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The final Olympic qualifying tournament for ice hockey at Beijing 2022 has been postponed until August 2021 due to concerns associated with COVID-19, the International Ice Hockey Federation announced Wednesday.
Initial qualifying was scheduled for August 2020 in Slovakia, Latvia, and Norway, with 12 countries - divided into groups of four - competing to fill the three open spots at the Olympics.
"We are fortunate that we still have some time to play these tournaments, and so that a move to August 2021 will still allow these teams to be able to ice their best players," said IIHF president Rene Fasel.
The countries set to compete next summer are as follows:
Group A: Slovakia, Belarus, Austria, Poland Group B: Latvia, France, Italy, Hungary Group C: Norway, Denmark, Korea, Slovenia
The IIHF announced on April 24 the three groups of qualified countries, along with their respective world rankings.
The pick: Zach Boychuk (No. 14, 2008) GM responsible: Jim Rutherford (1994-2014) Could've had: Erik Karlsson (No. 15), Jordan Eberle (22), John Carlson (27)
The Hurricanes have had less productive first-rounders, but Boychuk's failure to stick in the NHL was compounded by the fact that the Ottawa Senators chose Karlsson with the very next selection, and several other future stars - including Roman Josi - were still on the board.
Even if Rutherford was drafting to fill a positional need, Eberle was available, as was Tyler Ennis, who was picked at No. 26. Boychuk, who's been playing overseas after producing a combined 12 goals and 30 points across 127 NHL games in seven seasons, last suited up in the league in January 2015.
Filatov was Central Scouting's top-ranked European skater when Howson and the Blue Jackets selected him eight spots ahead of Boychuk, but he proved to be a truly regrettable choice.
The Russian winger appeared in only 21 contests during his first two NHL seasons before the Blue Jackets loaned him to CSKA Moscow for the rest of the campaign. Upon his return in 2010-11, he failed to score and registered only seven assists in 23 NHL games, playing 36 AHL contests. The club traded him to the Ottawa Senators at the 2011 draft, and Filatov suited up for just nine games with his new team, splitting the year between the NHL, AHL, and KHL. He remained in the latter league until 2018-19.
New Jersey Devils
The pick: Neil Brady (No. 3, 1986) GM responsible: Max McNab (1983-87) Could've had: Vincent Damphousse (No. 6), Brian Leetch (9), Scott Young (11), Craig Janney (13)
Adrian Foster (No. 28 in 2001) was also a bona fide bust for the Devils, as he never played in the NHL and went off the board before the likes of Mike Cammalleri, Jason Pominville, and Patrick Sharp. However, many teams whiffed on those players. The Devils used a top-three pick on Brady 15 years prior and could've had better alternatives in 1986 than in 2001.
Brady never lived up to the lofty expectations that accompanied his draft position. He spent more time in the AHL and IHL than the NHL, collecting only nine goals and 31 points (seven markers and 24 points of which came with the 1992-93 Ottawa Senators) in 89 games across parts of five seasons at the highest level.
New York Islanders
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The pick: Rick DiPietro (No. 1, 2000) GM responsible: Mike Milbury (1995-2006) Could've had: Dany Heatley (No. 2), Marian Gaborik (3), Scott Hartnell (6)
Griffin Reinhart was an ill-advised choice by Garth Snow at No. 4 in 2012, but the Islanders expected far more out of DiPietro after taking the goaltender first overall. Milbury traded away Roberto Luongo upon selecting DiPietro in 2000, and six years after drafting him with the No. 1 pick, the general manager inked the supposed franchise netminder to a now-infamous 15-year, $67.5-million contract.
As a result, DiPietro stuck around until the Islanders bought him out in 2013, playing a combined 50 games over his final five seasons. Outside of a couple of solid campaigns, he was unquestionably a bust, considering where he was drafted, the position he played, and his failure to live up to expectations, whether or not they were justified.
Jessiman was selected shortly before a handful of impact players and ultimately relegated to AHL journeyman status.
Just imagine what the Rangers of the 2000s would've looked like with one of Seabrook, Parise, Getzlaf, or Burns rather than Jessiman, who played a mere two career NHL games - for the Florida Panthers in 2010-11 - before landing back in the AHL for a couple of campaigns and then wrapping up his playing days with two years in Europe.
Philadelphia Flyers
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The pick: Larry Wright (No. 8, 1971) GM responsible: Keith Allen (1969-83) Could've had: Terry O'Reilly (No. 14), Craig Ramsay (19), Larry Robinson (20)
Ryan Sittler might be considered a bust by some, considering the Flyers picked Darryl's son seventh overall in 1992, but injuries prevented him from ever playing in the NHL. Maxime Ouellet (No. 22 in 1999) didn't turn out, either, but Martin Havlat was the best player taken after him until the later rounds.
Wright was Philadelphia's worst bust because he was a top-10 pick and simply failed to produce at the NHL level, mustering a measly four goals and 12 points (three tallies and nine points of which came in his final season with the Detroit Red Wings) in 106 games across five seasons. He spent the majority of his career in the AHL before retiring after the 1978-79 campaign.
Pittsburgh Penguins
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The pick: Craig Hillier (No. 23, 1996) GM responsible: Craig Patrick (1989-2006) Could've had: Daniel Briere (No. 24), Matt Cullen (35), Zdeno Chara (56)
While there's no shortage of Penguins busts candidates (Konstantin Koltsov, Robert Dome, Chris Joseph, and an injury-riddled Angelo Esposito among them), Hillier had the highest expectations thrust upon him. The goaltender was supposed to take the reins from two-time Stanley Cup-winner Tom Barrasso; to say that didn't happen would be an understatement.
Hillier struggled in the AHL and wound up toiling in the minors for his entire career, failing to post a save percentage above .900 until his final season during a 13-game stint with the Central Hockey League's Corpus Christi Rayz - and even that was .901.
Washington Capitals
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The pick: Alexander Volchkov (No. 4, 1996) GM responsible: David Poile (1982-97) Could've had: Ruslan Salei (No. 9), Dainius Zubrus (15), Marco Sturm (21), Briere
Nineteen picks before the Penguins chose Hillier, the Capitals made an even bigger blunder. Hindsight is 20/20, but Washington missed out on several players who eventually enjoyed long, effective careers, including Zubrus, Salei, Sturm, Briere, and Derek Morris.
Volchkov would take part in only three NHL games, suiting up for nearly 150 in the AHL before finishing his career playing for three Russian teams in three years. Had the Capitals been able to better predict his trajectory, they would have certainly chosen someone else with such a high selection.
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NHL clubs are worried about the health of senior personnel in the event that the 2019-20 season is allowed to proceed.
Following a report that NBA general managers are weighing the risks of permitting older staffers to be around teams if the league's postponed campaign resumes, NHL teams have raised similar concerns, according to ESPN's Emily Kaplan, who added that a solution is yet to be determined.
The CDC says older adults are at higher risk of contracting the coronavirus. On average, eight of every 10 deaths reported in the U.S. have been adults who are 65 years of age or older.
The NHL - which paused its season amid the coronavirus pandemic on March 12 - is currently evaluating the feasibility of resuming play in several hub cities, presumably without fans present.
However, that likely won't happen for some time, as the second phase of the league's return-to-play plan - the reopening of club facilities - reportedly can't go ahead until "the large majority" of teams are given clearance to do so.
Red and blue is the most common color scheme in sports, but the Spanish giants are among the originators, having worn those colors since the club's foundation in 1899. Barca's vertical striped shirts are now recognized around the globe. The team has gotten a little too loose with its template in recent years while chasing merchandise dollars, even sporting hooped shirts in 2015-16, much to the dismay of fans. Give us the 2014-15 version of Barca's home kit, which was just about perfect with its simplicity.
79. Philadelphia Phillies (current)
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The Phillies' home uniforms have largely been untouched since the '50s, and we don't see any reason to ever make significant changes. The font used across the front is one of the best in sports, and while multiple teams feature pinstripes, Philly is the only one that uses red.
78. Auburn football (current)
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College football has seen some ambitious uniform ideas over the years, but Auburn has stuck to a simple and effective design. Bright orange stands out nicely on the navy base, and opting for the university logo rather than using a tiger in a conference where three teams share the same nickname helps build an effective identity.
77. San Francisco Giants (current)
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The Giants are one of the most storied franchises in MLB, and they look the part. With no names on the back, no numbers on the front, and a small logo on the sleeve, San Francisco nails the minimalist style. The "Giants" wordmark on the jersey and the interlocked "SF" on the front are perfect. Not to mention, the off-white base for the home uniform is absolutely beautiful.
76. Denver Nuggets (1980s)
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The Nuggets' early-1980s overhaul brought about an entirely new look for the franchise - one that will live on forever as one of the most audacious in the history of sports design. The rainbow backdrop with the Denver skyline and the Rocky Mountains was a masterclass in creativity, and it hasn't been matched by the franchise in many redesign attempts. Is it over the top? Maybe. But we love the boldness.
75. Buffalo Sabres (1980s)
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Royal blue and yellow is the ultimate look for the Sabres, who've strayed away from their best uniform design for far too long. The logo featuring crossed swords and a charging buffalo has made a triumphant return in recent years, but the classic elements of the original uniform were missing. Thankfully, that's scheduled to change for the 2020-21 season.
74. Oregon football (2018)
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The Ducks have worn literally dozens of different uniform combinations over the last few decades, cementing their place as the most innovative sports team on the planet when it comes to aesthetics. Not all of the combinations were winners, and everyone has a personal favorite, but the all-green look with a satin-finished winged helmet that was sported in 2018 was a particularly appealing combo.
73. Pittsburgh Penguins (current)
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The Penguins made the switch from "Las Vegas gold" to "Pittsburgh gold" - aka yellow - in 2016. What a difference a few shades make. The Pens' digs instantly went from drab to vibrant, and they ought to remain that way from here on out. In the city of black and yellow, no team should wear anything else.
72. Buffalo Bills (current)
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Many Bills fans have a soft spot for the red helmets of the team's Super Bowl era, or the "standing buffalo" logo of the O.J. Simpson era, but the best this team has ever looked is right now. The Bills' throwback-inspired set is tasteful and includes just enough unique quirks (like the red helmet stripe, which widens at the back to mimic the shape of the red slash on the team's logo) to stand as a modern classic.
71. Philadelphia Eagles (1970s)
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It is blasphemy for the Eagles' beloved Kelly green uniforms not to rank higher on our list? Perhaps, but in truth, there's not a ton that sets this uniform apart beyond that gorgeous color. The wings on the helmet are a little undefined (the representation on the Eagles' current midnight green helmets is superior). The 1970s jerseys with sleeve stripes are preferable to the much plainer 1960s version, which was worn by the Eagles as a throwback in 2010.
Although Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl was in the midst of the best year of his career before the 2019-20 season was paused, he admits the personal hardware at stake isn't at the top of his mind at the moment.
"There's more important things right now in the world going on and much more important than winning a trophy or anything like that," Draisaitl told TSN's Darren Dreger on "Dreger's Cafe."
When the season was paused on March 12, Draisaitl was running away in the Art Ross Trophy race with 110 points - 13 ahead of his teammate Connor McDavid. He was also seen as one of the front-runners in the race for the Hart Trophy.
The 24-year-old spent some time on a line with McDavid earlier this season, but ended up anchoring his own. Halfway through the year, the German was paired with Kailer Yamamoto and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and the trio began to wreak havoc on the ice.
"If I told you that I don't like playing with Connor I'd be lying into your face. Getting a chance to play with probably the best player in the world, it's special and it's a lot of fun, no question," Draisaitl added. "But you know the line that I had at the end there with Yamo and Nuge, we've been clicking and I think it made our team more dangerous and that's what we all want - we want a dangerous team and we don't want one dangerous line."
Draisaitl amassed 43 goals and 67 assists before the stoppage. Sitting fourth in the league in goals, he was also starting to sneak into the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy race.
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If the NHL does eventually return to the ice to finish off the 2019-20 season, teams won't be getting an unfair advantage in regards to training.
He continued: "Even though the majority of clubs may be able to open up, unless they can all open up at the same time or around the same time the NHL isn't going to allow players to go to their club facility again until the majority are able to do that."
With different guidelines set in place throughout North America for COVID-19, certain teams may be given the green light from their local government before others to return to work.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last week that NHL players would not be exempt from the current strict quarantine policies if they enter the country.
Dreger added the NHL is "encouraged" by the markets that are loosening up, and the league is monitoring carefully for setbacks. He added the NHL remains hopeful it will be able to initiate Phase 2 in late May.
Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford is set to face yet another tough decision when it comes to managing his goaltenders.
"I'll say this: If we are going to keep both (Matt Murray and Tristan Jarry), we'd have to move a few things around on our team," Rutherford said, according to The Athletic's Josh Yohe. "There is a way to do things and to make that work, yes. There are some very, very tough decisions ahead."
Murray and Jarry, both 25, are set to be restricted free agents at the conclusion of the 2019-20 season. With more than $68 million already committed to the Penguins' 2020-21 roster, keeping the pair will be an even bigger challenge with so much uncertainty surrounding the future of the salary cap.
Rutherford compared the current situation to a similar one he faced in 2017 when he let longtime goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury go to the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft.
"Letting (Fleury) go was really tough," Rutherford said. "I'd have loved to have kept them both (Murray and Fleury). Both great goaltenders, both championship goaltenders. But with Marc-Andre's cap number, it was just too hard to do without disrupting the rest of the team. And we may be in that place again. The cap isn't going up. No way is that happening. But we don't know precisely what it will be. And we know we have very good goalies in our system.
"So, we have to make some tough decisions coming up."
Jarry greatly outplayed Murray in his first full NHL season. He compiled a 20-12-1 record with a .921 save percentage and a 2.43 goals-against average while earning a spot in the All-Star Game.
Murray, meanwhile, struggled at times. He put together a 20-11-5 record to go with a .899 save percentage and 2.87 goals-against average. Still, the 25-year-old has an impressive resume after previously leading the Penguins to two Stanley Cup championships.
