Anaheim Ducks A look back at a wild NHL postseason

SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 6/17/2011 Anaheim Ducks 572404 A look back at a wild NHL postseason Atlanta Thrashers 572405 572406 How NHL's Game 7 ...
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DAILY BRIEF

NHL 6/17/2011

Anaheim Ducks 572404

A look back at a wild NHL postseason

Atlanta Thrashers 572405 572406

How NHL's Game 7 fared on Atlanta TV Stewart will miss milestone as Thrashers move to Winnipeg

Boston Bruins 572407 572408 572409 572410 572411 572412 572413 572414 572415 572416 572417 572418 572419 572420 572421 572422 572423 572424 572425

Champion Bruins ready to roll Not everyone will be back to defend Plane touching down touched off excitement How great is this? Vancouver riots shake up Bruins fans Score big with these winning party tunes Love of Bruins goes skin-deep Let’s chat! ‘This is what I’ve lived for’ Boston cops keep lid on chaos Bruins victory lap kicks off tomorrow Viewin’ Bruins Bruins fans snap up championship gear It wasn’t always this way for Boston fans High hopes for the kids Bruins Cup filled with gold Cup run ‘lot of fun’ for old pal Harry Sinden Bruins far better in every way Future looks quite bright

Buffalo Sabres 572426

Sylvester, Gare will call majority of Sabres road games

Calgary Flames 572427

Flames take ownership of Roughnecks

Carolina Hurricanes 572428

Canes ponder options with their free agents

Chicago Blackhawks 572429

Bruins, Mavs 'hollow' victories

Colorado Avalanche 572430 572431 572432 572433

Avalanche promotes Deadmarsh to assistant coach Major junior star Huberdeau on Avalanche's draft radar Avalanche promote Adam Deadmarsh to assistant coach Avs add Deadmarsh as assistant coach

Detroit Red Wings 572434 572435 572436 572437 572438 572439

Extra points: Actor Rainn Wilson makes the old Detroit riot joke Red Wings considering signing Jaromir Jagr Imagine if Detroit had rioted like Vancouver did ... Red Wings unlikely to bring back Kris Draper, Chris Osgood Jaromir Jagr's agent contacts Wings, three other teams Red Wings have 12-1 odds to win 2012 Stanley Cup

Edmonton Oilers 572440

Draft holds multitude of possibilities

Minnesota Wild 572441 572442 572443 572444

Yeo a bold pick to take over Wild Wild send Noreau to Devils for McIntyre in swap of minor leaguers With the hiring of Mike Yeo, Wild must be hoping second time's the charm Bob Sansevere: Minnesota Wild GM Chuck Fletcher puts his neck on the line in hiring Mike Yeo

Wild Continued 572445 572446

Wild go young, again, with the selection of Mike Yeo as head coach Minnesota Wild acquire center in minor league trade

New Jersey Devils 572447 572448 572449 572450

Devils acquire defensemen Maxim Noreau in minor league trade with Wild Devils mulling arbitration for Zach Parise Devils trade for AHL all-star defenseman Vanderbeek in talks to take full ownership of Devils

New York Islanders 572451

Isles plan for draft

New York Rangers 572452 572453

Rangers can't buy out injured Drury Report: Jagr’s agent contacts Rangers

NHL 572455 572456 572457 572458 572459 572460 572461 572462 572463 572464 572465 572466 572467 572468 572469 572470 572471 572472 572473 572474 572475 572476

Canucks' window closes a bit What comes next for the Vancouver Canucks Cox: First decision for Canucks? What to do with Roberto Luongo Game over for big crowds, outdoor events in wake of Vancouver riots? Vancouverites sweep up, pour out hearts Bruins fan spit on, pushed by aggressive crowd during Canucks game Kelly: Vancouver’s mistake was trusting its own citizens Canucks — and Vancouver — won't forget this night easily Best TV rating since '74 Vancouver 'shocked and embarrassed' Vancouver rioting means it’s hockey fright in Canada From rioting fans to Ricketts, people missing the point NHL briefs, 06/17/11 150 injured in riots after Vancouver loss Bruins 4, Canucks 0 7 arrested in Boston following Bruins victory Canucks — and Vancouver — won't forget this night easily Old-school Bruins win Cup, warm hearts Drunken punks bring shame to Vancouver Michael Arace commentary: NHL treated its fans to memorable final act Boston deserved its victory Great series brings back memories of 2001 final

Ottawa Senators 572454

Senators looking to move up in draft

Philadelphia Flyers 572477 572478 572479

Bryzgalov hits it off with Flyers goalie coach Flyers take step toward signing Bryzgalov Flyers' talks with Bryzgalov begin in earnest

Pittsburgh Penguins 572480 572481

Minnesota picks Yeo as newest head coach Penguins: Kennedy's contract status still in limbo

St Louis Blues 572482

Davidson explains his decision to stay with Blues

Tampa Bay Lightning 572483 572484 572485 572486 572487

Lightning players swing for fences at Rays batting practice GM Yzerman confident Lightning will sign Stamkos Tampa Bay Lightning's Steven Stamkos stays the course on contract optimism Stamkos still optimistic on getting contract extension done Lightning players a hit during Rays batting practice

Toronto Maple Leafs 572488 572489 572490

Tyler Seguin to bring Stanley Cup to Toronto Why a soaring loonie could bring the Stanley Cup back to Canada Hockey world never ends

Vancouver Canucks 572491 572492 572493 572494 572495 572496 572497 572498

Canucks in good salary-cap situation, but blue line needs addressing Canucks GM’s most pressing issue? Ehrhoff and Bieksa Canuck Luongo's will to win in question now more than ever Adding top-six forward key to Canucks offseason Canucks free agents could take hometown discounts Lack of play for CoHo a concern Willes: Vancouver, you need to grow up Bruins cement Boston as best sports town. Period.

Washington Capitals 572499 572500 572501 572502 572503 572504 572505 572506 572507

Olie Kolzig returns to Capitals as associate goalie coach Capitals hire Olie Kolzig as associate goaltending coach, Dave Prior to resume role as Washington’s NHL goalie Olie Kolzig’s take on the Capitals’ goaltenders Olie Kolzig ‘ecstatic to finally come back’ to Washington Capitals hire Olie Kolzig as associate goaltending coach, Dave Prior to resume role as Washington’s NHL goalie Caps hire Olie Kolzig as associate goalie coach Kolzig ready for coaching challenge Extras from Olie Kolzig conference call Kolzig ready for coaching challenge

Websites 572515 572516 572517 572518 572519 572520 572521 572522 572523 572524 572525 572526

FOXSports.com / Bruins veterans too much for Canucks NBCSports.com / Canucks owner vented frustration at losing Stanley Cup to reporters following Game 7 NBCSports.com / Jaromir Jagr’s agent courting NHL teams; Another negotiating ploy with KHL? NBCSports.com / Bruins stayed mostly injury free during run to the Stanley Cup NBCSports.com / Patrice Bergeron: ‘Sorry Canada, but I’ve got to go with the Stanley Cup’ NBCSports.com / Report: Minnesota Wild expected to announce Mike Yeo as next head coach on Friday NBCSports.com / Bodog tabs the Vancouver Canucks as the favorites to win the 2012 Stanley Cup USA TODAY / Bruins' Mark Recchi has success during his final Final USA TODAY / 10 reasons why the Bruins beat the Canucks to win Cup USA TODAY / Can Bruins, Canucks keep their teams together? YAHOO SPORTS / Bruins end 39-year Cup drought YAHOO SPORTS / The scene from Vancouver’s Stanley Cup riots

Winnipeg 572508 572509 572510 572511 572512 572513 572514

Popgun Canucks need another scorer Add Haviland to coaching list Winnipeg probably won't offer buyouts Chevy to sit down with Haviland Arena’s name stays the same MacT eyed for 'Peg coach job 'Peg can dare to dream about winning Cup

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572404

Anaheim Ducks

A look back at a wild NHL postseason

By ERIC STEPHENS

For the first time since 1972, the Boston Bruins hoisted the Stanley Cup after defeating the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 with lovable, feisty goalie Tim Thomas finishing off his Conn Smythe Trophy-winning performance with a 37-save shutout. On the way to the final game of a wild postseason were stomps, saves, goals, bites, suspensions, dramatics, injuries, dives, accusations and ... safe to say there was a little bit of everything. If anything, these Stanley Cup playoffs seemed to further push the sport of hockey back into the national conversation after being out in the wilderness after the 2004-05 lockout. And that's a good thing. The Register takes a look at the moments that helped shape an eventful 2011 playoff season. Orange County Register: LOADED: 06.17.2011

572405

Atlanta Thrashers

How NHL's Game 7 fared on Atlanta TV

By Tim Tucker

Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals posted a 2.1 rating in the Atlanta TV market — below the national average, but probably not below expectations for a city that is losing its NHL franchise. That rating means 2.1 percent of the Atlanta market’s TV households, or about 50,000 households, tuned in on average for NBC’s coverage of the final game of the Boston Bruins-Vancouver Canucks series Wednesday night. The Atlanta audience peaked at about 80,000 households late in the game, which Boston won 4-0. Nationally, the game posted a 5.7 preliminary Nielsen rating in the major markets, including a whopping 43.4 in Boston. Atlanta Journal Constitution LOADED: 06.17.2011

572406

Atlanta Thrashers

Stewart will miss milestone as Thrashers move to Winnipeg

By Chris Vivlamore

Bobby Stewart could see the end. One final season — and a milestone of 3,000 NHL regular-season games — and the long-time equipment manager would start a Florida retirement. The only bags to carry would be his and those of his wife, Sherri. Those plans have come to an abrupt end. On Tuesday at the NHL’s Board of Governors meeting in New York, the league officially will approve the sale and relocation of the Thrashers. While a second Atlanta NHL franchise moves to Canada, Stewart’s career will end after 37 seasons — the past 11 with the Thrashers and the 26 previous with the Flames in Atlanta and Calgary. Stewart followed the Flames to Calgary in 1980 but he, and other support staff, was not asked to remain with the Thrashers franchise in Winnipeg. “I would have liked to have known at the time [that I had worked my last game],” Stewart said this week. “[Three-thousand games] doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things, but it would have been nice. It was something I would have liked to have done.” Save for the first Atlanta Flames season, Stewart has been at every NHL game in Atlanta history. He worked 902 regular-season games with the Thrashers and 558 with the Flames. Stewart, 61, spent 19 seasons in Calgary bringing his total to 2,962 games. He missed just two games in his career, those for the birth of his son. Thirty-eight games from reaching the milestone, Stewart was to retire following the season and turn over the head position to Joe Guilmet. The two have been with the Thrashers organization since the inception, and Stewart calls Guilmet “the best thing to have happened to my career.” Both management and players praised the tandem for their dedication and ability to play off each other’s strengths. “He has so many years of experience,” said forward Jim Slater, who spent the past six seasons with the Thrashers. “He came to the rink every day and did his job — all the late-night and early-morning hours. That takes a unique person to wake up every day with a smile on his face and take care of 23 guys the way he did.” Add 160 playoff games, and Stewart worked 3,122 contests. His tenure included a Stanley Cup championship in 1989 with the Flames. That’s a lot of hockey. There is no secret to his longevity in such an unheralded, behind-the scenes position. “It’s a no-reward job,” Thrashers president Don Waddell said. “When we get home from the road at 1 a.m., he and Joey drive to the arena, put the equipment away and do laundry. A lot of times they slept there.” Stewart has special memories. He will always remember winning the Stanley Cup and wishes that feeling for everyone in hockey. He watched as three sons born to Calgary players in the mid-1980s grew into NHL players. He remembers being in Chicago Stadium with the crowd on its feet for the national anthem. “I wasn’t even American and the hair was standing up on the back of my neck,” the Montreal native said. In the end, it’s the people that Stewart will miss. Too many good people have touched his life to have a favorite. “I’ve worked with so many great people over the years. That really is the best part of the job. ... There are so many good guys that you are going to miss, but you are glad they were in your life even for a little while.” Stewart returned to Atlanta in 1999. After meeting his wife here while with the Flames, he couldn’t pass on an opportunity for her to be closer to home. Plus, it afforded him the career challenge of starting a team from scratch. While he has seen a lot of hockey, from a prime location behind the bench, it wasn’t always easy to appreciate the game. There was a job to do. “You are watching for broken sticks or a guy losing an [skate] edge,” Stewart said. “You are sort of oblivious to a certain amount. You notice the big plays. … For a short guy like me, I’m looking through armpits. You are

right there and you do appreciate the speed of the game. I don’t get a chance to analyze it much.” When the final moving van is loaded and headed north, Stewart hopes to have a small memento of his time in Atlanta. Maybe he will keep an item or two, just something to take into the next phase of his life. “I have to get something,” Stewart said. “That’s one of my regrets. I haven’t been a big collector over the years. I have a few things but I don’t have a lot. Maybe I will regret that. The things I do have are the things that mean a lot to me.” The memories will do. There isn’t a display case big enough. Atlanta Journal Constitution LOADED: 06.17.2011

572407

Boston Bruins

Champion Bruins ready to roll

By Peter Schworm and Meghan Irons

Through all the victory parades Boston has seen, the Bruins faithful wondered if they would ever again see the coveted Stanley Cup carried in triumph through the streets of Boston. Tomorrow morning, they will. City officials announced yesterday that the parade would kick off at TD Garden at 11 a.m. The rolling rally will wind around Boston Common and the Public Garden, into the Back Bay, and finish in Copley Square. Mayor Thomas M. Menino said the decision to hold the parade tomorrow was made to accommodate players who had commitments today. “This is the players’ rally, not my rally,’’ he said. “We wanted to do what the players wanted. They’re the ones who brought the championship to Boston.’’ Boston teams have won seven championships since 2002, giving the city a wealth of experience in planning parades on short notice. At a planning meeting in City Hall yesterday, officials stressed the logistical similarities of tomorrow’s parade and the Celtics rally in 2008, the last time a local team won a title. But for Bruins fans who have dreamed about a Stanley Cup for decades, this parade is special. “This is the one we’ve been waiting for,’’ said Todd Cummings, a 26-yearold from Waltham riding the Red Line yesterday in a Bruins T-shirt. “People are going to come from all over to see the Cup back in Boston.’’ Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to line the route. Roads along the parade route will be closed from 9 a.m. until the conclusion of the parade about 1 p.m., and parking restrictions along the route will be strictly enforced. On Tremont Street near Government Center yesterday, “no standing’’ signs had already been posted. State Police issued an advisory of construction delays in Interstate 93 north of Boston and asked drivers to seek alternate routes. City officials, meanwhile, said parking near the parade would be nearly impossible and urged fans to take public transportation. To accommodate crowds, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority officials said the T will operate at near rush-hour levels through the day. Round-trip commuter rail tickets will be sold at a flat $10 rate and will also be sold on trains. Service to the South Shore on the Old Colony and Greenbush lines, suspended last month on weekends for construction, will resume for the day on a Saturday schedule. Officials advised riders to avoid North Station if possible and to add value to their tickets ahead of time. To ease the anticipated traffic woes, the Red Sox moved their game tomorrow against the Milwaukee Brewers from 1:10 p.m. to 7:10 p.m. The Bruins will visit Fenway Sunday. Police will be out in force tomorrow, officials said. “Boston police will have a significant presence along the parade route as part of a comprehensive strategy to ensure everyone’s safety,’’ Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis said in a statement. “I encourage fans to continue making the city proud and honoring the Bruins by celebrating responsibly.’’ City officials could not provide an estimate of the cost of hosting the event. The city plans to set up Jumbotrons on Boston Common and in Copley Square, so fans can follow the parade as it winds through the city. The rally will feature 18 Duck Boats, about a dozen of which will carry players. The Cup, of course, will be on full display, brought back to Boston for the first time since the Bobby Orr-led 1972 squad won the National Hockey League title.

The rally will not stop along the way, and players will not address crowds at City Hall Plaza as in previous championship celebrations. A Bruins spokesman said it was unclear whether players would address fans. Yesterday morning, after landing at Logan International Airport just before 9 a.m., the Bruins took buses to the Garden, where several hundred fans gave them a hero’s welcome. Stephen Smith of Medford raised his arms and whooped as the black-andgold charter buses arrived at Causeway Street. “Woo-hoo!’’ he roared. “This is so exciting. I feel like a kid.’’ Proudly wearing their Bruins jerseys, T-shirts, and hats, fans said they had waited years for this moment. “This is my dream,’’ said Janice Grassa, a 54-year-old from the North End who sported a soiled Bruins jersey with the faded signature of Bruin great Cam Neely. “See how dirty this is?’’ she said, lifting the front of the jersey. “I’m not going to wash it until after the parade.’’ As the players got off the buses, fans chanted “Show us the Cup!’’ Bruins captain Zdeno Chara was happy to comply, hoisting the trophy high above his head. “It’s awesome,’’ he said. “It’s an amazing feeling. We are so happy and thrilled. It’s unbelievable.’’ For fans who grew up mimicking the moves of their favorite players, the championship meant everything. Lenny Dutra, 29, of Fall River ditched his plumbing job yesterday to welcome home the team. His boss understood. “He knows how much I love the Bruins,’’ Dutra said. “He told me to enjoy and have a good time.’’ Boston Globe LOADED: 06.17.2011

572408

Boston Bruins

Not everyone will be back to defend

By Kevin Paul Dupont

Surprised? Sure, a little, said Peter Chiarelli, standing on the ice at Rogers Arena in Vancouver Wednesday night, immediately after the Bruins’ first Stanley Cup win since 1972. Ending the season as a champion — especially in such a grueling way, with 25 games over eight weeks — always brings with it a bubbling cauldron of mixed emotions, including surprise, dismay, grandeur, even perhaps a sense of dismay. “But at the same time,’’ said Chiarelli, hired as general manager in June 2006 to turn around a moribund franchise, “we’re a cap team. We are built to win.’’ In other words, money spent, especially on player payroll, is supposed to translate to titles earned. In Chiarelli’s five-season tour as clerk of the Black-and-Gold works, the Bruins have always paid out nearly the maximum payroll (just under $60 million this year). But until this season, they had yet to reach Round 3 of the tournament, and actually failed to qualify for postseason play in Chiarelli’s rookie season, 2006-07, after which he dismissed coach Dave Lewis only 82 games into his four-year contract. For 2011-12, the Cup-defending season (sounds odd right now, yes?), Chiarelli again is likely to test the upper limits of the league’s new cap (approximately $63 million). Even then, perhaps three or more of the players who will have their names freshly engraved on the Cup this summer won’t return to Causeway Street. As sure as emotions are mixed at times like Wednesday night, it’s equally certain, especially in a salary-capped sport, that the roster will be reconfigured, at least slightly, for the next season. Free agency begins July 1, which means one of Chiarelli’s first bits of business will be to figure out what to do with unrestricted free agents Michael Ryder and Tomas Kaberle. Both could be back, but if so, it likely would be at steep salary discounts for the pair, both of whom are enigmatic and pricey.

Marchand, 23, became the new-age Little Ball of Hate (cf. Pat Verbeek), adding some deft stickhandling and timely scoring to his kit of grit and guile. Not a lot of players in today’s NHL are fun to watch, but the tenacious, gimme-back-my-milk-money-now-you-bozo Marchand is one of them. So what is LBOH worth as a restricted free agent? That could chew up abundant print and data space this summer, because he easily can make the case that he’s worth the same upgrade received by the Boston draftedand-developed David Krejci and Milan Lucic. That’s right, every right to ask for something in the $3.25 million-$3.75 million-a-year neighborhood. Hate can be good. And lucrative. Overall, the top line (Lucic-Krejci-Nathan Horton) remains intact and under contract. Marchand and Patrice Bergeron will need a new running mate on right wing to replace Mark Recchi (perhaps Rich Peverley). Chris Kelly will be slated for third-line duty with Tyler Seguin and perhaps Ryder (more likely Caron). The fourth line (Daniel Paille-Gregory Campbell-Shawn Thornton) is signed, sealed, and delivered. Team captain Zdeno Chara and shutdown partner Dennis Seidenberg are both under long-term deals. No issue. Second pairing Andrew Ference and Johnny Boychuck each have deals in place. Kaberle is likely gone, which could mean a new deal for journeyman Shane Hnidy and/or prime time for either Kampfer or Bartkowski to pair with McQuaid. Goaltending is yet another non-issue. Conn Smythe winner Tim Thomas has two more years to go on his deal, and Tuukka “The Future’’ Rask is set for one more year. Now, back to the max cap business. It’s not a fait accompli, but certainly a growing belief around the Boston front office that the oft-concussed Marc Savard (cap hit: $4 million for six more years), will retire rather than risk even more serious brain injury. If Savard, Ryder, and Kaberle all were to go, that would leave Chiarelli with some $12 million toward 2011-12 payroll. Marchand will get a chunk of it. And because the collective bargaining agreement is set to expire in September 2012, Seguin’s cap hit (even if he never achieves bonuses to approach it) zooms to $3.55 million, per CBA accounting, a near fourfold increase over his entry-level wage. For discussion’s sake, let’s presume Chiarelli nets out $5 million of that $12 million as shopping money. With a $3 million bump expected in the max cap, the GM could be left with upward of $8 million available for July 1 free agent shopping.

Ryder, his three-year, $12 million pact now expired, became so ineffective late in the season that he finally was a scratch (coach’s decision) three times. When he is engaged and his shot is working, he is a feared scorer, and he was that again for much of the playoffs (8-9—17).

But that’s theoretical, too, because half of that $8 million would be available only if Savard decided prior to July 1 that he’s officially joining the ranks of the fishin’-and-golfin’ Royal & Ancient Society. Far more likely that he would take at least until Sept. 1 to make a decision. And it could be made harder knowing that he would be rejoining the NHL’s defending champions.

But for his three years, he was that player only about half the time, and it’s a good bet that Chiarelli will make that case in contract negotiations with the 31-year-old right winger. If he wants to work for something around $2 million a year for a season or two, then maybe he’ll have a deal. If not, enter rookie Jordan Caron.

For at least a day or two, all the money matters can wait. The Cup is back in the Hub, the Duck Boats are ready to waddle, and a city that clung for too long to the memory of Espo, Bobby, and the Cheese is ready to party like it’s 1972.

Kaberle, who ultimately cost the Bruins top prospect Joe Colborne and two high draft picks (a first- and second-rounder) to acquire from Toronto, didn’t deliver as advertised, which was as an impact puck-moving defenseman. At times, he was adequate, and at others the focal point of back-line buffoonery. Too soft. Too reluctant to shoot. Worst of all, his impact on the power play was negative. He was acquired first and foremost to make the PP click. For whatever reason (see: reluctance to shoot), his presence only made it worse. Instead of click, they got crickets. By the end of the postseason, the world-class Czech blue liner was demoted to a third pairing with rookie Adam McQuaid. File under: “treasure, lost,’’ or at least “hidden.’’ Like Ryder, if Kaberle will take, say, a 50 percent rollback to around $2 million, he could be reupped for a year or two. If not, enter rookie Steven Kampfer or Matt Bartkowski. Chiarelli’s toughest nut could be Brad Marchand, who, fittingly, developed as the club’s toughest nut in the postseason. Marchand found his way onto a few Conn Smythe (MVP) ballots (hand up here), repeatedly making himself a focal point of just about everything but the repair and general maintenance of the Zamboni during the Final.

Boston Globe LOADED: 06.17.2011

572409

Boston Bruins

Plane touching down touched off excitement

Sox, and Patriots all had enjoyed multiple celebratory processions since Bobby Orr and his spoked-B frat brothers rode to City Hall Plaza in a bus in 1972. These days, newly crowned titlists are chauffeured in duck boats, but the manner of conveyance won’t matter. “As long as there’s a parade,’’ concluded Thornton, “I’m happy.’’

By John Powers

There was no doubting Thomas — not than anyone ever will again. Everybody had seen the Bruins goalie and his bearded brethren sporting their Stanley Cup champion hats and powerlifting the silver mug on TV. But approximately 500 fans who lined the TD Garden parking lot entrance yesterday morning as the bleary Bruins stepped off their buses from Logan Airport wanted proof positive. “Show us the Cup,’’ they chanted. “Show us the Cup.’’ So the team’s towering captain, who’d been the first of them to get his oversized paw prints on the trophy Wednesday night in Vancouver, happily obliged. “It’s ours,’’ Zdeno Chara declared after he and his teammates returned to Boston, having claimed hockey’s most cherished prize for the first time since 1972. “It’s a great feeling. It’s an unbelievable feeling. “We worked so hard for so long and we are so happy to bring the Cup back to Boston after so many years. It’s a very special day.’’ No Bruins club had played so many postseason games (25) or traveled so many miles (18,802) to win it. The 1970 group lugged the Cup directly off their own ice and into the locker room. The 1972 team carried it on a quickie flight from New York. This bunch took it on a red-eye flight that was decidedly short on shut-eye. “We are all so overwhelmed by winning,’’ Chara said, “that nobody really got any sleep.’’ Twice before during the Final, the Bruins had chartered back from British Columbia with buzzards circling their plane. They were down, two games to none, the first time they returned, and were facing an elimination date the second time. This time, the trip was a 2,500-mile victory lap at 32,000 feet. “This five-hour flight with the Stanley Cup with us, we could truly just relax and enjoy the accomplishment,’’ said Tim Thomas, who also collected the Conn Smythe Trophy as the postseason’s Most Valuable Player. Boston had won the Cup five times before, but never in seven games. Nor had there ever been a June homecoming, and the players who weren’t wearing sunglasses were blinking in the sunlight as the fans saluted them. “Greatest day of my life, without a doubt,’’ proclaimed Shawn Thornton, who had won the Cup with Anaheim four years ago. “It’s unbelievable. It’s a dream come true.’’ Some members of the crowd were brandishing Cups made of tinfoil and cardboard that they’d fashioned from memory. They were nearly blinded by the real thing, which is considerably bigger, heavier, and brighter than any facsimile. Unlike the World Series trophy, the Stanley Cup is a perfect drinking vessel, which is why Kevin Youkilis already has asked to have it brought by Fenway Park so the Red Sox can imbibe. “I’ll do my best to make sure those guys get a sip out of it,’’ promised Thornton. Everyone from the Gallery Gods to great-grandchildren will be craving a swig of the 2011 vintage, the first harvested from an unpromising British Columbia vineyard but planted in the West End. The Bruins, who won their final six home games, were nourished by the energy of 17,565 nightly witnesses, and they were duly appreciative of the rousing throng both at the airport and the Garden. “It’s great to see the fans here,’’ said Patrice Bergeron, whose two goals in the finale had made them delirious. There will be several hundred thousand of them lining the streets tomorrow when the Bruins are feted with the customary parade. The Celtics, Red

Boston Globe LOADED: 06.17.2011

572410

Boston Bruins

How great is this?

By Dan Shaughnessy

The Bruins winning the Stanley Cup in Vancouver is the third-greatest Boston sports moment of this trophy-heavy century. Here are my top three: Gold medal: 2004 Red Sox beat the Yankees in the American League Championship Series and win the World Series. Silver medal: 2001-02 Patriots beat the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI. Bronze medal: 2010-11 Bruins win Stanley Cup. The rest of the country is no doubt jealous of our pro sports High Renaissance. In the short span of seven seasons, we have witnessed the grand slam of North American trophy presentations. Bob Kraft was handed his third Vince Lombardi bauble in Jacksonville in February of 2005. John Henry picked up his second World Series trophy (the one with all the little flags) in Denver in 2007, and Wyc Grousbeck snatched the Larry O’Brien Trophy on the Garden parquet in June of 2008. Now the Stanley Cup is back in Boston for the first time since 1972. The Cup is definitely the coolest piece of championship hardware. The other three are a little contrived, though we do like the wastebasket-and-ball look of the NBA trophy. But that’s not the issue. This is a Boston sports barroom argument. Let’s take the four sports individually. Baseball is always No. 1 in Boston, and the greatest season in Red Sox history is 2004. There can be no argument about this one. Nothing can top it. The Sox threw off 86 years of hard luck and heartache and pulled off the greatest comeback in baseball history — recovering from a 3-0 deficit against the Yankees. This will never be superseded. It is biblical. The second-greatest Red Sox season since Babe Ruth is 1967, the Impossible Dream year. We can never overstate the importance of ’67. It brought Boston baseball out of a two-decade coma. The Sox have never looked back. The 2007 Red Sox were probably the best Boston baseball team of this century, but they can’t compete with the ’04 gang. Not even close. For sure, there are other great Red Sox seasons, such as 1912, 1918, and 1946. It’s hard to put them in place after all these years, but none compare with ’04 or ’67. Bill Russell and the Celtics spoiled us with 11 championships in 13 seasons between 1957-69. The Celtics returned to glory for a pair of championships in the ’70s, then became Boston’s most popular team when Larry Bird and friends won three banners in the 1980s. Their 22-year drought ended when Danny Ainge brought Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett on board for 2007-08. The Patriots’ championships have all been won in this century, all owed to the trio of Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and Bob Kraft. The Patriots had some good times back in the late 1900s, but no Super Bowl wins. The first one in New Orleans in February of 2002 will always be the best one. The Bruins had great years in post-Depression days, but they are forever defined by Bobby Orr and friends in the early 1970s. We have a statue to prove it. Orr’s Cup-winning goal in 1970 is accepted as the greatest moment in Stanley Cup history. It forever will be the No. 1 moment in Bruins history. But Wednesday night in Vancouver comes close. OK, Tim Thomas is never going to be Orr, Brady, or Russell, but he was a man for his time this year. These Bruins won the Stanley Cup for the first time in 39 years. Hardly dominant during the regular season, they had to win three Game 7s to get the Cup. They had to win Game 7 of the Final on the road against a team that was heavily favored before the series started. And they demolished the Canucks, outscoring them, 23-8 over seven games and 4-0 in the finale.

As great as this was, I can’t put it up there with the Orr years. Those Bruins were the top draw in our town every day for five seasons. They were bigger than the Red Sox or Celtics. Hockey was king. The 2011 Bruins brought the Cup back and they brought hockey back. It’s not fair to compare them with the swashbuckling Orr teams that built rinks and spawned two generations of local hockey stars. So this unscientific ranking includes only championships won in the new millennium. And I say the 2011 Bruins crack the top three. You might find some hockey krishnas who think this is bigger than Adam Vinatieri’s kick in the Superdome, but I’m not buying. That was the Super Bowl, and the Patriots were prohibitive underdogs, and we knew nothing of the greatness of Brady and Belichick until they did the impossible in New Orleans. As big as the Bruins seem right now, that was bigger. But I’m putting the Bruins ahead of the Celtics in ’08, ahead of the Sox in ’07, and ahead of the Patriots Super Bowls in Houston and Jacksonville. This championship came out of the blue. It was magical. It brought hockey back to its rightful place. A humble coach and a roster of players who put team above self captivated our region. We watched guys skate and win in the middle of June and we loved it. Party on, hockey people. Boston Globe LOADED: 06.17.2011

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Vancouver riots shake up Bruins fans

By John Zaremba

Overjoyed by the rousing Bruins party inside Rogers Arena in Vancouver Wednesday night, West Roxbury’s Jay Russo and his sister weren’t worried at first when they heard there was rioting outside. They stayed for an hour to celebrate. Then on their way out, arena security told them to take off their Bruins gear and hurry back to their hotel. As they stepped outside, they saw chaos through tear gas. “You turn down a corner and basically see the riot police, then a couple cars on fire, then the tear gas as well,” Russo told the Herald. “That’s when you start getting nervous.” Russo and his sister, Jeanne Russo-Haggerty of Canton, witnessed some of the mayhem that Vancouver police said was triple the size of the riots that crippled the city in 1994. About 200 people were treated at local hospitals, according to medical officials. Nine police officers were hurt, some with human bites. One hundred rioters were arrested on the spot. Fifteen cars were burned, including two police cruisers, according to Vancouver police. Shops were trashed and looted. Jason Beck, 29, curator of downtown Vancouver’s British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame, was walking at the fringe of the fray when the riot broke loose. “I could sense the dark, mean-spirited mood of the crowd,’’ Beck said. “I heard the explosions, and I was out of there.” Vancouver police said it appears Bostonians neither caused any of the trouble nor suffered its consequences. Vancouver Police Constable Lindsey Houghton said yesterday there was “absolutely no truth” to an Internet-fueled rumor that a B’s fan was beaten in the madness. The rumor was sparked by a widely circulated photograph of a man in a Bruins jersey lying on a sidewalk with a crowd around him. Houghton said the man was injured in a fall after an ill-advised jump from a viaduct near the arena. He was listed in serious condition and is not an American, a spokeswoman for the hospitals said. Houghton said he had no reports of anyone from Boston being harmed or arrested in the disorder. Russo and his sister walked four miles to catch a cab to their hotel. The barkeep there spotted Russo’s Bruins cap and told him to let him know if anyone gave him trouble. No one did. “Happy to be home,” he said yesterday afternoon, just after landing at Logan International Airport. “It was a bit of a whirlwind.” Boston Herald LOADED: 06.17.2011

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Boston Bruins

Score big with these winning party tunes

By Jed Gottlieb

We did it, by God, we did it. The only thing left to do is load up the iPod with a Bruins play--list to blast during the rolling rally. Here are a few recommendations for your Saturday soundtrack: “To Bleed Black and Gold” The Zambonis The world’s only all-hockey band (surprised there’s just one?), the Connecticut-based Zambonis know who rules, and this Bruins anthem proves it. “Nut Rocker” Dropkick Murphys We know many are partial to the B. Bumble and the Stingers’ ’62 original, but after seeing photos of Ken Casey get--- ting his hands on the Cup yesterday, we’re going with the Dropkicks’ take on the Bruins theme. “Street Fighting Man” THE ROLLING STONES This one goes out to you, Brad Marchand. How you found time to pound Daniel Sedin while scoring so many goals, we’ll never know. “Another Brick in the Wall Part II” PINK FLOYD It would be better for Tim Thomas if this song were called “Every Brick in the Wall.” The dude was a slick stack of bricks in front of that net with — and we’ll have to check this stat — a million saves in the finals. “We Are the Champions” QUEEN God this song is annoying . . . when you lose! But we didn’t, so we get to blast this tune ’til October. Boston Herald LOADED: 06.17.2011

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Love of Bruins goes skin-deep

By Joshua Walovitch

The names of the 2011 Stanley Cup champs will forever be etched on sport’s greatest trophy — and love for the Bruins will forever be tattooed on the bodies of some of the team’s most fervent fans. “We’ve been getting calls all morning long,” Larry Allen, manager of The Painted Bird Tattoo shop in Medford, said yesterday. “In fact, we’ve got two guys in the lobby right now waiting to get the Bruins logo.” Since the start of the Stanley Cup finals, two to three customers a day have visited Allen’s shop to get a Bruins badge, he said. The basic spoked B logo has been a customer favorite, but at Ferry Street Ink in Everett, 22-year-old Jordan Rogers of Bridgewater yesterday sought a more creative tattoo for his torso: a picture of Smokey the Bear with the Stanley Cup. “I made a bet with my buddy in 2007 when I was a sophomore in college that if the Bruins win before I graduate, I’d get this tattoo,” said Rogers, a student at the University of Massachusetts at Boston. Buddy Ricci of Malden already had Bruins tattoos when he walked in to Ferry Street Ink, but he wanted to improve one with the addition of a short line of text: “Stanley Cup Champions 2011.” Ricci has four tattoos in honor of his beloved B’s. But he has designs on a new one: a flying Bobby Orr. “Tattoos show my love for the Bruins, and I wear them to show my pride,” said Ricci, who also has nine other tattoos from the waist up. Medford resident William Ivey also was in line yesterday for some B’s ink: a picture of the Stanley Cup and the spoked B logo tattooed on his chest. “When anyone wants to put something on their body for the rest of their life, it’s always meaningful,” said Ferry Street Ink owner Shawn Coyle. “And when they specifically come in to get the Stanley Cup, it means hockey is in their blood, it’s not like they’re picking a design off the wall. It’s a good feeling to see that. Today was a great day.” Boston Herald LOADED: 06.17.2011

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Boston Bruins

Let’s chat!

By Herald Staff

Boot-up, Bruins boosters! We’ve got you wired into tomorrow’s rolling rally. Bostonherald.com will launch a live chat before the 11 a.m. parade and keep the content flowing until the last fan filters out of Copley Plaza. Take your cell phone, iPhone, Droid or BlackBerry to the parade and jump on the chat via Twitter using the hash tag #bruins. If you’re near a computer (or have an iPad), log on and share your observations. Herald sports writers and sports editor Hank Hryniewicz will be taking part along with staff reporters stationed all along the route. We’ll be posting video from the parade in the chat. (We’ve also invited a few special guests. You just never know who will jump on and start chatting.) Take instant polls. Catch all the links you may have missed. Join us via Facebook. It’s your chance to be part of Hub hockey history. We’ve got this day iced online! Boston Herald LOADED: 06.17.2011

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‘This is what I’ve lived for’

By Ira Kantor

“Whenever my girlfriend looked over at me (during the game on TV), she said I looked like a statue. I didn’t blink or move. The only time I acknowledged her presence was during commercials. I was containing myself. I couldn’t believe we actually won it. It’s still unbelievable we actually won. It was bringing tears to my eyes.” — David Hurley, 29, Dorchester “Every goal was like a pig pile — beers flying everywhere. It was surreal. It didn’t ever sink in. It still hasn’t really. It’s kind of crazy .?.?. It means a ton to me, but I’m very happy for the generation older than me that waited 39 years. It definitely means a lot to them too.” --— Mike Susi, 23, Milton “It hasn’t happened in our generation. Hockey left Boston for my generation except for the die-hard fans, but in the last five to six years hockey has come back to Boston. I’m just happy I was part of it — bottom line.” --— Meghan Fallon, 28, South Boston “(Wednesday) night was great. They dominated. You could see them settle in and have fun. When the economy is hard and people are out of work, you see people rally around things like this. Boston always loves a winner.” -— Patrick Moran, 45, of Dorchester “We’ve completed the cycle now. All four teams have championships. We’ve come full circle. It’s amazing.” — Tom Collins, 44, Quincy “My uncle Roy worked in the locker room when the Bruins won in ’70. I just .?.?. there aren’t any words. There aren’t any words. This is what I dreamed of. This is what I lived for. This is why I watched every game. I’m so proud right now. So proud.” — Jonathan Browher, 24, of New Hampshire “It’s long overdue. We don’t have any passengers on this team. Everyone’s up front.” — Colleen Donovan, 21, of Lynn “It’s been a great season. They absolutely do not give up under any circumstances. They came back and kept fighting and never stopped.” — David Heard, 49, of New Hampshire Boston Herald LOADED: 06.17.2011

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Boston Bruins

Boston cops keep lid on chaos

By John Zaremba and O’Ryan Johnson

Boston police’s time-tested crowd-control strategies helped keep a lid on the thousands of revelers who filled Hub streets after the Bruins captured the Stanley Cup on Wednesday night, with officers making a few arrests but managing to prevent the chaos that rocked Vancouver. “In a sentence, it’s the little things that matter: controlling alcohol sales, having conversations with the community, making sure people understand what is expected of them,” Boston police Commissioner Edward Davis said. Boston cops reported an OUI bust, a few minor fracases and some juniorhigh-caliber car vandalism, but made it through the night and early-morning festivities without major incident. Not so in Vancouver, where police were also out in force but, according to witnesses, so were opportunistic anarchists hell-bent on causing chaos. About 100 hooligans were arrested, and twice as many people were treated at the city’s St. Paul and Vancouver General hospitals, according to Vancouver police and medical officials. Police had set up barricades for a street party, but Abby Simpson of Vancouver reported they did little to improve safety. The barricades “just added to the caged-monkey feeling and ultimate reaction,” she said. “It never felt like a street party, just an overcrowded rock festival on tarmac.” Boston police took pages from past celebrations to control the masses. Bars blacked out their windows to keep crowds from watching outside, and they refused entry toward the end of the game. Both practices started with the Patriots’ 2007 Super Bowl run. Police swept Faneuil Hall and corralled crowds on the Rose Kennedy Greenway — a lesson learned from the Celtics celebration in 2008, when fans wrecked businesses on Friend and Canal streets. “(It’s) not just having officers on the outside waiting for something to happen,” Davis said, “but having officers in the crowd, being proactive.” Boston Herald LOADED: 06.17.2011

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Bruins victory lap kicks off tomorrow

By Dave Wedge

Thirty-nine years after Bobby Orr and company kissed Lord Stanley’s hallowed Cup, the iconic hockey trophy will be paraded through the streets of Boston tomorrow before thousands of rabid fans. The “rolling rally” — the seventh championship parade for Boston sports teams since 2001 — of 18 duck boats begins at 11 a.m. at TD Garden and will end at Copley Square. “It is truly a great time to be a Boston sports fan!” Mayor Thomas M. Menino said. “Finally, after 39 years, the Stanley Cup is coming home to Boston where it belongs. . . . This team embodies what our proud city stands for.” The parade route will be cleared of all vehicles beginning at 9 a.m. and will be closed through 1 p.m.; parking will be prohibited on dozens of adjacent streets, and most downtown roadways will be closed. The cost of the parade will be shared between the city and the Bruins, as well as private donors, who were still being solicited last night. The city’s cost for the 2008 Celtics parade was $380,000, officials said. There will also be massive TV screens set up on Boston Common and Copley Square. The MBTA said subway lines will operate at near rush-hour levels rather than usual Saturday schedules. The T is also offering a special $10 roundtrip commuter rail ticket. State police are urging motorists coming from the north to avoid Interstate 93 because of the parade and bridge repairs at Route 16 in Medford. Boston police Commissioner Edward Davis said Hub cops will be augmented by state police and regional units to deal with the anticipated crowd of 100,000 or more. Previous championship parades for the Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics have drawn up to 1 million fans. Boston Herald LOADED: 06.17.2011

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Boston Bruins

Viewin’ Bruins

By Tenley Woodman

After 39 years, the Stanley Cup is back home. Planning on celebrating with the Boston Bruins at the victory parade tomorrow? Here are our tips on how to soak it all in: THE HARP: Toast the champs with a pint or just take in the amazing view across from the TD Garden as the B’s load into the duck boats. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. 85 Causeway St. 617-742-1010, harpboston.com. THE KINSALE: Snag a seat on the patio at this Irish pub located along the Cambridge Street leg of the parade. Doors open a 9 a.m., and the brunch menu will be served until noon. No reservations — it’s first-come, firstserved. 2 Center Plaza, Cambridge St. 617-742-5577, classicirish.com. TEAM SPIRIT: Get your last-minute Bruins gear, including towels ($5), stick flags ($6.99), or official Stanley Cup Champions T-shirts ($15.99-$23.99) at one of these Modell’s Sporting Goods kiosks along the parade route: near the Government Center T stop, Boston Common at the Corner of Boylston and Charles streets, and next to the Jumbotron at the Parkman Bandstand. COFFEE WITH A VIEW: The parade turn at the corner of Tremont and Boylston streets is sandwiched between Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks, making it a great place to catch the B’s and a latte or iced coffee. PARISH CAFE: The last leg rolls past this Boylston Street eatery. Pop in for a Bruins Margarita ($9-$10) or a pineapple vodka-infused treat yet to be named. Outdoor seating is available, but get there for opening (11:30 a.m.) to ensure a seat. 361 Boylston St. 617-247-4777, parishcafe.com. BLACK AND GOLD: Cap off the Copley Square finale with a pint of Black and Gold (Guinness and Harp, $6), a Bruins twist on Black and Tan, at Solas in the Lenox Hotel. 710 Boylston St. 617-933-4803, solasboston.com. ICING ON THE CUPCAKE: Somerville’s Kickass Cupcakes isn’t on the parade route, but be sure to swing by the Davis Square confectioner for a FREE mini lucky Bruins bear claw cupcake. 387 Highland Ave. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. 617-628-2877. Boston Herald LOADED: 06.17.2011

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Boston Bruins

Bruins fans snap up championship gear

By Thomas Grillo and Greg Turner

Scores of frenzied Bruins fans packed stores yesterday in search of B’s gear, but the most popular items — Stanley Cup hats, jerseys, car magnets and pennants — were gone within hours of the championship win. “My son wanted me to get him a hat and a T-shirt, but there wasn’t one hat left by the time I got here at noon,” said Lisa Carr of Medford at Modell’s Sporting Goods yesterday. “At least I was able to get T-shirts so the kids won’t be disappointed.” Kyle Charon, a New York City Modell’s manager who drove to the Medford store Wednesday night with eight others to assist 20 local associates on the sales floor, said he walked into organized chaos. “It was a spectacle,” said Charon, adding that their Medford and Newton stores opened immediately after the game. “The line was around the corner all the way down the mall, and the store was filled with people, and we went through 500 hats in less than an hour.” The championship hat made by Reebok and worn by the Bruins on the ice after the win features the Stanley Cup embroidered on white cotton twill along with the Bruins team logo. The madness was the same at Dick’s Sporting Goods stores across New England, which opened at 5 a.m. to accommodate fans who couldn’t wait to get their hands on Bruins jerseys, hockey sticks, locker room towels, Tshirts and decals. John Russo, 61, a disabled Vietnam veteran from East Boston, said he got a call from his 27-year-old son in California, who asked him to buy a Brad Marchand jersey. “I told him it would be easier for me to get him a Cad-illac Escalade,” he said. “But I lucked out. They had one XXL left and I grabbed it.” Imprint Graphics in Framingham scored an order from Reebok to churn out 3,500 championship T-shirts in children’s sizes overnight. “The first pickup was at 1 a.m. It was really bizarre. They got about 100 shirts and they had to get them out to the airport for the team’s arrival,” said co-owner Steve Bremner. Boston Herald LOADED: 06.17.2011

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Boston Bruins

It wasn’t always this way for Boston fans

By Jessica Heslam and Ira Kantor

Boston’s young generation of sports fans — already relishing seven championship wins in their short lives — have been spared the heartache and misery the Hub teams gave their parents growing up. Brookline attorney Bob Moran, 52, recalled the constant disappointment he felt watching the city’s sports teams miss a shot, drop a pass or strike out — especially the Red Sox in 1967, 1975 and 1986. Young sports fans nowadays, Moran said, are “spoiled rotten.” “There’s an optimistic tone in fans where before it was expected there would be disaster, like the ball going through (Bill) Buckner’s legs again,” said Moran, decked out in a Bruins jersey yesterday. “Younger fans have it easy. It’s fabulous, but it’s odd for kids growing up now. All they see is success.” With the Bruins clinching the Stanley Cup on Wednesday night for the first time in decades, the Hub earned the unprecedented bragging rights to three Super Bowl wins, two World Series victories, one NBA title and a Stanley Cup over the past 10 years. Emerson College student Cassandra Bent, 21, overheard older fans snicker that they’d been waiting 39 years for the Stanley Cup — and were fans “before you were even born” as she waited outside the pro shop at the TD Garden. And what if there’s another longtime losing streak? “We’ll probably end up just like them,” Bent said. Dan Lebowitz, executive director of Northeastern University’s Sport in Society center, said the younger generation of sports fans hasn’t experienced the same misery but the tradition of how “resilient the sport fan has been has been handed down” to a new generation. “In some ways, for the younger generation, it’s kind of a way for them to create a common bond with their parents and their grandparents and beyond even,” Lebowitz said. “All this success has created this great opportunity for inclusion across generations.” Frank Shorr, director of Boston University’s Sports Institute, said it’s unfair to call young Hub sports fans spoiled. “It’s an accident of birth,” said Shorr, adding that kids just starting to follow sports “don’t quite get” the Curse of the Bambino. Boston University student Kayleigh Hodgdon, 19, said Boston fans will never give up on their teams, even if they lose for years to come. “I think we’d still have the best fans in the nation.” And, she added, “We’re going to have to keep it up. You can’t give people a taste of winning and take it away.” Other young fans advised their older counterparts to relax. “It’s definitely really cool to experience all the teams winning,” said Jacqulyn Noll, 24, of South Boston. “We were saying we only need the Revolution to win, and we have it all.” Boston Herald LOADED: 06.17.2011

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Boston Bruins

High hopes for the kids

By Dan Duggan

VANCOUVER — The future looks bright for the Bruins. Unlike many of their veteran teammates, the Bruins youthful core won’t have to wait until late in its career to capture a Stanley Cup. By defeating the Vancouver Canucks, 4-0, in Game 7 of the finals on Wednesday, many of the B’s checked a championship off their to-do list in the early stages of their careers. Five of the Bruins’ top forwards are 25 or younger — Patrice Bergeron (25), David Krejci (25), Brad Marchand (23), Milan Lucic (23) and Tyler Seguin (19). Seguin and Marchand are rookies, but the other young players have been around long enough to learn from the B’s past failures in the postseason. Those experiences undoubtedly helped during this playoff run. Armed with a Stanley Cup, the belief is the players will continue to grow. “It’s great. You can only build on that,” Bruins coach Claude Julien said. “You saw Pittsburgh with (Sidney Crosby) and those guys, they really grew from that. Now we’ve got some confidence behind us. We know what it takes. All you can hope, and I know it’s early to say that, you hope you get another shot at this because it was a lot of fun.” Marchand began the season on the fourth line, but emerged as a legitimate offensive threat. In addition to his role as an irritant, Marchand had 21 goals and 20 assists in the regular season. The 23-year-old set a franchise rookie record with 11 playoff goals and eight assists. “It’s incredible how he stepped up,” said 22-year veteran Mark Recchi, who announced his retirement after Game 7. “What a way to start your career. These young kids are going to learn a lot from this and they’re going to be able to help the other young guys as they go on here.” The rock-solid Recchi and fiery Marchand were an unlikely pair, but the linemates developed a strong bond. “It’s such a relief,” Marchand said. “Some guys go their whole career without winning it and doing it the first year is unbelievable.” Seguin had a roller-coaster first season after being the No. 2 pick in last June’s draft. After being benched for the first two rounds of the playoffs, he broke out with three goals and three assists in the first two games of the Eastern Conference finals. Seguin added only an assist the rest of the postseason, but he earned Julien’s trust. Seguin had a simple answer for how to top a championship in his first season. “Do it again,” Seguin said. Boston Herald LOADED: 06.17.2011

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Bruins Cup filled with gold

By Stephen Harris

VANCOUVER — As disastrous as the 2004-05 NHL lockout was to the Bruins, who badly bungled their strategy on forming their roster and ended up with a team largely bereft of talent, a team that was, in effect, an expansion team, it proved a critical turning point in Bruins history, leading in a very real sense to the Stanley Cup won Wednesday night. In year after year before the lockout, going back to the early-1980s, the Bruins had fairly strong teams. But they also had an owner, Jeremy Jacobs, and a general manager, Harry Sinden, often unwilling to spend the money to acquire the one, two or three players who might have turned the team into legitimate Cup contenders. As great as Rick Middleton, Ray Bourque, Cam Neely, Adam Oates, et al., were, the supporting cast was never quite good or deep enough. There was never a doubt that Jacobs wanted to win championships, but he insisted on trying to do it his way, always with an eye, first and foremost, on corporate profit. You can’t win that way, not when other teams are willing to spend excessively to improve themselves. But with the advent of a salary cap after the work stoppage, the Bruins began spending close to, if not right to, the allowable maximum. And starting with a foundation of several key players (Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Tim Thomas) laid by his predecessors, Mike O’Connell and Jeff Gorton, new GM Peter Chiarelli quickly began building what would be, six years later, a champion. “When we built this team, we built it to win the Stanley Cup,” said Chiarelli. “We’re at the cap. We built it to win the Cup.” Shortly before the B’s dramatic, no-doubt 4-0 victory in Game 7, even Chiarelli acknowledged the climb to the top was maybe a bit quicker than expected. “I guess you never envision being there until you’re actually there,” he said. “So in that sense, maybe we exceeded expectations a bit in my mind. But every move we made, we did it to try and win a Cup. Now we’re there.” And by getting here perhaps a bit ahead of schedule, the Bruins’ best years may lie ahead. In stark contrast to the pre-lockout team, which was loaded with talent but foolishly ripped apart by the front office, the current B’s roster should stay much the same. Last year’s champion, Chicago, had no choice but to discard a major portion of its roster due to salary cap constraints. The diminished Blackhawks barely made the playoffs this season. But the Bruins will have no such problems. Indeed, they are in position to keep their core talent in place, including many still-young stars — Bergeron, Milan Lucic, Krejci, Brad Marchand, Tyler Seguin, Tuukka Rask — who should become even better players than they already are. They can fine-tune their roster for next season. With the salary cap rising substantially and some veteran’s pacts ending, there will be money to spend in the free agent market. And there are youngsters waiting in the wings for full-time varsity jobs. Amid the exuberant postgame celebration on the Rogers Arena ice, no one looked happier than Jacobs. Why not? He’s got a collection of talent — players, coaches, management and staff — that just brought him 13 home playoff dates. With what, $2.5 million or $3 million of black ink per game? More? And it could be an annual bonanza in the coming years, although Chiarelli, after his turn hoisting the Cup Wednesday night, wasn’t quite ready to look ahead. “I’m not in the planning mode yet, although we actually did have our pro and amateur meetings in Vancouver,” said Chiarelli. “We’ve got some good players still under contract. These guys are a great bunch of guys. Anything is possible.”

Chiarelli built this team under the philosophy that good defense (with a dose of offense) can beat the strongest offensive club, which the Canucks were. “In other sports, defense wins,” said Chiarelli. “You can play good defense and still score. We increased our scoring significantly this year. We added speed to the lineup. Speed is an important part of this game, but you have to combine grit with the speed, and we had that. “We’ve got these younger players who keep getting better, and some veterans who add so much to it. That’s all I can say.” And a whole collection of players that suffered through the growing pains of the last two playoff seasons. And grew because of it. “In large part, what happened last year and the year before — losing in Game 7s (of Round 2) — they learned from it,” said Chiarelli. “As simple as it is, they learned from it. They’ve grown as a team. To lose the way we did two years ago, and then do it again last year, if you’ve got a strong group, they’re only going to get stronger. I’ve always felt we had a strong group, and consequently, they did get stronger.” We’ve been hearing the last few years that the Bruins were “a work in progress.” In one sense, the work is done. Very nicely done. But the cool part is that process of improvement may continue for years to come. Boston Herald LOADED: 06.17.2011

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Boston Bruins

Cup run ‘lot of fun’ for old pal Harry Sinden

By Steve Buckley

VANCOUVER — Harry Sinden is listed on the Bruins’ organizational depth chart as an adviser, which can be a really, really good job if you’ve already had yourself a pretty good career and are no longer required to sweat the small stuff. Being an adviser means you get to celebrate when things are going great, and it means you’re not responsible when things are going wrong .?.?. since, after all, you’re just an adviser. You may have heard that things are indeed going great these days for the Bruins. They rolled to a 4-0 victory against the big-mouth Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals Wednesday night at Rogers Arena for their first championship in 39 years. It was a long, long drought for the Bruins, and Uncle Harry was at the controls for most of it. He put together some fine teams over the years and acquired some of the greatest players in the history of the franchise — Terry O’Reilly, Rick Middleton, Raymond Bourque and Cam Neely, just to name a few. The Bruins went into most seasons as Stanley Cup contenders in those days, and in most of those seasons they were at the top of the standings, or close to it In the end, though, the B’s always lacked something. Of most significance, they lacked the Stanley Cup. Every year. Every year for 39 years. Yet, there was Harry Sinden on Wednesday night as the Bruins paraded the Cup around the ice, standing off to the side, leaning against the gate to one of the penalty boxes — the same penalty box that Bruins players sat in during the Cup finals, where they were tormented by Vancouver’s vaunted Green Men. But now the Green Men were gone, the box was empty, and it was in front of that box that Harry was able to be on the ice without being on the hot seat. Give it up for Harry, Bruins fans. Although some of the criticism that came his way was justified — fans, after all, have a right to blame the man upstairs when things go wrong — there were also times when railing against Sinden morphed into a recreational pastime around Boston. That’s all finished now. Harry is retired, the book is closed, and a new collection of suits that run the Bruins have delivered a Stanley Cup. But let the record show that Harry was in the house to see the Cup clincher. And, yes, Harry was happy. “I’m just overwhelmed with joy, to tell you the truth,” he said. Sizing up the champion Bruins, he said, “They didn’t have that super dynamic goalscorer, but they had a tremendous amount of good players. “Hockey is a sport where you put your team together hoping they’ll have attitude, and this team had attitude,” he said. “They played a very, very strong, traditional NHL type of playoff hockey.” Imagine: 39 years between Stanley Cups. Harry knows the feeling. He was the coach when the Bruins won the Stanley Cup on May 10, 1970, Bobby Orr sailing through the air after netting the deciding goal in overtime of Game 4 against the St. Louis Blues. It was the B’s first championship since 1941 — a drought of 29 years. Bring back a lot of memories? “Yes, it does,” Sinden said. “A lot of memories.” Sinden paused, as though he were collecting one of those memories and was now about to share it, but then a couple of Bruins execs burst in and hugged the old-timer. Pleasantries were exchanged, congratulations offered, and then they moved on. Anyway, where were we? By now, Harry had returned to present tense. And he liked where he was. “You know,” he said, “I’m always in love with the current Bruins team. I don’t dwell on the past. This is where we are now, and the Bruins have the Stanley Cup. It’s a lot of fun.”

The man has paid his dues. In the eyes of some, he has paid his penance. Good for the Bruins for seeing to it that Harry Sinden, hockey lifer and Hall of Famer, was on the ice at Rogers Arena on Wednesday night. Boston Herald LOADED: 06.17.2011

572424

Boston Bruins

Bruins far better in every way

By Ron Borges

VANCOUVER — Although no one saw it coming at the start, by the end it was apparent why the Bruins won the Stanley Cup. They were better than the Vancouver Canucks in every way. They had better goaltending, to be sure, and nothing is more essential than that in hockey. Yet it was far more than the fantastic play of Tim Thomas that did in the winners of the Presidents’ Trophy as the league’s winningest team. Without Thomas, the rest of the Bruins’ dominance might not have been enough to overwhelm the Canucks as they did. But what did in a team that won 69 games the past eight months was that the Bruins were better in every measure by which a hockey team is evaluated. They were far better on defense, playing the conservative Claude Julien system so flawlessly they held the highest scoring team in hockey to eight goals in seven games and four over the last five — a ridiculous 0.8 goals per game. You score less than one goal per game, you aren’t going to win the Stanley Cup. Heck, you’re not going to win the Piston Cup. “You can’t win a series when you score eight goals, or whatever,” mused Henrik Sedin, last season’s Hart Trophy winner who scored just one point in the series as half of the Disappearing Sedin Twins Act. “Tim Thomas, couldn’t beat him. Their goalie was unbelievable but so was their defense,” Sedin continued. “Maybe we tried to simplify things too much. We tried to get shots and rebounds instead of sticking to moving the puck and moving our feet. We got away from that a little bit. “When maybe the game was on the line, we tried to get a simple shot, which is good a lot of times, but with Thomas in there and the big D-men they have there, it’s tough to get rebounds. We couldn’t find enough ways to beat them. We talked a lot about chances. You go through the games, see the chances we had .?.?. we can’t bury it.” Because of that the Bruins buried them, outscoring the league’s highest scoring team 23-8 overall and a stunning 21-4 in Games 3-7. Yet as brilliant as Thomas was, and his 1.15 GAA and .967 save percentage in the finals speak to that, they did it by forcing the Canucks to abandon what worked for them all season. Faced with a defensive alignment that hit them at every turn yet stayed more perfectly aligned than a Lamborghini on the showroom lot, the Canucks panicked. Instead of staying the course, as the Bruins did even after losing the first two games in Vancouver, they forgot who they were. For all Thomas’ heroics, arguably the biggest save of the series wasn’t made by him. It was made by towering Zdeno Chara, who knocked away a potential game-tying shot by Alex Burrows in the second period of Game 7 with Thomas down and beaten and the score 1-0. Had Burrows buried that chance, the crowd would have gone berserk and momentum might have shifted. But Chara stood tall, a Slovakian reminder that the Bruins’ defense was impregnable. Chara was there because he and Dennis Seidenberg, as well as sidekicks Johnny Boychuk and Andrew Ference, were playing Julien’s positionally demanding defense almost perfectly against the league’s best offense. They were so close to perfection on the power play that they ended up outscoring Vancouver with three shorthanded goals to the Canucks’ two power-play goals in 33 chances. “They let him obviously take the shooter and they did a great job of taking care of rebounds when he did give up some rebounds,” Canucks coach Alain Vigneault said of Thomas and the B’s defense. “Their goaltender was real tough to beat. The way they played in front of him was real tough to beat. We had some grade-A chances and we weren’t able to score. They did a good job of collapsing five guys in front and making it real hard.” Unlike the Canucks, the Bruins seldom wavered offensively, either. They stuck with Julien’s heavily criticized approach to offense: firing the puck deep and then trying to forecheck the puck past Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo. The only times they wavered — in low-energy losses in Games 1, 2 and 5 — they seldom scored and didn’t win.

Yet in Boston, where they seemed physically invigorated and forechecked like a commuter trying to get on the Green Line at Park Street Station at 5 o’clock, they outscored the Canucks, 17-3. What was clear was that when the Bruins played their game, they were better than the NHL’s winningest team, one that won 69 games in eight months yet couldn’t win four in two weeks from the Bruins. The Canucks had never trailed in any playoff series until after Game 7, yet in the Cup final they had the lead for only 32 minutes in the seven games while the Bruins had it for 205. Faced with those raw facts, even Vigneault had to reluctantly concede the point. “At the end of the day, you’ve got to give credit where credit is due,” Vigneault said. “I know we gave it our best shot, but in this one game they were the better team. It’s that simple.” Actually, Alain, in this one series. The only one that counted. Boston Herald LOADED: 06.17.2011

572425

Boston Bruins

Future looks quite bright

By Steve Conroy

VANCOUVER — The Bruins are now in possession of the Stanley Cup for the first time in 39 years and what could be better than that? A repeat, of course. Since the Era of the Boston Championships began with the Patriots’ Cinderella run to the Super Bowl in 2001, we have not been afraid to wear our greed on our sleeves. Of all the titles to win, the Stanley Cup is by far the hardest. To win 16 games, it is a two-month war of attrition, but it is definitely reasonable to believe that the B’s can be contenders for a long time to come. Unlike last year’s Cup champion, the Chicago Blackhawks, the B’s will not be in salary cap hell when next season begins and, in fact, they could add a piece or two. The Hawks had to shed such key players as Dustin Byfuglien, Kris Versteeg and Andrew Ladd. The B’s will have some turnover, as every team does, but it won’t be because they have a gun to their heads. The salary cap could be going up as high as $63.5 million next year, with the B’s about $10 million under that figure. Here’s a quick look at how the B’s roster shapes up for the 2011-12 season. Forwards The two unrestricted free agents are Mark Recchi and Michael Ryder. Recchi is expected to retire while the merits of a Ryder re-signing are debatable. Because of his inconsistency in the regular season, it was once a given that he would move on. But in his three years here, he posted 1718-35 totals in 45 playoff games and that’s not to be dismissed. He’s still only 31. Still, his $4 million yearly salary might be a little rich for the B’s and there could be a team that would want to pay a little extra for a proven playoff producer. The Bruins will have to sign Brad Marchand, a restricted free agent, and that will cut into their cap space, possibly somewhere between $2 million and $2.5 million. He’s proven his value. One of the big questions, and one that no one can answer right now, is the future of Marc Savard. Still battling post-concussion symptoms, Savard could retire, which would free up his $4.007M cap hit. If he comes back, it make the B’s that much stronger. Recchi’s leadership will be missed, and that should open up a spot for former first-round pick Jordan Caron. And Tyler Seguin, now that he’s shown what he can do in some pressure-packed moments, may show more consistent production. Also, highly touted prospects Jared Knight and Ryan Spooner will push to make the team. Defense Five defensemen are under contract for next year but Tomas Kaberle is a UFA-to-be. Kaberle had become a whipping boy and was once thought that the B’s would let him walk. But why should they? They’ve been hunting for a puck-moving defenseman and it’s an element the B’s need. They might not match his current salary of $4.25 million, but there aren’t a lot of options. He’s no shutdown defenseman, but the B’s have those in Dennis Seidenberg and Zdeno Chara. Still, it would be nice to see how Kaberle would perform with a whole training camp under coach Claude Julien. He had some early gaffes in the playoffs and things snowballed. But he got better. Steven Kampfer is a very good prospect as a puck-mover, but he’d be a chance at 22 years old. Goaltending

There are some who might like to see the B’s be coldblooded and move Tim Thomas to clear up his $5 million. The theory is that Tuukka Rask will be ready to take over full-time. And he may be. But with the silly theory that you don’t spend money on goaltending debunked, there is no good reason to take a chance on arguably the most important position. Julien has proven he’ll play the guy who doing the better job, and Rask will have every chance to win the job again in September. And he just might do it, considering how long Thomas had to play into the steamy months. But you don’t just give away a clutch performer like Thomas for cap space. Goaltending is a great strength for the B’s, and it should be next year. In summary, yes, the Bruins’ future is bright. And when you throw in the B’s will pick ninth overall in next Friday’s amateur draft in Minnesota, there’s plenty of reason to believe the Black ’n’ Gold renaissance will continue for a while. Boston Herald LOADED: 06.17.2011

572426

Buffalo Sabres

Sylvester, Gare will call majority of Sabres road games

John Vogl

Kevin Sylvester has filled in for Rick Jeanneret in the past, so he knows what awaits next season when he replaces Jeanneret for the majority of the Buffalo Sabres road games. Fans are going to have opinions on his play-by-play calls; lots and lots of opinions. "The great thing about the job is there is no lack of feedback when you're not Rick Jeanneret," Sylvester said Thursday after the Sabres announced he will team with Danny Gare for 26 to 31 road broadcasts. "I'm not Rick. I'm not going to be Rick. I'm not going to try to be Rick. It's going to be different, and I think most fans recognize that and will be fair to that." Jeanneret announced last month he intended to cut back on travel, leaving the Sabres in search of people to take over for the legendary announcer and color commentator Harry Neale. They found two well-known faces and voices. Gare had his jersey number retired by the team thanks to a stellar playing career in the 1970s. He has done numerous television and emcee jobs for the Sabres, including filling in for injured studio analyst Mike Robitaille last season. Gare was also a broadcaster for the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2006 to 2009. "This is a very exciting opportunity for me, and I'm looking forward to getting back into the fold with the Sabres' organization," said Gare, who will work the color commentary role. "I think Kevin is a very good broadcaster, and our styles will complement each other well." Sylvester has been on the Sabres' broadcast team since 2005 as a game and studio host. He filled in for Jeanneret several times in recent years during the longtime announcer's vacations, including a stretch of four straight games last season. "I gained a lot of confidence from those four games and the feedback I got. The more you do it, the more comfortable you are," Sylvester said. "Some would already say I have a dream job, and this is just adding to the dream. "I think the real story here is that Rick Jeanneret is continuing. I hope he's able to do it for years to come because I've come to admire and respect him even more with working with him through the years." Jeanneret will work all the home games and 10 to 15 road games, depending on the yet-to-be-released NHL schedule. The rest will belong to Sylvester and Gare. "Of the numerous applicants we received for these positions, we realized that our most qualified candidates came from within," Sabres President Ted Black said. "Both Kevin and Danny have a familiarity with the players and the organization, and there is also an existing comfort level with our fans. These were important factors in our decision-making process." Sabres fans watch hockey intently, a fact proved again Thursday. NBC Sports announced its overnight numbers for Wednesday's Game Seven broadcast of the Stanley Cup finals, and Buffalo ranked third in the United States with a 10.6 rating and 17 share. Boston was first with a record 43.4/64, while the Bruins' minor-league affiliate town of Providence was second at 25.9/38. Democrat and Chronicle LOADED: 06.17.2011

572427

Calgary Flames

Flames take ownership of Roughnecks

By IAN BUSBY, QMI Agency

CALGARY - After a decade playing in the Saddledome, the Calgary Roughnecks can truly call the place home now. The Calgary Flames officially took over the National Lacrosse League franchise Tuesday, buying out owner Brad Banister and moving the operations into the Saddledome. At the same time of the organisation restructuring, Flames president Ken King promised to build the Riggers their own space within the Dome. For 10 years, the Riggers used the visiting NHL room as their headquarters. Now they should get their own room. “It’s going to be tough,” King said. “It may be a temporary fix. “In the new building (the Flames hope to build), we should have lots of opportunity to house the team properly. We will give them a worthwhile spot and hopefully it can become something more permanent.” Banister founded the team in 2001 and built a winning product. The team won the Champion’s Cup in 2004 and 2009 and only missed the playoffs in their expansion season. Off the floor, the team was less successful, as Banister and his group of investors didn’t have the capital to make it grow. With the Flames as landlords, filling the building meant just as much money for the NHL club as it did for the Riggers in terms of parking and concessions. So when Banister ran into financial difficulty this season, needing the league to step in and help pay the players, it became clear the situation was dire. “We weren’t in the market for a team,” King said. “Once it was clear that it was us or the team not existing, either moving or folding — it was a difficult situation — it was obvious that we do what we could to help the situation. “It was tough for Brad. You have a tough schedule you operate under. He didn’t have too many full-time staff. We have the luxury of fully manned marketing, ticketing and building operations staff. It works really well for us.” Banister hands over the team in great shape on the floor and the team had the best record in the NLL this season. For the past three seasons, Banister worked as president, general manager and owner. He will help with the transition but essentially walks away from it now and becomes a fan. “It’s been an emotional day,” Banister said. “It’s calming right now but later on it will kick me in the pants. But the people buying it care about it enough to make this work. “I only enjoy the games on the road when I’m not in control of what’s going on in the arena. I’m looking forward to sitting in the stands watching with my kids. I’m looking forward to retiring and relaxing and watching.” The Flames have installed Mike Board as the general manager and Mike Moore as the director of business operations. Board expects to retain the coaching staff of Dave Pym, Curt Malawsky and Bob McMahon and doesn’t plan on making many changes with the roster. Security in the financial situation is good news to the players, who worked hard to ignore the problems this season. “We don’t have to worry about getting paid now,” said original Roughneck Kaleb Toth. “We know the cheques will be on time. It’s a relief in some aspect. Personally, I knew we were going to get paid. Not knowing was tough for some of the young guys. “With an ownership group like the Flames, they will take it to the next level. In the NLL, with the team being in control of the building, it’s amazingly successful. I’m looking forward to this next season. It’s an exciting time.”

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 06.17.2011

572428

Carolina Hurricanes

Canes ponder options with their free agents

By CHIP ALEXANDER - Staff writer

RALEIGH Jim Rutherford is gearing up for a busy two weeks, facing much uncertainty and saying a trade or two may be forthcoming. Rutherford, general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, re-signed defenseman Jay Harrison on Thursday. Harrison, 28, agreed to a two-year deal that will pay him $650,000 next season and $750,000 in 2012-2013. But it is the players who have not been signed - namely defenseman Joni Pitkanen and forwards Jussi Jokinen, Erik Cole and Chad LaRose - who are Rutherford's biggest concern. All become unrestricted free agents July 1, and Rutherford said Thursday none is close to coming to terms with the team. "With Pitkanen, Jokinen and LaRose, we know what their position is," Rutherford said, referring to their financial demands. "I've given our position. It does not appear we will be able to sign them." As for Cole, Rutherford said the Canes have yet to have any substantive talks with the veteran power forward or his agent, Steve Bartlett. "We expected to hear something by now, but we have not," Rutherford said. Bartlett, contacted Thursday, said via email that he and Cole were "working through things" and "will get back to Jim here at some point." Granted, this is the time of the year when both sides, management and players, send up smoke screens publicly. Two years ago, Rutherford said many of the same things about Cole and LaRose in June, only to promptly sign both to two-year deals come July. Cole was paid $3 million and LaRose $1.9 million this past season. Jokinen also received $1.9 million, considered a bargain price for the versatile forward. "Things are not moving as we had hoped, and it's getting closer to July 1," Rutherford said Thursday. "We may have to look at other options. It may be easier to trade for players with existing contracts. Then we would know what we would be spending next year. "I still prefer to sign some of our players. If not, we will look at a trade." Rutherford said the Hurricanes would not look to move their first-round pick in the NHL Entry Draft next week - Carolina has the No. 12 overall selection - and likely would trade none of their other draft picks this year. He also said he did not want to trade any of the young prospects in the Canes' system such as Zac Dalpe, Zach Boychuk or Drayson Bowman. "My preference is not to move any of the younger players," he said. "We'll need to wait and see who's available and what other teams would want when trading." It seems almost a given now the Canes will not re-sign Pitkanen, who earned $4.5 million last year and may be seeking more on the free-agent market. Rutherford referred to Pitkanen in the past tense Thursday, saying, "With Joni not coming back ..." Rutherford said it would be hard to replace the 25 minutes of ice time Pitkanen was able to play each game, noting the Canes could look to add a power-play specialist and two-way defenseman to make up for Pitkanen's absence. "We could do it in different ways," he said. With Harrison signed, the Canes have Harrison, Tim Gleason, Joe Corvo, Jamie McBain and Bryan Allen under contract for next season. Derek Joslin, a restricted free agent, should be in the mix on the back end. That's six defensemen, but Rutherford has said he wants an upgrade among the top four defensemen and is determined to get it. No names have been mentioned, but there are defensemen such as the Vancouver Canucks' Kevin Bieksa and Christian Ehrhoff who will be available July 1 if not re-signed.

Bieksa made $3.5 million and Ehrhoff $3.4 million this past season and will be in high demand. But the Canes could work a trade for another defenseman and stay away from the free-agent frenzy. "We have to look at it very closely," Rutherford said. "Other teams will be looking at adding players and looking at free agents, and we want to be in position that if they're available, we're ready to move on it." News Observer LOADED: 06.17.2011

572429

Chicago Blackhawks

Bruins, Mavs 'hollow' victories

Dan McNeil

In lieu of a rally in Grant Park, or a ticker-tape parade down Michigan Avenue, many around here are celebrating the championship series collapses of the Miami Heat and Vancouver Canucks this week. I'm usually a willing participant whenever glasses are hoisted, but I'm passing on this party. It's a hollow "victory" when the genesis of one's joy is from failure instead of success. There hasn't been much "Way to go, Dirk Nowitzki!" or "Tim Thomas, you da man!" Instead, it's a celebration of LeBron James remaining ringless, of Roberto Luongo still needing a therapist on speed dial. Knock yourself out if that does it for you. I'll never begrudge a fan his ample expressions of negative energy. It just doesn't do it for me. What would do it is feeling that the Bulls and Blackhawks can take down the evil Heat and the devilish Canucks. I don't believe that. James spit the bit in the biggest series of his life and deserves all the criticism he has received, not only for his disappearing act in fourth quarters, but also for his churlish comments about his detractors after Sunday's curtain closer in Miami. As constructed today, however, there is no reason to believe the Bulls can leapfrog the Heat in a best-of-seven series. The Mavericks won the title because they have a second scorer in Jason Terry. The names I've heard kicked around as potential help for Derrick Rose — Jason Richardson, O.J. Mayo, etc. — don't push Team Thibs past Miami. It's easy to understand why some Blackhawks fans did cartwheels after Luongo was pulled in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals. It's the fragile psyche of the Canucks' flaky goaltender that gives every opponent a shot against Vancouver. And those nasty Canucks are cheap-shot artists. They bite and pull hair. They agitate and offend the hockey sensibilities of "real fans." Thing is, Vancouver has a better team than the Hawks have. As close as the Hawks came to dumping the Canucks in the first round, taking them seven after losing the first three, the Western Conference champs have more offensive threats and are deeper at the blue line. One of those Canucks defensemen, Kevin Bieksa, is an unrestricted free agent. He'd look good in a Hawks uniform. Or in any sweater that doesn't have "Vancouver" on it. But for one week, don't let reality interfere with your party. I'll join in the dancing when our United Center tenants dethrone the Heat and Canucks. •Driving home Thursday afternoon, I received a perfect, 10-second encapsulation of the first 2 1/2 months of Chicago baseball. After White Sox play-by-play man Ed Farmer dejectedly threw it to a break as the Sox stranded another man in scoring position, I punched into the Cubs radio broadcast, where Pat Hughes vividly was describing Ryan Braun's two-run homer to put the Brewers on the board first. •Remember Wednesday night, when Sox third baseman Brent Morel singled home second baseman Gordon Beckham in the sixth? That was awesome. •Nobody expects Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts to take the blade to general manager Jim Hendry for the mess he has made, but it would be refreshing if Ricketts would give a little insight on the team's long-term direction. When he spoke with reporters Wednesday afternoon, almost every word Ricketts uttered was about "winning" this season. Not once did Ricketts admit that this season is really about next season. •With the Bruins winning their first Stanley Cup since 1972, that makes the Patriots the Boston franchise with the longest championship "drought." Poor Boston. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 06.17.2011

572430

Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche promotes Deadmarsh to assistant coach

By The Denver Post

Responding to assistant coach Steve Konowalchuk's departure from head coach Joe Sacco's staff, the Avalanche on Thursday announced the promotion of Adam Deadmarsh from video/development coach to assistant coach and the hiring of Tim Army with an assistant coach/video title. Konowalchuk is joining major junior's Seattle Thunderbirds as head coach, an intriguing twist because he and Deadmarsh played for the Thunderbirds' bitter Western Hockey League rivals, the Portland Winterhawks, before moving to the NHL. Former Avalanche defenseman Sylvain Lefebvre is Colorado's other assistant coach. Deadmarsh, 36, served in the video role the past two seasons and frequently also was on the ice for practice. He played nine seasons in the NHL, including with the Avalanche, before concussion issues cut short his career. Denver Post: LOADED: 06.17.2011

572431

Colorado Avalanche

Adrian Dater: 303-954-1360 or [email protected] Huberdeau file

Major junior star Huberdeau on Avalanche's draft radar

Age: 18 Positions: C, LW

By Adrian Dater

Jonathan Huberdeau poses for a portrait prior to testing at the 2011 NHL Combine on June 3, 2011 at the Toronto Congress Centre in Toronto, Canada. (NHLI | Claus Andersen) Power-skating at age 4. Playing hockey at 5. A Memorial Cup MVP at 18. It seems Jonathan Huberdeau's life has gone perfectly according to plan. Next Friday at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., Huberdeau's life will take another turn when is drafted by his first NHL club. Considered a lock to be among the top five picks, the St. Jerome, Quebec, native has a shot at going first overall to Edmonton or second to the Avalanche. Not knowing where he could go might seem stressful for Huberdeau, but it isn't so. "The number doesn't matter for me. I just want to get drafted," Huberdeau said. "No matter where you get picked, you're going to have to work hard to make the team, so it doesn't matter, the number." There has been a good deal of speculation the Avs are high on Huberdeau and could take him at No. 2. Teams aren't allowed to comment on players directly before they are drafted, but several Avs scouts were in attendance at the recent Memorial Cup tournament, which crowns the major junior hockey league champion. Huberdeau's Saint John Sea Dogs won the Memorial Cup, and Huberdeau won the Stafford Smythe Trophy as the tournament's most valuable player. In 67 regular-season games for the Sea Dogs, he scored 43 goals and had 62 assists and was a finalist for regular-season MVP honors. At 6-foot-1, 171 pounds, Huberdeau is a natural center, but he also played left wing for Saint John and said he feels comfortable there. Whether Huberdeau would be ready to play NHL hockey this coming season is another question. With three years of junior eligibility left and a body that needs time to mature, it probably would be expecting too much of Huberdeau to jump right in with any NHL team. Huberdeau wants to give it a shot, though. "I just want to get bigger and stronger in my legs, and just be ready for camp and do everything I can to make the team," he said. Huberdeau said the NHL player he most resembles is Tampa Bay's Vincent Lecavalier — a tall, rangy playmaker around the net. "He's still not the fastest, but I'd certainly label him the craftiest on our team," Saint John coach Gerard Gallant told NHL.com. "There are other guys on our team quicker, like (Tomas) Jurco and (Stanislav) Galiev. But when Jonathan has the puck, he's very quick and makes good decisions. He goes east-west, north-south all the time, so I wouldn't say he's the quickest guy from blue line to blue line, but he's among the top three or four, for sure." Huberdeau's mother, Josee, said her son is modest about his accomplishments but also doesn't lack confidence. "He's very disciplined. Always does his schoolwork, and then his hockey work," she said. "He's very sociable and just wants to have success in whatever he does." NHL Central Scouting's Chris Bordeleau, an expert on players in the Quebec League, said there is a lot to like about Huberdeau. "He's the type of player who can change the outcome of a game suddenly and quickly," Bordeleau said in a statement about Huberdeau. "He's displayed unbelievably quick hands and an ability to set up and score goals. He definitely has NHL hands and playmaking ability." Whether those hands will be put to use for the Avs won't be known until next Friday. "I don't know much about Denver," Huberdeau said. "But if I go there, I know I'd be happy."

2010-11 statistics: 67 games, 43 goals, 62 assists, 105 points, plus-59 What scouts are saying: "He's displayed unbelievably quick hands and an ability to set up and score goals. He definitely has NHL hands and playmaking ability. . . . He's also gritty and does not back down when challenged." — Chris Bordeleau, NHL Central Scouting Denver Post: LOADED: 06.17.2011

572432

Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche promote Adam Deadmarsh to assistant coach

By The Denver Post

Responding to assistant coach Steve Konowalchuk's departure from head coach Joe Sacco's staff, the Avalanche today announced the promotion of Adam Deadmarsh from video/development coach to assistant coach, and also announced the hiring of Tim Army with an assistant coach/video title. Konowalchuk is joining major junior's Seattle Thunderbirds as head coach, an intriguing twist since both he and Deadmarsh played for the Thunderbirds' bitter Western Hockey League rivals, the Portland Winterhawks, before moving to the NHL. Former Avalanche defenseman Sylvain Lefebvre is Colorado's other assistant coach. Deadmarsh, 36, served in the video role the past two seasons and frequently also was on the ice for practice. He played nine seasons in the NHL, including with the Avalanche, before concussion issues cut short his career. "Adam certainly deserves this opportunity," Sacco said in a team release. "With his background, we feel he will be successful in his new role." For the past six seasons, Army, 48, was the head coach at Providence College, his alma mater. He also has been an NHL assistant for four seasons with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim — when Sacco played there — and five years with the Washington Capitals, plus the head coach of the Portland (Me.) Pirates in the AHL for three years. Denver Post: LOADED: 06.17.2011

572433

Colorado Avalanche

Avs add Deadmarsh as assistant coach

Staff

The Colorado Avalanche announced Thursday that it has promoted Adam Deadmarsh to a new role as an assistant coach. The Avs also announced the hiring of Tim Army as assistant coach for video. Steve Konowalchuk will leave the Avalanche in his assistant coaching capacity for the headcoaching job of the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League. Deadmarsh, 36, joined Colorado's staff in the summer of 2009 and spent the last two seasons as the team's video/development coach. Deadmarsh played for nine years in the NHL, appearing in 567 career games with the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche and the Los Angeles Kings. Deadmarsh was part of the Avs' first Stanley Cup championship team in 1996. Colorado Springs Gazette: LOADED: 06.17.2011

572434

Detroit Red Wings

Extra points: Actor Rainn Wilson makes the old Detroit riot joke

DETROIT FREE PRESS STAFF ‘ Old punch lines die hard, don't they? So you knew it was coming after hearing about Wednesday's rioting in Vancouver after the Canucks lost to Boston. "Vancouver is now the Detroit of Canada," tweeted Rainn Wilson, who plays Dwight Schrute on NBC's "The Office." Somebody had to say it. But couldn't a professional funny man come up with a more recent reference? Detroit's riot was in 1984, after the Tigers won the World Series. Fans have behaved themselves since, win or lose, while other cities have rioted, yet it always comes back to haunt us. Besides, if Vancouver really were the Detroit of Canada, maybe it would have a Stanley Cup. Wilson tweeted again later: "Wow, I (ticked) off a lot of Vancouverites and Detroit folk. In penance I'm going to tip over my Prius and set fire to it." In with the old? Hockeytown seems ready to embrace change, as long as it doesn't involve Nicklas Lidstrom. Asked if the Red Wings should cut ties with Kris Draper and Chris Osgood, 65.7% of the first 2,500-plus voters in a freep.com poll said yes. In another poll, 61% were in favor of signing Jaromir Jagr, 39. Mike Babcock, meanwhile, told WDFN he hopes two new assistants will help shake things up. "Your players get tired of you," he said. "You become like Charlie Brown's teacher -- wah, wah, wah -- they don't hear anything. So we need change." Detroit Free Press LOADED: 06.17.2011

572435

Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings considering signing Jaromir Jagr

By HELENE ST. JAMES

The agent for Jaromir Jagr has reached out to the Detroit Red Wings about signing the former NHL great. It’s a prospect the Wings are considering, with reservations. Jagr is 39 and hasn’t played in the NHL since 2007-08, having spent the past three seasons in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League. The last player the Wings embraced from the KHL was Jiri Hudler, who looked like he regressed during his time overseas. But Hudler isn’t as skilled as Jagr was in his prime, and Jagr has put up good numbers with Avangard Omsk, most recently producing 19 goals and 50 points in 49 games last season. He had 42 points in 51 games in 200910 and 53 points (including 25 goals) in 55 games in ’08-09. He was one of the best players in the NHL in the 1990s. He won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins and got the Hart Trophy as league MVP in ’99 (he was a finalist in ’95, ’98, 2000, ’01 and ’06). The Wings are intrigued by the thought of what Jagr might be able to do but noted that there are reservations. Any deal that materializes would be for one year only, and at a sensible price (around $1 million base, with incentives). The Wings are looking for a top-six forward, and a motivated Jagr could be lethal on the right side of center Pavel Datsyuk and help out on the power play. For the Wings, it comes down to deciding whether Jagr is the best value for their money as they seek to improve a team that has lost in the second round of the playoffs two years running. Jagr also has approached two of his former teams, Washington and the New York Rangers, about signing with them. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 06.17.2011

572436

Detroit Red Wings

Imagine if Detroit had rioted like Vancouver did ...

By RON DZWONKOWSKI

On a Friday night in June 2009, the Detroit Red Wings surrendered the Stanley Cup to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a tough, 2-1 loss in Game 7 at Joe Louis Arena. Hockeytown was quiet. A community with a “tough town” reputation, a passion for hockey and fierce pride in its home team, a community with an unfortunate history of trouble after some of its big sporting events, just went home that night, sad and somber. Contrast that with Vancouver, an idyllic city in the spectacular Pacific Northwest, host community to the world for a successful Winter Olympics, a thriving metropolis in Canada, land of international peacemakers, not a place anybody goes looking for trouble. And yet it erupted, immediately after the favored Canucks dropped Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals to Boston on Wednesday night. Residents of the City of Glass broke a lot of it, looted some stores and set fire to cars, including at least two police vehicles, to vent their frustration over the outcome of a hockey game. Garbage was hurled at police, who used shields and truncheons to fend off charging crowds. Tear gas and pepper spray were used to disperse people. Reports put the number of injured at around 140, including several stabbing victims. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police were outside a downtown Foot Locker store with guard dogs, ordering away people who were perhaps looking for a new pair of free sneakers. Victorious Boston, by contrast, had seven arrests for disorderly conduct during postgame revelry. Vancouver? “Absolutely disgraceful!” said Mayor Gregor Robertson. In this day of the ubiquitous digital camera, angry and embarrassed Vancouverites urged anyone with photos of the rioting to post them on social media sites so responsible people could be identified and prosecuted. If this all seems stunning coming out of Vancouver, maybe it shouldn’t be. The city also saw rioting in 1994, when the Canucks lost Game 7 of the finals to the New York Rangers. Clearly, Vancouver hockey fans don’t like to get so close to the Stanley Cup and then lose it. For the sake of the city, maybe it’s best if the Canucks just miss the playoffs altogether. But because this is Vancouver, it surely will blow over. The city has a great international reputation, is a premier travel destination and will probably be able to dismiss this trouble as an aberration, instigated by a handful of people who were probably drunk. If it happened in Detroit, everybody would be saying, “What’d you expect?” And nobody would remember that peaceful night two years ago, when Hockeytown accepted defeat and went home. There’s a certain pride we take around here in our “tough town” reputation. New York may have the song, but the truth about Detroit is if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. But when things go wrong, a “tough town” pays a bigger price for a longer time. And when things go right, nobody notices. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 06.17.2011

572437

Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings unlikely to bring back Kris Draper, Chris Osgood

By HELENE ST. JAMES

The Detroit Red Wings are unlikely to offer contracts to veterans Kris Draper and Chris Osgood. General manager Ken Holland wrapped up two days of meetings with his brain trust this afternoon, the gist of which was how to improve the team after losing in the second round of the playoffs for a second straight year. One key domino is expected to fall Monday or Tuesday, as Holland said that’s when he’ll meet with captain Nicklas Lidstrom to find out whether Lidstrom plans to return or retire. Many in the organization believe Lidstrom, 41, will play another season, but if he doesn’t, the Wings will have to address the defensive corps via a trade or free agency. “Lidstrom has a big impact on what we’re trying to accomplish,” Holland said. The Wings already are tasked with replacing Brian Rafalski, who unexpectedly retired last month. To that end, Holland and company went over the names of the defensemen eligible to become unrestricted free agents July 1 and evaluated trade possibilities. The Wings also will need a backup goaltender. Osgood would like another season in the role, but the club is wary because he suffered repeated setbacks after undergoing groin surgery in January. “The injury is a major concern,” Holland said. “He hasn’t played a lot the last two years.” With Draper, it comes down to a numbers crunch. The Wings have 11 forwards signed to one-way contracts for 2011-12 and are trying to re-sign Patrick Eaves and Drew Miller. Holland does not want to risk losing prospect Cory Emmerton by exposing him on waivers, as would have to happen for him to be sent to the minors. Even with the likelihood of a trade — such as moving Jiri Hudler — management then would have to consider whether Draper brings more to the team than a newcomer. “Right now, we owe it to ourselves to wait till July 1,” Holland said. “I’ll talk to both players, but so much is unknown right now. We don’t know who is going to be on the market July 1. Is there somebody out there we think brings something we’d like to our team? “We owe it to ourselves to look at options. The torch has to be passed. If 40-year-olds aren’t passing the torch, we aren’t going anywhere.” Detroit Free Press LOADED: 06.17.2011

572438

Detroit Red Wings

Jaromir Jagr's agent contacts Wings, three other teams

Ted Kulfan/ The Detroit News

Detroit — There's mutual interest between Jaromir Jagr and the Red Wings. Jagr's agent, Petr Svoboda, has contacted the Red Wings — along with Pittsburgh, Montreal and the Rangers — about the possibility of Jagr signing July 1 when unrestricted free agency begins. Jagr, 39, has spent the last three seasons in the Russian Kontinental Hockey League but would like to close out his career in the NHL. The Wings might be interested in the power forward if the price is right. Both sides would be looking for a one-year deal, but the Wings won't want to overspend as they feel secure with their current top nine forwards. With Avangard Omsk last season, Jagr (6-foot-3, 242 pounds) had 50 points (19 goals, 31 assists) in 49 games. Jagr has scored 1,599 points (646 goals) in 1,273 career NHL games with Pittsburgh and the New York Rangers. Jagr is intrigued by the Wings because of the possibility of playing with talented centers Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, and the team's chances of winning the Stanley Cup. Detroit News LOADED: 06.17.2011

572439

Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings have 12-1 odds to win 2012 Stanley Cup

The Detroit News

The Vancouver Canucks lost the Stanley Cup on Wednesday night, but they're the favorites to win it in 2012. Bodog released its odds for next season and the Canucks are 5-1, followed by Boston at 8-1 and Washington at 17-2. The Red Wings are 12-1, as are Steve Yzerman's Tampa Bay team. The complete list: Vancouver, 5-1 Boston, 8-1 Washington, 17-2 Philadelphia, 9-1 Pittsburgh, 9-1 San Jose, 9-1 Detroit, 12-1 Tampa Bay, 12-1 Chicago, 15-1 Los Angeles, 16-1 Anaheim, 22-1 Montreal, 22-1 Buffalo, 25-1 Nashville, 25-1 New Jersey, 30-1 Phoenix, 35-1 Calgary, 35-1 Carolina, 35-1 Dallas, 35-1 N.Y. Rangers, 35-1 St. Louis, 45-1 Toronto, 60-1 Ottawa, 60-1 Colorado, 65-1 Edmonton, 70-1 Minnesota, 70-1 N.Y. Islanders, 70-1 Winnipeg, 80-1 Columbus, 90-1 Florida, 125-1 Detroit News LOADED: 06.17.2011

572440

Edmonton Oilers

Draft holds multitude of possibilities

By Jim Matheson,

EDMONTON - This is Year 33 of the NHL draft for the Edmonton Oilers and only once have they had two picks in the top 10. That was in 1994, and it turned out to be a good news/bad news scenario. They swung and missed big-time on Jason Bonsignore with the fourthoverall selection, but recovered after some draft-floor debate to take Ryan Smyth at No. 6. Bonsignore loved everything about NHL life except playing the games and only dressed for 21 in Edmonton before he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning along with Bryan Marchment for Roman Hamrlik; Smyth played 770 games for the Oilers before he was dealt to the New York Islanders in 2007. We mention this because the Oilers are trying mightily to do it again. They’ve got the first-overall choice — would general manager Steve Tambellini have Red Deer Rebels centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins over to his house for dinner if they weren’t taking him No. 1? — and they are trying hard to move from No. 19 (the pick bequeathed from the Los Angeles Kings in the Dustin Penner trade) into the top 10, presumably to take a defenceman, likely offering a roster player and the 19th selection. It’s no secret they really like Swede Adam Larsson, Doug Hamilton, the Canadian Hockey League’s scholastic player of the year, and a six-footfour, 197-pound all-around defender, and local product Duncan Siemens, who plays in Saskatoon and has the requisite sandpaper they need on their back end to complement Theo Peckham. Larsson is the most ready to play, a three-year starter in the Swedish Elite League. “We have a quite a few needs,” said chief scout Stu MacGregor, who says they wouldn’t necessarily go centre/defence because they might have a chance at a forward on their top-10 list; for instance, Swedish winger Mika Zibanejid, who has steadily rolled up the scouts’ rankings. Also, as one longtime NHL scout says “there could be 15 defencemen in next year’s firstround. It’s loaded with good ones.” So maybe they could wait a year for help there. There are lots of different scenarios for the Oilers, most involving winger Ales Hemsky, He’s their best veteran and their most skilled forward, but has missed 95 games in the last two years with two shoulder surgeries. He’s also an unrestricted free-agent on July 1, 2012, which makes a trade very dicey for another team. Oilers general manager Steve Tambellini has continually said he’s aiming to move up if the right deal is there, but that it might not happen until he sees how things are unfolding on the draft floor. He tried for the Blue Jackets’ No. 4 pick last year to get six-foot-three centre Ryan Johansen but Columbus wasn’t dealing it. He knows Larsson, Hamilton and Siemens are all on most teams’ lists in the top 10. Tambellini has young untouchables like Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle and Magnus Paajarvi, along with captain Shawn Horcoff (his first or second-line centre, with a contract that makes him difficult to move) and defenceman Ryan Whitney. Prospects Anton Lander, Jeff Petry and Teemu Hartikainen might not be available, either. Everybody else is likely in play. Here are some ideas that make for good reading but are 99 per cent certain not to happen: *Would the Oilers offer Hemsky and a good prospect in a package to Colorado at No. 2, along with their 19th overall pick and No. 31, to get a shot at Larsson, or would the Avalanche say, “Get a life” unless Jordan Eberle was in the deal for the second choice? *Do they offer Hemsky, along with Nos. 19 and 31 and a second-round pick in 2012, as some fan said on hockeyfutures.com to New Jersey for the fourth pick to get Hamilton? That’s a reach, because the Devils need defencemen way more or a No. 1 centre. *There’s even a wild suggestion that the Oilers talk to the New York Islanders for the fifth pick, trading Eberle, Sam Gagner and the 31st pick for No. 5, Kyle Okposo and defenceman Travis Hamonic. That’s a non-starter because Okposo is a captain in waiting there and Hamonic played 21 minutes a game as a rookie last year. That would be youngsters for youngsters. Highly unlikely.

The Columbus Blue Jackets seem the most obvious trading partners because of GM Scott Howson’s connection with the Oilers from his days as Kevin Lowe’s right-hand man. Hemsky’s name has come up repeatedly, but as much as Howson knows and admires Hemsky’s skill set, it seems unlikely the Blue Jackets would take on a player who will be an unrestricted free-agent in a year. Plus, Hemsky is fighting the “injury-prone” tag with two shoulder surgeries, a torn groin and a concussion the last couple of years. He’s missed 95 games the last two seasons and 131 over the past five years. However, the Blue Jackets have said repeatedly their No. 8 choice is in play because they have to win now. They need a puck-moving defenceman and a forward, a playmaking centre more so than a winger. “We’ve had a little bit of interest in it so far and we’re willing to listen. Given where our franchise is now, we’d be more open to moving it for immediate help. We would be looking for a centre or a defenceman because we’re pretty strong on the wing with R.J. Umberger, (Rick) Nash, (Kristian) Huselius and (Jake) Voracek,” said Howson, who had the fourth pick last year but wouldn’t give it up. The Oilers were in the hunt then, too, because they wanted Portland Winterhawks’ centre Ryan Johansen, who starred for Canada at last year’s junior world championship. The Oilers have to decide what to do with Hemsky. Do they commit to him for another four years at probably $5 million a season when Hall, Eberle and Paajarvi will be looking for new deals in the next little while? Do they offer him to somebody else in the top 10, like the new Winnipeg franchise (No. 7). If the Oilers are taking 171-pound centre Nugent-Hopkins, wouldn’t they consider moving another short, but thicker (190 pounds) Gagner? Horcoff is going to be the No. 1 or No. 2 centre for quite a while with his contract situation, but maybe they wouldn’t consider dealing Gagner, who has played 223 games for the Oilers and is only 21, until his two-year contract is up after next season or they know for sure, Nugent-Hopkins is ready to play in the NHL. Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 06.17.2011

572441

Minnesota Wild

The Aeros played a structured, physical, forechecking, defensively sound style and had immense success despite a lack of offensive firepower.

Yeo a bold pick to take over Wild

Article by: MICHAEL RUSSO , Star Tribune

Mike Yeo, who just completed his first season as a head coach in the minors, will be introduced as the NHL's youngest coach today. hide Pittsburgh assistant coach Mike Yeo raises the Stanley Cup after the Penguins beat the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 to win Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals in 2009. For the second time in two years, Chuck Fletcher is selecting the rising star instead of the recycled vet. The Wild general manager hopes the second time goes better than the first.

"He really, really knows how to coach his players," said 2007 first-round draft pick Colton Gillies. "It's all about the process with him, the little things that require you to win games. He prepares you so, so well. I'm just really happy for him. I think he deserves it. He's done wonders for my career already." Yeo's departure in Houston opens a head coaching position there. As of now, the Wild has one vacant assistant position and one video coaching position. Veteran assistant Rick Wilson has one year left on his deal, and with his vast experience, technical expertise and solid work with the Wild last season, it would be surprising if he is not retained. The contracts for assistant coach Darby Hendrickson, goalie coach Bob Mason and strength coach Chris Pietrzak-Wegner all expire June 30. Yeo's coaching career began in the AHL at age 25 in 1999 when he became Glenn Patrick's assistant in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. In came Therrien in 2003, and the two were promoted to Pittsburgh in 2005 when Ed Olczyk was fired. Yeo was only 32.

Mike Yeo, who at 37 is even younger than his predecessor, Todd Richards, was when hired as Wild coach, will become the youngest coach in the NHL when he is introduced at a news conference at 11 a.m Friday.

That was Sidney Crosby's rookie year, and Yeo and Crosby grew close, Shero said, because of an immense mutual respect.

The bold hire for a team that has missed the playoffs for three consecutive years comes after Yeo completed his rookie American Hockey League season by guiding the Houston Aeros to the Calder Cup finals.

Shero believes coaching such gifted players, plus coaching players even older than him, will mean Yeo won't be intimidated walking into a Wild dressing room and dealing with such personalities as Mikko Koivu and Martin Havlat.

"It's awesome," the supremely confident Yeo said before boarding a flight from Houston to Minnesota on Thursday. Like Richards, who beat out veterans Dave Tippett and Peter Laviolette in June 2009, Yeo is being hired over veterans Craig MacTavish and Ken Hitchcock two years later. Yeo's hiring came on the same day MacTavish, who never was offered the Wild job, interviewed with the new Winnipeg franchise. Yeo impressed GM Fletcher during his lone interview last Friday, but he and Fletcher know each other from their days in Pittsburgh and the two spent many days together during Houston's playoff run. Yeo's task will be to take a middle-of-the-road franchise with an increasingly frustrated fan base and steer it back on track. "He's a very loyal, passionate, hard-working guy. He's a smart guy," Pittsburgh Penguins GM Ray Shero said of Yeo (pronounced "Yo"). "This just seems his time. When you're around him, you understand why. He's a young guy, but he's seen a lot of things and experienced a lot of things in the National Hockey League already. "That's why I don't perceive Mike Yeo as a minor league coach coming up to coach in the NHL. He's an NHL coach that stopped in the AHL to get head-coach experience." A former minor league grinder who captained the Aeros to a Turner Cup title in 1999, Yeo spent five years as an assistant with the Penguins. In 2008, Yeo went to the Stanley Cup Finals alongside Michel Therrien, another coach he beat out for the Wild job. A year later, after Therrien was fired, Yeo helped win the Stanley Cup as Dan Bylsma's assistant. Fletcher was assistant GM of the Penguins while Yeo was there. "When I look back, I can say Mike was so ready to be a head coach," Bylsma said last month. "His work ethic is diligent. The guy is relentless in trying to come up with the right answers and trying to come up with the plan and message to the team. "He was a big part of our backbone. He did a lot of the nuts and bolts and a lot of the work in putting together the presentation of the system to the team." Yeo is known to work tirelessly, and in January 2010 had to leave the Penguins for two weeks after experiencing chest pains and lightheadedness on the bench. He was diagnosed with high blood pressure and now takes medicine and says, "I'm fine." After the 2009-10 season, Yeo realized to reach his ultimate goal of NHL head coach, he would have to leave the comfy confines of Pittsburgh and become a head coach in the minors. He guided the Aeros to the secondbest record (46-28-6) in the Western Conference despite a revolving door of players shuttling back and forth to Minnesota.

"He's coached the best players in the world. It was Mike Yeo who worked one-on-one with Sidney Crosby," Shero said. "He had the respect of the Sergei Gonchars, Billy Guerins and Gary Roberts. I mean, if you can deal with Gary Roberts and Georges Laraque, you can deal with anybody." Hiring Yeo might be a tough sell for Fletcher after originally going with the young Richards. But Yeo already has coached for 11 years -- five in the NHL. "You're talking to a guy who had less experience as a head coach in the American League than Mike Yeo has now," Bylsma, who coached 54 games in Wilkes-Barre before he replaced Therrien in 2009, said last month. "So do I think he has enough experience? No question at all. "Is that the right fit for Minnesota right now? That's a different question. But I'm not sure I want to coach against Mike Yeo if he's in the National Hockey League." Bylsma will now have to. • The Wild traded defenseman Maxim Noreau to New Jersey for center David McIntyre in a swap of minor leaguers. Star Tribune LOADED: 06.17.2011

572442

Minnesota Wild

Wild send Noreau to Devils for McIntyre in swap of minor leaguers

Article by: Associated Press

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota Wild have traded defenseman Maxim Noreau to the New Jersey Devils for center David McIntyre in a swap of minor leaguers. The 24-year-old McIntyre had 12 goals and 18 assists for the Albany Devils in the American Hockey League last season. He played in college at Colgate and was a fifth round pick of Dallas in the 2006 draft. The 24-year-old Noreau ranked third in the AHL for scoring among defensemen with 10 goals and 44 assists last year. He also skated in five games for the Wild last year. Star Tribune LOADED: 06.17.2011

572443

Minnesota Wild

With the hiring of Mike Yeo, Wild must be hoping second time's the charm

By Tom Powers

In Las Vegas parlance, Chuck Fletcher has just doubled down. Two years ago, Fletcher, the Wild general manager, hired someone with no NHL head coaching experience, an extensive minor league resume and a Pittsburgh Penguin pedigree. The results were disastrous. Today, it will be announced that Fletcher has hired someone with no NHL head coaching experience, an extensive minor league resume and a Pittsburgh Penguin pedigree. The comparisons between Todd Richards and Mike Yeo don't end there. Neither really played in the NHL. Richards was a Hartford Whaler for eight games. Yeo never played in the NHL. And at the time they were hired to coach the Wild, both were considered the "next big thing" among the hot, young, coaching prospects. Maybe it will be different this time. If it isn't, I'm pretty sure Fletcher won't get another chance to get it right in Minnesota. Yeo did a terrific job with the Houston Aeros this season. He had a few legitimate prospects, but mostly his roster was filled with hockey journeymen. Yet he took the team to the AHL finals. In any other organization, Yeo probably would be considered by almost everyone to be the logical choice to take over behind the bench of the parent club. But the Wild are coming off two rough years under a coach who would appear to be very similar to Yeo. And the consensus was that they needed to switch to someone with experience, someone who could demand the players' attention. From the start of the hiring process, the focus was on former Edmonton Oilers coach Craig MacTavish. He was the first guy interviewed. He also came into town last week and was given the grand tour of the Xcel Energy Center. He appeared to be the prohibitive favorite for the job. I was never a MacTavish guy. The best choice, to me, was Ken Hitchcock. Hitchcock has a Stanley Cup under his (size 48) belt. This is a proven coach who gets the respect of his players without alienating them. Plus, for a franchise looking to sell tickets, Hitchcock would represent instant credibility. Parading him around during the NHL draft at Xcel would have created quite a buzz. Meanwhile, although MacTavish seemed to be the favorite, a lot of us thought that Michel Therrien, another Pittsburgh refugee, was a dark horse candidate. Therrien would have had to make the odd transition from Wild scout to Wild head coach. But he has seven years NHL head coaching experience and took the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2007-2008. But Yeo? Well, we knew he was going to get an interview. But I figured it was more of a courtesy for the great job he did in Houston. After all, he's just 37 years old. Now he'll be on display during the draft festivities. I just don't see the season-ticket hotline lighting up like a Christmas tree. Look, I'm going to keep an open mind. Under almost any other set of circumstances, I'd be singing the praises of Mike Yeo and the job he did in Houston. Plus, during his career as a minor leaguer, he played tough and always was willing to step in to protect a teammate. I like that. The Wild could use more of that. It's just that the Wild have spent two seasons flopping around under a coach with remarkably similar credentials. It seemed awfully important to go in a different direction this time. Maybe Yeo will prove better, smarter, quicker, more inspirational, sharper, more innovative, tougher, brighter, happier ... that would be great. If not, well, there probably will be openings both behind the bench and in the front office. Pioneer Press LOADED: 06.17.2011

572444

Minnesota Wild

Bob Sansevere: Minnesota Wild GM Chuck Fletcher puts his neck on the line in hiring Mike Yeo

By Bob Sansevere

Every decision we make has an outcome and, sometimes, a stinging consequence. Chuck Fletcher has made a decision that could cost him his job as the Wild general manager. Fletcher has named Mike Yeo the new Wild coach. If Yeo works out, if he has the kind of success he had as coach of the Wild's minor league team in Houston, Fletcher can be content, maybe a little cocky. Above all, he will know he has job security. But if Yeo fails, Fletcher likely is a goner. Fletcher whiffed with his first choice to coach the Wild, Todd Richards. He got a free pass with that one, got to keep his job. If he whiffs again with Yeo, chances are minuscule that owner Craig Leipold will be as forgiving. One screw-up can be excused. Two gets the door opened for you as you're shoved out of it. Yeo never has been an NHL head coach, and that makes him a bit of a gamble. He spent five years as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins. And just this past season, he guided the Houston Aeros to the American Hockey League's Calder Cup finals. So he has been around the game, and he has known success. Yeo is one of those guys who's tagged as a promising coach until somebody gives him a chance to prove he can succeed in the NHL. Or fail. What makes Yeo a dicey choice by Fletcher is that, while promising, he hasn't been there, hasn't done that as an NHL head coach. Now Craig MacTavish, he's been there. He's done that. There was talk this week that MacTavish was the Wild's top choice. Picking him pretty much would have been a no brainer, and if he didn't work, it wouldn't soil Fletcher's reputation as much as if Yeo messes up. Presumably, MacTavish faded as a Wild candidate when he decided to interview to become Winnipeg's head coach. While Fletcher deserves some props for staying in-house with Yeo, he's taking another shot on a guy who, like Richards, hasn't been a head coach in the NHL. There will be an outcome to this decision. And there might be a stinging consequence. Pioneer Press LOADED: 06.17.2011

572445

Minnesota Wild

Wild go young, again, with the selection of Mike Yeo as head coach

By Bruce Brothers

Mike Yeo was so excited Thursday he couldn't resist commenting about his new job more than 18 hours before he was to be officially introduced as the Minnesota Wild's third coach.

"It's a fresh start," he said. "We're all getting ready, training and getting ready for the next training camp. I'm sure there are going to be a lot of new things to learn, and I'm looking forward to it." Yeo is a teacher and a tactician behind the bench, said Gillies, who picked up 11 goals and 15 assists for 26 points in 64 games during the regular season in Houston, then went 7-5 --- 12 in 24 playoff games. "He was able to teach me and make me a better player," Gillies said. "He's very composed. You look at the beginning of year, we weren't doing very good. We were kind of struggling. He just said the team now is not going to be anywhere as good as the team a couple of months from now. "Everything he did had a plan to it. It was good."

"I guess the cat's out of the bag," he said before boarding a plane from Houston to the Twin Cities. "It's awesome."

Cullen heard the news on Thursday and said he can hardly wait to see the new-look Wild.

The Wild called a news conference for 11 a.m. today to announce they are again going with youth behind the bench. Yeo, 37, who recently coached the Wild's Houston Aeros affiliate to the Calder Cup finals of the American Hockey League, will take over immediately.

"It's a great new opportunity for us and for him," he said. "it's a fresh start, and there's something really important about that, going into the season."

He follows veteran Jacques Lemaire, who coached from the team's first season until stepping down in 2009, and Todd Richards, who was let go April 11 after two seasons. Much like Richards, 44, who played just a handful of NHL games, Yeo comes to Minnesota with no NHL playing experience. Shouldn't matter, according to Wild forward Pierre-Marc Bouchard. "I think it's kind of fun to have a younger coach," Bouchard said from his offseason home in Montreal. "I don't know much about him, to be honest. I met him at training camp, and he seems like a good guy. "During the year, we had a few guys who had been called up; they talked about him, and they really liked him. So I'm pretty excited to play for him." A native of North Bay, Ontario, Yeo was an assistant coach when Pittsburgh went to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2008, then again when the Penguins won the Stanley Cup in 2009 under coach Dan Bylsma. Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher was an assistant GM for the Penguins for those seasons before coming to Minnesota in 2009. While Yeo was coaching the Aeros in the AHL playoffs this spring, he talked about how much he appreciated speculation that he was under consideration to be Minnesota's next coach, but noted he had more immediate concerns on his mind. "We're so wrapped up in what we're doing, and I absolutely want to give this my full attention and effort," he said at the time. "I know that our guys deserve that. That's what they're doing, and I want to be doing the same thing." Although he said his No. 1 job in Houston was "to develop prospects for Minnesota Wild," he said there was a subtext to the job: "What we want to develop is winners." In their one year under Yeo, the Aeros had a 46-28-6 regular-season record before winning the AHL's Western Conference to advance to the Calder Cup finals, where they lost in six games to the Binghamton Senators. They went 14-10 in the playoffs. "He's young, but he's coached some really good players," Aeros forward and former Wild first-round draft pick Colton Gillies said, referring to Yeo's days with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and other Penguins stars. "I think he learned a lot from the Pittsburgh organization." Wild forward Matt Cullen said age is irrelevant. "A coach is a coach," Cullen said. "You're going to respect him and follow him regardless. I think it's exciting when it's a young guy; it seems like a lot of times you can relate better to each other." Yeo takes over a team that was 293-255-55-53 under Lemaire (including 55 ties before the NHL went to the shootout) and 77-71-16 under Richards. Fletcher hopes that Yeo, with his clean-shaven head and youthful enthusiasm, might offer the perfect antidote to Minnesota's failure to make the NHL playoffs the past three seasons. Bouchard doesn't disagree with that.

Others under consideration by Fletcher included former Edmonton Oilers coach Craig MacTavish, former Pittsburgh Penguins coach Michel Therrien and former Columbus Blue Jackets, Philadelphia Flyers and Dallas Stars coach Ken Hitchcock. Therrien is a scout for the Wild. Pioneer Press LOADED: 06.17.2011

572446

Minnesota Wild

Minnesota Wild acquire center in minor league trade

By Bruce Brothers

The Minnesota Wild acquired center David McIntyre from the New Jersey Devils in a minor league trade today. The 6-foot, 190-pound McIntyre, a native of Oakville, Ontario, comes to Minnesota for defenseman Maxim Noreau, who scored 10 goals and collected 44 assists in 76 games for the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League last season. Noreau, 24, played in five games for the Wild last season. McIntyre, 24, a fifth-round pick by the Dallas Stars in the 2006 NHL draft, was a Hobey Baker Award finalist in 2009 when he played college hockey at Lowell University. He recorded 12 goals and 18 assists for 30 points in 71 games last season for the AHL Albany Devils. Pioneer Press LOADED: 06.17.2011

572447

New Jersey Devils

Devils acquire defensemen Maxim Noreau in minor league trade with Wild

Mike Vorkunov/The Star-Ledger By Mike Vorkunov/The Star-Ledger

The Devils acquired defenseman Maxim Noreau in a minor-league trade with the Minnesota Wild, dealing away forward David McIntyre. Noreau, 24, split each of the last two seasons with the Wild and their American Hockey League affiliate, the Houston Aeros. He led Aeros defensemen in points in each of the last two years. He played in the AHL All-Star game in each of the past two seasons. The 6-0, 195-pound, Noreau played six games with the Wild over two seasons and did not register a point. McIntyre was acquired by the Devils from the Anaheim Ducks in Feb., 2009. Star Ledger LOADED: 06.17.2011

572448

New Jersey Devils

Devils mulling arbitration for Zach Parise

By TOM GULITTI

Print | All signs point to the Devils filing for team-elected arbitration with left wing Zach Parise before today’s 5 p.m. deadline if the sides can’t reach an agreement before then. Devils general manage Lou Lamoriello stopped just short Thursday, however, of confirming that is his plan. "Everything is status quo in all the conversations we’ve had," Lamoriello said. "We’ll certainly do everything we can to sign him. We will certainly do what is within our rights to make sure we keep him." By filing for team-elected arbitration, the Devils would prevent Parise from fielding offer sheets from other teams if he is still not signed before noon on July 1, at which time he would become a restricted free agent. The sides could continue to negotiate until the arbitrator issues a ruling. Parise, who was returning Thursday from a fishing trip in Canada, said he "hasn’t heard anything" about contract talks between his agents and the Devils. Lamoriello’s statement seemed to suggest there has been at least some form of contact between the sides. "We’ll do everything we can, but I’m not concerned about it nor do I think he is concerned," Lamoriello said of avoiding filing for arbitration today. "We both have the right intentions and we have to find a way to get it done." BRIEF: The Devils traded center David McIntyre to Minnesota for defenseman Maxim Noreau. Bergen Record LOADED: 06.17.2011

572449

New Jersey Devils

Devils trade for AHL all-star defenseman

By MARK EVERSON

The Devils on Thursday acquired the AHL’s top power-play point-getting defenseman, first-team all-star Maxim Noreau, from Minnesota in exchange for Albany forward David McIntyre. Noreau, 24, has played six NHL games, without points, in the past two seasons, during which he was 18-34-52 and 10-44-54, each in 76 games with the American Hockey League’s Houston Aeros. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Wild in 2008. McIntyre was acquired from Anaheim in 2009, and was tied for fifth in Albany scoring last season at 12-18-30 in 78 games New York Post LOADED: 06.17.2011

572450

New Jersey Devils

Vanderbeek in talks to take full ownership of Devils

By JOSH KOSMAN

Billionaire Ray Chambers, tired of digging into his pockets over the years to fund the money-losing Devils, is in talks to sell his piece of the NHL team to his longtime partner, The Post has learned. Chambers, who owns 47 percent of the team and the company the runs the Newark arena where the Devils play, is in talks with Jeff Vanderbeek on a deal that is likely to be priced at less than $200 million, according to a source close to the discussions. That's quite a comedown for the 69-year-old Newark native, who put his stake on the market back in February and was seeking about $250 million -but there were no takers at that price, sources said. There is a clause in the deal between the two sports investors that could force Vanderbeek to buy Chambers' stake at a given price, according to a source familiar with the situation -- but the two hope the current talks make enforcing that clause moot. A breakdown in talks could see Chambers take Vanderbeek to court to enforce the sale provision. The two, responding to a query from The Post, said in a joint statement: "From time to time, we have had discussions about an amicable sale of Brick City's [Chambers' holding company's] interest to Mr. Vanderbeek. These discussions are ongoing." Vanderbeek, a former Lehman Brothers executive president, does not have the money to finance the purchase of Chambers' stake. He has brought on board outside investors to help close the deal, sources said. In the fiscal year ending July 1, Devils Arena Entertainment -- which consists of the team and the Prudential Center arena -- is expected to report a modest profits. It would be the company's first year in the black in its four-year existence. The profit comes as The Rock, as the arena is known locally, has attracted more business -- becoming the sixth busiest arena in the United States, according to Venue Today, an industry publication. However, the NBA's Nets, who play 41 home games at the Rock, are expected to move to Brooklyn for the 2012-13 season. The Newark Housing Authority owns Prudential Center, and Devils Arena Entertainment pays for putting on events and collects the proceeds. Vanderbeek has voting control over the business and angered fans by signing Ilya Kovalchuk last year to a 15-year $100 million deal. The winger has generally underperformed. The Devils missed the playoffs this year, which is where NHL teams make much of their money. National Hockey League owners guarantee to the league that they will personally fund any operating losses. That means Chambers, worth an estimated $4 billion, cannot just walk away from the team and withhold funding. New York Post LOADED: 06.17.2011

572451

New York Islanders

Isles plan for draft

By BRETT CYRGALIS

More Garth Snow has been here before, and if there's one thing he's learned as general manager of the Islanders it's that come draft time, you never limit your options. So that's why Snow is currently not just taking phone calls from other general managers interested in his No. 5 overall pick in next Friday's NHL draft, but he's also actively making calls to ensure if he does go through with a deal, he'll be getting the proper value. "I've had initial conversations, but those types of deals will happen on the [draft-room] floor," Snow told The Post. "I have talked to other managers concerning different scenarios with the pick. We wouldn't close the door on an opportunity to trade up or trade down. We feel we have a lot of options, and if nothing unfolds on the floor, we feel we'll get a great hockey player at No. 5." Snow called his high pick "the silver lining" to a disappointing season, and this will be the third draft in a row where they enter with the No. 5 pick. Last year, they selected electric winger Nino Niederreiter, who spent the season in juniors. The year before that they traded down twice, eventually picking Josh Bailey with the ninth overall pick. "There's going to be different options available," Snow said. "It's a fun time for our staff because it's an opportunity for us to put a quality player in our organization." New York Post LOADED: 06.17.2011

572452

New York Rangers

Rangers can't buy out injured Drury

By LARRY BROOKS

It appears as if the Rangers will be unable to buy out the final season of Chris Drury's contract because of a degenerative condition in the captain's left knee that apparently will render him medically unable to play next season, The Post has learned. While Drury has yet to file the necessary paperwork, sources report he plans to do so. The Rangers, who had been planning a buyout, could file a grievance against Drury, but that is a remote possibility, at best. Mounting a challenge is problematic on numerous levels, but winning a grievance would cost CEO Jim Dolan approximately $2.7 million in cash, given insurance ramifications. This, of course, is bad news for Drury, who more than likely will be facing the end of a distinguished 12-year NHL career at the age of 35, which he turns in August. But this also is bad news for the Rangers, who will contend with complex cap issues both over the summer and for next season. The inability to buy out an injured player means that Drury's full $7.05 million charge will remain on the Blueshirts' summer cap, which can exceed the 2011-12 season cap by 10 percent. Under terms of the CBA, the captain will have to report to training camp in September for the team physical. If Drury fails, as would be expected, he would qualify for a long-term injury (LTI) exemption when the season begins and the roster is set. But in order to gain the full value of the $7.05 million exemption, the Rangers would have to go that far over the cap. In other words, if the cap is $62.5 million (an estimation before it is officially established by June 30), the team would have to get to $69.5 million (including Drury) before the season-opener in Stockholm to reap the full LTI benefit. Recall that the Rangers never were close enough to the cap at any time last season to be in position to put Vinny Prospal on LTI at the start of the season while he was rehabbing an injured knee or to place Alex Frolov on LTI when he went down with a season-ending knee injury on Jan. 8. At this stage, it seems implausible the Blueshirts would even approach $69.5 million . . . unless they simply give Brad Richards whatever he wants (if not more!) to sign as a free agent in order to inflate their cap. Under a buyout, the Rangers would have carried approximately $3.717 million of dead space on the Drury contract through both the summer and the season. Drury underwent a Feb. 11 arthroscopy that sidelined him for 27 games before he returned on basically one leg for the for the April 9 regular-season finale against the Devils and the playoff first round against the Caps. But his knee gave out as the series progressed. Coach John Tortorella told the press on breakup day that the captain had a, "chronic knee [condition]." The Post has learned that conversations between Drury and Glen Sather regarding the possibility that the captain would cite being medically unable to play began when the GM informed him last week of the team's plans to buy him out. The initial round of buyouts runs from tomorrow through June 30. There is a second 48-hour window granted in late July or early August following salary arbitration. Drury, who is owed $5M on the front-loaded, five-year, $35.25 million freeagent deal he signed on July 1, 2007, is expected to undergo a physical in the near future. If his condition is affirmed, insurance will cover $4 million. It is not known whether Drury is contemplating major surgery. Regardless, it appears as if Drury's career has ended after 892 NHL regular-season games in which the Connecticut Kid recorded 615 points (255-360) and 130 playoff contests in which he registered 88 points (47-41).

Drury's career as a Ranger is ending after 264 games during which he scored 151 points (62-89) and it is ending in a manner that benefits neither the captain nor the club. New York Post LOADED: 06.17.2011

572453

New York Rangers

Report: Jagr’s agent contacts Rangers

Staff

OK, a bit of a misleading headline. According to the report out of Detroit, Jaromir Jagr is mulling a return to the NHL after three seasons in the KHL following his successful tenure with the Rangers. But, according to the report, his preferred destination is the Red Wings. The report lists the Red Wings, the Rangers, the Canadiens, the Penguins and the Capitals has five teams Jagr’s agent, Petr Svoboda has tried to contact to gauge interest. Report aside, there’s no indication from the Rangers’ camp that Svoboda has spoken with GM Glen Sather on the subject Even if Svoboda has spoken or will speak with Sather, Jagr’s return to the Rangers seems like a serious long shot. While Jagr would bring some scoring to an offensively-challenged team, he turns 40 in February and that doesn’t fit with what coach John Tortorella is trying to do with the team, which is infuse it with youth. Still, Jagr definitely showed during the World Championships he’s got some hockey life left. And he still has an electrifying presence and personality. But if Jagr does return to the NHL, in all likelihood, it will be for a team other than the Rangers. Bergen Record LOADED: 06.17.2011

572454

Ottawa Senators

Senators looking to move up in draft

By BRUCE GARRIOCH, QMI Agency

OTTAWA - If the Senators want to move up in next week’s NHL draft, they might have to make a deal with the Devils. League sources say if Ottawa GM Bryan Murray wants to chose earlier than the No. 6 spot in next Friday’s draft in Minnesota, he should call the Devils, who have the fourth overall pick. Sources say the Devils are so concerned about the lack of prospects in their organization, they’d be willing to drop back from their No. 4 spot for two first-rounders or a first-rounder and a high second-round pick. With the sixth and 21st picks in the first round and three picks in the second, the Senators should be able to make Devils GM Lou Lamoriello a solid offer. Murray, however, said he likely won’t enter into any serious discussions until he arrives in Minnesota for the draft. “I’ve only talked to two teams ahead of me,” said Murray. “It will be one of those things where the week of the draft, you have a chance. The day of the draft (teams) will change their demand to something higher. If you’re willing to pay, somebody might move.” With the Senators having stocked up on blueliners, assistant GM Tim Murray and director of scouting Pierre Dorion will be looking to draft the best available forward with their first pick. By all accounts, the Oilers are going to draft Red Deer Rebels centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins with the No. 1 overall pick. From there, it becomes a bit of a guessing game. The Avalanche sit at No. 2 and could use that pick to take Memorial Cup MVP Jonathan Huberdeau of the Saint John Sea Dogs. The Panthers have the third pick and might use it to select Swedish defenceman Adam Larsson. Like Huberdeau After the Devils’ pick at No. 4, the Islanders have the fifth pick and will likely use it on a blueliner, which would be Larsson if he’s available or Dougie Hamilton of the Niagara IceDogs. The player the Senators seem most interested in is Huberdeau, a centre who saw his stock shoot up with an outstanding QMJHL playoff run and a Memorial Cup to match it. “They watched the Sea Dogs quite a bit,” said a league executive. “The Senators know Huberdeau extremely well. To trade up to get Huberdeau could be tough because I’m not sure anybody is going to give them that luxury.” If the Senators can get to No. 4, it would give them more options as star forwards Gabriel Landeskog, of the Kitchener Rangers, Sean Couturier, of the Drummondville Voltigeurs, or Niagara’s Ryan Strome could still be available. “They’ll get a good player at No. 6 if they stay there. No question,” said an Eastern Conference scout. “But they might have the option to move up and get the player they really want.” Landeskog, a right winger, is going to be ready to play next season and has excellent leadership capabilities. Couturier, a centre, is still growing into his 6-foot-4 frame, but is an excellent prospect. As for Strome, the Senators have scouted him all season and liked what they’ve seen of the centre. “Landeskog is the man-child right now. He can play. He’s a great person and a great character,” said the scout. Couturier is a can’t miss. He just needs to get stronger.” Ottawa Sun LOADED: 06.17.2011

572455

NHL

Should the Canucks survive the Western gauntlet, the Eastern winner is likely to look more intimidating than the Bruins, who had an excellent goaltender but few offensive stars.

Canucks' window closes a bit

Provided they recover from season-ending injuries, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin should get the Pittsburgh Penguins back on a dynasty track.

By MATTHEW SEKERES

And one of these days, Washington's young talent is going to grow up around Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals are going to figure it out in the playoffs.

Vancouver should remain a threat but 2011 will be remembered for what could have been

Toronto Globe and Mail LOADED 06.17.2011

To say the Vancouver Canucks missed a golden Stanley Cup opportunity is putting it mildly. The 2010-11 edition of the NHL club, which lost the final series to the Boston Bruins in a seventh and deciding game Wednesday, was the best team ever assembled in Vancouver, the city's best chance at that elusive chalice. But the Canucks also caught some breaks this postseason namely drawing a third-seeded, low-offence team from the Eastern Conference in the final - and they failed to take advantage of a championship window that won't ever be as open as it was this year. What went wrong? Start with the star players. The Sedin twins, Ryan Kesler and Christian Ehrhoff were non-factors against the Bruins, and goaltender Roberto Luongo was a basket case at Boston's TD Garden. The upstart third line wasn't going to save the team's bacon four times, and believe it or not, the club's vaunted depth failed it again. The Canucks were the highest-scoring team in the regular season, but camouflaged in that fact is the goals were concentrated in three areas: the top line (featuring Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin and Alex Burrows), Kesler and the power play. The third line went through some extremely dry stretches this year, head coach Alain Vigneault never settled on a fourth line and, to wit, didn't get the all-over contributions the Bruins received. Second-line wingers Mason Raymond and Mikael Samuelsson had offyears, necessitating a trade for Chris Higgins, but none of three are the type of finisher Kesler needs on his flank. Defensive depth failed, too, mostly because Keith Ballard was a disaster in his first year with the team. The trade with the Florida Panthers last summer - Ballard and Victor Oreskovich for Steve Bernier, Michael Grabner and a first-round pick - is looking less and less defensible now, because the $4million (U.S.) defenceman never earned Vigneault's confidence and was scratched for Game 7. (Grabner, meanwhile, scored 34 goals after being claimed on waivers by the New York Islanders, and could have filled Raymond's role at a cheaper freight.) On the blueline, Vigneault was forced to go to 21-year-old rookie Chris Tanev and Andrew Alberts as his third defence pair after Aaron Rome was lost to suspension after Game 3, and Dan Hamhuis to injury in Game 1. Vigneault didn't play them much, and leaned on his top four. Boston, conversely, played three pairs, matching Zdeno Chara on the Sedin twins and trusting their other five defencemen. While the Canucks are positioned to be a competitive for several years, they likely won't have the depth they had this season because the salary cap situation won't be as advantageous going forward. Defencemen Kevin Bieksa, Ehrhoff, Sami Salo and Alberts will be unrestricted free agents, and not all will be back. It will be difficult for general manager Mike Gillis to replicate the eight- and nine-player depth chart he had on the back end, especially if Ballard fails to turn around his career. Then, there is the field of competitors. In the Western Conference, the arch-nemesis Chicago Blackhawks won't be down for long after trading salaried regulars for young prospects last summer. The 'Hawks also found a goalie in Corey Crawford to go with their superb young core. The Detroit Red Wings never slip too far, and the San Jose Sharks have made two consecutive conference finals. Plus, there are the upstarts, such as the Los Angeles Kings, who could be poised to join the conference elite.

572456

NHL

What comes next for the Vancouver Canucks

By Eric Duhatschek

There is an object lesson to be learned in the path the Bruins' followed when they found themselves in an even more desolate position On the morning after the devastation - to the psyche of a team and a city the Vancouver Canucks players kept their distance from the Rogers Arena. The break-up gathering and the exit meetings will follow in due course, but not on Thursday, where everyone involved could nurse their hangovers and disappointments and digest the 4-0 loss to the Boston Bruins in the seventh and deciding of the Stanley Cup final. It was a disappointing, crushing defeat for the Canucks on so many levels. They'd won the President's Trophy as regular season champions. They dominated the league, offensively and defensively, from October to April. Their stars - goaltender Roberto Luongo, centre Ryan Kesler, winger Daniel Sedin - were all nominated for major NHL awards. They'd navigated their way through the Western Conference playoff minefield for three rounds and led the final series 3-2, with two chances to close out the series, including the one on home ice. And they couldn't get it done, against a Boston Bruins' team that outscored them 23-8 and won the most-lopsided close series in recent NHL history. So what next for general manager Mike Gillis and coach Alain Vigneault? The business of hockey does not slow down much to accommodate teams that make a long playoff run. The NHL entry draft is a little over a week away. Free agency begins on July 1. The Canucks have decisions to make - about the future of their goaltenders and how to deal with pending unrestricted free agents Kevin Bieksa and Christian Ehrhoff. But those are individual micro-issues. If they are smart, their post-mortem should focus squarely on the macro issue - of how a team that was celebrating their first Stanley Cup championship in 39 years on their home ice Wednesday now happened to get there. There is an object lesson to be learned in the path the Bruins' followed, beginning 13 months ago, when they found themselves in an even more desolate position.

Last spring, Boston became just the third team in NHL history to blow a 3-0 series lead and lose, joining the 1942 Detroit Red Wings and the 1975 Pittsburgh Penguins in the record books. It was not pretty. There was talk of giving coach Claude Julien the chop. Talk of making wholesale changes. Theories that the net effect of such a historic collapse would take years to purge from the collective psyche of the team. Fear that the Bruins would never recover, not in the short term, anyway. And yet, here they are, Stanley Cup champions, able to put the hurt behind them over the course of the summer and re-dedicate themselves to the task of winning a championship. The Bruins switched goalies - from Tuukka Rask to Tim Thomas. They traded for Nathan Horton, to add some needed scoring. They strengthened the bottom end of their roster, with Chris Kelly and Rich Peverley, so that when injuries occurred, they were in a position to muddle through. But mostly, they stuck with the team they had, led by the brilliantly efficient Zdeno Chara. From the depths of the Bruins' despair to the heights of a Stanley Cup championship, all in a single year, it was an extraordinary accomplishment and the lesson for Vancouver is, it can be done. It just doesn't feel that way, not today, not when the feelings of loss are so raw that emotionally, people want a response. They want a scapegoat and they want it now. Luongo is the people's choice as the villain of the piece. His performance in the three games in Boston were ugly - and he was soso in the deciding game. His struggles in the Chicago series were also hard to ignore. Still, he did win 15 games for them this spring, did record four playoff shutouts and he did provide some quality goaltending along the way. Too bad NHL culture doesn't easily change and permit coaches to make goalie

switches in the playoffs the way they do in the regular season - just so coach Alain Vigneault could give his starter a day off to gather himself. Under that scenario, the Canucks could have gone right to Cory Schneider for the start of Game 6 and had a fresh confident Luongo in reserve for Game 7. But it doesn't work that way, especially not in a series-deciding game, and so, they were left with this. But Luongo is signed for another 11 years on a contract that is hard to trade, so pining for a change there isn't going to do any good. Gillis may need to trade Schneider - who would be coveted by many organizations, and often the way these deals work is, you can package a bad contract with a highly prized commodity and thus get rid of $4.2 million worth of Keith Ballard's unwieldy deal. And if you save the money there, then Bieksa and Ehrhoff can likely both be fit under the cap. Add a depth player here, a veteran presence there - plus a dash of the motivation that Boston found after brooding away last summer - and the Canucks might be heard from again as early as next year. Nobody survives very long in the hockey business by making rash or irrational decisions. The Bruins didn't last year and were rewarded for their faith in their core players with a Stanley Cup championship. It is a lesson the Canucks would be well-advised to absorb. Toronto Globe and Mail LOADED 06.17.2011

572457

NHL

Cox: First decision for Canucks? What to do with Roberto Luongo

Damien Cox

There’s losing, and there’s losing. Which makes the assumption of many that the Vancouver Canucks will get right back to winning once next season begins, at least the kind of winning they did this year before they ran into the brick wall known as the Boston Bruins, speculative at best. You didn’t hear anybody inside or outside of the Miami Heat organization dare suggest that basketball squad just needed to continue on ahead as is following their stunning loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA final last weekend. No one’s saying they have to move LeBron James, or even one of his two running mates. But that was no ordinary loss. That was not a heroic defeat, and so pretty much everyone figures something substantive will have to be done to alter that team’s critical flaw. Or flaws. Well, the Canucks would fall under the same category, and the conversation will begin with Roberto Luongo. More, really, should be about the Bruins now, the winners, rather than the losers. But that which followed the game made Vancouver the central story, and the combination of Luongo’s words and actions made him the central figure in the demise of the Canucks, a hockey club seemingly poised to bring the Cup back to Canada. Over the course of the past 12 months, Luongo has now been stripped of the Vancouver captaincy — dumb idea in the first place — and fallen on his face when his battered and slumping team needed him the most. How can they possibly bring him back next season? Fact is, his horrendous contract, which doesn’t expire until 2022 and carries with it an annual cap hit of $5.333 million (U.S.), will make him very difficult to trade unless GM Mike Gillis is willing to take another terrible contract back. So this may take time. But it probably means the Canucks now can’t trade backup goalie Cory Schneider, robbing the team of the assets he could have netted in a trade. Beyond Luongo, there was something about this Canucks team that just didn’t ring true, and simply coming back with the same group would be to hope that group can figure out the problem itself. But, for the most part, this is a veteran team; they are what they are, and while Chris Tanev may improve, it’s unlikely the Sedins, Manny Malhotra or Sami Salo will. Boston seemed to sense from the beginning of this series that there was a vulnerability they could exploit. If you remember, Chicago did too in the first round, and Jonathan Toews said so, made it clear he didn’t believe the Canucks were this awesome powerhouse they’d been made out to be. The Blackhawks, however, realized that too late. Boston knew it from the start, and so head coach Claude Julien wasn’t flustered a bit when his club dropped the first two games in very painful style. If the Canucks could only beat them by a goal in B.C., Julien figured, this was a team that could be taken. While Vancouver’s top players stumbled, the Bruins surged as a group and individuals on the roster got better and better. That was certainly the case for Dennis Seidenberg, stolen by GM Peter Chiarelli from Florida for a song at the March, 2010 trade deadline, and Patrice Bergeron. By Game 7, fourth-liners like Gregory Campbell and Shawn Thornton were pounding new dents in the Vancouver lineup with every shift, and Brad Marchand was, well, becoming a star right in front of our eyes. Not one Vancouver player was a pleasant surprise, and a half-dozen or more Bruins were. In retrospect, the Canucks’ chance to win the Cup was in Game 6, but Luongo’s ill-timed jibes aimed at Tim Thomas were the phony bluster of an athlete who knew he wasn’t going to be able to measure up to the moment — why won’t he say nice things about me? — and with Luongo, the rest of the Canucks seemed to lose momentum and confidence in each other.

Someone suggested after it was all over that the Bruins really won the series seven games to none, and there’s some truth in that. By Game 7, Boston was in total control, and the calm with which the Bruins exited their zone time after time after time was an expression of a team that understood it was better than its opponent. The Bruins ruled the boards in this series, winning this battle in the trenches. While the Canucks will likely try to sever ties with Luongo and need to make decisions on free-agent blueliners Christian Erhoff and Kevin Bieksa, the B’s are pretty much set. They’ll have to throw some dollars at Marchand; Michael Ryder and Tomas Kaberle are free agents, and Mark Recchi will retire. A repeat? Awfully tough these days, but they’ll have another good club in The Hub. Vancouver believes it will, too. Well, we’ll see about that. Toronto Star LOADED 06.17.2011

572458

NHL

Some of the innocent bystanders eventually took refuge in the store’s washrooms, and were later rescued by firefighters.

Game over for big crowds, outdoor events in wake of Vancouver riots?

No dollar figure has yet been attached to looting and property damage, but the downtown business association estimates about 50 properties were damaged in some way.

Kenneth Kidd

Chu said police couldn’t respond instantly to every incident, and had never planned to do so.

VANCOUVER—Rioting has become so inevitable at mass gatherings of people that it may be time to reconsider even staging events that bring more than 100,000 people onto downtown streets, says Vancouver Police Chief Jim Chu.

“If the officers just ran to every hot spot, that riot would continue much longer than it did,” he said. “Our objective was to suppress the riot as soon as possible.” Nor could police easily arrest individual miscreants, surrounded by so many other people.

“That is something that we’ll look at,” Chu said, after Wednesday’s Stanley Cup mayhem saw nearly 100 arrests and nine police officers injured as stores were looted and 15 vehicles set ablaze.

“When a crowd is this large,” Chu said, “it’s difficult to go in and pick off the instigators and trouble-makers.”

He said that, despite the “best efforts” of police forces elsewhere in the world, including those with vastly more manpower, “riots still occur.”

The main objective was to get people out of the downtown core as safely as possible, and that can take time.

Chu laid much of the blame on “anarchists and thugs who were bent on destruction,” and had come with “masks, goggles, gasoline and even fire extinguishers to use as weapons.

“Sometimes you have to stop and pause before you can gain more ground, and wait for reinforcements,” Chu said.

“When there’s a large number of criminals and anarchists with an intent to break the law, it’s very difficult to stop that.”

Asked about the great number of drunken teenagers on the streets, Chu said: “Maybe that’s a question for the parents to answer. “Where were your kids? How drunk were they?”

And while Chu noted that many bystanders had aided police and stopped would-be looters from entering stores, he also chastised all those stood idly by, often cheering and snapping photos.

Police managed to quell the rioting within three hours, about half the time it took to suppress much smaller riots following the Canucks’ loss in the 1994 Stanley Cup finals.

It all bore an eerie similarity to the G20 riots in Toronto last summer, when far a more pro-active and aggressive police presence had also failed to prevent a destructive rampage.

All through the playoffs, Vancouver police had been lauded for their restraint, just as they had been during the Olympics.

As in Toronto, the Vancouver mayhem seemed to take on a life of its own as the contagion spread in unpredictable directions.

In the celebrations that followed earlier games in the Stanley Cup finals, young fans were commonly seen high-fiving police, and posing with them for pictures.

The initial spark seems to have come before the Canucks hockey game was even over, when young men at the fan zone on Georgia St. surged forward, hurling bottles at the giant screen. They and others were soon setting off firecrackers as bystanders scrambled for cover. When the trouble quickly escalated, Chu said police immediately switched from their more tolerant “meet and greet” approach to full riot control. Police officially declared the crowd at the fan zone an illegal assembly and ordered everyone out of the area, but the crowd resisted, throwing debris at police and toppling porta-potties. The officers were suddenly cast as the enemy, as people chanted “f--Boston” and “f--- the police.” The fencing that was supposed to contain the assembled fans had long since been dismantled, with some rioters even wielding parts of it as weapons. “How do you control something without perimeters?” asked assistant fire chief Wade Pierlot, noting that firefighters, like police, were pelted with rocks and bottles as they tried to respond to nearly 400 incidents, many of them fires in trash cans and dumpsters. Two police cruisers were also engulfed in flames, one officer required 14 stitches after being hit in the head with a brick, and another suffered a concussion. Numerous officers were treated for human bites in the wake of scuffles with rioters. Chu conceded that, at the fan zone, police were initially overwhelmed. “In hindsight, had we known what would happen, we would have more officers deployed there,” he said. But there was no way to predict where, and when, trouble would start, so police had initially been arrayed all around the downtown core. Much of the looting, for instance, occurred several blocks away, where the windows of The Bay department store were smashed. On the sidewalk outside the store, two scantily clad women were fighting at one point, as a crowd gathered around them to cheer and take pictures.

Not on Wednesday. “These weren’t the true Canuck fans causing the destruction,” Chu said, noting the police tip line had already received 120 calls by 5 a.m. Thursday. Nor was Chu the only one wondering about the wisdom of having so many fans concentrated in one place. “To have 100,000 to 120,000 people in a downtown core and expect to be able to control that, no way Jose, it’s not going to happen,” said John Revington, superintendent of Bonnis Properties, which manages several downtown sites. “We should have shut it down and kept them on the outside.”? “We wanted to create something remarkable and that’s what people in the city wanted,” Penny Ballem, city manager for Vancouver, said of the places where fans could watch on outdoor screens. “The fact that thousands of people were able to enjoy this and it was hijacked by a few, 150 really committed anarchists is disappointing.”? B.C. Premier Christy Clark said the rioters would be hunted down.? “I promise you this: You won’t be able to live in anonymity, you won’t be behind your bandana or under your hoodie,” she said. “We’re going to do everything we can to make sure the public understand who you were. Your family, your friends, your employer will know you were part of this,” said Clark. “This cannot happen in our city.”?? Toronto Star LOADED 06.17.2011

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Vancouverites sweep up, pour out hearts

By Petti Fong Western Bureau

VANCOUVER—From riot to contrition, and mess to clean-up, Vancouver residents attempted to scrub clean their tarnished image with garbage bags and handwritten notes expressing their disgust at thuggish looters. Facebook pages set up during the riot Wednesday night urged residents to head downtown in the morning to help clean up the city and its damaged reputation following the hooliganism that took place when the Canucks lost the Stanley Cup final. One page, the Post-Riot Clean-Up, had nearly 10,000 followers as it urged residents to show the world what “Vancouver is really about.” Hundreds of people arrived in Vancouver downtown, some as early as 6 a.m. with garbage bags, brooms, mops and gloves and began sweeping damaged glass and broken retail fronts. “Reading about this last night that people were getting together to do their part was the only thing that made me feel better after watching all the destruction,” said Jamie Dechamplain, who was out with her dog Becker before heading off to work. “It was devastating to realize how much damage a small group of people could do, not just to where we live but to our reputation.” Dechamplain said she’s proud of Vancouver’s reputation as a livable city and the great hospitality displayed during the Olympics. On Granville St., optometrist Dr. Brad McDougall arrived early with bucket and broom to clean up the storefront of his store. In the past, rioters have tried to smash in the front window but the addition of an iron gate over the glass has kept eyeglasses and glass windows safe from looters.

“Last night as I watched it on TV, I thought we would have some very serious damage,” said McDougall. “But it hasn’t been bad at all. Everything is still here and there just a lot of mess like beer bottles and garbage to clean up.” On boards covering smashed-in windows at the Bay and Sears, one of the first notes to appear generated hundreds more. A handwritten sign was pasted on the board at one of the Bay’s windows saying On Behalf of My Team and My City, I’m Sorry! That note was quickly surrounded by other notes praising Vancouver residents for volunteering to clean up and Vancouver police while criticizing the rioters and looters. “Way to Go Bozos,” one note read. Inside the department store, tinkling sounds of glass was being swept up as Peggy Trendell-Jensen added in her note on the board. Underneath one note that said, “My heart is broken. My city is bleeding,” Trendell-Jensen wrote, “Not Any More It’s Not.” “It was wonderful to see so many people just decide to come down and do their part,” said Trendell-Jensen. “In many places you wouldn’t think anything happened because there were so many people helping clean up. There was fighting in a good way because there’s not enough garbage now to be picked up.” Mayor Gregor Robertson toured the area early in the morning and said the volunteers have proven that their city cannot be defined by the actions of a few. “The people who are here are why this is such a great city,” Robertson said. “The losers who did what they did don’t represent Vancouver at all.” Toronto Star LOADED 06.17.2011

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Bruins fan spit on, pushed by aggressive crowd during Canucks game

Petti Fong

VANCOUVER—It wasn’t easy during the Stanley Cup finals to be a Boston Bruins fan in Vancouver. But on Wednesday night, it turned violent for Kris Griffin, who wore his Bruins jersey to watch the game. Watching from a designated “fan zone” downtown, Griffin endured jeers and ribbing during first period. By second period, he started to get pushed around and spat upon by an increasingly aggressive crowd. Sensing the increasing hostility, Griffin took his jersey off in the third period. But not before four or five people jumped him and started kicking and punching him. “Thankfully those were just a few morons and other people were able to come by and pull them off,” said Griffin. As the crowds got bigger, they turned more violent and started smashing windows and setting cars on fire. Griffin said he decided to just stay in the background until the mayhem ended. But when he saw a mob attack a man who was trying to stop the riots, he stepped in and tried to help him. Still with his jersey in hand, Griffin was again attacked, this time by an even angrier group of rioters. “Seeing people getting kicked for no reason because of the jersey they wore or because they were trying to stop people from destroying property just makes no sense,” he said. Toronto Star LOADED 06.17.2011

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Kelly: Vancouver’s mistake was trusting its own citizens

Cathal Kelly

Let Vancouver worry about the second great hockey riot in their history. In Toronto, we’ve been put on notice that this will happen here as well, if we make all the same mistakes they did. “This is releasing tension, man,” one idiot told a Star reporter on the streets outside the Rogers Arena while lighting a trashcan on fire. “What else are you going to do when you lose the Stanley Cup? You riot.” You do, if you’re set up to. This wasn’t hooliganism. Sports hooligans are meticulous organizers. For the most part, they contain their violence to their own small, twisted world. This was another sporting phenomenon — the mob. The mob is uncontrollable. It is infectious. And without boundaries, it spreads. The key mistake that Vancouver made was trusting its own citizens far past any reasonable point. Their naïve exceptionalism — “Not here. Not us. Not in the world’s fourth most livable city.” — set them on course to this disaster. You cannot pack 100,000 people with a single rooting interest into a few city blocks, fill them with alcohol and then trust to their better natures when things don’t go their way. Nobody else in the world does it this way. Nobody. When European or South American or Asian clubs make it to a big game, fans are allowed to gather under highly controlled circumstances in clearly defined areas. Metal detectors and pat-downs on the way in aren’t just there to find weapons. They’re a signal that you are being watched. They’ve all learned the hard way that crowds, especially those who are in agreement, are dangerous. They fill so-called Fan Zones at events like the World Cup. At Germany 2006, a million peaceful, tipsy regulars showed up again and again to the one in Berlin. They served alcohol there. They showed the game. But, crucially, the crowd was subdivided into tribes. There were the two opposing teams’ fans. Locals and neutrals usually outnumbered them. This prevented the unthinking uni-mind from taking over when the hoped for result doesn’t materialize. They also stationed a small army of riot police at a discrete, but visible distance. According to reports in Vancouver, cops were being rushed to the scene with their gear in their hands, while the mob ran wild. The initial budget to police the Vancouver fan area throughout the entire playoffs was $648,000. That number shows how out of touch Vancouver officials were. We know the Olympics put them to sleep. But the Olympics was a special case. It was filled with visitors and fans with multiple allegiances. Most importantly, in the only game that counted, we won. Depending on an overtime victory to keep people from drifting into criminal insanity is not good civic planning. Here’s a message to our own City Council: When a Toronto team eventually makes it to a final, you’re going to feel the urge to put up big screens outside City Hall or at Dundas Square. If you do so, what happens afterward is your fault. We can celebrate Toronto in our own homes or together in numbers on days when a bruising defeat is not one possible ending. Leave sports to the arenas. We all paid enough for them. There’s a larger lesson as well. Judging from the ample amateur footage, hundreds took part in Wednesday’s riot. Thousands more cheered them on. Chillingly, the common thread in Vancouver’s night of madness was how much fun people appeared to be having tearing down their own city and savaging each other.

In one of the videos, a pair of police cruisers is carefully demolished by dozens of people. A woman climbs onto the roof of one to have her picture taken. The crowd immediately breaks into a chant of ‘Take it off. Take it off.’ When she demurs, a second young woman jumps up on the car and pulls up her top. Later, the cars are torched. If you ever find yourself watching news clips of a conflagration in some distant corner of the world and smugly thinking, “What is wrong with those people?” remember how close we are to the edge of that same abyss. They have the excuse of living in squalor or under a dictator’s heel. We’re just pissed that our team lost. This is the dark side of our national obsession with the game of hockey. It is our greatest source of collective pride when we win. And when we don’t, it looses our collective rage at … what, exactly? Rather than a post-mortem on what went wrong on Wednesday — we already know that — it would be more helpful to take stock of why so many of us are so goddamned angry. Toronto Star LOADED 06.17.2011

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Canucks — and Vancouver — won't forget this night easily

Helene Elliott

A world-class team and the worldly city it represents absorbed devastating blows Wednesday night. The damage won't easily be repaired for the Canucks, who were thumped by the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals, or for Vancouver, where rioters looted in the downtown core after the team's 4-0 loss. The stench of disappointment was overpowered by the smell of tear gas deployed by police in an attempt to quell the unrest. Cars were flipped and burned, sending plumes of smoke skyward. Windows were broken at department stores, pharmacies and coffee shops. Fools set fires in trash bins and taunted police. This wasn't about losing a hockey game. It was about power and senseless destruction and the horrifying force of the mob mentality. The Canucks' loss — their third in three trips to the Cup finals — was a handy excuse to turn this beautiful city into an ugly, smoky mess. PHOTOS: Riots in Vancouver after Canucks lose playoffs As crowds were pushed back, street sweepers began to remove shards of glass, splinters of wood and clumps of twisted metal that once were cars. Hope sprang up Thursday morning as volunteers came downtown to pick up debris and stow it in trash bags. The plywood covering broken windows at the looted Hudson's Bay Co. department store was being filled with penned notes of apology. Websites were set up to display photos and videos of the rioting in hopes of identifying the criminals. But memories of the destruction will linger, as will the failure of a Canucks team that led the NHL in scoring over the 82-game season yet was held by Boston to eight goals in seven games. The Canucks' stars — Henrik and Daniel Sedin and Ryan Kesler — were largely silent. Their depth, tested by injuries and the suspension of Aaron Rome, was outweighed by players' many and varied injuries. Defenseman Alex Edler had two broken fingers. Christian Ehrhoff had a bad shoulder. Henrik Sedin and Kesler wouldn't say what was wrong, but they were clearly not in top form. Anything less than the Canucks' best was going to be inadequate against Boston goaltender Tim Thomas, voted the Conn Smythe winner as the most valuable player in the playoffs. And the Canucks were far from their best. "They've got a great team over there," Daniel Sedin said. "We had to beat five guys all the time and when we did that we had to beat Thomas, and we didn't do that enough." The Bruins, tested in two previous Game 7 situations this postseason, were unshakeable. They lost Marc Savard to a concussion in January and winger Nathan Horton to a concussion in Game 3 of the Cup finals, but the talent of David Krejci and Milan Lucic carried them. Rookie Brad Marchand, the kind of agitator coaches love and opponents hate, scored an impressive 11 playoff goals. Rookie Tyler Seguin gained invaluable playoff experience. And the key players are under contract through next season. "I think it was great the way our team just looked at the small picture. Every game, all we talked about was going out there and earning it," Coach Claude Julien said. "It wasn't ours to have, it was ours to earn." The Canucks face some choices as defensemen Ehrhoff, Kevin Bieksa, Sami Salo and Andrew Alberts head for unrestricted free agency, as do forwards Chris Higgins, Raffi Torres, Tanner Glass and Jeff Tambellini. Goaltender Roberto Luongo, who careened between the sublime (two 1-0 shutouts) and the ridiculous (yanked twice in Boston) is under contract through 2021-22. That looks more like an albatross than a security blanket for the Canucks. He didn't lose this series, but he didn't win it for a team that expected a title. "It's obviously disappointing. But do we need to change anything? I don't think so," Daniel Sedin said. "We have a great core group and a lot of guys who are going to be here next year."

The Canucks will restructure their roster. The city of Vancouver will repair its smashed storefronts. Neither should forget how the worst side of their natures came to light Wednesday. LA Times: LOADED: 06.17.2011

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Best TV rating since '74

Associated Press

The Boston Bruins' Stanley Cup-clinching victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night earned the highest television rating for an NHL game in 37 years. Boston's 4-0 win in Game 7 on NBC earned a 4.8 rating and 8 share. That's the best since a 7.6/27 for Boston-Philadelphia in 1974. It's up 2 percent from last year's deciding Game 6 between Chicago and Philadelphia and up 12 percent from the most recent Game 7 in 2009 between Detroit and Pittsburgh. Nearly 150 hurt in Vancouver riot: Almost 150 people required hospital treatment and close to 100 were arrested after rioters swept through downtown Vancouver following the Canucks' loss to the Boston Bruins in the decisive Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final. Rioting and looting left cars burned, stores in shambles and windows shattered over a roughly 10-block radius of the city's main shopping district. Police Chief Jim Chu said nine officers were injured, including one who required 14 stitches after being hit with a thrown brick. Chu said some officers suffered bite marks. He said 15 cars were burned, including two police cars. Arrests made in Boston: Five men arrested during celebrations of the Bruins' Stanley Cup championship have appeared in Boston Municipal Court. Two other arrests were reported. Police say most revelers behaved responsibly. Wild to name Yeo coach: The Associated Press reported the Minnesota Wild has hired Mike Yeo as its new head coach. Yeo was the coach of the Wild's AHL farm club, the Houston Aeros. Kolzig returns to Caps as associate coach: Former Washington Capitals goalie Olie Kolzig is returning to the NHL club as associate goaltender coach. News Observer LOADED: 06.17.2011

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Vancouver 'shocked and embarrassed'

By Philip Hersh, Chicago Tribune reporter

Robin Lynn Braun de Sierra and her husband, Mauricio, bunkered down in their Vancouver townhouse as thousands of people gathered three blocks away Wednesday evening to watch the seventh game of the Stanley Cup finals on giant outdoor screens. They put a lock on the gate in their front yard and wondered about the wisdom of the neighbors who had set up a TV in their yard with the screen facing the street. When the pictures being broadcast turned from hockey to mob violence, the de Sierras closed their blinds against fear of broken glass and hid computers and other valuable objects, including the violin she uses as a member of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. "I never thought people would riot, no matter what the outcome of the game was,'' she said. "After the OIympics last year, when everything was so peaceful with the big crowd, I think we had a false sense of security." Kevin Davies, an elementary schoolteacher in Vancouver's eastern suburbs, had the same feeling. "Everyone here is shocked and embarrassed," Davies said. "Based on the Olympics, we thought we had turned a page. No one thought this could happen again." When it did happen again after the Canucks lost the Cup to the Boston Bruins, it looked worse than what had happened under similar circumstances in 1994. Then the Canucks' defeat in New York in Game 7 of the finals prompted what is known as the Robson Street Riot. The post-apocalyptic views of Wednesday's looting, burning, destruction and general mayhem are in stark contrast to the inviting Images of Vancouver the world saw during the Winter Olympics just 16 months ago. The thousands in the streets when Canada beat the U.S. for the 2010 Olympic hockey gold medal indulged their excitement with yelling and flagwaving and some drunken rowdiness. A reporter walking through Vancouver's streets that evening saw no violence — except to vocal cords. Yes, the home team had won that time. But over the last few decades, crowds in North America have marked both victory and defeat with riots. There is no certainty about what would have happened had Canada lost in 2010 or the Canucks won in 2011. The only sure thing is Wednesday's rampage defied what the Vancouver Sun reported was a pledge by the police chief that there would be no repeat of the 1994 riot, when 200 people were injured and $1 million in property damage was done. According to the newspaper, Chief Jim Chu said Thursday the city had learned from 1994 and noted that it took three hours to restore order as compared to six hours 17 years ago. There is no estimate yet of Wednesday's damage, which included some 130 injured and smashing and burning of police cars, with a young woman shown on video taking a stick to the window of one police vehicle. Such video represents a significant difference from 1994. The development of high-quality still and video cameras in smartphones and inexpensive digital cameras has led to countless Images of Wednesday's riot, in many of which the perpetrators — nearly all young males — and their friends are celebrating the destruction. Within hours of the rioting, there was a Facebook site called "Vancouver Riot Pics: Post Your Photos," urging people to help the police identify the instigators. Chu blamed the riots on "criminals and anarchists." Sociologist John Williams of England's University of Leicester, an expert on hooliganism, believes the crowd likely contained such elements. "Having big screens in operation broadens the social characteristics of an audience," Williams said Thursday. "Often people not at a game look for the opportunity to connect with an exciting event, and that includes those who feel marginalized or excluded or

involved in criminal activities around the city. They see it as a chance to vent their anger at society and the police." There is so far no definitive evidence of whether Wednesday's riot was premeditated, although it seems that way. That the outcome of Game 7 essentially was determined with one period to play could have built frustration that exploded spontaneously. "This is what can happen when a wild, celebratory party is expected," Williams said. "People overinvest their hopes for victory and are unwilling to accept a new definition of the situation. Add that to young men who have drunk too much, and you have all you need for a disturbance." By Thursday morning, as the city was dealing with the damage to people, property and collective psyche, de Sierra had taken her violin out of hiding to practice. The Images of the carnage left her most puzzled by one question. "Where,'' she asked, "is this anger coming from?'' Chicago Tribune LOADED: 06.17.2011

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Vancouver rioting means it’s hockey fright in Canada

When injuries paralyze your roster and you’re left with the players who have become villains for diving, taunting, late hits and faking injuries in key roles, karma can be spiteful. As Henrik Sedin said after Game 7, they were ‘‘lucky’’ to have a 3-2 series lead at one point.

By ADAM L. JAHNS [email protected] June 16, 2011 10:52PM

Hawks general manager Stan Bowman will focus on putting together a team that will thrive in the Western Conference, which is deep and has no clear-cut favorite.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The wooden boards were propped against the frames of the shattered windows, waiting for workers to nail them in and hide the crime scene. But the workers’ commendable effort couldn’t get the makeshift blinds up soon enough. There was too much damage, too many broken windows, too many things to repair. At the corner of Georgia and Granville streets in Vancouver, hundreds stopped to take pictures of a looted store in the Hudson’s Bay Company building, which was set ablaze in a riot hours earlier. Glass was everywhere, glimmering on a sunny Thursday in Vancouver. Atop all the glass, a broken Easton hockey stick stood out, a reminder of why hundreds of thousands gathered in the streets. Just 12 hours earlier, the Boston Bruins ended the dreams of the Vancouver Canucks and their fans by winning the Stanley Cup. ‘‘This is insane,’’ a passerby said. Vancouver’s cleanup process was well under way by Thursday morning. It was organized, fast and admirable. It was easy to spot the burnt-out garbage cans, but it was hard to find the remnants of the cars, including those of the Vancouver police, that were engulfed in flames. Police filled out crime reports and people, many in Canucks gear, stopped to take pictures of the aftermath of a riot that injured plenty. But everyone eventually went on their way, off to work or school. Even a boarded- up Bank of Montreal, one of the first places vandalized and with blood stains on the sidewalk across the street, had a sign out front, strongly declaring, ‘‘We are open.’’ Vancouver, the city, was moving on. And soon, the Canucks, starting at the top, will be counted on to do the same. Like their city, they have to clean up, rebuild and recover this summer. On Thursday, the Canucks joined the rest of the teams that have been in that process for some time, including the Blackhawks. The Bruins get to party. ‘‘I hope we win the Cup next year,’’ one bystander said on Georgia Street before snapping a picture of some damage with his phone. Vancouver should have a better understanding of how hard that is than any other hockey market now. The hockey gods can be cruel, and the lingering effects of having a magical season of expected victory end in anarchy can be damning. The regrets, doubts and criticism will grow for a team that already endures a ton of it. ‘‘We’re devastated,’’ Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo said after Game??7. ‘‘I think the playoffs is probably the hardest thing, the last couple of months, that I’ve ever had to do in my professional career. Mentally, it’s just a grind the whole time. It’s much tougher mentally than physically.” NHL general managers, media and fans will now compare their teams to the Stanley Cup champions. Some teams will try to emulate that success. But for the Hawks, the Bruins’ model is far from what they try or want to do. They run different systems and have different core players. If the Hawks hope to take anything from the Bruins’ run, it’s that a team’s character still goes a long way in determining champions. Then again, they already knew that. The class and leadership of Henrik and Daniel Sedin and even the oftenmisunderstood Luongo weren’t enough for the Canucks. The Bruins earned the Cup; some Canucks said they expected it. When Bruins rookie Brad Marchand is allowed to endlessly punch Daniel Sedin in the face without repercussions, you have problems. When your owner scolds the media after Game??7 and your general manager confronts reporters in Boston and also fails to thank his predecessors, you have problems.

The Canucks have a chance to bring back most of their entire playoff roster. The Red Wings and Sharks will be solid again, and the Predators and Kings appear to be on the verge of taking that next step. But the Hawks can take comfort in knowing that their core still has the character of champions. That counts for something. Who knows what would have happened if Patrick Sharp had scored on Luongo in Game 7 of overtime in their first-round series? Wait, maybe we do. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 06.17.2011

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From rioting fans to Ricketts, people missing the point

goal of Game 7 of the Stanley Cup? Couldn’t have run it earlier when there was a stoppage in play or heaven forbid, during a commercial? U.S. Open sleeper: Jason Day.

By Mike Spellman

Nice and tidy: The good news is that Saturday’s Cubs-Yankees tilt is a 3 p.m. starter on Fox, so it should wrap up somewhere between 9 or 9:30 p.m.

Mavs win, Bruins win:

Daily double for Dad:

Absolutely perfect.

Father’s Day at Arlington Park will include Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter Jim Peterik from the “Ides of March” and Lake Villa resident Mallory Simmermon singing the national anthem.

But which outcome is more delicious? C’mon, really? Rioting in the streets of Vancouver after losing Game 7? Really? You didn’t see that here after the Cubs fell to the Marlins in the NLCS or when the Bears lost to the Colts in the Super Bowl. Reason No. 896 to be proud to be a Chicagoan. Tone deaf: Cubs owner Tom Ricketts: “(I) never bought into, ‘I should have a baseball guy to watch my baseball guy and his baseball guys. Then what do you get, a baseball guy to watch the baseball guy who’s watching your baseball guys?” Cubs fans: “Um ... YES!!!” Woulda, coulda: In a way you can kind of understand the reaction of Canucks fans because a Stanley Cup victory would have been the biggest thing to hit Vancouver since The Captain and Tennille played an acoustic show at the Pacific Coliseum in 1976. Hopeful rumor: Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom shipping to Arlington Park to compete on Million Day. Hmmm: Item: The Angels release struggling lefty Scott Kazmir and swallow the $14.5 million they still owe him. Reaction: Oh, so it can be done? Even here in Chicago? Interesting. Kudos: Even while the rioting in Vancouver was ongoing, groups of concerned and embarrassed citizens — via Facebook — were already organizing cleanup crews. Very cool. Buzz Killman: The Yankees are in town to play the Cubs this weekend. Then the White Sox and Cubs go at it for three games beginning Monday. Where is the buzz? Seriously? In the running: Maurice Cheeks was reportedly among the contenders for the head coaching job with the Raptors. Whether he gets it or not, he still provided my absolute favorite non-sporting sports moment — whatever that means. Google Maurice Cheeks and national anthem. I think you’ll agree. Radar Oh Really? There’s no bigger fan of weather than me, and no doubt there was some nasty stuff in the area Wednesday night, but c’mon, NBC had to put up the radar and scroll warnings right as they were showing the replay of the first

Name game: This week’s Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway is the “HELUVA GOOD! Sour Cream Dips 400.” Thought you’d like to know. Final LeBron James thoughts: Nah, forget it. Let us agree not to speak his name for as long as possible. Couldn’t say it any better: “Dad has always been such a great example for me. He tries very hard to be successful at what he does and he is successful because he puts his mind to it. He always tells me to love what you do and to work hard at it. That’s why he’s such a great example, and not only for his family.” — Shelbi Catalano, student at North Central College in Naperville and daughter of Arlington-based trainer Wayne Catalano And finally: If you’re lucky enough to have him around, go ahead and give your dad a big hug. Happy Father’s Day! Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 06.17.2011

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NHL briefs, 06/17/11

The Denver Post and wire services

YEO TO BECOME WILD COACH FOR 2011-12 MINNEAPOLIS — The Wild is expected to name Mike Yeo its new head coach today. Yeo will be the third coach in club history, replacing Todd Richards. Yeo led the Wild's top farm club in Houston to the American Hockey League finals this season, his only year as coach of the Aeros. Richards, 44, was fired after two years without a playoff appearance. He went 77-71-16 with the Wild. Yeo, 37, spent five seasons as an assistant coach with the Penguins, helping them win the Stanley Cup championship in 2009. He has never been an NHL head coach, like Richards, but his NHL experience was more significant than his predecessor. Game 7 hits 37-year high NEW YORK — The Bruins' Stanley Cup-clinching victory over the Canucks on Wednesday night earned the highest television rating for an NHL game in 37 years. Boston's 4-0 win in Game 7 on NBC earned a 4.8 rating and 8 share. That's the best since a 7. 6/27 for Boston- Philadelphia in 1974. It's up 2 percent from last year's deciding Game 6 between Chicago and Philadelphia and up 12 percent from the most recent Game 7 in 2009 between Detroit and Pittsburgh. The seven games averaged 4.6 million viewers on NBC and Versus, the most for a series split between network and cable involving a Canadian team. The game earned a 43. 4/64 in Boston, the best for a hockey game since records began being kept for the market in 1991. That's higher than any game in the Celtics' last two NBA Finals. Arrests made in Boston BOSTON — Boston police arrested seven people during street celebrations after the Bruins won the Stanley Cup. The charges included trespassing, disorderly conduct and malicious destruction of property. The arrests were made Wednesday night and early Thursday morning as Bruins fans spilled out into the streets of Boston after the team's victory over the Canucks. The Associated Press LOADED 06.17.2011

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150 injured in riots after Vancouver loss

historical building that was the first focus of rampaging looters Wednesday night. Someone had tacked a rough, hand-painted sign that read: "On behalf of my team and my city, I am sorry." People waited in line to sign it. Across the street at London Drugs, the windows were also smashed.

Staff

Wynn Powell, the president and CEO of London Drugs, estimated the damage there at $1 million alone.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Almost 150 people required hospital treatment and close to 100 were arrested after rioters swept through downtown Vancouver following a Canucks loss to the Boston Bruins in the decisive Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final.

Powell, sounding angry, said the looting wasn't the random consequence of a mob mentality.

Vancouver Coastal Health spokeswoman Anna Marie D'Angelo said Thursday that three stabbing victims had been admitted and an unidentified man was in critical condition with head injuries after a fall from a viaduct.

TV footage showed a man being beaten after he tried to stop looters from smashing windows at the Hudson Bay department store.

She said most of the rioting victims were treated at St. Paul's Hospital, while about 40, including the stabbing cases and the head injury patient, were being treated at Vancouver General Hospital.

Looters were seen grabbing T-shirts and anything else they could get their hands on. Young women were seen escaping with MAC cosmetics, with one carrying out part of a mannequin. The landmark building was filling with smoke as people, their faces covered in bandannas, continued the violence.

Rioting and looting left cars burned, stores in shambles and windows shattered over a roughly 10-block radius of the city's main shopping district. Police Chief Jim Chu said nine officers were injured, including one who required 14 stitches after being hit with a thrown brick. Chu said some officers suffered bite marks. He said 15 cars were burned, including two police cars. He called those who incited the riot "criminals and anarchists" and said officers identified some in the crowd as the same people who smashed windows and caused trouble through the same streets the day after the 2010 Winter Olympics opened in 2010. "These were people who came equipped with masks, goggles and gasoline," he said. "They had a plan." Chu said those who stood by and filmed and cheered also bear some responsibility.

"The rioters attacked us for two hours before they got into the store. They were down attacking the stores of Vancouver to try to steal product."

The looters turned their attention next on a Future Shop store a few blocks away, smashing windows and flooding up the stairs to the second-floor store, only to turn around quickly. One witness said police were at the top of the stairs. Sears and Chapters stores were also looted, their glass fronts smashed. For many, the ugly chaos made the Cup loss an afterthought. "What I've seen is a complete disgrace," said Beth Hope, 28, who is originally from England but has lived in Vancouver for two years. "I'm a Canucks fan, but my jersey's in my bag. I'm ashamed to be a fan right now." NBA star Steve Nash, from nearby Victoria and the brother-in-law of Canucks forward Manny Malhotra, sent a Twitter message imploring the fans to stop the violence. "We're a great city and have a lot of class. Our team is great and our championship will come. Soon," Nash wrote.

Assistant Fire Chief Wade Pierlot said people had to be rescued from rooftops and bathrooms where they had hidden for safety. He said some people moved burning dumpsters away from buildings to prevent further damage.

Some seemed to revel in the rampage, recording the vandalism on cell phones and video cameras. A few congratulated those who tried to attack police, and others erupted with cheers every time something was damaged.

Mayor Gregor Robertson said "organized hoodlums bent on creating chaos incited the riot" and noted the city proved with the 2010 Winter Olympics that it could hold peaceful gatherings. A local business leader estimated more than 50 businesses were damaged.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Angry, drunken fans ran wild Wednesday night after the Vancouver Canucks' 4-0 loss to Boston in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals, setting cars and garbage cans ablaze, smashing windows, showering giant TV screens with beer bottles and dancing atop overturned vehicles.

"They were here to make trouble and they succeeded," Robertson said. City councilor Suzanne Anton said the rioting has shaken Vancouver and overshadowed the hockey team's playoff run.

Associated Press writer Rob Gillies in Toronto contributed this report.

Later, looters smashed windows and ran inside department stores.

"I would never have believed that Vancouver would be a city where there would be looting," Anton said. "I just feel such a profound sense of disappointment. We like to think we live in paradise here in Vancouver. It's hard to imagine here."

"We have a small number of hooligans on the streets of Vancouver causing problems," Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson said. "It's absolutely disgraceful and shameful and by no means represents the city of Vancouver. ... We have had an extraordinary run in the playoff, great celebration. What's happened tonight is despicable."

It was similar to the scene that erupted in the city in 1994 following the Canucks' Game 7 loss to the New York Rangers.

Police said they had reports of four stabbings, though spokeswoman Const. Jana McGuinness said she couldn't confirm them.

Anton said there was no loss of life or police brutality in this latest incident. She said dozens of volunteers patrolled the city's entertainment strip on Thursday, picking up debris and garbage.

Officers from around the region flooded into downtown, and Robertson said things were getting under control, but the Images and atmosphere that persisted late into the night suggested otherwise.

One of the volunteers, Al Cyrenne, carried his broom downtown to clean up the damage.

It took about four hours before downtown quieted again.

"I'm all choked up," he said, as he surveyed broken windows and debris on a downtown street. "I can't believe the scene. Just talking about it brings me to tears. I can't believe the people of Vancouver would do this. It's just a few idiots." While police said it was mostly young thugs responsible for the mayhem overnight, an equally young crew turned up in jeans and rubber gloves, some with Canucks jerseys, all carrying plastic garbage bags. Dozens of remorseful and dismayed commuters crowded around the smashed and plywood covered display windows at the flagship Bay store, a

While Robertson said there had been no fatalities, ambulances appeared to be having trouble getting inside the zone to help the injured. TV Images showed at least one woman mopping blood from her forehead. "You don't ever hope for a situation like this," McGuinness said. "You celebrate the good times and you prepare for the bad times and that's exactly what we've done. Unfortunately, the tables have turned tonight. ... We will have to sit down and evaluate exactly what happened here. It's going to be a black mark for a very, very long time." At a Bay store, looters were seen grabbing T-shirts and anything else they could get their hands on. Young women were seen escaping with MAC cosmetics, with one carrying out part of a mannequin. The landmark

building was filling with smoke as people, their faces covered in bandannas, continued the violence. The Bay became a target, with windows smashed to allow looters to get to the expensive Coach and Burberry purses. Merchandise went flying into the street. Women rampaged through the main floor makeup department, tossing each other products and squealing in delight.

A small group of rioters appeared to be at the heart of the action reminiscent of a similar scene that erupted in the city in 1994 following the Canucks' Game 7 loss to the New York Rangers. McGuinness said those responsible for this latest damage had an average age of 22 or 23 and were downtown specifically to wreak mayhem, not to watch hockey.

Another fire erupted nearby in an area littered with abandoned Canucks memorabilia and hand-lettered signs expressing support for the team.

"They've embarrassed our city and taken away that pride that we had," she said.

The violence appeared to start when fans set fire to a stuffed bear decorated to symbolize the Bruins. Others sang a drunken tune as they danced on an overturned vehicle.

For two weeks, the city hosted thousands of fans in areas set aside with gigantic screens for watching the games as the Canucks progressed through the playoffs. Police officers high-fived passers-by, and spectators were well-behaved, win or lose.

"It's terrible," Canucks captain Henrik Sedin said, shaking his head. "This city and province has a lot to be proud of, the team we have and the guys we have in here. It's too bad." The looters turned their attention next on a Future Shop store a few blocks away, smashing windows and flooding up the stairs to the second-floor store, only to turn around quickly. One witness said police were at the top of the stairs. Sears and Chapters stores were also looted, their glass fronts smashed. For many, the ugly chaos made the Cup loss an afterthought. "What I've seen is a complete disgrace," said Beth Hope, 28, who is originally from England but has lived in Vancouver for two years. "I'm a Canucks fan, but my jersey's in my bag. I'm ashamed to be a fan right now." Hope said she saw a parkade on fire and cars ablaze. "It's insane, it's absolutely insane," she said. "What's the point? Our team lost. Why destroy your own city? I'm afraid." NBA star Steve Nash, from nearby Victoria and the brother-in-law of Canucks forward Manny Malhotra, sent a Twitter message imploring the fans to stop the violence. "We're a great city and have a lot of class. Our team is great and our championship will come. Soon," Nash wrote. Robertson praised the police and firefighters and asked people to stay away from the central downtown area. "It is extremely disappointing to see the situation in downtown Vancouver turn violent after tonight's Stanley Cup game," Robertson said. "Vancouver is a world-class city and it is embarrassing and shameful to see the type of violence and disorder we've seen tonight. "The vast majority of people who were in the downtown tonight were there to enjoy the game in a peaceful and respectful manner. It is unfortunate that a small number of people intent on criminal activity have turned pockets of the downtown into areas involving destruction of property and confrontations with police."

Game 7 was different. McGuinness said police aren't blaming alcohol consumption — there was more during Game 5 on Friday night. But she also bristled at the notion that the force's so-called meet-and-greet strategy was misguided. "I would completely disagree that there is complacency," she said. "We are very aware in a crowd situation that things can change. We watch for those flashpoints in a crowd." When flames erupted from an exploding car, bystanders ducked out of fear. Fans who were trying simply to get out of the danger zone found their visibility reduced by the thick black smoke. About an hour after the game, some bold troublemakers started hurling garbage and bottles at police officers, who deflected the debris with riot shields. Protesters who rushed the police line were quickly subdued with blows from a truncheon. Some protesters held what looked like pipes or hockey sticks over their heads as they jeered at officers. Newspaper boxes were wrenched off the sidewalk and hurled through store windows. Portable toilets were tipped as the stifling black smoke spread through the city's core. While some members of the crowd expressed dismay that the police didn't take a more aggressive approach to the early vandalism, others said officers were heavy-handed. "There's people who've been coming through the crowds suffering from tear gas," said 26-year-old Amy Zevick. "I'm seriously disappointed in the city of Vancouver and the country of Canada because it makes me feel the insecurity I read about in other parts of the world. I don't think it's OK to loot, but I also don't think it's OK to over-police and assume that every person is guilty." Some seemed to revel in the rampage, recording the vandalism on cell phones and video cameras. A few congratulated those who tried to attack police, and others erupted with cheers every time something was damaged.

Tear gas mingled with the stench of acrid smoke and stale beer as riot police, truncheons drawn, moved in to quell the violence, pushing crowds away from the burning cars.

At least two young men covered in soot reported being roughed up by the police, but they weren't arrested. Rivers of poured-out alcohol, broken glass and trash made navigating the streets treacherous.

Later, police cars also were set on fire. At one point, police were using flash-bangs — grenades that are designed to distract and disorient, rather than injure — to try to break up the mob.

Fans wandered amid the chaos, some with bandanas or T-shirts pulled over their faces — either to hide their faces from police and TV cameras or to guard against the smoke, or both.

"This isn't what the Canucks are about," said Chad McMillan, 31, a Vancouver resident and Canucks fan. "This isn't what their fans are about. This isn't what this city is about."

"What is most disappointing and disturbing is that we have spectators who will not go home," B.C. Solicitor General Shirley Bond said. "We need everyone to pay attention, we need them to leave the downtown and they need to stop treating this as a spectator sport. This is a dangerous situation where people need to go home."

Flames leaped from at least two flipped vehicles in the middle of trashstrewn streets, filling the downtown core with heavy black smoke in the moments immediately following the game. "I heard a loud noise and turned and there was a car being stomped on by a bunch of guys," 18-year-old witness Brandon Sinclair said about the first few moments of violence. "A bunch of guys started rocking it, then they flipped it over and five minutes later it was on fire and then they flipped another one. It was just out of control." Bright orange flames were seen shooting nearly 10 yards into the air as bystanders tossed firecrackers. Television Images showed a large fire burning inside a parking garage, but it wasn't clear what was ablaze.

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Bruins 4, Canucks 0

Bruins win Stanley Cup, Davison native Thomas is MVP

Associated Press

Vancouver, British Columbia — While the Boston Bruins beelined across the ice to mob him at the buzzer, Davison native Tim Thomas tapped both goalposts, sank to his knees and rubbed the ice in front of his empty goal. Thomas drew a virtual line in his crease throughout these crazy, contentious Stanley Cup finals, and Boston's brilliant goalie just wouldn't allow the Vancouver Canucks to cross it whenever it really mattered. After 39 years without a championship, the Bruins ripped the Cup — and several thousand hearts — out of a Canadian city that had waited four decades itself for one sip. Thomas was just too good, and the Bruins are the NHL's best. The Cup is headed back to the Hub of Hockey. Thomas made 37 saves in the second shutout of his landmark finals performance, Patrice Bergeron and rookie Brad Marchand scored two goals apiece, and the Bruins beat the Canucks 4-0 Wednesday night to win their first championship since 1972. "I think I went even further than I thought," said Thomas, who also won the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the playoffs. "I never envisioned three Game 7s in one playoff season and still being able to come out on top." The Bruins leaped over the boards and headed straight for Thomas at the final buzzer, mobbing the goalie who carried them through long stretches of this postseason. The Bruins are the first team in NHL history to win a Game 7 three times in the same postseason, with Thomas posting shutouts in the decisive game of the Eastern Conference finals and the Stanley Cup finals. Captain Zdeno Chara nearly slipped when he skated away from Commissioner Gary Bettman with the Stanley Cup. And the oversized trophy eventually got a lift from Nathan Horton, the injured Boston forward whose Game 3 concussion on a late hit irrevocably swung the series' momentum to Boston. Before Game 7, Horton worked to give the Bruins a home-ice advantage, pouring a bottle of Boston water onto the ice in front of the Bruins' bench 90 minutes before warmups. "I was just trying to get some Garden ice here and make it our ice," Horton said. But it was mostly Thomas, who limited the Canucks to eight goals in seven spectacular games in the finals, blanking Vancouver in two of the last four. Boston dropped the first two games in Vancouver but became just the third team since 1966 to overcome that deficit. "We got the first goal, and we knew that would be important coming here," said 43-year-old Mark Recchi, who plans to retire after winning the Stanley Cup with his third franchise. "If they got any chances, Timmy was there, and it was just scary how good he was." Bergeron quieted the crowd with the first goal, scoring the eventual gamewinner in the first period. He added a short-handed score in the second to keep the Cup away from the Canucks, who have never won it in nearly 41 years of existence. Star goalie Roberto Luongo again failed to match Thomas' brilliance, giving up 18 goals in the last five games of the finals. Thomas thoroughly outplayed and outclassed his Vancouver counterpart while limiting the Canucks to eight goals in seven games. Luongo, Vancouver's enigmatic goalie, capped a brutally inconsistent series by allowing Bergeron's crushing short-handed goal to slip underneath him late in the second period.

"Their goaltender was real tough to beat," Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault said. "The way they played in front of him was real tough to beat. We had some Grade A chances, and we were unable to score." Game 7 was another heartbreak for the Canucks, who still have never raised the Cup, and their stunned fans, who stayed by the thousands just to get a glimpse of the trophy. Mark Messier and the New York Rangers won Game 7 in Vancouver's last finals appearance in 1994. This time, Thomas silenced the NHL's highestscoring team, erased nearly four decades of Bruins playoff blunders and crushed an entire Canadian city desperate to take the Stanley Cup across town to Stanley Park. "Anybody in our situation right now would feel real disappointed, whether you're the favorite or not," Vigneault said. "We battled real hard. We gave it our best shot. This one game, they were the better team. It's that simple." Bergeron added a Stanley Cup ring to his gold medals from the Olympics and the world championships with his biggest game of a quiet series. He scored his first goal of the finals late in the first period on a shot Luongo saw too late, and Marchand added his 10th goal of the postseason in the second before Bergeron's short-handed goal. "What a feeling this is," Recchi said. "What a great group of guys. No matter what happened tonight, this is one of the best groups of guys I've played with." During a two-week Stanley Cup finals that ranks among the NHL's weirdest in recent years, the only predictable aspect had been the home teams' dominance. Vancouver eked out three one-goal victories at home, while the Bruins won three blowouts in Boston. "All the physical work we'd done throughout the whole series added up," Thomas said. "Being the last series, we didn't save anything, and we used that physicality again and that was the difference." Game 7 capped a spectacular collapse by Luongo, who backstopped Canada to Olympic gold medals on this same ice sheet a year ago. Luongo was pulled from the Canucks' last two games in Boston after giving up 15 goals on the road, and he was fatally shaky in Game 7. Luongo praised his own positional game earlier in the series, but he didn't recover in time to stop Marchand's second-period goal. Five minutes later, he couldn't close his legs on a slowly sliding puck on Bergeron's goal — the seventh allowed by Luongo on the last 21 shots he faced dating back to Game 4. But Luongo wasn't alone in deserving Vancouver's blame: The Sedin twins are the NHL's last two scoring champions, but they capped a disastrous finals by being on the ice for all four of Boston's goals. Captain Henrik Sedin, last season's MVP, scored just one goal in the series, while Daniel Sedin had two goals and two assists, scoring in just two of the seven games. Boston overcame more than the Vancouver crowd and the NHL's highestscoring team to win this Cup. Starting in the first round, when the Bruins rallied past Montreal after losing the series' first two games at home, this team has showed a resilience and tenacity that hasn't been seen much in the self-professed Hub of Hockey in four decades. The Bruins failed in their five previous trips to the finals since Bobby Orr led them to championships in 1970 and 1972, losing every time. Remarkable players such as Cam Neely came and went without a Cup, while Ray Bourque had to go to Colorado to get his only ring 10 years ago. Boston declined to schedule a viewing party for the game at TD Garden, worried about logistics and crowd control. Instead, the party will rage in bars and neighborhoods — but it'll pale in comparison to the party that the Bruins ruined in Vancouver. More than 100,000 Canucks fans packed downtown during Game 5, and even more were expected for the clincher. After the game, the crowd grew unruly. Parked cars were set on fire, others were tipped over, people threw beer bottles at giant television screens and bonfires raged. Both teams opened Game 7 at a fantastic pace, forechecking and hitting with boundless energy in both clubs' 107th game of the season. After both teams' top lines missed decent early scoring chances, Bergeron put the Bruins ahead with a one-timer in the slot on a sharp pass from Marchand, the rookie who has emerged remarkably in the finals. Luongo couldn't be blamed for his teammates' soft checking when Bergeron's shot caught the goalpost and ricocheted home.

Bergeron, who won a gold medal with Canada on this same rink last year, hadn't scored a goal in Boston's last nine playoff games, including the entire finals. Marchand hit Luongo's crossbar early in the second period, and he scored from behind the net several minutes later with ample help from the diving Luongo, who knocked the puck into the net after getting pushed by his scrambling teammate, Daniel Sedin. Rogers Arena deflated with that score, and the Canucks' suddenly problematic power play allowed Bergeron essentially to finish them off. He got a loose puck at his blue line and outskated two Canucks toward Luongo, and the puck skittered underneath the goalie while Bergeron went to the ice. Thomas was unflappable in the third period, and Marchand added an empty-net goal with 2:44 to play. LOADED 06.17.2011

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7 arrested in Boston following Bruins victory

The Associated Press

BOSTON -- Five men arrested during celebrations of the Bruins' Stanley Cup championship have appeared in Boston Municipal Court. Police say one man encouraged a crowd near TD Garden to turn on police and dared officers to arrest him. Authorities say that when at first they didn't, he shouted obscenities, took off his shirt and threw his belt at the officers. He was arrested on charges including inciting a riot and disorderly conduct. Bail was set at $500. Three men have been charged with malicious destruction of property. They're accused of smashing mirrors on parked cars. They were released Thursday on personal recognizance. A fifth man was arraigned for assault and battery after allegedly shoving a police officer. Two other arrests were reported. Police say most revelers behaved responsibly. LOADED 06.17.2011

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NHL

Canucks — and Vancouver — won't forget this night easily

Helene Elliott

From Vancouver, Canada A world-class team and the worldly city it represents absorbed devastating blows Wednesday night. The damage won't easily be repaired for the Canucks, who were thumped by the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals, or for Vancouver, where rioters looted in the downtown core after the team's 4-0 loss. The stench of disappointment was overpowered by the smell of tear gas deployed by police in an attempt to quell the unrest. Cars were flipped and burned, sending plumes of smoke skyward. Windows were broken at department stores, pharmacies and coffee shops. Fools set fires in trash bins and taunted police. This wasn't about losing a hockey game. It was about power and senseless destruction and the horrifying force of the mob mentality. The Canucks' loss — their third in three trips to the Cup finals — was a handy excuse to turn this beautiful city into an ugly, smoky mess. As crowds were pushed back, street sweepers began to remove shards of glass, splinters of wood and clumps of twisted metal that once were cars. Hope sprang up Thursday morning as volunteers came downtown to pick up debris and stow it in trash bags. The plywood covering broken windows at the looted Hudson's Bay Co. department store was being filled with penned notes of apology. Websites were set up to display photos and videos of the rioting in hopes of identifying the criminals. But memories of the destruction will linger, as will the failure of a Canucks team that led the NHL in scoring over the 82-game season yet was held by Boston to eight goals in seven games. The Canucks' stars — Henrik and Daniel Sedin and Ryan Kesler — were largely silent. Their depth, tested by injuries and the suspension of Aaron Rome, was outweighed by players' many and varied injuries. Defenseman Alex Edler had two broken fingers. Christian Ehrhoff had a bad shoulder. Henrik Sedin and Kesler wouldn't say what was wrong, but they were clearly not in top form. Anything less than the Canucks' best was going to be inadequate against Boston goaltender Tim Thomas, voted the Conn Smythe winner as the most valuable player in the playoffs. And the Canucks were far from their best. "They've got a great team over there," Daniel Sedin said. "We had to beat five guys all the time and when we did that we had to beat Thomas, and we didn't do that enough." The Bruins, tested in two previous Game 7 situations this postseason, were unshakeable. They lost Marc Savard to a concussion in January and winger Nathan Horton to a concussion in Game 3 of the Cup finals, but the talent of David Krejci and Milan Lucic carried them. Rookie Brad Marchand, the kind of agitator coaches love and opponents hate, scored an impressive 11 playoff goals. Rookie Tyler Seguin gained invaluable playoff experience. And the key players are under contract through next season. "I think it was great the way our team just looked at the small picture. Every game, all we talked about was going out there and earning it," Coach Claude Julien said. "It wasn't ours to have, it was ours to earn." The Canucks face some choices as defensemen Ehrhoff, Kevin Bieksa, Sami Salo and Andrew Alberts head for unrestricted free agency, as do forwards Chris Higgins, Raffi Torres, Tanner Glass and Jeff Tambellini. Goaltender Roberto Luongo, who careened between the sublime (two 1-0 shutouts) and the ridiculous (yanked twice in Boston) is under contract through 2021-22. That looks more like an albatross than a security blanket for the Canucks. He didn't lose this series, but he didn't win it for a team that expected a title. "It's obviously disappointing. But do we need to change anything? I don't think so," Daniel Sedin said. "We have a great core group and a lot of guys who are going to be here next year."

The Canucks will restructure their roster. The city of Vancouver will repair its smashed storefronts. Neither should forget how the worst side of their natures came to light Wednesday. LOADED 06.17.2011

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Old-school Bruins win Cup, warm hearts

team’s new general manager . . . Islanders GM Garth Snow is willing to move up or down from the fifth spot in the draft, depending on what other teams offer . . . The Flyers are thus far resisting offers for center Jeff Carter, preferring to consider smaller trades to free up salary cap room. That team may have to get creative to get Ilya Bryzgalov under contract. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 04.19.2011

By JEFF GORDON | Posted: Thursday, June 16, 2011 8:05 am

The Bruins did the NHL and its fans proud by winning the Stanley Cup. This was a hard-nosed, old-school championship effort. Tim Thomas played fearlessly in goal. The Bruins banged away at the more talented Canucks and scored a bunch of blue-collar goals. There was nothing fancy about, just a lot of grit and perseverance. Young guys stepped up, old guys stepped up and extra guys stepped up. Here is what some of the nation’s top hockey scribes summed it up: Scott Burnside, ESPN.com: “When you consider recent champions such as the Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Detroit Red Wings and Carolina Hurricanes, the Bruins seem to pale in comparison. Heck, they paled in comparison to the Vancouver Canucks. But it doesn't matter. It certainly didn't matter the past two months as the Bruins somehow managed to win three Game 7s en route to their first Cup win since 1972. They are the only NHL team to have accomplished such a feat. The Bruins may not have had the cachet of those other Cup winners, but inside that Bruins jersey beats the heart of a champion. No question there.” Adrian Dater, SI.com: “This series can be summed up in two parts: what happened before the Aaron Rome hit on Nathan Horton and what happened after the hit. Boston seemed dormant emotionally at the time, down 2-0 in the series and looking too much like "Mac" in the old Charles Atlas comic ad -- at least the pre-lifting Mac, when he got sand kicked in his face. The hit on Horton was a cheapie, but for Boston it proved ironically priceless. It gave them a rallying cry, and from there it was all different.” Bob MacKenzie, TSN.com: “For Boston goaltender Tim Thomas, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy, it wasn't just how he stopped the puck, it was the way he carried himself through the entire series. There was all sorts of controversy back and forth with Roberto Luongo and Thomas, and he stayed above the fray. He never allowed himself to get sucked into that vortex.” Dan Shaughnessy, Boston Globe: “At this hour, Everyman Thomas is Tom Brady, Bill Russell, and Curt Schilling. And the Bruins are Stanley Cup champs. They outscored the favored Canucks by a whopping 23-8 over seven games.” Roy MacGregor, Globe and Mail: “To the lasting credit of the thousands of Canucks fans who stayed to the bitter end, they accepted the loss with enormous grace, cheering loudly as Boston captain Zdeno Chara – looking like Gulliver in hockey gear – leaned down and accepted the Cup from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. The gigantic Chara’s scream, which dislodged his cap, underscored what the great Wayne Gretzky once said of that iconic moment when the captain of a team is first to raise the Cup over his head: ‘I’ve held women and babies and jewels and money – but nothing will ever feel as good as holding the Cup.’” Mark Spector, Rogers Sportsnet: “From (Ryan) Kesler’s surly persona, to Alex Burrows’ finger biting, diving and endless head-snaps, to Maxim Lapierre’s embellishments and fake injuries, to Raffi Torres knack for hitting only the unsuspecting — wait, we’re getting to our point — to Luongo’s childish quotes about Thomas not ‘pumping his tires,’ to the legit tough Kevin Bieksa’s two playoff fights coming against pacifists Viktor Stalberg and Patrick Marleau, to teammates who allowed the Sedins to be abused throughout this series by little Brad Marchand and never stood up for them, to a GM in Mike Gillis who never once credited any of his predecessors with acquiring all of the best players on this team, the Canucks wore the villain’s hat well in this series.” AROUND THE RINKS: Former Blues winger Mark Reeds, the reigning OHL coach of the year, would be a fine candidate to join the staff of ex-Blue Paul MacLean in Ottawa . . . Will the Oilers buy out Shedon Souray’s final contract year or make him earn his $4.5 million playing in the AHL again? Edmonton would be wise to trim Nikolai Khabibulin’s massive contract as well . . . Would Jaromir Jagr reconsider plans to finish his career in Russia if the Red Wings offered him a gig? That would be interesting . . . Former Blues defenseman Marc Bergevin has moved up to the assistant GM’s post in Chicago, replacing Kevin Cheveldayoff – who moves to Winnipeg as that

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Drunken punks bring shame to Vancouver Can only hope pack of wild dogs sees justice

By: Ed Willes

VANCOUVER -- The reports started filtering in while we waited for the Vancouver Canucks' locker-room to open after Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final on Wednesday night.

The problem, according to Knight, was the riot started so quickly, it was allowed to spread relatively unchecked. The first car was being tipped over about the time NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was handing the Stanley Cup to Zdeno Chara. That act was premeditated. It also incited the crowd. Police were on the scene but they weren't in riot gear and they were driven back by the mob. Then the cancer metastasized, spreading to multiple flashpoints around the downtown.

By then, it was too late to contain it. "All that occurred within 20, 30 minutes of the end of the game," said Knight. "It takes time to activate the plan."

Everyone's worst nightmare, it seemed, was unfolding.

The police did what they could and they showed admirable self-restraint, but by the time they took back the streets, the damage -- literally and figuratively -- had been done.

Then the room opened and for the next two hours a different focus was required.

Now we're left to clean up and search our souls while those lice roam free. You hope their day of reckoning comes.

Later, after the Canucks' season had been laid to rest, the scene outside Rogers Arena was relatively calm. Sure, there was the odd collection of young drunks roaming around, but when isn't there after a Canucks' game?

In the meantime, it seems this city isn't as grown up as the mayor believed.

There's rioting in the streets. Cars are on fire. Mobs are running wild.

Despite reports to the contrary, the SkyTrain was also running back to Waterfront and that trip was uneventful, as was the car ride back to North Vancouver. Then I sat in front of the TV. Then I watched the horror. What happened? What virus was set loose in those people? What evil was perpetrated in our city? How was it allowed to happen? Watching the Images roll by, shock gave way to anger, which gave way to disgust, which gave way to embarrassment, which gave way to more anger, which gave way to one over-riding thought. Why aren't the cops busting heads and breaking up that pack of wild dogs? Why are they just watching? There isn't one right-thinking person in this city who would have invested one nanogram of sympathy for those punks. So what's holding them back? Metaphorically at least, that might have been their worst crime. In breaking the social contract, in bringing shame to our city, those nothings brought decent, law-abiding people down to their level. No one wanted to understand what was motivating them. They just wanted them to pay for what they were doing and pay a heavy price. If only it was that easy. Leo Knight, on the other hand, makes his living by analyzing crowds and crowd control. In no particular order, he's a former Vancouver city cop and RCMP who's the chief operating officer of Palladin Security. He also helped plan the security for the 2005 Grey Cup and was consulted on security for the 2010 Winter Olympics. In short, he knows his stuff. This is what he says about Wednesday night. "This is one of the those damned if you do, damned if you don't things," he said by phone. Really, I was hoping for something a little more. Knight, in fact, broke down the riot the way a football coach breaks down game film, and his observations tell a story. The problem, he said simply, starts when you get about 100,000 people concentrated in one area, many of them young men, many who had been drinking since noon, and try to control them without a full deployment of riot police. "(Mayor Gregor Robertson) was a little naive when he said Vancouver's grown up since (the riots after the '94 Cup final)," said Knight. "He wanted these live events. He wanted a great big fun city because, post-'94, Vancouver got the reputation as a no-fun city." Given the events of Wednesday night, that doesn't sound too bad. Knight went on to say the public authority had adopted a policy of, "If you're reasonable, we'll be reasonable." In the run-up to Game 7, they turned a blind eye to liquor offences and public drunkenness. They were also present without being involved and, until Wednesday night, everyone was getting along.

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 06.17.2011

572474

NHL

Michael Arace commentary: NHL treated its fans to memorable final act

By Michael Arace’

The Stanley Cup, the toughest trophy to win in sports, was secured by the Boston Bruins on Wednesday night. Here are a few thoughts on the Finals, hockey gods, orthopedic surgery and some other issues before summer officially begins (with the draft). First, a word about the riots. Anyone who has been to Vancouver will tell you that it is a bustling and vital place, one of the most beautiful cities in North America. They rioted there in 1994 after the Canucks lost to the Rangers. They rioted there after the Canucks lost on Wednesday. It was ugly. In the aftermath, there was a heartfelt shame. Those of us who have seen burning couches closer to home ought not judge too harshly. The postgame scene inside the arena was better. There was the handshake line, one of the great traditions in all of sport. There was a salute to the crowd by the home team. There was the hoisting of the Cup. As difficult as it was for the fans to stomach, there was hearty applause for the visitors as Dirty Water was piped in over the PA. It was pure class. Was this an upset? The Canucks were the President's Trophy winners, by a 10-point margin. Their top guns, Henrik and Daniel Sedin, had won the past two Art Ross trophies given to the season's leading scorer. Their heart-andsoul player, Ryan Kesler, looked like the second coming of Mark Messier. They had the best offense in the league, the best special teams and, arguably, the best goaltender in Roberto Luongo. From the Maritimes to British Columbia, there were few Canadians willing to entertain the notion that their Olympic goaltender, who won the gold medal right there in Rogers Arena last year, could falter. He was over that hump. Right? The Canucks were done in by Bruins depth, Bruins grit and Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas, the playoff MVP, who turned in a performance that was parts Patrick Roy and Ron Hextall. Some folks (ahem) underestimated what Zdeno Chara and whoever was playing with him might do to the Sedin twins, namely, squeeze the Swedes into utter uselessness. The Sedins accounted for six points, mostly in garbage time, in the Finals. The hockey gods giveth. The Canucks in the previous round dispensed with the San Jose Sharks. As soon as that series was over, we learned that half the Sharks roster (only a slight exaggeration) was wheeled directly from the locker room to the operating room. They were led by Joe Thornton (separated shoulder, severed pinkie) and Dan Boyle (played the entire playoffs on a torn medial collateral ligament). The hockey gods taketh. After the final round, we learned of the Canucks injuries: Defensemen Alex Edler (two broken fingers) and Christian Ehrhoff (shoulder) and forwards Chris Higgins (bruised foot) and Kesler (multiple injuries, possibly including a torn groin and a torn hip labrum) were mere shells of themselves. Defenseman Dan Hamhuis and forward Mason Raymond (cracked vertebrae) were lost earlier in the series. Forward Mikael Samuelsson (sports hernia) was out throughout the postseason. The lack of a Raymond-Kesler-Samuelsson second line hurt not as much as the Sedin twins' disappearing act. They did not persevere beyond lame attempts to draw penalties and weak chirping over noncalls. They were not near good enough. Neither was Luongo ("LeBrongo," as some are now calling him). The Canucks had a 3-2 lead in the series and were outscored 9-2 the last two games. That is meek. The Bruins waited 39 years between Cups and, after winning three Game 7s in four rounds, they are deserving champions. But enough already with Boston, whose teams have won seven pro championships in the past 10 years - including a Grand Slam of the four major leagues in the past seven years. Bostonians were insufferable in their angst when all they had for a winner was the Celtics. Now, they're all Yankee-d up from Gillette Stadium to Kenmore Square. Lastly, I used to know a couple of players who, when they were not in the playoffs, made a point of getting to the Finals, to feel the intensity, to see the Cup hefted, to try to understand. One can't spend every weekend at the proverbial lake, you know. One must aspire. Hello, Jackets?Columbus Dispatch

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 06.17.2011

572475

NHL

Boston deserved its victory

By PAT HICKEY, The Gazette June 17, 2011 4:05 AM

The news Thursday morning should have centered on the Boston Bruins' well-deserved victory in the Stanley Cup final. Instead, the emphasis on outlets raging from the CBC and CTV to the major U.S. networks and even the BBC was on the insane rioting in the streets of Vancouver following the Canucks' 4-0 loss. As people in Montreal know only too well, a big victory - or in this case a defeat - is too often an excuse for a riot. The sad truth about the events of Wednesday evening is that much of the insanity could have been avoided if the city of Vancouver had taken the threat more seriously. Having Granville St. packed with people may have been a good idea during the Olympics, but it was a recipe for disaster Wednesday night, and you have to believe there would have been trouble even if the Canucks had won the final game. There were simply too many people and too much alcohol. It would be easy to say that only a small percentage of the people in the street were involved but it was obvious from the reports on the scene that many of the so-called innocent bystanders were only too willing to egg on the miscreants. The trouble in Vancouver was in sharp contrast to the scene in Boston, a city which has had its problems with over-exuberant celebrations. The city rejected the idea of a viewing party at the TD Garden and there was a strong police presence outside the bars around the arena. The result was a loud but generally wellbehaved crowd. As for what happened on the ice, this was the Bruins' series from start to finish. They dominated the four games they won and they were competitive in the three games they lost. There's an adage in sports that your best players have to be your best players. That was the case for the Bruins. Goaltender Tim Thomas was the team's most valuable player in the regular season and was excellent throughout the playoffs. Zdeno Chara was a force on defence while David Krejci, Nathan Horton, Patrice Bergeron and the ageless Mark Recchi sparked the offence. The Canucks' best players were missing in action. Much of the blame will be heaped on goaltender Roberto Luongo, but this series merely confirmed that he is this generation's Grant Fuhr wannabe. Fuhr won five Stanley Cups without ever posting a save percentage over .910 but he had a knack for making the key save to preserve a 6-5 win. Luongo displayed a knack for turning a 2-0 deficit into a 3-0 deficit. But Luongo's failure reminds me of the abuse heaped on Ron Hextall when the Philadelphia Flyers were swept by Detroit in the 1997 final. Those Flyers were loaded with offensive talent led by Eric Lindros and John LeClair but scored only six goals in four games. The Canucks managed only eight goals in seven games as Henrik and Daniel Sedin failed to live up to their MVP reputations. The Bruins pride themselves on their ability to intimidate their opponents and they succeeded in the final. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.17.2011

572476

NHL

Great series brings back memories of 2001 final

By RED FISHER, The Gazette June 17, 2011 4:05 AM

Now that the marathon (82 regular-season and 25 playoff games) to the Stanley Cup is over, Boston fans finally can celebrate for the first time since 1972 and Vancouver fans are left with what could have been, should have been. However, hockey is the biggest winner. It doesn't get better than a championship series needing seven games to decide a winner. Doesn't get better than your best players (Tim Thomas, Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand) delivering their best. You can't script what happened in this series. Who, for example, imagined the Bruins would hold the Cup aloft after losing the first two games in Vancouver by the thinnest of margins? For that matter, who - other than the Bruins - expected they would move on to the second round after losing their first two playoff games at home to the Canadiens? Bruins coach Claude Julien was dead right when the champions arrived in Boston early Thursday morning: "We got it done, we brought it back to Boston, and this is where it belongs," he said. The nasty on-ice hits are over and so is the ugliness off it, from players and fans alike. All that will be and should be remembered is that the Bruins were the better team with their 4-0 win in the finale and better by several rinklengths in the series, outscoring the Canucks 23-8. The reality is that they were better in every way, including penalty-killing with an astonishing 31for-33 against a Canucks power play that came into the final with a 28percent success rate. Bottom line: love 'em or hate 'em, the Bruins merit our full admiration and, yes, gratitude for an epic Cup final. Over the years, I have covered 47 Stanley Cup finals, among them several that went to Seventh Heaven. Only one comes close to this one - the Colorado-New Jersey seven-game series in 2001. Why? It's because Raymond Bourque, a Bruins icon for 21 seasons, was able to lift the Cup for the first and only time in his brilliant career. It happened at home in Denver, on a day when the heavens wept, and in the end Bourque received the Cup from Colorado captain Joe Sakic, kissed it, hoisted it skyward - and cried. In the end, Avalanche players who had defeated the Devils 3-1 in the deciding Game 7, crushed this winner of five Norris trophies to their chests several among them shedding tears with him. In the end, after 22 seasons, this superb athlete finally lived his dream of a lifetime for the first time - as almost all the Bruins did on Wednesday night and hockey people everywhere wept with joy for him. Bourque was not the biggest reason for the Avalanche victory in what he would later describe as the most emotional game of his life. Alex Tanguay, with two goals and an assist, was. Conn Smythe Trophy winner Patrick Roy, for a record third time, was. It was Bourque, however, who was the emotional pendulum for this Stanley Cup team from the start of the season and through the 23 playoff games. It was Bourque who was the settling influence, who assured all his colleagues, young and old, that they would and could get the job done when the Avalanche went into New Jersey trailing the best-of-seven series 3-2 and won 4-0. Roy made it happen in this memorable Game 7 with his 25 stops. Tanguay, with the game's first two goals and an assist on the third, made it happen. Sakic's 13th goal of the playoffs lifted the Avalanche into a 3-0 lead before the game was half over, and that made it a certainty it would happen. Bourque was in tears on the ice and had to fight hard containing them off it. "I couldn't breathe the last 30 seconds," he said. "Not because I was tired. I just couldn't hold on to the emotion. I had tears in my eyes on the bench and I kept telling myself to hold it ... wait ... just hold it. The last 10 minutes took a long time to wear down. Raising the Cup ... I can't describe it.

"A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into this," he added. "I can't believe it. It's unreal. There were times when I would think what it would be like and I'd get tears in my eyes just thinking about it. "It's been a great story. I've had so much support from so many people ... from fans in Boston ... so much support from fans in Montreal ... everywhere. A lot of people have a piece of this Cup." There was no Bourque on either team in Vancouver on Wednesday. However, you can be sure there were plenty of tears from many of the Bruins, their families and their fans. Somewhere, maybe even Bourque shed a few. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.17.2011

572477

Philadelphia Flyers

Bryzgalov hits it off with Flyers goalie coach

By Sam Carchidi

Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said earlier this week that it was important for the recently acquired Ilya Bryzgalov to spend some time with goalie coach Jeff Reese. Consider their brief meeting Thursday a successful one. Ilya Bryzgalov impressed Jeff Reese of the Flyers while his agent began negotiations. Ilya Bryzgalov impressed Jeff Reese of the Flyers while his agent began negotiations. Ilya Bryzgalov Bruins 5, Flyers 1 2010-2011 Flyers fights Bryzgalov met with several members of the Flyers' brass - including Reese - at their Voorhees practice facility as the goalie and his agent, Ritch Winter, began negotiations with Holmgren. The Flyers acquired Bryzgalov's rights from Phoenix last week and are trying to reach a contract agreement before he becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1. "I had a lot of fun with him," Reese said. "He's very intelligent and understands the game." Reese chuckled. "We would have no problem getting along" if he signed with the Flyers, Reese added. "I enjoyed our time together." Bryzgalov, who will turn 31 on Wednesday, and his agent will continue talking with Flyers executives on Friday and also tour the city. The goalie arrived in Philadelphia after flying from Russia to New York, where he boarded Ed Snider's private jet. Last season, Bryzgalov had a 2.48 goals-against average and .921 save percentage; he was the Vezina Trophy runner-up the previous year. "I really like the way he plays, like the way he positions himself and uses his size to his advantage," Reese said of the 6-foot-3 goaltender. Winter would not reveal any details about negotiations. He emphasized recently that all media reports about the length and cost of the deal were conjecture. Sources said the Flyers will sign Bryzgalov if his demands "aren't crazy." A five-year deal that would pay him about $5.5 million per season seems like a reasonable estimate, based on an unofficial goalie scale. Holmgren did not return calls Thursday. Eight days ago, he hinted that the length of the deal would not be a stumbling block and that he was "openminded." The Flyers already have nearly $59 million committed to 18 players for 2011-12. The salary cap is expected to climb from $59.4 million to about $62.4 million for next season, and it will be announced shortly. If they sign Bryzgalov, the Flyers figure to bypass on re-signing winger Ville Leino, a prospective free agent. They also may have to deal a player such as defenseman Matt Carle. The Flyers do not want to trade high-scoring forward Jeff Carter unless they are overwhelmed by an offer, a source said, adding that they would need more than what Columbus reportedly is dangling - winger Jakub Voracek and a first-round pick (eighth overall) in next Friday's draft. If the Flyers cannot sign Bryzgalov, Evgeni Nabokov, who is property of the New York Islanders, may be a fallback option. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 06.17.2011

572478

Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers take step toward signing Bryzgalov

Staff

Earlier in the week, Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said it was important for the recently acquired Ilya Bryzgalov to spend some time with goalie coach Jeff Reese. Consider their brief meeting Thursday a successful one. Bryzgalov met with several members of the Flyers’ brass at their Voorhees practice facility _ including Reese _ as the goalie and his agent, Ritch Winter, began negotiations with Holmgren. The Flyers acquired Bryzgalov’s rights from Phoenix last week, and are trying to reach a contract agreement before he becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1. “I had a lot of fun with him,” Reese said. “He’s very intelligent and understands the game.” Reese chuckled. “We would have no problem getting along” if he signed with the Flyers,” Reese added. “I enjoyed our time together.” Bryzgalov, who turns 31 on Wednesday, and his agent will continue talking with Flyers executives on Friday and also tour the city. The goalie arrived in Philadelphia after flying from Russia to New York, where he boarded Ed Snider’s private jet. Last season, Bryzgalov had a 2.48 goals-against average and .921 save percentage; he was the Vezina Trophy runnerup the previous year. “I really like the way he plays, like the way he positions himself and uses his size to his advantage,” Reese said of the 6-foot-3 goaltender. Winter will not reveal any details about negotiations. He emphasized recently that all media reports about the length and cost of the deal were conjecture. Sources said the Flyers will sign Bryzgalov if his demands “aren’t crazy.” A five-year deal that would pay him about $5.5 million per season seems like a reasonable guesstimate, based on an unofficial goalie scale. Holmgren did not return calls on Thursday. Eight days ago, he hinted that the length of the deal would not be a stumbling block and that he was “open-minded.” The Flyers already have nearly $59 million committed to 18 players for 2011-12. The salary cap is expected to climb from $59.4 million to about $62.4 million for next season, and it will be announced shortly. If they sign Bryzgalov, the Flyers figure to bypass on resigning winger Ville Leino, a prospective free agent. They also may have to deal a player such as defenseman Matt Carle. The Flyers do not want to trade high-scoring forward Jeff Carter unless they are overwhelmed by an offer, a source said, adding they would need more than what Columbus is reportedly dangling _ winger Jakub Voracek and a first-round pick (eighth overall) in next Friday’s draft. If the Flyers cannot sign Bryzgalov, Evgeni Nabokov, who is property of the New York Islanders, may be a fallback option. Breakaways. With Boston’s win on Wednesday, the Flyers have been eliminated in the playoffs by the last three Stanley Cup champions _ the Bruins this year, Chicago in 2010, and Pittsburgh in 2009…..According to Bodog.com, only three teams _ Vancouver (5 to 1), Boston (8 to 1) and Washington (17 to 2) _ have a better chance to win the Cup next season. The Flyers, Pittsburgh and San Jose are all at 9 to 1. Those odds, of course, will change if the Flyers sign Bryzgalov….Reese on goalie Sergei Bobrovsky: “He has a terrific future ahead of him.” Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 06.17.2011

572479

Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers' talks with Bryzgalov begin in earnest

By Tim Panaccio

The newest goalie in the Flyers organization made his first appearance at the club’s practice facility on Thursday afternoon. Ilya Bryzgalov met with Flyers president Peter Luukko, general manager Paul Holmgren and others for almost four hours as part of his whirlwind, two-day meet ’n greet with the organization. Bryzgalov and agent Ritch Winter were picked up from their Center City hotel and arrived at Skate Zone shortly before 1 p.m. in assistant GM Barry Hanrahan’s vehicle. Bryzgalov even stopped to sign an autograph before entering the building. Luukko, Holmgren and chairman Ed Snider met privately with Bryzgalov late into the evening. Head coach Peter Laviolette also planned on meeting him Thursday evening. "Spent the day getting to know Ilya and Jeniya. There will be no comment on discussions that are ongoing," Holmgren said in a statement on the Flyers' website. Though numerous people on both sides of the discussions would not comment, all of them sent CSNPhilly.com an identical, cryptic joke – a sign that progress was made and that the participants left the meeting at 6:10 p.m. feeling good about the proceedings. The fact that the negotiations were so lengthy would seem to be a positive sign that strides are being made toward getting Bryzgalov signed to a longterm deal as a Flyer and fit his salary within the confines of the club’s cap. Among the first to talk to Bryzgalov was goalie coach Jeff Reese. “He seems like a really pleasant, easy going guy and he has very good perspective on the game,” Reese said. “If we sign him, I think we’ll be able to get along great. I was impressed with him.” Winter, no stranger to Flyers’ brass, as he has represented a number of Flyers over the years. The idea is to get Bryzgalov signed before next week’s NHL Draft in Minnesota as the Flyers will need to clear cap space. Bryzgalov becomes a free agent on July 1. The sooner they sign him, the more flexibility they have to deal players at the draft. The Flyers acquired the Russian’s rights on June 7 in a trade with Phoenix. “Winter’s not an easy guy to deal with, but if there is some give and take on both sides, this will get done,” said one observer. Because of the Phillies’ matinee at Citizens Bank Park, instead of bringing Bryzgalov over to Wells Fargo Center, the Flyers decided to meet at Skate Zone. Bryzgalov and Winter are in town through Friday. The Flyers are being careful not to say much on this. Recall last summer when they acquired the rights to both Dan Hamhuis and Evgeni Nabokov. They even had a conference call with Hamhuis. By the NHL draft, they ended up dealing Hamhuis’ rights to Pittsburgh. Holmgren then upstaged the draft, a second year in succession, with the news the team had acquired Nabokov’s rights from San Jose. Yet the talks in the days and weeks ahead went nowhere with agent Don Meehan. Nabokov is now property of the Islanders. Because of how things played out with two high-end rights’ acquisitions, the Flyers understandably felt stung. That’s why the club figures to be keeping a low profile here. Again, however, they would love to announce something before Winter leaves town. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.17.2011

572480

Pittsburgh Penguins

Minnesota picks Yeo as newest head coach

By Associated Press

The Minnesota Wild made former Penguins assistant Mike Yeo their new head coach, according to a person with knowledge of the decision. The person spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced the hire. The Wild planned a news conference for today. Yeo will be the third coach in club history, replacing Todd Richards. Yeo led the Wild's top farm club in Houston to the American Hockey League's Calder Cup Final this season, his only year as coach of the Aeros. Beginning in 2005, the 37-year-old spent five seasons as an assistant coach with the Penguins. Richards was fired by general manager Chuck Fletcher — a former assistant GM for the Penguins — after two years without a playoff appearance. This past season, the Wild were 39-35-8, finishing 11 points out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Game 7 ratings soar The Boston Bruins' Stanley Cup-clinching victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night earned the highest television rating for an NHL game in 37 years. Boston's 4-0 win in Game 7 on NBC earned a 4.8 rating and 8 share. That's the best since a 7.6/27 for Boston-Philadelphia in 1974. It's up 2 percent from last year's deciding Game 6 between Chicago and Philadelphia and up 12 percent from the most recent Game 7, in 2009 between Detroit and the Penguins. The seven games averaged 4.6 million viewers on NBC and Versus, the most for a series split between network and cable involving a Canadian team. The game earned a 43.4/64 in Boston, the best for a hockey game since records began being kept for the market in 1991. That's higher than any game in the Celtics' past two trips to the NBA Finals. Around the league The Carolina Hurricanes agreed to a two-year, $1.4 million contract with defenseman Jay Harrison. ... Former Washington Capitals goalie Olaf Kolzig is returning to the club as associate goaltender coach. ... The Colorado Avalanche promoted former player Adam Deadmarsh to assistant coach. Tribune Review LOADED: 06.17.2011

572481

Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins: Kennedy's contract status still in limbo

By Dave Molinari, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Penguins forward Tyler Kennedy scored 21 goals last season. He does not, Ray Shero said Thursday, have any sort of deadline for reaching a contract agreement with right winger Tyler Kennedy. No plans to trade Kennedy's rights if there isn't a deal in place by, say, the entry draft in St. Paul, Minn., next weekend, or to put him on the market if nothing is finalized before July 1, when free agency starts in the NHL. And, even though talks between Shero and Kennedy's agent, Steve Bartlett, don't appear to have made significant progress to this point, Shero reiterated that retaining Kennedy is high on his offseason wish list. "I'm hopeful," he said. "I would like to sign him. I think he fits into our team, I think he fits into the way we play." What he would not say is precisely where he sees Kennedy fitting in on the Penguins depth chart. Asked if he views Kennedy as a top-six forward -which presumably would translate to a higher salary than Kennedy could expect to receive if projected to stay in his current role as a third-liner -Shero did not respond directly. "I see Tyler Kennedy as a good, young player who has played well on a good team and won a Stanley Cup with us," he said. "He's a good player, and I understand that you have to pay good players." Kennedy, who will turn 25 July 15, had 21 goals and 24 assists, both career-highs, in 80 regular-season games in 2010-11 and added two goals and an assist in seven playoff appearances. He is scheduled to be a restricted free agent July 1, which means the Penguins would have the right to match any offer he would receive from another team. Kennedy, however, also is eligible to request salary arbitration, and the uncertainty that goes with that is something the Penguins would prefer to avoid. While they would be allowed to "walk away" from any arbitration award if they deemed it unacceptable, that would make Kennedy an unrestricted free agent, able to sign with any team without the Penguins receiving any compensation. Losing such an asset without getting anything in return is something they want to avoid. Shero said he does not have a deadline for completing talks with any of his impending free agents -- Pascal Dupuis, Mike Rupp and Max Talbot headline the list of those who will be unrestricted July 1 -- but volunteered that "I get to the point sometimes where I need to know" whether a player will accept what the Penguins are willing to offer. "If [an agreement] is not going to happen, we'll have a replacement list," he said. "Both sides have to make that evaluation [of whether the proposed terms are acceptable]." While there are no team-imposed deadlines yet, neither are there any imminent agreements. "One or both [sides] have to move a little bit [to finalize a deal]," Shero said. "And we're not at that point, it seems." On other matters, Shero said: • He spoke Wednesday evening with center Sidney Crosby, who is recovering from a concussion. Crosby has been going through his regular offseason regimen in Nova Scotia for about two weeks and doesn't appear to have experienced any complications. "He's working out twice a day, and everything seems to be going fine," Shero said. "If there are any red flags, we'll hear about them, I'm sure." • Contrary to reports Thursday out of Detroit, no one representing Jaromir Jagr has contacted the Penguins to see if they might be interested in signing him. "We have not heard from anybody," Shero said. The Detroit stories said Jagr's agents have approached several teams -- the Penguins,

Red Wings, New York Rangers and Montreal were the ones identified -- to gauge whether any might want to add him to their roster, and several indicated the Red Wings might be. The Penguins' only interest in Jagr to this point has been to try to get him to return for a reunion of their 1991 Stanley Cup-winning club later this summer. • He will not try to re-sign enforcer Eric Godard, allowing Godard to become an unrestricted free agent July 1. "He wants to play more, I'm sure," Shero said. "At this point, it makes sense" for him to seek work elsewhere. • No decision has been made on whether to add a power-play consultant to the coaching staff. "The coaches will continue to discuss our special teams, internally," Shero said, and indications to date have been that the Penguins are unlikely to bring in a man-advantage specialist. Post Gazette LOADED: 06.17.2011

572482

St Louis Blues

Davidson explains his decision to stay with Blues

By JEREMY RUTHERFORD

One could have made a good case that Blues President John Davidson faced some legitimate concerns when deciding whether to sign a contract extension this year. Some fans might point out that with only one postseason appearance in Davidson's five years on the job, the Blues should have had their own questions about his future. Others would argue that the organization is in better overall shape than when Davidson took over in 2006. Regardless, he had the option of returning to life as a television hockey analyst, a role in which he built a Hall of Fame career and a comfortable lifestyle in New York. The reasons for Davidson leaving would have been understandable: The Blues are for sale and the owner who brought him to St. Louis, Dave Checketts, is on his way out of town. Perhaps more worrisome, when a new owner is in place there's no guarantee that the club will be given the financial resources to compete in a league that will have its salary cap rise by millions again this summer. "When you get into a tough situation where you're trying to make decisions, you get out a legal pad and you draw a line down the middle and you have your positives and negatives," Davidson said. "We're in a position to be a very good hockey club, and I want to be a part of that. That's how strongly I feel about it. If I didn't believe, I wouldn't be here. There's some unfinished business. The positives so outweighed the negatives that it made no sense for me to leave."

"When I look back, I appreciate how a lot of things went," Davidson said. "Most guys would rather go to a team that's got a chance to win a Cup. So I appreciated the Paul Kariya's, the Jay McKee's who came here and helped us get through trying times. Yes, they were well paid, but it's really a shame both were injured. "You can sit here and dwell on that. You should always look back to learn from it. But you shouldn't look back to feel sorry for yourself." Three years ago, Davidson brought Doug Armstrong into the organization, and last season Armstrong replaced Pleau as GM. Making moves Because of the prospects that were stockpiled, Armstrong has been afforded the opportunity to be more aggressive. He traded 2007 first-round pick Lars Eller to Montreal for Jaroslav Halak and dealt Johnson, the 2006 No.1 overall pick, to Colorado for Chris Stewart and Kevin Shattenkirk. "Doug's got the intestinal fortitude to make a big deal, to go out and find a way to make us better," Davidson said. "You can see with the majority of the deals we've made, they've worked out pretty good." Davidson took a step back from the spotlight in 2010-11, allowing Armstrong to do much of the talking for the organization. Some construed that as Armstrong being the decision-maker, but Davidson says that's not the case. "I talk to Doug every day," Davidson said. "I admire the way he works. He's all over the world. He's got the freedom to do a lot, and then when he thinks he's got things narrowed down, he comes to me. Or we talk about it, then he goes and does it, and then he comes back with his results. "Doug has got his views and I have mine. Some are different and some are dead-on, but we're on the same page 99.999 percent of the time. It's been a process that's gotten stronger from the first time he got here." WORK TO DO

On May 4, Davidson made official his desire to tackle that unfinished business, signing a four-year extension with the Blues. The deal is believed to include a severance package but Davidson said it's the situation in St. Louis that led him to sign a new contract.

Armed with Armstrong and now a new contract, Davidson is focused on improving the Blues this summer. After a 9-1-2 start last season, the club faded in January, in part because of injuries, and missed the playoffs by 10 points.

"Anybody can walk up and resign anytime they want," Davidson said. "If three months from now, I didn't like it, I could resign. But I plan on being here. I plan on being part of this and I want to see us win."

"We should be better," Davidson said. "Last year was, I hope, just a real strange set of circumstances that we can put behind us. If we add a couple of pieces (this summer), if they're intelligent pieces, there's absolutely no reason we shouldn't compete."

LEssons learned Davidson, 58, now can be considered a veteran in his third career in professional hockey — player, broadcaster, president. Therefore, he realizes it's time to use his experiences of the past five years to turn the Blues into the contender that he envisions. "I have an understanding about how hard it is to rebuild a franchise when you're trying to be smart about it,'' he said. "I also know you hire good people and let them do their jobs. You have to have communication with everybody within, but you have to trust the people you hire." Davidson kept Larry Pleau as his general manager in 2006 and he credits Pleau for steering him in the early days. Davidson's rebuilding philosophy was to develop through the draft, and he says Pleau was able to successfully trade assets for picks, setting the table for success. But Davidson also felt that a dwindling fan base wouldn't be invigorated without winning immediately, so for every Erik Johnson and David Perron the Blues drafted, Davidson mixed in free agents such as Paul Kariya, Martin Rucinsky, Manny Legace and Jay McKee. "We had to be a team that was going to improve and fill the building," Davidson said. "Could you imagine if we (had the worst record in the league for multiple seasons)? How many people would we have had in the building ... five or six thousand? We battled hard. We played our tails off and I think our fans appreciated our efforts." But not all of the decisions paid off, and the Blues made just one trip to the playoffs in the past five years, losing in the first round to Vancouver in 2009. A team strapped financially signed Kariya in 2007 to a three-year, $18million contract, but Kariya missed nearly the entire 2008-09 season, including the playoffs because of hip injuries. McKee never played more than 69 games in a season during a four-year, $16-million deal.

That's why he wanted to stay. Asked what it would feel like to watch the Blues succeed from afar, he said, "That would just drive me nuts. I want to see Patrik Berglund in two or three years. I can just see what Alex Pietrangelo is going to be ... same for a lot of these guys. We've got some talent here, and these guys are getting close, and I want to be part of it. "I know it's the players the people come to watch. The franchise is the St. Louis Blues. It's not Dave Checketts or John Davidson or anybody else. It's the Blues' players and Blues' history. From our fans to our players to our coaches to our management, we've gone through a lot of growing pains. We haven't gotten there. But if this team ever jumps that hurdle, this place will go crazy. That's my dream. I could go back to television possibly, but I wouldn't have that dream." St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 06.17.2011

572483

Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning players swing for fences at Rays batting practice

By ROY CUMMINGS

Four members of the Tampa Bay Lightning – Steven Stamkos, Mike Smith, Teddy Purcell and Nate Thompson – spent about 30 minutes taking batting practice Thursday afternoon before the Rays game. The group put on an entertaining show. Stamkos and Smith hit several balls to the wall before Smith, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound goaltender, provided the highlight, hitting a home run one row past the exit tunnel in left field on his last swing. Smith, who was easily the best hitter of the bunch, ran the bases, threw his cap in the air, was mobbed at home plate and received a whipped cream pie in the face as he spoke with reporters. "I hit it right on the screws,'' Smith said of his home-run swing. "Really, I just closed my eyes and swung and it went out. I was the biggest guy, so the pressure was on me a little there.'' Tampa Tribune LOADED: 06.17.2011

572484

Tampa Bay Lightning

GM Yzerman confident Lightning will sign Stamkos

By ERIK ERLENDSSON

The frequent flyer miles accumulated by Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman the past month might match the number of minutes racked up on his cell phone. Yzerman took part in general manager and competition committee meetings the past two weeks, flying back and forth to Vancouver and Boston while also spending time in Tampa and his home in Detroit. He also has focused in on the task of re-signing some of the Lightning's key free agents. At the top of the list is leading goal scorer Steven Stamkos, who is set to become a restricted free agent on July 1, opening the possibility another team could swoop in with a contract offer sheet. If that were to happen, the Lightning could either match the deal or receive draft pick compensation from Stamkos' new team in the form of several first-round picks. Yzerman's goal is to ensure Stamkos – whose 96 goals the past two seasons are the most in the league – never hits the market and remains in a Lightning uniform for years to come. "It is our intention to resign him, but he is restricted and we have the ability to match any potential offer sheet that might be put forward and we are in position to do that,'' Yzerman said. "So, we are quite confident that Steven will be playing for the Lightning, and that's our goal and we haven't explored anything else and we don't intend to look at it any other way.'' With the free agent market set to open July 1, Yzerman and assistant general manager Julien BriseBois are under the gun to try to reach deals with potential unrestricted free agents such as defenseman Eric Brewer, left wing Sean Bergenheim and goaltender Dwayne Roloson, all key playoff contributors in Tampa Bay's run to the Eastern Conference final. Discussions are being held with representatives for each of those players. "I've been in contact with all their agents, in some cases we have exchanged numbers and, in a couple of other cases with our UFAs, we've said we are going to see where we are with a couple of players and then we'll get back and let them know where we stand," Yzerman said. "And that obviously has to take place in the next couple of weeks here." "With Sean, I've talked with (agent) Todd Diamond, I've made them an offer. With Eric Brewer, I've met with Newport Sports and we've had some discussions and I'm encouraged with how discussions have gone. (With) Dwayne Roloson's agent, we've talked and will continue here over the next week or two to see if we can get something done.'' Bergenheim, who made $700,000 last year, might be in line for a significant raise after scoring nine goals during the postseason, five fewer than during the regular season, before missing the final two games of the Eastern Conference final with an undisclosed injury. While an offer has been made to Bergenheim, a deal is not imminent, according to Diamond. "We have had some discussions,'' Diamond said in an email. "It will not be an easy task to get done.'' While Stamkos would appear to be the first domino that has to fall for Yzerman and BriseBois to know how much money would be left in the budget, Yzerman said Stamkos' situation does not necessarily impact the others. "Ideally we would like to get (Stamkos) done because it's a big piece of our puzzle, but we are confident that we will reach an agreement there,'' Yzerman said. "The other players are unrestricted on July 1, so regardless of Steven's status we are going to make decisions or come to agreements or move on with certain players regardless of where we are at with Steven.'' Scout hire The Lightning hired Rob Kitamura to be a scout focusing on Ontario. Kitamura, 39, spent the past seven years as director of central scouting and player development for the Ontario Hockey League.

Kitamura replaces Chris Snell, who previously was responsible for the Ontario region, Yzerman said. Tampa Tribune LOADED: 06.17.2011

572485

Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Bay Lightning's Steven Stamkos stays the course on contract optimism

By Joe Smith

ST. PETERSBURG — Lightning star center Steven Stamkos said Thursday that though there are no updates of his contract talks with the team, he is still optimistic something will get done. Stamkos, 21, had a league-best 96 goals the past two seasons, including 45 this season. His expiring three-year, entry-level contract paid a base salary of $875,000, and it's expected 2008's top overall draft pick will sign for about $7 million a season. Stamkos can be a restricted free agent July 1. "It's going to take care of itself. It's not something I'm losing sleep over," Stamkos said. "Right now, I'm just focused on trying to get back into a training routine. It's been nice to relax, get a couple weeks off. Right now we're just having some fun and (Friday) get back to business." Stamkos, who just got back from a vacation in Mexico, took batting practice with the Rays on Thursday at Tropicana Field — along with teammates Mike Smith, Teddy Purcell and Nate Thompson — and said he planned to head today to Toronto, where his agents are based. Smith, a goalie who can be an unrestricted free agent July 1, said that there are no updates on his contract status and he still hopes to re-sign with the team, as does Purcell, a wing who also can be a restricted free agent. "They're still talking and stuff, and hopefully something will get done pretty soon," Purcell said. "Obviously I want to be back here. It was a good fit for me. Hopefully that will take care of itself." new scout: Rob Kitamura, 39, was hired as an amateur scout. He spent the past seven years as director of central scouting for the junior Ontario league. St. Petersburg Times LOADED: 06.17.2011

572486

Tampa Bay Lightning

Stamkos still optimistic on getting contract extension done

Joseph Smith

Lightning star center Steven Stamkos said Thursday that while there's no updates in his contract talks with the team, he still remains optimistic something will get done. Stamkos, 21, had a league-best 96 goals the past two seasons, including 45 last season. His expiring three-year, entry-level contract paid a base salary of $875,000. It is expected that 2008's No. 1 overall draft choice will sign for about $7 million a season. Stamkos, who just got back from a week-long vacation in Mexico, took batting practice with the Rays Thursday - along with teammates Mike Smith, Teddy Purcell and Nate Thompson - but said he plans to head tommorrow to Toronto, where his agents are based. "It's going to take care of itself, it's not something I'm losing sleep over," Stamkos said. "Right now, I'm just focused on trying to get back into a training routine when I get back. It's been nice to relax, a couple weeks off. Right now we're just having some fun and tommorrow get back to business." Smith also said that while there's no updates with his contract, he is still hoping to get a deal done, as does Purcell, who will be a restricted free agent. "They're still talking and stuff and hopefully something will get done pretty soon," Purcell said. "Obviously I want to be back here, it was a good fit for me. Hopefully that will take care of itself." St. Petersburg Times LOADED: 06.17.2011

572487

Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning players a hit during Rays batting practice

JOE SMITH

With one swing, Lightning goalie Mike Smith ended batting practice with a bang. Smith was joined by fellow teammates Steven Stamkos, Teddy Purcell and Nate Thompson at Tropicana Field Thursday afternoon to participate in batting practice. They were all in full Rays uniform, and excited, with Smith saying he's never hit a baseball before (he played fast-pitch softball growing up). It certainly didn't show, as Smith ripped a homer into the leftfield seats on his very last swing, running the bases before getting mobbed by Thompson, Purcell and Stamkos at the plate, the bouncing routine done by Rays players after walkoff homers. Purcell then surprised Smith during his interview session, creeping from behind to smother a whipped-cream towel over his face. "Dream come true," Smith said. "It felt like butter coming off the bat, I'm not going to lie to you. I've always wanted to try that. Close my eyes and swung, and it went out. I'm pretty proud." The Rays had wanted to honor the Lightning's memorable playoff run in some way, and the players really enjoyed this experience. They got to chat with Don Zimmer and Evan Longoria (who said he wants to get out on the ice sometime), and each took a bunch of swings in the cage from home clubhouse equipment manager Chris Westmoreland. Stamkos, who said he played shortstop until he was 12-or-13, also had some good hacks, including hitting a couple to the warning track. He joked as he walked away, "I think the wind is blowing in here." "It's a sport I grew up loving, and still watch today," he said. Purcell said he never played baseball before and was pretty nervous in front of all the Rays players. "I was just swinging away for the fences," Purcell said. "Don't really know what I'm doing, but it's fun." St. Petersburg Times LOADED: 06.17.2011

572488

Toronto Maple Leafs

Tyler Seguin to bring Stanley Cup to Toronto

Paul Hunter

The Stanley Cup is coming to Toronto. Not because of the Maple Leafs but because of a player who could have been a Maple Leaf. While he is still making plans for his day with the Stanley Cup, Boston Bruins forward Tyler Seguin has already made it clear to his family that he wants to involve his GTHL minor hockey organization, the Young Nats, in the celebration. And the teenager will likely take the Cup to Westwood Arena — just north of Pearson Airport — where the Nats play their home games and the younger Seguin was a teammate of Jeffrey Skinner, who is up for the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year. “I’m not sure exactly what he wants to do, but he wants to do something for the day related to the GTHL where he played pretty much all his minor hockey,” said Tyler’s father, Paul, Thursday night. “He’d like any of the minor-hockey players who want to, to come out and meet Tyler and hang out. And he’d like to have a scrimmage with his buddies on the ice because now they’re like, ‘Okay, Seguin, we want to see if you’re really that good. Let’s play shinny. I want to play shinny for the Stanley Cup.’ I thought that sounded pretty cool. He’s says Dad can get on the ice too, so that will be fun to do.” Seguin, who is from Brampton, was part of the Bruins’ team that clinched the Cup on Wednesday night, finishing off the Vancouver Canucks in a topsy-turvy, seven-game final. Another Bruin, Chris Kelly, hails from Toronto. The senior Seguin, who himself played hockey at the University of Vermont, said he spoke to his son at 2:30 Thursday afternoon and Tyler still hadn’t been to bed. “You still have to pinch yourself and say, what just happened yesterday. Did that just really happen?” said the senior Seguin. “Being drafted so high in the draft, similar to Taylor Hall (who went to Edmonton), you usually go to the teams that are rebuilding, to the lower place teams. But just because of the luck of the (Phil) Kessel trade, Tyler ends up in Boston and wins a Stanley Cup.” Ah yes, the Kessel trade. It’s something fans, particularly those in Toronto, will never forget. Or let Seguin forget. As part of the deal to acquire Boston’s sniper, the Leafs included two first-round picks, one of which was used to draft Seguin a year ago with the second overall pick. It seems Seguin will be haunted by comparisons to Kessel — and Kessel to Seguin — for the foreseeable future and it makes Seguin even more scrutinized in this city than if he had been just another GTHL product in the NHL. The senior Seguin says the comparisons don’t bother his son, who just turned 19 in January. He said Tyler spent time with Kessel at a Bauer equipment event last summer and came away impressed with the Leaf, calling him “a great guy.” “Growing up, Tyler was always being compared to other players. You know, ‘Is he good enough?’ ‘He’s not going to be good enough in a couple of years.’ ‘He had one good game but, he didn’t do anything in the next game.’ That’s constant in minor hockey, not just for Tyler but for any player that’s good and has a possible future.” So Tyler was used to it. Now it’s going to take his father time to get used to the fact his son’s name is on the Stanley Cup. “Tyler was born to be a hockey player and I was hoping one day he’d win the Stanley Cup but obviously not in first year in the NHL,” he said. “That’s just so unbelievable.” Toronto Star LOADED: 06.17.2011

572489

Toronto Maple Leafs

Why a soaring loonie could bring the Stanley Cup back to Canada

Kevin McGran

Montreal goaltender Patrick Roy hoists the Stanley Cup after the Canadiens defeated the Calgary Flames in the 1986 final. Mike Blake/REUTERS file A Stanley Cup parade used to be a semi-regular occurrence in a Canadian city. And Guy Carbonneau, captain of the last Canadian team to win a Stanley Cup, believes it will be again. Why? Simple economics. Carbonneau, now the president of the Chicoutimi Saguenéens of the Quebec league, believes it was the plunging value of the loonie that did in Canadian hockey hopes in the mid-1990s and the subsequent return to parity with the U.S. greenback will simply level the playing field for Canadian teams. “Whether we like it or not, money is always a problem,” said Carbonneau, a three-time Cup-winner. “All the revenues for Canadian teams are in Canadian dollars but all their spending is in U.S. dollars. It was tough to compete with the Americans. We lost a lot of good players to the U.S.” Between 1926-27, when the NHL became the sole custodian of the Stanley Cup, and 1992-93, when the dollar began to dive, Canadian teams won the Stanley Cup 41 times. In fact, there were only 15 Cup finals played without a Canadian team in that 66-season span. And from ’93 until now? O-fer Canada. With Boston taking out Vancouver in a seven-game Cup final this spring, those Habs remain the last Canadian team to win it all. “I would never have thought it would take (more than) 18 years for the Montreal Canadiens, or a team in Canada, to win the Cup,” said Jacques Demers, coach of the 1993 Habs. “I’m tired of saying we’re the last team to win the Cup in Canada.” The drought only mildly surprises ex-Maple Leaf Vince Damphousse, an alternate captain on that 1993 Montreal team. “It’s very tough to get all the pieces together at one time,” said Damphousse. “There are 30 teams. Anybody can win it. Small details will make you win or lose. When we won, we were not necessarily favoured in the first round. Quebec had more points than us in our division, but we were able to beat them.” Carbonneau’s argument is compelling. The Canadian dollar began its decline with the tech boom of the mid-1990s and bottomed out in 2002, only beginning to climb back in 2007. During that time, only the wealthy Maple Leafs could afford to spend at the same rate as the U.S. teams year in and year out. “You have to do it the right way and when it’s your time, you have to make sure you win it or it’s going to be over with,” Carbonneau said. The other Canadian teams — and Canada lost teams in Winnipeg and Quebec in part because of a low dollar — had trouble just competing, although Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary each made the Cup final. “Even there, they have to make the right choices and get the right guys,” said Carbonneau. “It’s not easy. You have to draft well, you have to manage your money the right way to try to keep the core together for a longer period of time, which is really hard.” The loonie’s return to parity, plus a salary cap, has made the jobs of Canadian teams — whose ranks swell to seven with the return of Winnipeg — much easier. “You’re seeing Canadian teams get better and be able to keep their players for a longer period of time,” said Carbonneau, who never bought the argument that Canadian fans put too much pressure on their teams.

“It’s a really special place to play. There’s nothing like playing in Canada for a winning team.” Toronto Star LOADED: 06.17.2011

572490

Toronto Maple Leafs

Hockey world never ends

Paul Hunter

also have have to deal with their own restricted free agents, Luke Schenn, Clarke MacArthur and Tyler Bozak. START IT UP AGAIN Training camps will open in early September and Bodog.ca has already established Vancouver as the favourite to win next season's Stanley Cup at odds of 5:1. Boston is next (8:1) followed by Washington (17:2). The Leafs, as usual, are longshots, tied with Ottawa at 60:1. Toronto Star LOADED: 06.17.2011

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, of the Red Deer Rebels is a top prospect at the NHL draft. Carlos Osorio/The Toronto Star The Stanley Cup has been presented, the Bruins are planning their Saturday parade in Boston and order has been restored to the streets of Vancouver, but that doesn't mean the hockey world has ended. It just feels that way for Canucks fans. Even though the on-ice games have concluded for a week or two – the summers get shorter every year — this is actually a very busy time for the NHL. There is much to be settled over the next few weeks. Here's a primer as to what's on tap in the immediate future of the NHL: WINNIPEG THRASHERS Formal approval of the Atlanta franchise's move to Winnipeg will come on Tuesday when the league's governors meet in New York. The unveiling of the team's name – Jets is the favourite but not guaranteed – will not come before that. Winnipeg also has to select a coach. Among those in consideration are former Oilers' bench boss Craig MacTavish, head coach of the AHL's Manitoba Moose (a team destined for St. John's) Claude Noel, Blackhawks' assistant Mike Haviland and current Thrashers' coach Mike Ramsay. NHL AWARDS Boston's Tim Thomas and Vancouver' Roberto Luongo get to go head-tohead once more, this time at Las Vegas on Wednesday as finalists for the Vezina Trophy. There could be some awkward moments, though Thomas made a point of stopping and chatting with Luongo in the handshake line — pumping his Vancouver counterpart's tires by calling him a “great goalie” — after his Bruins' won the Stanley Cup Wednesday. Pekka Rinne is the third finalist for the Vezina. The Hart Trophy for the player most valuable to his team will go to one of Vancouver's Daniel Sedin, Anaheim's Corey Perry or Martin St. Louis of Tampa. Calder finalists as top rookie are Carolina's Jeff Skinner, Michael Grabner of the Islanders and San Jose' Logan Couture. NHL DRAFT The entry draft goes next weekend at Minneapolis with the first round on Friday. Edmonton is up first, followed by Colorado, Florida, New Jersey and the Islanders. The Leafs draft 25th (with a pick acquired from Philly) and 30th (from Boston) but are trying to move up in the order by packaging their second-round pick (39th overall) and one of those first rounders. The next six rounds go the following day. Top prospects include Red Deer's Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Kitchener's Gabriel Landeskog, Memorial Cup MVP Jonathan Huberdeau of St. John and Sweden's Adam Larsson. FREE AGENCY The annual frenzy kicks off at noon on July 1. While the talent pool is not as deep as some other years, some of the bigger names among unrestricted free agents this year include centres Brad Richards, Tim Connolly and Tomas Fleischmann. Wingers Alexei Kovalev, Michael Ryder, Alex Tanguay and Simon Gagne. Defencemen Ed Jovanovski, Andrei Markov, Christian Ehrhoff and Kevin Bieksa. And goaltenders Tomas Vokoun, Dwayne Roloson and Jean-Sebastien Giguere. WHITHER THE LEAFS Expect the Leafs to make some type of splash at the draft – Brian Burke has a history of it – as they try to wheel and deal their way up the order. Toronto is also in need of depth at centre so they'll be culling through free agents if they can't improve with a trade. Lots of speculation about the Leafs going after Richards but Toronto seems an unlikely destination for the former Conn Smythe winner and now former Dallas Star. The guessing is Richards lands in either L.A. or on Broadway with the Rangers. The Leafs

572491

Vancouver Canucks

Canucks in good salary-cap situation, but blue line needs addressing

By Elliott Pap, Vancouver SunJune 16, 2011

(The all-time record for a sports program in Canada remains the 2010 Olympic gold-medal men's hockey final. That game drew an average audience of 16.6 million on CTV.) Below the border, NBC reported Wednesday's Game 7 victory by the Bruins drew 8.54 million viewers, making it the most watched NHL game in 38 years and the fourth most watched Stanley Cup game in U.S. television history. Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 06.17.2011

VANCOUVER — It's once again wait 'til next year for the Vancouver Canucks, which isn't that far away considering the first official day of summer arrives Tuesday — and free agency follows nine days later. July 1 is the time for teams to begin shaping their rosters for the 2011-12 campaign. The salary cap, yet to be announced for next season, is expected to rise from the $59.4 million that was the number for 2010-11. It may increase by as much as $3 million to $4 million and that will clearly benefit the cash-rich Canucks. General manager Mike Gillis has 16 players under contract — including seldom-used defenceman Ryan Parent — for a total of $49.174 million. This does not including top prospects like Eddie Lack, Yann Sauve, Kevin Connauton, Anton Rodin and Jordan Schroeder, all of whom are signed but still considered minor-leaguers not subject to the NHL cap. The team's main forward group is signed with the exception of third-line left winger Raffi Torres, trade-deadline acquisition Chris Higgins, third-line rightwinger Jannik Hansen and checking centre Max Lapierre. The latter two are restricted free agents whose rights the Canucks can maintain with a qualifying offer. The Sedin twins, Ryan Kesler, Alex Burrows, Mason Raymond, Manny Malhotra and Mikael Samuelsson will all be back unless Gillis opts to move someone in a trade. On defence, it's a different story. Four of the team's top eight blueliners will be free to shop their services elsewhere, most prominently Kevin Bieksa and Christian Ehrhoff. Sami Salo, who turns 37 on Sept. 2 and is prone to every injury imaginable, is also free to walk and there could be a mutual parting of ways, or perhaps even a retirement announcement on the Finn's part. Salo was among the Canuck players who did not speak to reporters following Wednesday night's 4-0 loss in Game 7 to the Boston Bruins. There was no media availability with the team Thursday, so it's unknown whether Salo will pull a Mark Recchi and declare his playing intentions when the first microphone is extended to him. The remaining unrestricted free-agent defenceman is Andrew Alberts, a depth player when everyone is healthy. Alberts was a frequent healthy scratch during the playoff run and became a regular only when Dan Hamhuis went down in Game 1 of the final with a suspected abdominal/groin tear. Right now, Hamhuis, Alex Edler, Aaron Rome, rookie Chris Tanev and the out-of-favour Keith Ballard are the defencemen under contract for 2011-12, indicating Gillis has some serious work to do here. It is expected the GM will push to re-sign both Bieksa and Ehrhoff and try to unload Ballard's contract, which still has a whopping four years left at $4.2 million per. In goal, there are no issues, at least in terms of cap considerations as Roberto Luongo, backup Cory Schneider and top farmhand Lack are all under contract. Schneider, who appears ready for a bigger role elsewhere, is a strong candidate to be moved while Lack proved his worth in the American Hockey League last season and could step in as Luongo's backup for the same $900,000 Schneider made last season. RATING BONANZA: The Canucks' decisive Game 7 loss Wednesday to the Bruins didn't seem to curtail viewer interest as Hockey Night In Canada smashed its own ratings record set just two nights earlier in Game 6. According to CBC figures, Game 7 drew an average audience of 8.76 million, up more than two million from Game 6, which came in at 6.6 million. The network crowed in its release that the game reached a total 18.45 million — “more than half of the Canadian population, by far the most ever for the final on CBC.” The 8.76 million average audience nearly matched the 2002 Olympic goldmedal men's hockey final from Salt Lake City. That event, which remains the most watched sports program in CBC history, attracted 8.96 million viewers.

572492

Vancouver Canucks

Canucks GM’s most pressing issue? Ehrhoff and Bieksa Lingering question of team toughness only flaw in Canucks’ excellent season

By Iain MacIntyre, Vancouver Sun columnistJune 16, 2011

VANCOUVER — As crushing as was the loss, it says something about the madness that followed that the Vancouver Canucks' failure to win the Stanley Cup was the good-news story of the day for international media. The sad thing is the chromosome-challenged criminals who flaunted their drunkenness and hatred of authority by breaking windows and stealing pants would have done the same thing had the Canucks beaten the Boston Bruins Wednesday night. That would have been equally shameful and even more embarrassing for Vancouver. Anyone travelling to Game 7 on the inbound Expo Line that afternoon would have seen train cars jammed with people, many of them already loud and rowdy and nearly all under the age of 25, who passed through the Stadium Station and unloaded at Granville to begin fuelling themselves for the riot. It had to do with hockey what our current income taxes have to do with paying off the debt from the Second World War. Yes, there is a tenuous, largely theoretical link there, but not one that any reasonable person genuinely believes. Yet, there we were on CNN and BBC and Al Jazeera, police cars blazing, tear gas billowing and rioters on the rampage. Most livable city in the world? Vancouver wasn't on Wednesday. But when it looked like this event might taint not only what other people think of us, but how we view ourselves, a wonderful thing happened Thursday morning when hundreds of ordinary people turned up downtown to help clean up. Only in Vancouver? Maybe. Our city and province was already bouncing back, and probably the hockey team will, too. The Canucks won 54 games in the regular season and 15 more in the playoffs, falling only one victory shy of landing Vancouver its first Stanley Cup since 1915. Clearly, there isn't much wrong with the team. Sure, the Canucks picked a lousy time to become the NHL's second-best team after running at the front since December. But it was still the best season by far that Vancouver has had since the NHL came to town in 1970. In the final, it looked like a team built for the playoffs overpowered a team built for the regular season. That's not meant to demean the Canucks, who were on an 11-3 tear through the Stanley Cup tournament before the final shifted to Boston after Game 2. But as the series went on, the Bruins got stronger and the Canucks weaker. The liberal officiating had something to do with that, as did the deteriorating health of several Canuck players. But the Bruins were simply better. Tim Thomas profoundly outplayed Roberto Luongo in goal, but Boston's defence was stronger and its offence deeper. The Bruins deserved their Cup and I'm glad it's going to a place where fans care passionately about hockey and have waited nearly as long as those in Vancouver. It was hard to find flaws in the Canucks during their 117-point regular season. But there was always a lingering question of toughness. Not dropthe-gloves toughness — although a little more of that wouldn't hurt, either — but playoff toughness. The Canucks needed more players who could get to the net, win puck battles and, generally, match the Bruins' toughness when the referees weren't calling anything but hooking, diving and interference. Vancouver needed a deterrent stronger than its power play. That should be high on the off-season shopping list of general manager Mike Gillis, who meets the media Friday at Rogers Arena while players go through their exit meetings. Gillis made terrific choices last summer when he made strategic acquisitions of centre Manny Malhotra and defenceman Dan Hamhuis.

His trade for Keith Ballard was not so good — not at $4.2 million a season. Gillis has been much more supportive of the league's priciest spare defenceman than coach Alain Vigneault, but the organization must revisit their decision on Ballard this summer. His disastrous Stanley Cup cameo notwithstanding, Ballard is a decent NHL defenceman and may yet return to being better than average. But his annual salary makes him grossly overpaid, and seems absurd when you consider the Canucks are trying to re-sign both Kevin Bieksa and Christian Ehrhoff. Eligible for unrestricted free agency on July 1, those two defenceman are Gillis's most pressing issue. Vancouver has a pay model that allows them to keep both, but the choice between one or the other is no choice: the Canucks must keep Bieksa, who in addition to ability has toughness Ehrhoff can't offer and that the team lacked at times in the final. In losing four of his last five starts, Luongo posted a goals-against average of 4.66 and a save rate of .846. But the debate about Vancouver's goaltending will be far fiercer on airwaves and the internet than in Canuck offices. Luongo has 11 years and a no-trade clause left on his $64-million contract. Still, it's a discussion that has to occur before the Canucks put their most coveted bargaining chip, backup goalie Cory Schneider, on the trade market. Schneider has waited without complaint for five years — since Luongo was acquired in 2006, two years after Schneider was drafted — to go somewhere he has a future as a starter. He should fetch the Canucks an excellent young player in return. But Gillis must be absolutely sure about Luongo before he makes that move. Beyond that, there's the question of what to do with Cody Hodgson, and whether unrestricted free agent Chris Higgins should be re-signed. Restricted free agents Jannik Hansen and Max Lapierre need new deals. And what about Raffi Torres? The Canucks reached a new level this season, but it wasn't quite good enough to win the Stanley Cup. They need to push higher still, starting this summer. They won't lack motivation when training camp opens in just three months. Gillis needs to make sure they don't lack players, either. Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 06.17.2011

572493

Vancouver Canucks

Canuck Luongo's will to win in question now more than ever

By Jason Botchford, The ProvinceJune 16, 2011

Roberto Luongo can win it all. He was just within a game, and he got there with one of the lowest-scoring offences in postseason history. To suggest he can't comes off as illogical. But there's rarely logic anymore in the city's relationship with Luongo. The "blame Luongo" mob is overwhelming just about every time the Canucks lose. Here we go again and it's after a series in which the Canucks scored just eight goals. It's a remarkable feat, if you think about it. To get that close with the meekest seven-game goal-scoring total in Cup history. But Luongo is framed as the scapegoat and it's deja Lu. More concerning, it doesn't feel like this is ever going to change. Instead, it feels both consuming and toxic. It's not healthy for the fans, and it can't be healthy for Luongo. He is regularly asked about things like the crowds in Rogers Arena who, it was reported, cheered when he was pulled from games in Boston. His teammates are regularly asked if they've lost faith in him. Can he go through this year after year, playoffs after playoffs in Vancouver? Can the fans? Can his teammates? Can anyone? It'd be easy, inflammatory, and predictable now to say: Trade Luongo. It's unfair and also an improbable scenario. Obviously, Luongo has the notrade and his massive contract could make him immovable anyway. Plus, General Manager Mike Gillis has the patience of sedimentary rock. He's not exactly knee-jerk material. But with Luongo, we're getting past knee-jerk. The past three playoffs have run with the familiar theme. Luongo is big, imposing and effective when his team plays clean in front of him, limiting odd-man rushes and clearing rebounds. If the Canucks are defensively sound, he's great. But when things turn, when injuries mount, when breakdowns pile up, he's failing to make the acrobatic saves to turn the tide and change momentum. It repeated itself this year. The Canucks defence was ravaged by injuries and Luongo was subsequently beat for 18 goals in the last five games. He was pulled in two of them, and should have been pulled in three. The lack of apparent athleticism is, in part, a product of his structured butterfly style, one which looked frighteningly inadequate when compared the past two weeks with Thomas's wild, fight-for-everything methods. Actually, he looked inadequate compared to Pekka Rinne and Corey Crawford, too. The more athletic goalies are increasing. The stable, butterfly-obsessed goalies are not. It's a trend the Canucks may want to look at. While they're at it, they should also determine if starting Luongo every game but one in the postseason was the best idea, given the fact Cory Schneider started regularly during the season. Why can't it continue in the playoffs? They also may want to talk to Luongo in their exit meetings about his future, much like they did with his captaincy last offseason. Is this really where he wants to be? More importantly, is this the best environment for him to thrive in for the next seven-to-ten years? It sure doesn't seem like it most of the time. Everyone knows Luongo wants to win, but the mental anguish which comes with being a goalie in Vancouver has taken a toll. Throughout this season, many believed Luongo didn't need to be great for the Canucks to win. How wrong they were. Luongo needed to be ungodly to best Thomas. He didn't come close. He lost Game 6 on his own, giving up three goals early. The Canucks forwards spent the rest of the game with sweaty palms trying to score three goals with one wrist shot. The result was multiple missed nets. If Luongo had made those saves early, maybe things in Game 6 could have been different. The Canucks played well. In Game 7, they did not. The only way the Canucks were winning the final game was if Luongo could score goals. Still, it was alarming to see him give up three goals on 13 shots in the season-deciding game. It was depressing to see him give up on the third

goal. It played out like there was no fight left in him as he neatly moved aside, allowing the puck and Patrice Bergeron to slide into the net. Coincidentally, that's how the rest of the team played in the third. They had nothing left. Why this is all so important now is because the Canucks have a potential answer. Cory Schneider has the mind and the agility to be great in the NHL. Maybe it's naive to believe he can handle Vancouver any better than Luongo. Maybe it's naive to believe he can become a starter and dominate. Then again, maybe he could be the Canucks Aaron Rodgers if Luongo moves on.

Thomas was the Conn Smythe winner this year. Last year, he lost his job. The Bruins stayed with him and were rewarded with a Stanley Cup. Could Luongo do something similar? He could. But he could also repeat the same pattern we've seen three years in a row. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.17.2011

572494

Vancouver Canucks

Adding top-six forward key to Canucks offseason

By Ben Kuzma, The ProvinceJune 16, 2011

about Luongo? Does he really want year after year of being grist for the media meat grinder? The UFA market at wing is crowded with 30-somethings, but left winger Tomas Fleischmann might be worth a look. At 27, he was on a point-pergame clip with Colorado after being acquired from Washington. Sidelined in January with blood clots in his lungs, the Swede has made a full recovery. He earned $2.6 million last season. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.17.2011

Jannik Hansen used the 'O' word to describe what derailed the Vancouver Canucks in a failed quest to capture the franchise's first Stanley Cup. And he didn't mean outstanding. More like outrageous. "When you score eight goals you're not producing enough offence," the pending restricted free agent winger said of a pop-gun attack in the championship clash. "We were in the series the whole time, but we gave them three extremely easy wins in Boston instead of making it harder for them in their end and and maybe pushing a game or two." In being pushed aside 4-0 in the seventh game — after holding 2-0 and 3-2 series leads against the bruising Bruins — the Canucks missed a crucial push from their top-six mix that accounted for just four goals and 10 points. Mikael Samuelsson was sidelined for the postseason by adductor tendon and hernia surgery and Mason Raymond was lost to a compressed vertebrae fracture in Game 6 of the final. Ryan Kesler laboured through a torn groin and hip labrum and did what he could, but that Helicopter Line joke — no wings — is getting old. After all, the Bruins were without Marc Savard and Nathan Horton so the argument of a missing arsenal is moot. What isn't is the fact the Canucks will need to add a top-six forward in the offseason for several reasons. For starters, Raymond isn't expected to return until November and who knows how effective he'll be. On the crushing unpenalized cornerboards blow by Johnny Boychuk, the body of Raymond's vertebra was broken and crushed. That means pressure was applied on nerves and the brace that Raymond is sporting is supposed to put the back into hyper-extension and take pressure off the vertebra so it can return to normal size. Add Raymond's pointless performance in the final and just eight points (2-6) in 24 playoff outings and it raises eyebrows. The speedster has a year left on his contract but his 15 regular-season goals in 70 games were a far cry from a career-best 25 in 2009-10. The Canucks covet Raymond's speedy and creativity, but his penchant for playing on the perimeter is a concern — especially in the postseason where time and space are at a premium. Samuelsson also has year left on his contract and his numbers also tailed off from a career-high 30 goals in 2009-10 to the 18 he managed this season despite ongoing leg stiffness that affected his stride and strength. He's also 34 and it's hard to predict how the supremely-fit Swede will recover and perform after surgery. It would be easier to consider a fix for the top six if Chris Higgins, 28, wasn't an unrestricted free agent who will easily get a boost on his $1.6 million US salary cap hit for displaying versatility before a foot fracture in the Nashville series curtailed his effectiveness. And if there was a bonafide prospect ready to make the leap, it would be easier, too. But Sergei Shirokov, 24, is an RFA and despite back-to-back 22-goal seasons with the Manitoba Moose, has yet to display a complete game and devotion to fitness that would allow the Russian winger to be effective in the NHL. Winger Billy Sweatt, 22, had 19 goals with the Moose and has an upside while winger Anton Rodin, 20, is probably still another year away from playing in the AHL after 26 points (7-19) in the Swedish Elite League. Cody Hodgson is a centre by trade and seems somewhat lost in the scope of where he fits in next season, if at all. Certainly, not in the top six. But not lost in all that talk is how Cory Schneider figures into this forward equation. The regular-season chatter was that Schneider would fetch a fix if moved at the entry draft and Columbus coach Scott Arniel covets the stopper. Steve Mason was wildly inconsistent, but has two years left on his contract at $2.9 million and by hiring goalie coach Ian Clark, there seems to be some renewed faith in Mason. Then again, the way the season ended for Roberto Luongo and Schneider's coming-of-age season might muddy those trade waters. That 16-4-2 regular-season mark, 2.22 goals-against average and .929 saves percentage proved Schneider can start, but he's also very affordable at $900,000 US next season. Luongo and Schneider worked in harmony and do the Canucks really want some aging UFA to back up Luongo? And what

572495

Vancouver Canucks

2012 Cory Schneider $900,000

Canucks free agents could take hometown discounts

Mikael Samuelsson $2.5 million Mason Raymond $2.55 million

By Gordon McIntyre, The ProvinceJune 16, 2011

Aaron Rome $750,000 2013

They all would love to be back, but how many will be welcome?

Alex Edler $3.25 million

The Vancouver Canucks have had to put off the issue because of the Stanley Cup playoffs, but now that that goal has fallen a game short they have to face the reality that on July 1 they'll have a number of free agents.

Alex Burrows $2 million

No fewer than 11 players have their contracts coming up for renewal, eight of them as unrestricted free agents and three as restricted free agents.

2014

Leading the pack is Kevin Bieksa, who will command much more than the $3.75 million a season he earned under his old deal.

2015

The Canucks are a club players desire. Despite this year's failure to win the big prize, by a game, there's no reason to believe the Canucks won't be favoured to represent the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup final again next season. That in itself is a benefit that invites players to take home-town discounts. “It's really great to be part of this group,” said Chris Higgins, picked up at the trade deadline. “I'm proud to have played with some of the players in this locker-room. “With this team, the experience I've had with this team in just a couple of months, it's an amazing group. There are a lot of players that down the road I'll be proud to say I played with them.” Talks with most of their agents were shut down as the regular-season stretch run began, but some are more important targets to re-sign than others. Bieksa, being the biggest, decided not to make himself available after Wednesday's Game 7 loss and no player was available on Thursday. But Christian Ehrhoff was and he spoke the obvious. “”It's tough to say right now,” he said about returning. “We'll see where things lead. “It's a great group of guys, there's a great chance to be back again. I hope I can be part of it.” Here's a look at who has free agency ahead of him and what his cap hit was this season: Unrestricted free agents (cap hit in 2010-11) Forwards Chris Higgins $1.6 million Raffi Torres $1 million Tanner Glass $625,000 Jeff Tambellini $500,000 Defencemen Kevin Bieksa $3.75 million Christian Ehrhoff $3.1 million Sami Salo $3.5 million Andrew Alberts $1.5 million Restricted free agents Maxime Lapierre $900,000 Jannik Hansen $825,000 Lee Sweatt $650,000 Down the road

Manny Malhotra $2.5 million

Daniel/Henrik Sedin $6.1 million

Keith Ballard $4.2 million 2016 Ryan Kesler $5 million Dan Hamhuis $4.5 million 2023 Roberto Luongo $5.3 million Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.17.2011

572496

Vancouver Canucks

Lack of play for CoHo a concern

By Tony Gallagher, The ProvinceJune 16, 2011

As the media lined up outside the Vancouver Canucks dressing room waiting to get in to the understandably solemn environment Wednesday night, the door to the players' lounge would open and close with people coming and going and offer the occasional glimpse in if you happened to be standing in the right place. There sitting all alone on one of the couches was Cody Hodgson, dressed in a suit, his head down as he leaned forward. While you shouldn't be reading much into that at all given he may well have been texting someone, this was pretty much how his season went and you have to wonder what the future in the Vancouver organization might hold for this highly skilled and highly drafted player. And there are a couple of genuine concerns he has to have going forward. For starters he's a centre and the roster here happens to be adorned with Henrik Sedin, Ryan Kesler and Manny Malhotra. Up until the final against Boston you might also wanted to have included Maxim Laperriere but he seems to have developed something of a toxic reputation that makes it not only difficult for Vancouver to seek retention of his services, it might also impact his job search around the rest of the NHL. Whether that reputation is deserved or not is another discussion, but we digress. Those three centres mentioned above are not going anywhere in the foreseeable future and unless there is a plan to somehow convert Hodgson into a winger—something that hasn't even been experimented with at this point—there appears to be very little future in Vancouver for the kid to spread his wings. Further it's abundantly clear coach Alain Vigneault is not one of his big fans as the youngster always the last possible option and was repeatedly slotted into situations seemingly designed to make him fail. And when the predictable occurred his ice time shrank and shrank before he finally disappeared from view entirely in the final. Had the Canucks won the Cup, his name would not have been included unless the team had made a special petition to have it added. In his final shifts, Hodgson was clearly far more concerned with not making a mistake than he was with making a play. It was all he could do to safely dump the puck into the offensive zone and scurry to the bench keeping his shifts under 30 seconds whenever possible. Contrast this with how the Sedins broke into the league in their first year in 2000-01 when they played 82 games and never missed a power play. It isn't known whether there is anything personal between the coach and the player, but one suspects not yet. But it's clear Vigneault had no confidence in Hodgson this year and it's not really clear how that's going to change in the near future if the Canucks keep the coach on. Further, who knows if any of Vancouver's pending free agents have any problem with the coach which may impact their desire to stay in Vancouver. It's clear he's not the most popular coach in Vancouver history with his players although it's not likely it's yet reached the point where it was in Montreal. In his final days with the Habs, the players called Vigneault 'Mr. Gant ' among themselves, short for Mr. Arrogant. Just how this works itself out is going to be fascinating to watch. “I've been telling Cody to stay with it, stay positive and that he would score the Cup winning goal,” said Hodgson's agent Ritch Winter from Philadelphia Thursday where he was shuttling another client Ilya Bryzgalov around Philadelphia and the Flyers practice facility where a meeting with Ed Snider and their coaches was evidently going to take place. “It didn't work out that way and I'm waiting for things to cool down before we talk. It's clearly going to be a challenging situation there.” There is the possibility Hodgson could request a trade although that's getting way ahead of the game at this point. But Winter certainly has it right. It is a challenging situation. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.17.2011

572497

Vancouver Canucks

Willes: Vancouver, you need to grow up

That act was premeditated. It also incited the crowd. Police were on the scene but they weren't in riot gear and they were driven back by the mob. Then the cancer metastasized, spreading to multiple flashpoints around the downtown.

By Ed Willes, The ProvinceJune 16, 2011

By then, it was too late to contain it. “All that occurred within 20, 30 minutes of the end of the game,” said Knight. “It takes time to activate the plan.”

The reports started filtering in while we waited for the Canucks' locker room to open after Game 7 on Wednesday night. There's rioting in the streets. Cars are on fire. Mobs are running wild. Everyone's worst nightmare, it seemed, was unfolding. Then the room opened and for the next two hours a different focus was required. Later, after the Canucks' season had been laid to rest, the scene outside Rogers Arena was relatively calm. Sure, there was the odd collection of young drunks roaming around but when isn't there after a Canucks' game? Despite reports to the contrary, the SkyTrain was also running back to Waterfront and that trip was uneventful, as was the car ride back to North Van. Then I sat in front of the TV. Then I watched the horror. What happened? What virus was set loose in those people? What evil was perpetrated in our city? And how was it allowed to happen? Watching the Images roll by, shock gave way to anger which gave way to disgust which gave way to embarrassment which gave way to more anger which gave way to one over-riding thought. Why aren't the cops busting heads and breaking up that pack of wild dogs? Why are they just watching? There isn't one right-thinking person in this city who would have invested one nano-gram of sympathy for those punks. So what's holding them back? And, metaphorically at least, that might have been their worst crime. In breaking the social contract, in bringing shame to our city, those nothings brought decent, law-abiding people down to their level. No one wanted to understand what was motivating them. They just wanted them to pay for what they were doing and pay a heavy price. If only it was that easy. Leo Knight, on the other hand, makes his living by analyzing crowds and crowd control. In no particular order, he's a former Vancouver city cop and RCMP who's the COO of Palladin Security. He also helped plan the security for the '05 Grey Cup and was consulted on security for the 2010 Winter Olympics. In short, dude knows his stuff. This is what he says about Wednesday night. “This is one of the those damned if you do, damned if you don't things,” he said by phone. Really, I was hoping for something a little more. Knight, in fact, broke down the riot the way a football coach breaks down game film and his observations tell a story. The problem, he says simply, starts when you get about 100,000 people concentrated in one area, many of them young men, many who'd been drinking since noon, and try to control them without a full deployment of riot police. “(Mayor Gregor Robertson) was a little naïve when he said Vancouver's grown-up since (the riots after the '94 Cup final),” said Knight. “He wanted these live events. He wanted a great big fun city because, post-94, Vancouver got the reputation as a no-fun city.” Given the events of Wednesday night, that doesn't sound too bad. Knight went on to say the public authority had adopted a policy of, “If you're reasonable, we'll be reasonable.” In the run-up to Game 7, they turned a blind eye to liquor offences and public drunkeness. They were also present without being involved and, until Wednesday night, everyone was getting along. The problem, according to Knight, was the riot started so quickly, it was allowed to spread relatively unchecked. The first car was being tipped over about the time Gary Bettman was handing the Stanley Cup to Zdeno Chara.

The cops did what they could and they showed admirable self-restraint. But by the time they took back the streets the damage, literally and figureatively, had been done. Now we're left to clean up and search our souls while those lice roam free. You hope, you really hope, their day of reckoning comes. In the meantime, it seems this city isn't as grown up as the mayor believed. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.17.2011

572498

Vancouver Canucks

Bruins cement Boston as best sports town. Period.

The Red Sox can claim a big expense account and success to go along with it. They slew the Curse of the Bambino in 2004 with their sixth world title and with it, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and Curt Schilling (and his sock) became immortalized. Boston won again in 2007. But this week the stage belongs to Tim Thomas.

By Dave Gross, Postmedia NewsJune 16, 2011

Back in 2006, Boston Magazine put together a piece explaining why its city was the “best damn sports town in America. Period.” The Patriots had recently captured back-to-back Super Bowls, the Red Sox would go on to win the World Series a year later, the Celtics were rebuilding into a contender (they’d win the NBA title two years later), and the Bruins were on the cusp of dismissing that “whatever happened to the Bruins?” label. An MLS club also called Boston home, then there was the annual Beanpot college hockey tourney and of course, the storied Boston Marathon. Well, clearly it’s time to update and lay a claim on 2011. The Bruins brought home the bacon this week, ending a 39-year Stanley Cup drought. They did it in traditional Bruins fashion, too — playing a rough-tough, inyour-face (and mouth, at times) style, taking down the favoured Canucks in seven games. Boston’s triumph was remarkable. This is a team that was down 2-0 in the series before winning four of the next five games, spanking a team that won the Presidents’ Trophy by a whopping 10 points. The Bruins regained their leathery identity and a Stanley Cup while cementing the city’s reputation as the best damn sports town in North America. With apologies to the faithful, until the Cubs break their personal hex, Chicago remains an afterthought . . . kind of like the White Sox. The Bears are good, Bulls are up there and the Blackhawks too, but baseball’s Cubbies are what drives the passions of Chicago fans. The city’s a contender to the crown to be sure, but far from a champ. Detroit is Hockeytown, the Tigers are rolling, but the Pistons and Lions are kind of a drag. New York has the Jets and Giants — both contenders, the Yankees and an improved Knicks team. Between the Mets and Rangers and Islanders unfortunately, the ship is sinking. In Boston, it’s all good. In the last 10 years, the city’s big-four sports franchises have won seven world titles. The formerly hexed Red Sox again are challenging again this season, leading the American League standings; the Celtics can spend with the best and expect to challenge season after season; same for the Pats, who’re racing the Pittsburgh Steelers for best NFL franchise of the past quartercentury. And good-golly how the love affair with the Bruins has been restored to its rightful place. It goes beyond the teams, however. Boston’s fan base is loud, rabid and rambunctious; opinionated and expansive. Red Sox Nation starts somewhere in southern Connecticut and ventures well above the Canadian border into New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Bruins fans battle Canadiens followers for claims on the East Coast as well. And it goes beyond geography. Boston has developed a bevy of icons, with more on the way and some that have just arrived. Carl Yastrzemski, Larry Bird and Bobby Orr have been joined in recent years by the likes of Tom Brady — arguably the best QB in the last decade — and Bill Belichick — the best head coach (perhaps) in NFL history. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce led the Celtics to a title in 2008 and a return to the NBA Finals in 2010. “The Big Three” join Boston’s wall of fame.

If you could Google hits based on what’s popping out of the mouths of New Englanders, “Tim Thomas” would top the charts. His story is so completely blue-collar Beantown, you’d expect Dennis Lehane’s already hammering away on the book with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck negotiating for the film rights. For starters, he wasn’t even supposed to be a starter. This was to be Tuukka Rask’s breakthrough season, but Thomas, now age 37, kept winning. He set a record for save percentage during the regular season and carried on through the post-season. As one prognosticator threw out there — Boston’s best (and only) chance to subdue Canucks Nation in the final was if Thomas was beyond sensational. Don’t know if that’s literally possible, but he was, at least figuratively right there — and proved me right. Better yet for the Bostonians, Thomas put them over the top. The best damn sports town in America, period? Just add an exclamation mark. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.17.2011

572499

Washington Capitals

Olie Kolzig returns to Capitals as associate goalie coach

By Katie Carrera

More than three years since he last protected the Washington Capitals’ net, Olie Kolzig has rejoined the organization as associate goaltender coach. The Capitals named Kolzig to their coaching staff Thursday and also announced that Dave Prior will resume the role he held for 12 years as the team’s chief goaltender coach. The duo worked together for 11 years during Kolzig’s playing career and they will now jointly shape the development of Washington’s group of young netminders. “I’m ecstatic to finally come back to, basically, the place I call home,” Kolzig said during a conference call with reporters. “I thought there’s just not a better person that I want to work with and an organization that I want get back with.” Prior will handle the daily duties at the NHL level as chief goaltending coach, while Kolzig will be responsible for the development of goaltenders in Washington’s American Hockey League and East Coast Hockey League affiliates, the Hershey Bears and South Carolina Stingrays, in addition to working with the Capitals. Prior was part of the hockey operations staff as a goaltender development coach during the 2010-11 season. When Arturs Irbe elected to not return to the Capitals, Prior expressed interest in his old job. “There were some things that he wanted to do, and [he] was ready to assume that role again,” General Manager George McPhee said. “He did a real good job for us there before. So that worked in terms of the change, and then finding someone else to bring in and work with Dave — first choice was Olie.” Prior contacted Kolzig, his longtime student and close friend, about returning to the Capitals just as the 1999-2000 Vezina Trophy winner was contemplating getting involved with the NHL again. After taking time away from the game following his retirement in 2009, Kolzig wanted to get back to hockey and started mentoring the goaltenders on the Tri-City Americans, a Western Hockey League junior team in Washington state of which he is co-owner. Kolzig didn’t necessarily plan on becoming a coach, but he said his work with young players became fulfilling and he didn’t hesitate when presented with the chance to work with Prior. “Dave is probably the biggest reason why I enjoyed the success that I had in the NHL,” Kolzig said. “He was able to get me on track on a more consistent basis.” It’s a welcome reunion for the Capitals and Kolzig, who has put his unceremonious departure from Washington as a free agent in 2008 behind him. Kolzig became the odd man out late that season when the Capitals acquired Cristobal Huet at the trade deadline, and he did not play a game in the postseason. When Washington was eliminated in the first round by Philadelphia, Kolzig removed his nameplate from his locker stall and later announced he would part ways with the team that had drafted him. Kolzig still holds numerous Capitals goaltending records from his 711 games and 16 seasons in Washington, including games played, wins (301), shutouts (35), along with single-season marks of games (73) and wins (41). As time passed, Kolzig gained perspective on his run with the Capitals. “I’ll say that time heals all wounds,” Kolzig said. “You realize it’s a business and things were handled in a business fashion. .?.?. It’s time to move on. There’s no ill will toward each other, certainly not on my part.” Capitals note: The Capitals signed goaltender Dany Sabourin to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal is worth an NHL salary of $525,000 and $125,000 in the minors, but he’s guaranteed $150,000. Washington Post LOADED: 06.17.2011

572500

Washington Capitals

Capitals hire Olie Kolzig as associate goaltending coach, Dave Prior to resume role as Washington’s NHL goalie coach

By Katie Carrera

Former Capitals great Olie Kolzig has been hired as Washington’s new associate goaltender coach, the team announced Thursday. The Capitals also detailed that Dave Prior, who spent 12 years coaching the team’s netminders, will resume his role as director of goaltending and as the principal NHL goaltending coach. According to a team spokesman, Prior will work mainly in Washington with the NHL netminders, while Kolzig will help develop the organization’s prospects in Hershey and South Carolina along with those in Capitals sweaters. Both Prior and Kozlig will be working with young players at development camp in July. Prior, who was on Washington’s hockey operations staff last season as goaltender development coach, and Kolzig will jointly replace Arturs Irbe, who chose not to return to the Capitals after serving as goaltending coach for the past two years. On his blog, Ted’s Take, owner Ted Leonsis welcomed both Kolzig and Prior to their new roles. “I am so pleased to welcome back Dave Prior as our chief goaltending coach,” Leonsis wrote. “He is a real talent and very experienced in helping young goaltenders to develop. I would also like to thank Arturs Irbe for his remarkable stint as a goaltending coach for us as well these last two seasons. “I am so very excited to welcome into the coaching ranks Olie Kolzig. Olie is an all-time great Washington Capital,” Leonsis continued. “He is a man of high integrity, skill and experience. He took us to the playoffs on so many occasions; helped us to get to the Stanley Cup Finals; won a Vezina Trophy; and will help inject very high levels of competition into our goaltenders and our team in general!” Kolzig, 41, returns to the Capitals more than three years after he last wore the sweater that he is most identified with. It’s a reunion that indicates all is well in the relationship between the franchise and its long-time goaltender. In 2008, Kolzig was relegated to the bench during Washington's playoff run after the team acquired Cristobal Huet at the trade deadline that year. When the Capitals were eliminated by the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round, Kolzig removed the nameplate from his locker stall. After 711 games in 16 seasons with the Capitals, Kolzig wouldn’t return but would retire after making brief stops in Tampa Bay and Toronto, never playing a game for the latter. “We are excited to add a familiar face to our staff in Olie Kolzig,” General Manager George McPhee said in a news release. “Olie had a tremendous impact on this franchise as a goaltender as well as an individual, and we are looking forward to him having the same impact as a coach.” Both McPhee and Kolzig are scheduled to speak with reporters this afternoon. Washington Post LOADED: 06.17.2011

572501

Washington Capitals

Olie Kolzig’s take on the Capitals’ goaltenders

By Katie Carrera

Olie Kolzig offered his take on the Capitals’ young netminders and his coaching philosophies during his conference call with reporters Thursday. While Kolzig may have limited coaching experience and his new role with the Capitals will allow him to see if it’s something he’d like to pursue further, those factors doesn’t mean he is without strong views on how goaltenders should learn to play. “The junior kids are a little more raw than the guys at the NHL or the American League level,” Kolzig said, before expanding upon things he likes to focus on with young players. “We worked a lot on footwork, which I think is huge for goaltenders. I think too many goalies are spending too much time on their knees these days, getting away from the basics of footwork. Being as aggressive as you can without putting yourself out of position just the things that Dave [Prior] and I have worked on.” Should the Capitals’ open training camp with Michal Neuvirth, 23, Braden Holtby, 21, and Semyon Varlamov, 23, who is set to become a restricted free agent on July 1, all vying for time in the NHL, Kolzig’s ability to provide guidance for the mental demands of the position will be equally important. “I think a lot of my coaching will be handling the mental part, too, especially with the guys in the minors,” he continued. “They’re going to want that itch to get called up. They’re going to play a few great games in a row and wonder why they haven’t gotten the call. It will be my job to kind of keep them in line to tell them it’s a process, to be patient.” As for his coaching temperament, well, even Kolzig admitted he probably won’t be as mild-mannered as Prior. “Dave was such a huge influence on me that I’ll kind of mimic his coaching style,” Kolzig said. “Maybe not the same demeanor – he’s such a soft spoken guy – I don’t know if I’ve ever been accused of that.” Kolzig expressed his excitement to work with all three of Washington’s goaltenders, who each posses different styles and strengths. Of the three, though, Kolzig acknowledged he can probably relate the most to Holtby, who has drawn comparisons to the former Capital great thanks to his fiery personality. “He’s a big guy, from what Dave’s told me he’s kind of got the same temperament, same competitive nature,” Kolzig said of Holtby. “I think he’s got a better set of hands than I do, the way he handles the puck.” Neuvirth’s time in Washington briefly overlapped with Kolzig, who likes the way the young Czech native maintains proper position and never seems to panic. “I thought he handled himself very well during the playoffs,” Kolzig said. As for Varlamov, Kolzig understands the frustration injuries can cause. Varlamov’s style is vastly different from the way Kolzig played but he understands how valuable the Russian netminder’s skill set can be if the Capitals can find a way to increase his durability. “That’s something that I will talk with [Capitals’ strength and conditioning coach] Mark Nemish on how we can better that and get him to stay healthy as long as he can because he’s such a talent,” Kolzig said. “To see him move around the net the way he does, he does it night in and night out he’s such a big asset to the team.” --In other goaltender news, the Capitals have signed Dany Sabourin to a one-year, two-way contract as first reported by TSN’s Bob McKenzie. The deal is worth $525,000 in the NHL or $125,000 if Sabourin is in the minors according to Cap Geek. Sabourin is guaranteed $150,000 for the year, though. Washington Post LOADED: 06.17.2011

572502

Washington Capitals

Olie Kolzig ‘ecstatic to finally come back’ to Washington

By Katie Carrera

When he retired from the NHL, Olie Kolzig didn’t have any indication that he would want to get into coaching but after two years off he “started to get the itch” to get involved in hockey once again. Kolzig found his outlet in the last year mentoring the goaltenders on the TriCity Americans, a Western Hockey League team that he co-owns. As Kolzig began pondering getting back into the NHL, Dave Prior contacted him about becoming the Capitals’ associate goaltending coach. “I guess you call it fate,” Kolzig said during a conference call with reporters. “Dave approached me with the perfect way to get back into it. It’s not a full time schedule but it allows me to work with the kids and see if it’s something I want to do long term, maybe be a head [goaltending coach].” Prior will handle the day-to-day demands as positional coach and director of goaltending, roles he held from the 1996-97 season to 2008-09. Kolzig will be around part-time and tutor young goaltenders in the various levels (AHL, ECHL) of the organization, as well as those in Washington. “I’m ecstatic to finally come back to, basically, the place I call home,” Kolzig said. “I thought there’s just not a better person that I want to work with and an organization that I want get back with.” General Manager George McPhee said that once the team knew Arturs Irbe wouldn’t return it was a fairly efficient process to install Prior and Kolzig as goaltending coaches. “We knew we had an opening and Dave Prior had mentioned that he’d be interested in directing the department again,” McPhee said. “There were some things that he wanted to do and was ready to assume that role again. He did a real good job for us there before. So that worked in terms of the change. And then finding someone else to bring in and work with Dave – first choice was Olie. “We had actually talked to [Kolzig] about it a few years ago,” McPhee continued. “And he wasn’t ready at that time, but seems to be ready now, is excited about it and probably is a little bit nervous, too. He obviously wants to be good at it and is hoping that he can be. The time was right to do it.” Kolzig said that he harbors no ill will toward the Capitals from the circumstances surrounding his departure from Washington in 2008, adding that his involvement with the front office side of the Tri-City Americans gave him perspective. “You realize it’s a business and things were handled in a business fashion,” Kolzig said. Washington Post LOADED: 06.17.2011

572503

Washington Capitals

Capitals hire Olie Kolzig as associate goaltending coach, Dave Prior to resume role as Washington’s NHL goalie coach

By Katie Carrera

Former Capitals great Olie Kolzig has been hired as Washington’s new associate goaltender coach, the team announced Thursday. The Capitals also detailed that Dave Prior, who spent 12 years coaching the team’s netminders, will resume his role as director of goaltending and as the principal NHL goaltending coach. According to a team spokesman, Prior will work mainly in Washington with the NHL netminders, while Kolzig will help develop the organization’s prospects in Hershey and South Carolina along with those in Capitals sweaters. Both Prior and Kozlig will be working with young players at development camp in July. Prior, who was on Washington’s hockey operations staff last season as goaltender development coach, and Kolzig will jointly replace Arturs Irbe, who chose not to return to the Capitals after serving as goaltending coach for the past two years. On his blog, Ted’s Take, owner Ted Leonsis welcomed both Kolzig and Prior to their new roles. “I am so pleased to welcome back Dave Prior as our chief goaltending coach,” Leonsis wrote. “He is a real talent and very experienced in helping young goaltenders to develop. I would also like to thank Arturs Irbe for his remarkable stint as a goaltending coach for us as well these last two seasons. “I am so very excited to welcome into the coaching ranks Olie Kolzig. Olie is an all-time great Washington Capital,” Leonsis continued. “He is a man of high integrity, skill and experience. He took us to the playoffs on so many occasions; helped us to get to the Stanley Cup Finals; won a Vezina Trophy; and will help inject very high levels of competition into our goaltenders and our team in general!” Kolzig, 41, returns to the Capitals more than three years after he last wore the sweater that he is most identified with. It’s a reunion that indicates all is well in the relationship between the franchise and its long-time goaltender. In 2008, Kolzig was relegated to the bench during Washington's playoff run after the team acquired Cristobal Huet at the trade deadline that year. When the Capitals were eliminated by the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round, Kolzig removed the nameplate from his locker stall. After 711 games in 16 seasons with the Capitals, Kolzig wouldn’t return but would retire after making brief stops in Tampa Bay and Toronto, never playing a game for the latter. “We are excited to add a familiar face to our staff in Olie Kolzig,” General Manager George McPhee said in a news release. “Olie had a tremendous impact on this franchise as a goaltender as well as an individual, and we are looking forward to him having the same impact as a coach.” Both McPhee and Kolzig are scheduled to speak with reporters this afternoon. Washington Post LOADED: 06.17.2011

572504

Washington Capitals

Caps hire Olie Kolzig as associate goalie coach

Brian McNally

The Caps moved quickly to resolve their open goaltending coach position by hiring a pair of familiar faces. Dave Prior, who retired from that position after the 2008-09 season following 12 years with the team, is once again the team’s director of goaltending. And Olie Kolzig, the franchise’s longtime goalie who led the franchise to the 1998 Stanley Cup Finals and played in 711 career games with Washington, was named the associate goaltender coach. The team broke the news on its web site.Check out the story from Caps’ senior staff writer Mike Vogel here with quotes from Kolzig. Former goalie coach Arturs Irbe will not return after two seasons with the club. His contract runs out at the end of this month and he is returning to his native Latvia for family reasons. “It came about quickly and worked out well,” general manager George McPhee said in a conference call with reporters this afternoon. “We knew we had an opening and Dave Prior had mentioned that he’d be interested in directing the department again. There were some things that he wanted to do and was ready to assume that role again. He did a real good job for us there before. So that worked in terms of the change. And then finding someone else to bring in and work with Dave – first choice was Olie. We had actually talked to him about it a few years ago. And he wasn’t ready at that time, but seems to be ready now, is excited about it and probably is a little bit nervous, too. He obviously wants to be good at it and is hoping that he can be. The time was right to do it.” Kolzig, 41, is the team leader in games played, wins, shutouts and minutes played. The 2000 Vezina Trophy winner had a career .906 save percentage and a 2.70 goals-against average. Remember, things didn’t end on the best of terms in Washington. Kolzig was basically benched for the final month of the season in 2007-08 by coach Bruce Boudreau in favor of Cristobal Huet as the Caps made a dramatic playoff run. Kolzig played one more season with the Tampa Bay Lightning – a span that lasted just eight games because of injury - before finally retiring after the 2008-09 season. “I’ll say that time heals all wounds,” Kolzig said. “The more I was removed from a few years ago and being retired and getting a better perspective on things and obviously being an owner of a [junior] hockey team myself [in Washington state]…you realize it’s a business and things were handled in a business fashion. And since then I came to Caps Convention last year and spent some time with George and with Ted. And it’s time to move on. There’s no ill will towards each other, certainly not on my part. Not on their part. Not that there ever was. So we just moved on and that’s why I was so excited when this opportunity came up.” For his part, Prior retired after the 2008-09 season to spend more time with his family in Ontario. Three of the five lowest goals-against averages posted by Washington goalies came under Prior’s watch during 12 years with the team. He’s also been an assistant coach with the Dallas Stars, Winnipeg Jets, San Jose Sharks and Detroit Red Wings. He was instrumental in the team drafting young goalies Semyon Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth in 2006 and has worked with both players before. And, of course, he worked with Kolzig for years. Prior will again handle the day-to-day duties as goalie coach with Kolzig – whose family will relocate to Florida, where he finished his career - coming in and out during the season. “Dave just has that demeanor that just seemed to work,” Kolzig said. “He was able to get me on track on a more consistent basis. And after I got the mental part down my physical part of my game really took off and I was able to have a lengthy and enjoyable NHL career. And so Dave means the world to me. My dad passing five, six years ago Dave became sort of a father figure for me and kind of helped to fill that void.” Washington Examiner LOADED: 06.17.2011

572505

Washington Capitals

Kolzig ready for coaching challenge

Brian McNally

better that and get [Varlamov] to stay healthy as long as he can. Because he’s such a talent. To see him move around the net the way he does night in and night out he’s such a big asset to the team.” Kolzig’s career arc only briefly brought him into contact with Neuvirth. He loves his ice-cold demeanor, his solid positioning and how he immediately coped well with the pressures of the Stanley Cup playoffs as a first-time starter this spring. “It’s going to be a lot of fun working with all three of them,” Kolzig said.

Olie Kolzig didn’t know what he wanted to do once a serious hip injury finally ended his playing career for good during a short-lived stint with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2008-09. Friends thought he had a shot at being an effective television broadcaster. Coaching was in the back of his mind, but he needed a break from the pro game after 20 years and also wanted to spend more time with his family. But after two years of doing what dads everywhere do – drive your kids all over the place – and working with the young goalies on the junior hockey team he co-owns in Washington state, Kolzig got the itch again. His wife Christin's career took off. His kids - Carson, Kendall and Ashlyn - were “entrenched in school.” Thursday the Caps said he will be the team’s associate goaltending coach alongside Dave Prior, his mentor and the organization's former and now current director of goaltending. So what kind of coach will Kolzig – an inveterate stick-breaker in the crease as a player – ultimately become? “Dave was such a huge influence on me that I’ll kind of mimic his coaching style,” Kolzig said during a conference call with reporters on Thursday. “Maybe not the same demeanor. He’s such a soft-spoken guy and I don’t know if I’ve ever been accused of that.” Prior will again handle the day-to-day duties. But Kolzig will be in town throughout the season as an added voice for young goalies Semyon Varlamov, 23 – he remains a restricted free agent – Michal Neuvirth, 23, and Braden Holtby, 21. “I don’t know if there’s an organization in the league that has such depth at such a young age, which wasn’t always the case with the Caps,” Kolzig said. “Fortunately for me it allowed me to play there as long as I did.” No one knows the perils of that competitive situation better than Kolzig. When he was rising through Washington’s farm system in the early 1990s the Caps also had Byron Dafoe, who became a six-year starter in the NHL with Los Angeles and Boston, and eventually Jim Carey, who won a Vezina Trophy in 1995-96 with the Caps before flaming out. As long as everyone realizes they are playing for a spot somewhere in the NHL - even if it's with another team - then most internal issues disapate. Kolzig and Dafoe even became best friends. One thing Kolzig told me after announcing his retirement two years ago was that he didn't think he had the temperment or the patience to ever coach. But that stance shifted as he worked with the young kids on his Tri-City Americans junior club - the team he played for as a teenager before the Caps drafted him in 1989. “With the junior kids they’re obviously a little more raw than the guys in the NHL or the American League level,” Kolzig said. “We worked a lot on footwork, which I think is huge for goaltenders. I think too many goalies are spending too much time on their knees these days and getting away from the basics of footwork. Being as aggressive as you can without putting yourself out of position. Just the things that Dave and I worked on.” But part of his role will be addressing the mental side, too. Kolzig knows what it’s like to be the guy who runs off five or six strong games at the AHL level only to stew as he wonders why the front office isn’t giving him a shot in the NHL. There’s only room for two young goalies on the roster if the situation remains this way entering training camp. One of the three would be left at Hershey. Kolzig will begin that process at rookie development camp next month at Kettler Iceplex. He said he probably can relate to Holtby better just because at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds he is closer to Kolzig’s 6-3, 224-pound playing size, style of play – be big in net, let the puck hit you and force shooters to go wide – and also posseses an explosive temper. In reality, Varlamov (6-2, 207) and Neuvirth (6-1, 203) aren’t any smaller than Holtby, who is a far better playing the puck than Kolzig ever was. But each player presents challenges for Prior and Kolzig. “[Varlamov is] such an explosive guy that you got to find a way for his muscles to keep up with his agility,” Kolzig said. “That’s something that I will talk with [strength and conditioning coach] Mark Nemish…on how we can

Washington Examiner LOADED: 06.17.2011

572506

Washington Capitals

Extras from Olie Kolzig conference call

Brian McNally

A few extra notes from yesterday’s conference call with new Caps associate goalies coach Olie Kolzig. Said he’s definitely paid close attention to Washington’s playoff failures since he left the organization. On the Caps’ recent playoff failures… “They addressed some issues going into the playoffs this year, playing a little more of a defensive style. I think they need to find a good balance of offense and defense. [Tampa Bay goalie] Dwayne Roloson, I guess, again was the reason they didn’t advance this year. But they just have to find – and whatever it is, whether they have to bring in a few new players. I don’t know. But they’ve got too much talent to not go further than they have.” Kolzig is still close to Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price, 23, who played for his Tri-City Americans junior club for three seasons plus a game as a teenager. They became close when Kolzig was around the team more during the 2004-05 NHL lockout and Price still attends the annual fundraising dinner for Kolzig’s charitable endeavor – the Carson Kolzig Foundation. That nonprofit is based in Washington state and helps educate and provide resources for families with autistic children. It is named after Kolzig’s autistic son, Carson. On working with Price during the NHL lockout… “When I worked with Carey he was so much more advanced physically, technically than I was at that age. So for me to try to teach him about the technical aspect of goaltending would have been wrong for me. I was there more as a mental crutch for him. Or as somebody that wouldn’t allow him to get into any kind of losing streak or a slump. I’d just be there if I saw some things start to slip in his game, tell him to come back to basics and really be able to keep a one or two-game losing streak from turning into a five or sixgame losing streak.” Obviously, we’re not sure yet how many Caps next season will have actually played with Kolzig during his time in Washington. Players like Brooks Laich, Matt Bradley and Boyd Gordon are all unrestricted free agents. But Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Alex Semin, Mike Green, Jeff Schultz, Eric Fehr, John Erskine and Tom Poti were all teammates with Kolzig, too. That could pose some issues, according to Kolzig. He’s never been one to bite his tongue when he sees a problem. “Once I get in there I got to remind myself that I’m a coach now and not a player. Maybe back off some of the things I would have said as a player.” Kolzig was one of the few veterans left during the rebuild who got to educate Ovechkin on life in the NHL during his early years in the league. Kolzig noted that the change in systems had to affect Ovechkin’s production last season – “a bad rap” he called it - but that taking more responsibility on the defensive end could only be a benefit. We all saw signs last season that Ovechkin has already started evolving away from the player Kolzig knew – the hit-everything-at-all-costs kid who threw himself into the glass after a goal. Obviously, that, too, is a good thing, according to Kolzig. “It’ll be interesting to see when [Ovechkin] gets older if he can still maintain his raging bull attitude, running into everybody and being able to keep himself healthy. I think he might have to kind if tone that down a little bit.” Kolzig said he had already begun to send out resumes to NHL teams letting them know he was interested in getting back into the league. As soon as he and his family made that decision and began preparing for move back to Florida, Dave Prior, Kolzig’s mentor and Washington’s new director of goaltending, called with an offer. Kolzig will be in and out of Washington during development and training camps and the regular season and also get time with prospects at ECHL South Carolina and AHL Hershey. “I’d guess you’d call it fate. Dave approached me and it was the perfect way to get back into it. It’s not a full time schedule, but it allows me to work with the kids and see if it’s something I’d want to do long term.” Washington Examiner LOADED: 06.17.2011

572507

Washington Capitals

Kolzig ready for coaching challenge

Brian McNally

better that and get [Varlamov] to stay healthy as long as he can. Because he’s such a talent. To see him move around the net the way he does night in and night out he’s such a big asset to the team.” Kolzig’s career arc only briefly brought him into contact with Neuvirth. He loves his ice-cold demeanor, his solid positioning and how he immediately coped well with the pressures of the Stanley Cup playoffs as a first-time starter this spring. “It’s going to be a lot of fun working with all three of them,” Kolzig said.

Olie Kolzig didn’t know what he wanted to do once a serious hip injury finally ended his playing career for good during a short-lived stint with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2008-09. Friends thought he had a shot at being an effective television broadcaster. Coaching was in the back of his mind, but he needed a break from the pro game after 20 years and also wanted to spend more time with his family. But after two years of doing what dads everywhere do – drive your kids all over the place – and working with the young goalies on the junior hockey team he co-owns in Washington state, Kolzig got the itch again. His wife Christin's career took off. His kids - Carson, Kendall and Ashlyn - were “entrenched in school.” Thursday the Caps said he will be the team’s associate goaltending coach alongside Dave Prior, his mentor and the organization's former and now current director of goaltending. So what kind of coach will Kolzig – an inveterate stick-breaker in the crease as a player – ultimately become? “Dave was such a huge influence on me that I’ll kind of mimic his coaching style,” Kolzig said during a conference call with reporters on Thursday. “Maybe not the same demeanor. He’s such a soft-spoken guy and I don’t know if I’ve ever been accused of that.” Prior will again handle the day-to-day duties. But Kolzig will be in town throughout the season as an added voice for young goalies Semyon Varlamov, 23 – he remains a restricted free agent – Michal Neuvirth, 23, and Braden Holtby, 21. “I don’t know if there’s an organization in the league that has such depth at such a young age, which wasn’t always the case with the Caps,” Kolzig said. “Fortunately for me it allowed me to play there as long as I did.” No one knows the perils of that competitive situation better than Kolzig. When he was rising through Washington’s farm system in the early 1990s the Caps also had Byron Dafoe, who became a six-year starter in the NHL with Los Angeles and Boston, and eventually Jim Carey, who won a Vezina Trophy in 1995-96 with the Caps before flaming out. As long as everyone realizes they are playing for a spot somewhere in the NHL - even if it's with another team - then most internal issues disapate. Kolzig and Dafoe even became best friends. One thing Kolzig told me after announcing his retirement two years ago was that he didn't think he had the temperment or the patience to ever coach. But that stance shifted as he worked with the young kids on his Tri-City Americans junior club - the team he played for as a teenager before the Caps drafted him in 1989. “With the junior kids they’re obviously a little more raw than the guys in the NHL or the American League level,” Kolzig said. “We worked a lot on footwork, which I think is huge for goaltenders. I think too many goalies are spending too much time on their knees these days and getting away from the basics of footwork. Being as aggressive as you can without putting yourself out of position. Just the things that Dave and I worked on.” But part of his role will be addressing the mental side, too. Kolzig knows what it’s like to be the guy who runs off five or six strong games at the AHL level only to stew as he wonders why the front office isn’t giving him a shot in the NHL. There’s only room for two young goalies on the roster if the situation remains this way entering training camp. One of the three would be left at Hershey. Kolzig will begin that process at rookie development camp next month at Kettler Iceplex. He said he probably can relate to Holtby better just because at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds he is closer to Kolzig’s 6-3, 224-pound playing size, style of play – be big in net, let the puck hit you and force shooters to go wide – and also posseses an explosive temper. In reality, Varlamov (6-2, 207) and Neuvirth (6-1, 203) aren’t any smaller than Holtby, who is a far better playing the puck than Kolzig ever was. But each player presents challenges for Prior and Kolzig. “[Varlamov is] such an explosive guy that you got to find a way for his muscles to keep up with his agility,” Kolzig said. “That’s something that I will talk with [strength and conditioning coach] Mark Nemish…on how we can

Washington Examiner LOADED: 06.17.2011

572508

Winnipeg

Popgun Canucks need another scorer

By: Ben Kuzma

VANCOUVER -- Jannik Hansen used the 'O' word to describe what derailed the Vancouver Canucks in their quest to capture the franchise's first Stanley Cup, and he didn't mean outstanding. More like outrageous. "When you score eight goals you're not producing enough offence," the pending restricted free agent winger said of a pop-gun attack in the NHL championship final. "We were in the series the whole time, but we gave them three extremely easy wins in Boston instead of making it harder for them in their end and maybe pushing a game or two." In being pushed aside 4-0 in the seventh game -- after holding 2-0 and 3-2 series leads against the bruising Boston Bruins -- the Canucks missed a crucial push from their top-six forwards, who accounted for just four goals and 10 points. This after the team led the NHL in scoring during the regular season. Mikael Samuelsson was sidelined for the post-season by adductor tendon and hernia surgery and Mason Raymond was lost to a compressed vertebrae fracture in Game 6 of the final. Centre Ryan Kesler laboured through a torn groin and hip labrum and did what he could, but that Helicopter Line joke -- no wings -- is getting old. After all, the Bruins were without Marc Savard and Nathan Horton, so the argument of a missing arsenal doesn't work. What does is the fact the Canucks will need to add a top-six forward in the off-season, for several reasons. For starters, Raymond isn't expected to return until November and who knows how effective he'll be. On the crushing cornerboards blow by Bruins defenceman Johnny Boychuk, the body of Raymond's vertebra was broken and crushed. That means pressure was applied on nerves and the brace that Raymond is sporting is supposed to put the back into hyper-extension and take pressure off the vertebra so it can return to normal size. Add Raymond's pointless performance in the final and just eight points (two goals) in 24 playoff outings and it raises eyebrows. The speedster has a year left on his contract, but his 15 regular-season goals in 70 games were a far cry from a career-best 25 in 2009-10. The Canucks covet Raymond's speed and creativity, but his penchant for playing on the perimeter is a concern -- especially in the post-season where time and space are at a premium. Samuelsson also has year left on his contract and his numbers also tailed off from a career-high 30 goals in 2009-10 to the 18 he managed this season, despite ongoing leg stiffness that affected his stride and strength. He's also 34 and it's hard to predict how the supremely fit Swede will recover and perform after surgery. It would be easier to consider a fix for the top six if Chris Higgins, 28, wasn't an unrestricted free agent, who will get a boost on his US$1.6-million salary cap hit for displaying versatility before a foot fracture in the Western Conference semifinals. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 06.17.2011

572509

Winnipeg

Add Haviland to coaching list

By: Staff Writer

THE coaching search for Winnipeg's new NHL team plods towards the end of its first week with another name joining the mix. Chicago Blackhawks assistant coach Mike Haviland has an interview scheduled for today with Winnipeg GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and assistant GM Craig Heisinger, the Free Press learned on Thursday. Already in the mix for the coaching job are Manitoba Moose coach Claude Noel, former Edmonton Oilers coach and TSN hockey analyst Craig MacTavish and the man who held the job in 2010-11 with the Atlanta Thrashers, Craig Ramsay. MacTavish's name has suddenly become more intriguing after the veteran NHL player and coach was passed over for the job in Minnesota. He is said to have interviewed twice there. Mike Yeo will be named the new Wild coach today. Haviland, a 43-year-old New Jersey native, has spent the last three years with the Blackhawks after coaching the organization's AHL club for three years. Prior to that, Haviland was a head coach in the ECHL for four years, and in all of his AHL-ECHL seasons, never won less than 41 regularseason games. If True North's list is any larger than four candidates, sources have told the Free Press that Montreal Canadiens assistant Kirk Muller is of interest, as is fired Florida Panthers coach Peter DeBoer. Several sources have said both would be interviewed. DeBoer told the Free Press this week he had no interview scheduled and didn't know if he'd get one, though he certainly was interested. He's still under contract to the Panthers for one more year. Cheveldayoff has said he will put no timetable on the hire, even with the NHL entry draft scheduled for next Friday and Saturday. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 06.17.2011

572510

Winnipeg

Winnipeg probably won't offer buyouts

By: Tim Campbell

THE talent pipeline -- the NHL's annual entry draft -- becomes the top focus for all 30 NHL teams once the Stanley Cup final is over. The draft goes next Friday and Saturday in St. Paul, Minn., but clubs are already tuned into another less sexy yet critical phase of their existence. The short annual window for buying out a player's contract begins today and lasts until June 30. And qualifying offers to restricted free agents, a process that is required to retain a player's rights but one that can also trigger the usually unpleasant salary arbitration, must be issued by June 27. There are no major earthquakes of news on those fronts as concerns the roster of the Atlanta Thrashers, who are moving to Winnipeg to resume play this fall. While the buyout season is a method for teams to escape burdensome contracts, it's no walkaway freebie. For players under 26, clubs can settle for one-third the remaining value of a deal. If the player's 26 or older, it's two-thirds, and whichever the case, there's a salary-cap hit that shrinks the team's future available payroll. Names often heard regarding buyouts this spring include Chris Drury of the New York Rangers and Sheldon Souray of the Edmonton Oilers. There appear to be no obvious Thrashers/Winnipeg candidates in this category. The Thrashers/Winnipeg, however, have seven restricted free agents who will require qualifying offers by one week from Monday. Captain Andrew Ladd and fellow forwards Anthony Stewart, Blake Wheeler, Rob Schremp and Ben Maxwell and defencemen Zach Bogosian and Arturs Kulda, a top prospect, all have contracts that expire on June 30. Qualifying offers will make each of those seven Group 2 free agents, but only Ladd, Stewart, Wheeler and Schremp would qualify (age and experience) to choose salary arbitration. That request must be made by July 5. Teams may also opt for a salary arbitration, thought it's not all that common. Players are only allowed to be subjected to that club-elected process once in their career and clubs may only do it a maximum of twice in any year. Teams must file by today if they wish arbitration on Group 2's who made more than $1.5 million last season. Only Ladd ($2.35 million) and Wheeler ($2.2 million) would fall into that category but it's not expected that will happen today. By July 5, teams may request salary arbitration for any Group 2's who have not accepted their qualifying offer, subject to the mentioned limits. Ladd, Wheeler, Stewart and Schremp are the only four who could fall into that process. Also by June 30, the NHL will have come up with its best estimate of what the 2011-12 salary cap and floor will be. That number is expected to climb to somewhere between $62 million to $63.5 million from $59.4 million. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 06.17.2011

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Chevy to sit down with Haviland

By PAUL FRIESEN

WINNIPEG - It’s two down, and two to go for Kevin Cheveldayoff. The general manager of Winnipeg’s new NHL team has knocked two interviews off his short list of candidates for the head coaching position. Cheveldayoff met with former Edmonton Oilers bench boss Craig MacTavish, Thursday, and the Sun has learned he’ll sit down with Chicago Blackhawks assistant coach Mike Haviland on Friday. Craig Ramsay, the incumbent head coach of the Atlanta Thrashers, gets his turn to make a pitch for the job this weekend. “He’s a guy that has earned that opportunity,” Cheveldayoff told the Sun. “And we’re going to meet with him.” It’s believed Claude Noel, head coach of the Manitoba Moose last season, was the first one to meet with Cheveldayoff, whose short list appears to be at four. “We compiled our list of people we had an interest in,” the GM said. “And then we spent a lot of time discussing those people and whittled it down to a smaller, select few. Some of the people we’ve talked about are people other teams have talked about. But we’ll make our own decisions.” Haviland’s advantage is his familiarity with Cheveldayoff, as the two worked together with the Blackhawks the last two years. The 43-year-old native of Middletown, N.J., a Blackhawks assistant for three seasons, has plenty of experience as a head coach, too, having spent the previous three years in charge of Chicago’s AHL affiliate in Norfolk and Rockford. In his seven years as a head coach in the minors, Haviland never missed the playoffs, winning two ECHL championships, in 2003 and ’05, and earning the AHL’s coach of the year award in ’07. Seen as someone who’ll eventually get a shot to run his own show in the NHL, he played two years of pro hockey in the minors before an injury cut short his career in 1991. As the Sun first reported Thursday, Montreal Canadiens assistant Kirk Muller was on Winnipeg’s radar initially, but did not make the short list and will not be interviewed. Muller and MacTavish were also candidates to take over the Minnesota Wild, but reports indicate that position is going to Mike Yeo, who this past season guided the Wild’s AHL farm team, the Houston Aeros, to the Calder Cup final. New Jersey and Dallas are also still without head coaches, although the Stars are reportedly on the verge of promoting Glen Gulutzan from their AHL farm team, the Texas Stars. Word is the Stars were waiting for the Dallas Mavericks to get their NBA championship parade out of the way, Thursday, before making it official as soon as Friday morning. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 06.17.2011

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Arena’s name stays the same

By PAUL TURENNE

Winnipeg's new NHL team made an announcement about a name Thursday, but it wasn't quite what the masses have been waiting on. True North's downtown arena will continue to be called MTS Centre until at least 2021, when the telecommunications company will have the option to extend its naming rights for another 10 years. The building was referred to as the True North Centre until MTS bought the original rights in December 2003 — prior to its opening — and has been known only as MTS Centre for its entire operating life. "We're thrilled our name will continue to be synonymous with hockey excellence," MTS Allstream CEO Pierre Blouin said Thursday. "It's huge exposure in terms of brand and name across the country." Neither side would divulge the financial details of the deal, although True North president Jim Ludlow said it's "absolutely" a multimillion-dollar deal that will "provide sustainability and long-term viability" for the fledgling NHL club. Ludlow said the deal's value will set a new benchmark for mid-market NHL naming rights agreements. Most NHL teams now offer up arena naming rights for between $1.5 million and $3 million per year. Quebecor, the Winnipeg's Sun's owner, recently bought the naming rights to Quebec City's yet-to-be-built arena, and will pay $1.3 million for 25 years if the city scores no NHL team, and $2.5 million a year for 25 years if it does. Meanwhile, Ludlow said the other name Winnipeg fans are waiting on, the team name, won't be announced before next week's NHL board of governors meeting, and is "unlikely" to come before next weekend's rookie draft. "There's a lot of work being done on the name right now. It's a matter of balancing competing interests and coming to the right decision," Ludlow said. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 06.17.2011

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MacT eyed for 'Peg coach job

By PAUL FRIESEN

WINNIPEG - It appears Kevin Cheveldayoff’s short list may be a little longer than some thought. The GM of Winnipeg’s new NHL team is interviewing former Edmonton Oilers head coach Craig MacTavish about the job in Winnipeg. Meanwhile, NHL.com reported Wednesday Chicago Blackhawks assistant coach Mike Haviland is also on Cheveldayoff’s short list, and will get an interview. MacTavish’s interview was expected to happen either Wednesday night or early Thursday. Cheveldayoff had previously confirmed he’ll give Craig Ramsay a chance to argue why he should hang onto the job he held last season, when the team was in Atlanta. The other person believed to be getting an interview is Manitoba Moose head coach Claude Noel. Sun sources say Montreal Canadiens assistant Kirk Muller is not on the short list of candidates to be interviewed. Cheveldayoff wouldn’t discuss any specific candidates, only the process. “We’re scheduling interviews, receiving permission (from NHL clubs), starting to do some talking,” he told the Sun, Wednesday, adding he’d already met with one candidate. That would most likely be Noel, who’d be the most convenient. Cheveldayoff, who was in Winnipeg, Wednesday, said he’ll conduct some of his interviews on the road, before concluding a hunt that’s producing plenty of interest. “It’s a plum job, there’s no question,” he said. “With all the excitement that has been generated, it’s a national story. From that standpoint, it’s a very, very intriguing position. “There’s a lot of interest in a lot of different positions. We’ve got a head coaching position in St. John’s (AHL) available, there’s different staffing things that are going to come on down the line.” MacTavish’s interest comes after he was linked to the vacant position with the Minnesota Wild. Word is he remains the leading candidate, there. The 52-year-old spent eight years with the Oilers, making the playoffs twice and reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2006. He was fired following the 2008-09 season. “The person we hire is going to fit in with the culture we want to create, here, the type of game we want to play, the values we believe are important,” Cheveldayoff said. “They all have to be consistent.” Haviland, 43, has been behind the Blackhawks bench the last three seasons, so Cheveldayoff, Chicago’s assistant GM the last two, will be familiar with him. A native of Middletown, N.J., he won a pair of ECHL championships before being named the AHL coach of the year (Norfolk) in 2007. In seven years as a coach in the minors, Haviland never missed the playoffs. “I’m not going to put a time frame on it,” Cheveldayoff said of the hiring. “We want to get the right guy ... we’ll spend the time it takes to do it.” Winnipeg Sun LOADED 06.17.2011

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Come to think of it, neither can I. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 06.17.2011

'Peg can dare to dream about winning Cup

By PAUL FRIESEN

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WINNIPEG - They handed out the Stanley Cup in Vancouver last night, sparking a celebration that’ll last for a while.

ESPN / NHL's issues carry over to next season

Today, competition begins for the next one. And for the first time in 15 years, Winnipeg is in the race. So allow us to fantasize, for a minute, what it would be like here in the Land That Championships Forgot, to wind up on top, for a change. That may be difficult, given the 20-year drought of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the 32-year famine since the last pro hockey title. But it’s not going to stop us from trying. So let’s peek into the crystal ball and see what ’the Peg might be like for sports fans in the (distant?) future... (insert dreamy harp music, here) It’s noon on a warm, muggy day in June, but mosquitoes aren’t a problem in downtown Winnipeg these days.

By Scott Burnside

The last of the broken glass and charred wreckage has been cleared from the streets of Vancouver, and the last of the Boston Bruins' fans have likely made their way home after celebrating their team's first Stanley Cup in a generation. And while this sometimes compelling, often ugly, violence-stained Stanley Cup finals series between two long-suffering franchises remains indelibly etched in our memories, it seems an opportune time to examine the path we have traveled and the one we might travel in the coming months. As recently as Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals, we were reminded of what remains the NHL's single biggest issue -- the dangerous blow to the head.

The environmentally friendly control program in effect the last two decades only gets part of the credit. Winnipeggers, it seems, are just too damn happy to even notice the little buggers.

When Vancouver defenseman Aaron Rome toppled a defenseless Nathan Horton with a devastating late hit, it reinforced that the NHL still has miles to go before fully coming to grips with how to keep its players from potentially destroying the careers of their opponents.

On this day, the entire city seems to be wearing one, big, face-eating grin.

Nathan Horton

The brand new office towers along Portage Avenue look like they’ve grown hundreds of tiny arms, every window overflowing with humanity, as hands wave towels, flags, anything carrying the logo of this burgeoning prairie city’s pro hockey team.

Bruins forward Nathan Horton suffered a severe concussion when hit by the Canucks' Aaron Rome in the Cup finals.

Down in the street below, a line of convertibles from bygone days, some as far back as the 1990s, is smothered by ticker-tape, each vehicle carrying a member of the Stanley Cup champion. It’s a scene the oldtimers around here couldn’t have fathomed in the early part of the century, as this once hard-luck town didn’t even have an NHL franchise. Now, it’s not only part of the club, it’s King of the Hill, finally giving hockey fans a feeling of equality with their gridiron brethren.

The league moved swiftly to suspend Rome for the final four games of the playoffs. A couple of days later, the NHL's general managers agreed to recommend broadening the terms of Rule 48 to include more dangerous plays. The competition committee subsequently agreed to those changes, and the Board of Governors should pass the new wording into law this week. The conundrum, though, is that when asked whether the Rome hit would have been allowed had it not been too late, GMs and league officials gave a variety of answers. Rome himself told reporters he felt it was simply a hockey play gone bad.

Yes, the days of the Manitoba drought seem like an eternity ago, in more ways than one.

The bottom line? The thorny issue of what kind of hits the league wants to eliminate will continue to dog it into next season.

Not only have the two great lakes, Winnipeg and Manitoba, merged after decades of above-normal precipitation, so, too, have the two great sports, as River City now boasts the CFL and NHL champions — football’s Blue Bombers having reigned for a franchise record-setting three consecutive years.

There might never be a consensus, but if anyone was thinking or hoping the league would move to a blanket ban on all head shots, it appears that day remains far off. This means we will see more players leave the ice on stretchers and miss long periods of time with concussion issues.

Toss in two titles in the last four years by the independent baseball team, and there’s no doubt sports fans here have never had it so good.

On a related note, it was refreshing to see NHL commissioner Gary Bettman follow up a series of moves aimed at making the NHL a safer place for its players by handing over the NHL's supplemental discipline duties to former player Brendan Shanahan.

Edmonton, City of Champions? Yeah, right. “It’s a great day in Winnerpeg!” Mayor Ryan Hosegood, grandson of legendary Blue Bomber quarterback Ken Ploen, told tens of thousands gathered at Portage and Main before the parade. Not only are Winnipeg’s teams beating up on the rest of the globe — defeating the Stockholm Scorpions in the Stanley Cup Final was a particularly nice touch, given this city’s history with Swedish players — they’re padding their bank accounts while doing it. You think three years of sellouts at the expanded, 20,000-seat downtown arena is impressive? The Bombers haven’t had an empty seat at their nifty U of M campus playpen in five years. “It’s all a little surreal,” Hosegood said. “My grandfather used to tell me about championship droughts that lasted decades in football, even longer in hockey. I can’t even imagine it.”

It was high time that longtime executive vice president Colin Campbell moved away from those duties. Look for Shanahan to hand down more severe punishments and to be far more transparent about the reasoning behind those decisions. This will be a definite step in the right direction in communicating the league's message and helping to restore order to an office that left players, coaches and GMs, to say nothing of the casual fan, baffled at what was and wasn't worthy of a suspension. Any discussion of the concussion/head shot issue would be remiss without noting one of the grand disappointments of this NHL season past -- the absence of the game's best player, Sidney Crosby. After being clipped by then-Washington forward David Steckel in the Winter Classic on Jan. 1, Crosby played one more game, then did not return for the balance of the season.

His convalescence sparked a cottage industry in rumor and innuendo, including spurious reports out of the French media in Quebec that Crosby's career is over. The sense is Crosby will return for training camp, but his injury, coming on a relatively innocuous play, is a stark reminder of the dangers of concussions. The Penguins, also without Evgeni Malkin, still managed to make the playoffs, although they blew a 3-1 series lead against Tampa Bay in the first round. Speaking of the Lightning, they were one of the feel-good stories of the past season, as they emerged from a dark period of ownership squabbles. Behind new owner Jeff Vinik, rookie GM Steve Yzerman and first-year coach Guy Boucher, they iced a competitive team that rolled to the seventh game of the Eastern Conference finals. Thrashers Move After more than a decade of futility in Atlanta, the NHL allowed the team to be sold to True North Sports and Entertainment in Winnipeg. Their renaissance was a nice juxtaposition against another Southeast Division storyline that saw the Atlanta Thrashers uprooted. After more than a decade of futility in Atlanta, the NHL allowed the team to be sold to True North Sports and Entertainment in Winnipeg, with the deal closing on the eve of the Stanley Cup finals. The news sparked a national celebration in Canada as the NHL returned to the prairie city for the first time since it lost its franchise to Phoenix in the 1996-97 season. How this move makes the NHL stronger in the long haul remains to be seen, given that Winnipeg is now the smallest market in the NHL and will almost certainly replace Edmonton as the least attractive destination for free agents. Still, the frenzy in Winnipeg will be far more attractive than the empty seats and incompetent ownership in Atlanta, even though the loss of a major media market is never a good thing. The NHL might have resolved one franchise issue, but this wouldn't be pro hockey without a few ownership brush fires still smoldering, starting with the perpetual stinkpot that is the Phoenix Coyotes. The Coyotes' ownership issue remains far from settled more than two years after former owner Jerry Moyes tried to sneak the team into bankruptcy in a backdoor attempt to sell the team to BlackBerry mogul Jim Balsillie. The city of Glendale, Ariz., kicked in another $25 million of hard-earned taxpayer money to cover losses by the team to ensure the Coyotes remain in the desert for the 2011-12 season. But instead of moving decisively to close a deal and make up for months of squandered time, city fathers continue to dither. In the end, it's entirely possible, if not likely, the NHL will have to move the Coyotes, too, given the inept work by local politicians, with prospective owner Matthew Hulsizer, who has set aside more than $100 million for the purchase of the team, growing impatient. Quebec City, still without a firm commitment on a new arena, looks like an outside option to get the team, and places such as Kansas City and Seattle will be regularly included as potential options for relocation, although there isn't an obvious ownership group for either locale. Sadly, the good work done by Phoenix coach Dave Tippett and GM Don Maloney in icing a competitive team under trying circumstances might yet go for naught. Although the league didn't want to rush into a realignment decision following the sale of the Thrashers to Winnipeg, it would seem that waiting until the end of the 2011-12 season gives the NHL room to accommodate another team moving. Regardless, the decision on what the league will look like with a team in Winnipeg will spark much debate within the league and beyond. League officials have told ESPN.com they will entertain many options, from tinkering with the current six-division format to a dramatic overhaul. There was good news for the league on a number of fronts, though. The Winter Classic turned out to be a success in Pittsburgh even though balmy temperatures and rain forced the game to be played the evening of Jan. 1 instead of in the afternoon. And the revived Heritage Classic, a

second outdoor game in Calgary, turned out to be a great success north of the border. The Winter Classic was preceded by the brilliant HBO series "24/7" that followed the Penguins and Washington Capitals. The series earned an Emmy and undoubtedly will set the stage for a much-anticipated sequel next winter. Word is that the NHL will have just one outdoor game on its schedule next season, held on Jan. 2 in Philadelphia with the Flyers hosting the New York Rangers at Citizens Bank Park (the traditional Jan. 1 time slot is taken up by the NFL playoffs). The league also settled its contentious television contract issue in the U.S., signing a long-term deal with NBC-Comcast, the parent company of the league's U.S. cable provider, Versus. Whether that stability will see the NHL return to the Olympics in Sochi, Russia, in 2014 remains unknown, but NBC certainly will be putting some pressure on the NHL to have its players in the Olympic hockey tournament even though there are a host of negative issues connected with the Sochi games. Olympic participation also will be a key ingredient in the collective bargaining process that one assumes will begin sometime late in the 201112 season. The negotiations will be the first between the league's owners and the National Hockey League Players' Association since the lockout that scuttled the entire 2004-05 season. The NHLPA will be relying on new executive director Donald Fehr, a veteran of the baseball labor wars for many years, to go toe to toe with Bettman. But both sides seem to acknowledge that a second straight labor stoppage would court professional disaster, given the strides the game has taken since the unprecedented stoppage. Still, look for the league to go after ways to keep more of its franchises from suffering financial woes (hey, wasn't that what the lockout was supposed to have accomplished?). There also will be issues of drug testing and revenue sharing that will have to be sorted through. The labor negotiations will take on an interesting hue, given that they will follow potential disruptions to the NHL and NBA seasons, as both leagues have labor issues to resolve. It would seem that the NHL, which enjoyed a strong playoff season in terms of viewership, would be in a prime position to fill the sporting void should one or both of those leagues see a work stoppage. But any strides made would be lost should the NHL not keep its own labor house in order. ESPN LOADED: 06.17.2011

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FOXSports.com / Bruins veterans too much for Canucks

Staff Writer

The Vancouver Canucks were the best team of the 2010-11 regular season, but they came up one game short against the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Final. It was a tremendous accomplishment by the Bruins, who played a patient, physical defensive game against the Canucks in Game 7, buoyed as usual by the solid goaltending of Tim Thomas, who at 37 became the oldest player in NHL history to be awarded the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP.

gave up four goals in the first three home games, but couldn't stop a beach ball in the three games in Boston, getting lit up for 15 goals. In the crucial seventh game in Vancouver, Luongo couldn't recover his previously solid home-ice form. He couldn't be blamed for the first goal, a screen shot through a mass of legs he never saw until it was behind him, but the next two goals should have been stopped. THE WATERBOY Nathan Horton made sure there was a little bit of home ice from Boston in Vancouver. Watch it here. Luongo rarely received his due for helping the Canucks reach the Finals or for the three victories – two of which were shutouts – in this series, but the sad fact is he was unable to elevate his game when his team needed him most. The Canucks' once-lethal power-play dried up against the Bruins, managing to score only twice throughout the series. Worse, they also gave up four short-handed goals, including Bergeron's back-breaker in Game 7.

The Bruins' Cup championship, their first since 1972, was the result of a complete team effort, led by their best players. Thomas was outstanding between the pipes, but he wasn't the only one who raised his game in this series.

Ultimately, the Boston Bruins outscored, outplayed and outhit the Vancouver Canucks in this series. They were the better team, and this championship is one they fully deserved.

Team captain and top defenseman Zdeno Chara silenced doubters who wondered early in the series if he was fatigued or injured.

The Bruins answered their critics, and in winning their first Cup title in 39 years, won't take a backseat this year to the Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics. This year, for the first time in many years, hockey is king again in Boston.

Chara was a tower of strength on the blueline, leading all playoff skaters in plus-minus with plus-16. He also blocked what would've been a game-tying goal with Thomas down and out early in the second period when the game's outcome was still up for grabs. He was ably supported by Dennis Seidenberg, who emerged from Chara's shadow in this year's playoffs, leading all playoff performers in blocked shots (74) and was second to Chara in plus-minus (+12) among defensemen. Forwards David Krejci, Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand led the way offensively in this series, with Bergeron and Marchand scoring twice apiece in Game 7. They could also count on the invaluable leadership of 43-year-old Mark Recchi, who ends his long NHL career with his third Stanley Cup title, as well as the inspiration of playing for Nathan Horton, who was knocked out of the series by a concussion from a late hit in Game 3. The Bruins had struggled to score in the previous three games in Vancouver in this series, but were able to rise to the occasion when it mattered most. The same cannot be said for the Canucks. Despite being the highest scoring team in the regular season as well as giving up the fewest goals, and despite having the third-best power play entering the Finals, the Canucks were stymied by the goaltending of Thomas and the physical pounding their best players absorbed from the Bruins. The high-scoring Sedin twins were all but shut down. Daniel Sedin posted points in only two of the seven games, while his clearly hobbled brother Henrik managed only one goal. Their linemate, Alex Burrows, had a twogoal, three-point night in Game 2, but never got back on the scoresheet again. Two-way center Ryan Kesler, who entered the Finals as one of the favorites to win the Conn Smythe, was slowed by what was suspected to be a nagging groin injury, as well as the physical toll the Bruins extracted from him throughout the series. He managed only one assist. Vancouver's vaunted blueline depth failed to neutralize Boston's offense in the four games the Bruins won, giving up 21 goals in those games. Christian Ehrhoff, Alex Edler and Kevin Bieksa entered the series among the top five scoring defensemen in this year's playoffs, but Edler managed only two points, while Bieksa and Ehrhoff had only one each. Injuries and suspension also took a toll on the defense. Dan Hamhuis was injured in Game 1 and never returned to the series. Aaron Rome was suspended for the remainder of the series for his hit on Horton. While Thomas was outstanding in the Bruins goal throughout this series, the same cannot be said for Canucks netminder Roberto Luongo, who only

FOXSports.com LOADED: 06.17.2011

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NBCSports.com / Canucks owner vented frustration at losing Stanley Cup to reporters following Game 7

Joe Yerdon

Vancouver’s loss in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals managed to bring out a lot of the worst in everyone. While the lasting memory will be of Canucks fans and local hoodlums who decided that burning the city down and rioting was the right way to grieve after a loss, the ugliness wasn’t just just kept on the outside of Rogers Arena as it turns out. Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini was in attendance at Game 7 and while that’s a home game for him and not all too surprising, he apparently wasn’t in the greatest of moods following Vancouver’s 4-0 loss to Boston in Game 7. While that much would be understandable, about the last people you’d want to lash out at or near would be the hordes of media who descended upon Vancouver to see the Stanley Cup handed out. As it turns out, Aquilini missed that day in PR class according to legendary Edmonton Sun writer Terry Jones. Jones’ scathing column dressing down Vancouver for their fans’ antics both in burning the city down and being perhaps some of the least friendly fans on the Internet also took Aquilini to task for being less than cordial. Like the Canucks, who told us again and again that they’d learned their lessons, Vancouver claimed they’d learned theirs from 1994. Neither learned a thing. It wasn’t just the idiots who rioted. Reaction from the exceedingly large lunatic fringe of fans from the other side of the mountains was unbelievable via Twitter, email, etc. throughout the playoffs. Rude. Obnoxious. Begging to be blocked. These are the same people who harbour conspiracy theories, who reportedly threw projectiles at Gary Bettman on the ice during the Stanley Cup presentation and one who shouted out while rioting that “this is all Bettman’s fault!” It ended with Vancouver owner Francesco Aquilini telling multiple members of the media in the Canucks dressing room to go fornicate elsewhere. Well isn’t that just lovely. There are many very cool and wonderful Canucks fans to be found out on the Internet and real life. Heck, most of you post here for comments (note: we’re shameless) there’s an obvious disgusting underbelly of fans who bring shame to the rest of the lot. From those who decided to torch downtown Vancouver to those who verbally harangued former Calgary Flames star Theo Fleury via Twitter who had the audacity to say that he didn’t think Roberto Luongo could win them the Stanley Cup this year, the ugly side of fandom was out in force in Vancouver. With all the disgusting comments thrown Fleury’s way it would ultimately be Fleury who got the last laugh as the Canucks came up short of winning their first Stanley Cup and Luongo would be front and center of the discussion. Life has a funny way of working out that way. Sometimes when you see a fan base take a loss as hard as a Stanley Cup Game 7 can be you feel sympathy for them for being so close to coming out on top only to fall short. That brand of emotional outpouring was hard to come by in this case because there’s been so many ugly things surrounding this Canucks team and it starts from the top on down with Aquilini being unable to conduct himself as a professional. All of these reactions are inexcusable and it helps make life more miserable for those great fans in Vancouver and around the world who bleed blue and green. For them we feel sorry for for more than just losing their shot at the Stanley Cup. After all, when you’re saddled with such sad individuals as compatriots it makes being a fan that much more difficult. NBCSports.com / LOADED: 06.17.2011

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NBCSports.com / Jaromir Jagr’s agent courting NHL teams; Another negotiating ploy with KHL?

Joe Yerdon

Ever since Jaromir Jagr left the NHL for the KHL, many fans of his have felt like they’re missing out on the end of a truly great NHL career. With Jagr playing with Avangard Omsk in Russia and still producing even at age 39, the former NHL legend is on the prowl for a new job. While Jagr’s experience the last few seasons have all been in the KHL, his play in the Olympics and at the IIHF World Championships the last two years has kept people curious about whether or not he might try and play one more year or two in the NHL. Those hopes and dreams might have some traction now. According to reports out of Detroit, Red Wings general manager Ken Holland has been approached by Jagr’s agent Petr Svoboda and while the Wings aren’t the only team he’s reached out to (the Rangers, Canadiens, and Capitals are there too), Red Wings GM Ken Holland is the only guy saying remotely anything about Jagr. The Red Wings didn’t call Jagr. His agent, Petr Svoboda, called them. But Red Wings general manager Ken Holland has had several conversations with Svoboda, and coach Mike Babcock has spoken to Jagr. Svoboda reportedly contacted Pittsburgh and the New York Rangers, two of Jagr’s former teams, as well as Montreal. But Jagr would prefer to play in Detroit for the chance to play with highly skilled players Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and, if he returns, Nicklas Lidstrom. Holland declined comment, except to acknowledge that his club has been contacted and is exploring the possibility. The idea that a 39 year-old, turning 40 in February, Jagr wants to take one more run at a Stanley Cup in the NHL with a team like Detroit makes the mind boggle. The Wings aren’t ones to back down from veteran interest as they took on Mike Modano last season in his efforts to latch on to a potential Cup winning team. Jagr’s skill set isn’t what it used to be from what we remember from his years with the Penguins and Capitals. Hell, Jagr isn’t quite the same guy he was with the Rangers even four years ago, but what he’s shown in international competition is that he could still be a useful weapon on the power play and a guy who could contribute well with third line type of minutes. Before we get ahead of ourselves drawing up the possibility of seeing a legend like Jagr giving it one more go in the NHL, you have to wonder if perhaps this is one last effort by Svoboda to get a KHL team to bite and offer him a juicier deal. Yahoo’s Dmitry Chesnokov finds out that his old team Avangard Omsk is the only one Jagr is negotiating with in Russia. If Jagr is worried about how he might hold up over the 82 game haul in the NHL season and if he’s got the thought of the hit he took in the 2010 Olympics from Alexander Ovechkin stuck in his head for what it’s like to play at that level every night, being more open about discussing things with the NHL would be a good way to scare Avangard into giving him a juicier deal. After all, if there’s no local competition for him there, why not hold the NHL up and out there as a means to scare his team into action. The KHL hates losing any amount of talent to the NHL, especially guys who once starred in the NHL, so Svoboda’s open hunt to land Jagr an apparent job in the NHL might just be transparent enough for all of us to see what’s going on. Of course, if we put our cynicism away for a little while and embrace this for what it looks to be, waxing nostaligic and hopeful for Jagr’s return makes for a lot of fun. He was one of the most brilliant scorers of his time and the best player in the NHL for a long stretch of time. The thought of trotting him out on the same ice with Datsyuk and Zetterberg is tantalizing, let’s just hope we’re not being toyed with one last time. NBCSports.com / LOADED: 06.17.2011

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NBCSports.com / Bruins stayed mostly injury free during run to the Stanley Cup

Joe Yerdon

Earlier today we’d heard a bit about how banged up the Vancouver Canucks were through the Stanley Cup finals. Their list of skating wounded may have had a negative effect on how their season turned out, Boston managed to avoid trouble with the injury bug. While the Bruins had to do without Nathan Horton from early in Game 3 through until the end of the series with a concussion and Marc Savard after he played just 25 games this season before getting another concussion of his own, the Bruins had little in the way of injuries elsewhere. ESPN Boston’s Joe McDonald finds out that forwards Milan Lucic and David Krejci had nagging injuries of their own that slightly hampered their games. McDonald reports that Lucic had a severe toe injury and Krejci was dealing with a nagging shoulder injury that he suffered in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. Krejci said, however, that the injury improved through the rest of the playoffs and it affected his play less and less until the end. Considering that Krejci finished the playoffs as the top scorer in the postseason, we’re a bit worried what we could’ve seen out of him fully healthy. Fighting off injuries is a matter of virtual luck in the playoffs and the great shape the Bruins were in in the end of things proved how important it was for them to stay healthy. Not having to dig deep into your bench to fill holes, like how Vancouver had to, may have ultimately helped decide the series. It’s a marathon to the finish when trying to win the Stanley Cup and the Bruins ability to stay healthy and keep it together as a team won out in the end. NBCSports.com / LOADED: 06.17.2011

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NBCSports.com / Patrice Bergeron: ‘Sorry Canada, but I’ve got to go with the Stanley Cup’

James O'Brien

It’s pretty hard to believe that Patrice Bergeron is only 25 years old. I don’t mean that in the typical “This guy managed all these accomplishments and made all that money” tone that people use when discussing most young professional athletes, either. Nope, what makes Bergeron’s young age stunning is all of the valleys that came with his peaks. There was a time when concussion issues seemed like they would crush a promising young career entirely, but Bergeron gradually fought back from those problems to become an extremely underrated two-way forward for the Boston Bruins. Of course, then he suffered another concussion in the 2011 playoffs, this time from a hit by Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers. That injury seemed very troubling – especially considering his lengthy history of head issues – yet Bergeron only missed two postseason games thanks to the long break the Bruins earned by sweeping the Flyers. He seemingly didn’t miss a beat when he came back, either. He scored nearly a point per game overall in the postseason (20 in 23 games) including two big goals and a +4 rating in Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup finals. Bergeron was also an assassin in the faceoff circle, winning an astounding 60.2 percent of the draws he took. Of course, winning the Stanley Cup isn’t the only great moment Bergeron experienced in Vancouver: he also won the gold medal with Team Canada in the 2010 Olympics. When asked to compare the thrills of both victories, he favored the Stanley Cup, though. “It is amazing. It is an unbelievable feeling,” Bergeron said. “This is for us as a team but also for the city of Boston. They’ve waited so long for that — too long for that. To have a chance to be part of the team that is bringing it back means a lot to me.” (snip) “Sorry Canada, but I’ve got to go with the Stanley Cup,” Bergeron said when asked to compare the feeling of winning the Cup and an Olympic gold medal, which he did with Canada in February 2010. “The gold medal is up high for sure, but this is a childhood dream. When you’re playing hockey, you’re thinking about hoisting the Cup. Now I’ve had that chance. I was five years old and playing outside with my brother. We were always dreaming about winning that Cup. To have a chance to get it now is amazing, but that gold medal is something special too.” Before people start flipping over cars again, it’s probably important to note a few key reasons why he might feel more attached to a Cup win than a gold medal win. Here are the top two ones: 1. The huge difference in the number of games played. To win the Cup, Bergeron played in 103 of the Bruins’ 107 games between the 2010-11 season and the playoffs (Bergeron missed two games in the regular season and two in the postseason). Obviously, those contests include the ups and downs of a long regular season and the grind of the playoffs. Compare those 103 contests to just seven games played in the Olympics and it’s beyond reasonable that Bergeron feels this way. 2. He played a bigger role with the Bruins While spending much of his time with Sidney Crosby isn’t exactly dealing with table scraps, Bergeron finished the Olympics with zero goals and one assist in seven games. With all due respect to his talents, he was relatively anonymous on a team full of stars. There are probably a significant amount of casual fans who didn’t even know he made the team. Meanwhile, in Boston, he was either the No. 2 center or the “1b” to David Krejci‘s “1a.” His 20 points left him in second place on the team in playoff scoring and his absence was felt in the first two games of the Eastern Conference finals.

Maybe he wouldn’t have had the same dreams if he didn’t grow up in Canada, but it shouldn’t be that surprising that Bergeron preferred winning the Cup to winning the gold. Too bad we all can’t have such “tough questions” to answer, though. NBCSports.com / LOADED: 06.17.2011

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NBCSports.com / Report: Minnesota Wild expected to announce Mike Yeo as next head coach on Friday

James O'Brien

There were many rumors in hockey circles that the Minnesota Wild would make Craig MacTavish the third head coach in their franchise history. It appears that won’t be the case, at least if respected Minnesota beat writer Michael Russo’s report is correct. Russo’s sources indicate that Wild GM Chuck Fletcher will announce that Mike Yeo will be their next head coach on Friday. As we’ve discussed before, there seems to be two trends in the coach hiring habits of NHL franchises lately: teams are either going for assistant coaches on successful NHL teams or head coaches of successful AHL teams. It’s almost as if they want to start with fresh minds rather than giving former NHL head coaches (some might call “retreads”) another shot. Yeo (featured in the main image on the right) fits under the category of “head coach for a successful AHL team.” He also fits the trend of moving up quickly from those ranks; he spent just one season behind the bench of the Houston Aeros, the Minnesota Wild’s affiliate team. It was a very successful season, as he posted a 46-28-6 regular-season record and helped the team make it all the way to the 2011 Calder Cup finals. The Aeros couldn’t hold off the Binghamton Senators after building a 3-1 series lead, however. Beyond proving himself in the Wild’s minor league system, Yeo also worked with Fletcher during their days with the Pittsburgh Penguins franchise. Yeo mapped out why he could be the right man for the job to Kevin Gorg of FS North. 5. KG: How interested are you in the head coaching position with the Minnesota Wild? YEO: I am very interested and have no problem stating my passion for that job. When I made the move from the Pittsburgh Penguins, I had that spot in mind and feel strongly that I am ready for that job. I know (general manager) Chuck Fletcher and the organization have a tough decision in front of them and I might not be the right fit at the right time, but make no mistake: I think I am the right guy. It looks like he’ll get the chance to prove that statement to be true in the 2011-12 season. NBCSports.com / LOADED: 06.17.2011

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Florida Panthers 125/1 Skip to NBCSports.com / LOADED: 06.17.2011

NBCSports.com / Bodog tabs the Vancouver Canucks as the favorites to win the 2012 Stanley Cup

James O'Brien

Chin up, Vancouver Canucks fans. Sure, your team came just one win short of their first-ever Stanley Cup victory. OK, your city is reeling from the ugly riots that broke out last night (although at least one couple had some shameless fun, I guess). And yes, you might be doubting your franchise goalie and those talented Sedin twins, who sported identically ugly -4 ratings in Game 7. That being said, the odds are on your side, at least if you ask the people at Bodog. They gave the Canucks the highest odds of winning the Stanley Cup in 2012 (5/1) and placed the defending champion Boston Bruins in second place (8/1 – feel free to share your agreement or disagreement with that prediction in this poll). The Washington Capitals (17/2), Philadelphia Flyers (9/1) and Pittsburgh Penguins (9/1) rounded out the top five. Here’s the full list, if you’re the curious and/or betting type. (Sorry Panthers fans.) Odds to win the 2012 Stanley Cup Vancouver Canucks5/1 Boston Bruins 8/1 Washington Capitals 17/2 Philadelphia Flyers9/1 Pittsburgh Penguins 9/1 San Jose Sharks 9/1 Detroit Red Wings 12/1 Tampa Bay Lightning12/1 Chicago Blackhawks 15/1 Los Angeles Kings 16/1 Anaheim Ducks 22/1 Montreal Canadiens22/1 Buffalo Sabres 25/1 Nashville Predators25/1 New Jersey Devils 30/1 Phoenix Coyotes 35/1 Calgary Flames 35/1 Carolina Hurricanes 35/1 Dallas Stars 35/1 New York Rangers 35/1 St. Louis Blues45/1 Toronto Maple Leafs 60/1 Ottawa Senators60/1 Colorado Avalanche 65/1 Edmonton Oilers70/1 Minnesota Wild 70/1 New York Islanders 70/1 Winnipeg 80/1 Columbus Blue Jackets 90/1

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USA TODAY / Bruins' Mark Recchi has success during his final Final

By Kevin Allen

As 43-year-old Boston Bruins winger Mark Recchi prepared for Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, he tried not to focus on the fact that he was playing his last NHL game. "I have a job to do for the guys," Recchi said. "I can't put those thoughts in my head." After 1,652 NHL regular-season games and 189 more in the playoffs, Recchi was a practicing team player until the end. Recchi, the NHL's oldest player, announced his retirement during a postgame TV interview. "This is it for me," said Recchi, who began play with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1988. "They're (Stanley Cups) all special and they all mean the same to me. It's kind of nice that this is the last one and you're going out on top." Recchi went out with a strong game, too. The Patrice Bergeron-Brad Marchand-Recchi line provided all of the Game 7 offense as the Bruins beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-0. The three had a combined plus-10 rating. It's not as if anyone was pushing Recchi to retire. With an assist Wednesday, he had three goals and four assists in the Stanley Cup Final. Recchi is the oldest player to score in the championship round. When he produced three assists in Game 6, it was the 32nd multiple-point game of his playoff career. He had 14 goals and 34 assists for 48 points in the regular season. "He's been great for us," Boston coach Claude Julien said. "We can't say enough. We've talked about him all year, and maybe his speed isn't where it might have been at some point, but his experience has certainly made up for that. "He's contributed in a lot of different ways and scored some big goals and obviously made some big plays at opportune times.He's a guy that shows up every game no matter what the situation is." Recchi's perspective is unique, not just because of his age, but also because he won his first Stanley Cup in 1991 with the Pittsburgh Penguins and his second in 2006 with the Carolina Hurricanes. He has learned to enjoy the both journey and the destination of playing hockey. It's clear he enjoys the trappings of the game, especially the camaraderie of the dressing room. "From '06 when I won (the Cup) and every playoff I played in after that, I've been able to embrace it and enjoy," Recchi said. "(I like) to watch how guys react and how they're acting. I enjoy the experience of seeing guys go through their firsts." The Bruins are Recchi's seventh NHL team, although he did have two stops on the Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers. But he seems sentimental about playing in Boston. "I've enjoyed Boston so much," he said. "It's an incredible city, and the sports are fun to be a part of." Recchi said he thought of his retirement the most during his final shift. "It was hard emotionally to even skate," he said after the game. "I have loved this whole thing, but to win tonight, with my kids older now and able to appreciate everything that goes on around it all, and the celebration here on the ice, that is amazingly special." USA TODAY LOADED: 06.17.2011

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USA TODAY / 10 reasons why the Bruins beat the Canucks to win Cup

By Kevin Allen, USA TODAY

The Vancouver Canucks became the seventh Presidents' Trophy winner in the past eight years to fail to win the Stanley Cup. Here are 10 reasons why the Bruins defeated the Canucks in the Stanley Cup Final: Brad Marchand's impressive rookie performance is one reason the Bruins got to lift the Stanley Cup. 1. Goalie Tim Thomas was Terry Sawchuk-good: The Canucks were the NHL's No. 1 offensive team for the 82-game regular season and Thomas held them to eight goals in seven games. He was the best player in the series by far. 2. The Bruins were better than we knew: Many prognosticators had the Bruins reaching the Stanley Cup Final. But no one predicted that when the Final began, the Bruins could be the best team. When there was room to skate, the Bruins were better than Vancouver. Their offense delivered at crucial times at home, and in Game 7. 3. Rookie rises up: Every championship has an unexpected hero, and Brad Marchand was Boston's guy. He had five goals and seven points in the last five games of the Final, including two goals in Game 7. His goal in Game 6, the first of the game, might have been the most important goal of the series. He had an exceptional rookie season, but rookies are supposed to be overwhelmed in the Stanley Cup Final. Marchand wasn't. 4. Boston's band of brothers: It was clear throughout the playoffs that the Bruins had exceptional team chemistry. They believed in one another, proven by the fact that they won three Game 7s en route to the championship. When Patrice Bergeron was out against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Bruins soldiered on. When Horton was knocked out of the Final, they soldiered on. Even though the Bruins lost their first three games in Vancouver, they still seemed confident going there in Game 7. 5. Vancouver underperformed: While Thomas was sensational, the talentladen Canucks simply didn't have any player rise up at the opportune moments, the way, for example, Ryan Kesler did against the Nashville Predators. Henrik Sedin didn't have a point until Game 6. 6. Roberto Luongo wasn't at his best: Certainly the goalie wasn't solely to blame for the Canucks' struggles, but he wasn't sharp in Boston, getting pulled twice. Despite two shutouts in the series, it never seemed as if he was in sync. 7. Right moves at right times: The additions of Tomas Kaberle, Rich Peverley and Chris Kelly all filled holes leading up to the playoffs. Peverley was a versatile skater, able to slide from the fourth line to the first. Kelly was an experienced role player. Although Kaberle's numbers were considering disappointing, he helped the Bruins move the puck out of their zone. And Claude Julien's decision to reinsert Shawn Thornton into the lineup in the Stanley Cup Final had an impact. Thornton often feeds the team with his energy. He was credited with 10 hits combined in Games 6 and 7. 8. Elder statesman: It's highly beneficial to have a veteran such as Mark Recchi, who won his first Stanley Cup before teammate Tyler Seguin was born. It also helps when that 43-year-old player has three goals and four assists in the series, including four points in the last two games. He was plus-4 in those two games. 9. The Chara Factor: Much like Chris Pronger has done for many playoff series, Zdeno Chara changes the game with his mere presence on the ice. At 6-9, Chara is always a roadblock to an offensive attack. He changes traffic patterns, and he always seems two strides from the puck. He was plus-7 with two assists over the last five games of the Final. 10. The Canucks lost Dan Hamhuis: Although the Bruins lost a key forward in Horton, the loss of Hamhuis in Game 1 seemed to affect Vancouver more than Horton's loss altered Boston's look. The defense looked more vulnerable and less efficient without Hamhuis. USA TODAY LOADED: 06.17.2011

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USA TODAY / Can Bruins, Canucks keep their teams together?

By Mike Brehm, USA TODAY

As the Boston Bruins prepare for an 11 a.m. Saturday parade , Vancouver is cleaning up from a postgame riot. The Bruins defeated the Canucks in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final Wednesday night in Vancouver. However, both teams face significant questions heading into the off-season. Here are some questions about the Stanley Cup finalists: Can the Bruins stay together? They are in good shape. Assuming the cap goes up to $62 million or $63 million, they will have $10 million in room, more if Marc Savard (concussion) isn't ready to start the season. Eighteen players are under contract. They have to re-sign rookie Brad Marchand, who had a spectacular postseason with 11 goals. Based on what the New York Islanders' Michael Grabner recently got in a five-year deal, he could command up to $3 million. Mark Recchi has retired, but Tyler Seguin should get more ice time. Decisions must be made on unrestricted free agent forward Michael Ryder and defenseman Tomas Kaberle. Kaberle did a good job moving the puck up ice, but he wasn't the magic ingredient on their power play. Do they let him become a free agent? Can the Vancouver Canucks stay together? It will be hard to retain their strong defensive corps. They have more cap room than the Bruins do, but five fewer people are under contract. Kevin Bieksa and Christian Ehrhoff are unrestricted free agents, and Bieksa will be sought after because of his strong playoff run. Sami Salo is also unrestricted. Hurting their budget: defenseman Keith Ballard, a $4.2 million player used little in the playoffs. Third-liners Maxim Lapierre, Raffi Torres and Jannik Hansen, plus versatile Chris Higgins, are up for contracts. Would the city of Vancouver want another Canucks run? Two Canucks trips to the Final in 1994 and 2011. Two Game 7 losses. Two riots. But the Vancouver Police Department made it clear that the damage had nothing to do with hockey. Chief Constable Jim Chu blamed the mayhem on "a number of young men and women disguised as Canucks fans who were actually criminals and anarchists. These were people who came equipped with masks, goggles, gasoline, even fire extinguishers that they would use as weapons." Chu said some culprits were part of a group that tried to disrupt the 2010 Olympics. Police had more than 120 tips as of Thursday morning and were asking people to turn over photos and videos. The Canucks said they had preached the need to act responsibly. "The destructive actions and needless violence demonstrated by a minority of people last night in Vancouver is highly disappointing to us all," the team said in a statement. Around the rinks: The Minnesota Wild will name a coach today. … The Bruins' Zdeno Chara, Tim Thomas and Patrice Bergeron will bring the Stanley Cup to NBC's Today show this morning. … Former Washington Capital Olaf Kolzig joined the team as associate goalie coach. USA TODAY LOADED: 06.17.2011

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YAHOO SPORTS / Bruins end 39-year Cup drought

Nicholas J. Cotsonika

VANCOUVER – “Let’s go!” he yelled. With that, Zdeno Chara(notes) pulled down the Stanley Cup, stepped over a red carpet, headed off the ice and ducked into a tunnel. But the captain was too tall. He’s a giant of a man, 6foot-9, 255 pounds, and fans of the Canucks and Bruins reached down and tapped him on the head and shoulders, desperately trying to touch the Cup before it headed out of sight. The Cup is coming back to Boston. Both teams and towns wanted it so badly, the Canucks never having won it since joining the NHL in 1970, the Bruins having gone without it since 1972. The final series went seven games – seven bitter, bizarre, brutal and brilliant games – but in the end Wednesday night, it was the Bruins who won Game 7, 4-0. It was the Bruins who ended their drought. “We still have fans that remember – barely – ’72,” said team president Cam Neely, a British Columbia native who played three seasons for the Canucks before going to the Bruins in 1986 and becoming a Boston legend. “And then from ’72 on, they’ve been waiting for this moment to happen.” How did this happen? How did the Bruins go from chokers to, finally, champions? Two years in a row, they lost a Game 7 in the playoffs. Last year, they lost after blowing a 3-0 lead in Game 7 – after blowing a 3-0 lead in a second-round series with the Philadelphia Flyers. They became only the third NHL team ever to have a 3-0 series lead and lose.

The Bruins' Patrice Bergeron and teammate Tim Thomas celebrate their Game 7 win. This was not the Canucks’ night, and so, still, this was not the Canucks’ year. Once, Ryan Kesler(notes) fired a shot that hit a linesman. Another time, Alex Burrows gathered the puck in the slot and waited, waited, waited until goaltender Tim Thomas(notes) ended up out of position, only to see Chara make a save in front of a gaping net. Not that Thomas needed much help. He made more saves in the playoffs and in the final than any goaltender ever had before, and he won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs’ most valuable player, hands down. In seven games against the Canucks – the highest-scoring team in the regular season, a team that has the NHL’s last two scoring champions – he allowed only eight goals. He posted two shutouts. When Patrice Bergeron(notes) scored the first goal in the first period Wednesday night, the Canucks were in trouble. When Brad Marchand(notes) scored the second goal in the second period, it was virtually over. How were the Canucks going to score three goals against Thomas, when they had scored just three against him in the past three games combined? When Bergeron scored shorthanded later in the second – a fluky goal, sliding into Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo(notes), who didn’t put down his paddle and watched the puck slide by – it was academic. “I can’t imagine how somebody could play as well as Tim did this sevengame series,” Neely said. “He was amazing, and so calm and cool and collected. Just an amazing, amazing seven-game series.” Marchand put the puck into an empty net late in the third period, and Mark Recchi’s(notes) eyes started to water. “Then it really sunk in,” Recchi said. “I knew this was going to be it.”

And now? Now they have become the first team ever to win three Game 7s in one playoff run. Not only that, they came from behind in each of those series to do it. They faced a 2-0 deficit in the first round against the Montreal Canadiens; won in seven. They redeemed themselves by sweeping the Flyers in the second round. They faced a 1-0 deficit in the Eastern Conference final against the Tampa Bay Lightning; won in seven. They faced 2-0 and 3-2 deficits against the Canucks; won in seven.

At 43, Recchi was going to retire on top. Bruins coach Claude Julien told him to shake it off, that he would be out for the final shift. So Recchi gathered himself, and there he was as the seconds counted down, skating in his native province, about to win the third Cup of his proud career.

Won it all.

“I’m done. I won’t be able to train hard enough to get ready for September,” said Recchi, who hopes to stay in the game in a management role somewhere, someday. “Just to be on the ice my last shift and to win a Stanley Cup, doing it is unbelievable.”

“We lost in Game 7 two years in a row, and they learned from it. As simple as it is, they learned from it,” general manager Peter Chiarelli said. “If you’ve got a strong group, they’re going to get stronger, and I’ve always felt we had a strong group.” Chiarelli sighed and smiled. The Patriots, the Red Sox, the Celtics, all recent champions. Now the Bruins, too. “I can’t describe it,” Chiarelli said. “I mean, I still don’t believe that we’re here.” The TV cameras caught Nathan Horton(notes) at 3:17 p.m. PT, less than two hours before faceoff. He walked up the tunnel and onto the bench. He pulled out a water bottle and discreetly sprayed water onto the Rogers Arena ice. Why? “I don’t remember,” Horton said, smiling. Very funny. Horton is recovering from a concussion he suffered in Game 3, leaving him to serve only as inspiration for the rest of the series, but he remembered just fine. The guys on the ice crew back in Boston came up with the idea. The Bruins had dominated the Canucks on home ice, but they had lost three one-goal squeakers in Vancouver. If they were going to break through on the road when it mattered most – against the winners of the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s top regular-season team – they needed to make the ice their own.

With about 10 seconds left, he looked up at the scoreboard as he skated under it. With about five seconds left, he lifted his arms in the air in the Vancouver zone. That was it, and it was perfect.

The Stanley Cup came out, and commissioner Gary Bettman handed it to Chara, and Chara almost couldn’t handle it. As he raised it over his head, he knocked off his championship cap. As he started to skate with it, he almost fell backward. But he gathered himself and held it high – maybe higher than it has ever been held before. He and partner Dennis Seidenberg(notes) had been such a big part of this run, a shutdown pair on a defensive team. Chara handed the Cup to Recchi, who handed it to Bergeron, one of the game’s top twoway players. Bergeron handed it to Thomas, and from hand to hand it went. So many other Bruins played important roles – scorers David Krejci(notes), Milan Lucic(notes) and Michael Ryder(notes); rookies Brad Marchand and Tyler Seguin(notes); defensemen Andrew Ference(notes), Johnny Boychuk(notes) and Adam McQuaid(notes); grinders Gregory Campbell(notes), Shawn Thornton(notes) and Daniel Paille(notes); tradedeadline acquisitions Tomas Kaberle(notes), Chris Kelly(notes) and Rich Peverley(notes). “We had a great game,” Marchand said. “We pulled it off, and we’re so proud of ourselves. It’s such a relief. Some guys go their whole career without winning it. To win it the first year, it’s unbelievable. It just doesn’t kick in. I don’t know if it will ever kick in.”

“I was trying to be sneaky about it, but everyone caught me,” Horton said.

As the Bruins gathered for their team picture, Colin Campbell walked through the bowels of the arena. The NHL’s senior executive vice-president of hockey operations had to recuse himself as the league’s disciplinarian for this series because his son Gregory plays for the Bruins, and he’s stepping down from that role next season.

That’s OK.

[video Video: Canucks fans set fires, vandalize after Game 7 loss]

So they gathered some Garden water and gave it to Horton.

“It worked,” Horton said.

Now, he wasn’t a controversial figure. He was just a hockey dad, and when he spotted a TV showing the team picture, he stopped and found his son on the screen. He smiled. He walked away biting his lower lip. Bruins' Gregory Campbell checks Canucks' Chris Higgins. “Particularly for what he’s gone through, being my son, it hasn’t been pleasant at times,” Colin said. “He’s gotten lots of criticism, and this just is the icing on the cake. It feels so good for him and his mom and his sisters. They’ve had to go through a lot of crap.” Colin laughed. “It’s helpful that I am who I am in some ways,” Colin said. “He got free ice when he was a kid. But after that, it was all downhill.” Colin walked into the ice, and right away, father and son hugged. Colin had won the Cup as an assistant coach with the New York Rangers in 1994. Gregory was only 10 then. But he remembered how much of a commitment it had been for those players, how much had to go right – to win the Cup in seven games over the Canucks. Taking crap for being the son of Colin Campbell? Fine. “It comes with the territory,” Gregory said. “It’s something that I’ve had to deal with, but I don’t feel sorry for myself. I gained a lot of experiences from living hockey day in and day out and being around hockey, so I’m not apologizing for it. But it certainly is satisfying to do something that you can call your own.” There were family reunions all over the ice. “Awesome,” Lucic said while giving an interview, surrounded by revelers in his native Vancouver. “It was awesome. It was better than awesome. We did exactly what we needed to do. My parents are here now, so I’m out of here. Woo!” Tim Thomas is the Stanley Cup MVP and wins the Conn Smythe trophy. Lucic hugged his mother, Snezana. “Every emotion is going through me right now – from happiness and excitement and tears of joy,” his mother said. “Just everything, because your son won the Stanley Cup – in Vancouver of all places.” Recchi did interviews with one kid hugging his leg and another in his arms. Thomas cut one interview short when a little girl ran up. “Daddy!” “There she is! Woo!” Thomas scooped her up and skated away. The Cup is coming back to Boston, reuniting with everyone in the Bruins family. “I’m so happy for you,” Neely addressed the fans into a New England TV camera. “You guys deserve this. You’ve deserved it for a long time. The support that you’ve given this organization and the players for all these years, enjoy it. Savor it. It’s the best.” It’s Boston’s. YAHOO.COM LOADED: 06.17.2011

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YAHOO SPORTS / The scene from Vancouver’s Stanley Cup riots

Nicholas J. Cotsonika

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – The first time I saw trouble, I was at center ice. I was standing smack dab in the middle of Rogers Arena, as the Boston Bruins were wrapping up their Stanley Cup celebration, when I ran into a photographer friend. He introduced me to a security officer, who whipped out his smartphone and showed me a picture. It was of a car enveloped in bright orange flames. This is what everyone had feared. The last time the Canucks made the Cup final, it was 1994. They lost to the New York Rangers in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden, and a riot broke out back in Vancouver. Now it was happening again – another Game 7 loss, this one at home, and another riot, this one perhaps worse. As I walked just outside the Vancouver dressing room, Canucks coach Alain Vigneault was walking the other way on the left, head down. On the right was a TV monitor. Usually it shows postgame interviews. Now it was showing a car aflame and people were huddled around, listening to the news updates instead of interviewing players. I know better than to judge a village by its idiots. I grew up in the Detroit area. When I was 8 years old, my parents took me to Game 5 of the 1984 World Series.

“Why would they take books?” Meyers wondered. “They’re not going to read them.” Meyers and Finbow went home for a moment. They watched the media coverage and thought it made the riot look worse than it actually was. They heard a loud noise. They looked outside and saw someone had pushed over a small Smart car. “There doesn’t seem to be nearly enough police,” Finbow said. “Considering what happened in ’94, that’s a joke.” I walked down Robson Street. I saw firefighters hose down a burning trash can amid a restless crowd. I ran into a guy in a Ryan Kesler(notes) sweater and asked what he thought. I was shocked by what he said. “It’s the Canucks’ fault,” he said. “They basically ruined themselves. I don’t know. It’s hard to say right now. I just think it’s kind of sad.” “It’s no excuse for this,” I said. “It’s not. I don’t know. What did they expect was going to happen? Obviously, something bad was going to happen if they lost, so basically it is what it is. What can you do about it except for just be a witness or whatever?” “What’s your name?” “I’m not going to tell you my name.” Yeah, of course not. This was not about a hockey game. This was about some people looking for trouble and a hockey game giving them an excuse. A few rioters wore surgical masks to guard against tear gas. They came prepared. This was premeditated.

In a sense, it is one of my happiest memories, one of the moments which made me fall in love with sports. The Detroit Tigers beat the San Diego Padres. They won it all, and I was there. But in truth, I don’t remember much about the actual game. I remember the fans charging the field after the final out, tearing up the grass and throwing it into the air. I remember my parents putting their jackets over my head as we rushed to the car. A lot of people remember the photo of a beer-bellied guy named Bubba waving a pennant in front of an overturned, burning police car.

This was also about a lot of people looking at the spectacle – hanging around, taking pictures with their smartphones, tweeting and talking about it.

That image became part of the image of Detroit, and the riot jokes still haven’t stopped, even though the city has celebrated several championships peacefully in the years since. But Bubba and the other fools that night didn’t represent me or my family, and I know the troublemakers I saw Wednesday night don’t represent Vancouver. I fear, though, that they have stained the city just the same.

As Jukic and Booth spoke at about midnight, a mob moved down Hornby Street, pushed ahead by a line of riot police thumping clubs on their shields, backed by a line of police on horseback. A couple of guys knocked over some newspaper boxes. A mailbox was left standing, so someone else knocked it down.

“Why are they doing this?” said Bill Gee, 70, of Vancouver, standing in front of his apartment building on Hornby Street. “You just can’t believe that this could happen. I mean, why? What thrill could they possibly get?” “Have you seen anything like this before?” I asked. “Yeah, 1994,” he said. “I was here in 1994. I used to be a broker then, and I came up the street about 5 in the morning, and it was just littered in glass. All the storefronts were broken.” He looked around. “I think this is quite a bit worse, actually.” Witnesses said the trouble started late in the third period. Tens of thousands of fans had gathered downtown, a sea of them watching the game on a giant screen on Georgia Street, just blocks from Rogers Arena. As the clock counted down on what would be a 4-0 loss for the Canucks, people threw bottles at the screen. Fights broke out. A truck was overturned and set on fire. So were two police cars. As I wrote my column in the press box, the televisions overhead showed Images of the riot – one man in a Canucks sweater screaming at an officer in full riot gear, the officer batting him back with a shield. When I got back to my hotel, people were gathered outside the Irish pub across Burrard Street, watching news coverage of the riot instead of highlights from the game. Kallista Meyers, 25, and Dominic Finbow, 29, said they had seen people trying to pull small trees out of pots, throwing bottles at storefronts, pouring drinks over each other, fighting with one another, looting Sears and the Chapters bookstore.

“It’s not really a good depiction of Vancouver right now,” said Andy Jukic, 19, of Vancouver. “You know what I really think it is?” said Mike Booth, 20, of Vancouver. “I think we tried to one-up ourselves from ’94. We tried to one-up ourselves.”

“Let’s go stand ‘em up,” a man said. The man, who declined to give his name, stood them back up along with Gee. “If you want to see something, go walk up Granville,” Gee said. “You can walk up there now. There’s stores without one thing left in them. There’s a luggage store there. Nothing. It’s all gone. There’s a swimsuit store. All gone. The streets are littered with shoes and hangers.” Gee wiped a tear from his left eye. He said it was from the tear gas. Hearing booms and cracks coming from the nearest intersection, I tried to cut through the apartment building to get back to my hotel safely. But as soon as I stepped out the back door, I hit tear gas or pepper spray – not sure which, or if it even matters. It burned my eyes and throat. I shut the door, went back out the front and found another way. “Stop it, buddy!” I heard one guy yell. “Don’t [expletive] throw [expletive]!” He was trying to stop someone from breaking a window. “Come on,” he said more softly, trying a different tactic. “Please.” When I walked in the front door of the NHL’s official media hotel, they were cleaning up glass in the lobby. Someone had broken the front door. I flipped on the news in my room and heard reports that more than 100 people had been treated at a hospital for injuries including fractures and stabbings. I saw a clip of a man jumping on top of a burning BMW and escaping, throwing his hands up as if he had won something when everybody lost. I sighed and flipped my computer back on. I came here to write about a hockey game, and here I am writing about a riot late into the night, still hearing sirens outside my window.

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