For the first time in its history, the event was held in an actual hockey rink. This indicates more improvement is on the way. Next year, when the combine returns to Buffalo, it’s possible the players could go on the ice for the first time.

The NHL Combine, which concluded on Saturday at Buffalo’s new HarborCenter facility, is improving. Players stayed at a hotel one block away. They interviewed in suites at the First Niagara Center instead of shuttling around different Toronto hotels.

Five years ago, Tyler Seguin performed his bike test in a conference room of a hotel near Toronto’s Pearson International Airport. The concept already seems historic.


“The first element to making it a bigger event is to have the conversation about doing some on-ice events, whether those are serious tests or if it’s just ways to engage fans,” said Sabres president Ted Black. “Maybe it’s more lighthearted events — a skills competition, shooting accuracy — that’s more geared toward entertainment than empirical testing. I think once you have those opportunities, you’ll be able to grow this as a property.”

The combine is a tool meant to clarify a muddy concept: projecting which teenagers will become trustworthy NHL players. Aside from locks such as Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, successfully drafting 18-year-olds does not qualify as bulletproof.

Bodies change. Kids mature. Testing how hard a boy grips a dynamometer does not measure how, in a playoff game 10 years later, he will perform when the puck is on his stick in a tie game.

Basic skating tests would give teams more data with which to make their decisions. On-ice player tracking has evolved to a point where whistles and stopwatches are as obsolete as pencils and clipboards. Companies such as HockeyTech use cameras, radio frequency identification chips, and laser sensors to break down a player’s strides into multiple components: acceleration, pivoting, and agility.


Scouts study a prospect’s skating over multiple seasons. But the eye is not as reliable at game speed to identify pluses or red flags that technology is designed to capture.

“I don’t think any other general manager or strength and conditioning coach would really say, ‘I don’t want the information,’ ” Bruins GM Don Sweeney said of on-ice testing. “Everybody’s going to turn around, be selfish in that regard, and say, ‘Sure.’ But if you asked me flat-out if it was best for the players, I can’t answer that honestly and say that it is. Some guys haven’t been on the ice for a period of time. There’s a big belief now with injuries on certain kids that they’ve been doing this repetitive motion from the time they could walk, and it shows up.”

Off the ice, tests such as the vertical jump accurately measure a player’s power. A good score on the jump indicates that in a game, the player will be a strong skater, especially as he matures into a veteran. In this way, the physical tests give teams a working foundation for what an 18-year-old will become as he grows into an adult.

Mentally, there is more room for fluctuation. Qualities such as maturity, initiative, and confidence change as a player becomes older.

“There’s even more growth on the mental side than the physical, simply because the impact of experience and maturity is so profound on the mental and emotional side,” said Jordan Denning, co-founder of the Center for Cognitive Sports Performance (CogSports). “The difference between 18 and 30 is huge. Physically, the difference between 18 and 23 is pretty big. Then it stops. They keep growing dramatically mentally until they’re 30. By the time they’re 30, they’re adults. They’re completely different individuals mentally and emotionally than when they were 18.”


This is where the interviews can give organizations clues on whether some players have better odds to succeed than others. Some clubs ask straightforward questions. One team asked Dylan Strome how his mother would describe her son. Other questions can provide deeper insight into some of the qualities a player might exhibit in game situations.

Denning provided some statements teams could ask. For example, a prospect could be presented with the following: “If I lose in competition, I cannot congratulate my opponent, even if he is my teammate.”

The player’s answers could vary from strongly agree to strongly disagree. If it’s the first answer, the player could be considered ultracompetitive, which is a good thing. But it could also be interpreted as a selfish player who thinks of himself above his teammates. In CogSports’ athlete assessments, responses to such statements provide clearer understanding of how a player might perform.

The NHL Draft is not scientific. The combine is a tool in providing more data to an unscientific process.

“No player has to prove anything here, really. It’s not a competition,” said Dan Marr, director of NHL Central Scouting. “This is an avenue for the strength coaches to get a feel and assessment of where they are in their athletic development at this age. There’s a lot of projection that goes on, just like on the ice.”


Bruins defenseman Dougie Hamilton is in a strong negotiating position. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Hamilton restricted but has leverage

The Bruins’ exclusive window to negotiate with Dougie Hamilton will remain open for a little more than three weeks. On July 1, Hamilton will become a restricted free agent, eligible to sign an offer sheet with any team.

That is why nobody expects the defenseman to re-sign with the Bruins before then.

Hamilton is in a position of strength. Everybody, from Hamilton to his bosses to the rest of the league, understands how good he already is and how much room remains below his ceiling. Hamilton will be the team’s No. 1 defenseman when Zdeno Chara says goodbye. Hamilton projects to be Boston’s version of Victor Hedman: a big, powerful, and mobile three-zone defenseman.

Those types of players always earn their cash.

Hedman is earning $4 million annually. Hamilton’s other comparables include Justin Faulk, T.J. Brodie, John Klingberg, and Jonas Brodin.

Victor Hedman $4,000,000 Justin Faulk $4,833,333 T.J. Brodie $4,650,000 John Klingberg $4,250,000 Jonas Broden $4,166,667 Source: war-on-ice.com

Hamilton could do as well or better than any of his comparables if he took a pen to paper now. Or he could potentially blow them out of the water if he waits until after July 1.

Offer sheets don’t happen often. Ryan O’Reilly was the last to sign one when he agreed to a two-year, $10 million contract with Calgary on Feb. 28, 2013. Colorado matched the deal.


But the circumstances are right for Hamilton to sign an offer sheet this summer. The Bruins will be tight against the cap, which commissioner Gary Bettman estimated would be more than $71 million. Hamilton is seeking a big score. And there is one team willing to give Hamilton the package he’d want and sacrifice the picks to do so: Edmonton.

The Oilers have plenty of young players. They’ll select Connor McDavid first overall on June 26. But they need NHL-ready talent, especially on defense. The Oilers had a top-four right-shot defenseman in Jeff Petry. But former GM Craig MacTavish traded Petry to Montreal for a 2015 second-round pick and a 2015 fifth-rounder. On Tuesday, Petry signed a six-year, $33 million extension with the Canadiens. The 27-year-old would have been unrestricted on July 1.

Hamilton wouldn’t just be a replacement for Petry. He’d be an improvement. To sign Hamilton, new Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli would have to be aggressive.

According to Sportsnet, a team that signs a player to an offer sheet worth $5,478,986 to $7,305,316 annually would have to cede first-, second-, and third-round picks. The Bruins would match in the lower tier of that segment. They might think twice about approaching the upper limit.

The price becomes higher in the next segment. To sign a player for $7,305,316 to $9,131,645 annually, a team would have to give up two firsts, one second-, and one third-round pick. As highly as the Bruins think of Hamilton, this would be a steep price to pay.

With this kind of potential bounty awaiting him this summer, Hamilton’s play will be to wait. And wait. And wait some more.

The Bruins’ leverage will increase once training camp approaches. No player wants to miss time. It’s possible that by remaining unsigned at the start of camp, Reilly Smith started the season behind and couldn’t catch up.

Hamilton will be rich. It’s just a matter of when.

There’s no stopping market for goalies

A 24-game run through February, March, and April convinced the Senators that Andrew Hammond was a legit NHL goalie, even if some of his success was because of luck. Hammond showed his warts in two playoff starts against Montreal, both of which he lost.

But part of the reason the Senators signed Hammond to a three-year, $4.05 million extension was their desire to maximize assets. Robin Lehner, formerly the No. 2 to Craig Anderson, would draw more interest on the trade market than Hammond. Ottawa can acquire help by trading Lehner, who’s under contract through 2017. The big 23-year-old Swede has ace stuff, assuming he recovers from the concussion that ended his season early.

Ottawa, however, isn’t the only team shopping a Swedish goalie.

Vancouver is seeking return for Eddie Lack. The Canucks would prefer to retain Lack and fellow Swede Jacob Markstrom, but Ryan Miller, due $12 million annually over the next two seasons, is unmovable because of his age (34), performance (29-15-1, 2.53 goals-against average, .911 save percentage in 2014-15), and contract.

Markstrom will be Miller’s backup — and possibly his replacement. The 25-year-old Markstrom has been outstanding in the AHL playoffs for Utica. Through three rounds, Markstrom went 11-7 with a 1.87 GAA and .931 save percentage. Utica and Manchester kicked off the Calder Cup Final on Saturday. Markstrom will be restricted on July 1.

Lack did not play well in the playoffs against Calgary. He was 1-3 with a 3.03 GAA and .886 save percentage. Miller closed out the series after returning from a knee injury. Lack has one year left ($1.15 million average annual value) before becoming unrestricted. Lack does not have as much value on the market as Lehner.

Buffalo, Edmonton, and San Jose require goaltending help.

Late in an April game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Loui Eriksson couldn’t get off a shot as he looked for the rebound. Barry Chin/Globe Staff

Eriksson could be trade chip

The Bruins have depth on the right side. David Pastrnak hit the wall at the end, but he’s committed to a full offseason of conditioning. The 19-year-old will become a top-two right wing. Brett Connolly, who will be restricted on July 1, will be better once he improves his fitness and goes through camp with his new team. Reilly Smith cannot be worse than he was last season. Brian Ferlin could make the team on the fourth line. This leaves Loui Eriksson as one of the Bruins’ most valuable trade assets along with Milan Lucic. Eriksson was one of the team’s top three players last season. He does everything well if not spectacularly: possess the puck at even strength, work the front of the net and the right corner on the power play, and kill penalties. But Eriksson will be unrestricted after 2015-16. The ex-Star will be 30 on July 17. He isn’t a part of the Bruins’ long-term plans. But trading Eriksson would not necessarily make the Bruins better. They’d have to get back a good defenseman to justify the deal.

Academy available for kids and veterans

One of the primary tenants of Buffalo’s HarborCenter, the two-rink facility located next to First Niagara Center, is the Academy of Hockey. It is a year-round program led by former Bruins draft pick Kevyn Adams, who is the academy’s director. Youth players attend the academy during the season. In the summer, especially in August, local pros and college players use the facility to ramp up their workouts prior to training camp. Ex-Sabres Adam Mair and Martin Biron are full-time academy coaches. “We have a lot of discussions on player development and what the best path is,” said Mair, formerly director of player development at Canisius College. “We’re trying to be on the forefront of innovation and education with the great amenities we have. It’s pretty neat.” Canisius and the Buffalo Junior Sabres also consider the HarborCenter their home rink.

Martin back to New Jersey?

It’s a good bet that the Devils will chase Paul Martin aggressively on the free market. New Jersey picked Martin in the second round of the 2000 draft. The smart, all-around defenseman played for the Devils for six seasons before signing with Pittsburgh as an unrestricted free agent. The Penguins would prefer to keep their No. 2 defenseman. But Martin would get more as a UFA. In New Jersey, he’d be reunited with former Pittsburgh GM Ray Shero. Martin is 34 years old, but the veteran plays an understated, low-mileage game. Martin would be a good mentor for Adam Larsson, the first defenseman picked in 2011.

Hynes is ready for the NHL

Shero made the right move by hiring John Hynes, his former AHL coach, to take over the New Jersey bench. Hynes, a Boston University alumnus and native of Warwick, R.I., is everything today’s players want in their coaches: positive, energetic, innovative, and willing to communicate. The 40-year-old Hynes, whose coaching stops include BU, UMass-Lowell, Wisconsin, USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, believes in honest but empathetic relationships with his players. It’s the approach he took with Patrick Kane at the NTDP. He was the same way with youngsters such as Robert Bortuzzo and Simon Despres in the AHL. “I like to develop relationships with players and understand where they’re coming from,” Hynes said during his introductory news conference on Tuesday. “That starts everything.” Hynes’s job, per Shero’s mandate, is to coach a team that’s fast, attacking, and supportive in all three zones. Young players like playing this way. The Devils will not be as passive as they were in the previous regime.

Stafford remains on Jets’ radar

The Winnipeg Jets would prefer to resign right wing Drew Stafford before he enters unrestricted free agency next month. Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Drew Stafford will be eligible for unrestricted free agency next month. In a thin market, Stafford would be one of the primary targets for teams seeking shoot-first presence on the right side. But the Jets would prefer to re-up Stafford before he reaches UFA status. Stafford, who arrived in the Evander Kane package, was a good fit in Winnipeg. He scored nine goals and 10 assists in 26 games for the Jets. Stafford is a reliable No. 2 right wing behind Blake Wheeler. The Jets didn’t have any answers for the powerful Ducks in the first round of the playoffs, but Stafford wasn’t an issue.

Loose pucks

Bruins defenseman Matt Bartkowski will have options in free agency because of his skating and strength. A likely landing spot is Vancouver. GM Jim Benning and vice president of player personnel John Weisbrod have liked Bartkowski’s game. In turn, Kevin Bieksa and Dan Hamhuis, who will be unrestricted in July 2016, would draw interest on the trade market . . . Former BU standout Herb Wakabayashi died on Monday in Japan. He was 70. Wakabayashi was a two-time All-American, in 1967-68 and 1968-69. Wakabayashi played for Jack Kelley and was a teammate of Jack Parker . . . Cory Schneider, Mike Cammalleri, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Daniel Winnik represented the NHLPA in Thursday’s competition committee meeting in New York. They are products of the following programs: Boston College, Michigan, Boston University, and the University of New Hampshire, respectively. For important moments, you always send in the college guys.

Conn men

Should the Blackhawks come away with the Stanley Cup, there’s a good chance either Patrick Kane (who entered Saturday second in playoff scoring at 10-10 — 20) or Jonathan Toews (sixth at 9-9 — 18) walks off with the Conn Smythe Trophy as the top postseason performer. Each has won the honor once before (Toews in 2010, Kane in 2013). Only five players in NHL history, all Hall of Famers, have at least two Conn Smythes in their trophy collection.





Compiled by Sean Smith

Fluto Shinzawa can be reached at fshinzawa@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeFluto. Material from interviews, wire services, other beat writers, and league and team sources was used in this report.