Mike Babcock is a passionate coach, and a pretty straightforward, stern individual. However, when his Toronto Maple Leafs won the 2016 draft lottery for the rights to select Auston Matthews first overall, his emotions got the best of him.
"Well, we got Auston," Babcock told TSN's Kristen Shilton while discussing the team's progress over the last few seasons. "But what if we (didn't)? I remember when we got to three (in the draft lottery), I was jumping up in the living room. When we got to one, tears. People don't understand. You need real players."
Most Leafs fans can probably relate to Babcock's reaction.
On Day 1, Matthews showed he was the real deal by scoring four goals in his first game. Through his first 128 NHL games, he's now collected 65 goals and 112 points.
The franchise defensemen were famously traded for each other in June 2016, and their careers took on different trajectories afterward.
Below, we review how the Predators and Canadiens - along with Subban and Weber - have fared since the blockbuster deal.
Team statistics
Category
Predators
Canadiens
Overall record
73-41-21
69-52-15
Winning percentage
54
50
Goals for
406
368
Goals against
362
369
Power-play opportunities
443
394
Power-play goals
92
81
Power-play percentage
20.7
20.5
Power-play opportunities against
435
421
Power-play goals allowed
80
85
Penalty-kill percentage
81.7
79.9
Upon first glance, it would appear Nashville merely possesses a slight edge over Montreal. However, if you consider the Canadiens flew out of the gate last season to a 13-1-1 mark before their record stabilized, the disparity between the two teams becomes more evident. The Predators ultimately went to the Stanley Cup Final last season and few would be surprised to see them playing again this June with another shot at the title. Meanwhile, the Canadiens have devolved into disarray, toiling near the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
Subban vs. Weber
Category
Subban
Weber
Games played
119
104
Goals
25
23
Assists
58
35
Points
83
58
Power-play Goals
7
14
Plus-Minus
3
12
Corsi For % (5-on-5)
53.61
52.18
Points/60 (5-on-5)
1.07
0.85
PDO (5-on-5)
100.16
100.32
Many wondered why Montreal would trade a younger, healthier defenseman nearing his apex in Subban for a player in the latter stages of his prime in Weber. And Subban has been the far superior player since the deal, although Weber's totals have been inflated by an unsustainable 12 power-play goals he scored in 2016-2017. The tale of the tape appears closer than expected on the surface, but the Predators should still be tried for grand larceny after stealing Subban away - a hypothesis supported by statistics, the eye test, and team performance.
Eller has 11 goals and 28 points in 53 games this season, putting him on pace for career highs in both categories, all while serving as Washington's third-line center behind Evgeny Kuznetsov and Nicklas Backstrom.
The 28-year-old was the 13th overall pick by the St. Louis Blues back in 2007. He spent six years with the Montreal Canadiens before joining the Caps last season. He was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 prior to the extension.
The Toronto Maple Leafs unveiled their Stadium Series uniforms for when they take on the Washington Capitals at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland on March 3. Further details of their all-white getup can be seen here.
The NHL has never been better stocked with such a variety of different players, many of whom bring a unique skill set and disposition to the game.
In the modern era, there is a premium on speed, skill, and playmaking ability - essential qualities to keep up with the blazing pace of the professional ranks.
Although there are numerous players who have contributed to the current dynamic of the league, three stand alone, walking their own path fearlessly while leading their respective teams.
Johnny Gaudreau
There are few players who embody the trajectory of the modern era more than Johnny Hockey.
Selected 104th overall in the 2011 NHL Draft, Gaudreau was overlooked repeatedly by 29 other teams due to his physical stature, standing at 5-foot-9, 157 lbs. In the seven years that have followed, Gaudreau has made the league's scouting personnel look silly, serving as the catalyst for the Flames' offense.
Gaudreau has taken advantage of the NHL's crackdown on slashing better than anyone by using his outstanding anticipatory instincts and ability to create in narrow spaces. The 24-year-old moves with a fluidity that few possess, which allows him to get his shot off from nearly all angles, and he can create scoring chances off rebounds and deflections which others simply cannot.
He may be undersized but Gaudreau can evade oncoming defenders with ease and punishes overzealous defenders with routine frequency, while inadvertently creating more room for his linemates to attack the net. Gaudreau may look like a spectator but count him out at your own peril.
Brad Marchand
If you focus merely on Marchand's preternatural ability to annoy his opponents, you will almost certainly miss out on his immense skill set. Marchand is one of the NHL's marquee players and if he drives the opposition crazy, it's an added bonus.
Marchand is an elite scorer and to not treat him as such would be absurd at this juncture of his career, as he leads the NHL in points per game. Although he doesn't seem outwardly imposing at 5-foot-9 and 182 lbs, Marchand is an outstanding forechecker and his speed, along with his fearlessness to create contact with larger defenders, makes him a threat at all times.
The 29-year-old is outstanding at creating his own chances and is quietly one of the best playmakers in the league. On pace for his third consecutive 30-plus goal season, Marchand is better than his outdated reputation would suggest.
Marchand is the definition of a clutch player and his resume speaks volumes, with a Stanley Cup - including two goals in Game 7 of the 2011 finals - two World Junior gold medals, a World Cup gold medal, and a World Championship gold. Call Marchand a pest if you'd like, but he is the focal point of one of the NHL's best lines and can take over the game at will. You can choose to be upset but Marchand simply doesn't care.
Erik Karlsson
In a league full of talented, robust defensemen, there simply isn't another player like Karlsson.
Karlsson is gifted with otherworldly speed that is only matched by Edmonton's Connor McDavid, and can veer into the offensive zone without sacrificing anything defensively. A wizard with the puck, Karlsson injects life into any powerplay and functions as a de factofourth forward while controlling the pace of the game. In doing so, Karlsson often presents an impossible conundrum for the rest of the league: Try to pick him off on a surge up the ice or get hopelessly caught out of position while he breezes by with blazing strides and offensive awareness.
There is no defenseman with better vision or anticipatory instincts, and Karlsson appears to be playing chess while everyone else plays checkers, mapping out the game several moves ahead of the opposition. Karlsson assesses a multitude of options with unmatched decision-making and he's rarely outsmarted, choosing to play at a pace that no one else can match. In doing so, Karlsson makes the game look effortless, an optical tactic which seems almost unfair.
There is a good reason why teams are preparing for a bidding war for Karlsson's services, even if there's no guarantee he'll ever leave the only franchise he's ever known. The NHL is full of unique talents, but none that combine every aspect of the modern game quite like Karlsson.
GANGNEUNG, South Korea (AP) Miro Heiskanen and Eeli Tolvanen are must-see entertainment at the Olympics, even for their Finnish teammates.
Heiskanen and Tolvanen are the only 2017 first-round draft picks playing in the tournament, an opportunity to show what their very-near NHL futures might look like. Heiskanen, a puck-moving defenseman who was the third pick of the Dallas Stars, and Tolvanen, a scoring winger who was the 30th pick of the Nashville Predators, have substantial roles for Finland and are expected to play in the NHL next season, if not sooner.
''It's a great thing to get a chance to play with them before they go in the bigger league,'' captain Lasse Kukkonen said. ''I think it's going to be fun.''
Heiskanen and Tolvanen are 18-year-olds who joke around in the locker room and bring what coach Lauri Marjamaki called a ''freshness'' to the team full of European-based veterans. Tolvanen will play on the first line alongside Petri Kontiola and get first power-play time, and Heiskanen will be counted on to pump in some goals from the blue line.
That's not too much of an expectation. Two of the youngest players in the tournament, along with projected 2018 top pick Rasmus Dahlin of Sweden, Heiskanen and Tolvanen have drawn rave reviews for how they fit in with and against older players.
''It's amazing to see how well they play at a young age, but if you watch them on the ice you could never tell,'' Kukkonen said.
Heiskanen has 11 goals and eight assists in 25 games with HIFK in the Finnish Elite League, while Tolvanen has 17 goals and 17 assists in 47 games with Jokerit in the Kontinental Hockey League.
Playing against grown men seems to make them thrive. Heiskanen said older teammates ''are smarter, and it's maybe easier to play with those guys,'' and Tolvanen considers it a challenge.
''I've always been the youngest guy on the team,'' Tolvanen said. ''It's just more fun playing against older guys because you know they're stronger, maybe faster than you are, so you have to compete every day and you have to give your best every night.''
The Stars and defending Western Conference-champion Predators know they have something special in Heiskanen and Tolvanen. Rumors have swirled about Tolvanen joining the Predators this season, but he's concerned first about the Olympics and the rest of the KHL season.
''I don't think that's a thing I have to worry (about) right now,'' Tolvanen said. ''I just have to live in the moment and live day by day. I still have playoffs with Jokerit, so let's see after the playoffs what I'm going to do.''
Tolvanen said his game resembles that of St. Louis Blues sniper Vladimir Tarasenko and compared Heiskanen's to Norris Trophy-winning Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson. Those are lofty comparisons, but Finns who have played in the NHL like what they see so far.
''(Heiskanen) really plays like a seasoned veteran,'' former Calgary Flames goaltender Karri Ramo said. ''I play with Tolvanen and he's been excellent. ... His overall game's been improving all the time. He's going to be a big part of this team and a big part of Jokerit.''
Nashville already is overflowing with young forwards - Ryan Johansen, Filip Forsberg, Viktor Arvidsson and Kevin Fiala - and looks primed for another deep playoff run. Any team looking to trade with the Predators ahead of the Feb. 26 deadline will undoubtedly ask about Tolvanen, but he and Heiskanen might be NHL-ready and able to help now.
''He's a great kid,'' Marjamaki said. ''Eeli's so talented (of a) guy and versatile player. I like his hockey sense, he's pretty good skating and (has a) unbelievable shot.''
Heiskanen, who is feeling good now after dealing with the effects of a concussion in the fall, figures making the jump to the NHL is possible next season as long as he trains hard this summer. Playing with him in pre-Olympic tournaments made quite the impression on Tolvanen, who is on board with Heiskanen taking his talents to the next level.
''He's an amazing player,'' Tolvanen said. ''He's really fun to play with because he can see you and he has the ability to score goals, so I think that's a D-man I want on my team.''
Dallas' Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn should like the sound of that.
For his part, Tolvanen also said he's ready to make the leap to the NHL after proving himself in the KHL, and Kukkonen is eager to witness what the two kids can do when they get to North America.
''The sky's the limit,'' Kukkonen said. ''We've seen both guys doing big things already, and they only keep getting better, so I think they're going to be top players in the world once they get a little bit older.''
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Follow Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno
GANGNEUNG, South Korea (AP) Miro Heiskanen and Eeli Tolvanen are must-see entertainment at the Olympics, even for their Finnish teammates.
Heiskanen and Tolvanen are the only 2017 first-round draft picks playing in the tournament, an opportunity to show what their very-near NHL futures might look like. Heiskanen, a puck-moving defenseman who was the third pick of the Dallas Stars, and Tolvanen, a scoring winger who was the 30th pick of the Nashville Predators, have substantial roles for Finland and are expected to play in the NHL next season, if not sooner.
''It's a great thing to get a chance to play with them before they go in the bigger league,'' captain Lasse Kukkonen said. ''I think it's going to be fun.''
Heiskanen and Tolvanen are 18-year-olds who joke around in the locker room and bring what coach Lauri Marjamaki called a ''freshness'' to the team full of European-based veterans. Tolvanen will play on the first line alongside Petri Kontiola and get first power-play time, and Heiskanen will be counted on to pump in some goals from the blue line.
That's not too much of an expectation. Two of the youngest players in the tournament, along with projected 2018 top pick Rasmus Dahlin of Sweden, Heiskanen and Tolvanen have drawn rave reviews for how they fit in with and against older players.
''It's amazing to see how well they play at a young age, but if you watch them on the ice you could never tell,'' Kukkonen said.
Heiskanen has 11 goals and eight assists in 25 games with HIFK in the Finnish Elite League, while Tolvanen has 17 goals and 17 assists in 47 games with Jokerit in the Kontinental Hockey League.
Playing against grown men seems to make them thrive. Heiskanen said older teammates ''are smarter, and it's maybe easier to play with those guys,'' and Tolvanen considers it a challenge.
''I've always been the youngest guy on the team,'' Tolvanen said. ''It's just more fun playing against older guys because you know they're stronger, maybe faster than you are, so you have to compete every day and you have to give your best every night.''
The Stars and defending Western Conference-champion Predators know they have something special in Heiskanen and Tolvanen. Rumors have swirled about Tolvanen joining the Predators this season, but he's concerned first about the Olympics and the rest of the KHL season.
''I don't think that's a thing I have to worry (about) right now,'' Tolvanen said. ''I just have to live in the moment and live day by day. I still have playoffs with Jokerit, so let's see after the playoffs what I'm going to do.''
Tolvanen said his game resembles that of St. Louis Blues sniper Vladimir Tarasenko and compared Heiskanen's to Norris Trophy-winning Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson. Those are lofty comparisons, but Finns who have played in the NHL like what they see so far.
''(Heiskanen) really plays like a seasoned veteran,'' former Calgary Flames goaltender Karri Ramo said. ''I play with Tolvanen and he's been excellent. ... His overall game's been improving all the time. He's going to be a big part of this team and a big part of Jokerit.''
Nashville already is overflowing with young forwards - Ryan Johansen, Filip Forsberg, Viktor Arvidsson and Kevin Fiala - and looks primed for another deep playoff run. Any team looking to trade with the Predators ahead of the Feb. 26 deadline will undoubtedly ask about Tolvanen, but he and Heiskanen might be NHL-ready and able to help now.
''He's a great kid,'' Marjamaki said. ''Eeli's so talented (of a) guy and versatile player. I like his hockey sense, he's pretty good skating and (has a) unbelievable shot.''
Heiskanen, who is feeling good now after dealing with the effects of a concussion in the fall, figures making the jump to the NHL is possible next season as long as he trains hard this summer. Playing with him in pre-Olympic tournaments made quite the impression on Tolvanen, who is on board with Heiskanen taking his talents to the next level.
''He's an amazing player,'' Tolvanen said. ''He's really fun to play with because he can see you and he has the ability to score goals, so I think that's a D-man I want on my team.''
Dallas' Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn should like the sound of that.
For his part, Tolvanen also said he's ready to make the leap to the NHL after proving himself in the KHL, and Kukkonen is eager to witness what the two kids can do when they get to North America.
''The sky's the limit,'' Kukkonen said. ''We've seen both guys doing big things already, and they only keep getting better, so I think they're going to be top players in the world once they get a little bit older.''
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Follow Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno
Vancouver Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom offered a very frank assessment of his play and the abilities of some of his teammates following a 4-1 loss to Carolina on Friday.
Markstrom allowed four goals on 33 shots, three of which were scored in the first period to put the Canucks in a hole out of which they could not climb.
The loss dropped Vancouver to 21-28-6, good for 48 points and 28th place in the league standings.
