University of Michigan head coach Red Berenson announced Monday that he will retire after 33 seasons behind the bench.
"I've thought about this for a long time and I think this is the right time and it's the right thing to do for the Michigan hockey program," Berenson said in a statement. "My heart will always be at Michigan and I look forward to the team taking the next step and making me proud as a former coach."
Berenson won two NCAA championships with Michigan, capturing titles in 1996 and 1998. He recorded 848 victories over his tenured coaching career.
"Throughout his career, Red has focused on the academic and athletic success of the young men who have come through our program while shaping the sport as we know it today," said athletic director Warde Manuel. "He has developed an astounding 73 NHL players but, more importantly, he has positively impacted hundreds of young men."
Bob Probert's family spread his ashes inside the Red Wings penalty box at Joe Louis Arena following the club's final game at the historic venue Sunday, multiple players told Brad Galli of WXYZ-TV Detroit.
Bob Probert's family spread his ashes inside the Red Wings penalty box at Joe Louis Arena tonight, multiple players told me. pic.twitter.com/eFN7ZovT4K
A fan favorite, Probert spent nine seasons with the Red Wings from 1985-1994. The enforcer recorded 2,090 penalty minutes during that span and 3,300 for his career.
Probert died of a heart attack in 2010. In 2011, researchers at Boston University claimed they found evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in his brain.
Bob Probert's family spread his ashes inside the Red Wings penalty box at Joe Louis Arena following the club's final game at the historic venue Sunday, multiple players told Brad Galli of WXYZ-TV Detroit.
Bob Probert's family spread his ashes inside the Red Wings penalty box at Joe Louis Arena tonight, multiple players told me. pic.twitter.com/eFN7ZovT4K
A fan favorite, Probert spent nine seasons with the Red Wings from 1985-1994. The enforcer recorded 2,090 penalty minutes during that span and 3,300 for his career.
Probert died of a heart attack in 2010. In 2011, researchers at Boston University claimed they found evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in his brain.
Nill hasn't wasted any time reaching out to potential candidates, either.
"Right now I've had three people I've been talking to," said Nill. "I'm hoping this is going to happen pretty quickly. These guys are all good coaches."
Based on Nill's comments assessing the poor defensive game of his team, it appears a coach with a defense-first mindset would be ideal.
This leaves one candidate who might have a leg up on the rest of the competition: Ken Hitchcock.
Though this is just speculation, but Hitchcock would be a great fit. He's coached in the NHL for over 20 years, has a reputation as a defensive wizard, and is without a job. He checks off all of Nill's boxes.
Hitchcock, of course, coached the Stars to their lone Stanley Cup title in 1999. He followed that up with stints in Philadelphia, Columbus, and St. Louis, before being relieved of his duties earlier this year.
Bob Hartley, Ron Wilson, Brent Sutter, and Mike Keenan would also fit the description, though Hitchcock seems like the best match given his history with the organization.
Forwards Jonathan Drouin, Tyler Johnson, and Ondrej Palat are all set to become restricted free agents, but the good thing going for the Lightning is that there appears to be a desire among the players to remain with the club.
"I want to be here," Johnson said, according to Smith. "Tampa is my second home. Hopefully everything works out the way that I want it to."
#tblightning Ondrej Palat, an RFA, says he hopes a new deal can get done as "quick as possible."
Of course, the trio of Drouin, Johnson, and Palat will surely be the club's priority. The three finished third, fourth, and fifth in team scoring, combining for 57 goals and 150 points.
Following Winnipeg's final press conference of the season Monday, the team announced the following participants:
Player
Team
Mark Scheifele
Canada
Josh Morrissey
Canada
Andrew Copp
USA
Jacob Trouba
USA
Connor Hellebuyck
USA
Nikolaj Ehlers
Denmark
The team also noted that rookie Patrik Laine would not be representing his native Finland. Laine appears to have decided not to play in the tournament, according to Paul Friesen of the Winnipeg Sun.
The 2017 World Hockey Championship runs May 5-21 in Paris and Cologne, Germany.
Saturday night, the new kids on the block lifted the Maple Leafs into the playoffs - and rest assured, Leafs Nation, this is an entirely different Toronto playoff team: young, fast, and skilled with absolutely zero pressure.
So what is it going to be like for teams that have to face these fresh-faced kids vying for what I consider the world's hardest trophy to win?
Let me start by saying these kids have no clue what’s in front of them, and how hard it is to capture the Stanley Cup - and that’s a good thing. Being this wet behind the ears means they won’t feel any pressure. It's a team of young players with nothing to lose, and will make life miserable for any team that plays it.
The Washington Capitals are probably happy to face such a young, inexperienced team in the first round. But they're about to learn it will be like chasing a toddler around for two-and-a-half hours. They’ll most likely win in the end, but they will be completely exhausted and ready to tap out when that happens.
I can only assume it will be like when I play forward in men’s league, and some of my son's Midget AAA teammates come out to play with us fat old guys. I chase them around for an hour, don’t touch the puck, and by the end, I’m ready to throw up.
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
Okay, those are bad examples. But I do recall playing in my first Stanley Cup playoffs for the Vancouver Canucks in 1996 against the eventual Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche. I was so young and naive, I had no clue what I was in store for. They had Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg, and across from me at the other end was future Hall-of-Fame goalie Patrick Roy.
Back then it was just another game; I had nothing to lose and I felt no pressure. Kirk McLean had struggled in Game 1 and I wasn’t even supposed to be playing. I was a young kid, and in my mind I was going to get another 20 chances at a Stanley Cup.
Well, unfortunately for me, that turned out to be the only chance I got. So if you put me in that situation today and I knew what I know now, I would be a nervous wreck knowing that may be the only chance I’d ever get.
This Leafs team, though, is different. Over the course of time, Auston Matthews, Mitchell Marner, and William Nylander will eventually win at least one Stanley Cup. Yes, you read that correctly. I predict that this core group will win a Stanley Cup. They remind me a lot of the Chicago Blackhawks. Marner and Matthews sure seem a lot like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. When I think of Nylander, Marian Hossa comes to mind.
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
Yes it’s early in their careers, they are young, and will most likely be a first-round knockout, but that’s okay. The experience they gain just from getting a taste of the playoffs will make them hungry for even more.
I would give my left arm to play in another Stanley Cup playoff game. It was the greatest experience of my life. The atmosphere, the people, the electricity in the building, it’s nothing even remotely like a regular-season game. The first round of the NHL playoffs are the best in any sport.
For these young kids, it's about enjoying the experience, and learning something from it. This team wasn’t even supposed to make the playoffs.
Oh, and one last thing ... is anyone complaining about them going fishing in Florida now?
The Atlantic Division's second-seeded Senators will take on the third-seeded Bruins in the first round of this year's playoffs. Ottawa swept the season series 4-0, though each game was decided by just one or two goals. This will be the first time in the modern era that these two clubs have met in the postseason.
Here are three reasons why the Bruins will take the series:
Puck Possession
The Bruins ranked second in 5v5 Corsi For percentage and first in 5v5 Fenwick For percentage, according to Corsica.Hockey. The Senators, on the other hand, ranked 22nd in both categories.
In addition to these advanced metrics, the Bruins will have the edge in the faceoff circle. Take a look:
As you can see, Boston's top three centers have the edge in the faceoff dot. Every faceoff, specifically in the offensive and defensive zones, is crucial in playoff hockey. Boston has the luxury of throwing out Bergeron, the best in the business, anytime they need a big win.
The more faceoffs Boston can win, the less time Erik Karlsson will have with the puck on his stick. That is by far the best way to neutralize one of the best offensive defensemen of all time.
Special Teams
Though there are usually fewer penalties called during postseason play, special teams can still have a huge effect on the outcome of a game. Since the games are so tight, one power play might be all it takes to decide a winner.
Boston owned the league's best penalty kill in the regular season and the seventh-best power play. Ottawa had the 22nd ranked penalty kill and the 23rd ranked power play.
Part of the reason Boston had the league's best PK was goaltender Tuukka Rask's astonishing .887 high-danger save percentage when Boston was down a man.
Road Warriors
Not having home-ice advantage shouldn't be a major issue for the Bruins. Their road record of 21-14-16 was one of the best in the NHL this past season.
Furthermore, the club went 18-8-1 once Bruce Cassidy replaced Claude Julien as head coach. With Cassidy at the helm, the club continued their road dominance, going 7-4 away from home.
Former NHLers Bill Guerin and Chris Drury will be tasked with assembling Team USA's roster for the upcoming World Championship, USA hockey announced on Monday.
Guerin currently serves as assistant general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins, while Drury holds the same position with the New York Rangers.
The Americans will be looking to get back on the podium this time around, after they were decimated 7-2 in the Bronze medal game against Russia last year. They were successful, however, in capturing bronze in 2015 after besting the Czech Republic 3-0.
The tournament runs May 5-21, but will see Team USA play a pre-tournament game against Italy on May 2.
