The NHL agreed to sell the team to Renaissance Sports & Entertainment, a group headed by George Gosbee, Anthony LeBlanc and Daryl Jones, according to the people, who spoke Saturday on condition of anonymity because there had been no official announcement.

They said NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, deputy commissioner Bill Daly and the prospective buyers will meet with Glendale officials on Tuesday for talks on a lease.

The NHL bought the Coyotes out of U.S. Bankruptcy Court in 2009 and has tried without success to find a buyer who would keep the team in Glendale.

The approval of the Gosbee group’s sale by the NHL was first reported by Fox Sports Arizona.

LeBlanc and some of this group’s partners, among them Daryl Jones, were part of a previous effort to buy the team under the name Ice Edge, Inc. Gosbee, a banker and financier, is chairman, president and chief executive officer of Alberta-based AltaCorp Capital Inc.

The lease with Glendale has always been a sticking point in the sale of the team. Glendale owns Jobing.com Arena, where the Coyotes play and the city has spent tens of millions of dollars to help cover the franchise’s operating losses under the NHL’s nearly four-year ownership of the team. Any lease deal also likely will cost the financially-strapped city, but losing the team as an anchor tenant may cost much more.

If this effort falls through, Bettman could finally give up on his insistence on keeping the team in Arizona and agree to a move of the franchise, which has lost money since it moved to the desert from Winnipeg in 1996.

Then-owner Jerry Moyes, to the surprise of Bettman, took the team into bankruptcy in 2009, with an agreement to sell to Blackberry founder Jim Balsille, who would move the franchise to Hamilton, Ontario. But the NHL and its band of attorneys, joined by the city of Glendale, vehemently fought the plan in a court-case that dragged out through that summer, and the judge ruled that he couldn’t overturn the NHL’s authority to determine where its franchises are located. When other bids failed, the NHL stepped in and bought the team.

A bid by former San Jose Sharks owner Craig Jamison to buy the team was the latest attempt to fall through.

Despite the uncertainty and limitations of its ownership situation, the Coyotes had surprising success on the ice, even making it to the Western Conference finals last season. The team failed to make the playoffs in this season.

On Friday, the Coyotes announced it had reached agreement on a long-term contract with general manager Don Maloney and is working to re-sign coach Dave Tippett.

The post Report: NHL approves Coyotes sale to CDN group appeared first on Sportsnet.ca.

So when the Senators captain sits down and decides whether to return for another NHL season, his will not be the only vote.

A big one will also belong to his wife Birgitta. Sons Hugo, Loui, Fenix and William will get to have a say as well.

“I love the game,” Alfredsson said Friday night in Pittsburgh after Ottawa was eliminated from the playoffs. “I love to practice, I love to play games. I find the travel really tough with four young kids at home.

“That’s kind of where I struggle personally.”

The question here is not whether Alfredsson is good enough or healthy enough to continue playing. At age 40, he led the team in scoring this post-season and clearly remains its emotional leader.

But another season means another busy summer of training and probably two months spent in hotel rooms away from the family.

“You miss a lot of stuff,” said Alfredsson. “The first goal in your son’s career and birthdays — it’s tough.”

Alfredsson plans to have a conversation with Senators general manager Bryan Murray in the coming days about when the organization would like him to make a decision by.

Then he’ll wait and see how he feels.

It is a similar process to the one he went through last summer, when his kids urged him to return and play out the final year of his contract.

“They wanted me to play because they could come to the locker-room and be in the pool,” said Alfredsson. “They have a different perspective. They love going to games and whatnot. I’m sure if I asked them they would love for me to play.

“But at the same time my wife draws a pretty heavy load at home. Without her, I would never be able to play this long and she really supports me. At times I definitely feel like I miss out at home.”

If anyone understands that sentiment, it’s Senators coach Paul MacLean.

He has three children of his own and played for the Winnipeg Jets back in the days when NHL teams still flew commercially. That often meant road trips would last two weeks at a time.

“Alfie’s a tremendous person and he’s a tremendous father and he happens to be a pretty good hockey player,” said MacLean. “I think he’s going to make the decision that’s best for him and his family. In some way it’s going to include the Ottawa Senators and that’s going to be good for us.”

Retirement is clearly something that has at least been on Alfredsson’s mind.

He alluded to the possibility of it during interviews in the playoffs and retrieved the puck from the linesman after Game 4 against Pittsburgh, which was potentially the last time he’ll ever play at Scotiabank Place.

However, as the time ticked away on Friday night’s 6-2 series-ending loss at Consol Energy Center, it didn’t cross his mind.

“The last few minutes, (I wasn’t thinking) much really,” said Alfredsson. “If I had decided to retire already I think it would have been different. It’s always tough to lose out.

“It’s been crazy hectic — there’s been no time to reflect on anything really. It feels always empty when the season’s over.”

This was another good season for the Senators.

They defied the odds and prognostications by overcoming several significant injuries and qualifying for the playoffs. To get out of the first round with a five-game series win over Montreal was an added bonus.

“All I can say is it’s been a great year in terms of the group we’ve had, the adversity we’ve faced,” said Alfredsson. “We’ve become a tight group and stuck together throughout. It’s been a lot of fun.

“I’ll definitely take that with me when I think about what to do.”

Before heading into an uncertain future, there was one thing he was willing to guarantee to reporters.

“When I make the decision I know it’s definite,” said Alfredsson. “That’s why I want to take some time.”

The post Johnston on Senators: What lies ahead for Alfie appeared first on Sportsnet.ca.

On one hand, the Bruins are looking to end this series and begin preparing for the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins. By making several careless mistakes in Game 4, the Bruins let the game slip away and now find themselves playing a Game 5 when it very well could have been a sweep.

At the other end of the ice, the Rangers are looking to stay alive and force a Game 6 at what will be a wild and crazy Madison Square Garden. They have nothing to lose and are simply looking for a way to win one game.

With that in mind, let’s examine what each team needs to do in order to win this evening’s Game 5.

Bruins

For starters, the Bruins’ are going to need the best version of goaltender Tuukka Rask between the pipes.

Rask struggled in Game 4 at MSG and was slow in reacting on two of the goals. It was those two goals that brought the Rangers back to life and have them thinking that they can beat Rask with any kind of shot.

Rask needs to get back to being the goalie he was during the regular season. He was one of the best goaltenders in the league and showed the Bruins that they were going to be more than just fine without Tim Thomas.

Secondly, the Bruins need to stay away from turning over the puck. Ranger forwards are going to be pesky this evening and looking for ways to create scoring opportunities on Rask.

If the Bruins are not careful with the puck, what happened to Zdeno Chara on Thursday night in Game 4 could happen again.

Lastly, the team needs to avoid taking careless penalties. It was a third period bench minor for too many men on the ice that lead to Rangers’ forward Brian Boyle tying the game up at 3-3 with a power play goal.

If the Bruins can do these three things and get the goal scoring with the depth that they have, there should be no reason why they will not be moving onto the Eastern Conference Finals once this game is over.

Rangers

For the Rangers, everything starts and ends with netminder Henrik Lundqvist.

Lundqvist was one of the main reasons why the Rangers were able to win Game 4 and was also a reason why the Rangers might have been able to win Game 3. He may not have gotten off to the best start in this series but right now, his game is almost exactly where he wants it to be and he will be hungry to get back to the Garden for a Game 6.

To win Game 5, the Rangers should also stick with the same lines that they utilized in Game 5. Without Brad Richards in the lineup, the team had four balanced lines with the line of Chris Kreider, Derrick Brassard, and Rick Nash being the team’s best when they needed it the most.

Lastly, the Rangers must take advantage of their scoring opportunities when they get them. While the power play still struggled in Game 4, it did manage to find a way to come through and score the tying goal.

The Rangers have nothing to lose so if they can do all of the above and play a sound road game, they might just be looking at Game 6 on Broadway in front of their fans.

The post Hoffman: Rangers, Bruins keys to Game 5 appeared first on Sportsnet.ca.

Sweden’s Henrik Lundqvist was coming off three consecutive victories of the Honken Trophy, the Swedish Elite League equivalent of the Vezina Trophy. He had won the prestigious Guldpucken (Golden Puck) as the nation’s greatest hockey player and the Guldhjalmen (Golden Helmet) as the country’s most valuable player as determined by his peers. If there were Guldshoulderpaddens, he would’ve claimed them too.

Then 23 years of age, Lundqvist — the New York Rangers’ 205th selection in the 2000 draft — was coming off a SEL season in which he set national records for lowest goals-against average (1.05), highest save percentage (.962), longest shutout streak (172 minutes, 29 seconds), and most shutouts in a season (six). He had just threw up a silly-good 30-6-3 record for Frolunda HC, backstopping them to a championship. So, yeah, he was ready to make the leap to the NHL.

The Rangers’ No. 1 goaltender at training camp that autumn, Kevin Weekes, on the other hand, had not played a minute of professional hockey in 2004-05. The NHL had locked out its players, and Weekes decided not to find work elsewhere.

That said, Weekes’ 2003-04 campaign was arguably his best. He had posted career highs in wins (23), games played (66) and shutouts (six) with the Carolina Hurricanes. He was seven years older than the rookie from across the pond, but the veteran had inked a deal with the Blueshirts as a free agent and the starting gig was his to lose.

Sportsnet.ca sat down with Weekes — now an analyst for Hockey Night in Canada who catches up with Lundqvist when their schedules cross — to find out how he lost his job to the “best goalie in the league” and what King Henrik has in common with Tiger and Micahel…

Kevin Weekes:

“The Rangers can say what they want. They knew Lundqvist was going to be their guy, and I was signed as a bridge guy. I don’t think they knew he was going to be an instant hit, but they knew he was going to be good.

“Here’s the thing: I didn’t play in ’04-05 because we were locked out. I didn’t want to play overseas and risk injury. I didn’t want to be that guy who goes over and next thing you know, owners are mad at you. A lot of guys were caught in that crossfire. So I made a conscious decision not to go.

“Coming into training camp I felt good and played fairly well. Then at the start of the season, I played very well but then went down with an injury (in October). Remember, everyone was expecting us to be 30th in the league – dead last – and we came out on fire. Then I got hurt and Hank went in.

“Instant rock star. Right away. On fire. After his first game (a 3-2 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 8), I’m like, alright, well, I better reposition myself here because I’m clearly not going to be starting. This guy’s too good.

“This guy was playing in Sweden during the lockout and he beat Jose Theodore, who was just a couple years removed from being the league MVP (in 2002). He beat him in the Swedish Elite League in the playoffs – outplayed him hands down.

“So after his first game, I’m like, ‘This guy’s legit.’ Watching him every day, he was just so unique. He played so differently. He had that wide butterfly, wide stance. Hank almost stands on his outside edges; it’s so different, very radical from anything I’d seen.

“Fans loved him at MSG. He was the next Mike Richter. He had the potential of Richter and Ed Giacomin and all these greats that played there. I said, ‘You know what? I could be sour. It’s frustrating. Or I could challenge myself to be the best mentor I can be and be the best team guy I can be.’ I felt like I was a good team guy, but now I’m challenged. I could be the best backup in the league.

“That year, in that role, I won 14 games and helped our team get 31 points in the standings – all the while mentoring him, and he’s hitting it out of the park.

“Then he went to the (2006) Olympics, stood on his head, naturally, for Sweden to win the gold, and I got to play a lot of games down the stretch, including our playoff-clinching game against Philly. We won 3-2 in a shootout. I made a big save on Jeff Carter. I was able to contribute, but I had to reset my expectations. It was challenging, but I think I handled it in a way that was good for our team and great for Hank.

“Hank’s a different cat. He’s a super-intense guy. He runs white hot. He’s ultra competitive. He’s on or he’s off, and when he’s off, he ‘s off. Once he’s on the ice, though… that’s him. His intensity has served him well, but he’s had to manage it.

“We worked extremely hard. We went on the ice early almost every day before practice with (goalie coach) Benoit Allaire, and that’s why we had such a great tandem — partly why he’s become the best goalie in the league.

“Every idiot out there who’s talking about goalie equipment, they’re not watching. Because if you’re paying attention, before the lights get turned on, him and Benoit Allaire and (current Rangers backup) Marty Biron are out there doing about four or five goalie-specific drills. He sees 150 to 200 pucks before practice. I did the same thing in Tampa Bay with (Nikolai) Khabibulin; there’s a reason why he was one of the best in the world. It’s not the shoulder pads.

“He’s actually putting the work in; the majority of the other skaters on the team aren’t doing that. Naturally he’s getting more reps, he’s getting more game-specific situations. It’s like Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan or Kobe (Bryant). Guys that work that much specifically on their game, it’s gonna show up when the lights are bright.

“He’s the best right now.”

The post Weekes: How Henrik Lundqvist stole my job appeared first on Sportsnet.ca.

It was the fourth and final Stanley Cup Wayne Gretzky would win in his Hall of Fame career. It was the first of two Cups my brother Craig would win in his 10-year NHL career — and, because of that, I had a front row seat. It also marked the renewal of a hockey tradition that continues to this day.

For Craig, that season began in Pittsburgh. After being chosen by the Penguins as their first pick in the 1985 draft (second overall to the Leafs’ pick of Wendel Clark), Craig was just beginning to establish himself as an NHL player when, on Nov. 24, 1987, he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers as part of a package for Paul Coffey.

The shock of being traded was quickly replaced with awe when Craig found himself playing left wing on a line with Mark Messier and Glenn Anderson. Pretty heady stuff for a 20-year-old. He learned that the expectations of this band of brothers were quite different from that of the Penguins in those days. Anything less than a Cup was unacceptable in Oil country. And while the Calgary Flames finished the 1987-88 regular season as the Presidents’ Trophy winners, Wayne Gretzky would say this was the best Oilers team ever assembled.

The Oilers would beat the Winnipeg Jets handily four games to one in the first round of the playoffs before facing the rival Flames in Round 2. When Gretzky’s slapshot beat Mike Vernon in overtime of Game 2 – shorthanded no less – the series was effectively over as the Oilers won the next two for the sweep. The Oilers would later say that once they had beaten the Flames, they knew they had the Cup won.

Next they beat the Detroit Red Wings in five games, setting up a Stanley Cup final between Edmonton and the Boston Bruins.

The Oilers won both games at home before the series swung to Boston. After winning Game 3 at the old Boston Garden, my parents, brother and I flew to Boston for Game 4 in hopes of witnessing a sweep and Craig’s first chance to sip from the Stanley Cup. Seated in the row behind Walter and Phyllis Gretzky, along with Wayne’s then-fiancée, Janet Jones, I remember the excitement in the air was almost as thick as the fog. Old barns like this weren’t exactly built for hockey in late May.

And then it happened.

Craig had scored with 3:23 left in the second period to tie the game 3-3. But just as the team began to celebrate, a power failure plunged the arena into darkness. The fans as well as the players were stunned, not quite sure what to do next. After a few moments of darkness, the players retreated off the ice and we decided to follow the Gretzkys down to the Oilers dressing room. In the dark glow of the emergency lighting, we waited and wondered. Were the lights coming back on? Would the game resume? The players started coming out of the dressing room stripped of their jerseys and skates but still in their equipment, waiting for NHL president John Ziegler to announce what would happen next.

But the Stanley Cup party for the Edmonton contingent, arranged at a local Boston hotel by Oilers scout, the late Ace Bailey, would have to wait as Ziegler finally determined that, with no chance of the lights coming back on, Game 4 would be suspended. Disappointed, we flew to Edmonton for the replay of Game 4, where the Oilers would finally “sweep” the Bruins.

We all watch the Stanley Cup celebration on TV each spring. We have come to expect the brutal beauty of watching bearded, battle weary men, exhausted and exhilarated, kissing a giant hunk of metal while using their last bit of strength to raise it over their heads. I’ve since been witness to this annual rite of spring numerous times as a member of the media covering the Cup final. But there’s nothing quite like the feeling of watching a family member, someone you’ve watched work for this moment their entire lives, finally see that dream come true.

And then something else happened.

The other special part of the 1988 Stanley Cup celebration was what Wayne Gretzky did next. In the midst of the euphoria, he grabbed the Cup and took it to centre ice. He plopped it down on the ice and started yelling at his teammates to come gather around it. Then to the coaches, management, trainers, equipment staff, scouts. And there they all were, in the organized chaos of a frat house keg party, Wayne Gretzky wanted to make sure everyone involved with the team that year was part of a photo that is now as much of the tradition of winning the Stanley Cup as sipping champagne from it is (which, I can tell you, has never tasted so sweet).

Twenty-five years have passed since that night. In interviewing Wayne for this feature I had assumed that Oilers team had started the tradition of the group photo, but was told by him that wasn’t so. Wayne said he had seen photos from the ’50s and ’60s Cup championship teams who had done it before. He wanted to renew a tradition that had been lost.

He said he had no idea then that it would be his last game as an Edmonton Oiler, let alone his last Stanley Cup. But what a fitting way to capture a special moment, frozen in time.

Watch behind the scenes footage from the 1988 Stanley Cup celebration inside the Oilers dressing room.

The post Simpson: No Oilers Cup as special as 1988 appeared first on Sportsnet.ca.

Roy ran hot as an all-star goalie, with a wink from behind his mask at a thwarted shooter, or a hotdog move gone badly one night against Detroit. He’d meet the other ‘tender at centre ice in a line brawl, or blow off Jeremy Roenick with a reminder of how many Cups he has won, and how many Roenick had not.

In our experience, Roy was that rare netminder who was unafraid to publicly demand more from the skaters in front of him — an emotional goalie and a damned good one, who always delivered the goods and expected the same from every teammate.

You knew when Patrick Roy was in the rink, simply by his aura.

And Joe?

Well, it was a good thing that Sakic’s ample game was able to do his talking. If it hadn’t, we’d barely remember his name today, so silent and adverse to blowing his own horn was the man reporters called “Quoteless Joe.”

Roy was the source of passion in that Avalanche dressing room. An overt, vocal leader who kept his fist on the throttle of those championship Avalanche teams.

Sakic was the quiet heartbeat. That captain and first-line centre with the clinical wrist shot, whose effort level for 82 games per season and another 20-some in the playoffs was as consistent as any player of his generation.

As players, they comprised the spine of two Stanley Cup winning teams. Now, they are the guts of the Avalanche front office.

Sakic is the executive vice president of hockey operations, a de facto GM in charge of all hockey decisions — including the Roy hiring.

But Roy has more to his title than just head coach. He is the vice president of hockey operations and coach, which could be a bit tricky.

What happens when Sakic provides a player for Roy’s roster who does not meet the coach’s eye? It happens in every town — See: Vancouver, Keith Ballard; or Toronto, Mike Komisarek — but how will the Roy-Sakic relationship weather that kind of disagreement in Denver?

“All along, Patrick was our top candidate,” Sakic said in a news release issued upon the hiring of Roy. “Patrick has a great hockey mind. There is no one more passionate about this game. He will bring that winning attitude to our dressing room.”

The role of Pierre Lacroix — Roy’s old agent and the GM of those Cup-winning Avalanche teams — has been mitigated in Denver. Finally.

Son Eric Lacroix was ousted in the palace coup that also saw head coach Joe Sacco fired. Sakic has been moved into position, and now with Roy at is right hand there is an entirely new and modern leadership group atop a franchise that has slipped into irrelevancy in Denver.

Avalanche governor Josh Kroenke — son to team owner Stan Kroenke and Wal-Mart heiress Ann Walton Kroenke — has played the history card at perhaps the perfect moment. This Avs team is poised to take the next step, with a rebuild that stalled last season.

There are good young players here, and excellent assets to fuel trades for the veteran components required to find the next level. Gabriel Landeskog, a 20-year-old who was foolishly made captain by the former regime, can learn a ton from Roy and Sakic.

And likely No. 1 pick Seth Jones is coming from a level that Roy has mastered over the past eight seasons as coach and GM of the Quebec Remparts. So perhaps this is the ideal roster to hand over to an experienced man out of Canadian junior hockey.

“The special part about Roy is, he’s ready,” former Avs defenceman Adam Foote told Denver sports radio station KKFN 104.3. “He’s spent almost a decade with his family in Quebec. It’s such good timing for Patrick, and Joe made the right call.”

Roy and Sakic should work flawlessly together, Sakic providing the cooler management head to Roy’s tangible, outspoken expectations for a young Avalanche roster. There’s a good cop, bad cop act dying to be played here.

As long as there is respect.

The chain of command is clear: Sakic is the boss. Roy is the employee.

Patrick forgot about that in the heat of the moment one night in Montreal, assailing Canadiens president Ronald Corey behind the Habs’ bench. The Red Wings had sifted nine goals past Roy, and it was ultimatum time for Roy, who reportedly told Corey, “It’s my last game in Montreal.”

It’s a cap system now, and there is no place for “get this guy outta here” ultimatums from the head coach. Patience wins in 2013, and that appears to be Joe’s strong suit, not necessarily Patrick’s.

So perhaps the odd brush fire is to be expected in Denver again, as the Sakic and Roy show opens for a second run. Which is just fine with us.

At least we’ll know Colorado is in the league again.

The post Spector: Roy, Sakic will make Avs relevant again appeared first on Sportsnet.ca.

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According to popular betting website bodog.ca, former Buffalo Sabres bench boss Lindy Ruff is a 2-to-1 favourite to be named the next head coach of the Canucks.

Former Phoenix Coyotes and Dallas Stars coach Dave Tippett and Dallas Eakins, coach of the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies, are listed with the second-best odds.

Vigneault was fired by the Canucks earlier this week after being swept by the San Jose Sharks in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Here is the full list of odds released by bodog.ca:

Lindy Ruff – 2/1

Dallas Eakins – 5/2

Dave Tippett – 5/2

Scott Arniel – 9/1

Tom Renney – 9/1

Doug Houda – 12/1

Larry Robinson – 12/1

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The post Penguins excelling at the right time appeared first on Sportsnet.ca.

James Neal scored a hat trick as the Penguins advanced to the Eastern Conference final for the third time in six seasons by closing out the Senators 6-2 in Game 5 on Friday night.

Just as Ottawa’s franchise icon Daniel Alfredsson foresaw following a 7-3 Penguins rout in Game 4, the Senators weren’t good enough to rally from a 3-1 deficit for the first time in six attempts in franchise history. After winning Game 3 on home ice with a comeback that started in the final minute of regulation, they were outscored 13-5 in two runaway Penguins victories.

"They were better than us in each and every game and I was just trying to put the pressure on them," said Alfredsson, who acknowledged after Pittsburgh’s 7-3 win in Game 4 it would be extremely difficult for the Senators to rally. "I still believe that we could do it, if we win one game I think that comment helps us, and that’s where it came from."

The 40-year-old Alfredsson, an Ottawa fixture since 1995, said he will decide at some point in the off-season whether he will return for a 17th NHL season.

"It’s really tough with four young kids at home," Alfredsson said. "That’s kind of where I struggle personally. I’ll talk to (the Senators) and see what they think. I think I still can play, I really enjoyed the playoffs and had a lot of fun with it. I’ll take a little bit of time, I don’t want to make a quick decision."

Coach Paul MacLean said of Alfredsson and defenceman Sergei Gonchar: "My expectations are they will come back until they tell me."

After beating Montreal the opening round following an injury-filled season in which they surprisingly made the playoffs, the Senators were good enough to win only once in a series decided by Pittsburgh’s offensive execution and a scoring depth that ranges far beyond Crosby and Malkin. Brenden Morrow, Kris Letang and Malkin each added singles for the Penguins on Friday, while Neal’s goals gave him five in the final two games of the series.

"We got to our game a lot. The depth we had showed," Crosby said. "Different guys chipping in, the whole way through we didn’t have many lulls where we lost momentum at any point."

The Penguins were aided by the solid goaltending of Tomas Vokoun, who made 29 saves and doesn’t appear willing to give back his job to former Stanley Cup winner Marc-Andre Fleury any time soon.

Pittsburgh, which led the conference during the regular season, will play either the Boston Bruins or New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference finals. Boston leads 3-1 in a series that resumes Saturday night.

"They have a good team and they’re really pushing for it," Senators defenceman Erik Karlsson said. "Right now, they’re playing the way they want to. The first two games (in Pittsburgh) we weren’t prepared for what they were bringing, they played really well and we definitely didn’t play the way wanted to. … They came out and started stronger the last game (Game 4) and this game as well."

For the Senators, who generated only goals by Milan Michalek and Kyle Turris, it was yet another disappointing conclusion to a season. They have failed to advance past the conference semifinals since reaching the Stanley Cup final in 2007, but they advanced one round further than they did a season ago.

"A lot of things have to go right for you to get past each round," goalie Craig Anderson said. "The deeper you go, the harder it gets. The better teams keep advancing and the opponents get tougher and tougher. We have to continue to get better. If you’re not growing you’re dying, and we need to keep growing."

Much like the series, Game 5 didn’t take long to decide as the Penguins overwhelmed Anderson with waves of scoring attempts — even when Crosby, who had just an assist, and Malkin weren’t on the ice.

"We didn’t respond to start Game 4 and we didn’t respond after losing Game 4," Turris said.

Malkin did get Pittsburgh’s fourth goal, his fourth of the playoffs, on a short breakaway created by the turnover Neal generated at mid-ice in the final minute of a second period in which Pittsburgh scored three times.

Neal added his second of the game unassisted at 11:07 of the third, and his sixth of the playoffs and third of the game with 2:39 remaining.

"Everything he’s done, especially the last couple games, he’s created a lot of chances for himself," Crosby said of Neal. "That whole line (Jarome Iginla-Malkin-Neal) has been pretty hard to stop. They’re not fun to play against."

The Penguins are averaging 4.27 goals a game through 11 playoff games, the best such pace of any team since the 1992-93 Penguins averaged 4.17 goals per game. Pittsburgh has also scored at least four goals in nine of 11 playoff games, only once failing to score fewer than three, a 2-1 overtime loss in Game 3 in Ottawa.

But they recovered from that lone defeat in the series to easily win the final two games, including the Game 4 rout in which MacLean’s post-game news conference lasted only 13 seconds and Alfredsson couldn’t generate much optimism for a series comeback in a quiet dressing room.

"I think we’ve been confident the whole series against Ottawa," Letang said. "We knew that playing a north-south (fast-paced) series would get us rewarded."

In Game 5, the Penguins never trailed after Morrow, who missed Wednesday with an undisclosed injury, beat Anderson down low off a pass by Mark Eaton 6:25 into the first. The play was started after longtime Senators antagonist Matt Cooke beat Jared Cowen to the puck and threaded a pass to Eaton.

The goal was reviewed briefly before it was determined Morrow did not use a distinct kicking motion while directing the puck by Anderson.

Neal made it 2-0 on a power play created by Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s interference penalty nearly 7 1/2 minutes into the second, and Letang pushed it to 3-0 with a 4-on-4 goal just over five minutes later.

Tyler Kennedy skated the puck out of his own zone before sending a pass to the left circle to Letang, who cut into the high slot to beat Anderson with a hard wrist shot.

Michalek, reunited on a line with Alfredsson and Jason Spezza, finally got Ottawa on the board late in the second period.

But the Senators didn’t have nearly enough — not in this game and not in the series.

"They (the Penguins) really showed the step you have to take to continue to play in the Stanley Cup playoffs," MacLean said. "I can tell them it’s going to be hard, it’s going to be hard, it’s going to be harder, but I think we got a solid lesson in terms of what it takes."

The post Pens eliminate Sens after Game 5 trouncing appeared first on Sportsnet.ca.

According to popular betting website bodog.ca, former Buffalo Sabres bench boss Lindy Ruff is a 2-to-1 favourite to be named the next head coach of the Canucks.

Former Phoenix Coyotes and Dallas Stars coach Dave Tippett and Dallas Eakins, coach of the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies, are listed with the second-best odds.

Vigneault was fired by the Canucks earlier this week after being swept by the San Jose Sharks in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Here is the full list of odds released by bodog.ca:

Lindy Ruff – 2/1

Dallas Eakins – 5/2

Dave Tippett – 5/2

Scott Arniel – 9/1

Tom Renney – 9/1

Doug Houda – 12/1

Larry Robinson – 12/1

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He managed to navigate his way through it successfully, leading the Phoenix Coyotes to the playoffs three times and the best season in franchise history two years ago.

The NHL rewarded Maloney on Friday, signing the Coyotes’ general manager to a long-term contract that will keep him with the franchise no matter where it ends up playing.

"We are very pleased that Don has agreed to sign a long-term contract extension with the Coyotes," NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement. "Since joining the team in 2007, Don has done an outstanding job managing his team and building a competitive roster that has produced on the ice, even given less than ideal circumstances off the ice. The NHL remains committed to securing the Coyotes’ future in Glendale under new ownership, and we believe Don’s long-term agreement evidences that he is equally committed."

Maloney has been Phoenix’s general manager for six seasons, the past four while operating under the restraints of being run by the NHL after former owner Jerry Moyes took the franchise into bankruptcy in 2009.

Maloney was honoured as the league’s General Manager of the Year Award in 2010 and led Phoenix to three straight 40-win seasons for the first time in franchise history.

Maloney also pulled the strings to build a roster in 2011-12 that earned the Coyotes their first division title in 33 years as an NHL franchise and their first trip to the Western Conference finals.

The lack of an owner seemed to catch up to the Coyotes this year, when they went 21-18-9 in the lockout-shortened season, but they finished only four points out of making the playoffs.

Phoenix still doesn’t have an owner, but a resolution to the saga is expected to come this season, either with a new owner that will keep the team in Arizona or with relocation.

Maloney’s contract, along with coach Dave Tippett’s, was set to expire this summer.

"I am grateful to continue working for this franchise," Maloney said in a statement released by the team. "We have a strong core of talented people, both on and off the ice, who are committed to building a championship team and a first class organization. I would like to thank NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly for their tremendous support these past few years."

The 54-year-old Maloney joined the Coyotes after 10 seasons in the New York Rangers’ front office. He also worked for the New York Islanders, serving as general manager in 1992-95, and was a scout for the San Jose Sharks in 1996-97.

Maloney played 13 NHL seasons with the Rangers, Hartford Whalers and Islanders.

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Stars fans stumbled upon what appears to be their team’s new logo Thursday night, almost two weeks ahead of schedule, as a fresh design could be spotted on the Dallas Stars’ smartphone app under “wallpapers.” A grand to-do is planned for the official unveiling of the club’s new look on June 4.

The rebranding coincides with the Stars’ leadership overhaul, which began with a new owner in Tom Gaglardi, who bought the franchise in late 2011; a new general manager in Jim Nill, appointed in April; and a yet-to-be-named new head coach.

“Since Tom Gaglardi took over as owner, we have been working diligently on a rebrand that is classic, simple and true-to-hockey,” Stars president and CEO Jim Lites said via press release. “This event will showcase the results of that process to our loyal fans and will also provide us with an opportunity to announce several new developments about the future of our franchise.”

According to defendingbigd.com, the sheriff-badge-esque “DALLAS STARS” circular logo (immediately below) is set to be a shoulder patch on the players’ sweaters, while the large, star-spiked “D” logo is set to be the main crest. Dallas seems to be ditching the gold trim and shifting to a Celtics-style kelly green for its colour scheme.

Since what appears to be the team’s unintentional leak — which, hopefully, will not affect first-week record sales — the images have been removed from the Stars’ mobile app.

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Sharks coach Todd McLellan anticipates a few minor adjustments and no big personnel changes as San Jose looks to rebound from Thursday night’s 3-0 loss at the Los Angeles Kings in their Western Conference semifinal series.

The Sharks, who held a team meeting and optional ice time Friday, return home down 3-2 to the defending Stanley Cup champions.

Game 6 is Sunday night. The home team has won the first five games of the series.

"We’re good at home," San Jose forward Joe Pavelski said. "We want to take care of business on home ice and then roll the dice in Game 7 because I think we can bring it."

McLellan called Thursday’s loss the team’s weakest effort yet in the playoffs and was determined to reverse that in time for a chance to force Game 7.

"We have been resilient the last month and a half," McLellan said. "We’ve brought it when needed. This is another chance for that. The true advantage at home is your fans. They give you extra energy, extra step."

McLellan said the poor effort has "something to do with Los Angeles and a lot had to do with San Jose," he said. "We didn’t have our legs. Some days you wake up and know you have it. Other days you can’t walk around the block. It’s just magnified in the playoffs."

There are a few options available for McLellan. Veteran forward Adam Burish, out since Game 2 against Vancouver, has been practicing and could be available. Defender Jason Demers had his first action of the playoffs Thursday night, though it was a limited appearance as a forward.

Sharks forward Logan Couture credited Kings goalie Jonathan Quick with limiting scoring opportunities.

"He takes a lot of them away from you," Couture said. "We still had enough chances, but we shot it into him too. When you score zero you’re never going to win and it has happened twice already. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing a little or a lot, you have to find a way to score."

The Sharks were one of the top power-play teams in the league during the regular season and carried that over into the playoffs, until they ran into Quick.

Only the Pittsburgh Penguins have scored more power-plays goals (12) than the Sharks (10), but the Kings never allowed the Sharks breathing room.

"They did what they had to do and now we have to respond," Sharks centre Scott Gomez said. "We have guys who have gone through this before. We still can’t try to do too much. We have to stick with the game plan."

TJ Galiardo said no one was happy with the way they played.

"This is the one we didn’t deserve to win," Galiardo said. "Their defenders were active and jumped in to finish the forecheck. It seems the way the power play has gone, that’s the way the games have gone. It’s just execution. We have to be ready for whatever they throw at us."

McLellan said there is a possibility for some lineup changes.

"You just don’t show up and start throwing numbers," he said. McLellan said. "Burish is very close and may be an option for Sunday. He’d give us another experienced player who has been in big games. We didn’t use Demers very much and there wasn’t much to evaluate him a lot."

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There’s nothing fancy about the way Greene plays hockey, and that’s why the veteran defenceman fits perfectly with the no-nonsense Stanley Cup champions. In a series increasingly pitting the Sharks’ flash against the Kings’ smash, Greene and fellow hard-hitting defencemen Robyn Regehr and Rob Scuderi are hanging in with San Jose’s formidable offensive talent — and occasionally crushing it.

Greene’s return to the Los Angeles lineup has coincided with a return to form by the Kings, who struggled for long stretches of the first four games, yet still earned a chance to close out the Sharks in Game 6 on Sunday night.

“We’ve got to be a physical team if we’re going to win,” Greene said. “That’s the plan, just to bring it up there to San Jose.”

After missing the first nine games of the playoffs and sitting nearly the entire regular season with a back injury, Greene came back for Game 4 and immediately started hitting people. After a strong finish to their 2-1 loss in Game 4, the Kings have shut out the Sharks for the last 96 minutes, moving to the brink of a second straight trip to the Western Conference finals.

Game 5 was Los Angeles’ best effort of the series, according to coach Darryl Sutter, who doesn’t exactly dole out compliments haphazardly. The Kings agreed, and star goalie Jonathan Quick led a chorus of compliments toward Los Angeles’ playoff-tested defence.

“The start of the game was a big focus for us, and I think Greenie set the tempo with that, and we just followed in his footsteps,” Mike Richards said Friday after a team meeting at the Kings’ training complex. “Matt coming back is a big boost for us. I think you can just see how different of a team we are with him in the lineup just setting the tone physically.”

Los Angeles can’t match the Sharks’ top-end talent or entertainment value, but the champs won the pivotal Game 5 on Thursday night with a fundamentally sound effort led by that sturdy defence. San Jose has controlled long stretches of the series, and Los Angeles has been a horrible road team since March, but the Kings’ experience and tenacity has earned them two shots to finish off the Sharks.

“We know they’re going to come out and throw everything at us,” Kings forward Trevor Lewis said. “If we come out with another strong start, we’ll have a good chance.”

San Jose arguably outplayed the Kings in the first period of every game in this series until Game 5, and Greene was a major reason for the change.

In the opening minutes, he landed big hits on Galiardi and James Sheppard, and the Kings followed his lead with a physical, grinding effort that negated the Sharks’ speed and skill. Los Angeles also raised its game on faceoffs, winning more than 50 per cent for the first time in a series dominated by Joe Thornton in the circle.

“You’ve got to win some faceoffs, and it’s not easy to win against (Thornton),” Sutter said. “Our percentages went up, and it does manifest in how much time you have the puck.”

Greene hurt his back moments after the Kings raised their only Stanley Cup banner in their season opener against Chicago. He returned late in the regular season, but quickly got yanked from the lineup again when he didn’t appear fully healed.

“It’s been great having Greenie back,” Scuderi said. “He brings a lot of experience, certainly with last year. … He’s a big voice in the locker room, and when he was missing this year, you could really feel it in the atmosphere of the dressing room.”

The Kings acquired Regehr late in the regular season to replace the toughness lost with long-term injuries for Greene and Willie Mitchell, who never played this season. With Greene, Regehr and Scuderi in the lineup, the Kings finally have three balanced defensive pairings, putting those three bruisers alongside puck-moving specialists Drew Doughty, Slava Voynov, Jake Muzzin and Alec Martinez, recently a healthy scratch.

“All year we missed (Greene), how physical he plays, how hard he is to play against,” Richards said. “Even before we got Regehr, I think that’s what we lacked in the back end. We had some skilled guys, guys that move the puck well, but I don’t think they can replace somebody who plays that physical, and how hard both of those guys are to play against.”

Greene might not be flashy, but he’s also one of the Kings’ leaders in the dressing room, where he attempts to keep a light mood — sometimes with more success than others.

“I don’t think he’s particularly funny, no,” Scuderi said with a straight face. “I’m hilarious.”

NOTES: C Jarret Stoll skated for 15 minutes Friday in his first time on the ice since getting hurt on a hit to the head in Game 1 from San Jose’s Raffi Torres, who was suspended for the rest of the series. The Kings haven’t confirmed what happened to Stoll, a key penalty-killer and faceoff specialist. “We’ll see where it goes,” Sutter said. “Still a long ways to go.” … Jonathan Quick’s 1.50 goals-against average, .948 save percentage and three shutouts are all the best by any regular goalie in the post-season to date. … The Kings will practice in El Segundo again Saturday before flying to San Jose. … The home team has won all five games in the series, and the road team lost all four of the clubs’ regular-season meetings.

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1. Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings

The defending champs have been more vulnerable this spring than they were a year ago, but Jonathan Quick’s performance has been nearly as dominant. His 1.50 goals-against average and .948 save percentage are tops among all goaltenders in these playoffs; those numbers mirror his peripherals from last postseason (1.41, .944) when he won the Conn Smythe.

Quick also collected his playoff-best third shutout Thursday night, as he put forth a stellar 24-save effort. All of this has come after he was responsible for two tough goals against in the first two games of the playoffs. Now Quick has the Kings one win from their first-ever trip to back-to-back conference finals.

2. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins

Every time Sidney Crosby gets injured, he seems to come back a better player. These playoffs have been no exception. After missing 13 games due to a broken jaw, Crosby has been awfully impressive in his nine playoff games. He has 14 points, which is tied for second with teammate Evgeni Malkin, and he co-leads the playoffs in goals with linemate Pascal Dupuis.

Crosby’s highlight-reel goal in Game 5 against the Islanders was a defining moment for Pittsburgh, and his hat trick in Game 2 against Ottawa was yet another reminder he is the NHL’s best. The scary part is that he might have another gear in him.

3. David Krejci, Boston Bruins

Claude Julien’s bunch has had multiple players step up at key moments this postseason, but none bigger than their top line as a whole. Boston wouldn’t be where they are today if it weren’t for Nathan Horton, David Krejci and Milan Lucic, who carried the Bruins to a 3-1 series lead against Toronto and engineered the comeback (before Patrice Bergeron’s heroics) in a memorable Game 7 victory.

With four points in the second round, Krejci has been good, not great, but his 17 points still leads all playoff performers. His big moment thus far came in Game 4 against Toronto when his overtime winner capped off a hat trick.

4. Jimmy Howard, Detroit Red Wings

Presidents’ Trophy winners have had a history of crossing paths with the “hot goaltender” in recent postseasons. It happened to Vancouver in 2012 and 2011, Washington in 2010, San Jose in 2009 – you get the picture. Top-seeded Chicago is down 3-1 in their second-round series against Detroit due in large part to the play of Jimmy Howard.

The Red Wings’ netminder has been sensational this round, stopping 86 of the 88 shots he has faced in the last three games. Howard’s impressive 28-save shutout in Game 4 was the first time all season Chicago has been blanked. Not only has Howard been good against Chicago, but he was clutch when he needed to be in the first round.

5. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh’s dynamic one-two punch has picked different nights to emerge as the game-changer. Malkin found the score sheet in the first eight games of the playoffs, but has cooled off a bit this round against Ottawa. However, he has risen to the occasion when called upon. In the series-clinching game against the Islanders, Malkin created Brooks Orpik’s winning goal in overtime.

In Game 1 against Ottawa, the 2009 Conn Smythe winner was all over the ice, tallying a goal and an assist in the Penguins’ 4-1 win. Pittsburgh’s Kris Letang, with 13 points in 10 games, should also be under consideration for the Conn Smythe thus far.

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McElhinney, who turned 30 on Thursday, has appeared in 69 career NHL games with the Calgary Flames, Anaheim Ducks and Ottawa Senators. He has a 19-26-4 record, with a 3.09 goals-against average and an .899 save percentage. In 2012-13, he went 29-6-3 with nine shutouts in 49 games with Springfield of the American Hockey League.

The 24-year-old Melart, signed to an entry-level contract, spent the past several seasons playing in Europe. Last year, he was with HIFK of the Finnish Elite League.

The club has begun to work on a new deal with top goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who will be a restricted free agent this summer.

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Given his experience and success with the Canucks, Vigneault should get some consideration for the vacant Dallas Stars job. Dallas has a strong core of young, emerging talent, but missed the playoffs the past two seasons under former first-time NHL coach Glen Gulutzan.

Vigneault guided the Canucks to a berth in the 2010-11 Stanley Cup finals, two Presidents trophies and six Northwest Division titles. But he got the axe after the Canucks were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight year.

In addition to the Dallas job, he could get consideration for vacancies that have yet to occur, pending the conclusion of the post-season.

Most of the opportunities appear to be with teams that toiled in the Eastern Conference this season prior to next season’s realignment. Four or five Eastern teams that missed the playoffs — including Winnipeg, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Carolina, and Florida — will likely be evaluating their coaching situations extensively. John Tortorella of the New York Rangers could also be on the hot seat because of the Rangers’ second-round struggles against Boston.

Winnipeg could be a good fit for Vigneault, because he coached Vancouver’s former top farm club for one season before moving up to the Canucks and knows the team’s owners and management.

Most teams who toiled in the Western Conference this season appear to be set. But with Phoenix coach Dave Tippett’s contract due to expire, an opportunity could emerge with the Coyotes.

Accordingly, Canucks general manager Mike Gillis has no shortage of possible candidates as he looks to find Vancouver’s next coach.

Gillis, who has come under heavy criticism since firing Vigneault on Wednesday, must decide whether he wants someone with experience or a fresh young face.

Potential candidates mentioned publicly range from former Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff to ex-Calgary and New Jersey coach Brent Sutter to former Tampa Bay Lightning coach Guy Boucher.

Scott Arniel, the coach of Vancouver’s AHL farm club in Chicago in 2012-13, appears likely to get an interview based on his lengthy ties to the Canucks. He is in his second stint as the head coach of their top affiliate. He spent four seasons as head coach of the Manitoba Moose and served for two others as an assistant.

But he had limited success in his lone NHL head-coaching assignment, lasting only a season and a half with the Columbus Blue Jackets between 2010-12.

Less experienced possible candidates include AHL coaches Dallas Eakins of the Toronto Marlies coach and Willie Desjardins of the Texas Stars.

Meanwhile, Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo, who was not traded as expected, expressed irony on Twitter on Thursday in that Vigneault left the club before him.

"Since our 1st year when we arrived together, AV would always tell me that he’d be gone before I would. I guess he was right. Very ironic….," Luongo tweeted.

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The Predators announced the deal Friday.

Vainonen, 19, spent his first season with the Kingston Frontenacs in the CHL, and the native of Finland was fourth among defencemen with 22 points. He also was the captain of Finland’s team at the 2012 U-18 World Championships.

He was the Predators’ sixth selection in the 2012 draft at No. 118 overall in the fourth round.

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"I saw it in my head, too," he said Friday, a day after he fell in the crease and allowed a goal that helped the New York Rangers stay alive in the Eastern Conference semifinals. "You can either cry about it or laugh about it. I choose to have a sense of humour."

That attitude will help when the Bruins try for a second time to finish the series at the TD Garden in Game 5 on Saturday. The Rangers would need a win to force the series back to Madison Square Garden for a sixth game on Monday.

"We want to do the pushing now," Rangers forward Michael Haley said. "Put out some hits and get a good forecheck and get the energy in our favour."

The Bruins took a 3-0 lead into the fourth game of the best-of-seven series on Thursday night, and Nathan Horton and Torey Krug scored in the second period to give Boston the lead. But just 54 seconds after the Bruins went up 2-0, Rask stumbled in the crease and fell just as Carl Hagelin backhanded a shot on net.

Rask swiped at the puck with his stick, but it was moving so slowly it eluded him.

"Probably the ugliest goal I have ever seen turned it around for us, and that’s hockey," Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist said. "A save or a goal or one shift can change everything. It was an ugly goal. Sometimes that’s all you need to get us going, to get the building going. We kind of lowered our shoulders a little bit and started playing our game."

Rask gave up another soft goal — with help from an uncharacteristic turnover by defenceman Zdeno Chara. The 2009 Norris Trophy winner was stripped of the puck behind the Bruins net, and Derek Stepan wrapped it into the net behind the unsuspecting Rask to tie it 2-2.

"Sometimes it (stinks) to be a goalie," Rask said after practice on Friday.

But Bruins coach Claude Julien said he didn’t need to talk to Rask to boost his spirits.

"What do you want me to say?" Julien said. "There’s not much you can say on those types of things. We know the impact it had.

"He lets one of those in and how many does he save for us? You kind of balance those things out and it becomes a non-issue."

Tyler Seguin gave the Bruins a 3-2 lead, Brad Boyle tied it for the Rangers with 10 minutes left in regulation, and then former Boston College Eagle Chris Kreider won it in overtime.

"We were ugly the first part of the game. We end up finding ourselves. After a fluky goal, I think we played better," Rangers coach John Tortorella said Friday after practice. "All is forgiven. You don’t go back and dissect it. You won a game to keep yourself alive. That’s what we have to look to here now."

Just 10 minutes from elimination, New York now has a chance to get back into the series against a team that just three years ago blew a 3-0 lead in its second-round series against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Rangers rallied from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits against Washington in the first round to earn the right to face the Bruins.

"That’s something you try to hang your hat on, I guess," Tortorella said. "I’m not a real big believer in it. I think that every new game is a different situation. But our team doesn’t give."

The Bruins skated for about 30 minutes on Friday afternoon in preparation for the 5:30 p.m. start for Game 5. Julien said he wanted his players to work up a good sweat, even with the late finish on Thursday night.

Everyone was on the ice except for Andrew Ference — including injured defencemen Wade Redden and Dennis Seidenberg, who have been out for the entire second round so far. Seidenberg said he felt comfortable but would have to talk to the doctors and trainers.

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ROY’S HIRING TRIGGERS TWITTER AVALANCHE

Energized.

If any single word sums up the overall reaction to Thursday’s move by the Colorado Avalanche to hire former Stanley Cup winner Patrick Roy as its new head coach, ‘energized’ most aptly fits the bill.

Roy, who will also serve as vice-president of hockey operations, may well provide the organization with a rarity indeed – a coach that helps to sell tickets.

Was all of the reaction on social media to the Avs’ addition of Roy positive? Of course not. Twitter can be a bubbling cesspool of negativity around even the most innocuous events, so any high-profile example will have widely varying opinions.

But guess what? The fan base was ravenously devouring this news and many – not all, but many – were loving the appointment.

Here’s just a sampling of what was said on Twitter – fans and media alike – following the announcement from the Avalanche.

COACH ROY: The #Avalanche has reached an agreement in principle w/ Patrick Roy to become the franchise’s Head Coach/VP of Hockey Operations.

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) May 23, 2013

Patrick Roy is going to be reporting to Greg Sherman with all the respect and deference of Macho Man Randy Savage reporting to Elizabeth.

— Down Goes Brown (@DownGoesBrown) May 23, 2013

Patrick Roy won the Memorial Cup as coach of the Quebec Remparts in his rookie season in 2006. He has gained plenty of experience in QMJHL

— Tony Ambrogio (@SNTonyAmbrogio) May 23, 2013

Phenomenal Adam Foote interview on 104.3 FM The Fan. Doesn’t sound like he will be asst. coach, but great insight on Avs/Roy

— adater (@adater) May 23, 2013

Foote would consider some kind of player development role, but full-time asst. not in the offing. Wants to coach his kid

— adater (@adater) May 23, 2013

If you’re looking for Avs GM Greg Sherman, he’ll be at team headquarters staring out a window.

— Adam Proteau (@Proteautype) May 23, 2013

My problem with the Avalanche’s moves: their managerial hierarchy now resembles a game of Snakes & Ladders instead of a pyramid. Not good.

— Adam Proteau (@Proteautype) May 23, 2013

Awaiting imminent announcement from La Presse, Le Journal de Montréal about opening of their new Denver bureaus #patrickroy

— Dave Stubbs (@Dave_Stubbs) May 23, 2013

Well, the new division the #NHLJets find themselves in should be even more interesting with Patrick Roy in it as head coach of #Avs

— Ken Wiebe (@WiebeSunSports) May 23, 2013

Thank you to Patrick Roy for bringing me to an A class organization in the @quebec_remparts , best wishes to him in Colorado #avs

— Dillon Donnelly (@D_Donnelly2) May 23, 2013

Wanna wish all the best to Patrick Roy with the Colorado Avalanche!! He taught me so much and it will be hard to replace such a legend!!

— Ryan Culkin (@Hulkinator) May 24, 2013

Sherman on Roy hiring: “I’m so excited to propose trades that will now be shot down by two layers of management.” #Avs

— Fake Avs Management (@AvsMgmt) May 23, 2013

Roy is back in Denver!! #Avs fans should be excited! Colorado needed that change a lot!

— Anna Batugina (@annabatugina) May 23, 2013

Make no mistake… Sakic and Roy will have invested interest in getting a championship back to #Denver That is worth a lot. #Avs

— James Gomez (@JGoTheFan) May 23, 2013

I don’t know if Roy is going to turn the franchise around, but at least there’s something legitimate to look forward to in #Avs world

— Derek Kessinger (@derekindenver) May 23, 2013

#SuperJoe does it again! #Roy is the new coach of the #Avs!

— Patrick Barry (@23_TheDuke) May 23, 2013

Welcome to Colorado #PatrickRoy ! Front office made of winners, it’s time to bring back our #AVS !

— Jim (@nowherejim) May 23, 2013

Always a fan of Patrick Roy. Hope he does well in Colorado. Couldn’t think of a better pair in him and Joe Sakic to run the #Avs

— Chris Meaney (@chrismeaney) May 23, 2013

Welcome back to Colorado Roy. I’m actually excited for an #Avs season for once. #CoachRoy #StanleyCup #Avsdidsomegood

— Nico Goda (@GodaNico) May 24, 2013

#avs #avalanche #glorydays twitter.com/Ykhali99/statu…

— Smitty (@Ykhali99) May 23, 2013

My favorite player ever, is now my team’s head coach. Im so happy that Patrick Roy is back with the #Avs, now hopefully he does a great job!

— Laura Anderson (@laura2133) May 23, 2013

Stuck with my team through all the bs and watched every loss and years of terrible coaching..So amazing to see big changes happening! #avs

— Louie (@LouieMarrocco) May 23, 2013

IMO, the young roster in Colorado is going to respond to a guy they watched build a legacy while they fell in love with the game. #Roy #Avs

— Matthew Craig (@MCraiger58) May 23, 2013

Great hire for the #avs with Roy. Lots of buzz around this team and they still hold the #1 pick. The sleeping giant will soon be woken…

— Brandon Svitak (@BrandonSvitak) May 23, 2013

I’m really stoked about this Roy / Sakic combo. I’m hoping it reignites my passion for this team. #avs

— Chris Cheline (@ChrisCheline) May 23, 2013

This next NHL season is going to be interesting!Welcome to the #Avs, Patrick Roy!Sakic + Roy = the glory days. @avalanche

— Dustin Dean Santjer (@dsantjer) May 23, 2013

Will #PatrickRoy be able to listen to his players with so many rings plugging his ears? #Avs #Nhl #Colorado

— Adam Dunn (@AtomDunn) May 23, 2013

Diabolical move by the #Avs though putting Sakic and Roy in management and coaching knowing full well we can never truly hate them.

— Chris (@cos_tweets) May 23, 2013

The boys are back in town! #Avs twitter.com/JDSmith19/stat…

— Joe Smith (@JDSmith19) May 23, 2013

no i dont really like the #avs hiring of Roy BUT it sure as hell is nice to see Sakic and Roy together having a say in Denver #bringsmeback

— Nathan Kanter (@NathanKanter11) May 23, 2013

Wow seriously considering becoming an #Avs fan now that Patrick Roy is their new head coach #BiggestBeautyAround #Legend

— Cole Pereira (@pereira867) May 23, 2013

anyone who thinks Roy isnt a good hire, just wait to see how much he fires up the team and how much they will love to play for him #Avs

— Kyle Richetelle (@krich1177) May 23, 2013

Patrick Roy, check. Stanley Cup, check. #NHL #AVS #becauseitsthecup

— Sami Penttinen (@samipent) May 23, 2013

Thank God, Roy is the new head coach. Hopefully he can pull us out of this mess we all call the Avalanche #Roy #Avs #challengeexcepted

— Emily Price (@EmilyPrice21) May 23, 2013

There hasn’t been this much excitement in Colorado while the postseason is still happening in a LONG time. #Avs #PatrickRoy #SethJones #NHL

— Ashley Chase (@AshleyChaseTV) May 23, 2013

Oh boy does it get any better than having Patrick Roy back involved in the show?! Nope! #Avs

— Nik Lynam (@Nik_Lynam) May 23, 2013

Colorado following the #Oilers successful ‘old boys club’ model. #Avs

— Lee Snowden (@SnowdenNHL) May 23, 2013

Bring back Adam Foote as an assistant coach and bring in Forsberg to tutor Landeskog. #bandisback #avs

— Jeremy Lambert(@jeremylambert88) May 23, 2013

Mon idole revient dans la #LNH! So exited #patrickroy #AVS

— Jean-Francois Vo (@vedger) May 23, 2013

Not sure what i cannot wait for the most. Paris Hilton’s new album or Patric Roy coaching the #Avs this year.

— NoBS Thirsty® (@NoBSThirsty) May 23, 2013

Honestly so pumped about this…this offseason has been great so far for the #Avs, Sacco out, Sakic promoted, Roy hired

— Eddie Fischermann (@efischermann) May 23, 2013

I wish I could go back to the ’90s, just like my sports teams. #Rockies #Broncos #Avs

— #SackorDennis(@Supahfly328) May 23, 2013

JS Giguere is a happy guy today. Patrick Roy was his idol growing up. #jiggy #avs #NHLDucks

— michael (@skepticfan713) May 23, 2013

So excited about the Avs getting Roy! Really looking forward to next year #Avs

— Paul Vitella (@PaulVitella10) May 23, 2013

Maybe the Canucks will hire Dan Cloutier as our next head coach… #Canucks #PatrickRoy #Avs

— Adam Heatlie (@adamheatlie) May 23, 2013

Its a little crazy how excited I am about this #dreamman #roy #avs

— candice a martens (@chikachikago33) May 23, 2013

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