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SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEFNHL 6/28/2013

Anaheim Ducks682653 Anaheim Ducks re-sign defenseman Ben Lovejoy

Boston Bruins682654 NBC scores big with hockey fans682655 Dan Paille shows his worth682656 Milan Lucic delivers

Buffalo Sabres682657 Weber signs three-year, $5 million contract with Sabres682658 Sabres keep Weber with three-year deal

Calgary Flames682659 Flames enter Sunday’s NHL Entry Draft with clear plan to

draft best player available682660 Flames get younger and bigger in trade with Avalanche682661 Flames GM Feaster keeping door open to further trade

activity682662 Johnson: While extra D-man Sarich wanted fresh start,

Tanguay sad to leave a city he had made home682663 Calgary Flames trade Alex Tanguay to Colorado Avalanche682664 Calgary Flames Foundation to make $1 million donation to

Alberta flood relief effort682665 Calgary Flames get bigger, younger with Alex Tanguay trade682666 Cory Sarich welcomes tradeaway from Calgary Flames if it

means more playing time

Carolina Hurricanes682667 Canes intrigued by Russian winger as NHL draft nears

Chicago Blackhawks682668 Back surgery possibility for Hawks' Hossa682669 Hawks must get down to business quickly682670 Quenneville's magnificent balancing act682671 Blackhawks faithful plot their pilgrImages682672 Montador, Olesz to get buyouts from Hawks682673 2013 Blackhawks rewind: A frantic finish682674 2010 Blackhawks: 'One for the ages'682675 1961 Black Hawks: Blizzard of goals and snow682676 1934 Black Hawks: Triumph then tragedy682677 1938 Black Hawks: 1 of most improbable winners in NHL

history682678 Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville says he’d like to work

out a contract extension682679 Marian Hossa played on, but he might need back surgery682680 Celebrating can be exhausting for Blackhawks682681 Blackhawks will retool, not rebuild this offseason682682 The Fratellis pumped up over the popularity of the band’s

‘Chelsea Dagger’682683 Here come the Hawks: Parade starts at United Center, Grant

Park rally kicks off at 11 a.m.682684 With all key players in the fold, Blackhawks have potential

for dynasty682685 One more title and Hawks can be called a dynasty682686 Hossa’s aching back may require surgery682687 Hawks veterans awed by Toews’ leadership682688 Blackhawks notes: Mayers, Leddy, Stalberg updates682689 Hawks fight through injuries on the way to the Cup682690 Bickell: Blackhawks 'No. 1 on my list'682691 Joel Quenneville hoisted his third Stanley Cup on Monday

night682692 Bolland taking trade rumors in stride682693 Blackhawks use team buyouts on Montador, Olesz

Colorado Avalanche682694 Alex Tanguay traded to Avalanche from Calgary Flames682695 Look for the Colorado Avalanche to keep the first pick in

NHL draft

Columbus Blue Jackets682696 Blue Jackets: Anisimov agrees to three-year deal

Detroit Red Wings682697 Detroit Red Wings' Pavel Datsyuk earns TSN's Play of the

Year award - against himself682698 Helene St. James: Vincent Lecavalier 'idolized' Detroit Red

Wings, and they should pursue him682699 Darren Helm will skate with prospects at Detroit Red Wings'

development camp682700 Darren Helm to join Wings prospects at Traverse City camp

in July682701 Red Wings might be interested in Vincent Lecavalier682702 Vincent Lecavalier grew up 'idolizing' Red Wings, says

they're definitely a team he would consider682703 Injured Detroit Red Wings forward Darren Helm will return to

ice at next month's Prospects Camp682704 Lightning will buy out Vincent Lecavalier, giving Red Wings

and other teams another free-agent option682705 Red Wings prefer decent-sized forward with 18th pick in

draft, their highest selection since 1991682706 Will Red Wings woo Vincent Lecavalier?

Edmonton Oilers682707 Impatient MacTavish showing his stuff by NOT rushing to

make a trade682708 NHL Draft: Trade to Vancouver Giants big career boost for

Sherwood Park’s Mason Geertsen682709 Sacrifices about to pay off for Geertsen family682710 Edmonton Oilers — Building a dynasty through the draft682711 Edmonton Oilers will choose 'best available' in NHL draft

Florida Panthers682712 Panthers gear up for Sunday's NHL Draft

Los Angeles Kings682713 History of third round & 88th picks under Lombardi

Minnesota Wild682714 Wild's Fletcher busy making the rounds before NHL draft682715 Minnesota Wild's Jason Pominville ready to show he's worth

hefty price tag682716 Charley Walters: Minnesota Timberwolves have some

shopping to do

Montreal Canadiens682717 Bergevin faces extra heat going into second draft as

Canadiens' GM682718 Bergevin faces extra heat going into second draft as

Canadiens general manager

Nashville Predators682719 Should Predators pick Seth Jones if he's available?682720 Longtime Predator will watch son chase same NHL dream in

Sunday’s draft682721 Predators' first-round pick to come from among top six

New Jersey Devils682722 Former Devils goalie Sean Burke excited about draft for son

Brendan682723 Devils have ties to at least three top NHL entry draft

prospects682724 Bettman says Devils' finances are stable682725 Devils, Rangers prepare for marathon draft day

New York Islanders682726 Islanders hit snag in Nabokov talks, not interested in Luongo

New York Rangers682727 Messier, Passed Over for Rangers Job, Leaves the Team682728 Mark Messier resigns as special ass't to NY Rangers GM

after Alain Vigneault hired as coach682729 Richards: ‘No clue’ if he will stay a Ranger682730 Mark Messier leaves Rangers organization682731 Mark Messier might find his niche with new job in youth

hockey682732 Devils, Rangers prepare for marathon draft day682733 Bypassed Mark Messier leaves Rangers682734 Mark Messier leaves the Rangers organization

Ottawa Senators682735 For general managers, NHL draft weekend involves many

moving pieces682736 Senators head to draft, looking to steal a deal682737 Young defenceman Darnell Nurse draws from football

bloodlines ahead of NHL draft682738 Ottawa Sens GM Bryan Murray hunting for a deal

Philadelphia Flyers682739 Flyers officials study draft presentation to prepare for 2014682740 Flyers need to trade a defenseman682741 For Straka, it's a fantasy on ice New Flyer Petr Straka during

the IIHF World Junior Championship in 2011.682742 Flyers' Paul Holmgren talks draft; Ilya Bryzgalov bids fans

farewell682743 Rob Parent: Dion Phaneuf worth a look as Flyers chart

future682744 Holmgren talks three possible Flyers draft picks

Phoenix Coyotes682745 Glendale releases draft contract for Phoenix Coyotes deal682746 Keeping tabs on Coyotes prospects682747 Coyotes about to confront key free-agent decisions

Pittsburgh Penguins682748 Kunitz trades free agency for security682749 Letang rejects Penguins’ big offer; Kunitz signs 3-year

extension682750 Penguins’ Bylsma to coach Team USA682751 Penguins sign Kunitz to three-year extension

San Jose Sharks682752 San Jose Sharks re-sign defenseman Jason Demers682753 Sharks, Demers agree on one-year extension

St Louis Blues682754 TOP 5 DEFENSEMEN IN NHL DRAFT682755 Blues aren't looking to build defense through the draft682756 Shattenkirk thrilled to be part of Blues' building young

nucleus

Tampa Bay Lightning682757 Lightning buy out remainder of Lecavalier's contract682758 Q&A: Why did Bolts cut Lecavalier?682759 It just won't be the same without Vinny682760 Where will Lecavalier play next season?682761 Buyout leaves Bolts with void to fill682762 Reactions to Lecavalier buyout682763 Defenseman Jones a complete package along the blue line682764 Vinny: Life and times of a Lightning legend682765 Vinny Lecavalier touches Tampa Bay in lasting way682766 Lightning plans Lecavalier buyout682767 5 Vinny Lecavalier memories682768 Lightning will use compliance buyout on Vinny Lecavalier

Toronto Maple Leafs682769 Maple Leafs: Possible Toronto deal for Letang, Lecavalier?682770 Could Letang now be Leafs-bound?

Vancouver Canucks682771 Arniel won’t coach Utica Comets, pursuing NHL assistant job682773 Gallagher: Advice to NHL draft watchers ... 'make sure the

bullbleep filter is cranked to the max'682774 Kuzma: How do you trade an albatross?

Websites682775 ESPN / Lecavalier will be missed in Tampa area682776 ESPN / Source: Letang rejects $56 million extension682777 ESPN / Will Cup hero Bolland be on the move?682778 ESPN / Lecavalier adds spice to UFA center crop682779 ESPN / Chris Kunitz signs $11.55M extension682780 ESPN / Vincent Lecavalier to be bought out682781 USA TODAY / USA taps David Poile, Dan Bylsma for

Olympic roles682782 USA TODAY / Analyzing the Flames-Avalanche trade682783 USA TODAY / Lightning buying out Vincent Lecavalier682784 YAHOO SPORTS / Busy season, busy summer: Get ready

for NHL draft, more buyouts, trades, free agency, Coyotes dSPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129

682653 Anaheim Ducks

Anaheim Ducks re-sign defenseman Ben Lovejoy

By Elliott Teaford, Staff Writer

Posted: 06/27/2013 03:09:48 PM PDT

Updated: 06/27/2013 03:15:58 PM PDT

Ducks general manager Bob Murray scratched one item off his summer to-do list Thursday, when he signed veteran defenseman Ben Lovejoy to a three-season contract extension. The deal is worth $3.3 million, according to an NHL source.

Lovejoy was one of 13 unrestricted free agents in the Ducks organization, a list that also includes Teemu Selanne, Saku Koivu and Toni Lydman. The Ducks also have two restricted free agents in Matt Beleskey, who has arbitration rights, and Kyle Palmieri, who does not.

The 29-year-old Lovejoy proved to be a useful player on the blue line for the Ducks after a trade Feb. 6 from the Pittsburgh Penguins. He had 10 assists and a plus-minus defensive rating of plus-six in 32 games for the Ducks, who acquired him for a fifth-round draft pick in 2014.

Agent Baizley dies

Don Baizley, a longtime NHL agent who represented Selanne, Koivu, Paul Kariya, Peter Forsberg, Joe Sakic and many other top players over the years, died from non-smoker's lung cancer. The Winnipeg resident was 71.

"Today was a sad day for the sport of hockey," Selanne said in a statement released by the Ducks. "Don was a special person. He was not only a great agent for me - he was my `American Dad,' great friend, mentor and supporter during my career. Don will always have a special place in my heart."

LA Daily News: LOADED: 06.28.2013

682654 Boston Bruins

NBC scores big with hockey fans

By Chad Finn

June 28, 2013

It might have begun as wishful thinking, a spoken hope for a grand ending to an NHL season that almost never got started.

Several months and one wildly entertaining, widely watched Stanley Cup Final later, it turned out to be satisfying premonition.

“You never dare expect to get a Chicago-Boston Stanley Cup Final,’’ said Sam Flood, executive producer at NBC Sports and NBC Sports Network and the longtime mastermind behind the networks’ NHL coverage. “You can hope, but you can’t expect it.

“I remember telling someone on a call the second day of the season, ‘The Cup Final is very different if it’s Boston-Chicago rather than Carolina-Ottawa.’ We know that there will be a lot more people watching a Chicago-Boston final. That proved to be true.’’

Did it everThe Final averaged a 3.3 household rating and 5.76 million viewers on NBC (Games 1 and 4-6) and NBC Sports Network (Games 2 and 3), with the deciding sixth game earning a 4.7 rating and drawing 8.16 million viewers.

Overall, the household rating was up 83 percent over last year’s Final between Los Angeles and New Jersey, while viewership was up 91 percent.

It is the most-watched Cup Final since viewership records were first kept in 1994.

Flood, who grew up in Dedham and captained the Williams College hockey team in 1983, has just one lament, one shared with Bruins fans: “I just wish there was a Game 7. That would have been something. It disappeared in 17 seconds.”

The reasons for the massive ratings are fairly obvious to anyone who can discern a puck from a ball: The Bruins and Blackhawks are Original Six franchises in large, hockey-appreciative United States markets. And the series was highly competitive, with three overtime games, including a triple-OT thriller to begin the series.

“If anyone sees the spoked-B or the Blackhawks jersey, those are pretty iconic symbols of sports,” said Flood. “You get those two teams together, people care more because of the rich history.

“But it’s also about the growth of hockey over the last number of years. When Chicago won the Cup in 2010 and the Bruins the next year, it really enhanced both markets. They started to consume hockey at a much greater level after they won the Cup.”

In Boston, the Cup was consumed to unprecedented levels. Most of the games earned a rating in the high 20s and low 30s, peaking with a 33.0 rating in the Boston market for Game 6.

For context, consider this: The NFL is the king of televised sport, and locally the Patriots averaged a record 36.36 household rating last season, eclipsing 30 in the Boston market for every game. Even in the Stanley Cup Final, the NHL approaching regular-season NFL numbers is extraordinary.

Overall, the Cup Final ratings didn’t approach the numbers ABC got for the seven-game NBA Finals series between the Spurs and Heat. That series averaged a 10.5 final rating and 17.7 million viewers — increases of 4 percent in rating and 5 percent in viewership from the Heat-Thunder five-game series in 2012. It was the most-watched NBA Final since Celtics-Lakers in 2010.

“Comparing across sports to us is apples and oranges,” said Flood. “The focus is making this sport bigger, making it accessible to more people, and making more people care about it.

“You think about the Winter Classic, you think about ‘Hockey Day in America’ [Saturdays on NBC], you think about ‘Wednesday Night Rivalry’ [on NBCSN], all things that we have created with the NHL to grow the game of hockey.

“I think it makes more people pay attention when we get to the postseason, and when you get lucky and get two teams like the Bruins and Blackhawks, you’re going to have some record ratings.”

It’s interesting, though probably not surprising, that the NBA Finals averaged a 6.2 rating in the Boston market, good for 54th nationwide. With the Celtics bowing out in Round 1 and the Bruins making their run, this was hockey territory.

“Hockey’s always been an important sport in the city, between the Beanpot and some of the great college hockey that goes on,’’ Flood said. “But I think the NHL and the Bruins lost their way for a period there.

“When the [2004-05] lockout ended, it started coming back, and you don’t see an empty seat at the Garden anymore. That’s a pretty important statement about how important and big hockey and the Bruins are to the city right now.’’

Raftery to Fox

Fox Sports 1, which launches in August, had a bit of a coup Thursday with the news that the great Bill Raftery will leave ESPN to call college basketball games on the rebranded network. Raftery, long associated with the Big East, will call the conference’s games on Fox Sports 1, reportedly with Gus Johnson. Raftery will continue to be a part of CBS and Turner’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament coverage in March . . . ESPN did retain one popular prominent personality for the long term, announcing Thursday that college announced football analyst Kirk Herbstreithad signed an extension through 2022 . . . NESN will not renew the contract of Bruins sideline reporter Naoko Funayama when it expires this summer. She has been at NESN since 2007 . . . Comcast SportsNet New England will launch a new baseball show July 1. Titled “The Show,’’ it will feature CSNNE’s Trenni Kusnierek and Rich Levine, Globe columnist Christopher Gasper, and 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Marc Bertrand, with a strong emphasis on social media . . . Still cannot believe ESPN cut away from Aaron Hernandez’s live arraignment Wednesday to get legal analyst Roger Cossack’s opinion. Nothing the network could have aired at the moment would have been more compelling than watching the stone-faced Hernandez listen as the prosecution revealed in extraordinary detail what it believes to be the timeline of the crime.

Boston Globe LOADED: 06.28.2013


Dan Paille shows his worth

Friday, June 28, 2013

Steve Conroy

Daniel Paille went into the Stanley Cup playoffs with a clearly defined, fourth line role. And he may start next season in that role again.

However, Paille showed in the postseason that he could be a little more than that. He had 4-5-9 totals in 22 playoff games with three game-winning goals. With Gregory Campbell and Shawn Thornton, the so-called Merlot line, they performed well enough, especially in the New York and Pittsburgh series, to be thrown on the ice against the other teams’ top six forwards with their energy controlling the shift.

When Campbell suffered a broken leg in Game 3 against Pittsburgh, the fourth line ceased to exist.

Then in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals against the Blackhawks, Paille was thrown onto a third line with Tyler Seguin and Chris Kelly, and they provided a spark when the Bruins desperately needed it. Paille had the game-winning goals in Games 2 and 3. That came after a regular season in which he had 10-7-17 totals in 46 games and was a Seventh Player Award candidate (rookie Dougie Hamilton won it).

Moving forward, the Bruins’ core will be intact, but there will be changes. If the B’s re-sign Nathan Horton, they’ll have to offload some salary, possibly Rich Peverley or Chris Kelly. Depending on how things shake out, there could be new opportunities for Paille. His scoring touch comes and goes, but his speed, which makes him a dangerous penalty killer, keeps the opposition honest.

Paille was pleased with his season.

“Individually I wanted to improve, and I know there’s still room for improvement. I think that’s one thing I wanted to do and I hope I accomplished that this year,” said Paille during the B’s breakup day on Wednesday. “But to be a consistent player I want to continue that and I want to do that next season as well as the future.”

The 2002 first-round draft pick of the Sabres came to the Bruins at the start of the 2009-10 season from Buffalo, where he posted a career-high 19-goal season in 2007-08, and had his troubles finding a role. There were times when it seemed he might not find his way. It wasn’t until midway through the Cup-winning season of 2011, that Paille found a home with Campbell and Thornton, establishing an identity to his game.

It led the B’s to hang on to the then-free-agent-to-be, signing him to a three-year deal last summer worth $1.3 million annually.

And though he fits like a glove on the fourth line, Paille’s still striving.

“I’ve talked to management a lot over the last few years about what they expect from me. For myself, I had expectations that I wanted to accomplish. I do believe management felt that way as well,” said Paille, whose 10 goals this year were the most he scored since he did the same in 2009-10 in 76 games. “In the end, I think it was to a point where I think it could have gone the other way. I think I realized that and didn’t want to be in that position.

“I wanted to prove that I could to be a bigger part. I think I said it last year when I signed, that I want to be a bigger part, within the same context of my style of play.

“I think I accomplished that this year.”

And who knows what more he can accomplish.

Boston Herald LOADED: 06.28.2013


Milan Lucic delivers


Matt Kalman

For most of the regular season, it looked like the $18 million the Bruins agreed to pay Milan Lucic over three years starting in the 2013-04 season was as sound an investment as a pill for invisibility.

Lucic was impossible to see on the ice as he sputtered to seven goals in 46 regular-season games. It wasn’t until he stopped focusing on the money that he finally turned things around.

“I stopped worrying about living up to the expectation of the paycheck, and my game started being where it wanted to be,” Lucic said after the Bruins lost Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals to the Chicago Blackhawks.

“Obviously when you make as much as you do, it’s always going to weigh on you. But I think for myself what I learned the most was once I stopped thinking about that and once I stopped worrying about living up to some unrealistic expectation that I put on myself, and just focused on playing hockey, that’s when I was playing at my best.”

Luckily for the Eastern Conference champion Bruins, Lucic refocused just in time for the playoffs. In 21 postseason games, Lucic produced 6-12-18 totals and a plus-13 rating. He led all players in the playoffs with 102 hits and was a one-man wrecking crew throughout. Just ask New York Rangers defenseman Anton Stralman, whom Lucic knocked out of the Bruins’ second-round series, a microcosm of the beating the Bruins put on the Rangers in those five games.

Lucic turned 25 during the postseason run, and he had a lot to prove beyond his monetary value. In the 2012 playoffs, he failed to score a goal in seven games. Even during the Bruins’ run to the 2011 Stanley Cup championship, he quietly scored five goals and recorded 12 points in 25 games.

Known as a big-time postseason performer during his junior hockey career and early days in the NHL, Lucic wanted to once again show he could shine when the spotlight is brightest.

“You just try to get your game back, and try to have fun with it again,” Lucic said. “I saw it as an opportunity to get my game back to where I wanted it to be, and show that I am still able to be a big-game type of player. Thankfully I was able to peak and play my best at the right time, and hopefully I can carry that into next year.”

Amazingly, considering the rugged nature of the 6-foot-3, 228-pound left winger’s game, Lucic said he escaped the postseason mostly unscathed. He said in the aftermath of the Bruins’ run that he was only dealing with a couple nagging injuries, including some neck discomfort caused by all the hits.

Lucic’s combination of physicality and scoring helped make his line with center David Krejci and right winger Nathan Horton by far the most productive trio in the playoffs this season.

There was more to Lucic’s game that Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli liked as well.

“What I can take away from this playoff with respect to Looch is, I just go back to that Toronto game,” Chiarelli said about Game 7 of the Bruins’ first-round series. “He passed it to Horton (for the rally-starting goal) and then he came behind the bench and the way he said it, delivered his message to the bench, ‘There’s one, boys. Got a couple more to go.’ That, to me, that speaks to the leadership. I’ve been on the bench before with stuff like that said. . . . I think it just raises the level. He was a man among boys that game. He had a real good playoff.”

Boston Herald LOADED: 06.28.2013

682657 Buffalo Sabres

Weber signs three-year, $5 million contract with Sabres

June 27, 2013 - 8:22 PM

By John Vogl

Mike Weber, who was set to become a restricted free agent July 5, has signed a three-year, $5 million contract with the Sabres.

Weber, who just finished a two-year deal that averaged $950,000 per season, will make $1.5 million in each of the next two years and $2 million in 2015-16.

There was no immediate word from the organization.

"Really excited to be staying in Buffalo for 3 more years," Weber wrote on Twitter, along with the hashtags "IsItOctoberYet" and "letgobuffalo." He then erased it.

The 25-year-old defenseman has spent parts of five seasons in Buffalo. He played 42 games last year, recording one goal, seven points and a plus-3 rating with 70 penalty minutes.

The 6-foot-2, 211-pounder was a healthy scratch to start the season but became one of the more dependable defenders by the end. Coach Ron Rolston continually praised his leadership.

Buffalo News LOADED: 06.28.2013

682658 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres keep Weber with three-year deal

By John Vogl

on June 27, 2013 - 11:16 PM

updated June 27, 2013 at 11:41 PM

The Sabres are keeping their “unsung hero” in the first move of what could be an eventful week.

Buffalo defenseman Mike Weber, who was set to become a restricted free agent next Friday, agreed to a three-year, $5 million contract Thursday night. He’ll make $1.5 million during the next two seasons and $2 million in 2015-16.

He averaged $950,000 per season during his expiring two-year deal.

“Mike is very happy,” said Weber’s agent, Howard Gourwitz, who began negotiating Monday with Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier and his assistant, Mark Jakubowski. “They have been saying Mike was in the future plans and they count on Mike as one of their top defensemen and they count on Mike for leadership and everything. I said, ‘Then you have to make a commitment. A commitment is real money, long-term contract.’ Finally, they did.”

Gourwitz also represents forward Steve Ott, who has one year remaining on his contract, and the agent “hopes and expects” to begin extension talks next month.

Weber’s teammates voted him as Buffalo’s “Unsung Hero” at their season-ending awards ceremony. The 25-year-old defenseman was a healthy scratch to start the season but became one of the more dependable defenders by the end. He played 42 games, recording one goal, seven points and a plus-3 rating with 70 penalty minutes. His 92 blocked shots ranked 24th in the NHL, and he was second on the Sabres in hits (122).

The 6-foot-2, 211-pounder has spent parts of five seasons in Buffalo.

It could be an interesting weekend for transactions. The festivities started Thursday morning when Tampa Bay announced a compliance buyout on captain Vincent Lecavalier. Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier doesn’t anticipate buying out a player, but Ryan Miller and Thomas Vanek are on the trade market as they enter the final season of their contracts.

Miller texted Thursday night he had “no comment right now” on his mind-set heading toward the weekend.

“I really don’t have any updates from my end,” Vanek’s agent, Steve Bartlett, said in an email. “I am available to meet with Sabres at any time and hope to see them at draft.”

Regier and Buffalo’s scouting staff, featuring Kevin Devine, the director of amateur scouting, are in New York preparing for Sunday’s NHL selection process.

“We’ve got some holes to fill on both sides,” Devine said.

The Sabres have an opportunity to stock their system. They hold 10 picks, tied with Nashville, Winnipeg and Los Angeles for the most. Buffalo is set to select four times in the opening two rounds, including eighth and 16th overall.

Devine heads toward the draft with a loose plan of picking six forwards, three defensemen and a goaltender. He raised eyebrows when he said a goalie could be on the radar with the second pick of the first round.

As far as quantity, goaltender is the position of least worry for the Sabres. Even if they trade Miller this weekend, they still have Jhonas Enroth and Matt Hackett available with NHL experience. Buffalo also has a trio of promising prospects in Andrey Makarov, Linus Ullmark and Nathan Lieuwen.

There’s no guarantee any will become stars. Although goalies usually go in the mid- to late rounds, Buffalo could opt for a first-round talent like Zachary Fucale, who backstopped Halifax to the Memorial Cup title.

The Sabres also appear to have depth at center, though it’s unclear whether they have top-end talent in the system. They drafted Mikhail Grigorenko and Zemgus Girgensons in the top 14 selections last year. They added Johan Larsson in the late-season trade that sent Jason Pominville to Minnesota.

Girgensons and Larsson can play on the wings, but the only elite, pure winger the Sabres have is Joel Armia, the first-round pick in 2011.

The Sabres went heavy on defensemen from 2008 to 2010, drafting six blue-liners in the first three rounds, including Tyler Myers, Mark Pysyk, Brayden McNabb and Jerome Gauthier-Leduc. They selected only three with their 14 total picks the last two years, and the defense was further depleted with the trades of Robyn Regehr, Jordan Leopold and T.J. Brennan.

Rasmus Ristolainen and Darnell Nurse might be around at No. 8.

“It’s a toss-up between the forwards and defense,” Devine said, “at least for the first pick.”

Buffalo News LOADED: 06.28.2013

682659 Calgary Flames

Flames enter Sunday’s NHL Entry Draft with clear plan to draft best player available

By Scott Cruickshank, Calgary Herald June 27, 2013

Calgary Flames general manager Jay Feaster vows the club will stick to its plan of drafting the best player available.

Because of the Calgary Flames’ depleted state — one which leaves them in desperate need of size, skill, grit, at every single skating position — no one can scoff at Jay Feaster’s declaration.

The general manager is clinging to the stock answer, that his team’s goal is to snare “the best player available” at the National Hockey League draft Sunday in New Jersey.

Usually, that response is good for a knowing chuckle and a theatrical eye-roll. Like, what a cop-out.

Not now.

The rebuilding Flames really do need it all.

So the best player available? Yes, by all means. More than one, too, while you’re at it.

“We will be looking to do that, with an eye for the players that we draft to have an opportunity to come in for training camp and make our hockey team,” says Feaster, whose squad holds — as it stands right now — three first-round bids, Nos. 6, 22, 28. “We really like this draft. Our guys think it’s a deep draft. We think at 22 and 28, we’re going to be happy with the players that are still on the board.”

Adds Tod Button, the team’s director of amateur scouting: “We’ve improved our prospect base in the last few drafts, but we’re still not flush at any position. We have a pretty good idea of what we want to do and where we want to go. When you have your first three picks in the first round, that’s huge for us.”

Huge, too, then for the Columbus Blue Jackets, who possess hollers at Nos. 14, 19, 27. Which for them means keeping one eye on the draft board and another on the Flames.

“We’re obviously looking at them very closely, seeing what they might do,” Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen told the Columbus Dispatch. “I would imagine we’re having a lot of similar conversations with many of the same teams.”

It would surprise no one if the Flames flipped one or two of their first-round selections — or even all three. Well-publicized is the team’s attempt to shove its picks to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for the first overall selection. Did not work.

Shakeups, though, are never easy, despite the best intentions.

Ask Kevin Lowe.

Heading into the 2007 draft, Lowe had declared loudly that his team — the Edmonton Oilers (holders of three first-round picks) — was “open for business.” There turned out to be zero fireworks. The Oilers, to varying degrees of success, ended up making all of their opening-round calls — Sam Gagner (sixth), Alex Plante (15th), Riley Nash (21st).

Feaster acknowledges the challenge of draft-floor dealings, especially this year when all seven rounds are confined to a single sitting.

“What makes it hard . . . is that you’re under a time constraint,” Feaster says. “The good thing is, we’re already gone through a lot of different scenarios. Dry runs. Mock drafts. We’ve identified which teams have those multiple (second-rounders) that might want to move up. Some guys have already knocked on the door and said, ‘If the right guy’s there . . . .’ So we’ve kind of walked through that. We’re confident in our order and where we have guys and how we prioritize players. So I think we’ll be set to go.”

Yes, at its base, this venture is all about the list — until it isn’t.

“You know, we went off the list a few times last year,” says John Weisbrod, assistant general manager of the Flames. “Usually you have to go off the

list when you’re taking players that fit into a different compartment. Goaltenders are on a separate list. So we went off the list, so to speak, to take Jon Gillies in the third round (75th overall).

“I’m obviously glad we did. This guy is arguably our best prospect at this point.”

Gillies, six-foot-five, turned in a superb freshman season at Providence College this past winter, being named the national rookie of the year.

Now the Flames need more direct hits, starting with an opening round, which, for the first time in franchise history, contains three selections.

“Obviously, there’s a lot of strategy involved,” says Button, adding that the Flames’ late-season stockpiling didn’t affect his marching orders. “You always keep in mind, as you’re going through the year, that you have to know all the players. You always have to be prepared. You can’t sit at the table in the meetings and have the GM come in and say, ‘We just picked up the second pick,’ and go, ‘Hey, we don’t know any of those players.’ ”

The Flames’ list, in fact, when it’s carved out in January, then fine-tuned in May, doesn’t simply highlight the locals’ picks. It’s a straight run-through of all 30 shouts. Of course, getting to that point of the process is not as easy as it sounds.

Not when the scouts want to have their say.

“It’s passionate, it’s heated — it’s people fighting for what they believe in,” says Button. “It’s very respectful, but when you get everybody in the same room and everyone has a stake in what’s going on — we’ve been told, and we recognize as a staff, how important this draft is — it certainly will get heated. It certainly will get raucous in there.

“It’s all part of the path to make this a spectacular draft for us.”

Calgary Herald: LOADED: 06.28.2013


Flames get younger and bigger in trade with Avalanche

By Vicki Hall and Kristen Odland, Calgary Herald June 27, 2013 11:18 PM

David Jones, right, celebrates a goal with Gabriel Landeskog during a game against Calgary last season.

Like most Canadians, right winger David Jones has a friend in Calgary with a harrowing story to tell about the southern Alberta floods.

As of Thursday afternoon, Jones’s own place of employment, the Scotiabank Saddledome, is also in the disaster zone.

“It’s just devastating,” one of the newest members of the Calgary Flames said over the phone from his off-season home in Vancouver. “A buddy of mine, the first floor of his apartment building, I think it was completely under water. But thankfully, he lives on the fifth floor, so he’s a little lucky.

“It’s just devastating. Horrible. I hope everyone stays safe there . . . I have a lot of friends there, so I’ve definitely been following that very closely.”

No doubt Jones, 28, will follow news of the cleanup even more closely after the Flames acquired his rights along with defenceman Shane O’Brien, 29, Thursday for left winger Alex Tanguay, 33, and defenceman Cory Sarich, 34.

The deal actually sees the Flames fork out more money ($16 million in cap hit for O’Brien and Jones compared to $12.5 million for Tanguay and Sarich over the life of the respective contracts). But in the early days of an organization rebuild, Calgary gets younger, bigger and nastier.

Youth, size, and grit are all key items on general manager Jay Feaster’s shopping list.

“One of the things we’ve been talking about for some time and we certainly talked about at the end of the season, is the need to become a harder team to play against,” Feaster said Thursday night. “We wanted to get bigger and younger as well.”

Jones is a six-foot-two, 210-pound power forward originally selected by Colorado in the ninth round of the 2003 draft. He has three years left on a four-year, $16-million US deal with an annual cap hit of $4 million.

Born in Guelph, Ont., Jones spent roughly four years of his early childhood in Calgary before moving to the West Coast.

“I learned to ski at Canada Olympic Park and my wife actually went to school at the University of Calgary,” Jones said. “I would go visit her all the time there. My sister and her husband lived there for the last six years, and I would go visit them all the time.

“They’ve moved back to Vancouver this year. They’re kind of giving me a hard time, because why couldn’t this have happened when they were living there?”

Three years back, Jones collected career highs in goals (27) and assists (18) for the Avalanche. He followed that breakout season in 2011-12 with 20 goals and 17 assists.

Then came a miserable lockout-shortened 2013 campaign where he managed just three goals and six assists for nine points in 33 games.

“I just had a tough year,” he said. “Just try and forget about it. I’m not going to make any excuses. I just wasn’t playing very well.

“I just couldn’t really get things going.”

The Flames believe Jones can turn things around in a hurry with a change of area code.

“With Jones, we get a guy who is an up and down winger,” Feaster said. “He’s a big body, he protects the puck well. We like the fact he drives to the net. He’s willing to go and play in the dirty areas. He’s a right shot, a penalty killer.”

In O’Brien, the Flames get a rugged defenceman who likes to play the body — basically Sarich but five years younger.

The six-foot-three, 230-pound rearguard is clearly not reticent to drop the gloves with 853 penalty minutes in seven NHL seasons.

A certified NHL journeyman, O’Brien has played for the Anaheim Ducks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vancouver Canucks, Nashville Predators and Colorado Avalanche.

While in Vancouver, O’Brien was perhaps better known for his life as a party boy at the Roxy than his work on the ice.

“I was a little bit younger then,” he said Thursday upon learning of the trade in the middle of a round of golf with his dad. “I’ve learned my lesson with that kind of stuff. That’s in my past. I know a lot of people still joke about it. But if you ask the guys who have played with me, I take my job extremely serious.

“Everyone likes to have fun now and then, but I’ve definitely grown up. Hockey is definitely my main priority.”

As for joining a team in the baby stages of a rebuild, O’Brien envisions a quick turnaround for the new-look Flames.

“It’s a younger NHL now,” he said. “I don’t think it takes nearly as long to rebuild as it maybe did a few years back.

“I think Jay’s a great hockey man. I think he knows exactly what he’s doing, and I’m excited to be coming to a young team.”

The feeling is indeed mutual.

“He’s someone who has been on our radar screen for some time,” Feaster said. “He’s a hard guy to play against. He’s a guy that has the real ability to annoy other players on other teams. I can’t count how many times this past season when we played Colorado, he would be the guy that would be crashing into (Miikka) Kiprusoff, coming in late, and just creating havoc in front of the net. We liked that. He’s a guy who sticks up for his teammates, he has good size.

“We got younger, we got bigger, and I think we got harder to play against.”



Flames GM Feaster keeping door open to further trade activity

By Kristen Odland, Calgary Herald June 27, 2013 11:05 PM

Calgary Flames GM Jay Feaster felt Thursday’s trade with Colorado was a good one for his club, which gets younger and grittier in the deal.

All along, Jay Feaster has made it clear that the Calgary Flames are open for business.

And, since the conclusion of their 2013 National Hockey League season, the general manager vowed to get bigger, younger, and, in general, become a harder team to play against.

The latest proof of that promise was Thursday’s deal with the Colorado Avalanche that shipped Patrick Roy’s former teammate and winger Alex Tanguay and veteran defenceman Cory Sarich to the Mile High City.

Coming to the Stampede City are 28-year-old right winger David Jones and 29-year-old defenceman Shane O’Brien.

“We’re open to doing a lot of different things,” Feaster said. “Does that mean there’s another deal waiting to be done and another shoe to drop? No.

“But, again, we’re not closing the door at any possibilities.”

That also means Michael Cammalleri, who is in the final year of his contract, is fair game, too.

Feaster said no trade demand has been made and that they expect to start the season with the 31-year-old who had 13 goals and 19 assists in 44 games for the Flames last season. He also said they plan on finding him a centreman to complement him.

But, then again, no extension discussions have been initiated, either.

“He recognizes the situation he’s in,” Feaster said. “We have a lot of holes to fill, certainly. We have a lot of needs.”

All of which have been identified heading into this weekend’s 2013 NHL entry draft in New Jersey — where Feaster and his scouting staff have been since Monday.

And some of those needs, he believes, were addressed with Thursday’s trade.

With O’Brien, a wish-list player from last year’s free agency, they have an addition to their starting six defenceman — a pestering presence who’ll also stick up for his teammates.

“We talked about wanting to have an identity to our third-pairing group,” Feaster said. “Again, this idea of being tougher to play against and time/space eliminators, we see Obie fitting in nicely with that.”

With six-foot-two, 210-pound Jones, they get a big body and puck protector; a penalty killer who has 272 games of NHL experience with 70 goals and 56 assists. Feaster expects him to fit into their top-nine grouping of forwards.

“I don’t want him to worry about his contract, what he’s being paid, and because of what he’s getting paid, what the perception is of how many goals he should score or has to score,” said Feaster of Jones’ $4-million contract (Tanguay’s was $3.5M) which keeps him as a Flame through the 2015-16 season. “I told him, ‘We just want you to come in and play your game.’ We want you to be hard on the puck. We want you to protect the puck. We want you to go to the net.

“We want you to go to the dirty areas of the ice and play your game.’”

On the other side, the trade reunites Tanguay, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in April, with his old teammate and current Avs head coach Patrick Roy who played together for four seasons (1999-2003) until Roy retired in 2003.

With Tanguay, who’ll be 34 on Nov. 21, no request was made, but he wasn’t exactly thrilled to ride out his remaining three seasons on his contract amid a youth movement.

With Sarich, who’ll be 35 on Aug. 16, being a seventh defenceman (which he’d been at the end of former head coach Brent Sutter’s reign and this season under current head coach Bob Hartley).

“As far as Alex goes, his only concern was he didn’t want it to be a long rebuild,” Feaster said. “We don’t want it to be a long rebuild either. Certainly, he had never asked for a trade. And all Cory wanted was a chance to play.

“I think this works out well for both of them.”



Johnson: While extra D-man Sarich wanted fresh start, Tanguay sad to leave a city he had made home

By GEORGE JOHNSON, Calgary Herald June 27, 2013 11:05 PM

Alex Tanguay, left, and Cory Sarich are both members of the Colorado Avalanche now.

The aging sorcerer has packed away his set of now-you-see-it-now-you-don’t cards. Stored both the trade-issue black felt top hat as well as the rabbit to pull out of it.

And taken his sleight-of-hand back to magic lovers in Denver.

“There are a lot of people in Calgary, in Alberta, going through a lot worse than I am,” said playmaker Alex Tanguay, on the phone from Quebec. “So nobody’s going to feel sorry for me being traded away, and they shouldn’t.

“You see the pictures, the video, and it’s unbelievable. Your thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by what’s happened.

“I’m just a hockey player.

“But, still, I’m sad. Very sad. I’m looking forward to the new challenge in front of me, no doubt, and it’s not the first time I’ve been traded, but our lives were settled in Calgary, our kids were settled in Calgary, and certainly I wanted to be part of the community, be part of the team moving forward, of helping the Flames be better. That’s why I came back. Why I signed a five-year deal.

“But as I said, there are people going through a lot worse than me there right now, so I can’t complain.”

The long-overdue rebuild that began with the off-loading of iconic captain Jarome Iginla and minutes-gobbling defenceman Jay Bouwmeester near the trade deadline, along with the retirement of goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff, deepened Thursday with the Calgary Flames dealing left winger Alex Tanguay, the team’s purest passer, and Sarich, its toughest hombre, to the Colorado Avalance in exchange for right winger David Jones and defenceman Shane O’Brien.

The Flames actually add cap-space hit over the course of contracts, $16 million owed in total as compared to $12.5 million, but do shed some years.

Jones is 29, O’Brien 28.

Sarich is 34, Tanguay 33.

While Jones will never, not in a millenia or two, match Tanguay’s sublime way with a pass, the Flames are banking on him recapturing his 27-goal form of two seasons ago. O’Brien is, in essence, just a younger, larger version of Sarich.

“As far as Alex goes, his only concern was he didn’t want it to be a long rebuild,” explained Flames’ GM Jay Feaster. “We don’t want it to be a long rebuild, either. Certainly, he never asked for a trade. And all Cory wanted was a chance to play. I think this works out well for both of them.”

The reactions of the two Calgary principals were in stark contrast.

“I want to make this clear: I never asked to leave,” emphasized Tanguay. “I don’t think I’m making huge coin ($3.5 million for the next three seasons) — at least not for a hockey player, anyway. So I guess was tradable and they wanted to get younger and that’s what they did. That’s the direction they wanted to go. They’re entitled to do what they think is best for their team and they have people very qualified to make those decisions.

“I felt for the first part of (last) year I played very good hockey. I was asked to play a lot of minutes, I was asked to play a different position for a big part of the year. And then the team kind of derailed and I went along with it.

“Obviously I’d seen rumours. I’d heard that maybe a lot of people wanted me to be out of Calgary, fans, others. But I’m still shocked.”

Sarich, meanwhile, after two seasons of fighting a losing battle to secure a foothold in the lineup on a nightly basis, could probably have been spotted doing cartwheels down the street when Feaster called with the news.

“I’m very excited. They were talking about this last year and it didn’t happen. It was tough season on everyone with lack of games and preparation time.

“I’m a little disappointed, not having been able to help provide any playoffs the last four seasons for a city, a community, that’s the epitome of hockey. That’s the only regret leaving, not being able to experience that feeling a I did for a couple rounds of playoffs. It was unbelievable.”

The uncertainly of being dumped into a seventh-defence role was far from appealing. He dealt with the very professionally, but his unhappiness was hardly a deeply-guarded secret.

“It was basically know by both sides. I dealt with the situation little bit the year before, but I thought I’d proved I can play the game and then I just felt things got off to the same start again. One I thought was a lot, two was really starting to wear on me mentally.

“So I just want a chance. They’re gonna need a veteran presence back there and I’m definitely that now. I think I can help stabilize, bring some consistency, to the back end there.”

The off-ice transition for Tanguay, at least, should be as close to seamless as possible. His wife, Helene, has family in Denver, along with many friends they met during Tanguay’s seasons in The Mile High. With Milan Hejduk retired, though, his dressing-room family at the Pepsi Centre will be entirely new.

“Nobody left from 2001,” muses Tanguay. “I guess that means two things: One, I’m old. And Two, it’s a totally different team.”

More and more, the Flames are shaping up as a totally different team for 2013-2014. Iginla. Bouwmeester. Kiprusoff. Tanguay. Sarich.

And stay tuned.

Feaster might not be done bartering yet.

Those committed to the totality and inevitable pain of a massive restructuring may not miss him, but Alex Tanguay, be sure, will miss this place.

“The fans there,” he says by way of farewell, “have always been first class. I couldn’t have been treated better. I’m thankful. I had two years there, then I came back for three more.

“I’m 33. I still feel that I’ve got a lot of hockey left in me, so I’m looking ahead. But right now, today, and whenever I do retire, I’ll look back on some great years in Calgary.

“A lot of friendships, a lot of fun, and it’ll always be somewhere that we as a family and me as a player remember with great fondness.”



Calgary Flames trade Alex Tanguay to Colorado Avalanche

By WES GILBERTSON ,Calgary Sun

First posted: Thursday, June 27, 2013 04:26 PM MDT | Updated: Thursday, June 27, 2013 05:50 PM MDT

The Calgary Flames are getting bigger and younger.

And they're definitely banking on a bounce-back from the key acquisition in Thursday's trade.

The Flames dealt veterans Alex Tanguay and Cory Sarich to the Colorado Avalanche for winger David Jones and depth defenceman Shane O'Brien.

Jones, a 6-foot-2, 210-lb. right winger who'll turn 28 in August, scored 27 goals in the 2010-11 campaign and 20 the next year, but managed just three goals and nine points in 33 outings last season for the Avs, who finished below the Flames in the standings.

Jones has three more seasons on a contract with a US$4-million salary-cap hit, while O'Brien has two more years at $2 million per winter.

“It was a bit of a tough year. I'm not going to make any excuses,” Jones said. “I think I needed to be better for our team in Colorado and I just wasn't. I just blame myself.

“I hope it was an aberration. It was tough to find a rhythm and then, with such a short season, there's a lot of mixing of lines and messing with things, especially the way things were going for our team.

“The way I look at it is I played 33 games and it was just a bad 33-game stretch, and those are going to happen,” he added. “It's just unfortunate that was essentially my entire season.

“You mentioned a fresh start, and I think it's a perfect time to come back and prove all those people wrong that said I didn't deserve to get the contract and stuff like that. I know I can play and I know I can score, so I'm looking forward to doing that in Calgary.”

O'Brien, a 6-foot-3, 230-lb. blueliner who'll turn 30 in August, collected four goals and 60 penalty minutes in 28 outings last season.

“He's a tough guy to play against,” Jones said. “I know when he played in Nashville and I played against him, I was happy that Colorado picked him up because he's a strong guy, he's tough in front, he'll fight if he has to and he can move. He's one of those guys you love to have on your team and you're happy you don't have to battle against.”

Tanguay, 33, has three more seasons with an average salary of $3.5 million. He collected 11 goals and 27 points in 2012-13. He's spent five seasons in Calgary during a pair of stints.

Sarich, who'll turn 35 in August and spent the last six seasons in Calgary, saw action in 28 games this past year.

“Cory Sarich, he's been a warrior for a long time and I go way back with Cory and won a championship with him and certainly have a soft spot in my heart for him,” said Flames GM Jay Feaster. “And Alex has done great things for us. But the reality is, we are rebuilding. This is a chance to get bigger, to get younger, a little bit different identity.”

While Feaster certainly isn't finished yet, O'Brien feels good about what he sees on the Flames roster.

“Obviously, they're getting younger but there are still some good pieces there, with (Michael) Cammalleri and (Curtis) Glencross and (Mark) Giordano and (Dennis) Wideman on defence, and then some young guys they'll bring in,” O'Brien said. “The one thing about having young guys in your dressing room is they're always going to be excited to play.

“Rebuilding is never the worst thing in the world. I'll be 30 in August. I still have a lot of years left in me so I feel comfortable with going in there and just doing whatever I can to help speed up the process and get the Flames back to where they belong — in the playoffs and competing for a Stanley Cup.”

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 06.28.2013


Calgary Flames Foundation to make $1 million donation to Alberta flood relief effort

By RANDY SPORTAK ,Calgary Sun


The Calgary Flames will donate $1 million dollars to the Canadian Red Cross to flood relief in ravaged southern Alberta.

An announcement was to be made early Thursday morning, but the train bridge collapse in the city’s southeast which shut down a big part of Deerfoot Tr. put it on hold.

However, former Flames player Sheldon Kennedy, who’s been working alongside Red Cross representatives amidst the mammoth cleanup, spilled the beans via Twitter the club was making the donation.

Flames president Ken King couldn’t be reached for comment, having departed the city in the early afternoon to attend the NHL draft in New Jersey.

Flooding of several rivers have impacted many parts of the province, including Calgary, Canmore, High River, Lethbridge and Medicine Hat. Damage is estimated upwards of $5 billion.

The province has announced $1 billion in aid to start the recovery and many other major companies have stepped forward, plus countless residents.

Calgary Stampeders running back Jon Cornish said he will donate $10 for every yard he collects receiving or running the ball in Friday’s season opener against the B.C. Lions.



Calgary Flames get bigger, younger with Alex Tanguay trade



The Calgary Flames needed more size at forward with a scoring touch to go with it.

They believe they’ve found that in right winger David Jones.

The Flames wanted a physical defenceman amidst a crew that lacks punch.

They believe they’ve found it in Shane O’Brien.

It remains to be seen whether Thursday’s trade that saw left winger Alex Tanguay and defenceman Cory Sarich go to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for that pair makes the Flames any better, but it does knock more years off the average age of the club.

And gives the team a different look.

“I go way back with Cory and won a championship with him and certainly have a soft spot in my heart for him,” Flames GM Jay Feaster said. “And Alex has done great things for us. But the reality is, we are rebuilding.

“This is a chance to get bigger and to get younger — a little bit different identity.”

In an odd twist, the four-player swap is a case of both teams ridding themselves of a couple of players who don’t fit in their plans and both teams acquiring a couple of players they were looking for.

Tanguay, 33, is coming off an 11-goal, 27-point season in a tumultuous truncated campaign that saw him struggle when it became obvious captain Jarome Iginla was going to be traded and ended with a knee injury.

A return to Colorado — where he spent the first six seasons of his NHL career and won a Stanley Cup in 2001 — thrilled the winger. The Avs may have finished below the Flames in the standings this past season, but they have a plethora of young offensive talent seemingly destined to break out.

Plus, the Avs will now be coached by his former teammate Patrick Roy, while Joe Sakic is the vice-president of hockey operations and making the hockey decisions with his fellow hall of famer.

“I think I can really help some of the young guys the Avalanche have up front and maybe who they are going to get in the draft Sunday,” Tanguay told the Denver Post. “I’m really excited to have the chance to play for Patrick and Joe. Those guys only care about winning, and I really want to win again. I’d really like to (win a Cup) one more time.”

Sarich, who’ll turn 35 this summer and became a bit part with the Flames, gives the Avs more veteran presence on the blueline. Whether he’ll be a full-time player remains to be seen, but the Avs do need some veteran voices in their dressing room, too.

By comparison, Jones will turn 29 this summer, and he’s looking to rebound to 20-goal form after a dreadful three-goal, nine-point campaign this past season.

O’Brien — essentially a younger version of Sarich — will celebrate turning 30 in August.

It’s doubtful Jones will produce more points than Tanguay, but the new Flames winger, whose salary is US$4 million per season and is signed for three more seasons, is a big body at 6-foot-2, 210-lb. and popped 27 goals in the 2010-11 NHL season.

Debate all you want whether the Flames made themselves better or worse for the coming season, but they did address a couple of needs in the short-term and no longer have two players who weren’t going to be part of the long-term plan.

That’s what happens in a rebuild.



Cory Sarich welcomes tradeaway from Calgary Flames if it means more playing time



Cory Sarich would have been happy to stay with the Calgary Flames.

Leaving makes the veteran defenceman happy, too.

Sarich, who had become an extra on the Flames blueline brigade the last two seasons, made no secret his biggest desire was to get a chance to play more regularly, and that wasn’t in the cards in the place he’s called home the last six seasons.

“I think I proved myself the last couple of years when I was in the lineup, and I said, ‘If you guys can use my services, I do want to be a Calgary Flame. I love it here and it’s my home.’ ” Sarich said Thursday of his end-of-season meeting with Flames. “I left that decision up to them and receiving the phone call sends the message they’re not certain where I fit in, so I’m excited to get the opportunity to play elsewhere.”

Sarich was dealt along with left winger Alex Tanguay to the Colorado Avalanche for right winger David Jones and defenceman Shane O’Brien.

Sarich, who’ll turn 35 this summer, skated in 28 games this past season. Just like the 2011-12 season — in which he played 62 games — he was on the outside of the team’s top six to start the season and had to work his way into the lineup despite his experience.

“I thought I did a good job of handling it for a year,” he said of being a healthy scratch. “Doing it again last year, even though it was a shortened season, it started to wear on me a bit. I would have liked to have stuck around and been someone they could depend on and contribute, but in the same regard, I’m excited that if they feel they can’t use me, they’ve given me an opportunity to go elsewhere and I hope Colorado will be a good fit.

I hope they’re excited to have me because I’m excited to go there.”

Sarich has one season remaining on his contract with a US$2 million salary cap hit.

The Flames may be in the rearview mirror, but Calgary, where he lived even during the off-season throughout his final three years with the Tampa Bay Lightning, will remain home.

“Our kids have serious attachments and great friends here,” he said.

“It’ll probably be home for us when I’m all finished.”


682667 Carolina Hurricanes

Canes intrigued by Russian winger as NHL draft nears

Published: June 27, 2013 Updated 12 hours ago

By Chip Alexander

Valeri Nichushkin is arguably the most interesting, if slightly perplexing, forward among the top prospects heading into Sunday’s NHL Entry Draft.

The Russian winger is physically imposing, skates well and is said to have all the tools needed to make an NHL roster next season.

“He’s a very intriguing player,” Carolina Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford said this week.

Carolina, barring a trade, will have the No. 5 overall pick in the draft, its highest since 2005. If Nichushkin is available when the time comes Sunday, the Canes may not be able to pass on him.

There should be other promising options at No. 5 – forwards such as Sean Monahan of the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League and Elias Lindholm, who played well in the Swedish Elite League as a 17-year-old last season. If defenseman Seth Jones isn’t taken with one of the top four picks, he may be Carolina’s target, but Rutherford said the Canes are “leaning” toward selecting a forward.

Nichushkin, a blend of power and skill at 6-3 and 196 pounds, could give the Hurricanes more size as they move into a new NHL division next season. Canes coach Kirk Muller would like that.

“He’s a physical specimen with high-end offensive talent,” said ESPN.com draft analyst Grant Sonier, a former NHL scout.

Still, Sonier and others bring up the “Russian factor” so widely discussed in the NHL. Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League is a competitor for top talent, enticing and signing players away from the NHL.

Nichushkin was the KHL’s rookie of the year last season with Traktor Chelyabinsk and he was under contract for the next two years. He was traded in late April to Dynamo Moscow of the KHL.

He has said he is committed to playing in the NHL next season, but with a caveat – if he doesn’t make an NHL roster, he wants to return to Dynamo.

“The ‘Russian factor’ is legit,” Sonier said. “What we’ve seen with some Russian players is they say the right things and they say they want to play in the NHL, but the first minute they have to deal with adversity they know they have that golden pot of money back in Russia. That might scare me.”

Rutherford conceded there are some “red flags” associated with the KHL but said it’s not a big drawback with Nichushkin.

“There are pluses and minuses with everybody,” Rutherford said.

“When you pick at the top of the first round, you’re going to take the best player available,” said Dan Marr, the NHL’s director of Central Scouting. “There’s always risk, but you’re not going to let the passport decide who you take. You take the best player.”

Rutherford said the Canes have planned 11 player interviews in New York this week before Sunday’s draft at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. One of the first was to be with Nichushkin and his agent, Mark Gandler.

“We will have a very good dialogue with the player,” Rutherford said.

Gandler also represents Russian forward Alexander Semin, who signed with Carolina as a free agent last July and later agreed to a five-year contract extension. Semin, 29, could help mentor a player such as Nichushkin.

“Semin could be a role model and help him work his way through the transition,” Sonier said.

There are similarities in size – Semin is 6-2 and 209 pounds – and play. Tony MacDonald, the Canes’ director of amateur scouting, said Nichushkin has “great hockey sense” and creativity on the ice.

“He’s just a powerful guy who can take the puck to the net,” MacDonald said. “He’s capable of dominating physically when he cranks up the intensity level.”

Nichushkin did that in the Five Nations Tournament in February in Sweden. He had five goals and six assists in four games, causing one observer to call him a “man among boys.”

“He completely dominated. That was the first time I thought he looked like Evgeni Malkin,” Sonier said.

Nichushkin has been compared to Malkin, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ star Russian center. Sonier said he did not think Nichushkin had Malkin’s “offensive IQ” but quickly added, “He has great potential.”

The Colorado Avalanche have the No. 1 pick in the draft and could take center Nathan MacKinnon from Halifax of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL.) The Florida Panthers may take Jones at No. 2 and the Tampa Bay Lightning could select Aleksander Barkov, a Finnish center.

Nashville has the fourth pick and saw forward Alexander Radulov twice bolt for the KHL. The Predators could be wary of the ‘Russian factor’ and perhaps opt for a forward such as Jonathan Drouin, MacKinnon’s teammate in Halifax.

That could leave Nichushkin there for the taking at No. 5. Or the Hurricanes, as Rutherford has mentioned, could package their pick as part of a trade, possibly for a defenseman, and move down in the first round.

“Very intriguing,” Rutherford said.

News Observer LOADED: 06.28.2013

682668 Chicago Blackhawks

Back surgery possibility for Hawks' Hossa

By Chris Kuc

6:18 PM CDT, June 27, 2013

Marian Hossa spent last summer recovering from a severe concussion. The Blackhawks winger might spend this one rehabilitating after back surgery. Only this time, he’ll have a Stanley Cup championship to keep him company.

Hossa said Thursday he might need surgery to repair a disk in his back after suffering an injury late in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Bruins. Hossa played Games 4-6 with his right foot numb and his mobility limited. The 34-year-old has undergone an MRI and is discussing options with team doctors and training staff.

“When I saw (head trainer) Mike Gapski, he said it’s not great,” Hossa said. “I may need the surgery, but also I may need just a shot. I’m going to talk to Dr. Michael Terry and we’re going to try to make the best decision we can. (It’s) one of those two options.”

Hossa missed Game 3 of the finals but came back to help lead the Hawks to their second championship in four years.

“I don’t know if I was too effective when I was playing,” Hossa said. “I was just limping on the ice. To tell you the truth, I didn’t have as much confidence because everybody around me was much faster. As soon as you get the puck, I wasn’t too confident to do things I’m usually able to do, and that kind of frustrated me during those games.

“The coaches told me to just play your game defensively and that’s going to help us. I tried to stick with that.”

Hossa said the toll taken on his body — including a long rehab from a concussion suffered during the first round of the 2012 playoffs — is worth it.

“Yeah, it is,” Hossa said. “I know the health is so important for when you retire. You want to live a healthy life and try to not be beat up as much.

“In the four years I’ve been here, we’ve got two Cups, which is amazing. That’s why I signed to this organization. I believed in the group they had here, and it’s well worth it right now.”

Winger Bryan Bickell played the finals with a sprained right knee and said surgery is a possibility.

“I don't know yet,” Bickell said. “I haven’t talked to the doctors. I’m probably 80 percent sure that I won't (need surgery), but I'm not 100 percent. I have a couple of months to get it rested.”

Veteran forward Patrick Sharp said he will not need surgery on his injured left shoulder.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 06.28.2013


Hawks must get down to business quickly

By Chris Kuc, Chicago Tribune reporter

9:01 PM CDT, June 27, 2013

They will board buses and slowly wend their way through the streets of Chicago as hundreds of thousands of adoring fans fete them.

As they soak in the adoration during Friday's parade to celebrate their 2013 Stanley Cup, the Blackhawks will know in the back of their heads that it likely will be the last time they all will be together as teammates. While the transformation of the champs to the 2013-14 team that will defend the title won't resemble the carnage of the salary-cap purge of the summer of '10 when half the team was jettisoned, there will be changes.

"We are going to make a few changes but it's not going to be like before," general manager Stan Bowman said Thursday. "There's a lot of work to be done here in a short amount of time with the schedule so tight and the draft approaching in a few days. We don't have it all sorted out yet, but we have an idea of what we want to do."

On Bowman's agenda over the next couple of days leading up to Sunday's NHL Draft and then the following week the opening of free agency, is to address the team's unrestricted free agents — including Bryan Bickell, Viktor Stalberg, Ray Emery, Jamal Mayers, Michal Rozsival and Michal Handzus, and those who are restricted, Nick Leddy and Marcus Kruger.

After his eye-opening performance during the run to the Cup, Bickell figures to receive a significant raise from the $600,000 he made in 2013 and will be in demand from teams around the league. Working in the Hawks' favor will be Bickell's desire to remain with the team.

"I want to stay here — I enjoy this city," Bickell said. "This is a second home to me. My agent and Stan are talking and they're going to do whatever it takes.

"There's that hometown discount. We have a great core of guys and we won two Cups in four years and there are going to be many more to come. I'm willing to do it because … winning is fun."

On the flip side, Stalberg spoke Thursday like a player who is headed elsewhere. Twice coach Joel Quenneville benched the winger during the playoffs and Stalberg was unhappy with his playing time during the season.

"Over the last three years I've showed I deserve to play maybe more times than I got an opportunity to do here," Stalberg said. "When you're on one of the best teams and you have some of the best players in the world in front of you, that's the way it is. That's great, but maybe at some point in your career you want to see what else is out there, what other role you can get and how good you can allow yourself to be. We're going to see if that's the fit here. If it's not, it might be somewhere else."

Emery and Handzus both expressed desires to remain with the Hawks.

"I'd like to stay here but we'll see how that goes," said Emery, who likely will receive offers to start for other teams after serving as Corey Crawford's backup. "I like playing a lot but I like winning too. It's really exciting being on a championship team. If you can repeat a championship, that's something I'd take in any role."

Said Handzus: "I love it here. I would love to stay."

In the case of Mayers, Bowman might not have a hand in the decision as the veteran is contemplating retirement after 15 seasons in the NHL.

"I realize where I am in my career," Mayers said. "(A decision) will play itself out in the next couple of weeks. If I do walk away, I can walk away as a champion and not many people can say that."

Leddy is a prime candidate for an offer sheet from another team, but Bowman said, "He wants to stay here and I expect to get a contract done with him. … We're not letting Nick go."



Quenneville's magnificent balancing act

David Haugh's In the Wake of the News

8:20 PM CDT, June 27, 2013

By the time Joel Quenneville finally boarded the Blackhawks team plane after their cathartic Stanley Cup celebration, the champagne on his suit had dried but adrenaline still coursed through his veins.

Even around 2 a.m. Tuesday, Quenneville still felt like chatting about his team achieving the hardest trophy in sports to win, the one he used to dream about hoisting as a kid learning the game in the Riverside Minor Hockey Association in Windsor, Ontario.

So the first call Quenneville made after winning his second Cup went to the person who would understand most what the championship meant to him. He knew the number by heart. Gloria Quenneville has lived on St. Mary's Boulevard since Joel grew his first mustache.

"My mum watched most of the playoff games by herself but on that night she had all the kids and their husbands and wives and said, 'It was unbelievable,''' said Quenneville, who has two brothers and two sisters. "I'm so happy they got to celebrate at the house. She said they all went crazy and were dancing.

"They later told me my mum had the best time of her life. At the end, my mum said, 'I think I might have had too much to drink.'''

Quenneville laughed heartily sharing the story of his 81-year-old mother getting tipsy toasting his success. A Stanley Cup hangover indeed.

How many people in Chicago can relate during days full of imbibing that turned into an impromptu Blackhawks Convention culminating with Friday's parade? Before it ends, raise a glass to the most level-headed legend a sports city could want, a hockey lifer who humbly acknowledged the history he made becoming only Chicago's fourth coach of a major pro sports team to win multiple titles.

Phil Jackson of the Bulls, George Halas of the Bears and Frank Chance of the Cubs are the others.

"I don't know about the rarity,'' Quenneville said. "This was one of those years so much fun you say, 'Wow, what a year.' So many special moments here — that's what I enjoy. I don't think about the other things.''

In a market like Chicago, others will. The way Quenneville embodies the image the city embraces — a rugged yet regular guy regarded as a winner — increases his Q rating. Yet asked Thursday whether he would try to supplement his income through endorsements a la Mike Ditka circa 1986, Quenneville practically answered in a whisper.

"I'm not worried about that stuff,'' Quenneville said. "I'm just happy here.''

Here where the Quennevilles feel a sense of belonging in a Hinsdale neighborhood full of friends forgiven for decorating his yard with toilet paper. Here where the Blackhawks shrewdly signed Quenneville as a pro scout in September 2008, beginning a five-year plan that would have sounded silly to say out loud. Here where Quenneville began the season within one bad losing streak of losing his job and ended it with an offseason contract extension a matter of when, not if.

"There's no one else I'd rather have coaching this group,'' general manager Stan Bowman reiterated Thursday.

Almost everybody in the Hawks dressing room would concur. Quenneville's appeal goes beyond his consistent preparation and uncanny knack for juggling lines at the right time. Players appreciate the way Quenneville strikes the balance between giving them space and attention. Patrick Sharp praised Quenneville during the Stanley Cup Final for helping him "not only on the ice but in my personal life." Playing 803 NHL games taught Quenneville where the line exists and when to cross it.

"I'm very respectful of the separation, where they're at and where I'm at,'' Quenneville said.

It helps that Quenneville communicates clear goals for each player in quarterly meetings. The first one establishes individual roles. The rest serve as hockey report cards. No Hall of Fame coach grades on the curve.

"Sometimes with older guys, you get good feedback that's healthy for the process,'' Quenneville said. "Or sometimes you might have other meetings when you need to get their attention.''

No such meeting happened when Quenneville benched Viktor Stalberg for parts of the playoffs. Sometimes, Quenneville the taskmaster still prefers strong actions over words.

"I approached him but we didn't talk,'' Stalberg said.

Since beating the Bruins in the most dramatic Cup Final-clinching game ever, Quenneville has been chattier than ever thanking people and deflecting praise. But the trademark mask of intensity behind the glass has been replaced by a relaxed, funny exterior his family recognized seeing Quenneville cavort with the Cup.

"My kids tell me I'm a goofball,'' Quenneville said. "They were showing me with the Cup, what I was doing. I was like, 'I did that?'''

Thanks to the resilient team Coach Q coaxed to another title, that wasn't the hardest thing to believe this week on the ice.



Blackhawks faithful plot their pilgrImages

By Ellen Jean Hirst and Andy Grimm

11:06 PM CDT, June 27, 2013

The official Blackhawks victory parade starts on the Near West Side and winds up at a Grant Park rally, but for Cambridge, Mass., resident Jason Kedzuch, it begins nearly 900 miles east.

The Hoffman Estates native was set to roughly trace the route the Stanley Cup followed after the decisive Game 6 when he flew from Boston after work Thursday to Chicago for Friday's rally. Despite an 11 p.m. arrival Thursday, he intends to get up early to get a prime seat.

"It's part of the city's history, and I just want to be there," said Kedzuch, who moved to Massachusetts about a year ago and was at the Hawks' 2010 Stanley Cup rally.

The borders of Blackhawks Nation are vast, and Hawks fans from around the region — and the country — have planned their pilgrImages to see the Stanley Cup held aloft in Chicago. The Hawks' 2010 parade drew what officials estimated to be 2 million fans into downtown, more than any of the six similar rallies held in honor of each Bulls NBA title, or the 2005 White Sox World Series celebration. However, one former official this week estimated that the 2010 crowd was likely closer to a million people.

If this year's parade is anything like 2010's, it could attract swells of people who take off work — or, cough cough, call in sick — for a chance to celebrate, en masse, what some have called a miracle season.

Kedzuch watched Game 6 on Monday from a seat near the blue line in TD Garden, where the postgame mood was somber for all but the 1,000 or so Chicago fans in the Boston stadium after the Bruins' defeat. Kedzuch said he is looking forward to soaking up the afterglow among a few hundred thousand fanatics Friday.

"That last minute, 17 seconds (in Game 6) I can barely remember, just me jumping up and down so much I thought I was going to fall over the seats in front of me," said Kedzuch, 33.

"The Bruins fans were in such a state of shock they just kind of quietly shuffled out like zombies. … I'm really looking forward to being back in Chicago."

Jeff Fallon is eager to be back as well. He's hoping to nab a spot on the standby list for a 6:25 a.m. flight out of San Diego to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on Friday morning. The flight would arrive at 11 a.m., about the time the rally is set to begin in Grant Park.

Fallon grew up playing hockey in the south suburbs and in leagues around the city until he moved to San Diego three years ago, about a month after the Hawks won the 2010 Cup. He watched almost every game of the Bruins series wearing a 2010 championship T-shirt at a San Diego bar that caters to Chicago expatriates.

"I've got to get back. I have to believe with the timing of this flight, that the grace of God will get me on the plane at 6:25," said Fallon, 42. If he misses that flight, he'll take another that arrives well after the rally starts.

"The flight at 9 gets in around 3 p.m., and I guess they might still be partying in Grant Park."

But most Hawks fans in the throngs along the parade route will have made far shorter journeys.

Mike Magers, 50, general manager of The Penalty Box Bar and Grill in Plainfield, plans to corral 150 Hawks fans onto three charter buses just after 7 a.m. Friday — wearing matching T-shirts provided by the bar — so they can ride in together from the southwest suburb.

"With the lockout this year and the season that they had, we've been packed from game one," Magers said. His buses were filled less than a day after he booked them. "This team is fan-oriented."

Cameron Herdt, 21, will take an Amtrak train from Milwaukee with his family and friends early Friday.

"I think this is when Chicago's at its best," Herdt said of the parade. "When everyone's there and celebrating their team."

Fans know that getting a good spot in Grant Park means arriving early.

Alexa Heinrich, 22, a Lincoln Park resident who has just a few miles to travel to the parade, said she's meeting about 20 of her Hawks-loving friends at the park before it even opens, about 6:30 a.m., with doughnuts and water in tow.

Heinrich and her friends watched the championship game at a bar before eventually making their way to O'Hare early Tuesday morning to welcome their Hawks home.

"If I get close enough to touch the Cup," Heinrich said, "that would make it for me."

Many fans long for an up-close gaze at Lord Stanley's chalice.

"Every hockey fans' dream is that their team will win the Stanley Cup," said Josh Holleb, 56, of Highland Park, "and then you get to see that holy grail. It's a neat trophy, each name is printed on there. ... There's a lot of hockey history there."

Holleb is taking the Metra into the city Friday morning with his 25-year-old son. They want to get into the rally — something they missed in 2010.

"I mean, I've been going to Blackhawks games since I was 4," Holleb said. "The reason I want to be able to see these guys up-close and personal (is) I really think this is a great group of kids who play on this team. … I want to be there to see what they have to say."

The chances of getting close to the players or the Cup are likely slim for most, but some fans say that isn't the point.

Sean Enos, 23, of Chicago, who organized a group on meetup.com for Blackhawks fans in the city, said Friday is all about mingling with a huge mass of fans who feel as passionately as he does.

"Even when I go to games, I know I'm not going to meet (any players) usually," Enos said. "The players get to know (at the rally) that there are more of us than could possibly fill any sports arena. They know that not only are there 22,000 people who come to every single Blackhawks game, but there's 2 million more who want to."

For Josh Ftacek, 34, who's driving from Bloomington with his older brother and two nephews, showing up to the parade is showing respect for the team.

"We want to say we appreciate you as much as you appreciate us," Ftacek said.

And as David Cheever, 43, of Lexington, said, no real Hawks fan would miss the parade because there's no guarantee when the next one will be.

"In 2010, it'd been 40-some years since the last championship," Cheever said. "We've been lucky to have lightening strike twice in four years, but you just don't know when it's going to come around again."



Montador, Olesz to get buyouts from Hawks

By Chris Kuc

9:57 PM CDT, June 27, 2013

Steve Montador and Rostislav Olesz are about to depart the Blackhawks organization.

Hawks general manager Stan Bowman said Thursday the team will use its two compliance buyouts on the veteran players if they clear waivers as expected.

Following injuries, neither Montador nor Olesz played for the Hawks this year, instead suiting up for Rockford of the AHL. The buyouts — which were introduced with the NHL's new collective bargaining agreement, will save the Hawks some money under the salary cap. A buyout costs two-thirds of the remaining contract values and is charged against a team's salary cap as a percentage spread over twice the length of the remaining years.

Montador, 33, has two seasons remaining on a contract that carries a cap hit of $2.3 million next season and $1.8 million in '14-15. The 27-year-old Olesz has one year remaining on a deal that will pay him $4.25 million with a cap hit of $3.125 million. The players will become unrestricted free agents July 5 and the Hawks can't re-sign them.

"We've had young players emerge over the last couple of years so the decision is to move past those two players," Bowman said. "I wish them well. They certainly played well for us in Rockford and they're going to have a chance now to move on to continue their careers somewhere else."

Olesz's agent, Allan Walsh, said via e-mail that the winger who battled back from reconstructive knee surgery, "will be looking to resurrect his career with another NHL team. I was informed that several teams expressed interest in him at various times over the last two years and expect he will find a new NHL home."

Montador was a mainstay on the Hawks before suffering a concussion during the 2011-12 season and then suffered a relapse during an informal workout while the lockout continued.

Dazed: Dave Bolland said his game-winning goal in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Bruins that gave the Hawks their second title in four seasons still hasn't sunk in.

"I don't think it has yet," Bolland said. "I think it's still just roaming around in the air that I scored. I still look back at it and still can't believe it. It's a kid's dream to score that goal. And I did it. It's big and I'll ride with it right now."

As it did last year at this time, Bolland's name has popped up in trade rumors. The veteran center said he would like to stay with the Hawks but understands it's a business.

"I'd love to be back here next year," Bolland said. "It's the NHL and trades happen, but I'd love to be back here. I love Chicago. Things like this go around the league, that's the game, that's what happens."

Battered: Andrew Shaw was looking rather haggard during a media session Thursday at the United Center. The forward revealed he played with a broken rib during the postseason and is sporting two sets of stitches on his face and swelling under his right eye after getting hit with a puck during Game 6.

How many stitches did the scrappy Shaw take this season?

"A lot," Shaw said. "I was never good at math so I can't count that high but it was up there."

Under spotlight: The Hawks have been all over Chicago with the Cup celebrating with fans. Patrick Kane said he realizes he will be scrutinized during the parties and will be the subject of cameras pointed his way during the summer

"We'll have fun with the Cup for sure, especially in the city," Kane said. "But after that, you have to be careful, obviously. Especially this day and age with the social media and Twitter and everything like that. It's almost scary

what can get out there. You see it even now, you'll be at a bar or restaurant lifting up the Cup and the only thing you're seeing is flashes and cameras going off. It's just the way it is."



2013 Blackhawks rewind: A frantic finish

Tribune report

9:43 PM CDT, June 27, 2013

This forever will be the Stanley Cup Final known for overtimes, unpredictable swings, an in-depth analysis of Corey Crawford's glove-side tendencies and, of course, the "I love shin pads" moment.

Oh, yeah, and the Blackhawks hoisting a Stanley Cup above their heads at TD Garden, where they earned their second opportunity to do so in four seasons after a 3-2 victory against the Bruins in Game 6 wrapped up the series.

Each game brought its own subplots — and quite often an extended ending.

But not the one that mattered most. The Hawks quickly alleviated the tension of a 2-1 deficit as Bryan Bickell and Dave Bolland scored 17 seconds apart in the final 1 minute, 16 seconds of regulation.

The Blackhawks were the most dominant team of the regular season, but the big, bad Bruins looked awfully imposing as a Stanley Cup Final opponent. They had just wiped out the NHL's highest-scoring playoff team in a four-game sweep by holding the Penguins to two goals.

Media previews warned about 6-foot-9 defenseman Zdeno Chara and lockdown goaltender Tuukka Rask. How would the Hawks solve those two problems?

The Hawks did it with their speed.

Rask, who had two shutouts before facing the Hawks and allowed fewer than two goals per game to lead the NHL, gave up 21 goals, including a half-dozen in an exhaustive 6-5 Hawks victory in Game 4.

The priority for the Hawks after winning the Cup likely will be rest. Who could blame them?

The series included three overtime games and five overtime periods.

After a double-overtime victory against the Kings to clinch the Western Conference finals, the Hawks started the Stanley Cup Final in the same fashion. Their 4-3 Game 1 victory at the United Center stretched into triple overtime and didn't end until midnight, when Andrew Shaw deflected in a goal off his shin pad.

Wired for sound for the telecast, Shaw famously shouted his love for almost everything in sight. "I love shin pads!" he yelled during the celebration.

The Bruins didn't wait long to stamp out the euphoria. They captured Game 2 at the United Center to tie the series with a 2-1 overtime victory when they slowed the pace, negating the Hawks' biggest advantage.

Things looked even more dire in Boston, where the Bruins blanked the Hawks 2-0 in Game 3 behind Rask and an impenetrable defense.

But then six Hawks scored goals in the Game 4 overtime victory, none more thrilling than the winner by Brent Seabrook. It was his second OT goal in the playoffs, earning him the nickname "Mr. Overtime."

"I was just, I guess, the lucky one to have it going off my stick," Seabrook said. "You get a chance, you get a lane and you try and put it on net, and they've gone in. I don't think I have ice in my veins or anything like that. I'm just playing a game."

The Hawks continued to play their game in Game 5, controlling the pace and attacking the net from the start for a 3-1 victory at the United Center behind two goals from Kane for a 3-2 series lead.

The loss of Toews for the third period put a damper on the celebration. Toews, who had battled with Chara throughout the first two periods, was leveled by Johnny Boychuk in the second period and did not return for the third.

Fans speculated whether Toews would be available for a potential clincher in Boston. Remaining on the bench for the rest of the game — and smiling

and celebrating with teammates afterward — indicated the injury was not serious. But then again, were the Hawks just playing mind games with the Bruins?

The Bruins also were without a star for most of Game 5 as Patrice Bergeron left the United Center in an ambulance with an undisclosed injury.

Both were back on the ice for Game 6 in Boston.

Toews delivered with a goal to tie the game 1-1 in the second period before the frantic finish.

A finish that brought the Stanley Cup back to Chicago.



2010 Blackhawks: 'One for the ages'

Staff

9:42 PM CDT, June 27, 2013

"This was worth the wait, Chicago, through the past four decades, through the dark period not that long ago, through a very tense overtime," the Tribune's David Haugh wrote after the Blackhawks beat the Flyers in Game 6. "Lord Stanley, welcome back to Chicago. It has changed a lot since 1961."

Patrick Kane's shot from deep on the left side slid under Flyers goaltender Michael Leighton and crossed the goal line 4 minutes, 6 seconds into overtime to give the Hawks a 4-3 victory. But for a few seconds he alone was celebrating.

While fans watched in puzzled silence and wondered if the goal would be allowed, Kane was shouting to the heavens — to the rafters of the Wachovia Center, anyway — before the goal was posted on the scoreboard and league officials began pouring onto the ice to stage the Hawks' victory ceremony.

"I knew it right away," Kane said. "It was stuck behind the meshing there."

The win capped a dramatic turnaround for the organization that began with the drafting of Kane with the top overall selection in the 2007 draft, continued with the ascension of Rocky Wirtz to chairman following the death of his father, William, and the hiring of John McDonough as team president. Along the way, former general manager Dale Tallon was assembling much of the team that flew home with the Cup in tow after a spirited celebration.

The 2010 win exorcised many demons.

"Kane's goal won it for you and your neighbor hanging the Hawks flag and everybody who watched the game five-deep at a bar back home," Haugh continued. "This was for Keith Magnuson and Doug Wilson, Eddie O. and Cheli, and all the other proud former Blackhawks who dreamed of winning a Cup in Chicago.

"This was for all the fans who stuck behind the team when you couldn't find them on TV and you couldn't talk about them on sports-radio shows because hosts were ordered to discuss anything but the Blackhawks.

"This was one for the ages."



1961 Black Hawks: Blizzard of goals and snow

Tribune report

9:41 PM CDT, June 27, 2013

Winning it all in 1961 wasn't even the biggest news story in Chicago. A late spring snowstorm, with drifts of up to 10 feet, dominated the news.

In the middle of the front page in the next day's Tribune was a three-line headline: "Hawks bring Stanley Cup to Chicago." A 5-1 victory over the Red Wings in Detroit on April 16 gave the Black Hawks their first Cup in 23 years. For the city, it was the first championship in any major sport since 1947, when the old Chicago Cardinals won the National Football League title.

The Hawks, who played their first season in 1926-27, raised Lord Stanley's chalice for the first time in 1934 and again in 1938. After a long sentence in hockey Siberia, the Hawks emerged in the 1960-61 season as an almost perfect blend of youth and experience, backstopped by peerless goalie Glenn Hall, the "quiet, calm, nerveless knight of the nets," as the Tribune described him.

Stan Mikita and Bobby Hull, the "Golden Jet," had yet to reach their prime but already were forces in the old six-team National Hockey League. Pierre Pilote, Ken Wharram and Eric Nesterenko were entering their glory years.

Still, with the team trailing 1-0 during the first intermission of this sixth game of the finals, coach Rudy Pilous had to give his players a pep talk.

"I just told them," he said later, "tonight's game was worth $1,000 to the winner, and the loser gets nothing."

For the rest of the game, the Hawks set about burying the Wings. The third period became an exhibition in championship hockey, with three Hawks scoring. (Actually, each Hawk received an extra $1,750 for winning. The Red Wings received $750 per man.)

Meanwhile, Jim Norris, the team's co-owner, refused to watch the final period.

"Our nerves were a little on edge," he told a Tribune reporter. "I didn't want to watch it after we got two ahead."

It seemed that this would be the first in a series of Cup titles for the Hawks.

But the city would have to wait 49 years to celebrate again.

In 1967, the Hawks finished a glorious regular season first overall, only to fall in the semifinals. Phil Esposito was traded. Hull left for Winnipeg. The Hawks were foiled twice — in 1971 and 1973 — by the Canadiens in the final round. The team returned to the finals in 1992, but four games later, the Penguins raised the Cup.

On a mid-April night in 1961, however, the future appeared to offer endless possibilities. But there was no celebrating with the fans on that Sunday night. The Hawks' flight home from Detroit was canceled because of the snowstorm.

"The team celebration was extremely mild," the Tribune reported, "confined to beer in the Metropolitan airport cocktail lounge."



1934 Black Hawks: Triumph then tragedy

Tribune report

9:40 PM CDT, June 27, 2013

In the 1933-34 season, the Black Hawks still were relatively new on the scene. They played their first season in 1926-27 and moved into the Chicago Stadium in 1929. The Hawks had only modest success, losing in the finals to the Canadiens in 1931.

Expectations weren't high for the 1934 playoffs. The team had finished only two games above .500 and scored a mere 88 goals in 48 games. However, with goalie Chuck Gardiner, scoring wasn't a necessity as the playoffs began.

After eliminating the Montreal Maroons in the first round, the Hawks were prohibitive underdogs in the best-of-five finals against the powerful Red Wings.

"They will play the one team in the league which appeared to exercise some strange power over them," Tribune columnist Charles Bartlett wrote before the series started.

Then the Hawks pulled a stunner by winning the first two games on the road, putting them one victory from the Stanley Cup. Detroit rallied to win Game 3 in Chicago.

But on April 10, 1934, more than 18,000 fans jammed the Stadium to watch Gardiner stop the Red Wings. Finally, at 30:05 of overtime, Harold "Mush" March scored to give the Hawks a 1-0 victory and their first title.

Bartlett wrote: "March, a shrimp of a hocky player who matches his 140 pounds against all the heavyweights in the game, is going home with the most valuable puck in existence this morning. He seized the little black disc out of the Detroit cage last night at the Chicago Stadium after having blazed past Wilfred Cude, the Red Wing goalie, to give Chicago the world's championship and the Stanley Cup for the first time in their eight-year career."

(March had better luck retrieving the puck than Patrick Kane did after his overtime goal to win the series in 2010.)

Chicago fans embraced their new champions. But it didn't last long, as tragedy hit the team a couple of months after winning their title.

Gardiner, who registered five shutouts during the playoffs, was the star. However, he exhibited erratic behavior during the drive to the title. The mood swings were attributed to nerves. He even was sent to Milwaukee for a day to rest before shutting out the Red Wings.

It turns out Gardiner wasn't suffering from nerves. Shortly after returning to his home in Winnipeg, he went into a coma, the victim of a brain tumor. On June 13, just more than two months after leading the Hawks to the title, Gardiner died at 29.



1938 Black Hawks: 1 of most improbable winners in NHL history

Tribune report

9:40 PM CDT, June 27, 2013

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.



Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville says he’d like to work out a contract extension

BY MARK LAZERUS June 27, 2013 10:15PM

Updated: June 27, 2013 11:09PM

While his players spent much of the last two days on one of the most memorable bar crawls in Chicago history, coach Joel Quenneville spent much of his time cleaning up his yard, which was toilet-papered by giddy Blackhawks fans.

“It’s progressed,” Quenneville said, talking about his yard in the same nebulous way he talks about player injuries. “A never-ending project.”

Quenneville has entrenched himself as a member of the Chicago community and hopes to keep it that way. His contract expires after next season, and he said Thursday that he’d very much like to work out an extension.

“Absolutely, we love it here,” he said. “We don’t want to go anywhere. This is a special place to be from all perspectives. Being a coach in this hockey environment, this organization, with the players we have — I was very fortunate to walk [through] the door five years ago with a team that was sitting on gold. Had a lot of fun over those five years.”

Quenneville leads all active coaches in regular-season wins (660) and games coached (1,211), as well as playoff wins (88) and games coached (162). He’s now the 14th coach to win multiple Stanley Cups. And just a year ago, his job was in jeopardy after a second straight first-round playoff exit.

“You can’t worry about that stuff in this business,” he said. “I’m sure there were a number of coaches in a comparable boat. That’s the life and challenges of being a coach. I was never worried about that.”

Quenneville received an extension after the 2010 championship, when he also had one year left on his deal, and general manager Stan Bowman said Quenneville is very much in the Hawks’ future plans.

“Like we spoke of a couple of years ago at this time, we want to keep Joel,” Bowman said. “He’s done a tremendous job leading the team. There’s no one else I’d rather have coaching this group than Joel. He’s demonstrated a great ability to understand what it takes to win. He’s got a proven track record, and I think our players really respond to him.”

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 06.28.2013


Marian Hossa played on, but he might need back surgery



There wasn’t much Marian Hossa felt he could do with a disc problem in his back rendering his foot numb, but in the Stanley Cup Final, that wasn’t going to stop him from trying.

“I don’t know if I was too effective,” Hossa said.

“I was just limping on the ice. I didn’t have as much confidence because everyone around me was much faster. As soon as I got the puck, I wasn’t confident to do the things I normally do. It frustrated me. But the coaches told me to play my game defensively, that it was going to help us, so I just tried to stick with it.”

While former Hawks star Tony Amonte questioned Hossa’s toughness after the big Slovak sat out Game 3, it turns out Hossa might need surgery to repair the damage in his back.

“I may need surgery or another shot,” Hossa said. “After this, I’ll talk to [team doctor Michael Terry] and try to make the best decision.”

The injuries the Hawks played through during the playoffs continued to come to light during Thursday’s locker-clean-out day.

The sprained knee Bryan Bickell suffered in Game 5 against Los Angeles was bad enough that he wondered if he’d play in the Final at all. Dave Bolland was still feeling the effects of the groin injury suffered late in the regular season and added a wrist injury during the playoffs.

Michal Handzus declined to go into detail, but coach Joel Quenneville said he had a wrist injury, among others.

And Andrew Shaw was playing with a broken rib suffered during the first period of Game 7 of the Detroit series.

“Couple of cross-checks in front of the net just caught me in the wrong spot,” Shaw said. “Just a hockey play.”

Other than Hossa, only Bickell said surgery was possible, though he was “80 percent” sure he wouldn’t need it.

Meanwhile, Boston’s Patrice Bergeron has been in the hospital since Game 6 ended with various injuries, including a punctured lung that he played through.



Celebrating can be exhausting for Blackhawks



Patrick Kane spent 12 hours on Wednesday getting to and from New York for a six-minute interview with David Letterman. There are pictures floating around the Internet of Kane partying at a bar with a unicorn head on (“That wasn’t me,” a smiling Kane said after a long pause) and video of Jonathan Toews crowd-surfing at another bar (“That wasn’t me,” a smiling Toews said after a long pause). Most of the playoff beards are gone, but a few hangover shadows were evident Thursday morning.

“I haven’t slept today,” Marian Hossa said with a smirk. “Don’t tell this to my wife, please.”

Friday’s fun will be a little tamer — but a lot louder. The Hawks will enjoy their second championship parade in four years, riding double-decker buses from the United Center to Grant Park’s Hutchinson Field. The parade starts at Des Plaines and Washington at 10:30, and the rally at Hutchinson Field starts around 11.

“I think it’s going to be even bigger than the last one,” Bryan Bickell said. “That’s what I’ve been hearing. I don’t know how much you can top the last one, it was outstanding. It’s going to be a great experience I’ll never forget.”

The whole whirlwind celebration is like that, even if it takes a toll at the end of a grueling postseason.

“We’ll enjoy it for a little bit here,” Kane said. “I’m excited to get back home for summer and just relax. The last few days have been almost more tiring than the playoffs.”

O captain

Before the Hawks took the ice for their morning skate before Game 6 in Boston, Toews pulled Michal Handzus and Jamal Mayers aside and told them that if the Hawks won that night, he’d be handing the Stanley Cup first to Handzus, then to Mayers — two veterans who played a combined 29 seasons before becoming champions.

Mayers, who didn’t play in the playoffs but played a key role as a behind-the-scenes leader, said it was a classy move by a great leader.

“It’s just a testament to the type of leader he is, and person, to have the foresight to have that perspective,” Mayers said. “He’s turned into an unbelievable leader. . . . It reminds me of what people used to say about [Mark ] Messier.”

Great moment

Dave Bolland said it still hasn’t sunk in that he scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal.

“I think it’s still just roaming around in the air that I scored,” he said. “I look back at it and still can’t believe it. It’s a kid’s dream to score that goal. And I did it.”



Blackhawks will retool, not rebuild this offseason



Stan Bowman took the first step toward keeping the 2013 Stanley Cup-champion Blackhawks largely intact Thursday, announcing that he put defenseman Steve Montador and forward Rostislav Olesz on waivers. If they go unclaimed, as expected, the Hawks will use their two compliance buyouts — an element of the new collective-bargaining agreement designed to allow teams to shed unwanted contracts and get under the lowered salary cap next season — on the two veterans. They combined to make more than $6 million this season, despite not playing a game in the NHL.

With several players due for raises, and Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews due for contract extensions next summer, it’ll take some work to get the Hawks under the $64.3 million cap. Not everyone will be back, but the carnage won’t be anywhere close to the purge that took place after the 2010 championship, when more than half the team departed.

“There shouldn’t be too many changes,” Patrick Kane said. “Looking back to 2010, you had to win it that year because the next year, everyone was going to be gone. This year, there shouldn’t be too many changes.”

The Hawks’ biggest concern is re-signing Bryan Bickell. To do that, they might have to move a piece of their core. Dave Bolland — who scored the Cup-winning goal in Game 6 at Boston but is slated to make $3.375 million next season — is a likely candidate to be on the trading block with the draft coming up Sunday.

“It’s the NHL, and trades happen, but I’d love to be back here,” Bolland said. “I love Chicago.”

Everyone does these days. But who will stay and who will go? Here’s a quick look:

Hometown discount for Bickell?

With nine goals and eight assists in the playoffs — all while playing a strong physical game — big Bryan Bickell assured himself of a hefty raise this summer as an unrestricted free agent. After making just $600,000 this season, the 6-4, 223-pound power forward could command $3 million a season. But Bickell said Thursday that some things are more important than money and that his agent was already in talks with the Hawks.

“You’ve got to do what makes you happy,” he said. “I know there are a lot of good teams around this league, and a lot of teams you won’t have as much fun [with] as if I stayed here. This is a great city, I enjoy it here, I got drafted here, this is a second home to me. We’re going to work on something, and hopefully it works out for the best.”

He also said he’d like the chance to see what he could do in a full season on a line with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, with whom he had excellent chemistry late in the playoffs.

When asked if all that meant he’d take a hometown discount to stay with the Hawks, Bickell replied, “Definitely.”Holding steady with Leddy

Defenseman Nick Leddy played less than 13 total minutes in the last three games of the Stanley Cup Final, but that won’t be how his Hawks career ends. The speedy 22-year-old defenseman is a restricted free agent, but Bowman said the Hawks will match any offer sheet that comes his way.

“We’re excited about his future,” Bowman said. “He’s taken steps every year, and I expect next year to be another one.”

Said coach Joel Quenneville: “I think we ended it on a positive note. With Nick’s situation, be excited where you’re going to be at going forward and keep getting better.”

Leddy said the playoff run was still a valuable experience.

“You learn things every year, game in and game out,” Leddy said. “I didn’t play a lot, but we won the Stanley Cup and it’s all about the team. It’s very

exciting [that the Hawks want him back]. The city’s unbelievable, and the fan base is, bar none, the best.”

What’s your vector, Viktor?

Another player who saw his ice time decrease in the playoffs is winger Viktor Stalberg, who certainly sounded Thursday like a man who had played his last game in a Hawks uniform. Twice benched by Quenneville during the postseason — at the start of series against the Red Wings and Bruins — Stalberg said he wants a chance to play as a top-six forward getting major minutes. That’s unlikely to happen with the Hawks.

“Over the last three years, I showed I deserve to play maybe more than at times I got an opportunity to here,” Stalberg said. “That’s how it is. You’re on one of the best teams, and you have some of the best players in the world in front of you. That’s great, but maybe at some point in your career you want to see what else is out there, and what role you can get, and see how good you can allow yourself to be.”

Stalberg also said “I love it here” and wouldn’t rule out a return completely. He has yet to speak with his agent or Bowman.

“I didn’t take the conversation last night at the bar, let’s put it that way,” he said laughing.

Weighing their options

Marcus Kruger, Michal Handzus and Michal Rozsival have expressed interest in returning to the Hawks. Kruger is a restricted free agent while Handzus and Rozsival are unrestricted.

“I’d love to stay here. I love this place, I love this organization,” Kruger said. “We’ll see if they want me to be here. I’m so glad I got the chance to play here with these guys in this organization. They’ve been top-class in everything.”

After going 17-1, goaltender Ray Emery could command more than the Hawks want to pay a backup. The Hawks also signed Finnish star goaltender Antti Raanta, who could compete for a spot right away.

“Hopefully, he can adjust to North America quickly,” Bowman said. “Something that takes a little bit of time. We’re not trying to rush him into anything.”

Jamal Mayers is considering going out on top, having finally won a Stanley Cup at 38.

“Climbing the mountain and seeing over the top may have changed things a little bit for me,” Mayers said. “That’ll play itself out in the next couple of weeks. But if I do walk away, I can do that as a champion. Not many can say that.”



The Fratellis pumped up over the popularity of the band’s ‘Chelsea Dagger’

BY MIKE THOMAS June 27, 2013 10:15PM

Updated: June 28, 2013 2:26AM

Here’s the thing about Baz Fratelli: He’s not much for hockey.

Doesn’t hate it, but it’s merely fifth on his list of favorite sports. First comes soccer, followed by boxing, martial arts and tennis. Then hockey.

And here’s the amusing irony: Since 2008, the Chicago Blackhawks have blasted the rowdy chorus to “Chelsea Dagger” — a single from the 2006 debut album “Costello Music,” by the Scottish band The Fratellis — to pump up thousands of fans at the United Center.

But don’t get him wrong: Fratelli is immensely pleased that the tune, which was written by lead singer Jon Fratelli and has sold better outside America than in it, has gotten so much stateside exposure the past few years, thanks largely to Chicago’s 2010 and 2013 Stanley Cup victories.

“To find out it had branched out overseas was fantastic, really,” says Fratelli, the band’s bassist. “And it seems to just be going absolutely insane now. So it’s all good; we’re pleased to be a part of it.”

Other sports teams — including Fratelli’s hometown soccer crew from Glasgow, the Celtic Football Club — use the upbeat anthem as well.

“It’s always a surprise to me when anybody shows an interest and adopts something of yours for something of that sort of magnitude.”

As a bonus, the Hawks’ latest Cup coup comes at an ideal time.

“It certainly sets things up nicely for us to get back out there and start touring again,” Fratelli says of his group, which formed in 2005, broke up in the spring of 2010 (not long before the Hawks began competing in the Stanley Cup semifinals) and reassembled around this time last year.

Since the band hasn’t gigged together in America since the Blackhawks adopted “Chelsea,” Fratelli and his mates have yet to experience a live, local reaction to it. Jon Fratelli got a solo taste when he played the song at Metro in June 2010.

“It’ll be interesting to come back now that the song’s had that much exposure. It’ll also be interesting to go to some other cities and see if they actually hate us,” Fratelli says with a laugh.

He discovered hockey around age 10 through relatives in America, “ironically enough, from the Boston area. I don’t think they’ll be talking to me much.”

“And obviously, being Scotsmen, we were attracted to the guys fighting.”

Despite the song’s popularity, Fratelli and his mates haven’t cleaned up financially. Far from it. Royalties can take many months to roll in, he explains, and so far there’s not much rolling. In another year, he allows, things might be different.

Beyond its surprising status in the sports world and its money-generating potential, what does Fratelli think of “Chelsea” on a purely musical level?

“It took on a life of its own very early on, so I guess when a song does that, you simply don’t own it anymore; you don’t think of it as your song,” he says. “That song, particularly. People will chant it while they wait for us to come on [stage] sometimes, or between each song. Sometimes it’s the only track that people want to hear, but that depends where you are.

“But out of my personal favorites that the band [does], it’s probably not in the top five.”



Here come the Hawks: Parade starts at United Center, Grant Park rally kicks off at 11 a.m.

Staff

Updated: June 28, 2013 1:49AM

To celebrate their second Stanley Cup championship in four seasons, the Chicago Blackhawks will start their victory parade about 10:30 a.m. from the United Center in double-decker buses and end up in Grant Park.

The official parade route will begin at Des Plaines and Washington streets and continue east to Wabash Avenue. From there, the team will head east to Michigan Avenue, travel north to Randolph Street, east along Randolph and then south on Columbus Drive. Blackhawks fans are encouraged to follow them along this route.

Revelers can enter Grant Park at Jackson and Michigan or Congress and Michigan for the 11 a.m. victory rally at Hutchinson Field at the south end of Grant Park.

Fans also can line the parade route that continues south along Columbus Drive, between Monroe and Balbo streets.

All east/west streets between Roosevelt and Randolph from Michigan Avenue to Lake Shore Drive will be closed for the celebration, beginning at 12 a.m. Friday. Those street closings include Balbo Avenue, Jackson Street and Monroe Street, but Congress will remain open.

The closings will affect 30 bus routes run by the Chicago Transit Authority. A full list is available at www.transitchicago.com. CTA officials said there will be more frequent rail service and longer trains.

Metra is offering a $5 one-day pass good for unlimited rides Friday. The pass can be purchased from a Metra ticket agent.

Because of the crowds expected for Friday’s event, the CTA and Metra will not allow bicycles on board trains.

Alcohol will not be allowed on Metra trains, and there will be zero tolerance for drinking alcohol on the public way during the Blackhawks celebration.

City officials said coolers will not be allowed at the rally, but closed water bottles will be. Water fountains also will be on site at the Hutchinson Field, and water will be available from vendors. Backpacks and large bags will be searched.

The weather forecast calls for sunny skies with temperatures in the upper 70s in the morning and a chance of rain and thunderstorms after 3 p.m.



With all key players in the fold, Blackhawks have potential for dynasty

BY RICK MORRISSEY. June 27, 2013 10:15PM

As far as I could tell, it wasn’t a media gathering for the Blackhawks so much as it was two hours of detox.

Some of the players hadn’t stopped chugging from the Stanley Cup since Dave Bolland’s game-winner on . . . what day was that again? I’m not sure these guys could tell you.

“The last few days have been almost more tiring than playing in the playoffs,’’ said Conn Smythe Trophy winner Patrick Kane, who appeared on the “Late Show With David Letterman’’ on Wednesday.

To the victors go a lack of sleep. Kane wasn’t the only one who seemed very, very tired Thursday morning.

“Do I look like it?’’ captain Jonathan Toews said.

He looked like he had been subjected to 48 straight hours of interrogation and the same question over and over again: “You want a glass with that bottle?’’

I asked Toews about the YouTube video of someone who looked very much like him crowd-surfing on the hands of well-wishers at a local drinking establishment Tuesday.

“That wasn’t me,’’ he said with a smile. “No comment.’’

That’s how it was Thursday for the happy, bleary-eyed Hawks, one day before Friday’s downtown victory parade and rally. That will be the party to end all parties, until the next party to end all parties for the franchise. If you think I’m getting ahead of things here, you might want to consider the team’s two Cups in the last four seasons, as well as the fact that almost all of the key players will be back for 2013-14 and beyond.

A hockey player would never say what the Heat’s LeBron James said about his goal for league titles — “not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven” — but there’s no reason for the Hawks to be shy. This could be a dynasty in the making. Yes, bad things can happen. Injuries can happen. Weird puck bounces can happen.

But with Toews, Kane, Duncan Keith, Marian Hossa, Corey Crawford, Brent Seabrook, Patrick Sharp and lots of other talented players on the roster, it’s permissible to think, “not three, not four . . .’’

“I don’t see why we can’t do it,’’ Kane said. “We had a great year this year, from the winning streak to winning the Presidents’ Trophy to the way we played in the playoffs.’’

It’s good to be the Hawks. Coach Joel Quenneville was on the hot seat before the season, having failed to get his team out of the first round of the playoffs the previous two seasons. Now he’s going to get a contract extension. Now there’s radio chatter about a possible spot for him in the Hall of Fame.

“There’s no one else I’d rather have coaching this group than Joel,’’ general manager Stan Bowman said.

It’s good to be Bolland, whose Cup-clinching goal is captured on the cover of this week’s Sports Illustrated.

It’s good to be Bryan Bickell, who will get a huge pay raise, from the Hawks or another team.

It’s good to be Andrew Shaw, who was sporting stitches on his cheek and at the corner of his eye. They went very nicely with his black eye, all courtesy of the puck that hit him in the first period Monday night. That beaten-up, stitched-up face has become the symbol of this team.

“It looks pretty cool,’’ he said.

His teammates agree.

“They said, ‘That’s the face of a champion,’ ’’ said Shaw, who also played the Stanley Cup Final with a broken rib.

Yes, it’s good to be the Hawks, who are still having trouble understanding how they scored two goals 17 seconds apart at the end of Game 6.

“We watched it on the plane’’ home from Boston, Quenneville said. “It was such an amazing two minutes what just happened. It was like, wow.’’

Wow, indeed.

If any of these guys have had to buy a drink in Chicago since Monday night’s victory, it’s a bigger wow. They’re the toast of the town. They’re also toast, having gone almost nonstop since knocking off the Bruins. Shaw said he finally went to sleep at 8 a.m. Tuesday.

Now the parade and rally await. The Hawks did this in 2010, when an estimated 2 million people lined downtown streets to catch a glimpse of the team riding past on double-decker buses. No rest for the weary. Again.

“I think it’s going to be crazier than the last one,’’ Bolland said. “I’ve got to make sure I’m sober for it.’’

Good luck with that.



One more title and Hawks can be called a dynasty

By Tim Sassone

What defines a dynasty in hockey? Two Stanley Cups in four years is a good place to start.

The Blackhawks are allowed to talk dynasty after claiming their second championship in four years on Monday.

Hawks winger Patrick Sharp admitted that was a topic for discussion on the plane ride home from Boston.

"It's kind of crazy," Sharp said. "We grew up watching teams like the New Jersey Devils, who always seemed to be in the finals, the Colorado Avalanche, Detroit; now you can say the Hawks have won twice, too."

Sharp is part of a special core of players who have played key roles in both Stanley Cup wins along with Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Marian Hossa, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Dave Bolland.

One more Cup and the Hawks can be talked about in the same breath as the New York Islanders of the 1980s, who won four Cups in a row, and the Edmonton Oilers of the mid-1980s, who won four times in five years.

Detroit has won four Stanley Cups, New Jersey three and Colorado two.

"The fact you get the chance to win one championship like this once in your career, I think there's always that feeling that you can somehow do it again," Toews said. "There's something special about the core group that we have, the guys that have been here ever since I've been a Blackhawk. There's something about that group where all they want to do is win.

"You look at Patrick Sharp and Brent Seabrook, the Duncan Keiths — those guys could be out there getting all the personal achievements or notoriety in the world, but they're doing what it takes for our team to win every single year."

There was talk of a dynasty the last time the Hawks won in 2010, but that team was quickly ripped apart because of salary cap issues. There are no such problems this time, or at least they're not as serious.

"Looking back at 2010 it was kind of like we had to win it that year because the next year everyone was going to be gone, 10 or 11 guys," Kane said. "You look at this year there shouldn't be too many changes.

"I said this after the game the other night, I think the core is special here. They did a great job of keeping it together. Stan (Bowman) has put a very good hockey team together and I don't see why we can't do it (again). Hopefully we can win a few more because you've got something special here and I think everyone wants to stick around and be part of it."

Toews remembers 2010 as a team that didn't know how good it was.

"That team in 2010 seemed to not realize how special we were and how special it is to go win a Cup the way we did," Toews said "We were 16-6 or something (in the postseason) and never seemed to have any real adversity except first series against Nashville. We were naïve in that way. We didn't know what we were accomplishing. We did it without thinking.

"The core guys definitely understand now how tough it is to get back and give yourself a chance to win a Cup. This group from Day One understood that."

Toews said there is a better appreciation for what it takes to win now.

"When you go all the way to the top of the mountain, you have that feeling that there's no reason you can't do it again," Toews said. "To get that far and to win a Cup, you have to have that faith that you have that ability. It's a whole other thing to realize that goal and to win. It gives you a whole new level of confidence to find ways to do it again.

"If we find ourselves in a tough spot in a playoff series next year, that experience will come in handy, no matter what."

Hawks coach Joel Quenneville says history will decide how this Hawks team is judged among the all-time greats.

"Who knows when you come up with those type of discussions with the team and where it's at," Quenneville said. "Look at the young players here, (they) have some pretty impressive resumes at a young age. They want to win. That's a good thing."

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 06.28.2013


Hossa’s aching back may require surgery

By Tim Sassone

Marian Hossa might need back surgery for the injury he suffered in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final.

"I may need surgery or another shot," Hossa said Thursday. "I'll talk to Dr. (Michael) Terry and try to make the best decision. It's one of those two options."

Hossa called it a disk problem that made his right foot numb when he skated.

"I don't know if I was too effective, just limping on the ice," Hossa said. "I didn't have as much confidence because everyone was much faster. I wasn't confident in doing the things I usually do. But the coaches told me to play my game defensively, so I just tried to stick with it."

Hossa said winning the Stanley Cup made it all worth it.

"I know the health is so important," he said. "Even when you retire you want to live a healthy life, but in these four years we have two Cups, which is amazing."

Hossa was hardly the only Hawk to play hurt. Bryan Bickell had a sprained right knee and Andrew Shaw a broken rib, while Michal Handzus had so many injuries he didn't want to talk about any of them.

"Handzus played every game taking care of how many different ways to get him out there — one, two or three issues," said Hawks coach Joel Quenneville. "It was special knowing he was still playing great. It didn't change how he played.

"Everybody was banged up at a different level."

Compliance buyouts:

Hawks general manager Stan Bowman said he decided to use both of his compliance buyouts this summer — on defenseman Steve Montador and forward Rostislav Olesz.

Both players must clear waivers before they are bought out.

While the players will get what they are owed, this will save the Hawks $5.85 million against the salary cap. Montador had two years left on his contract that was worth $2.75 million a season, while Olesz had one year left at $3.1 million.

"I suppose that's one way to look at it," Bowman said regarding the flexibility the buyouts give him. "Certainly both players that we're going to be buying out, we've had young players emerge over the last couple years, which is a good thing when you look at where we were a couple years ago, when we brought Montador and Olesz in. We didn't even have (Brandon) Saad or (Andrew) Shaw. We didn't have (Adam) Clendening. I wish them well. They're going to have a chance now to move on to continue their careers somewhere else."

Bowman said there was no consideration given to buying out Marian Hossa, who still has eight years left on the 12-year, $63.3 million contact he signed in 2009.

The Hawks would face stiff penalties if Hossa were to retire early.

"No, that doesn't concern me at all," Bowman said. "He's the kind of guy that I have a lot of confidence and faith in and he's looking to play hockey. He's not looking to retire, so that's not something that's a concern to us at all."

Bickell update:

Unrestricted free agent Bryan Bickell sounded more confident than ever that he would be staying in Chicago.

Bickell said he loves playing here and would consider a hometown discount to stay.

"We're going to do whatever it takes to keep me here," Bickell said. "I enjoy the city and feel it's a second home to me. I know there have been talks between my agent and Stan (Bowman) and it's out of my hands now.

"You've got to do what makes you happy. I know there are a lot of good teams around this league and a lot of teams where you won't have as much fun as you would here. This is a great city, I enjoy it here and I got drafted here. This is a great team. We've won two Cups here and we're going to win many more."

Restricted free-agent defenseman Nick Leddy said he also wants to stay.

"This city is unbelievable and the fan base is incredible," Leddy said. "I'd like to stay."

Bowman isn't concerned that there's a team out which might give Leddy an offer sheet.

"That is not controlled by us," Bowman said. "We can guess at it. I know that we want to bring Nick back. I've talked to his agent. He wants to stay here and I expect to get a contract done with him. So, we're not letting Nick go. We're going to keep him here and I'm not concerned about offer-sheets."

Trade rumor:

There was an ESPN.com report Thursday that claimed the Hawks were shopping center Dave Bolland before Sunday's draft.

"I'd love to be back here next year, but whatever happen happens," Bolland said. "It's the NHL, and trades happen, but I'd love to be back here. I love Chicago. Things like this go around the league, that's the game, that's what happens."



Hawks veterans awed by Toews’ leadership

By Tim Sassone

Jamal Mayers has played with many great leaders in his long NHL career, but he believes not one of them surpasses Jonathan Toews.

Mayers was still on cloud nine Thursday, three days after Toews made sure the veteran was one of the first Blackhawks to get the Stanley Cup.

"Actually, Johnny gave me the heads-up that morning if we won that would be the case," Mayers said "I got pretty choked up just thinking about it and had to skate away.

"The fact I didn't play any games in the playoffs, he still felt it was important to do that. That's just a testament to the type of leader he is and person to have the foresight to have that perspective. He's turned into an unbelievable leader."

Mayers even compared Toews to Mark Messier, who has the NHL leadership trophy named after him.

"Everyone knows what he does on the ice, but his conscience and ability to see all pieces of the pie are what separate him at such a young age," Mayers said of Toews. "He reminds me of what people used to say about Messier. He parallels a lot of those qualities you hear about Mark."

Toews first gave the Cup to Michal Handzus, then Mayers and then Michal Rozsival.

"There's something you learn every game, every year as a captain that you learn how the team works, and especially when you have veterans like Mayers around and Handzus and guys like that," Toews said. "As I've gone along as a captain you understand more of what your job is. It all matters, it all adds up. You definitely learn a lot from being around guys like that."

Handzus had a similar conversation with Toews at the Monday morning skate in Boston. So did Marian Hossa in 2010, the morning of Game 6 in Philadelphia, when Toews told him he would be getting the Cup first if the Hawks won.

"Johnny came to me in the morning skate and told me that if we win he'll hand it to me first," Handzus said. "I got nervous right away and thought, 'That would be awesome, let's win right now.'

"That shows the leadership of the guys, the core. They've been here, won it in 2010. They felt it wasn't about them — it was about the guys who never won it before. That shows why we won it. The guys didn't care about themselves. They cared about other guys. The whole team cared about each other, and that's how you get through the tough moments in the playoffs."

Mayers sounded like a guy ready to give some serious consideration to retirement at age 38.

"I realize where I'm at in my career and have reached the ultimate," Mayers said. "Climbing the mountain and seeing over the top may have changed things a little bit for me, but that will play itself out in the next couple of weeks.

"If I do walk away, I can do that as a champion. Not many can say that."



Blackhawks notes: Mayers, Leddy, Stalberg updates

June 27, 2013, 6:45 pm

Staff

Joel Quenneville hoisted his third Stanley Cup on Monday night, his second as head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks. His moves from game to game, or in some cases shift to shift, are a big reason why the Blackhawks found the success they did this season. And the organization is going to make sure they keep their coach for a while longer.

The Blackhawks will probably start working on another extension for Quenneville, who signed his last one just after winning the 2010 Cup. His current contract runs out after the 2013-14 season, and general manager Stan Bowman made it clear that Quenneville is the Blackhawks’ guy.

“He’s done a tremendous job leading the team and there’s no one else I’d rather have coaching this group,” Bowman said on Thursday. “He’s demonstrated a great ability to understand what it takes to win. He’s got a proven track record and players respond to him. We’re excited about that, and hope to continue it.”

That’s fine with Quenneville, who loves living in the Chicago area – even if fans toilet paper his yard to celebrate a Cup.

“We love it here,” he said. “This is a special place to be from all perspectives. Being in this environment, coaching the players we have, I was fortunate to walk into the door five years ago with a team that was sitting on, ‘Go.’ I’ve had a lot of fun over those five years. There aren’t too many opportunities to work with a group like this. It’s very special, and I’m very fortunate to be here.”

MAYERS’ MOMENT

Jamal Mayers was overcome when captain Jonathan Toews told him at Game 6’s morning skate that, if the Blackhawks won, he’d be one of the first to hoist the Cup.

“I got pretty choked up just thinking about it; I had to skate away,” said Mayers, who will be contemplating his hockey future this offseason. And now that he’s lifted that Cup, Mayers is wondering if he still has some hockey left in him.

Mayers didn’t get much playing time this season and got none in the postseason. But he said he’s uncertain if he’s done or not.

“I feel like I can still skate, and in today’s game you have to be able to skate to keep up with those young kids,” the 38-year-old Mayers said. “I feel like I can still skate, can still play. But there’s a lot of consideration with family and it’s not just about me. We’ll have to make that decision in the net little while.”

If this is it, though, Mayers will have options. He’s a well-spoken player who was a big part of the new collective bargaining agreement talks during the lockout. He’s thought a career in the media. Mayers says he still has something left in the tank. If he does walk away, however, that Cup lift will make it an easier decision.

“I realize where I’m at in my career and I reached the ultimate: climbing the mountain and seeing over the top,” he said. “That’ll play itself out in the next couple of weeks. But if I do walk away, I can do it as a champion.”

LEDDY DEAL COMING?

The Blackhawks have an offseason signing or two they’ll try to make, and one is defenseman Nick Leddy. The 21-year-old had a strong regular season but struggled in the playoffs. But Bowman is looking at the whole body of work, and wants to get a contract ironed out with the defenseman.

He’s also not worried about an offer sheet, something that the San Jose Sharks offered to Niklas Hjalmarsson following the 2010 Cup run.

“We want to bring Nick back,” Bowman said. “I’ve talked to his agent (Neil Sheehy) and I expect to get a contract done with him. That’s one of the things on the list we have to get accomplished here. We’re not letting Nick go. We’re going to keep him here. I’m not concerned about offer sheets.”

Leddy is a restricted free agent; his current deal, which just finished, was for three years with a cap hit of just over $1.1 per season. Leddy’s hopeful of a deal to keep him here.

“It’s very exciting,” he said. “The city’s unbelievable, the fan base is, bar none, the best. Hopefully I’ll stay here. I’m just going to see what happens.”

STALBERG’S STATUS

Viktor Stalberg went through his ups and downs this postseason with the Blackhawks, the downs being the four playoff games (two against Detroit, two against Boston) he was benched. Stalberg’s situation with the Blackhawks looks pretty clear: it seems unlikely they re-sign him. But whatever his course may be, Stalberg’s not sweating it.

“It’s part of the business. But it’s one of those things that I’m in the driver’s seat,” said Stalberg, who is a restricted free agent. “I have options; I can pick and choose where I want to go. If they want to keep me, they want to keep me. I’m not saying I want to stay; I haven’t made that decision. We’ll figure out in the next day or two what their plans are and what mine are and go from there.”

Stalberg played fewer minutes through a lot of postseason games, and he said he struggled to find his game in that lesser time on ice. Whatever the future holds, he’s hoping he can get back to playing his game, and playing more minutes.

“It happened for whatever reason; things took a little turn there. That’s how it goes sometimes,” he said. “at the end of the day, we won and I’m happy with how I contributed with the minutes I played. It’s not easy doing that and I’m not looking to keep playing a role like that. That’s what it is, and we’ll see what happens.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.28.2013


Hawks fight through injuries on the way to the Cup

June 27, 2013, 5:15 pm

Staff

The injury roundup read like a list from a hospital: a broken rib or wrist here, a sprained knee there, a disc pinching a nerve to such an extent that it caused a right foot to go completely numb.

By the way, how do you play with a broken rib, anyway?

“Advil. Lots of Advil,” said Andrew Shaw, the guy who played with a broken rib since Game 7 against the Detroit Red Wings two series ago. He also had a black eye and a very swollen right side of his face, thanks to a shot he took off it. “You do what you’ve got to do, I guess. The adrenaline helps take the edge off. But the mornings after games is when you really feel it.”

Such is the life of a postseason hockey player: you gotta play hurt, or at least that’s the expectation. Perhaps it’s a badge of honor to say you went through an injury that would normally sideline you in the regular season. It’s likely more because it’s the Stanley Cup, and the desire to win it blocks out the pain you go through to do so. Whatever it is, the Chicago Blackhawks had several guys dealing with some serious injuries, but most should be able to avoid postseason surgery.

[LIVE STREAM ON CSN: Blackhawks parade Friday morning]

For Marian Hossa, surgery is a possibility. The right wing suffered a disc injury in his back in Game 2 of the Cup final against the Boston Bruins. Hossa said a nerve was pressing to the point that his right foot was numb. That explained why he couldn’t play in Game 3, and why he was functioning at a pretty low percentage when he returned for Game 4.

“I may need surgery or another shot. I’ll talk to (team physician) Dr. Michal Terry and try to make the best decision,” said Hossa, who knows he was nowhere near his usual form in Games 4, 5 and 6. “I don’t know if I was too effective; I was just limping on the ice. I didn’t have as much confidence because everyone was so much faster. I wasn’t confident in doing the things I usually do. But the coaches told me to play my game defensively, so I just tried to stick with it.”

Meanwhile, Bryan Bickell suffered a right knee sprain in Game 5 against the Los Angeles Kings that was so bad, coach Joel Quenneville was uncertain the forward could even play any games in the Final.

“It’s just something you have to battle through,” he said. A lot of guys were fighting injuries, and it was the Final. You do whatever it takes.”

Everyone did, basically, on both teams. The Blackhawks came through the first three rounds relatively unscathed but the injuries cropped up in a physical final against the Bruins. Dave Bolland said he had groin and wrist issues. Michal Handzus had “one, two or three issues,” according to coach Joel Quenneville, which reportedly included a broken wrist; Handzus didn’t want to talk about his injuries. Quenneville said Johnny Oduya was also “more banged up than others, too.” Brent Seabrook said he played hurt, but wouldn’t specify what was hurt.

Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron’s injury count was massive and included a hole in his lung that team officials believe happened after Game 6. Still, his slew of pains – a broken rib, torn cartilage and a separated shoulder – could make even the most stoic player wince.

“I saw him give the interview listing all the injuries. I was waiting for him to stop and he kept going,” said Patrick Sharp, who still had that nagging shoulder injury that cost him so many games this regular season, but that didn’t affect him a ton in the postseason. “He played at a high level with all those injuries, too. That was pretty impressive. Hopefully he recovers and is ready to go next season.”

Another guy who most thought was going through a decent injury, actually wasn’t. Jonathan Toews “got his bell rung” in Game 5, Quenneville said. But the coach said today that Toews was fine immediately after Game 5, felt much better heading into Game 6 and was “ready to go,” for that Cup-clinching game. Quenneville said there were “no concerns” when Toews suited up for Game 6.

It’s part of the NHL postseason, really: playing hurt, even almost playing maimed. It’s not easy, but for these guys, to have a chance at that silver, shiny Cup, it’s worth it.

“Yeah, it is,” Hossa said. “I know the health is so important; even when you retire you want to live a healthy life. But in these four years we have two Cups, which is amazing. I believe with the group we had here, it’s well worth it right now.”



Bickell: Blackhawks 'No. 1 on my list'

June 27, 2013, 5:00 pm

Staff

Bryan Bickell has heard all the furor around him this postseason. He knows he could probably pick and choose wherever he wants to go this summer, his unrestricted free agency coming on the heels of a tremendous individual performance and a Stanley Cup.

But Bickell didn’t sound like a guy who was thinking about the possibility with other teams. He sounded like a guy who’s happy with the Chicago Blackhawks, and who’d like to stay with them.

Bickell, who earned $600,000 in 2012-13, could be looking at a big payday this summer when free agency opens on July 5. And while testing the waters is likely, Bickell sounded like the current team has the edge right now.

“They’re No. 1 on my list,” he said on Thursday, when the Blackhawks had their wrap-up meetings and met the media. “Chicago’s a second home to me. There are other things my agent and I have to work on, and hopefully we can make that happen. There are a lot of different things. You want to be happy, and I’m happy here. It’s a great team and a great city. But we’re going to work on something. Hopefully it’ll make us both happy.”

Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman has stated previously that he wants to keep Bickell, and he reiterated that on Thursday.

“I’m happy for him,” Bowman said. “We spent a lot of time over the years encouraging him. He spent some time in the minors, and sometimes those guys get disgruntled. If anything, we’re excited for him. We want to keep him here. It’s a puzzle to put together. He wants to be here; he’s said that publicly. And we’re going to do everything we can to make that happen.”

Bickell said there have already been talks between his representative and the Blackhawks, who have some salary-cap paring to do first. Part of that will happen immediately, as the Blackhawks will use compliance buyouts for Steve Montador and Rostislav Olesz. That will get them closer to the cap, which lowers to $64.3 million in 2013-14. But the Blackhawks may have to move others, not re-sign others, to free up cash for Bickell. Bowman said the Blackhawks are determined to re-sign defenseman Nick Leddy, their biggest restricted free agent this offseason. Dave Bolland is one name that’s been bandied about in trade talk.

One way or another, Bickell will get paid this year thanks to his postseason. The guy who struggled through the 2011-12 regular season was a force in the spring/summer of 2013, recording nine goals and eight assists in the postseason. His biggest goal was his last one, an up-close shot off a Jonathan Toews feed in Game 6 that tied it 2-2 with 1:16 remaining in regulation. You all know the rest. Bickell will also get marks for gutting out an injury, as many do in the postseason. He suffered a knee sprain in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final, so bad that coach Joel Quenneville was uncertain he would play in any Cup games. But Bickell “looked like he was coming around in Game 3,” and was stellar through the end.

“Bicks was a big factor when he played heavier minutes vs. their top lines or defensive pairs. He had some big blows that made the difference in some of the games,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “I just thought Bicks came on in his overall game. The physicality part is what helped us in heavy minutes the last three rounds.”

So will the Blackhawks be able to re-sign Bickell? If the buyouts go through – no reason to think they won’t – and they’re able to work a few things, including possibly saying goodbye to another player, they can. Don’t be surprised if Bickell applies a little hometown discount, either. He’s made it clear he’s happy here. The Blackhawks have made it clear they’re just as happy with him.

“I knew coming into the season I had to have a big season. I was ready. Playoff hockey’s my game and I feel that brings the best out of me. It was a great run and a great feeling to finish off the way it did,” Bickell said. “It is flattering (the offseason attention), but it’s what’s in the best interest for me

and my family. The ball is in my (court). We’re going to work out something that hopefully makes us both happy.”



Joel Quenneville hoisted his third Stanley Cup on Monday night

Staff

Joel Quenneville hoisted his third Stanley Cup on Monday night, his second as head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks. His moves from game to game, or in some cases shift to shift, are a big reason why the Blackhawks found the success they did this season. And the organization is going to make sure they keep their coach for a while longer.

The Blackhawks will probably start working on another extension for Quenneville, who signed his last one just after winning the 2010 Cup. His current contract runs out after the 2013-14 season, and general manager Stan Bowman made it clear that Quenneville is the Blackhawks’ guy.

“He’s done a tremendous job leading the team and there’s no one else I’d rather have coaching this group,” Bowman said on Thursday. “He’s demonstrated a great ability to understand what it takes to win. He’s got a proven track record and players respond to him. We’re excited about that, and hope to continue it.”

That’s fine with Quenneville, who loves living in the Chicago area – even if fans toilet paper his yard to celebrate a Cup.

“We love it here,” he said. “This is a special place to be from all perspectives. Being in this environment, coaching the players we have, I was fortunate to walk into the door five years ago with a team that was sitting on, ‘Go.’ I’ve had a lot of fun over those five years. There aren’t too many opportunities to work with a group like this. It’s very special, and I’m very fortunate to be here.”

MAYERS’ MOMENT

Jamal Mayers was overcome when captain Jonathan Toews told him at Game 6’s morning skate that, if the Blackhawks won, he’d be one of the first to hoist the Cup.

“I got pretty choked up just thinking about it; I had to skate away,” said Mayers, who will be contemplating his hockey future this offseason. And now that he’s lifted that Cup, Mayers is wondering if he still has some hockey left in him.

Mayers didn’t get much playing time this season and got none in the postseason. But he said he’s uncertain if he’s done or not.

“I feel like I can still skate, and in today’s game you have to be able to skate to keep up with those young kids,” the 38-year-old Mayers said. “I feel like I can still skate, can still play. But there’s a lot of consideration with family and it’s not just about me. We’ll have to make that decision in the net little while.”

If this is it, though, Mayers will have options. He’s a well-spoken player who was a big part of the new collective bargaining agreement talks during the lockout. He’s thought a career in the media. Mayers says he still has something left in the tank. If he does walk away, however, that Cup lift will make it an easier decision.

“I realize where I’m at in my career and I reached the ultimate: climbing the mountain and seeing over the top,” he said. “That’ll play itself out in the next couple of weeks. But if I do walk away, I can do it as a champion.”

LEDDY DEAL COMING?

The Blackhawks have an offseason signing or two they’ll try to make, and one is defenseman Nick Leddy. The 21-year-old had a strong regular season but struggled in the playoffs. But Bowman is looking at the whole body of work, and wants to get a contract ironed out with the defenseman.

He’s also not worried about an offer sheet, something that the San Jose Sharks offered to Niklas Hjalmarsson following the 2010 Cup run.

“We want to bring Nick back,” Bowman said. “I’ve talked to his agent (Neil Sheehy) and I expect to get a contract done with him. That’s one of the things on the list we have to get accomplished here. We’re not letting Nick go. We’re going to keep him here. I’m not concerned about offer sheets.”

Leddy is a restricted free agent; his current deal, which just finished, was for three years with a cap hit of just over $1.1 per season. Leddy’s hopeful of a deal to keep him here.

“It’s very exciting,” he said. “The city’s unbelievable, the fan base is, bar none, the best. Hopefully I’ll stay here. I’m just going to see what happens.”

STALBERG’S STATUS

Viktor Stalberg went through his ups and downs this postseason with the Blackhawks, the downs being the four playoff games (two against Detroit, two against Boston) he was benched. Stalberg’s situation with the Blackhawks looks pretty clear: it seems unlikely they re-sign him. But whatever his course may be, Stalberg’s not sweating it.

“It’s part of the business. But it’s one of those things that I’m in the driver’s seat,” said Stalberg, who is a restricted free agent. “I have options; I can pick and choose where I want to go. If they want to keep me, they want to keep me. I’m not saying I want to stay; I haven’t made that decision. We’ll figure out in the next day or two what their plans are and what mine are and go from there.”

Stalberg played fewer minutes through a lot of postseason games, and he said he struggled to find his game in that lesser time on ice. Whatever the future holds, he’s hoping he can get back to playing his game, and playing more minutes.

“It happened for whatever reason; things took a little turn there. That’s how it goes sometimes,” he said. “at the end of the day, we won and I’m happy with how I contributed with the minutes I played. It’s not easy doing that and I’m not looking to keep playing a role like that. That’s what it is, and we’ll see what happens.”



Bolland taking trade rumors in stride

June 27, 2013, 5:45 pm

Staff

The trade rumors haven’t had as much time to swirl this offseason, basically because the offseason truly started moments after the Blackhawks beat the Bruins for the Stanley Cup late Monday night.

But the rumors, the potential trade-bait names, are out there nonetheless. And one out there is the guy who scored the Cup-clinching goal.

Dave Bolland’s name has been bandied about as potential trade-bait, as the 2013 NHL Entry Draft looms Sunday and free agency begins July 5. The Blackhawks are in a bit of a money crunch – nothing like 2010, mind you – as teams try to whittle down to the $64.3 million cap that begins with the 2013-14 season. They also have a key guy or two to sign – or try to, anyway – in Nick Leddy and Bryan Bickell. Those guys are going to take some cash, and the Blackhawks, outside of compliance buyouts toward Steve Montador and Rostislav Olesz, need to free up some.

So Bolland possibilities are out there. It’s tough news for any player to hear, especially one like Bolland, who’s been with this organization his entire career. But he’s taking it for what it is.

“I’d love to be back here next year, but whatever happens, happens,” he said at Thursday’s media availability. “It’s the NHL. Trades happen. I’d love to be back here, I love Chicago. But it’s a game and this is what can happen.”

Bolland had a pretty tough season, and he was once again dogged by injuries. He had back issues at one point; then a groin injury cost him the end of the regular season and first round against the Minnesota Wild. His numbers weren’t there, either, with just seven goals and seven assists in 35 regular-season games. A proven checking-line center, Bolland was moved to the second-line role this season. It didn’t go so well.

For Bolland, the good times, individually, didn’t strike until the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup Final series against the Boston Bruins. Playing both third- and fourth-line roles, Bolland looked like the Bolland of old and recorded three goals and two assists over those six Final games. His last goal was the biggest of his career to date, a rebound off a Michael Frolik deflection to give the Blackhawks their second Cup in the past four seasons.

“I don’t think it has (sunk in yet). It’s still just roaming around in the air that I scored that,” Bolland said. “I still look back at it and I still can’t believe it. It’s every kid’s dream to score that goal, and I did it. It’s big, and I’ll ride it right now.”

How long Bolland remains in a Blackhawks uniform remains to be seen. There’s always some name thrown out in trade talks every season; last year for the Blackhawks, Niklas Hjalmarsson was the talk of potential trade rumors. Yet here he remains. But the Blackhawks weren’t in the same situation last season. The cap wasn’t an issue whatsoever and the Blackhawks didn’t have any players due a raise. That’s changed now, especially regarding Bickell, who the Blackhawks want to try and re-sign.

Bolland knows what the business is like. He’ll just watch it play out. Whatever happens, that last goal erased some frustration of what’s been a very tough individual season.

“To bounce back like that is big. It was a fun season for the team, but it was disappointing for me as a player, but that’s how you bounce back,” he said. “I still have many years to play, and that’s how you bounce back.”



Blackhawks use team buyouts on Montador, Olesz

June 27, 2013, 2:15 pm

Staff

Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman said there will be changes to this team. Two of those changes, which will affect the cap more than the active roster, will take play very soon.

The Blackhawks will use their compliance buyouts on defenseman Steve Montador and forward Rostislav Olesz, Bowman said at today’s media availability. Each team, per the new collective bargaining agreement, is allowed two compliance buyouts in the next two seasons.

Montador has two years left on his deal that averages a $2.75 million cap hit. Olesz has one year remaining on his contract that he signed while with the Florida Panthers; that carries a $3.125 cap hit.

With the buyout, a player’s cap hit is completely wiped clean. The team will have to pay two thirds of the remaining contract across twice the remaining term of the deal. Both Montador and Olesz will be placed on waivers immediately. If a player is claimed, then the Blackhawks would save a compliance buyout. If they clear, then the above buyout pay goes into effect.

Bought-out players become free agents on July 5 and can sign with any team other than the one that bought them out.

The Blackhawks’ landscape has changed plenty since Olesz came to the team in the Brian Campbell trade in June of 2011 and Montador signed a four-year deal later that summer. Younger Blackhawks are developing, either at this level or in Rockford, and Bowman said he wants to give Olesz and Montador a chance to continue elsewhere.

“Certainly both players we’re going to be buying out, we’ve had young players emerge over the last couple of years. When you look where we were when we brought them in, we didn’t have (Brandon) Saad or (Andrew) Shaw. We didn’t have (Adam) Clendening,” Bowman said. “Players have taken the next step and shown they’re ready to be here. We wish those two players well. They certainly played well for us, and they’ll have a chance to move on to continue their career somewhere else.”

The Blackhawks, like many other teams, are trying to get down to the $64.3 million cap that goes into effect in the 2013-14 season. That’s where those buyouts come in. The Blackhawks are also trying to re-sign a player or two, including unrestricted free agent Bryan Bickell and restricted free agent Nick Leddy. Bowman said he’d love to keep both; regarding Leddy, he said, “we want to bring Nick back. I’ve talked to his agent, and I expect to get a contract done with him.” It’ll be tougher getting Bickell, who gained much attention with his postseason and could draw several suitors this summer. Bowman’s determined to keep the big forward.

“We want to keep him here,” Bowman said of Bickell. “It’s a puzzle to put together. He wants to be here; he’s said that publicly. We’re going to do everything we can to make that happen.”


682694 Colorado Avalanche

Alex Tanguay traded to Avalanche from Calgary Flames

The Denver Post

Posted: 06/27/2013 05:11:59 PM MDT

Updated: 06/27/2013 07:17:01 PM MDT

NEW YORK — The Avalanche continued to get the old band back together Thursday, with a surprise trade that brought Alex Tanguay back to a burgundy-and-blue sweater.

Colorado re-acquired Tanguay, along with veteran defenseman Corey Sarich, from the Calgary Flames in exchange for forward David Jones and defenseman Shane O'Brien. The trade was the first in the new regime of Avs executive vice president of hockey operations Joe Sakic.

While it seems like Tanguay has been around forever, the left winger from St. Justine, Quebec, is just 33 and has put up points consistently in recent years — and believes that will continue.

"I haven't had my best year yet in the NHL, I really feel that," Tanguay said in a phone

interview. "I have a big chip on my shoulder about that, I realize. I feel I can still perform, and I'm so happy to be back in Denver where I have so many great memories."

Tanguay has three years left on a contract that pays $3.5 million per year, while Sarich has one year left at $2 million. But the Avs saved on current and future payroll by unloading Jones and O'Brien. Jones had three years left on a contract paying $4 million per, and O'Brien two years at $2 million each.

Tanguay, the star of Colorado's Game 7 victory over New Jersey in the 2001 Stanley Cup Finals with two goals in a 3-1 win, has 145 points in his past 183 NHL games, an average that compares favorably to even more heralded forwards. But since being traded by the Avs to Calgary in 2006, Tanguay has played on mostly losing squads with the Flames (twice), Montreal and Tampa Bay.

He remains a creative, dangerous playmaker who doesn't shoot a lot but when he does, he often finds the net. He carries an 18.8 percent career shooting percentage, and he led the NHL in shootout goals (10) in 2010-11.

"I think I can really help some of the young guys the Avalanche have up front, and maybe who they are going to get in the draft Sunday," Tanguay said. "I'm really excited to have the chance to play for (coach) Patrick (Roy) and Joe. Those guys only care about winning, and I really want to win again. I'd really like to do that one more time (winning a Cup)."

Sarich, 34, was a regular with the Tampa Bay team that won the 2004 Cup and figures to be a depth defenseman.

In dealing Jones, 28, the Avs part with a two-time 20-goal scorer but who had a terrible most recent season, with three goals and nine points in 33 games.

"Thanks to the Avalanche for six great years," Jones tweeted on Twitter.

Denver Post: LOADED: 06.28.2013

682695 Colorado Avalanche

Look for the Colorado Avalanche to keep the first pick in NHL draft

By Adrian Dater

Posted: 06/28/2013 12:01:00 AM MDT

NEW YORK — Looking relaxed, Joe Sakic walked out of a conference room at the Westin Times Square on Thursday. None of his fellow NHL executives were trailing Sakic, and there were no hushed corner conversations indicating draft-related trade talks were underway.

Sakic gave every indication the Avalanche probably will take the first pick in the draft Sunday at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

"Nothing's changed," the Avalanche's executive vice president of hockey operations said after an NHL board of governors meeting. "It's quiet right now."

Trading the first pick seems unlikely, but nothing is final in the NHL until the picks are made. A lot of big draft-day trades have happened in the past, but none of the teams right below the Avs in the draft order appear desperate to acquire the top pick.

Sakic reiterated that Nathan MacKinnon is the Avs' likely first choice. But team personnel will continue to have predraft meetings to finalize strategy for Sunday's event.

"It's going to be an exciting three days for our organization," Sakic said. "At No. 1, we've got the player that we're looking forward to selecting. And we're looking forward to Sunday."

Referring to MacKinnon, a star center with the Memorial Cup champion Halifax Moose- heads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Sakic said: "He's definitely a skill guy, but he's a powerful skater. He loves going to the net, to the hard areas. He's just a tremendous player."

Baizley mourned. Longtime player agent Don Baizley died Thursday of lung cancer. He was 71.

Baizley was Sakic's agent for his entire playing career. The Winnipeg, Manitoba-based lawyer also represented Peter Forsberg and other NHL stars such as Paul Kariya, Teemu Selanne and Ulf Nilsson.

"My billet family (in Swift Current, Saskatchewan), they knew Don," Sakic said. "And when I was 17, on my way back to Swift Current from practicing with some world junior guys, I stopped in Winnipeg and had lunch with Don. I felt very comfortable with him right away and that's when I knew I wanted him as an agent for my whole career.

"He was a wonderful man and did a lot of great things for me. I'm going to miss him a lot."

Sakic said he plans to attend services for Baizley next week in Winnipeg.

Denver Post: LOADED: 06.28.2013

682696 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets: Anisimov agrees to three-year deal

By Aaron Portzline

The Columbus Dispatch Thursday June 27, 2013 5:25 AM

There were fleeting moments this season when Blue Jackets forward Artem Anisimov looked like an elite offensive player — the size, the reach, the tight-angle goals scored from close range.

That potential, mixed with Anisimov’s strong checking, has made him a core player for the Blue Jackets.

Yesterday, Anisimov, 25, signed a three-year contract worth $9.85 million, avoiding restricted free agency on July 5.

He will earn $2.75 million this coming season, $3.1 million in 2014-15 and $4 million in 2015-16, a salary-cap hit of $3.283 million per year.

“Artem is still a young player,” general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. “He’s coming into his prime with this contract. The question for him is the same with a lot of our young players: ‘How bad do you want it?’

“There’s a notch he can still go to to become an elite player. You see it in moments now. We’re hoping he makes that leap into an absolute elite player in this league, because we think he has that kind of ability.”

Anisimov had 11 goals, seven assists and a minus-6 rating in 35 games this past season, his first in Columbus.

Coach Todd Richards used Anisimov in all scenarios: even strength, power play and penalty kill. He used him in a checking role early in the season, and played him next to longtime All-Star winger Marian Gaborik when Anisimov was healthy late in the season.

“When you watch him closely and you go through a (19-5-5) stretch like we did at the end of the season, you see his value on both sides of the puck,” Kekalainen said. “Everybody in the league is looking for big centers you can rely on, and this guy can defend and finish.”

Anisimov is home in Russia for the summer and could not be reached for comment.

His agent, Todd Diamond, said the contract — and the fact that Anisimov gave up one year of unrestricted free agency by signing through 2015-16 — is a sign that Anisimov wants to stay in Columbus and believes he can win with the Blue Jackets.

That was not a certainty when he was acquired from the New York Rangers as part of the Rick Nash trade last summer.

“Artem is an extremely optimistic person,” Diamond said. “Even though it was a shortened season, Artem and his wife really enjoyed it.

“He has played in New York, right? With his personality, Columbus is more suitable. He loved the cultural aspects of New York, but was not a big fan of all the hustle and bustle. Columbus is more his style.”

Anisimov averaged 15 goals and 36 points in three seasons with the Rangers, missing only three games across three seasons. His production could increase, maybe sharply, if he plays with Gaborik next season.

Further, the Blue Jackets hope to acquire at least one bona fide scorer through trade during the NHL draft on Sunday or via free agency next month.

“Wherever he has been, Artem has gotten better and better, stronger and stronger,” Diamond said. “Three or four years ago, he was a string bean; now he has some muscle and some experience.

“As that team grows, everybody is going to produce more, and hopefully Artem can lead the charge.”

No progress in Bobrovsky talks

The Blue Jackets now have one significant restricted free agent left to sign: goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.

Kekalainen and Bobrovsky’s agent, Paul Theofanous, met yesterday in New York. The two sides are not close to a deal, meaning Bobrovsky could be poached by Russia’s Continental Hockey League (KHL) as of July 1 or sign an offer sheet with another NHL club beginning July 5.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 06.28.2013

682697 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings' Pavel Datsyuk earns TSN's Play of the Year award - against himself

By Posted by Brian Manzullo

3:51 PM, Jun. 27, 2013

As TSN puts it on their website, “it was an all-Datsyukian final” for the NHL’s Play of the Year award.

Why should it be any other way? It seems only Pavel Datsyuk can beat Pavel Datsyuk.

The Detroit Red Wings center’s goal against the Nashville Predators on Feb. 19, when he skated past the entire Nashville team for the score, earned this year’s NHL Play of the Year honors, courtesy of TSN.

That play beat Datsyuk’s goal Feb. 10 against the Los Angeles Kings by a vote of 64.12 percent to 35.88 percent. But since we love both plays, we’ve got both embedded below.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 06.28.2013


Helene St. James: Vincent Lecavalier 'idolized' Detroit Red Wings, and they should pursue him

10:00 PM, June 27, 2013

By Helene St. James

Sizable news out of Tampa Bay this morning, as the Lightning broke an economic record in buying out center Vincent Lecavalier.

The decision was made by head honcho Steve Yzerman, the longtime Detroit Red Wings captain and local legend. It's the costliest buyout in NHL history, at a staggering $32,666,667. That's Tampa Bay's problem, though.

Yzerman said he has tried for a month to trade Lecavalier, 33, but the contract was prohibitive, what with seven years at an annual cap hit of $7.7 million remaining. So now Lecavalier will become an unrestricted free agent July 5, free to sign with anyone except his former team.

Speaking during an afternoon conference call, Lecavalier said he's interested in Detroit. "If you just think about the Detroit Red Wings, it's actually a team I grew up idolizing. Them and Montreal were my favorite teams. Ironically, Steve Yzerman was my favorite hockey player."

Asked whether there'd be worse fates than being teammates with Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, Lecavalier laughed. "Definitely, those guys, they're one of the best duos in the league. And I mean, Detroit, they've made the playoffs the last 20 years. They're a great team. They're a great organization.

"It'd definitely be a place that I think I would consider, for sure."

Should the Wings be interested: Yes.

Lecavalier has a lot of assets: He's 6-feet-4 and 215 pounds. That alone would make him the biggest forward on the team. He's a center — and the Wings will need a second-line center, because Valtteri Filppula is not coming back. I expect Wings general manager Ken Holland to trade Filppula's rights any day now.

Lecavalier has 383 goals and 491 assists for 874 points in 1,037 NHL games. That's works out to a 0.84 point-per-game average. That's pretty heady. He has 52 points in 63 career playoff games. The only stat that's glaringly ugly is his career plus-minus rating of minus-117. But in fairness, he's a plus-6 in playoff games.

Imagine Lecavalier in a winged-wheel uniform. First benefit: It would allow the Wings to play Zetterberg and Datsyuk together, which is ideal. They ended up playing apart most of last season and the one before that because Filppula didn't get the job done as a second-line center. Based on last season's success of having Justin Abdelkader play with Datsyuk, keep Abdelkader on that line, because he serves the two well as a forechecker and puck retriever, just like Tomas Holmstrom used to do when he was younger.

So now a second line materializes: Lecavalier with Johan Franzen and winger to be named — maybe Gustav Nyquist, maybe Damien Brunner, providing he gets re-signed.

Everything always comes down to price, of course. Even though Lecavalier drew zero interest as a trade option, he'll draw plenty of interest as an unrestricted free agent. I don't see him going for much less than $5 million per season. But that's well within the Wings' price range — they'll gain the $3 million Filppula cost them, and I expect Mikael Samuelsson's $3 million to be gained via a compliance buyout. Defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo ($2.5 million) either will be traded or bought out.

Opportunities like this don't come along very often. When Anaheim re-signed Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry during the season, it wiped the two top forwards off this summer’s list of potential UFAs. Now there's Lecavalier. Hard to think he wouldn't be a great fit in Detroit.



Darren Helm will skate with prospects at Detroit Red Wings' development camp

10:12 PM, June 27, 2013

By George Sipple

Detroit Red Wings forward Darren Helm is slated to participate in the team’s annual development camp for prospects this summer.

Helm was sidelined by a back injury for all but one game last season and will use the development camp to prepare to return for the 2013-14 season.

The camp will be July 10-15 at Centre ICE Arena in Traverse City. The only activity July 12 will be a scrimmage from 5-7 p.m., followed by a day off for the players July 13.

Fans can attend the first day of camp for free. Tickets for each remaining day cost $5 and are sold exclusively at Centre ICE Arena.

A total of 21 players are scheduled to participate, plus potentially some players picked in the NHL Entry Draft this Sunday.

Among the prospects scheduled to participate are forwards Martin Frk and Calle Jarnkrok, defensemen Xavier Oullet and Ryan Sproul and goaltender Jake Paterson (Saginaw Spirit).



Darren Helm to join Wings prospects at Traverse City camp in July

The Detroit News

The Red Wings will hold their annual development camp for prospects from July 10-15 at Centre Ice Arena in Traverse City.

The camp roster currently is 21 players, but more will be added after Sunday’s NHL draft. Red Wings forward Darren Helm also will participate in the camp. He appeared in just one game in this past regular season due to a back injury.

There is no charge for admission on Wednesday, July 10; fans will be charged $5 every remaining day of the event. Tickets are sold only at the Centre Ice box office.

A highlight of the camp is a 5 p.m. scrimmage on Friday, July 12. Saturday, July 13 is a day off.

CURRENT CAMP ROSTER

Darren Helm, F, Detroit (NHL) (2012-13 team)

Luke Glendening, F, Grand Rapids (AHL)

Andreas Athanasiou, F, Barrie (OHL)

Rasmus Bodin, F, HV71 Jr. (SJEL)

Philippe Hudon, F, Victoriaville (QMJHL)

Martin Frk, F, Halifax (QMJHL)

Calle Jarnkrok, F, Brynas IF (SEL)

Marek Tvrdon, F, Vancouver (WHL)

Mikhail Plotnikov, F, Indiana (USHL)

Michael Babcock, F, Detroit Catholic Central (MHSAA)

Dean Chelios, F, Michigan State (CCHA)

Xavier Ouellet, D, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)

Ryan Sproul, D, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)

Mattias Backman, D, Linkoping HC (SEL)

James de Haas, D, Penticton (BCHL)

Nick Jensen, D, St. Cloud State (WCHA)

Ben Marshall, D, Minnesota (WCHA)

Alexei Marchenko, D, CSKA Moscow (KHL)

Richard Nedomlel, D, Swift Current (WHL)

Ildar Telyakov, D, HC VMF (VHL)

Jake Paterson, G, Saginaw (OHL)

Detroit News LOADED: 06.28.2013


Red Wings might be interested in Vincent Lecavalier

Ted Kulfan

Detroit— An interesting name has been added to the NHL unrestricted free agent list.

And you have to wonder whether the Red Wings might be a bit interested.

Center Vincent Lecavalier, the former 1998 No. 1 overall pick and longtime face of the Tampa Bay Lightning, was bought out by the organization Thursday.

Lecavalier, 33, will receive a staggering $32.67 million in the compliance buyout, giving Tampa Bay much more financial flexibility (Lecavalier had a $7.727 million cap hit through 2019-20).

Steve Yzerman, the Lightning's general manager and former Red Wings great, said it was a difficult decision for the organization.

"Vinny has been a significant reason for many of our past successes, including the 2004 Stanley Cup, and his contributions to the community are immeasurable," Yzerman said in a statement. "The Lightning organization is indebted to Vinny; we thank him for all he has done here and we wish him well as he moves forward.

"After much internal deliberation, we believe this will prove to be a pivotal move for us as we strive to achieve our long term goal of competing at the highest level, year-in, year-out. The economics and structure of the CBA are necessitating this decision and we at the Lightning are excited at the newly created opportunities this presents to us."

Lecavalier played in 39 games last season, scoring 32 points (10 goals, 22 assists).

At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds Lecavalier has the size and offensive ability (12 consecutive 20 goal seasons before this last season) the Red Wings would covet — especially with the expected free agent loss of Valtteri Filppula.

But Lecavalier will have plenty of interested teams in the free agent market.

Former Tampa Bay GM Jay Feaster would relish Lecavalier in Calgary, as would Vancouver and new coach John Tortorella, with whom Lecavalier won a Stanley Cup in Tampa Bay in 2003.

Lecavalier's hometown Montreal Canadiens have also been long mentioned as a possible destination for the former Quebec junior hockey star.

Detroit News LOADED: 06.28.2013


Vincent Lecavalier grew up 'idolizing' Red Wings, says they're definitely a team he would consider

Ansar Khan

on June 27, 2013 at 3:41 PM, updated June 27, 2013 at 6:40 PM

Hours after learning he had just been bought out by the organization for whom he has played his entire career, Vincent Lecavalier said he doesn't have a list of teams in mind.

But, he said the Detroit Red Wings certainly are in the mix.

“It's actually a team I grew up idolizing,'' Lecavalier said during a conference call. “Them and Montreal were my favorite teams. Steve Yzerman (former Red Wings captain) was my favorite player.''

Yzerman also is the general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning. He informed Lecavalier on Thursday morning that the club is buying him out of the final seven years of his contract.

Lecavalier, 33, will be free to sign with any team, except the Lightning, on July 5.

His hometown Canadiens certainly will get serious consideration. But, the Red Wings will, too. Detroit will be seeking a second-line center if, as expected, Valtteri Filppula leaves as a free agent.

Lecavalier talked about the appeal of playing on a team with stars Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg.

“They're probably one of the best duos in the league,'' Lecavalier said. “They made the playoffs the last (22) years. It's a great team, a great organization. It's definitely a place I would consider.''

He added, “I haven't made a list yet. I'm really open to anything.''

Lecavalier, the top pick in the 1998 NHL entry draft, said he is highly motivated to go somewhere and prove he can play at a high level, after spending his entire 14-year career with the Lightning.

“I believe in myself and what I can bring to a team,'' he said. “I want to win.''

He also said it will be strange playing for another team.

“The thought of wearing a different jersey is weird in my head,'' Lecavalier said. “It's a challenge. I'm very motivated. I will work very hard to be in top shape, get to training camp and work with different players in a different environment.''

The move frees the Lightning of Lecavalier's $7.727 million salary-cap hit. They will pay him two-thirds of the remaining value of his contract over twice the term of the deal – a total of $32.67 million through the 2026-27 season.

Michigan Live LOADED: 06.28.2013


Injured Detroit Red Wings forward Darren Helm will return to ice at next month's Prospects Camp

Brendan Savage

on June 27, 2013 at 11:42 AM, updated June 27, 2013 at 11:47 AM

Darren Helm is hardly an up-and-comer but that won't prevent him from taking part in the Detroit Red Wings annual Prospects Camp next month in Traverse City.

The veteran forward, who appeared in just one game last season because of a back injury, is among more than 20 players the Red Wings announced will be taking part in the camp July 10-15 at Centre Ice Arena in Traverse City.

Also on the early roster are Swedish forward Calle Jarnkrok, Detroit's second-round pick (51st overall) in the 2010 NHL entry draft; defenseman Ryan Sproul, the 55th pick in the 2011 NHL entry draft; forward Martin Frk, Detroit's top pick (49th overall) last year; and goaltender Jake Paterson, the 80th pick a year ago.

More players will be added to the roster as the start of the Prospects Camp draws closer.

The camp kicks off July 10 with on-ice workouts from noon-12:50 p.m. and 1-1:50 p.m. There will be two on-ice and off-ice workouts scheduled for July 11, a 5 p.m. scrimmage July 12 and two on-ice and off-ice workouts July 14-15.

Admission July 10 is free. It's $5 for the other days.



Lightning will buy out Vincent Lecavalier, giving Red Wings and other teams another free-agent option

Ansar Khan

on June 27, 2013 at 10:07 AM, updated June 27, 2013 at 6:41 PM

The NHL's shallow free-agent pool just got a little deeper, as the Tampa Bay Lightning announced today that they will use a compliance buyout on center Vincent Lecavalier.

Lecavalier, 33, will become an unrestricted free agent on July 5, eligible to sign with any team except the Lightning.

The Detroit Red Wings will be in the market for a second-line center if, as expected, Valtteri Filppula, leaves as a free agent.

The Red Wings surely will make a pitch for Lecavalier. The NHL's first overall draft pick in 1998, he has seen better days, as his offensive game is in decline, but the 6-foot-4 center still has tremendous reach and vision and a good shot.

Assuming Filppula leaves, the Red Wings would prefer to replace him with a center. That gives them the option to play Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg together on the top line, with Justin Abdelkader.

Lecavalier could center a second line with Johan Franzen and perhaps Gustav Nyquist, Damien Brunner (if he re-signs) or another free agent.

It remains to be seen what kind of contract Lecavalier will be seeking, whether he would take less than market value because of the windfall he will receive from the Lightning.

The move frees the Lightning of Lecavalier's $7.727 million salary-cap hit. They will pay him two-thirds of the remaining value of his contract over twice the term of the deal – a total of $32.67 million through the 2026-27 season.

There is some speculation that Lecavalier will sign a one-year deal with another team and then return to the Lightning in 2014-15.

Lecavalier had 10 goals and 22 assists in 39 games this past season, after scoring 20 or more goals in 12 consecutive seasons.

“Vinny has been a significant reason for many of our past successes, including the 2004 Stanley Cup, and his contributions to the community are immeasurable,” Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman said in a statement.

“After much internal deliberation, we believe this will prove to be a pivotal move for us as we strive to achieve our long-term goal of competing at the highest level, year-in, year-out. The economics and structure of the CBA are necessitating this decision and we at the Lightning are excited at the newly created opportunities this presents to us.”

Lecavalier is the Tampa Bay’s all-time leader for games played (1,037), goals (383) and power-play goals (112). He played 14 seasons in Tampa Bay, with four All-Star appearances and a Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy as the league’s leading goal-scorer (52 in 2006-07).



Red Wings prefer decent-sized forward with 18th pick in draft, their highest selection since 1991

Ansar Khan on June 27, 2013 at 7:04 AM, updated June 27, 2013 at 7:07 AM

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings will make the 18th selection in Sunday's NHL entry draft, their highest pick since 1991. They'd like to use it on a decent-sized forward with skill.

Joe McDonnell, the club's director of amateur scouting, likes their chances of landing such a player in what is considered a deep draft.

“We're excited,'' McDonnell said. “The draft is strong, in the first round and into the second round. There will be guys we like even in the seventh round. But the high-end part of the draft is good. At 18, we'll get a quality player.''

This will be McDonnell's 19th draft with the Red Wings, his first sitting at the head of the table, behind the microphone, making the final decision on each selection at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. He replaces former assistant general manager Jim Nill in that capacity. Nill was hired as GM of the Dallas Stars on April 29.

The Red Wings, under Nill, shifted their drafting philosophy in recent years, targeting bigger players. McDonnell also puts a premium on size.

“It's just the way the game has evolved; it's a big man's game,'' McDonnell said. “I'm not saying there's no room for smaller guys, but if you can get a big, skilled guy, you go that route. We'll still take small guys if we have to, but we're looking to get bigger.''

The Red Wings' top picks in the past three drafts were decent-sized forwards – Martin Frk (2012), Tomas Jurco (2011) and Riley Sheahan (2010). They have used their first selection on a forward four years in a row, and McDonnell hopes to make it five.

That's because their system is stocked with promising defensemen, led by Ryan Sproul, the CHL defenseman of the year from Sault Ste. Marie, and Xavier Ouellet, a first-team All-Star in the Quebec League with Blainville-Boisbriand. They also have highly regarded Swede Mattias Backman, Russian Alexei Marchenko and American Nick Jensen.

“We'd really like to get a forward, unless there's a defenseman that's too good to pass up,'' he said. “If we feel there's two players (at different positions) that are even we'll lean toward the forward. … If we can add a little size up front, it would be beneficial.''

Some decent-sized forwards who might be available when the Red Wings pick include Bo Horvat of London (6-0, 206), Adam Erne of Quebec (6-0, 210) and Anthony Mantha of Val-d'Or (6-4, 190).

Horvat is a good skater who competes and goes to the hard areas of the ice. Erne also skates well, has skills and can play a physical game. Mantha is a pure sniper who led the Quebec League with 50 goals.

Others forwards who might be available at No. 18 include Curtis Lazar of Edmonton (WHL), Andre Burakowsky of Malmo (Sweden), Alexander Wennberg of Djurgardens (Sweden), Kerby Rychel of Windsor (OHL), Frederik Gauthier of Rimouski (QMJHL), and Valentin Zykov of Baie Comeau (QMJHL).

If the Red Wings take a defenseman with their first pick, various mock drafts have them selecting Mirco Mueller of Everett (WHL), Josh Morrissey of Prince Albert (WHL) or Nikita Zadorov of London.

McDonnell said selecting a goaltender is not a high priority this year and they will not take one in the first three rounds, at least. They're well-stocked at the position with Petr Mrazek, who led the Grand Rapids Griffins to the Calder Cup championship as a rookie, 6-foot-5 free agent Jared Coreau of Northern Michigan, and Jake Paterson of Saginaw (OHL), their third-round pick a year ago.

The Red Wings have each of their picks in the seven rounds. The entire draft is Sunday.

Free agency opens on July 5. It's a relatively weak free-agent class because more teams are locking up their own players to long-term contracts.

It further emphasizes the need to build through the draft.

“In the salary-cap era, it's everything,'' McDonnell said. “If you don't draft well and develop your players you don't have any hope. If you're going to be a good organization you better draft.''

NHL entry draft

When: Sunday from 3-11 p.m.

Where: Prudential Center, Newark, N.J.

TV: NBC Sports Network from 3-8 p.m.; NHL Network from 8 p.m. to conclusion.

Top five picks: 1. Colorado, 2. Florida, 3. Tampa Bay, 4. Nashville, 5. Carolina.

Top prospects: Seth Jones, D, Portland; Nathan MacKinnon, C, Halifax; Jonathan Drouin, LW, Halifax; Aleksander Barkov, C, Tappara (Finland); Elias Lindholm, C, Brynas (Sweden).

Red Wings selections: 18th, 48th, 79th, 109th, 139th, 169th, 199th.



Will Red Wings woo Vincent Lecavalier?

By CHUCK PLEINESS

Posted: Thursday, 06/27/13 06:44 pm

DETROIT – With the NHL free agency period a week away, the pool of players the Wings may be interested grew by one.

And it was one they’re going to be very interested in once July 5 rolls around.

The Tampa Bay Lightning used one of their compliance buyout on center Vincent Lecavalier.

“I’m so motivated to go somewhere else and prove I can play at a high level,” Lecavalier said in a conference call Thursday afternoon. “I believe in myself and what I can bring to a team. I want to win.”

Even with the free agency period a week away Lecavalier said he hasn’t put much thought into where he’d like to play next season, but that the Wings will get some consideration.

“I haven’t really thought about that,” Lecavalier said. “(Detroit’s) actually a team I grew up idolizing. Them and Montreal were my favorite teams. Steve Yzerman was my favorite player.”

Yzerman is the Lightning’s general manager and spent his entire career with the Wings.

“My door’s open to everything, but I haven’t made a list yet,” Lecavalier said. “I’m really open to anything. I haven’t pinpointed anything.”

The Wings seem to be a good fit for both parties since they could be in need of a second-line center if they’re unable to come to terms with unrestricted free agent Valtteri Filppula.

When Filppula was asked if he thought he’d be back with the team when the Wings conducted their locker cleanout he said, “I don’t know. It’s too early to say right now. I just have to wait a little longer and see what happens.

“I haven’t thought about that too much, but obviously it’s a possibility that could happen,” Filppula added. “It’d be tough. It’s been a really great place to be. I’ve been so happy here. We’ll see if we go … if that’s what’s going to happen.”

Wings general manager Ken Holland said at the time the Wings made Filppula an offer in August and September before talks broke down.

Filppula made $3 million last season and is believed to be asking for about a $2 million raise a year.

Lecavalier’s addition would more than likely allow the Wings to rejoin Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg on the top line alongside Justin Abdelkader.

“They’re probably one of the best duos in the league,” Lecavalier said of the Wings tandem. “They made the playoffs the last 20 years. It’s a great team, a great organization. It’s definitely a place I would consider.”

Lecavalier could center Johan Franzen and either Gustav Nyquist or another free agent, possibly Damien Brunner if he re-signs with Detroit.

“As a hockey player you want to win,” Lecavalier said. “I want to be happy.”

Lecavalier, 33, spent his entire 15-year career with Tampa Bay, scoring 383 goals and 874 points in 1,037 regular season games and helped lead the Lightning to their first-ever Stanley Cup victory in 2004.

Lecavalier, who helped lead the Lightning to the Stanley Cup in 2004, had 10 goals and 22 assists in 39 games last season.

The Lightning bought out the final 11 years of his $85 million contract, paying him two-thirds of the remaining value on the deal. That frees up $7.727 million in salary-cap space for Tampa Bay.

“It is,” Lecavalier said when asked if it’s going to be odd playing for another team next season. “(Playing for Tampa Bay) is all I’ve known. The thought

of wearing a different jersey is weird in my head. It’s a challenge. I’m very motivated.

“I will work very hard to be in top shape, get to training camp and work with different players in a different environment,” Lecavalier continued. “It is weird to know I’m going to be playing somewhere else. The different environment is something I’m going to have to adapt to. I have to move on.”

Macomb Daily LOADED: 06.28.2013

682707 Edmonton Oilers

Impatient MacTavish showing his stuff by NOT rushing to make a trade

June 27, 2013. 8:21 am

David Staples

In his influential 30 thoughts column, Hockey Night in Canada contributor Elliotte Friedman amped up the pressure on Oilers GM Craig MacTavish just a little bit more, if that were possible, writing this week: ”As we approach what could be a wild draft week, GMs to watch include MacTavish: ‘He’s got his fingers in everything,’ said one compatriot.”

The pressure on MacTavish comes from a fanbase tired of losing — losing more than any other NHL team in the past few years.

It’s a fanbase that also grew tired with previous GM Steve Tambellini’s seemingly lackadaisical approach, one that saw Tambellini repeatedly stating he needed time to assess, which earned him a “Mr. Dithers” nickname.

The pressure also comes from MacTavish, who sounded so very bold at the press conference to take the Oilers job.

“I’m an impatient guy and I bring that impatience to this situation. We’re at the stage… that we have to do some bold things,” MacTavish told reporters. “We have to expose ourselves to some semblance of risk to try and move the team forward in a rapid fashion.”

Since that time Oilers fans have been itching to see MacTavish pull off a major trade, possibly one where he moved the 7th overall pick, something the Oilers GM said he was open to doing.

So far, though, save for the firing of coach Ralph Krueger and hiring of Dallas Eakins, there’s been little in the way of movement. And now, in his most recent pre-draft press conference this week, MacTavish gave out a different message: as much as he’s trying, he’s finding it not so easy to make moves to improve the Oilers.

Just now, moving the 7th overall pick doesn’t sound so likely at all, even as MacTavish says he’s talked to every other GM about it.

“I have had offers for that pick, but nothing that would remotely sway me to move that pick,” he said. “You get varying degrees of realism when you talk to some of the managers.”

(Note to MacT: make a mental note of the most unrealistic ones. It’s those unstable guys who in moments of crises and intense pressure will be most open to selling the future to try and save the day and their own jobs.)

All the effort MacTavish has put in on the phone lines may yet bring a reasonable deal for the Oilers, but MacTavish is finding out just how hard that is to pull off.

Here’s what he said during his recent press conference:

“A lot of the experienced guys weren’t putting too much effort into making deals a couple of weeks ago or a month ago. I was trying to do something, but I think the experienced guys recognize that there’s always a need for a timeline for these deals to somehow get done, and they knew the timeline better than I did, so I put in a lot of calls maybe needlessly, but it’s good to get a pulse of what everybody is trying to do.

“I am motivated to do something. As one of my counterparts said, ‘Sometimes you can feel like you’re trying to push a stone uphill.’ But we’re really motivated to do something to help this current roster.

“You go through phases in this position where you’re really optimistic. One day you’re at the office and you think you’re going to get something that excites you. The next day you come in and it’s shot down and you go with a more pessimistic view.

“In a lot of ways these deals are really the culmination of a partnership where the deal has to work for both teams. I think the default position on deals now is to not do the deal if you’re in question at all. Some of that may be due to the amount of scrutiny. It’s better not to do a deal than to do a bad deal. I think the default position is normally to not do the deal unless it’s mutually beneficial to both parties.”

My take?

It’s great to see MacTavish so open to talking about his learning process as a GM. It’s even better that he’s so clearly going through a learning process. One can imagine some of those experienced, cagey GMs were looking forward to trying to take advantage of the new guy who was itching to be bold and make a move.

It’s good news, in that regard, that MacTavish hasn’t pulled the trigger on anything. His hunger to act has not outweighed his good sense about what is right for the team.

That MacTavish has good sense isn’t in doubt. He showed it as a coach and he’s displayed it every time he’s opened his mouth as a GM. He comes across as a thoughtful, analytical, and a sharp dealer.

I also suspect that in coming weeks, when deals are going to start happening fast and furiously, that MacTavish will do just fine.

He’s not going to trade down too far in the draft, which is good news, as there’s about 10 really good players in this draft, but after that things get much riskier.

He’s not going to sign a bunch of fourth line guys over the age of 30 as free agents, another good notion on hi spart, given how quickly the skill set of a 30-plus third liner can render him obsolete.

Tthe Oilers have enough cap space and enough prospects, especially on defence, to make a few moves.

The team also has an abundance of smalled skilled forwards, including Toni Rajala and Mark Arcobello on the farm, who might be dealt in a mutually beneficial deal for what the Oilers need.

Outside of a top defenceman, someone to pair up with Justin Schultz on the top pairing, this team has candidates to fill the key spots on the club. It has a top line and a decent top goalie in Devan Dubnyk. It has some decent defencemen in Jeff Petry and Ladi Smid (plus, as mentioned, the exceptionally promising Schultz).

It has secondary scoring with Sam Gagner, and whichever one of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall and Nail Yakupov isn’t on the top line. It just needs a few more centres and wingers who can get the job done on defence and help cycle the puck more effectively, either by winning the puck physically or by keeping it with superior stick skills. These aren’t top line players needed. These are role players. A cagey GM should be able to find them.

The team also needs better structure on the power play and in its own zone, better line combinations, and better defensive fundamentals, but that’s something Dallas Eakins should be able to direct. He’s got the credentials to make a mark in the NHL as a coach.

And MacTavish, by not jumping to make a deal so far, is showing he’s doing a fine job of learning on the job as a GM.

There’s no rush to make the wrong move. There’s patience needed to make the right ones.

Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 06.28.2013


NHL Draft: Trade to Vancouver Giants big career boost for Sherwood Park’s Mason Geertsen

By Joanne Ireland, Edmonton Journal June 27, 2013 7:06 PM

EDMONTON - The move from the Edmonton Oil Kings to the Vancouver Giants was a beneficial one, not only for the Oil Kings, who acquired defenceman David Musil, but for Mason Geertsen, who took on a more prominent role with his new Western Hockey League team.

Geertsen, traded to the Giants on Oct. 31, finished the year with two goals, 12 assists and 130 penalty minutes. He’ll go into Sunday’s NHL’s entry draft ranked 59th by Central Scouting.

The defensive defenceman, who is currently carrying 199 pounds on an imposing six-foot-three frame, was more than satisfied with his testing at the combine, and pronounced that the interviews went better than he expected, given that he had been more nervous about that part of the proceedings.

Geertsen interviewed with 13 teams, then joined a group of prospects invited to Buffalo, by the Sabres, for a skate and more testing. He then returned to Toronto to undergo more testing with the Maple Leafs before heading back home.

“I really don’t want to get too overwhelmed by it all, but as the draft gets closer it’s hard not to think about it,” he said from his off-season home in Sherwood Park. He’ll fly to New Jersey in the next couple of days with his parents and his sister.

“The combine was definitely something I’ve never been through before. You go from room to room, talking to so many people, then on the testing day, you walk out in your spandex and there’s a roomful of people watching you. It was pretty crazy.”

With the Giants, Geertsen was logging upwards of 30 minutes a game, compared to 10 with the Oil Kings. Additionally, he was on the first penalty-killing unit and the second-line power play.

He admitted there was an adjustment period, but his increased playing time allowed him to eventually play his physical game.

‘It was definitely a big change, and it was a good experience for me. It definitely helped me improve,” he said. “All the scouts got to see me a lot more and in different situations.”

A product of the Leduc Oil Kings, Geertsen was a first-round pick (18th overall) by the Oil Kings in the 2010 WHL bantam draft. The Oil Kings also gave up a first-round pick in the 2013 draft to get Musil.

They did not want to move the rugged defenceman, but the Giants were not going to do the deal if Geertsen wasn’t heading west in the transaction.

“It really felt good knowing they had faith in me and wanted me to be a big part of their organization,” Geertsen said.

“It was a little bit harder playing a lot more, it was definitely harder to keep the intensity up, but as the season went on, I learned how to conserve my energy and still play as physical as I could.”



Sacrifices about to pay off for Geertsen family

By Iain MacIntyre, Postmedia News June 28, 2013 12:05 AM

VANCOUVER -- For the Geertsen family, the long road to the National Hockey League draft has flown by, much of it in 110-kilometre strips of Highway 39 in central Alberta. But eventually, long commutes to hockey for mother and son left their beloved farm in the rear-view mirror.

For as long as she can remember, Kathy Geertsen has watched the draft on television, mostly from a dot on the map called Rocky Rapids, near Drayton Valley in the oil country west of Edmonton. Mostly in tears, too.

"I always cry watching the boys go up and get their jerseys," the mother of three says on the phone. "So now, thinking that's going to be my son and he's going to be sitting in that arena, all of us can't believe it's happening. I will be a wreck. He has worked so hard. He has given up a lot to do this."

Mason Geertsen is not the only one.

Most clichés are based on truth, like the one that behind every great hockey player are the parents who helped him get there.

Mason, a defenceman and the top-rated Vancouver Giant junior in this Sunday's draft in New Jersey, has worked toward this day for most of his 18 years.

From the time Mason was six, the Geertsens billeted players from the Junior-A team in Drayton Valley, so there were always talented, ambitious hockey players around the family's farm. Mason's dad, Larry, played in the Western Hockey League in the late 1970s.

The Geertsens, who include Mason's two sisters, built a rink behind the farmhouse. And since Larry was frequently away from home working the oilpatch, Mason was the ice crew.

He learned early on to drive the family Zamboni — only in Canada — that had been purchased used from the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers.

Mason's grandpa, Roger Geertsen, also taught him to drive a tractor. They looked after the crops of oats and other grains, but in winter it was the rink where Mason spent the most hours.

"It was half the size of a normal rink," he says. "It was all paved, and we had boards and plastic and the Zamboni. It was an old Zamboni but it still worked pretty good."

Ice hockey all winter, ball hockey all summer.

While Mason drove the Zamboni and the tractor, he wasn't old enough to drive a car. So when he outgrew Drayton Valley's minor hockey system and wanted to play bantam in Leduc, about a 75-minute drive over the eastern horizon, Kathy made it possible.

Each day after school, Kathy and Mason would leave the farm about 3:30 p.m., allowing enough time to arrive an hour early for 6 p.m. practices in Leduc.

About 8 p.m., they'd start the return trip. Nights when the road was icy and snow was blowing and Kathy couldn't see past the headlights, the drive home took much longer.

"There were a couple of times I had to wake Mason up and say, 'OK, you've got to watch the ditch for me,' because you know how you get that bad feeling?" Kathy explains. "It was really dark.

"He was a great kid. Often times, he'd have the car started and warmed up, a cup of tea for me in the cup holder and his hockey bag in the back. He wasn't one of those kids that just plugged in his iPod and listened to music. We'd usually talk. I wouldn't change it for anything now. It was probably the best thing Mason could have done for him and for me. We got really close."

But while the time together strengthened their bond, the drives were the beginning of the end of the Geertsens' farm.

After two years commuting for games and practices and with Mason needing to make a decision on midget hockey, the family moved to the Edmonton suburb of Sherwood Park, where Kathy has relatives.

"My husband wanted us to move a year earlier, but I just really fought it," she says. "I really enjoyed being at the farm. But we'd had a couple of close calls driving and that second year (of bantam hockey) we had some really bad weather. I just couldn't do it another year. We bought a small house in Sherwood Park just to see if we'd like it, but having two homes was too much and we sold our farm."

Kathy and Larry were elated when Mason was drafted three years ago by the WHL's Edmonton Oil Kings and devastated when their boy was traded last Halloween to Vancouver for David Musil, one of the Giants' best players.

"Hardest day I ever had," Kathy says. "We billeted another boy (from the Oil Kings) and I knew I would be losing both boys because I would want to go to Vancouver to see Mason lots. It was hard but, honestly, it was the best thing that could have happened to Mason."

The other boy was Oil Kings star Curtis Lazar, the centre from Vernon who is the top-rated B.C. player in Sunday's draft. Lazar is projected to be chosen in the top half of the first round, while Geertsen is expected to be called in or near the third round. The Hockey News ranks Geertsen 74th. Giants teammate Jackson Houck, a winger from North Vancouver, is 79th.

Under Vancouver coach Don Hay, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound Geertsen became more than just a bruiser on the blue-line.

Mason learned to be disciplined positionally and started developing puck skills. He had 14 points and 130 penalty minutes in 73 games between Edmonton and Vancouver.

"He went from being a player who wasn't counted on to be a key guy to a player who became real important to us," Hay says. "He always competed. But he became a real solid top-four defenceman for us."

Mason says: "I didn't really know much about the Giants. I had heard Don was a really good coach but really hard on kids. He was pretty tough on me, but he definitely pushes me to my full potential. This draft means the world to me. It's all I've ever wanted. I've always watched the draft and seen guys getting drafted, and it doesn't seem real that that might be me."

It doesn't seem real to any of the Geertsens, who sold their farm to get here.

"I think we all miss the farm," Kathy says. "We farmed about 60 of the 120 acres and had tree stands in the other parts. My husband and son hunted a lot. We all have great memories."

And more to come.



Edmonton Oilers — Building a dynasty through the draft

By Robert Tychkowski ,Edmonton Sun


For Edmontonians, the NHL Entry Draft is something to be loved and hated in the same breath, an exercise of wild extremes that Oilers fans still credit for the glory years and still blame for the lean years that followed.

Draft day delivered the cornerstones for hockey’s last great dynasty, it led them into a barren wasteland of mediocrity and is now providing the kind of talent and hope that Edmontonians haven’t seen here in 20 years.

In a three-part series leading up to selection day 2013, The Sun looks back at 35 years of Oilers drafts, beginning with one of the greatest hauls in history, the five-year gold mine from 1979 to 1983.

The Oilers were little more than a name and a logo when they made the jump from the World Hockey Association in 1979. They were gutted before they even hit the ice, with 17 players from their 1978 Avco Cup finalist immediately reclaimed by teams that held their NHL rights.

They had an 18-year-old Wayne Gretzky, but nothing else that even resembled a competitive team, let alone the makings of a Stanley Cup champion.

THREE YEARS TO GREATNESS

In three short years, the draft would change everything.

In an uncanny run of fortune, foresight or both, four of their first nine picks would end up in the Hall of Fame and seven of their first 19 selections would win three or more Stanley Cups in Edmonton.

“Good work and probably a little bit of luck,” said Oilers head amateur scout Stu MacGregor, adding his predecessors simply got the jump on everyone else. “I think the business has changed a bit since then - all teams are probably a lot better at what they do in the scouting game - but you have to take your hat off to gentlemen like Lorne Davis, Eddie Chadwick, Barry Fraser and Ace bailey, they did an awesome job. They knew what to do and where to go and what players to watch.

“And they did a great job in getting some players over from Europe.”

In 1979, with the last pick in the first round, they took Kevin Lowe 21st overall and said, as scouts always say, they were surprised he was still there.

“We had him anywhere from 10th to 13th,” head scout Fraser said at the time.

Normally, a future captain who hung around for five Stanley Cups is a good enough haul as it is, but they didn’t stop there. Edmonton spent its next two picks on hunches, taking Mark Messier 48th, based on one goal, 10 assists and 54 PIMs with the Cincinnati Stingers of the WHA, and Glenn Anderson 69th from the Canadian National Team.

OILERS WERE CONNECTED

In those days, before the internet era, it was all about connections, and the Oilers had bird dogs in the right places at the right times.

“Lorne was involved with the Olympic team and new Glenn Anderson very well,” said MacGregor. “And Barry knew Messier from being around Edmonton.”

In retrospect, waiting until the third round to take Messier suggests that even the Oilers didn’t know what they were getting, but they were willing to roll the dice.

Imagine in this day and age, a scout going up to his GM and saying I want to use our second pick to take a kid with one goal.

“I think it can still happen,” said MacGregor. “Will it happen? I’m not sure about that. But they knew the reputation of the Messier family and saw

Mark play as a 15-year-old in the Alberta Junior league, and probably took into consideration that he was 17 and playing pro hockey.

1980 was just as good, with another home run on the first pick, Paul Coffey sixth overall.

Again, a Hall of Fame defenceman would have been good enough, but there was more to come.

The NHL was only starting to delve into Europe - Thomas Gradin in 1976, Bengt Gustafsson and Risto Siltanen in ‘78 and Anton Stastny, Mats Naslund and Thomas Steen in 1979 - and the Oilers were quick to test the water. They took Jari Kurri 69th and used another late-round hunch on Andy Moog 132nd.

ANDY MOOG: ELITE STARTER

“Anderson in the third round, then Moog, they were hitting on all cylinders as a scouting group,” said MacGregor.

After going through eight different goalies in their first to seasons, the Oilers finally had a long-term elite level starter in Moog, who led Edmonton to a shocking playoff sweep of the Montreal Canadiens and took the eventual Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders to six games.

So spending the eighth pick overall on a goalie the very next year seemed rather odd. But the Oilers were dead set on Spruce Grove’s Grant Fuhr.

“He’s the best prospect since Bernie Parent,” Fraser told curious reporters on draft day. “I think he can play in the NHL this season.”

He started 48 games as a rookie and never looked back.

That same year, the Oilers added Steve Smith with the 111th pick.

The 1983 draft yielded the second member of the twin towers defence pairing, Jeff Beukeboom (19th overall) and yet another late round gem in Esa Tikkanen (82nd overall).

CORE COMPLETED

The core was complete. Those 10 players not only had skill and drive, but meshed perfectly under the leadership of Sather, Gretzky, Messier and Lowe.

A run like that was not unheard of - the New York Islanders landed Denis Potvin, Bryan Trottier, Clark Gillies, John Tonelli and Mike Bossy in a five-year stretch - but those types of perfect storms don’t happen often.

And, yes, there is a certain amount of luck that goes into hitting late round home runs. The Detroit Red Wings are the first to admit they had no idea Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg would turn out this good.

“Jim Nill always said in Detroit, if we were that smart, why didn’t we take them earlier (than the 171st and 210th picks),” said MacGregor. “These things happen. You don’t have the scenario where players aren’t seen anymore, but lots of guys use hunches.

“I remember Lorne Davis telling a story about being scheduled to fly home from Finland on Dec 23. He decided to stay one more day and ended up seeing Jari Kurri for the first time. It was good work and good drive to succeed. They were smart guys.”

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 06.28.2013


Edmonton Oilers will choose 'best available' in NHL draft

By Robert Tychkowski ,Edmonton Sun


NEW YORK - Sunday afternoon in New Jersey will mark the 10 year anniversary of a painful, costly lesson for the Edmonton Oilers.

That was the year they decided to deviate from the most iron-clad rule in drafting: Always take the best player available.

If your team is neck deep in defencemen and the best player available is a defenceman, don’t downgrade to a forward. Scoop up the D man and sort it all out later.

Any scout on any team will tell you that taking the best player available is a cliche for a reason.

But, in 2003, the Oilers decided instead to fill a specific need and are still regretting it to this day.

They were neck deep in small forwards at the time, with Todd Marchant, Mike York, and Mike Comrie in their top six, and didn’t want another one, even though highly-rated Zach Parise was available with the 17th pick.

They needed a big centre, so they traded down to 22, let New Jersey take Parise, and landed Marc-Antoine Pouliot

Ouch.

A decade later, the Oilers are once again stocked with small forwards and have a desperate need for size and grit, but it doesn’t look like they’ll be making the same mistake twice.

“Our mandate from Mac T is to pick the best available player and the management group will deal with what that player is,” said Oilers chief scout Stu MacGregor. “If they need to, they can use an asset within the organization to fill the holes we need to fill from a positional standpoint, but he wants skill.”

If a big guy has high end skill, great, and there are some big dudes who can play in and around the No, 7 hole, but if it comes down to a big role player or another small forward who shows signs of elite level skill in whatever round, they’re going with the talent.

“You can get those role players through other means, we want to draft skill, guys who can make a play with a puck,” said MacTavish. “If you take a role player in the later round who doesn’t have much stick skill, the best he’s going to be is a guy who’s not able to move the dial of your team.

“If you draft somebody who’s maybe inadequate in size or speed but has some skill, maybe he picks up some size or is a great worker, like some of the guys who are well-described in Detroit, and he turns out to be somebody who can change the complexion of your team.

“Our objective is to pick the player who’s going to have the biggest impact. If two or three or four players you feel are going to have similar impacts, then you may default to a positional bias, largely defence and centremen are the most coveted position.”

Otherwise, it’s the best player available. Even if he might not be on the team for another year or two.

“At No.7, there’s a couple of players available there who may have a good opportunity to play,” said MacTavish. “But Stu and I both realize that our No.1 drafting objective is to draft the player who will have the most impact over time.

“That doesn’t mean next year. We want to help our team next year, but it won’t influence who we pick.”

What will influence who they pick are the six teams picking ahead of them. For the first time since 2009, Edmonton isn’t at the head of the buffet line. They have to wait and see what’s left before they get to eat.

“You worked hard to put your list together and I think we’d be very happy to get the seventh player on our list,” said MacGregor. “We’ll wait and see. If we happen to get a player who’s on our list at 3 or 4 or 5 or 6, instead of 7, we’re even a little happier.

“It’s a wait and see. You have to be prepared for whatever scenario presents itself. But I think we can still get a very good player who’ll be able to make an impact on our hockey club.”

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 06.28.2013

682712 Florida Panthers

Panthers gear up for Sunday's NHL Draft

By Harvey Fialkov, Sun Sentinel

6:53 PM EDT, June 27, 2013

Unlike Colorado Avalanche vice president of hockey operations Joe Sakic, Panthers General Manager Dale Tallon doesn't believe in giving away his hand before the card game even begins.

So, unless Sakic is the best bluffer since Doyle Brunson, the Avs will select Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL) center Nathan MacKinnon with the first pick of Sunday's NHL Entry Draft.

That would leave the Panthers with better leftovers than yesterday's Chinese food when they use the second overall pick on Portland Winterhawks (WHL) defenseman Seth Jones, a 6-foot-4, two-way force.

Or there's always MacKinnon's linemate left wing Jonathan Drouin, the Canadian Hockey League Player of the Year.

Jones, the son of former NBA forward Popeye Jones, is the NHL Central Scouting Bureau's top-ranked North American prospect. However, MacKinnon's stock has risen dramatically with an MVP performance in the Memorial Cup as he and Drouin led the Mooseheads to the CHL title over the Winterhawks.

Although the talent pool becomes quite shallow after the big four (MacKinnon, Jones, Drouin and Finnish center Aleksander Barkov) is off the board, Tallon and assistant GM Mike Santos are confident the Panthers will land a stud at No. 2 and bolster the team's depth with their six other picks.

"We'll get a good player, but it's up to us to do the right thing to develop that player,'' Santos said Thursday while traveling to Manhattan. "We're good any way we go. We could put Jones on a defensive corps that has [Alex] Petrovic, Erik Gudbranson and Michael Matheson, who we took last year [28th].

"We've got a lot of young talented forwards, too. [Jonathan] Huberdeau is Rookie of the Year, and we've got three young center prospects ready to start their pro career. Nick Bjugstad, Drew Shore, look what he did as a rookie last year, and Vincent Trocheck led the OHL in scoring.

"I don't think we have a particular need, especially when we have Jacob Markstrom in goal, so it gives us more options.''

Gudbranson and Huberdeau were the third picks of the 2010 and '11 drafts, respectively.

Tallon, no stranger to draft-day trades, has said he will listen to all offers for the prized pick if it will help the 30th-place Panthers rebound from last season's nightmarish, injury-plagued season.

Santos said the cell phones have been buzzing and he expects them to continue right up to 3 p.m. Sunday when the Avs go on the clock at Prudential Center, home of the New Jersey Devils, and site of the one-day, seven-round draft.

"We're in prime position to get a great player, but if there's something that makes sense to make our team better, we'll look at that, too,'' Santos said. "We'll either add to our core of young players or find a player to fill a need while the young players develop, or maybe we can do both.''

No Weiss talks

Santos said that he is not actively negotiating with any of his own unrestricted free agents, including veteran Stephen Weiss, goalie Jose Theodore and defenseman Tyson Strachan.

He did say the Panthers would entertain trade offers for Weiss before free agency kicks in next Friday.

"He's still under contract with us. If somebody wants the opportunity to speak to him early we would entertain that option,'' Santos said. "I'm sure there's interest in him because there's not a great market out there for centers.''

Santos said that decisions on which of his own restricted free agents to tender offers will be finalized Saturday. The deadline is Tuesday.

Among the more prominent RFAs on the Panthers are forwards Shawn Matthias and Peter Mueller, as well as Markstrom.

Santos high on Horachek

Santos, also General Manager of the San Antonio Rampage, said the hiring of Peter Horachek to coach the Panthers' AHL affiliate was a no-brainer.

"When a Peter Horachek is available you find a way to get him in your organization,'' said Santos, who worked with Horachek when both were in the Predators organization.

"He's a real good developer of young players who commands respect and has a very good presence on the bench. He's a winner.''

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 06.28.2013

682713 Los Angeles Kings

History of third round & 88th picks under Lombardi

Posted by JonRosen on 27 June 2013, 6:01 pm

Up to this point, no player selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the third round under general manager Dean Lombardi has played in the National Hockey League. It’s a somewhat misleading note, as no player under that banner is above 25 years old, and the Kings have actually found success in rounds 4-through-7, having won a Stanley Cup with Alec Martinez (4th round / 2007), Dwight King (4th round / 2007) and Jordan Nolan (7th round / 2009) taking regular shifts.

There aren’t many “hits” in the third round in general. For every Jonathan Quick (2005), Brad Marchand (2006) or Adam Henrique (2008), there’s a vastly higher number of players who have slipped into the ether of the average fan’s consciousness.

Los Angeles third round selections under Lombardi:

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 06.28.2013

682714 Minnesota Wild

Wild's Fletcher busy making the rounds before NHL draft

Article by: MICHAEL RUSSO , Star Tribune

Updated: June 27, 2013 - 9:15 PM

NEW YORK – Between sessions of Thursday’s Board of Governors meeting, Chuck Fletcher and Dave Nonis dragged two chairs to a tiny table away from the rest of their colleagues.

There, the Wild and Toronto Maple Leafs general managers dined over cold cuts and salad for a half-hour.

With the trade season about to ramp up as Sunday’s NHL draft in Newark, N.J., approaches, there’s zero doubt they were talking shop.

“Or, I could have just been having lunch with him because he’s a friend,” Fletcher said, laughing. “We had to sit somewhere.”

After lunch, Fletcher huddled with old friend Doug Wilson, the San Jose Sharks GM with whom he made three trades two summers ago. Then, Fletcher chatted with Boston Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli. Then Edmonton Oilers President Kevin Lowe.

“It’s that time of year,” Fletcher said.

Fletcher is trying to be active. As the roster currently stands, the Wild has about $3.6 million in salary cap space at its disposal (includes the $795,000 Buffalo is picking up from Jason Pominville’s $4.505 million cap hit). In reality, it’s less because the Wild must leave room for injury call-ups and potential in-season acquisitions.

This doesn’t leave a lot of flexibility, especially when one considers the Wild hasn’t re-signed potential unrestricted free agent Matt Cullen and potential restricted free agents Cal Clutterbuck and Jared Spurgeon.

The one player Fletcher is believed to be getting significant traction on is Clutterbuck, the hard-hitting 25-year-old winger. If the Wild doesn’t find the right deal for the fan favorite, he will be re-signed.

“There’s a lot of different options [on the team],” Fletcher said. “It’s hard to comment on [Clutterbuck] because there’s a lot of different things that can happen. The bottom line is when we come out of this weekend, we’re going to be where we need to be or close to it.

“We’ll have our team probably mostly ready to go for next year, maybe with a couple exceptions. Clearly we have to work through our cap situation. I think it’s easily resolved, but there’s work to be done.”

Fletcher is trying to trade defenseman Tom Gilbert. If he can’t, the Wild likely will use one of its two allowable compliance buyouts on the Bloomington native. Buying out Gilbert would cost the Wild $1 million in each of the next two years but clear an additional $4 million in cap space next season.

It’s believed the Wild also would be willing to trade Devin Setoguchi, who is entering the last year of his contract, for the right return, while center Zenon Konopka and defenseman Justin Falk are also on the block. Kyle Brodziak could probably be snagged, too, but it’s hard to give up Brodziak because the Wild isn’t deep at center.

The Wild will work to extend Pominville’s contract later this summer.

So does Fletcher have a clear picture yet as to what he may accomplish?

“Clear as mud,” he joked. “There just seems to be a lot of dialogue on a leaguewide basis. A lot of teams are talking, a lot of things are going on. So you’re talking to one team and they may have an idea, but they’re also trying to do something else. Everything’s kind of tied together.

“So the reality is the vast majority of these conversations lead nowhere, at least immediately. Some do and some may lay the foundation for something down the road.”

Around the league

• The big news Thursday was Tampa Bay GM Steve Yzerman announcing that the Lightning would buy out Vincent Lecavalier.

• The trade rumor mill was churning. There are some big defensemen potentially on the block, from Pittsburgh’s Kris Letang to San Jose’s San Boyle to Toronto’s Dion Phaneuf. Some forwards potentially available include Chicago’s Dave Bolland and Tampa Bay’s Ryan Malone.

• Commissioner Gary Bettman announced that the NHL and International Olympic Committee will meet Monday to try to finalize the NHL’s participation in the 2014 Winter Games.

• Bettman also made clear that if the city of Glendale, Ariz., doesn’t reach an agreement with the newest ownership group assembled to buy the Phoenix Coyotes by Tuesday, “I don’t think the Coyotes will be playing there anymore.” A relocation to Seattle could be on the horizon.

• The day started on a somber tone when universally respected Winnipeg-based agent Don Baizley, who represented the Wild’s Mikko Koivu and Niklas Backstrom and such NHL greats as Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg and Teemu Selanne, succumbed to cancer at the age of 71. “I would not be where I am without him,” Backstrom said. “Just hearing his name mentioned brings a smile on my face because I remember all the great stories he had, all the advice he gave me and the way he taught me about life and hockey.”

Star Tribune LOADED: 06.28.2013


Minnesota Wild's Jason Pominville ready to show he's worth hefty price tag

By Chad Graff

Posted: 06/27/2013 12:01:00 AM CDT

Updated: 06/27/2013 08:40:43 PM CDT

NEW YORK -- The Wild's newest addition to the organization was the last to leave the locker room.

It was May 9, just a few strokes before midnight and about a half-hour after the Wild's season ended with a 5-1 loss in Game 5 of their opening-round playoff series against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Jason Pominville was sitting at his locker. His eyes were puffy, and his voiced cracked when he spoke.

Zach Parise came over and patted him on the shoulder before walking out of the room.

"I just hate losing. My wife would probably say I'm a sore loser," Pominville said this week, looking back on the 2013 season for the first time publicly.

And what a season it was; it started with him playing in Germany during the lockout, took him to Buffalo for the first 37 games and then to Minnesota on April 3, when he was traded for the first time in his eight-year NHL career.

Pominville was the Wild's big addition at the trade deadline and is one reason optimism still surrounds a team that collapsed late in the regular season and lost in the first round of the playoffs. He also is the reason the Wild don't have a first-round pick in Sunday's NHL draft. Unless the Wild trade up, it'll be the first time in franchise history they go without one.

The Wild gave up top prospects Johan Larsson and Matt Hackett along with this year's first-round pick, No. 16 overall, in exchange for Pominville and a second-round pick next year.

"You're going to pay a price for a player

of his talent and who's produced like he has," Wild assistant general manager Brent Flahr. "When you're adding a piece like that, especially at the trade deadline, you're going to pay a price, and we knew that."

That price becomes magnified if Pominville, who is entering the final year in his contract, plays only one full season in Minnesota.

"Our goal is certainly to re-sign Jason," general manager Chuck Fletcher said. "We acquired him to be a part of our organization for the longer term. It's very hard to find highly skilled offensive players, and we're thrilled we were able to land him, and he's going to be a big part of our team next year and hopefully beyond."

At one point, Pominville thought he might spend his entire career in Buffalo. Now, he said, he likes what he's seen from Minnesota -- both the state and the organization -- and wants to re-sign with the Wild.

"They're committed to winning," he said. "That's what you want as a player."

Pominville still wants to show the Wild what they're getting with him. In his 10th game with the Wild, on April 23, he took an elbow to the face from Los Angeles' Dustin Brown. The official diagnosis from doctors was a concussion, Pominville said, but neck stiffness and whiplash from the hit lingered longer than the concussion and prevented him from turning his head without pain. He missed the next five games, including the first three playoff games.

"It sucked," Pominville said. "It's really frustrating, especially that type of injury. It's not one you can really play through. If you're not all right, you don't have a chance to play hurt. If it's a shoulder injury or something else, maybe you can find a way to play through it. These types of injuries are serious, and you have to do what you have to do."

Pominville finished with four goals and five assists in 12 games with the Wild.

His versatility and ability on special teams and as a two-way forward made it easy for coach Mike Yeo to insert him in different situations. And he had

known most of his teammates in some fashion, even playing with Parise, Tom Gilbert and Pierre-Marc Bouchard on a few occasions. He was a natural fit in the locker room.

Moving the family was the tougher part. The family already had moved from Montreal (his offseason home) to Buffalo at the end of the summer to Germany during the lockout and then back to Buffalo when the lockout ended. Now everyone had to pack up and move to the Twin Cities.

"We were trying to count all our moves the other day," Pominville said. "It's been crazy."

That meant moving his two children, ages 2 and 3, and all of the stuff that accumulates with living in the same location for a decade.

With limited time to search for options, the family lived out of a hotel in the Twin Cities.

"That was the toughest part," he said. "The hotel is kind of fun for a little while, but after a few weeks that wears off and you get tired of it."

Now he's back in Canada, about 20 minutes outside Montreal, where he's within driving distance of his family and his wife's family.

He has resumed his typical offseason routine of working out Monday through Friday with his personal trainer, using the workout plan the Wild sent him.

He expects to be back on the ice again in July, then join other Canadian pros for private on-ice workouts in August before training camp opens.

But his whirlwind year isn't over. His house in Buffalo just went on the market. And he still has to find a place in Minnesota.

But before that, he's relaxing after a harried six or seven months.

Pominville has caught up with some Wild players. Bouchard and Stephane Veilleux visited and went to one of his wife's shows. She is an aerial acrobat. On Tuesday, he bumped into Zenon Konopka at a golf tournament near Montreal.

Pominville used to be an avid golfer. It was his escape from the rink in the summer, something he could do without his ultra-competitive instincts kicking in. But because he is busy with the kids during the offseason, he plays 18 holes once or twice a week. And that high-70s, low-80s score he used to shoot?

"That's gone up," he said with a laugh.

That's fine, though. Golf is still fun for him. Occasionally, he'll hit a wayward shot and get mad. Then he reminds himself why he's on the links: to relax. No sense in being a sore loser out there.

That's best saved for the ice.

Pioneer Press LOADED: 06.28.2013


Charley Walters: Minnesota Timberwolves have some shopping to do

Pioneer Press

Posted: 06/27/2013 12:01:00 AM CDT

Updated: 06/27/2013 09:05:02 PM CDT

With the NBA draft complete, next for the Timberwolves is the free-agent market, which opens Monday.

Wolves owner Glen Taylor said this week, a couple days before the draft, that the extent of his team's involvement in free agency would depend on how well it did in the draft.

Regardless, though, the Wolves, who are $16 million under the league's salary cap, plan to shop in free agency.

"We do have a plan in case the draft doesn't go exactly as we want," Taylor said. "We have some players that would be our priority to go after in free agency."

With Georgia shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope going to the Detroit Pistons with the No. 8 overall pick Thursday evening, the draft obviously didn't go exactly the way the Wolves hoped.

The Wolves want to re-sign restricted free agents Nikola Pekovic and Chase Budinger.

Former Mr. Basketball Minnesota Royce White, who was the Houston Rockets' first-round draft pick last year (No. 16 overall) and was paid $1.65 million while missing the NBA season because of anxiety issues, will play for the Rockets' summer league team in Orlando, Fla., beginning July 7. White, 22, is guaranteed $1.7 million next season from the Rockets.

Recently promoted starter Kyle Gibson, the Twins' 2009 first-round draft pick who makes his major league debut for Minnesota on Saturday afternoon against Kansas City at Target Field, was a popular player among teammates at Class AAA Rochester.

"When

we told him he was going up, every guy in this locker room clapped, stood up and got in line to shake his hand," Rochester manager Gene Glynn said Thursday. "That tells you what kind of teammate he is."

As for the mound, Glynn said, "He's ready. It's a good time for him."

For Glynn's Red Wings, Gibson was 7-5 with a 3.01 earned-run average in 15 starts, striking out 79 in 92 2/3 innings. The 25-year-old right-hander missed most of 2012 recovering from ligament replacement surgery.

"I don't have any doubt about his arm because he pitched so well here," Glynn said. "He has been consistent. He was ahead (in counts) so often, which is really a good sign for a guy ready to take the next step. He's challenging people, and he believes in his stuff."

The Twins, by the way, have seen a spike in ticket sales for Gibson's debut, which could attract a crowd approaching 38,000.

Attendance for the four-game series against the New York Yankees that begins Monday could total 140,000.

By qualifying this week to play in the PGA Championship in August, Jeff Sorenson, teaching pro at Columbia Golf Course in Minneapolis, also qualified for the U.S. 10-player PGA Cup team that will compete against Great Britain and Ireland in England in September. The PGA Cup is similar to Ryder Cup competition.

Paul Goetz is the new boys basketball coach at Eastview High and Nick Tibesar the new boys basketball coach at Wayzata, Mr. Basketball Minnesota director Ken Lien reports.

Jordyn Alt, daughter of former Kansas City Chiefs star John Alt and in incoming senior at Cretin-Derham Hall, has committed to a basketball tender from the University of Denver.

On Saturday at Target Field, at the game against Kansas City, the Twins will feature former player, manager and broadcaster Frank Quilici at "Donor

Day." Quilici, 74, received a kidney transplant in May 2012 from the wife of a longtime friend and is an advocate for organ donations.

The 1973 Minnesota high school boys hockey champion Hibbing team is staging a 40-year reunion this weekend in Hibbing.

A total of 209 Americans played in the NHL this season, or 23 percent of the league's 921 players, according to Wild curator Roger Godin.

The New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils had the most, with players 10 each. The Wild had nine: Zach Parise, Ryan Suter, Matt Cullen, Charlie Coyle, Tom Gilbert, Jason Zucker, Mike Rupp, Nate Prosser and Jake Dowell.

DON'T PRINT THAT

Puzzling: Why the Timberwolves didn't move up two draft picks, to No. 7, to take shooting guard Ben McLemore of Kansas. Or to No. 8 to take shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope of Georgia.

MVP running back Adrian Peterson of the Vikings told cbsSports.com that during a game against Detroit last season, a Lions linebacker asked him if he used performance-enhancing drugs to make such an miraculous recovery from major knee surgery.

"Whatever you were juicing on, let me know. I need it," the linebacker said.

Responded Peterson, "Man, it's a lot of prayer. The juice of God."

Considering the Vikings' daunting schedule, which includes Pittsburgh in London, at Baltimore and Seattle and the Giants, plus playing the Packers twice, at this juncture it looks like a 9-7 regular season.

The Twins rank fourth in the major leagues in fewest walks allowed but last in opponent batting average, quality starts and strikeouts.

The Twins also are tied for fourth in fewest errors and are No. 1 in fewest double plays hit into.

OVERHEARD

Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor, asked if his team can afford to pursue expensive free agents: "We'll have to afford them. I guess we would find out."

Pioneer Press LOADED: 06.28.2013

682717 Montreal Canadiens

Bergevin faces extra heat going into second draft as Canadiens' GM

BILL BEACON

MONTREAL — The Canadian Press

Published Thursday, Jun. 27 2013, 4:52 PM EDT

Last updated Thursday, Jun. 27 2013, 4:54 PM EDT

Holding the third overall draft pick made things relatively simple for Marc Bergevin a year ago at his first NHL draft as general manager of the Montreal Canadiens.

This time may be trickier, as Bergevin and his staff go into Sunday’s draft holding the 25th overall pick. However, having six picks in the first three rounds could make it interesting.

Halifax Mooseheads centre Nathan MacKinnon, left, Portland Winterhawks defenceman Seth Jones, centre, and Halifax Mooseheads left winger Jonathan Drouin pose for a photograph for the media in Saskatoon, Sask. on Thursday, May 16, 2013. The three players have been listed by NHL Central Scouting as potential first round selections in their Final Rankings for the 2013 NHL Draft.

Andrew Shaw of the Chicago Blackhawks celebrates with the Stanley Cup in the locker room after his team defeated the Boston Bruins in Game 6 of their NHL Stanley Cup Finals hockey series in Boston, Massachusetts June 24, 2013

“Last year we only had two picks before ours and we had a good idea of what we were going to do,” said Bergevin, who selected forward Alex Galchenyuk. “This year, it’s completely different.”

And this time there is unexpected extra pressure on Bergevin in the form of centre Vincent Lecavalier.

Montreal fans are pushing hard for the Canadiens to sign Lecavalier, who entered the unrestricted free agent market on Thursday when the Tampa Bay Lightning announced they were buying out 33-year-old’s hefty contract.

The Canadiens have not had a French-Canadian star in many years, and Lecavalier would fit that bill. They also want to get bigger up front, and Lecavalier is 6-foot-4. And, with 20 players signed and $9-million in salary cap space open, they should be able to afford him.

Even Mathieu Darche, a former Canadien and Lightning, urged Bergevin on his blog for RDS to sign the slick centre who scored 52 goals in 2006-07.

The temptation to make a play for his former teammate in Tampa would have to be enormous, even if it seems to go against Bergevin’s philosophy.

Only a week ago, Bergevin said he was leery of using free agency for anything but acquiring role players to fill gaps in the roster, as he did last summer with Brandon Prust and Colby Armstrong.

“To me, free agency is a tool, but it’s not a way to make your team a top team,” he said. “It’s overplayed. You have to be really careful with free agency.”

He does not rule out making a deal to move up in the draft, however. The Canadiens have three second round picks, including the 34th and 36th overall from previous deals, as well as their own 55th pick. They also draft 71st and 86th overall in the third round.

“I can say we’re always looking to improve our position, but there’s a price to pay,” he said.

“You don’t build a team through free agency or trades, you build it through the draft. And you need to be patient with these guys. Look at the teams that have success, like Chicago. The core of their players, most of them came through the draft. And it took years for them to become the elite team they are now. It’s not a secret recipe, how to build a hockey team.”

He gave no indication on what sort of players he and scouting director Trevor Timmins are looking for.

After his smaller-than-average team was eliminated in the first round of playoffs by Ottawa, he said he would like more “balance” between big and small players. So they may look for some bigger bodies.

The organization is also thin on goalies, having not drafted one since they took Petteri Simla 211th overall in 2009. They have selected only two since they got Carey Price fifth overall in 2005.

So they may be tempted by Halifax Mooseheads goalie Zach Fucale.

There are a handful of other prospects from Quebec who may be available if that is a consideration, including defenceman Samuel Morin and forwards Laurent Dauphin, Anthony Mantha and perhaps Frederik Gauthier.

The flashy Jonathan Drouin, expected to go in the top five, is likely out of their reach. Bergevin said it would take more than offering a first and second round pick to move up that high.

“It’s not just to draft the players available, but to draft the players you like,” he said. “If you can move up and get that player, and it comes at a price you feel is not too steep, then I will do that.”

What he has to offer is other draft picks.

“Especially in the early second (round),” he said. “The 34th and 36th. Those are really good picks. They’re appealing picks.”

Montreal has its best collection of picks since it had five in the top 73 in 2007. That year, they got Ryan McDonagh (now a New York Ranger) 12th, Max Pacioretty 22nd, Norris Trophy winner P.K. Subban 43rd and defenceman Yannick Weber 73rd.

Their off-season moves so far include buying out rearguard Tomas Kaberle and signing depth defenceman Davis Drewiske to a new deal.

Globe And Mail LOADED: 06.28.2013

682718 Montreal Canadiens

Bergevin faces extra heat going into second draft as Canadiens general manager

By Bill Beacon, The Canadian Press June 27, 2013

MONTREAL - Holding the third overall draft pick made things relatively simple for Marc Bergevin a year ago at his first NHL draft as general manager of the Montreal Canadiens.

This time may be trickier, as Bergevin and his staff go into Sunday's draft holding the 25th overall pick. However, having six picks in the first three rounds could make it interesting.

"Last year we only had two picks before ours and we had a good idea of what we were going to do," said Bergevin, who selected forward Alex Galchenyuk. "This year, it's completely different."

And this time there is unexpected extra pressure on Bergevin in the form of centre Vincent Lecavalier.

Montreal fans are pushing hard for the Canadiens to sign Lecavalier, who entered the unrestricted free agent market on Thursday when the Tampa Bay Lightning announced they were buying out 33-year-old's hefty contract.

The Canadiens have not had a French-Canadian star in many years, and Lecavalier would fit that bill. They also want to get bigger up front, and Lecavalier is six-foot-four. And, with 20 players signed and $9 million in salary cap space open, they should be able to afford him.

Even Mathieu Darche, a former Canadien and Lightning, urged Bergevin on his blog for RDS to sign the slick centre who scored 52 goals in 2006-07.

The temptation to make a play for his former teammate in Tampa would have to be enormous, even if it seems to go against Bergevin's philosophy.

Only a week ago, Bergevin said he was leery of using free agency for anything but acquiring role players to fill gaps in the roster, as he did last summer with Brandon Prust and Colby Armstrong.

"To me, free agency is a tool, but it's not a way to make your team a top team," he said. "It's overplayed. You have to be really careful with free agency."

He does not rule out making a deal to move up in the draft, however. The Canadiens have three second round picks, including the 34th and 36th overall from previous deals, as well as their own 55th pick. They also draft 71st and 86th overall in the third round.

"I can say we're always looking to improve our position, but there's a price to pay," he said.

"You don't build a team through free agency or trades, you build it through the draft. And you need to be patient with these guys. Look at the teams that have success, like Chicago. The core of their players, most of them came through the draft. And it took years for them to become the elite team they are now. It's not a secret recipe, how to build a hockey team."

He gave no indication on what sort of players he and scouting director Trevor Timmins are looking for.

After his smaller-than-average team was eliminated in the first round of playoffs by Ottawa, he said he would like more "balance" between big and small players. So they may look for some bigger bodies.

The organization is also thin on goalies, having not drafted one since they took Petteri Simla 211th overall in 2009. They have selected only two since they got Carey Price fifth overall in 2005.

So they may be tempted by Halifax Mooseheads goalie Zach Fucale.

There are a handful of other prospects from Quebec who may be available if that is a consideration, including defenceman Samuel Morin and forwards Laurent Dauphin, Anthony Mantha and perhaps Frederik Gauthier.

The flashy Jonathan Drouin, expected to go in the top five, is likely out of their reach. Bergevin said it would take more than offering a first and second round pick to move up that high.

"It's not just to draft the players available, but to draft the players you like," he said. "If you can move up and get that player, and it comes at a price you feel is not too steep, then I will do that."

What he has to offer is other draft picks.

"Especially in the early second (round)," he said. "The 34th and 36th. Those are really good picks. They're appealing picks."

Montreal has its best collection of picks since it had five in the top 73 in 2007. That year, they got Ryan McDonagh (now a New York Ranger) 12th, Max Pacioretty 22nd, Norris Trophy winner P.K. Subban 43rd and defenceman Yannick Weber 73rd.

Their off-season moves so far include buying out rearguard Tomas Kaberle and signing depth defenceman Davis Drewiske to a new deal.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.28.2013

682719 Nashville Predators

Should Predators pick Seth Jones if he's available?

Jun. 27, 2013 5:43 PM

Josh Cooper

SETH JONES

Position: Defense

Age: 18

Birthplace: Plano, Texas

Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 206 pounds

Team: Portland Winterhawks (Western Hockey League)

Numbers: 61 games, 14 goals, 42 assists 56 points, plus-46 with the Winterhawks

The Nashville Predators are known for drafting and developing defensemen, taking five in the first round.

Blueliners picked by Nashville have been finalists for the Norris Trophy — given to the NHL’s best defenseman — three times. This defense-out formula has worked well for Nashville, which despite a disastrous 2013, has made the playoffs seven of the last nine seasons.

But Nashville is forward starved. Moments after the Predators were awarded the No. 4 pick at the NHL draft lottery, general manager David Poile said Nashville would want to get a forward in Sunday’s draft.

What if defenseman Seth Jones, the consensus top prospect, is available at No. 4? The Colorado Avalanche, who hold the No. 1 pick, have been adamant in saying they won’t take Jones. The next two teams in the draft order — Florida and Tampa — could also use forwards.

If you’re the Predators, do you take Jones?

“Absolutely, 100 percent. 110 percent,” Poile said without hesitation. “I think he’s the best player in the draft.”

The case for

At 6-foot-4, 206 pounds, Jones has the size, skating, shooting and passing ability to chip in both offensively and shut down opponents defensively. Such qualities are rare in most draft prospects. Nashville captain Shea Weber has a similar skill set, and he has the second-richest contract in the NHL.

“He’s the whole package,” Poile said. “He’s size, he has great skating, he has offensive abilities. I certainly think he’s going to be an aggressive player. He can be a Norris Trophy winner, and that’s not to say the other guys couldn’t be equally as good, but that’s how I would have him — as the best player in the draft.”

Jones has leadership qualities as well. Last season he said his Team USA world junior squad was the best in the tournament, and then backed it up with a gold medal.

By all accounts, Jones is NHL-ready and would fill an immediate hole on the Predators’ second defense pair. Poile would not have to address such need in his offseason retooling and could focus on acquiring the elusive first-line forward.

Off the ice, Jones would be a marketing dream in the Nashville area. His father, former NBA player Popeye Jones, is from Dresden and played college basketball at Murray State.

Jones would also bring publicity to the Predators and the Nashville market because of this back story. Jones is American and learned to play hockey in the Dallas and Denver areas, and he has been on the national media radar for several years.

The Predators have had few players in their history with that type of hype and publicity.

The case against

The Predators need a forward who brings game-changing talent. If Jones is available, there will still be several dynamic forwards around, possibly including Aleksander Barkov, Valeri Nichushkin and Elias Lindholm.

Nashville’s need for strong offensive forwards was never more evident than in the 2010 and 2011 playoffs.

In 2010, Nashville’s team defense approach kept the Chicago Blackhawks scrambling in the first round. But in Game 5, forward Patrick Kane — the 2007 No. 1 overall pick — tied the contest with 13.6 seconds left, and forward Marian Hossa — another former first-round pick — won the game in overtime. The Predators lost to the Blackhawks in six games.

In 2011, Vancouver forward Ryan Kesler had 11 points in six games to help beat the Predators in the second round. Kesler was a first-round pick in 2003.

A strong performance by a top forward can change a series, and the Predators have never drafted or developed a forward who has scored more than 63 points for them in a single season.

Defensemen are also trickier to develop. Since 1980, defensemen drafted No. 1 overall include Roman Hamrlik, Bryan Berard, Ed Jovanovksi, Chris Phillips and Erik Johnson.

Johnson, who is on his second squad and has never made an All-Star team, went ahead of forward Jonathan Toews (third overall to Chicago) in 2006. Toews just captained the Blackhawks to his second Stanley Cup with the team.

Chris Pronger (2000) is the last defenseman to win the Hart Trophy, given to the league’s MVP, since Bobby Orr won three straight from 1970-72.

Tennessean LOADED: 06.28.2013


Longtime Predator will watch son chase same NHL dream in Sunday’s draft

Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 9:05pm

By David Boclair

Kerry Fitzgerald spent a lot of time in recent weeks going through family photos and videos, which she used to create a graduation present for her son Ryan. It did not take long for her and her husband to notice a certain consistency.

“In 80 percent of the pictures he has a hockey stick in his hands,” Tom Fitzgerald said. “I would say, maybe 20 percent of them were of him in a baseball uniform — from Nashville, and that was because of how much time we spent there in the summer.”

However limited the local hockey calendar was in 1998, when Tom Fitzgerald was named the Nashville Predators’ first captain and brought along his family, it still provided enough impetus to point the oldest of the couple’s four boys in the same direction as their father.

Ryan Fitzgerald, whose first experience with organized hockey was in Middle Tennessee, will be among those selected Sunday when the NHL conducts its 2013 entry draft. The NHL’s Central Scouting Service has him listed No. 56 among North American skaters (a drop of 10 spots from the mid-term rankings), and most projections have the 5-foot-10, 168-pound center as a third-round selection.

“He’s more of a skill player than I was,” Tom Fitzgerald said. “I was more of a bullish player — when I was his age I would just power through people and that led into the physical aspect of my game. There’s some similarities but probably more differences. He’s a smarter player than I was. He can hit and he does a very good job away from the puck.”

Predators general manager David Poile has made no secret over the years of his willingness to capitalize on public relations opportunities in the draft. That was at least part of the motivation in 2001, when he traded up and used the first pick of the fourth round on Jordin Tootoo, the first player of Inuit descent ever selected and — later — to play in the NHL. It was no different 2006 when Nashville used a second-round pick on Blake Geoffrion, a local product whose family had a rich NHL heritage.

This year Nashville has the third pick of the third round (64th overall) and three choices in the fourth round (Nos. 95, 99 and 112 overall), and it certainly would be newsworthy if they selected the son of the man who was the face of the franchise in its formative years.

“My wife and I have mentioned it from time to time lately,” Tom Fitzgerald said. “If one of my old teams drafted him, how weird would that be?”

Weird, perhaps. There are plenty of options, though.

Before he signed with the Predators as a free agent on July 6, 1998, Fitzgerald, who was the 17th overall selection in 1986, played for the New York Islanders, Florida Panthers and Colorado Avalanche. He was dealt to the Chicago Blackhawks near the 2001-02 trade deadline and later played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins.

Of his 1,097 career contests, 307 were in a Nashville uniform.

He retired in 2006 and remained in the game, mostly as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins front office. Currently, he is an assistant general manager under former Nashville assistant GM Ray Shero.

“This is all I’ve ever known,” he said. “I’ve been doing it professionally since I was 20, and spent 18 years as a player. I’ll be 45 in August. It’s something that I love, I have a passion for and it’s probably the thing I know best.

“With [Ryan], I just think it was one of those things. … We lived it and he probably just thought of it as ‘this is life’ not a sport.”

Ryan Fitzgerald was 3 years old when the family moved to Nashville. His father’s expertise was particularly helpful during his formative years in the sport.

“I remember the days in Nashville when ‘Coach Steve’ would tell him to hang out at the blue line,’ ” Tom Fitzgerald recalled. “I would go, ‘No, no, no

you don’t hang out by the blue line.’ He’d say ‘Dad, Coach Steve said I should hang out by the blue line.’ ‘Son, Coach Steve is a mechanic and I love that he’s volunteering his time. But you have to go back and get the puck.’ ”

These days no one questions Ryan Fitzgerald’s knowledge of the game. He is regarded as a skillful playmaker with good hockey sense and the ability to make players around him better.

After three years at Malden Catholic High School in Massachusetts, he gave up his senior season to play for the Valley Junior Warriors of the Eastern Junior Hockey League in 2012-13. Along the way this past season he also spent time with USA Hockey Junior Select Team and the U.S. Developmental Program.

He has committed to play at perennial college hockey power Boston College next season.

“The reason he went to play junior this year … had everything to do with preparation for him to go to Boston College and have the best opportunity to be successful,” Tom Fitzgerald said. “Truthfully, it was probably a very, very tough year for him. He bounced around. … He never really found a groove with his own team.”

Even so, he averaged better than a point per game (14 goals, 16 assists in 28 contests) for Valley, based in Lawrence, Mass., and was named the league’s rookie of the year.

The biggest knock against him, from a scouting perspective, is his size.

“He’s not the biggest kid but he’s got very good hockey sense,” Tom Fitzgerald said. “He’s got good skill. And he’s not afraid of the tough areas of the ice. He’s sub-6 feet, but he’s a hockey player. He can play wing, he can play center. … He’s got very good vision. I think the one thing he can do is he can make people around him better. I think if you would ask kids on his team, past teams ‘Who would you want to play with?’ I think, I would hope they’d realize playing with him would be a very good thing.”

Those, he stresses, are the opinions of a parent and not an NHL executive.

In recent weeks and months Tom Fitzgerald has been careful to separate the two. He says he has done nothing in terms of a formal evaluation of his son and has no plans to contribute to the discussion of that one player in the countdown to the draft.

Similarly, he plans to operate in a dual capacity during the draft, which is limited to one day this year because of changes to the calendar necessitated by the lockout that delayed the start of the regular season until January.

“What I’m going to do is I’m going to sit at my table for the first round,” Tom Fitzgerald said. “Then I’m going to move up with my family, and I’m going to be a proud dad. An anxious dad. A nerve-wracked dad. And I’m going to wait, like any other parent, for that moment when my son’s life will change forever.

“Now he enters the fraternity. It’s just an open door and it’s an opportunity for him, but he enters the fraternity.”

Nashville City Paper LOADED: 06.28.2013


Predators' first-round pick to come from among top six

Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 9:32pm

By David Boclair

The Nashville Predators have the fourth overall selection for the 2013 NHL Draft, which takes place Sunday at New Jersey. A look at six of the top prospects, one of whom most likely will be Nashville’s choice, with comments from Predators chief amateur scout Jeff Kealty:

ALEXANDER BARKOV

Center, 6-3, 209, Tappara (Finland)

Of note: A two-time member of Finland’s World Junior Championship team, he is that country’s youngest player ever to score a goal in that tournament. His father was a professional hockey player and his mother was a player on Russia’s national basketball team.

Kealty says: “This guy is a guy that is an excellent two-way player. Very well-rounded. … A guy that can posses the puck and really contribute at both ends with his size and two-way game. Great vision. Great ability to make plays. He played in the Finnish Elite League at 17 years old. When you consider what he’s accomplished at that level, at that age – he scored a point a game this year – and you add that to the well-rounded game that he has, he’s a terrific prospect.”

JONATHAN DROUIN

Left wing, 5-11, 186, Halifax (QMJHL)

Of note: He was named the Quebec League’s Most Valuable Player, Best Professional Prospect and its personality of the year for 2012, 13, when he had 105 points (41 goals, 64 assists) in 49 games.

Kealty says: “He’s an electric offensive player. Terrific skills. Great puck skills. Creativity. … One of those guys that brings you out of your seat. He not only has the offensive skill to produce and make plays but he’s got some of that flare to him that a lot of the stars in the game have.”

SETH JONES

Defense, 6-4, 205, Portland (WHL)

Of note: The son of former NBA player Popeye Jones has been a member of three gold medal winning USA Hockey teams, including the 2013 World Junior Championship team, of which he was the youngest member. He was the WHL’s highest scoring defenseman.

Kealty says: “He’s pretty unanimously the top defenseman in the draft. This guy is 6-foot-4, an excellent skater. … He can skate the puck out of trouble and move the puck up ice. He can get involved at both ends. He’s a terrific athlete. … Obviously, he has the athletic genes. He is just a terrific player and with the upside that he has he’s only going to get better.”

ELIAS LINDHOLM

Center, 5-11, 192, Bynas (Sweden)

Of note: He is from a hockey family – his father played briefly in the NHL with Los Angeles and a cousin is a Red Wings prospect. He was a full-time player in the Swedish Elite League this season.

Kealty says: “A very good two-way player. Very good sense. Very good competitiveness. Makes plays at both ends. Has great vision. One of those guys that makes people around him better and with the two-way game that he has the competitiveness that he has, he’s a real versatile guys. For him to be competing at the level he is, in the Swedish Elite League, at 18 years old is very impressive.”

NATHAN MacKINNON

Center, 6-0, 182, Halifax (QMJHL)

Of note: He had a hat trick in Canada’s gold medal game victory at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament and led the QMJHL with seven game-winning goals. He is from the same hometown as Pittsburgh Penguins great Sidney Crosby.

Kealty says: “This guy is an explosive talent, probably the best skater in the draft. A powerful lower body. Explosive. He can change the game on a dime with his skating because he can just explode away from people and can really make things happen in open ice. He’s one of those guys that is really driven and focused to score. You combine that with the skating and power he has and he’s a pretty dynamic player.”

VALERI NICHUSHKIN

Left wing, 6-4, 196, Chelyabinsk (Russia)

Of note: He scored the overtime winner against Canada in the bronze medal game at the World Junior Championships. It was his only goal of the tournament but was a showcase moment for his high-end skill.

Kealty says: “This guy is a massive, massive winger. A big wingspan. He’s a very good skater. He’s got power to him with the way that he can posses the puck and hold people off and take it to the net and make plays. He’s got a little of a Rick Nash type of game with that size and that wingspan.”

Nashville City Paper LOADED: 06.28.2013

682722 New Jersey Devils

Former Devils goalie Sean Burke excited about draft for son Brendan

Rich Chere/The Star-Ledger

on June 27, 2013 at 2:19 PM, updated June 27, 2013 at 3:10 PM

Sean Burke was the goaltender who started the Devils’ run of playoff success 25 years ago, ultimately paving an early path towards the franchise’s three Stanley Cups.

So he is excited about the fact that one of the top prospects for Sunday’s NHL entry draft, which will be held at Prudential Center, is his 18-year-old son, Brendan. Like his dad, Brendan is a lanky, 6-foot-3 goalie. He is ranked 13th among North American goalkeepers.

“I’m excited for him,” said Burke, now assistant to Phoenix Coyotes general manager Don Maloney and the team’s goalie coach. “He’s a good kid, he’s worked hard and he’s just getting better. I won’t say it’s ironic, but it’s pretty interesting the draft is in New Jersey, of all places.”

The Devils selected Burke 24th overall in the 1985 entry draft, 21 places after they made defenseman Craig Wolanin the third overall pick.

“I remember I had a lot more hair and I had a bad suit on,” Burke said. “It was in Toronto, so it was in my hometown. I remember my dad and my family being so excited. I was really nervous, not knowing where or if I was going to be drafted. Even though you’re told all these things, you still don’t know until you hear your name called.”

Burke, who led the Devils to their first playoff appearance in 1988 by going 10-1-0 in his 11 late-season starts, would play three more seasons for the team while compiling a 62-66-23 record and 3.66 goals-against average in 162 games.

A contract dispute with general manager Lou Lamoriello led to Burke being traded along with Eric Weinrich to the Hartford Whalers on Aug. 28, 1992, in a deal that would bring Bobby Holik and a 1993 draft pick that became Jay Pandolfo.

Although he played 17 NHL seasons with nine teams, Burke has come to appreciate his time in New Jersey.

“Oh, yeah, big time. I think I’ve appreciated way more as I’ve gotten older and (stopped playing) just what an incredible experience it was and how much I enjoyed playing here,” he said. “As you move along and you’re still playing, you can become cynical and look at the negative things about the places you’ve been and dwell on things that maybe didn’t go well or you think you weren’t treated a certain way. I have a tendency to look back and really appreciate the great things.

“It was great for me to break into the league the way it happened with that group of guys. I have so much respect for Lou Lamoriello and what he’s done. I don’t know if I would’ve said all those things when I was 25 or 26. Looking back on it now, even flying in yesterday, there’s the tradition and the history that I’ve had and the team has had here. It’s great. I was lucky.”

Will Brendan be as lucky? There will certainly be some pressure on him as the son of a successful NHL goalie (a three-time All-Star with 324 wins in 820 appearances), particularly if he is drafted by the Coyotes or Devils. Imagine playing for an organization in which your father and Martin Brodeur both played.

“I think for him it’s a little different than maybe for some other players,” Burke said. “He grew up playing all his hockey in Arizona. So he was out of any media hockey hotbed.

“The other thing with Brendan is he’s one of those kids that have been around the game forever and really has a respect and appreciation for the players and how hard it is. For him it’s more ‘this is what I want to do and I know how hard it is’ rather than pressure. He understands the work that needs to go into it. I think he knows it isn’t just 'my dad played, I like it and I’m going to play.' There is a long way to go before he ever gets a chance.”

Brendan was 24-5-1 with a 2.65 goals-against average and .908 save percentage for the Portland Winterhawks (WHL) last season. He is not only similar in build to his father, but also in style.

“Yes, good and bad,” the elder Burke said with a laugh. “He’s very similar in style. A lot of it is from him just watching. He was old enough when I was still playing to watch a lot of games. He naturally plays a style I think he watched me play.

“Kids his age now are better-coached from a younger age. They’re more technical. I remember back in my day it was more about just being a good athlete and competing. Young goalies now do that, but they’ve also been well-coached.”

Star Ledger LOADED: 06.28.2013


Devils have ties to at least three top NHL entry draft prospects

Rich Chere/The Star-Ledger on June 27, 2013 at 12:06 PM, updated June 27, 2013 at 3:11 PM

At least three top prospects for the upcoming NHL entry draft have ties to the Devils.

Brendan Burke, the 13th-ranked North American goalie, is the son of former Devils goaltender Sean Burke. The Devils drafted Sean with the 24th overall pick in 1985 and he led the team to the playoffs for the first time in 1988.

Brendan, 18, is 6-3, 175 pounds and went 24-5-1 with a 2.65 goals-against average and .908 save percentage for the Portland Winterhawks (WHL) last season.

Sean Burke played 17 seasons in the NHL with nine different clubs and is now assistant general manager and goalie coach for the Phoenix Coyotes. He played four seasons for the Devils and was 62-66-23 in 162 game with a 3.66 GAA. When he was drafted by the Devils he was 6-3, 180.

Adam Tambellini, the 42nd-ranked North American skater, is the son of former Devils center Steve Tambellini. Steve was on the team when it moved from Denver to New Jersey in 1982 and played one season for the Devils, scoring 43 points (25 goals, 18 assists) in 73 games.

Adam, 18, is a 6-2, 169-pound center who split time between the Vernon Vipers and Surrey Eagles of the BCHL last season. He scored a combined 66 points (36 goals, 30 assists) in 52 games before adding 18 points (10 goals, eight assists) in 127 playoff games for Surrey.

Peter Quenneville, the 130th-ranked North American skater, is the second cousin of former Devils defenseman Joel Quenneville. Bruins defenseman Jonny Boychuk is his uncle by marriage.

Joel, who has coached the Chicago Blackhawks to two Stanley Cup championships in four years, played one season for the Devils in 1982-83. He had 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in 74 games.

Peter, 19, is a 5-11, 183-pound center who had 70 points (33 goals, 37 assists) in 63 games last season for the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the USHL. He had nine points (six goals, three assists) in nine playoff games for Dubuque.

Ex-Devils assistant coach Matt Shaw recently was named GM and assistant coach of Dubuque.

Then there is Anthony Brodeur, the 18-year-old son of Devils goalie Martin Brodeur. The 5-11, 176-pound prospect will play for the Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL) next season and could be drafted on Sunday.

Other draft prospects with NHL ties:

Patrik Bartosak (No. 8-ranked North American Goalie)

His uncle, Radek Bonk, was drafted third overall in 1994 by the Senators and played 14 NHL seasons for Ottawa, Montreal and Nashville.

Tyler Bertuzzi (No. 207-ranked North American Skater)

His uncle, Todd, was selected 23rd overall in 1993 by the Islanders and has played 1,100 NHL games for the NY Islanders, Vancouver, Florida, Anaheim and Detroit.

Erik Bradford (No. 145-ranked North American Skater)

He is the younger cousin of Jamie McGinn, selected 36th overall in 2006 by the Sharks, and Tye McGinn, selected 119th overall in 2010 by the Flyers.

Andre Burakovsky (No. 6-ranked European Skater)

His father, Robert, was selected 217th overall in 1985 by the Rangers and played 23 games for Ottawa in 1993-94.

Cole Cassels (No. 120-ranked North American Skater)

His dad, Andrew, was selected 17th overall in 1987 by the Canadiens and played 1,015 NHL games for six teams (Montreal, Hartford, Calgary, Vancouver, Columbus and Washington).

Gregory Chase (No. 153-ranked North American Skater)

His uncle, Kelly, an undrafted forward, played 458 NHL games and amassed 2,017 penalty minutes for St. Louis, Hartford and Toronto.

Eric Comrie (No. 2-ranked North American Goalie)

His half-brothers, Mike and Paul, both played in the NHL. Mike, selected 91st overall in 1999 by the Oilers, recorded 365 points (168-197—365) in 589 games with Edmonton, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Ottawa, NY Islanders and Pittsburgh. Paul, selected 224th overall in 1997 by the Lightning, played four years at the University of Denver and 15 games for Edmonton in 1999-00.

Alex Coulombe (No. 68-ranked North American Skater)

His great-uncle, Claude Provost, won nine Stanley Cups with the Canadiens between 1955 and 1969 and the first-ever Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (awarded for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey) in 1968.

Max Domi (No. 19-ranked North American Skater)

His father, Tie, was selected 27th overall in 1988 by the Maple Leafs and played parts of six seasons with the NY Rangers and Winnipeg before playing his final 11 seasons with Toronto. He recorded 3,515 penalty minutes in 1,020 career NHL games.

Ryan Fitzgerald (No. 56-ranked North American Skater)

His father, Tom, suited up for seven NHL teams (NY Islanders, Florida, Colorado, Nashville, Chicago, Toronto and Boston) during an 18-season career and is now the assistant to the general manager of the Penguins.

Jackson Houck (No. 65-ranked North American Skater)

His father, Paul, was drafted 71st overall in 1981 by the Oilers and played four years at the University of Wisconsin (1980-1984) before competing in 16 games for the Minnesota North Stars.

Daniel LaFontaine (No. 195-ranked North American Skater)

His father, Pat, a Hockey Hall of Fame inductee (2003), was selected third overall in 1983 by the Islanders and went on to record 1,013 points (468-545—1013) in 865 games for the NY Islanders, Buffalo and NY Rangers.

Elias Lindholm (No. 3-ranked European Skater)

His father, Mikael, was selected 237th overall in 1987 by the Kings and played 18 games for Los Angeles during the 1989-90 season. His cousin, Detroit prospect Calle Jarnkrok, was drafted 51st overall in 2010.

Trent Lofthouse (No. 126-ranked North American Skater)

His father, Mark, was selected 21st overall in 1977 by the Capitals and played for Washington and Detroit.

Anthony Mantha (No. 10-ranked North American Skater)

His grandfather is four-time Stanley Cup champion Andre Pronovost – he played 556 games for Montreal, Boston, Detroit and Minnesota between the 1956-57 and 1967-68 seasons.

Kerby Rychel (No. 17-ranked North American Skater)

His father, Warren, was never drafted, but earned his way to the NHL through the now-defunct International Hockey League. He played for Chicago, Los Angeles, Toronto, Colorado and Anaheim – winning a Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 1996 – and finished his NHL career with 1,422 penalty minutes in 406 games. He is now the part-owner and general manager of the Windsor Spitfires (OHL).

Ty Stanton (No. 78-ranked North American Skater)

His brother, Ryan, an undrafted defenseman, was signed by the Blackhawks in 2010 and competed in the American Hockey League for the Rockford Icehogs in 2012-13.

John Stevens (No. 182-ranked North American Skater)

His father, John, was selected 47th overall in 1984 by the Flyers and is currently an assistant coach with Los Angeles.

Jordan Subban (No. 55-ranked North American Skater)

His brother P.K., selected 43rd overall in 2007, completed his third NHL season with the Canadiens in 2012-13, winning the Norris Trophy as the League’s best defenseman. His brother Malcolm, a Belleville Bulls (OHL) goaltender and teammate, was selected 24th overall in 2012 by the Bruins.

Miles Wood (No. 138-ranked North American Skater)

His father, Randy, an undrafted forward, played 741 NHL games for the NY Islanders, Buffalo, Toronto and Dallas between 1986-87 and 1996-97.

Tyler Wood (No. 206-ranked North American Skater)

The older brother of Miles, his father, Randy, played 741 NHL games for the NY Islanders, Buffalo, Toronto and Dallas.

Star Ledger LOADED: 06.28.2013


Bettman says Devils' finances are stable


BY TOM GULITTI

NEW YORK – NHL commissioner Gary Bettman reiterated Thursday that the league remains confident in the Devils’ economic state and long-term future in New Jersey.

Contrary to reports last week, Bettman told The Record the team’s finances are "stable and we remain optimistic about the future of the franchise."

Bettman’s comment echoed one made by deputy commissioner Bill Daly last week.

That the Devils will remain in New Jersey is not in question. The makeup of the team’s ownership group is in transition, however, as new partners are being recruited to bring in additional capital after finances were strained by the lockout that truncated the 2012-13 NHL season to 48 games and missing the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.

Jeff Vanderbeek completed a buyout of his former partners’ ownership shares in December to become sole owner of the Devils, but had already been working on bringing in new partners. The NHL has been helping with that process, which could be completed within the next week.

When the dust settles, Vanderbeek is expected to still be part of the ownership group, but possibly in a much smaller role.

Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello would not comment on the team’s financial state after Thursday’s NHL Board of Governors meeting in Manhattan. Lamoriello has been busy trying to re-sign several key potential unrestricted free agents before they are free to sign with other teams a week from today.

"We’ll do the best we can," Lamoriello said.

While Patrik Elias and David Clarkson remain unsigned, forward Dainius Zubrus has agreed to terms on a three-year deal for $3.1 million per season. The deal has yet to be signed, though, and it could take a few more days before it becomes official.

Lamoriello would not confirm that an agreement had been reached with Zubrus, saying, "Anything that isn’t signed yet is not done."

Bergen Record LOADED: 06.28.2013


Devils, Rangers prepare for marathon draft day

Thursday, June 27, 2013

BY TOM GULITTI

A successful playoffs and highly rated Stanley Cup Finals have turned the NHL owners’ lockout that delayed and shortened the 2012-13 regular season into a distant memory.

There still are some repercussions of the work stoppage, however, that are being felt. One is that the NHL Draft, to be held Sunday at Prudential Center, will be conducted in one day for the first time since 2006.

The NHL had been holding the first round of the draft in prime time with the remaining six rounds following the next day, but with less time after a Stanley Cup Finals that didn’t end until June 24, all seven rounds will be on one day.

"It stinks in a nutshell," said David Conte, the Devils executive vice president of hockey operations and director of scouting. "It takes a lot of the event status away. First of all, it’s starting at [3 p.m.], which is crazy. It’s going to be a long day."

The first round alone can take more than 3 1/2 hours as extra time is needed for all the pageantry — posing for photos, interviews, etc. — that goes along with each team’s selection. The remaining six rounds usually fly by, but still take about three more hours.

After missing the playoffs, the Devils won’t have to wait long to make their first pick at No. 9 in the first round. Teams usually utilize the night layover before the second round to reassess their draft boards, but won’t have the opportunity to do that this year.

"There’s no question it changes something," Devils president and general manager Lou Lamoriello said. "You don’t have an extra day in between to prepare. But it shouldn’t really change much because the first-round players, they’re going to be going anyway."

Rangers director of player personnel Gordie Clark doesn’t believe squeezing all seven rounds into one marathon day will have a major impact on how the draft — or any draft-day trades to move up or back in the order — will be completed.

"Some people may say we’ll get by the first day and have the evening left over to see who’s left and make some deals," Clark said. "But we sort of know ahead of time whether we can move up or back."

With the depth of this year’s draft, which has drawn comparisons to the gold-standard 2003 draft (16 All-Stars in the first round), the Devils likely will get a very good player with their second-round pick, No. 39 overall, as well.

Barring a trade, Clark and the Rangers’ draft contingent will have a wait in excess of four hours at their draft table before they make their first pick. That’s because the Rangers traded away their first- (Rick Nash) and second-round (Ryane Clowe) picks.

Their first selection will come in the third round at No. 65 overall. That pick, acquired from Nashville at last year’s draft, is one of three third-round picks the Rangers have. They also will pick at No. 75 (acquired from Columbus) and No. 80.

ZUBRUS AGREES: A source told The Record that potential unrestricted free agent forward Dainius Zubrus has agreed to terms to remain with the Devils on a three-year contract for roughly $3 million per season. The deal has not been signed yet and it could take a few more days before it’s announced. Zubrus denied the deal is completed, saying "Nothing is finalized yet. It’s not a done deal. [The Devils and his agent] have talked and I take it as a very positive that everything is going to go through."


682726 New York Islanders

Islanders hit snag in Nabokov talks, not interested in Luongo

By BRETT CYRGALIS

Last Updated: 1:16 PM, June 27, 2013

Posted: 12:20 AM, June 27, 2013

With the NHL draft looming Sunday, there is even less certainty concerning the Islanders’ goaltending situation now than there was when their season ended after a six-game, first-round series loss to the Penguins.

First is the fact talks between unrestricted free agent Evgeni Nabokov and the team have come to a complete standstill, The Post has learned. The veteran netminder for the past two seasons is going to test the free agent market on July 5, despite the fact the team and Nabokov’s agent had agreed to the terms of a one-year deal. Yet the money for the goalie who will be 38 years old when the season starts, was so far off they could not close the gap.

Next is that a league source said the Islanders are not one of the many teams pining for Canucks goalie Robert Luongo, who has been at the center of trade and amnesty buyout rumors the entire offseason. Luongo, 34, started his career with the Islanders, who drafted him fourth overall in 1997, and carries with him a $5.33 million salary-cap hit through the 2021-22 season.

Then, as always, lies the albatross of Rick DiPietro. The oft-injured netminder finished last season in the AHL and was not with the team as it made its first appearance in the postseason in five years. With eight years left on his contract, each carrying a cap hit of $4.5 million, DiPietro is a prime candidate for the team’s first amnesty buyout. That time period started yesterday at 11 p.m., and will conclude on July 4, the day before free agency opens.

As of yesterday afternoon, a team source said there had been no decision made about DiPietro’s future, or the future of any other possible buyouts.

Other possible trade options include the Sabres’ Ryan Miller and the Blues’ Jaroslav Halak. What it would take to get either of them in a swap would likely include prospects, of which the Islanders have few they are willing to part with. Unrestricted free agent targets include the Coyotes’ Mike Smith and Bruins backup Anton Khudobin.

New York Post LOADED: 06.28.2013

682727 New York Rangers

Messier, Passed Over for Rangers Job, Leaves the Team

By JEFF Z. KLEIN

Published: June 27, 2013

Mark Messier on Thursday announced that he was leaving the Rangers organization and denied that being passed over for the head coaching job played a role in the decision.

Messier, a special assistant to General Manager Glen Sather since 2009, hoped to replace John Tortorella. Instead, Sather hired the former Vancouver Canucks coach Alain Vigneault.

Sather said the only interviews he conducted were with Vigneault and Messier. He said Messier was “very disappointed” to have not gotten the job.

“I would like to thank the New York Rangers and particularly Glen Sather for giving me the opportunity over the last four years to work with the Rangers,” Messier said in a statement released by the Rangers.

“I am resigning my position with the team to pursue an opportunity to expand the game of hockey in the New York area by developing the Kingsbridge National Ice Center. Although some will perceive this as a reaction to the coaching decision, nothing could be further from the truth. I completely respect the decision that was made and for all the reasons it was made. I harbor no hard feelings toward Glen or the Rangers. This is a personal choice. I wish the Rangers nothing but the best in the future.”

Last April, Messier was part of a group that announced a $275 million project to convert the Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx into a nine-rink complex.

Messier joined the Rangers in 1991, after winning five Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers, and captained the team to its first Cup since 1940 in 1994.

In 1997, he left for the Vancouver Canucks after an acrimonious contract dispute.

In 2000, Sather became the president and general manager of the Rangers and brought Messier back. Messier’s return to Madison Square Garden was heralded in an elaborate news conference, in which Messier and Dave Checketts, then the Garden president, buried a hatchet in a terrarium filled with dirt.

Messier played with the Rangers for four years with diminishing results and retired in 2004 at age 43.

In 2003, Messier said that Sather asked him a few months earlier if he was interested in coaching the Rangers. But Messier said he told Sather he wanted to continue playing.

After retiring, Messier expressed interest in becoming an N.H.L. general manager. Sather hired Messier as a special assistant in 2009 but did not promote him.

Messier gained little coaching experience. In 2010, he coached two low-level Canadian national teams to modest finishes in the Deutschland Cup and the Spengler Cup, two relatively minor midseason European tournaments.

“Mark Messier will always be a part of the New York Rangers family,” Sather said in the statement. “As a player and then as part of the management team, he brought incomparable passion and dedication to the organization. We wish him well in his future endeavors.”

New York Times LOADED: 06.28.2013


Mark Messier resigns as special ass't to NY Rangers GM after Alain Vigneault hired as coach

By Pat Leonard / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Thursday, June 27, 2013, 4:47 PM

Mark Messier, who leads the Rangers to the 1994 Stanley Cup, resigns from the organization.

There certainly was no guarantee Mark Messier would stick around after not being named Rangers head coach, and now, the Captain officially has left the organization.

Messier, who interviewed to succeed John Tortorella but didn't get the job, released a statement through the Rangers Thursday afternoon announcing his resignation as special assistant to general manager Glen Sather, a position he has occupied since Aug. 2009.

"I would like to thank the New York Rangers and particularly Glen Sather for giving me the opportunity over the last four years to work with the Rangers," Messier's statement read. "I am resigning my position with the team to pursue an opportunity to expand the game of hockey in the New York area by developing the Kingsbridge National Ice Center (in the Bronx).

"Although some will perceive this as a reaction to the coaching decision, nothing could be further from the truth," Messier continued. "I completely respect the decision that was made and for all the reasons it was made. I harbor no hard feelings toward Glen or the Rangers. This is a personal choice I am making to create a program in the New York area that will give our children more choices and opportunities in the future. I wish the Rangers nothing but the best in the future."

Although Messier insists he is not leaving because Sather hired Alain Vigneault over him, the Captain put himself in a precarious position when his desire to coach the Rangers leaked outside the organization, specifically in a Daily News report. The external pressure from an internal executive created the immediate question of how Messier possibly could proceed in the organization if Sather didn't hire him to coach.

Then Messier was slighted on June 14, stepping out into the spotlight and telling the Daily News that he'd interviewed with Sather for the position, only hours later finding out that Vigneault was on his way to New York for a second interview.

Once Vigneault was hired, if Messier had decided to stay, it would have created the unfavorable predicament of Vigneault coaching with his main challenger just over his shoulder in the team's front office.

Messier waited some time to make a decision on how to proceed once he was passed over, but his silence was deafening.

In a statement, Sather said: "Mark Messier will always be a part of the New York Rangers family. As a player and then as part of the management team, he brought incomparable passion and dedication to the organization. We wish him well in his future endeavors."

On June 14, Messier seemed level-headed about the possibility Sather could hire someone else.

"I have a lot of respect for Glen, obviously with the amount of years we've been together," Messier said. "I know … he would never jeopardize making the right decision because of friendship or past experiences we've had together. He will do what he feels in his heart is his right decision, and for no other reason other than that he thinks it's the best fit for whoever he hires. So everybody can have complete confidence in that."

Then again, there is a good chance Messier simply didn't see himself not getting the job.

THE KING AND HIS MEN

The Rangers and Henrik Lundqvist's camp reportedly planned to begin negotiations on Thursday night in New York regarding a long-term contract extension for the franchise goalie … The Rangers made no announcement about whether they intend to use their second and final compliance buyout

on the contract of veteran center Brad Richards. The buyout window opened on Wednesday at 11 p.m. and closes at the end of July 4.

New York Daily News LOADED: 06.28.2013


Richards: ‘No clue’ if he will stay a Ranger

By LARRY BROOKS

Last Updated: 2:50 AM, June 28, 2013

Posted: 2:38 AM, June 28, 2013

The window has opened on amnesty buyouts, but no light has been shed on whether Brad Richards will be invited back to New York for the third year of his nine-year contract or whether the 33-year-old center will join marquee names such as 2004 Cup-winning Tampa Bay teammate Vincent Lecavalier on the open market.

“I have no clue,” Richards said Thursday afternoon in an email to The Post. “I’m just waiting.”

Richards did chat with incoming coach Alain Vigneault early in the week but the subject of a buyout was not part of the getting-to-you-know chat. There has been no communication between the Blueshirts’ front office and either Richards or his representatives at Newport Sports.

“AV and I had a great talk,” Richards said. “But besides that, it’s been very silent.”

Richards, who staggered through the worst season of his career in the absence of training camp and a defined offseason during which he was involved in CBA negotiations, has seven years with an annual cap charge of $6.67 million remaining on his deal. A buyout would cost $27.342 million on top of the $22.341 million Richards already has received over the first two years of his front-loaded contract.

The Rangers are confident Richards will be a much stronger player next season and would thus prefer to postpone the decision on their lone remaining amnesty buyout until next summer’ final amnesty buyout opportunity.

But it is also believed that management wants to retain the buy-out option until as close to the deadline as possible in case they need his cap space to pursue a player who unexpectedly becomes available leading up to the July 5 opening of the free agent market.

There’s this consideration as well: A 2013-14 injury could take the matter out of the Rangers’ hands by rendering Richards ineligible for an amnesty buyout. In that case, the Blueshirts would be vulnerable to substantial cap-recapture penalties should Richards opt to retire at any point before the end of his contract.

The Rangers are not believed among the serious suitors for the 33-year-old Lecavalier, who has long been coveted by the Canadiens and likely will attract considerable interest from at least a half-dozen clubs, including the Red Wings and Maple Leafs.

* The Rangers were scheduled to open preliminary talks with Henrik Lundqvist’s representatives from Newport Sports last night regarding an extension for the goaltender’s contract that expires at the end of this season.

The Blueshirts are not committed to re-signing impending free agent winger Ryan Clowe, who is believed to have sustained concussions on April 25 and May 10 previously having suffered on with San Jose before being traded to New York on April 2.

If the Rangers do re-sign Clowe, the Sharks will get their second-round pick in 2014 NHL Entry Draft.

New York Post LOADED: 06.28.2013


Mark Messier leaves Rangers organization

Thursday June 27, 2013, 4:28 PM

BY ANDREW GROSS

Mark Messier has left the Rangers’ organization.

The team issued a statement this afternoon that Messier, one of two candidates interviewed in person for the coaching job that went to Alain Vigneault, has decided to resign his position as special assistant to GM Glen Sather in order to develop the Kingsbridge National Ice Center in the Bronx, which is being developed at the Kingsbridge Armory.

Messier, in a statement, insisted his career move was not related to Sather choosing Vigneault over him to replace John Tortorella.

“I would like to thank the New York Rangers and particularly Glen Sather for giving me the opportunity over the last four years to work with the Rangers,” Messier said.

“I am resigning my position with the team to pursue an opportunity to expand the game of hockey in the New York area by developing the Kingsbridge National Ice Center. Although some will perceive this as a reaction to the coaching decision, nothing could be further from the truth. I completely respect the decision that was made and for all the reasons it was made. I harbor no hard feelings toward Glen or the Rangers. This is a personal choice I am making to create a program in the New York area that will give our children more choices and opportunities in the future. I wish the Rangers nothing but the best in the future.“

Messier, without any prior NHL coaching experience, quickly expressed an interest in replacing Tortorella and Sather admitted he was “disappointed” when informed the Rangers had chosen Vigneault.

“Mark Messier will always be a part of the New York Rangers family,” Sather said in a statement. “As a player and then as part of the management team, he brought incomparable passion and dedication to the organization. We wish him well in his future endeavors.”

Messier was also believed to be interested in becoming an NHL general manager but the initial perception of him as Sather’s heir apparent has faded with assistant GMs Jim Schoenfeld and Jeff Gorton both having more prominence within the organization.



Mark Messier might find his niche with new job in youth hockey


The Record

Perhaps Mark Messier will still coach one day in the NHL.

Perhaps he’ll even be a good bench boss, though expecting him to duplicate the Hall of Fame success he had as a player is a long shot.

But leaving the Rangers organization and his job as special assistant to GM Glen Sather to work full time on developing the to-be-built Kingsbridge National Ice Center is certainly not a fast track to an NHL coaching job.

And that might just be a good thing.

Not because Messier wouldn’t make a good NHL coach – we won’t know that until it happens, if it happens. But because Messier is now positioned to help grow the game in this region in a way he couldn’t with the Rangers.

The conversion of the Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx to a nine-rink facility that can host numerous youth leagues will be a major boon to hockey in the New Jersey/New York/Connecticut region.

Messier, 52, already has lent his knowledge to youth hockey by helping his father, Doug, coach the Junior Rangers.

The Captain is the rare hockey personality outside of Canada who has become larger than the sport. Not everybody here is a hockey fan. But, in the same way Tiger Woods transcends golf, almost everybody can recognize Messier and is aware of how his brilliant on-ice leadership led the Rangers to their last Stanley Cup in 1994.

That revered hockey pedigree will go a long way in making sure this project is completed the right way and, once completed, run properly. No doubt, Messier’s presence will attract some youth players who otherwise might not have sought out a hockey league in the Bronx.

The question is, did Messier make this decision as a knee-jerk reaction to Alain Vigneault being hired to succeed John Tortorella or, after a week’s contemplation, did Messier truly decide this will be the more fulfilling path?

"If you want to coach in this league, you need a little bit of experience," Sather said. "I think Mark, if he decides to be a coach, is going to be great at it. He just needs to get a little bit of time behind the bench."

Perhaps he will someday. Or perhaps he’ll leave a bigger mark on hockey through the Kingsbridge National Ice Center.



Devils, Rangers prepare for marathon draft day

Thursday, June 27, 2013

BY TOM GULITTI

A successful playoffs and highly rated Stanley Cup Finals have turned the NHL owners’ lockout that delayed and shortened the 2012-13 regular season into a distant memory.

There still are some repercussions of the work stoppage, however, that are being felt. One is that the NHL Draft, to be held Sunday at Prudential Center, will be conducted in one day for the first time since 2006.

The NHL had been holding the first round of the draft in prime time with the remaining six rounds following the next day, but with less time after a Stanley Cup Finals that didn’t end until June 24, all seven rounds will be on one day.

"It stinks in a nutshell," said David Conte, the Devils executive vice president of hockey operations and director of scouting. "It takes a lot of the event status away. First of all, it’s starting at [3 p.m.], which is crazy. It’s going to be a long day."

The first round alone can take more than 3 1/2 hours as extra time is needed for all the pageantry — posing for photos, interviews, etc. — that goes along with each team’s selection. The remaining six rounds usually fly by, but still take about three more hours.

After missing the playoffs, the Devils won’t have to wait long to make their first pick at No. 9 in the first round. Teams usually utilize the night layover before the second round to reassess their draft boards, but won’t have the opportunity to do that this year.

"There’s no question it changes something," Devils president and general manager Lou Lamoriello said. "You don’t have an extra day in between to prepare. But it shouldn’t really change much because the first-round players, they’re going to be going anyway."

Rangers director of player personnel Gordie Clark doesn’t believe squeezing all seven rounds into one marathon day will have a major impact on how the draft — or any draft-day trades to move up or back in the order — will be completed.

"Some people may say we’ll get by the first day and have the evening left over to see who’s left and make some deals," Clark said. "But we sort of know ahead of time whether we can move up or back."

With the depth of this year’s draft, which has drawn comparisons to the gold-standard 2003 draft (16 All-Stars in the first round), the Devils likely will get a very good player with their second-round pick, No. 39 overall, as well.

Barring a trade, Clark and the Rangers’ draft contingent will have a wait in excess of four hours at their draft table before they make their first pick. That’s because the Rangers traded away their first- (Rick Nash) and second-round (Ryane Clowe) picks.

Their first selection will come in the third round at No. 65 overall. That pick, acquired from Nashville at last year’s draft, is one of three third-round picks the Rangers have. They also will pick at No. 75 (acquired from Columbus) and No. 80.

ZUBRUS AGREES: A source told The Record that potential unrestricted free agent forward Dainius Zubrus has agreed to terms to remain with the Devils on a three-year contract for roughly $3 million per season. The deal has not been signed yet and it could take a few more days before it’s announced. Zubrus denied the deal is completed, saying "Nothing is finalized yet. It’s not a done deal. [The Devils and his agent] have talked and I take it as a very positive that everything is going to go through."



Bypassed Mark Messier leaves Rangers

Originally published: June 27, 2013 4:29 PM

Updated: June 27, 2013 9:12 PM

By STEVE ZIPAY

Mark Messier's No. 11 hangs in the rafters at Madison Square Garden, but The Captain no longer is part of the Rangers' organization.

Two weeks after he was passed over for the head-coaching job, Messier resigned his post as special assistant to president and general manager Glen Sather after four years to help develop the Kingsbridge National Ice Center, a $275-million project in the Bronx.

Sather said Thursday that he thought his selection of the far more experienced Alain Vigneault rather than the Hall of Famer played a role in Messier's resignation.

"I think that's part of his decision," Sather said after a meeting of the NHL's Board of Governors. "But we all have to live our own lives the way we decide to do it."

Messier, 52, denied that the choice of Vigneault was the reason for his departure.

"Although some will perceive this as a reaction to the coaching decision, nothing could be further from the truth," Messier said in a statement. "I completely respect the decision that was made and for all the reasons it was made. I harbor no hard feelings toward Glen or the Rangers. This is a personal choice I am making to create a program in the New York area that will give our children more choices and opportunities in the future. I wish the Rangers nothing but the best in the future."

Sather, who interviewed four candidates on the phone and two -- Messier and Vigneault -- in person, has said that Messier was disappointed in the decision.

"He's decided to do something else in his life," said Sather, who played hockey with Messier's father and has known Mark since he was a youngster. "He'll be doing what he wants to do best, which is being involved in business. We parted on good terms. If Mark decides to be a coach, he'll be great at it. He just needs to get a little time behind the bench."

Messier has six Stanley Cup rings and led the Rangers to the Cup in 1993-94, but his coaching experience is limited to two international tournaments.

Two years ago, Messier discussed a coaching job in Edmonton, where he spent the first part of his record-setting career. But he and his family wanted to stay in New York.

It seemed clear that Messier would not be part of Vigneault's staff when the new head coach declared last Friday that he wants assistant coaches with NHL experience. He might add former Canucks assistant Newell Brown and former head coach Scott Arneil to his staff.

"Mark is an icon in the NHL, and if he ever wants to return, I'm sure plenty of clubs will want him," said former Red Wing and Ranger Brendan Shanahan, who is the NHL's senior vice president of player safety and hockey operations.

Notes & quotes: A decision on whether to use a compliance buyout on the remainder of center Brad Richards' contract -- which must be done before July 4 -- is coming "shortly," Sather said. If executed, it would cost $24 million but would remove Richards' $6.7- million annual cap hit for the next seven years . . . Face-to-face negotiations with Henrik Lundqvist's agent, Don Meehan, on a long-term contract extension were expected to begin Thursday night, Sather said.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.28.2013


Mark Messier leaves the Rangers organization

27 June 2013, 4:07 pm by Carp

New York, June 27, 2013 – Mark Messier issued the following statement today regarding his future:

“I would like to thank the New York Rangers and particularly Glen Sather for giving me the opportunity over the last four years to work with the Rangers. I am resigning my position with the Team to pursue an opportunity to expand the game of hockey in the New York area by developing the Kingsbridge National Ice Center. Although some will perceive this as a reaction to the coaching decision, nothing could be further from the truth. I completely respect the decision that was made and for all the reasons it was made. I harbor no hard feelings toward Glen or the Rangers. This is a personal choice I am making to create a program in the New York area that will give our children more choices and opportunities in the future. I wish the Rangers nothing but the best in the future.“

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather statement:

“Mark Messier will always be a part of the New York Rangers family. As a player and then as part of the management team, he brought incomparable passion and dedication to the organization. We wish him well in his future endeavors.”

Rockland Journal News: LOADED: 06.28.2013

682735 Ottawa Senators

For general managers, NHL draft weekend involves many moving pieces

Ken Warren

June 27, 2013

NEW YORK — Anything can happen for the Ottawa Senators in the city that never sleeps.

Senators general manager Bryan Murray says the organization is “open-minded” about any and all possibilities leading up to Sunday’s NHL draft across the Hudson River in New Jersey.

The Senators could move up from their current 17th overall selection in the first round. They could slide down. They could even go without a first-round selection altogether, if, Murray says, there was “a good player that somebody wanted to give me.”

While Murray has already worked the phones to see what offers are out there, the discussions will start heating up in the suites of Manhattan hotels Friday, pick up more steam Saturday and will hit a fever pitch Sunday morning and early afternoon, leading up to the start of the 3 p.m. draft.

After teams start making picks, a new round of feverish trade talks will begin on the draft floor.

At this point, Murray acknowledges there have been “no legitimate” offers from teams willing to give up a top five or even a top 10 selection, understanding that it’s a difficult decision to deal away a player who could immediately step into a National Hockey League lineup.

Just the same, the day before the draft is usually filled with furious action as the league’s 30 teams set up in their respective war rooms, with general managers, a slew of scouts, and sometimes even hands-on owners gathering to explore every avenue before the big day. From a scouting perspective, it’s Super Bowl Sunday, the one day of the year for the NHL’s bird dogs to make their mark after spending months drinking bad coffee in rinks from Russia to Red Deer.

It can be crazy. Just ask Craig Button, the former general manager of the Calgary Flames who now serves as a draft analyst and hockey insider for TSN and the NHL Network.

“It’s a puzzle,” says Button. “And not one of those flat puzzles with the corners. It’s a 3-D puzzle, with stuff always moving around.”

Button says it’s a four-layered process for organizations, beginning with the hard grunt work of the scouts and the internal meetings, where all the strengths and weaknesses and of the top draft-eligible players are dissected in spirited discussions. In the Senators’ case, director of player personnel Pierre Dorion says the Senators have their own master list of the top 150 prospects. “And sometimes, there’s a healthy discussion between 78 and 79 because maybe that’s our third-round pick or that’s our fourth-round pick and we have to be prepared for that scenario,” Dorion says.

Armed with that information, the league’s general managers go into discussion mode with their peers, determining what is or isn’t on the table in trade talks, including the possibility of moving up or down in the first round of the draft.

The general manager then meets again with his own scouting staff, outlining the options available and trusting the opinions of his scouts in weighing whether there’s value in jumping up or sliding back.

Come draft day, “everything becomes fluid,” according to Button, and “you have to be prepared to make quick decisions” based on what’s happening.

“The (general) managers have to be ready to take direction from their scouting staff,” he said.

Button credits Murray for making countless shrewd draft day deals over the years.

When Murray was general manager of the Anaheim Ducks in 2003 and had already secured Ryan Getzlaf with the 19th overall pick, he listened to his staff and traded away his 36th and 54th choices for the 28th selection, owned by the Dallas Stars. The Ducks got what they wanted: Corey Perry.

Dallas ended up with someone named Votjek Polak and B.J. Crombeen with those two picks.

Most Senators fans know what happened at the 2008 draft in Ottawa. The Senators acquired the 15th pick from the Nashville Predators, giving back their 19th choice and another third round pick so they wouldn’t lose the chance to pick a 150-pound defenceman named Erik Karlsson.

In 2010, the Senators were believed to have been interested in defenceman Derek Forbort with their 16th choice. Yet when the Los Angeles Kings chose Forbort with the 15th pick, Murray went back to the St. Louis Blues with a previously discussed trade option. The Senators dealt their 16th overall selection to St. Louis for the rights to defenceman David Rundblad. Rundblad was eventually used as part of the package to acquire Kyle Turris from the Phoenix Coyotes.

Rest assured, there will be action on the draft floor Sunday.

There has already been speculation about a potential blockbuster between the Colorado Avalanche and Calgary Flames. According to Hockey Night in Canada’s Elliotte Friedman, the Avalanche rejected a Flames offer of the sixth, 22nd and 28th selections for Colorado’s first overall choice.

A report out of Carolina suggested Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford could swap his fifth overall selection for two later draft picks if his targeted pick — rumoured to be Valeri Nichushkin — is one of the first four players taken.

Adding to the intrigue Sunday is the fact some quality NHL players could also be on the move as part of packages involving draft picks. Teams with salary cap issues could be forced to trade expensive players in order to get under the $63 million cap for the 2013-14 season.

Boston Bruins defenceman Andrew Ference told Boston reporters that “with the current cap, Peter (Chiarelli, Bruins general manager) is not going to be able to keep me.”

Could the Bruins get a first-round pick for Ference? A second-round choice? Welcome to the speculation game.

Now, let’s look at the Toronto Maple Leafs. If the Maple Leafs wanted to unload salary in order to re-sign centre Tyler Bozak or to pursue pending unrestricted free agent David Clarkson of the New Jersey Devils, centre Mikhail Grabovski could be on the block. Grabovski has four years and $22 million remaining on his contract.

“He’s a productive player and maybe he moves if there’s a high draft pick involved,” said Button. “Those types of players are the ones that might be in play.”

The Senators aren’t interested in Grabovski, but they will continue to push to climb up the draft list in order to select a player who has a shot at being NHL ready already.

Senators assistant general manager Tim Murray says it’s not likely to happen. But then again, the best offers are still to come.

“If we were picking in the top five or 10, it would be extremely hard for (Bryan Murray) to come to Pierre (Dorion) and I and say ‘we have a chance to move down, we can get a third line centre, we can get the 20th pick in the draft and we can get a second-round pick,’’” he said. “It sounds exciting, but if the whole amateur (scouting) staff is in the suite in New York and that comes up, the chances are we are going to say no.

“But in saying that, there are teams out there that need NHL players. There are teams out there that are very thin. We’re very, very deep, we have young depth players we’ve drafted and we’ve developed and we like them very much. We’re not shopping them, but if that scenario came up, we would feel comfortable helping another team out with NHL players.”

The trip to the New York area isn’t just for drafting purposes.

It’s also a shopping trip for the league’s general managers.

Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 06.28.2013


Senators head to draft, looking to steal a deal

Wayne Scanlan

June 27, 2013

While Senators management eyes a potential draft table deal, they sit and marvel at moves going down elsewhere in the NHL.

A host of long term contracts that seemed like a “good idea at the time” are getting tossed through the window of opportunity known as the compliance buyout period. In some cases, to certain general managers, money truly is the root of all evil (especially when trying to accommodate a fixed salary cap that is temporarily shrinking).

Some of the NHL’s wealthiest players – come on down Vinny Lecavalier and

Ilya Bryzgalov – are suddenly receiving a lot of money to NOT play for the teams that signed them. The Lecavalier move by Tampa Bay Lightning GM Steve Yzerman, with the blessing of owner Jeff Vinik, is especially bold considering the contract and (once) cornerstone player involved. By biting the bullet on Lecavalier, the Lightning create badly needed cap room at the buyout cost of $32.67 million real dollars.

In an open letter to Lightning fans, Yzerman explained that the move will free up $7.7 million in cap space each season over the next seven years. Admitting he was stunned by the move, Lecavalier said he understood the reality of the new CBA and vowed to continue his vast charitable commitment to Tampa Bay.

He wasn’t the first and Lecavalier won’t be the last to be cut loose at a cost.

The Philadelphia Flyers earlier made a $23-million buyout of goaltender Bryzgalov. Flyers GM Paul Holmgren then predicted “a lot of funny things” will happen over the next week.

Stay tuned for more salary-shedding moves to follow, along with a healthy list of pending free agents, one or two of which might fit into the Senators plans.

For example, after the Pittsburgh Penguins signed winger Chris Kunitz Thursday to a three-year contract with a $3.85-million cap hit, do they have room to re-sign winger Pascal Dupuis as well? Dupuis is a renowned Senators killer (including the overtime series clincher in Game 5 of the 2010 East quarterfinal) and was one of Pittsburgh’s top producers in the recent playoffs (seven goals, four assists in 15 games, with two goals, one assist in the five-game series against Ottawa).

At $1.5 million last season, the last of a two-year deal, Dupuis was one of the true bargains in the NHL.

So, what would he be worth at age 34 on the open market, his last best chance at a lucrative contract? As recently as 2011-12, Dupuis scored 25 goals. He had 20 last season in just 48 games in lockout-shortened 2012-13, which projects to 34 over a normal 82-game season. He would be a great “get” by Ottawa if the Senators could land him.

Of course, Penguins GM Ray Shero is believed to have Dupuis next on his own “get” list, which may or may not include defenceman Kris Letang.

Murray said Thursday he was “not sure” if Dupuis might become available.

Flyers centre Danny Briere is also expected to be bought out, and although Briere is 35 and coming off a lean season, his playoff pedigree alone makes him attractive at the right price. The Senators are among many with interest.

Before he left for the draft on Long Island, Senators GM Bryan Murray cautioned in an interview that the team budget does not allow them to pursue the top tier of free agents– second tier, maybe.

The easy way to fill a top six forward position, Murray said, would be to “go out and sign a couple of $5-million players,” but the Senators don’t have the budget for it and are not spending to the cap limit. Murray has talked to several teams about potential player moves but has had no luck in moving higher than the No. 17 draft position or with other potential trades.

There have been plenty of calls about Ottawa’s young talent, and Murray is not opposed to putting a package together for a proven scorer.

“The problem is, the names being mentioned (from other teams) are high-salaried guys that don’t fit,” Murray said. “I’m trying to live within the budget. The guys they’re willing to part with are $5-million, $6-million players.”

While the departure of defenceman Sergei Gonchar’s $5.5-million cap hit brings salary relief, the Senators will need that money to pay captain Daniel Alfredsson, assuming he announces that he’s coming back for another year. Alfredsson earned just $1 million last season on a front-loaded deal, and will probably get $4.5 to $5 million on a new deal. On the open market, he could get more.

“Alfie is better than most free agents we could get,” Murray said.

How close are the Senators to becoming a top team in the east? In Murray’s view, “not that far away.

“If some of the kids improve as much as we think we can improve, we’re going to be in the race now,” Murray said. “It’s not like we’re worried about being a bottom feeder unless something strange happens . . . so I would be open to making a move.”

Murray said he would even consider giving up his first round pick at 17 for a “legitimate player,” but hasn’t yet come across that offer. To paraphrase Holmgren, plenty more fun to come in the days ahead.



Young defenceman Darnell Nurse draws from football bloodlines ahead of NHL draft

By Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press June 27, 2013

The hockey bloodlines run deep in this weekend's NHL draft.

Familiar names like Bertuzzi, Brodeur, Burke, Comrie, Domi, LaFontaine, Mantha, Rychel, Stevens, Subban, and Tambellini could be called Sunday at the podium at the Prudential Centre in Newark, N.J.

Defenceman Darnell Nurse also has impressive family ties. But his come from the gridiron.

Father Richard played wide receiver for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. His uncle, by marriage, is former NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb.

Darnell chose hockey. His parents were happy to see him opt for a different sports path.

"That was more my Dad," said Nurse. "My Mom too. I mean they both pretty much said for safety reasons, stay away from football. I'm thankful for it now."

He sees the toll football took on his father, reeling off the damage he noted when the two were spending time together recently on the family's backyard deck in Hamilton.

"His hands are mangled, he can't move some of his fingers and he's got an elbow that doesn't move right. I looked at that and though those are battle wounds. Something maybe one day I get to show my kid," Nurse said.

It's not as if Nurse, who stands almost six foot four and weighs 185, took up a non-contact sport in hockey.

"Not at all," he said. "I think the biggest thing for them is I can probably control a little more hitting people in hockey than in football where you get hit every play. Put me on the back end and I get to control what happens."

Nurse, 18, has excelled in his chosen sport. Central Scouting ranks him fourth among North American skaters and second among defencemen behind Seth Jones.

In his second year with the OHL's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, Nurse scored 12 goals and added 29 assists and 116 penalty minutes in 68 games. People have compared him to a young Chris Pronger.

His high draft rating earned him a trip to the Stanley Cup final, along with Jones and top-rated forwards Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin.

He already knew MacKinnon and Drouin from playing with them at the Ivan Hlinka Tournament.

At the Cup, Nurse marvelled at the media horde in the Bruins locker-room following a pre-game morning skate.

"Something I've never experienced before," he said. "It was kind of exciting to watch ... I was getting hot in there and I was doing nothing."

He also enjoyed meeting Chicago stars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.

"The mess that they put defenders in, being able to meet those guys was great," he said.

On the Boston side, he liked watching the David Krejci-Milan Lucic-Nathan Horton line.

Nurse grew up idolizing the likes of Scott Stevens and Jarome Iginla. So it comes as no surprise that he likes being a prickly opponent.

"One of the best part of my game is being someone who's hard to play against," he said. "I think the fights kind of come with just battles, and people trying to challenge me after I challenge them. Something I'm not afraid to do but at the same time it's not something I go out and look for."

Nurse has also made a mark off the ice, winning the Bobby Smith Trophy as the OHL's Scholastic Player of the Year this season. He earned an 85 per cent average in Grade 12.

"His work ethic and lifestyle allow him to have elite results academically and athletically," Greyhounds GM Kyle Dubas said at the time.

As for football, Darnell is true to his Dad, following his beloved Tiger-Cats.



Ottawa Sens GM Bryan Murray hunting for a deal

By Bruce Garrioch ,Ottawa Sun

First posted: Thursday, June 27, 2013 06:56 PM EDT | Updated: Thursday, June 27, 2013 09:54 PM EDT

NEW YORK - Bryan Murray may go shopping on Broadway.

First, he has to decide if he's willing to pay the price -- and anybody who has made a trip to New York knows you have to be a big spender to truly enjoy a trip to Manhattan.

With the NHL entry draft set for Sunday at the Prudential Center in New Jersey, the Senators GM spent part of Thursday working the phones to see if he can move up from No. 17 and find that elusive Top 6 forward the club needs.

Murray could get a little help if captain Daniel Alfredsson confirms Friday he'll be back to play next season. The Senators are confident he'll play, but are waiting for the final answer before the draft.

Since the prices are expected to be high when the thin free agent market opens July 5, the Senators might be better served acquiring a Top 6 winger through a trade. That's why Murray has been busy seeing what's out there.

Three league executives said Thursday the No. 1 target for many teams is Anaheim Ducks winger Bobby Ryan. Signed for $5.1 million through 2014-15, Ryan, 26, fits the bill for what Murray wants to add to his team.

Instead of bringing in an aging veteran just to provide leadership, Murray wants a player that will grow with the young core. Ryan's best years are ahead of him and this isn't the first time the Senators have coveted the young scorer.

The issue is simple: The Senators aren't alone in their pursuit, but they may be one of the few teams with the assets to make a deal happen. The talk is the Ducks would like to get a defencemen in return if they are going to move Ryan.

"He's the guy everybody wants," said a league executive Thursday.

Sources say the Ducks' asking price is high. They'll want a No. 1 pick, a defenceman or a top-end prospect in return for Ryan. The Philadelphia Flyers and San Jose Sharks are among those teams that have also had talks with Anaheim.

The Senators certainly have the prospects. Murray, assistant GM Tim Murray, director of player personnel Pierre Dorion, director of player development Randy Lee and the scouting staff have done a good job re-stocking the shelves.

Last year, the Senators were in on the Rick Nash sweepstakes with the Columbus Blue Jackets right up until it ended by offering up a package that included centre Mika Zibanejad and goalie Robin Lehner.

It died when Nash refused to waive his "no move" clause to come to Ottawa and chose a deal to the New York Rangers instead. The talk is the Ducks want defenceman Braydon Coburn and a No. 1 pick from Philly in exchange for Ryan.

There will be players other than Ryan that become available, but he's the most attractive option. The Oilers have made it clear they're willing to deal winger Ales Hemsky and the Senators have shown interest there in the past.

He might not be the right fit.

If the Senators aren't able to make a deal, then the possibility of going the free agent route exists. The club has to set aside between $4.5-to-$5 million to Alfredsson, 40, for a contract next season.

"He's better than any free agent we could sign," said Murray during a discussion with Ottawa media this week.

Still, there are options on the free agent market.

The Senators could take a run at Chicago Blackhawks winger Bryan Bickell. He was one of the club's top performers the playoffs, but there's a genuine belief that the former 67 wants to stay in the Windy City and might take less to be there.

If he does decide to test the market, a league executive noted "somebody is going to overpay him," and the Senators won't do that. Another possibility is Pittsburgh's Pascal Dupuis, who has had tremendous success with Sidney Crosby.

The draft festivities are the official kick-off to next season. If Murray doesn't come away with a Top 6 forward through trade this weekend, he'll certainly put the groundwork in place to try to get somebody.

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 06.28.2013

682739 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers officials study draft presentation to prepare for 2014

Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer

Posted: Friday, June 28, 2013, 3:01 AM

While general manager Paul Holmgren and his staff are making final prospect projections and kicking around trade scenarios for Sunday's NHL draft in Newark, N.J., some Flyers officials are closely watching the behind-the-scenes aspects of the event, taking notes for when it is held in Philadelphia next year.

The Wells Fargo Center will host the 2014 draft, and it will go back to a two-day format. The NHL will announce the dates in a few weeks, and a league official said June 27 and 28 are expected to be the 2014 dates.

"We have people going . . . to Newark to look at the setup and the various things," said Peter Luukko, president of Comcast Spectacor, the Flyers' parent company. "We're looking at the logistics, the TV setup, what's done for the media and the fans - lots of different things."

The Philly draft will be free to fans. Season-ticket holders will be invited, and there will be a lottery for other tickets, Luukko said, adding that he wants to make sure tickets are available to youth hockey leagues. The Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation has more than 3,000 players.

"It's a great summer party for the fans," said Luukko, adding that the draft would pump "millions" into local hotels and restaurants. "It's going to bring people from all over the world."

It will be the first time Philadelphia has hosted the event, and Flyers officials expect capacity crowds of around 20,000.

"It shows we're not just a hockey town, but a real hockey town," said Luukko, who is also trying to lure an All-Star Game to Philly. "And the Frozen Four is coming, so it's a real evolution of a hockey hotbed."

The Frozen Four, matching the nation's best collegiate teams, will be at the Wells Fargo Center April 10 and 12. In addition, the Wells Fargo Center hosted the Stanley Cup Finals in 2010, and the city staged the Winter Classic in 2012.

Shawn Tilger, the Flyers' senior vice president of business operations, said he has been "brainstorming" with NHL officials and plans to meet with them Friday to get some suggestions on next year's event. He said the Flyers want to make the week leading up to the draft - and that weekend - "all about the fans by hosting a lot of hospitality events around the city."

Tilger will be at Xfinity Live at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, when a party will be held for this year's draft. TV analyst Steve Coates and former Flyer Todd Fedoruk will host the event.

As for Sunday's draft, the Flyers have the No. 11 overall pick. They have a need for a young, physical defenseman.

Rasmus Ristolainen may be available and could fill that need. Holmgren said Ristolainen might be NHL-ready.

The 6-foot-2, 189-pound Finn also plays with a nasty edge and is regarded as a solid two-way performer.

The Flyers are also intrigued by defenseman Ryan Pulock, a 6-1, 211-pounder who has a 100-m.p.h. slapshot.

Then again, they may trade up in an attempt to draft Darnell Nurse, a rugged, 6-4, 195-pound defenseman who is Donovan McNabb's nephew.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 06.28.2013


Flyers need to trade a defenseman

POSTED: Thursday, June 27, 2013, 2:50 PM

Frank Seravalli

They say you can never have enough defenseman, not in an 82-game NHL season which is more like a war of attrition than anything else.

Is the same true for the Flyers?

When the Flyers officially announce defenseman Mark Streit’s 4-year, $21 million pact - which is expected to come on Thursday or Friday - they will suddenly have eight NHL defensemen on their roster.

In other words, if the Flyers are going to be making major trade news at some point prior to Sunday’s draft in New Jersey, expect a defenseman to be involved.

“Do we have too many defensemen? I don’t know,” Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said when asked on Thursday. “I don’t know if you can ever have enough. But I do know that we have a lot of money tied up there.”

The Flyers currently have $27,675,000 committed to seven defensemen for next season:

Kimmo Timonen - $6 million

Mark Streit - $5.25 million

Braydon Coburn - $4.5 million

Andrej Meszaros - $4 million

Luke Schenn - $3.6 million

Nick Grossmann - $3.5 million

Bruno Gervais - $825,000

That is north 43 percent of the Flyers’ overall $64.3 million limit, yet defense only normally accounts for 30 percent of the 23-man roster limit in terms of bodies.

It’s a number that needs to come down.

It’s also a number that has a potential to rise. Defenseman Erik Gustafsson is coming off his entry-level contract and needs to be re-signed. Holmgren said Thursday negotiations had not yet begun, but added that Gustafsson’s is likely to be the most tenuous out of the team's restricted free agents, even though he anticipated it wouldn't be a problem.

Gustafsson, 24, earned $900,000 last season. He’s played 60 NHL games and represented Sweden in the World Hockey Championships. It’s fair to suggest he’s earned a raise to somewhere in the $1.2 million neighborhood.

Gustafsson’s agent is Ritch Winter, who also represents Ilya Bryzgalov.

So, let’s peg Gustafsson at $1.2 million. That brings us to $28,875,000 for eight defensemen - or 45 percent of the cap.

Those cap numbers also do not include Chris Pronger, who will once again be added to the long-term injury list once the season starts, thus removing his $4.91 million cap hit.

The Flyers have a problem in the sense that they’re paying No. 5 and No. 6 defensemen money that second-pair defensemen should be earning. That isn’t going to work in the salary cap world, where each position should be budgeted out accordingly.

So, what can the Flyers do?

Believe it or not, the best-case scenario would be that Andrej Meszaros is not healthy enough to play this season and he can be added to the long-term injury list. It probably wouldn’t be that hard to convince Meszaros, 27, that he isn’t healthy enough to play, since he admitted that all of his injuries have been mentally draining.

One Flyers front office member said it’s “hard to count on Meszaros” after all of his injuries (Achilles, back surgery, shoulder surgery).

He still won’t be fully cleared to play until late July for a surgery that was performed on April 2 to repair a torn left rotator cuff. He also missed the bulk of the 2008-09 season with the Lightning because of an injury in the same shoulder.

Meszaros is in the final year of his 6-year, $24 million pact (signed in Tampa Bay) anyway. The Flyers would LOVE to move him to another team, but that will be hard to do given his injury history - he’s played just 72 out of the last 141 Flyers games (52 percent).

Let’s pretend, though, that adding Meszaros to the LTIR list is not possible. And that he’s 100 percent healthy for the start of the season.

The Flyers still need to shed salary.

Who’s next most likely to go?

Braydon Coburn will draw a lot of interest this summer. Coburn, 28, does have a modified no-trade clause, and I believe that he can submit a list of teams to which he will accept a move.

There are rumblings that Calgary has been pursuing the Alberta-born Coburn, who also spends the bulk of his time in the summer there. Such a deal could include Calgary's No. 6 overall pick.

Coburn, the longest-tenured Flyer and one of only four remaining from the 2010 Stanley Cup final, seems like the wrong guy to trade. For a team that lacks speed, he is probably the Flyers’ best skating defenseman (other than maybe Streit) and he isn’t old.

Fans may gripe about his salary cap hit ($4.5 million) or his inconsistency on the ice, something that rankles the Flyers, but he might be one of those players that you regret trading in the long run.

Understandably, Coburn is the Flyers’ easiest defenseman to move. Luke Schenn follows next in that category, but I don’t get the sense the Flyers have much interest in moving Schenn, who played quite well toward the end of his first season in Philadelphia and has a manageable salary cap number.

A defenseman the Flyers should consider moving to make cap space is Nick Grossmann. Yes, Grossmann was the Flyers’ best shot-blocker when he was in the lineup, but he has also missed a lot of games because of injury.

Grossmann missed the final 18 games of last season with a concussion. Holmgren said Grossmann is now cleared, but it was serious enough that Grossmann did visit Pittsburgh concussion specialist Dr. Micky Collins twice for consultation. He also missed time with a knee injury during his first run with the Flyers.

Grossmann, 28, is not old. But he isn’t fleet of foot, either. And a premium should be placed on speed, something the Flyers were clearly lacking.

The Flyers probably jumped the gun a bit on signing Grossmann to a 4-year, $14 million extension just weeks after acquiring him in 2012, one that included a modified no-trade clause.

So, to recap, here are the Flyers’ options to trade:

Andrej Meszaros - often injured.

Braydon Coburn - modified no-trade clause.

Nick Grossmann - often injured, modified no-trade clause.

It doesn't look all that promising. If I had to bet, I’d say Coburn is the most likely to be changing addresses.

It’s just one thing to keep on an eye on this weekend at the NHL draft.



For Straka, it's a fantasy on ice New Flyer Petr Straka during the IIHF World Junior Championship in 2011.

FRANK SERAVALLI, Daily News Staff Writer

Posted: Friday, June 28, 2013, 12:18 AM

THE FIRST QUESTION Petr Straka gets is usually about his name. Anyone following hockey in the 1990s will remember the name Martin Straka, a former All-Star who racked up 717 points in his career. Petr Straka has the same last name - and shares the same hometown of Plzen, Czech Republic, the birthplace of pilsner beers. But the two have no relation. After signing a 3-year entry-level deal with the Flyers in April, prospect Petr Straka is trying to make a name for himself at hockey's highest level. More Coverage Video: How will Flyers replace Bryz? Poll: Is buying out Bryz a good move? Poll: Which Philly team will make the playoffs next? Pattison Ave: Bryz's buyout biggest in NHL history Gallery: Top 10 Danny Briere Flyers moments Forum: What moves do the Flyers need to make? Latest hockey videos The Flyers beat out a reported 12 other teams to land Straka. He became a free agent this spring after four seasons had passed since the Columbus Blue Jackets drafted him in the second round (55th overall) in 2010. "Signing an NHL deal was my dream since I was a little boy," the 21-year-old Straka said from the Czech Republic yesterday just as he was about to eat dinner in his hometown. "It means a lot to me. The Flyers have a lot of history. There are a lot of great players on the team." It was a dream Straka thought he was a lot closer to when he was drafted by Columbus. He had just finished his rookie season of major junior hockey for the Rimouski Oceanic, the same franchise that produced Sidney Crosby. Straka posted 64 points in 62 games in 2009-10, his first season in Quebec's offensively potent league. Straka struggled in his second and third years. After that first season, he dropped down to just 25 points in 41 games, while dealing with injuries. He netted only 37 points in 54 games the following season. Part of Straka's demise in Rimouski was related to a coaching change, which reined in his offensive creativity and limited his ice time. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets changed scouts in the Quebec league. And the new scout, who wasn't responsible for drafting him, quickly soured on the 6-foot Straka. He was never offered a contract by the Blue Jackets. "I had a really hard time," Straka said. "I was mentally down on myself. I knew I didn't play my best hockey. All along, I hoped Columbus knew of my potential and believed in me. To be honest, the opportunity with them never presented itself." Last summer, Straka was offered a change of scenery with a trade to Baie-Comeau Drakkar for his over-age season. The skating, hockey sense and character that made him such a high pick in 2010 was once again shining in Baie-Comeau, a small town 260 miles northeast of Quebec City. Under coach Eric Veilleux, Straka tallied 41 goals and 41 assists in just 55 games, turning the heads of most scouts in attendance. "Petr was a guy that we saw a lot of during his draft year," Flyers director of hockey operations Chris Pryor said. "We had him on our board in about the same range as he was taken by Columbus. We saw a lot of him again this year and really liked him." The Flyers always try to keep their eye on junior-aged players who, for whatever reason, haven't signed with their rights-holding club. That's how they landed defenseman Blake Kessel, brother of Maple Leafs star Phil Kessel, in 2011. Kessel hasn't exactly panned out with the Phantoms, but Straka may be a different story. Straka almost single-handedly led Baie-Comeau to the QMJHL finals, where it fell in five games to a star-studded Halifax lineup. Both Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin are expected to be drafted in the top three out of Halifax this weekend. Straka collected 25 points in 19 postseason games. "I'm really happy with my year," Straka said. "I had some troubles in the year before, but I had no injuries and a great relationship with my coaches and teammates. I'm even happier to be a part of the Flyers." Straka plans to train in the Czech Republic for 2 more weeks before heading to Philadelphia for the Flyers' prospect camp. After that, he will spend time working out in Montreal, not far from Flyers winger Jake Voracek, a countryman whom he met at one of the Blue Jackets' camps 4 years ago. "I've only met Mr. Voracek once," Straka said, "But I am hoping that I can phone him at some point this summer, perhaps meet him for dinner and find out what it's like to be a Flyer."



Flyers' Paul Holmgren talks draft; Ilya Bryzgalov bids fans farewell

By ROB PARENT

VOORHEES, N.J. — The fallout from the Flyers making goalie Ilya Bryzgalov the NHL’s richest buyout winner continued Wednesday, as Bryzgalov issued a message to the fans through his agent, Ritch Winter, and Flyers club chairman Ed Snider issued a statement of support for what he pointedly called Paul Holmgren’s decision to use the Flyers’ second and final compliance buyout on the eccentric goaltender.

Meanwhile, Holmgren went through with a pre-scheduled press conference on the pending NHL Draft, and successfully steered clear of the lingering Bryzgalov issue. Hard to do that, of course, especially when the trade-and-sign mistake of 2011 Holmgren owned up to cost the organization a $23 million buyout on top of two mediocre and ultimately disappointing seasons in which Bryzgalov was paid another $16 million-plus.

No wonder his agent was crying foul Wednesday.

Always a beaut when it comes to posturing and public relations, Winter first released a statement supposedly written by his client Bryzgalov that respectfully thanked Snider, the team’s management, the fans and even the media (sort of) for all their support and the good times he had in Philadelphia.

In part, the Bryzgalov statement read: “I have made many friends here — on the team, in the organization, among the media and throughout the community. Don’t ever think that I didn’t appreciate the kind comments of support made in the media by teammates and management and in private by so many very nice people I met on the streets of Philadelphia and in the surrounding area.

“I appreciate this experience more than many of you will know. I will learn from it. I have always said that a heavy sword makes a very strong arm. I intend to take this experience with me to my new team, to help me be stronger — a better player and, hopefully, a better person. At the end of the day, that is the challenge we all need to wrestle with.”

Then, as a closing in all capital letters, came this message: “FOR FURTHER COMMENT, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO WALK UP TO ILYA BRYZGALOV NEXT YEAR AT TRAINING CAMP. HE AND HIS ADVISORS WILL HAVE NO FURTHER COMMENT UNTIL THAT TIME.”

A nice epilogue, Winter style.

Ah, but the secret hockey agent wasn’t done. He promptly went on an Edmonton radio station Wednesday afternoon and ripped the Flyers, saying their shaky defensive system, Peter Laviolette’s habit of not listening to goalie coach Jeff Reese and on and on and on all played into his client’s woes.

As excerpted by the Edmonton Journal, Winter is quoted as saying, ”It’s terrible in Philadelphia for goaltenders. They block shots, they don’t open up lanes, goaltenders can’t see the puck. The goalie coach has no authority. The head coach doesn’t listen to him.

“I think there’s more wrong with Philadelphia’s goaltending than just the goaltending.”

How’s that for a $23-million thank you?

The only gratitude the Flyers feel, of course, is to be rid of everything surrounding Bryzgalov — all the quirkiness and quotations in particular.

For all that money two years ago, they thought they were buying a premier puck-stopper. Instead, they wastefully spent it on a world-class showstopper.

So Holmgren is taking his media lashings for what Flyers history should record as the organization’s greatest financial faux pas. At least publicly, Snider isn’t joining in on that chorus.

“I fully support Paul Holmgren in his decision to use our final compliance buyout for Ilya Bryzgalov,” he said in a statement. “It was a very difficult decision from a financial standpoint, but if Bryz remained a Flyer, the dollars would be far greater in a shorter timeframe. We now have cap space, which

will allow us to improve our team. In the meantime, Bryz can try to find a situation where he can achieve true happiness.”

Yeah, good luck with that.

As for the Flyers, the fun is just beginning.

Holmgren has indicated he’s committed to signing team captain Claude Giroux to a contract extension, probably sooner rather than later. He also declared Wednesday (again) that he considers Brayden Schenn and Sean Couturier “untouchable” when it comes to trade talks.

Beyond that, Holmgren spent a lot of time talking about possible draft prospects he might be able to trade up to get. He also admitted potential compliance buyouts by other teams might play a part in the Flyers’ immediate future.

That could shake up the already stirred offseason plans as the July 5 free agency period approaches.

“I think there’s going to be lots of funny stuff happening in the next nine days leading up to July 5,” he said. Asked if he thought the Flyers could be caught up in that “funny stuff,” Holmgren said, “We could be, I guess.”

As for another potential free agent, veteran forward Simon Gagne, Holmgren indicated a strong interest in bringing him back ... all the stronger now that he has more money to do so.

Having traded for two-time Flyer Gagne last season, the club retains his rights and could sign him to a contract extension before the free agency period kicks in.

“With the compliance buyouts, it’s given us a little more room to operate now,” Holmgren said. “We don’t know what the number is, but it’s something we’d like to entertain. We’re juggling what we’d like to do on July 5, or whether we could get it done before that. But we’ll talk to Simon and his agent and see.”

NOTES: The Flyers have the 11th pick in each of the first three rounds (Nos. 11, 41 and 72), and also will be selecting at Nos. 132, 162 and 192. ... While a lot of management people will be arriving in New York either late today or early Friday to prepare for Sunday’s draft at the Prudential Center in Newark, Holmgren said he wouldn’t be heading up the Turnpike until Sunday morning. Why? “What are there, 10 million people in New York?” Holmgren said. “So the odds of bumping into another GM in New York probably aren’t very good. So I’d rather just stay here.”

Delaware County Times LOADED: 06.28.2013


Rob Parent: Dion Phaneuf worth a look as Flyers chart future

By ROB PARENT

In June 2003, in a bubbling building in Nashville, a glittering list of teen names were called out in the first two rounds of the NHL Draft. Not that many people there knew it at the time.

It included a pair of first-rounders in Jeff Carter (No. 11 overall) and Mike Richards (No. 23) going to the Flyers.

It included four players at the top of the draft — topped by No. 1 overall Penguins goalie pick Marc-Andre Fleury — who would all be in the NHL in short order. It included a guy named Patrice Bergeron who 10 years later would make injury a Stanley Cup finals fashion statement. And he didn’t go until the second round.

Then there were the defensemen. A string of standouts that included No. 7 overall pick Ryan Suter, who would become a free agent prize in 2012 along with Zach Parise, another Class of 2003 draftee. Suter went to host Nashville with the seventh overall pick, just one selection ahead of Atlanta defensive pick Braydon Coburn, who in a quick succession of trades would land as a Flyer just a few years later.

Meanwhile, Suter’s future Nashville teammate Shea Weber would fall to the Predators as a compensatory pick all the way down at No. 49 in the second round, nine years before the Flyers would make an ill-fated effort to get Weber as a restricted free agent, an attempt that would all-but confirm him as the league’s best defenseman, and solidify his spot as the league’s highest paid player.

There will be a lot of looking back at that draft now, as the 2013 draft Sunday is being called the deepest one since 2003, and seems especially well stocked with players who work at the position representing the Flyers’ greatest need, defense.

That would include top-ranked Seth Jones, the son of former NBA player Popeye Jones, who essentially grew up in Denver where he and his dad were befriended by then-star of the Avalanche Joe Sakic.

That’s the same Joe Sakic who is now the Avs’ top executive, yet he is claiming he is leaning toward drafting a forward rather than go for his defensive friend Seth.

Also there is defensive prospect Darnell Nurse, better known as Donovan McNabb’s nephew (by marriage), but someone who should quickly make a name for himself.

Holmgren is high on both Jones and Nurse, though he might prefer one of the lower-ranked of top-10 defenders, Rasmus Ristolainen, who has already served two years of elite league play in Finland. Another possibility as a defenseman is Ryan Pulock, who boasts more offensive upside than most of the others.

It’s all very exciting to think about, even if Holmgren says there’s no guarantee it will be a top defender the Flyers would end up chasing. He said the Flyers would be selecting the best available player at No. 11, though if one name there didn’t stand out to them ... “We’d probably lean toward a defensemen then,” Holmgren said, “just because of our needs.”

The Flyers have in the past chosen to move up in a draft to get a shot at a top defender, the easiest example being 2002, when they made a move for fourth-overall pick Joni Pitkanen. But there is another potential connection to that 2003 draft that Holmgren and the Flyers could consider, one that would likely cost them their current No. 11 pick and a rethinking of Holmgren’s thoughts about Sean Couturier being untouchable.

It would be to go after Dion Phaneuf.

He was the defenseman who went to Calgary in 2003, one spot after Coburn at No. 9 overall. Phaneuf did very well with the Flames, which there only means earning a ticket out of town. He’d go to Toronto, and is the Maple Leafs captain now, a team leader on defense who is physical and offensively effective. He is in rare company, and wouldn’t be so much of a step down from that Weber guy who caused a stir last summer.

Phaneuf is also scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent just a little over a year from now, which has put him in another classification — that of trade rumor player. In this year of the compliance buyout that has NHL general managers so a-Twitter, the crop of big-name players that could be moved is bigger than ever.

Phaneuf is part of that. He should also at least be part of the total picture as Holmgren and the Flyers survey this complicated offseason landscape.

Delaware County Times LOADED: 06.28.2013


Holmgren talks three possible Flyers draft picks

June 27, 2013, 9:00 am

VOORHEES. N.J. - General manager Paul Holmgren has made no secret of the Flyers’ longstanding draft philosophy: Draft the best player available, no matter his position or the team’s specific needs.

But, he said in his pre-draft press conference Wednesday, if he saw both a defenseman and a forward available at pick No. 11 that were of equal talent, he knows which way the Flyers would likely go.

"Well, then we’d probably lean toward the defenseman," Holmgren said. "Just because of our needs."

So, which defensemen will be available with the 11th pick? It’s a tough call -- as Holmgren said, no matter how many mock drafts the Flyers put together, one team who selects before them on Sunday (the draft begins at 3 p.m.) will surely make a surprise pick that throws everything off track.

In CSNPhilly.com’s mock NHL draft, Russ Cohen predicted the Flyers would go after a towering defenseman with some familiar ties: Darnell Nurse, the nephew of former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb (see story).

By all accounts, Nurse is certainly a Flyers-type player. And, understandably, Holmgren likes what he’s seen from the 18-year-old Ontario native.

“I’ve seen Darnell play a few times,” Holmgren said. “He’s a hard-nosed kid. He’s like 6-4, I would venture to guess he weighs like 210 pounds (he’s listed as 6-5/192). He’s still, when you watch him play, a lot of elbows and knees, but he’s a rugged, hard-nosed player that can fight, pretty good with the puck, and he’ll continue to get better.

"But I have no idea if he’ll be there at our pick.”

Even if he isn’t, 2013’s draft class is a deep one -- especially on defense. Another good possibility to target at No. 11 is Finnish D-man Rasmus Ristolainen, a 6-foot-3, 207-pound 18-year-old who has been playing professional hockey in Finland since he was 16 years old.

“Physically, he looks like a man right now compared to some of the kids you see,” Holmgren said of Ristolainen. “He played in the men’s league in Finland. I would say of all the defensemen (with the exception of Seth Jones, the top defenseman in the draft), in my opinion, he’s probably the most ready to jump right in. Offensively, looks like a good prospect -- solid defensively with a big shot.”

Asked for an NHL comparison, Holmgren said Ristolainen reminded him of Adam Larsson, the defenseman selected by the New Jersey Devils fourth overall in 2011.

Ryan Pulock, the Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) defenseman from Manitoba was the final prospect Holmgren commented on Wednesday. At 6-foot-1 and 211 pounds, the 18-year-old is well known primarily for one feature of his game.

"He’s really got a bomb for a power play," Holmgren said. "He’s actually pretty physically developed, too. There’s a lot of good prospects [this year]."

Holmgren added Pulock is "not as physical as Nurse," but that he's still certainly "a good solid prospect."


682745 Phoenix Coyotes

Glendale releases draft contract for Phoenix Coyotes deal

By Paul Giblin The Republic | azcentral.com Thu Jun 27, 2013 7:18 PM

Glendale taxpayers, the prospective owners of the Phoenix Coyotes and hockey fans will share the financial burdens associated with keeping the team in Arizona, according to terms of a draft deal released by the city and team Thursday.

Coyotes: Timeline of team in Glendale >>

The prospective deal concerns the team’s use of Jobing.com Arena, a city-owned facility where the Coyotes have played since 2003.

Vice Mayor Yvonne Knaack and Councilmen Gary Sherwood and Sam Chavira called for a vote on the matter Tuesday.

The vote on Tuesday should seal the fate of the National Hockey League team for at least five years.

If the council approves the contract, the Coyotes will remain under the ownership of investors calling themselves IceArizona. This is the second name associated with the current prospective Coyotes ownership group. Originally, the group was called Renaissance Sports & Entertainment. The original four investors will remain as Renaissance and will serve as the managing partners of IceArizona, which will include a broader group of investors.

If the council rejects the contract, IceArizona executives are expected to back out of their tentative purchase agreement with the NHL, leaving the team ripe for relocation.

“Do we have the votes to pass it Tuesday? I don’t know. I hope we do, but I’m not sure,” Councilman Gary Sherwood told The Arizona Republic.

Sherwood said city officials have gotten the best offer IceArizona were going to produce, so the time for a vote is right.

Mayor Jerry Weiers said he was disappointed Tuesday’s vote will cut short the time available to analyze the deal.

Weiers called for a public workshop 1:30 p.m. Friday at City Hall so council members and the public can be briefed on the final draft concurrently.

“The very reason I’m calling this meeting is I want the public to see what’s going on,” he said.

According to the deal points released by city officials, Glendale would pay IceArizona $15 million a year to manage the arena, while IceArizona would reimburse the city $6.72 million through fees charged to ticket-buyers and related sources.

The reimbursements would be in addition to the city’s collection of sales taxes for admission, concessions and other business for hockey games at the arena. IceArizona executives estimate that at nearly $637,000, using what they term an “excessively conservative estimate.”

The draft agreement calls for the Coyotes to remain as the anchor tenant at the $220 million arena for 15 years, but the proposed team owners could leave if their cumulative losses reach $50 million or for any reason after five years.

Glendale noted the deal would not allow the city a similar out clause.

The city’s statement also noted the compressed time that hockey executives allowed for negotiations.

“The most recent contract proposal was received from the Renaissance group for review by the city of Glendale at approximately 9 p.m. on Wednesday, June 26. The Renaissance group expects the Glendale City Council to vote on the agreement on Tuesday, July 2,” the statement said.

The city noted the agreement remains a draft that is under negotiation. The council is expected to meet in a closed-door session to review the deal points again Friday.

According to the city, Renaissance foresees the following yearly revenue for the city:

Rent — $500,000.

Hockey ticket surcharge — $1.5 million.

Non-hockey ticket surcharge — $1.7 million.

Parking revenue —$2.2 million.

Arena naming rights — $670,000.

Naming rights for new stage within the arena — $150,000.

The reimbursements are intended to close the gap between the $6.5 million the city has budgeted for arena management and maintenance, and the $15 million the ownership group has requested to be paid to operate the arena.

If the combined reimbursements fall short of $8.5 million, the city would collect $1.2 million, derived from a secondary ticket surcharge for events at the arena. If the reimbursements cover the gap, the team would retain the revenue from the secondary ticket surcharge.

The guaranteed revenue from the city is intended to provide assurances to the team owners’ lenders, who are providing a sizable chuck of IceArizona’s $170 million purchase price for the team.

In addition, the city would receive limited rent-free use of arena for city sponsored events and community events, according to the draft document.

IceArizona attorney Nick Wood concurred with Sherwood that the prospective team owners have made their final offer and that it was time for the council to vote.

“We hope that they approve it this week and it certainly is the best deal they’ve ever seen or negotiated and certainly is the best for the city of Glendale and particularly the taxpayers of Glendale,” Wood said.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman met Thursday with team owners at a Board of Governors meeting in New York.

The commissioner, who in recent weeks made it clear the team’s ownership issue had to be settled or the league would explore relocation or other options, was brief but clear, according to a transcript from the NHL.

He said he hoped the council would approve the deal Tuesday. But if not?

“I don't want to be more specific than I'm going to be, but if the council doesn't approve it so that this transaction can close, I don't think the Coyotes will be playing there anymore,” Bettman said.

Bettman said a Plan B isn’t ironed out, but there are many options. “I find it difficult to conceive of why, if the council turns this down, we would want to keep the team in Glendale any longer.”

Arizona Republic LOADED: 06.28.2013


Keeping tabs on Coyotes prospects

Staff Writer

The Coyotes will bring their contingent of prospects into the Valley July 8-12 for their annual development camp at the Ice Den in Scottsdale.

Among those expected to attend are former first-round picks forward Henrik Samuelsson (2012), defenseman Connor Murphy (2011), defenseman Brandon Gormley (2010), and goalie Mark Visentin (2010). Other attendees include forwards Tobias Rieder, Lucas Lessio, Jordan Martinook, Brendan Shinnimin and Phil Lane, defenseman James Melindy, and goaltender Mike Lee.

prospects

An unfortunate byproduct of the NHL lockout was these players didn’t get an opportunity to attend main training camp in the fall. Not only is that a chance to get more face time with the coaching staff, but the players can see how they stack up fitness-wise to the NHLers.

“A lot of those first-year guys come in and see that, and it’s great for them to go to camp and learn and the rest of it,” Assistant General Manager Brad Treliving said. “They get an eye-opener. There’s a reason why the NHLers play in the NHL, and a lot of it is their conditioning level.”

When the season adjourns, the Coyotes are given an off-season regime for improvement and the same workout plan is handed off to the prospects in the system. At the development camp, management checks in to see how these players are progressing.

“We basically give them a program. (Strength and conditioning coordinator Tommy Powers) sort of builds something specific in terms of their needs,” Treliving said. “We’ve got guys then now that we suggest train with Tommy. Basically, we’ve got him so he’s got a handful of guys that are training with him this summer and then you sort of lay out what the expectations are.

“Then for a lot of those guys we’ll see them at the development camp. You have a couple free agents that you’re evaluating, and you have the guys that you just drafted a week ago and then we bring our prospects that were in junior or Portland that you have a background on. A lot of it for them, for the guys that we’ve already had in the system, prospects camp a lot of it for them is basically see where they’re at physically.

0625121057sm

“For a lot of cases, the guys in Portland will have been done now for a number of weeks. We laid out plans and let’s see where you’re at. Let’s monitor where you’re at. Let’s change what needs to be changed. Let’s give you a congratulations if you’re looking good or a kick in rear end if you’re not, and that’s sort of what we’ll do in a couple weeks when they get in here.”

The Heat Index listed five prospects to watch, and most of those will be at the development camp.

Here are a few others to keep and eye on:

-Samuelsson: Will return to Edmonton in the Western Hockey League after a strong season in which he scored 33 goals and 80 points in 69 regular season games. He added 11 goals and 19 points in 22 playoff games.

“He had a sensational year,” Treliving said. “I’ve had long talks with him. He’s still a young kid yet, but it’s interesting to see him because he’s a big, strong kid. The conditioning factor and just where he is (to) see where he gets to this summer will be interesting.”

-Right winger Jordan Szwarz: Had 11 goals and 33 points this season with Portland in the American Hockey League. Was kept out of the playoffs with a shoulder injury. A 2009 fourth-round pick, he’s maturing on schedule.

“I just think this guy is going to find a way to play,” Treliving said. “He’s a smart player. There’s not a lot of flash and dash to him, but he does a lot of good things. He’s full of character. I just think this guy, at some point, it may not be right away, but I just think he’s going to will his way into the league somehow.”

Treliving believes Swarz, Gormley and forward Chris Brown are the closest to making the jump up to the NHL.

-Goalies Visentin (Portland), Lee and Louis Domingue: Visentin went 15-12-1 with a 2.98 goals-against average and .903 save percentage. He earned Player of the Week honors after allowing only two goals while facing 89 shots in two games.

“The good thing is all three played and played well,” Treliving said. “Mark Visentin is a talent. Unfortunately, he got banged up a couple times last season, but I thought he had a really good rookie season. I thought he had a really good mentor there in Chad Johnson that down there. There was a couple times Mark really grabbed the ball.”

Lee went 9-6 with an impressive .915 save percentage when called up to Portland from Gwinnett of the East Coast Hockey League. There he split duties with Domingue, who went 23-9-1 and carried a .926 save percentage in 10 playoff games.

“They all got 40-some-odd games,” Treliving said. “It worked out well that everybody got to play a lot, and so we like where we are in terms of the depth with the position with young players.”



Coyotes about to confront key free-agent decisions

CRAIG MORGAN

Glendale unveils details of arena lease proposal

After delay, Glendale posts details of arena proposal; Bettman says July 2 deadline looms.

Tippett's importance to Coyotes can't be overstated

Tippett's coaching skills, style have worked wonders for Coyotes.

With the Coyotes' ownership saga stealing all the headlines, GM Don Maloney, assistant GM Brad Treliving and coach Dave Tippett slipped quietly out of the state this week to attend Sunday’s NHL Draft.

We’ll have more on that event on Friday, but Maloney and Treliving both addressed the Coyotes’ free-agent situation before they left. Here’s a quick update on the team’s key unrestricted and restricted free agents.

UFAs

Goalie Mike Smith: Maloney, Treliving and goalie coach Sean Burke met with Smith and his agent, Kurt Overhardt, last week in Vancouver, but Overhardt has repeatedly made it clear his client will not consider re-signing with Phoenix until the ownership saga is resolved.

“We have a better idea where he stands and vice versa,” Maloney said. “We’re still kind of working through some things to see if there’s a gap that can be bridged or if there’s a point of no return.

“The good news, if there was any good news from the lockout, is that with free agency starting July 5, we’ve got a little extra time.”

Earlier this offseason, Smith was believed to be seeking a long-term deal with an annual payment well above $6 million. It’s unclear if that has changed or if he would accept a lower price to remain in Phoenix, where he's had his greatest and only sustained NHL success.

Smith posted a 2.58 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage while earning $2 million last season.

Forward Boyd Gordon: The Coyotes have had informal talks with Gordon, and Treliving met with him briefly up in Vancouver, but substantive talks have not yet begun. As Treliving noted, Smith is the team's No. 1 priority right now.

Gordon made $1.35 million last season and is considered a perfect fit in Tippett’s system. He wins lots of face-offs, he blocks shots, he has a strong defensive game and he makes good decisions with the puck. Gordon had four goals and 14 points in 48 games last season.

Forward Kyle Chipchura: Treliving talked to Chipchura’s agent this week and will also meet with him in New Jersey this weekend to get a sense of his contract needs. Chipchura made $675,000 last season. He adds grit, a physical game and sound defensive play. He had five goals and 14 points in 46 games last season.

KEY RFAs

Forward Mikkel Boedker: The Coyotes expect to extend a qualifying offer to the speedy and emerging Boedker by early next week. Since he made more than $1 million this past season, the qualifying offer would be for the same salary: $1.2M.

Boedker is arbitration eligible, and if he elects to go that route, a hearing would be held some time between mid-July and early August, assuming he and the Coyotes don’t come to an agreement before then. If he does elect arbitration, the Coyotes would have the right to choose either a one-year or a two-year award under CBA rules.

He had seven goals and 26 points in 48 games last season. The Coyotes are hoping for much more offense from him next season.

Forward Lauri Korpikoski: The Coyotes expect to extend a qualifying offer to Korpikoski by early next week. Since he made more than $1 million this

season, the qualifying offer would be for the same amount he made this season: $1.85 million.

Korpikoski is also arbitration eligible, and if he elects to go that route, a hearing would be held some time between mid-July and early August, assuming he and the Coyotes don’t come to an agreement before then. And again, f he does elect arbitration, the Coyotes would have the right to choose either a one-year or a two-year award under collective bargaining agreement rules.

Korpikoski had six goals and 11 points in 36 games last season.

Defenseman Michael Stone: Treliving has spoken with Stone’s agent and categorized those conversations as positive. “I don’t foresee any problems,” he said.

Stone’s two-way game made enormous progress as last season progressed. His base salary was $575,000, with playing bonuses of $212,500. He had five goals and nine points in 40 games last season.

Defenseman David Rundblad: There were reports earlier this offseason that Rundblad, who is still being developed in the minor leagues, might play in the KHL this season. Here’s what Treliving had to say.

"He is a European (Swedish) guy, and they have options. We like David a lot and think there’s a real good upside to him still developing. I know David wants to play in the NHL at the end of the day. Is there opportunity for European players elsewhere? Sure. But I don’t view that as leverage. If someone is willing to pay them X over there, God bless them. We’ve got a salary structure to work with.”


682748 Pittsburgh Penguins

Kunitz trades free agency for security

By Rob Rossi

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Chris Kunitz believes he just agreed to his last NHL contract — a three-year deal that will keep him with the Penguins through the 2016-17 season.

Negotiations began late last week before Kunitz and his family left for their offseason home in Chicago and ended Thursday with the deal that will provide a slight raise to $3.85 million annually. His conversation with the Tribune-Review:

On forsaking free agency next summer:

I did it backwards. The only time was coming out of college. The appeal is having long term on your contract. I would assume it's my last contract. There's not too many long-term deals out there for guys my age now, about to turn 34. That's what you have to look at, make sure it benefits your family every single way.

On being the chosen winger for captain Sidney Crosby:

It's an honor to have guys talk about you like that. (Crosby and center Evgeni Malkin) expect certain things to be done on the ice. With me, it just fits easy with them.

On Crosby's reaction:

He said ‘congrats.' He wondered if we'd be moving into his neighborhood (Sewickley).

On his favorite part about Pittsburgh:

“The people. You can't go wrong with our fans. They're courteous and polite, respectful of you and your family. People are critical at times, but they enjoy the game and treat us like we're something special. I realize we're just athletes, that it's entertainment. But it's nice to be in the grocery store and have people come up and say, ‘Have a great game.' ”

On long-term personal goals:

“There's always the longevity stuff. To get that 1,000-game mark — for me, coming out of college late, is something that might be a real stretch still, but it would be really nice to have. To set career records every year would be fun, too.”

Tribune Review LOADED: 06.28.2013


Letang rejects Penguins’ big offer; Kunitz signs 3-year extension

By Rob Rossi

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Defenseman Kris Letang has rejected one of the largest contract offers in the Penguins history.

Letang declined an eight-year contract that would have paid him around $54 million (total) late Thursday, sources told the Tribune-Review.

However, his agent, Kent Hughes, stressed Letang remains only interested in playing for the Penguins.

“We have exchanged offers,” Kent said in a text message. “But (we) have yet to reach an agreement.

“We have not quit.”

The Penguins are willing go as high as $7 million annually — with some wiggle room — to keep Letang, the sources said. Letang is looking for $7.5 million annually, sources said.

Penguins general manager Ray Shero has repeatedly said his wish is to continue building around a core of centers Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Letang.

Malkin signed an eight-year contract worth $76 million earlier this month.

Shero did not get his deal with Letang on Thursday, but he made other moves in a busy offseason that has already seen him re-sign Malkin and extend the contracts of Dan Bylsma and the coaching staff.

• Left winger Chris Kunitz agreed to a three-year contract.

• Representatives for impending free agents Pascal Dupuis and Matt Cooke continued to negotiate terms on potential new deals.

• Forward Craig Adams, also soon to be a free agent, had yet to hear from the Penguins.

• Finally, the future for defenseman Brooks Orpik became a little clearer.

Shero said talks are ongoing with Letang.

Latest on Letang

Free agency begins July 5, and the Penguins do not want to arrive at that date without resolution on Letang's future, the sources said.

Letang, set to enter the final year of his current contract, can negotiate an extension under terms of the NHL's new labor contract.

If he accepted the Penguins offer, Letang would rank no worse than sixth among current defensemen with about a $6.75 million salary-cap hit. The offer to Letang could be considered the third most lucrative to retain a player in Shero's seven-year tenure.

Shero has said since January that signing Letang to a long-term contract is a top priority.

However, Letang's situation may be playing out similarly to the one faced by center Jordan Staal last summer.

Then, the Penguins presented an offer with little wiggle room — 10 years at around $57 million – and after Staal rejected it, Shero traded him to Carolina for a package that included eighth overall pick (defenseman Derrick Pouliot) at the NHL Entry Draft, center Brandon Sutter and defensive prospect Brian Dumoulin.

Staal, though, never countered the Penguins' offer last summer.

The Penguins do not pick until the third round of the draft, in Newark, N.J., on Sunday.

The Penguins would want at least one NHL player under contract for several seasons, a top prospect and a first-round pick in exchange for Letang, the sources said.

If a trade was necessary, the Penguins would prefer to move Letang to the Western Conference, and they are intrigued by prospects with Anaheim and Vancouver, the sources said.

Kunitz kept

Kunitz agreed to a three-year contract that would keep him with the Penguins through the 2016-17 season.

His new deal is for three years at a total of $11.55 million. He will receive a $125,000 annual raise on his current deal, which runs through next season. His salary-cap hit on the new deal is $3.85 million.

The agreement with Kunitz, 33, came together quickly — as did the deal with Malkin earlier this month. By no coincidence, both players expressed a desire to sign long-term deals and below market value.

Shero was set on guaranteeing Crosby would have at least one of his preferred wingers — Kunitz and Dupuis — under contract for beyond next season, the sources said.

Dupuis projects to command a massive raise on his current $1.5 million annual salary after scoring 45 goals over the last two seasons. The Penguins have presented contract proposals to him and Cooke, but both players are 34 and want deals at lengths greater than two years.

Shero is expected to continue negotiations with both players' representatives through the entry draft. He had not held talks with the agent for Adams, also a pending unrestricted free agent.

Defensive measures

Orpik, 32, emerged as another player with one year remaining on his deal who Shero will try to re-sign.

He will count $3.75 million against the cap next season, and the Penguins believe any potential long-term replacement would prove more costly in free agency or by a trade. In March, Shero surrendered second-round picks in the next two drafts for Douglas Murray, like Orpik a physical defenseman.

Murray is set to hit the open market.

The Penguins have only one defenseman (Paul Martin) from their Eastern Conference finalist squad under contract for beyond next season.

The organization is flooded with top-level defensive prospects, but there is concern about forcing too many into the NHL before they are ready.



Penguins’ Bylsma to coach Team USA

By Rob Rossi

Dan Bylsma will coach the U.S. men's ice hockey team at the 2014 Winter Olympics, sources told the Tribune-Review on Thursday.

Bylsma, the Penguins' coach, was not available for comment. He will be introduced at a news conference in New York. Team USA's management and coaches also will be unveiled at the news conference.

Penguins general manager Ray Shero will serve Team USA as associate to general manager David Poile, the sources said.

Shero said Poile, his former boss with Nashville, would be a deserving choice to replace 2010 Team USA general manger Brian Burke if Burke did not want to return.

Burke will serve Team USA in an advisory role.

Bylsma was considered the front-runner for the post by many within USA Hockey.

Besides having presided over a Stanley Cup-winning Penguins team in 2009, he is perceived as an ideal coach to oversee a squad that will be made up of NHL players — if the league and International Olympic Committee reach an agreement.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly has said he is optimistic NHL players will participate in the 2014 Games, which will be held in the Russian resort town of Sochi.

Bylsma's candidacy also was boosted by his knowledge of Penguins stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, who are expected to play for Canada and Russia, respectively, at the Games.



Penguins sign Kunitz to three-year extension

June 27, 2013 9:22 am

Dave Molinari / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Penguins have signed left winger Chris Kunitz to a three-year contract extension.

The deal, which will kick in for the 2014-15 season, carries a salary-cap hit of $3.85 million.

He has one year remaining on a deal with a $3.725 cap hit.

Kunitz was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2013-14 season.

Post Gazette LOADED: 06.28.2013

682752 San Jose Sharks

San Jose Sharks re-sign defenseman Jason Demers

By Curtis Pashelka

Bay Area News Group

Posted: 06/27/2013 08:55:50 AM PDT

Updated: 06/27/2013 02:21:38 PM PDT

SAN JOSE — The Sharks announced Thursday they have signed defenseman Jason Demers and forward Brodie Reid to one-year contracts.

Demers, 25, a restricted free agent, battled injuries this season and had three points in 22 games. He also played one game for the Sharks in the second round of the playoffs against the Los Angeles Kings. In 2011-2012, Demers had 13 points and 22 penalty minutes.

"Jason is a highly competitive puck moving defenseman that creates offense from the back end," Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said in a statement. "We're looking forward to seeing him come back healthy and continue his growth with us."

"I just wanted to be back in San Jose ... and I'm just looking for a chance to prove myself," Demers said. "It's great they showed me a vote of confidence like that and get the opportunity for another year. So I'm excited and ready to go."

Reid, 23, played 34 games for Worcester Sharks this season and had 21 points and 19 penalty minutes.

The Sharks signed Andrew Desjardins and James Sheppard on Wednesday, leaving TJ Galiardi as their only major remaining restricted free agent yet to be signed for next season.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 06.28.2013

682753 San Jose Sharks

Sharks, Demers agree on one-year extension

Staff Writer

June 27, 2013, 8:45 am

The Sharks have agreed to a one-year contract extension with defenseman Jason Demers, the club announced on Thursday. The deal is worth $1.5 million, according to a source.

Demers was due to become a restricted free agent.

"Jason is a highly competitive, puck-moving defenseman that creates offense from the back end," GM Doug Wilson said in a statement. "We're looking forward to seeing him come back healthy and continuing his growth with us."

Demers had three points in 22 games with the Sharks in 2013 (1g, 2a), but played in just one playoff game due to a high left ankle sprain. He missed the first seven games of the shortened season due to a wrist injury suffered overseas during the NHL lockout, and four games from March 30-April 5 with a possible concussion after a hit to the head from Detroit’s Cory Emmerton.

“He’s a player we really like, he just needs to be healthy,” Wilson said. “He’ll have a great summer of training and come back and play the way he’s capable of, because he brings an element that we certainly like in our game.”

Demers played 30 games in Finland for Karpat during the lockout, scoring five goals and adding 16 assists for 21 points. He was injured in the Spengler Cup, just days before the NHL announced the end of the brutal work stoppage.

“Last year I had a lot of momentum coming in, especially overseas. It’s bad luck, or whatever you want to call it,” Demers said. “It just kind of spiraled from there. I still have some positive things to take from last year, and I’m going to apply those this summer and keep progressing and get better, and get to the player that I know I can be, and they know I can be.”

Demers had his best season as a professional in 2010-11, with 24 points (2g, 22a). Since then he’s had trouble staying healthy, but even when at 100 percent, Demers hasn’t been able to maintain a regular place in the Sharks’ lineup. This past season, he played just nine times in a 20-game stretch from Feb. 2 to March 16.

Demers said: “I just wanted to be back in San Jose. The last two years haven’t been the best. I’m just looking for a chance to prove myself, so it’s great to show me a vote of confidence like that. … I’m excited, and ready to go.”

Wilson was asked what Demers needs to do to stay in the lineup on a more regular basis.

“I think it’s just the consistency,” Wilson said. “I think with [coaches Larry Robinson and Jim Johnson] coming in, they really believe in him. … I think he was really playing well prior to him spraining his ankle.”

“He’s got a little risk-reward to his game, which we don’t mind, it’s just knowing when and where you can take those risks. We expect him to come back and have a really good year for us.”

The 25-year-old has 11 goals and 50 assists for 61 points and 81 penalty minutes in four seasons with the Sharks.

Sharks forward TJ Galiardi is the club’s only pending restricted free agent that ended last season on the NHL roster. On Wednesday, San Jose agreed to a two-year contract with Andrew Desjardins and a one-year deal with James Sheppard.

San Jose also re-signed forward Brodie Reid to a one-year contract. In 34 games with AHL Worcester in 2012-13, Reid, 23, had 10 goals and 11 assists for 21 points.

Wilson mentioned there has been no decision yet on the position of Brent Burns. Next week, he plans to sit down with Burns and head coach Todd

McLellan to discuss whether they would like the 28-year-old to play forward or defense in 2013-'14.


682754 St Louis Blues

TOP 5 DEFENSEMEN IN NHL DRAFT

Roger Hensley

TOP 5 DEFENSEMEN IN NHL DRAFT

Darnell Nurse

Team • Sault Ste. Marie

League • Ontario Hockey League

Ht, Wt • 6-4, 190

2012-13 stats • 68 games, 12 goals, 29 assists

Rasmus Ristolainen

Team • TPS

League • SM-liiga (Finland)

Ht, Wt • 6-4, 205


Nikita Zadrov

Team • London

League • Ontario Hockey League

Ht, Wt • 6-5, 230


Samuel Morin

Team • Rimouski

League • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

Ht, Wt • 6-7, 205


— By Jeremy Rutherford

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 06.28.2013


Blues aren't looking to build defense through the draft

Jeremy Rutherford [email protected] 314-444-7135

Would Blues’ fans mind if general manager Doug Armstrong returned from Sunday’s NHL draft with so many first-round selections it took two hands to count them?

“We could walk out of this draft with eight first-round picks if we want … easy,” Armstrong said. “But I don’t want to do that, our fan base, I don’t believe, wants that and I know our owner doesn’t want that. We’re not going to be in a perpetual rebuilding process. We could walk out of here with pick Nos. 12-20. But where does that put the organization?”

As it sits now, the Blues do not own a first-round pick heading into the NHL draft, which begins at 2 p.m. (St. Louis time). The club isn’t in the mode to trade players for high picks; in fact, it’s the opposite.

The Blues dealt their 2013 first-rounder to Calgary for defenseman Jay Bouwmeester to partner him with Alex Pietrangelo and improve the team’s immediate chances of competing. After an end-of-the-season feeling-out process, Armstrong says that having Bouwmeester in the fold from day one should benefit the group as a whole heading into 2013-14.

“Now we have three very speedy players in ‘Petro,’ ‘Bouw’ and ‘Shatty,’ (Kevin Shattenkirk) that’s very, very important to the team,” Armstrong said. “Then having very good, defined NHL players in Roman (Polak) and (Barret) Jackman in our five and then with (Kris) Russell, (Ian) Cole and potentially (Jordan) Leopold, I think our defense is going to be stable for many years moving forward now.”

Bouwmeester, who will turn 30 on Sept. 27, joined the Blues for the final 14 games of the regular season, notching a goal and six assists, and in his first-career playoff action finished with an assist in six games.

“I think you just try to keep building,” Bouwmeester said. “This was a goofy year for everyone. It was a short year, a compressed year, that sort of thing. Next year, you’ve got a full training camp. For a guy like myself, who’s kind of new, that will be good to get kind of settled. It’s a fine line between success and where we’re standing. It’s just a matter of getting it done.”

Pietrangelo, who had a 51-point season in 2011-12, struggled for much of last season as the Blues rotated his defensive partners. He finished with five goals and 24 points in 47 regular-season games but seemed to grow more comfortable down the stretch.

“I talked to he and Shattenkirk,” Armstrong said. “I thought they could do 100 percent of their job and maybe five percent of somebody else’s job, but in reality they were still at the ability to just do 100 percent of their job. I thought they both did better when we got experienced guys around them. It showed to me that they’re still in that part of their career where they just have to worry about themselves.

“And I also think this is the first time that either player played on a good NHL team, one where you know you’re going to get the other team’s ‘A’ game. So the game got a lot harder for them, but I think they’re both going to be very good at it. It’s something you learn from.”

On Wednesday, the Blues showed their commitment to Shattenkirk, finalizing a four-year, $17 million extension.

“This is a great opportunity for me,” he said Thursday. “I think from the very first meeting with ‘Army,’ he told me that we weren’t going to make (the 2011 trade with Colorado) unless you were involved. From that moment on, I knew how much he valued me and what he thought of me as a player. This is the place I can definitely grow as a player and become the player I think I can be.”

The Blues remain in communication with Pietrangelo’s agent, Don Meehan, on a contract extension.

Armstrong acknowledged Thursday that completing deals for Patrik Berglund and Shattenkirk the last two days would help clear up the picture for Pietrangelo’s situation.

“We’ve got more and more pieces in place,” Armstrong said. “Each contract does define what we’re going to be next year and the economics that we have to spend in different areas.”

Armstrong said the Blues would keep an open door with Bouwmeester, who will enter the final season of the contract he brought from Calgary, paying him $6.6 million in 2013-14.

“We’ll have a chat with him before the start of next season to see where his head is at,” Armstrong said. “Whether we get something done or not, it’s not one of those ones where I’m concerned that we’ve got to get something for the asset (at the trade deadline if he’s still unsigned). We got him here to win and we want to win.”

The Blues aren’t building their defense through the draft, as they did for several years. They believe the pieces are in place now.

“We have a tremendous blue line,” Shattenkirk said. “I really believe that we have probably one of the best defensive corps in the league. We just have a great collection of players who can do it all. Obviously with Petro, we all know he’s a special player … to add Jay to the defensive group at the end of the year was very important for us. I think going forward, the more experience that we get and the more time we have to play with each other, we know we’re going to get better.”

NHL Draft

When: Sunday, 2 p.m.

Where: Prudential Center (Newark, N.J.)

TV: NBC Sports Network (2-7 p.m.), NHL Network (7-9:30 p.m.)

Blues picks: 2nd round (No. 47), 3rd round (No. 83), 4th round (Nos. 94 and 113), 6th round (No. 173) and 7th round (No. 203).

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 06.28.2013


Shattenkirk thrilled to be part of Blues' building young nucleus


By NORM SANDERS — Belleville News-Democrat

The St. Louis Blues on Thursday showed just how much value they place on defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, signing the restricted free agent to a four-year, $17 million contract extension.

"Obviously I'm on cloud nine right now, this is a great opportunity for me," Shattenkirk said. "To have the type of commitment that the Blues made and the faith that they have in me to perform and showing it in this way is pretty special.

"It really didn't take too long. We both wanted to get something done and I think there was a deal to be had the whole way through."

The 24-year-old former Boston University standout joined the Blues in a February, 2011 trade from Colorado. He came to St. Louis as what at the time seemed additional defense depth since the deal included high-scoring winger Chris Stewart.

Since then, Shattenkirk has blossomed into one of the league's top young defensemen. On Thursday he recalled his first meeting with Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong.

"From my very first meeting with 'Army,' where he sat me down and said 'We weren't going to make this trade unless you were involved' ... from that moment on I knew how much he valued me and what he thought of me as a player.

"It's just made it easier to play in St. Louis when you know the coaches and management have that confidence and faith in you to be an elite player."

Faced with a large pile of free-agent wood to split, Armstrong continues to make good use of the equipment at his disposal.

The Blues have signed center Patrik Berglund and Shattenkirk, still looking to make deals with restricted free agents Alex Pietrangelo and Chris Stewart.

"What Kevin has done, which made this an easier deal for us, is he's probably been the most consistent player we've had in our organization," Armstrong said, referring to Shattenkirk's first three years with the franchise. "He's been a very consistent offensive producer. His first three years he's been in the top 25 in scoring among defensemen each year, which is a testament to how he came into the league and his consistency.

"We think he's just scratching the surface of how good of a player he can be."

Shattenkirk had five goals and 23 points in 48 games last season and in 201 career games has 23 goals and 109 points.

"Now we have to work together to move his game past an offensive defenseman and round that into someone that can play 23 to 25 minutes over time, kill penalties, play on the power play and play 5-on-5," Armstrong said. "This contract is an indication that we believe that can be achieved. The offense seems to be something that comes natural."

Throughout his career, Shattenkirk has faced questions about his size (5-foot-11, 207 pounds) and ability to play on the defensive side of the puck.

" I know my offensive abilities come a little more naturally and defensively, especially as a smaller sized defenseman, is where I need to keep getting more experience," he said. "I tried to really work on that every year and it comes from a lot of experience, which luckily I'm able to get night-in and night -out."

Shattenkirk isn't content with his current game and wants to keep evolving into a more complete player.

"It comes from challenging yourself every night," he said. "I think I set pretty high goals for myself to be the best defenseman on the team. We have a lot of great defenseman on the team, but the only way you can get better is to strive to be the best defenseman."

The Blues still need to sign Pietrangelo, in line to receive an even larger deal than Shattenkirk's. The pair join Barret Jackman, Jay Bouwmeester and Roman Polak to give the Blues one of the deepest defense units in the NHL.

"Alex has gained a lot of attention, but Kevin really doesn't need to take a back seat to anyone as far as what he accomplished," Armstrong said.

The Blues also re-signed former No. 1 draft pick Ian Cole and are negotiating with free agents Kris Russell and Jordan Leopold.

"We have a tremendous blue line," Shattenkirk said. "I really believe that we have probably one of the best defensive corps in the league. We just have a great collection of players who can do it all."

Shattenkirk felt the Blues took an important step this season despite the first-round playoff loss to the Kings after winning the first two games of the series.

"Hats off to the Kings because they showed their experience and how winning Stanley Cups can give you that confidence that it's never over," Shattenkirk said. "It was another growing step for us. We were better in the playoffs this year than we were two years ago and for us, that's what we have to hold onto."

Belleville News-Democrat LOADED: 06.28.2013

682757 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning buy out remainder of Lecavalier's contract

By Erik Erlendsson | Tribune Staff


For 15 years, Vinny Lecavalier served as the face of the Tampa Bay Lightning, an all-star on the ice and a pillar in the community with his charity work.

That made Thursday all the more difficult.

Fifteen years to the day after drafting Lecavalier with the first overall pick in the 1998 NHL draft, the Lightning opted to part ways with the longest tenured player in franchise history. Taking advantage of a limited opportunity to buy out the remainder of his contract without penalty, Tampa Bay will pay Lecavalier two-thirds of the value remaining on the 11-year, $85 million contract extension he signed in 2008 and thought would keep him in a Lightning uniform for his entire career.

With $45 million and seven years left on the deal, Tampa Bay will pay Lecavalier $32 million over the next 14 years, roughly $2.33 million a year.

Lecavalier was at home in Tampa, at the breakfast table with his wife, Caroline, and their three children, when the call came from Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman.

"Although I knew the reality of the situation, it still hit me and my family hard this morning," Lecavalier said. "When I signed my long-term deal with the Lightning, it was because I wanted to spend my entire career with the Tampa Bay Lightning. It's where I started at 18 years of age, the city where I've spent the longest amount of time in my life, ... where I wanted to end my career."

Instead, Lecavalier, 33, becomes an unrestricted free agent when the market opens at noon on July 5, free to sign with any team in the league - except the Lightning.

"It's tough to imagine," Lecavalier said. "The last few weeks, we've had a few conversations with the organization. Obviously, you don't know until it happens. . When you get the phone call and you're told you can't play for the Lightning, it was pretty rough on everybody, my family, myself. I've been here 14 years. It was definitely, still is, really hard."

It was not a decision made lightly. Yzerman and his staff held numerous internal discussions weighing the pros and cons before ultimately deciding to part ways with Lecavalier.

"There was a lot of consideration, and it's not something I enjoy or we enjoy doing. It's an inevitable part of the business," Yzerman said. "But we recognize and were concerned that we have a player that was an original draft pick and a very popular player. So, that makes it more difficult."

The move frees up roughly $7.7 million annually in salary cap space, nearly $54 million total over the next seven years. The savings is critical considering the salary cap for next season shrinks by $6 million, down from $70 million last season to $64.3 million.

With that in mind, the collective bargaining deal signed in January gave teams two amnesty buyouts to use this summer or next without incurring the salary cap penalty that normally comes with a contract buyout.

"We have two compliance buyouts if we choose to use them," Yzerman said. "Do we use one now or next year? We felt that in regards to Vinny, in particular, that if we were going to go down that road, it was better to do it this year instead of waiting until next year."

Lecavalier holds 15 franchise records, including career games (1.037), goals (383), power-play goals (112) and game-winning goals (60).

Yet, Lecavalier takes with him more than just the on-ice moments with Tampa Bay - the 2004 Stanley Cup Championship, the 2007 Rocket Richard Trophy as the league's leading goal scorer. He leaves behind a legacy of philanthropic work that endeared him deeply to people around town.

In 2005, Lecavalier launched the Vincent Lecavalier Foundation to help local children's hospitals and charities. In 2007, he donated $3 million to All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, which led to the Vincent Lecavalier Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorder Center.

His commitment to that work will continue, no matter where his hockey career takes him next.

"I want to be involved in Tampa," he said. "Tampa is like home to me. Most of my life has been in Tampa. That's why it's really hard, but that's why I want to keep my word. I made a pledge, and ... I'm a person of my word."

In that sense, Lecavalier's legacy in the Tampa community transcends his play on the ice.

"I think he sets the bar with his involvement in the community and probably the entire of major sports for what he has done, the legacy he has in the community," Lightning center Steven Stamkos said. "For me, being a young guy when I came in, you hear about that stuff. But until you see the hard work that he puts in, the money that he donates, the involvement that he has in the community, ... he's not just Vinny Lecavalier the captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning, he's the captain of the whole city."

Now, Lecavalier will move on to another city, another team. But not without leaving a permanent mark in Tampa and the surrounding area.

"He's meant a lot; he was the face of the franchise. Everything that he has done off the ice has been remarkable," longtime teammate and fellow 2004 Stanley Cup champion Marty St. Louis said. "I've known the guy for 15 years. I feel like I've matured with him as a player, grown as a player, the highs and lows that I've gone through with him."

To think of Lecavalier elsewhere?

"It's just weird," St. Louis said.

Tampa Tribune LOADED: 06.28.2013


Q&A: Why did Bolts cut Lecavalier?

Staff Writer


Vinny Lecavalier no longer plays for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Why, exactly, was the all-time franchise leader in games played at 1,037 and goals scored at 383 cut loose after 14 seasons? Well, it's not personal, it's just business.

Q: Why did the Lightning buy out Lecavalier's contract?

Answer: Next season, the salary cap in the NHL drops by $6 million, from $70 million last season to $64.3 million. Lecavalier's contract carried a $7.7 million annual salary cap cost through the end of the 2019-20 season. With cap space at a premium, Tampa Bay's front office, led by general manager Steve Yzerman, decided the Lightning could no longer afford Lecavalier's contract.

Q: Were there other factors?

Answer: The new collective bargaining agreement discourages teams from signing players to lengthy, front-loaded contracts - such as Lecavalier's - as a way of manipulating the salary cap. If Lecavalier retired before the end of his contract in 2020, the team would have incurred additional salary cap penalties.

Q: How does the buyout work?

Answer: Lecavalier had seven years and $45 million remaining on the 11-year, $85 million contract extension that went into effect in 2009. To buy him out, the Lightning must pay him two-thirds of the remaining value over twice the remaining years. Including bonuses, that amounts to $32 million over 14 years.

Q: Why now?

Answer: Buyouts are nothing new, but they always came with salary cap penalties. With an eye toward the shrinking salary cap for the 2013-14 season, the collective bargaining agreement signed in January allowed for amnesty buyouts. Each team can buy out the contracts of up to two players this summer or next without them counting against the salary cap.

Q: How much salary cap space does it free up?

Answer: About $7.7 million a year for the next seven years, or roughly $54 million total. That amount gives Yzerman flexibility moving forward to improve the roster and steer Tampa Bay back toward the playoffs.



It just won't be the same without Vinny

Staff Writer


TAMPA - As much hockey sense as it made, business sense, as much as his oversized contract was a rock around his team's neck, the elephant in the rink ... as inevitable it was in the name of Moving On, it was a stunning day in Lightning history.

Vinny Lecavalier is gone.

Over the years, Vinny trade rumors piled up like goals, though not quite, since Vinny scored 407 if you include the playoffs. Today we do. We count everything, on and off the ice. It's quite the legacy. To top it off, you never could help but like the guy.

That's how Vincent Lecavalier became Vinny - the first name would do.

Once, there was a deal to send him to Vancouver for goaltender Roberto Luongo, but it fell through. When compliance buyouts came with the new NHL collective bargaining agreement, Vinny speculation was rampant.

It was still startling when it actually happened - that, 15 years to the day after he was selected first overall by Tampa Bay in the 1998 draft, the Lightning team captain, for years the face of the franchise, was told he didn't have a job here anymore by Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman, Vinny's hockey hero growing up.

One of the weird moments in Tampa sports history will be when Vinny hits the ice in another sweater.

There are millions of reasons why what happened Thursday happened, namely the dollars in Vinny's salary, far too many for his current game, a far cry from when he was going to be the very best. Some nights he was, many nights he wasn't, and we often held that against him.

But he was pretty darn good. Vinny and the Ligthning made a lot of history together.

Come to think of it, I'm not sure there would be much Lightning history without Vinny. I'm not sure this franchise would have lasted here if Vinny hadn't been the young star, marked for greatness. He didn't have to be Michael Jordan, like that cuckoo owner dreamed. Just Vinny. He saved the day.

A lot of hockey fans around here grew up with Vinny, 14 seasons of him, as many seasons as Derrick Brooks spent with the Bucs. Vinny grew up, too, right in front of us, and lifted the Stanley Cup nine Junes ago. Like Brooks and Warren Sapp with the the Bucs, Vinny helped turn the Lightning from a punch line to a world champion.

Then there was his foundation, his charitable work, widespread and meaningful, backed by walk as well as talk, by Vinny dollars.

There are so many Vinny moments. There's him looking like he was 12 years old the day he was drafted. There was Vinny and coach John Tortorella, back and forth, forth and back. There was Vinny's 50th goal in a season, the first Bolt to do that.

There was Vinny during the 2004 Cup run: back home in Montreal, late magic, scoring with a shot between his legs to force overtime. There was Vinny's brawl with Calgary's Jarome Iginla in the Cup finals, then Vinny lifting the Cup the night the Bolts became kings of the hockey world.

Look, no one should feel sorry for Vinny. I checked. He's getting $32.67 million in the buyout, and you're not getting one dime. Vinny will get another job, a good one, with a saner contract. The one that was just bought out wasn't Vinny's fault. Blame it on those goober owners, those cowboys.

And face it: The Lightning wouldn't be doing this if the NHL business model hadn't changed, and for that matter, if Vinny's game was at the same level as the ones belonging to friend and teammate Marty St. Louis and Steven Stamkos. Vinny had become a $4 million player trapped in a $10 million contract.

He was so talented we always wanted him to be more talented, the best. There was always something to pick on when it came to Vinny. Some questioned his drive. Some used to say: If only you could stick Marty's heart in Vinny's body, you'd have the ultimate hockey player. It was unfair.

Vinny was pretty darn good when he was at his best. And his heart, the part of it that mattered most, was beyond question. This good, decent man counted for something in this community. There is a Vincent Lecavalier Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorder Center at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg. No matter how famous he became, Vinny remained the Quebec firefighter's son.

After all, Tampa Bay was his home. And it always will be when we see that banner in the Forum rafters. Or when sick children maybe leave that cancer center not quite as sick as they were going in. All the hockey and business sense in the world won't change that. It's like Vinny's name on that Stanley Cup. He's there - and here - for good.



Where will Lecavalier play next season?

Tribune staff


Fourteen seasons into his NHL career, Vinny Lecavalier is about to become a free agent for the first time. When the market opens at noon on July 5, he will be free to negotiate and sign with any of 29 NHL teams - any team, that is, but Tampa Bay. According to a stipulation in the NHL's amnesty buyout procedure, a player cannot re-sign or be reacquired via trade for one year by the team that bought out his contract. Lecavalier would like to be the final piece in a team's Stanley Cup puzzle. And several teams likely will have interest. So, which teams would be a good fit for the 33-year-old center?

Here is a look at five that could be in Lecavalier's future:

1. Detroit Red Wings

Believe it or not, Lecavalier grew up watching the Red Wings and idolizing their captain, Steve Yzerman. The Red Wings are perennial playoff contenders, but lost the 2013 Western Conference semifinals in seven games to eventual Stanley Cup champion Chicago. Detroit also could be in the market for a second-line center. The Red Wings likely will part ways with pending free agent Valtteri Filppula, who is seeking roughly $5 million a year in his new contract.

2. Montreal Canadiens

Any time trade rumors cropped up about Lecavalier - and it happened plenty - Montreal was at the forefront. For years, Habs fans have yearned for a homegrown, French-speaking star. Lecavalier was born in Ile Bizard, a suburb of Montreal. He loves his home city. Interestingly, the general manager of the Canadiens is Marc Bergevin, a former teammate of Lecavalier. But the Montreal spotlight shines brightly on high-profile hockey players, something Lecavalier has long avoided in low-key Florida. Would he be up for a homecoming?

3. Los Angeles Kings

The Kings were frequently on the periphery of Lecavalier trade rumors. The franchise won its first Stanley Cup in 2012, but fell short in its efforts to defend, losing to eventual champ Chicago in the Western Conference finals. The Kings already have Mike Richards and Anze Kopitar at center, but Kopitar was demoted to the third line because of his lack of production during the playoffs. Lecavalier could be an interesting addition if the Kings find the salary cap space.

4. Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers consider themselves perennial playoff contenders. They also have the necessary salary cap space to sign Lecavalier after buying out the contracts of goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov and forward Danny Briere. Philadelphia would seem to have greater needs - their top six forwards are pretty solid, but they lack a No. 1 goaltender. Still, never count the Flyers out when it comes to making a splashy move.

5. Vancouver Canucks

C'mon. Who wouldn't like to see a reunion of Lecavalier and fiery former Lightning head coach John Tortorella, who just took over the job in Vancouver earlier this week?



Buyout leaves Bolts with void to fill



TAMPA - The Lightning made a bold move on Thursday, cutting loose iconic captain Vinny Lecavalier in a business move that will free up the $7.7 million annual salary cap cost of Lecavalier's contract.

With Lecavalier now an unrestricted free agent able to sign with any team - other than Tampa Bay - it leaves a gaping hole on the Lightning roster that needs to be filled.

The all-time franchise leader in goals with 383 and games played with 1,037, Lecavalier provided the secondary offensive threat behind top center Steven Stamkos, filled a power play role and was a consistent winner in the face-off circle.

Now, with Lecavlier out of the picture, how exactly general manager Steve Yzerman utilizes the available cap space could define how the franchise moves forward in the near future, as well as down the road.

"This was not done just with the idea for next year," Yzerman said. "This is a part of where the Lightning are going long term, what our goals are and how we are going to get there.''

There will be plenty of options for Yzerman to explore.

In the unrestricted free agent market - barring more buyouts around the league - there are veterans such Mike Ribeiro, Daniel Briere and Derek Roy. A younger option might be Tyler Bozak, if Toronto fails to sign him before the July 5 free-agent market opens.

There are also options within the Lightning organization, such as Tyler Johnson, the reigning American Hockey League MVP after leading the league with 37 goals. In his 14 games with the Lightning during the season, the 5-foot-9 Johnson had three goals and six points, was plus-3, proved reliable defensively and was stellar in the face-off circle.

Alex Killorn, who played on the wing after his call-up in February, played center in college and could be shifted to the middle.

And perhaps the longer-term solution is 2011 first-round pick Vladislav Namestnikov, who just finished his first pro season and played a top-six role in the postseason for Syracuse.

Then there is this weekend's NHL Entry Draft, where Tampa Bay holds the No. 3 overall pick. Yzerman could use that pick on a top-rated forward such as Nathan MacKinnon - though Colorado might nab him with the first selection - or Aleksander Barkov.

Yzerman, however, gave no indication on Thursday which route he might go to fill Lecavalier's void.

"I don't have a solution for replacing Vinny Lecavalier today,'' Yzerman said. "There is a $7.7 million-plus cap charge that went with Vinny's contract. Now, moving forward, we have created that space on the cap, so whenever the opportunity or situation arises we have more flexibility.''

More than just fans will be keeping a close on eye on the moves the team makes heading into training camp in September.

"I'm very interested to see,'' center Steven Stamkos said. "This is a big hole. Vinny was a great player for us. He's a top-six forward and a centerman and, obviously, that's something that is a gaping hole right now. You just have to hope management has a plan and we can add some players that are going to help us win. Everyone wants to win as soon as possible, and I'm the same way.''

There also a leadership role that will need to be filled. Lecavalier was the team captain the past five seasons, his second stint wearing the "C" on his sweater.

An argument could be made for Stamkos to assume the role - the 23-year-old has been an alternate captain for two seasons and figures to assume the role down the road. But the likely candidate is Marty St. Louis, who has

been with the franchise since 2000-01 and been part of the leadership group for most of his Lightning tenure.

Those decisions, however, won't be made right away.

"That's something we'll address over the course of the summer, and we'll be prepared to announce and make the decision prior to the season at some point,'' Yzerman said.



Reactions to Lecavalier buyout

Pierre LeBrun, NHL writer for ESPN.com


"For me, Vinny has been a guy, him and Marty (St. Louis), since Day One, since I first got to the team, I've been able to look up to. Those are the veteran guys that took me under their wings and showed me the ropes, not only with what they have done with me but, Vinny in particular, the legacy he has with this organization. From a hockey standpoint and a community standpoint, it was a tough day for Tampa. It's probably not going to hit us until we get to training camp and Vinny is not there with us. You are used to not seeing each other that much over the summer, but when all the guys get together, that's when it's going to really hit us."

Lightning C Steven Stamkos

"While it's hard to think of Vinny Lecavalier playing for anyone other than the Tampa Bay Lightning, we at All Children's Hospital know that part of his heart will always remain here. Through 15 years, he's established roots in the Tampa Bay area with family and many friends - key among them the kids who are treated at the Vincent Lecavalier Center for Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders at All Children's. Vinny and his family are familiar faces on the patient floor. And though his visits may become less frequent going forward with another team, we look forward to seeing Vinny here regardless of what hockey sweater he may be wearing. He will always be a champion for children with cancer - especially those being treated in the All Children's center that bears his name."

Sylvia Ameen, vice president of the All Children's Hospital Foundation

"The locker room, the back of the bus, the back of the plane, everything, the dinners. On the ice, obviously. But we spent a lot more time off the ice than we actually did on the ice. It's going to be hard to picture him on another team. But it's a game. I knew it was a possibility, but when it actually is official, it's weird to think of him on another team."

Lightning F Marty St. Louis

"For me, it's a new challenge. ... It's a tough day, but at the same time, I'm so motivated. I know I'm going to be somewhere else. It's going to be a different challenge, but I'm so motivated to go somewhere else and prove I can play at a high level. I want to win. So, I'm really excited about that."

Vinny Lecavalier

"Lecavalier, 33, adds a tempting option in a UFA center class that otherwise was led by the likes of Derek Roy, Mike Ribeiro and Stephen Weiss. At the right price, Lecavalier would be one heck of an addition as the No. 2 center on a good team. Of course, it didn't take long for Lecavalier's buyout to be announced for people to link him to his native Montreal. Let's be honest: It would be cool to see him in a Canadiens uniform after all these years of trade rumors linking him there."



Defenseman Jones a complete package along the blue line



TAMPA - What seemed improbable a month ago might now be attainable - Seth Jones could fall into the Lightning's lap during Sunday's NHL Entry Draft.

Since Colorado won the draft lottery in April, most believed the Avalanche would use the top overall pick on the 6-foot-4, 205-pound defenseman with a right-handed shot.

Jones started playing hockey in Denver while his dad, former professional basketball player Popeye Jones, played for the NBA's Denver Nuggets.

But within the past week, Avalanche executive Joe Sakic publicly stated the team's intention to draft a forward with the first pick - either Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin or Aleksander Barkov.

Under that scenario, should Florida - which holds the No. 2 pick - elect to take a forward, then Jones would hear his name called by Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman about as quick as he would be able to get to the podium at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

"Jones represents as complete a package as we've seen in any defenseman over the past decade,'' Red Line Report founder Kyle Woodlief said in his scouting report for USA Today. "With his mix of size, puck skills, natural athleticism and poise, Jones can dominate and take over games at both ends of the ice, and has an impact on the game in every aspect.''

Jones was the anchor defenseman - and youngest player - for gold-medal-winning Team USA at this year's World Junior Championship, registering a goal and seven points while posting a plus-8 rating.

A product of the U.S. National Development Team, Jones also helped lead the U.S. to gold medals at the 2011 and 2012 World Under-18 championships.

This past season, he helped lead Portland to a Western Hockey League championship, scoring 14 goals and 56 points and posting an impressive plus-46 rating in 61 games. Portland advanced to the Memorial Cup championship, losing in the final to Halifax and the duo of Drouin and MacKinnon.

While Jones is the top-rated defenseman available, he is listed as the top overall prospect by some scouts, including NHL Central Scouting.

"He has the ability to be a game-changer because he has good instincts and awareness,'' according to B.J. MacDonald, a scout for NHL Central Scouting. "He's an underrated passer, possesses solid one-on-one play and can skate the puck out of danger at any time. He's already the complete package, but I get the feeling he still has another gear to go to.''

Cory Pronman at Hockey Prospectus said Jones has been making high-level plays and defensive reads since he was a 16-year-old.

"His best trait is his clearly elite hockey sense,'' Pronman said. "He is advanced way beyond his years. He makes a multitude of good defensive plays with positioning, stick work and anticipation. He seems to always to be a step ahead of everyone else. This is evident in his offensive ability as well. He knows when to pinch, and he can exhibit high levels of offensive skill, creativity and vision.

"Jones has a cannon from the point, which can make him a very dangerous player on the power play. He is a big man with a ton of weapons.''

The Lightning would never say it publicly, but given their choice of the top prospects, Jones might very well be at the top of their wish list.

"He can skate for days, so he can play lots of minutes,'' Tampa Bay director of scouting Al Murray said. "He can take the puck and lug it out of his zone end-to-end, he can make plays with a quick pass out of his own zone or hit a guy at the far blue line, run a power play as both a shooter and a playmaker. He needs some work in his own end as far as his defensive

positioning and his commitment defensively, but he is a very skilled player and will be a really good addition to any team.''



Vinny: Life and times of a Lightning legend

Staff Writer


A HISTORY IN QUOTES

"When I got here today, I had butterflies in my stomach. I'm really relieved that everything's over and I got picked No. 1.''

- Vinny Lecavalier after being drafted No.1 overall by the Lightning in 1998

"I don't know what to say - go ask the coach what I did wrong.''

- Lecavalier after being benched by John Tortorella for the final period of a 5-4 loss at Buffalo on Feb.25, 2001

"I will not be the answer to the trivia question: Name the GM who traded Vincent Lecavalier."

- former Lightning GM Jay Feaster in March 2002

"I always say it comes back to that idiot owner (Art Williams) calling him the Michael Jordan of hockey. And then the entourage behind him and he's on magazine covers. It's tough for a kid to understand and handle all this stuff.''

- Tortorella on Lecavalier's struggles in December 2002

"He's fun to watch. It's tremendous to see someone who plays at times like Guy Lafleur or Bobby Orr. People like that are great for the game.''

-Wayne Gretzky after Lecavalier sparked the Lightning to a Game 2 victory against Calgary in the 2004 finals

"Every time I look at it, I can think about how we did it. It's awesome.''

- Lecavalier after the Lightning edged the Flames 2-1 in Game 7 to win the Stanley Cup

"People were wrong. I'm here and I'm not going anyplace.''

- Lecavalier in September 2005

"We're not going to trade Vinny Lecavalier. I'm going to say 'never' so I don't have to deal with it.''

- Lightning GM Brian Lawton on Feb. 23, 2009

"If they deal Vinny, it'll be because of money. There's no other way to spin it.''

- Lightning founder Phil Esposito on June 23, 2009

"There was a lot of consideration and it's not something I enjoy, or we enjoy doing. It's an inevitable part of the business. But we recognize and were concerned that we have a player that was an original draft pick and a very popular player, so that makes it more difficult. Unfortunately, with the new CBA, the salary cap puts us in a position to have to look at that type of thing, to assess that in the long term for the organization."

- Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman on Thursday, after announcing the team would buy out Lecavalier's contract

"Today is a tough day. It's tough to explain, but it really is a tough day for us."

- Lecavalier on Thursday, after learning his tenure in Tampa Bay was over after 14 seasons

THE HIGHS

Lecavalier's first NHL goal came in his eighth pro game as he batted a puck past Garth Snow during a 3-2 victory against Vancouver on Oct. 25, 1998.

In Game 3 of a 2004 second-round playoff series against Montreal, Lecavalier tied the score with 16.5 seconds remaining in regulation by redirecting a puck past Jose Theodore with the blade of his stick between his legs. "I've never practiced that - not even on an outdoor pond,"

Lecavalier said after Tampa Bay won in overtime en route to a four-game sweep of his hometown Canadiens.

Lecavalier dropped the gloves against Calgary's Jarome Iginla at the 6:17 mark of Game 3 of the 2004 Stanley Cup finals. After Lecavalier held his own against one of the league's better fighters, Tortorella was seen applauding behind the Lightning bench. "As far as the fight was concerned, I thought that was good stuff by Vinny," Tortorella said. "If it happened again, I think it would be terrific."

In Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals against Calgary, Lecavalier assisted on Ruslan Fedotenko's winning goal.

Only three months after lifting the Stanley Cup trophy, Lecavalier's goal at 3:45 of overtime lifted Canada past the Czech Republic 4-3 and into the final of the World Cup of Hockey. "Scoring in OT for your country is going to be high on my list during my career," Lecavalier said in September 2004.

On March 30, 2007, Lecavalier became Tampa Bay's first 50-goal scorer as his backhander was deflected by Carolina D David Tanabe past Cam Ward in a 4-2 triumph. "It was obviously really fluky," Lecavalier said. "But it seems like it's always like that, something fluky."

In the 2006-07 season, Lecavalier turned in his most prolific scoring effort. He led the league with 52 goals and had 56 assists and 108 points - all career highs.

On Jan. 21, 2013, Lecavalier played in his 1,000th career game, at the New York Islanders. A few days later, his accomplishment was celebrated with a pregame ceremony in Tampa during which he was presented with the traditional silver stick by the league. "It's definitely a great honor to be a part of this organization for so long, and today to have family and friends and everybody here in Tampa, it's a great honor," Lecavalier said.

Lecavalier's last goal in a Lightning uniform was on April 18 at Montreal with 5:07 left in the third period.

THE LOWS

After ending his preseason holdout and reporting to the Lightning on Oct. 6, 2001, Lecavalier was stripped of his captaincy. "I know this hurts Vinny, but this is being done with his best interest in mind,'' said coach John Tortorella, who replaced Steve Ludzik behind the bench nine months earlier.

In November 2003, Tortorella benched Lecavalier for the final 15:42 of the second period in a 1-1 tie at Boston. "An awful call,'' Lecavalier said. "I'm just going to keep playing hard. If I get benched for it, that's fine.''

Lecavalier suffered a separated shoulder in April 2008 against Washington that required surgery and hampered him during the early stages of the 2008-09 season. He also had surgery that summer on his left wrist.

In April 2009, Lecavalier again had wrist surgery, ending his season.

HONORS AND AWARDS

* Stanley Cup championship in 2004

* Four-time NHL All-Star - 2003, 2007, 2008 (captain), 2009

* 2006-07 Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as NHL's leading goal-scorer with 52

* 2008 King Clancy Memorial Trophy, given annually to the NHL player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community

* 2009 NHL Foundation Player Award, awarded annually by the NHL to the player who applies the core values of hockey - commitment, perseverance and teamwork - to enrich the lives of people in his community.

* On cover of EA Sports' NHL 06 video game.

DIGITS

33 - Points in 45 Stanley Cup playoff games

Minus-117 - Career plus-minus mark

27 - multi-goal games

23 - Average goals per season for first five seasons

22 - Average goals per season for last five seasons

16 - Points in 30 games for Russia's Ak Bars Kazan in 2004-05

4 - Jersey number Lecavalier wears to honor his idol, Canadiens Hall of Fame C Jean Beliveau

IN THE COMMUNITY

In 2005, the Vincent Lecavalier Foundation was launched to support local children's hospitals and charities. Two years later, Lecavalier donated $3 million to All-Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg for a facility to be named the Vincent Lecavalier Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorder Center.

CAREER STATISTICS

GP G A Pts. PIM +/- PP SH GW

1998-99 82 13 15 28 -19 23 2 0 2

1999-00 80 25 42 67 -25 43 6 0 3

2000-01 68 23 28 51 -26 66 7 0 3

2001-02 76 20 17 37 -18 61 5 0 3

2002-03 80 33 45 78 0 39 11 2 3

2003-04 81 32 34 66 23 52 5 2 6

2005-06 80 35 40 75 0 90 13 2 7

2006-07 82 52 56 108 2 44 16 5 7

2007-08 81 40 52 92 -17 89 10 1 7

2008-09 77 29 38 67 -9 54 10 1 6

2009-10 82 24 46 70 -16 63 5 0 3

2010-11 65 25 29 54 -5 43 12 0 5

2011-12 64 22 27 49 -2 50 5 0 5

2012-13 39 10 22 32 -5 29 5 0 0

Totals 1,037 383 491 874 -117 746 112 13 60

PLAYOFF STATISTICS

GP G A Pts. PIM +/- PP SH GW

2002-03 11 3 3 6 -2 22 1 0 1

2003-04 23 9 7 16 -2 25 2 0 0

2005-06 5 1 3 4 0 7 1 0 0

2006-07 6 5 2 7 4 10 1 0 1

2010-11 18 6 13 19 6 16 3 0 3

Totals 63 24 28 52 6 80 8 0 5



Vinny Lecavalier touches Tampa Bay in lasting way

Tom Jones, Times Sports Columnist

Thursday, June 27, 2013 6:47pm

The nightmare began a little after 3 in the morning on Dec. 10, 2010. That's when Bob and Jill Dewhurst of Brandon learned their son, Will, had leukemia.

Will was only 3 at the time, too young to realize the grueling road that lay ahead but old enough to sense something was upsetting Mommy and Daddy. The Dewhursts spent the rest of that horrible night inside a room at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg sobbing and wondering how their world would ever be the same.

A few hours later, Vinny Lecavalier walked into the room. And into their lives.

"Will didn't know who he was,'' Jill said, "but here's this big man leaning over to put his arm around little Will, and Will immediately could tell he had a new friend. He got the biggest smile. And he suddenly forgot how upsetting everything was around him. That's how Vinny makes all these kids feel. Vinny is a blessing.''

That's what makes this all so hard. Thursday, you see, was an awful day in Tampa Bay. We lost our blessing. We lost Vincent Lecavalier.

The Tampa Bay Lightning bought out his contract, making him a free agent. Lecavalier is no longer a member of the Lightning.

Many of us will remember him as a mere 18-year-old, putting on a Tampa Bay sweater while a crazy kook of an owner called him the Michael Jordan of hockey. We can still see him hoisting the Stanley Cup over his head in 2004. We close our eyes and see him jumping into the boards, celebrating with fans after another spectacular goal. We'll always see that sweater with the No. 4 on the back and the big C, for captain, on the front.

But here are the Images we should remember, the Images we need to remember:

Lecavalier wearing a hospital gown with a mask and gloves while cradling the head of a baby ravaged with cancer. The somber moments comforting the parents of children stricken by that terrible disease. We should picture all the times he shaved his head or spoke at functions or used his only day off in weeks to raise money and awareness in the fight against pediatric cancer.

As a hockey player, Lecavalier was pretty good. Maybe not as good as he should have been for as long as he should have been, but pretty darn good.

But it's not his nifty goals or slick passes or even the occasional good ol' fashioned hockey fight we will miss most. It's everything else Lecavalier did.

He came here as a teenager in 1998, a gangly French-speaking kid from Ile Bizard, Quebec, just outside of Montreal. He was supposed to save a franchise. He now leaves as a grown man of 33, a father himself, doing everything he can to save a community, one sick child at a time.

Tampa Bay has had its share of admirable citizens who just happened to play sports for a living. But you could argue no athlete had more of an impact on Tampa Bay than Lecavalier. For proof, go to the seventh floor of All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg.

That's where you will find the Vincent Lecavalier Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. Will Dewhurst, now 6 and going through what his parents hope is the final year of chemotherapy, calls it "Vinny's Floor.'' How fitting.

Lecavalier has already raised millions and pledged to raise more, a promise he plans to keep no matter where his locker is next season.

"This city, this community accepted me, and I felt I should pay them back. I owed it to them,'' Lecavalier said Thursday, just hours after his contract was bought out. "I didn't know what. I didn't know how. But I knew I needed to do something. And then I learned more about kids with cancer, and I knew I needed to do something.''

When asked if he is more proud that his name is on the Stanley Cup or on the wall of a hospital floor, Lecavalier passes.

"It's not about having a name on a wall or having people say good things about you,'' Lecavalier said. "That's not why I do it. I do it because it needs to be done and because I can. It's about those kids; seeing what they go through, seeing how hard they fight. That's what it's about. It's not about me.''

For example, Jill Dewhurst says when Lecavalier found out Will loved golf, he dropped by to take Will golfing.

"No one knows about that,'' Jill said. "It was just two buddies going golfing. A lot of athletes have charities, but for Vinny, it's a commitment. This isn't just a charity. It's a part of his life.''

Heck, most kids over on Vinny's Floor don't even really know who Lecavalier is.

"A lot of them come up to me and say, 'Hey, you're the guy whose picture is on the wall over there,' " Lecavalier said with a laugh.

Even the Lightning realized how difficult it was to let go of a player who has meant so much to Tampa Bay.

"His contributions to the community are immeasurable," Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman said.

Yzerman found it necessary to send a letter to season-ticket holders explaining the decision. In it, Yzerman told fans Lecavalier will be honored as a Lightning Community Hero at his first game back in the Tampa Bay Times Forum with his new team, whoever and whenever that might be.

Was it the right move to part ways with the most recognizable player in franchise history? Probably. Lecavalier's contract had become too hefty and took up too much salary cap space. His productivity no longer equaled his salary. If the Lightning didn't make the move now, it would have a year from now.

In the end, there's no bad guy here. The Lightning was smart to sign him to the big contract when it did and smart to get out from under it now. Thursday was strictly business. Lecavalier handled the news with class, as you knew he would.

But it doesn't make it any easier.

"It's a hard thing,'' Lecavalier said. "Tampa Bay is like home to me.''

It's still hard to swallow. It's still hard to believe. Lecavalier is no longer a member of the Lightning.

But he will always be a part of Tampa Bay.

•"This is something we need to do," says general manager Steve Yzerrman. 1C

• Vinny Lecavalier's top five moments with the Lightning. 6C

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.28.2013


Lightning plans Lecavalier buyout

Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer

Thursday, June 27, 2013 9:28am

It was about 8:30 Thursday morning, and Lightning captain Vinny Lecavalier had just sat down with his family in their Montreal home to a breakfast of eggs and fruit.

Then his phone rang. It was general manager Steve Yzerrman, and Lecavalier pretty much lost his appetite.

Tampa Bay is buying out the final seven years of your contract, Yzerman told the player.

"Just the feeling inside," Lecavalier said of his reaction. "When you get that phone call and you're told you're not playing for the Lightning, it was pretty rough on everybody."

The move was not unexpected. With $45 million remaining on his contract and an annual $7.727 million salary cap hit, Lecavalier's deal was a much talked-about liability for a team needing cap relief. But that didn't make the buyout any less dramatic.

For one thing, the announcement came 15 years to the day in 1998 on which Tampa Bay drafted Lecavalier No. 1 overall. For another, Yzerman admitted the team, which has missed the playoffs the past two seasons, could be worse in the short term as it tries to overcome the loss of a productive No. 2 center.

"Ideally, we have the solution, we have a replacement. We don't have that player today," Yzerman said. "But if we're going to be serious about change, this is something we had to look at doing."

But change can be difficult.

Lecavalier, 33, is a Tampa Bay icon. He holds franchise records with 1,037 games, 383 goals, 60 winners and 112 on the power play. He was Tampa Bay's first 50-goal scorer.

His Game 3 fight with Jarome Iginla during the 2004 Stanley Cup final still is celebrated as is the $3 million commitment he made in 2007 through his charitable foundation to help establish the Vincent Lecavalier Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg.

That said, Tampa Bay had more than $60 million in salary cap commitments for next season and as many as five roster spots to fill. With the salary cap plunging to $64.3 million from last season's $70.2 million, Yzerman was desperate to create space.

He also wanted to be free of Lecavalier's 11-year, $85 million front-loaded deal that was fashioned by the team's previous ownership and management groups and would cost Tampa Bay significant salary cap penalties if the center retired before its 2020 expiration.

That is why Lecavalier said he understands Tampa Bay's use of one of the two compliance buyouts that are available to all teams under the new collective bargaining agreement and do not count against the salary cap.

"I'm not angry," Lecavalier said. "I understand the business side of it, how things change in the new CBA that can make teams have to make decisions."

He gets a nice payoff, too, $32.667 million, which is two-thirds of the $37 million in salary left on his contract ($24.667 million), plus $8 million he still is owed in signing bonuses.

That's a lot of money to pay someone not to play.

In addition, he becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 5, free to sign with any team except the Lightning.

"We don't make these decisions lightly," Yzerman said. "This is something we need to do in light of what we're trying to do with our players, future contracts, our ability to improve the club and get to where we need to go."

It might not be a quick process, despite the $54 million in cap space Lecavalier's buyout created over the next seven years. Even with about $10.1 million in cap space for next season, according to capgeek.com, Yzerman said there is no guarantee the team will improve, especially if can't adequately find a No. 2 center.

Yzerman said all search options are open — trades, free agency and drafting a center on Sunday — and speculation already started the Lightning might be interested in Brad Richards, if he is bought out by the Rangers, and potential free agent centers Tyler Bozak (Toronto) and Valterri Filppula (Detroit).

One thing Yzerman said he will not do this summer is use his second compliance buyout, which some expected might be used on left wing Ryan Malone.

"We'll see what happens next year," Yzerman said, "but for this year there's no plan of using that."

All of which leads to the question of why buy out Lecavalier this year, especially with compliance buyouts also available after next season and with Lecavalier, who had 10 goals, 32 points in 39 games and won 54.4 percent of his faceoffs, still a productive player?

In short, Tampa Bay did not want to risk a Lecavalier injury that would prevent it from executing a buyout.

"We feel it was inevitable moving forward," Yzerman said of buying out Lecavalier. "If we're going to take a step backwards, let's take a step backwards today, and now we can start the process of going forward and continue reorganizing and rebuilding this team."

As for selling the fans on a team that might be facing another difficult season, Yzerman said, "We finished 28th (in the league last season). We just can't continue going along with the same core. We don't have cap space to do anything to really improve the team. We had two choices, really. Create some space and give ourselves the flexibility to look at other options or just sit tight and just keep going along as we are."

"This is a huge financial commitment on his part," Yzerman said of owner Jeff Vinik. "I appreciate his willingness to agree to take this course of action."

Losing Lecavalier as a teammate is "definitely a weird feeling," said Marty St. Louis, who is the last remaining Lightning player from the 2004 Stanley Cup team. "It's just going to be weird picturing Vinny on another team."

Added Nate Thompson, who sat next to Lecavalier in the Tampa Bay Times Forum locker room: "To look to my right and not see Vinny Lecavalier it will be pretty strange. Just his presence in the locker room, on the ice, it's going to be an adjustment. Whoever gets him, they're going to get a great hockey player and even better guy."

Where will Lecavalier end up? It's too early to tell, though he said he is looking for a long-term deal, which would make an eventual return to Tampa Bay difficult.

"We're going to sit down and have conversations and start looking through the various teams, depth charts, possible needs, fits," said Kent Hughes, Lecavalier's agent. "He's got a young family. He has to go through what's first, hockey-wise, lifestyle-wise, and everything else and make a decision."

"Even the thought of wearing a different kind of jersey is weird in my head," Lecavalier said.

But the transition, aided Thursday by conversations with St. Louis, Lightning defenseman Eric Brewer and friend and former Canadiens player Patrice Brisebois, has started.

"You have to take the positives," Lecavalier said they told him. "You have no choice. You get to be in a different city. You get to experience more."

"I'm so motivated to go somewhere else and prove I can play at a high level," he added. "I believe in myself and what I bring to a team. I want to win."



5 Vinny Lecavalier memories

Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer

Thursday, June 27, 2013 2:58pm

June 27, 1998 Savior Selected

The Lightning was the worst team in hockey and seeking a savior when it chose Lecavalier with the top pick in the 1998 draft. In doing so, it made the 18-year-old (with scout Don Murdock, left) the face of the franchise, and two years later, the captain. "He's going to be a Hall of Famer," then-owner Art Williams (right) said on draft day. "He's going to lead us to Stanley Cups. There's no doubt that in three or four years, he's going to be the world's greatest hockey player. He's going to be the Michael Jordan of hockey."

April 27, 2004 Magic in Montreal

Lecavalier always has had creativity and flair, and it looked like he waved a magic wand on the tying goal in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinal vs. Montreal. Dave Andreychuk sent a pass toward the crease. Lecavalier, tied up in front, appeared as if he had no chance to get a shot off. But he stuck his stick between his legs and deflected the puck past Jose Theodore with 16.5 seconds left to make it 3-3. Brad Richards scored 1:05 into OT, and the Lightning went on to sweep the series.

May 29, 2004 Fighting with the stars

One of the most indelible Images of Lecavalier's career is fighting Jarome Iginla during Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final against the Flames. Jaws dropped in Calgary as arguably the two best players on the ice dropped their gloves just more than six minutes in. Lecavalier got in a couple of good shots before Iginla rallied. But the message was sent: The Lightning wasn't going to get pushed around. Tampa Bay lost the game 3-0 but won the series in seven and its only Cup. "Our bench definitely rose up when Vinny did that," Dave Andreychuk said after the game. "Vinny has taken charge in a lot of games for us, and he's made the players around him better. That's what he did tonight."

June 7, 2004 Clinching the Cup

With a chance to win the Stanley Cup in front of a home crowd, Lecavalier (below right with Martin Cibak) helped seal the deal with a highlight-reel assist in Game 7. The Lightning was clinging to a 1-0 lead six minutes into the second period when Lecavalier took a pass down low, made a spin move around a defender and, before getting dropped to the ice, sent a pass through two Flames to Ruslan Fedotenko at the top of the left circle. Fedotenko's wrist shot went in, setting the stage for the highlight of Lecavalier's career, carrying the Cup around the ice. "It was the best part of the night," he said.

June 3, 2007 Rocket Man

Lecavalier has scored more goals than any player in team history, 383 over 14 seasons. His best season was 2006-07, when he scored a career-high 52 (his 56 assists gave him 108 points, third in the league). He won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the league's top goal-scorer and received the award before Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final from Richard's brother and fellow Canadiens legend Henri. Said Lecavalier: "It's a great honor to be up here."



Lightning will use compliance buyout on Vinny Lecavalier

Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer

Thursday, June 27, 2013 9:25am

The Lightning will use it's compliance buyout on captain Vinny Lecavalier, ending a relationship with the player who has been an iconic community figure since he was the No. 1 overall pick of the 1998 draft.

The buyout price is $32.667 million over 14 years, or $1.76 million per year. That breaks down to two-thirds of the $37 million Lecavalier is owed on the final seven years of his contract ($24.667 million) plus the $8 million he still has remaining in signing bonuses.

Lecavalier becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 5, free to sign with any team. He does not have to clear unconditional waivers because he has a no-move clause in his contract.

"Listen, we're going to sit down and have conversations and start looking through various teams with possible needs, fits," Lecavalier's agent Kent Hughes said. "He's got a young family. He's got to go through hockey-wise what fits and family-wise and make a decision."

The Lightning is not only losing a player, but part of its history.

Lecavalier leads the franchise with 1.037 games, 383 goals and 60 winners. He was the franchise's first 50-goal scorer and was one of the stars of the 2003-04 Stanley Cup run. His fight with Calgary's Jarome Iginla in Game 3 was a flashpoint of the final series which ended with a 2-1 Game 7 win in which Lecavalier assisted on both of Ruslan Fedotenko's goals. And it would be tough to forget his between-the-legs goal against the Canadiens in the East semifinals.

Lecavalier in 2007, though his charitable foundation, also donated $3 million to help establish the Vincent Lecavalier Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg.

He has always said he wanted to play his entire career with the Lightning.

On the ice, the move is a two-edged sword for the team.

On the plus side for the Lightning, it is out from under Lecavalier's 11-year, $85 million deal, which had seven years and $45 million remaining and carried a $7.727 million salary cap hit. That was an enormous burden for a team that had more than $60 million in cap commitments for 2013-14 and up to five roster spots to fill.

The move also relieves Tampa Bay of potential substantial penalties under the new collective bargaining agreement's salary cap recapture rules that would have hit the team if Lecavalier retired before the end of his contract. The Lightning is in that position because Lecavalier's salaries in eight of the 11 years of his contract were more than his salary cap hit. That advantage would be punished if Lecavalier did not fulfill his deal.

The negative is the Lightning now has a huge hole in its lineup. Lecavalier, 33, is still almost a point-a-game player. He won 55 percent of his faceoff last season and he plays against some of the bigger opposing bodies, which creates space for his linemates.

General manager Steve Yzerman said he does not have a way, as yet, a way to fill that spot. In fact, Yzerman admittedd the team, in the short term, may be worse on the ice because of the move.

"That's a possibility," Yzerman said, and added, "If we're going to take a step backwards, let's take a step backwards today and start the process of going forward and continue reorganizaing and rebuilding this team and go from there."

How will he do that?

"We'll look at free agency. We'll look at the draft," Yzerman said. "We'll look at trades. We'll look at the potential free agent market."

Still, Yzerman admitted, "I do not have a solution for anyone today."

And he does not have plans this summer, he said, to use the second compliance buyout available to all teams.

Some potential solutions are former Lightning center Brad Richards, who might be bought out by the Rangers, and potential unrestricted free agent centers Tyler Bozak and Valtteri Filppula.

Whatever happens going forward, Lightning center Nate Thompson said it will be odd not seeing Lecavalier in the locker room.

"Absolutely," he said. "To look to my right and not see Vinny Lecavalier there, it will be strange. Just his presence in the locker room, on the ice, it's going to be an adjustment. Whoever does get him, they're going to get a great hockey player and an even better guy."

Here's the announcement from the team about Lecavalier's buyout:

The Tampa Bay Lightning will use a compliance buy-out, as allowed by the NHL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, on center Vincent Lecavalier, vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman announced today. Lecavalier becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 5, eligible to sign with any team in the NHL, except Tampa Bay. The Lightning will pay Lecavalier two-thirds of the value of his existing contract over twice the term of the deal.

"Vinny has been a significant reason for many of our past successes, including the 2004 Stanley Cup, and his contributions to the community are immeasurable,” said Yzerman upon announcing the buyout. “The Lightning organization is indebted to Vinny; we thank him for all he has done here and we wish him well as he moves forward.

“After much internal deliberation, we believe this will prove to be a pivotal move for us as we strive to achieve our long term goal of competing at the highest level, year-in, year-out. The economics and structure of the CBA are necessitating this decision and we at the Lightning are excited at the newly created opportunities this presents to us.”

Lecavalier was a first overall selection by the Lightning in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. He is the Tampa Bay’s all-time leader for games played with 1,037, goals with 383, power play goals with 112 and game-winning goals with 60. Lecavalier played 14 seasons in Tampa Bay, posting 12 consecutive seasons with 20 goals or more, four NHL All-Star appearances and a Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy as the league’s leading goal-scorer (52 in 2006-07). He served as an alternate captain in 2004 when the Lightning won the franchise’s first and only Stanley Cup. The NHL also recognized Lecavalier for his community contributions with the King Clancy Memorial Trophy and the NHL Foundation Player Award in 2008. He formed the Vinny Lecavalier Foundation in 2003, eventually opening the Vincent Lecavalier Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorder Center at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg in 2010.


682769 Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs: Possible Toronto deal for Letang, Lecavalier?

By: Curtis Rush News reporter, Published on Thu Jun 27 2013

Wouldn’t Vinny Lecavalier and Kris Letang both look good in a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey?

Leaf fans can only drool at this prospect, but it might not be all that far-fetched.

The Lightning has bought out the rest of Lecavalier’s contract, and in Pittsburgh there is talk Letang, a Norris Trophy finalist, wants out and would like to come to Toronto.

Sources told Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reporter Rob Rossi that Toronto has emerged as a potential destination if Letang can’t work out a long-term deal with the Penguins.

Letang, 26, is said to be disgruntled because some members of management rate Paul Martin ahead of him on the Pittsburgh blue line.

Penguins GM Ray Shero has not ruled out trading Letang, who is in the last year of his contract and is trying to work out an extension, according to Rossi.

Letang has not asked for a trade, but with the entry draft coming up on Sunday, trade talk could heat up.

Letang’s agent, Kent Hughes, said he and Shero are “still talking” about a new deal for the high-scoring defenceman: 38 points, tied with P.K. Subban for the league lead, despite missing 13 games.

The price to acquire Letang would be steep: a roster player, first-round pick and top prospect, or two roster players, according to Rossi.

Meanwhile, the Lightning are buying out the rest of Lecavalier’s 11-year, $85-million contract. He becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 5.

Lecavalier had $45 million left on the deal and will be paid two-thirds of that over the next 14 years. The Lightning will get relief from the centre's $7.727-million salary cap hit.

Lightning GM Steve Yzerman issued a statement in which he thanked Lecavalier for “all he has done here.”

Economics were behind the decision to buy out Lecavalier, 33, who had 10 goals and 32 assists in 39 games last season.

“When you get the phone call and you're told you can't play for the Lightning, it was pretty rough on everybody,” Lecavalier said on a conference call. “My family, and myself, I've been there 14 years so it was definitely — and still is — very hard.”

He has 383 goals and 491 assists in 1,037 NHL games, all with the Bolts.

“I think the new CBA puts the team in a tough spot and that's why it's understandable,” Lecavalier said. “It was their decision and I have to respect that.”

Montreal fans are pushing hard for the Canadiens, who have not had a French-Canadian star in many years and want to get bigger up front, to sign Lecavalier. With 20 players signed and $9 million in salary cap space open, they should be able to afford him.

On his blog, Mathieu Darche, a former Canadien and Lightning player, urged Habs GM Marc Bergevin to sign him.

Toronto Star LOADED: 06.28.2013

682770 Toronto Maple Leafs

Could Letang now be Leafs-bound?

By Lance Hornby ,Toronto Sun

First posted: Thursday, June 27, 2013 11:34 PM EDT | Updated: Thursday, June 27, 2013 11:41 PM EDT

Kris Letang got a substantial offer from the Pittsburgh Penguins last night, then promptly turned it down, refuelling rumours the star D-man could be headed Toronto’s way. (Jocelyn Mallette, QMI Agency)

Kris Letang apparently has expensive tastes, which only a club such as the Maple Leafs might ultimately be able to indulge.

In a dizzying day of negotiating that followed Wednesday’s report linking Letang and the Leafs, the Pittsburgh Penguins stretched their budget to offer around $56 million over eight years to the young Norris Trophy nominee. But Letang’s agent, Kent Hughes, said no, and multiple reports late Thursday said his counter offer to add $500,000 to the annual $7 million proposed by the Pens was also rejected.

The Pittsburgh Tribune Review said talks would continue as teams gather in New Jersey for Sunday’s NHL draft. At the draft in Pittsburgh a year ago, Jordan Staal turned down an offer from Pens’ general manager Ray Shero and was traded to Carolina.

Either of Thursday’s deals would double Letang’s stipend of $3.5 million for this coming year, a raise that only a few other teams, such as Toronto, could afford under the shrinking cap.

The Pens insisted Thursday morning they hadn’t approached the Leafs and Toronto GM Dave Nonis was caught off-guard by Wednesday’s Tribune report that Letang’s camp saw the Leafs as a potential landing spot. It created massive speculation the Leafs would have to deal defenceman Jake Gardiner and move Dion Phaneuf’s salary by trade or buyout.

Like many of his peers, Nonis is amazed by the number of big-name players suddenly available or on the verge of being moved. But as he cautioned earlier this week, spreading around too much money in pursuit of quick fixes is how many teams got in cap trouble in the first place.

The Leafs will be paying at least one compliance buyout in the next few days to Mike Komisarek. They aren’t in bad shape to get under the lowered cap of $64.3 million this year and have only five players under contract in 2014-15, when the ceiling could rise and they wipe $1-million buyouts for Darcy Tucker and Colby Armstrong off the books.

Nonis has a few projects going this weekend, the draft, trade talk, in-house free agents such as Tyler Bozak, a new contract for Jonathan Bernier and perhaps announcing a new Marlie farm coach.

SCOUT’S HONOR

From the moment Gary Bettman recites “the 21st pick in the NHL draft belongs to the Toronto Maple Leafs”, to announcing the newest blue and white saviour, about a minute will elapse.

But that short span does no justice to the days, weeks and months of tracking that went into the decision and all the arguments behind closed doors. On a team trying to foster a feisty identity, it’s often the amateur scouts who get most worked-up, defending their favourite picks, their region and their horse sense against their peers.

“You have to be passionate in our business,” said Dave Morrison, the Leafs’ long-time director of amateur scouting, as he readies his staff for Sunday.

“Usually, our heated arguments have happened already, though we had another big meeting planned (Thursday). I’m not opposed to them having a heated discussion. It’s a funny dynamic. It can get pretty loud and people get up and leave. But they take a walk outside, come back in and it’s like it never happened. We always find a solution.”

FEELING A DRAFT

Anticipation is building whether the Leafs will trade up in the draft as they did in 2008 (Luke Schenn) and 2011 (Tyler Biggs) or stay at 21st in what’s considered a banner year for depth.

Choosing amid the bottom 10 as opposed to taking Morgan Rielly fifth overall last year means prospects will have to be vetted all that more by the scouts and Leafs brass in case they drop in the order.

“The further down you go to where we are, there’s a range of possibilities,” Morrison said. “At 21, we’ll get a good player ,but it will likely take longer for him to make the NHL. We’ll just have to be patient with his development.”

Mock drafts, such the Sun’s, have scrappy left winger Kerby Rychel under strong consideration, though more than one projection has rangy 6-foot-5 Rimouski centre Frederik Gauthier fitting Leafs needs under the Nonis-Randy Carlyle definition. Rychel can also score — 40 goals back-to-back with Windsor — while Gauthier (60 points in 62 games) could satisfy the craving for more size in the middle.

“Everyone always talks about taking the best player available,” said TSN analyst Craig Button. “In this draft, there are lots of different types of best player available.”

START THE PARTY

The Leafs are planning several major celebrations around their 100th anniversary, but they wouldn’t mind a head-start.

The date of the first game by the Toronto Arenas of the newly formed NHL was Dec. 19, 1917, but Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment will angle to host some NHL events starting in 2016-17. Having already landed the preliminary round of the 2017 world junior tournament, they will likely request the all-star game as early as the winter of ’16-17 and the draft somewhere in the ’16-18 window. Montreal was the site of the latter two events in its centennial year of 2008-09.

“The league is aware we have special year coming up,” said Tom Anselmi, president of MLSE. “But we haven’t (officially bid) on anything, yet.”

LOOSE LEAFS

Bernier says the frustration of backing up Jonathan Quick was getting to him by his last season with the Kings. “I was pretty miserable in L.A.,” Bernier told 590 the Fan on Thursday. “It was really hard. I play hockey to play games, not only practise.” ... While the Leafs are holding off decisions on UFAs such as Bozak and Clarke MacArthur, they are also mum on the fate of unsigned Marlies such as veteran centre Mike Zigomanis and goalies Jussi Rynnas and Mark Owuya. The netminders are not likely returning with Drew MacIntyre and rookie Garret Sparks apparently set for this year.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 06.28.2013

682771 Vancouver Canucks

Arniel won’t coach Utica Comets, pursuing NHL assistant job

June 27, 2013. 4:27 pm

Elliott Pap

The Canucks finally settled on a head coach for the big club this week and now they’ll need to find one for their new American Hockey league farm team, the Utica Comets. Scott Arniel, who was under contract for two more seasons, said Thursday he won’t be heading to Utica and will instead sign with an NHL club as an assistant coach.

Arniel is in the running to join the staff of new Canuck head coach John Tortorella. Other possibilities are the New York Rangers and Dallas Stars where Arniel has ties to the new bench bosses there, Alain Vigneault and Lindy Ruff. There is believed to be a fourth team in the running as well.

“I’m not going to go to Utica,” Arniel said. “I talked to Mike Gillis and Laurence Gilman and Lorne Henning and told them I am going to pursue an assistant job in the National Hockey League. I still want to be a head coach again in the NHL and I think this is the way to go.”

Arniel, 50, has had one stint as an NHL head coach in Columbus but lasted only one and a half seasons with the Blue Jackets before receiving the boot. Prior to Columbus, he coached the Canucks’ AHL affiliate in Winnipeg, the Manitoba Moose, for four seasons. He was rehired by the Canucks to coach the Chicago Wolves in 2012-13.

“Last year I kind of knew I wanted to get back into coaching and it was a good fit to take the Chicago job, even though I had some opportunities to be an assistant in the NHL,” Arniel explained. “I am going to go to the draft this weekend to gather more information about the teams and players and to find out about roles. I think I will have to make a decision fairly shortly.”

Earlier this week, Canuck GM Gillis confirmed he has agreed to let other organizations talk to Arniel about their assistant positions. “We’re extremely hopeful to keep Scott but when teams ask for permission, you’re pretty obligated to guys who have worked for you, and are loyal to you, to allow them to speak to other teams,” Gillis said.

Arniel played two seasons in Buffalo while Tortorella was an assistant coach there. Arniel also served as an assistant coach in Buffalo for three seasons under Ruff and, of course, worked closely with Vigneault while the latter was Canuck head coach and he was nurturing the farmhands in Manitoba and Chicago.

Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 06.28.2013


Arniel won’t coach Utica Comets, pursuing NHL assistant job

June 27, 2013. 4:27 pm

Elliott Pap

The Canucks finally settled on a head coach for the big club this week and now they’ll need to find one for their new American Hockey league farm team, the Utica Comets. Scott Arniel, who was under contract for two more seasons, said Thursday he won’t be heading to Utica and will instead sign with an NHL club as an assistant coach.

Arniel is in the running to join the staff of new Canuck head coach John Tortorella. Other possibilities are the New York Rangers and Dallas Stars where Arniel has ties to the new bench bosses there, Alain Vigneault and Lindy Ruff. There is believed to be a fourth team in the running as well.

“I’m not going to go to Utica,” Arniel said. “I talked to Mike Gillis and Laurence Gilman and Lorne Henning and told them I am going to pursue an assistant job in the National Hockey League. I still want to be a head coach again in the NHL and I think this is the way to go.”

Arniel, 50, has had one stint as an NHL head coach in Columbus but lasted only one and a half seasons with the Blue Jackets before receiving the boot. Prior to Columbus, he coached the Canucks’ AHL affiliate in Winnipeg, the Manitoba Moose, for four seasons. He was rehired by the Canucks to coach the Chicago Wolves in 2012-13.

“Last year I kind of knew I wanted to get back into coaching and it was a good fit to take the Chicago job, even though I had some opportunities to be an assistant in the NHL,” Arniel explained. “I am going to go to the draft this weekend to gather more information about the teams and players and to find out about roles. I think I will have to make a decision fairly shortly.”

Earlier this week, Canuck GM Gillis confirmed he has agreed to let other organizations talk to Arniel about their assistant positions. “We’re extremely hopeful to keep Scott but when teams ask for permission, you’re pretty obligated to guys who have worked for you, and are loyal to you, to allow them to speak to other teams,” Gillis said.

Arniel played two seasons in Buffalo while Tortorella was an assistant coach there. Arniel also served as an assistant coach in Buffalo for three seasons under Ruff and, of course, worked closely with Vigneault while the latter was Canuck head coach and he was nurturing the farmhands in Manitoba and Chicago.

Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 06.28.2013


Gallagher: Advice to NHL draft watchers ... 'make sure the bullbleep filter is cranked to the max'

By Tony Gallagher, The Province June 27, 2013 6:06 PM

Gallagher: Advice to NHL draft watchers ... 'make sure the bullbleep filter is cranked to the max'

Vancouver’s new head coach John Tortorella certainly injected a little reason into this Sunday’s NHL entry draft in New Jersey when he noted at his local presser on Wednesday that the draft was a day for scouts and that he wouldn’t be attending.

"That is the scouts’ day, they do a lot of work and I think coaches get in the way," said Tortorella. "We don’t know who they (drafted players) are. I will not (attend) because it’s a very important day for those people who work very hard."

It’s almost a pity that more people don’t heed this advice, because when it comes to NHL draft day there are maybe 60-90 people in the whole building who have even the slightest idea who the players are that are being selected and they’re the scouts.

And if you ask any general manager in the league, there’s considerable skepticism about what even those scouts know with respect to how these potential draftees will do in an NHL environment.

And yes, the rest of those suits hanging around are pretty much in the way other than the GMs and their closest counsels using the event as a catalyst for possible trade moves, which is one of the chief reasons our Ben Kuzma will be there.

Other than simply presenting who was drafted by which team, much of what the media will do or say at the event will create a sea of baffling information which history will almost certainly prove is a mountain of horse manure.

Your agent has considerable experience at shoveling some of it himself, having attended many of these turnouts in the past. One shudders to think about what one might have written about Jason Herter, Libor Polasek or Dan Woodley on the days they were taken by the Canucks in the first round, but you can be sure it won’t be going in any old fashion scrap book other than perhaps one being kept by the mother of the named players.

Draft day coverage presents so much misinformation and bad speculation about players it’s actually sad. It’s done because people watch or read or listen and therefore the respective outlets feed their patrons’ appetite.

But the only coverage that really makes sense with respect to a draft are those programs or stories that look back in time, particularly at those drafts which had a tremendous impact on the league or the game or brought a pack of stars into the league. Only then can accuracy be part of the equation instead of wild predictions, most of which turn out to be complete drivel.

Many people speak of draft day as one of hope for teams and a wellspring of optimism for the years to come for fans of teams on the down and out. Well, that’s what is being sold by the NHL and every other pro sports league that holds such an event and in some cases that’s true, particularly if you get Roberto Luongo in a trade as the Canucks did back in ‘06 or you draft a known superstar quantity like Sidney Crosby. But in so many cases the optimism being sold is nothing but illusion when the player taken turns out of be Alexandre Daigle, Joe Murphy or Gord Kluzak.

How many years now have the Edmonton Oilers been at or near the very top of the order of selection? Each one of those new stars was supposed to lead the team out of the sewer and on the way to the promised land the way Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook have done for the Blackhawks. But so far progress has been somewhat muted. At this point, you would have to think that they’ve drafted so high so often that even if Maggie the Monkey was running this team they’d be good eventually, but so far that hasn’t happened.

The Canucks have never had a first pick overall but they had some very good positions over the years and still managed to finish under .500 for 15 consecutive seasons. How much hope being sold to Vancouver fans over those years has turned out to be camel dung?

To quote the New York Islanders’ first round pick of ‘93: "The draft is what it is. Read, watch and listen to whatever you like but make sure the bullbleep filter is cranked to the max when consuming this piffle."

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.28.2013


Kuzma: How do you trade an albatross?

By Ben Kuzma, The Province June 27, 2013 6:06 PM

NEW YORK — Mike Gillis made his mark in hockey as a high draft pick, a high-profile agent and now as general manager of the highly scrutinized Vancouver Canucks. And because the agent in Gillis is naturally wired to wait and gain maximum return on a prime asset, the Canucks find themselves in the same position they were a year ago at the NHL draft — trying to trade Roberto Luongo.

Even though the Philadelphia Flyers have bought out the mercurial Ilya Bryzgalov — the whopping $23 million US is two-thirds of the remaining contract and will be paid out over 14 years — general manager Paul Holmgren said Luongo is not a viable option for the Flyers. The nine years and $40.5 million remaining on his 12-year contract that pays $6.7 million the next five seasons and has a salary cap hit of $5.3 million, is like an albatross around the goalie’s neck. Luongo’s post-trade-deadline frustration summation said it best because the contract ceiling in the new collective bargaining agreement is eight years.

“My contract sucks,” Luongo said immediately after the trade deadline. “I’d scrap it if I could.”

Nearly three months later, moving Luongo isn’t easier and is overshadowing the 2013 draft on Sunday in Newark, N.J.

A trade is preferable to going the wavier route or a buyout — imagine how owner Francesco Aquilini would react to writing that massive cheque and getting nothing in return? — but buying out Keith Ballard is going to be more palatable for a club already at the $64.3-million cap ceiling for next season. It’s why Gillis is singing a familiar refrain about eventually dealing Luongo.

“I remain optimistic,” he said. “We’ve been talking to teams, like we have for a long time. At the draft, I’m not sure what’s going to happen but we will continue to have discussions with a group of teams and we’ll see how it works out. In this business, you have to be absolutely firm in what you want to do. And that’s what we’ve done.

“There are a lot of moving parts in a Roberto Luongo deal which lots of people want to ignore. He does have a no-trade clause and a contract perfectly legal and ratified by the league at the time. We have to be patient enough to sort through it.”

What the Canucks would like to do is get a third-line centre.

What they may have to settle for are picks and even taking money back. Then again, the New York Islanders are expected to let Evgeni Nabokov flee to unrestricted free agency and Luongo returning to a team that drafted him has been broached in theory and could work under the right circumstances.

The Islanders could get the bona fide starter in exchange for the Canucks acquiring Rick DiPietro’s massive contract and then buying it out — if the Islanders also send at least a roster player their way. Buying out DiPietro’s at $1.5 million over 16 years and Ballard at $2.6 million over two years may be tough for the owner to swallow. The compliance buyout window closes July 4.

The Toronto Maple Leafs looked like a suitable Luongo suitor, but they were dangling Luke Schenn a year ago while the Florida Panthers didn’t want to surrender a prospect like centre Nick Bjugstad in a package.

At the 2013 trade deadline, the Canucks and Leafs talked up until the last minute but the deal changed with every call from Gillis. It went from a prospect to a player to draft picks and as the minutes ticked down, the Canucks asked for two second-round picks and backup goalie Ben Scrivens in exchange for Luongo. The Leafs said forget about it.

Critics say Gillis should have acted before this shortened season to dump the contract, fill a third-line hole and not create a crease conundrum with Cory Schneider. But if patience is indeed a virtue, then Gillis has to hope that the Washington Capitals and the Panthers are also taking a harder look at their goaltending. Getting something tangible in return as opposed to taking a deadline chance on Derek Roy — and giving up a 2013 second-

round pick and Kevin Connauton in the process — is obviously preferable. This is a deep draft and Roy was a miss with just six points in a dozen games and one assist in the playoffs.

“A miss? That’s a question for another day,” said Gillis. “How players are integrated into your team is very important. He played well at the start but a lot didn’t play well in the playoffs, so I’m not going to blame him.”

With six picks on Sunday —Nos. 24,85,115,145,175 and 205 — the Canucks could lean toward a history of selecting by position because they’ve taken 11 defencemen and seven centres the last five drafts.

With Roy not back and Maxim Lapierre an unrestricted free agent, they may shore up the middle or the back end. But giving up that pick for Roy, a selection that should parlay into an entry-level contract, is paramount with the restraints of the new cap ceiling.

“It’s not a practice I like and the new CBA dictates it’s not a wise practice,” Gillis said of surrendering the pick for Roy. “I do see that changing. We were trying to get a centre the whole year and Manny Malhotra’s (eye) injury was devastating for him and for us. With the shortened season, there was so little opportunity (to get a centre) that would normally be there.”

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.28.2013

682775 Websites

ESPN / Lecavalier will be missed in Tampa area

By Scott Burnside

It is first and foremost a business. Always has been, always will be.

But know this: The business of the National Hockey League is, at its heart, about forging a real and emotional bond between a player and his community. Love the team, yes, but especially in places like Tampa and especially in the beginning, it is about loving the player and the player learning the game and ultimately embracing the team.

More on ESPN.com

What looked to be a rather uninspiring free-agent market for centers has heated up with Vincent Lecavalier becoming available. Pierre LeBrun »

• News: Bolts to buy out Lecavalier »

• Burnside: Will be missed in Tampa »

• Custance: Habs top list of best fits Insider

That’s why the passing of Vincent Lecavalier’s time with the Tampa Bay Lightning gives us pause to consider that -- business or not -- there is a lot of humanity that goes into a relationship like the one forged between Lecavalier and the Tampa community.

A lot.

After 1,037 regular-season and 63 postseason games, including a memorable night in June 2004 when Lecavalier raised the Stanley Cup over his head in front of a delirious and jam-packed arena in Tampa, it is over.

The Lightning announced Thursday that they will use a compliance buyout to get out from under the remaining seven years and $45 million owed on Lecavalier’s contract, making him a free agent July 5.

This isn’t a lament for Lecavalier, who will receive two-thirds of the money owed him spread out over the next 14 years. (An $8 million signing bonus will have to be paid in full, our Pierre LeBrun reported Thursday.) But in the excitement of where players like Lecavalier or Philadelphia Flyers netminder Ilya Bryzgalov will land, or whether longtime Lecavalier pal Brad Richards will be bought out by the New York Rangers, we note the end of something more than just a guy playing hockey in a city.

On almost every level, Lecavalier embodied the trials and tribulations of the Lightning as the franchise clawed its way from curiosity to laughingstock to champion.

The Lightning selected Lecavalier first overall in 1998, and owner Art Williams ill-advisedly proclaimed Lecavalier would become the Michael Jordan of hockey. Against such unrealistic expectations, Lecavalier was named captain after his second season -- a designation that likely came two years too early. That designation was removed before the 2001-02 season, and clashes with then-coach John Tortorella led to much speculation that Lecavalier would be traded.

Former GM Rick Dudley had several deals in the works to move Lecavalier, but ownership would not sign off. We recall talking to Dudley successor Jay Feaster, who said he wouldn’t go down in history as the guy who traded a player of Lecavalier’s caliber.

Feaster’s faith was rewarded when the team began to jell in 2003, making the playoffs after missing out the previous six seasons and defeating the Washington Capitals before falling to the New Jersey Devils in the second round. The Lightning roared through the Eastern Conference the following season, defeating the New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens and -- in a classic seven-game tilt -- the Flyers before nipping the Calgary Flames in another hard-fought seven-game set.

It was during the finals against Calgary that Lecavalier famously fought with his counterpart, Flames captain Jarome Iginla. Lecavalier would later assist on the Cup-winning goal in Game 7.

Although the Lightning could not recall that magic in subsequent years, struggling through a disastrous ownership change after the 2004-05 lockout

and many ups and downs on the ice, Lecavalier remained a larger-than-life figure in a community he came to call home.

• In 2007, Lecavalier pledged $3 million to build the Vincent Lecavalier Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorder Center at All Children’s Hospital. The 28,000-square-foot facility opened in January 2010.

• In 2008, he was named winner of the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for his charitable and humanitarian work.

• In the same year, he earned an NHL Foundation Award for community enrichment.

• He was honored in 2009 with an award of excellence by the local Ronald McDonald House, and in 2011, he was honored by the local Pediatric Cancer Foundation.

• Last season, he was named a Lightning community hero as part of a program introduced by owner Jeff Vinik and his wife to honor local community leaders. Lecavalier will be honored at a Lightning game next season for his work in the Tampa area.

Tom Doyle works with Clear Channel Radio in Tampa and has a long connection with the team and its charitable works. He recalls meeting Lecavalier shortly after the player was drafted and watching him grow into a leader, both with the team and in the community.

“He’s the epitome of what we want in our athletes,” Doyle, the father of three daughters who are rabid Lightning fans, told ESPN.com on Thursday morning.

Doyle said Lecavalier’s involvement in the community vis-a-vis pro athletes is “unparalleled.”

“There’s going to be a big hole to fill, and it’s a sad day for all of us,” he said. “It sucks.”

Still, one can hardly fault Lightning GM Steve Yzerman for making this call.

Outside of a surprise run to the East finals in 2011, the Lightning have not won a playoff series since 2004 and have missed the playoffs five times since their Cup win. Lecavalier has endured a number of injuries, most notably shoulder and wrist issues, and his production has fluctuated as a result. Yet he remains a consistent 20-goal scorer, and when healthy, he is a nearly point-a-game producer.

But as Lecavalier walks away from his familiar No. 4 jersey in Tampa, it is important to note that his legacy will remain, not just as the man who first hoisted the Stanley Cup in this town, cementing hockey as a part of the local sporting fabric, but also as a man who made a lasting impression on the community in many ways, ways that will not be forgotten even as he dons a new and unfamiliar jersey next fall.

ESPN LOADED: 06.28.2013

682776 Websites

ESPN / Source: Letang rejects $56 million extension

By Pierre LeBrun

The Kris Letang camp notified the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday evening that it was turning down an eight-year extension offer worth around $56 million, a source told ESPN.com.

A source also told ESPN.com that the Letang camp counter-offered with a long-term deal south of $8 million a year and that it was deemed too rich by the Pens.

Where it goes from here remains unclear. Perhaps another offer will come, or the rejection could spur Pens GM Ray Shero into finally putting the All-Star defenseman on the trade market.

Letang has one year left on his deal, which pays him $3.5 million. Only 26, he’d be in huge demand on the UFA market. If Shero decides to move him, the list of teams wanting a top-end defenseman like Letang would be through the roof.

Elsewhere:

• Contract talks have gone on in earnest the past few days between Bryan Bickell’s camp and the Chicago Blackhawks. Bickell is a pending UFA.

• Teams already have reached out to Vincent Lecavalier’s camp, on the same day he was bought out by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Although Lecavalier can’t sign with anyone until July 5, the league confirmed to ESPN.com that his camp is allowed to talk to teams now because he’s been bought out.

• Spoke with an executive from an opposing team earlier Thursday who said the Blackhawks have made center Dave Bolland available for trade. Doesn’t mean they’ll move him, but they’re listening ...


682777 Websites

ESPN / Will Cup hero Bolland be on the move?

By Jesse Rogers

CHICAGO -- Could the player who scored the winning goal for the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals be headed out of town? Sources tell ESPN.com's Pierre Lebrun the Hawks are shopping veteran center Dave Bolland.

"We've had some plans in place for a long time; we are going to have some changes," Hawks general manager Stan Bowman said on Thursday.

One of those changes could see Bolland and his $3.375 million contract on the move. Bolland scored a rebound goal with 59 seconds remaining of Monday's Game 6, giving the Hawks a 3-2 advantage and an eventual second championship in four years.

"(I) would love to be back here next year but whatever happens, happens," Bolland said in response to the rumors. "This is the NHL and trades happen, but I would love to be back here. I love Chicago."

In reality, anyone who follows the Hawks can't be surprised that Bolland is on the trade market. Although part of the core that has won two championships, his role was diminished as this season wore on. He averaged 13:30 of ice time per game in the playoffs this year compared to 18:39 in 2010, the last time the Hawks won it all. He was also dropped to the third and fourth lines after starting the year as the second line center.

"The third line has sort of been my key," Bolland said of his past success. "Getting to that second spot was a bit of a jump for me. It was a hurdle. I went through this year, it was a roller coaster for sure. Things went up, things went down."

Bolland had seven goals and seven assists in 35 games this year but he helped win Games 1 and 6 of the finals with key scores. Still, his role might be redundant now with the emergence of Andrew Shaw. Many have compared Shaw's skillset to Bolland. Additionally, the emergence of Michael Frolik and Marcus Kruger as defensive stalwarts clutter the landscape for Bolland. And the Hawks have some young prospects at center who might be ready to make a jump to the NHL if he's moved.

"The core of the group came from drafting and developing," Bowman said. "We'd like to continue that process and give some new players some opportunities."

Those players come cheaper than Bolland as does Shaw. The latter is still on his entry level deal which will pay him $577,500 with bonuses next year. Bolland will be entering the final year of a five-year deal he signed before the last Cup win.

The savings on Bolland could be used to re-sign forward Bryan Bickell, whose value increased during the playoffs. The compliance buyouts of Steve Montador and Rostislav Olesz will also help toward that cause. Unlike Bolland's role, there isn't a polished power forward waiting in the wings. In short, Bolland is expendable. A player like Bickell is not.

Either way, expect some movement within the roster in short order.

"There's a lot of work to be done here in a short amount of time with the schedule so tight," Bowman said. "We don't have it all sorted out yet but we have an idea of what we want to do. It just takes some time."


682778 Websites

ESPN / Lecavalier adds spice to UFA center crop

By Pierre LeBrun

What was shaping up to be a not terribly deep nor exciting July 5 free-agent crop is getting some intriguing names added by the day.

Vincent Lecavalier brought some pizzazz to the unrestricted free-agent festivities Thursday. After the Tampa Bay Lightning announced they were buying out Lecavalier's contract, the star center joined goalie Ilya Bryzgalov and forward Danny Briere as players bought out and thrown into the UFA mix.

Lecavalier, 33, adds a tempting option in a UFA center class that otherwise was led by the likes of Derek Roy, Mike Ribeiro and Stephen Weiss. At the right price, Lecavalier would be one heck of an addition as the No. 2 center on a good team.

Of course, it didn’t take long for Lecavalier’s buyout to be announced for people to link him to his native Montreal. Let’s be honest: It would be cool to see him in a Canadiens uniform after all these years of trade rumors linking him there.

Two questions need answering, though. Do the Habs have interest? And would Lecavalier be willing to play under that kind of spotlight?

One of the reasons Tampa Bay suited him so well was that it isn’t a hockey fishbowl.

“Too early [to tell],” one source told ESPN.com Thursday regarding Montreal’s potential interest.

Indeed, much can happen between now and July 5, with other players being made available via buyout or trade. The landscape is shifting quickly.

I’d be shocked if the Lecavalier camp, led by agent Kent Hughes, didn’t get interest from at least a dozen teams. At the right price, he’s a stud, and this isn’t a great year for free-agent centers. And you still can’t teach 6-foot-4.

Just my own guessing out of the gate, not based on any sourcing ...

• The Detroit Red Wings need a No. 2 center as talks with Valtteri Filppula are headed nowhere. While Weiss also could be an option, Lecavalier would make a lot of sense.

• The Chicago Blackhawks? Cap space is at a premium and re-signing pending UFA Bryan Bickell is the priority. But, man, would Lecavalier ever fit well there, especially because you know Michal Handzus isn’t the long-term answer at No. 2.

• What about Lecavalier’s former coach at Tampa Bay, John Tortorella, who is in his first offseason as coach of the Vancouver Canucks?

• The Toronto Maple Leafs have been looking for a legitimate center with size for about a million years.

We will see a lot of teams linked to Lecavalier because, frankly, a lot of teams could use him.

The Lightning did not come to this decision lightly. I believe this was a very difficult move for general manager Steve Yzerman to make.

But at the end of the day, the ability exists under the compliance buyout provision in the new CBA (two per team for the next two offseasons) to extricate oneself from a cap-killing contract. And at $7.72 million a pop for seven more seasons, Lecavalier was a cap hit the Lightning just couldn’t live with.

More of a concern for any team with these types of long-term, front-loaded deals that are remnants of the old CBA is the "recapture" rule, which is part of the new CBA. For example, had Lecavalier retired before the end of his deal, Tampa Bay would have faced salary-cap charges moving forward.

It’s why the New York Rangers are debating whether to buy out center Brad Richards. It’s why the Canucks should buy out goalie Roberto Luongo if they can’t find a trade partner.

A source told ESPN.com Thursday that the Canucks don't want to buy out Luongo. They could trade him if they're willing to eat part of his deal or take back a player who's also a cap anchor for another team. Vancouver also could waive Luongo at some point and hope that another team takes him.

Letang update

My colleague Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune created a bit of a stir in Toronto when reporting late Wednesday that if Kris Letang can’t agree to terms on an extension with the Penguins, Toronto would be near the top of his trade destinations. Rossi does a solid job covering the Pens, but Letang’s agent, Kent Hughes, was adamant no such trade destination conversations had taken place and clearly was not happy with the story.

“Our focus has been on negotiating a contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins and we have not discussed the Toronto Maple Leafs,” Hughes told ESPN.com via email Thursday morning. “He remains under contract for one more year if we don't extend his contract. We are not the source of the story, nor were we contacted to verify its accuracy beforehand.”

The Penguins have made Letang a substantial offer, but obviously it was not enough; otherwise he would have signed it.

So the clock ticks. Would general manager Ray Shero really allow Letang to enter next season in the final year of his contract? Shero would get way more in a trade this summer than he does at the trade deadline next season.

It's worth noting that the Leafs are in the market for a top defenseman, so if Letang becomes available, it'd make sense for Toronto to be among the suitors.

Tick tock ...

Speaking of the Pens ...

Great job by Shero to get Chris Kunitz signed to a three-year extension worth $3.85 million per season. That's a good value. Kunitz has one more year on his deal at $3.75 million, and he would have been a UFA in July 2014.

Credit to Kunitz and agent Ben Hankinson, too. Maybe Kunitz gets more money elsewhere, but you like where you're playing and you've found chemistry with Sidney Crosby, so why throw that away? It's not always about the money.

Kunitz will be 34 in September, which means he'll be 37 entering the final year of this extension. Getting a three-year term was the real prize for Kunitz and Hankinson.


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ESPN / Chris Kunitz signs $11.55M extension

Updated: June 27, 2013, 12:54 PM ET

By Pierre LeBrun | ESPN.com

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Penguins and left winger Chris Kunitz have agreed on a three-year contract extension.

The deal, announced Thursday, is worth $11.55 million, a source told ESPN.com.

One year remains on Kunitz's current deal, which will pay him $3.75 million this season. The extension begins in 2014 and runs through the 2016-17 season.

Kunitz has flourished in Pittsburgh while playing with stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Kunitz led the Penguins with 22 goals this season and was second on the team with 52 points.

Malkin agreed to an eight-year extension earlier this month. Pittsburgh is also negotiating with defenseman Kris Letang and forwards Pascal Dupuis and Matt Cooke, both of whom will become free agents next month.

General manager Ray Shero said the contract will carry an annual salary cap hit of $3.85 million.


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ESPN / Vincent Lecavalier to be bought out

By Pierre LeBrun

ESPN.com

The Tampa Bay Lightning have decided to buy out Vincent Lecavalier's contract, the team announced Thursday.

Lecavalier, 33, has seven years and $45 million left on his deal, which carries a $7.72 million yearly cap hit.

More on ESPN.com

What looked to be a rather uninspiring free-agent market has heated up with Vincent Lecavalier becoming available, writes Pierre LeBrun. Blog

• Burnside: Will be missed in Tampa

• Custance: 5 fits for Lecavalier Insider

Tampa will have to pay Lecavalier $32.67 million in the buyout, a source told ESPN.com, which includes an $8 million bonus that had to be paid out in full. The remaining salary is paid out at two-thirds, $24.67 million over the next 14 years.

"Vinny has been a significant reason for many of our past successes, including the 2004 Stanley Cup, and his contributions to the community are immeasurable," Tampa general manager Steve Yzerman said in a statement. "The Lightning organization is indebted to Vinny; we thank him for all he has done here and we wish him well as he moves forward.

"After much internal deliberation, we believe this will prove to be a pivotal move for us as we strive to achieve our long term goal of competing at the highest level, year-in, year-out. The economics and structure of the CBA are necessitating this decision and we at the Lightning are excited at the newly created opportunities this presents to us."

As per the compliance buyout provision in the new NHL collective bargaining agreement, the Lightning will not incur any salary-cap charge for the move.

Lecavalier becomes an unrestricted free agent July 5. As per the CBA, he cannot rejoin the Lightning for at least one year.


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USA TODAY / USA taps David Poile, Dan Bylsma for Olympic roles

Kevin Allen, USA TODAY Sports 10:42 p.m. EDT June 27, 2013

USA Hockey is putting the band back together for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia, although the members will have a different place on the stage.

According to two people with knowledge of the decision, the Nashville Predators' David Poile will be the team's general manager, while Pittsburgh Penguins Ray Shero will be his associate general manager and Anaheim Ducks consultant Brian Burke will be the director of player development.

Penguins coach Dan Bylsma has been selected to be the USA's coach in Sochi.

The two people asked not to be identified because the official announcement will come Saturday in New York, the day before the NHL draft in Newark.

Burke was the general manager of the U.S. team when it won the silver medal at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, and Poile was his associate general manager. Shero was on the committee of team executives who helped Burke pick the team.

It was not an easy decision for the Americans to decide who was in charge. Traditionally, the Americans like to change up their leadership pool to give more people the opportunity to gain Olympic experience. But they also liked the job Burke did in Vancouver.

When Burke was fired as general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, it further complicated the decision because there is a perception, not a rule, that the American GM should be an NHL general manager.

The decision to include Burke in the ruling triumvirate could be viewed as a compromise, or USA Hockey's attempt to have the best of all worlds.

The Americans believed that the committee approach used by Burke in 2010 is a model that should be used again. That means that general managers such as Dale Tallon (Florida Panthers), Paul Holmgren (Philadelphia Flyers) and Dean Lombardi (Los Angeles Kings) will continue to play a role, plus Pittsburgh scout Don Waddell, a former league general manager.

USA Hockey senior director of hockey operations Jim Johannson also will have his usual involvement in the player selection process.

The league is meeting on Monday with international officials to work out the final details that would allow the NHL players to participate in the Olympics for a fifth time.

Bylsma was chosen over Philadelphia's Peter Laviolette and the Vancouver Canucks' John Tortorella. Laviolette had coached in 2006, and it was assumed that USA Hockey would give either Tortorella or Bylsma a chance.

Usually, the Americans appreciate international experience, and it appeared that Tortorella had an edge over Bylsma because he had previously been involved at the world championships and Olympics. Both Bylsma and Tortorella are Stanley Cup winners.

But Tortorella damaged his public image this season with hostile news conferences while with the New York Rangers and a cursing incident during an NBC interview. It had to make him a less attractive candidate. One reason why the NHL allows it players and coaches to go the Olympics is to help grow the game. Tortorella's behavior this season didn't help him.

USA TODAY LOADED: 06.28.2013

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USA TODAY / Analyzing the Flames-Avalanche trade

Kevin Allen, USA TODAY Sports 9:23 p.m. EDT June 27, 2013

Analysis of the trade that sent forward David Jones and defenseman Shane O'Brien from the Colorado Avalanche to the Calgary Flames for forward Alex Tanguay and defenseman Cory Sarich:

Cap implications: Both O'Brien and Sarich are $2 million players, but O'Brien has an extra year. Tanguay is owed $3.5 million for each of the next three seasons while Jones has three more seasons at $4 million a season.

Why the Flames wanted the deal: The Flames needed size and toughness. Jones is 6-2, 210, and, at 28, he's five years younger than Tanguay. O'Brien is a rugged defender with a mean streak,

"O'Brien is a hard guy to play against, knows how to get under the skin of the opposition and stands up for his teammates," Calgary general manager Jay Feaster said. Jones has scored 20 or more goals twice in his career, but he scored three in 33 games this season.

Why the Avalanche wanted the deal: As vice president Joe Sakic and coach Patrick Roy make over this team, they need some cap flexibility and they pick up $500.000 in cap space in the Tanguay/Jones deal, and a full year in the O'Brien-Sarich exchange.

Plus Tanguay is a more proven offensive performer. He previously had played in Colorado and fans remember him fondly for his scoring. Both Sakic and Roy were teammates with him as they won a Stanley Cup in 2001. Sarich takes O'Brien's place on the defense.

Around the rinks

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Ben Lovejoy, acquired in midseason, received a three-year contract on Thursday. He will get annual salaries of $1 million, $1.1 million and $1.2 million for a cap hit of $1.1 million. The Ducks acquired him from the Pittsburgh Penguins and he tied second on the Ducks with 10 assists in 32 games. ... The Buffalo Sabres signed defenseman Mike Weber to a multi-year extension.


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USA TODAY / Lightning buying out Vincent Lecavalier

Kevin Allen and Mike Brehm, USA TODAY Sports 5:47 p.m. EDT June 27, 2013

On June 27, 1998, the Tampa Bay Lightning used their No. 1 overall pick to draft center Vincent Lecavalier to be their franchise player.

Exactly 15 years later, Lecavalier was sitting at the breakfast table with his kids when general manager Steve Yzerman called him to let him know that he was being bought out of the remainder of his 11-year, $85 million contract.

Lecavalier had heard rumors about his future since the new collective-bargaining allowed teams to use two compliance buyouts (not counting against the salary cap) to get under next season's lower $64.3 million figure, but wasn't sure until the call if it would really happen.

"When you get the phone call and you're told that you can't play for the Lightning, it's pretty rough on everybody," he said in a conference call.

He said he bore no ill will toward the Lightning, understanding that it was a business decision and the new CBA had put teams in a tough spot.

The compliance buyout period began at 11 p.m. ET Wednesday and ends at 5 p.m. ET on July 4. A short window exists in the summer of 2014 if teams want to exercise the option then instead.

The Philadelphia Flyers have already trimmed Ilya Bryzgalov and Danny Briere and the Montreal Canadiens rid themselves of Tomas Kaberle's contract. The champion Chicago Blackhawks said they'd buy out defenseman Steve Montador and center Rostislav Olesz if they pass through waivers.

MORE: Bryzgalov's agent rips coach

"After much internal deliberation, we believe this will prove to be a pivotal move for us as we strive to achieve our long-term goal of competing at the highest level, year-in, year-out," Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman said. "The economics and structure of the CBA are necessitating this decision and we at the Lightning are excited at the newly created opportunities this presents to us."

Lecavalier, 33, had a salary cap hit of $7.727 million. The Lightning will owe a little more than $32 million to end the deal that ran through 2019-20. They will pay that out through twice the remaining length of his contract - or 2026-27.

He was a member of the 2004 Lightning team that won the Stanley Cup and was taken first overall by Tampa Bay in the 1998 draft. Art Williams, the owner at the time, said he'd become the Michael Jordan of the NHL.

He did become a four-time All-Star and won the Rocket Richard Trophy in 2006-07 after a 52-goal season.

MORE: Who has been bought out

"Vinny has been a significant reason for many of our past successes, including the 2004 Stanley Cup, and his contributions to the community are immeasurable," Yzerman said. "The Lightning organization is indebted to Vinny; we thank him for all he has done here and we wish him well as he moves forward."

Given how many teams are looking for centers this summer, Lecavalier should not be out of work for long. The free agency period opens on July 5.

"The thought of wearing a different jersey is kind of weird," he said. "All the T-shirts when I work out in the morning is the Tampa Bay Lightning.

"It's a challenge, and I'm very, very motivated to be in top shape for when I get to training camp somewhere else."

Asked whether he is interested in any teams, he tossed out a couple names.

"If you just think about the Detroit Red Wings, it's actually a team I grew up idolizing. Them and Montreal were my favorite teams," the Quebec native said. "Ironically, Steve Yzerman was my favorite hockey player."

He will find it hard to leave Tampa but vowed to continue work with the charitable Vinny Lecavalier Foundation in the city.

"I made a pledge in 2006 and I'm a person of my word," he said. "Tampa is a home to me and I've spent most of my life in Tampa."


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YAHOO SPORTS / Busy season, busy summer: Get ready for NHL draft, more buyouts, trades, free agency, Coyotes decision...

Nicholas J. Cotsonika

What will the NHL look like next season? What will the NHL look like next week?

Vincent Lecavalier's buyout in Tampa Bay makes him a UFA when the market opens on July 5. (USA Today)We’ve already seen coaches switch cities, a controversial goalie trade and big-money buyout announcements. In addition to the finale of the Phoenix Coyotes fiasco and a deal for the 2014 Olympics, we could see more trades (Kris Letang?) and more buyouts (Brad Richards?) in the coming days. The draft is Sunday, and it’s supposed to be deep. The free-agent market opens next Friday, and it will be boosted by buyouts and big names – Vincent Lecavalier, Jarome Iginla, Jaromir Jagr, Danny Briere …

Thanks to the lockout, the schedule is scrunched. (Didn’t the Chicago Blackhawks just win the Stanley Cup?) Thanks to the new labor agreement, the salary cap is coming down. Teams will be assessed a cap penalty if players retire before the end of a long-term contract. They can buy out two players over the next two years. That’s why some are not bringing back free agents, looking to move players off their payroll and paying a few guys millions to go away.

But the root cause of all this craziness isn’t this lockout or this labor agreement. It’s the last lockout and the last labor agreement. After the NHL shut down the 2004-05 season, the cap was introduced, and the age for unrestricted free agency went from 31 to 27. The talent was spread throughout the league, and teams locked up their best players.

If anyone can win, everyone is expected to win – even though not everyone can and resources are limited. So teams change coaches when they can’t change players. They make trades when they don’t see a solution in free agency. They overpay in both markets when they don’t have better options. Same stuff as always, but more pressure than ever before.

“I think it’s going to be pretty busy,” said Jim Nill, the Dallas Stars’ new general manager, who has already hired a new coach in Lindy Ruff, traded for a pending free agent in Sergei Gonchar and signed the 39-year-old defenseman to a two-year, $10 million deal. “There’s less free agents available now. The difference between being a playoff team and being a non-playoff team is one or two wins. So there’s a real urgency to get better quickly.”

There is urgency to settle the Coyotes situation. The NHL has owned and operated the once-bankrupt franchise too long. After so many false starts, it has another buyer, and that buyer has drafted another lease agreement with the suburb of Glendale for the city-owned arena. But that buyer wants millions to operate the arena and puts a ton of risk on the city. It wants an out in the agreement after five years or $50 million in losses.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has long said stable ownership would allow Phoenix to reach its potential as a market, yet the owner wants outs in the lease deal? What kind of stability is that? If the owner won’t commit long-term, why would the fans commit? Isn’t this franchise still set up to fail?

Will the city council approve the lease when it meets Tuesday, because losing the team would be even worse than keeping it under awful terms? If not, will the league move the team in time for next season? Can it? When the Atlanta Thrashers moved in the summer of 2011, they started earlier, Winnipeg had an arena and organizational infrastructure in place, and the Jets still barely made takeoff. What a mess.

The Olympics seem like a foregone conclusion. The NHL will go to Sochi. It’s just a matter of finalizing everything. There’s a meeting on Monday.

As for the rest …

Philadelphia Flyers GM Paul Holmgren told reporters he thinks “there’s going to be a lot of funny things happening” at the draft, and if he thinks that, look out. This is the man who traded cornerstones Jeff Carter and Mike Richards at the draft two years ago partly to clear cap space to sign goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov, only to watch Carter and Richards win the Cup with the Los Angeles Kings last year, only to buy out Briere and Bryzgalov

this year. “It’s a very competitive league,” he said, “and we’re all trying to do what the Blackhawks just did.”

The day of reckoning is coming for the Coyotes franchise. (USA Today) The cap is going from $70.2 million (pro-rated) to $64.3 million next season. No one knows what it will be in the future. Teams against the cap don’t have enough space, and teams in general don’t have enough certainty as they plan for the future. At the same time teams trim players, teams might have a hard time adding players. Moving money will go along with moving bodies.

“There seem to be a lot of teams that want to make changes,” said Toronto Maple Leafs GM Dave Nonis, who already has traded for goaltender Jonathan Bernier. “But it’s always a function of price. What does it cost to get somebody? This is the first time since we’ve had a cap that it’s come down, and that’s going to affect things, because your wants might be affected by your ability to take on those players.”

But the cap is expected to rise in future years, as it did in past years, because it is tied to league revenue. The league has bounced back well from the lockout, and revenue growth is projected to be strong. Nonis spoke from the perspective of a big-market, high-revenue, capped-out team. Listen to Steve Yzerman, the GM of the Tampa Bay Lightning. He said this last week even though the Bolts were about to buy out Lecavalier, their captain, a Cup champion and a community pillar, and they will spent more than $30 million to do it.

“There’s this assumption that all these teams have to get under the cap and have issues,” Yzerman said. “If you analyze every team, there aren’t that many. So I think there will be fewer than a lot of people anticipate. I don’t know. There will be a few. But we look at all of the other 29 teams, and we don’t see that many that are in desperate need to have to do something.”

In the end, it will come down to what it always does under any set of rules under any sort of circumstances: good management. The Detroit Red Wings were supposed to crumble in 2005-06, when their payroll was cut nearly in half by the new $39 million salary cap. They won the Cup in 2008, went back to the final in ’09 and still haven’t missed the playoffs. The Blackhawks lost half their team because of a cap crunch after winning the Cup in 2010; they kept their core, rebuilt their supporting cast and won the Cup again Monday night. Meanwhile, others have been up and down – or just down.

What will the NHL look like next season? What will the NHL look like next week?

There will be lots of new faces in lots of new places – maybe even a new franchise in a new place. But for all the angst of the lockout, all the efforts to protect the owners from themselves and level the ice surface, it will still be a league in which competitiveness clouds common sense, in which some markets and managers struggle, in which only the smart survive and the smartest thrive.

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