Thread to illegally post long-form articles behind pay walls (188 views)

[jhb]

Thread title.

[cf3234]

theathletic.com/262206/2018/03/05/lebrun-panthers-meteoric-rise-in-standings-is-simply-about-buying-in/

[jhb]

LeBrun: Panthers' meteoric rise in standings is simply about buying in


By Pierre LeBrun 3 hours ago 7
You would have been forgiven to have written off the Florida Panthers five weeks ago.

They headed into the all-star break 12 points out of a playoff spot, which in the salary cap era seems like the kind of hole you just don’t dig out of.

Not with all those three-point games going up every night.

And it’s funny because I go back to a conversation I had with Panthers GM Dale Tallon in the second week of February when I was trying to size up what the trade deadline would mean to him as a “seller,” and he very politely pointed out to me that his team still very much had playoff hopes. I remember looking at the standings thinking, “Really?”

Well, the sizzling hot Panthers have gone 13-3-0 since the all-star break to sit just one point out of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, taking advantage of some home cooking of late, going a perfect 6-0-0 at home versus Washington, Pittsburgh, Toronto, New Jersey, Buffalo and Philadelphia.

But don’t go looking for any magical, TSN Turning Point in this story. Star defenceman Aaron Ekblad, third among NHL blueliners with 13 goals, says it’s not like that. This wasn’t about a players’ meeting or a speech that turned everything around in late January.

“Oh no, definitely not,” Ekblad told The Athletic over the phone Monday. “It’s literally just buying in. It’s about consistency. It’s a completely different atmosphere. It’s pretty awesome.”

No, the change in the season, as Ekblad sees it, has more to do with the team eventually synching up more naturally with the system put in place by first-year head coach Bob Boughner and his staff.

“I think we took a little bit of time earlier in the season trying to adjust to the systems,” said Ekblad. “I think now we know exactly what every player is going to do on the ice. The coaches set out a game plan for us, and we’ve been following it just a lot closer than earlier in the season. Everybody knows their job, it’s more second nature to us now.”

Still, it’s just so hard to gain ground in the standings at this time of year, so the Panthers’ meteoric rise is some kind of story. It has certainly been helped by the likes of Columbus, Carolina and the Islanders fading over the past month, too.

Are the Panthers paying attention to the standings? You better believe it.

“We always know, it’s pretty easy at this point when you’re one point up or down,” said Ekblad. “It’s easy to know where you are. And I guess we’re constantly reminded by you guys in the media (he laughs). It’s easy to track. We feel that motivation, that kind of pressure, it’s a good kind of pressure to have for the guys on this team. We have good character guys. We’re handling that kind of pressure the right way.”

New Jersey holds the top wild-card spot with 74 points followed by Columbus in the second wild-card spot at 71 points, then it’s Florida (70) points, Carolina (69 points), then the Rangers and Isles both at 66 points apiece.

Six teams, two playoff spots available.

The difference is that Florida holds three games in hand on all of those teams, which is an obvious advantage. On the flip side, the Panthers play 17 games in 31 March days. It’s a grind of a month. Then it’s topped off by five games in seven days to end the regular season April 2-8, the Sunday game on April 8 in Boston added on as a result of a weather postponement earlier this season.

“Yeah that extra Boston game, that’ll be a fun one, you never know, that might be the opportunity for us to get into the playoffs with that game,” said Ekblad. “It’s going to be a lot of fun. These are the games we all live to play in. This is what we live for, trying to make the playoffs.”

Ekblad has been a beast on the back end, averaging 23:41 per game on the season. But if you’re looking for an MVP on this team it has to be No. 1 centre Aleksander Barkov, his team-leading 64 points (25-39) in 62 games just telling part of the story, his overall two-way game very much putting him in the conversation for the Selke Trophy this season. It’s an award you think he’ll be destined to win one of these years.

“He’s got to at some point,” agreed Ekblad. “He’s an unbelievable player. He’s so much fun to watch. It’s crazy how good he is. He’s always making that play that you just have absolutely no idea it was coming. And defensively, he’s always in the right spot. He’s a quiet player, people somehow don’t know about it, but he’s just so great. He’s unbelievable.”

Barkov and Ekblad will both be front and centre Tuesday night as they play against the rival Lightning in Tampa. It sure would be fun to get these two Florida teams in a playoff series together. As it stands, their games over the last few years are almost always entertaining.

“It’s like the Battle of Alberta but it’s the Battle of Florida, it’s fun to be part of those games,” said Ekblad. “It’s been pretty even who comes out on top. They’ve definitely been games that are fun to watch, good turnout for the games, it’s a lot of fun.”

Everything is fun in the sun right now for the Panthers. If they can keep it up, who knows, maybe we’ll finally have ourselves an all-Florida playoff series.

(Top photo credit: Perry Nelson/USA TODAY Sports)

[IanBoyd]

hi is this the war room?

[pedro el guapo]

no this is the thread to illegally post articles behind the paywall

[TimPig]

Mar 5, 2018 22:04:01 GMT pedro el guapo said:

no this is the thread to illegally post articles behind the paywall

Long-form articles*

[eric]

:narc:

[wee2dee]

www.espn.com/mlb/insider/story/_/id/22646235/yankees-dodgers-top-astros-mlb-future-power-rankings

[pedro el guapo]

I guess no one has ESPN insider any more

[TimPig]

Please help.

theathletic.com/269930/2018/03/12/lebrun-exploring-the-timeline-for-seattle-and-possible-gm-candidates/


jhb

[jhb]

Mar 12, 2018 14:39:38 GMT TimPig said:

Please help.

theathletic.com/269930/2018/03/12/lebrun-exploring-the-timeline-for-seattle-and-possible-gm-candidates/


jhb

LeBrun: Exploring the timeline for Seattle and possible GM candidates





By Pierre LeBrun 2h ago 9

This column began as an idea to present some logical candidates for the Seattle GM job.



And I’ll look at those options, but the more I got to thinking about things with the potential expansion team in Seattle, the more I realized I might be getting a little ahead of myself with the GM speculation.



For starters, they can’t drop the puck in Seattle for a real NHL game until the fall of 2020, and that’s if the major gutting, renovation and re-design of Key Arena go as scheduled (it is supposed to break ground by the end of 2018).



Let’s run on the premise that it will indeed be ready for the fall of 2020.



Based on recent expansion team history, that would put the GM hire somewhere in the summer of 2019, if Seattle's ownership group wants to follow the same script — which perhaps it doesn’t.



Take Vegas, for example. It officially got a franchise in June 2016 and hired George McPhee as GM in July 2016. The Golden Knights then dropped the puck for real this past October.



Nashville got a conditional franchise in June 1997, hired GM David Poile in July 1997 and played its first real game in October 1998.



As one Western Conference team executive told The Athletic on Sunday, why would the owners in Seattle want to pay a GM further out than one year before puck drop?



That is unless, perhaps, the owners believe waiting too long would make them miss out on a candidate they really want. That’s certainly a possibility. And one industry source said Sunday that he believes the Seattle owners may want someone in the GM job earlier than Vegas, if indeed it’s a guy they really want.



It’s all speculation at this point.



Now the real key in all this is finding out when, exactly, the NHL’s Board of Governors would vote and give Seattle its official stamp of approval to become the league’s 32nd franchise. That has not been decided yet. The league still has a process to complete in terms of doing its due diligence on the bid.



Let’s go on the premise Seattle meets all the criteria and background checks. There are some people who think the vote and official stamp could come as early as this June’s Board of Governors meeting. And perhaps that will come to pass.



But I also get the sense that the league is in no rush given that there can’t be hockey at Key Arena until the 2020-21 season at the earliest.



That doesn’t stop the league from still going earlier on Seattle than it did for Vegas in terms of a timeline. There are no hard-fast rules.



Still, why not wait until next December’s Board of Governors meeting? I mean, what is the rush, exactly?



Well, as one Eastern Conference team executive said Sunday, there is the issue of gobbling up that $650 million expansion fee as early as possible.



Right. There is that.



And while we’re having fun guessing away at the potential Seattle timeline, let’s throw this wrench into the proceedings.



It just so happens that September 2020, a month before Seattle potentially could be hosting its first regular-season NHL game, is also the window where the NHL could have its next labor battle.



In September 2019, both the owners and the players each have the right to announce whether they want to opt out of the current CBA one year later instead of letting the agreement run its full course through the 2021-22 season.



From the CBA:



“Either party shall have the right to terminate this Agreement effective midnight September 15, 2020 (“early termination”) by providing notice as specified hereafter.



(i) The NHL may exercise its option for early termination by delivery of written notification to the NHLPA of its election to do so on or before September 1, 2019.



(ii) If the NHL has not already done so, the NHLPA may exercise its option for early termination by delivery of written notification to the NHL of its election to do so on or before September 15, 2019.”



Can’t wait!



(An an aside, after covering two NHL lockouts, remind me to book James Duthie’s Turks and Caicos retreat spot and not return until the next potential labor battle is over.)



If the NHL is headed for a September 2020 labor war and knows as much by September 2019, would it want to delay the start of things in Seattle to the 2021-22 season? No idea. But I feel like you have to at least ask that question.



And from an NHL Players’ Association perspective, would you be sensitive to the whole Seattle timing given that 23 of your members will be players there? Or in the greater scheme of things, is it a nice leverage tool for the NHLPA to try and get some of what it wants in the next CBA by playing off the Seattle season launch point and the league’s eagerness not to mess with it?



We’re getting way ahead of ourselves, but these are all things to chew on.



All of which are probably things that potential Seattle GM candidates are also chewing on as they potentially pass up opportunities in the next few months because they’re eyeing Seattle, or they decide not to pass something up because the timing of Seattle remains unclear.



It will be a coveted gig to be sure, even though the first 12 months on the job you’re going to be educating/convincing your market that what happened in Vegas in Year 1 was not normal. Managing expectations out of the gate in Seattle will be rather pressing.



In saying all that, and with the obvious knowledge that I might be premature in even attempting this, here’s a list of GM candidates that might make sense as of today as far as I would see it (in no particular order):



Ken Holland: The veteran Detroit Red Wings GM is near the end of his current contract, although that doesn’t mean he’s necessarily going anywhere. That remains to be seen. But if you’re Seattle, here’s a veteran hockey man with Stanley Cup rings who also happens to spend his summers in his native British Columbia. If he’s available in June 2019 or whenever Seattle goes ahead with its search, he’d surely be a candidate. And if Seattle is going to follow the route that Vegas took, it’s worth remembering the Golden Knights went with a very experienced candidate in McPhee.



Dean Lombardi: Speaking of Stanley Cup rings, this is another veteran hockey mind. The sticky part would be that I don’t think Lombardi and Tim Leiweke were on the same page at times when both were in Los Angeles together. Leiweke, of course, is part of the group that’s charged with renovating Key Arena and one assumes might potentially stay on board in some role with the franchise. One Eastern Conference team executive on Sunday said he feels Lombardi is the perfect choice for Seattle. And again, he would fit the mold of the more experienced hand.



Kelly McCrimmon: My TSN colleague Darren Dreger has mentioned him more than a few times as a logical, potential fit and I whole-heartedly agree. Who better to know the ins and outs of building an expansion team than the guy who just did it as the assistant GM in Las Vegas? Not to mention he knows the Seattle market from his long tenure as owner, GM and coach in Brandon of the Western Hockey League over the years.



Laurence Gilman: The former Canucks AGM (who was contacted by Carolina for its GM search over the past week) still lives with his family in Vancouver. He’d be acutely aware of the market in the Pacific Northwest. If Seattle looked at him as a potential GM candidate, would they also want his old sidekick from Vancouver, Mike Gillis, to come in as a president of hockey-type? Food for thought.



Paul Fenton: The longtime Predators AGM (also in the mix for the Carolina GM job) has been there since Day 1 in Nashville, so he has first-hand knowledge of how to build a team from the ground up. He’s been Poile’s right-hand man for a long time, and the Predators’ run speaks for itself. The Preds have developed players like few other organizations and Fenton, in charge of the AHL team, has been a big part of that.



Julien BriseBois: The Hurricanes, it’s believed, have also reached out to Tampa Bay about this rising star. I’m just not sure whether BriseBois would be interested in that Carolina job. Is the timing right? He’s put himself in a position with his work within the Lightning front office where I think he can afford to be selective about when it’s time to finally jump into a GM job. For starters, I can’t imagine he’s in any hurry to leave Tampa where it’s a darn good place to work and live. But if he’s still in Tampa by the time Seattle begins its search, the expansion team would be crazy not to call.



Bill Zito: The Blue Jackets AGM got a good, hard look from the Sabres before they hired Jason Botterill as GM last summer. Zito has an AHL championship under his belt as GM of the AHL club. He’s been four years in Columbus as AGM. His many years running his own player agency also fills out his knowledge of the industry. Some people certainly view him as a future NHL GM.



Mike Futa: The Kings AGM has already had a phone interview with the Hurricanes for their vacant GM job, and he’s certainly a serious candidate for that gig. But if he decides to stay put, the longtime Kings executive has a strong scouting background and had a lot to do with the organization’s two Cup championships. Seattle would be foolish not to call on him if he’s still in L.A.



Pat Brisson: This is kind of a wild-card entrant because I always have a hard time believing one of the game’s most successful agents would ever want to leave that gig to go run an NHL team. My pal Dreger brought his name up during our Insider Trading segment last week on TSN as a long shot candidate for Seattle. It makes sense on some level because Brisson is friends with Jerry Bruckheimer, one of Seattle’s owners, and has a good relationship with Leiweke. Brisson has often been mentioned/rumored as a potential candidate over the years when past GM openings played out (Montreal, Pittsburgh) but again, is that something he’d really want?



There are lots of other names you could throw in here, and it’s a list that I think will continue to fluctuate over the next year as we get closer to potentially seeing Seattle get its franchise. And again, some of these names might get snapped up before Seattle even has a chance to talk to them. But it’s fun to think about it all. Because believe me, it’s a hot topic around the league.



(Top photo credit: Terrence Vaccaro/NBAE via Getty Images)

[jhb]

If anyone decides to sign up on The Athletic do so with my referral link theathletic.com/269930?shared_by=213604

And I get $10 on Amazon

[TimPig]

www.seattletimes.com/sports/seahawks/seahawks-postpone-meeting-with-colin-kaepernick-when-he-declined-to-stop-kneeling-for-anthem/?utm_content=bufferc5504&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

I reached my monthly limit.

[eric]

Apr 12, 2018 18:03:35 GMT TimPig said:

www.seattletimes.com/sports/seahawks/seahawks-postpone-meeting-with-colin-kaepernick-when-he-declined-to-stop-kneeling-for-anthem/?utm_content=bufferc5504&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

I reached my monthly limit.

that's funny, colin kaepernick reached his lifetime limit too

of putting up with RACISM

and also print journalism paywalls

but mostly RACISM

[pedro el guapo]

By Bob Condotta
Seattle Times staff reporter

The Seahawks had plans to bring in former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick for a workout as they search for a backup quarterback to Russell Wilson, but postponed the meeting when he said he did not know what his plan is for his off-field social activism going forward, including whether he would continue to kneel for the national anthem.

The news was first reported Thursday by ESPN’s Adam Schefter and later confirmed by the Times.


A source told the Times that the Seahawks asked Kaepernick what his plans would be for his off-field activities if he were to play football in 2018 and that Kaepernick — who kneeled for the anthem during his most recent season in the NFL with the 49ers in 2016 — said he didn’t know. The Seahawks apparently are not solely concerned about Kaepernick kneeling for the anthem but want assurances of his commitment to football.

With Kaepernick saying he was unclear of his future off-field plans, the Seahawks then decided to postpone the trip for now so that coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider could further discuss the situation, but left the door open that Kaepernick could still be considered and brought in for a visit. The team’s hope is that Kaepernick can still be brought in for a visit and considered as an option at backup quarterback.

Seattle also brought in Kaepernick for a visit last May after which Carroll said the team did not sign him due in part because “he’s a starter in this league and I can’t imagine — we have a starter. But he’s a starter in this league and I can’t imagine somebody won’t give him a chance to play.’’

Under Carroll, the Seahawks have been regarded as being as supportive of players’ social stances and on- and off-field activities as any team in the NFL. Carroll publicly supported the decision of Michael Bennett to sit for the anthem last season (with Bennett often joined by most of the rest of the defensive line). Carroll also supported the team’s decision to stay in the locker room for the anthem before a game at Tennessee when the players wanted to make a statement following a tweet from President Donald Trump criticizing players who did not stand for the anthem.

But Carroll also said at the end of last season that he thought some of the off-field activities took a toll on the team’s performance on the field, especially the loss at Tennessee following a day of meetings to discuss what the team should do, and seemed to hint that he hoped the team would be more focused on football in 2018. Since then, the team has traded Bennett to Philadelphia.

“You know, I think it had an effect in the game that week in Tennessee, yeah I really do think it had an effect,” Carroll said in his season-ending press conference on Jan. 2. “I think it had an effect on a lot of teams and a lot of players. It was an extraordinarily heated time. I think that was a different amount of emotional output that occurred before the game. It looked like it the way we played; it looked like it took its toll, and we had gone through the whole process in doing what we did. We needed to do it, and we couldn’t avoid it. We had to face it and we had to deal with it, and the other team called us up and said ‘What are you guys going to do,’ and they said ‘Ok, we’ll do that, too.’ I don’t know if they went through the same process that we went through or not, I don’t know, but I know we did. Honestly, if I could’ve done something about it I would’ve. I don’t think that there was anything but needing to face it; it’s too real.

“I did find out during the course of the year that guys didn’t want to stay on the topic. It was too draining and it was too deep and I hope in the off-season, guys can come back around to find what they want to work at and learn and grow with, but it was draining. It’s a real-life discussion that we’re talking about here when we’re talking about inequality and justice and stuff like that. There’s real-life stuff here that needs to be talked about and needs to continue to be connected with, but in the course of a football season and all of those factors that contributed to keeping that alive, some came from across the country, and some came right internally from the locker room, and it was all over the place. It was taxing; and I think it is something to not be forgotten about this football season. I think it was part of it.”


Kaepernick did not play in 2017 after spending the 2011-16 seasons on the roster of the 49ers. He led San Francisco to the Super Bowl following the 2012 season and then to the NFC title game following the 2013 season when the Seahawks beat San Francisco 23-17 at CenturyLink Field when Richard Sherman tipped a Kaepernick pass into the hands of Malcolm Smith for a game-clinching interception in the final seconds.

The 30-year-old is 28-30 in his career as a starter.

[TimPig]

theathletic.com/336523/2018/04/30/the-athletics-nhl-mock-draft-lottery-edition-10-writers-15-picks-one-no-brainer/

Please.

[dump]

Maybe this is just how the draft lottery gods work. When the Buffalo Sabres were in full-on tank mode, they couldn’t buy the No. 1 overall pick. This season was supposed to be one of growth and progress up the standings and it was a bit disastrous. Until Saturday.

Credit Sabres GM Jason Botterill for resisting full-on Rene Rancourt fist pumps in Marc Bergevin and Don Waddell’s direction after winning the lottery but the hint of the smile gave it away. This weekend was a franchise defining moment for the Sabres in winning the lottery and the opportunity to select Rasmus Dahlin No. 1 overall.

“He’d probably be the best defenseman on a lot of teams right off the bat,” said an NHL general manager of the talented Swede.

That’s the no-brainer at the top of the 2018 NHL draft. After that, things get a little murky. There are good players but not a defined order. So to help provide some early clarity, or at least attempt to, we’ve rounded up some of The Athletic’s NHL writers to represent NHL teams and run through a mock draft with the 15 lottery teams. Chances are, as more intel becomes available, we’ll do it again.

Buffalo, you’re on the clock:

No. 1: Buffalo Sabres

Rasmus Dahlin, D, Frolunda (SWE)

He’s the defensive version of Auston Matthews or Connor McDavid. He’s a franchise-changer who also happens to fit a real need for the Sabres and forms a core with Jack Eichel, Casey Mittelstadt and fellow defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen that should vault the Sabres back into playoff contention sooner rather than later. “I believe he’s a generational player and most people in the industry do,” said a GM of Dahlin. – Craig Custance (@craigcustance)

No. 2: Carolina Hurricanes

Andrei Svechnikov, RW, Barrie (OHL)

The Hurricanes are on the cusp of being a good team but if there’s one thing they lack it’s a truly dangerous scoring threat. In Svechnikov, they get the best pure goal scorer in the class and a player who can create for his linemates when he’s tightly checked. Unlike Filip Zadina, Svechnikov doesn’t need the puck to make plays as a carrier, which will allow him to score with a variety of linemates. Svechnikov can break open games in a split second, and has 40-goal upside. He’s also ready to play in the NHL next year. – Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler)

No. 3: Montreal Canadiens

Filip Zadina, RW, Halifax (QMJHL)

So much has been made about the Canadiens needing to improve the centre position, and it’s not false, but they also need pure offensive skill, no matter the position. So, while I wouldn’t be shocked if the Canadiens traded down a tiny bit to grab a centre at a more appropriate spot and add either an extra pick late in the first round or a prospect, Zadina brings dynamic offensive skill that would be hard to pass up and he could step right into a top-6 role if Max Pacioretty is moved this summer as expected. Zadina has an NHL-ready shot and high-end hands and instincts around the net that would help solve the Canadiens scoring issues. – Arpon Basu (@arponbasu)

No. 4 Ottawa Senators

Brady Tkachuk, LW, Boston University (NCAA)

The Senators are on the cusp in this draft where it transitions from forwards to defense prospects. There is definitely a need on the left side up front after having lost veteran Clarke MacArthur and with Mike Hoffman the subject of trade rumors. Tkachuk fits the bill. But the Senators will also have to wrestle with the future of their right side on the blueline with both captain Erik Karlsson and No. 2 on the right side Cody Ceci needing contract situations addressed. Right now it looks like forward is more pressing need. – Chris Stevenson (@cj_Stevenson)

No. 5 Arizona Coyotes

Quinn Hughes, D, Michigan (NCAA)

I believe Hughes is the fourth-best prospect in this class and the Coyotes need to continue to build depth on the backend to insulate the young, talented crop of forwards they’ve acquired. Hughes offers what a lot of the high-end, smaller defensemen in this class don’t yet have: two-way upside. Despite his stature, he’s actually an excellent defender. I suspect he’s also only a year away, and will wrap up his college career after his sophomore season. He can exit the zone with possession, quarterback a power play, and create with his feet, his hands, and his ability as a passer. – Wheeler

No. 6 Detroit Red Wings

Evan Bouchard, D, London (OHL)

The Red Wings have a real need in their prospect pool for a high-end defenseman and they’ll have options in this slot. Maybe enough to entertain moving down slightly depending on how the previous picks play out. If I were in charge, I would lean toward Adam Boqvist at No. 6 if he’s available because of his high ceiling but he may also take longer to reach his potential. The Red Wings really like Bouchard and they’d be getting a 6-foot-2 defenseman rated by Central Scouting as the No. 4 overall ranked North American skater. He can play big minutes in a lot of different situations and has the offensive skills to run an NHL power play. “He plays a ton,” said one Eastern Conference talent evaluator. “Dale (Hunter) loves to play his better players.” Earlier this year, Hunter compared Bouchard to Capitals defenseman John Carlson, the kind of player the Red Wings would take in a heartbeat. – Custance

No. 7 Vancouver Canucks

Adam Boqvist, D, Brynas (SWE)

Tough decision here with Noah Dobson still available, but anytime you hear a prospect compared to Erik Karlsson, you have to jump on it. The Canucks have been desperate for a right-shot power play QB, and Boqvist fits the bill. – Jason Brough (@jasonbroughtsn)

No. 8 Chicago Blackhawks

Oliver Wahlstrom, RW, USA U-18

The Blackhawks need defensive help, but no one left on the board would step into the lineup immediately. In Henri Jokiharju and Ian Mitchell, the Hawks have young, high-end defensemen on their way. Noah Dobson was tempting, but Oliver Wahlstrom was the best available player. Mark Kelley (Blackhawks vice president, amateur scouting) always says that’s his priority. Wahlstrom is a pure goal scorer, and only Svechnikov may be better in that area in this draft. – Scott Powers (@byscottpowers)

No. 9 New York Rangers

Jesperi Kotkaniemi, C, Assat (FIN)

The Rangers have young forwards on the way in Filip Chytil, Lias Andersson, and Brett Howden, but there’s no reason to believe they don’t need to continue to expand on what has become a pretty thin pool up front and on the backend. Kotkaniemi brings a versatility to his game that allows him to play all three forward positions and he’s equal parts scorer and playmaker. He’s not going to be an elite offensive player but he projects as an impact option who can play the power play. He has flown a little under the radar until late in the season with scouts but he was one of his team’s best players with Assat in Liiga as a teenager and was excellent at under-18s. – Wheeler

No. 10 Edmonton Oilers

Noah Dobson, D, Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)

Edmonton knows how dear the cost can be for a strong right-shot defenseman, but there’s more to this pick than mere positional need. Dobson combines a 6-foot-3 frame with high-end skating and skill. He was the best backwards skater at the CHL top prospect showcase both with and without the puck, and ranked third as a forward skater with the puck. The only real question here is overall offensive upside, and he made massive strides this season in that regard after topping the point-per-game mark in the QMJHL. – Jonathan Willis (@jonathanwillis)

No. 11 New York Islanders

Joseph Veleno, C, Drummondville (QMJHL)

Isles hit on a solid QMJHL center with Anthony Beauvillier three drafts ago and there seems to be a bit more upside with Veleno. The Isles’ prospect pool is woefully thin down the middle as well. – Arthur Staple (@stapeathletic)

No. 12 New York Islanders (from the Calgary Flames)

Bode Wilde, D, USA U-18

May be a reach here but big, right-shot defensemen are always valued and the Isles have no RHD in the pipeline now that Ryan Pulock has hit the big time. With a deep D prospect pool at the AHL level they can afford to wait a bit for Wilde. – Staple

No. 13 Dallas Stars

Barrett Hayton, C, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)

Stars need to add depth down the middle after focusing on defense and big wingers in recent years. It’s not a great class for centers, but Hayton fits well at 13. – Sean Shapiro (@seanshapiro)

No. 14 Philadelphia Flyers (from the St. Louis Blues)

Joel Farabee, LW, USA U-18

The Flyers have one of the deepest prospect pools in hockey, so Ron Hextall has the luxury of simply taking the best player available who fits his preferred mold. Farabee brings speed, two-way ability and tenacity to the table — all qualities that Hextall has valued in past high selections like Travis Konecny, Morgan Frost and German Rubtsov. In addition, Farabee’s biggest negative (a slight frame) isn’t one that has scared Hextall away from prospects in the past. Add in his potential as a pure goal scorer — the primary missing quality in the big club’s current forward mix — and Farabee makes a lot of sense here. – Charlie O’Connor (@charlieo_conn)

No. 15 Florida Panthers

Isac Lundestrom, C, Lulea (SWE)

At this point, I think the ever-controversial Ryan Merkley is the best player available but the Panthers strike me as a team who may have him on their no-draft list due to off-ice concerns. In his place, Lundestrom offers a reliable, versatile forward who has already found success at the pro level and projects as a two-way middle-six forward. If the choice is to be better safe than sorry, then Lundestrom is the perfect fit. He offers a lot and still has room to grow, even if the doesn’t have the high-end upside of some of the forwards ahead of him. I’m a big fan. – Wheeler

[Majic]

can one of you post this article? jhb dump

please and thank you


theathletic.com/337880/2018/05/01/howe-were-the-patriots-pursuing-baker-mayfield-maybe/

[pedro el guapo]

Howe: Were the Patriots pursuing Baker Mayfield? Maybe





By Jeff Howe 2h ago 3

The Patriots really loved quarterback Baker Mayfield prior to the NFL draft.



Whether or not that was enough to trade up to No. 2, we’ll probably never know, but we’ve uncovered one heck of an interesting backstory that unfolded a week prior to the draft, which saw the Browns select the Heisman Trophy winner with the top overall pick.



Here’s the story, a source with direct knowledge of the situation told The Athletic: In the weeks leading up to the draft, the Patriots kept trying to meet Mayfield for an interview, but Mayfield repeatedly declined their efforts because he didn’t believe they had a chance to take him. Of course, the Patriots’ first pick was at No. 23, so Mayfield recognized they’d have to trade up at least 20 spots to get him.



Finally, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels told a member of Mayfield’s camp the Pats were indeed considering that type of scenario. As such, Mayfield granted the meeting with the Patriots a week before the draft.



So that leads us to Tuesday morning when Mayfield’s agent, Jack Mills, appeared on Andrew Brandt’s podcast. Mills told Brandt, “We had another team, which is going to surprise you. Another team had said, ‘You may get a big surprise on draft day, at No. 2, if (Mayfield) is available.’ And it was the Patriots.”



To add more context, the source told The Athletic the Patriots never said they actually informed Mayfield’s camp that they would indeed trade up to No. 2, which was the Giants’ pick. It wasn’t disclosed if the Pats and Giants even had a trade in place if that scenario unfolded.



So why is the No. 2 pick in the spotlight here? The Jets told Mayfield they were going to take him at No. 3, according to a source. And obviously, the Jets wouldn’t trade their pick to the rival Patriots, especially if their preferred quarterback was on the board. So that’s where the speculation came from that the Patriots were prepared to trade up to No. 2. Again, maybe they would have, but they didn’t tell Mayfield that.



Also, according to the NFL trade-value chart, the Patriots probably would have had to fork over both of their first-round picks, both second-rounders, a third-rounder and next year’s first-rounder in order to climb to No. 2. That’d be an unprecedented decision from Bill Belichick.



Mayfield, of course, didn’t know he’d be the No. 1 pick until the Browns called him Thursday night. And with that decision, we’ve learned in the aftermath they crushed one of the most intriguing hypothetical scenarios of the 2018 draft season.

[TimPig]

www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/23489006/2018-nba-mock-draft-lottery-teams-top-picks-deandre-ayton-luka-doncic-trae-young

[TimPig]

theathletic.com/394886/2018/06/25/pronman-way-too-early-top-25-for-the-2019-nhl-draft/

[pedro el guapo]

Jun 26, 2018 4:57:14 GMT TimPig said:

theathletic.com/394886/2018/06/25/pronman-way-too-early-top-25-for-the-2019-nhl-draft/

TOGGLE NAVIGATION

Pronman: Way too early top 25 for the 2019 NHL draft

By Corey Pronman Jun 25, 2018 91 

The​ 2018 NHL draft ended on Saturday, and a whole​ day​ has passed​ without me​ writing about the​ draft,​​ so I figure it’s overdue for me to start with a way too early look at the 2019 NHL draft. What follows is a look at the 25 guys I feel are currently the top tier for the upcoming class.

The 2019 class has a couple of star quality prospects at the top of the class in Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko.

Jack Hughes is the premier name everyone knows about, but even excluding Hughes, the probable first overall pick, this is a very strong USA crop. The USNTDP boasts one of its strongest classes ever, a big reason why they rolled a lot of teams this past season and have a lot of representation high in the first round.

In the USNTDP history, five of their top 10 U17 scorers were last season: Jack Hughes at first, Cole Caufield at third, Matthew Boldy at fourth, Alex Turcotte at eighth and Trevor Zegras at ninth.

I could see this USNTDP team produce at least five first-round picks for this draft, and that number could pass seven.

Another clear thing from the 2019 draft is that Western Canada is deep at the top of the class. After a down season in 2018, this next crop is as strong a WHL crop as I’ve seen in a few years. There are only two prospects in my top 10 who aren’t part of the USNTDP nor play in Western Canada.

In terms of my early tiers, it goes Hughes then a drop. Kakko then a drop. And I view Trevor Zegras through Alex Newhook as the early top group.

This is the most scouting I’ve done of any draft class a year in advance, which I owe to The Athletic investing in my travels and our readers for subscribing.

1. Jack Hughes, C, USNTDP-USHL

Everyone was incredibly impressed when Andrei Svechnikov scored 1.2 points per game as a 16-year-old in the USHL. Hughes, at the same age, scored at nearly double that rate. He lit every level on fire wherever he went this past season like no 16-year-old has ever done at the NTDP. He has elite speed, hands and vision, with his only weakness being his size. He’s a dominant offensive player with the potential, if he keeps developing well, to be a star NHL center.

2. Kaapo Kakko, RW, TPS-Liiga

Kakko continues in the line of elite talent out of Finland in recent years, as he is a forward prospect up there with the very best players that country has produced lately at the same age. He’s a 6-foot-2 forward with elite skills and intelligence who uses his big frame to maintain puck possession. He makes so many high caliber plays and projects to be a premier playmaker at the NHL level. He’s not as fantastic a skater, but he’s solid in that area with enough power to be elusive.

3. Trevor Zegras, C, USNTDP-USHL

Zegras didn’t have the giant numbers like his teammate Hughes and Cole Caufield, but I was every bit impressed by his talent level. After a lot of the call-ups happened midseason, Zegras’ game went to another level. He needs some maturing in his game, but he has high-end speed, skill and playmaking ability. He’s the kind of player who can push the pace with his skating and hands, but also QB a power play very well. He’s not a big guy, but he still could be an impact player at the pro level

4. Peyton Krebs, LW, Kootenay-WHL

Krebs, the former first overall pick in his WHL Bantam draft, is a highly talented player who plays with a ton of pace and energy. He has fantastic speed, makes plays at a quick pace and works as hard as anyone on the ice. Krebs is fearless in how he attacks defenders. He’s also a very intelligent playmaker who can pull up to make a skilled play. Krebs led all rookies in scoring in the WHL last season, and I expect big things in 2018-19.

5. Alex Turcotte, C, USNTDP-USHL

Turcotte is a fun player to watch. He’s not a big guy, but plays a big man’s game. He has great speed, as he’s a high-end skater if not bordering on elite, and the way he barrels down on defenders and drives the net is a distinct trait to his game. While he tends to attack in a direct manner, Turcotte is also quite skilled and can make plays too. I wouldn’t characterize his skills as high-end, but they’re noticeably good, and coupled with his speed and work ethic, he can make an impact.

6. Bowen Byram, D, Vancouver-WHL

Byram was excellent as a 16-year-old in the WHL this season and established himself as the clear top defenseman for the 2019 draft. His best trait is his hockey sense. Byram is a very smart, all-around defenseman, who can move the puck with pace and creativity. He’s skilled, quite mobile and, despite not being that tall, projects as an all-situations type of defenseman due to the fact he plays hard and makes a lot of stops.

7. Matthew Boldy, RW, USNTDP-USHL

Boldy’s success could get lost among all the other high-end producers at the NTDP this past season, but he’s a legit top talent. His hockey IQ is among the very best in his age group. He’s incredibly creative with the puck and has the offensive instincts of a premier playmaker to go along with a decent frame. Boldy making improvements in his skating since he joined the program have led to him becoming a top prospect.

8. Maxim Cajkovic, RW, Malmo-J20 SuperElit

Cajkovic had a very good 16-year-old season in Sweden, being a top player in their junior league, but he turned heads at the IIHF U18s, being one of the top underage scorers in that tournament’s history. He’s a great skater who not only has the speed to play fast, but brings a ton of energy to his shifts with his work ethic and ability to make quick plays. He’s skilled, a great passer and has a good one-timer, as well. Other than being 5-foot-11, he has all the tools you want.

9. Dylan Cozens, RW, Lethbridge-WHL

Cozens was the top rookie in the WHL this past season. He’s a high-end skater with size who plays a powerful style of game. He wins battles, gets to the net, and with his above-average hands, he is one of the better players in his age group at gaining the offensive zone. Some scouts I talk to like his hockey sense, it’s so-so when I’ve seen him, but he can make plays and with his physical attributes make an impact regardless.

10. Kirby Dach, C, Saskatoon-WHL

Dach had a great first WHL season and looks set to be a top scorer in the WHL next season. He’s a big center who is a great playmaker and can run a power play. I’ve heard some scouts describe his hands to me as great, to me they’ve looked more just good, but regardless he’s a talented offensive player. He’s not incredibly quick or gritty, but he can still use his large frame to his advantage to shield pucks.

11. Alex Newhook, C, Victoria-BCHL

Newhook was a monster in the BCHL last season, being one of the top players in the league as a 16-year-old. When I watched him this season, I didn’t see this true elite prospect that his numbers suggest, but I still see a very good player. He has high-end speed, he’s a very smart playmaker with good skills who plays with pace. Newhook isn’t the biggest guy, but he works hard.

12. Valentin Nussbaumer, C Biel-Bienne-NLA

Nussbaumer stood out to me whenever I watched him last season due to his skills. While he didn’t dominate a level, his playmaking always had very good flashes. Nussbaumer’s hands are brain are high-end. He can make tough offensive plays and dazzle on any given shift. His skating stride doesn’t look pretty, but I think his speed and overall skating effectiveness is fine. He’s not the biggest guy and will need to bulk up, but he has a ton of upside.

13. Ryan Suzuki, C, Barrie-OHL

Ryan Suzuki, the former first overall pick in his OHL class and brother of Vegas first-round pick Nick Suzuki, had a very good first season in the O. Like his brother, Ryan Suzuki is a skilled playmaker with great hockey sense.  He is a player who can run a power play well due to his vision. He skates better than his brother and is taller, though I don’t find he’s quite as dynamic.

14. Raphael Lavoie, RW, Halifax-QMJHL

Lavoie moved up for me as the season went along. You don’t see many big men with the skill level he has. He has legit high-end puck skills and can make some unique plays. His feet are good for his size, probably average overall, but he can skate. I don’t think his instincts are at the same level as his hands, but he can make plays. The toolkit is rather appealing, and as a guy whose trended up quickly, we’ll see if he can continue to round out his game.

15. Arthur Kaliyev, LW, Hamilton-OHL

Kaliyev was one of the top rookies in the CHL last season, scoring 30 goals for the OHL champion Bulldogs. Kalieyev is a highly skilled power forward. He still has some filling out to do, but he takes pucks to the net very well and looks to engage physically. He has great hands, a big shot and can be a weapon on the power play. His feet are only average and he could improve the pace of his game in terms of speed and decision making, but there’s a lot of tools to work with.

16. Vasily Podkolzin, RW, Podolsk-MHL

Podkolzin is a well-rounded forward who had a solid season particularly on the international stage. He’s a very smart two-way player with the high-end vision to make difficult plays and the defensive awareness to take tough minutes. He’s skilled, he can run a power play moderately well and, while his skating stride looks a little awkward, he can get up the ice well. Podkolzin isn’t a big guy and isn’t going to dazzle with skill, but he does so much well.

17. Cole Caufield, RW, USNTDP-USHL

Caufield was a goal-scoring machine this season, being one of the most dangerous 16-year-old scorers I’ve seen at any level the past few years. One NHL scout I talked to called Caufield “Alex DeBrincat with speed” and I don’t hate that description. Caufield has got great hands, is very smart making plays as a passer but, more specifically, has the goal-scoring instincts to get into positions for scoring chances and couples that with a fantastic shot. Yes, he’s tiny — 5-foot-6 tiny to be exact — and it’s reasonable to have some skepticism, but he scored 54 goals last season.

18. Daniil Gutik, LW, Yaroslavl-MHL

I was blown away by Gutik when I saw him in November. He’s 6-foot-3 and has the puck skills of a typical small, skilled forward. He can dangle and use his big frame to possess the puck for long stretches. Gutik can make plays too and just oozes offensive potential. The main issue in his game is he’s a below-average skater and he’ll need to get quicker to hit the top echelon of this draft, but he’s not far off.

19. Anttoni Honka, D, JYP-Liiga

Honka, the younger brother of Dallas’ first-round pick Julius Honka, is a dynamic smaller offensive defenseman. Anttoni Honka’s skating, skill and offensive IQ all get high-end grades. He can push the pace individually with the puck due to his speed and puck skills, but he’s also a very smart passer who makes creative distributions. Anttoni Honka is a smaller defenseman who needs to get stronger and work on his defense, but he has a lot of upside. And yes, I know this sounds familiar to his brother.

20. Albin Grewe, RW, Djurgarden-J20 SuperElit

If you like players who are fast, gritty and play with disregard to personal harm, you’ll love Grewe. He’s very fast and has skill, but his calling card is how hard he works. He uses his speed to drive the net as well as anyone in his age group and has an edge to his game. As the players get stronger, I wonder if he has the IQ to make high-level plays, but he certainly can create offense.

21. Sasha Mutala, RW, Tri-City-WHL

Mutala’s numbers this season might not jump out like his seemingly countless WHL brethren in this class, but he’s a top talent for sure. Mutala has high-end puck skills and hockey sense, being one of the most creative players with the puck in his class. He has average size and ideally would be a better skater for a guy with his average frame, but the offensive potential is still legitimate.

22. Ilya Mironov, D, Yaroslavl-MHL

Mironov is a smart two-way defenseman with size at 6-foot-3. His hockey sense drives his value as someone who can control the flow of a shift and distribute the puck well. He’s also not afraid to use his big frame, and combined with his smarts, he can be a very solid defender. He’s not the flashiest player when it comes to his mobility or hands, but he’s about average in both departments.

23. Nolan Foote, LW, Kelowna-WHL

The younger brother of Tampa first-rounder Cal Foote and son of former NHLer Adam Foote, Nolan Foote is a talented big forward who has been productive in the WHL the past two years. Nolan Foote has very good puck skills, has the instincts to make plays and has a big shot. He’s got a big frame and can be tough to win pucks from, as well. He’s not the best skater and I have concerns about how dynamic he’ll be offensively, but he has flashes of top-level talent.

24. Jakob Pelletier, LW, Moncton-QMJHL

Pelletier quietly had a point per game season in Moncton as a 16-year-old and looks set to tear up the Q for years to come. He has all the tools you want minus his size. Pelletier is a great skater and is skilled with the puck. He’s a fantastic playmaker with legit high-end hockey sense and is a fierce competitor who can win pucks back despite his slight frame.

25. Tobias Bjornfot, D, Djurgarden-J20 SuperElit

Bjornfot is never going to wow you, but he’s a very solid two-way defenseman. The one attribute of his that stood out to me was his skating. He’s very mobile, can jump into the attack quickly and closes gaps on checks well. Bjornfot has good offensive IQ, showing vision and poise moving the puck. He has skill, but it’s not top-end. Despite not being the biggest guy, I project him to be a solid defender due to his feet and brain.


Corey Pronman is the Senior NHL Prospects Writer for The Athletic. Previously Corey worked in a similar role at ESPN and Hockey Prospectus. Follow Corey on Twitter @coreypronman.

[skrouse]

www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/24120333/nba-moves-all-30-teams-trades-contracts-extensions-rosters

TIA