Eugene Melnyk took it upon himself to write a letter to a newspaper disputing what he feels was an unfair analysis of the Ottawa Senators' playoff ticket-selling woes.
Don Brennan of the Ottawa Sun wrote Wednesday that the team owner was primarily to blame for the fact not every game this postseason has sold out. The article also ran in the Ottawa Citizen.
Brennan opined, "The only logical explanation for fans negatively stealing so much of the spotlight from the Senators' unexpectedly wondrous ride through the playoffs has to be a growing, general contempt for the team's owner, for one reason or another."
Hogwash, Melnyk retorted Thursday, via the Ottawa Citizen:
If someone chooses to put the blame on (me) for this reality, well they simply have no clue how hard I work, how passionate I am, and how committed I am to the Ottawa Senators and their success on the ice, off the ice and in our community.
We could debate for days on why things are the way they are. I will only say that I, along with our entire organization, remain steadfastly committed to working hard on numerous fronts to make the Ottawa Senators an even bigger part of this city and equally important - to our country.
Melnyk added winning the Stanley Cup has always been his primary focus as he tries to ensure a competitive hockey team takes the ice in Ottawa "with the resources we have."
He added, "Our playoff success this year is no one person's doing. I couldn't possibly name all of the people in one letter. And similarly, if there are empty seats in our building during these playoffs, it is certainly unfair to point the blame squarely on any one person - especially me."
Melnyk encouraged fans to savor the team's playoff run, which could end Thursday in Game 7 against Pittsburgh - or extend to the franchise's second modern-day Stanley Cup Final appearance.
The Stanley Cup Final logo has officially been painted on the ice at Bridgestone Arena, which promises to be rocking when the hometown Predators take to the ice against the yet-to-be-determined Eastern Conference champions.
Rakell scored 33 goals in the regular season, while Eaves registered 32 of his own in time split between Dallas and Anaheim.
Losing Eaves in Round 2 and Rakell in Round 3, then, was not an insignificant hindrance in regards to the team's chances of advancing to the Cup Final.
"He has produced 30 goals in the league, he for sure should be a 25-goal guy every year. He has that ability and that’s a lot of goals in today’s game. I think he needs a summer to get away and forget about hockey for a little while."
Duchene has averaged 25 goals for every 82 regular-season games played, but mustered only 18 in 77 appearances in 2016-17.
His tenure with the team predated Army's, but the assistant watched as the winger experienced some ups and downs in his career trajectory, leading to an expectation that he's a leading candidate to be traded as part of a roster retooling.
But from Army's point of view, what Duchene really needs is some time to clear his head outdoors, and not a change of scenery within the hockey world.
"I think sometimes he thinks himself into trouble," Army continued. "He overthinks things and he needs sometimes to let go and just go play. When he gets a little tight, it doesn’t go his way, he starts to overthink and grips the stick too tightly. It limits his ability to attack and make plays and attack openings. When he gets on a roll, he’s scary."
Duchene did kick off his summer by playing for Canada at the World Championship, where he scored one goal in 10 games.
Speaking on Sportsnet 590 in Toronto on Thursday, the New Jersey Devils forward commented on what it was like to watch his former team - the Edmonton Oilers - qualify for and win a round in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and whether he was rooting for them to lose Game 7 against Anaheim.
"I wouldn't say I wanted them to lose, but it was nice to finally see them maybe get eliminated," Hall admitted.
"It's a tough thing to describe to people. I think there's been enough time that's passed since the trade has happened that you finally just kind of - it is what it is now, and I'm a Devil, and I'm excited to see what we can do next season."
Hall, of course, was traded by the Oilers last summer to New Jersey in exchange for Adam Larsson. With that deal in the past, Hall reiterated he's looking forward to helping his current club achieve success.
"My focus these days and this summer is just becoming the best player that I can be, and show up to camp next year and help my team however I can," Hall said. "I'm excited that that's in New Jersey."
Hall registered 20 goals and 33 assists in 72 games in his first season as a Devil.
The following three players were all considered "good" before the playoffs began, but none of them were considered to be stars. All three have utilized the Stanley Cup Playoffs as their red carpet to stardom.
Ryan Ellis, Predators
Ellis enjoyed a breakout year during the regular season, but it largely went unnoticed because, well, he plays in Nashville. Now, on the national stage, his spectacular play isn't getting missed by anyone.
Ellis sits third on the team with 11 points in the postseason. He has averaged exactly 24 minutes and and 2.7 shots per game. At 26, the former 11th overall pick has taken some time to develop, but he has finally come into his own - and it couldn't have come at a better time.
Fellow defensemen Roman Josi and P.K. Subban were already stars before the playoffs began, but now Ellis has given them three on the blue line. Even Mattias Ekholm, who rounds out the Pradtors' top-four defenders, is on the doorstep of stardom, albeit in a less flashy manner.
Pekka Rinne, Predators
Rinne has had a great career. He has started nearly 500 regular-season games for the Predators, owns a career .917 save percentage, and finished in the top three in Vezina Trophy voting three times.
However, he's also never won a Vezina, posted a .910 save percentage or worse in three of his past five seasons, and has never played in a large market. So, frankly, he probably wasn't considered a "star" by most hockey fans.
Until now, that is.
Rinne's play during the postseason has been downright absurd. He's posted a ridiculous .941 save percentage and minuscule 1.70 goals-against average.
He is a lock to take home the Conn Smythe if the Preds end up winning the Stanley Cup. Even if they lose, he could very well get the J.S. Giguere treatment and win playoff MVP anyway. Regardless, he has cemented himself as a star these playoffs.
Jake Guentzel, Penguins
Guentzel enjoyed a stellar rookie campaign, scoring 16 goals and registering 33 points in just 40 games. He was scoring at a 30-goal pace. This has now been proven to be no fluke, as he has carried this scoring touch into the playoffs, notching nine goals - including three game-winners - in 17 games thus far.
Guentzel's shooting percentage in both the regular season and the playoffs is abnormally high, but that's partially a byproduct of playing on Sidney Crosby's line.
What Guentzel lacks in size he makes up for with quickness, instincts, and a high compete level. These playoffs have been a coming-out party for the youngster.
Players often say it's "just another game," but there's no denying Game 7 brings out the best in them.
The Pittsburgh Penguins will host the Ottawa Senators in a winner-take-all matchup Thursday night, with a berth in the Stanley Cup Final on the line.
Both teams feature plenty of players who've come up big throughout these playoffs and in postseasons past.
Here are a few players who should have a significant impact in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final:
Evgeni Malkin
Malkin has been the most productive Penguin in the playoffs, posting 24 points in 18 games, or five more than Sidney Crosby in one more game played.
The Russian sniper scored Pittsburgh's lone goal in Game 6, and he's chipped in six points over the first six contests in this series.
It's not just his recent success that makes him a prime candidate to influence this game, either. Malkin also has six points in six career Game 7s, and the Penguins are 4-2 in those contests.
Evgeni Malkin has a history of showing up in Game 7s for the #Penguins (eg, 2 assists in Gm7 of CF vs TB a year ago), sits tied for 3rd here pic.twitter.com/xexCtRi3Eg
Look for No. 71 to bring his A-game Thursday night.
Craig Anderson
The Senators need yet another stellar performance from Anderson, but he could very well give them one.
Both Anderson and Penguins goaltender Matt Murray have looked sharp this spring, the latter albeit in a smaller time frame since returning from injury.
But given the Senators' lack of firepower and their well-documented defensive style, Anderson's play is far more critical to his team's success, and he's largely held up his end of the bargain in this postseason.
The 36-year-old was lit up and pulled from Game 5, but he's posted a .938 save percentage in the series, and is coming off a 45-save effort in Game 6.
Phil Kessel
Kessel is on a point-per-game pace in the playoffs, with 18 points in as many games, and five of those came in the first six games of the conference final.
He scored the winner in Game 2 against the Senators and has three points in five career Game 7s.
Kessel's ice time was unusually low in Games 4 and 5 (14:46 and 12:56, respectively), but it ballooned back up to his customary 19 minutes (18:58, to be precise) in Game 6.
Look for him to play that much or more in Game 7, and he should continue to use his speed and skill to crack through Ottawa's neutral zone congestion.
Considering the Penguins have home ice, the edge in the experience department, more dynamic scorers, and stabilized goaltending once again, it's Pittsburgh's game to lose.
The 25-year-old has played just 112 regular-season games over the last three seasons with the Penguins, but he's already demonstrating a knack for Game 7 dramatics.
Rust has played in just two Game 7s over the last two seasons - against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the conference finals last year and then against the Washington Capitals last round - and in each of those games, he scored the eventual winner.
The Penguins edged the Lightning by a slim 2-1 advantage. Rust scored both goals while playing just 11:12 - the third-lowest ice time among all Penguins forwards - and still managing five shots on goal.
Last round, Rust scored the game's opening goal, which held up as the winner as the Penguins skated to a 2-0 victory over Washington.
Of course, it's a very small sample size. In 39 playoff games, Rust has amassed 12 goals and 16 points, meaning one in four of his playoff goals have come in Game 7s. He's also scored two of his three career playoff game-winners in Game 7s.
Certain players live for the big moments, and while he's still just getting established, Rust appears to be that kind of player. Move over, Justin Williams.
After Game 2 of the Western Conference Final, Johansen - who went head-to-head with the Anaheim Ducks' center all night - had some choice words, saying, "I don't know how you can cheer for a guy like that," and "It just doesn't make sense how he plays the game."
Johansen was unable to finish the series as a result of a serious leg injury that developed following Game 4, and while he doesn't regret his comments, he definitely wanted to add "have a nice summer" to Kesler and the Ducks following a Nashville series win.
"I really meant what I said," Johansen said on TSN 1040 in Vancouver on Wednesday. "I would never take back what I said. It’s just frustrating. Whether people think he’s doing a good job at what he does ... I just don’t want to get into it again. What I said is what I meant. I’m just happy we were able to beat them, and I wish I could have been in line to shake their hands."
Johansen, who required emergency surgery after being diagnosed with acute compartment syndrome in his left thigh, was able to join teammates for the presentation of the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl, and quite understandably admits to struggling with not being able to play.
"It was just awesome to go out there and stand beside the boys and enjoy that moment," he said. "It's been pretty tough, I won't lie, it's been difficult and I'm sure it's going to be a little frustrating not being out there even moving forward now."
Johansen was playing some of the best hockey of his career at the time of the injury and is expected to make a full recovery.
The Predators, meanwhile, await the winner of Game 7 between Ottawa and Pittsburgh.
With the offseason underway for most teams, and the rest to join them in a few weeks, we're looking at what's in store for each club in the coming months.
2016-17 grade: C+
For the first time since 2014, the Boston Bruins made it back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but not without a major shakeup along the way.
After guiding the team to a 26-23-6 record through 55 games, longtime and Cup-winning head coach Claude Julien was fired, and assistant Bruce Cassidy was promoted to interim bench boss. From that point on, the Bruins went 18-8-1, good enough to clinch a postseason berth and earn Cassidy the gig moving forward.
Once in the playoffs, Boston fell to Ottawa in the opening round, albeit with a depleted blue line and with four of the six games being decided in overtime.
Despite being a playoff bubble team over the course of the season, Boston finished with a second-ranked five-on-five Corsi rating of 54.68, suggesting solid play throughout the season mixed with a touch of bad luck that kept them down. In fact, Boston's PDO (save percentage + shooting percentage) was a 29th-ranked 98.13 in five-on-five play, with only lowly Colorado faring worse.
The underlying numbers show the team was better than its point total suggested. But the Bruins achieved basically their lowest possible level of tangible success, keeping their overall grade down.
Free agents
The Bruins have a number of players who need contracts come July 1, with David Pastrnak standing out as a major item on Sweeney's to-do list, and Ryan Spooner's tenure with the club seemingly at a crossroads after he was scratched in the playoffs.
Player (position)
2017-18 Status
Age
2016-17 Cap Hit
'16-17 Points
David Pastrnak (F)
RFA
20
$925000
70
Ryan Spooner (F)
RFA
25
$950000
39
Tim Schaller (F)
RFA
26
$925000
14
Noel Acciari (F)
RFA
25
$792500
5
Dominic Moore (F)
UFA
36
$900000
25
Drew Stafford (F)
UFA
31
$4.35M
21
Joe Morrow (D)
RFA
24
$800000
1
John-Michael Liles (D)
UFA
36
$2M
5
2017 draft picks
The Bruins will make six picks in the coming draft, and only four of their own.
Round
Picks
1
1
2
1 (Oilers)
3
0
4
1
5
0
6
1
7
2 (Own + Panthers)
Summer priorities
1. Left side, weak side: Team president Cam Neely has already named two clear roster needs: left wing and left-side defense.
When it comes to the former, Matt Beleskey and Jimmy Hayes have disappointed in black and gold, and both were scratched during the playoffs. While Brad Marchand has emerged as one of the league's best left-wingers, there's a steep drop-off in talent under his name on the depth chart.
On the blue line, both John-Michael Liles and Joe Morrow are free agents, leaving only Zdeno Chara and Torey Krug as left-hand-shot defensemen. The Bruins have prospects like Jakub Zboril, Rob O'Gara, and Matt Grzelcyk in the pipeline, but it's possible none of them are ready to play full time in the NHL yet.
Ideally, the left-side defenseman they target will be able to take Charlie McAvoy under his wing like Chara did with Brandon Carlo this past season.
2. Get Pastrnak signed long term: In light of how the Bruins have handled young players in recent years - most notably Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton - the club can ill afford to mess around with another budding star.
David Krejci, Patrice Bergeron, David Backes, and Marchand will all make between $6 million and $7.25 million next season. Given that Pastrnak has become just as integral to the forward group, he deserves to be compensated as such.
Only Marchand topped Pastrnak's 70 points (34 goals, 36 assists) in 2016-17, with Krejci ranking third with 54 points.
The Bruins need to lock him up, and for a long time.
3. Find a better backup: The backup goaltender position was perhaps the biggest roster flaw this past season.
Anton Khudobin rejoined Boston last summer, and while he did provide the team with a few wins and some solid play down the stretch, his poor performance near the beginning of the season forced Tuukka Rask to carry a heavier load than necessary.
Khudobin was one of three goalies to spell Rask, with underwhelming results.
Player
Games
Record
Save %
Anton Khudobin
16
7-6-1
.904
Zane McIntyre
8
0-4-1
.858
Malcolm Subban
1
0-1-0
.813
He remains under contract for 2017-18, but could easily be sent down to the AHL in favor of Zane McIntyre, who's had a promising season in the minors. He could also be bought out with a view to signing a better, more established backup.
Either way, this situation needs to be fixed.
2017-18 outlook
For next season to be a success, the Bruins will need to shed the label of playoff bubble team and return to contention. A team built around the likes of Bergeron, Marchand, Pastrnak, Krejci, Rask, and even an aging Chara should be in the playoffs and winning rounds year in and year out.
And help is on the way, thanks to general manager Don Sweeney's rebuild on the fly. The young McAvoy appears poised to make his presence felt after a successful playoff debut, and there are several other prospects both on the blue line and up front that could make the team and infuse some pep on the cheap.
Last summer's somewhat ill-advised David Backes signing is a mistake that shouldn't be repeated, but it signals Boston's intent to remain competitive in the present.
The Bruins could have their best team since winning the Presidents' Trophy in 2014, and, quite frankly, it's time to make up for wasted years in between.
