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NEWS CLIPPINGS • March 6, 2018

Canes Celebrate Hockey is for Everyone Month

A look back on a month of celebrating inclusion and diversity in hockey

by Nikki Stoudt @NikkiStoudt / CarolinaHurricanes.com

March 5th, 2018

This February the Hurricanes celebrated Hockey is for Everyone Month, a joint initiative between the NHL and the NHLPA that reaffirms inclusion on the ice, in the locker room and in the stands.

As part of the effort to include players in the conversation, one member from each team is named the Hockey is for Everyone ambassador. Defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk elected to serve as the Hurricanes' representative and led the team's initiatives throughout February.

Some background: van Riemsdyk served as the Chicago Blackhawks' ambassador for the 2016-17 season and was also involved in the University of New Hampshire's outreach with the You Can Play Project. You can find further insight into van Riemsdyk's previous involvement here.

On January 31, TVR and fellow Canes blueliner Haydn Fleury kicked off Hockey is for Everyone Month by crashing Capital City Crew's last practice of the season, during which we learned van Riemsdyk wasn't a very fast skater after his first year of hockey.

Capital City Crew provides an opportunity for inner-city youth to play ice hockey through our partnerships with the Wake County Boys & Girls Clubs, Raleigh Youth Hockey Association (RYHA), and the Carolina Hurricanes. Learn more about the organization here.

You Can Play Night: Feb. 9

The Hurricanes hosted the first of five HIFE theme nights on February 9. Arguably the month's most prominent HIFE initiative, You Can Play Night promotes inclusivity and acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community, and celebrates athletes' skills and work ethics rather than focusing on sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

For the second year in a row, a number of players chose to wrap their sticks for warmups with rainbow-colored Pride Tape.

The sticks were then signed and auctioned off, with all proceeds benefitting the You Can Play Project, which works to ensure locker rooms and sports venues are safe and free from homophobia.

The team recognized leaders and organizations that provide support for LGBTQ+ individuals and their families throughout the game. Melody Moezzi, an attorney, activist and award-winning author, dropped the ceremonial puck as a representative of Equality NC, the state's largest and oldest organization working for LGBTQ+ equality.

Justine Hollingshead, Chief of Staff to the Vice Chancellor and Dean for Academic and Student Affairs at NC State University, was honored as the Lenovo Hero of the Game.

Girls Hockey Night: Feb. 13

Recently, the Jr. Hurricanes U16 Girls went undefeated to win the U19 Philadelphia Freedom Cup, battling through five games with just 12 players. A true display of "girl power," this win is only the tip of the iceberg that is the growth of girls hockey in North Carolina.

Exhibit B: Colleen Murphy, National Women's Hockey League defenseman and Cary native. Murphy, who began her hockey career on roller skates, was drafted by the Buffalo Beauts earlier this season and has recorded one assist in 12 NWHL games. Murphy sounded the warning siren to kick off Girls Hockey Night, promoting inclusion in hockey regardless of gender.

The remainder of the game's honorees and highlights represented the future of the area's girls hockey programs. Mikayla Williams, a goalie for the Jr. Canes U11 AAA team, was the RE/MAX Youth Starter of the Game.

The Jr. Canes U10 and U12 girls teams kept the hockey going through the intermissions, showcasing their scrimmage and shootout skills.

Triangle Special Hockey Association Night: Feb. 16

Midway through the month, the Canes honored the work of the Triangle Special Hockey Association, which works "to educate, motivate and encourage individuals who have … disabilities to participate in the sport of ice hockey."

Eight members of the Triangle Special Hockey Association welcomed the team to the ice for the second period, and Canes goalie Cam Ward's son Nolan, who is deaf, was honored as the RE/MAX Youth Starter of the Game.

Triangle Special Hockey Association founders and founding participants were named the Lenovo Heroes of the Game.

Since June 2007, the TSHA has provided kids and adults the opportunity to grow and "be more successful both within and outside a hockey environment," and currently enrolls more

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than 40 children. Fully donor funded and volunteer operated, TSHA provides programming at little or no cost to the athletes or their families. The Kids 'N Community Foundation has donated more than $90,000 to the Triangle Special Hockey Association through its Future Canes grant program.

Triangle Sled Hockey Association Night: Feb. 18

Backing up a bit, the Hurricanes honored seven-year-old Rosie McRackan as the Remax Youth Starter of the Game at the start of the month on Feb. 6.

Rosie is a member of the Triangle Special Hockey Association's youth sled hockey program. Learn more about her below!

Triangle Sled Hockey Association Night was paired with Military Appreciation Night, so when the Carolina Sled Hockey team took the ice for an intermission game …

… it was no surprise that No. 84 Rob Pickel, a former Green Beret and 20-year veteran of the US Army, made it his time to shine.

Capital City Crew Night: Feb. 23

Capital City Crew bookended Hockey is for Everyone Month, sharing top billing with the Homegrown Series and highlighting the importance of socioeconomic inclusion in hockey. Working with kids aged 8-14, the program seeks to teach lessons both on and off the ice, focusing on positive character traits and reaching full potential as athletes and citizens.

In a display of true Homegrown hockey, the Crew treated fans to an intermission scrimmage, and showed off the skills they'd learned from HIFE ambassador Trevor van Riemsdyk and Haydn Fleury.

The team met up with Sebastian Aho and other players for a postgame meet-and-greet and autograph session.

Wrapping up another successful month of sharing the importance of inclusion and diversity in the hockey community, take a peek at what You Can Play Night and Hockey Is For Everyone Month means to the players.

For more information on all of the Carolina Hurricanes' community initiatives, click here.

Gameday: Hurricanes at Wild

by Michael Smith @MSmithCanes / CarolinaHurricanes.com

12:00 AM

ST. PAUL, Minn. - There's snow time like the present.

This is the gameday hub, where you can find all the latest news and information you need to know for tonight's match-up between the Carolina Hurricanes and Minnesota Wild. Make Hurricanes.com a regular stop throughout the day, as we update this hub with notes, photos and more as puck drop draws near.

After traveling to Minnesota on Monday, the Hurricanes will hold an 11:30 a.m. morning skate at Xcel Energy Center, and we'll be rinkside to bring you the latest.

Last updated: 12:00 a.m.

CANES HEAD TO SNOWY MINNESOTA 12:00 a.m.

The Carolina Hurricanes will play their final two road games in Western Conference cities this week, beginning with Tuesday night in Minnesota and wrapping up on Thursday in Chicago.

Tuesday's match marks the first meeting between the Hurricanes and Wild since the first game of the 2017-18 regular season, a dramatic 5-4 shootout win for the Canes.

It was a back-and-forth affair that saw both teams trade leads. At one point, the Wild led 3-1, but the Hurricanes scored three straight goals to take a 4-3 lead in the waning minutes of regulation. Then, with just 0.3 seconds left on the clock, Minnesota scored to force extra hockey in a 4-4 tie. A shootout was required to settle a winner, and it was Jaccob Slavin's patented backhand move and Scott Darling's three

saves that sealed the 5-4 victory for the Canes in front of a raucous crowd at PNC Arena on Opening Night.

A lot has happened and plenty has changed since then, as the Hurricanes and Wild each have just 16 games left in the regular season. The Hurricanes sit two points out of the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, while Minnesota occupies third place in the Central Division. The Wild won five straight games to end February and then stumbled out of the gate in March but rebounded with a 4-1 victory over Detroit on Sunday. The Hurricanes, who landed back-to-back wins against divisional opponents to begin March, will be looking to get back in the win column after suffering a hard-fought 3-2 loss to Winnipeg on Sunday.

"It's playoff-style hockey right now," Jordan Staal said after Sunday's game. "I thought we've been digging in, working hard and battling hard. We came up short tonight, but the effort and chances were there. It just didn't quite go our way."

With Florida's surge in the standings and Columbus currently sitting in playoff position, the Hurricanes have two teams to supplant if they want to get back over the cut line in the East.

"You're always trying to get to the next level. We've done a better job as of late, and we want continue keep getting better," Jeff Skinner said. "The games are getting tighter. There's less and less room out there as you get down the stretch. You need to match that intensity and exceed it to keep climbing. That's what we're going to try to do."

"We're right there," Staal said. "We've got to string together a streak and it's got to be now."

CANESPR NOTES: Teuvo Teravainen and Sebastian Aho, who rank one and two respectively in team scoring, have combined for 21 points in their last 12 games (10g, 11a). Teravainen is riding a four-game point streak (4g, 1a). …

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This season, the Canes are 16-1-3 overall and 6-0-1 in their last seven games when leading after two periods.

CLICKS AND CLIPPINGS

Articles

• Recap: Canes Fall Short Against Jets

• Canes Celebrate Hockey is for Everyone Month

Audio

• CanesCast, Ep. 32

Videos

• Postgame Quotes: March 4 vs. WPG

• Highlights: WPG 3, CAR 2

Gameday Links

• First Goal Contest presented by Kayem

Behind Enemy Lines: Previewing the Minnesota Wild and Chicago Blackhawks

The Hurricanes skate into the Central Division for two crucial tilts this week.

By Andy House Mar 5, 2018, 2:39pm EST

Minnesota Wild

Tuesday, 8:00 p.m. at Xcel Energy Center

The Minnesota Wild have put together another solid regular season that has them poised for yet another playoff appearance in the Western Conference. They are led by former Hurricanes captain Eric Staal, whose near point per game pace has led the Wild in being a top-ten offense in the NHL. Staal leads the Wild and is currently tied for fifth in the NHL with 34 goals and has already posted his highest goal total since the 2008-09 season, when he scored 40 in Carolina. For the rest of the Wild, the firepower has come from across the entire lineup, with ten different performers over 20 points on the season.

After spending plenty of draft pick capital last season in an effort to make a Stanley Cup run, the Wild were much quieter at this deadline as they attempt to break through in a meaningful way in the postseason with the current regime. Head coach Bruce Boudreau has continued his long history from his days in Washington, Anaheim, and Minnesota of tremendous regular season success followed by underwhelming postseason performance. With a roster that has a good mix of prime-age players and veterans, backed by a top-end goalie in Devan Dubnyk, the Wild hope for a change of fortune as they draw closer to their sixth consecutive playoff appearance.

From an offensive standpoint, Staal has provided more than the Wild could possibly have hoped for when they signed him as a free agent before the 2016-17 season. His 65 points lead the roster, while Mikael Granlund has followed up his breakout season from last year with a stellar 55 points in 61 games. The other biggest bump up in production this season has come from Jason Zucker, who has already surpassed his career highs in goals (28) and points (53) this season. Further down the lineup the Wild have received significant

contributions from Ryan Suter, Matt Dumba and Jaren Spurgeon on the blueline, and from captain Mikko Koivu, Charlie Coyle and Nino Niederreiter up front.

The effort from the Wild in the offseason to add a grittier, more defensive mix to their fourth line has not provided the impact expected, as wily veteran Matt Cullen has brought his faceoff prowess to Minnesota, but not much else. The physical presence of Chris Stewart was dropped from the roster on waivers a few weeks ago, so the makeup and identity of the Wild has not received the intended face lift from the offseason.

For the Wild to advance further in the postseason, they will have to received top-shelf goal-tending from the reliable Dubnyk and find a way to avoid an offensive drought, similar to what cost them in the first round a season ago.

What to Watch For

• As always, Canes fans will watch Eric Staal intently whenever he matches up against the Canes. In what is assuredly still an emotional time for the Staal family as a whole, seeing the two Staals likely run up against each other often on Tuesday will be an interesting matchup to watch.

• The Wild have converted on the power play in three of their past four games. Rated as the eighth best unit in the league currently, keeping the power play off the ice will be an important part of the battle for the Canes.

Chicago Blackhawks

Thursday, 8:30 p.m. at United Center

For the first time since the 2007-08 season, the Chicago Blackhawks will not be included in the NHL playoffs. After hovering around the playoff line until mid-January, the Blackhawks then proceeded to go on a 2-11-2 stretch through mid-February that effective relegated the Hawks to their fate.

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After navigating serious salary cap issues for a number of seasons to remain a viable contender, the Hawks appear to have come to the end of the road for the current core. While Patrick Kane is certain still at the top of his game at 29-years-old, his 62 points have not been nearly enough for the attrition around him. Jonathan Toews continues to be a solid performer, though his overall production has flattened out over the past several seasons. With other core members such as Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook now well beyond 30, and showing signs of regression, the Hawks were unable to overcome their drops in production as well as down seasons from the re-acquired Brandon Saad and Artem Anisimov.

One of the other factors in the faltering in Chicago has been the ongoing injuries to Corey Crawford. While Scott Darling has had issues in Carolina of his own, this season has seen the Hawks with little answer in the 39 contests that Crawford was unable to play to date. Crawford has posted a solid .929 save percentage in 27 starts, while his primary backups Anton Forsberg and Jeff Glass have combined for just a .903 save percentage in 37 combined starts.

For their part, the management team in Chicago attempted to create some space and some draft capital at the deadline as they were able to ship out Tommy Wingels and Ryan Hartman for a combined haul of three picks (a first and third-rounder for Hartman, a fifth-rounder for Wingels). Hard

decisions will continue for the Chicago front office as the team will still have only small amounts of money to spend compared to other rivals in free agency, but now will not have the impressive level of success to point to in order to convince players to hop on board.

If the Hurricanes are going to hang around the playoff cut line, winning against an unexpectedly poor Blackhawk team that is simply playing out the string is an absolute must.

What to Watch For

• The Blackhawks have performed poorly on the man advantage all season, rating 28th in the league at 15.81%, but have created a wealth of opportunities, having received the second-most power play opportunities in the league with 234. While the Hawks may not be dangerous, staying out of the box is important to continue the flow of the game for the Canes and maximize their own offensive opportunities.

• Expect to see Jaccob Slavin and Brett Pesce sent out as often as possible against Patrick Kane, even if Bill Peters doesn’t have last change. Big minutes will be logged on Thursday by the top pair.

Carolina Hurricanes at Minnesota Wild: Game Preview and Storm Advisory

The Hurricanes take on Eric Staal and the Wild in Minnesota on the first leg of a three game road trip.

By Andrew Ahr@andrew_ahr Mar 6, 2018, 8:12am EST

Carolina Hurricanes (29-26-11) vs. Minnesota Wild (37-22-7)

Tuesday, March 6, 2018 - 8:00 p.m. ET Xcel Energy Center - St. Paul, Minnesota

TV: Fox Sports Carolinas

Radio: 99.9 The Fan Opposition coverage: Hockey Wilderness

Follow Canes Country on Social Media

Twitter @CanesCountry Facebook Canes Country Instagram @canescountrypix

The Hurricanes take Eric Staal on the Wild in their second matchup of the season. The team sits two points out of a playoff spot and desperately needs points to keep up in the race.

• Vital Statistics

Category Hurricanes Wild


Record 29-26-11 37-22-7

Points 69 81

Division Rank 6 Metro 3 Central

Conference Rank 10 Metro 4 WC

Last 10 Games 3-5-2 6-3-1

Streak Lost 1 Won 1

Goals/Game 2.62 3.05

Goals Against/Game 2.95 2.85

Shots/Game 34.1 30.3

Shots Against/Game 28.7 32.0

Faceoff % 53.6 50.0

Power Play % (Rank) 18.7 (T21) 21.1 (8)

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Penalty Kill % (Rank) 79.0 (21) 80.7 (15)

ES Corsi For % 54.01 46.87

ES PDO 97.9 100.8

PIM/Game 6:20 8:43

• Goaltender #1

Category Cam Ward Devan Dubnyk

Record 19-10-4 28-12-5

Save % .909 .917

GAA 2.62 2.61

• Goaltender #2

Category Scott Darling Alex Stalock

Record 10-16-7 9-10-2

Save % .889 .912

Category Scott Darling Alex Stalock

GAA 3.08 2.83

• Game Notes

• The Canes lead all-time with a 10-7-6 record against the Wild, including a 3-6-4 record in the State of Hockey.

• Tonight marks the second and final matchup between the teams. The Canes bested the Wild in their home opener on October 7 by a score of 5-4 in a shootout.

• The teams split last season’s series, both winning on home ice.

• The Canes have earned at least a point in four of their last five against Minnesota.

• Jeff Skinner led the team with a hot four points (2g, 2a) in two games against the Wild last season. He’s earned seven points (3g, 4a) in 10 career games against Minnesota.

• Justin Faulk is a native of the area, growing up in South St. Paul, MN.

• Minnesota forward Eric Staal is the Hurricanes’ franchise leader in nearly every meaningful category. He played 909 games in a Carolina jersey.

Jets Laine Is Legit (Just Ask the Hurricanes)

By Mark Shiver March 5th, 2018

Sunday night hockey is always nice to have on the calendar. When a hot Western Conference team comes to town, and they are coached by a former coach of the home team, it is particularly intriguing. Such was Sunday night’s tilt that saw the Winnipeg Jets visiting the Carolina Hurricanes.

To say the Jets are hot would be an understatement. Going into Sunday night’s game, they were in second place in the Central Division and had 85 points. The Jets had won six of their last eight games, including their last on Mar. 2, a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings.

The Hurricanes were riding two wins in a row and sitting one point out of a wild-card playoff spot behind the Florida Panthers. The game had all the makings of a hard-fought

contest and did not disappoint in that regard. However, the result did disappoint Hurricanes fans.

Patrik Laine is Legit

Patrik Laine broke the ice early, loading up what looked to be a shot at Hurricanes goaltender, Cam Ward, that ended up staying low and blowing into the back of the net. At 19 years of age, Laine is having an electrifying season, leading the team in goals prior to Sunday night’s game with 33. His 22 assists and total of 55 points are second on the Jets only to Blake Wheeler’s 73, 55 of which are assists. The goal was assisted by the 22-year old Nikolaj Ehlers, and 25-year old Joe Morrow.

Laine had his third multi-goal game in the last four games and has seven multi-point nights during his streak. He has 10

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goals and six assists in the eight-game stretch, and 35 goals overall.

To say Laine is legit is a gross understatement. He is lethal with the puck. He is still young but plays like a seasoned veteran. His hockey sense and presence of mind are beyond his years and makes the Jets a team to worry about come playoff time. Add Wheeler to the mix and reliable goaltender play by Connor Hellebuyck and the Jets will definitely be a team to watch in the post-season.

To further prove just how lethal he can be, Laine blasted a shot from the slot on a power play opportunity in the first period that hit the crossbar. He got another chance in the early stages of the second period and shot from the same slot. The Hurricanes’ Brock McGinn, misjudging his placement on the first Laine blast that barely missed, made the same error in placement and this time Laine was money. The Jets were up 2-1 and it’s likely that there was no doubt in the arena that a hat trick might just be in the cards for Laine.

What is so tough about Laine is his release when he shoots. It’s just a little bit out of the ordinary, and makes defending his shots, fired with incredible speed and accuracy, all the more difficult to defend. He scored twice from the same spot, and it would have been three times if not for a slight inaccuracy.

After the game, Hurricanes head coach Bill Peters said of Laine’s shot, “It comes off his stick different. It comes off his stick jumping off his stick. I thought he was real dangerous.”

Bizarre Bounce Dooms Hurricanes

Laine is sick with the stick, and while he did not get a third goal for the hat-trick Sunday night, he did get a third point on an assist of a fluke goal by Paul Stastny.

There was little Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward could do to defend against the pinball-like shot. The goal was credited to Stastny, who was in the right place at the right time. The referee did not show up on the score sheet for the unintentional assist. It turned out to be the winning goal and doomed the Hurricanes to a 3-2 loss and no points, and no movement up on the playoffs ladder.

Hurricanes Not Too Shabby

Even though the Hurricanes lost, it should not deter their belief in what general manager Ron Francis said – that he thinks the team as constructed can make the playoffs. The Jets are a very good team, and the Hurricanes hung in there with them to the very end. If not for that bizarre goal, they game might have gone the way of the Hurricanes.

Teuvo Teravainen got another goal, as did Jordan Staal. The game was hard-fought and close-checking, not the typical fast sprinting affair that suits the Hurricanes a bit more. There are no moral victories, especially when there are no points. But, the ‘Canes played 60 minutes with a Western Conference team that is primed to go deep in the playoffs. But, there are very few games left, and the Hurricanes cannot afford to leave points on the ice if they want to play in the postseason.

Hurricanes open road trip at Wild

SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Wild mostly stood their ground at the trade deadline, opting to use the prospects already in their system to fill offensive gaps, rather than add outsiders. As they head into Tuesday night's home meeting with the Carolina Hurricanes, Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher's plan to promote from within has taken a significant hit.

by STATS

9h ago • 2 min read Update 9h ago

SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Wild mostly stood their ground at the trade deadline, opting to use the prospects already in their system to fill offensive gaps, rather than add outsiders. As they head into Tuesday night's home meeting with the Carolina Hurricanes, Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher's plan to promote from within has taken a significant hit.

On Monday, the Wild announced that prized rookie forward Luke Kunin, just recalled from Minnesota's AHL team in Iowa, will miss the next seven months after suffering an ACL

injury on Sunday. Kunin, who was a star at Wisconsin before the Wild plucked him in the first round of the 2016 draft, had two goals and two assists in 17 games with Minnesota this season.

The bad news comes on the heels of a "back on track" win over Detroit on Sunday that has the Wild's playoff odds climbing again. After a slow start, they got an emotional jolt when rookie Nick Seeler fought Red Wings enforcer Luke Witkowski in the second period. Wild coach Bruce Boudreau gushed about the lift Seeler's play, and fists, have given the team.

"I think it's been great. We needed somebody of that ilk back there that can play, and he can play, too, which is really good," Boudreau said. "It was a good fight that the guys were on the bench and they were saying, 'We gotta go now. If we can't get motivated for this, then we're in trouble.' It was a real opportunistic time when I think we were really flat."

The Hurricanes are hoping for something better than flat on Tuesday, when they begin a three-game road trip with their

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only visit to the Twin Cities this season. Carolina is coming off a 3-2 home loss to the Jets, but had won two in a row prior to that. Their coach likes what he's seen from Teuvo Teravainen, with a goal in four consecutive games, and from Brett Skinner, who had six shots versus Winnipeg, lately.

"He had good jump and drew a power play in the O-zone," Bill Peters said of Skinner's effort. "I know he had good legs."

It will be a family reunion of sorts with Wild forward Eric Staal facing his brother Jordan, a Hurricanes forward, for one of two times this season. The Hurricanes won in a shootout on Oct. 7 when they met in Raleigh. The Hurricanes need wins, and some help, if they're going to make a playoff run.

"It's playoff-style hockey right now, and we've been working hard and battling hard," Jordan Staal said, admitting they have their hands full going to Minnesota. "They've been good, especially in the second half of the year and (Eric) has been playing great for them, which is good to see. Hopefully he doesn't play that way against us and we can surprise them and sneak out of there with two points."

It's also that rare week every season where the Wild at the secondary tenants at Xcel Energy Center with the puck dropping on Minnesota's legendary State High School Hockey Tournament starting on Wednesday.

Hometown Weekly Report: March 5

Written by Nicholas Niedzielski

Published: March 05, 2018

The Checkers made it through a jam-packed weekend on the road with some strong showings and momentum for the upcoming home stand.

Week in Review

• Team Statistics

• Overall record

33-24-3

• Home record

18-9-1

• Road record

15-15-2

• Last weeks' record

2-1-0

• Last 10 games

6-4-0

• Division Standings

4th

• Conference Standings

8th

• League Standings

17th

Providence 6, Checkers 3

The Checkers kicked off their final three-in-three of the season against the team directly ahead of them in the Atlantic Division standings. The Bruins built themselves a 2-0 lead midway through regulation, but the visitors used a late tally in the second and a quick one in the third to draw the score even. Providence would take over from that point, however, regaining the lead shortly after before notching two goals within minute of each other to blow the game wide open. Sergey Tolchinsky would pull the Checkers back within two late in regulation, but an empty netter by Providence would put an end to Charlotte’s comeback hopes and seal the Bruins 6-3 victory. Full recap

Checkers 3, Springfield 2 (OT)

The Checkers would flip the script the next night in Springfield, using strikes from Valentin Zykov and Aleksi Saarela to build a two-goal lead through 20 minutes of play. The home squad would push back, however, netting goals in the second and third to knot the score at the end of regulation. The extra frame didn’t last long though, as Valentin Zykov buried the rebound of a Greg McKegg shot just a minute into overtime to pick up the two points in the standings for Charlotte. Full recap

Checkers 4, Hartford 3

Playing in a different city for the third straight night, the Checkers again fell behind early against the Hartford Wolf Pack, but Warren Foegele’s breakaway conversion in the middle frame proved to be a spark for the visitors. Brenden

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Kichton launched a power-play goal later in the frame to kick off the first of three Charlotte tallies over the span of just two minutes to net the Checkers a two-goal lead heading into the final frame. Hartford would get one back on a two-man advantage midway through the third, but that would be all the home team could muster. Alex Nedeljkovic closed out the night with 32 stops and earned his 25th win of the season in a 4-3 triumph over the Wolf Pack. Full recap

Three Stars Of The Week

• 3rd Star

• Clark Bishop

1g, 2a

• 2nd Star

• Greg McKegg

0g, 3a

• 1st Star

• Valentin Zykov

3g, 0a

Notables

TURNING THINGS AROUND

The Checkers were able to reverse their fortunes away from home over the weekend, taking two of three contests on the road. That not only pulled their road record above .500 for the season, but the victories on Saturday and Sunday were the team’s first consecutive wins away from home since Dec. 8 and 9.

THREE-IN-THREE

Charlotte wrapped up its fourth and final three-in-three set of the season this past weekend. The team went 2-1-0 during the series, matching their best such record this season and moving the franchise’s all-time record in three-in-threes to 58-40-13. The Checkers went 6-5-1 over the four three-in-threes this season and enjoyed the most success in the finales with a 3-1-0 record.

Z LEADS THE WAY

Valentin Zykov snapped out of his scoring funk in a big way over the weekend. After being held scoreless for seven straight games, the forward lit the lamp twice against Springfield on Saturday – including the overtime winner, his second of the year – and then added another game-winning tally in Sunday’s victory over Hartford. That burst of goals pushed Zykov back to the top of the AHL, with his 28 markers this season putting him three ahead of Grand Rapids’ Eric Tangradi and Utica’s Reid Boucher for the league lead. Zykov’s scoring touch continues to help him work his way into Charlotte’s record book. The 22-year-old Russian is tied with Chris Terry’s 2013-14 campaign for the fourth-most goals in a single season by a Checker and needs just two

more to become the third 30-goal scorer in franchise history, as well as just eight to tie Zach Boychuk’s franchise record.

FRESHMAN PHENOM

With his breakaway tally to open the scoring in Hartford on Sunday, Warren Foegele continues to impress in his first pro season. That marked his 24th goal of the season, a total that not only currently leads all AHL rookies but ties Foegele for the franchise single-season record for goals by a rookie. The 21-year-old forward needs one goal to eclipse Lucas Wallmark’s mark from just a season ago.

NED STAYS WINNING

After dropping two of his previous three appearances, Alex Nedeljkovic returned to his winning ways with a strong performance Sunday in Hartford. Turning in his second straight 30-save showing, the netminder picked up his 25th win of the season to remain the AHL’s leader in the category. Not to be outdone by his forward counterparts, Nedeljkovic is on the verge of putting his stamp on the franchise record book as well. His 25 wins are the second-most in a single season by a Charlotte netminder and put Nedeljkovic just two shy of matching John Muse’s record of 27.

Ranks

• Valentin Zykov leads the lead in goals (28), power-play goals (14) and shooting percentage (28.3) and is tied for the league lead in game-winning goals (7)

• Andrew Miller is tied for third in the AHL in scoring (51) and fourth in assists (36) despite missing the last seven games

• Warren Foegele leads all rookies and is tied for fourth overall in goals (24), is tied for second in the AHL in shorthanded goals (4), is tied for the league lead in shorthanded points (6), is tied for third in the AHL in game-winning goals (6), is tied for third among league rookies in plus-minus (+19), ranks third among rookies in shooting percentage (18.5) and ranks fifth among league rookies in scoring (40)

• Philip Samuelsson ranks second in the AHL in plus-minus (+29)

• Roland McKeown is tied for fifth in the AHL in plus-minus (+27)

• Alex Nedeljkovic leads the AHL in wins (25), ranks second in shutouts (5) and ranks third in minutes played (2276)

• Aleksi Saarela ranks fifth among league rookies in goals (20) and is tied for second among rookies in power-play goals

• Trevor Carrick is tied for 10th among league blue liners in scoring (29), is tied for third among defensemen in power-play assists and ranks fifth among blue liners in power-play points

INJURIES

• Andrew Miller missed seven games starting 2/18

CAROLINA HURRICANES


• Jake Chelios missed five games starting 2/24

• Marcus Kruger missed three games starting 3/2

Transactions

• Incoming

• Feb. 26: (C) Greg McKegg acquired from Pittsburgh (NHL)

• Outgoing

• None

Coming Up

• Friday, March 9 at 7:15 p.m. - Checkers vs. Hartford

• Health and Wellness Night presented by Charlotte Athletic Club

• Go Red for Women Night presented by Piedmont Natural Gas

• Social Media Night

• Jersey Towel giveaway for the first 500 fans presented by Charlotte Mecklenburg Storm Water Services

Saturday, March 10 at 6 p.m. - Checkers vs. Hartford

• Wrestling Night featuring "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan - hall of fame wrestler to appear and sign autographs prior to the game

• DVD Drive benefiting Novant Health - donate a new DVD at the game and get a free ticket for our game on Sunday, March 18.

• Family Night presented by Fairfield Inn and Suites - save $45 (40 percent) on groups of four tickets when purchasing online

• Boy Scout Night - contact Jeremy Recoon at [email protected] for more information

• Soles for Kids Drive - bring a new or gently used pair of children's shoes and get a free ticket for a future game.

By the Numbers

CATEGORY RECORD AHL RANK

LAST WEEK

Power play 19.6% 4th t-5th

Penalty kill 82.3% t-19th 16th

Goals per game 3.30 4th 5th

Shots per game 29.83 t-18th 19th

Goals allowed per game

2.90 t-14th t-12th

Shots allowed per game

27.05 3rd 3rd

Penalty minutes per game

12.17 8th 10th

TODAY’S LINKS

https://www.nhl.com/hurricanes/news/canes-celebrate-hockey-is-for-everyone-month/c-296610556

https://www.nhl.com/hurricanes/news/gameday-preview-carolina-hurricanes-vs-minnesota-wild/c-296642408 https://www.canescountry.com/2018/3/5/17080742/carolina-hurricanes-behind-enemy-lines-preview-eric-staal-minnesota-wild-chicago-blackhawks

https://www.canescountry.com/2018/3/6/17084252/nhl-carolina-hurricanes-minnesota-wild-game-preview-statistics-notes-links-how-to-watch

https://thehockeywriters.com/jets-patrik-laine-hurricanes/

https://www.cbssports.com/nhl/news/hurricanes-open-road-trip-at-wild/

http://gocheckers.com/articles/features/hometown-weekly-report-march-5

CAROLINA HURRICANES


1102139 Minnesota Wild

Former Wild No. 1 pick Luke Kunin suffers torn ACL

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune MARCH 5, 2018 — 10:30PM

The Wild anticipated its post-trade deadline boost coming from within — from reserves in the minors heralded as additions that could invigorate

the team as it pushed for a playoff berth.

Prized prospect Luke Kunin was the poster boy of this forecasted second

wind for the Wild since he was the first ushered into the mix but Kunin is out for the rest of the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament

in his left knee in Sunday’s 4-1 victory over Detroit at Xcel Energy Center.

“It’s really disappointing for him,” coach Bruce Boudreau said Monday. “He’s been waiting and working so hard down in Iowa to get this opportunity, and we were excited to get him up here and play. For this to happen in his second game, I feel more for him than for us.”

Kunin took a hit late in the third period Sunday — only his second appearance since his call-up from the American Hockey League on Tuesday — and didn’t finish the game. He was limping and was absent from practice Monday to get evaluated.

His recovery time is pegged at approximately seven months, and he is expected to undergo knee surgery in the coming weeks. The diagnosis continued the team’s injury woes this season. The Wild had been at full strength for only nine games and lost 111 man games before Kunin was sidelined.

“He takes great care of himself, and he has a tremendous work ethic,” General Manager Chuck Fletcher said. “So I don’t have any doubt that he’ll rehab and come back from this stronger and better than ever and be a really good hockey player for our team. Certainly, in the short-term, it’s

disappointing — disappointing for our team. But you feel horribly for Luke.”

Kunin started the season in Iowa, getting assigned to the AHL out of training camp. But he quickly returned to Minnesota, making his NHL

debut Oct. 14 against the Blue Jackets in the team’s home opener after injury decimated the forward group.

Two games later, he notched his first NHL points with a pair of assists against Calgary. On Oct. 26 against the Islanders, Kunin became the first

player in team history to score his first career goal shorthanded.

He went on to log 17 games with the Wild, chipping in two goals and two assists, before getting sent back to the minors, an assignment aimed at stoking his confidence and exposing him to regular minutes in his first full-length professional season after leaving the University of Wisconsin.

In 36 games with Iowa, the 15th overall draft pick in 2016 racked up 10 goals and 19 points and represented the team at the 2018 AHL All-Star Game.

“He’s a good player,” Fletcher said. “I don’t think there’s any question about that. He’s a kid that can skate, shoot and score, but he also has a

lot of other elements to his game — his willingness to block shots, he’s strong defensively, he can play center or wing and he’s got a motor. He

really competes, brings a lot of energy every night.

“So when you combine sort of that physical element with the skill

element, he has a chance to be a pretty good hockey player in this league. We’re certainly excited about his future.”

Kunin’s absence leaves the Wild with 12 forwards, enough to face Carolina on Tuesday, so the team will monitor performance and health in

deciding when it needs to add reinforcements.

Zack Mitchell, Landon Ferraro, Cal O’Reilly and Kyle Rau are among the options with Iowa who already have skated with the Wild this season.

Star Tribune LOADED: 03.06.2018


Wild-Carolina game preview

SARAH McLELLAN

MARCH 5, 2018 — 11:00PM

7 p.m. vs. Carolina • Xcel Energy Center • FSN (100.3-FM)

Hurricanes on fringe of final playoff spot

Preview: The Wild concludes a quick two-game homestand against the Hurricanes, who defeated the Wild 5-4 in a shootout Oct. 7. The team’s 52 points on home ice is the most in the NHL. Carolina had a three-game point streak end Sunday with a 3-2 loss to Winnipeg. That put the team two points out of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Players to WATCH: Winger Teuvo Teravainen has scored in a career-high four consecutive games. Winger Sebastian Aho leads the team in

goals with 23. In 30 career games against the Wild, winger Justin Williams has 20 points. … The 34 goals by the Wild’s Eric Staal left him

six behind league leader Alexander Ovechkin entering Monday.

Numbers: The Wild won four in a row against the Hurricanes at Xcel

Energy Center. The Wild’s 38 points since the calendar flipped to 2018 are the second-most in the Western Conference. Teravainen and Aho have combined for 21 points in their past 12 games. Hurricanes C Jordan Staal has won 55.8 percent of faceoffs.

Injuries: Hurricanes F Joakim Nordstrom (upper body) is day-to-day; Wild D Nick Seeler missed practice Monday after he was sore from his first NHL fight Sunday, with Detroit’s Luke Witkowski, but coach Bruce Boudreau is hopeful Seeler plays Tuesday night.Star Tribune LOADED: 03.06.2018


Wild forward Kunin out for rest of season with ACL tear

Associated Press MARCH 5, 2018 — 5:35PM

CAROLINA HURRICANES


ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Wild rookie forward Luke Kunin is out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL in his left knee.

The Wild announced Monday that Kunin suffered the tear during Sunday's 4-1 win at Detroit. He is expected to have surgery in the coming weeks and return to play in about seven months.

The 20-year-old was most recently recalled by the Wild on Feb. 27 and has recorded two goals and two assists 19 games with Minnesota this season. He made his NHL debut against Columbus on Oct. 14 and recorded his first points at Calgary on Oct. 21.

Kunin scored his first goal on Oct. 26 against the New York Islanders,

becoming the first player in team history to score his first career goal short-handed.



Wild's Luke Kunin out for season after tearing ACL

By Sarah McLellan MARCH 5, 2018 — 3:11PM

The Wild will be without forward Luke Kunin for the rest of the season

after Kunin tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during Sunday's game against the Red Wings.

Kunin is expected to undergo surgery on his knee in the coming weeks, with a return to action pegged at approximately seven months.

The 20-year-old was added to the Wild's roster just last Tuesday after the team recalled him from the American Hockey League to inject its playoff

push with energy. He skated in just two games after appearing in 17 earlier in the season with the Wild, when he chipped in two goals and two assists.

In 36 games with Iowa, he scored 10 goals and finished with 19 points in his first full-length professional season after leaving the University of Wisconsin.

Kunin's absence leaves the Wild with 12 healthy forwards. He was injured late in the third period after getting hit. He was limping and did not

return to the game.

“Got hit, came off and didn’t feel right,” coach Bruce Boudreau said.

Defenseman Nick Seeler was also missing from practice Monday after his heavyweight fight with Detroit’s Luke Witkowski helped spark the Wild

to victory. There’s no concern about a concussion, Boudreau said, but the team wanted Seeler to take the day off and it’s hopeful he can suit up

Tuesday when the team hosts the Hurricanes.

“He’s just sore,” Boudreau said. “He’s just sore all over, I think.”

Veterans Eric Staal, Matt Cullen and Daniel Winnik also weren’t on the ice, but all are fine.

It’s been a busy schedule for the Wild lately, with Tuesday’s tilt the

team’s fourth in six days and eighth in 13 days – a stretch that’s included games out east and west.

“Rest is a weapon, and nowadays in March if we’re not in shape and game-ready, then we’re in bigger trouble than we think,” Boudreau said.

“So rest is a weapon. We need these guys, especially with our over-30 crowd. We need them rested because they’re the guys that usually play the most.”

A return home, however, seems to have helped the Wild recalibrate after a pair of tough losses to the Coyotes and Avalanche – with the latter a 7-

1 drubbing that the team was able to rebound from against the Red Wings.

“Sometimes when you get shellacked, you just gotta forget it,” Boudreau said. “If you dwell on it, it’s like a golfer. If you have a bad shot and you keep thinking about that bad shot, the next one’s going to be bad, too. You gotta let it go. We didn’t show any video or anything of that game. We just wanted to turn that page and get back to where we’ve been playing the last couple of months really well. I thought our first period was slow, but I thought our last two periods structure-wise, systems-wise, we did a great job.”



Wild top prospect Luke Kunin out for the season with torn ACL

By DANE MIZUTANI | PUBLISHED: March 5, 2018 at 3:15 pm | UPDATED: March 5, 2018 at 7:53 PM

Winter Storm: 5″ to 6″ snowfall prediction looks accurate. No snow emergency declared in either Twin City.

Luke Kunin will miss the rest of the season after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during the 4-1 win over the Detroit Red

Wings on Sunday night at the Xcel Energy Center, the team announced on Monday afternoon.

Kunin, 20, was the Wild’s first-round pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. After spending most of this season in the minors, Kunin was recalled on

Feb. 27 and expected to provide the team with youthful energy down the stretch.

Instead, he will undergo surgery once the swelling in his knee goes down and will miss at least seven months on the road to recovery.

Kunin made his NHL debut against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 14. He played in 19 games this season and finished with two goals and two assists.

With Kunin out for the season, the Wild only have 12 healthy forwards on

the roster. They will try to sign hulking winger Jordan Greenway out of Boston University — a U.S. Olympian in Pyeongchang, South Korea —

when his collegiate season ends.

Minor-leaguers to keep an eye on down the stretch include Kyle Rau,

Zack Mitchell, and Sam Anas.

Pioneer Press LOADED: 03.06.2018


Wild rookie Nick Seeler earns day off after Sunday’s old-school hockey fight

By DANE MIZUTANI | PUBLISHED: March 5, 2018 at 2:31 pm |

UPDATED: March 5, 2018 at 4:59 PM

Winter Storm: 5″ to 6″ snowfall prediction looks accurate. No snow emergency declared in either Twin City.

CAROLINA HURRICANES


After a back alley brawl on Sunday night that might go down as the best fight in the NHL this season, Wild rookie Nick Seeler was given a well-deserved day off on Monday morning.

“He’s just sore all over, I think,” coach Bruce Boudreau explained, describing the scuffle as something straight out of the 1970s.

Asked if the rookie might be able to play Tuesday night against the Carolina Hurricanes at Xcel Energy Center, Boudreau said, “I’m hoping. We were saying he was sore so today he should take the day off.”

Seeler dropped the gloves with Detroit Red Wings enforcer Luke Witkowski in the second period Sunday night after what he felt was a

dangerous knee-to-knee hit on Zach Parise.

Seeler confronted Witkowski, the two exchanged words and it was on.

There was no jostling for position in this bout, just haymaker after haymaker for a good 15 seconds before both players ran out of gas.

“You don’t really see those very often, and it happened to be that kind of fight,” Seeler said. “You don’t really know what to expect going in to it.

That was kind of the outcome. I’m glad we’re both all right after.”

That was some classic Minnesota Nice from the Eden Prairie native who won’t avoid dropping the gloves.

“It’s just a part of my game,” Seeler said. “I pride myself on being tough in the corners and in front of the net and chipping in on the physicality part whenever that presents itself. And last night it presented itself.”

That fight awakened the Wild, who popped in two goals shortly after that en route to a much-needed 4-1 win to get back to third place in the Western Conference Central Division.

“You don’t necessarily know if it’s going pay off like that,” Seeler said. “It was nice to have that momentum change a little bit and get those two quick goals after and it was fun to see that.”

As for how Seeler’s face is feeling a day later?

“A little sore,” Seeler said with a smile. “Not bad.”

REST AS A WEAPON

With an optional practice on Monday morning, a few players decided not to skate, including veterans Eric Staal, Matt Cullen and Daniel Winnik.

“Sometimes what people don’t realize is, yeah, we’re playing a lot of games (and) we’re also going to the West Coast and back and the travel

is a thing where we get home at the 3 a.m., so the next day is sort of a waste a lot of time,” Boudreau said. “I use the phrase ‘rest is a weapon.’

and nowadays in March if we’re not in shape or game ready. then we’re in bigger trouble than we think.”

“We need these guys, especially with our over-30 crowd, we need them rested,” the coach added. “Because they’re the guys that usually play the

most anyways.”



NHL’s Staal brothers meet up on ice as family copes with tragedy

By DANE MIZUTANI | PUBLISHED: March 5, 2018 at 1:54 pm | UPDATED: March 5, 2018 at 10:53 PM

Winter Storm: 5″ to 6″ snowfall prediction looks accurate. No snow

emergency declared in either Twin City.

There’s something unexplainable about being at an NHL rink that can make even the toughest times a little bit easier. Whether it’s the bright lights, or the cheering fans, or simply getting back into a daily routine, it has a way of defeating tragedy, even if it’s only for a few moments.

Bruce Boudreau experienced that unspoken phenomenon after the unexpected death of his younger brother, Bryan, about six months ago.

“You need the games,” the 63-year-old coach said. “I just wanted to play and work so I didn’t have to sit and think.”

Nearly everyone in the Wild locker room can relate, agreeing that sometimes the best thing to do, at least in the short term, is to get back to

work.

“There’s something therapeutic about being on the ice,” said Jason

Zucker, whose friend was injured in the deadly Las Vegas mass shooting earlier this season. “It just helps take your mind off some of the other

things that might be going on.”

In that sense, Tuesday’s game between the Minnesota Wild and Carolina

Hurricanes couldn’t come at a better time with Hurricanes co-captain Jordan Staal and his wife, Heather, suffering through the loss of their

infant daughter a little more than a week ago.

NHL brothers Eric Staal of the Minnesota Wild and Jordan Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes will play on Tuesday night at the Xcel Energy Center. (Associated Press file)NHL brothers Eric Staal of the Minnesota Wild and Jordan Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes will play on Tuesday night at the Xcel Energy Center. (Associated Press file)

“This has been a longer road than most people know,” Jordan Staal said in a statement last week. “Our little Hannah had a terminal birth defect. While we prayed for a miracle, or even a few more minutes with her, she came into this world stillborn. Nonetheless, we are still very thankful for

our short time with her.”

Wild center Eric Staal has talked to his younger brother “pretty much

every day” since then, though the upcoming game gives him the chance to comfort him face to face.

“It’ll be good to see him today and get together,” Eric Staal said on Monday morning. “They should get in later this afternoon depending on

the weather. I’m looking forward to it. … There’s been people around (the family) for a while now. For me, I haven’t seen him, so it’ll be good to catch up.”

Jordan Staal has played in three games since the death of his daughter, scoring a point in each game, including a goal against the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday night. And while the games might be secondary in the grand scheme of things, Eric Staal agreed that it has probably been a good thing for his brother to get back to doing what he loves.

“I’m impressed and proud of how he and his wife have handled everything they’ve been through over the last few months,” Staal said.

“It’s been extremely difficult for them and our whole family. They are strong people. They have a strong faith and it’s kind of helped through

this whole process. It’s day by day. They are doing as good as they can.”


1102095 Chicago Blackhawks

Despite losing ‘tough guys,’ Joel Quenneville says Blackhawks have each other’s backs

Paul Skrbina

When the going already was tough for the Blackhawks, the tough got going.

CAROLINA HURRICANES


The Hawks traded two of their more physical players Feb. 26 when they dealt Tommy Wingels to the Bruins and Ryan Hartman to the Predators. And with Lance Bouma and John Hayden in the minors, the team lacks physicality.

“You need some abrasiveness in certain areas in your lineup,” coach Joel Quenneville said Sunday. “I thought those guys played well. I thought that line (of Bouma, Wingels and Hayden) really gave us a purpose early on. (Hayden) was part of that. He’s still around (in Rockford).”

Captain Jonathan Toews engaged Sunday in his first fight of the season,

and just the seventh of his career, with longtime nemesis Ryan Kesler of the Ducks.

Toews and Connor Murphy are the only players on the active roster who have been in a fight this season.

“You’ve got to play hard for one another,” Quenneville said. “Stick together is always the strategy. And push each other in the right way.”

Feeling better: Artem Anisimov has four goals in his last five games, two more than he had in his first 14 games after he was activated from

injured reserve Jan. 22.

Anisimov missed nearly a month with an upper-body injury.

“(I) feel pretty good lately,” he said Saturday after scoring a goal during a 5-3 win over the Kings. “My injury gets better each day. I work every day to prevent that stuff from happening again.”

One-timers: Vinnie Hinostroza had two assists Sunday and has eight points (one goal, seven assists) in his last nine games. … Alex DeBrincat’s 41 points are fourth on the Hawks and were tied for fifth among rookies through Sunday. ... Winger Tomas Jurco has two goals in his last four games after going without one in his first 11.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 03.06.2018


Tuesday’s matchup: Avalanche at Blackhawks

Paul Skrbina

TV/radio: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday; WGN-9, WGN-AM 720.

Storylines: The Avalanche are one point out of the second Western Conference wild-card spot, so the Hawks once again will try to play the

spoiler role.

Trending: Nick Schmaltz has five points in his last five games and, with 20 goals and 25 assists, is second on the Hawks with 45 points. … The Hawks have lost three of four.



Blackhawks thinking about how now can affect the future

Paul Skrbina

The only seasons that matter now for the Blackhawks are the offseason and next season.

And that’s where the rest of this season comes into play for coach Joel Quenneville.

Quenneville isn’t much of a “wait till next year” guy, even if this year is over for all intents and postseason purposes. He’s more of a “wait till this year is over before talking about next year” guy.

His mind, Quenneville said, is on the final 16 games, though he has had some discussions with general manager Stan Bowman about 2018-19.

“We talked a little bit looking … beyond this season,” Quenneville said Sunday morning before the Hawks’ 6-3 loss to the Ducks at the Honda Center. “Organizationally, there’s ideas on what’s going on after.

“We’ve had some talk about (how) this year potentially could give us some answers for next year, (but) I’m not thinking of next year. I’m thinking of where we’re at now.”

Which, relative to the last nine seasons, might as well be on another planet.

The Hawks are last in the Central Division. Barring a miracle, for the first time in 10 years they will be spectators come playoff time. Hockey-reference.com no longer has a percentage assigned to the team’s postseason hopes.

Evaluating the future on NHL ice won’t be easy, either, because, barring a major injury, the team has one call-up remaining. It could sign 2014 sixth-round draft pick Dylan Sikura and give him a look.

Other than that, what Quenneville sees now is basically what he gets for

the rest of this season.

While the coach might not be ready to talk in depth about tomorrows,

Bowman hasn’t been shy about addressing them.

“We are where we are, but we’re trying to get better and we’re optimistic and looking forward,” Bowman said Feb. 26, which was trade-deadline day.

“It’s disappointing for sure, but … you can’t feel sorry for yourself. You’ve got to try to plan for the future. We don’t want to be in this position obviously, but you are where you are and you’ve got to try to make the best of it.”

The reaches of Bowman’s disappointment, though, are clear. He used several variations of the word to describe this season, which comes on

the heels of back-to-back first-round playoff exits.

Many things have ailed the Hawks. All-Star goalie Corey Crawford has

been out for months. The defense is thin, aging at the core and has disappeared at times. Brandon Saad hasn’t been Brandon Saad. The list

goes on.

But there are some bright spots, according to Bowman, who named Nick

Schmaltz, Alex DeBrincat and Vinnie Hinostroza as a few.

“The best thing that’s happened this year is the progression and emergence of some of our young players,” Bowman said. “The fact they’ve been able to take the next step forward certainly bodes well. … We’ve got a lot … more younger players (who) are trending up. So there’s a lot of reasons to be optimistic.

“But clearly we’re not where we want to be.”

Getting back there no doubt will prove to be a challenge.

Crawford, who reportedly is suffering from concussion-related symptoms, will have to be healthy. Saad will have to be Saad. Those younger

players will have to continue to emerge. And some of the “older” players, such as Jonathan Toews, Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith, will have to

re-emerge.

CAROLINA HURRICANES


As for what might happen between now and then, Toews, the team’s captain, said that’s better left to people who wear suits and ties.

“I don't really understand or see the whole picture right now, and obviously that'll take shape as we go along,” he said after the Hawks dealt Tommy Wingels and Ryan Hartman on trade-deadline day.

“I'm sure management knows what they're doing."



Is anyone else worried about Duncan Keith?

Steve Rosenbloom

Is it just me, or is anybody else worried about Duncan Keith?

Maybe it’s just the recency bias of a bad three-game trip to California in

which the Blackhawks defense was exposed as if each unit has to take a turn looking awful in this season that refuses to end. Or maybe Keith is the last of the core players to succumb this season to the fall of the

dynasty. Or maybe it’s long-lasting and irretrievable.

The last possibility is the scary one because Keith has always been the barometer of good Hawks and bad Hawks. The Hawks’ offense has always started with the defense, and the defense starts with Keith, and

unfortunately of late, the defense has been inept and inert, not to mention soft and slow.

In Sunday’s loss in Anaheim, Keith aided and abetted a power-play goal by Ducks forward Rickard Rakell by doing little to prevent it. In the

previous game, Keith committed two awful giveaways that led to Kings goals. In the first game of the jaunt in San Jose, Keith was on the ice for four goals against while skating five-on-five. Today’s edition of Sesame Street hockey is brought to you by the letters P and U.

Only six times in the last 14 games when skating five-on-five has Keith been above 50 percent in the Fenwick metric that counts only unblocked shots, according to NaturalStatTrick.com.

The raw numbers in those games show he has been on the ice for three

goals for and 19 against at even-strength for a minus-16. Now, plus-minus in isolation is an outdated way to evaluate players, but something

that extreme is hard for me to ignore. It might not always be his fault, but he’s not doing enough to make it better.

By comparison, Keith’s five-on-five Fenwick metric was over 50 percent 10 times in the 20 games before the last four weeks. His raw numbers

were 17 goals for and 12 against.

Overall, his goals-for percentage of 39.78 at five-on-five is the worst of

the 10 defensemen the Hawks have dressed this season, according to NaturalStatTrick.com. The raw count is 37 goals for and 56 against.

Last season, Keith’s goal-for percentage at five-on-five was 56.48. The raw count was 61-47. So, yeah, Keith misses Niklas Hjalmarsson. A lot. The whole team does.

Keith, then, has had to adapt to different partners while continuing to play a lot and play against the opponent’s top line. All of those are legit causes for Keith’s unseemly numbers. But still, it’s a problem when a team’s best defenseman isn’t delivering, especially on a team that relies on defensemen to start the offense.

The eye test – my eye test, anyway – sees a guy whose reactions can’t quite keep up with his instincts. Keith has played several lifetimes of

hockey the past decade – a lot of regular-season minutes, then even

more minutes in an astounding 126 playoff games, and, oh, two Olympics – so it would reasonable to expect that at 34 even the indefatigable one would lose a half-step. That half-step can keep a player from getting to a spot first, from breaking up plays, from getting a stick on an opponent, from taking away a puck and moving it up ice.

Keith’s remarkable ability seemed to make him a one-man neutral-zone trap. Keith regularly broke up plays and controlled the puck to create a lot of offense — a lot of quick offense. The Hawks were playing on a lot of short fields.

Thing is, the Hawks still control the puck at even-strength more than

you’d think a bad team would, but the forwards aren’t turning that into goals. That would help Keith’s numbers look respectable, and maybe that

changes next season. Maybe the scorers start scoring next season. Maybe another long offseason will help. Same goes for improved ability

and consistency from the rest of the Hawks’ young defense corps.

This isn’t to bury Keith. He can still play, even if not at his former Norris

Trophy level. So, perhaps the biggest thing that would help the Hawks regain their contending ways is if GM Stan Bowman could bring in a

defenseman who makes Keith only the second-best on the roster.



Jim Cornelison will sing national anthem at Chicagoland Speedway this summer

Satchel Price

Legendary singer Jim Cornelison will return to Chicagoland Speedway for another rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” this summer, the venue announced Saturday. It’ll be a chance for racing fans to hear those sweet pipes that Blackhawks fans have enjoyed before home games at the United Center since the mid-90s.

“The National Anthem is a revered tradition among Chicagoans, especially among Chicago sports fans,” Cornelison said in a press

release. “For this reason, it is a great honor to sing ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ on the national platform presented before the Monster Energy

NASCAR Cup Series playoffs at Chicagoland Speedway. Every year it has become more exciting as the fans have come to embrace being

involved in the anthem.”

Cornelison has become widely known around Chicago over the past two

decades for his booming anthems before Blackhawks games. He began making appearances at Chicagoland Speedway in 2013, and has also

sung the anthem at Bears games. Last year, he did a rendition of “Back Home Again in Indiana” at the Indianapolis 500.

This latest appearance at Chicagoland Speedway will be part of Stars and Stripes Weekend, which is set for June 28-July 1. It’s a four-day series of races concluding with the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Overton’s 400 at 12:30 p.m. on July 1.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 03.06.2018


Blackhawks’ Patrick Sharp may face tough decision after disappointing homecoming

CAROLINA HURRICANES


Mark Lazerus

Six games into this homecoming season, Blackhawks winger Patrick Sharp was looking, feeling and sounding like his old self.

He had two goals and two assists and was playing major minutes. He

was flying around the ice, his surgically repaired hip feeling strong. He was effusive about being back in Chicago, playing with old friends on a contender.

In the sixth month of the season, things are quite different. Sharp has

been a role player at best, a spare part at worst. He has only seven goals and nine assists in 54 games and has been a healthy scratch a dozen times, including nine times in the last five weeks.

With the Hawks in the midst of a youth movement, retooling around a core that no longer includes him, Sharp has been reduced to an afterthought. It’s hardly what he had in mind.

‘‘I wanted to come back and play well,’’ Sharp said. ‘‘I got the [hip] surgery. The body feels good and has felt good all season. It’s been a disappointment for a lot of different reasons, but it’s not over yet.’’

Sharp, back in the lineup with the Hawks carrying only 12 forwards, said he’ll take the last 16 games this season the same way he has taken the 1,065 others in his career — as an opportunity to play the game he loves, for the team he loves, in the city he loves.

‘‘You put the jersey on, you represent the team and the organization and you’re representing yourself, as well,’’ he said. ‘‘Any day you’re in the NHL, it’s a good day.’’

But a fair question — one Sharp understandably doesn’t want to answer — is how much longer he will be in the NHL. At 36, he still has life in his legs. But two years in Dallas reminded him how much he loves Chicago.

And even at his bargain price of $1 million, it seems unlikely the youth-minded Hawks will bring him back for another go-around.

Will Sharp be willing to uproot his family again and play elsewhere? Or will he call it a career after 15 seasons? It’s a life-changing decision, but

it’s one he insists isn’t on his mind at all.

‘‘You start thinking about next year and what lies ahead and down the road, and you’ve already got one foot out the door,’’ he said. ‘‘I’m focused on playing hockey.’’

Those closest to him say there’s still plenty left in the tank.

‘‘He can score on all of the shots [in practice],’’ winger Patrick Kane said. ‘‘Even in the game, there’s times where he can still do what he did

before, if you want to put it that way. I don’t think he’s really lost that.’’

A veteran stewing about his situation can be problematic in a locker

room, particularly one full of impressionable young players. But coach Joel Quenneville said Sharp has been ‘‘a good pro,’’ taking his

diminished role in stride.

‘‘He’s been great with us younger guys,’’ winger Vinnie Hinostroza said. ‘‘Sometimes in that position, you could be a little sour and mean to the young guys or treat them worse because you’ve been through everything and you’ve had so much success. But he’s been great, especially for me. He’s one of the guys I look up to in the locker room.’’

There’s always a spot for a cagey veteran like that, even on a rebuilding team. But the Hawks have a handful of guys like that already, and Sharp might want to give it another go on another team.

For an adopted Chicagoan who never wanted to leave in the first place,

it’ll be a difficult decision. And, for now, it’s one Sharp doesn’t want to think about. Not for 16 more games, at least.

‘‘I’m just ready to play the next game,’’ he said. ‘‘And I’ll worry about all that stuff later.’’

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 03.06.2018


Five thoughts: Should Blackhawks trade Anisimov?

John Dietz

Now that the Blackhawks have returned from a road trip in which they allowed 16 goals in three games, it's time for Five Thoughts:

1. Don't part ways

Blackhawks vs. Colorado Avalanche, 7:30 p.m.

TV: WGN

Radio: WGN 720-AM

The skinny: Colorado, the worst team in the NHL last season, is doing

everything it can to reach the postseason. The Avs are 4-1-2 in the last seven games and are 1 point out of the second wild-card spot. They are

12-16-4 on the road, however. … Nathan MacKinnon missed almost three weeks with an injury but has returned with a vengeance, potting 7 goals and dishing out 9 assists in his last eight games. He is eighth in the

league with 31 goals. … Colorado ranks third on the penalty kill (83.1 percent), while the Hawks rank 11th at 82.3. … The Hawks, who lost to

Colorado 6-3 on Oct. 28, play the Avs three times in March. The Hawks went 6-1-2 vs. the Avs the last two seasons.

Next: Carolina Hurricanes at United Center, 7:30 p.m. Thursday

-- John Dietz

There are those who believe the Hawks should trade Artem Anisimov and his $4.55 million cap hit in the off-season, but they should do no such thing.

For all of Anisimov's flaws -- and he definitely has a few -- he's still one of the few players who consistently scores goals for this team. Did you know Anisimov averages 26 scores per 82 games since joining the Hawks and -- with 19 this season -- he's just 4 away from setting a career high?

Teams need depth down the middle, and while it's true that Anisimov plays well with Patrick Kane, he's best suited in a third-line role on a

playoff team.

If he's traded, the Hawks' centers next season figure to be Jonathan Toews, Nick Schmaltz, David Kampf and Matthew Highmore/Tanner Kero or a cheap free agent.

Anisimov should definitely stick around.

2. The kids can play

Alex DeBrincat, Nick Schmaltz and Vinnie Hinostroza look like they could be one formidable force if they play together next season. The young trio played extremely well together the last two games. They seemed to win

every puck battle, controlled the action and produced plenty of scoring chances against the Kings and Ducks.

If coach Joel Quenneville doesn't mess with this newfound chemistry, it should be awfully fun to watch down the stretch.

3. Deplorable D

Let's state the obvious first: The last three games were brutal from a

defensive standpoint. The miscues came in every way imaginable. There were bad turnovers. Bad stick positions. A refusal to block shots. Wide-

open shooting lanes. And, at times, zero compete level.

CAROLINA HURRICANES


Nobody was immune from the mushroom cloud that unfolded before our eyes.

It could take an entire column to go into the details, but I'll spare you the gory details and simply say this: The Hawks absolutely, positively must find a top-four defenseman in free agency this summer.

They can enter training camp with Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Connor Murphy, Jordan Oesterle, Gustav Forsling, Erik Gustafsson and Jan Rutta (if he re-signs). At least a couple of those last four players -- who only have an average of 61 NHL games between them -- have potential to be decent blue liners.

But they need a true stud to stabilize this group.

It should be Priority A when free agency begins on July 1.

4. No relief

In the era of fancy stats such as Cosi-for percentage, plenty of people treat the plus-minus number like baseball writers treat batting average.

It's a relic from a bygone era.

But really, it can be a useful measure of a player's performance because it measures how often a he is on the ice when a goal occurs at even strength.

In this regard, it's been a tough season for Duncan Keith, whose untimely turnovers have created far too many high-quality chances for opponents.

Keith is a career-worst minus-18 this season and has posted a minus-3 or worse in a whopping six games.

How bad is that? Well, consider this: In the three seasons before this one, Keith was a minus-3 just three times over 226 games.

He needs to be better -- and he knows it -- but it would also help if Stan Bowman gave Keith a top-notch partner to play with next season.

5. Amazing race

Could Tommy Wingels go up against Ryan Hartman in the Stanley Cup Final? It's certainly possible.

The Nashville Predators have won eight straight games, with the last four coming since they acquired Hartman from the Blackhawks. Boston, meanwhile, is 3-0-0 since trading for Wingels.

Hartman drew high praise from coach Peter Laviolette after scoring the game-winning goal against Winnipeg last Tuesday.

"Right from the start, it seemed like he understood our identity and how we were trying to play," Laviolette said. "Under those circumstances -- in

the situation that he was put in -- he responded in a big game with a really big effort."

In a 4-3 win over Carolina last week, Wingels scored the game-tying goal and assisted on Rick Nash's tally with three seconds left in the first

period.

"If you get traded, this is the kind of place you want to go to," Wingels

said. "A hungry team, a team that's capable of winning it all and a team with the skill and work ethic of the Bruins. Really happy to be here."

Come April, Hawks fans should be happy to root for Hartman and Wingels -- and hope to see them play all the way into June.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 03.06.2018

1102161 New York Rangers

When Rangers fans will get look at future duo brewing in AHL

By Brett Cyrgalis March 5, 2018 | 3:44PM

There is a lot of discovery to be done by the Rangers in the coming months and years, but some of the most interesting subjects will be seen sooner rather than later.

Both of the Blueshirts’ first-round picks from this past draft, centers Lias Andersson (No. 7 overall) and Filip Chytil (No. 21), are more than likely to be coming up and joining the club at some point before the regular season ends on April 7. Yet the front office remains steadfast in its belief not to burn the first year of their entry-level contracts, so neither will broach the nine-game maximum that would do just that.

That means the 18-year-old Chytil has seven games remaining after making the the Rangers out of training camp and getting into two NHL

contests before being sent down, while the 19-year-old Andersson can get the full nine after he started the season in his native Sweden before

joining AHL Hartford following the World Juniors tournament in early January. That would put a likely arrival date of sometime after the trip to

St. Louis on March 17.

“At some point, as things progress here into mid-March, we’ll see where

the team’s at, we’ll see what’s best for the team and what’s best for the two specific kids,” assistant general manager Chris Drury told The Post over the phone Monday. “But I imagine at some point we’ll see them up here.”

These games-played restrictions are only for the Rangers to be fiscally responsible, but Drury was not upset with the fact these two specific players are not in the NHL right now.

“I think every player and every case is different. In this case, I think they’re right where they should be, still playing [with] big responsibilities and what now is an attempt to make a push to get in the playoffs down

there,” said Drury, whose title also includes being general manager of the Wolf Pack. “I know just socially, they’re learning more and more about

living and playing in North America, not just on ice but off ice. And I think the camaraderie part of it is important, too — having a bond playing down

there in the minors, getting on the bus together, playing three [games] in three [nights]. There are a lot of positives in this entire experience.”

Chytil has 10 goals and 28 points in 39 games with the Wolf Pack, and he’s first in the league in points per game (0.72) for players under 20 years old. His offensive instincts are undeniable, but the organization is trying to get him to be a more well-rounded player.

“I think like any young player, he’s still learning, especially at center, to play a solid 200-foot game,” Drury said. “The offensive instincts and his raw talent and ability is obviously very exciting to us, and now it’s just a matter of making sure he understands how to play in his own zone.”

Andersson has five goals and 12 points in his first 18 games, including 10 points in the past 13 games. He stayed in New York after injuring his

shoulder while captaining Team Sweden, and after he was healthy, both he and the team thought this is where his development was best served.

Andersson also has started killing penalties, and the unending competitiveness — remember him throwing his silver medal into the stands at the World Juniors? — has made him a standout.

“With his character and his work ethic and how competitive he is, it’s hard

not to notice him every single game,” Drury said. “He’s very goal-orientated and he wants to be a Ranger as fast as he can for as long as he can.”

Since Rangers management declared their rebuild with what is now an unforgettable letter to the fans on Feb. 8, they have added a lot of young talent and draft picks. And despite the jettison of so many core veterans, they still managed a three-game sweep of Western Canada as they

prepared for Tuesday night’s Garden match against the Jets.

With a roster of so many new faces, soon there will be some names that at least have been familiar since June. And then the Rangers can begin another round of evaluations in what has been such a monumental change for the organization.

CAROLINA HURRICANES


“It’s been exciting,” Drury said. “As far as the development side with Hartford, and working with Jed Ortmeyer, who is our director of player development, it’s exciting to get a lot of these new pieces and guys that we’re going to do everything we can to help get them to Broadway.”

The Rangers signed 20-year-old forward Ty Ronning to an entry-level contract on Monday. Ronning, the team’s seventh-round pick (No. 201 overall), was having a terrific season for Vancouver of the WHL, putting up 55 goals and 77 points in 64 games. Last year, the 5-foot-9, 172-pound Ronning skated in 12 games with AHL Hartford, amassing two goals and five points.

New York Post LOADED: 03.06.2018

1102162 New York Rangers

Rangers sign Ty Ronning to three-year, entry-level contract

By Colin Stephenson

Updated March 5, 2018 6:25 PM

The Rangers announced Monday they have signed Vancouver Giants (WHL) forward Ty Ronning to a three-year, entry- level contract.

Ronning, 20, was a seventh-round pick of the Rangers in 2016. He has 55 goals for the Giants this season, breaking the club record of 48 set by

Evander Kane in 2008-09.

The 5-9, 172-pound Ronning is the son of former NHL player Cliff

Ronning, a 5-8 forward who played for seven teams — most notably the St. Louis Blues and Vancouver Canucks — over an 18-season career.

Cliff Ronning scored 306 goals and 869 points in his career, which ended with the Islanders in 2004.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.06.2018

1102219 Websites

The Athletic / LeBrun: Panthers' meteoric rise in standings is simply about buying in

By Pierre LeBrun 16 hours ago

You would have been forgiven to have written off the Florida Panthers five weeks ago.

They headed into the all-star break 12 points out of a playoff spot, which in the salary cap era seems like the kind of hole you just don’t dig out of.

Not with all those three-point games going up every night.

And it’s funny because I go back to a conversation I had with Panthers GM Dale Tallon in the second week of February when I was trying to size

up what the trade deadline would mean to him as a “seller,” and he very politely pointed out to me that his team still very much had playoff hopes.

I remember looking at the standings thinking, “Really?”

Well, the sizzling hot Panthers have gone 13-3-0 since the all-star break

to sit just one point out of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, taking advantage of some home cooking of late, going a

perfect 6-0-0 at home versus Washington, Pittsburgh, Toronto, New Jersey, Buffalo and Philadelphia.

But don’t go looking for any magical, TSN Turning Point in this story. Star defenceman Aaron Ekblad, third among NHL blueliners with 13 goals, says it’s not like that. This wasn’t about a players’ meeting or a speech that turned everything around in late January.

“Oh no, definitely not,” Ekblad told The Athletic over the phone Monday. “It’s literally just buying in. It’s about consistency. It’s a completely different atmosphere. It’s pretty awesome.”

No, the change in the season, as Ekblad sees it, has more to do with the team eventually synching up more naturally with the system put in place by first-year head coach Bob Boughner and his staff.

“I think we took a little bit of time earlier in the season trying to adjust to the systems,” said Ekblad. “I think now we know exactly what every

player is going to do on the ice. The coaches set out a game plan for us, and we’ve been following it just a lot closer than earlier in the season.

Everybody knows their job, it’s more second nature to us now.”

Still, it’s just so hard to gain ground in the standings at this time of year,

so the Panthers’ meteoric rise is some kind of story. It has certainly been helped by the likes of Columbus, Carolina and the Islanders fading over

the past month, too.

Are the Panthers paying attention to the standings? You better believe it.

“We always know, it’s pretty easy at this point when you’re one point up or down,” said Ekblad. “It’s easy to know where you are. And I guess we’re constantly reminded by you guys in the media (he laughs). It’s easy to track. We feel that motivation, that kind of pressure, it’s a good kind of pressure to have for the guys on this team. We have good character guys. We’re handling that kind of pressure the right way.”

New Jersey holds the top wild-card spot with 74 points followed by Columbus in the second wild-card spot at 71 points, then it’s Florida (70)

points, Carolina (69 points), then the Rangers and Isles both at 66 points apiece.

Six teams, two playoff spots available.

The difference is that Florida holds three games in hand on all of those

teams, which is an obvious advantage. On the flip side, the Panthers play 17 games in 31 March days. It’s a grind of a month. Then it’s topped off

by five games in seven days to end the regular season April 2-8, the Sunday game on April 8 in Boston added on as a result of a weather postponement earlier this season.

“Yeah that extra Boston game, that’ll be a fun one, you never know, that might be the opportunity for us to get into the playoffs with that game,” said Ekblad. “It’s going to be a lot of fun. These are the games we all live to play in. This is what we live for, trying to make the playoffs.”

Ekblad has been a beast on the back end, averaging 23:41 per game on the season. But if you’re looking for an MVP on this team it has to be No. 1 centre Aleksander Barkov, his team-leading 64 points (25-39) in 62

games just telling part of the story, his overall two-way game very much putting him in the conversation for the Selke Trophy this season. It’s an

award you think he’ll be destined to win one of these years.

“He’s got to at some point,” agreed Ekblad. “He’s an unbelievable player.

He’s so much fun to watch. It’s crazy how good he is. He’s always making that play that you just have absolutely no idea it was coming. And

defensively, he’s always in the right spot. He’s a quiet player, people somehow don’t know about it, but he’s just so great. He’s unbelievable.”

Barkov and Ekblad will both be front and centre Tuesday night as they play against the rival Lightning in Tampa. It sure would be fun to get these two Florida teams in a playoff series together. As it stands, their games over the last few years are almost always entertaining.

“It’s like the Battle of Alberta but it’s the Battle of Florida, it’s fun to be part of those games,” said Ekblad. “It’s been pretty even who comes out on top. They’ve definitely been games that are fun to watch, good turnout for the games, it’s a lot of fun.”

CAROLINA HURRICANES


Everything is fun in the sun right now for the Panthers. If they can keep it up, who knows, maybe we’ll finally have ourselves an all-Florida playoff series.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.06.2018

1102220 Websites

The Athletic / Tom Kuhnhackl is hopeful Germany's Olympic success can grow the sport

By Seth Rorabaugh 20 hours ago

When Tom Kuhnhackl played in his first Stanley Cup Final in 2016, he was pragmatic when asked about how significant the rare occasion of a German hockey player pursuing the sport's ultimate prize was in his native country.

“I don't think too many people are going to watch it because it's (2 a.m.),” Kuhnhackl quipped.

Nearly two years later, the roles were reversed.

Last weekend, as a Saturday turned into a Sunday on the East Coast, Kuhnhackl and the Penguins flew back to Pittsburgh after completing a

road trip in South Florida. At the same time, the Germany Olympic team furiously battled a heavily favored squad from Russia for gold in

PeyongChang on the final day of the Olympics.

“We literally got on the plane when the game started,” Kuhnhackl said.

“The Wifi is not that good on the plane. That was unfortunate. I was sleeping for a little bit. I woke up and they told me Germany was up 3-2

with two minutes or something. I was super excited. I got up and went to the bathroom. Came back and they tied it up, 3-3. We landed and on the way home, I got the bad news that the Russians had scored (in overtime).”

The awkwardly-named Olympic Athletes from Russia team won the gold medal with a roller coaster of a 4-3 victory.

Even in defeat, the silver medal represented new heights for a country hardly renown as a hockey superpower.

“We won two bronze medals I think in 1932 and 1976 or something,” Kuhnhackl said. “So it's been a while since we made it to the medal

rounds. But obviously, that means German hockey has improved over the last couple of years and hopefully it's going to keep growing.”

Given that the NHL declined to make its players available for this tournament, it could be suggested that the surprising success of

Germany, which defeated Canada in the semifinal round, was a fluke. But the enthusiasm for the team's surprising run was anything but

artificial.

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— PATRICK MEINHARDT (@PATMEINHARDT) FEBRUARY 24, 2018

A POST SHARED BY DEUTSCHER EISHOCKEY-BUND E.V. (@DEB_TEAMS) ON FEB 23, 2018 AT 7:40AM PST

To even reach for the Olympic tournament, Germany had to win an IIHF

qualifier tournament in September of 2016 against fellow outliers such as Austria, Japan and Latvia which hosted the tournament in Riga.

Kuhnhackl scored the game-winning goal in a 3-2 victory against Latvia that secured the qualification.

“It wasn't just me,” Kuhnhackl said. “It was all the guys that are over here. (Leon) Draisaitl, (Tobias) Rieder, (Philip) Grubauer, (Dennis) Seidenberg. We all grew together as a team. And the tournament wasn't as easy as it looked. Latvia is a really good team, especially in Riga. It's not easy to win that game and to qualify for the Olympics, that was a huge success for German hockey.”

Much of Germany's surge in recent years has been overseen by former NHL all-star Marco Sturm.

“He's been a coach for two years now,” said Kuhnhackl, who grew up a fan of Sturm. “He's obviously been a really great coach so far. Really

successful. He's trying to bring that style of hockey from (North America), he's trying to bring that over a little bit. I guess so far that's been really

successful for us.”

That success could manifest itself into further development of the sport in

Germany.

“Obviously, Germany is known for more for soccer and other sports than

hockey,” Kuhnhackl said. “But I'm sure everyone in Germany over the last couple of weeks followed the Olympics and hockey. So hopefully that's got a little impact on all the young hockey players.”


1102221 Websites

The Athletic / Carolina's visit to St. Paul gives Staals a chance to embrace during difficult time

By Jessi Pierce 10 hours ago

When the Carolina Hurricanes released a statement on Feb. 25 regarding the death of Jordan Staal’s infant daughter, Hannah, the hockey community rallied with full support around the entire Staal family.

It was a response that didn’t at all surprise Wild center Eric Staal, who at 33 is the oldest of the four Staal brothers which includes Marc (31),

Jordan (29) and Jared (27), but it was a support he was incredibly grateful for.

With the Wild in the middle of a six-game grind and a playoff race at the time — something each of his brothers are familiar with, having all found

a place in the NHL — Eric didn’t get the chance to break away and be with Jordan and his family. Instead, he will have the first opportunity to

give his brother a hug when the Hurricanes visit St. Paul for a 7 p.m. matchup with the Wild on Tuesday.

“I've talked to him a lot. I've talked to him pretty much every day but it'll be good to see him and get together,” said Eric, who plans on spending time with Jordan once the team gets in town Monday afternoon. “There's been people around them for awhile. For me I haven't seen him, so it'll be good to catch up.

“I’m impressed and proud of how he and his wife (Heather) have handled everything they've been through over the last few months,” continued Staal. “It's been extremely difficult for them and our whole family. They are strong people. They have a strong faith in Jesus, and it's kind of helped through this whole process. It's day by day. They are doing as

good as they can.”

Jordan took an extended leave of absence from the team following the

statement but returned to the lineup on March 1 as the Canes continue a playoff push themselves. They are currently two points out of the second

wild card in the Eastern Conference behind the Columbus Blue Jackets.

CAROLINA HURRICANES


And while hockey might not be a main focus of many after undergoing a devastating loss, Eric admits that in times of trouble, sometimes the distraction of the game is exactly what’s needed.

“It's a game. Sometimes when you're out there and you're playing it can be that kind of place (of peace) because your focus is on the task at hand,” he said. “I'm sure it's like that for a lot of guys.”


1102222 Websites

The Athletic / Timing of Jay Bouwmeester's season-ending hip injury will preclude the Blues' defenseman from a possible buyout

By Jeremy Rutherford 4 hours ago

If the first thing that came to mind when you heard Jay Bouwmeester will have season-ending hip surgery is that the Blues will buy the 34-year-old defenseman out of the final year of his contract, grab a copy of the NHL's collective-bargaining agreement.

If you don't have a copy of the CBA handy, keep reading and you will see how the timing of the injury will preclude that from happening.

First, the injury: Bouwmeester originally noticed pain in his left hip after the Blues played Buffalo Dec. 10, but he opted for an injection that would

keep him on the ice and away from the operating table until the offseason. The pain, though, forced him out of Saturday's game in

Dallas, and now surgery is the only option.

Bouwmeester will travel to Colorado to see Dr. Marc Philippon in the next

week or two to plan when he'll have the surgery, and the rehabilitation is expected to last as long as six months, taking him up to the start of training camp for the 2018-19 season.

“Our hope is to get the surgery done now and we'll get an update after the surgery on exactly what they find in there,” Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said. “But we're hoping that within four to six months that he'll be able to resume playing. … He's still an elite skater in our game, and if the hip responds to the surgery, I think he's got time left.”

Bouwmeester has one more season left on his five-year, $27 million contract. But even if the Blues had intentions to buy out the final year,

they won't be able to now, and that might have been part of the reason Armstrong came across as optimistic about the veteran's future.

The Blues have never executed a buyout under Armstrong, who took over in 2010, so many of you may need a refresher on how this works.

NHL teams are allowed to initiate a buyout with a player, in which they pay two-thirds of the remaining salary spread out over twice the term

length left on the contract. In this case, the Blues owe Bouwmeester $5.4 million for one season, which means the buyout would cost $3.6 million spread out over two seasons. The $1.8 million salary per year does count toward the cap.

The buyout window runs every summer from June 15-30, but Bouwmeester will not be cleared to play in that time frame. He has yet to decide on a date for the surgery, but even if it takes place in the next week, a four-month recovery would mean that full clearance wouldn't come until July at the earliest and six months would put it at September.

Rule 23.4 of the CBA says:

“A Player under an SPC (standard player contract) who is disabled and unable to perform his duties as a hockey Player by reason of an injury

sustained during the course of his employment as a hockey Player … shall be entitled to receive his remaining Paragraph 1 Salary and Signing

Bonuses due in accordance with the terms of his SPC for the remaining stated term of his SPC as long as the said disability and inability to perform continue but in no event beyond the expiration date of the fixed term of his SPC.”

In other words, an injured player can not be bought out of his contract because his full salary is guaranteed and a buyout would not provide that.

Interestingly, if Bouwmeester had elected to have the surgery back in December when the injury occurred, it might have been possible for him to be cleared in time for the buyout window. But at that time, the

defenseman, who knew he'd need surgery eventually, was hoping that would be in the offseason, not in March.

Bouwmeester missed the first 21 games of the season after suffering a broken ankle in training camp when he was hit by a shot. He made his

season debut on Nov. 21, and played just 10 games before sustaining the hip injury in December. He missed the next nine games and, after

taking the injection, was kept out of practice, only suiting up for games. He gutted it out for 33 games, averaging 20:52 of ice time, including

27:45 against Colorado on Feb. 8, before leaving Saturday's game.

“Jay wants to play through anything, and it shows a lot of character for him to play through the pain of his hip,” Armstrong said. “From December on it was very painful doing day-to-day things and playing hockey. But he fought through it for us and I give him full marks for that.

“When you can't practice, it says a lot about where your injury is at. He could have got this surgery earlier, but he wanted to continue to play and I think that's how you get to be an 'Ironman' like he was. We all have aches and pains, but when you're of his status and you're ready to play every night in the NHL and not play sheltered minutes, it says a lot about

his character.”

It might have said something about Bouwmeester's character, but was it

smart? And how much did it affect the Blues that the defenseman was considerably less than 100 percent? Armstrong, who said Bouwmeester

wasn't in jeopardy of risking further injury, subscribed to the notion that 80 percent of the veteran was better than 100 percent of someone else,

and Bouwmeester also claimed he wasn't hurting the team.

“I was fine, I could play,” Bouwmeester said. “It wasn't probably the most comfortable thing. I'd be lying if I said it didn't affect my skating a little bit, but I could do everything I normally could do, so … I'm a pretty strong believer that if you can play and help the team, then you're going to do it. But if you can't, then you don't play. We're at the level where you have lots of guys that can come in and contribute. No, there wasn't a point — up until now — where I was playing and keeping someone out of the lineup that could have been more capable.”

But as Blues coach Mike Yeo painted the picture Monday, the club knew that Bouwmeester was on “borrowed time.”

“We were hoping he was going to get through the season, but we knew

there was really only so much life left in that hip of his,” Yeo said. “Very safe to say he gave us absolutely everything he had. Him playing through pain, playing through that without complaining — first off, he was in way more pain than he let anybody know that he was.”

That borrowed time end with around 12 minutes left in the second period in Dallas. Bouwmeester got tripped and fell down awkwardly.

“That was that,” he said. “I pretty much knew it was not good.”

Bouwmeester's departure suddenly leaves the Blues much thinner on defense, where they are still without Joel Edmundson, who missed his 10th straight game Saturday with a fractured forearm. He wasn't expected to be re-evaluated for another three weeks, but skated with the team for the first time Monday and could be back sooner than expected. In the meantime, Armstrong says that rookie Vince Dunn will get an increased role and Jordan Schmaltz will get more of an opportunity.

But what about the future of the defense and particularly the future of Bouwmeester without the buyout option?

CAROLINA HURRICANES


When the Blues made the trade with Calgary in 2013, sending defenseman Mark Cundari, goalie Reto Berra and a first-round pick to the Flames, Bouwmeester was just 30 years old and had a year remaining on his current contract. His five-year extension essentially kept him in the fold for six seasons, and with the Blues looking for a left-shot partner for Alex Pietrangelo, securing Bouwmeester's future seemed logical.

But over time, that $5.4 million AAV (annual average value) has looked increasingly less appealing, as Bouwmeester's relative Corsi-for percentage and expected goals for percentage have dropped

significantly. You'll see below that in his four years with the Blues, his expected goals for percentage — the number of even strength goals he

would project to be on the ice for out of 100 scored by the Blues and their opponents — has gone from 51.58 to 46.73.

Bouwmeester's slipping production has led to fans calling for the Blues to trade him or buy him out, and that was before this season. It's only

escalated this year, with some saying the team's chemistry hasn't been the same since Bouwmeester was inserted back into the lineup after

missing the first 21 games of the season. But the fact is the Blues were 15-5-1 without Bouwmeester, they went 6-3-1 in the 10 games he played before the hip injury, and then 2-7 without him. Overall, the Blues are 18-12-1 without Bouwmeester this season and 17-14-4 with him.

Others fans suggest that Pietrangelo's Norris Trophy-worthy start was stunted when Bouwmeester returned and was paired with Pietrangelo, and that might have some merit. In the 240:52 of ice time Pietrangelo has played with Bouwmeester this season, Pietrangelo's Corsi for percentage is 45.95; in 390:19 without Bouwmeester, Pietrangelo's Corsi-for percentage jumps to 55.99.

There were rumors around the time of the NHL trade deadline on Feb. 26 that the Blues may be interested in dealing Bouwmeester. But beside the fact that he possessed a full no-trade clause, his existing injury would have prevented him from passing a physical to make the move possible.

So now, aside from an unlikely mutual agreement between the sides to terminate the final year of Bouwmeester's contract, the defenseman who once played in 737 consecutive games and is the youngest of nine active

players with 1,100 NHL games (1,106) will be back with the Blues next season.

Bouwmeester said Monday that 10 years ago, as a 24-year-old with the Florida Panthers, he had his right hip operated on in the offseason and

was back in four months. A decade a later, he's hoping for the same results.

“Hopefully with this case everything goes good and back for camp,” Bouwmeester said. “Personally going forward, I want to be here. I like it

here. It's been great for my family. We've had good teams and I see that continuing moving forward.”


1102223 Websites

The Athletic / Wild practice notes: Luke Kunin out for season;

Niederreiter not yet 100 percent

By Jessi Pierce 11 hours ago

Wild rookie Luke Kunin, who was just recently recalled from Minnesota's AHL affiliate in Iowa last Tuesday, will miss the remainder of the season with an ACL tear in his left knee.

During Sunday night's 4-1 win against the Detroit Red Wings, Kunin took a hit from Red Wings defenseman Danny DeKeyser early in the third period. He went down the tunnel and was forced to call it a night.

“(He) got hit, came off and didn’t feel right,” Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said following practice on Monday.

Kunin will undergo surgery once the swelling in his knee goes down and a return is set for sometime in the next 6-8 months.

It's a tough blow to the Wild, and obviously Kunin, who General Manager Chuck Fletcher hoped would provide the spark needed for a lengthy playoff push. In his recent recall, which included two games, Kunin had

14 and 12 shifts, respectively. He suited up with the Wild in 17 games earlier this season, notching two goals and two assists in his time with

the big club.

KUNIN WILL UNDERGO SURGERY ONCE THE SWELLING GOES

DOWN IN A FEW WEEKS. SIDELINED 6-8 MONTHS. OPENS EVENTUAL DOOR FOR KYLE RAU, LANDON FERRARO, ZACK

MITCHELL, SAM ANAS, ETC.

WILD HAVE 12 HEALTHY FORWARDS ON ROSTER.

TOUGH BLOW FOR KUNIN AND THE WILD. JUST A WEIRD PLAY IN CORNER HTTPS://T.CO/ENRHXD6HBB

— MICHAEL RUSSO (@RUSSOHOCKEY) MARCH 5, 2018

Following Kunin's call-up Feb. 27 Boudreau said, “He brings energy. He's a leader by nature. He's not a goal scorer. But when was up here the previous times he was very responsible, plays very hard and gives us a lot of energy. That youthful exuberance that we need sometimes.”

Minnesota now rosters 12 healthy forwards and as Michael Russo noted earlier this week, with the post-trade recalls of Kunin and Seeler, the Wild only have two non-emergency call-ups for the rest of 2017-18.

Iowa Wild players like Sam Anas, Kyle Rau and Zack Mitchell have all been vying for an opportunity to move up, and eyes are locked on Boston University big-man Jordan Greenway, should he decide to join the NHL ranks after this college season.

More updates and reaction coming tomorrow following morning skate.

Nino Niederreiter has been transparent with the struggles he’s had coming back from injury this season. The 25-year-old forward has missed

19 games with lower-body issues, beginning in October when it was six games with an ankle injury. He missed another five from Dec. 23-Jan. 2 and an additional eight with a bone bruise to the same ankle from Jan. 9-Jan. 30. Niederreiter has remained in the lineup since his recent return but it’s apparent to fans, and himself, that things still aren’t at 100 percent.

“(It’s the) same leg over and over again,” Niederreiter said, shaking his head. “I talked to the docs and they said it’s just going to be like that (hurting once in awhile) until the season ends, and at the end of the day it

is how it is.”

Sporadic play and questionable penalties have overshadowed

Niederreiter’s game as of late, with glimmers of the former 25-goal scorer becoming more frequent. In the 16 games he’s been back, he has two

goals and three assists. He reached two NHL career milestones on Sunday, earning his 100th career assist and 200th career point, numbers

he plans to only continue to add to.

But in addition to a noticeable shift in his game is the noticeable grind

he’s putting in to not re-injure himself again.

“It’s a process,” he said. “(There are) certain movements where you’re still not feeling comfortable. I think the biggest thing is the battle and being in the corner and the physical part. That and I think trusting how strong you are in the battle and that kind of stuff.

“At the end of the day (I’m) getting better and better and that’s all I can hope for.”

CAROLINA HURRICANES


Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said he also sees Niederreiter improving from game to game, crediting sticking with the same group of Joel Eriksson Ek and Luke Kunin on the third line in the past couple outings — though that will now have to change with Kunin's injury.

“He wasn’t slow out of the gate with his first step (in Sunday’s game),” said Boudreau. “I think sometimes skating and non-skating all the time like we’ve been doing here is not as good for him because big guys need that.”

One thing is for certain, once Niederreiter is at full strength, the Wild will be better off.

“I think we have yet to see the best out of him this year,” Boudreau said.

Additional notes

Nick Seeler also opted out of practice on Monday. Following his momentum-changing fight in Sunday’s win, Seeler said he was a bit sore but no injury or concussion concerns. Ultimately he was happy to play his part. “I try to earn the guys' respect in the locker room. (Fighting) is just a

part of my game. I pride myself on being tough in the corners and in front of the net and chipping in in the physicality part when I can whenever that

presents itself.”

Matt Cullen and Eric Staal were in charge of daddy daycare with their sons home from school thanks to the preemptive snow day. “When my wife found out school was cancelled, (she) shoveled them off with me and I was OK with that. They love being around the rink and hanging out here,” Staal said. “It’s fun being able to share some of those times with them.”


1102224 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Boeser injury overshadows Canucks-Islanders rookie showdown

Iain MacIntyre March 6, 2018, 2:01 AM

VANCOUVER – A night with some glorious rookie moments ended with

Vancouver Canucks Calder Trophy candidate Brock Boeser taken to hospital by ambulance after a frightening collision late in the third period.

Playing at home for the first time against rookie of the year favourite Mathew Barzal of the New York Islanders, Boeser appeared to strike his

hip or tailbone against the open frame of the bench door when propelled backwards by Cal Clutterbuck as the Canucks star tried to land a check.

Boeser immediately clutched his back and lay on the ice for a couple of minutes before being helped off with 27.1 seconds remaining in

regulation time. Security later closed the hallway outside the Canucks’ dressing room at Rogers Arena so the 21-year-old could be taken away by ambulance.

Canucks coach Travis Green said Boeser went to hospital for "precautionary" reasons and that the team’s medical staff hope the winger suffered only a bruise.

Boeser’s chase of the Calder Trophy — he leads all rookies with 29 goals and is the Canucks’ best freshman since Pavel Bure was named rookie of the year in 1992 – is one of the last surviving positive storylines for a National Hockey League team that is hopelessly out of the playoff race

for the third straight season.

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Monday’s game was anticipated as a showcase for Boeser and Barzal, the 20-year-old forward from nearby Coquitlam, B.C., who leads Boeser by 12 points in rookie scoring. Make that 14 because Barzal had two assists in the Canucks’ 4-3 overtime win.

By the end, the heroic rookie was new Canucks acquisition Brendan Leipsic, who had a dreadful first half of the game but scored the first and last Vancouver goals, winning it at 2:47 of overtime when Islander Anthony Beauvillier fell with the puck and Leipsic beat goalie Jaroslav

Halak to it.

But what joy there was in the Canucks dressing room after a win that

followed two straight overtime losses was muted by concern about Boeser.

"Obviously, it’s not a good thing to see when you see Brock go down," Vancouver winger Jake Virtanen said. "But he’s a tough character, a

tough warrior. I think he’ll be fine. I know I was changing and I was just closing the gate because I just got off and someone came and hit him,

and I think he might have hit his back on the gate. I’m not really sure."

Forward Darren Archibald said: "Everybody in the room is thinking about him here. Hopefully he’s alright. We just hope for the best."

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It is indicative of the transition underway in Vancouver that the Canuck scorers were Leipsic, Archibald and Virtanen.

Leipsic was acquired last week from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for minor-league defenceman Philip Holm and now has five points in three games for the Canucks. Archibald, who signed an NHL

contract with the Canucks to facilitate a promotion from the American Hockey League a month ago, scored on a second-period penalty shot

and has filled the void in the lineup left by the November retirement of gritty winger Derek Dorsett. Virtanen, a healthy scratch several times

earlier in the season, is playing the best hockey in his three years as a pro and gave the Canucks a 3-2 lead on an accidental shot on a 2-on-1

at 10:31 of the third period.

After taking a nice pass from Leipsic, who beat New York defenceman Brandon Davidson to create the outnumbered rush, Virtanen heeled his shot between Halak’s skates.

"I was going high glove but apparently it worked," Virtanen smiled. "Usually I try to shoot as hard as I can where I want it, but I was just trying to pick my spot and make it accurate. But it ended up going five-hole. When I got to the bench, I was laughing about it to myself."

After Jordan Eberle tied it for the Islanders with 1:04 remaining, Leipsic capped his mercurial night by lifting the puck from Beauvillier, rounding

Halak and scoring into an open net.

Leipsic took three minor penalties in the game, including the one that

preceded Eberle’s tying goal, and also gave away the puck on Josh Bailey’s goal that made it 1-0 in a first period dominated by the Islanders,

who outshot the Canucks 15-6 in the frame.

"I was just praying that I didn’t shank it wide or something because I

wouldn’t be sleeping for a couple of nights," Leipsic said of his winner. "It’s one of those where the goalie has to make a split-second decision

and it’s lucky it went my way.

"I put a lot of pressure on myself to be a good teammate and do the right things, but for whatever reason I wasn’t sharp from the get-go. As the game went on we kind of changed up the lines and got our skating legs going. It was kind of a tale of two games, but it was nice to contribute when it mattered."

The Canucks are scheduled to hold an off-ice workout on Tuesday, when they are expected to provide an update on Boeser.

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1102225 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Leafs' Babcock on goalie interference: 'we better get it

solved'

Chris Johnston | March 5, 2018, 10:27 PM

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Mike Babcock is calling on the NHL to clear up the uncertainty around goaltender interference reviews before it costs someone a playoff game.

The Toronto Maple Leafs coach was perplexed Monday after seeing Johan Larsson score moments after knocking his goalie Frederik Andersen to the ice.

Referees Marc Joanette and Kendrick Nicholson looked at replays when Toronto challenged, but decided not to overturn the original call. Babcock believes their explanation contradicted language in a memo distributed by the league coming out of the all-star break.

“Well what I don’t like is what the report that came out from the league is different than what [the referees] told me,” said Babcock. “They told me

he was interfered with outside the paint, which is not true. That tonight is goalie interference any way you look at it. That tonight, the goal is off,

and the coaches in the league? No one knows what’s going on.

“So we better get it solved. Just saying, just a statement them saying ‘OK

we’re going to leave it the way it is’ – no chance. Let’s get it fixed.

“Let’s get it fixed before the playoffs so we all know the rules.”

Only an unusual measure would see that happen.

Even though the review process is due to be put under serious scrutiny two weeks from now at the GMs Meeting in Boca Raton, Fla., there are very few examples of the NHL enacting a rule change in-season.

The league has already attempted to calm the choppy waters around Rule 78.7 once this season – with senior vice-president and director of hockey operations Colin Campbell conducting an impromptu meeting in Tampa during all-star weekend and commissioner Gary Bettman urging

referees to loosen their standard when making judgment calls using video review.

“Overall, the system works, but I think we’ve gotten to the point where everybody’s overthinking the review,” Bettman told reporters on Jan. 27.

“The intention, particularly on goaltender interference, is: ‘Did you miss something?’ ‘Was there a glaring error?’ Not, ‘Can you search for

something that might overturn the call?’ And I think the consensus of the meeting [was] … take a quick look, but don’t search it to death.

“The presumption should be the call on the ice was good unless you have a good reason to overturn it, and you shouldn’t have to search for a good reason.”

The Leafs have seen two Auston Matthews goals overturned on goaltender interference reviews this season, including one in a Jan. 22 game against Colorado that the NHL later told team officials should have counted.

On Monday night at KeyBank Center, it went the other way on them.

Larsson glided into the area at the top of the Toronto crease and appeared to hit Andersen’s left skate, knocking the Leafs goalie off-

balance. He could only wave helplessly at the puck as it was shot by him.

“The rebound comes out and I’m pushing towards it, his foot is right there

in the crease and causes me to kind of fall backwards and almost blow

out my knee,” said Andersen, explaining how he saw the sequence unfold. “Yeah, I mean obviously that wasn’t the way I was going to reach back with my stick if I had my balance. It’s my point of view, but obviously they had a different one.”

He spoke matter-of-factly. The stakes were low on the call. Larsson’s goal gave the Buffalo Sabres a 5-2 lead with half a period to play in a game they won 5-3.

Sure, it sent the Leafs home with an 0-2-2 record from a frustrating road trip, but they aren’t in much of a fight standings-wise. They already know with reasonable certainty that they’ll face the Boston Bruins in Round 1

and, barring something unusual, they’ll likely open that series at TD Garden.

With a little more than a month to play in the regular season, Toronto is thinking big-picture.

Babcock knows that traffic around the net will only increase as the stakes go up and it’s important for him to get a read on how much contact with

goaltenders, if any, is going to be allowed. That’s a line he’ll want to illustrate to his players and one he’ll need to understand for potential

challenges in the biggest games of the year.

There certainly hasn’t been much consistency, league-wide, throughout the season. The Leafs are 68 games in and still trying to figure out how goaltender interference is being applied.

“I think, if anything, it’s more unclear,” said Andersen. “Hopefully it’s something that can be fixed in the next few weeks. The sooner the better.”


1102226 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / No more moral victories as Flames continue free fall

Eric Francis | March 6, 2018, 1:21 AM

Optimists will suggest the Calgary Flames finally stopped the bleeding on a season that appears perilously close to being lost.

Realists will point out it’s still not good enough.

A gutsy 4-3 overtime loss to the two-time defending champion Penguins

Monday in Pittsburgh might have been cause to celebrate earlier in the season.

However, with 15 games left in a tight playoff race the Flames have fallen behind in with four-straight losses, the squandered point was a

devastating blow. Especially considering how well the Flames played after spotting the Penguins a 2-0 lead in the first three minutes.

Not surprisingly, the early deficit had plenty to do with the team’s subpar goaltending of late, as an ill-advised attempt to clear the zone by emergency call-up Jon Gillies was easily knocked down by Evgeni Malkin and deposited into an open net.

Given how bad things have been going ever since team MVP Mike Smith went down with a lingering lower-body injury three weeks back, few could have expected the team to show a resilience that had the game knotted at two before the first period was over.

However, it seems whenever the Flames appear poised to zig, they zag.

Following winning streaks that have the Flames masquerading as a top-

10 team, they generally degenerate into a shell of their former self.

CAROLINA HURRICANES


And that is where they sit now, losers of eight of the 11 games played since Smith fell awkwardly, writhing in pain in the final second of a road win in Brooklyn Feb. 11.

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Rookie David Rittich, whose record was a stellar 5-0-2 with a 1.92 GAA and .938 save percentage as Smith’s backup this year, is since 1-4-1 with a 4.41 GAA and .864 save percentage.

Gillies has been better at 2-2-1 with a 2.79 GAA.

Yet, he has lost three in a row.

As he has been prone to do in almost every one of his five NHL starts, there was Gillies in the latter stages of a 3-3 road battle at PPG Paints Arena, struggling with what should be a routine save. He somehow bobbled a 170-foot shot from Olli Maatta, which squeezed through his

pads after an awkward bounce in front of him. The puck was slowly heading across the goal line before he reached his paddle back and, with

the help of Mark Giordano, cleared it off the line.

The players can be forgiven for having lost confidence in the very position that once made them one of the league’s most dangerous road clubs this year.

As Miikka Kiprusoff did for a handful of seasons in Calgary, Smith’s early season performance clearly masked many of the ailments on a team still a year or two away from being consistent enough to scare anyone.

By then, the 35-year-old Smith will be gone, likely leaving the squad to the likes of, well, Rittich and Gillies.

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stream this + over 300 regular season NHL games with Sportsnet NOW.

To heap the Flames’ recent woes on the two understudies – who have a combined 19 NHL starts – is entirely unfair as the team seems to find new ways to lose of late.

Last week they felt solid efforts against Dallas and the Rangers were ruined by Herculean efforts by Ben Bishop and Henrik Lundqvist.

Penguins starter Tristan Jarry was rock solid throughout the Flames’ late

push Monday, stopping 32 shots in yet another outing in which the Calgary offence has been stymied.

In their current four-game losing streak the Flames are 0-for-16 on the power play and have been outscored 14-7.

No wonder GM Brad Treliving wasn’t feeling particularly inspired to sink more resources into a team that has done little to show of late it is

capable of running with the big boys with regularity.

Johnny Gaudreau snapped a four-game scoring slump Monday with an

assist, but appeared snakebitten the rest of the night, including an overtime breakaway he misfired on moments before Justin’s Schultz’s game-winner.

Frustration has been mounting, as witnessed by Glen Gulutzan’s bench minors in consecutive games last week, leading to a controversial embellishment call against Gaudreau that so enraged the Lady Byng winner he then earned a 10-minute misconduct.

Of all the questions circulating around the team, the biggest is when Saviour Smith will be healthy enough to return to a playoff race that has the Flames three points behind wild-card resident Los Angeles, with two

other teams between them.

If the Flames know, they aren’t saying.

Fact is, what is believed to be a hip ailment for Smith had kept him off skates for over a week before a recent return to the ice recently had team

brass glowing with optimism. Things were "improving," but a return was "not imminent."

Optimism is in short order around Calgary these days where people are starting to come to grips with the notion that a season full of tremendous individual achievements may soon end without a playoff reward.

Gaudreau has elevated to superstar status, Micheal Ferland is a 20-goal scorer, Matthew Tkachuk is one of the league’s most impactful youngsters, Smith was an all-star and Sean Monahan is poised to score 30 once again.

However, the team’s bottom six forwards were amongst the league’s

most impotent, the vaunted blue line has been average at best and goaltending depth is now an issue.

Adding to the Flames’ uphill battle is the fact they trail most teams they are battling with in the ROW column, meaning they can’t tie them at

season’s end.

Their free fall in the standings may be aided by safety nets, of sorts, in

Buffalo Wednesday and Ottawa Friday.

Anything less than two wins would be devastating, as there are no more moral victories out there for this bunch.


1102227 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Oilers' Larsson ready to return in wake of father's death

Mark Spector March 6, 2018, 12:16 AM

Adam Larsson is back now after two trips home to Sweden, the first to mourn and the second to bury his father Robert, who died on a visit to Edmonton to watch his son play hockey.

“Even ‘til the last day, we talked hockey,” Adam said Monday. “Every single day.”

Larsson’s parents stay up ‘til all hours back home to watch every game he plays live on TV. Robert was a defenceman for Skelleftea, eventually drafted by the Los Angeles Kings. Adam played for the hometown side

as well, but has surpassed Robert’s level of play over here, en route to a long NHL career.

“(We were) very similar, in a lot of ways,” Adam said. “He was calm. He had some self-(discipline) that carries over to me. He was a funny guy.

He will bring some good memories, positive memories for me and for my family.”

It’s been a long Edmonton winter, with a failing hockey team, the axe hanging low over the front office, and lately a couple of local tools who

found their 15 minutes of fame by videoing themselves chirping Connor McDavid on the way out of a restaurant.

But those who have unexpectedly lost parents at an early age, as Larsson did when his father passed at just 50 years old, would know how far off kilter Larsson’s world has been these past few weeks.

“Let’s face it,” began his coach, Todd McLellan. “When you’re our age (McLellan is 50, Larsson is 25), you’ve dealt with family issues. It could be many – deaths, financial … Things that don’t go right in your world. It could be with your children, your parents.

“That’s called life. Life isn’t fair. Life is tough.”

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At a time like this, these NHL players aren’t any different from us. When a father comes over from Sweden to watch his boy play, and has barely been in town for a day when the son is pulled off the practice ice to deal with an emergency phone call.

When they hold a vigil at their father’s bedside for most of a week, hoping for a miracle, the lights and beeps and numbers flashing on a bunch of hospital equipment we don’t understand. When the doctors call the whole family to the quiet room, and you all know why you’re walking down that

hallway.

The only difference is, a dentist or sports writer doesn’t have to go back

to work in front of 18,000 critics, as Larsson will when he returns Thursday against the New York Islanders.

“No, but (a dentist) probably doesn’t have 30 people around you every day helping me out,” Larsson reasoned. “That’s the positive side for my

job, that we’re very fortunate to have.”

Larsson says he finds it cathartic to finally be back in Edmonton, with the

funeral behind him. It’s been a long haul. You can’t blame him for wanting to find some normalcy again.

“A funeral brings backs a lot of emotions and memories,” he said. “That was two tough days I had at home, and hockey will be good for me down the stretch.”

“To have his father come over here and not even see him before he basically passes, that’s a tough, tough thing for anybody to go through,” McLellan said. “And it doesn’t end there. It’s ongoing when you (die) in another country. You’ve got to get back to your original home and there are a lot hoops to jump through. A lot of extra, extra work that happened

in Adam’s world. We respect the fact that he’s been emotionally drained for a month now.”

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Today, Taylor Hall will hold a conference call with reporters across the National Hockey League. Larsson, through no fault of his own, will be

referenced as the defensive defenceman who went the other way for a player who will appear on many Hart Trophy ballots this spring.

Larsson’s season, like almost every one of his teammates, has been muted. His partner from last season, Oscar Klefbom, has been a disaster from start to finish, though he scored the overtime winner in a 4-3 win over Arizona last night, Klefbom’s first goal in 33 games.

Klefbom’s erratic play has left Larsson struggling to do more than he is capable of. He is still a plus player — truly a feat on this Oilers club — but as Hall stretches his personal points streak to 25 games, the deal struck by Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli appears more and more

ridiculous.

None of that stuff matter to Larsson this week, however.

He’s back, playing hockey, and beginning life without his father.

It stinks. No mater what you do for a living.


1102228 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Flames Thoughts: Brouwer jumps to Calgary's top line

Derek Wills | March 6, 2018, 12:08 AM

After falling behind by scores of 2-0 and 3-2, the Calgary Flames fought back to pick up an important point in a 4-3 overtime loss to the two-time defending Stanley Cup-champion Penguins at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on Monday.

BITTERSWEET SETBACK

In my opinion, Calgary outplayed Pittsburgh on Monday, but as good teams, or in their case, great teams tend to do, the Penguins found a way to win. After playing poorly in last Wednesday’s 5-2 loss to the Avalanche and good offensively but bad defensively in last Friday’s 3-1 loss to the Rangers, the Flames, at least most of them, played a really good game

on Monday. Calgary outshot Pittsburgh 38-32 and out-chanced them 18-15.

The bad news is the Flames didn’t pick up two points. The good news is they picked up one, so at least they didn’t leave the Steel City completely

empty-handed. I suspect if the Flames play as well versus the Sabres on Wednesday and the Senators on Friday as they did against the Penguins

on Monday, they’ll probably head home with five of a possible six points.

BROUWER’S BEST?

During his two seasons in Calgary, Troy Brouwer has been a whipping boy for a lot of Flames fans, who want more from the veteran winger who signed a four-year, $18-million contract with the team in the summer of 2016. After scoring 17 or more goals in seven straight seasons before arriving in Calgary, Brouwer tallied 13 last season, and prior to Monday’s game, had scored just four goals this season.

Defensively, Brouwer is still an effective player and an excellent penalty killer. Offensively, the 32-year-old is starting to come around. After recording only nine points (two goals, seven assists) in his first 39 games, Brouwer has produced 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in

his last 22 games, including a goal and an assist in Monday’s OT loss.

With Micheal Ferland struggling in his return to the lineup, Glen Gulutzan

decided to swap him and Brouwer in the third period, moving Ferland to the fourth line with Matt Stajan and Curtis Lazar and Brouwer to the first

line with Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau. While I don’t expect Brouwer to stay with Monahan and Gaudreau long-term, I wouldn’t be

surprised, if after what was arguably his best game as a Flame, he’s there to start Wednesday’s contest versus the Sabres.

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FIGHTIN’ IT

Gaudreau and Monahan have both had fantastic seasons. Gaudreau has already established a new career-high for assists with 54 and is only four points away from equalling his career-high of 78. Monahan is just two

goals and five points away from matching his career-bests of 31 goals and 63 points. With that said, the Flames top two offensive players are

really fighting it right now. Gaudreau snapped a season-long four-game pointless streak with one assist in Monday’s loss, while Monahan was

held off of the scoresheet for a fourth consecutive contest.

For whatever reason, the Flames’ dynamic duo looks a little out of sync

right now, as evidenced by the 2-on-0 they had in overtime that didn’t even result in a shot on goal. That’s the bad news. The good news?

Gaudreau and Monahan are too good to continue to struggle much longer. I suspect they’ll be a lot better – and a lot more productive – in Buffalo on Wednesday. Feel free to call me out if I’m wrong, but I’m betting on a big breakout for Gaudreau and Monahan versus the Sabres.

PROBLEMS BETWEEN THE PIPES

Before he was injured stopping a John Tavares shot with 1.1 seconds left in a 3-2 victory over the Islanders in Brooklyn on Feb. 11, you could make a pretty strong case that Mike Smith was the Flames’ most valuable player. Eleven games later, the case is closed. With all due respect to Gaudreau, who has been one of the NHL’s best offensive

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players this season, Smith would get my vote. Why? While I think Gaudreau is just as, if not more irreplaceable than Smith, it’s almost impossible to win without at least average goaltending, and the Flames have gone from having above-average goaltending with Smith as their No. 1 and David Rittich as their No. 2 to below-average goaltending with the rookie tandem of Rittich and Jon Gillies.

While the young goaltenders have played well at times, the Flames, who have struggled to play consistently in front of their goaltenders at times this season, are going to need more consistent play at the game’s most important position in order to punch their ticket to the post-season. With

the way Gillies struggled Monday, I expect Rittich to get the start in Wednesday’s game against the Sabres. Assuming he doesn’t suffer a

setback, Smith is probably one or two weeks away from returning. In the meantime, if the Flames play to their potential in front of Gillies and

Rittich, they probably won’t need their goaltenders to win a lot of games for them, but they can’t lose them, either.

ONE DOWN, THREE TO GO

Before the Flames departed Calgary, I said they needed to pick up a

minimum of four points on their three-game road trip to Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Ottawa. By picking up an important point in Monday’s overtime loss to the Penguins, the Flames now need three of four in Wednesday’s game against the Sabres and Friday’s contest versus the Senators, two teams well outside the playoff picture.

While four points was my minimum requirement, I’d like their chances a lot more if they returned home with five, because that would mean that they’d have the confidence and momentum that would come with two-game winning and three-game point streaks going into another winnable game against the Islanders at home on Sunday.


1102229 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Calder favourite Barzal set for triumphant Vancouver homecoming

Iain MacIntyre | March 5, 2018, 5:58 PM

VANCOUVER – The first time Mathew Barzal competed on the ice at Rogers Arena, he was 13 years old and his Burnaby Winter Club bantam

team had won a contest to participate in the Vancouver Canucks’ annual skills competition.

Naturally, Barzal was selected for the fastest skater event. He remembers he completed a lap in about 14.5 seconds, which would have

been within a second of Canuck Mason Raymond’s winning time in 2011 of 13.63 seconds.

His dad, Mike Barzal, just remembers how determined his son was.

"For sure, all the kids were nervous," Mike said Monday, which was like a holiday for the Barzals. "But once you got to the line and they said go, you’d just go. His skating has always been good since he was young.

"Mathew has always been driven. Whether he’s playing a crib game or a basketball game, he wants to win."

But even for a guy who has always been able to fly, the speed with which Mat Barzal, 20, is ascending the National Hockey League is both

breathtaking and surprising.

On Point

As Barzal comes to town, MacIntyre lists the Canucks with something to prove

Originally aired March 05 2018

Audio Player

He leads the New York Islanders and NHL rookies in scoring with 67 points in 66 games. And that is significant because Islanders captain John Tavares is a superstar and the rookie trying to catch him is Canucks standout Brock Boeser.

There was about double the normal game-day media at the morning skates to cover the "showdown" Monday night between Barzal and Boeser, who just turned 21 and leads all rookies with 29 goals but is 12 points behind the Islander in the scoring race for NHL freshmen.

No matter how much people hype the Calder Trophy race, the rookie of the year award is Barzal’s to lose. Unless Boeser can close within four or

five points of Barzal over the final month of the regular season, the Canuck’s advantage in goals (29 to 18) won’t matter.

Yet even Islanders coach Doug Weight told reporters on Monday that he is more surprised by what Barzal is doing than what Boeser has

accomplished.

"I had a lot of interest in Brock the last couple of years," Weight said, explaining he tracked Boeser as part of his assistant coach duties. "I felt like he could translate… quickly with that shot and the way he saw the ice.

"With Mathew, I think he went back last year (to junior) and we had some questions. He’s so good, he’s such a great skater with so much ability to handle the puck and create space that you worried about if that league was good enough for him. (But) he played a better game for his team.

"I think when you’re talking about Mathew and Brock, any young player when they’re able to come in at their age and make that immediate impact and become an impact player on their team, you don’t see that all

the time at that age and that’s obviously why we are having this discussion. These two guys are pretty special players."

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The Islanders returned Barzal to junior hockey’s Seattle Thunderbirds last season after only two NHL games. While Boeser was struggling

through a wrist injury at the University of North Dakota, Barzal lit up the Western Hockey League with 79 points in 41 games.

The players first met one another at the NHL draft combine in 2015. Barzal was selected 16th by the Islanders that June, seven picks before the Canucks grabbed Boeser.

Barzal’s goal this season was merely to make the Islanders’ roster, then their lineup. He never expected this.

"I was upset," he said of his failed first attempt with the Islanders. It was my first opportunity in the NHL and I didn’t grasp it as well as I probably wanted to. But I wasn’t going to let that stop me from being a better

player and getting better. There wasn’t really a day where I thought I was better than the league.

"I don’t know if I came (into this season) thinking about points or anything. Honestly, my first goal was just to get on the team."

Barzal is averaging 17:33 of ice time. He has posted three five-point games — the first rookie to do that in 100 years.

Asked if he’s tracking the rookie scoring race, Boeser said: "I try not to focus on that. But when he’s putting up big points every other game, it’s hard not to notice."

What impresses Boeser about Barzal?

"Everything really," the Canuck said. "Just how good a skater he is, how

skilled he is, how good he sees the ice. He’s a 200-foot guy, too. He has all the assets to be a tremendous player."

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Regardless of the Calder and playoff races, tonight represents a triumph for Barzal, who grew up in the Vancouver suburb of Coquitlam. His appearance in the Canucks’ skills competition seven years ago came a few months before Vancouver’s march to the Stanley Cup final, where it lost in seven games to the Boston Bruins.

Barzal said he painted his face Canucks colours and flew the team flag for Game 7.

"It’s funny," he said. "I live with (teammate) Dennis Seidenberg now. He was in that game but he was with the Bruins."

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one subscription.

Barzal made it home to Coquitlam for dinner Sunday night. There’s still a

Sidney Crosby poster in his bedroom.

"It’s just cool for myself having so much family and friends at the game

and having so many people… I knew growing up… people I played with or went to school with messaging me and saying they’re coming to the

game," Barzal said. "I’m going to try to keep my eyes off the crowd; I don’t want to make eye contact with anyone I know."

That may be difficult. His cheering section will include over 100 relatives and friends there to watch the guy rocketing towards the top of the NHL.


1102230 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / NHL deputy commissioner reinforces importance of

outdoor games

Andrew Bottomley March 5, 2018, 8:16 PM

Regardless of whether or not you like them, the outdoor games popping up each year are good for both the NHL and its players.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly appeared on Prime Time Sports Monday to discuss the polarizing outdoor games that have been

occurring more frequently each year, the most recent of which was Saturday night’s Stadium Series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and

Washington Capitals.

“By in large, almost universally, [the players are] supportive,” said Daly.

“They really enjoy the experience of playing in that kind of environment in that kind of atmosphere in front of those fans. It energizes their game and

it can create a nice diversion from one of your normal, run-of-the-mill NHL games in an arena.

“They’re also very valued to our sponsors, which I think is important at the end of the day — both for the league and for the players.”

Despite the benefit of the outdoor spectacles to the league, the most prominent of the games, the Winter Classic, has been suffering in recent years. The most recent edition, between the New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres, hit the fourth-straight record low in viewership, and the event has only been going on for the last 10 years.

Notwithstanding, the declining numbers aren’t yet a problem, especially when compared to indoor, regular-season games.

“Those ratings are still higher than we typically get on national TV

broadcasts,” he said. “They continue to be an appeal for our rights holders but also our fans.“

A common criticism of the events has been the role that the environment plays on the result of the game.

The Leafs-Capitals game was almost postponed to the following day due to extremely strong gusts of wind. However, after, the league decided that the weather “was not going to be a game-determining factor”, the two teams played the game as scheduled in winds that may have seemed to be more disruptive by those in attendance than they actually were.

“The field level was a little bit below ground level … they didn’t get the full brunt of the wind that you did higher up in the stadium,” Daly said. “It was

about 10 mph less in terms of wind gusts on the stadium floor than it was up in the stands.”

As for the future of the events, they appear to be sticking around, for now.

“I think it continues to be a year-to-year evolution of what we want to do with the outdoor games,” said Daly. “They are still an incredible vehicle

for us to appeal to both our existing fans but also to draw new eyeballs.

“They continue to be an appeal for both our rights holders [and] our fans.

What I’ve come to realize when I go to these games is that each one is a little bit different … It’s a big-time event, [with] a big-time feel and I think the fans have really embraced it.”


1102231 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Max Pacioretty's injury the latest blow in trying Canadiens season

Eric Engels March 5, 2018, 4:24 PM

As if Max Pacioretty needed another dose of adversity on top of everything he’s already dealt with this season.

Without question, these past few months have been the most trying of Pacioretty’s illustrious 10-year career with the Montreal Canadiens. The player who led the team in goals in each of the last six seasons suffered

through two lengthy slumps this season — scoring only one goal in 22 games between Nov. 14 and Jan. 3 and only one in his last 15 games.

You can just imagine how that played for him as captain in a hotbed market like Montreal.

Unpleasant would be a mild way of putting it.

Pacioretty’s name being featured more than any other in the NHL rumour

mill from late October to the Feb. 26 trade deadline was downright unbearable for him. He recently admitted it took a considerable toll on

both his personal and professional life.

And if all of that wasn’t enough, a knee injury suffered last Friday now threatens to possibly turn a meaningless March game against the plummeting New York Islanders into the last one he ever plays for the only NHL team he’s ever known.

If it takes Pacioretty as long as six weeks to recover, he won’t make it back before the Canadiens put the finishing touches on this agonizing season in Toronto on April 7. And if general manager Marc Bergevin elects to trade him this off-season — we believe it’s all but certain he will — a 17-goal, 37-point season cut short by injury will be the final

impression he leaves in Montreal.

That wouldn’t be remotely representative of Pacioretty’s tenure in a

Canadiens uniform. Stacked up against five 30-goal campaigns and

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leading the team in points for seven straight seasons, this one is a total outlier.

In an ideal world, Pacioretty would go out guns blazing. He’d be making as strong of a case as he could to remain with the Canadiens or he’d be boosting his trade value even higher than what it is today. There would be more smiles along the way, more pleasant exchanges with the media, and more of a resolved feeling of having done whatever he could to make the best of a bad situation.

But being robbed of that opportunity and having a pointless, 14-shift, minus-2 performance against the Islanders be his last of this miserable

season would be enough to make you believe Pacioretty has done something unforgivable to the hockey gods.

Conspiracies aside, it will have negligible impact on his value. We’re still talking about an elite player who’s on the right side of 30 and counts for

only $4.5 million on next year’s salary cap.

But Pacioretty was hoping for a different ending.

And even if the Canadiens stand to lose a few more games than they might have if Pacioretty were available for all of their remaining 17 — an

outcome that would only increase their odds at choosing first overall in the NHL Draft this summer — this isn’t what they would’ve hoped for, either.

Add it to the list.

The Canadiens weren’t happy to shut down No. 1 defenceman Shea Weber in December, and they’re definitely not happy that he’ll have to undergo surgery to repair a torn tendon in his left foot. They’d also rather have goaltender Carey Price healthy and making his bid to prove he’ll be worth every penny of that new eight-year, $84-million contract that kicks in next fall instead of sitting on the sidelines with a concussion.

Losing promising defenceman Victor Mete to a broken finger for the remainder of the season was another blow for the Canadiens to absorb

on Monday. These final games mean virtually nothing to the team’s playoff aspirations this year, but they mean a lot to its future — with the

opportunity at hand for a 19-year-old like Mete to continue to develop in the best league in the world.

We’re sure the Canadiens were hoping the drama of this season would finally subside after the deadline, but alas that hasn’t happened.

We didn’t think it would ramp up for Pacioretty, but here we are. He didn’t need this.


1102232 Websites

TSN.CA / Leafs end trip with a thud in Buffalo

Kristen Shilton

BUFFALO – The Maple Leafs ended their week-long road trip with a thud on Monday, falling 5-3 to the Buffalo Sabres to stretch their losing streak to four games. It’s the longest span Toronto has been winless since Jan. 8-18, and they return home with two of a possible eight points. The defeat dropped Toronto to 39-22-7 on the season.

TAKEAWAYS

All plan, more action

The Leafs said all the right things following Saturday’s disappointing 5-2 loss to the Washington Capitals. In preparing for the Sabres, Toronto

emphasized the importance of a good start, of playing the “right” way and

of forwards helping out defencemen. But before the five-minute mark of the first period against Buffalo, Toronto was already trailing 2-0, first allowing a power play goal to Sam Reinhart and then a deflection goal to Jason Pominville. It was a sign of things to come for the Leafs, who would see two more bounces go against them on Buffalo’s next two scores.

Before that though, the Leafs pushed back and controlled play through the rest of the first, and Leo Komarov scored twice (once on the power play, once at even strength) to tie the game at 2-2 by early in the second period. But the Sabres kept on top of the Leafs with a good cycle game

and plenty of bodies in front of the net. Zemgus Girgensons took back the lead for Buffalo in the third with a deflection off Morgan Rielly while

battling a body in front. Then it was Rielly’s defence partner Ron Hainsey’s turn to give the Sabres a hand – he attempted to ring a

clearing pass off the end boards that hit a linesman and deflected right to Ryan O’Reilly in the slot, who one-timed it past Frederik Andersen. That

pairing had the worst night among Toronto's blueliners, finishing at minus-4 (Hainsey) and minus-3 (Rielly).

Frustration was clear for Toronto at times, not moreso than when Nazem Kadri dropped the gloves with Rasmus Ristolainen in the second frame after he felt Ristolainen took a liberty behind the Leafs' net, and then continued jawing at him from the penalty box. The only time Toronto was able to put real pressure on the Sabres was by using its speed, which Buffalo had no answer for. But the rush game isn’t generally Toronto’s forte, so the Sabres hemming them in their zone and throwing bodies and pucks towards the net ended up a recipe for success. By the second frame, the Leafs were doing a better job of matching the Sabres’ game

down low and establishing their own cycle, but Toronto didn’t capitalize on its chances the same way Buffalo did and eventually went back to the rush game down by two in the third. In the end, the Leafs won the possession battle at nearly 59 per cent, but it was the bounces – or lack thereof – that determined the final score.

Cause for concern in the crease?

Frederik Andersen has set a high bar since Nov. 1 when he began establishing himself as one of the NHL’s top goaltenders. He has carried

the Leafs all season long, and masked all manner of ills while starting more games (55) and facing more shots (1,505) than any goalie in the

league heading into Monday’s contest. After allowing five goals on 25 shots to Washington, Andersen was pulled for the first time all season,

and was anxious for a bounce-back performance against the Sabres.

That’s not what transpired though, with Andersen giving up five goals in

back-to-back games for the first time all season. Granted, Toronto’s defence has been disorganized and average over the last week, but

Andersen has also been fighting the puck more and struggling with rebound control more than he was been in the prime of his season. Still, at least three of Buffalo’s goals came off deflections and redirections in what Andersen deemed a “weird” game. He did have an unobstructed look at O’Reilly in the slot on his score, and it was a stop Andersen would normally have; in a game that wasn’t tilting in Toronto’s favour, it’s one he likely would have wanted back at that.

But the most confusing goal of the game came on Buffalo’s fifth, when Johan Larsson appeared to trip up Andersen as he battled towards a rebound in his crease before putting a puck behind him. Mike Babcock

challenged the call, but the call on the ice was confirmed and ultimately sealed the Leafs’ fate. After the game, the Leafs' head coach took issue

with the NHL’s explanation of the call and was adamant that “No one knows what’s going on so we better get it solved...let’s get it fixed. Let’s

get it fixed before the playoffs so we all know the rules.” Andersen agreed, saying he was more unclear than ever about what qualified as interference. He finished the game with 19 saves on 24 shots, for a

season-low .792 save percentage.

Fourth line hustle

For the first time since Jan. 22, Matt Martin slotted back into the Leafs’ lineup after spending the last 18 games as a healthy scratch. It was an admittedly frustrating stretch for Martin, and he spoke before the game of

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his determination to make the most of this chance and regain a permanent position in Toronto’s lineup. With Martin back in, the fourth line was as impactful as it has been in weeks. Skating alongside Tomas Plekanec and Leo Komarov, Martin had intensity from his first shift, although it took until the second period before he was playing the puck with noticeable confidence and had some jump to his skating. Mike Babcock had implored upon him to be physical and get to the net as much as possible, advice Martin heeded each time he was on the ice.

While he’s never been a speed player, Martin was creating chances in front of the crease, and in the second frame coordinated a perfect

passing play off the rush to set up Komarov’s second goal of the game. That score marked the first time Komarov had two goals in a game since

Feb. 21, 2017. Down by two goals, Babcock sent the fourth line out to start the third period after they proved through 40 minutes to be the

Leafs’ most consistent trio up front. Martin generally averages 7:55 time on ice per game but was up at 9:50 on Monday, and Babcock called the

fourth line Toronto’s best throughout the game. Plekanec looked as good as he has since arriving in Toronto as well, finding easy chemistry with

Martin and Komarov that showed at both ends of the ice. The trio’s possession numbers were lowest among Leafs’ forwards at 51 per cent, but overall they played a consistent, solid game.

Wanted: killer instincts

The Leafs' penalty kill has been the stronger of their special teams units all season, but their last two outings have been as poor as they have produced all season. Against Washington on Saturday, Toronto gave up two power play goals on two attempts, and less than two minutes into Monday’s game they allowed another on Buffalo’s first man advantage opportunity. Whether it’s a crisis of confidence or just a lull, the kill isn’t executing on any level as it sits at 3-for-7 over the Leafs' last three games. It doesn’t help that Andersen has been shakier (by his standard) over the last week than he was previously, when the goaltender was inarguably Toronto’s best penalty killer.

On Monday, the power play goal allowed set a tone for the Leafs by putting them back on their heels early and forcing them to chase the game from there on out. Babcock stressed the importance of the details

of Toronto’s game before Monday night, specifically in the context of the penalty kill, and the fact they didn’t perform to expectations yet again so

quickly was deflating. The Leafs finished 1-for-2 on the penalty kill, and 2-for-2 on the power play after Mitch Marner added an extra-man goal

late in the third period to cut Buffalo’s lead to the final 5-3 score.

Next game

The Leafs will have a four-day break from game action before facing the Pittsburgh Penguins at home on Saturday.

TSN.CA LOADED: 03.06.2018

1102233 Websites

TSN.CA / TSN Hockey's Top 10 Storylines of the Week

Scott Cullen

Looking back at the trade deadline, dissatisfaction in many Canadian

markets, Panthers, Nathan MacKinnon, Taylor Hall, Predators, Islanders and more in TSN Hockey’s Top 10 Storylines of the Week.

CONTENDERS AT THE DEADLINE

In the wake of the NHL Trade Deadline, some of the league’s top contenders bolstered their lineups for the stretch run.

A quick look at the top six teams in the standings and what they added:

McDonagh and Miller to the Lightning

While Ryan McDonagh has yet to play for Tampa Bay, since he’s still nursing an upper-body injury, J.T. Miller has three points in three games while playing a couple of minutes per game more than he was in New York. To get them, the Lightning gave up picks, prospects and roster forward Vladislav Namestnikov, so when McDonagh finally starts playing, they’ll be even better than they were before the deadline.

Hartman and Fisher to the Predators

Last season’s finalists have improved their depth, adding Ryan Hartman, a young, agitating winger from Chicago, and luring their former captain,

Mike Fisher, out of retirement. Nashville’s forward depth is pretty solid now, but may be even better before season’s end when they are

expected to bring 2017 first-round pick Eeli Tolvanen into the fold once his KHL season concludes.

Tatar to the Golden Knights

Amazingly, the expansion team in Vegas was buying at the deadline,

reportedly in on the Erik Karlsson trade talks right up until the end, but ultimately ended up bringing in skilled winger Tomas Tatar from Detroit.

Some might question the price (of three draft picks) paid, but he’s under contract for three more seasons too, so he has long-term value for the franchise.

Nash, Wingels, Gionta to the Bruins

Rick Nash was the prize of the trade rental market, and the Bruins got him, which improves their forward depth. Further down the depth chart, they added Tommy Wingels from the Blackhawks and pulled 39-year-old Brian Gionta back to the league after he played for Team USA at the Olympics. Nash has started with three points, and 23 shots on goal, in his first four games.

Stastny to the Jets

After years of earning a reputation for not making big moves, Jets GM

Kevin Cheveldayoff surprised seemingly everyone by getting Paul Stastny from St. Louis. That was a tough pill to swallow for his ex-Blues

teammates, but Stastny looks like a great fit in Winnipeg, centering Nikolaj Ehlers and Patrik Laine, and putting up four points in his first

three games with the Jets.

Plekanec to the Maple Leafs

Toronto wasn’t quite as active, but they upgraded their fourth-line centre slot by adding the 35-year-old who had been playing more than 16 minutes per game in Montreal this season. In his first three games with the Leafs, Plekanec is logging about 12 minutes per night, and the team is winless in those three games.

KARLSSON STAYS IN OTTAWA

As the deadline approached, the big story was about how Erik Karlsson may well have been on his way out of the nation’s capital.

Ultimately, Senators GM Pierre Dorion held on to his franchise player through the deadline, which will give them time to fully assess the

situation. Maybe the bridge isn’t completely burned and the Senators can come together with Karlsson on a long-term extension this summer,

though that would require them paying retail free agent prices, and they might not love that idea.

If that bridge can’t be rebuilt, then maybe Karlsson does get moved this summer, and Dorion should have more suitors leading up to the draft.

HABS CRASHING

The Montreal Canadiens also held on to their captain, Max Pacioretty, despite rumblings that the veteran goal-scorer was on the block, too.

A consistent goal-scorer, Pacioretty has run into a slump this year, scoring on only 8.0% of his shots (11.4% for his career entering this

CAROLINA HURRICANES


season), and that is typically the time when teams decide it’s time to cut ties with a goal-scorer.

That Habs put off that decision, but now it looks like there isn’t much that’s going to change for Pacioretty for the rest of this season, and he’s suffered a knee injury that will keep him out 4-6 weeks.

Just as with Karlsson, the Pacioretty situation still has some interesting chapters to be written.

NOT HAPPY IN VANCOUVER, EDMONTON. WHAT ABOUT CALGARY?

It’s not particularly surprising that the Vancouver Canucks haven’t been good this season, yet the franchise has extended GM Jim Benning, and this team that is going to miss the playoffs for the fourth time in the past

five seasons doesn’t have a surplus of draft picks that one might expect from a team that is undergoing a rebuilding process. Over the next three

drafts, in fact, the Canucks have 20 picks. The average, for those mathematically challenged, would be 21 (ie. 3 x 7), so there is some

dissatisfaction in the marketplace.

On the other hand, expectations were much higher for the Oilers coming

into the season, and they have flopped spectacularly. They’re currently one point ahead of the Canucks, so both teams are firmly in lottery position, but while Vancouver might have some time to work out their problems, the Oilers can’t waste prime Connor McDavid seasons. Well, given their history, they sure can, but that can’t be an acceptable outcome.

Just in case things weren’t looking bleak enough on the landscape for Canadian NHL teams, the Calgary Flames are teetering on the brink, currently four points behind Los Angeles for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Flames have great high-end talent, but it

appears that their depth is letting them down and with goaltender Mike Smith injured, their shortcomings have been exposed.

STADIUM SERIES

The Washington Capitals and Toronto Maple Leafs hooked up for a

relatively late-season outdoor game, playing in front of 29,000 fans at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Washington was clearly the better team on Saturday night, taking a 5-2 decision, and it seemed as though those involved enjoyed the experience, but doing stadium games for 29,000 fans seems a little less awe-inspiring (and lucrative) than filling massive football stadiums.

Personally, I don’t mind the outdoor games, but this one didn’t really sell the experience as something that needs to be part of the NHL landscape.

SURGING PANTHERS

Winners of six straight, the Florida Panthers have climbed into playoff contention, one point behind Columbus for the last wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference, but holding three games in hand.

One big reason for the hot streak is goaltender Roberto Luongo, who has a .935 save percentage in seven starts since returning from a 10-week

injury absence.

Going back to January 30, the Panthers are 13-3, with franchise centre

Aleksander Barkov putting up 21 points (10 G, 11 A) to lead the way.

Can they finish strong enough to reach the postseason? In their next 11

games, the Panthers play three teams currently in playoff position, with one of those games against the Blue Jackets team that they are

effectively chasing for that last playoff spot.

MACKINNON

The Colorado Avalanche are still knocking on the door for a playoff spot, largely because they’ve been dragged there by 22-year-old centre Nathan MacKinnon, who has emerged as a star in his fifth NHL season.

Since returning from an injury that sidelined him for two-and-a-half weeks, MacKinnon has 16 points (7 G, 9 A) in eight games, and has re-ignited his Hart Trophy candidacy.

MacKinnon has always had great speed, but now he’s just creating chances at an alarming rate. Since December 29 he has 36 points in 21 games, but in that time has generated a league-best 15.01 individual scoring chances per 60 during 5-on-5 play (per Natural Stat Trick). His 13.85 shots/60 and 23.67 shot attempts/60 both rank second.

HALL

While we’re looking at amazing individual performers dragging their

teams to the postseason, look no further than Hall, who has points in each of his last 25 games, accumulating 36 points (18 G, 18 A) and 100

shots on goal.

Hall has a 31-point lead on rookie centre Nico Hischier in the Devils’

scoring race, but while the narrative is that Hall is a much different player than he ever was in Edmonton, a lot of his numbers look rather similar,

except that he’s having more success on the power play (8.77 points/60) and scoring on career-best 13.5% of his shots.

All that said, he’s had a terrific season but, as it stands right now, I’m not inclined to include him among Hart finalists. If the scoring streak keeps going, though, who knows?

PREDATORS POWER UP

Looking like Cup contenders once again, the Nashville Predators have won eight in a row, the last four of which were on the road.

The Predators have used a balanced attack, with 10 players contributing at least five points in that eight game span, but they’ve been led by right winger Viktor Arvidsson and defenceman Roman Josi, who both have a dozen points. Defenceman Ryan Ellis has 11 points, too.

They’ve pulled ahead of the Winnipeg Jets by six points for top spot in the Central Division.

ISLANDERS SINKING

At this time of year, many of the teams that are compiling streaks are doing so in conjunction with expectations. Teams that sold off at the deadline go on losing slides because they may have a lineup littered with AHLers. Conversely, teams that are winning, like Nashville, could be powerhouse teams hitting their stride.

In the case of the Islanders, they were theoretically still trying to compete for a playoff spot, but after going winless in six, they are now five points behind Columbus for the final playoff spot in the East.

It’s not hard to see that defensive play, or lack of it, has been a massive problem for the Islanders this year.


1102234 Websites

TSN.CA / Snapshot: Predators pull back into top spot

Scott Cullen

The Nashville Predators have taken over top spot in this week’s edition of

Snapshot, ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins.

The Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils and Nashville Predators are

climbing this week while the Calgary Flames and St. Louis Blues are sliding down the list.

CAROLINA HURRICANES


(Snapshot is a continuation of the analytically-based Power Rankings that I’ve been doing on TSN for many years. They are generated using statistics and individual player grades, which allows for ranking flexibility based on player availability due to injuries, suspensions, coaching decisions etc. and are used for the model being measured, with others, here.)

NASHVILLE PREDATORS (40-14-9)

THIS WEEK: 1 LAST WEEK: 2

GF: 3.19 GA: 2.49 SA CF%: 52.3

NET PP/60: +7.44 NET PK/60: -5.51

Winners of six straight, the Predators made moves of a team with Stanley Cup expectations. Mike Fisher’s impending return will add depth down the middle, and getting Ryan Hartman from Chicago gives Nashville an agitator who can play in a variety of spots.

Key Injuries: None.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING: Hartman adds grit, and some skill, to Predators. https://t.co/aI0cIkz7uu #TradeCentre pic.twitter.com/qf4InMBUYq

— Scott Cullen (@tsnscottcullen) February 26, 2018

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (44-17-4)


GF: 3.52 GA: 2.68 SA CF%: 52.5

NET PP/60: +8.33 NET PK/60: -6.69

Five wins in the past six games for a Lightning team that made the biggest deal at the trade deadline, though they are still waiting on Ryan

McDonagh’s debut. The absence of McDonagh and leading scorer Nikita Kucherov is what keeps the Lightning from climbing to the top spot.

Key Injuries: LW Ondrej Palat (lower body), D Ryan McDonagh (upper body), RW Nikita Kucherov (upper body).

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING: Lightning swing a big deal with the Rangers to land McDonagh, Miller. https://t.co/kOYCKkarae pic.twitter.com/U2mR7mTboq


BOSTON BRUINS (39-15-8)


GF: 3.29 GA: 2.50 SA CF%: 54.2

NET PP/60: +6.55 NET PK/60: -4.89

The Bruins have lost a few games, but taking Patrice Bergeron out of the lineup to recover from a broken foot has the biggest impact on the team’s immediate value. They bolstered the lineup, with Rick Nash, Tommy Wingels and Brian Gionta coming in, and Ryan Spooner, prospects and picks going out.

Key Injuries: C Patrice Bergeron (foot).

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS (41-17-5)


GF: 3.43 GA: 2.71 SA CF%: 52.6

NET PP/60: +6.58 NET PK/60: -6.26

The Golden Knights are 7-5-1 in the past 13 games, which is fine, though off the pace they set through the first 50 games. The addition of Tomas Tatar is a stunning development – not for a team in first place, of course,

but for an expansion team adding rather than selling at the deadline.

Key Injuries: None.

STATISTISCALLY SPEAKING: Tatar a long-term play for Vegas. https://t.co/51vobn5h0U pic.twitter.com/V2OgYBOOpO


WINNIPEG JETS (37-17-9)


GF: 3.35 GA: 2.67 SA CF%: 51.9

NET PP/60: +8.74 NET PK/60: -5.58

A 5-4 record in the past nine games isn’t inspiring, but the Jets made a big splash at the trade deadline with the addition of Paul Stastny, and

when Jacob Trouba returns from injury the outlook will be even brighter.

Key Injuries: C Adam Lowry (upper body), D Jacob Trouba (ankle).

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING: Stastny a big addition for the Jets. https://t.co/aQwBpafxtB pic.twitter.com/noS7QiJZBJ


PITTSBURGH PENGUINS (36-25-4)


GF: 3.23 GA: 3.02 SA CF%: 51.9

NET PP/60: +9.39 NET PK/60: -5.90

The Penguins have lost three straight, but that comes on the heels of eight games without a regulation loss, so while it’s fair to wonder about their goaltending, as they are left with rookies Tristan Jarry and Casey DeSmith while Matt Murray is injured, but after adding Derick Brassard, the Penguins look like they are Cup contenders once again.

Key Injuries: G Matt Murray (concussion).

DALLAS STARS (36-23-5)


GF: 2.91 GA: 2.61 SA CF%: 52.0

NET PP/60: +6.00 NET PK/60: -5.70

The Stars have just two wins in the past seven games, and didn’t do a whole lot at the deadline, perhaps feeling that the recent return of D Marc

Methot will be what the team needs. Still, a little scoring support might have helped.

Key Injuries: C Martin Hanzal (back).

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (39-20-7)


GF: 3.21 GA: 2.77 SA CF%: 50.4

NET PP/60: +6.52 NET PK/60: -4.94

The Leafs have one regulation win in the past four games, but only one regulation loss in the past dozen games. That would move them up

under most circumstances, but no Auston Matthews for the time being puts a ceiling on their immediate ranking.

Key Injuries: C Auston Matthews (shoulder).

WASHINGTON CAPITALS (36-21-7)


GF: 3.05 GA: 2.97 SA CF%: 48.2

NET PP/60: +6.67 NET PK/60: -7.01

6-6-2 since the beginning of February, the Capitals didn’t take any big swings at the deadline, but made a couple of interesting (and

CAROLINA HURRICANES


inexpensive) defence acquisitions, getting Michal Kempny and Jakub Jerabek from Chicago and Montreal, respectively.

Key Injuries: None.

SAN JOSE SHARKS (35-21-9)


GF: 2.92 GA: 2.72 SA CF%: 51.4

NET PP/60: +8.10 NET PK/60: -4.34

While the Sharks don’t necessarily look like contenders, they paid a reasonable price to add Evander Kane from Buffalo and if they hang

around long enough, maybe Joe Thornton could come back to make their odds a little more interesting in the playoffs.

Key Injuries: C Joe Thornton (knee), RW Joel Ward (shoulder).

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING: Sharks get Kane at a bargain price. https://t.co/LmGRVf8YfC pic.twitter.com/encwpGQbXg


LOS ANGELES KINGS (36-24-5)


GF: 2.88 GA: 2.46 SA CF%: 49.6

NET PP/60: +6.96 NET PK/60: -4.76

Getting Jeff Carter back from injury is big, and if Dion Phaneuf can contribute positively down the stretch, the Kings might be able to make some noise.

Key Injuries: RW Trevor Lewis (concussion).

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING: Jack Campbell has a win, Minnesota's dominant top line, Josi, Pavelski, McAvoy, Kuznetsov, Bishop and more. https://t.co/mEb5wY7E9O @TSNAnalytics pic.twitter.com/qxnQfIHrhU


PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (34-20-10)


GF: 2.94 GA: 2.77 SA CF%: 49.4

NET PP/60: +5.65 NET PK/60: -8.79

Thursday’s loss to Carolina ended a 12-game stretch without a regulation

loss. Goaltender Petr Mrazek fills a need, and the Flyers are giving rookie winger Oskar Lindblom a shot to play while Wayne Simmonds is

out.

Key Injuries: G Brian Elliott (core muscles), G Michal Neuvirth (lower body), RW Wayne Simmonds (upper body).

NEW JERSEY DEVILS (33-23-8)


GF: 2.91 GA: 2.95 SA CF%: 48.7

NET PP/60: +5.91 NET PK/60: -5.09

Getting Cory Schneider back will help the Devils down the stretch, and management made bold moves to acquire wingers Michael Grabner and

Patrick Maroon to give this team a fighting chance to make the postseason. They can thank Taylor Hall, and his (unofficial) 23-game scoring streak, that they are in this position.

Key Injuries: LW Brian Gibbons (thumb), LW Marcus Johansson (concussion).

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING: Trade deadline recap. Breaking down all the day's deals, with more analysis still to come. https://t.co/J69JMZWlXE pic.twitter.com/uMnd078eDV


ANAHEIM DUCKS (31-21-12)


GF: 2.69 GA: 2.67 SA CF%: 48.5

NET PP/60: +5.81 NET PK/60: -4.77

One regulation loss in the past six games has the Ducks moving in the right direction, though adding veteran winger Jason Chimera doesn’t

move the needle a whole lot. Really, for a team that battled a bunch of injuries in the first half, the Ducks can still be challengers with a now-

healthy lineup.

Key Injuries: RW Patrick Eaves (Guillain-Barre).

MINNESOTA WILD (36-21-7)


GF: 3.06 GA: 2.81 SA CF%: 47.5

NET PP/60: +6.96 NET PK/60: -5.90

Before Thursday’s loss at Arizona, which certainly doesn’t help, the Wild had suffered one regulation loss in the previous dozen games. They’re pushing the right way and without making big deadline moves, their best addition for the stretch run may be rookie Luke Kunin, who has been

recalled from the AHL.

Key Injuries: None.

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS (32-27-5)


GF: 2.56 GA: 2.75 SA CF%: 51.6

NET PP/60: +4.32 NET PK/60: -8.64

The second half of the season has been shaky, and a 5-4-1 record in the past 10 doesn’t do a ton to inspire confidence, but the Blue Jackets added a bunch of veterans – Ian Cole, Thomas Vanek, Mark Letestu and

Nathan Gerbe (coming back from Europe) – to shore up their depth.

Key Injuries: None.

FLORIDA PANTHERS (30-25-6)


GF: 2.93 GA: 3.18 SA CF%: 49.2

NET PP/60: +6.12 NET PK/60: -6.09

Suddenly, the Panthers are forcing their way into the playoff picture, winning 11 of the past 14 games. A healthy Roberto Luongo is a difference maker and the inexpensive addition of Frank Vatrano is an interesting speculative play.

Key Injuries: RW Denis Malgin (knee).

COLORADO AVALANCHE (34-24-5)


GF: 3.08 GA: 2.979 SA CF%: 47.8

NET PP/60: +5.88 NET PK/60: -5.00

The Avs are, somewhat stunningly in the playoff hunt, thanks largely to Nathan MacKinnon, who is having a breakout season. Their only deadline move was a minor-league trade, sending Chris Bigras to the Rangers for Ryan Graves, but that’s probably the right play for a team on the rise, but also playing with some house money.

Key Injuries: RW Sven Andrighetto (leg), D Mark Barberio (lower body), D Erik Johnson (upper body).

CAROLINA HURRICANES


CALGARY FLAMES (32-24-9)


GF: 2.80 GA: 2.88 SA CF%: 52.5

NET PP/60: +5.72 NET PK/60: -6.60

4-6-1 in the past 11 games, the Flames are certainly finding life a little

more difficult without Mike Smith, and they added centre Nick Shore from Ottawa and Chris Stewart on waivers from Minnesota, but the hope

appears to be that if Kris Versteeg can return that he will provide the forward depth that the Flames are missing.

Key Injuries: LW Kris Versteeg (hip), G Mike Smith (lower body), RW Michaeal Ferland (lower body).

ST. LOUIS BLUES (35-26-4)


GF: 2.69 GA: 2.66 SA CF%: 51.4

NET PP/60: +4.32 NET PK/60: -6.19

Wednesday’s win over Detroit ended a seven-game winless slide, and that streak seemed to prompt the decision to move out Paul Stastny, which is tough for the players still on the team to handle.

Key Injuries: RW Robby Fabbri (knee), D Joel Edmundson (forearm).

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (29-28-7)


GF: 3.20 GA: 3.53 SA CF%: 47.2

NET PP/60: +5.88 NET PK/60: -8.00

The Islanders’ defensive questions are tough to overcome, and adding defenceman Brandon Davidson and forward Ryan Wagner probably isn’t going to be enough to make it look better down the stretch.

Key Injuries: D Calvin De Haan (upper body), D Scott Mayfield (lower body).

CAROLINA HURRICANES (28-25-11)


GF: 2.63 GA: 2.98 SA CF%: 54.1

NET PP/60: +6.02 NET PK/60: -7.62

Snapped a six-game winless streak with a win in Philadelphia on Thursday, but that slump may have prevented Carolina from making any

big adds at the deadline.

Key Injuries: None.

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS (27-29-8)


GF: 2.80 GA: 2.89 SA CF%: 53.8

NET PP/60: +4.85 NET PK/60: -6.00

A team that knew their season had slipped away moved out Ryan

Hartman and Michal Kempny, but that’s tweaking that will probably have to be the precursor of bigger moves in the summer.

Key Injuries: G Corey Crawford (upper body), D Jan Rutta (lower body).

DETROIT RED WINGS (23-24-9)


GF: 2.57 GA: 2.92 SA CF%: 48.7

NET PP/60: +5.57 NET PK/60: -6.63

Detroit isn’t especially good, and won’t be made better by trading Tomas Tatar, but the big miss from the deadline was the inability to move injured blueliner Mike Green, who will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer.

Key Injuries: D Mike Green (upper body).

EDMONTON OILERS (23-29-4)


GF: 2.78 GA: 3.31 SA CF%: 50.7

NET PP/60: +4.15 NET PK/60: -8.26

The Oilers have two regulation wins in the past 13 games, and they picked up Pontus Aberg in a three-way deal, but sent out Mark Letestu, Patrick Maroon and Brandon Davidson in three separate deals.

Key Injuries: C Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (upper body), D Adam Larsson (personal).

MONTREAL CANADIENS (24-29-10)


GF: 2.51 GA: 3.02 SA CF%: 50.5

NET PP/60: +6.80 NET PK/60: -6.85

The Habs have gone five games without a regulation loss, but they did

move out long-time centre Tomas Plekanec and depth blueliner Joe Morrow, bringing in defenceman Mike Reilly from Minnesota. With Carey

Price injured, Montreal’s two goaltenders – Charlie Lidngren (.933) and Antti Niemi (.926) – have been effective in their small sample of games.

Key Injuries: RW Ales Hemsky (concussion), D Shea Weber (foot), G Carey Price (concussion).

NEW YORK RANGERS (28-30-6)


GF: 2.81 GA: 3.16 SA CF%: 45.8

NET PP/60: +6.86 NET PK/60: -5.60

It’s been eight games without a regulation win for the Blueshirts and they

started to strip down the team, dealing Rick Nash, Michael Grabner, Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller, and while that is clearly a step back,

they probably came out the deadline looking pretty good for the future, adding Ryan Spooner, Vladislav Namestnikov and some picks, giving

them (to start with) three first-rounders this year.

Key Injuries: D Kevin Shattenkirk (knee).

VANCOUVER CANUCKS (24-32-8)


GF: 2.70 GA: 3.23 SA CF%: 47.3

NET PP/60: +7.05 NET PK/60: -7.40

3-8-2 in the past 13 games, the Canucks should have been primed to sell at the deadline, and they didn’t get much in return for Thomas Vanek, which may reflect more on Vanek than the Canucks. The shot they’re taking with winger Brendan Leipsic might pay off, however.

Key Injuries: RW Derek Dorsett (neck), LW Markus Granlund (ankle), D Chris Tanev (leg), LW Loui Eriksson (rib).

OTTAWA SENATORS (21-31-10)


GF: 2.68 GA: 3.44 SA CF%: 46.6

NET PP/60: +4.96 NET PK/60: -7.88

CAROLINA HURRICANES


One regulation win in the past 10 games leaves the Senators spiralling down, and while they did move out Dion Phaneuf (and then flipped Nick Shore, who they received as part of the Phaneuf deal), they didn’t panic trade Erik Karlsson or Mike Hoffman…at least not yet.

Key Injuries: LW Clarke MacArthur (concussion).

ARIZONA COYOTES (19-34-10)


GF: 2.41 GA: 3.22 SA CF%: 47.4

NET PP/60: +4.71 NET PK/60: -7.31

The Coyotes are 7-2-1 in the past 10 games, and brought in goaltender Darcy Kuemper. The wins now run the risk of the team losing the best lottery odds.

Key Injuries: None.

BUFFALO SABRES (17-30-11)


GF: 2.39 GA: 3.22 SA CF%: 46.3

NET PP/60: +4.24 NET PK/60: -5.47

The Sabres are 6-4-1 in the past 11 games, which hardly means a team should sit in the basement, but missing Jack Eichel and losing Evander

Kane at the deadline leaves them with a rather patchwork lineup.

Key Injuries: D Zach Bogosian (hip), D Jake McCabe (thumb), C Jack Eichel (ankle).

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING: NHL awards through the first three quarters of the season. https://t.co/f20jby4bX2 @TSNAnalytics pic.twitter.com/4AGOXuhihw


1102235 Websites

TSN.CA / Statistically Speaking: Laine has rare shooting talent

Scott Cullen

Laine is a rare shooter, like Stamkos; MacKinnon, Hedman, Galchenyuk, Lundqvist and more in Scott Cullen’s Statistically Speaking.

HEROES

Patrik Laine - Winnipeg's sophomore sniper scored two goals in Friday’s

4-1 win against Detroit, then buried two goals and added an assist in Sunday's 3-2 win at Carolina. He has 16 points (10 G, 6 A) during an

eight-game point streak, and is shooting 18.1% in 138 career games. Here are the active players with the highest shooting percentage (minimum 100 games and 200 shots):

Paul Byron Montreal LW 346 66 363

18.2

Patrik Laine Winnipeg RW 138 71 392 18.1

Steven Stamkos Tampa Bay C 652 348 2063 16.9

Jake Guentzel Pittsburgh LW 106 36 224 16.1

Brad Marchand Boston LW 584 217 1375 15.8

Mark Stone Ottawa RW 304 95 609 15.6

Auston Matthews Toronto C 135 68 439 15.5

Adam Henrique Anaheim C 496 137 888 15.4

Sean Monahan Calgary C 384 136 903

15.1

Mark Scheifele Winnipeg C 355 111 739 15.0

Steven Stamkos - Tampa Bay's star centre, another of the league’s elite shooters, tallied a pair of goals and added three assists before scoring the shootout-clinching goal in Saturday's 7-6 win at Philadelphia. He has 23 points (10 G, 13 A) in the past 19 games.

Nathan MacKinnon - Colorado's breakout star centre put up two goals and three assists in Friday's 7-1 rout of Minnesota. He added an assist in Sunday’s 4-3 overtime loss to Nashville, and has 37 points (16 G, 21 A) with 100 shots on goal in the past 21 games. Linemate Mikko Rantanen added a goal and three helpers Friday before scoring a goal on Sunday, giving him 40 points (13 G, 27 A) in the past 35 games.

Victor Hedman - Tampa Bay's star blueliner got in on the act at Philadelphia, too, scoring two goals and adding two assists. He has 15 points (4 G, 11 A) in the past 13 games.

Alex Galchenyuk – The Canadiens winger recorded a hat trick, plus an assist, in Friday's 6-3 win at the Islanders. He had no goals and seven assists in his previous 15 games.

Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetsov and John Carlson - The Capitals trio each produced a goal and two assists in Saturday's 5-2 Stadium Series victory against Toronto. Backstrom had just one assist in the previous seven games, Kuznetsov has 21 points (7 G, 14 A) in the past

17 games, and Carlson has 26 points (9 G, 17 A) in the past 27 games.

Henrik Lundqvist - The Rangers goaltender turned away 50 of 51 shots in Friday's 3-1 win at Calgary. He had a .880 save percentage in his previous six games.

ZEROES

Peter Holland – The Rangers centre got thumped (1 for, 18 against, 5.3 CF%, 0-13 scoring chances) in Friday’s 3-1 win at Calgary.

Chris Wagner – The new Islanders forward had a tough weekend (6 for, 32 against, 15.8 CF%, 1-13 scoring chances) and was on the ice for a

couple of goals against in two weekend games.

Luke Glendening – Detroit’s checking centre was on the wrong side of

the puck (8 for, 26 against, 23.5 CF%, 4-13 scoring chances) and was on the ice for three goals against in two games over the weekend.

Devan Dubnyk - Minnesota's netminder allowed five goals on 17 shots, and was pulled after 30:29 in Friday's 7-1 loss at Colorado. He has a .902 save percentage in his past eight games.

Jaroslav Halak – The Islanders netminder allowed five goals on 24 shots in Friday's 6-3 loss to Montreal and has a .877 save percentage in his past five starts.

Frederik Andersen - Toronto's goaltender didn't fare well outdoors, giving up five goals on 25 shots before getting pulled midway through

Saturday's 5-2 loss at Washington. He had a .929 save percentage in his previous 13 games.

Martin Jones – San Jose’s goalie was pulled after allowing three goals on 13 shots in Saturday's 4-2 loss to Columbus. He had a .939 save

percentage in his previous six starts.

CAROLINA HURRICANES


VITAL SIGNS

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Edmonton’s veteran centre returned to the Oilers lineup for the first time in seven weeks after suffering a rib injury; he was skating on Connor McDavid's wing, and scored a goal in Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Rangers.

Charlie McAvoy - Boston's rookie blueliner is now out of the lineup with a knee injury, suffered against Montreal over the weekend.

Mike Fisher – The 37-year-old centre returned to the Nashville lineup, and scored in his first game, Friday's 4-3 overtime win at Vancouver.

Jordan Eberle – An undisclosed injury knocked the Islanders winger out of the lineup, snapping a 215-game consecutive-games streak.

Max Pacioretty – The Canadiens winger suffered a knee injury against the Islanders and will miss the next 4-6 weeks.

Victor Mete – Montreal’s rookie blueliner suffered a broken finger and will miss the next six weeks.

Jay Bouwmeester - The 34-year-old Blues defenceman is done for the year with a hip injury.

Scottie Upshall - A knee injury has sidelined the veteran winger for four weeks.

Marco Scandella – The Sabres defenceman went head-first into the boards Friday against Florida and is out the lineup.

Colin Wilson – Colorado’s veteran winger is out due to a concussion.

Christopher Gibson – The 25-year-old stepped into the Islanders net and

saved 47 of 50 shots in Saturday's 3-2 overtime loss at Pittsburgh, his first NHL start since April, 2016.

SHORT SHIFTS

Ryan Ellis is on a roll.

Jets C Paul Stastny had a goal and an assist in Sunday's 3-2 win at Carolina. He has four points (2 G, 2 A) in three games with Winnipeg…Predators D Ryan Ellis put up a goal and two assists in Sunday's 4-3 overtime win at Colorado. He has 11 points (3 G, 8 A) in the past eight games…Ducks RW Jakob Silfverberg and RW Corey Perry both scored twice in Sunday's 6-3 win over Chicago. Silfverberg had just one goal in his previous 11 games, and Perry has 14 points (6 G, 8 A) in the past 14 games…Ducks C Ryan Getzlaf produced three

assists, giving him 10 points (2 G, 8 A) in the past five games…Ducks LW Andrew Cogliano and C Derek Grant both had a couple of assists.

Cogliano had three points (1 G, 2 A) in the previous 15 games, and Grant has four assists in the past four games…Blackhawks C Nick Schmaltz

scored a couple of goals and RW Vinnie Hinostroza added a pair of assists in Sunday's 6-3 loss at Anaheim. Schmaltz has five points (4 G, 1

A) in the past five games, and Hinostroza has eight points (1 G, 7 A) in the past nine games…Panthers LW Evgeni Dadonov scored twice in

Sunday's 4-1 win against Philadelphia, giving him 16 points (9 G, 7 A) in the past 11 games…Panthers C Aleksander Barkov added a goal and an assist, and has 21 points (10 G, 11 A) in the past 15 games…Golden

Knights LW David Perron had a goal and an assist in Sunday's 3-2 win at New Jersey, giving him 25 points (7 G, 18 A) in the past 22

games…Devils LW Taylor Hall contributed a goal and an assist in Sunday's 3-2 loss to Vegas. He has 36 points (18 G, 18 A) during a 25-

game scoring streak…Wild LW Jason Zucker tallied two goals in Sunday's 4-1 win vs. Detroit; he has 13 points (6 G, 7 A) in the past nine

games…Blue Jackets LW Artemi Panarin scored a pair of goals in Sunday's 4-2 win at San Jose, and has nine points (5 G, 4 A) in the past eight games…Sharks LW Evander Kane produced a goal and an assist in the loss to Columbus; he has seven points (3 G, 4 A) during a five-game point streak.

Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane had a big night in L.A.

Blackhawks C Jonathan Toews and RW Patrick Kane both had a goal and two assists in Saturday's 5-3 win at Los Angeles. Toews had no

points in his previous five games and Kane has nine points (3 G, 6 A) in the past eight games…Bruins D Torey Krug assisted on both Boston goals in Saturday's 2-1 overtime win against Montreal, giving him 21 points (5 G, 16 A) in the past 21 games…Lightning RW Nikita Kucherov returned to the lineup and had three assists in Saturday's 7-6 shootout win at Philadelphia. He had 24 points (6 G, 18 A) in the past 16 games…Flyers D Ivan Provorov put up a goal and two assists in Saturday's 7-6 shootout loss to Tampa Bay. He had four points (2 G, 2 A) in his previous 14 games…Flyers LW Claude Giroux, C Nolan Patrick and RW Jakub Voracek each had a goal and an assist against the

Lightning. Giroux added an assist in Sunday’s loss at Florida, and has 20 points (8 G, 12 A) in the past 13 games. Patrick has seven points (5 G, 2

A) in the past nine games, and Voracek has 18 points (6 G, 12 A) in the past 19 games…Stars LW Jamie Benn had a goal and an assist, and C

Tyler Seguin had a pair of assists in Saturday's 3-2 overtime win against St. Louis. Benn has five points (1 G, 4 A) in the past four games, and

Seguin has nine points (5 G, 4 A) during a five-game point streak…Islanders LW Anders Lee produced a goal and an assist in Saturday's 3-2 overtime loss at Pittsburgh, matching his production from

the previous seven games…Penguins RW Phil Kessel had a couple of assists in Saturday's 3-2 overtime win against the Islanders; he has eight

points (3 G, 5 A) in the past five games…Rangers C Mika Zibanejad contributed a goal and an assist in Saturday's 3-2 win at Edmonton. He

had two goals in his previous 10 games…Oilers C Connor McDavid had a goal and an assist in Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Rangers, and has 26

points (15 G, 11 A) in the past 17 games.

Mark Stone keeps getting his points despite the mess in Ottawa.

Jets D Josh Morrissey contributed a couple of assists in Friday's 4-3 win over Detroit matching his production over the previous 19 games…Red Wings D Niklas Kronwall recorded a goal and an assist at Winnipeg. He had two assists in his previous 10 games…Senators RW Bobby Ryan produced a goal and two assists in Friday's 5-4 win at Vegas, and has seven points (2 G, 5 A) in his past six games…Senators D Erik Karlsson earned three assists and has 13 points (1 G, 12 A) in the past 13 games…Senators RW Mark Stone had a goal and an assist at Vegas

then added an assist in Saturday’s 2-1 loss at Arizona, giving him 13 points (2 G, 11 A) during an eight-game point streak…Golden Knights

RW Reilly Smith and C William Karlsson and D Colin Miller each had a goal and an assist in Friday's 5-4 loss to Ottawa. Smith has 24 points (10

G, 14 A) in the past 17 games, Karlsson has 15 points (8 G, 7 A) in the past 14 games, and Miller has 14 points (3 G, 11 A) in the past 20

games…Golden Knights LW Jonathan Marchessault contributed two assists and has 39 points (12 G, 27 A) in the past 34 games…Canadiens

RW Brendan Gallagher had a goal and an assist in Friday's 6-3 win at the Islanders, and scored a goal in Saturday’s 2-1 overtime loss at Boston, giving him 13 points (5 G, 8 A) in the past 14 games…Canadiens

D Mike Reilly added a couple of assists against the Islanders, his first multi-point game this season…Islanders C Brock Nelson had a goal and

an assist in Friday's 6-3 loss to Montreal. He had one assist in his previous eight games…Panthers RW Nick Bjugstad had a pair of assists

in Friday's 4-1 win against Buffalo and another assist in Sunday’s win over Philadelphia, giving him 10 points (2 G, 8 A) in the past 11

games…Avalanche D Tyson Barrie produced a goal and an assist in Friday's 7-1 win over Minnesota then added an assist in Sunday’s 4-3 overtime loss to Nashvlle, giving him 11 points (3 G, 8 A) in the past seven games…Avalanche rookie D Samuel Girard added a pair of assists; he had one goal in his previous 11 games…Rangers C Ryan Spooner contributed a goal and an assist in Friday's 3-1 win at Calgary. He has seven points (1 G, 6 A) in four games with the Rangers…Predators RW Calle Jarnkrok both had a goal and an assist in

Friday's 4-3 overtime win at Vancouver, and has seven points (2 G, 5 A) in the past six games…Predators RW Viktor Arvidsson added a pair of

assists in Friday’s win at Vancouver, and another assist in Sunday’s 4-3 overtime win at Colorado, giving him 12 points (6 G, 6 A) in the past eight games…Canucks LW Danel Sedin had a goal and an assist in Friday's 4-3 overtime loss to Nashville, giving him 14 points (8 G, 6 A) in the past 10 games…Blue Jackets D Zach Werenski contributed a goal and an assist in Friday's 4-2 loss at Anaheim. He had two assists in his previous eight games…Blue Jackets RW Oliver Bjorkstrand added a couple of assists

CAROLINA HURRICANES


at Anaheim and had an assist in Sunday’s 4-2 win at San Jose, ending a seven-game scoreless streak…Ducks D Cam Fowler and LW Rickard Rakell both had a goal and an assist in Friday's 4-2 win over Columbus. Fowler has four points (1 G, 3 A) in the past three games, and Rakell has 21 points (11 G, 10 A) in the past 19 games…Flames D Brett Kulak had a strong showing (21 for, 3 against, 87.5 CF%, 13-1 scoring chances) in Friday’s 3-1 loss to the Rangers.

Antti Niemi has turned his game around with the Habs.

Canadiens G Antti Niemi turned away 48 of 50 shots in Saturday's 2-1 overtime loss at Boston, giving him a .931 save percentage in 12 games

with Montreal…Panthers G Roberto Luongo had 39 saves on 40 shots in Sunday's 4-1 win against Philadelphia, and has a .939 save percentage

in his past 17 games…Stars G Ben Bishop recorded 35 saves on 37 shots in Saturday's 3-2 overtime win against St. Louis. He had a .868

save percentage in his previous five games…Rangers rookie G Alexander Georgiev stopped 35 of 37 shots in Saturday's 3-2 win at

Edmonton and has a .930 save percentage in his first three NHL starts…Ducks G John Gibson had 34 saves on 36 shots in Friday's 4-2

win over Columbus, giving him a .947 save percentage in his past nine starts…Jets G Connor Hellebuyck saved 33 of 35 shots in Sunday's 3-2 win at Carolina. He had a .904 save percentage in his previous 10 starts…Blue Jackets G Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 33 of 35 shots in Sunday's 4-2 win at San Jose, and has a .928 save percentage in his past 10 starts.


1102236 Websites

TSN.CA / Sabres’ O’Reilly: ‘We’re trying to measure up’

Mark Masters

TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes from Maple Leafs practices and game-day skates. The Leafs held an optional skate at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo on Monday. The Sabres had a full skate.

On Sunday, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock noted that the Buffalo Sabres are probably sick of hearing about how great things are going for their rivals down the road. Sabres centre Ryan O’Reilly confirmed that is, indeed, the case.

“We have TSN on a lot and definitely there’s a lot of Leafs focus, but it’s part of the rivalry,” he said with a sigh. “The city of Buffalo is always hearing about how great Toronto is whether it’s the city or the team. You know, it’s nice, it builds the rivalry and makes it a little more exciting.”

Once considered ahead of the Leafs in the rebuilding process, the Sabres currently sit dead last in the Eastern Conference. So these four

games against Toronto in the next four weeks – Jason Pominville described them as a “mini series” – represent a chance for the Sabres

players to give their restless fan base something to cheer for in a season full of regret. Buffalo has the worst home record in the NHL this season

at 9-18-4.

“We’re trying to measure up,” said O’Reilly. “These guys are a team that

regrouped and had young guys come in and get established and that’s something we were looking to do and we fell behind ... We’re trying to make this a tough building to play in and it hasn’t been tough this year. We’re really disappointed with the way we’ve performed at home and we have these opportunities (now).

“With the excitement in the air tonight it will be a good test for us and a good opportunity.”

O'Reilly insists it won't be hard to find motivation down the stretch.

“It’s still our job and I feel we’re trying to prove something and we’re all kind of fighting for our lives here. When things don’t go well, adjustments are made.”

In recent years Toronto has struggled at the building currently called the KeyBank Center, but the tide seemed to turn last season when the Leafs posted multiple wins in Buffalo (2-1-0) for the first time since the 2007-08 season.

“Growing up it was a tough place for the Leafs to play,” recalled Toronto native Zach Hyman, who made the trip down the QEW to watch games

as a fan several times. “Luckily, that’s in the past and now we’re looking at our team and what we can do here.”

Playing centre could help Nylander’s offence

William Nylander practised at centre on Sunday, skating between Hyman and Connor Brown, meaning the Swede may get another big chance tonight to prove he can drive his own line.

“It’s good for Willie,” said Hyman. “It’s different. He can skate more. I think when you’re in the middle you have more leeway to be more offensive, but at the same time you have to be more defensive, too, so you have to pick and choose your spots. And you got to be strong defensively, because that’s how you get the puck ... Willie has all the tools to be a really good centre.”

Nylander last started a game at centre a week ago tonight in Tampa Bay where he struggled against Steven Stamkos and Brayden Point. But the sophomore NHLer has shown himself to be an excellent playmaker this season, producing 35 assists.

“He skates around with his head up the whole time so he’s never looking down at the puck,” noted Brown, “and he’s got such good posture that he

can scan the whole rink so it makes for a good passer.”

After Monday’s optional skate, Babcock smiled coyly and said he wasn’t

100 per cent sure if Nylander would start at centre tonight.

Babcock still fuming about PK letdown

Since Saturday’s game, Babcock has made it clear how unhappy he is with how the penalty kill performed against the Washington Capitals. So, what would he like to see them do differently tonight?

“Well, we got to go to the meeting and then do what was said in the meeting, that’d be a good start,” the coach quipped with a smile. “No, I mean, I don’t know what happened there. We gave up two we shouldn’t have given up. There was no reason to. We got to get our foot on the gas and do it right. The details of the game have to be looked after.”

The Leafs have allowed three power-play goals against in the last two games.

“We were pretty good before that,” said Hyman. “We went on a nice little

run there and then we got away from it last game. Those are things we can clean up.”

Prior to the last two games, Toronto had killed 19 of 20 penalties over a 10-game stretch.

Plekanec adjusting to life with Leafs

The Leafs haven’t won since acquiring Tomas Plekanec prior to the trade deadline. The veteran centre is still adjusting to a new organization after spending his entire career in Montreal.

“I've talked to him a number of times,” said Babcock. “In Detroit, we traded for guys like that a number of times. The biggest thing when you

come and you’ve been in one place a long, long time is you’re used to doing everything the same way. Suddenly, you find yourself on the ice

and you’re thinking and you wonder why nothing is going right for you. Well, you're spending too much time thinking and nothing’s loose.

CAROLINA HURRICANES


“It’s all going to work out perfect for him; he’s just got to be a little bit more patient with himself and we are, there’s no problem whatsoever. He’ll be a big part of our team. He’s just got to work through the process.”

Projected Leafs lineup for tonight’s game in Buffalo:

Forwards

Marleau-Kadri-Marner

Hyman-Nylander-Brown

van Riemsdyk-Bozak-Kapanen

Martin-Plekanec-Komarov

Scratch: Leivo

Injured: Matthews

Defencemen

Rielly-Hainsey

Gardiner-Zaitsev

Dermott-Carrick

Scratch: Polak

Goaltenders

Andersen starts

McElhinney


1102237 Websites

TSN.CA / Martin returns as Leafs shuffle lineup in Buffalo

Kristen Shilton

BUFFALO – It’s been 42 long days since the last time Matt Martin played a game for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

For nearly six weeks he watched the Leafs play 18 contests as a healthy scratch, an eternity for the veteran winger who hadn’t been a healthy scratch once in his nine-year career before last November.

In the second season of a four-year, $10 million pact with the Leafs, Martin admitted to wondering whether he’d ever play for the team again. But a week to the day since the NHL’s trade deadline passed, Martin got

his answer – he’ll step back into Toronto’s lineup on Monday against the Buffalo Sabres.

“When it first starts, you think it’s just going to be a couple [games]. I think we hit a month not too long ago [since my last game on Jan. 22],”

said Martin after the Leafs’ optional morning skate. “It definitely dragged on for a while. Some days are harder than others but you have to

continue to be positive and continue to work hard. If you don’t, when you do get in the lineup and you’re not ready for it, that’s not going to help

you out too much. It was tough, but I’m excited to get back at it tonight.”

Also stepping in for the Leafs on Monday will be Connor Carrick in the place of veteran Roman Polak on the backend.

Martin, who had three goals and eight assists in 47 games this season, projects to replace Dominic Moore on the fourth line with Tomas Plekanec and Leo Komarov against Buffalo. His return signals a much-needed tone change for the Leafs, who are riding their longest losing streak (three games) since a four-game slide from Jan. 8-18.

That was right before Martin became a casualty of the Leafs’ opting to emphasize more skill over size by replacing the league’s reigning hits leader at the time (135) with speedy winger Kasperi Kapanen.

And at first, the change paid huge dividends. After swapping Martin out on Jan. 24 against Chicago, Toronto ripped off 13 wins in their next 15 games, leaving the 28-year-old without an opportunity to reclaim a position in the lineup.

But the loss of Auston Matthews to a shoulder injury on Feb. 22 has sent the Leafs into their first significant tail spin in weeks, and Mike Babcock said his team got “smacked around” by the Washington Capitals

in Saturday’s 5-2 defeat. Martin was signed in July 2016 to prevent just that.

“[He] just has to go out and work hard and do what you do,” said Babcock. “I think it’s real important that each guy understands his own

game and how they play and how they go about their business, and when they get their opportunity, go out and do that.”

During Martin’s stretch as a healthy scratch, Babcock reiterated publicly that the decision wasn’t a personal one. The coach has been tinkering

with his lineup repeatedly since Matthews went down, moving William Nylander to centre, Moore to the wing and Kapanen up to the third line. Thus far, none of the adjustments have been sustainable.

Following practice on Sunday, Babcock wouldn't confirm who was playing come Monday, only that the choice would be in service of optimizing Toronto’s lineup.

At long last, that includes Martin.

“You can only control what you can control,” said Martin. “You come in and work hard, try to stay positive as much as possible. It's exciting for sure. I'm excited to get back in the thick of things. Keep it simple early

and just try to get a feel for the pace and everything again. Hopefully I can have a good game tonight.”

With no guarantees for Martin beyond Monday’s assignment, he'll have to make the most of every shift in what's been an average of 7:55 of ice

time this season. Moore and Josh Leivo are waiting in the wings if Martin doesn’t perform, and Matthews’ return in the coming weeks will

necessitate more changes.

Even knowing all that, Martin conceded to feeling more “nervous energy” than pressure ahead of facing the Sabres. It may have been a few weeks since his last game, but Martin’s confidence has remained steadfast.

“I’ve been around long enough to be past [trying to prove myself]. Babs says it all the time, just do your job,” said Martin. “You can use [the scratches] as motivation though for sure. A big thing in staying positive is you have to look at the bright spots of it. Sooner or later your opportunity is going to come and you have to be ready for it and grab onto it and

don’t let it go again.”

Maple Leafs projected lineup vs. Buffalo:

Hyman-Nylander-Brown

Marleau-Kadri-Marner

van Riemsdyk-Bozak-Kapanen

Martin-Plekanec-Komarov

Rielly-Hainsey

Gardiner-Zaitsev

Dermott-Carrick

Andersen starts

McElhinney


CAROLINA HURRICANES


1102238 Websites

TSN.CA / MacKinnon, Laine, Barkov named NHL's 3 stars of the week

Staff

Patrik Laine scored his 34th and 35th goals of the season and Paul Stastny's goal midway through the third period stood as the game-winner

as the Jets got 33 saves from Connor Hellebuyck to kick off their season-long, six-game road trip with a win.

NEW YORK — Colorado Avalanche centre Nathan MacKinnon, Winnipeg Jets right-wing Patrik Laine and Florida Panthers centre Aleksander Barkov have been named the NHL's three stars of the week.

MacKinnon led the NHL in goals with 11 points (five goals, six assists) as the Avalanche went 3-0-1 last week and moved within one point of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Laine recorded four goals and three assists in three games to lift the Jets to a pair of victories.

Barkov shared the league lead with five goals and added an assist in four games as the Panthers extended their winning streak to six contests and

moved within one point of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.


1102239 Websites

TSN.CA / Depth issues continue to hamper Flames

Travis Yost

Time is running out for the Calgary Flames.

Though head coach Glen Gulutzan would surely point you to the fact that the Flames sit just three points out of a wild-card spot, the reality is

Calgary has gone cold while the rest of the Western Conference is heating up. Not only is Calgary on the outside looking in, but just about every other legitimate contender out West has dialled it up a notch.

If you look at the last 10 games for every team in the Western Conference, you’ll notice that just about every legitimate contender is playing reasonably well, save Calgary. It’s pushed the Flames out of a playoff spot and now gives them just a 16 per cent chance of reaching the postseason.

Whether or not they reach the postseason in 2017-18, general manager Brad Treliving knows that he has some significant work to do with his

roster.

One of the issues that has plagued Calgary over the last couple of

seasons is the performance of the bottom half of the lineup. The Flames really have become a tale of two teams. The first team is the one that

looks like a surefire playoff-calibre club. This usually coincides with the Mark Giordano and Dougie Hamilton pairing being on the ice, along with

superstar Johnny Gaudreau’s line. The second team is what happens when Calgary’s stars come off of the ice.

One way to show the struggles the Flames are having at the bottom of the lineup is to plot out how performance measures versus usage for all

skaters. For strong teams, you would expect to see tight clustering in performance regardless of who was on the ice. For top-heavy teams (or more generally, teams with wide distributions in performance), you would expect to see great deviations in whatever statistical measure you’re looking at.

Below, I have plotted out all Calgary forwards and defenders by three measures. On the horizontal axis is each player’s Corsi%, or the percentage of shots in Calgary’s favour when the given play was on the ice. On the vertical axis is each player’s Goal%, or the percentage of goals in Calgary’s favour when the given player was on the ice. The

bubble size is correlated with usage – the larger the bubble, the more time the player has spent on the ice.

I think both skater groups are illuminating for different reasons. Let’s start with the forwards first:

I think you can comfortably slide the forward group into three buckets. The top right quadrant – the one featuring Gaudreau, Sean Monahan,

Micheal Ferland, Matt Stajan, and Garnet Hathaway – have really slaughtered the opposition for most of the season. They’re getting about

53 per cent of the shots and 58 per cent of the goals, which are both huge numbers.

The second bucket would be the so-called 3M Line of Matthew Tkachuk, Michael Frolik, and Mikael Backlund. Based on the way they’ve dominated territorially (they are getting close to 60 per cent of the shot share at 5-on-5), I think it’s fair to say they have had a little bit of a luck issue on the goals front. It’s hardly the area of long-term concern for this team. But still, this line has been regularly outscored at 5-on-5. And considering how much Calgary needs them to sustain success, that’s an issue.

he real problem, though, is at the bottom of the lineup. Calgary’s third and fourth lines truly are terrible and that’s been true regardless of which

combination Gulutzan has gone to over the course of the season. Bottom-six forwards aren’t expected to produce or perform in the same

manner as the guys who are paid to drive goal and win totals, but they also aren’t expected to submarine their team’s performance on a regular basis.

When you have six guys getting 46 per cent of the goals (and in some cases, worse), that’s a major problem. Add that to the luck issues the 3M Line has had and you have a recipe for disaster. (Side note: I included Chris Stewart on the plot for visibility purposes. I think it’s fair to say

Calgary’s added another guy that really doesn’t do much to help their issues down the lineup.)

Now, the defenders:

This is where I think the real story is. Calgary’s blueline seems more talented than your average six-man unit around the league, but the performance just isn’t there.

Sure, Hamilton and Giordano wax everyone they play against, and that

pays huge dividends to whichever lucky forward group is out there with them. But the team is paying guys like TJ Brodie and Travis Hamonic handsomely to produce similar results, even if they have been slid into a more defensive role. Brodie in particular is actually the team’s most deployed defender at even strength, which is noteworthy because of how poor his results have been this year.

Brodie and Hamonic are both talented players, but the longer this goes

on, the more you start to wonder why the team isn’t getting similar results with them on the ice. It’s true that they see some pretty tough zone starts

and are matched hard against the opposition’s best lines, but they also routinely play with the 3M Line, which definitely helps in the teammate

quality department.

At the end of the day, Calgary has $21 million a year and 29 per cent of

the cap invested in these four players. There may be excusable or justifiable reasons as to why there is a sizable performance skew, but the return on Calgary’s investment just hasn’t been there this year.

CAROLINA HURRICANES


Calgary will surely work to salvage this season and try to snag one of the last playoff spots up for grabs. But come this summer, you have to think that addressing depth performance will remain a hot-button issue for the team. It’s on the short list of reasons why they are in such an untenable situation today.


1102240 Websites

TSN.CA / Slumping Flames feeling the heat ahead of matchup with Penguins

Staff

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Penguins got one of the most coveted players available before last week's NHL trade deadline in Derick Brassard, and the centre is starting to get comfortable with his new club.

With Ottawa, Brassard played in a much different style than the Penguins employ.

"I think I have to think more offence and still play on the right side of the puck," said Brassard, who scored his first goal in a Penguins uniform

Saturday in a 3-2 overtime win against the New York Islanders.

"On my previous team, I was playing more on the defensive side all the

time and we were a little bit more patient in our game. Here, there's a lot speed, a lot of skill and we're trying to play a fast-paced game. That's

what I try to tell myself on the bench."

Monday at PPG Paints Arena, Brassard and the Penguins will face the

Calgary Flames (32-25-9), a team that has lost three in a row.

Pittsburgh (37-25-4) had its own three-game slide before Saturday's win, and it ended with the help of Brassard's tying goal in the third period.

It was the first win in his third game with his new team. Brassard is centering the Penguins' third line, with Phil Kessel as his regular right winger. Pittsburgh has invested high hopes in the pair.

"I think they played well together," coach Mike Sullivan said. "They're obviously two very good players. (Brassard) sees the ice well. He's a

good playmaker. And Phil is as well. Hopefully, with each game that they play together, they feel a little bit more comfortable."

Despite having a goal and an assist in his three games, Brassard is still adjusting to playing with a sniper such as Kessel.

"We're not there yet, but every game I think it's better," he said.

Brassard joined Pittsburgh in time for the stretch run in a tight race. The Penguins are third in the Metropolitan.

'This is our season'

The Flames, meanwhile, begin a three-game road trip trying to claw their

way to a playoff spot while brushing aside their losing streak.

Calgary practiced for less than 30 minutes Saturday and used Sunday as

a travel day with no practice, with coach Glen Gulutzan saying the team needed "to take advantage of these two days when we can get a little bit

of down time before we head out again."

There are also stops in Buffalo and Ottawa on the trip.

"This is our season coming up," Flames captain Mark Giordano told NHL.com. "We have to find a way to get points in these games coming

up here."

Goalie Mike Smith (lower body) is not expected to travel on the road trip. Calgary is 3-6-1 during his absence.

But the Flames could get top-line winger Michael Ferland back. He has been out four games because of an upper-body injury, and Johnny Gaudreau, also part of the top line, has no points in those four games.

"If I'm a betting man, I'd say he's going to be in on Monday," Gulutzan said of Ferland. "So he'll be on the trip. Looks like everything should be a go, as long as there are no setbacks."


1102241 Websites

TSN.CA / Horvat playing his best hockey since returning from injury

Jeff Paterson

VANCOUVER – Fear can be a powerful motivator.

Vancouver Canucks centre Bo Horvat admits he was more than a little frightened that he wouldn’t be able to pick up where he left off when his

season was interrupted by a fractured ankle in early December. Those worries have been put to rest, however, as Horvat has taken his game to

another level since returning to the lineup six weeks ago.

In 19 games since missing 18 (from Dec. 5 to Jan. 21), Horvat has

recorded eight goals and 15 points and after opening the scoring in Friday’s 4-3 overtime loss to Nashville, the 22-year-old has six goals and

10 points in his past 10 contests. Since getting back into uniform after sitting out for a month and a half, Horvat is just a point off the team lead

in scoring and is second in both goals and shots on goal (51).

“I’m not going to lie to you and say I wasn’t worried,” Horvat said after practice Sunday at Rogers Arena. “It’s always tough when you go through an injury like that and you wonder if you’re going to be as good as you were, especially halfway through the season when everybody is in mid-season form and you have to start over again. But I think that’s what pushed me a little bit harder to not get left behind and to be ready right away was really important to me.”

Horvat had two assists in his second game back from injury which calmed his nerves and scored in the fourth and fifth games in his return.

He hasn’t looked back since. He logged 23:16 in his last outing and has been over 22 minutes in each of the past three games. In 10 of the 19

games since returning to the lineup, Horvat has seen more than 20 minutes of ice time. So he’s playing a lot and he’s responding to the

heavy workload.

In his mind, he’s playing better now than he was when he got hurt

against Carolina three months ago.

“I think my game has grown a little bit since the injury,” he says. “For me to get back and get going right away and feel confident was really important. There are still definitely things I have to work on. My two-way game has definitely gotten better, I’ve been better on faceoffs and helping my D out. I’ve been a little more vocal out there. And, obviously, being a finisher when I get the opportunities. You get five shots a game sometimes and nothing goes in and then all of a sudden you get one or two shots and they end up going in. I think being more efficient around the net has been a huge part of my game.”

While his team has nothing to play for but pride over the final 17 games, Horvat is pushing himself to reach the goals he set out for himself at the

start of the season. Despite missing nearly a quarter of the schedule with the injury, his strong run of late certainly sets himself up to set a new

career-high for goals although raising the bar on points will be difficult.

CAROLINA HURRICANES


With 18 goals and 35 points in 47 games, Horvat will best the 20 goals he scored last season and still has a legitimate shot at a 25 goal campaign. However, eclipsing the 52 points he put up last year is likely out the question with time ticking away on the 2017-18 season.

“You always want to try to beat your totals and do better than you did last year,” he explains of his pre-season targets. “If I can get more goals than I did last year in a lot less games, then that’s a good year, personally. But the main focus each year is trying to get to the playoffs and you kind of put the points on the back burner. If you’re playing well, the points will come.”

While Horvat admits he wasn’t sure how well he’d fare upon his return from such a serious injury and one that prevented him from training for

four weeks, head coach Travis Green didn’t share those concerns.

“I think with some players you do, but I wasn’t worried about it with Bo,”

Green says. “I think his maturity level and understanding of training allowed him to come back and not miss a beat and play heavy minutes,

hard minutes. I like the way Bo’s game is progressing. I don’t look at Bo as if he’s a fully-matured player yet. You look at him and the way he talks

and the way he handles himself, if someone told you he’d been in the league 10 years it wouldn’t surprise you. And that’s a good thing for me. I still think there is room for improvement in Bo’s game and I think he understands that as well.”

Right now, Horvat finds himself centring a line with Brock Boeser on the right side and newcomer Brendan Leipsic on left wing. The trio combined for seven scoring points in its debut last week against the New York Rangers. Boeser will be motivated down the stretch to push his rookie goal totals higher while Leipsic has plenty to play for as he tries to prove himself to the coaching staff and management in Vancouver after being

acquired from Las Vegas at the trade deadline.

Those factors should help Horvat’s game over the final month of the

season. So, too, should the fact that while other players tire from the toll an 82-game schedule takes, he’s found a silver lining to missing as much

time as he did.

Horvat says he’s got plenty of fuel in the tank and hopes that gives him

an advantage in his push for a productive finish to the season.

“You get that break a lot of guys wouldn’t have and in my case, it was four weeks without even being able to walk,” he explains. “I do feel fresh right now. I feel like you could add the 18 games that I missed on to the season and I’d be fine.”

Additional games could be in the cards for Horvat as Team Canada will soon begin assembling its team for the upcoming World Hockey Championship in Denmark. He took himself out of the running for a roster spot last year with uncertainty surrounding his contractual status. But with that worry no longer an obstacle and if he wants to make an early impression on Hockey Canada should NHL players return to the Olympics in 2022 in Beijing, then Horvat would seem like a good fit to represent the country in May.

But that’s not his priority right now. His focus is on a strong stretch run with the Canucks. For Horvat, that means playing at the high level he’s been at for the past six weeks and showing no signs whatsoever of an injury that could have derailed his season.


1102242 Websites

USA TODAY / Panthers leap into playoff picture

Kevin Allen,

At the start of the season, general manager Dale Tallon described his Florida Panthers defense as “Keith Yandle and a bunch of kids.”

“I had a vision that we might struggle early because six of our defensemen hadn’t played much more than 200 games,” Tallon said. “But I felt if we could be around .500 at Christmas, we would have a good second half.”

The Panthers almost met Tallon’s expectations, entering the Christmas break at 15-17-5. But they’ve exceeded his hopes and everyone else’s by going 13-3 since the NHL All-Star break.

“We are starting to get some confidence,” Tallon said. “The younger

players are starting to play with a little authority, more composure. I give our coaches a lot of credit.”

Yandle, 31, is having one of his best NHL seasons. Aaron Ekblad, 22, has taken a step up in the second half, along with Mike Matheson, 24.

Mark Pysyk and Alex Petrovic, both 26, are still working to fully establish their place in the league.

“Our goaltending wasn’t as good as it could have been early, and when younger defensemen don’t have the security blanket, we lost a lot of

close games,” Tallon said. “But I could see it was coming together. I knew it would take time because we had (coach Bob Boughner) and a new staff. “

The Panthers defense has some flair. Yandle has 40 points, Ekblad has 13 goals and Matheson has nine. Ekblad has always come with predictions of stardom, but Matheson’s rise has been a bonus.

“You can see the flashes with his ability to skate, to get out of trouble, and play a lot of minutes and not get tired,” Tallon said. “We are fortunate to have guys like (forward Aleksander) Barkov and Matheson who work so hard off the ice. It’s impressive. It’s easy to sell your plan when two of

younger better players are working so hard.”

Tallon describes Matheson as a “beautiful skater who can turn the

momentum of a game around quickly.”

The Panthers have four players with 20 or more goals, led by dominating

Barkov, who has 64 points in 62 games. Barkov has 25 goals, while Vincent Trocheck has 24, and Jonathan Huberdeau and Evgenii

Dadonov have 20 goals each.

Florida moved into a playoff spot Sunday, though the Columbus Blue Jackets moved past the Panthers. Florida has every intention to make the postseason.

“Our message to the guys is one day at a time, free and easy, no one is expecting us to get anywhere,” Tallon said. “We are going to ride that underdog role and just play. Meaningful games are important to our development. We are going to add more younger pieces next season.”

1. Nashville Predators: One of several reasons why the Predators are improved over last season is Craig Smith’s strong season. With 20 goals

in 62 games, Smith has a good shot at setting a new personal best in goals. He scored 24 in 2013-14.

2. Tampa Bay Lightning: Injured defenseman Ryan McDonagh might make his Lightning debut Thursday against his former team, the New

York Rangers.

3. Boston Bruins: According to various Boston media reports,

defenseman Charlie McAvoy was wearing a knee brace Monday and went on the ice for team photos in slippers. The status of his injury is

unknown.

4. Vegas Golden Knights: William Karlsson has 35 goals in 64 games, compared with 18 in his first 183 games for Columbus and Anaheim.

5. Winnipeg Jets: Center Paul Stastny has two goals, two assists, a plus-4 rating and a 64% faceoff winning percentage in his first three games with Winnipeg.

CAROLINA HURRICANES


6. Toronto Maple Leafs: James van Riemsdyk will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and there are multiple reasons to try to keep him. He’s been a consistent 25-30 goal scorer for four seasons with Toronto.

7. Washington Capitals: With 53 points in 65 games, defenseman John Carlson is having his best offensive season. The timing couldn't be better. He will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Capitals can't afford to lose him.

8. Minnesota Wild: How many people believed the Wild were adding their top offensive player when they signed Eric Staal two summers ago? With 34 goals, Staal is having his best offensive season since he netted 40

goals for Carolina in 2008-09.

9. Dallas Stars: Jason Spezza has gone 19 games without a goal and

has two goals in his last 34 games.

10. Philadelphia Flyers: Goalie Petr Mrazek is 3-2-1 with an .895 save

percentage in his first six starts with Philadelphia. He has given up 14 goals in three outings after winning his first three starts.

11. Pittsburgh Penguins: Goalie Matt Murray (concussion) is skating again. His health is crucial to the Penguins’ hope for a third consecutive

title.

12 San Jose Sharks: Evander Kane has a goal (on nine shots), four assists, and a plus-4 rating in his first three games in a Sharks jersey.

13. Anaheim Ducks: With 15 goals and 25 points in 41 games since joining the Ducks in a trade with New Jersey, Adam Henrique has been an asset on the third line.

14. Los Angeles Kings: Forward Jeff Carter has three goals and 23 shots on goal in the five games he’s played since coming back from injury.

15. Colorado Avalanche: In Nathan MacKinnon’s last seven games, he has seven goals, nine assists and 45 shots on goal.

16. St. Louis Blues: Defenseman Jay Bouwmeester (hip) is out for the rest of the season.

17. New Jersey Devils: The Devils have lost three in a row, and have a challenging schedule coming up. After facing the Montreal Canadiens, they will play the Winnipeg Jets, Nashville Predators and Vegas Golden Knights. The games against Nashville and Vegas are part of a six-game road trip that also includes games in Anaheim, San Jose, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh.

18. Florida Panthers: Vincent Trocheck has 11 power-play goals, more than twice as many as anyone else on his team.

19. Columbus Blue Jackets: The Blue Jackets rank 27th in scoring this

season, and only one team in the bottom 10 (Ducks) is currently in a playoff position.

20. Calgary Flames: In 11 games without injured goalie Mike Smith, the Flames are 3-7-1 and their replacement goalies' save percentage has

been less than .900.

21. Carolina Hurricanes: Defenseman Justin Faulk is minus-21 this season and is minus-80 over his past four seasons in Carolina.

22. New York Rangers: What’s life like for Henrik Lundqvist in rebuilding mode? He has faced 177 shots on goal in his past four starts. That’s an average of 44 shots per game.

23. Chicago Blackhawks: Fan angst about the Blackhawks covers a wide variety of issues, but the biggest factor in Chicago’s decline has been Corey Crawford’s injury. He had a .929 save percentage and 2.27 goals-against average when he went down.

24. New York Islanders: Calder Trophy candidate Mathew Barzal has three five-point games and five three-point games this season.

25. Montreal Canadiens: The Canadiens say injuries suffered by Max Pacioretty (knee) and Victor Mete (finger) could put them out for the

remainder of the season.

26. Detroit Red Wings: The Red Wings are in a stretch of 12 of 15 games on the road. They are 1-3-0 in their first four road games in that stretch.

27. Vancouver Canucks: Sven Baertschi has a separated shoulder and is likely out for the remainder of the season.

28. Edmonton Oilers: Milan Lucic, 29, is having his worst offensive season (31 points) since his rookie year (27 points).

29. Arizona Coyotes: Averaging three goals per game, the Coyotes are 8-2-1 in their last 11.

30. Ottawa Senators: In the midst of the Senators’ collapse this season,

Mark Stone has scored 20 goals, put up 60 points and leads the Senators at plus-12. There’s no regular forward who is even plus.

31. Buffalo Sabres: It’s not difficult to understand why the Sabres are second to last: They rank 31st in scoring (2.37 goals per game) and 27th in goals-against average (3.23).

USA TODAY LOADED: 03.06.2018

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