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Gary Bettman

Potential 2021 World Cup Of Hockey Cancelled

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The NHL had been hoping to pull off another World Cup of Hockey in February of 2021, but commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters today including Chris Johnston of Sportsnet that the idea is now dead. The league will hold an All-Star game instead, though Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic notes that it could potentially be in the style of an international competition of some sort. The last World Cup was held in 2016 and was considered a success by many, with the youthful Team North America and a Ralph Krueger-led Team Europe both connecting with fans across the league.

With the NHL pulling out of the last Winter Olympics, players and fans voiced their displeasure regarding the lack of a real best-on-best tournament. The IIHF World Championship only includes part of the NHL as many teams are still in the playoffs. The World Cup did represent a best-on-best format, however there were obviously some logistical issues that needed to be solved. For one, having it just before the season began risked injury for players, something Matt Murray experienced first hand. Murray suffered a broken hand in the tournament and missed the first part of the 2016-17 season, just a few months after winning his first Stanley Cup.

Because the league still very much intends on having a World Cup at some point, this news will bring up the question of participation in the next Olympics once again. The players have expressed that they want to go, but the league hasn’t changed their official stance on participation. Because the Olympics are not a league-run entity, the NHL feels as though the disruption to the regular season is too great. The World Cup, a joint effort between the NHL and NHLPA, would not be considered so. The next Winter Games are scheduled for February, 2022 in Beijing, China.

For now, we’ll have to wait to see what happens next for the World Cup and whether or not Team North America and Team Europe are one-time memories.

Coach Behavior To Be Main Topic At NHL Board Of Governors Meetings

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It has been a whirlwind few weeks in the NHL coaching ranks. After the Toronto Maple Leafs fired head coach Mike Babcock back on November 20, several former players used the opportunity to criticize the veteran coach’s tactics and the way he treated some of his players. Former NHLer Akim Aliu used these comments as a jumping off point to make his own accusations of mistreatment against former AHL coach and then-Calgary Flames head coach Bill Peters. Aliu’s recollection of racists epithets from Peters while with AHL Rockford were also echoed by stories of physical abuse from former players of Peters with the Carolina Hurricanes and confirmed by current Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’amour. Peters ended up resigning last week. The latest coach to be exposed is Chicago Blackhawks assistant Marc Crawford, who faces allegations of physical abuse from some of his former players with the Los Angeles Kings. Crawford has left the team temporarily while under investigation.

The behavior of coaches has been brought to the forefront of NHL headlines and is not going to be a conversation that disappears quickly. In fact, the NHL Coaches’ Association – which ironically includes Babcock and Peters as executive members – addressed these ongoing issues with a statement earlier today:

We believe the NHL is a league built on hard work, respect, and teamwork. It is a coach’s job to understand how best to motivate players while respecting them as individuals and valuing them as people. Coaching philosophies differ from coach to coach, and season to season, but there are lines that cannot be crossed and there is certainly no room in the NHL, or anywhere else, for abusive behavior of any kind… The NHLCA is committed to working with the NHL and NHLPA to ensure respectful working environments for everyone.

TSN’s Darren Dreger adds that coach behavior will be the biggest topic of conversation among NHL owners at the upcoming Board of Governors meeting in California next week. He believes that coach behavior has never been scrutinized to this extent and that these meetings could produce a substantive change to how coaches are governed by the NHL. Commissioner Gary Bettman has already met with Aliu, who came away from the meeting with a positive reaction and a feeling that changes are coming. One possible shift, suggested by Dreger’s colleague Bob McKenzie, is enhanced vetting when hiring coaches and deeper background checks, including interviews with former players and assistants. One way or another, these incidences and allegations have made clear that there has been an ongoing issue related to coach behavior in the NHL that has flown under the radar but now must be addressed.

Overseas Notes: Olympics, Lindberg, Ozhiganov, Tikhonov

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As expected, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman met with NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr and IIHF President Rene Fasel this week in Stockholm, Sweden, the site of the NHL Global Series, to discuss another international hockey event: the Olympics. Although the next Winter Olympic Games are not until 2022, there needs to be a decision on participation in Beijing, China sooner rather than later, especially as that decision is tied into collective bargaining between the league and players’ association. However, Sportsnet’s Emily Sadler relays that Bettman told the collected media yesterday in Stockholm that he had “no news to report” on an Olympic resolution, and the NHL’s stance on participation remains pessimistic:

We had another meeting. We’ve had many, many meetings, and there is no news to report… I don’t want to sound like a broken record on the subject, but I think going to the Olympics is a challenge for us. I know the players love representing their countries, I know that the players like going, I know that the players that don’t go like having a break in the middle of the season. But from our standpoint, we have found going to the Olympics to be incredibly disruptive… I think it has some pretty material downsides in terms of what happens to our season.

  • Tobias Lindberg is ready to get his 2019-20 season started. After seemingly holding out hope for a contract in North America, Lindberg has finally opted to return home to Sweden. Timra IK of the SHL has announced a one-year deal with Lindberg, who adds another stop to a lengthy list of teams he has played for in his young career. The 24-year-old forward is most well-known by NHL fans not for his short stint with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but for his tendency to be traded. A fourth-round pick of the Ottawa Senators in 2014, Lindberg was dealt to Toronto in the Dion Phaneuf deadline deal of 2016. He spent a season with the Leafs organization before being traded to the Vegas Golden Knights early in 2017-18, who flipped him to the Pittsburgh Penguins later that season. The Penguins sent him back to Ottawa in December of last year, who in turn gave him back to Vegas at the deadline. In total, the capable AHLer has been involved in five NHL trades compared to just six NHL games and it could be good for his development to find some stability in Timra, at least for one year.
  • A blockbuster trade in the KHL this week featured two former NHLers. Defenseman Igor Ozhiganov, who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs just last year, was dealt by Ak Bars Kazan to SKA St. Petersburg in exchange for forward Viktor Tikhonov, who has spent multiple seasons in North America with the Arizona Coyotes and Chicago Blackhawks. Defenseman Roman Rukavishnikov will also move to Kazan. Both teams currently lead their respective divisions with Ak Bars sharing the top record in the KHL, making this a rare swap between top contenders. Tikhonov had been buried under the tremendous forward depth of SKA and should be able to play a larger role with his new club. Tikhonov, who recorded six points in 50 games between the ‘Hawks and ‘Yotes in 2015-16, is no longer a dynamic offensive talent, but plays a well-rounded game and can provide leadership and experience to a Kazan club that hopes to make a deep playoff run this year. Rukavishnikov, a physical stay-at-home defender, will also help to make up for the loss of Ozhiganov. Meanwhile, SKA lands one of the top blue liners in the KHL. Ozhiganov had eight points through 19 gamed with Ak Bars, which would put him on pace for a career high in scoring, especially with the firepower of St. Petersburg at his disposal now. Ozhiganov recorded seven points in 53 games with Toronto last season and looked like a player who could have found employment in the NHL again this summer had he wanted to stay.

NHL Announces 2020 Global Series Events

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In his press conference at today’s Global Series game in Sweden, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced that the league will be returning to Europe next year. The Boston Bruins and Nashville Predators will be heading to Prague, Czech Republic, while the Colorado Avalanche and Columbus Blue Jackets will face off in Helsinki, Finland. The Bruins and Predators will also be taking part in exhibition games in Germany and Switzerland respectively.

It’s immediately obvious why the Bruins were one of the choices to play in Prague, as they hold arguably the best Czech player in the world right now. David Pastrnak has 15 goals and 30 points through his first 15 games and looks like he may challenge for the Hart Trophy this season. The team also has David Krejci, one of the country’s most celebrated NHL players.

Finland won’t be disappointed though, as Mikko Rantanen will get a chance to play in his home country. The injured forward is off to one of the most impressive starts by any Finnish-born player, and actually already ranks 30th in scoring among NHL players from the country.

The Global Series games have been a huge success so far and show no signs of slowing down. The Prague game will start the 2020-21 season, while the dates for the other matchups will be announced at a later date.

Overseas Notes: Olympics, Rattie, Brickley

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As collective bargaining continues to progress between the NHL and NHLPA, one of the major issues still in discussions is the league’s participation in the Olympics. The NHL notably sat out the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, as the owners’ complaints included the extended break in the league season, the injury risk to star players, and the lack of value in the locale. With the first two arguments unchanging and the next two Games being held in Beijing, China and Milan, Italy, it is unlikely that the NHL Board has changed their stance on Olympic participation. However, there is a reason why “bargaining” is a key word in the CBA. If Olympic participation is a sticking point for the players, the NHL could use it as leverage in another area of negotiations. Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr, and IIHF President Rene Fasel plan to meet in Sweden in two weeks during the NHL Global Series between the Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning in Stockholm. The trio of leaders will discuss the issues and options regarding the league’s Olympic participation, but there is unlikely to be a resolution from just the one meeting. Johnston calls the Olympic issue a “major hurdle” in CBA talks, so it could be that the upcoming summit is just the beginning of working toward an answer.

  • One of the more notable NHL players to sign in Europe this off-season is already out of a job. The KHL announced that Lokomotiv Yaroslavl has terminated the contract of forward Ty Rattie. It’s unclear if this was a mutual termination or if Rattie was cut from the team, but either way the 26-year-old winger will be looking for a new place to play. The news comes as a surprise, as Rattie has recorded nine points in 16 games for Lokomotiv and was part of a strong core group of former NHLers alongside Stephane Da Costa, Anton Lander, and Jakub Nakladal. The KHL is no stranger to payroll problems, which may have led to Rattie’s release, but one would think that the team could have traded him instead. Thus, it is more likely that Rattie requested his contract be terminated to go play elsewhere. After a career-high 50 NHL games with the Edmonton Oilers last season, it very well could be that Rattie feels he belongs in North America and has been waiting for an opportunity. Stay tuned to this story to see what comes next for the former second-round pick.
  • Going the other way is big, two-way forward Connor Brickley. Brickley had a difficult summer, failing to find an NHL contract despite a full season with the Florida Panthers in 2017-18 and a nice stretch run with the New York Rangers last year. On top of that, he failed to turn PTO’s with both the Rangers and their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, into a contract. As a result, Brickley has decided to take his talents to Germany. EC Salzburg of the Austrian-based EBEL has announced a one-year contract with Brickley. A high-scoring AHLer and a veteran of 81 NHL games, Brickley immediately becomes the most decorated player on the Red Bulls’ roster and should provide a major boost to the team this year. Brickley likely hopes that a dominant performance in the EBEL will be enough to garner more attention in North America next off-season.

Early Notes: Capitals, Sbisa, Senators,

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The Washington Capitals are arriving for training camp today and doing their first press availability, including GM Brian MacLellan. Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post passes along some information from the front office executive, including an update on contract talks with Braden Holtby and Niklas Backstrom. The team will “play this out” with both players, who have just one year remaining on their respective contracts. They have made contact with Holtby’s agent already and will be speaking with Backstrom’s soon.

Khurshudyan also notes that the team is waiting to hear from the NHL with regards to Evgeny Kuznetsov, who met with commissioner Gary Bettman earlier this week. Kuznetsov was recently suspended by the IIHF for a positive cocaine test and could face further discipline from the NHL, though many—including Khurshudyan—doubt that will happen.

  • Luca Sbisa is officially back with the New York Islanders on a professional tryout, according to Andrew Gross of Newsday. Sbisa had been spotted on the ice during some informal skates prior to training camp and it was assumed he would be back, though today confirmed that belief. The 29-year old defenseman played nine games for the Islanders last season and has suited up just 39 times since the end of 2016-17.
  • The Ottawa Senators will not have a captain this season, instead naming Mark Borowiecki, Ron Hainsey and Jean-Gabriel Pageau the three alternates. Hainsey of course is a brand new face in the Senators room but has a familiarity with new head coach D.J. Smith from their time together with the Toronto Maple Leafs. An extremely vocal player on the ice, Hainsey has seen just about everything there is to see over a 1,068-game NHL career.

Snapshots: Barzal, Brodziak, Player Tracking

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Mathew Barzal has noticed all the young restricted free agents causing havoc around the league by holding out this deep in the summer, and while he knows he’ll be in the same situation a year from now isn’t focused on it. In Arthur Staples’ latest piece for The Athletic, Barzal explains that he wants to be part of the New York Islanders for a long time and just wants to take the next step as a team:

My mindset is I’m here. I’ve got one year left and then I’m an RFA, I’m not a UFA. There isn’t much to worry about. All those RFAs now are young, like me, so I get the comparison. But I just want us to win.

Barzal, 22, took a step backwards offensively last season in the more structured system new head coach Barry Trotz installed, but was still a huge reason why the Islanders came second in the Metropolitan Division (just a point behind the Washington Capitals) and wound up sweeping the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round. The 16th overall pick from 2015 has 147 points in 166 games during his short tenure in the NHL and is due for a huge raise on his next deal.

  • The Edmonton Oilers will bring in some more center depth with the signing of Riley Sheahan to a one-year deal, but may not have one of their other veteran options. Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal reports that the team isn’t expecting Kyle Brodziak to pass his physical after not being able to train all offseason due to injury. Brodziak has one year remaining on his contract and carries a $1.15MM cap hit, which could be placed on long-term injured reserve if he’s not able to return to action. The veteran forward was brought in after a surprisingly excellent 2017-18 with the St. Louis Blues, but only registered nine points in 70 games for the Oilers last season.
  • Greg Wyshynski and Emily Kaplan of ESPN are reporting that the NHL has cut ties with Jogmo World Corp, their primary technology partner when it comes to puck and player tracking. Commissioner Gary Bettman listed “organizational and financial challenges” as the reason for the switch, but still expects the technology to be ready for the 2019-20 playoffs.

U.S. Hockey Hall Of Fame Announces 2019 Class

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The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame has announced the class of 2019, which will include Gary Bettman, Brian Gionta, Neal Henderson, Tim Thomas and Krissy Wendell. The five will be inducted on December 12th in Washington, D.C.

Bettman has served as the commissioner of the NHL for the last 26 years, joining the league in 1993 after working with the NBA. While he is a controversial figure with many fans thanks to the multiple work stoppages that the league has gone through, there is no denying his impact in growing the game all over North America and the world. The NHL is about to welcome its 32nd franchise into play with the Seattle expansion and hockey markets have been developed in countless non-traditional areas in the United States. Bettman was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018.

Gionta finished his playing career in 2018 with a bang by captaining Team USA at the 2018 Olympic Games, pulling on a sweater he has done many times in the past. The veteran of more than 1,000 NHL games has suited up for USA Hockey at the Olympics, World Championships, World Juniors and several other international tournaments over the years, representing his country well on the world stage. The Boston College star was an All-American before his professional career started and is currently ranked 43rd among American-born skaters in NHL points.

Thomas last played in the NHL during the 2014 season but is one of the most decorated American-born goaltenders in history. The proud recipient of the Stanley Cup, Conn Smythe, Vezina Trophy (twice), William Jennings Trophy, Olympic silver medal and World Championship bronze, Thomas’ spot in the U.S. Hall was only a matter of time. The goaltender represented his country several times on the international stage, including before his professional career even began and he was still playing at the University of Vermont.

A key part of the development of women’s hockey in the United States, Wendell represented USA Hockey on many occasions at the international level, including captaining the 2006 Olympic bronze medal-winning squad. With two Olympic and six World Championship medals, she’s one of the most decorated American-born women to ever play the sport. An incredible offensive talent, Wendell put up 247 points in 147 games while representing the United States and finished her collegiate career at the University of Minnesota with an 104-point season, despite playing just 40 games.

Henderson, a finalist for the Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award in 2018, has been a constant in the D.C. area hockey community for the last four decades. His programs have helped young players who wouldn’t otherwise have a chance to learn the sport, while spreading the game throughout the area.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Evgeny Kuznetsov Receives IIHF Suspension

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Washington Capitals forward has received a four-year suspension from the IIHF, banning him from all international hockey competitions due to a positive test for cocaine at the recent World Championships. Earlier this summer, a separate video was circulated which showed Kuznetsov in a hotel room beside an unidentified white powdered substance, but after denying he ever took illegal drugs and stating that the video was from 2018, he was cleared by the NHL. In light of this news, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly has released this statement:

We have been fully briefed by the IIHF with respect to the positive test result and related international sanction that has been imposed on Washington Capitals’ Player Evgeny Kuznetsov.

Unlike the IIHF, cocaine is not considered a performance enhancing drug and is therefore not a Prohibited Substance under the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program.  Instead, it is considered a drug of abuse that is tested for and for which intervention, evaluation and mandatory treatment can occur in appropriate cases.

Here, we understand that Mr. Kuznetsov has voluntarily sought help through the education and counseling program provided for in the NHL and NHLPA collective bargaining agreement and has agreed to a regular testing protocol relating to his involvement with that program.

Mr. Kuznetsov has also agreed to an in-person meeting with Commissioner Gary Bettman to discuss his situation and review his conduct prior to the start of Training Camp preceding the 2019-20 season. We intend to reserve further comment on any additional actions that may or may not be taken with respect to today’s announcement (disciplinary or otherwise) pending the completion of the Commissioner’s meeting with Mr. Kuznetsov.

Kuznetsov has not been suspended by the NHL and as of this moment is currently still able to take part in training camp next month. The team released a statement on this issue:

We are aware of the positive test result and related international sanction that has been imposed on Evgeny Kuznetsov. We are disappointed with this development and take this occurrence seriously. We understand that Evgeny has voluntarily sought help through the education and counseling program provided for in the NHL/NHLPA collective bargaining agreement and has agreed to a regular testing protocol relating to his involvement with that program. In addition, we are committed to ensuring he has the necessary support required to work through this situation. We will remain in contact with the NHL as they determine the next steps. Because of the sensitive nature surrounding this matter, there will be no further comment from us at this time.

Kuznetsov himself also released a statement through the team, explaining that he will accept the four-year suspension.

Recently, the IIHF notified me that, due to a positive test for a banned substance, I would be suspended from international competition for four years. I have made the decision to accept this penalty. Representing my country has always been so close to my heart and something I take so much pride in. Not being able to put that sweater on for four years is very hard to take. I have disappointed so many people that are important to me, including my family, teammates and friends. From the first day I took the ice in D.C., the Washington Capitals organization and our fans have been nothing but great to me and my family. I feel absolutely terrible for letting you down. I realize that the only way I can win you back is to take ownership of my situation and my actions from this point forward.

Canucks To Retire The Numbers Of Henrik And Daniel Sedin

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Commissioner Gary Bettman opened the 2019 NHL Entry Draft in Vancouver by inviting former Canucks superstars Henrik and Daniel Sedin on to the stage. He proceeded to announce that Vancouver would honor the twins by retiring their numbers next season. The Canucks have since clarified that the numbers will be raised into the rafters during the team’s 50th anniversary celebration in February.

As many might have expected, Nos. 22 and 33 will never again be worn in Vancouver. As soon as the Sedins were selected at second and third overall in 1999, they became the faces of the franchise for the Canucks. The duo each played in more than 1,300 games and recorded more than 1,000 points as members of the Canucks over 17 seasons. Both brothers appeared in three All-Star games, won and Art Ross Trophy, and won at least one King Clancy Trophy. Henrik was additionally the 2009-10 Hart Trophy winner, while Daniel won the Ted Lindsay Award in 2010-11.

Since retiring after the 2017-18 season, the Sedin’s have remained involved in Vancouver, but on the ice have left a new core of young players to lead the Canucks. Fellow Swede Elias Pettersson took the reins and posted 66 points en route to the Calder Trophy. Pettersson and company will hope to continue emulating the Sedins, future Hall of Famers, as the Canucks look to get back to relevance next season, which would be the real celebration in the team’s 50th season.

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