HERNING
Alex DeBrincat Jersey , Denmark (AP) Five games, five wins. Led by Patrick Kane, the United States has impressed so far at the ice hockey world
championship in Denmark.The U.S. opened with victory over Canada, the tournament
favorite seeking a third title in four years and captained by NHL leading scorer
Connor McDavidChasing its first medal at the tournament since bronze in 2015,
the 5-4 win over Canada in a penalty shootout set the pace for the U.S. in Group
B, followed by victories against host Denmark (4-0), Germany (3-0), Latvia (3-2
in OT) and South Korea (13-1).The decision to make Kane captain after a
disappointing season with his Chicago Blackhawks has paid off.The 29-year-old
star forward last played at the world championships in 2008, his first season in
the NHL and also the last time the Blackhawks missed the playoffs. In the
meantime he won three Stanley Cup titles with the Blackhawks and was in the U.S.
team at the 2010 and 2014 Olympics.”It’s a huge honor to represent the United
States of America, the greatest country in the world,” Kane said.He has proved a
leader on ice
Minnesota Wild Hats Womens , scoring three goals and adding nine assists in the first five games at the championship.Kane was also key to other players being keen to
join the team.”His influence was as a magnet to attract players,” U.S. general
manager Bill Zito said.The team includes game-breakers such as forwards Dylan
Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings, Anders Lee of the New York Islanders, Chris
Kreider of the New York Rangers and Johnny Gaudreau of the Calgary Flames. Cam
Atkinson of the Columbus Blue Jackets has been the team’s leading scorer at the
championship with five goals.But there’s also promising young talent, such as
defenseman Quinn Hughes, a top 10 prospect in the 2018 NHL draft.”Lot of good
players, lot of young guys on this team, so it’s been a fun team to be around,”
Kane said.Kane’s Chicago teammate Alex DeBrincat, who is on the national team
after scoring 28 goals in his rookie season with the Blackhawks, praised Kane’s
leadership qualities.”He wants to be the best
http://www.blackhawksshoponline.com/authentic-artem-anisimov-jersey , he’s always out there to be the best player on the ice,” DeBrincat said. ”For
me, it’s taking that mentality and just using it. Everyone wants to be the best
but some guys want that so much more and he’s one of those guys.”Boston Bruins
defenseman Charlie McAvoy and Nashville Predators forward Nick Bonino have
joined the team to strengthen the roster after the elimination from the NHL
playoffs.With a quarterfinal spot all but ensured, the U.S. faces Norway on
Sunday and Finland on Tuesday in their remaining Group B games.”The most
important game is the next one, so we’ll look to continue improving as we get
set for Norway,” head coach Jeff Blashill said. PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The
Philadelphia Flyers turned to an outsider to try and win their first Stanley Cup
in nearly 45 years.The Flyers hired Chuck Fletcher as their general manager on
Monday in hopes that he can resuscitate a playoff team from a year ago that has
become one of the worst teams in the NHL. He’s the eighth GM in team history —
and the first with no ties to the Flyers since Russ Farwell had the job from
1990 to 1994.“Our goal is to make the playoffs this year, it’s that simple,”
Fletcher said. “We have work to do and it will be a challenge. But there’s no
reason why we can’t get better and we can’t push to make the playoffs and find a
way to get in.”Fletcher, who replaces the fired Ron Hextall, had been working as
a senior adviser to the New Jersey Devils after spending the last nine seasons
as GM of the Minnesota Wild. The Wild had only two playoff series victories
under Fletcher, a 25-year veteran of NHL management
Brandon Saad Jersey , and did not renew his contract in April. They went 15-29 in the playoffs during Fletcher’s tenure, enough evidence that the roster
wasn’t built well enough despite all the success the team enjoyed in the regular
season.That didn’t dissuade Flyers President Paul Holmgren from pursuing the
51-year-old Fletcher a week after he cut ties with Hextall following 4½ seasons.
The Flyers are 11-12-2 and only the Devils are worse in the Eastern Conference.
Holmgren fired Hextall citing “philosophical differences” and an “unyielding”
approach toward sticking with his methodical rebuilding plan.Holmgren and parent
company Comcast Spectacor want to win now and have squirmed as the Flyers have
seen attendance dip while they drop in the standings and are losing a popularity
contest to the 76ers, their fellow Wells Fargo Center tenant.“Chuck has earned
success throughout his impressive NHL career and offers the right mix of
expertise, business acumen and leadership qualities that the Flyers need today
as we work to achieve our ultimate goal, the Stanley Cup Championship,” Comcast
Spectacor Chairman and CEO Dave Scott said in a statement.The Flyers also purged
the organization of their longtime assistant general manager and an assistant
coach considered close confidants of Hextall. Hextall had distanced himself from
many key figures inside the organization and cut off alumni access to the team,
factors that led to his dismissal.Fletcher, who also has the executive vice
president title, will have to do more than play nice with the old Broad Street
Bullies to bring the Flyers their first championship since they won consecutive
Stanley Cups in 1974-75.Holmgren said the new GM would decide the fate of coach
Dave Hakstol, who is on the hot seat in his fourth season. Hakstol was hired by
Hextall out of North Dakota and has led the Flyers to two first-round playoff
exits.“I certainly have no intention of making a coaching change tomorrow,”
Fletcher said. “I’m going to meet with Dave and we’re going to try to work
together and push.”Hakstol has tried to mesh a roster heavy with pricey veterans
like Claude Giroux
Brent Seabrook Jersey Kids , Wayne Simmonds, Jake Voracek and James van Riemsdyk with potential blossoming stars in Ivan Provorov, Shayne Gostisbehere
and Nolan Patrick. The Flyers desperately need a true No. 1 goalie; they’ve
already matched a franchise record with five this season.“If we can’t find the
solutions internally, I certainly will look externally,” Fletcher said.Will
Fletcher want to trade prospects for veteran help or will he start breaking up a
core — Simmonds is a free agent at the end of the season — that hasn’t won a
playoff series since 2012? He’ll the needed flexibility to make moves, as the
Flyers have roughly $7 million in available cap space.Fletcher, son of longtime
NHL executive Cliff Fletcher, also has worked for the Pittsburgh Penguins,
Anaheim Ducks and Florida Panthers.“He’s a very cerebral guy. He’s very good at
building a playoff team, and he looks further ahead than just the year they’re
in and next year,” Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leopold said. “He’s going to be
very successful. He was bold with us. We made some big moves. He’s not afraid to
make moves. I can tell you that. Bold he can do.”With the Wild
Youth Corey Crawford Jersey , he made a pair of bold moves when he signed Zach Parise and Ryan Suter to 13-year contracts in 2012. Holmgren, Hextall’s
predecessor, made a serious run at both players and now seems to have found a GM
aligned with his hockey philosophies.“Throughout his career he has helped shape
teams that have consistently competed in the playoffs,” Holmgren said. “In
addition, Chuck’s tireless work ethic, wealth of knowledge and experience in the
hockey community will be instrumental in leading our team into the
future.”
