Latest news with #4-NationsFace-Off
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Flyers Players Speak On Rick Tocchet Hire: 'He Gets It'
(Header/feature image courtesy of The Hockey News' Megan DeRuchie) Rick Tocchet's return to Philadelphia as the Flyers' head coach has been met with anticipation, curiosity, and, most notably, a hope that he is indeed, as General Manager Danny Briere put it, "the long-term solution to our head coaching position." It's not just fans who are excited to see a familiar face behind the bench—it's the players who already have a sense of what he brings to the table, especially those who've recently worked with him. Tocchet's appointment comes with a resume that stretches across decades—first as a fiery power forward and later as a respected coach with a reputation for relationship-building, accountability, and player development. That reputation was on full display earlier this year when he served as an assistant coach for Team Canada at the 4-Nations Face-Off, a short but valuable stint that allowed him to work with Flyers players Travis Konecny and Travis Sanheim. For Sanheim, the experience left a mark. 'Just good interactions, good communicator, easy to talk to… those were some of the things I came away with,' Sanheim said of working with Tocchet. 'And I've heard nothing but good things about him from guys that have had him. Super excited to get to see what he's all about as a head coach. "He's won before. Excited to get going with him and see what he's all about in a head coaching role and try to take that next step forward that our team is trying to do here over the next couple of seasons.' Sanheim's excitement is reflective of the broader sentiment around the team: Tocchet represents both a fresh voice and a familiar tone. He's known for his candor, his willingness to meet players where they are, and his unique ability to balance the demands of the modern NHL with the grit and intensity Flyers fans so often crave. For Konecny, Tocchet's identity as a former Flyer means more than just nostalgia. 'It's great. Really looking forward to working with him,' Konecny said. 'He seems like a great guy. I've heard nothing but good things. And he's a Flyer. That means something, and he knows that. He gets it, I'm sure. It means something to put that jersey on. The city loves their hockey. They love their sports in general. You've got to show up to play every night, and I think that's something that he brought and he's going to instill in the team.' Rick Tocchet hasn't coached any of the current #Flyers in the NHL but he did coach Travis Konecny and Travis Sanheim at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. Canada won the title. — Jackie Spiegel (@jackiespiegel93) May 15, 2025 There's a through line here—something deeper than tactics or line combinations. Tocchet brings an identity. One forged in Philadelphia, honed across the NHL, and now coming full circle. The players feel it, and they know what's being asked of them: compete hard, play smart, and buy in. For players like Matvei Michkov who haven't worked with him before, Tocchet's arrival represents something more nuanced—a reset, a recalibration, and potentially, a new opportunity. 'A new coach always means a fresh start,' Michkov said. 'I don't know him personally, so I can't say much yet. The main thing is that the team improves and makes the playoffs. I just hope I'll have freedom on the ice. When I feel limited, I start focusing on the wrong things.' Michkov's comment speaks to a universal truth for young, high-skill players: structure is necessary, but so is trust. Tocchet has shown throughout his coaching career—whether in Arizona, Pittsburgh, or Vancouver—that he can earn the trust of both grinders and gamebreakers. The hope in Philadelphia is that he can do the same with Michkov, nurturing the young star's talent while instilling the habits that drive winning hockey. All told, the early reviews are encouraging. From seasoned Flyers to new arrivals, there's a shared belief that Tocchet brings more than just experience—he brings credibility, care, and conviction. It's early days, and there will be growing pains. But as the Flyers look to transition from a rebuilding project into a playoff contender, the voices in the locker room are already signaling one thing loud and clear: Their new coach has their attention. And maybe more importantly, he already has their respect.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ottawa Senators will be without captain Brady Tkachuk against Sabres
The Ottawa Senators will have to soldier on without captain Brady Tkachuk. Coach Travis Green told reporters on Tuesday morning that Tkachuk won't suit up against the Buffalo Sabres at the Canadian Tire Centre because of an upper-body injury. Tkachuk suffered the ailment on Sunday after getting hit by Ryan Graves late in the second period of the club's 1-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins at the PPG Paints Arena. 'It's not what you want, but it's part of being in the NHL and you're going to have to deal with injuries,' Green said following the club's morning skate. The belief is that Tkachuk won't be out long. It remains to be seen whether he'll suit up on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning at home, but the club won't rush him back because the Senators want him to be 100% if they make the playoffs. Sportlogiq says the Senators have a 99% chance of making the post-season with only nine games left in the regular season — and eight of those at home — but nothing is confirmed until it's locked up. Losing Tkachuk makes the task a little more difficult. The club has recalled winger Angus Crookshank from its American Hockey League affiliate in Belleville and he is scheduled to suit up against the Sabres on the fourth line with Matthew Highmore and Adam Gaudette. This isn't the same lower-body ailment that Tkachuk had been dealing with since he returned from the 4 Nations Face-Off. Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs on collision course for Battle of Ontario in playoffs Ottawa Senators make their point as Penguins' Sidney Crosby scores OT winner Losing Tkachuk for any length of time is a tough blow, especially with the Senators trying to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in eight years. However, if this is what has to be done, then so be it. He missed two games after returning the 4-Nations Face-Off — during which he suited up for Team USA — as a result of an injury he suffered on Feb. 17 versus Team Sweden. He played through the ailment in the final against Team Canada on Feb. 20, but then didn't play for the Senators against the Montreal Canadiens on Feb. 22 or the Winnipeg Jets on Feb. 26. Tkachuk noted at the time that he missed those games because he didn't want something nagging him down the stretch. He aggravated that ailment on March 22 against the New Jersey Devils, but hasn't missed any games as a result. bgarrioch@
CBC
28-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
Green MLAs urge government to audit Maritime Electric's billing practices
The P.E.I. Greens are urging the government to audit Maritime Electric's billing system after some Islanders reported their bills are getting out of control. In Question Period Thursday, Green MLA Matthew MacFarlane said he's spoken to people who are paying hundreds more on their electric bills this winter compared to last year. He said the high power bills have led some people to feel "punished" for switching to heat pumps to provide electric heat in their homes — with many using government programs to do so. And he said some are going back to furnace oil because of how much it costs to heat with electricity. "Another Islander reached out to me with a bill that came in at over $1,000, being hundreds of dollars more than he has ever seen before. He also has a heat pump, but in an effort to conserve energy and keep costs down, he keeps his home cold and uses blankets to keep warm," MacFarlane said. "Will you commit, minister, to launching an independent review and audit of Maritime Electric's billing, infrastructure, and maintenance?" Sparks fly in P.E.I. Legislature over high power bills and the high cost of NHL sponsorship 11 hours ago Duration 2:06 The Opposition Liberals have tabled documents showing the P.E.I. government spent more than half a million dollars promoting the Island during the 4-Nations Face-Off in January, on top of its earlier commitments to the NHL's business office. Meanwhile, the Greens lobbied for the province to review how Maritime Electric collects power use data and bills its customers, after a winter of sky-high bills for some customers. "I think you're two months behind the eight ball here," Arsenault responded. "What we've done is we've launched — probably close to a year ago — the P.E.I. energy review, which will reveal much of the information that [MacFarlane] is looking for." He provided no details of what the "thorough review" involved but said the results are due out in four to five weeks. Arsenault also said a "P.E.I. Energy Blueprint" should be coming out this fall, laying out a 10-year strategy for energy on the Island. 'People want answers' In an interview with CBC News after Question Period, MacFarlane said seeing people share their bills with him and on social media was "astonishing." He said a Maritime Electric audit should be a priority for the Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action. Many Islanders questioning why this winter's power is costing hundreds of dollars more each month 1 month ago Duration 2:31 Many Maritime Electric customers on Prince Edward Island have taken to social media to complain about electricity bills coming in hundreds of dollars higher than they did for the same winter month a year ago. The CBC's Steve Bruce looked into the matter for them. "We've seen New Brunswick call for an audit. People want answers… and the only way we're going to get answers to this drastic year-over-year change is to have an independent audit." Customers of the main power utilities in both New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador have complained of rising electric bills throughout this winter. N.B. Power and Newfoundland Power have pointed to cold weather as one of the drivers behind higher bills. Similar points were made Thursday in the House, where Arsenault suggested P.E.I. bills are higher because it's been such a frigid winter. MacFarlane said he'd rather have more clarity on that determination by government doing a full audit of Maritime Electric's billing process. The MLA would also like to see the province "investigate the infrastructure that Maritime Electric employs and the delivery of electricity throughout the province, to see whether or not the consumption per household is accurately being recorded."
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Canucks: Blues turning back competitive clock is bad news for playoff hopefuls
It started with a St. Louis Blues head coaching change Nov. 24 that brought amazing results. Then came a startling string of post-NHL-break success that is causing the Vancouver Canucks plenty of playoff-pursuit stress. With well-travelled Jim Montgomery running an energized Blues bench five days after being fired by the Boston Bruins — and relying on his previous franchise connection as an assistant to exact maximum commitment and performance — the resurgent club went 12-2-2 following the 4-Nations Face-Off. The Blues don't have a player in top-35 league scoring — Jordan Kyrou does have 31 goals — but have won seven straight to stay in the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 83 points. They face the struggling Nashville Predators on Thursday, one of their five remaining games against non-playoff teams. The Predators are 21 points shy of the Blues and would need to somehow leap seven teams to advance to the post-season. Good luck with that. If the Blues beat those non-playoff clubs, and lose all four to those in a post-season position, they would still move the expected playoff bar from 92 to 93 points. And, who knows, maybe higher. The bottom line is that momentum means everything this time of year. Everybody is dealing with injuries (just ask the Canucks) and roster depth is being tested around the league. The Blues expect to get giant defenceman Colton Parayko back before the regular season ends. He had a knee scope in early March and the timeline for a return was six weeks, but he is advancing the rehab curve. And that would be a big boon. Parayko has a career-high 15 goals and 35 points this season and a team-leading 90 hits and 140 shot blocks. The Canucks are hopeful injured forwards Filip Chytil (concussion) along with Elias Pettersson and Nils Hoglander (undisclosed) return soon. In the interim, they're gutting it out with great goaltending, depth scoring and a care factor that resonates with captain Quinn Hughes. 'Young guys coming up and the veterans holding it together, you can't say enough about that,' Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet said following practice Thursday. 'Our defence is a strength and we can hold the fort. And we're getting timely goals from guys who are now chipping in. 'This time of year you need everybody.' The Canucks were just three points back of the Blues with a game in hand heading into league play Thursday. St. Louis holds the tie-breaker with more regulation wins, but the Canucks have another pressing concern. The Columbus Blue Jackets await Friday and they are only two points shy of a post-season spot, but are also on an ill-timed 2-7-1 slide. 'We're playing desperate teams in similar situations and it's actually good for us,' added Tocchet. 'You just have to be ready for every game. Unfortunately, we don't have a lot of leeway right now and every period is important. 'What I like is the resolve and the no-quit. Whatever happens, whether it's a bad period or lack of execution for a short period of time, we're regaining (composure) pretty quick and that helps. And so does really good goaltending.' It's akin to what the Blues accomplished in a remarkable title run in the 2018-2019 season. Craig Berube was promoted from his assistant position in November of the 2018-19 season and guided the Blues to a Stanley Cup championship. He turned around a confusing club that had talent, but was in last place before finding its way. In that fateful championship season, the Blues were hammered 6-1 in a Dec. 1, 2018, embarrassment by the Tocchet-coached Coyotes in Glendale, Ariz. The Blues looked lost. They were 10-16-1 and last in the Western Conference. 'We went out for beers after and I remember there were a couple of people there, but Craig wasn't saying much,' Tocchet told Postmedia. 'All he said to me was, 'I've got to make these guys understand that if everybody does their roles, we're a damn good team.' 'And the next thing you know he's on stage lifting the Stanley Cup. He's the best. He did a helluva job of making every one of them important. That's what I learned from him. How important the top guys and even the fourth line are. 'If we can instil that confidence here — we all play the right way and do the right things — you can overcome some deficiencies.' And here the Canucks are. Still kicking and clawing and scratching for a playoff position. OVERTIME — Kevin Lankinen popped up in a practice video Thursday in Columbus. The Canucks goalie was reportedly dealing with a 'minor injury' and played at less than 100 per cent in a loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday. He didn't serve as the back-up to Thatcher Demko on Monday in New Jersey and also Wednesday against the New York Islanders. If he's not at least the back-up Friday, that's another story. Canucks Coffee: Are we worried about Kevin Lankinen now too? Maybe? Canucks 5, Islanders 2: The playoff chase is back on
New York Times
20-02-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
What can the NHL learn from its 4 Nations rule experiments?
BOSTON — The 4-Nations Face-Off hasn't just been about superstar performances, dream matchups and growing hockey. It's also been, to a certain extent, about tinkering. One interesting facet of the tournament has been how the NHL brought in new ideas and rules to see how they'd work and if they one day could be implemented in the league. Advertisement Not every idea is in consideration. Some were specifically designed for a four-team tournament among Finland, Sweden, the U.S. and Canada. But nevertheless, every rule change was once a new idea — and some of the ones used in the tournament have looked like hits (extended overtimes) while others have … not as much (longer TV timeouts and shorter intermissions). We've also seen cool new looks on the telecasts, such as a cameraman skating onto the ice from the penalty box to capture goal celebrations (like in the World Juniors), as well as referees wearing cameras, players wearing cameras in warmups and players and refs mic'd up. This summer, the league and television partners will meet to present ideas, exchange feedback and potentially make changes to the telecasts. But the rule changes are worth assessing while the tournament is fresh, so for now, let's dive in on those. The tournament-opening game featured the longest-ever three-on-three overtime involving NHL players, taking more than six minutes before Canada's Mitch Marner ended it. That prompted a wave of reaction and discussion — because it was six incredibly entertaining minutes, featuring 12 combined shots by Canada and Sweden, with four coming off Nathan MacKinnon's stick alone. The NHL's general managers have previously discussed extending the length of overtime periods from five minutes to seven minutes, and in a broader sense would like to reduce the number of games decided by a shootout. But one of the reasons it hasn't happened is there are concerns about how much more taxing it will be for the league's top skaters. So, what's the takeaway from here? It's mixed. MacKinnon made it clear that he feels a 10-minute overtime period is too long. He said he'd consider supporting a switch to seven minutes. He was gassed after getting four overtime shifts covering 2:21 of the 6:06 played against Sweden. 'I usually feel better than that normally, but it was just an adrenaline dump,' he said. 'I can't believe I looked off Connor (McDavid) on that two-on-one, honestly, but I could barely see I was so tired on that rush. So I was happy when Marner scored because I didn't have much left to give.' Marner with the overtime winner!!! 🥳 — Team Canada (@TeamCanada) February 13, 2025 The only other overtime played during the event ended quickly. Mikael Granlund sealed a win for Finland over Sweden at 1:49 by finishing off a three-on-one rush. None of the 4 Nations games required a shootout. The range of player opinions on a longer overtime makes it tough to handicap where we go from here. U.S. goalie Jake Oettinger said he was in favor of a change but noted that it required asking more of the skaters than someone playing his position. Advertisement 'For the goalies, it's nothing crazy,' he said. 'I like it. It's more fun, overtime, and there've been games where we've had great overtimes and it sucks when they end.' Finnish forward Patrik Laine, meanwhile, joked that he wouldn't mind if games went directly to a shootout and skipped overtime altogether. 'I don't personally care,' he said. 'I think some guys have a preference, but I think five minutes is enough. Especially the amount of great players that are out there, I think we should get an ending to a game in five minutes with all the guys on the ice.' One notable voice in favor of a longer overtime period is McDavid, the game's best player. He's glad it was put in place for 4 Nations. 'I think it's a great kind of trial run,' McDavid said. 'Something that I think maybe the players liked. I think the fans liked it. It felt a little bit more like it's in our hands.' If Thursday's final goes to overtime, it'll be NHL Stanley Cup playoff rules: five-on-five, 20-minute overtimes until there's a winner. Had any 4 Nations games gone to a shootout, the NHL would have tested one other rule tweak affecting tiebreakers: Repeat shooters were going to be permitted in any shootouts that remained tied after the third round, just as they currently are in IIHF-sanctioned competitions. In the NHL this season, a record 74.3 percent of games that have gone to overtime have ended before a shootout. When everything was said and done in the round robin portion of the 4 Nations, Canada and the U.S. had two wins each, while Sweden and Finland each lost two games. But the final standings ended up like this: That's because of a points system that awarded three points for a regulation win, two for an overtime win and one point for an overtime loss. Canada had the tiebreaker and earned a spot in the championship game by virtue of its head-to-head win over Sweden. Clearly, instituting something similar in the NHL's regular season would have a dramatic impact on how the standings look. But don't count on it being a topic of serious internal debate or discussion any time soon. Advertisement NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has been very clear that he sees the league's 'parity' as something worth celebrating. There's certainly less separation in the existing system where two points are awarded for both regulation wins and shootout wins. Basically they're valued the same way. In fact, the main reason a different standings format was used for 4 Nations is because it made the tiebreaking procedure cleaner in a short event featuring just three games apiece. Still, it was hard to ignore how drastically the pace picked up late in regulation of a tied Sweden-Finland game as both teams pushed for the three points rather than sitting back and waiting for a guaranteed loser point by reaching overtime. There was also the potential for an entertaining scenario in which Canada might have pulled its goalie in regulation if it was tied late against Finland. It needed a regulation victory from that game to guarantee a spot in the championship, and coach Jon Cooper indicated they had planned for every scenario. 'Everything's been thought about, trust me,' Cooper said. 'I'll have a rolodex list out there on the bench. Hopefully it doesn't come to that.' Ultimately, it didn't — although it was close. Finland scored twice with its own goalie pulled Monday afternoon to get the game back to 4-3 before Sidney Crosby iced the game with an empty-netter. You may not have noticed watching on TV at home, but in the arena, it sure was noticeable. The league and broadcast partners experimented with TV timeouts that were 30 seconds longer — going from two minutes to 2:30 — and intermissions that were one minute shorter — from 18 minutes to 17. The consensus, U.S. defenseman Brock Faber said, is 'most guys don't like it.' Some players were even stronger, like Finland's Erik Haula: 'Awful. Terrible. Just awful.' Advertisement 'It can take you out of the game, especially if you're a third or fourth liner not getting a lot of minutes as it is,' said Haula, who plays for the New Jersey Devils. 'Third period, after TV timeouts, coaches are just gonna go with top-six guys, so it just kills you. The break is so big, you can play with two lines. I hate it personally.' It's clear, maybe out of habit, that it has thrown players off. Late in TV timeouts, as they wait for the game to resume, they skating around aimlessly. Linesmen aren't used to it, either. They've been going to the faceoff dots and just standing there waiting to get a signal to drop the puck. Players have followed and lined up ready to take the drop for 15, 20, 30 seconds. 'It feels long,' Devils forward Jack Hughes said. 'I didn't even know they were trying this, but you definitely notice. … You start looking at the clock. It seems long. The minute mark, everyone is gearing up for the faceoff and guys are waiting at the dot for 45 seconds.' And this is a superstar who theoretically would benefit from a longer TV timeout. If top players get an extra 30 seconds to rest, a coach can keep throwing the top lines onto the ice even if they just played the shift before the TV timeout. That sure has happened throughout the 4 Nations. 'TV timeouts are long as it is,' Cooper said. 'Can you recharge some of your top-end players? Of course you can. But then what does it do to the guys that haven't been out there, haven't been out before the TV timeout? And now you've got to wait through that. It's kind of the double-edged sword.' The United States' Matt Boldy doesn't see any reason to change it, but he also said '30 seconds is 30 seconds. It adds 90 seconds to a period. I don't think there's a lot of guys in the league that would say that's crazy beneficial for them in a lot of ways. It's not like you're feeling on top of the world because you got an extra 30 seconds of rest. Advertisement 'So I think it all depends on situations and scenarios, too. I think you'd still see certain guys you'd want on D-zone draws and the guys you want on O-zone draws.' Faber said what he really doesn't like is the shorter intermission because he has his routine down to the second. 'I'm normally ready right up until we have to go back out on the ice,' Faber said. 'With my routines and stuff between periods, I've noticed that has affected that a lot. I feel like I'm in a rush in the intermissions. It's much different. Feels much shorter.' One reason the league is experimenting with the change is to make it more consistent with other professional sports leagues and to tighten up the intermission shows on television. But judging on feedback from coaches and players, this likely won't see the light of day during an NHL regular-season or playoff game. (Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic, with photo by Ben Jackson / Getty Images)
