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Before the pandemic-shortened season, there was little reason to doubt that Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov would thrive in his 24-year-old rookie season. The youngest player to 100 goals in KHL history, Kaprizov dazzled and finished one vote shy of becoming the first unanimous Calder Trophy winner since 1993. Few, if any, prospects enter the NHL with that level of surety.

But, because of last years limited games, several young players this season have displayed their talents and still retain their rookie status. A trio of 2019 U.S. blue chipsCole Caufield, Trevor Zegras, Spencer Knightsneak past the Calder eligibility cutoff as they compete with true newcomers seeking to make their mark on the 202122 season. With the season about to kick off, here are the top rookies to watch.

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Wherever Caufield has gone, goals follow. He smashed Phil Kessels USA Hockey National Team Development Program all-time goals record, scoring 126 times in 123 games. He led the NCAA in goals (30) last season and he notched four goals in 10 regular season games with Montreal, too. Once more, he took gold at the 2021 World Juniors, won the Hobey Baker Award with Wisconsin and tallied 12 points in the Canadiens surprise run to the Stanley Cup Final. All in the span of six months. Not bad for the 5 7, 162-pound prospect who fell due to size concerns.

Ahead of his first full NHL season, Caufield is poised to rejoin second-year standout Nick Suzuki on the Habs top line. The duo dominated on the power play in the postseason, helping Montreal outscore opponents 81 and accounting for 40% of Montreals extra-strength goals. Caufield opened as the betting markets favorite to take the 2022 Calder Trophy, and his frontrunner status isnt likely to change as long as his sniping prowess continues.

Zegras flashed his two-way playmaking ability in Anaheim, dishing out 10 assists in 24 games despite Anaheims allergy to scoring. Still, the Ducks patiently enacted his development plan. He started with the Ducks AHL affiliate. He then earned a late February call-up and played wing to ease his transition, but returned to San Diego after his first multi-point performance to gain seasoning at centerhis natural position. The 2021 World Juniors MVP swapped AHL and NHL jerseys twice more before the season ended.

The No. 9 pick in the 2019 NHL draft, Zegras displays quick skating and serene puck distribution only rivaled in his class by Jack Hughes. Not to mention slick stickhandling, either. Meanwhile, the Ducks have fallen into an arduous rebuild and succumbed to the leagues second-worst goal differential since 2018. Expect Zegras to not just stick with the team but to push for a top-six spot and lead Anaheims youth movement.

A beguiling puck handler? An explosive skater moving between the pipes? A calm, cool and collected netminder? Knight showcases all of the traits that makeup an elite NHL goaltender and has the expectations to match. With the No. 13 pick, the Panthers made Knight the highest-drafted goalie since the Kings selected Jack Campbell at No. 11 in 2010. Knight parlayed his international success (a sterling .940 save percentage and 1.63 goals-against average en route to World Junior gold) to the pros, where he became the youngest netminder to win his first four games.

The sensation didnt end there: Knight filled in for a beleaguered Sergei Bobrovsky and stonewalled the Lightning, stopping 36 of 37 shots, as the Panthers took Game 5 of their first-round series. (Tampa Bay responded with a series-ending 40 bludgeoning.) Therein lies the drama, and the greatest roadblock to Knights ascendance. Bobrovsky, and his $10 million annual cap hit that runs through 2026, remains the 1A, but prolonged shaky play might have Knight challenging for a more even platoon sooner than not.

Before 2020, Seider hadnt earned many superlatives beyond best German blueliner prospect in nearly two decades. He wasnt even a top-three European defenseman in his draft class. That changed, quick. Seider, at 19, joined the Swedish Hockey Leagues Rgle BK for the 202021 season. There he scored seven goals and 28 points, led Rgle BK to the leagues finals and took defenseman of the year honors. He became the youngest winner in the awards seven-year history.

A two-way right-handed defenseman who can play with the puck and with an edge, Seider has grown from a draft-day reach to a likely opening-night roster lock. He can thrive on the power play, where the Red Wings have scored the second-fewest goals per game over the last three seasons. Taking instruction from another big-bodied blueliner, Niklas Kronwall, Seider is hoping to develop further into Detroits top-pairing defensemen of the future.

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The No. 6 pick in the 2020 NHL draft, Drysdale, 19, has made a habit out of earning more minutes than his age suggests. He became the seventh 17-year-old defenseman to play for Canada at the World Juniors, joining names like Scott Niedermayer and Wade Redden. Last year, Drysdale debuted with a goal and an assist in a win over the Coyotes as an 18-year-old. That was after winning AHL Rookie of the Month with the San Diego Gulls.

A slick skater and a prototypical power-play quarterback, Drysdale will helm Anaheims rebuild on the backend as Zegras attempts to do the same up front. And like Seider, Drysdales only barrier to significant playing time is how much he can handle this early in his career.

Heading into the 2019 NHL draft, there was a case to be made that Podkolzin was the third-most talented prospect behind Hughes and Kaapo Kakko. Podkolzin, at 6 1, 196 pounds, boasted dominant physical attributes fused with a finishers touch and a defenders penchant for puck stealing. The problem? He didnt have on-paper production in limited KHL ice time.

The Russian winger broke through, tallying six goals and five assists in SKA St. Petersburg's run to the KHL Conference Finals. Hes shown glimpses of his potential during the preseason. On a Canucks team searching for a bounceback campaign, Podkolzin offers offensive firepower while the blue line hopes to piece together a respectable unit.

Last November Rossi tested positive for COVID-19 while playing for the Swiss National Leagues Zurich Lions. He recovered and played at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship, but extreme fatigue kicked in. When he arrived in Minnesota for training camp, Rossi failed his cardiac screening. Doctors diagnosed Rossi with myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle. He couldnt walk, much less skate.

Rossi was cleared to resume training in May. Now, hes fighting for a spot on the Wilds 23-man roster. The No. 9 pick in the 2020 NHL draft, Rossi led the entire CHL in scoring with 120 points for the Ottawa 67s in 201920. The Austrian playmaker excels in his own end, too, and was considered one of the best defensive forwards in his class.

Quinton Byfield fractured his left ankle in a loss to the Coyotes during the preseason and is out indefinitely, but he had leapfrogged Gabe Vilardi as the Kings second-line center last season Lucas Raymond debuted as a 16-year-old in the Swedish Hockey League and has the talent to crack the Red Wings roster, even if he starts the season in the AHL Jeremy Swayman won the Mike Richter Award as the NCAAs best goalie in 201920 and had a 1.50 goals-against average and .945 save percentage to go along with a 73 record with the Bruins last year. Tuukka Rask remains entrenched as Bostons unquestioned starter ... Bowen Byram, unlike Seider and Drysdale, has a bigger hill to climb in terms of playing time on Colorados blue line.

More Hockey Coverage:

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Top Rookies to Watch in the 202122 NHL Season - CalBearsMaven

Got a solid blogging strategy? Im here to challenge it.

Dont have one? Keep reading.

Developing the right blogging strategy and optimizing it regularly is essential.

Heres why: You need a strategy for efficiency. But when the strategy overruns creativity, the value is lost.

If youre consumed by looking for keyword synonyms, perfecting keyword placement, and choosing the optimal anchor text for internal links, your blog will turn into a word game (read: boring).

What you should be focusing on instead is user intent and providing valuable answers to the questions your audience is asking.

Thats where the beauty of quality SEO content comes in. When you do it right, everyone benefits search engines, your target audience, and of course you.

Lets start with the factors that are an absolute must for your blog SEO.

I call these blog busters because any one of them can make or break your blog.

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Open up your to-do checklist.

More than 50% of search traffic comes from mobile devices.

Blog readers expect mobile-responsive blogs, and Google knows that. Thats why being mobile-friendly is a ranking factor.

A blog should provide an exceptional user experience for readers on desktop and mobile not one at the expense of the other.

Its a perfect example of how pleasing readers and search engines go hand-in-hand.

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Readers have short attention spans and if the page doesnt load near-instantly, you can expect them to bounce.

Moving on to the next runner-up on the SERP is less frustrating than waiting.

Make sure your visual elements dont slow down page speed.

Remove anything from the page that may interfere with loading such as unnecessary code, overused plugins, and other extra baggage.

Google knows if your page is slow and people are leaving right away. So load time is crucial for getting eyes on your article and climbing the SERP rankings.

Very short blog posts are easy to read and may get a lot of views. But how much valuable information can you provide in 300 words?

Itll always be little more than a teaser. (Fun fact: Youve read over 400 words already.)

Longer posts will increase the value of your content if you deliver relevant insights.

Heres a little secret trick (well, not so secret anymore): If you prefer short posts, create clusters of short articles around the same topic and interlink them.

Readers can easily move from post to post, and you kill three birds with one stone.

Google wants to know who your friends are. I mean, they know just about everything, but you get the idea.

Creating an optimized blog goes beyond writing relevant, engaging, and informative content for your audience.

It requires promoting, networking, and distribution as part of the content marketing strategy.

To establish a loyal readership, you need to build trust.

Google is on the readers side, and backlinks are an important ranking factor. They are considered a kind of proof that you are a recognized authority on a subject.

To rank well, you need established sites to vouch for you.

Lets stick with gaining the readers trust here.

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How can a random searcher be sure whether you know what youre talking about?

Before they trust you, theyll trust Google. The search engine wont send people to your page on skincare if your company sells computer accessories.

The question you need to ask is, what expertise can you offer to your audience?

Your blog content needs to streamline what your brand stands for.

If you are clear on that, authority is a logical consequence. The search engine recognizes your area of business based on the relevance of keywords to the URLs of your domain.

Proper keyword research is still the holy grail.

Your keyword strategy is useless if you target the wrong terms. You need to identify the keywords your target audience uses to find what they need and effectively target them.

It means putting yourself in their shoes.

Evaluating search volume and keyword competitiveness wont cut it.

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Ask yourself, Why and what does your audience want to read and learn about?

How does search intent alter the way searchers use keywords?

What intent does your blog satisfy?

Which keywords drive the most traffic to your type of blog or website?

These are questions you want to answer for your blog as a whole and for the individual articles, as well.

Theres no time like the present. Take a look at the top keywords in the United States (i.e., what people are actually searching for) right now:

You need to think optimization before you even create the first bit of content and never stop.

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What do I mean by optimization? After all, there is SEO optimization, conversion optimization, image optimization, and simply optimizing your content to stay relevant.

Optimization is simply the process of making something optimal higher quality, more effective, just better.

The bottom line though is you want to optimize your new and existing content to meet your goals. That likely includes all of the above, plus some more.

Youll want to implement the focus keyword in your title and metadata.

Select secondary keywords that appear in H2s and incorporate them naturally throughout the text.

Create titles with a clear message that drives people to click and keep reading.

Add visuals that enhance the written content and optimize those images with the right keywords in the alt texts.

Put some thought, and research, into your CTAs. Make them interesting and most importantly clear.

If you have old content that is losing relevance, you can update it in keeping with on-page SEO best practices and see powerful results with a lighter lift.

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If I had to choose a single SEO tip, this would be it: Treat your blog as a central pillar in your digital marketing strategy.

We used to think of blogging as extra content that isnt essential. Those days are over. And so are the days when blogging was merely writing freely about an interesting topic.

This is one piece of critical advice every SEO pro will give you.

Many blog managers assume they know their audience but never analyze how close to reality their assumptions are.

If you want to get (and keep) your blog a step ahead of your competitors and improve your audience targeting, go the extra mile and analyze your actual audience vs. your target audience.

This is a critical part of our SEO strategy, and we use our audience analysis tool to identify demographics, interests, and behavior.

See what your web analytics software offers, collect and track data about your blog audience.

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You may not make mind-blowing discoveries, but youll fine-tune your SEO strategy to generate more qualified traffic and reach more relevant readers.

No matter how you turn it, keyword research is your foundation.

Research in Context

The most sophisticated SEO strategy cant generate results unless its built on the right keywords, which is why I believe in addressing keyword research (or any other research) in the context of the market landscape.

Investigate the search volume for keywords, but also reverse the angle.

How? By starting with the destination, not the term.

The idea is to reveal which keywords drive the most traffic to sites similar to yours.

It helps pinpoint user intent and identify relevant audiences.

Research Performance

Research how keywords perform and to what type of content they drive traffic.

When you see your chosen keyword generates traffic to sites that answer entirely different issues, reconsider.

Research Relevant, Current, Accurate Data

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The abundance of data thats available on the web can be overwhelming. What metrics are most relevant? How come different analytics tools provide conflicting info?

Its because each has its unique definition and measurement method. Whats best for you depends on your type of business and business goals.

But one thing is increasingly important for all blogs and websites: Research with real-time data.

Averages from past months arent indicative of whats working today. Keyword performance and rankings change quickly. You want to identify the most promising trends so you can create new content and optimize existing content.

Pro tip: Identify whether your target keywords are driving organic traffic or generate mainly paid traffic. This helps you laser-focus on the most relevant terms and avoid losing traffic to ads.

Your closest competitors are likely targeting the same keywords.

Searchers get SERPs full of similar page titles. When that happens, your potential reader turns to the meta descriptions those 160 characters summarizing your blog content to determine whether the article answers their query.

See the article here:
10 Blogging Tips to Capture the Right Audience (and Keep Them) - Search Engine Journal

Remember that joke of how a woman who had to once choose between her husband and her maid, and she would pick the latter? Although a joke, its an example of how much Indians depend on their domestic helpers. To that end, Meenakshi Gupta Jain along with her husband Punit Jain founded Helper4U.in, an online platform that aims to link domestic workers with employers.

Helper4U was initially started as a small community-based project in Mumbai to maintain a database of domestic helpers who were showing up for work. But when Meenakshi realised that they were subject to exploitation while hunting for jobs, she quit her lucrative job to devote her time and attention to the cause for a comprehensive and systematic approach to the problem.

The objective was to create an easy-to-use application like Naukri.com but for people without an email-id. Besides, mobile application was at that time the simplest thing to do as mobiles were booming in India and even the poorest of the poor had mobiles at their place, says Meenakshi.

Thus emerged the mobile application as the platform that became a common denominator between employers and job seekers. So, Helper4U serves as the database with all details of the job seekers, and employers just need to go online, filter their requirements, get the details, and call them directly. The pandemic has led the startup to recently introduce elderly care services.

The couple, along with 12 members comprises the operations and technical support team, where a major part of the operations is handled by people from underprivileged backgrounds. This was a conscious decision as we realised that these people coming from slums have a certain sense of empathy and understanding while talking to job seekers, says Meenakshi.

The founder boasts of the one lakh job seekers registered with them.

Helper4U got registered as an online business under the .in domain since it didnt want to go through the operational challenges of a physical company. Infact, our employers and job seekers find it easier to remember the .in domain as it is shorter. Also, it gives a local advantage with the Indian identity, especially beneficial for NRIs looking for services based in India, adds Meenakshi.

Apart from the exorbitant cost of the .com domain, the growth potential of the .in extension led the startup to take the plunge. Having an appropriate domain name and extension is an investment for Meenakshi as it not only sets the identity but also helps to increase the SEO while people search for the company.

The National Internet Exchange for India (NIXI) is helping many businesses across the country to get a .in or .Bharat domain. Enterprises irrespective of their scale and size can avail a .in domain with the help of NIXI. It is affordable and can be availed in more than 22 languages for businesses coming from all regions of the country.

Helper4U ensures hiring when you need, and where you need at the blink of an eye. In the days to arrive Meenakshi aims at proper training and orientation of the employees on a mobile platform before joining elsewhere.

Talking of operational growth, the startup had its base in Mumbai but soon had an organic growth with word-to-mouth publicity, receiving calls from every corner of the city. The website has almost 40,000 visitors each month. The starting package from the employers which was Rs 150 has now turned into Rs 1,000 within five years.

According to Meenakshi, the domestic sector bears the greatest opportunity for them which has ready-made jobs, is constantly growing, and always has room for employment. Discussing the future roadmap, Meenakshi explains, Apart from the training of job seekers, we are focussing on two things that include proper training in a formalised manner, and create a mini-LinkedIn kind of network to grow the database.

The Shaping India Inc's Online Growth series chronicles the journeys of startups and SMEs in India and how creating an online presence on the .in or .Bharat domain powered their success stories.

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How Helper4U acts as the perfect matchmaker for Indias semi- and unskilled workforce - YourStory

Kieran Reed.

Alpha Digitals Kieran Reed, outlines how the latest Google update is likely to impact your brand

Googles search algorithm is constantly becoming more sophisticated, and its latest breakthrough harnesses new AI to answer more complex queries. The end goal? You can start asking Google questions in the same way that you would ask a friend or a trusted expert.

Speaking at its recent Search On event, Google revealed how its Multitasker Unified Model (MUM), a neural network, will allow people to get the answers that they need with less searches. MUM is an AI-powered super-algorithm which provides a massive update; with huge potential and many implications for brands which are yet to unfold. Marketers who have been creating helpful and insightful content that delivers the best value to people can rest assured that the update will work to their advantage.

Whats new to search?

Google has used a great example, which makes the benefits of the update easy to understand. Lets say that you want to climb Mount Fuji. Using the new search functionality, you could take a picture of your hiking boots and ask, Can I use these to hike Mt. Fuji?. Its the type of question that you might have to ask an avid climber, or someone local to the area if you wanted to get your answer offline - and you can imagine that you would get a pretty rich response. Its the type of human interaction which has been difficult for Google to parallel in the past.

If you wanted to get that type of information online, you would probably have to make multiple searches like, best hiking boots or recommended hiking boots for Mount Fuji, and stitch together the answers and compare them to your own boots to find your answer.

How does MUM work?

Its not easy to bring so much context into the search equation and deliver an answer quickly. Thats why the algorithm is evolving to understand 75 languages to unlock more information. For example, if there is important information that is only available in Japanese across the web, Google can now consider it and make it available for English searchers. MUM is also mutlimodal which means it can understand and utilise information from a wider variety of formats like webpages, pictures, videos and more, simultaneously. This is a huge update for Google Lens, Googles existing image recognition platform. Its also important to note, that while human biases can reduce the social utility of AI, Google is taking active measures to document and limit these.

As Google becomes more sophisticated, so should marketers.

Googles new super algorithm will better understand the context of content, not just the number of times you used a keyword. Marketers that prioritise value for people through their content and user experience will benefit massively. Manipulative SEO tactics, such as keyword spamming and low quality links (that dont provide value to the end user) and having less and less influence on the algorithm. People that try to manipulate search engines simply wont be prioritised as Google continues to provide more valuable information to its end user.

SEO is not magic or sorcery. Nor is it something to compromise on. Its about showcasing value to your end user and ensuring Google has the best chance of understanding that value. Lets go back to that hiking enthusiast who dreams about the views from the summit of Mt. Fuji. The marketers that commit to supporting that dream and making it a reality by publishing practical and inspiring advice online, will position their brand right in front of that person who is open to considering all of the intel and equipment that they need to get to the top.SEO should be a considered element in your marketing mix, because it demands that you realign with your customer through considered and thoughtful content. Good old-fashioned, walk a mile in your customers shoes marketing is now rewarded handsomely. This is because Google is helping users answer more complex queries and are getting better at providing the value that searchers are seeking.

Google seeks to serve our complex needs and so should you.

As Google gets a wider understanding of the potential context and intent of a search query, it can provide more rich answers. The hiker can surface helpful subtopics for deeper exploration, such as top-rated gear or best training exercises, with pointers to helpful articles, videos, and images from across the web. Its the perfect opportunity for empathetic and data-driven marketers who want to tap into the ever-evolving search landscape and provide more value to their customers.

Kieran Reed is a senior digital experience account manager at Alpha Digital

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Brands that add value to benefit the most from Google's new 'super algorithm' update - AdNews

News flash, you're not a tree, so if you're feeling stuck. It's time to dust yourself off, stretch those limbs and make some moves! New job, first job or part-time positions are all available, and below is a fresh list of local options and companies ready to say, "you're hired!"

First Things First

Resumes are a must when you're applying for a job so instead of getting butthurt because it's an inconvenience, spare yourself the wasted energy and get cracking. Use the positions with experience that fit the jobs you are applying for and keep the whole thing to one page. Feeling lost? Reach out to Worksource Yakima and they will get you all set up!

The more jobs you apply for, the more options you'll have in the end so apply, apply, apply and you've got this! If I could steal a line from Bridesmaids, "you're beautiful AND you smell like sunshine!" Positive vibes are currently being sent your way.

Business Currently Hiring

Prosser Memorial Hospital

PediaStaff

Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic

The Salvation Army Western USA

Round Table Pizza

WinCo Foods

Valley Mall

Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital

El Parrillon Loco

READ MORE: See 50 remote jobs that can pay well

KEEP READING: Here are the best places to retire in America

Just saying the names of these towns immediately conjures up images of grand mansions, luxury cars, and ritzy restaurants. Read on to see which town in your home state took the title of the richest location and which place had the highest median income in the country. Who knowsyour hometown might even be on this list.

Go here to read the rest:
Time to Update the Resume and Grab a Job! - newstalkkit.com