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Henrik Sedin was one of four Vancouver Canucks players watching the introduction of coach John Tortorella from the back of a packed press room Tuesday.

The captain listened intently as Tortorella talked of pushing for more out of a veteran team that came within a win of the Stanley Cup in 2011 but has one win in two playoff appearances since, after being swept by the San Jose Sharks this postseason.

Sedin heard Tortorella talk of the need for better defending and more shot blocking throughout the lineup, and specifically adding a penalty-killing role for him and twin brother Daniel Sedin, the team's leading scorers.

Henrik Sedin said he liked what he heard from his new coach, and didn't seem worried about hearing it more pointedly -- and loudly -- inside a locker room that predecessor Alain Vigneault long ago turned over to the veterans. "It doesn't matter if you have a coach that comes in and yells and screams; it has to make sense though, as a player you have to sit there and say, 'He's right,'" Henrik Sedin said. "I'm sure we're going to see different ways of dealing with stuff, but we're 33 years old, we're not 12, so I think we're able to handle a lot of things."

That includes time on the penalty kill, which Vigneault kept the twins off in order to keep them fresh for 5-on-5 and power-play situations, despite repeated pleas over the years from both Sedin twins to help out more shorthanded.

"Thirteen years we've been waiting," Henrik Sedin said with a chuckle. "It's something that I think is a big part of becoming a great player. You have to be on the ice for all situations. For us, we were counted upon to score goals, and if we didn't, then we were terrible. I think you grow as players when you play all situations."

As for occasional yelling, Henrik Sedin pointed out his NHL career started with noted screamer Marc Crawford behind the bench, and said most players want good communication and don't mind being accountable for their performance.

"He can come in and deal with things in the locker room the way he wants to, as long as you are on the same page and able to talk to him," Henrik Sedin said.

That is exactly what the Canucks should expect, said forward Christopher Higgins, who played 55 games under Tortorella with the New York Rangers in 2009-10.

"He has got a different approach than most coaches," said Higgins, who was traded by the Rangers that year but said his "poor year" had nothing to do with playing for Tortorella. "The thing I took away most about him is that he cares a lot. Some guys respond well, some guys don't to the way he approaches his team, but at the end of the day he is very fair and he is very honest."

He also asks a lot from his players, especially the top ones, Higgins added.

"He wants your compete level to be 100 percent at all times," he said. "He wants his best players to be his best players night after night and a lot of pressure falls on them. He wants all his players' compete to be as high as it can be."

If it isn't, continued Higgins, everyone on the team will hear about it.

"I don't think he has too many 1-on-1 meetings," he said. "If he is going to talk about a player, everyone in the room is going to be there to listen too."

It could make for an interesting dynamic, especially for Ryan Kesler, who played briefly for Tortorella when the latter was an assistant coach for the United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, winning a silver medal. Kesler bristled at times when Vigneault talked publicly about his performance on the ice, particularly when the former coach suggested the center use his linemates more, but Kesler welcomed Tortorella with open arms Tuesday.

"He's going to play the guys that are going, he is going to keep everybody accountable, and that's what I like," said Kesler, who has no problem blocking shots despite breaking a foot doing so this season. "It's frustrating for the other team when you have to shoot through six guys. If we get everybody playing like that we are going to frustrate teams. … We have to be a team that is hard to play against, that almost [ticks] teams off. I'm happy that's the way he wants to play."


Canucks players eager to learn from Tortorella - NHL-com - NHL Insider

As teams prepared for this weekend's draft, they also knocked off a couple summer projects.

Among Wednesday's signings:

-The St. Louis Blues signed defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk to a four-year deal and forward Patrik Berglund for one year. Both would have been restricted free agents on July 5. Berglund, who finished second on the team with 17 goals, will make $3.25 million next year. Shattenkirk's deal totals $17 million, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He finished second to Alex Pietrangelo in points by a Blues defenseman.

-Columbus Blue Jackets winger Artem Anisimov, also due to become a restricted agent, got a three-year, $9.85 million contract. He came over in last summer's Rick Nash trade and finished third on the Blue Jackets with 11 goals. He'll get annual salaries of $2.75 million, $3.1 million and $4 million.

-The San Jose Sharks re-signed potential restricted free agent forwards Andrew Desjardins (two years) and James Sheppard (one-year).



NHL signings from around the league

When the Black Hawks clinched the 1938 title in Chicago, Lord Stanley's Cup wasn't in the house.

Frank Calder, the first president of the NHL, thought so little of the 1937-38 Hawks that, prior to the Cup finals against the heavily favored Toronto Maple Leafs, he had the Cup dispatched from Detroit — where the Red Wings had won it the previous season — to Toronto and didn't bother to re-route it to Chicago even as the Hawks had a chance to clinch the series at home.

What's more, the '38 team is one of the most improbable winners in NHL history.

Those Hawks were the lowest scoring team in the league and had backed into the playoffs with a record of 14-25-9. The team had an unheard-of eight American-born players and was coached by Bill Stewart, the first American to steward a team to the Cup.

And the clincher? The Hawks' starting goaltender for Game 1 against the Maple Leafs was Alfie Moore, a member of the Leafs' farm team, the Pittsburgh Hornets.

The Hawks' No. 1 goalie, Mike Karakas, had a broken toe, and it wasn't clear until the afternoon of the first game he would be unable to play. Backup Paul Goodman was at his home in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and couldn't make it to Toronto on time. Stewart tried to bring in a ringer, Davey Kerr, the standout goalie for the Rangers. But Conn Smythe, Toronto's legendary manager, protested and the league nixed the plan.

Finally Smythe agreed to let Stewart use his minor league goalie.

But time was short, and Hawks left winger Johnny Gottselig, who knew Moore, found him at a tavern, already several drinks for the worse.

"He'd had about 10 or a dozen drinks," Gottselig said, recalling the incident years later in an interview with John Devaney, author of "The Stanley Cup." "We put some coffee into him and put him under the shower. By game time, he was in pretty good shape."

The Hawks stunned the Leafs 3-1 and even won over Leafs fans, who gave Moore a standing ovation as he was carried off the ice by his teammates.

Smythe was irate to have been "beaten by a hungover, minor league goalie," and refused to allow Moore to play in Game 2. Moore was given $300 and a gold watch for his efforts but only played in three more NHL games in his career.

Moore's Game 2 replacement, Goodman, promptly was burned for five goals in a 5-1 loss.

The Hawks devised a way to fit Karakas' skate with a steel guard to protect his broken toe and he came back to lead the team to a 2-1 victory in Chicago in front of 18,496, the largest-ever crowd to watch a hockey game at that time. Practically overnight, the underestimated team had become the toast of the town.

But Calder wasn't buying into the Cinderella story, and the Cup remained in Toronto as the Hawks clinched the title with a 4-1 victory in Game 4 of the best-of-five series.

Meanwhile Karakas was keen to cash in on a bet he had made with teammate Roger Jenkins, who had told him, "If we win the Cup, I'll push you down State Street in a wheelbarrow."

When Jenkins made good on the bet, a huge crowd turned up to view the spectacle, paralyzing traffic in the Loop.




1938 Black Hawks: One of most improbable winners in NHL history - chicagotribune-com

For much of the season, Seth Jones of the Western Hockey League's Portland Winterhawks has been the consensus No. 1 pick with Halifax Mooseheads' teammates Jonathan Drouin and Nathan MacKinnon generally considered the second and third overall picks.

However, the Colorado Avalanche, who hold the top pick at Sunday's draft in Newark, N.J., put a wrench in many draft predictions last week telling the Denver Post they would prefer to take one of the available forwards.

Jones, the son of former NBA player Popeye Jones, is a 6-foot-4 defenseman, who grew up in the Denver area. He had 56 points in 61 regular season games with Portland this season, adding 15 points in 21 playoff games as the Winterhawks came one win shy of winning the Memorial Cup.

Jones said he was a Detroit Red Wings fan growing up and watched defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom closely.

"A puck moving defenseman," Jones, 18, said in describing his game. "Two-way. Plays defense, but I can also create offense for the team."

MacKinnon, who first played against Jones as a 15-year-old, described Jones as "very agile. He's really skilled and does everything well. He touches every part of his game. A very complete player."

Scouts believe Jones will be an NHL defenseman next season.

"If anyone had an unreal season from start to finish, it's this guy," said David Burstyn, director of scouting at McKeen's Hockey. "He's big, he can skate, he can skate better than some NHL players right now.

"Seth Jones is an anomaly because he's such a superlative athlete. He's already being talked about as a top-2 guy."

Drouin and MacKinnon, who are fresh off a Memorial Cup win with the Mooseheads last month, are, according to many rankings, the best two forwards available at this year's draft.

"I think my speed is what my strength is," said MacKinnon, 17. "I try to get hard on pucks and play a pretty physical game and get involved so a lot of it is that."

MacKinnon, a 6-foot, 182-pound center, had 32 goals and 75 points in 44 games this season with the Mooseheads. He was also part of the Canadian team, which finished fourth in Ufa, Russia, at the world junior championships.

"He's an extremely good skater. He can power around people and his shot's really developed from the first time I saw him," said Jones. "He can really put the puck in the net. He's definitely a tough customer to contain."

A native of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, MacKinnon often draws comparisons to Sidney Crosby, who is from the same hometown. The Colorado Avalanche haven't been protective of praise for MacKinnon. Head coach Patrick Roy, weighing what do to with the No. 1 overall pick, said it would be hard to pass on MacKinnon.

"They're a little bit different players, but they do have the compete level," said agent Pat Brisson, who represents both players. "They're very similar, they're both powerful skaters."

Drouin, a native Ste-Agathe, Quebec, is a 5-foot-11, 185-pound forward. He was the Canadian Hockey League's player of the year, scoring 41 goals and 105 points in 49 games this season.

"I had a really good first half of the season, that's why I got an invite to world juniors and I think I just played my game at world juniors," said Drouin, 18. "I'm a pass-first guy, I know I'm a playmaker. I just try to move the puck to my teammates and help them out."

Drouin, who wasn't even sure he'd play in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League when drafted, took home awards for the league's top player, personality of the year and the award for the best professional prospect.

"Drouin's got all the natural skill to be a point, a gate player in the NHL," said Burstyn. "He can play both center and left wing. He has to get a little bit more assertive. He's got to get a little bit more involved."

Russian forward Valeri Nichushkin, who spent this past season in the Kontinental Hockey League, could easily go within the top three picks of the draft, but as is the case with many Russians, teams are questioning if he will report.

Speaking through a translator at the recent NHL scouting combine, the 6-foot-4, 196-pound left winger said he would be willing to come to North America for the 2013-14 season, but only if he has an NHL job.

"Either NHL or KHL, not American Hockey League," Nichushkin said.

This year's draft also features prospects with excellent bloodlines.

Defenseman Darnell Nurse, who is the son of Richard, a former wide receiver in the Canadian Football League and the nephew of former NFL quarterback, Donovan McNabb, is expected to be a first-round pick.

Also expected to go in the first round is Max Domi, the son of former NHL tough guy, Tie. Forward Kerby Rychel, who is a projected a second-round pick, is the son of former NHL player Warren.

Forward Justin Bailey, likely a second-round pick, is the son of former NFL linebacker Carlton Bailey. Defenseman Jordan Subban, is the younger brother of Norris Trophy-winner P.K. and Bruins prospect, Malcolm. Andrew Cassel's son Cole is a projected third-round pick.



NHL draft top pick - chicagotribune-com

No one puts Bryan Berard in a corner.

When the former NHL All-Star defenseman and No. 1 draft pick, best known for returning to the Rangers after losing his eye in a grisly on-ice accident in 2000, left the NHL in 2008, he never expected to spend his days pouring through financial documents, emails and texts, and meeting with law enforcement officials and civil attorneys across the country.

His mission: to recover the millions he invested with an unlicensed financial investor who bills himself as a “lifestyle coach” and a convicted cocaine dealer who reinvented himself as a race car driver.

Now Berard is speaking to law enforcement investigators trying to unravel bank transfers and payments centering around a web of investments that may have extracted up to $100 million from Berard and other investors, among them more than a dozen current and former NHL players.

The latest discoveries come four years after the Daily News began reporting on what is believed to be one of the most extensive frauds ever perpetrated on professional athletes. While the affair underscores a broader problem of wealthy pro athletes stripped penniless by poor investment decisions and swarming advisers, the NHL case also belongs in its own category given its cinematic cast of characters and convoluted plot.

Much of the money remains unaccounted for, and the government’s scrutiny is especially intense for the colorful duo whom the feds have set their sights on: Phil Kenner and his auto-racing pal Tommy Constantine. Where the money went could affect who has equity in a world-class new golf resort in Mexico.

Neither Kenner nor Constantine could be reached for comment on this story.

“Many of the players are either broke or don’t want to spend any more money on legal fees or time trying to figure out where the money is and how it was taken, which is unfortunate but understandable,” says Berard, whose arms are sleeved in tattoos and who speaks calmly in the accent of his hometown of Woonsocket, R.I.

The other players affected include former Islander Michael Peca, former Ranger Mattias Norstrom, Jere Lehtinen of the Dallas Stars and NHL journeymen Glen Murray and Jozef Stumpel. One of the bigger investors was five-time All Star and Stanley Cup winner Sergei Gonchar of the Dallas Stars. “Some of the players still don’t even realize their money is gone,” Berard says. “But nothing is going to stop me from continuing to get the documentation and information showing these two guys that they just can’t take my money and get away with it. This was my retirement money, my nest egg.”

The former Ranger and Islander star has spent the last two-and-a-half years providing law enforcement officials with documents and evidence that he hopes will lead to charges against the two Arizona men who Berard says scammed him and the other players. He has joined forces with a retired Long Island policeman and investor named John Kaiser, who was also an alleged victim of the Kenner and Constantine schemes.

Berard says he began paying close attention to his investments after spending one last season playing pro hockey in Russia before retiring and turning his attention to his financial affairs.

“That’s when I really started to pay attention to the money I was spending and where it was going,” Berard says. “I saw the equity he had in the deals. There was a small share for the players and more for him — and that wasn’t the half of it.”

At 36, Berard already has the kind of life story of which movies are made. He was born in 1977 in Woonsocket, a mill town with a lot of French-Canadian heritage. His father was a mechanic and his mother raised six kids. Berard attended hockey powerhouse Mount Saint Charles Academy before leaving, at 17, to play in the elite junior hockey leagues of Ontario.

By 1994 it was clear that Berard was one of North America’s top pro hockey prospects; it was then that he was approached by Phil Kenner, a young financial planner at State Street Bank in Boston. Kenner was working with Boston Bruins legend Derek Sanderson, who then managed money for pro athletes at the bank. Kenner was encouraging hockey prospects to invest with him, and Berard signed on.

“He came to my house,” Berard says. “My family welcomed him.”

The following year the Ottawa Senators took Berard first overall in the 1995 entry draft, making him only the third American-born player to be the first pick. But he demanded a trade and the Senators dealt him to the Islanders. Berard thrived in his first year of pro hockey in 1996-97, winning the Calder Trophy at age 19. He was with the Islanders until 1999, when he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. His career was soaring until the second period in a game in Ottawa on March 11, 2000. Berard was patrolling in front of the Leafs’ net while they led the Senators 3-1 when Marian Hossa swung his stick at just the right angle and force that it came up and smashed into the upper right side of Berard’s face, crushing bones and all but destroying Berard’s right eye.

Grainy videos of the accident uploaded to YouTube years later show Berard face down, kicking his skates in pain while a pool of dark blood broadens on the ice. Despite a long series of operations by renowned surgeons, including New York specialist Stanley Chang, Berard lost vision in the eye. He collected a $6.5 million insurance payout for what looked like a career-ending injury, but in 2001 Berard decided to attempt a comeback, which required him to begin returning the insurance money on a payment plan. He signed with the Rangers on Sept. 12, 2001. In subsequent years he skated for the Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets.

He had made millions and spent freely throughout his career, always feeling secure about his future because of the roughly $3 million he had entrusted to Kenner. The investments, Berard believed, gave him a stake in real estate projects in Hawaii and Mexico, including a go

A meeting in Manhattan that lasted more than five hours failed to produce an agreement to send N.H.L. players to the Sochi Olympics in February. The three principal parties, however, said they were confident a deal is within reach. “We’re on a compact schedule, and everyone’s working very hard,” said N.H.L. Commissioner Gary Bettman, flanked by Donald Fehr, the executive director of the Players Association, and René Fasel of the International Ice Hockey Federation. “We seem to be pulling the oars in the same direction.”

Earlier this year, Fasel said he hoped a deal would be finalized by the end of May in order that national ice hockey federations could plan for the Winter Games.

“I think there are some agreements in principle, but we’re not completely in agreement on everything yet,” Bettman said. “But we’re getting closer on the open issues.”

Bettman called the meeting constructive and said he thought a solution could be found “very soon.”

Fasel is the president of the I.I.H.F. and a member of the International Olympic Committee’s executive board. He went directly from the meeting at the N.H.L. office to catch a flight to Switzerland, where he will meet on Tuesday with Olympic officials.

“I’m very happy,” Fasel said. “I have also to go back to my federation and to our national federations, especially to go back to the I.O.C. to make a report, and I’m confident that we will have a solution at the end.”

Some national ice hockey federations are proceeding as if an agreement will be reached. On Saturday USA Hockey announced that Dan Bylsma would coach the United States and set dates in late August for its orientation camp for players in Arlington, Va.

Last month, Sweden announced a preliminary roster of invitees, composed primarily of N.H.L. players, to its orientation camp in August.

“We’re on track and things are moving along,” Bettman said.

If the league, union and Olympic officials reach an agreement, it will mark the fifth time the N.H.L. has suspended its schedule and sent its players to the Winter Games, a practice that began at Nagano in 1998.



www-nytimes-com/2013/07/02/sports/hockey/nhl-nearing-olympics-deal-html?_r=0

He's baaack.

Tim Thomas could be coming to an NHL team near you. The former Bruins goaltender who took a year sabbatical from the NHL and then was traded to the Islanders is now a free agent. After some pondering, it appears Thomas is ready to look for a return to the league.

The news was originally put forth by Kevin Woodley of In Goal Magazine and then was seconded by both Bob McKenzie and Pierre LeBrun. Those two said an official annoucement is expected soon, in time for free agency in a couple of days. Lastly, it was confirmed by his agent, Bill Zito, in what is apparently his new Twitter account.

Tim Thomas has asked me to explore possible options for next season. We'll have no further comment at this time. Thanks.
— Bill Zito (@acmeworldsports) July 1, 2013

In other words, let the Timmy Thomas watch begin!

It took all of about two seconds for the connections to be immediately made between Thomas and the Philadephia Flyers. As you'll recall, they are kind of hurting for a starter right now with only Steve Mason signed at the moment. They need another goaltender, and Thomas has shown he is pretty darn good.

But that was before he took a year off. And that was before he had a pretty rocky ending in Boston that all began when he was a no-show at the Bruins' visit to the White House after they won the 2011 Stanley Cup. Considering the relationship the Philly media just got out of with Ilya Bryzgalov, that could be an interesting dynamic should it come to pass. Just as fun would be Thomas in Vancouver, serving as Roberto Luongo's backup.

It's not as though the Flyers and Canucks would be the only teams in play, however. There are a couple of other teams looking for goaltending help and, at this point, Thomas could be brought in as a backup, or at least in a 1A, 1B situation.

However, the more immediate question is what kind of talent does he still have. He turned 39 in April and, again, took an entire season off. However, in his last campaign in Boston, he still put up solid numbers with a 35-19-1 record, .920 save percentage and 2.36 goals against average. If he's sincere about wanting to come back, he has enough talent that some team will be intrigued to give him a shot.

Something to keep in mind: Thomas returning could also put him in play for a spot in the American net at the Olympics, a very crowded competition at this point. Some speculated that could be a reason why he would want to return to the NHL in 2013-14.

This summer gets more fun by the day.



Tim Thomas asks agent to explore return to NHL next season - CBSSports-com

It was banner day for two Oshawa Generals.

Cole Cassels and Josh Brown were both drafted by National Hockey League teams on Sunday in New Jersey.

Cassels was selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the third round, 85th overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. Cassels, a Columbus, Ohio native, scored 15 goals and 28 assists for 43 points in 64 games during his second Ontario Hockey League season. The centreman was Oshawa’s first round pick, 16th overall, in the 2011 OHL draft.

On his twitter account, @ColeCassels19, he tweeted "very excited to be part of the Vancouver Canucks organization!"

Defenceman Brown was selected 152nd overall in the sixth round by the Florida Panthers. The London native play all 68 games for the Generals this past season and had 19 points, all assists, and racked up 79 penalty minutes during the regular season. He broke through with his first OHL goal during the playoffs and added another four assists in nine games.

On the Florida Panthers website, Brown explained what it meant to be drafted.

“Almost a little surreal. I’m still trying to soak it in,” he said. “It’s every kid’s dream. Here I am now finally drafted so it’s a pretty exciting experience. It’s pretty cool.”


Pair of Oshawa Generals taken in NHL draft

Two weeks ago, Tyler Seguin was answering questions about his lack of offense and being stuck on the third line for the Boston Bruins during the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

He had new questions to answer Thursday, like, "How does the idea of Tyler Seguin, first-line center sound?"

That appears to be the plan after the Dallas Stars traded veteran forward Loui Eriksson and three prospects (Joseph Morrow, Reilly Smith and Matt Fraser) to Boston for Seguin, Rich Peverley and Ryan Button.

"We're looking at somebody that can obviously play with [Jamie] Benn," Stars coach Lindy Ruff said Thursday. "It is a position we wanted to fill, and it is the natural position for Tyler, and he's looking forward to playing it." Seguin spent his first three NHL seasons on the wing with the Bruins. He flourished there in his sophomore season on the team's second line with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. Seguin's numbers slipped a bit in 2012-13, and he was demoted to the third line when Jaromir Jagr arrived.

Seguin finished the postseason with one goal in 22 games, though he was second on the Bruins with 70 shots on goal.

The Bruins expect to lose wings Nathan Horton and Jagr to free agency, so there likely was going to be an opportunity for Seguin again in Boston's top six, but now he's going to Dallas training camp as a No. 1 center with a chance for a fresh start.

By slotting Seguin at center on the top line, that likely will move Benn to his wing. Benn, 23, has seen time at center and wing in his four seasons with the Stars.

"He is definitely a great player and seems like a great person," Seguin said of Benn. "I'm looking forward to getting the opportunity to play with him and forming a friendship. I've definitely seen the guy shoot the puck, so I'll definitely be looking for him out there."

Boston general manager Peter Chiarelli caused a bit of a stir Sunday at the 2013 NHL Draft with some pointed comments about Seguin and his need to be "more of a professional." Seguin, 21, was scratched from a game earlier in his career because he showed up late at the arena.

There have been other comments from anonymous Bruins sources about Seguin's off-ice behavior since the trade was raised as a possibility. Seguin and Peverley addressed those comments during a conference call Thursday.

"I definitely heard the rumors and things like that," Seguin said. "When the trade was announced, I don't know if I was surprised. As far as the personal comments, I talked to Peter about it right after the trade had happened. I come to the rink every day and expect to be a professional and work my hardest. Obviously I think the first few years of my career have been a big learning curve and I look forward to getting better every day and I'm definitely motivated to come to a great city like Dallas."

Peverley said, "I think Tyler is under quite the microscope here in Boston. I've heard a lot of things in the past 24 hours about Tyler that I don't think [are] true. It is unfortunate that it is coming to people talking like that. He works very hard. He's gotten a lot more mature in the years I've known him. He commits himself to the game and getting better." By adding Seguin and Peverley, the Stars are deeper at center. Dallas general manager Jim Nill said Peverley, 30, and 22-year-old Cody Eakin are likely to slot in at center on either the second or third line.

"In this business, every day you come to work and try to get better. We're looking at other options, but this adds two [centers] to our roster and we're excited about that," Nill said. "Both are right-handed shots, which you don't find a lot of. This gives us a good mix at center. Really our one weakness here in Dallas is we had no depth at center ice. This gets Benn back to the wing and puts everyone in their proper position."

Peverley played on the third line for most of his 2 1/2 seasons in Boston, splitting faceoff duties with Chris Kelly. He won more than 58 percent each of the past three seasons, a skill that Nill and Ruff said would help the Stars, especially on the penalty kill.

The Stars have now dealt away Brenden Morrow, Derek Roy, Jagr and Eriksson since a few days before the 2013 NHL Trade Deadline, but they still have veterans Ray Whitney and Erik Cole to play in the top six along with Seguin, Benn and either Eakin or Peverley. Another player who could have an impact is 2013 first-rounder Valeri Nichushkin, who slipped to the No. 10 pick where the Stars were happy to scoop him up.

Nill didn't rule out looking for another center when free agency begins Friday, but this certainly stands as a bold trade in his first few months on the job.



After trade, Stars plan to shift Seguin back to center - NHL-com - NHL Insider

A lower salary cap for N.H.L. teams did not hamper the usual flurry of summer free-agent spending. In perhaps the most stunning move completed Friday, the first day of free agency, the Senators’ captain, Daniel Alfredsson, left Ottawa after 17 seasons to join the Detroit Red Wings. Alfredsson, 40, has spent his entire N.H.L. career with Ottawa, collecting 426 goals and 682 assists in 1,178 games. He signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract. In another surprise, the veteran forward Jarome Iginla, 36, signed with Boston three months after he rejected the Bruins to join the Pittsburgh Penguins at the trade deadline.

The Islanders re-signed the 22-year-old defenseman Travis Hamonic to a seven-year, $27 million contract; kept their starting goaltender, Evgeni Nabokov (one year, $3.25 million); and added centers Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Peter Regin.

The Rangers signed the gritty forward Dominic Moore to a one-year contract. Moore, 32, broke into the N.H.L. with the Rangers and last played for them in 2005-6. He has played for eight teams since but did not play last season while he cared for his wife, who had a rare form of liver cancer. She died in January. The Rangers also added defenseman Aaron Johnson and the 6-foot-3, 205-pound forward Benoit Pouliot.

The Devils made a splash, signing the former Rangers forward Ryane Clowe to a five-year, $24.25 million deal. Clowe was acquired by the Rangers from San Jose at the trade deadline last season and had 3 goals and 5 assists in 12 games. He will replace David Clarkson, who left for a seven-year, $36.75 million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Devils also signed two forwards: Michael Ryder, 33, to a two-year, $7 million deal, and Rostislav Olesz, 27, to a one-year contract.

In addition to Alfredsson, Detroit signed center Stephen Weiss to a five-year, $24.5 million deal. Weiss was the fourth overall pick in the 2001 draft and scored 20 goals in the three seasons before this past one, in which he played only 17 games because of an injured wrist.

After losing Alfredsson, the Senators pulled off a major trade with Anaheim, acquiring forward Bobby Ryan for left wing Jakob Silfverberg, a prospect and a first-round pick. Ottawa also signed the former Toronto left wing Clarke MacArthur, while Toronto re-signed center Tyler Bozak for five years and $21 million.

Other players on the move included right wing Nathan Horton, who left Boston for a seven-year, $37.1 million deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets; the veteran defenseman Andrew Ference, who also left the Bruins, for a four-year, $13 million contract with the Edmonton Oilers; center Valtteri Filppula, who joined Tampa Bay on a five-year, $25 million contract; and defenseman Rob Scuderi, who returned to the Penguins for four years and $13.5 million. The 34-year-old Scuderi won a Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh in 2009 and another with Los Angeles in 2012.

The Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks re-signed defenseman Michal Roszival and forward Michal Handzus but lost goaltender Ray Emery, who joined Philadelphia, and left wing Viktor Stalberg, who signed with Nashville for four years and $12 million. The Predators also signed forwards Matt Cullen, Eric Nystrom and Matt Hendricks.

The Phoenix Coyotes, now assured of staying in Arizona after the city of Glendale approved a deal this week to keep the team in the state, were also busy. They signed center Mike Ribeiro to a four-year, $22 million deal and re-signed Lauri Korpikoski and Kyle Chipchura. They also added a backup goaltender, Thomas Greiss, and center Mike Stone.

The Montreal Canadiens, who agreed to terms with the high-scoring center Daniel Briere on Thursday, added muscle with the acquisition of the 6-foot-5 right wing George Parros, who came from Florida in a trade for forward Phillippe Lefebvre and a seventh-round draft pick in 2014.

The salary cap is falling to $64.3 million a team from $70.2 million as part of the collective bargaining agreement that ended this season’s lockout. The salary floor is $44 million per team.


www-nytimes-com/2013/07/06/sports/hockey/flurry-of-moves-opens-nhl-free-agency-html?_r=0

So the Stanley Cup has been carried off, the draft has been concluded, and the NHL's general managers have gone on their big free-agent spending spree. But while the league may be settling down for the relative quiet of the offseason, there are still issues facing it.

The NHL still has to put the finishing touches on realignment, the ownership situation in Phoenix, the possibility of Olympic participation and much more.

Here is a look at the biggest issues facing the NHL this summer. Feel free to comment on these and to mention any issues you feel I omitted that are facing the league and must be addressed before teams report to training camp again in September.


Pictures: The Biggest NHL Storylines to Monitor This Offseason | Bleacher Report

Tim Thomas is reportedly interested in making a return to the NHL following a one-year hiatus in which he chose not to report to the Boston Bruins despite having another season left on his contract.

TSN's Pierre LeBrun first reported the news that Thomas would join this year's free-agent class, but after the first weekend that teams were allowed to officially sign players, the 39-year-old veteran remains on the market.

Let's look at the best fits for Thomas as he pursues a comeback to the NHL.

5. Florida Panthers The Panthers should, and likely will, make 23-year-old Jacob Markstrom the team's No. 1 goaltender for the 2013-14 season. But with Jose Theodore coming off a terrible season (he's also a UFA) and Scott Clemmensen reportedly on the trade block (per Renaud Lavoie of RDS), Florida needs a veteran backup.

That's where Thomas would fit in. Of course, if he's looking to sign with a playoff or championship contender, then the Panthers are one of the worst fits for him. They will likely finish at the bottom of the league standings again next year.

But if Thomas' preference is to make the highest salary possible on a team that needs goaltending help, Florida might not be a bad option. It has a whopping $18,457,125 in salary-cap space, the third-most of all 30 teams.

4. Colorado Avalanche Semyon Varlamov failed to impress in his second season as the Avalanche's starting goaltender with a disappointing 11-21-3 record, a .903 save percentage and a 3.02 GAA.

The 25-year-old has yet to develop into the top-tier goalie he was expected to become after being selected in the first round of the 2006 draft by the Washington Capitals.

At some point, Colorado will have to determine if Varlamov is capable of being the franchise's goalie of the future. To challenge him and create some healthy competition for the No. 1 job, the Avalanche should consider signing Thomas.

Colorado isn't going to be a Stanley Cup contender next season, even with Thomas, but he would help the team compete for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Thomas has also spent his time away from the NHL over the last year in Colorado, so he's already familiar with its hockey culture.

3. Edmonton Oilers As a team ready to take the next step and become a perennial playoff contender, Edmonton must ensure that its goaltending is strong. Current starter Deven Dubnyk is not good enough, at least at this stage of his career, to backstop a contending team.

Signing Thomas would be a smart move for general manager Craig MacTavish, especially if Thomas can guide the team to the postseason and show it how to win meaningful games.

Thomas could be a one- or two-year stopgap for the Oilers and help them contend right now. He could help Devan Dubnyk develop similar to how Tuukka Rask benefited from backing up the veteran netminder for two seasons in Boston.

With $11,460,833 in cap space, Edmonton has plenty of financial flexibility to sign Thomas and still re-sign important RFAs.

2. Pittsburgh Penguins Marc-Andre Fleury is clearly incapable of leading the talented Penguins to another Stanley Cup title, evidenced by the 43 goals he's allowed in his last 11 playoff games. He was benched in the first round last year and never got his job back because veteran Tomas Vokoun played pretty well. But Vokoun, a 37-year-old who has never led a team to the Stanley Cup Final, is not the answer either. If the Penguins really want to upgrade the biggest weakness on their roster, they should sign Thomas to a one-year deal.

The lack of a goaltender who will remain calm in tough moments during the postseason and not allow bad goals to bother him has been a concern for the Penguins since they won a championship four years ago. In that span, Pittsburgh has a postseason GAA of 3.43, which isn't the mark of a legitimate championship contender.

As a team in win-now mode with very little salary-cap space ($676,667 to be exact), signing Thomas is the best option for general manager Ray Shero to upgrade his goaltending.

Trading for Buffalo Sabres star Ryan Miller is another one to consider, but taking on his salary and giving up quality assets to acquire him doesn't make the most sense when Thomas is available as a UFA.

1. New York Islanders The same team that traded for Thomas during the 2013 season for salary cap reasons is also the best fit for the veteran goaltender.

The Islanders are one of the few teams who need a better No. 1 goaltender and have the cap space needed to meet Thomas' salary demands. In fact, New York's $22,955,524 in cap space is the most of any team.

You could argue that with more reliable goaltending during last year's playoffs, the Islanders would have upset the top-seeded Penguins in Round 1. Instead, they lost to Pittsburgh in six games largely because of Evgeni Nabokov's horrible .842 save percentage and 4.44 GAA.

Nabokov is capable of being fantastic in the regular season, but he's consistently underperformed during the playoffs throughout his entire career. In his last three postseasons, the Russian goaltender is 12-15 with a .879 save percentage and a 3.27 GAA.

As a team with a great offense (seventh in goals scored last season) and an improving defense, the Islanders would make the playoffs for a second consecutive year if they made a goaltending upgrade.

For Thomas, it would be an opportunity to earn a good salary and be a No. 1 goalie for a team on the rise that could become a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference very soon.




Predicting Which NHL Team Will Land Goalie Tim Thomas | Bleacher Report

Last week, Grande Prairie Daily Herald Tribune Editor-in-Chief Fred Rinne had a chance to sit down with legendary coach and TV personality Don Cherry and get his thoughts on some hot topics in the world of hockey.

On Daniel Alfredsson going to Detroit:

Don: “Someone asked me about that. I think Ottawa has as much of a chance to win the Stanley Cup as Detroit. Is there no loyalty?”

On Leafs getting David Clarkson and re-signing Tyler Bozak:

Don: “(Seven years) for Clarkson, I knew about that (Thursday). I gave my word, so I have to sit there listen to these guys talking about where guys are gonna go...I mean... I knew (Nathan) Horton was going to Columbus. (Bozak) I can’t believe they re-signed him for that, I mean, there’s a classic case of overpaying a guy. Ridiculous. He’s a plugger, he’s playing with (Phil) Kessel and he can’t get 20 goals. You could get 20 goals playing with Kessel (laugh).” (Editor’s Note: No I couldn’t.)

On Oilers getting D man Brad Ference and Bruins trading away Tyler Seguin:

Don: “Ference is a good guy, good player, good solid defenceman, he’s going out there where he come from and the whole deal. But the Bruins, I can’t believe they gave up on Seguin, but there was bad feelings in Boston there I think. Something happened. He (Peter Chiarelli GM) inferred that he was not a good kid off the ice. I don’t care if he’s Jekyll and Hyde you don’t say that. Everybody starts asking what did the kid do, what has he done? He’s a good kid really. He’s a young single kid what do you think he’s gonna be a monk?”

On Roberto Luongo staying in Vancouver, Cherry being one of few predicting it could happen:

Don: “I guess I did. Halfway through the season when Schneider was red hot he won 10 in a row and I went on Coach’s Corner and said this is the time to trade him. You’ll either get a first rounder and two good players or two picks and a player because I said you’re not getting rid of Luongo (pronounced by Grapes predictably and consistently LuLongo) It’s not the player, it’s his contract. So get rid of Schneider now and get tops. It would take some guts to do it, but it needed to be done. You know what his record was in the last game he played? Thirteen shots, five goals. If they had listened to me and traded him at Christmas they would have got a small fortune for him. Bottom line is they have Luongo now, he’ll be alright. He’s a good goalie, he took them to the seventh game of the Stanley Cup. If I was Luongo, I’d be (miffed). (The ownership and management team had to fly to Florida and have a chat with him to reinforce him.) “No (kidding).”

On the new junior rule disallowing European goaltenders:

Don: “Three out of the four goaltenders in the Memorial Cup were Europeans. Let me explain what happens because I owned a junior club (Missisauga Ice Dogs). They don’t bring over young European goaltenders to train them. They bring older ones over. So our kids don’t have a chance. Our younger kids are backups. And when that older goaltender from Europe gets too old, they just go an get another older goalie, and we don’t have a chance. I don’t believe that they should be over here. It’s a Canadian hockey league for Canadian players, that’s what it is for, in fact they had a little motto “For Canadians to Learn Hockey” but they took that out. I believe the Canadian Hockey League is for Canadians...and you have to have Americans , I mean they have Canadians over there (American franchises). To tell you the truth I’ll let you in on a little secret...most of them (teams) don’t want them (Europeans) over here, but they are caught in a situation they can’t get out of. Canadians should always be first.”

On taking the Junior A route to the NHL:

Don: “Sure, I know lots...like Spencer Abbott for The Marlies, he played for the Streetsville Derbies (OHA) and then went down and played for the Black Bears (University of Maine) and got drafted by the Leafs. There’s lots of them. When they play Junior A hockey they want to protect that for those who want to go to college (Major Junior players have to red shirt one year if they go to college in the NCAA), plus they want the education as a backup there’s nothing wrong with that.”

On where the line is between undue pressure to succeed and necessary family support:

Don: “I think if you get any inking at all that the kid doesn’t want to play you got to get him outta there. If he’s not totally, totally dedicated....if he doesn’t eat, drink, sleep (hockey), if he starts thinking about girls ...no seriously... I’m not kidding. Forget it. They (scouts) just mark down “more interested in something else,” and I’ve talked to more fathers that said ‘my son was the best player in minor midget and he just give it up. I said I know why, he got interested in girls. Bingo! I’m kinda kidding but you get the message...if the kid isn’t totally committed and dedicated he should get out.”

On how much longer he wants to tour, talk hockey and do Coach’s Corner:

Don: “Oh, I’m having fun at it. And when it stops being fun.... this is my one and only banquet this summer by the way. I haven’t even been to my cottage yet if you can believe it. But I promised my wife at the end of the playoffs I would do one banquet (and) this is it.”



Don Cherry candid on offseason NHL moves | Hockey | Sports | Toronto Sun

New Jersey Devils forward Ilya Kovalchuk announced his retirement from the NHL on Thursday afternoon, bringing his 11-year career to a sudden and shocking end at the age of 30.

General manager Lou Lamoriello announced the retirement in a team statement.

“After many conversations with Ilya over the past year on his desire to retire from the National Hockey League, Ilya's decision became official today," Lamoriello said. "On behalf of the entire organization, I wish Ilya and his family all the best in their future endeavors.”

Kovalchuk also issued a brief statement.

“This decision was something I have thought about for a long time going back to the lockout and spending the year in Russia," Kovalchuk said. "Though I decided to return this past season, Lou was aware of my desire to go back home and have my family there with me. The most difficult thing for me is to leave the New Jersey Devils, a great organization that I have a lot of respect for, and our fans that have been great to me."

Just becauase Kovalchuk announced his retirement from the NHL doesn't mean he's done playing hockey. The Devils terminated his contract and Kovalchuk is now a free agent and free to sign with whatever team he chooses in the KHL. He played during the lockout for SKA St. Petersburg and will likely return to that team. During his 11 years in the NHL, Kovalchuk was one of the most dominant offensive players in the league, scoring 417 goals to go with 399 assists with the Atlanta Thrashers and Devils.

New Jersey acquired Kovalchuk from the Thrashers before the 2010 trade deadline. After playing out the remainder of that season and the playoffs, the Devils attempted to re-sign Kovalchuk to a massive 17-year contract that the NHL considered to be an attempt to circumvent the league's salary cap.

The Devils re-worked that contract and signed him to his current 15-year, $100 million deal. It still has 12 years and $77 million remaining.

The organization was fined as a result of the initial contract and lost several draft picks, including a yet-to-be-surrendered first-round pick. As part of the punishment, the Devils had to surrender the first-round pick of their choice over the ensuing four years. It was assumed the Devils would surrender it in 2012 after going to the Stanley Cup Final and owning the No. 29 pick in the draft. They decided to keep that pick.

The Devils will be charged $250,000 against the NHL's salary cap each season through 2025 as per the league's CBA.

It's obviously a huge blow to the Devils on the ice as he was clearly their best player. Along with his great offensive skills, his game had really evolved on the defensive side in recent years -- to the point where he was a regular on the penalty kill.

In the past two offseasons, the Devils have lost three key components to their 2011-12 Stanley Cup Final team, watching as Zach Parise and David Clarkson left in free agency and now losing Kovalchuk to retirement.



Ilya Kovalchuk announces retirement from the NHL - CBSSports-com

There have been many hated players throughout NHL history, but this list contains the 10 most disliked players.

These players can be disliked by fans, opposing players, officials, coaches or even their own teammates.

Players on this list are ranked based on the intensity of the hatred against them, how many people hated them and the reason for that hatred. The player's place in NHL history is also a factor.

Feel free to comment and discuss other players you feel deserve to be on this list. Again, say why you feel your choice belongs in the top 10 and who you would have them replace on the list. Keep in mind it's difficult to limit the list to just 10 players, as there are a lot of hated players throughout NHL history.


Pictures: Ranking the 10 Most Hated Players in NHL History | Bleacher Report

Not much has changed on the NHL free agency front since the opening day of spending, and many of the second wave of players are the same as they were a week ago.

And, just as it was a week ago, just because the top players have already been picked over doesn't mean teams can't find quality players.

Some teams might even find better players and value after waiting out the initial spending and picking over the players who fell through the cracks.

Let's take another look at a few examples:

Mikhail Grabovski, F: How does a player go from being a yearly 50-point player and the recipient of a five-year, $27 million contract extension and then less than a year later find himself on the free-agent market after a compliance buyout?

It happens when the team that signed him puts him in the wrong role and doesn't quite know what to do with him.

That's what's happened to former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Grabovski this offseason. And two weeks after it happened, it remains a stunning development.

Some of Grabovski's struggles in 2012-13 have to come back to the way that he was used, going from a top-line player in previous years to a guy who was relegated to a checking-line role and not only playing what were defensive minutes (tough competition and few offensive-zone starts) but also playing alongside lesser linemates.

That has to be taken at least somewhat into account when looking at his production this past season, when he scored just nine goals to go with seven assists in 48 games. When you look at the other forwards in the NHL who played similar roles, his performance actually seems to stack up pretty well.

There were only eight other forwards in the league to play the type of minutes that Grabovski did at even-strength, and Grabovski outperformed almost all of them.

Looking at the quality of competition and quality of teammates metrics found at BehindtheNet, you can see just how tough Grabovski had it this past season. He faced some of the toughest competition (Rel Comp) in the league and was playing alongside some of the lowest quality teammates (Rel Qot). He not only managed to score nine goals (more than almost every player who played in a similar role) but somehow managed to come out as a positive possession player (Shot +/-), which is pretty incredible given the minutes he faced.

Just look at how the other players who faced similar minutes performed.

(The higher the competition number, the tougher the competition; the lower the teammate number, the worse the linemates.)




NHL's second tier of free agents still offers plenty of value - CBSSports-com

The deal, announced on the team's website, comes four days after Kovalchuk announced his retirement from the NHL, leaving the New Jersey Devils despite having 12 years and $77 million remaining on his deal with the club. "The desire [to come to the KHL] first appeared during the lockout," Kovalchuk said during a question-and-answer feature that appeared on the Russian site sovsport.ru, according to a translation by NHL-com/ru writer Slava Malamud. "I liked everything. Saint Petersburg has a great infrastructure, great fans, competent management. I was pleasantly surprised. And when I came back to America, after the season was over, I took a firm position.

"We had a conversation with the New Jersey general manager Lou Lamoriello about letting me go, so I could come back to Russia. Some think that I only announced this a week before the free agency started, but it's not true. I have warned Lou a long time ago. And I am thankful to [Lou] for understanding. I think it's for the best for both sides. New Jersey has good young guys who can develop into good players in the future. As for me, I am returning home, where I will be enjoying hockey and getting ready for the season's top event -- the [Winter] Olympics in Sochi."

Kovalchuk, 30, played for the St. Petersburg during the lockout, accumulating 18 goals and 24 assists for 42 points in 36 games. He returned to the Devils in January and was the club's second-leading scorer with 31 points in 37 games. He also played a team-high 24:44 per game for the Devils, who missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs one year after reaching Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.

"I am very happy to have played in the strongest league in the world for so long," he said. "Unfortunately, I haven't been able to win the Stanley Cup. I was close to this last year and saw how difficult it is to play in the NHL Playoffs. But there are no regrets. I am making a step forward in my career, opening a new page. I have a new goal and new opportunities... I am sure I have made the right decision."

In his NHL career, which began after he was selected No. 1 overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2001 NHL Draft, Kovalchuk managed 816 points in 816 games. He was traded to New Jersey in a blockbuster deal in 2010.

"I am not leaving for the moon, for China or for Japan," Kovalchuk said when asked about the critics of his departure. "I am going home, where my sister, my mom and all my friends are living. I am much more comfortable in Russia."






Former New Jersey Devils forward Ilya Kovalchuk signs with Russian club - NHL-com - News

While the rest of their lineup appears set, the coveted space playing in the middle of stars like Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa remains vacant as the Blackhawks turn their eyes toward the 2013-14 season. Not even the re-signing of 36-year-old veteran Michal Handzus solves the issue, even though he played well in that role for much of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs and re-signed for a salary cap-friendly $1 million on a one-year deal, according to Capgeek-com.

Handzus had arm surgery after the Cup run but is expected to be ready for training camp in September. However, he'll be used initially as a versatile depth forward -- the role he played after being acquired from the San Jose Sharks at the NHL Trade Deadline in April.

"Probably the way we envisioned [Handzus] coming to our team at that time of the season is probably where we will begin this next season, where he'll have to work his way up and maybe give somebody else that [second line center] opportunity," coach Joel Quenneville said at Chicago's prospects camp last week. "We're certainly happy to retain him and have that ingredient that no matter where you play [him], it's going to be an effective line."

The question, then, is who will be that "somebody else" Quenneville talked about?

The best odds initially appear to belong to Brandon Pirri, a 22-year old center who won the John B. Sollenberger Trophy last season as the leading scorer in the American Hockey League. Playing for the Rockford IceHogs, Chicago's AHL affiliate, Pirri played in all 76 games and finished with 75 points. His 53 assists tied for the league lead, and Pirri also posted a plus-11 rating.

Pirri was picked in the second round (No. 59) in the 2009 NHL Draft, has played three seasons in Rockford and logged seven games with the Blackhawks during that span. He didn't participate in prospects camp last week, but the 6-foot, 183-pound center will have a lot of eyes on him at training camp.

"We're an organization that believes in putting the best players on the ice regardless of when you were drafted or what round or what year," general manager Stan Bowman said at prospects camp. "We're looking for guys who can help us." Chicago has taken centers with its first-round draft picks in three of the past four years, amassing four prospects likely to be NHL-ready in the near future: Kevin Hayes (2010), Mark McNeill (2011), Phillip Danault (2011) and Teuvo Teravainen (2012). McNeill and Danault are thought to be the closest to the NHL after finishing outstanding junior careers.

Still, the more likely development path for each will be starting out in Rockford.

Hayes, who's now 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds, won't be at training camp. He's heading back to Boston College for his senior year following a frustrating junior season marred by an in-season suspension for a violation of team rules and four surgeries to repair blood vessels in his leg, which ended his season. Hayes has shifted to left wing at BC, but Bowman likes the added versatility.

"I think he's really a playmaker," Bowman said. "That's kind of what his strength is, so whether he plays wing or center it's nice to have that guy with . Kevin's a big kid. We really like his improvement. He's really gotten better the last couple years."

Teravainen, the 18th player taken in the 2012 NHL Draft, did not attend prospects camp and will spend another season adding size and strength to his 5-foot-11, 165-pound frame while playing in the SM-Liiga, the top league in Finland. Bowman said Teravainen will center Jokerit's top line and has a bright future in Chicago.

Bowman also likes 6-foot, 195-pound Drew LeBlanc, who won the Hobey Baker Award last season as the nation's top college player at St. Cloud State. After signing a one-year deal with Chicago in April, the 24-year old LeBlanc is a restricted free agent who Bowman plans to sign and give a serious look in the fall.

Another dark horse is 6-foot, 180-pound Garret Ross, whom the Blackhawks selected in the fifth round (No. 139) in the 2012 draft (the same exact spot they took Andrew Shaw in 2011). Ross played left wing for the majority of his Ontario Hockey League career, but moved to center last year after the OHL trade deadline. The 21-year-old played two seasons in Saginaw with 20-year-old Blackhawks forward Brandon Saad and broke out last season with 44 goals and 46 assists in 61 games.

"Obviously I've got a pretty strong lineup to crack [in Chicago], but that's just more motivation to work harder and get in there," Ross said. "It's out of my hands. The only thing I can do is come out and work hard, show the organization what I'm made of [at training camp]."



Chicago Blackhawks looking for a second-line center - NHL-com - NHL Insider

Unlike last summer, when the NHL was on a collision course with its third lockout in less than two decades, we know the upcoming season is going to start on time.

We just don't know when it's going to start. And that's because the league has yet to actually release a schedule.

Following speculation that the schedule for the 2013-14 season would be released on Wednesday, the NHL confirmed that no announcement will be made and that the league will offer an update on Thursday when it knows more.

Holding up the schedule announcement is that the NHL is still working to finalize an agreement to send its players to the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Using NHL players will require the league to shut down for much of February, and the league isn't prepared to announce its schedule until everything is finished with the Olympics.

There was a leaked version of the 2013-14 Florida Panthers schedule making the rounds on Twitter (via Panthers beat writer George Richards) and, if accurate, seemed to indicate there would be a three-week stoppage from Feb. 7 to Feb. 27 for the Olympic break.



Olympic announcement still holding up NHL schedule release - CBSSports-com

After making a couple of big moves last summer -- trading for Jordan Staal, signing Alex Semin -- the Carolina Hurricanes have been rather quiet this offseason. They were mentioned as a possible landing spot for Jaromir Jagr, but other than that there hasn't been much going on.

Two names that have recently surfaced on their radar are veteran free agents Brenden Morrow and Ron Hainsey.

Morrow's agent, Brad Devine, confirmed to Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer that he has previously been in contact with the Hurricanes this offseason and expects to speak again at some point.

Morrow, 34, spent his entire career with the Dallas Stars until he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins just before the trade deadline this past season in exchange for defense prospect Joe Morrow (no relation). He was supposed to give the Penguins a strong veteran presence and physical, power forward but the move never seemed to work out.

He struggled for most of his Pittsburgh tenure and by the time the playoffs rolled around he started to spend a lot of time skating on the Penguins' third and fourth lines. He was once one of the better power forwards in the league, but age and his physical style of play seemed to have really taken its toll on him.

Morrow was a teammate of current Hurricanes coach Kirk Muller when the two were in Dallas.

Hainsey spent the past five seasons playing for the Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets franchise and was still logging more than 20 minutes a game as recently as last season and was usually given the responsibility of going up against other team's top players. His offensive production has plummeted in recent years, however, and he hasn't scored a goal since the 2010-11 season.

The Hurricanes still have plenty of space under the league's $64.3-million salary cap, but according to DeCock are working under their own internal budget which means they'd likely have to ship somebody out to make room for either Morrow or Hainsey.

Given Carolina's struggles on defense last season it makes sense to do that for an addition like Hainsey (assuming the player they move out isn't a key player) but based on what Morrow has shown the past two seasons the Hurricanes are probably better off standing pat at forward.



NHL Rumors: Hurricanes could be interested in Brenden Morrow - CBSSports-com