On Monday, the City of Calgary voted in favor of forming a committee that hopes to reignite discussions with the Flames regarding the construction of a new arena.
"We've sent a strong signal today that says we have a strong contingent on council that wants to have a conversation," Calgary councillor Jeff Davison told Meghan Potkins of the Calgary Herald.
Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi was among the City representatives who voted to begin negotiating again.
"I'm hopeful that the restart on our side will also be a restart on their side and that we can actually have a reasonable conversation without threats and acrimony, but actually sit down and look at what is possible," Nenshi said.
Negotiations fell apart in September, but not before both the City and the Flames released their proposals for public consumption.
The Flames have played out of the Scotiabank Saddledome since 1983, an arena NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has referred to as a "grand old building" that has become antiquated by league standards, according to Dan Dormer of CBC Sports.
"At some point, I envision without a new building there will be consequences that everybody is going to have to deal with," Bettman said in September.
The Flames haven't directly threatened relocation, with the franchise stating it will remain in its current home for as long as possible. However, Flames president Ken King has also indicated there would be no threat of relocation, and that the team would simply leave.
LAS VEGAS (AP) The Vegas Golden Knights' incredible inaugural season isn't slowing down in the Stanley Cup Final.
Tomas Nosek scored the tiebreaking goal midway through the third period, and the expansion Golden Knights opened an improbable Final with a thrilling 6-4 victory over the Washington Capitals on Monday night.
Marc-Andre Fleury made 24 saves in an occasionally shaky performance, but the three-time Stanley Cup winner's new teammates carried the goalie who has so often carried them with a relentless outburst of offense.
The Eastern Conference champion Capitals hadn't given up this many goals in 29 games since March 18, but they hadn't seen anything like this charmed run by the upstart Knights.
It took just over two periods of Game 1 for Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson to make himself the center of some controversy in the Stanley Cup Final.
With the score tied 4-4 in the third period of a hotly contested game, Wilson leveled Vegas Golden Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault, briefly sending him to the locker room.
Marchessault confirms he went through the concussion protocol before returning
After the officials huddled for a conversation, Wilson received a minor penalty for interference on Marchessault, while Vegas forward David Perron was assessed a minor of his own for cross-checking Alexander Ovechkin after the play.
As the NHL prepared for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and Washington Capitals on Monday, commissioner Gary Bettman took time to address several questions and issues surrounding the sport at a press conference. Here are five key takeaways:
Seattle expansion
Bettman reiterated that NHL expansion into Seattle won't be formally approved at next month's Board of Governors meetings. However, the commissioner noted that owners will be provided with an update on the process, and added that a formal vote could come as early as this fall.
The hope is for Seattle to join the NHL for the 2020-21 season. In order for that to happen, one major step that needs to be completed is the renovation of the 1960-built KeyArena, the future home of a potential team.
What about Quebec City?
Perhaps not all hope is lost for hockey in Quebec's capital.
When asked about the concerns of Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs, who chairs the NHL's executive board, that Quebec City's market would struggle to support a new team, Bettman was quick to note that expansion requires approval from three-quarters of the NHL's 31 owners, and that Jacobs holds only a single vote.
Quebec City was part of the NHL's most recent expansion process along with Las Vegas. But while Sin City received the stamp of approval, Quebec City's bid was deferred due to the slumping Canadian dollar and a desire to correct the league's geographic imbalance.
Meanwhile, could the NHL consider another southern U.S. market as its next expansion opportunity? Tilman Fertitta, the new owner of the NBA's Houston Rockets, has expressed interest in bringing hockey to the Texas hub.
In a media scrum following Monday's press conference, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told TSN's Frank Seravalli that while the league has had discussions with Fertitta about placing a team in Houston, there's no sense that the potential ownership group will file an application in the near future.
Bettman on betting
Following the recent groundbreaking decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to lift the federal ban on sports gambling, Bettman made it clear that the NHL wants in on the action.
"I'm not sure I buy the term 'integrity fee.' I don't worry about the integrity of our players," Bettman said. "I think, though, if you're going to allocate for yourself to run a business on our intellectual property and on the performance of our athletes, and the platform that we put on for our games, we're entitled to be involved in that."
The Vegas story
For fans of franchises like the St. Louis Blues, who haven't had a Stanley Cup victory in their 50-year history, and the Toronto Maple Leafs, who haven't won it all since 1967, it's surely frustrating to see the Golden Knights advance to the Stanley Cup Final in their very first season.
Still, Bettman views it as a feel-good story.
"The bond is real between this city and its first-ever major league professional sports team. The connection is undeniable," he said. "This is the magic of sports. Anything can happen."
So, what happens if the Golden Knights capture Lord Stanley? Could the fans actually cheer - rather than boo, as they usually do in other cities - when Bettman hands over the Cup? "That might be interesting," he quipped, before adding that the Vegas fans booed him at the event when the team was named.
Concussions
Few talking points have been bigger in the world of hockey than head injuries, as concussions, particularly to enforcers, have seen many former players suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
The neurodegenerative disease was found in the brain tissue of several deceased NHL players, including Steve Montador and Bob Probert.
But there have been no new developments, according to Bettman.
"I'm not going to start another news cycle," he said. "There's nothing new on the subject."
Daly, also on hand for the press conference, added: "This is not the commissioner's view, but follows science."
Put away your checkbooks, prospective owners. The Ottawa Senators aren't for sale.
That was the indication from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, who addressed the issue as part of his "state of the game" press conference on Monday prior to Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and Washington Capitals.
"(Current owner) Eugene Melnyk is committed to the Senators and he's passionate about them," Bettman told reporters, per Sporting News Canada.
The question came after a report stated that former Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson and Ottawa mayor Jim Watson both hope to see a change in team ownership.
It was a hectic 2017-18 season for Melnyk and the Senators, as the outspoken owner floated the possibility of the franchise relocating if crowds stopped turning out. He later walked back his comments, stating that it's "his privilege" to own the Senators.
Put away your checkbooks, prospective owners. The Ottawa Senators aren't for sale.
That was the indication from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, who addressed the issue as part of his "state of the game" press conference on Monday prior to Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and Washington Capitals.
"(Current owner) Eugene Melnyk is committed to the Senators and he's passionate about them," Bettman told reporters, per Sporting News Canada.
The question came after a report stated that former Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson and Ottawa mayor Jim Watson both hope to see a change in team ownership.
It was a hectic 2017-18 season for Melnyk and the Senators, as the outspoken owner floated the possibility of the franchise relocating if crowds stopped turning out. He later walked back his comments, stating that it's "his privilege" to own the Senators.
Alexander Ovechkin is experiencing a liberation of sorts in these NHL playoffs, as he's finally reached the Stanley Cup Final. It's been a long time coming for the Washington Capitals superstar.
The 11-time All-Star - who was criticized for years for never leading the Capitals to the final while his principal rival, Sidney Crosby, lifted the Cup three times - admits it was initially difficult to block out the talk that he couldn't win when it mattered most.
"Of course you read news. Of course you’re paying attention to what people saying," Ovechkin said to Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post. "But sometimes you just have to hear it, and it goes in one ear and out the other. Because if you’re going to take all of this information, you’re going to be crazy, you know? You’re going to be psycho. You just can’t play hockey after that. The first couple of years when we lost, of course it was hard. Of course, it was like, 'Oh Jesus, what did I do wrong?'"
Ovechkin won the "Rocket" Richard Trophy for the seventh time in his career after leading the NHL with 49 goals during the 2017-18 season, and has displayed a dynamic all-around game throughout the playoffs.
Washington head coach Barry Trotz says he's noticed a discernible change in his captain's approach.
"I think he’s approaching the playoffs with a little more ease," Trotz said. "He’s been freed a little bit - freed in a sense of understanding that he's a great player no matter what. I think too much was put on him. I think he got away from realizing that he is a good player and he’s a good person and he does all those things. It just freed him enough that he’s now got a chance to get the ultimate prize. We’re four wins away, and he’s been a big reason for it along with his teammates. You don’t win three rounds, you don’t win a round, you don’t win anything in this sport by yourself."
It may be a bit trite at this point, but winning does indeed cure everything. And for Ovechkin, critical acclaim is less important than capping off one of the most decorated careers of this century with a Cup victory.
NHL deputy commissioner and chief legal officer Bill Daly confirmed during a press conference Monday that the salary cap for the 2018-2019 season is projected to be around $80 million, up from $75 million this season.
A set number for next season has not yet been agreed upon as the NHL needs to consult with the NHLPA regarding the league's year-over-year growth.
Commissioner Gary Bettman also said during the press conference that the NHL's board of governors could vote on an expansion team for Seattle. The idea of expansion is being revisited with the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final during their inaugural season.
Bettman also stated that the Ottawa Senators are not for sale, despite rampant speculation about owner Eugene Melynk's control of the team.
The Swedish youngster posted just six goals during the 2016-17 season with the Columbus Blue Jackets, resulting in the team making him available in the June expansion draft. In his first campaign with the Golden Knights, Karlsson notched 43 goals, second only to Alex Ovechkin and Patrik Laine.
With the Stanley Cup Final slated to get underway Monday, Karlsson lamented a lack of opportunity with his former club.
"I've always wanted to be a top-six player," Karlsson said to ESPN's Emily Kaplan. "Not being one in Columbus was really frustrating. I wanted the chance."
The 25-year-old revealed that playing in a diminished scoring role took its toll on his confidence, but that he used his change of scenery to revitalize his career.
"There have been times when I doubted myself, could I really do this?" Karlsson said. "Then I got picked by Vegas and I thought to myself this is my big chance. It's up to me to take it. I'm glad I took it."
On the verge of trying to pull off what was once believed to be an impossible feat, Karlsson will play an imperative role in the Golden Knights' bid to lift the Cup this summer.
As NHL.com's Nick Cotsonika pointed out, the animated sitcom had the Stanley Cup in Las Vegas with Homer Simpson and Ned Flanders long before the Golden Knights existed.
In 1999, before “The Hangover” and the Golden Knights, Homer Simpson and Ned Flanders had the Stanley Cup in Vegas. pic.twitter.com/dnm1ucNtCt
The picture is from "Viva Ned Flanders," the 10th episode of Season 10, in which Homer takes Ned on a trip to Las Vegas. While there, they become intoxicated and end up marrying two cocktail waitresses.
Golden Knights defenseman Luca Sbisa offered this explanation: "Apparently, Matt Groening knows a guy or is a guy who has time travel. I saw this video (online), and there's proof after proof that somebody (time-traveled)."
"I don't want to read too much into it," he added. "But I like where their head is at."
