#brent sopel

[kazer-time]

Shout out to Colin Blackwell for being the first Hawks player to walk the Pride parade since Brent Sopel 13 years ago!

[kingstorian]

On March 8, 2006, the @LAKings acquired forward Mark Parrish (#37) and defenseman Brent Sopel (#5) from the New York Islanders for Denis Grebeshkov and Jeff Tambellini. Parrish scored eight points in 19 games, and Sopel scored 24 points in 55 games with the #LAKings. #GoKingsGo https://www.instagram.com/p/CpiTMWQpK8X/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[tapejob]

I have never stopped thinking about this ever

[hummingzone]

How Brent Sopel is opening doors for fellow former hockey players

How Brent Sopel is opening doors for fellow former hockey players

TAMPA, Fla. — When Robbie Hall signed a new contract with ECHL��s Atlanta Gladiators in 2020, he felt like he was living the dream. The money wasn’t great — about $500 per week, before taxes — but it was double the $250 a week he was making in the SPHL. “I was in my third year playing professional hockey for a living,” said Hall, a defenseman who played four years of Division III hockey at SUNY…

[hockeyonlyspb]

I can’t close my eyes to this

https://www.tsn.ca/for-one-hockey-family-impact-of-alleged-abuse-at-a-top-canadian-prep-school-lingers-1.1738106

[ira-galchinskaya7zk5h]

Brent Sopel Wife Photos Information and life details Hockey Player

Brent Sopel Wife Photos Information and life details Hockey Player

Brent Sopel Wife

Is he married?

About Brent Sopel :

About

Defenseman who made his NHL debut amid the 1998-1999 season for the Vancouver Canucks and later played for the New York Islanders.

Prior to Fame

He played for the Saskatoon Blades in the Western Hockey League.

Incidental data

He played for the Los Angeles Kings in 2005-2006.

Family Life

He has two girls, Lyla and Jayla, and two children,…

[crosbytoews]

Just saw the NHL’s vaccination rates but also that Brent Sopel is anti vaxx. Win some, lose some. Or rlly always lose whenever I go on Twitter.

Watch the Blackhawks have the lowest vaccination rates in the league because apparently we love unvaccinated athletes in Chicago

[kingstorian]

On February 26, 2007, the @LAKings acquired a 2007 second round draft pick and a 2008 fourth round draft pick from the Canucks for Brent Sopel. The #LAKings used Vancouver's second round pick to select Wayne Simmonds 61st overall at the 2007 NHL Draft. #LAKings #GoKingsGo https://www.instagram.com/p/CpIjwkhJyRh/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[goalhofer]

2007-08 NHL assistant captains.

Anaheim: Chris Kunitz and Rob Niedermayer; Jr.

Atlanta: Niclas Hävelid, Marián Hossa, Ilya Kovalchuk, Vyacheslav Kozlov and Mark Recchi.

Boston: Glen Murray and Patrice Bergeron-Cleary.

Buffalo: Jaroslav Spacek and Derek Roy.

Calgary: Owen Nolan, Robyn Regehr, Rhett Warrener and Stéphane Yelle.

Carolina: Glen Wesley, Ray Whitney and Eric Staal.

Chicago: Martin Lapointe, Robert Lang, Patrick Sharp, Tuomo Ruutu, Brent Sopel, Brent Seabrook, Jonathan Toews, Adam Burish, Duncan Keith and Patrick Kane; Jr.

Colorado: Andrew Brunette and Ian Laperrière.

Columbus: Rostislav Klesla, David Výborný, Jan Modin and Michael Peca.

Dallas: Stu Barnes, Mike Modano; Jr. and Sergei Zubov.

Detroit: Pavel Datsyuk, Kris Draper and Carl Zetterberg.

Edmonton: Aleš Hemský, Shawn Horcoff, Steve Staios and Jarrett Stoll.

Florida: Bryan Allen and Stephen Weiss.

Los Angeles: Michael Cammalleri, Scott Thornton and Ľubomír Višňovský.

Minnesota: Brian Rolston and Mikko-Sakari Koivu.

Montreal: Chris Higgins and Alexei Kovalev.

Nashville: Steve Sullivan and Jean-Pierre Dumont.

New Jersey: Patrik Eliáš and John Madden.

New York Islanders: Brendan Witt and Mike Sillinger.

New York Rangers: Brendan Shanahan and Martin Straka.

Ottawa: Chris Phillips and Wade Redden.

Philadelphia: Simon Gagné, Derian Hatcher and Mike Richards.

Phoenix: Derek Morris, Ed Jovanovski and Steve Reinprecht.

Pittsburgh: Sergei Gonchar, Evgeni Malkin, Ryan Malone and Gary Roberts.

San Jose: Mike Grier, Anthony Rivet and Joe Thornton.

St. Louis: Barret Jackman, Keith Tkachuk and Paul Kariya.

Tampa Bay: Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier.

Toronto: Tomáš Kaberle and Bryan McCabe.

Vancouver: Trevor Linden and Brendan Morrison.

Washington: Alex Ovechkin and Donald Brashear.

[fuckyeahalexedler]

Ben Kuzma: Chasing fitness fanatic Sedins could help Edler extend NHL career

"As you get older, everyone expects you to get slower. I feel good. I’m not really looking further than my contract, but I obviously want to keep playing as long as I can." — Alex Edler, Vancouver Canucks veteran defenceman

Endurance and recovery are key components in any training regimen.

For Alex Edler, ramping up a running routine to complement skating drills in advance of the Vancouver Canucks training camp — set to begin on July 13 — has taken on a new meaning.

He knows the best-of-five qualifying series with the Minnesota Wild is going to test his strength, stamina and stride with games every other night. He also knew making the most of the Lower Mainland outdoors during the novel coronavirus physical-distancing restrictions could be a bonus.

Especially when you accept a running invitation from fitness fanatics Daniel and Henrik Sedin.

Edler has a year left on his contract and the 34-year-old Swede would like to emulate his countrymen by extending the competitive career curve. Chasing the Sedins on a vertical mountain trail is a good barometer.

After all, the day before Sedins Week in February to celebrate their jersey retirements, the twins ran a half marathon. No big deal, they have run a marathon. Running six times a week and logging 100 kilometres is part of their retirement routine.

“Every summer, I try to focus a lot on cardio and they asked me if I wanted to join them for a trail run,” Edler said Friday, following a Phase 2 voluntary skate at Rogers Arena. “I said I didn’t know because I probably had no chance of keeping up with them. They said: ‘It’s OK because we just ran a marathon last week and this is more of a recovery week for us.’

“So, I did run but it was really long and hard. It was 20 kilometres up and down and not running all the time, but we were going up Grouse Mountain because they know all the trails up there. I was just trying to stay with them and even trying to catch up to them, but that made it even harder by trying to run and talk.

“I’ve been fortunate to work out with them a lot because of their work ethic and it just rubs off on you. And it was so good for the young guys to see how hard they pushed.”

That experience and career perspective afforded by the Sedins — first ballot Hockey Hall of Fame locks for sure — is inspiring.

Edler vowed to carry on their legacy in the community and be a culture-defining presence in the room. And because he doesn’t want to be one of those 30-plus defencemen who just fades away and proves more of a hindrance than a help, he gamely attempts to match strides with the Sedins, and also works on every facet of his skating with local skating coach Barb Aidelbaum.

“He’s a quiet guy,” said Aidelbaum. “We’ve been skating together since 2014 and I just kind of sat back and looked at what he was bringing to the rink when we first resumed skating two weeks ago. He was mentally free and physically fresh.

“You see that and think: ‘Gee, I hope the other players have used their time as productively as he has.’ He’s a thinker and in a really good place. It took him about 30 minutes our first day and you would look at him and think he hadn’t had the (season pause) break. He felt it in the lungs, but he has done so much work on the technical aspect of his skating, that the fundamentals are there.

“It’s the edges and balance and his drive and positioning. It has been repeated for so many years and you don’t lose that. It’s not quite as easy as riding a bike, but if you show up the first day and you’re set — you’re just ready to go. He’s in a really good place.”

It didn’t happen overnight. It came through observation and application.

Edler was 20 in the 2006-07 season and the Canucks roster sported seasoned blueliners in Sami Salo (31), Mattias Ohlund (29), Willie Mitchell (29) and Brent Sopel (29). The Sedins were 25 and already 80-point producers, so the on-the-job training was not lost on Edler.

And if Aidelbaum could help fine tune the skating, then Edler was going to have a leg up on longevity.

“She’s not trying to change the way you skate, just make small tweaks to be more efficient,” said Edler. “It has been really good for me because as you get older, everyone expects you to get slower. I don’t know how you’re supposed to feel when you’re 34.

“I feel good. I’m not really looking further than my contract, but I obviously want to keep playing as long as I can. We’ve been getting better and it’s exciting and you want to be a part of it.”

The Sedins retired at age 37. Salo and Mitchell called it quits at 38 and Edler’s future depends on health and club direction.

Younger players like Olli Juolevi must be worked into the fold and there’s the ongoing pursuit of Nikita Tryamkin, the curiosity if Brogan Rafferty’s offensive game can translate from the AHL and how far NCAA phenom Jack Rathbone is from playing in the NHL.

Edler suffered a shoulder injury in a collision with Zack Kassian on Nov. 30 and was sidelined for 10 games. His average minutes slipped from 24:39 last season to 22:37 with the arrival of Calder Trophy candidate Quinn Hughes. The rookie’s ascension included quick promotion to the first power-play unit that was ranked fourth when the NHL season was paused March 12.

Edler ranked third overall in blocked shots this season and of his 33 points (5-28) in 59 games, 26 came at even strength. He also took a team high 26 minor penalties.

Edler’s best value this season may be in what awaits the Canucks.

Jay Beagle leads the club in post-season experience with 85 games and won a Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals. Tyler Toffoli (47 games) and Tanner Pearson (34) won a Stanley Cup with the Los Angeles Kings, while Edler (65) and J.T. Miler (61) have considerable game experience.

However in the top-six mix, Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser have yet to play a post-season game. Same for third-liners Adam Gaudette and Jake Virtanen.

“Who knows what it’s going to be like with empty stands, so it might be even more important to try and lead the way and use my experience,” said Edler.

“The Wild have some veterans who have been around and have playoff experience. It’s definitely going to be a hard series and a tight series, but we have a good chance.”

Edler has two young daughters and is vigilant with COVID-19 safety protocols in the city and province. He’s also wary of how they’ll be applied at the Western Conference post-season hub in Edmonton. There is some trepidation among players and opting out of post-season play is an NHL option.

“They’re working hard to create a safe space for us and there’s no doubt that everything that can be done is being done,” said Edler. “There’s uncertainty for the whole world, but it’s obvious we have to create a safe environment for everyone. And if we can’t, we can’t play because that’s priority number 1.

“Everyone is in a different situation. Some may have health things going on, something in the family or just what kind person you are. The virus has been hard to predict and it’s the right thing to think about health and family first.”

(July 3, 2020)

[iamfitzwilliamdarcy]

Here to Change the World looks into Sopel’s complex journey through the NHL and beyond. How his incredible perseverance and selflessness have carried beyond the game of hockey into something more important. www.brentsopelfoundation.org - to donate or for more info . . 

Brent Sopel clung to the game for over 16 years and selflessly sacrificed himself for the team. Sopel, the ultimate stay-at-home defensemen, even won the Stanley Cup in 2010 with the Blackhawks, all while never knowing he was dyslexic. Struggling in blind silence until he was 32, Brent’s emotional scars cut deeper than any visible ones. After hockey, his singular purpose in life was gone, and the fall was far. Brent, back on his feet with a new purpose, is now on a crusade for dyslexia awareness so that no other kid has to struggle like he did. . . 

Legal consultant: Harrison Small

[lapidaryepigram-blog]

Blackhawks scandal: NHL veteran Brent Sopel speaks out in support of former teammate Kyle Beach October 30, 2021 at 10:04AM

CHICAGO (WLS) -- NHL veteran Brent Sopel is speaking out about the sex assault scandal involving the Chicago Blackhawks and fiercely defending his former teammate, Kyle Beach. https://ift.tt/3nHYNhH

[your-dietician]

What will ESPN’s coverage of the NHL look like next season?

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/nhl/what-will-espns-coverage-of-the-nhl-look-like-next-season/

What will ESPN’s coverage of the NHL look like next season?

The network’s coverage starts with the July 21 Seattle expansion draft, hosted by Chris Fowler on ESPN2. John Buccigross will host the NHL Draft two days later. Those shows will be produced by NHL Network.

When Gross spoke over the phone this past week, ESPN (which reportedly paid $410 million a year for seven years of NHL rights) and Turner ($225 million a year over the same period) still hadn’t divvied the games. The NHL had yet to release its 2021-22 schedule. Its puck- and player-tracking data has not seen the light of day.

“One thing we’re trying to get our arms around is what analytics teams and coaches use to showcase in our game coverage, our studio coverage,” Gross said. “Camera positions is another thing we’re looking at, talking to the league to see how we can showcase and document the games.”

Strategy and speed are the buzzwords Gross hears in his daily conversations with NHL people. Capturing both, while serving hard-core fans, hooking viewers from the massive pool of casual sports viewers who don’t give hockey much thought, attracting diverse genders and backgrounds . . . all are among Gross’s concerns.

“There has to be a level of entertainment without it being forced,” he said. “There’s really nothing worse on TV than forced fun. We have to find our spots, when we get [Chris] Chelios and [Mark] Messier together, who have a relationship. We’ll mix and match with other folks.”

Chelios and Messier, along with Steve Levy, will likely work the major events. “We know how that works,” Gross said. Hearing the two Hall of Famers, owners of some sharp elbows, chime in on player safety decisions should be interesting.

While he may not be hockey’s answer to Charles Barkley, Chelios does seem like a straight shooter. In a phone call, he acknowledged he wasn’t looking for a gig when he reached out to ESPN after the announcement. He was calling as a dad, hoping that his daughter, Lightning TV reporter Caley Chelios, was on the network’s radar.

“I like to think I’ll call it like it is,” said Chelios, 59, “Even though it’s a little different than when I played, hockey’s hockey.”

Messier, Chelios, Hilary Knight, Ray Ferraro, Brian Boucher, and Cassie Campbell-Pascall were among the first names Gross mentioned when speaking about his roster, but a lineup has yet to be solidified. He noted that women will be featured prominently in on-air roles.

The list of local connections is long, from Boucher (Woonsocket, R.I.), A.J. Mleczko (Nantucket/Harvard), former Red Sox play-by-play man Sean McDonough (Boston), Buccigross (who has Boston roots), Rick DiPietro (Winthrop/Boston University), ex-Boston College Eagles Blake Bolden and Bob Wischusen, and Emily Kaplan, a former Globie.

Gross said another fan favorite from the past, play-by-play announcer Gary Thorne, remains an option. He spoke with the agent for Thorne, 73, this past week.

“We’re not done yet,” Gross said. “We want to see what the schedule looks like, and what other decisions we have to make. We still have time.”

What’s the game-changing idea that will separate ESPN? It won’t be glow pucks and robots (fun as they were for younger fans in the ’90s). What’s hockey’s version of the K-Zone?

“Some people thought the first-and-10 line would be too intrusive,” Gross mused. “Now you can’t really watch a game without it.”

AWARD SEASON

One voter’s ballot in depth

Connor McDavid became the first unanimous MVP since Wayne Gretzky in 1982, collecting all 100 first-place votes for the Hart Memorial Trophy.DARRYL DYCK/Associated Press

I consider it a privilege to vote on year-end NHL awards as part of my duties with the Professional Hockey Writers Association. I’m not alone. My peers and I want to get it right.

When it came to this season’s MVP, I believe we did.

Connor McDavid earned all 100 first-place votes for the Hart Trophy, becoming the second unanimous MVP ever (Wayne Gretzky, 1982). McDavid’s 105 points in 56 games goes down as one of the most dominant seasons in league history. He was playing at a different speed than everyone else.

In the voting bloc — trimmed from about 175 to 100 members, and dispersed regionally to address imbalances created by the divisional-only schedule — we saw some refreshingly progressive thinking, and as always, some strange calls. One Edmonton writer voted McDavid’s teammate, Leon Draisaitl, second for the Selke. Draisaitl made strides this season, but it would be generous to call him an above-average defensive forward, much less elite.

In this space last year, I delved into my methodology, which blends in-person viewings, video study, and number-crunching. Obviously this season, I relied more on the latter two. I was among the few beat writers who traveled all season, but I only watched the East Division up close.

My ballot, and some quick takes:

Hart Trophy — 1. McDavid; 2. Auston Matthews; 3. Nathan MacKinnon; 4. Aleksander Barkov; 5. Brad Marchand.

Relatively easy calls. McDavid was incredible, and the other four were the driving forces on good teams. Marchand was ranked as high as No. 2 on six ballots.

Norris Trophy — 1. Adam Fox; 2. Cale Makar; 3. Charlie McAvoy; 4. Dougie Hamilton; 5. MacKenzie Weegar.

A youth movement, and an ECAC/Hockey East top three. Makar (UMass) missed 12 games, or 21 percent of the season, leaving the door open for Fox (Harvard), who was the Rangers’ MVP in his second season. McAvoy (BU) might be the best five-on-five defender in the game. Weegar opened eyes after Aaron Ekblad’s injury. Eleven blue liners earned top-three votes. Victor Hedman was down-ballot for me, after an injury-plagued regular season. Don’t ask me why someone gave Kris Letang a first-place vote. Fun fact: Fox is the first player of Jewish descent to win a major NHL award.

Calder Trophy — 1. Kirill Kaprizov; 2. Jason Robertson; 3. Alex Nedeljkovic; 4. Josh Norris; 5. Igor Shesterkin.

Kaprizov (27 goals and 51 points in 55 games) was a slam dunk, though Robertson had a brief midseason run that made it interesting.

Lady Byng Trophy — 1. Jaccob Slavin; 2. Jared Spurgeon; 3. Barkov; 4. Roope Hintz; 5. Johnny Gaudreau.

I’ve said before that writers should not vote for this. Referees should. Slavin, an elite defender playing heavy minutes, committed one penalty all season (for shooting the puck over the glass). Good enough for me.

Selke Trophy — 1. Barkov; 2. Patrice Bergeron; 3. Joel Eriksson Ek; 4. Phillip Danault; 5. Joe Pavelski.

Barkov had a strong MVP case, but his 200-foot excellence was properly recognized here. Bergeron is still Bergeron. Could see Danault, after his lockdown playoffs, be front of mind for a lot of voters next season.

The PWHA does not vote on the Vezina Trophy (the general managers selected Marc-Andre Fleury), but we do pick the year-end All-Star teams. My goalies, in order, were Andrei Vasilevskiy, Fleury, and Juuse Saros. We also pick All-Rookie teams. I had Kaprizov, Robertson, and Norris as my forwards, Ty Smith and K’Andre Miller as my defensemen, and Nedeljkovic in goal.

ETC.

League will not rush to judgment

Commissioner Gary Bettman said the league is waiting for an independent review of the Blackhawks alleged cover-up of sexual abuse before proceeding.Karl B DeBlaker/Associated Press

The alleged cover-up of sexual assault by the Blackhawks was the leading topic in Gary Bettman’s annual pre-Stanley Cup Final news conference this past week. Rightfully so.

Bettman said the league learned of the allegations “relatively recently” and will wait for an independent review.

According to a lawsuit filed in May, a former Blackhawks player alleges he and another player were assaulted by then-video coach Brad Aldrich during the team’s 2010 championship run. The team’s leadership, which included current GM Stan Bowman, were allegedly informed of the incident by then-skills coach Paul Vincent, whom the players had told.

Aldrich later worked at a high school in Michigan, where he was convicted of sexual assault involving a student. He is now on Michigan’s sex offender registry.

Multiple ex-Blackhawks, including Nick Boynton, Daniel Carcillo (then with the Flyers), and Brent Sopel, spoke out this past week. One unnamed player told The Athletic that “every guy on the team knew.” Captain Jonathan Toews took issue with that, telling that outlet he didn’t hear about the allegations until the end of that summer. He said he couldn’t say for sure if the team “mishandled” the situation.

Bettman, a former lawyer, pumped the brakes. “Let us see what the investigation reveals, and then we can figure out what comes next,” he said. “I think everyone is jumping too far, too fast. This is going to be handled appropriately and professionally, and done right.”

Let’s hope so.

Beijing Olympics not a given

Commissioner Gary Bettman said the NHL has concerns over the feasibility of sending players to the Olympics next winter.Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

Later in his Q&A, Bettman shared the league’s “real concerns” over whether it was “sensible” to have a two-week shutdown for the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

Wait, what?

After sitting out 2018 — and watching interest in Olympic hockey wane — the NHL and NHLPA last summer collectively bargained to participate in the 2022 and 2026 Winter Olympics, pending further agreement with both parties, the IIHF, and IOC. But there is no plan yet.

COVID-19 variants remain a worry, and NBC isn’t likely to lobby on the NHL’s inclusion following the expiration of the TV deal. The NHL hopes to release its 2021-22 schedule shortly after the Cup Final.

“Time is running very short,” Bettman said, which came as disappointing news to Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman.

“The Olympics is one of the biggest dreams of mine and I haven’t been able to participate in one. This might be the last chance I get. That sucks to hear,” said Hedman, who was left off Team Sweden in 2014. “When you get an opportunity to represent your country on the biggest stage, it’s one of those things that you’ll probably never forget. For me, it’s obviously something I’ve been dreaming about my whole life and something I want to do before I hang up my skates.”

Pride working on title defense

The Boston Pride, two-time Isobel Cup winners, are preparing a title defense for 2021-22.Mary Schwalm/Associated Press

The NWHL’s Boston Pride are deep into an Isobel Cup summer, hauling the trophy from New England lake houses to the Grand Canyon.

As he preps for a title defense, coach Paul Mara is playing his cards close. After a few defections, he’s using his newfound salary-cap space — the league doubled the ceiling to $300,000 — to bring in some outside help.

“Working on a few things,” he said.

The NWHL is feeling momentum entering its seventh season. An influx of sponsorship dollars, visibility from its Isobel Cup playoffs broadcast on NBCSN, and a lot of player raises have elevated the mood.

Since last month, the four franchises under league control — the Buffalo Beauts, Connecticut Whale, Metropolitan Riveters, and Minnesota Whitecaps — were sold to private owners, making it a league of six independent clubs. Expansion is on the horizon, with Montreal a primary target.

Also notable: This past week’s draft, which was streamed on Twitch, included appearances from a range of pro sports personalities, including NHL league and team executives, and USA Hockey reps. The NWHL hasn’t always had such vocal support.

For all the growth, players aren’t yet earning a living wage. Contracts are yearly. Outside opportunities create a talent drain.

The Pride lost president Hayley Moore to the AHL (vice president of hockey operations), replacing her with 1998 US Olympian Colleen Coyne. They are searching for a GM, after Karilyn Pilch this past week signed on with the Chicago Blackhawks’ scouting and player development department.

They also need a few good forwards. Mary Parker, Carlee Turner, and Lexie Laing departed for job and school reasons. Czech standout Tereza Vanisova signed with Leksands IF in Sweden, which will better help her participate in a demanding Olympic training schedule.

League MVP Jillian Dempsey, recovered from shoulder surgery, returns with All-Star linemates McKenna Brand and Christina Putigna, the No. 1 defense pair of Kaleigh Fratkin (two-time NWHL Defender of the Year) and Mallory Souliotis, and netminders Lovisa Selander and Victoria Hanson. That crew, plus whomever Mara can lure to town, should keep the Pride near the top of the standings.

Unlike last season, when the Pride got a boost from No. 1 overall pick Sammy Davis (BU) and six drafted rookies, the draft won’t have a major impact. Because they lost their 2021 first- and second-round picks when they traded up to select Davis, and dealt their third-rounder to Buffalo for future considerations, the Pride picked in the fourth and fifth rounds (Weston’s Finley Frechette and Beverly’s Abby Nearis, both forwards).

The NWHL’s player pool was thinned after the NCAA granted players an extra year of eligibility, leading many of the top draft-eligible players to return to school. Because of that, Boston isn’t the only team that believes next year’s draft will be loaded.

Loose pucks

Bruce Cassidy (left) has been promoting from within, with assistant coach Jay Pandolfo (center) leaving for Boston University.Winslow Townson/Associated Press

The Bruins have promoted from within of late, calling up coaches from Providence and the player development ranks. It makes sense that fourth-year P-Bruins coach Jay Leach would replace Jay Pandolfo on Bruce Cassidy’s staff, but player development staffers Chris Kelly and Jamie Langenbrunner will also get a look. Like Pandolfo, they were two-way forwards with long NHL résumés . . . As for Pandolfo, the move to BU gives him a shorter path to a head coaching gig. Albie O’Connell, who is entering the final year of his deal, has had a spotty run . . . Bruins strength and conditioning assistant Kenny Whittier also made the move to BU . . . A few first-timers joined NHL benches this past week, including two ex-players, Alex Tanguay (Detroit assistant) and Tuomo Ruutu (Florida assistant), and André Tourigny (Arizona coach). The latter move was particularly interesting, for a league that often recycles head coaches . . . Toews, after a year out of the spotlight with a mysterious illness, is back on the ice. He posted a video message to fans after a practice, saying doctors told him he has “chronic immune response syndrome,” a catch-all term for constant, debilitating stress reactions. Still dealing with a few symptoms, the Blackhawks’ captain believes the condition was brought on by a nasty bout with COVID-19 in February 2020, before the pandemic hit in full; the toll of 13 NHL seasons; and the year-round hockey training schedule he’s followed since he was a young teenager. “I think there’s a lot of things that just piled up,” he said, “where my body just fell apart.” He hopes to return in October . . . Edmonton trimmed Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’s $6 million cap hit, but took a beating on term, when it locked up the No. 2 center to an eight-year, $41 million deal with a full no-move clause. He will be 36 when it expires. “No contract is perfect,” GM Ken Holland acknowledged . . . Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon’s take on game jersey ads, which are coming to the NHL sooner rather than later: “If we look like Formula One or NASCAR, that’d be fine with me.” . . . Glad to see college athletes everywhere get a chance to make some cash off their name and image, following the Supreme Court’s hammering of the paternalistic NCAA. A small step, long overdue.

Matt Porter can be reached at matthew.porter@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter: @mattyports.

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[atlanticcanada]

‘Dumb,’ ‘stupid’ and ‘lazy’ replay in mind of ex-NHLer with dyslexia

Saskatoon-raised ex-NHLer Brent Sopel is advocating to raise awareness about dyslexia, a learning difference he wasn’t diagnosed with until adulthood. from : Halifax https://ift.tt/2QcrIe0

[kingstorian]

Happy birthday to former @LAKings defenseman Brent Sopel, who was born on January 7, 1977. #LAKings #GoKingsGo https://www.instagram.com/p/CnHykP2JTDI/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=