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Justin Goldman weighs in on Kirk McLean and Avs goaltending future

2013-05-16T19:03:08Z

Justin Goldman is the ultimate goalie nerd. He's the Director of Goalie Scouting for McKeen's Hockey, a writer for NHL.com, and the founder of The Goalie Guild. Some of you will remember him as the founder of The Avalanche Guild, the co-host of Avalanche Weekly on Mile High Sports Radio, and the guy on Uncle Nasty's show on KBPI that previewed Avs games. He covered the Avalanche for six seasons until he moved to Minneapolis, MN last summer to further pursue his goalie scouting endeavors and to learn how to ice fish. You can follow him on twitter @TheGoalieGuild and join him in admiring Jonathan Quick's flexibility and digging around for random goalie facts.

1. How important is a good goalie coach to the success and competitiveness of a team?

If one can make the argument that goalies are the most important position in hockey, then it's clearly not a stretch to say the goalie coach is absolutely essential to a team's success. The proverbial "puzzle" is incomplete without one, and in my mind, the goalie coach is one of those crucial corner pieces, so to not have one, especially at the NHL level, is to simply be way behind the times. I know I rant and rave about this all the time, but with more than half of the teams in the NHL now employing a two-goalie-coach system, clearly teams understand the importance of a good goalie coach. In fact, three teams just recently added a second goalie coach to their organization: St. Louis, Tampa Bay, and Anaheim, so the list is growing every month. Not only could a book be written on the importance of a goalie coach to a team's success, but goalie coaches play a key role in the scouting realm, too. They really help a team's scouting staff -- very few of which understand the technicalities of goaltending development -- locate and assess draft-eligible and free-agent talent. You don't develop good goalies and have success at the NHL level unless you draft well, and since drafting goalies is like playing darts blindfolded, goalie coaches can eliminate a lot of the guesswork that goes into selecting a goalie. You also see more and more teams locating older and more matured talent in Europe. Teams like Dallas, Anaheim, and Calgary have recently benefited from finding quality UFA talent in Europe. But you can't make educated decisions on signing a European goalie unless a goalie coach does their homework and has a good network to overseas. I could go on and on and on, and I usually do when this is the topic of conversation...but yeah, I think you get the idea.

2. You've said you are glad the Avs have moved on from McLean. Why?

Well, allow me to clarify. Obviously they need an upgrade in that department, but to be honest, I don't think McLean did a poor job during his time in Colorado. He was paid a limited amount to fill a limited role, and with his limited coaching experience, did the best he could. His exact role as a consultant was foggy...at least in the public eye, I don't think anyone really knew exactly what his time commitments were. But he obviously wasn't with the Avs "full-time" as a coach, so the working relationship left a lot to be desired. I do know he was around more this season than last, but I also know he still spent a fair amount of time in Vancouver. I could argue that he wasn't the best type of goalie consultant for what the Avs needed, but then again I don't think many elite-level goalie coaches would have been willing to take the job description as set forth by the organization. Also, to be fair, his experience as an NHL goalie did provide some solid support for Varlamov and the four rookies in the minors. I know he spent some time with the Cutthroats. I know he helped Varlamov through some rough patches. So he is at least a competent mentor, otherwise he wouldn't have been hired in the first place. At the end of the day, something is better than nothing, and although I was not covering the Avs this season, I learned that he did have a positive impact at times this past season. But an upgrade was clearly needed, and not solely because McLean wasn't good enough, but because the role the Avalanche gave him and paid him for was unsubstantial. They need a "full-time" goalie coach, and that means ownership must be willing to pay someone to fill that "full-time" role. Time to pony up some dough. So I'm glad the Avs have moved on because it coincides with Joe Sakic's new role, Joe Sacco's dismissal, and hopefully, more money into the future of the franchise. Ultimately, it's the philosophy and ideology -- the club's lack of situational awareness in goal -- that needs to change. They need to hire a goalie coach that has experience implementing a systematic blueprint for goalie development, but that only starts with a willingness to pay for that.

3. Given the sad state of the Avalanche defense during McLean's tenure, was he a bit of a fall guy?

Just like a head coach will take the fall for a team's failure, a goalie coach will always be a bit of a fall guy for failed goaltending. But like I said above, you get what you pay for. Until ownership wakes up and recognizes how far behind they are in terms of goalie development and goalie coaching, whoever is put in place (we've most recently seen Jeff Hackett, Jocelyn Thibault, and McLean), they will always struggle to get the most out of their goalies. It is never always the goalie coach's fault -- an NHL goalie, especially the starter, should be able to do a solid job of managing their own game. McLean wasn't the best fit, but this issue goes way deeper than just the goalie coach and his abilities. It only scares me so much because Calvin Pickard and Sami Aittokallio are so, so promising. Both could be starters in the NHL. But potential isn't reached unless they have support. This doesn't even take into consideration the dynamic of team defense, team support, etc. There are simply too many dynamics to put it all on McLean's shoulders. Hockey is a team sport, and teams that play well in their own zone will almost always have better goaltending stats, and that really changes the perception of what a goalie coach is accomplishing during his tenure. Quick example: James Reimer went from a sub-par goalie to a guy with a solid even-strength save percentage that helped the Leafs make the playoffs. That's not all because Francois Allaire was replaced with Rick St. Croix...a lot was due to a much improved team defense, more offensive support, and the fact he was more experienced and stayed relatively healthy. There is no way of knowing exactly how much of a goalie's success is team related and how much is goalie-coaching related, you just have to observe and learn as much as you can about the situation. But it's always a mix of a bunch of things; that's the nature of hockey and that's why the world of hockey blogging and analysis is getting so infatuated with fancy stats -- it really does help eliminate some of the guesswork, and provides examples and sample sizes for these different team-oriented dynamics.

4. What specific problems did you see in Varly and/or Giguere that were due to the goalie coach situation?

That's really tough to answer because I'm not down there on the ice with the guys. In my opinion, J-S Giguere doesn't need a goalie coach anymore; at his age and with his experience, he knows how to manage his own game. So there were no problems with Giguere, and he is essentially a "goalie coach" for Varlamov in a variety of ways. So it's all focused on Varlamov, and clearly when you trade for a goalie and label him the future of the franchise, you need to give him everything he needs to be successful. Clearly, he still needs help from a coach, and he can't get that from Giguere. He is still too young and too raw-skilled to develop on his own, especially in the mental toughness realm. As a goalie gets older and plays more NHL games, they become more aware of how their body must move, must react, and how they must look in order to be successful. For someone like Varlamov, a goalie coach is like a mirror. He provides essential feedback and verbal reinforcement in practice and following games. If you don't have that on a steady basis, you don't know how to become more efficient and more economical in different areas from positioning to depth to rebound control to footwork to hand placement. The list goes on and on. There are aspects in Varlamov's game that need some tweaking, and it's just a matter of someone seeing him on a consistent basis, assessing the problem areas, then being around long enough to implement the changes to the point where it becomes muscle memory. A perfect example: Sergei Bobrovsky. He played so small and so hunched over in Philadelphia, and it was very easy to see. But they rushed things and didn't want to wait another year to let him develop. He was traded to Columbus, and Ian Clark, a full-time goalie coach with an excellent track record, got him to stand more upright, to play bigger, and to be a little more patient on his skates, and a little more efficient on the posts. Now he's a Vezina Trophy finalist, and will probably win it because he led a team that was expected to be a cellar dweller in the West. It's such a fine line between a good and a great NHL goalie, and Varlamov is a great goalie at times, but he can't become a truly elite goalie on his own. He needs more support, he needs more feedback, he needs more time. I also use Bobrovsky as an example because there are some similarities in terms of the adjustments Semyon needs to make to be elite. Because he is so flexible and athletic, he must learn to play with a straighter back and play bigger. He has such a deep crouch and gets so wide in his stance that he makes himself small, and when you're only 6-0 or 6-1 or 6-2, every little centimeter counts against NHL shooters. Varlamov often gets caught making butterfly saves where he sits back and his butt is almost touching the ice. Imagine how much bigger he would look and how much better he would seal holes and how much more net he would cover if he stayed upright, straightened his back and his thighs, pushed his hips out, and reached those shoulders to the sky. He is already one of the most flexible goalies in the world, and his athleticism and tenacity and quickness is second-to-none. But he needs some refining, he needs to understand that he can play bigger, look bigger, and take up even more space in the net. I'll conclude the technical stuff with one of my favorite goalie quotes; "Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast." He is so energetic at times that he loses control of his movements and looks "hurried" in the crease, like he's moving in fast-forward. He is over-aggressive and lunges, reaches, or tries to do too much. With some good coaching and guidance, he can slow things down and realize that it's not always about speed or quickness, but about placing the body in certain positions that allows him to move less, move smoothly, and with more body control. Think about that quote, think about when Varly gets caught on some goals against, and it should hopefully give some of you that "aha!" moment. That's just a few of maybe three or four things I saw from Varlamov this past season. It's not rocket science and I am nowhere close to being an NHL goalie coach, but while these things are easy to see, it takes a full-time goalie coach to actually be able to change his biomechanics and postural patterns to the point where he's playing bigger on a consistent basis. It took Bobrovsky a mere half-season...and there are other young goalies making similar adjustments in similar time frames. How long will it take Varlamov to refine and adjust? It's not all on the goalie coach, it's not all on the goalie, it's a hidden combination of both, but you can't turn one key without the other.

5. What improvements do you expect to see with a new coach?

I am honestly not sure what to expect with all of the front office changes, so I can only speculate on what I hope will happen. A new goalie coach will (again, hopefully...) implement a plan and a structured system of development, and a more structured daily routine in practices and games. He'll create a healthy and more intimate friendship with all of the goalies in the organization. He'll provide more feedback and written reports to the coaching staff and scouting staff and upper management. He'll provide more pre-scouting notes on opposing NHL goalies. I know of at least five NHL goalie coaches that post a short pre-scouting report on the opposing goalie in the team's locker room on the day of a game. Nothing super in-depth, just a few strengths, weaknesses, and tendencies so the shooters have a bit of an edge. A new goalie coach will provide scouting notes on draft eligible prospects, too. He'll communicate more with goalie coaches around the world and establish a culture (or more appropriately, create a culture) in the club and transform Colorado from a goalie graveyard to a goalie garden.

6. If the Avs stick with using a part time coach, will we still see improvements?

This depends on who is filling the role. Every goalie coach brings their own unique philosophy to the table, and that philosophy must be flexible depending on that coach's situation, and who he is working with. Maybe we would, but then again, it could go the other way. At this point, however, I'd have to think that any change is good change.

7. What qualities should the Avs target in a goalie coach?

Experience, experience, experience. I don't mean NHL playing experience, but rather pro-level goalie coaching experience. It must be someone who understands the current evolution of the position and teaches things like post leans, one-knee down, dead arm post integration, depth control, active hand placement, etc. All those advanced techniques are important because the position is changing on a weekly basis...to the point where someone like myself has to work really hard to keep up with everything. It is so intricate and detailed and in-depth. It's a rabbit hole, and that makes an NHL goalie coach's job that much more difficult. I'm really hoping the old boy network is left at the door, and the Avs hires the right coach that is the best fit for the job. Round peg in a round hole. Someone who is sought after, and who can come in with a strong reputation and make an instant impact. And no, I do not think Patrick Roy is that person, at least not yet ;)

8. Who is out there that you think would be a good fit?

First and foremost, bringing in Francois Allaire would be the ultimate home run for the organization. I won't go into the reasons why, but that ball would be hit right out of the park if they found a way to bring him in. It also makes the most sense since he has a relationship with Giguere. From there, it could be any number of coaches. Steve McKichan was the goalie coach for Toronto for a few years and is extremely knowledgeable. Paul Fricker coached Calvin Pickard in juniors and might be a nice fit. If Varlamov is truly the future of this franchise in goal, attempts must be made to reel in Jussi Parkkila from SKA in the KHL. Erik Granqvist is one of the best goalie coaches in Sweden and may want to try coaching in the NHL. There are some really good goalie coaches in the QMJHL, and Marco Marciano is near the top of that list. Eric Raymond is another. I also know David Alexander, who is currently the goalie coach for the University of Maine, deserves some looks as well. We all know the Avs would not be opposed to bringing in someone from the Quebec region, and the goalie coaching is very strong in that area. Eli Wilson is another name that may generate some interest, and same goes for Jon Elkin. Brian Daccord used to be the goalie coach for Boston, still coaches in the Boston area, and I know the Avs really like to scout talent in the Boston area, especially at the NCAA level. So there are a lot of good candidates out there, and who knows, it may be someone who is already currently employed by an NHL team looking for a different type of challenge.

Many thanks to Justin for taking the time to give us this in-depth look at what the Avs are facing with the guy behind the net. It will be interesting to see what happens and if Sakic and Kroenke are putting even half as much thought into this position as they are into the head coach slot.

Kirk McLean latest victim in Avalanche revamping

2013-05-15T15:54:00Z

The Denver Post announced yesterday that Kirk McLean, goalie consultant for the Avalanche, has been dismissed. In his three-year tenure, the Avs have seen numerous goalies fail in Colorado, only to go on to other teams and perform up to (and sometimes beyond) their potential. Patience ran out this season, and fans called for McLean's head. They got their wish.

McLean worked part-time with the Avs, retaining his home in Vancouver during his time with the team. One would hope the newly appointed decisions makers of Joe Sakic and Josh Kroenke will see how detrimental that situation really was and hire someone to work full time with Semyon Varlamov and JS Giguere, living and breathing the mile high air, as thin as it is.

This move continues to show that the front office isn't just throwing around comments like "creating a winning culture" as lip service. There is some real interest in righting this ship.

No candidates have been identified yet.

Darcy Tucker Corollary

2013-05-12T23:26:05Z

Best of MHH Videos

2013-05-12T23:22:50Z

Joe Sakic, Josh Kroenke take on bigger roles with the Avs

2013-05-10T20:16:32Z

Eric and Pierre Lacroix are out. Joe Sakic and Josh Kroenke are in. Greg Sherman stays put.

That's the tl;dr version. The thirty-minute press conference hosted by the Avalanche gave a lot more insight into what has just happened in Colorado. Sakic is taking over as Executive VP of Hockey Operations for the Avalanche and will be the final decision-maker in all hockey ops areas. He said that they will discuss ideas and game plans as a group, but ultimately Joe has the deciding vote. Josh will have close contact with both Sakic and Sherman, having daily conversations about the direction of the team, moves to make, and progress towards the goal of bringing another Stanley Cup Championship home.

"We want to win," Sakic said. "We want to compete." He recognized the past couple of years have been bad for the Avalanche and attributed those struggles to youth and inconsistency. Now that the players are maturing, he wants to instill a winning culture in the locker room and an ability to withstand the ups and downs of a hockey season. Sakic also realizes that he has a big challenge ahead of him. Although he felt it was an easy decision taking on this new position, the demands of what he's facing are huge. "There's pressure coming with this title. I'm looking forward to the challenge."

Josh faced point-blank questions about his commitment to the team when compared with his interest in the Denver Nuggets. He's well aware of people's impressions of him. He assured fans that he and his father are "committed to all teams" and that any suggestions to the contrary are "not remotely true." When asked about what he can bring to the organization, he said passion and good people management skills. There's no doubt he's going to play a much more active and present role than did P. Lacroix. He also admitted (with a chuckle) that he has no problem stealing the best practices of other teams within the NHL, as well as teams from other leagues.

Sherman retains the confidence of both Josh and Joe. "We considered all options," Josh said. "Some guys have passionate feelings about the youth and direction of this team, and we wanted to give them a chance to continue." He went on to say, "Greg has a right to be there alongside (us) based on the job he's done so far." His major role will be "contract negotiations and . . . the Avalanche’s contact with the league office and its member teams.”

The coaching issue was one that ignited comments from both Josh and Joe. They said that the selection was going to happen sooner rather than later and definitely before the draft. Although the candidates were not discussed, the qualities for which they're looking were a passionate person committed to a change in culture and someone who is good with youth and able to lead them.

In regards to salary spending, there wasn't much new. "We've had conversations about the team's direction as a whole," said Josh. "We won't spend just to spend. I think (increases in payroll come) as players mature." They are going to let the young guys develop and add pieces as necessary. In other words, don't expect any big free agent signings any time soon. Part of that has to be due to the unanimous feelings of Joe, Josh, and Greg that the team is "not near as far off as some people like to believe." (Josh)

Sherman said that conversations about the roles of each man will start today. One thing from the past they do want to continue, though, is the legacy of winning that Pierre started all those years ago. "He's helped lay the foundation for us," Josh said. "He's played a major role in our lives thus far."

Josh ended the conference by stating the thing that he and the others must do to assure the fans that things will change: "Win." He feels "supremely confident and excited" to see what Joe and Greg can do. He's also looking forward to interacting with the fans more. There are new rules in the NHL right now according to Josh. And he plans to embrace them.

More details from the Avalanche Website.

Poll

Are you happy with the changes?

Boucher is the right fit for the Avalanche

2013-05-07T14:00:05Z

When looking for a new head coach, there are a ton of qualities the Avs' front office should consider. Three of those qualities have been missing behind the Avalanche bench for far too long. Guy Boucher can bring them back.

Experience

Unlike Tony Granato and Joe Sacco (who collectively had 4 years and three months coaching experience), Boucher comes to the table with a long resume filled with success. He started his coaching career in 1996 when he was the assistant coach for McGill University. In 1997, he transitioned into the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, where he was the assistant coach for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.

Three years later, he got his first head coaching job with the Lac-Saint-Louis Lions of the AAA Midget Hockey League. He returned to the QMJHL as an assistant coach for the Rimouski Oceanic in 2003. In 2005, Boucher helped to lead Oceanic to a 28-game win streak to end the season. The streak continued into the playoffs with 7 more wins, which eventually brought Rimouski the Jean-Rogeau Trophy as regular season champions and the President's Cup.

His winning ways landed him his first head coaching job with the Drummondville Voltiguers of the QMJHL in 2006. In the 2008-2009 season, Boucher guided his team to the best record in franchise history in both wins (54) and points (112), capturing the President's Cup once again.

At that point, he grabbed the attention of the big boys. He was hired as the head coach of the Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League. Again, he saw success as he guided the Bulldogs to a 52–17–11 record for 115 points, a feat which landed him the Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award as coach of the year.

Then in 2010, at only 38, Boucher was offered not one, but two head coaching positions in the NHL. He turned the Columbus Blue Jackets down in favor of the Tampa Bay Lightning, which had just missed the playoffs for the third straight year. Boucher hit the ground running. In his first season as head coach, he brought the Lightning back to life, making it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals in the Stanley Cup playoffs, losing to Boston by one goal.

14 years of coaching success. 14 years of growing responsibility. Boucher knows what it takes to win. But what about those losing records that led to his firing in March of 2013? They are just as important as the winning seasons. Losing gave him perspective, and as we've seen in guys like Matt Duchene, losing also motivates. Whoever hires Guy Boucher next will get a successful team. It's in his nature to push himself to get better, to not settle for mediocrity. Case in point...

Personality

Boucher is an overachiever. By the time he was 25, he had earned three college degrees: two bachelor's (history and biosystems engineering) and a master's (sports psychology). He earned his second bachelor's degree while coaching the McGill Redmen. Anyone who has worked full time while going to school knows that wasn't an easy task, especially when he earned the degree in one year.

Boucher is a player's coach. Earning an advanced degree in sports psychology gives him insight other coaches lack. He understands what makes athletes tick, and he can figure out the best way to approach them, not as a cog in the machine, but as a person. From Raw Charge:

"My approach is based on the individual," Boucher said. "So whether you're talking about 17 or 18-year-olds or 30 or 35-year-olds, players want to improve, they want to win and ultimately you find the same problems and strengths in each individual. It's the same starting point, so I didn't need to adapt my approach too much."

A big part of his approach is based on communication.

"He listens to all his players, regardless of their status," said Canadiens prospect Gabriel Dumont, who played under Boucher in both junior and briefly . . . in Hamilton. "He knows each player and knows how he needs to manage each player."

Boucher is not just interested in the physical skills of a player. He realizes there's a mental aspect to playing and, especially, winning. From the Tampa Tribune (via Puck Daddy):

"One leg is the physical part. Everybody is great at that because they all have personal trainers now. You've got the technical part, shooting this way or skating that way. You've got the tactical part, the team tactics and systems. Coaches spend all their time on that," he said.

"Then the other leg that's missing is the mental part of the game. We all say it's the most important part of the game, but what are the tools?"

At every level, people have said Boucher knows how to get the most out of his players. This was certainly true of the Lightning in the 2010-2011 season. Boucher found a way to get his players to perform and to use what he had the best way he could. He recognized that the team had less-than-stellar goaltending and made adjustments to the way he ran the team. In particular...

Systems

Few people in hockey have not heard about Boucher's 1-3-1 forecheck. It came to everyone's attention when the Philadelphia Flyers chose to combat the system by refusing to play the puck. Some people criticized Boucher for his insistence on playing the modified trap, but the Flyers' reaction spoke to its success. Philly couldn't beat the system, so they took their ~~ball~~ puck and went home.

You can find descriptions of the 1-3-1 system all over (this one being the best I've seen), but here are some short versions of it.

From the Columbus Dispatch (via Puck Daddy):

Boucher runs a 1-3-1 forecheck - which is rare in its own right - but it includes a highly unusual wrinkle. While the first skater into the zone steers the puck toward the outside, the left-side defenseman skates along the left wall with two forwards to his right and the right-side defenseman trailing the play.

and the St. Pete Times:

The coach wants the puck on the sticks of his top six forwards. That means immediately moving the puck forward and eschewing, for the most part, the passes between defensemen that so many teams use to start clearing the defensive zone.

The defense will pick its spots to join the rush but will not hang back, either, coming forward enough toward the opposing blue line to oppose counter-attacks while being in position to jump into the offense.

Defensive zone coverages will include a somewhat unique technique in which two defensemen converge on opponents in corners to force turnovers. If the defensemen get beat, forwards are expected to play stout defense.

The Avalanche have the personnel to make this successful: centermen who are as solid defensively as they are offensively, forwards with speed, defensemen with offensive instincts, and goaltending that has the potential to be elite. (That is, if we get a full time goalie coach, but that's another article.) The team is also full of young players who would be open to learning something new and out of the box.

The one knock people had about Boucher and his 1-3-1 forecheck is that it creates boring hockey. Here's the wrinkle: Boucher didn't rely on this 100% of the time. It was one part of his arsenal.

Guy Boucher would bring to the Avalanche a tremendous background of success, intelligence, and creativity. Many thought firing him was a mistake and that Steve Yzerman just needed a fall guy. The Avs should take advantage of that error and hire Boucher before they lose him to someone else.

Stastny named captain of Team USA

2013-05-03T16:59:59Z

USA Hockey announced today that Avalanche center Paul Stastny has been given the captaincy for the 2013 U.S. Men's National Team in the upcoming IIHF World Championships. Matt Carle and Nate Thompson of the Tampa Bay Lightning will be the alternate captains.

Stastny has a long and storied history with USA Hockey. He's played on Team USA on three separate occasions, including the 2010 Olympic team. He and his teammates took the silver in that contest after a surprising run to the gold medal game and an exciting overtime finish. Stastny also represented the United States in the 2007 and 2012 IIHF World Championships, registering 8 (4g, 4a) and 9 (3g, 6a) points respectively. He was also the top forward in the 2004 Viking Cup (6g, 5a) as part of the US Junior Select Team.

Other Avalanche players on Team USA include Matt Hunwick, Erik Johnson, and Aaron Palushaj. Former Avalanche head coach Joe Sacco will be leading the team from behind the bench.

The US takes the ice for their first game against Austria tomorrow (Saturday, May 4). The game is at 12:15 pm local time (3:15 am MDT). It can be seen live on NBCSN or streamed via their website at NBCSports.com.

Team USA Schedule

News of the Colorado Avalanche - Links around the NHL - April 29, 2013

2013-04-29T11:00:09Z

You may have heard that Joe Sacco was fired. Adrian Dater breaks down his thoughts on the move by the Avs, as well as what's in store for Sacco's replacement, Greg Sherman and Pierre Lacroix.

I was not surprised by this firing at all, but with the Avs you never know for sure. I mean, as of last night, Sacco didn’t know. I pressed him on the phone tonight whether he knew about his dismissal earlier, but kept it quiet and just kept coaching, and he gave an emphatic no. Until this morning at 10, he still thought he would finish the day as head coach of the Colorado Avalanche.

Speaking of Lacroix, Pierre's son, Eric, also left the organization. However, this was officially of his own free will. I think it was more of the "Either you quit or we fire you" kind of parting of the ways.

The Dallas Stars did some axing of their own by firing GM Joe Nieuwendyk. Nieuwendyk's replacement is Detroit assistant GM Jim Nill.

The future of coach Glen Gulutzan wasn't addressed by the team in its statement. Dallas holds an option for a third season for Gulutzan, who is 64-57-9 in his two seasons after ending the lockout-shortened season with a 3-0 home loss to Detroit. The Stars dropped their last five games and won only once in their last seven after a five-game winning streak.

When asked about his job after Saturday night's game, Gulutzan said that wasn't under his control. He did praise Nieuwendyk.

"All I can say is that Joe's been tremendous for me. I think he's done a hell of a job," Gulutzan said. "You can see with our farm team and the young guys that we have here."

The NHL announced the playoff schedule.

The 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs will open Tuesday in Chicago with a matchup between the Presidents' Trophy-winning Chicago Blackhawks and the Minnesota Wild, who were the last team to clinch a playoff berth.

The NHL released the playoff schedule Sunday night and it includes three Game 1s on Tuesday, another three on Wednesday and two more on Thursday.

And some random tidbits about NHL notables as the season closes and the post-season opens, featuring both the good and the bad.

Tampa Bay's Martin St. Louis, who will be 38 in June, became the oldest player to win the NHL scoring title. He took over the lead Wednesday from Sidney Crosby, who had held it since suffering a broken jaw on March 30. St. Louis finished with 17 goals and 60 points in 48 games, three points ahead of teammate Steven Stamkos (29 goals, 57 points). St. Louis previously won the scoring title in 2003-04. Undrafted, cut by two NHL teams, written off as too small, he's a great lesson in perseverance. Congrats also to Washington's Alexander Ovechkin for winning the goal-scoring title, with 32 in 48 games.

. . .

Vancouver Canucks Coach Alain Vigneault wanted to rest his regulars in a meaningless game against Edmonton on Saturday, which is fine. But Vigneault allowed Henrik Sedin to prolong a consecutive-games streak by playing one shift of 22 seconds in the first period and then return to the locker room. It was a cheap way to continue an honorable streak.

I know this isn't hockey-specific news, but it's a historical moment in sports. Jason Collins has become the "first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport."

I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay.

. . .

No one wants to live in fear. I've always been scared of saying the wrong thing. I don't sleep well. I never have. But each time I tell another person, I feel stronger and sleep a little more soundly. It takes an enormous amount of energy to guard such a big secret. I've endured years of misery and gone to enormous lengths to live a lie. I was certain that my world would fall apart if anyone knew. And yet when I acknowledged my sexuality I felt whole for the first time. I still had the same sense of humor, I still had the same mannerisms and my friends still had my back.