When the Toronto Maple Leafs signed veteran winger Patrick Marleau to a hefty three-year, $18.75-million deal in July, many pundits - and media members - around the league expected him to be a natural fit on the top line, replacing Zach Hyman on Auston Matthews' wing.
While the calls for Marleau to join Matthews and replace Hyman continue to gain volume and media attention, head coach Mike Babcock isn't prepared to make any hasty moves just yet.
"I'm not dumb," Babcock told reporters Thursday, according to The Athletic's Jonas Siegel. "That's what I read - that you guys want. But here's what I'm going to do, I'm going to coach the team and you guys are going to write the articles."
Despite previously being a vocal supporter of Hyman and what he brings to the table, Babcock was prompted to once again voice his fondness over the 25-year-old Toronto native and his style of play.
"Hyman's a guy who gets the puck back all the time," said Babcock. "When you're a good player, I've learned from good players, they like to have the puck. When you have three guys who want the puck - like Datsyuk used to tell me all the time, 'No, put him on someone else's line. I want a guy to get me the puck.' He (Hyman) gets the puck back better than anyone."
Hyman might not light the lamp on the regular, registering only 14 goals across 98 career regular-season games, but it's clear that his work ethic and sound two-way game have left a positive impression on his head coach.
So much so, that Babcock has already seemingly decided that Hyman will be on the top line with Matthews when the puck drops on the 2017-18 season in just under two weeks' time.
Marc-Edouard Vlasic is not afraid to make his feelings about the Olympics known.
In April, the San Jose Sharks defenseman tweeted a picture of the Olympic logo after the NHL announced its players would not be going to the 2018 Games in South Korea. He was back at it Thursday after the medals that will be handed out in Pyeongchang were revealed.
Vlasic couldn't help but point them out to the league's Twitter account.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) General manager Jim Johannson has ruled out the possibility of the U.S. men's hockey team having NHL draft-eligible prospects competing at the Winter Olympics in February.
Johannson tells The Associated Press he doesn't view anyone from the 18-and-younger pool of prospects capable of cracking the projected lineup of non-NHL players, many of whom are opening this season playing in Europe.
USA Hockey's assistant executive director says he's also targeting a number of established college players, and would not rule out keeping a spot or two open for members of the U.S. team competing at the World Junior Championships this winter.
Johansson spoke in Buffalo, New York, on Thursday, where he is attending USA Hockey's sixth annual All-American Prospects game. The game features the top 42 U.S.-born players eligible to be selected in the NHL draft in June.
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For more AP NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey
The St. Louis Blues are adding one of the best defensemen of all time to their front office.
Larry Robinson is joining the Blues as the senior consultant to hockey operations.
The Hall of Fame blue-liner left the San Jose Sharks in May after occupying multiple roles with the club over the last five years, including associate coach and director of player development.
Robinson first became a coach with the New Jersey Devils when he was named an assistant in 1993, and guided the Devils to a Stanley Cup championship as head coach in 2000.
The 66-year-old won the Cup six times as a player, and he ranks ninth all time among defensemen in NHL history with 750 assists and 958 points.
With the NHL's crackdown on both stick infractions and faceoff violations in full force, the Winnipeg Jets are going the extra mile to give them a special teams advantage.
The club will welcome former NHL referee Paul Devorski to training camp to help the club curb penalties, according to Sportsnet's Sean Reynolds.
Head coach Paul Maurice reached out to the NHL to help them fix their penalty woes. The plan is to have Devorski on the ice with the club while they do battle drills where the former ref of 26 years will point out ways the club can avoid taking penalties, per Reynolds.
The ploy is not just to help with the league's new stricter sanctions, but also to correct the team's previous discipline issues:
3/ Planned since summer it's an effort to fix the team's penalty issues. Jets finished 6th, 6th & 2nd in NHL in PIM's the last 3 seasons.
On top of finishing sixth in the NHL last season with 835 penalty minutes, the Jets also boasted the fifth-worst penalty kill, so figuring out a way to take fewer penalties is imperative for the club.
In their first two preseason games, the Jets have taken 12 penalties, but surprisingly just three slashing minors and none for faceoff violations.
The diminutive forward signed a two-year, $1.5-million contract with the Panthers last summer and went on to score 30 goals.
The following five players all signed new contracts in the offseason. Whether they were RFAs and re-upped with their current clubs or UFAs who signed with new (or old) teams, these five deals will all prove to be steals:
Connor Brown, Maple Leafs
Term: 3 years Average annual value: $2.1 million
A 20-goal campaign from a Toronto-born Maple Leafs rookie would have been the talk of the town in any other season. But in 2016-17, the big three of Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Mitch Marner stole the spotlight.
Brown's stellar rookie campaign went seemingly unnoticed by the hockey world, partly because he isn't a flashy player. The 23-year-old doesn't have blazing speed or a lethal shot. What he does have, though, is a high hockey IQ. He's creative in the offensive zone and smart enough defensively to play on a checking line and kill penalties.
Despite his 20-goal, 36-point season, he isn't a lock to play in Toronto's top nine. The offseason addition of Patrick Marleau creates an even bigger logjam among Toronto's forwards. However, as a sixth-round pick who had to claw his way into the NHL, this will no doubt provide added motivation for the youngster.
Brown's defining moment may not come this season, but with James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak, and Leo Komarov all being pending UFAs, he could be counted on for big minutes come 2018-19 and 2019-20.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Senators
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
Term: 3 years AAV: $3.1 million
Jean-Gabriel Pageau's point total fell from 43 in 2015-16 to 33 in 2016-17. It's understandable considering head coach Guy Boucher implemented his 1-3-1 neutral zone trap. However, Pageau made up for it during Ottawa's magical run to the Eastern Conference Final, scoring eight goals in 19 playoff games.
With Colin White (wrist) out for six-to-eight weeks and Derick Brassard (shoulder) potentially out to begin the season, Pageau will be relied upon to center the team's second line. Considering Brassard was largely unimpressive in his first season in Canada's capital, it wouldn't be shocking if the 24-year-old Pageau stuck in that role.
He's already an elite faceoff man with a strong two-way game, finishing in the top 25 in Selke Trophy voting each of the past two years. With more ice time (he averaged just 16:08 per game last year), he could conceivably collect 45-50 points.
Scott Hartnell, Predators
Term: 1 year AAV: $1 million
Hartnell signed a one-year prove-it deal after what was considered a down season in Columbus. He scored 13 goals and added 24 assists in 78 games, but his ice time plummeted to 12:04 minutes per game. However, his 2.45 points per 60 minutes at five-on-five was his best since Natural Stat Trick began recording it in 2010-11.
Returning to the team that drafted him sixth overall way back in 2000, Hartnell could have a bounce-back season - especially if he's reunited with former linemate Ryan Johansen. A 25-goal season isn't out of the question.
Patrick Sharp, Blackhawks
Term: 1 year AAV: $1 million
Sharp also signed a one-year prove-it deal with his former team after tallying just 18 points in an injury-riddled 48-game campaign.
The departure of Artemi Panarin opens up a gaping hole at left wing opposite Patrick Kane. At 35, Sharp clearly isn't the player Panarin is, but he could easily have a bounce-back season of 50 points if he can avoid the Q blender (coach Joel Quenneville is known for constant line juggling) and stick with Kane for the majority of the season.
Andre Burakovsky, Capitals
Term: 2 years AAV: $3 million
The Capitals lost some key forwards in the offseason, most notably Marcus Johansson and Justin Williams. That opened up a top-six role for Burakovsky, who averaged just 13:16 minutes per game a year ago. In the limited role, here's where he ranked among Caps players in the following categories (all at five-on-five, excluding players who played less than 20 games):
Stat
Burakovsky's ranking
Goals per 60 minutes
9th
Assists/60
2nd
Points/60
3rd
Shots/60
3rd
Individual scoring chances for/60
2nd
Takeaways/60
2nd
Corsi For/60
1st
As the stats show, all Burakovsky needs is an opportunity. At $3 million per season, the Caps could have a legitimate top-six forward. That would be extremely valuable for a team that's right against the cap.
TORONTO - The NHL's third all-time leading point producer isn't too worried about the preseason crackdown on faceoff violations.
"It's just an adjustment period for the players. We got a little loose in the way we wanted the game officiated, and that happens," Mark Messier told theScore Wednesday at the launch of Bauer's "NeuroShield" collar.
"Every year, come September, (there's) a reminder for the players of what's tolerable and what's not, and the players will adjust," he said. "Once the season starts, I don't see it being an issue."
In the preseason, NHL officials have ramped up enforcement of slashing infractions as well as existing faceoff rules that previously went largely uncalled, drawing criticism from players as well as from fans and the media.
Offside challenges have been another source of officiating controversy, and while the league will reportedly attempt to curb the number of reviews with a minor penalty for lost challenges, Messier doesn't blame head coaches for using them to their advantage last season.
"Coaches are smart guys, and (if) they realize an opportunity to benefit the team, they'll use it," he said. "(Previously), there was no penalty for being wrong, and so they used it as a (way) to benefit the team, to rest a player or to get a timeout or whatever. Those are all things that are up for the general managers and the league, and all that. Whatever they decide upon, everybody will play by the rules."
Messier also weighed in on several other topics, including the NHL's lack of participation in the upcoming Olympic Games, the Stanley Cup hopes of the two franchises he's primarily associated with, and whether he sees any current player who reminds him of himself:
Alex Ovechkin has now accepted the NHL's position on the Olympics, and the league clearly isn't changing its mind on forgoing Pyeongchang, but do you think this is a missed opportunity?
"It's not (about) whether I like it or agree (about) whether they should or shouldn't go. It's a tough situation for the owners and it's a tough situation for the players. Ultimately, the players work for the owners, and (the) decision was not to go. The players have to live by it, it's just as simple as that. Who's right or who's wrong is really indifferent at this particular time. The decision has been made and everybody's going to have to live with it."
Are the Edmonton Oilers ready to be a legitimate Stanley Cup contender or do they need a bit more time to grow as a team?
"Well, I think you can say (that) anybody that makes the playoffs can potentially be a Cup contender, and I think any time you've got a player like (Connor) McDavid leading the way, you have to be thinking that special things are on the horizon, but of course, they still have to prove it.
"They had a great year last year, and I think they might have been a little disappointed that they didn't go further because I think they probably could (have), so it'll be an interesting year for them this year. They're going to have to earn it. The teams around the league will be ready for them, and they won't surprise anybody this year. The better team you become, the tougher it could get, so it'll be interesting to see how it unfolds for the Oilers."
Can the New York Rangers get back to their Cup Final and conference final form of a few years ago, or are they going to continue to have difficulty getting back there?
"They're a playoff team for sure, (but) there's a lot of competition. A lot has to go right for any team to win the Stanley Cup. You've gotta be lucky, you've gotta be good, you've gotta stay healthy. They've proven that they've had the goaltending there, (but) they're in a bit of a transition period right now, so time will only tell there, but I think everybody would agree that they're a playoff team."
There are a lot of great players in the NHL these days, and you're one of the greatest of all time, but do you see any current players who remind you of yourself?
"(I) never compare players ever. Never liked to compare players. I don't think it's fair to any player to compare (them) to any player in the past or the future. I think every player has to make it on their own merits and their own individual characteristics.
"There will never be another Wayne Gretzky. There will never be another Mario Lemieux. There will never be another Gordie Howe. There will never be (another) Sidney Crosby. There will never be (another) Jonathan Toews. These guys are who they are, and the reason they are who they are is because they've been able to put their own (stamp) on it without comparisons (to) anybody else. I don't think it's fair to compare young kids. I think it puts undue pressure on them and I think it's important for them to make a name on their own for their own individual style and skill."
There's so much more to fantasy hockey than just picking players. Knowing the ins and outs of the NHL schedule can give you a massive advantage over other players in your league. Here are two ways you can benefit.
Weird game days
Hockey fans know the vast majority of games are played on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. This can often lead to a logjam for your fantasy team on those nights, forcing you to decide which active players to leave on your bench. However, on less popular game days (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays), you may find yourself with a nearly empty lineup.
To exploit the NHL schedule and maximize the number of man games your fantasy team has, target players from clubs that play plenty of games on these less crowded days.
Team
Monday
Wednesday
Friday
Sunday
Total
Anaheim
9
12
15
12
48
Calgary
9
12
10
8
39
Detroit
6
9
12
11
38
NY Rangers
7
10
11
9
37
Toronto
13
15
5
3
36
Vegas
6
5
14
11
36
Washington
10
6
12
8
36
Chicago
6
10
8
11
35
NY Islanders
10
6
11
8
35
Winnipeg
7
4
13
11
35
Buffalo
9
7
13
5
34
Colorado
8
7
10
9
34
Columbus
9
5
15
4
33
Pittsburgh
4
9
11
9
33
Dallas
7
5
12
8
32
San Jose
8
6
8
10
32
Vancouver
6
7
9
10
32
Ottawa
7
9
11
3
30
St. Louis
5
9
10
6
30
Boston
8
10
3
8
29
Carolina
5
2
13
9
29
New Jersey
5
5
11
8
29
Edmonton
6
7
5
10
28
Minnesota
7
5
10
6
28
Florida
9
3
10
5
27
Los Angeles
10
5
6
5
26
Philadelphia
6
8
4
8
26
Montreal
7
8
5
5
25
Nashville
5
5
7
5
22
Tampa Bay
8
4
5
5
22
Arizona
8
5
3
5
21
Just because the Anaheim Ducks are the only team in the NHL that plays more than half its games on these days doesn't mean you should bump Ryan Getzlaf to the top of your draft board. However, it would definitely behoove you to try to grab a handful of players from teams near the top of this list.
Playoff schedules
Those who are confident enough in their fantasy hockey knowledge can take a peek at their fantasy hockey playoff schedule. In the majority of leagues, it's set up like this:
Round 1: March 5-11
Round 2: March 12-18
Round 3: March 19-25
Here's the number of games each NHL team plays during each of those periods.
Team
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Total
Arizona
4
3
4
11
Boston
4
3
4
11
Dallas
4
4
3
11
Edmonton
3
4
4
11
Montreal
3
4
4
11
Vancouver
4
3
4
11
Anaheim
3
4
3
10
Buffalo
4
2
4
10
Calgary
4
3
3
10
Chicago
4
3
3
10
Colorado
3
4
3
10
Columbus
3
3
4
10
Detroit
3
4
3
10
Florida
3
3
4
10
Los Angeles
2
4
4
10
Nashville
3
3
4
10
Philadelphia
3
4
3
10
Pittsburgh
4
2
4
10
Ottawa
3
4
3
10
Vegas
3
4
3
10
Washington
3
4
3
10
Winnipeg
3
4
3
10
Carolina
2
4
3
9
Minnesota
3
3
3
9
New Jersey
3
3
3
9
NY Islanders
3
3
3
9
NY Rangers
3
3
3
9
San Jose
2
4
3
9
St. Louis
2
4
3
9
Tampa Bay
3
3
3
9
Toronto
2
3
3
8
Remember to go to your league settings to view your playoff schedule. If you're in a small league and the playoffs only consist of Rounds 2 and 3, selecting Kings, Oilers, and Canadiens players gives you a huge advantage.
The fact the Toronto Maple Leafs only have eight games during the fantasy hockey playoffs doesn't mean you should completely avoid drafting Auston Matthews, but picking multiple players with 11 games over that period to balance it out would be a good idea.
Throughout the month of September, James Bisson and a cast of editors from theScore will share their rankings of the greatest players, teams, and moments in the 100-year history of the National Hockey League. This week's list focuses on the greatest team logos (active team logos courtesy NHL; defunct team logos courtesy SportsLogos.net):
Oh, Scouts, you left us too soon. While the horse-and-rider image looks like something out of an insurance commercial, this does stand out as one of the more interesting logos in NHL history.
39. San Jose Sharks (2008-present)
The Sharks made subtle changes to their original logo 16 years after its initial release, and the results were terrific. A leaner, meaner shark highlights a sleeker, less rigid logo. And we love us some teal.
38. Washington Capitals (1974-1995)
The Capitals' original logo is a thing of beauty. The combination of lower- and upper-case letters is bold, but it works. Add the curved red stick and small blue puck, and you have a simple but impactful design.
37. Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1995-96)
For one magical season in the mid-1990s, the above image actually appeared on Mighty Ducks jerseys. There's just so much to love about this logo. Our favorite part is the Michelin Man-style leg pads.
36. Nashville Predators (1998-2011)
The Predators have tinkered with their primary logo over the years, but none of the future versions compare to the original. Those menacing red eyes and the silver sheen make this one of the best NHL logos of the past 25 years.
35. Vancouver Canucks (1985-97)
After going with plainer logos for their first 16 years of existence, the Canucks reinvented themselves in a flourish of color and diagonal lines. Two decades after it last served as the primary logo, Vancouver fans still wear it proudly.
34. Chicago Black Hawks (1959-present)
We know it's not for everyone, but there's something to be said for a logo that has adorned Chicago hockey jerseys for nearly six decades. It remains one of the most instantly recognizable logos in professional sports.
33. New York Rangers (2013-present)
How does a simple decal end up just outside the top-30 logos of all-time? When it looks as good as this. The lettering, logo, and color scheme all harken back to the Original Six days - and do so with understated elegance.
32. Vancouver Canucks (1970-78)
Vancouver's NHL tenure began with the simplest of logos - a white hockey stick in a pool of blue with a green border surrounding it. But you won't find many logos anywhere that look better on a white hockey jersey.
31. New Jersey Devils (1982-present)
Who needs a secondary logo? Not the Devils, who have gone with the same basic design - with only minor color changes - since entering the league 35 years ago. You couldn't design a more appropriate logo if you tried.
30. Dallas Stars (1994-2013)
The original emblem was fine, but the Stars decided to make the green a little greener the following season - and stuck with that updated version for nearly 20 years. It's a simple logo, but it's effective.
29. St. Louis Blues (2008-present)
Some circular logo revamps work, and others don't. This one works. With the famed Gateway Arch in the background and the wonderfully designed Blues logo in the foreground, this configuration is a winner.
28. California Golden Seals (1967-68)
The Golden Seals didn't last long, but the memory of that crazy logo will live on in our hockey-loving hearts forever. The black outlines throughout make it feel a little like you're seeing double.
27. Atlanta Flames (1972-1980)
These Flames were predecessors to the Calgary Flames in more ways than one. While we prefer the flaming "C" to the flickering "A", there's still plenty to like here. Orange and red always work great together.
26. Philadelphia Flyers (1967-present)
Another team that hasn't tried to fix what isn't broken, the Flyers have only slightly tweaked their orange-eyed P over their half-century of existence. It's easily the best logo on the Philadelphia sports scene.
25. Los Angeles Kings (1967-1975)
You have to admire the moxie of a team that opts for a banner logo; it looks like something you'd hang from the rafters, like a title pennant. There were none of those for the Kings until the 21st Century, but this logo is a winner.
24. Los Angeles Kings (1975-87)
As much as we like the logo above this one, the Kings' second shot at a banner-centric logo is just a little bit cooler. The tilted font, combined with those purple speed lines, give it more of a hockey feel.
23. Pittsburgh Penguins (1971-present)
This logo screams hockey. Cold-weather animal? Check. Multiple pieces of hockey equipment? Check. And give the Pens credit for sticking to the black-and-gold scheme that has become the trademark of Pittsburgh sports.
22. Hartford Whalers (1972-1985)
The Whalers gave hockey fans such joy - not necessarily with their play, of course, but with their logos. The actual alternate logo has the letters "ERS" at the end, which would make them the "Whaleers." But we digress.
21. Toronto Maple Leafs (1967-2017)
You can't blame the Maple Leafs for reaching back into the past last year after rolling with a more angular leaf design for the previous 50 years. After all, this logo didn't see a single Stanley Cup final appearance.
(NHL logos are used with permission and are courtesy of the National Hockey League.)
Torey Krug will miss the duration of the preseason.
The Boston Bruins defenseman is out and will be re-evaluated in three weeks after sustaining a non-displaced fracture in his jaw after being struck by a shot during Tuesday's preseason game against the Detroit Red Wings, the Bruins announced.
Boston will surely be hoping the injury doesn't keep Krug out for too long. Last season, the 26-year-old paced all Bruins defenders with 51 points, setting a new career high.
Boston opens the regular season Oct. 5 when it hosts the Nashville Predators.
