competition.

"The NTDP was a catalyst for a lot of good things, especially our relationship with the NHL, and obviously on the international level," Ogrean said. "Our reputation is much better than it was 25 years ago because of the improved performance we've had in all tournaments at all levels. There


are more American players, and we're having more impact in the NHL."

The U.S. has won 60 medals in major international competition (32 gold, 18 silver, 10 bronze) on Ogrean's watch. The number of players participating in USA Hockey has more than doubled to 555,175 since 1993-94.

Former USA Hockey president Ron DeGregorio knows the positive impact Ogrean had in pushing ideas to greater limits.

"His steady and smart leadership of operations was instrumental for USA Hockey to grow, prosper, and reach many of the goals for growing hockey in the U.S.," DeGregorio said. "His impact will continue to be felt for many years."

Ogrean was instrumental in helping to launch the American Development Model (ADM) in 2009, which highlights the importance of focusing on a smaller ice surface in the advancement of youth hockey players.

In the ADM style of training, players are split up and rotated throughout six stations on the rink to hone specific skills, including forward/backward transition, partner passing with movement, acceleration puck-tossing, tight-space skating and agility skating.

"I remember being in rinks at the World Championship years ago, watching games against Sweden or Finland and seeing our players go into the corners and get hammered," Ogrean said. "They would outmaneuver us in these small areas that we weren't focusing on in America. The ADM has brought that to the front, and we've benefited."

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello, who worked with Ogrean when serving as general manager for the United States at the World Cup of Hockey 1996 and the 1998 Winter Olympics, is grateful for his service.

"All we need to look at is the number of American players playing in the NHL since Dave was there," Lamoriello said.

There have been 286 players from the NTDP selected in the NHL Draft since 1996, including 65 first-round picks. Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews became the seventh United States-born player selected No. 1, and the fifth since 1995, last year.

"[Ogrean] helped institute so many different programs, and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention [DeGregorio]," Lamoriello said. "The support and commitment they have and will continue to have to make USA Hockey better is just incredible. They've done so much, are quality human beings, very professional and talented and very committed."

Flames will 'just leave' Calgary without new arena: report

Replacement for Saddledome is necessary, president of hockey operations Brian Burke says

NHL.com @NHL

June 7th, 2017

The Calgary Flames will move if they don't get a new arena, Flames president of hockey operations Brian Burke said Wednesday.

"We're not going to make the threat to leave. We'll just leave," Burke told a season-ticket holder at a business luncheon at the Canadian Club of Calgary, according to the Calgary Sun. "We still have a building that [opened] in 1983, the oldest in the League by more than 10 years."

Burke refused to take questions from media after the event.

Scotiabank Saddledome has been the Flames' home since it opened and is the second-oldest arena in use in the NHL. Madison Square Garden, home of the New York Rangers, opened in 1968, but a $1 billion renovation was completed in 2013.

Scotiabank Saddledome was flooded to the eighth row of seats in June 2013, but the arena was repaired in time for the Flames to start their preseason schedule on time in September.

Calgary president and CEO Ken King said the Flames moving was an option in a letter to fans posted to their website April 2.

"In response to a question, are you going to use the threat of moving as a tactic, I said we would not. I also said we would 'just move,'" King wrote. "The facts are we need a solution and if it is deemed that there is no made-in-Calgary solution we will have to make a decision at that time, which logically

could include deciding to move the team. It is merely one out of a few possible outcomes if we are unable to reach a deal with the city that will work for both sides."

Commissioner Gary Bettman has said the Flames need a new arena.

"I think everybody knows the new arena is important on a whole host of levels for a whole host of reasons," he said March 15 while in Calgary. "You've got to get from here to there, and since I tend to be an optimist by nature I'm hoping that on both sides, not that there are sides, but the city and the Flames can figure this out.

"It's important. It's vitally important that it gets done."

In August 2015, the Flames unveiled CalgaryNEXT, an $890 million plan for a new hockey arena, covered football stadium and a multisport field house in Calgary's West Village, and another location just north of the Saddledome also has been billed as a possible option.

"[Scotiabank Saddledome] was built in the 1980s," Commissioner Bettman said. "They don't build buildings like this anymore. It's a grand old building. It's got a great roof line. It's historic in many ways. But these aren't the facilities that our hockey teams typically have … this is an old, antiquated building.

"And in terms of amenities for the fans, which is the most important thing, it doesn't hold a candle to what's been done in new arenas."


Ron Hextall has huge fan in Charles Barkley

Flyers general manager 'honored' to be basketball Hall of Famer's favorite player

NHL.com @NHL

June 7th, 2017

Philadelphia Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said he was flattered to hear Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame member Charles Barkley say Hextall was his favorite hockey player.

Barkley began his NBA career in 1984 with the Philadelphia 76ers, and Hextall arrived with the Flyers as a rookie goaltender in 1986. They each played in Philadelphia until 1992.

"We had a bit of a relationship back in the day," Hextall said Wednesday. "He was at a lot of our games. There's a mutual respect there. I liked the way Charles played, a hard game, very emotional, gave everything he had on the court. … Certainly I'm honored to be talked about by Charles for sure."

Barkley is working for Turner Sports covering the NBA Finals, but an off-day in that series allowed him to travel to Nashville for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators on Monday.

"I'm talking to [Jeremy Roenick], who I talk to quite a bit, he's my neighbor in Arizona, and he's like, 'Man, you've got to

come to Nashville for a game,'" Barkley said Monday. "He said, 'It's the craziest thing I've ever seen.' Then I get a really nice call from Commissioner [Gary] Bettman and he says, 'Hey, for all the nice things you've been saying about hockey, come to a game.' So I said, 'Hey, I got nothing to do.'"

Barkley was born in Leeds, Alabama, and said his earliest hockey memories are of watching the Birmingham Bulls of the World Hockey Association. When he moved to Philadelphia he started rooting for the Flyers, and especially Hextall.

"I want to know if my guy really cares," Barkley said. "And if you watch Ron Hextall play, you knew he really wanted to win."

Hextall said one of his favorite memories of Barkley was attending a golf pro-am with him.

"I can't remember the pro because I played in two of them, but I do remember seeing Charles play and thinking, 'Jeez, I won't be the worst one out here today,'" he said.

TODAY’S LINKS http://www.nsjonline.com/article/2017/06/reports-charlotte-checkers-coach-headed-to-chicago

https://www.nhl.com/hurricanes/news/nhl-draft-preview-hurricanes-scouts-preparing-for-busy-weekend-in-chicago/c-289835400 https://www.nhl.com/hurricanes/news/tweetmail-number-147-scouts-homegrown-series-cord-cutting/c-289819872

http://www.canescountry.com/2017/6/7/15750640/2017-nhl-draft-profile-ryan-poehling-carolina-hurricanes-st-cloud-state-huskies-ncaa-minnesota http://www.canescountry.com/2017/5/22/15674342/blackhawks-ulf-samuelsson-assistant-coach-quenneville-hurricanes-charlotte-checkers-head-

coach http://www.canescountry.com/2017/6/7/15743736/2016-17-carolina-hurricanes-performance-rankings-jaccob-slavin-sebastian-aho-jeff-skinner

http://thehockeywriters.com/golden-knights-could-absorb-significant-contracts/ http://gocheckers.com/articles/features/poturalski-navigates-grind-of-rookie-season https://www.nhl.com/news/ogrean-has-been-big-force-for-usa-hockey/c-289833474

https://www.nhl.com/news/flames-will-just-leave-calgary-without-new-arena-report/c-289831262 https://www.nhl.com/news/nba-hall-of-famer-charles-barkley-is-a-fan-of-ron-hextall/c-289822930

1066682 Websites

FOXSports.com / EA Sports releases first ‘NHL 18’ teaser trailer, and there’s not much to get excited about

Pete Blackburn @PeteBlackburn

Jun 7, 2017 at 4:13p ET

EA Sports released its first official glance at NHL 18 with its debut teaser trailer on Wednesday afternoon.

But those hoping to get a lot of substance out of the clip will likely be disappointed.

The 25-second ad shows one lone highlight — a nifty deke and goal from 20-year-old Maple Leafs rookie Mitch Marner, and that’s it — at least until the full trailer is revealed at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas on June 21.

Obviously this is a very early and very brief glimpse at the game, but let’s go ahead and overanalyze it a bit, shall we?

• First, Marner is shown chewing on his mouthguard, hanging halfway out of his mouth, as he’s been known to do. It’s probably safe to assume that will be included in the game, meaning it’s a new personalization feature of the series. Neat. The series has included some aspects of player personalization in recent years (Ovechkin’s yellow laces, Kane’s ear guards, Kessel’s candy cane tape job) so hopefully there are more small details like Marner’s mouthguard that get incorporated this year. That will add some depth and realism to the series.

• The second big takeaway — the one the brief trailer emphasizes most — is the introduction of new skill moves and animations. The crafty stick work that Marner uses to get around a defender and then beat the goaltender appear to be new to the series. Which means fans could be in for a variety of new ways to dangle and score — maybe even some sort of revamped skill stick.

That would be a much-needed addition to help create for a wider variety of highlight reel plays like the one shown in the trailer — though Marner and teammate James van Riemsdyk don’t appear to be particularly enthused with the display.


• Finally, the trailer still uses the league’s current Reebok jerseys rather than providing a glimpse at the adidas ones that all 31 NHL teams will begin wearing starting next season. Those jerseys will be unveiled around the same as the full trailer, so maybe they’ll be included in that one as well.

There’s not much else to take away from this tease of a teaser, but if you’d like to check out what I hope is included in the upcoming game, you can do that here.

FOXSports.com LOADED: 06.08.2017

1066683 Websites

CNN/Sports Illustrated / How Peter Laviolette's pregame speeches inspire Predators

ALEX PREWITT

Wednesday June 7th, 2017

The cameras were rolling and the mics were hot inside at PPG Paints Arena on May 29, as both coaches addressed their teams shortly before beginning the Stanley Cup finals. Standing in the home locker room, Mike Sullivan instructed the Penguins to “embrace this challenge,” because only now was when “the fun stuff starts.” Standard. Down the hall, a wireless transmitter clipped to his belt, Peter Laviolette delivered a similar -- albeit slightly more profane -- message to the visiting Predators: “Game 1 is up for grabs. It’s up to us to go f---ing take it.”

To the national audience, Laviolette’s segment was made memorable only because NBC broadcast it un-bleeped, an F-bomb dropped into living rooms around the county. (“Saw a little clip on Instagram,” Nashville forward Colton Sissons said later, smiling.) But this also wasn’t some sprawling speech in the fictional tradition of, say, Norman Dale or Danny O’Shea. The tone Laviolette employed here wasn’t fiery, or even forceful. In telling his players to “go take it,” he might as well have been reminding his children to lug the trash to the curb for pickup.

“You know what, that’s one of his strengths,” captain Mike Fisher says of Laviolette. “It’s something different all the time, just getting us in the right mindset, getting ready.”

Not every coach carries similar gifts for off-the-cuff gab. Hockey players can sniff BS like bloodhounds, so once they smell ham-handedness, the mental dials tune to alternate stations. “You think everyone is coming in there, like the movies, that’s not the case” says NBC Sports analyst Brian Boucher. “There are some coaches who are not really good at talking in front of a group, and Lavi’s really good at that. His passion is not fake. It’s real. He hits right to the core.”

Go ahead. Stroll through Nashville’s locker room, even earlier in the series as Pittsburgh leapt to a 2-0 lead, and ask around: No one, they all agree, gives pregame speeches like Laviolette.

“Man,” captain Mike FIsher says, “he can tell a good story.”

“Even when you’re not playing, you’re like, holy f---, I need to play this game,” center Vernon Fiddler says. “I’m going home all jacked up and I’m not even in the lineup tonight.”

“Win a game, lose a game, the next day’s off and we’re getting together for a meeting and everyone’s looking around after he’s done his speech going, ‘Geez, we wish we could play the next game right now,’” says forward Harry Zolnierczyk.

“He’s like Vince Lombardi, man,” Sissons says. “He fires us up like you wouldn’t believe.”

In truth, it’s not too hard to understand. To go by Sissons’ explanation, speeches from Laviolette are just boxes of chocolates filled with F-word nougat. “You just never know what you’re going to get,” says the 23-year-old, whose six goals are tied for second on Nashville entering Thursday’s Game 5. “He’s fired up, energetic, in your face, yelling and screaming sometimes. And other times he’s quiet and conservative and having a conversation with all the players.”

The evidence is readily available on YouTube. Consider the lead-up to the 2012 Winter Classic at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Holding a folded sheet of notes and standing on the carpet inside the Phillies’ clubhouse, Laviolette calmly issued a 100-second, 360-word soliloquy. “There’s two things that I wish for this group right now,” he began. The first is that you stay loose and allow yourself, in this environment, to be great. If you think about it, there’s going to be. in two hours, two F-16

jets, you’ll be walking out to 45,000 people, and you’re going to look up and you’re either going to go, ‘Holy s---,’ or you’re going to say, ‘What an incredible day.’”

Other moments call for more aggressive measures. A few weeks prior in Colorado, HBO cameras captured Laviolette crushing his charges at intermission, following a lackluster frame in which Philadelphia got out-chanced 7-1. “I want to see people rip their heart out of their f---ing chest this period,” Laviolette said, voice rising, “and if you don’t, you’re probably not going to like your ice time." Or how about before the third period during defenseman P.K. Subban’s much-hyped return to Montreal this spring, as Nashville nursed a 1-0 lead: “The mindset has to be, we’re going to rip the door off the hinges and get onto the f---ing ice and take it to them.”

But Laviolette also seems to have a feel for ceding the floor. When the Predators visited the Sabres on Feb. 28, it was assistant trainer and Buffalo native Jeff Biddle who channeled his inner coach and said, punctuated by one of Laviolette’s patented fist-pumps, “Last year, when we were here, some of you know that my grandpa passed away. And he never got to see the Preds play. And he’s always been a Sabres fan, so he’s had a lot of losing, lots of Bills, lots of Sabres, so he never got to see a real winning team. So I say we f---ing win this game, and show him how the Preds play, and give it to the Sabres.” (They did, 5-4 in overtime.)

The common denominators? Elements of the game plan always make an appearance, but more often than not these are reminders from film sessions or meetings. Laviolette indeed loves the whole yank-the-door-from-its-frame imagery, and this season has brought an infusion of canine references, thanks to Nashville’s team-wide “dog on a bone” mantra.

“I think it’s finding the things that hold meaning, and deep meaning, within players -- things that ultimately, really, get you going,” says Zolnierczyk, who like the retired goalie Boucher also played for Laviolette in Philadelphia. “It’s easy to come out and say things and try to pump up a team, but he has a unique way of using different situations that we’re in to make the moment exciting. It’s just the delivery he has. I think it’s infectious.”

“I don't know how he comes up with it, if he has someone helping him that we don’t know, a ghostwriter or something," Sissons says. "But he’s so passionate. He’s just so committed to our group and what we have going on here. We all believe what he says.”

But by no means does this suggest that Laviolette’s counterpart in Pittsburgh lacks any sort of rhetorical firepower, either. Both he and Sullivan were born outside Boston, after all, and have thus been blessed with all the accompanying, appropriately accented verbal skills. And so it was before Game 6 against San Jose in the 2016 Stanley Cup finals that Sullivan dipped into his vault and withdrew a visual that'd make Laviolette proud.

“Alright,” Sullivan said, before the Penguins went out and clinched the series, “so here we are again, knocking on the door, right? Knocking on the door. We’ve got to bang it in.”

CNN/Sports Illustrated LOADED: 06.08.2017

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Sportsnet.ca / Predators, Penguins both have reasons to believe they can lift Cup

Chris Johnston

@reporterchris

June 7, 2017, 6:45 PM

PITTSBURGH – If you were to go only by the scores you might think this is one of the worst Stanley Cup finals in history.

5-3, 4-1, 5-1, 4-1.

Except that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Through four games the Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins have given us exactly what you want out of a championship series. They’ve both provided us reasons to believe they’re on the verge of lifting the Cup. They’ve also dropped a few hints of doubt.


As we return to PPG Paints Arena for Game 5 on Thursday night, there is legitimate tension and intrigue with three games – at most – to play before summer.

Ask yourself: Who is going to win this thing?

"We’ll see over this next little bit," said Sidney Crosby, when asked Wednesday if his Penguins team has a special winning quality to it. "But what got us here is we’ve found ways, that we believe in each other. We’ve gone through things like injuries and stuff like that. We’ve been told how hard it is to even get to this position, so I think the fact that we’ve gotten here we’ve overcome certain things.

"We’ve got to find a way to get two more wins here."

The series went to another level in Nashville. Games 3 and 4 were fast and physical. Electric. They saw the Predators produce two victories to tie it up 2-2, but Pittsburgh had its strongest showing so far on Monday night.

Mike Sullivan is asking his wingers to abandon the stretch pass in favour of coming back closer to the defencemen. The Penguins want to re-establish their fast transition game after getting hemmed in the defensive zone for stretches and being outshot by an average of eight shots per game.

There have been unlikely heroes – Pittsburgh’s Jake Guentzel (4) and Nashville’s Frederick Gaudreau (3) are the leading goal-scorers in the final – and plenty of big moments.

Heck, there were eight breakaways during the last two games alone.

To review: You had Nashville erasing a 3-0 deficit, and losing, in a strange Game 1. You had the ridiculous Pontus Aberg goal and Pittsburgh’s late offensive explosion in Game 2. The shift to Nashville saw a scene unlike any other, with a crowd of 50,000 outside Bridgestone Arena for Game 3 and a raucous 17,283 inside to watch the Preds climb back in the series. Game 4 featured Crosby’s lovely goal and Pekka Rinne’s frantic "soccer goalie" save.

Now the real history will be written.

"Amazing," said Rinne. "Obviously you don’t want to look back yet. Been playing for a long time, never had this opportunity. It means everything to me right now. Just living my dream right now."

Nashville has enjoyed a territorial edge with 55.6 per cent of the even-strength shot attempts and an 83-64 advantage in scoring chances, according to naturalstattrick.com. The gap is narrower in high-danger chances – 33-26 for the Preds – in part because the Penguins have two of the best centres in the world.

Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have each been on the wrong end of the possession game in this series, but are still producing offensively. Only the smallest window is required.

"Their team is so dangerous," said Predators defenceman Roman Josi. "They play with a lot of speed. Yeah, you really have to be aware of them for 60 minutes."

The heat has been turned up in Pittsburgh on Phil Kessel, now six games without a goal, and to a lesser degree goaltender Matt Murray, who is almost certain to start Game 5 despite some renewed Marc-Andre Fleury chatter.

Kessel had eight shot attempts in his last outing and believes it’s only a matter of time.

"It’s his time to score," Malkin said of his teammate. "We play at home, it’s our building, our emotion. Just main people we need big game. It’s how teams win."

Ryan Dixon and Rory Boylen go deep on pucks with a mix of facts and fun, leaning on a varied group of hockey voices to give their take on the country’s most beloved game.

Time is running short on an electric 2016-17 campaign for the NHL.

Within a week, there’ll either be another championship in Pittsburgh – one that would give Crosby and Malkin more than the Mario Lemieux/Jaromir Jagr teams – or a first for Nashville. That would also be the first for P.K. Subban and Rinne and veteran captain Mike Fisher and … literally every player on the roster.

"They’ve come through three tough teams and so have we," said Fisher. "We’re all here for a reason. Part of that’s because of hunger, that desire. For us, it’s the first Cup. At the end of the day, everyone wants that. That’s what we all as kids dream about.

"Regardless of how many, that’s a special thing, and it means a lot. That’s what it’s going to come down to here in the next few days."

May the best team pass around the trophy at the end of this compelling best-of-three.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.08.2017

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Sportsnet.ca / NHL’s top 12 unrestricted free agents of 2018: A sneak peek

Luke Fox

@lukefoxjukebox

June 7, 2017, 6:40 PM

The primary attraction of this summer’s hockey signings will be an intriguing 2017 free agent class, but it’s never too early for general managers to plan ahead (or for fans to start dreaming about which stars might become available).

July 1 is also a circled date for 2018’s free-agents-in-waiting, who have the opportunity to ink long-term extensions with their current teams for a maximum of eight years.

Last summer we saw jewels like Tampa defenceman Victor Hedman and Dallas centre Jamie Benn ink extensions almost immediately, opting for security over a bidding war.

Sharpen your pencils, GMs. This group brings strength up the middle. The impending UFA Class of ’18 features arguably the world’s best goaltender, three No. 1–calibre defencemen and a handful of top-six centremen.

It pains us to leave active legends such as the Sedin twins and Zdeno Chara — 2018’s oldest scheduled UFA, until Jaromir Jagr signs another one-deal pact somewhere — off this list due to age. And the fact we chose less-proven forwards over solid but aging scorers like James Neal, Mikko Koivo and Rick Nash shows the league is trending toward youth and speed.

Summer 2018 will also provide a measure of fiscal relief for some front offices, as hefty contracts to players such as Joffrey Lupul, Mikhail Grabovski, Kari Lehtonen, Antti Niemi and Ryane Clowe will come off the books.

Due to financial constraints or contending windows, some of the top 12 players listed below must be traded or let go; others should be retained at (almost) any cost.

Here is a very early peek at the NHL’s top 12 unrestricted free agents of 2018.

1. John Tavares

Age on July 1, 2018: 27

Position: Centre

2017-18 salary cap hit: $5.5 million

What the future holds: Tavares and the Islanders have always maintained that they’d like to extend their marriage when the time comes.

Newsday‘s Arthur Staple reported in May that GM Garth Snow is likely to offer Tavares an eight-year contract worth upward of $10 million per season.

Tavares, who is recovering from surgery on his right hand and should be ready for the season, is likely encouraged by the club’s signing of Doug Weight as head coach. The two have a close relationship. But Tavares is driven to win, and the Isles failed to make the playoffs in 2017. He needs a sniper on his wing, and this franchise needs arena certainty.

“I’ve known John since he came into the league. He lived with me for a couple years. I trust him. I trust his extension of our coaching,” said Weight recently, citing Tavares’ desire for championships.


“We have to prove to him that we’re gonna be the team to do it, and I’m the coach to do it.”

2. Carey Price

Age on July 1, 2018: 30

Position: Goaltender


Bargaining chips: Gold medallist at the Winter Olympics, World Cup and World Junior Championship. Most important player on the Montreal Canadiens. Winner of the William M. Jennings, Vezina, Ted Lindsay and Hart trophies, as well as the Lou Marsh Award. Career .920 save percentage with 270 wins in 509 appearances.

What the future holds: Re-signing Price and surrounding his franchise goaltender with more potent offensive weapons, starting with a true No. 1 centre, puts a ton of pressure on Habs GM Marc Bergevin to build a championship team and not waste Price’s best years.

“I love playing here. I’m sure we’ll figure something out,” Price reassured the club website on June 6. “Like I said, I want to stay here. I know we’ll figure out a way to make all of the pieces fit and bring a championship here.”

After getting ousted in the first round of the 2017 playoffs due to lack of scoring, Bergevin emphatically said he would not be trading Price.

“We’ll find the means to get [an extension] done,” the GM asserted. “Carey is a main piece to our team.”

Henrik Lundqvist currently carries the highest cap hit for a goaltender at $8.5 million. The starting point of Price’s negotiations should be higher than that.

3. Cam Fowler

Age on July 1, 2018: 26

Position: Defence

2017-18 salary cap hit: $4 million

What the future holds: Fowler was showered with trade rumours last summer. So much so, he spun the uncertainty into motivation and delivered his best NHL season.

As the youngest impending UFA of 2018, Fowler will still have suitors because he doesn’t hold a no-trade clause and the Ducks are facing a financial quandary with their blue line. But the belief is Fowler has played his way into a long-term contract extension instead. Preliminary negotiations are reportedly underway already.

4. John Carlson

Age on July 1, 2018: 28

Position: Defence


Bargaining chips: World junior gold medallist. Member of Team USA. Washington Capitals‘ ice-time leader at 22:42 per game. Power-play threat. Put up between 32 and 55 points in six straight full seasons.

What the future holds: A skilled and experienced puck-moving, right-shot defenceman under the age of 30? “Yes, please,” says the entire NHL.

If the Ducks do lock up Fowler, does Carlson pass up a chance to become the undisputed No. 1 UFA defenceman of 2018 and create a lucrative bidding war?

5. James van Riemsdyk

Age on July 1, 2018: 29

Position: Left wing


What the future holds: Rampant speculation and rumours, as always.

The Maple Leafs’ most dangerous left wing holds a 10-team no-trade list and says he wants to remain with the team long-term, but with JVR’s next contract expected to be a biggie, Toronto may be hesitant to shell

out knowing it will soon have to pony up big bucks for younger forwards Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander.

“I’ve loved playing here ever since I came here. How I’ve been treated is great. It’s a place I want to play for as long as I can,” van Riemsdyk said at the end of 2016-17. “Where that takes things, we’ll see what happens. I love playing here. I want to be here.”

Do the Leafs trade the underpaid JVR at some point to bolster their blue line, or do they take one more run with him as a dependable contributor in their top six and sort things out next summer?

“I don’t know what more we could’ve asked of them,” said GM Lou Lamoriello, when we asked about JVR and Tyler Bozak. “They bought into what was being asked of them. They bought into a culture, and they embraced it. They embraced the young players and have tremendous respect for their talents and worked with them.

“The veterans are here for a reason. We went through 45-some players last season, and the players who are here belong in that locker room and are part of the future.”

6. Kyle Turris

Age on July 1, 2018: 28

Position: Centre


Bargaining chips: Hit 20 goals and 55 points in every season as a Senator with a minimum 60 games played. No. 1 centre for the Eastern Conference finalists. His 27 goals topped all Sens in 2016-17. Showing maturity and improvement with age. Beloved in community.

What the future holds: In a perfect world, the underpaid Turris would love to see his salary reach the heights of teammate Bobby Ryan’s $7.25 million average annual value.

But Ottawa is known to shy away from the cap ceiling, and raises are on the horizon for a number of core players in the next three summers. Between 2017 and 2019, Mark Stone, Cody Ceci, Derick Brassard, Marc Methot, Erik Karlsson and Craig Anderson could all make cases for a pay bump.

We see Turris as a great fit for a long-term extension here, but the negotiations could be interesting.

7. Marc-Edouard Vlasic

Age on July 1, 2018: 31

Position: Defence


Bargaining chips: Olympic and World Cup gold medallist with Team Canada. One of the best all-around D-men in the world. Second to Brent Burns in Sharks’ time on ice. Makes $3.15 million less than Burns.

What the future holds: Tough decisions for GM Doug Wilson.

Not only must Wilson make calls on 2017 UFAs Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, who are beloved in San Jose, but Vlasic’s next big deal will coincide with free agency of one of the best goalies in the biz (see below).

“I love it here,” Vlasic told Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman earlier this year. “I’m not really a guy who wants to play for three or four teams. I like the city, I like the organization, we’re always competitive. What’s not to like? I want to play my whole career in San Jose.”

Vlasic is younger than Burns, and his stay-at-home, penalty-killing ways complement the Bearded One nicely.

8. Cam Atkinson

Age on July 1, 2018: 29

Position: Right wing


Bargaining chips: Production has increased every season. Scored a career-high 35 goals and 62 points in 2016-17. Played in 2017 All-Star Game.


What the future holds: Atkinson has delivered excellent bang for the Blue Jackets’ buck since he inked his three-year, $10.5-million contract extension in 2015. Columbus is one of the teams most under salary-cap pressure this summer, and the expiration of Atkinson’s contract coincides with that of teammates Boone Jenner, Matt Calvert, William Karlsson, Jack Johnson and Ryan Murray. Something will have to give.

9. Martin Jones

Age on July 1, 2018: 28



Bargaining chips: In two seasons as a starter, Jones has a pair of 35-win campaigns. Career .917 save percentage. Appeared in 2016 Cup Final and 2017 All-Star Game.

What the future holds: With a .935 save percentage and a shutout in the 2017 playoffs, he can hardly be blamed for the Sharks’ early elimination.

Jones is the youngest No. 1 goalie on track to turn UFA in 2018, and GM Wilson says extending the goalie — who would like to stay long-term — is a priority.

Look at Ben Bishop’s recent six-year, $29.5-million contract with the Dallas Stars as a comparable starting point.

10. Mikael Backlund

Age on July 1, 2018: 29

Position: Centre


Bargaining chips: Coming off a career season in which he posted 22 goals, 53 points, a team-high seven game-winners, and entered the Selke conversation. A force on both special teams. Rivals Sean Monahan as the Flames’ best centre.

What the future holds: A lovely raise.

All due respect to Matt Stajan, Freddie Hamilton and Lance Bouma, but the timing of Backlund’s free agency in 2018 shouldn’t conflict with too many other big-ticket extensions. Barring a desire on the player’s part to test the market and seek the most dollars available, Calgary is a fantastic fit in terms of being able to play a prominent role on a promising young team.

We bet 2007 first-rounder Backlund re-ups with the team that drafted him well before the rumour mill gets churning.

11. Paul Stastny

Age on July 1, 2018: 32

Position: Centre


What the future holds: Stastny hit pay dirt as one of the best UFA forwards in 2014, but there’s no way he commands another $7-million-per-year deal with a no-trade clause. That said, the Quebec native is still the best pivot on a strong team. The Blues should be able to keep the playmaker in the fold if both sides want to make a deal. A point of concern: Stastny hasn’t played 75 games in a season since 2011-12 with Colorado.

12. Evander Kane

Age on July 1, 2018: 26

Position: Left wing


Bargaining chips: The youngest UFA forward in 2018, period. In 2016-17, enjoyed his most productive season — 28 goals, 43 points — since 2011-12. Deadly shot. Common belief that he still hasn’t reached his ceiling.

What the future holds: A trade, probably.

Speculation is running rampant that Kane, whose trade value hasn’t been this high in years, has fallen out of favour with Buffalo Sabres ownership

and could be moved before his contract expires. The Los Angeles Kings, Friedman reports, are one team interested, and they could use the scoring.

Kane’s next contract (and next team?) is a compelling subject because his off-ice track record isn’t the most positive and he’s already battled through several injuries, yet his skills and athleticism are top notch. We’ve seen many an NHLer mature with age, so there is potential for a steal of a deal here.


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Sportsnet.ca / Subban standing out in a big way on Predators’ vaunted blue line

Andrew Berkshire

June 7, 2017, 4:51 PM

Heading into the Stanley Cup Final, the story was always going to be offence versus defence, and while we’ve had some goaltender controversies mixed in for both teams, so far that dynamic has held true.

Though the series is tied 2-2, it would be tough to argue against the fact that based on the flow of play so far, defence has been winning this battle pretty handily. The Nashville Predators have created more chances, utilized pre-shot movement to a greater degree, and scored more goals, despite the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Matt Murray putting up some excellent performances.

For whatever reason, while the focus is on Nashville’s defensive structure, there has been a lot of debate over who has been its best defender in this Stanley Cup Final, with many amateur analysts giving the nod to P.K. Subban, and many in the media giving credit to Roman Josi.

Ultimately, both players in this series are either facing Evgeni Malkin or Sidney Crosby almost all of the time, and the Predators have been winning both matchups, so I doubt that they care much internally, but let’s look at the defensive aspect of these matchups a little bit.

The Predators have done a good job limiting scoring chances and shots against, but how successful they are at it varies by who is on the ice.

While Subban is on the ice, the Predators give up the fewest scoring chances, shots, and shot attempts of all their defencemen, while the third pairing is the most porous, as you would expect.

Among the top-four group, Josi gives up the most, which is likely a result of his style of play, as he is more of a rover in the offensive zone that forces forwards to cover his position much more than usual, which can lead to him trailing the play when opponents head the other way.

Aside from simple positioning, what players do with the puck on their sticks is a big factor in the chances that end up going against them. To analyze that, we’ll look at two different metrics: pass success rate in each zone, and turnover rates in each zone. When looking at pass success rates, the higher the percentage the better, and for turnover rates the lower the better.

Essentially what we’re looking for here is how often opponents get opportunities because of misplays by each player, the kinds of plays onlookers would identify as risky.

Not surprisingly, based on the scoring chance numbers, Subban boasts the highest pass success rate on the team in two of three zones, and the highest overall by 10 per cent, along with the lowest turnover rate in every zone.

One thing to note here is that while Josi is the riskiest of the Predators’ top-four in terms of his positioning, his play with the puck on his stick isn’t especially risky. He does have a fairly high failure rate on passes in the neutral zone, as does Ryan Ellis, but both players prefer to skate the puck through the neutral zone so that isn’t really a problem for them.

Similarly, Josi isn’t a turnover machine with the puck. It’s been Mattias Ekholm more than anyone else in the top-four group that has struggled to move the puck, partly because teams have focused on forechecking him hard as he’s seen as the weakest pure puck-mover of the four.

What really stands out here is simply how efficient Subban has been with the puck on his stick, and how that has made things easier for everyone he plays with. For whatever reason, though, we still hear Subban spoken


of as a risky player, even by those who will admit that his defending without the puck has been top notch.

The conversation surrounding Subban in Canadian media has always been weird, with a large contingent of respected journalists who refuse to recognize his great play without a qualifier of some kind. Whether that has to do with the strength of his team, too much offence, or too little, there’s always something.

The facts we have available show that even though Subban’s team is clearly strong, he stands out in a big way, has been the complete opposite of risky, and his team has significantly more success with him on the ice than off of it despite Peter Laviolette constantly giving his pairing the heavier matchups.

Why is it that so many can’t just appreciate Subban and Josi for what they are? These are two special players with very different styles of play, though it’s interesting that the exact things certain people criticize Subban for are the weaknesses in Josi’s game. Sometimes the eye test isn’t very helpful.


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Sportsnet.ca / NHL’s top 12 unrestricted free agents of 2018: A sneak peek

Luke Fox

@lukefoxjukebox

June 7, 2017, 6:40 PM

The primary attraction of this summer’s hockey signings will be an intriguing 2017 free agent class, but it’s never too early for general managers to plan ahead (or for fans to start dreaming about which stars might become available).

July 1 is also a circled date for 2018’s free-agents-in-waiting, who have the opportunity to ink long-term extensions with their current teams for a maximum of eight years.

Last summer we saw jewels like Tampa defenceman Victor Hedman and Dallas centre Jamie Benn ink extensions almost immediately, opting for security over a bidding war.

More interesting for observers of the game, failure to sign a franchise star — like the dozen detailed below — triggers trade speculation and contract-year pressure.

Sharpen your pencils, GMs. This group brings strength up the middle. The impending UFA Class of ’18 features arguably the world’s best goaltender, three No. 1–calibre defencemen and a handful of top-six centremen.

It pains us to leave active legends such as the Sedin twins and Zdeno Chara — 2018’s oldest scheduled UFA, until Jaromir Jagr signs another one-deal pact somewhere — off this list due to age. And the fact we chose less-proven forwards over solid but aging scorers like James Neal, Mikko Koivo and Rick Nash shows the league is trending toward youth and speed.

Summer 2018 will also provide a measure of fiscal relief for some front offices, as hefty contracts to players such as Joffrey Lupul, Mikhail Grabovski, Kari Lehtonen, Antti Niemi and Ryane Clowe will come off the books.

Due to financial constraints or contending windows, some of the top 12 players listed below must be traded or let go; others should be retained at (almost) any cost.

Here is a very early peek at the NHL’s top 12 unrestricted free agents of 2018.

LUKE FOX

1. John Tavares

Age on July 1, 2018: 27

Position: Centre


Bargaining chips: The best twenty-something impending unrestricted free-agent centre to come along since Steven Stamkos (and we know how calm everyone acted in 2016). Islanders’ captain, best player and the reason they snapped their playoff series-victory drought in 2016. Gold medallist at the Olympics, World Cup and World Junior Championship (twice). Twice hit the 80-point mark. Improving on defensive end, too. Did we mention the Spengler Cup gold?

What the future holds: Tavares and the Islanders have always maintained that they’d like to extend their marriage when the time comes.

Newsday‘s Arthur Staple reported in May that GM Garth Snow is likely to offer Tavares an eight-year contract worth upward of $10 million per season.

Tavares, who is recovering from surgery on his right hand and should be ready for the season, is likely encouraged by the club’s signing of Doug Weight as head coach. The two have a close relationship. But Tavares is driven to win, and the Isles failed to make the playoffs in 2017. He needs a sniper on his wing, and this franchise needs arena certainty.

“I’ve known John since he came into the league. He lived with me for a couple years. I trust him. I trust his extension of our coaching,” said Weight recently, citing Tavares’ desire for championships.

“We have to prove to him that we’re gonna be the team to do it, and I’m the coach to do it.”

2. Carey Price

Age on July 1, 2018: 30



Bargaining chips: Gold medallist at the Winter Olympics, World Cup and World Junior Championship. Most important player on the Montreal Canadiens. Winner of the William M. Jennings, Vezina, Ted Lindsay and Hart trophies, as well as the Lou Marsh Award. Career .920 save percentage with 270 wins in 509 appearances.

What the future holds: Re-signing Price and surrounding his franchise goaltender with more potent offensive weapons, starting with a true No. 1 centre, puts a ton of pressure on Habs GM Marc Bergevin to build a championship team and not waste Price’s best years.

“I love playing here. I’m sure we’ll figure something out,” Price reassured the club website on June 6. “Like I said, I want to stay here. I know we’ll figure out a way to make all of the pieces fit and bring a championship here.”

After getting ousted in the first round of the 2017 playoffs due to lack of scoring, Bergevin emphatically said he would not be trading Price.

“We’ll find the means to get [an extension] done,” the GM asserted. “Carey is a main piece to our team.”

Henrik Lundqvist currently carries the highest cap hit for a goaltender at $8.5 million. The starting point of Price’s negotiations should be higher than that.

3. Cam Fowler

Age on July 1, 2018: 26

Position: Defence


Bargaining chips: Selected to 2017 All-Star Game. Posted a career-high 11 goals. Led all Ducks in ice time (26:30) and all Anaheim D-men in points (nine) in the 2017 post-season despite missing the first four games with injury.

What the future holds: Fowler was showered with trade rumours last summer. So much so, he spun the uncertainty into motivation and delivered his best NHL season.

As the youngest impending UFA of 2018, Fowler will still have suitors because he doesn’t hold a no-trade clause and the Ducks are facing a financial quandary with their blue line. But the belief is Fowler has played his way into a long-term contract extension instead. Preliminary negotiations are reportedly underway already.

4. John Carlson


Age on July 1, 2018: 28

Position: Defence


Bargaining chips: World junior gold medallist. Member of Team USA. Washington Capitals‘ ice-time leader at 22:42 per game. Power-play threat. Put up between 32 and 55 points in six straight full seasons.

What the future holds: A skilled and experienced puck-moving, right-shot defenceman under the age of 30? “Yes, please,” says the entire NHL.

While Carlson has been an important fixture in Washington since getting drafted in 2008’s first round, GM Brian MacLellan has his hands full with the 2017 UFA class first. Decisions must be made this summer on Kevin Shattenkirk, Karl Alzner, T.J. Oshie, Justin Williams, Dmitry Orlov and Evgeny Kuznetsov … with Carlson’s next contract in back of mind.

If the Ducks do lock up Fowler, does Carlson pass up a chance to become the undisputed No. 1 UFA defenceman of 2018 and create a lucrative bidding war?

5. James van Riemsdyk

Age on July 1, 2018: 29

Position: Left wing


Bargaining chips: Second-overall pick in 2007. Member of Team USA. Four-time 20-goal scorer, one-time 30-goal man. Coming off his most productive NHL season (62 points). Big body, sick mitts. Belief he can still improve.

What the future holds: Rampant speculation and rumours, as always.

The Maple Leafs’ most dangerous left wing holds a 10-team no-trade list and says he wants to remain with the team long-term, but with JVR’s next contract expected to be a biggie, Toronto may be hesitant to shell out knowing it will soon have to pony up big bucks for younger forwards Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander.

“I’ve loved playing here ever since I came here. How I’ve been treated is great. It’s a place I want to play for as long as I can,” van Riemsdyk said at the end of 2016-17. “Where that takes things, we’ll see what happens. I love playing here. I want to be here.”

Do the Leafs trade the underpaid JVR at some point to bolster their blue line, or do they take one more run with him as a dependable contributor in their top six and sort things out next summer?

“I don’t know what more we could’ve asked of them,” said GM Lou Lamoriello, when we asked about JVR and Tyler Bozak. “They bought into what was being asked of them. They bought into a culture, and they embraced it. They embraced the young players and have tremendous respect for their talents and worked with them.

“The veterans are here for a reason. We went through 45-some players last season, and the players who are here belong in that locker room and are part of the future.”

Sportsnet’s Starting Lineup

6. Kyle Turris

Age on July 1, 2018: 28

Position: Centre


Bargaining chips: Hit 20 goals and 55 points in every season as a Senator with a minimum 60 games played. No. 1 centre for the Eastern Conference finalists. His 27 goals topped all Sens in 2016-17. Showing maturity and improvement with age. Beloved in community.

What the future holds: In a perfect world, the underpaid Turris would love to see his salary reach the heights of teammate Bobby Ryan’s $7.25 million average annual value.

But Ottawa is known to shy away from the cap ceiling, and raises are on the horizon for a number of core players in the next three summers. Between 2017 and 2019, Mark Stone, Cody Ceci, Derick Brassard, Marc

Methot, Erik Karlsson and Craig Anderson could all make cases for a pay bump.

We see Turris as a great fit for a long-term extension here, but the negotiations could be interesting.

7. Marc-Edouard Vlasic

Age on July 1, 2018: 31

Position: Defence


Bargaining chips: Olympic and World Cup gold medallist with Team Canada. One of the best all-around D-men in the world. Second to Brent Burns in Sharks’ time on ice. Makes $3.15 million less than Burns.

What the future holds: Tough decisions for GM Doug Wilson.

Not only must Wilson make calls on 2017 UFAs Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, who are beloved in San Jose, but Vlasic’s next big deal will coincide with free agency of one of the best goalies in the biz (see below).

“I love it here,” Vlasic told Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman earlier this year. “I’m not really a guy who wants to play for three or four teams. I like the city, I like the organization, we’re always competitive. What’s not to like? I want to play my whole career in San Jose.”

Vlasic is younger than Burns, and his stay-at-home, penalty-killing ways complement the Bearded One nicely.

8. Cam Atkinson

Age on July 1, 2018: 29

Position: Right wing


Bargaining chips: Production has increased every season. Scored a career-high 35 goals and 62 points in 2016-17. Played in 2017 All-Star Game.

What the future holds: Atkinson has delivered excellent bang for the Blue Jackets’ buck since he inked his three-year, $10.5-million contract extension in 2015. Columbus is one of the teams most under salary-cap pressure this summer, and the expiration of Atkinson’s contract coincides with that of teammates Boone Jenner, Matt Calvert, William Karlsson, Jack Johnson and Ryan Murray. Something will have to give.

9. Martin Jones

Age on July 1, 2018: 28



Bargaining chips: In two seasons as a starter, Jones has a pair of 35-win campaigns. Career .917 save percentage. Appeared in 2016 Cup Final and 2017 All-Star Game.

What the future holds: With a .935 save percentage and a shutout in the 2017 playoffs, he can hardly be blamed for the Sharks’ early elimination.

Jones is the youngest No. 1 goalie on track to turn UFA in 2018, and GM Wilson says extending the goalie — who would like to stay long-term — is a priority.

Look at Ben Bishop’s recent six-year, $29.5-million contract with the Dallas Stars as a comparable starting point.

10. Mikael Backlund

Age on July 1, 2018: 29

Position: Centre


Bargaining chips: Coming off a career season in which he posted 22 goals, 53 points, a team-high seven game-winners, and entered the Selke conversation. A force on both special teams. Rivals Sean Monahan as the Flames’ best centre.

What the future holds: A lovely raise.


All due respect to Matt Stajan, Freddie Hamilton and Lance Bouma, but the timing of Backlund’s free agency in 2018 shouldn’t conflict with too many other big-ticket extensions. Barring a desire on the player’s part to test the market and seek the most dollars available, Calgary is a fantastic fit in terms of being able to play a prominent role on a promising young team.

We bet 2007 first-rounder Backlund re-ups with the team that drafted him well before the rumour mill gets churning.

11. Paul Stastny

Age on July 1, 2018: 32

Position: Centre


Bargaining chips: No. 1 centre on perennial playoff team. Alternate captain. The Blues’ best faceoff man at 55.7 per cent in 2016-17. Defensively responsible. A lock for 50 points if healthy.

What the future holds: Stastny hit pay dirt as one of the best UFA forwards in 2014, but there’s no way he commands another $7-million-per-year deal with a no-trade clause. That said, the Quebec native is still the best pivot on a strong team. The Blues should be able to keep the playmaker in the fold if both sides want to make a deal. A point of concern: Stastny hasn’t played 75 games in a season since 2011-12 with Colorado.

12. Evander Kane

Age on July 1, 2018: 26

Position: Left wing


Bargaining chips: The youngest UFA forward in 2018, period. In 2016-17, enjoyed his most productive season — 28 goals, 43 points — since 2011-12. Deadly shot. Common belief that he still hasn’t reached his ceiling.

What the future holds: A trade, probably.

Speculation is running rampant that Kane, whose trade value hasn’t been this high in years, has fallen out of favour with Buffalo Sabres ownership and could be moved before his contract expires. The Los Angeles Kings, Friedman reports, are one team interested, and they could use the scoring.

Kane’s next contract (and next team?) is a compelling subject because his off-ice track record isn’t the most positive and he’s already battled through several injuries, yet his skills and athleticism are top notch. We’ve seen many an NHLer mature with age, so there is potential for a steal of a deal here.


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Sportsnet.ca / Subban standing out in a big way on Predators’ vaunted blue line

Andrew Berkshire

June 7, 2017, 4:51 PM

Heading into the Stanley Cup Final, the story was always going to be offence versus defence, and while we’ve had some goaltender controversies mixed in for both teams, so far that dynamic has held true.

Though the series is tied 2-2, it would be tough to argue against the fact that based on the flow of play so far, defence has been winning this battle pretty handily. The Nashville Predators have created more chances, utilized pre-shot movement to a greater degree, and scored more goals, despite the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Matt Murray putting up some excellent performances.

For whatever reason, while the focus is on Nashville’s defensive structure, there has been a lot of debate over who has been its best defender in this Stanley Cup Final, with many amateur analysts giving the nod to P.K. Subban, and many in the media giving credit to Roman Josi.

Ultimately, both players in this series are either facing Evgeni Malkin or Sidney Crosby almost all of the time, and the Predators have been winning both matchups, so I doubt that they care much internally, but let’s look at the defensive aspect of these matchups a little bit.

The Predators have done a good job limiting scoring chances and shots against, but how successful they are at it varies by who is on the ice.

While Subban is on the ice, the Predators give up the fewest scoring chances, shots, and shot attempts of all their defencemen, while the third pairing is the most porous, as you would expect.

Among the top-four group, Josi gives up the most, which is likely a result of his style of play, as he is more of a rover in the offensive zone that forces forwards to cover his position much more than usual, which can lead to him trailing the play when opponents head the other way.

Aside from simple positioning, what players do with the puck on their sticks is a big factor in the chances that end up going against them. To analyze that, we’ll look at two different metrics: pass success rate in each zone, and turnover rates in each zone. When looking at pass success rates, the higher the percentage the better, and for turnover rates the lower the better.

Essentially what we’re looking for here is how often opponents get opportunities because of misplays by each player, the kinds of plays onlookers would identify as risky.

Not surprisingly, based on the scoring chance numbers, Subban boasts the highest pass success rate on the team in two of three zones, and the highest overall by 10 per cent, along with the lowest turnover rate in every zone.

One thing to note here is that while Josi is the riskiest of the Predators’ top-four in terms of his positioning, his play with the puck on his stick isn’t especially risky. He does have a fairly high failure rate on passes in the neutral zone, as does Ryan Ellis, but both players prefer to skate the puck through the neutral zone so that isn’t really a problem for them.

Similarly, Josi isn’t a turnover machine with the puck. It’s been Mattias Ekholm more than anyone else in the top-four group that has struggled to move the puck, partly because teams have focused on forechecking him hard as he’s seen as the weakest pure puck-mover of the four.

What really stands out here is simply how efficient Subban has been with the puck on his stick, and how that has made things easier for everyone he plays with. For whatever reason, though, we still hear Subban spoken of as a risky player, even by those who will admit that his defending without the puck has been top notch.

The conversation surrounding Subban in Canadian media has always been weird, with a large contingent of respected journalists who refuse to recognize his great play without a qualifier of some kind. Whether that has to do with the strength of his team, too much offence, or too little, there’s always something.

The facts we have available show that even though Subban’s team is clearly strong, he stands out in a big way, has been the complete opposite of risky, and his team has significantly more success with him on the ice than off of it despite Peter Laviolette constantly giving his pairing the heavier matchups.

Why is it that so many can’t just appreciate Subban and Josi for what they are? These are two special players with very different styles of play, though it’s interesting that the exact things certain people criticize Subban for are the weaknesses in Josi’s game. Sometimes the eye test isn’t very helpful.


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Sportsnet.ca / Pittsburgh Penguins can’t find a way out of their own zone

Dimitri Filipovic

@DimFilipovic

June 7, 2017, 1:49 PM

While the current score of the series would present the illusion that the Stanley Cup Final has been evenly matched, peeling back a superficial layer and looking at how things have unfolded at even strength paints a contradictory picture.


The ice has been tilted in favour of the Predators for nearly the entirety of the first four games – at five-on-five they’ve been responsible for 55.7 per cent of the attempts, 56.8 per cent of the shots on goal, and 56.5 per cent of the scoring chances.

Assuming Pekka Rinne’s improved play in Games 3 and 4 really is an indication that his disastrous implosion to start the series is in the rearview mirror, history suggests that the Predators should like their chances should they continue to control the run of play to this degree.

Of the major storylines highlighted as worth keeping an eye out for in the prelude to the series, one of the more compelling ones from an Xs and Os perspective was the battle for neutral zone supremacy set to be conducted between the patchwork Penguins defence group and the tenacious Predators forecheck.

With each passing game, the importance of that particular head-to-head matchup has become more and more apparent, as Pittsburgh’s inability to get out of its own way and in turn its own zone has oscillated between amusing and downright cringeworthy depending on your personal threshold for slapstick comedy.

Suffice it to say that’s been a dramatic 180 from the team we saw last year, which used its distinctive ability to play fast and make things of consequence happen as soon as it got on the puck to run opponents off of the ice en route to winning the Stanley Cup. Here’s an excerpt of what I wrote about the fits they were giving other teams at the time:

“The Penguins are an interesting case study here. When their defencemen do attempt to make a breakout, they’ve developed quite the affinity for the “alley-oop” play where the puck is lobbed high in the air towards an open sheet of ice for the forward to go and retrieve it.

While I’m generally not a huge fan of the play, Pittsburgh’s personnel and the tempo they execute the play with gives them a chance to convert a higher percentage of those plays than your average team. There’s very little hesitation with their decision-making and their north-south movement, which makes it next to impossible for the opposition to set up its defensive shell. The Penguins have proven to be an entirely different animal, and no one has been able to find an answer for neutralizing them.”

They’ve predictably proven to be a much more manageable problem to solve without the aforementioned Kris Letang in the lineup, struggling mightily to string together enough passes to successfully transition from one zone to the next. The resulting zone exit numbers spanning this year’s post-season run aren’t pretty – nary a Penguins defenceman has moved the puck across the blue line while maintaining possession on at least half of his respective tries, with most falling well short:

(All of the data was tracked by yours truly. You can read up on it more here if you feel so inclined. As a quick explainer: an exit with possession is one where the defenceman either carries the puck out of their own zone successfully or completes a pass to a teammate, whereas a failed exit is one that results in the puck staying in the defensive zone, either due to a turnover or an icing call.)

The effects of their No. 1 defenceman’s absence can’t be overstated here. Beyond just the obvious loss of everything he directly contributes himself, there’s also a cascading effect that plucking him from the lineup has on everyone else in the pecking order as well.

I’d posit that it’s almost certainly not a coincidence that his regular defence partner Brian Dumoulin’s play has dropped off in the process. With opposing forecheckers not having to account for Letang’s unique speed and skill, the margin for error has shrunk dramatically now that he has less time and space to operate with.

Unfortunately, the bigger overarching issue is that he’s hardly been the only one in the ground having a rough go of it this post-season.

Olli Maatta was once considered a blue-chip prospect, but presumably because of the unfortunate string of injuries and health concerns that have plagued him he hasn’t developed nearly the way he was expected to. Whether he’s had the puck on his stick or just too busy been chasing it, he’s managed to continue being a total adventure in his own zone every step of the way:

Dumoulin’s new partner, Ron Hainsey, is a fine enough depth defenceman when used in moderation and on specific occasions. But out of necessity he’s being asked to do too much at this stage of his career, and he’s wilted under those demands. He’s emblematic of the dire situation the Penguins find themselves in on the blue line, where

everyone is suddenly being relied upon to step up and shoulder a workload that they’re ill-equipped to succeed under.

No one has struggled more than he has to break out with possession of the puck, with those attempts all too frequently being grenades off his stick that either:

• immediately result in a turnover:

• act as aimless clears without any particular target in mind. Those attempts technically leave the defensive zone and get out of harm’s way, but also inevitably wind up coming right back, presenting a new set of challenges to deal with for the same defenders who are now tired and scrambling:

The overall inability to successfully switch gears from defence to offence on a consistent basis is hardly a new thing for this unit. It’s something that’s been building for a while now, but because they’ve been able to bridge the gap and get by in other ways it ultimately hasn’t mattered.

Until they ran into this specific Predators squad that’s perfectly constructed to feast on those errant breakout attempts with an escalating frequency. Whereas Ottawa’s vaunted 1-3-1 did an admirable job of slowing the Penguins down through the neutral zone and forcing possession changes, Nashville’s aggressive pressure has taken it a step further by directly converting into dangerous scoring chances and goals.

Which is why it’ll be fascinating to see what adjustments Mike Sullivan and his coaching staff make to try to reverse course and tend to these issues in advance of Game 5. I’d suggest Mark Streit as an in-house option that could provide a different puck-moving dynamic if given the chance, but there’s presumably a reason he’s been sitting up in the press box eating popcorn for the majority of this post-season even as this current group has stumbled all over itself.

One other wrinkle worth exploring might be the idea of throwing their floundering defencemen a life raft in the form of having their forwards make a concerted effort to sag back deeper in the zone and help facilitate the breakout themselves:

While it looks pretty when it works, it’s not without its flaws as a breakout scheme either. It’s a lot to ask of your forwards physically, and it also run the risk of devolving into one attempted herculean solo effort after another which becomes easier to hone in on and defend.

Though to be fair if anyone is able to pull it off anyway it’s Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. And at the very least you’re putting the puck and your fate as a team in your best players’ hands and living with the result, whatever that may be.

Whichever route the Penguins do decide to go, it’s rather clear that status quo is no longer a tenable option. It’s imperative that they find a way to throw a wrench into Nashville’s punishing forecheck and even out an ice surface that’s tilted in the one direction as currently constructed, or risk seeing it be their eventual undoing.

They’ve got the weapons up front, now it’s just a matter of whether they’ll be able to load them up with the ammunition necessary to allow them to be used the way they were intended to be.


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Sportsnet.ca / Canucks announce Travis Green’s full coaching staff for 2017-18

Sportsnet Staff

@Sportsnet

June 7, 2017, 1:37 PM

The Vancouver Canucks revealed Travis Green’s full coaching staff on Wednesday.

Newell Brown and Nolan Baumgartner join the team as assistant coaches, with Doug Jarvis and Manny Malhotra’s roles being expanded into the same capacity. Dan Cloutier will continue as goaltending coach, as will Ben Cooper as video coach. Glenn Carnegie has been given an expanded role as the team’s skill coach.

“We are excited to add Newell and Nolan as assistant coaches for the upcoming season and to welcome them and their families back to Vancouver,” Green said in a team statement. “They both possess a


familiarity with our staff and we are confident they will be a great fit and complement our returning coaches.

“We are also pleased to announce expanded roles and responsibilities for both Glenn and Manny. We feel fortunate to have this group assembled, that also includes Doug, Dan and Ben, as they each play an integral part in further developing our young team.”

According to the team’s release, Brown and Baumgartner will be in charge of forwards and defencemen, respectively, as well as the power play and penalty kill. Jarvis and Malholtra will assume additional responsibilities as assistant coaches. Carnegie will now be in charge of developing prospects, while Cloutier and Cooper’s roles remain similar to last season.

This will be Brown’s second stint in Vancouver after serving as an assistant coach under Alain Vigneault from from 2010-13. Baumgartner joins the Canucks from Vancouver’s AHL affiliate in Utica, where he coached alongside Green and led the Comets to a 155-110-29 record in 304 games and a Calder Cup final appearance in 2015. Before coaching, Baumgartner played pro for 17 years, appearing in 143 NHL games, 99 with the Canucks.

Green became head coach of the Canucks in late April after the dismissal of Willie Desjardins. The 46-year-old spent four years behind the bench in Utica.


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Sportsnet.ca / Injured defenceman Kris Letang skates ahead of Penguins practice

Emily Sadler

June 7, 2017, 11:32 AM

Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman Kris Letang was seen skating at the team’s facility Wednesday morning, a hopeful sign two months after undergoing surgery to repair a herniated disc in his neck.

Letang has missed the entire post-season, instead contributing to the club’s Stanley Cup run through more of a coaching capacity.

The star blue-liner was officially ruled out on April 5—the initial timeline stated he was expected to be out 4-6 months, even putting 2017-18 training camp in doubt—and Pittsburgh head coach Mike Sullivan clearly reiterated on Tuesday that Letang will not be playing any time soon.

The Penguins are back at home for Game 5 of the Cup Final against the Nashville Predators with the series tied at two apiece after losing back-to-back games in Nashville and squandering a two-game series lead.


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TSN.CA / Leipold: I wish we hadn't traded for Hanzal

TSN.ca Staff

The Minnesota Wild attempted to load up for a deep playoff run by acquiring Martin Hanzal and Ryan White from the Arizona Coyotes in February.

Hanzal scored one goal in the five playoff games, White played in only three games, failing to register a point as the Wild were eliminated in five games by the St. Louis Blues.

Wild owner Craig Leipold said he approved of the trade to acquire the two veterans, but now wishes the team had stood pat.

“In hindsight, geez, I wish we wouldn’t have done that,” Leipold told the Minneapolis Star Tribune on Wednesday. “I supported that decision at the time, and I’m willing to live with it.”

The Wild traded a 2017 first-round pick and a 2018 second-round pick along with AHL forward Grayson Downing and a conditional fourth-round pick to the Arizona Coyotes for Hanzal, White and a fourth-round pick in February. Both players are set to hit free agency this summer.

As a result of the Hanzal-White trade and the 2015 trade which brought Chris Stewart to Minnesota, the Wild do not own a pick in either of the first two rounds of June's entry draft.

The Wild have made the playoffs in each of the past five seasons, but have failed to advance past the second round. Minnesota has exited in the first round in each of the past two seasons.

“I’m not satisfied where we are,” Leipold said. “In my feeling with the playoffs, we took a step back, and we never expected that. We didn’t think that was going to happen, so it’s causing us to think, ‘What do we need to do?’

“But I’m still … I like our team, I like the way it’s built. Sure, there’s some issues that we need to address, and we will. But I’m not disappointed with our team. I’m disappointed with how we ended the season.”

Despite his feelings in hindsight on the Hanzal trade, Leipold backed general manager Chuck Fletcher, saying Fletcher's contract does not expire soon enough that he needs to worry about signing him to an extension.

The Wild face plenty of questions this offseason and face the prospect of losing a key player to the Vegas expansion draft.

TSN.CA LOADED: 06.08.2017

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TSN.CA / Craig’s List: Hischier edges Patrick in final ranking

By Craig Button

Halifax Mooseheads centre Nico Hischier’s slight edge over Brandon Wheat Kings centre Nolan Patrick in the dynamic skill department is the reason he sits atop the final edition of Craig’s List ahead of the 2017 NHL Draft.

The Swiss pivot put up 86 points in 57 QMJHL games this season, demonstrating his high-end potential to be an elite player at the NHL level. The New Jersey Devils have a chance to add a smart, skilled centre to their rebuilding effort with the top pick June 23 at the United Center in Chicago.

Patrick’s season-long struggle with injuries has been well documented, but that didn’t factor into my final analysis. I’ve been watching Patrick since he was 15, and he’s shown every indication that he’ll be an elite centre at the pro level. Even though Patrick missed more games (43) than he played in (33) this year, he still had 46 points in the regular season. That came on the heels of a 102-point season with Brandon in 2015-16 as a 17-year-old.

The top defenceman on my list is Cale Makar of the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Brooks Bandits. Our No. 3 prospect’s playing style reminds me a lot of Ottawa Senators captain Erik Karlsson. Makar is a dynamic defenceman (75 points in 54 regular-season games, 18 points in 13 playoff games) who can make things happen seemingly out of nothing.

The Top 5 is rounded out by Portland Winterhawks centre Cody Glass, who had 94 points in 69 games during the regular season and reminds me of Winnipeg Jets star Mark Scheifele, and Finnish defenceman Miro Heiskanen, who plays a style that is no flash, all substance. Heiskanen is a steadying presence who rarely makes a mistake and operates with a high degree of efficiency.

Windsor Spitfires centre Gabe Vilardi, fresh off a Memorial Cup win where he had seven points in four games, lands at No. 6 in our final rankings. His blend of skill and size make him a real pain to defend against.

Speedy Czech centre Martin Necas is our No. 7 prospect, followed by Swedish pivot Elias Pettersson, who is a highly creative offensive player. One of the leading scorers in the Swedish Allsvenskan (41 points in 43 games), Pettersson keeps proving he’s a high-end player. Like Henrik Zetterberg at the same age, Pettersson just needs to mature physically to get the most out of his considerable skill.

Smart and versatile American centre Casey Mittelstadt and Swedish defenceman Timothy Liljegren round out the Top 10.

TSN.CA LOADED: 06.08.2017

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