There's been plenty of memorable playoff hockey over the past decade, and as the calendar shifts to 2020, it's time to count down the top five series of the 2010s.
5. Flyers vs. Penguins - 2012
Result: Flyers in 6 Lasting memory: Giroux pastes Crosby then scores
Pittsburgh and Philadelphia famously hate one another, and when the two Pennsylvania sides met in the first round of the 2012 postseason, it was anarchy.
The brand of hockey gave the coaches headaches, but it was arguably the most entertaining series of the decade from a fan's perspective. The Flyers jumped out to a 3-0 series lead, scoring eight times in Game 2 and 3, only to allow 10 in a Game 4 loss. Aside from the barrage of goals, there was endless drama. Three Penguins were suspended over the course of the series, and then-head coach Dan Bylsma was fined $10,000 for his role in instigating a fight in the final minutes of Game 3.
The circus finally ended in Game 6, when Claude Giroux set the tone off the opening draw with a massive hit on Sidney Crosby, only to top off his monstrous shift with a rocket of a goal moments later.
4. Canucks vs. Blackhawks - 2011
Result: Canucks in 7 Lasting memory: Burrows slays the dragon
At the dawn of the decade, the Chicago-Vancouver rivalry was the best in the league. The Western Conference powerhouses met in each of the two previous playoffs, with the Blackhawks winning both times.
In 2011, though, things changed. The Canucks had won the Presidents' Trophy and were the top seed in the West. But as fate would have it, the Blackhawks squeaked into the playoffs on the last day of the regular season to set up the finale of the epic postseason trilogy.
Vancouver was clearly the better squad on paper, and it jumped out to a commanding 3-0 series lead, only to let Chicago creep back in. The Hawks won Game 4 and 5 by a combined score of 12-2 and were clearly in the heads of the Canucks - so much so that Vancouver opted to start Cory Schneider over Roberto Luongo in Game 6 at a raucous United Center. Schneider got hurt on a penalty shot, and Bobby Lu took over again in goal, only for the Blackhawks to force Game 7 with a dramatic overtime win.
Game 7 was a thriller. Vancouver led 1-0 late but Jonathan Toews willed his way to a shorthanded goal in the dying minutes of the third period. However, this set the stage for Alex Burrows, who finally slayed the dragon in overtime to send his squad through to the second round.
3. Bruins vs. Canadiens - 2014
Result: Canadiens in 7 Lasting memory: Lucic's salty handshakes
When Boston and Montreal meet in the playoffs, the stakes are higher, and the NHL's fiercest rivalry put on a show when it clashed for the 34th time in postseason history in 2014.
The Bruins were loaded that year. Boston had won the Presidents' Trophy with a 54-19-9 record, was one of the top possession teams in the NHL, and its roster featured nine skaters with at least 40 points. After dismantling the Detroit Red Wings in Round 1, a date with the Habs was on the horizon.
Game 1 went to Montreal after P.K. Subban wired home the double-overtime winner to silence TD Garden. Boston evened things up in Game 2, but Subban put together a virtuoso performance in Game 3, throwing the Canadiens back in the driver's seat.
The Bruins won Game 4 and 5, but Carey Price posted a shutout in Game 6 and shut the door again with a 29-save victory in Game 7 to push Montreal through to the Eastern Conference Final. In the handshake line, former Bruins enforcer Milan Lucicreportedly told Habs forward Dale Weise he "was going to kill him next year."
2. Bruins vs. Canucks - 2011
Result: Bruins in 7 Lasting memory: Riots
Not a whole lot made sense when Boston and Vancouver met in the 2011 Stanley Cup Final, but man, was it ever fun.
The Canucks won Game 1 and 2 on home ice and looked poised to end Canada's championship drought, but they crumbled in Boston, losing Game 3 and 4 by a combined score of 12-1. When they returned to Vancouver, the real Canucks were back, winning 1-0, only to allow five goals in a Game 6 loss in Boston. The deciding Game 7 was incredibly hyped, but it was barely a contest. The Bruins blanked the Canucks 4-0 to claim the Stanley Cup.
While the hockey itself was inconsistent, this series featured a ton of dramatic and memorable moments. Luongo and Tim Thomas traded verbal jabs in press conferences, Thomas threw a legitimate body check on Henrik Sedin, Brad Marchand mercilessly tortured the twins repeatedly, and Aaron Rome received a four-game suspension for a late hit on Nathan Horton.
Above all else, the riots that broke out in Vancouver following Game 7 are the lasting legacy of this truly wild series. Stores were looted, cars were set ablaze, and a total of 101 people were arrested that night after the city lost control.
1. Kings vs. Blackhawks - 2014
Result: Kings in 7 Lasting memory: Martinez's series clincher
Los Angeles and Chicago entered the 2014 Western Conference Final having claimed three of the previous four Stanley Cups. It was the second year in a row the two sides met in the series, and both teams were so clearly superior to the rest of the league most people wished the matchup could have decided the Cup.
The Kings held a 3-1 lead after four games, but the remaining three contests were all decided by a single goal. In Game 5, unlikely hero Michal Handzus scored a double-overtime winner to keep the Hawks alive and finish off a breathtaking extra frame that at one point went five minutes without a whistle.
Game 6 saw Chicago score two goals in the final minutes to steal a win and force a Game 7, where the Kings clutched out a 5-4 victory in a back-and-forth affair cemented by Alec Martinez's overtime heroics. Unbelievably, he scored the Stanley Cup winner in OT a few weeks later.
Just missed the cut:
Sharks vs. Golden Knights - 2019: The madness of San Jose's furious Game 7 comeback and the controversy it entailed will not soon be forgotten, but it missed out on making our list by a hair.
Capitals vs. Bruins - 2012: Four overtime games, and Joel Ward playing hero against the defending champs in Game 7 created a highly memorable first-round clash.
Maple Leafs vs. Bruins - 2013: It was indeed 4-1.
Penguins vs. Capitals - 2017: A classic seven-game Crosby-Ovechkin duel that paved the way for the former to capture his third Stanley Cup.
Flyers vs. Bruins - 2010: Philly historically erased a 3-0 series deficit en route to a Stanley Cup Final appearance.
"Small but mighty" best describes Finland's current standing in hockey.
In the last four NHL drafts, Finland produced six top-five draft picks, tied with Canada for the most in that span. In the 12 drafts prior to that, the country had a grand total of one. The Finns have won gold in three of the last six world juniors - also the most in that stretch - after winning the tournament just twice in its previous 36-year history.
Finland has managed that dominance despite being significantly smaller than hockey's other prominent nations.
"It started five-to-six years ago," Jere Lehtinen, a former NHL star and now general manager of the Finnish national team, said in a telephone interview. "I think it was six years ago after we had a world championship in Finland and the federation made some money there and they put that money in the club teams surrounding Finland.
"It's more skill coaching. That was one reason - to get more individual coaching and help to club teams - to teach young kids more individual stuff."
RvS.Media/Monika Majer / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Finland, which opens the 2020 World Junior Championship on Thursday against Sweden, was always a respected hockey country, but becoming elite required approaching things a bit differently.
For starters, Finland's national-team coaches typically stay with an age group for at least three years, creating a tight player-coach bond.
For example, Petri Karjalainen, an assistant coach on Finland's gold-medal-winning world junior team in 2014, was the head coach of Finland's under-16 national team in 2018-19. This year, he's the head coach of the under-17 team. Next year, he'll likely move on to the under-18s.
"All our national-team head coaches are full time, so we have time to take the message about the player/game to his team coach where (the) development is happening," Karjalainen wrote via email. "We have really good cooperation between national team coaches and then with team coaches. We have to do all these really well 'cause we don't have numbers."
Jussi Ahokas, who coached Finland to gold at the 2019 world juniors, believes the system helps build trust.
"For example, I've known Henri Jokiharju for four or five years," Ahokas said in a telephone interview. "Who else? Patrik Laine was '98 born … pretty much all guys born from '98, '99. I’ve been working with (Urho) Vaakanainen, (Kristian) Vesalainen, (Eeli) Tolvanen. There's quite many. Pretty much all those guys. I know all our top-end players."
Markku Ulander / AFP / Getty Images
Kasperi Kapanen became a national hero after scoring the overtime winner in the gold-medal game of the 2016 world juniors in Helsinki. Although he lived in North America until he was 12 while his father, Sami, was playing in the NHL, he believes Finland's coaching continuity benefits players.
"It's nice," the Toronto Maple Leafs forward said following a team practice ahead of the Christmas break. "You get familiarity with the coach and it's easy to play for him once you kind of know what he wants and what he wants you to do, so I think it's a good idea."
Through these tight-knit relationships, coaches are able to give players the individual feedback necessary to help them reach their potential. Then the aforementioned skill coaches can help improve players' weaknesses and develop their strengths.
It's a stark contrast to how things are done in Canada - the standard-bearer for player development for so many years.
In Canada, major junior hockey is a business. Owners need to sell a winning team to get fans to attend games, leaving less time for individual development. If a player makes a mistake, he might be benched. In Finland, that's not the case.
"If you lose a game, you make a mistake, it's over (right) away," said Lehtinen, a three-time Selke Trophy winner with the Dallas Stars. "You're not gonna think about that for too long. You just keep playing. You learn."
Markku Ulander / AFP / Getty Images
While competition in Canada might be stronger, the team's results are the priority. In many cases, a Canadian family may have to look outside achild's team for additional skill work as the player grows up.
In Finland, individual growth is equally important - much like USA Hockey's National Team Development Program, which dominated the 2019 NHL Draft with 11 first-rounders. The Finns want to develop the most talented players possible and then teach them how to play together. They understand everyone progresses differently.
"They wanted to get more individual. You try to look at one player and not every time as a group," Lehtinen said of the Finnish system. "You wanna give more individual coaching for those players and more skills … and once you get all those (skilled) players together you can teach them to play a team game."
It's more than just on-ice skill sessions; the Finns emphasize helping players away from the rink as well.
"We try to reach every person as an individual and how we can help him become the best he can be," Ahokas said. "Every player can have some other thing. Somebody needs more work with the game, somebody needs more help with the eating habits or mental side. We look at them as individuals, but they still have to know the team game is for the better of the team and that they can be great team players and still be good individuals."
This development program has also been implemented at the grassroots leveland should begin to bear fruit soon. Finnish hockey has already transformed itself into an international powerhouse, and it's possible the best is yet to come.
With 2019 just about in the books, it's time to start looking ahead. Here are five predictions for the 2020 NHL calendar year:
Avalanche win Stanley Cup
It's quite remarkable where the Avalanche stand despite missing core players Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog for 16 games apiece. More recently, the club has had to overcome the absence of rookie sensation Cale Makar.
But the Avs continue to win with Nathan MacKinnon leading the way. If they can get fully healthy heading into the playoffs, the Avalanche will be a force, with speed, skill, depth, and grit in equal doses. With ample cap space and prospect capital, general manager Joe Sakic possesses the ammunition to make a big trade deadline splash, too.
This season, the Western Conference seems like it'll provide the easier path to the Stanley Cup Final. The St. Louis Blues pose the biggest threat in the west, but if Colorado can get past the defending Stanley Cup champs, no club in the Pacific Division can stop this team.
The Eastern Conference is loaded with talented squads, making it difficult to pick a champion from that group. The Avs are therefore the safest Stanley Cup pick right now.
Red Wings draft Quinton Byfield 1st overall
Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images Sport / Getty
These predictions aren't designed to be overly bold, but his one might be considered as such.
Alexis Lafreniere has been the favorite to go first overall in the 2020 draft for over a year now, but it'll be Byfield who hears his name called first. Here's how the two have performed this season so far:
Stat
Lafreniere
Byfield
Team
Rimouski (QMJHL)
Sudbury (OHL)
GP
32
30
G
23
22
A
47
25
P
70
57
Lafreniere is putting up better numbers, but he's also a year older than Byfield.
The Red Wings are dead last in the NHL, and we're predicting they win the lottery and secure the top pick. GM Steve Yzerman knows the value of centers, and he'll pass on the skilled winger in favor of the 6-foot-4 pivot.
The Sharks' reign of dominance is seemingly ending this season, making it hard to imagine Thornton and Marleau playing another year. Neither forward has been very good in 2019-20 while combining for 23 points, and they'll retire with their chances of winning a cup in San Jose likely over.
Even though Chara is the oldest of the three, he still seems most likely to ruin this prediction. But the towering defenseman, who turns 43 in March, may decide enough is enough.
Taylor Hall signs with Bruins
Norm Hall / National Hockey League / Getty
Taylor Hall has played just five career playoff games. That should change this spring with the Arizona Coyotes, but when he makes a long-term career decision this summer, expect him to join a stable organization with a chance at winning a Stanley Cup. Enter the Boston Bruins.
The Bruins, like nearly every competitive team, are dealing with cap issues. But even though Hall will likely demand over $10 million per season, Boston could still bring him aboard.
However, that may require letting Torey Krug walk in free agency this summer and not re-signing David Krejci after the 2020-21 season. The team could theoretically keep Krug, but then Krejci would need to be traded before July 1 to clear cap space.
One of the biggest storylines of the 2019-20 season has been the ongoing Dustin Byfuglien saga.
To recap: The Jets suspended Byfuglien indefinitely without pay for failing to report to training camp while he was reportedly mulling retirement. In October, Byfuglien underwent ankle surgery for what he claims is a hockey-related injury, and therefore he should still be getting paid.
But the Jets say he was healthy at his end-of-year physical. A neutral arbitrator will rule on the disagreement after the NHLPA filed a grievance on Byfuglien's behalf. And in December, Byfuglien reportedly began rehabbing his ankle in consultation with the team.
That's a lot to take in, but it sounds like Byfgulien and the Jets are trying to mend their relationship. Whenever the defenseman is healthy - which is expected sometime in February - he'll return to the ice with the Jets.
Winnipeg is currently in a playoff spot, but holding onto that position is far from a guarantee. With an effective Byfgulien back in the fold, the Jets will punch their postseason ticket for the third straight campaign.
The 2020 world juniors are upon us, and as the best collection of young hockey talent convenes in the Czech Republic, here are 10 players to keep your eyes on over the course of the tournament.
2020 draft eligibles
Alexis Lafreniere, Canada 🇨🇦
Position: LW Club: Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL)
All eyes will be on the projected No. 1 pick in June's draft, who's looking to help Canada rebound from a disappointing sixth-place finish last year in Vancouver. Lafreniere is having an outrageous season with Rimouski, leading the QMJHL with 70 points in only 32 games. He's a cerebral player with elite offensive skills, and he's going to be heavily relied upon by head coach Dale Hunter to produce.
Tim Stutzle, Germany 🇩🇪
Position: F Club: Adler Mannheim (DEL)
Germany isn't expected to do much at this year's tournament, but Stutzle is definitely a player to monitor. The 17-year-old is among the top European draft prospects for 2020 and can skyrocket up the rankings with a strong showing. Stutzle is playing at nearly a point-per-game pace in the DEL - Germany's top league - and he's probably looking forward to the chance to play against competition his own age.
Quinton Byfield, Canada 🇨🇦
Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Position: C/LW Club: Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
Byfield is expected to be taken right after Lafreniere in next year's draft, and has a tremendous chance to bolster his reputation with a big tournament. Byfield, like Lafreniere, is an offense machine. He's third in OHL scoring with 57 points in 30 games, but offers a very different tool kit than Lafreniere. Byfield is 6-foot-4 and 214 pounds at only 17, making him a rare blend of young size and skill. If your favorite NHL team is currently near the bottom of the standings, keep an eye on this guy.
Lucas Raymond, Sweden 🇸🇪
Position: RW/LW Club: Frolunda (SHL)
Raymond is another player expected to be taken early in the 2020 draft. He's split time between juniors and Sweden's top league this season, and offers plenty of speed, hockey sense, and offensive skill. He's expected to play a big role in helping Sweden end a long drought and win its first gold since 2012.
Yaroslav Askarov, Russia 🇷🇺
Position: G Club: SKA-Neva St. Petersburg (VHL)
Goalies are hard to gauge at such a young age, by Askarov's an X-factor for Russia. The 17-year-old has been impressive in previous international competition, posting a .960 save percentage in four games at the 2019 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup.
NHL prospects
Bowen Byram, Canada 🇨🇦
Position: D NHL rights: Colorado Avalanche Club: Vancouver Giants (WHL)
Byram is yet another top defenseman in the Avalanche's system and should have no trouble asserting himself on the world stage. The 18-year-old is exceptionally gifted offensively but thrives in all three zones, so expect him to be a catalyst for Canada every time he's on the ice.
Cole Caufield, USA 🇺🇸
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Position: C/RW NHL rights: Montreal Canadiens Club: University of Wisconsin
Caufield is going to play big minutes for an American team that's going to be contending for a gold medal. Montreal's 2019 first-rounder possesses one of the most lethal releases outside the NHL, and he's scored the second-most goals in the NCAA this season with 12 in 18 games.
Rasmus Kupari, Finland 🇫🇮
Position: C NHL rights: Los Angeles Kings Club: Ontario Reign (AHL)
Kupari, 19, is back for his third world juniors appearance. As one of the older players in the tournament, he should find a way to dominate for the defending champions, who are rostering several players already drafted by NHL clubs. Kupari is arguably Finland's best offensive threat, and he's looking to build on last year's performance, when he had five points in seven games.
Alexander Romanov, Russia 🇷🇺
Position: D NHL rights: Montreal Canadiens Club: CSKA Moscow (KHL)
Romanov returns to Russia's junior squad after winning top defenseman honors in last year's tournament. The 19-year-old is poised on the back end and looks primed to be an impact NHLer in the near future, so much so that Montreal general manager Marc Bergevin said he expects the 2018 second-rounder to be on the Canadiens next season.
Nils Hoglander, Sweden 🇸🇪
Position: LW NHL rights: Vancouver Canucks Club: Rogle BK (SHL)
Hoglander is one of the flashiest players in the tournament - he scored a lacrosse-style goal in the SHL earlier this season, if you're wondering about his hands. He owns scintillating offensive skills and isn't afraid to get creative when he sees a chance to score. Even if he doesn't convert, Hoglander has the ability to wow every time he has the puck, making him a player to highlight on a deep Swedish roster.
With the calendar flipping to 2020, theScore reached out to folks from across the hockey world to put together an NHL all-decade team for the 2010s.
The voting process
First, some important information regarding this subjective exercise.
The all-decade panel included two scouts, one video analyst, one statistical analyst, one coach, one broadcaster, and one journalist. In other words, six industry insiders - four of whom work for NHL teams - and myself, theScore's national hockey writer.
Each panelist was asked to rank this decade's top 12 forwards, top six defensemen, and top two goalies. Only the very best players of the 2010s deserved a spot on this hypothetical club; panelists were told to ignore typical team-building factors, such as handedness, chemistry, and salary.
Once all seven lists were in hand, average scores were calculated for each player.
The top NHLer on each positional ranking received a score of one, the second player a score of two, the third a three, and so on. Therefore, the lower a player's average score, the higher he'd appear on the team. A player selected by some panelists but not others received a score of 13 (forwards), seven (defensemen), or three (goalies) every time they were absent from a panelist's list. This standardized penalty helped keep the process simple and rankings fair.
Alright, let's check out the results and then review the squad.
The NHL's all-decade team
Forwards
Bill Smith / Getty Images
RANK
PLAYER
AVERAGE
1st
Sidney Crosby
1.3
2nd
Alex Ovechkin
3.9
3rd
Patrick Kane
4.1
4th
Connor McDavid
5.1
t-5th
Patrice Bergeron
6.1
t-5th
Evgeni Malkin
6.1
7th
Steven Stamkos
7.1
t-8th
Claude Giroux
10.3
t-8th
Jonathan Toews
10.3
t-10th
Anze Kopitar
10.6
t-10th
John Tavares
10.6
t-10th
Pavel Datsyuk
10.6
Just missed the cut: Martin St. Louis, Nicklas Backstrom, Aleksander Barkov, Nikita Kucherov
Also received votes: Ryan O'Reilly, Marian Hossa, Nathan MacKinnon, Taylor Hall, Corey Perry, Brad Marchand, Phil Kessel
Defensemen
Icon Sportswire / Getty Images
RANK
PLAYER
AVERAGE
1st
Erik Karlsson
2.4
2nd
Duncan Keith
3.4
3rd
Drew Doughty
4.0
4th
Brent Burns
4.6
5th
Victor Hedman
4.9
6th
Zdeno Chara
5.3
Just missed the cut: Kris Letang, Shea Weber
Also received votes: John Carlson, Mark Giordano, Alex Pietrangelo, Roman Josi
Goalies
Icon Sportswire / Getty Images
RANK
PLAYER
AVERAGE
1st
Henrik Lundqvist
1.4
2nd
Carey Price
2.0
Just missed the cut: Marc-Andre Fleury
Also received votes: Tuukka Rask
The footnotes
Sidney Crosby was the least controversial player in this exercise. Six of seven panelists had the Pittsburgh Penguins captain in the No. 1 forward spot.
And why not? Despite missing chunks of the decade due to injury, Crosby is on pace to finish second to Patrick Kane in scoring in the 2010s - with 788 points in 630 contests - and is second to Connor McDavid in points per game at 1.25. He also collected a pile of team and individual accolades along the way - two Stanley Cups, two Conn Smythes, two Rocket Richards, two Lester Pearsons, one Hart, and one Art Ross - and was named a first-team All-Star three times.
McDavid, who could do some serious damage over the course of the next decade, entered the league roughly halfway through the 2010s. The 22-year-old superstar still made his way onto every panelist's list, though nobody seemed to agree on his placement, ranking him first, second, fourth, sixth (twice), eighth, and ninth among forwards.
Len Redkoles / Getty Images
As for names that jump off the screen, Claude Giroux and Pavel Datsyuk qualify for different reasons. Giroux was sneakily effective throughout the decade. He's currently fourth in points and sixth in games played among all NHLers during the 2010s, yet he never won a Cup or an individual award. Datsyuk, meanwhile, was a wizard on skates - one of the best two-way forwards of all time - who last played in 2016. He barely made the top 12.
Martin St. Louis, with an average score of 11.4, was right behind Datsyuk. He even received a vote for the second-best forward of the decade, a bold choice considering he suited up for only 404 regular-season games and wasn't a first-team All-Star in any of his six seasons during the 2010s.
The submissions for the 12th-best forward were all over the place. Nicklas Backstrom earned three votes, while Nathan MacKinnon, Brad Marchand, Phil Kessel, and Alex Ovechkin all received one. Ovechkin, who cemented himself as one of, if not the best, goal-scorers of all time during the decade, appeared on all seven lists, ranking second (five times), fifth, and seventh.
On defense, there were no eyebrow-raising surprises. All six players on the team are household names. Erik Karlsson, the only blue-liner to win multiple Norris Trophies in the 2010s, definitely earned his spot as the No. 1 defenseman. With less than a week left in the decade, he sits first among blue-liners in total points, points per game, and first-team All-Star nods (four). Duncan Keith's three Cup wins are notable, of course, but his game has tailed off.
Panelists kept on the straight and narrow with their goalie selections. Henrik Lundqvist and/or Carey Price made all seven lists. Lundqvist, who had the same .919 save percentage as Price during the 2010s, picked up four votes for best goalie compared to the Canadiens netminder's two. Marc-Andre Fleury, a Cup winner in 2016 and 2017 and Cup finalist in 2018, claimed the other No. 1 vote, while Tuukka Rask - whose .921 save percentage this decade leads all goalies with 400 regular-season appearances - garnered one second-place vote.
The takeaways
It was fascinating to complete this exercise with six people who are so embedded in hockey but see the game through different lenses.
For instance, it's fair to suggest the coach has a bias toward two-way forwards. Datsyuk, Patrice Bergeron, Ryan O'Reilly, and Aleksander Barkov ranked third, fourth, seventh, and ninth, respectively, on his list. Theory: All of those hours spent watching video of the opposition and being at ice level for heated competition has given the coach a greater appreciation for the little things.
Mark LoMoglio / Getty Images
Recency bias might have factored into the process, too. The statistical analyst had Nikita Kucherov seventh on his forward list while the video analysthad Taylor Hall 11th. In the scope of the past few years, you could make the case Kucherov and Hall were ranked fairly. However, over the entirety of the 2010s, that's a hard sell. Then again, who's to say Giroux's consistency this decade is more impressive than short-term dominance? It's all about perspective.
Some more food for thought: While an all-decade club celebrates individual talent and success, nobody really cast aside team results. There's no doubt the stocks of Blackhawks, Kings, and Penguins players were boosted by their Cup rings. It makes you wonder how far up the list John Tavares could've jumped if his clubs had won more than one playoff series in the 2010s. Tavares is third in goals and sixth in points with less than a week to go. But the panelists ultimately placed him 11th among forwards - which seemed to fit.
Overall, it wasn't an easy exercise. The end product - filled with future Hall of Famers - is a remarkable group. For fun, here's a mock lineup of the all-decade team, which features a dream top forward line.
LW
C
RW
Ovechkin
Crosby
Kane
Stamkos
McDavid
Malkin
Tavares
Bergeron
Datsyuk
Giroux
Kopitar
Toews
LD
RD
Keith
Karlsson
Doughty
Burns
Hedman
Chara
Now, it's your turn to chime in. Feel free to comment below.
How did the panel do? Who did we nail? Who did we miss? What do you think of the mock lineup? And, most importantly, who would you have included on your NHL all-decade team?
NHL on NBC host Kathryn Tappen released a statement Tuesday condemning the recent comments made by co-worker Jeremy Roenick that led to his indefinite suspension from the network.
"While Jeremy and I continue to be good friends, what he said was unacceptable, especially among workplace colleagues. I do not condone his comments," Tappen said, according to John Ourand of the Sports Business Journal.
Roenick was suspended Monday without pay for inappropriate comments he made during his appearance on the "Spittin' Chiclets" podcast. The former NHLer brought up a trip to Portugal in which he, his wife, and Tappen traveled together, and he made multiple references to the three of them having sex.
"I play it off like we're going to bed together every night, the three of us," Roenick said. "If it really came to fruition, that would be really good, but it's never going to happen."
Roenick, who's been with NBC since 2010, later said Tappen is "one of the most professional sports personalities I know."
He hasn't commented on the matter since his suspension.
At first blush, Jason Zucker and Benjamin Rubin appear to have little in common beyond a link to high-level hockey.
Zucker is 27 years old, hails from Las Vegas, and plays for the NHL's Minnesota Wild. Rubin is 30, grew up in Montreal, and plays for Riviere-du-Loup 3L of the LNAH, a six-team semi-pro league based in Quebec.
It turns out Zucker and Rubin, two complete strangers, share a deeply personal experience. As adolescents, both were saddled with choosing between hockey and Judaism. Neither took the decision lightly, knowing it would lay the foundation of their livesfor years to come.
Jason Zucker Derek Leung / Getty Images
The Zuckers identified early in minor hockey that the time and travel demands associated with being an elite athlete too often interfered with religious holidays and rituals. Hockey became the top priority, so Zucker and his brothers never officially came of age with a bar mitzvah, the traditional Jewish celebration.
"Judaism is all-in or nothing, in my opinion," said Zucker, who has a Hebrew message tattooed on his left arm, in part to remind him of his beliefs. "I don't mean that in a negative way. It's just the way the Jewish religion works. There's a lot that goes into it."
Rubin, on the other hand, routinely missed minor hockey games to fulfill the obligations of being an Orthodox Jew. After Rubin made the jump to junior in 2006, Quebec Remparts coach Patrick Roy granted him weekly leaves of absence to observe the Sabbath, a Jewish day of rest and worship that falls between nightfall Friday and nightfall Saturday and prohibits athletic activities for those in more religious sects.
Initially, Rubin was thrilled. He had found a middle ground. Over time, though, the weekly absences produced lineup headaches and even national headlines. Rubin's reputation also took a hit among scouts, simply due to him missing 35 games in his NHL draft year. He wasn't a blue-chip prospect, so he needed all the exposure he could get.
Roy opted to cut ties with Rubin the following offseason, shipping him to a division rival. Upon reflection, Rubin would commit to playing a full season without interruption for the Gatineau Olympiques. At the age of 18, he had concluded that his religion's strict rules could not be upheld within the world of hockey.
"I knew at a certain point in time I would have to (conform)," Rubin recalled recently, noting the original arrangement with Roy made him feel like an "outsider" in the dressing room. "That’s why it was so hard at that time, and that's why it resulted in all that press. It was a big deal at that level."
Benjamin Rubin TVA Sports screen grab
Rubin ultimately failed to get within striking distance of an NHL roster. He transferred to the Alberta junior league after three QMJHL seasons and then tested out the Canadian university circuit before eventually turning pro in 2011. Next, he played three years in France, two in the U.S.-based Southern Professional Hockey League, half a year in Hungary, and is currently in his third full year in the LNAH.
"Life's about growth, and if I'm not in the NHL, big deal," Rubin said. "I love playing (in the LNAH) and it's up to me to figure out what I want to do and how to do something else with my life. … Just because I went through what I went through doesn’t mean I have to look back and regret what happened to me."
Of course, to draw a straight line between their differing commitments to faith and their trajectories in hockey would be unfair to Zucker and Rubin. There are so many variables to consider, including talent, work ethic, opportunity, and luck. However, their diverging paths illustrate the complex nature of devoting oneself to a pair of demanding, ritualistic pursuits.
While no two situations are the same, the hockey-religion balancing act requires sacrifice, flexibility, and daily integration. Look no further than the Mormon forward, the Christian defenseman, and the Sikh broadcaster profiled below.
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Hockey is largely considered a secular sport, and the NHL is arguably the least overtly religious league among North America's big four. The sport's culture of conformity and its lack of diversity might help explain why it lags behind football, basketball, and baseball in that department. Still, some in the professional hockey world are all-in on both sport and religion - they just tend to keep a low profile.
Derek Ryan qualifies. The Calgary Flames center is likely the only Mormon in the NHL. "I could be wrong," he said, "but I'm almost 100% certain." Previously Catholic, he converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2013 after being exposed to the religion by his wife and in-laws. "It's something that takes over your lifestyle," Ryan said.
Derek Ryan Jamie Sabau / Getty Images
A typical workday for Ryan begins with a 20-commute from Calgary's West Springs neighborhood to the Flames' downtown arena. Via Bluetooth, he listens to various scriptures - one chapter from the Book of Mormon, one chapter from the Bible, and a cataloged sermon from a well-known church leader - through the speaker system in his black Chevy Tahoe. This is Ryan's time to reflect, recalibrate, and bridge his two passions. Homelife revolves around two young, energetic children, so the drive to the Scotiabank Saddledome supplies the 32-year-old with a period that's free of distraction.
Ryan's spirituality spikes again in the quiet moments before each game. He recites a prayer in the hallway near the Flames' dressing room, asking God for "blessings, help, and strength" for himself and his teammates. "Hockey is important for me, important for my family, important for providing for my family," he said. "But at the same time, there's a lot more to life than hockey."
Weekend road trips add a layer of difficulty. Multiple times this season alone, Ryan has participated in the team's Sunday morning skate and then skipped his pregame nap. Whether he's in Calgary or California, he spends two hours of his afternoon at church, taking part in the sacrament - a Mormon ordinance similar to a Catholic communion - before joining a small group for Sunday School, which is a Bible study for churchgoers of all ages.
Ryan has this Sunday detour down to a science. He fires up a mobile app called Member Tools, locates the closest Mormon church on the virtual map, and heads out the door in search of the venue. He'll walk, take an Uber, or, if he's in a warm locale, ride an electric scooter to the church and back. Time's precious on any game day, but finding a spiritual equilibrium is equally important.
"I think I've yet to miss out on going to church," said Ryan, who's in his fourth full NHL season. "To be honest, I've played some of my best games when I've been tired, forgotten that nap, and chosen to go to church."
Derek Ryan and family outside an LDS temple Submitted
Over the years, Ryan has found religion to be an icebreaker with new teammates, who tend to pick his brain about his personal beliefs. Their questions will range from whether Mormon men can have multiple wives (they can't) and why the consumption of coffee and alcohol - longtime staples of hockey culture - is forbidden by the religion. "I think the most important takeaway is that we're only putting things in our body that we need to function," Ryan explained.
Baking faith into his everyday life helps Ryan safeguard against the rigors of an 82-game season. The modern NHLer goes through an incredibly regimented schedule for 8-10 months of the year. Players are expected to be present at certain places for specific times: board a plane here, catch a bus there, attend this video session, talk to reporters during that window. Being a Mormon is his own thing; a productive vice.
"It's pretty important for me to rely on my faith to get me through the hard times or to bring me down from the high times. The season's long," said Ryan, whose point production has ebbed and flowed through 35 games this season. "You don't want to get too high, get too low. My faith keeps me pretty grounded."
In the offseason, when his allotment of free time expands and the family returns to his home state of Washington, Ryan helps Mormons in the Spokane area construct their family trees as part of his "calling" within the community. He also delivers talks about his conversion story and about the winding road he traveled through multiple leagues to reach the NHL.
"You look at my hockey journey, along with my spiritual journey, and it's crazy how I've been blessed," Ryan said. "I made the jump from the Austrian league to the Swedish league, from the Swedish league to the American league, from the American league to the NHL. I just don't think it's a coincidence. … I feel like I was guided and helped along by my heavenly father."
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The rookie party is a rite of passage for NHL players. It means you've climbed the mountain and aren't scheduled to descend anytime soon. Particulars of the tradition vary based on the club and era, but nowadays, it's typically a players-only night out on the road that involves a fancy dinner - paid for by the first-year guys, of course - some form of light hazing, and alcohol consumption.
Ryan and former teammate Jaccob Slavin, who also abstains from drinking alcohol for religious reasons, threw the Carolina Hurricanes' veterans for a loop ahead of their respective rookie parties four and five years ago.
Instead of downing liquor, Ryan whipped back shots of grapefruit juice, Tabasco sauce, and milk. Slavin was offered nothing but lactose - "milk, like, a lot of milk" - and reports it was a tolerable night with only minor side effects. "I didn't puke, but I was backed up for a couple of days," he added with a grin.
Jaccob Slavin Gregg Forwerck / Getty Images
Slavin, who at 25 is one of the best defensemen on the planet, takes his beliefs very seriously. Over the course of his young career, he's never shied away from speaking about his devotion to God and having a "bigger purpose" on Earth as a nondenominational Christian. Slavin works closely with Hockey Ministries International, wholly aware that the NHL spotlight affords him a rare platform.
"Even here," he said, motioning toward a room of reporters at the NHL/NHLPA Player Media Tour this past fall, "it's an opportunity to be able to speak on how God's changed my life. It's not a part of who I am; it is who I am. It's my identity. My identity is not, 'I'm a hockey player who happens to be a Christian,' it's actually, 'a Christian who happens to be a hockey player.'"
While Christianity continues to decline in the United States, there's still a huge portion of the North American population - approximately 75%, according to a recent report - that identifies as Christian. The hockey world isn't a perfect reflection of society, but Christians form the league's most prominent religious group. Active and ex-NHLers like Jarome Iginla, Mike Fisher, Shane Doan, Jordan Staal, David Backes, Stu Grimson, Dan Hamhuis, Jay Beagle, Paul Stastny, and James Reimer have all - at one time or another - discussed their deep ties to the Christian faith, and most clubs offer access to a chaplain.
This dynamic opens the door for off-ice interactions between religiously active players who are scattered across the pro ranks. Case in point: Slavin hops on Skype calls throughout the season - sometimes as often as twice a month - to discuss the prayers and lessons he's currently focused on. Ryan Carpenter and Rocco Grimaldi, of the Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators, respectively, might be on the other end of the line, along with AHL and ECHL players. The calls are facilitated by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which says its mission is "to empower the hockey world through the love of Jesus Christ."
1 John 4:10 “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
Oh the love that God for us. So thankful for what this day means but the best news comes on Sunday! #GoodFriday#EasterWeekend
Slavin pinpoints the 2010-11 season as the snapshot in time when he took ownership of his faith. While playing for the USHL's Chicago Steel, he was living away from his family's home in Erie, Colorado, for the first time, which forced him to think for himself. Still a teenager, he began building a closer relationship with his religion through prayer and says he's been in "constant communication with God" all decade - both at and away from the rink. Along the way, he's grown up, gotten married, appeared in nearly 350 NHL games, adopted a baby girl, gone on a deep playoff run, and led hockey-based religious retreats.
Slavin doesn't drink or swear, but he tries his best to refrain from judging teammates who like to let loose. "I'm a sinner just like everybody else," he noted.
Really, as he's continued to prove he's more than capable of balancing the double demands of pro sports and deep faith - while remaining totally sincere - Slavin's become the unofficial poster boy for religious NHLers.
"You get the fun poked at you every now and then, but nothing serious where guys are mad at you," he said, later adding: "(Teammates) might understand I'm playing for a different purpose. But it's a purpose that still makes me go out there and give my 110% every game."
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Harnarayan Singh tries his best to pray every morning, right after he wakes up. It's important, he says, to "meditate on the Lord's name" regardless of what lies ahead. If it's a particularly busy day, like a Saturday during the hockey season, he might recite passages to himself while ironing his outfit. Which is fine, because multi-tasking from the comfort of his home or a cozy hotel room is a cinch compared to the trials of his old set-up.
From 2008 until 2011, Singh would fly late Friday night on his own dime from Calgary to Toronto to be the host and play-by-play announcer for Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi Edition, a position he retains today for Sportsnet. Blurry-eyed, he would board another plane early Sunday morning, mere hours after putting a bow on the six-hour HNIC show. Then, back in Alberta, he'd make a beeline to the Gurdwara, a place of assembly and worship for Sikhs, where his sister would be waiting with a fresh set of traditional clothing in hand. In this juggling act of career and faith, there was literally no time to spare.
"It is a delicate dance," Singh said, alluding to the past and present. HNIC Punjabi is now filmed in Vancouver, slashing the commute time. Still, the travel keeps him really busy. "I don't get as much sleep and I end up taking a lot of crazy-early flights," he added. "But that's what I've had to do to maintain this."
Harnarayan Singh reporting for HNIC Submitted
Like most practicing Sikh men, Singh wears or carries the five articles of his faith: unshorn hair, cotton underwear, a wooden comb, an iron bracelet, and a small, ceremonial iron sword. The native of Brooks, Alberta, a small town 115 miles southeast of Calgary, avoids alcohol and tobacco, doesn't eat meat, and reads from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, a main Sikh scripture, on a daily basis. He's fully committed.
Singh, 34, sticks out among NHL broadcasters in a lot of the same ways that 25-year-old forward Jujhar Khaira sticks out when TV cameras pan to the Edmonton Oilers' bench. Both are of Indian descent and practice a religion that's foreign to legions of hockey fans. They're viewed by some as exotic, yet, in reality, they have plenty in common with, say, the middle-aged white guy watching from home.
"You could say I've followed hockey religiously," Singh said, pun intended. The NHL has always been an obsession for him, and in his teen years, he realized a career in media could satisfy that hunger. It also doesn't hurt that Singh's a natural on the mic.
Within the walls of his temple, he sings and plays multiple Kirtan instruments, including the harmonium, a hand-pumped organ, as an outlet for staying close to God and giving back to the community. In the summer, while his media colleagues unwind at cottages, Singh shifts his primary focus to performing.
His family has hosted Sikh musicians throughout his life, so Singh's been able to make inroads in the industry. Occasionally, he'll even hop on tour with a famous band, visiting cities throughout North America. Those are tamer settings than NHL arenas, and the microphones are hooked up to PA systems, not a national broadcast. But, at the core of both pursuits, he feels joy and great gratitude. "I've actually lived out dreams in the hockey world and I've lived out dreams in the Sikh world," Singh said.
Harnarayan Singh (left) plays the harmonium Submitted
Similar to how a non-white player might get targeted on social media, Singh's Twitter lights up every once in a while. His account receives offside comments about his appearance and complaints about basic elements of the HNIC Punjabi show. "There's this misconception out there that we're trying to not have people tune in in English," he said. "That's not it at all. Part of it is growing the sport, and we're introducing the game to a lot of different people. The other part is sometimes it's more entertaining for someone to hear it in their first language. Someone who is more familiar with Punjabi can get more out of it by watching it in Punjabi."
It's not all negative. Singh, who's best known for his famous "Bonino! Bonino! Bonino!" call from the 2016 NHL playoffs, says he's received near-universal acceptance at rinks, and that he's noticed a rush of Sikhs gravitating toward the game in recent years.
The cultural gap, once wide, is beginning to close.
"I have a lot of people come up to me and talk about the latest issue or, 'Did you see last night's game?' or say, 'I can't believe what happened.' There's a lot of hockey chatter at the temple," Singh said. "There's a lot of people who are practicing Sikhs, initiated Sikhs, who are big hockey fans.
"That's the beauty of Canada. It doesn't matter who you are, we're all in love with this game."
"Just embarrassing," Toews told NBC's Charlie Roumeliotis. "Pretty tough all around. Not much to say."
The Devils, who recently traded star forward Taylor Hall to Arizona, own the second-worst record in the entire NHL.
Toews called out his team's effort level.
"There's no games where you can cakewalk and it just looks like that was our assumption tonight," he said.
The Blackhawks entered the evening coming off two impressive victories over the Winnipeg Jets and Colorado Avalanche, but they'll enter the Christmas break on a sour note, sitting eight points out of a playoff spot.
"Enough's enough," he continued. "We've talked about being pissed off, we can't keep letting this slide."
Toews is second on the team with 27 points in 38 games.
