Hockey  

Giroux impresses in leading Senators to 3-1 win over Jets

Photo: The Canadian Press

OTTAWA — Claude Giroux looks more than ready for the regular season as was evident in the Ottawa Senators 3-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Friday night.

Roby Järventie also scored, picking up his second of the NHL pre-season in a solid effort, while Vladimir Tarasenko added an empty-net goal.

Leevi Merilainen allowed one goal on 16 shots through the first 30 minutes of the game before being replaced by Kevin Mandolese, who stopped all 19 shots he faced, in the final 30 minutes.

Laurent Brossoit made 31 saves for the Jets, while Jansen Harkins scored the Jets lone goal.

Trailing 2-1 in the third the Jets had a great opportunity on the power play when Mandolese lost sight of the puck at the side of the crease, but Brad Lambert was unable to make contact.

A giveaway near centre allowed Winnipeg’s Dominic Toninato to break in alone, but Mandolese came up big leaving the Jets chasing down the tying goal.

The Jets opened the scoring early in the second when Axel Jonsson-Fjallby had a great chance, but was stopped by Merilainen. Jonsson-Fjallby managed to get his own rebound and feed Harkins out front for his second of the pre-season.

Ottawa tied the game 30 seconds later when Järventie came down the wing and released a shot off his backhand that beat Brossoit.

With 18.3 seconds remaining in the period Jansen Harkins had a turnover just inside his own blue line allowing Giroux to walk in and roof it over Brossoit.

A scoreless first saw the Senators dictate play for much of the period with the trio of Giroux, Tim Stutzle and Tarasenko generating a number of chances.

INTERESTING FACT

Tim Stützle was eight-years-old when Vladimir Tarasenko made his NHL debut and Friday night the two played together on the same line.

NOTES

The Senators announced Friday morning that Steve Staios would be joining the team as president of hockey operations.

UP NEXT

The Senators head to the Maritimes where they will take on the Florida Panthers in Sydney, N.S., on Sunday and play the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday in Halifax, N.S.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29, 2023.

Matthew Knies scores short-handed goal as Maple Leafs edge Canadiens 2-1

Photo: The Canadian Press

MONTREAL — Rookie Matthew Knies scored a short-handed game-winning goal as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 in NHL pre-season action Friday night.

Defenceman Mikko Kokkonen also scored for Toronto (2-1-1). Forward Noah Gregor, who’s impressed so far in training camp on a professional tryout, pitched in with an assist.

Starter Ilya Samsonov made 17 saves in two periods without allowing a goal before giving way to backup Keith Petruzzelli, who made six stops.

Josh Anderson scored the lone goal for Montreal (1-2-0). Canadiens netminder Cayden Primeau, who will play third-string to Samuel Montembeault and Jake Allen this season, played the entire game. He made 27 saves.

Neither team iced its ‘A’ lineup, with Montreal’s Nick Suzuki and Caufield and Toronto’s Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, among others, sitting out. The two teams meet again in Montreal on Saturday.

Toronto was 0-for-2 on the power play. Montreal went 0-for-6, receiving several “boos” from the Bell Centre crowd due to the lack of cohesion with the man advantage.

Tanner Pearson played alongside Brendan Gallagher and Jake Evans in his pre-season debut for the Canadiens. Montreal acquired the 31-year-old winger and a third-round pick from the Vancouver Canucks on Sept. 19 for goaltender Casey DeSmith.

Pearson, who had one goal and four assists in 14 games last season after missing most of the campaign with a broken hand that needed multiple surgeries, had three shots on goal and a hit.

With the stars out, Knies looked like the best player on the ice much of the evening.

Knies broke the deadlock short-handed at 10:23 of the second period, scoring with a wrist shot from the slot after a feed from Fraser Minten, who stripped defenceman Justin Barron in his own end.

The 20-year-old American had one assist in three regular-season games and four points (one goal, three assists) in seven playoff games with the Maple Leafs late last season. He joined the team after spending most of his year at the University of Minnesota.

Toronto had another chance moments later from Logan Shaw, but Primeau shut that down.

Montreal then countered with chance after chance, one coming from John Parker-Jones. The six-foot-seven, 230-pound forward was all over the ice for the Canadiens.

Kokkonen doubled Toronto's lead later in the frame with an innocent wrist shot from the point that deflected off Montreal’s Owen Beck and slid through Primeau’s pads.

In the third period, Knies and Minten connected once again for a Grade A chance on the penalty kill, but couldn’t beat Primeau.

Anderson got Montreal on the scoresheet with just over five minutes left, hammering a pass from Sean Monahan into the top left corner.

Montreal had a power play with a minute remaining after Toronto’s Timothy Liljegren sent the puck over the glass. Despite sustaining pressure with the goalie pulled and a Gallagher chance on the doorstep, the Canadiens couldn’t net the equalizer.

The first period was uneventful, with neither team generating much offence as the shots finished 8-7 in favour of Montreal.

Knies, perhaps foreshadowing what was to come, generated one of the period’s better chances on the penalty kill when he stole the puck off Montreal’s Jesse Ylonen and set up Minten in the slot.

Most of Montreal’s chances were generated by a line of Beck, Ylonen and Joshua Roy, which found success on the forecheck but couldn’t beat Samsonov.

INJURIES

Maple Leafs defenceman John Klingberg and forward William Nylander did not participate in the team’s practice on Friday. Klingberg is day-to-day with an upper-body injury, while Nylander is experiencing flu-like symptoms.

UP NEXT

The two teams play again in Montreal on Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29, 2023.

Jessica Campbell, Kori Cheverie breaking barriers for female coaches in NHL

Photo: The Canadian Press

Jessica Campbell grew up wanting to play in the NHL.

Now she’s finding a place for herself in hockey’s top men’s league — and it’s behind the bench.

The Coachella Valley Firebirds assistant is in a position to make it as a coach, something she couldn’t have imagined even a few years ago.

“I didn’t imagine this path for me. I didn’t see it,” she told The Canadian Press. “Quite frankly there was no visibility and there weren’t other females doing this work, and so I didn’t know it was possible.”

Last year, the 31-year-old from Saskatchewan became the first female full-time coach in the American Hockey League.

On Monday, she stood behind an NHL bench for the Seattle Kraken in a preseason game against the Calgary Flames.

After getting a taste of life in the NHL, she’s intent on making it a full-time gig.

“It’s motivating, it’s inspiring,” said Campbell of her experience on an NHL bench. “The other night was no different, being among the team, within the staff — and in that, it just showed me this is where I could get to.”

Campbell joined a suddenly growing list of female coaches to take an NHL bench a day after Kori Cheverie did so with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Cheverie, recently hired as head coach of Montreal’s Professional Women’s Hockey League team, served as a guest coach for the Penguins in a preseason game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday.

Tennis legend and activist Billie Jean King, who’s also on the board of directors for the newly formed women’s professional league, applauded Campbell and Cheverie on social media for “making history.”

Cheverie is hoping their NHL appearances will help break down barriers for women in hockey.

“It’s definitely something that will continue to put female coaches on the map,” she said. “We’re coaches at the end of the day, we study the game, we watch the video, we coach the players, we understand the game, we’ve played it. The only thing that really separates us is male and female.”

Campbell hopes the presence of women in the NHL won’t be the exception in the near future.

“Hopefully this topic someday is a boring question or a boring discussion just because there’s so many of us,” she said.

Campbell was a decorated player in the NCAA, the Canadian Women’s Hockey League and Canada’s women’s national team, with whom she won silver at the 2015 world championship.

With the exception of a short stint with the Malmo Redhawks in Sweden in 2019-20, she hung up her skates in 2017.

She had a second career as an entrepreneur and started her own business, JC Powerskating, to train top athletes.

The business took off during the COVID-19 pandemic as NHL players — including Shea Weber, Brent Seabrook and Mathew Barzal — sought a way to train amid lockdowns before the 2020 bubble playoffs.

”(The NHL clients) went from two guys, to 10 guys, to all of a sudden 20-25 guys,” she said. “I’m running a training camp for the NHL playoffs.

“It kind of was my ‘aha’ moment of ‘this is what I want to do.’ I believed that I was bringing something unique to the table, something valuable.”

From there, Campbell took on coaching opportunities in Europe and served as an assistant for Germany’s men’s team at the 2022 world championship. Coachella Valley head coach Dan Bylsma took notice and added her to his staff.

The Firebirds made it to the Calder Cup final last season with Campbell managing the offense, power play and skills roles. She’s also worked closely with some of the Seattle franchise’s top prospects, including Shane Wright and Tye Kartye.

Campbell has a “laser focus” on putting in the work to coach at the highest level.

“The ultimate goal is to be coaching in the National Hockey League,” she said. “It’s not a sprint for me, it’s just a marathon of learning and growing.”

Cheverie’s marathon to the NHL bench has taken a different path.

Her own CWHL career ended in 2016, and in 2019 the Nova Scotia native jumped to assistant coach on the Canadian women’s team. She also became the first woman to be a full-time coach of a U Sports men’s team as an assistant for the Metropolitan Rams from 2016 to 2021.

The 36-year-old is a member of the NHL coaches association in the female coaches program launched in 2020 and it’s through that program she caught the attention of Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan.

The Penguins invited her to their development camp as a guest coach to join the team for training camp. She’ll also spend time with the team in the regular season before beginning her duties as Montreal’s PWHL coach.

“Regardless of who I’m coaching, whether it’s Sidney Crosby or Marie-Philip Poulin, I’m gonna prepare the same way,” Cheverie said.

Although she’s a guest coach, Cheverie says it doesn’t feel like the Penguins are just giving her a chance, but rather it’s a two-way street where Pittsburgh’s coaches can also learn from her perspective.

In Pittsburgh’s 4-3 overtime loss to Columbus, she was in the mix discussing overtime and shootout strategy with assistant coach Mike Vellucci, who was running the bench that game.

“It was a pretty neat experience to be a part of and to feel like your opinion is obviously valued and you’re there for a reason,” she said. “It’s not just to provide an opportunity to someone, but to be able to learn from each other and really take the experience in from both sides of it.”

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Jessica Campbell, Kori Cheverie breaking barriers for female coaches in NHL

Photo: The Canadian Press

Jessica Campbell grew up wanting to play in the NHL.

Now she’s finding a place for herself in hockey’s top men’s league — and it's behind the bench.

The Coachella Valley Firebirds assistant is in a position to make it as a coach, something she couldn’t have imagined even a few years ago.

“I didn't imagine this path for me. I didn't see it,” she said. “Quite frankly there was no visibility and there weren't other females doing this work, and so I didn't know it was possible.”

Last year, the 31-year-old from Rocanville, Sask., became the first female full-time coach in the American Hockey League.  

On Monday, she stood behind an NHL bench for the Seattle Kraken in a pre-season game against the Calgary Flames.

After getting a taste of life in the NHL, she's intent on making it a full-time gig.

"It's motivating, it's inspiring," said Campbell of her experience on an NHL bench. “The other night was no different, being among the team, within the staff — and in that, it just showed me this is where I could get to.”

Campbell joined a suddenly growing list of female coaches to take an NHL bench a day after Kori Cheverie did so with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Cheverie, recently hired as head coach of Montreal’s Professional Women’s Hockey League team, served as a guest coach for the Penguins in a pre-season game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday.

Tennis legend and activist Billie Jean King, who’s also on the board of directors for the newly-formed women’s professional league, applauded Campbell and Cheverie on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, for “making history.”

Cheverie is hoping their NHL appearances will help break down barriers for women in hockey.

"It's definitely something that will continue to put female coaches on the map,” she said. “We're coaches at the end of the day, we study the game, we watch the video, we coach the players, we understand the game, we've played it. The only thing that really separates us is male and female.”

Campbell hopes the presence of women in the NHL won’t be the exception in the near future.

“Hopefully this topic someday is a boring question or a boring discussion just because there's so many of us," she said.

Campbell was a decorated player in the NCAA, the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) and Canada’s women’s national team, with whom she won silver at the 2015 world championship.

With the exception of a short stint with the Malmo Redhawks in Sweden in 2019-20, she hung up her skates in 2017.

She had a second career as an entrepreneur and started her own business, JC Powerskating, to train skills and skating to top athletes.

The business took off during the COVID-19 pandemic as NHL players — including Shea Weber, Brent Seabrook and Mathew Barzal — sought a way to train amid lockdowns before the 2020 bubble playoffs.

"(The NHL clients) went from two guys, to 10 guys, to all of a sudden 20-25 guys,” she said. “I'm running a training camp for the NHL playoffs.

"It kind of was my 'aha' moment of 'this is what I want to do.' I believed that I was bringing something unique to the table, something valuable."

From there, Campbell took on coaching opportunities in Europe and served as an assistant for Germany’s men’s team at the 2022 world championship. Coachella Valley head coach Dan Bylsma took notice and added her to his staff.

The Firebirds made it to the Calder Cup final last season with Campbell managing the offence, power play and skills roles. She’s also worked closely with some of the Seattle franchise’s top prospects, including Shane Wright and Tye Kartye.

Campbell has a “laser focus” on putting in the work to coach at the highest level.

“The ultimate goal is to be coaching in the National Hockey League,” she said. “It's not a sprint for me, it's just a marathon of learning and growing.”

Cheverie’s marathon to the NHL bench has taken a different path.

Her own CWHL career ended in 2016, and in 2019 the New Glasgow, N.S., native jumped to assistant coach on the Canadian women’s team. She also became the first woman to be a full-time coach of a U Sports men's team as an assistant for the Metropolitan Rams from 2016 to 2021.

The 36-year-old is a member of the NHL coaches association in the female coaches program launched in 2020 and it's through that program she caught the attention of Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan.

The Penguins invited her to their development camp as a guest coach to join the team for training camp. She’ll also spend time with the team in the regular season before beginning her duties as Montreal’s PWHL coach.

“Regardless of who I'm coaching, whether it's Sidney Crosby or Marie-Philip Poulin, I'm gonna prepare the same way," Cheverie said.

Although she’s a guest coach, Cheverie says it doesn’t feel like the Penguins are just giving her a chance, but rather it's a two-way street where Pittsburgh’s coaches can also learn from her perspective.

In Pittsburgh’s 4-3 overtime loss to Columbus, she was in the mix discussing overtime and shootout strategy with assistant coach Mike Vellucci, who was running the bench that game.

"It was a pretty neat experience to be a part of and to feel like your opinion is obviously valued and you're there for a reason,” she said. “It's not just to provide an opportunity to someone, but to be able to learn from each other and really take the experience in from both sides of it."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29, 2023.

Coach Jon Cooper is confident the Lightning will meet the challenge of not having Vasilevskiy

Photo: The Canadian Press

BRANDON, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper made it clear that the Lightning will be without a “luxury” with Russian goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy expected to miss the first two months of the NHL season after undergoing back surgery.

But Cooper has confidence the perennial Stanley Cup contender can rise to the challenge.

“Let’s be honest, we sit here and try and make the situation a little more rosy,” Cooper said Friday. “It’s not ideal, no question. Vasy is a big part of our team, but we do have other guys in the organization. Guys looking to get a chance. Here it is.”

Vasilevskiy, 29, had a microdiscectomy Thursday to address a lumbar disk herniation. The recovery could sideline him for 25 or more games.

Should the Lightning opt to stay in-house, they have three goalies under contract.

Tampa Bay signed journeyman Jonas Johansson, 11-13-4 in parts of four seasons with Buffalo, Florida and Colorado, to a two-year, $1.55 million contract to be Vasilevskiy’s backup.

Matt Tomkins, Canada’s 2022 Olympic starter who has never played in the NHL, spent the previous two seasons in Sweden and had a strong preseason debut against Nashville. Hugo Alnefelt, 22, was with Tampa Bay’s AHL Syracuse minor league team last season.

“Does it hurt not not having one of your core players? For sure,” Cooper said. “But it’s also an opportunity for others. It’s an opportunity for us to get better as a team. When there’s a little bit of adversity, maybe some good could come from it down the road.”

Tampa Bay was knocked out of last season’s playoffs in the first round by Toronto following three consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup Final.

Vasilevskiy won the Vezina Trophy in 2019 as the league’s top netminder and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2021 as playoff MVP.

“Guys are going to have to step up,” Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos said. “This team has always dealt with adversity pretty well in terms of guys being injured and other guys stepping up. We’ll just have to hold the fort there until ‘Big Cat’ is back.”

No one played more hockey from August 2020 through the end of the playoffs last season than Vasilevskiy, who was on the ice for just over 14,769 minutes of game action.

“I want everybody just to be clear on this, this isn’t the end of Vasy’s season," Cooper said. “He will be back. And hopefully knowing him, it will be sooner than later. He’ll be a refreshed goalie.”

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL

Wild sign right wings Zuccarello and Foligno to contract extensions

Photo: The Canadian Press

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Wild signed right wings Mats Zuccarello and Marcus Foligno to contract extensions Friday, further solidifying their forward group beyond this season.

Zuccarello got a two-year, $8.25 million extension. Foligno got a four-year, $16 million extension.

Zuccarello, 36, has three 20-goal seasons in 13 years in the NHL, two of them with the Wild over the last two seasons. He had 22 goals and a team-leading 45 assists in 2022-23 while averaging a career-high 20:12 of average ice time per game. The Norway native is a close friend and linemate of star Kirill Kaprizov and is entering his fifth year with the Wild.

Zuccarello began his career with the New York Rangers. He signed a five-year, $30 million deal with Minnesota on July 1, 2019.

The deals for Zuccarello and Foligno put eight of the Wild’s top nine forwards under contract through at least next season. Ryan Hartman, the usual center between Kaprizov and Zuccarello, is due to become a free agent next summer.

Foligno, 32, is an alternate captain and had seven goals and 14 assists with a team-high 237 hits last season. He was acquired by the Wild on June 30, 2017, in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres. He signed a three-year, $9.3 million contract extension Jan. 12, 2021.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL

Senators hire Steve Staios as president of hockey operations

Photo: The Canadian Press

Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer got exactly what he wanted Friday.

Andlauer appointed Steve Staios as the team's new president of hockey operations. He joined the Sen after resigning from his post as special adviser on the Edmonton Oilers' hockey operations staff.

Andlauer and Staios have known each other since the 2004-05 NHL lockout. 

When Staios took his past job with the Oilers, after being president and general manager of the Ontario Hockey League's Hamilton Bulldogs, Andlauer had some words for Edmonton's special adviser to the owner and chairman, Paul Coffey.

"I said, 'Paul if I ever own a team, you know I'm coming for Steve,'" Andlauer said at a press conference Friday.

Staios, a Hamilton native, served as president and GM of the Bulldogs from 2016-22, including a stint solely being president in 2015 before joining the Oilers in 2022-23.

The Bulldogs franchise is owned by Andlauer, whose purchase of the Senators was completed on Sept. 21.

“I am so excited that Steve is joining me in Ottawa to lead our hockey operations,” Andlauer said in a release. “I have worked with Steve for many years and know first-hand that he will strengthen our team with his hockey acumen, attention to detail, commitment to excellence and enthusiasm for the game and its players. 

"In hockey you can never accumulate too much talent. Having Steve and Pierre (Dorion) leading our hockey department gives us a formidable team.”

Dorion remains GM heading into the 2023-24 NHL season.

"It's just an absolute privilege to be able to lead the Ottawa Senators in my role as president," Staios said. "As Michael talked about, Pierre and I have had some great conversations already. 

"I'm here to support him on the day to day. I'm looking at all there is of our organization that could be best in class. That'll be my focus."

Staios was named player development adviser of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2012 and two years later, became the manager of player development before moving to the bench to support the interim coaching staff in 2015.

He also managed Team Canada at the 2019 world juniors and 2017 world under-17 hockey challenge. In addition, he served as director of player development with Canada at the 2014 world championship.

The 50-year-old Staios's work in development and management followed a 16-year NHL career as a defenceman that saw him appear in 1,001 games with Boston, Vancouver, Atlanta, Edmonton, Calgary and the New York Islanders.

Dorion said there would be a mix of philosophies between GM, president and owner but that Staios is a good person to bounce ideas off.

"I think Steve can be a great sounding board. You look at his playing experience, … and it was through hard work," Dorion said. "I think through his experience, working in two different NHL teams but at the same time building two championship teams in Hamilton. 

"And his knowledge, you can't forget that. Just in talking to him, his knowledge, his vision, how he sees things, how Michael and him had so much success in Hamilton, I think that's how he could be a sounding board."

Ottawa is coming off a 2022-23 season that saw the Atlantic Division club finish 39-35-8 and miss the post-season for the sixth year in a row.

Staios did not shy away from the work needed to get the franchise back on track. But he also couldn't hide his enthusiasm to get things going.

"We have a lot to be excited about but we have a lot of work to do that we're all up for," he said. "I look forward to working with Pierre on the day to day, to be able to take this team to another level. 

"When you look at this team that we have, there's an incredible amount of heart, competitiveness and the future is bright."

The most specific question posed to the trio was regarding the situation of forward Shane Pinto. The 22-year-old restricted free agent, who scored 20 goals last season, has yet to be signed as the team looks to clear cap space.

"We've discussed it among the three of us," Dorion said. "We talked as recently as yesterday.

"Obviously our fans want Shane here, we want Shane here, players want Shane here. We're really working hard at it and we know he's an important part of our team and we hope he joins us in the very near future."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29, 2023.

Tolvanen scores twice as Kraken beat Canucks 3-1

Photo: The Canadian Press

SEATTLE — Eeli Tolvanen's unassisted power-play goal at 3:56 of the third period snapped a 1-1 deadlock and lifted the Seattle Kraken to a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks in NHL pre-season action on Thursday night at Climate Pledge Arena.

Jacob Melanson gave Seattle a 1-0 lead with a goal at 9:25 of the first period. Conor Garland tied the game with a marker at 8:08 of the second period.

Tolvanen scored his second goal of the game at 15:54 to clinch the win.

The Kraken outshot the Canucks 28-17 and had one power-play goal. The Canucks went 0-for-1 with the man advantage.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 28, 2023.

Connor Bedard skates in his first NHL exhibition game with the Chicago Blackhawks

Photo: The Canadian Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Connor Bedard played in his first preseason game with the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night, and fans of the Original Six franchise were ready.

So was Bedard, who had two assists in Chicago's 2-1 overtime win over the St. Louis Blues.

“I felt pretty good and comfortable and stuff, but I think I could do a lot better,” Bedard said. “I don't know if there was a surprise. Obviously less room, but that's nothing I didn't expect, so just kind of get used to it here.”

The 18-year-old center made a smooth pass to set up Andreas Athanasiou's goal at 4:02 of the extra period. Bedard dished from the right side, and Athanasiou flipped in a backhander.

Bedard also picked up an assist on Philipp Kurashev’s second-period goal. He finished with five shots and 21:42 of ice time.

The two lower levels of the United Center were mostly full for the exhibition matchup. The team closed off the upper deck.

Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson started Bedard on a line with wingers Taylor Hall and Ryan Donato. The rookie got the loudest cheers of any player when his name was announced before the game.

Bedard’s No. 98 jersey was everywhere as fans walked along the United Center concourses prior to the opening faceoff — won by Bedard. Even more fans were contemplating a Bedard jersey — at $250 for an authentic version and $200 for a replica — at the main team store and smaller stands.

Jaime Faulkner, the president of business operations for the Blackhawks, said the team is already seeing a bottom-line boost from Bedard off the ice.

She said in an email that the team expects to sell up to 10% more tickets overall than in 2022-23 and has nearly doubled full and partial season-ticket sales.

In the first three months of the team's fiscal 2023-24 season, the team has doubled merchandise sales compared to the same timeframe in 2022-23. Of the “thousands” of Bedard jerseys sold, almost 85% have been the pricier authentics, Faulkner said.

Chicago went 26-49-7 last season, and then used a surprise win in the NHL draft lottery to take the highly touted Bedard with the No. 1 overall pick. Bedard, who is from North Vancouver, British Columbia, won’t play in an official game until the Blackhawks open the regular season at Pittsburgh on Oct. 10.

Bedard's effect on Chicago is one of the NHL's most anticipated storylines heading into the season. He had 71 goals and 72 assists in 57 games in his final season with the Regina Pats, the most points in the Western Hockey League since 1995-96. He also was the tournament MVP when he helped Canada win gold at the world junior hockey championship in January.

He has been compared to Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby, and he is the FanDuel Sportsbook favorite for the Calder Trophy for NHL rookie of the year.

“I mentioned before, he’s not slipping into the league unnoticed or unknown,” Richardson said. “So people are ready for him, which is going to present some challenges for him."

“But it also gives him an opportunity where people are going to try to overplay him,” Richardson added. “Everybody knows him as a shooter, but he can really make plays and see the ice.”

Bedard got his first real test Thursday night against an opposing lineup made up of mostly NHL-caliber players.

“I was like talking to my dad today and I’m, like, ‘I get to play in the United Center and that’s pretty unreal,’” Bedard said. “I think that’s big to see the fans and everything, and then play against a lot guys that are trying to make the NHL and guys who have played in the NHL and stuff."

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL

Lightning goalie Vasilevskiy is expected to miss the first 2 months of the season after back surgery

Photo: The Canadian Press

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy is expected to miss the first two months of the NHL season after undergoing back surgery.

The team announced the stunning injury news Thursday, midway through training camp and with opening night less than two weeks away.

General manager Julien BriseBois said Vasilevskiy had a successful microdiscectomy to address a lumbar disk herniation. The recovery could sideline arguably the best goalie in the world for 25 or more games.

Tampa Bay was hoping the 29-year-old Russian would be fresh after a first-round playoff exit following three consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup Final. Vasilevskiy won the Vezina Trophy in 2019 as the league’s top netminder and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2021 as playoff MVP.

No one played more hockey from August 2020 through the end of the playoffs last season than Vasilevskiy, who was on the ice for just over 14,769 minutes of game action. He said after the series defeat to Toronto he struggled with a heavy workload.

BriseBois told the Tampa Bay Times the back injury was not related to any physical issues the goalie said he played through last season.

The newspaper reported Vasilevskiy first experienced a problem with his back in August and received an injection.

Treatment and a second injection failed to resolve the problem after Vasilevskiy experienced the issue again when he practiced for the first time in training camp.

“The medical opinion was that he should go ahead and have surgery,” BriseBois told the Times. “That was the only way to fully recover from the herniated disc.”

Despite a salary cap crunch, Vasilevskiy's absence could push the Lightning to make a trade or sign a free agent, given their tight contending window. Journeyman Jonas Johansson, 22-year-old Hugo Alnefelt and Matt Tomkins — Canada's 2022 Olympic starter who has never played in the NHL — are the only other goaltenders Tampa Bay has under contract.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL

McDavid scores OT winner, Oilers edge Canucks 2-1 in pre-season game

Photo: The Canadian Press

EDMONTON — Connor McDavid was having a quiet game by his standards Wednesday night, but the Edmonton Oilers captain was a factor when it mattered the most.

He scored the overtime winner for the Oilers in a 2-1 pre-season win over the visiting Vancouver Canucks.

Defenceman Evan Bouchard sent the puck up ice to McDavid, who made no mistake on the breakaway with a backhand goal just 55 seconds into overtime.

“I didn’t see a lot of polish offensively, but in the end we found a way to score enough to win the game," Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft said. 'There were a lot of hard efforts."

"I thought we did a lot of really good things defensively. After two periods, we had given up 10 shots. Gave up a little bit more in the third. I didn’t love the fact that we were in the box as much as we were, but the penalty kill dug in.”

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also scored for Edmonton (1-1-1).

Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner made 21 saves for the win.

“I felt pretty good. It took a while for the game to kind of get going,” Skinner said. “I had three shots in 30 minutes or something like that.

"After they were getting some shots, I started getting a feel for the puck and it got a lot better.”

Quinn Hughes replied for Vancouver (0-1-1).

“I really liked the effort,” Vancouver head coach Rick Tocchet. “Some of the guys who we acquired really played well for us and the young guys played well, the veterans. 

"We had two really good practices the last couple of days that kind of helped our game tonight.”

Vancouver goalie Casey DeSmith turned away 27 shots in the loss.

A listless first period produced no goals with Edmonton outshooting Vancouver 10-3.

Hughes scored the game's first goal during a second-period power play when his long bomb deflected off Bouchard and past Skinner.

Edmonton evened the score with six minutes to play in second period.

Leon Draisaitl, who was serving a slashing penalty when Hughes scored, threaded the puck from behind the goal-line through traffic out to Nugent-Hopkins to score from the slot.

The Canucks boasted the bulk of scoring chances in the third, but Skinner stood his ground to send the contest into extra time.

NOTES: Vancouver lost 10-0 to Calgary to start the pre-season Sunday . . . The Canucks and Oilers open their regular seasons with a home-and-home against each other. Edmonton is in Vancouver on Oct. 11 followed by an Oct. 14 rematch in Alberta . . . Free-agent signing Connor Brown played his first game for the Oilers on the top line with his former junior teammate McDavid . . . The Canucks announced earlier Wednesday that goalie Roberto Luongo will be enshrined on their Ring of Honour on Dec. 14, when they host the Florida Panthers… The Oilers will similarly honour former players Doug Weight and Charlie Huddy when they host the New York Rangers on Oct. 26.

UP NEXT

The Canucks play their second road game in as many days on Thursday against the Kraken in Seattle. The Oilers are in Calgary on Friday to face the Flames.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2023.

Mangiapane scores shootout winner for Flames in 3-2 pre-season win over Jets

Photo: The Canadian Press

WINNIPEG — Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf handled an escalating workload and a shootout in a 3-2 pre-season win over the host Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday.

The American Hockey League's top goaltender the past two seasons allowed one goal on seven shots over two periods before stopping nine of 10 in the third and all three he faced in the shootout.

Flames forward Andrew Mangiapane scored the lone shootout goal.

Wolf turned away 19 of 21 before repelling Winnipeg's Parker Ford, Nino Niederreiter and Vladislav Namestnikov in the shootout. 

“I think it was a good test, for sure,” Wolf said. "Just to be able to come in there and stay sharp through two periods when I didn’t see a lot of action. 

"I just tried to keep myself in it and give my team a chance, and we were able to score one in the shootout. I enjoy shootouts,” 

Forwards Connor Zary and Dustin Hunt scored in regulation time for Calgary (2-2-0). 

“We had 20 or 30 blocked shots throughout the game,” Wolf said. “When guys are sacrificing their bodies in front of me like that, it makes my job real easy. So, I’m sure it was a thrill for them. It was good to get that (second) goal and come out with the win.” 

Ford had a goal and an assist and Jansen Harkins also scored for Winnipeg (2-0-1). 

“I think I played with some energy there, thought I was moving my feet well,” Ford said. “I missed a couple open nets, but that just happens sometimes. It’s tough to be on the losing side.” 

Zary evened the score 2-2 at 12:56 of the third period when he beat Winnipeg netminder Oskari Salminen from the faceoff circle. 

After replacing starter Connor Hellebuyck midway through the second period, Salminen stopped 13 of 14 at the Canada Life Centre. He denied Zary, but was beaten by Mangiapane in the shootout. 

Hellebuyck stopped 18 of 19 shots in the first 27 minutes before giving way to Salminen, 

Ford has impressed coach Rick Bowness. 

“He’s a spunky little guy,” Bowness said. “He’s out there. He’s on the puck and he’s got great confidence with the puck. One of the things you’re watching in practice is, ‘OK, who has got a good release?’ Goal scorers know where to put the puck on the net and he’s got that touch and he’s got a great release.” 

Ford was anxious to demonstrate his on-ice prowess.

“I think you want to show your best game and that comes with the coach’s trust,” said Ford, who gave the Jets a 2-1 lead early in the third period. “Coach isn’t going to put you out there if he doesn’t trust you. I just try to play the right way, a good 200-foot game. Everyone is so good out there, so fast. Just need to find little ways to chip in.” 

No goals were scored in the second period, but there was drama in the final minute. 

Calgary forward Martin Pospisil was slapped with a match penalty for hitting Winnipeg forward Cole Perfetti in the head. Jets defenceman Logan Stanley then went after Pospisil. Perfetti didn't return to the game. 

“It was a cheap-shot hit and the referees got it right,” Bowness said. “Good for the referees to take a look at it. It’s a complete head shot, it’s a cheap shot. Simple as that. I’m glad the referees did what they did. Cole will be re-evaluated in the morning.” 

There was confusion in the arena about what penalties were assessed and to whom because the referee’s microphone wasn't working. 

The Flames outshot Winnipeg 16-3 in the first period and knotted the score 1-1 in the last minute. Hunt slid a backhand into an open net with Hellebuyck down and out after stopping a shot. 

Harkins opened the scoring 7:28 into the first period on a give-and-go with Ford, and beat Wolf with a low shot. 

NOTES: Calgary named veteran centre Mikael Backlund team captain just hours before the game. He did not travel to Winnipeg to play and neither did forwards Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri … Injured Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers (neck spasms) has yet to suit up after three pre-season games . . . Winnipeg rested veterans Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and defenceman Josh Morrissey. 

 UP NEXT 

The Jets head to Ottawa to play the Senators while the Flames are at home to the Edmonton Oilers on Friday. 

 This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2023.