5/31 Sportscans - Pittsburgh Penguins

Transcription

SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF
NHL 5/31/2012
Anaheim Ducks
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Ducks fans fear Kings' Stanley Cup victory
Buffalo Sabres
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Kopitar's goal a pretty end to an ugly start
SCF: Bettman impressed with Buffalo
Calgary Flames
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NHL prospect Leach victim of numbers game
Chicago Blackhawks
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Blackhawks concerned about Patrick Kane’s off-ice
escapades
Stan Bowman knows replacing Mike Haviland is crucial
Ex-Hawk Fraser helps Kings take Game 1
Blackhawks breakdown: Dylan Olsen
Bowman: Hawks have areas for improvement
Bowman: Hossa 'feeling much better'
Columbus Blue Jackets
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Blue Jackets: MacKenzie relishes added duty
Detroit Red Wings
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Los Angeles Kings
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Michael Rosenberg flashback: Red Wings' Nicklas Lidstrom
is ahead of the game
Source: Red Wings' Nicklas Lidstrom will announce
retirement Thursday
Why Justin Schultz is sure to intrigue Red Wings
Red Wings sign prospect Calle Jarnkrok
Steve Yzerman: Nicklas Lidstrom one of the all-time best
Mitch Albom: Red Wings' Nicklas Lidstrom is one for the
ages
Flashback: Let's go to Nicklas Lidstrom's bar in Sweden
Drew Sharp: Nicklas Lidstrom one of Detroit's all-time
greatest athletes
Extra points: How we will remember Red Wings' Nicklas
Lidstrom
Helene St. James: Nothing will fill the void left by Nicklas
Lidstrom
Source: Wings star Nicklas Lidstrom set to retire
Red Wings sign 2010 draft pick Calle Jarnkrok to three-year
contract
Lidstrom, the perfect player, to leave the NHL with his high
standards intact
Nicklas Lidstrom's retirement will leave void that can't be
filled
mazing career of Red Wings' Nicklas Lidstrom, 'The Perfect
Human,' will never be duplicated
Captain to captain: Steve Yzerman calls Red Wings' Nicklas
Lidstrom an all-time great
Scotty Bowman: Red Wings' Nicklas Lidstrom 'a wonderful
person ... a terrific player'
Source: Red Wings' Nicklas Lidstrom to announce retirement
Thursday after 20 NHL seasons
Red Wings, Nicklas Lidstrom to hold news conference on
Thursday
Red Wings sign center Calle Jarnkrok, 2010 draft pick, to
three-year contract
Red Wings to evaluate roster, examine free agent, trade
options during pro scouting meetings
Red Wings will miss Nicklas Lidstrom, but Nashville's Ryan
Suter would help fill the void
Lidstrom to announce retirement Thursday
Lidstrom retirement end of an era
Stanley Cup Final: Kings lead Devils, 1-0, after first period
Room on bandwagon? The Los Angeles Kings will keep on
truckin'
Anze Kopitar in right place at the right time for Kings
Kings follow their marching orders to another magical playoff
victory
Anze Kopitar's goal lifts Kings, 2-1, in overtime
Stanley Cup Final: Kings defeat Devils in overtime, 2-1
Stanley Cup Final: Kings and Devils tied, 1-1, heading into
OT
Stanley Cup Final: Kings, Devils tied 1-1 after two periods
KINGS NOTEBOOK: Stanley Cup captains are a real
American story
Kings 2, New Jersey Devils 1: Kings take first game of the
Stanley Cup finals
Jill Painter: L.A. Kings' goal within reach, thanks to Anze
Kopitar
L.A. Kings get out of sticky situation
STANLEY CUP FINAL: L.A. Kings win Game 1 in overtime,
2-1 against New Jersey Devils on Anze Kopitar's breakawa
Montreal Canadiens
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Canadiens sign defenceman Nathan Beaulieu to three-year
contract
Canadiens sign Nathan Beaulieu to 3-year contract
Nashville Predators
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Nashville Predators' Ryan Suter could be affected by Nicklas
Lidstrom retirement
Predators sign defenseman from Finnish Elite League
New Jersey Devils
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A Return To the Finals Was on Ice For 15 Years
Unlikely Matchup: Kings, Devils Set for Cup Finals
Sorting Through Familiar Names at the Finals
Kings Lead Devils 1-0 After First Period of Stanley Cup
Finals
Kings Break Away to Take the Opener
Fluke Bounce Aside, Quick Proves Too Tough to Solve
Devils Have a Plan, but Fail to Execute It
Stanley Cup Finals Game 1 Devils - Kings: As they play
Devils' Jeff Vanderbeek close to refinancing team's debt,
commissioner says
Stanley Cup fever sweeps through Newark as Devils suit up
for Game 1
Stanley Cup and its keeper, Mike Bolt, have seen the world
and much more
Will Cory Booker be too busy to attend Devils home games
in Stanley Cup Finals?
Devils' Jacob Josefson feels lucky to be playing after tough
season
Devils hot topic: What about the Kings scares you most?
Ilya Kovalchuk says Stanley Cup finals against Kings is
biggest stage of his career
Nets will need more than the No. 1 pick to convince Deron
Williams to stay, according to report
Devils will have no problem building up animosity towards
Kings
Doc Emrick to call Devils games once again in Stanley Cup
finals
Devils' Pete DeBoer to those who wanted Rangers in finals:
'Tough luck'
Devils hold optional morning skate before Game 1 of Stanley
Cup finals
Devils Continued
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Stanley Cup hot topic: Make your Devils-Kings Game 1 and
series predictions
Montgomery High School group drums up support for Devils
during Stanley Cup run
Devils face much tougher road after losing Game 1 to Kings
D'Alessandro: Devils need to find a solution for Kings goalie
Jonathan Quick
Devils offense sputters as Zach Parise, Ilya Kovalchuk
struggle
Devils' Martin Brodeur says nerves played a part in Game 1
loss
Politi: The Devils were at their worst, and still had a chance
to win it
Stanley Cup Finals: Devils fall to Kings, 2-1, in crucial series
opener
Sullivan: Devils’ architect built around his cornerstone;
Lamoriello, Brodeur going for their 4th Cup
Five keys to the Finals
Puck doesn't bounce Devils way in third period
Kings notes: Enough, already
Devils notes: Parise says forechecking key to reaching
Finals
Sullivan: Brodeur's magic ran its course in Devils OT loss to
Kings
Low profile keeps Quick grounded
Devils drop Game 1 of Stanley Cup finals in overtime
Mayor Booker says he supports Devils despite past
comments
Devils try to treat Game 1 of Stanley Cup Finals like a
normal game day
Newark Mayor Booker predicts Devils can go all the way in
Stanley Cup final
NJ Devils goalie Martin Brodeur comes up empty as LA
Kings break away in Game 1 of Stanley Cup Finals
LA Kings take Game 1 of Stanley Cup Finals from NJ Devils
2-1 on Anze Kopitar's game-winner in overtime
On breakaway, Kings center decides to go a different way on
Marty
Power plays
L.A. wins Cup opener in overtime
Anze does it by reaching into his memory bank
Brodeur fooled in OT as New Jersey loses Game One
New York Islanders
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Bettman: 'Still time' for deal to keep Isles on LI
Islanders' Matt Moulson, Kyle Okposo taken with the Final
New York Rangers
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Glen Sather not ready to talk about NY Rangers’ offseason
moves, won’t involve Chris Kreider in trades
NHL
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Gary Bettman hopes to start NHL labor talks soon
EA Sports simulates Stanley Cup Finals
SCF: Bettman, Fehr preparing to meet
SCF: Kings are tired of resting
NHL notebook: Labor talks head Bettman’s agenda
Vancouver Canucks
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Vancouver Canucks sign sixth-rounder Alex Friesen from
2010 draft
Canucks sign 2010 sixth-rounder Friesen
The Province>Blogs >Sports>Hockey>The White Towel The
White Towel RSS Feed
Canucks draft pick Alex Friesen signs, could help solve
centre issues
Canucks' Hansen burns bright, then sputters
Washington Capitals
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Capitals re-sign Dany Sabourin
Adam Oates may be in coaching mix, but Capitals GM isn’t
saying
Websites
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Devils blow golden opporunity
ESPN / Devils blow golden opportunity
ESPN / Rumblings: Coaches, Luongo and Wild
ESPN / GM meetings: Rule change discussions
ESPN / Get ready for the NHL labor rumble
FOXSports.com / Kings' depth sets tone in physical Game 1
FOXSports.com / American captains lead Kings, Devils
NBCSports.com / Newark mayor has “nothing but goodwill”
for Devils
NBCSports.com / NHL delays implementing hybrid icing for
next season
NBCSports.com / NHL to address obstruction at special
summer meeting
Still proving to be Kings of the road
The Devils' old lion vs. the King crab in the Stanley Cup Final
Sportsnet.ca / Brophy on Colborne: The future is now
Wall Street Journal / Kings Draw First Blood in Cup Finals
YAHOO SPORTS / Kopitar's overtime beauty prolongs
Kings' amazing playoff run
Winnipeg Jets
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Jets part ways with picks
THE JETS RETURN: A TIMELINE
The hockey story of the season
Jets owners' patience was rewarded
Where were you one year ago today?
Jets’ return the best news Winnipeg has ever seen
Jets fans the best — after Ottawa: Melnyk
Now that the Jets are back ... who’s next?
Jets return: A day to remember forever
One Wild rivalry
Ladd was 1st Jet here — and he’s in no rush to leave
Jets fans savoured historic moment
Smallest building, biggest wallets: Fans help Jets profit
Jets: One year later
Jets deal wasn’t done till the airport: Daly
Bettman praises Jets' owners for perseverance
SPORT-SCAN, INC. (941) 484-5941 phone (619) 839-3811 fax
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Anaheim Ducks
Philadelphia Flyers
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Ex-Flyers Richards, Carter get another shot at Stanley Cup
Daily News writers split on Stanley Cup final
Flyers West: Orange & Black rooting for old mates
Ducks fans fear Kings' Stanley Cup victory
St Louis Blues
By JEFF MILLER
Will Barret Jackman be back with the Blues?
He is a Ducks follower, a big-time one, one of their founding fans, a seasonticket holder since December of 1992.
That's 10 months before they played their first game. Tom Millsap was
associated with this franchise before Guy Hebert, Tony Tavares and Wild
Wing were.
During the six years before the Ducks' birth, however, Millsap had season
tickets to another hockey team, the Kings.
He used to watch them at The Forum, rode the wave with everyone else all
the way to the 1993 Stanley Cup Final and, today says, "I hold a grudge
against Marty McSorley personally, although I've never met him."
The finals open Wednesday in New Jersey, the same state in which the
Ducks lost the 2003 Cup to the hated Devils. So, either way, a team Ducks
fans dislike is about to win the championship.
Yet, despite that depth of devotion and even though the Kings were his first
love, Millsap has a serious rooting interest entering this Stanley Cup Final.
A serious rooting-against interest.
We'll give one of those fans the last word today, seeing how the last word
soon could be taken from each of them.
POLL: How are you dealing with the Kings' Stanley Cup run?
"You root for New Jersey because there aren't many guys left there who
faced us," Millsap says. "But you root against the Kings, no matter what."
"I had one prediction that I really wanted to come true from the very
beginning of the playoffs," he says. "That was just for the Kings not to win.
Hence, when I go to Vegas, I go to people watch because if I went to bet,
I'd lose all my money."
Orange County Register: LOADED: 05.30.2012
As difficult as it was to be a Ducks fan during the regular season, the
postseason has been botched oral surgery. The Kings, seeded at the
bottom but now seated on top, have knocked off Nos. 1, 2 and 3 in the
Western Conference and are eying another No. 1 – the first Cup in
franchise history.
A series victory over New Jersey would give Kings fans something they've
never had and take from Ducks fans the one thing they've had since 2007.
The last word.
"Whenever they'd yell their stuff at us," Ducks season-ticket holder Brian
Clausman says, "we could always answer, 'Yeah, but we've got the
hardware.'"
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Buffalo Sabres
Bucky Gleason
NEWARK, N.J. -- Rob Scuderi was screaming at the top of his lungs along
with everyone else on the visitors' bench. Anze Kopitar had drifted toward
center ice. Justin Williams was scrambling for a loose puck. If only they
could communicate amid the noise that accompanies overtime in the
Stanley Cup final.
In as few as four games, the hardware could belong to the Kings and the
last word to their fans, their Hrudey jersey-wearing, Eric Cartman-loving,
Alyssa Milano-embracing fans.
Williams acknowledged afterward that he didn't know Kopitar was wide
open near center ice. He was simply trying to win a battle and figured he
would toss the puck into an area and pray. Bryce Salvador committed to the
scrum. Dainius Zubrus was caught out of position.
For Ducks rooters, all that puffed-up bragging is on the verge of becoming
deflated sagging.
"I just wanted to make sure I stayed near the middle," Kopitar said.
"It's heartbreaking to think about," says another season-ticker holder, Kelly
Guadagnoli. "That's one of the things that very quickly ends the discussion
about whose team is better."
Guadagnoli, who lives in Highland, has a room in her home dedicated to the
Ducks. There's a Selanne jersey hanging, the faces of Ruslan Salei, Rob
Niedermayer and Samuel Pahlsson on the walls and a replica of the '07
Stanley Cup banner overhead.
How big of a fan are we talking about here? She also has on display a stick
signed by Steve Shields, of all former Ducks.
A speech therapist for the Etiwanda School District, Guadagnoli interacts
with plenty of Kings fans. For her good-natured co-workers, she has some
positive thoughts. Just not too many of them.
"You're happy, you know, for your good friends," she says. "But it still
hurts."
Sure, Ducks fans can always say their team won the Cup first, but Kings
fans could say their team won the Cup last.
And, yeah, Ducks fans can ask why it took 45 years, but Kings fans could
wonder what's happened the past four or five years.
Let's just face it, as an email that arrived Tuesday from another Ducks fan
aptly announced, "God help us if the Kings win the Cup."
"I want to see them lose, period," says Clausman, who lives in Newport
Beach and has had Ducks seats since 1999. "If they win, those fans will
come in our building wearing their hats and T-shirts. I just don't want to hear
that crap."
The Kings' romp through the playoffs has irritated Ducks fans for another
reason, as if their team's 13th-place finish in the Western Conference
wasn't tormenting enough. By suddenly going 12-2, the Kings have shown
what can happen when a team – any team – makes the postseason. The
lesson: Everybody starts over at 0-0 and who cares about home ice?
Ten NHL teams compiled 100 points or more this season. Nine of them
didn't make the Stanley Cup Final. Of the five in the West, none even
advanced to the conference finals.
Finishing with only 80 points, though, like the Ducks just did, doesn't even
allow the opportunity for magic to unfold.
"This absolutely does make it more frustrating," Clausman says. "There's
no excuse, zero, for this team missing the playoffs. I certainly wasn't one of
the people who stood and applauded after the last game this season."
Finally, the Devils had a breakdown.
Finally, the Kings had a breakaway.
Finally, a breakthrough.
Kopitar has scored 20 or more goals in each of his six NHL seasons, so he
knew what to do when Williams somehow slipped the puck onto his stick
and sent him loose. Kopitar faked Martin Brodeur to the ice and lifted a shot
past the fallen goaltender and future Hall of Famer to give the Kings a 2-1
overtime victory in Game One.
"Perfect," Kopitar said. "Right on my tape."
How strange it seemed that such a perfect pass and such a pretty play
could finish off what was, for the most part, a sloppy game that will not be
remembered for its beauty. Both teams admitted as much afterward.
Nerves and rust likely played a role. The important part was the Kings
earned yet another victory on the road.
Four times they have started the postseason on foreign ice and four times
they have come away with a victory. The Kings have won nine straight road
games in the postseason, a major reason they effectively trampled their
opponents in the first three rounds. The Devils, well, let's just say they had
their chances.
David Clarkson is going to have nightmares after missing two open nets in
the first period. Defenseman Mark Fayne had nothing between him and the
winner in the third period but somehow missed the net, which is precisely
why he's a defenseman. And, as usual, Jonathan Quick was nearly
unbeatable.
Neither the Kings nor Devils looked overly spectacular before Los Angeles
skated triumphantly into the dressing room. The first two periods were
slightly more compelling than a game of backgammon. It couldn't have
helped TV ratings -- except in Buffalo, of course.
If you didn't have a rooting interest, the game Wednesday could have been
mistaken for a Wednesday night game in November. OK, so there were a
few big hits and scoring chances, but little would have told you they were
playing for the Cup other than the clutching and grabbing allowed by the
officials.
"They played us really tough," Scuderi said. "It was certainly the toughest
test that we've had in these playoffs. They've made it the most difficult of
anyone."
The Devils for a while couldn't find the net if they had a GPS. Clarkson
missed two open nets. And Fayne blew his opportunity in the third period.
For the first time in a long time, overtime in the Stanley Cup final didn't feel
like bonus action. It felt like 25 to life.
Shots on goal in regulation: Kings 22, Devils 16.
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Buffalo Sabres
Zzzzz.
"There wasn't much going on offensively for either team," Kings coach
Darryl Sutter said. "It's tight quarters out there. I think both teams would say
that."
Bucky Gleason
You couldn't help but wonder Wednesday how the Sabres would have fared
had they not spent two months in hibernation and made the playoffs. Could
they have gone this deep? Would they have stood a chance? It's difficult to
say, actually. They wouldn't have survived this long, but they could have
beaten either team in Game One.
NEWARK, N.J. -- Rob Scuderi was screaming at the top of his lungs along
with everyone else on the visitors' bench. Anze Kopitar had drifted toward
center ice. Justin Williams was scrambling for a loose puck. If only they
could communicate amid the noise that accompanies overtime in the
Stanley Cup final.
The Kings were likely shaking off some rust after sitting around for eight
days after winning the conference title. They rolled over the top three seeds
-- Vancouver, St. Louis and Phoenix -- en route to their first appearance in
the finals since 1994. They scored the first goal for the ninth time in 15
playoff games.
Williams acknowledged afterward that he didn't know Kopitar was wide
open near center ice. He was simply trying to win a battle and figured he
would toss the puck into an area and pray. Bryce Salvador committed to the
scrum. Dainius Zubrus was caught out of position.
Jordan Nolan, who spent one year of his childhood riding the escalators at
Memorial Auditorium and another rummaging around the building formerly
known as Marine Midland Arena while his father coached the Sabres, set
up the critical first goal of the series. Clearly, he learned a thing or 20 from
Ted.
Nolan worked and banged and kept his feet moving and finally bounced
Andy Greene off the puck behind the net before finding Colin Fraser in the
slot. Fraser slipped a wrist shot along the ice that beat Martin Brodeur and
quieted the crowd in the Prudential Center. The Kings scored enough, gave
up little and took the opener.
"It was a little choppy," Fraser said. "Our execution could be better. We
were fortunate to get the win, but we think we can get better and we will get
better. With that being said, so will they."
Buffalo News LOADED: 05.31.2012
632755
Buffalo Sabres
SCF: Bettman impressed with Buffalo
Bucky Gleason
NEWARK, N.J. -- NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman went out of his way
before Game One to make sure how much he appreciated the passion fans
in Buffalo have for hockey. He pulled me to the side and made his point
after his news conference. It came as a surprise to me.
Bettman for years has been impressed with television ratings in Buffalo
during the Stanley Cup final regardless of whether the Sabres are involved.
The Sabres haven't reached the finals since 1999 but routinely are among
the top three cities watching, usually after the two cities that have teams
playing for the Cup.
"We have great fans in Buffalo,'' Bettman said. "It’s that simple. You have to
remember, I knew that going back and I really had that reinforced when we
ran the club during a difficult period. It’s a passionate, knowledgeable fan
base. While they love the Sabres perhaps more than anything else, they’re
also big fans of the game."
Bettman wasn't simply blowing smoke. He said it was important to him that
Buffalo has done well because the support has been there from ownership
and the fans.
"It’s always good to know that you have teams in a place where hockey
really matters and the team is really important," he said. "Two, it also
means we’re particularly pleased when we have good strong ownership,
which we have in Buffalo.
"Terry [Pegula] is a terrific owner. I’m glad that someone like him, who has
an onerous passion about a game, has a team in a market like Buffalo. I’ve
been watching the [television] numbers long enough to not be surprised. I
now expect it."
"I just wanted to make sure I stayed near the middle," Kopitar said.
Finally, the Devils had a breakdown.
Finally, the Kings had a breakaway.
Finally, a breakthrough.
Kopitar has scored 20 or more goals in each of his six NHL seasons, so he
knew what to do when Williams somehow slipped the puck onto his stick
and sent him loose. Kopitar faked Martin Brodeur to the ice and lifted a shot
past the fallen goaltender and future Hall of Famer to give the Kings a 2-1
overtime victory in Game One.
"Perfect," Kopitar said. "Right on my tape."
How strange it seemed that such a perfect pass and such a pretty play
could finish off what was, for the most part, a sloppy game that will not be
remembered for its beauty. Both teams admitted as much afterward.
Nerves and rust likely played a role. The important part was the Kings
earned yet another victory on the road.
Four times they have started the postseason on foreign ice and four times
they have come away with a victory. The Kings have won nine straight road
games in the postseason, a major reason they effectively trampled their
opponents in the first three rounds. The Devils, well, let's just say they had
their chances.
David Clarkson is going to have nightmares after missing two open nets in
the first period. Defenseman Mark Fayne had nothing between him and the
winner in the third period but somehow missed the net, which is precisely
why he's a defenseman. And, as usual, Jonathan Quick was nearly
unbeatable.
Neither the Kings nor Devils looked overly spectacular before Los Angeles
skated triumphantly into the dressing room. The first two periods were
slightly more compelling than a game of backgammon. It couldn't have
helped TV ratings -- except in Buffalo, of course.
If you didn't have a rooting interest, the game Wednesday could have been
mistaken for a Wednesday night game in November. OK, so there were a
few big hits and scoring chances, but little would have told you they were
playing for the Cup other than the clutching and grabbing allowed by the
officials.
"They played us really tough," Scuderi said. "It was certainly the toughest
test that we've had in these playoffs. They've made it the most difficult of
anyone."
The Devils for a while couldn't find the net if they had a GPS. Clarkson
missed two open nets. And Fayne blew his opportunity in the third period.
For the first time in a long time, overtime in the Stanley Cup final didn't feel
like bonus action. It felt like 25 to life.
Shots on goal in regulation: Kings 22, Devils 16.
Zzzzz.
"There wasn't much going on offensively for either team," Kings coach
Darryl Sutter said. "It's tight quarters out there. I think both teams would say
that."
You couldn't help but wonder Wednesday how the Sabres would have fared
had they not spent two months in hibernation and made the playoffs. Could
they have gone this deep? Would they have stood a chance? It's difficult to
say, actually. They wouldn't have survived this long, but they could have
beaten either team in Game One.
The Kings were likely shaking off some rust after sitting around for eight
days after winning the conference title. They rolled over the top three seeds
-- Vancouver, St. Louis and Phoenix -- en route to their first appearance in
the finals since 1994. They scored the first goal for the ninth time in 15
playoff games.
Jordan Nolan, who spent one year of his childhood riding the escalators at
Memorial Auditorium and another rummaging around the building formerly
known as Marine Midland Arena while his father coached the Sabres, set
up the critical first goal of the series. Clearly, he learned a thing or 20 from
Ted.
Nolan worked and banged and kept his feet moving and finally bounced
Andy Greene off the puck behind the net before finding Colin Fraser in the
slot. Fraser slipped a wrist shot along the ice that beat Martin Brodeur and
quieted the crowd in the Prudential Center. The Kings scored enough, gave
up little and took the opener.
"It was a little choppy," Fraser said. "Our execution could be better. We
were fortunate to get the win, but we think we can get better and we will get
better. With that being said, so will they."
632757
Calgary Flames
NHL prospect Leach victim of numbers game
Scott Cruickshank
The Calgary Flames, after assessing their priorities, opted not to sign
Kootenay Ice’s Joey Leach, left, which means the star defenceman will reenter the NHL entry draft.
In that time, the Flames have remained without a head coach (although Bob
Hartley gossip appears to be a gathering storm). Further, they have not
announced any free-agent re-signings.
Not that it’s been total silence for the organization.
The Abbotsford Heat, led by Troy Ward and seldom seen (at least in its own
rink), had a nice run in the American Hockey League. Plus, a couple of the
Flames’ teenaged plums — Sven Baertschi of the Portland Winterhawks,
Laurent Brossoit of the Edmonton Oil Kings — enjoyed dandy sprees in the
Western Hockey League post-season.
But, aside from an unprecedented off-season surgery update (Olli Jokinen’s
tattered torso), official declarations from Saddledome headquarters have
been few.
Till this week. Till now.
Finally, an honest-to-goodness hockey announcement — much to Joey
Leach’s chagrin.
With Friday being the National Hockey League’s deadline for teams to sign
2010-drafted players to entry-level contracts, the Flames needed to do
some appraising.
From their 2010 draft class — a surprisingly robust crop, despite including
zero picks in the top 63 — Max Reinhart and Michael Ferland already
possess contracts.
John Ramage and Bill Arnold, meanwhile, are still in school — University of
Wisconsin and Boston College, respectively — so they are not yet subject
to the deadline. And Patrick Holland, as part of the Rene Bourque trade,
was shipped to the Montreal Canadiens (and subsequently signed).
So, unsigned, Leach goes back into the draft.
“You have to have some sense of timing, in terms of when they’re going to
culminate,” Weisbrod said Wednesday afternoon from the NHL combine in
Toronto, where he’d just finished interviewing 17 prospects. “One of the
things we talked about during the year is that we have quite a gap in our
age and the balance of our lineup. We have all these 33-, 34-, 35-year-old
players, then we’ve got some young bucks we really like, 19-, 20-, 21-yearolds. So we’re really missing that middle gap that sort of drives the train.”
Enter the 20-something likes of Derek Smith and Clay Wilson. Which leaves
Leach without a spot.
“Not that anything we do now fixes that immediately, but your objective is to
have those (prospects) blossoming and being ready to play in some kind of
synchronicity,” said Weisbrod. “So you have to look at players in terms of
what they bring, what they’ll ultimately be, how you think they’ll develop,
how long you think they’ll take to develop.
“We’re a team that’s pushing 50 contracts. You get to a point where you
have to make some decisions.”
For which followers of the team — fans, reporters — are relieved.
Real news.
But even in the absence of headline-hogging developments, there’s been
noise around the team.
When a team is searching for a head coach, the hockey world is eager to
assist. One gambling website posted odds for the Flames’ vacancy (Ward,
at 7 to 4, turned out to be the favourite. Jacques Martin, at 15 to 1, is
considered a longshot).
Now there are reports that Hartley — 5 to 2, by the way, according to
Bodog.ca — has had not one, but two interviews with the Flames. And
Wednesday, at the NHL’s general managers gathering in Manhattan, there
had been no sign Jay Feaster. Which instantly led to murmurs that the
Flames boss remained in Calgary to conduct more interviews.
From the team, the explanation for Feaster’s absence was — “prior
commitment.”
Coaching situation aside, the Flames have stayed in the public eye.
Probably to their detriment.
There was sizzling speculation about John Davidson. Whispers made the
rounds that the highly regarded hockey man would leave his president’s
post with the St. Louis Blues and return to the city where he played his
junior career (with the Centennials, 1971-73).
Davidson himself noted that he had not spoken to the Flames.
There is simmering discontent about the (high) U.S. content of the Flames’
front office.
And, unbelievably, rumours about a Jarome Iginla trade have started to
circulate. Again.
Buzz, in this town, never ends.
“I tend to not be real bothered by any of those things,” Weisbrod said.
“There’s a world of perception, there’s a world of reality — and I find living
in the world of reality is difficult enough.”
He laughed.
“I don’t get too caught up in any of the perception,” said Weisbrod. “I wake
up every day focused on the decisions to be made that day, with regard to
putting this thing together. What’s swirling around over my head — in blogs
or newspapers or television about some of the peripheral stuff . . . I can’t
say I spend a whole lot of time thinking about.”
Calgary Herald: LOADED: 05.31.2012
632758
Chicago Blackhawks
Blackhawks concerned about Patrick Kane’s off-ice escapades
Which left one player outstanding. Alas, Leach, a Kootenay Ice defender,
will not get a contract.
As John Weisbrod explained, the Flames’ 50-man list needs to filled with
on-the-cusp prospects. Leach, according the Flames’ assistant general
manager, is “a longer-term” project.
By ADAM L. JAHNS
In the days after pictures of Patrick Kane partying in Madison, Wis., went
viral on the Internet this month, the Blackhawks remained suspiciously
quiet.
“[Kane] has teased and pleased all of us with his talent,” longtime NHL
goalie and former Hawk Marty Turco said. “Not many possess his skill set.
He has handled success at an early age decently with all things considered.
Behind the scenes, however, sources say the team continued to preach
restraint with one of its most important players.
“What happens from here on out will determine his legacy. There comes a
time to take personal ownership of your career and how it’s played out. P.
Kane’s time is now.”
On Tuesday, the Hawks made their first public comments about the
embarrassing episode during a conference call with general manager Stan
Bowman to announce the re-signing of Jamal Mayers and Johnny Oduya.
“We are aware of that situation,” Bowman said when asked by the SunTimes about Kane. “We followed it closely. It was one of those things where
we’ve discussed it with Patrick. We’ve handled that internally.
“We’re obviously disappointed with how it played it out, and Patrick is aware
of that fact. But at this point, it’s a private matter. I think, out of respect for
Patrick, we’re not going to comment further. We’re going to look forward
and try to focus on things in improving our team leading into the summer.”
Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 05.30.2012
632759
Chicago Blackhawks
Stan Bowman knows replacing Mike Haviland is crucial
By ADAM L. JAHNS
But the Hawks are more than just disappointed in Kane. A team source told
the Sun-Times that some in the organization have suggested that Kane
seek help.
NEWARK, N.J. — Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman spoke
glowingly about Mike Haviland on Wednesday.
“He’s obviously got some issues,” the source said. “How many more times
can these things happen? It’s a much bigger thing than some photographs
in a 48-hour window.”
He gave him credit for the development of players such as Dustin Byfuglien,
Troy Brouwer and Dave Bolland. He highlighted his success in the minors,
and he even said he has the pedigree to be an NHL head coach.
It was the last thing the Hawks wanted to see to kick off their offseason —
which was already going to be tumultuous.
“He’s a very capable guy,” Bowman said.
Kane was photographed numerous times during a trip to Madison when he
took part in the Mifflin Street Block Party for Cinco de Mayo.
There were pictures of Kane lying on the ground littered with empty beer
cans, one with his head down on a bar and another showing a police officer
shadowing him. And then came the series of unconfirmed allegations made
on Deadspin.com by anonymous people.
This isn’t the first time Kane’s off-ice behavior has concerned the Hawks.
Kane’s actions and how the organization responds to them can be telling.
“Other players look at how they handle a situation like this,” the source said.
Unlike 2009, when he was arrested in Buffalo for the cabdriver incident, or
2010, when he was photographed without his shirt in a Vancouver
limousine, or even those instances in Chicago bars that resulted in him
being put on YouTube, Kane, 23, is at a pivotal point in his career.
He just finished his fifth season in the NHL and had his worst offensive
output, a career-low 66 points.
Kane deserves credit for handling center, playing with a surgically repaired
wrist and stepping up in Jonathan Toews’ absence, but more was expected.
Just when it looked like he took a step forward with his maturity, he fell
back.
He said on April 25 that he decided against playing for Team USA during
this year’s world championships because he was finally healthy and wanted
to maintain his fitness. It was a move many insiders looked at skeptically.
A little more than a week later, Kane visited Madison while the tournament
went on. Meanwhile, Hawks teammates — notably standouts Duncan Keith
and Patrick Sharp — were playing for their countries.
“When is [Kane] going to learn?” another team source said.
As much as Kane is respected for his affability and admired for his hockey
skills, he also has gained a reputation as one of the NHL’s biggest partiers.
The nighttime exploits of players have been big story lines this postseason.
Predators forwards Alex Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn stayed out late the
night before Game 2 of their second-round series against the Coyotes,
were benched for Game 3, became a major distraction for the team and
were ultimately cited as one of the reasons for Nashville’s demise.
In other words, Bowman understands finding a suitable — or more capable
— assistant coach to replace Haviland, who was fired by coach Joel
Quenneville after the season with the organization’s blessing, is crucial.
“[The coaching search] doesn’t get as much attention, but it’s an important
part for us internally,” Bowman said after the GM meetings in New York
before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals in New Jersey.
“The important thing is to do it right. You don’t have to do it fast necessarily,
but we’ve got some ideas on how we want to handle that, and I would
expect in the next little bit here we’re going to dive into that and try to get
our staff in order.”
Bowman wouldn’t say whether the interview process had started and
declined to elaborate on Quenneville’s comments that they both felt there
was dysfunction on the coaching staff.
“I think we can be better, and he agreed with me,” Bowman said.
Haviland was a favorite of many Hawks players, but Bowman doesn’t
foresee that severed connection as a major concern.
“I’ve talked to some of the players,” Bowman said. “I saw a few of the guys
over at the world championships. I’ve talked to a few other guys on the
phone, and that wasn’t a topic of conversation in terms of that. I guess you
could get a better feel for that from them, but I don’t envision that being an
issue.”
Hossa news
Bowman had some encouraging news about the status of Marian Hossa.
The star winger has been recovering from a concussion suffered in the
playoffs when he was hit in the head by Phoenix Coyotes brute Raffi
Torres.
“I’ve gotten reports from our medical staff. They contact him very regularly,
and he’s doing much better,” Bowman said. “I think we’re sitting here in May
and projecting out to training camp in September. I can’t predict it, but I
would be very encouraged that he would be ready to participate by then.”
On the record
Bowman, on whether he feels more compelled to make trades this
offseason to improve the team: “I don’t know about ‘shake things up,’ to do
something just to do it. But we’re willing to consider things.”
Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 05.30.2012
On the other hand, former Flyers forwards Mike Richards and Jeff Carter,
reputed partiers in Philadelphia, have helped take the Kings to the Stanley
Cup finals after being traded away.
632760
Kane has three years left on a contract that carries a $6.3 million cap hit.
Ex-Hawk Fraser helps Kings take Game 1
Chicago Blackhawks
TRACEY MYERS
NEWARK, N.J. – Colin Fraser likes to joke around with his L.A. Kings
teammates about his goal-scoring ability. The former Blackhawks forward’s
timing on getting his first postseason one couldn’t have been better.
Fraser scored the first goal of his NHL playoff career on Wednesday night,
and Anze Kopitar had the breakaway winner in overtime as the Kings beat
the New Jersey Devils 2-1 in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on
Wednesday night. It was another road victory for the Kings, who are a
perfect 9-0 away from home during these playoffs.
And it was a chance for Fraser, who was with the Blackhawks’ organization
from 2004 to 2010, to score that infrequent goal at a critical time.
“It feels like it was a long time coming,” Fraser said afterward. “It’s not my
No.-1 role but we all want to chip in when we can. I’m not going to change
the way I play but hopefully I’ll get another one.”
Fraser’s first was a big one, a wrister he tallied after Jordan Nolan forced a
turnover to give the Kings a 1-0 lead midway through the first period.
“I just tried to find an open area high,” Fraser said. “He hit me high and I
was just trying to get it off as fast as I could. Nolan was the guy who forced
the turnover and did the work.”
Fraser got the finish – but he didn’t get the puck. Still, the work he and
fellow fourth liners Nolan and Brad Richardson did boosted the Kings in the
early going.
“They probably had one of the best games in the playoffs so far,” said
Kopitar. “They had some good ones before, but tonight they capped it off
with a nice goal and that definitely got us going in the first period. We came
out slower than we wanted to, and the way they established the forecheck
gave us a huge boost.”
Jonathan Quick did the rest for the Kings, stopping 17 of 18. But it wasn’t a
night of big shots for either team. The Devils had just five shots in the first
period, didn’t get their first of the second period until about halfway through
it. Yet they tied the game at 1-1 when Anton Volchenkov’s shot went off
Kings defenseman Slava Voynov and past Quick.
Martin Brodeur showed his vintage side a few times in Game 1, including
on a stellar pad save late in the third period. But the Kings were relentless
in their pursuit, and it paid off in overtime. Justin Williams backhanded a
pass to Kopitar, who skated wide open down the middle and wristed one off
a sprawling Brodeur to clinch Game 1.
one playoff game -- the Game 3 overtime loss -- and logged less than five
minutes of ice time.
Boden's take: Olsen – at 6-foot-2, 214 pounds – might have the size the
Hawks so sorely need to add to Brent Seabrook on the blue line, but does
he have the experience? The answer is no, but if Stan Bowman does
indeed want to shop around for another big body for the back and can’t find
one, Olsen would seem to be Plan B. If that's the case, they’d need him to
gradually develop and blossom over the course of next season, when the
former 28th overall pick of the 2009 draft turns 22. Joel Quenneville liked
what he offered when he was given a chance during his stint late in the
regular season, but wasn’t quite confident enough to use him in any more
than one playoff game. Olsen’s game has definitely grown over the past
year, the question is whether it’s enough to make a consistent impression.
Myers' take: The Blackhawks had a lot of defensemen depth ahead of
Olsen last season, so he didn’t get a chance until the second half. That, and
he was dealing with a lower-body injury at the start of camp, which also put
him behind. When he did get the call-up, Olsen was decent in his 28 games
with the Blackhawks, having the on-and-off outings befitting of a rookie.
Still, it was no surprise when Olsen sat for all but one playoff game. He was
still too young and too green to be thrown into the postseason.
2012-13 Expectations
Boden: Olsen made huge strides last offseason and hung around through
camp before being sent to Rockford just as the regular season began. Is he
capable of taking a comparable step this summer? Those strides were
physical, now it's a matter of finding a positive consistency in his game to
push Montador and Hjalmarsson. The guy has got a booming slapshot
which he doesn't use enough. If there's an area of his game that he could
be focusing on, that might be it. The Hawks could certainly use a big,
reliable shot on the power play, but he has to get in that mindset and
comfort zone first. There's bang-for-their-buck potential there with Olsen, as
he has two years and $1.75 million remaining on his original deal before
being eligible for restricted free agency.
Myers: Considering the money the Blackhawks have already thrown toward
defensemen, including Johnny Oduya’s new contract, you would have to
wonder how many internal guys will get a shot at the lineup next season.
That should include Olsen, who has decent size on a defense that doesn’t
have much of it. Olsen went through a grueling offseason training program
last summer and it would benefit him to do the same entering this training
camp. If he can come in healthy, he could find a spot here out of camp.
Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.30.2012
“I saw (Williams) on the boards battling and I wanted to make sure I went
through the middle,” Kopitar said. “I yelled for the puck and he threw it
perfect, right on my tape. I was able to finish it off.”
632762
The Kings have gotten to this point for a few reasons, Quick’s work
throughout certainly being one of them. But it’s also about everyone
contributing. Scoring isn’t Fraser’s strong suit. But it suited him just fine in
Game 1.
Bowman: Hawks have areas for improvement
“I always joke around,” Fraser said. “It’s not my No. 1 thing, (scoring), but I
always give it to the boys about how I’m going to score one tonight. I was
lucky to get one tonight. Hopefully I’ll get more in the future.”
632761
Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
TRACEY MYERS
NEWARK, N.J. – Stan Bowman talked with a few of his fellow NHL general
managers on Wednesday, including Tampa Bay’s Steve Yzerman and the
Florida Panthers’ Dale Tallon. No, it wasn’t trade/barter talk. But there’s no
time like the present to start the friendly banter.
Blackhawks breakdown: Dylan Olsen
Bowman was one of many GMs participating in a brief meeting in New York
on Wednesday. The meeting was to talk about some potential rule changes
as well; but it also lays some light groundwork for trade chatter.
TRACEY MYERS & CHRIS BODEN
“A couple guys I spoke to said we’ll talk over the next couple of weeks, but
there was nothing of substance, really,” said Bowman, who added he’s not
looking for anything specific for this Blackhawks team this offseason.
Blackhawks Insider Tracey Myers and PGL host Chris Boden will evaluate
the 2011-12 performance of each player on the Hawks roster. One
breakdown will occur every weekday in numerical order.
When the Blackhawks defensive corps was ravaged by injuries when the
calendar turned to 2012, they gave 21-year-old Dylan Olsen his first shot at
NHL hockey when he made his debut on Jan. 5 in Philadelphia. He would
go on to average just over 13 minutes of ice time in 28 games. Olsen is still
in search of his first goal, and finished with one assist and a minus-5 rating.
He was credited with 43 hits and 23 blocked shots. Olsen only played in
“We have a lot of good components in place already. We’re just looking to
get better and that can be shown in a couple of different ways,” he said.
“We have some ideas but we haven’t decided, definitively, where we’re
going with it yet.”
Meanwhile, the Blackhawks’ coaching staff is still minus an assistant after
Mike Haviland was fired earlier this month. Bowman said it’s a focus, but
the team is not in a tremendous hurry to hire a new assistant.
“The important thing is to get it right; it’s not about doing it fast,” said
Bowman. “We’ve got some ideas on how to handle it, and we’re going to
dive back into that in a few weeks.”
It was ultimately coach Joel Quenneville’s decision to fire Haviland;
Quenneville spoke of “dysfunction” that had to be addressed at the time, but
didn’t elaborate on it much. Bowman didn’t expand upon it much more,
either, on Wednesday.
“I don’t want to live in the past,” he said. “Joel addressed it, put it succinctly
that we’re trying to improve, ad that’s what it comes down to. He agreed
with me that we could be better, and that’s a big part of it as well.”
So now it comes down to that improvement aspect. The Blackhawks’ stars
have continued to be just that these past two seasons, for the most part.
The supporting cast is where the team has struggled, as attempts to
conjure up the same magical group that won the Cup in 2010 has faltered.
One way or another, the Blackhawks need to find that chemistry again, top
to bottom.
“We’ll look at adding, be it new faces or substantial players from other
teams. That’s one way to improve. The other way is from within,” Bowman
said. “Your own players can step their games up and coaches can get more
out of them. You add all those up, they’re areas for improvement.”
632763
Chicago Blackhawks
Bowman: Hossa 'feeling much better'
Blue Jackets the last two seasons, was a pending free agent this summer,
but both the club and the player wanted to get a new contract in place. The
negotiations were quick and relatively painfree.
But the two-year contract signed by MacKenzie – it should be announced
by the club later today – means so much more to the soon-to-be 31 year
old. He’ll make $1 million in each of the next two seasons, and the money’s
not the coolest part.
“I’ve never had a one-way contract before,” MacKenzie told The Dispatch
this morning. “This is a big deal for us, for me and my family, both
immediate and extended.”
MacKenzie toiled in the minor leagues longer than most players, probably a
lot longer than he should have, given the two franchises he’s played for –
Atlanta and Columbus. The reality of a two-way contract tends to loom over
a player like a bad debt. The club’s flexibility is the player’s insecurity, and
MacKenzie has played under that weight that for more than a decade.
“In some ways, it doesn’t seem like a big deal,” MacKenzie said. “But for me
it was a big deal. It was obstacle when we started this season the way we
started.”
It’s hard for guys on two-way contracts to grab the dressing room by the
horns and exert their will, MacKenzie said. Former Blue Jackets coach
Scott Arniel noted repeatedly that MacKenzie played as if he was always on
the verge of being sent back down to the minors.
That fear can be healthy and helpful on the ice. It can be limiting in the
dressing room, though.
TRACEY MYERS
NEWARK, N.J. – Marian Hossa didn’t sound so good when he talked to the
media on May 3, a little more than two weeks after Raffi Torres’ head shot
on him gave him a concussion. But Blackhawks general manager Stan
Bowman said his right wing is starting to feel more like himself.
Hossa is “feeling much better,” Bowman said Wednesday when he was in
New York for a brief NHL general managers’ meeting. And while there’s still
plenty of offseason remaining, Bowman is hoping Hossa will be back on
schedule.
“We’re sitting here in May, projecting out to training camp in September: I
can’t predict it, but I’m very encouraged that he’ll be ready to participate by
then,” Bowman said. “He’ll get some rest here. I think he’ll be ready to go.
He had a good (2011-12) season with that rest (last summer). We’re
hoping this summer will provide that, too.”
Torres was suspended 25 games for that hit and recently looked to appeal
that number. Gary Bettman said Wednesday that there will be a decision on
Torres’ appeal “in the not too distant future.”
Yes, Hossa did benefit from the longer summer last season, both with
production and lack of in-season injuries. The big difference this time is the
big season-ending injury Hossa suffered in April, and the unpredictability of
its recovery time.
So the Blackhawks will be encouraged by the reports they’re getting on
Hossa. The forward spoke to the media earlier this month about his
recovery, which wasn’t going so well at the time. At the time Hossa was just
starting to take walks again and had been sleeping a lot. Even then,
however, he hoped the long summer would give him proper time to recover.
“So far it’s small steps, but I believe I’ll be ready,” he said then. “It’s a long
time until training camp and I have a long time to recover.”
632764
Columbus Blue Jackets
Blue Jackets: MacKenzie relishes added duty
“Arniel stressed it to me – ‘You’re here. You’re not going anywhere. You
have to start acting like you’re going to be here.’” MacKenzie said.
Easier said than done.
MacKenzie said Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson and assistant
general manager Chris MacFarland both stressed that they want
MacKenzie’s voice to be heard more this season. He’s now a bona fide
NHLer, armed with a one-way contract.
Now he and his wife, Sarah, can look for a home with elbow room and
move out of the condominium they’ve called home. Now daughter Reese
(3) and Grayson (1) have a permanent address, at least for two years. Now,
when his family drives in from Sudbury, Ont. – 11 hours each way – they
can stay for a few days, rather than get a hotel room and head right back
home.
“It’s nice to know that what I’ve done is well-respected and it’s paid off,”
MacKenzie said. “This instills confidence. It means you’ve got people
behind you, backing you up and believing in you.
“I feel like I’ve got more to offer the Blue Jackets. That’s what this contract
means to me, that the responsibility now is a bit more than it was before
this, and I’m very comfortable with that. I want to be a big part of this club,
and I want to help make us a winning team.”
Derek MacKenzie signed a contract with the Blue Jackets that will pay him
$2 million over the next two seasons. But the best part of the deal, he said,
is written in the fine print.
“I’ve never had a one-way contract,” MacKenzie said yesterday. “I’ve never
had that kind of job security. So for me, this is a big moment. It feels like a
day I’ve waited a long time to enjoy.”
MacKenzie, who turns 31 next month, has played his 11-year pro career
under two-way contracts, which include an NHL salary and a much lower
minor-league salary, making it easier for the player to be sent to the minors.
This one-way contract signals that MacKenzie has arrived as a bona fide
NHL player.
“It’s nice to know that what I’ve done the last couple of seasons is wellrespected, and it has paid off,” MacKenzie said. “Columbus proved that
much to me with this deal, and that’s big. It instills confidence in you, that
you’ve got people behind you, backing it up and believing in you.”
Staff Writer
The Blue Jackets know what they’re getting in MacKenzie, the player. He’s
a hard-skating, tenacious forechecker who fits well in the middle of the
fourth line and on the penalty kill. He’s good at taking faceoffs, too. This
deal, however, comes with higher expectations for MacKenzie in the
dressing room.
At the surface, the the Blue Jackets’ most recent transaction seemed
almost procedural. Center Derek MacKenzie, a fourth-line fixture with the
“We need more people taking ownership, leading, and making sure that
everybody is going in the right direction,” general manager Scott Howson
said. “He’s a guy who can do that. It took him six or seven years to make
the NHL. He’s not going to assert himself until he has some confidence,
some experience and some sense of belonging at this level. Well, now he
does.”
MacKenzie has been a captain at the junior level (Sudbury, Ontario Hockey
League) and in the minor leagues (Syracuse, American Hockey League),
so leadership is not a foreign concept. But it’s hard for a player to be a
leader when he doesn’t know where he’ll be playing the next day.
Former coach Scott Arniel used to joke that MacKenzie played as if he were
going to be sent to the minor leagues with one bad game or one poor shift.
“Both (Howson) and (assistant general manager Chris MacFarland) were
adamant about me making sure that when I come back to training camp
(this fall), that at my age, I should be taking on more responsibility,”
MacKenzie said. “They couldn’t be more right. We didn’t talk at all about
where I fit on the ice. We talked about what they need from guys in the
room.”
Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 05.31.2012
632765
Detroit Red Wings
Michael Rosenberg flashback: Red Wings' Nicklas Lidstrom is ahead of the
game
By Michael Rosenberg
understand why he made a play until it is over. Oh, so THAT is why I did
that.
To copy Lidstrom, you would have to replicate his vision, his ability to think
quickly, his patience, his puck-handling, skating ... and you still couldn't do
it. You would have to borrow his personality, temperament and worldview.
He uses all of them to bring order to a chaotic game.
On some level, the Wings understand how stars Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik
Zetterberg do what they do. But Lidstrom is the mystery in the red sweater.
They have assigned him a preposterous nickname -- The Perfect Human -and left it at that.
Holland, who has known Lidstrom for his entire professional career, says he
doesn't know whether Lidstrom watches much extra film. The rest of the
Wings try to glean bits of knowledge from him, but they don't ask many
questions, and they don't kid themselves.
They could never see the game the way he does. The closer you stand to
genius, the harder it is to understand.
Part of Nicklas Lidstrom's brilliance is that he simplifies the game -- cuts it
into a thousand simple pieces, then devours each one. So let's start simply.
Follow the bouncing ball. Can you do that? When Lidstrom was a boy in
Vasteras, Sweden, he spent many hours in the hallway of his house with a
hockey stick and tennis ball, playing the most mundane game: hit the ball at
the front door, let it bounce once on the way back and hit it out of mid-air at
the door again. Smack, thud, bounce ... smack, thud, bounce ... smack,
thud, bounce ...
The sound drove his mom, Gerd, crazy.
You will never figure him out.
Smack, thud, bounce ... smack, thud, bounce ...
Everybody around the Red Wings says that about Nicklas Lidstrom. Tell
them you want to get inside the mind of Lidstrom -- to understand his
genius, to see what he sees. They laugh or shake their heads.
In 1989, the Wings had used their third-round pick on Lidstrom. Nineteen
defensemen had been drafted before him. A few months later, Ken Holland
went to see him for the first time, at the World Junior Championships.
Holland was the Wings' amateur scouting director.
"It's impossible to know how he can think that good," coach Mike Babcock
said.
Impossible?
"He's Picasso," general manager Ken Holland said. "They think differently.
It's a gift."
OK, fine. Let's just observe. Sit in the stands. Watch Lidstrom. Come back
and watch again, and again and again, and ... well, admit it: You see
nothing. You know you are watching one of the best players in hockey
history. But he looks like just another good player to you.
It's not your fault. Lidstrom doesn't do anything spectacular. He just does
everything right. He makes the right pass. He reads the play properly. He
knows what opponents will do before they do, and he stops them from
doing it.
But the closer you stand to genius, the easier it is to see. Often, in the
middle of games, the Red Wings elbow each other in disbelief: Did you see
what Nick just did? He will slide along the blue line and knock down a puck,
or he'll be surrounded by three players and he will pass the puck off the wall
and it will ricochet directly to the tape on a teammate's stick.
"There are so many times, you're on the bench, you just look at each other
and go, 'Wow,' " fellow defenseman Niklas Kronwall said. "He's sort of the
dad playing with kids. He makes it look so simple out there."
But how?
"I wish I knew the answer to that," Kronwall said.
The Wings' European scout, Hakan Andersson, says Lidstrom plays "like
he is above the ice." Kris Draper knows what Andersson means. Draper
played with Lidstrom from 1993 until last season, but he did not fully
appreciate Lidstrom's brain until he went above the ice himself. Draper sits
in the press box now, as a Wings executive.
"It's like he's one or two plays ahead of the game," Draper said. "He's not
just looking at where the puck is. He's looking at where players are, where
players are coming, what he needs to do."
How can we get inside Lidstrom's head? Sometimes Lidstrom can't even
get inside Lidstrom's head. He thinks so quickly that he doesn't even
In retrospect, it was a historic combination: A player on his way to the Hall
of Fame and an executive who should join him there. But Holland was like
you and me. He didn't see it. His scouting report: Good player. Needs to get
stronger.
We do not tell this story because Holland was wrong. We tell it because
Holland was right.
Lidstrom was not very strong. He was not a particularly great skater, either.
Lidstrom's sister Ann Sophie said when Nick was a boy, other kids in
Vasteras were "faster, absolutely faster" than her brother.
"I wasn't the best kid out there -- ever," Lidstrom said. "Not the fastest or the
hardest shot or the quickest."
He became perhaps the best defenseman in the history of the sport, and
one of the 10 best players ever, regardless of position. If this were a
conventional sports story, Lidstrom would have had a late growth spurt, or
built layers of muscle in the gym, or found a burst of speed, or changed his
technique.
None of that happened. In 1991, Lidstrom was the seventh defenseman on
Sweden's Canada Cup team. Even his own coaches did not realize what
they had. Then a teammate got hurt, the Swedes were sputtering on the
power play, and ... well, why not? They put that Lidstrom kid on the power
play.
And suddenly they started scoring. It was like they asked if Lidstrom could
play violin and he responded by conducting a symphony.
"After a while ... Nick, can you take the puck into the zone?" said former
Swedish player Anders Carlsson, who is now a scout with the Colorado
Avalanche. "We didn't have to do anything. He just skated the puck in. It
was amazing. He was just unbelievable ... head up, looked like he was
going to pass the puck all the time. Just incredible."
Lidstrom became a legend within the team and nowhere else. In drills, one
teammate would pretend to tie his skate laces rather than have to go
against Lidstrom. But after one game, an NHL scout walked on to the
team's bus and asked the players: Do you think this Lidstrom kid has a
chance to play in the NHL?
They laughed at him. Of course he could.
Then and now, Lidstrom's game was more than the sum of his skills. Larry
Murphy, who was paired with Lidstrom for several years in Detroit, still can't
think of anything Lidstrom does better than the rest of the league, except
this: "Playing defense."
*You forgot about it, didn't you? You forgot about that bouncing ball. You
got caught up in the Sweden story, and what Mike Commodore said, and
Lidstrom looking in those guys' eyes, and anyway, what was a tennis ball
doing in a hockey story?
Many players get the puck and immediately try to account for everybody on
the ice. Lidstrom instinctively knows. He sees everything at once and
processes it instantly. He says he can't put his head down and weave
through a defense like Datsyuk ("I'm not that good") but "when I have the
puck and I look up ice, I can see plays develop."
And that is the difference between you and Nicklas Lidstrom.
He only watches extra film to learn about the past -- to find out what went
wrong on a play. The future, he can see. He often knows what his
opponents do before they seem to know. This is his defining skill, and it
makes all of his other skills sharper.
Sometimes, as an opposing forward bears down on him, the brain's natural
instinct is stop-the-puck-stop-the-puck-stop-the-puck. Lidstrom is poised
enough, and skilled enough, to look in the player's eyes.
"Some players might look at an opening before they pass it -- they might
glance over there and then look the other way," Lidstrom said. "So you
know they are thinking about passing over there. That is sometimes how
you read plays. Sometimes you know all the other plays are taken away,
and that is his only option, to pass over there. And you try to anticipate the
puck going that way."
Some defensemen have stronger shots. But most of them only have one
kind of shot: hard at the net, hope for the best. Lidstrom has three: a shot to
score, a shot to pass and a shot to be tipped by a teammate. Sometimes
Lidstrom intentionally will miss the net to give a teammate a better chance
at deflecting the puck into the net.
Some defensemen skate faster. But hockey is not a skating contest.
Ultimately, where the players go is irrelevant; what matters is where the
puck goes, and Lidstrom is the best ever at controlling that.
The classic ideal for defensemen is Hall of Famer Bobby Orr, taking the
puck from one end of the rink to the other and either scoring or setting up a
teammate. Lidstrom rarely does that. Instead, he sees where every player
will be five seconds from now, then makes the pass to set up the pass to
set up the goal.
This is why most fans don't see Lidstrom's impact on the game. His
greatness does not leave fingerprints.
Before every Red Wings playoff series, the opponents say they want to hit
Lidstrom. But it's like trying to grab the wind. Lidstrom does not get hit, for a
simple reason: If you knew where everybody would be in five seconds,
would you let yourself get hit?
This is why Lidstrom so rarely gets hurt. This year's ankle injury was the
exception that proves the rule. A puck took an odd hop and nailed his ankle.
His ankle was in the right place; the puck misbehaved. The Wings, who are
45-22-4 with Lidstrom this year, went 3-6-2 without him.
Longtime NHL defenseman Mike Commodore, who played for the Wings
earlier this season, still remembers a play, several years ago, when he hit
Lidstrom. Commodore has laid out many bigger and more important hits.
He remembers this one because he hit Lidstrom. It was confirmation that
Lidstrom is of this material world, and not just an idea.
"He doesn't remember it," Commodore said of the hit, "but I do."
Surprise, surprise, Mike: Lidstrom does remember it.
He never lost sight of that tennis ball. Ever.
Look at him now, 30-plus years later and a continent away, at Red Wings
practice. Watch the Wings do a tip drill. Lidstrom is just an accessory for the
drill; he is supposed to shoot so that a teammate standing in front of the net
can try to tip the puck in. But Lidstrom can't help himself. Every shot he fires
is the same speed, to the same spot. It is uncanny.
Watch the Red Wings do two-on-ones, when he is the one. He takes the
best option away every time, and usually pokes the pass away. Sometimes
the rest of the Wings challenge each other privately to see who can get the
puck past Nick. He doesn't know they do this. He stops them anyway.
We're getting closer to understanding his genius now, aren't we? It's not just
about the gift. It is about his unwavering commitment to his gift.
"He seems to enjoy what he is doing," Babcock said. "That can be the
simple things like taping your stick, going over video for the 100,000th time,
getting ready for a game for the 1,500th time. He doesn't seem to be a guy
who gets bored with it. I know lots of players do get bored with it: 'Oh, not
another meeting, not another skate...' "
Go back to that moment in Sweden, when he was the seventh defenseman
on a Canada Cup team, unsure if he would play in the NHL. No, those
Swedish coaches didn't know what they had. Neither did the Red Wings.
But this may be more incredible, and just as instructive:
Lidstrom didn't seem to care if they knew.
He was 21 years old with the chance of a lifetime in front of him -- a shot at
the NHL -- and he was not obsessed with it.
"I looked at it: I gotta go there and do my best, and if things don't work out,
they don't work out," Lidstrom said. "I wasn't scared about not making it or
whatnot. I always knew that if things don't work out, I can go back and play
in Sweden. I always had that out."
His ambitions always have been contained within the rink's walls. When
Lidstrom was a child, he chose defense for two reasons: He would have
more to do, and more time to do it. Defensemen play more than forwards,
and they have more responsibilities. So what if they aren't usually the hero?
Virtually every professional athlete dominated competition for at least a
portion of childhood, and they enjoy it viscerally. They go for the big hit, the
heroic score, the memorable highlight. Lidstrom never does.
Holland says "there's gotta be a fire burning in there that he doesn't show,"
but the pleasure Lidstrom derives from hockey is not about having a fire. It
is about putting out fires. Shift after shift, game after game, year after year,
Lidstrom cares only about making the best decision. Murphy says he
cannot remember Lidstrom ever having a bad game.
Lidstrom lacks the gene that leads Chris Chelios to sign with the minor
league Chicago Wolves at age 47, or brings Urban Meyer to retire and
unretire within a week, then retire and unretire again, because he is a
competition addict. Lidstrom plays tennis, but "just for fun"; he plays golf,
but not particularly well. (He usually shoots in the 90s.)
"I remember passing the puck and looking, which you shouldn't do,"
Lidstrom said. "I was still looking at the pass and he stepped up on it."
In 1999, with his oldest son, Kevin, almost ready to start school, Lidstrom
seriously considered leaving the Wings to play the rest of his career in
Sweden. That would have meant no Norris Trophies, no Hall of Fame, no
captaincy and no more Stanley Cups.
Lidstrom says he remembers because it was a big hit, but more likely, he
remembers because of his mental lapse. He receded, for just a couple
seconds, into the chaos of the game, and Commodore got him.
"I would have been fine with that," Lidstrom said.
Lidstrom does not know why he has his gift. He is not particularly good at
puzzles. He is lousy at remembering names. He does not have a
photographic memory. He is good with directions and remembering how to
get around cities he has visited, but so are a lot of people.
Maybe this tells us something about awareness and spatial relations and
risk assessment: In 21 years in Michigan, Lidstrom has been in one car
accident. It was minor. He blames his passenger and teammate Tomas
Holmstrom, who told Lidstrom it was safe to turn.
*When Scotty Bowman coached the Wings, he put forward Mathieu
Dandenault on the blue line and paired him with Lidstrom. Then, one day,
Bowman told Dandenault he was out of the lineup.
And he told him why: Lidstrom didn't want to play with him anymore.
Dandenault was hurt. He waited a couple of days, then asked Lidstrom:
What's wrong? Why don't you want to play with me?
Lidstrom had no idea what Dandenault was talking about. Bowman had
made the whole thing up.
Lidstrom has never complained about a partner. Lidstrom has been paired
with all sorts of teammates: All-Star Larry Murphy, undersized but effective
Brian Rafalski, aging journeyman Fredrik Olausson, now young Ian White.
When Holland signed White last summer, he did not even ask Lidstrom his
opinion, and Lidstrom didn't offer it.
By Helene St. James
Lidstrom only has one request: He thinks his partners should have righthanded shots. He thinks this makes it easier for them, because Lidstrom
plays on the left side. He wants them to be able to handle his passes.
He will make the announcement Thursday at Joe Louis Arena, a person
with knowledge of the decision told the Free Press.
He has never been distracted by his contract, superstitions, his partner,
trash talk, any of it. Equipment manager Paul Boyer says Lidstrom never
complains about the curve of a stick, the sharpness of a blade or the fit of a
pad. Lidstrom does not get especially amped up for the first 10 games of a
season or the playoffs. Why complicate the game with too much
adrenaline?
He was bothered when his plus/minus for last season was minus-two, even
though he won the Norris Trophy, because that meant he did not play as
well as he liked. But if you tell him he didn't play well, he is unfazed. That is
about recognition, and he doesn't care much about that.
Lidstrom may be the most patient Hall of Fame athlete of the media age.
Reporters must have asked him at least 2,000 dumb questions in his
career, but if Lidstrom ever snapped at one of them, nobody remembers it.
Ask him now, if he ever screamed as a kid, and he says yes -- when
somebody (usually one of his sisters) would take away that tennis ball.
In 2009, the Red Wings lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals at home.
Lidstrom calmly answered reporters' questions afterward, then retreated to
a private room at Joe Louis Arena, where he drank beer with his teammates
and their families. He went home and slept well. He always does.
*A few months ago, a Swedish under-17 team visited Joe Louis Arena.
Babcock asked the players: Who is the best Swedish player ever?
They answered: Peter Forsberg.
"Pardon me?" Babcock said later. "It's not even close! The best Swede by
far, of all-time, without comparison, is this guy."
We're always looking for something better, something flashier, faster,
quicker, stronger. Part of Lidstrom's genius is that he never looked. He has
played with so many Hall of Famers in his career, from Steve Yzerman to
Chris Chelios to Brendan Shanahan to Brett Hull. He has surpassed all of
them, just by playing the same way every game.
Lidstrom is 41 years old, which is ancient for an elite athlete's ligaments and
muscles, but not for a man's brain. This may be why he is still one of the
best players in the world. His dominant tool is still dominant.
Lidstrom's only concession to age is that he does not join the offensive rush
as often, because he does not skate quite as fast as he once did. Logically,
there should have been a noticeable period of adjustment. Just as aging
pitchers think they still can throw their fastball past hitters, and aging
shooting guards still think they can shoot over shot-blockers, Lidstrom
should have tried to join the rush as often as he did when he was younger,
only to get there late, or be burned when the puck went back toward his
own end.
The adjustment was seamless. Lidstrom said he joined the rush a little bit
less every year.
He probably will retire long before anybody says he has to retire. But one
imagines him joining the rush less often next year, and less often every
year after that, until he stops joining it entirely and is just a stay-at-home
defenseman, back in his own zone, alone, as much younger, faster players
race toward him on a two-on-one.
They would make the same mistake that Ken Holland made in 1990, and
Hakan Andersson made on his first scouting report, and Norris Trophy
voters made for the first 10 years of his career, and casual hockey fans
make every time they watch the Red Wings in 2012. They will think Nick
Lidstrom is standing in his skates. He isn't. He is floating above the ice.
Detroit Free Press LOADED: 05.30.2012
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Detroit Red Wings
Source: Red Wings' Nicklas Lidstrom will announce retirement Thursday
After 20 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom
has decided to retire.
Lidstrom, 42, has been with the Wings since the 1991-92 season. He has
won four Stanley Cups with them and seven Norris trophies recognizing his
stature as one of the best defensemen ever in the game of hockey. He was
named the Conn Smythe trophy winner in the 2002 playoffs, and in 2008,
he became the first European-born-and-trained player to captain a team to
the NHL title.
Attempts to reach Lidstrom have been unsuccessful. Reached following
general manager meetings in New York, Wings GM Ken Holland said, "Nick
has earned the right to announce what his decision is himself. From my
end, I'm staying quiet."
Lidstrom has been the team's captain since 2006. Forward Henrik
Zetterberg is expected to be his successor.
The Wings were hoping Lidstrom would return for one more season, but it's
not wholly surprising he decided he's done. His oldest son already has
gone back to Sweden for school and hockey, and Lidstrom and his wife,
Annika, have long wanted to return to their homeland.
So what do the Wings do now?
If Nashville defenseman Ryan Suter, 27, becomes an unrestricted free
agent, they will pursue him fervor. If Anaheim loses blue-chip prospect
Justin Schultz, 21, to free agency, he will be another option.
The fact is, though, no one can just replace a player like Lidstrom. He sees
the game on an unparalleled plane. Teammates have raved about how cool
he is, how nothing ever gets him rattled. He's probably the most respected
player in the game.
Opposing coaches love him: Ken Hitchcock once spent 10 minutes
commending Lidstrom for the way he uses his stick. When Nashville coach
Barry Trotz shook hands with Lidstrom after their playoff series ended last
month, Lidstrom said Trotz told him to please not retire. Former Toronto
coach Ron Wilson, back in January, said he often uses clips of Lidstrom to
show his own players how to do things the right way.
Off the ice, Lidstrom was known as "the Perfect Human" for being
unfailingly polite and calm.
What's next for Lidstrom? Presumably moving back home to Vasteras,
Sweden. He'll have to come back to North America for at least two reasons,
though: The Wings are certain to retire his No. 5, and he'll be a first-ballot
entrant into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
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Detroit Red Wings
Why Justin Schultz is sure to intrigue Red Wings
By Helene St. James
There's an interesting situation developing in Anaheim, where the Ducks'
blue-chip prospect from the 2008 draft, Justin Schultz, 21,appears headed
for unrestricted free agency.
Without going into a lot of boring stuff, Schultz de-registered from the
University of Wisconsin (former home of Brendan Smith and Chris Chelios)
last week, setting in motion a process whereby the Ducks have 30 days to
sign him, trade his rights or lose him outright to the free-agent market. The
Ducks have been trying to sign him all spring, so tick-tock, tick-tock, goes
the clock on that endeavor.
If Schultz, the sort of puck-moving defenseman who makes general
managers and coaches swoon, reaches the open market, it's an
understatement to say every team in the NHL will be interested, including,
of course, the Detroit Red Wings, who are looking for help on defense and
someone to take over for elite defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom.
Schultz, who wouldn't be able to sign with anyone until July 1, turns 22 on
July 6. He is considered NHL ready, a heady nod of his prowess given how
tough a position defenseman is in the NHL. He's spent the past three years
maturing at Wisconsin, where he has averaged about a point a game in
each of the last two seasons. He's a headsy young player who's adept at
jumping into the offense or making the sort of smart outlet passes upon
which offenses thrive. Especially offenses like Detroit's.
Which defenseman would you like the Red Wings to acquire?
OtherJustin SchultzRyan Suter
VoteView ResultsShare This
If Schultz becomes an unrestricted free agent, he's going to be in the same
coveted stratosphere as Nashville defenseman Ryan Suter and Devils
forward Zach Parise, who right now stand as this summer's most highprofile prospective free agents.
The Wings have the salary cap space to give Schultz the winning-lotteryticket kind of money he's sure to seek. They can sell him on joining the only
NHL team that has made the playoffs 21 straight seasons. They can offer
him the chance to play with Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg.
Reports out of Nashville have the Predators firing up talks with Suter this
week, but they also want to re-sign their captain and Norris Trophy finalist,
Shea Weber. Maybe they get both done, maybe they don't. Like a lot of
teams, the Wings have their eye on Suter, a 27-year-old already
established among the NHL's best blue-liners. The Ducks are hoping to
keep Schultz, of course, and they can trade his rights if they don't think that
will happen. But given Schultz's decision to trigger the process to become a
free agent, he's got nothing to lose by hitting the market. He and his know
there'll be plenty of suitors -- and that group will include the Wings.
632768
Detroit Red Wings
The last Red Wings captain who retired tipped his hat to Nicklas Lidstrom,
who's supposed to say good-bye today.
"If he does retire, he's going to go down as one of the all-time best
defensemen ever to play," Tampa Bay general manager Steve Yzerman
told yahoo.com.
"Having played with him and watched him closely from his first game in the
NHL -- people know about it now, but we said it all along -- you have to
watch him closely to appreciate how good he is, what a great athlete he is,
because he makes the position look so easy. He was just a ... he is a
special athlete."
Then Yzerman put on his GM hat, and talked about what the loss will mean
to the Wings' brain trust of Ken Holland and Jim Nill. Is it like, say, replacing
a Stevie Y?
"A little bit different," he said. "When I retire, you've got Pav and Hank, two
centermen just hitting their prime. I think the Red Wings have good young
players. Depending on what happens this summer, you can fill that void.
"But I think it's fair to say, and it's by no means a criticism, but it's fair to say
they don't have Pavel or Hank on the blue line ready to step in. But it's still a
good group of defensemen they have. Kenny and Jimmy, they're smart.
They're resourceful and they'll have a good defense next year."
More reactions
• Doug Weight, NHL Network: "God, I played in the West for 15 years. I
would have had a lot more points if I didn't have to play against that guy. ...
He's a wonderful person and guy and leader, we're gonna miss him. And
the worst thing is he could probably be plus-25 by Christmas next year."
• Coyotes forward Paul Bissonnette, via Twitter: "Lidstrom retiring is the
worst thing to happen to Detroit since the collapse of the auto industry."
• Adam Proteau, The Hockey News: "Humility-wise, Nick Lidstrom's press
conference will be as far from LeBron James' 'decision' as humanly
possible."
Red Wings sign prospect Calle Jarnkrok
War of words
Posted by James Jahnke
The string continues. You know the picture Michigan recruit Logan TuleyTillman posted of himself burning a letter from Ohio State? And the ensuing
death threats from some Buckeyes fans?
The Detroit Red Wings today signed another member of their 2010 draft
class, inking Swedish center Calle Jarnkrok to a three-year, entry-level
contract.
Fellow U-M offensive line recruit Kyle Bosch had his back Wednesday,
tweeting, "OSU fans giving (Tuley-Tillman) threats on your way to his house
make a stop by mine and I'll show you what a real death threat is
#bringagun."
He was their second-round pick, No. 51 overall.
The team signed Finnish forward Teemu Pulkkinen, a fourth-round pick, on
Tuesday.
Jarnkrok, 20, played in eight games for Sweden at this month’s world
championship, registering an assist. He also finished second in the
tournament by winning 67% of his face-offs.
That's harsh. Bosch tweeted later: "Sorry if I offended anyone. I was by no
means trying to threaten anyone I was simply trying to defend my
teammate. #GoBlueFamily #TEAM134"
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Detroit Red Wings
He just finished his third season with Brynas Gavle, where he has had 31
goals and 45 assists in 132 games. He will play for Brynas again next
season, the Wings said.
Mitch Albom: Red Wings' Nicklas Lidstrom is one for the ages
Jarnkrok’s signing makes it five prospects -- including Riley Sheahan,
Louis-Marc Aubry and goalie Petr Mrazek – to have signed from the 2010
draft. Sheahan made his NHL debut in the Wings’ regular-season finale in
April.
By Mitch Albom
The last remaining unsigned 2010 draftees are forward Brooks Macek (sixth
round, 171 overall) and defenseman Ben Marshall (seventh round, 201
overall).
Nicklas Lidstrom is retiring.
632769
Detroit Red Wings
A hole just formed on the blue line of Detroit sports.
It had to happen, even if we didn't want it to happen. For the last few years,
Red Wings fans have been begging the captain for one more season, the
way children beg for five more minutes, an extra cookie, one last fairy tale
before the lights go out.
Steve Yzerman: Nicklas Lidstrom one of the all-time best
Nicklas Lidstrom gave us enough minutes, enough sweet stuff and enough
fairy tale moments for any five players, let alone one. So if, as expected, the
lights go out on his 20-season career today, in a news conference at Joe
Louis Arena -- the only NHL rink he's ever called home -- it will be because
he chooses to flick them off. And that is how it should be.
By Steve Schrader
Captain Nick hands in the stick.
Parting is such Swede sorrow.
"I think it gets harder and harder as you get older," Lidstrom said last year,
at about this time, when faced with a similar choice. "And my decision gets
harder as well."
That book just got a lot fatter.
He thought about leaving at age 39, at 40, at 41. He kept coming back. He
is 42 now. Some of his teammates could easily be his sons. He just finished
a year that proves hockey only gets tougher -- and less predictable -- the
longer you stay in it. His Wings posted the longest home winning streak in
history this season, yet got bounced from the playoffs with a single win and
four losses.
632771
Lidstrom can read the tea leaves. They're pointing toward home.
By Nicholas J. Cotsonika
Detroit Red Wings
Flashback: Let's go to Nicklas Lidstrom's bar in Sweden
Captain Nick makes his pick.
Swede sorrow.
One of a kind
Say good-bye to as close as man comes to hockey god. Unflappable.
Undeniable. Often unbelievable. Lidstrom was as quick as a match and as
nimble as a flame. In a world where defensemen can be 6-feet-6 and 220
pounds, he was a twig on the scale, and a redwood on the back line. Deft
with a stick, perfectly balanced, he could create more disruption with a body
twist than some guys could do with a Zamboni.
How good was Lidstrom? Seven Norris Trophies for best defenseman. Four
Stanley Cups. An Olympic gold. A world championship.
How good? On the 2002 Red Wings, maybe the greatest group of talent
ever assembled on one roster, he was the guy who won the Conn Smythe
Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs.
How good? In his first season, as a rookie, he played 80 games; it was like
he sprung from the womb as an All-Star.
How good? Until this season, he never played fewer than 76 games in a full
regular season. And six times he played every game.
How good? When Steve Yzerman was at his peak, he would constantly
refer to Lidstrom as "the best player on the team."
How good? Lidstrom was behind Keith Primeau and in front of Tim
Cheveldae, behind Sergei Fedorov and in front of Mike Vernon, behind
Brendan Shanahan and in front of Dominik Hasek, behind Pavel Datsyuk
and in front of Chris Osgood.
He was alongside Paul Coffey, Vladimir Konstantinov, Larry Murphy, Slava
Fetisov and Chris Chelios.
He was Zelig, showing up in every team picture, never looking older, the
youthful Swedish face, the straight blond hair, the narrow, fatless frame.
VASTERAS, Sweden -- Man walks into a bar. First guy he sees is wearing
a new No. 19 Steve Yzerman Red Wings home sweater. Wouldn't be a big
deal in Detroit. But this wasn't Detroit. This was Sweden.
"I bought it on nhl.com, " said Pier DeGiorgio, a Swede whose parents are
from Italy. "And you know what?"
He leaned in and lowered his voice.
"It's an original, " he said. "Only two of us in Vasteras have originals."
Man came to the right place: Bars and Stars, the American-style sports bar
owned by two Swedish entrepreneurs as well as Edmonton Oilers
goaltender Tommy Salo and -- drum roll, please -- Red Wings defenseman
Nicklas Lidstrom.
"For sports lovers, this is a big spot in Vasteras, " DeGiorgio said. "For
Detroit fans, I guess this is the spot."
When you think of a Red Wings defenseman owning a sports bar in his
hometown, you might not think of Lidstrom. You might think of Chris
Chelios, who owns Cheli's Chili Bar in downtown Chicago. Chelios is a
rabble-rouser, the kind of guy you might envision cracking open a couple of
cold ones.
But Lidstrom? He would never think of rousing a rabble. ESPN's Gary
Thorne feels comfortable calling him "Nicky, " and he doesn't say a thing.
He's the kind of guy you might envision walking into a bar and saying, "Got
milk?"
Lidstrom is so swell that he suffers from a strange double standard. At a
time of Allen Iverson and XFL backlash, when people criticize professional
athletes for being too bold and too brash, people criticize Lidstrom for being
too bland and too boring.
Ask anyone who played with him and they gush about his skill.
Some say his quiet personality is the reason he has finished second, not
first, the past three years in voting for the Norris Trophy, given to the NHL's
best defenseman. If only Nick were flashier, the reporters who vote would
like him better, and maybe ...
Ask anyone who played against him ...
Maybe.
... and they gush about his skill.
We didn't come here to solve that riddle. But we did come to see whether
Lidstrom had been leading us on all this time.
So many honors
And later this morning, he will put that skill to rest and put skates on the
shelf, the Free Press has learned. He has lived between countries -extended family in Sweden, immediate and hockey family in Detroit -- and
last year he said that when retirement came, he would return from whence
he came and bring things together.
"That's been the plan the whole time. Eventually, when I'm done playing, I'll
take my family back and raise my kids in Sweden. Being close to family.
That's what makes it attractive to us to go back."
If he does, you can't blame him. He has given Detroit two decades of his
career. He has waved at fans through four championship parades. He took
the captain's mantle from Yzerman and wore the "C" proudly and admirably.
And not once did he let us down. If Lidstrom were in "The Avengers," he'd
be Captain America, and that's saying something considering he's Swedish.
But who wouldn't want him wearing their flag? In 20 seasons, he never had
a whiff of controversy, never had a coach outwardly criticize him, never had
an ego issue or a loyalty issue.
Captain Nick hands in his stick. It had to come and everyone knew it. No
extra cookie this time. No extra fairy tale. His career was amazing. And
today it goes in the books.
You know what?
A bar?
Maybe underneath that private persona there's a party animal.
Lidstrom was born in Vasteras (pronounced VEST-er-ohs), Sweden's sixthlargest city, located about an hour's bus ride west of Stockholm. He played
club hockey there and lives there in the summer.
A travel guide describes Vasteras as "an immediately likable mix of old and
new.... If you're looking for a place that's lively and cosmopolitan, yet retains
cobbled squares, picturesque wooden houses and even a sixth-century
royal burial mound, you won't go far wrong."
Two entrepreneurs thought of a way to make Vasteras even more lively and
cosmopolitan: Build an American-style sports bar and bring aboard local
heroes Lidstrom and Salo, whose salaries would bring in capital, whose
names would bring in customers, and whose jobs would bring in
memorabilia.
"At first, we really didn't know, " Lidstrom said. "Then we got hooked on it
and decided to go for it. We looked for a good location, and we were able to
get the spot. It's a good spot, close to everything."
It's right in the middle of downtown, on a street corner in a building where a
bank used to be. Take the bus or train to Vasteras Central Station, walk
through the park toward town, find a street named Vasagatan, walk up a
couple of blocks, and you're there. If you get lost, ask somebody. The bar
has been open only since September, but everyone knows where it is.
"No, we don't serve milk here."
Walk in, and the first thing you see is the souvenir stand, where you can
buy hats, T-shirts, the works.
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The next thing you see is eight hockey sticks mounted on a board, encased
in glass, circled by a string of lights. Eric Lindros. Mats Sundin. Rob Blake.
Drew Sharp: Nicklas Lidstrom one of Detroit's all-time greatest athletes
Detroit Red Wings
Chris Chelios. Wayne Gretzky. Igor Larionov. Sergei Fedorov. Peter
Forsberg.
Around to the left is a giant wall of jerseys. Salo's Team Sweden. Michael
Jordan's Bulls. Forsberg's Avalanche. Sundin's Maple Leafs. Lidstrom's
World All-Stars. Mark Messier's Canucks. Ray Bourque's Bruins.
By Drew Sharp
In the restaurant area, there is a panoramic picture of Joe Louis Arena
taken after the Wings won the Stanley Cup in 1997.
Nicklas Lidstrom wasn’t Barry Sanders. Your jaw didn’t drop in utter
amazement when he did something that just five seconds earlier, you could
have sworn was physically impossible.
Then there are televisions. Big screens. Little screens. Since most NHL
games are played when it's the middle of the night in Sweden, patrons don't
get to watch the Wings. But they watch the All-Star Game. And the Super
Bowl. And English Premier League soccer.
He wasn’t Magic Johnson, redefining a position that was previously the
exclusive domain of the more structurally compact, proving that barriers
could be shattered if you have the right person with the right balance of skill
and will.
That's big in Vasteras, whose major employer, industrial technology giant
ABB, brings lots of Brits to town. Manchester United took on Chelsea this
day, and the game was on the big screens, the place was packed, and
bartender Erik Soderlind was wearing a Man U jersey to cater to the crowd.
What Lidstrom did best for the last two decades wasn’t anything that ESPN
could conveniently package on a nightly top-10 highlight list. His expertise
was raising the conventional, the quietly mundane to such a high level of
excellence that he made hockey intelligence chic.
"You're from Detroit?" Soderlind said to a visitor. "Here's one on the house."
And we’re going to miss that.
"Thanks!"
You have no idea how much we’re going to miss that until next season.
We’ve come to expect Lidstrom just knowing when the pass was coming,
smoothing skating back in the defensive zone and calmly deflecting the
pass, harmlessly, with a thrust of his stick.
We’re losing one of this city’s all-time greats. Lidstrom will announce his
retirement this morning, the Free Press has learned. He will leave as one of
the top five professional athletes that every graced this city — following Joe
Louis, Gordie Howe, Al Kaline and Sanders.
"We're not the hippest bar in town, " Soderlind said, "but we're the
friendliest."
Soderlind served as a tour guide. Downstairs, he showed off an ice bar,
inspired by the one at the Hockeytown Cafe in Detroit. He also showed off
99 lockers, which members of a group called "Club 99" can use to store
their own party supplies.
Members also have access to a private party palace on an upper floor, with
a bar, hot tub and sauna -- and appearances by Lidstrom and Salo in the
summer.
Private party palace? Lidstrom?
He is a closet party animal.
"No, not really, " Soderlind said. "Tommy is the bigger partyer. Nick is
relaxed, carefree. I ask him if he wants coffee, and he says, 'No. I'll get my
own coffee.' I'm like, 'Sit! Sit! You're one of the best defensemen in the
world!' He doesn't sit.
"Really, he's just a nice guy."
For a second, the story started to sag.
But then Soderlind filled it with life again.
"We're working on him, though, " he said.
There are drinks with names that lack Lidstrom flavor. Tripping. Slashing.
And then there is a drink named "Red Wing No. 5." It isn't one Lidstrom,
who of course wears that number, should brag about: It's a red mixture of
booze and cranberry juice, and when Soderlind served it with an umbrella
and some silver tinsel, a bunch of guys at the bar broke out laughing. But it
did get Lidstrom to open up a little back in Detroit.
"That, " Lidstrom said, "was not my idea. I mostly drink beer."
What kind?
"Any beer, really."
News alert: Lidstrom drinks beer!
Soderlind promised to put Lidstrom behind the bar this summer -- and to
post pictures on www.barsandstars.com, the bar's Web site. He wants
everyone to look at Lidstrom in a new light.
"It'll be great, " Soderlind said. "But, you know, it'll be awesome if the Wings
win the Stanley Cup. Nick promised us if he wins the Cup, it will spend the
day at the bar. We'll serve a welcome punch in it."
He smiled.
Sorry, Stevie Y.
But the Captain once admitted it himself, that he wasn’t even the best
player on his own Red Wings team because everyone appreciated how
Lidstrom elevated defensive positioning into an art form that only those
watching closely could truly express their gratitude. He wasn’t a physical
player. Not that he shied away from confrontation when necessary, but
Lidstrom’s greatest strength was his capacity for outthinking the opposition,
always one step ahead of everyone because he saw things that others
missed.
I believe that’s the motivation for his decision for hanging up the skates at
42.
He sees what it takes the rest of us a few paces later to realize. The Wings
must rebuild. They’re no longer that team capable of simply tweaking a few
roster spots and suddenly becoming a Stanley Cup contender.
When asked relentlessly over the last several seasons what criteria he
would employ when debating whether he would return for another season,
Lidstrom always said that the viability of the Wings’ championship chances
would help determine whether he was interested in fully committing himself
for the necessary off-season conditioning.
It sounds as if Lidstrom doesn’t think the Wings are as close to seriously
challenging for the Cup next season as others might think.
The window has closed. The final chapter has been written. The longest
continuous streak of North American professional sports playoff
participation just might come to a conclusion next season as the Wings
recover from losing the one constant over the last 20 years of playoff
relevance.
Scotty Bowman once told me that if Bobby Fischer, the world’s preeminent
chess player in his lifetime, was a hockey player, he would be Nicklas
Lidstrom.
That wouldn’t spawn immediate genuflection because how many people of
a certain age had even heard of Fischer? But it spoke to Lidstrom’s cerebral
approach to a sport that too many still too easily associate with the goons
dropping gloves and throwing fists. You can’t truly be a great hockey player
unless you’re prepared to fight, right?
Lidstrom proved that you still could think your way to hockey brilliance,
finesse over fisticuffs. He forever will stand as affirmation that classiness
and dignity not only still have a viable role in sports, but can serve as a
testament that nice guys still can finish first.
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Detroit Red Wings
• Who gets the "C" next? Henrik Zetterberg?
• How much did Ryan Suter's pricetag go up?
• Will the stoic Lidstrom shed a tear at today's announcement? As much as
Ken Holland?
Extra points: How we will remember Red Wings' Nicklas Lidstrom
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By Detroit Free Press Staff
Helene St. James: Nothing will fill the void left by Nicklas Lidstrom
Hockeytown will say good-bye to one of the greats today, as captain
Nicklas Lidstrom announces his retirement after 20 seasons wearing the
Winged Wheel:
By Helene St. James
His resume
For most of his 20 seasons, defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom served as the
Red Wings' safety net.
• Four Stanley Cups (along with Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby and Tomas
Holmstrom, the only Red Wings on their most recent four Cups).
• Seven Norris Trophies (second to Bobby Orr's eight and tied with Doug
Harvey).
• He's the first European-born and trained player to captain a team to the
Stanley Cup, win the Conn Smythe and Norris trophies.
• He was a 12-time All-Star and a 10-time member of the first team.
• He was a member of the Triple Gold Club, adding Sweden's Olympic and
world titles to his Cups.
How we'll remember him
• He was the Perfect Human. Just ask his teammates.
• All those minutes he was on the ice, always the Wings' go-to guy in every
imaginable situation.
• All those games he played, seemingly indestructible despite playing a
tough position.
• How his defense partners were the luckiest guys around.
• He was so smooth, he made it look too easy sometimes.
• Did you ever hear him brag?
• How he used to make mistakes, two or three times a season.
• All those nick-of-time defensive plays or goals when the Wings needed
them.
How we rank him
Among the Red Wings greats:
1. Gordie Howe
Mr. Hockey is still the face of the franchise.
2. Nicklas Lidstrom
He'll join the other four in the Hockey Hall of Fame and the rafters of the
Joe.
3. Steve Yzerman
He was the heart of the team that broke the Stanley Cup drought.
4. Terry Sawchuk
He was the ultimate stopper, one of the all-time great goalies.
5. Alex Delvecchio
He's near the top of all the Wings' offensive categories.
Nagging questions
Things to ponder about Lidstrom's retirement:
• You're just pulling our leg, right?
• How long before they retire the No. 5 jersey?
Detroit Red Wings
He was the steadiest, the most consistent and the calmest. The best.
General manager Ken Holland often joked that he'd retire the day after
Lidstrom did so.
That day has come, as Lidstrom will announce his retirement this morning
at Joe Louis Arena, the Free Press has learned. Tomas Holmstrom,
Lidstrom's closest friend, is expected to be next, meaning there will be no
players left among those who were members of all four Stanley Cup
winning teams in 1997, '98, 2002 and '08.
It also means Holland -- who was just joking -- and his crew are now tasked
with finding a replacement for Lidstrom, which is akin to asking the
impossible.
"You don't replace a guy like Nick," Mark Howe said. Howe, himself a
former defenseman and, since last year, a Hockey Hall of Famer, is the
Wings' director of pro scouting. So here's a guy who's watched oodles of
NHL games, and knows that there isn't a guy out there who can be the next
Lidstrom.
"You can get another person that can come in and can do a good job and
be good in their own right," Howe said, "but to expect him to be a Nick
Lidstrom or do what he's done? Nick has to be one of the best defensemen
ever. Can you replace that? No. But if lose a guy like that, you can use the
money and hopefully add other assets. You can make your team a little
deeper, but not as good in that one area."
The Wings have a touch more than $20 million in salary cap space. Even
before their hopes of Lidstrom returning were dashed, they planned to
pursue, first and foremost, Nashville defenseman Ryan Suter. He isn't
expected to re-sign with Predators, even though they'll try hard to make it
happen, because their priority is to get their captain, Shea Weber, signed to
an extension. Weber, a Norris Trophy finalist, is eligible to become a
restricted free agent
Suter is only 27, and he's considered one of the game's best defensemen.
He's a very good puck-mover, which the Wings need for their offense. Suter
said earlier this month he's looking for long-term stability, and the Wings are
capable of giving him both the money and the years he wants.
The problem is, Suter will have a suitor in nearly every team. The Wings,
though, should be attractive to a young player still looking to win: No other
club can boast having made the playoffs 21 straight seasons. And no one
else can give Suter the chance to play with Pavel Datsyuk, one of the
game's most creative players, and with Henrik Zetterberg, one of the
game's best two-way players.
Another possibility could be Justin Schultz, a blue-chip defense prospect
who'll be 22 in July, and is considered to be NHL ready. If the Ducks don't
sign him or trade his rights by late June, he'll become an unrestricted free
agent. Again, he'll have lots of pursuers. Other options are Dennis
Wideman, Filip Kuba, Matt Carle and Barret Jackman.
The Wings' defense is also likely to lose Brad Stuart, who wants to play
closer to his family in California. The current cast is headlined by Niklas
Kronwall, along with Jonathan Ericsson, Ian White, Brendan Smith and
Jakub Kindl. The Wings expect to re-sign restricted free agent Kyle
Quincey.
Kronwall, 31, is a solid top-four defenseman, but he'll be the one who most
feels the loss of Stuart, who has been Kronwall's partner almost exclusively
since 2008. The Wings will need Ericsson, 28, to take a step -- a big step -forward, something that's overdue. Smith, 23, is a highly regarded prospect
who mostly impressed in the 14 games he played this past season, but he's
still learning the game and that that he can't take the same risks in the NHL
as in the minor leagues. Kindl, 25, is coming off a so-so season, appearing
at times to have progressed, but also at times to have regressed. Quincey,
26, had a rough start after being acquired a week before the trade deadline,
but he should be helped by starting training camp with the Wings next
season.
For two decades, the Wings' answer to almost every situation was Lidstrom:
Who to put against opposing top forwards; who to use on the point on
power plays, on penalty kills, late in a game when leading by a goal and
late in a game when trailing by a goal. The transition, no matter who is
added this summer, is going to hurt.
Like Pulkkinen, Jarnkrok likely will attend training camp in September with
the Wings, but isn't expected to make the roster. Both players have
chances to make the Wings roster — or at least play in Grand Rapids — in
2013-14.
Jarnkrok, 20, was a second-round pick in 2010 by the Wings.
At 5-foot-11 and 174 pounds, Jarnkrok needs to gain strength in the
estimation of Wings' management. There's little question about Jarnkrok's
skills. He had 16 goals and 39 points in 50 games for Brynas in the
Swedish Elite League last season, then had 16 points (12 assists) in 16
playoff games.
Jarnkrok also represented Sweden in multiple international events,
including the recent hockey world championships, in which he had one
assist in eight games while playing alongside Red Wings Henrik Zetterberg,
Niklas Kronwall, Jonathan Ericcsson and Johan Franzen.
632775
Detroit News LOADED: 05.30.2012
Detroit Red Wings
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Detroit Red Wings
Source: Wings star Nicklas Lidstrom set to retire
Lidstrom, the perfect player, to leave the NHL with his high standards intact
By Ted Kulfan
Bob Wojnowski
Detroit— A legendary career appears to be coming to an end.
Nicklas Lidstrom, one of the best defenseman to ever play the game, plans
on announcing his retirement at 11 a.m. Thursday in a press conference at
Joe Louis Arena, a source in team management told The Detroit News
Lidstrom, 42, did not immediately respond to phone calls and text
messages.
General manager Ken Holland, who will attend the press conference with
Lidstrom, told The News: "Nick has come to a decision and he's earned the
right to announce that decision. He'll do that tomorrow."
Holland said Lidstrom, 42, informed him in the last week he had come to a
decision.
Lidstrom said recently at an autograph signing he still was mulling his
decision and was going to announce his plans before the NHL Draft in late
June.
One of the largest factors for Lidstrom was whether he had the inner drive
and motivation to train this summer for one more season. Lidstrom felt the
Wings were competitive enough to make another run toward a Stanley Cup.
But whether he had the motivation was a legitimate question.
Lidstrom, 42, has played all of his 20 seasons for the Red Wings. He will go
down as one of the greatest defensemen in NHL history. He has won the
Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman seven times, including most
recently in 2010-11.
He has won four Stanley Cups with the Red Wings — 1997, 1998, 2002
and 2008. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2002, and in
2008 became the first European to captain a Stanley Cup winner.
Lidstrom has 1,142 points in 1,564 regular-season games.
He also led Sweden to a gold medal in the Olympics in 2006.
632776
Detroit Red Wings
Red Wings sign 2010 draft pick Calle Jarnkrok to three-year contract
By Ted Kulfan
Detroit— The Red Wings signed forward Calle Jarnkrok to a three-year
entry level contract, the team announced Wednesday.
The signing comes one day after the Wings signed forward Teemu
Pulkkinen to a similar deal.
He could've pushed through one more batch of off-season workouts, one
more grueling regular season and then one more playoff run. But of all
Nicklas Lidstrom's tremendous attributes, this was among his most
enduring: He never lowered his standards.
Lidstrom always knew he'd retire when he felt it was too hard to compete
with the best. So there he goes, one of hockey's all-time greats, leaving as
serenely as he played for 20 seasons with the Red Wings.
Lidstrom, 42, is expected to announce his retirement at an 11 a.m. news
conference today at Joe Louis Arena, and it will close one of the
extraordinary eras — individually and team-wise — in NHL history. Lidstrom
may be the most-understated superstar this city has ever seen, his quiet
classiness sometimes obscuring his fierce competitiveness.
This is the day we always knew would sneak up, when he would slip away,
unnoticed if he could. I bet hockey fans will notice him plenty now, in the
gaping void created by the departure of the seven-time Norris Trophy
winner and four-time Stanley Cup winner. He might be the premier
defenseman of all time, although you certainly won't get him to argue the
point. He'll be in the Hockey Hall of Fame and will go down as one of the
three greatest Red Wings ever — with Gordie Howe and Steve Yzerman.
In Lidstrom's absence, the Red Wings still will be a playoff contender, and if
owner Mike Ilitch and GM Ken Holland spend wisely, they could be a
Stanley Cup contender. When free agency opens July 1, they immediately
will hunt for someone to replace the irreplaceable, with Nashville's Ryan
Suter at the top of their list.
Holland has jokingly said he'd retire when Lidstrom did, but the truth is, he's
been preparing for this.
Lidstrom still was capable of reaching the highest levels, although his point
total this past season (11 goals, 23 assists) was the lowest for a full season
in his career.
He dealt with injuries but the Red Wings still were good, in the playoffs for
the 21st straight season, so why is he retiring?
Well, I think he made it look a lot easier than it was. He realized he couldn't
quite match the effort he gave for two decades, and in retrospect, he wore a
heavy weariness after the Wings lost in the first round to Nashville. He
battled an aching ankle for much of March, missing 11 games, and took
pain-killing injections during the playoffs. When it was over, he admitted he
never regained the stride he'd lost, and hinted at his career decision without
anyone noticing.
"I thought I dropped off a little in the second half of the season, the injury
slowed me down a bit," Lidstrom said after the playoffs. "I wasn't able to get
back up to where I wanted to be. I feel physically I can still play, but you
have to have the drive. It's different as you get older, but I know what I have
to do to get ready for a long season. You have to put a lot of sweat into your
workouts, and I can't cheat myself on that."
Oh he could have, and the Wings would've welcomed whatever he gave.
But Lidstrom had hedged on his plans when he accepted only a one-year
contract last spring. Teammates figured he might return because he still
was better than most NHL defensemen, but the abrupt playoff elimination,
and Lidstrom's nagging injury, made everyone nervous.
Regardless, when the time comes, talk of "replacing" Lidstrom is
misdirected.
"I think Nick Lidstrom retires when he thinks he's not a good player
anymore," coach Mike Babcock said late in the season. "I think he's been a
pretty darn good player. Why wouldn't you keep playing?"
The Red Wings, however, can skate a better-than-average defensive corps,
especially if, as expected, they aggressively pursue free agents this
summer.
Pretty darn good isn't good enough for a player as efficient and precise as
Lidstrom, long ago dubbed the Perfect Human by teammates. His offseason regimen is exhausting. His oldest son is going to school in Sweden,
and at some point, I imagine Lidstrom will take his family back there.
Regardless, it suddenly would be a younger defensive corps without the 42year-old Lidstrom and the 32-year-old Brad Stuart, who is expected to leave
for family reasons.
He never wanted a farewell-tour season, and I'm not sure he even wants to
stay in hockey. Although the Wings were ousted early in the playoffs,
Lidstrom isn't bailing on an ailing team. He strongly stated he liked the
direction and the talent, and only hoped he could handle the grind.
The ankle injury gave him pause, and the slow recovery really made him
think. And now he leaves with his legacy wonderfully intact, the first
European captain to win the Stanley Cup. Lidstrom shattered annoying
stereotypes about European players, soft-spoken leaders and smooth
skaters. He was the perfect successor to Yzerman, and the next Wings
captain almost assuredly will be Henrik Zetterberg, who fits the same mold.
Leaders beget leaders, humility begets humility, greatness begets
greatness. It's astonishing that Lidstrom could be the NHL's best
defenseman, but never was a finalist for the Hart Trophy given to the
league's top player.
That never, ever bothered Lidstrom, who always downplayed the plaudits
and politely answered question after question about the team and his
possible retirement.
"I tried to push it aside during the season and the playoffs, but I'd get
reminded by you guys a lot," Lidstrom said with a laugh. "I didn't want to be
distracted, and I didn't want the team to be distracted."
It will never happen.
Following Lidstrom
Niklas Kronwall, 31, had his best offensive season last year, is increasingly
a proven leader and has shown he can play better defensively than he did
in 2011-12.
But with Lidstrom gone, "Little Nick" would be the only Nick.
Can Kronwall grow into a greater role, with the new pressure?
Jonathan Ericsson's development is overshadowed by the considerable
talent with which he plays. The Red Wings are the sort of team on which
the development of younger players can pass unnoticed.
But Ericsson's defensive abilities, especially on the penalty kill, were
discerned last season from the moment he was injured.
The 28-year-old also can fight, a bit, and his shot is powerful, if not
decisively accurate.
Ian White, who turns 28 Monday, is not a premier defender. But he is above
average offensively, and he readily complements another, better defender.
Kyle Quincey, who will be 27 in August, played as a top-four defender with
the Avalanche and Kings after leaving the Red Wings.
Quincey's return was bumpy, but there is little to suggest that is a
permanent state of affairs.
For 20 years, Lidstrom patrolled the blue line and made it look effortless, no
distractions noted. He was easy to overlook and impossible to ignore, as
great and gracious as the hockey world has ever seen.
Jakub Kindl, 25, logged considerable time for the Red Wings last season,
including at important junctures.
The team moved away from him during the playoffs, but that does not mean
they do not like him.
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Detroit Red Wings
Nicklas Lidstrom's retirement will leave void that can't be filled
Gregg Krupa
Detroit -- Nicklas Lidstrom is irreplaceable because of his instincts and the
man he is.
Kindl demonstrates offensive ability, at times, and good puck-moving skills,
and has improved defensively.
Wary of the occasional lapses that still can result in the puck landing in the
back of their net, the Red Wings nonetheless believe Kindl provided
improvement for the third defensive pairing last season.
Brendan Smith, 23, has tons of potential. But he is not exactly sparkling
right now.
He said he would use the offseason to gain strength and weight while not
slowing down. That would help.
No one does it, and perhaps no one ever has, like Lidstrom.
But his skating and puck-handling lead him to occasionally rush into the
offensive zone as if he were Bobby Orr.
That is not hyperbole.
And Orr he is not.
He has an incomparable ability to anticipate the game, see plays develop
before the lion's share of defensemen in the NHL, and use his rapier-like
stick at exactly the critical juncture to disrupt an opponent.
Consummately confident, Smith may prove less teachable than the Red
Wings hoped.
If Lidstrom retires today, as many expect, we are unlikely to see a similar
player skating for the Red Wings in the next generation.
But what they would like him to learn is to play well in his own zone, first
and always, to be more physical, and to join the offensive fray only briefly
and wisely.
Add his considerable offensive talent, and Lidstrom is not replaceable
through the draft, trade, free agency or, for that matter, among the current
crop of players.
That is not bad in the NHL for the top three defensive pairings. But it is not
as good as what the Red Wings and their fans are accustomed, over the
past two decades.
What is more, he is the psychological and emotional hub of the team.
It also might not bring them into the late rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs,
and it is unlikely to win a 12th Cup.
Largely because of Lidstrom, there is "no panic in the room," as the Red
Wings say repeatedly when it seems to observers as though there could
easily be a ton of panic in the room.
He is, beyond what is normal in nature, a consummately balanced athlete.
If the definition of toughness is always acting and talking the same way
regardless of circumstances, Lidstrom is one tough guy.
Outside help
If Lidstrom retires, however, it expands the cap space that already was
considerable.
Even before Lidstrom's decision, there was considerable possibility the Red
Wings would sign the top defenseman available, Ryan Suter of the
Predators.
Lidstrom's retirement would increase the desirability of that move, making it
an absolute necessity.
Suter is good offensively and outstanding defensively.
His signing would be the biggest free-agent acquisition by the Red Wings in
several years.
But he is not Lidstrom.
Signing Matt Carle of the Flyers, who is also an unrestricted free agent, is
the next alternative.
A meaningful trade would be enormously difficult.
Regardless, without Lidstrom or Suter the Wings probably would make the
playoffs. But the 20-year streak that began with Lidstrom's arrival clearly
would be at greater risk than at any time since.
His career plus-minus rating of plus-450 ranks eighth in league history. He
posted a minus rating only once (minus-2 in 2010-11).
Not bad for an unheralded third-round pick out of Sweden.
The Red Wings pioneered European scouting in the 1980s under former
general manager Jimmy Devellano. Their one-time chief European scout
Christer Rockstrom discovered Lidstrom in Sweden and convinced the
team to draft him in 1989 with the 53rd overall pick.
Nick Polano, the Red Wings assistant GM at the time, was assigned to
bring Lidstrom to North America by negotiating a release from his Swedish
club, Vasteras. Polano spent a lot of time in Sweden watching the skinny,
talented kid.
"I couldn't believe how good he was at such a young age," Polano, now a
scout for the Ottawa Senators, said Wednesday. "Great skater, great puckhandler; great offensively, great defensively without being a big hitter. He
had such great use of his stick. Nobody could beat him one-on-one.
"The fact we got him in the (third) round was amazing."
And a Stanley Cup?
Lidstrom spent his first night in Detroit at Polano's home.
The Red Wings would not be anywhere among the favorites.
"Great person," Polano said. "Such an easy-going guy, nothing ever
frustrated him.
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Detroit Red Wings
Nicklas Lidstrom's career with the Red Wings
"That helped him be a good player. He had such poise. I call it escapability,
the ability to handle the puck in his own end and avoid the forecheck."
mazing career of Red Wings' Nicklas Lidstrom, 'The Perfect Human,' will
never be duplicated
The soft-spoken Lidstrom was overshadowed for years by the team's other
big stars – Yzerman, Sergei Fedorov, Brendan Shanahan, Vladimir
Konstantinov.
Ansar Khan
That changed the second half of his career. Lidstrom won the Conn Smythe
Trophy as playoff MVP in 2002, on what was hockey's version of the Dream
Team.
DETROIT -- Nobody's perfect, but Detroit Red Wings defenseman Nicklas
Lidstrom was about as close to perfection as you could find in a hockey
player.
Fittingly, teammates referred to him as "The Perfect Human."
He seemed to get better with age and even into his 40s appeared as if he
could play at a high level for several more years.
But the day many had difficulty envisioning has arrived: Lidstrom, at age 42,
will announce his retirement Thursday at a news conference at Joe Louis
Arena, a source told MLive.com.
It is the end of an era, an amazing 20-year career.
The Red Wings have had many Hall of Famers and great players during a
remarkable two-decade run of excellence that includes four Stanley Cup
championships and 21 consecutive playoff appearances.
After Yzerman retired in 2006, Lidstrom was the logical choice to succeed
him as captain, not only because of his talent but also because of the
respect he had in the dressing room.
Lidstrom won the Olympic gold medal with Sweden in 2006. In 2008, he
became the first European captain to hoist the Stanley Cup.
Lidstrom made players around him better. Teammates joked that being
paired with him was akin to winning the lottery. The long list of players who
benefited from being his blueline partner includes Larry Murphy, Fredrik
Olausson, Danny Markov, Brian Rafalski and Ian White.
Despite his accomplishments, the low-key Lidstrom probably didn't get the
respect he deserved. Some people, after all these years, still refer to him as
"Lindstrom."
But those that know the game never underestimated his worth. Next
season, he surely will have his No. 5 jersey raised to the rafters at Joe
Louis Arena.
None was more important to the team's success than Lidstrom.
He was not flashy or physical, he was just incredibly steady, game after
game, season after season. Nobody was better positionally. Nobody used
his stick more effectively. Nobody was smarter.
Lidstrom won seven Norris Trophies as the NHL's top defenseman, tying
him with Montreal's Doug Harvey, behind only Boston Bruins legend Bobby
Orr.
Howe, Yzerman and Lidstrom unquestionably are the three greatest Red
Wings of all-time.
"He will be missed by the Red Wings and the entire league," Polano said.
"It's too bad for hockey."
It's hard to imagine we will ever see another player quite like Lidstrom.
Michigan Live LOADED: 05.30.2012
Lidstrom won his first Norris Trophy in 1999 at age 31 and won his last in
2011 at age 41, the oldest player to win the award.
632780
He played in 1,564 regular season games, second only to Gordie Howe in
franchise history. He amassed 1,142 points, fourth all-time among Red
Wings. No Red Wing appeared in more playoff games than Lidstrom (263),
whose 183 postseason points were two fewer than franchise leader Steve
Yzerman.
Captain to captain: Steve Yzerman calls Red Wings' Nicklas Lidstrom an
all-time great
Detroit Red Wings
Lidstrom's durability was second to none. He missed only 46 out of a
possible 1,873 games, regular season and playoffs, since launching his
NHL career in 1991.
Josh Slagter
He was selected for 12 NHL All-Star Games and was named to the league's
first All-Star team 10 times between 1998 and 2011.
The man who preceded Nicklas Lidstrom as the Detroit Red Wings' captain
says he'll go down as one of the best defenseman to ever play in the NHL.
Steve Yzerman, now the Tampa Bay Lightning's general manager, told
reporters in New York on Wednesday that Lidstrom just made the game
look "easy."
"I think he's going to go down as one of the all-time best defensemen ever
to play," Yzerman said. "Having played with him and watched him closely
from his first game, people know about it now but we've said it all along -you have to watch him closely to appreciate how good he is, what a great
athlete he is because he makes the position look so easy.
"He is a special athlete."
The Red Wings announced a press conference scheduled for Thursday,
where Lidstrom is expected to announce his retirement after 20 seasons in
the NHL.
Lidstrom took over as Detroit's captain after Yzerman retired in 2006.
Before that, Lidstrom had served as an alternate captain -- with Yzerman as
his teammate -- since the 1997-98 season.
They won three Stanley Cups together, with Scotty Bowman as their coach.
Yzmeran said it won't be easy for Detroit to replace the seven-time Norris
Trophy winner.
"Yeah, it is not easy. It has been a unique run," Yzerman said. "I guess
sitting from outside looking in ... their depth -- they have some excellent
young players not in the NHL coming forward. They're going to be a strong
organization."
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Detroit Red Wings
Scotty Bowman: Red Wings' Nicklas Lidstrom 'a wonderful person ... a
terrific player'
Josh Slagter
Source: Red Wings' Nicklas Lidstrom to announce retirement Thursday
after 20 NHL seasons
Ansar Khan
DETROIT – An era is coming to an end.
Nicklas Lidstrom will retire after an illustrious career that includes seven
Norris Trophies as the NHL's top defenseman and four Stanley Cup
championships, a league source confirmed to MLive.
The Red Wings have scheduled a news conference for 11 a.m. Thursday,
during which Lidstrom and general manager Ken Holland will speak.
No other details were immediately available and club officials could not be
reached for comment.
"I'll let him make his announcement. He's earned that right," general
manager Ken Holland told reporters today at the GM meetings in New York.
Lidstrom, 42, said after the season that he would take some time to decide
on his future.
He said at the time that he was confident in his ability to continue playing at
a high level and that his health and his age were not concerns.
He said he has faith in the organization's ability to maintain a talented and
competitive roster and the motivation to win another Stanley Cup still runs
deep.
But Lidstrom said he wasn't sure if he still has the drive to train the way he
needs to over the summer to be prepared for another long and grinding
season. And, his family might want to return to his native Sweden.
"I feel physically I can still play," Lidstrom said on April 24, when players
cleaned out their lockers at Joe Louis Arena. "I can contribute, but you have
to be motivated and you have to have the drive. … It's the grind, that
workout six or seven times a week. It's hard."
More details shortly.
Scotty Bowman, one of Nicklas Lidstrom's former coaches, says it's going
to be "strange" to see the Detroit Red Wings without their longtime captain.
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Detroit Red Wings
But it appears that will be the reality.
Today, the Red Wings announced that Lidstrom and general manager Ken
Holland will conduct a press conference at 11 a.m. Thursday. A source has
confirmed to MLive.com's Ansar Khan that Lidstrom will retire after 20
seasons in the NHL.
Bowman, speaking with The Denver Post's Adrian Dater, fondly recalled his
time in Detroit with Lidstrom.
"I was very fortunate. I got to Detroit in his second season. Where could you
ever get a player who would miss very few games, who could play at the
level he was at? You never had to worry about him day-to-day," Bowman
told The Denver Post. "He was just one-of-a-kind. Even after they changed
the rules after the (2004-05) lockout, his game never suffered. People
thought he might not be able to handle the new game, but he did. The great
players always adapt."
Lidstrom became the first European-born player to win the Norris Trophy,
the Conny Smythe Trophy and captain a Stanley Cup winning team. He
won four Stanley Cups with the Red Wings, three with Bowman.
Bowman spent nine seasons in Detroit and won 414 games.
"He was a wonderful person and a terrific player. He was a natural choice
as captain after Yzerman left," Bowman said. "The thing I was always
amazed about with Nick Lidstrom was how he could play with anybody as a
partner on defense, and his game never suffered, and he could just play
with anybody.
Red Wings, Nicklas Lidstrom to hold news conference on Thursday
Ansar Khan
DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings have scheduled a news conference for
11 a.m. Thursday at Joe Louis Arena with team captain Nicklas Lidstrom
and general manager Ken Holland.
No other information is immediately available.
Lidstrom has been deciding whether to return next season or retire. A news
conference would indicate that he is going to announce his retirement. It
seems unlikely that he would call a news conference to announce he is
playing one more season.
© 2012 MLive.com. All rights reserved.
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Detroit Red Wings
Red Wings sign center Calle Jarnkrok, 2010 draft pick, to three-year
contract
"It’s going to be strange to watch Detroit without him."
Ansar Khan
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Detroit Red Wings
DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings have signed center Calle Jarnkrok, their
second pick in the 2010 entry draft (second round, 51st overall) to a threeyear entry-level contract.
If Suter isn't available, other options include Jason Garrison (Florida),
Dennis Wideman (Washington), Matt Carle (Philadelphia), Filip Kuba
(Ottawa) and Barret Jackman (St. Louis).
Jarnkrok will attend Red Wings training camp but the 5-foot-11, 174-pound
Swede will spend another season in Europe, needing to develop and gain
more strength. He is not eligible to play in the AHL for the Grand Rapids
Griffins until 2013-14.
The Red Wings also need a goal-scoring winger and will target New Jersey
captain Zach Parise, if he doesn't re-sign with the Devils, who play the Los
Angeles Kings in the Stanley Cup finals, which start on Wednesday.
Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill called him one of the top
players in the Swedish Elite League.
“He has great hockey sense, very tenacious, a lot of (Henrik) Zetterbergtype qualities,'' Nill said. “He's strong on the puck, never gives up on the
puck.''
Other top-six quality forwards eligible to become free agents include
Alexander Semin (Washington), Shane Doan (Phoenix), Ryan Smyth
(Edmonton), PA Parenteau (New York Islanders) and David Jones
(Colorado).
The Red Wings, in addition, will search for a big, physical fourth-line
forward.
Jarnkrok, 20, earned a spot on Sweden's World Championship team after
finishing second in scoring for Brynas with 39 points (including 16 goals) in
50 games. He took his game to another level in the playoffs, picking up 16
points (four goals, 12 assists) in 16 games as Brynas won the SEL
championship.
They also will sign a veteran goaltender for depth and insurance. They
would be comfortable with Joey MacDonald as their backup, but he has a
history of back trouble. A bulging disc ended his season on March 14, but
he won't need surgery and is expected to be ready for the start of training
camp.
Nill said the right-handed shooting Jarnkrok needs to work on his skating
and bulk up physically.
The list of veteran goalies who might be available includes Tomas Vokoun
(Washington), Scott Clemmensen (Florida), Josh Harding (Minnesota),
Johan Hedberg (New Jersey) and Martin Biron (New York Rangers).
“It's all about the strength and the physical development,'' Nill said.
The Red Wings anticipate signing forward Tomas Jurco, their top pick in the
2011 draft, by Friday's deadline.
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Detroit Red Wings
Ty Conklin will not be re-signed. And the Red Wings are not interested in
bringing back Dominik Hasek, who is contemplating a comeback at age 47.
While the Red Wings are more apt to change through free agency, the staff
also will analyze trade possibilities. Trade talk will heat up at the entry draft
in Pittsburgh June 22-23.
If Suter and Parise aren't signed by then, their teams might opt to trade their
negotiating rights. The Red Wings surely would be interested.
Red Wings to evaluate roster, examine free agent, trade options during pro
scouting meetings
Here's an update on the Red Wings' unrestricted free agents:
Ansar Khan
Lidstrom: Holland spoke briefly with Lidstrom last week and said they might
talk again later this week. But it doesn't appear Lidstrom, 42, will make his
decision until after the organizational meetings.
DETROIT – The off-season promises to be more active than usual for the
Detroit Red Wings, following three years of early playoff exits.
They have decisions to make on several of their own free agents, and they
have money to spend in a free-agent market that is top-heavy but thin.
“Nobody is feeling good about our five-game playoff run,'' general manager
Ken Holland said. “We got to figure out ways to change our team.''
Many ideas will be discussed this weekend, when the Red Wings brass
gathers in Detroit for the organization's annual pro scouting meetings.
“We'll evaluate our own players, what we think we need to do to get better,''
Holland said. “We'll go through the list of potential free agents on July 1.
We'll compare our team to the other 14 teams in the Western Conference.
“We'll start to come up with a game plan, so I can get knowledge from the
group on what everybody is thinking.''
Holland will be joined by assistant GMs Jim Nill and Ryan Martin, senior
vice president Jimmy Devellano, coach Mike Babcock, advisors Chris
Chelios and Kris Draper and the pro scouts.
Tomas Holmstrom: The team won't decide until after its meetings whether
to offer Holmstrom a contract. Holmstrom also must decide if he wants to
continue playing.
Jiri Hudler: Holland has not spoken to Hudler's agent in weeks. Hudler, who
scored 25 goals, could command in excess of $4 million a season in a weak
free-agent market. That is more than the Red Wings would be willing to
spend on a small, one-dimensional player, despite his offensive ability.
Brad Stuart: The defenseman is hoping to sign with the San Jose Sharks to
be close to his family, which is unable to relocate from northern California.
But if the Sharks aren't interested or the sides can't reach a deal, Stuart
hasn't ruled out a return to the Red Wings, who might be his second choice.
Detroit, however, might not have the roster spot or the salary-cap space for
Stuart if it's able to sign Suter or another defenseman.
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Detroit Red Wings
Red Wings will miss Nicklas Lidstrom, but Nashville's Ryan Suter would
help fill the void
They will attend the Tigers game on Saturday before holding three days of
meetings from Sunday to Tuesday.
“I believe in stability; you bring in people, you keep them,'' Holland said.
“(But) we were eliminated in the first round (by Nashville), had our shortest
run since 2006.''
That necessitates change.
“The opportunity to change your team is from the middle of June to the
middle of July and the three weeks leading up to the trade deadline,''
Holland said. “It's hard to do anything the other (10½) months.''
Regardless of whether captain Nicklas Lidstrom returns or retires, the Red
Wings will be in the market for a top-tier defenseman. Nashville's Ryan
Suter is at the top of their wish list. The Predators reportedly will resume
contract negotiations with Suter this week.
Ansar Khan
DETROIT -- Losing Nicklas Lidstrom to retirement is a huge blow to the
Detroit Red Wings, but they have a chance to land a suitable replacement.
Defenseman Ryan Suter has long been at the top of the Red Wings' 2012
free-agent wish list. Some believe he is the next-closest thing to Lidstrom.
Like Lidstrom, the 6-foot-1, 198-pound Suter is not flashy, but plays a
strong two-way game. He passes the puck well, likes to join the rush and
has a strong and accurate point shot. He can log a lot of minutes, in all
situations.
Suter, 27, will be by far the best defenseman on the market on July 1 if he
doesn't re-sign with Nashville.
The Predators reportedly resumed contract talks with Suter this week. But
many believe he is destined to hit free agency, where he might double his
$3.5 million salary.
Several teams will be making a pitch for Suter, with Philadelphia and
Minnesota possibly among them.
Suter is a close friend of New Jersey captain Zach Parise, who will be the
best available free-agent forward, if he doesn't re-sign with the Devils.
The Red Wings might try to convince both to come to Detroit as a package
deal.
Money is not an issue for the Red Wings. They have 16 players signed to
one-way deals for 2012-13, at a salary cap hit of $42.3 million. Add to that
another $1.75 million for young Gustav Nyquist and Brendan Smith, who
are on two-way contracts, and roughly $6 million for signing restricted free
agents Kyle Quincey, Darren Helm and Justin Abdelkader.
That would give Detroit 21 players at a cap hit of approximately $50 million.
The salary cap was $64.3 million this past season and some believe it could
increase to $70 million next season, depending on the new Collective
Bargaining Agreement.
According to a source within the organization, Lidstrom will be announcing
his retirement.
Lidstrom will appear alongside general manager Ken Holland at the press
conference.
When Lidstrom, 42, returned for his 20th season in Detroit last year, the
club did not hold a press conference to make the announcement, which led
to speculation that this could be the end of the road for the seven-time
Norris Trophy winner.
Lidstrom missed 11 games in the later part of the regular season with a
deep ankle bruise and could never get back to full health.
“(I wasn’t) where I wanted to be,” Lidstrom said at the end of the season.
“You want to be out there killing penalties, you want to be more in a rhythm,
but when you can’t do it, it’s hard to get that rhythm going.”
Lidstrom, who wound up missing a career-high 12 games this regular
season, needed injections before games to dull the pain and it didn’t allow
him play on the penalty kill.
So the Red Wings have a lot of money to spend and are highly motivated to
make changes following three consecutive early playoff exits.
“I felt it during practice a little bit when we were skating, but I didn’t want to
take too many shots (pain killing) for practices,” said Lidstrom, who turned
42 at the end of April. “Once the games were played it didn’t bother me at
all.”
If the Red Wings don't land Suter, here are some other free-agent options
on defense:
Lidstrom said the injury wouldn’t weigh on his decision to return for a 21st
year with the Wings.
Jason Garrison, Florida: He has speed and size (6-foot-2, 210), a big point
shot and is strong defensively. But he has no proven track record, with only
one good season, picking up 16 goals – including nine on the power play –
in 2011-12.
Lidstrom is a member of the exclusive “Triple-Gold” club, winning both an
Olympic gold medal (2006) and an IIHF World Championship (1991) with
Sweden in addition to the four Stanley Cups he won with the Red Wings.
Dennis Wideman, Washington: He's a good puck-mover and point man on
the power play. His lack of consistency in his own zone might be why he
has played for four teams in six seasons. He has scored 10 or more goals
in four of the past five seasons. Being a right-handed shot would appeal to
the Red Wings.
Matt Carle, Philadelphia: A good skater and passer who hasn't been quite
as strong offensively since recording career highs in goals (11) and points
(42) with San Jose in 2006-07. He posted a plus-30 rating for the Flyers in
2010-11.
Filip Kuba, Ottawa: At 35, he would be a shorter-term option. He's mobile
for a big man, but not overly physical for his 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame. He
went from a minus-26 rating to a plus-26 in one season under first-year
coach Paul MacLean, the former Detroit assistant.
Barret Jackman, St. Louis: Unlike the others, Jackman is an abrasive, stayat-home defender with limited offensive ability. His career hasn't blossomed
like many anticipated after he beat out Detroit's Henrik Zetterberg for the
Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 2003.
Brad Stuart, Detroit: He gave the Red Wings four-plus good seasons as a
strong, physical, workmanlike defender. It's a role he adapted to, after being
more offensive- minded earlier in his career. He wants to sign with San
Jose to be closer to his family, which is unable to relocate. But if the Sharks
aren't interested or they can't work out a deal, returning to Detroit might be
his second option.
Justin Schultz: This highly skilled player is leaving Wisconsin to turn pro,
and some believe he will be the third most sought after free agent behind
Parise and Suter. Anaheim, which drafted him in the second round in 2008,
owns his negotiating rights for the next month, but he is not expected to
sign with the Ducks.
632787
Detroit Red Wings
Lidstrom to announce retirement Thursday
By Chuck Pleiness
DETROIT — We’ll learn Thursday at 11 a.m. whether Nicklas Lidstrom will
return for another season in Detroit or retire.
He became the first European player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy in
2002.
He took over the Wings’ captaincy when longtime teammate Steve
Yzerman retired in 2006.
Macomb Daily LOADED: 05.30.2012
632788
Detroit Red Wings
Lidstrom retirement end of an era
By Pat Caputo
NICKLAS LIDSTROM
When athletes complete their career, the statistics and accomplishments
are there for everyone to judge.
By those measures, Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, who is
expected to announce his retirement Thursday morning, is one of the
greatest hockey players ever.
He won the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenseman seven times. Only
Bobby Orr won it more. Lidstrom was a first-team NHL All-Star 10 times,
second team twice. He played on four Stanley Cup-winning Red Wings
teams, the last serving as captain. He played 20 years in the NHL. The Red
Wings didn’t miss the playoffs any of those seasons. In the 2006 Olympics,
Lidstrom not only led his native Sweden to a gold medal victory, he scored
the game-winning goal during the third period of the championship game.
Yet, what stood out about Lidstrom could not be measured merely by facts
and figures.
In an era of head hunters and cheap shot artists, nobody was more
effective at controlling the flow of a hockey game.
It was never about the big hit with Lidstrom. He’d ride a player out of the
play, usually whisking the puck from him and moving it to a teammate,
zipping toward the other end of the ice before many people would even
notice.
There is this enduring vision of Lidstrom, crossing over as he skated
backward along the blue line on the power play. He had this knack for
unloading the puck at just the right time, whether it was rocketing it into the
corner of the net, or creating complete and total havoc in front of the goalie
by merely flicking the puck through legs and bodies.
So many times, when confronted with odd-man rushes up the ice, Lidstrom
would break plays up by making the split-second decision on whether to
play the pass or the shooter at just the right instant.
He proved to a tremendous captain for the Red Wings, filling the shoes of
Steve Yzerman after he retired, which seemed to be an impossible task.
Leaders are sometimes defined by their expression. For Yzerman, it was a
frown, a stare and terse words that were few in number and low in volume,
but loud in meaning. Lidstrom seldom changed his expression. Win. Lose.
Pain. Joy. Same expression.
He always said the right things publicly. He never ducked questions from
the media, but his matter-of-fact answers were like his play — to the point.
He carried such respect in the Red Wings’ dressing room that nobody was
willing to let him down.
It was always about example with Lidstrom. The first time he said he was
going to do something was the last. He was the type who just did it right
with unrelenting consistency for two decades.
He won the Norris Trophy in 2011, but his brilliance really came through the
prior season when he was, for the only time in his career, at the epicenter of
controversy.
The phone lines on sports talk radio were lit up as the Red Wings seemed
to have their first-round series with Phoenix at home in hand, but were
unexpectedly routed in Game 6 at Joe Louis Arena by the Coyotes.
With Game 7 in Phoenix, the Red Wings appeared done. It was an odd
season for the Wings. At one point, nine of their 18 regular skaters were out
with injuries. They had to turn to then-rookie Jimmy Howard because
multiple Stanley Cup-winning goalie Chris Osgood was hurt. It was iffy if the
Red Wings would even reach the playoffs deep into the season before they
surged in March.
On top of it, it was an Olympic year. Lidstrom played for Sweden in the
Olympics in Vancouver, in addition to playing all 82 games for the depleted
Red Wings. Instead of being saluted for his performance that season, fans
were constantly complaining that Lidstrom was too old, and was hurting the
team, especially after the Game 6 loss to Phoenix,
In Game 7 of that series, Lidstrom had two goals and an assist as the Red
Wings won. He was one day shy of his 40th birthday.
This past season, he was the key player as the Red Wings roared to an
NHL record 23-game home winning streak. Then, he took a shot off his
foot, went out of the lineup and never seemed fully recovered. It was the
key injury for the Red Wings, who were beaten in the opening round by
Nashville. Lidstrom was still the Red Wings’ best player last season, and it
is going to take a lot more than a free agent like Ryan Suter to replace him.
The Red Wings have had many great players down through the years. Ted
Lindsay, Terry Sawchuk, Alex Delvecchio — the list is endless.
But the holy trinity is Mr. Hockey (Gordie Howe), The Captain (Yzerman)
and Lidstrom, who lacked the nickname, but he was simply the best
defenseman in the NHL for a full generation.
Lidstrom is irreplaceable, and the impact of his departure can’t be
understated like the brilliance of his play.
Macomb Daily LOADED: 05.30.2012
632789
Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup Final: Kings lead Devils, 1-0, after first period
By Chris Foster
NEWARK, N.J. – The Kings continue to love life on the road.
Colin Fraser’s goal gave the Kings a 1-0 lead over the New Jersey Devils
after one period in the Stanley Cup Final opener at Prudential Center
Wednesday.
The Kings are 8-0 on the road during the playoffs, but the Devils matched
their first-period effort.
The scrappy first nine minutes was a exercise in give-and-take, with both
teams managing only one shot on goal. That changed when the Kings’
Jordan Nolan knocked New Jersey’s Andy Greene off the puck behind the
Devils’ net.
Nolan centered to Fraser, whose one-timer beat goaltender Martin Brodeur
for a 1-0 lead 9:54 into the game.
The Devils continued to press, but their best chance at beating Kings
goaltender Jonathan Quick was thwarted by defenseman Willie Mitchell.
With Quick down, David Clarkson got off a shot, but the puck went off
Mitchell’s stick.
Both teams had five shots during the period.
LA Times: LOADED: 05.30.2012
632790
Los Angeles Kings
Room on bandwagon? The Los Angeles Kings will keep on truckin'
Bill Plaschke
NEWARK, N.J. — Having traveled across the country in hopes of leading
our city's many puck-free sports fans onto the back of the Kings'
bandwagon, I have skated into my first stark truth.
There is no bandwagon. There are no trumpets, no bass drums, no bunting.
On this Stanley Cup Final media day, there is only a bunch of guys in black
hoodies, scraggly hair, thick beards and chipped smiles.
They speak little about themselves. They speak with reverence about the
team. In a variety of soft Canadian accents, they speak not about the
pressure of the destination, but the wonders of the trip.
"All of us arriving here at this moment with a chance to do something
special, isn't it really all about the journey?" said defenseman Willie Mitchell.
Well, yeah, that, and that increasingly gross facial hair.
"The bad thing about my beard is, it's really starting to tickle my ears," left
wing Dustin Penner said of his playoff growth. "But it's tradition."
The truth is, what the Kings are riding into a glorious June sunset is not a
bandwagon, but a delivery truck, the kind of rig you see barreling up the
Pomona Freeway, more Hacienda Heights than Hollywood, a big rumbling
collection of parts that is actually a perfect metaphor for the city it
represents.
They're trying to drop off the 120-year-old Stanley Cup in downtown Los
Angeles for the first time in the city's history, a noble endeavor in a town
where the only ice most people care about is that hanging from some
starlet's neck or running through Kobe Bryant's veins.
"The Lakers are done, the Clippers are done, so we're kind of the only show
going right now, right?" said center Jarret Stoll. "It feels like maybe we can
make L.A. a Kings town, if only for right now, and that's kind of cool."
They can, and it's way cool. Beginning Wednesday at the Prudential Center
here, the Kings' battle for a Cup and a city begins with this seven-game
series against the New Jersey Devils, a veteran championship franchise
that has won three Cups in the previous 16 seasons while the Kings are 0
for 43.
The Kings are the hottest team in hockey with a 12-2 postseason record,
and most experts are picking them to win this series in six games, but most
of the Kings have never been here before, and their legendary loyal fan
base keeps waiting for the other skate to drop and misfortune to strike, as it
did in their only other Stanley Cup Final in 1993.
But that team was led by a few superstars including Wayne Gretzky. This
team has no Great Ones, but a bunch of Really Good Ones. That team,
from its fraudulent owner to its Hollywood fans, truly had a bandwagon. This
team feels more solid, more aligned, a delivery truck that seems destined to
finally finish its trip.
If there's a place to hang off the back, I want on. The larger readership of
other Los Angeles sports has taken me elsewhere this season, but, with the
kindly help of our hockey Hall of Fame columnist Helene Elliott (please?), I
unabashedly want on now, and I promise to describe the scene here for the
next two weeks for whoever wants to join me. Just don't expect it to feel like
a parade. Until, of course, there actually is a parade.
"Everybody jumped up in anticipation," said Kings winger Dwight King, who
was watching from the bench.
In the driver's seat is Darryl Sutter, a former NHL star who was lured from
his Alberta cattle farm in midseason to prod yet another highly paid,
underachieving Kings team.
"If there's a guy I want to take a breakaway, it's Kopi," winger Dustin Brown
said.
He's 53, yet with his weathered face and gaunt stare, he appears 20 years
older. He doesn't really speak, he mumbles, so much that the players
initially had trouble understanding him. He showed up for media day
wearing a short-sleeve checkered shirt and a huge cellphone holder
hanging from his belt. Just looking at him, it's not evident whether he's
coaching hockey or dusting crops.
"It's all about the team," he said softly. "Go talk to the team."
Siting next to Sutter is Jonathan Quick, a 26-year-old goaltending sensation
who has been probably the league's best postseason player. Only, he
doesn't seem to like the attention either, as he was the only player Tuesday
to actually pull his hood over his head, as if trying to hide from questions he
openly disdains.
"He's channeling his inner Eminem," said Penner.
With good reason. Kopitar froze Brodeur with a fake to his backhand and
then fired a wrist shot off his forehand to beat Brodeur 8 minutes and 13
seconds into overtime, giving the Kings a 2-1 victory in the opener of their
first Final appearance since 1993.
"That type of pressure, that type of play to settle it down, realize he's got
time to make the play and make a great move on a great goaltender, that
doesn't surprise us," center Jarret Stoll said.
"That's Anze to a T right there."
Kopitar's calm demeanor afterward was typical too. Through slumps and
scoring surges, through drama and tedium, he has never let his game
completely slide. He always contributed something — if not a goal, then a
key faceoff win or excellent penalty-killing shift or defensive play.
In a game in which the Kings' grinding fourth line of Brad Richardson, Colin
Fraser and Jordan Nolan was their most effective trio most of the night, it
was Kopitar, their most skillful player, who came through in the clutch.
Riding shotgun in the truck is Dustin Brown, a right wing who could become
only the second American-born player to captain a Stanley Cup champion.
If you've heard of only one King, you've probably heard of Brown, a
squarely built guy with a gap in his smile and juice in his checks. He's been
a King for eight seasons, he's a Derek Fisher-type presence, he
understands the team and the town and how it all works.
"I wanted to make sure I went through the middle. I don't know if he heard
me or not," Kopitar said of Williams. "I yelled for the puck. He chipped it
obviously perfect, right on my tape.
He wants all of us late arrivals to know that we're welcome. But he also
wants to remind us that the truck is already filled with those Kings regulars
who will no doubt be angrily emailing me Wednesday wondering where in
the heck I've been.
Not by chance did he respond to the most intense pressure he and the
Kings have faced yet, in the worst conditions and against an opponent that
was as physical and tenacious as they were.
"Los Angeles is one of those towns, you've got to win, you've got to make
noise to get people out of the woodwork," Brown said. "But do not forget
that we already have many Kings fans who have not gotten the credit they
deserve. ... Other people can join now, but we really appreciate all of our
die-hards."
Nobody is a bigger die-hard than Bob Miller, the Kings' Hall of Fame
announcer for nearly 40 years, yet I have a sense that in this Final, he will
be dying hard. Because NBC has contracted to broadcast the games,
Miller's voice will not be heard except on the postgame show. In similar
championship series situations, other sports teams in town will put their
legendary TV announcer on radio — think Vin Scully with the Dodgers —
but Miller says that's not fair to Nick Nickson, who has been part of their
broadcast team for 31 years.
"It's disappointing to me, but I'll still be here," said the genial Miller.
Here's hoping an arrangement can be made where both guys are on the air
at a point when the Kings could clinch the title. They both belong in the
dashboard of that truck. Both of their voices will be needed to make sense
of a ride that is about to get wild.
632791
Los Angeles Kings
Anze Kopitar in right place at the right time for Kings
"You know, it happened pretty quick. I was able to finish it off."
Kopitar, like his teammates, has learned this spring how to respond
positively to playoff pressure. Their collective performance has been
stunning: The Kings extended their league-record playoff road winning
streaks to nine in one playoff year and 11 over more than one playoff year,
in addition to stretching their overtime record to 3-0 this spring.
Every time they've faced adversity they've shrugged it off like a failed
clutch-and-grab attempt.
They were not playing as well as they thought they should Wednesday and
absorbed an unlucky bounce when Devils defenseman Anton Volchenkov's
long shot bounced off Kings defenseman Slava Voynov and past Jonathan
Quick to tie the score at 1-1 late in the second period, but they never
stopped believing they would win, somehow.
"You know, they don't give up a whole lot," Kopitar said of the Devils. "You
have to be careful going through the neutral zone, that you don't make any
turnovers, because they got some speedy forwards, some forwards
obviously that can finish. You have to await turnovers and just make sure
you make strong plays."
Kopitar's move on Brodeur was brilliant, the skill guy making the big play at
the biggest moment yet for this team.
"That's the way it works in playoffs," winger Dustin Penner said. "That's how
good teams become great. That's how you pull games out of the fire.
"We didn't come out the way we wanted. We had chances, we outshot
them, but it was a pretty even game. I think it just came down to one
opportunity."
One opportunity for the one guy they knew would make the most of it.
By Helene Elliott
NEWARK, N.J. — He was the player his Kings teammates would have
chosen to be in this situation, to have a breakaway in overtime of the
Stanley Cup Final, because they knew he would perform as if he were
gliding on a pristine glacial lake instead of the choppy ice of the sauna-like
Prudential Center.
And there Anze Kopitar was, alone in the midst of a huge crowd and two
tired, sweaty teams, an almost surreal scenario.
Drew Doughty got the puck to Justin Williams, who was along the boards
when he chipped a beautiful backhand pass to the middle of the ice. There
was nothing between Kopitar and New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin
Brodeur but the sticky air and a few dozen feet of ice.
"He's a special player," Penner said.
And because he is, the Kings are one win closer to doing something very
special.
632792
Los Angeles Kings
Kings follow their marching orders to another magical playoff victory
By Bill Plaschke
NEWARK, N.J. — The Kings had been shoved from their lofty postseason
perch and landed squarely in hell.
That's what it looked like. That's what it felt like.
The lights at the Prudential Center went dim, the scoreboard glowed red,
the speakers blared "Highway to Hell" while thousands of fans sang an
ominous curse.
The Kings were on the verge of being crushed by Devils. They had lost their
lead, lost their composure, and should have lost this Stanley Cup Final
opener in regulation, but New Jersey's Mark Fayne missed an open corner
of the net with 10 minutes remaining.
Overtime. At this place known as the Rock, the Kings trudged off the ice as
if pelted by doubt. But then, in what is currently the most charmed dressing
room in sports, three orders were issued.
Ah, but it went to the Kings' flashiest one-on-one player, and Kopitar juked
the great Martin Brodeur and found an open space and powered the puck
into the net while at least one of his teammates' jaws dropped.
Said a chuckling Scuderi: "I couldn't believe he waited that long. I would
have shot it from the blue line."
Said a smiling Kopitar: "He's a world-class goaltender but I think I got the
best of it tonight."
Then the game was over and the Kings disappeared into the tunnel, only to
reappear moments later in what is apparently their natural state. Seriously,
this is a potential Stanley Cup championship team that hangs out like a high
school team.
"Catch your breath. Suck it up. Keep fighting."
In their dressing room was a stack of postgame pizzas. Outside the
dressing room there were stacks of players still in their T-shirts, gym shorts
and bare feet, hanging out with their families. Whose turn was it to bring
snacks again?
Rob Scuderi repeated it. He wasn't sure who said it. Does it matter who
said it? The entire room bought it. And at 8:13 of overtime, they all did it.
"We're not thinking about any records, we're not thinking about anything but
the next game," said Scuderi.
Justin Williams made a no-look pass, Anze Kopitar juked and shot, the
Kings scored a Showtime goal to beat the Devils, and, lordy, the magic
grows.
But about that next game, Saturday night here, a chance to put serious
pressure on a Devils team that has already lost home-ice advantage?
People, this is real. Folks, this could happen. With a 2-1 overtime victory
here Wednesday night, the Kings moved to within three victories of winning
their first Stanley Cup championship in the club's 45-year history.
They have won an NHL-record nine consecutive playoff games on the road
this year. They are unbeaten in three overtime games. And now they've
survived the best goalie in history while being slowed by sweaty and
choppy ice, and they've done it with heroics from their most obscure player
and their most skilled star.
"Everybody in this room has a voice," said Williams late Wednesday,
looking around a room that reeked with three hours of deep sweat.
A voice, indeed, and it's now staring down history and shouting, "Outta the
way, eh!"
How else to explain it? How else to understand that what happened
Wednesday is what has been happening to this team for nearly two months.
"We've got something pretty good going on here," said Williams, who just
won the Insert Historical Hockey Figure Here Award for understatement.
Wild enough that the game began with a first-period Kings goal by
somebody named Colin Fraser. It was the fourth-liner's first goal of the
postseason, and now the Kings have playoff goals from 16 different players.
Honestly, I didn't even know they had 16 different players.
"Well, yeah, we can't wait," said Scuderi, sweating, smiling, sweating,
speaking for all those Kings fans who right now are doing both.
632793
Los Angeles Kings
Anze Kopitar's goal lifts Kings, 2-1, in overtime
By Lisa Dillman
NEWARK, N.J. — Dustin Penner had the best imagery, likening the arena
to a Russian sauna, and Dustin Brown said the puck behaved more like a
bouncing tennis ball than anything else, all greatly testing their poise and
patience.
On a night that required sweat and skill, the Kings got both in a 2-1
overtime victory against the New Jersey Devils in Game 1 of the Stanley
Cup Final on Wednesday night. Center Anze Kopitar scored on a
breakaway 8 minutes 13 seconds into overtime, moving the Kings to within
three victories of their first Cup in franchise history.
"Coach Sutter stands in there and tells us, 'It's going to take everybody,'
and it always does," said Jordan Nolan, another member of that fourth line
that stole the show.
They are 13-2 in the playoffs and 9-0 on the road, extending their NHL
record for one playoff season. Jonathan Quick recorded his 11th straight
road playoff win, dating to last year, moving past Billy Smith of the New
York Islanders.
So everything is going great for the Kings, and the red-clad crowd is
weakening, and then, wilder still, the Devils scored the only way they could
seemingly score against impenetrable Jonathan Quick — the Kings scored
for them, on a deflection off Slava Voynov's shoulder.
The goal given up by Quick was a wild one, deflecting in off teammate
Slava Voynov late in the second period to make it 1-1. The goal was
credited to defenseman Anton Volchenkov.
"You can't say what we're going through is a dream," said Williams.
"Because we know that at any minute, it can become a nightmare."
And so it was, the Devils dominating play at the end of the second period
and early in the third period before the Kings settled down and held them off
in regulation, leading to the dressing-room speech given by a dozen Knute
Rocknes.
"Tonight we showed how we are built," said Dustin Brown.
They are built on each other, as Williams showed in overtime when he
started the winning rush by flipping a no-look pass through two defenders to
a wide-open Kopitar.
Although, incidentally, Williams had no idea Kopitar was wide open. In fact,
Williams has no idea the dude was even there.
"I guess I just felt him there, and decided to make the pass," Williams said
with a grin. "What's the worst that could happen if he wasn't there? It just
goes to no one, right?"
"It's a bounce. That's part of the game," Quick said.
What took 68:13 gave the Kings their first win in the best-of-seven series,
most of those minutes decidedly untidy and almost all of them sweltering at
the Prudential Center.
Not only were they dealing with a different in-arena climate, but they had to
try to solve a, well, different goalie. The Kings were often befuddled by the
Devils' Martin Brodeur, who threw some old-school looks at them.
Until Kopitar solved Brodeur with a forehand deke, the only other Kings'
player to get one past Brodeur was fourth-line forward Colin Fraser, who
made it 1-0 at 9:56 of the first period.
Brodeur stopped defenseman Drew Doughty in the third period with a
double-stack pad save.
"I didn't expect that at all," Doughty said. "We watched tons of video on him
before the series started. We knew he was a different kind of goalie. He
does things you don't see."
So does Kopitar.
But no one missed the move he put on Brodeur after the Devils got caught
on a rare bad read in overtime.
Mark Fayne nearly gave the Devils the lead midway through the third period
but shanked a shot with a wide-open net.
Kopitar's linemate, Justin Williams, who was along the boards, hit him with
an area pass, and Kopitar's uncanny skill set took over in open ice with a
little assist from his memory bank.
The Kings racked up six consecutive shots at one point in the third period.
Brodeur stopped them all.
"I went forehand," Kopitar said. "I guess that goes back a few years when,
you know, we were in the shootout in L.A., and I went backhand on him.
Maybe he thought I was going to do it again. Tonight I just wanted to mix it
up a little bit."
Brown was asked when he thought the Kings had the game in hand and he
chuckled.
"When I was laying on the ice and Kopi had the puck," he said. "It was
about the only time. It happened pretty quick."
The troublesome conditions were noticeable in the arena and the puzzle of
the bouncing puck hit a note with some NHL players watching on TV.
Jordan Eberle of the Edmonton Oilers tweeted during the game: "Who built
the square rink in New Jersey. The puck has bounced out of the one corner
like 10 times."
Penner had his own take on it.
"We both saw the same thing, the way the puck bounced," he said. "I think
it spent more time rolling than it did flat."
The Kings survived the desert heat of Arizona. Bring on the humidity.
"That's the first time we've had to deal with the humidity in the building,"
Brown said. "We played Phoenix … it's hot outside but it's pretty easy to
play in that type of climate. This is a challenge for some, at least this team
hasn't experienced it."
Drew Doughty had the best chance, lining up an open shot in the slot. But
Brodeur sprawled, stacked his pads and made the stop 12 minutes into the
third period.
The Kings’ Mike Richards slid patiently in the slot, waiting for his chance
with a minute left. But, again, Brodeur was up to the task.
The Kings seemed in control of the game in the second period when a burst
of energy, and a kind bounce, allowed the Devils to tie the score.
Parise and Quick got tangled in the goal crease. The play seemed to put
some life in the Devils’ game.
Moments later, Anton Volchenkov sent a shot in from the blue line that
Quick batted away, but the puck rebounded off the Kings’ Slava Voynov
and into the net to tie the score, 1-1.
Until that point, the Kings had dominated the second period.
The Devils had one shot on goal through 13 minutes of the first period.
They didn’t have their first shot in the second period until Parise’s weak
short-handed attempt 14:30 into the period. The puck rolled off Parise’s
stick and slid harmlessly to Quick.
Quick had a tougher test moments later. The Devils’ Dainius Zubrus got off
a laser shot, but Quick managed to get his glove on the puck.
The two teams played a scrappy first period with plenty of give-and-take
action. Things tilted the Kings' way when Jordan Nolan knocked New
Jersey’s Andy Greene off the puck behind the Devils’ net.
The Kings have scored first in five of their nine road playoff games, and
have been ahead or tied after 20 minutes in all but two.
Nolan then centered to Colin Fraser, whose one-timer beat Brodeur for a 10 lead 9:54 into the game.
"Our fourth line might have been our best line tonight," Brown said. "And
that's a credit to them. Our best players need to be our best players most of
the time. ... Me personally, it was probably my worst game of the playoffs.
"That's why you have teammates to pick you up and our fourth line was
great tonight and they got us started and weathered the storm."
632795
Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup Final: Kings and Devils tied, 1-1, heading into OT
632794
Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup Final: Kings defeat Devils in overtime, 2-1
By Chris Foster
By Chris Foster
NEWARK, N.J. – Martin Brodeur, the New Jersey’s 40-year old goaltender,
showed no signs of old age in the third period, keeping the Devils and Kings
tied, 1-1, heading into overtime at the Prudential Center Wednesday.
Both teams had chances, but neither could find the back of the net.
NEWARK, N.J. – Anze Kopitar’s goal 8 minutes 13 seconds into overtime
gave the Kings a 2-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils in the Stanley Cup
Final opener Wednesday at the Prudential Center.
With the score tied, 1-1, a scramble in front of the net nearly gave the
Devils the lead four minutes into the third period. The Devils’ Zach Parise
picked up a deflection in front of the net, but couldn’t get the puck past
goaltender Jonathan Quick.
Kopitar was sent on a breakaway by Justin Williams. He deked right in front
of New Jersey goaltender Martin Brodeur and tucked in a forehand shot to
the left.
A pileup in the crease ensued, and Parise grabbed the puck with his left
hand and pushed it into the net. Referees ruled it was not a goal and the
call was upheld on replay.
“It’s always tough going in on Marty,” Kopitar said. “He’s a world-class
goaltender. I think I got he best of it tonight.”
Mark Fayne nearly gave the Devils the lead midway through the third
period, but shanked a shot with a wide-open net.
The victory gave the Kings a 9-0 road record during the playoffs. It was their
third overtime win.
The Kings racked up six consecutive shots at one point, and Brodeur
stopped them all.
Both teams had chances to win the game in regulation.
Drew Doughty had the best chance, lining up an open shot in the slot. But
Brodeur sprawled and made the stop 12 minutes into the third period.
For the record: An earlier version of this report said the Kings' Anze Kopitar
scored the winning goal on a backhand shot. It was a forehand shot.
With the score tied, 1-1, a scramble in front of the net nearly gave the
Devils the lead four minutes into the third period. The Devils’ Zach Parise
picked up a deflection in front of the net, but couldn’t get the puck past
goaltender Jonathan Quick.
A pileup a the goal crease ensued and Parise grabbed the puck with his left
hand and pushed it into the net. Referees ruled it was not a goal and the
call was upheld on replay.
The Kings’ Mike Richards slid patiently in the slot, waiting for his chance
with a minute left. But, again, Brodeur was up to the task.
632796
Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup Final: Kings, Devils tied 1-1 after two periods
By Chris Foster
NEWARK, N.J. – Doug O’Neill, trainer for Triple Crowncontender I’ll Have
Another, is watching from the stands.
He was waiting around for a horse race when New Jersey’s Zach Parise
and Kings’ Jonathan Quick got tangled up in the goal crease. The play
seemed to put some life into the Devils’ game.
Moments later, Anton Volchenkov sent a shot in from the blue line that
Quick batted away, but the puck rebounded off the Kings’ Slava Voynov
and into the net to tie the score, 1-1.
Until that point, the Kings had dominated.
The Kings have refused to allow New Jersey to build momentum. The
Devils had one shot on goal through the first 13 minutes of the first period.
They didn’t have their first shot in the second period until Parise’s weak
short-handed attempt 14:30 into the period. The puck rolled off Parise’s
stick and slid harmless to Quick.
New Jersey played in a highly competitive Atlantic Division and was the
East's sixth seed.
"We both kind of had subpar regular seasons. I think both teams have kind
of got on a roll," Kings defenseman Drew Doughty said. "Watching the New
Jersey-Rangers series, I thought New Jersey just dominated them.
"You could just tell that everyone was clicking on the team; they felt good as
a team."
Doughty highlighted the parallels between the outstanding goaltending,
defensive systems and forward depth on both clubs. He said one
overlooked similarity was the obstacles even the Kings had to push through
this postseason.
"I think we've overcome a lot of adversity already. We took on the Western
Conference first-place, second-place and third-place teams. That's no easy
task," Doughty said. "Maybe because we did make it happen so quick, only
losing two games so far, it looks easy. But it wasn't easy.
"We played our hearts out. Every single guy played for the other guy beside
them."
Scenic Newark
Quick was better tested moments later. The Devils’ Dainius Zubrus got off a
laser shot, but Quick managed to get his glove on the puck.
A Fox Sports report indicated both finalists may be up for sale.
Colin Fraser’s goal gave the Kings a 1-0 lead in the first period.
Kings management downplayed such speculation in their response, but the
Devils' situation has been a bit unstable for some time.
632797
Los Angeles Kings
KINGS NOTEBOOK: Stanley Cup captains are a real American story
By Andrew Knoll,
NEWARK, N.J. - Regardless of the result of the series, the first lips to kiss
the Stanley Cup this year will belong to an American.
Still, whoever owns the Devils going forward likely will remain in New
Jersey, where the Devils have won three previous Stanley Cups and play in
one of the NHL's newest buildings.
If the Devils win the Cup this year, could Newark become the Paris of the
Northeast?
"The area is tough here, obviously. They've done a great job with the
building and making sure that it's safe for people to come here," said
forward Patrik Elias, who made his Devils debut back in the 1995-96
season.
"I don't know if you'll have people coming here to hang out."
LA Daily News: LOADED: 05.30.2012
New Jersey Devils captain Zach Parise and Kings captain Dustin Brown
have been integral parts of Team USA on every international platform. They
have competed against each other and been friends since age 15.
632798
"Playing with him is a lot of fun, he's a special player in a lot of areas.
Playing against him is not the most fun thing," Brown, a New York native,
said of Parise, who was born in Minnesota.
Kings 2, New Jersey Devils 1: Kings take first game of the Stanley Cup
finals
"He probably works harder than any high-end skill guy I've ever seen."
Both players as well as their teammates described the two captains as
being cut from the same cloth. They each acknowledged the relentlessly
competitive nature of their games.
"He's probably a little more skilled than I am and I probably have a bigger
impact physically than he does," Brown said.
"He has a fourth-line work mentality with first-line skill, and that's a scary
combination to have."
Los Angeles Kings
Andrew Knoll,
NEWARK, N.J. - The feeling-out process took a bit longer than expected
Wednesday night, as an ugly game produced a beautiful result.
The Kings beat the New Jersey Devils 2-1 in overtime before a standing
room only crowd at the Prudential Center to take a 1-0 lead in the Stanley
Cup Final.
The two players competed for Team USA at the world junior
championships, world championships and the 2010 Olympics. There, it was
Brown playing on the fourth line, with fellow playoff captains Ryan Callahan
of the Rangers and David Backes of the Blues.
Anze Kopitar scored a silky breakaway goal, undressing Martin Brodeur
and slipping the puck past him on his forehand to decide the game.
No matter where he plays in the lineup or what he does in the scoring
column, Parise knows Brown consistently affects games.
"I think it's the way we're built," Kings captain Dustin Brown said. "When
you have four lines that can contribute, it makes it really hard to play
against.
"(His contributions) are showing up on the stat
The Kings moved to 6-0 in games that have been tied after two periods, 3-0
in overtime and 9-0 on the road - the latter an NHL record.
sheet right now, there's no question," Parise said of the Kings' leading
playoff scorer. "Even if he's not scoring or getting assists, you know when
he's out there. He does a lot of things that might not wind up on the
scoresheet but he's a very effective player even if he's not scoring."
"We're comfortable on the road, and we execute well. So far this year, it's
been good defense, really good goaltending and timely goals."
Also-rans to frontrunners
Drew Doughty chipped the puck to Justin Williams, whose area pass found
Kopitar alone behind a pinching defense. He deked on Brodeur, who came
out high to challenge and was left helpless as Kopitar poked the puck in off
his forehand.
Another known outcome is no matter who emerges victorious, this year's
champion will be the lowest seed to ever capture the Stanley Cup.
The Kings secured the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.
This contest featured a see-saw finale that saw both teams miss
opportunities to end the game.
"They had some good chances, but we found the best chance," Brown said.
"If you wanted one guy on a breakaway, I'd pick ... our team."
Brown said he played his "worst game" of the playoffs, pointing first to his
board battles. Yet in overtime, his victory along the boards sparked the
winning play.
The Kings outshot the Devils 22-14 through three periods but had difficulty
in a 20-minute stretch between the end of the second and third periods.
They headed to overtime tied at 1.
Late in the third, they gave the Devils a push, but future Hall of Fame
goaltender Brodeur shoved right back.
The Kings made theirs count as Colin Fraser banged home a one-timer
from the slot. The goal at 9:56 after Jordan Nolan forced a turnover on the
forecheck and threw the puck toward the right faceoff circle.
Fraser became the 16th King to score in the playoffs. They did not dress a
single player with a minus rating Wednesday.
632799
Los Angeles Kings
Jill Painter: L.A. Kings' goal within reach, thanks to Anze Kopitar
In a 14-second span, Brodeur made three saves beginning with a
spectacular, stacked-pads stop on Doughty.
"Well, I think Marty made two huge saves in the third period, too. That's
what both goalies are here for, right?" Kings coach Darryl Sutter said.
New Jersey missed a sterling chance midway through the third. The Devils'
suddenly dangerous fourth line created a rebound that defenseman Mark
Fayne pushed inexplicably wide of an open net.
Fayne's play was not the only moment where the teams handled the puck
like a greased Slinky. Ice conditions were poor in humid Newark, creating a
rather disobedient puck.
"The puck spent more time rolling than it did flat," winger Dustin Penner
said.
The Devils came out with jump in the third period and four minutes in, they
nearly took their first lead.
By Jill Painter
NEWARK, N.J. - Call it the Anze Kopitar reach.
Kopitar yelled for the puck in the middle of the ice, though he's not sure
Justin Williams heard him.
Still, Williams delivered a beautiful backhanded pass from the boards.
Williams made good to get it within Kopitar's ZIP Code, and Kopitar
stretched that stick to corral the puck for a breakaway
with New Jersey Devils veteran goaltender Martin Brodeur.
Zach Parise swiped and stabbed at multiple opportunities, and his goal was
disallowed as he pushed the puck in with his glove.
Kopitar - who has 16 points in the postseaon - deked Brodeur with his puck
movement and when Brodeur heaved himself in front of the net, Kopitar
found the opening on the left side past Brodeur's right leg that was flying
through the air.
The Devils captain had battled in Jonathan Quick's crease in the second
period, igniting the theretofore lethargic Devils.
The overtime goal at 8:13 sent Kopitar into the glass in celebration, and the
Devils reeling after so many chances went awry.
Despite solid play from Elias and Parise, leading Devils playoff scorer Ilya
Kovalchuk had just one shot on goal and limited impact on the game.
The Kings didn't dominate, but they did what they do best. They found yet
another way to win on the road, this time a thrilling 2-1 overtime victory
Wednesday at the Prudential Center.
"I think we're going to have to find another level. I feel we have another
level. I thought we came out a little tentative ... I thought we got better as
the game went on," Devils coach Pete DeBoer said.
"Justin came over, and I just wanted to make sure I was in the middle, just
in case something happens,"
Despite carrying play for most of the second period, the Kings found
themselves in a 1-1 tie at the second intermission.
Kopitar said. "As I was going in on Marty, he is a world-class goaltender,
but I think I got the best of it."
They had 12 attempted shots miss high or wide and nine more attempts
blocked through 40 minutes. They hit the net just 14 times.
Forgive Kopitar, for he's a little modest.
Three late mistakes nearly cost the Kings the lead in a game they had
controlled through more than 35 minutes.
They could not clear a puck that got to Devils defenseman Anton
Volchenkov, who scored on a 55-footer through traffic. It was a potentially
momentum-turning goal in the final minute of the second period.
"That late goal kind of got them going a little bit. It didn't bother us, we just
had to regroup and realized that we had to put together a good third
period," Kings forward Jarret Stoll said. "We found a way to win."
With two minutes left, Parise hopped on a puckhandling miscue. Disaster
was narrowly averted as Danius Zubrus was ridden off a puck he could
have slammed into an empty net.
On their previous shift, Patrik Elias set a drop pass for Zubrus, whose prime
scoring chance was knocked down by Quick's glove.
New Jersey struggled to break out and apply pressure on the forecheck in
the second period. It was the 200-foot, transition-heavy game that buoyed
them throughout the playoffs.
Through 14 minutes, 30 seconds, the Devils did not register a shot on goal.
Apart from a hapless power play, they were virtually incapable of gaining
possession in the offensive zone.
The teams each got five pucks to the net in the first period as the Kings
skated into the intermission with a 1-0 lead.
Half a period passed before either team registered a second shot on goal.
You had to wonder if the Kings' luck would run out. This is the Stanley Cup
Final, after all.
But the Kings simply can't lose on the road. It's not in their hockey DNA, at
least not in the postseason where they've won a record nine road playoff
games.
They're 13-2 in the postseason, and the only place they've lost is Staples
Center.
The Kings had to work much harder for this one. They scored first, but then
again, the Kings always seem to do that. This time it was Colin Fraser who
scored his first posteason goal.
He was about the only King who hadn't scored in the playoffs.
"I always joke around about scoring goals," Fraser said. "It's not my No. 1
thing, but I gave it to the boys about how I was going to score
(Wednesday). Hopefully, I can get more."
The Devils tied it in the second period on Anton Volchenkov. His shot hit
Slava Voynov in the chest and went in the net. Voynov was in the wrong
place at the wrong time.
Neither team could score in the third period, but the Devils still had their
chances.
At 14 minutes of overtime, Quick stuffed several shots all in a flurry. He'd
done so in the third period as well. Quick survived a big scare at 16:10 in
the third when he came out of the net and Devils captain Zach Parise
fanned on a shot.
Traffic ensued, and Parise pushed the goal in with his glove. The play was
reviewed, and rightly called a non-goal. Still, it was another relief for the
Kings.
Before that the two tangoed, and Quick got the last word as he stuffed
Parise to the ice and pushed him into it for good mesasure for the
unassisted tackle.
The Kings need no assists on the road. Not with Quick, who made 17
saves. A goal from Fraser, and solid defense from Rob Scuderi and four
lines that were in
sync again.
That they finally did get themselves on track in time to win is a testament to
this team's resiliency.
To win Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final without nearly playing your best is
one thing.
To do it on the road, against a world-class goalie like Brodeur and after not
playing in eight days is another thing all together.
This has been a total team effort for the Kings all postseason. It's no cliche.
"We didn't have our best tonight," said Justin Williams, who sent the pass to
Kopitar that led to the winning goal. "We know we can play better."
Exhibit A is Fraser's goal.
They still won their ninth consecutive road game in these playoffs.
The Kings don't rely on one goal scorer, and that's the beauty of this team.
But barely.
Everyone is in on the scoring act.
The Kings insisted all week the layoff wasn't going to hurt them, especially
considering the way they handled the delays
Alec Martinez and Scuderi are the only players logging significant ice time
without a playoff goal, and they're defensemen anyway, so they're not
expected to score goals.
But the Kings are expecting to win on the road. They're expecting to win,
period.
The reach for the puck in overtime and the goal from Kopitar wasn't
necessarily expected, but surely admired.
"This was huge," Fraser said. "You've got to win on the road. We think we
could've been better. I'm sure they think the same thing."
in between all three series they played prior to the Cup final.
The fact is they really had no idea how much their play might suffer or how
long it would take them to rev up their emotions to the level that pushed
them through the first three rounds in a near-minimum 14 games.
Which partially explains why they sloshed their way through most of the
night trying to shake off the rust and rediscover the sharp edge and fevered
pitch they've been playing with the last month or so.
"It was a sluggish game and a little bit sloppy on both sides," Stoll said.
Better than that reach on the road?
Don't think so.
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STANLEY CUP FINAL: L.A. Kings win Game 1 in overtime, 2-1 against
New Jersey Devils on Anze Kopitar's breakaway goal
L.A. Kings get out of sticky situation
By Andrew Knoll,
Vincent Bonsignore
NEWARK, N.J. - So yeah, maybe the whole eight-day off thing did have an
effect on the Kings..
And the next time anyone supports the humidity of the East Coast over the
dry heat of Arizona, don't be surprised when the Kings raise their hands in
favor of some good old fashioned desert heat.
Between the rust of a long layoff after the Western Conference finals and
the sweltering, sticky conditions of an East Coast heat wave, the Kings
alternated from sloppy to careless to downright sluggish Wednesday in
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the New Jersey Devils.
They played giveaway with the puck in their zone, missed open shots and
just seemed a tick slower than they've been all postseason until finding their
way in overtime to beat the Devils 2-1 on Anze Kopitar's breakaway goal
past New Jersey goalie Martin Brodeur 8:13 into the extra period.
In short, they looked very much like a team that had not played a game
since clinching the Western Conference last Tuesday against the Phoenix
Coyotes.
And one that was getting used to the kind of heat they haven't felt all year.
"That's the first time we've had to deal with the humidity of the building,"
Kings winger Dustin Brown said. "We played Phoenix last (series), and it's
hot outside but it's pretty easy to play in that.
The Kings beat the New Jersey Devils 2-1 in overtime before a standing
room only crowd at the Prudential Center to take a 1-0 lead in the Stanley
Cup Final.
Anze Kopitar scored a silky breakaway goal, undressing Martin Brodeur
and slipping the puck past him on his forehand to decide the game.
The Kings moved to 6-0 in games that have been tied after two periods, 3-0
in overtime and 9-0 on the road - the latter an NHL record.
"I think it's the way we're built," Kings captain Dustin Brown said. "When
you have four lines that can contribute, it makes it really hard to play
against.
"We're comfortable on the road, and we execute well. So far this year, it's
been good defense, really good goaltending and timely goals."
This contest featured a see-saw finale that saw both teams miss
opportunities to end the game.
Drew Doughty chipped the puck to Justin Williams, whose area pass found
Kopitar alone behind a pinching defense. He deked on Brodeur, who came
out high to challenge and was left helpless as Kopitar poked the puck in off
his forehand.
"They had some good chances, but we found the best chance," Brown said.
"If you
wanted one guy on a breakaway, I'd pick (Kopitar) on our team."
Jarret Stoll agreed.
Brown said he played his "worst game" of the playoffs, pointing first to his
board battles. Yet in overtime, his victory along the boards sparked the
winning play.
"It was definitely the hottest game we've had so far in the playoffs for
temperature-wise and how much the boys were sweating and leaking out
there," Stoll said. "It was definitely a hot one."
The Kings outshot the Devils 22-14 through three periods but had difficulty
in a 20-minute stretch between the end of the second and third periods.
They headed to overtime tied at 1.
That, coupled with the expected stinginess of playoff-tested Brodeur made
for a long night in which the Kings first had to reconnect with themselves
before finding a way to beat the Devils in overtime.
Late in the third, they gave the Devils a push, but future Hall of Fame
goaltender Brodeur shoved right back.
"This is a challenge, at least for this team. We aren't used to it."
In a 14-second span, Brodeur made three saves beginning with a
spectacular, stacked-pads stop on Doughty.
Staff Writer
"Well, I think Marty made two huge saves in the third period, too. That's
what both goalies are here for, right?" Kings coach Darryl Sutter said.
New Jersey missed a sterling chance midway through the third. The Devils'
suddenly dangerous fourth line created a rebound that defenseman Mark
Fayne pushed inexplicably wide of an open net.
Fayne's play was not the only moment where the teams handled the puck
like a greased Slinky. Ice conditions were poor in humid Newark, creating a
rather disobedient puck.
"The puck spent more time rolling than it did flat," winger Dustin Penner
said.
The Devils came out with jump in the third period and four minutes in, they
nearly took their first lead.
The Montreal Canadiens signed defenceman Nathan Beaulieu to a threeyear contract on Wednesday.
He had 52 points (11 goals, 41 assists) in 53 games with the Quebec Major
Junior Hockey League’s Saint John Sea Dogs this past season.
The six-foot-two, 190-pound native of Strathroy, Ont., was selected by
Montreal with the 17th overall pick of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.
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Montreal Canadiens
Zach Parise swiped and stabbed at multiple opportunities, and his goal was
disallowed as he pushed the puck in with his glove.
Canadiens sign Nathan Beaulieu to 3-year contract
The Devils captain had battled in Jonathan Quick's crease in the second
period, igniting the theretofore lethargic Devils.
PAT HICKEY
Despite solid play from Elias and Parise, leading Devils playoff scorer Ilya
Kovalchuk had just one shot on goal and limited impact on the game.
"I think we're going to have to find another level. I feel we have another
level. I thought we came out a little tentative ... I thought we got better as
the game went on," Devils coach Pete DeBoer said.
Despite carrying play for most of the second period, the Kings found
themselves in a 1-1 tie at the second intermission.
They had 12 attempted shots miss high or wide and nine more attempts
blocked through 40 minutes. They hit the net just 14 times.
Three late mistakes nearly cost the Kings the lead in a game they had
controlled through more than 35 minutes.
They could not clear a puck that got to Devils defenseman Anton
Volchenkov, who scored on a 55-footer through traffic. It was a potentially
momentum-turning goal in the final minute of the second period.
"That late goal kind of got them going a little bit. It didn't bother us, we just
had to regroup and realized that we had to put together a good third
period," Kings forward Jarret Stoll said. "We found a way to win."
With two minutes left, Parise hopped on a puckhandling miscue. Disaster
was narrowly averted as Danius Zubrus was ridden off a puck he could
have slammed into an empty net.
On their previous shift, Patrik Elias set a drop pass for Zubrus, whose prime
scoring chance was knocked down by Quick's glove.
New Jersey struggled to break out and apply pressure on the forecheck in
the second period. It was the 200-foot, transition-heavy game that buoyed
them throughout the playoffs.
Through 14 minutes, 30 seconds, the Devils did not register a shot on goal.
Apart from a hapless power play, they were virtually incapable of gaining
possession in the offensive zone.
The teams each got five pucks to the net in the first period as the Kings
skated into the intermission with a 1-0 lead.
Half a period passed before either team registered a second shot on goal.
The Kings made theirs count as Colin Fraser banged home a one-timer
from the slot. The goal at 9:56 after Jordan Nolan forced a turnover on the
forecheck and threw the puck toward the right faceoff circle.
Fraser became the 16th King to score in the playoffs. They did not dress a
single player with a minus rating Wednesday.
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Montreal Canadiens
Canadiens sign defenceman Nathan Beaulieu to three-year contract
MONTREAL - The Canadiens made an announcement Wednesday, but it
wasn’t the one fans have been anticipating.
While general manager Marc Bergevin emerged from an NHL general
managers’ meeting in New York and said he wouldn’t have an
announcement on a new head coach this week, the team did issue a
release to say that defenceman Nathan Beaulieu has signed a three-year
entry-level contract.
“I’m happy to get it done,” Beaulieu said from Saint John, N.B., where he
has played junior hockey for the past four seasons. Beaulieu said talks
were on hold while the Saint John Sea Dogs were involved in the Memorial
Cup.
“They didn’t want the talks to be a distraction,” said Beaulieu, who was
selected in the first round (17th overall) at the 2011 draft. Terms were not
disclosed, but Beaulieu will be making about $900,000 if he sticks in the
NHL and $70,000 in Hamilton. There are also signing and performance
bonuses in the deal.
Beaulieu said he had a conversation with Bergevin Wednesday, but most of
the GM’s attention was focused on the GM meetings and the search for a
head coach. He told reporters in New York that there would be no
announcement this week. He said he hoped to have a coach in place
before the draft on June 22, but there are no guarantees.
There has been speculation that Bob Hartley is the front-runner in a group
that also includes Michel Therrien and Marc Crawford. Hartley still has one
year remaining on a contract with the Zurich-based ZSC Lions. He led the
team to an upset win in the Nationalliga A playoffs and the Swiss want him
to stay.
There was also a report this week from Vincent Damphousse that Hartley
had a second interview with the Calgary Flames, who are also in the market
for a coach. Damphousse, a former Canadiens captain, is an analyst with
RDS.
Beaulieu said he was still disappointed that the defending champion Sea
Dogs lost to eventual champion Shawinigan in the semifinals of the
Memorial Cup, but was ready to move on.
“We were disappointed because we thought we had the best team, but we
didn’t prove it on the ice,” Beaulieu said. “Now, I’m focusing on making the
Canadiens. I think I’ve improved since last season, but there have been a
lot of changes in Montreal and I have to prove myself to a new group of
people.”
Beaulieu will get a chance to impress the new management team when he
attends a four-day development camp from June 13-16 in Brossard. The
emphasis will be on skills and fitness testing, and Beaulieu then will return
to his home in London, Ont., with a program to prepare himself for training
camp in September.
At 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, he knows he has to add some weight and get
stronger.
Beaulieu was fifth in scoring among Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
defencemen this past season with 11 goals and 41 assists in 53 games. He
added 15 points in 17 playoff games and had four assists in four games at
the Memorial Cup. In his four seasons in Saint John, he had 37 goals and
115 assists in 233 games.
Beaulieu also represented Canada at the world junior championships earlier
this year.
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Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators' Ryan Suter could be affected by Nicklas Lidstrom
retirement
By David Boclair
The Nashville Predators made their first personnel move of the offseason
Wednesday when they signed free agent defenseman Joonas Järvinen out
of Finland.
The 23-year-old agreed to a two-year, two-way deal after five seasons in
the Finnish Elite League. He finished second among that league’s
defensemen with a plus-28 rating and helped his team, Pelicans Lahti, to
the league championship series.
A 6-foot-2, 220-pounder, he set career-highs with five goals, 18 assists, 23
points and 125 penalty minutes in 2011-12. In fact, his point total was two
more than what he had in his first four seasons combined.
He then added three assists in 10 games for Finland at the recently
completed World Championships.
Josh Cooper
Veteran defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom will reportedly announce his
retirement from the Red Wings today after 20 seasons.
If the seven-time Norris Trophy winner exits as expected, it could create
complications for the Predators as they try to retain All-Star defenseman
Ryan Suter.
Suter becomes a free agent on July 1 if he and the Predators don’t come to
terms on a new contract by then. The two sides were supposed to start
talks this week.
The Red Wings have always been hotly rumored to pursue Suter if he
doesn’t re-sign with the Predators. And if Lidstrom is gone, it’s tough to
believe that the Red Wings won’t try to give Suter anything and everything
he wants.
With three defensemen from last year’s team, including Ryan Suter,
scheduled for unrestricted free agency, Järvinen offers an affordable, but
more seasoned option along the blue line than some recent draft picks. He
also already has NHL size.
Moves such as this are nothing new for Nashville. Last June, it signed right
wing Juuso Puustinen out of Finland but Puustinen played the entire
season at Milwaukee. One of the more successful transactions of this sort
was when right wing Vladimir Orszagh signed on June 1, 2001. He had 15
goals and 21 assists in 79 games for the Predators that season and was a
fixture in the lineup for three years.
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New Jersey Devils
A Return To the Finals Was on Ice For 15 Years
Both Lidstrom and Suter play left defense. Both have the same understated
style. They both do everything well but nothing great.
Detroit is a big hockey market but it’s not as fanatical as Philadelphia — the
Flyers are also rumored to be a potential Suter suitor — and leaves its
superstars alone for the most part. Suter is a private person and likely
wants to go to a place that would respect him and his family.
By JEFF Z. KLEIN
“That little moment didn’t last as long as I wanted, and it didn’t end the way
I hoped,” he said.
With Ken Holland as general manager, Mike Babcock as coach and Mike
Ilitch as owner, the Red Wings should have the brainpower and the
monetary resources to stay competitive for years to come. Also, Lidstrom’s
$6.2 million contract comes off the books, giving the Red Wings even more
money to play with.
Zubrus, the Devils’ powerfully built Lithuanian forward, was talking about
the last time he reached the Stanley Cup finals, in 1997. He was a teenage
rookie with the Philadelphia Flyers, who were swept in four games by the
Detroit Red Wings.
But Suter would be replacing a Detroit sports icon, which is no easy task. If
Lidstrom decided to stay one more year, Suter at least could have been
eased into the successor role.
Since then Zubrus has played 1,064 regular-season and playoff games,
and finally he is getting another crack at having his name inscribed on the
old silver trophy.
And the Predators eliminated the Red Wings from the playoffs this season.
So if you beat them, why join them?
“I remember quite a bit,” he said Tuesday on the eve of Game 1 against the
Los Angeles Kings. “I was 18 years old, a few weeks later was my 19th
birthday.”
Detroit’s core is aging. Pavel Datsyuk, who will turn 34 in July, had knee
surgery last season and appeared slowed during the playoffs. Henrik
Zetterberg will be 32 in October. The younger Wings — Gustav Nyquist,
Cory Emmerton and Tomas Tatar — are good, but they’re not high-end
prospects.
Zubrus checked off the details of the Flyers’ playoff run that year. He was
elevated to the top line alongside Eric Lindros and John LeClair as the
Flyers rolled through the Penguins, the Sabres and the Rangers. Then they
ran up against the Red Wings.
Unless the Red Wings can make another move for a younger forward —
such as Zach Parise, the top pending free agent — the Predators with Suter
have more long-term potential than the Red Wings with Suter.
“We never really had a chance,” Zubrus said. “I don’t think I was on the ice
to see them raising the Cup. I just remembered how devastating it is to lose
in the final.”
It’s easy to get both arguments. For now, all the news of Lidstrom’s
retirement does is confirm that the Red Wings will be major players for
Suter if he hits the open market.
Zubrus said he thought he understood, even as a teenager, that he was
privileged to reach the finals so soon. “At that moment you know how lucky
you are to be in that position,” he said. “But 15 years later, now I know
better how lucky I was and what it takes to get to it again.”
But remember, Predators fans, Suter has to get there first.
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Nashville Predators
Predators sign defenseman from Finnish Elite League
Zubrus is out to make the most of his long-awaited second little moment. In
his fifth season with the Devils, Zubrus has been given more responsibility
under the first-year coach Peter DeBoer’s pressure-forechecking system.
Often skating on a line with Zach Parise and Travis Zajac, Zubrus is
averaging just under 18 minutes per game this postseason, including plenty
of ice time during the power play and penalty kill. He has three goals and
six assists in 18 games and, at 6 feet 5 inches and 225 pounds, he leads
the Devils in hits, with 56.
“I think it’s more aggressive than we were before,” Zubrus said of DeBoer’s
tactics, which muffled the Flyers’ high-powered attack and then shut down
the Rangers’ sputtering offense. “It’s a smart, aggressive, no-nonsense
running around. You have to know where you’re going. For that sort of
system to work, all five guys have to be on the same page.
"I think both teams would agree with that this year."
“I can’t say that it suits me more or less,” he said. “But I think the whole
team is more comfortable now than we were in October or November. We
know our assignments better. We beat some good teams to get to this
point, so we must be doing something right.”
Riding the goaltending of Jonathan Quick, the Kings overcame even bigger
obstacles. They are only the second No. 8 seed to make it since the
conference-based NHL playoff format was introduced in 1993-94. The
Edmonton Oilers were the first in 2006.
In the regular season, Zubrus scored 17 goals, the most he has scored as a
Devil. Only in two of his five seasons with Washington did he score more.
"It's all about winning here, and eliminating distractions and doing what it
takes to be successful," said Brodeur, who led the Devils to Cups in 1995,
2000 and 2003. "That's worked for us this year, and really my entire career.
For me, to be a part of that is great. To come to the rink every day during
my career, knowing we had a chance to win every night is something
special.
He attributed his increased production this season in part to feeling healthy
after several seasons dealing with problems in either knee. But he said: “It
feels like this coaching staff trusts me a little bit more than the one did
before in New Jersey. I feel way more involved in the games than I did
before.”
Led by Kovalchuk and a 40-year-old Martin Brodeur, the Devils are just the
second No. 6 seed to reach the finals. The 2004 Calgary Flames, coached
by Sutter, were the other.
"I've had that my whole career here, and that's been a great ride."
Zubrus grew up in Elektrenai, Lithuania, the site of a Soviet-era power plant
with ice rinks built for the Russians associated with the power project. It is
the only hockey center in what is otherwise a basketball country, and it
produced Zubrus and Darius Kasparaitis. While Kasparaitis played for
Russia internationally, Zubrus has chosen to play for Lithuania whenever
time permits, and he still donates money and equipment to youth hockey
programs in Elektrenai.
While this isn't a glamour series that boasts the likes of a Sidney Crosby, a
Steven Stamkos or even a Henrik Lundqvist, it has elements that should
help the NHL, and prove entertaining on the ice.
In Elektrenai, Zubrus was taught by the famed hockey coach Aleksey
Nikiforov, who later moved to Long Island and trained the future N.H.L.
players Michael Komisarek, Christopher Higgins, Matt Gilroy and Rob
Scuderi, who is now a Kings defenseman.
Los Angeles, which heavily courted Kovalchuk in free agency, is making
only its second appearance in the Cup finals, having lost in 1993 to
Montreal. The Kings are back after a midseason shake-up that saw Sutter
replace Terry Murray just before Christmas and a late trade that added
skilled scorer Jeff Carter to the lineup. Still, they didn't clinch a playoff berth
until the final week of the season.
“That’s the guy that I took my first steps on the ice with — I was 6 years
old,” Zubrus said. “He was my coach till I was about 12. He texted me the
other day, congratulating me on getting to the final.”
It has been a long journey to the N.H.L. for Zubrus, and a long journey back
to the Stanley Cup finals. In 1997, Flyers veterans like Lindros and Petr
Svoboda were telling him to enjoy the experience because no one knows
when he will have another chance.
Now, Zubrus is the one saying the same things to the young Devils.
“I told a couple of guys my experience,” he said. “I was in the final 15 years
ago, and I think I’ve been in the playoffs eight times, and past the first round
just a couple times.
“So here I am back in the finals. You just don’t know. Honestly, you just
don’t know. You’re very lucky to be on a team that gets to this point and you
want to use every moment. The moment you have, you have to use it.”
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To start, this is an East-West series featuring two of the nation's biggest
media markets: Los Angeles and the New York metropolitan area.
The Kings and Devils also present great story lines.
The Kings have been virtually unstoppable since then. They have posted a
12-2 record in the playoffs and knocked off the three top seeds in the
Western Conference — Vancouver, St. Louis and Phoenix. They have
never trailed in a series, winning the first three games in each round.
"Everybody's just clicking," Kings defenseman Drew Doughty said. "People
are used to playing with their linemates now. The lines have been the same
from the last part of the season. D pairings are the same. It's just getting
used to them. Everyone is playing with confidence. Once you start clicking
like that, pucks start going in the net for you."
The Devils' story is just as good. They missed the playoffs last season
despite retaining Kovalchuk with a $102 million contract that the league said
violated its letter of the law. Few expected them to recover this quickly,
especially with Brodeur seemingly on his last legs after a sub-par season,
and captain Zach Parise returning from a major knee injury. When top
center Travis Zajac blew out an Achilles tendon before training camp, the
chances of Devils making the finals seemed slim.
Guess again.
Unlikely Matchup: Kings, Devils Set for Cup Finals
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Roughly two years ago, the Los Angeles Kings and
New Jersey Devils were the finalists in the free-agent market battle for Ilya
Kovalchuk.
The Devils won the right to keep the high-scoring Russian with a bid of
$102 million.
Wednesday night, the teams will start fighting for a much bigger prize, the
Stanley Cup. In this contest, skill, heart and desire will decide the outcome.
Nothing else.
And it doesn't matter that the Devils and Kings aren't the two teams most
experts expected to be left standing after three rounds of the playoffs.
"You hear it every year, but it doesn't get old: Once you make it in, you
have a chance to get here," Kings coach Darryl Sutter said. "I think that's
one thing that the prognosticators don't consider. I always put it this way,
when the playoffs start, the clocks should be reset. Because everyone's
starting over, and all 16 teams have a shot to win it all.
New Jersey won its final six games in the regular season, rallied from 3-2
deficit in the opening round of the playoffs with two overtime wins against
Florida, and then eliminated the Flyers and Rangers, their two biggest
rivals, in five and six games, respectively.
"Last year was tough," said Kovalchuk, who said there was never a doubt in
his mind that he would stay in New Jersey. "But we made sure it paid off.
We have a great coaching staff, great players here, great group of guys,
very close to each other. I think that makes a big difference."
The other thing that should be great is the goaltending.
The 26-year-old Quick leads playoff netminders in goals-against average
(1.54) and save percentage (.946). He has eight road wins in as many
starts, posting a 1.55 goals-against average and .948 save percentage in
those games.
Brodeur is a four-time Vezina Trophy winner. He has played in 24 career
Stanley Cup finals games, posting a 15-9 record with a 1.91 goals-against,
losing only a series to Colorado in seven games in 2001. The Montreal
native is set to become the fifth goaltender in NHL history and first since
Jacques Plante in 1970 to appear in the Stanley Cup finals after his 40th
birthday:
"Well, everyone knows what he's meant to the league and this team, and
where he stands in history," Quick said of the NHL's winningest goaltender.
"For me, it's not about me against him. It's about the Kings and the Devils."
The Devils and Kings are very similar in their approaches. Both want to
establish the forecheck, create pressure and have it lead to offense. The
Kings, who posted a 25-13-11 regular-season record after Sutter took over,
are definitely a little bigger than the Rangers, and they certainly have more
depth.
Devils defenseman Peter Harrold played five seasons with the Kings before
signing with New Jersey this year. He spent the majority of this season at
Albany of the AHL, before being inserted into the Devils' postseason
rotation. He said both organizations stress team first.
"Everything is about the collective, not the individuals," said Harrold, who
says this series will be good for hockey. "It's two really big stages.
forecheck and passed to Colin Fraser, who swept it past Martin Brodeur at
10:04.
Los Angeles netminder Jonathan Quick withstood a spirited New Jersey
assault for an equalizer, turning away a point-blank blast by Travis Zajac,
and watching an in-close shot by David Clarkson sail over the net.
Each team registered five shots on goal in the opening period.
(Reporting By Larry Fine; Editing by Steve Keating)
632810
New Jersey Devils
"That's what you want to grow the game."
632808
Kings Break Away to Take the Opener
New Jersey Devils
By JEFF Z. KLEIN
Sorting Through Familiar Names at the Finals
By BEN SHPIGEL
NEWARK — The Los Angeles Kings’ juggernaut kept rolling at Prudential
Center on Wednesday night.
The Los Angeles Kings gathered around Anze Kopitar to celebrate his
winning goal Wednesday as Devils goalie Martin Brodeur skated off the ice.
NEWARK – The most common surnames in N.H.L. history are Smith (59),
Brown (27) and Wilson (26), according to the Elias Sports Bureau, so it
stood to reason that at least one of them would be emblazoned on the back
of a player participating in the Stanley Cup Finals. Look no further than
Dustin Brown, the Kings’ pugnacious captain.
But when Brown steps onto the Prudential Center ice Wednesday night, he
will be outnumbered by three of the less common surnames in the league.
The Kings-Devils matchup features a Greene, a Carter and, bizarrely
enough, a Bernier on each side.
In fact, defensemen Andy Greene (Devils) and Matt Greene (Kings), 29year-old natives of Michigan, are the only two Greenes ever to have played
in the N.H.L.
Joining the Greenes are Ryan Carter, a fourth-line dynamo who scored
critical goals in the Devils’ final two games against the Rangers, and Jeff, a
gifted sniper who notched a hat trick for the Kings against Phoenix last
round. According to hockey-reference.com, seven men with that last name
have played in the N.H.L., but Jeff and Ryan are the only two active
Carters.
Anze Kopitar scored on a breakaway 8 minutes 13 seconds into overtime,
giving the Kings a 2-1 victory over the Devils in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup
finals.
The Kings extended their N.H.L.-record road playoff streak to nine victories
this postseason, and to 11 victories stretching back to the 2010-11 playoffs.
Over all, they are 13-2 this spring.
When Kings Coach Darryl Sutter was asked why his club was so successful
on the road, he said: “We won one on the road. Season started tonight.”
Kopitar’s goal was a classic slow-motion breakaway. He advanced on
Martin Brodeur, faked a forehand, a backhand, then moved back to his
forehand and shot, slipping the puck beneath the outstretched right leg of
Brodeur, who had been drawn down to his belly by Kopitar’s stickhandling.
The play began when Devils defenseman Marek Zidlicky was caught up ice,
and the puck went to Justin William on the left-wing boards in the neutral
zone. Two Devils, defenseman Bryce Salvador and forward Dainius Zubrus,
went to Williams, leaving Kopitar alone at the Devils’ blue line. He stretched
to receive Williams’s pass, and the winning goal was set in motion.
The odds of two Berniers competing for the Cup are about as long as
Jonathan, the Kings’ superb backup goalie, actually playing a minute this
series; the starter, Jonathan Quick, owns the best save percentage (.946)
and goals against (1.54) in the playoffs.
“I saw those two on Justin along the boards, battling,” said Kopitar, the
Kings’ Slovene star, whose goal was his seventh of the playoffs. “I wanted
to stay in the middle. I called for the puck. I don’t know if he heard me, but
he chipped it right onto my tape.”
Like Serge Bernier, the only other Bernier ever to play in the N.H.L,
Jonathan and Steve, a fourth-line winger on the Devils, hail from Quebec.
Steve said he was not related to either of them, but he used to play against
Jonathan’s older brother, Marc-Andre, in pee-wee, about 15 years ago, and
against Jonathan in juniors in Quebec.
Brodeur finished with 25 saves, while the Kings’ Jonathan Quick made 17.
Brodeur said he expected Kopitar to shoot on his backhand.
“A lot of people might think we’re related, but we’re not,” Steve Bernier said.
“It’s just one of those things.”
632809
New Jersey Devils
Kings Lead Devils 1-0 After First Period of Stanley Cup Finals
By REUTERS
NEWARK, New Jersey (Reuters) - The visiting Los Angeles Kings grabbed
a 1-0 lead over the New Jersey Devils after the first period of the opening
game in the best-of-seven Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday.
The Kings drew first blood midway through the period when center Jordan
Nolan won control of the puck behind the Devils' net with a crunching
“That probably goes back a few years,” Kopitar said. “I beat him with a
backhand in a shootout, so maybe that’s why he expected it. Tonight I just
wanted to mix it up.”
Kopitar’s goal gave him 16 points in the playoffs, 2 off the lead held by the
Devils’ Ilya Kovalchuk. The Kings held Kovalchuk to one shot in almost 22
minutes of ice time.
The Kings did not dominate play, but they definitely had the better of it.
They attempted 54 shots that either went on goal, were blocked or missed
the net. The Devils attempted 35.
The game was a closely contested affair for 40 minutes, with the score tied,
1-1. The matchup came to life in the third, when the teams rediscovered
their stickhandling skills and began to direct some snarl at each other.
Just before the four-minute mark, the Devils appeared to take the lead
when the puck crossed the goal line after a scramble in front of the Kings’
net. But referees disallowed the goal, ruling that Zach Parise had swept the
puck in with his hand, and replays confirmed the call.
The Devils pressed their newfound advantage and broke in on goal on an
odd-man rush three and a half minutes later. But Marek Zidlicky, faced with
a wide-open view of the net, chose not to shoot and passed the puck.
Midway through the period the puck rebounded to Mark Fayne, who had a
wide-open net, but he shot wide.
It was the Kings’ turn in the 13th minute, but Brodeur made three terrific
saves in rapid succession, denying Drew Doughty, Dustin Penner and Jeff
Carter.
It will take time for this series to develop the kind of intrigue fans would like
to see. The Devils and the Kings had not met since Oct. 25. The Devils’
victories in both regular-season games have become meaningless at this
point.
The first period was tentative and mistake-prone, fitting, perhaps, given the
Kings’ eight-day layoff after finishing off Phoenix in the Western Conference
finals — the third-longest rest between the Stanley Cup semifinals and
finals since 1968.
But the Devils had no such excuse; they knocked off the Rangers on Friday
after six grueling games. Moreover, their playoff success was marked by
fast starts; they had outscored their opponents in the first period by 23-9.
His finest work came in the third period, when he denied Zach Parise early
and David Clarkson late. The lone goal Quick allowed, at 18:48 of the
second period, caromed off the chest of one of his teammates.
“He’s been our best player all year, right?” said Colin Fraser, who scored
the Kings’ first goal. “I mean, if it wasn’t for him when we were struggling
through the mid-part of the season, we might not even be here today.”
No, probably not. In these playoffs, scoring against Quick has often
required a healthy dose of pluck, or at least luck. Through Quick’s first 14
games, his statistics bore a slight resemblance to those of Giguere, who
with Anaheim in 2003 became the rare member of a losing team to win the
Conn Smythe Award, given to the most valuable player of the playoffs.
Heading into Wednesday night, Quick was 12-2 with a 1.54 goals against
average and a .946 save percentage. By the same point in 2003, Giguere
was 12-2 with a 1.43 G.A.A. and a .960 save percentage.
On Wednesday, they fell behind on a mistake. Halfway through the first
period, Andy Greene had the puck behind his net and was being hounded
by the rookie Jordan Nolan, the 22-year-old son of Ted Nolan, the former
Islanders and Sabres coach.
Ultimately, the Devils needed seven games to topple Giguere. If they are to
overcome Quick and the Kings, they might need as long this year. In
improving to 9-0 on the road this postseason, the Kings have now won
games in four time zones, and they added Eastern Daylight to their trophy
case Wednesday night by relying on the elements that have propelled this
jolly rampage: a ferocious forecheck, outstanding passing and, of course,
Quick.
Greene fell, Nolan took the puck away and centered it in front to an open
Colin Fraser, whose one-time shot beat Brodeur at 9:56, the Kings’ second
shot of the game.
“I’m not looking to match him step for step, I’m not trying to score on him,
he’s not trying to score on me,” Quick said of Martin Brodeur, who made 23
saves. “I’m just trying to make saves and help my team win a game.”
It was the first career playoff assist for Nolan and the first career playoff
goal for Fraser, who is in his fourth full season.
Save for his nifty stop on Travis Zajac midway through the first, Quick’s first
35 minutes were so uneventful that he might have been able to sneak away
for a hot dog. It took until the 14:30 mark for the Devils’ first shot of the
second, which was not so much a shot but a puck that slid off Parise’s stick
inside the right circle and happened to roll toward the net until it found
Quick’s glove.
The Devils stirred to life only when Dainius Zubrus stepped onto the ice.
Zubrus, who leads the team in hits this spring, ran his 6-foot-5 frame into
five Kings in the first half of the game — his first game in the Stanley Cup
finals since he was a rookie with Philadelphia in 1997. He flattened Dustin
Brown and Jeff Carter, among other Kings. He also elbowed Fraser in the
middle of the second period, but the Devils killed off that penalty.
With two minutes to go in the period, Zubrus stole the puck behind the
Kings’ net and centered it to Parise, but his pass went into Parise’s feet and
nothing came of it. Quick held Parise down and gave him a couple of
noogies for invading his crease.
Finally the Devils broke through, on their ninth shot of the game, by Anton
Volchenkov. The puck actually caromed into the Los Angeles net off Kings
defenseman Slava Voynov, who was covering Patrik Elias on the play. The
goal was credited to Volchenkov at 18:48, his first tally of the postseason
and first at all since March 11.
Since the Stanley Cup finals became a best-of-seven affair in 1939, the
team that won Game 1 has gone on to win 55 of 72 series.
“I was just going shift by shift and if the team needed me, I just wanted to
try to make the save,” Quick said.
The Devils proceeded to test Quick’s reflexes and puck-handling, not to
mention his patience. A turnover deep in the Kings’ zone forced him to
make a sharp save on Dainius Zubrus, who later fanned on a centering
pass, with the net gaping, after Quick misplayed the puck. The Devils finally
solved Quick on their eighth shot of the game, after nearly 39 minutes,
when Anton Volchenkov’s wrister from the side boards caromed off his
pads, then into Slava Voynov, and then into the net.
It was a fluke goal, and the Devils could not summon another one. Quick
would not let them.
632812
New Jersey Devils
632811
New Jersey Devils
Devils Have a Plan, but Fail to Execute It
Fluke Bounce Aside, Quick Proves Too Tough to Solve
By DAVE CALDWELL
By BEN SHPIGEL
NEWARK — As if the Devils had not been suffocated enough by Los
Angeles’s stout defense through almost two full periods Wednesday, Kings
goaltender Jonathan Quick fell on top of Zach Parise and stayed there,
using his elbow to knock off Parise’s helmet.
NEWARK — It happens every nine years, or close to it. A team from
Southern California opposes the Devils in the Stanley Cup finals, and it
heads east with a goalie that lets in pucks with the approximate frequency
of a lunar eclipse.
The 2012 version of Jean-Sebastien Giguere is Jonathan Quick, who,
wearing a black hoodie pulled tight over his head, looked as menacing on
media day Tuesday as he did guarding the Los Angeles Kings’ net on
Wednesday night.
Quick escorted the eighth-seeded Kings through the first three rounds of
the playoffs, as well as Game 1 of the finals at Prudential Center, a 2-1 win
secured when Anze Kopitar scored on a minibreakaway 8 minutes 13
seconds into overtime. Having conquered one Vezina Trophy candidate in
the last round, Henrik Lundqvist, the Devils moved on to Quick, who
survived an early lull to make 17 saves.
The capacity crowd at Prudential Center let Quick have it with a profane
chant, but the fans soon got something much better — the sight of a
deflected puck fluttering past Quick and dropping into the goal. Game 1 of
the Stanley Cup finals was tied, and the arena finally had some life.
But the Devils did not score again, even though they had chances. After
they lost in overtime to the Kings, 2-1, Patrik Elias, the 36-year-old forward
with two Stanley Cup rings, described the Devils’ effort as probably their
poorest in 19 playoff games.
“We didn’t deserve to win tonight, and we didn’t,” Elias said.
The Devils spent most of the rest of regulation charging into the Kings’
zone. Four minutes into the third period, the Devils appeared to take the
lead after a scramble, but replays showed Parise sweeping the puck past
Quick with his glove.
Devils defenseman Mark Fayne missed an open goal on a rebound of a
shot by Ryan Carter midway through the third period after the fourth-line
forward Steve Bernier made a gorgeous pass to Carter.
The Kings have taken even more people by surprise. They are looking to
become the first eight-seed to win it all. They have defeated the West's top
three seeds to get to tonight.
Asked if a Kings defenseman might have gotten his stick on the puck,
Fayne said: “I knew he was there, but he didn’t hinder the shot at all. It was
more the ice.”
FIRST PERIOD
It will be Brodeur and Jonathan Quick in net at the Prudential Center.
Devils goalie Martin Brodeur made eight saves in the third period, and the
game dragged into overtime. But the Devils took only two shots before
Anze Kopitar ended the game. The Devils ended with 18 shots, their
second-lowest total in the playoffs.
Marek ZIdlicky gives the puck away behind the net and the Kings send it up
front for a one-timer that Brodeur makes a quick save on.
Parise’s shot, which came at 14 minutes 30 seconds of the second period,
was also only the sixth of the game for the Devils and was really more of a
loose puck off Parise that rolled all the way to Quick in the crease. The
Devils were also skating short-handed.
Quick makes a save on a shot Dainius Zubrus sends to the net, 6:04 in, and
then Travis Zajac and Willie Mitchell have to be separated in front of the
net.
“We made it way too easy for them,” Parise said.
Brodeur makes a save on Mitchell slap shot from the blue line but gets up
shaking his head, wondering where the puck was.
A shot from the left point by Devils defenseman Anton Volchenkov
deflected off Los Angeles defenseman Slava Voynov for their only goal. It
was Volchenkov’s first goal of the playoffs; he had only two in the regular
season, none since March 11.
The Kings score the first goal of the finals. They take a 1-0 lead, 9:56 in, as
Jordan Nolan's pass from behind the net sets up defenseman Colin Fraser
for a one-timer.
Volchenkov would not have been the player the Devils would have picked
to score a goal, but they had found a crack.
Just over five minutes, Ryan Carter steals it in the neutral zone but the
Devils are called for an offside before their rush can materialize.
On the other end, David Clarkson waits long enough to get Quick on the ice
but misses high.
“I need more shots to the net,” Volchenkov said.
Brodeur makes a save on Dustin Brown, then takes a bump from Brown
that sends him to the ice and Brown to the penalty box with 7:41 remaining.
The goal was a result of the kind of robust forecheck that had helped the
Devils eliminate Florida, Philadelphia and the Rangers. The Devils’ attack
had been blunted by the Kings’ backchecking.
Zajac's shot from the slot is stopped by Quick and then another save on
Zidlicky's shot from the point.
Two of the Devils’ first five shots were on their first power play, which
followed the Kings’ opening goal. Late in the power play, Devils forward
David Clarkson got in front of Quick to try to tip in a slap shot from the point
by Marek Zidlicky.
Off the faceoff in the Kings' zone with 2:22 remaining, Quick makes a save
on Salvador's shot then Clarkson's attempt on the rebound deflected wide.
Kings kill off the penalty.
At the end of the first, Kings lead 1-0 and the teams are tied 5-5 in shots.
But Clarkson did not get enough of his stick on the puck, and Quick stopped
it. Later, Clarkson had a chance to shovel the puck past Quick but sent his
shot over the goal.
SECOND PERIOD
The Devils had a second power play in the second period but did not even
manage a shot.
Devils still without a shot 5:30 into the period, Kings with two.
“We’re not going to give up — it’s just the first game,” said Devils forward
Ilya Kovalchuk, who had only one shot on goal. “It’s just the first game.”
Now the Devils will be devising ways to chip pucks past the Kings’ defense
and challenge Quick a little more in Game 2 on Saturday. Brodeur
described it as a “feel-out game” for both teams. But the Kings left the
arena with the series lead.
The Devils lost series openers to Philadelphia and the Rangers but rallied
to win each series. Kovalchuk said the Devils simply failed to put the puck
in the right places Wednesday.
“It’s one game,” Brodeur said. “It’s disappointing,” He added: “It’s in reach.
We’ve got to be better.”
Devils break up Brown's centering pass for Anze Kopitar.
Brodeur makes a save on Justin WIlliams' fluttering shot from the blue line.
Devils still without a shot eight minutes in.
Ryan Carter goes down hard to the ice and into the boards after being
taken down by Jarret Stoll, which earns the Devils a power play 8:31 into
the period after he takes a tripping penalty.
Kings kill off the power play.
Devils still without a shot with 8:17 remaining.
Brodeur makes save on Jeff Carter and on the rush the other way Adam
Henrique's shot goes wide.
Zubrus goes to the box for holding with 6:37 remaining and the Kings go on
the power play. Devils still without a shot this period.
632813
New Jersey Devils
Stanley Cup Finals Game 1 Devils - Kings: As they play
The Devils finally get a shot on goal, with 5:30 remaining, though it was
actually Parise losing control of the puck and it slid to Quick.
Quick makes a glove save on Zubrus, coming out of the box, who tries to
go high but rebuffed with 4:30 left.
With two minutes to go, Parise and Quick get entangled but no call.
Mike Vorkunov
Stanley Cup Finals Game 1
The Devils' run here has been unexpected but sweet. They came in as a
six-seed, were taken to seven games by Florida in the first round but then
found their stride in dispatching Philadelphia in five and the Rangers in six.
Now the Devils are looking for their fourth Stanley Cup since 1995, in their
fifth finals appearance. It may allow Martin Brodeur to walk off into the
sunset a champion.
The Devils tie it up at 1-1 with 1:12 remaining. After Elias's centering pass
after a wrap around rolls around the boards to Anton Volchenkov, the
defenseman shoots, Quick makes the save, but the rebound bounces off of
a King in front and in.
UPDATE: Goal has been awarded to Volchenkov. Elias with the assist.
With two periods in the books, the Devils and Kings are tied 1-1. Kings lead
in shots 14-9.
Star Ledger LOADED: 05.30.2012
632814
New Jersey Devils
Devils' Jeff Vanderbeek close to refinancing team's debt, commissioner
says
Rich Chere/
NHL commisssioner Gary Bettman said today that Devils owner Jeff
Vanderbeek is moving closer to keeping control of the club by refinancing
the franchise’s debts.
Bettman, speaking to the media before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals,
said it appears Vanderbeek will not be forced to relinquish his shares in the
Devils despite the fact the team owes approximately $80 million in debts.
He also indicated that July 1 is not the deadline to settle debt and
ownership issues and indicated the deadline is some time after that date.
“The New Jersey situation, as we understand it at its most up to date point,
is that Jeff Vanderbeek is working to both refinance the debt on the club
and equity raise and he appears to be fairly confident that he can pull this
off in the next few weeks,” Bettman said.
632815
New Jersey Devils
Stanley Cup fever sweeps through Newark as Devils suit up for Game 1
Tomas Dinges
NEWARK — As Devils fans prepared for Newark's first Stanley Cup Finals
hosting, the aptly named Hell's Kitchen Lounge was beginning to surge.
The energy was palpable in the bar located just two blocks from the
Prudential Center as a sea of red began to flow into the place, sans a Los
Angeles Kings fan who was jeered by the crowd for donning the opposing
jersey. A fan was also seen toting a two-foot tall makeshift Stanley Cup
made out of Styrofoam and aluminum foil.
"This is the calm before the storm," said Leroy Simoes, 29, a bar manager.
“Since I’ve been in touch with the banks on a regular basis we seem to be
on track.”
As patrons sat for pregame dinner, bar owner Kelly Moraes said she was
excited that the Devils made it this far, especially in the Brick City.
Bettman also said a story in the New York Post suggesting the Los Angeles
Kings are for sale is not true.
"It makes me proud," she said. "Especially because you don't think of
Newark as being the home of the Stanley Cup."
Updating several issues, Bettman said labor talks with the NHL Players’
Association could begin in the next few weeks. The current collective
bargaining agreement expires Sept. 15.
Bill Wainwright, a bar-goer who is attending his 12th Devils playoff game
tonight, said he is calm despite the tension in the previous series.
“We have yet to formally begin discussions with the union. However, I
understand the union is now prepared to begin talks and we’re in the
process of trying to set up dates,” Bettman said. “It is my hope that
negotiations can begin soon and culminate quickly so that attention can
remain where it belongs and where everyone wants it to remain. And that is
on the game.”
Estimates talks could begin in small groups in the next few weeks.
The commissioner disputed predictions that there will almost certainly be a
lockout, most likely to Thanksgiving, before there is a new CBA in place. So
if somebody is suggesting it, it’s either because there’s something in the
water, people still have the NBA and NFL on the brain or they’re just looking
for news on a slow day because it is nothing more than speculation at this
point because there can’t be an substance to it because there haven’t been
any substantive negotiations.”
“I don’t understand both the speculation and the degree of negativity that it
connotes, considering that we— meaning the league and Players’
Association—have yet to have a substantiative discussion on what we nay
each be looking for in collective bargaining,” Bettman said.
"It's all about Game 1," he said, noting that the Kings have lost only two
games in the three series. "I'm pumped."
Wainwright will sport a suit and a plain red tie for the game tonight.
From Texas, with love
Outside the southeastern entrance of Prudential Center around 6:30 p.m.,
as three long lines of fans eagerly awaited their first steps into hockey
world, two fans walked around the corner.
"What time is it?" Will Doan, 24, asked his friend. It was a pertinent
question, and not just because the gates were about to open. Doan and his
friend, Tim Skupien, 20, had just driven 24 hours from Dallas to see the
Devils play. "I'm here to embrace myself with all the other 18,000 devils
fans," Doan said. "24 hours, definitely worth it"
The pair left Dallas in their 2006 Toyota Corolla at 11 p.m. Monday night.
They arrived at 12 a.m. Wednesday morning. Doan, a Rockaway native and
his co-pilot, a lifelong Texan and Dallas Stars fan, drove 1,600 miles,
stopping only three times for gas.
"I don't need much sleep." Doan said. "I'm pumped."
He said the issue of NHL players taking part in the next winter Olympics is
not a negotiating issue and wouldn’t confirm that the climate may be more
favorable now to avoiding a work stoppage than it was in 2004.
Doors opened at 6:30 for ticket holders.
“I don’t want to be presumptuous and characterize where we may or may
not be right now because we haven’t begun the formal exercise,” he said.
“But if you go back in history, one of the reasons we wound up where we
did, we had told the executive director then of the union (Bob Goodenow)
four years in advance the systemic problems that had become obvious to
us at the time. And we were struggling mightily for a long period of time.
Although the Prudential Center is filled mainly with Devils fans, there are
some Kings fans on hand for the game as well.
“At that time the union was aware of it and chose to do nothing about it.
We’re in a completely different situation. There’s a new executive director
(Donald Fehr) who’s gotten himself up to speed, new people and new
relationships. Time will tell how this all sorts out. I’m hopeful that it sorts out
easily because labor peace is preferable to the alternate.”
Sotello and her husband Stephen are part of a small handful of Los Angeles
fans making their presence known around the arena. The couple arrived to
New Jersey from Los Angeles at 7:30 a.m. today and will be leaving
Thursday at 6:30 a.m.
Bettman spoke of attendance and revenue this season.
“During the regular season we played to nearly 96 percent of capacity and
attracted about 21.5 million people. We’re at nearly 102 percent for the
playoffs,” he said.
“In the face of what remains a challenged economy, we estimate that we
did $3.3 million worth of business, which is another records for revenues for
us.”
He said the league saw a modest decline in concussions, the first time in
three years they have declined.
Kings fans hold their own
Wearing a signed Kings jersey Roxanne Sotello shrugged off the mostly
good-natured heckles and boos from Devils fans.
"Bring it on, we are here for the game" she said in response.
"There are some of us," said Stephen. "It's the cup."
If the series goes six of seven games, the pair will consider returning to
Newark.
Signing a piece of history
In a packed courtyard, just steps from where television anchors were
broadcasting around the nation, Devils fans lined up to sign their names on
a giant, white letter D and write special messages to their favorite New
Jersey players.
Fans handed off permanent markers outside the arena as a Bruce
Springsteen cover band played and fans drank beer and ate food in
preparation for the 8 p.m. start.
Alex Kohatsu, 33, has been coming to devils games since the team's
inception. As he wrote his name on the 7-foot-high D, the Paterson native
got emotional and thought of those first games. "You get chills," he said "It's
a long time coming." He wrote his name and he also wrote "since the
beginning."
Game time!
As 8 p.m. rolled around, the hubbub outside the arena slowed to a close as
vendors and straggling fans alike hurried inside for the long-awaited puck
drop.
The face-painter, who estimated he had decorated 200 faces during the
pregame packed up for the night. The program vendor, who sold around
100 programs gathered his remaining booklets and headed inside.
Also rushing in for the game was Newark Mayor Cory Booker, who arrived
in time for the drop with his entourage.
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New Jersey Devils
Stanley Cup and its keeper, Mike Bolt, have seen the world and much more
Mike Vorkunov/
This is the life Mike Bolt leads. The one that’s taken him around the world
as the gatekeeper of the most prized silverware in sports. The one that has
him as the Stanley Cup’s own Secret Service. He’s not quite needed to take
a bullet but perhaps a dive into the pool. A Toronto Maple Leafs fan reborn
as a besuited transient with 30 favorite teams.
He’s the man with 1,000 stories. All hysterical or poignant. All ones he’s told
1,000 times before.
And wait — don’t go — he’s got one more.
Hockey stars, Presidents, celebrities, rockers — he’s met them all. But
that’s not why he loves his job.
“I get to ride its coat tails,” Mike said. “It’s all about the Cup. It’s so cool.”
He’s seen Ray Bourque go to sleep with the Cup and wake up with it too,
because how else would you spend a night with something you’ve been
chasing for 22 years?
He’s been there with Lightning GM Jay Feaster in 2004 when they went
onto a space shuttle six months before launch.
And when the Niedermayer brothers took it to the top of Bull Mountain in
British Columbia in 2007, it was Mike who handed Rob the Cup on the
ground as the helicopter hovered feet above because there was nowhere to
land.
The 2008 Malibu house party at Chris Chelios’ house? With Kid Rock and
Sylvester Stallone and Ray Liotta and Cuba Gooding Jr. — and Tom Hanks
crashing just to sneak a look at the Cup. He was there, awestruck.
“I could sit there and name drop all day. It was July 4th weekend and it was
awesome.”
Where hasn’t Mike been?
Where hasn’t the Cup been? It’s had its adventures.
On ski lifts and the flight deck of the Atlantis space shuttle. It’s gone fishing
and golfing. On the back of sea-doo with Sydney Crosby, him in black life
jacket and the Cup safely fitted in yellow on the fresh waters of Nova
Scotia. He’s been on the back of Harley with its own specially engineered
seatbelt and in the balcony for a Pearl Jam concert.
But the Cup does have its limits. Mike had to turn down parachuting and
when it went into Mario Lemieux’s pool, Mike had to fish it out and then
gave him an earful. Chlorine makes it blotchy. Seawater too. Mike learned
that the hard way the summer after Carolina won when it turned black for a
moment.
That’s why he’s nearby to always clean it up.
Ice cream sundaes (Doug Weight makes a great one), poutine, lobster
bisque, spaghetti and meatballs, thai food, soy sauce, popcorn, beer,
champagne, milk, apple juice, wine spritzers, margaritas. The Cup always
needs a rinse.
There is the time he was in Kandahar, Afghanistan on a trip to bring the
Cup to the troops and he went inside to the barracks while everybody left.
Then sirens started to wail and jets rumbled overhead. What did Mike do?
He took a seat on the black case that carries the Cup, with three barely stillon-there “Fragile” stickers peeling off the three-foot long box, holding the
silver beacon inside of its purple velvet walls, and he just read a magazine.
Then he took a shower.
Picture him with a garden hose in Brodeur’s driveway, soap and a rag
nearby. Or it in the shower after a long day – the Cup’s got a midnight
curfew now.
And when everyone returned, military officers and former hockey players,
they asked where he’d been.
“They’re all fun in a way because it’s a special moment for them,” Mike said.
“It’s neat to be a fly on the wall and get to see and hear everything.”
Right here, on top of this Cup, of course.
“Holy crap, you’re dedicated to your job,” they said to him.
But favorites — he doesn’t play that game. No trip is better than another
and he doesn’t root for teams anymore. The Cup has taken him to places
he could never imagine and he’s just waiting for the next trip.
That’s how the world spins for Mike. He used to own a store in Toronto,
selling cowboy boots and western apparel of all things. He closed it down in
the mid '90s and wondered what he would do next. A friend suggested a job
opening in the Hockey Hall of Fame. So, in 1995, he took it. Five years
later, he’s one of four chaperones for the Stanley Cup, accompanying it for
250 of its 320 days on the road.
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The Cup has been in Siberia, Russia’s Arctic Circle, Finland, Slovakia,
Belarus, Germany, England, and 49 states except for Hawaii. He’s been
just about everywhere too.
His first summer on this job, the Devils won their second championship. It
was the summer of 2000 and his first deploy was to a northern Michigan
peninsula with Randy McKay. He held a keg party for the crew that built his
house. So Mike was there.
He was there with Patrik Elias and Petr Sykora in the Czech Republic, for
two straight days, VIP treatment right off the plane. An entire country
celebrating its native sons and the glorious prize they brought home.
Then he was in Montreal, the city genuflecting over Martin Brodeur. And
three years later, he was in Quebec, in Brodeur’s cottage when the Devils’
goaltender decided this time he’d let the people come to him.
“I always joke I’m a professional dishwasher,” he said. “If you’re going to be
a dishwasher, might as well clean the best cup in the world.”
Memories, yeah, he’s had a few.
New Jersey Devils
Will Cory Booker be too busy to attend Devils home games in Stanley Cup
Finals?
David Giambusso
NEWARK — He’s tweeted their praises. He did a celebratory dance when
they won the conference finals.
And if the New Jersey Devils win the Stanley Cup, Newark Mayor Cory
Booker said he will even throw them a parade.
But after uttering words of praise for the team as they entered the Stanley
Cup finals tonight, Booker hedged when asked if he would actually attend
any games. First he said he had a speech in Washington and couldn’t make
it to Game 1. When a reporter pointed out the speech wasn’t until Friday, he
said he would attend.
the Prudential Center in Newark Tuesday, one day before Game 1 of the
series against the Los Angeles Kings. Video by MIke Roy / The Star-Ledger
As Newark plays host to one of the largest pro-sporting events in its history,
Booker is in the midst of a precarious dance as he acts as a cheerleader for
the city and the team only weeks after a vitriolic dispute over revenue
sharing at The Rock.
"Obviously it's been a pretty rough season for me personally. I'm very
happy to be here playing in the finals," Josefson said today.
"We’re having a Stanley Cup playoff in Newark, New Jersey," Booker said.
"I mean, nobody can be anything but thrilled about that."
But in April Booker stood outside of the Devils home, the Prudential Center,
and called the team’s principal owner Jeff Vanderbeek a huckster, hustler
and bamboozler after a panel of arbitrators upheld a lease agreement
between the team and the city that Booker had long decried as lopsided
and unfair.
He vowed not to set foot in the arena until the dispute was settled to his
liking — a vow he has already broken three times this month.
Now, as the Devils are poised to make Newark history, Booker is tasked
with promoting the city and the team while the bitterness of two months ago
still lingers.
"The city comes first and like every other leader you’ve got to put aside
personal wounds and personal differences. You support your city," said Al
Koeppe, chairman of the Economic Development Authority and a leading
voice in Newark business. "That’s the price of playing poker when you run a
big organization," he said.
Koeppe was involved in years of contentious negotiations between the city
and the arena and was among several people questioning the wisdom of
Booker’s recent diatribe.
The answer is Yes, be there in a couple of hours RT @njdotcom: Will Cory
Booker attend a #NJDevils game?
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) May 30, 2012
"I wouldn’t be surprised if he had supported the opponents, but that
wouldn’t have been well-received at all," Koeppe said today.
Vanderbeek declined to comment on the mayor’s support, but Devils fans
said they were glad to hear Booker and Vanderbeek would bury the hatchet
for now.
"We’ve done three parking lots. We deserve a parade," said Mike Castagno
who with his wife Jess, trekked form Shrewsbury to the arena hours before
game time tonight.
After winning championships in 1995, 2000 and 2003 the Devils had a
parade in the parking lot of their then-home, The Meadowlands.
"We didn’t have a city then," Castagno, 27, said. "Now we have a city. Even
if the mayor and owner are feuding, they’ll get over it."
Despite ambivalence about attending games today, Booker promised the
team and the fans whatever they wanted if the Devils take home the cup.
"If the Devils win I’m willing to do whatever the Devils want to do in terms of
a celebration," Booker said.
632818
He missed the first two rounds of the playoffs against the Panthers and
Flyers before making his Stanley Cup debut in Game 4 of the conference
finals against the Rangers. He has appeared in three playoff games.
Josefson said the Stanley Cup finals are "pretty big" in Sweden, where a lot
of friends will be watching. Josefson's mother and father, and one of his
brothers, is in New Jersey.
He said he saw the Cup a few years ago.
"I saw it in the Hall of Fame (in Toronto) a couple years ago. I was there
with the (Swedish) national team," Josefson said. "I haven't touched it yet.
"I'm very excited. There is a lot of excitement. It will be really fun to go out
there and play."
632819
New Jersey Devils
Devils hot topic: What about the Kings scares you most?
NJ.com Staff
We know, we know. You've read the headline and your immediate reaction
is going to be "Nothing!" OK, then suppose it has to be something. What
about facing the Kings in the Stanley Cup Finals scares you most, Devils
fans?
Is it their undefeated road record in the postseason? Their vaunted penalty
kill, which has garnered more short-handed goals than power-play goals
allowed?
Maybe it's their personnel -- their depth on offense? A skill player such as
Anze Kopitar or Mike Richards? Goalie Jonathan Quick and his 1.54 playoff
GAA?
Tell us -- and, in doing so, you may be enlightening some other fans about
the Kings -- what about Los Angeles scares you most. Drop down to the
comments section and post your thoughts.
632820
New Jersey Devils
Ilya Kovalchuk says Stanley Cup finals against Kings is biggest stage of his
career
Mike Vorkunov
New Jersey Devils
Devils' Jacob Josefson feels lucky to be playing after tough season
Ilya Kovalchuk admits there's a different feeling this morning. He's hours
away from the first Stanley Cup finals game of his career, the Game 1 of
the 2012 series against the Los Angeles Kings, and the biggest game he's
ever played in the NHL. Yeah, he's a little nervous.
Rich Chere/
It's definitely not just another game.
After fracturing his left wrist on April 3, Devils center Jacob Josefson wasn't
sure he'd get a chance to play again this season.
Devils coach Peter DeBoer talks about Zach Parise and Martin Brodeur
New Jersey Devils head coach Peter DeBoer talks with members of the
press about Devils players Zach Parise and Martin Brodeur during Media
Day at the Prudential Center in Newark Tuesday, one day before Game 1
of the Stanley Cup Final series against the Los Angeles Kings. Video by
MIke Roy / The Star-Ledger
So playing in the Stanley Cup finals is a bonus for the young Swede.
Stanley Cup Finals: Devils players share thoughts during Media Day New
Jersey Devils players (Marek Zidlicky, Henrik Tallinder, Adam Larsson,
Martin Brodeur, Zach Parise etc.) talked with members of the press about
several topics, including keys to the game, their health, their opponent and
general excitement for making the Stanley Cup Finals during Media Day at
"No, it's a little different," he said. "But we didn't do any different. The same
routine and everything but you feel that kind of pressure. That's nice that we
start at home. We can't wait to get here tonight and get in front of our home
crowd."
For him the feeling is reminiscent of a certain holiday and it's not Christmas.
"For me, New Years is a big holiday," he said of the day colloquially dubbed
Russian Christmas back home (and as evidenced by this photograph of a
young Kovalchuk). "It's a little different. It's great."
Kovalchuk is the NHL's leading scorer in the postseason with 18 points -among that total are seven goals -- in 17 games. He's played in the
Olympics and the World Championships already in his career, but he says
those don't quite compare.
"It's great," Kovalchuk said. "It's fun and it's going to begin tonight. It's the
biggest stage of my career and I've never been here before. It's great and
an unbelievable feeling. I'm ready to go."
632821
New Jersey Devils
Patrik Elias and Ilya Kovalchuk both admitted feeling nerves.
"Yes. There's a lot at stake here," Elias said. "Come on, it's the Stanley Cup
finals. It hasn't happened in a long time for us. This is an exciting time to be
a New Jersey Devil. We want to do well. It's going to be nerve-racking for
everyone -- families, players fans. Once the puck is dropped you have to
calm yourself down and focus on the job."
Parise said the day felt a little different.
"A little bit with everybody in (the dressing room) right now and standing on
a box," he said as he spoke from a wooden platform. "Our meetings and
preparation this morning has been the same. I'm sure once we get to the
rink tonight the nerves will be a little different than every other game. So far
it's been the same."
The opportunity to win the Cup is huge for Parise.
Nets will need more than the No. 1 pick to convince Deron Williams to stay,
according to report
"You don't know if you'll get the opportunity ever again. I think (Dainius
Zubrus) made it his rookie year and hasn't been back since," he said. "You
don't know if you'll ever get close again. So for everybody it means a lot and
we want to take advantage of it."
Colin Stephenson
Elias has won before, but he is enjoying another chance.
Deron Williams greets a fan after the Nets' final game in New Jersey. The
free agent-to-be won't be swayed to re-sign the Nets if they win the NBA
draft lottery tonight, according to a report.
The Nets have a 7.5 percent chance of winning the NBA lottery tonight and
getting the first pick in the draft and the right to select presumptive top
choice Anthony Davis, the center from Kentucky. Even if that happens, it
alone won't be enough to convince free agent point guard Deron Williams to
re-sign with the Nets this summer, according to a Yahoo Sports report.
"It's great. It's exciting," Elias said. "That last game was probably one of the
most exciting experiences for me in a long long time ... regarding hockey.
You forget how good it feels to beat some of the teams and get this far. This
is great. I'm enjoying it.
"We're ready to play. This is a fun time. We don't know exactly what to
expect because we don't get to see each other. We don't know each other
that well.There is not a big history between these two teams. But we know
what's at stake here and both teams are going to be ready."
To some, beating the Rangers might have been enough. Not to the Devils.
The report, quoting an unnamed person, said Williams isn't inclined to wait
for Davis, a 6-10 shotblocker and rebounding machine, to develop. Instead,
the Nets free agent is in favor of the team acquiring Orlando Magic center
Dwight Howard.
"It felt good to beat the Flyers. It felt good to beat the Rangers," Elias said.
"Those two teams were the top two teams in the East all year. For us to
move on was great. We have one more step. That was kind of a buildup to
give us confidence to kind of figure out what we're all about."
"It's Dwight Howard or bust,'' the report quotes the unnamed source as
saying.
*The Devils and Kings are both strong forechecking teams.
Howard, according to the report, regrets waiving the early termination
option on his contract at the trade deadline and now hopes to be traded
before next season begins. The report suggests if the Nets do win the
lottery, they might be best served trading Davis' rights to Orlando as part of
a package to get Howard and therefore, keep Williams.
"I believe so. I've always been a believer that you have to have great
offense and play with speed, forecheck and be aggressive," Parise said. "I
don't think it's much of a coincidence that the last two teams playing are
that style."
The draft lottery is tonight at 8 p.m. in New York.
632822
New Jersey Devils
That, in fact, may be the key to the success of both clubs.
Coach Pete DeBoer said the Kings will be tough to slow down.
"You watch them on tape and I don't think you get a real appreciation for
what we're dealing with with their speed and their size," DeBoer said. "I
won't know that until tonight.
Devils will have no problem building up animosity towards Kings
"I can tell you, you look at Philadelphia's forwards and they're a pretty good
group. Florida's forwards maybe didn't have the high-end skill but they were
four lines deep. We've dealt with some good forecheck and some good
forward teams this year. Are these guys in a different league? I don't know.
We'll know at 8 o'clock tonight."
Rich Chere/
Parise offered his view of cracking the L.A. defense.
After facing the Rangers, will the Devils be able to build up a level of
animosity against the Los Angeles Kings?
"Probably, just given the circumstances," Devils captain Zach Parise said
today. "I don't know if there is much of a feeling-out period as there would
be during the regular season. I think you have to hate your opponent right
away and I don't think that's going to be a problem for either side."
It is surprising how many Devils are nervous as Game 1 of the Stanley Cup
finals approaches.
"The Rangers were one of the best defensive teams all season, so they
made it very hard for us," he said. "L.A. is the same. You try not to change
anything and play to your strengths. I guess if things don't work you make
adjustments. We'll see how it goes for the first game."
*Parise said he texted Kings captain Dustin Brown after L.A. defeated
Phoenix.
"He did the same after we beat the Rangers and that was it," Parise said.
Although he has shaved periodically during the postseason, Parise is now
keeping his beard. The Devils haven't lost a game since he stopped
shaving.
632823
New Jersey Devils
Doc Emrick to call Devils games once again in Stanley Cup finals
Mike Vorkunov/
because that’s the team they probably know less about. These guys have
been around the horn a few times and have been prominent before -especially Marty (Brodeur) and (Patrik) Elias – but Kings players have not."
The timing of it all isn't lost on Doc Emrick. The man with the voice that
turns a hockey game into poetry sees the coincidence of the Devils'
postseason run this spring. In his first year away from his former job as their
TV play-by-play man for the MSG Network, he will call their Stanley Cup
Finals games.
632824
New Jersey Devils
Devils' Pete DeBoer to those who wanted Rangers in finals: 'Tough luck'
Rich Chere/
Devils coach Pete DeBoer was asked what he had to say to those who
wanted a Kings-Rangers Stanley Cup finals.
And, perhaps, call them raising the Cup.
“Tough luck,” DeBoer said with a smile.
"It’s ironic," he noted Tuesday, standing on the second level of the
Prudential Center.
Devils coach Peter DeBoer talks about Zach Parise and Martin Brodeur
New Jersey Devils head coach Peter DeBoer talks with members of the
press about Devils players Zach Parise and Martin Brodeur during Media
Day at the Prudential Center in Newark Tuesday, one day before Game 1
of the Stanley Cup Final series against the Los Angeles Kings. Video by
MIke Roy / The Star-Ledger
He spent 21 years calling Devils games -- and 23 for the MSG Network. In
that time he was there for three Stanley Cups and four Finals. He saw
Martin Brodeur age and the organization stand firm under Lou Lamoriello's
guidance. When his contract ran out this summer, Emrick decided not to
renew it and call a lightened schedule with NBC and the NBC Sports
Network.
They own the television broadcast rights to the Finals, so here the two meet
again.
"It’s an ironical thing but you can’t let it change your approach to what
you’re doing," Emrick said. "The fortunate thing is that MSG Network, all
those years, the content they found in our Devils shows was 70/30 but the
tone had to be down the middle because we’re in New York and their point
was that objectivity is very important to the New York audience. So I got a
lot of practice of doing that in covering the team. You’d be a pretty cold fish
if you didn’t care about individual players succeeding or failing and so
there’s that.
"But there are some guys on the Kings that I feel the same way about. So
you wind up cheering for this sport and individuals. The sad thing is that you
can’t allow yourself to be a fan of a team. The only team that I’m a fan of is
the (Pittsburgh) Pirates – because that’s not my sport. It will come out in
black and white in print as sounding odd but back all through those years, it
was the same way in ’95. You’re just not allowed that privilege. If you were
wearing a jersey and paid for the price of admission, of course you would
be."
This isn't the first time that Emrick will call Devils Stanley Cup Finals games.
That happened in 1995 when he was did so with Fox, alongside John
Davidson. The network split the series with ESPN and Game 4 just
happened to land in their laps. The Devils swept the Detroit Red Wings that
year. In 2000 and 2003, Emrick was only doing pre- and postgame shows
for the MSG Network.
"This time, barring anything unusual in my life, I should be around for
whatever, whenever either team clinches," Emrick said. "But it’s fun to be
around guys that you have a backlog of stories for anyway. But the best
time for me is when the Kings get here because I’ve got three or four guys I
want to ask about."
Therein lies the fun for Emrick, his voice rising ever so slightly as he talks of
the Kings -- who are unseen by most eyes outside of the West. He has as
much interest in unraveling the story behind Los Angeles' run to this point
as telling that of the Devils.
He has only called one Kings game so far, in St. Louis, and he is intrigued
by them. It only took two minutes into the interview to conversationally drop
the fact that Kings' forward Kyle Clifford grew up on a horse farm, repairing
tractors.
"That’s one of the things that I hope to do," Emrick said. "I know our crew
has been producing a lot of tape on the Kings, too. Because it’s not entirely
for the New York area but it’s for anywhere in the Eastern time zone and
the Central. Where, unless their teams see the Kings come in, people in
some of the regions that our game goes to won’t know a whole lot about
their players. There’s nothing wrong with that but it’s our object to tell them
more, not only about the New Jersey players, but also about the Kings
DeBoer said there would be no lineup changes for the Devils in Game 1
against the Kings. That means defenseman Peter Harrold will remain in
while Adam Larsson and Henrik Tallinder are scratches. Forward Petr
Sykora will not play.
The coach also said one key for his team is trying to keep the finals as
normal as possible.
"I don't think you change anything," DeBoer explained. "That's the big part.
The natural reaction when you talk to people is you have to pull out these
great speeches and change the way you've done things.
"Part of the thing we do well here is it's business as usual. We try not to
change the routine. I'm not planning on pulling out any great speeches.
We've done our preparation. We're a workmanlike team and we'll be ready
to play."
Business as usual?
"You try to," captain Zach Parise said. "There's a lot of us who haven't been
here before. That's where you rely on the guys that have been here before
to help everyone out and calm everyone down. But I think for us, we just
have to keep doing what's working for us. It's easy to say, but you just try
and go about our business the same way."
DeBoer looked to the experience of others.
"The one advantage I think our organization has here is the experience we
have from the top down, starting with our general manager and president.
He's been there and seen it all," DeBoer said of Lou Lamoriello. "He's won
and lost. Filtering down there are my assistant coaches like Larry Robinson
and the nine Cups he's won as a player and coach. We have a wealth of
experience all the way through the organization right to the locker room.
We've got that in abundance. It makes my job easy."
Some players are nervous, but not DeBoer.
“I’m just excited. You want to play. You’re tired of waiting around. You’re
tired of looking at film. You’re tired of practicing,” DeBoer said. “It’s anxious
energy and whatever I’m feeling I’m sure it’s double for the players.”
One year ago, DeBoer was out of work and hadn't yet gotten a call yet from
Lou Lamoriello.
"Like most unemployed guys, you're sitting at home wondering where
you're goiong to work next," DeBoer recalled. "You're thinking about your
future, talking about selling your house. It seems humorous now, but when
you go through something like that it's not,
"I have a rock solid wife I thought kept me in a good place through that time.
It wasn't that long ago."
DeBoer thinks the Devils could have an advantage because the Kings were
off much longer between series.
"I don't know. It gave us an advantage against Philly, I thought, in Game 1. I
thought we were the sharper team to start that game even though we lost. I
believe we outshot them," he said. "We ended up losing that game. We ran
out of gas, but I thought we were the sharper team in Game 1 probably due
to the long layoff they had.
"At the same time, it depends how you handle the layoff. I'm sure they're
going to be very aware of not being stale. Knowing Darryl (Sutter) I don't
expect they'll have any rust on them."
The experts and the public may not be picking the Devils to beat the Kings
in the Stanley Cup, but isn't that an oh-so-familiar theme this postseason?
After picking the Devils to beat the Panthers, Flyers and Rangers in the
previous three rounds, Star-Ledger beat writer Rich Chere is going with the
Kings in 7.
And he's not alone.
The Devils are ready to face Kings goalie Jonathan Quick.
Can you find New Jersey in the ESPN poll and map image to the right?
There's an overwhelming amount of Kings backing around the United
States. But, hey, that doesn't mean they'll be right.
"We've seen this before," DeBoer noted. "Last round we had (Henrik)
Lundqvist. This isn't anything new. For us the same things apply as trying to
get some goals past Lundqvist, You have to get traffic, you have to get
bodies, you have to get shots through and you can't get frustrated.
Devils fans, you've seen this team play the entire regular season and
playoffs, and you know them as well as anyone. So we want your Game 1
and your series predictions.
"Lundqvist shut us out two of the first three games in that series despite, I
thought, a pretty significant territorial edge on our part. We stuck with it.
You're not going to get to guys like this easily. They're going to frustrate you
at different points in the series. It's battling through, but we have that
experience now. We got rewarded for taking that approach against
Lundqvist and we have to do the same thing here."
Who will win tonight and what will the Game 1 headlines be?
Parise agrees that Quick and Lundqvist are similar problems.
632827
"We all knew how well Lundqvist was playing going into the series. It's
similar with Quick. It's no secret that he's been one of the best all year, as
well," Parise said. "The theme is the same. You have to get shots to him.
You've got to make it hard and get some traffic in front of him and hopefully
get a couple by him early.
Montgomery High School group drums up support for Devils during Stanley
Cup run
"For our D it's so important to try and shoot for deflections. They did a great
job last series. We had a lot of deflection and rebound goals. It's a lot
tougher for a goalie to stop a deflection. It's our responsibility, too, to get
there as forwards and have our sticks available."
Who will win the series and how many games will it take? And why stop
there? Who will capture the Conn Smythe Trophy? Drop down to the
comments section below to make your predictions.
New Jersey Devils
Stephen Stirling/
NEWARK — It starts with a big hit.
632825
New Jersey Devils
Devils hold optional morning skate before Game 1 of Stanley Cup finals
A New Jersey Devils player lays out a member of another team. The crowd
at the Prudential Center cheers wildly, but disjointedly.
For a group of Montgomery High School students, it’s time to go to work.
Their drumsticks strike their polyethylene drum heads in perfect rhythm.
Thwack. Thwack. Thwack-thwack-thwack. Let’s go Dev-ils.
Rich Chere
The Devils held an optional morning skate today as they awaited Game 1 of
the Stanley Cup finals against the Los Angeles Kings.
Marek Zidlicky is the only player who did not skate.
Zach Parise-Travis Zajac-Dainius Zubrus
Alexei Ponikarovsky-Adam Henrique-Ilya Kovalchuk
Patrik Elias-Jacob Josefson-David Clarkson
Ryan Carter-Stephen Gionta-Steve Bernier
Andy Greene-Mark Fayne
Bryce SalvadorAnton Volchenkov-Peter Harrold
Adam Larsson, Henrik Tallinder, Eric Boulton and Cam Janssen skated with
the AHL players.
632826
New Jersey Devils
Stanley Cup hot topic: Make your Devils-Kings Game 1 and series
predictions
This group of teenagers, who two months ago hadn’t played to an audience
larger than a high school football game, now lead a crowd of 17,625. And
tonight, they’ll do it for hockey’s marquee event — the Stanley Cup Finals.
"It’s probably the best thing that’s ever happened to me," said Andrew Hill,
16. "To hear 16 to 17 thousand people follow what I’m doing, it’s just
amazing."
Since the beginning of the National Hockey League playoffs, Hill and four
other members of the Montgomery High School marching band’s drum line
have become the head cheerleaders during Devils home games. They
parade around the arena before and after games, with hordes of cheering
fans in tow. During games, they are perched above section 108 and have
led chants for the crowd at all but one of the Devils’ home playoff games as
the team has made its first run to the Stanley Cup Finals since 2003.
The team has only lost one game since the drum line began appearing at
The Rock.
Montgomery High School Drum Line energizes New Jersey Devils fans at
The Prudential Center The Montgomery High School drum line has been
supporting the New Jersey Devils during this year's NHL playoff run. The
entire school band performed in March and a small group of drummers
were invited back to help energize the fans. The group of five drummers
perform below section 208 along the corner of the upper concourse and
also march through the arena before each game. The drum line will perform
again at the Prudential Center during the Stanley Cup finals with the Devils
facing the Kings of Los Angeles. (Video by Andre Malok / The Star-Ledger)
"It has really made a difference," said James Cole, a longtime season ticket
holder from Verona who sits above the boys in section 208. "Since they
came in, there’s a new sense of motivation in the crowd. I feel like they’ve
brought not only our section, but the entire crowd closer together. It’s like a
family, and we’ve adopted them."
By NJ.com Staff
The partnership began in April at the start of the playoffs, when Devils’
staffers were looking for ways to amp up the crowd during home games.
The NHL prohibits music while the puck is in play. But drums? They’re just
fine.
The Devils arena entertainment team remembered that the Montgomery
High School marching band had played at a game in March. By the end of
the first round against the Florida Panthers, Hill, Sean Bates, Alex Jolly,
Karthik Boominathan, and Robby Stegman had become a fixture.
"It started off as an experiment," said Bob Sommer, a spokesman for Devils
arena entertainment. "But every element of this has been great. It is an
experiment that has exceeded beyond everything we could possibly have
imagined."
The feeling is mutual.
"It’s an opportunity that’s almost once in a lifetime," said JL Marshall, the
assistant band director and an English teacher at Montgomery who leads
the drummers during games. "Some of them were fans already, but the kids
who weren’t, I’ve watched them grow to become Devils fans."
Stegman said at first he thought playing the games would just be another
gig.
"It turned into something none of us ever expected," he said. "Now it just
fills us all with so much excitement to be here. It has turned me into a Devils
fan."
Hill, on the other hand, has been a fan since 2006. He has never seen the
team advance past the second round of the playoffs.
But tonight, he’ll not only be watching the Devils compete in his first Stanley
Cup Finals, he’ll be beating the war drums for an army of thousands lined
up behind him.
"It’s the best feeling in the world," he said.
632828
New Jersey Devils
Devils face much tougher road after losing Game 1 to Kings
Rich Chere
The road to the Cup became a lot tougher for the Devils.
Since the NHL introduced the best-of-seven format in 1939, teams winning
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals have gone on to win 76.4 percent of the
time (55 of 72 finals).
The Devils can be encouraged by the fact the Stanley Cup winners lost
Game 1 two of the last three years (Pittsburgh in 2011 and Boston last
year).
“We didn’t bring our best game for a chunk of the game,” defenseman
Bryce Salvador said.
Does losing in overtime hurt more?
“A loss is a loss,” Salvador said. “We’re not happy with the loss. We had
chances, but you don’t over analyze it.”
Dave D'Alessandro
Okay, now we get it — it’s not so much a surname as it is a descriptive
adjective.
It seems this is the way it’s going to be with Jonathan Quick, the
Connecticut kid who fills the Los Angeles Kings’ net and breaks hearts with
every blinding reflex. He didn’t play his greatest game last night, but this is
not going to be much solace to the Devils, who managed to get one puck
past him in 18 shots. And now they have to figure him out in a lot shorter
time than it took to figure out Henrik Lundqvist.
Whereas Lundqvist makes you overthink and overpass, Quick seemed to
get into the minds of shooters early and often, spending most of the night
on his knees, but butterflying his way into the Devils nightmares with
relentless aggression and forcing them into low shots that he often
devoured very easily.
“I didn’t know what to expect, because we haven’t played them for so long,”
Quick said after the Kings survived a 2-1 overtime brawl in Game 1 of the
Stanley Cup Finals. “I just went shift by shift, and when the team needed it,
I just tried to make a save.”
He yielded a second-period goal, after making the initial stop on an Anton
Volchenkov shot at the left point. But the rebound popped up and pinged off
defenseman Slava Voynov’s shoulder — somehow missing Patrik Elias,
stationed in front — and found its way past Quick into the net at 18:48.
“It’s a bounce,” Quick said. “That’s part of the game. I felt I played it the
right way.”
His greatest save was in the third period, with Zach Parise on his front
porch, trying to push it in with the heel of his stick. The goalie somehow
kept the door closed, so the Devils captain resorted to pawing it with his
hand — yes, literally — but the score was waved off.
And when Quick wasn’t sharp, he was lucky, which always helps.
In the first period, Travis Zajac had a shot from the slot, and fired it into
Quick’s right pad instead of looking to store it in the top shelf. David
Clarkson airmailed a rebound shot off Willie Mitchell’s stick after a drive by
Bryce Salvador, with Quick already down and committed and vulnerable.
That encounter with Parise also wouldn’t be his last. With the Devils center
already on the deck following a scramble, Quick mugged him with a knee
and a shove to the head that knocked Parise’s helmet off.
“Well, it was, uh I don’t know how, but he and I got tripped up a little bit,”
Quick said. “He ended up at my knees there — I don’t know if he was trying
to get to the net, but he grabbed me a little bit, so I gave him a little shove
back.”
That was the story of the game. The Kings hit and hit and hit until the Devils
awoke and shoved back.
But L.A. played with a confidence that seemed inspired by the hottest goalie
in the game right now.
“He’s just steady,” center Jarret Stoll said. “He sees pucks, he battles for
pucks, he’s down low, he’s up high, he’s all over the place.
“We know he’s going to be there when we need him, and he made a
couple of saves in the overtime coming across the crease that looked pretty
scary. But that’s Jonathan, he just calms us down back there.”
Patrik Elias on Anze Kopitar's winning goal in overtime:
So now the Devils have to figure him out.
"That was a bad mistake on that goal. It happens but it cannot happen at a
crucial time."
He said the Devils are not discouraged.
"No because we still could have won this game in overtime," Elias noted.
"We had a very average effort. We have to be better."
632829
New Jersey Devils
D'Alessandro: Devils need to find a solution for Kings goalie Jonathan
Quick
While being mindful that L.A. has learned something, too.
“They come hard at you, defensemen down the wall, they sustain pressure,
they have a great goalie,” said Mitchell, the outstanding Kings defenseman
who had four hits and a pair of takeaways. “They have the makings of a
great team. It was a battle, it was a grind. This game is supposed to be
hard, and it was tonight.”
Only they’ve won nine in a row on the road.
It’s supposed to be hard, and this one was, but someday we’re going to
look back on all this and wonder how anyone could win nine straight against
this level of competition.
“I think we outwork teams,” Quick said. “Whoever wins this series is the one
that outworks the other.”
We only know this much: The Kings are ready, willing and able to hit from
opening face-off to final horn to get what they want. And if there’s a slip up
along the way, they have a goalie who brought an obscene 1.54 goalsagainst average into Game 1, and that’s beginning to look a tad inflated.
632831
New Jersey Devils
Devils' Martin Brodeur says nerves played a part in Game 1 loss
This is the Devils’ final warning.
632830
Rich Chere/
New Jersey Devils
Devils offense sputters as Zach Parise, Ilya Kovalchuk struggle
Devils goalie Martin Brodeur admitted it hurt losing Game 1 of the Stanley
Cup finals to the Los Angeles Kings, particularly in overtime.
It ended when Anze Kopitar scored after 8:3 of OT.
Mike Vorkunov/
"All losses this time of year are really hard to take," Brodeur said. "Slowly
your dream is shutting down. We lost one game. Now there are six games
left in this series. They need to win three and we need to win four.
There was Zach Parise sprawling around the Kings net, desperate for any
chance to finally make his mark on the opening game of the Stanley Cup
Finals.
"We'd have taken the position of losing the first game of the Stanley Cup
finals if we were guaranteed to be here. It's a little cliched to say, but we're
fine. We didn't play our best game and we competed with them. They're a
good hockey team, there's no doubt, but there are things we can do a little
bit better to have success."
The Devils’ captain had been quiet to that point, outplayed by Dustin Brown
– his counterpart. Brown hadn’t scored but at least he threw his body
around, setting the tone for a rough and rumbling Game 1. All Parise had
done to that point was two shots on goal, one of which had accidentally slid
off of his stick and to the goal.
But there he was, his opportunity waiting, as the puck stayed in front of
Jonathan Quick. And all Parise could muster was to stick his glove out, from
the outside of the net, and knock the puck in over the goal line. For a
moment the Prudential Center erupted.
But the Devils, Brodeur insisted, are far from discouraged. They've come
from behind in all three playoff series.
"Every series has it's own story. We were excited to start. You could tell we
were a little nervous, especially in the first period in the way we played. I
thought we settled in pretty good after that.
"It was a little chess match and who was going to make a mistake. We
made the bigger one."
Quickly, after the officials reviewed the play and ruled that the Devils had
not struck, it was boos followed by a quiet murmur.
How could a team of veterans be nervous?
That would be the most conspicuous shift of the night for Parise and the
closest the Devils came to scoring again. Their offense struggled in their 21 overtime loss to the Kings, no different than their two stars – Parise and
Ilya Kovalchuk.
"It's the Stanley Cup finals. It's not that easy to go out and perform,"
Brodeur said. "You just wait and see what kind of atmosphere it's going to
be. Whether you've done it five times like me or it's the first time, you get
butterflies.
At least Parise had his moment, Kovalchuk could hardly say as much. He
registered just one shot on goal. The best opportunity he created may have
come five minutes into overtime, when his centering pass for Alexei
Ponikarovsky could not find a stick.
"I'm sure the Kings will tell you the same thing, that they felt a little nervous
at times also. That's what hockey is all about."
The Devils’ first shot of the second period was a long time coming and it
barely registered. It was accidental, a loose puck that slid off of Parise’s
stick and happened to slide over to Los Angeles Kings’ goaltender
Jonathan Quick.
“I think, people always tell us the forecheck is the key to our game and we
didn’t put the puck in the right places,” Kovalchuk said. “The puck was
bouncing all over the place and we never put the puck in.”
Kovalchuk and Parise both admitted nerves Wednesday morning. Parise is
in the final games of his contract. He has as much riding on this series as
anyone else on the team.
Kovalchuk compared the day to New Year’s – the equivalent of Russian
Christmas on his native calendar. He called it “the biggest stage of my
career” before the game. After playing in Olympics and World Champions,
he certainly understood where Wednesday night ranked.
And afterward, Kovalchuk also said nerves played a role in the Devils’ quiet
start. It was the first finals game of both his and Parise’s career, along with
a number of others.
“Yeah, but both teams in the same spot so it’s a bad excuse,” Kovalchuk
said. “So we have to be ready at start of the game.”
Parise’s early struggles waned by the third period and he seemed to play
nearer to the form he flashed in the latter half of the Eastern Conference
Finals. His beginning was marked by his own poor play as much as the
Kings’ defense.
“It was a combination,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “They were good. They
have been off for a while. We knew they would be good. Again, I thought
we were a little tentative early. I thought once we got comfortable we
started to play a little bit better.”
He looked back at the Eastern Conference finals.
"We got shut down by (Henrik) Lundqvist in Game 1 and came back
strong," he said.
"When you play a Western Conference team you don't know much about
them. This was a feel-out game. It's not like they dominated on the other
side."
Brodeur pointed out that it was not a riveting game for most of regulation.
"The ice was bad. We made turnovers. We panicked with the puck a lot. It
was just a tough game for everybody," he said. "On their side also. It was
kind of a weird game. Not too great for hockey, that's for sure. Not very
exciting."
Not good for the Devils, who need to win Game 2.
"It would be nice. This team hasn't lost on the road all playoff year," he said
of the 9-0 Kings. "They feel good about it. They're finding ways to win. We
have to get a win and that's going to be a tough loss for them if we're able
to get them.
"How are they going to react to that? We've got to put that doubt in their
minds as quick as possible. It's going to start on Saturday."
632832
New Jersey Devils
Politi: The Devils were at their worst, and still had a chance to win it
Steve Politi/
Martin Brodeur was trying to explain what gives him hope that his Devils,
now down 1-0 to a Kings team that has steamrolled through this playoffs,
can bounce back and still win the Stanley Cup.
His pep talk might lack pep, but Brodeur is right.
But, as pep talks go, he wasn’t exactly channeling his inner Lombardi.
632833
“We were nervous,” he said. “We made too many turnovers. We panicked
with the puck a lot. It looked like we were holding the stick too tight.”
Stanley Cup Finals: Devils fall to Kings, 2-1, in crucial series opener
New Jersey Devils
Uh, Marty? The good news?
“And we still had a chance to win the hockey game.”
That’s the thing to remember here, as devastating as this 2-1 overtime loss
to start the Cup finals felt last night. The Prudential Center was as animated
as anyone had ever seen it to start a game, the chants of “We Want The
Cup!” rising from the rafters 20 minutes before the puck dropped.
And then ...
Then the Devils had five shots on goal through about 35 minutes of action,
as if they were trying to lull the Kings into a sense of complacency with their
utter lack of urgency.
Rich Chere
If there is one encouraging aspect for the Devils after losing the opening
game of the Stanley Cup Finals, it is that they were behind in each of the
first three playoff rounds at some point in those series.
They know they can bounce back.
“This is a long road,” veteran forward Patrik Elias said. “We haven’t had an
easy round yet. We’ll be fine. We just have to get everyone going.”
Then they missed the open net at least four or five times, including twice by
David Clarkson, who shot the puck so hard both times it looked like he was
trying to fire it through the netting.
That kind of confidence doesn’t make the 2-1 overtime loss to goalie
Jonathan Quick and the Los Angeles Kings in Game 1 Wednesday night at
the Prudential Center much easier for the Devils to swallow.
Then their lone goal bounced off the neck and shoulder of a Kings
defenseman before fluttering between the pipes, not exactly a thing of
beauty even if it knotted the score.
It ended on a mistake that resulted in a breakaway for Anze Kopitar and the
Kings’ forward faked goalie Martin Brodeur before scoring on a shot at 8:13
of OT.
Then their captain Zach Parise actually tried to shovel a puck past Kings
goalie Jonathan Quick with his hand, in case the TV cameras in the crease
were not set to record.
“I thought this was probably the worst game of the playoffs for us,” Devils
forward Ilya Kovalchuk said. “Maybe we were a little too nervous.”
All that, and still, they had a chance to win the game. The start was
atrocious. The ending — a breakaway goal by Kings forward Anze Kopitar
who seemed to materialize from nowhere before beating a sprawled
Brodeur for the winner — was crushing.
Somewhere in between, though, the Devils showed they could skate with
the big, bad Kings. It took far too long, but from the third period on, the
Devils looked like the dominant team that chased the Rangers out of the
conference finals five days ago on this same ice.
Brodeur, who has played in 200 of these postseason games now, knows
how the math works:
The Kings are 9-0 on the road in the playoffs this spring — an NHL record
— with a chance to take a 2-0 lead in the series Saturday night in Game 2
at the Rock.
“Honestly, we didn’t deserve to win, overtime or no overtime,” Elias said. “It
would’ve been great if we could have stolen this one, but knowing we didn’t
play our best game at all and still went into overtime is encouraging.”
To a point.
“It would’ve been nice to get a bounce, but I don’t believe we deserved to
win,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “If we had won, we would’ve been sneaking
one out.”
“We lost one game,” he said. “There are six games left in this series. They
need to win three. We need to win four. We’re fine. I thought we didn’t play
our best game and we competed with them.”
Devils defensemen Bryce Salvador and Marek Zidlicky were caught up ice
when the Kings chipped the puck out. Kopitar took a pass from Justin
Williams and could not be caught as he scored his seventh goal of the
playoffs and dropped the Devils’ overtime record to 4-2.
They’ve also been in this position before. They were down 1-0 to the Flyers
and Rangers before winning eight of the next nine games combined in
those two series. So they know how to rebound.
“It was a chip-out. We pinched,” Salvador explained. “I thought I could get
over and get the puck before them but I couldn’t.”
“This is a different team,” Brodeur said. “We’re a resilient bunch of guys.”
Brodeur had no chance.
Brodeur probably deserved a better fate. He gave up an early goal to
fourth-line Kings center Colin Fraser before settling down and making some
spectacular saves. As usual, he was at his best at the crucial moments,
stacking his pads to beat defenseman Drew Doughty from point-blank
range and recovering to block another good chance on the same shift.
“It’s a breakaway,” he said. “If I knew what he was thinking it’d be a lot
easier.”
He stopped 23 of his 25 shots in this individual duel with Quick, who came
into the game as the hottest goaltender on the planet. The Devils won’t win
this series if they don’t challenge him more, with more traffic in front of the
net and more deflections, the same way they finally solved Henrik
Lundqvist.
The Devils had their chances in the third period.
Quick made a save on Mark Fayne’s shot from the right point. Zach Parise
battled for a loose puck in the crease and swept the puck into the net at
3:58 of the third, but referee Dan O’Halloran was right on top of the play
and immediately waved it off.
After a video review, the call on the ice stood and the game remained tied,
1-1.
That’s also worth remembering. Lundqvist stoned the Devils, 3-0, in two of
the first three games of that series, but they eventually made him look
mortal with their pressure.
Fayne missed an open net at 9:48 on the rebound of a Ryan Carter shot.
They can do that with Quick. The Devils have proven they’re much better
than the team that lost Game 1 last night, and still, they were right there in
overtime, the puck on Ilya Kovalchuk’s stick with a chance to steal this. He
couldn’t get the shot past Quick. A few minutes later, Kopitar was skating
alone at Brodeur, not a Devil in sight to slow him down.
The first two periods were a little more difficult to explain. The Kings scored
all three goals in the game, including the one credited to Devils defenseman
Anton Volchenkov when his shot from the point was stopped and the
rebound deflected off the Kings’ Slava Voynov into the net at 18:48 of the
second period. That tied the score, 1-1, but the Devils couldn’t get another.
It was an awful breakdown, and for the Devils in this postseason, a rare
one.
“When you play a Western Conference team you don’t know much about
them,” Brodeur said. “That was a feel-out game.”
And, believe it or not, that’s the good news. The Devils will be better than
this in Game 2.
The Devils found themselves behind for the first time since Game 3 against
the Rangers when Colin Fraser scored his first goal of the playoffs at 9:56
“The puck was flat,” Fayne said, “but it hopped over my stick.”
of the opening period. Jordan Nolan’s pass from the right side of the net
found Fraser in the right circle for a shot that beat Brodeur.
Knowing they have bounced back before, the Devils aren’t overly
concerned.
“Every series has its own story. We were excited to start. You could tell we
were a little nervous,” Brodeur said.
Even a team with so many experienced veterans?
“It’s the Stanley Cup Finals. It’s not that easy to go out and perform,”
Brodeur said. “Whether it’s five times (in the Finals) for me or your first time,
you get butterflies.
“All losses this time of year are really hard to swallow. Slowly your dream is
(disappearing). That team hasn’t lost on the road all playoffs and they’re
feeling good about it. How will they react if they do? We’ve got to put that
doubt in their minds.”
632834
New Jersey Devils
Sullivan: Devils’ architect built around his cornerstone; Lamoriello, Brodeur
going for their 4th Cup
By TARA SULLIVAN
NEWARK — When the 1990 National Hockey League entry draft rolled
around, Lou Lamoriello was already three years deep into his New Jersey
construction project. Backed by a long, strong list of personnel decisions,
the new general manager was quickly moving the Devils away from the
Mickey Mouse punch lines they had been toward the Stanley Cup
headliners they would be.
Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello, right, picked Martin Brodeur in the
1990 draft. The two have celebrated three Stanley Cup wins together.
AP FILE Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello, right, picked Martin
Brodeur in the 1990 draft. The two have celebrated three Stanley Cup wins
together.
But he needed one more piece. On June 16, 1990, he got it.
With the 20th pick of the first round, Lamoriello selected the goaltender
Martin Brodeur, and knowingly or not, laid the strongest foundation for the
sustained greatness that has defined this franchise, a run of consistency
that continues to this day. When the Devils take the ice against the Kings
tonight in Newark in pursuit of their fourth Stanley Cup championship since
1995, they do so tethered to the only two men who have been here for them
all.
“Even though there are great players coming and great people that are
going to be in great positions around here, when you look at the timing of
when we both started, our paths have just stayed parallel.”
There have been plenty of chances to deviate, particularly on Brodeur’s
side. Once he established himself as the sport’s premier player at his
position, he could have used the free-agent market to chase the biggest
contract or the biggest spotlight but chose instead to renegotiate every one
of his deals before freedom even beckoned. He fired his agent, represented
himself, always honoring the ethos of the man on the other side of the
bargaining table. Posed with the possibility of a Lamoriello departure,
Brodeur considered if he would have followed.
“I don’t know. I can’t say that,” he said. “I don’t know if somebody else
would have treated me the same way, but I know no one else could have
treated me better in my career.”
That’s because he and his boss always wanted the same thing.
“I think he feels the same way I do, that no money could ever replace a
Stanley Cup,” Lamoriello said. “Having a chance to win. We’ll always find a
way, whatever it is. There was never anything that got in the way of integrity
or got in the way of honesty. I don’t think there was ever anything hidden
between us. What he felt, he could say, and what I felt, I could say. We
never left hurting each other’s feelings. He understood what I was trying to
do, and I understood what he could do, and it was never anything other
than trying to find what’s fair.”
That’s been enough to keep them together, a rare long-term sports
partnership. Derek Jeter is a lifelong Yankee, but current GM Brian
Cashman didn’t draft him. Eli Manning has already won two titles with the
Giants, but GM Ernie Accorsi retired before seeing him win the first.
Brodeur and Lamoriello have outlasted new owners, new buildings, even
new uniforms. Brodeur is the last standing Devil who ever donned the
green-bordered sweater that arrived with their 1982 New Jersey inception.
“I wore it once,” he said on Tuesday, laughing, “when I was 19.”
Twenty-one years later, he’s still carrying the same pitchfork. Brodeur has
never been a captain of the Devils — league rules don’t allow the
goaltender to serve in that job — but he has always had a voice. His boss
has made sure.
“For me, talking to Lou is not like some of the guys here, we’ve talked so
much through the years. So many conversations, guys coming in, guys
getting traded, that put me in a position that even though I was never a
captain or an assistant, I was in a leadership spot. … We have a great
relationship.”
A rare longstanding one. Leaning back in his office chair and looking up to a
high shelf above his desk, Lamoriello swept his hand across the row of
replica Stanley Cups and various conference and division-winning trophies.
The Devils have already added this year’s Eastern Conference title, and
with four more wins, would add another Stanley Cup. Lamoriello has been
here for them all. Brodeur, too.
Daneyko anchored three championship defenses before retiring in 2003
and moving to the broadcast booth. “Lou deserves all the credit for building
this franchise. He was the first step, and then he got Marty, the world-class
goaltender.”
“Look at those,” he said. “Our names are involved in exactly the same thing.
No matter what happens here and now, there’s no other player that could
have that chance. No one else can say that.” That is about as much public
emotion as Lamoriello is apt to share; this isn’t a man prone to outpourings
of sentiment. Recognizing the lasting impact Brodeur has made on him is
his best way to honor what the relationship means to him. Brodeur may
have company in fellow forever Devils like Daneyko or Scott Stevens, yet
he still stands alone. With Lou by his side.
What a pair they’ve been.
Bergen Record LOADED: 05.30.2012
Like teammates standing side by side at the starting line of a race,
Lamoriello and Brodeur have remained by each other’s sides for the better
part of two decades. Connected to each other, defined by each other, they
are a rare exception to the peripatetic sports landscape we live in now.
Lamoriello, 69, will never again be with a player from his draft day to
potential last day. And Brodeur, 40, no matter how many more years he
plays, will never alter his link to the front office: He goes through Lamoriello.
632835
“I remember thinking when we got him, ‘We’ve got a shot now,’ ” the former
defensemen Ken Daneyko said Tuesday during media day at the Prudential
Center, sight of tonight’s Game 1.
New Jersey Devils
Five keys to the Finals
The Record
One is the architect, the other the cornerstone.
“Neither one of us could ever have the opportunity to have this type of
relationship again,” Lamoriello said on Monday inside his office, the deep
red of the room’s carpet matching the red of his collared shirt.
1. Start fast: It’s been eight days since the Kings finished off Phoenix in the
West finals. The Devils need to jump on them in Game 1, exploiting any
rust that might have accrued and making them face a series deficit for the
first time in this year’s playoffs.
2. Size up front: The Devils have had an advantage in all of their series so
far, using their forecheck and strength up front to win the battles along the
wall and sustain pressure in the offensive zone. The Kings also are
aggressive on the forecheck and have strength up front, and that will be a
challenge for the Devils defensively.
3. Jonathan Quick vs. Martin Brodeur: This goaltending matchup of the 26year-old Quick, a Vezina finalist, vs. the 40-year-old Brodeur appears to
favor the Kings, but that’s also what many thought about the Henrik
Lundqvist vs. Brodeur matchup in the East finals.
4. Power up: Although the Devils want to play 5-on-5 as much as possible,
they’re going to need at least some production on the power play against a
Kings penalty kill that has allowed only five goals in the playoffs and scored
five short-handed goals.
5. Captain vs. captain: Both teams take their lead from the relentless work
ethics of their captains – Zach Parise of the Devils and Dustin Brown of the
Kings.
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New Jersey Devils
In the end, the Kings were the team that was able to do that the best, and
the Devils were left to ponder what could have been.
“Yeah, just gotta put it behind you,” Fayne said. “It’s one of those things that
it’s tough to deal with right now, but once you go to bed you’ve got to forget
about it.”
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New Jersey Devils
Kings notes: Enough, already
Andrew Gross
Enough, already
Kings left wing Simon Gagne has been out of the lineup since suffering a
concussion Dec. 26. He has been cleared for contact drills in practice and is
traveling with the team.
Puck doesn't bounce Devils way in third period
However, Kings coach Darryl Sutter has tired of answering questions about
whether the 32-year-old veteran will rejoin the Kings at some point in the
Stanley Cup final.
By ANDY VASQUEZ
"It’s what we said two weeks ago," Sutter said after Gagne participated in
the team’s morning skate at Prudential Center. "There’s zero chance. Now,
there’s a chance, right? Cleared for contact, cleared for practice, traveling
with the team. So there won’t be any further update on that one because,
quite honestly, the answer is the same and I don’t know how to answer it,
right? You tell the truth or say nothing."
NEWARK – The score was tied, the net was open and the puck was right
there on Mark Fayne’s stick.
But with about 10 minutes left in regulation in Game 1, the rolling puck took
bad bounce off the rugged ice as the 25-year-old Devils’ defenseman
gathered a rebound.
His shot went wayward – wide right – and an opportunity had passed for the
Devils. They never got a better one, on the way to a 2-1 overtime loss to the
Kings.
“Just an unlucky break,” Fayne said. “It happens.”
Those unlucky breaks happen more often when the ice is the way it was at
Prudential Center on Wednesday night: sloppy.
June was less than 36 hours away when the puck dropped on Wednesday
night, and temperatures rose over 90 earlier this week and temperatures
were near 80 before the game. So it’s no surprise that the ice conditions at
Prudential Center were less than ideal.
Ex-Black Ace
Defenseman Willie Mitchell, at 35 the oldest player on the Kings’ roster,
was an eighth-round pick of the Devils in 1996, and watched their Stanley
Cup run in 2000 as a "Black Ace," a member of their AHL taxi squad.
This marks his first Cup final as an active player.
"I was there for the whole run; I watched it all," said Mitchell, who logged
27:09 in Game 1. "I only practiced a couple of times when Scotty [Scott
Stevens] was tired or banged up. I was [at the Meadowlands] for the first
game of the season with the banner going to the roof. It was pretty cool. It
was something at the time I thought might happen sooner than it does, to
get that chance."
Still perfect
It’s not just the ice that makes it tough. When the arena’s warmer than
usual, as it was on Wednesday night, it takes a toll on the players’ stamina.
Add an overtime period, and that toll gets more costly.
The Kings extended their road record to 9-0 as they began their fourth
playoff series, now having won four straight Game 1s away from Los
Angeles.
“The ice and the heat out there, getting an extra period there, it takes a lot
out of you in the heat,” Kings forward Dustin Brown said. “It was a grind out
there I think both ways.”
But Sutter doesn’t want his club to think that way.
But for the Devils, at least, it’s nothing new.
“I mean, I think its’ been that way for two series’ now,” Fayne said. “It’s the
same way for both teams, so it’s not an advantage either way.”
But on this night, a night when goals were hard to come by – Martin
Brodeur (23 saves) and Jonathan Quick (17 saves) each had impressive
performances – it was the Kings who benefitted most from the most
meaningful bad bounce of all. The one that Fayne couldn’t corral. If he had
perhaps the sellout crowd of 17,625 would have had reason to celebrate.
Instead, they were silent as they filed out of Prudential Center.
Yes, the Kings benefited the most from that big, bad bounce, butit doesn’t
mean they’re thrilled about playing on bad ice.
“The ice wasn’t very good out there,” said Kings forward Jarret Stoll. “So
you never know if the puck is going to bounce or not. It was pretty sloppy,
we got a lot of snow buildup as the game went on, you saw some bouncing
pucks out there but it was the same for both teams. You’ve got to battle
through it and find a way to way to make crisp passes and plays and find a
way to get pucks on net.”
"We’ve won one on the road now," Sutter said.
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New Jersey Devils
Devils notes: Parise says forechecking key to reaching Finals
Tom Gulitti
No coincidence
Devils captain Zach Parise doesn’t believe it’s a coincidence that the two
teams in the Stanley Cup Finals are aggressive on the forecheck and look
to initiate play rather than sit back and block shots – as has been the recent
trend.
"I’ve always been a believer in that," Parise said of being an aggressive
team offensively. "You have to have great offense and you have to play with
speed and forecheck and you have to be aggressive. I don’t think it’s much
of a coincidence right now that the last two teams playing are that style."
Not satisfied
Devils left wing Patrik Elias admitted there was definitely some enjoyment
that came with knocking off the rival Rangers in the Eastern Conference
finals, but said the players are far from satisfied.
"It felt good," Elias said. "It felt good to beat the Flyers. It felt good to beat
the Rangers. Those teams were the top two teams in the East the whole
year. For us, we move on. It was great, but we’ve got one more step
obviously and that was just the buildup. It gave us the confidence and we
kind of figured out what we’re all about and we’re here and feel good about
it."
Comfortable underdogs
The Devils are the underdogs in this series in Las Vegas and many are
picking the Kings because they went 12-2 in the first three rounds of the
playoffs. The Devils don’t seem to mind being overlooked, though.
"We’re OK with it," said defenseman Peter Harrold, a former King. "I think
we’ve always been OK with it in here. The organization just wants to win, it
doesn’t matter what kind of respect you get from it or not. The trophies
speak for themselves. They were skewered in the media for the trap earlier
on, but it was effective and it worked and it was in the rules. Our job is to
win and we’ll do that. That’s our job and we’ve got to work for it."
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New Jersey Devils
building. The “Let’s Go Devils” refrain that kept erupting from different
corners of the arena turned out to be little more than pockets of desperate
hope for one more dose of magic that, on this night, the Devils just didn’t
have. But it’s one they believe still is in their sticks.
“We know we didn’t play our best game at all and it still went to overtime
tonight,” veteran forward Patrik Elias said. “We still had a chance to steal
this one.”
The Devils barely tested Quick in the first half. After facing only five firstperiod shots, the magnificent Kings goalie didn’t touch the puck until there
was 5:30 left in the second, and that first official Devils shot only happened
when Parise lost control of the puck and it bounded and rolled its way into
Quick’s glove.
But the Devils eventually put one past Quick, tying the game at 1 when
Anton Volchenkov’s deep shot bounced off defender Slava Voynov, floated
by teammate Patrik Elias, and into the back of the net. The shot was a
testament to the DeBoer way, and represents the reason hope is not lost as
the Devils prepare for Game 2.
They know they had their chances, and that belief in their system will
sustain them.
The traffic the home team promised to cause around Quick’s crease
followed the same formula used to usurp the last reigning goal king they
faced, the Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist. For each of the games Lundqvist was
too good to beat – Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, anyone? – the
Devils were sustained by the knowledge they had controlled the puck and
created chances.
Sullivan: Brodeur's magic ran its course in Devils OT loss to Kings
They were sustained by the lessons of their coach, by the work of a staff
Brodeur called the “secret weapon” as far back as the team’s second-round
series win over Philadelphia.
By TARA SULLIVAN
By the time one of these teams hoists the legendary Cup in triumph, we will
have the image to define this season, the picture that will endure as the
legacy of a championship run. But heading into Wednesday night’s opener,
there was no doubt what mental snapshot Devils fans still were talking
about – the one of the stoic-faced coach gone wild.
NEWARK – He’d already given us one great heroic save, pushing the first
game of this Stanley Cup Finals toward what felt like an inevitable overtime.
So when Anze Kopitar came at him all alone, puck on his stick, game on
the line, it would have been unfair to expect Martin Brodeur to do it again.
“He had so much time,” Brodeur said. “He saw me not make a move
toward his forehand and took advantage. It’s a breakaway. Every goalie
would want that back. If I could know what he’s thinking, it would be a lot
easier.”
You know it: That unforgettable Eastern Conference finals moment when
DeBoer, leaning over the edge of one bench, and Rangers coach John
Tortorella, leaning over the edge of the other, screamed at each other while
their players traded punches behind Brodeur’s net. For the volatile
Tortorella, the exchange only amplified his established persona. For the
lawyerly DeBoer, the scene changed plenty of perceptions about him.
Brodeur guessed wrong, however, and thus was left helpless to stop
Kopitar’s shot, an overtime goal that gave the Kings a 2-1 win in Game 1 of
the Stanley Cup Finals and the early edge in the quest for a title.
Everywhere except his locker room. The Devils have to win Saturday,
before this series slips from their grasp. Behind the coach who preaches
calmness and consistency, they believe they can.
But here’s what we do know about the Devils, who lost Game 1 against the
Rangers and the Flyers this postseason. They are a resilient bunch, a
group of believers, grinders and workers dedicated to the philosophy of
their no-panic coach, Pete DeBoer. Behind that belief, they have come back
from deficits in each of their first three playoff rounds, and are confident
they can do it again.
But here’s what we also know about these Devils: They’d better find a way
to win Game 2 Saturday night at home, or this happy charmed train the
Kings are riding might not stop until it reaches the championship station.
Los Angeles is 9-0 on the road this postseason, upending New Jersey on a
night when two sloppy teams battled choppy ice and choppier nerves to
give us a not-instant classic.
“It would be nice [to win Saturday],” Brodeur said. “This is a team that hasn’t
lost on the road all year. They feel good about it. We’ve got to put that
doubt in their mind as quick as possible. … We can play a lot better. The
ice was bad, we made turnovers, we panicked with the puck a lot. They did
also. It was a weird game – not too great for hockey.”
But not yet dire straits for the Devils, who squandered away too many
opportunities against goalie Jonathon Quick, who was supposed to be
impenetrable. Zach Parise and Mark Fayne missed open rebound shots
long before Brodeur gave us one more heroic moment in the third period,
when with 7:28 left to play, he once again flung himself sideways, stacked
his pads, and stopped a breakaway shot, this time with L.A.’s Drew
Doughty playing the part the Rangers’ Brad Richards did last round.
The expected “Marty, Marty,” chants followed soon after, but when Quick
answered with a nifty glove save of Dave Clarkson, the final 23 seconds of
regulation ticked away and the blanket of tension descended over the
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New Jersey Devils
Low profile keeps Quick grounded
By ANDREW GROSS
NEWARK – Jonathan Quick watched his fair share of Devils games and, of
course, Martin Brodeur, growing up in Connecticut. But he was a Rangers
fan so Mike Richter was his guy.
Still, the soft-spoken, camera-shy Kings goalie – the exact opposite of
Richter – will obviously spend up to the next two weeks being compared to
the Devils’ future Hall of Famer as they meet in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Not that he sees it that way.
"It’s not like I match him step for step," Quick said. "He’s not trying to score
on me and I’m not trying to score on him."
Quick’s Kings took the first game, 2-1, in overtime Wednesday night at
Prudential Center on Anze Kopitar’s breakaway at 8:13 of the extra period.
Brodeur, 40, is in his fifth Cup final and seeking his fourth championship.
On that account, Quick, 26 and in his third season as the Kings’ starter,
says he has a lot to learn from Brodeur.
"His ability to win, he knows how to win," said Quick, wearing a hooded
sweatshirt over a baseball cap with its bill pulled low as he spoke with
reporters during media day Tuesday. "What have I won? I haven’t won
anything. I’ve still got to learn to do it."
That could change quickly, pardon the pun, if Quick (17 saves) leads the
Kings to the Cup. He’s also a Vezina Trophy finalist for the first time after
going 35-21-13 with a 1.95 goals-against average in the regular season.
Quick, who was born in Milford, Conn., and played at Hamden High School,
entered Game 1 leading NHL playoff goalies with a 1.54 goals-against
average and a .946 save percentage as the Kings rampaged through the
Western Conference bracket with a 12-2 record.
Quick stopped plenty of opponents by using his flexibility – the attribute
about Quick that Brodeur said he really admires – to play an exaggerated
butterfly. Quick spends a good portion of time playing on his pads.
"He’s quick, he’s Jonathan Quick," Devils left wing Patrik Elias said. "He
plays pretty low but, at the same time, he’s very agile and great on his feet
and he reacts very fast out there. You might think you have a space up top
and he takes it away pretty quickly."
But the Devils did not test Quick early, with five first-period shots and none
in the second period until 14:30.
"The last series I played a handful of games where I’d see 20 shots," Quick
said. "I didn’t know what to expect, we haven’t played [the Devils] in so
long. Against the Rangers, they’d take 40 shots or 20 shots against [Henrik]
Lundqvist."
Quick did use his glove to knock down Dainius Zubrus’ shot from the slot at
15:32 of the second period after a giveaway by Kings defenseman Rob
Scuderi.
But the Devils scored on their fourth and final shot of the second period as
Anton Volchenkov’s shot deflected in off Slava Voynov at the crease. The
Devils scored with the crowd at The Rock still booing the fact that Quick
wasn’t penalized for pinning Parise down in the crease after the two collided
on the Devils’ previous rush.
"He may have gotten tripped but he ended up right at my knees," Quick
said. "He kind of grabbed me so I gave him a shove back. It was nothing
big."
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New Jersey Devils
The Kings remained unbeaten on the road in this year’s playoffs (9-0) and
improved to 13-2 overall. They have yet to trail in a series. In fact, they won
the first three games of each of their first three series.
The Devils now must find a way to bounce back with a victory in Game 2 on
Saturday night. They are 3-0 in the Stanley Cup Finals in which they won
Game 1. They lost in seven games to Colorado in 2001 in the only Finals in
which they lost Game 1.
But they also lost Game 1 in their series this year against the Flyers and the
Rangers and came back to win.
“The good news is we started in the same hole against Philly and we
started in the same hole against the Rangers and we responded the right
way the last two rounds and I expect the same,” Devils coach Pete DeBoer
said.
Neither team played its best Wednesday, but the Devils felt they played
nervous in the first half of the game. They went nearly 15 minutes without a
shot in the second period and ended up with only 18 shots on Kings goalie
Jonathan Quick.
“Honestly, we didn’t deserve to win tonight,” left wing Patrik Elias said.
“Overtime, not overtime. It would be great if we would have stole this one,
but we’ve got to be a lot better than this.”
The Kings grabbed the lead on a goal from Colin Fraser at 9:56 into the
game. The Kings’ fourth line produced the series’ first goal as Jordan Nolan
won a puck battle with Devils defenseman Andy Greene behind the net and
fed Fraser in the right circle for a quick shot that beat Brodeur between the
pads.
Although the Devils were outplayed for much of the second period, they
managed to tie the game on a goal credited to defenseman Anton
Volchenkov with 1:12 left in the period.
Volchenkov’s left point shot went off Quick’s stick, popped up in front, hit
King defenseman Slava Voynov in the left shoulder and caromed past the
Devils’ Patrik Elias and into the net. The goal was initially credited to Elias,
who was in front, but the puck apparently did not touch Elias and the
scoring was changed to give Volchenkov his first playoff goal since Game 3
of the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals with Ottawa against Anaheim.
The Devils had an apparent go-head goal by Zach Parise 3:58 into the third
period disallowed because Parise swept it in with his left hand. Parise had
fanned on a bouncing rebound of a Mark Fayne left point shot and was
battling for the loose puck when he reached into the crease with his gloved
hand to knock it in. The goal was immediately waived off on the ice by
referee Dan O’Halloran and the ruling was upheld by video review.
Devils drop Game 1 of Stanley Cup finals in overtime
Devils defenseman Mark Fayne fired a rolling puck wide right of an open
net on a Ryan Carter rebound 10:15 into the third.
By TOM GULITTI
“It actually was flat and kind of hopped up at the last second, so what can
you do?” Fayne asked.
NEWARK – The Devils believed they got what they deserved Wednesday
night.
632842
They still had a great chance to steal Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals, but
made one mistake too many and it cost them in a 2-1 overtime loss to the
Los Angeles Kings at Prudential Center.
Mayor Booker says he supports Devils despite past comments
Anze Kopitar ended it with his breakaway goal 8:13 into sudden death.
Devils defenseman Marek Zidlicky was unable to keep the puck in the
Kings’ end when he chose to pinch at the right point. Los Angeles
defenseman Drew Doughty chipped it past Zidlicky and Devils defenseman
Bryce Salvador was late in getting over to stop Justin Williams from making
a backhand pass at the red line that sent Kopitar in alone.
“I thought I’d be able to get over and get the puck before (Williams), but he
got there first and was able to chip it by me,” Salvador said. “It was one of
those things maybe I stay back a little bit more, but that’s what happens
sometimes.”
Kopitar made a backhand deke to get Brodeur to go down before lifting a
forehand over him for the winner.
“I just wanted to make sure I stayed in the middle and it worked out”
Kopitar said. “It feels great any time you finish it off in overtime and face a
world-class goalie like Marty. It’s a good feeling.”
New Jersey Devils
By MELISSA HAYES AND JOHN BRENNAN
As far as Newark Mayor Cory Booker was concerned last month, Devils
principal owner Jeff Vanderbeek was a “bamboozler” and a “high-class, hifalutin’ huckster and hustler.”
But within a couple of weeks, Booker could find himself on the same dais as
Vanderbeek celebrating a Stanley Cup hockey championship by the Devils.
Awkward? Not at all, Booker said just hours before Wednesday’s Game 1
of the Cup Finals between the Devils and Los Angeles Kings.
“As I’ve said time and time again, I’m a tremendous supporter of the team,
and have been before they ever came to the city [in 2007],” Booker said
Wednesday morning at a ribbon-cutting for the new Essex County
Riverfront Park. “I’m a supporter of almost their entire ownership group. In
fact, some of them are very good friends of mine.”
In fact, Booker announced via his Twitter account that he’s attending
Wednesday night’s game, in spite of suggestions last month of a boycott of
the Prudential Center until the city resolved its dispute with the team over
rent obligations for the arena.
It’s a war of words that’s gotten intense on both sides at times, though more
so on Booker’s end.
Vanderbeek, the franchise chairman, was called a “pathetic penny-pincher”
in the wake of an arbitration ruling that found that the city owed the Devils
$600,000 more than the Devils owed the city in rent.
Vanderbeek, a former Lehman Brothers executive, also was described by
Booker as “a Wall Street millionaire that played into every stereotype that's
out there.”
Vanderbeek was quoted in response as saying that Booker had “hit rough
political waters” and was “focused on higher political ambitions.”
Vanderbeek also said that Booker “simply hurls mistruths.”
Yet Booker acknowledged Wednesday that there had been “conversations”
about parade plans should Vanderbeek’s Devils win — though he added
that superstition dictates that the city not get “too far ahead” on that front.
“We’re having the Stanley Cup [Finals] in Newark, and nobody can be
anything but thrilled about that,” Booker said. “No awkwardness, just
celebration.”
Meanwhile, Governor Christie — an admitted Rangers fan — said during a
late-afternoon interview with Sirius/XM radio host Chris “Mad Dog” Russo
that “the Devils are going to win the series, no doubt.” Christie added that
he would miss Game 1 because it conflicted with his own radio show, and
Game 2 on Saturday because his son Andrew is graduating from high
school.
“But if the Devils haven’t swept them in four, I’ll be back for Game 5,” said
Christie, referring to a June 9 game that would be played at the Prudential
Center.
Christie said that both Booker and Vanderbeek are his “good friends,” so he
is staying out of that dispute. The governor added that he expects both men
to have a “cooling off period” to give them time to resolve their differences.
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New Jersey Devils
Devils try to treat Game 1 of Stanley Cup Finals like a normal game day
not to change a routine. I’m not planning on pulling out any great speeches.
We’ve done our preparation. We’re a workman-like team and we’ll be
ready to play.”
“You know, you guys create all the pressure and stuff and the little extra
momentum, but we’ve gotta handle it the right way and use it as our
advantage,” right wing Ilya Kovalchuk said. “So they’re a good team, we
know they’re going to play well, they’ve been playing well on the road all
playoffs long, so we’ve got to do a good job.
Although some might say it feels like Christmas morning, Kovalchuk said it
felt like a different holiday.
“For me, New Years Eve, that’s a big holiday,” he said. “You know our
Christmas is a little different. So it’s great. You know, we got four days off,
well-rested, ready to go, we’re all excited.”
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New Jersey Devils
Newark Mayor Booker predicts Devils can go all the way in Stanley Cup
final
By MELISSA HAYES
Going into Wednesday night’s Stanley Cup final against the Los Angeles
Kings, Newark Mayor Cory Booker is confident that the home team will win.
“They’re a team that is ascending,” he said of the New Jersey Devils who
host the Kings tonight. “I think they get better and better as the playoffs go
on.”
It’s only the first game, but Booker said he thinks the Devils will go all the
way.
“I don’t think that LA can stop them,” he said after the ribbon cutting for
Newark’s first waterfront park Wednesday. “I’m fully expecting to have an
opportunity to celebrate the first Stanley Cup brought here to Newark, NJ.
It’s going to be exciting.”
Booker said a win would be great not only for the city but the entire state
and he admitted that he was overjoyed when the Devils beat the New York
Rangers to advance to the final round last week.
“That night, thank God nobody was reporting it, I did a dance like I’ve never
danced for hockey before,” he said.
By TOM GULITTI
NEWARK — Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals is just a few hours away
now. You could tell this morning that the Devils are eager to get started.
It’s been five days since they finished off the Rangers in the Eastern
Conference finals with Adam Henrique’s overtime goal Friday night. The
Kings have had eight days off after closing out the Phoenix Coyotes in the
Western Conference finals on Dustin Penner’s overtime goal.
Despite a public argument with Devils’ owner Jeff Vanderbeek over a recent
arbitration ruling about revenue sharing between the team and the city that
left Newark paying $600,000, Booker said he supports the team.
“We’re having a Stanley Cup Playoff in Newark, NJ,” Booker said. “I mean
nobody can be anything but thrilled. I’m just very, very happy.”
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New Jersey Devils
“I’m just excited,” Devils coach Pete DeBoer said today. “You want to play.
You’re tired of waiting around. You’re tired of looking at film. You’re tired of
practicing. It’s anxious energy and whatever I’m feeling, I’m sure it’s double
for the players.”
NJ Devils goalie Martin Brodeur comes up empty as LA Kings break away
in Game 1 of Stanley Cup Finals
Devils captain Zach Parise said so far – other than a lot of extra media in
the locker room – it felt like a normal game day morning.
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
“Our meetings and everything this morning, preparation, everything has
been the same,” Parise said. “I’m sure once we get to the rink tonight the
nerves will be a little different than every other game, but so far it’s been the
same.”
That was DeBoer’s intention. Although the biggest prize in the sport will be
at stake, this is not the time to change what’s been working or feel like the
moment calls for some kind of grand gesture or speech.
“I don’t think you change anything,” DeBoer said. “That’s the big part. I think
the natural reaction, when you talk to people is all of a sudden you have to
pull out these great speeches, change the way you’ve done things. I think
part of the thing that we do well here is it’s business as usual. We’ve tried
Martin Brodeur records 23 saves against Kings, but needed just one more
in overtime to help the Devils take Game 1.
Marty Brodeur thought he would go backhand, but Anze Kopitar went the
other way.
“It’s a breakaway,” Brodeur said, after the Devils dropped yet another Game
1 in a playoff series, this time by 2-1 at 8:13 into the first overtime. “If I knew
what he was thinking, it would be a lot easier.”
Brodeur is no mind reader, it turns out. Kopitar slipped the puck under the
pad of Brodeur, who was committed the wrong way and completely
vulnerable. A surprisingly flat effort by the Devils, and a typically solid effort
by Brodeur, became just one more Kings victory on the road.
“Not too great for hockey,” is the way Brodeur summed up the play, and he
was right about that. Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals was all wrong,
somehow. You expected the Devils to come out soaring Wednesday night,
as they had done so many times against the Rangers in the early minutes.
You expected them to mine their home-ice resources, to rev up the crowd in
Newark and instantly manufacture some momentum.
Instead, the Devils frittered away the opener of the Stanley Cup Finals with
a lackluster start. After a hearty welcome at the Rock, they displayed all the
pop and sizzle of a flat diet soda, requiring more than six minutes to
successfully aim a first shot on goal. The lead passes were lousy. The
soupy ice was worse, sabotaging a wide-open gimme on a bad bounce for
Mark Fayne that might have been the game winner.
“A feeling-out game for both teams, a chess match,” Brodeur called it. “We
had a tough time getting our forecheck going. You could tell we were a little
nervous. It was, who’s gonna make the mistake and we made the biggest.”
The Kings, the most remarkable No. 8 seed in NHL history, installed
themselves as even heavier favorites. These strangers from the West are
well-oiled and opportunistic. The Kings don’t block shots like the Rangers.
They simply back check and stick-check and disrupt plays before they
become even vaguely threatening.
Zach Parise was stopped on a wrap-around with just under a minute to go,
and then Quick got in front of David Clarkson’s shot with 28 seconds to
play.
The Devils had their chances, but let their opportunities and Game 1 of the
Stanley Cup Finals slip away.
Kings center Anze Kopitar beat the Devils on a breakaway 8:13 into
overtime as the Kings won, 2-1, at sold-out Prudential Center.
The Kings earned their NHL-record ninth playoff road win and took a 1-0
lead in the best-of-seven game series, which continues in Newark Saturday
night. It is the third straight series the Devils have fallen behind 1-0.
“We started in the same hole against Philly, we started in the same hole
against the Rangers. We responded to the situation in the right way the last
two rounds, and I expect the same Saturday,” Devils coach Peter DeBoer
said.
The winning goal developed in the Kings zone as L.A. defenseman Drew
Doughty batted the puck off the left boards to a waiting Justin Williams at
the center line, drawing coverage from Dainius Zubrus and Bryce Salvador.
Williams calmly threaded a pass through the pair of Devils to a wide-open
Kopitar, who came in alone on Martin Brodeur. Kopitar skated in on his
forehand, faked backhand and fired a low forehand shot past Brodeur, who
had already flopped onto his belly.
If the Devils hadn’t already dropped their last two openers, there might be
real reason for panic in Jersey. But after watching them turn around those
series on a dime, it seems a bit premature to hold a burial.
“I thought he was going to go to his backhand. He had so much time that he
saw me not moving toward his forehand and he took advantage of it,” said
Brodeur, who made 23 saves playing in his 200th career playoff game.
Still, the Devils ceded home-ice advantage far too easily and already face a
must-win game on Saturday.
“It’s one every goaltender wishes he could have back.”
“(Los Angeles) hasn’t lost on the road,” Brodeur said. “A tough loss for them
— we’ve got to put that down in their mind as quick as possible.”
Brodeur remains the narrative arc of these NHL Finals, a 40-year-old goalie
hoping to win a fourth Stanley Cup and tie Patrick Roy. There are other
stories on the Devils, such as Zach Parise playing out his contract in the
best way possible. The Kings have plenty of story lines, too, starting with
their Connecticut goalie, Jonathan Quick.
But really, all eyes are on Brodeur, winner of 111 postseason games. For
most of Game 1, Brodeur held off the Kings. He made notable stops in the
first two periods on Dustin Brown, Rob Scuderi and Dustin Penner. He
turned back a six-shot flurry in the third period, including a pad save on a
dead-on shot from Drew Doughty.
Any notion of retirement in two weeks appears more and more absurd, as
Brodeur has more or less stated as much this week.
“I’m really enjoying this,” Brodeur said. “Regardless of what happens in this
series, I think we made a great step last year at the end of the year and
through this year.”
He was being compared to Henrik Lundqvist last week and now he’ll be
measured against Quick, the newest gunslinger. There’s always somebody,
the latest revelation. Brodeur is a different player and a different person
than he was 15 years ago. After he hurt his shoulder in a game against the
Kings, he changed his mechanics to compensate. And then there’s that
other, more personal matter.
“I got five kids now,” he said. “The love of the game is still there, though.
That will never change.”
A bad guess on a breakaway in Game 1 doesn’t change any of that. His
name is written on the Stanley Cup three times. Fourth time is the charm.
The start to Wednesday night’s game was one that the Devils wish they
could do over, too.
The Devils managed just 18 shots on goal Wednesday night, hardly the test
they needed to challenge Quick. They were unable to sustain any pressure
on the Connecticut native, who finished with 17 saves.
On the Kings’ first goal, Kings rookie center Jordan Nolan, son of former
Islanders coach Ted Nolan, outworked defenseman Andy Greene on the
boards and fed it to Colin Fraser for a snap shot that went between
Brodeur’s legs.
“I think it was probably the worst game in the playoffs for us,” said Ilya
Kovalchuk, who had just one shot on goal Wednesday night. “We were
maybe a little too nervous before the game, but no excuses.
“We had our chances in the end.”
After getting just six shots on goal in the first 37 minutes of the game, the
Devils desperately created opportunities. Defenseman Anton Volchenkov
cashed in with a little luck, shooting into the traffic in front of Quick. He got
the puck to bounce off Kings defenseman Slava Voynov and past Quick to
tie the score at 18:48 of the second.
New York Daily News LOADED: 05.30.2012
632847
New Jersey Devils
On breakaway, Kings center decides to go a different way on Marty
By Peter Botte
632846
New Jersey Devils
LA Kings take Game 1 of Stanley Cup Finals from NJ Devils 2-1 on Anze
Kopitar's game-winner in overtime
By Kristie Ackert /
With the final minute ticking away in regulation Wednesday night, the Devils
had two excellent shots on Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick.
The only thing Kings star Anze Kopitar could think of as he sped down the
ice in overtime Wednesday night, incredibly, was a shootout game against
the Devils earlier in his career in which he tried a backhand move against
Martin Brodeur.
“I think maybe he thought I was going to do it again,” Kopitar said. “I just
wanted to change it up a little bit.”
Kopitar, the Kings’ leading scorer in each of the last five seasons, was
sprung by Justin Williams and buried a breakaway goal with a nifty deke to
the forehand 8:13 into overtime. His first game-winner of what continues to
be a remarkable playoff run for him and the No.8 seed in the Western
Conference lifted L.A. to its record ninth consecutive road victory in this
postseason -- a 2-1 win in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals in Newark.
“The battle was just inside our zone, and Brownie (Kings captain Dustin
Brown) chipped the puck out to Justin and I just made sure I stayed in the
middle and it worked out pretty well,” Kopitar said. “I don’t know if (Williams)
heard me or not -- I yelled for the puck – but he chipped it perfect, right on
my tape. It happened pretty quick, and I was able to finish it off.”
Led by star goalie Jonathan Quick (17 saves), the Kings moved three wins
away from finishing off a run that has them toting a gaudy 13-2 record in the
playoffs, including handily ousting the three top seeds – Vancouver, St.
Louis and Phoenix – in the West.
Heading into Game 2 at the Rock on Saturday, the Kings also have won 11
straight postseason road games dating back to last season, also an NHL
record.
“We’re not concentrating on the numbers, it was just another big win,”
forward Jarret Stoll said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s 3-0 or 40-0 on the road, as
long as we come out with the victory and keeping finding a way to win.”
Game 1:
Kings 2, Devils 1
Kings lead series, 1-0
Saturday:
at Devils, 8:00, NBC
Monday:
at Kings, 8:00, NBCSN
Wednesday:
at Kings, 8:00, NBCSN
x-Sat., June 9:
The Kings looked sluggish following an eight-day layoff after their five-game
elimination of the Coyotes in the Western Conference finals. But Quick
matched Brodeur and allowed just an own goal off L.A. defenseman Slava
Voynov through regulation.
Quick thwarted several Devils scoring chances in the third period and
overtime, before the 24-year-old Kopitar netted his seventh of these
playoffs and his second career postseason OT tally.
“Anytime you see your guy going in on a breakaway in overtime, especially
No.11, it just felt like he was going to score,” Williams said of his Slovenian
teammate.
“We came out a little slower than we wanted to. That was really not the plan
to feel them out for two periods,” Kopitar added. “Every time you win on the
road, you need a team effort. That show again tonight. We had four lines
going, six D, Jonathan was great in net.
“And every time you get a chance to finish it off in OT, and facing a worldclass goaltender like Marty, it’s a good feeling.”
x-Mon., June 11:
at Kings, 8:00, NBC
x-Wed., June 13:
x-if necessary
New York Post LOADED: 05.30.2012
632849
New Jersey Devils
L.A. wins Cup opener in overtime
By MARK EVERSON
632848
New Jersey Devils
Power plays
The Devils say they did their worst, and that wasn’t a good thing, yet it was
nearly enough. New Jersey, which dropped its third straight series opener,
only can hope the third time isn’t the curse.
Staff
For all the Devils’ belief that any improvement might be enough, they also
know they squandered a magnificent opportunity last night, the chance to
end the Kings’ record perfect road playoff, and puncture the Los Angeles
balloon.
3 STARS
Those opportunities ended for the Devils when Anze Kopitar punished
Marek Zidlicky’s ill-advised pinch with a breakaway goal, the 2-1 winner at
8:13 of overtime in the Stanley Cup finals opener last night in Newark.
1. Anze Kopitar
The Kings center scored his third goal in L.A.’s last four playoff games
when he deked a defenseless Martin Brodeur to score on a breakaway 8:13
into OT for the game-winner.
2. Martin Brodeur
The Devils 40-year-old goaltender, playing in his fifth Stanley Cup final,
showed he was equal to the task in the opener. He stopped 23 shots of 25
shots and made of pair of brilliant saves just 10 seconds apart.
3. Mike Richards
The ex-Flyer, acquired in last offseason, could have won the game twice in
the third period and his set-up for Drew Doughty was first class.
KEY MOMENT
Marek Zidlicky pinches and loses, Bryce Salvador can’t cover, and Anze
Kopitar buries the resulting overtime breakaway.
TO QUOTE ...
“You could tell we were nervous. It’s not that easy to just go out and
perform. You don’t know what the atmosphere is going to be like. It’s five
times [to the finals] for me and the first time for some guys. You’re going to
have butterflies. That’s what hockey is all about. ” — Devils goalie Martin
Brodeur
FINALS SCHEDULE
“We didn’t deserve to win tonight and we didn’t,” Patrik Elias said. “They
had a pretty easy night against us. We didn’t make it tough on them.
“It would have been great to steal this one, but we have to be a lot better
than this.”
The Devils won all three finals when they took the opener and lost the only
one (2001) when they lost Game 1.
Having squandered their first opening home-ice advantage of these playoffs
on their first chance, the Devils will have to win Saturday in Newark, or
head to Los Angeles in danger of being swept for the first time in team
history — in the finals, no less.
“All losses this time of year are hard to take because your dream is shutting
down,” Martin Brodeur said.
The Devils went long stretches last night without putting a shot on Kings
goalie Jonathan Quick, who looked as if he could be had with any sort of
offense.
“It’s a tough loss,” said Anton Volchenkov, credited with the Devils’ lone
goal when his rebound caromed in off King defenseman Slava Vodynov.
“For some guys, it’s their first NHL final. Everybody was nervous.”
Kopitar extended the Kings’ record of winning their first nine road games in
these playoffs. They are one victory short of the NHL record of 10 road
triumphs in a playoff year, shared by the 1995 Devils.
“They feel good about it,” Brodeur said. “That would be a tough loss for
them because they hadn’t lost on the road yet.
“We have to get in their mind.”
They didn’t do it last night, as the Kings snapped the Devils’ three-game
playoff winning streak.
In the early going, the Kings were faster to pucks, quicker with crisp
breakouts and played defense as if they liked it. They denied the Devils
time and lanes for their passing, reducing New Jersey’s game to desperate
chop-and-hope.
The Devils had enjoyed four days off since ousting the Rangers for the
Prince of Wales Trophy, while the Kings were off eight days since they
captured the Campbell Bowl as Western champs.
New Jersey didn’t put a shot on Quick for the opening 7:04, and still had
only Dainius Zubrus’ softie from the left boards when Colin Fraser gave Los
Angeles the lead at 9:56. Jordan Nolan stole the puck from Andy Greene at
the right boards and centered to the right circle, where Fraser rammed his
first of these playoffs past Brodeur, playing his 200th playoff game.
Brodeur kicked away a Dustin Brown breakaway in the first, and Brown
knocked Brodeur over, giving New Jersey a power play. The Devils worked
a tic-tac-toe play to perfection, except for Travis Zajac’s slot finish. David
Clarkson also had a golden chance in the middle, but missed the net.
The Devils squared the score on Volchenkov’s goal with 1:12 left in the
second, after being nearly invisible in that period. They didn’t put a shot on
Quick for the first 14:30, and that only Zach Parise’s lost deke that was
counted by a very generous home scorer. Los Angeles misplayed two quick
2-on-1s late in the second, after Brodeur made a knob save on Trevor
Lewis’ shorthanded bid.
“We’ve been through that. We were shut down [and shut out twice] by
[Henrik] Lundqvist,” Brodeur recalled. “When you play the Western
Conference, you don’t know much about them. This was feeling-out for both
clubs.
“This is a resilient team. Our work ethic puts us through a bunch of times.
The ice was bad, we panicked with the puck a lot and made turnovers.”
632850
New Jersey Devils
Anze does it by reaching into his memory bank
By LARRY BROOKS
Almost six years, that’s how long it had been since Anze Kopitar beat
Martin Brodeur and the Devils in a shootout by going to his backhand in
L.os Angeles on Nov. 27, 2006.
Almost six years, that’s the flashback that streamed across Kopitar’s
memory bank as he raced in on net on that rarest of plays in the playoffs
and rarer still in the Stanley Cup finals — a breakaway in overtime.
And that as well is what Brodeur processed in the split seconds he had as
the Kings’ center burst down the middle across the blue line after taking a
feed from Justin Williams and nothing but net in front of him with Bryce
Salvador and Dainius Zubrus in frantic pursuit.
“I thought he was going to go to his backhand, but he had so much time,”
Brodeur would say. “So I made a move that way and he took advantage of
it.”
He took advantage of it, Kopitar most certainly did, feigning a move to his
backhand before sweeping to his left and lifting a forehand up and over the
diving Brodeur’s right leg at 8:13 to give the Kings a 2-1 victory and thus a
1-0 jump-start in the finals that continues at the Rock on Saturday.
“I wish I had every goal back,” said Brodeur, who had made an exceptional
stacked pad save on Drew Doughty with 7:30 remaining in regulation that
kept the Devils in it. “If I knew what he was thinking, it would be a lot
easier.”
But Brodeur probably did know what Kopitar was thinking. He was thinking
about Nov. 27, 2006, less than two months into Claude Julien’s aborted
tenure behind the Devils’ bench.
“It goes back a few years,” said Kopitar, the Kings’ outstanding talent who
was bottled up most of the night after a strong start. “There was a shootout
in LA when I went backhand on him and I guess that’s why he thought I was
going to do it again, so I mixed it up.”
Kopitar mixed it up after the Devils were mixed up in attempting to keep the
puck in the Kings’ zone nearly halfway through the overtime period New
Jersey had dictated; just the way New Jersey had dictated much of the third
period after a halting first 40 minutes.
The Devils had the puck in the zone, and then they didn’t. Marek Zidlicky
has been an integral part of New Jersey’s march to the finals after being
acquired from Minnesota on Feb. 24, fell down at the line as the puck was
chipped out by Doughty to Williams, who got to it first and sent a backhand
in the middle to Kopitar.
“I thought I’d be able to get over and get the puck first, but he got to the
puck first,” Salvador said. “Maybe if I had stayed back a little bit more . . .
“But that’s what happened.”
That’s what happened after the Devils failed to mount much of a forecheck
for most of the night. That’s what happened after David Clarkson couldn’t
hold on to a Patrik Elias cross-ice feed with an open side of the net yawning
at 6:45 of overtime.
That’s what happened after Ilya Kovalchuk — who appeared to be no more
60 percent of himself in playing through lower-back issues that have limited
the winger since the first round — couldn’t get a shot through on Jonathan
Quick from the trigger position at 5:45 of overtime after Adam Henrique won
a left wing draw from Colin Fraser.
That’s what happened before Kopitar came in alone on Brodeur, before an
early-season game from 2006-07 streamed across the King center’s
memory bank, before he kept the puck on his forehand, before he gave Los
Angeles a 1-0 lead in the Stanley Cup final in that rarest of all plays — an
overtime breakaway.
632851
New Jersey Devils
Brodeur fooled in OT as New Jersey loses Game One
Staff
NEWARK — Anze Kopitar scored a spectacular goal on a breakaway with
11:47 left in overtime Wednesday night and the Los Angeles Kings beat the
New Jersey Devils 2-1 in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Kopitar faked a backhand shot, put the puck on his forehand and beat a
prone Martin Brodeur.
Los Angeles has won all nine of its road games in the playoffs, an NHL
record. The Kings are now one win shy of the NHL record for postseason
road victories.
More importantly, they are three wins away from the franchise's first NHL
title. They have won 11 consecutive road playoff games dating back to last
season.
Colin Fraser scored in the first period for the Kings, the No. 8 seed in the
Western Conference who beat the top three teams to get to their first
Stanley Cup Finals since 1993.
Anton Volchenkov tied it late in the second period for New Jersey, the
East's sixth seed.
Kopitar took a pass by Justin Williams from along the left wing boards and
skated in alone on Brodeur. As soon as he rifled the puck into the net, he
raised his hands and banged himself into the boards, facing the crowd off to
Brodeur's right.
The veteran goaltender dejectedly skated off to the locker room as the rest
of the Kings piled on Kopitar.
Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick finished with 17 saves in what was a
relatively easy night. Brodeur had 23 saves as the Devils lost in overtime for
just the second time this postseason; they have won four times. LA is 3-0 in
overtime this spring.
632852
New York Islanders
Bettman: 'Still time' for deal to keep Isles on LI
By ARTHUR STAPLE
NEWARK -- NHL commissioner Gary Bettman reiterated his call for a new
arena for the Islanders during his state of the sport address before last
night's Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals, but did not have much more
information other than that on the team.
"Charles Wang is continuing, despite tremendous frustration, to look at all
options to keep the club in the metropolitan area," Bettman told reporters at
the Prudential Center before the start of the Devils-Kings game.
Wang has not spoken publicly since an appearance on MSG Network's
pregame show on April 1, when he stated he was committed to keeping the
Islanders in the area beyond the end of the Nassau Coliseum lease in 2015
even if the Islanders no longer play at the Coliseum.
"There is still time" to come to a deal to keep the team on Long Island,
Bettman noted, but declined to elaborate further.
The Islanders will face the Devils at Brooklyn's Barclays Center in a
preseason game on Oct. 2. The Nets' new home is the newest arena in the
area, so talk naturally has turned to the Islanders possibly moving there, but
Wang has stayed quiet on the topic of moving and/or selling the team.
Of more pressing note to Bettman is the possible beginning of talks with
Don Fehr, executive director of the NHL Players' Association, on a new
collective-bargaining agreement.
Bettman said he recently had gotten indications from Fehr that the union
was prepared to open talks on a new CBA. The current agreement, forged
after a year-long lockout that erased the 2004-05 season, expires on Sept.
1, and both sides noted the atmosphere heading into talks this time is very
different than eight years ago.
"Labor peace is preferable to the alternative," Bettman said, adding that he
expected talks to begin in some form within the next several weeks. Fehr,
who listened to Bettman's address and question-and-answer session, then
held one of his own at the back of the same interview room.
"You don't have the kind of atmosphere going in [that was there before],"
said Fehr, the former head of the MLB Players Association. Though he did
add, "The players know what happened last time," referring to the lost year
and 24 percent salary rollback that was part of the 2005 CBA.
Bettman also addressed the financial situations of the finalists. He said he
believes that Devils managing partner Jeffrey Vanderbeek was close to
finding either a new partner or several new partners to help make an $80million debt payment that is due this summer; as to a report Wednesdaythat
the Kings were for sale, Bettman called it "categorically untrue."
Moulson made the trip out to the Prudential Center Wednesday night to
watch his brother-in-law and longtime friend, Kings goaltender Jonathan
Quick, make his Final debut. Okposo was going to watch from home in
Minnesota to see his high-school pal, Devils captain Zach Parise, make his
first appearance in a Final.
"It's been great to see Quickie become the cornerstone of that team,"
Moulson said Wednesday, before he headed out here with some family to
watch Quick play. Moulson and Quick married sisters; Moulson's wife,
Alicia, is seven months pregnant and stayed home, but Quick's wife, Jaclyn,
and her brother, Sound Tigers forward Sean Backman, joined Moulson for
the game.
Moulson could have had some mixed feelings about the Kings being in the
Final -- he was in their organization for three seasons before signing with
the Islanders in 2009 and never quite got a shot to stick in Los Angeles.
But after three straight 30-goal seasons with the Islanders, albeit with no
postseason, Moulson isn't bitter, just happy for Quick and former
Manchester Monarch teammates like Trevor Lewis.
"I don't have any ill feelings towards them," he said. "That's past. I learned a
lot when I was there, and I can look back after a few years now and know
that's all behind me."
Okposo hasn't been paying too close attention to the postseason so far -- "I
think I've watched more NBA playoffs than NHL," he said -- but after an
Eastern Conference finals that featured two of his offseason workout
partners in Parise and the Rangers' Derek Stepan, Okposo figured it might
be time to see what was going on.
"We've exchanged a few texts, but I've been trying to keep my distance and
let him focus," Okposo said of Parise. "It's pretty awesome when it's the
Finals and it's someone you know so well."
Okposo was able to burn up nearly a month playing for the U.S. squad in
the World Championships in Helsinki, with former Isles coach Scott Gordon
behind the bench. After finishing his season on an up note, scoring nine of
his career-high 24 goals in the last nine games, Okposo feels as though this
offseason, his fourth straight without playoffs, will be different. And not just
because he's getting married next month.
"I'm getting older and I need to start to figure it out a little bit better when it
comes to the offseason," he said. "Just finding what works for me and what
doesn't."
Okposo had no insight to offer on Parise's possible free-agent destinations,
though both will surely know by the time they're both married near the end
of July -- Parise's is first, a week before Okposo's.
Aside from Moulson's first child coming in August, he's not looking to
change much, other than the part where he's sitting in the stands cheering
on family rather than having people cheering for him.
"Oh, it definitely stinks," he said. "Ever since Quickie's run started, all I've
been thinking about is me being out there this time of year. I want it to be
next year, and I know all our guys do too."
Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.30.2012
632854
New York Rangers
Glen Sather not ready to talk about NY Rangers’ offseason moves, won’t
involve Chris Kreider in trades
Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.30.2012
632853
New York Islanders
Islanders' Matt Moulson, Kyle Okposo taken with the Final
By ARTHUR STAPLE
NEWARK -- Matt Moulson and Kyle Okposo would much rather be playing
into June than checking out the Final to watch their closest friends play. But
for the two Islanders forwards, there's worse things than seeing someone
you've known for years get this close to a Stanley Cup.
By Pat Leonard
The Rangers’ sudden postseason elimination is still too close for Glen
Sather, the Hall of Famer and Blueshirts general manager who has never
gotten used to losing since guiding the Edmonton Oilers to five Stanley Cup
titles from 1984 to 1990.
“We just got knocked out a couple days ago,” Sather told the Daily News
Wednesday afternoon when asked if he had begun having conversations
with fellow GMs about available talent at their Manhattan meetings. “It’s
tough enough to go to bed at night and get out of bed the next morning … I
thought it was a great year. It’s just unfortunate it ended a little bit early, and
I hate losing. So it takes me a long time to get over it. If you find a good
loser, you find a loser.”
However, the 68-year-old president and GM is aware his team has needs.
John Tortorella said Monday at breakup day in Greenburgh that the
Rangers “have to work extremely hard to score goals.”
Standing on the fifth floor of the Westin Hotel in Times Square, Sather
expertly dodged talk of acquiring a top scorer specifically but sounded as if
he may have his eye tilted toward free agency rather than a trade.
Tom Canavan
NEWARK, N.J.—NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman expects negotiations
with the players' association on a new collective bargaining agreement to
begin in a couple of weeks.
“Well I would like to have a 60-goal scorer, I’d like to have a defenseman
who can play 25 minutes and get 25 goals; I would like to have a goaltender
that could be under one goal per game,” Sather said. “I mean those are
wish-lists that every team in this league would like to have. Realistically,
there are some people that are gonna be available. But they’re not available
until July 1. So you really can’t talk about any of those guys.”
In a wide-ranging 25-minute news conference before Game 1 of the Stanley
Cup finals between the Los Angeles Kings and New Jersey Devils, Bettman
said Wednesday that talk of a lockout next season is nothing more than
speculation at this point since labor and management have not met.
Trades can happen prior to July 1, though, and the hottest name on the
trade market is Columbus captain and goal scorer Rick Nash. Blue Jackets
GM Scott Howson would not comment on whether he discussed Nash’s
availability at Wednesday’s meetings. He would only acknowledge that he’s
spoken recently with his star player.
The NHL canceled the 2004-05 season before an agreement was reached
that included a salary cap for the first time. That agreement expires in Sept.
15.
“We’ve talked,” Howson said. “But that will remain private.”
The league GMs convened for more than four hours Wednesday at the
Westin, further discussing issues such as hybrid icing – which would be
implemented first if at all at the AHL level – and player safety, a topic on
which Sather asked for clarification and was “satisfied” with the explanation.
The GMs also broached a radical concept of carrying over penalty minutes
from one playoff game to the next when an act is penalized but not worthy
of suspension – such as Shea Weber’s slamming of Henrik Zetterberg’s
head that drew only a $2,500 fine from the league.
Chris Kreider, the Rangers’ rookie out of Boston College, doesn’t figure to
be part of any potential deals for Rick Nash, or another forward who lights
the lamp regularly.
“Right now, there (is) a gray area late in the game whereby there’s not a
suspension and people can do a lot of message sending,” said Ken
Holland, the Red Wings general manger. “Now does the deterrent of a
possible traveling penalty from one game to another game have merit? …
We decided we don’t want to do anything for next year. Over the course of
next year’s GM meetings, we’re gonna further discuss it.”
One matter that will not be discussed from Sather’s end is any trade
involving Chris Kreider, a given after the Boston College product signed for
the playoffs and became the Rangers’ most lethal scoring threat.
“He’s gonna be a good player,” Sather said. “And we don’t trade kids.”
DON’T LET THAT DEAL GO DOWN
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL Players Association executive
director Donald Fehr spoke separately with the media prior to Game 1 of
the Finals on Wednesday night, addressing the impending negotiations to
form a new collective bargaining agreement as the current CBA is set to
expire on Sept. 15, 2011.
They mentioned the league and players already had begun to share
information – Bettman estimated the league had set a record of $3.3 billion
in revenue this season. While neither was willing to predict whether a
lockout was avoidable, Bettman and Fehr shared the opinion that the
outlook appears more optimistic than it did in 2004, before labor stoppage
resulted in the loss of the entire 2004-05 season.
“Based upon my recollection of the public discourse that was going back
and forth in 2004, and what I can garner (now), you don’t have the kind of
atmosphere going in where it’s necessarily presaged a conflict,” Fehr said.
“We don’t seem to have that. But I’ve been in both situations before, and
whether you have it or don’t, it doesn’t necessarily predict the outcome. But
Gary’s been through this a number of times. I’ve been through this a
number of times. Hopefully we’re both professional enough to treat it that
way.”
"Time will tell how this all sorts out," Bettman said. "I am hopeful this all
sorts out easily because labor peace is preferable to the alternative."
Bettman believes the current labor scene is very different than in 2004,
adding that new NHL Players Association executive director Donald Fehr is
up to speed and knows the issues facing both sides.
"I have some ideas about how it's going to go, but I have learned that
making predictions in this business is a bit of a foolish enterprise," said
Fehr, who sat in on Bettman's news conference because he wanted to hear
him personally instead of watching it on television. "Too many things can
happen that can cause you to change course."
Fehr hopes the season can start on time.
"That's the goal," he said. "Hopefully, it is a goal that everyone shares."
Bettman also said he expects the sale of the Phoenix Coyotes to be
finalized and that he is hopeful that Devils owner Jeff Vanderbeek will be
able to stabilize his financial position with the team. The commissioner also
shot down a New York newspaper report that the Kings were for sale.
Neither Bettman nor Fehr wanted to discuss what they felt would be the
major issues in the upcoming labor talks although the obvious issue will be
money.
"You don't have the kind of atmosphere going on which necessarily
presaged a conflict," Fehr said. "You don't seem to have that. I have been
in both situations before and whether you have it or don't, doesn't
necessarily predict the outcome. Gary has been through this a number a
times, I have been through this a number of times.
"Hopefully, we're both professional enough to treat it that way."
Lockouts have been a part of sports in recent years. The NBA was forced to
play a shortened season this year after a five-month labor dispute resulted
in a lockout that pushed back the start of the season until late December.
The NFL also experienced a lockout that wiped out most of the offseason
training program and had teams reports to training camp late.
"If somebody is suggesting (a lockout)," Bettman said, "it is either because
there is something in the water or people still have the NBA and NFL on the
brain. Or, they are looking for news on a slow day."
In the talks in 2004, the players' association proposed that all existing
contracts be rolled back by 24 percent in an effort to ease the cost to clubs
without the creation of the salary cap. The owners liked the idea of the
contract cuts. But in the end, they negotiated a deal that included those on
top of a salary cap.
Fehr laughed when asked about similar concessions this time around.
"You don't like me in this job," he asked. "We won't make any major
economic proposals that the players aren't familiar with and don't approve
of. Secondly, they recognize that they made enormous concessions in the
last round of bargaining, and that is part of the backdrop that leads us into
this round of negotiations along with a lot of other things."
Fehr hopes for a better deal this time around.
632855
NHL
Gary Bettman hopes to start NHL labor talks soon
"Players understand what happened the last time," said Fehr, the former
head of the baseball union. "Everybody understands what happened the
last time, and that is part of the backdrop of what these negotiations will be
about. I want to caution you, it's not the only thing, but it's there."
Bettman said the NHL had record revenues in excess of $3.1 billion, but he
refused to say how much was profit. He said he would talk about that during
negotiations with the union.
The commissioner said there was a "modest decline" in concussions this
season, the first time that has happened in three years. He refused to get
specific.
"We are pleased with the progress, and player behavior has changed,"
Bettman said.
Earlier Wednesday, the league's general managers had a 4 1/2-hour
meeting in New York to discuss potential rules changes.
Nothing was settled, and the most intriguing proposal won't even be truly
considered until a year from now, at the earliest. In an attempt to curtail
teams in the playoffs from "sending a message" in a physical and illegal
way, penalties incurred in the closing minutes of a postseason game could
be "traveled" or carried over to the next game in the series.
These would be penalties that wouldn't necessarily be subject to a
suspension, but also not incidental to the regular course of play. One
example could be the hit that Nashville's Shea Weber laid on Detroit's
Henrik Zetterberg in the first round. Weber was fined $2,500 for smashing
Zetterberg's head into the glass.
"It's radical," Red Wings GM Ken Holland said. "We think there is
something there. Let's all stew on it, let's think about it, and when we
reconvene next year, we can further discuss it if we think it's got merit.
Nobody else does it, so we don't just want to sit here in a room and in 10
minutes make that determination.
Matt Pepin
EA Sports, maker of the popular hockey video game NHL 12, has run a
simulation of the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals that showed the Los Angeles
Kings would beat the New Jersey Devils 4 games to 2.
The simulation engine used by EA correctly predicted the 2010 finals, won
by the Blackhawks, and was correct on 13 of 15 playoff matchups in 2011.
This time, it predicts the Kings will win Games 1 and 2, then drop Games 3
and 4 before winning 5 and 6 for the title.
Boston Herald LOADED: 05.31.2012
632857
NHL
SCF: Bettman, Fehr preparing to meet
Bucky Gleason
NEWARK, N.J. – NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and players’
association chief Donald Fehr sounded cautiously optimistic Wednesday
before Game One of the Stanley Cup final about reaching a new collective
bargaining agreement without labor strife that could lead to another work
stoppage.
"The reason you put rules in, you really don't want people to break the
rules. But if they do break the rules, then you want to have somebody with
some power to discipline somebody. Right now, is there a gray area late in
the game whereby there is not a suspension and people can do a lot of
message-sending, does a deterrent of a possible traveling penalty have
merit?"
The tone during their separate news conferences sounded in stark contrast
to rhetoric during the 2003-04 season, when Bettman became embattled in
a bitter labor war with former NHLPA chief Bob Goodenow. The NHL ended
up canceling the 2004-05 season and reaching an agreement the following
summer. Goodenow ended up getting fired.
The GMs also discussed the hybrid icing rule, which combines touch and
no-touch icing. Although only one player was injured this season on an icing
play, there is concern that races for the puck at the end boards creates a
potentially unnecessary dangerous situation.
"We’re in a completely different situation," Bettman said. "There’s a new
executive director who has gotten himself up speed, new people, new
relationships. Time will tell how this all sorts out. I’m hopefully it sorts out
easily. Labor peace is preferable to the alternative."
Before that would ever be adopted into the NHL, the GMs would like to try it
out in the American Hockey League. It is already used in college hockey.
For the past seven years, the league and its players’ association have
worked under a salary cap in which the players receive 57 percent of
revenue. Speculation has been rampant that the NHL will be looking for
more money after the NBA and NFL effectively convinced their unions to
accept a smaller take before reaching agreements.
Several of the managers are also concerned that the game is becoming too
defensive-minded and trending more toward a soccer-type style. The New
York Rangers secured the top seed in the East and reached the conference
finals by strengthening their defensive play with a team-wide dedication to
blocking shots.
After the NHL lockout wiped out the 2004-05 NHL season, a package of
new rules to spice up the game was adopted. Something similar could be
coming in the not so distant future.
"I like offense in the game and I like offensive opportunities," Vancouver
Canucks GM Mike Gillis said. "If those opportunities aren't present in the
course of a game, I don't like it and I don't support that.
"What I've seen is the lowering of scoring opportunities. You don't see many
odd-man rushes at all, and the collapsing around your own net to block
shots and not challenge the point man."
The NHL plans to have a bit of a rules summit in August to discuss what
issues clubs are having with rules such as hooking, holding and
interference, and what changes might have to be made in the way those
infractions are whistled.
General managers, coaches, players and referees are expected to attend.
"I want to know what is real," said Colin Campbell, the NHL's senior vice
president of hockey operations. "Sometimes you can get more at the
problem in August after the season has gone away before we start another
season."
Boston Globe LOADED: 05.31.2012
632856
Bettman announced Wednesday that the NHL generated about $3.3 billion
this season, a record amount and roughly a 50 percent increase from 200304.
"If someone is suggesting it, there’s something in the water, people have
the NBA and NFL on the brain or they’re just looking for news on a slow
day," Bettman said. "It’s nothing more than speculation. There can’t be any
substance to it because there haven’t been any substantive conversations."
Bettman for months has been ready to begin preliminary discussions with
Fehr, who was hired by the NHLPA to oversee negotiations after reigning
over major league baseball’s union for more than two decades.
Fehr said talks with Bettman could begin with weeks after the Stanley Cup
final is completed. He held an informal news conference about 30 feet from
and about 10 minutes after Bettman held his own.
"You don’t have the kind of atmosphere going in that’s necessarily presage
to conflict," Fehr said. "You don’t seem to have that. I’ve been in both
situations before. Whether you have it not doesn’t predict the outcome.
"Gary has been through this a number of times. I’ve been through this a
number of times. Hopefully, we’re both professional enough to treat it that
way."
632858
NHL
NHL
SCF: Kings are tired of resting
EA Sports simulates Stanley Cup Finals
Bucky Gleason
NEWARK, N.J. -- Los Angeles Kings captain Dustin Brown this morning
said he had no problem sleeping last night, the eve of Game One of the
Stanley Cup final, but he's ready to start the best-of-seven series against
the New Jersey Devils. The opener is set for 8 p.m. in the Prudential
Center.
"I slept fine," Brown said. "The afternoon nap might be a little more difficult.
It’s going to be more [emotional] when we get here tonight. It felt like any
other morning to me. When we get here tonight, the nerves are going to
pick up."
The Kings made quick work of the Canucks, Blues and Coyotes and lost
just two games in the first three rounds to reach the finals for the first time
since 1994. They've had plenty of time to relax in between series but have
effectively been able to regenerate the energy and unity that carried them
this far in the first place.
"It has allowed us to enjoy what we accomplish in the series that just
ended," Brown said. "On the flip side, a few days later, you hit the reset
button and get that work mentality back. You want to keep playing. From a
rest standpoint, to get where we are and have the rest that we’ve had, it’s
definitely a positive."
Brown, 27, who grew up in Ithaca and played frequently in Buffalo,
Rochester and Syracuse as a kid, is making his first appearance in the
finals. It's hardly his first big game. He played for the United States in the
2010 Olympics, losing the gold medal to Canada. He's leading the Kings
with seven goals and 16 points and is plus-13 in 14 postseason games.
"It’s important for some guys like myself and some younger guys to
understand that we might not have this chance again and be ready to go
from a playing standpoint," Brown said. "It’s nice to sit here and pat
everyone’s back. At the end of the day, we haven’t done everything."
632859
NHL
NHL notebook: Labor talks head Bettman’s agenda
Staff Writer
At the surface, the the Blue Jackets’ most recent transaction seemed
almost procedural. Center Derek MacKenzie, a fourth-line fixture with the
Blue Jackets the last two seasons, was a pending free agent this summer,
but both the club and the player wanted to get a new contract in place. The
negotiations were quick and relatively painfree.
But the two-year contract signed by MacKenzie – it should be announced
by the club later today – means so much more to the soon-to-be 31 year
old. He’ll make $1 million in each of the next two seasons, and the money’s
not the coolest part.
“I’ve never had a one-way contract before,” MacKenzie told The Dispatch
this morning. “This is a big deal for us, for me and my family, both
immediate and extended.”
“Arniel stressed it to me – ‘You’re here. You’re not going anywhere. You
have to start acting like you’re going to be here.’” MacKenzie said.
Easier said than done.
MacKenzie said Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson and assistant
general manager Chris MacFarland both stressed that they want
MacKenzie’s voice to be heard more this season. He’s now a bona fide
NHLer, armed with a one-way contract.
Now he and his wife, Sarah, can look for a home with elbow room and
move out of the condominium they’ve called home. Now daughter Reese
(3) and Grayson (1) have a permanent address, at least for two years. Now,
when his family drives in from Sudbury, Ont. – 11 hours each way – they
can stay for a few days, rather than get a hotel room and head right back
home.
“It’s nice to know that what I’ve done is well-respected and it’s paid off,”
MacKenzie said. “This instills confidence. It means you’ve got people
behind you, backing you up and believing in you.
“I feel like I’ve got more to offer the Blue Jackets. That’s what this contract
means to me, that the responsibility now is a bit more than it was before
this, and I’m very comfortable with that. I want to be a big part of this club,
and I want to help make us a winning team.”
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman expects negotiations with the players’
association on a new collective bargaining agreement to begin in a couple
of weeks.
In a wide-ranging 25-minute news conference before Game 1 of the Stanley
Cup Finals between the Los Angeles Kings and New Jersey Devils
yesterday, Bettman said that talk of a lockout next season is nothing more
than speculation at this point because labor and management have not
met.
“Time will tell how this all sorts out,” Bettman said. “I am hopeful this all
sorts out easily because labor peace is preferable to the alternative.”
The NHL canceled the 2004-05 season before an agreement was reached
that included a salary cap for the first time. That agreement expires on
Sept. 15.
Bettman said the current labor scene is different than in 2004, adding that
new players’ association executive director Donald Fehr is up to speed and
knows the issues facing both sides.
“I have some ideas about how it’s going to go, but I have learned that
making predictions in this business is a bit of a foolish enterprise,” said
Fehr, who sat in on Bettman’s news conference because he wanted to hear
him personally instead of watching it on television. “Too many things can
happen that can cause you to change course.”
Bettman also said he expects the sale of the Phoenix Coyotes to be
completed and that he is hopeful that Devils owner Jeff Vanderbeek will be
able to stabilize his financial position with the team. The commissioner also
shot down a New York newspaper report that the Kings were for sale.
Neither Bettman nor Fehr wanted to discuss what they felt would be the
major issues in the upcoming labor talks, although the obvious issue will be
money.
“You don’t have the kind of atmosphere going in which necessarily
presaged a conflict,” Fehr said. “You don’t seem to have that. I have been
in both situations before and whether you have it or (not) doesn’t
necessarily predict the outcome. Gary has been through this a number a
times; I have been through this a number of times.
MacKenzie toiled in the minor leagues longer than most players, probably a
lot longer than he should have, given the two franchises he’s played for –
Atlanta and Columbus. The reality of a two-way contract tends to loom over
a player like a bad debt. The club’s flexibility is the player’s insecurity, and
MacKenzie has played under that weight that for more than a decade.
“Hopefully, we’re both professional enough to treat it that way.”
“In some ways, it doesn’t seem like a big deal,” MacKenzie said. “But for me
it was a big deal. It was obstacle when we started this season the way we
started.”
Despite still being one of the best defenseman in the NHL 20 years into his
career, Nicklas Lidstrom will announce his retirement today, the Detroit
Free Press reported.
It’s hard for guys on two-way contracts to grab the dressing room by the
horns and exert their will, MacKenzie said. Former Blue Jackets coach
Scott Arniel noted repeatedly that MacKenzie played as if he was always on
the verge of being sent back down to the minors.
Lidstrom, 42, won four Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings after
joining the club in the 1991-92 season. He was a seven-time winner of the
Norris Trophy, given to the league’s top defenseman.
That fear can be healthy and helpful on the ice. It can be limiting in the
dressing room, though.
Red Wings’ Lidstrom to announce retirement
Lidstrom is one of two players, along with Doug Harvey, to win the Norris
Trophy seven times (Bobby Orr won the award a record eight consecutive
times). Lidstrom won as recently as the 2010-11 season.
Lidstrom, the Red Wings’ captain since 2006, had 264 goals, 878 assists
and a rating of plus-450 for his career.
It's a great organization who treats its people well and teaches you how to
win.
Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 05.31.2012
"I think Mike and Jeff would agree to that. I think Philadelphia will always be
a special place to both of them. I think they wouldn't trade a minute of it for
anything. And I think it's made them better players moving on. A lot of who
they are had to do with them being in Philadelphia for so long."
632860
Philadelphia Flyers
Ex-Flyers Richards, Carter get another shot at Stanley Cup
By FRANK SERAVALLI
NEWARK, N.J. - Mike Richards was honest.
Sitting at the podium on Tuesday, in front of a gaggle of reporters, the topic
of conversation was not about the Los Angeles Kings' ridiculous 12-2 run to
the Stanley Cup finals or about how they steamrolled through the West as a
No. 8 seed.
The conversation was not about Richards' second Stanley Cup finals in 3
years or his hunger to add to his already overflowing trophy case, with the
ability to add to his Memorial Cup, Calder Cup and Olympic gold medal.
Instead, the conversation was predictably about his jettisoning from
Philadelphia, and how he's landed in Los Angeles, reunited and seated next
to teammate and close friend Jeff Carter.
For the first time since that fateful June 23 day last year, Richards did not
flinch when asked about the Flyers. The wounds are no longer fresh. When
he returned to Philadelphia for the first time last October, he squirmed like a
jealous ex-boyfriend, insisting the grudge match was nothing more than a
"regular game."
Carter and Richards reiterated that they never thought they would play
together again, let alone be on the same line less than a year later in the
finals. They have teamed up with Dustin Penner to pack a powerful punch
for the Kings after Anze Kopitar's top line.
Richards was sent to Los Angeles with a 12-year, $69 million deal. Carter
was traded just 6 months after signing an 11-year, $58 million deal. That
alone should have kept them apart. But Lombardi was desperate.
"We didn't have that expectation, especially with our contracts," Richards
said. "I think we were both excited. Not only him and I, but we were
struggling for offense at that point. We've had fun together. We've always
envisioned, I think, winning together. Not too many people get that second
opportunity, but we definitely have that now and we have to take advantage
of it."
It's strange how it all worked out. Richards and Carter both floundered away
from Philadelphia. The Kings and Blue Jackets struggled. After the first
round, the Flyers looked destined for big things. Yet, it's the Kings in the
finals. With Richards and Carter together again, it's all made sense.
"I don't handle change very well," Richards said. "I think it was an
adjustment. I'm a big believer that everything happens for a reason. If this
was the road that was intended for us, then so be it. We're happy now."
Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 05.30.2012
632861
Philadelphia Flyers
Nearly a year and 2,500 miles removed from the city where Richards
captained the Flyers to the 2010 Stanley Cup finals, there is no more bad
blood. The trade is old news - a story beaten beyond death.
Daily News writers split on Stanley Cup final
Instead, Richards finally seems comfortable in his own skin again, fresh and
balanced. He is just four wins from hoisting the Stanley Cup, something
Flyers management decided he would never be able to do in Philadelphia.
Staff
"I think it's a second chance," Richards said on Tuesday at the Cup's media
day at Prudential Center, ahead of Wednesday night's Game 1 against New
Jersey. "I'm at a happy state. You don't get opportunities very often to get
here, let alone two. Jeff and I, and the guys who haven't won it before,
we're going to relish it. I think we're all excited for it."
Ed Barkowitz: Considering what the Flyers received in return, trading Mike
Richards was not a mistake. Making him the team captain when he was
only 23 was. Richards is comfortable now, mucking and grinding in the
shadows of Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar and three other guys casual fans
on this side of the continent couldn't pick out of a lineup. Marty Brodeur has
the Hall of Fame credentials, but LA's Jonathan Quick has been the best
goaltender in the postseason. Any goalie can steal a game, Quick has
stolen series. Kings in 6
For the first time since those shocking trades, in which Richards was
shipped to Los Angeles and Carter dealt to Columbus, Richards expressed
his emotions on Tuesday. Despite heading to different cities, Richards and
Carter kept in touch, used each other as sounding boards for the shocking
and emotional departures.
"We were pretty mad," Richards said. "I'm not going to lie. It's something
I've never had before. I heard rumors. I've never been traded. Jeff has
never been traded. For us to be traded at the same time, there was a lot of
venting to each other."
He said it took him until mid-February to finally feel comfortable on and off
the ice. Carter arrived a few days later, on Feb. 23, after a failed 39-game
experiment with the Blue Jackets.
Carter's arrival was the turning point in the Kings' season. General manager
Dean Lombardi was on the ropes, with the Kings floundering. Former Flyers
coach Terry Murray already had been fired in December.
Suddenly, everything clicked. Richards became more comfortable with the
arrival of Carter, who moved into his Manhattan Beach, Calif., house. Carter
brought some much-needed firepower. And he allowed the Kings' lines to
even out, according to assistant coach John Stevens.
Stevens said that if it wasn't for their connection with the Flyers, Richards
and Carter - and even Stevens himself - wouldn't be in the same position to
succeed.
"Quite honestly, for me, Philadelphia has had a positive impact on every
guy that's been there," Stevens said Tuesday. "The thing for me is that
every time [this] story comes up, it seems to be in a negative connotation.
Sam Donnellon: Some Flyers fans are dreading a Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup victory. They do not want to see Mike Richards holding that
Cup a year after the Flyers made him their ex-captain, really don't want to
see Jeff Carter do the same. Well dread not. At least not that. I believe the
Devils will dispose of the Kings easily in five games. In doing so, they will
make it crystal clear that the Western Conference was a weaker brand of
hockey this year, particularly playoff hockey. And that will lead to a whole
'nother dread, that had the Flyers bore down in the Devils series the way
they bore down in upsetting Pittsburgh, they could be the team exposing
the Western Conference. And hoisting the Cup. Devils in 5
Rich Hofmann: Despite the appearances to the contrary - hated Devils on
one side, Jeff Carter and Mike Richards on the other side - this really is a
good Stanley Cup finals matchup for the Flyers. Why? Because it is a
series that validates their style of play. The Devils and Kings got this far
because both of them were all about aggressive, persistent forechecking.
That is the Flyers' MO when they get it going. We will not have to listen to
people waxing poetically about the art of the blocked shot, which would
have been the result if the Rangers had gotten through to the final. This will
be about two teams that attack in the offensive zone, attack and attack
some more. It will be good hockey. It will demonstrate the value of
aggression and goaltending. This is the Flyers' blueprint. That they fell short
against the Devils in the second round does not change that. Devils in 7
Frank Seravalli: Admittedly, it is hard to pick against the Los Angeles Kings
- with their postseason numbers as gaudy as their Southern California
scene. You can point to any number of things: an 8-0 record on the road,
knocking off the No. 1, 2 and 3 seeds in succession, Jonathan Quick's
obscene 1.54 goals-against average in the playoffs. They're all sexy. And
the Devils are the epitome of hockey porn. That's why I like the Devils to
win the Stanley Cup. Two out of the three times they've won the Cup, they
beat Anaheim (2003) and Detroit (1995), who both entered the final with a
12-2 record in the playoffs. The Kings are 12-2. Unlike Los Angeles, which
has rolled through the playoffs, the "no-frills" Devils have not flinched in the
face of adversity. They've knocked off two solid teams in a row with an inyour-face tempo and persistence that isn't going anywhere. New Jersey is
not starstruck by the bright lights of the game's biggest stage. In fact, the
Devils never seem to be too high or too low. That stoic franchise philosophy
is about to pay off again for the fourth time in 18 years. Devils in 6
Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 05.30.2012
632862
Philadelphia Flyers
Snider backed Holmgren's decision to trade Carter and Richards and was
steadfast in his belief the acquisitions of forwards Jakub Voracek, Brayden
Schenn, Wayne Simmonds and Sean Couturier — the total haul in the two
separate trades — left them more suited to compete for championships
down the road.
"I think we're better off," Snider said, "but I'm not getting into details."
Carter and Richards were moved in part to make salary room for goalie Ilya
Bryzgalov, who frustrated his team and fans more than he dazzled them in
net in his first season.
Bryzgalov was never better than in March when he opened with seven
straight wins and had shutouts in four of his first five games. He finished 102-1 with a 1.43 goals-against average and .947 save percentage.
But he's paid to win in April, May and June. And in the postseason, well,
Bryzgalov posted a 3.46 goals-against average. Not good enough.
Flyers West: Orange & Black rooting for old mates
Snider, moving forward, is counting on Bryzgalov to play more like the
goalie who shined in March.
By DAN GELSTON,
"I hope that's the guy we traded for. I think it is," Snider said. "He's an
emotional guy and got off to a somewhat of a rocky start. I think we're only
going to see much better things from him."
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Flyers West has a pretty large fan club bullish on
their chances of winning the Stanley Cup.
The Kings are pleased with their pickups.
Those cheers heard down the turnpike for Game 1 are from the original
Philadelphia Flyers.
Honest, they insist.
Less than a year after stars Mike Richards and Jeff Carter were traded on
the same day by the Flyers, the duo will skate for the Los Angeles Kings in
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals Wednesday night in New Jersey.
But wait, there's more.
Kings assistant John Stevens is a former Flyers head coach. Kings forward
Justin Williams is an ex-Flyer, same with the injured Simon Gagne. Kings
general manager Dean Lombardi is a former Philadelphia scout and
assistant GM Ron Hextall is on the short list of the Flyers' all-time greatest
goalies.
In the City of Brotherly Love, Flyers fans will watch the Stanley Cup finals
through gritted teeth and buyers' remorse over pricey authentic jerseys of
their former stars that hang in the closet with little reason to see daylight.
This series could be tortuous to watch for the orange-and-black faithful. Just
not for the ones who run the team.
Carter has a hat trick in the Kings' stunning run to the finals and Richards is
third on the team with 11 postseason points. Both were shocked when the
only franchise they knew traded them (Carter was originally sent to
Columbus) last June only a year removed from a trip to the Stanley Cup
finals.
"We were pretty mad. I'm not going to lie," Richards said at Stanley Cup
media day. "It's something I've never had before. I've never been traded.
Jeff has never been traded. For us to be traded at the same time I think was
a lot of venting to each other.
"Like I said, everything happens for a reason. If that was the path that was
intended for us, that's great."
It's a path that has the eighth-seeded Kings playing the sixth-seeded Devils
while the Flyers watch from home.
"It's not so great for someone like me, when we work our butt off and we
think we're in a position to win and we don't," Snider said. "But at least
we're competitive every year. A lot of teams in the last three years would
have liked to have gone to the finals once and the second round twice. I'm
not saying we're satisfied with that, but it's certainly not failure."
Delaware County Times LOADED: 05.30.2012
"You root for them because they're good players and we had really good
years with them," said Flyers President Peter Luukko. "You want to see
your friends do well."
632863
Luukko is tight with former Kings great Luc Robitaille and they often joked
this season, "Wouldn't it be great if we had Flyers East vs. Flyers West."
Will Barret Jackman be back with the Blues?
They were half right. Richards, a former Flyers captain, and Carter are still
playing for the Kings weeks after the Flyers were eliminated in the
postseason. The Devils spoiled the Flyers' season with a five-game
elimination in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
By ROGER HENSLEY
Up the turnpike, the Devils will try to win their fourth championship since
1995 while the Flyers are on a Cup drought that stretches to 1975.
St Louis Blues
QUESTION: What does your gut tell you about the status of unrestricted
free agent Barret Jackman? Do you think he’ll be back with the Blues next
season?
"It doesn't make it bitter at all," Flyers founder and owner Ed Snider said by
phone from California on Tuesday. "Quite frankly, I think it's more
interesting to watch. I am very fond of Richards and Carter. I'd love to see
them succeed. As far as Jersey is concerned, they beat us. If they win, at
least we know we lost to the best."
JEREMY RUTHERFORD
If New Jersey wins the Cup, it would continue a three-year trend of the
Flyers getting eliminated in the playoffs by the eventual champion. They
were knocked out last year by Boston, lost the 2010 Stanley Cup finals to
Chicago, and lost in the first round vs. Pittsburgh in 2009.
If people take Jackman for what he is, “a very defined player” who plays
“hard minutes,” as GM Doug Armstrong said this week, Jackman is very
serviceable.
General manager Paul Holmgren's gamble last summer to trade Richards
and Carter in the prime of their careers yielded mixed results. The Flyers
won 47 games, totaled 103 points, finished fifth in the Eastern Conference
and had a six-game postseason series win over odds-on favorite
Pittsburgh.
But the run lasted only five more games, thanks to the Devils.
There’s a very good chance Jackman is back next year. Say what you want
about Jackman’s mistakes, giveaways, etc. It happens to good defensemen
throughout the league who make a lot more money.
That said, his playoff performance (like the team) was not good. With Kevin
Shattenkirk failing to step up, Jackman was exposed and it put a dismal
finish on a consistent season.
Is he the best option for the Blues as a top-four defenseman who makes
$3-plus million a year? Many will argue he’s not and perhaps there are
alternatives. But Armstrong is big on paying for the player he knows on and
off the ice over the player he’s not familiar with, and the Blues are confident
in what they have in Jackman.
DAN O’NEILL
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My gut tells me he will be back. The fact Jackman sees himself as a topfour defenseman, as he stated in Jeremy Rutherford’s recent story,
suggests to me he might find a lean market.
Ben Kuzma
Jackman’s presence in the dressing room and the regard with which he is
held by teammates can’t be overstated. But the bottom line takes place on
the ice. I’m just not sure Jackman is a top-four defenseman, playing
important minutes against top opposing forwards, on a Stanley Cup
contender. And that said, I don’t think he is going to be able to command
that kind of contract on the free-agent market.
The Vancouver Canucks have signed centre Alex Friesen to an entry level
contract before Friday’s deadline to come to terms with 2010 junior draft
picks. He would have become an unrestricted free agent if not signed by
June 1 and could have signed with any club. This applies to all North
American players.
I do think he is a valuable member of the Blues, one they would like to
retain in a slightly less prominent role, and one who might be even more
successful in that role. But we’ll see. Maybe there are teams who feel he
can fit into their top four. He’s been a solid leader and great citizen for the
Blues, no reason not to wish the best for him.
Friesen, 21, recorded 71 points (26-45) and 106 penalty minutes in 62
games with the Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League during the
2011-12 season. Friesen, an alternate captain for the IceDogs, was also
named to the 2011-12 OHL third all-star team.
My gut feeling is that it’s time to move on. Eastern Conference teams like
Ottawa are looking for rugged stay-at-home defensemen and the free-agent
marketplace is thin. He could cash in and get a fresh start elsewhere. It
won’t take much to price him out of the St. Louis budget for next year. The
Blues want to find a spot for Ian Cole in the Top 6, given his potential to
develop into a strong defensive zone presence. Offensive-minded Cade
Fairchild is also ready for a bigger fill-in role next season.
The 5-foot-10, 189 pound. native of Niagara-On-the-Lake, Ont. was
originally drafted by Vancouver in the sixth round, 172nd overall in the 2010
draft. The Canucks need to bolster their middle with 2008 first-round pick
Cody Hodgson dealt at the NHL trade deadline in February and with the
jury still out on whether 2009 first-round pick Jordan Schroeder can make
the leap to the NHL next season after 21 goals last season with the
Chicago Wolves of the AHL. The only other centre selected in the last three
drafts by the Canucks was last June when Joseph LaBate was taken in the
fourth round.
St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.30.2012
Vancouver Province: LOADED: 05.31.2012
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JEFF GORDON
Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks sign sixth-rounder Alex Friesen from 2010 draft
Canucks draft pick Alex Friesen signs, could help solve centre issues
Staff Writer
By Ben Kuzma
VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Canucks signed 2010 sixth-round pick
Alex Friesen to an entry-level contract Wednesday.
There are riddles in the middle but sixth-round draft pick Alex Friesen may
be one solution to future concerns for the Vancouver Canucks.
Friesen, a centre from the Ontario Hockey League’s Niagara Ice Dogs,
scored 26 goals and collected 45 assists during the 2011-12 campaign. He
was also plus-39 and had 106 penalty minutes. He added 22 points in 20
playoff games.
Following a strong regular season and then elevating his two-way game as
the Niagara Ice Dogs reached the OHL final, the 21-year-old centre signed
an NHL entry-level contract Wednesday as the Canucks beat the Friday
deadline to come to terms with 2010 draft picks or lose them to free agency.
A native of Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ont., the 21-year-old spent five seasons
as an Ice Dog, finishing with 91 goals and 244 points during his OHL
career. He is listed at 5-10 and 189 pounds. He was selected 172nd overall
in the 2010 draft.
The Canucks have to also make contract calls on Finnish goaltender
Jonathan Iilahti and QMJHL defencemen Sawyer Hannay, who were
selected 175th and 205th, respectively, two years ago.
Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 05.31.2012
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Vancouver Canucks
Canucks sign 2010 sixth-rounder Friesen
Staff Writer
Alex Friesen to the rescue? Or the Wolves? The Canucks signed their
2010 sixth-round pick to an entry level contract Wednesday. Friesen, a
centre from the OHL’s Niagara Ice Dogs, scored 26 goals and collected 45
assists during the 2011-12 campaign. He was also plus-39 and had 106
penalty minutes. He added 22 points in 20 playoff games. A native of
Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ont., the 21-year-old spent five seasons as an Ice
Dog, finishing with 91 goals and 244 points during his OHL career. He is
listed at 5-10 and 189 pounds. He was selected 172nd overall in the 2010
draft. The deadline to sign 2010 picks, or lose their rights, Thursday.
Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 05.31.2012
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Vancouver Canucks
In collecting 26 goals and 71 points in the regular season, and 22 points (814) in 20 demanding playoff games, Friesen showed the kind of career
consistency and improvement that sealed the Canucks deal.
Named the best faceoff performer, defensive forward, penalty killer and
third-hardest worker in a poll of OHL coaches, the Canucks may have found
their third-line centre of the future once Friesen hones his pro game with the
Chicago Wolves.
“He’s going to impress the people in Chicago so much that he’ll get his
opportunity in Vancouver,” predicted Ice Dogs general manager and coach
Marty Williamson.
“[Wolves head coach] Craig MacTavish is going to be raving about him and
he’ll get a guy who will always be there for important situations. He really
thrives on that. He was our best player throughout the playoffs and is
absolutely a heart-and-soul guy. Not the most gifted goal-scorer, but the
hardest worker and hardest hitter.”
Friesen lasted until the sixth round in 2010 because his skating and size
raised some questions, but there was also a compete level and 23 goals. At
5-foot-10 and 189 pounds, those stature questions won’t go away but
Williamson believes that shouldn’t be the measure of a guy who had a 68per-cent faceoff efficiency, was a plus-39 and played through people.
If anything, Friesen had to temper his approach to the game but still
amassed 106 penalty minutes. He didn’t return calls from The Province on
Wednesday to address his play or any concerns, but his coach said there
was considerable growth in all areas and an ongoing maturation of the
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. native.
“He used to get very frustrated when he didn’t score and really accepted his
role this year — knowing how important faceoffs were and the PK were and
keeping his composure,” added Williamson.
“He’s such a competitive kid. He really bought in to what we were trying to
do. He might have been our hardest hitter and could absolutely destroy
guys because he keeps you honest. If you fall asleep as a defenceman he’ll
put you right through the end boards. But you can’t play that way every
shift.”
Suddenly, with his blazing speed he looked more like Mason Raymond than
the speedy forechecker who would driver opposing defencemen crazy with
his sudden and relentless coverage.
Suddenly he was trying to be a play-maker.
He did make some nice ones, scoring the odd goal-scorer’s goal or putting
some velvet on a set-up pass.
But that’s not what the Canucks gave him $4 million over three years for;
they wanted him to dump, chase and retrieve pucks, more Jack Russell
Terrier going down a fox hole than than pretty showdog.
The development of Friesen is encouraging because the Canucks need
depth at centre.
But like many of his teammates, Hansen was largely invisible and
ineffective down the stretch and in the brief playoffs.
After a big franchise miss on Patrick White as the 25th overall pick in 2007,
the Gillis regime went for Cody Hodgson as the 10th overall pick in 2008
and Jordan Schroeder as the 22nd selection in 2009.
With Hodgson out of the picture at the trade deadline, Jansen never
developed any chemistry with newly acquired centre Samme Pahlsson; nor
did he take advantage of being moved up with Henrik Sedin and Alex
Burrows in Game 2 of the Los Angeles series when Alain Vigneault was
groping for solutions to Daniel Sedin’s absence after being caught flatfooted when the team’s top goal-scorer was not eady to start the playoffs
after suffering a concussion in March.
Hodgson was dealt to Buffalo at the trade deadline in February and the jury
is out on whether the diminutive Schroeder can turn a 21-goal AHL season
into an NHL job.
Only Joseph LaBate, who’s now at the University of Wisconsin, and
Pathrick Westerholm of Sweden were picked last June as centres, so the
cupboard is pretty bare.
Prab Rai (131st, 2008) was injured last season and played just 26 games in
the ECHL last season. Mats Froshaug (161st, 2008) is playing in the
Finnish league, and Taylor Matson (176th, 2007) was at the University of
Minnesota and played five AHL playoff games this spring with Chicago.
“When you look at our depth chart, we have a need and particularly centres
who can play at both ends of the rink,” said Canucks assistant general
manager Laurence Gilman. “What we like about Alex is that he’s an overachiever and is a gritty two-way forward who plays above his size. And you
don’t want to put players in a [third-line] box because they can develop and
exceed expectations.”
OF NOTE — NHL general managers met Wednesday in New York and will
use the AHL next season to test no-touch icing and the ringette line
proposed by Scotty Bowman. It’s a stripe across the defensive-zone faceoff
dots that must be crossed before a pass can be completed past the red
line.
Hansen did tip in a Henrik feed, but was not otherwise an offensive threat.
He can probably give the Canucks another 15 goals or so this season, but
he’s got to rediscover what got him to the NHL in the first place – he’s got to
refocus on being one of the league’s above-average forecheckers and
defensive players.
From hints Vigneault gave recently, players such as Hansen may have
expanded roles this season.
He’ll return to the Canucks after getting married in Winnipeg this summer to
the girl he met playing for the Manitoba Moose.
Maybe he’ll have a new perspective, on life and on his hockey career.
How 2011-12 went: Hansen scored a career-high 16 goals and added a
career-high 23 assists.
His nine goals in 47 games in 1009-10 was also a 16-goal pace over 82
games, so he has the ability to chip in a goal every five games or so.
Hansen was plus-18 this season, up from plus-13 the season prior and
minus-5 the season before that.
Travelling penalties carried over from late in one game to the net were also
discussed, as was the GMs meeting again in August to address hooking,
holding and interference.
Key stats: Sixteen goals, the most he’s scored since getting 24 for the
Portland Winterhawks in 2005-06.
Canucks GM Mike Gillis isn’t attending the Stanley Cup final and is
returning to Vancouver to prepare for pre-draft meetings next week.
What the future brings: He’s playing for a contract, but also wasn’t happy
overall with his season and so is also playing for pride.
Contract status: One year remaining, $1.35 million.
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Team options: So much is up in the air, worrying about Jannik Hansen’s
place on a retooled team is one of Vigneault’s lesser worries. He likes
Hansen’s play, has faith in his defence and will continue to make Hansen
the team’s third-line right winger. Then again, he might be an attractive
piece to throw into a multi-player trade.
Vancouver Canucks
Canucks' Hansen burns bright, then sputters
Grade: C+
By Gordon McIntyre
632869
Washington Capitals
Throughout May, we’ve taken a look at the Canucks’ roster and
organization. Today’s subject: Jannik Hansen
There was nothing to the start of Jannik Hansen’s season to indicate he’d
take a jump up from what had been a career year the season before.
Capitals re-sign Dany Sabourin
In fact, like Ryan Kesler, Roberto Luongo and the Sedins, he appeared to
be taking a step back after the Canucks long Cup run of the previous
spring.
By Katie Carrera
One goal in his first 14 games – but then the Dane exploded for 10 goals in
his next 19 games and, with Cody Hodgson as his centre and Chris Higgins
mostly on the other wing, it looked like the Canucks had secured tertiary
scoring.
Journeyman goaltender Dany Sabourin agreed to a one-year contract
extension with the Capitals, the team announced Wednesday.
The problem was, Hansen had quit being effective as a checking forward.
Sabourin, 31, was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and
had spent the past two seasons serving as a veteran presence in net for the
AHL’s Hershey Bears.
He will likely continue in that role next season, barring any significant
changes to Washington’s goaltending depth chart. This time, Sabourin will
likely work in tandem with prospect Philipp Grubauer, who is by all
appearances ready to make the move to Hershey after spending 2011-12 in
the ECHL.
During the 2011-12 season, Sabourin appeared in 37 games for the Bears
and went 18-12-5 with a 2.76 goals-against average and a .909 save
percentage. In the Calder Cup playoffs, he went 2-3 with a 3.19 GAA and
.882 save percentage.
Washington Post LOADED: 05.30.2012
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think of doing or changing your game a bit here or there. He's definitely
helped a lot. He's a good teacher like that."
Washington Times LOADED: 05.30.2012
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Winnipeg Jets
Jets part ways with picks
Washington Capitals
By: Ed Tait
Adam Oates may be in coaching mix, but Capitals GM isn’t saying
HE was once considered the Winnipeg Jets' top goaltending prospect, but
Fredrik Pettersson-Wentzel is about to fade from the team's radar screen.
By Stephen Whyno
NEWARK, N.J. — George McPhee made it clear again Wednesday that
he's in no rush to hire a new coach for the Washington Capitals.
"I don't know whether it'll be done in a few weeks or six weeks," McPhee
said after the NHL's general manager meetings in New York. "We'll take our
time and try to do it right."
That might be for the best, especially if ex-Caps forward and New Jersey
Devils assistant Adam Oates is a candidate. This run to the Stanley Cup
Final has raised his stock as a future head coach even though this is only
his third season behind the bench.
"It's tough for me to judge if he's a good coach or right coach. Definitely
Adam Oates has got a lot of knowledge about hockey," ex-teammate Peter
Bondra said in a telephone interview. "I definitely like him to be a future
coach."
Oates' playing days in Washington did not end well, but that was more than
10 years ago, and Olie Kolzig is back with the organization as associate
goaltending coach in spite of his rough exit.
Plus, Oates has evolved as a coach after one year with the Tampa Bay
Lightning and two with the Devils.
"I played with him in Washington, so I kind of knew him as a player," New
Jersey forward Dainius Zubrus said. "He talks to a bunch of guys. After
almost every game he comes out with his laptop and he's showing clips and
teaching guys and little things. His hockey sense, his knowledge of the
game, I feel like he's helped me and a bunch of other guys as well."
Oates was not made available to speak at the Cup Final media day, per the
Devils' policy of assistants not talking to reporters. But there's general
agreement that he's ready for a head coaching position if an NHL team is
interested.
"I think he's a very smart hockey guy. All the coaches this year have done a
great job," Devils forward Eric Boulton said. "They're definitely prepared,
and they put the work in and make sure guys know what they're doing every
night. When they have to change the system here or there or whatnot, I
think he'd be a good head coach."
Los Angeles Kings goaltending coach Bill Ranford, who played with Oates
in Boston and Washington, pointed out that typically skill players don't often
become coaches. Oates is an exception, and Bondra said his defensive
abilities shouldn't be understated.
But where Oates has shined in New Jersey is with the power play, which
has been unstoppable at times. Not surprising given how much of a
playmaker he was, especially on the power play.
The Jets will not be making a contract offer to the 20-year-old Swedish
netminder, selected in the fifth round (128th overall) by the Atlanta
Thrashers in the 2010 NHL entry draft.
Teams have two years to sign players after initially drafting them and,
despite Pettersson-Wentzel's credentials, Jets management will not be
offering him a deal before the June 1 deadline.
Also becoming free agents -- meaning the Jets are pushing on and not
offering them contracts -- are defencemen Sebastian Owuya and Kendall
McFaull.
A couple of factors are in play in the decision to cut ties with PettersonWentzel: 1. There is a belief he has no intention of playing in North America
and; 2. The rapid development of Eddie Pasquale in St. John's this season
has rocketed him up the team's organizational depth chart.
Petterson-Wentzel was the No. 2 netminder with Farjestad of the Swedish
Elite League this past winter, finishing with a 2.39 goals-against average
and .902 save percentage.
Owuya, drafted in the sixth round (169th overall) in 2010 out of Sweden,
spent last season with the Stockton Thunder of the ECHL and had eight
assists in 35 games. McFaull, another sixth-round pick in 2010 (155th
overall), appeared in 67 games with the Moose Jaw Warriors in 2011-12,
picking up six goals and 12 assists.
JUST FYI: While many in the hockey world expect former Calgary Flames
head coach Brent Sutter to be the leading candidate to fill the vacancy with
the Edmonton Oilers, a couple of other names with local ties may also be in
contention.
The Edmonton Journal reports that Dallas Eakins -- the Toronto Marlies
head coach who played for both the Jets and Manitoba Moose -- may be
among the candidates, along with current Oilers assistant Ralph Krueger,
the Winnipeg-born product of Steinbach who was also the head coach of
the Swiss national team. Other names being mentioned to replace Tom
Renney are Paul Maurice, Ron Wilson and current Los Angeles Kings'
assistant coach John Stevens.
Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 05.30.2012
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Winnipeg Jets
THE JETS RETURN: A TIMELINE
By: Ed Tait
"I haven't really experienced what it's like for him as a coach, but I know
from a technical standpoint, he was a big part of the power play both in
Boston and in Washington," Ranford said. "That's some real strong
credentials that he'll bring to a power play for any team."
May 17, 2009: Court documents filed in the Coyotes' bankruptcy case
reveal NHL commissioner Gary Bettman indicated "if the team did return to
Canada, it would be to Winnipeg."
Oates' credentials go beyond the power play. Bondra has spoken with
Zubrus about Oates, and the reviews have been glowing.
Aug. 25, 2009: The NHL submits a bid to buy the Coyotes out of bankruptcy
in an attempt to prolong the search for owners who will keep the team in
Glendale.
"Oatesy has a lot of little tricks of the trade. He shows you a lot of things in
practice that you wouldn't necessarily think [of]. He's very skilled, a very
talented mind," Boulton said. "On the ice, he works with you after practice
and before practice. He shows you little things that maybe you wouldn't
May 7, 2010: The sale of the Coyotes to Chicago sports tycoon Jerry
Reinsdorf collapses, prompting more rumours about the team moving back
to Winnipeg.
May 21, 2010: The city of Glendale delivers $25 million to an escrow
account to cover Coyotes losses in 2010-11, meeting a deadline to keep
the team in Arizona.
May 31, 2011: In arguably the most significant day in Manitoba sports
history, True North Sports & Entertainment announce they have purchased
the Atlanta Thrashers from Atlanta Spirit and will relocate the franchise to
Winnipeg.
June 4, 2011: Just days after the announcement and mere minutes after
tickets go on sale to the general public True North announces its 'Drive-to13,000' season-ticket campaign has met its commitment: 17 minutes after
the online ticket window opened.
glory. But the success of the Drive to 13,000 put Winnipeg's NHL dream on
solid footing.
It was one thing to hear Chipman's words on May 31, it was another to back
them up on June 4.
Happy anniversary, Winnipeg. The first of many, thanks to you.
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Winnipeg Jets
Jets owners' patience was rewarded
June 21, 2011: The NHL's board of governors rubber-stamps the sale and
move of the Thrashers to Winnipeg.
Oct. 9, 2011: The Jets, 2.0 version, play their first game, a 5-1 loss to the
Montreal Canadiens at the MTS Centre.
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Winnipeg Jets
By: Staff Writer
TODAY marks the one-year anniversary of the major announcement
bringing the NHL back to Winnipeg.
It's also the approximate time two years ago of an important promise
eventually kept.
The hockey story of the season
By: Gary Lawless
It was a year ago today when the guessing and wondering finally ended.
The question, "Will Winnipeg ever get its NHL team back?" was answered
with a definitive yes as Mark Chipman made his momentous
announcement.
Most Winnipeggers will remember where they were when Chipman gave us
the news. Sure, we knew or suspected it was coming for a while and when
True North Sports & Entertainment gathered the hockey world's attention to
a basement meeting room at the MTS Centre, there was no doubt about
what was coming. But until the man who will forever be known for bringing
the NHL back to Winnipeg made it official, there was no finality.
And so it was as if Chipman had dropped a joy bomb on Winnipeg that
reverberated through the city, country and even the world.
It was, simply put, a very big day.
What's it been like since? Where Free Press hockey writers would go to
NHL events in the past and face the "Coming back," question, now it's
been, "Wow, what was it like there this year?"
The answer, of course, is awesome. It's difficult to put into words but it's
been one amazing event after another.
The aftershocks of Chipman's announcement have been felt again and
again this year and Winnipeg has been a hot topic throughout the hockey
world. TSN boys Jay Onrait and Dan O'Toole loved looking in on our city
and reporting night after night what was going down in the 'Peg. Onrait
even jumped on a plane late in the season to take in a game on a night off.
Winnipeg -- and it all stemmed from those magical moments on May 31,
2011 -- became the hockey story of the season and for many fans outside
of our city, the Jets became their second-favourite team.
So many reporters from TV and newspaper outlets across North America
have whispered to me, "I wish the Jets had made the playoffs, I wanted to
go there and see that scene so badly."
While May 31 will be the day we always remember as our return to the bigs,
for me, the biggest moment came on June 4 when the other big question
was answered: Will Winnipeg support the NHL at NHL prices?"
The answer was the most telling moment of where our city has come and
what it is today. The tickets, just north of 13,000 season packages, were
snatched up in minutes and under terms that will guarantee sellouts in
Winnipeg for at least three years and more likely for seven when all contract
terms and the waiting list are considered.
That moment will make May 31 a happy memory for years and years to
come and not just another day we look back on with heartbreak. There was
no guarantee Chipman's financial leap to buy a franchise would end in
Mark Chipman and David Thomson of True North Sports & Entertainment
were waiting quietly in the wings but were not successful in their May 2010
bid to rescue the still-ailing Phoenix Coyotes. It was then, sources say, that
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman promised them the next team available.
During his annual press conference at the start of the Stanley Cup final,
May 28, 2010, Bettman embraced a couple of questions about Winnipeg
and spoke openly about the interest from Chipman and Thomson.
It was a week after Glendale city council had met a deadline to come up
with the US$25 million to fund the Coyotes' losses for 2010-11, ending a
week of intense work in New York where Chipman and associates were in
intense preparations to be the NHL's backup plan.
Had Glendale not bucked up, and just to refresh memories, Bettman said:
"We would have been forced to move it. There has been a lot of speculation
about Winnipeg. Winnipeg did make a bona fide offer. We never concluded
a deal. That offer was made by Mark Chipman and David Thomson as
partners in True North. And they are very comfortable with the process.
They understood the likelihood that the team was going to be remaining in
Phoenix. They wanted us to know of their interest and they have told us that
they are prepared to be patient."
One more year was all it took.
-- Campbell
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Winnipeg Jets
Where were you one year ago today?
By: Tim Campbell
The "where were you" sports moments don't come around that often.
May 31, 2011 was one of them, especially if you're from Winnipeg or have
lived anywhere near the Manitoba capital.
Late in the morning on a blustery, rainy Tuesday in the former media
workroom in the basement of the MTS Centre, True North Sports &
Entertainment chairman Mark Chipman stepped to a microphone and told a
live press conference and a national television audience the NHL's Atlanta
Thrashers were being purchased and moved to Winnipeg.
Chipman's partner, David Thomson, was also in the room. So was league
commissioner Gary Bettman, there to endorse the move and fulfil a
previously expressed desire to "right a past wrong" if he could.
"My wife and I watched it at home," said Blake Wheeler, who turned out to
be the new Winnipeg Jets' most dynamic player in 2011-12. "We were
following it pretty close. It had a lot to do with our future and we were pretty
interested once it looked like a sale could happen."
Kevin Cheveldayoff, a Saskatchewan product and former member of the
Brandon Wheat Kings, watched from afar in his Chicago office. He didn't
know it that day, but his days as the Blackhawks' assistant GM were
numbered.
"Watched it on TV and remember seeing Mark at the podium, him saying
how proud he was on behalf of his family," said Cheveldayoff, who would be
named the Jets' GM nine days later. "For me, it was a special feeling, a
great feeling for Mark, knowing him for years and how hard True North
Sports & Entertainment had been working behind the scenes, quietly going
about their business.
"I had ties to the Atlanta Thrashers, too, through different acquaintances
over the years so was very interested for those people. At that point, it was
more of a moment of feeling great to see it happen and wished them all the
best of luck."
Not everyone affected was glued to a TV.
Given that his future and those of many others hung in the balance,
Wheeler said in retrospect, the dearth of information available before May
31 was notable.
"I got all my information the same way the fans and everyone else got it,"
Wheeler said with a laugh. "I never heard anything from the inside, nothing
other than was reported out of Winnipeg. And a lot of NHL.com and TSN as
resources."
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Winnipeg Jets
Jets’ return the best news Winnipeg has ever seen
By Kirk Penton
Then-Thrashers defenceman Zach Bogosian, at home in Massena, N.Y.,
for the summer, had gone fishing.
"I had left the phone at the house and when I got back later, I had 30 texts
from friends and family asking me what was happening," Bogosian said. "It
was kind of hilarious. I wondered if I had been traded or something. I had to
log on (to the Internet) to see what had actually happened."
Thrashers and now-Jets captain Andrew Ladd was out of the house for the
day with his wife and had also left his phone behind.
He also had many people asking him questions.
"I think we were eagerly anticipating a decision one way or the other to find
out where we were going to end up," Ladd said.
He was not surprised at what happened on May 31.
"I honestly knew as much as everyone else did," Ladd said. "I tried talking
to my agent and people in the Atlanta organization but I don't think they
even knew anything. That was the weird part, that we didn't know anything.
Everything from the Atlanta side was pretty hush-hush to us."
Hush-hush, maybe, but given that word of negotiations had filtered out early
in May and apart from all the speculation -- some good, much not so good - the shock value of the May 31 announcement wasn't high.
"Late in May, I don't think we were surprised at all and judging by the
reaction in Winnipeg, we were pretty excited when the announcement
finally happened," Wheeler said.
"Maybe not so shocked but it all happened so quick," Bogosian said. "I
honestly didn't know much about Winnipeg and it was going to be a lot of
uprooting from Atlanta -- guys had houses and furniture.
Chantal Sturk-Nadeau knew the return of the Jets would be big for
Winnipeg.
The Tourism Winnipeg senior vice-president didn’t know it would be this
big.
“A year has passed, and I can say that it has actually surpassed the
expectations of tourism from a whole gamut of reasons that are not
necessarily specifically direct to the Jets games,” Sturk-Nadeau said.
Basically, what she means is Winnipeg is getting so much positive media
attention that it is helping other areas of the city that have nothing to do with
hockey. The Manitoba capital is more of a destination now because of the
Jets.
“It was kind of somewhat of a catalyst to a number of other things that are
going on in this city all at the same time,” she said, “which has really made
the eyes and ears of potential external visitors now look at the city and say,
‘You know what? Maybe we should go to Winnipeg. There’s a buzz. There’s
an energy.’
“I know it sounds fluffy, but the reality is I haven’t gone anywhere outside of
Winnipeg without everyone saying how much they can’t believe that
Winnipeg is getting in the media from a positive standpoint.”
Sturk-Nadeau doesn’t have the tourism numbers to back up her claims
because they are released 18 months to two years later, so the first year of
the Jets and how it affected visitors to the province won’t be officially known
until 2013. What she can report is hotel occupancy is up, and that’s a big
indicator that positive tourism numbers are on the horizon.
When the Thrashers finished their season on April 10 in a 5-2 loss to
Pittsburgh -- without a single sellout that season, we might add -- relocating
the team was far from anyone's thoughts.
“Our overall occupancy for hotels has been good, restaurants in the
downtown area and attractions have said they’ve been doing an
unbelievable amount of business, and restaurants that maybe wouldn’t
even be open are now staying open later or opening on days when they’re
normally closed,” Sturk-Nadeau said.
"I was more bothered by the way my year went," Bogosian said. "That's
really all I thought about at the last game. At that time, it seemed to be more
about Phoenix, anyway. It wasn't discussed around our room much."
Another impact of the Jets return, according to Sturk-Nadeau, is how
Winnipeggers view their own city. They see it in a much more positive light,
which means they are more willing to invite family and friends to visit.
"I had just been traded, so the thought of moving again had not crossed my
mind," Wheeler recalled. "I remember leaving Atlanta with the full intention
of being back there in a few months. But as things unfolded, we weren't
surprised the sale happened."
“Even if they don’t take in a game, they’re wanting to be part of the
Winnipeg experience again because there’s so much going on,” she said.
"All of a sudden, we were going to be living in fast-forward."
Added Ladd: "We went through the meetings with the coaches and GM and
thought about what we wanted to do to get better and improve the
organization. We really thought we'd go back there.
She noted Tourism Winnipeg doesn’t have the budget to do television
advertising across the country, but the Images of the city shown by CBC
and TSN during intermission of game broadcasts is just as good. So are the
stories that visiting journalists write about the Manitoba capital.
"But what made it more confusing and more unsure was the fact that
Phoenix was talked about a lot more than we were.
“That has just kind of helped create that overall heightened visibility of our
city in a very positive light,” she said. “It’s not talking about the murder
capital of the country.”
"I think people thought if anyone was going to move, it was the Phoenix
Coyotes. Then that switched about two weeks before anything happened."
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Winnipeg Sun LOADED 05.30.2012
Winnipeg Jets
Ladd went to Europe to play in the world championship in May, where the
subject became more popular by the day.
"It was more like joked about than anything else," Ladd said. "When we
heard rumblings, we joked about the possibilities. But I don't think anyone
100 per cent thought we'd be there. We were hearing things, kind of crazy
for a week or two, then things happened pretty fast."
Jets fans the best — after Ottawa: Melnyk
By Ken Wiebe ,
MELNYK: MELNYK: 'That gave a lot of excitement to the fan base and
hopefully, it’s just going to continue on and on. It’s nice to see them
succeed.'
"It's a massive success story on so many different levels," said Olson, a
former Brier champion who runs the Landstar Development Corporation.
"It's a great role model for Quebec City."
And for everyone else who wants to join the NHL parade.
Eugene Melnyk was confident a return of the NHL to Winnipeg would not
only work, but had the potential to flourish.
"Any time a Canadian team is successful in Canada, it's a positive for
Canada," Saskatoon Mayor Donald Atchison said. "Saskatoon does have a
facility that could be used for the NHL — it has (slightly) more seats than
the MTS Centre.
Unlike most other NHL governors, the Ottawa Senators owner had actually
spent a substantial chunk of time in Manitoba as part of his other business
interests.
"I'm thrilled that the Jets are so successful. It's gold. You don't realize what
you've got till it's gone. Seriously … And people are starving for NHL
hockey here."
Not only did Melnyk have an understanding of the marketplace, he also
knew a little bit about the people and subsequent will to succeed.
Atchison knows the population in Saskatoon's general area of about
330,000 hurts the cause, but he assures that people from all over
Saskatchewan would drive a long way to Saskatoon for NHL games. In fact,
people from Saskatoon and Regina own Winnipeg Jets and Calgary Flames
season tickets, he said.
“I was really pleased Winnipeg got the franchise,” Melnyk said in a recent
telephone interview. “I was one of the governors that was really pushing for
more Canadian teams in the league because of our deep heritage in the
game. Winnipeg was an absolute natural, being at the centre of Canada.
“I was always one of the biggest supporters for a team in Winnipeg and I
was vehement and vocal about it. My argument was that you’re better off
having a full arena with 15,000 than having a 20,000-seat arena with 6,000
or 8,000. It makes it that much better.”
The Jets enjoyed tremendous fan support this season, both at home and on
the road.
“I knew the fans were there. They’re some of the best fans in the NHL, next
to the Ottawa Senators fans,” said Melnyk. “Absolutely it was (impressive).
It’s amazing.
"There are even some who have tickets to Edmonton Oilers games, and
those are long drives," Atchison said.
Markham, which has a population of about 225,000, recently approved the
building of a $325 million arena that will seat 19,000-20,000.
Quebec City Mayor Regis Labeaume did not return messages or respond to
emails but you can bet that his town would respond the same way as
Winnipeg should the NHL return there, too.
“(The support) was even more than I expected — and I expected a lot. I
was really proud of what they did.”
"I was in New York when the Jets played there," said local entrepreneur
David Asper. "I happened to go to a Devils game and the whole upper end
on one side was comprised of fans wearing Nordiques jerseys. I agree
they've kept the flame alive in Quebec City and would clearly support it with
the new arena they're building there.
The fact the Jets were able to remain in the playoff chase until the final few
games of the regular season didn’t hurt either.
"But, once you get past Quebec, I have trouble identifying small-market
cities where it would work."
“They were competitive, which is great,” said Melnyk. “A lot of times, a
brand new franchise struggles for the first five-to-seven years getting a
competitive team together, once they get their draft picks in and guys
develop. It just takes time. Here, you’re able to be competitive right from the
get-go.
What the Jets had working for them was the fact that people bought season
tickets in syndicates.
“That gave a lot of excitement to the fan base and hopefully, it’s just going
to continue on and on. It’s nice to see them succeed.”
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Winnipeg Jets
Now that the Jets are back ... who’s next?
"So, instead of 15,000 season ticket holders, you actually have about
50,000 and that's good for the long term," Asper said. "The Winnipeg model
is sustainable. The Jets also benefit from owning their own rink. And there
were a number of concessions given to them — like $7 million from the
VLTs."
Asper figures a franchise owner needs $90 million to operate — about $50
million for cap expenses and another $40 million for non-hockey costs.
Should the Canadian dollar weaken, that could hurt Saskatoon, he said.
But one of the most surprising aspects to the Jets' success is that there are
about the same number of big businesses in Winnipeg now that there were
in 1996.
By Jim Bender
"There are not a lot of big businesses supporting the Jets, but there are a
lot of smaller businesses supporting the team," Olson said. "That makes it
more diversified. It's a better base than being dependent on one or two
major corporations."
Back in 1996, there were many who believed that Winnipeg would never be
able to afford an NHL franchise again.
Whether other small markets can follow role model will depend on the
characteristics of each area wanting to join the Jets in The Show.
Yes, they have happily been proven wrong.
"It's incredible for me that the whole Winnipeg Jets thing has taken on a life
of its own," said Mark Olson, who organized a Save the Jets social as part
of that doomed rally. "And remember, when they left, their payroll was about
$16-$17 million (annually). So, I never thought they'd come back just due to
the economics of it."
632879
Those economics were addressed with a new collective bargaining
agreement, revenue sharing and a new hockey arena (MTS Centre). Mark
Chipman and David Thompson played the right cards and finally landed an
NHL franchise to bring back here. The rest has been history-making.
Winnipeg Jets
Jets return: A day to remember forever
By Ted Wyman ,
The Jets' success has had other small-market cities not only take notice but
immediately start plans to either build an NHL-style arena — Quebec City
and Markham, Ontario — or start forming their bids — Saskatoon.
At 3 a.m., on May 31, 2011, I was laying awake awaiting word about one of
the biggest stories in Winnipeg’s history, news which was developing in
Atlanta, New York and the unending world of cyberspace.
"Winnipeg changed the modelling for the NHL," Jets GM Kevin
Cheveldayoff told the Saskatoon Star Phoenix (the Jets politely declined a
Sun request for an interview on this topic).
I finally drifted off to sleep but bolted awake at 6 a.m., as the first of about a
thousand e-mail alerts sounded on my Blackberry.
It was the news hundreds of thousands of Manitobans had been waiting for.
What once seemed a wild fantasy was actually happening — there would
be a press conference that very day to announce the return of the NHL to
Winnipeg after 15 seasons.
Turns out Jets fans — especially those who were unable to secure tickets
for home games — weren’t afraid to hit the road either.
Leipold got a first-hand view of how strong the Jets’ fans travelling party can
be when the team played at Xcel Energy Center on Feb. 16.
I jumped up and started typing and never stopped until about midnight.
That’s what happens when you are covering the biggest story of your life,
spreading the word about something that means so much to so many
people.
There were similar showings across North America throughout the course
of the campgain, but this was like an invasion as thousands of Manitobans
made the trek down to the land of 10,000 lakes.
With a memorable press conference slated for later that morning at MTS
Centre, I headed downtown early to experience the excitement and energy
on the streets and at the Forks, where thousands were gathering to watch
the announcement on a big screen.
“You can’t get tickets in Winnipeg, so when the Jets came to St. Paul, we
sold thousands of tickets, early in the year, to people who are Jets fans,”
said Leipold. “We thousands of people in our arena, who were not wearing
our colours.
It was so incredible to see the residents of our city walking around with such
pride and unbridled joy. You could tell it was a day they will never forget.
“This is going to be a great rivalry for our teams.”
Later, as I sat in a cramped room at MTS Centre while Mark Chipman,
David Thomson and Gary Bettman made the official announcement, you
could almost feel a collective chill of excitement pulsing through the city.
632881
What a day it was.
Ladd was 1st Jet here — and he’s in no rush to leave
Winnipeg Jets
One of Winnipeg’s greatest.
One year ago today.
By Ken Wiebe ,
Enjoy the memories.
632880
Winnipeg Jets
One Wild rivalry
Andrew Ladd was the first player to witness the euphoria surrounding the
return of the NHL to Winnipeg last spring.
As captain of the departing Atlanta Thrashers franchise, Ladd felt it was
important to come to Winnipeg and get a glimpse of what it was going to be
like to live and play in River City before reporting back to his teammates.
That visit came mere days after the official announcement on May 31 and
Ladd’s first impression was a good one.
By Ken Wiebe ,
The hockey world was watching on May 31.
As True North Sports and Entertainment unveiled they had agreed to a deal
to purchase the Atlanta Thrashers and move them to Winnipeg for the
2011-12 NHL season, it did more than just capture the attention of the
province of Manitoba.
“Absolutely, I remember it really well,” said Craig Leipold, the owner and
governor of the Minnesota Wild. “It was a pretty impressive press
conference. A love fest. Mark, as he always does, was saying the right
things and everything was great.
“One thing that did catch my attention was Mr. Thomson’s commitment to
hockey, to Winnipeg and being part of the community. It was the first time I
had really heard him speak and I thought he did just an unbelievable job for
showing his support for Mark and giving him free reign to be successful.”
Leipold has known Chipman for several years and was happy to see him
realize his goal of owning an NHL franchise.
“Mark made it happen and it was easy to support him,” said Leipold. “He’s
been such a passionate supporter of the game and the game in Winnipeg.
Everybody had already bought into that, but what kind of took things over
the edge in that press conference was listening to David Thomson’s
passion for the game and real desire to be successful and be an integral
part of the community.
“They both said the right things and really made no mistake at all.”
During the season, Leipold was in attendance as the Wild made their lone
visit to MTS Centre on Dec. 13 and he made a strong admission when
asked about his impression of the building.
“We are going to have one hell of a rivalry with Winnipeg, that’s all I can
say,” said Leipold. “It’s going to be a lot of fun. You could sense it, hear it,
feel it and see it. That was something special. I can tell you that our players
and our team was not ready for that. We’re weren’t ready for the kind of
rivalry that was happening, until probably the third period of the game.
“I had seen the building before, but it was just so loud that you couldn’t
even hear. It’s a great fan experience.”
The positive vibe continued throughout the season as an NHL-starved
province returned to their rightful place among the 30 franchises in the best
hockey league in the world.
“It’s gone by pretty quick,” Ladd said in a recent interview. “It flew by pretty
fast. It seems like only yesterday we were coming in here trying to find
places to live and getting settled in.”
Seeing Mark Chipman step to the podium and announce his purchase of
the Atlanta Thrashers brought a host of emotions.
“It was surreal, you didn’t really know what to think,” said Ladd. “It kicked off
a little bit of a whirlwind.”
That whirlwind continued throughout the NHL season, as the passion of
Jets’ fans was evident inside the bowels of MTS Centre each and every
time the team hit the ice.
“For teams coming in, they had a blast and for us to be able to have that
energy, it’s special,” said Ladd. “And you don’t take it for granted either
because you play in different places and you understand how special it
really is.”
There were plenty of memorable moments during the course of the season,
but the energy and atmosphere surrounding the season opener at MTS
Centre against the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 9 was something to behold.
“The whole lead-up to the opening game was pretty unique,” said Ladd. “It’s
been crazy. Just to sit down on the bench and look up in the crowd and see
all the Jets jerseys. Pretty much everyone in the crowd has a jersey. Going
around town and seeing people in hats, it’s just engulfed the city and it’s fun
to be a part of.”
When the return became official, there were many pundits who wondered if
the extra attention and scrutiny given to another Canadian NHL team might
be a distraction or something players wouldn’t embrace, but that didn’t
seem to be the case at all for the Jets.
“It’s been a little bit of an adjustment in terms of not having that anonymity
to go places, but we’re glad to give that up in order to play in that building
and have the fans that we have,” said Ladd.
As much as he enjoyed the many firsts that came with the inaugural season
for Jets 2.0, Ladd can’t wait to build on the foundation the franchise
established.
“It’s going to be nice to be settled down a little bit and focus on winning
hockey games,” he said.
Although it’s something he’s more likely to think about down the road after
his career winds down, Ladd certainly recognizes the historical importance
of being part of the Jets’ first season back in the NHL.
“I still don’t think we understand the full context of it, but you see how much
of an impact you can have on the community — whether it’s with charitable
work or in the day-to-day of people’s lives,” said Ladd. “That’s when you
realize how big this team has been to the community.”
“It’s not like the buzz has stopped, because a lot of those kids go to the
games,” he said with a laugh. “And you can see after a home game, the
kids are kind of subdued or wired. Oh yeah, they didn’t go to bed until after
11.”
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Winnipeg Jets
Smallest building, biggest wallets: Fans help Jets profit
632882
Winnipeg Jets
Jets fans savoured historic moment
By Kirk Penton
The kindergarten to Grade 5 students at St. John’s-Ravenscourt were
getting antsy.
The announcement of the Winnipeg Jets’ return was supposed to happen at
11 a.m. on May 31, 2011, but, as these things usually do, the start of the
press conference was delayed 15 minutes.
Considering 15 minutes to children that young is an eternity, Greg JacksonDavis and his fellow SJR teachers thought about cancelling the student
assembly, but the announcement was simply too big for the kids to miss.
“The fact that the announcement came just a little bit later just heightened
things,” Jackson-Davis said. “There was a little bit of restlessness, but we
did not go anywhere. We waited for the actual announcement.”
Meanwhile, in downtown Winnipeg, thousands of hockey fans gathered to
watch the announcement live at The Forks. A sense of community pride
enveloped Winnipeg. It was surreal and emotional for so many people.
Road hockey games broke out at Portage and Main. Winnipeg Mayor Sam
Katz led a conga line at The Forks. The SJR teachers noticed one of their
Grade 12 students on TV during the assembly. That young man was
supposed to be at school, but on this day it did not matter.
It was bigger than school. It was bigger than any provincial holiday. It was
bigger than anything that happened in Manitoba for many years.
It wasn’t just news at The Forks or at MTS Centre. It was a moment so
many people will remember where they were when it happened, including in
the SJR gym.
That’s why it was important for Jackson-Davis and his colleagues to have
the young students experience the moment. The older hockey fans knew
how big it was. That’s why many of them cried like babies and dashed
downtown to high five strangers.
At schools around the province, however, it was a historic moment — you
could almost say a teachable moment — that couldn’t be missed. When the
Jets win the Stanley Cup 10, 20 or 30 years down the road, those kids will
be able to say, ‘I was sitting in my gym at school when the Jets came back.’
“Their moms and dads were fans as kids growing up and watching them
play in the ’80s and ’90s,” said Jackson-Davis, who teaches French to
students in kindergarten to Grade 2. “You always sort of hoped that this
would happen, and to be on the cusp of something historic like that is a
special moment.
By Ken Wiebe ,
Given the size of MTS Centre, the overwhelming assumption was that the
Winnipeg Jets were going to have to dip into revenue sharing in order to be
financially viable as they returned to the NHL after a 15-year absence.
But you know what they say about never assuming anything.
Turns out the fact the Jets play in the smallest building in the NHL didn’t
deter them one bit.
It was no surprise the Jets sold every seat to every game, but the corporate
support was there and fans scooped up merchandise with the new logo like
it was going out of style.
The end result was a profitable first season.
“It’s a strong statement that the market is ready,” said Minnesota Wild
owner and governor Craig Leipold. “Mark Chipman was saying it all along. It
won’t be the biggest market but it will be the most passionate market. That
was his position, going back many years. If there were any doubters — and
there were absolutely doubters — no one is doubting it now.
“The revenue is there, the management is good and it’s being run really,
really well. All-in-all, people were surprised it’s not part of the revenuesharing plan and it’s a great statement for the market and the community.”
The statement was loud and clear.
“It just reinforces the obvious that Winnipeg is a viable market for hockey
and that we should focus on that,” said Ottawa Senators owner and
governor Eugene Melnyk. “What was underestimated was the resilience of
the fan base and the love for the game in Canada.”
You can be sure the NHL was impressed that the Jets were among the
Top-15 revenue generators this season.
“It’s a tribute to the market and how they embraced this franchise,” said
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly. “It’s also a tribute to the way the
franchise operated.”
Having said that, if there comes a time when the Jets need to dip into the
revenue-sharing pool, there’s no shame in that.
“Winnipeg, relatively speaking, is a small market and who knows what
happens over time as it develops,” said Daly. “That’s why we have a
revenue-sharing plan in place, to assist markets that can support NHL
teams, which this one clearly can, if and when it becomes necessary.
“The fact it wasn’t necessary is great and I hope that continues to be the
case for many years to come. But if it’s not, the league is committed to
making sure that markets like Winnipeg, can be successful.”
632884
Winnipeg Jets
“It was way beyond a hockey announcement.”
Then again, the teachers weren’t going to miss the press conference,
either.
“There’s a number of hockey enthusiasts on our staff, me being one of
them, but definitely there are some who are even more into it,” JacksonDavis said. “So they were, right away, for their owns reasons wanting to
watch the announcement.”
Jackson-Davis, wearing a Jets hoodie on this May evening almost a year
later, said the excitement has not abated much, not even in the quiet
quarters of the Fort Garry private school.
By Paul Friesen ,
There are no doubt those who’ll view last May 31 as a life-changing event.
For others it was just another day before the flip of the calendar.
Most of us probably fall somewhere in between, the return of NHL hockey
to Winnipeg not dramatically altering our lives, but certainly adding
something to them.
He never played a game for the Coyotes, but seems to have found a home
in their old home, a marriage not only good for Wheeler, but good for the
game.
A 24-year-old hockey player from Minneapolis had a special interest in what
was happening up the road in Manitoba that day.
“It sure looks that way,” he said. “We have a rabid fan base. There can’t be
enough said about that. You can’t take markets for granted that care about
hockey. There probably aren’t enough true hockey markets. And we’re
definitely one of them.”
In retrospect, that moment changed both his life and career.
“I had a good feeling it was going to help me take my game to the next
level,” Blake Wheeler told the Sun the other day.
He was right.
But at the time he couldn’t have envisioned the career-high, 64-point
season he’d have with the still-to-be-named Winnipeg Jets, or the adoration
that would come with the team’s move from Atlanta to a heartland-ofhockey hotbed.
The truth is there was some uneasiness about the whole relocation thing
running through a Thrashers team that was never completely embraced,
and never learned how to win, in Georgia.
“Everyone kind of had mixed emotions,” Wheeler said. “Guys were a little
bit reluctant to move their families and uproot everything. Anytime you have
to move, that kind of stings.”
Having been traded from Boston just three months earlier, Wheeler was in
a different boat than some of his more entrenched Atlanta teammates. He
wasn’t tied to a home, hadn’t put any roots down, didn’t have a family to
move.
“I never really was thinking too far ahead about where this franchise could
go, because I was brand new to the franchise in the first place,” he said. “I
never really paid it much thought until we started hearing rumblings that it
was a realistic possibility we could be moving to Winnipeg.
Those rumblings had been increasing since the end of the Thrashers
regular season, even following Wheeler to the World Championship in
Slovakia.
“We were getting our news the same way everyone else was,” Wheeler
said. “We didn’t have any inside (information). We were just waiting and
seeing.”
Playing for Team USA, Wheeler and fellow Thrasher Mark Stuart, a
defenceman on the American team, talked about the possibility of moving.
It wasn’t until he got back in mid-May that he really started paying attention.
But you could count Wheeler among the skeptics at the time.
He’d believe it when he actually saw it.
May 31, he was glued to his television set in Minneapolis.
“We were at home, my wife and I,” he said. “And we watched everyone talk
at the press conference. That’s when it became very real.”
What struck Wheeler was the feeling that oozed from his TV set, the
passion at that news conference some 800 kilometres away.
If Wheeler needed any selling that day, car dealer/entrepreneur Mark
Chipman, the Jets co-owner, closed the deal in a heartbeat.
“You could see Chipper definitely meant business,” Wheeler recalled. “This
had been an ongoing thing for him, that he wanted to bring a team to
Winnipeg. That’s when I started getting excited, seeing all the people who
were going to be running the ship and seeing the passion they had for
hockey. I just knew this was going to be a first-class organization.”
His and his wife’s families were thrilled they’d be closer to home.
And Wheeler, who’d already been thrust into a more prominent role since
the trade from Boston, was relishing the chance to build on that in a hockey
town, like his own.
632885
Winnipeg Jets
Jets deal wasn’t done till the airport: Daly
By Ken Wiebe ,
Under the circumstances, Bill Daly was almost certain to be left with a good
impression from his first visit to Winnipeg.
After all, when the NHL's deputy commissioner touched down in our fair city
on the morning of May 31, Daly was here for one of the most highly
anticipated announcements around these parts for quite some time.
Maybe ever.
That was the day True North Sports and Entertainment chairman Mark
Chipman stepped to the podium to announce his purchase of the Atlanta
Thrashers.
“For me, it was probably a little bit different because it was my first day ever
in Winnipeg,” Daly said in a telephone interview recently. “We had a team
employee pick us up at the airport and I was all eyes and ears as we went
through Winnipeg to get to MTS Centre. It was an interesting experience,
on a host of levels.”
After all the speculation and rumours, the prospect of an NHL return was
morphing from possibility to reality.
“There were denials for two weeks leading up to that date that nothing was
done yet. And when we said when we’d have something to announce, we’d
announce it, that was actually true — all the way through to the morning of
the 31st,” said Daly. “We had scheduled a flight and were prepared to come
to Winnipeg but it wasn’t even 100% done until we showed up at the airport
that morning. It all came together very quickly.”
Daly has been a part of many press conferences, but this one wasn’t run-ofthe-mill.
“I’m not sure I would identify part of it, but you could feel the excitement in
the press conference room,” he said. “I wasn’t (with the NHL) in 1996, but I
know how difficult a decision it was when the franchise moved. Gary
(Bettman) gets an unfair criticism sometimes that he didn’t do everything
within his power of keeping it from happening, but he actually did. So I think
from that perspective, the fact he was able to announce the return of the
NHL to Winnipeg meant a lot to the commissioner.
“The whole press conference couldn’t have gotten any better if you had
scripted it.”
Following the official press conference, Daly caught a glimpse of the
outpouring of joy felt by many Manitobans.
“It was gratifying,” he said. “It was something we had been assured by the
True North people would be the case. They were very confident in the
marketplace and in a couple of days, that confidence in the marketplace
turned out to be very well-placed.
“The response and the embrace the team got from the community was, to
understate it, overwhelming.”
“I was just excited to have that opportunity continued and to be playing in
front of fans that cared what we were doing on the ice and cared about us
as hockey players and people.”
The confidence came to the forefront once again as the public put their
money down to scoop up the remaining tickets available, with three-to-fiveyear commitments.
It’s funny how things work out sometimes.
Available inventory was gone within minutes and a waiting list for season
tickets capped at 8,000 — an astonishing number that quickly muzzled the
naysayers that were out there.
Wheeler was originally drafted by Phoenix, the original Jets franchise.
“The fact that within the first half hour of tickets going on sale, more than a
third of the population of Winnipeg had made a call (or logged on to the
Internet) interested in purchasing tickets is mind-blowing, from any
perspective,” said Daly. “I can’t say enough about the organization, its
ownership and management in terms of getting up to speed and making the
transition as quickly as they did, over a very short summer."
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Devils blow golden opporunity
By Scott Burnside
Winnipeg Jets
Bettman praises Jets' owners for perseverance
NEWARK, N.J. -- On a night where Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals was
there for the taking, the New Jersey Devils ended up giving one away.
By Ken Wiebe ,
Now the only question following the Los Angeles Kings' 2-1 overtime victory
-- the Kings' ninth straight road victory this playoff season -- is whether this
little bit of hockey largesse will cost the Devils a Stanley Cup.
When it comes to the public perception of Gary Bettman around these
parts, the NHL commissioner has seen his approval rating soar dramatically
over the course of the past 12 months.
It wasn't just the overtime winner scored by Anze Kopitar -- after
defenseman Marek Zidlicky was caught well up the ice, allowing Kopitar to
take a Justin Williams pass and scoot in alone and beat Martin Brodeur with
a nifty deke -- although that obviously hurt. But the Devils should never
have let this one get to overtime.
Often unfairly portrayed as the villain for not doing more to prevent the
relocation of the original Winnipeg Jets to Arizona back in 1996, Bettman
has transformed to saint status for helping the NHL return one year ago.
Bettman was a central figure on May 31 of 2011, when he was on hand as
Mark Chipman officially announced his purchase and subsequent relocation
of the Atlanta Thrashers.
“It was very exciting and I remember thinking that I needed to take a deep
breath because we had accomplished so much in such a little period of time
and we were well into the night on the phone and having conversations to
make sure everything was done,” Bettman said on the eve of the one-year
anniversary of the NHLs return to Winnipeg.
“I remember thinking the first thing I needed to do when I got to the rink was
to thank Mark Chipman and David Thomson for their perseverance.”
That perseverance paid off on May 31 when Chipman was able to finalize
the terms of the sale on the morning of the announcement.
This deal didn’t happen overnight though. Not even close.
Chipman had laid the ground work over the years, showing plenty of
patience but always making it clear his group would be ready to answer the
call when an opportunity arose.
“The key in getting it done was Mark and I had developed a very good
relationship and so we were communicating very well, which was necessary
in the short time frame we had to conclude this in,” said Bettman. “We had
been working together over the years, we were very well acquainted and
we knew the issues and so coming down the home stretch I was confident
he could get it done.
“But it took a yeoman’s effort.”
Bettman was among those in attendance for the Jets’ home opener on Oct.
9 against the Montreal Canadiens and got a firsthand look at the passion
that was prevalent at MTS Centre throughout the season.
“That was a fun building,” said Bettman, who was given a warm welcome
and actually had fans chanting his name at one point. “That’s a great
building to play in. The fans were great but that’s not a surprise,
knowledgeable, passionate and thrilled to have the Jets.”
Bettman was happy to see the Jets return under his watch, but stressed
that several things needed to happen in order for it to happen.
“We never doubted the passion of the fans in Winnipeg, but the
circumstances we came back to were a whole lot different than when the
team left,” said Bettman. “One: the market is stronger — and I’m going to
do this in the least-important order — two, there’s a new building and three,
there was ownership because when we left, nobody wanted to own a team
there anymore.
“The situation that we left and the reasons we left had nothing to do with
how we were able to come back. The constant was the great people in
Winnipeg, but it required a building and an owner that didn’t exist in the
mid-90s.”
After falling behind in the first period, the jittery Devils squandered more
than half a dozen glorious scoring opportunities.
Yes, they mustered just 18 shots on Los Angeles Kings netminder Jonathan
Quick -- who has now allowed two or fewer goals in 13 playoff games this
spring -- but there will be more than a few Devils who will sleep fitfully
knowing their muffed scoring chance might have been the difference.
Like defenseman Mark Fayne, who had the game on his stick in the third
period with Quick out of position but couldn't get enough wood on it to send
the puck into the gaping cage.
"It just kind of hopped up at the last second. Got a little bit of it, but not as
much as I'd have liked to," Fayne said afterward. "It's definitely tough
knowing that if one of those go in, then it would have been a win for us. But
also I think it's encouraging knowing that we had those opportunities. We
know if we keep playing hard, we keep pressing, we'll get some of those
bounces."
It wasn't just Fayne, of course.
David Clarkson had several golden chances, including one that he sailed
high and wide in the first period.
Captain Zach Parise had an open side of the net but the puck bounced at
an ill-opportune time for him as well. Asked later if he could have done
anything different on the play, he said simply, "I could've put it in."
And so it went.
"Yeah, those are opportunities lost," said forward Ryan Carter. "We could
have maybe ended the game in the third, regulation, things like that. That's
huge this time of year. Often it seems like you get those big chances and it
goes down to the other end and it's in the back of your net."
Bad bounces. Bad luck. Regardless of how you want to characterize it, this
was an opportunity lost. Instead of putting the Kings in unfamiliar territory
with a win -- the Kings have won all of their Game 1s this spring -- the
Devils are now chasing.
"You know, it would have been nice to get a bounce," head coach Pete
DeBoer said. "But I don't believe we deserved to win tonight. That's the
bottom line. That's what happened. If we had have won, we would have
been sneaking one out."
The good thing for the Devils is that they lost the opening game in each of
the last two series, against Philadelphia and the New York Rangers. But
with all due respect to the Rangers and Flyers, this Kings team is a different
beast altogether.
A number of Devils talked about their jitters, of feeling some nerves as the
final series began.
"A little bit nerves at the beginning, certain guys," said veteran Patrik Elias,
who drew an assist on the Devils' lone goal a blast by defenseman Anton
Volchenkov that bounced in off Kings defenseman Slava Voynov. "We had
a handful of good shifts but not really a sustained pressure against them.
They had a pretty easy night against us, I think, that's my opinion. We didn't
grind it out. We didn't make it hard on them."
They'll get a chance to make it harder on the Kings on Saturday in Game 2.
Unfortunately for the Devils, they've already made the difficult task of
dethroning the red-hot Kings more difficult than it needed to be.
ESPN LOADED: 05.30.2012
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"We had a handful of good shifts, but not really a sustained pressure
against them. They had a pretty easy night against us, I think, that's my
opinion. We didn't grind it out. We didn't make it hard on them."
They'll get a chance to make it harder on the Kings on Saturday in Game 2.
Unfortunately for the Devils, they've already made the difficult task of
dethroning the red-hot Kings more difficult than it needed to be.
ESPN / Devils blow golden opportunity
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By Scott Burnside
ESPN / Rumblings: Coaches, Luongo and Wild
NEWARK, N.J. -- On a night when Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals was
there for the taking, the New Jersey Devils ended up giving one away.
Now the only question following the Los Angeles Kings' 2-1 overtime victory
-- the Kings' ninth straight road victory this playoff season -- is whether this
little bit of hockey largesse will cost the Devils a Stanley Cup.
It wasn't just the overtime winner scored by Anze Kopitar -- after
defenseman Marek Zidlicky was caught well up the ice, allowing Kopitar to
take a Justin Williams pass and scoot in alone to beat Martin Brodeur with a
nifty deke -- although that obviously hurt. But the Devils should never have
let this one get to overtime.
After falling behind in the first period, the jittery Devils squandered more
than half a dozen glorious scoring opportunities.
Yes, they mustered just 18 shots on Los Angeles Kings netminder Jonathan
Quick -- who has now allowed two or fewer goals in 13 playoff games this
spring -- but there will be more than a few Devils who will sleep fitfully
knowing their muffed scoring chance might have been the difference.
Like defenseman Mark Fayne, who had the game on his stick in the third
period with Quick out of position but couldn't get enough wood on it to send
the puck into the gaping cage.
"It just kind of hopped up at the last second. Got a little bit of it, but not as
much as I'd have liked to," Fayne said afterward. "It's definitely tough
knowing that if one of those go in, then it would have been a win for us. But
also I think it's encouraging knowing that we had those opportunities. We
know if we keep playing hard, we keep pressing, we'll get some of those
bounces."
It wasn't just Fayne, of course.
By Scott Burnside and Pierre LeBrun
Washington GM George McPhee isn’t in any hurry to find a replacement for
coach Dale Hunter, who returned to his junior hockey team in London,
Ontario, after guiding the Capitals to a first-round upset of the Boston
Bruins and a seven-game series loss to the New York Rangers in the
second round.
“I don’t know whether it’ll be done in a few weeks or a month, six weeks,”
he said. "Take our time and try and do it right."
It’s not important to get a coach in place by the draft in late June or by the
time free agency starts on July 1, McPhee said.
Another GM looking for a new head coach is newly installed Montreal GM
Marc Bergevin.
He has fleshed out his front-office staff by bringing in Rick Dudley and Scott
Mellanby, but the head coaching job is key given the fiasco of last season
when Jacques Martin was fired and replaced by Anglophone Randy
Cunneyworth, a move that prompted outrage from some quarters in
Quebec.
"I continue to advance on it," Bergevin said. "I’m getting closer to a decision
but that decision has not been taken yet.
"All the candidates I’ve met with all have elements that I like. It’s not an
easy decision, that’s why I’m taking my time because I want to make the
right decision."
David Clarkson had several golden chances, including one he sailed high
and wide in the first period.
Although there continue to be rumors that Bergevin is close to making a
decision on a new head coach, he insisted it’s not imminent: "It won’t
happen this week, I can guarantee you that. After that ..."
Captain Zach Parise had an open side of the net, but the puck bounced at
an ill-opportune time for him as well. Asked later if he could have done
anything different on the play, he said simply, "I could've put it in."
Is it likely to happen before the draft?
And so it went.
"Yeah, those are opportunities lost," said forward Ryan Carter. "We could
have maybe ended the game in the third, regulation, things like that. That's
huge this time of year. Often it seems like you get those big chances and it
goes down to the other end and it's in the back of your net."
Bad bounces. Bad luck. Regardless of how you want to characterize it, this
was an opportunity lost. Instead of putting the Kings in unfamiliar territory
with a win -- the Kings have won all of their Game 1s this spring -- the
Devils are now chasing.
"You know, it would have been nice to get a bounce," Devils coach Pete
DeBoer said. "But I don't believe we deserved to win tonight. That's the
bottom line. That's what happened. If we had have won, we would have
been sneaking one out."
The good thing for the Devils is they lost the opening game in each of the
past two series, against Philadelphia and the New York Rangers. But with
all due respect to the Rangers and Flyers, this Kings team is a different
beast altogether.
A number of Devils talked about their jitters, of feeling some nerves as the
final series began.
"A little bit nerves at the beginning, certain guys," said veteran Patrik Elias,
who drew an assist on the Devils' lone goal, a blast by defenseman Anton
Volchenkov that bounced in off Kings defenseman Slava Voynov.
"There are good chances, yes, but I won’t guarantee that either," he said.
It’s believed Marc Crawford, Michel Therrien and Bob Hartley are in the mix,
and there is always the specter of former Montreal great Patrick Roy.
Bergevin said he isn’t paying much attention the flurry of reports and rumors
relating to the coaching search.
"I respect the media and the passion of the fans in Montreal. But I just stay
focused on what I have to do," he said.
Wild look to make moves
Watch for GM Chuck Fletcher to be very active trying to up the skill level of
his club this offseason. The Wild were first overall in the NHL at one point in
December, but suffered a number of key injuries and fell off the map,
missing the playoffs for the fourth straight season.
"To have had the record we did in mid-December and then to see that
unravel in the second half of the year was incredibly tough and
disappointing," Fletcher told ESPN.com Wednesday.
"We’re going to actively try and get better. ... We have seven young players
19 and 20 years old turning pro, so that’s certainly going to be one part of
our push to get better. Obviously not all of those players will play in the
NHL, but a couple we believe have a chance to. The rest can play in the
American [Hockey] League and provide us much better depth than what we
had last year. Our lack of depth last year really hurt us and lack of talent
hurt us."
Fletcher also said the Wild's young talent will be augmented by the addition
of NHL talent.
"Clearly we’re going to have to try and add some more NHL talent,"
Fletcher said. "Now whether it’s through free agency or through trades we’ll
look at both. If an opportunity comes up before July 1 we’ll look at that
through the trade route and certainly on July 1 we’ll have a wish list of
players we’ll go after. We do have a lot of cap space and a strong desire to
get better."
One player the Wild -- along with a plethora of other clubs -- will likely take
a run at will be New Jersey Devils captain Zach Parise, who can become an
unrestricted free agent. He is from Minnesota.
Luongo to Tampa?
Some folks have linked the Tampa Bay Lightning to Vancouver netminder
Roberto Luongo, who has been supplanted by Cory Schneider as the
Canucks' starter and will be available via trade. The Lightning, of course,
need goaltending help, and Tampa GM Steve Yzerman said he’s not ruling
out any possibility.
"We’ll explore all options and try and get something done that makes the
most sense for us," Yzerman said. "So I don’t want to really rule out
anything, but for various reasons there’s opportunities that may make more
sense for us but until we know what all opportunities are I can’t say we’re
going to do this or do that."
Campbell said general managers were especially critical of what they
perceived as an upsurge in interference of players trying to enter the
offensive zone on the forecheck, so the meetings will revisit the issue of
how games are called by officials.
“Instead of an R&D camp, that’s what we have scheduled,” Campbell said.
A number of GMs expressed concern about the stifling nature of hockey
this spring.
“Everybody would love to roll out the Edmonton Oilers or the New York
Islanders of the 80's and whatnot, but it’s virtually impossible to build that
kind of a team so you try and figure out a way to be successful,” Tampa
Bay GM and Hall of Famer Steve Yzerman said. "And teams have done
that. There’s two different teams in the finals this year than last year. I think
most people would say, hey, that’s a good thing. Next year everybody’s got
hope of winning now.
“But it’s definitely a different league. All the rule changes we made coming
out of the lockout were designed to promote skill and whatnot; it hasn’t
necessarily done that. It’s made a different game but it’s not necessarily
about skill. The teams that compete the hardest and can stay healthy
generally are going to win most of the time.”
The former Red Wing great wouldn’t go as far as suggesting a ban or
restrictions on blocking shots as some have in the past.
Vancouver GM Mike Gillis said he will talk to his netminder this week, "and
talk again about how we’re going to move forward."
“But I think it’s worth looking into further, how we can generate shots and
more offense and scoring chances in the game through skill, through nice
plays,” he said.
Asked if there is a chance Luongo could still be a Canuck next season he
replied: "Yes, there is.
Vancouver GM Mike Gillis agreed that he’d like to see more offense
injected into the game.
"I mean it’s a fluid business all the time."
“There was some discussion about the style of play we’re witnessing and
what’s happened, and my perspective is I want offense in the game and I
want to see scoring (opportunities), and I think a lot of people feel the same
way. But coaches are coaches, and they’re coaching to survive, coaching to
coach another day, and they’re coaching the players they have,” Gillis said.
Coyotes' discipline
Although his team won’t face any more sanctions for its postgame activities
at the end of the Western Conference finals against Los Angeles, GM Don
Maloney said the Coyotes learned a valuable lesson about staying in
control, or rather, the cost of losing control.
"It was an enjoyable time and a lot of fun while it lasted," Maloney said of
the playoffs. "I think it was good for our organization to go this far. We’re
kind of just learning it. Even though we had some older players a lot of them
had not been beyond the first round.
"I thought L.A. played hard, they played aggressive but it was whistle to
whistle where we, I think we overreacted. ... That was a real learning
experience. Some of the things you do in January and February you can’t
do in May and expect to advance and that’s in regards to discipline."
Beyond the disappointing end, the Coyotes’ run to their first-ever
conference final was a boon to the team’s profile.
"It was great for the marketplace," Maloney said. "We were front and center
of every newspaper and TV story and radio for weeks. You couldn’t pay for
that type of exposure. In that sense, it was great for hockey in Phoenix and
hopefully it’ll carry over for years to come."
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NEW YORK -- We’re not going to call it a "hockey summit," but there is
enough concern about recent trends in how the game is played that a select
group of hockey officials will meet this summer to discuss ways to further
open up the game.
The meeting, which will take place in Toronto in August, will include a
handful of coaches, general managers, officials and players, NHL executive
vice president Colin Campbell told reporters after the general managers
met in New York in advance of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals.
The question is how to legislate more offense into the game.
“The only analogy I can think of is in the NBA, where they fought with zone
defenses and ... shot clocks, to try and make sure offense was in the game,
and I don’t think we’re at that point yet,” Gillis said. "These things go in ebbs
and flows, but I think if it continued over a long period of time you’d have to
address it."
Hold on hybrid icing
Although it looked like a sure bet after the GMs met in March that they
would move to introduce hybrid icing to the NHL next season, they have
retreated from that position and will instead ask the American Hockey
League to test the new method of calling icing plays.
Hybrid icing is designed to prevent cataclysmic injuries that sometimes
occur during a race for the puck on an icing play.
“I think coming out of March there was a little more aggressive reaction to it,
let’s get it in right away,” Phoenix GM Don Maloney said. "I think everyone
took a step back and said let’s put it in the American (Hockey) League and
let’s see."
“I think the consensus is it’s a good rule. It’s been used successful in other
leagues but I think there’s also a thought process; let’s see it in more live
action, let’s collect a little bit more data and see what it’s like at the pro
level,” added Minnesota GM Chuck Fletcher.
One of the reasons for the more conservative approach to hybrid icing is
that not all GMs believe it’s a change that needs to be made.
“There was one injury last year on an icing call -- I think the players are
responding well and respecting one another and trying not to create
injuries, Gillis said. "So rather than make a fairly radical change, might be
better to try it at the American League level, see what else comes out of it,
and then if it’s thought well of, then move to this level.”
It’s possible the AHL could also test out the so-called ringette line that
would force teams to skate over a line at the top of the faceoff circle in the
defensive zone before they could pass it to the far blue line.
“That’s another thing that was talked about,” Maloney said. "I would think
the hybrid icing has a very good chance of being in next year (at the AHL
level), the ringette line I’m not sure"
Late-game antics
One interesting concept discussed Wednesday was carrying penalties over
into the next game during playoff series as a way to prevent late-game
nastiness, which has been an issue at times this spring.
The GMs discussed implementing a preventative measure for an incident
that didn’t warrant a suspension but warranted some sort of league
response.
“We want to discuss it further,” Detroit GM Ken Holland said.
The carryover would only take place within a playoff series and wouldn’t
carry over from one series to another.
point. There can't be any substance to it because there haven't been any
substantive conversations."
Fehr wouldn’t bite, either, when asked to handicap how it would play out.
"I have some ideas as to how it’s going to go but I have learned that making
predictions in this business is a bit of a foolish enterprise," Fehr said. "Too
many things can happen that can cause you to change course."
The battleground will center around the league’s attempt to scale back the
players’ share of hockey-related revenue. Currently, the players get 57
percent of the pie. With the NBA and NFL having negotiated their players’
shares to less than that percentage, the expectation is the NHL will try to do
the same.
“If an incident occurs at the end of the game giving hockey operations -again, it’s still in the initial stages -- giving somebody the authority to
determine whether you can push a penalty into the next game to start the
next game,” Holland explained.
Fehr, of course, would rather look at another labor deal for his model.
“Obviously it’s radical, to take something from one game to carry over into
the next game.”
Specifically, Fehr is expected to push for greater revenue sharing in
hockey, just as he did in baseball. That’s not a popular notion with the
NHL’s bigger-market clubs.
Toronto GM Brian Burke said he thought it would be “bizarre” to start a
playoff game short-handed.
“I think that needs some study,” Burke said. "I do think within a playoff
round there are actions that it probably makes sense to have a penalty that
carries forward if it happens late in a game, but that requires a great deal
more thought, I think."
"All I can say with all the talk about other sports is that the one which is far
and away the most stable is baseball. Far and away," he said.
Fehr, the longtime baseball union chief, is a fierce negotiator. His presence
in the hockey labor landscape has made some people nervous, but like
anyone, he hopes the season starts on time.
"All I can say is, I certainly hope it does," Fehr said. "That’s the goal.
Hopefully, it’s a goal that everybody shares."
Coyotes update
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Commissioner Gary Bettman was, of course, asked about the latest on the
Phoenix Coyotes' ownership situation.
Websites
ESPN / Get ready for the NHL labor rumble
By Pierre LeBrun
NEWARK, N.J. -- Everybody take a deep breath. It’s about to get quite
interesting on the business side of hockey.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and his counterpart, NHL Players’
Association executive director Donald Fehr, both confirmed Wednesday
evening before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals that collective bargaining
is slated to begin in the next couple of weeks.
The current seven-year collective bargaining agreement expires Sept. 15 at
midnight ET.
"My guess is in the next few weeks we will begin, either in small groups or
larger groups, to set the table of what we each might want to be talking
about," Bettman said during his annual state of the union Cup finals news
conference.
"I’m sure it’ll be started in the next few weeks," said Fehr, who watched
Bettman’s news conference from the back of the room before scrumming
himself with media afterward.
The growing sentiment around the industry is that talk won’t get real serious
until September, when the threat of canceling camp or games enters the
picture. Eight years ago, during the last round of CBA talks, the summer of
2004 was really a PR exercise with both sides posturing and doling out bigtime rhetoric before the fall brought more serious discussions.
"I spoke to [prospective owner] Greg Jamison early today," Bettman said.
"He continues to do the two things he needs to do to secure the future of
the Coyotes where they are, in Arizona: One, working to conclude a set of
documents with the City of Glendale on the building management situation.
And he continues to put his equity together.
"The City of Glendale, I believe next week, is supposed to vote on the
management agreement. Once that's in place, I think Greg will be able to
conclude hopefully the finalization of his equity raise."
But the commissioner stopped short of guaranteeing the Coyotes definitely
will be in Phoenix next season.
"I can't say anything with 100 percent certainty. I think the likelihood is,
based on everything we know today, the process should conclude
successfully, but it's not something I'm in a position to guarantee," Bettman
said.
He also reiterated that relocation talks of any official nature have not taken
place with any prospective city.
"We haven't worked on a Plan B for Phoenix," Bettman said. "Our hope and
expectation, going back to the earlier question, is this will get done. If it
doesn't, we'll have to deal with it at the time. But it's not anything we're
focused on at this time."
Still no ruling on Torres hit
Gary Bettman still hasn’t ruled on Raffi Torres' appeal of his 25-game
suspension for his high hit on Chicago's Marian Hossa.
Ultimately, of course, the sides weren't able to hammer out a deal and the
2004-05 season was canceled. I don’t think there’s much chance there
won’t be any hockey at all next season, but the start of the season is
certainly in jeopardy.
"Mr. Torres sent us a notice of appeal about two weeks after the original
decision was rendered," Bettman said. "We promptly scheduled an inperson hearing, which he requested. I now have to write an opinion, which I
will do, am doing, but there are a couple of other things going on. Since
Phoenix's season is over, the timing of this isn't quite as imperative as if the
Coyotes were still playing. But in the not-too-distant future, I'll issue an
opinion."
Hard to say, though, without a single negotiating session having transpired.
"I don't understand both the speculation and the degree of negativity that it
connotes considering we, meaning the league and the players' association,
have yet to have a substantive discussion on what we may each be looking
for in collective bargaining," Bettman said.
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"If somebody is suggesting it, it's either because there's something in the
water, people still have the NBA and NFL on the brain, or they're just
looking for news on a slow day. It is nothing more than speculation at this
Websites
NEW YORK -- We’re not going to call it a "hockey summit," but there is
enough concern about recent trends in how the game is played that a select
group of hockey officials will meet this summer to discuss ways to further
open up the game.
The meeting, which will take place in Toronto in August, will include a
handful of coaches, general managers, officials and players, NHL executive
vice president Colin Campbell told reporters after the general managers
met in New York in advance of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals.
Campbell said general managers were especially critical of what they
perceived as an upsurge in interference of players trying to enter the
offensive zone on the forecheck, so the meetings will revisit the issue of
how games are called by officials.
“Instead of an R&D camp, that’s what we have scheduled,” Campbell said.
A number of GMs expressed concern about the stifling nature of hockey
this spring.
“Everybody would love to roll out the Edmonton Oilers or the New York
Islanders of the 80's and whatnot, but it’s virtually impossible to build that
kind of a team so you try and figure out a way to be successful,” Tampa
Bay GM and Hall of Famer Steve Yzerman said. "And teams have done
that. There’s two different teams in the finals this year than last year. I think
most people would say, hey, that’s a good thing. Next year everybody’s got
hope of winning now.
“But it’s definitely a different league. All the rule changes we made coming
out of the lockout were designed to promote skill and whatnot; it hasn’t
necessarily done that. It’s made a different game but it’s not necessarily
about skill. The teams that compete the hardest and can stay healthy
generally are going to win most of the time.”
The former Red Wing great wouldn’t go as far as suggesting a ban or
restrictions on blocking shots as some have in the past.
“But I think it’s worth looking into further, how we can generate shots and
more offense and scoring chances in the game through skill, through nice
plays,” he said.
Vancouver GM Mike Gillis agreed that he’d like to see more offense
injected into the game.
“There was some discussion about the style of play we’re witnessing and
what’s happened, and my perspective is I want offense in the game and I
want to see scoring (opportunities), and I think a lot of people feel the same
way. But coaches are coaches, and they’re coaching to survive, coaching to
coach another day, and they’re coaching the players they have,” Gillis said.
The question is how to legislate more offense into the game.
“The only analogy I can think of is in the NBA, where they fought with zone
defenses and ... shot clocks, to try and make sure offense was in the game,
and I don’t think we’re at that point yet,” Gillis said. "These things go in ebbs
and flows, but I think if it continued over a long period of time you’d have to
address it."
Hold on hybrid icing
Although it looked like a sure bet after the GMs met in March that they
would move to introduce hybrid icing to the NHL next season, they have
retreated from that position and will instead ask the American Hockey
League to test the new method of calling icing plays.
Hybrid icing is designed to prevent cataclysmic injuries that sometimes
occur during a race for the puck on an icing play.
“I think coming out of March there was a little more aggressive reaction to it,
let’s get it in right away,” Phoenix GM Don Maloney said. "I think everyone
took a step back and said let’s put it in the American (Hockey) League and
let’s see."
“I think the consensus is it’s a good rule. It’s been used successful in other
leagues but I think there’s also a thought process; let’s see it in more live
action, let’s collect a little bit more data and see what it’s like at the pro
level,” added Minnesota GM Chuck Fletcher.
injuries, Gillis said. "So rather than make a fairly radical change, might be
better to try it at the American League level, see what else comes out of it,
and then if it’s thought well of, then move to this level.”
It’s possible the AHL could also test out the so-called ringette line that
would force teams to skate over a line at the top of the faceoff circle in the
defensive zone before they could pass it to the far blue line.
“That’s another thing that was talked about,” Maloney said. "I would think
the hybrid icing has a very good chance of being in next year (at the AHL
level), the ringette line I’m not sure"
Late-game antics
One interesting concept discussed Wednesday was carrying penalties over
into the next game during playoff series as a way to prevent late-game
nastiness, which has been an issue at times this spring.
The GMs discussed implementing a preventative measure for an incident
that didn’t warrant a suspension but warranted some sort of league
response.
“We want to discuss it further,” Detroit GM Ken Holland said.
The carryover would only take place within a playoff series and wouldn’t
carry over from one series to another.
“If an incident occurs at the end of the game giving hockey operations -again, it’s still in the initial stages -- giving somebody the authority to
determine whether you can push a penalty into the next game to start the
next game,” Holland explained.
“Obviously it’s radical, to take something from one game to carry over into
the next game.”
Toronto GM Brian Burke said he thought it would be “bizarre” to start a
playoff game short-handed.
“I think that needs some study,” Burke said. "I do think within a playoff
round there are actions that it probably makes sense to have a penalty that
carries forward if it happens late in a game, but that requires a great deal
more thought, I think."
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FOXSports.com / Kings' depth sets tone in physical Game 1
Jon Rosen
NEWARK, NJ — Even though they may not have been on the ice for Anze
Kopitar's breakaway game-winner in overtime, credit an assist to the line of
Brad Richardson, Colin Fraser and Jordan Nolan.
In a Stanley Cup Final competed between teams oozing with depth
contributions, it was the Los Angeles Kings' energy line that provided the
bigger boost in their 2-1 thriller over the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday
night.
Between the unsung playoff performances of New Jersey's Ryan Carter
and Stephen Gionta and Los Angeles' Dwight King and Dustin Penner —
the quartet combined for 40 regular-season points before amassing 28
points in the playoffs — much had been made about the teams’ confidence
while rolling all four lines in key situations.
In a first period that didn't offer many scoring chances, an opportunistic
Fraser snapped in a one-timer off a Nolan feed from behind the net,
allowing the Kings to play with the lead in their first appearance in the Cup
Final since 1993.
One of the reasons for the more conservative approach to hybrid icing is
that not all GMs believe it’s a change that needs to be made.
"They had one of the best games in the playoffs so far," Kopitar said.
"They've had some really good ones before, and tonight they capped it off
with a nice goal. It definitely got us going in the first period. It seems like we
came out a little slower than we wanted to, and the way they came out and
established the forecheck and had some cycles in their zone gave us a
huge boost."
“There was one injury last year on an icing call -- I think the players are
responding well and respecting one another and trying not to create
Nolan — in a team-low 11:26 of ice time – tied for second on the team with
four hits, one of which was a pulverizing open-ice hit on Devils defenseman
Marek Zidlicky in the third period that surprisingly didn't leave a crater in the
ice.
"He just made a play, and I think he was looking the other way, and I caught
his shoulder and put him back a bit," Nolan said before expanding on the
role his line played in a physical battle.
"We know we're important to the team when we're going. When we're not
going, we're not going to see too much ice. Darryl (Sutter) is a tough coach.
If you're not going, he's not going to put you out there. We had a few rushes
to start there, and we knew we wanted to pick it up and we got a big goal."
In a matchup between teams renowned for their suffocating forecheck, it
was L.A.'s pressure that created the most havoc and led to the opening
goal. Making use of their size advantage — New Jersey dressed only two
defensemen larger than 6-1 — it was the 6-3 Nolan who made a hit on the
5-11 Andy Greene behind the net before feeding Fraser in the slot to start
the scoring.
"It's not my No. 1 thing," Fraser said about scoring, "but I always try to give
it to the boys about how I'm going to score one tonight, and I was lucky."
In nearly breaking out a rink board to describe his positioning and role in the
offensive zone, Fraser gave credit to Richardson and Nolan for their
effective plumbing.
"They seem to get on pucks first every time. I just try to stay up — three. I
take care of the defense. They take care of the hard work in the corners,"
he said.
That makes it nine consecutive road wins in the playoffs, and 11 straight if
last year's first round wins in Games 2 and 5 in San Jose are included. Or,
one straight, according to Sutter.
"We won one on the road now. Season started today," he said.
Sutter also referenced both teams' confidence in getting all 20 skaters
involved as a key in the victory.
"The way teams play, there's such tight quarters out there. Ability to stay
with it, play four lines, six defensemen, I think both teams would say that" is
a key, he said.
New Jersey coach Peter DeBoer expects a stronger all-around effort from a
team that has averaged 2.74 goals in the postseason but banked on only
one deflection past Jonathan Quick. Anton Volchenkov's equalizer late in
the second period pinballed off Slava Voynov before bouncing past Quick
into the net.
"Our group has done a pretty good job of self-analyzing, you know, looking
at the game and realizing, both individually and collectively, where we have
to get better," DeBoer said.
"We have two days to do that. We'll be better on Saturday night."
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FOXSports.com / American captains lead Kings, Devils
Denis Gorman
Fact No. 1: Derian Hatcher is the only American-born captain to win the
Stanley Cup. He led Dallas to its only Cup in 1998-99.
Fact No. 2: Either the New Jersey Devils’ Zach Parise or the Los Angeles
Kings’ Dustin Brown will be the second American-born captain to win the
Stanley Cup. Parise and Brown will face off Wednesday night at the
Prudential Center in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.
The two Americans — Brown grew up in Ithaca, N.Y., while Parise is from
Minneapolis, Minn. — spent parts of their media availability sessions
Tuesday afternoon answering questions about the other and the
significance of two American-born captains competing against each other
for the Cup.
“It’s great for the game in the U.S.,” Parise said. “That says a lot for
American hockey.”
Brown and Parise are not unfamiliar to each other, as both represented the
United States on the 2002-03 World Junior team and the 2010 Olympic
silver-medal-winning team. Parise also was a member of the 2003-04 goldmedal-winning World Junior team.
“[Playing] with him it’s a lot of fun, he’s a special player. Playing against him
is not the [most fun],” Brown said.
“The one thing I say about Zach is that you’re not going to find a more
skilled guy who competes harder. He has first-line skill and a fourth-line
mentality and work ethic. He probably works harder than any high-end skill
guy that I’ve seen.”
Parise was equally effusive with his praise of Brown.
“He’s physical,” Parise said of Brown. “He does everything on the ice. We
really have to make sure we are aware when he’s out there.”
NHL Playoff Central
NHL PLAYOFFS
Stay up to date with all the NHL's latest at Playoff Central.
Undoubtedly, that two American captains have led their respective
franchises to the NHL’s pre-eminent stage is a boon for USA Hockey and
its developmental programs. But Devils FM Lou Lamoriello does not believe
this Stanley Cup Final is a referendum on the quality of USA Hockey. In
Lamoriello's eyes, the program no longer is in an embryonic stage.
It has fully matured.
“The future of USA Hockey is [here],” Lamoriello told FOXSports.com.
“I think it’s present. I think the players that are playing in the league — what
transpired years ago, that’s gone; they’re all hockey players now. Whether
it’s Europe, whether it’s Canada or whether it’s the States, they’re all
developing the same way [and in the] same [developmental] leagues —
they are all one. If you want to single out American hockey … they made a
breakthrough in [1980], and it’s just been better and better [since then].”
Lamoriello’s words echoed those of New York Rangers captain Ryan
Callahan — another U.S.-born captain — the day before the RangersDevils Eastern Conference Final began.
“It shows U.S. players are making an impact and there's good U.S. players
out there. It just shows that U.S. players are growing through the NHL and
there's good ones out there,” said the Rochester, N.Y., native.
“We had a good showing in the Olympics. There's a lot of young guys in the
same age group that were on that team. It just shows that USA hockey is
developing, getting better, getting good talent.”
And one of them will raise the Cup skyward in June.
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NBCSports.com / Newark mayor has “nothing but goodwill” for Devils
Mike Halford
It seems Cory Booker has put away his feud with Jeff Vanderbeek — for
now.
On Wednesday, the Newark mayor downplayed issues with the Devils
owner (in April, Booker called Vanderbeek a “high-class huckster”), opting
to focus on safety, security and a successful Stanley Cup finals.
“We’re doing everything necessary to make sure that the record of security
for Devils hockey games continues to be what it is, which is virtually
flawless,” Booker told WCBS 880. “We’re just thrilled about it. It’s going to
be an exciting time.”
While Booker did reference his issues with Vanderbeek — “my prayer is
that they work themselves out in the long run,” he said — he remained
steadfast in his desire to see New Jersey bring home its fourth Stanley Cup.
“We have nothing but goodwill,” he said. “The reality is right now everybody
in Newark is pulling for the Devils to win.”
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Still proving to be Kings of the road
NBCSports.com / NHL delays implementing hybrid icing for next season
Michael Farber
Mike Halford
While there have been plenty of rumors coming from the GM meetings in
New York, ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun reports one thing is for certain — there
will be no hybrid icing in the NHL in 2012-13.
“GMs have delayed implementation of hybrid icing for next season,” he said
via Twitter. “They want to see it in AHL first.”
The idea of hybrid icing — a mixture of touch and no-touch icing — gained
steam back in March when the NHL GMs met in Boca Raton and
recommended it go before the NHL’s Competition Committee.
More, from a Mar. 13 article at NHL.com:
“It’s easy to have these ideas and try to push them forward, but when it
comes time to actually write up the rules and think of all the situations and
all the scenarios that could happen on the ice, making it clear enough so
that we can give our on-ice officials the proper direction, there is a lot of
work to do,” [former] Montreal GM Pierre Gauthier said. “It’s going to go
forward as a recommendation, but there is some cleaning up as to how
exactly it is going to work and what directives we’re going to give.”
With hybrid icing, the linesman is required to make a judgment call at the
faceoff dots in the offensive zone. If the forechecker is leading the race for
the puck when he reaches the faceoff dots then play is allowed to continue.
If the defenseman is leading the race for the puck — or if he is even with
the forechecking forward at the faceoff dots — then the linesman is to blow
his whistle to stop the play and immediately call icing.
As for testing hybrid icing, Kevin Allen of USA Today reported its
implementation is contingent upon AHL Commissioner Dave Andrews and
the AHL competition committee and board of governors.
That said, the American League has historically been cooperative in testing
possible rules changes.
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NBCSports.com / NHL to address obstruction at special summer meeting
Jason Brough
Yesterday, we told you about a potential meeting in August to “re-set” the
rules on obstruction.
Today in New York, Colin Campbell, the NHL’s senior vice-president of
hockey operations, confirmed the meeting will indeed take place.
“In March, some teams said to us that they had an issue,” said Campbell.
“They said, ‘We think the standard’s dropped.’ Well, the standard on what?
Holding? Interference? If it’s interference, is it interference off the faceoff? Is
it off the entry? Is it the forward? Is it the defenseman? You’ve got to tell us
so we can tell the referees how to call it.”
According to the Globe and Mail, the special meeting will include “general
managers, coaches, players and officials.”
The challenge, of course, will be to get everyone on the same page heading
into next season. For example, offensive teams might want the rules called
more tightly than defensive teams.
But at least the NHL has acknowledged a discussion needs to take place.
Because based on all the confusion we’ve witnessed, a discussion really
needs to take place.
NEWARK, N.J. -- The Los Angeles Kings have taken a novel approach to
trying to win a Stanley Cup.
The novel happens to be Jack Kerouac's On The Road.
Continuing the greatest travel adventure since Chevy Chase took Europe
and Alexander the Great took, well, pretty much everything, the Kings ran
their unbeaten playoff streak to nine games, winning in the New Jersey
humidity with one of the coolest overtime goals you will ever see.
Anze Kopitar swallowed the puck -- Zach Parise cheated on the play up ice
and two Devils got caught near the boards -- and bore down on Martin
Brodeur in the Devils' goal. Kopitar moved with a confidence, deked, forced
Brodeur to commit to the first move and neatly tucked in the winner at 8:13
of overtime in an ugly 2-1 Cup opener on Wednesday night.
"It was like 66," Kings president of business operations Luc Robitaille said.
Lucky Luc was referring to Mario Lemieux's number, not Route 66, although
you can never really tell when the subject is a team that keeps steaming
along away from its Staples Center playpen.
The formula is basic, winger Dustin Penner explained. Score first to take
the crowd out of the game (the Kings have in five of the games), and keep
pushing, which Los Angeles has done by scoring in 21-of-27 regulation
road periods. Of course, the Devils pushed back in the third period.
Although New Jersey coach Peter DeBoer said his team didn't deserve to
win, the Devils did dominate late until Kopitar's goal proved to be the lipstick
on what essentially was a pig of a Game 1.
Los Angeles had played in the triple-digit heat of Phoenix, but certainly the
Kings were not prepared for the sticky conditions in New Jersey. "The puck
was on its side more than it was flat," Penner said. Los Angeles also
seemed troubled by its lengthy layoff after having closed out the Coyotes
seemingly some time around Easter -- "You don't go from zero to 60 in
terms of intensity," defenseman Rob Scuderi said -- but the Kings did
manage to kept up to speed more quickly than the Devils.
The first period was a low-impact workout, two teams that looked as rusty
as an old Plymouth Duster parked down the Shore for the summer. The
Devils iced the puck three times within the first three minutes. The teams
combined for five icings and went off sides another five, a pitiable but, as it
would turn out, a symmetrical number. The Kings and Devils also each had
five shots, a depressingly modest total considering this was hardly a festival
of shot blocking. There were four, two by each team.
Indeed with the clock ticking toward the midway point in the period, the
teams had managed to launch just one shot each on target until the Kings'
fourth line suddenly seized an opportunity. Jordan Nolan, almost big
enough to be New Jersey's 22nd county, abused Devils defenseman Andy
Greene along the end boards with some robust forechecking. Nolan is 6foot-3, 227 pounds, four inches and seven pounds heavier than Greene,
one of the members of a group that actually has written the words "No
Name Defense" on its water bottles. Nolan dug out the puck with alarming
ease and fed Colin Fraser, the only regular Kings forward who had yet to
score in the playoffs. He joined the party at 9:56 of the first period, skittering
the puck between the pads of the venerable Brodeur.
The Kings, the muscle team, actually played a textbook road period. They
broke down utterly only once -- David Clarkson wound up remarkable
unfettered in the high slot but shot wide by two feet -- and consistently
negated the New Jersey forecheck with some short passes and
commendable puck support. Unlike the vacationing New York Rangers,
who kept trying to force the puck along the boards against New Jersey, the
Kings were unafraid of using the middle of the ice in their breakouts.
Like the Chicago Cubs lineup, the Kings had a slew of easy outs.
The Devils didn't have a shot in the second period until five-and-a-half
minutes remained when a penalty-killing Parise drove the puck to the net.
Jonathan Quick made a better stop on Parise, literally, with two minutes left
in the period, when he actually lay on the Devils' captain in the crease for a
few seconds, not permitting him to get back in the play that had turned up
ice.
All of which begged for a goal from someone with no pedigree. Enter New
Jersey defenseman Anton Volchenkov. Volchenkov had three playoff goals
in 79 previous career games. But in the final 75 seconds, he loosed a shot
from the left point that Quick, fighting through a screen, didn't track until
late. The goalie made the initial stop, but the puck bounded high into the air,
where it caromed off his own defenseman, Slava Voynov, as the Devils'
Patrik Elias swiped at it. The goal, initially credited to Elias, was quickly
given to the defenseman, the second player to break his scoring maiden.
Not until the opening minutes of the third period when the Devils' first line
had a breakout shift -- Clarkson was a beast -- did the game ratchet up to a
level even remotely resembling the quality of a Stanley Cup final. Suddenly
the Kings, who had been moving the puck smartly from their own zone,
were caught in a quagmire against the Devils a forecheck. Parise was
dancing. If he couldn't score with his stick, he was going to throw the puck
in the net. (Nice try. No goal.) Midway through the period, the Devils
managed to break out three-on-one and pinching defenseman Mark Fayne,
a right-handed shot, momentarily had an empty net to Quick's left. If Fayne
were a lefty, he probably would have buried the bouncing puck. And if
everyone in Jersey commuted to New York City by helicopter, they could
turn the Holland Tunnel into a bowling alley.
The best play of the period belonged to Brodeur who, with 7:30 remaining,
gave a nod to hockey's anachronistic past. Brodeur stacked his pads to
stop Kings' swashbuckler Drew Doughty, who had time to tee up the puck.
The two-pad stack now is as rare as a genuine hockey mullet, but Brodeur,
who always makes the save appropriate to the shot, threw out his legs to
foil the shot by the Kings defenseman, who had steamed into the slot.
"I think that's the first time," said Doughty when asked if he ever had an
NHL shot stopped by a double-pad stack. "We'd watched video on him, but
that's not what I expected at all. He's a different goalie, a smart goalie. He
must have read the angle of my blade or saw where my eyes were looking.
If I go blocker side, it's an easy goal. Next time I'd better bury that chance."
The Kings won Game 1 on the road, in 1993, in their only other appearance
in a Stanley Cup final and wound up losing to Montreal in Game 2 overtime
after ceding a power-play goal on a late illegal stick penalty. They don't call
for stick measurements anymore and Chevy Chase doesn't make National
Lampoon vacation movies, which suggests nothing -- even the Kings' road
playoff winning streak - can last forever.
Can it?
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The Devils' old lion vs. the King crab in the Stanley Cup Final
Michael Farber
The NHL's lion in winter is back in the spring.
Martin Brodeur turned 40 this month. He should be in his anecdotage -because there are few players who can tell a story about the good old days
like the New Jersey Devils goalie. Instead he is back in the Stanley Cup
Final, making his 200th career playoff start in Game 1 against the Los
Angeles Kings, seemingly as comfortable in his own skin as he is in his
crease.
Brodeur looked spent more than two years ago when he ceded Team
Canada's net to Roberto Luongo at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. He
was written off -- guilty! -- as an anachronism, a goalie clinging to a dated
style of puck-stopping who would never again be a significant factor, no
matter how much he padded his historic win and shutout totals.
Despite being on the cusp of playing the equivalent of two-and-a-half
complete regular seasons in the playoffs, Brodeur had not been able to put
the Devils on his back and hump them into the second round since 2007.
He had won just two series since capturing his third Stanley Cup in 2003.
His save percentages the past two seasons had dropped below .910 and in
59 games during the 2011-12 campaign, he had only three shutouts, tied
for the fewest in his career. He was at the end of a contract, but he looked
as if he were nearing the end of the line.
Now he reminds us of his greatness, why he has not expired like a carton of
old milk. He is not the magnificent Brodeur of nearly two decades ago -although, in truth, he still exhibits some of his familiar flaws: shots at his feet
and bad angles. But for every goofy goal like the one the Rangers' Ryan
Callahan scored in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final after a rare
puckhandling gaffe, there is a uniquely brilliant save like the stacked-pads
stop Brodeur made midway through the third period of Game 6 against
Brad Richards. That one magically transported hockey back to an era when
hockey was rife with stand-up guys and stand-up goalies.
The joy of Brodeur always has been his ability to tailor his save to the
specifications of the shot. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, no
reflexive drop into a butterfly to increase the percentages of a puck simply
hitting him. He does butterfly more than he cares to admit, but he will kick
out pucks or stack pads or stand tall and snag the rubber. When you played
goal at the rink or were out in the street playing ball hockey as a child, the
play-by-play calls that whirled in your brain were exact descriptions of how
the NHL's oldest kid still goes about his job.
"I know some 20-year-olds going on 40 and some 50-year-olds going on
20," Devils president Lou Lamoriello says. "He is an athlete. He studies the
game. The greatest parallel is Mariano [Riviera] with the Yankees. They're
natural athletes. Marty can shoot the puck. He can skate. And that's what
keeps him where he's at. He knows what to do. He's got a coaching mind."
"When you have a puck coming at you 100 miles-per-hour, your age is the
least of your worries," Brodeur says. "... For whatever reason, I'm less
nervous now than I was maybe five or six years ago."
When he looks down at the other end of the ice during the next fortnight -assuming he can peer around big bodies like Anze Kopitar, Dustin Penner,
the relentless Dustin Brown, Dwight King and the rest of the black-andwhite lunar eclipse known as the Los Angeles Kings forwards -- Brodeur will
see a goalie who shares the same ice but hardly the same universe.
The Crab
In his own curious way, Jonathan Quick is as distinctive as Brodeur. Quick
is a percentage goalie, of course, a cover-the-lower-portion-of-the-net man,
but none of his contemporaries in the modern style look quite like this 26year-old.
Quick gets low in his crease -- exceptionally low, like a man who feels the
need to stoop in order to talk to a four-year-old at eye level. His angles are
calculated, Euclidian. From his crouch he can see around screens and
deflect close-in rebound attempts while obscuring much of the net from
shooters. Quick is laterally adroit in the crease, scuttling as much as gliding
from post to post. While Brodeur is almost erect in his crease, Quick
resembles a crab.
The Kings goalie also seems unruffled by the occupational pitfalls of his
profession. When Phoenix's Derek Morris skipped one in from center ice in
Game 1 of the Western Conference Final, a potentially confidence-sapping
goal, Quick borrowed a move that Brodeur had long since perfected -- the
Gallic shrug. The long-distance goal was barely a speed bump on the
Kings' road to the final.
Quick's selective amnesia is as impressive as his 1.54 goals-against
average and .946 save percentage in the playoffs. Kelly Hrudey, the
goaltender on the 1993 Kings, the only other Los Angeles team to reach the
Cup final, judges Quick after 249 regular-season and 26 playoff games to
already be the best goalie in a franchise history that includes Rogie
Vachon. Adds Hrudey, now an estimable Hockey Night in Canada analyst,
"The best by far."
GALLERY: Iconic Kings
"You don't get here without goaltending," Kings coach Darryl Sutter told
reporters last Friday. "Jersey-Rangers. LA-Phoenix. Four best players, four
goalies, right?"
But beyond the stylistic clash in the crease, these two teams are
remarkably similar in approach. They are not quite doppelgangers, of
course, but both teams forecheck aggressively. This needs to be mentioned
one final time for those who remember only the soporific Turnpike Exit 16W
Devils, the Brahms' Lullaby of the rink. New Jersey's first year coach, Peter
DeBoer, favors high-intensity hockey.
The Devils tend to come out strong -- they outscored New York 5-0 in the
first period of their final two games -- but they have a curious habit of
backing off after grabbing a lead, allowing easy exits from the zone and,
ultimately, some odd goals. There is either a lack of a killer instinct or a
disquieting shortage of confidence when they are confronted with some
misfortune, surprising considering the makeup of the Devils' best players.
Hollywood Devils
The parroted wisdom was that a Kings-Rangers final would have been the
NHL's "dream match-up." For accountants, maybe. For television ratings,
sure. And yes, the NHL gets Henrique (Adam) and not Henrik (Lundqvist),
although after two series-winning goals in overtime, the Devils rookie center
has proved to be quite a find. But in terms of artistry, the merits of the
organizations, and sheer star power, the Devils, despite their address on
the wrong side of the Hudson River, are superior to the shot-blocking kings
of Broadway.
New Jersey, which has won three Stanley Cups since 1995 -- only the Red
Wings can match that -- clearly has players who rate high on the hockey
marquee. Zach Parise, who sent the 2010 Olympic final into overtime with
his late goal, is the leading American forward of his generation. And Ilya
Kovalchuk, a two-time 50-goal scorer who has averaged at least a point per
game in six of his eight NHL seasons, is among the most dynamic scorers
of the post-lockout era. Folded into a team with complementary offensive
parts in New Jersey, he retired his one-man-show from Atlanta. Sometimes
his even-strength shifts linger like the cast of garlic in a kitchen, but he truly
is among the most selfless of stars.
Kovalchuk, once a second-team All-Star as a left winger, has switched to
the right flank with nary a peep of complaint. He has played with Parise
and, for the moment, without Parise. It took a monstrous, salary capcircumventing contract to keep him, but the leading playoff scorer, who had
to miss a game in the second round because of a reported lower-body
injury, is playing like a whatever-it-takes winger.
Given the pedigree, the Devils seem more like the prototypical "Hollywood"
team than the Kings. Starting with Quick, the Kings have a collection of toptier players, but the conspicuous star quality, beyond defenseman Drew
Doughty -- at least when he is truly fit -- is low. Maybe Doughty or Kopitar or
Quick will go on to Hall of Fame-caliber careers, but at the moment the
Kings are nothing more than an impressive collection of mostly homegrown
talent -- 12 of 22 were draft choices -- that has been bolstered by ex-Flyers
Mike Richards and Jeff Carter and solidified at the back end by free-agent
defensemen Rob Scuderi and Willie Mitchell.
Depth charges
If a trend has emerged in the past few playoffs -- and it is always tricky to
pronounce because Stanley Cup champions tailor the pursuit to their
specific needs -- it is the importance of depth. If the Rangers had managed
to beat New Jersey, we would be writing about the necessity of giving your
best players as much ice time as they can handle. They didn't, so now the
hockey world's eyes are obliged to drift past the familiar names to the
bottom six forwards or third-pair defensemen. (Rangers coach John
Tortorella barely employed his fourth line and primarily used five
defensemen, a blueline strategy that was fading just as Brodeur was
entering the NHL.)
Like Chicago in 2010 and Boston last season, contributions throughout the
lineup have tipped the balance in favor of the Devils and the Kings. New
Jersey has had nine goals and 10 assists from its fourth-line forwards -Stephen Gionta, Steve Bernier and Ryan Carter, who has two gamewinners. Meanwhile 11 of the 12 Kings forwards have scored. (Colin Fraser,
we're waiting.) Indeed the size and muscle of the Kings' bottom forwards,
King and Jordan Nolan, eventually could wear down a no-name if relatively
effective Devils defense. Sutter also is playing his third pair, Alec Martinez
and Matt Greene, a hefty 15 minutes or so per game.
But if Sutter is right about the nature of a confrontation between the Kings,
which beat three offensively-challenged teams -- Vancouver's Daniel Sedin
was a late entrant into the first-round series -- and a Devils team that
scraped by Florida in a Game 7 double overtime and kept furballing leads
against New York, the difference will be who can make one more save.
The Lion or The Crab.
"When we played the trap before and played a defensive system,
everything slowed down a lot, and you knew exactly [what was going to
happen]," Brodeur says. "Having the defensemen that I had in front of me,
[Scott] Niedermayer, Ken Daneyko and Scotty Stevens ... with these guys,
nobody would come close to me. The back door plays were never there.
Our system [now], it's a lot of puck possession. We pressure the puck
everywhere, and it's a fun game to play because you never know what's
going to happen.
"Now I sit back. I don't feel I need to make a difference every single game. I
just want to go out there and be solid for these guys. And it's been great. I
just feel fortunate to be in this position at my age still. Because for me, this
could be it -- not to play but to be in the situation to do something great in
the playoffs."
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Sportsnet.ca / Brophy on Colborne: The future is now
Mike Brophy
When Brian Burke met with the media shortly after the Toronto Maple
Leafs’ season concluded – without playoffs, again – the GM made it
perfectly clear that he wanted his team to be bigger next year.
That was sweet music to Joe Colborne’s ears.
"If that is something they are looking for then hopefully he’s thinking about
me," said the 6-foot-5, 200-pound Toronto Marlies forward. "Obviously I am
a big body and I’m going to make sure I put in the work over the summer
and come back and hopefully show some people I deserve to be in the NHL
to stay. When I heard him say that and you understand (coach) Randy
Carlyle’s pedigree and the success he has had with the likes of Ryan
Getzlaf and Corey Perry, and what he did for their careers, I am extremely
excited and hope that I can impress them enough that they’ll want me to be
a major part of the team next season."
That is next year. For now, Colborne and the Marlies have more pressing
concerns, like the Calder Cup final in which they’ll meet the Norfolk
Admirals beginning Friday night in a best-of-seven series.
Now would be a really nice time for Colborne to rediscover his scoring
touch. The 22-year-old Calgary, AB, native got off to a wonderful start to the
year and was named the American Hockey League’s player of the month in
October when he registered eight goals and 16 points in eight games.
However, that was not a sign of good things to come.
Colborne wound up with 16 goals and 39 points in 65 games and at one
point went 30 games without scoring a goal. His slump, which started after
he scored Feb. 17, lasted three months – to the seventh game of the
playoffs – when he finally tallied in Game 1 against Oklahoma City. In 11
playoff games he has a goal and six points.
"It has been a tough go," Colborne said. "I have never been through
anything like that in my life. You try [to] take it as a learning experience, but
I wouldn’t wish it on anybody. I actually stopped counting how many games
I went without a goal after 15. It sucked to tell you the truth. The biggest
thing was we were still winning. If we had been losing and I wasn’t scoring I
would have taken it a lot harder."
Toronto got some bad news this week when it was discovered Matt Frattin,
who leads the team with 10 goals in 13 playoff games, is done for the
season and facing knee surgery. The Marlies have also been without
veteran centre Mike Zigomanis, who skated on his own Tuesday, as well as
forwards Ashton Carter and Marcel Mueller. Carter and Mueller practiced
Tuesday.
If Colborne can find his scoring touch, it would certainly leave a good
impression in the minds of Maple Leafs management which is plotting a
new course for next season.
Colborne gave a good account of himself in Leafs training camp last fall and
then played well during a nine-game stint with the Maple Leafs in November
and December scoring once and drawing three assists and later adding
another assist in a game in April. Five points in 10 games is encouraging.
At the start of the season his skating was a bit of a concern, but he has
worked on it diligently and showed a marked improvement at the NHL level.
Although he is normally a centre, Colborne did not look out of place playing
left wing.
"It was amazing," Colborne said of his NHL experience. "I look at a guy like
Vinny Lecavalier, who I grew up watching and idolizing, and the next thing
you know I’m out there playing against him and I score my first NHL goal
against him. The biggest thing for me was getting my confidence and
realizing I could go out and compete against those guys and I can play
against guys like Alexander Ovechkin and Eric Staal and Ilya Kovalchuk.
You play against guys like that and it helps your confidence grow."
In fact, Colborne said Staal had a profound influence on him.
"When I think about the type of player I’d like to be, I’d say Staal is definitely
No. 1 on my list," Colborne said. "I was so impressed by the way he played
when we were there. I just felt that he dominated the game. It was partly his
physicality, but also when he had the puck it was impossible to get it from
him. That is something I want to work on. He was strong in the corners and
strong in his own zone. He was such a complete player and I couldn’t see a
weakness in his game. I took a run at him in the corner once and it was a
solid connection. We both just stood there. If I caught a smaller player with
that hit I think he would have gone down hard. Staal just stood me up. He
was the best player I played against in the NHL."
The Maple Leafs may call on Colborne next season, but for now, the
Marlies need him to be the scoring machine he was in October.
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definition of the word to the point of snapping: Zach Parise lost the puck
trying to scoot between two defenders, and it trickled toward Quick.) So
suffocating was the Kings' forecheck—and so timid was the Devils'—that
when Los Angeles' Colin Fraser scored his first goal of the postseason
midway through the first period, that slimmest of leads had the feel of a
larger deficit.
It wasn't. The Devils pinned the Kings deep in Los Angeles' zone late in the
second period, and defenseman Anton Volchenkov got his first goal—and
perhaps the Devils' most unusual goal—of the playoffs with 1:12 left. Quick
used his stick to bat away a seemingly harmless shot by Volchenkov from
the left point, but in doing so he sent the puck airborne, and it caromed off
the Kings' Slava Voynov and into the net.
Four minutes into the third period, Parise for a moment appeared to have
given the Devils a 2-1 lead by shuffleboarding the puck past Quick during a
net-mouth scramble. But the game's officiating crew disallowed the goal
and rightly so: Parise had slid the puck into the net with his hand, and under
NHL Rule 67.6, "A goal cannot be scored by an attacking player who bats
or directs the puck with his hand into the net."
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Wall Street Journal / Kings Draw First Blood in Cup Finals
By MIKE SIELSKI
YAHOO SPORTS / Kopitar's overtime beauty prolongs Kings' amazing
playoff run
NEWARK, N.J.—After so much checking, so little room to maneuver, so
few shots, Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals ended this way for the Devils:
Their opponents' most gifted offensive player went in on a breakaway.
By Nicholas J. Cotsonika
Anze Kopitar, who has led the Los Angeles Kings in goals, assists and
points in both the regular season and the postseason, scored 8 minutes, 13
seconds into overtime Wednesday, giving the Kings a 2-1 victory and a 1-0
lead in the series. Game 2 will be Saturday night.
NEWARK, N.J. – If the Los Angeles Kings win the Stanley Cup, no one will
remember the heat, or the bad ice, or the broken plays, or all the assorted
ugliness Wednesday night. But the winning goal – now that will be replayed
on the highlight montages, another amazing moment on an amazing run, a
thing of beauty.
Colin Fraser (24) of the Kings celebrates Wednesday night after scoring a
goal in the first period of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
An over-aggressive thrust into the Los Angeles offensive zone left the
Devils open to a counter-rush by the opportunistic Kopitar. After the Kings
cleared the puck to center ice, he collected it, moved in on goaltender
Martin Brodeur, faked once to make Brodeur move, and fired home a
forehand to send 17,625 at the Prudential Center home in silence.
The loss hardly destroys the Devils' chances of winning the Cup for the first
time since 2003. It marked the third straight time that they had lost a series
opener, and they rallied to win each of those—the first against the
Philadelphia Flyers in five games, the second against the Rangers in six.
This time, though, against the Kings and goaltender Jonathan Quick, the
Devils labored to generate scoring chances and shots—a problem that had
not dogged them earlier in this postseason. New Jersey had just 18 shots
on goal Wednesday, and for long stretches of the game, Quick might have
taken a nap and not been bothered to wake. (The Kings had just 25
themselves.)
That the Devils, to win the franchise's fourth Stanley Cup, will have to
overcome Quick did not fill them with much dread entering this series.
Though Quick is a nominee for the Vezina Trophy and, thanks to his .946
save percentage and 1.54 goals-against average this postseason, is the
leading candidate to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs' most
valuable player, New Jersey did beat the Rangers and Henrik Lundqvist in
six games in the conference finals. Over their three consecutive victories to
close the series, the Devils scored 12 goals, demystifying Lundqvist after he
had shut them out twice in the first three games.
"For us, the same things apply," Devils coach Peter DeBoer told reporters
before Game 1. "You have to get traffic, bodies, shots. You can't get
frustrated.… We stuck with it.
"You're not going to get to guys like this easily. They're going to frustrate
you at different parts in the series. It's battling through. We have that
experience now. We got rewarded for taking that approach against
Lundqvist. We have to do the same thing here."
For the first 35 minutes of Wednesday's game, the Devils did everything but
take that approach against Quick. They managed just five shots on goal in
the first period and didn't record their first shot of the second period until five
and a half minutes remained in the session. (Even that shot stretched the
Anze Kopitar's overtime winner salvaged a plodding Game 1 between the
Kings and Devils. (AP)On a night that belonged to the grinders, at a time
when neither team was at its best, it was superstar Anze Kopitar who ended
Game 1 of the series 8:13 into overtime by finishing a breakaway with skill
and style, lifting the Kings to a 2-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils.
Justin Williams backhanded the puck into the middle of the ice. He said he
"just kind of threw it over there." He called it "just an area pass where you
hope the guy skates into it." When he saw Kopitar collect the puck at the
blue line and skate into the slot all alone, he stopped hoping.
"It just felt like he was going to score," Williams said.
It has been that kind of spring for the Kings. Devils goaltender Martin
Brodeur said he thought Kopitar would go backhand. Kopitar said he once
tried that against Brodeur in a shootout in L.A., so he decided to mix it up.
He faked a shot. A lefty, he went forehand, backhand, forehand. As Brodeur
flailed, he fired the puck past the New Jersey netminder’s outstretched right
pad, then jumped into the glass in celebration, arms up.
"Worked out pretty well," Kopitar said.
What hasn't for the Kings? They're 13-2 in the playoffs. Thirteen and two.
They're 9-0 on the road. Nine and oh. They're 6-0 when tied after two
periods, 3-0 in overtime. Sixteen players have contributed a goal. Though
they were the eighth seed in the Western Conference, they knocked off the
top seeds – one, two, three – and now they have the early lead on the
Devils in the Stanley Cup Final.
"Knock on wood, we've got to keep playing the way we're playing," said
Kings center Jarret Stoll. "We're just finding ways to win, however it may
be."
Looking exhausted as he sat in the dressing room, Kings captain Dustin
Brown called this "probably the toughest game we played." It was tough to
play in the conditions, as the puck bounced all over the place, and it was
tough to watch at times.
[Devils: 'We made it way too easy for them']
Coming out of a TV timeout about midway through the game, NBC listed its
top three storylines. First was the Kings' Colin Fraser, who had scored the
first playoff goal of his career. Second was the Devils' Dainius Zubrus, who
had a game-high five hits. Third was Kopitar, who was 5-for-8 on faceoffs.
Yes, that was the best NBC could do. All those American hockey fans from
Idaho to Alabama must have been glued to their flatscreens. Kopitar is 5for-8 on faceoffs? Stay tuned! See if he can go 6-for-9!
The Devils failed to muster a single shot for the first 14:30 of the second
period, which is one way to keep Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick from
making a save, but certainly not the best one.
And when the Devils finally did record a shot, it was more charity than
anything else. Captain Zach Parise lost control of the puck, Quick covered it
up, and a digit was added to the board. Maybe the New Jersey scorer was
being extra nice to Parise. After all, he is a pending unrestricted free agent.
"I don't believe we deserved to win tonight," said Devils coach Pete DeBoer.
"That's the bottom line."
The Kings didn't necessarily believe they deserved to win, either.
"We just know we can be better than what we were tonight," Stoll said. "It
was some sloppy play on our part."
The Kings' incredible playoff performance includes a perfect 9-0 record on
the road. (AP)Neither goal scored in regulation should have been scored.
Fraser beat Brodeur midway through the first period with a relatively routine
shot from the right circle. Brown had no problem saying "probably Brodeur
wants that one back." The Devils tied the game late in the second when
defenseman Anton Volchenkov fired from the left point, Quick made a left
pad save, and the puck bounced in off Kings defenseman Slava Voynov.
There were several scoring chances that were just plain botched, especially
by the Devils. David Clarkson missed two open nets. Parise fanned on a
rebound, then desperately tried to swipe in the puck with his glove amid a
scramble, as if no one would notice he was cheating. Mark Fayne let a
glorious chance slip off his stick while staring at a yawning cage.
And sometimes there were saves, like when Brodeur stacked the pads on
Kings defenseman Drew Doughty in the third period. There was little room
for the stars to work their magic. The Ilya Kovalchuks and Jeff Carters were
quiet.
"It could have easily been 0-0 going into overtime," Brown said.
[Related: Kings continue dominance on road]
But then came overtime, and Williams' blind-faith pass, and Kopitar's keepthe-faith goal, and that's all that mattered. As Kopitar and Quick made the
long walk from the Kings' dressing room to the interview area afterward,
they passed coach Darryl Sutter coming the other way.
"Good job, you two," he said.
In the morning, when asked about raising the profile of hockey in L.A.,
Sutter talked about raising the profile of stars like Kopitar, Quick, Brown and
Doughty, that they might be recognized in a different light.
"It's about winning, right?" Sutter said. "That's what creates it. Anything else
is just B.S."
As Kopitar and Quick continued their walk, Kopitar joked about how the L.A.
media had been making so many mistakes in its playoff coverage. Kopitar
has the ball! Kopitar scores a touchdown!
Well, with that goal, Kopitar made an extra point.
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