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sports Diamars 12 Januari 2021

The wait is almost over for NHL teams that missed playoffs

(AP) — Jack Hughes of the New Jack Eichel of the Sabres spent a lot
Jersey Devils hadn't had a layoff time reflecting on how fast his first
like this since ... ever? five years in the NHL went. Kyle
Palmieri of the Devils returned to his
More than 100 NHL players from family's farming roots and grew a gar-
New Jersey, Buffalo, Anaheim, Los den (he said the carrots needed more
Angeles, San Jose, Ottawa, and De- patience).
troit have not played a meaningful
hockey game since the league paused Other players took up hobbies or
play in early March because of the pumped iron, skated when they
pandemic. Ten long months. could and simply let their bodies heal
at a leisurely rate. Devils center Tra-
“I don’t think I’ve had, I guess, 10 vis Zajac, 35, said he felt great a week
months of no games my whole life,” into camp.
said the 19-year-old Hughes, the
No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft. What's uncertain is how the teams
“So, obviously, something new. But coming back from the hiatus will
I mean, games are like riding a bike, perform. Will they be fresher? A step
you could say. If you’re a hockey slow?
player, it’s something that comes nat-
urally.” “I think that’s the million-dollar
question that everybody’s searching
It has been an eternity for Hughes for,” said Sharks defenseman Erik
and the rest in a sport predicated on Karlsson, who joined the league in
rhythm, repetition and teamwork, a 2009. “But at the end of the day, we
boring stretch unimaginable to ath- don’t have much of a choice. It’s what showing every practice matters and
letes whose lives have followed a we’re going to have to do. I think that There were no preseason games, he you want to make the team,” Bather-
schedule that has rarely changed for we’re going to navigate through it noted, so picking a team will be chal- son said.
years. the best way that we think we know lenging.
how.” Ducks general manager Bob Murray
As kids, they played pee-wee hockey “Hopefully we have done our home- said he is worried about the every-day
at all hours of the day. When the rink Sabres defenseman Jake McCabe said work better than the other groups,” challenges with the pandemic spiking
wasn't available, the pond was. The the last 10 months were like an ex- McLellan said. across North America. NHL teams
long rides to tournaments, the steady tended “Groundhog Day,” filled over will have taxi squads to call up ex-
drumbeat of practices and workouts. and over with uncertainty and con- The Red Wings are eager to start. tra players in case of positive tests or
Most of all, there were games. cerns. There were good times, too. They had the worst record by far last contact tracing.
He and his wife, Gaby, had a baby girl season and general manager Steve
The games finally return for every- in April so they had a chance to watch Yzerman didn't shell out a lot of “It’s a real interesting puzzle," Mur-
one with a compressed 56-game sea- her grow together. money in free agency to bring in top ray said. "You’ve really got to think,
son that begins this week. It will be a talent. Detroit coach Jeff Blashill has and you have to plan, and you have
fresh start for the 24 teams that made “She’s already eight months old, held high-intensity practices. He also to be ready for hurdles and curveballs
the postseason when play resumed which reminds me just how long is hoping the three extra days of prac- every single day. Things are going to
Aug. 11. It will be something more we’ve been in this pandemic,” Mc- tice for non-playoff teams will help. be different.”
than that to the other seven whose Cabe said. “Now she finally gets to
players had weeks on end without see what her dad does for work so Forward Drake Batherson, who has Kings coach Dallas Eakins felt hum-
hockey. that’ll be fun to get back on the ice. skated in 43 games with the Senators bled to be back at work, and at the
It really is crazy how long it’s been.” over the past two seasons, worked out same time lucky.
Hughes spent time in Michigan to for two months in Nova Scotia with a
work out out with his brothers, Quinn During the pause, the Kings sent five group of players that included Sidney “There are so many people out there
of the Vancouver Canucks and Luke, players to Germany and had a couple Crosby of the Penguins. The 22-year- who have suffered and who are still
one of the top prospects in juniors. of prospects playing in Sweden. With old arrived for camp in mid-Decem- suffering,' Eakins said. “We’ve been
He spent five days a week in the gym training camp now open, Kings coach ber and his approach has been simple. allowed to come back and follow our
and focused on eating healthy to add Todd McLellan said players are mak- passion. Our guys are very sensitive
14 pounds to his 165-pound frame. ing progress getting their hands, tim- “I think you have to come to the rink to it and we feel a great privilege to be
ing and awareness back. every day, treating it like a game and able to come back.”

In blow to Wizards, Westbrook out a week with injured leg

(AP) — Washington Wiz- Westbrook is expected to jured left leg, the latest end of the week. Washing- Bryant has a partially torn
ards point guard Russell sit out a week with an in- blow to a team that en- ton is scheduled to play five anterior cruciate ligament in
tered Monday with a 2-8 games through next Monday. his left knee. Bryant is likely
record. to miss the rest of the season.
Westbrook, acquired shortly He was one of only two play-
The Wizards announced be- before the preseason in the ers who started each of Wash-
fore Monday night’s game trade that sent John Wall to ington’s first 10 games.
against the Phoenix Suns that the Houston Rockets, is aver-
Westbrook's left quadriceps aging 19.3 points, 11.3 assists He was injured in the first
was hurt because of “repeated and 9.7 rebounds through quarter of a 128-124 loss to
contact to the area since the seven games with the Wiz- the visiting Miami Heat on
beginning of the season.” ards, including four triple- Saturday.
doubles. He is shooting just
The team said the 2016-17 37.8% so far. That was Washington’s third
league MVP for the Okla- consecutive defeat overall
homa City Thunder and The update on Westbrook’s and dropped coach Scott
nine-time All-NBA selection status comes a day after the Brooks’ team to 0-5 at home
would be re-evaluated at the Wizards said center Thomas this season.