It’s our annual Champions Issue, celebrating the best of the best from the season that was, including a 22-pages on the Washington Capitals, our Top 10 Moments from the NHL season and profiles on the top teams from the AHL, KHL, top Euro and women’s leagues, the Memorial Cup and much more. Plus, 31 NHL players ready to break out next season, and why the NHL coaching ranks have gone college crazy.

Champions Issue 2018

The Hockey News has been providing the most comprehensive coverage of the world of hockey since 1947. THN is published 18 times a year, including 14 regular issues and four special issues – such as Future Watch, Draft Preview, Yearbook, the #1 selling hockey annual in North America.

The Hockey News vol.72 no.01 - Stanley Cup - July 16, 2018

<div class="byline">BY JEREMY RUTHERFORD</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/stl_edmundson1/295702-1-eng-US/stl_edmundson12.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>MOVING UP IN THE WORLD</b></p><p>Edmundson has gone from being a depth defenseman to skating on the team’s top pairing with captain Alex Pietrangelo.</p><p></p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY CLAUS ANDERSEN/GETY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b>THE 2018 WORLD </b>Championship in Denmark had concluded, and some of the players from Team Canada and Team USA gathered for a few beers. That’s when an American center told Canadian defenseman Joel Edmundson what a “pain in the ass” he was to play against. “It was (Dylan) Larkin, I remember him saying that,” said Edmundson, a three-year member of the St. Louis Blues, referring to the young Detroit Red Wings center.</p><p>The compliments are starting to come for Edmundson, who is ready to break through with the Blues in 2018-19. He had been a physical presence on the blueline his first two years in the league, but he showed this season he could play top-pair minutes alongside team captain Alex Pietrangelo – and even added more scoring. Now with Edmundson having 200-plus NHL games under his belt and set to turn 25 in late June, the Blues know they can count on that moving forward. “He’s taken a lot of steps in his game, which is normal for a young player, but you can see his confidence growing,” said Blues coach Mike Yeo. “He’s always been a defensive, physical presence, but he’s starting to gain some confidence in the offensive part of his game. But as much as anything else, you can see him starting to emerge as a real leader with our group, he has a real presence about him. Obviously he leads by the way he plays the game, but he’s taking more ownership of the culture of our team.”</p><blockquote class="pullQuote">YOU CAN SEE HIM STARTING TO EMERGE AS A REAL LEADER WITH OUR GROUP, HE HAS A REAL PRESENCE ABOUT HIM</blockquote><p><i>– St. Louis coach Mike Yeo</i></p><p>In 2017-18, Edmundson had seven goals and 17 points in 69 games and finished 28th in blocked shots in the NHL with 150. He would’ve played more games if not for a shot by Colorado’s Nail Yakupov on Feb. 8, breaking the defenseman’s arm and forcing him to miss 13 contests. His absence showed his importance, though, as the Blues went 4-7-2 without him and then went on a six-game winning streak shortly after his return. “I was happy with my season,” Edmundson said. “We had a lot of injuries on the back end, and that really opened up some space for me to get some minutes and show management what I could do. Once I had the minutes, I just had to play my game, and playing with ‘Petro’ has made it pretty easy. He’s a world-class player, so whenever I’m on the ice with him, he makes it easy on me, and hopefully I make it easy on him.”</p><p>Edmundson spent roughly half his ice time (572 of 1,140 minutes) paired with Pietrangelo and had a Corsi For percentage a shade of over 50 percent. Edmundson’s ability to climb up the depth chart saw his ice time jump from 17:46 per game in 2016-17 to 20:44 in ’17-18, and with that came more dependency on the defenseman late in games. “You can definitely tell,” Edmundson said. “I was never really getting tossed out there with a minute left in the game, but now I’m one of those guys the team is leaning on in the dying minutes. If you can do that, game over game, I think the coaching staff and the management really look at that. That’s when you realize that I can play in the league, I can keep up.”</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/stl_edmundson2/295688-1-eng-US/stl_edmundson22.jpg" title="STL_Edmundson2" width="804" height="1521"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>JOEL </b><b>EDMUNDSON</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY ANDRE RINGUETTE/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p><a name="63-1"></a>When asked about the staff’s trust in Edmundson, Yeo responded by saying the Blues are in the winning business. “We always say that players decide who goes out,” Yeo said. “It was an easy decision for us. We want to win hockey games, the game is on the line, and he’s a guy that we’re confident can go out there. He can execute well enough to relieve pressure so he doesn’t have to defend all the time, but when he defends, he defends hard and take a lot of pride in it. So in those moments, those are the guys that you want on the ice.”</p><p>Edmundson is hoping with the foundation he’s built the past few years that 2018-19 can be a special season for him. “For defensemen, it’s not always stats-related,” he said. “Our job is to prevent goals, so we’re looking at different stats and numbers. It’s easy to tell if a forward has a breakout year, but for us defensemen, if the team trusts you and you get thrown into certain situations, add all that up, and that’s when you can tell if the guy has had a breakout season.”</p><p>In the meantime, now that he’s back from the worlds, Edmundson is set to enjoy his off-season. “I was happy that I went, and overall it was a good experience,” he said. “It was nice to meet guys from other teams.”</p><p>Especially Larkin.<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

STL_Edmundson1

SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS

<div class="byline">BY JARED CLINTON</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/champs_cwhl1/295389-1-eng-US/champs_cwhl12.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>THUNDER WARNING</b></p><p>It took some convincing, but Stacey decided to extend her season beyond a draining Olympic tournament.</p><p></p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY CHRIS TANOUYE/THE CWHL)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b>THEY WEREN’T THE MOMENTS</b> Laura Stacey wanted captured following the gold-medal game in Pyeongchang, but the first-time Olympian and great-granddaughter of the legendary King Clancy was featured prominently in two photos splashed across sports pages throughout Canada in late February.</p><p>In one, Stacey wipes her eyes with her jersey as she awaits presentation of her silver medal following Canada’s crushing shootout defeat at the hands of rival Team USA. In the other, she’s holding a visibly shaken Laura Fortino as Lauriane Rougeau and Rebecca Johnston look on. “We had the date in mind, we had a goal in mind, and we trained so hard all year long to get that gold medal and win the Olympics,” Stacey said. “Obviously, when you don’t achieve that goal, something that you’ve been working so hard towards, it’s pretty devastating.”</p><p>And it was the kind of devastation that could have prompted Stacey to hang up her skates for the season. The Olympics and its buildup had taken a toll. Stacey returned from Pyeongchang mentally and physically exhausted. As many of her teammates decided to end their seasons upon their arrival home, she considered the same. But shortly after returning, Stacey got the hard sell from her former Markham (Ont.) Thunder teammates. It took her a while to crack, but seeking to overcome the silver sour note her season was set to end on, Stacey made the last-minute decision to return to her CWHL home. “I came back to kind of nothing, in a sense,” Stacey said. “I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t know where my life was going, I didn’t know what I wanted. There are so many questions, but I knew I could answer this.”</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/champs_cwhl4/295375-1-eng-US/champs_cwhl42.jpg" title="Champs_CWHL4" width="456" height="458"></div><p>So there was Stacey, back in a Thunder uniform by the final weekend of the regular season in Boston. Sure enough, five minutes into her first game post-Olympic disappointment, she was on the scoresheet, and by the time the weekend wrapped up, Stacey had two goals and four points in two games, more than she had in her 19 games with the national program across all competitions. In a way, the response was typical for Stacey, who’s had her share of disappointment, including four straight cuts from Team Canada. “Getting up from those bumps and those setbacks every single time and pushing forward and not letting it knock you down further has been a big part of my life,” Stacey said.</p><p>Her unwillingness to allow the Olympic setback to define her season didn’t end there. With Stacey and fellow Olympians Fortino and Jocelyne Larocque in the lineup, Markham, the CWHL’s lowest-seeded playoff entrant, swept the top-seeded Les Canadiennes de Montreal in a best-of-three to win their way into the Clarkson Cup final. And after Markham played the expansion Kunlun Red Star to a draw through regulation in the final, Stacey took center stage during overtime in the CWHL’s championship game.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/champs_cwhl3/295368-1-eng-US/champs_cwhl32.jpg" title="Champs_CWHL3" width="663" height="667"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>PHOTO FINISH</b></p><p>Stacey scored the overtime-winner in dramatic fashion as Markham beat Kunlun in the Clarkson Cup final.</p></figcaption></div><p>With two minutes remaining in the extra frame, Stacey took a centering pass from Nicole Kosta and one-timed it home. And in that moment, Stacey became the subject of another image that could last a lifetime: on her knees, arms in the air, crowd going wild as the overtime hero in the Clarkson Cup final. “It’s hard to believe that it’s actually me,” Stacey said of the post-goal photo. “The whole year, in a sense, going to the Olympics, coming back to play for Markham, it really has been a whirlwind, crazy year, and it’s hard to believe that it can happen. It’s hard to put it into words.”</p><p class="attribute">PHOTO BY CARLOS OSORIO/TORONTO STAR VIA GETTY IMAGES<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

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Champions

TEARS AND A CROWN

<div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game5_1/294869-1-eng-US/game5_12.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Jakub Vrana turns up the torque on his stick before unloading a wrister for Game 5’s opening goal. Ready…aim…</p><p></p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY HARRY HOW/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game5_2/294862-1-eng-US/game5_22.jpg" title="Game5_2" width="1144" height="1415"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Walls. People. You name it and Brett Connolly’s Caps will run through it. The target: who else? Poor Miller.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY HARRY HOW/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game5_3/294855-1-eng-US/game5_32.jpg" title="Game5_3" width="901" height="792"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Bellemare is the stapler, Dmitry Orlov the staple. Five games into the series, the net-front battles ooze hatred.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY HARRY HOW/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game5_4/294848-1-eng-US/game5_42.jpg" title="Game5_4" width="902" height="584"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>How do you leave Ovechkin alone at the left post, a.k.a. his zip code? He makes Vegas pay on the power play.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY DAVE SANDFORD/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game5_5/294841-1-eng-US/game5_52.jpg" title="Game5_5" width="1634" height="1498"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>A work of art? No. But a tying goal, in which David Perron piles into the Caps’ net, is beautiful to Tomas Tatar.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY PATRICK MCDERMOTT/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game5_6/294834-1-eng-US/game5_62.jpg" title="Game5_6" width="2121" height="1326"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>The camera lens reaches a diving Smith-Pelly in time. Fleury doesn’t. The Caps tie the game 3-3 in the third.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY HARRY HOW/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game5_7/294827-1-eng-US/game5_72.jpg" title="Game5_7" width="1390" height="875"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>The ecstatic Caps barely know what to do with themselves after Eller’s go-ahead goal. Is this real life?</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY PATRICK MCDERMOTT/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game5_8/294820-1-eng-US/game5_82.jpg" title="Game5_8" width="657" height="667"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Ovechkin and coach Barry Trotz: from two of hockey’s best without a Cup to two of hockey’s best, period.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY DAVE SANDFORD/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/gamee5_9/294813-1-eng-US/gamee5_92.jpg" title="Gamee5_9" width="657" height="667"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>A heartfelt handshake between Fleury, the would-be playoff MVP, and Ovechkin, the official playoff MVP.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY HARRY HOW/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game5_10/294806-1-eng-US/game5_102.jpg" title="Game5_10" width="902" height="1042"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>The Stanley Cup. A baby on the way. A kiss. Ovie and wife Anastasia have everything they ever dreamed of.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY HARRY HOW/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game5_11/294799-1-eng-US/game5_112.jpg" title="Game5_11" width="1144" height="1042"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Capitals players, executives and staff share the dizzying high of lifting the Cup. It was a true team effort.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY HARRY HOW/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game5_12/294792-1-eng-US/game5_122.jpg" title="Game5_12" width="2122" height="2710"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>It’s a sea of grizzled smiles as the Capitals learn the longer you wait, the sweeter a championship tastes.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(DAVE SANDFORD/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> ■</span>

Feature

CUP IN PHOTOS - GAME 5

<div class="byline">BY RYAN KENNEDY</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/buzz_montgomery2/293528-1-eng-US/buzz_montgomery22.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Montgomery won an NCAA title with Denver in 2017. Can he lead Dallas to NHL glory?</p><p></p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY TIM HEITMAN//DALLAS STARS)</span></figcaption></div><p><a name="9-1"></a></p><p class="dropcap"><b>WHEN DAVID QUINN WAS</b> named the 35th coach in the history of the New York Rangers, it represented another piece in a puzzle being assembled by GM Jeff Gorton. The Rangers are rebuilding and wanted a fresh voice to lead behind the bench.</p><p>But the hiring made NHL history as well, with Quinn now the fifth current coach who previously coached in the NCAA. Quinn joined Detroit’s Jeff Blashill, New Jersey’s John Hynes, Philadelphia’s Dave Hakstol and Dallas’ Jim Montgomery to eclipse the previous high of four (1981-82 – Herb Brooks, Marshall Johnston, Harry Neale and Glen Sonmor, according to College Hockey Inc.)</p><p>Three of the most recent hires came directly from the U.S. college ranks in Boston University’s Quinn, North Dakota’s Hakstol and Denver’s Montgomery. Clearly, NHL front offices are opening their minds when it comes to the NCAA, and Montgomery theorizes the net could be cast wider soon. “The percentage of NHLers coming from college and Europe has risen,” he said. “You’re going to see European coaches soon. It’s a natural progression.”</p><p>In retrospect, it seems strange how so few bench bosses have come from the NCAA, but old habits die hard at the executive level. The college schedule is sparser than in major junior or the AHL and, frankly, being coach of a top-notch NCAA program is a pretty sweet gig – so the motivation to leave isn’t the same as riding the buses in junior or even the AHL. “The quality of life is outstanding,” Montgomery said. “College coaches get paid better, plus you’re the coach, GM and scout for the team. It’s your baby. It’s not an easy decision to leave.”</p><p>Quinn had similar feelings. In his press conference with the Rangers, he noted how much he loved coaching the Terriers. Gorton and assistant GM Chris Drury (a Boston U. alum) had their work cut out for them, though the specific situation in New York was tempting. “Everything aligned,” Quinn said. “From where they’re at as an organization to my relationship with Jeff and Chris. This was really the only situation I would have left Boston University for.”</p><p>For a lot of college coaches, that situation never came up. Red Berenson ruled Michigan for decades, while Quinn’s predecessor, Jack Parker, was coach of the Terriers for 40 years before retiring. Jeff Jackson now has 13 years of service at Notre Dame and began his career with a decade at Lake Superior State, while Boston College’s Jerry York has run a college bench since 1972-73 when he took over at Clarkson.</p><p>Like Quinn, Montgomery is ruling an NHL bench for the first time. The incoming Stars coach is coming off an impressive stretch with the Denver Pioneers that included a national title in 2017 and scores of up-and-coming NHLers, from Will Butcher and Troy Terry to Henrik Borgstrom.</p><p>Montgomery sees another reason to hire college coaches right now, one rooted in development and economics: many key NHLers are now college-aged. On top of being rising stars, guys in their early 20s are on their entry-level deals or, most likely, reasonable bridge contracts. “We’ve been working consistently with those players,” he said. “Most NHL teams have seven or eight players in that age range now. You have to develop them because of the salary cap.”</p><p>Communication is also key. Quinn mentioned it in his opening remarks, while Montgomery began his summer phoning his Stars players before realizing face-to-face is more effective. Dallas GM Jim Nill got the message and gave Montgomery the green light to fly to Europe, where he met with the Swedes and Finns on the roster (including impact rookie Miro Heiskanen). It’s almost like being back on the college recruiting trail, right? “It’s similar, but now it’s a slightly different mentality because you’re already working together,” Montgomery said. “You have to start the relationship as soon as possible.”</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/buzz_quinn/293514-1-eng-US/buzz_quinn2.jpg" title="BUZZ_Quinn" width="1022" height="1040"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>AN ‘A’ FOR BIG APPLE</b></p><p>Quinn became the fifth former NCAA coach in today’s NHL when he left Boston University for the Rangers.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY REBECCA TAYLOR/MSG PHOTOS)</span></figcaption></div><p>Building those relationships allows a coach and his staff to implement a culture, and with the NHL going so young (hello, 20-year-old team captains), getting the kids ingrained in the team concept is important. “The days of rookies shutting their mouths for the first three years are gone,” Montgomery said. “Pittsburgh is the perfect model, Mike Sullivan has done a great job there, and that was our culture at Denver, too.”</p><p>Which is great news for the Heiskanens and Julius Honkas in the organization, not to mention the vets who will benefit from Montgomery’s structure.</p><p>So who’s next? Minnesota-Duluth’s Scott Sandelin is an obvious candidate, as he has won two national titles while showing a penchant for developing young D-men. If you can believe it, the last former NCAA coach to lead a team to the Stanley Cup was Pittsburgh’s ‘Badger’ Bob Johnson in 1991. But that will change in the coming years. With five NCAA products now leading NHL benches, it’s just a matter of time.<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

BUZZ_Montgomery2

BUZZ

GIVING IT THE OLD COLLEGE TRY

<div class="byline">Jason Kay, Editor in Chief</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/jk-column-ipad3/297195-1-eng-US/jk-column-ipad.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(JACLYN LOCKE)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b>I HAD A ROOMMATE IN</b> university who loved tennis. He was watching the final of a major one day, let’s say the French Open (just because), when another housemate – one who was even more fanatical about team sports than me – asked him who he was pulling for. The first roomie ruminated on it for a couple moments, then said, “I’m cheering for tennis.” Chuckles ensued.</p><p>He may as well have said he was rooting for opera. For those of us raised on rivalry and the tribalism of Them versus Us, neutrality isn’t an option. Even if you’re Swiss. Histories breed underdogs and favorites, villains and heroes. The stories stoke our passion and give us additional incentive to emotionally invest.</p><p>I confess, even though I’ve been schooled to be unbiased, I’ve always favored one team over the other in the Stanley Cup final, even if it’s just by a toe save. And I’d wager that my stone-faced peers on press row feel likewise. It’s unprofessional and frowned upon to cheer in the press box, but nobody dictates what happens in your gut. Witnessing ultimate triumph and heartbreak, intimately, is part of the draw of the profession. There are varied and personal reasons for allegiances. Regionalism. Hatred. Schadenfreude. Long-shot love. Gambling. Pool play. One team’s PR department is easier to work with than the other. (Did I write that or just think it?)</p><p>Author/journalist and popular podcaster Malcolm Gladwell has said he often instinctively pulls for the favorite out of empathy. He reasons that a Goliath will feel more profound sorrow than a David in the event of a loss. It’s the “happiness equals reality minus expectations” theory. It’s logical enough but not always applicable. A perennial winner, for example, presumably has a bank of success to draw from to cushion the agony of defeat. Think Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins this year. If Crosby were Cup-less, you could imagine him being haunted this summer by failures of playoffs past. But the three Cup rings in his ears must be muffling echoes of ghosts.</p><p>And how do you root for a hated rival? How many Penguins fans do you think were yearning to see Alex Ovechkin hoist the Cup, no matter how crushing a loss would have been? In fact, there’s probably a large segment of them who would’ve revelled in his pain.</p><p>Another consideration is parity. Not just among teams, but players. Because it’s so dauntingly difficult to repeat in today’s NHL, the large majority of players are tied in Cup rings at zero. The Caps and Knights entered the final with two previous champions on their combined rosters – Brooks Orpik and Marc-Andre Fleury. The other 40-odd guys didn’t have the armor of a previous title to absorb trauma. Would Nicklas Backstrom have been more anguished in defeat than Deryk Engelland had the Knights completed their miracle season? How do you choose where to place your empathy, if that’s what’s important to you?</p><p>Ultimately, that’s what our choice comes down to: us. We back the horses that will provide us with the most satisfaction if they win, regardless of whether the primary intention is glee, caring or malice. I won’t divulge what would have made me happy this spring, but I can confirm I was not cheering for hockey.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/jasonkay_sig-iphone3/296968-1-eng-US/jasonkay_sig-iphone.jpg" title="JasonKay_Sig-iphone" width="392" height="178"></div><p align="center">Twitter: <a datastyle href="https://twitter.com/JKTHN"><b>@JKTHN</b></a></p><p align="center"><b>NEXT ISSUE: </b>AUG. 20, 2018<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

JK-column-ipad

Column

GETTING TO THE ROOT OF IT

<div class="byline">By Matt Larkin</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/yoursay_backstrom/293315-1-eng-US/yoursay_backstrom2.jpg" title="YourSay_Backstrom" width="474" height="667"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>NICKLAS BACKSTROM</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)</span></figcaption></div><p> </p><p class="dropcap"><b>Ecb (@bce1801) asks: <i>“Where do you rank Nicklas Backstrom in the history of Swedish forwards? Could he get enough points to pass Mats Sundin all-time?”</i></b></p><p>I believe he’s one of the best Swedish players, not just forwards, of all-time. He’s already 11th in points (799) and ninth in assists (590) among his NHL countrymen, and he’s fifth in points per game among qualified Swedish NHLers, too. He’s been excellent relative to his competition, ranking second in assists and fifth in points among all NHLers since he debuted in 2007-08. Backstrom, for me, should be mentioned in the same breath as Joe Thornton, Henrik Sedin and Ryan Getzlaf when we’re talking about the best pure playmaking centers of this generation.</p><p>Backstrom has, of course, often had the luxury of playing with Alex Ovechkin on one wing, so Backstrom will never join the elite pantheon of Swedish forwards alongside, say, Peter Forsberg and Mats Sundin, both of whom spent much of their careers elevating lesser players into stardom. Daniel Alfredsson probably ranks ahead of Backstrom in many people’s eyes right now, too. And Henrik and Daniel Sedin would for sure. Backstrom has no first- or second-team all-star selections and no major individual accolades in his career. Fair or not, he’s the Swedish center who played with quite possibly the greatest goal-scorer of all-time. Kent Nilsson was a dominant NHLer in a relatively small sample size, too, and Markus Naslund reached solo heights that Backstrom hasn’t. So I view Backstrom as a top-10 Swedish forward but not necessarily much higher.</p><p>If he plays long enough, there’s a decent chance he accumulates enough volume to finish second all-time in points among Swedish NHLers. Backstrom is just 30 years old and has been consistent and durable for most of his career. He averages 80 points per 82 games. Even if, say, he averages just 60 points for his next five seasons, that would get him to about 1,100 points by age 35. Backstrom has the smart, mature type of game that should keep him in the NHL longer than that if he wants to keep playing, too. I see him finishing his career with 1,200 or 1,300 points but not quite catching Sundin.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/thn-poll-header/296975-1-eng-US/thn-poll-header.jpg" title="thn-poll-header" width="1080" height="260"></div><p align="center">What will the Golden Knights do for an encore in 2018-19?</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-0121/293280-1-eng-US/f0005-012.jpg" title="f0005-01" width="664" height="315"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/yoursay_knights/293294-1-eng-US/yoursay_knights2.jpg" title="YourSay_Knights" width="483" height="602"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images)</span></figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> ■</span>

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Your Say

ASK ME ANYTHING

 <div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/yoursay_broncos/293456-1-eng-US/yoursay_broncos2.jpg" title="YourSay_Broncos" width="940" height="748"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY JONATHAN KOZUB/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>When the Jets and Hawks stood together to pay tribute to Humboldt. <b>– Greg Tretick</b></p><p>@NHLBlackhawks emergency backup goalie Scott Foster stopping every shot he faced against the @NHLJets on March 29. <b>– Christine Cutler</b></p><p>Brian Boyle scoring a goal on “Hockey Fights Cancer Night” in New Jersey. <b>– @nike__davis</b></p><p>Sedinery vs. Arizona after the retirement announcement. <b>– @RamadonCherry</b></p><p>Gotta be the first home game in Las Vegas, hands down. <b>– Josh Avedisian</b></p><p>Watching Connor McDavid slowly creep his way up the scoring race to pass Nikita Kucherov and then take a big lead. Amazing for him to repeat as a scoring champ. <b>– @mpaulm2002</b></p><p>Carey Price receives a standing ovation in Montreal after passing Hall of Fame goaltender Jacques Plante for first all-time on the Habs’ games-played list. <b>– Jacob Pate</b></p><p>The blink-of-an-eye moment when Alex Tuch was for sure shooting the tying goal, just before it became ‘The Save’ instead. That brief ecstasy before the enduring agony. <b>– @bezdomovets</b></p><p>Adam Henrique’s nifty move around the defenseman he was traded for, Sami Vatanen, and then his goal – plus celebration during his return to the Prudential Center. <b>– @KMcKenna_tLT5</b></p><p>The Buffalo Sabres winning the draft lottery. <b>– @OMGitsGball</b></p><p>Auston Matthews’ OT winner against Montreal to break the Leafs’ 14-game losing skid against Montreal. Takes the cake, no question. <b>– @AdamCam69926043</b></p><p>Tyler Toffoli’s game-winning OT goal off the Anze Kopitar faceoff win with 0.9 seconds on the clock at puck drop. All the other amazing stuff in ’17-18 could be repeated by someone, somewhere, someday…but that? Probably never again. <b>– Mel Powell</b></p><p>Big Buff’s 17-minute stay in the penalty box vs. Colorado. <b>– @LannyMcInnes</b></p><p>Islanders vs. Red Wings. Isles score four goals on a five-minute major. Nelson wins it in OT with his hat-trick goal. Barzal five points. <b>– @KevG983</b></p><p>When Alex Ovechkin scored his 600th goal against my Jets. <b>– @Darcyokemow29</b></p><p>As a Rangers fan I have none. RIP John Amirante. <b>– @Marklgr</b><span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

YourSay_Broncos

SOAPBOX

<div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/thousandwords_ovechkin/293485-1-eng-US/thousandwords_ovechkin2.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">It looks like there’s 99 bottles of beer on Alex Ovechkin as the Capitals celebrate their Stanley Cup. Ovechkin, who also won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, was happy to soak up every last bit of the post-game party. <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY DAVE SANDFORD/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> ■</span>

ThousandWords_Ovechkin

A Thousand Words

I WISH IT WOULD REIGN DOWN

<div class="byline">BY CHARLIE TELJEUR</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/charlie_7201/293557-1-eng-US/charlie_72012.jpg"></div><p><span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

Charlie_7201

THE INSTIGATOR

<div class="byline">BY BRIAN COSTELLO</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/buzz_ring/293593-1-eng-US/buzz_ring2.jpg" title="BUZZ_Ring" width="451" height="449"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(Photo by HHOF Images)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>HERB GARDINER | WCHL CHAMPIONS RING </b></p><p>Though the 1923-24 Calgary Tigers were swept in the best-of-three Stanley Cup final, they didn’t walk away empty-handed that season.</p><p>The Tigers captured the Western Canadian League title in an era when that league was on par with the NHL, earning championship rings in the process. Calgary then beat Vancouver, winners of the Pacific Coast Association, earning the right to battle the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens for the Stanley Cup.</p><p>The owner of this ring was 33-year-old Tigers defenseman and coach Herb Gardiner. He was a rock-solid defensive stalwart who played 60 minutes a game and hit Howie Morenz so hard it knocked him over the boards. The champion Canadiens were so impressed that after the final game, coach-GM Leo Dandurand shook Gardiner’s hand and offered him a job on the Montreal blueline the following season.</p><p>Gardiner stayed in Calgary for two more years but joined the Canadiens at age 35. As a rookie, he again played 60 minutes every game, most of the time with future Hall of Famer Sylvio Mantha. So dominant in a shutdown role was Gardiner, that despite just 13 points in 44 games, he won the Hart Trophy as league MVP. He’s one of just three rookies to ever win the award.</p><p>Gardiner played two more NHL seasons before moving into coaching, first in Chicago, then the amateur and minor ranks in Philadelphia where he settled. In 1967, Gardiner became the first season-ticket holder of the expansion NHL Flyers, a gift from team owner Ed Snider. Gardiner was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1958 and died at 80 in 1972. He and his wife had two daughters who have since passed away. They donated Herb’s ring to the Hall of Fame.<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

BUZZ_Ring

TREASURES FROM THE HALL

<div class="byline">By MATT LARKIN</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/behindthemask-label3/297016-1-eng-US/behindthemask-label.jpg"></div><br><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/buzz_mask12/293629-1-eng-US/buzz_mask12.jpg" title="Buzz_Mask1" width="491" height="542"></div><p><b>BRADEN HOLTBY | WASHINGTON CAPITALS</b></p><p>Holtby’s mask jives with his personality: calm and uncomplicated but complex if you look beneath the surface. His longtime artist, Dave Gunnarsson, crafts what looks like a clean and simple design featuring the current Caps logo. If you get close to the mask, however, you find a sea of older logos, including the Capitol Building logo, plus the shoulder-patch crests in the white portion of the mask.</p><p><i>Mask by David Gunnarsson | Daveart.com</i></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/buzz_mask22/293622-1-eng-US/buzz_mask22.jpg" title="Buzz_Mask2" width="498" height="538"></div><span class="end-marker"> ■</span>

BehindTheMask-label

BEHIND THE MASK

<div class="byline">BY MATT LARKIN</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-0161/293658-1-eng-US/f0011-012.jpg"></div><h2><b><i>MICROMANAGED</i></b></h2><p><b>DON </b><b>WADDELL</b><br><b><i>Hurricanes GM</i></b></p><p>Good luck, Mr. Waddell. No one knows exactly how much owner Tom Dundon plans to meddle in the decision-making process, but his reported struggles to even find a GM say a lot.</p><h2><b><i>GREAT EXPECTATIONS</i></b></h2><p><b>BILL </b><b>PETERS</b><br><b><i>Flames coach</i></b></p><p>Peters is respected but never made the playoffs in four tries with Carolina. He won’t have that much of a leash in a Canadian market.</p><h2><b><i>TURNKEY OPERATION</i></b></h2><p><b>KYLE </b><b>DUBAS</b><br><b><i>Maple Leafs GM</i></b></p><p>He’ll be scrutinized more than any new hire, but he takes over a rising Stanley Cup contender. He’s looking for finishing touches now, not foundational pieces.</p><h2><b><i>THE CLEANER</i></b></h2><p><b>ROD </b><b>BRIND’AMOUR</b><br><b><i>Hurricanes coach</i></b></p><p>With so much turmoil and potential personnel change around him, it is Brind’Amour’s job to take whichever players remain and whip them into shape.</p><h2><b><i>HANDS ARE TIED</i></b></h2><p><b>PAUL </b><b>FENTON</b><br><b><i>Wild GM</i></b></p><p>Fenton takes over a team wanting to contend yet completely hamstrung by its veteran salaries. Fenton will have to get creative if he wants to improve the Wild quickly.</p><h2><b><i>INHERITED ASSETS</i></b></h2><p><b>JIM </b><b>MONTGOMERY</b><br><b><i>Stars coach</i></b></p><p>Nice to start your NHL coaching career with Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Alexander Radulov and John Klingberg.</p><h2><b><i>BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY</i></b></h2><p><b>DAVID </b><b>QUINN</b><br><b><i>Rangers coach</i></b></p><p>The Rangers are rebuilding, so Quinn doesn’t have to be a hero on Day 1. Going from the U.S. college ranks to Manhattan is a big step up in the spotlight, though.</p><h2><b><i>COOL AS A CUCUMBER</i></b></h2><p><b>LOU </b><b>LAMORIELLO</b><br><b><i>Islanders GM</i></b></p><p>The Isles are such a mess that whatever Lou does will look like an improvement. Can he help them retain John Tavares?<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

f0011-01

NEW HIRE CHALLENGE-O-METER

<div class="byline">BY RYAN KENNEDY</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/jerseyhound-label4/297023-1-eng-US/jerseyhound-label.jpg"></div><br><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/jersey_yugra/293687-1-eng-US/jersey_yugra2.jpg" title="Jersey_Yugra" width="573" height="661"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>ANTON </b><b>KURYANOV</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Mikhail Japaridze\TASS via Getty Images)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>YUGRA KHANTY-MANSIYSK | 2017-18</b></p><p>Straight up, we don't have enough elephants in hockey. Perhaps it’s because big creatures don’t traditionally represent speed or dexterity, but Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk prove that a cool mascot can still be burly.</p><p>Yugra actually has a woolly mammoth as their totem, and it’s a pretty nice one at that. The franchise picked the prehistoric animal since a lot of mammoth fossils have been found in the permafrost around Khanty-Mansiysk.</p><p>Yugra joined the KHL in 2010 but will have to play in the lesser VHL circuit next year (think AHL), as the franchise, along with Lada Togliatti, was relegated in late March.<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

JerseyHound-label

JERSEY HOUND

<div class="byline">BY SAL BARRY OF</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/inthecards-label4/297030-1-eng-US/inthecards-label.jpg"></div><br><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/buzz_cards2/293716-1-eng-US/buzz_cards2.jpg" title="BUZZ_Cards" width="438" height="598"></div><p class="dropcap"><b>ROLLER HOCKEY INTERNATIONAL WAS</b> an inline league that existed from 1992 to 1999 and had its share of fly-by-night teams. One such club was the Tampa Bay Tritons, who went 11-11-0 in 1994, missed the playoffs and folded soon after. The team was owned by Mark Messier, who kept it all in the family and employed his older brother Paul as the Tritons coach, and father Doug as director of hockey ops. The Tritons issued a set of trading cards that included the team owner, hoisting the Stanley Cup he had just won earlier that summer with the Rangers.</p><a href="http://PUCKJUNK.COM">PUCKJUNK.COM</a><span class="end-marker"> ■</span>

InTheCards-label

IN THE CARDS

<div class="byline">BY MATT LARKIN</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/buzz_mcdavid/293892-1-eng-US/buzz_mcdavid2.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>MARIO LEMIEUX AWARD </b><br>(Best player)</p><p><b>CONNOR McDAVID</b><br><i>Edmonton</i></p><p>Must an MVP make the playoffs? Our voters indicate so, but there was little debate over McDavid being hockey’s best talent. Make that two straight Art Ross Trophies and 100-point seasons for the Oilers’ franchise face. The only players with two scoring titles by age 21: McDavid and Wayne Gretzky.</p><p><b>RUNNERS-UP</b></p><p>2. Nathan MacKinnon, Col<br>3. Taylor Hall, NJ<br>4. Sidney Crosby, Pit<br>5. Claude Giroux, Phi</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/buzz_doughty/293878-1-eng-US/buzz_doughty2.jpg" title="BUZZ_Doughty" width="351" height="604"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>BOBBY ORR AWARD </b><br>(Best defenseman)</p><p><b>DREW DOUGHTY</b><br><i>Los Angeles</i></p><p>Doughty’s 26:50 of ice time per game led all NHLers, and he ranked among the best blueliners in points, Corsi For, Corsi Against, Quality of Competition and shorthanded minutes per game. The Kings ask him to do everything, and he answers the bell every night. He blends high skill with gritty physicality. Doughty is a complete defenseman.</p><p><b>RUNNERS-UP</b></p><p>2. Victor Hedman, TB<br>3. P.K. Subban, Nsh<br>4. John Carlson, Wsh<br>5. Seth Jones, Clb</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/buzz_mackinnon/293864-1-eng-US/buzz_mackinnon2.jpg" title="BUZZ_MacKinnon" width="467" height="563"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)</span></figcaption></div><p> </p><p><b>WAYNE GRETZKY AWARD </b><br>(Most valuable player)</p><p><b>NATHAN</b> <b>MacKINNON</b><br><i>Colorado</i></p><p>Colorado dealt Matt Duchene…and rose instead of tanking because of MacKinnon’s spectacular breakout. He upped his career high in points from 63 to 97 and factored in on 38 percent of Colorado’s goals. As the head of a one-line team, he also faced stiff competition every night. He carried the Avs to the post-season.</p><p><b>RUNNERS-UP</b></p><p>2. Taylor Hall, NJ<br>3. Anze Kopitar, LA<br>4. Connor McDavid, Edm<br>5. Claude Giroux, Phi</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/buzz_giroux/293850-1-eng-US/buzz_giroux2.jpg" title="BUZZ_Giroux" width="472" height="580"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images)</span></figcaption></div><p> </p><p><b>SAKU KOIVU AWARD </b><br>(Comeback player)</p><p><b>CLAUDE</b> <b>GIROUX</b><br><i>Philadelphia</i></p><p>Giroux’s five-year points trend: 86, 73, 67, 58…102? He reversed the trend in his age-30 season, largely because he found tremendous success moving from center to play left wing with Sean Couturier. Giroux has always possessed tremendous raw ability as a playmaker. He’s healthy, happy and back among the elite.</p><p><b>RUNNERS-UP</b></p><p>2. Dustin Brown, LA<br>3. Anze Kopitar, LA<br>4. Steven Stamkos, TB<br>5. Marc-Andre Fleury, Veg</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/buzz_rinne/293836-1-eng-US/buzz_rinne2.jpg" title="BUZZ_Rinne" width="804" height="500"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)</span></figcaption></div><p> </p><p><b>PATRICK ROY AWARD </b><br>(Best goalie)</p><p><b>PEKKA RINNE</b><br><i>Nashville</i></p><p>Rinne’s size, glove hand and athleticism have always made him an “eye test” darling, but the analytics crowd condemned him as overrated. This year, he was so good that even advanced stats supported the idea. Rinne was especially spectacular when the calendar reached 2018, going 23-6-1 with a .930 save percentage and five shutouts.</p><p><b>RUNNERS-UP</b></p><p>2. Connor Hellebuyck, Wpg<br>3. Marc-Andre Fleury, Veg<br>4. Sergei Bobrovsky, Clb<br>5. Andrei Vasilevskiy, TB</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/buzz_karlsson/293822-1-eng-US/buzz_karlsson2.jpg" title="BUZZ_Karlsson" width="365" height="599"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)</span></figcaption></div><p> </p><p><a name="13-1"></a><b>CAM NEELY AWARD </b><br>(Breakout player)</p><p><b>WILLIAM KARLSSON</b><br><i>Vegas</i></p><p>Nine. That was Karlsson’s career high in goals before the Golden Knights landed him in the expansion draft. Even 20 goals would’ve been a breakout, but 43? Otherworldly and epitomizing Vegas’ shocking season. ‘Wild Bill’ led the league in shooting percentage and was a unanimous first-place pick in our voting panel.</p><p><b>RUNNERS-UP</b></p><p>2. Sean Couturier, Phi<br>3. Nathan MacKinnon, Col<br>4. Connor Hellebuyck, Wpg<br>5. Mikko Rantanen, Col</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/buzz_wilson/293808-1-eng-US/buzz_wilson2.jpg" title="BUZZ_Wilson" width="660" height="559"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Scott Audette/NHLI via Getty Images)</span></figcaption></div><p> </p><p><b>BOB PROBERT AWARD </b><br>(Toughest player)</p><p><b>TOM WILSON</b><br><i>Washington</i></p><p>Look at the second- and third-place names. One hits like a freight train, the other punches like one, and Wilson does both. Not only does he regularly lay out – and injure – opponents, but when an angry teammate jumps in to attack Wilson afterward, that guy pays the price as well. They don’t come any bigger, stronger or nastier.</p><p><b>RUNNERS-UP</b></p><p>2. Dustin Byfuglien, Wpg<br>3. Ryan Reaves, Veg<br>4. Micheal Haley, Fla<br>5. Zdeno Chara, Bos</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/buzz_barzal/293794-1-eng-US/buzz_barzal2.jpg" title="BUZZ_Barzal" width="1243" height="1025"></div><p> </p><p><b>TEEMU SELANNE AWARD </b><br>(Best rookie)</p><p><b>MATHEW BARZAL</b><br><i>New York Islanders</i></p><p>Barzal ran away with our rookie vote just like he did the freshman scoring race. He joined Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin as the only rookies in the past 25 years to record 85 or more points. Barzal also littered highlight reels with his ability to rag the puck and make jaw-dropping plays.</p><p><b>RUNNERS-UP</b></p><p>2. Brock Boeser, Van<br>3. Charlie McAvoy, Bos<br>4. Clayton Keller, Ari<br>5. Kyle Connor, Wpg</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/buzz_beagle/293780-1-eng-US/buzz_beagle2.jpg" title="BUZZ_Beagle" width="438" height="668"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images)</span></figcaption></div><p> </p><p><b>GUY CARBONNEAU AWARD </b><br>(Top penalty-killer)</p><p><b>JAY</b> <b>BEAGLE</b><br><i>Washington</i></p><p>Beagle had some of the league’s most extreme defense-heavy usage, which included 2:31 of shorthanded ice time per game, placing him among the top 10 forwards. Winning defensive draws is a crucial part of penalty killing, and Beagle won more shorthanded faceoffs than anyone else in the league.</p><p><b>RUNNERS-UP</b></p><p>2. Mark Giordano, Cgy<br>3. Austin Watson, Nsh<br>4. John Gibson, Ana<br>5. Patrice Bergeron, Bos</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/buzz_ekholm/293766-1-eng-US/buzz_ekholm2.jpg" title="BUZZ_Ekholm" width="502" height="683"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Francois Laplante/NHLI via Getty Images)</span></figcaption></div><p> </p><p><b>ROD LANGWAY AWARD </b><br>(Best defensive defenseman)</p><p><b>MATTIAS</b> <b>EKHOLM</b><br><i>Nashville</i></p><p>The stacked Predators have four of the league’s top blueliners, and Ekholm is the best of the bunch in pure shutdown ability. He logged major shorthanded minutes, blocked more than 100 shots and produced elite possession numbers despite regularly matching up against opposing teams’ best forwards.</p><p><b>RUNNERS-UP</b></p><p>2. Mark Giordano, Cgy<br>3. Drew Doughty, LA<br>4. Marc-Edouard Vlasic, SJ<br>5. Victor Hedman, TB</p><p> </p><p><b>SCOTTY BOWMAN AWARD </b><br>(Best coach)</p><p><b>GERARD</b> <b>GALLANT</b><br><i>Vegas</i></p><p>The Golden Knights lack superstars and triumphed largely because (a) they played as one speedy, buzzing unit every game and (b) so many of their players realized untapped potential. Runaway winner Gallant deserves a lot of credit for getting the most out of a group no one expected to accomplish anything.</p><p><b>RUNNERS-UP</b></p><p>2. John Hynes, NJ<br>3. Jared Bednar, Col<br>4. John Stevens, LA<br>5. Barry Trotz, Wsh</p><p> </p><p><b>SAM POLLOCK AWARD </b><br>(Best GM)</p><p><b>GEORGE</b> <b>McPHEE</b><br><i>Vegas</i></p><p>McPhee didn’t merely get lucky with expansion draft picks like Karlsson and Erik Haula. McPhee also used trades to add crucial contributors such as Reilly Smith, Shea Theodore and Alex Tuch. It was one act of wizardry after another. McPhee has set an impossible standard for Seattle’s incoming GM.</p><p><b>RUNNERS-UP</b></p><p>2. Kevin Cheveldayoff, Wpg<br>3. Steve Yzerman, TB<br>4. Ray Shero, NJ<br>5. Joe Sakic, Col</p><p class="attribute">Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

BUZZ_McDavid

THN AWARDS

<div class="byline">BY TOM THOMPSON</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-0173/293921-1-eng-US/f0014-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>ANZE&nbsp;KOPITAR </b>&<b>&nbsp;PATRICE&nbsp;BERGERON</b></p><p></p> <span class="photo-credit">(Photos by Getty Images)</span></figcaption></div><p><a name="15-1"></a></p><p class="dropcap"><b>IN THE NHL PLAYOFFS</b> this spring, much attention was paid to high-scoring wingers who can one-time the puck, power forwards with a physical edge, defensemen who can generate points and spectacular goalies. All of them are essential to a championship team. However, analytics experts are virtually unanimous in declaring the most important statistic for a winning team is puck possession. That starts with your centers. They take the faceoffs and control a team’s attack in the neutral and offensive zones. They lead the forecheck and provide puck support in the defensive zone. They handle the puck more than any other player and check the player on the opposition who is their leading puck-carrier. These are all important responsibilities. Very few perform at the elite level in all these categories – but two who do are the Los Angeles Kings’ Anze Kopitar and Boston Bruins’ Patrice Bergeron. How do these splendid two-way centers compare? Who is better able to keep all elements of his team functioning smoothly? Who is the better two-way player?</p><h2><b>ROLES</b></h2><p>To be an elite two-way center, you have to excel in all situations. You have to lead the No. 1 line and produce offense whether going up against the opponent’s top line or its top checkers. You have to defend against the opponent’s top line. You have to win crucial faceoffs, especially on power plays and penalty kills. You have to be a good power-play performer and kill penalties. You have to be a go-to guy in the late stages of close games. Both Kopitar and Bergeron have excelled in all situations. <b>EDGE: NEITHER</b></p><h2><b>CAREERS</b></h2><p>They have had remarkably similar careers. Bergeron entered the NHL at 18 in 2003 and has played 14 seasons. He has played 963 regular-season games and 112 playoff games. Kopitar entered the NHL at 19 in 2006 and has played 12 seasons. He has played 922 regular-season games and 79 playoff games. The Bruins have won 11 playoff series with Bergeron while the Kings have won 10 with Kopitar. Both have been to two Cup finals, with Bergeron winning once and Kopitar twice. In the past seven years, Bergeron has won the Selke Trophy four times, been runner-up twice and is one of the finalists this season. Over the same period, Kopitar has won the Selke once, been runner-up twice and is one of the finalists this season. Both have established Hall of Fame credentials perhaps one notch below players who are referred to as “generational” superstars. <b>EDGE: NEITHER</b></p><h2><b>OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION</b></h2><p>Bergeron is a very good offensive performer. Kopitar is better. In a career marked by consistency, Bergeron has averaged 0.762 points per game during the regular season and 0.768 during the playoffs. Kopitar has averaged 0.898 during the regular season and 0.835 during the playoffs. In even-strength situations, the two players are close. Bergeron has accounted for four percent of his points shorthanded, while Kopitar’s shorthanded share is just two percent. Kopitar’s edge is on the power play. He gets 36 percent of his points with his team on the power play compared to 30 percent for Bergeron. Remarkably, the two players each have 87 power-play goals during their careers. Kopitar has a wide edge in power-play assists. Kopitar is a better offensive player than Bergeron primarily because he has generated more production on the power play. <b>EDGE: KOPITAR</b></p><h2><b>DEFENSIVE PLAY</b></h2><p>Kopitar is a very good defensive performer. Bergeron is better. In fact, he’s the gold standard for defensive forwards. He has already tied Hall of Famer Bob Gainey for the most Selke Trophies with four. What makes Bergeron so good? Performance and consistency. Let’s start with faceoffs. Begin each shift with the puck and you have decreased the chances the opposition will score. Bergeron has an excellent record in the dot, winning 58.4 percent of his career faceoffs. In the playoffs, his faceoff record is an identical 58.4 percent. That’s what I mean by consistency. Kopitar has been a good faceoff man, winning 52.1 percent in the regular season and 52.4 percent in the playoffs, but he is not at Bergeron’s level. Analytics experts have convinced me that the other key stats in defensive effectiveness are takeaways and giveaways. In takeaways, they’re close. Bergeron has 615 to Kopitar’s 550 in the regular season, and Bergeron has a 62-49 edge in the playoffs. The big difference is giveaways. In the regular season, Kopitar has 613, averaging 0.65 giveaways per game. In the playoffs, he has 50 for an average of 0.63 per game. Bergeron has only 343 giveaways, an average of 0.36 per game. In the playoffs, he’s even better, at just 0.29 per game. This is outstanding puck management. <b>EDGE: BERGERON</b></p><h2><b>DURABILITY</b></h2><p>Kopitar is one of the legitimate ironmen of the modern era. In his 12-year career, he has appeared in more than 97 percent of L.A.’s games. Bergeron has appeared in 86 percent of Boston’s games. Most of his absences were early in his career, when he missed substantial time because of concussions. There is still some nervousness about Bergeron, who had a few injury stints this season, including Game 4 against Toronto in the playoffs. <b>EDGE: KOPITAR</b></p><h2><b>TEMPO</b></h2><p>This was a favorite word of the late Bob Johnson. He wasn’t referring to a player’s pure speed going from one place to another. He meant the ability to respond to all the directional changes in a normal NHL shift and to keep up with or force the pace of play. This was the only concern about Kopitar when he came to the NHL. He overcame it. For over a decade, tempo wasn’t a problem. Then came 2016-17. Kopitar had by far the worst season of his career, finishing with only 12 goals. More importantly, he often looked lead-footed. To his credit, he bounced back in 2017-18 with the best offensive output of his career. However, the season didn’t end well for him. Kopitar couldn’t keep up with Vegas’ William Karlsson or Erik Haula in the first round of the playoffs. If he hadn’t missed the last month of the season, Bergeron might’ve been a Hart Trophy finalist. In the playoffs, he was outstanding. He didn’t have to worry about keeping up with the tempo. He was forcing it. <b>EDGE: BERGERON</b></p><h2><b>CONCLUSION</b></h2><p>This is the era of the salary cap. Players can’t be rewarded for past performance. How much can they contribute going forward? These have been two of my favorite players for the past decade. They’re both great team players and Hall of Fame candidates. Kopitar, however, makes me nervous. I don’t believe he can succeed against some of the league’s younger centers when the tempo increases in the playoffs. Bergeron is two years older, but he’s a more fluid and natural skater, and I see no decrease in his tempo. In fact, there were times during the regular season and in the playoffs where he looked as good as any player in the league. The edge Bergeron enjoys in defensive play and tempo is much more pronounced than Kopitar’s advantage in offense and durability. Bergeron can do more to ensure the smooth functioning of an NHL team than any other NHLer. He’s the best two-way player in the league.</p><p><i>Tom Thompson has been an NHL scout/director/assistant GM since 1985.</i><span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

f0014-01

ANZE KOPITAR Vs. PATRICE BERGERON

<div class="byline">BY MATT LARKIN</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/buzz_marchessault/294188-1-eng-US/buzz_marchessault2.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY JONATHAN KOZUB/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b>WE MAY NEVER SEE</b> a story as spectacular and unexpected as the 2017-18 Golden Knights again. Yet Vegas alone doesn’t do justice to how topsy-turvy this entire season was.</p><p>The Washington Capitals weren’t expected to do anything in the post-season. They opened the playoffs dropping two straight home games. When they rallied to get past Columbus, the Caps had to conquer the Pittsburgh Penguins, a.k.a their Daddy. So Washington’s run was astounding in its own right. And what about the Colorado Avalanche? Their jump from 48 points in 2016-17 to 95 this season marked one of the largest year-to-year improvements in league history. So we saw several franchises enjoy their best underdog runs ever.</p><p>What are the top surprise seasons for every NHL team? And why have so many involved upsetting Detroit? We’ve ranked their best, most stunning entries in order of improbability. Low playoff seedings, hopeless pre-season expectations and unlikely runs to the Stanley Cup all factored into the criteria for this list. But let’s be clear: there’s no touching Vegas. No first-year team in any major North American pro sport had even enjoyed a winning record in the past 50 years, let alone made the playoffs, let alone accomplished what the Golden Knights did. It’s the most shocking NHL story of all-time.</p><h2><b>1. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS</b></h2><h3>2017-18</h3><p>Supposed to be so bad that pundits accused them of tanking. Most improbable success story in pro team sports history.</p><h2><b>2. LOS ANGELES</b> <b>KINGS</b></h2><h3>2011-12</h3><p>Kings of Corsi won Cup losing just four games in playoffs – as No. 8 seed. Legend born in ‘Playoff Jonathan Quick.’</p><h2><b>3. DALLAS</b> <b>STARS</b></h2><h3>1990-91 (AS MINNESOTA NORTH STARS)</h3><p>Sixth-worst record in league, 68 points. Naturally, they beat first-overall Chicago in Round 1 and went all the way to final.</p><h2><b>4. FLORIDA</b> <b>PANTHERS</b></h2><h3>1995-96</h3><p>Toppled Flyers’ ‘Legion of Doom’ and peak Penguins of Mario Lemieux era, reached final in third year of existence.</p><h2><b>5. EDMONTON</b> <b>OILERS</b></h2><h3>2005-06</h3><p>Heroes? Fernando Pisani? Dwayne Roloson? Beat 124-point Detroit in Round 1, went to Game 7 of final as No. 8 seed.</p><h2><b>6. ANAHEIM</b> <b>DUCKS</b></h2><h3>2002-03</h3><p>Stunned Wings with Round 1 sweep, rode J-S Giguere’s epic goaltending to Game 7 of final as No. 7 seed.</p><h2><b>7. NEW JERSEY</b> <b>DEVILS</b></h2><h3>1994-95</h3><p>The Trap is born! Swept juggernaut Red Wings in final. Claude Lemieux: six regular-season goals, 13 playoff goals.</p><h2><b>8. PHILADELPHIA</b> <b>FLYERS</b></h2><h3>2009-10</h3><p>Rallied from 3-0 series deficit to stun Boston in Round 3. Had ragtag Michael Leighton/Brian Boucher tandem in net.</p><h2><b>9. VANCOUVER</b> <b>CANUCKS</b></h2><h3>1981-82</h3><p>Kings’ upset of Oilers paved easy path for a Canucks team three games under .500. One of strangest Cup berths ever.</p><h2><b>10. MONTREAL</b> <b>CANADIENS</b></h2><h3>1992-93</h3><p>“Underdog” is revisionist label. They won 48 games. But 10 straight OT wins en route to Cup is an incredible story.</p><h2><b>11. NEW YORK</b> <b>RANGERS</b></h2><h3>1949-50</h3><p>Finished in bottom half of league. Upset Rocket’s Habs. One goal away from Cup. And no home ice with circus in town.</p><h2><b>12. BUFFALO</b> <b>SABRES</b></h2><h3>1998-99</h3><p>Leading scorer in playoffs? Defenseman Jason Woolley. Had no business reaching final. Dominik Hasek carried them.</p><h2><a name="17-1"></a><b>13. NASHVILLE</b> <b>PREDATORS</b></h2><h3>2016-17</h3><p>First No. 16 overall seed to reach the Cup final. Started in style with a stunning sweep of their nemesis: the Blackhawks.</p><h2><b>14. CALGARY</b> <b>FLAMES</b></h2><h3>2003-04</h3><p>One overtime goal from winning Cup. Not bad for a sixth-seeded team no one expected to survive the first round.</p><h2><b>15. CAROLINA</b> <b>HURRICANES</b></h2><h3>2001-02</h3><p>2006 champion team was a beast. 2002 squad? Pure Cinderella. Aging Ron Francis, plucky Arturs Irbe were amazing.</p><h2><b>16. NEW YORK</b> <b>ISLANDERS</b></h2><h3>1992-93</h3><p>David Volek’s Game 7 OT goal in Round 2 ruined three-peat for legendary Penguins squad, produced all-time upset.</p><h2><b>17. CHICAGO</b> <b>BLACKHAWKS</b></h2><h3>2012-13</h3><p>These champs were never underdogs. But no one predicted they’d open lockout-shortened season at 21-0-3.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/buzz_sens/294097-1-eng-US/buzz_sens2.jpg" title="BUZZ_Sens" width="1024" height="1125"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY MINAS PANAGIOTAKIS/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>18. OTTAWA</b> <b>SENATORS</b></h2><h3>2016-17</h3><p>Weren’t supposed to beat anyone. Came double-OT goal away from ousting eventual champion Pens in conference final.</p><h2><b>19. ARIZONA</b> <b>COYOTES</b></h2><h3>2011-12</h3><p>Top scorer: Ray Whitney, 40 points. Upset Hawks in Round 1. Only time the franchise has reached conference final.</p><h2><b>20. SAN JOSE</b> <b>SHARKS</b></h2><h3>1993-94</h3><p>The 58-point jump year over year is NHL’s largest ever. Pulled upset for ages in Round 1 over frontrunner Detroit.</p><h2><b>21. WASHINGTON</b> <b>CAPITALS</b></h2><h3>2017-18</h3><p>Conquered Pittsburgh demons and shocked top-seeded Tampa Bay. Few expected anything from this team.</p><h2><b>22. TORONTO</b> <b>MAPLE LEAFS</b></h2><h3>1966-67</h3><p>Seven players older than 36, two older than 40. Even in a six-team league, they were surprise story in last Cup crusade.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/buzz_wild/294020-1-eng-US/buzz_wild2.jpg" title="BUZZ_Wild" width="1024" height="792"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY BRIAN BAHR/GETTY IMAGES/NHLI)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>23. MINNESOTA WILD</b></h2><h3>2002-03</h3><p>Overcame 3-1 series deficit to oust star-studded Colorado. Only Wild squad to reach Round 3. Won two road Game 7s.</p><h2><b>24. COLORADO</b> <b>AVALANCHE</b></h2><h3>2017-18</h3><p>Lowest point total of cap era, traded Matt Duchene, improved by 47 points. Among fastest team redemptions ever.</p><h2><b>25. BOSTON</b> <b>BRUINS</b></h2><h3>1967-68</h3><p>From 17 to 37 wins thanks to a freshly acquired scorer named Phil Esposito and teen D-man named Bobby Orr.</p><h2><b>26. DETROIT</b> <b>RED WINGS</b></h2><h3>1986-87</h3><p>‘Dead Things’ came alive, doubled win total under new coach Jacques Demers and reached conference final.</p><h2><b>27. COLUMBUS</b> <b>BLUE JACKETS</b></h2><h3>2008-09</h3><p>First playoff berth doesn’t happen if rookie Steve Mason doesn’t get 10 shutouts en route to Calder Trophy.</p><h2><b>28. ST. LOUIS</b> <b>BLUES</b></h2><h3>1967-68</h3><p>Expansion automatically placed a new club in final, but the Blues were third in their division. Goalie Glenn Hall was 36.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/buzz_lemieux/293971-1-eng-US/buzz_lemieux2.jpg" title="BUZZ_Lemieux" width="663" height="866"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>MARIO </b><b>LEMIEUX</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY JIM LEARY/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>29. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS</b></h2><h3>2000-01</h3><p>Lemieux unretires mid-season, plays at MVP level, scores ‘Immaculate Deflection’ goal, Pens reach conference final.</p><h2><b>30. TAMPA BAY</b> <b>LIGHTNING</b></h2><h3>2010-11</h3><p>Bolts have no real Cinderella season. One win from 2011 final with 41-year-old Roloson as their goalie, though.</p><h2><b>31. WINNIPEG</b> <b>JETS</b></h2><h3>2017-18</h3><p>No shocking stories yet for young franchise, but beating Presidents’ Trophy winner Nashville this spring was a thrill.<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

BUZZ_Marchessault

THE COUNTDOWN

<div class="byline">BY BRIAN COSTELLO</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/buzz_brodeur/294231-1-eng-US/buzz_brodeur2.jpg" title="BUZZ_Brodeur" width="511" height="647"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>MARTIN BRODEUR</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images/NHLI)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>MARTIN BRODEUR, </b>we've been waiting for you. Or at least the Hockey Hall of Fame has been waiting for you.</p><p>Since his forgettable seven-game stint with St. Louis early in 2014-15, Brodeur has been out of the spotlight but still in the background in his capacities as assistant GM with the Blues and in rental-car commercials. But he’ll be center stage in November when he enters the Hall at the head of the statistical pack in the 100-year history of NHL goaltending.</p><p>The debate on the best goalie of all-time will always be open, but Brodeur, in his 20 years with New Jersey, is the runaway leader in wins and shutouts. He’s one of up to four ex-NHLers who will be approved for induction in the players’ category this June. Candidates need at least 14 affirmative votes from the selection committee’s 18-member panel. The voters also determine candidates in the builder’s category. Women’s great Hayley Wickenheiser is expected to gain immediate entry after retiring last year. Here are the top first-year eligible candidates.</p><h2><b>MARTIN BRODEUR</b></h2><p>His 691 regular-season wins are 140 ahead of the No. 2 name on the list, Patrick Roy. How daunting is that number 691? Consider that longtime active star stoppers Pekka Rinne, Jonathan Quick and Carey Price aren’t even close to half that number. Also, 33-year-old Marc-Andre Fleury, wrapping up his 14th season, would need five more seasons of 40 wins just to get to 600.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/buzz_st-louis/294217-1-eng-US/buzz_st-louis2.jpg" title="BUZZ_St-Louis" width="542" height="676"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>MARTIN </b><b>ST-LOUIS</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images/NHLI)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>MARTIN ST-LOUIS</b></h2><p>Hard to believe that the tiny but powerful winger from Laval, Que., was an NHL waiver-wire pickup at 25 after a failed four-goal, 69-game trial with Calgary. And that he didn’t even make it to Tampa Bay’s top line until he was 27. From then on, he was pure magic, scoring 29 or more goals eight times. He was one of the game’s best playmakers and difference-makers for a decade. His award collection includes a Stanley Cup, a Hart, a Ted Lindsay Award, two Art Ross Trophies and three Lady Byngs.</p><h2><b>DANIEL ALFREDSSON</b></h2><p>If Brodeur is an automatic and St-Louis a shoo-in, Alfredsson is classified as on the bubble. The 18-year sniping winger blew through 400 goals and 1,000 points, won the Calder, played in six All-Star Games and was regarded as one of the most respected players of his era. Holding him back is a lack of Cups and/or multiple awards and the prevailing sentiment he was very good but not a Hall of Fame-worthy great.</p><p>Previously passed-over candidates are also up for consideration again. The most popular names include Alexander Mogilny, Theoren Fleury, Jeremy Roenick, Rod Brind'Amour, Curtis Joseph, Keith Tkachuk and Guy Carbonneau.<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

BUZZ_Brodeur

THE TWO MARTINS

<div class="byline">BY SAM MCCAIG</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/buzz_rakell/294260-1-eng-US/buzz_rakell2.jpg"></div><p><b>Who was your mentor growing up?</b></p><p>Probably my brother (Robin). He was the one I started watching, and we’ve always been competitive with each other. It was nice to have somebody you could work out with and try all the moves you see on TV and have someone to try them on. It’s good to have somebody to test your skills on and just have someone to be competitive with.</p><p><b>Best piece of advice you received?</b></p><p>Don’t listen to the coach. It was actually Roger Ronnberg, our coach in the (2012) world juniors when we won the gold. He said, “Don’t listen to the coach because he wants you to never make mistakes.” I felt that was pretty good advice. You can’t play scared. So I always try to listen to the coach, but I also try to be creative when I have the puck.</p><p><b>Who did you model your game after?</b></p><p>Obviously, Peter Forsberg was really big in Sweden. He was good at everything and at the same time a tough player to play against. Everybody would like to be that kind of player and have him as a role model.</p><p><b>Did you have a favorite team?</b></p><p>Not really. I used to watch all the Swedish players in the NHL. Mats Sundin was from my hometown, so not that I followed Toronto that much, but I looked up to him, and it was a special moment if you saw him on the golf course every once in a while back home.</p><p><b>What skill did you work on the most?</b></p><p>I always tried to work on my shot. I had a net in my backyard, and we’d hang up pop bottles and try to shoot them down.</p><p><b>Did you splurge on anything after signing your first NHL contract?</b></p><p>Not really. The first thing I got myself was an apartment in Stockholm. It’s nice to have somewhere to live.</p><p><b>Favorite spot on the ice?</b></p><p>At the side of the net where no one else is.</p><p><b>Favorite way of scoring?</b></p><p>Backdoor tap-ins are really nice.</p><p><b>What part of your game do you still want to improve?</b></p><p>The league is getting faster every year. If you can work on your skating or get a little bit faster just to be able to create space and that extra second for yourself, it can make a big difference.</p><p><b>Best thing about being an NHLer?</b></p><p>I get to live my dream. It’s what I always wanted to do, and now I’m here.</p><p><b>Is there a worst thing?</b></p><p>Not really. Not yet.</p><p><b>What advice would you give to your 13-year-old self?</b></p><p>(Laughs) I did everything right. Don’t change anything.</p><p class="attribute">PHOTO BY GERRY ANGUS/ICON SPORTSWIRE VIA GETTY IMAGES<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

BUZZ_Rakell

RAPID FIRE

<div class="byline">BY MATT LARKIN</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/malarkey_crosby2/294289-1-eng-US/malarkey_crosby2.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>THERE’S ALWAYS NEXT YEAR</b></p><p>Pittsburgh’s three-peat bid came up short. Do Crosby & Co. have what it takes to contend for another Cup in 2018-19?</p><p></p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY MARK BLINCH/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b>THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS </b>were two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, at home, facing the Washington Capitals, who had choked away so many opportunities against them in recent playoffs. All of a sudden, Alex Ovechkin intercepted a puck, threaded a pass to Evgeny Kuznetsov, and he beat Matt Murray, five-hole. Overtime over. Game 6 over. Series over.</p><p>The Pens begrudgingly saluted their fans as if to say, “It’s been a great run.” Was Pittsburgh’s era of dominance really finished?</p><p>The Blackhawks had to pop up in the minds of many concerned Penguins fans at that moment. The Hawks were the NHL’s pseudo-dynasty from 2010 to 2015, winning three Cups in six seasons. Like the Penguins, they built their roster by paying a handful of elite stars mega bucks and repeatedly replacing the depth around them via trades, clever signings or internal promotions. The model worked great for GM Stan Bowman…until it suddenly didn’t. Patrick Kane remains an elite star, but Jonathan Toews has slipped into the next tier down, while workhorse blueliner Duncan Keith has reached his mid-30s, longtime partner Brent Seabrook has fallen apart in his early 30s and Marian Hossa has retired due to an equipment allergy.</p><p>Once the extremely wealthy stars stop performing at peak levels, the system collapses, because the support players aren’t talented enough to shoulder increased weight. That’s why we saw Chicago slip from Stanley Cup to consecutive first-round losses to out of the playoffs altogether in three seasons. There’s no shame in that, of course. The Blackhawks emptied out their draft-pick supply in the name of championship pursuits, and they may not be an elite team again for many years, but they won three Cups using Bowman’s plan.</p><p>The question now is: are the Penguins destined to follow the Blackhawks’ recent trajectory and start sinking slowly?</p><p>The Pens have more than $32 million invested in just four players: Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel and Kris Letang. They have more than $70 million in payroll already committed for 2018-19. This June will mark their fourth consecutive draft without a first-round selection. In our 2018 Future Watch magazine, our panel of NHL scouts and executives graded the Pens’ farm crop dead last out of 31 franchises. There’s no blue-chip help coming for this team.</p><p>Letang enjoyed a healthy season but played some of his leakiest defensive hockey in years. Murray endured multiple injury-related absences and has now missed time with health problems seven times in the past two years. His .907 save percentage this season also ranked 42nd among 51 qualified goaltenders – and he wasn’t much better in the playoffs at .908.</p><p>So, sure, the pessimists have some ammunition. But is it Pittsburgh’s time yet? Not so fast. Here’s why it’s too early to declare the dynastic years over:</p><p>1. Their elite forwards are still elite. Malkin, Kessel and Crosby finished fourth, seventh and 10th in scoring. Malkin will earn Hart Trophy votes, while Crosby remains arguably the NHL’s most complete player. And Kessel had the best season of his career.</p><p>2. Goaltending remains a strength, not a weakness. Give Murray a break. He endured a tough year emotionally after losing his father mid-season. He’s still just 24, younger than Connor Hellebuyck and John Gibson, and has two Cups to his credit.</p><p>3. The Pens don’t need high draft picks to develop good players. Jake Guentzel has been legendary as a playoff performer. He also went 77th overall in his draft year. Bryan Rust went 80th. Conor Sheary wasn’t even drafted. The Penguins’ AHL affiliate has a history of turning marginal prospects into legitimate NHL contributors.</p><p>4. Extreme depth up the middle. On top of Crosby and Malkin, the Penguins have Derick Brassard signed for another year, plus Riley Sheahan. That gives Pittsburgh two Hall of Fame pivots in the top-six and two solid options in the bottom-six.</p><p>5. More cap space than meets the eye. The salary cap projects to rise into the $80-million range, and the Pens have no impact UFAs to re-sign. Guentzel is the only major RFA next year. Pittsburgh thus has some money to play with – perhaps to pursue an impact defenseman. Heck, how about Erik Karlsson? The Pens only have so many prime years of Crosby and Malkin left, so there’s no reason for GM Jim Rutherford to stop chasing aggressive upgrades.</p><p>It’s thus too early to treat 2017-18 as the end of the Penguins’ glory days. They’ll enter 2018-19 as true contenders again, and they’ll be an important team to watch in the off-season.</p><p>Twitter: <a datastyle href="https://twitter.com/THNMATTLARKIN"><b>@THNMATTLARKIN</b></a><span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

Malarkey_Crosby

HAS PENGUINS’ DOOR CLOSED?

Ovi12

OVIE’S ODYSSEY

<div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game1_1/294515-1-eng-US/game1_12.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Marc-Andre Fleury walks the walk preparing to do what no one expected Vegas to do: host a Cup final game.</p><p></p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY JEFF BOTTARI/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game1_2/294508-1-eng-US/game1_22.jpg" title="Game1_2" width="902" height="666"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Every last gray hair on Alex Ovechkin’s head reminds us how long he’s waited to play for a championship.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY PATRICK MCDERMOTT/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game1_3/294501-1-eng-US/game1_32.jpg" title="Game1_3" width="902" height="708"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Sin City doesn’t do quiet. Pre-game festivities include a performance by rapper and Golden Knights nut Lil Jon.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY ETHAN MILLER/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game1_4/294494-1-eng-US/game1_42.jpg" title="Game1_4" width="1146" height="1459"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Colin Miller feels like gettin’ down after scoring Vegas’ first Stanley Cup goal, one of many in a wild opener.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY DAVE SANDFORD/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game1_5/294487-1-eng-US/game1_52.jpg" title="Game1_5" width="1146" height="1457"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>It’s a near-KO for T.J., as the Capitals’ Oshie explodes into the Golden Knights’ Tomas Nosek.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY DAVID BECKER/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game1_6/294480-1-eng-US/game1_62.jpg" title="Game1_6" width="902" height="709"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Behemoth Tom Wilson takes the Caps on his back – and winds up on his back – after scoring in Game 1.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY PATRICK MCDERMOTT/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game1_7/294473-1-eng-US/game1_72.jpg" title="Game1_7" width="902" height="667"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Game 1 gets so zany that tough guy Ryan Reaves scores. Elated linemate Pierre-Edouard Bellemare piles on.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY BRUCE BENNETT/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game1_8/294466-1-eng-US/game1_82.jpg" title="Game1_8" width="2122" height="1354"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>A yawning cage stares at Nosek, who stares back after one-timing Game 1’s winning goal past Braden Holtby.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY HARRY HOW/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> ■</span>

CUP IN PHOTOS - GAME 1

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game2_1/294593-1-eng-US/game2_12.jpg" title="Game2_1" width="657" height="883"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Fleury casts a noble silhouette leading Vegas through a knight’s mouth onto a frozen battlefield for Game 2 of the final.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY ETHAN MILLER/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game2_2/294586-1-eng-US/game2_22.jpg" title="Game2_2" width="657" height="667"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>A zebra tries to restrain two lions as Oshie trades face washes with the Golden Knights’ Deryk Engelland.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY PATRICK MCDERMOTT/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game2_3/294579-1-eng-US/game2_32.jpg" title="Game2_3" width="1390" height="1634"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>No pain, no gain. Washington’s Evgeny Kuznetsov wears the sacrifice on his face after absorbing a punishing hit in Game 2.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY HARRY HOW/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game2_4/294572-1-eng-US/game2_42.jpg" title="Game2_4" width="1390" height="1165"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>With Fleury way out of position, the Caps’ Lars Eller enjoys a rare first-period “empty-netter” to tie the score 1-1.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY DAVID BECKER/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game2_5/294565-1-eng-US/game2_52.jpg" title="Game2_5" width="902" height="1167"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Not even Brooks Orpik, middle, saw a Brooks Orpik goal coming, and his shocked teammates share the joy.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY ETHAN MILLER/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game2_6/294558-1-eng-US/game2_62.jpg" title="Game2_6" width="1146" height="1165"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Cody Eakin literally can’t save face, eating a mouthful of Chandler Stephenson as Vegas drops Game 2.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY HARRY HOW/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game2_7/294551-1-eng-US/game2_72.jpg" title="Game2_7" width="2121" height="1460"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Desperate Holtby dives to rob Alex Tuch of the equalizer late in the third period. ‘The Save’ is born, coming soon to postage stamps everywhere.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY DAVE SANDFORD/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> ■</span>

CUP IN PHOTOS - GAME 2

<div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game3_1/294678-1-eng-US/game3_12.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Quick, find Ovechkin. The Golden Knights can’t in time, and he dives to roof Game 3’s opening goal past Fleury.</p><p></p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY GREGORY SHAMUS/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game3_2/294671-1-eng-US/game3_22.jpg" title="Game3_2" width="657" height="1207"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>In a season with a strange and unexpected Cup-final pairing, Sting and Shaggy onstage together feels right.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY DAVE SANDFORD/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game3_3/294664-1-eng-US/game3_32.jpg" title="Game3_3" width="818" height="584"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>The only player to beat Holtby in Game 3: Holtby, whose giveaway hands Nosek an open net and free goal.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY GREGORY SHAMUS/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game3_4/294657-1-eng-US/game3_42.jpg" title="Game3_4" width="818" height="542"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Vegas’ Nosek backpedals while the Caps’ Stephenson imposes brute force. In other words, a microcosm of Game 3.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY GREGORY SHAMUS/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game3_5/294650-1-eng-US/game3_52.jpg" title="Game3_5" width="1146" height="1483"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Nightmare fuel for the Golden Knights: the too-frequent image of Kuznetsov’s bird-wing celebration.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY BRUCE BENNETT/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game3_6/294643-1-eng-US/game3_62.jpg" title="Game3_6" width="901" height="816"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Vegas has no answer for the Caps’ consistent crease-crashing, and Fleury winds up battered as a result.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY BRUCE BENNETT/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game3_7/294636-1-eng-US/game3_72.jpg" title="Game3_7" width="902" height="584"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>The Capitals’ bench and fans erupt with the realization they’re leading a Cup final series for the first time ever.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY DAVE SANDFORD/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game3_8/294629-1-eng-US/game3_82.jpg" title="Game3_8" width="2122" height="1340"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Devante Smith-Pelly soaks in the pleasure of delivering Game 3’s third-period dagger for a two-goal lead.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY DAVE SANDFORD/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> ■</span>

CUP IN PHOTOS - GAME 3

<div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game4_1/294756-1-eng-US/game4_12.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Eakin drives the net as his Golden Knights gallop into Game 4 with urgency, but if Holtby can see it, he stops it.</p><p></p></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game4_2/294749-1-eng-US/game4_22.jpg" title="Game4_2" width="900" height="1488"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Bellemare doesn’t have the luxury of picking on someone his own size, so the Vegas fourth-liner instead takes a run at mighty Wilson.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY DAVE SANDFORD/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game4_3/294742-1-eng-US/game4_32.jpg" title="Game4_3" width="2121" height="1340"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>You have to be good to be lucky and lucky to be good. Holtby’s desperate stretch is too late, but this puck clangs off the post.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY DAVE SANDFORD/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game4_4/294735-1-eng-US/game4_42.jpg" title="Game4_4" width="1146" height="1417"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>After unloading a bomb of a slapshot from the point, Capitals defenseman John Carlson doesn’t even have to look…</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY JEFF BOTTARI/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game4_5/294728-1-eng-US/game4_52.jpg" title="Game4_5" width="902" height="792"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>…while Fleury wishes he could’ve seen the rocket. Instead, a little black blur ends up buried in his net.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY DAVE SANDFORD/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game4_6/294721-1-eng-US/game4_62.jpg" title="Game4_6" width="901" height="584"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Insult to injury: a collision with Oshie breaks Miller’s nose, and the play ends with a Washington goal.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY BRUCE BENNETT/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/game4_7/294714-1-eng-US/game4_72.jpg" title="Game4_7" width="1390" height="1207"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>Wilson gets a good sniff of Reaves’ glove, but the smell of the Cup is stronger as the Capitals win Game 4.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY DAVE SANDFORD/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="attribute">PHOTO BY MARK GOLDMAN/ICON SPORTSWIRE VIA GETTY IMAGES<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

CUP IN PHOTOS - GAME 4

<div class="byline">BY RYAN KENNEDY</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/top10-vegas/295038-1-eng-US/top10-vegas2.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY DAVID LIPNOWSKI/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b>NOTHING IMPACTED THE</b> hockey world this season, or perhaps any other season, more than the Humboldt Broncos bus crash. It touched lives in communities across North America and spawned an outpouring of emotion from coast-to-coast, from novice hockey to the NHL. In terms of magnitude it’s undeniably the hockey story of the year.</p><p>In the NHL, it was a remarkable season for surprises. The Stanley Cup final pitted the best expansion team of all-time, in any sport, against a club and a superstar most had written off after so many years of playoff disappointment. Our top 10 NHL moments are dotted with tears, some from pain, some from joy. All are from the heart.</p><h2><a name="43-1"></a><b>1. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS</b></h2><p>Nothing went according to script in Vegas for the Golden Knights’ inaugural season, and with one tragic exception, that was good news. Due to one of the worst mass shootings in American history, the Vegas home opener was a somber affair, with a tribute to those affected and Las Vegas resident/defenseman Deryk Engelland taking the mic before the game to deliver thoughtful words to the crowd.</p><p>The Golden Knights won that game and many more in their shocking run. After taking eight of their first 10 games and using three different goalies to do it, Vegas became one of the most intimidating places to have a road game in the NHL, with the ‘Vegas Flu’ becoming a thing for opponents not used to the city’s 24-hour charms.</p><p>A roster that raised zero eyebrows during the expansion draft turned out to be fine-tuned for today’s NHL, with GM George McPhee assembling a speedy, responsible and talented bunch of castoffs that would end up winning the Pacific Division and ran roughshod through the West in the playoffs.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/top10-ovechkin/295024-1-eng-US/top10-ovechkin2.jpg" title="Top10-Ovechkin" width="656" height="624"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY MARK BLINCH/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>2. WASHINGTON</b></h2><p>In the same season Alex Ovechkin notched career goal No. 600, the Washington Capitals accomplished several things they had never done during the ‘Great 8’ era. First and most importantly, they brought home the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history, beating the Golden Knights in an “upset” in the final (Vegas was the odds-on favorite heading in). And the fact the Caps knocked off archrival Pittsburgh in the second round made the victory all the more meaningful.</p><p>Ovechkin led the charge from the regular season on, doing some of his finest work while wearing the captain’s ‘C.’ He bounced back from a so-so 2016-17 campaign by putting up 49 goals to earn his fifth Rocket Richard Trophy in six years (and seventh of his career). Though the Penguins were obviously fatigued after two straight title runs, the Capitals get full marks for dispatching Sidney Crosby’s crew in six games, banishing the notion that Washington would always choke against their rival.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/top10-sedins/295010-1-eng-US/top10-sedins2.jpg" title="Top10-Sedins" width="1139" height="709"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY JEFF VINNICK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><h2><a name="44-1"></a><b>3. SEDINS ANNOUNCE RETIREMENT</b></h2><p><b>APRIL 2, 2018 –</b> Ever since GM Brian Burke traded for the right to pick second and third in the 1999 draft, twins Henrik and Daniel Sedin have been an integral part of the Canucks. The superb Swedes helped the team get to the Stanley Cup final in 2011, and with their immaculate vision and beguiling chemistry, the linemates set nearly every offensive record in franchise history over the course of 18 years in Vancouver.</p><p>When it was time to announce their retirements, the Sedins did so with class – the same way they did everything else in their careers. Citing a need to spend more time with their families, the Sedins decided to step away from the game, but gave fans a few more opportunities to see them live before all was said and done. In the most fitting ending to a career marked by excellence, Daniel scored the OT-winner in the twins’ final home game, with Henrik naturally getting an assist. It was Daniel’s second goal of the contest against Arizona, and it blew the roof off the joint.</p><p>Both players finished their careers with more than 1,000 points, an Olympic gold medal and an Art Ross Trophy, while Henrik also had a Hart Trophy and Daniel nabbed a Ted Lindsay Award. Next stop is the Hall of Fame.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/top10-luongo/294996-1-eng-US/top10-luongo2.jpg" title="Top10-Luongo" width="561" height="903"></div><h2><b>4. LUONGO’S STIRRING SPEECH</b></h2><p><b>FEBRUARY 22, 2018 –</b> In the wake of one of the most publicized school shootings in American history, Florida Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo stepped up to the microphone and spoke from the heart before the team hosted Washington.</p><p>Luongo talked about living in Parkland for the past 12 years. He praised the teachers of Marjory Stoneman Douglas and lauded the students for their bravery. It was an emotional address, but a fitting one that represented how many were feeling at the time. The Panthers and other members of the hockey world (such as Philadelphia’s Shayne Gostisbehere, who attended that high school) embraced the school in the aftermath, with members of the Eagles hockey team representing the school as a whole. In what became a bittersweet coda to the tragedy, that hockey team ended up winning the Florida state title just 10 days after the mass shooting.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/top10-cogliano/294982-1-eng-US/top10-cogliano2.jpg" title="Top10-Cogliano" width="1140" height="809"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY ANDRE RINGUETTE/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>5. ANDREW COGLIANO</b></h2><p><b>JANUARY 14, 2018 –</b> Of all the ways Andrew Cogliano’s ironman streak was going the end, a suspension was the least likely. The Anaheim Ducks veteran had never accrued more than 45 penalty minutes in any given NHL season, but a late and questionable hit that involved head contact on Los Angeles’ Adrian Kempe saw Cogliano draw a two-game ban from the league.</p><p>The suspension snapped Cogliano’s consecutive games streak at 830, ranking him fourth all-time behind Steve Larmer (884), Garry Unger (914) and Doug Jarvis, the champ at 964 games. (Jarvis’ streak, interestingly enough, ended on a healthy scratch.) Cogliano was understandably emotional in the wake of the suspension, and the two games served were the first he had missed in his entire NHL career. The versatile left winger broke into the league with the Edmonton Oilers in 2007-08 and had never missed a game until the suspension.</p><p>Making the situation all the more sticky was the fact the man behind the ban, NHL department of player safety head George Parros, is a former teammate from Anaheim. Parros was forced to vigorously defend the suspension to both the Ducks and the public, particularly since Dustin Brown of the Kings was not suspended for a dodgy cross-check around the same time.</p><p>But in the end, it’s just impressive to think about all the bumps and bruises Cogliano must have played through without missing a start. For the record, Florida defenseman Keith Yandle now holds the current ironman title at 715 games and counting.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/42-top10-boyle/294968-1-eng-US/42-top10-boyle2.jpg" title="42-Top10-Boyle" width="423" height="423"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER PASATIERI/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>6. BRIAN BOYLE</b></h2><p><b>NOVEMBER 1, 2017 –</b> For New Jersey, it was a season of triumph. A pre-season afterthought in the Metro Division, the Devils rode an MVP performance by Taylor Hall to an unlikely playoff berth, with help from an unlikely cast that included Brian Gibbons and Keith Kinkaid.</p><p>But when it comes to feel-good stories, it was hard to beat Brian Boyle, the giant shutdown center who not only had one of his best offensive seasons, but did so after missing the first 10 games of the season due to leukemia. To compound the stress, Boyle was told a few days later that his two-year-old son, Declan, might have an aggressive form of cancer. He was later diagnosed with a different non-cancerous malady that still required treatment, but Boyle was all set to spend time with his son in Boston during the NHL all-star break when teammate Hall went down with an injury. Boyle was chosen as his replacement, and with his family’s blessing, he headed to Tampa Bay. Joining him on the trip? His father, Artie, himself a cancer survivor.</p><p>Boyle also had a special moment in November, when he scored his second goal of the season, on Hockey Fights Cancer night versus Vancouver. After celebrating with his teammates, the religious Boyle poignantly looked up to the skies.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/top10-colorado/294954-1-eng-US/top10-colorado2.jpg" title="Top10-Colorado" width="804" height="1014"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY ANDY DEVLIN/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><h2><a name="45-1"></a><b>7. COLORADO CLINCHES</b></h2><p><b>APRIL 7, 2018 –</b> It took until the very last game of the season, but the Avalanche got there. Deadlocked for the final playoff spot in the West, the Avs faced St. Louis in a winner-gets-in scenario and came out on top with a rousing 5-2 victory. And this was no ordinary wild-card win.</p><p>Last year’s edition of the Avalanche was the worst NHL entry since the 2004-05 lockout. Season over season, this year’s Colorado squad improved a mind-boggling 47 points from 2016-17’s total of 48.</p><p>At the helm of the turnaround was star center Nathan MacKinnon, who evolved his speed game and put up a Hart Trophy-worthy season.</p><p>GM Joe Sakic pulled off a coup in his biggest trade to date, a three-way affair with Nashville and Ottawa that saw Matt Duchene leave Denver in return for a king’s ransom of picks and prospects. Losing a talented center could have stalled the Avs, but they kept on chugging behind MacKinnon and linemates Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog, helping erase the ugly memories of the season before and even winning two playoff games against Nashville in the first round.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/top10-mcdavid/294940-1-eng-US/top10-mcdavid2.jpg" title="Top10-McDavid" width="756" height="1311"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY ANDY DEVLIN/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>8. CONNOR MCDAVID</b></h2><p><b>OCTOBER 4, 2017 –</b> There was a lot of anticipation and excitement surrounding the Edmonton Oilers heading into the season and their boy captain was the main reason. In the season-opener against the archrival Calgary Flames, Connor McDavid lived up to those expectations by dousing the competition for a hat trick in a 3-0 win on home ice.</p><p>The second marker was the gem of the bunch, as No. 97 caused a turnover in his own zone, then blew past three Flames en route to a breakaway goal on netminder Mike Smith. The idea of McDavid doing almost everything for the Oilers that night became an unfortunate harbinger, as Edmonton underperformed all season, missing the playoffs and not even really coming close. Outside of McDavid, the team was slow and goalie Cam Talbot couldn’t handle the load. McDavid was excellent throughout, however, finishing the season with a league-best 108 points and winning his second straight Art Ross Trophy.</p><p>Alas, the woefulness of his teammates undermined McDavid’s chances at a second consecutive Hart Trophy, which in itself opened up a huge debate in hockey circles: does a player’s team need to make the playoffs in order for him to win the Hart? Can a year without a post-season berth have any true value in the NHL? Voters made their opinions heard, and McDavid was not a finalist for MVP honors. But watch out next season…the kid doesn’t settle for losing.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/top10-foster/294926-1-eng-US/top10-foster2.jpg" title="Top10-Foster" width="1070" height="896"></div><h2><b>9. SCOTT FOSTER</b></h2><p><b>MARCH 29, 2018 –</b> It’s the stuff of Disney movies and the reason pro sports can still surprise. The Chicago Blackhawks were already without starter Corey Crawford for a game against Winnipeg when backup Anton Forsberg got hurt during a pre-game ritual. Third-stringer Collin Dellia (making his NHL debut) played most of the game – until he got hurt, too. That paved the way for Foster, the arena’s emergency goalie, to jump in. An accountant by day, the beer-leaguer did play for Western Michigan University, but that was a decade ago. Foster stopped all seven shots he faced to preserve a Chicago win, while his beer-league buddies watched in awe from a local rink.</p><p>In the end, the 26-year-old Foster saw a little more than 14 minutes of action, stopping shots from Tyler Myers, Paul Stastny and Dustin Byfuglien, among others. Needless to say, Foster was mobbed by the Hawks when the final buzzer sounded in the 3-1 victory, while coach Joel Quenneville, in his post-game availability, could only chuckle about the kismet surrounding the accountant.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/top10-jagr/294912-1-eng-US/top10-jagr2.jpg" title="Top10-Jagr" width="300" height="548"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY GERRY THOMAS/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>10. JAROMIR JAGR WAIVED BY CALGARY</b></p><p><b>JANUARY 29, 2018 –</b> One of the most legendary careers in NHL history likely ended this season when the Calgary Flames waived 45-year-old Jaromir Jagr. The first-ballot Hall of Famer tallied one goal and seven points in 22 games for Calgary, where his lack of foot speed finally caught up to the sharp mind and big body that had dominated for so many years.</p><p>Of course, Jagr was not finished with hockey. He ended up going back home to finish out the season with Kladno, the team in which he also has an ownership stake. But after two Cups, an Olympic gold, five Art Ross Trophies and a Hart Trophy, Jagr’s NHL ledger can probably be settled up. He was one of a kind and a model for younger players in his twilight, a tireless worker who famously got in extra practice whenever he could. He finished with 1,921 career points, second all-time, and just 34 games shy of all-time leader Gordie Howe (1,767).</p><p class="attribute">PHOTO BY ELIOT J. SCHECHTER/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES. PHOTO BY DANIEL BARTEL/ICON SPORTSWIRE VIA GETTY IMAGES<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

Top10-Vegas

Top 10 NHL MOMENTS of 2017-18

Champs_Opener

THE CHAMPIONS ISSUE

<div class="byline">BY RYAN KENNEDY</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/champs_dermott/295117-1-eng-US/champs_dermott2.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>MORE FARM WORK</b></p><p>Dermott was full-time with the Leafs since January, but the experience of an AHL playoff run will only help.</p><p></p></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b>A MIDST ALL THE FRONT-OFFICE</b> moves in Toronto this spring, fans of the Maple Leafs at least got to watch some more hockey with an eye on the future. The AHL’s Toronto Marlies stormed into the Calder Cup final against the Texas Stars, riding a nine-game playoff win streak into the series. (Editor’s note: The AHL championship was still ongoing when this issue went to press.)</p><p>The Marlies were the best team in the league this year, pretty much post-to-post. Toronto won 16 of its first 20 games and finished first overall in the regular season. While the first round of the playoffs against Utica went the full distance, reinforcements in the form of defenseman Travis Dermott and left winger Andreas Johnsson got the team back on top, kicking off that undefeated run to the final. It’s bittersweet, but the Maple Leafs’ first-round playoff loss to the Boston Bruins was a boon for the Marlies. “Both ‘Derms’ and ‘Johnny’ were huge parts of our team when they were here before,” said coach Sheldon Keefe. “They’re a big reason why we are who we are as a team.”</p><p>Johnsson and Dermott both showed great potential in their NHL call-ups this year, and getting time in The Show helped turbo-charge their AHL playoff run. “You get to experience the next level, and you try to bring back tips for these guys and help out as much as you can,” Dermott said. “Our team was doing well enough without Johnny and I, but I felt we came back and got in the groove.”</p><p>Johnsson already looks like the type of skilled and versatile winger who can play up and down an NHL lineup as needed, but if there’s one glaring deficiency the Leafs need to address heading into next season, it’s on defense. Dermott will have a regular role next year, but it will be interesting to see how soon his Marlies defense partner joins him. Timothy Liljegren, the Leafs’ first-round pick (17th overall) last summer, made his North American debut this season and is still a teenager. But as a right-shot blueliner with mobility and skill, he’s looking like a great future asset. “Stick skills, he’s got me beat,” Dermott said. “He’s a young guy, so he’s got some learning to do, but the way he has learned already, it’s nothing to worry about. He’s someone to be excited for. Soon enough he’ll be up there for sure and making a great impact.”</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/champs_liljegren/295103-1-eng-US/champs_liljegren2.jpg" title="Champs_Liljegren" width="717" height="687"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>SLICK STICKWORK</b></p><p>Liljegren’s abilities with the puck caught the attention of his teammates. “He’s got me beat,” Dermott said.</p></figcaption></div><p>Fundamentally, it’s the skating of Liljegren and Dermott that make them so intriguing right now. While neither put up a ton of points in the AHL post-season, they used their speed to nullify chances in their own zone – and given how potent the Marlies’ forwards are, offense from the back end wasn’t needed as much. Their defensive awareness also helped the team hold on to last-minute leads. “Backing off the gas pedal is the last thing you want to do,” Dermott said. “Some teams back off and almost let the team get in the zone. With the skill we have, we don’t have to do that. We can pressure them and force them to get the puck out of their zone instead of us getting it out of ours.”</p><p>All this is great experience for youngsters such as Dermott and Liljegren, and a title would really validate the work new Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas has done with the team’s AHL squad in recent years. The youngsters bubbling up from below could really help take the unit to the next level in the near future. Along with Dermott and Liljegren, there’s the steady Justin Holl, who made quite the impression with the Leafs when he scored goals in both games of a call-up during the season. And while two games is a small sample size, the late-bloomer was also a possession monster. Holl and Swedish free agent Calle Rosen were both solid on the Marlies’ blueline in the playoffs, too.</p><p>No doubt the Maple Leafs will be in the hunt for more defense this summer, whether by free agency or trade. But the cupboard isn’t looking as bare as it once did, and the Marlies’ run through the post-season is proving that concept.</p><p class="attribute">PHOTO BY CARLOS OSORIO/TORONTO STAR VIA GETTY IMAGES. PHOTO BY STEVE RUSSELL/TORONTO STAR VIA GETTY IMAGES<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

Champs_Dermott

THE DEEP BLUELINE

<div class="byline">BY STEPHEN MESERVE</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/champs_bayreuther1/295153-1-eng-US/champs_bayreuther12.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>TRUST EXERCISE</b></p><p>Bayreuther chose the Stars over several other NHL suitors. Why? He believed he’d be in good hands.</p><p></p></figcaption></div><p><b>GAVIN BAYREUTHER DIDN’T TAKE</b> the traditional path to becoming an NHL prospect.</p><p>Never drafted, Bayreuther emerged as a top NCAA free agent defenseman last year after his senior season with St. Lawrence University came to a close. “I definitely took the longer route compared to other prospects,” he said. “I was always the underdog. I was barely recruited to college and kind of just made my way up the ranks.”</p><p>He signed with the Dallas Stars and emerged as a key player in Texas’ unexpected run to the Calder Cup final. (Editor’s note: The AHL championship was still ongoing when this issue went to press.) “It was an eye-opener,” Bayreuther said. “But the more games you have, the more lessons you learn. Now that I’m a full year in, I feel like I’m hitting my stride and playing with some confidence.”</p><p>Getting to that confidence level was a patient exercise in slowing down to ultimately speed up. Bayreuther played a strong offensive game in college, but the tools he had used needed tweaking at the pro level. “(Defending is) where I struggled, but I knew that coming here,” he said. “Management and coaches knew that, and they’ve done a great job making me focus on that. They made sure I earned that respect and trust before I was given other opportunities.”</p><p>Texas assistant coach Karl Taylor was a crucial piece of that puzzle. “(Gavin) started the year a little slow, trying to do too much,” he said. “We were able to back him off a little bit and get him focused on how to defend properly, not worry about points and scoring.”</p><p>Accepting that type of feedback can be hard for anyone, especially someone who was heavily recruited by multiple NHL teams out of college. Bayreuther took it in stride, knowing that everything Taylor was doing was toward the greater goal of making him an NHL defenseman. In fact, it was Texas’ approach to coaching that helped convinced Bayreuther to sign with the Stars. His college coach, Mark Morris, had worked with Taylor when both were in the Los Angeles Kings’ system and put in a good word. General manager Jim Nill and player development co-ordinator Rich Peverley took it from there. “It felt right here,” Bayreuther said. “Everyone seemed like they were extra caring. St. Lawrence alum Rich Peverley and Jim Nill were compassionate and made it more personal. It made me realize that I’d be in good hands here and that I could trust this organization.”</p><p>Texas put Bayreuther, 24, on the power play in his first game out of college when he was on an amateur tryout in the spring of 2017, and he potted his first professional goal that night. But early in the 2017-18 season, the Stars took the native of Canaan, N.H., off the power play to concentrate more on his defensive game. That helped Bayreuther improve his game by stripping it down to its most essential elements and building it back up by degrees.</p><p>The players who have come through Texas before him paint a picture as well. Taylor noted that current NHL defensemen John Klingberg and Stephen Johns both had similar things to work on when they came through the AHL. “As long as (Gavin) knows the progression is still going where he wants to go, he’ll buy in pretty quick,” Taylor said.</p><p>After a strong rookie season (seven goals, 32 points in 71 games), Bayreuther showed the strides he’s made on the biggest stage in the Calder Cup final. In hostile territory, his third-period power-play bomb in Game 2 was the game-winner, ending a home winning streak for the Marlies that stretched all the way back to March of the regular season. “I’ve learned that every shift is important,” he said. “Focus and being prepared for games is beyond important. You make one lapse, and it can ruin the way you play, your mood, your swing. You’ve gotta hammer the nail, play harder and be focused all the time.”</p><p class="attribute">PHOTO BY CARLOS OSORIO/TORONTO STAR VIA GETTY IMAGES<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

Champs_Bayreuther1

SLOW DOWN TO SPEED UP

<div class="byline">BY MATT LARKIN</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/champs_gagarin1/295203-1-eng-US/champs_gagarin12.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>SURPRISE ENDING</b></p><p>Ak Bars upset CSKA Moscow in the KHL final, employing a rope-a-dope strategy and preying on mistakes.</p><p></p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY ROMAN KRUCHININ/HOCKEY HALL OF FAME)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b>IMAGINE IF THE NEW</b> York Yankees or Golden State Warriors, on top of being ridiculously rich and stacked with superstar players, also had the backing of U.S. president Donald Trump and were accused of having the season fixed to hand them the championship. That’s the magnitude of alleged craziness happening in the KHL right now. The juggernaut is SKA St. Petersburg, unofficially known as Russian president Vladimir Putin’s team, loaded with a monster payroll and accused by Russian reporter Slava Malamud of trying to “fix” the Gagarin Cup playoffs so the officials would call things in the team’s favor. The closest competition is the almost-as-invincible CSKA Moscow, a.k.a the Red Army. Both teams opened the season bursting with expensive, high-end talent, set up as the “feeder” squads for the ‘Olympic Athlete from Russia’team in Pyeongchang. They combined to supply all but two members of the Winter Games team, which went on to win gold.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/champs_gagarin3/295189-1-eng-US/champs_gagarin32.jpg" title="Champs_Gagarin3" width="722" height="729"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY ROMAN KRUCHININ/HOCKEY HALL OF FAME)</span></figcaption></div><p>It would’ve been natural, then, for other KHL teams to feel like the Gagarin Cup was a foregone conclusion. It would go to St. Petersburg, armed with Ilya Kovalchuk and Pavel Datsyuk, or Red Army, boasting Mikhail Grigorenko and Kirill Kaprizov. But that’s not how the members of Ak Bars Kazan saw things. They relished the chance to stick it to the league’s privileged and powerful. “It’s always pretty big between teams like us, CSKA and St. Petersburg,” said Ak Bars right winger Jiri Sekac, the team’s top scorer in the regular season. “Those games are fun to watch and even fun for us. I don’t think it’s just me, but players around the league just want to show them that they’re not the best, even if they have the best paycheques and put a lot of money in. You could say it makes us a little more motivated.”</p><p>The playoff bracket did Ak Bars a favor by pitting the beastly St. Petersburg and Red Army head-to-head in the Western Conference final, with Red Army pulling off the upset and advancing to face Ak Bars for the Gagarin Cup. The Kazan squad was an underdog, 24 points behind CSKA in the regular season, but Ak Bars had an underrated group, including Sekac, a former NHLer, plus freshly added blueliner Andrei Markov, Sekac’s former teammate with the Montreal Canadiens. Markov, still a good puck-mover at 39, had a huge impact on his new team. He logged major minutes in the playoffs and was a calming influence, especially with the non-Russian import players. Sekac jokes that Markov is more Canadian than Russian nowadays, and Canadian Rob Klinkhammer confirms Markov even has a Canadian passport now.</p><p>Ak Bars still needed a slingshot to have any hope of bringing down Goliath, and they got it in the form of a specific strategy from coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov. They would play the rope-a-dope game. “We would basically sit back the whole game and wait for mistakes, wait for one mistake, most likely,” Sekac said. “Nobody was risking anything. We were just playing safe the whole time, and that’s what brought us success.”</p><a name="51-1"></a><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/champs_gagarin2/295182-1-eng-US/champs_gagarin22.jpg" title="Champs_Gagarin2" width="1244" height="1354"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>GAGARIN GLORY</b></p><p>Ak Bars’ Gagarin Cup celebrations featured break dancers, karaoke and over-the-top entertainment.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY ROMAN KRUCHININ/HOCKEY HALL OF FAME)</span></figcaption></div><p>Klinkhammer calls Ak Bars “the most structured team in the KHL” and felt a trapping, “mid-2000s NHL” approach architected by Bilyaletdinov was the deciding factor. The scores reflected the game plan. Ak Bars took the series in five games, winning 2-1, 2-1, 3-1 and 1-0. They averaged just two goals in those victories but gave up less than a goal against per game. The only contest in which both teams scored more than twice, Game 3, was the only game Ak Bars lost, 3-2 in overtime. The lockdown approach worked best, and Ak Bars scored a monster-upset championship for their first Gagarin Cup title since 2010. Klinkhammer scored the only goal in the deciding game. Afterward, he felt a surge of emotion he didn’t see coming. “It was amazing,” he said. “I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about winning the Cup. Obviously it would be a huge accomplishment. But I didn’t realize I’d feel like it was such an accomplishment. I’m never going to win the Stanley Cup now, so this is my Stanley Cup. That goal, that night, that whole playoff run, I’ll always remember.”</p><p>Also burned into Klinkhammer’s brain: the post-game celebration, which was distinctly “KHL” and differed from anything you’d see in North America. “There were break dancers and B-boys, and two guys straight out of the movie <i>Cocktail</i>, spinning bottles and doing flips and catches and stuff like that,” he said. “There’s karaoke. There’s this light show where they’re dressed up like characters from the movie <i>Tron</i>. The live entertainment is something we’re not used to, but it was pretty interesting to see.”</p><p>So what come next for Ak Bars? Klinkhammer, 31, isn’t sure how much longer he’ll play, and Sekac, 26, has just one year left on his KHL deal. But the allure of clutching the Gagarin Cup and trying to keep it away from fat cats St. Petersburg and Red Army as long as possible might be too much fun for anyone to walk away from.<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

Champs_Gagarin1

PLAYING THE SPOILER

<div class="byline">BY UFFE BODIN</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/champs_shl2/295232-1-eng-US/champs_shl22.jpg" title="Champs_SHL2" width="924" height="729"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>ONE AND DONE</b></p><p>Andren shut out Skelleftea three times and gave up just a single goal in the other game during Vaxjo’s sweep.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY SIMON ELIASSON / BILDBYRÅN)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b>EXPECTATIONS WERE CERTAINLY HIGH</b> for Vancouver Canucks prospect Elias Pettersson after he went fifth overall in last summer’s NHL draft. But this season’s results were still beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. It was a Cinderella story in an unconventional sense.</p><p>After making the move from Timra of the Allsvenskan, Sweden’s second-tier league, to powerhouse Vaxjo of the Swedish League, Pettersson needed a little time to get going. He didn’t score in the first month of the season, but after finally registering his first SHL goal against the Malmo Redhawks on Oct. 19, he went on a tear that pretty much lasted the rest of the campaign.</p><p>When the dust settled, Pettersson had not only won the scoring title, but he also broke Kent Nilsson’s 42-year-old record for most points by a junior-aged player in the SHL. Pettersson, 19, ended up with 56 points in 44 games.</p><p>And he was far from done. After a disappointing loss to Team Canada in the gold-medal game at the World Junior Championship in Buffalo, he finally got to experience glory as he led Vaxjo to its second Swedish League championship. He racked up 10 goals and 19 points in 13 games as his dominant team only lost once throughout the playoffs and swept Skelleftea AIK in the final, outscoring them 20-1 in the process. “This is what I’ve dreamt and had chills about,” said Pettersson as he raised the Le Mat Trophy. “It’s just enormous joy. Happiness. This is what we worked for all year long, and now we’re champions. It’s incredible.”</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/champs_shl1/295246-1-eng-US/champs_shl12.jpg" title="Champs_SHL1" width="1244" height="1921"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>ALL THE TROPHIES!</b></p><p>Pettersson grabbed the SHL championship trophy, as well as playoff MVP, season MVP, top rookie and best forward.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY PETTER ARVIDSON/BILDBYRÅN)</span></figcaption></div><p>Goaltender Viktor Andren, 24, was the other big hero for Vaxjo. He posted three shutouts in the final while filling in for the team’s injured starter, former NHLer Viktor Fasth. “This was something I could never have dreamt about when the season started,” Andren said. ”It’s hard to comprehend what we managed to achieve.”</p><p>Pettersson was awarded the Stefan Liv Memorial Trophy as playoff MVP. He then added more hardware as he was also voted the SHL’s rookie of the year, forward of the year and league MVP at the SHL Awards following the season.</p><p>His year ended on a bittersweet note, however, as he broke his thumb during the World Championship in Copenhagen. That meant he missed the end of the tournament as Sweden won gold for the second consecutive year. Consolation came soon afterward when he signed an entry-level contract with the Canucks, paving the way for an NHL debut next fall.<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

Champs_SHL1

SUPREME SWEDE

<div class="byline">BY RISTO PAKARINEN</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/champs_karpat3/295289-1-eng-US/champs_karpat32.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>GRITTY GOALIE</b></p><p>Vehvilainen has experienced the highest of highs – and lowest of lows – the past three seasons in Finland.</p><p></p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY FINNISH HOCKEY LEAGUE / VILLE HONKONEN)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b>THE 2018 FINNISH LEAGUE</b> final was a familiar affair, as Tappara Tampere and Karpat Oulu met for the third time in five years. And just like in 2014 and 2015, Karpat came out on top, claiming its seventh title since 2000. For Tappara, the final berth was its sixth in a row.</p><p>Karpat winger Julius Junttila, who led the post-season scoring race, received the Jari Kurri Award as the playoff MVP, but nobody would’ve been upset had it been handed to 21-year-old Karpat goaltender Veini Vehvilainen. He played in 17 of the team’s 18 playoff games, posting a .933 save percentage and league-best 1.53 goals-against average while also recording three shutouts, two of them in the final.</p><p>He won the Urpo Ylonen Award for best goalie during the regular season and was voted to the Liiga all-star team, too, so it was a banner year for accomplishments. It was Vehvilainen’s personal journey, however, that brought him new supporters this year as he was dealt a crushing blow at the end of the regular season when his father passed away suddenly.</p><p>The team rallied around him and, after the final buzzer in the championship game, captain Lasse Kukkonen invited Vehvilainen to hoist the trophy with him. “It’s been hard, naturally, but I hope Dad is proudly looking down on me,” said Vehvilainen to the Finnish media.</p><p>Added Karpat goalie coach Ari Hilli: “We’ve had long talks about life and there were moments where Veini told me he simply didn’t have the energy to play. But I think being on the ice was still the best way for him to deal with his grief.”</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/champs_karpat2/295275-1-eng-US/champs_karpat22.jpg" title="Champs_Karpat2" width="708" height="812"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>LASSE KUKKONEN </b>&<b> </b><b>VEINI VEHVILAINEN</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY FINNISH HOCKEY LEAGUE / MIKKO PYLKKÖ)</span></figcaption></div><p>Even before he lost his father, Vehvilainen’s past three seasons had been mentally exhausting. In 2015, he was voted to the under-18 World Championship all-star team but returned from the NHL draft without being selected. In 2016, he lost the World Junior Championship starting job to Kaapo Kahkonen when Finland – led by scoring forwards Patrik Laine, Sebastian Aho and Jesse Puljujarvi – won gold. In 2017, Vehvilainen, a native of Jyvaskyla, posted the WJC’s best GAA (1.51) and SP (.931), but Finland ended up in the relegation group and fired its coach mid-tournament.</p><p>After two mediocre seasons on his hometown team in the Finnish league, he moved to Oulu in 2017 to back up former Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Jussi Rynnas and to work with Hilli, who helped Niklas Backstrom and Pekka Rinne become NHL goaltenders. Vehvilainen came on from the bench in the second game of the 2018 playoffs and never looked back.</p><p>The breakout season wasn’t all just mental growth, according to Hilli. “He’s worked hard to get stronger and that shows in his game, he has better confidence,” Hilli said.</p><p>“I know I’ve done something right,” Vehvilainen said. “It’s also a reward for hard work.”<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

Champs_Karpat3

THIS ONE’S FOR YOU, DAD

<div class="byline">BY CAROL SCHRAM</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/champs_world1/295339-1-eng-US/champs_world12.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>NO PLACE LIKE ROAD</b></p><p>Copenhagen is close to the Swedish border, so it was easy for fans to come cheer on the blue and yellow.</p><p></p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY ANDRE RINGUETTE/HHOF-IIHF IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b>ACASUAL VIEWER COULD BE</b> forgiven for thinking that the gold-medal game of the 2018 World Championship was being held in a Swedish city like Stockholm or Malmo.</p><p>The stands were filled with chanting, cheering fans in Tre Kronor jerseys as Sweden beat Switzerland 3-2 in a shootout to claim world supremacy for a second straight year. But the win didn’t come on Swedish soil – it happened at Royal Arena in nearby Copenhagen, Denmark. “Since we’re only 20 minutes away from Sweden, yeah, it’s been awesome,” said coach Rikard Gronborg, who’s now two-for-two as bench boss at the World Championship after moving up from the junior ranks. “It’s just tremendous to see all the yellows up in the stands, singing the national anthem after a game.”</p><p>Added Mika Zibanejad, whose sixth goal of the tournament sent the game to overtime: “You can’t stop smiling. You feel spoiled. The support we’ve been getting is unbelievable. The energy they give us and the motivation that they give us to play well in front of them…It’s a lot of friends and family as well, so it’s fun.”</p><p><a name="55-1"></a>With Denmark a first-time host in a nation where hockey is still a developing sport, Danish Ice Hockey Union head Henrik Bach Nielsen thought strategically when assigning his home team to the smallest World Championship host city in modern history – Herning, population 50,000 – for the preliminary round. “It’s the first time that the host is not in the main arena,” he said, “but by doing that, we had a home team in Herning and Sweden as a home team in Copenhagen.”</p><p>The result: a total attendance of 520,481, seventh-highest of all-time.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/champs_world4/295325-1-eng-US/champs_world42.jpg" title="Champs_World4" width="622" height="688"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>ANDERS NILSSON</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY MATT ZAMBONIN/HHOF-IIHF IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>The Swedes, in particular, enjoyed Denmark’s famous <i>hygge</i> hospitality, going unbeaten in the event. Sweden once again iced the tournament’s deepest team despite the fact only three players returned from 2017’s winning roster: defensemen John Klingberg and Oliver Ekman-Larsson and winger Dennis Everberg. “We’re a balanced team all the way throughout,” said Gustav Nyquist. “We can roll four lines and three ‘D’ pairs.”</p><p>In 2017, the Swedes were led by goaltender Henrik Lundqvist and his twin brother Joel, who served as team captain. William Nylander was named tournament MVP. This year, Mikael Backlund of the Calgary Flames took on the captain’s role, Rickard Rakell of the Anaheim Ducks led the way offensively with 14 points in 10 games, and Anders Nilsson played hero in goal after taking over the net from Magnus Hellberg. “Anders came in and had been on vacation for three weeks, so it was important for us to get him some games,” Gronborg said. “We didn’t start with him in the tournament. We wanted to make him feel comfortable.”</p><p>Said Nilsson: “It was an easy decision (to come over). I wanted to play more hockey.”</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/champs_world2/295318-1-eng-US/champs_world22.jpg" title="Champs_World2" width="1312" height="917"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>PALATE CLEANSER</b></p><p>Forsberg killed the aftertaste of his Predators’ playoff loss when he scored the winning shootout goal at the worlds.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY MATT ZAMBONIN/HHOF-IIHF IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>The Vancouver Canucks backup was at his best in the first period of Sweden’s semifinal game against a determined U.S. team led by Patrick Kane, the tournament’s leading scorer and MVP. Nilsson stopped all 16 shots he faced in the opening frame, allowing the Swedes to escape with a 1-0 lead on the way to a 6-0 shutout in a game where they were outshot 41-20. “He kept us in there at the start of the game,” Rakell said. “When he plays like that, he gives us a lot of confidence. It was a good feeling.”</p><p>The Swedish roster, which featured 21 NHL players, got a boost from a late-arriving group that was bounced after the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. After playing through to the Cup final last year, Patric Hornqvist of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Filip Forsberg, Viktor Arvidsson and Mattias Ekholm of the Nashville Predators all said yes. Hornqvist chipped in two power-play goals in five games after fast-tracking a passport for his newborn daughter so his whole family could come along. “We couldn’t get the third Stanley Cup, but I’m standing here as a winner in the end,” he said.</p><p>For the Nashville trio, it was a group decision to make the trip. “We told each other that we’d come here to win,” said Forsberg. “You watch the World Championship as a kid growing up. I’ve seen a couple of golds, so now to be a part of it, it’s fantastic.”</p><p>In 2017, the Swedes dethroned the two-time defending champs from Canada. This time around, Sweden’s gold-medal opponent was an upstart group from Switzerland seeking its first world title after upsetting Canada 3-2 in the semifinal.</p><p>Thanks to a strong performance from Swiss goalie Leonardo Genoni, the gold-medal game remained 2-2 after regulation and a 20-minute 4-on-4 overtime period. In the shootout, Sven Andrighetto was the only Swiss player to beat Nilsson. Ekman-Larsson evened things up for Sweden before Forsberg won it by firing a snap shot between Genoni’s legs. That winning goal helps make up for the disappointment of a playoff run that fell short in Nashville. “We’ve got a gold medal,” Forsberg said. “I’ll get my chance at the Stanley Cup, hopefully.”<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

Champs_World1

FRESH SWEDISH FACES, SAME GOLDEN OUTCOME

<div class="byline">BY JARED CLINTON</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/champs_nwhl1/295432-1-eng-US/champs_nwhl12.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY MATTHEW RANEY PHOTOGRAPHY)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b>KATIE FITZGERALD IS A</b> pragmatist. Having endured the highs and lows of being a professional puckstopper, the Metropolitan Riveters goaltender understands there’s really no such thing as perfection in her vocation. There’s constant need for improvement, always something to be honed, a tweak here or a fine-tune there.</p><p>But for two weeks in late March, Fitzgerald was as close to perfect as it comes. Matter of fact, statistically speaking, she was without a single fault. Throughout the NWHL post-season, which consists of two single-knockout rounds, Fitzgerald went 34 for 34 in the Riveters’ crease. After blanking the Connecticut Whale in a 5-0 rout, Fitzgerald outduelled Buffalo Beauts netminder Amanda Leveille in a 1-0 nail-biter that saw Riveters forward Alexa Gruschow’s first-period marker stand as the Isobel Cup-winning goal. “It’s definitely not what I was expecting,” Fitzgerald said. “You don’t want to give up a goal. That’s always the goal. But you have to be realistic and know that when you’re playing against such talented players, it’s going to happen. But bottom line as a goalie, your job is to give your team the opportunity to win.”</p><p>Safe to say she did exactly that. And better yet, she did so in a season where she yearned for redemption. In 2016-17, her rookie campaign, Fitzgerald was named the NWHL’s top goaltender, but her playoff performance in the opening round was one she wished she could forget. Against the Beauts, who have become the Riveters’ top rival, Fitzgerald allowed four goals on 12 shots in her worst performance of the campaign. “I took it really hard,” Fitzgerald said. “I wanted to bounce back and be able to be mentally strong and consistent for my team. I focused on that aspect of my game a lot in the off-season.”</p><p>So, alongside goalie coach Rebecca Baker, Fitzgerald went to work on honing her on-ice game, giving priority to improving her dexterity through hand-eye drills. Off the ice, Fitzgerald took a mind-over-body approach. “I got into yoga and meditation and all that fun stuff,” Fitzgerald said. “I really enjoy it, so I’m really happy that I did start to explore that. I also got to reading some books by the Goalie Guild. The one that I read, specifically, is called <i>The Power Within</i>. It’s about the mental side of goaltending.”</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/champs_nwhl2/295418-1-eng-US/champs_nwhl22.jpg" title="Champs_NWHL2" width="680" height="854"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>RED REDEMPTION</b></p><p>After crashing when it counted in the 2017 playoffs, Fitzgerald saved her best for last this year.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY MICHAEL HETZEL)</span></figcaption></div><p>Fitzgerald’s summer efforts paid immediate dividends. Through to the all-star break, she was nearly unbeatable as the Riveters rocketed to the top of the standings. She had only one blemish on her record and sported an impressive .927 save percentage. As the campaign closed, though, Fitzgerald faltered, dropping three of her final five starts, with each defeat coming against the Beauts. The trio of losses set the stage for the Isobel Cup showdown. “We won the first three games (during the season) and they won the last three, so it was a true Game 7,” Fitzgerald said. “It was the final we definitely wanted to have.”</p><p>But earning redemption against the Beauts, winning the Isobel Cup and having the best statistical season of her career wasn’t the only highlight. Fitzgerald, a native of Des Plaines, Ill., who has never represented her country on the international stage, caught the eye of USA Hockey with her performance and earned an invite to development camp. But, always level-headed and knowing the depth of the U.S. talent pool, Fitzgerald remains focused only on doing what she can to grow her game further. “I just want to learn what I can and take what I’ve learned so far, implement it and continue to work,” she said. “Whatever happens, happens.”<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

Champs_NWHL1

PITCH PERFECT

<div class="byline">BY BEN KUZMA</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/nhl_horvat1/295475-1-eng-US/nhl_horvat12.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY JEFF VINNICK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b>WHEN THE DURABLE BO</b> Horvat missed 18 games with an ankle fracture this season, his patience and persistency were challenged because there were reasonable concerns: How would the blossoming Vancouver Canucks center, who missed but one game the past two NHL seasons, maintain a level of enviable game-ready fitness while injured? How would the projected future captain, who was on pace for a career-high 29 goals, rebound from a freaky accident against Carolina Dec. 5 when his skate got in a rut and his ankle exploded upon player contact?</p><p>Horvat endured four weeks in a walking boot and couldn’t put any weight on his injured ankle, but he somehow trained like a demon, and his fitness numbers matched or bettered those at training camp. And after skating six times on his own and just one practice and one game-day skate, he returned right on schedule, Jan. 21 in Winnipeg.</p><p>Horvat needed just three games to find his rhythm after being out six weeks. He scored in back-to-back games on five occasions to finish with 22 goals in 64 games – including 10 on the vastly improved power play as a net-front presence – and led the Canucks in faceoff efficiency at 53.8 percent.</p><p>Horvat also topped Canucks forwards with 19:21 of average ice time and was productive in games where he exceeded the average minutes. It meant more Bo was better Bo.</p><p>For most players, that would suffice as a satisfying season. Not for the 23-year-old Horvat. “For me, it’s to keep working on my skating – you can never be too fast,” Horvat said. “That’s something I already know, and I know it’s something I have to keep working on all summer.</p><p>“I just need to keep working on my two-way game. It’s being that complete player and a guy you can put out in key situations. That’s the player they want me to be, and that’s the player I’m hoping to turn into.”</p><p><a name="59-1"></a>One aspect of Horvat’s game that needs to grow is defensive awareness before getting into transition mode. That was evident during his 10 games on the larger international ice surface at the World Championship with Canada, where he was forced to retreat quickly defensively, find his check and then think offense. “Playing with great players and just watching them on a day-to-day basis in what they do and what their tendencies are, it’s just another step in the right direction for me,” he said. “I just want to keep getting better and keep learning.”</p><p>Horvat benefitted from a championship pressure-packed junior environment in London with the OHL Knights. He methodically climbed up from measured NHL minutes as a fourth-line defensive and faceoff specialist for former Canucks coach Willie Desjardins, turned a laboring stride into bull-like rushes and even overcame a 27-game scoring drought his second season.</p><p>Outwardly, Horvat tried to stay positive at that young stage of his closely monitored career. Internally, he was beating himself up until Henrik Sedin took him aside. “He said he had been through it and said to just go play,” Horvat said. “It turned my season around, and it’s something I’ll never forget.”</p><p>With the retired Sedins passing the torch to a younger transitioning roster, Horvat welcomes the challenge to take his game to another level because he has been schooled by two of the best to don a Canucks jersey. “To me, they could play in the league another three or four years, but I’m happy for them and their families,” He said. “They’re such great role models for my game and how I approach it on and off the ice. If I could leave half of what they left on the organization as a stamp, I would be happy.”</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/nhl_horvat2/295461-1-eng-US/nhl_horvat22.jpg" title="NHL_Horvat2" width="1024" height="1042"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>A WORK IN PROGRESS</b></p><p>Horvat knows he still needs to polish his defensive game to become the 200-foot player he wants to be.</p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY JEFF VINNICK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>In 2016-17, Horvat became the first Canucks player since 2005-06 not named Daniel or Henrik to lead the club in scoring after notching 20 goals and 52 points. His 44 points this season left him fourth on the team, but he raised his per-game average for the third straight year. In September, he was rewarded for his play, poise and potential with a six-year, $33-million commitment that said everything about his promise.</p><p>Maybe it’s small-town values and a work ethic formed in the tiny community of Rodney, Ont., that allowed Horvat to reach big-city dreams. He was groomed for a bigger role. He became the poster boy for marketing campaigns and exudes everything the team wanted in the new face of a transitioning franchise. Horvat is respectful, humble and involved in the charitable community. That foundation is a vital building block toward being a true leader on a off the ice.</p><blockquote class="pullQuote">IF I COULD LEAVE HALF OF WHAT THE SEDINS LEFT ON THE ORGANIZATION AS A STAMP, I WOULD BE HAPPY</blockquote><p><i>– Bo Horvat</i></p><p>Canucks first-year coach Travis Green believes veterans, who have been through the ebbs and flows of rollercoaster seasons, bring an experience element that can’t be manufactured by younger players. But he did say anybody can provide leadership. “You don’t need a letter to lead,” Green said. “For me, you lead in your own way – whether you’re a rookie or 15-year veteran. You can’t script leadership. Nor should you. It comes out in how you practise, how you train in the off-season, how you treat your teammates, and how you react in a game where you personally didn’t play that well. With Bo, we agree he’s still becoming a better player. We haven’t seen the best, and it’s not always about goals and assists. His game is still developing.”</p><p>Though Horvat has already proved he can shoulder a first-line role. More importantly, he’s shown he can be the first reason for optimism and the last reason for concern that he might not meet expectations as a player or a person – especially following the shocking 2013 draft-day trade for Cory Schneider. It landed the ninth-overall pick that turned into Horvat and turned a hockey-mad market upside down because the Canucks chose to part with a proven goaltender in order to draft a work in progress. To his credit, Horvat changed the narrative from, “That’s all we got for Schneider?” to “That’s our future captain.”</p><p>“I’ve been here long enough that I’ve seen what it takes to be a leader, and how Hank and Danny have done it for many years.” Horvat said. “I’m ready to make that next step. You still need the veteran presence in the room, and we’ve got that. But I have progressed on and off the ice and in the community and locker room in being able to speak up more where I haven’t in past years.”</p><p>Horvat’s family has also played an integral part in his development at and away from the rink. So has his girlfriend, Holly Donaldson, who has been his sporting soul mate and sounding board for seven years.</p><p>Donaldson is also an accomplished athlete who excels in curling at the provincial level and at the International Arabian horse-show circuit. She knows the demands the pursuit of excellence places on routine and a relationship.</p><p>That’s why she knows what we really don’t know. She knows Bo. “I can get a little agitated, but she keeps me pretty even-keeled,” Horvat said. “She cares a lot about me and the people around her. She always wants to make me better and wants people to succeed and is very unselfish that way.”</p><p>Horvat can also lean on his father, Tim. An insulation salesman, he played Jr. B and 12 games for the Knights. He works long stretches to find a few days to see his son play. And when that’s not possible, the phone is close at hand. “If he sees something that he doesn’t like in my game, he’s obviously going to talk to me about it and see what I think,” Horvat said. “I always ask him for his advice, but he’s good at respecting that I’m in the NHL and at the highest level.”</p><p>And at that highest level, Horvat is ready to assume an even bigger role.</p><div class="sidebar"><p><i>For up-to-the-minute coverage, visit <a href="http://THN.COM">THN.COM</a></i><span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p></div>

NHL_Horvat1

GETTING TO KNOW BO

<div class="byline">BY WAYNE FISH</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/phi_konecny1/295518-1-eng-US/phi_konecny12.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>CLIMBING THE CHARTS</b></p><p>Konecny ranks among the top 10 in games, goals and points among 2015 draftees – yet he lasted until pick No. 24.</p><p></p></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b>THE TURNING POINT IN</b> Travis Konecny’s young career may have occurred, strangely enough, during a game in which he scored two goals and still wound up on the bench.</p><p>The Philadelphia Flyers were playing Columbus on March 13, 2017, and Konecny was enjoying the best game of his rookie season with a pair of goals and some feisty play against the Blue Jackets. In fact, he was just a net dislodgement away from his first NHL hat trick. And then he made a play that one could chalk up to a 20-year-old’s inexperience.</p><p>With the score tied 3-3, Konecny took an emotionally charged roughing penalty on Oliver Bjorkstrand at 7:20 of the third period. Shortly after, Brandon Dubinsky’s power-play goal snapped the tie and the Flyers went home losers.</p><p>That, in a microcosm, sums up the pros and cons of the young right winger’s two-year NHL career.</p><blockquote class="pullQuote">IT’S TAKEN ME THESE TWO YEARS TO FINALLY REALIZE WHEN TO TAKE A CHANCE AND WHEN TO DUMP THE PUCK IN</blockquote><p><i>– Travis Konecny</i></p><p>He has tremendous upside, as his 24 goals this season will attest, and he has the ability to make high-risk plays as well as agitate opponents with Brad Marchand-like tactics. But it all comes down to picking his spots, and Konecny, now 21, believes he finally understands that balance. “There are times when I feel like (the chippy stuff) gets me feeling like I’m into the game when I’m involved with that,” he said. “But sometimes it isn’t worth it.</p><p>“I had that one game (in Columbus) that kind of set me back, and I realized there’s a fine line there. I had two goals and then I took that stupid penalty. It actually cost us the game.”</p><p>Flyers coach Dave Hakstol was so impressed with Konecny’s improvement this season that he put him on Philadelphia’s top line with center Sean Couturier and left winger Claude Giroux, both of whom enjoyed career years. That’s impressive progress for the 24th overall selection in the 2015 draft. And it followed up on Konecny making the team at 19 when he still had one season of junior eligibility remaining.</p><p>That unit stayed together for more than 30 games, and there’s no doubt Konecny improved – and matured – from the experience. “I have to make sure those high-risk plays…if you want to be a successful player, some of it depends on making those plays,” he said. “You just have to be aware of when is the right time. It’s something I take pride in learning. It’s just making sure your 200-foot game is always there.”</p><p>That Columbus game might still be in the back of his mind. “When you come out of junior, you expect to make a play every shift,” he said. “You want to be a difference-maker on the ice. It’s taken me these two years to finally realize when to take a chance and when to dump the puck in.”</p><p>Konecny’s development is critical to the Flyers’ future. With an aging nucleus of core forwards (Giroux, Jakub Voracek, Wayne Simmonds), the franchise is pinning its offensive hopes on younger players such as Konecny, Couturier and Nolan Patrick.</p><p>Konecny has the speed and hands to become an elite player, if he can keep his focus on the business at hand. The Flyers aren’t exactly a fast team, but he has the ability to beat defenders 1-on-1 or score off the rush.</p><p><a name="61-1"></a>And make no mistake about it: Konecny’s ability to rile up foes is an important asset. Despite his modest size – 5-foot-10, 175 pounds – he can be a huge distraction to opponents. “I thought I had a good year,” he said. “I thought I came in a little uptight. Thinking about the sophomore slump, I was a little concerned about that.</p><p>“But I learned a lot this year. Playing with Giroux and Couturier gave me a good opportunity to grow as a player as well. It gave me the confidence to make plays, not be afraid to step up and maybe make a big play. Playing with those guys, I felt maybe I could make a risky pass that I wouldn’t have made before. I had the confidence to make it when I was moved up to that line.”</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/phi_konecny2/295504-1-eng-US/phi_konecny22.jpg" title="PHI_Konecny2" width="804" height="1229"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>TRAVIS </b><b>KONECNY</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY JANA CHYTILOVA/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Konecny is one of the last players off the ice on practice days, and he’s constantly working on his game. After many workouts, he’ll walk into the room and plop down at his dressing-room stall looking totally exhausted.</p><p>Don’t think for a second other players don’t notice. Things like that can define a good teammate. If the Flyers are going to pay off on GM Ron Hextall’s patient, build-from-within approach to serious contention for a Stanley Cup, it’s going to start with players such as Konecny.</p><p>He’s the son of a firefighter, as is defenseman Brandon Manning. Both men play with a certain swagger and aren’t averse to getting in an opponent’s grill. It’s that type of attitude that makes Konecny popular both in the dressing room and up in the stands. If he continues to improve and mature, that endearment will only grow.</p><p class="attribute">PHOTO BY NICK TURCHIARO/ICON SPORTSWIRE VIA GETTY IMAGES<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

PHI_Konecny1

SETTING THE BAR HIGH IN PHILLY

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/60-eastern_rev/295659-1-eng-US/60-eastern_rev2.jpg" title="60-Eastern_REV" width="187" height="187"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/60-boston/295652-1-eng-US/60-boston2.jpg" title="60-Boston" width="102" height="102"></div><p class="dropcap">After joining the Bruins following his junior year at Harvard, center <b>RYAN DONATO</b> made an immediate impression. He notched two goals and four points in his first two games and finished with four goals and nine points in just 12 games. He’ll hit the ground running in the fall.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/60-buffalo/295645-1-eng-US/60-buffalo2.jpg" title="60-Buffalo" width="102" height="102"></div><p>Fans had been clamoring for center <b>CASEY MITTELSTADT</b> to join the team since he dazzled at the WJC. That time finally came when he had a brief six-game apprenticeship at the end of the season and finished with five points. A serious run for the Calder is fully expected.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/car-logo/297071-1-eng-US/car-logo.jpg" title="CAR-logo" width="146" height="102"></div><p>Big, fast and responsible, <b>WARREN FOEGELE</b> got a taste of NHL life this season. Next year, he’ll come back for a meatier bite. A dangerous member of the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, the left winger can sting opponents on the penalty kill and has a ton of potential up front.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/60-columbus-01/295631-1-eng-US/60-columbus-012.jpg" title="60-Columbus-01" width="121" height="105"></div><p><b>PIERRE-LUC DUBOIS’</b> rookie season numbers – 20 goals, 48 points – look merely OK, but 19 of those points came in his final 21 games, in which he locked down the’ No. 1 center job. He’s becoming the big, powerful front-line player the Jackets hoped he would when they drafted him.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/det-logo/297078-1-eng-US/det-logo.jpg" title="DET-logo" width="137" height="102"></div><p>There have been a number of stops and starts to <b>ANTHONY MANTHA’S</b> career, but he put it all together last season with 24 goals and 48 points. The next step for the right winger is to become that point-per-game power forward the Red Wings so desperately need.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/fla-logo/297085-1-eng-US/fla-logo.jpg" title="FLA-logo" width="102" height="114"></div><p>Former NCAA Denver star pivot <b>HENRIK BORGSTROM</b> joined Florida for a late-season stint and scored his first NHL goal. GM Dale Tallon says he hopes Borgstrom and Owen Tippett are difference-makers, though the Panthers have a lot of talent on their top two lines already.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/mtl-logo/297092-1-eng-US/mtl-logo.jpg" title="MTL-logo" width="149" height="102"></div><p>Nagging back issues hampered right winger <b>ARTTURI LEHKONEN</b> this season, one year after an impressive rookie campaign in which he scored 18 goals. But with a full off-season to rest, recover and train, Lehkonen is a good bet to make it over the 20-goal mark.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/60-newjersey/295603-1-eng-US/60-newjersey2.jpg" title="60-NewJersey" width="102" height="102"></div><p>Injuries have been a concern for <b>PAVEL ZACHA</b> early in his career, but the big center is improving his offensive consistency and marrying it with better results on defense. The sixth overall pick from 2015 posted six points in his final nine games and can rise with the ascending Devils.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/60-nyislanders/295596-1-eng-US/60-nyislanders2.jpg" title="60-NYIslanders" width="102" height="102"></div><p><b>SEBASTIAN AHO</b> was bit of a late-bloomer due to his size, but the offensively inclined blueliner took strides on the defensive side of things, and that allowed him to become a valuable AHLer in Bridgeport. With his puck-management talents, a full-time NHL gig is next.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/60-nyrangers/295589-1-eng-US/60-nyrangers2.jpg" title="60-NYRangers" width="102" height="102"></div><p>There’s no questioning the drive of <b>LIAS ANDERSSON</b>. Now it’s just a matter of putting him in a place to succeed. The Rangers have the right new coach in David Quinn, and Andersson, a two-way center with great speed, is the kind of kid you build a winner around.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/60-ottawa/295582-1-eng-US/60-ottawa2.jpg" title="60-Ottawa" width="106" height="119"></div><p>After starting in the AHL, <b>THOMAS CHABOT</b> spent most of the year with the struggling Senators. He was one goal away from double digits, and only Erik Karlsson averaged more power play ice time among defensemen than Chabot. He’ll get even more responsibility in 2018-19.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/phi-logo/297099-1-eng-US/phi-logo.jpg" title="PHI-logo" width="146" height="102"></div><p>There will be roster spots up for grabs in Philly, and <b>TRAVIS SANHEIM</b> is in position to secure a permanent one on the blueline. He made 49 appearances this season and got into his first NHL playoff games, too. He also looked good in the AHL playoffs, showing off his size and skating.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/60-pittsburgh2016/295568-1-eng-US/60-pittsburgh20162.jpg" title="60-Pittsburgh2016" width="101" height="101"></div><p><b>DOMINIK SIMON</b> has already found chemistry with Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh, where the Pens have shown a propensity for finding diamonds in the rough. The 23-year-old plays a skilled, two-way game and is learning to compete more. Figure that out, and the world’s his oyster.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/60-tampabay/295561-1-eng-US/60-tampabay2.jpg" title="60-TampaBay" width="101" height="101"></div><p><b>MIKHAIL SERGACHEV</b> faded as young players often do and was in and out of the lineup at times. The Lightning deliberately shielded and limited his minutes – just more than 15 in the season and about 12 in the playoffs – but he’ll play a bigger role on the blueline next season.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/60-toronto2016/295554-1-eng-US/60-toronto20162.jpg" title="60-Toronto2016" width="102" height="102"></div><p>Defenseman <b>TRAVIS DERMOTT</b> spent half the season in the minors before coming up and impressing with his solid play with the varsity team. After the Leafs’ first-round ouster, he went back to the AHL for the Marlies’ run to the Calder Cup. That’ll be the last he sees of the minors.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/60-washington_2nd/295547-1-eng-US/60-washington_2nd2.jpg" title="60-Washington_2nd" width="144" height="107"></div><p>Skilled left winger <b>ANDRE BURAKOVSKY</b> has always been critical of himself and at times has lacked confidence. If he can get over that hump and put together consistent results (while also remaining injury-free), the pedigree is there for another deadly arrow in Washington’s quiver.<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p></div>

60-Eastern_REV

EASTERN CONFERENCE

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/62_western_rev/295836-1-eng-US/62_western_rev2.jpg" title="62_Western_REV" width="187" height="187"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/62_anaheim/295829-1-eng-US/62_anaheim2.jpg" title="62_Anaheim" width="182" height="102"></div><p class="dropcap"><b>BRANDON MONTOUR</b> has never seen open ice that he wouldn’t love to use to rush the puck. The take-charge blueliner racked up 32 points and patrolled the power-play point in his first full NHL season. There’s another level, though. He’s been close to a point per game in other leagues.</p><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/62_arizona/295822-1-eng-US/62_arizona2.jpg" title="62_Arizona" width="133" height="138"></div><p><b>MAX DOMI</b> has been going in the wrong direction in his three NHL seasons. He scored nine goals in both his injury-plagued sophomore season and a snakebitten third season. As a rookie, he had eight goals in his first 16 games. His raw skill means you can’t keep him down forever.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/62_calgary/295815-1-eng-US/62_calgary2.jpg" title="62_Calgary" width="119" height="101"></div><p>The main thing lacking in <b>MARK JANKOWSKI’S</b> game is a sense of urgency. The lanky center has the puck skills, shot and poise to evolve into a Jeff Carter-type pivot if he can up his tempo, bring it on a consistent basis and add 10 pounds to power his way through defenses.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/62_chicago/295808-1-eng-US/62_chicago2.jpg" title="62_Chicago" width="118" height="104"></div><p><b>ALEX DEBRINCAT</b> shone in an otherwise dark season for Chicago. His 28 goals placed him third among NHL rookies, and he did his damage averaging just 14:48 of ice time. He ranked 38th in 5-on-5 goals per 60 minutes. He should be a 30-goal man next year as his ice time increases.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/62_colorado/295801-1-eng-US/62_colorado2.jpg" title="62_Colorado" width="130" height="108"></div><p><b>SAMUEL GIRARD</b> showed promise as a rookie blueliner during the regular season and averaged more than 21 minutes in the playoffs. He’s a smallish, new-school defender with great mobility, stickwork and smarts. He had 20 points as a rookie, and that number could double next year.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/dallas2013/295794-1-eng-US/dallas20132.jpg" title="Dallas2013" width="109" height="109"></div><p>The Stars need scoring wingers and may get one with 2013 first-rounder <b>VALERI NICHUSHKIN</b> eager to rejoin the team. He scored 27 goals in 86 games in the KHL the past two seasons – respectable totals in a low-scoring league. He’s still just 23 and brings great size (6-foot-4).</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/62_edmonton2017/295787-1-eng-US/62_edmonton20172.jpg" title="62_Edmonton2017" width="115" height="115"></div><p><b>MIKKO KOSKINEN</b> was 22 when he had a spotty four-game trial with the Isles in 2010-11. Seven seasons later, including a dominant one in the KHL, the towering Finn is giving the NHL another shot. Don’t expect him to steal Cam Talbot’s job, but 25 games of solid relief would be ideal.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/62_losangeles/295780-1-eng-US/62_losangeles2.jpg" title="62_LosAngeles" width="109" height="109"></div><p>If speed is going to continue being the prime requisite to L.A.’s game plan, <b>ALEX IAFALLO</b> is bound to improve on a nine-goal, 25-point rookie season. The free-agent signee from Minnesota-Duluth played on the Kings’ top line at times and was lauded for his quickness and energy.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/62_minnesota/295773-1-eng-US/62_minnesota2.jpg" title="62_Minnesota" width="155" height="100"></div><p><b>JORDAN GREENWAY</b>, 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds, is a true throwback power forward who blends brute force with a deft touch around the net. He left Boston University to turn pro this spring and saw a handful of NHL games, even scoring a goal in the playoffs.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/nsh-logo/297106-1-eng-US/nsh-logo.jpg" title="NSH-logo" width="175" height="102"></div><p>Don’t fret over Nashville sitting <b>EELI TOLVANEN</b> in the playoffs. He parachuted from the KHL onto a deep, Presidents’ Trophy-winning team as a teenager and had no chance to play on a scoring line. His ceiling as a big-time sniper remains sky-high; he’s a 2018-19 Calder candidate.</p><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/62_sanjose/295759-1-eng-US/62_sanjose2.jpg" title="62_SanJose" width="109" height="109"></div><p><b>KEVIN LABANC</b> ranked just sixth among Sharks forwards in power-play ice time per game. But watch him control the puck on the second unit and you’d think he should part of the first. The undersized winger has off-the-chart poise and played better as his confidence grew.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/st-louis/295752-1-eng-US/st-louis2.jpg" title="St-Louis" width="109" height="109"></div><p>Take your pick from the promising quartet of Tage Thompson, Jordan Kyrou, <b>ROBERT THOMAS</b> and Klim Kostin. Thomas, a conscientious two-way center fresh off a Memorial Cup appearance, has the maturity to fast-track to the NHL ahead of his competition this fall.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/62_vancouver/295745-1-eng-US/62_vancouver2.jpg" title="62_Vancouver" width="117" height="113"></div><p>With little to prove in the AHL and openings up front, <b>NIKOLAY GOLDOBIN</b> is set to realize the potential that made him a 2014 first-rounder. He should break into the middle six full time with his playmaking and finishing skills. He scored at a 40-point pace after a mid-February recall.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/veg-logo/297113-1-eng-US/veg-logo.jpg" title="VEG-logo" width="102" height="138"></div><p>You mean there was a Golden Knights player who didn’t break out this season? Hard to believe, but Vegas gave up first-, second- and third-round picks to get <b>TOMAS TATAR</b> from Detroit and he couldn’t even make the lineup regularly. He’ll get a keen opportunity next season.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/62_winnipeg/295731-1-eng-US/62_winnipeg2.jpg" title="62_Winnipeg" width="113" height="113"></div><p>You could make the case <b>JOSH MORRISSEY</b> has already broken out, but he has another gear. He was a high-end offensive defenseman in his junior days and, given his mobility, it wouldn’t be a surprise if his scoring started catching up to his stellar defensive play.<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p></div>

NSH-logo

WESTERN CONFERENCE

<div class="byline">BY JAMES BENESH</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/rewind_harvey/295886-1-eng-US/rewind_harvey2.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p>All-time great Doug Harvey won six Cups, but never a Retro Smythe? He should’ve received one in 1960.</p><p></p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY B BENNETT/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b>DEFENSEMEN HAVE BEEN</b> under-represented in the voting for major awards that are open to all positions – the Calder, Hart and Conn Smythe Trophies.</p><p>Depending on how you calculate it, one in three players are defensemen – they make up 33 percent of the players on the ice, and 30 percent of a 20-player roster – but they have only won 15 percent of Calder Trophies, 13 percent of Harts and 19 percent of Conn Smythes.</p><p>It’s been hard enough for defensemen to win the Conn Smythe in the past 50 years, even after the voters just finished watching them dominate 25 to 30 minutes a game for 15-plus games. But it was apparently even harder for historical defenders to earn the award when the Society of International Hockey Research did exhaustive digging and handed out Retro Smythes.</p><p>The real Conn Smythe Trophy was created in 1964 to honor the playoff MVP. But who would’ve won the award in seasons previous to that? Only four blueliners were deemed worthy of the Retro Smythe in the 47 years between the start of the NHL in 1917-18 and the arrival of the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1964-65: Lionel Conacher in 1934, Jack Stewart in 1943, Pierre Pilote in 1961 and, surprisingly, Nels Stewart (in his only stint as a D-man) in 1926. That’s only 8.5-percent representation. Why is that?</p><p>Before expansion, it was rare that a defenseman would produce the kind of noteworthy offense that got award voters’ attention. On the other hand, pre-expansion forwards were prone to the same offensive explosions we’re used to today, and goalies frequently posted sub-2.00 goals-against averages in the playoffs like they do today. So it’s easy to spot a dominant performance by a forward or goalie, but harder to identify a dominant performance by a blueliner. Here are three times when a defenseman could’ve easily earned the Retro Smythe:</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/rewind_gerard/295879-1-eng-US/rewind_gerard2.jpg" title="Rewind_Gerard" width="472" height="604"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>EDDIE GERARD</b> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY HHOF IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>1. EDDIE GERARD</b></h2><h3><b>OTTAWA SENATORS, 1921</b></h3><p>Right winger Jack Darragh, often the sixth-best player on the star-studded Senators, really rose to the occasion with a handful of big goals in the 1920 and 1921 post-seasons, earning Retro Smythe honors both years. But game reports from those playoffs indicate the real key to Ottawa’s victories was their stellar defense, led by captain Eddie Gerard.</p><p>Quotes from Ottawa newspapers following Game 1 of the semis against Toronto in 1921 said Gerard “showed amazing speed in the dull going. He generalled his players well, and his puck-carrying was a revelation.” And in Game 2: “He played one of the greatest games of his career. He was up and down the ice and on two different occasions he staggered over to the Ottawa bench to rest. Each time, however, Ottawa drew a penalty and Gerard fought back his way out of (coach Pete) Green’s arms and back upon the ice. He rushed and rushed until it looked as though he would fall exhausted, but he finally broke through and beat (Jake) Forbes with a shot that carried with it the National League Championship. Toronto said that they had never seen anything to exceed Gerard’s performance.”</p><p>Considering Ottawa won the semifinal 2-0, outscoring Toronto 7-0, Gerard must’ve dominated the possession game.</p><p>In the final, it was more of the same: “Gerard was constantly breaking away from his defense position where he intercepted the home club’s rushes and showed he could attack as well as defend.” In the next game, “Gerard was keeping his team on the attack by his brilliant work in breaking up attacks by the Vancouver squad and turning them the reverse.” In Game 3, “Gerard played one of his cyclonic games.” In Game 4, “Gerard, with a continual smile, played as much of a forward game as any of his team.”</p><p>In the decisive game, won 2-1 by Ottawa, the papers read: “Gerard played a great game, had it not been for his unnecessarily strenuous tactics,” also noting he received “a terrific panning from the (Vancouver) crowd, but the Ottawa captain took it with a smile and was one of the fastest men on the ice.” The contributions of defensemen didn’t often show up on the scoresheet in those days, but Gerard made his mark.</p><h2><b>2. DOUG HARVEY</b></h2><h3><b>MONTREAL CANADIENS, 1960</b></h3><p><a name="65-1"></a>Imagine, it’s 1960 and Doug Harvey, considered by most observers at the time to be the greatest defenseman ever, had won six Stanley Cups, but not once did he rate as the post-season MVP.</p><p>Harvey had a case to win the Retro Smythe in 1958, when he set a playoff record with 11 points (10, nine and eight had only been achieved once apiece in the 40 years prior), and again in 1959, when he hit 12 points. Maurice Richard and Marcel Bonin, awarded Retro Smythes by SIHR for those seasons, had great point totals themselves, but not unprecedented like Harvey’s stats.</p><p>But perhaps more impressively, in 1960, Harvey, whose calm and flawless possession and passing were the keys to his success, earned a plus-13 rating in just eight games as the Habs swept to the Cup. Game sheets recently released by the NHL show that at even strength, Harvey was on the ice for 16 of the Habs’ 26 goals in the 1960 playoffs, and only three of their 10 goals against.</p><p>He also carried his merely serviceable partner, Al Langlois, to the same plus-13 rating that spring. This was not just a case of a dominant team running up high numbers: Tom Johnson and Jean-Guy Talbot, no slouches themselves, were only plus-3 and plus-2, demonstrating just how much of a higher level at which Harvey was playing.</p><p>This came after a regular season in which Harvey led the NHL in plus-minus and was described in January by coach Toe Blake as “the difference between winning and losing many times.” Harvey and Langlois’ mark remained a playoff record until 1968, when J-C Tremblay topped it (but in 13 games).</p><p>The numbers show Harvey was truly the key to the Habs that year, and if that doesn’t do it for you, then record-setting offensive numbers the two seasons before should. Harvey should have at least one, if not two or three, Retro Smythes.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/rewind_horton/295872-1-eng-US/rewind_horton2.jpg" title="Rewind_Horton" width="1024" height="1167"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>TIM HORTON </b>&<b> </b><b>ALLAN STANLEY</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY HHOF IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>3. TIM HORTON</b></h2><h3><b>TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS, 1962</b></h3><p>The Retro Smythe for this season was awarded to Stan Mikita, who broke Gordie Howe’s seven-year-old single-season playoff points record with 21. Sounds fair, but Horton, in an uncharacteristic offensive explosion, also broke the record for points by a defenseman in a playoff set by Pierre Pilote the year before (Pilote was awarded the Retro Smythe for this).</p><p>With their offensive exploits equally impressive, how would one choose between them? Well, for starters, Horton’s team won the Cup over Mikita’s Hawks. Horton’s reputation as a consummate defensive D-man is well-known. It’s likely he was as solid as ever in this season, since it was his first as a Norris finalist. To be able to defend as efficiently as Horton did, while setting offensive records, is an MVP-caliber performance.</p><div class="sidebar"><h2><b>THN RETRO AWARDS</b></h2><p><i>This is the first in our series revisiting the years in which the NHL’s official trophies weren’t awarded. Look for future Retro Awards in coming issues.</i></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/conn_smyhte_trophy/295865-1-eng-US/conn_smyhte_trophy2.jpg" title="Conn_Smyhte_trophy" width="171" height="234"></div><h2><b>RETRO CONN SMYTHES</b></h2><p>The Society of International Hockey Research did exhaustive work in assembling probable playoff MVPs</p><p><b>1917-18 ALF SKINNER</b><br>Toronto Arenas<br><i>11 points; also exploded for 9 in ’21 playoffs</i></p><p><b>1918-19 NEWSY LALONDE</b><br>Montreal Canadiens<br><i>Fiery center who led scoring before pandemic</i></p><p><b>1919-20 JACK DARRAGH</b><br>Ottawa Senators<br><i>5 goals in 5 games, including some big ones</i></p><p><b>1920-21 JACK DARRAGH</b><br>Ottawa Senators<br><i>Unlikely hero repeats with 5 more goals</i></p><p><b>1921-22 BABE DYE</b><br>Toronto St. Pats<br><i>12 points in 7 GP, none in 8 other playoff games</i></p><p><b>1922-23 PUNCH BROADBENT</b><br>Ottawa Senators<br><i>Retro Smythe followed scoring title in ’22</i></p><p><b>1923-24 HOWIE MORENZ</b><br>Montreal Canadiens<br><i>Was voted best player of 1900-1950</i></p><p><b>1924-25 JACK WALKER</b><br>Victoria Cougars<br><i>Contained Morenz while scoring a bunch</i></p><p><b>1925-26 NELS STEWART</b><br>Montreal Maroons<br><i>‘C’ dropped back to ‘D’ and starred in final</i></p><p><b>1926-27 ALEC CONNELL</b><br>Ottawa Senators<br><i>Black-capped goalie allowed just 4 in 6 GP</i></p><p><b>1927-28 FRANK BOUCHER</b><br>New York Rangers<br><i>10 points, only one other player even had 5</i></p><p><b>1928-29 TINY THOMPSON</b><br>Boston Bruins<br><i>25-year-old rookie allowed just 3 goals in 5 GP</i></p><p><b>1929-30 GEORGE HAINSWORTH</b><br>Montreal Canadiens<br><i>Unbeaten with a 0.75 GAA in Dead Puck era</i></p><p><b>1930-31 JOHNNY GAGNON</b><br>Montreal Canadiens<br><i>Took over for Hart-winner Morenz in playoffs</i></p><p><b>1931-32 CHARLIE CONACHER</b><br>Toronto Maple Leafs<br><i>‘Big Bomber’ led playoffs in goals to take Cup</i></p><p><b>1932-33 CECIL DILLON</b><br>New York Rangers<br><i>10 points, while the next two had 6 and 5</i></p><p><b>1933-34 LIONEL CONACHER</b><br>Chicago Black Hawks<br><i>Multi-sport athlete also voted top ‘D’</i></p><p><b>1934-35 BALDY NORTHCOTT</b><br>Montreal Maroons<br><i>5 points, but stifled Charlie Conacher in final</i></p><p><b>1935-36 NORMIE SMITH</b><br>Detroit Red Wings<br><i>Rode wave from ’36 playoffs to ’37 Vezina</i></p><p><b>1936-37 MARTY BARRY</b><br>Detroit Red Wings<br><i>11 points, next highest (his teammates) had 7</i></p><p><b>1937-38 GORDIE DRILLON</b><br>Toronto Maple Leafs<br><i>Led playoffs in goals, repeated feat in ’39</i></p><p><b>1938-39 BILL COWLEY</b><br>Boston Bruins<br><i>Established new playoff record with 14 points</i></p><p><b>1939-40 PHIL WATSON</b><br>New York Rangers<br><i>The best of his handful of strong playoffs</i></p><p><b>1940-41 MILT SCHMIDT</b><br>Boston Bruins<br><i>Replaced regular-season star Cowley, shone</i></p><p><b>1941-42 SYL APPS</b><br>Toronto Maple Leafs<br><i>Classy captain led Leafs back from 3-0</i></p><p><b>1942-43 JACK STEWART</b><br>Detroit Red Wings<br><i>Throwback won with defense, toughness</i></p><p><b>1943-44 TOE BLAKE</b><br>Montreal Canadiens<br><i>All three on ‘Punch Line’ won award, Toe first</i></p><p><b>1944-45 TED KENNEDY</b><br>Toronto Maple Leafs<br><i>Everything you’d ever want in a player</i></p><p><b>1945-46 ELMER LACH</b><br>Montreal Canadiens<br><i>A two-way playmaker’s turn to shine</i></p><p><b>1946-47 TED KENNEDY</b><br>Toronto Maple Leafs<br><i>Scored and set up so many key goals</i></p><p><b>1947-48 TED KENNEDY</b><br>Toronto Maple Leafs<br><i>Third Retro Smythe with dominant showing</i></p><p><b>1948-49 TURK BRODA</b><br>Toronto Maple Leafs<br><i>Fitting that a clutch goalie gets it as well</i></p><p><b>1949-50 CHUCK RAYNER</b><br>New York Rangers<br><i>Rare combo: Hart and Retro Smythe</i></p><p><b>1950-51 MAURICE RICHARD</b><br>Montreal Canadiens<br><i>First of two for legendary, intense sniper</i></p><p><b>1951-52 TERRY SAWCHUK</b><br>Detroit Red Wings<br><i>Swept Leafs and Habs on way to Cup</i></p><p><b>1952-53 ED SANDFORD</b><br>Boston Bruins<br><i>Burly winger scored at will in ’53 playoffs</i></p><p><b>1953-54 TERRY SAWCHUK</b><br>Detroit Red Wings<br><i>Not as crazy numbers as in ’52 but dominant</i></p><p><b>1954-55 GORDIE HOWE</b><br>Detroit Red Wings<br><i>Third of six times he’d lead playoffs in points</i></p><p><b>1955-56 JEAN BELIVEAU</b><br>Montreal Canadiens<br><i>Averaged point per game 11 times in playoffs</i></p><p><b>1956-57 BERNIE GEOFFRION</b><br>Montreal Canadiens<br><i>Carried offense, outscored Beliveau by 5</i></p><p><b>1957-58 MAURICE RICHARD</b><br>Montreal Canadiens<br><i>Breaking down, but broke out one last time</i></p><p><b>1958-59 MARCEL BONIN</b><br>Montreal Canadiens<br><i>Scored 91 percent of his playoff goals this year</i></p><p><b>1959-60 JACQUES PLANTE</b><br>Montreal Canadiens<br><i>One of eight playoffs he had sub-2.00 GAA</i></p><p><b>1960-61 PIERRE PILOTE</b><br>Chicago Black Hawks<br><i>Established new point record for D-men (15)</i></p><p><b>1961-62 STAN MIKITA</b><br>Chicago Black Hawks<br><i>Simply dominant offense in losing effort</i></p><p><b>1962-63 JOHNNY BOWER</b><br>Toronto Maple Leafs<br><i>Stats show a .949 save percentage in ’63</i></p><p><b>1963-64 BOB PULFORD</b><br>Toronto Maple Leafs<br><i>Swiss army knife of a player did it all</i><span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p></div>

Rewind_Harvey

Rewind

ALL QUIET ON THE HOME FRONT

Rewind_Stan1

65 REMARKABLE THINGS I’VE SEEN

<div class="byline">BY RYAN KENNEDY</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/next_dobson/295972-1-eng-US/next_dobson2.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Goalie Evan Fitzpatrick and Noah Dobson, No. 53, both played huge roles in the Titan title. <span class="photo-credit">(KEITH HERSHMILLER/HOCKEY HALL OF FAME)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b>MAJOR JUNIOR IS BIG</b> business, with large cities such as Vancouver, Quebec and Calgary all boasting teams. So it was nice to see the little guy take home the Memorial Cup this season, as the Acadie-Bathurst Titan defeated the host Regina Pats to win the 100th edition of the junior classic.</p><p>Bathurst, N.B., is literally the smallest market in the CHL, with a population of just 12,000. But there were 1,500 fans waiting at the airport for the victorious Titan, while the championship party had an even bigger turnout. “The parade was almost 5,000 people,” said GM Sylvain Couturier. “When you put that into perspective, it’s nearly half the town. They went through the tough times and stuck with us.”</p><p>Indeed, only five years ago it looked as though the franchise was headed out of town, before a local consortium of business folks bought the team. The fact the Titan could compete with larger markets is impressive. That they went all the way is an even greater testament to the team-building done by Couturier and his staff.</p><p>Players developed by the Titan, such as Anaheim Ducks pick Antoine Morand and top-10 2018 NHL draft prospect Noah Dobson, laid the foundation, while other key members were brought in via trade. Captain Jeffrey Truchon-Viel was drafted by Sherbrooke but spent most of his career with the Titan and was recently signed by the San Jose Sharks.</p><p>Philadelphia Flyers first-rounder German Rubtsov came over from Chicoutimi, while goalie and St. Louis Blues pick Evan Fitzpatrick was acquired from Sherbrooke before the trade deadline. “We were trying to find the right players for the right job,” Couturier said. “With German Rubtsov, people saw he was a point-per-game player, but he’s also a 200-foot player, he does so much else. We knew what we were buying.”</p><p><a name="71-1"></a>The moves paid off. Acadie-Bathurst clinched the QMJHL title with a win over a top-end, veteran squad from Blainville-Boisbriand, then won three of four games to claim the Memorial Cup. “We had a lot of depth, especially on the back end,” Dobson said. “Even the bottom two guys could be out on the ice against any other line. Up front we had almost three first lines, and then bringing in a guy like Evan Fitzpatrick at Christmas, he was a brick wall for the rest of the season and one of the MVPs of the playoffs.”</p><p>But make no mistake: in terms of upside, no one touches Dobson, a 6-foot-3 defenseman who’s an elite skater with great puckhandling skills.</p><p>Born in P.E.I., Dobson took an interesting route to the top. Before he got to the ‘Q,’ he was recruited by former NHL coach Pierre Page to play for a new program in Austria called Red Bull Salzburg Academy. Retired NHLer Brian Savage was a skills coach there and the opportunity intrigued Dobson. “Looking back, I have so many memories that I’ll have for the rest of my life,” he said. “Living overseas in Austria at 15 on my own, not many kids get that opportunity. To see different parts of Europe, like Switzerland, Germany and the Czech Republic, while playing the game I love, was pretty special.”</p><p>On top of the training, Dobson also got to skate with and against quality players. Fellow Academy alum Sampo Ranta is also a top-40 prospect for the 2018 draft, while Kristian Pospisil and Ryan Savage (Brian’s son) are also possible draftees.</p><p>After watching him play in a pair of nearby tournaments, the Titan nabbed Dobson with the sixth overall pick in the 2016 QMJHL draft. “There was no other guy we were going to pick, in our mind,” Couturier said. “He’s a special player.”</p><p>As a rookie with Acadie-Bathurst, Dobson didn’t get a lot of offensive opportunities and barely got chances on the power play. This season, though, he was indispensable. He often played 30 minutes a game and finished the season with 69 points in 67 games. Next year, Couturier expects Dobson to take on more of a leadership role and believes that physical maturity is the only box left to tick. Scouts agree, they see a kid who will be scary-good with a few more pounds on his frame.</p><p>A growth spurt made Dobson awkward a couple years ago – he was only six-feet when Acadie-Bathurst drafted him – but he worked hard to get his stride back, and now it’s one of his calling cards. That skating helped Dobson push the Titan’s pace at the Memorial Cup, giving the smallest town in the CHL the ultimate trophy. And you better believe they’re going to enjoy it.</p><div class="sidebar"><p><i>For daily prospect coverage,</i><br><i>visit <a href="http://THN.COM">THN.COM</a></i><span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p></div>

NEXT_Dobson

LITTLE CITY COMES UP BIG

<div class="byline">BY RYAN KENNEDY</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/next_perunovich1/296015-1-eng-US/next_perunovich12.jpg" title="NEXT_Perunovich1" width="578" height="716"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>SCOTT </b><b>PERUNOVICH</b></p> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY RICHARD T GAGNON/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b>ON PAPER, MINNESOTA-</b>Duluth’s defense corps was ravaged in the summer of 2017. The Bulldogs’ top four scoring D-men all turned pro (including Neal Pionk and Carson Soucy, who saw NHL action this season), while a fifth finished his eligibility.</p><p>As it turned out, the new kids were more than OK. They carried Duluth to its second national championship in eight years under coach Scott Sandelin. “We knew it was a group with a lot of potential, even though they were inexperienced,” Sandelin said. “We had to play those guys. They were going to play through their mistakes.”</p><p>The new recruits had some pretty good resumes. Dylan Samberg was a Jets second-rounder, while Mikey Anderson was a Kings pick. But the kid who ended up making the biggest difference was unheralded Scott Perunovich, an undrafted and undersized Minnesota product who finished the season as the NCAA’s rookie of the year after putting up 36 points in 42 games. “Offensively, he’s always been a special player,” Sandelin said. “He sees the ice so well. I told him, ‘I want you to be a fourth forward, I want you up the ice.’ I didn’t know he’d be our leading scorer.”</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/next_perunovich2/296001-1-eng-US/next_perunovich22.jpg" title="NEXT_Perunovich2" width="1024" height="1229"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY ELSA/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>But that’s what happened, and now, in his final year of NHL draft eligibility, Perunovich is likely going to be snapped up among the top 50 selections. Perunovich helped Duluth push through the Frozen Four bracket with stingy precision, yielding just five goals in four games. They beat Notre Dame 2-1 to clinch the title. “We knew we’re young, but we all took it in stride,” Perunovich said. “We were willing to put in the work.”</p><p>Work and battling through adversity is what got Perunovich to where he is today. He started off in the Minnesota high-school circuit with Hibbing-Chisholm and put up a ton of points, but the small-school Bluejackets weren’t playing the state’s best competition. The next stop was USHL Cedar Rapids for the 2016-17 campaign, which turned out to be an eye-opener. The RoughRiders were the worst team in the league by far, but he worked with three-time USHL coach of the year Mark Carlson, who helped Perunovich with his defensive acumen. As a smaller player, using his stick to defend was paramount, and since he already had the smarts and anticipation to make it work, the learning curve wasn’t steep. So when he got to Duluth, he was more prepared than his minus-37 rating with Cedar Rapids indicated.</p><p>Sandelin believes his young team began to come together around Christmas. The Bulldogs played in a holiday tournament in New Hampshire, beating Yale and Dartmouth for the Ledyard Classic title, then swept Colorado College and North Dakota in their next four NCHC games. Perunovich credits the coaches and team leaders for not making the freshmen feel like rookies, and in the end, Duluth stood alone on top. As Sandelin just proved, sometimes you have to let your kids fly out there.<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

NEXT_Perunovich1

PUPPIES PAY OFF

<div class="byline">BY RYAN KENNEDY</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/next_titan2/296044-1-eng-US/next_titan22.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>THE MORE, THE MERRIER</b></p><p>It’s time to make the Memorial Cup bigger and better. How about a 16-team tournament for CHL supremacy?</p> <span class="photo-credit">(KEITH HERSHMILLER/HOCKEY HALL OF FAME)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b>THE 100TH EDITION OF</b> the Memorial Cup was typical of the tournament in recent years. There were highs and lows. Acadie-Bathurst winning its first title, while being the smallest market in the CHL? That was a high. Soft attendance and the host Regina Pats getting a month’s rest because they had lost in the first round of the WHL playoffs? Not so good.</p><p>It feels like an annual exercise: how to fix the Memorial Cup? The glory is real for the champions, but the format of three league champions plus a host team that <i>should</i> be good needs a retool. It also doesn’t help that the tourney is stretched over 10 days, with no more than one game per day.</p><p>So here’s my proposal to kick-start the Memorial Cup: May Madness. Let’s bracket this puppy up. Yes, I’m stealing from the NCAA, where the Frozen Four offers a perfect solution for major junior’s needs. And yes, this is a radical re-imagining of what the Memorial Cup can be, but change is good.</p><p>We’re going to tear up the current format and make it a 16-team field. Qualifiers will include the 12 teams that reached their league semifinals and four wild cards. The wild cards will include at least one team from each league and be determined by standings and playoff finish – you have to get to the second round to be considered.</p><p>The three playoff champions will be No. 1 seeds, with a committee determining the fourth. That panel, made up of major junior muckety-mucks, picks the wild-card teams and do the rest of the seeding, with four groups of four. All three leagues would be represented in each bracket and you can’t play a team from your own circuit in the first round. Oh, and it’s single elimination.</p><p>My May Madness is broken up into two weekends, with the top seeds hosting. That’s right, four regionals. The first Saturday will be a doubleheader, with the regional final on Sunday. Then everyone gets a break to prepare for the next weekend, where the remaining four teams will go at it under the same format: doubleheader on Saturday, championship game on Sunday.</p><p>Attendance for regionals will be sturdy, since you’re guaranteed a home team in each city for at least one game. For the title weekend, you go neutral site. OK, semi-neutral site. Quebec City would be one great option, since the Remparts have an NHL-caliber arena. Vancouver would work, too, assuming the Canucks aren’t busy (but again, we’re only talking about two days, so even a playoff run shouldn’t hinder plans).</p><p>The benefit of this design is you don’t get fan fatigue. Getting supporters to come out for one game a day for more than a week is a big ask, and the steep ticket prices added to the problem this year. Next season’s host, the Halifax Mooseheads, recognize this, with ticket prices coming down. But again, a three-game package would be easier for the average family to take on.</p><p>What’s more disturbing about the current set-up is hosting doesn’t always have a benefit. The Regina Pats took a bath on the 2018 edition because they had to pay $3.6 million to host the Memorial Cup. Shareholders of the team are on the hook for $2 million. That doesn’t sound like a sustainable plan. Halifax has a bigger rink, so the finances might work better next year, but then you have to ask how many cities can still afford to host under the current format.</p><blockquote class="pullQuote">IS 16 A BIG JUMP FROM FOUR? OF COURSE. BUT THIS FORMAT WOULD REDUCE THE WEAR AND TEAR ON KIDS AND KEEP FAN BASES INVESTED</blockquote><p>I know change is scary in hockey, but it’s worth exploring. Let’s not forget the Memorial Cup began as a two-team tournament in the early days, expanding to three in 1972 and then four in 1983. Is 16 a big jump from four? Of course. But this new format would reduce the wear and tear on the kids while keeping more fan bases invested in the tourney. The four host teams get extra home dates, and, most importantly, only franchises that earned the right to be there would be there: no more first-round flops as hosts.</p><p>The current model is OK, but cracks are showing. Let’s get ahead of the curve and make May a mad one for major junior.</p><p>Twitter: <a datastyle href="https://twitter.com/THNRYANKENNEDY"><b>@THNRYANKENNEDY</b></a><span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

NEXT_Titan2

MEMORIAL MAKEOVER

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/timeout_jenner/296101-1-eng-US/timeout_jenner2.jpg" title="TimeOut_Jenner" width="474" height="625"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO COURTESY OF COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS)</span></figcaption></div><h3><b>CLUE #1</b></h3><p>“My uncle, Billy Carroll, won four Cups, three as an Islander, one as an Oiler.”</p><h3><b>CLUE #2</b></h3><p>“I’m one of seven Columbus Blue</p><p>Jackets to record a 30-goal season.”</p><h3><b>CLUE #3</b></h3><p>“Only players since ’13-14 with a 200-hit, 30-goal season: Alex Ovechkin and me.”</p><h2>TRIVIA</h2><p><i>By Larry Humber</i></p><p>1 Tied single-season goalie wins record in 2016</p><p>2 ___ Arena hosted the 2018 All-Star Game</p><p>3 Goalie who flops a lot</p><p>4 Outdoor jacket popular with shinny players</p><p>5 He’s GM in New Jersey</p><p>6 Plays a hunch, as goalies sometimes do</p><p>7 Home of the KHL’s Hawks</p><p>8 Red Wings had a record 62 ___ in 1995-96</p><p>9 An old NBA Division, but never an NHL one</p><p>10 Go in</p><p>11 A long-ago hockey position</p><p>12 Coach of the NHL’s greatest expansion team</p><p>13 Calgary’s Scotiabank ___dome</p><p>14 Only players with consecutive Conn Smythe Trophies: Parent, Lemieux and ________</p><p>15 Coaches shout themselves ___ on the bench</p><p>16 ‘Gumper’s’ first name</p><p>17 Coach born in Manitouwadge</p><p>18 Canada’s Olympic teams sport the __ leaf</p><p>19 The Coyotes’ Oliver Ekman-___, pictured</p><p>20 Pass by</p><p>21 Animal associated with Michigan’s shortlived WHA team</p><p>22 He was fastest skater at the 2018 All-Star Game</p><p>23 This Minnesotan captains the Canadian team directly north of his home state</p><p>24 Rochester’s AHL team, as it’s sometimes known</p><p>25 Hardnosed</p><p>26 P.E.I.-born ___ Thompson</p><p>27 Hits hard</p><p>28 Catches out of position</p><h2><b>NAME</b> <b>GAME</b></h2><p>Use the picture clues below to uncover the name of a prominent hockey personality.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/name-game/297188-1-eng-US/name-game.jpg" title="name-game" width="938" height="917"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(PHOTOS BY GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>PUCK PUZZLE</b></h2><p>Can your hockey brain bring its A-game? The challenge is on!</p><p>Fill in the blanks to reveal eight Stanley Cup-winning cities. The name of the school that captured this year’s NCAA women’s championship will appear in the RED boxes. Amazingly, that team is also known as the Golden Knights.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0073-036/296087-1-eng-US/f0073-032.jpg" title="f0073-03" width="909" height="895"></div><p><b>GUESS WHO ANSWER:</b><br>BOONE JENNER</p><p><b>TRIVIA SOLUTIONS: </b><br>1. HOLTBY, 2. AMALIE, 3. ACROBAT, 4. PARKA, 5. SHERO, 6. GUESSES, 7. OMSK, 8. WINS, 9. MIDWEST, 10. ENTER, 11. ROVER, 12. GALLANT, 13. SADDLE, 14. CROSBY 15. HOARSE, 16. LORNE, 17. BABCOCK, 18. MAPLE, 19. LARSSON, 20. ELAPSE, 21. STAG, 22. MCDAVID, 23. WHEELER, 24. AMERKS, 25. GRITTY, 26. ERROL, 27. TAGS, 28. TRAPS</p><p><b>NAME GAME SOLUTION:</b><br>T.J. OSHIE</p><p><b>PUCK PUZZLE SOLUTION:</b><br>CHICAGO, DALLAS, ANAHEIM, DETROIT, NEW YORK, PITTSBURGH, EDMONTON, TORONTO (FINAL ANSWER: CLARKSON)<span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

name-game

Time Out

GUESS WHO?

<div class="byline">BY KEN CAMPBELL</div><div class="image-hero"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/lastword_vegas1/296137-1-eng-US/lastword_vegas12.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY DAVE SANDFORD/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b>OVERHEARD IN AN ELEVATOR</b> at the T-Mobile Arena an hour before Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final: “It’s the Cup, baby! I’ve been waiting seven months for this!” He says this to nobody in particular. Standing not far from him is a kid in a Marc-Andre Fleury sweater who can’t be older than six. It strikes me that this youngster is experiencing something of which 50-year-old fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs and St. Louis Blues would have absolutely no conception.</p><p>In the atrium of the arena overlooking the Toshiba Plaza where thousands of fans are gathering to watch the game, Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley, in a team-issued golf shirt and khakis, tries to make sense of what he is seeing. “It’s mind-boggling that this town doesn’t quite appreciate how significant this is,” Foley said. But how could they? Most of the people assembled didn’t know a year ago what the Stanley Cup was, let alone how difficult it is to win. Hockey people cringed a little when Foley predicted the Golden Knights would be in the playoffs within three years and win the Cup within five. Now he’s over-delivered on his promise in Year 1. “Our whole schedule has advanced,” Foley said. “No matter what happens in this series, we’re advanced. We’re a different team than I thought we would be at the end of Year 1 or at the end of Year 2.”</p><p>Three hours later, the Knights would lose Game 2, beginning the spiral that would establish them as the second-best team in the final. The regression that some predicted in Fleury’s game had begun. A defense corps that looked so solid for so long suddenly looked leaky and nervous. They were turning over the puck in uncharacteristic ways. The folksy coach who won over his players and everyone else in hockey started to get testy over the increased scrutiny and some of the non-calls. The Cup final, more than any other round in the playoffs, has a unique way of injecting a dose of grim reality.</p><p>But the fans of this team have been spoiled, and a solid period of deprogramming must now begin. Foley and GM George McPhee have, in effect, bought their 16-year-old a Maserati and had it waiting in the driveway when the kid came home from passing his driver’s test. They’ve handed their fans everything right away, and like all well-meaning parents, not even they intended for things to turn out this way.</p><p>History and stats tell us that the Golden Knights won’t be in the final in 2019. Heck, the way things are in today’s parity-driven NHL, they might not even be in the playoffs in 2019. But this much we know, this lovable group of misfits won’t sneak up on anyone next season. William Karlsson will not score on 23.4 percent of his shots. Fleury will be 34 and entering the last year of his contract. There will be injuries. Players will want to be paid. Others who had career seasons will regress to the mean.</p><p>That’s not to say Vegas won’t be a very good team for a long time. Aided by the most generous expansion-draft rules in history, McPhee was a master conductor of the process, leveraging teams with cap issues and mining them for players, picks and prospects that will keep the pipeline flush with talent. And they have money. That’s why they were able to take on David Clarkson’s contract. It’s why they took Jason Garrison and played him only eight games before parking him in the minors and why they were able to part ways with Vadim Shipachyov after realizing they had blundered by signing him.</p><p>Yes, things look good, very good, for the Golden Knights. But that clean slate with which they started will not stay that way. The three draft picks McPhee gave up to get Tomas Tatar, a player who sat out most of the playoffs and has three years left on his deal at $5.3 million per season, represent three fewer young players for their system.</p><p>And in a league where there is such a fine line between success and struggle, where teams such as Chicago and Los Angeles can find themselves transformed from Cup champions to non-playoff teams in the space of a couple of years, things can change awfully quickly.</p><p>And that’s where Foley and McPhee face their biggest task. Managing expectations will be an enormous challenge. Anyone who has raised children knows how difficult it is to unspoil a kid who has had everything handed to him. It takes some work. Vegas fans, likely sooner rather than later, will have to come to the realization that every season doesn’t unfold this way. Look at Denver.</p><p>That hockey fandom got the Quebec Nordiques in 1995-96 and won the Cup. It began a decade where the Avalanche were a dominant, free-spending team and won another Cup in 2001 and was the gold standard for the league. Now it’s a budget team that has trouble filling the building and has had more bumps than smooth driving.</p><p>I’m not here to pour water over the best story in hockey in years, to rain on the parade of the best expansion team in the history of pro sports. But things turned quickly in the final. That’s the reality. And now that the anomaly is over, the Golden Knights can get about finding their own way in the NHL. They’re one of 31 now, and they’ll have to deal with the reality that comes with the fact that only one of them wins the trophy at the end of every season.</p><p>Twitter: <a datastyle href="https://twitter.com/thnkencampbell"><b>@THNKenCampbell</b></a><span class="end-marker"> ■</span></p>

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Champions Issue 2018

SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS

TEARS AND A CROWN

CUP IN PHOTOS - GAME 5

GIVING IT THE OLD COLLEGE TRY