Stelio Mattheos, who completed treatment for testicular cancer, walked into PNC Arena on Friday to join the #Canes at training camp. Today, he's back on the ice. pic.twitter.com/Lwg51jvDv0
Last month, the Hurricanes announced that Mattheos would miss training camp to undergo testicular cancer treatments. He was diagnosed in June, only two days after helping the AHL's Charlotte Checkers capture the Calder Cup.
Mattheos had surgery to remove a testicle, as well as multiple rounds of chemotherapy, before being initially ruled out in late August.
"Everyone's been so good to me throughout this whole process, and it just feels really good to get back on the ice," he told reporters after Saturday's session.
The 20-year-old forward also relayed a similar message to his supporters on Twitter.
I’d like to thank everyone for all the support and well wishes. Im excited to be back and ready to get to work. pic.twitter.com/AJdvgaljiz
Ahead of a highly anticipated storming of Area 51 in Nevada on Friday, Vegas players and coaches offered their thoughts to the Las Vegas Sun's Justin Emerson on whether aliens exist and the likelihood of aliens - dead or alive - being held at the top-secret facility.
The comments came following a practice session at which fans were encouraged to dress up in alien costumes.
Some Golden Knights were convinced of a paranormal presence, whether it be real or otherwise.
Brandon Pirri: “There’s something there. Why won’t they let you tour the place?”
About 3,000 people showed up to Area 51 to "see them aliens" Friday after 2 million people pledged in a Facebook event page to storm the site, according to CNN's Doug Criss, Christina Maxouris, and Nick Watt. The crowd ultimately opted not to rush the facility after being informed of the consequences.
Evaluating the top defensive units in the NHL isn't as cut and dry as determining the best offenses, as defensive play can be more difficult to quantify. Goaltending, while technically an element of defense, can skew true prowess and make it seem as though an average club is better than the underlying numbers truly indicate.
The New York Islanders are a prime example. They allowed the fewest goals in the NHL last season, but a closer look at their metrics shows that they placed near the middle or bottom of the pack at suppressing shots, preventing scoring chances, and killing penalties, and that the defense was bailed out by outstanding goaltending from Robin Lehner and Thomas Greiss.
We focused on which groups are the best at limiting opportunities and keeping the puck out of their respective nets.
Here are the top five defenses in the league for 2019-20, based on last season's performance, the personnel, and how each stack up for the upcoming campaign:
GA/G: Goals against per game SA/G: Shots against per game SCA: Total scoring chances against at 5-on-5 HDCA: Total high-danger chances against at 5-on-5 xGA: Expected goals against at 5-on-5 PK%: Penalty killing percentage (League rank in parentheses, all figures from 2018-19 season)
5. Nashville Predators
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
GA/G
SA/G
SCA
HDCA
xGA
PK%
2.59 (T-3rd)
30 (9th)
1682 (10th)
704 (15th)
146.92 (10th)
82.1 (6th)
The Predators still boast one of the most effective groups in the NHL despite trading away P.K. Subban at the draft.
Roman Josi and Ryan Ellis remain one of the most rock-solid pairings and Mattias Ekholm is still a key member of a commendable group. Promising rookie Dante Fabbro will have a chance to carve out a top-four role, and he's one of the reasons general manager David Poile felt comfortable dealing Subban.
The loss of Subban's puck-moving abilities will hurt the Predators to a degree, and goaltender Pekka Rinne will be 37 in November, but Nashville's unit is still one of the best.
4. Minnesota Wild
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GA/G
SA/G
SCA
HDCA
xGA
PK%
2.84 (12th)
29.5 (T-6th)
1495 (1st)
603 (1st)
130.24 (1st)
81.7 (7th)
The Wild couldn't translate their defensive dominance into a playoff spot last season, as they were one of the league's worst offensive teams and got subpar goaltending from Devan Dubnyk. However, what their rearguards accomplished in their own end was quite remarkable, especially considering they were without Matt Dumba for the final 50 games.
Minnesota was the league's best team when it came to preventing scoring chances at five-on-five - both of the standard and high-danger variety - and the club also boasted excellent shot-prevention, expected goals against, and penalty-killing rates despite missing a key member of its top four for more than half of the season.
Ryan Suter's contributions to this unit are invaluable, as the 34-year-old workhorse led all NHL skaters in average ice time while playing every game. Jared Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin are also ultra-dependable, and with Dumba back taking part in the preseason, the Wild should once again be among the league's top defensive clubs.
3. Calgary Flames
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GA/G
SA/G
SCA
HDCA
xGA
PK%
2.72 (9th)
28.1 (1st)
1606 (3rd)
670 (6th)
139.42 (4th)
79.7 (19th)
Mark Giordano and T.J. Brodie are arguably the best pairing in the NHL, and the Flames possess impressive depth on the back end. While Giordano - the soon-to-be 36-year-old reigning Norris Trophy winner - will be hard-pressed to duplicate his 74-point campaign, Calgary boasts a formidable collection of blue-liners, as the numbers reinforce.
No team allowed fewer shots per game last season than the Flames did, and Calgary also limited scoring chances and expected goals to an elite degree.
The Cup finalists got very good goaltending from Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak in 2018-19, but their success in their own end was due to far more than just that. Only the Wild were better than the Bruins were at preventing scoring chances during the regular season, and Boston's ability to shut down opposing offenses clearly carried over into the playoffs, helping them come within a game of winning another championship.
Chara isn't what he once was, but he's still effective enough, while increased contributions from the likes of Connor Clifton and Matt Grzelcyk will ensure Boston once again ices one of the best defense corps.
1. St. Louis Blues
Scott Rovak / National Hockey League / Getty
GA/G
SA/G
SCA
HDCA
xGA
PK%
2.68 (5th)
28.6 (T-3rd)
1696 (12th)
626 (T-2nd)
137.49 (3rd)
81.5 (9th)
That old adage that defense wins championships certainly rang true last season, as the Blues locked down opponents en route to the Stanley Cup. With the same six primary rearguards set to suit up for St. Louis, the champs enter this season with the most well-rounded and proven group of blue-liners in the league.
The Blues performed well across the board in both the conventional defensive categories and the advanced ones. That wide-ranging success is a major reason they won the title in June, and there's little reason to believe it will drastically change.
Jordan Binnington may regress, but as the analytics illustrate, he benefited from his teammates' elite defensive play last season, and the largely veteran group in front of him should continue to do what they do best.
Current broadcaster and former star NHL forward Jeremy Roenick weighed in on current contracts in the league and implied they're being handed out to players who have yet to earn them.
Former NHL pest Matthew Barnaby chimed in to make another sweeping generalization about the difference between the modern game and that of their era.
Outspoken agent Allan Walsh responded to Roenick's tweet with some rather pointed criticism.
Roenick made $53,835,000 in total base salary during his 20-year NHL tenure, including a combined $33.94 million from 2001-02 through 2005-06, during which he scored 76 goals in 274 games - an average of 19 goals over the four campaigns.
There's no shortage of bench bosses who will begin 2019-20 feeling the heat.
Whether they guide a team on the rise that hasn't gone deep enough, a franchise that's stuck in the mud, or a historically great regular-season club that hasn't achieved Stanley Cup glory, these leaders will need to meet expectations in the upcoming campaign to stave off a potential pink slip.
Paul Maurice, Jets
Hired: January 12, 2014
Expectations were high for the Winnipeg Jets after they reached the Western Conference Final in 2018, but last season was unquestionably a disappointment, as the Jets were bounced from the first round of the playoffs by the eventual NHL champion St. Louis Blues.
Maurice's club faltered down the stretch, dropping six of its final nine regular-season contests before the six-game loss to St. Louis. And while the coach remains well-respected across the league, rumors of discord in the Winnipeg dressing room dogged his team in the latter half of the campaign.
Given the amount of skill on the Jets' roster, Maurice's job will continue to be heavily scrutinized, and he's not alone, as general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff could also be on the hot seat - particularly if the Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor negotiations drag into the season.
Mike Babcock, Maple Leafs
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Hired: May 20, 2015
Speaking of scrutiny, there aren't many markets with more of it than Toronto.
Babcock tempered expectations when he joined the Maple Leafs by saying "there's pain coming," and he was right at the time, as the team was still rebuilding. However, the pressure to make progress after three consecutive first-round exits is now mounting on the veteran head coach and his charges, particularly after Mitch Marner's new six-year deal was agreed upon last week.
The Leafs' core forwards are now locked up long term, but goaltender Frederik Andersen is under contract for just two more seasons, so the club's window to take a significant step forward may not be as large as it seems - and Babcock surely knows it.
While Toronto GM Kyle Dubas publicly committed to Babcock in May, the bench boss has come under fire for his deployment decisions - particularly regarding Auston Matthews' ice time - and while those two talked over the summer, all three will need to be on the same page this season or Babcock could find himself in the figurative crosshairs.
Claude Julien, Canadiens
Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Hired: February 14, 2017
Montreal is another high-pressure market, and while Julien is entering only his third full season in his second stint behind the Canadiens' bench, a third straight campaign without a playoff berth could put his job in jeopardy once again.
The 59-year-old guided the club into the postseason in 2016-17 after being hired to replace Michel Therrien for a second time, but the team has been unable to return to the playoffs since then, missing out by two points last spring.
General manager Marc Bergevin would also be on the hot seat if the Canadiens fail to qualify, but Julien is more vulnerable because Bergevin and Montreal's ownership control his destiny and have shown they're willing to make a coaching change during the season.
Expectations for this club aren't sky-high, but they're always a little higher in Montreal than they might be in some of the NHL's other cities. Having been fired by the Canadiens once before, Julien is certainly aware of that fact.
Bruce Boudreau, Wild
Hired: May 7, 2016
Bruce Kluckhohn / National Hockey League / Getty
Boudreau has two major factors working against him as 2019-20 draws near.
First, like Babcock, Boudreau has failed to guide his club beyond the first round. Under his guidance, the Minnesota Wild missed the playoffs last season following two consecutive defeats in the opening round (they also lost in Round 1 the year before Boudreau came aboard).
Second, the Wild have a new GM in Bill Guerin, who replaced Paul Fenton after only one season at the helm.
General managers often prefer to bring in their own head coach, but even if Guerin sticks with Boudreau, the 64-year-old bench boss will presumably be on a short leash given the club's mediocrity in recent years. It doesn't help that Fenton's questionable roster moves have put Boudreau at even more of a disadvantage.
Jon Cooper, Lightning
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Hired: March 25, 2013
Cooper isn't under as much pressure as the other coaches on this list, but he could be feeling the heat if the Tampa Bay Lightning suffer another early postseason exit.
The 52-year-old Cooper was named a finalist for the Jack Adams Award in 2018-19, and rightfully so following the Lightning's historically dominant regular season. However, Tampa Bay's stunning first-round exit by way of a sweep at the hands of the Columbus Blue Jackets cut their remarkable campaign short and left many on the losing side searching for answers.
Tampa Bay has reached a Stanley Cup Final and made two trips to the Eastern Conference Final under Cooper, but another premature conclusion to a campaign will put his job at risk regardless of how well his squad performs over the 82-game schedule.
There's no shortage of bench bosses who will begin 2019-20 feeling the heat.
Whether they guide a team on the rise that hasn't gone deep enough, a franchise that's stuck in the mud, or a historically great regular-season club that hasn't achieved Stanley Cup glory, these leaders will need to meet expectations in the upcoming campaign to stave off a potential pink slip.
Paul Maurice, Jets
Hired: January 12, 2014
Expectations were high for the Winnipeg Jets after they reached the Western Conference Final in 2018, but last season was unquestionably a disappointment, as the Jets were bounced from the first round of the playoffs by the eventual NHL champion St. Louis Blues.
Maurice's club faltered down the stretch, dropping six of its final nine regular-season contests before the six-game loss to St. Louis. And while the coach remains well-respected across the league, rumors of discord in the Winnipeg dressing room dogged his team in the latter half of the campaign.
Given the amount of skill on the Jets' roster, Maurice's job will continue to be heavily scrutinized, and he's not alone, as general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff could also be on the hot seat - particularly if the Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor negotiations drag into the season.
Mike Babcock, Maple Leafs
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Hired: May 20, 2015
Speaking of scrutiny, there aren't many markets with more of it than Toronto.
Babcock tempered expectations when he joined the Maple Leafs by saying "there's pain coming," and he was right at the time, as the team was still rebuilding. However, the pressure to make progress after three consecutive first-round exits is now mounting on the veteran head coach and his charges, particularly after Mitch Marner's new six-year deal was agreed upon last week.
The Leafs' core forwards are now locked up long term, but goaltender Frederik Andersen is under contract for just two more seasons, so the club's window to take a significant step forward may not be as large as it seems - and Babcock surely knows it.
While Toronto GM Kyle Dubas publicly committed to Babcock in May, the bench boss has come under fire for his deployment decisions - particularly regarding Auston Matthews' ice time - and while those two talked over the summer, all three will need to be on the same page this season or Babcock could find himself in the figurative crosshairs.
Claude Julien, Canadiens
Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Hired: February 14, 2017
Montreal is another high-pressure market, and while Julien is entering only his third full season in his second stint behind the Canadiens' bench, a third straight campaign without a playoff berth could put his job in jeopardy once again.
The 59-year-old guided the club into the postseason in 2016-17 after being hired to replace Michel Therrien for a second time, but the team has been unable to return to the playoffs since then, missing out by two points last spring.
General manager Marc Bergevin would also be on the hot seat if the Canadiens fail to qualify, but Julien is more vulnerable because Bergevin and Montreal's ownership control his destiny and have shown they're willing to make a coaching change during the season.
Expectations for this club aren't sky-high, but they're always a little higher in Montreal than they might be in some of the NHL's other cities. Having been fired by the Canadiens once before, Julien is certainly aware of that fact.
Bruce Boudreau, Wild
Hired: May 7, 2016
Bruce Kluckhohn / National Hockey League / Getty
Boudreau has two major factors working against him as 2019-20 draws near.
First, like Babcock, Boudreau has failed to guide his club beyond the first round. Under his guidance, the Minnesota Wild missed the playoffs last season following two consecutive defeats in the opening round (they also lost in Round 1 the year before Boudreau came aboard).
Second, the Wild have a new GM in Bill Guerin, who replaced Paul Fenton after only one season at the helm.
General managers often prefer to bring in their own head coach, but even if Guerin sticks with Boudreau, the 64-year-old bench boss will presumably be on a short leash given the club's mediocrity in recent years. It doesn't help that Fenton's questionable roster moves have put Boudreau at even more of a disadvantage.
Jon Cooper, Lightning
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Hired: March 25, 2013
Cooper isn't under as much pressure as the other coaches on this list, but he could be feeling the heat if the Tampa Bay Lightning suffer another early postseason exit.
The 52-year-old Cooper was named a finalist for the Jack Adams Award in 2018-19, and rightfully so following the Lightning's historically dominant regular season. However, Tampa Bay's stunning first-round exit by way of a sweep at the hands of the Columbus Blue Jackets cut their remarkable campaign short and left many on the losing side searching for answers.
Tampa Bay has reached a Stanley Cup Final and made two trips to the Eastern Conference Final under Cooper, but another premature conclusion to a campaign will put his job at risk regardless of how well his squad performs over the 82-game schedule.
The man who represents restricted free agents Mikko Rantanen and Patrik Laine says his clients aren't on the verge of agreeing to new contracts with their respective clubs.
"We're not close, how about that? That's about as much as you're going to get out of me," Mike Liut told Sportsnet 650 on Wednesday.
However, the former NHL goaltender and current managing director of Octagon Hockey added that there haven't been any surprises throughout talks involving the Finnish stars.
"Nothing has gone on that we didn't anticipate," Liut said.
The agent also discussed a certain Toronto Maple Leafs forward, who agreed to a new six-year contract with his team at an average annual value of $10.893 million last Friday.
"Is there a comparable?" Liut said. "Yes, I think that Mitch Marner and Mikko Rantanen are probably the two closest comparables in terms of how they play the game, where you have wingers who are adept at creating offense for those that they're playing with ... and they do it a little differently."
Marner racked up 26 goals and 94 points alongside John Tavares and Zach Hyman in 2018-19.
Laine, who registered career lows of 30 goals and 50 points in his third season with the Winnipeg Jets, expressed concern about his ice time to a Finnish publication earlier this week.
The man who represents restricted free agents Mikko Rantanen and Patrik Laine says his clients aren't on the verge of agreeing to new contracts with their respective clubs.
"We're not close, how about that? That's about as much as you're going to get out of me," Mike Liut told Sportsnet 650 on Wednesday.
However, the former NHL goaltender and current managing director of Octagon Hockey added that there haven't been any surprises throughout talks involving the Finnish stars.
"Nothing has gone on that we didn't anticipate," Liut said.
The agent also discussed a certain Toronto Maple Leafs forward, who agreed to a new six-year contract with his team at an average annual value of $10.893 million last Friday.
"Is there a comparable?" Liut said. "Yes, I think that Mitch Marner and Mikko Rantanen are probably the two closest comparables in terms of how they play the game, where you have wingers who are adept at creating offense for those that they're playing with ... and they do it a little differently."
Marner racked up 26 goals and 94 points alongside John Tavares and Zach Hyman in 2018-19.
Laine, who registered career lows of 30 goals and 50 points in his third season with the Winnipeg Jets, expressed concern about his ice time to a Finnish publication earlier this week.
Alex Ovechkin's widespread impact will be recognized this winter.
The Washington Capitals superstar will be honored as the recipient of the Wayne Gretzky International Award as part of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremonies on Dec. 12, the institution announced Wednesday.
Established in 1999, the award pays tribute to international individuals who have made major contributions to the growth and advancement of hockey in the United States.
"His performance on the ice and efforts off the ice have certainly translated into more kids and families wanting to be involved in our sport," USA Hockey executive director Pat Kelleher said of Ovechkin. "He’s been a great ambassador for hockey and embodies what the Gretzky Award represents."
Previous recipients of the honor include Herb Brooks (2004), Scotty Bowman (2002), the Howe family (2000), and Gretzky himself in 1999.
Gary Bettman, Brian Gionta, Neal Henderson, Tim Thomas, and Krissy Wendell will be inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame as the Class of 2019.
The club announced last Friday that the veteran defenseman had been granted a leave of absence. While the reason and timetable weren't disclosed, head coach Paul Maurice said at the time that the blue-liner was "going to be fine," and it was "nothing sinister."
Byfuglien, 34, is entering the fourth year of the five-year, $38-million pact he inked with the Jets in February 2016.
