Canadiens Amongst Most Active Teams According To Friedman
Former Canadiens Player Takes Part Of Team To Stanley Cup Final
Corey Perry may have only played one year for the Montreal Canadiens, but he has built friendships that will last a lifetime and taken something else away from the experience. During the 2021 playoffs, the right winger began using teammate Josh Anderson's sticks, and four years later, in the Stanley Cup final with the Edmonton Oilers, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman revealed that the 40-year-old is still using Anderson's stick.
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Associated Press
an hour ago
- Associated Press
Chris Kreider waives no-trade clause to accept deal from the Rangers to the Ducks, AP source says
New York Rangers' Chris Kreider celebrates after scoring a goal during the second period of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning, in the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs, May 22, 2015, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, file) Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] Chris Kreider has agreed to move his no-trade clause to accept a trade from the New York Rangers to the Anaheim Ducks, according to a person with knowledge of the decision. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday because the deal had not been finalized. The trade is expected to be completed later Thursday. Kreider, 34, is third on the franchise goal-scoring list with 326 after spending his first 13 NHL seasons with the Rangers. He has two years left on his contract at an annual salary cap hit of $6.5 million. Moving on from Kreider is general manager Chris Drury's first offseason change to a roster that underachieved and missed the playoffs. The New York Post was first to report Kreider accepting the move. ___ AP NHL:
Miami Herald
2 hours ago
- Miami Herald
‘That man is an enigma:' How Verhaeghe's game elevates in playoffs for Panthers
Paul Maurice was never really worried about Carter Verhaeghe. In fact, Verhaeghe wasn't even worried about Verhaeghe. The high-flying Florida Panthers winger had a rough go during the regular season, at least when it came to his goal scoring totals. Neither coach nor player denies that. But the looks were there. The attempts were there. The effort was there. Eventually, when the playoffs rolled around, when the production matters the most, things would start going Verhaeghe's way. He has earned a reputation for coming up in clutch moments over the past few seasons. And, lo and behold, he has risen to the occasion once again as the Panthers inch closer to repeating as Stanley Cup champions. Verhaeghe's power-play goal in the first period Monday, a wicked wrist shot from the left circle, held up as the eventual game-winning goal in Florida's 6-1 rout of the Edmonton Oilers in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, a victory that gave the Panthers a 2-1 lead in the best-of-7 series entering Game 4 on Thursday. The cross-ice pass from Evan Rodrigues had barely gotten onto his stick before he whizzed the shot past Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner with 2:15 left in the opening frame. 'That man is an enigma,'' Maurice said postgame with a grin. 'He scores goals exactly like that. It gets off his stick before it gets set. Coaching has nothing to do with that. He's gifted.' And ready for the moment. The goal was Verhaeghe's seventh of the postseason. Of those seven, three have been game-winners. In 89 career playoff games entering Thursday, Verhaeghe has 33 goals. Of those 33, 13 — nearly 40% — are game-winners. It's the second most of any active player behind only teammate Brad Marchand, who has 15 albeit in almost twice as many postseason games played (177). 'We knew as soon as the playoffs came, he was going to be able to elevate his game,' Panthers forward Sam Reinhart said. It's where Verhaeghe thrives. He scores in nearly any situation, from nearly any spot on the ice, but somehow has a knack for finding an extra gear in the bigger moments. 'That's the type of player he is,' Reinhart said. 'He has so much speed and he has one of the best releases in the game. And it seems the tighter everyone gets on the ice, there are times some guys get nervous. His heart rate might be 60 out there; he just skates around, going about his business and doing his thing. He is ready for playoff hockey and that's what brings out the best in him.' Even after a regular season that could be labeled as lackluster for the 29-year-old forward. Verhaeghe had just 20 goals in 81 games, his lowest total since only having 18 through 43 games in the shortened 2021 season. He went multiple extended stretches without finding the back of the net despite putting up his fair share of shot attempts each time. The worst drought of them all came from Feb. 4 to April 6, a 23-game run in which Verhaeghe scored just two goals and ended with a season-high 13-game stretch despite putting 68 shots on goal. That run eventually ended when he scored on an empty net on April 8. When asked at that time if Verhaeghe felt things would eventually turn for him, he answered rhetorically, 'It can't be worse, right?' 'It's hard,' Verhaeghe said, 'but I think it's honestly good because out of adversity, you always end up building something stronger than you had before. That's kind of how I've been looking at it a little bit. ... That's kind of how you find yourself and come out stronger.' Verhaeghe knows a thing or two about adversity when it comes to his hockey career. He toiled in the minor leagues for four seasons before eventually getting a shot in the NHL with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2019-20 season. He played on the fourth line for that Lightning team that wound up winning its first of two consecutive Stanley Cups. But after the season, the Lightning let him go, choosing not to offer him a deal as a restricted free agent. Enter the Panthers, who swooped in and signed Verhaeghe to a two-year deal with an average annual value of just $1 million. What a bargain that turned out to be. Verhaeghe scored 18 goals and tacked on another 18 assists through 43 games in the 2021 season. Florida promptly signed him to a three-year contract extension that would begin in the 2022-23 season. Verhaeghe only got better over each of the next three years. He combined to score 100 goals and log 200 total points during that span and transformed into one of the most clutch players in the playoffs that the NHL has seen. He scored 10 game-winning goals in 55 playoff games over that stretch, including five overtime goals — a feat that, at that time, was only accomplished by five other players in Joe Sakic, Maurice Richard, Glenn Anderson, Patrick Kane and Corey Perry in a fraction of the amount of games the others have played. During Florida's run to its first Stanley Cup last season, Verhaeghe led the Panthers with 11 goals, including scoring the opening goal in their Game 7 winner against the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final. The Panthers rewarded Verhaeghe with an eight-year, $56 million contract extension that begins next season. But things didn't gone as smoothly for Verhaeghe this season. He didn't score in the Panthers' first eight games — the longest run of his NHL career to begin a season without scoring a goal — despite putting up 28 shots on goal in that span. The long spurts without goals or with minimal kept coming after that, too. He had six separate stretches of at least five games without scoring a goal, including that 13-game stretch toward the end of the season. All while leading Florida in shots on goal (243) and scoring chances (277). 'The regular season, we have played a lot of games over the years,' Verhaeghe said. 'Some games are tough to get your mind right, get into the fight and the battle. I think it was good for our group to really push and challenge ourselves.' Maurice is cognizant of that. He's also aware of the way Verhaeghe operates. He needs chaos. 'He operates incredibly well on a certain frequency,' Maurice said. 'If the game was played 10 on 10, he'd score 65 goals a year. ... He needs the intensity of the traffic and energy around him to get him to a certain speed level, and then everything falls in line.' Enter the playoffs, where every game his high-energy, every shift a critical moment. Verhaeghe has points in 12 of 20 games this postseason. He hasn't gone longer than a three-game stretch without a goal. He's scoring on 14.9% of his shots on goal — above his career average and much more in line with what to expect from him than the 8.3% shooting clip he posted in the regular season. He had the game-winner in Game 4 of the second round against the Toronto Maple Leafs and the series clincher against the Carolina Hurricanes. He's riding the high again in the postseason — just like he almost always does — and has the Panthers two wins away from hoisting another Stanley Cup. 'It feels good; I think our whole group was kind of waiting for the postseason,' Verhaeghe said. 'It adds some juice and excitement. It feels good to get the win, but the job is not done yet.'
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
How do Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid compare all-time?: Penguins mailbag
Good morning, everyone, and thank you for the wonderful array of questions, as always. Hopefully you're enjoying the Stanley Cup Final and the U.S. Open, if you've got tickets. We'll start in that direction before moving to more Penguins-centric questions. Part 2 of this mailbag is coming soon. Away we go. Do you think it's silly to root against McDavid to win a cup to keep him a peg below Sid? —@beancantfly No, not really. I get it. If you're from Pittsburgh and/or a Penguins fan, you aren't just rooting for championships. You've had the privilege of watching some of the greatest players of all time, from Mario Lemieux to Jaromir Jagr to Sidney Crosby to Evgeni Malkin. It's completely natural to get territorial and to want your guy to be considered the best. And if you're a Sid fan and are very prideful in him being the best player of this century, then I imagine you feel a bit threatened by Connor McDavid. Deep down, you know McDavid's overall talent probably exceeds Sid's. But then again, Lemieux was twice as talented as Gretzky, and most hockey experts like to say Gretzky is the greatest player of all time. I was so, so happy when the Canadiens beat the Kings in the 1993 Stanley Cup Final. I just didn't want Gretzky to get another one. Mind you, I was 13, but still, it's fair. Advertisement While McDavid might be more talented than Sid, the fact is, Sid's accomplishments in terms of winning utterly dwarf McDavid's. I believe the five greatest players who ever lived are Lemieux, Gretzky, Bobby Orr, Crosby and McDavid. I can't imagine anyone else cracking that top five, with all due respect to Gordie Howe, Jagr, Alex Ovechkin, Rocket Richard or whomever else you want to put on this list. You can make an argument for anyone in that top five. There's no right or wrong answer. It's yet to be seen, but if McDavid wins the Cup this year, does he jump over Sid as an all-time great, or does it take more? How many Cups do you think McDavid wins before he retires? — @skiab94 Well, we're talking about public opinion now. Many people these days like to say, 'McDavid is the greatest player of all time!' And hey, maybe he is. He's remarkable. But I also think we fall into the trap of always wanting the person we're currently watching to be the greatest. There's no real joy in taking your son or daughter to a game and saying, 'Look at that, the eighth-greatest player who ever lived!' We tend to forget how great Crosby was in his prime. His prime was cut terribly short because of concussions. But I suspect that McDavid will exceed him in the opinion of many if indeed he does win the Cup. What was your favorite Stanley Cup Final series that did not involve the Penguins? — @cgibson724 Other than this one? Because this one has been insanely entertaining. I'd probably say the 2015 series between Chicago and Boston. That was great stuff with a stunning ending. Josh, how surprised were you that Dan Muse was the coaching choice? Where does it rank among surprise coaching and management hires in Penguins history? — @jlkaplan7 Oh, I was surprised, Jake. Many people in my line of work like to come across as knowing everything and refuse to act surprised as a result. But yeah, I was surprised. Advertisement I knew Muse was interviewed early on, so I guess it didn't come as a total shock. I never sensed he was a front runner and I was certainly not expecting him to be the choice. Do you think one of Rust, Rakell, or Karlsson will be moved this offseason? Kyle Dubas acknowledged he's getting tons of calls on them. — @DustinDiGenio Anything is in play with all three of them. Of the three, I think the most likely to be dealt this summer is Karlsson. My guess is all three will be with the Penguins when next season begins but at least one will be dealt before the deadline. I think Rust is the most likely to finish his contract in Pittsburgh. The Penguins could certainly receive plenty in return for him, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's a lifer. They really love him. As for Rakell, he could go at some point. Interestingly, there wasn't the level of interest in him before the deadline that you would have expected. I struggle with the segment of Pens fans who are dying to just make the playoffs. We rightly criticize the Steelers for their perpetual 10-7/9-8 records while never winning playoff games. Why not strive for a return to a Cup contender like KD wants? The Penguins should always shoot for cups — @nathan_lewy Everyone has their opinion on this topic. Personally, I agree with Dubas' line of thinking. He's shooting big. He doesn't just want to be a wild-card team. I get it, and I like it. That's what I would do if I were the GM. That said, nothing is much worse than a spring without playoff hockey. Do you think that, with the new coaching staff, the Pens give Tristan Jarry and Ryan Graves 'one last chance' to get back to the level of play that won them those contracts? — @TheAndoman I don't think they have any choice. No one is going to trade for them, and the Penguins don't want to buy them out. Advertisement It will be very interesting to see how Graves plays with a new set of eyes on him. Expectations will be disturbingly low, mind you, but it can't hurt to have some new coaches working with him. For the last three seasons, the Pens have lost so many games while leading. I'm certain this was very frustrating to players and coaches. Do you believe Dubas thought Sully's methods had anything to do with this? This team had enough talent to get leads just couldn't hold them…. — @cooljerdoc I have no doubt that the Penguins' defense has been troubling to Dubas since he took over two years ago. But I don't think he ever blamed Sullivan for it. I truly believe he thinks Sullivan is a great coach. What do you think is the best path forward for the Penguins on goalie? Sit tight and hope someone develops? Ride out Jarry's contract then trade for a 1G? Draft more? — @Lemieux67 Sergei Murashov is the future. At least, that's what the Penguins are hoping for. He's probably one year away from being NHL-ready. Playing Jarry heavily this season probably makes sense. As putrid as he was for most of the last season, he actually was the Penguins' best goalie and, to his credit, was good in the season's final month. I think you play Jarry until Murashov is ready, and you hope Murashov is the guy. If he's not, worry about it at that point. A good goalie is often the last thing a hockey team needs. It's like a closer in baseball. You don't really need a great one until you're ready to win. The Penguins just aren't there yet. Is Doc Emrick as awesome in real life as he was on the call? — @LetangCult Oh yeah. One of the kindest people I've ever met. In May 2020, I showed him a Pirates face mask that my girlfriend's aunt had made. She was selling them, and he asked me if he could have one. Naturally, I mailed him one and told him not to worry about the money. Advertisement A week later, I received $30 in cash in an envelope and a handwritten note on a PNC Park letterhead. Doesn't get any better than that. He's the epitome of class. How do you go about acquiring reliable sources as a sports journalist who specifically covers a team? — @BigSaveEh There's no direct answer to this one. Sometimes, when people start to learn who you are, they come to you with information. Sometimes, people want you to write nice things about them — assistant coaches who want to be head coaches are always great for this — so they'll give you information so that, in turn, you might write nice things about them. The ol' 'I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine' approach. (I absolutely hate this. It makes me feel dirty.) In other cases, you just treat people well and get to know them over the years, and they'll help you out. The best thing you can do is treat people with respect. Don't quote them when it's off the record. Use common sense. Check with them before you write something. Do that, and you'll be fine. Wings: Bone-in or boneless and what flavor? — @KMarker14 Bone-in, and with conviction. Are they really wings if they aren't bone-in? And I like flats better than drumsticks. I'm so boring and tame with sauces. The Big Sexy sauce (Mark Madden's trademark) at Big Shot Bob's is sensational. I like any kind of garlic parmesan as well. Or honey mustard. Anything but Cajun-y sauces. Not my thing. Thanks for all the great questions. Another mailbag is on deck. (Photo of Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
