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devilsupdates · 5 months ago

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Markstrom Eager to Begin Opportunity with Devils | FEATURE

Markstrom asked himself just one question when deciding to waive his no trade clause to join New Jersey

Markstrom Smile Feature

Amanda Stein

@amandacstein Team Reporter, NJD.tv

4:32 PM

When the Calgary Flames had a deal in principle agreed to with the New Jersey Devils in place there was only one person left to sign off on it: goaltender Jacob Markstrom. The 34-year-old goaltender has a No Movement Clause built into his contract and he was the marquee piece of the trade.

So, when Markstrom was asked to waive that clause, he had to ask himself just one question to sign off.

“You look at the hockey perspective, and it’s like, do you feel like the team can win? And when that's a yes, everything else comes pretty easy,” Markstrom said from his home in Sweden. “When (Calgary) agreed on this deal with New Jersey I was super excited to start this journey.”

This journey will be filling a much-needed role as the Devils’ No. 1 goaltender. General Manager Tom Fitzgerald publicly identified goaltending as the area of his team as his top player priority in the off-season. He was going “big game hunting.”

Well, that hunt is over, and the prize is Jacob Markstrom.

“Tom really made a push for me,” he said, “And, you know, when somebody wants you to come play with that team, it makes you feel good. And it doesn't take much more than that, for me to get excited and want to jump on the ship and be a part of it, and hopefully sail it in the right direction.”

Whatever analogy you want to use, be it a journey or jumping on the ship, Markstrom will play a big part in taking the Devils to their next level. Markstrom brings solidity to the position that has been a rocky road for the Devils the past couple of seasons and with that, he understands the pressure that comes along with it.

“My position, it's important, goaltending is important,” Markstrom said, “You know, the pressure I have on myself is every time you lace your skates up, you want to win the hockey game, you want to be the difference maker, which as a goalie, you have a chance to do that every night.”

In 48 starts last season for the Flames, he had a 2.78 goals against average and .905 save percentage, his best year came in 2022 when he finished the year in second for the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender, off a season of a career-high 37 wins and a career-best 2.22 GAA and .922 save percentage.

Markstrom believes there’s another level to his own play and that New Jersey will be the opportunity to watch his game flourish.

"It is a great challenge for me," he shared. “I want to get pushed, I want to get challenged, to perform my best and I think my best will come out of this for sure.”

Markstrom's best is what the Devils will need from him as their big off-season acquisition. After falling short of expectations in 2023-24, there will be plenty of pressure on the team to demonstrate a quick turnaround, especially with one of the roster’s most vital needs now filled with the 6-foot-6 Markstrom. He will join Jake Allen, acquired at the 2024 Trade Deadline, as the veteran goaltending duo to shoulder the pressure.

And that’s just fine with the big Swede.

“It's a big team with a high expectation and as a goaltending position, there is pressure on goaltending,” he said, “I've been on teams in Canadian markets, a few of them so, I know what's expected and you know, me as a person too, people that know me know that I just want to win hockey games. And when we don’t win I'm the hardest (critic) of myself, so I'm just super happy and stoked about that going (to New Jersey).”

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Markstrom will spend the next few months in Sweden, before making the trip to New Jersey roughly a month before training camp opens on Sept. 18 to settle in his new environment. Although he doesn’t know anyone on the team, other than training with Jesper Bratt a couple of off-seasons ago, he’s already exceedingly excited to be a part of the group and what Fitzgerald has been intricately building.

“Me and my family couldn't be happier,” Markstrom said, “Obviously they really wanted me to come and it's, you know, it's always exciting to join a group and a team in an organization like New Jersey Devils.”

“I can’t wait to make my home.”

#hockey imagine #new jersey devils #nico hischier #jack hughes #luke hughes #hockey #timo meier #john marino #jacob markstrom

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officialgritty · 4 years ago

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The Vermont Villains Spotify

Here’s a link to the masterlist and all the context you’ll need + a refresher on the roster.

Click the link above to listen to our official team playlist that blasts throughout the arena on game days.

Use this to also follow the account and ponder over the playlists made specifically to reflect our players. These will be updated as we see fit.

Here are some sneak peaks of what you may find:

Once again thank you Sophie and Zoë for helping/doing a lot of this ❤️

Tagging all of our staff: @bowenbyram @hockeyismyfirstlove @dmonchld @iwantahockeyhimbo @kelleyr @stuetzlesbitch @youngbeezersmixtape @babytkachuks @sortagaysortahigh @matthewthotchuk @princesspagey @kempe @kspitehockey @hoeglander @tkachuking-deuces @scheifefe @d00dlebob @chaos-hockey @loganstanley

Applications are still open if you can suggest a good offer / job description ;)

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burkymakar · 4 years ago

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Avs Canucks Flames Leafs pleaseee!! You're the best

under the cut!

Colorado Avalanche

“Joe Sakic is as savvy in the front office as he was on the ice. The owners, players and fans all have to have absolute 100 percent confidence in every move he makes. He definitely has the Midas touch, and Avs couldn’t be excited. The team is at the cusp of greatness.”

“Joe Sakic deserves GM of the century for building this team from worst of all-time to Stanley Cup contender for years to come in four years. With only Nathan MacKinnon as his number one overall pick.”

“Sakic seems to be able to pick a trade the same way he picked a corner with his deadly wrist shot back in his playing days, and the Avs have a smart analytics team that has helped make some smart decisions. The only criticism has been drafting where outside of high picks the Avs have not found a lot of useful players.”

“Very happy with the direction Sakic et al. are taking the team. They seem to be prioritizing speed and skill which is the way to go in today’s NHL, in my opinion. Drafting/developing has left a bit to be desired outside of the first round, but seems like it’s gotten better in recent years.”

The Avalanche come out on top after finishing third a year ago. It was only a few years ago that Colorado was a laughingstock and the work done to transform the team into a Cup favourite is nothing short of remarkable. The team does not miss.

It feels like every transaction has hockey fans from opposing teams screaming for their GM to just hang up the phone whenever Joe Sakic calls. The team was tops in trading as a result, but also got top marks for cap management thanks to building a contender while maintaining a strong surplus of space to further shore up the team. That most contending teams were subtracting this offseason while the Avalanche were adding speaks to that salary cap wizardry.

The team’s vision is tops according to the public, who ranked Colorado first or second in all six categories. No other team was top five. If there’s any nitpick, it’s in the team’s drafting from the fans.

The Avalanche front office is the class of the league and it’s only a matter of time before they add some hardware to their trophy shelf as a result of the incredible work they’ve done.

Vancouver Canucks

“Great core Jim Benning has assembled. Cap mismanagement has unfortunately delayed this group’s Stanley Cup window.”

“I have no doubt that they have the best intentions and will hold onto our best players, but this salary cap scenario should have been blindingly obvious from a mile away.”

“I think Benning should be the assistant GM as he has shown to be very good at drafting and identifying talent (or maybe that was Brackett). However, free agency over the years has been a complete disaster. The Canucks consistently overpay in dollars and term, resulting in their cap crunch today and now have the inability to make the necessary moves to put this team over the top.”

Public sentiment is really shifting around the Canucks after an exciting run to the second round of the playoffs, but fans who participated aren’t convinced that the current regime is the right one to take this promising team to the next step. The Canucks were one of the few teams with a noticeably lower score from its own fan base.

While both the public and fans have given out high marks for drafting and developing, there are three key sore spots when it comes to Vancouver’s managing ability, all of which were on full display this offseason.

The biggest issue by far is cap management, and that ties together with free agency. After such a successful season, it was frustrating to see star goaltender Jacob Markstrom walk as well as deadline acquisition Tyler Toffoli. The Markstrom deal was probably smart to avoid, but if there’s a mistake to make, it’s probably that one compared to say, signing Loui Eriksson, Tyler Myers, Jay Beagle, Antoine Roussel, etc. to deals they would struggle to live up to. That created a situation where the Canucks moved on from Markstrom not out of caution, but out of necessity due to a shortage of cap space. The Markstrom deal isn’t great (six years it’s too long for a goalie), but it’s a lot more palatable than any of those four deals on the books. It also meant the team couldn’t afford Toffoli, who was given a very affordable deal and is exactly what the team needs in the top six. Those past mistakes have already proven costly and limit the team from taking a step toward contention next season.

That’s the other problem with Vancouver: what exactly is the vision here? Why trade prospects for Toffoli if you were going to let him walk at such a reasonable price? Why trade a first-round pick for J.T. Miller that had the potential to be unprotected in 2021 if there wasn’t a clear plan to contend that season? It’s difficult to know what the plan is and it sort of feels like the front office is winging it as they go along. That’s not exactly something that inspires much confidence.

Calgary Flames

“The team drafts and develops well but Treliving can’t seem to stop himself from overpaying in free agency every year.”

“I wish they’d lock Brad Treliving away in some hidden alcove without his phone during free agency.”

“Drafting has been impressive thanks to some major hits in the late rounds (Mangiapane, Pettersson, Wolf, etc.), but early picks haven’t always been impressive. In terms of vision, there seems to be a stagnation, and the roster seems to be basically the same construction with some downgrades compared to the last two seasons, despite disappointing results. The addition of Markstrom is great, but the length of his contract and the Tanev signing seem like unnecessary risks in a flat cap environment. Overall, the Flames are set up to be a solid but uninspiring team, with some great pieces but without a clear identity.”

According to the public, the Flames possess by far the most ordinary front office, with ratings just barely above or below 3.0 across the board. There’s basically no opinion there and frankly, I don’t blame them. The fans are sort of on that wavelength too with one key difference being they’re much higher on the team’s ability to draft and develop and much lower on them in free agency.

The Flames committing a lot of term and cash to a goalie and overpaying Chris Tanev is concerning; I’m sure fans are still a bit gun shy about the recent James Neal and Troy Brouwer contracts. As for drafting, there’s some nice homegrown talent on the team and fans seemed to love the team’s most recent draft, specifically trading down in the first round multiple times and still snagging Connor Zary. That’s a coup.

Toronto Maple Leafs

“Dubas takes a lot of unfair criticism, but he’s got the right vision for the team. I like the moves he’s made this offseason. Biggest question mark is starting goaltending, but I think Thornton and Simmonds are going to have a great impact on the room. A shame Kadri nixed the Brodie deal last year, but he’s a much better fit than Barrie was on the back end.”

“I’ve fully supported the team’s mandate of assembling maximum talent and adding around it. Fans have been impatient, but I continue to be on board with nearly all decisions in the Dubas era.”

“The Leafs get a lot of press (both good and bad), but if you step back and look at the team they built you will see one of the most talented teams in the league with zero terrible contracts.”

“The Dubas led front office has shown a willingness to adapt on the fly. Placing an emphasis on skill and surrounding that with intangibles, this is a team on the verge. They’ve had two very solid drafts under this regime and their development system has churned out many players over the years since Kyle assumed control. Do I love the contracts handed out to their stars? No. But I will die on the hill that you pay your stars NOT your depth. So if he overpaid his stars a bit that’s something I’m not going to overly critique. This is the most confidence I’ve ever had in a Leafs front office.”

As usual, the Leafs are a contentious team when it comes to how they’re viewed by their own fans and how they’re viewed by the public. The latter opinion is shaped by a team spending to the cap, yet unable to cross the first round hurdle, viewing the management group closer to average. The fan’s confidence has dropped a little bit since the last time but is mostly unshaken as a majority still believe in the team’s long term vision.

Both parties agree the team’s best strength is in free agency as Kyle Dubas and company have done a great job of luring talent in recent seasons, starting with the John Tavares deal two years ago. Both have the team’s vision in the top 10, a lower score for trading (likely somewhat due to the Nazem Kadri for Tyson Barrie and Alexander Kerfoot swap), and a strong opinion of their ability to draft and develop.

The point of contention seems to be cap management and to a lesser extent roster building, with the two going hand-in-hand. The narrative around the Leafs is that they’re paying too much for four forwards and the team won’t find success with such a top-heavy salary structure. I’m of the mind that narrative is fairly overblown considering the Leafs are one of a few teams without a bad contract on the books. They have certainly overpaid some RFAs relative to the market, but by on-ice value, they’re not losing many deals. This summer the Leafs were perceived by many to be in cap hell, but the front office got out of that bind rather easily. Shouldn’t that elicit higher marks for cap management?

Nothing matters here until the Leafs start getting results relative to their over-inflated stature, but I do believe the fans are right to remain confident in the Shanaplan, at least for one more season.

#colorado avalanche #vancouver canucks #toronto maple leafs #calgary flames #o scams the athletic #anon #askos

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thrashermaxey · 6 years ago

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Ramblings: Marchand, Kucherov, Zibanejad, Scheduling The Fantasy Playoffs, and Primary Apples (Feb 13)

Two of the top squads in the league battled on Tuesday when Calgary visited Tampa Bay. As per usual, the Kucherov-train would not be slowed. A goal and three helpers from the Russian phenom pushed the Bolts past the Flames 6-3.

Nikita Kucherov is up to 88 points in just 57 games. He’s clicking away at a 1.54 point-per-game pace. No one has achieved that feat in a full season since Joe Thornton threw down a 125 pointer in 2005-06.

Kuch is a monster.

Brayden Point chipped in with a goal and two helpers to propel his season total to 72 points in 56 games. Thank goodness Tampa is a no-tax state. That’s the only reason the Bolts will keep him at a reasonable number as an RFA this summer.

Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan busted out of their mini-slump in the loss. They each had just two assists in their last five games coming into the evening.

A couple of shutouts were sprinkled amongst the early games on Tuesday evening. The Stars blanked the Panthers 3-0 on the back of a two-goal performance by Tyler Seguin.

It was Anton Khudobin who stopped 30 on the evening. The Stars backup has played admirably this season and while Ben Bishop has been on the shelf of late. Bishop appears to be close as he’s been practicing hard for three straight days.

Sergei Bobrovsky and Blue Jackets shutout were also on the fun end of a 3-0 victory, this time against the Caps. That’s four straight wins for the two-time Vezina winner. His owners have desperately needed this run.

As does Columbus if they hope to pull a ransom out of some team at the deadline.

CBJ continued to roll out a four-forward top power-play unit with Nick Foligno living in the net front. That has blasted Seth Jones to the second unit that is lucky to get the final 10 seconds of a man-advantage. It hasn’t slowed the 24-year-old down one iota though.

Jones tallied an even-strength assist in the victory to extend his point streak to four games and four points. He’s on pace to match his 57 points from a season ago despite seeing his PPTOI dip from three minutes a night during the first dozen games to under a minute the past month.

Jones is a horse and has proven capable of generating at five-on-five, but as Artemi Panarin's departure date looms, it’ll be difficult to bet on too many Blue Jackets that don’t see prime deployment.

On the bright side, perhaps Panarin leaving will facilitate Jones’ return to the top unit.

The Canucks had hoped they wouldn’t need to give up a draft pick to patch up their current goaltending situation. After trading Anders Nilsson, and losing Mike McKenna to the wire, the team had Jacob Markstrom, Thatcher Demko and…. well, that’s it for goaltenders on NHL deals.

When Demko went down with a sprained knee, the team was forced to recall 19-year-old, Michael DiPietro from the Ottawa 67s on an emergency basis. They then decided that Markstrom needed a rest and tossed DiPietro to the wolves – in this case, the San Jose Sharks.

The 2017 Memorial Cup Champion allowed seven goals on 24 shots and was hung out to dry by his skaters on more than a few occasions.

Tuesday saw the team rectify the matter by sending a 2020 7th round pick to the New York Rangers in exchange for Marek Mazanec. The 27-year-old has been… a warm body in the AHL this year. Posting a 0.903 save percentage in 20 games.

The team is rushing to get immigration papers filed to have the former Predator in Anaheim to start on Wednesday.

The Leafs defeated the listless Avalanche 5-2. Toronto scored three second period goals in just 109 seconds to bust this one open. Nazem Kadri scored two. Auston Matthews added a goal and two helpers and Freddie Andersen stopped 34 of 36.

William Nylander recorded an assist and five shots in just 13 minutes of ice.

That’s lucky number eight in the L column for the Avs. Things are spiralling quickly. They find themselves four points out of the second wildcard spot and tied with the Blackhawks.

The Jets scored two third period goals to defeat the Rangers 4-3 on Tuesday. Mika Zibanejad kept his torrid goal-scoring pace with two markers in this one. He has 13 goals in his last 11 games and 25 on the season – two shy of his career-high mark set last season. The shooting percentage (15.2%) is due for a slight dip, but his metrics appear stable.

The 25-year-old looks every bit the part of number one centre on Broadway. Will people believe it heading into drafts next season? I’m guessing no.

The Flyers came back from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Wild 5-4. That’s 10 wins in the last 12 for Philly. This time it was Anthony Stolarz getting the victory. James van Riemsdyk tallied two – including the game winner on a powerplay with less than five minutes to play.

The highlight of the night came off the stick of Claude Giroux who also added an assist in this one.

Clap. Clap. Boom.

https://dobberhockey.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/02/G-clap.mp4

Many leagues have seen their trade deadline come and pass. Others are gearing up for theirs this weekend. For those using two-week playoff matchups, just a single week remains before the post-season begins.

Now may be the last opportunity you have to grab a player who will pay dividends for you when the games matter most.

The first thing you need to do is to isolate players with favourable schedules. Using the Frozen Pool Scheduling Planner is your first stop. For instance, in weeks 20-25 (where most two-week playoff matchup leagues are scheduled), Florida and CBJ have the most games with 22.

A team like Calgary has a league-high 13 home games and 21 overall – 13 of which are against teams outside of the playoffs as of today. That’s a juicy schedule.

Meanwhile, Nashville only has eight home games and 18 overall. Only six of those games are against non-playoff squads.

Finding favourable schedules is crucial in targeting players for your run. Perhaps take a swing at trading Roman Josi and a juicer for Mark Giordano in a one-year.

The next street I like to walk is down is primary point alley. More specifically, from the last 4-6 weeks. Finding players who have been consistently driving offence – either by finishing or being the primary contributor on the assist is a great sign for potentially continued success. Goals are easy to identify, but those first assists are often squirrelled away but are juicy little nuggets.

Dating back to January 1, here are the players with the most primary assists:

Patrick Kane – 14

Steven Stamkos – 11

Jakub Voracek – 10

Ryan O’Reilly – 10

Nikita Kucherov – 10

Torey Krug – 9

Sidney Crosby – 9

Brent Burns – 9

Mats Zuccarello – 9

Connor McDavid – 9

The obvious stars are expected to drive play and will be difficult to obtain. But not enough ink is being spilled over players like Voracek and O’Reilly. O’Reilly has 20 points in 18 games in 2019, while Voracek extended his point streak to eight games tonight and has points in 14 of his last 15 games.

Both are lining up for teams trying to push a hot run into a playoff berth and could be very useful in a fantasy playoff match. Additionally, their cost of acquisition is likely lower than more high-profile talents.

Speaking of runs in 2019, the top two scorers from this calendar season met in Boston on Tuesday evening when Patty Kane and the Blackhawks hooked up with Brad Marchand and the Bruins.

Kane has been on another planet for months. After tonight he has 32 points in 16 games in 2019. He sits alone in second for NHL scoring and is just off pace to be just the sixth player in the last 20 years to record 120-plus points. With an assist on Tuesday Kane extended his point streak to 15 games and 32 points. He’s been held off the scoresheet just nine times this season and only once in back-to-back contests.

The hype around Marchand has been a touch more muted than his peer from the Windy City. But on Tuesday it was the Bs star who stole the show. After a goal and three assists in the 6-3 win, the 30-year-old has 10 goals and 28 points in 18 games since January 1, and 69 points in 56 games overall.

Over the last three seasons, Marchand’s 240 points in 204 games trials only Connor McDavid (289), Nikita Kucherov (269), Kane (246) and Sidney Crosby (243).

What an incredible asset he’s morphed into.

Dylan Strome grabbed an assist in the loss to extend his point streak to five games and 10 points. He has 17 points in his last 10 games and his 31 points in 33 games since the trade sits amongst the top-45 in the league over that span.

Imagine my surprise when a 21-year-old with exceptional pedigree blossoms in a new environment with more exposure to talented players and offensive situations.

Shocking stuff.

Follow me on Twitter @Hockey_Robinson

from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-rambling/ramblings-marchand-kucherov-zibanejad-scheduling-the-fantasy-playoffs-and-primary-apples-feb-13/

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kennethmjoyner · 6 years ago

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#Legalweek19 Preview: How Technology Is Transforming Legal Practice

If you are reading this blog, then I don’t have to tell you: Little has more dramatically changed the practice of law than technology. For better or for worse, the technological advances of the past decade have irrevocably changed the legal industry and forever transformed the way we practice law.

This is one in a series of posts previewing the upcoming Legalweek/Legaltech conference, Jan. 28-31 in New York.

From e-discovery to cybersecurity, technology is integral to virtually everything that happens in law firms and legal departments of all sizes. A boom in legal tech startups has spawned a treasure trove of useful apps and software, with new products appearing on the market seemingly daily. Artificial intelligence is helping to streamline operations, offering lawyers new ways to do more with less.

Of course, with the good comes the bad. While technology greatly enhances our abilities to serve our clients, it also exposes us to new threats. Data breaches and cyber-attacks are at an all-time high, putting sensitive and confidential information at risk and threatening privacy. Never before has it been more crucial for law firms and legal departments to understand and secure their data or for lawyers to understands how technology affects them and their clients.

And then there is the ethical duty of technology competence!

Getting a handle on all this can be daunting. One way to do so is through the programs presented at legal technology conferences. The Legalweek conference starting next Tuesday, which includes the venerable Legaltech conference and the parallel LegalCIO conference, is a good opportunity for this. Programs will cover the current state of legal technology and a wide range of speakers will offer insights on how technological innovation is transforming the practice of law.

Here are just a few of the sessions during Legalweek that will address the current state of technology in the legal industry. (Descriptions are taken from the agenda.)

DAY ONE – LegalCIO – 10:30–11:30 a.m.

The Future of Legal Services: Staying Competitive & Collaborative Amidst Growing Client Pressures

As the legal industry continues to become technology heavy and client expectations grow, how can CIOs adapt and develop strategies to propel their firm to the forefront of legal services? Law firm IT departments today must provide a competitive edge and deliver excellent, tailored, client-centered services. In order to succeed, CIOs must stay ahead of the curve by developing a plan, identifying potential threats and understanding future trends.

Key Takeaways:

A CIO’s mission: How to add value to your firm and clients.

Exploring key trends expected to shape the future of legal services.

Constructing a plan for success: Driving your firm to the forefront of legal services.

How collaboration platforms are changing workplace dynamics and what law firms should look for when considering a collaboration platform.

Moderator:

Michele C.S. Lange, Vice President, Legal Marketing – Workstorm

Speakers:

David Cambria, Global Director of Legal Operations – Baker McKenzie.

Joan Holman, Chief Information Officer – Clark Hill.

Scott Rechtschaffen, Chief Knowledge Officer – Littler Mendelson P.C.

Kermit Wallace, Chief Information Officer – Day Pitney LLP.

Andrea Markstrom, Chief Information Officer – Blank Rome LLP

DAY ONE – Legaltech – 1-2 p.m.

Adopting Analytics in Legal Practice

Many aspects of legal practice are being transformed by the availability of better analytics and better tools for using analytics to support legal decisions, especially decisions about litigation strategy. Litigation analytics tools can surface important insights on courts, attorneys and law firms to help guide the best trial strategy; and inform litigation timelines, resource needs and budgets. This session will feature a panel of litigation experts who have led the way in adopting litigation analytics in their firms.

Moderator:

David Curle, Director, Market Intelligence – Thomson Reuters

Speakers:

John Courtney, President Los Angeles Chapter – ABOTA.

Meredith Williams-Range, Chief Knowledge & Value Officer – Shearman and Sterling.

Kate Orr, Senior Innovation Counsel – Orrick

DAY ONE – Legaltech – 1:00-2:00

Technology Adoption Done Right: Implementation Lessons to Live By

Most people hate change. But implementing new technology to maximize efficiency and reduce operational cost has become almost routine for most organizations. This session will offer practical strategies and tactics that successful technology implementers use to make changes stick. Our experts will share their perspectives on how to achieve success when adopting new applications.

How to overcome legitimate resistance to change

What it takes to embed new technology into an employee’s workflow

Why and how to pilot, communicate, entice and train

Moderator:

Brad Blickstein, Principal – Blickstein Group, Inc.

Speakers:

Brad Rogers, Managing Director, Chief of Staff/COO – TIAA.

David Cambria, Global Director of Operations – Baker McKenzie.

Monet Fauntleroy, Senior Manager, Practice Innovation – White & Case LLP.

DAY TWO – Legaltech – 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Using Technology to Build a Culture of Inclusion in the Legal Profession

How can a company’s legal department contribute to overall organizational diversity? There isn’t a single answer to this question: there are many! This panel of in-house legal experts will describe how technology has advanced their internal recruiting, hiring and promotion practices and external vendor selection with an eye toward improving diversity. We’ll also explore how ground-breaking analytical tools and metrics can help legal teams examine the demographic and ideological range of their outside counsel and how they can use technology—whether as a carrot or a stick—to promote more inclusive practices within their teams and across their outside service providers.

Moderator:

Lindsay Cox, Vice President, Review Solutions – Consilio.

Speakers:

Lani Quarmby, Associate General Counsel & Managing Director – Bank of America.

Jennifer Heil, Deputy Head of Litigation – MUFG.

DAY THREE – Legaltech – 9:30-10:30 a.m.

From Conversation to Conversion: Getting Lawyers to Use New Tools

Costs are exploding. Staffing is tight. Budgets need to be maintained. Whether you buy or build new legal knowledge and technology products, there is no guarantee of adoption. Email announcements remain on opened. The promise of food will not get associates to a conference room anymore. What is the answer? A panel of seasoned knowledge professionals will outline some of the techniques they use to drive, monitor, and assess digital adoption of new tools.

Takeaways:

Identify potential obstacles to new product adoption

Discuss best practices in the selection of products or initiatives

Discover strategies for driving adoption and communicating more effectively

Utilize metrics to gauge success and identify potential learning opportunities

Speakers:

Cynthia Brown, Director – Research Services – Littler Mendelson P.C.

Jean O’Grady, Senior Director of Research & Knowledge – DLA Piper LLP.

June Liebert, Firmwide Director of Library and Research Services – Sidley Austin LLP.

Cheryl Smith, Director of Information Services – O’Melveny & Myers LLP

You can check out the full agenda for the conference here.

from Law and Politics https://www.lawsitesblog.com/2019/01/legalweek19-preview-technology-transforming-legal-practice.html via http://www.rssmix.com/

#law #legal

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yahoo-puck-daddy-blog · 7 years ago

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Canucks' strong offseason paying dividends with 'surprising' start

The Vancouver Canucks achieved their offseason objectives, and now they’re reaping the rewards. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)

Without the cornerstone piece to distract from the dismal process of turning over talent bit by bit, reassurances for the Vancouver Canucks must come from the decisions within their control.

Now one month in, a season believed to be squandered from the start has only offered reason to believe in what’s being built in Vancouver – even if the teardown is still far from complete.

[Follow Yahoo Canada Sports on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter]

Before the Canucks lost 2-1 in overtime to the Dallas Stars (despite targeting 39 shots on Ben Bishop), Trevor Linden admitted he was “pleasantly surprised” with the team’s hot start this season. But beyond accruing 14 points from their first 11 games, what really has the Canucks president of hockey operations encouraged on the long road back to relevancy is the early returns on the objectives outlined in the offseason.

Most notably, Linden is delighted with the work of first-year head coach Travis Green, who has had a tremendous impact from a tactical and stylistic standpoint. After conceding the fourth-most shots at 5-on-5 last season under Willie Desjardins, only the Philadelphia Flyers are allowing fewer average shots across all situations with one night to go on the opening month of the season.

Fewer looks, as one would imagine, has allowed Canucks goaltenders to cut down on goals against. Only the Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights have held opponents to fewer than 26 allowed by Vancouver.

The reason for the improvement – albeit in this small sample size? Not an attention to detail in the defensive end, but a renewed focus on attacking when gaining hold of the puck. Vancouver is a harder team to score against because its new head coach has made offence the priority.

“Travis has the guys thinking about when we get possession and what our movements look like from that point. It’s been impactful, there’s no question about it,” Linden said. “We’re better defensively from a shots against standpoint because we’re spending more time in the offensive zone.”

The Canucks are also spending more time in the lead, which makes their ability to suppress shots through 11 games this season that much more impressive and is indication the NHL’s lowest-event team is performing even better than its 50.43 percent possession suggests.

Linden sees this as a product of the pace. From the start of training camp and with a standard set in practice, Green’s focus has been instilling a higher tempo. So far, the Canucks’ ability to “play fast” has caught teams by surprise – and might be the primary reason that they have jumped out to a 104-point pace.

Four lines, attacking

Unable to manage injuries with a threadbare roster last season, the next objective after promoting Green was to get deeper at all positions. The Canucks aimed to have four lines attacking and to model their defence around activation, deploying blue liners that can push the puck up ice and join the rush in an effort to eliminate the disconnect at times between the forwards and back end last season.

Thomas Vanek, Sam Gagner, Michael Del Zotto and Derrick Pouliot were brought in to fill in gaps on the roster. But aside from the return of Chris Tanev (or in Linden’s words, the “anchor”) to full health, the two players that have had the greatest impact on a team striving to maintain a constant level of pressure on the opposition has been Brock Boeser and Jake Virtanen.

The 20- and 21-year-old, respectively, have completed last season’s toothless top six in Vancouver. Boeser has provided a massive spark to a burgeoning second line with Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi, having scored at better than a point-per-game rate in his eight games. Meanwhile, Virtanen has recently moved up to the top line with the Sedin twins to allow Green to disperse his weapons across each line to help achieve the objective set out in the offseason.

With Virtanen, the Sedins haven’t filled the net yet, having counted just two goals and six assists between them. But the twins are encouraged by the chemistry they are beginning to build with the former seventh overall selection.

“He has really helped their game,” Linden said. “He brings speed, can regain puck possession. They have really benefitted from having a guy that plays with that power and speed. He brings an element that really helps their game.

“They have really enjoyed what Jake has brought.”

Jacob Markstrom’s been good, but his backp has been even better. (Getty)

From the depth standpoint, perhaps the most impactful offseason addition in Vancouver has been goaltender Anders Nilsson – even if he’s been limited to just four starts behind first-year starter Jacob Markstrom. Identified as a prospect with a great skills package and one they believed they could help get to the next level, Nilsson has allowed just six goals in 191 minutes, having counted three wins and shutouts over both the Minnesota Wild and Ottawa Senators.

The newly-formed partnership between Markstrom and Nilsson has the Canucks feeling confident regardless of who’s in goal.

“We looked at it as having two guys you can count on on a nightly basis – and that’s exactly how it’s worked out for the first 10 games. Both have been excellent,” Linden said Monday afternoon.

“Not only does it create competition, but more importantly it creates stability in net. Both of them (know) they have someone behind them that can come in and play well. If you’re Jacob, you know you don’t have to carry the load, ‘I’ve got support.'”

It was all a contentious undertaking, aiming to assemble a more competitive roster while many in the fanbase and around the team felt that bottoming out was the best course of action. But with the changes the Canucks have made and targets they have set out, the players who will be around on the other side of this rebuild are getting a real sense of the value in proper preparation.

Perhaps no player is appreciating this more than Baertschi, the “historically slow starter” who Linden, Green and the Canucks brass charted out a plan for over the summer in an effort to avoid seeing him fall under the same pattern.

With four goals and eight points in his last eight games after failing to hit the scoresheet in the first three outings, the Canucks are thrilled with his opening month.

“Sven has probably been our most dangerous forward, when I think about it,” Linden said. “Even in the first four or five games when he hadn’t scored, I really liked his game I thought he was getting to the right spots. He was quick, he was on pucks, he was protecting pucks. And the last couple nights he’s been rewarded, which is great to see.”

Take what you will from Vancouver’s first 11 games.

Surely it hasn’t convinced each of those who have questioned the direction of the franchise, and what many consider the counterintuitive practice of adding while disassembling in a league becoming more and more superstar-driven.

But because nothing is certain at the bottom of the league standings, hiring the right coach to implement the right system that hinges on having the right personnel, and having real quantifiable success and validation in the process, is a far better indicator of future success than showing up on draft lottery night with fingers crossed.

Justin Cuthbert is an NHL editor for Yahoo Sports Canada and Puck Daddy. His email is here and his Twitter is here.

#_author:Justin Cuthbert #_revsp:21d636bb-8aa8-4731-9147-93a932d2b27a #_uuid:1468c174-c918-3b49-a7f4-89c0cc776d06 #_lmsid:a077000000CFoGyAAL

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junker-town · 8 years ago

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Let’s identify the 6 teams reportedly eager to sign Ben Bishop

Process of elimination!

When the Los Angeles Kings traded for Ben Bishop at the NHL trade deadline, everyone knew the partnership would be temporary.

And with the Kings sliding further out of the playoff race, it’s already time for speculating where the goalie will land when he hits free agency this summer.

During TSN’s Insider Trading segment on Tuesday, insider Darren Dreger reported that at least six teams are interested in signing Bishop this offseason.

That’s ... decent number. Obviously, the level of interest varies. But that number’s big enough that we’d like to narrow it down a bit.

So let’s whittle. Note: none of this is based on anything but reasoned speculation, logic and process of elimination. This reporting is based on the sources in my brain that talk to me.

Definitely not interested

James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

If six teams want Bishop, 25 teams don’t based on Dreger’s reporting. Let’s start by identifying them.

The Penguins (1) most certainly wouldn’t. Matt Murray is the goalie of the future, and they still have to untangle themselves from Marc-Andre Fleury this offseason.

The Capitals (2) have Braden Holtby. The Sharks (3) have Martin Jones. We can rule out the Blues (4), Devils (5), Canadiens (6), Wild (7), Kings (8), Oilers (9), Blue Jackets (10), Blackhawks (11), Bruins (12), Ducks (13) and Rangers (14). All of those teams have solid-to-elite goaltending.

And the Lightning (15) definitely won’t bring Bishop back.

That’s 10 teams left who aren’t interested. Or, in Dreger’s words, “considerably” interested. Let’s set them aside and focus on who is ...

Definitely interested

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Duh.

Vegas (1) will be in on every top goalie on the free agent market, whether that’s Fleury, Bishop or Brian Elliott. Ben Bishop with the Golden Knights is probably a safe bet right now.

Throw the Flames (2) into the mix, as well. That Insider Trading segment had some news on their talks with Elliott; namely, that they haven’t started yet. GM Brad Treliving must be doing his homework on what it would take to sign Bishop if Elliott leaves.

Another interesting nugget from the insiders: the Hurricanes (3) and Stars (4) are keenly interested in Blackhawks backup Scott Darling. Expect both to target Darling, who will come cheaper than Bishop. But when one of them loses out on Darling, Bishop will land in their crosshairs.

So we’ve eliminated or identified the obvious teams in or out of the Bishop hunt. Who are the two mystery teams who want him?

Here’s who’s (probably) not interested

Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images

It’s hard to see the Maple Leafs (16) trying to find a Frederik Andersen replacement after the season he’s had. I don’t know why I didn’t include him in the first section. Too late! I don’t want to scroll up. Battery life.

Pekka Rinne isn’t what he once was, but he hasn’t regressed to the point that the Predators (17) will make an expensive change in net.

Roberto Luongo could retire this summer. The Panthers (18) signed James Reimer last offseason for a reason: the starting job is his for at least a season after Luongo is gone. Not in time to heel-turn and sign Bishop.

The Avalanche (19) obviously want to move on from Semyon Varlamov. And when they do, they won’t sign another veteran goalie. The net will belong to youngsters Calvin Pickard and Spencer Martin as they rebuild.

A few remaining teams might not pursue Bishop because they think they have an answer in net already. I don’t think the Red Wings (20) are ready to give up on Petr Mrazek yet. Two of the Flyers (21) three goalies (Steve Mason, Michal Neuvirth or Anthony Stolarz) are set in stone for next year.

Ryan Miller’s days with the Canucks (22) are numbered, but Jacob Markstrom might get a long look as starter if he leaves. Hard to see Vancouver splurging on another older goalie.

Three teams left. I’m starting to sweat.

I think the Coyotes (23) aren’t ready to move on from Mike Smith yet. Just a gut feeling. He’s one of the few veteran leaders left on that team and that’s valuable as super-young players come up next year. Not that Bishop wouldn’t be, but Smith is pretty ingrained in the Coyotes culture by now.

As for Robin Lehner and the Sabres (24) ... nobody in that room has been more vocal about the team’s play this winter than him. Like Smith and the Coyotes, Lehner’s a strong voice on a young team. And he’s only 25 years old, with solid numbers. I think Buffalo gives him an extension this offseason instead of chasing Bishop.

One more team. And it’s probably the Senators (25). Mike Condon proved everyone wrong while Craig Anderson was out caring for his wife. If you want a goalie tandem, you could do worse than Anderson and Condon.

Hey, look: two teams are left. My maths are good.

Here’s who’s (probably) interested

Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports

Maybe Connor Hellebuyck is the future goalie for the Jets (5). There’s enough reason to doubt that after this inconsistent season, and Michael Hutchinson hasn’t been great as his backup either. Winnipeg’s front office might feel like they’re closer to contention than they showed this year, and there’s not much reason to doubt them. Their talent pool is rich enough to contend if they can get solid goaltending.

Why not swing for Bishop?

The last team that fits Dreger’s report is the Islanders (6). Good luck getting back on Jaroslav Halak’s good side after keeping him in the minors for much of the season. If that can’t be repaired, the Islanders might feel they need to move on. John Tavares’ upcoming contract might ultimately keep them from signing Bishop, but we could believe they’d be one of the six teams Dreger’s reporting about.

We’ll see. Desperate teams make desperate moves for goalies. The race for Bishop will surely be fun.

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thrashermaxey · 7 years ago

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Ramblings: Better Late Than Never (Dec 6)

The title of the Wednesday Ramblings is in reference to a goalie who finally earned the first shutout of his career and to a team whose defense finally scored its first goal of the season. Or maybe even to the very late hour that I am posting this.

I’ve written about Brayden Schenn numerous times this season, and I will be mentioning him again here. Schenn recorded a hat trick with a goal in each period in the Blues’ 4-3 win in Montreal. Considering what Schenn has provided to fantasy teams since his trade to St. Louis, it’s hard to believe that he entered this game with a five-game pointless drought. Over that stretch he still managed to take 11 shots on goal, nine hits, and six penalty minutes, so he’s filling your stocking even when he isn’t scoring.

Linemate Jaden Schwartz assisted on two of Schenn’s goals, breaking his own three-game slump without a point. In case you hadn’t noticed, Vladimir Tarasenko has been pulled off this line (lines below from Tuesday).

20.14% EV SOBOTKA,VLADIMIR – STASTNY,PAUL – TARASENKO,VLADIMIR

19.79% EV SCHENN,BRAYDEN – SCHWARTZ,JADEN – STEEN,ALEXANDER

18.06% EV BRODZIAK,KYLE – JASKIN,DMITRIJ – UPSHALL,SCOTTIE

16.32% EV BERGLUND,PATRIK – BLAIS,SAMMY – PAAJARVI,MAGNUS

The Tank has just one point in his last four games and no goals in his last six. Considering the absolute roll that this line was on, maybe it’s inevitable that the scoring has cooled off a bit.

In a losing cause for the Habs, Shea Weber scored two goals on six shots on goal. If you add in his assist from Saturday’s game, Weber has three points in the two games since he has returned from a lower-body injury. Check out the curve on Weber’s first goal.

Two faceoffs. Two clappers. Two goals. Too easy for Shea Weber. pic.twitter.com/5Opy3DjGUi

— HockeyNightInCanada (@hockeynight) December 6, 2017

Kyle Turris continues to produce, adding another two points in the Predators’ 5-2 win over Dallas. I know I mentioned the Turris/Duchene trade yesterday, but here’s another update.

Since the trade…#Preds are 10-2-1; Turris: 12 points#Sens are 3-7-1; Duchene: 2 points

— Ryan Porth (@PorthGame) December 6, 2017

Linemate Craig Smith was held off the scoresheet, though. I mentioned Smith yesterday as a potential waiver-wire pickup, but I’ll add in a point made by Brennan in his most recent Lining Up. Smith currently holds a shooting percentage of nearly 17%, which is nearly double his career percentage of 9.6%. Still, I might add him anyway, considering that he has found instant chemistry with the newly acquired Turris. His icetime and power-play time have also increased over last season, so his stock has undoubtedly increased.

Backup Juuse Saros had an impressive game for the Preds, stopping 43 of 45 shots that he faced. Saros struggled over his first five games of the season and was even demoted to the AHL for a time. I’ll assume that he has turned the corner, so I’d still consider him for streaming starts given his impressive 2016-17 (2.35 GAA, .923 SV%).

Ben Bishop wasn’t so impressive at the other end, getting pulled in the second period after allowing three goals on 15 shots. Bishop reeled off four consecutive victories prior to this start, but his numbers have still been up and down in his first season in Dallas.

Yanni Gourde scored two goals in 1:34 late in the second period of the Lightning’s 6-2 win over the Islanders. Gourde had gone six games without a point, but he is within the top 10 in rookie scoring with 18 points (8g-10a) and a plus-12 in 27 games. Gourde’s 17% shooting accuracy could mean that he is due for some kind of regression, but he has emerged as a true sleeper for a Bolts’ team that scores at will, leading the league with 3.7 goals per game.

The Sabres needed a win badly and got one on Tuesday against Colorado. They also needed a goal from a defenseman, for which they had none from before this game. Jake McCabe took care of that, along with an assist, a plus-2, four hits, and five blocked shots. So if you’re keeping track, that means that Rasmus Ristolainen, Marco Scandella, and Nathan Beaulieu all have yet to score a goal this season.

Ristolainen was given all the time in the world to break that slump in this game, logging just over 30 minutes. Given how porous the Sabres’ defense has been (league-worst 3.44 GA/GP), I can see why. Ristolainen has been finding other reasons to stay in your fantasy lineup, including a plus-4 on Tuesday and nine shots over his last two games.

Can we call it a breakout season for Nathan MacKinnon yet? With two power-play goals on Tuesday, MacKinnon is up to 10 goals and 31 points in just 26 games. I can think of two separate instances in which I had MacKinnon queued up to pick at around 140th-150th overall in a fantasy draft, only to see him grabbed just a few picks before me. If only I picked him one round sooner.

Ondrej Pavelec is one goalie I make a habit of staying away from, but he was worth it on Tuesday if your league counts saves. Filling in for the ill Henrik Lundqvist, Pavelec stopped 41 of 44 shots in the Rangers’ 4-3 win over Pittsburgh. If you look at career records against a team, Pavelec might have been on the bottom of your list. Lifetime against the Penguins, Pavelec was 2-13-1 with a 4.20 GAA and .870 SV% entering this game. I’m guessing that a few of those starts were as an Atlanta Thrasher.

Injury alert from that game: Justin Schultz left Tuesday’s game with a lower-body injury.

This was the wrong game for me to bench Gustav Nyquist (a two-game week for the Wings was the main reason I made that choice). Nyquist scored two goals and added an assist with a plus-4 in a 5-1 win over the red-hot Jets. Nyquist had not hit the twine in his previous eight games, so no doubt some of you did the same.

I traded for Nyquist earlier this season thinking ahead to my fantasy playoffs. (Should I make them, of course. I don’t like to piss off the fantasy hockey gods.) Like this season, Nyquist posted modest numbers throughout much of last season, then cranked it up a notch in March and April with 19 points in 20 games. With a 5on5 SH% of 6.67%, Nyquist is identified as a great buy-low candidate in his Dobber player profile. Nyquist’s line with Anthony Mantha and Henrik Zetterberg was mentioned as a cold line in this week’s Lining Up, so now might be a great time.

I'm all for Kopitar/Gaborik being reunited.

— Nick Alberga (@thegoldenmuzzy) December 6, 2017

Yes, this was a thing during the third period of the Kings/Wild game. Marian Gaborik scored two goals in the third period, both assisted by Anze Kopitar. Gabby now has four goals and a plus-7 in just seven games, which would mean that he could have some residual fantasy value should he somehow stick with Kopitar. He’s probably available in your league, no less. Ride him until the next injury, which is probably just around the corner.

The Canucks don’t suck as much as you thought they would. On Tuesday they were led by a couple of former top prospects that you may have once had stored away.

Jacob Markstrom stopped all 30 shots he faced to earn – get this – his first career shutout in 129 career games. If you follow the Canucks, you’ll already know that he nearly had one in his previous game against the Leafs, only to lose it with just under three minutes left in the game. Somewhere, Pokey Reddick weeps. The tweet was from after Saturday's game.

the streak goes on… pic.twitter.com/Q9NSmMQusG

— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) December 3, 2017

Considering that Canucks’ goaltending was an afterthought in many fantasy drafts, you may be surprised to learn that the Canucks currently sit in the top third of the league in team goals-against average (2.78). I actually heard someone here in the Vancouver area recently mention Canucks’ goalies and the Jennings Trophy in the same sentence. Don’t worry, it wasn’t me.

Derrick Pouliot scored a goal and added two assists with a plus-2 in over 20 minutes of icetime and power-play time. He’d been held without a point in his previous five games, but he hasn’t looked bad overall. It’s possible that Pouliot is the odd man out once Erik Gudbranson returns, but it always seems as though there’s injuries on the Canucks’ blueline anyway. Plus there’s a possibility that Gudbranson is traded by the deadline, as he’ll be a UFA at season’s end.

It wasn’t all good for the Canucks, as Bo Horvat left the game late in the third period against the Hurricanes. Should Horvat miss any time, it could be a concern for not only Horvat owners, but also Brock Boeser owners.

The reinforcements are starting to appear for the Ducks. Rickard Rakell returned to the Ducks’ lineup on Tuesday, although he was held without a point. Meanwhile, Adam Henrique has three assists in three games as a Duck. So Derek Grant’s days as a top-6 center are officially over, as he has been held to less than nine minutes in each of his last three games.

But the Ducks still give up a ton of shots (36.3 SA/GP – highest in the league). Although John Gibson is holding his own in leagues that count saves, it’s been a constant battle for him to earn wins. An 8-10-2 record with a 2.97 GAA is more on the team than on Gibson, who also holds a solid .921 SV%. On Tuesday it was 43 shots on Gibson, who stopped 40 of them in the shootout loss.

Check out the shots on goal from a few Vegas Golden Knights on the Ducks on Tuesday:

Reilly Smith: 7 shots

Alex Tuch: 7 shots

Erik Haula: 6 shots

Colin Miller: 6 shots

Haula scored the game-tying goal and assisted on the Golden Knights’ two other goals. I think Tuch, who scored the game-winner in the shootout, would really take off if he could somehow get top-6 minutes in Vegas.

For more fantasy hockey information, follow me on Twitter @Ian_Gooding.

from All About Sports http://www.dobberhockey.com/hockey-rambling/ramblings-better-late-than-never-dec-6/

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