sport-scan daily briefkings.nhl.com/v2/ext/sport scan/09.14.2016 nhlc.pdf · 2016-09-14 ·...

SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 9/14/2016

Anaheim Ducks 1023837 Shea Theodore, Nick Ritchie and newest first-round picks highlight Ducks rookie camp Arizona Coyotes 1023838 Arizona Coyotes training camp practice schedule Boston Bruins 1023839 Tuukka Rask in unusual position at World Cup of Hockey 1023840 Team USA tops Finland in World Cup exhibition finale 1023841 Harris: Ryan Spooner knows he needs to improve all-around game 1023842 Bruins Notebook: Young blueliners have chance 1023843 Kevan Miller wants to ‘be himself’ after signing big deal with Bruins 1023844 Haggerty: Bruins searching for answers on defense - could Colin Miller be one? 1023845 Heinen ready for long look from Bruins after leaving world of college hockey

Buffalo Sabres 1023846 O'Reilly added to Team Canada roster for World Cup Calgary Flames 1023847 Monahan "taking it easy" preparing for Flames main camp 1023848 Flames first-round pick putting in early work with the team 1023849 Flames Young Stars roster announced, schedule released 1023850 Flames centre Sean Monahan slowly ramping up for camp after off-season injury Carolina Hurricanes 1023851 Nestrasil gets his (golf) swings in Chicago Blackhawks 1023852 Blackhawks' Jonathan Toews says he's primed for rebound season 1023853 Scott Darling unveils Wayne's World-inspired goalie mask Colorado Avalanche 1023854 Colorado Avalanche Rookie Camp, Showcase, roster, dates and practice information

Columbus Blue Jackets 1023855 Hockey | Blue Jackets' Dubinsky honored to represent United States

Dallas Stars 1023856 Tyler Seguin pulled out of World Cup of Hockey;; Stars to 'take a safe approach' with forward

Detroit Red Wings 1023857 Red Wings' Jonathan Ericsson battling hip ailment, lack of confidence 1023858 Wings’ Helm, Blashill patch up their differences 1023859 Brainy Red Wings prospect Kyle Criscuolo relies on speed to overcome lack of size 1023860 Red Wings' Jonathan Ericsson trying to regain confidence while managing hip issue 1023861 World Cup roundup: U.S. edges Finland in final tuneup 1023862 Helm happy to be back in ‘similar role' Edmonton Oilers 1023863 Jason Gregor: Good news for the Edmonton Oilers — Ryan Nugent-Hopkins looks like he's returning to form at the Florida Panthers 1023864 Panthers rookie defenseman Mike Matheson taking nothing for granted 1023865 Goal for Panthers backup goalie Reto Berra hasn't changed

Las Vegas 1023866 Bill Foley has his NHL team name, the Knights, but he’s not saying what kind of Knights they’ll be Los Angeles Kings 1023867 After back surgery, Nolan cleared and ready to contribute Minnesota Wild 1023868 Hockey players lobby Congress on issue of head injuries 1023869 U.S. edges Finland in World Cup tuneup Montreal Canadiens 1023870 Canadiens announce roster, schedule for rookie camp 1023871 Canadiens’ rookie camp opens Thursday 1023872 Rough beginning for Max Pacioretty and season hasn’t even started 1023873 Carey Price gets another start in Team Canada’s final World Cup tuneup game Nashville Predators 1023874 Metro to study condition, future costs of Nissan Stadium, Bridgestone Arena

New Jersey Devils 1023875 Ex-Devil Bryce Salvador opens up about rehab from slap shot to the face 1023876 Patrik Elias still uncertain about return to Devils, report says 1023877 Shero: No timetable for making a decision on Elias, nothing "imminent" in terms of extending PTOs 1023878 Devils GM: 'No deadline' to make decision on a Patrik Elias return

Ottawa Senators 1023879 Stamkos reveals what makes Senators coach Guy Boucher tick

Philadelphia Flyers 1023880 Wayne Simmonds says early-arriving Flyers ready to build off last year 1023881 Ron Hextall: Claude Giroux 'fine' after hit in World Cup exhibition 1023882 Why Ron Hextall is fine with Claude Giroux in World Cup Pittsburgh Penguins 1023883 Rossi: For Pittsburgh hockey, Bettman deserves a world of thanks 1023884 Murray not focusing on Penguins' goalie competition 1023885 Sid, Geno ready to face off in World Cup exhibition 1023886 Penguins Prospectus: Evgeni Malkin 1023887 Murray expects questions but knows Penguins goalie situation is out of his control 1023888 Learn a little more about World Cup of Hockey teams playing in Pittsburgh 1023889 World Cup of Hockey: Is it Team North America or Team Pittsburgh? 1023890 Franchise centers Crosby and Malkin ready for clash at Consol Energy Center San Jose Sharks 1023891 Sharks’ Joe Pavelski named USA captain for World Cup of Hockey 1023892 Sharks GM Doug Wilson to be inducted into San Jose Sports Hall of Fame 1023893 Rookie Meier could be in Sharks opening night lineup 1023894 Sharks notes: Rookie camp schedule;; Wilson honoured St Louis Blues 1023895 Blues invite six players to camp on tryouts 1023896 Blues are well-represented at World Cup of Hockey Tampa Bay Lightning 1023897 Tyler Johnson reports 'stronger than I've ever been'

Toronto Maple Leafs 1023898 Leafs defenceman Roman Polak is ‘heart and soul’ of Czech team 1023899 Playing in World Cup gives Auston Matthews 'head start' 1023900 Calder hopes, rookie rivalries and Toronto’s media circus: Auston Matthews gears up for life in the NHL Vancouver Canucks 1023907 No pity party for Cassels as Canucks centre finally healthy 1023908 Sheppard provides level of intrigue as Canucks extend

three PTOs 1023909 Canucks invite Tuomo Ruutu, James Sheppard to training camp

Washington Capitals 1023901 After a standout season with Capitals, Matt Niskanen plays his way onto Team USA 1023902 CAPS PLAYERS PUT ON A SHOW FOR HOME CROWD IN USA EXHIBITION WIN OVER FINLAND 1023903 NO 'FEEL GOOD SHOTS' FOR BRADEN HOLTBY DURING TEAM CANADA PRACTICES Websites 1023912 Sportsnet.ca / World Cup Takeaways: USA 3, Finland 2 1023913 Sportsnet.ca / Captain Serious no MORE: Toews goes beyond the game 1023914 Sportsnet.ca / Down Goes Brown: Imagining past Team North Americas 1023915 Sportsnet.ca / Unsigned hype: 10 key restricted free agents still need a deal 1023916 Sportsnet.ca / P.K. Subban steps on the ice with the Nashville Predators 1023917 Sportsnet.ca / Why Team USA ‘needs more’ out of Max Pacioretty 1023918 Sportsnet.ca / Lavoie: Pacioretty’s leadership not a problem 1023919 TSN.CA / Craig’s List: Nolan Patrick stands above the rest 1023920 TSN.CA / Shaw’s declining shooting percentage raises question marks

Winnipeg Jets 1023904 Jets roster set for Young Stars Classic tourney 1023905 Skill to left of him, talent to right, Little in middle with whom? 1023906 Laine tops latest Jets' prospect list SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129

1023837 Anaheim Ducks

Shea Theodore, Nick Ritchie and newest first-round picks highlight Ducks rookie camp

By ERIC STEPHENS / STAFF WRITER

The Ducks will open their rookie camp Thursday at Anaheim Ice with other practice sessions on Friday and Saturday before taking part in the 2016 Rookie Showcase outside Denver.

First-round draft picks Max Jones and Sam Steel along with top prospects Shea Theodore, Nick Ritchie and Brandon Montour will be among the 22 players in camp. Thursday’s session is at 1:30 p.m., with Friday beginning at 10 a.m. and Saturday starting at 9:30 a.m.

Following the three practices, the Ducks will head to Westminster, Colo., to play against Colorado’s top rookies on Sunday at noon and then face San Jose on Monday at 1 p.m.

Twelve forwards, eight defensemen and two goaltenders will make up the rookie roster. The Ducks will then open their main training camp next week, with players reporting for their physicals on Sept. 22 and the first on-ice sessions at Anaheim Ice on Sept. 23.

Individual tickets for the 2016-17 regular season home games will go on sale Thursday at the Ducks' team website, by phone through Ticketmaster and the Honda Center box office. The team will have a celebration for the 10th anniversary of its Stanley Cup on March 12, prior to hosting Washington.

2016 DUCKS ROOKIE CAMP ROSTER (Jersey number in parentheses)

Left wings

Max Jones (46), Nic Kerdiles (58), Kalle Kossila (83), Nick Ritchie (37), Kevin Roy (63)

Centers

Alex Dostie (57), Tyler Morley (60), Julius Nattinen (52), Tyler Soy (85), Sam Steel (49)

Right wings

Deven Sideroff (65), Nick Sorensen (59)

Defensemen

Brian Cooper (56), Josh Mahura (76), Jaycob Megna (75), Brandon Montour (71), Darian Skeoch (88), Shea Theodore (53), Keaton Thompson (66), Andy Welinski (73)

Goaltenders

Kevin Boyle (68), Antoine Samuel (79)

Orange County Register: LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023838 Arizona Coyotes

Arizona Coyotes training camp practice schedule

Sarah McLellan, azcentral sports 3:10 p.m. MST September 13, 2016

Arizona Coyotes clean out lockers

Coyotes 2016 training camp schedule

All training camp practices at Gila River Arena are free and open to the public. Fans should enter through Gate #3/Security entrance.

Friday, Sept. 23

Team A

9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. - On-Ice Practice

Team B

noon - 1:30 p.m. - On-Ice Practice

Team C

2:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. - On-Ice Practice

Saturday, Sept. 24

Team A


Team B


Team C

noon - 1:30 p.m. - On-Ice Practice

Sunday, Sept. 25

Team A


Team B

noon - 1:45 p.m. - On-Ice Scrimmage vs. Team C

Team C

noon - 1:45 p.m. - On-Ice Scrimmage vs. Team B

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Monday, Sept. 26

Team A - Home Game Players

10:30 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. - Pre-Game Skate

7 p.m. - Game vs. Los Angeles Kings - Gila River Arena

Team B - Los Angeles Players

11:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. - Pregame Skate

7:30 p.m. - Game at Los Angeles Kings - Staples Center

Tuesday, Sept. 27

Team A

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. - On-Ice Practice

Team B - Anaheim Players

11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. - Pre-Game Skate - Honda Center

7 p.m. - Game at Anaheim Ducks - Honda Center

Wednesday, Sept. 28

Day off

Thursday, Sept. 29

Team A

10:30 a.m. - noon - On-Ice Practice

Team B


Friday, Sept. 30

Team A

9 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. - On-Ice Practice

Team B - San Jose Players

11 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Pre-Game Skate - Gila River Arena

7:30 p.m. - Game at San Jose Sharks - SAP Center

Saturday, Oct. 1

Team A - Home Game Players

10 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. - Pre-Game Skate

6 p.m. - Game vs. Anaheim Ducks - Gila River Arena

Team B - Non-Game Players

11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. - On-Ice Practice

Sunday, Oct. 2

All Players

noon-1 p.m. - On-Ice Practice - ICE Den Scottsdale

3 p.m. - Depart to Vancouver

Monday, Oct. 3

11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. - Pre-Game Skate - Rogers Arena

7 p.m. - Game at Vancouver Canucks - Rogers Arena

Tuesday, Oct. 4

TBD - Practice in Calgary

Wednesday, Oct. 5

11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. - Pre-Game Skate

7 p.m. - Game at Calgary Flames - Scotiabank Saddledome

Thursday, Oct. 6

Day off

Friday, Oct. 7

10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. - Pre-Game Skate - ICE Den Scottsdale

7 p.m. - Game vs. San Jose Sharks - Gila River Arena

Saturday, Oct. 8

11 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. - On-Ice Practice - Gila River Arena

Arizona Republic LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023839 Boston Bruins

Tuukka Rask in unusual position at World Cup of Hockey

By Fluto Shinzawa September 13, 2016

WASHINGTON — Tuukka Rask felt good. In his first World Cup of Hockey exhibition appearance against Sweden last Saturday, Rask saw the puck well and moved confidently in his crease.

Results are results, however, and the bottom line was not good for Rask: five goals allowed on 28 shots in Finland’s 6-3 loss to Sweden, which included an empty-netter. Never mind that two of the first three goals flicked off the stick of ex-teammate Loui Eriksson from point-blank range on the power play (including one two-man advantage). Or that the third, a Patric Hornqvist fling from the corner, glanced off Finnish defenseman Sami Vatanen and skittered past Rask.

In international tournaments, coaches require hot goalies. So in Tuesday’s exhibition finale, Team Finland coach Lauri Marjamaki gave Rask a seat on the bench against Team USA in favor of Pekka Rinne (13 saves on 15 shots in the Finns’ 3-2 overtime win over the Swedes on Thursday). The US won, 3-2.

“I felt like I was moving very good,” Rask said. “My angles were pretty good. It was a good start. Although you let in five goals, you try and take the positive out of it and see what you could have done better.”

Rask has experienced peaks and valleys in international competition. He was Finland’s ace in the 2014 Olympics. Rask was in goal for Finland’s quarterfinal win over the Russians. Rask earned the win in the bronze-medal game against Team USA. But Rask was sick for the semifinals against the hated Swedes. With Kari Lehtonen in goal, Sweden won, 2-1.

It wasn’t the first time a sickness felled Rask. Before the Bruins’ must-win regular-season finale last season against Ottawa, Rask reported ill to TD Garden. In warm-ups, Rask mostly took a knee at center ice. He was too sick to watch Jonas Gustavsson get the unexpected start and flame out in a 6-1 embarrassment.

“It was tough for a couple weeks,” Rask said. “You can’t control when you get sick. That’s just life, you know? It was tough for a couple weeks. Then you move on from that and start working out, get ready for a good summer. I skated a lot this summer. I’m feeling pretty good on the ice and off the ice.”

The end may not have been so disastrous had Rask and his teammates taken care of business at the beginning. Had the Bruins recorded 1 point in their first three games of 2015-16, they would have qualified for the playoffs.

But train wrecks were stopping to watch the Bruins thunder off the rails at the start of the season. They lost the opener to Winnipeg, 6-2. Two nights later, the Canadiens claimed a 4-2 win. The Bruins completed the opening homestand with a 6-3 loss to Tampa Bay. Following the zero-point wobble, Rask had an .846 save percentage.

Rask’s numbers reflected a defense unfit for NHL standards. Future buyout target Dennis Seidenberg was unavailable because of back surgery. The Bruins thought so little of Matt Irwin’s first two games that they waived the former UMass-Amherst defenseman, never to be seen in Boston again. Zach Trotman, Joe Morrow, and Colin Miller didn’t do much to earn guaranteed ice time through the first three games.

But Rask’s save percentage also said he wasn’t ready for NHL action either. For whatever reason, Rask didn’t feel comfortable when the regular season began. Rask termed some of the goals he allowed as unusual. When that happens, Rask usually isn’t square to shooters or seeing pucks well.

“It’s the last thing you want to have happen,” Rask said. “Good starts are always important. Last year especially, I think we got off to a pretty bad start, myself especially. That’s something you want to change.”

Rask ($7 million per season through 2021) is tied with Rinne as the third-highest paid goalie in the league. Only Henrik Lundqvist ($8.5 million annually) and Sergei Bobrovsky ($7.425 million) have plumper paychecks. Rask (31-22-8, 2.56 goals-against average, .915 save percentage) submitted some hot stretches last season, but overall, did not play up to his salary’s requirements. In comparison, shortlived Bruin Martin Jones ($3 million annually) went 37-23-4 with a 2.27 GAA and a .918 save percentage, albeit behind a far stouter San Jose roster.

The Bruins have not made significant improvements on the back end. They project to break camp with a depth chart of Zdeno Chara, Colin Miller, Torey Krug, Kevan Miller, John-Michael Liles, Adam McQuaid, and Morrow. Both Millers should be better this year given their age. But the NHL is not kind to 39-year-old defensemen like Chara or 35-year-old blue liners like Liles.

This means the Bruins will expect their usual Vezina Trophy standard from Rask. He won the award in 2014 after going 36-15-6 with a 2.04 GAA and a .930 save percentage. Rask is hoping a good showing at the World Cup will be the launchpad he needs when the real games begin.

“You want to be in the best game shape as possible going into the regular season,” Rask said. “You don’t know who’s going to be playing most of the games. But even if you’re not playing, you get really good practices. You make sure you’re ready for the rest of training camp when you go home. I think that’s the biggest thing for me. I just want to be really, really ready when the regular season starts. I think this will be a huge help.”

Boston Globe LOADED: 09.14.2016


Team USA tops Finland in World Cup exhibition finale

By Fluto Shinzawa

WASHINGTON — Tuukka Rask and David Backes made it through the World Cup of Hockey’s three-game exhibition segment with the most important thing accomplished: staying healthy.

Rask backed up Pekka Rinne in Team Finland’s 3-2 loss to the Americans at the Verizon Center. David Backes centered Team USA’s fourth line between Justin Abdelkader and defenseman-turned-right wing Dustin Byfuglien. Backes was a healthy scratch for the Yanks’ second exhibition game against Team Canada.

T.J. Oshie, Ryan Kesler, and Derek Stepan scored for the US. Hotshot Patrik Laine, the second overall pick in 2016, and Jussi Jokinen scored for Finland in the third on Jonathan Quick. But the former UMass-Amherst goalie was otherwise airtight, locking up the starting job when the games start for real in Toronto. Quick stopped 30 of 32 shots and turned back a six-on-four power play at the end of regulation.

The Americans will kick off the preliminary round at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre Saturday against Team Europe, the hodge-podge collection of players who do not call Sweden, Russia, Finland, or the Czech Republic home. The Finns play Sunday against North America, the overwhelming assembly of under-23 Canadian and American prodigies.

Based on exhibition play, it appears Rask will start the tournament as Finland’s No. 2 to Rinne. Rask allowed five goals to Sweden in his lone exhibition appearance.

Zdeno Chara and Team Europe will play Sweden Wednesday in Washington. In Pittsburgh, David Pastrnak and the Czechs will square off against the North Americans in a matinee. On Wednesday night, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and the Canadians will take on Team Russia in the final exhibition game. Canada will be without ex-Bruin Tyler Seguin, who will miss the entire tournament because of a lower-body injury. Seguin was replaced by Ryan O’Reilly.

Boston Globe LOADED: 09.14.2016


Harris: Ryan Spooner knows he needs to improve all-around game

Stephen Harris Tuesday, September 13, 2016

BOLTON — Based solely on statistics, Bruins third-line center Ryan Spooner was fairly successful last season — his first campaign spent entirely in the NHL.

In 80 games, Spooner’s production of 13 goals and 36 assists — including 17 on power-play points — made him a potent supplementary threat after top centermen Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci.

But there is far more to this sport than points, and it speaks well of Spooner’s character that he knows he can be — and has to be — a much better all-around player than he was in 2015-16.

That’s especially true since the Bruins have added ex-St. Louis star David Backes — who could play at center or on the wing — and veterans Riley Nash and Dominic Moore, both with ample experience in the middle, meaning Spooner may have to fight for his job at center or make a switch to left wing.

“I could be here for 20 minutes and tell you all the things I need to work on, all the things I’m not great at,” said Spooner as he awaited his tee time at yesterday’s Bruins Foundation golf tournament at The International.

“It’s little parts of my game: Faceoffs (42.76 win rate last year), strength, defensive play — which I think has improved. But I still have a lot of work to do.”

Spooner, 24, seemed to fall out of favor in the final weeks of last season. A key orchestrator and creator on the B’s dominant power play in the early months, he saw his PP time decrease down the stretch — and the club’s man-advantage production with it.

“I wasn’t very happy with the last month,” he said. “I don’t think I played badly — I just didn’t produce (and) the line didn’t produce. That’s going to happen, but it was just crappy timing at the end of the year. If that happens in October or something, it’s not a big deal;; it was just the timing was bad.

“As a whole, yeah, (last season) was lot of ups and downs, but I feel like I’m maturing as a player, getting a lot better in the spots I need to improve on. I’ve still got a lot to improve on. That’s kind of where I’m at now.”

Spooner, who spent 21⁄∕2 weeks visiting Europe this offseason (Amsterdam, Prague, Spain) will go to B’s training camp next week not knowing what position he’ll play. Apparently, the B’s brass isn’t sure, either.

“I’m not sure what’s going to happen there,” said Spooner. “I saw they picked up a few centermen. But at the end of the day it’s not going to change too much for me;; I’m just going to go out and play. I’m not too worried about it. If they want to play me on wing, I’ll play there. If they want to play me at center, I’ll play there.

“Obviously, I’ve said it before: I prefer to play in the middle of the ice. I feel I’m better there. But it’s not my decision. I’m just here to play (and) help out.

“I asked (GM Don) Sweeney what he thought the plan was for the year, and he said he didn’t really know: I just had to come to camp and play. I guess I’ll find out.”

Spooner’s offseason work included some work on a key wingers’ task: Controlling and clearing ringed-around pucks in the defensive zone. But he mostly focused on the skills of a center.

“I prepared like I was going to be playing in the middle of the ice, for the most part, because I wasn’t told that I would be on the wing,” said Spooner.

That meant a lot of practice in the faceoff circle.

“I worked on my faceoffs a lot,” said Spooner. “That was something I wasn’t very good at last season, so I tried to focus on that. Again, for me, being a smaller guy, (it’s) the strength part and all of that.

“I’d like to be up around 50 (percent). All the (B’s) centermen are above 50 percent, so me being the only guy below that, it kind of stuck out.”

Indeed, Spooner has to prove to coach Claude Julien that he’ll get more physically involved and be more trustworthy on the defensive side of the puck.

Boston Herald LOADED: 09.14.2016


Bruins Notebook: Young blueliners have chance

Stephen Harris Tuesday, September 13, 2016

BOLTON - — It’s no secret many Bruins critics have expressed doubts about the depth and quality of the team’s defensemen.

At the Bruins Foundation golf tournament yesterday, general manager Don Sweeney addressed that criticism and expressed hope at least one young defenseman will step up during training camp and demonstrate NHL readiness.

The candidates include junior products Brandon Carlo and Jeremy Lauzon, former Boston University star Matt Grzelcyk and Yale’s Rob O’Gara.

“I don’t think it’s unrealistic,” Sweeney said about the chance of a youngster making the team. “I don’t think we want to put all that pressure and expectation on any one individual.

“The (overall blue-line) group is exciting, whether (it’s) players on the horizon or current players. The group that’s coming back is somewhat galvanized, (and they) realize that they’ve been picked apart a little bit. As a team, we need to be better in that regard.

“Collectively, as a team, we struggled in some areas defensively. We have some areas we need to address. That won’t be any one individual. It’s a group-wide thing. The group had moments last year when it was very good. Can they continue to grow from that, whether it’s Colin (Miller) or Joe (Morrow), John-Michael (Liles) coming back for a full year? We may have to spread around some ice time with (Zdeno Chara).

“It’s a great opportunity for your younger guys to realize they’re a big part of our future,” Sweeney continued. “There’s an opportunity for the younger players to assert themselves. Whether that is now, they’ll dictate that, whether or not they’re ready. It’s a difficult position to get up and running out of the gate early on as you start your career.

“But some of these guys have finished four years of college, and there have been plenty of guys who stepped into the NHL (from) that level.” . . .

Sweeney reported effort but little progress on a contract extension for winger Brad Marchand, who is 101⁄∕2 months from free agency.

“We’re working on it,” he said. “As I’ve said, I’m never going to comment on it publicly, but I look forward to hopefully finding traction and getting something done.”

Vatrano moves up

What a difference 12 months has made for East Longmeadow’s Frank Vatrano: He wasn’t even invited to take part in the team golf tournament last year;; now he’s in the running for a berth on the B’s No. 1 line.

“I kind of keep it the same as I did last year,” said Vatrano, who had eight goals and three assists in 39 games with the big club last season and 36 goals with 19 assists while ripping up the AHL at Providence.

“Obviously this year it’s a little bit different,” Vatrano said. “I kind of know what to expect, having a full season under my belt. I’m just going to go into camp and keep working hard, hoping to make the team. That was my goal last year;; it’s going to be the same goal this year.

“For me, it’s not being too comfortable and just knowing what I need to get done to maintain a full-time roster spot.”

The left-shooting Vatrano could take a spot at left or right wing.

“Those are two positions I’m very comfortable with,” he said.

He proved that especially with Providence, where he enjoyed a dream season.

“Goal-scoring is a funny thing,” he said. “Sometimes you’ll be playing awesome and getting all the chances you can get, but they won’t be going in. And then there are games where you’re getting one or two shots and they’ll go in. For me, they just kept going in. I’m not complaining.”

Funny stuff

Comedian Lenny Clarke took part in the tournament and expressed optimism the B’s will return to the playoffs. He had a suggestion for Sweeney.

“Listen, I am a diehard Bruins fans,” Clarke said. “I think with all the good young kids we have, we’re going to surprise people. We may not take it all, but we’re going to be in the hunt, and that’s good enough for me.

“Why don’t they make an offer to (Shawn) Thornton? I see him in the gym every day. He could still come back and kick some butt. For me, I’ve always been a big bad Bruins fan. I love it when we go out and stomp people around. We show them, ‘If you’re going to come in, you’ve really got to fight to win in this town.’ I understand the changes, the no fighting. But we don’t have to adapt to that. Let them adapt to us.”

Boston Herald LOADED: 09.14.2016


Kevan Miller wants to ‘be himself’ after signing big deal with Bruins

By Joe Haggerty September 13, 2016 11:33 AM

BOLTON, Mass. – Kevan Miller had previously rented Shawn Thornton’s house in Charlestown in each of the past couple of seasons once No. 22 had moved on to the Florida Panthers as an unrestricted free agent. But the Panthers enforcer joked a few weeks ago that Miller wouldn’t be a short-term Thornton tennant anymore after a signing a four-year, $10 million contract with the Bruins this summer in a deal that afford the D-man his own posh Boston accommodations.

Indeed, Miller is at a different NHL status level after signing the contract with the Bruins this spring, but don’t expect that to change things in the 28-year-old’s typical hard-nosed, gritty physical style of play.

Miller knows he got the contract for playing a punishing, strong physical style of shutdown defense while standing up for his teammates. He also stayed healthy enough to suit up in 71 games for the Black and Gold. At this point the former UVM defenseman is simply trying to reach his potential as a player and serve in a role where he’s positioned to succeed after struggling a bit as top-four defenseman over the past couple of years.

“You want to be yourself and continue to do the things that make you successful,” said Miller. “I don’t think you try to reach out and try to do too much, but we all have goals for this season. It’s something that we’ll discuss as we get closer to the season, but we want to get back into the playoffs and to have a successful season. That’s the focus right now.”

While Miller can drop the gloves and is at his most effective when he’s playing a fearsome, physical style, the 6-foot-2, 210-pounder is also a surprisingly competent two-way D-man that capable of making some offensive plays when given room to operate by the opposition. That’s clearly where the challenge will be for a Bruins defenseman who finished with a solid five goals and 18 points in the 71 games last season. Miller will be pushed keep opening things up as much as safely possible without creating unnecessary risks next season for a Bruins team that needs more from their back end.

It won’t necessarily ever be easy for a player like Miller that will never be considered the smoothest puck-mover around, but if Miller has proven anything it’s that his ability to be difficult to play against is still priority No. 1 headed into the new stretch with his longtime organization.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 09.14.2016


Haggerty: Bruins searching for answers on defense - could Colin Miller be one?

By Joe Haggerty September 13, 2016 3:49 PM

BOLTON, Mass. – The Bruins have the salary cap space and they still have the interest in nabbing a puck-moving defenseman they can install into their top-four group on the back end.

Both of these things have been true for the past 15 months after trading Dougie Hamilton to the Calgary Flames, and for the past two years since shipping Johnny Boychuk off to the New York Islanders.

Whether it’s David Krejci or Ryan Spooner, the Bruins also have a surplus of centers now that would seem to indicate potential trade chips in place if Don Sweeney wanted to act quickly on a good, old-fashioned hockey swap.

Clearly, there is disappointment that the Black and Gold haven’t been able to execute a deal for Kevin Shattenkirk or force the Winnipeg Jets into trading away big, right shot D-man Jacob Trouba amid strained negotiations for a contract extension.

“I know basically from April to now everybody is talking about our back end, and not being able to land a top-four defenseman. We still have an opportunity as far as cap space goes if something shakes free, and I know Don [Sweeney] has been working hard trying to do something,” Bruins President Cam Neely said on CSN’s Great American Hockey Show podcast last week. “But I feel like as a group we can do better than we did last year.

“You always have your wish list, but it takes somebody else to dance with you. Ultimately, if we felt something was going to work or be right, we would have jumped on it. Other teams are looking at what’s going to help them. I think Don [Sweeney] said something about us sprinkling our talent around the rest of the league…I think we’ve done our share of that [already].”

So, it’s encouraging to hear Bruins management say they are sick and tired of getting hosed on some of these hockey trades over the past couple of years.

With that in mind, the Bruins might just have the answers they seek within their own house. Both Colin Miller and Joe Morrow return with new contracts, and will get a greater chance to establish themselves after inconsistent playing time last season. Brandon Carlo also enters his first main training camp with a real chance to win an NHL job, and the Bruins are high on the 6-foot-5, former second-round pick after a stellar 2015-16 season.

Carlo stepped up for Tri-City at the junior, was a top pair D-man on Team USA’s World Junior entry and showed both poise and toughness after getting dropped into the P-Bruins lineup in the AHL playoffs last spring. The jury is out as to whether Carlo is a rough-and-tumble, stay-at-home type on a bottom pairing like Adam McQuaid or Kevan Miller, or perhaps something more if he can keep improving his puck-moving skills.

But the real X-Factor to this year’s defensemen crew is the 23-year-old Miller, who can essentially make a trade for Shattenkirk a moot point if he can fully develop his offensive skills and harness his considerable talent. Miller is two seasons removed from 19 goals and 52 points in the AHL before serving as the main trade chip when the Bruins moved Milan Lucic to the Los Angeles Kings. He was also among the B’s leading D-men producers with three goals and 16 points despite spending half his season in the AHL.

Last season was Miller getting his feet wet in the NHL and he went through some very typical growing pains. There was hesitation in his game mid-season and a bit of a crisis in confidence after he was sent to the AHL before the Winter Classic. All of those things were to be expected from the 23-year-old playing a defenseman position that can take years of trial-and-error apprenticeship before a young player is really ready for an integral top-4 role.

“Clearly Colin got his feet wet and got off to a pretty solid start. It’s gets tougher as the year goes along and he needs to recognize that, but going through that for the first…what are you going to compare it to?” said Sweeney. “We expect him to come out of the gate strong. He had a good offseason. He had some challenges toward the end of the year where he was up-and-down, came back and reinserted himself and then went back down [to Providence for the AHL playoffs].

“It’s good things to throw at our young players while continuing with the progression piece. [We want him to] move the puck, get back, obviously look to be a part of the power play if he can take it to the next level offensively, get his shot through and on net. But getting back and moving pucks is really what we’re looking for.”

For his part, Miller is eager to take the next step and fill into Boston’s top-four void after, just like everybody else, watching the Bruins come up empty in their search for veteran D-man help this summer. It’s the right time for him entering his second season in the NHL, and for a D-man with his skating game and offense-producing skills that the B’s desperately need.

“Last year was getting used to the new [NHL] level and getting accustomed to it. Hopefully that’s all gone and passed, and I can go and play now,” said Miller. “That’s been the talk for a lot of the summer, defense and all that. I think we’re confident with the group we have here, we’re ready and that this group can carry us.

“I learned a lot last year. I’m definitely excited for this year. With the way last year ended, I think there are a lot of things this team, and myself, can improve on. We’re just looking forward to getting going. Last year was good, but everybody talks about consistency. If I can become consistent and somebody that the team can rely on a lot more, that’s something I want to do.”

At the end of the day, Miller’s development is unquestionably the best solution to the problem. It means promoting a young player from within to play a key role and doing it without spending big dollars or valued assets for the acquisition. The truth is the Bruins probably need another top-four defenseman in addition to Miller, even if he becomes what management projects him to be, but a step up from the talented young Mr. Miller could help push the backend-challenged Bruins back into the playoff picture as currently constituted.



Heinen ready for long look from Bruins after leaving world of college hockey

By Joe Haggerty September 13, 2016 8:54 PM

Danton Heinen could have returned to the University of Denver to dominate for a couple more seasons if he was looking to take the easy road.

But instead the talented Bruins winger signed with the Black and Gold last spring following his sophomore NCAA season with the Pioneers. Now he finds himself ready to jump into a training camp looking for an NHL job at the ripe old age of 21 years old. He’s now a little bigger than the 6-foot, 160-pound player he was starting his college hockey career, and his summer workouts were aimed at withstanding the physical pounding of pro hockey.

“I was just working on getting stronger and putting on a little weight. It’s pro hockey where you’re playing against bigger and stronger guys, so that was goal this summer,” said Heinen, who finished with two assists and a plus-1 in four AHL games for the P-Bruins at the end of last season. “After two years [at Denver] I felt like I’d improved a lot, and I felt comfortable turning pro and getting things started [with the Bruins].

“[The AHL] was very different than Denver, I thought. It was a lot more structured. College hockey is a little more run and gun, so [Providence] was a little more structured in that sense. I think my shot is NHL ready, and I think I’m pretty close on a lot of things. I’ve been working a lot on my size and trying to improve that, so we’ll see what happens.”

The 36 goals and 93 points in 81 collegiate games give one an idea of what kind of offensive skill Heinen brings to the table after running with Jack Eichel and Dylan Larkin as the leading NCAA scorers during his freshman season. Heinen’s skating and his hands are excellent, and his shot will net him some goals wherever he’s playing once he gets into the flow of things.

Now Heinen will jump into a Bruins situation where a couple of top-6 winger positions could be up for grabs in camp, and B’s management believes he has the kind of hockey sense and playmaking ability that could pair well with elite NHL skill players.

“We had ongoing conversations with him and his family, and we do that with all of our prospects for that matter. Did we think he was ready for another challenge? Yeah, he was a lot stronger than when he went into [Denver] at 163 pounds two years ago,” said Don Sweeney. “He had two terrific years offensively playing for a good coaching staff in Jimmy [Montgomery], and we felt he was ready for that next step.

“He was on the same page, and I think it’s important when those two things align to make for a pretty easy decision. He’s got really good hockey sense, and knows where to go on the ice on offense in particular. Defensively he’s responsible, but I think offensively he can play with better players. He wants to give-and-go, hold onto the puck and make plays with it, but can score. He probably doesn’t use his shot as much as we’d like him to moving forward, but he’ll have to keep teams off-balance in that way. The elite hockey sense piece and the skill to go along with it is very attractive.”

It will be interesting to see how the top-6 forwards shake out for the Bruins with both a left wing and right wing potentially up for grabs if David Backes is the third line center. Clearly Frank Vatrano will get a look at one of those winger spots, and speedy Ryan Spooner could be a candidate for the other if the B’s move him off the center position.

But don’t sleep on Heinen flashing in a big way for the Bruins once the big names return to main camp from the World Cup of Hockey, and perhaps skipping the AHL almost entirely before jumping into the fray. There’s a reason Heinen left college after two hugely productive years, and it wasn’t because he thought he’d be riding buses in the AHL for a long period of time.


1023846 Buffalo Sabres

O'Reilly added to Team Canada roster for World Cup

By Mike Harrington

Buffalo Sabres center Ryan O'Reilly has been added to the Team Canada roster for the World Cup of Hockey as an injury replacement, Hockey Canada officials announced Tuesday night.

O'Reilly will replace Dallas Stars standout Tyler Seguin, who has been ruled out due to a knee injury. O'Reilly becomes the fourth Sabres player to make the tourney, joining Jack Eichel (Team North America), Rasmus Ristolainen (Finland) and Dmitry Kulikov (Russia). Goaltender Robin Lehner was chosen to play for Sweden but elected to withdraw from the tournament to remain in Buffalo and continue rehab on his surgically repaired ankle.

O'Reilly, 25, had 21 goals and 39 assists last season, his first in Buffalo after being acquired in a draft-night trade from Colorado in 2015. The assist total was a career high, and O'Reilly led the team in assists and points. He starts this season as the highest-paid player in Sabres history, making $11 million in the first season of his seven-year, $52.5-million extension signed in July, 2015.

Sportsnet reported Tuesday night that Seguin, who finished 14th in the NHL last season with 73 points, has been told to stay off skates for 7-10 days. He crashed hard into the boards trying to negate an icing call during Friday's exhibition game against Team USA in Columbus and took a hard hit Saturday in Ottawa from Dustin Byfuglien.

O'Reilly is a four-time member of Team Canada at the World Championships, including the last two years as he helped Canada win gold medals. He is expected to head to Pittsburgh to join Team Canada for its final exhibition game against Russia Wednesday at 7:30 in Consol Energy Center (ESPN 2). The host nation opens play in the tournament against the Czech Republic Saturday night at 8 in Toronto's Air Canada Centre.

"It's never easy to lose a player to injury, let alone one of Tyler's caliber but once again it speaks to the depth of talent in the country to be able to add a Ryan O'Reilly to our team," Hockey Canada general manager Doug Armstrong said in a statement. "Ryan just won gold at Worlds alongside a number of our players in that dressing room, so we're expecting him to be able to gel quickly as we wrapup our pre-tournament against Russia."

Buffalo News LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023847 Calgary Flames

Monahan "taking it easy" preparing for Flames main camp

Kristen Odland, Postmedia

Sean Monahan did a brief lap on Tuesday with the group of mostly Calgary Flames assembled at WinSport.

Then, the 21-year-old headed onto another sheet of ice with only strength and conditioning coach Ryan Van Asten to work on some solo drills.

While he’d rather be skating with his pal Johnny Gaudreau and Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey, Monahan is content with the recovery process following a slight tweak of his back.

“I’m just gearing up to get ready to get rolling,” said Monahan. “I’ve been here for about a week now and I’ve been on the ice a couple times, so I feel good.”

The skates are light, but the Flames’ No. 1 centre and assistant captain reports he’s feeling better.

“I’m just taking it easy and getting back at it,” he said. “I just want to get back to 110 per cent. I was working on a few things (Tuesday) and I could probably go out and skate with (the rest of the players) but there’s no need to rush it with camp around the corner.”

Monahan, who made the decision to opt out of the World Cup on Sept. 2, is focused on being healthy long-term.

Especially after signing a handsome seven-year, US$44.625-million contract extension.

“Obviously I’m focused on the Flames and they made a long-term commitment to me,” he said. “That’s what I take my pride in. I was obviously working towards the World Cup. I started training in late April to get in shape for that camp so I was pretty disappointed not to be able to take part in that.

“But, like I said, my commitment is to the Flames.”

ICE CHIPS

Also skating at WinSport with the assorted Flames who are trickling into the city as training camp approaches: D Mark Giordano, C Matt Stajan, RW Brandon Bollig, D Ladislav Smid, D TJ Brodie, LW Lance Bouma, D Deryk Engelland, and D Dennis Wideman … The non-Flames? Kris Russell, Mason Raymond, and Jeff Schultz … C Sam Bennett and D Dougie Hamilton are expected to be on the ice Wednesday.

Calgary Herald: LOADED: 09.14.2016


Flames first-round pick putting in early work with the team

Kristen Odland, Postmedia

Matthew Tkachuk made the wise choice of being early for the Calgary Flames prospects training camp.

The 2016 sixth overall pick decided to fly out on Sunday — a few days before things kick off Thursday with physicals and fitness testing — to adjust to the city, get a few ice times and workouts under his belt, and meet some of his future teammates.

It’s a good idea, especially for a guy who wants to make this city his permanent home and crack the club’s National Hockey League roster this 2016-17 season.

“I wasn’t really too nervous about the on-ice but you’re just coming into a new group,” Tkachuk said on Tuesday during informal skating sessions at WinSport’s facilities. “You’re meeting a whole new time and guys I’ve never met before. They’ve been unbelievable the first two days and I’m just getting acclimated to the city and, more importantly, teammates.”

The 18-year-old broke bread on Monday at lunch with Flames captain Mark Giordano, Matt Stajan, Lance Bouma, Brett Kulak, and Lance Bouma, who have all been skating informally at WinSport this week ahead of main camp which begins Sept. 22.

“Getting used to a new team and a new city is just something that comes with the territory of playing with a new team,” Tkachuk said. “It’s great to be in the city and see all the people around that are passionate about hockey.

“I didn’t know anybody … but I’m the youngest guy here and it’s nice to have the older players taking care of you and taking you under their wing and showing you around and making sure you feel at home.”

On Tuesday, while the rookies departed the ice to head to a workout, Tkachuk stayed for another 45 minutes and played five-on-five with veterans like Dennis Wideman, Deryk Engelland, Brandon Bollig and TJ Brodie. Also on the ice were Mason Raymond, Kris Russell and Jeff Schultz. The Memorial Cup champion showed no fear in battling to score on new Flames netminder Brian Elliott, who has 165 NHL wins under his belt.

Essentially, this is the first week back at school for everyone and Tkachuk appears to have no problems diving into this situation head first.

“Right now, it’s just a few older guys and some younger guys,” said Tkachuk, who was the lone player from the 2016 draft who stuck around until the very end of the ice time. “The only difference is the age separation. All of the guys are here for the same goal … that’s what is going to make this team so successful: buying in, whether you’re 32 or 18.”

To be clear, the decision to skate with the veteran-laced group was all on Tkachuk — the Flames did not initiate it, although they’re likely pleased he’s making the self-motivated effort.

“It was all up to me,” Tkachuk said. “I wanted to come early and get acclimated before rookie camp. Rookie camp starts Friday and I’ve been skating with good players all summer but here in Calgary, this is the team I want to be playing for.”

Easier said than done, of course. But, ever since Flames general manager Brad Treliving hollered his name in Buffalo, Tkachuk made it clear that he’s going to try.

The good thing? He’s finally well-rested.

The Scottsdale, Arizona-born St. Louis native, and son of NHL great Keith, is coming off the busiest season of his life.

With the London Knights, Tkachuk hoisted the Memorial Cup after scoring the game-winner, went to the NHL combine, was drafted by the Flames, headed to summer development camp, attended world junior camp (but didn’t skate), and attended the NHLPA Rookie Showcase.

“I took a lot of time off the ice this summer to make sure I was getting healthy and make sure I was feeling better after a long year,” Tkachuk said. “We started skating a month ago and I feel really good.”

The teenager even managed to celebrate with his Knights teammates, showing off his Memorial Cup rings in a Twitter post in late August.

But that was then.

This is now.

And when he hits the ice on Friday as the Flames rookies begin the three-game Young Stars Tournament against the Winnipeg Jets, the audition begins.

There’s no middle ground for Tkachuk this year. As an 18-year-old, Tkachuk must crack the NHL squad or else he heads back to the Ontario Hockey League.

“I know we have our testing on Thursday and games Friday, Saturday (against the Oilers), and Monday (against the Canucks),” Tkachuk said. “It’s a quick turnaround but it gets you right in the swing of things and sets you up for main camp.”

Calgary Herald: LOADED: 09.14.2016


Flames Young Stars roster announced, schedule released

By Kristen Odland, Postmedia

It’s that time of the year again.

After an eventful off-season, the Calgary Flames rookies report to WinSport on Thursday for physicals and fitness testing as they get set to head to Penticton, B.C., for the annual Young Stars Tournament.

Headlining the group is Matthew Tkachuk, Calgary’s sixth overall pick from this past summer’s draft along with 15 other forwards, nine defencemen, and four goalies.

Other notables on the roster include Morgan Klimchuk, the 28th overall pick from 2013, Mark Jankowski, the long-term college project who inked a two-year pact with the Flames this past spring, and goaltender Jon Gillies, who is coming off hip surgery last season.

The Flames welcome back a handful of players who skated with them during the summer development camp, including Lethbridge Hurricanes point-producing LW Brayden Burke, C Dennis Kravchenko out of U-Mass Amherst, heavyweight LW Justin Doucet, who split last season between Drummondville and Baie-Comeau of the QMJHL, LW Mathieu Sevigny out of Drummondville, and D Roman Dyukov, a 20-year-old Belarusian on an AHL-only deal.

Also receiving free agent invites: LW Mikkel Aagaard, a Danish player out of Sudbury (OHL), and Calgary Hitmen D Aaron Hyman.

The Flames’ roster features three draft picks from 2012 (Gillies, D Ryan Culkin, and Jankowski), two from 2013 (D Keegan Kanzig and Klimchuk), three from 2014 (G Mason McDonald, RW Hunter Smith, and RW Austin Carroll), four from 2015 (D Rasmus Andersson, D Oliver Kylington, LW Andrew Mangiapane, and D Riley Bruce) and six from this past draft in Buffalo (Tkachuk, G Tyler Parsons, C Dillon Dube, RW Eetu Tuulola, C Matthew Phillips, and D Stepan Falkovsky). Calgary brass will also observe D Kenney Morrison (who played 44 games with the Stockton Heat last year), C Ryan Lomberg (who impressed during training camp last season and played 15 games with the Stockton Heat and 43 contests with Calgary’s ECHL affiliate in Adirondack). They’ll also have another look at LW Brett Pollock, who was part of the Kris Russell trade to the Dallas Stars last winter.

Action starts Friday against the Winnipeg Jets (5 p.m. MT) and continues Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers (8:30 p.m. MT). The Flames have an off-day on Sunday and wrap up the annual prospects jamboree Monday versus Vancouver (4 p.m. MT).

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 09.14.2016


Flames centre Sean Monahan slowly ramping up for camp after off-season injury

By Kristen Odland, First posted: Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Sean Monahan did a brief lap on Tuesday with the group of mostly Calgary Flames assembled at WinSport.

Then, the 21-year-old headed onto another sheet of ice with only strength and conditioning coach Ryan Van Asten to work on some solo drills.

While he’d rather be skating with his pal Johnny Gaudreau and Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey, Monahan is content with the recovery process following a slight tweak of his back.

“I’m just gearing up to get ready to get rolling,” said Monahan. “I’ve been here for about a week now and I’ve been on the ice a couple times, so I feel good.”

The skates are light, but the Flames’ No. 1 centre and assistant captain reports he’s feeling better.

“I’m just taking it easy and getting back at it,” he said. “I just want to get back to 110 per cent. I was working on a few things (Tuesday) and I could probably go out and skate with (the rest of the players) but there’s no need to rush it with camp around the corner.”

Monahan, who made the decision to opt out of the World Cup on Sept. 2, is focused on being healthy long-term.

Especially after signing a handsome seven-year, US$44.625-million contract extension.

“Obviously I’m focused on the Flames and they made a long-term commitment to me,” he said. “That’s what I take my pride in. I was obviously working towards the World Cup. I started training in late April to get in shape for that camp so I was pretty disappointed not to be able to take part in that.

“But, like I said, my commitment is to the Flames.”

ICE CHIPS

Also skating at WinSport with the assorted Flames who are trickling into the city as training camp approaches: D Mark Giordano, C Matt Stajan, RW Brandon Bollig, D Ladislav Smid, D TJ Brodie, LW Lance Bouma, D Deryk Engelland, and D Dennis Wideman … The non-Flames? Kris Russell, Mason Raymond, and Jeff Schultz … C Sam Bennett and D Dougie Hamilton are expected to be on the ice Wednesday.

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023851 Carolina Hurricanes

Nestrasil gets his (golf) swings in

By Chip Alexander

For those still wondering or worried about Andrej Nestrasil’s back, the Canes’ forward has been participating in all the informal skates.

He also has been playing golf. Last week, he teed it up at Duke Golf Course one day and then Lonnie Poole Golf Course the next, saying there was no soreness or discomfort in the back.

“If I felt like it was hurting me, I wouldn’t play,” he said.

Nestrasil, 25, suffered a broken vertebra in late February that ended his season. The rehab went well and he began skating on schedule in July. When the Czech Republic had a few players recently drop off its World Cup roster, Nestrasil was contacted about his availability and says he felt well enough to compete.

A mutual decision was made not to play. The Canes wanted the Prague native to return to Raleigh so their doctors could take another look and assess his physical progress. Nestrasil decided it would be best to skate with the Canes, then get in a full training camp, getting into competition in NHL exhibition games rather than full-tilt World Cup games.

And play some golf. Hockey players love the sport and it’s easy for most to get started. Buy some clubs, maybe take a few lessons, get a tee time and let it rip.

But not in the Czech Republic, Nestrasil said. Golfers there need a license to play golf, he said. Getting a green-card license requires getting a coach and then playing nine holes with the coach.

When a golfer can score 63 or lower, Nestrasil said, they qualify for a license. The cost: about $100, Nestrasil said.

Nestrasil said he started playing four years ago. He took a few lessons, then had a 44 on nine holes to qualify for his license.

“I was told of all the courses in the world, 75 percent are in the U.S.” he said. “There are not a lot back home and they want to protect the golf courses and make sure no one comes in and ruins the course.”

As part of the golf “exam,” as he put it, golfers are taught the rules and golf etiquette by their coach.

“You can’t just show up in a tank top with three beers in your hand,” he said.

Nestrasil, who said he has played more than a half-dozen times this summer, said he never improves his lie, putts out on every green and does not take mulligans.

“I hate when people are cheating,” he said. “If I see someone practice swing, practice swing, then he whiffs, I count it. I’m pretty strict.”

The golf swing creates a lot of torque in the back, but Nestrasil said he was told golf could be a good thing, helping keep the back limber.

”I feel really good out there and it gives me a mental break, too,” he said.

News Observer LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023852 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks' Jonathan Toews says he's primed for rebound season

Chris Kuc

The photos on Jonathan Toews' Instagram account have provided a candid glimpse into the Blackhawks captain's life this summer.

Toews is pictured relaxing on a beach, fishing, golfing, traveling abroad, kayaking, attending a concert, wakeboarding and hiking, among other activities. A few of the more recent posts are of Toews working out as he prepares for the upcoming World Cup of Hockey and then the NHL season.

So how's the offseason going for him?

"It couldn't be any better," Toews said. "The physical part of it is huge, but I think also mentally it's nice the first month or two to get away from the game and do something else. And when you come back to the rink and get back in the gym, (you can) just be excited about it and really have that mental energy, that motivation that just comes naturally."

Here's why it was so important for Toews to take advantage of the Hawks' longer-than-usual summer: He was tired at times last season.

Almost as shocking as Toews' decline in offensive production — he had 28 goals and 30 assists for his lowest point total in three seasons — was him admitting that fatigue from playing so much hockey over the previous three campaigns was a factor.

"The amount of hockey did add up," said Toews, who looked strong during Team Canada's two exhibitions over the weekend in advance of the World Cup. "When you get an offseason like (we) just did, you kind of understand what most teams that are either not making the playoffs or are out in the first two rounds are dealing with. All those guys are coming into the season ready to go.

"When you have maybe a month to deal with injuries and get ready to go again and hop back on the ice for training camp, I think that definitely caught up to me."

In true Toews fashion, he then put the blame on himself for never really jelling with right wing Marian Hossa and whoever coach Joel Quenneville rotated into the left-wing spot on the top line.

"I have to just look at myself and take responsibility for that," Toews said. "It turned into a game of musical chairs in the first half of the season trying to find a winger to play with Hossa and me, but I think the two of us take responsibility for that. We weren't quite where we needed to be."

One of the biggest question marks heading into the regular season is who will skate with Toews on the Hawks' No. 1 line. Quenneville has suggested Hossa, who also struggled offensively last season, will drop to the third line, which would mean an open audition to see who will flank Toews.

"Regardless of who I'm playing with, whether it's Hossa or anybody else, the two of us definitely will want to have a comeback year," Toews said. "Just have fun, play with some excitement and play loose. Let that offense come to us the way it didn't quite last year. We were fighting it for a while there."

After the Blues eliminated the Hawks in the first round of the playoffs, Toews spent the month of May in Chicago undergoing treatment and "trying to let my body heal as much as I could." Then he began his excellent summer adventure. Along the way he documented his exploits on Instagram, which drew the attention of Hawks teammates.

"I know he's Mr. Social Media now with all of his posts," winger Patrick Kane said. "When I come into the gym, all the boys will be like, 'Did you see Tazer posted something else on social media?' It's funny how he's gotten into that."

The foray into social media is another way for Toews to relax while also building an audience for philanthropic endeavors.

"I just kind of got into it last year as a fun thing, not only to interact with fans and get a little bit of my personal side out there but also to use that tool as much as I can for non-profit and charity work — things I eventually want to get into," Toews said. "It has been a fun thing I've enjoyed so far."

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023853 Chicago Blackhawks

Scott Darling unveils Wayne's World-inspired goalie mask

Chris Hine

You might say Blackhawk goaltender Scott Darling's new mask is — excellent.

Darling revealed a new mask for the upcoming season on his Instagram account with one side devoted to the movie "Wayne's World."

There are Images of Wayne and Garth — the characters portrayed by "Saturday Night Live" alumni Mike Myers and Dana Carvey.

There's also an homage to "Stan Mikita's Donuts," the fictitious donut shop in the film series named after the legendary Hawk.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023854 Colorado Avalanche

Colorado Avalanche Rookie Camp, Showcase, roster, dates and practice information

By Jeff Bailey | PUBLISHED: September 13, 2016

The Avalanche has announced the dates and times for its rookie camp and rookie showcase. The Avs also have announced the 25-man roster for the rookie camp that begins Friday at Family Sports Center in Centennial.

All practices over the weekend at Family Sports will be free and open the public. Admission into the rookie showcase, also featuring players from the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks organizations, will be free and open to the public at the Westminster Promenade. Seating is limited and will be available to fans on a first-come, first-served basis at both locations.

Friday, Sept. 16 Start Time Location

Rookie Camp 9:15 a.m. Family Sports

Saturday, Sept 17

Avalanche vs. Sharks 2:00 p.m. Westminster Promenade

Sunday, Sept. 18

Avalanche vs. Ducks 1:00 p.m. Westminster Promenade

Monday, Sept. 19

Rookie Camp 9:45 a.m. Family Sports

Ducks vs. Sharks 2:00 p.m. Westminster Promenade

Denver Post: LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023855 Columbus Blue Jackets

Hockey | Blue Jackets' Dubinsky honored to represent United States

By Aaron Portzline The Columbus Dispatch

Brandon Dubinsky looked around the Blue Jackets’ dressing room and took note of the talent — Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane to his right, San Jose Sharks captain Joe Pavelski across the way, Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick to his left.

It was the first day of Team USA training camp in Nationwide Arena last week, and the moment was not lost on Dubinsky. Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella, who is coach of Team USA, phoned Dubinsky in late May to tell him he had made the roster.

“Ever since I got the phone call this summer, I’ve been thinking about this,” Dubinsky said. “You just look around here and you realize what you’re dealing with, what you’re a part of, and it’s a pretty big deal. Maybe having Torts in my corner helped a little bit, but I like to think that my play maybe stood on its own merits.”

For Dubinsky, a chance to play in the World Cup of Hockey starting Saturday carries a responsibility that all elite American players feel. Like the generation before them, today’s players are charged with expanding the game in the United States by performing well on the world’s biggest stages. Dubinsky and others his age were inspired by the U.S. team that won the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. That team was inspired by the “Miracle” team of 1980 in the Lake Placid Olympics.

“You realize the history and you realize the meaning in that sweater,” Dubinsky said. “This is for your country, and that’s what sets it apart from anything else you can experience.”

But this is personal, too, for Dubinsky. He has worn a Team USA jersey twice before, playing in the world championships in 2008 and 2010 when he was a member of the New York Rangers. Not to slight the world championships — or Dubinsky’s participation in them — but it’s not a “best of the best” tournament, by a long shot. The worlds are played in the spring, so players in the Stanley Cup playoffs can’t participate. Other players duck out because of injuries, while others decline simply to take a break.

The World Cup of Hockey, like the Olympics, is different.

“For Brandon, this is a huge honor and it’s an honor he’s worked hard for, and he deserves,” Blue Jackets president of hockey operations John Davidson said. “It’s something special when your country calls for you, and that’s something he understands.”

Dubinsky’s chance to make the team was helped by the way Team USA was constructed — a team full of competitive, physical players, including forwards who can play multiple positions.

“Dubie’s role is going to be changing momentum, grind,” Tortorella said. “When Canada decides to step it up a notch in the physical play, we’ll maybe have some people who can answer that. That has been one of (the United States’) problems in international tournaments.”

Dubinsky, 30, may be the heart and soul of the Blue Jackets, but he never played in the world junior championships (U-20) as a youngster. He has never been considered a candidate for the Olympics.

But here he is, finally, on a big stage, with a big role.

“It’s super humbling,” he grinned. “And I’m super excited.”

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023856 Dallas Stars

Tyler Seguin pulled out of World Cup of Hockey;; Stars to 'take a safe approach' with forward

By Mike Heika

Tyler Seguin has been pulled from Canada's World Cup of Hockey roster after suffering a lower-body injury in exhibition play.

The injury is minor, but the schedule with the World Cup is tight and Canada needed a healthy replacement in a timely manner.

"I feel really sorry for Tyler, because I know how disappointed he is," said Stars general manager Jim Nill. "They have a tight roster, and the tournament is hectic, so they didn't have time to wait."

Two things on Seguin: 1. Not his knee. 2. 7-10 day injury, so should not affect regular season. Canada couldn't wait on recovery with sked.

— Mike Heika (@MikeHeika) September 14, 2016

Nill said Seguin will return to Dallas and be re-evaluated. The team will establish a schedule from there. Training camp begins Sept. 23 in Cedar Park, and the season opener is Oct. 13 in Dallas. Nill didn't want to commit to any dates until Stars doctors get to examine Seguin, but the injury is not thought to be serious.

"We'll get him in and get a look at him and go from there," Nill said.

Stars captain Jamie Benn was previously taken off of Canada's roster because of a core muscle injury he suffered during offseason training. Benn last season had double hip surgery, was cautious during preseason and ended up playing all 82 games. Nill said the Stars are in favor of using caution during the preseason.

"Every injury is different, but we'll take a safe approach," Nill said. "The schedule is going to be compressed this season, and we're going to have to react differently to that, so we already are thinking about ways to keep the players fresh."

Team Canada GM Doug Armstrong comments on O'Reilly replacing Seguin: pic.twitter.com/y8CIhXopgH

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) September 14, 2016

Seguin last season suffered a partial cut of his Achilles tendon on March 17 and missed 11 games. He returned for Game 2 of the first round of the playoffs on April 16 and suffered a calf injury. He rehabbed over the summer and pronounced himself ready to go for the World Cup of Hockey.

However, Seguin got tangled up and slid feet first into the boards during exhibition play Friday.

looks to be ok pic.twitter.com/cgRbHmafSc

— Stephanie (@myregularface) September 10, 2016

another angle pic.twitter.com/9sK5RUPM5C

— Stephanie (@myregularface) September 10, 2016

He came back to play in the game, but then sat out practice and was replaced on the roster by Ryan O'Reilly on Tuesday.

The Stars released this statement from Seguin: "I'm disappointed that I can't represent Team Canada at the World Cup of Hockey. Any time your country calls, it's a great honor and is something every kid from Canada dreams about getting the chance to do. While I'm upset that I don't get the opportunity to play, I understand the situation Team Canada is in with a short tournament. I wish all the best for that team and the good news is that I'll get to be with my Stars teammates from day one. We're excited to get the season going and we can't wait to get to Cedar Park and get to work."

The World Cup of Hockey begins Saturday and features eight teams. Among the Stars players participating are Radek Faksa and Ales Hemsky for the Czech Republic and Esa Lindell for Finland.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023857 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings' Jonathan Ericsson battling hip ailment, lack of confidence

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 2:23 p.m. EDT September 13, 2016

Regular pain and the occasional lack of confidence is casting light on why Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jonathan Ericsson has struggled in recent seasons.

Speaking today after a nearly two-hour informal skate at Joe Louis Arena, Ericsson opened up about what has bothered him. First and foremost, he's suffering from a condition called hip impingement that's bad enough to require regular treatment but not quite bad enough that Ericsson wants to undergo a surgery that comes with at least a four-month recovery.

“It's not 100%,” Ericsson said. “I want to have that as a last out.”

Ericsson, 32, said the injury is common among hockey players because of how they have to open up their hips while skating. Basically, the femur's head ends up not allowing a normal range of motion in the hip socket.

“It's supposed to be a round socket that goes into the hip, and that's not round right now,” Ericsson said. “It's, like, square. I just try to deal with it as good as possible. Before I knew what it was, after some games, I had a hard time walking. Once we figured out what it was, then we could treat it. Now it's not as bad.

“We’ll see how it goes. It gets a little worse every year. There's arthritis in there, too.”

The injury helps explain why Ericsson's play has not been very good the past few seasons. “Some nights,” he said, “it's tougher to skate and move around.”

He openly admitted that last season was disappointing. “At the end, I didn't feel very confident. What the factors are, I'm not sure. But I didn't feel very confident with the puck and stuff like that. I want to feel better.”

Ericsson, who is signed through 2019-20, at an annual salary cap hit of $4.25 million, said a summer of rehabilitation has helped. He spent most of the off-season in the metro Detroit area, partly because his wife gave birth to their son, Leo, in late June.

He's hoping that feeling fit and knowing how to deal with the injury can stave off surgery -- and that he regain his confidence on the ice.

“Over the years, you lose it sometimes, and it's hard to get back,” Ericsson said. “You’re going to have to get into a good role playing and feeling good about everything. That's a big part of how everyone is playing, I think. It’s just working hard and making sure your body is ready. I had a good summer and set myself up as best I can.”

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 09.14.2016


Wings’ Helm, Blashill patch up their differences

Staff

Detroit – Darren Helm talked to several different teams, even visited some cities, leading into the start of unrestricted free agency in July.

But Helm eventually decided to stay with the Red Wings, the only organization he’s known, signing a five-year contract worth $19.25 million, hours before the July 1 start of free agency.

“It was a pretty crazy week,” said Helm, of the days leading to July 1. “It was a pretty emotional week. Just talking to my family, our hearts were definitely set with staying in Detroit and we found a way to make it work.

“We couldn’t be happier.”

Helm, 29, was frustrated at the end of last season with the communication between the Red Wings coaches regarding his role. After talking with general manager Ken Holland and coach Jeff Blashill in the weeks before July 1, Helm is confident the matter has been resolved.

“Sometimes I just didn’t feel like the message was relayed to me clearly,” Helm said. “I didn’t know if I was moving (lines) because I wasn’t playing well or doing things wrong or matchups.

“I had lots of talks with Kenny and lots of talks with Blash, and we just opened up a better line of communication between us (Helm and Blashill), and I feel confident things would be a little better between him and I, and we could make things work.”

Helm, entering his 10th season with the Wings, expects to see more time this season as the third-line center, a position he didn’t play as much last season.

Former Wings coach Mike Babcock often called Helm one of the best third-line centers in the NHL. Helm would like to regain that designation.

“(Blashill) wanted to get me kind of back in that, being able to move the puck up the ice a little bit from the defensive zone,” Helm said. “I’m really looking forward to that.

“Hopefully I solidify myself as another solid third-line center like I thought I did before.”

Hip problem

Jonathan Ericsson said he’s been dealing with a hip impingement for the last several years, but is putting off surgery until his hockey career is done.

Ericsson, 32, said there’s a four-month recovery process after the surgery, so he isn’t planning on the surgery anytime soon.

“I’ve had this hip issue for years,” Ericsson said. “It’s going to have its ups and down, and it’s been the biggest issue for me the last few years. But the rehab is at least four months, so it’s nothing I want to do in the first place.”

Ericsson said there’s arthritis in the area, too, and “that’s not helping out.”

Dealing with the issue has impacted his skating on certain nights, said Ericsson.

Detroit News LOADED: 09.14.2016


Brainy Red Wings prospect Kyle Criscuolo relies on speed to overcome lack of size

Brendan Savage | September 13, 2016

Kyle Criscuolo is just beginning his pro hockey career but he already has an eye on the future when it comes to his post-playing days.

Criscuolo would like to stay in hockey and work in the front office, perhaps as a general manager.

"That's actually definitely what I want to do, be in the front office, something like that," the Detroit Red Wings prospect said. "That's definitely something that I've thought about and that's the direction I want to go, so try to position myself the best I can."

He certainly has the smarts to work on the business side for a team after spending the past four seasons at Harvard, where he was a two-time winner of the ECAC Student-Athlete of the Year award – the first Crimson athlete to do so.

Before college, he was a three-time member of the principal's list at St. Joseph's Preparatory School and a two-time member of the dean's list at Choate Rosemary Hall prep school.

If brains translated to hockey skills, Criscuolo would be an All-Star candidate.

That said, can that type of brainpower help on the ice?

"I don't know," said Criscuolo, who graduated with a degree in psychology while minoring in economics. "I think it's definitely useful. I think being at Harvard, going to college for four years, anywhere you're at, the coaches really harp on defense and the importance of playing in all three zones so that's definitely a big help.

"Definitely give credit to my coaches at school and definitely developed me a lot."

All that aside, the classroom wasn't the only place Criscuolo excelled before the Red Wings signed him to a minor-league contract last spring and assigned him to their top farm club, the Grand Rapids Griffins.

At Harvard, he was the team's first two-year captain in 92 years;; was named to the All-Ivy League team;; and was nominated for the 2016 Hobey Baker Award as college hockey's best player.

He signed with the Red Wings after catching the eye of assistant general manager Ryan Martin, who doubles as the GM in Grand Rapids, where Criscuolo played four games at the end of last season.

"I actually went and played a few games there at the end of last season and decided it was the best option for me," said Criscuolo, 24. "I stayed there for two or three weeks. It was a good experience. I like the city a lot.

"I think just the organization itself, they develop players and that was a good fit for me and Ryan liked me a lot."

If there's one area of concern regarding Criscuolo, it's his size.

At 5-foot-9, 175 pounds, he was one of only three players at the club's July development camp who wasn't at least 6 feet tall.

Criscuolo tries to counter his lack of size by being "someone that can use his speed but will go to the front of the net, can play in all three zones," he said. "Definitely don't shy away from the big guys and can definitely play fast and play a lot in the D zone as well."

At Harvard last season, Criscuolo was second on the team with 19 goals in 34 games while finishing third in scoring with 32 points. The team's leading scorer was highly sought-after free agent Jimmy Vesey, who signed with the Rangers.

In four seasons with the Crimson, Criscuolo had 53 goals among 113 points in 124 games.

With the Griffins, he had no points and a plus-2 rating in four games.

A native of New Jersey who grew up as a fan of the Philadelphia Flyers, Criscuolo compares himself to players like the Red Wings' Darren Helm and Luke Glendening, Montreal's Brendan Gallagher and Tampa Bay's Tyler Johnson.

"Some of the smaller guys that are gritty," he said. "Those smaller guys."

The Red Wings weren't the only team interested in Criscuolo after his college career ended.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the Pittsburgh Penguins' AHL far club, expressed interest in Criscuolo but he ultimately decided the Red Wings were a better fit.

Criscuolo, who scored during one of the scrimmages at the Red Wings development camp, will play in prospects tournament team this week in Traverse City.

Michigan Live LOADED: 09.14.2016


Red Wings' Jonathan Ericsson trying to regain confidence while managing hip issue

Ansar Khan | September 13, 2016

DETROIT – The challenge facing Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jonathan Ericsson is to improve his performance while managing a painful hip issue, which he hopes will not require surgery until after he retires.

"Surgery would be a four-month recovery and it's not 100 percent it's going to work," Ericsson said.

But, he added, "For most cases with guys that have hip surgery it works pretty well."

Still, Ericsson would prefer not to go under the knife for hip impingement, a condition in which there is abnormal and wearing contact between the ball and socket of the hip joint. It results in increased friction during hip movements that may damage the joint.

The 6-foot-4, 221-pound Ericsson said he's had the issue for four years.

"I think it's going to be there until surgery," Ericsson said Tuesday, following an informal skate at Joe Louis Arena. "Right now I can keep it up. It's going to have its ups and downs. That's been the biggest issue the last few years. I want to have (surgery) as the last out, so I'm trying to rehab as much as I can.

"A lot of hockey players have to deal with it, and I've got some arthritis in there, too, which isn't helping."

He said it requires laser surgery.

"They carve it out," Ericsson said. "There's supposed to be a round socket that goes into the hip. It's not round right now, it's like square. Those edges are hitting.

"I'm just trying to deal with it as good as possible. Before I really knew what it was, after games I had a hard time walking. Once we figured out what it was and were able to treat it the right way I didn't have those high ups and downs where it was going from really painful one day and feeling a little bit better the next day. Now it's not as bad. My worst days aren't as bad as they used to be."

Ericsson, 32, hasn't played well the past two seasons, too often making bad decisions with and without the puck and committing too many turnovers.

"I didn't feel real confident with the puck," Ericsson said. "I felt better going into last year with confidence. Just over the years you lose it sometimes and it's hard to get it back. You have to get into a good roll and feeling good about everything."

How do you get it back?

"It's just working hard," Ericsson said. "Trying to make sure that your body is ready. Had a good summer of training here so I set myself up the best I can. It's been a lot of rehab, so it's not a lot of heavy lifting like I did when I was younger. It's more trying to control your body, balancing and trying to be in the right place. Just set myself up here for training camp as much as possible."

Ericsson has played mostly with Niklas Kronwall the past four seasons. He doesn't know who'll be his partner at the start this year.

"(Coach Jeff Blashill) is going to change a few things;; a little bit with the system, try some different things," Ericsson said. "As far as the pairings, I don't think he knows that either. He's just going to wait and see. It changed a lot during the year. I think I played with everyone last year, starting a game with pretty much every D we had."

New defense coach Doug Houda could help.

"Everyone brings something different to the table," Ericsson said. "It'll be interesting to see what he brings for us and what he can do for us to make us feel better and play better."



World Cup roundup: U.S. edges Finland in final tuneup

Ansar Khan | September 13, 2016

Team USA got goals from T.J. Oshie, Ryan Kelser and Derek Stepan to defeat Finland 3-2 in its final World Cup pre-tournament game Tuesday at the Verizon Center in Washington.

The U.S. jumped out to a 3-0 lead, as Oshie scored 1:08 into the first period before Kesler (3:37) and Stepan (5:34) scored 1:57 apart in the second period.

Finland made a game of it by getting third-period goals from Patrik Laine (11:22) and Jussi Jokinen (15:37).

Jonathan Quick made 30 saves for the Americans, while Pekka Rinne stopped 26 shots for Finland.

Detroit Red Wings forward Justin Abdelkader had no points and two shots in 14:41 of ice time, including 3:36 on the penalty kill.

The tournament starts Saturday at Air Canada Centre in Toronto. The U.S. opens against Europe (3:30 p.m., ESPN2), which includes Red Wings forwards Tomas Tatar, Frans Nielsen and Thomas Vanek.



Helm happy to be back in ‘similar role'

By Chuck Pleiness, The Macomb Daily

DETROIT -Darren Helm had serious thoughts about leaving Detroit this past offseason.

But after a few meetings with Wings coach Jeff Blashill and general manager Ken Holland, Helm changed his mind.

Helm, who signed a five-year deal worth $19.25 million on July 1, was unhappy with how he was used last year and voiced those concerns cleaning out his locker at the end of the season.

“I like to be able to jump different spots, different roles when I need to, different matchups, whatever the case is,” Helm said Tuesday at Joe Louis Arena. “Sometimes I didn’t feel like the message was relayed to me clearly. I didn’t know if I was moving because I wasn’t playing well, if I was getting sat because I was doing things wrong, if it was matchups. So we talked and we just want to make a better line of communication between the two of us and that will have to continue throughout the year.”

Helm, who’s coming off a four-year deal that had an average salary-cap hit of $2.125, said he meet with a few teams and visited a few cities prior to coming to terms with the Wings.

“Absolutely,” Helm said when asked if was seriously considering leaving. “I definitely kept an open mind throughout the whole process. If things didn’t work out, there was a good possibility I was going to go somewhere else, but we worked hard to get the deal done and I’m extremely happy about it and I hope both sides are.”

Helm had 13 goals and 13 assists in 77 games last season, which is seven points less than he had in 75 games the previous year.

“It’s probably going to be a similar role to last year, the two years previous,” Helm said. “If there’s a position in the top couple lines that I need to fill, I’d love to go do that. I think I might be starting at center again this year. I haven’t played that in a couple years.

“So I think Blash wanted to get me kind of back in that, being able to move the puck up the ice a little bit from the D zone,” Helm added. “So I’m really looking forward to that, going to start there. Hopefully I solidify myself as another solid third-line center, like I thought I did before I started getting dragged all around.”

The Wings value Helm’s speed and versatility. He’s a fast skater that can play on a top-six scoring line or versatile enough to play a checking role.

His former coach, Mike Babcock, once called him the best third-line center in the NHL.

“That’s one thing Kenny said as well, Pav’s gone, there’s spots for guys to step up and there’s a few guys looking to fill that role or fill those extra minutes,” Helm said. “That’s a big thing that we’ll have to do to take a step to fill if we want to be successful. It’s exciting, hopefully get an opportunity to play a little bit more in key situations.”

Helm has missed time with numerous injuries, including groin, concussion, forearm, back and knee.

Helm, who was taken in the fifth round (132nd overall) of the 2005 draft, played just seven regular season games in the 2007-08 campaign and then 18 more in the playoffs, playing a key role in the Wings winning the Stanley Cup.

Macomb Daily LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023863 Edmonton Oilers

Jason Gregor: Good news for the Edmonton Oilers — Ryan Nugent-Hopkins looks like he's returning to form at the World Cup of Hockey

More from Jason Gregor, Edmonton Journal

While many Edmonton Oilers fans focus on Connor McDavid’s play with Team North America at the World Cup, I’m more interested in the play of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

McDavid is a special talent. He will be the Oilers’ best player this season. He’ll be their offensive leader, and he’ll be named captain before the puck drops on Oct. 12. But if the Oilers are going to succeed, the defensive core will need to play well and Nugent-Hopkins will need to become an impact player.

With the departure of Taylor Hall, we can debate whether Nugent-Hopkins, Jordan Eberle or Milan Lucic now slot in as the second most important forward on the team. Lucic has the most experience and Eberle is the best finisher, while Nugent-Hopkins is considered the best two-way player.

I’d argue the success of No. 93 will go a long way in determining if the Oilers are in the playoff picture in late March. The good news is that through two pre-tournament games at the World Cup, Nugent-Hopkins looks great. It is only two games, but they’re much different than pre-season National Hockey League games. The rosters are filled with NHL players, and Team Europe — North America’s lone opponent in exhibition thus far — is filled with veterans.

RNH’s play in these two games reminded me of how he looked in 2014, his best NHL season. Nugent-Hopkins scored 24 goals and 56 points in 76 games. He topped the 20-goal mark for the first time in his career, and he looked like he was ready to emerge as a solid point-producer and defensive player.

Team North America's Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, right, chats with Nathan MacKinnon during the team's World Cup hockey practice, Tuesday, September 6, 2016 in Montreal.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz ORG XMIT: RYR106

Team North America’s Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, right, chats with Nathan MacKinnon during the team’s World Cup hockey practice, on Sept. 6, 2016, in Montreal. Ryan Remiorz / THE CANADIAN PRESS

Last year, he had a great start, scoring 11 points in his first 13 games playing mainly with Hall. He and McDavid looked solid as the top two centres. But McDavid broke his clavicle in the Oilers’ 13th game, and over the 33 games that followed, Nugent-Hopkins scored only three goals while Hall played with Leon Draisaitl.

Nugent-Hopkins broke his hand blocking a shot on Jan. 18 and missed 23 games. He returned on March 12 and played seven games, scoring three goals, before he was sidelined with a concussion and missed another week.

Injuries played a factor for his offensive numbers drying up after Nov. 3, but when McDavid went down and Hall moved off his wing, RNH struggled.

His play in the World Cup is a great sign he’ll rebound to form. He looks quick again. He looks like he has a lot of confidence in both ends, and the best sign, albeit a small sample size, is he is winning faceoffs.

In the second pre-tournament game, he won 71 per cent of his faceoffs. He took every draw against Anze Kopitar and won five of seven. Kopitar finished fifth in number of faceoffs taken (1,776) in the NHL last year, and he won 53.8 per cent of them, 11th best among centres who took 1,000 or more of them.

I recognize it is only one game, but being solid in the faceoff dot was just another aspect of RNH’s game that has looked good early on. He was only 44 per cent on faceoffs last year, he’s entering his sixth NHL season, there is no reason he can’t be close to 50 per cent in 2016. I take more from World Cup pre-tournament games than I would an NHL pre-season game.

Of course, McDavid will need to play well for the Oilers to be competitive, but even when he scored 48 points in 45 games last year, the Oilers won only 17 of them. Their supporting cast has to be productive for them to win, and I’d argue Nugent-Hopkins is the second most important forward on the team this season.

He will need a strong start to the season, and it looks like he’s ready for the challenge of leading the Oilers’ second line.

Parting shots

In the past four seasons, Nugent-Hopkins has 59 goals in 251 games.

Nail Yakupov has 50 in 252.

Nugent-Hopkins needs to become a consistent goal scorer. The past four seasons he’s scored 4, 19, 24 and 12.

I realize he is more of a playmaker than a shooter — with 111 assists in those 251 games — but the Oilers aren’t blessed with an abundance of goal-scoring wingers. Nugent-Hopkins has shown he has a quick release and an accurate snap shot. He’ll need to use that more this season.

Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023864 Florida Panthers

Panthers rookie defenseman Mike Matheson taking nothing for granted

Harvey Fialkov

It's universally understood that rookie defenseman Mike Matheson will be a fixture on the Florida Panthers' revamped blue line this season and for many years to come.

Just don't tell Matheson that.

"Definitely not," said Matheson after skating in an informal practice session Tuesday morning at the IceDen. "I'm not coming in here thinking I've earned a spot at all, but it's definitely exciting knowing the opportunity I have to make the lineup. So I'm not thinking that I've already earned a spot;; I'm thinking I have a spot to earn."

Matheson's bid to be in the top-six will start this weekend when he leads the Panthers' 23-man roster of first-year professionals and amateur tryout participants in the annual four-team rookie tournament against similar prospects from the Tampa Bay Lightning, Nashville Predators and Washington Capitals.

It's safe to assume that no one in the rookie tournament (Saturday through Tuesday) will have played more Stanley Cup playoff games than regular-season games. But that's exactly the case for Matheson, who seamlessly stepped into the first-round playoff series against the New York Islanders in April after playing just three regular-season NHL games.

Veteran defenseman Steve Kampfer was still nursing an ankle injury so Matheson replaced veteran Jakub Kindl and played the final five games of the rugged, evenly-played series won by the Islanders in six games. Matheson, 22, notched an assist and a plus-1 ice rating while averaging 21:41 ice time.

"The easiest thing to do would be to put pressure on myself and have the expectations to be able to play the same way I did in the playoffs," Matheson said. "At the end of the day it's a test I've been studying for my whole life. I know I still have some things to work on. It'll be a continuous process in that sense but I'm confident in the area I've already brought my game to."

After his playoff stint Matheson was surprisingly invited to play for Team Canada in the prestigious IIHF 2016 World Championship in Russia. Less than a year from captaining the Boston College Eagles, Matheson led Canada to a gold medal with two goals, six points and a plus-11 in 10 games and was named the tournament's top defenseman.

Not resting on his laurels over the summer the 6-foot-2, 195-pound chiseled Matheson returned to the Adrenaline Performance Center in Montreal where he worked out with renowned trainer Jonathan Chaimberg to put on size and strength while improving his balance.

"I also worked on core development so when I'm in the corners I'm a lot stronger on my feet and better at not losing those [puck] battles," Matheson said.

It was Matheson's maturity, skating prowess and veteran-like decision making in the playoffs that gave the Panthers front office the confidence to trade young defensemen Erik Gudbranson and Dmitry Kulikov in the offseason.

Of the 23 young hopefuls on the rookie roster, it's quite realistic to project Matheson as the only player to start the season with the Panthers.

After one full pro season in the AHL where he scored eight goals and had 20 points with a sterling plus-14 in 54 games for the Portland Pirates, Matheson hopes to provide veteran leadership when the Panthers kiddie corps take on their Predators peers Saturday at 6 p.m. at the IceDen.

"It's a good opportunity to get some games in before training camp opens [Sept.22] and kind of shake the rust off," Matheson said. "Obviously, to be bit of a leader to the younger kids in the organization who haven't been through it and hopefully be a helping hand for any questions they have going in through the whole process.

"I think being in that role gives you confidence going into the main camp."

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023865 Florida Panthers

Goal for Panthers backup goalie Reto Berra hasn't changed

Harvey Fialkov

It’s no secret that when the Florida Panthers traded speedy rookie forward Rocco Grimaldi to the Colorado Avalanche for goalie Reto Berra a week before the start of free agency that outsiders thought they had found their new backup to Roberto Luongo.

However, the Panthers wasted no time on July 1 in signing James Reimer, 28, to a five-year deal worth a reported $17 million to not only spell Luongo for about 35 games, but to eventually succeed the 37-year-old veteran.

Berra, 29, arrived this week from Switzerland to join his new teammates, including Reimer, at their informal practices before training camp begins on Sept. 22. He said he was surprised by the Reimer signing, but isn’t resigned to starting the season in the minors.

"It’s awesome. I’m real happy to be here, real happy with the trade. It’s always been my dream to come to the rink in swim shorts, work hard and go to the beach,’’ kidded Berra who’s 19-30-4 with a 2.82 goals-against-average in 64 career games.

"I was surprised that just a couple of days later they signed [Reimer], too. It doesn’t matter. I’m real happy to be here and I have my goals and I want to reach them.’’

Reimer has started 196 games with mostly poor Torinto Maple Leafs' teams and has an overall record of 91-78-23 with a 2.78 GAA.

It’s quite plausible that the Panthers acquired Berra and Reimer because they weren’t sure if Luongo would be able to start the season after undergoing hip surgery in early May. It’s still not certain when Luongo will begin his season.

"We have a real strong goalie trio right now,’’ Berra said. “Of course, I want to make the team. This is my fourth year and my first year I [started 29 games] in Calgary.

"Last year, I had my best year until the day before Christmas I injured my ankle and was out for 2 1/2 months. I hope to take that mix together and have my best season.’’

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023866 Las Vegas

Bill Foley has his NHL team name, the Knights, but he’s not saying what kind of Knights they’ll be

By STEVE CARP

You can stop suggesting names for Bill Foley to call his Las Vegas NHL expansion team. He has his name.

But you’ll have to wait until mid- to late October to find out exactly what it is.

Everything is a go after months of deliberation, going through legal hoops to secure the trademarks, copyrights and domain names and that the team will be called either the Silver Knights, the Desert Knights or the Golden Knights.

“The name is definitely set,” Foley said Monday from California. “But I can’t tell you exactly what it is. That’s a secret.

Foley remains committed to having a big announcement party at T-Mobile Arena. But with so few open dates for the building next month, Foley’s options are limited. So he has chosen to wait.

He said the color scheme is also set and the final logos were being made by adidas, which has worked with Foley and his staff along with the NHL for the past few months on the design and colors.

The plan is for NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to attend the big announcement assuming his schedule permits it.

While it has been an exhaustive and at times frustrating process for Foley, it begs the question why he didn’t already have his name in place when the NHL awarded him his team back in June?

“The reality was the league said, ‘You don’t have a team’ so we couldn’t advance any ideas from the NHL,” Foley said. He added that he didn’t want to be presumptuous that he was getting the team to press the issue of the name with Bettman prior to the vote from the Board of Governors on June 22.

Foley said while the wait has cost the team millions of dollars in sales, he believes they can make up a good percentage of it once the team is announced and that shirts, hats and, most important, jerseys become available for sale.

“The jerseys are going to look great,” he said. “Everyone’s going to want one.”

The team will have its own store at T-Mobile Arena and the tentative plan is to have some merchandise available for sale the day of the announcement of the team name.

From the beginning of his pursuit of an NHL team, Foley was partial to a team name that included Knights in it. A West Point graduate, Foley originally envisioned calling his team the Black Knights. But he realized that he was going to have a legal battle on his hands and there was some pushback from the United States Military Academy as well as from fans who simply hated the name.

He had to do some legal maneuvering but by adding a prefix to Knights, he was able to secure something close to what he wanted. He had to also do some subterfuge to throw would-be poachers off the scent. But he managed to keep his team in the news and he won’t apologize for that.

“We’ve gotten all this publicity and we’ve stayed in the news,” he said. “I couldn’t be happier.”

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023867 Los Angeles Kings

After back surgery, Nolan cleared and ready to contribute

Posted by JonRosen

Though his production was yet to come, Jordan Nolan’s game was trending well in mid-February. The end result won’t show it – his difficult 2015-16 season ended with a zero in the goal column for the first time in his career – but before the Kings took the ice for a morning skate in Nashville to conclude their two-week, late-winter Grammy trip, he and the coaching staff were optimistic in the marathon ebb and flow of the season about the direction in where his game was headed.

That optimism dissolved when the then-26-year-old felt discomfort prior to the February 20 game against the Predators.

“I always felt like my back was a little bit tighter, and if you ask my teammates, I’m always complaining about my back,” Nolan said. “That last game in St. Louis, I played a lot of minutes, and then at the next morning skate, I felt a little tighter than usual that morning, and it just so happened that it gave out at that morning skate. I did the X-ray, and it showed I had a disc that already had some problems, so that probably caused the issue there.”

His game against the Blues on February 18, in which he logged 12:48 of ice time – his second-highest haul of the year – would be the last game he played in 2015-16. He ultimately returned to Los Angeles, and on March 3, had surgery to correct a herniated disc in his back. He was with his teammates at the end of the playoff series against San Jose before continuing his rehabilitation in late May back in St. Catharine’s, Ontario, where he lives during the off-season.

“I thought St. Louis was one of my better games of the year. I got to play a lot of minutes and kind of prove that I can play with that ice time and do something with it,” said Nolan, who has been skating with his teammates and a collection of prospects at Toyota Sports Center in preparation for training camp. “So I think that it’s pretty bad timing, but everything happens for a reason. I feel great right now, and I feel fast and feel strong, so I’m looking for a good year.”

Try as he might, the two-time Stanley Cup winner wasn’t able to engineer his own success last season. Effective when adhering to a heavy-hitting, north-south-type role, Nolan has been very useful at times on the forecheck, and with six goals in both the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons – go ahead and watch his play during the first half of 2013-14 to watch an effective fourth line role being chiseled out – has supplied production necessary during periods of his Los Angeles tenure to maintain his grip as a role-player capable of providing heavy minutes and opening up space and opportunity for his teammates.

Nolan was cleared to participate in training camp when he returned to Los Angeles in July to see a doctor, who was happy with the progress shown after he had worked with a physiotherapist in Ontario.

“I think it was a little different for me because I had all summer to train and get ready for it, so I think doc didn’t want to rush me,” he said.

He was cleared to skate over the summer, but “kind of took my time a bit more and made sure the back was fully healed” instead of pushing himself to be ready by a particular date, which had previously been his focus while he rehabilitated his injury late in the season.

“Once playoffs started, I was pretty much where I needed to be, maybe a little bit ahead of schedule, because I was working hard,” he said. “Just in case we went deep into the playoffs, I wanted to skate with the team, and I thought everything went smoothly [in rehabilitation]. It was unfortunate to see us lose in the first round and I wasn’t able to skate anymore, but it worked out.”

He’s not the only King to have undergone surgery this calendar year. As reported in May, Alec Martinez underwent surgery to correct shoulder discomfort after the season, and Dustin Brown had a “minor procedure” to address an issue with his right wrist. None of the injuries were expected to keep the players off the ice during training camp.

Speaking of camp, Nolan, a center, totaled five assists and an even rating in 52 games last season, and will face greater competition than in previous seasons, when roles and roster spots were more airtight. The Kings will also be taking a long look at prospect Michael Mersch, who can be sent back to AHL-Ontario without clearing waivers, as well as centers Michael Latta, Nick Shore and Nic Dowd. Andy Andreoff is also a versatile player who can play center and wing, while former Shark, Wild,

Jet and Flame Devin Setoguchi, who is looking to resuscitate his NHL career, is expected to attend camp on a PTO.

Nolan is signed for two more seasons at a manageable $950,000 cap hit.

“I’m looking forward to starting the year,” he said. “Obviously it’s disappointing having to end your season in March and have back surgery, but I feel great. We have a few new players coming in this year, so I’m looking forward to getting back on the ice and proving what I can do and getting back to that level where I was last year.”

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023868 Minnesota Wild

Hockey players lobby Congress on issue of head injuries

Former players seek research, protections and NHL recognition of links between sports and brain injury.

By Allison Sherry Star Tribune

WASHINGTON — Former professional hockey players and their family members — many with Minnesota connections — are canvassing Capitol Hill this week in hopes of pressuring professional and amateur sports to tighten rules and better protect players.

Those lobbying members of Congress include Len Boogaard, whose son Derek, an enforcer for the Minnesota Wild, was found dead in May 2011 from an oxycodone overdose. Derek Boogaard suffered multiple concussions and hits during hockey games.

Also speaking out is Jeff Parker, a White Bear Lake native who played hockey professionally for five years. Parker now suffers memory loss and mood swings after a couple of severe head injuries in 1991 that left him with no sense of smell.

“I think they’re turning the other cheek to it,” said Parker, who works as a server at a restaurant in St. Paul. “Hopefully something is done sooner rather than later.”

Former athletes and advocates want members of Congress to recognize the connection between multiple head hits and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, a degenerative brain disease that can only be diagnosed after someone dies. Roughly 100 National Football League players have been posthumously diagnosed with CTE. So was Derek Boogaard.

Doctors across the country are working on research into CTE, and earlier this year the National Football League for the first time admitted a connection between blows to the head and body in football games and the brain disease.

Retired hockey players have put $100,000 into hiring a Minnesota-based firm, Lockridge Grindal Nauen PLLP, to help them with their public awareness efforts.

Earlier this spring, House Republicans held a hearing about concussion research, inviting NHL and the NFL officials to weigh in, along with several doctors. Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton said Tuesday “much work remains to be done to explore new solutions and, most importantly, advance the public’s awareness of traumatic brain injuries.”

Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, ranking member of the Senate’s Consumer Protection subcommittee, has been sparring with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on the League’s reluctance to embrace CTE connections with brain injuries. In a letter to Blumenthal, Bettman called the research “nascent.” The National Hockey League did not respond to a request for comment.

The NHL recently announced changes to its concussion protocol ahead of the 2016-2017 regular season, including four independent “spotters” who will monitor all NHL games. If they see signs of a concussion after a play, the coach will remove the player from the game.

Parker said on Tuesday he wishes those rules were in place when he was playing professional hockey. While playing for Hartford in 1991, he hit a pole and was knocked out cold for five minutes, with a cracked helmet, he said. He said he doesn’t remember how long he took off before his next game, but he felt pressure to get back and play because he didn’t have a contract. After taking another hard hit, Parker lost his sense of smell and left the game forever.

The Hill and White House visits come as Minneapolis-based lawyers are putting the finishing touches on a class-action lawsuit alleging the NHL knowingly put players at risk for debilitating brain injuries. The NHL moved to dismiss the lawsuit, but Minnesota-based U.S. District Judge Susan Nelson ruled earlier this year that there could be a trial in 2017.

“We’re fighting for the players and trying to prove to the league that yes, players were at extraordinary risk, and yes, the dangers are real and that the players are suffering and we’d like to see them do what they’ve done for football and create a package of protections,” said Charles Zimmerman, the chief lawyer representing the players.

The NFL negotiated a package of benefits for retired football players where everyone gets a baseline test by a neurologist to determine

whether they have one of five neurological diseases, including Alzheimer’s, dementia and Parkinson’s. A former player with a diagnosis would be compensated based on a schedule of benefits.

Republican Rep. Tom Emmer said on Tuesday that hockey was a “huge part of my life and I still play to this day.”

Emmer heads the hockey caucus in the House of Representatives. “We have become more and more aware of the impacts that contact sports can have — especially on our nation’s still developing youth,” he said. “It is important that we look at these effects to raise awareness and to determine what solutions can be found to better protect the generation of tomorrow.”

Tony Sanneh, a former professional soccer player from St. Paul, spent 15 years playing professionally in the U.S. and Europe and was a member of the U.S. Men’s National Team. He runs the Tony Sanneh Foundation now and said on Tuesday he believes with more awareness will give way to rule changes.

“We like to be purists, but every game evolves,” Sanneh said. “Everything changes. Someday, hockey may be more of a skill game with no checking or fighting and soccer may be a game with no heading.

That’s the reality of it ... The sports weren’t meant to be dangerous. They’re arts. There is a beauty of them that we enjoy, and the best parts of the games are not those pieces.”

Star Tribune LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023869 Minnesota Wild

U.S. edges Finland in World Cup tuneup

By STEPHEN WHYNO Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- John Tortorella sensed his players were tired of practicing and getting coached and were ready for the World Cup of Hockey.

They played like it, too.

The United States beat Finland 3-2 on Tuesday night in each team’s final exhibition game before the World Cup begins this weekend in Toronto. Goaltender Jonathan Quick played well enough to earn the starting job for the first game of the tournament, and despite some late trouble the Americans looked prepared for the real thing.

“I think the boys feel tournament ready,” said forward Max Pacioretty, who had an assist. “That probably was the most comfortable we’ve felt.”

Quick made 30 stops, giving up a goal on a perfect shot by teenage phenom Patrik Laine and another on a scramble in front by Jussi Jokinen. T.J. Oshie, Ryan Kesler and Derek Stepan scored for the U.S., which went 2-1-0 in exhibition play and begins the World Cup on Saturday against Team Europe.

Tortorella called it the Americans’ best of the three exhibition games and cited progress in several areas.

“We were cleaner,” Tortorella said. “Have we got it all figured out? No. And we probably won’t get it all figured out. It’s just not enough time to cover all the things we’d like to cover, so we just keep on banging away here and see if we can get better each day.”

Pacioretty was much better than in two previous games, responding to Tortorella’s comment that he needs “more” from the Montreal Canadiens forward. The new line of Pacioretty, Kesler and Oshie clicked, with Oshie appearing extra motivated playing in front of Washington Capitals fans.

“When you’re at your home rink, you just feel comfortable,” Oshie said. “Always fun playing at home.”

Quick, a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Los Angeles Kings, stopped 63 of the 66 shots he faced in exhibition play. He put any doubt to rest about the U.S. starter, and Tortorella said Ben Bishop of the Tampa Bay Lightning would serve as the backup.

“A lot of things can happen in the tournament, but I believe in the body of work from all three goalies,” Tortorella said. “It’s a really hard decision. I think Jonathan has just done a little bit better than the other guys, so he’ll be our No. 1 guy to start the tournament.”

Finland must still decide on its starter in net after Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators stopped 26 of 29 shots against the U.S. It’ll be either him or Tuukka Rask of the Boston Bruins in Finland’s opener Sunday against Team North America, but Rinne earned praise from coach Lauri Marjamaki.

“Pekka was great,” said Marjamaki, who didn’t name his starter for the first game. “I like the style how he played. Of course he (faced a) couple of breakaways, so great game for him.”

Rinne robbed reigning NHL MVP Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks on a breakaway after a turnover by young Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta, one of several Finns who struggled Tuesday.

Laine, the No. 2 pick in the draft to the Winnipeg Jets, enjoyed his best exhibition game. The 18-year-old had four shots on goal, several nifty moves and his snipe past Quick.

“It is good for us and of course important goal for him,” Marjamaki said. “I think that his confidence getting better, and he can use his strengths in tournament.”

The big, physical U.S. team is ready to use its strength in the tournament after sharpening some things against Finland.

“We’re getting better,” Quick said. “Every game we’re a little bit better, and we’ll continue to get better.”

Star Tribune LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023870 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens announce roster, schedule for rookie camp

Published on: September 13, 2016 Staff

There will be 27 players at the Montreal Canadiens rookie camp, which takes place from Sept. 15-21, the team announced Tuesday.

The players will also take part in a rookie tournament in London, Ont., from Sept. 16-18 against rookies from the Ottawa Senators, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The group of 27 players will be made up of 15 forwards, nine defencemen and three goaltenders.

Schedule for Canadiens 2016 Rookie Camp / Tournament

Thursday, September 15: 1 p.m. practice (Bell Sports Complex – Brossard)

Friday, September 16: 9:30 a.m. practice (London)

3:35 p.m. game vs. Pittsburgh (London)

Saturday, September 17: 10:30 a.m. practice (London)

7 p.m. game vs. Toronto (London)

Sunday, September 18: 8 a.m. practice (London)

1 p.m. game vs. Ottawa (London)

Monday, September 19: Day off

Tuesday, September 20: 1 p.m. practice (Bell Sports Complex – Brossard)

Wednesday, September 21: 10:30 a.m. practice (Bell Sports Complex – Brossard)

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 09.14.2016


Canadiens’ rookie camp opens Thursday

Posted by Stu Cowan

The Canadiens’ rookie camp opens Thursday at the club’s Brossard practice facility with 27 players taking part.

The rookies will practise at 1 p.m. Thursday before heading to London, Ont., to take part in a three-day tournament against rookie teams from the Ottawa Senators, Pittsburgh Penguins and Toronto Maple Leafs. Each team will play three games at the tournament.

The rookies will be given a day off on Monday after the completion of the tournament before hitting the ice in Brossard next Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.

The Canadiens will hold their annual golf tournament next Tuesday at Laval-sur-le-Lac with players reporting for their physicals next Thursday to start the official training camp. The players will hit the ice for the first time the next day in Brossard.



Rough beginning for Max Pacioretty and season hasn’t even started

STU COWAN

The start of the NHL regular season is still a month away, but it’s already been a tough start to the year for Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty.

First Pacioretty — who is taking part in the World Cup of Hockey— wasn’t included in the Team USA leadership group when coach John Tortorella announced that Joe Pavelski would be his captain with Patrick Kane and Ryan Suter as alternates.

Then, after a 5-2 loss to Team Canada in a World Cup tuneup game last Saturday in Ottawa, Tortorella talked about how he was disappointed in the play of Pacioretty, who had only one shot and one hit in 10:05 of ice time.

“He’s OK, yeah, but I need more out of him,” Tortorella told reporters in Ottawa during his post-game news conference. “I know how he can play and this is what happens in this type of tournament and the team makeup. You’re not going to get your 20 minutes if other people are going, they tend to take some ice time. All of the top players, you look at even Canada’s team, your minutes are going to be down. But Max hasn’t … he’s got to give me some reason to give him more minutes here, and so we’ll see where it goes. We know he’s a really good player, great kid, but we just got to get a little bit more out of him.”

Finally, semi-retired, French-language journalist Michel Villeneuve set social media on fire Monday after telling a radio station in Trois-Rivières that Michel Therrien had told people at the coach’s table during a golf tournament this summer that Pacioretty was the worst captain in the history of the Canadiens.

Never a dull moment in Habs Land.

According to Michel Vileneuve, Therrien had told a few people that Pacioretty is the worst captain in Habs history https://t.co/FQph84R14h

— Vaggeli (@VaggeliMTL) September 12, 2016

Here’s what Therrien told me when I asked him at his charity golf tournament last month if he had ever thought this summer about taking the “C” away from Pacioretty and giving it to newcomer Shea Weber, the former captain of the Nashville Predators who won the NHL’s Mark Messier Leadership Award last season.

“No … no … no,” Therrien said. “You’ve got to do the right thing. Pacioretty is our captain. I sat down with Shea yesterday and explained the situation and he’s totally behind that and he doesn’t want to take Patch’s captaincy. He wants to be there to support him and to help him, and there’s no doubt a guy like Shea Weber is going to help Max Pacioretty to become a better captain. There’s no doubt about that.”

When I asked Torrey Mitchell this summer what makes Pacioretty a good captain, in his opinion, the nine-year veteran who has played for San Jose, Minnesota, Buffalo and Montreal said: “He’s got the calming presence … he’s a little bit like Carey that way. He’s coming into his own and he’s got all the respect of all of us in the room, and that’s huge. Guys look to him to score goals, guys look to him … what’s the atmosphere supposed to be like today? Guys look to him. He’s got that leadership quality. I’ve had some great captains over the years and he’s got that ‘it’ factor about him. Between the walls of our locker room, the guys really respect him. He’s obviously super important for our success. He’s just an easy-going guy. He’s really easy to be around. Having spent time with him the last year, I have a ton of respect for him.”

Pacioretty responded to Tortorella’s criticism when he met with reporters in Washington Tuesday before Team USA’s final World Cup tuneup game against Finland (7 p.m., SN1, TVA Sports).

“It’s two exhibition games,” Pacioretty said. “Obviously, I know I need to do more. Hopefully I can improve my game for the third exhibition game.”

Pacioretty, who had been playing on a line with Joe Pavelski and Patrick Kane, has been moved by Tortorella to a line with Ryan Kesler and T.J. Oshie.



Carey Price gets another start in Team Canada’s final World Cup tuneup game

Staff

Carey Price will be back in goal for Team Canada for its final World Cup of Hockey tuneup game Wednesday night against Team Russia in Pittsburgh (7:30 p.m., SN, TVA Sports).

Price played in Canada’s first of three pre-tournament games last Friday, making 21 saves in a 4-2 loss to the United States in Columbus. Braden Holtby and Corey Crawford split the netminding duties for Canada in its second game, a 5-2 win over the U.S. Saturday in Ottawa.

Price hadn’t seen any game action since suffering a season-ending knee injury last Nov. 25 with the Canadiens in a game against the New York Rangers.

“He gets an opportunity to play again,” Team Canada coach Mike Babcock told reporters after practice Tuesday. “He hasn’t played in a long time, didn’t have the kind of game he’d like his first time out, he’s going back in the net.”

Said Price: “At this point, minutes played and getting in there and feeling shots, and feeling the tempo of the game is the recipe for me. I’m just looking forward to getting in there and getting another crack at it.

“Obviously, the tempo is really high, a lot more intense than the skates we have in the summertime. It’s like jumping right into midseason. (I’m) starting to feel better;; trying to do everything I can to get prepared for the game. Do all the things right.”


1023874 Nashville Predators

Metro to study condition, future costs of Nissan Stadium, Bridgestone Arena

Joey Garrison, September 13, 2016

Amid rising city costs to cover upgrades, repairs and upkeep of Nashville's two main professional sports facilities, Metro government is hiring a firm that will explore the condition of both Nissan Stadium and Bridgestone Arena.

The Metro Nashville Sports Authority will consider a proposal Thursday from Mayor Megan Barry’s administration to pay $355,000 to hire Venue Solutions Group, a facility management firm based in Brentwood, to carry out the assessment of both sports venues, which will include evaluating the lifespan of stadium equipment.

It comes as Metro is on the hook for up to $11 million to pay for a range of maintenance upgrades over the coming years to fulfill the city’s contractual obligation to the Tennessee Titans under a 1997 stadium deal that lured the NFL’s Houston Oilers to relocate to Nashville. That figure is on top of the $15 million Metro spent this past year to cover a replacement of all seats inside the 18-year-old stadium.

Bridgestone Arena, home of the NHL’s Nashville Predators and entering its 20th year of operations, underwent a seat replacement over the past two years. Recent upgrades have also included new LED lighting and bathroom renovations. That followed a face-lift to create a new south-facing entrance, a pub, a team store and large outdoor television screens and a news banner.

Though the outside firm will look at both sports venues, which are owned by Metro, questions from Sports Authority board members earlier this year on escalating capital costs associated with Nissan Stadium prompted the upcoming study.

At July’s Sports Authority meeting, Barry’s Chief Operating Officer, Rich Riebeling, told board members that other cities have performed similar studies of their city-owned sports facilities

Riebeling said the independent assessment would allow the city to get a better handle on Nissan Stadium-related expenditures coming over the next decade on the front-end rather than learning about them as they come.

“I think if we have a benchmark (on costs) to start with, I think it will give us all a comfort-level, and then we can get into the political discussion about how we’re going to pay for it and what the best options are going forward,” Riebeling said.

“We’re seeing the obligations grow and we know that,” he said of Nissan Stadium. “This isn’t going to change. It’s an older building. You look around and it’s hard to believe that it’s getting on 20 years old, but it is. So we’ve got to start thinking about this.”

If the contract is approved Thursday, the study is expected to be completed by the end of March.

Under the plan, Venue Solutions Group would be subcontracted by Commonwealth Development Group, led by CEO Larry Atema, which oversaw Nissan Stadium’s seat replacement and several other recent Metro construction projects.

Metro’s stadium lease agreement with the Titans — which makes Metro legally responsible to pay for repairs — runs through 2027. On Sunday, the Titans kicked off Nissan Stadium 18th year of NFL play. Fourteen new NFL stadium have opened since Nissan Stadium opened in 1999, putting it in the league's middle range in terms of age.

Metro Sports Authority Executive Director Monica Fawknotson said the comprehensive studies of both venues would cover architectural, mechanical, electrical, structural and entertainment elements of the facilities.

“As we continued the conversation, we thought it really made sense to go ahead and look at both facilities,” she said of the decision to also include Bridgestone Arena. “We want to see what we are looking at, especially over the next five to 10 years. We want to assess everything.”

Prompting the study was a vote by the Sports Authority’s board of directors in March to request a recommendation from the Metro finance department on how to pay for Nissan Stadium capital upgrades that have become more costly.

Under the terms of the team’s stadium lease agreement with the city, the Titans pay for miscellaneous capital improvements on the front end and then get reimbursed by Metro at the end of each year from a pool of city revenue that comes from a $1 million subsidy that Metro gives the Titans each year.

As of March of this year, Metro’s Nissan Stadium capital fund was currently just $157,947.

But the Titans have incurred $5.9 million in already completed capital projects that the team is expected to ask the city to reimburse. This includes $2.5 million that covered a recent Wi-Fi upgrade, as well as funds for a newly installed storm water drainage generator, HVAC improvements and new field tarp, among other expenses.

Moving forward, the Titans front office has presented the Sports Authority with a list of 21 projects, totaling $5.1 million, it says is needed to keep Nissan Stadium up to date.

This includes a $1.8 million environmentally friendly lighting system;; a $1 million digital security surveillance system to replace its outdated analog version;; and $500,000 for a new system to control stadium lights. Other fixes include fiber-optic upgrades for broadcast TV trucks and transmissions;; new freight elevators;; and renovations to the stadium’s ticket offices. Timelines for the projects aren’t clear.

Sports Authority board member Dudley West, who helped push the board’s conversation on rising capital costs, applauded the decision to bring in a firm to look at the facilities.

“I think it’s a great idea to start this plan,” West said during July's board meeting. “The Titans have been very patient on asking for reimbursements for expenditures, but the number was growing. We’ve had a good relationship working with the Titans and I’m confident we’ll work through this.”

In addition to the $1 million annual capital improvements subsidy, the Titans and Metro since 2010 have charged a $3 tax on every ticket sold for events at Nissan Stadium to create a pool of funds for major stadium upgrades. It has generated $14.3 million overall in funding earmarked specifically for stadium capital costs.

A $2 chunk of that tax was devoted to new elevators, oversized scoreboards and other upgrades that were installed as part of a 2012 renovation project. The $1 portion of the ticket tax is being used to pay off debt for the $15 million seat replacement, which the sports authority approved last summer. That undertaking, still ongoing, also includes repairing concrete expansion joints.

Prior to this year's NFL season, the Titans also used their own resources to take on various cosmetic projects, including painting the stadium’s ramps and light breakers and pressurizing the entire facility.

In a statement, Titans President Steve Underwood said the Titans and Metro have approached stadium upkeep in "conservative and responsible ways" over their 20-year partnership. He called the study an important tool to help understand what stadium systems upgrading is needed over the next 10 to 12 years.

"Thoughtful planning is something we endorse to attempt to avoid surprises and help all involved estimate future expense," Underwood said. "So the Titans are fully supportive and appreciative of the effort by Metro and the Sports Authority to create a complete appraisal of the condition of Nissan Stadium now and help us shape and control expense over the coming years.”

To pay for maintenance and repairs at Bridgestone Arena, Metro in 2012 increased the ticket surcharge by $2, which created a capital improvements fund that has covered the arena’s recent wave of renovations.

Sean Henry, CEO of the Nashville Predators, said the Bridgestone Arena has received approximately $60 million in upgrades over the past six years, around $20 million of which came from the ticket surcharge. The team has covered the majority of upgrades.

The upcoming study of Bridgestone Arena comes one month after Henry and the Nashville Predators unveiled concepts to expand and improve Bridgestone Arena, including a possible new on-site hotel, an office tower, a secondary ice rink, an expanded concourse and a slate of upgrades to improve the interactive fan experience for millennials.

Henry, who has called the concepts the start of a conversation, not formal proposals, said the upcoming study would complement the organization's efforts to explore future stadium enhancements.

"Nothing is designed to fail, but what is the useful life of certain mechanical systems over the next 20 or 30 years?" Henry said. "That's what this study is really about.

"I don't foresee any insurgencies coming out of it, but what I'm more curious about is not so much now, but years 30 through 50, what will we find out with this report?"

Tennessean LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023875 New Jersey Devils

Ex-Devil Bryce Salvador opens up about rehab from slap shot to the face

Chris Ryan

Bryce Salvador opened up in his retirement letter about his determination to rehab and return to the NHL after taking a slap shot to the head with the Devils in 2010 and missing a full season in 2010-11.

Salvador opened up again the Players' Tribune in a story published Monday, where he explained the obstacles he needed to overcome and changes he made to fix the problems with his vestibular system — inner ears and balance — after taking the shot to the head.

Salvador went through mental exercises to reestablish the connection between his eyes, ears and brain. But Salvador didn't find true progress until he researched into ways to help his sleep patterns.

"I started researching the science of sleep, and it changed my life. Did you know that filtering out the blue lights that emanate from our electronics can have a huge impact on the quality of our sleep?"

How the Devils want to build

Salvador changed the lightbulbs in his bedroom — and in his hotel rooms after he resumed play in the fall of 2011 — and he would unplug all electronics to help his brain rest easier at night.

Salvador talked about how difficult the recovery was — not only physically, but mentally. When dealing with the stigma involved with a head injury, Salvador felt the impact in how others interacted with him.

"When you're suffering with a concussion or a vestibular issue, it's like there's this cloud of negative talk hanging over you — like Pigpen's cloud of dirt in Peanuts. Everyone was tiptoeing around me saying, "Ohhhh, how ya doing? Are you okay today? What? You aren't better today?"

People don't mean anything by it. But they don't realize that treating you like you're broken has a cumulative effect over time. It's a very isolating feeling.

The message that helped me most is when a teammate or a friend would be positive and say, "You know what, bud? You're gonna be fine."

You can read Salvador's full story on the Players' Tribune here, plus his full retirement letter from 2015 here.

Star Ledger LOADED: 09.14.2016


Patrik Elias still uncertain about return to Devils, report says

Chris Ryan

The status of Patrik Elias for the 2016-17 season has been up in the air all offseason, and with Devils training camp quickly approaching, his status is still unclear, according to a report from The Record.

Devils general manager Ray Shero told The Record that Elias is still rehabbing from knee surgery in May. The timetable for his return was four to six months, and Elias is now rehabbing on his own at the Prudential Center after skating in the Czech Republic in August.

Direction of the Devils

While Elias won't be ready for the start of camp, a decision has not been made on whether the Devils will sign Elias, and Shero said there is not deadline for the two sides, according to the report.

Elias said early in the offseason that he desperately wants to play one more season with the Devils.

Star Ledger LOADED: 09.14.2016


Shero: No timetable for making a decision on Elias, nothing "imminent" in terms of extending PTOs

Posted by Andrew Gross

The Devils open training camp a week from Thursday and there is no decision yet on whether the franchise’s all-time leading scorer Patrik Elias, still recovering from offseason surgery on his right knee, will be offered a contract for this season.

But general manager Ray Shero, who said he met with Elias last week, believes there is no artificial deadline for having to make a decision.

Elias spent the summer back home in the Czech Republic, where he began to skate lightly. He has since returned to New Jersey and has continued to skate on his own at Prudential Center.

“We want to make sure we’re o the same page on things, which is he’ll continue to skate on his own and we’ll kind of see where he is,” Shero said in a telephone interview today with The Record. “There’s no decision on our end or his end. There’s certainly none to make at this point because, he, at this point, doesn’t now when he (can) start to push. When he does that, how’s it going to react? And we’ll see exactly where we are as a team at that point, anyway. So we’re going to keep an open mind both ways but it’s great having Patrik around and I’m happy he’s back.”

Elias, 40, was limited to 16 games last season (two goals, six assists) and had surgery on May 11 at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City under the care of Dr. Riley Williams.

Shero said, at the time, the timetable for Elias’ recovery was four to six months.

“Either way, he had to have it done,” Shero said of the surgery. “He could have waited to have it done in the fall and that would have ended any chance of him playing.”

Shero said Elias needs to begin to “push” his knee and “see how it reacts” before any meaningful discussion on his potential return can be had.

And, as Shero noted, it also is a case of whether there will be a roster spot available for him.

“The worst thing with a sore knee is to push something,” Shero said. “He knows his body pretty well. He’s in fantastic shape. He looks great. We’re talking about his knee here so whenever he gets to that point where he can push a little bit more arnd kind of see how it reacts, I think that’s where he’s got to get to and whether that’s at some point later on (maybe) he can rejoin us for practice and see how he does and see how the knee reacts. We haven’t really gotten to that point, either, because let’s just see how things go for him.

“There’s no deadline whatsoever,” Shero added. “We’ll just keep in communication with him and see how he’s feeling.”

Still, Shero referred to Elias as a “lifelong Devil” and said it was his understanding that, if Elias played this season, it would only be for the Devils and not another NHL team.

“The conversation we had at the end of the year, he’s told me that he wants to play for the Devils,” Shero said.

Elias has 408 goals and 617 assists in 1,240 career NHL regular-season games and has won two Stanley Cups with the Devils and gone to four Cup Finals.

Shero said no decision has been made yet on whether to extend any professional tryout offers (PTOs) to any veterans for camp.

“There’s nothing imminent right now,” Shero said. “That’s not to say if there’s the right guy and the right fit…”

Shero added teams have added players on PTOs for camp because they have openings with numerous players participating in the World Cup. The Devils have goalie Cory Schneider and right wing Kyle Palmieri with Team USA – along with coach John Hynes – but that has not meant Shero has had to find bodies for camp.

“We don’t have that situation,” Shero said. “We have pretty good depth and competition for jobs.”

There will be players participating in the World Cup seeking NHL jobs but Shero said he’s not sure of the benefits of bringing in a player just for a portion of training camp or just one or two preseason games.

Bergen Record LOADED: 09.14.2016


Devils GM: 'No deadline' to make decision on a Patrik Elias return

By ANDREW GROSS

Patrik Elias may well be around Prudential Center on Sept. 22, skating on his own as he tests his surgically-repaired right knee. But it’s a near certainty he will not be among the players reporting for the start of Devils’ training camp that day.

Which is different from saying the career of the 40-year-old Elias, the Devils’ all-time leading scorer, is over.

“There’s no decision on our end or his end,” Devils general manager Ray Shero told The Record in a telephone interview Tuesday. “There’s certainly none to make at this point.

“There’s no deadline whatsoever,” Shero added of offering Elias a new contract. “We’ll just keep in communication with him and see how he’s feeling.”

Injuries limited Elias to two goals and six assists over 16 games last season as he completed a three-year, $16.5 million deal.

He underwent surgery May 11 with a recovery timeline of four to six months, leaving him in the very early stages of that window with training camp approaching.

Elias spent the summer back home in the Czech Republic, rehabbing and beginning to skate lightly. He has since returned to New Jersey. Shero said he met with Elias last week.

“It was more or less to keep a dialog open, make sure we’re on the same page on things,” Shero said. “Which, he’ll continue to skate on his own and we’ll kind of see where he is.”

In the meantime, Elias has been given permission to skate and work out at the Devils’ facilities.

Shero said the time for a decision will come when Elias is able to test his knee harder in drills. Part of that will be whether Elias can physically handle the rigors of another NHL season.

Part of it is whether the Devils have a spot on the roster for him, or a need.

“When he does [push it harder], how is it going to react?” Shero said. “And we’ll see exactly where we are as a team at that point, anyway. So we’re going to keep an open mind both ways, but it’s great having Patrik around.”

Shero called Elias a “lifelong Devil,” and said it was his understanding that if Elias does play in the NHL this season, it will be for the only organization he’s ever known. Elias has 408 goals and 617 assists in 1,240 career regular-season games and has been part of two Stanley Cup winners since the Devils selected him in the second round in 1994.

BRIEF: Shero said there was “nothing imminent, tryout-wise, right now” in terms of potentially offering professional tryouts to veterans seeking NHL work. Lee Stempniak and Tyler Kennedy played for the Devils last season after coming to training camp on a PTO. “We have pretty good depth and competition for jobs,” Shero said, without discounting the possibility of a professional tryout offer.

Bergen Record LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023879 Ottawa Senators

Stamkos reveals what makes Senators coach Guy Boucher tick

By Bruce Garrioch, Ottawa Sun

Steven Stamkos has seen this all before.

Training camp doesn’t open for a week but if they dropped the puck tomorrow at the Canadian Tire Centre, Guy Boucher would have everything in place.

While most NHL coaching staffs don’t gather until early September, the new man hired to guide the Senators has been in the office for the last month with his assistants getting everything in place for the opening of camp, with medicals set for next Thursday in Ottawa.

If the Senators aren’t successful this season under Boucher, it won’t have anything to do with a lack of preparation.

Speaking as Team Canada wrapped up the Ottawa portion of its training camp Monday, Stamkos, the Tampa Bay Lightning captain who played for Boucher from 2010 until he was fired midway through the 2012-13 campaign, maintained the Senators new head coach is a big believer in the details.

“He’s definitely got a mind for the game,” Stamkos told Postmedia Monday in an interview before Team Canada left for Pittsburgh. “He’s always trying to come up with different ideas that people haven’t thought of yet.

“He’s a smart guy so he’s very prepared. For games and practices, he has a plan and there’s definitely not a time where we went into a game or practice not knowing what’s going on. He’s always making sure that he’s prepared and the coaching staff is prepared.”

When Boucher was hired to coach the Lightning in 2010, he went to Toronto in the summer and had breakfast with Stamkos to get to know him. Since being hired by the Senators in May, Boucher has gone a similar route with all of the Ottawa players and travelled to P.E.I to sit down with Dion Phaneuf at his home.

He spent over three hours with Clarke MacArthur the night before the draft in Buffalo in June. Captain Erik Karlsson spent most of the summer in Ottawa, so the duo sat down not long after Boucher was hired. He wants to make sure everybody is on the same page when they show up for camp.

Boucher noted at the club’s golf tournament Monday night he’s met with all but two of the players and will sit down with them before camp starts.

“Any time a new coach comes in, he tries to grab a few of the guys and just go over what his expectations are, his game plan and ask you questions,” said Stamkos.

But the discussions with Boucher aren’t all about hockey. He wants to get to know the person, find out what makes them tick because it gives him an idea how he may want to coach that particular individual.

“The thing that separates Guy from a lot of people is he’s interested in where you come from as a person, if you have siblings, what your parents do, he’s got the psychology background where he’s trying to dig a little deeper in how to manage his players,” said Stamkos.

“Guy always talks about how it’s not just a team that he’s coaching, it’s 23 individuals that he’s got to find a way. That’s something that makes him unique in this game with regards to other coaches. He really tries to find what gets that player going and maybe shies that player away from certain situations. He’s a smart guy when it comes to that stuff.”

Stamkos said Boucher was always available to talk in Tampa and the door to his office was always open.

“I’m not sure what he’s changed since he was last coaching in the NHL,” said Stamkos. “When he was last in Tampa he was definitely open to communication with his players.

“He’s intense and he expects a lot. There’s going to be some things that are unique to his coaching style and his ways but that’s what him the person that he is. I’m not sure if he’s changed some things but for him it’s new opportunity here and I’m sure he’s happy about that.”

KARLSSON'S ABSENCE NOT NEGATIVE

Erik Karlsson will be noticeable by his absence at training camp while playing for Team Sweden at the World Cup of Hockey.

While coach Guy Boucher is trying to institute a new system, he believes that Karlsson playing for his country is a positive.

“It opens up some room for some other guys to show themselves,” said Boucher. “The power play, for instance -- a guy like (Chris) Wideman has it wide open for him to show us what he’s got because we believe in him.

“The fact Karl is going there is not just negative for us. Of course, there’s injuries and you don’t want to think about that but if he comes back healthy, he’s still a young guy so anything he can draw experience from is positive for us. You want Canada to win as a Canadian but if Sweden has success, it helps us.”

Boucher said Karlsson, who can learn from some of the leaders on the Swedish team, is focused on making sure the Senators have a good year and not individual success. The two discussed the fact Karlsson wants to assert himself in a leadership role on and off the ice this season.

“He wants to grow his leadership,” said Boucher. “It’s all about what’s going to happen with our team now. He’s had all the individual awards now so he’s very focused on the team.”

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023880 Philadelphia Flyers

Wayne Simmonds says early-arriving Flyers ready to build off last year

by Sam Carchidi

Almost all of the Flyers veterans who are not competing in the World Cup were on the ice at their Voorhees training facility Tuesday -- 10 days before camp officially opens.

"It's a really good sign," right winger Wayne Simmonds said after going through a workout. "We're really optimistic about this year;; we're really ready to build off of what we did last year, more so from November on. I think that was more indicative of what our team really is."

The Flyers used a 26-12-7 surge -- which coincided with their return from a West Coast trip in which they visited ailing club chairman Ed Snider -- to finish 41-27-14 and earn a playoff spot.

"We're all excited in here," said Simmonds, who led the Flyers with a career-high 32 goals last season. "We've got a bunch of guys back early, and all the young guys have probably been here for a while."

Brayden Schenn, coming off a personal-best 26-goal season, said the early veteran turnout "shows that guys are committed" to having a strong year.

"I think everybody realizes how competitive camp is going to be this year," said general manager Ron Hextall, mindful that some veterans could be battling young players such as Ivan Provorov, Nick Cousins, and Scott Laughton for jobs.

Camp will be an important time for defenseman Michael Del Zotto, who missed the last two-plus months because of a left wrist injury that required ligament surgery.

"I feel great and I'm really happy to be back and can't wait for Day 1," he said.

Del Zotto had a grueling rehab schedule in the off-season.

"Every day, I woke up at 6 a.m. for a 6:30 rehab. Training, skating. It wasn't easy," he said. "... I worked hard all summer, and that's something I take pride in."

Del Zotto said he will never have 100 percent range of motion, "but I feel great out there. It's not restricting me in any way."

Meanwhile, the Flyers have seven players competing in the World Cup: Claude Giroux, Jake Voracek, Michal Neuvirth, Shayne Gostisbehere, Sean Couturier, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, and Mark Streit. That will give some of the younger Flyers a longer look at camp.

"There's going to be healthy competition, and that just pushes each other to be better," Del Zotto said.

The Flyers playing in the World Cup are "doing their own thing and they'll be ready to go by the time they get back here -- probably a little bit more than we are," Simmonds said. "That's a good thing for our team. We've had slow starts the last three or four years, and I think getting guys going right off the bat will be a good thing for our team.

"And we'll push the pace here, too;; that's for sure," Simmonds added. "We're not expecting to be too far behind those guys. Obviously, they're in game action and they're playing pretty serious games from the looks of the exhibitions so far. We want to make sure we're ready for the boys when they get back here, and we'll put a final push together before the season starts."

Breakaways. Feisty forward Boyd Gordon received facial stitches after a collision near the boards during Tuesday's session. ... Schenn will miss the first three games because of a league-imposed suspension from last season. He will thus miss the second game against Arizona and his brother, Luke, a former Flyer. "It sucks, but there's nothing you can do about it," he said. ... Provorov, Travis Konecny and Phil Myers are among the Flyers prospects with their junior clubs, and they will arrive in Voorhees on Sunday. Rookie camp will start Monday.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 09.14.2016


Ron Hextall: Claude Giroux 'fine' after hit in World Cup exhibition

By Tim Panaccio | CSNPhilly.com September 13, 2016 1:49 PM

VOORHEES, N.J. — Claude Giroux is fine and there’s no need to worry about whether he was injured in World Cup of Hockey exhibition play.

That was the take from Flyers general manager Ron Hextall on Tuesday after news that his star center missed a Team Canada practice on Monday with lingering effects of a hit he took from Team USA’s Joe Pavelski last Friday during an exhibition game.

“We know what’s going on, we’ve been in communication and he’s fine,” Hextall said. “They’ve been great being in touch with us.

“There’s a difference between, well, he’s not injured. Throughout the year, you get a bump or bruise and that’s the case there.”

Giroux took a maintenance day with Team Canada, but will still be scratched Tuesday night vs. Russia in Canada's final exhibition contest.

The Flyers have seven players competing in the tournament. The exhibition stage ends on Wednesday while actual tournament games start this weekend in Toronto.

“There’s good things about [the tournament] and I guess that’s the one negative,” Hextall said when asked about the risks of losing a top player in an international event before the start of the NHL schedule.

With one-third of their roster competing, the Flyers have plenty at stake in terms of potential player loss, yet Hextall said, “you owe it to the league” to allow players to compete in international events such as the World Cup of Hockey and the Olympics.

“That’s an obligation that they have and it’s for the good of the game,” Hextall said. “If someone is not 100 percent, that’s a different story. Gudy (Radko Gudas) was a different story — if a guy is legitimately injured.”

Gudas, the Flyers' veteran defenseman, suffered a right wrist injury in offseason training and pulled out of competing for the Czech Republic. He still can’t shoot pucks, but is practicing here at Skate Zone with teammates and expects to be fully healthy by the time the season arrives in October.

Gordon suffers cut

Boyd Gordon, one of the Flyers’ free-agent acquisitions this summer, needed stitches to close a facial gash suffered during a morning scrimmage with teammates.

Gordon was cut during a puck scramble along the side boards.

“Welcome to Philly,” Hextall smiled. “He plays hard. He blocks shots. He does everything you want a guy to do.”

Loose pucks

Rookie camp opens Monday on ice. Players report this weekend with physicals Sunday through Monday morning. ... Defenseman Ivan Provorov and forward Travis Konecny, two of the most anticipated prospects to attend camp, won’t arrive until Sunday. ... With the exception of the World Cup participants, all the remaining Flyers are here already. Full camp opens on Sept. 23. “It’s a good sign,” Hextall said. “Everybody realizes how competitive [training camp] is going to be this year."



Why Ron Hextall is fine with Claude Giroux in World Cup

Dave Isaac, September 13, 2016

VOORHEES — Flyers general manager Ron Hextall speaks with a certain amount of pride when it comes to international tournaments.

He played in the Canada Cup in 1987 and the World Championships in 1992 and wishes he could have played in more to represent the Maple Leaf that stands for his native Canada.

FAN GUIDE: Follow the Flyers in the World Cup

So when Flyers captain Claude Giroux missed Team Canada's practice Monday with a “maintenance day” after getting hit in Friday night's exhibition game for the World Cup of Hockey against the U.S., Hextall is just fine with Giroux staying and playing as much as he can.

“That’s an obligation that they have and that’s for the good of the game,” Hextall said. “If someone’s not 100 percent, that’s a different story. (Defenseman Radko Gudas, who pulled out of the World Cup for the Czech Republic with an “upper-body injury”) was a different story. If a guy is legitimately injured, no, not if it’s going to affect his season.”

Giroux got crunched in the second period by U.S. captain Joe Pavelski and momentarily left the game. He was playing a fourth-line role for the Canadians and has already been ruled out of Wednesday's exhibition against Russia.

“We know what’s going on. We’ve been in communication,” Hextall said. “He’s fine. He’s not injured. That’s the bottom line. Throughout the year you get a bump or a bruise and that’s basically the case right now.”

Team Canada coach Mike Babcock doesn’t seem too concerned with Giroux sitting out Wednesday in Pittsburgh. Neither is Hextall.

“Obviously when you play hockey you’re going to get a couple of bruises here and there,” Giroux told reporters in Ottawa before Saturday’s game, in which he played. “You’ve just got to play through it.”

IN GOAL: How Flyers assess future

The Flyers are hoping that he gets on a roll and that the other six Flyers who are in the World Cup do the same.

“We’ll push the pace here while they’re gone. That's for sure,” said right wing Wayne Simmonds, on the ice with his teammates Tuesday for the first time before camp officially opens for veterans on Sept. 23. “We’re not expecting to be too far behind those guys. We know they are in game action and in pretty serious games from the looks of all the exhibition ones so far. We’ll make sure we’re ready for the boys when they get back here and for the final push before the season starts.”

Not only will the Flyers not have Giroux around to start training camp, they also won’t have his right wing, Jake Voracek, who is playing in the tournament for the Czech Republic. Add in that last year’s usual top-line left wing, Brayden Schenn has to start the season by serving a three-game suspension and the Flyers will surely have to rely on prior chemistry when the games start counting.

“They’re playing at a high pace probably from their Day 1 of training camp,” Schenn said of his teammates playing in the World Cup. “Those exhibition games look like they’re pretty fast. It’s up to guys in this locker room to be ready for when they get back. They’re playing at a high pace for so long there that they’re going to bring the tempo up.”

WORLD CUP: Help or hurt Flyers?

That’s the hope, anyway.

Although Hextall admitted there's a level of concern when he has so many players over at the tournament, who are now susceptible to injury, he's not holding any of them back. Plus, the Brandon, Manitoba, native wants Canada to have the best shot at winning it all.

“For a guy to be playing games that early, they’re going to be sharper than they would be if they just came to training camp,” Hextall said. “That’s the positive. God forbid if someone gets injured, that’s the negative. You do owe it to the game, in my opinion. You owe it to the league, you owe it to the game, you owe it to the fans, but again if there’s any grey (area) where you think it’s going to affect his season, that’s where I draw the line.”

Gordon OK

New Flyer Boyd Gordon left the team’s informal scrimmage early when he was hit in the face and started bleeding.

“He’s good. He’s getting stitched up right now,” Hextall said, before showing a wry grin. “Welcome to Philly.”

Gordon, 32, is projected to be a fourth-liner. He will likely start camp at center, especially seeing as how last year’s fourth-line center, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, is in the World Cup with Team Europe. Gordon inked a one-year, $950,000 contract with the Flyers in July.

Loose Pucks

Tuesday marked the first time that all of last year’s team — sans the World Cup participants — were on the ice. Training camp doesn’t open for veterans until Sept. 23. … Gudas did not take part in the scrimmage, instead skating on his own doing passing drills because he cannot shoot the puck yet thanks to a wrist injury. … Rookie camp begins next Monday, which is the first time junior-eligible players like 2015 first-round picks Travis Konecny and Ivan Provorov will be around since July’s development camp.

Courier-Post LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023883 Pittsburgh Penguins

Rossi: For Pittsburgh hockey, Bettman deserves a world of thanks

By Rob Rossi | Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016, 4:15 p.m.

It's been called “The House Sid Got Built.” And it's true that Consol Energy Center might not exist, let alone stand as the center of the hockey universe Wednesday night, were it not for a pingpong ball delivering Sidney Crosby to the Penguins.

But even before that fortuitous bounce almost a dozen years ago, somebody else preserved our city as an NHL town. It happened when Sid was still “The Next One” and Mario Lemieux was skating on “the last one” (as in healthy hips).

Just so happens, too, that this somebody still won't own up to all he did to keep “Pittsburgh” in front of the Penguins.

I'm talking about Gary Bettman.

While we spoke last week, the NHL commissioner again deferred to Crosby and Lemieux (also, co-owner Ron Burkle and Penguins CEO David Morehouse) for their roles in building “that great new facility ... well, I guess it's not new anymore.”

“But it's still great,” Bettman said. “It was spectacular for our Stanley Cup Final last year.”

Indeed, Consol never looked better than it did in June. Even before then, it had blended wonderfully with our city's Uptown, making for an ideal complement to the Pirates' brilliant baseball yard on the North Shore.

PNC Park didn't do enough for the Pirates, though.

Had baseball adopted a salary-cap system similar to one for which Bettman sacrificed a hockey season, the Pirates probably would be what the Penguins became: a consistent championship chaser in an all-even economic system. But baseball isn't hockey, so the Pirates can't do what the Penguins have done.

Oh sure, the Pirates could win the World Series.

They just probably can't do it and then bring back just about everybody.

The Penguins will have pulled off that trick by at least the end of training camp next month, when all players will be back from World Cup activity. Aside from depth defenseman Ben Lovejoy and backup-backup goalie Jeff Zatkoff, all significant contributors to the Cup run will be wearing hockey's sharpest uniforms this season.

Bettman didn't make that decision.

He did make the decision possible for general manager Jim Rutherford.

He has always made sure the biggest decisions best suited the Penguins. He just won't reveal the specifics.

Once a lawyer, always cautious, I suppose.

But I need not suppose the manner in which this lawyer-turned-hockey ruler has helped hockey fans in my city. Hear some stories from enough people, and you can presume they're the actual record even if they're off the record.

On the record, Bettman spoke like either a Penguins historian or a consultant for VisitPittsburgh.

“I've always believed in Pittsburgh as a hockey market,” Bettman said. “If you look at Pittsburgh's history before the Penguins, but certainly since the Penguins came into the NHL now 50 years ago, this is an important place where hockey matters to some of the best sports fans anywhere.

“Pittsburgh's been home to some of our game's greatest players. Of course, you're watching some now with Sidney and Evgeni (Malkin), but there's (Jaromir) Jagr and Mario. That is a lot of history just with those four players, and the Penguins have had many other great players. You could accurately call Pittsburgh home to arguably the most exciting players of the last few decades. I think it's fair to say the Penguins have consistently given their fans excitement.

“And, as you've seen a couple of times since I've known you, the Penguins have brought to that city and those fans what I think is the hardest trophy to win in professional sports.

“Pittsburgh is a wonderful hockey town.”

Pittsburgh would probably be an AHL town had Bettman not denied for an entire season the NHL to pathologically devoted hockey fans.

The price for him was a lifetime of hatred.

The reward was for every fan in any NHL market that doesn't involve the Maple Leafs, Canadiens, Rangers, Flyers and Red Wings. The salary cap proved to be oxygen to lower-revenue franchises such as the Penguins, who slowly had the air sucked out of them as corporation-backed clubs pushed their payrolls to near or above $100 million.

With no cap, there would have been no chance for the Penguins to make the playoffs in 10 of the past 11 years. (Remember, they had gone three years without a postseason berth before the lockout, and for a few seasons prior, the Penguins had barely qualified.)

The cap has been the Penguins' MVP throughout the Crosby era.

A consistent runner-up has been Consol, which is as much Bettman's building as Sid's house.

Oh, the Penguins definitely were destined to play in a new arena. It was likely going to be in Hamilton, Ontario, which is where former Research In Motion CEO Jim Balsillie wanted to move them upon reaching a purchase agreement with current ownership a decade ago.

That deal was done after the lockout, after Crosby's arrival and before local and state officials found the urgency to find a way to fund Consol. It wasn't Kansas City or Las Vegas that was going to pluck the Penguins from Pittsburgh. It was Canada and Blackberry's boss.

And it was Bettman who stepped up for Pittsburgh.

In the fall of 2006, he stomped all over Balsillie's barely secret plans by imposing a couple dozen restrictions on a potential relocation.

Of course, Bettman has never publicly acknowledged this act. As it was explained to me then, his chat with Balsillie went something like this:

Bettman: About 26 things have to happen before you can move this team.

Balsillie: What if all 26 happen?

Bettman: Then I'll find 26 more.

Within months, money to construct the Civic Arena's successor was almost magically found. Go figure.

A couple of years later, with Crosby and Malkin and others signed to long-term second contracts, the Penguins found themselves atop the hockey world.

They found themselves there again in June. Now they're welcoming four World Cup squads — including a Team North America that includes The Four Horsemen of Pittsburgh Hockey (natives Brandon Saad, Vince Trocheck, J.T. Miller and John Gibson) — to the temporary home of Lord Stanley's cherished chalice.

If you're going to the games Wednesday, you might not know for whom to cheer: Sid's Team Canada, Geno's Team Russia or the North American squad that is kind of Team Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh's Penguins play a game that counts on Oct. 13, and the Cup will be in “The House Sid Got Built” that night. So will the man who only knows what it's like to be booed.

Hopefully, Pittsburghers will have something different in store for Gary Bruce Bettman.

Tribune Review LOADED: 09.14.2016


Murray not focusing on Penguins' goalie competition

By Bill West | Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016, 8:42 p.m.

The first question Matt Murray received from the assembled media in the locker room after Team North America's practice on Monday at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry sounded all too familiar to the 22-year-old netminder.

Did he know who among his team's goalies will start for Wednesday's World Cup of Hockey exhibition game against Team Czech Republic?

“Umm, I don't make lineup announcements,” Murray said. “You can ask coach about that.”

Unfortunately for Murray, that inquiry will continue to follow him for the next several weeks, even if he edges Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck and Anaheim's John Gibson to lock down Team North America's starting spot for the World Cup tournament, which begins Sept. 17 in Toronto.

There's no easy way for the man who stood in goal for 15 of the Penguins' 16 playoff wins last spring to address the competition with Marc-Andre Fleury that awaits him. Both Murray and Fleury, who turns 32 in late November, are undoubtedly upper-echelon starters in the league. But Murray's NHL resume remains short enough that it invites short- and long-term questions about his lineup status.

“I know this question is going to come 1,000 times, but really, that's out of my control,” Murray said. “I just focus on my game, and I play as best as I can in practice and games and morning skates, whatever it is. ... Whatever their decision is will be their decision. That's not my place to worry about.”

He devoted his summer to a worry-free lifestyle in his hometown, Thunder Bay, Ontario. He took a vacation to Mexico but otherwise stayed in his recently purchased condo. As rumors swirled ahead of the draft about a possible trade involving Fleury, Murray tried to ignore sources of hockey chatter.

“I'm thinking about deleting my Twitter altogether, to be honest,” Murray said. “I don't really look at it too much, because that's when you start to dig too deep, and you kind of want to see what everybody is saying. But I didn't really focus on (the Fleury drama) much at all during the summer. I just tried to stay off my phone for the majority of it and enjoy myself.

“I definitely wanted to lay low a little bit. Stayed off the ice for a long time, just tried to enjoy myself and celebrate our great season and our win, and at the same time, be a normal kid for a bit.”

In just a few weeks, the external comparisons of Murray and Fleury's 2015-16 performances will begin in earnest. General manager Jim Rutherford has not tipped his hand this summer as to which way the Penguins might lean as far as their starting goalie preference.

Until then, Murray will savor the less contentious competition for Team North America's starting job. After a half season with the Penguins, he's certainly comfortable with the up-tempo, end-to-end playing style of his World Cup team, which consists of Americans and Canadians ages 23 and younger.

“It's all about going north and getting the puck up fast,” Murray said. “I don't think we're necessarily focusing on offense because we know that's going to come naturally with the skill and the speed that we have. It's more about playing an overall team game and getting above pucks quickly and coming back to help out in our end. If we're able to do that with this lineup, goals will come.”

If enough goals come, Murray might remain busy with the World Cup into October, likely a week or more after Penguins training camp begins. But, as usual, Murray sees no reason to fret about a delayed start to camp and what Fleury might accomplish in the meantime.

“He's a big emotional support guy for me,” Murray said. “Throughout the whole playoff run, he was a big part of why I was able to stay relaxed and stay focused. He was able to crack a joke at the right time or give me advice when I needed it.

“He's one of the best in the world. That's never a bad thing to have alongside (me).”



Sid, Geno ready to face off in World Cup exhibition

By Jonathan Bombulie | Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016, 8:42 p.m.

The Penguins' Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin watch the big screen during game six against the Lightning in the Eastern Conference Finals Tuesday, May 24, 2016 at Amalie Arena.

The Penguins' Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin watch the big screen during game six against the Lightning in the Eastern Conference Finals Tuesday, May 24, 2016 at Amalie Arena.

World Cup of Hockey

Today: North America meets the Czech Republic at 3:30 p.m., and Canada faces Russia at 7:30 p.m. in a pair of exhibition games at Consol Energy Center.

On the air: The North America-Czech Republic game will be broadcast online via ESPN3. The Canada-Russia game will air on ESPN2.

As the twin pillars that have formed the foundation of the Penguins for the last decade, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are inexorably bound in the collective psyche of local hockey fans.

Sid and Geno. Peanut butter and jelly. The star centers who have carried the team to a pair of Stanley Cup championships in the past eight years.

At first, it was an arranged marriage.

Thanks to the way the ping-pong balls bounced in the NHL draft lottery process, Crosby and Malkin were thrust together into the Penguins lineup about 10 years ago whether they liked it or not.

As it turns out, they liked it.

If they didn't, they could have elected to test free agency by now. Instead, Crosby signed a 12-year contract extension in 2012 and Malkin signed an eight-year deal in 2013.

In other words, it's now a partnership they willingly have entered.

“Over the years, you go through different things, experience different things, and like any teammate, you grow closer,” Crosby said Tuesday. “The first year or two even, communication was tough.

“Now I understand him a lot better. We're both competitive guys, and at the end of the day, we both chose to be here. We want to play here together. That's not always the case on every team.

“I think there's a lot of mutual respect there and we're happy to be teammates.”

On Wednesday night, however, they'll be opponents when Canada takes on Russia in a World Cup of Hockey exhibition game at Consol Energy Center.

Crosby and Malkin have been teammates since 2006 and have been known commodities on the world hockey stage for a few years more than that, yet matchups between them are relatively rare.

In games that count, they've squared off only three times — in the finals of the 2005 World Junior Championships, the quarterfinals of the 2010 Olympics and finals of the 2015 World Championships. Canada won all three by a combined score of 17-5.

The games were played in Grand Forks, N.D., Vancouver and Prague, and while black-and-gold sports fans are known for how well they travel, it's hard to imagine many made those long trips.

On Wednesday night, Crosby and Malkin will square off in front of the fans that normally cheer them on.

“It will be fun,” Malkin said. “It's an amazing time here.”

No matter how exciting the matchup is, don't expect Crosby and Malkin to chat it up too much on the ice. Malkin ruled out that possibility earlier this week.

“He talks too quick for me,” Malkin said with a grin. “Actually when he's mad, I don't understand. He's funny.”

Jokes aside, no one expects Crosby and Malkin to go at each other with violent intent like Canada and the U.S. did in exhibition games last week. Neither is that type of player.

Yet, there could be physical run-ins of some variety or another. In an exhibition game between the Czech Republic and Russia, for instance, Ondrej Palat caught Tampa Bay Lightning teammate Nikita Kucherov with an accidental knee.

“You're not necessarily thinking, ‘That's my teammate,” in a split second,” Crosby said. “You might not even know who it is who has the puck.

“Things happen that quickly. I don't think that's a big issue. If something did develop, knowing hockey and the way it is, it usually is forgotten about pretty quickly.”

The bigger question, though, might be this: Is Crosby more likely to hit Malkin or Malkin more likely to hit Crosby?

“It's a good question,” Crosby said. “It hasn't happened in however many years. We'll see. If we do, it'll be in good fun.

“We'll see what happens. We're both pretty intense, so it could happen, you never know.”



Penguins Prospectus: Evgeni Malkin

By Sam Werner / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Penguins Prospectus is an offseason project by Jason Mackey and Sam Werner that each weekday through Sept. 16 will examine 27 parts of the organization. Players and team personnel will appear according to when they played, coached or managed their first game with the Penguins, starting with Justin Schultz and ending with Marc-Andre Fleury.

Evgeni Malkin, center

Shoots: left

Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 195 pounds

Age: 30

Date of Penguins debut: Oct. 18, 2006 (Drafted in the first round, second overall, by the Penguins in 2004)

2015-16 stats: Scored 27 goals and had 31 assists in 57 regular-season games, added six goals and 12 assists in 23 playoff games.

Contract situation: Signed through 2022 with an average annual value of $9.5 million

HAT TRICK (THREE KEY NUMBERS)

65.7: Malkin’s Offensive Zone Start Percentage (oSZ%) at even strength this year, highest on the Penguins and second-highest of Malkin’s career.

8.85: Malkin’s Goals For per 60 minutes (GF60) in 5-on-4 power-play situations this year, highest on the team.

2.76: Increase in Malkin’s GF60 playing with Carl Hagelin compared to David Perron. The Penguins traded Perron, who played alongside Malkin for much of the early part of the season, to Anaheim in exchange for Hagelin in January.

WHAT WE LEARNED

In a lot of ways, Malkin’s regular season was an inverse of the Penguins’ as a whole. He started off well enough, even as the team was struggling. He averaged a point a game through the first 25 contests and seemed to be the only Penguins player producing anywhere near expectations under former coach Mike Johnston. He had four points (two goals, two assists) in a big 4-3 win against Minnesota Nov. 17, three days after a 4-0 loss to the Devils that may have been the nadir of the Penguins’ season.

Malkin spent most of that early part of the season playing between Perron and Phil Kessel. When the Penguins traded Perron for Hagelin in January, Hagelin took that spot on Malkin’s left wing, and both players seemed to benefit. Malkin’s Corsi For Percentage (CF%) was 5.8 points higher when playing with Hagelin as opposed to without him, and Hagelin’s was 3.8 points higher. The two didn’t get to spend too much time together, though, as Malkin missed 10 games in February due to injury. He came back for eight games in early March but was ruled out for the season after apparently injuring his elbow March 11.

In Malkin’s absence, the Penguins went on a tear. winning 13 of their last 15 regular season games without him. In that span, the HBK line formed, taking the two wingers Malkin had spent most of his time with. Malkin returned for the second game of the playoffs and spent the Stanley Cup run centering Chris Kunitz and Bryan Rust. Not playing with Hagelin or Kessel in the playoffs didn’t seem to hurt him much, though, as he finished third on the team with 16 postseason points. He also seemed to unlock some of Rust’s offensive ability;; both of Rust’s goals in Game 7 against Tampa Bay came off Malkin assists.

2015-16 HIGHLIGHT

While there are plenty of contenders for this spot, there really isn’t one clear favorite. The Nov. 17 four-point game against Minnesota deserves consideration, just because it came at a point where the Penguins couldn’t really afford to lose too many more games. Malkin also scored the game-winning goal in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final, giving the Penguins a 3-1 series lead and denying the Sharks a chance to tie the series.

The choice here, though, is Malkin’s four-point game against the Rangers in the first round of the playoffs. Malkin scored two goals and had two assists in the Penguins’ 5-0 Game 4 win. It gave the Penguins a

commanding lead over the team that had knocked them out of the playoffs each of the past two years and allowed them to close the series out at home in Game 5. This game also provided an emphatic reminder of what a healthy Evgeni Malkin brought to the Penguins. The team had played so well without him, but this game showed that Malkin’s return only made an already hot team even more dangerous.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Malkin will make his return to the Consol Energy Center ice Wednesday night in Russia’s World Cup of Hockey exhibition game against Penguins teammate Sidney Crosby and Team Canada. After that, he’ll head up to Toronto to play in the tournament and try and earn a medal for Team Russia.

When Malkin returns to Pittsburgh, the immediate question will be who he plays with to open the season. If the Penguins are intent on keeping the HBK line together — which is probably the most likely scenario — Malkin could begin the year just as he ended last season, with Rust and Kunitz. Line combinations can be fickle, though, and injuries could always shuffle the deck. If (when?) the HBK line is broken up, Malkin could get back to playing with either Hagelin, Kessel or both. The numbers from last season show he’s at his most dangerous, from a scoring perspective, with those two guys (5.05 GF60 this season). That being said, the trio of Malkin, Kunitz and Rust was plenty productive in the postseason, so it’s not exactly like he’s languishing on a third line playing with those guys. He’ll also continue to be a mainstay on the Pegnuins’ power play.

If there’s any sort of concern for Malkin, it would be that he hasn’t played more than 70 games in a season since 2012. If he can stay healthy for an entire season, there’s no reason he can’t re-insert himself into MVP-level territory.

As far as the long term goes, there really isn’t much intrigue. Malkin is locked up through 2022 with a no-movement clause, so he seems pretty secure in his future in Pittsburgh.

Post Gazette LOADED: 09.14.2016


Murray expects questions but knows Penguins goalie situation is out of his control

By Sam Werner / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Matt Murray has been back on the ice for only a few weeks, still in the early stages of rounding into form for the upcoming season.

But, in terms of answering questions about the Penguins’ goalie situation, he already is in midseason form.

“I know this question’s going to come a thousand times, but, really, that’s out of my control,” Murray said after practicing with Team North America at the UPMC Lemieux Sport Complex in Cranberry.

“I just focus on my game. ... Whatever their decision [is] will be their decision. That’s not my place to worry about.”

In fact, Murray said he hasn’t really been worrying about much of anything — at least hockey-related — over the past few months, following a life-changing spring that saw him backstop the Penguins to a Stanley Cup. He’ll return to the Consol Energy Center ice for the first time since June’s Stanley Cup final Wednesday when his Team North America takes on the Czech Republic in a World Cup of Hockey exhibition.

Murray spent most of the summer at his home in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and said he stayed off the ice for about two months before resuming workouts a few weeks ago.

“I didn’t really think about hockey for a couple of months,” Murray said. “It was a good mental break, which I think is much needed after a long season like that. This summer was just about kind of sitting back, relaxing and enjoying myself.”

That included staying away from social media and speculation about the Penguins’ future plans in net. Murray said he avoided the trade speculation regarding teammate Marc-Andre Fleury this summer and joked that he is considering deleting his Twitter account entirely.

All in all, Murray is glad Fleury will be back with the Penguins to start this season, even if it might mean less playing time for him — and, yes, plenty of questions about the situation.

“He was a big emotional support for me,” Murray said. “Throughout the whole playoff run, I said it a hundred times, he was a big part of why I was able to stay relaxed and stay focused.

“He was able to crack a joke at the right time, give me advice when I needed it, that type of thing. He’s done it. He’s one of the best in the world, and that’s never a bad thing to have alongside [you].”

Murray’s summer did have one notable highlight: the day he brought the Stanley Cup to his hometown. It wasn’t the first time the Cup had been to Thunder Bay, also home to the Staal brothers and Patrick Sharp, but Murray’s public event still drew around 5,000 people.

“It seems like the Cup’s there every second year,” Murray joked. “Everybody’s really excited, and, obviously, the Stanley Cup is quite the sight to see. It was very exciting to be able to bring that home and share it with the people I grew up with.”

Soon, Murray and the Penguins will begin their defense of that Cup, and Murray said he knows the Penguins will have a target on their back from the start. With virtually everyone returning, though, Murray said he was excited to get started.

“We know we have a pretty good group in here,” he said. “We obviously had the keys we needed last year to win, but we know nothing’s going to be handed to us.”

First, though, comes the World Cup. Murray seems like the odds-on favorite to start in net for Team North America when the tournament gets going over the coming weekend, but coach Todd McLellan wouldn’t divulge the goalie plan for Wednesday after practice. Murray played all 60 minutes in North America’s 4-0 win against Team Europe Sept. 8, but John Gibson was in net the whole game for their second exhibition win Sept. 11.

“We can’t satisfy all of those personal needs,” McLellan said. “It’s more about us getting prepared and getting ready for the tournament than it is to satisfy family and friends. We’re not going to apologize for it, but that’s just the way it is.”

Still, McLellan said Murray’s Stanley Cup experience would be a major asset, especially for a team with youth as its defining quality.

“When you play in those situations, under that microscope as a rookie, you’ve gained a lot of experience,” McLellan said. “You’ve began to handle the media, you’ve been able to handle pressure and you’ve been rewarded for it. He should feel very good about his ability to play in that spot, and I think that can rub off on others as well.”

This week, that leadership has come partially in the form of Murray dishing out local dining advice to his out-of-town teammates, with Butcher in the Rye and Eddie Merlot’s as his Downtown go-tos.

Soon enough, Murray will be back in Pittsburgh for the upcoming season, and is — perhaps a bit begrudgingly — prepared for more questions about what the future holds for both he and Fleury.

He certainly enjoyed a summer away from them, though.

“I didn’t really focus on that much at all during the summer,” he said. “I tried to stay off my phone, really, for the majority and enjoy myself. Just kind of celebrate the great season that we had.”



Learn a little more about World Cup of Hockey teams playing in Pittsburgh

By Sam Werner and Jason Mackey / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Team Canada

Predicted finish: Win championship.

2014 Olympic finish: Gold medal.

Coach: Mike Babcock.

The skinny: Team Canada’s greatest opponent will be pressure. Thirteen players return from the group that won gold at the 2014 Sochi Games. Drew Doughty, the 2015-16 Norris Trophy winner, headlines the tournament’s best group of defensemen. Six of the top 10 goal-scorers from 2015-16 are on this roster.

Key players: Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos, Brent Burns and Carey Price. … OK, basically everyone. This team’s loaded.

Team Czech Republic

Predicted finish: Last or next-to-last.

2014 Olympic finish: Lost in quarterfinals.

Coach: Josef Jandac.

The skinny: There was a time when the Czechs thrived on the international stage. That’s not now. Jaromir Jagr isn’t playing, and Roman Polak is a top-pairing defenseman. Team Czech Republic’s skaters have combined for 1,160 goals — or a little more than 30 percent of Team Canada’s total.

Key players: Jakub Voracek, Tomas Plekanec, David Pastrnak and Petr Mrazek.

Team North America (23 and under)

Predicted finish: Reach semifinals.

2014 Olympic finish: N/A.

Coach: Todd McLellan.

he skinny: Definitely the most intriguing team of the tournament, the young stars have tons of talent and skill, but lack virtually any experience in international tournaments. The name of their game will be speed, as they try to overwhelm opponents with their energy and raw skill. Probably not ready to compete for the title, but could surprise a couple of teams.

Key players: Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Johnny Gaudreau, Matt Murray.

Team Russia

Predicted finish: Third in Group B.

2014 Olympic finish: Fifth place.

Coach: Oleg Znarok.

The skinny: The Russians are loaded up front, with top-line NHL talent providing plenty of goal-scoring punch. The issue comes in the back end, where they will have to rely on some younger, unproven defensemen. Russia has also struggled with turning individual talent into cohesive production in past international tournaments.

Key players: Evgeni Malkin, Alex Ovechkin, Vladimir Tarasenko, Nikita Kucherov.



World Cup of Hockey: Is it Team North America or Team Pittsburgh?

By Sam Werner and Jason Mackey / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

In one of Team North America’s first meetings after the roster was set, coach Todd McLellan had each player introduce themselves.

He noticed one city that kept popping up.

“When they started to name their hometowns, I thought we were Team Pittsburgh for a while,” McLellan said after his team’s practice Tuesday at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.

Four of the players on the 23-and-under North America team grew up in the Pittsburgh area: Florida Panthers center Vince Trocheck (Upper St. Clair), Columbus Blue Jackets winger Brandon Saad (Pine-Richland), New York Rangers winger J.T. Miller (Coraopolis) and Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson (Whitehall).

Those four, along with their North America teammates, will face off against the Czech Republic in the first of two World Cup exhibition games today at Consol Energy Center. They represent a growing trend of Pittsburgh-area players making a name for themselves in the NHL.

“It’s great for the city, a lot of kids are more excited and picking up the sport,” Saad said.

Some of those kids were on the ice after Team North America’s practice Tuesday, and the quartet of local players, along with Penguins’ goalie Matt Murray, joined them for the end of their practice.

“I think [Matt]’s a little more popular than us, but being Pittsburgh guys and getting in that group, whatever we can do for the kids, I know they enjoy it,” Saad said. “I did when I was a kid. I think it’s very special.”

Today, Saad, Trocheck, Gibson and Miller also will get to enjoy the rare treat of playing at Consol in front of a friendly crowd, instead of the hostile environment they tend to face when they visit the Penguins.

“Being on the other side of it’s going to be nice. It’s a great building, they usually have great crowds,” Saad said. “A lot of us are excited.”

Price to start

Team Canada coach Mike Babcock said Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price will start tonight against Team Russia. Corey Crawford of the Chicago Blackhawks will back him up, while Braden Holtby of the Washington Capitals figures to be a healthy scratch.

Price started the Team Canada’s World Cup exhibition opener, a 4-3 loss against Team USA Friday in Columbus, and stopped just 21 of 24 shots.

“He didn’t have the kind of game he’d like his first time out,” Babcock said. “So he’s going back in the net.”

Babcock also said he expects defenseman Jake Muzzin of the Los Angeles Kings and forward Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers to be out of the lineup.

So close, so far

Defenseman Roman Polak has plenty of memories of Consol Energy Center. Just not fond ones.

Polak was one of the many victims of the HBK line, and he’s back with Team Czech Republic after returning to the Toronto Maple Leafs this offseason.

“Of course, I think about it a little bit,” Polak said of the San Jose Sharks struggles in the six-game Stanley Cup final. “It’s in my head. We had a good run. We lost to a better team. We were close, but … we were far.”

Quotable

• “We’re not really doing much. We practice. We eat. We rest. We’re not going to the zoos or anything.” — Sharks defenseman Brent Burns on visiting Pittsburgh … or not.

• “It’s not that strange. We were just in Ottawa. It’s not like you’re throwing on the jersey.” — Capitals goalie Holtby on practicing and playing in a rival city.

• “For us having the year we did, and not making the playoffs and getting a chance to compete for it, that’s always tough as a player. Being from

Pittsburgh, you can see the buzz and excitement of the fans. It’s great for them.” — Blue Jackets winger Saad about being home.



Franchise centers Crosby and Malkin ready for clash at Consol Energy Center

By Jason Mackey / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Sidney Crosby took a few of his Team Canada teammates to a Mount Washington restaurant Monday night to watch the Steelers and socialize ahead of the World Cup exhibition finale Wednesday and the start of the real tournament Saturday.

While Crosby, a fan of the Steelers and the NFL in general, might’ve had to tell his fellow Canadians about Eli Rogers or Sean Davis, he didn’t have to drop any hints about the intensity of the Russia-Canada hockey rivalry.

“I think we all understand how big that is,” Crosby said from his regular locker stall after an hourlong practice Tuesday at Consol Energy Center.

Deconstruct Wednesday’s main event, a 7:30 p.m. Canada vs. Russia tilt in a World Cup of Hockey exhibition tuneup at Consol, and the tangential storylines are many. No surprise here, a good number seem to involve Crosby and his fellow franchise center, Evgeni Malkin.

There’s the calm-before-the-storm factor with Team Canada, the last few days of sanity before it travels to Toronto amid a boatload of expectations to roll through this tournament.

With Russia, there’s just as much to worry about. Only Malkin and company are concerned with avoiding another pratfall on the international stage.

“There’s a lot of expectations on both countries when it comes to hockey,” Crosby said. “We both can relate to that a lot and appreciate that.”

Maybe they’ll even talk about it, although Team Canada coach Mike Babcock played coy when asked whether he’ll match Crosby against Malkin.

This, of course, after Malkin took a playful job Sunday at Crosby, accusing him of talking too much and too fast on the ice.

Asked Tuesday about his relationship with Malkin, Crosby sounded a different tone.

“We’ve played enough against each other,” Crosby said. “We just try to go out there and play our best. We keep the chirping to a minimum. Although in an exhibition game, it may be a little different.”

One thing that hasn’t been different: Crosby’s role on Team Canada.

For as much talent as the Penguins have — Kris Letang, Phil Kessel, et. all — these are still Sid’s and Geno’s Penguins. If there’s a by-actions leader, or the team needs an emotional spark, it’s Malkin. But Crosby is the face, steady voice and heartbeat of the team.

How and why does that matter here?

In a room full of players who are accustomed to wearing letters on their sweaters, Crosby’s voice has still risen above the rest. The Mount Washington maneuver wasn’t a whim. It’s what Crosby does. Whether it’s the World Cup or someone from Wilkes-Barre, he wants to be the welcoming committee.

“He takes new guys under his wing and makes them feel comfortable, makes them feel at home, and that way that guy performs to the best of his ability,” defenseman Drew Doughty said. “Sid’s an awesome dude. He’s really good at doing that kind of stuff.”

Said goaltender Carey Price: “Sid’s leadership has really shone through. He’s a first-class person. He’s a world-class player. There’s a reason he’s had the success in this league that he’s had. He’s very well respected by everyone in this league.”

Crosby can be extremely serious on the ice, which might have been one of the reasons Babcock planned his practices the way he did.

The session Tuesday featured several competitive drills, including a two-on-one session from below the circles that was scored. Defensemen also were ordered to pay $50 to the Sidney Crosby Foundation if they turned their back to the puck in the defensive zone.

The uptempo drills gave the hundreds in attendance a show and seemed to put the players in good spirits.

“Guys are starting to loosen up and enjoy being around each other more and be more comfortable,” Babcock said. “That fun starts to come out. We tried to compete real hard. Lots of money went toward Sid’s charity today. We had some good laughs out there.”

The two Penguins will hope to avoid injuries. Crosby brought up Tampa Bay teammates Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov smacking knees in a separate exhibition as a way to say that things happen … but nobody is trying to hurt anybody.

He also floated the idea that something physical between him and Malkin “could happen, you never know,” but you probably shouldn’t expect it. What’s more likely is an entertaining 60 minutes of hockey with plenty of skill involved.

“Once we go out there, it’s competitive, but I think it’s healthy competition,” Crosby said. “We’re both trying to do our best to help our team win.

“It’s understood that when you’re in these situations you’re playing to win.”


1023891 San Jose Sharks

Sharks’ Joe Pavelski named USA captain for World Cup of Hockey

By Daniel Mano | PUBLISHED: September 7, 2016

The Big Pavelski will wear the big C for Team USA in the World Cup of Hockey.

As expected, Sharks center Joe Pavelski will be the U.S. captain for that tournament in Toronto, USA Hockey announced Wednesday.

Pavelski has two goals and eight assists for 10 points in 17 games with USA Hockey, including on its run to the silver medal at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

Alternate captains are Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane and Wild defenseman Ryan Suter, with four others serving on a leadership group for the team.

“The great news for us is that we have plenty of leaders in our room,” USA Hockey coach John Tortorella said in a press release. “Our goal is simple and that’s to win the World Cup.”

Team USA opens the tournament Sept. 17 against Team Europe, with three pre-tournament games scheduled in the coming week.

Pavelski became the Sharks captain last October and helped lead the team to the Stanley Cup Finals. Now he takes that mantle for the red, white and blue.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 09.14.2016


Sharks GM Doug Wilson to be inducted into San Jose Sports Hall of Fame

Chronicle Staff Updated 11:29 am, Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Team general manager Doug Wilson smiles after introducing Peter DeBoer (left) as the new head coach of the San Jose Sharks during a news conference at the SAP Areana in San Jose, Calif. on Thursday, May 28, 2015.

Fresh off the Sharks’ first-ever Stanley Cup Final appearance, general manager Doug Wilson has landed a spot in the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame.

Wilson, 59, will be honored at a banquet Nov. 2 at SAP Center along with ifellow inductees Mike Bruner, a swimmer who won two gold medals at the 1976 Olympics;; former Warriors players Raymond Townsend and former U.S. national soccer team player Aly Wagner.

Wilson, a defenseman with the Blackhawks for 14 seasons, was the Sharks’ first captain in the team’s inaugural season in 1991-92 as well as the team’s first All-Star. He has been San Jose’s general manager since 2003, helping the team to the Presidents’ Trophy in 2009, five division titles and four Western Conference finals along with this season’s Stanley Cup Final.

Wilson follows original owner George Gund III (2008), goalie Arturs Irbe (2010) and forward Owen Nolan (2014) as members of the Sharks organization in the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame.

San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 09.14.2016


Rookie Meier could be in Sharks opening night lineup

Kevin Kurz

Editor's note: This article is part of an ongoing series in which Sharks insider Kevin Kurz will highlight a different Sharks player every weekday leading up to the start of training camp.

Name/Position: Timo Meier, F

Age: 19 (turns 20 on Oct. 8)

Salary cap hit: $894,166, signed through 2018-19

2015-16 year in review: After he was chosen ninth overall by the Sharks in the 2015 draft, Timo Meier returned to juniors and finished tied for 11th in the league in scoring with 87 points (34g, 53a) in 52 games. He was traded midseason from Halifax to Rouyn-Noranda, and posted 23 points (11g, 12a) in 18 playoff games for the Huskies, who won the QMJHL but lost to London in the championship game of the Memorial Cup.

Meier also competed in the World Juniors for Switzerland, and in six games as its captain he collected five points (2g, 3a).

2016-17 outlook: Why are we including Meier in this year’s player outlook schedule? My guess is he makes the team, and he could get a look on the top line with Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski in camp (if the World Cup permits), while Tomas Hertl sees more time at center. Just like Hertl, he’s got size (six-foot-one, 212 pounds) along with a high skill level, so he could be the perfect replacement for Hertl on that left side without much drop off. He may be more physical than Hertl, too, as we saw in a few intra-squad scrimmages in last year’s camp. At one point Meier hammered Patrick Marleau along the wall, and Marleau seemed none-too-pleased about it.

Rewinding to last September, Meier was the closest prospect to making the team out of training camp, and that was before he went on to have a fantastic season in juniors. At the time he was reassigned, Pete DeBoer said: “It’s a really hard to find a package of a guy that plays with that type of power, that type of body, and also has a high skill level. ... He was a lot closer than people might know.”

Logic dictates he’s even closer now, after another year of seasoning and growing into his big body. He even scored a hat trick in the mid-summer prospect scrimmage, looking like a man amongst boys. If Meier doesn’t make the Sharks out of camp, he’s eligible to start the season with the Barracuda, but I’d put my money on him playing against the Kings on Oct. 12.



Sharks notes: Rookie camp schedule;; Wilson honoured

Kevin Kurz

Doug Wilson served as the Sharks’ first captain for two seasons from 1991-93, and has been the general manager since 2003. (USATI)

The Sharks’ annual rookie camp leading up to the start of NHL training camp next week will begin on Thursday at the club’s practice facility in San Jose.

The camp will be broken up into two groups – the rookies, and another group comprised of players with fewer than 50 games of NHL experience. The rookies will compete in a round-robin tournament against Ducks and Avalanche prospects in Westminster, Colorado from Sept. 17-19.

Practices at Sharks Ice are open to the public. The schedule – subject to chance on late notice – is as follows:

Sept. 15

12 p.m. - U50/Rookie Skates (North/South rinks)

Sept 16

8:30 a.m. - Rookie Practice (South)

10 a.m. - U50 Practice (North)

Sept. 17

10 a.m. - U50 Practice (South)

Sept. 18


Sept. 19


Sept. 20

10 a.m. - U50 Practice (North)

11 a.m. - Rookie Practice (South)

Sept. 21

9:30 a.m. - Rookie/U50 Practice (South/North)

10:30 a.m. - Rookie/U50 Scrimmage (South)

The Sharks open NHL training camp on Friday, Sept. 23.

Sharks general manager Doug Wilson will be inducted into the San Jose Hall Sports Hall of Fame at an enshrinement banquet at SAP Center on Nov. 2. He will become the fourth member of the organization to be so honored, joining goalie Arturs Irbe, forward Owen Nolan and original owner George Gund III.

Wilson served as the Sharks’ first captain for two seasons from 1991-93, and has been the general manager since 2003. He oversaw the organization’s most successful season in 2015-16 as San Jose captured the Western Conference and made its first-ever appearance in the Stanley Cup Final.

The 59-year-old Ottawa, Ontario native and longtime defenseman for the Blackhawks is also a member of the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame and Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame.

ormer Sharks forward James Sheppard has been offered a tryout with the Vancouver Canucks, according to a report. Sheppard spent last season in Switzerland.

The 28-year-old last played for the Sharks in 2014-15, and was traded to New York late that year. He tried out for the Columbus Blue Jackets last season, but didn't make it.

The cap-strapped Sharks are not expected to bring anyone to training camp on a tryout basis.

The AHL San Jose Barracuda have a new play-by-play man, as well as a new training and equipment staff.

Nick Nollenberger will take over as the voice of the Barracuda, and handle their media relations. The Santa Cruz native most recently served as the director of broadcasting and media relations for the Odessa Jackalopes of the NAHL.

Also joining the Barracuda are Nick Gialdini (video coach/hockey ops coordinator), Quentin Higgins (head trainer), Adam Dexter (head equipment manager), Marcello Martinelli (strength and conditioning coordinator) and John Peters (assistant equipment manager).


1023895 St Louis Blues

Blues invite six players to camp on tryouts

By Jeremy Rutherford St. Louis Post-Dispatch

A year ago, the Blues invited veteran forwards Scottie Upshall and Scott Gomez to training camp on a tryout basis and both earned contracts.

Upshall filled a variety of roles and finished the season with six goals and 14 points in 70 games. Gomez didn't last the entire year before he was released, but did contribute a goal and seven assists before leaving.

The relationship with Upshall was extended this summer, when the 13-year veteran agreed to a new one-year, $900,000 deal with the club.

Several NHL players who remained unrestricted free agents late this summer took note of the situation and have accepted tryout invitations with the Blues. The club recently confirmed that forwards T.J. Galiardi, Eric Nystrom, Yan Stastny, Chris Porter and defensemen Mike Weber and Scooter Vaughan will be in attendance when training camp opens Sept. 24.

"I think we're a good sale for (tryouts) because we had two guys earn contracts last year," Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said.

The following is a closer look at each of the six players coming to camp this season, along with a comment from Blues coach Ken Hitchcock ...

T.J. Galiardi

Age: 28

Ht, Weight: 6-2, 195

Position: Left wing

Previous teams: Colorado, San Jose, Calgary, Winnipeg

Career numbers: 321 games, 44 goals, 61 assists, -32

Played where in 2015-16: Malmo Redhawks (Sweden)

Hitch says: "We know his chemistry, playing with Paul (Stastny) in Colorado. He was a really good third-line player in the National Hockey League, and if he comes to camp and plays with an edge, based on his skating ability and his skill, he has a chance to make an impression."

Eric Nystrom

+1

Eric Nystrom, Adam Cracknell

Age: 33


Position: Left wing

Previous teams: Calgary, Minnesota, Nashville


Played where in 2015-16: Nashville/Milwaukee (AHL)

Hitch says: "A real intense character person that's going to really challenge people for how bad they want to play. Knowing him and having coached against him, every game is going to feel like his first and last, and our feeling is he's going to want to make a real impression."

Yan Stastny

Age: 33

Ht, Weight: 5-10, 191

Position: Center

Previous teams: Blues, Edmonton, Boston


Played where in 2015-16: Schwenninger Wild Wings (Germany)

Hitch says: "I don't know Yan that well. With the way our team is built, the thing that impresses you about him is his smarts. To me there is always room for intelligence, and he's a very, very intelligent player. The challenge for Yan is having not played in the league for a little while, how is he going to feel about the pace of practices and games."

Chris Porter

Age: 32


Position: Left wing

Previous teams: Blues, Minnesota


Played where in 2015-16: Minnesota

Hitch says: "We know 'Ports' really well. He's a guy that has a real home here. There's a real trust with Chris' game and now he's got familiarity with both coaching staffs, ourselves and also the guys coming in from Minny. So there's a real comfort level with him."

Mike Weber

Age: 28


Position: Defenseman

Previous teams: Buffalo, Washington


Played where in 2015-16: Washington

Hitch says: "We really like 'Webs.' We know him from coaching against him last year. He's a guy that is really good at killing penalties, he's really strong in his coverage responsibilities and he's really dependable from a competitor standpoint. Another honest guy that you want to give a shot too."

Scooter Vaughan

Age: 27


Position: Defenseman

Previous teams: No NHL experience

Career numbers: N/A

Played where in 2015-16: Chicago (AHL)

Hitch says: "Multi-dimensional, competitive as heck, a hockey player that really helped (with the Chicago Wolves) a lot and that didn't go unnoticed by the team here."

Hitchcock says that all the players will be given a chance to make the roster.

"It's up to them," he said. "This is 100 percent up to each guy individually, it's not up to the coaches. Guys that have come in have earned jobs. This is all about winning, and if any of these guys look like they can help us win hockey games, then it's up to us to make space for them."

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023896 St Louis Blues

Blues are well-represented at World Cup of Hockey

By Jeremy Rutherford St. Louis Post-Dispatch

If you’re headed out to Blues training camp this week, turn the car around.

This is typically the week that the NHL offseason comes to an end and preparations begin for the upcoming year. But this season, the start of camp has been pushed back until Sept. 24 because of the World Cup of Hockey, an international tournament that has been revived after 12 years.

The World Cup is an eight-team tourney that features the United States, Canada, Russia, Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic, along with teams called “North America,” which is made up of 23-and-under players from the U.S. and Canada, and “Europe,” which comprises all other Europeans.

The event opened Sept. 8 with exhibition games at 10 venues around the world, but it will officially kick off Saturday at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. The championship game is scheduled for Oct. 1.

“It’s a little different having to play a month earlier than normal, but definitely excited to start the season and it’s certainly going to be a fun tournament,” said Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, who is a member of Team Canada. “You can’t go wrong with the guys they picked. We’re lucky to have an abundance of talent to choose from.

“For me, I’ve played with a lot of these guys at the Olympics, so to be able to reunite with most of them and have the opportunity to do something special again as a group, that’s a good feeling and it’s going to be some of the best hockey I’ve ever been a part of. I’m lucky and privileged to be named to that team.”

The man responsible for Pietrangelo’s selection was Blues general manager Doug Armstrong, who is working as Team Canada’s GM for the tournament. He is not the organization’s only representation.

The Blues originally had eight players named to World Cup rosters: Pietrangelo, Alexander Steen (Sweden), Jori Lehtera (Finland), Vladimir Tarasenko (Russia), Vladimir Sobotka (Czech Republic), Dmitrij Jaskin (Czech Republic), Colton Parayko (North America) and David Backes (U.S.).

The number of participants remains at eight, but with a couple of different names. Backes signed with Boston in free agency and is no longer a Blue, and Steen was forced to withdraw from the tournament to continue his recovery from offseason shoulder surgery. However, Jay Bouwmeester (Canada) and Patrik Berglund (Sweden) were each added as replacements.

The teams had each played two exhibition games before Wednesday’s action, and so far, the Blues have been chipping in.

Tarasenko netted a nifty goal in Russia’s 4-3 victory over the Czech Republic in the preliminary round, and after sitting out as a healthy scratch in Game 1, Bouwmeester scored in his first action for Team Canada in a 5-2 win over the U.S. Meanwhile, Parayko has posted two assists for North America.

“I think we’ll get a better look in the last exhibition game on everybody, but they’ve all held their own, which is good,” Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. “Now as the games move to North America, we’ll get a better look at it.”

There is only one unbeaten team among the eight, and who it is may or may not come as a surprise. Canada is the odds-on favorite in the tournament, but as it stands now, North America is the one club at 2-0. The team has two wins over Europe, 4-0 and 7-4.

A few fans expected the roster of North America, which features Calgary’s Johnny Gaudreau, Detroit’s Dylan Larkin, Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Toronto’s Auston Matthews, to have an advantage with the younger legs, and that was the case in back-to-back games against an older European team.

“Hopefully as the tournament goes on, little things like that, they play a little bit to our advantage,” Parayko said. “Either way, we’re going to have a good team, a fast team, a very skilled team and when you’ve got that combo, it’s pretty good. Obviously there are a lot of good players that we’re going to play against. I think overall it’s going to be good and a lot of fun.”

Pietrangelo went into the World Cup impressed with the North American roster and says he’s glad the Blues can lay claim to one of those players in Parayko. Another, Robby Fabbri, also had the credentials but wasn’t named to the team.

“The future’s only looking better for us,” Pietrangelo said. “Colton is one of those players that’s going to be in that spotlight. This is good preparation for guys like him, and good for whether it’s Canada or anywhere in the world to have these kids playing against the best players for future events.”

The playing of the World Cup, however, does not come without some concern.

The Blues had a scare when Sobotka left a game for the Czech Republic with a clavicle injury. It is not thought to be serious, and in fact, he may be back in the lineup Wednesday against North America.

In addition, Pietrangelo took a couple of big hits from former teammate and friend Backes, and ex-Blue Erik Johnson.

“The hockey has been great, the competitiveness is through the roof, and it’s only going to get better,” Hitchcock said. “But you better not come for a look-see because if you do, you’re going to get steamrolled and you’re going to get hurt. There is a lot at stake and because it’s in an NHL rink, and everybody is fresh, you’re going to see the best hockey.”

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023897 Tampa Bay Lightning

Tyler Johnson reports 'stronger than I've ever been'

Joe Smith, Tuesday, September 13, 2016 3:58pm

On Tuesday, we found out just how much.

"I had no strength, didn't really have flexibility," Johnson, 26, said upon reporting to the Lightning's informal skates in Brandon. "It took me a long time to be able to do anything. It was pretty much about January I could finally do a push-up."

That could explain why Johnson, a 29-goal scorer in his 2014-15 All-Star season, began last season in a 12-game goal drought, tallying just four in his first 29 games. Johnson, not so coincidentally, came to life in January, finishing with 14 goals, then seven in the postseason, buoying the Lightning into the Eastern Conference Final. Even then, Johnson felt there was "another level" he could have reached.

Johnson said there are no excuses, he has to be "way better." And now, after a healthy offseason filled with regular workouts instead of rehab, he's ready.

"I finished the summer stronger than I've ever been," Johnson said. "I can't wait for this season to start, to really show what I can do."

Johnson, a restricted free agent after this season, was excited by the Lightning's offseason moves, particularly re-signing captain Steven Stamkos and defenseman Victor Hedman, not to mention wing Alex Killorn. Virtually the same group that went to back-to-back conference finals sees how close it is to the Stanley Cup.

"We've been close the last two years," Johnson said. "But close isn't good enough. You don't get anything for second or third place. It's not what we want."

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023898 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs defenceman Roman Polak is ‘heart and soul’ of Czech team

By Kevin McGran

PITTSBURGH—Defenceman Roman Polak pretty much knew the day Maple Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello traded him to San Jose that he would be back in Toronto this fall.

“That was kind of the deal when I was leaving Toronto, that I was going to come back,” Polak said Tuesday after the Czech national team’s practice. “We were talking about it when Lou was trading me. We had a meeting, Lou was saying he wants me back and he was going to call me in the summer.”

Polak, who was dealt at the trade deadline, saw that come to fruition in July when he rejoined the Maple Leafs, his top choice as an unrestricted free agent. He wants to be a part of the program being built under coach Mike Babcock.

“The system we have (in Toronto), the young guys . . . I was part of that in St. Louis,” Polak said. “We were rebuilding when I was younger, and we turned into a great team, every year in the playoffs.

“I want to come and do the same thing in Toronto, to be part of something . . . with the young guys, great skilled young guys. We can be on the same page, under Babcock, we can be a very good team.”

The rugged defenceman went to the Stanley Cup final with the Sharks in the spring, only to lose to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“We had a good run,” Polak said. “We lost to a better team. That’s the memory I have. We were close, but we were far. That’s how I would put it.

Now he is in Pittsburgh again as part of the Czech national team, which will face North America in the final tune-up for both teams for the World Cup of Hockey.

“He’s our heart and soul,” Czech general manager Martin Rucinski said. “He plays hard, blocks shots. He’s a difficult player to play against. With our situation in Czech hockey, he was an easy choice for our team.”

While Polak was part of San Jose’s bottom pairing of defencemen, he will have a bigger role in this best-on-best tournament. The Czechs have lost Radko Gudas to injury and have brought a couple of KHL players who are not used to North America’s smaller ice surface.

“I was looking forward to playing with Gudas, because we play the same game,” Polak said. “It can be easier if you have the same type of guy . . . He got injured. It’s more pressure on me.

“It is what it is, we can’t change anything.”

The Czechs are 1-1 after a pair of pre-tournament games against Russia. Still, they look like underdogs with Europe in Group A, where Canada and the United States are believed to be the most likely to reach the semifinals.

“We understand our position and our spot,” Rucinski said. “We understand we are underdogs. That’s fine with us. I remember years when we were underdogs, and we won the tournament, we won the world championship, we won the Olympics. And some tournaments when everybody looked at us as a big favourite and it was a disaster.

“The game is played on the ice, not on paper. When you put the best team that you can possibly put together, we’re confident in it. We just have to stick together and see what happens.”

Toronto Star LOADED: 09.14.2016


Playing in World Cup gives Auston Matthews 'head start'

By Michael Traikos, First posted: Tuesday, September 13, 2016

PITTSBURGH - It was a typical rookie mistake.

Team North America had just finished playing a game at Montreal’s Bell Centre and had a flight to catch for Pittsburgh. Time was of the essence.

Players hurriedly showered and were told to get on the bus — now.

So, Auston Matthews instinctively grabbed his hockey bag and started walking.

If not for an equipment manager, who told him that people get paid to do that for him, Matthews might have gone back for even more bags and loaded the entire bus.

It’s incidents like that which illustrate just how young and inexperienced the 18-year-old is, even on an under-24 team.

On the ice, however, it’s been a different story. Matthews might have started out as the 13th forward on Team North America, but he’s quickly moved up the depth chart and spent Tuesday on the top power-play unit with Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel.

“Auston is a very gifted player,” said head coach Todd McLellan. “He’s played with and against men over in Europe. I think that’s probably helped him. He has a confidence level that is probably really high right now ... so it’s a great starting point for him.”

Indeed, this is just the beginning for Matthews.

In a few weeks, the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft will be making his NHL debut with the Maple Leafs. Based on what we’ve seen from him at the World Cup, challenging for the Calder Trophy as a rookie should not be out of the question.

“I guess playing here helps, because you kind of get that head start,” said Matthews. “Going into training camp, being able to play at this high of a level, it’s kind of a taste of best-on-best hockey. So it gives you an edge going into the season.”

In a one-on-one interview with Postmedia, Matthews spoke about his on-ice rivalry with Patrik Laine, how playing in Zurich prepared him for the media circus that is Toronto and why he wants to win the Calder Trophy.

On Patrik Laine rivalry: “Blown out of proportion”

North America kicks off the tournament against Finland on Sunday. For Matthews, it’s yet another chapter in his ongoing rivalry with Winnipeg’s No. 2 overall pick, Laine. If there is anything Matthews has learned from playing on a team with McDavid and Eichel, who were the top two picks in last year’s draft, the comparisons are likely here to stay.

“I think you just accept it,” said Matthews. “Talking to Jack or Connor, they’re in the same locker room now and they don’t get too caught up in all that. It’s blown out of proportion, I think. They’re focused on their respective teams and bettering themselves with every shift that they play ... you can’t get too caught up in the one-on-one match-ups.”

On appreciating Laine: Big shot is a weapon

Do Matthews and Laine hate each other? Quite the opposite, said Matthews.

“He’s a nice guy,” said Matthews. “He’s pretty funny, obviously.

On the ice, Matthews has nothing respect for his supposed rival.

“That big shot he has is obviously a weapon,” said Matthews. “He’s able to get into areas where he can use it. When he gets that shot off, it’s pretty effective. He obviously got a lot of size, good strength and pretty good hands.“

On pressure of playing in Toronto: Embrace it

As Matthews and Team North America were skating at the Penguins’ practice facility on Tuesday, Phil Kessel was rehabbing his wrist upstairs in the facility’s exercise room. For Matthews, Kessel might be a reminder of how Toronto can sometimes run its stars out of town. At the same time, he said he welcomes the pressures that come with being a Leaf — and has some experience with it.

“It’s obviously a different culture, but when it came to hockey teams, Zurich was kind of like that main team. I guess Toronto would be the comparison. Everybody was always writing about them and talking about them, so you kind of get a small taste of that. But I guess it’s micro-sized compared to what I’ll get in Toronto.”

On challenging for the Calder: It’s a goal

Last season’s rookie of the year was a 24-year-old who was not even drafted. But the previous two winners -- Aaron Ekblad and Nathan MacKinnon -- were both No. 1 overall picks. And Matthews, who will likely get competition from Laine and teammate William Nylander, hopes to bring back that trend.

“I don’t think you set goals as far as points and stuff like that,” he said. “Obviously the Calder would be a pretty big award to win. I’d love to win that. In regards to being satisfied with the first year, I think you just want to earn a spot on the team and continue to get better and better each day and learn as much as you can under (head coach Mike Babcock).”

On jersey number: Wants No. 34

Nazem Kadri was forced to switch from 91 to 43 and William Nylander switched from 62 to 39. But Matthews, who is wearing No. 34 with Team North America, hopes that won’t change when he’s a Leaf, especially with James Reimer no longer on the team.

“I’m not too worried about the number situation,” he said. “No one’s wearing it now, I think, so I’m not too worried. That will kind of take care of itself. When (his dad) was playing baseball and basketball, he was always wearing 34, so it’s special. I’ve always worn it.”

On Marner and Nylander: Good time to be a Leaf

While Matthews will be the most-watched rookie with the Leafs — possibly in the NHL — he will not be alone. Nylander and Mitch Marner are also expected to play in their first full season in Toronto, which has Matthews excited about what lies ahead.

“I talked to Nylander and Marner a couple of times over the summer,” he said. “I think everyone in the Leafs organization is excited. We really have a lot of young guys coming up. It’s a good time to be part of the Leafs right now.”

Toronto Sun LOADED: 09.14.2016


Calder hopes, rookie rivalries and Toronto’s media circus: Auston Matthews gears up for life in the NHL

Michael Traikos | September 13, 2016 6:23 PM ET

PITTSBURGH — It was a typical rookie mistake.

Team North America had just finished playing a game at Montreal’s Bell Centre and had a flight to catch for Pittsburgh. Time was of the essence. Players hurriedly showered and were told to get on the bus — now. So Auston Matthews instinctively grabbed his hockey bag and started walking.

If not for an equipment manager, who told him that people get paid to do that for him, Matthews might have gone back for even more bags and loaded the entire bus.

Mike DiBattista / Postmedia Network

Incidents like that illustrate just how young and inexperienced the 18-year-old is — even on an under-24 team. On the ice, however, it’s been a different story. Matthews might have started out as the 13th forward on Team North America, but he’s quickly moved up the depth chart and spent Tuesday on the top power play unit with Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel.

“Auston is a very gifted player,” said head coach Todd McLellan. “He’s played with and against men over in Europe. I think that’s probably helped him. He has a confidence level that is probably really high right now … so it’s a great starting point for him.”

Indeed, this is just the beginning for Matthews. In a few weeks, the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft will be making his NHL debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Based on what we’ve seen from him at the World Cup, challenging for the Calder Trophy as a rookie should not be out of the question.

“I guess playing here helps, because you kind of get that head start,” said Matthews. “Going into training camp, being able to play at this high of a level, it’s kind of a taste of best-on-best hockey. So it gives you an edge going into the season.”

In a one-on-one interview with Postmedia News, Matthews spoke about his on-ice rivalry with Patrik Laine, how Zurich prepared him for the media circus that is Toronto and why he wants to win the Calder Trophy.

Ryan Remiorz / The Canadian Press

On Patrik Laine rivalry: “Blown out of proportion”

North America kicks off the tournament against Finland on Sunday. For Matthews, it’s yet another chapter in his ongoing rivalry with Laine, Winnipeg’s No. 2 overall pick. If there is anything Matthews has learned from playing on a team with McDavid and Eichel, who were the top-two picks in last year’s draft, the comparisons are likely here to stay.

“I think you just accept it,” said Matthews. “Talking to Jack or Connor, they’re in the same locker room now and they don’t get too caught up in all that. It’s blown out of proportion, I think. They’re focused on their respective teams and bettering themselves with every shift that they play … You can’t get too caught up in the one-on-one match-ups.”

On appreciating Laine: Big shot is a “weapon”

Do Matthews and Laine hate each other? Quite the opposite, said Matthews. “He’s a nice guy,” said Matthews. “He’s pretty funny, obviously.” On the ice, Matthews has nothing respect for his supposed rival.

“That big shot he has is obviously a weapon,” said Matthews. “He’s able to get into areas where he can use it. When he gets that shot off, it’s pretty effective. He obviously got a lot of size, good strength and pretty good hands.”

On pressure of playing in Toronto: Embrace it

As Matthews and Team North America were skating at the Penguins’ practice facility on Tuesday, Phil Kessel was rehabbing his wrist upstairs in the facility’s exercise room. For Matthews, Kessel might be a reminder of how Toronto can sometimes run its stars out of town. At the same time, he said he welcomes the pressures that come with being a Leaf — and has some experience with it.

“It’s obviously a different culture, but when it came to hockey teams, Zurich was kind of like that main team. I guess Toronto would be the comparison. Everybody was always writing about them and talking about them, so you kind of get a small taste of that. But I guess it’s micro-sized compared to what I’ll get in Toronto.”

On challenging for the Calder: It’s a goal

Last season’s rookie of the year was a 24-year-old who was not even drafted. But the previous two winners (Aaron Ekblad and Nathan MacKinnon) were both No. 1 overall picks. And Matthews, who will likely get competition from Laine and teammate William Nylander, hopes to bring back that trend.

“I don’t think you set goals as far as points and stuff like that,” he said. “Obviously, the Calder would be a pretty big award to win. I’d love to win that. In regards to being satisfied with the first year, I think you just want to earn a spot on the team and continue to get better and better each day and learn as much as you can under (head coach Mike Babcock).”

Ryan Remiorz / The Canadian Press

On jersey number: Wants No. 34

Nazem Kadri was forced to switch from 91 to 43 and William Nylander switched from 62 to 39. But Matthews, who is wearing No. 34 with Team North America, hopes that won’t change when he’s a Leaf — especially with James Reimer no longer on the team.

“I’m not too worried about the number situation,” he said. “No one’s wearing it now, I think, so I’m not too worried. That will kind of take care of itself. When (his dad) was playing baseball and basketball, he was always wearing 34, so it’s special. I’ve always worn it.”

On Marner and Nylander: Good time to be a Leaf

While Matthews will be the most-watched rookie with the Leafs — and possibly in the NHL — he will not be alone. William Nylander and Mitch Marner are also expected to play in their first full season in Toronto, which has Matthews excited about what lies ahead.

“I talked to Nylander and Marner a couple of times over the summer,” he said. “I think everyone in the Leafs organization is excited. We really have a lot of young guys coming up. It’s a good time to be part of the Leafs right now.”

National Post LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023901 Washington Capitals

After a standout season with Capitals, Matt Niskanen plays his way onto Team USA

By Isabelle Khurshudyan September 13 at 1:58 PM

When Matt Niskanen got the call in late May that he’d been selected to play for Team USA at the World Cup of Hockey, he was surprised. The surprise for his Washington Capitals teammates had been when Niskanen wasn’t named to the initial roster of 16 in early March.

Several lobbied for him to join T.J. Oshie and John Carlson on the team. Capitals Coach Barry Trotz said Niskanen was “an under-the-radar top defenseman.”

“He should’ve been on the original team roster they let out,” Capitals defenseman Karl Alzner said at the team’s breakdown day after the season. “Nisky is a phenomenal defenseman. He’s the guy that gets overlooked sometimes because you don’t really realize how valuable he is until he’s on your team and you see him everyday. … He’s just a guy that does the right things all of the team. If he’s on the team, they’re going to have a better chance to win.”

When injuries to Washington’s defense vaulted Niskanen into a bigger role on a Presidents’ Trophy winning team, his solid play stopped going unnoticed and his name was listed when the full American roster was released. Niskanen called his selection to the World Cup team a “huge honor.” Team USA plays Team Finland tonight at Verizon Center in both teams’ final exhibition game before the tournament starts in Toronto on Sept. 17.

“I was proud of the year that I had last year,” Niskanen said last month. “It’s nice to kind of be rewarded with a spot there. I was surprised. You know, I thought for sure that there’d be a few other guys that they’d take a look at before me. I’m honored by the opportunity.”

Niskanen, 29, represented the United States at the 2009 World Championship and the 2006 World Junior Championship, but he said this was his first experience with an international tournament “of this magnitude.” The Virginia, Minn., native registered 32 points (five goals, 27 assists) in 82 games this season. He reached the 30-point plateau for the fourth time in his career and registered a career high in power-play points (16). He led the Capitals in time on ice per game (24:39), the most minutes he’d logged in his career.

Niskanen ranked second on the team in blocked shots (145) and third in hits (157) and ranked second among Capitals defensemen in points and assists and third in goals. In the one exhibition game he has played in for Team USA, he was on the ice for two goals and played 18 minutes and 55 seconds. He was paired with Minnesota defenseman Ryan Suter in that first game, and he could have the same partner against Finland on Tuesday night.

The selection to Team USA shows Niskanen is no longer under the radar. But before he left for Team USA training camp, he seemed most excited about learning from the experience to continue sharpening his play.

“I’m always curious to hear other coach’s philosophies and situations in the game,” Niskanen said. “You know, for me personally, how you defend certain plays, breakout philosophies – I just find that part of the game really interesting, the different styles that coaches have. It’s going to be a pretty good staff there, as far as the coaches that they have, guys with good resumes and some young up-and-comers. I’m a detail guy, so I love hearing different coaches’ views on how to play certain situations, so I’ll keep my ears peeled for those kinds of things.”

Washington Post LOADED: 09.14.2016


CAPS PLAYERS PUT ON A SHOW FOR HOME CROWD IN USA EXHIBITION WIN OVER FINLAND

By J.J. Regan September 13, 2016 10:35 PM

WASHINGTON -- It may have been an exhibition game, but it didn't look like it to the three Caps players who suited up for Team USA on Tuesday. USA managed a 3-2 win over Team Finland thanks in large part to contributions from the hometown heroes in the team's final tune-up game before the World Cup of Hockey.

The Capitals led the NHL in home wins last season with 29 and T.J. Oshie, John Carlson and Matt Niskanen seemed to pick up right where they left off as soon as they hit the ice with Oshie scoring an early tally to put USA ahead.

"We take pride in playing here," Niskanen said. "We want to play well at home, that's something that we've worked on during the season with the Caps."

It took Oshie less than two minutes to get USA onto the board, scoring at the 1:08 mark of the first period. Ryan Kesler had the puck behind the net and fed Oshie with a perfect pass that he was able to tuck into the top opposite corner of the net to beat goalie Pekka Rinne.

"Nice to put one on the board before the tournament starts and nice to do it in front of the hometown fans," Oshie said.

USA's second goal was set up by a breakout pass from John Carlson. The Caps defenseman took the puck in his own zone and passed it out to Max Pacioretty on the Finnish blue line. Pacioretty found Blake Wheeler who fed Kesler for the goal in what turned into a nice one-two-three pass play. Carlson was not credited with an assist, but it was his original pass that set up the eventual goal.

Carlson would get on the score sheet later in the second as he turned a Finnish turnover into a Derek Stepan breakaway goal. Jusi Jokinen lost the puck on the boards and Carlson instantly took it and fed Stepan between the Finnish defense.

The only Caps player who did not get on the score sheet was Matt Niskanen, but his presence was still felt on the blue line. Niskanen was second on the team in ice time, coming in behind only Carlson.

If it looked like the three players felt more comfortable on their home ice, it's because they were.

"Coming in here, you know your routine and obviously your home rink probably works best with how your routine goes as far as what time you get here, what you do, how you set your warmup," Carlson said.

"When you're at your home rink you just feel comfortable," Oshie said. "It's almost like it's easier to feel where you are on the ice without having to look around, whereas other buildings, I don't know why, it's the same length and width and everything. It just seems like it's easier."

But with that comfort also comes a measure of pressure to perform well in front of your fans. Some teams and players can wilt under that pressure, but that was not the case for the Caps on Thursday. Instead, it fueled each of them to an impressive night.

Said Niskanen, "Hopefully we made them proud."



NO 'FEEL GOOD SHOTS' FOR BRADEN HOLTBY DURING TEAM CANADA PRACTICES

By Tarik El-Bashir September 13, 2016 2:14 PM

PITTSBURGH, Pa.—When you’re standing between the pipes during a Team Canada practice, there’s hardly a chance to catch your breath.

One after another, the best players in the world take turns winding up and unloading their best shot. Crosby, Tavares, Stamkos, Bergeron, Toews, Doughty and the list goes on and on.

Just ask Capitals goalie Braden Holtby.

“There’s not many breaks,” Holtby said to CSN after Canada's practice at CONSOL Energy Center on Tuesday. “There’s no third or fourth liners, or fifth or six D-men that are giving you some ‘feel good shots.’ But it’s good. I’ve always found it kind of easier to play against goal scorers and skilled players because you think along the same lines as them. So it’s been good that way.”

Holtby won’t play Wednesday when Canada faces Russia in the teams’ final tune up for the World Cup of Hockey. In fact, he’ll be the odd man out as Montreal’s Carey Price starts and Chicago’s Corey Crawford backs up.

So far, Holtby has played half of one game—a 5-2 win for Canada over Team USA on Saturday night.

In that game, Holtby allowed two goals on 13 shots, including John Carlson's 5-on-3 tally. Needless to say, the American defenseman enjoyed beating Holtby, his Capitals’ teammate and the reigning Vezina Trophy winner.

“Yeah, I’ve heard that celebration in practice a time or two,” Holtby said. “I know he did it just for me, too, because he doesn’t usually do that. He’s pretty funny. He’d score that goal on any goalie. He has quite a shot, and through a screen like that, I’m glad we have him [in Washington].”

Holtby acknowledged feeling a little rusty in that game.

“It’s the same feeling as your first preseason game;; you don’t feel very sharp,” he said. “You don’t feel like yourself. That's pretty much how it always is. We’ve been doing a lot of systems work and stuff for the last week so we haven’t been getting in much work as goalies. So it was a little weird. But now hopefully, we’ll get into a bit of a rhythm where we can get our game back.”

“The only butterflies was that I felt like I wasn’t quite prepared,” Holtby of starting for his country's national team.

Holby also acknowledged that the light workload hasn’t been ideal. That said, he also knows what he signed up for and that it’s up to him to maximize his practice time.

“It’s a challenge to get ready for the [NHL] season like this,” Holtby said. “But we’re battling though it, trying to find a way to push forward. It’s been tough but we’ll get there.”

“You try to use [each opportunity on the ice], especially here in practice, playing against the best players in the world [and] hopefully it will be a little easier going back,” he added. “But that’s only if you use it correctly.”

There are, however, some benefits to being one-third of a ridiculously talented three-goalie setup.

“Obviously, just watching those two, you can learn a lot of things,” Holtby said of Price, a Vezina and Hart Trophy winner, and Crawford, who has a pair of Stanley Cup championships.

“Each do different things very well, better than anyone else,” Holtby continued. “You pick up on those things. They’re both very down to earth guys. Very easy to talk to you, easy to get along with.”


1023904 Winnipeg Jets

Jets roster set for Young Stars Classic tourney

jason_bell_2014By: Jason Bell

The group heading west practises on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. at the MTS Iceplex before hitting the road for the four-team tournament.

The Jets’ first test comes Friday at 4 p.m. when they face the Calgary Flames prospects.

Winnipeg battles the Vancouver Canucks youngsters Sunday at 2 p.m. and then closes out the tournament Monday at 11 a.m. against the Edmonton Oilers prospects.

TSN 1290 will carry all three Jets games.

Games will be played at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

[email protected]

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 09.14.2016


Skill to left of him, talent to right, Little in middle with whom?

jason_bell_2014By: Jason Bell

One former linemate is with the New York Islanders and the other is likely pencilled in to skate on a unit that shone for the Winnipeg Jets at the end of the 2015-16 NHL season.

So, without Andrew Ladd on one side and Blake Wheeler on the other, Bryan Little’s stuck in the middle with whom?

Winnipeg Jets centre Bryan Little will miss buddy and playing partner Andrew Ladd.

It’s a question the 28-year-old Edmonton native has certainly pondered this summer.

"I think about that quite a bit," Little said Tuesday, after a nearly 100-minute informal skate with the Jets at the MTS Iceplex. "It’s hard to tell who you’re going to have chemistry with. But I go through different stuff in my head who I might be playing with, and how best to play with them. You’re kind of mentally preparing for different people you might see with you."

The combination of Little, Ladd and Wheeler as the team’s top line was always pretty much a sure thing — right from Day 1 when the franchise arrived from Atlanta prior to the 2011-12 season.

The odd time, the deck was shuffled by head coach Paul Maurice or his predecessor, Claude Noel, to try and snap the club out of whatever pitiful state it was in. But when the short-term fixes flopped, the Jets returned to the default position, the tried-and-true trio.

All that changed about seven months ago.

Little was injured Feb. 18 in Tampa Bay after taking a crushing hit by Lightning defenceman Anton Stralman. A week later, the club announced he was done for the season with a compression fracture of his T-6 vertebra. Just hours later, Ladd, a two-time Stanley Cup champion, was dealt to the Chicago Blackhawks along with blue-liner Jay Harrison and minor-league forward Matt Fraser for young winger Marko Dano, a 2016 first-round draft pick and a conditional third-round pick in 2018, kicking off a wild few days around the NHL trade deadline.

Ladd since signed a seven-year, US$38.5-million deal with the Islanders.

Wheeler, meanwhile, is expected to hook up with centre Mark Scheifele and Nikolaj Ehlers on a line that found almost immediate success for Winnipeg after Little and Ladd vacated the lineup.

Little said change can be difficult to accept.

"He’s a guy I hung around with a lot off the ice and was good friends with," he said of Ladd. "Unfortunately, that’s one of the parts of the game. I mean, you have to say goodbye to people you’ve been friends and teammates with for a while. It’s going to be weird probably the first few days of camp not seeing him around, but there’s nothing you can do."

Jets’ rookies practise Thursday afternoon and then leave for Penticton, B.C., for the annual Young Stars Classic tournament, featuring the prospects of Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.

Winnipeg’s main camp begins on Sept. 20.

Little played just 57 games a year ago, firing 17 goals and adding 25 assists. He’s had three previous 20-goal seasons with Winnipeg and hit the 30-goal mark once with the Thrashers.

His back has healed up nicely – in fact, he maintains he could have played the final few games of the season had the Jets been in a playoff race – and, by his own admission, he’s in the best shape of his career as he heads into his 10th NHL campaign.

While he’s keeping an open mind when it comes to a new set of linemates, the possibility of playing with some new guy named Patrik Laine definitely intrigues him.

"I’ve watched him play a few times on TV and thought, ‘Ya, I wouldn’t mind playing with him,’" Little said, laughing. "You never know. Maybe we’ll get together and things just won’t click.

"Obviously, Scheif’s line at the end of the year played really good hockey, so that’s the only one I can kind of see starting out together. I think for

the rest of the lines, the coaches will be playing around with the combinations a bit."

He said even with all the uncertainty, he’s more excited about the upcoming training camp than he was the previous five with the Jets.

"This one definitely feels a bit different," he said. "Just skating out here right now, you see how fast and how skilled some of these young kids are and you’re excited about the future and you’re hoping that some of these guys can step into the lineup and be effective players right away.

"I don’t think we’ve had battles like this for roster spots at a camp ever before. We haven’t seen this kind of depth before. It’s exciting."

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 09.14.2016


Laine tops latest Jets' prospect list

BY KEN WIEBE, WINNIPEG SUN

Having a deep prospect pool is a must for a franchise that relies on the draft-and-develop model and the Winnipeg Jets used a stroke of good fortune and a couple of trades to expand theirs even further.

While there was plenty of understandable consternation among the fan base after the Jets took a serious step back last season following their first and only playoff appearance since the franchise returned in 2011, it has subsided for the most part.

That's because the reward for missing the Stanley Cup playoffs last season led to the arrival of Finnish sniper Patrik Laine after the Jets moved up to second in the NHL Draft Lottery.

Although Laine didn't participate in the on-ice portion of Jets development camp in July, he's already taken the city by storm and has handled himself incredibly well since being taken second overall in the 2016 NHL Draft.

Laine is a physically mature goal scorer who should make an immediate impact this fall, where he's expected to earn a spot on one of the top two lines alongside Mark Scheifele or Bryan Little, which is more likely.

Laine is taking nothing for granted, but his drive to earn a spot in the lineup and to show that he might even be better than the hype is what's helped rocket him to the top of the rankings in our summer edition of the Jets' top prospects.

As a point of reference, 2014 first-rounder Nikolaj Ehlers topped my list last summer and was quick to graduate to the NHL before putting up 15 goals and 38 points in 72 games as a rookie.

Other graduates to the NHL from last summer's list include goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who was No. 2 in my summer prospects rankings but left off my January list because of the impact he had while seeing extensive NHL game action while Ondrej Pavelec was injured.

Since Hellebuyck returned to the minors and has only 26 NHL games on his resume, he's been returned to the list.

But the smart money is on him becoming an NHL regular this fall and he's going to be involved in a heated battle to be the Jets' starter this season.

The trade of former captain Andrew Ladd allowed the Jets to land a second first-round pick for the second consecutive summer.

Coupled with an early-second round pick, the Jets moved up to 18th overall in July to select mammoth defenceman Logan Stanley, who improved a great deal over the course of the past season as a member of the Windsor Spitfires.

Much like it was when the Jets chose Scheifele instead of Sean Couturier, many folks will monitor the development of Stanley's and measure it against scoring forward Kieffer Bellows, chosen 19th overall by the New York Islanders.

But the Jets wanted a defenceman and believed Stanley was the best one available, which is why they made the deal with the Philadelphia Flyers to move up from 22 to 18.

Speaking of those two first-rounders in 2015, both Kyle Connor (17th overall) and Jack Roslovic (25th overall) signed entry-level contracts after impressive freshman seasons in college and are poised to begin their first professional campaigns (provided Roslovic isn't assigned to the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, who own his CHL rights).

Connor led the NCAA in scoring last season with the Michigan Wolverines and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award.

Roslovic had a steady season with the Miami RedHawks and wowed observers with a strong showing at development camp.

The competition for spots in the top-10 prospect lists was heated and several players could easily be ranked higher.

But much like the draft itself, ranking prospects is an inexact science since it's all about projecting where a player could end up and not necessarily just this fall.

Josh Morrissey, chosen 13th overall in 2013, remains the top defenceman on the list and seems to be trending upward after a slow start to his first full season with the Manitoba Moose.

Morrissey used his smarts and skating ability to look comfortable in his NHL debut last March, but he was returned to the American Hockey League after one game and suffered an ankle injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the season in his first game back.

For the first time in years, Morrissey has a full summer of training to prepare for his third NHL camp and he has the skill set to force his way into the discussion to make the big club, provided he plays well in the pre-season.

Brendan Lemieux, chosen 31st overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2014, had a strong showing at the end of last season after joining the Moose and he can't wait for the opportunity to be a rookie pro.

Lemieux was my darkhorse choice to make the Jets last year as a 19-year-old, since he plays the type of in-your-face game that will endear himself to teammates and coaches alike and also has the shot and skating ability to chip in a bit offensively.

My opinion of Lemieux hasn't changed one bit, though I've come to the conclusion that he's probably going to start this season with the Moose, where he can play bigger minutes and use that time to play on the edge and not over it before he graduates to the NHL for good.

Forward Nic Petan turned heads last fall with a strong camp to nail down one of the final spots on the roster, where he was used in a fourth-line role but was also on the second power play unit.

But playing limited minutes wasn't best for Petan's development, so he spent the bulk of the remainder of the season with the Moose before another late call-up.

Petan still projects to be a productive NHLer and it will be interesting to see if he's used on the wing or at centre moving forward.

Defenceman Tucker Poolman surprised some after deciding to return for his junior season at the University of North Dakota.

After helping UND capture the 2016 Frozen Four national championship, many figured Poolman was ready to turn pro and join the Moose but he decided to return to play an enhanced role for his hometown team while trying to defend the title.

Poolman is expected to sign with the Jets this spring and will provide another boost to the depth chart on the blue line, given his size, skill and skating ability.

Rounding out the top-10 is goalie Eric Comrie, who was easily the biggest benefactor of the injury to Pavelec, as it allowed him to carry the load in the AHL and appear in 46 games – well above the playing time he had expected to see.

Comrie figures to be the Moose starter this fall and still projects to work his way into the discussion for the Jets within two seasons.

Like our original ranking last May, we will break down this list into three categories: the cream of the crop, the sleepers and the projects.

There are several players who are just on the verge of being in the top-10 and several others who have been in the top-20 who now find themselves in the honourable mentions category.

The competition for roster spots for both the Jets and Moose this season figures to be much higher than in years past.

And there are several other players in the college ranks or playing in Europe who could move up the list quickly in the coming months and years.

That's part of what makes filling out these lists so much fun.

The cream of the crop

Patrik Laine

Position: Left wing

Age: 18

Chosen by Winnipeg Jets in first round (2nd overall) of 2016 NHL Draft

2015-16 stats: 46 GP, 17 G, 16 A, 33 P for Tappara Tampere (SM-Liiga)

The skinny: His 6-foot-4 frame and remarkable shooting ability should allow the Finnish winger to make an immediate impact in the top-six. Scoring 20-plus goals shouldn't be a stretch.

Kyle Connor

Position: Left wing

Age: 19

Chosen by Winnipeg Jets in first round (17th overall) of 2015 NHL Draft

2015-16 stats: 38 GP, 35 G, 36 A, 71 P for Michigan Wolverines (NCAA)

The skinny: An explosive skater with a quick release and accurate shot, the Hobey Baker finalist is ready for his first crack at the pro game. May require some time in minors, but is expected to make his mark with the Jets before long.

Connor Hellebuyck

Position: Goalie

Age: 23

Chosen by Winnipeg Jets in fifth round (130th overall) of 2012 NHL Draft

2015-16 stats: 30 GP, 13-15-1, 2.34 GAA, .918 save % for Manitoba Moose (AHL)

The skinny: After showcasing his technical ability and mental toughness in his NHL audition, it's time for Hellebuyck to determine whether he's ready to be the goalie of the present and not just the future.

Jack Roslovic

Position: Centre

Age: 19


2015-16 stats: 36 GP, 10 G, 16 A, 26 P for Miami RedHawks (NCAA)

The skinny: Signed his entry-level deal with Jets after a strong showing at development camp. A strong skater with vision and finishing ability, he most likely slots in to play a top-six role with Moose, but could eventually be sent to the OHL if the Jets feel that playing for a Memorial Cup contender is best for him in the long term.

Josh Morrissey

Position: Defence

Age: 21


2015-16 stats: 57 GP, 3 G, 19 A, 22 P for Manitoba Moose (AHL)

The skinny: As a smart puck-mover, his style of game translates well to the NHL, provided he's playing with pace on a consistent basis. But is he best served on the third pairing in NHL or top pairing in AHL in his second pro season?

Brendan Lemieux

Position: Left wing

Age: 20

Chosen by Buffalo Sabres in second round (31st overall) of 2014 NHL Draft

2015-16 stats: 45 GP, 32 G, 30 A, 62 P for Windsor Spitfires, Barrie Colts (OHL)

The skinny: Plays the type of in-your-face game that can be infectious. He will force his way into the discussion for a roster with the Jets this season, but likely needs some seasoning in AHL before that happens.

Nic Petan

Position: Centre/Left wing

Age: 21

Chosen by Winnipeg Jets in second round (43rd overall) of 2013 NHL Draft


The skinny: High level of hockey sense and skill has him in discussion for a job on the big club, but he may be better suited to playing top-line minutes in the minors this season.

Tucker Poolman

Position: Defence

Age: 23

Chosen by Winnipeg Jets in fifth round (127th overall) of 2013 NHL Draft

2015-16 stats: 40 GP, 5 G, 19 A, 24 P for North Dakota Fighting Hawks (NCAA)

The skinny: A big blue-liner with strong mobility and a good shot, he's going to play a big role as a junior and is expected to sign with the Jets next spring.

Eric Comrie

Position: Goalie

Age: 21

Chosen by Winnipeg Jets in second round (59th overall) of 2013 NHL Draft

2015-16 stats: 46 GP, 13-25-7, 3.12 GAA, .907 save % for Manitoba Moose (AHL)

The skinny: Was an AHL All-star replacement for Hellebuyck last season and is expected to carry the mail for the Moose this season.

Logan Stanley

Position: Defence

Age: 18


2015-16 stats: 64 GP, 5 G, 12 A, 17 P for Windsor Spitfires (OHL)

The skinny: He's continuing to work on his skating while growing into his 6-foot-7 frame, but is already a steady defender who uses his long reach effectively and makes opponents think twice about going to the front of the net.

The sleepers

Chase De Leo

Position: Left wing/Centre

Age: 20

Chosen by Winnipeg Jets in fourth round (99th overall) of 2014 NHL Draft


The skinny: As a rookie pro, the Californian tied for the team lead in goals and was second in points. He plays an energetic game and has plenty of offensive ability.

Michael Spacek

Position: Right wing

Age: 19


2015-16 stats: 61 GP, 18 G, 36 A, 54 P for Red Deer Rebels (WHL)

The skinny: The slick Czech forward made a smooth transition in his first season in North America and saw a high level of competition by participating in the Memorial Cup. He's got great vision and a nose for the net.

Scott Kosmachuk


Age: 21

Chosen by Winnipeg Jets in third round (70th overall) of 2012 NHL Draft


The skinny: He's scored 34 goals over two AHL campaigns and also appeared in eight NHL games for the Jets last season. He's got additional competition on the depth chart this season and must show he's a 20-goal scorer in AHL before he pushes for regular NHL duty.

Erik Foley

Position: Left wing

Age: 19


2015-16 stats: 36 GP, 7 G, 12 A, 19 P for Providence College Friars (NCAA)

The skinny: A strong skater who has a good shot and brings a physical element to the table, Foley figures to take on a bigger role this season after Brandon Tanev moves to the pro ranks with the Jets.

Luke Green

Position: Defence

Age: 18

Chosen by Winnipeg Jets in third round (78th overall) of 2016 NHL Draft

2015-16 stats: 61 GP, 10 G, 25 A, 35 P for Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)

The skinny: Once touted as a possible first-rounder, the smooth-skating defenceman worked on rounding out his defensive game last season. He's a power-play specialist who will be back in the QMJHL.

The projects

Jamie Phillips

Position: Goalie

Age: 23

Chosen by Winnipeg Jets in seventh round (190th overall) of 2012 NHL Draft

2015-16 stats: 36 GP, 23-8-5, 1.97 GAA, .922 save % for Michigan Tech Huskies (NCAA)

The skinny: After two excellent seasons as the Huskies starter, Phillips projects to either be the backup in the AHL or to get playing time for the Tulsa Oilers of the ECHL.

Jansen Harkins

Position: Centre

Age: 19

Chosen by Winnipeg Jets in second round (47th overall) of 2015 NHL Draft

2015-16 stats: 69 GP, 24 G, 33 A, 57 P for Prince George Cougars (WHL)

The skinny: His offensive numbers dipped last season, but he showed fairly well in a six-game audition with the Moose at the end of last season. Expected to be a key offensive producer in the WHL this season.

Sami Niku

Position: Defence

Age: 19

Chosen by Winnipeg Jets in seventh round (198th overall) of 2015 NHL Draft

2015-16 stats: 38 GP, 4 G, 7 A, 11 P for JYP HT Jyvaskyla (SM-Liiga)

The skinny: Outstanding skater and a strong puck mover who will play pro in Finland once again.

Jan Kostalek

Position: Defence

Age: 21



The skinny: Wasn't a smooth transition to the pro game, but he's mobile, has good offensive instincts and will continue to work on his defensive game.

Jacob Cederholm

Position: Defence

Age: 18


2015-16 stats: 35 GP, 1 G, 4 A, 5 P for HV71 Jonkoping U20 (SuperElit)

The skinny: Big, stay-at-home blue-liner has great leadership qualities and will play pro in Sweden this season.

Honourable mentions: C/RW Mason Appleton, C Pavel Kraskovsky, LW C.J. Franklin, D Nelson Nogier, D Jack Glover.

Top-20 Winnipeg Jets prospects (previous ranking)

LW Patrick Laine (not drafted)

LW Kyle Connor (1)

G Connor Hellebuyck (not ranked after promotion to NHL)

C Jack Roslovic (3)

D Josh Morrissey (6)

LW Brendan Lemieux (5)

C/LW Nic Petan (2)

D Tucker Poolman (8)

G Eric Comrie (7)

D Logan Stanley (not drafted)

LW Chase De Leo (9)

RW Michael Spacek (10)

RW Scott Kosmachuk (17)

LW Erik Foley (15)

D Luke Green (not drafted)

G Jamie Phillips (12)

C/LW Jansen Harkins (14)

D Sami Niku (20)

D Jan Kostalek (13)

D Jacob Cederholm (not drafted)

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 09.14.2016

1023907 Vancouver Canucks

No pity party for Cassels as Canucks centre finally healthy

Ben Kuzma

It would have been so easy for Cole Cassels to hold a pity party last season.

Lots of moaning and groaning about a transition from junior to pro that went off the rails for the Vancouver Canucks’ prospect centre. Slowed by an abdominal injury and trying to heal and strengthen micro tears in his core, while also attempting to impress Utica Comets coach Travis Green, was always going to be a losing proposition.

It was also a rite of passage because adversity strikes sooner or later.

Being limited to just two goals and seven points in 67 American Hockey League games — following a 30-goal season and leading the Oshawa Generals to the Memorial Cup title — was overshadowed by how the Canucks’ third-round pick in the 2013 National Hockey League draft handled the hardship.

Credit his father, former Canucks centre Andrew Cassels, for providing proper perspective because he had his share of injury setbacks in logging 1,015 career games with six teams. He also had hip-replacement surgery in May of 2015 and drove the next day from Columbus to Quebec City — a 20-hour trek — to see his son capture the Memorial Cup.

The 21-year-old centre is now fit, faster, stronger and avoided surgery this summer because his rehab program provided the right results after the right level of commitment.

Cassels will compete in the Young Stars tournament this weekend in Penticton, a measuring-stick event and his sense of anticipation and personal setback acceptance is understandable.

“I was always taught to never complain and take what you’re given,” Cassels said Tuesday following an informal skate at Rogers Arena. “He (father) was my coach in minor hockey and I don’t think I could have complained to him much. It’s a learning curve and you have to adapt because my dad was a first-rounder and played in the minors, too.

“I gave it all I could last year and worked my hardest. They (Canucks) knew that I couldn’t perform the way I wanted to or like most people thought I could. But most people go through that in a career and I was lucky enough to do it when I was young.”

Travis Green was impressed that Cole Cassels never complained in a tough season.


With a stronger core, Cassels believes the injury he sustained at a Team USA world junior camp was a tough lesson to learn. During a warm-up in which he did a lunge and then felt something strange in the abdominal region, his resolve was going to be tested.

And because Cassels still projects as a third-line Canucks centre with a game that packs skill and an edge, there’s reason to believe the setback was a silver lining of understanding his body and the maintenance required to consistently perform at a peak level.

“I want to be the player I am and not the player he (Green) saw last year,” added Cassels. “I want to get back to my two-way style — smart hockey and tough hockey — and I like to win whether it’s a battle or a game. I’ll put it all on the line when I’m playing my best and I’ve got to get back to that and I can.

“It (AHL) is a tough league to get points. It’s going to be about gaining the trust of Travis and my teammates that I can go out and play a regular shift and be useful to the team.”

That’s encouraging for the Comets and the Canucks. Green gave Cassels a lot of rope because how do you come down on a kid who’s facing every possible hurdle in a transition season and tripping over them through no fault of his own?

“Cole had one of those years,” said Green. “I didn’t grind on him and I didn’t yell at him a lot or be overly hard on him. He had a year where he was just trying to stay afloat. He gave us everything he had, but we were very direct at our meetings at the end of year because, in the past, he didn’t commit as much off the ice as he should have.”

And now Cassels has and that light at the end of the tunnel isn’t a train — it’s a brighter future. He helped shut down Connor McDavid in the OHL final in 2015 and is now open to the concept of what could be down the road.

“I feel really good and I’m looking forward to Penticton to get my feet wet and gain confidence,” said Cassels. “It (tourney) is quick hockey and that will be good for training camp and the season. It’s another step. I don’t like to look too far ahead, but a lot of young guys do and they can get caught up in it.”

Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 09.14.2016


Sheppard provides level of intrigue as Canucks extend three PTOs

BEN KUZMA

James Sheppard tempered his enthusiasm Tuesday because the well-travelled, unrestricted free-agent centre knows a professional tryout with the Vancouver Canucks is no ticket to career stability.

However, there is a level of intrigue because the National Hockey League club has a plethora of problems — everything from scoring to size to grit to a faceoff presence — and it’s why Sheppard, 28, and right-winger Tuomo Ruutu, 33, have been added to the Whistler camp roster. The Canucks also extended a PTO to 26-year-old East Coast Hockey League goalie Kevin Carr.

The Canucks also have six players at the World Cup of Hockey, want to create camp competition and maybe solve a problem along the way.

Sheppard travelled the tricky PTO road with the Columbus Blue Jackets a year ago. He played two pre-season games, scored once and was told there was no roster room. It meant a sobering sojourn to the Swiss-A League where he amassed 11 goals and 25 points in 37 games. Sheppard can also play left wing, is 6-1 and 215 pounds and might be a bottom-six fit.

“Things change quickly and it’s a chance to show what I have,” the Halifax native said Tuesday after an informal skate a Rogers Arena. “They (Canucks) have liked me in the past and you never know what can happen. For me, it’s being a sound player and somebody you can rely upon to play hard every night.”

Sheppard was drafted ninth overall by Minnesota in 2006 and also played for San Jose and the New York Rangers. With 23 goals in 394 games, he’s not going to fill the net, but he might fill a void.

“Taking faceoffs against (Joe) Thornton and (Joe) Pavelski at practice was sometimes frustrating, but you learn a lot besides faceoffs from those guys,” he said. “It’s something I hope to bring here as well. Timing is huge.”

“He has size, can play left wing and help kill penalties,” said Canucks general manager Jim Benning. “It’s a good chance to see where he’s at.”

Ruutu played 33 games with New Jersey last season and the six-foot, 200-pound Finn had but one assist. He has scored 148 goals in 735 games with Chicago, Carolina and New Jersey. Carr played 45 games for Tulsa of the ECHL last season and posted a 2.39 goals-against average and .911 saves percentage.

Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 09.14.2016


Canucks invite Tuomo Ruutu, James Sheppard to training camp

J.J. AdamsMore from J.J. Adams

Looking for depth on the forward line, the Vancouver Canucks have extended tryout offers to two unrestricted free agents.

In 2006, James Sheppard was taken ninth overall by the Minnesota Wild in the NHL Draft in at the-then GM Place.

Fast-forward 10 years, and he’s back in in the same building, this time trying to resurrect a hockey career that began with so much promise.

The Vancouver Canucks signed James Sheppard, late of the Kloten Flyers in the Swiss A-League, to a PTO (Professional Try Out) contract on Wednesday, along with fellow unrestricted free agent Tuomo Ruutu.

Sheppard, a centre, has been in Vancouver all summer skating with Canucks vets as he tried to earn an invite to training camp in Whistler. The 28-year-old Halifax native been playing with Kloten in Europe, recording 11 goals and 14 assists in 37 games. He has career NHL totals of 23 goals and 68 assists across 394 games spent with New York, San Jose and Minnesota prior to that.

“I still think I can play here (the NHL) and I want to play here and I’m going to work hard to prove that I can play here,” Sheppard told Province Canucks columnist Jeff Paterson over at Canucks Army.

“I’m kind of open-minded right now. As you get older, things become more important to you, and my goal is to play in the NHL right now. I think I have what it takes, and hopefully someone can see that.”

Ruutu, is a name that has been mentioned with several teams looking for forward depth over the off-season. The left winger had a single assist in 33 games with the Devils last season. It continued the death spiral his production has seen after signing a four-year, $19M contract with Carolina in 2011-12, as he saw his goal-scoring output drop from 18 to consecutive years of four, five, three, seven, and last year’s zero.

More to come on the story as it develops.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 09.14.2016


No pity party for Cassels as Canucks centre finally healthy

Ben KuzmaMore from Ben Kuzma

It would have been so easy for Cole Cassels to hold a pity party last season.

Lots of moaning and groaning about a transition from junior to pro that went off the rails for the Vancouver Canucks’ prospect centre. Slowed by an abdominal injury and trying to heal and strengthen micro tears in his core, while also attempting to impress Utica Comets coach Travis Green, was always going to be a losing proposition.

It was also a rite of passage because adversity strikes sooner or later.

Being limited to just two goals and seven points in 67 American Hockey League games — following a 30-goal season and leading the Oshawa Generals to the Memorial Cup title — was overshadowed by how the Canucks’ third-round pick in the 2013 National Hockey League draft handled the hardship.

Credit his father, former Canucks centre Andrew Cassels, for providing proper perspective because he had his share of injury setbacks in logging 1,015 career games with six teams. He also had hip-replacement surgery in May of 2015 and drove the next day from Columbus to Quebec City — a 20-hour trek — to see his son capture the Memorial Cup.

The 21-year-old centre is now fit, faster, stronger and avoided surgery this summer because his rehab program provided the right results after the right level of commitment.

Cassels will compete in the Young Stars tournament this weekend in Penticton, a measuring-stick event and his sense of anticipation and personal setback acceptance is understandable.

“I was always taught to never complain and take what you’re given,” Cassels said Tuesday following an informal skate at Rogers Arena. “He (father) was my coach in minor hockey and I don’t think I could have complained to him much. It’s a learning curve and you have to adapt because my dad was a first-rounder and played in the minors, too.

“I gave it all I could last year and worked my hardest. They (Canucks) knew that I couldn’t perform the way I wanted to or like most people thought I could. But most people go through that in a career and I was lucky enough to do it when I was young.”


Travis Green was impressed that Cole Cassels never complained in a tough season. Arlen Redekop / PNG

With a stronger core, Cassels believes the injury he sustained at a Team USA world junior camp was a tough lesson to learn. During a warm-up in which he did a lunge and then felt something strange in the abdominal region, his resolve was going to be tested.

And because Cassels still projects as a third-line Canucks centre with a game that packs skill and an edge, there’s reason to believe the setback was a silver lining of understanding his body and the maintenance required to consistently perform at a peak level.

“I want to be the player I am and not the player he (Green) saw last year,” added Cassels. “I want to get back to my two-way style — smart hockey and tough hockey — and I like to win whether it’s a battle or a game. I’ll put it all on the line when I’m playing my best and I’ve got to get back to that and I can.

“It (AHL) is a tough league to get points. It’s going to be about gaining the trust of Travis and my teammates that I can go out and play a regular shift and be useful to the team.”

That’s encouraging for the Comets and the Canucks. Green gave Cassels a lot of rope because how do you come down on a kid who’s facing every possible hurdle in a transition season and tripping over them through no fault of his own?

“Cole had one of those years,” said Green. “I didn’t grind on him and I didn’t yell at him a lot or be overly hard on him. He had a year where he was just trying to stay afloat. He gave us everything he had, but we were very direct at our meetings at the end of year because, in the past, he didn’t commit as much off the ice as he should have.”

And now Cassels has and that light at the end of the tunnel isn’t a train — it’s a brighter future. He helped shut down Connor McDavid in the OHL final in 2015 and is now open to the concept of what could be down the road.

“I feel really good and I’m looking forward to Penticton to get my feet wet and gain confidence,” said Cassels. “It (tourney) is quick hockey and that will be good for training camp and the season. It’s another step. I don’t like to look too far ahead, but a lot of young guys do and they can get caught up in it.”



Sheppard provides level of intrigue as Canucks extend three PTOs

Ben KuzmaMore from Ben Kuzma

Versatile James Sheppard gets a timely tryout

James Sheppard tempered his enthusiasm Tuesday because the well-travelled, unrestricted free-agent centre knows a professional tryout with the Vancouver Canucks is no ticket to career stability.

However, there is a level of intrigue because the National Hockey League club has a plethora of problems — everything from scoring to size to grit to a faceoff presence — and it’s why Sheppard, 28, and right-winger Tuomo Ruutu, 33, have been added to the Whistler camp roster. The Canucks also extended a PTO to 26-year-old East Coast Hockey League goalie Kevin Carr.

The Canucks also have six players at the World Cup of Hockey, want to create camp competition and maybe solve a problem along the way.

Sheppard travelled the tricky PTO road with the Columbus Blue Jackets a year ago. He played two pre-season games, scored once and was told there was no roster room. It meant a sobering sojourn to the Swiss-A League where he amassed 11 goals and 25 points in 37 games. Sheppard can also play left wing, is 6-1 and 215 pounds and might be a bottom-six fit.

“Things change quickly and it’s a chance to show what I have,” the Halifax native said Tuesday after an informal skate a Rogers Arena. “They (Canucks) have liked me in the past and you never know what can happen. For me, it’s being a sound player and somebody you can rely upon to play hard every night.”

Sheppard was drafted ninth overall by Minnesota in 2006 and also played for San Jose and the New York Rangers. With 23 goals in 394 games, he’s not going to fill the net, but he might fill a void.

“Taking faceoffs against (Joe) Thornton and (Joe) Pavelski at practice was sometimes frustrating, but you learn a lot besides faceoffs from those guys,” he said. “It’s something I hope to bring here as well. Timing is huge.”

“He has size, can play left wing and help kill penalties,” said Canucks general manager Jim Benning. “It’s a good chance to see where he’s at.”

Ruutu played 33 games with New Jersey last season and the six-foot, 200-pound Finn had but one assist. He has scored 148 goals in 735 games with Chicago, Carolina and New Jersey. Carr played 45 games for Tulsa of the ECHL last season and posted a 2.39 goals-against average and .911 saves percentage.


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Sportsnet.ca / World Cup Takeaways: USA 3, Finland 2

LUKE FOX SEPTEMBER 13, 2016, 10:33 PM

Outshot and out-disciplined yet again, Team USA (2-1) hung on for a nail-baiting win over a jet-lagged Team Finland (1-2) Tuesday night in Washington, D.C., in both nations’ final World Cup pre-tournament game.

Here are seven things we learned, as the Americans jumped to a 3-0 stranglehold yet needed shot blocking and goaltending to slip away with a 3-2 victory.

Starting goaltenders coming into focus

That both Team USA’s Jonathan Quick (.938 save percentage) and Finland’s Pekka Rinne played a complete game is a strong indication that they will be their respective squads’ Game 1 starters when the real tournament begins this weekend.

Update:

TORTORELLA NAMES JONATHAN QUICK STARTER AND BEN BISHOP BACKUP TO BEGIN WORLD CUP SATURDAY. #TEAMUSA

— LUKE FOX (@LUKEFOXJUKEBOX) SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

Expect Ben Bishop, whom U.S. coach John Tortorella has always dressed, to be the Americans’ No. 2, while Cory Schneider is the alternate. Nothing is official, but when it comes to the Finns, we'll bet Tuukka Rask backs up Rinne — who stoned both James van Riemsdyk and Patrick Kane on breakaways but got fooled five-hole by Derek Stepan.

FINNISH COACH LAURI MARJAMAKI ON PEKKA RINNE (3 GOALS/29 SHOTS): "PEKKA WAS GREAT." LOVED HIS PLAY. WON'T NAME STARTER FOR #WCH2016 OPENER.

— STEPHEN WHYNO (@SWHYNO) SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

Quick helped his country steal its raucous opener Friday night in Columbus and recorded his second win in D.C., stopping 30 of the 32 shots he faced and standing tall by killing off a fifth Finnish power play in the dying seconds.

Heading into camp, Tortorella claimed the No. 1 goalie role would be up for grabs. Fair or not, the gig will go to Quick, who has two Stanley Cup rings, shone in Sochi, and arrived in camp in mid-season form.

O-shie, did you see that goal?

A trio of Washington Capitals — John Carlson, Matt Niskanen and T.J. Oshie — enjoyed the comforts of home, playing on Verizon Center ice. None more so than Oshie, who roofed a beautiful one-timer past Rinne to open the scoring in Period 1 and prompted this bit colourful analysis from U.S. legend Brett Hull.

“He’s a two-headed monster for anybody who has to play against him,” Hull said on air. “Jon Gruden would love him. He’s got the brains to play quarterback and he has the motor like a defensive end – he never stops. He’s one of the smartest guys in the NHL.”

Maximum effort after patchy start for Pacioretty

American bench boss Tortorella challenged Max Pacioretty to step his game up after going pointless in the back-to-back versus Canada, and gave the winger every chance to make an impact by aligning him with a couple of try-hards in Oshie and Ryan Kesler.

So, how did the Habs captain respond?

Well, the Kesler line dominated possession, and Pacioretty was excellent in creating scoring chances and firing pucks to the net. His line — one assist, two shots, two hits, a blocked shot, and a plus-2 rating — underscored a marked improvement.

Patrik Laine's tantalizing North American debut

With the Finns contesting their first two pre-tournament games overseas, North America got its first look at the confident Jets prospect.

Patrik Laine sniped the Finns’ first goal, fired a team-high four shots and had his most impressive game yet. That disgusting sound you heard during the game was every Winnipegger drooling at once.

“He’s gotten a lot stronger during the off-season, and you can see his skating has improved. He’s been good for us, and you can see he’s very excited to get going. It’s a big challenge for him,” said Finnish captain Mikko Koivu.

Even when his rushes don’t yield results, they look pretty:

LAINE MIGHT BE ALRIGHT PIC.TWITTER.COM/VOZDYEXA2X

— PETE BLACKBURN (@PETEBLACKBURN) SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

Team Finland’s brass is all on the same page

Some gum-tastic gif work here:

MY PICK TO WIN THE WC IS TEAM FINLAND, BECAUSE THE STAFF IS ON THE SAME PAGE TO THE POINT OF BEING SYNCHORNIZED. PIC.TWITTER.COM/B9GUISCDEQ

— MARC DUMONT (@MARCPDUMONT) SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

‘Renegade’ Dustin Byfuglien gives Torts options

Big Buff was shifted from defence to forward as the Americans scratched Kyle Palmieri and Brandon Dubinsky.

Starting the game with David Backes and Justin Abdelkader, the trio weighs an estimated 700 pounds combined. Yikes.

BYFUGLIEN, BACKES, ABDELKADER MIGHT BE ONE OF THE SCARIEST LINES IN HOCKEY HISTORY #WCH2016

— BRET MALONE (@BRETMALONE19) SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

All last week, Tortorella — who loves Byfuglien’s booming point shot — was undecided on where he’d use the big man.

“I want his personality. He loves playing. He’s a bit of a renegade," Tortorella said. "I want that on our team. I can use him in different areas — power play, penalty killing. If I want to, I can use him up at forward. I like the enthusiasm, the jam he’ll bring. There’s a variety of things he can do for this team as we go through the tournament.

“The thing I’ve always liked about him is he’s different as far as a personality, and I think we need that on our club.”

USA’s nasty exhibition style claims its first victim

Overshadowing the game itself, especially north of the border, was Nick Kypreos’s breaking news that Team Canada’s Tyler Seguin will withdraw from the tournament with a short-term injury and be replaced by Buffalo centre Ryan O’Reilly.

Seguin, of course, slammed hard into the end boards Friday night in Columbus after USA’s Ryan Suter slipped his stick underneath his skates.

HEARING @HC_MEN SEGUIN SUSTAINED AN INJURY DURING PRE SEASON THAT COULD KNOCK HIM OUT REST OF TOURN. #WCH2016

— NICK KYPREOS (@REALKYPER) SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 09.14.2016

1023913 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Captain Serious no MORE: Toews goes beyond the game

CHRIS JOHNSTON SEPTEMBER 13, 2016, 5:49 PM

Make way for Captain Clarity.

An even more open and transparent version of Jonathan Toews.

For while the Chicago Blackhawks captain and Team Canada mainstay has had his voice heard on hockey matters ad nauseam over the last decade, he’s recently started breaking new ground. Not only did Toews join Twitter and Instagram, but he also taped a couple podcasts with businessman/philosopher/athlete Aubrey Marcus over the summer which provided a strikingly open window into the mind of a man once dubbed “Captain Serious.”

During 90 minutes of conversation (which can be found on episode 77 of the Aubrey Marcus Podcast and episode 106 of Total Human Optimization), Toews reflected on the factors that drove him to pursue hockey to an almost unhealthy degree as a child and how he’s worked to find more balance since reaching the NHL.

He applied lessons he’s learned from studying Stoicism, Buddhist thought and Taoism to things that have happened during his career. He discussed his journey to becoming more empathetic and how it helped him be a better teammate. He even mentioned how his outside interests resulted in him being chirped as a “tree-hugger” and “hippie” inside the Blackhawks dressing room.

In short, Toews opened up in a way that superstar hockey players seldom publicly do. It required him to step somewhat out of his comfort zone, he acknowledged this week during an interview with Sportsnet, but that was part of his motivation for doing it.

“It’s kind of been a fun experiment to not only join social media, but also to enter some type of forum like (the podcasts) where I can discuss a lot of the other things that are on my mind and things that I’m interested in and things I want to promote, that are part of who I am,” said Toews. “It’s not exactly like the average hockey interview that you’re used to answering the same questions and that’s what people expect. Sometimes if you expose who you truly are, you open yourself up for criticism and I think that’s a good confidence-building thing, too, almost.

“To be open to that.”

This has been a journey for the 28-year-old Winnipegger – one that started earlier in his career when he began focusing intensely on his diet. That led to a better understanding of the importance of how and where the food we eat is grown, and eventually gave way to an interest in the path to consciousness and human optimization.

Toews now runs in the same circles as other influential people pursuing the same thing, including Aubrey Marcus, the founder of supplement and fitness company "Onnit" whom he was introduced to by Blackhawks teammate Duncan Keith.

During his appearance on Marcus’s podcast, Toews spoke of the fine line he’s had to establish between caring about hockey without caring too much: “I really think that it’s kind of a mind game you’ve got to play with yourself, where you want to be the best you can be and you’re OK with pushing yourself to that limit. But also when it’s time to withdraw you’re OK with those failures, that it’s not going to carry into your personal life and into your relationships, where you’re able to kind of differentiate between the two a little bit.”

His thirst for knowledge often takes him to books.

In June, Toews posted an Instagram photo from a European vacation featuring four that he took along with him on the trip:

• Steven Pressfield’s The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles.

• Josh Waitzkin’s The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance.

• David Perlmutter and Alberto Villoldo’s Power Up Your Brain: The Neuroscience of Enlightenment.

• Jeff S. Volek and Stephen D. Phinney’s The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance.

Toews also recently received a personalized copy of Ryan Holiday’s new book Ego is The Enemy that carried the inscription: “Stay strong, stay humble, stay a student.”

THANKS TO @RYANHOLIDAY FOR SENDING A COPY OF HIS NEW BOOK #EGOISTHEENEMY. HIS PREVIOUS BOOK #THEOBSTACLEISTHEWAY WAS INSTANTLY ONE OF MY FAVORITES. IT WAS FULL OF REMINDERS TO EMBRACE THE STRUGGLE AND STOP BEING A BABY WHEN THINGS DON'T GO MY WAY. HOPE THIS ONE IS HALF AS GOOD!!!

A PHOTO POSTED BY JONATHAN TOEWS (@JONATHANTOEWS) ON AUG 15, 2016 AT 12:48PM PDT

Clearly, there is a lot more to the man than the labels we’ll hear thrown his way repeatedly throughout the World Cup this month. Calling him a two-time Olympic gold medallist and three-time Stanley Cup champion and Team Canada legend doesn’t tell the whole story.

While it’s uncommon to hear athletes discuss their journeys the way Toews did this summer, he’s received positive feedback from his peers about the podcast appearances.

“I’ve actually got a lot of support from some guys,” he said. “It was cool to see that there’s more guys out there listening to that sort of thing.”

He has quickly become an active presence on social media after waiting a long time to take the plunge. Matt Duchene, a Team Canada teammate, recalls Toews showing some interest in Twitter long before eventually posting for the first time on Feb. 21.

“He asked me about that probably three years ago,” said Duchene. “I was telling him ‘Just do it, man. Like it’s good. It’s a good thing.’ He waited and waited and waited and then he finally jumped on.”

He now has 160,000 followers on Twitter and another 66,000-plus on Instagram. He considers both to be a positive aspect of his life.

Many of his posts over the summer documented his treasured time on the lake back home in Manitoba, though he’s made a conscious effort to provide a deeper glimpse into what he’s about.

“I try not to be too cookie-cutter and try to be myself and show people what I’m doing in my spare time when I’m having fun,” said Toews. “Also the things that connect me to my sport and what I do and what makes me better at it and maybe how you can use those things as well.”

None of this will come as a surprise to teammates, who have grown accustomed to hearing Toews weigh in on matters ranging from the economy to food production, according to Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford.

It is, however, a different view for those of us on the outside – and it’s one Toews hopes to continue providing.

“He’s good with that,” said Crawford. “It’s not like it’s anything controversial. It’s something that is very meaningful and if gone in the right direction could change a lot of things, especially in (the U.S.) and Canada.

“Those aspects, those views, are just towards a healthier lifestyle. A healthier way of life.”


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Sportsnet.ca / Down Goes Brown: Imagining past Team North Americas

SEAN MCINDOE SEPTEMBER 13, 2016, 9:22 AM

The World Cup is just days away, and much of the recent buzz has been around Team North America. The new entry, made up of some of the game’s brightest young stars, has already beaten Team Europe in a pair of exhibition games.

They’re fast, they’re skilled, their uniforms are kind of cool, and they’re gaining credibility as a dark horse to make some noise, if not win the whole thing. It’s all led to talk that the Team North America concept, originally thought to be a one-time deal, could end up becoming a permanent fixture in future World Cups.

But today, let’s forget about the future and turn to the past, with what could make for a fun hypothetical: What if there had always been a Team North America? What if every Canada Cup and World Cup had featured a team of the best 23-and-under Canadian and American players of the day?

Let’s find out. We’ll go back over each of the seven Canada and World Cup tournaments, and figure out what a Team North America roster would have looked like.

First, some ground rules. We'll use the same criteria that the 2016 tournament is using, meaning players have to be 23-or-under as of October 1 in the year the tournament is held. As with this year, we'll allow players who don't have NHL experience, but limit the roster to players who've at least been drafted.

As best we can, we'll ignore the benefit of hindsight and try to go by a player's reputation at the time of the tournament, meaning some late-blooming stars may be passed over. And to keep it simple, we're going to pretend that everyone is healthy and available.

(All research for this post was conducted using the tools at the indispensable hockey-reference.com.)

We'll count the seven teams down from worst to best. And as it turns out, that means we'll begin at the beginning.

No. 7 – 1976

Up front: There are some recognizable names here, including Bryan Trottier, Lanny McDonald and Clark Gillies, but it's not a star-studded group. Despite being in the middle of the record-breaking 70s, we've got only one 100-point scorer, and it's Pierre Larouche.

The blue line: Denis Potvin is the big star here, not to mention the team's best player. Ian Turnbull would be there too. And since the real-life teams decided to allow WHA players, we will too, which lets us scoop up Mark Howe.

In goal: There's not a ton to choose from;; we're probably rolling with John Davidson as our starter and hoping we don't need to turn to a backup.

Worth noting: This would really be a Team North America in name only;; other than Howe, I'm not sure a single American would make the squad.

Overall outlook: They'd have been fun to watch, but there's just not enough talent here to compete with the world's best.

No. 6 – 2004

Up front: We have to go back over a decade for the last World Cup, which means we just miss out on the Sidney Crosby era. But we do pick get to include players from the ridiculously stacked 2003 draft, one that's often considered one of the best ever.

The biggest name would be Rick Nash, who'd just won a share of the Rocket Richard as a teenager. He'd make a nice first-line combo with soon-to-be Senator teammates Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley. It gets thin after that, though, with big names like Joe Thornton and Vincent Lecavalier just missing the cutoff, and the team wouldn't have a 60-point scorer.

The blue line: A solid group, one likely built around Jay Bouwmeester, Dan Hamhuis and John-Michael Liles.

In goal: In theory, this would be considered a strength, since you'd have the only two goalies since 1968 to go first overall in Rick DiPietro and Marc-Andre Fleury.

You'd likely see DiPietro as the starter, given that he was coming off a decent year and wouldn't be widely considered a bust until a few years (and one big contract) down the road.

Worth noting: That 2003 draft class doesn't end up helping as much as you'd think it would.

Patrice Bergeron makes the team, and maybe Dustin Brown does too. But future stars like Shea Weber, Ryan Getzlaf, Dion Phaneuf, Ryan Suter and Corey Perry were all still waiting to make their NHL debut, so it's unlikely you'd see any of them on the team.

Overall outlook: It's not a bad squad, but it's impossible to look at it without thinking about how much better it would be if we'd have had even one more year to work with.

No. 5 – 1996

Up front: We'd start with a dynamic one-two punch on the first line, with both Eric Lindros and Paul Kariya coming off of 100+ point seasons. The supporting case would be decent, likely featuring Jason Arnott, Rob Niedermayer and Eric Daze, and you could use Michael Peca on a checking line.

The blue line: One of the better ones we'll end up seeing. You could start with future Hall-of-Famers in Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer, then move on to a pair of recent first overall picks in Ed Jovanoski and Bryan Berard.

In goal: Martin Brodeur misses the cutoff by a few months, but that's fine because we've got the reigning Vezina winner ready to go in… uh… Jim Carey. Hey, remember, we said no hindsight. And if Carey faltered, we could always turn to Chris Osgood.

Worth noting: While Shane Doan and Ryan Smyth would go on to make regular appearances on Canadian national teams, both would be borderline picks for this team.

Overall outlook: There's plenty of talent here. As long as the goaltending holds up, they'd be competitive.

No. 4 – 1981

Up front: Wayne Gretzky is the big name;; he's already a two-time Hart Trophy winner at this point. The supporting cast is solid, with names like Mike Gartner, Denis Savard, Bobby Smith and Michel Goulet.

The blue line: Rookie Larry Murphy is your top offensive threat, and he's joined by an all-around stud in Ray Bourque. That's kind of it for the big names, although guys like Paul Reinhart and Rob Ramage would leave you with a solid core.

In goal: Goaltending won't be a strength here, although you could say that for just about any team in the early 80s. You're probably looking at Don Beaupre as your starter, maybe with Pat Riggin as the backup.

Worth noting: Can you sneak a 20-year-old Paul Coffey onto this team? Coming off a relatively uninspiring 32-point rookie season, I'm not sure you can.

Overall outlook: This isn't a bad roster, and any team with Gretzky is going to be a challenge. But as we'll find out, there were better days ahead for Team North America.

No. 3 – 1991

Up front: This is the first year that we really see the United States start to pull its own weight, as they can offer up Jeremy Roenick and Mike Modano, as well as Darren Turcotte and Jimmy Carson. That supplements some excellent Canadian talent, including Joe Sakic, Theo Fleury, Trevor Linden and Brendan Shanahan.

Oh, and an 18-year-old Lindros, who spent the real-life tournament crushing guys twice his age.

The blue line: There's not the same depth of talent as there is up front, although we've got a legitimate number one in Brian Leetch and a future hall-of-famer in Rob Blake. After that, we're probably looking at names like Zarley Zalapski, Matthieu Schneider and Yves Racine.

In goal: The good news: The reigning Vezina winner is a rookie who also finished third in MVP voting. The bad news: Ed Belfour got a late start to his career and misses the age cutoff. So instead, we're looking at Tim Cheveldae, Jeff Hackett, and maybe even Peter Ing.

Worth noting: Total games played by qualifying American goalies in the 1990-91 season: One, by Damian Rhodes. (In case you're wondering, Mike Richter was already 25 by now.)

Overall outlook: Of all the teams on our list, this one bears the most resemblance to the 2016 squad. There's lots of firepower and the blue

line is OK, but goaltending could be a weak point. In today's world, that's probably OK. In the high-flying early 90s, a sub-par goaltending group might spell doom.

No. 2 – 1987

Up front: It almost feels wrong to pull Mario Lemieux off of Team Canada, but rules are rules. He'll be surrounded with plenty of talent, including Steve Yzerman, Luc Robitaille, Pat LaFontaine and Carson. And if you want to put together a crash line to stir things up, how about Cam Neely, Rick Tocchet and Wendel Clark?

The blue line: Pretty good. You'd have two established stars in Scott Stevens and Phil Housley, along with solid players like Steve Duchesne and Dave Ellett. And when it came time for the big showdown with Team Canada, we'd even have Gary Suter to neutralize Gretzky.

In goal: Ron Hextall would come in as the reigning Vezina and Conn Smythe winner, so he's the starter. Patrick Roy is the backup, and Tom Barasso is your third-stringer. I'd say that's pretty good.

Worth noting: OK, sure, none of Neely, Tocchet and Clark are centers. Are you going to tell them they can't play together?

Overall outlook: This team is absolutely stacked, and would easily be one of the best Team North America squads ever assembled. Could they have beaten Canada or the Soviets? They'd be underdogs, but with an unstoppable Lemieux leading the way I think they'd have a shot.

No. 1 – 1984

Up front: Start with Gretzky, making his second Team North America appearance before finally graduating to Team Canada in 1987. Surround him with Oiler teammates Mark Messier and Glenn Anderson (who makes the cutoff by a single day), then add in Yzerman, Savard and Dale Hawerchuk. And just to stack the deck even further, let's add Lemieux, fresh off of being drafted first overall.

There's so much talent here that Barry Pederson, coming off a 116-point season at the age of 23, is an afterthought.

The blue line: The top three scoring defensemen in hockey are all on the team, with Paul Coffey, Ray Bourque and Phil Housley forming your core. You might also had ended up with Stevens, MacInnis and Murphy, although that may be some hindsight bias creeping in;; it's possible some of them could get bumped for older guys like Dave Babych or Moe Mantha.

In goal: Another Oiler gets the nod, as Grant Fuhr makes the roster. Even at 19 years old, reigning Vezina and Calder winner Barasso would challenge for the starting job.

Worth noting: If this roster looks familiar, it's because it's basically a big chunk of the actual Team Canada roster from that year's tournament. And those guys won.

Overall outlook: You never want to discount the Soviets, who came within a Coffey poke check on winning it all that year. But with Team Canada stripped down, I'm willing to say that the 1984 Team North America squad wins the whole tournament.


1023915 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Unsigned hype: 10 key restricted free agents still need a deal


Calming down a bit, Flames fans, now that you’re down to one unsigned RFA superstar?

What’s your level of concern these days, Anaheim?

How about you, Lightning nuts? Are you checking your Twitter feed obsessively for Kucherov news?

The World Cup is upon us, training camps are open, and yet there are still a number of important restricted free agents who do not have a contract for the 2016-17 season.

Surely most — if not all — of these talented twentysomethings will find themselves on the juicy end of nice, fat raises within the next few weeks, but there is always the lingering threat of a training camp no-show.

The player virtually always gets signed, but a nasty RFA contract negotiation can sometimes leave a sour taste and lead to a shortened future with the team that drafted him (see: Johansen, Ryan;; Subban, P.K.).

We check in on the 10 most important RFAs looking for a job in 2016-17.

Nikita Kucherov

Age: 23


2015-16 cap hit: $711,666

The stats: A 30-goal getter for the first time, Kucherov paced the Lightning in 2015-16 scoring with a career-high 66 points, then exploded for 19 points in 17 playoff games.

The situation: Wingers who score 148 points before their 23rd birthday don't come along often. Steve Yzerman smartly made locking up captain Steven Stamkos and No. 1 defenceman Victor Hedman his top priority this summer. The Lightning currently have $6.6 million in cap space and also need to sign Nikita Nesterov. Fellow D-men James Wisniewski (PTO) and Slater Koekkoek ($894,166 cap hit) are also trying to make the team.

With Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat and Jonathan Drouin all hitting free agency next summer, Yzerman will have to work another magic act to keep all his young forwards in blue and white. (Survey says 2017 UFA Ben Bishop can't last long in Tampa.)

"Sometimes it just takes time," Yzerman told the Tampa Bay Times on Sept 11. "We'll continue to work."

Johnson and Palat accepted bridge deals when they turned RFA, but one wouldn't blame Kucherov is he's gunning for the type of long-term, big-money deal granted to peers like Nathan MacKinnon, Sean Monahan and Filip Forsberg this summer.

Trusty CSKA of the Kontinental Hockey League has reportedly made a pitch to Kucherov, but don't bet on a return to Russia. Kucherov is currently looking his typical awesome self on Team Russia's top World Cup line.

So will he sign before the season starts?

"I'm hopeful," Yzerman said.

"You have to understand, these players are making a living, too, and their window of making this type of money is short," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "You can't fault somebody for that."

#CSKA MADE AN OFFER TO NIKITA KUCHEROV, BUT THERE'RE NO REAL TALKS #TBLIGHTNING #KHL

— IGOR ERONKO (@IGORERONKO) SEPTEMBER 8, 2016

Johnny Gaudreau

Age: 23

Position: Left wing

2015-16 cap hit: $1 million

The stats: Finished tied for sixth in overall scoring with 30 goals and 78 points. Selected to 2016 All-Star Game.

The situation: Undoubtedly in line for a huge raise, the 2015 Calder finalist continues to wow us. That he was not eligible for arbitration gives GM Brad Treliving leverage here.

The Flames, who now have $8.6 million in cap space, let go of Joe Colborne, Kris Russell, Jiri Hudler, Josh Jooris, Joni Ortio, and David Jones at least partially to clear room for the Gaudreau and Monahan signings.

"Honestly, I’m not even involved," Gaudreau told us in late July. "I try to stay out of it as much as possible. I don’t like getting different numbers in my head. Hoping for this, hoping for that, how many years—it’s just, I don’t really enjoy that stuff. Whatever my agent thinks is best for me is what I’m going to do. He does a really good job with his players, so I have all the faith in him that he’ll get something done.”

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that the Flames were told Gaudreau does not wish to negotiate during his participation in the World Cup, and the Calgary Sun's Eric Francis has the skilled winger looking for $1.5 million more per season than the Flames wish to give.

GM Brad Treliving signed fellow RFA Sean Monahan on Aug. 19 and has maintained that Gaudreau will be taken care of.

President Brian Burke recently went on record saying he believed both forwards will be inked before the World Cup of Hockey begins, and a number of Gaudreau's Calgary teammates said on Sept. 12 they weren't worried he wouldn't sign.

Jacob Trouba

Age: 22

Position: Defence

2015-16 cap hit: $894,166

The stats: Like several of his teammates, Trouba had a down year statistically. He registered 21 points while setting a career high in penalty minutes (62).

The situation: The Winnipeg Free Press reported that Trouba originally asked for upwards of $56 million over eight years. His play in 2015-16 hinders his negotiating power. The Ottawa Sun reported in late March that the Jets and Trouba's camp were "nowhere close" in contract talks. By trading away Andrew Ladd, Winnipeg easily has the cap space to lock up Trouba — but is he worth a big cash-in right now?

A bridge deal makes more sense to this writer. With both GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and agent Kurt Overhardt staying mum, Sportsnet's Mark Spector analyzed the situation in more detail here. Cheveldayoff has said he would match any offer sheet for the blue-liner, who is playing in the World Cup regardless of his contract situation. Winnipeg already has three defencemen (Dustin Byfuglien, Tobias Enstrom and Tyler Myers) making a minimum of $5.5 million per year.

TROUBA SITUATION STILL UNSETTLED HTTPS://T.CO/PMNGZU2HFO

— WINNIPEG SUN (@WINNIPEGSUN) SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

Rasmus Ristolainen

Age: 21

Position: Defence

2015-16 cap hit: $925,000

The stats: The Finn posted 32 assists and did some excellent work on the power-play. Led all Sabres in ice time.

The situation: A breakout year by the young defenceman should get him paid as GM Tim Murray builds for the future. One of the most under-discussed stories of 2015-16.

“I think it’s a normal talk right now between the two groups — between both Rasmus and Zemgus [Girgensons, the Sabres other unsigned RFA],” head coach Dan Bylsma told WGR 550’s Hockey Hotline last week. “Those are things that I don’t get too much involved in, but I know they’re progressing. I know we’re talking. They do take time.”

Sabres management spent a chunk of the month focused on trying to land Jimmy Vesey. Now that he's a Ranger, the RFAs should be grabbing Murray's attention. Heading into the World Cup, negotiations between the Sabres and Team Finland's top-pair defenceman grinded to a standstill.

Hampus Lindholm

Age: 22

Position: Defence

2015-16 cap hit: $894,166

The stats: The sweet-skating Swede scored a career-best 10 goals, added 18 assists and ranked second in Ducks ice time, averaging 22 minutes a night while contributing to both special teams.

The situation: The Ducks re-signed their other improving young D-man, Sami Vatenen, first (for $4.875 million a year) and let RFA Brandon Pirri walk. Anaheim has just $9.27 million in space in order to accommodate Lindholm (the top priority here) and forward Rickard Rakell. Lindholm replaced the injured Niklas Kronwall on Team Sweden's scary-good World Cup roster and is doubtlessly coveted by opposing teams looking to bolster their blueline via trade.

SO ANY NEW DETAILS ABOUT HAMPUS LINDHOLM? ARE THE DUCKS STILL FIGURING A CONTRACT OUT?

— TERRY (@TERRBEAR1993) SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

PLAYER REVIEW: @HAMPELINDHOLM HAS DEVELOPED INTO ARGUABLY ANAHEIM'S BEST DEFENSEMAN. HTTPS://T.CO/PLLH1XKMIW PIC.TWITTER.COM/LPB4SCT2LG

— ANAHEIM DUCKS (@ANAHEIMDUCKS) AUGUST 11, 2016

Rickard Rakell

Age: 22

Position: Centre

2015-16 cap hit: $894,166

The stats: Enjoyed his first 20-goal season and a career-high 43 points.

The situation: A skilled and young forward Anaheim would love to keep in the fold, but a tight budget is an obstacle here. Rakell was named to Team Sweden's World Cup squad Friday as a fill-in for the injured Alex Steen but fell ill himself and has since been replaced by Patrik Berglund.

RICKARD RAKELL IS STILL IN THE HOSPITAL IN SWEDEN GETTING TESTS DONE. DOCTORS STILL HAVEN'T FOUND WHAT'S WRONG YET.

— KATIE BROWN (@KATIEBHOCKEY) SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

GM Bob Murray signed UFA centre Antoine Vermette this summer, which raises concerns about Rakell's role. Anahiem now has five centremen: Ryan Getzlaf, Ryan Kesler, Nate Thompson, Vermette and Rakell. Either one moves to the wing, or....

WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND;; MURRAY HAS TO DUMP CAP TO KEEP RAKELL AND LINDHOLM BUT IS STILL SIGNING UFAS. HE'S GOT SOMETHING BIGGER LINED UP.

— DUCKS TALK SHOW (@DUCKSTALKSHOW) AUGUST 15, 2016

Dmitry Orlov

Age: 25

Position: Defence

2015-16 cap hit: $2 million

The stats: More than doubled his previous career highs in goals (eight) and assists (21) while potting three game-winners.

The situation: No other unsigned RFA made more in 2015-16 than Orlov, a decent third-pairing guy on a good D core but one whose inexperience showed in the playoffs. The defending Presidents' Trophy winners have just $3.45 million in cap space and may hesitate to go long-term here with Karl Alzner turning UFA next summer.

Like his peers, Orlov is participating in the World Cup despite being unsigned. The RFA addressed the U.S. media this week and did not sound overly optimistic:

ORLOV SAID TROTZ AND REIRDEN CALLED HIM A COUPLE TIMES THIS SUMMER TO TALK ABOUT NEXT SEASON. "BUT WE’LL SEE HOW IT GOES.”

— ISABELLE KHURSHUDYAN (@IKHURSHUDYAN) SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

ORLOV: "I PLAY FIVE YEARS IN USA, SO OF COURSE, I LIKE IT HERE. AND I WOULD LIKE TO STAY THERE, BUT I DON’T KNOW HOW IT’S GOING TO HAPPEN.”

— ISABELLE KHURSHUDYAN (@IKHURSHUDYAN) SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

Valeri Nichushkin

Age on July 1: 21


2015-16 cap hit: $925,000

The stats: That breakout year from Nichushkin still awaits... right? The winger had 29 points and failed to get his goal total into double digits.

The situation: We originally predicted a big raise for the 2013 first-rounder, but Nichushkin will have little sway when he sits down to hash out a new deal with Jim Nill.

"He is frustrated, but he is frustrated with himself," agent Mark Gandler said. "He wants to score more, and he knows he's getting chances and he wants to put the puck in. I think that is natural for him."

Nill did speak highly of the Russian at the end of the season.

“We thought the last five games of the playoffs, he really started to look like himself,” the GM told reporters. “He started to dominate down low and in the corners. He is only 21. I know there’s still lots of room for growth, so we’re going to be patient with him. We think he’s a big part of our future.”

On Sept. 9 it was reported that Nichushkin was in talks with his former KHL club, Traktor Chelyabinsk, about potentially signing a contract.

"Yes, now it can be said: we negotiated with Dynamo Moscow to buy out rights on Nichushkin, but for obvious reasons we could not finish the deal," Traktor director Ivan Senichev told R-Sport. "Our team had several meetings in Moscow to discuss the matter. We were ready to do whatever it takes to return to Traktor the rights on Nichushkin. Unfortunately, Dynamo set a very steep price tag, and we also cannot afford his contract. I am not going to disclose any concrete sum, but the talks were about more than a hundred million rubles a year. It’s a lot of money for us and we’re not ready to spend such a sum for one player only."

ON RFA VALERI NICHUSHKIN, NILL SAID HE HAS HAD GOOD TALKS WITH HIS HIS AGENT.

— MARK STEPNESKI (@STARSINSIDEEDGE) AUGUST 24, 2016

I THINK IT IS FINE. HE WANTS A LITTLE MORE. THEY WANT TO PAY HIM A LITTLE LESS. I THINK HE SIGNS A 1-YEAR DEAL. HTTPS://T.CO/2YBHQXK9JQ

— MIKE HEIKA (@MIKEHEIKA) AUGUST 16, 2016

Tobias Rieder

Age: 23


2015-16 cap hit: $853,333

The stats: A breakout season saw Rieder establish himself as top-six winger in the desert. He notched career highs in games played (82), goals (14) and assists (23) while taking fewer penalties.

The situation: Pavel Datsyuk's Coyotes, as usual, are flush with cap space ($7.8 million) but negotiations have been dragging here. The German is representing Team Europe at the World Cup.

Rieder's agent, Darren Ferris, told local reporters in July that the two sides are not close to a deal and mentioned that his client has received strong interest from pro clubs in Europe and the KHL clubs. Ferris also brought up the possibility of an offer sheet.

That the Coyotes went out and signed another right wing, Radim Vrbata, this month and then traded for highly touted forward prospect Lawson Crouse further clouds the matter.

Some serious hardball is being played here.

RFA TOBIAS RIEDER WON'T ATTEND #COYOTES' CAMP W/O CONTRACT. NO CONTRACT MEANS VISA COMPLICATIONS FOR THE GERMAN NATIVE WHO HAS #KHL OFFERS.

— DHIREN MAHIBAN (@DCMAHIBAN) SEPTEMBER 6, 2016

Ryan Strome

Age on July 1: 23

Position: Centre

2015-16 cap hit: $863,333

The stats: After an impressive 2014-15 in which he scored 17 goals and 50 points, Strome's production took a hit in 2015-16: eight goals, 20 assists and a career-worst minus-9.

The situation: Strome was, um, ticked off at being a healthy scratch last season and was even demoted to the AHL for eight games. The young forward did, however, contribute four points in eight playoff games for the Isles. Notoriously quiet when it comes to negotiation leaks, the Islanders and Strome are still at a stalemate.

New York is also trying out forward Stephen Gionta, upping the competition for forward spots at training camp.

NO NEWS ON RYAN STROME. #ISLES DO STILL HAVE TEAM RULE IN PLACE THAT PLAYERS NOT SIGNED BY START OF CAMP ARE OUT FOR YEAR.

— ARTHUR STAPLE (@STAPENEWSDAY) SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

Other RFAs still unsigned: Nikita Nesterov (TBL), Stefan Elliott (NSH), Ryan Sproul (DET), Louis-Marc Aubry (DET), Kirill Petrov (NYI), Freddie Hamilton (CGY)


1023916 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / P.K. Subban steps on the ice with the Nashville Predators

SPORTSNET STAFF SEPTEMBER 13, 2016, 4:37 PM

While most of the world’s top players are off preparing for the World Cup of Hockey and youngsters are gearing up for various team prospect camps, other NHL vets are preparing for the opening of training camps in less than two weeks.

P.K. Subban is one of those players who many thought would (and perhaps should) be at the World Cup for Canada, but since he was left off the roster, Subban has ample time to prepare for the coming season. It’s a big one for him after a massive off-season trade that shipped Subban off to the Nashville Predators for Shea Weber. It’s a huge year for the team as well — the Predators franchise has never advanced past the second round of the playoffs, but sure look to have a roster capable of taking a run at the Stanley Cup.

Welcome to a new era.

WELL LOOK WHO'S HERE… #PREDS PIC.TWITTER.COM/7HT9FYEGPK

— NASHVILLE PREDATORS (@PREDSNHL) SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Subban was in Nashville Tuesday and stepped on to the ice in Predators yellow for the first time. The team said nearly every NHL regular was there for a practice and a scrimmage run by James Neal.

“Just to get on the ice is a good feeling,” Subban said. “I don’t really skate too much in the summer, so just to get in a little early and get some good skates in is good.”

SUBBAN WEARING THE GOLD BUCKET. PIC.TWITTER.COM/PFNLPSGAJY

— ROBBY STANLEY (@RSTANLEY247) SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

“It’s a long time off the ice in a game situation for me, but I’m looking forward to getting into training camp, back into an intense atmosphere and back into some games,” Subban said. “I just want to play hockey and win hockey games, that’s it.”

Nashville's training camp opens Sept. 22.


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Sportsnet.ca / Why Team USA ‘needs more’ out of Max Pacioretty


“He’s very intense. Very intense. I think that’s good for a short tournament like this where you want to get the best out of every player. It’s only going to be a couple weeks long that we’re together, but I think that intensity is going to be contagious. It’ll rub off on all of us.” —Max Pacioretty on John Tortorella, Summer ’16

When inscribing the name “Max Pacioretty” on the left side of his top line heading into training camp, John Tortorella reached for the faintest pencil possible and exacted about as much pressure as the Team Europe defence.

From Day One, Team USA’s head coach had been eager to see the magic his captain Joe Pavelski could summon with league MVP Patrick Kane. The third spot on a top line tasked with producing offence on a grinding squad would be up for debate.

WCOH_TWITTER_13_SEPT_TUES

Back in August, Pacioretty had told us he was concerned about getting "starstruck" skating beside Kane. He needed to cast those thoughts aside and just play his game.

The Habs' top goal scorer wasn't used on either of assistant coach Phil Housley's blueprint power-play units (Zach Parise took his place with Kane and Pavelski), nor the penalty-killing squads in camp, despite averaging 2:55 on the power play and 1:10 on the kill with his club team.

The U.S. named seven players to its leadership group;; the 27-year-old captain of the Montreal Canadiens was not one of them.

Pacioretty knew his first-line status was tenuous even before Friday's opener, well before Tortorella called him out publicly.

“It’s been a lot of fun," Pacioretty said Friday morning of practising alongside his country's two most prolific scorers in 2015-16. "Obviously, I don’t expect things to go perfect all the time, and I’m sure things will bounce around a bit, but it’s been a lot of fun for the first four days.”

The fun level was cranked down severely over the weekend, when USA split its pre-tournament mini series versus Canada. All told, the club registered six goals and 47 penalty minutes in the back-to-back. Kane and Pavelski combined for five points. Pacioretty factored in none of it, firing just two shots to go with his minus-1 rating.

"He's OK, but I need more out of him. I know how he can play. This is what happens in this type of tournament and the team makeup. You're not going to get your 20 minutes. If other people are going, they tend to take some ice time. All the top players, you look at even Canada's team, your minutes are going to be down," Tortorella told reporters after Saturday's 5-2 loss in Ottawa (Watch video at top of story).

Afforded scant time to develop chemistry or ride out slumps during a three-game round robin, the coach was swift to chop Pacioretty's ice by more than four minutes, demoting him to the fourth line.

"He's got to give me a reason to give him more minutes here. We'll see where it goes. We know he's a really good player, great kid, but we've just got to get a little bit more out of him," Tortorella challenged. (To be fair, Tortorella was asked specifically about the 27-year-old winger.)

Pacioretty said there's still time to reverse his coach's evaluation, but with Tuesday's tilt versus Finland signalling the USA's final pre-tournament look, he needs to answer the bell now.

The forward took rushes on USA's third line Tuesday morning alongside Ryan Kesler and T.J. Oshie, two of the team's most intense players.

"I probably didn't give the best first impression, and maybe that's why I got dropped down," Pacioretty told reporters Saturday night. "This is a team sport, and in this tournament you have to put egos to the side and do what's best for the team, and I'm willing to do that."

Pacioretty added this Tuesday morning: "It's two exhibition games. Obviously, I know I need to do more. Hopefully I can improve my game for the third exhibition game."

If the U.S. is to succeed in the next fortnight, Pacioretty must produce. Besides Kane and Pavelski, Pacioretty and late addition Kyle Palmieri are the only 30-goal scorers this team can dress. Perhaps some work on special teams—if he can get it—will make Pacioretty more visible.

And the way Team USA plays (i.e., on the edge or over it), its fate certain to rest on its ability to convert power plays and snuff them out.

“That’s where chemistry shines. These games are going to be tight, so any chance you get to pop one in on the power play or shut them down or even getting one on the penalty kill, it’s important," Pacioretty tells us. "Special teams might come down to being the difference in the tournament, so I’m glad we’ve been focusing on it.”

Pacioretty doesn't only have something to prove to the staff but to himself. The Canadiens' 2015-16 collapse came under his first season as captain, and the last time he wore a USA sweater, in Sochi, he managed just one assist in five games. As was the case for the sniper at the 2008 world juniors in the Czech Republic, Pacioretty failed to score a goal and his country finished fourth.

"I’ve never had much success on the big ice. Even when I went over to play [for Switzerland's HC Ambri-Piotta] during the lockout, it was hard to find my rhythm there. Everyone tells me I should be good on the big ice because I’m fast and skate well, but I’ve never found it. I’m excited to come in and play on an ice sheet I’m comfortable with," Pacioretty says.

"Proving yourself on an NHL-sized rink is something we all take pride in. It’s a much different game—faster. It’s much more physical. Our team is built like that."

Where Pacioretty will fit on his team, however, remains a question mark—and the time for tinkering is running out.

We tend to admire traits in others that we lack in ourselves. Tortorella's intensity must rub off on Pacioretty.

U.S. LINES VS. FINLAND:

WHEELER-PAVELSKI-PARISE

JVR-STEPAN-KANE

PACIORETTY-KESLER-OSHIE

BYFUGLIEN-BACKES-ABDELKADER#WCH2016

— STEPHEN WHYNO (@SWHYNO) SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Bonus Beat: Pacioretty discusses the return of teammate/temporary nemesis Carey Price

“I know he feels well from talking to him. I know he’s happy. It was definitely a tough time for him last year. The bright spot was having a baby. Not being able to do what you love, seeing everybody go to the rink and put on pads but you’re not able to? A competitor like him? I know it wore on him. He was down in the dumps often. Just to see him happy, that’s No. 1 for me. He’s a great guy and he deserves it.”


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Sportsnet.ca / Lavoie: Pacioretty’s leadership not a problem

EMILY SADLER SEPTEMBER 13, 2016, 12:42 PM

The 2015-16 season wasn’t exactly an easy one for the Montreal Canadiens, with some questioning the club’s choice of captain—including, according to a recent rumour, head coach Michel Therrien.

TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie cautions hockey fans against reading too much into those reports, and says instead that the issues lied not with Max Pacioretty‘s leadership skills, but rather with the captain’s lack of a supporting cast.

Like just about all of the Canadiens’ problems last season, trouble began with Carey Price‘s injury in November.

“Carey Price is a leader on that team. I always said he’s the natural captain of that team. The problem is, he can’t wear a C. And the other problem is, last year he wasn’t around the team at all. He decided that he had to go to rehab. He didn’t want to be a distraction,” Lavoie told The Jeff Blair Show on Sportsnet 590 The Fan Tuesday. “He was not traveling with the team before he was ready to practice with the team—that was in March, which was way too late. So there was a big problem inside that dressing room.”

Lavoie said Therrien and general manager Marc Bergevin took notice and recognized that "they needed to help Max Pacioretty, leadership-wise."

"One man can't do everything," said Lavoie, pointing to Pacioretty's supporting cast of 2015-16. "You look at the [alternate] captain with the team, Tomas Plekanec: great player, great guy, but he's not a vocal leader. You have Andrei Markov. Great guy, good leader, but he's not a vocal guy. Those two guys are not going to be the ones who are really going to help a captain."

Enter Shea Weber, whom Lavoie said will make the difference for the Canadiens. The longtime captain of the Nashville Predators came to Montreal in the blockbuster June 29 trade that saw P.K. Subban depart for Nashville in return.

"That's what Bergevin did this off-season. He really tried to help Max Pacioretty, and obviously the team," said Lavoie, who also points to two-time Stanley Cup champion Andrew Shaw, formerly of the Chicago Blackhawks, as a vocal leader who can help Pacioretty.

"At the end of the day, leadership was a problem in that dressing room. Marc Bergevin and Michel Therrien noticed it, and instead of saying, 'Well, we'll see how it's going to turn out next year,' they resolved the problem. Period. That problem is not there anymore. This is a problem that was there last season," said Lavoie.

"Remember that it's the players who voted for Max Pacioretty. Remember two years ago, there was no captain with the Montreal Canadiens."

Class is already in session. Lavoie said Weber and Pacioretty have spent much of the last few weeks prior to the World Cup together and are "talking all the the time."

"Max embraced his role. He's a true Montreal Canadien. He wants to win in the city, and he's really happy now to have help," he said. "That wasn't there last season, and now help is coming in and I don't think [we] will have another conversation about leadership in the Montreal Canadiens during the season."


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TSN.CA / Craig’s List: Nolan Patrick stands above the rest

By Craig Button

There are a number of very good players available in the 2017 NHL Draft, but Nolan Patrick of the Brandon Wheat Kings is a franchise centre and superior talent who stands alone at No. 1.

Patrick stepped into the WHL two seasons ago and has shown that he has all the capabilities to be the top centre teams covet. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound pivot was named WHL Rookie of the Year in 2015 after scoring 30 goals and racking up 56 points in 55 games. He was awarded MVP of the 2016 WHL playoffs, following up a 102-point regular season with 30 points in 21 postseason games.

Brandon owner Kelly McCrimmon was named assistant GM with the NHL expansion Las Vegas team in August. And winning the draft lottery could allow Las Vegas to draft and build around Patrick. He could do for the NHL’s newest franchise what Gilbert Perreault did for the Buffalo Sabres when the lottery wheel spun in the Sabres’ favour in 1970. Ironically, Patrick’s father Steve was a first-round pick of the Sabres in 1980 and played with Perreault.

Patrick has an ease to his play, both physically and mentally, that he combines with excellent skill to impact the game in every situation. He’s already demonstrated the ability to excel when the challenges are great and the stakes are high. Patrick had off-season sports hernia surgery and is on the mend. He very well could suit up for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship in Toronto.

Timothy Liljegren of Rogle in the Swedish Hockey League has all the attributes and skills of a top-pairing defenceman. He’s an outstanding skater who uses his feet to his advantage defensively and in transition. Liljegren has good offensive skills and a real desire to leave an imprint on the game when required. He played 19 games in the Swedish Hockey League at the age of 16, contributing one goal and five points - no small feat for such a young player in a very demanding league.

2017 Draft Spotlight: Nolan Patrick

The Pipeline Show kicks off the 2017 Draft Spotlight with Brandon Wheat Kings center Nolan Patrick. Patrick is entering his fourth year with Brandon where last year they won the WHL Championship. Nolan Patrick highlights 2017 NHL Draft Futures list and is a candidate to go No. 1.

There is always a tendency to compare a player to another from the same country, but Liljegren has a game similar to Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings. If he can achieve that level, his impact in the NHL will be great.

There were no goaltenders selected in the first round of the 2016 Draft and only one in the 2015 Draft — Ilya Samsonov to the Washington Capitals. The 2017 Draft could see multiple goalies considered for selection in the first round. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen of HPK in the Finnish SM Liiga is the highest rated netminder on our list at 14. He was stellar in leading Finland to the U-18 Championship in Grand Forks back in April.

Others netminders who have high potential include Canadians Ian Scott (Prince Albert), Stuart Skinner (Lethbridge) and Michael DiPietro (Windsor). There’s also American Jake Oettinger (Boston University), Russian Maxim Zhukov, who will play with the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL this season, and Swede Olle Eriksson Ek (Farjestad). The draft is shaping up as a certifiable United Nations of hockey goalies.

Like every other draft, it’s a long and winding road for the players and scouts. But selection day will be here before you know it.

TSN.CA LOADED: 09.14.2016

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TSN.CA / Shaw’s declining shooting percentage raises question marks

By Travis Yost

Due to the sheer magnitude of the deal, almost all of the attention surrounding the Montreal Canadiens this summer has focused on the P.K. Subban for Shea Weber swap.

But their big gamble on the blueline wasn’t the only wager they made. Lest we forget, the Canadiens went big on winger Andrew Shaw, acquiring him from the Blackhawks for a pair of second-round picks then extending him on a six-year deal worth $23.4 million.

The Shaw acquisition came with the usual explanation for a player with his sort of background. In the press release following the extension, Bergevin cited – among other things – Shaw’s two-way capabilities, grit, and Stanley Cup-winning pedigree. Combine the quotes with the financial commitments, and I think it’s fair to say Montreal’s front office believes Shaw will be a big contributor at both ends of the ice.

There are some interesting questions, though, about where Shaw’s game is headed in the offensive zone. Shaw, if you remember, was a reasonably productive scorer in his early years with Chicago. His first season with the Blackhawks saw an impressive 27-goal pro-rated pace, but since then, he’s fairly consistently bounced around the 15-20 goal mark.

Shaw’s underlying offensive metrics are really curious, though. One could look at his career stats and point out that his offensive game has stagnated over time, and that increased dedication to his play in the defensive zone could be to blame. But that’s not entirely true, because his individual generation metrics have consistently moved north since entering the league (data via Corsica).

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This is exactly the type of growth you’d want to see in a player, particularly a player who is (a) entering the prime of his career;; and (b) like it or not, by way of his contractual commitment, will have to chip in offensively to satisfy the size of his contract. Shaw has seen his scoring chance numbers grow slightly since the 2012-13 season, and his non-scoring chance numbers grow by a slightly larger margin in the same window. He’s generating the requisite number of shots from dangerous areas, and he’s generating more shots on a per-60 basis. On pure volume, Shaw should be a decent offensive threat on most nights.

But Shaw really hasn’t been that type of player for some time now. Despite the shot volume in Chicago, his goal-scoring rates have stayed flat. In that same four-year window, where his shot volume grew year-over-year, Shaw’s scored at rates comparable to Jason Chimera, Chris Higgins, and Dwight King – none of whom would be considered average-or-better goal scorers in today’s NHL.

So, how do we explain the scoring? Pretty simple. His shooting percentage has fallen like a rock since his debut season, below the league average and rapidly towards the NHL’s ‘Mendoza Line’

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The average shooting percentage at 5-on-5 is a shade under 8 per cent, which is worth keeping in mind. It was never realistic to assume that Shaw could sustain the type of lofty conversion rates he posted in the first couple of years of his career. But, at the same time, we have now gone through 157 games of 5-on-5 hockey where Shaw’s scored on just 6 per cent of his shots.

It’s worth mentioning that this kind of drop-off just isn’t seen very often around the league. Of all of the active players in the league, Shaw’s just one of four regular players who has seen his shooting percentage decline in four consecutive years. (Oddly enough, new teammate David Desharnais is another.)

So, what gives? Is Shaw getting tremendously unlucky, or has Shaw experienced a legitimate degradation in his shooting prowess? That answer, at least from my vantage point, is indeterminable. One thing I thing we can conclusively rule out is quality of teammate impact. Before you go there, consider Shaw’s most frequent teammates just last season. In order: Jonathan Toews, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Duncan Keith, and Marian Hossa.

This is what makes Montreal’s bet on Shaw so fascinating. Assuming that Shaw acts as a steady presence for Montreal in the defensive third,

you really would only need him to 20 goals or so in the offensive zone to satisfy his contract. And yet, I’m not entirely sure what to expect from him in that department. He remains active and attacking in front of opposing netminders, but the guy can’t buy a goal relative to what we would expect from a top-six scorer.

It’s something to keep in mind as we continue to inch closer to puck drop on the 2016-17 season.

TSN.CA LOADED: 09.14.2016

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