Daily Clips – 12/19/12

Rare holiday treat on menu for Penguins

By Dave Molinari / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Sidney Crosby has experienced a lot since he began playing hockey. But never, he says, anything quite like this.

And it's an opportunity he doesn't intend to squander.

The lockout that has shut down the NHL for more than three months means that hundreds of players, including Crosby, will have a rare opportunity to spend an extended portion of the holiday season with family and friends in areas far removed from where their employer is based.

Generally, only players recovering from a significant injury or illness can count on having more than a couple of days off at this time of year because the league's collective bargaining agreements with the NHL Players' Association have mandated there be no games or practices Dec. 24 or 25.

But with no CBA in effect, and thus no hockey, Crosby is free to head to his offseason home in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, after a player-organized workout at Southpointe this morning.

"I don't even remember [having such a break at this time of year]," he said Tuesday. "Even in minor hockey, we always had a hockey tournament over Christmas, so this is definitely new territory.

"Usually, during the season, we get one or two days, and even that is awesome."

Coincidentally or not, that's the same term teammate Ben Lovejoy used to describe the longest stretch of time off he's had off around Christmas, a six-day break when he was in college.

Crosby said he plans to remain in Nova Scotia for "at least a week," and suggested that his decision about whether to play in Europe this winter could come shortly after that.

"I'll probably just wait and see what's going on [with the lockout]," he said. "We should have a pretty good idea in early January of what's going to happen. Hopefully, it's not a decision I have to make."

Crosby would prefer to be playing in the NHL, to have the league and NHL Players' Association sculpt a CBA that would make it possible for an abbreviated 2012-13 season to begin. He has

not identified the country in which he would play if he goes overseas, and there is no rush to make a decision because many European leagues are taking their holiday break. (One exception is Russia's Kontinental Hockey League, which comes out of a 10-day break today.)

Although the Penguins have taken Wednesdays off for most of the lockout, some will report to Southpointe for a final pre-holiday skate with teammates this morning.

Crosby estimated that five or six likely will participate, with local players fleshing out the group so that it can conduct drills and probably some form of scrimmage.

The turnout among Penguins is a precipitous drop from late last week, when 13 skated, but likely will dwarf the turnout Thursday and Friday. At this point, only defensemen Brooks Orpik, Deryk Engelland and Ben Lovejoy are expected at Southpointe. The exodus began at the start of the week, when three Southpointe regulars -- Matt Niskanen, Pascal Dupuis and Joe Vitale --did not show up and continued Tuesday, when goalie Marc-Andre Fleury and winger James Neal were absent.

Whether there will be any workouts next week isn't clear. That might hinge not only on how many players are in the area then, but whether there is ice available during a week when schools are closed and tournaments are popular.

But even if there aren't sessions at Southpointe, most of the Penguins have made plans to get on the ice while they're out of town.

Left winger Matt Cooke, who is returning to his hometown of Belleville, Ontario, suggested that he might skate with members of the local Ontario Hockey League franchise.

Lovejoy, who plans to travel to his wife's hometown of Philadelphia after the workout Friday, said he likely will stay off the ice for three days, but hopes to resume skating Tuesday. He also plans to do it the following day, here or in his native New Hampshire.

Crosby, said he'll make a point of skating, if only because he doesn't believe he has a real choice.

"Being home for that long over the holidays, I might put on a few pounds," he said, failing to suppress a smile. "I'm going to have to make sure I stay in shape."

Of course, plans are subject to change if, unlikely as it seems, there is a breakthrough in the CBA negotiations and preparations for the 2012-13 season get underway.

"Right now, the plan is, hopefully, to be back here for New Year's," Cooke said. "We'll see. There's no definite plan. That's the good thing about being within driving distance."

Penguins’ Crosby: ‘No reason’ for stalled talks By Josh Yohe Published: Tuesday, December 18, 2012, 5:00 p.m. Updated 8 hours ago

Hockey season usually is heating up this time of year.

Instead, lockouts, lawsuits, private votes and mediators are dominating the news as the NHL hit Day 94 today.

The game‘s biggest name admits feeling embarrassed by the situation.

“I think I shake my head and wonder why we‘re even at this point,” Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said following a Tuesday workout at Southpointe.

The NHL and its players‘ association have gone two weeks without negotiating. A meeting with mediators — the respective sides were never in the same room — is the only thing resembling progress in the past couple of weeks, and even that was relatively fruitless.

Crosby continues to marvel that the sides have had so little contact.

“There‘s no reason for it,” he said. “For some reason, even if there‘s no way we can make a deal at the moment, we should still be talking every day. I don‘t understand it.”

Members of the players‘ association have until Thursday to vote on a maneuver that essentially will disband the union. Two-thirds of the players must vote in favor of authorizing the executive board to disclaim interest for it to pass.

Still, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in an email Tuesday that he‘s open for discussion.

“We are not closing off the possibility of further discussion,” Daly said. “As far as we are concerned, the NHLPA is still the exclusive collective bargaining representative of all NHL players. They know where we are on the open issues, and they know what we are looking for to try to complete a deal. If they want to discuss those issues — or anything else — we are all ears.”

Crosby has remained mum on the idea of disbanding the union. But the silence between the league and union is something Crosby isn‘t so quiet about.

“I‘m trying not to get too frustrated by it,” Crosby said. “But I think it‘s nonsense that we aren‘t talking every day.”

Lengthy Lockout Reveals Penguins Gameplan

Mike Colligan | December 18, 2012

There will be a hockey season.

And it will probably feature a compressed 50-game schedule within the conference to reduce travel demands. No, it won’t look like the standard 82-game slate, but it won’t impact the playoffs as much as you’d think.

CBC’s Elliotte Friedman pointed out last year that the playoff race is usually all but decided in the first month of the season anyway:

Spent a few hours on Sunday looking up the post-lockout standings, picking the date of Nov. 1 for each year. During those six seasons, the difference between eighth place and last place in each conference ranged from four to eight points. That early, it’s difficult to create an incredible amount of separation.

Twenty teams who were not in the top eight on Nov. 1 recovered to make the playoffs. That’s an average of almost 3.5 per season. (Just to clarify, the “Top 8″ includes any team with the same point total as the eighth-place team. I wasn’t going into tiebreakers so early in the season.)

Doesn’t seem so bad, right? Depends. The safety net shreds for anyone falling too far behind. Of those 20 teams, guess how many of them were more than three points out?

Two. That’s it.

What does that mean for General Managers and coaching staffs? If your team isn’t ready to go out of the gate, your season could be over with one bad losing streak.

Over the past two years, Pittsburgh Penguins General Manager Ray Shero has repeatedly said that he wanted maximum roster flexibility heading into the unknowns of CBA negotiations this summer. Sidney Crosby was slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July 1 (he’s since signed a 12-year, $104.4 million extension) and Evgeni Malkin will be in the same situation the following summer. Shero didn’t want to be in a position where he couldn’t afford to keep the two franchise players.

However, with the lockout now in its third month, the rest of the plan Shero and Assistant GM Jason Botterill orchestrated this summer is becoming clear as well.

After the playoffs ended last season, Shero touched base with Phoenix Coyotes GM Don Maloney about the possibility of working out a deal for defenseman Zbynek Michalek. Trading Michalek — with three years left on his contract at $4 million per — would allow Shero to get assets and also make a pitch for high-priced free agents Zach Parise and/or Ryan Suter. Trading Michalek without receiving an NHL defenseman in return would leave holes though.

The Penguins have the most impressive stable of young defensemen in the league, but prospects like Simon Despres and Joe Morrow haven’t had the chance to show they’re definitely ready for significant NHL roles. The risks of relying on a young defensive core would only be magnified if goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury doesn’t find a way to bounce back from his dismal playoff performance.

Shero admitted that during a conversation with Fleury’s agent Allan Walsh about how to motivate the goaltender, he toyed with the idea of acquiring Tomas Vokoun, another Walsh client. A number of teams were looking for backup goalies and a few were looking for starters this summer. Vokoun was slated to become the premier free agent option and had expressed a desire to be a starter, meaning the Penguins would likely be left with unpredictable options like Jonas Gustavsson, Scott Clemmensen, and Dan Ellis.

After receiving permission from Washington Capitals GM George McPhee, Shero quickly negotiated a contract extension with Vokoun and traded a seventh-round pick to the Capitals to acquire his rights. At the time, I found the move confusing despite the fact it gave the Penguins options. Vokoun was certainly an excellent value play at just $2 million per season, but judging the transaction in a bubble is like hating a movie based on the trailer.

I didn’t realize that the strength in goal would allow the Penguins to unload Michalek and gamble with a new crop of young defensemen. Or that the extra salary cap space gained by the moves would put Shero in a better position when the cap falls to around $60 million next summer. Or that having two “starters” would be extremely valuable when teams are forced to play four games in five nights on a regular basis this spring.

In hindsight it’s also easy to see how timely the Jordan Staal trade was as well.

Even if the NHL season is cancelled, player contracts still advance one year. Would Shero have been able to get Brandon Sutter, promising defenseman Brian Dumoulin, and the eighth-overall pick immediately before Staal hit unrestricted free agency next July 1? I’m not even sure he’d receive anything close to that offer if the lockout ended tomorrow.

Maximum return? Check.

Salary cap flexibility? Check.

Shero and Botterill even adjusted their strategy with regards to depth players and the minor-league roster as well.

Out the door went free agents Steve Sullivan (38 years old), Arron Asham (34), Richard Park (36), and Jason Williams (32).

In came Tanner Glass (29), Trevor Smith (27), Riley Holzapfel (24), and Benn Ferriero (25) — players eligible to play in the American Hockey League during the lockout and also more likely to stay healthy during the condensed schedule.

The only hole that remains on the roster is the winger position on one of the top two lines. The Penguins were in heavy pursuit of Swiss star free agent Damien Brunner before he signed with the Detroit Red Wings. Brunner, with 48 points in 27 games, is running away with the scoring lead in a Swiss league that features Joe Thornton, John Tavares, Tyler Seguin, and Jason Spezza.

Also on the Penguins radar was J.T. Brown, a free agent winger out of Minnesota-Duluth who ended up signing with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Brown isn’t as NHL-ready as Brunner, but he would have provided much-needed physicality and scoring up front.

Despite the near misses, Shero will still be in position to capitalize on market conditions when the new CBA comes into effect.

The details still need to be hammered out, but the league will likely operate under a $70 million salary cap this season before falling quickly to around $60 million, depending on league revenues. Half of NHL General Manager’s have already committed over $61 million in salaries this season.

Following the last lockout, teams will cap flexibility — like Craig Patrick’s Penguins — were able to scoop up talent that other teams were forced to shed. Similar opportunities will appear for Shero over the next six months.

Something tells me that’s already in the gameplan.

Penguins strive to be Sens-sational

TOM VENESKY

Last season, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins won seven out of 10 contests against the Binghamton Senators.

Two of the wins were by shutout and the Penguins held Binghamton to three goals or less in eight of the 10 times they played last year.

Tonight, the Penguins will look to re-establish that track record when they face the Senators on the road at 7 p.m.

So far, in three contests against their East Division rival, the Penguins have had little success. Their only win came courtesy of a 1-0 shootout victory, and the Penguins have only mustered two goals in regulation against Binghamton goaltenders.

It’s a far cry from last season, but with seven more matchups to go, the Penguins have plenty of time to turn things around, beginning tonight.

Aside from their head-to-head record against Binghamton and the crucial points that come with beating a division opponent, the Penguins will also try to snap a five-game winless streak – which matches the longest losing skid of head coach John Hynes’ career with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

During the losing skid the Penguins have been without several key players, including starting goaltender Jeff Zatkoff, defenseman Simon Despres.

While a paltry power play that’s connected just twice in 27 chances (7.4 percent) over the last five games is partly to blame for the lack of success, along with an offense in general that’s been outscored 22-to-11 in the same span, the Penguins may receive some help in their own net.

Zatkoff practiced Tuesday and Hynes indicated he’s close to returning to the lineup.

Later in the afternoon Tuesday, Zatkoff’s return seemed even more likely when the Penguins released goaltender Ryan Zapolski from his PTO. That leaves Zatkoff and Brad Thiessen as the only two netminders on the team.

If Zatkoff does get the start tonight, it will give the Penguins a huge boost against a Binghamton offense that may not be tops in the AHL but does have decent scoring depth.

In his two starts this season against the Senators, Zatkoff is 1-1 with a 0.97 goals against average and a .965 save percentage. He’s allowed only two goals on 57 shots and has a shutout against Binghamton.

Notes

• While the Penguins power play has struggled lately, the penalty kill on the road has been exceptional. The Penguins penalty kill has allowed only five power play goals in 11 road games and leads the league at 91.5 percent.

• When winger Steve MacIntyre is in the lineup, the Penguins are 10-3-0-1.

• The Penguins trail the Senators by two points for second place in the East Division.

Thompson not too worried about scoring drought

By Jonathan Bombulie (Staff Writer)

Published: December 19, 2012

WILKES-BARRE - If there's one part of a hockey player's game that often runs hot and cold - maddeningly, from that player's perspective - it's a goal-scoring touch.

A player who's fast, barring injury, will always be fast. A player who's a good penalty killer, barring brain cramps, will always be a good penalty killer.

But except for a handful of truly elite players in the NHL's upper echelon, goal-scoring touch comes and goes. One day the puck goes in and the next day it doesn't.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins second-year winger Paul Thompson is getting first-hand experience with that phenomenon this season.

Thompson scored six goals in the first nine games of the year, including a natural hat trick on Nov. 4 at Bridgeport. He has just one goal in 13 games since.

For some players, a drought like that would send them into a superstitious frenzy. They'd think back to what they had for lunch on Nov. 4, and if it was chicken parm, they'd have chicken parm every game day until the pucks started going in again.

Thompson isn't like that.

"No. Not for me," he said. "I don't worry too much about that stuff. I just try to be as mentally prepared as possible."

In Thompson's case, being mentally prepared means looking back to the stretch of the season where he was scoring goals at a healthy clip and trying to replicate those conditions.

"I think I got away from the things I was doing to have success early in the year," he said. "Right now I'm just trying to get back to playing the same way, with the same mentality, to put myself in position to have better opportunities. The last couple games, I've had more opportunities than the previous five or six games I played. I think I'm trending in the right direction."

Specifically, Thompson said he is trying to get to the net more and take more shots. After nine games, he led the league with 39 shots. He's put just 19 shots on goal in 13 games since.

"That's something I'm trying to focus on," he said.

And it really is a matter of focus, coach John Hynes said.

Thompson is a solid skater with a good shot and a sturdy 6-foot, 200-pound frame. He scored 28 goals in 39 games in his final season at the University of New Hampshire. He has all the tools. It's just a matter of putting them to work consistently.

"Drive," Hynes said. "When he doesn't have drive in his game, when he doesn't have second effort in his game, when there are no confrontations, he's not as effective."

When the drive hasn't been in Thompson's game, Hynes hasn't penciled his name into the lineup. Thompson has been a healthy scratch for three of the team's last seven games.

The Penguins are a bit banged up at forward heading into a game at Binghamton tonight. They'll be without Jayson Megna and Keven Veilleux, who are out until after Christmas with lower-body injuries, and leading scorer Beau Bennett missed practice Monday with an undisclosed injury.

But there are still enough healthy bodies to promote internal competition.

"We have a deep lineup here," Thompson said. "There are a lot of guys. We have a couple injuries now, but when we're healthy, there are 16, 17 guys who could be top 12 every night. So it's a competitive situation. If you're not playing your best hockey, you're going to be out of the lineup. That's just part of the job. I have to try to keep going here and get better."

Crosby won't play for Canada at Spengler Cup

By Bruce Garrioch ,Ottawa Sun

Sid the Kid won't be going to Switzerland this Christmas.

Hockey Canada is expected to name its roster for the Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland, as early as Thursday, but Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby won't be suiting up.

Instead, Hockey Canada will likely dip into the clubs whose players who are already overseas, plus some locked-out NHLers making their home in Switzerland. Ottawa centre Jason Spezza and Washington's Brooks Laich will be on the roster.

Since the Swiss league is the only one that breaks for the holidays, the options are limited, but Team Canada's Brad Pascall confirmed in an email Tuesday he's got plenty of talent to choose from in North America as well.

"I think I'm the most popular guy (in hockey)," said Pascall jokingly. "Lots of guys have called. I hope to have everything finalized Thursday."

Crosby-led Canadian juniors only dream team

By Tim Wharnsby

I guess I'm one of those bitter old guys who believes yesteryear was better.

Recently, I floated out an idea to a friend and long-time NHL scout that the two Canadian junior teams put together for the NHL lockout of 1994-95 and 2004-05 were close in talent.

After all, both won gold. Both didn't lose a game.

"Come on, not even close," the NHL scout said. "There was much more talent on the 2005 team. Did that first team have anybody close to a Sidney Crosby or Shea Weber? No way.

"Count up how many Stanley Cups the players from each team has won, and most of those players have only seven years in the NHL."

Okay, okay. Settle down, my friend.

He was right, of course. Besides the fact that the 1994-95 Canadian under-20 team went a perfect 7-0 and outscored the opposition 49-22 under head coach Don Hay. A decade later, the Canadian juniors went 6-0 and walloped opponents by a combined score of 41-7 with Brent Sutter behind the bench, and dominated Alex Ovechkin and the Russians 6-1 in the final.

The 1994-95 championship, hosted by Red Deer, Alta., was the third in a streak of five in a row for Canada. Ten years later, when Crosby and company won in Grand Forks, N.D., snapped a seven year gold-less slump for the Canadian junior team program.

Already, players from that 2004-05 team have a combined 11 Stanley Cup rings in Andrew Ladd (2006, 2010), Ryan Getzlaf (2007), Corey Perry (2007), Sidney Crosby (2009), Colin Fraser (2010, 2012), Brent Seabrook (2010), Patrice Bergeron (2011), Jeff Carter (2012) and Mike Richards (2012).

Ed Jovanovksi (1996), Ryan Smyth (2006), Shean Donovan (2007) and Wade Redden all went to Stanley Cup finals, but the only NHL championships among the 1994-95 Canadian junior team were from Jeff Friesen with the 2002-03 New Jersey Devils and Jason Botterill as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins front office in 2009.

I guess there was only one dream team when it comes to Canadian junior hockey.

Here are the number of NHL games each player has suited up for from both Canadian junior teams:

2005 Candian juniors 1995 Canadian juniors

G Rejean Beauchemin 0 G Dan Cloutier 351 G Jeff Glass 0 G Jamie Storr 219 D Cam Barker 296 D Chad Allan 0 D Shawn Belle 20 D Bryan McCabe 1135 D Braydon Coburn 460 D Nolan Baumgartner 143 D Dion Phaneuf 552 D Wade Redden 994 D Brent Seabrook 552 D Lee Sorochan 3 D Danny Syvret 59 D Jamie Rivers 454 D Shea Weber 480 D Ed Jovanovski 1085 F Patrice Bergeron 537 F Larry Courville 33 F Jeff Carter 516 F Jason Allison 552 F Jeremy Colliton 57 F Todd Harvey 671 F Sidney Crosby 434 F Darcy Tucker 947 F Nigel Dawes 212 F Jeff O'Neill 821 F Stephen Dixon 0 F Alexandre Daigle 616 F Colin Fraser 291 F Ryan Smyth 1151 F Ryan Getzlaf 512 F Jason Botterill 88 F Andrew Ladd 484 F Shean Donovan 951 F Clarke MacArthur 363 F Denis Pederson 435 F Corey Perry 530 F Eric Daze 601 F Mike Richards 527 FJeff Friesen 893 F Anthony Stewart 262 F Marty Murray 261

Total 7,144 Total 12,867

Taylor pleased with last workouts before Europe trip

Tuesday, 12.18.2012 / 4:02 PM / 2013 World Junior Championship

By Mike G. Morreale - NHL.com Staff Writer

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Tim Taylor knows a thing or two about the difficult task of putting together a roster for an international event.

In addition to serving as the current USA Hockey director of player personnel for the National Junior Team that will compete at the 2013 World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia, later this month, Taylor has a long history as a veteran of two Olympic Winter Games and as assistant general manager and assistant coach for the 1984 U.S. Olympic Men's Team in Sarajevo.

Taylor took some time to speak with NHL.com following the three-day U.S. selection camp here at the New York Rangers' training facility. The team will now fly to Helsinki, Finland, to continue camp at the Tikkurila Valtti Arena, where exhibition matchups against Sweden and Finland are scheduled.

"The hardest challenge for us [evaluators] is the fact our players are scattered … some are in college, some play major junior and some are with the [National Team Development Program] in Ann Arbor," Taylor said. "So it's hard to sort through that. Secondly, we have a limited number of days in December where we can sort through it.

"We're actually jealous of Canada's system where they can get their kids together in early December and have a five-day camp with two full teams and narrow it down from there. We only have three days here, and have a limited number of players before making the final cuts [on Dec. 22 in Finland]."

Because several collegiate players invited to camp had college exams last week, the earliest USA Hockey could begin camp was Sunday. Despite the late start, Taylor certainly liked what he saw.

"I thought the enthusiasm was great this year and the coaching staff should be commended," Taylor said. "Some kids here who are power-play players on their teams, won't on this team. They'll have to adapt to other roles and they all know that. They all seem very unselfish and willing to check their egos at the door to get that done.

"We've been able to accomplish that at these three practices [in Greenburgh]," he continued. "It's just unfortunate with the tournament being in Russia that we have to go all the way to Helsinki to play our first exhibition game, and then send a couple kids home. That's difficult."

As it stands now, there are 14 forwards competing for 13 spots and nine defensemen battling for seven. The three goalies headed to Ufa will be starter John Gibson of the Kitchener Rangers in the Ontario Hockey League, Garret Sparks of the OHL's Guelph Storm and Jon Gillies of Providence College. Sparks and Gillies will battle for the backup role; the third goalie on the roster will serve as emergency backup in case of injury.

"I'm very happy with the play of all three goalies," U.S. coach Phil Housley said. "We haven't determined a rotation yet … that remains to be seen."

Jim Johannson, who serves as general manager for the U.S. National Team, said there wasn't one player at camp who elevated their status.

"In the short window here, I wouldn't say so, but it's almost a reaffirmation on why these guys were here in the first place," Johannson said. "I think we viewed it more that way, and there's more talk among the coaching staff heading over to Finland and getting the team prepared to play. We'll use the games in Finland to make the hard evaluations."

The managerial team will have to cut three players over the next week to trim the roster to the required 23-man unit before heading to Ufa for tournament play. It isn't too much of a stretch to admit defensemen Seth Jones of the Portland Winterhawks in the Western Hockey League, Connor Murphy of the OHL's Sarnia Sting and Jacob Trouba of the University of Michigan are guaranteed roster spots.

Additionally, Housley seemed impressed with the Rocco Grimaldi (University of North Dakota), J.T. Miller (Connecticut Whale, AHL) and John Gaudreau (Boston College) line during camp. Sarnia's Alex Galchenyuk was also very impressive.

"It seems they've formed a little chemistry in the small games," Housley said. "They're looking for each other, and J.T. provides that strength down the middle. I love the enthusiasm."

Taylor, who's coaching resume includes a historic 28-year run as the head man at Yale University, has certainly seen his share of NHL caliber players come and go throughout his lifetime.

When asked for his assessment of Jones, who many project to be a top-two selection in the 2013 NHL Draft, the veteran mentor smiled and shook his head.

"I'm kind of speechless," he said. "He's got that wonderful combination of athletic ability, hockey sense, size, and character. When you get all of that in one package, it's pretty hard to find a better prospect. I know this kid very well, know his leadership abilities and calmness under pressure, his confidence level and upside. He's a very rare U.S. talent."

Ron Hainsey wants more meetings

Updated: December 18, 2012, 8:37 PM ET

ESPN.com news services

NEW YORK -- Winnipeg Jets defenseman Ron Hainsey is getting antsy. Not only is he anxious to get back to the bargaining table with the NHL, he really wants to be on the ice with his teammates.

Just not at all costs and not without the right deal.

As part of the negotiating committee for the players' association, Hainsey has kept busy during the lockout by taking part in the ongoing talks with the NHL. But ongoing is now a relative term,

because nothing has been going on between the sides since talks broke down again last week, despite the presence of a federal mediator for two days in New Jersey.

"We've said it a number of times, but it's worth repeating: It's obviously very difficult to make a deal if you're not meeting or negotiating," Hainsey told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Tuesday. "I've yet to see a way we can do it without sitting down across a table from each other."

Two weeks ago, progress was made during several consecutive days of negotiations between players and owners in New York. The sides disagree on how close they might have moved toward a deal, but a major breakdown at the end wrecked any hope for a fast solution.

Six owners joined about 18 players in talks without commissioner Gary Bettman and executive director Donald Fehr in the room until the end of that process. Hainsey, who is in the final season of a five-year deal he signed with the former Atlanta Thrashers, is all for trying that again.

"Both [sides] were very respectful of each other," he said. "They were good meetings, they were productive, we did make progress. We were very appreciative of the way we were treated in the meetings by the owners. ... Maybe it's something that is worth revisiting and worthwhile and could possibly bring us closer to a deal."

Also in favor for trying that again Pat Brisson, agent of superstars Sidney Crosby and Jonathan Toews. Brisson has been working the phones behind the scenes to find solutions and possibly reconvene many of parties involved in those New York negotiations, this time including the leaders of each side.

"We should focus into having one more solid meeting with both Gary and Don in the meetings and perhaps the same owners and players who were there a couple weeks ago. That's when we got closer to the deal," Brisson told ESPN The Magazine's Craig Custance. "Time has passed and we've had time to think and cooler heads have prevailed. It's time to just focus there and get this CBA done. That's exactly where we're at."

NHL sources have told ESPN that the league isn't in favor of reconvening that negotiating group. There was a short phone conversation Tuesday between deputy commissioner Bill Daly and Steve Fehr but currently no plans to meet between the NHL and the NHLPA. It's likely more games will be canceled by the end of the week.

"Nothing scheduled at this point," Hainsey said. "We've always said we're open to sit down and meet any time, and now we're kind of in a situation where no one wants to make the first move. Maybe there is a way of doing it. Communication the past couple of days has been quiet. Maybe there is some way to get it started with something similar to what we had [in New York]."

Fehr declared then that an agreement was in reach, a notion that was quickly knocked down by Bettman after the union declined to accept three non-negotiable points. When the offer wasn't unconditionally accepted, the league turned down the union's proposal and withdrew any offers it had made.

"We've had a few weeks where we worked all week leading up to Thursday and Friday, and it looks like we're gathering momentum, and then had some setbacks," the 31-year-old Hainsey said. "Those things make it a bit more difficult. On both sides you get a feeling that you're making momentum and getting closer, and then you take a step backward. Then things quiet down for a couple of days, and someone has to pick up the phone and re-engage and figure out a forum.

"Personally, I would like to believe that this is not a personal thing or an anger thing. This is the business side of hockey. It's not easy, I've learned that through doing it."

Brisson said Crosby would be willing to return to the negotiating table if asked.

"Totally, with the right format," Brisson said. "You go over point by point where you're at. You don't look to rehash the history. It's 'How do we bridge the gap so we can get back playing?' We look at the bigger picture which is the business of hockey. Canceling the season -- there's no words to describe how devastating that would be."

The lockout reached its 94th day Tuesday, and all games have been canceled through Dec. 30. Bettman has said the league doesn't want a season with fewer than 48 games per team, so play would likely have to get under way by mid-January for that to be possible.

"We would prefer that we were done already," Hainsey said. "There is still time to get something done and salvage a reasonable number of games for a season. We're not up against a hard deadline yet, but we are getting short on time."

After labor talks ended last week, the focus suddenly shifted toward the courts when the NHL filed a federal class action suit Friday, seeking to establish that its lockout is legal. In a separate move, the NHL filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board, claiming the players' association has bargained in bad faith.

The NHL says the union's executive board is seeking authorization to give up its collective bargaining rights, a necessary step before players could file an antitrust lawsuit. The union has declined comment, although a vote on the matter will reportedly be completed Thursday.

"Unfortunately, the league filed suit against the players," Hainsey said. "That's never something you want to get to, obviously. It would be much more difficult to see a quick settlement through the courts than bargaining."

Hainsey maintains his optimism that if the sides can find their way back to the table they can figure out the path to a deal. The outlook is now somewhat cloudy because not only have the sides failed to work out an agreement, they appear to have lost some direction on how to get the process going again.

Federal mediation hasn't helped much in two tries over a combined four days. The most success seemed to come in New York, when six owners joined about 18 players in talks without Bettman and Fehr in the room until the end of that process. Hainsey, in the final season of a five-year deal he signed with the former Atlanta Thrashers, is all for trying that again.

"Both [sides] were very respectful of each other," he said. "They were good meetings, they were productive, we did make progress. We were very appreciative of the way we were treated in the meetings by the owners. ... Maybe it's something that is worth revisiting and worthwhile and could possibly bring us closer to a deal."

NHL, NHLPA waiting for the other to move

By Pierre LeBrun | ESPN.com

Steve Fehr and Bill Daly touched based Tuesday in a short phone call, and I wonder if it wasn’t for any reason other than to be able to tell us inquiring media types that they touched base for the first time since last Friday. I’m joking. Kind of. Still, with no official talks scheduled for this week, I don’t think the NHL is interested in getting back into a bargaining room until the NHLPA either has a new proposal or at least new ideas that would be worth exploring. In other words, the league is putting the onus on the NHLPA to make the next move. Which prompted one NHL player to text me Tuesday and say, "Wait a minute, we made the last offer [Dec. 6] and they still think it’s our turn to make the next move? Makes no sense." Thing is, ever since the experiment with Ron Burkle and fellow owners fell through in the first week of December, the league has played hardball because it believes if the compromises the

Penguins owner and his group were offering weren’t enough to get a deal done, then the league thinks NHLPA executive director Don Fehr is waiting for mid-January -- i.e., the 11th hour -- to finally make his move. Hence why the league has been unwilling to move much off its last offer. What’s frustrating for moderate players and moderate owners is that both camps feel a deal is oh-so-close, but both sides want the other camp to make the next move. In the meantime, you can expect more games to get canceled by the end of this week, which could be the last batch of games wiped out before it’s time to either salvage or cancel the season. I do not think the league will wait until mid-February, like it did eight years ago, to cancel the season. No way this gets past the third week of January without a tentative agreement or a wipeout. In order to play anywhere from 48 to 50 games, you need the puck to drop in and around Jan. 20 (to play until late June). So that certainly sets up the first 7-10 days of January as the last possible window for bargaining. Of course, much depends on whether the players file for a disclaimer of interest (decertification). The executive board will find out when player voting wraps up Friday whether it has the authorization to go ahead and file a disclaimer if it chooses to. My guess is the board will indeed get a yes vote from the rank-and-file. And don’t forget, the board has only until Jan. 2 to act on that authorization. One player told ESPN.com it was important for the board not to get an unlimited timeline with that giant hammer. So what will come first? Another bargaining session or a showdown in court? It’s a big game of chicken. In the meantime, there’s been very little talk of the Olympics. That’s remained on the back burner until the bigger core issues are resolved. But one source told ESPN.com Tuesday that it’s not written in stone the players and owners must make the Olympics part of the next CBA, that there exists the possibility -- if both sides are willing to do it -- to have a side agreement on the

Olympics once further talks with the IIHF and IOC are held. My guess is NHL players are headed to Sochi, Russia, but that’s no guarantee. Right now, I just hope we see NHL players in NHL rinks. And that’s no guarantee, either.

Breaking down Team USA's top prospects

By Corey Pronman

The International Ice Hockey Federation's Under-20 World Championship, known commonly as the World Juniors Championship, will take place this season in Ufa, Russia and may have a larger surplus of talent than usual due to the NHL lockout. Players who may have otherwise been in the NHL, such as Montreal's Alex Galchenyuk, may now take part in the tournament.

Team USA doesn't possess the most talented roster heading into the tournament, but they're in the second tier and have a good chance to compete and medal. In case you're interested in catching the action, Team USA's start times in the round robin are: 9 a.m. (EST), 9 a.m., 4:30 a.m. (vs. Canada), and 5 a.m. Set your alarm clocks!

The following are notes on every player USA Hockey invited to its selection camp being held this week at the New York Rangers' practice facility in Westchester County. The breakdowns are based on my own observations and from conversations with NHL scouts and executives. The final roster for Team USA will be named December 23rd.

Riley Barber, RW, Washington Capitals (Miami-CCHA): Barber fell to the 6th round in the 2012 draft, which was a little farther than I thought he'd go. Barber is a skilled power forward, who was inconsistent with the U.S. National Team Development Program (USNTDP) last season, but he has been on fire for Miami as he sits near the top of the scoring leader board for college rookies and drafted prospects. He wasn't invited to the Lake Placid summer camp but he's earned a shot now.

Cole Bardreau, C/W, 2013 draft eligible (Cornell-ECAC): Bardreau stood out for a few games in the summer camp, showing speed, energy and defensive value. However I've heard from NHL scouts who question what exactly Bardreau will bring to the team due to his size (5-foot-10).

Tyler Biggs, RW, Toronto Maple Leafs (Oshawa-OHL): Biggs is a high-end physical player with a strong frame and an edge to his game. While I wouldn't classify him as a pure goon, as he has

some skill, he's below-average in that area. Biggs should be an effective fourth-line winger for the US.

Alex Galchenyuk, C, Montreal Canadiens (Sarnia-OHL): The 3rd overall pick from the 2012 draft got off to a moderate start between the summer camp and first few OHL games, but has been on fire as of late and completely looks the part of an elite prospect. Galchenyuk should be the focal point of the USA's offense and display his high-end all-around game.

John Gaudreau, LW, Calgary Flames (Boston College-Hockey East): After turning a lot of heads in his freshman season, Gaudreau has risen to prominence this season and has arguably been the best player in college hockey. "He has high-end skill and vision and he's shifty," said one scout on Gaudreau. He was used on Galchenyuk's wing in the summer and likely plays on Team USA's top line in the WJC.

Shayne Gostisbehere, D, Philadelphia Flyers (Union-ECAC): One NHL executive called Gostisbehere a quality "offensive defenseman who's very smart with the puck and makes plays." Gostisbehere was very good in the summer camp and even though he's in a weaker college division, he has stood out the last two seasons. He's got a good shot to make the tournament roster.

Jon Gillies, G, Calgary Flames (Providence-Hockey East): Gillies is what one scout calls "a big, athletic kid with a lot of tools who needs to refine his technique and fundamentals." Gillies has gotten off to a torrid start so far in his freshman season, but barring injury Gibson will carry the torch in net.

John Gibson, G, Anaheim Ducks (Kitchener-OHL): Gibson is one of the top goaltending prospects in hockey who brings a great combination of hockey sense and calmness in the net. He also has a very impressive track record of puck stopping. With the USA in a tough group with Canada and Russia, he likely plays just about every game.

Rocco Grimaldi, C, Florida Panthers (North Dakota-WCHA): Grimaldi is as exciting as he is small, and he comes in at a solid 5-6. He missed most of last season due to a knee injury and probably was a top-six forward on last year's USA team without the injury. He's a fantastic skater with high-end skill, a great shot and tremendous intangibles.

Matt Grzelcyk, D, Boston Bruins (Boston University-Hockey East): When Grzelcyk's name was called last June in the third round, it was hard to find someone who wasn't surprised. Even as a small defenseman though Grezelcyk has started to prove the doubters wrong and Boston right with a great start to his freshman season. He's a skilled defenseman with high-end speed and hockey sense.

Ryan Hartman, C/W, 2013 draft eligible (Plymouth-OHL): Hartman got off to a slow start with Plymouth but his play has picked up as of late. He's a very skilled forward who plays with energy and has solid speed although he's undersized (5-11).

Sean Kuraly, C, San Jose Sharks (Miami-CCHA): At the summer camp Kuraly was fantastic, displaying high-end speed, scoring ability and a good power game, but this year in college scouts say he's been average. In the course of a few months he's gone from a lock to on the bubble and he'll have to once again make a case for a job at the lower end of the USA roster.

Seth Jones, D, 2013 draft eligible (Portland-WHL): Jones is as about as good a defense prospect as you'll find with off-the-charts hockey sense, high-end skating, a great shot and a big body as well. If he was healthy he may have been the USA's top defenseman in this tournament last season. Depending who you talk to there are some scouts who would take him at this year's draft with the No. 1 pick.

Mario Lucia, LW, Minnesota Wild (Notre Dame-CCHA): Lucia has missed most of the season to this point after breaking his left fibula. He's a very high quality prospect who -- when going at 100 percent -- has the offensive ability and size to make a difference for this club. But the evaluators will need to make the call if he will be up to the pace of an Under-20 tournament.

Jake McCabe, D, Buffalo Sabres (Wisconsin-WCHA): A few months ago McCabe was probably a longshot for this team but his play this season warrants serious consideration for a spot. Once considered a solid defensive defenseman, McCabe has added a quality offensive element to his game to add to his shutdown skills, although his decisions at times could still use work.

Stefan Matteau, LW, New Jersey Devils (Blainville-Boisbriand-QMJHL): Matteau's had a bit of a bumpy start to his season with some average play and a suspension as well. Matteau has a shot to make USA's team as a fourth-line, energy player although he has some skill to bring to the table too.

J.T. Miller, C/W, New York Rangers (Connecticut-AHL): Miller has gotten off to a bit of a slow start in the AHL as he's been adjusting to the pro game. He was a bottom-of-the-lineup player last year for the USA, so some premier ice time should be a nice change of pace for him. Miller shows the ability to be effective, be it through his playmaking or through his physical game and energy. He's the kind of forward who can make a nice play or go through an opponent.

Connor Murphy, D, Phoenix Coyotes (Sarnia-OHL): Murphy has had injury issues for the last few seasons, but when he's healthy, he is a notably above-average player who can be effective in a lot of areas. According to one NHL executive, he's a defenseman who can play versus the opponent's top players and be effective offensively too. Murphy's mobility and hockey sense are his biggest strengths.

Stefan Noesen, RW, Ottawa Senators (Plymouth-OHL): When talking to NHL sources there was some head-scratching as to why Noesen wasn't on the team last year, but he could be one of USA's better players if he plays. However, due to a suspension he received in the OHL, his World Junior chances seem grim. He's a great power forward whose skill elements have steadily developed. On offense his hockey sense is evident. Editor's note: Noesen was officially ruled ineligible Monday.

Blake Pietila, LW, New Jersey Devils (Michigan Tech-WCHA): While Pietila is a bit on the bubble, should he make it he has the right components to be a checking/energy type of forward for the USA. Offense really isn't a notable part of his game, although he has an okay amount of skill.

Mike Reilly, D, Columbus Blue Jackets (Minnesota-WCHA): Reilly was simply outstanding at the Lake Placid summer camp, but has been up and down so far in college. He's a high-end skater and puck mover who may still be going through some adjustment periods for his all-around game. But he can most certainly man a powerplay as well as anyone on this USA roster.

Brady Skjei, D, New York Rangers (Minnesota-WCHA): Skjei has struggled recently for Minnesota, even at times being a healthy scratch, so he may not be as much of a lock for this roster as he was back in the summer. Still, he's an elite skater with a big body and good hockey sense. I think he has a pretty decent shot at being on the team.

Garret Sparks, G, Toronto Maple Leafs (Guelph-OHL): Sparks is a goalie with solid athletic tools who has played very well as of late but will probably be hard pressed to push for some -- if any -- real playing time at the tournament.

Vincent Trocheck, C/W, Florida Panthers (Saginaw-OHL): Trocheck has been among the top 10 players in OHL scoring for most of the season. Aside from being just a tad undersized, it's hard to find a true weakness in his game. He's a gritty, smart, skilled player who plays well in his own end. Look for him to impress at this tournament.

Jacob Trouba, D, Winnipeg Jets (Michigan-CCHA): Trouba has been very good in his freshman season at Michigan, showing significant offensive and defensive value. He was impressive as a 17-year-old in the World Juniors last year and should probably be one of the tournament's top defenders.

Patrick Sieloff, D, Calgary Flames (Windsor-OHL): To one scout, Sieloff is a great intangibles prospect with a top-end work ethic and someone who loves to hit. He skates at a solid pace too. Sieloff's started to get more involved offensively in the OHL, but that's not his game. He's a 1994 birthdate and the tournament will be on a large ice surface, so while he has a shot, he may have to wait until next season.

Jimmy Vesey, LW, Nashville Predators (Harvard-ECAC): Vesey's an interesting prospect as scouts describe him as a high-end skill player and goal scorer. Vesey broke the EJHL's single season scoring record last season and was drafted in the third round after being passed over in the 2011 draft. He's a prospect with good upside but for now he may be hard pressed to make the team.

As always, if you have any questions on a player feel free to leave a comment below and I will get back to you.

Team Canada's top prospects

By Corey Pronman

Canada enters the World Juniors again as the heavy favorite, this year even more than usual. No team will benefit as much from the extra talent that would have likely been skating in the NHL regular season if there was no lockout. Players like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jonathan Huberdeau and Dougie Hamilton would almost certainly be with their respective NHL clubs, but now they find themselves on a final roster that should claim the World Junior Championship.

The following are notes on each player on the Canadian roster based on my own observations and talking to scouts and executives. Two of the goalies, Jordan Binnington and Jake Paterson, were omitted due to a lack of information on the players.

Anthony Camara, LW, Boston Bruins (Barrie-OHL): Camara is an interesting prospect due to his scoring surge this season. He's displayed a quality power game, decent speed and -- not a lot but some -- ability with the puck. Still when I asked one scout about him the scout said he's not sold yet and sees Camara as more of an energy line player. He should provide that kind of value for Canada.

Philip Danault, C/W, Chicago Blackhawks (Victoriaville-QMJHL): It's rare you can project a Junior-aged player to be a good -- if not a high-end -- defensive player, but I have no problem saying that about Danault. He's a very aware player in his own end who works his tail off. He's also a high-end skater as well, who can contribute some offense.

Jonathan Drouin, LW, 2013 draft eligible (Halifax-QMJHL): Drouin has worked himself into the lottery pick discussion this season and has alleviated concerns he's riding MacKinnon's coattails. Drouin is a fantastic puck handler and passer who can flash high-end skating as well. He's an exciting offensive player who creates on every shift.

Dougie Hamilton, D, Boston Bruins (Niagara-OHL): The reigning CHL Defenseman of the Year and arguably the top drafted defenseman in the CHL returns to this tournament for the second time. Hamilton is a unique player because of the skating and offensive ability he has relative to his size. He's still working out the kinks in his own end but the upside for him is so, so high.

Scott Harrington, D, Pittsburgh Penguins (London-OHL): Harrington was part of Canada's top shutdown unit last year and should provide similar value this time around. Harrington skates well but his best asset is his high-end hockey sense, particularly in the defensive end.

Jonathan Huberdeau, LW, Florida Panthers (Saint John-QMJHL): Huberdeau's scoring rates are understandably down a bit because Saint John went from unbelievably stacked last season to

below-average with a lot of key graduations. There's little doubt that Huberdeau is an elite prospect though, with special puck skills and vision. His frame still needs developing.

Charles Hudon, LW, Montreal Canadiens (Chicoutimi-QMJHL): Hudon has a rich history in international play, leading all forwards in scoring at the Under-17 championship two seasons ago, and leading last season's Ivan Hlinka tournament in scoring. He's a very skilled and smart player who has shown considerable defensive value this season, although he's a small player (5-foot-10). It was somewhat surprising how quickly he became a lock for the Under-20 team and his prospect stock is trending upwards.

Boone Jenner, C, Columbus Blue Jackets (Oshawa-OHL): Jenner has always been seen as a great power forward who can contribute a decent amount of offense, but the latter part of his game has taken off this year somewhat due to his improved skating. Jenner's a returning player at this event who can play a variety of roles be it a top checking one or contributing on offense.

J.C. Lipon, RW, 2013 draft eligible (Kamloops-WHL): Lipon went undrafted last season but this time around he's making a good case to be selected. He's been near the top of the WHL scoring race all season. He's not along the same talent level as Kings first-round pick Tanner Pearson, who went in the first round as a previously undrafted player, but he could go in the top three rounds. He's a good skater and passer with solid defensive value.

Nathan MacKinnon, C, 2013 draft eligible (Halifax-QMJHL): The potential first-overall pick this season is everything you want in a prospect. He's an off the charts skater, a great puck handler, can set up his teammates, is unusually strong for his age and works as hard as any energy line player. He's got it all and he should be an asset for Canada even as a 17-year-old.

Ryan Murphy, D, Carolina Hurricanes (Kitchener-OHL): Murphy is an extremely exciting player to watch, as he's an elite skater with plus hands and can be so threatening with the puck on the rush or from the blue line. His issues have always been his size, his defense and being too much of a gambler. The latter two aspects have started to come around, but it will be interesting to see if Canada uses him as a regular or just as a specialist.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C, Edmonton Oilers (Oklahoma City-AHL): Nuge was an above-average NHL player last season and one of the top players in the AHL this season. So, in an event with a bunch of Under-20 players, the expectation for the former No. 1-overall pick is nothing short of domination. He's a unique puck handler with elite vision and good skating ability.

Xaiver Ouellet, D, Detroit Red Wings (Blainville-Boisbriand-QMJHL): Ouellet is a player who has impressed scouts with his ability to make plays with the puck, keep his composure under pressure and log a large amount of tough minutes. He's a little on the small side and not a standout skater, but he gets a lot good things done.

Griffin Reinhart, D, New York Islanders (Edmonton-WHL): The fourth-overall pick in this past draft hasn't had all that good an offensive season, but his value is in his defense as he's a very

aware big man who is always in position. With the puck Reinhart doesn't panic, makes a good first pass and will look for his chance to rush up as well.

Ty Rattie, RW, St. Louis Blues (Portland-WHL): Rattie's scoring rates are down somewhat this season, but it's not a real reason to be alarmed as he's without top prospect Sven Baertschi this season. Rattie is a very skilled and imaginative offensive player who can finish. His issues are that his frame is undeveloped and he sometimes tries to do too much.

Morgan Rielly, D, Toronto Maple Leafs (Moose Jaw-WHL): Rielly was seen as a risk/reward pick at the draft because of the knee injury that caused him to miss a good chunk of his draft season, but he's simply looked terrific in 2012-13. He's a high-end skater, puck handler and passer who can control the puck and is exciting to watch. His frame impedes him on defense though. Rielly could play the top pairing for Canada.

Brett Ritchie, RW, Dallas Stars (Niagara-OHL): Ritchie has had a bit of a breakout season. In past seasons he's been known for having great flashes but also having consistency issues. This year he's taken the good times and kept them rolling and what you have is a big power forward with a quality amount of offensive skill.

Mark Scheifele, C, Winnipeg Jets (Barrie-OHL): Scheifele has been high quality this season and while every scout knows about his skill and high-end vision, it's been the improvement to his skating that has notably improved his prospect stock.

Ryan Strome, C, New York Islanders (Niagara-OHL): Strome has been excellent this season, as the former No. 5-overall pick is leading the OHL in scoring and has arguably been the MVP of the league. His great hands and playmaking skills are always on display, but he's worked hard as well to round out his game and displays quality defensive value now too.

Malcolm Subban, G, Boston Bruins (Belleville-OHL): P.K.'s brother is a top-of-the-line goalie prospect who has been sensational the last two seasons. Some scouts thought he should have been on Team Canada last year. He's a very athletic and physically gifted goaltender who has -- over the last year or so -- quieted his game down in the net and refined his technique.

Tyler Wotherspoon, D, Calgary Flames (Portland-WHL): Wotherspoon was called a regular old "steady Eddie" by one scout I talked to, with that scout saying there's not a lot of flash to his game but he's good defensively and displays good character too. Wotherspoon has started to become more confident moving and carrying the puck, but that isn't his strength.

As always if you have any questions on a player feel free to leave a comment and I will get back to you.

Top NHL draft prospects on display after Christmas

Kyle Woodlief, special to USA TODAY

It's almost Christmas, so that can mean only one thing: We're about to be treated to the best two weeks of hockey we'll see all year. And while that's true even in a normal year, the point is driven home even more clearly in this season without the NHL.

Every Dec. 26, Red Line Report looks forward to traveling not only to the world junior championships but also our favorite tournament of the season, the world under-17 challenge.

The under-17 tournament, hosted this year by Drummondville and Victoriaville, Quebec, is one of the last remaining major events on the scouting calendar where politics play very little role. So it's a chance to truly see the best players of their age group from four European countries, the United States and five regions across Canada.

Then, of course, there's the world juniors. And even with the endless NHL lockout continuing, this year looks especially promising for viewing top draft-eligibles. A quick glance at our list and each nation's evaluation camp rosters reveals that most of Red Line's top-rated prospects could be on hand in Ufa, Russia.

Sure things among the top guys are Finnish studs Aleksander Barkov and Rasmus Ristolainen, while scorer Artturi Lehkonen might land a top six role. American aces Seth Jones and Ryan Hartman, both of whom have been mainstays on U.S. national teams the last two years, are extremely likely candidates. And Jonathan Drouin and Nathan MacKinnon earned spots on Team Canada's roster, though Sean Monahan and Hunter Shinkaruk were among the cuts after Canada's selection camp.

The incredibly deep defending champions from Sweden could make room for Elias Lindholm on the front lines, and the Russian contingent should include swift forward Valeri Nichushkin and monster rearguard Nikita Zadorov.

Meanwhile, Dominik Kahun (Sudbury) will be a key for the German attack, while Martin Reway (Gatineau) and Roberts Lipsbergs (Seattle) will have to perform miracles if the Slovaks and Latvians, respectively, are to put up much offense.

So sit back and enjoy these hockey gifts. They might be the only presents the sport gives us this year.

No. Player Pos. Ht.,wt. Shoots Dateof birth

Team

1. Seth Jones D 6-3, 208

Right Oct. 3, 1994

Portland

2. Jonathan Drouin

LW 5-11,185

Left March 27,

1995

Halifax

3. Nathan MacKinnon

C 6-0,192

Right Sept.1, 1995

Halifax

4. Aleksander Barkov

C 6-2, 207

Left Sept. 2,

1995

Tappara

5. Sean Monahan

C 6-2,193

Left Oct.12, 1994

Ottawa

6. Elias Lindholm

C 6-0,181

Right Dec. 2, 1994

Brynas

7. Ryan Pulock

D 6-1, 211

Right Oct.6, 1994

Brandon

8. Rasmus Ristolainen

D 6-3,196

Right Oct. 27,

1994

TPS Turku

9. Hunter Shinkaruk

LW 5-11,181

Left Oct.13, 1994

Medicine Hat

10. Josh Morrissey

D 6-0, 182

Left March 28,

1995

Prince Albert

RISING

Hunter Shinkaruk: The guy is a scoring machine. Any time he has the puck inside the blue line, it's a scoring chance. Comes through in big moments.

Laurent Dauphin: Keeps picking up steam week after week. His confidence - and his game - are growing by leaps and bounds.

Morgan Klimchuk: Used to be just a scorer, but now he's rounded out his game nicely and is competing much harder and with more consistency away from the puck.

Vincent Dunn: Every time we go in to see Anthony Mantha play, we come out wondering who this Dunn kid is. Now we know.

Greg Chase: Quickly becoming a Red Line favorite out west. Shows up every night, is an effortless skater and is starting to bury his chances.

FALLING

Rinat Valiev: Has loads of offensive talent but was lacking in discipline and made an example of by the coaches. Has new lease on life with last week's coaching change. Let's see if he can turn his season around.

Matt Needham: Strictly an offensive forward who's not producing on the scoresheet. Was expected to center Kamloops' second line but has been passed on the depth chart.

News and notes from around the scouting community

-Last season when scouts entered rinks all over the Western Hockey League, it was never to watch a goalie. While Red Line loved Saskatoon's Andrei Makarov, the scouting community obviously disagreed because he was passed over a second time in the 2012 draft (though he has since been signed as a free agent by Buffalo). We've already expressed our feelings on Makarov's snub ad nauseum, so we won't go down that road again.

Suffice it to say, NHL scouts did a lot of very loud grumbling while spending a season watching WHL draft-eligible netminders being pulled in the first period.

This season, however, is like night and day compared to last year. Top prospect Eric Comrie is leading a growing list of emerging netminders out west. Comrie has been carrying the Tri-City Americans on his back nearly every game, and his heroic efforts have him in the top echelon of available netminders this year, and knocking on the door of the first round.

Next up is Edmonton's Tristan Jarry, who is backing up Oil Kings' No. 1 goalie, Laurent Brossoit, one of the Canadian Hockey League's best netminders. But Jarry has been stellar in his limited 11 outings, with a 1.62 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage.

Others quickly emerging on the scene are Jackson Whistle in Kelowna (who seems to have added an inch or two every time we watch him), Austin Lotz in Everett and Brendan Burke in Portland.

Then there's Red Line sleeper Mack Shields in Calgary. Shields is in a similar situation to Jarry, stuck playing behind Chris Driedger, the only WHL netminder selected in last June's NHL draft.

Shields is very raw but has a big frame with quick pads and is great at cutting down the angles. Has been very solid in limited game action and would be pushing for more ice time if Driedger hadn't been so strong all season.

-Connor Hurley has played for three different teams before returning to Edina to start the Minnesota high school season and has yet to lose his luster or look out of place. His stints with Team Southwest, the U.S. National Team Development Program under-18 squad and Muskegon in the U.S. Hockey League showed he can change gears, make smart decisions at a higher tempo and take his game to another level.

Hurley is also the youngest player eligible for this year's NHL draft, barely squeaking in under the wire by a few hours as a Sept.15 birthdate. He's already showing signs that he intends to dominate the high school ranks, and is slated to return to Muskegon once the high school season concludes. He recently committed to Notre Dame, where he'll still be 17 when the school year starts next Fall, so there's plenty of time for physical development of his lean, raw-boned frame.

In a year where nearly all of the top Minnesota high schoolers abandoned the state to play in the USHL, Hurley easily represents the cream of a watered-down crop, and will likely be the only prospect selected in the top 50 from the Minny high school ranks.

-Red Line's chief scout just returned from all the New England prep school pre-Christmas tournaments, and it's safe to say the prep school ranks are an unmitigated disaster this year.

The good news for Hotchkiss' Tyler Hill is that he will be spending his Christmas break playing for the Chicago Steel. It will be absolutely imperative for NHL scouts to see him play in the USHL the next few weeks because it's impossible to evaluate Hill at Hotchkiss, one of the worst teams playing on any level this year. While Hill's size, vision and puck skills are obvious, it's very difficult for him to generate scoring chances when the Hotchkiss defense corps can't clear the puck out of its own end for roughly 80% of any game.

Hill was very good in last month's brief two-game stint with the Steel, recording a Gordie Howe hat trick - a goal, an assist and a fight - along the way. His draft rankings will have to be based on evaluations of his 12 to 14 games in the USHL this season (he reportedly will join the Steel again next spring after his prep school season ends), not on his time with Hotchkiss.

TOP FIVE UNCHANGED AT TOP OF ISS DECEMBER DRAFT RANKINGS

TSN.CA STAFF

With the World Junior Hockey Championship just days away, International Scouting Services released their December draft rankings with no change in the top five prospects.

In order, Nathan MacKinnon of the Halifax Mooseheads, Portland's Seth Jones, Aleksander Barkov of Tappara in the Finnish Elite League, Jonathan Drouin of Halifax and Ottawa's Sean Monahan remain as the top prospects for this summer's NHL Draft.

Two Russian players made big moves in the last month with Valery Nichushkin of Chelyabinsk earning a spot in the top 10, going from 12th position to seventh and Nikita Zadorov of the OHL's London Knights moving from 19th to 11th.

Curtis Lazar of the WHL's Edmonton Oil Kings dropped out of the top 10, going from sixth position down to 12th.

Joining the top 30 are Madison Bowey of the Kelowna Rockets, Kitchener's Justin Bailey and Samuel Morin of Rimouski.

Dropping out of the top 30 are Linkoping's Viktor Crus-Rydberg, J.T. Compher from the USA Under-18 Team and Ian McCoshen, who plays for Waterloo in the USHL.

WHL: LOWRY SCORES TWICE AS BRONCOS DOWN BLADES

The Canadian Press

Adam Lowry scored twice to lead the Swift Current Broncos to a 3-1 win over the Saskatoon Blades in the Western Hockey League on Tuesday.

Lowry, who now has a team-leading 23 goals on the season, is on a seven-game scoring streak and has 12 goals since Dec. 5.

Graham Black added his 16th goal of the season for Swift Current (16-17-5).

Elsewhere in the WHL it was: Edmonton 4, Calgary 1; Red Deer 5, Kootenay 1; Regina 3, Lethbridge 2; Tri-City 4, Seattle 1; and Portland 4, Spokane 3.

At Swift Current, Sask., Nathan Burns replied for Saskatoon (19-15-1) with his 12th of the year during a third-period power play.

Broncos goalie Landon Bow stopped 20 shots for the win.

Blades netminder Alex Moodie gave up three goals on 28 shots in taking the loss as Saskatoon saw its six-game winning streak come to an end.

Oil Kings 4, Hitmen 1

At Calgary, Henrik Samuelsson scored a pair of short-handed goals and added an assist to lead Edmonton (23-7-5) over the Hitmen (23-8-4).

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Rebels 5, Ice 1

At Red Deer, Alta., Turner Elson and Rhyse Dieno each had a goal and an assist and Bolton Pouliot made 27 saves as the Rebels (21-13-3) downed Kootenay (10-23-1).

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Pats 3, Hurricanes 2

At Lethbridge, Alta., Morgan Klimchuk scored the winner with just 32 seconds left in regulation as Regina (13-20-4) topped the Hurricanes (17-16-5).

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Americans 4, Thunderbirds 1

At Kent, Wash., Beau McCue scored twice to lift Tri-City (20-12-3) over Seattle (16-17-2).

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Winterhawks 4, Chiefs 3

At Spokane, Wash., Adam De Champlain scored the winner midway through the third period as Portland (29-5-1) got past the Chiefs (23-10-1).