All posts by Josh Wegman

Offseason lookahead: How Senators can get over the hump

Part 1 of our offseason lookahead series examined what the Montreal Canadiens can do to keep their rebuild on the right track. In Part 2, we break down what the Ottawa Senators must do to get over the hump.

Ottawa entered the season with playoff expectations. At the very least, it hoped to be in the hunt right until the very end. The Senators have arguably been the league's most disappointing team this season, though, sitting near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

Writing off the talented, young team entering 2024-25 would be foolish. But Ottawa's first offseason under new owner Michael Andlauer and new general manager Steve Staios will be pivotal to ending its seven-year playoff drought. Here's what the front office needs to do to right the ship:

Hire an experienced coach

Len Redkoles / National Hockey League / Getty

Ottawa's first order of business is to find a person to lead the charge from behind the bench. Interim head coach Jacques Martin clearly isn't the long-term answer. Someone with NHL head coaching experience and defensive acumen would be ideal to help the Senators' underachieving, unstructured group reach its full potential. Staios needs to nail this hire or risk setting the team back multiple years. Here are five logical candidates, ranked in order of fit:

Claude Julien: The 63-year-old makes sense on so many levels. He grew up in the Ottawa suburb of Orleans and previously worked with Andlauer in the Canadiens organization. But more importantly, Julien has a long track record of success, winning the Cup with the Boston Bruins in 2011, leading them to another final in 2013, and winning the Presidents' Trophy in 2014. He brings a strong defensive system and, as a bonus, is bilingual. The lone negative? He hasn't coached in the NHL since 2021.

Craig Berube: The head coach of the 2019 Stanley Cup-winning St. Louis Blues will be in high demand as arguably the most attractive option available this summer. With his intense demeanor and direct style of play, it's easy to envision him turning the Sens around.

Dean Evason: An underrated option this summer, Evason guided some strong defensive teams to the postseason four times during his five-year Minnesota Wild tenure. He likely won't be as sought-after as Berube, which is good news for the Senators.

Gerard Gallant: The 60-year-old has enjoyed success everywhere he's been. He led the Florida Panthers to a playoff appearance in 2016 (their second in 15 years at the time). He improbably helped the Vegas Golden Knights reach the Stanley Cup in their inaugural season. In 2022, he guided the New York Rangers to the Eastern Conference Final.

John Stevens: A three-time Stanley Cup champion as an assistant coach (twice with the Los Angeles Kings, once with Vegas), Stevens probably deserves another chance at being a head coach. His previous stints included trips to the playoffs in 2018 with the Kings and the 2008 Eastern Conference Final with the Philadelphia Flyers.

Entertain a major trade, but don't force it

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Forcing a trade just for the sake of shaking things up would be foolish. But Staios should absolutely do his due diligence to see what's out there.

After all, the Senators' core has been together for multiple years without enjoying a shred of team success. While Tim Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk, and Jake Sanderson will likely be untouchable, everything else should be on the table. That means entertaining trades for Thomas Chabot, Jakob Chychrun, Josh Norris, Claude Giroux, Drake Batherson, and others.

In particular, Staios will have some decisions to make about Chychrun and Giroux, who can become unrestricted free agents in 2025. Giroux has a full no-movement clause, so he controls his own destiny. If he wants to play out the last year of his deal then become a UFA again, he's earned that right. But the Senators can't let Chychrun walk the same way. Considering the assets the old regime surrendered to acquire him, Ottawa needs to either extend or trade him.

In any potential deal, Staios should prioritize acquiring a shutdown, right-handed defenseman to help bring some much-needed balance to the blue line. It's easier said than done, though.

Find Brannstrom a new home

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While major deals can be tough to pull off, a minor one, like giving Erik Brannstrom a change of scenery, shouldn't be overly complicated. The centerpiece of the return package for Mark Stone hasn't developed into the offensive, top-four defenseman the Senators hoped for. The 24-year-old has been fine in a third-pairing role over the years, but it might be best for both sides to move on - especially if the Sens hang on to both Chabot and Chychrun. There isn't much room for Brannstrom to move up the lineup in Ottawa.

Brannstrom is arbitration-eligible this summer and would likely earn more than his current $2-million salary. Paying north of that for a 5-foot-10, third-pairing defenseman isn't ideal.

Rather than shipping him away for a draft pick, finding a player in a similar situation makes sense, and there may be no better fit than Los Angeles Kings winger Arthur Kaliyev.

Kaliyev averaged 15 goals per season in a depth role over the last two campaigns, but he's fallen out of favor in L.A. amid a down year in 2023-24. But the 22-year-old brings size and a lethal shot, and he's posted strong defensive metrics.

Notably, both Andlauer and Staios know Kaliyev from their time together with the OHL's Hamilton Bulldogs, where the sniper was a star in junior, racking up 248 points in 192 games. Staios likely believes Kaliyev has some untapped potential.

Kaliyev is coming off his entry-level contract and won't have arbitration rights as a restricted free agent this summer, so he'll be much cheaper than Brannstrom.

Target strong defensive players in free agency

Derek Cain / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Offense isn't an issue for the Senators. They've struggled to keep the puck out of their net in recent years, so the majority of their offseason acquisitions should be strong defensive players.

If the Sens' only notable trade involves Brannstrom, they'll have roughly $9 million in cap space after signing RFAs Shane Pinto, Parker Kelly, and, in this case, Kaliyev.

That's a lot of room to work with for Staios, who'll need to address holes on the blue line. Chris Tanev, who Ottawa has already been linked to, is an obvious target, but he won't be cheap. Matt Roy, who's essentially a younger version of Tanev, could be a prime target, and if the Sens are going to commit a significant chunk of cap space to one player, he'd make sense. Other defense targets include rugged, stay-at-home types like Vincent Desharnais, a familiar face in Dylan DeMelo, Jalen Chatfield, Nikita Zadorov, and Ian Cole.

The Senators will also have needs up front, though mainly just in the bottom six. Responsible defensive players who bring physicality and penalty-killing ability would be ideal, such as Warren Foegele, Dakota Joshua, Jordan Martinook, Yakov Trenin, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare.

Final product

Arianne Bergeron / National Hockey League / Getty

For the sake of our mock offseason, we ultimately didn't complete any major trades. But after making a handful of minor moves, the Sens are better equipped to compete for the playoffs in 2024-25 with a 22-man roster that comes in just under the $87.5-million cap ceiling:

Cap Friendly

*Not pictured: No. 7 defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker ($805K cap hit)

**Cap hits are projected for Pinto, Kaliyev, Kelly, Trenin, Aube-Kubel, Cole, and Desharnais.

Trenin and Aube-Kubel give the Senators a fourth line that can be trusted to play tough minutes in the defensive zone. Trenin, in particular, is an excellent penalty killer who could also play a third-line role in a pinch.

There's a lot of money allocated to the blue line, but Cole, a two-time Stanley Cup winner, is still a rock-solid defender at age 35, and the late-blooming, 6-foot-7 Desharnais is just 27 years old and still improving. Together, they'd allow the Chabot-Chychrun pairing to get more offensive zone starts, and they'd vastly improve Ottawa's dreadful penalty kill.

With a proven defensive head coach - like Julien - the goalie tandem that Ottawa is contractually locked into for next season is set up for success.

This offseason may not feature the splashy moves Sens fans might be longing for, but Staios may want to take a year to see if he can find the right pieces - including a new head coach - to help the talented core make a leap before deciding to shake it up.

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Keefe: Tavares among Leafs who ‘got carried away’

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe wasn't impressed with the example captain John Tavares set during Tuesday's 6-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils.

"John Tavares has been the example for us, he's been outstanding for us for a long period of time," Keefe said postgame. "He himself got carried away tonight. That's our captain, so if that's gonna happen, then the rest of our bench is just picking it up as we go."

Tavares said Wednesday that he understands the reasoning for getting called out by Keefe.

"I think, especially as the captain, you really want to be at the top of the list of being accountable and setting the standard and the way we need to play," Tavares said. "He's good in discussions with me and throughout our lineup about 'when there's plays to be made, make the plays, certainly depending on the situation and in the game we're in.'

"I had an opportunity in the second period, tried to make a play, and misjudged it. That's on me. Obviously, I have to be accountable, hold (myself) to a high standard, especially as the captain, doing the right things."

The Maple Leafs outshot the Devils 45-25, but a series of turnovers and mistakes allowed New Jersey to be opportunistic and convert on odd-man rushes.

Toronto had energy from the get-go, racking up 25 shots in the first period alone. Keefe believes the Leafs got too comfortable afterward.

"I just thought we got incredibly sloppy and careless," he said. "I thought our guys got a little too excited, a little too carried away."

Tavares signed a seven-year, $77-million contract with the Leafs as a free agent in 2018 and was named captain the following year.

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Guerin: Worlds ‘important’ for players who want U.S. Olympic spot

Bill Guerin has a clear message for those vying for spots on the American roster for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off and Olympic teams: Play in the World Championship.

"I think it's important for guys to go," Guerin, the United States' general manager for both the 4 Nations Face-Off and Olympics, told The Athletic's Michael Russo. "Hey look, there's some guys that are going to be a lock for both teams. But there are going to be guys that are on the bubble. If they haven't played in the playoffs or meaningful games in a long time - or ever - I want to see how they perform.

"So, in that respect, I think the World Championships are extremely important."

The World Championship is held in May, so it's only available to players whose NHL teams miss the playoffs or are knocked out early. But after the grind of a long season, players can choose to begin their offseason rather than play more hockey.

"I want to see commitment, and if a trip to the Caribbean is more important than the World Championships, then you're not really committed," Guerin, who also serves as GM of the Minnesota Wild, said. "Our player pool is pretty substantial now. I'm not going to say, black and white, 'If you do this, then yes. If you do this, then no.' But we're trying to put the best team on the ice that we possibly can. But we also want guys that are committed.

"I get there are situations, like guys are getting married, guys are having babies, guys are injured. I get that. But if you're not?"

Florida Panthers assistant GM Brett Peterson will serve as GM for the United States squad at the 2024 World Championship, which takes place in Czechia. It's a tournament the U.S. has historically struggled in despite its depth of talent. The nation hasn't finished better than third since winning gold at the 1960 Winter Olympics, which doubled as the World Championship.

The 4 Nations Face-Off is a new NHL-sanctioned event that will feature the best players from Canada, the United States, Sweden, and Finland in a four-team tournament in February 2025. The 2026 Olympics, meanwhile, will be the first Winter Games the NHL has partaken in since 2014.

The U.S. hasn't won a best-on-best tournament since the 1996 World Cup. Canada was victorious in each of the last three, winning at the 2016 World Cup, the 2014 Olympics, and the 2010 Olympics.

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Maurice jokingly tries to fend off UFA suitors for Reinhart

Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice has never been one to shy away from a chance at some light humor.

In the middle of a glowing review for pending unrestricted free-agent forward Sam Reinhart, Maurice quickly realized he may be talking up the 50-goal-scorer too much.

"He never cheats the game. Not once. He's really good ... unless you're trying to sign him as a free agent, in which case there's a little attitude problem, and he's hard to deal with," Maurice said, according to team reporter Jameson Olive.

Reinhart's career year has put him in line to cash in as a UFA this summer. The 28-year-old has registered 50 goals and 83 points in 71 games. He leads all NHL skaters with 27 power-play goals, five shorthanded goals, and a 25.8 shooting percentage.

Reinhart's previous career highs in goals and points were 33 and 82, respectively.

The Panthers will certainly hope to keep Reinhart, who's been an excellent fit since the Buffalo Sabres traded him to Florida in 2021. The club projects to have $20 million in cap space this summer, but it has several other pending free agents, including defenseman Brandon Montour as a UFA and forward Anton Lundell as an RFA.

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Hurricanes’ Andersen shining in return from blood clot issue

To the surprise of no one on the Carolina Hurricanes, netminder Frederik Andersen looks like he's in midseason form despite missing four months with a blood clot issue.

"I'm not surprised, but I didn't know what to expect," head coach Rod Brind'Amour said following Carolina's 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday. "I know he's a great goalie. When you've been out that long, I don't care what position you play, there's gotta be some rust, but it certainly doesn't look like there's any of that."

Andersen has been a revelation since his return, going 6-0-0 with a sparkling .951 save percentage and one shutout. He hasn't allowed more than two goals against in a contest.

Andersen was particularly sharp Sunday, stopping 32 of 33 shots versus his former team.

"It's Freddy. I've seen him do this stuff over and over. The whole team, obviously, trusts him a lot," the Hurricanes' leading scorer, Sebastian Aho, said.

"You never know. You're almost a little nervous for him. After that long of an injury, you hope to see him have a good start, and he obviously has. Ever since he's been back, he's looked very calm. As always, actually. It's huge for us. He's one of the best goalies in the world."

Andersen was starting to play well before he was sidelined, too. He owns a .925 save percentage and a 2.05 goals-against average in 12 games this season and has looked much like the goalie who finished fourth in Vezina Trophy voting in 2022 with the Hurricanes and in 2018 with the Maple Leafs.

However, the 34-year-old is just grateful to be back on the ice.

"It's been fun. You appreciate being back doing what you love," Andersen said. "It feels good."

Goaltending was a question mark for the Hurricanes for most of the season, but with Andersen coming back and rookie Pyotr Kochetkov continuing his strong second half, Carolina boasts a stellar 1-2 punch between the pipes entering the postseason.

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Offseason lookahead: How Habs can keep rebuild on right track

Over the next few weeks, theScore will look ahead to the offseason for select teams that won't be participating in the playoffs. We begin with the Montreal Canadiens.

The Canadiens are set to miss the postseason for the third straight year after coming within three wins of capturing the 2021 Stanley Cup. The Habs aren't exactly on the verge of contending, either. Below, we outline a plan that can help keep the rebuild on track to become a sustainable winner sooner rather than later.

Here are five priorities for executive vice president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton and general manager Kent Hughes entering the 2024 offseason:

Weaponize cap space

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The Canadiens project to have about $19 million in cap space this offseason and should use it to continue to stockpile draft picks and prospects.

Contending teams are always looking to clear cap space ahead of free agency, and they're typically willing to add sweeteners to deals to ditch bad contracts. As long as it's a short-term pact, the Habs should absolutely be willing to take on an unwanted player if it helps get them a premium draft pick or prospect.

Think of how well the Sean Monahan move turned out. Montreal netted a first-round pick for taking on his unwanted contract, allowed him to rehabilitate his game, and flipped him for a first-rounder at the 2024 deadline. That was a masterclass by the Habs' front office.

The Canadiens should also be willing to retain salary as a third-party broker if it scores them a draft pick.

Sign Guhle, Slafkovsky to long-term extensions

Ben Ludeman / National Hockey League / Getty

The Canadiens should attempt to lock up Juraj Slafkovsky and Kaiden Guhle - two pillars of their young core - to long-term deals, even if it means overpaying in the short term. The hope would be the contracts will age well over time and eventually become bargains as the cap continues to rise. It's already trending that way for Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki. As 2025 restricted free agents, Slafkovsky and Guhle are eligible to sign extensions on July 1.

Many were ready to write off Slafkovsky as a bust after his rough rookie season. But the 2022 No. 1 pick has taken notable strides in his development, recording 15 goals and 23 assists in 69 games in his sophomore campaign. The Habs should try to lock up Slafkovsky this summer because the price of an extension will only rise if he progresses even further next season.

Guhle looks like he'll be a legitimate shutdown, top-four defenseman for the next decade or so. At 22, he's already posting strong defensive underlying numbers in a top-pairing role. He brings size and physicality and plays a tenacious game. The price for a long-term extension shouldn't be overly high since Guhle hasn't produced much offense. By locking him up this summer, the contract could turn into a major bargain for Montreal if the offense follows suit. Even if it never does, Guhle's already a valuable player.

Make modest UFA splash

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Just because the Canadiens should still have an eye for the future, it doesn't mean they shouldn't poke around the unrestricted free-agent market. While spending big for veterans entering the back nine of their careers would be unwise, Montreal could still target UFAs on the younger side who may still have their best hockey ahead of them.

We identified three such players: Jake DeBrusk, Warren Foegele, and Daniel Sprong. All three are 27 years old and could fill a role as a middle-six winger for the Habs.

DeBrusk has been streaky in his seven-year career but brings 30-goal potential and is at his best when playing with an edge. Foegele possesses less offensive upside, but he's a tireless worker and a responsible two-way player. While Sprong has defensive deficiencies, he continues to produce eye-popping offensive numbers despite a limited bottom-six role.

There are also a handful of RFAs every offseason who don't get tendered and become UFAs at a young age, which could create another pool of players for the Canadiens to target.

Shop veteran defensemen

Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images Sport / Getty

We identified three UFA forwards partly because the Canadiens have a bit of a logjam on defense. In addition to Guhle, Michael Matheson, David Savard, Jordan Harris, Jayden Struble, and Johnathan Kovacevic are all under contract for next season. And Arber Xhekaj and Justin Barron will be RFAs whom the Habs should re-sign easily for cheap. That's already eight players vying for six spots before factoring in the emergence of top prospects Lane Hutson and David Reinbacher, who could be ready for the NHL next year.

Montreal reportedly shopped Savard at the deadline, but no deal came to fruition. The 33-year-old isn't signed beyond next season, so the club would ideally trade him in the offseason. The Habs could also get a haul if they shopped Matheson, a 30-year-old amid a career year and signed through 2025-26 at a $4.87-million cap hit. Still, the Canadiens should keep one of them around as a veteran mentor to start the next campaign.

The Habs should also consider trading Kovacevic, a 2025 UFA. A 6-foot-5, right-handed defenseman who's only 26 with a sub-league minimum cap hit of $766,667 could have a surprising amount of trade value, even if he's not overly experienced.

But one way or another, the Canadiens should move out a defenseman this offseason, and potentially another one at the 2025 deadline, to help further stack their draft pick and/or prospect cupboard.

Don't get temped into buyouts

Arianne Bergeron / National Hockey League / Getty

In an ideal world, the Canadiens could move on from Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson without any long-term ramifications. Both players are on the books for three more years and aren't living up to their lofty cap hits. Gallagher ($6.5M AAV) has just 11 goals and nine assists in 64 games this season. Anderson ($5.5M) has managed eight goals and 10 assists in 65 contests.

Buying out Gallagher and Anderson is tempting. But while it would create some immediate cap space and clear two roster spots, it would zap the Habs' financial flexibility when they project to be competitive again - a time when every dollar will count.

Here's what Gallagher's buyout would look like:

Season Initial cap hit Buyout cap hit
2024-25 $6.5M -$333K
2025-26 $6.5M $2.17M
2026-27 $6.5M $4.67M
2027-28 $0 $2.17M
2028-29 $0 $2.17M
2029-30 $0 $2.17M

And here's what Anderson's would look like:

Season Initial cap hit Buyout cap hit
2024-25 $5.5M $222K
2025-26 $5.5M $2.2M
2026-27 $5.5M $3.72M
2027-28 $0 $1.72M
2028-29 $0 $1.72M
2029-30 $0 $1.72M

If all goes well, the Canadiens should be a no-doubt playoff team and perhaps a Stanley Cup contender by 2027-28. They'll need every penny of their cap space by then, so being patient and waiting for Gallagher's and Anderson's contracts to expire is the most logical move - even if it's painful in the short term.

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Hurricanes’ Jarvis: ‘Spaced-out head’ key to hot streak

In the words of Baseball Hall of Famer Yogi Berra, "How can you think and hit at the same time?"

Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis is apparently adopting the same mindset as the legendary catcher - famous for his "Yogi-isms" - during his recent hot streak. It's been like deja vu all over again lately for Jarvis, who has scored in four straight games.

"I haven't been really thinking, so that's been good," Jarvis said Thursday, according to The Hockey News' Ryan Henkel. "I've just had a clear mind. I just go out there wanting to have fun, and usually when I want to have fun, I play my best hockey. Everything just kind of flows well. I just keep a pretty spaced-out head. Nothing going on in there. Just go on the ice, have fun, and let the rest take care of itself."

Jarvis has formed good chemistry with key deadline acquisition Jake Guentzel on the top line with Sebastian Aho, as the trio has totaled 12 points in the two games since being put together. You can observe a lot just by watching, so it's possible Jarvis' teammates will take notice of his new mentality.

The future ain't what it used to be, but at 22 years old, Jarvis' appears to be bright, as he's already shattered his previous career highs with 25 goals and 30 assists in 69 games this season.

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Daly: Science linking CTE to headshots ‘still lacking’

The NHL continues to downplay the link between repeated blows to the head and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

"No," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Wednesday when asked if the league has changed its views in light of medical studies showing a correlation, according to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli. "I think the science is still lacking."

Daly's comments come following the death of former NHL enforcer Chris Simon on Tuesday. Simon, who was just 52, accrued 1,824 penalty minutes over his 782-game career. His family confirmed he died by suicide.

"The family strongly believes and witnessed firsthand that Chris struggled immensely from CTE which unfortunately resulted in his death," Simon's former agent, Paul Theofanous, said in a statement on behalf of the family, per ESPN.

Commissioner Gary Bettman addressed Simon's death Wednesday.

"Chris' passing is tragic, it's sad. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends. And, you know, on all of these matters, we wait to see what the medical experts tell us," Bettman said. "Having said that, I think it's well documented with all of the progress that we've made over the last couple decades to make the game as safe as possible."

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Wild’s Brodin suffers apparent leg injury vs. Ducks

Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin suffered an apparent leg injury in the third period of Tuesday's 4-0 win against the Anaheim Ducks and didn't return.

Brodin's leg got caught under him and bent awkwardly when Alex Killorn threw him down to the ice.

Brodin has again been a key fixture on Minnesota's blue line this season. He entered Tuesday with 23 points in 50 games while averaging 23:46 per contest - the second-most on the Wild. The Swede's 2.19 expected goals against per 60 minutes at five-on-five is the sixth-best mark among NHL blue-liners, per Evolving-Hockey.

Brodin missed 17 games earlier in the campaign due to an upper-body injury.

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Ovechkin is 3rd player with 19 straight 20-goal seasons

Alex Ovechkin scored his 20th and 21st goals of the season on Monday against the Calgary Flames, reaching the 20-goal mark for the 19th consecutive campaign.

Ovechkin joined Gordie Howe and Brendan Shanahan as the only players in NHL history to accomplish the feat. Howe did it in a record 22 consecutive seasons, but Ovechkin is the only one to do it from the beginning of his career.

The Great Eight notched his second of the contest in vintage fashion for career goal No. 843. He's now 51 goals back of tying Wayne Gretzky's all-time record.

Both goals came against Flames rookie Dustin Wolf, who's the 174th goalie Ovi has scored on. Only Jaromir Jagr (178) and Patrick Marleau (177) have scored against more netminders.

A relatively clean bill of health has played a major role in Ovechkin's streak, as he's never missed more than 10 games in a season. His streak also survived three different shortened campaigns as a result of the lockout (2012-13) and the pandemic (2019-20 and 2020-21).

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