The award is given annually to "the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team on and off the ice during the regular season, and who plays a leading role in his community growing the game of hockey." The winner is selected by Messier himself.
Bergeron succeeded Zdeno Chara as the 20th captain in Bruins history before the campaign after the latter signed with the Washington Capitals in the offseason. Bergeron ranked second on the team in both goals (23) and points (48) in 54 games this year.
"It's a huge honor," Bergeron said of his win, according to Sportsnet. "Obviously, there's more than just Xs and Os and playing the game of hockey; it's about the community and what impact you can bring to people - obviously, to your team and beyond that - to grow the game of hockey."
The 35-year-old is the 15th winner of the award after Calgary Flames captain Mark Giordano was named last year's recipient. Bergeron has spent his entire 17-year career with Boston and is a four-time winner of the Frank J. Selke Trophy, earning top defensive forward honors in 2012, 2014, 2015, and 2017.
However, the Flyers are one of several teams after the star blue-liner.
"The level of interest is off the charts," a league source told LeBrun.
Jones, an unrestricted free agent in 2022 and eligible for an extension this offseason, reportedly informed the Blue Jackets in May he won't sign long term with the organization.
The 26-year-old carries a $5.4-million cap hit for one more season. The size of a potential return for Jones, if Columbus decides to trade him, would depend on if he signs an extension with his new club or if he's a one-year rental.
Jones was drafted fourth overall by the Nashville Predators in 2013 and traded to the Blue Jackets during the 2015-16 season. He's notched 223 points in 381 games with Columbus and was a second-team All-Star in 2018.
The Flyers have a projected $13 million in cap space for the 2021-22 season, according to Cap Friendly. Restricted free-agent goaltender Carter Hart is the most notable player on Philadelphia's roster in need of a new deal.
New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz is anticipating a significant bounce-back effort from his club versus the Tampa Bay Lightning in Wednesday's Game 6.
"You'll get our best. Whatever we got left, you're going to get our best," Trotz said, per Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.
The Lightning handed the Islanders their worst playoff defeat in franchise history in Game 5 - an emphatic 8-0 drubbing to push New York's back against the wall.
"Hopefully it's only a 24-hour thing and just like a 24-hour flu we can get over it and move on," Trotz said.
Despite coming off a discouraging loss, the underdog Islanders have played the defending champions nearly even in several metrics to this point in the series.
Trotz has faced this situation before. As the Washington Capitals coach in 2018, his club erased a 3-2 series deficit - against the Lightning - in the Eastern Conference Final and went on to capture the Stanley Cup.
The veteran bench boss plans to relay that message to his troops ahead of Game 6.
"How much do you want to commit to have one shot to go to the Stanley Cup Final? How much are you willing to commit? That’s really the message," Trotz said. "Go after it, guys, because you only get so many cracks at this."
The Islanders are 5-3 at Nassau Coliseum so far in the postseason. If they're able to win Wednesday, a decisive Game 7 would be held in Tampa on Friday.
With the Seattle expansion draft one month away, theScore is predicting every team's protected list and putting one club from each division under the microscope. This edition offers potential lists for the Central Division. (We'll project a full 30-player roster for the Kraken closer to the July 21 draft.)
The 2021 expansion draft will follow the same rules as the 2017 version that welcomed the Vegas Golden Knights to the NHL:
Each team must submit a protected list of seven forwards, three defensemen, and one goalie OR eight skaters and one goalie
Any player with a no-movement clause must be protected unless the player waives it
Each team must expose two forwards, one defenseman, and one goalie who are under contract and played at least 40 games this past season or 70 combined games over the last two seasons
All first- and second-year players, as well as unsigned draft picks, are exempt from selection
Any player with a career-ending injury is exempt from selection
Teams must submit their protected lists to the league by July 17.
Note: Our lists of exposed players and exemptions include only the most notable names rather than every player who would fit each category. Teams are also unlikely to protect pending unrestricted free agents, as Seattle will probably not risk selecting a player it can't retain.
There might not be an NHL general manager with as much due diligence to carry out before submitting his protected list as Colorado's Joe Sakic.
Contracts don't need to be finalized, but surely Sakic would like to get a good feel for where negotiations with Cale Makar, Gabriel Landeskog, and Philipp Grubauer are headed prior to the expansion-draft process. With a stacked roster to keep intact (at least mostly) while the salary cap stays at $81.5 million for the next few years, every dollar counts for Sakic.
However, even if those situations aren't resolved by mid-July, we can assume all three core pieces will be retained eventually this offseason, and they'll need to be protected during the expansion draft. Given the club's depth chart, then, it's a no-brainer to go the 11-player route of protecting seven forwards, three defensemen, and one goalie.
Here's the Avs' projected list under a 7-3-1 scheme:
Exposed players: F J.T. Compher, F Joonas Donskoi, D Ryan Graves, D Erik Johnson, D Jacob MacDonald, G Pavel Francouz, G Hunter Miska Exemptions: F Shane Bowers, F Martin Kaut, F Alex Newhook, D Justin Barron, D Bowen Byram, D Conor Timmins UFAs: F Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, F Matt Calvert, F Brandon Saad, D Patrik Nemeth, G Devan Dubnyk, G Jonas Johansson
Yes, Johnson, the longtime Avs defenseman with a no-movement clause in his contract, is being exposed here. That's because it's assumed Johnson - who's 33 and often injured - will do the team a solid and waive his clause. After all, the chances of Seattle selecting him are minuscule with Donskoi, Compher, Graves, and Francouz potentially available.
As for Kadri, some believed he should be jettisoned after getting suspended in the playoffs for the third time in four years, and he's one of the NHL's cheapest second-line centers. Is it possible Sakic leaves him exposed? Yes. Big picture, though, it wouldn't be a smart business decision.
Elsewhere at forward, the 26-year-old Burakovsky is a virtual lock to earn a protected spot, while Jost and Nichushkin are debatable yet logical picks. Ideally, the Avs would probably prefer to protect Donskoi and Compher, two quality middle-six forwards. However, they make $3.9 million and $3.5 million, respectively, and Colorado would struggle to squeeze in so many middle-class deals under the cap in the future. Jost and Nichushkin, the two cheaper and less flashy options among the four, are perfectly fine players.
Depending on how the Kraken approach the draft, Graves may be the most desirable offering from the Avs. The smooth-skating, rugged three-year pro would slot in quite nicely into Seattle's top-four while making an immediate impact.
Chicago Blackhawks
Chase Agnello-Dean / Getty Images
Exposed players: F Ryan Carpenter, F Brett Connolly, F Adam Gaudette, D Calvin de Haan, D Riley Stillman, G Collin Delia, G Malcolm Subban Exemptions: FKirby Dach, F Dominik Kubalik, F Pius Suter, D Adam Boqvist, D Ian Mitchell UFAs: F Vinnie Hinostroza, F Zack Smith
Luckily for the Blackhawks, several of their top players are exempt from the expansion draft. Still, a handful of solid skaters from the team will be exposed. Seattle could opt to take one of de Haan or Stillman to boost its defense, but Subban and Delia could also provide good goaltending depth.
Note: It appears Alex Nylander will be considered a second-year pro and exempt from the expansion draft after missing the entire 2020-21 season with an injury, a source told The Athletic's Scott Powers. The NHL has not made an official announcement regarding Nylander's status.
Dallas Stars
Scott Audette / Getty Images
Exposed players: F Blake Comeau, F Jason Dickinson, F Tanner Kero, D Joel Hanley, D Andrej Sekera, G Anton Khudobin Exemptions: F Ty Dellandrea, F Joel Kiviranta, F Jason Robertson, D Thomas Harley, G Jake Oettinger UFAs: F Andrew Cogliano, F Justin Dowling, D Jamie Oleksiak, D Mark Pysyk, D Sami Vatanen
It won't be tough for the Stars to decide who's worth protecting, but two good players will be up for grabs. Khudobin, 35, could be a viable option for Seattle's starting goalie spot, while Dickinson has proven over the past few seasons that he can be a potential top-six NHL forward.
Minnesota Wild
Ezra Shaw / Getty Images
Exposed players: F Victor Rask, F Nico Sturm, D Matt Dumba, D Carson Soucy, G Cam Talbot Exemptions: F Kirill Kaprizov, F Matt Boldy, F Marco Rossi, D Calen Addison UFAs: F Nick Bjugstad, F Nick Bonino, F Marcus Johansson, F Kyle Rau, D Ian Cole, D Brad Hunt
Talbot produced an incredible season with the Wild, but it would only make sense to protect Kahkonen, who's evidently the club's goalie of the future after breaking out as a rookie. As a result, Seattle will undoubtedly snag a quality player from Minnesota, but it remains to be seen if it's Dumba or Talbot.
Nashville Predators
Icon Sportswire / Getty Images
Exposed players: F Matt Duchene, F Ryan Johansen, F Rocco Grimaldi, F Calle Jarnkrok, F Nick Cousins, D Alexandre Carrier, D Matt Benning, D Mark Borowiecki, G Connor Ingram Exemptions: F Eeli Tolvanen, F Philip Tomasino UFAs: F Mikael Granlund, F Erik Haula, F Brad Richardson, D Erik Gudbranson, G Pekka Rinne
The Predators' roster is one of the trickiest heading into the expansion draft. Duchene and Johansen haven't justified their mammoth contracts, and leaving them exposed could be an easy way to get one off the books. Would Seattle gamble on a resurgence? Or will the Kraken take the safer route with a solid winger like Jarnkrok, or a depth defenseman like Borowiecki or Benning?
St. Louis Blues
Ezra Shaw / Getty Images
Exposed players: F Sammy Blais, F Ivan Barbashev, F Kyle Clifford, F Jacob De La Rose, F Zach Sanford, F Mackenzie MacEachern, D Vince Dunn, D Robert Bortuzzo, D Niko Mikkola, D Marco Scandella, G Ville Husso Exemptions: F Klim Kostin, D Scott Perunovich UFAs: F Tyler Bozak, F Mike Hoffman, F Jaden Schwartz, D Carl Gunnarsson
The Blues' roster is deep, so they'll unsurprisingly provide a decent list for Seattle to choose from. Kyrou produced a breakout season in 2020-21, so he's earned his roster spot moving forward. Meanwhile, several of St. Louis' top players are pending UFAs. It seems more than likely the Kraken will grab Dunn, who's due for a breakout of his own at 24 years old.
Winnipeg Jets
Jonathan Kozub / Getty Images
Exposed players: F Mason Appleton, F Jansen Harkins, D Nathan Beaulieu, D Dylan DeMelo Exemptions: F Cole Perfetti, F Kristian Vesalainen, D Ville Heinola UFAs: F Paul Stastny, F Trevor Lewis, F Mathieu Perreault, F Nate Thompson, D Jordie Benn, D Derek Forbort, D Tucker Poolman, G Laurent Brossoit
The Jets' biggest decision will be tied to its defensemen. Stanley played well in the playoffs and throughout his rookie season after being selected 18th overall in 2016. On the flip side, DeMelo is a reliable rearguard and can easily play top-four minutes. Stanley may possess more long-term upside, which is why DeMelo is being exposed. But it could all be for nothing if Seattle instead grabs the underrated Appleton.
In addition, top-line center Chandler Stephenson was also back in Vegas' lineup after missing Games 2-4. He was sidelined with an upper-body injury but returned to his usual spot between Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone.
Fleury had started eight consecutive contests but was benched in favor of Robin Lehner for Game 4.
Lehner was fantastic in his only showing of the series, turning aside 27 of 28 shots as the Golden Knights evened the series.
Fleury is 9-6 this postseason with a .921 save percentage and 1.97 goals against average.
New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello is the winner of the 2020-21 Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award, the league announced Tuesday.
Lamoriello beat out the Montreal Canadiens' Marc Bergevin and the Florida Panthers' Bill Zito.
A panel that includes all 31 NHL general managers votes on the award, and the voting took place after the second round of the playoffs.
This is the second straight year Lamoriello has been given the award, and he's the first general manager to win it twice, according to NHL.com's Tom Gulitti.
Bergevin earned one more first-place vote than Lamoriello, but he came in second place. Here are the full results:
Here's the Jim Gregory award votes. Lou Lamoriello wins it. Kyle Dubas got one vote, it was a first-place vote pic.twitter.com/33i51L8oe9
The 78-year-old went through a relatively quiet offseason, but he brought in Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac to make a big splash prior to the trade deadline. The veterans have been integral to the Islanders' playoff success.
The Islanders finished fourth in the tight East Division this campaign with a 32-17-7 record, despite losing captain Anders Lee for the second half of the season. The team has made it to the semifinals for the second straight year with its well-rounded roster, and New York currently trails the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2.
Robert had been hospitalized after suffering a heart attack late last week.
The Sabres acquired Robert in 1972 in exchange for Eddie Shack. He went on to play alongside Gilbert Perreault and Rick Martin, and the trio quickly became known as the "French Connection" line, since all three were French Canadians hailing from Quebec.
They combined for 1,681 points between 1972 and 1979, helping to lead the Sabres to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance in 1975. The line was broken up when Robert was traded to the Colorado Rockies in 1979.
Robert played eight of his 12 NHL seasons with the Sabres, and he also logged stops with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Colorado Rockies. He finished his career with 702 points over 744 career games, and the Sabres retired his number in 1995.
Single-game sports betting is set to become legal in Canada after Bill C-218, the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act, was officially passed in the Senate of Canada on Tuesday.
The private member's bill - sponsored by Conservative MP Kevin Waugh (Saskatoon-Grasswood) - passed without amendment, by a vote of 57 to 20 (five abstentions). Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government will decide on a date when the legalization of single-game sports betting will take effect.
The UPDATE you’ve been waiting for: Bill #C218 has officially passed in the Senate & will become law in the coming days. I’m honoured to have worked to make single-event sports betting legal in Canada. #cdnpoli#nlpoli@KevinWaugh_CPC@SenateCA
The bill signals a major shift in Canada: single-game sports betting has been legal in the country but only via parlay wagers. Canadians will now have the ability to bet on single-game matches across sports (excluding horse racing), with the government set to collect taxes on estimated billions of dollars currently being wagered illegally.
Waugh issued a statement Tuesday evening celebrating the passage of the bill, calling it "a victory for Canadian sport, sport fans, and businesses." He added:
Following this legislation becoming law, provincial governments will be responsible for implementing regulations and wagering operators in their jurisdictions. I call on provincial governments to act as quickly as possible to get the necessary regulations and licenses in place so that all Canadians can begin to place their wagers.
Tap here to sign up and receive updates on when theScore's sportsbook, theScore Bet, will go live in Ontario.
